Beachbody Bullshit

      Warning: this will piss off a lot of people and I don't care. It's a daily struggle to be a personal trainer, let alone with a college degree in kinesiology and exercise science, like yours truly. What struggle? Constant nonsense flooding the market telling people their product will make them skinny. My newest pet peeve, Beachbody coaches. 

    It is not necessarily the people in general I dislike, it's how they're portraying themselves. I know many Beachbody coaches, and I also know none of them have an actual educational background in health, fitness, or nutrition. They're selling a product. Does it work? I guess, in a way, but it's not teaching you to change your lifestyle. It's a "quick fix". Everyone wants a little blue pill to make losing weight easy, but let's face it, that's not how life works-- unless you want a little blue pill to make things hard, that they have! But I'm not here to endorse Viagra (unless they want to pay me?!). 

   Becoming healthy requires a complete lifestyle change. It will be hard but it will be worth it. Gimmicks like nutrisystem and Beachbody are not lifestyle changes because it's not realistic to maintain it for a long time; it's expensive, for one. If you can afford to make that your lifestyle, call me, give me your money instead! Or marry me, either one works. It's also stagnant, there's little room for error or change. 

    I know I would much rather live my life and plan my exercise and meals around the adventure of life. There's much more variety and freedom, not to mention taste. Why have a gross milkshake when you can have a real one?! I'm sure Beachbody coaches across the country will come riot outside my door-- so I'm asking fellow trainers, dietitians, professionals who learned and earned to back me up! Figuratively, of course, I only have 1 couch to sleep on. Beachbody, insanity, p90x, nutrisystem, etc are a product, not backed by FDA offering a quick fix, not a healthy life. Don't even ask me about how many injuries I've seen from insanity launching, we will be here all day. Coaches need ZERO background in exercise or nutrition, but they're selling you that? This alone should make you wary. I have watched one too many "Beachbody coach" videos with their awkward and terrible form inflicting the minds of those new to getting healthy. They're popping up with nutrition and shake recipes but can't even begin to explain how it works because they don't need to know nutrition. They need to know how to market and how to sell. They don't know squat about the biomechanics of... Let's say, a squat! Or how to modify that push-up due to a previous risk fracture. You have a list of medications? They don't know what any of those are for or how they might react with your food. These reasons are why I passionately urge people to seek out professionals! Not look for the easy or cheapest health plan. You have one life- ONE. It's worth the extra few bucks, don't you think? As you can see: it's all about business. 

   Eating real foods, working activity and exercise into your daily routine, and choosing to take care of yourself are how you create a lifestyle change and there are so many of us out here with the tools and knowledge to help you reach your goals realistically and safely, not to mention enjoyably! All I'm saying is do your research! Education and knowledge will always get you much further than the "quick fix"! Check out my last blog about clean eating and IIFYM (macro counting) these aren't gimmicks- simply a better way to view your food. Food is fuel, fuel your body with the real & healthy to perform at peak levels! 

Macros vs. Clean Eating

   Diet fads will unfortunately, never fade, but they have made A LOT of progress. Who remembers the Atkins Diet, the Paleo Diet, the only drink lemon water diet?! I do. Ridiculous. Don't ever do those. You should NEVER remove an entire macronutrient category from your diet. Period. Now the big contenders are the clean eaters and the macro eaters. Which side to chose?! Neither. Both. Find a middle ground. Don't know what I'm talking about to begin with; let me explain. First, what is a macronutrient you ask? Carbs, Protein, Fat.

   Clean Eating: this trend says NO to processed foods. You eat often, you try to eat organic. And it already lost a ton of peoples interest. Who has time for that? No one. Would it be ideal? Absolutely. Is it realistic though? Not so much. Things I like about Clean Eating: bulk up your healthy foods; produce, fresh fish and meat, fresh dairy.

All the colors should be in your meal plan! 

   Macro Counting: then along came IIFYM, (if it fits your macros) which does a lot of math to find your body's perfect balance of fat, carbs, and proteins for your specific goals. Math I'm not fond of, but having proven scientific parameters, I like. The problem is, the macro plan lets you eat ANYTHING as long as it fits your macros. It claims the body doesn't know the difference between a cheeseburger and fresh salmon filet with rice and broccoli. That is where they are wrong. There are so many other things going on besides just your macronutrients, including healthy fats, chemicals, hormones, the list goes on. So while some people are on the macro diet, they are taking serious advantage of it. What I like about this plan the most? It's more flexible and realistic. There are going to be times you go out to eat or you really, truly need that cookie and this eating plan allows you to have that without guilt.

They're not- don't take advantage! 

   Find the balance. Don't take advantage of one or you'll make no progress. Weight loss should never be your goal; Performance should be the goal and weight loss the outcome. Whether you are an athlete who has to be at peak performance or not, don't you want to wake up every day feeling like you can take on the world?? If you fill your day with junk, you will be junk. If you fill your day with healthy, filling foods you will be happy and healthy.

The Ultimate Eating Plan (this better make me famous):
1. Be aware of what you eat. Are most of your meals coming from a drive through, delivery man, or box? Learn to cook! It'll be the best thing you ever do for your health.
2. Know your body's needs for what you want to achieve. Trying to lose or gain weight? The meal plan your neighbor is on might not fit you. Get help (from me!) to get your macros personalized to you.
3. Eat as many whole and fresh foods as you can. This is a DUH statement. Your body needs energy, vitamins, minerals, and your macros to perform at it's peak. Real food is going to give you everything you need.
4. Variety and activity are key. Don't be a couch potato and don't eat the same thing every single day.
5. Know your portion sizes. Buy a food scale. Just do it. Use it. Read labels, measure things, log them. It may seem like a pain but after a few weeks you won't need to hold the scale's hand to figure out what you can and can't eat. Retrain your brain and body.
6. Drink tea. See past blog. It's good for you and calorie free but has flavor. Go stock up.

Oh you speak right to my soul! 

Questions? Email me! ltip.fit@gmail.com