The Skinny on Society

   Our society shapes so much of our lives that it's getting out of control. Everywhere you look, there is an ad or social media telling you how to look, how to dress, how to eat, how to live. The problem is, so much of this is created by marketing departments to sell you a product. They don't want to better your life. They want to make money. Everyone needs more, bigger, better. They need to be skinnier, have bigger boobs, and a thigh gap. Why? Because society tells you so. Because that is what's popular and pretty. WRONG! What should be promoted is being healthy. Even if you are not the healthiest, just making healthy choices is a step in the right direction. What should be promoted is real images and products-- no gimmicks.
   This blog has been a long time coming, but after the VS Fashion Show, and the onslaught of statuses and pictures of the models with captions "starting my Angel diet tomorrow!" I just became utterly disgusted. Those models are a size 0. For most people, that's not a healthy weight. For some, who are naturally just petite, that's one thing. Women who are 5'7 shouldn't weigh 110 pounds though. So just a reminder, for those who get caught up and forget, because these days it's so easy to believe what you see and read; pictures of models are photoshopped. Not to mention those people won the genetic lottery, but being pretty is their career. They have the time, and money, to spend on chefs who create special meals and the time and money to spend on personal trainers for hours on end each week. Then they have people contour and edit their looks, to make them more appealing. It's unrealistic. Yet people are striving for it, failing, and becoming frustrated. Last time I checked, no instagram filter is creating these effects. Stop beating yourself up over

something you can't possibly become; strive to be better than the person you were yesterday, no somebody else.
    There is truth in the phrase "Love Yourself". Everyone has flaws, but everyone is also unique in their own way. Don't stress over the flaws only you are seeing; embrace the uniqueness. Rock what you got!
   Be realistic. If you don't love what you see in the mirror every day, change it. But set small goals that you can reach. Remind yourself you are doing this for you, not so you can try to transform yourself into someone else. Me personally, I envy athletes. Especially now, while I'm on injury reserve and I can barely walk around. I don't envy their looks or their fame; I envy their dedication, self discipline, and raw talent. I watch sporting events like the Olympics in complete Awe, and it makes me want to set goals for myself. I know I'll never become an Olympic gymnast, but I can vow to stretch every day and try to push for those extra few minutes during my run. My point is, don't try to change and become something you aren't and can't be. Be a better version of yourself.
   Also, stop buying into everything you see. Ads these days have experts working behind the scenes to sell you that product. So the commercial with Beyonce drinking a Pepsi or Kate Upton and Paris Hilton eating cheeseburgers- do you really think those women do that? They don't. They endorse those companies because they are paid to. Marketing magic knows we idolize celebrities, and they buy them to sell you their product. Ever see a commercial that just get's your mouth watering, only to run out, buy the burger, and be sadly disappointed and with a stomach ache? More marketing magic. They beef up the beef (pun intended, I can be funny, too!) to make it look simply delectable. But any cheeseburger that costs a measly few dollars should make you wonder what kind of beef, and how much, they're really using. I've worked for many restaurants as a chef, and many real restaurants either hire professional photographers to photograph their food, or they don't use them on the menu. Want to know why? It's hard to capture food in an appetizing way sometimes. Nothing should come close to looking as good as the real deal. Look below; how they market their food, vs what it actually looks like when you get it in real life. Take a step back from the media, from society, and stop buying into their tricks. Research things, learn things. The more you know, the more prepared you are to be healthy, and happy.

How they market their food

Crossfit < Functional Multi-Purpose Exercises

   Everyone who does Crossfit, loves crossfit. It's all they talk about. Almost any exercise science professional, strength coach, personal trainer, or biomechanist will also have a strong opinion about it; it's dangerous. So you're torn and don't know what to do? I'm here to help.
   The basics of Crossfit are to lift as heavy as you can, as fast as you can. I personally don't see a need to complete a ton of 200 lb. deadlifts in a matter of moments. Your spine doesn't see a need for this either. While it does increase strength and overall fitness, it's also breaking down a lot too and the risk for injury is extremely high. Don't believe me? Look at your Crossfitting friends; covered in bruises or bloodied hands. Watch the Crossfit Games; everyone is wrapped in Kinesiotape. Kinesiotape is not a fashion statement. Look at their form; it's usually terrible. And my last argument against Crossfit; is anyone actually getting any better looking?! Let's be honest, most people exercise not only to be healthy, but because they like the way it makes them look and feel. I've seen many friends join the Crossfit craze, and if they're lucky enough to not become injured, I'm not noticing any weight loss. So you can lift 150 pounds over your head, awesome. But I still see that spare tire under your shirt. There's a lot to losing weight, more than just exercising, but if you're hitting the Crossfit gym every day, you should be seeing some weight loss. In my personal experience, coupled with what I've learned over the years being an exercise science major at Towson University, Crossfit is an injury waiting to happen. You also have to watch out for Rhabdomyolsis; which is where you break down your muscles to the point they start to poison you. I'm definitely not joking when I say Rhabdo can kill you.
   Now to be fair, not all Crossfit people are the devils. Most Crossfit gyms don't teach proper form first, and there lies the biggest problem. If you are an experienced exerciser, try it out, see if you like it. My guess is you might like the structure and the high calorie burn, but not much else.

