Carpe momento!!

“Growth is the great separator between those who succeed and those who do not. When I see a person beginning to separate themselves from the pack, it’s almost always due to personal growth.”–John C. Maxwell

In human existence, we are growing, we are stagnating, or we are decaying. We tend to think of aging as a natural process of decline. While it is true that physical processes do decline with age, there is no reason to believe that the process of aging and physical disability are certain. Orison Swett Marden wrote in The Miracle of Right Thought that “a man is like a fine clock, which, if properly cared for, will keep splendid time and run for a century, but, if neglected or abused, will very soon get out of order, and wear out or give out before it should.”

Why must we use phrases like “grow old” and imply declining function? How is it that growth and aging are so negatively equated?

Growth is a positive process. There is no indication of negativity. Growth is equated to increase and maturity. Never is growth considered a process of decline.

Old is a term of relativity. Certainly any of us who are over fifty remember when fifty was old. Now, however, we would hesitate to call ourselves old (or at least we should). What, then, becomes old? Sixty? Seventy? Eighty? One hundred?—Only until we hit these milestones.

Age is really just a tick of time. What meaning is there in the phase: “Act your age”? Honestly, what is a 50 year-old supposed to act like?!

Aging is a maturation process. Physically, humans reach full maturity around 30 years. Is life then like the old wooden rollercoasters where click-click-click we steadily climb the rails of physical maturity, pause briefly at the pinnacle, only to scream “Oh, sh———“ as we plunge rapidly to the bottom? What nonsense is the notion that one should expect a rapid decline in physical abilities, as we grow “old”?

In my exercise physiology course, I teach my students that muscle mass declines 10% from 25 to 50 years of age. Muscle mass declines an additional 40% from the age of 50 to 80 years! This is not very promising until we add that much of this decline is simply a matter of disuse—the old principle of “use it or lose it.” Our bodies don’t wear out. They rust out!

From a well-centered fitness perspective, we should be regularly growing spiritually, physically, intellectually, emotionally, and socially. We are supposed to be our best today and be better tomorrow. We must establish a plan for regular growth. (Note: I say “regular growth”. Constant growth is not reasonable. We will most likely see periods of accelerated growth, steady state, and even atrophy, but overall we should see progress.)

From a physical prospective, I tell my students that, if we can simply maintain over the years, we will eventually exceed our peers, who have allowed life to interfere with their growth progress. I recently saw a story about a 94 year-old man who broke the bench-pressing record for his age group with a bench press of 206 lb. It occurred to me that, while my bench press is not currently impressive, if I could maintain for 40 years, I could shatter this record.

Progress might be slower in our later years, but we can progress. It is never too late to establish a growth plan for one’s self. Certainly, the sooner the better, and there is no better time than the present.

“If you wish to appear young think of yourself as being constantly renewed, rejuvenated, for there is a perpetual renewal going on in the cells of your body. Think of youth as the everlasting fact and old age conditions as false, unnecessary, unnatural, caused largely by old age thought habits, race habits, old age convictions. Say to yourself, ‘I cannot grow old because I am perpetually being made new, and new cells cannot look old unless made so by old age thought and conviction.’ Think life, live it; think youth, live it; feel it, express it from every pore of your being!”—Orison Swett Marden

“The very intensity of your longing to do a certain thing is an additional proof that you have the ability to do it, and the constant affirmation that you can and will do it makes the achievement all the more certain. What you dream you can do, think you can do or believe you can do, you will do.”–Orison Swett Marden

I was moved over the last couple of days by two stories I saw on social media. One was about a young Georgia man, Fred Barley, who rode over six hours on his brother’s bicycle to attend college. He carried a tent, as he was homeless when he arrived on campus to enroll in classes. Campus police put him up in a local hotel for a couple of days. As his story spread many in the community offered him help. Barley accepted only help finding a job. Another inspiration was a video of a 14 year-old, young man, named Daron. Daron likes cutting grass, but the houses are too far away. So, he saved to buy a bicycle and built a trailer for his mower, blower, and fuel. These are simple stories, but they are stories of ambition. They are stories of self-determination. They are stories about self-faith. These are two men who will, undoubtedly, see great success and have tremendous impact in their communities.

