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Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
The Problem With "Thinspiration"
Portia De Rossi was my thinspo crush. For those of you unacquainted with the '90s, before she was Ellen Degeneres' wife she was on a little show called Ally McBeal where she starred as a blond super skinny lawyer who liked to sleep around. No, not the main blond super skinny chick - that was Calista Flockhart. No, not the other blond super skinny chick - that was Courtney Thorne-Smith. Noooo, not the other blond super skinny chick - that was Jane Krakowski. The other other other other one, ok? Right, now I'm starting to remember why I hated that show. But while I hated the insipid plot lines and abundance of Barbie locks (seriously, was there even one female brunette on the whole show?), I loved Portia. I wanted to be her. Most importantly, I wanted to look like her. Which is where this came in:
Technically this isn't the exact pic in my journal - I couldn't find that one on the Internet, alas Google failed me - but it's close enough.
Thinspo is a term used mostly by girls with disordered eating - although it is becoming more mainstream these days - to describe a picture, usually of an actress or other super skinny woman, that shows the kind of body you covet. The kind of body you are working for. The kind of body worth starving yourself for. Back in the early hysterical days of the Internet, thinspo sites were everywhere, encouraging readers to pin up the pictures on their refrigerator or in their closet to remind them why they should like that feeling of their stomach turning in on itself and linking to each other in one long daisy chain of jutting hip bones and popping clavicles. You could click from link to link for hours staring at endless pictures of women with unattainable stick figures. And I did.
Being the obedient little disordered eater that I was, I took this thin ideal to heart and tacked up pictures of gorgeous models, actresses and singers and surrounded them with admonitions like "nothing tastes as good as thin feels!!" (so creative, I) and "Do 200 crunches every night before bed! No matter how tired you think you are!!" As the years went on and I imitated Portia's casual-yet-confident pose in the mirror only to be horrified how my stomach buckled and bulged and the bend where hers lay flat with the only crinkles being from her shirt, I added things like "I hate you!" and "You are ugly and fat and no one will ever love you!" I saw my stomach as failure.
This "thinspiration" journal - heavy on the thin, light on any actual inspiration - stayed with me far longer than I want to admit. But I know I am not alone in this exercise in self-loathing. It isn't just the eating disordered who tout thinspo as a great get-thin trick. Popular trainers, TV shows and women's magazines across the board parrot this. These tips run the gamut from telling you to tape a photo of you at your fattest to your refrigerator, to eating naked in front of a mirror, to posting pics of celebs you admire, to hanging the skinny jeans you're dying to fit into on your closet door, to having pictures of yourself digitally altered to give you a thinner you ideal to strive for. Heck, the entire premise of The Biggest Loser is based on this one concept. All of these things are supposed to inspire you to be better, to stick to your diet, to hone your willpower and perhaps they do work for some people. But all they ever taught me was how I don't measure up, how I'm not beautiful and why I should hate myself. Even if they did help me put down the candy, it was never out of a feeling of caring or loving for myself but out of punishment and denial. Every time I looked at those pictures I felt worse about myself.
Portia pre-Ally McBeal and post-Ally McBeal
My poster girl Portia was recently on Oprah talking about her new book, Unbearable Lightness, that just came out in which she discusses her long battle with anorexia and bulimia stemming from her days on Ally McBeal. While she'd long been rumored to be anorexic - all the girls on that show were - hearing the words from her own mouth ended up being more wrenching than I had expected. My first reaction was to want to scream at her, "How could you do this to me?! All those years! Wasted! Because I wanted to look like you! Like eating-disordered you! How could you let me think all this time that your standard of beauty was an achievable one?" I wanted to go find her picture (I still have that journal somewhere) and rip it into tiny pieces. I was so so angry at her.
