Fats in your diet (don't be so scared!)

The title alone may have already scared you and made you question my judgement...but fear not. I have a point here.

For years Americans have been plagued with being a very fat nation. Let's face it. Walk down the streets in the US and you'll find plenty of overweight people. So about 10 years ago we were at the height of the "fat free" craze where everything was "light" or "diet." Because of this we are branded with the thought that all fat is bad fat. This simply is not the case.

Bad fat does exist in the form of Trans Fats. What the heck are Trans Fats? Trans Fats occur when hydrogen and vegetable oil are added together through a process called hydrogenation which makes the oil less likely to spoil. So any time you see the ingredient "Partially hydrogenated" anything in your food...boom...trans fat. I should know from working in the snack food industry that this stuff is everywhere. Now, my company has done a lot to take these oils/fats out of our products but the reality is that they are still used in certain foods. Why? This oil helps food not to spoil easily, leaves foods less greasy, and can be recycled in manufacturing processes very easily because of its chemical composition. These fats raise your "bad" cholesterol (LDL) and lower your "good" cholesterol (HDL) creating a nutritional double whammy.

Recent studies have shown these fats to be the worst by most doctors. Saturated fats, however, are mostly naturally occurring fats in animal products (meat, milk, etc.). Saturated fats are actually very necessary for human function, here's why:

1. Improved cardiovascular health
2. Stronger bones
3. Improved liver health
4. Healthy lungs
5. Healthy brain function
6. Proper nerve signaling
7. Strong immune system
8. High protein diet (great for weight loss/muscle gain)

The all important thing to remember is that if you go to Texas Roadhouse and eat a 32 oz. steak you're going to be feeling it afterwards. The point is, don't be scared of saturated fats and animal products. Moderation is key in everything, but saturated fats don't have to be something to avoid so strongly.


~MB

Rest Days

When people begin and commit (the key is committing) to a new training plan they often want to work out twice a day, 7 days a week. The determination of that mind set is admirable, however you may be doing more harm than good whether you are looking to gain muscle mass or lose weight.

What do I mean? Most people think "well exercise/weight lifting is good for me, so the more the better." True, exercise is great and an essential piece of being healthy. But over exercising can have adverse effects.  You will undoubtedly lose weight by exercising, but by not taking time to rest and running your body constantly it actually can go into starvation mode, release cortisol in the body to inhibit fat metabolism and actually begin to break down muscle for food/fuel. This is often not the kind of weight you want to see come off and is adverse to gaining that lean, toned and healthy look that most desire to achieve.

Long story short, devote time to resting in the midst of your training schedule. Continue to train hard...remember, intensity is always your friend...but aim for about 3-4 days per week to train. And rest days mean rest days! Don't feel guilty. Just relax. Allow the body to heal and be able to come back ready to train hard the next day.

Work hard

~ MB

Allow me to introduce myself...

Hello Everyone!

My name is Michael Bull and welcome to my blog! Cheesy as my title suggests I want to make this a comfortable place where I can share my experiences and insights on training, nutrition and life in general with as many people as will read it.

A little bit about me. I am a Marketing Specialist with a snack food company in Amish Country (yes, horses and buggies slow traffic) in Northeast Ohio. I'm sure you're thinking "snack foods and training? Yeah right." As tough as it is to stop from eating potato chips and snacks all day I stick to what I know is best for me...which is not eating whole bags of chips! I played football in college so the gym is no stranger at all. My career was cut short by a back injury my junior year and my time spent training dropped off as well. In an effort to make sure I take care of my body and I began getting serious about taking care of myself again I have made my commitment once again to training hard and eating correctly.

So in the last 6 months I went through a phase of losing 14 pounds and have put back on 7 pounds of muscle on my way to achieving the strength and level of conditioning I had when I was playing football. Having the knowledge I do about nutrition and intense training obviously helped this so my goal is to share it with others looking for answers in a world of weight-loss and fitness short cuts and myths. I hope this will be an outlet to connect with others that want to learn and I can learn from as well.

~MB



Disclaimer: This blog is simply my researched knowledge and personal experiences. I am not a certified personal trainer, nutritionist or physician and advice should be taken as opinion. Before starting any diet or exercise program, consult your physician.