If you follow this blog and haven’t figured out, yet, I am a big fan of Orison Swett Marden, who founded Success magazine in the late 1890’s. Paragraph after paragraph of his books is chock full of inspiration. There are countless modern motivational writers/speakers, but Marden and James Allen are the originals in my opinion. I read in their words inspiration to reach for success, not for the purpose of fame and wealth, but for the purpose of Purpose. I believe we are all placed on this earth for some Purpose. He is formed for a Purpose greater than self—to have (extra)ordinary success. Unfortunately, most of us fail to realize our potential and our Purpose is largely unfulfilled.

In The Miracle of Right Thought, Marden discusses the importance of “self-faith.” He writes of the error of the ancient theology that man has “fallen from his original grand estate.” He emphasizes “there is nothing in the Bible to indicate that man was to prostrate himself before his Maker like a sneak or a slave.” Rather, “man is to assert his divinity.” In the Christian faith, man is made is the image of God. Why, then, do we focus on our flaws and deem our dreams impossible?

Only the obstacles we create in our own mind limit us. Self-deprecation serves only to distract us from what we are to become. Four times in the Bible, Christ makes the statement: “You of little faith.” Each is followed with one of what have been coined the “enemies of faith”: anxious care (Matthew 6:30), fear (Matthew 8:26), doubt (Matthew 14:31), and human reasoning (Matthew 16:8). One does not have to be a Christian or religious person to see the application of these in principle. These (anxious care or worry, fear, doubt, and our own inferior reasoning) are contrary to the forces that drive success.

‘Can’t’ never did anything. I don’t allow my children to use the word “can’t”. It is self-limiting. It is destructive to self-faith. To utter the words “I can’t” is to give up. Undoubtedly, the path to success will be met with a series of failures, but this does not conclude with “I can’t.” Failure is simple an indication that our efforts are misdirected. Failure is part of the learning process.

To succeed, one must first believe that he or she can do. As Marden so aptly states: “Success is achieved mentally first.” One cannot will not succeed unless one has sufficient faith in oneself. To deny one’s ability is to deny one’s Purpose. True, we may not be as successful as some more gifted in certain areas, but this only limits the magnitude of one’s success—it does not prohibit success.

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”—Theodore Roosevelt

Carpe momento!

“The habit of expecting great things of ourselves calls out the best that is in us.”—Orison Swett Marden

Think and Grow Rich (Napoleon Hill). The Power of Positive Thinking (Norman Vincent Peale). The Power of Possibility Thinking (Robert H. Schuller). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen R. Covey). Awaken the Giant Within (Tony Robbins)…. The list of “self-help” books is massive. At the core is the very basic principle that we are who we think we are (As a Man Thinketh, James Allen; The Miracle of Right Thought, Orison Swett Marden; Proverbs 23:7—“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”). What thoughts we allow to dominate our mind feed who we are. If we are negative and pessimistic, success will surely elude us. If we set out thoughts on that which is positive, encouraging, and self-affirming, we bring out the best in ourselves.

An old friend came to mind this morning. Early in my university career, I had the pleasure of working with Dr. Charlie Chatterton. Charlie and I started at Eastern Michigan University about the same time and worked together for a few years before we both moved on to other universities. Charlie is hands-down one of the most positive people I know. I, on the other hand, gravitate toward negativity. Charlie and I would often run together, and I would invariably vent my frustration about someone or something. Charlie was always quick to call out my negativity with his most positive attitude. He never called me out directly, but was quite capable of shining a light on my faulty attitude. I would complain about something so-and-so had done, and Charlie would, in such a positive and encouraging tone, point out to me that perhaps I am not seeing things from the other’s perspective. It would frustrate the heck out of me. Not that it was annoying, but rather because Charlie was right. I could argue my point, but I would know instantly that he was right and that my selfishness and negative thinking had been exposed.