The picture that inspired the blog. Exercise shouldn't cause this much damage.

   So what should you do? Functional or multi purpose or neuromuscular training. They're all the same thing, just with multiple names. Functional exercises is working out for real life situations. So while your Crossfit friend can deadlift 200 pounds, do they even really need to be able to do that on a day to day basis? Think of it this way... have you ever tried to get a 25 pound toddler out of carseat from a two door car? It's a damn challenge. Functional training makes tasks like that, easier. Functional training teaches your muscles to work together rather than isolated, as you might train them in the gym. You can curl all day, but can you pick a box up and put it onto a high shelf without any trouble?
   In functional fitness, you're not using a machine to do any of the work for you. It's not bracing your back or core while you sit in a seat or creating a perfect lever-system world. It uses your own body weight a lot, and your balance. You'd be surprised how sometimes just your body weight is too much. For example, can you do a one-legged squat? If you're thinking you'll never be in that situation in real life, think again. While I hope none of you experience a lower extremity injury, I recently had ACL surgery (that I tore not doing anything exercise related! It was a complete freak accident involving a piggy back ride) and I can't tell you how many times I've had to do a one-legged squat motion because my left leg is all but dragging around uselessly.
   Another perk to functional exercises; they challenge the brain a lot more. The harder you work your brain, the healthier it stays. It's been medically proven. Form is of course important in functional exercises too, and while you don't do much high intensity and you don't train to fail, you still get a great workout. I started doing functional training last summer and not only did I burn 800+ calories in under an hour, but I got a full body workout. Everything was a little sore, but few times was I so sore that I couldn't function (pun intended!) or use that body part. Functional training has now been added into ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) as a recommendation to do at least twice a week. Does ACSM endorse Crossfit? Nope. I could go on for hours debating the two but none of us have time to exercise, let alone read that never-ending article.
   Before you start any exercise program, you should do your research, and talk to your doctor. Everyone has their own opinions so get as many as you can. Find what works best for you, and start down the lifestyle path to health in the best way possible.