And then I calmed down. Of course my eating disorders were not her fault. They were mine, built choice by choice and honed over many years. And honestly I should have known better; it's not like Hollywood is known for its meticulous honesty. But the feeling of betrayal is still there. It isn't that I want her to be silent and unhealthily skinny again. Nor do I want her to be naturally super skinny. I just wanted her to be honest then, when I was so vulnerable and really needed to hear it. But she couldn't do it then. She lost as much (more, probably) to her eating disorder as I did. So I'm grateful that she can do it now and I applaud her speaking out about it. But it still leaves the issue of thinspo in general.
What do you think about "thinspiration"? Does it motivate you in a positive way to live a healthier life or is it one more way to beat yourself up? Who was your thinspo? Anyone else love to hate the show Ally McBeal??
Review of My Book From Deb the Smoothie Girl!
Is this constant nattering about my book getting old yet? Probably. I'm sorry! But I'm just crazy excited. And when I get really excited I have to let it out somehow and after having so many kids that pretty much leaves me with blogging or... peeing my pants. I'm like a puppy:)
Anyhow, Deb from Smoothie Girl Eats Too just posted her thoughts on my book in case you need any more incentive to go and get it. Thank you Deb!!
LOW BODYFAT FOR LIFE
Perfect Meals: Build Mass & Torch Bodyfat With This Full Day’s Worth Of Perfect Food Choices
The following six meals have one thing in common: They’re perfect. They’re flawless. They’re clean as can be, and they’re ideal because they help you build muscle (provided you’re hitting the gym devotedly), burn fat and promote overall stellar health. And, conveniently, they account for a full day’s worth of great eating.
Not sure what to eat for breakfast? Lunch? Dinner? All of the above? Now you are. And while you may have to tweak portion sizes to fit your bodytype, the following meals are about as universally bodybuilder-friendly as they come. Enjoy.
The Perfect Breakfast
* 4-6 egg whites with 2 whole eggs
* 1 serving Cream of Wheat cereal
* 1 banana
525 calories, 38 g protein, 59 g carbs, 15 g fat
Why?
Eggs, a universal bodybuilding staple, offer easy-to-digest protein to kick-start muscle growth. Cream of Wheat provides energy-rich complex carbohydrates, and bananas contain both fructose and potassium, which support glycogen formation in the liver and muscles to minimize muscle breakdown in the body.
Hardgainer Tip:
Substitute 16 ounces of low-fat milk for water in prepping the Cream of Wheat. This adds another 16 grams of protein, 24 grams of carbohydrate and 4 grams of fat.
Shredding Tip:
Go with all egg whites to keep fat and calories as low as possible and substitute a cup of strawberries for the banana to shed another 50 calories.
The Perfect Lunch
* 6-9 oz. extra-lean ground beef
* 2 cups pasta
* 3/4 cup broccoll
700 calories, 60 g protein, 83 g carbs, 13 g fat
Why?
For muscle-building, there’s nothing like beef it contains creatine, all the necessary aminos and a full spectrum of B vitamins, and it’s dense in iron to assist in energy production. Pasta provides carbs, which are essential for energy, and broccoli yields compounds that help with fat control.
Hardgainer Tip:
Choose lean, not extra-lean, beef (around 10%-15% fat as opposed to under 10%). The extra fat and calories spare the burning of glycogen and protein for greater growth.
Shredding Tip:
Temper your lunchtime carb intake: Eat just 1 cup of pasta but double up on the broccoli low in calories, high in fiber to control calories and your feelings of hunger.
The Perfect PreWorkout Snack
(One hour before training)
* 1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
* 4 slices rye toast with 2 Tbsp. grape jam
532 calories, 35 g protein, 89 g carbs, 4 g fat
Why?
The protein from cottage cheese hits the blood by workout time, sparing muscle breakdown. Grape jam offers sugar, which kicks up insulin to minimize breakdown as well. Rye bread is a slow-burning carb, preventing blood-sugar drops that can come from eating sugar alone.
Hardgainor Tip:
Include extra jam to guard against the depletion of glycogen.
Shredding Tip:
Stick to two slices of toast to control carbs but don’t forgo the jam you’ll need the quick burst of energy to offset muscle breakdown.
