You CAN Make Friends with Salad: Giving Up Meat without Giving Up Gainz

Introduction
This post has been a long time coming. Over the last few years I've had a lot people ask me how to reconcile a vegetarian diet with high-level athletic training. Before getting into the nuts and beans, let me first emphasize that I follow a vegetarian--not a vegan diet. There are some examples of successful purely vegan high-level athletes, however, my own experiment with it didn't go well; therefore, it won't work for any of you (anecdote alert!). See end of article for tips for vegan athletes (Thank you to Marcus Schultz-Bergin).

My biggest worry about switching to a vegetarian diet was that I wouldn't get enough protein and I'd consume too many carbs. Most athletes have grown up with the belief that we need at least 1gram of protein for every pound of bodyweight/day. It turns out that's just a myth. It's totally unsupported by any evidence. (Who knew the supplement industry would overstate claims?) You likely don't need more than 0.6 grams/lb.

So, if you're 180 lbs you only need 108 grams which is significantly less than the 180 grams you've been feeding yourself. Basically, Big Sup wants you to believe you need all that protein, but the best evidence suggests you don't--even if you're an experienced athlete. In fact, the evidence suggests that the longer you've been training, the less protein you need (see link below).

Here are a few highlight from what I take to be the definitive article on protein consumption for strength athletes:

• Tarnopolsky et al. (1992) observed no differences in whole body protein synthesis or indexes of lean body mass in strength athletes consuming either 0.64g/lb or 1.10g/lb over a 2 week period. Protein oxidation did increase in the high protein group, indicating a nutrient overload.
• Walberg et al. (1988) found that 0.73g/lb was sufficient to maintain positive nitrogen balance in cutting weightlifters over a 7 day time period.
• Tarnopolsky et al. (1988) found that only 0.37g/lb was required to maintain positive nitrogen balance in elite bodybuilders (over 5 years of experience, possible previous use of androgens) over a 10 day period. 0.45g/lb was sufficient to maintain lean body mass in bodybuilders over a 2 week period. The authors suggested that 0.55g/lb was sufficient for bodybuilders.
• Lemon et al. (1992) found no differences in muscle mass or strength gains in novice bodybuilders consuming either 0.61g/lb or 1.19g/lb over a 4 week period. Based on nitrogen balance data, the authors recommended 0.75g/lb.
• Hoffman et al. (2006) found no differences in body composition, strength or resting hormonal concentrations in strength athletes consuming either 0.77g/lb or >0.91g/lb over a 3 month period.

[Update: Here's the latest systematic review and meta analysis Key finding: "Protein supplementation beyond total protein intakes of 1.62 g/kg/day resulted in no further resistance exercise training induced gains in fat-free mass." Note that the previous study's results were expressed in g/lb but this one is g/kg]
The other issue with vegetarianism is getting your protein without all them carbs. Beans are one of the best sources of vegetarian protein but they come with carbs. And if you regularly eat them with rice, you risk committing carbocide. All them gainz but no one can see your abs. I am cri :'(

Below I've listed my usual recipes. I've managed to build a meal plan that isn't carb heavy. In short, you CAN make friends with salad if you're willing to grab a few handfuls of nuts...Deez nutz! Ha! Got 'em! Also, eggs and tofu/tofu-based products are your best friends.

Quick Commentary on the Ethics of Eating
The fact that you're reading this entry suggests you're already at least moderately motivated to reduce your meat consumption. From my perspective since the health claims are generally overblown (although not completely without merit) there are two main lines of argument for going vegetarian: Concern for animal welfare and concern for the environment. Most people come to vegetarianism (or veganism) primarily out of concern for the former. Sometimes the two align, sometimes they pull apart. I'm not going to rehash all the familiar arguments but I do want to point out a few things about some of the choices I've made. If you don't care what I think, skip to the next section.

