1. Band members work as hard as athletes: A study out of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has proposed an interesting theory: The band on the sidelines work just as hard as the athletes on the field.
Hmmm… the studies head author, Gary Granata says this about the bands “Performers are constantly moving, and often running, at velocities that reach 180 steps or more per minute while playing instruments that weigh up to 40 pounds.”
Riiiight… This may sound harsh and I apologize in advance, but does anybody really like “the band” – other than people in the band, their parents and those over the age of 87. And look, I realize that hitting the bridge of “Louie, Louie” while moving your upper body side to side and gliding the trombone (sometimes inclement weather) is difficult, it’s not the same as having to run fullout while eluding 275 lbs men who are looking to flatten you. I’m sure that carrying an instrument that weighs up to 40 lbs isn’t easy, but try carrying fending off several men weighing over 200 lbs. It’s not the same.
2. Exercise and fat loss: This topic has been a recurring theme for some time – with gurus, journalists and the like claiming that exercise doesn’t help for fat loss. A few points on this.
- The enormous amount of refined calories we’ve consumed over the past 25 years is the main contributor to our waistlines – no argument there. This doesn’t mean that sedentary lifestyle isn’t a factor; it means that we’ve eaten so damn much that no amount of exercise can help us out of our collective girth. You need to eat well to lose body fat – period.
- While lack of exercise may not have been a significant part of the problem, this doesn’t mean it isn’t part of the solution. For optimal results, you need both – no exceptions.
- Please define ‘exercise”. The problem with the “exercise doesn’t cause fat loss” mantra is that very few people are defining “exercise”. There is a massive difference between walking slowly on the treadmill and performing compound resistance exercises and high intensity intervals. I don’t think anyone can argue this.
- Research is for the most part clear that combined diet, resistance training and cardio exercise is more effective for fat loss than any of the other factors combined.
3. How cooking made us human: This book is a very intriguing look at how cooking basically shaped how live as humans today. Check out my Diet Blog post here for more info.
4. Current reading: Once again, I’ve fallen behind on my reading and I’m currently tackling the following: The Diva Diet by Christine Latakos, The End of Overeating by Dr. David Kessler and a Diabetic Cookbook (the title and author escape me right now).
5. Youth Fitness: After a couple of years of hemming and hawing, I finally decided to dive into the youth fitness specialist certification. An old friend of mine, Brian Grasso has become the preeminent world authority on youth conditioning – founding the International Youth Conditioning Association. The certification material is nothing short of phenomenal and the importance of such services to our youth is beyond critical. Having 2 children of my own and having a passion for teaching and a heart for kids – I’m sensing a shift in my career path. Stay tuned….
6. Leigh Peele tells us if plastic is making you fat. For those who don’t follow me on Twitter or aren’t Facebook friends with me, I would be remiss if I didn’t direct you to Fat Loss guru Leigh Peele’s new home www.leighpeele.com While your there, be sure to check out her podcasts and find out if plastic makes you fat.
7. Current writing project: Unstable Surface Training. I am currently penning an article for one of the premiere health and performance magazines in Canada (read: pretty much the only health and performance mag. In Canada). Joking aside, I am hoping to shed some light on the limitations and appropriate uses for stability balls, BOSU’s and other balance implements.