The Perfect Post-Training Snack
* Whey-protein shake (two scoops mixed with water)
* 1 cup rlce with 4 Tbsp. raisins
549 calories, 45 g protein, 91 g carbs, 2 g fat
Why?
Recovery and growth. Fast-digesting protein and carbs jump-start the rebuilding process. Whey is a great source of amino acids, and the rice and raisin mixture offers concentrated carbs that kick up insulin for muscle repair.
Hardgainer Tip:
Bump the rice serving to 1 1/2 cups for more simple carbs.
Shredding Tip:
Eat 1/2 cup of rice and 1-2 tablespoons raisins.
The Perfect Anytime Snack
(Turkey sandwich)
* 2 slices whole-grain bread
* 2-3 slices fat-free cheese
* 3-4 slices deli turkey breast
* Mustard and fat-free mayo
316 calories, 36 g protein, 34 g carbs, 4 g fat
Why?
Convenience, as well as that much-needed sixth meal of the day. The balanced combination of protein, carbs and fat in this sandwich are ideal for mass-building.
Hardgainer Tip:
Add a glass of low-fat milk and a piece of fruit if you have a speedier-than-average metabolism.
Shredding Tip:
Use carb-reduced bread to keep carbohydrates and calories under control.
The Perfect Dinner
* 1 chicken breast (7-9 oz.)
* 1 yam
* 1 cup peas, corn and carrots
603 calories, 69 g protein, 61 g carbs, 7 g fat
Why?
The combination of carbohydrates and lean protein in this meal increases the levels of insulin in the blood, fostering a hormonal environment that’s ideal for muscle growth. Yams digest slowly, helping to sustain that environment, and lower-fat protein, like this chicken breast, helps keep bodyfat in check.
Hardgainer Tip:
Add a tall glass of low-fat milk and saute the chicken in extra-virgin olive oil for additional protein and essential fats that help growth.
Shredding Tip:
Eat half the yam and ditch the vegetable medley, which is higher in calories, for a lower-calorie vegetable like green beans.
Author: Chris Aceto
Monday, November 1, 2010
Do Women Need Different Weight-Lifting Routines Than Men? [November's Great Fitness Experiment!]
The question you should be asking is not why these men are running nearly naked in the snow but rather why are they wearing swimming caps...
Nothing is as mythical in fitness lore as the Protein Shake. Whole websites are devoted to getting the most out your smoothie, entire books of workout-shake recipes have been published, and it's become so omnipresent in our exercise culture that it has even become its own pick-up line. Hey baby, what say we re-rack these weights and hit the juice bar. I'll even let you pick two add-ins! So naturally I hate it. Between my general distrust of protein powder (Why is it that every health guru tells you to only eat whole unprocessed foods and then recommends protein powder? Do they not watch Sesame Street? Do they not see that one of these things is not like the other??), my disinclination to drink my calories and my sensitive gag reflex that precludes me swallowing anything from the "mooshy" food group, there isn't a lot of love lost between protein shakes and I.
And yet for day 1 of November's Great Fitness Experiment, I shocked all the Gym Buddies by showing up this morning with a half gallon of post-workout chocolaty goodness and enough paper cups to go around. See, this post-workout refueling is Unbreakable Rule #2. (For those of you who think I can't count - I've got mad Sesame Street skillz, yo - Unbreakable Rule #1 is coming.) Who picks these things?!
Me. Right.
After the disastrous end of last month's long(ish) distance running Experiment* - and having been sufficiently chastened by the not one but TWO doctors who took the time to e-mail me to tell me that I could have killed myself OD'ing on caffeine and then running hard (take home lesson: Despite its prevalence, caffeine is a drug and not to be trifled with) - I was ready to take on something completely different. So November's Great Fitness Experiment is The Female Body Breakthrough by Rachel Cosgrove.