If you're going to be vegetarian instead of vegan you have to accept that your dietary choices will impose some degree of suffering on the animals from whom you get your protein. My position on these issues is still in a state of flux but I'll briefly outline the reasons for the choices I've made. First of all, factory farmed meats are off the menu. There are no plausible arguments for the practice.

I eat shrimp, mollusks, eggs, whey protein, and very occasionally responsibly-sourced fish.
[EDIT: Since writing this article I've stopped consuming whey products as well as fish except once or twice a year I eat salmon when visiting my family.] The easiest to justify eating are the mollusks. It's unlikely they have much if any capacity to suffer. The main concern is environmental: they are sometimes harvested in ways that destroy ecosystems (see links to below). 

Shrimp are bugs. I don't feel bad about eating bugs (how's that for a convincing argument?). The main concerns with shrimp are the methods by which they are farmed and the labor practices involved. Shrimp from SE Asia comes at tragic environmental cost and is often harvested using slave labor.  If you didn't think there was enough wrong with the world, read here: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-hunger-for-shrimp-and-slavery-destroy-mangroves-excerpt/

Despite the fact that the dairy industry is largely morally indefensible, I consume whey protein powder because it is a waste product of cheese and yogurt-making. Prior to the rise in popularity of protein powder, whey was a massive environmental headache. For example,  Chobani in it's NY plant produces 1 million lbs of greek yogurt every day. For every pound of greek yogurt there are 3 pounds of waste (you do the math). In NY state alone 150 million tonnes of whey are produced/year. That waste is acidic and basically destroys all aquatic life if it ends up in waterways.

A popular disposal method is burning it but that consumes a lot of energy (i.e., fossil fuels). So, although I don't purchase primary dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt), I'm reconciled with consuming what would otherwise be a waste product. Full disclosure: I'll eat cheese/pizza if I'm at an event where it's already being offered. I will also eat ice cream very occasionally in the summer.

As for fish, the ethical concern is that, in commercial fishing, the fish often suffer for long periods of time before they are finally killed. The latest and best research shows that fish have the capacity for suffering and pain. 

The environmental concern is that most fishing stocks are critically overfished. From 1970-2012 the marine vertebrate population has decreased by 49%. At current rates of fishing, most important fish stocks will be extinct within 10-15 years. Tuna is foremost among them; in fact, Blue Fin tuna is down 70%. This is why I don't eat tuna anymore. They're basically going to be extinct soon unless we change our consumption habits.

Bycatch is another big problem. Depending on the source, for every pound of fish in the supermarket 10lbs (often much more) is thrown out as by-catch. Others estimate that bycatch represents 40% of worldwide catch. That translates into 63 billion lbs per year of marine life killed for no reason. That's not just a tragic waste of life and disruption of ecosystems, but it effectively eliminates a food supply for fish higher up in the food chain.

For an excellent resource on responsible aquaculture and unthreatened fish stocks, I suggest taking a look at this website: https://www.seafoodwatch.org/  They also have an app so if you're in the supermarket or at a restaurant you can quickly check if what you're about to buy is responsibly managed.  

In short, our oceans are pretty much fucked so be judicious in selecting fish if you're going to eat fish. I usually only eat farmed fish since it's sustainable (so long as the farm adheres to best practices).  This is not to say all wild fish aquaculture is bad but before selecting DO YOR REESURCH!!!1!!!1!!! (If you give a fuck). At some point I'll write a post suggesting that environmentalists should be the strongest proponents of (well-regulated) fish farms and GMO salmon. Ideology and fear-mongering notwithstanding, all things considered that's definitely where the evidence points.

Basically, by going vegetarian you're not going to be perfect but this doesn't imply an all-or-nothing approach (see: nirvana fallacy). With informed choices we can at least minimize our negative impact on both animals and the environment.