I have since learned to be more intentional when starting my day and to hit the pause button at the very start of the day to focus my thinking on the positives. If I don’t do this daily, it shows in my attitude and my social interactions. (Self-disclosure: this doesn’t mean it has a permanent effect on my attitude; I can very quickly slip back into my negative pattern no sooner than when I get on the highway for my commute.) Should I slip back into a negative attitude, it important to immediately hit the reset button—to reclaim my positive thoughts.

Journaling is an important step in initiating greater expectations for the day. It helps me to do this first thing in the morning—before working out, showering, eating, etc. Once one gets started with the activities of the day, it becomes increasingly more difficult to hit the pause and stop to gather one’s thoughts for the day—to set goals, reflect on one’s values, express one’s gratitude, state affirmations, and whatever else one might chose to include in one’s journal.

I have a rather long commute to work—about an hour each way.   I find it helpful to listen to motivational podcasts to fill the time. This helps me maintain the positivity and keep the focus. Otherwise, traffic, drivers, and delays can negate my efforts to be gracious and at peace.

So, the choice is ours. Shall we expect great things? Or shall we expect failure and disappointment? Be your best today (expect your best today); be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento.

“The man who would succeed must think success, must think upward. He must think progressively, creatively, constructively, inventively, and, above all, optimistically. You will go in the direction in which you face.”–Orison Swett Marden

We need to be intentional with success. The other day, I wrote about focus. Without proper focus, success will surely evade us.

We cannot go about our day haphazardly. We must chose our goals wisely and be specific.

Specificity is a principle of adaptation in exercise: the body system makes specific adaptations to imposed demands (also known as the “S.A.I.D. Principle”)—i.e., if one wants to build muscle strength, one must lift near maximal resistances for few repetitions; if one wants to build muscle endurance, one must lift submaximal resistances for many repetitions. Likewise, in the pursuit of success, specificity applies.

One who would be successful must direct oneself toward completion of the task at hand. There is a saying that “if you fall on your face, at least you are moving forward.” Success is not guaranteed, and failure will inevitably occur along the way; however, if our thoughts are focused on success, we will ultimately succeed.

Daily goal setting is essential. Write goals down. Be intentional. Prioritize.

Journaling and daily planning is fundamental. Taking pause (ideally, at the start of the day) to consider what is important and what needs to be done today will make sure that the non-essentials don’t interfere with the plan.

Orison Swett Marden is clear that we cannot desire success and simultaneously doubt that success ours to possess. No. We need to be confident that success is ours for the taking. Let no one tell you otherwise—especially the annoying voice of doubt in your head. Claim your success with your actions. Let nothing distract you. See it. Believe it is yours. With effort and focus, success will be your.

Carpe momento!

“Successful people maintain a positive focus in life no matter what is going on around them. They stay focused on their past successes rather than their past failures, and on the next action steps they need to take to get them closer to the fulfillment of their goals rather than all the other distractions that life presents to them.”–Jack Canfield

Keeping focus—keeping to the task at hand—can be challenging. There is no such thing as multi-tasking. Despite our self-deception, we really can handle multiple tasks simultaneously. Ultimately, we wind up doing a less than ultimate job at the activities we try to juggle.

I haven’t posted a blog for sometime, because I have been struggling myself with focus. I am trying to keep far too many pans on the stove.

As a university professor, I often find it challenging to regulate the many responsibilities that go with the teaching, scholarship, and service requirements. It can at times be overwhelming to figure out what to do next. Personally, I have to dedicate time to course preparation, grading, research, committee work (chairing a committee like the Institutional Review Board, itself, can feel like a full-time job), and program development. On top of all this, there has to be time for family and time for personal reflection/development (i.e., spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional, and social well-centeredness). Like most people, I don’t always manage these well.

So, how does one manage to not burn everything on the burner? (My eight year-old daughter has introduced my to cooking shows like Worst Cooks in America and Beat Bobby Flay, so I have learned a bit about task management recently from the likes of Bobby Flay and Anne Burrell.) The key is organization—planning and task prioritization. For me, I often need to just take a little extra time in the morning to hit the pause button and plan my day. Daily journaling is key. However, journaling needs to be more than simple reflection. It must include goal-setting and daily focus.