At first glance it seems like your ordinary weight-lifting tome filled with pictures of the difference between the Romanian dead-lift, the regular dead-lift and the drunk-roommate dead-lift (hint: if you have a roommate from the Soviet Bloc you've got a two-fer) but Cosgrove is no ordinary lifter. She is, as she reminds you about 300 times, a lifter in proud possession of lady bits. As a lifter with lady bits myself, this spoke to me. I have long maintained that men's bodies and women's bodies with their different hormones respond differently to exercise and therefore should not be given a one-size fits all prescription. This does not mean she is giving you permission to pump two-pounders so you don't bulk up but rather that we need to focus more on compound movements and timing issues than a man would. This concept is rather controversial as many fitness experts recommend women train exactly like men, just perhaps with lighter weights.
Cosgrove came to her epiphany after finishing her first Ironman competition (and no it didn't involve a hand mirror and a copy of Our Bodies, Ourselves in the biffy at mile 50). She realized that despite training 30+ hours per week biking, running and swimming, she had not only gained body fat and injuries but lost muscle tone and definition and was all around squishier. In her article "The Final Nail in the Cardio Coffin" (a must-read: go, now!) she details all the reasoning behind this but the end result is that in 8 short weeks of lifting heavy and dropping all the cardio, she lost 15 pounds, leaned out so much that she had a visible 6-pack again and was all-around healthier. This, combined with former elite-triathlete Mark Sisson's post about the heart damage inflicted by long-distance running, led me to an epiphany of my own. After gaining 2% body fat last month, it is time to bring out the heavy iron again!
The Workout
Cosgrove's 16-week plan is broken up into four four-week segments. The Gym Buddies and I are jumping in at week 9 as we feel we've been lifting long enough that the first 8 weeks won't be challenging. She prioritizes workouts with putting three lifting workouts a week as priority number one, followed by two "metabolic circuits" a week (a form of high-intensity interval training using bodyweight exercises) and, lastly, one cardio workout a week. If you want it.
The Rules
There is so much great stuff in Cosgrove's book - her section on "chunky thigh syndrome" is worth the whole price of the book right there (and no I don't get any kickbacks for recommending her book, moreover I didn't even get it for free - I bought this one myself!) - so it feels overly reductionist to distill it to this, but here you go:
Unbreakable Rule #1: You do not miss a weight-lifting workout. You lift three days a week but if you have to miss a day, take out the cardio or the circuits but do not miss your weights.
Unbreakable Rule #2: You must drink a post-workout shake (gah!) within 15 minutes of finishing your weight-lifting workout. Yes, that means you will be drinking it warm out of your water bottle in the gym. (I lobbied for a chicken breast and an apple but Rachel points out in her book that the fat, carbs and protein need to be easily digestible so a smoothie is ideal.)
Those two rules are the gist of it but to really amp up your results here are a few other suggestions:
Rule #1: Lift heavy. Really heavy. As heavy as good form will allow. No wussy Barbie weights. (Side note: she even shows you how to work your weight routines around your menstrual cycle to get the most bang for your buck. Did you know you have the potential to burn the most fat during that week than during any other time of the month?! It sounds counterintuitive, what with the bloating and all, but she's got research to back it up. I will let you know how it works for me - period talk, ahoy!)
Rule #2: Eat 5-6 small meals a day, each containing a fat and a protein.
Rule #3: Eat clean 90% of the time, which means you get a couple of "cheat meals" a week but the rest of the time stay away from sugar and processed foods.
Rule #4: No running! The treadmill is dead to you. Also no elliptical, step mill, arc trainer etc. Her metabolic circuits will definitely get your heart rate up but they use bodyweight exercises like jumping lunges and other plyometrics.
I plan on sticking as close to her plan as described in her book as I can as I'm hoping to get close to her results! Some of the other Gym Buddies are not happy about Rule #4 so they'll be doing the weights but also keeping their cardio. It's almost like a real experiment! I'm super excited to see how this pans out.
Any of you tried this program? Anyone else in with me?? What do you think - do women need different workouts than men or is a human body a human body regardless of gender?
*Haven't read my race report yet? Oh you should! Even if you don't like reading about running I promise this one is worth your time.
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