General Tips for Eating Healthfully
Prepare, prepare, prepare! When do we mess up on our clean eating? When we're hangry and "there's nothing to eat." Always make sure you have ingredients on hand for quick meals and make sure protein is prepped. As a vegetarian (at least my version) that means:

• Boil eggs a dozen at a time. If you have hard-boiled eggs on hand, you have a no-prep source of protein. Use it to make a 'sammich' or eat them as they are.
• Stock a variety of protein bars.
• Have tofu in the fridge. It the summer it's good cold with some soy sauce, sesame oil, and sriracha. Half a block is 30 grams of protein! 
• Have cans of beans in kitchen.
• Bulk-buy green pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, almonds, flax seeds, and chia seeds.
• Have lots of peanut butter stocked.

Verboten Foodz--Aus of ze Haus!!!! If you can't see it, you're less likely to eat it. Do not bring junk food into the house. You're way less likely to eat a bunch of junk food if eating it requires getting off your ass and driving to the store to get it. Save it for cheat day!

Avoiding Carbs While Getting Enough Protein: 
Hold your breath. As a vegetarian, you can't just cook up a piece of meat or grab a burger anytime you're hungry. As I mentioned in the intro you have to plan a bit if you want to avoid committing carbocide. However, it's not really a big deal. In fact, it's no trouble at all once you properly stock your kitchen.

Over the course of a regular day I eat 4 small-ish meals and consume one protein shake. I might also have a banana or energy bar before working out. Notice that I get my protein from a variety of sources throughout the day to ensure I get all the essential amino acids.

• Meal 1: Breakfast is almost always peanut butter and whole grain toast. 
• Meal 2: One bean-based meal. This is usually post-workout meal so place it appropriately in your schedule.
• Meal 3: Some kind of egg-based meal. Maybe an egg sammich with avocado or something. Maybe a salad with egg, seeds, and nuts.
• Meal 4: Tofu-based meal. In the summer I'll often just have cold tofu (see recipe below). If you feel like cooking, stirfry tofu is always good. The latest generation of fake meats are almost indistinguishable from real meat. The difference is negligible anyway. If I have the choice between a cruelty-free, environmentally responsible burger and one that isn't AND they basically taste the same, why on earth wouldn't I eat the veggie burger? Some of my favorite fake meat products are: Gardein's beef tips, chicken strips for stir fry, ground beef, and burgers. Qu'orn fake turkey dinner is also amazing. All of these products are available in the freezer section of your local supermarket. If I can find them in the supermarkets of Bowling fucking Green, Ohio, you can find them where you live. 
• Meal 3 or 4: Mega Salad (see two sections below)

Meal Plan and Recipes (Summer)
Breakfast:
Nine times out ten, breakfast is peanut butter and whole grain toast with about a liter of tea. Occasionally, I'll have eggs with toast.

Lunch:
Depending on where I am and how much time I have, it will vary.
If I'm aus of ze haus at my office, I might open up a can of chick peas, drain them, pour in some olive oil and hot sauce. You'd be surprised how good it tastes. I know I was the first time.

Alternatively, I might go to Subguey and get an egg sub or if there's a salad bar I'll do that. I'll select all the beans for my toppings and maybe get egg as well if they have it.

If I'm at home I'll usually make either an egg sammich with avocado or I'll make one of my mega-salads (see video).

Post-workout: 
Protein shake and banana

First and Second Dinner:
Bean dish. There are many many ways to prepare beans. In the summer, it's often too hot to cook so I used canned beans. In the winter I'll cook up a 3 day supply and make soups and stews. Here are some simple recipes that don't require any cooking but if you prefer to eat them warm, simply combine the ingredients in a large pan:

Spicy Cold Tofu:

• 1/2 block of tofu
• sesame oil
• soy sauce
• Sriracha
• optional: sprinkle with sesame seeds

Chickpea curry: 

• 1 can of chickpeas, drained
• curry powder
• mayo
• garlic
• sunflower seeds
• raw or sautéed onion or chives
• sautéed mushrooms if you're feeling fancy
• salt&pepper to taste
• optional: chopped hard-boiled egg
• optional: sautéed shrimp

Chickpeas in pesto:

• 1 can of chickpeas, drained
• olive oil
• tablespoon of pesto
• half an avocado
• sunflower seeds
• tablespoon of flax seeds
• diced tomato
• salt and pepper to taste
• diced cheese (if you eat cheese)
• optional: raw or sauteed onion
• optional: chopped hard-boiled egg
• optional: sautéed shrimp.