I wrote recently about Rory Vaden’s (author of Procrastinate on Purpose) idea of “productive procrastination.” Vaden shares a concept of three-dimensional time-management that considers not only the urgency and importance of a task (per Stephen Covey), but also the dimension of significance (i.e., prioritizing according to how long something matters). In other words, we must do first those things that have the greatest significance relative to importance and urgency. If something can be put off for a day or so, then is should be delayed in favor of things that are of greatest significance.

Summers are especially challenging for me as a professor. On one hand, I am “off” for the summer (since I rarely teach summer courses). On the other hand, this is time for me to catch up. This summer, for example, I have research data to analyze and write up for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. I also have a list of projects to do for the IRB and a graduate program proposal I need to prepare. On top of this, I have a reading list and personal fitness goals. On top of all this, my kids are home, and I want to spend time with them (and my wife, when she gets home from work). It is often a challenge, however, to stop what I am doing to do something with or for the kids. Ashamedly, my response is often something like: “Can’t you see I am busy?!” Really? I wish sometimes they would call me out on this. (“Didn’t I just see you checking e-mail?” or “Weren’t you just on Facebook?”)

Like most of us, I need regular reminders of what are priorities. In addition, I need to focus.

A great way to focus our attention is to begin the day with the “pause button.” Take 15-30 minutes every morning to schedule your day. Include physical exercise, reading, and time for others. Then, after time is set-aside for these, prioritize the tasks that need to be done and that you want to do. If they are significant and important, you will certainly find the time to get these done. If the task is urgent and important, but not significant, perhaps it can be passed off to someone else to do?

I am a person who doesn’t like to leave things undone. (Take annual yard tasks like spreading bark dust/mulch. Our yard requires about a unit—7 cu. yds. I cannot leave such a task unfinished. When the load of bark dust is delivered, I can’t stop until the pile is cleared from the driveway. As such, I plan accordingly. Nothing interferes until the job is done.) Taking this to heart, I must plan my day. Without proper planning, social media, e-mail, television, etc. will surely waste my day. With planning, however, I am always more efficient and effective.

So, this takes one priority item off the list….

Carpe momento!

I haven’t posted in a while. Frankly, I have been a bit uninspired. So, what does one do when the feelings of futility, frustration, lack of Purpose, lack of impact, etc. begin to take hold??

Invariably, we will have ups and down in life. And, it would seem, there are some variations of Newtonian physics that must apply here. Namely, the law of inertia—i.e., an object in motion will stay in motion unless acted on by some other external force. So, when we are knocked from our positive trajectory and begin a downward turn or are directed away from our goal and Purpose, we need to call in the forces that will get us back on track.

I am struck, as I am typing, by the fact that the “i” key on my laptop is malfunctioning. I am finding that it is failing to produce the letter unless I hit the key just right. It draws attention to the role “I” play(s). As I struggle to recapture my Purpose and the confidence that I am having an impact in my world, I am reminded of the role I am to play in creating my own environment for success.

A favorite quote from Orison Swett Marden is:

“A strong, successful man is not the victim of his environment. He creates favorable conditions. His own inherent force and energy compel things to turn out as he desires.”

We control—whether we realize it in the moment or not—the forces we allow to affect our path. The key is to recognize when we are deviating from our prescribed path and to call on the energies that will right us. Here is where I find journaling and time for “hitting the pause button” to reflect most important. Prayer/meditation, physical activity, reading and listening to provoking speakers, focusing of the positives rather than the negatives, surrounding one’s self with inspiring and encouraging people, etc. are daily necessities. These attract the forces that affect our course. If we attract and dwell on the negative energies, we will be diverted from our Purpose. If we attract the forces that inspire and renew us, we will again find our Purpose and redirect our path.