Setbacks Happen

   Setbacks are inevitable. Unfortunate, but inevitable. You've finally gotten into your groove, and have been doing really great with eating healthy and exercising and then life comes up and throws a wrench in your plan. Whether it's a family emergency, a vacation, an injury, or work just gets crazy it causes you to have to stop and fall back. To me, it's not "falling off the wagon", life sparta-kicked you off that wagon! But you have to persevere and push through, not let it defeat you or all of your hard work. I recently sustained an injury to my left knee; torn meniscus and ACL which will both need reconstructive surgery. I spent the first few days after the injury being in denial, and then as doctors told me the seriousness of it, I hit anger. Now, I'm in acceptance because the fact of the matter is, I can only do so much about it. Do I miss running, squatting, lunging, hell even walking? Of course. But there's nothing I can do but continue to be healthy in other ways. I'm still working out, I'm just focusing more on my abs and upper body and keeping my right leg strong. This means I also had to seriously reevaluate my diet; I'm not burning upwards of 800 calories in a workout anymore so I don't need to eat as much to refuel. My point is, face your crisis, and take control.
   Life gets busy, and you may lose the time you did have for your workouts. Things to keep in mind:
1. Something is always better than nothing. This means that even if you only have time for a 10 minute walk or cardio session, take advantage of it! Burning 100 calories is better than burning 0, always. Refuse to miss your favorite TV show, do commercial break workouts. Running errands? Park far away, take the stairs. Chores around the house? Stand on one leg while you do the dishes or fold laundry to work your core and balance.
2. Health is Important. I know you think there isn't enough time in the day, but if you come down with a metabolic disease, those doctor appointments will need to be fitted into your schedule too. Schedule exercise just as you would any other appointment. People always say they're too busy; but then they log hours in front of the TV or computer, or their phone. For me, it's reading. I can sit down and read a book for hours so I'll usually allow myself 1-2 chapters and then I have to put the book down and do other productive things. My point is, not making the time to exercise and eat healthy is only going to cost you more time in the long run. So while McDonalds might be quick, spending those minutes making your lunch the night before could save you countless minutes down the road.
    There are also the times you really have no control over the situation; whether it be an injury or you have to take care of somebody but you cannot let it get you down. I know for a fact if you have ever worked out even once, then you have reaped the benefits of better sleep and an overall feel good vibe. Exercise for your own sanity, if nothing else. You don't have to burn 1000 calories to get the benefits so don't think the little that you can do, isn't good enough. [See my blog on the benefits of exercise!]
    Then there is the classic "I'm on vacation" excuse. Yes, you are on vacation to take a mental break from life and recharge, but that doesn't mean you get to eat fudge for breakfast every day and lay around like a lump. I mean, you can, but deconditioning happens fast. Just a mere week off from all exercise won't erase everything you've done, but it will be harder to go right back into your regular routine. All the unhealthy eating you're doing too? Don't be surprised when you start to crave all the junk food again, which you worked so hard to get out of your system. Go for a walk on the beach, take advantage of the free hotel gym, swim a couple laps. You don't have to go to extremes, but at least keep moving. And then take a nap, because you're on vacation!
   It would be unrealistic to think that nothing will ever get in between you and your health. It's going to happen, and then it's going to happen again and again so you might as well prepare as soon as you can for it. That way, when it does happen, you're ready and you won't become completely derailed from the health train!

The Skinny on Cellulite

   Everyone knows what cellulite is, but few people know what causes it. Knowledge is half the battle, the half is hard work. And no, I don't mean in remembering to apply all those creams and serums as hard work. Cellulite is caused by subcutaneous fat that pokes and pushes through the connective tissue around your muscles. It's more common in women because of the muscle structure differences in men and women. Cellulite doesn't indicate excess weight or obesity and can be determined genetically. So unfortunately, if all the women in your family have it, you probably will too. Good news is, while you can't get rid of it without liposuction, you can minimize it's appearance!

 As you can see, the reasons cellulite forms is toxins in the body, enlarged fat cells, poor circulation, a lack of connective tissue, and water retention. While today's diets are full of toxins it's unrealistic to think you will simply get rid of all toxins in your body but eating clean, and even healthy will help. Not only will you feel better overall from a healthy diet, it will most likely help you lose weight. Losing weight will obviously shrink the enlarged fat cells. Guess what helps improve circulation... exercise! The more you exercise, the more capillaries your body creates to increase blood flow and oxygen consumption to the muscles. Oddly enough, garlic and onions also increase circulation so add them to some meals on a weekly basis... No one will want to kiss you, but your butt will look nice. Exercise and eating healthy also helps tighten your tissues (and tushy!) and will help with water retention. Don't dehydrate yourself! If you don't give your body water regularly, it will retain it's water stores so that you don't become dehydrated. So what you need to do is stay hydrated. Drink lots of water! Water also makes your complexion look better, your skin feel smoother, and has a hundred other great properties... your body is made of over 70% water and you need it. So just drink it. 
  If you are tan or have a darker complexion, the dimples will be less noticeable. Using a self tanner will not only give you a summer kissed glow without the damaging sun exposure, but will also disguise the dimples! I suggest this over the "cellulite creams" seeing as they haven't been proven at all to lessen it's appearance and it will not get rid of it. At least with a self tanner, you get the confidence boost from the tan too.

   The best option though to reduce the appearance of cellulite is to exercise. Tightening the muscles and burning the fat will help reduce the cellulite you do have. While you can't necessarily target just one area, taking part in a full body resistance program and lots of cardio is the most beneficial. Since cellulite is fat, decreasing your overall fat is your best option, and increasing your muscles tone won't hurt your appearance at all either.
   So for those of you buying all the creams or looking into lipo, just hit the gym and the produce stand. You won't necessarily get rid of the cellulite but unfortunately if you have it, it's here to stay in some capacity. A healthy body and mind will also give you so many other benefits and boost your confidence that you won't even notice the lingering cellulite... and neither will anybody else!