Super Speedy Chickpea Dish:

• 1 can of chickpeas, drained
• olive oil
• hot sauce 
• Optional: chopped hard-boiled egg

Speedy Black Bean Chili: 

• can of black beans, drained.
• chili powder
• garlic
• fresh basil if you've got some
• sautéed or raw onions
• sautéed or steamed mustard greens
• sautéed mushrooms
• optional: chopped hard-boiled egg or top with a fried egg sunny side up
• optional: sautéed shrimp

Super Speedy Black Bean Meal:

• can o' black beans, drained
• Lowry salt
• olive oil
• hot sauce
• optional: chopped hard-boiled egg
• optional: cubed cheese
• fresh parsley and/or basil if you have it

Mega Salad (see below)

Leaning Out with the Mega Salad:

In the summer we all want those abs to emerge quickly from their winter slumber. To get my abs to pop, I only eat mega salads for about 2 or 3 weeks for all meals (except for breakfast). 

How to make the Mega Salad:

Mega salad: 

Get yourself a family-sized salad bowl. You're going to fill it.

• 2 or 3 different leafy greens. About 3 or 4 leafs of each. I usually use romaine, kale, and mustard greens. Avoid iceberg.
• 1 tomato
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 lg carrot
• 1 head of broccoli (just use 1/2 if it's really big--TWSS)
• 1 handful of green pumpkin seeds
• 1 handful of sunflower seeds
• 1 handful of sliced almonds
• 1 heaping tablespoon of flax seeds
• 1 heaping tablespoon of chia seeds
• olives, pickles, pickled jalepeno---whatever you like.
• Optional: Add 1/2 a can of your choice of beans if you're feeling low on carbs
• Optional: 1 or 2 hardboiled eggs chopped
• Optional: 1/2 a block of tofu cubed
• Optional: sauteed/grilled shrimp of fish
• Optional: cheese cubed (if you eat cheese)

Because the mega salad is..well...mega...you will feel full after eating it. I'm usually unable to finish a whole one if I've added one of the options. The good news is that you're full but you haven't really consumed a lot of calories. And your carbs are very low. Do this for 2 or 3 weeks and you will be noticeably leaner. Oh, invest in a wide variety of salad dressings so you don't get bored (but be sensible with regards to caloric content). 

Concerns about Soy and Estrogen
The science isn't settled here. I've done my own reesurch as well as asked a couple of experts. Here is from personal correspondence on my behalf between Pat Brown, fancy Stanford professor of biochemistry (and my sister's Ph.D advisor) and my sister.

There are compounds with estrogenic effects (phytoestrogens) as well as compounds that can increase circulating androgens in soy as well as lots of other plant foods. So there have been a lot of studies (hundreds of papers) looking at their hypothetical effects (both positive and negative) on male or female fertility, hormone-sensitive cancers (eg., breast and prostate) and other hormone-influenced human physiology and disease.

The upshot is that while there are many weak associations in model systems, there is essentially zero good evidence of any meaningful effect on fertility, cancer, diabetes or any of the other health outcomes that have been studied.

About a year ago when looking into this stuff, I read a study comparing gains in lean muscle mass between experienced bodybuilders consuming 30g of soy vs consuming 30g of whey. There were no differences between groups in gains of lean body mass, neither were there were differences in hormone levels. (I can't find that study at the moment but will link to it when I find it).

Basically, I usually eat one soy-based meal a day which is about 20-30g of soy. That seems safe.

Conclusion
For a longer than I care to admit, I knew vegetarianism was the logical consequence of my ethical and environmental commitments. I was hesitant to change my diet because I thought I wouldn't be able to train like I want to (selfish bastard). I also thought that even if I could train as hard as I like on a vegetarian diet, it would take way too much meal prep time. It turns out both of those concerns were ill-founded.