We can’t do it alone. The external forces acting on the body bind the law of inertia. We can, however, affect the forces we attract. If we expose ourselves to negative energy, this is what will move us. We can’t escape such forces, but we do have the power to draw energy from more positive sources. Let’s not dwell on the negatives. Likewise, let’s not be directed by the random forces in our world. Carpe momento! Seek the forces that inspire, motivate, and energize! Recapture your Purpose. Set your own course.

I can’t say I have ever seen a time in the U.S. when people have been so absolutely polarized. Yes, there have always been differences on political issues and some have divided the nation (e.g., the Civil War); but, what we seem to be experiencing is a social rift on so many levels. It seems as though we are dominated by our extreme differences and blinded to those things that unite us.

For many, there seems to be only two possible options: passivity or aggression. We can be permissive and allow the world around us to “go to hell”, or we can be angry and force our way on the world. These are the way of the world. I am right; you are wrong. Period.

Where does this leave us, though? It leaves us bitter and further divided. It also leaves a lot of innocent people hurt in the process.

Could there be another way? I believe so. I believe this to be at the heart of my faith. As a follower of Christ, I not only believe it to be possible, but believe this is the core of the “love your neighbor like yourself” command. I believe the “third way” is the only way.

I was fortunate to have been taught by the controversial Rob Bell for my last two years in Michigan. In one particularly memorable message, he spoke on “turn the other cheek”. In the Sermon on the Mount, we are instructed to “turn the other cheek”, to “give up our tunic”, and to “walk the extra mile.” So, to be passive, right? No! To the point (because I could never make the point as eloquently as Rob Bell), we go above and beyond to make our opponent be totally embarrassed and ridiculed by our actions. I particularly liked his depiction of the Roman soldier commanding one to carry his pack. The soldiers could compel a citizen to carry his pack for one mile, no more. One could refuse. One could passively comply. Or, one could follow the third way—keep carrying the pack for two miles! The vision of the soldier pleading “No! Stop! P-l-e-a-s-e, stop!” was hilariously to the point.

We can have strong opinions about what matters in the world. We don’t have to be so divided, however. We don’t have to fight bloody battles over our principles. We don’t have to compromise our principles and morals. If we consider a third way, right will always win.

So, where do we stand on the polarized issue? What are our options? Considering that the first two options only seem to further divide us, what is the third way?

Carpe momento!

“Don’t have $100.00 shoes and a 10 cent Squat” – Louie Simmons

The squat is one of the most common and effective movements in weightlifting. It incorporates almost all of the major muscles to some degree. It is efficient in overloading the lower body muscles–the quadriceps, the hamstrings, the gluteals, and the calves. Yet, the squat is also probably the most underutilized and improperly executed lift by beginner and novice lifters (and the less serious lifters).

The squat can be scary. Loading the back with heavy weights and sitting down into a squatting position is hard. But, as Nietzsche is quoted as saying: “That which does not kill me makes me stronger.” Such is the squat.

“But,” you might say,” squats are bad for the knees and back.” No, poorly performed squats are bad for the knees. “Oh,” you say,” You mean deep squats?” No, I mean “poorly performed squats.”

I used to consider partial, half, and full squats as variations of the squat until a student set me straight. In class, I mentioned doing “deep squats”. Sam, who is now a strength and conditioning coach, asked what I meant. After I explained, he responded, “Oh, we just call those ‘squats’.” In high school, we called that a “burn.” Sam wasn’t being disrespectful. On the contrary, he was just being his natural matter-of-fact kind of guy, and I was convicted.

I had allowed myself to be convinced that, because I was 6’5″ and despite being a wrestler trapped in a basketball player body, I could not squat deep. I was content with hitting nearly parallel. The trouble was that I would soon reach a weight that would strain my back (and not a really impressive weight at that). So, I challenged myself to learn to deep squat.

“Ass-to-grass” (ATG) is the colorful phase used by lifters to describe a truly deep squat movement. This was my goal, but, as I would learn, it is not quite practical…for me.

