Friday Book Report: How Not to Die

How Not to Die by Michael Greger, M.D. is a big book, both in terms of pages and ideas.  In it, Dr. Greger lays out piles and piles of evidence about what we should eat to prevent diseases including heart disease, diabetes, and clinical depression.  And yes, there are piles of evidence.  The good news is that he is also an entertaining writer, so it does not feel like a slog.

Also he does not mince words.  He points out the inherent difficulty of government recommendations for diet:  the government must attempt to promote healthy eating and support the food industry.  In general, the food industry wins.  He goes on to skewer both government and other recommendations for essentially dumbing things down rather than presenting the best possible recommendations based on the evidence.  In other words, he says that many sources recommend diets based on what they think people might actually follow rather than on what would be best.

Here is the very short version of the book:  go vegetarian and probably vegan.  I’m in because I kind of like living.

Medals? Eh, whatever...

Over the weekend, I played some board games.  I like board games.  Here’s the thing, though:  I don’t really care if I win.  I play because I like the conversations that happen around the game.  I fidget with the pieces and make silly jokes.  I try to play well enough that I’m not hindering the flow and I don’t object to winning if it happens, but I’m not driven by competition.

That’s okay, but it doesn’t help me too much when it comes to fitness.  I could be a little more competitive with myself and it would be a good thing.  I could want to beat my previous records (or, hey, track records at all!!!) more.  I could work a little harder to be faster or stronger or thinner or more agile.

Wanna race?

Embrace the change

Often I am in favor of baby steps.  They are super useful when we need to talk ourselves into something new.  We can try out some tiny little change that isn’t all that threatening and then see how it goes.  It can lead to amazing and large change in a semi-painless fashion.

But there are times when giant steps are called for.  Sometimes it is not enough to temporize with ourselves, to compromise, to approximate our way to greatness.  We need to start being great right now, totally.  We need to commit.

So.  I’m now a vegetarian.  I’ve looked at the evidence.  I’ve remembered how I used to feel when I was one before.  I’ve bid fond farewell to the bacon, which was pretty much the only thing I missed last time.

Maybe your giant step is different.  Maybe it is exercising first, before anything else.  Maybe it is ditching the sugar, or the boyfriend, or the bad attitude.  Maybe it is embracing the kale or lacing up the shoes.  Whatever it is, let’s do it.  I’m here for you, eating my salad.

Heavy Objects

There are times when fitness is just simple.  I like to lift weights because I like being strong.  That’s it.  I like the challenge of heavy objects, the feeling of struggle and pull in my muscles, and then the success.

Of course there is a metaphor in there somewhere, but let’s just stay literal.

What success shall we go for today?

Monday Workout: Barbell!

I like to push a little harder in the last week of the month.  That means that this week’s workout will be challenging.  Keep in mind that all workouts need to go at your own pace, using manageable weights for where you are on this exact day.  Be smart.

This week, we’re going for a barbell workout.  This presents a stability challenge, particularly with the one-hand exercises.  Use your core!!!

barbell workout	3 sets/20
barbell 1 leg step ups
deadlifts
1 leg bent over row
(1 arm) snatch
(barbell) twists
barbell jump (step) overs
bench dips

Friday Book Report: Tribe

One of the things I have been thinking about a lot is community and how it relates to fitness.  In this context, I read Sebastian Junger’s book Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging.  I am not sure what I expected, but the book was not it, not that that is a bad thing.

Essentially, Junger spends the book ruminating on why we have so much angst given our amazing wealth as a society.  It comes down to the fact that we are, in his view, deeply disconnected.  He writes, “Humans don’t mind hardship, in fact they thrive on it; what they mind is not feeling necessary.  Modern society has perfected the art of making people not feel necessary.” (p. xvii)

He explores this thesis through lenses ranging from traditional Native American culture to war-torn cities, finding that what we seem to need most is to be together, working for some common good.

So:  today’s fitness goal is to work with someone on something that makes the world a better place.

There's a Queen song about this...

On some level, we don’t do fitness for reasons, or at least not the kind that make a handy list.  We do it because we like it.  Maybe not every second of it, but we like it.  And one thing leads to another.

I love my bike.  The better shape I’m in, cardio-wise, the more fun it is to ride my bike, so I end up doing spin or elliptical training or (trying to) run or swimming to cross-train.  The stronger I am, the faster I can get up the hills, so there I am, lifting weights.  Then there is that whole day-after feeling of tightness and I need to say hello to my Pilates equipment and my yoga mat.

But every time, what I go back to is the pedaling, the pure joy of being outside, moving, in the sun and wind.  That’s why I do it.

Why do you?