You can have it all: You can eat more or less consistently with your ethical and environmental commitments while also getting enough protein and avoiding expending unrealistic amounts of time and energy on meal-prep.

Now go forth and make gainz, but this time with less animal suffering.

Bonus Round: Resources for Vegan Athletes
No Meat Athlete (ultramarathon running rather than lifting, but some more general stuff) - http://www.nomeatathlete.com

Vegan Proteins (main site is a vegan protein supplement site, but they have a blog with more general stuff too) - http://www.veganproteins.com/

Vega (maker of vegan protein and meal replacement stuff, but again also has general stuff like recipes and a blog with advice) - https://myvega.com/

Vegan Body Building (name sort of says it all - they sell stuff but have a lot of articles with advice, etc.) - http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/

Annual Fitness Advice Post: Using Social Psychology to Your Advantage

Introduction

It seems every year I end up writing a post on how to get your fitness on.  But there's a prollem.  All the fitness advice in the world doesn't amount to a thang if'n it ain't put into practix.  So, in this year's post I'm going to focus on what we know about psychology and social psychology that can actually help us do what most of us already know we should do.  For that reason, I will only briefly go over nutrition and fitness plans because I've already dealt with these topics in detail in prior posts: 

http://missiontotransition.blogspot.com/2012/01/no-nonsense-fitness-guide.html.

http://missiontotransition.blogspot.com/2010/10/nutrition-rant-simple-vs-complex-carbs.html

http://missiontotransition.blogspot.com/2010/06/i-was-planning-on-attacking-some-recent.html

http://missiontotransition.blogspot.com/2010/07/health-and-nutrition-part-2.html

http://missiontotransition.blogspot.com/2010/07/health-and-nutrition-part-3-hopefully.html

Brief Overview of Fitness Programs and Methods
There is the optimal work out and there is the one you will do.  Pick the latter.  Do I need to explain this?  Here's the low down: pick a physical activity that you will actually do at least 3 times a week.  It might not be optimal, but you'll actually do it--and that's what matters most.  It can be anything physical: dance, zumba, aerobics, martial arts, karate-chopping bricks, speed walking, weight training, basketball, yoga, ping pong, whatever...you get the point.  

Also, it needn't always be the same activity.  Maybe one day you do yoga, other day you karate-chop bricks, and the other you play ping pong.  Whatever keeps you engaged and avoids stagnation. 

There are a few caveats: (a)  If it doesn't make you sweat, it's not intense enough, or you're not pushing yourself hard enough. (b) You should do the activity for no less than 45min per session and no fewer than 3 times a week.  Of course, sometimes life gets in the way and in such cases you can make exceptions, but for the most part, try to stick to these minimums.  

If you're too tired one day, go the next.  There are almost no good reasons for which you cannot do something 3 times a week.  Also, even on a really busy day, you can go for 30min--it's not optimal but it's better than not going.  Which leads me to an important psychological point. 

We are creatures of habit.  This quality on its own isn't a good or bad thing--what matters is the nature of the habits themselves.  What does this mean for fitness?  

You got it.  Establishing good habits is the only way to success.  Every fit person I know goes a little crazy when they miss workouts.  Just as people with bad habits go crazy when their habits are broken.  

If you create 'good' habits, you will eventually need to continue them--this means DO NOT skip workout days in the habit forming phase. The more you do, the easier it becomes to do so.  Unless you're sick, you should at least drag your butt to your activity for 30min.  Once you get started you'll find that you perform much better than you expected and you'll feel good about yourself for persevering.  Most importantly you are further reenforcing a good habit rather than a bad one (i.e., being an out-of-shape whiny baby--waaaaa! I'm too tired to work out).