Children and Obesity: A growing Epidemic

   The United States has two current epidemics: starvation, and obesity. How that makes any sense blows my mind. While both are extremely threatening to a persons health, I'm going to focus on childhood obesity. Children cannot make too many of their own choices when it comes to diet and nutrition; they can eat what is provided to them. This means it is the job of the parent to provide them with all of their nutritional needs. I am not a parent, but I see more and more obese children each day. Letting them have ice cream for dinner once in a while might be okay, but every day isn't. Letting them sit in front of the TV for hours or sit out in gym class isn't helping them either. They learn by example, which means the parents have to be active and eat healthy too which unfortunately seems to be on the decline. You might think the "baby weight" is okay or that they will grow out of it but you aren't doing them any favors, and the health risks are very high.
   Children who suffer from obesity have a much larger chance of it developing into type 2 diabetes. While children used to only be diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (Juvenile diabetes), many more are now being diagnosed with type 2 which is a result of their diet. Obese children also suffer from numerous psychological issues including low self esteem. Today, 33% of children and adolescents are considered not just overweight, but obese, meaning they have a BMI of over 30. Obese children are also much more likely to have higher risk for cardiovascular disease and bone and joint problems from growing bones having to support the excess weight. These are all serious health problems that need to be changed.

   I'm sure some of you have heard in the news that some schools were starting to make changes in their nutrition plans and even sending some children home with a letter from the nurse if they had a BMI that classified them as overweight or obese, and parents became outraged. Why? Probably because it made them feel like a bad parent, because let's face it, the school nurse wasn't trying to be a bully, she was simply pointing out facts about your child's health. If you have an obese child, not all hope is lost but it is time to make changes.
   Educate your children on healthy choices, portion control, and general nutrition. Make sure they know how important it is to get outside or be active for at least 60 minutes a day. Start doing family walks or activities that promotes health. I'll never forget, when I was a server this family used to bring their 3 year old in and let him have soda, an entire small pizza, an order of french fries, and then ice cream. He was so overweight that his muscles couldn't support his weight and he had to be carried everywhere. But, as the family said, he was so happy and just loved pizza and ice cream. All I saw was a 3 year old who weighed around 100 pounds and couldn't even walk because his family let him have whatever he wanted. That isn't doing the child any favors! You are setting them up for a lifetime of problems, mentally and physically. It's disappointing but bullying is a very real problem these days and low self esteem can create a whole new world of problems, including depression. I go to the zoo and parks, and I see children who could easily walk being pushed in a stroller. I understand they might not walk as fast as you, but you are probably there for them anyways. You as a parent have to create the healthy environment and it will benefit the whole family.

Diet Does Matter

   I know every exercise professional says this, over and over and over again but we say it because it really is true. Research has backed it up, but most people aren't interested in research as much as true life proof. I have always eaten more on the healthy side. Don't get me wrong, I like cookies and going out to eat for a special occasion but I've always also been a fan of portion control and exercise too. Well, last week I got a thigh tattoo that goes from the top of my hip to the top third of my thigh and wearing pants was a struggle, let alone walking and running. I knew I would have to take a few days off from the gym to let it heal properly and I was ok with that; I had really pushed myself the week before and was looking forward to giving my body a few solid recovery days. Well, it ended up being over a week before I got back into the gym. I lost 2 pounds in that week. How?? Healthy eating! When I refer to the word "diet", I don't mean the most recent fad, I mean it as my eating habits as a whole. I didn't starve myself or live off celery, I just took into consideration that I didn't need as many calories as I usually would. I wasn't fueling any workouts or needing the extra protein to recover. I ate generally the same as I always have with just a bit more thinking when it came to choosing meals and snacks. If this isn't proof that diet matters, I don't know what does.
    A lot of people think I work out, I can eat what I want. NO! Eat to live, don't live to eat. Because you workout, you need to eat what your body needs to fuel and repair your body. I'm not saying deprive yourself, or be miserable, but be smart! I've already written blogs on food and diet and ideas of how to eat healthier and portion control and how to break a sugar addiction so I'm not going into all of that again, but it bears repeating that exercise isn't a fix all. You should exercise to stay healthy overall, not just "be skinny". Also, be conscientious of your calories and how many you burn at the gym or during your workout. Use a heart rate monitor to be sure of an accurate heart rate and calorie burn.... many foods have far more calories then you are going to be able to burn off. Remember, there are 3,500 calories in a pound, so you need a deficit of 500 calories a day to burn a pound a week. That deficit needs to come from calories burned at the gym but also avoiding empty calories.
   For those of you who may think healthy eating doesn't really matter, I hope you realize that it does. I've been in a plateau for around 6 months now, my body is perfectly content not losing any more weight unless I really want to train insane, but with just diet control, I managed to lose an extra 2 pounds in a week. Be smart, you need to eat slightly more on days you work out, but you aren't eating for two or anything that crazy. You don't want to let yourself get to starving, but be smart about what you put in your body. Many people are busy and can't spend over an hour in the gym, 5 days a week and that is where your eating habits are going to make you or break you! Stick to clean eating as much as you can and don't eat when you're bored, keep portions reasonable and you'll be golden!