While there is a tendency to have an all-or-nothing approach to deep squatting–i.e., you either buy in to deep squatting or you think it is dangerous, I have to say that I think both approaches are wrong. And, perhaps, the problem relates to the terminology used. I have heard the phrase “proper squat” used in relation to the deep squat, thus implying that, if you can’t squat the way the guy in the video squats, you can’t squat. Maybe, instead of saying “deep squat”, we should use the phrase: “full range of motion squat”?

Describing the “proper” squat as a “full range of motion” squat would allow one to determine what the proper squat movement is for the individual. Each individual is, after all, quite different from the next. I watched a clip recently of Dr. Stuart McGill, Director of the Spine Biomechanics Laboratory at the University of Waterloo, discussing genetic differences in the anatomy of the femoral neck among populations—specifically, comparing the structure of the hips of persons of Polish versus persons of Celtic and Norman decent. By comparison, the hip structures of the Polish group favored a deep ATG squat over the hips of peoples from Scotland/Ireland and Normandy (no surprise from where my ancestors came!). My take from the video was not that we should exclude any from squatting, rather we should consider each person’s proper full range of motion (ROM) squat.

I prefer, now, before beginning anyone with the squat, to have the exerciser stand with the feet about shoulder-width and squat down into the deepest, pain-free, squatting position they can comfortably hold. Most will be able to find a position, though it may not necessarily be ATG. From here it can be ascertained how wide the stance should be, how the feet should be positioned, and how deep the target should be. The mobility issues to address are generally going to be found in the hips and ankles. Tightness in either will affect the proper full ROM for the individual. If the hips and ankles can be stretched into a greater ROM, then joint structure is not a limiting factor, and a stretching (and proper warm-up) routine is warranted.

Barring any physical limitation that is contraindicating to performing squats (this would essentially be one’s doctor saying “your body cannot or should not move into this position”), any one can perform some variation of the squat. When squatting, it is my opinion that everyone should move within the full ROM that is specific to the individual. Thus, when considering the squat, two important things must occur: 1) the proper full ROM squat movement must be demonstrated before adding weight; and 2) the ego must be checked at the door. Adding weight at the expense of form is dangerous. One must realize (as I have) that not everyone is capable of squatting hundreds of pounds. Powerlifters are only successful if they first have the body structure to lift heavy weights. So, it is better to lift less properly than to convince yourself that loading the bar and doing a quarter squat impresses anyone.

If you don’t like back squats (i.e., squatting with the barbell on the back) try goblet squats (holding a dumbbell at the upper chest while squatting) or a plié squat (holding the dumbbell between the legs). These are great starters to begin to get the technique down and gain confidence. Eventually, back squats will become more comfortable.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

“And this dietin’, dietin’, dietin’, dietin’
Sure is a rough way to die…”

Bobby Bare, ‘Diet Song’

Losing weight is complicated, right? Well, maybe not as confounding as sorting through the endless supply of diet books and fad diets (most of which are basically the same nonsense repackaged and rebranded for the next up-and-coming celebrity fitness “expert” to sell). Truth be told—and the truth is hard to come by—the basic concepts of weight management are easy. It is filtering out the nonsense that people find most challenging.

So, what is it? High carbs? Low Carbs? High Fat? Low Fat? High-frequency meals? Intermittent fasting? Do calories really matter? etc. ….

I listened to an “expert” address two “myths” of dieting, and, like every “expert”, he had some things right and many more things wrong. Funny the guy’s podcasts are supposed to be simplifying nutrition when in reality it is the same over-complication of the same basic principles of human nutrition.

