I believe everyone CAN improve their health to the extent that they find optimum health and function at a high capacity, both physically and mentally. We are all somewhere in the spectrum from sickness to optimum health and we can all improve where we are within that spectrum. Life is short and our health affects everything we do so we should strive to improve it!
Now that the kids are back in school and we are all settled back into our regular routine we thought it would be a good time to refocus on nutrition and the other elements that affect our health. It’s not all about the hour we spend in the gym, we need to be mindful about the Other 23 Hours in our day if we want to improve our health. Hence the name, the Other 23 Hours Project.
Here’s what we want you to think about:
- Know your WHY – What do you do you want to change? why do you want that to change? what truly motivates you? why do you get up in the morning?
- Food – How can you making nutritious food choices 90 to 95% of the time
- Sleep – How to get 8+ hours of quality sleep per night
- Serenity – Finding moments away from daily stress and building resilience
- Movement – Motion is lotion. Movement is what we do in the gym, getting stronger and faster, but also can include mobility and other activities.
- Community – Your health is tied to your relationships. Studies show you are healthier when you are involved in a community.
Step 1: Start here: Think about your WHY. What do you want to accomplish? WHY? What are your values and your beliefs that drive you? It sounds corny but if you don’t know what is driving you, you can reacting to what is happening around you instead of making decisions proactively to LIVE your best life. It can take time and it can be like peeling layers of an onion to find it, but keep looking!
(Want to know my WHY? Re-read the first paragraph of this post. It’s what I believe and most everything I do revolves around it and drives me. I choose to surround myself with others that have the same belief and those that don’t I don’t connect with very well.)
Step 2: In the meantime, read THIS Book. Seriously. It’s not ‘just another Diet Book – he discusses all of the items I hit on in the bulleted list above. These are all pillars to building health.
Get it here: https://www.amazon.com/Wired-Eat-Cravings-Appetite-Determine/dp/0451498569
I love Robb Wolf! He brilliantly explains why we, as a species, struggle to find health in our modern society. He also emphasizes that there is no one-size-fits-all diet that will work perfectly for everyone. We are all too different for that!
Step 3: Anytime we talk about the what you do outside of the gym, a large part of that is re-focusing on eating better. As part of this focus, athletes always tell me that they want very specific guidance on what to eat. It’s a hard thing to do; I urge you to do some digging around and determine a plan that is right for you. Here are what I think are your best options.
The 30 Day Reset (as outlined in Wired to Eat)
During the 30-day reset, you consume lean meats, veggies, nuts and some fruit. You’d avoid dairy, grains, alcohol, legumes and starches. While this might sound boring, it is only limited by your ability to cook or purchase paleo-friendly meals. There are many home delivery services that can do the cooking for you.
If you are already familiar with the Whole30, yep, this the same thing. If you are lazy or want my opinion of what to plan to follow, do this! It’s 30 days and I swear you won’t die. After your 30 days, you can systematically reintroduce carbs to see if unhealthy levels of glucose return back into your bloodstream.
Intermittent Fasting and Keto
Wired to Eat concludes with a section on IM and Keto. They are great tools and can be helpful to quickly address many health concerns. Did I tell you to read the book yet?
Renaissance Periodization Auto Diet Templates
Many of our athletes have had success with RP Templates. If you are looking for lots of structure, the RP Auto Diet Templates may be right for you. The templates provide meal plans for non-training days, light, moderate and hard training days and provide your allotted macronutrient breakdown for each meal, along with suggested foods that fit within the template guidelines.
I’ve personally done this on and off myself and have a hard time wanting to be as strict as this since it reminds me of my bodybuilding days where I measured food to the gram and ate on a schedule. If you like being very structured, this may work well for you though.
See: www.renaissanceperiodization.com
If It Fits My Macros
This is another approach that works well for some athletes. It allows you to be structured without being hyperstructured.
Macros, short for macronutrients (proteins, fats and carbohydrates), is the basis of Flexible Dieting / IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros). It takes calorie counting one step further by additionally counting macronutrients – grams of protein, carbs and fats – to eat within your allotted calories. It is a good way to handle portion control and encourages you to make smarter food choices to fit within your macronutrient goals. There are several online calculators available to help you find your suggested macronutrient breakdown.
See: https://www.iifym.com/iifym-calculator/ and http://www.trimmedandtoned.com/beginners-guide-to-iifym/
Looking for more details and personal guidance? Talk to a coach!!!
There are obviously more choices and I cannot outline them all here. Start thinking, and reading, and recruit a friend to do this with you! (They don’t need to be a member of CFJC!).
Step 4: We have scheduled a Paleo Potluck with a speaker: Friday Sept 7 at 6:30. Our speaker will be Dr. Dinesh Raju, some of you know him as CFJCer ‘Dr. Raj.’ Dr Raju will be talking to us about the importance of Sleep and how to best set yourself up to get a good nights sleep.
We plan on holding these potlucks regularly as a way to get you motivated and mindful about your choices outside of the gym. We think it is a great way to get out and interact with your CFJC community, while sharing valuable information.
There is a wealth of good information on the internet but it is a lot like drinking from a firehose. We hope to direct you though your journey to better health through blog posts and speakers. Because although you may not be able to get your double-unders today, you absolutely can take steps to improve your food choices, sleep better, manage stress and be an active part of your community every day.
Stay tuned and be ready to start the Other 23 Hours Project. (READ THE DAMN BOOK)
WRITTEN BY: Lara Sturm
8/27/2018
