It doesn’t take much. And our family has been having A LOT of conversations lately about losing body some bodyweight to gain an edge on some health issues. Serious conversations:
- how
- when
…but most importantly, we’re taking active action in the right direction.
Why? Health matters. Living healthy, pain-free life matters. And YOU are in control of so many variables.
Sometimes as business owners, coaches, friends, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters…regardless of our relationship position with whom we’re speaking, our words land on deaf ears because of that relationship.
“They’re just trainers, they’re not my doctor, dietician, or worse: “nutritionist”.🙄
(There’s no such “real” thing as “nutritionist”. Made up title. Anyone can claim this title…even our late cat Sumo could have been a nutritionist!)
The problem is…
Because we’re your coach, friend, sister, brother, son, or daughter…we probably know you pretty well, and we definitely care about you. (Get ready – here it comes.) And because we have a relationship with you and we care about you, it’s an opinion, not a fact, right? Because your doctor, dietician, or here we go again- “nutritionist” isn’t hounding you about it you’re good where you are. O.M.G. You wonder why Ed’s so loud…he’s blowing off steam because when you don’t listen…when you don’t take action in the right direction when you just think: a pill, a procedure, or worse, surgery will take care of it…you’re ignoring the safest (albeit one that takes the most energy) route to addressing the problem.
How about this? Consider us “simple people”. (We are, but we’re not, but for this, let’s say we are). We believe “simply”. We believe the basics first. I just used this as an example recently. You buy a new house. The foundation has a crack in it and the roof is leaking. But you’re Jonesing to get started on the renovation. So you start painting and carpeting. HOLD THE PHONE! You wouldn’t do that, right? Fix the roof first so it doesn’t leak and ruin your new carpet, right? Fix the foundation so you don’t have shifts and cracks in walls and floors, right? Right! Your health is no different. Fix the basics before you biohack or intervene with more extreme procedures. Fix the things that are in your control:
- Diet – bodyweight
- Sleep
- Physical Activity (general movement throughout the day, the “exercise” kind of activity, and strength training, especially if you’re older)
- Stress Management or general enjoyment of life (the greater the latter the less the former)
It’s truly no more difficult than those four things.
OK…off the soapbox, for now. Here’s the data. we woke up to this in our inbox. No different than other days…something that says “lifestyle changes make improvements in health”.
Today it was more confirmation in a study that losing one point on the BMI chart equates to almost a 5% reduction in symptoms and further damage! Two points = 10% reduction. Depending on where you are on that scale, there’s a lot of potential for improvement…the kind of improvement that might take you off of a medication, or prevent surgery! Read for yourself:
Lose Weight, Slow Knee OA Progression? New Study Suggests Yes
Now, before you think it, yes, generally in our circles we think BMI is bullsh#t. We like to look at true body composition – the percentage of fat mass compared to lean body mass (bones, organs, ligaments and tendons). The last time Ed was at the GP they sent him a letter and told him to exercise more and lose weight because he was classified as overweight on the BMI chart. If you know Ed, you laughed out loud too! Anywho, yes, CrossFitters are generally more muscular, HOWEVER, you know you. Yes, muscle is denser and more metabolic, but if you’re carrying extra weight that is body fat and not excess muscle (like Ed), you know you are. And if you have lower extremity (hip, knee, ankle/foot) pain or dysfunction, losing excess body weight (fat) will likely alleviate some of that pain or dysfunction.
So now what? “The article said to lose weight but it didn’t tell me how.”
Do what we preach:
- Lead your meals with protein (yes, we think most of you aren’t getting enough). Build them around protein. Protein is satiating and will help keep you full longer. It’s also protective against age- and hormone-related muscle loss. It’s also one of the two macronutrients you can’t live without. (you can’t live (survive) without protein and fat – you can live without carbohydrate).
- Add veggies. Colors equal different nutrients – easy way to think about it.
- Add some fruit – SOME. Again, colors equal different nutrients – eat the rainbow.
- Add a little starch. The more active you are the more you need. Try to find starches from natural sources (e.g. the Ingredients list one thing – exactly what it is) like potatoes, rice, beets (kind of starchy).
- And naturally, from cooking, and the natural fat in protein, the dietary macronutrient, fat, just fills itself in.
We believe the more natural the source of food you eat, the easier it is for your body to process and use it, and the healthier you are. And…you should stand up a little straighter and pull your shoulders back a little farther because you’re confident that the foods you’re now eating have fewer chemicals, additives, preservatives, and other things you can’t pronounce and can’t digest well. BOOM!
Daily lecture complete!