The first “myth” was that calories in = calories out. He was right in pointing out that this isn’t true per se. It isn’t a simple matter of counting how many calories I consume and how many calories I expend (i.e., basal metabolic rate + physical activity). There is a lot more going on—much of which we can’t easily get a handle on. There is the thermogenic effect of food (i.e., the energy cost of processing the foods we eat—roughly 10-15% of the calories we consume). We are learning that the actual usable calories from certain foods are not what we find on the food label. This varies by food—almonds, for example, apparently, only provide 70% of the actual calories stored in the nut (thus, when eating some foods we may not be eating as much as we think). This varies, as well, on the individual digestive system. Bacteria in the gut, for example, vary among individuals leading to variability in the amount of food energy that actually gets absorbed. (My students and I had a very unpleasant and enlightening discussion about “fecal transplants” recently. The Only Human podcast had an insightful discussion on the “calorie” that is worth the listen: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/only-human/id1042116072?mt=2&i=362497112.) In addition, the method of cooking may also impact the calories that get absorbed. Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is measurable, but is not something that is easily obtained (precisely, at least). BMR can be estimated, however. I recommend most any online calorie counter. Caloric expenditure through physical activity can vary, also. At best, we are usually only estimating caloric intake and expenditure. So, in a general sense, “calories in” does not necessarily equal “calories out”, but this is splitting hairs. All things considered, if you consume more than you expend (on average), you will gain weight, and vice versa. A big question remains: What kind of weight do you want to gain/lose? Are you gaining/losing muscle or fat?

The second “myth” addressed was that carbohydrates are the preferred fuel source in humans. It is true that fat is not the evil that nutritionists and cardiologists have painted it to be in recent years, but…. What is false is that we can adapt our diet to make fat our primary fuel source…and still perform.

From a weight-loss perspective, true, one can lose a significant amount of body fat by eating a high-fat diet (75-80% fat). This is called a ketogenic diet. It works because fat can’t be metabolized effectively. You see, fats need carbohydrates to be fully metabolized—to obtain all of the available stored energy. It is beyond the scope of this blog, but, essentially, when glucose is not available, fat cannot effectively enter the oxidative energy systems (the Krebs or tricarboxylic acid cycle, to be specific) and gets converted to ketones, wasting much of the stored energy. (Think of it as putting premium gasoline in you ’73 Dodge Dart.) This is great for burning fat, but poor for performance.

Bodybuilders often use a ketogenic diet in the final stages of cutting. Notice, I wrote “final stages”. A bodybuilder would never consider a fat adapted (i.e., ketogenic diet) long-term. Why? Because muscle demands carbohydrate to perform! Fats only can fuel muscle at rather low intensities. Muscle needs glycogen (stored glucose). One can build muscle only through intense effort, and such effort needs carbohydrates.

So, while it is possible for someone to be “fat-adapted”, it is important to understand that they will only function well in a more sedentary state—and possibly with low intensity aerobic physical activity. If one is exercising regularly, they will need some carbohydrates. I mentioned these numbers previously, but, in case you haven’t been following this blog, here they are again:

• 0.5 g/lb for non-training days (and, by extension, I would say for sedentary individuals
• 1.0 g/lb on light training days (for people with sedentary jobs and who exercise more moderately)
• 1.5 g/lb on moderate training days
• ≥2.0 g/lb on heavy training days (Source: Dr. Mike Israetel, The Renaissance Diet).

Notice that carbohydrate intake is relative to activity level. So, true, when we are sedentary fewer carbs are necessary, and we can manage with more of our calories coming from fat. (But, be aware that on non-exercise days our calorie requirements are lower, so cutting carbs is, first, cutting caloric intake. Increased fats will help curb hunger, but should still fall within our daily requirement.)

Carbohydrates (especially sugars) can be bad in excess. A diet too high in sugars is certainly unhealthy (everyone: say “diabetes” with me….). One should be careful with what carbohydrates they do eat.

Fats are also a necessary component of our diet. We need fats to function. In fact, cholesterol—in moderation—is an essential component of the diet. Important hormones, e.g., testosterone, are made of cholesterol. We can’t (nor should we) avoid fats entirely.

Rather than try to be “fat adapted”, I suggest, we:

1) limit our caloric intact to promote a modest fat loss (and add muscle according to one’s taste and commitment to exercise);

2) eat a moderate amount of fat (30-50% of the total calories seems near ideal);

3) cut out sugary foods as near to completely as is reasonable (I mean, come on, we all love desserts at least occasionally);

4) eat complex (i.e., slow digesting) carbohydrates to avoid insulin spikes that are associated with gains in body fat; and, of course,

5) exercise regularly.