The Genetic Breakdown

   It's that time of year again... bathing suit shopping! So you get the Victoria Secret and Venus catalogs in the mail, or are you peruse all the cute new styles online and tag your favorites ones. You think, this is my year, I've been working really hard and I'm going to rock this bikini! It arrives in the mail... and you don't look like the model in the picture. Before you get discouraged and down on yourself or you really ramp up your training program and diet, take a breather. First, are you 5 foot 9 inches? Is your full time job modeling? Do you have a personal trainer and nutritionist at your beck and call 24/7? Do you have someone to photoshop and airbrush your pictures? ...Probably not. Because you are a real person, not a model who is created to look perfect. Now, be honest with yourself; has your training started to slack or have you fallen off the wagon a little bit with your healthy eating habits? It's ok if you have, everyone does at some point, it's part of life. You just always have to pick yourself up, tell you that you can do it, and get back on track. Another reason you may not look like that model; genetics.

   Genetics play a huge role in body type. I'm not saying that you should use genetics as an excuse, but it does deserve some understanding. Genetics decide where you hold onto fat, how quickly you burn it, if you have long and lean muscles or short and thicker ones, if you are great at running or if you can squat your body weight with ease. Genetics are the one part of your routine you cannot modify, but you can work with what you have and the first step to that is accepting it. You should never bash your body image... if you are unhappy with what you see in the mirror, change it! Genetics is the reason that you may shed excess fat in certain places quickly while other times it might not seem to budge as well as why you may build muscles or be able to run farther and faster than a friend. Don't forget; genetics for the most part decide your bone structure and your muscles attach to the bones, and fat sits on top of muscles. Wide hips bones or shoulders can't be whittled down just as a short person can't pilates their way into being tall. And what I mean by "for the most part"; there are always exceptions such as bone malformations, breaks, sprains, aging, etc.

The different body type breakdowns

   Here are a few examples of how genetics works; I am 5'2 and weigh around 140 pounds. I can't wear some t shirts because the arm holes are too small, and shopping for jeans is a nightmare because I have a small waist, a booty, and thunder thighs (not to mention the short legs!). My mom is a few inches taller, a few pounds heavier but she has very lean legs; she carries her excess weight in her stomach while I tend to carry it in my thigh area. Then there is my cousin... the girl runs miles on end, and I can barely run a 5K without wanting to die but while she can keep up with me in the weight room just fine, my biceps look huge compared to hers. We have distinctly different muscle types so while we have similar training schedules and both eat very healthy, she is more lean and I am more muscular looking. My point is, unless you are identical twins, it is not fair of you to compare yourself to others.

   As much as you may want to be a size 0 model that's tall with lean muscles, if it isn't in your genetic makeup, it isn't going to happen so learn to love what you have! I used to try everything to be able to get back into a size 2-3 jeans, but between my hips (which are bone, and not budging!!) and thick thighs, it just wasn't going to happen and once I came to accept this, I also became much happier with myself. I'm also an awful runner and while I know I may never run a marathon, that doesn't mean I don't set goals for myself to drop my mile time or run farther. I will never have a "thigh gap" but I can squat 3x my body weight and have some nice looking legs that are toned and strong. I will never have a 6 pack due to a scar across my stomach, but I have banging obliques. My point here is that to love your body, you need to focus more on the positive than the negative. You need to create realistic and healthy goals for yourself, and do what is best for you, not necessarily what is best for someone else.

The different body types imagery example

   Strong is the new skinny, and healthy is beautiful. Exercise won't only benefit your looks but your whole body. Never take for granted the results you can't see; exercise will help you sleep better and give you more energy so even if you have reached a point where your body may not change much more, never stop setting realistic and attainable goals for yourself. Exercise benefits your heart, brain, and internal organs as well as helps to flush out toxins and keep your skin glowing. As you can see in the above picture, none are exactly fat, just vary in shape. Each body is unique in the way it functions. Focus on the good, not on the bad.