Nutrition

Ok, you big babies, next is nutrition.  Here is my scientifical advice.  Eat a good breakfast.  Some protein (eggs) and some complex carbs.  Begin your lunch and dinner with meal-sized salads.  When you're done, eat your protein (chicken, fish, lean beef, vegetable protein).  If you're still hungry have a small serving of complex carbs (brown rice, whole grain bread).  

Yeah, I said it: bread.  Don't give me that crap about "but I'm gluten intolerant."  Bullshit.  Only a very very small percentage of the population is.  Oh! I know, you're soooooooooooo special and I don't understand how special you are with your gluten intolerance and sensitivity to wifi too...give me break.  But I digress...

So, why eat so much salad before your meals?  Cuz it will fill you up and you won't over eat the high calorie stuff that makes you jiggly.  Next!

Supplements:  99% of them are total BS.  Unless you live in the 3rd world and have nutritional deficiency or your diet is 100% twinkies, you're wasting your money.  And it doesn't count if your naturopathic "doctor" tells you that you are a very special person due to a deficiency they discovered through applied kinesiology (i.e., magic bullshit).  Besides, you can simply rectify the problem by wearing a hologram on a piece of rubber. Problem solved! 

Ok, so what supplements aren't a total waste of money?  For the recreational fitness participant, pretty much all.  If you are training at a level beyond recreational, you might benefit from protein supplementation (protein shakes-whey is best) and creatine (plain creatine monohydrate--don't buy that over-priced other crap).  

Everything else it a waste of money except Acai berries that cure all forms of cancer and every other disease and virus known to mankind.  I read that on the intertubes, so it must be true.  That's why there's no cancer in Brazil.  What?  You didn't know that?  Oh, and sharks don't get cancer either, so eat sharks.

Psychology and Healthy Eating

What counts as healthy eating shouldn't be much of a surprise to most people, so why do we so often fail at it?  One reason big is weakness of will.  Side-stepping the philosophical question of what 'will' is, lets assume the common (vague) understanding.  

Here's what we know about will power: (a) it is finite, (b) it diminishes as the day progresses and as we tire.  These facts aren't good or bad in themselves, what's important is how we apply them.

Just Say "No" Once:  If I know that my will power is finite then it is easier to turn down ice cream 1x than it is to turn it down 10x in the same day.  But how do we apply this?  It's like this y'all.  

When you go shopping DO NOT buy unhealthy food.  This is you saying 'no' once.  But if you buy it and bring it into your crib, you will have to say 'no' every time you walk by the fridge or think of ice cream.  The psychological laws predict that the ice cream will eventually win.  Don't let the ice cream win!!! You are better than ice cream!

Shop and Cook Yur Food in Advance.  Next implication:  Our will power decreases as the day progresses and as we tire (the two usually go hand in hand).  What do we do with this information?  

Here's a familiar scene:  Waaaaaa!  I'm a big baby.  I'm tired from work.  I don't feel like cooking.  I'm just going to grab some fast food at _____.  Sound familiar?  

We can't do anything about you being a big baby, but we can do something to prevent you from buying fast food cuz there's no food in the replicator:  Cook your food in advance.  Either cook your dinner when you make your lunch, or make dinner in a slow cooker when you leave for work, or cook a bunch of food at a time so you have meals for a few days, or cook a lot of food and freeze it in portions.  

Or do what I do: start cooking your protein first, then eat your salad while it's cooking.  When you're done your salad, dinner will be ready.  Ta! Da! Good habit preserved and bad habit averted! 

I should add that all this requires that you keep healthy food in your house.  There is no greater deterrent to cooking than a tired and hungry person without any healthy food in the house.

As with exercise, the same applies to nutrition--it's about creating good habits.  But enough of this habit stuff.  That habit stuff don't mean crap if I can't do it long enough to create the habit.  Am I right?  Ami right?  

Ok, so this is where we're going to appeal to social psychology to keep us on track long enough to establish good habits...

Social Psychology and Beginning & Keeping Good Habits

Premise:  We are extremely susceptible to the influences of our peers.  Not surprisingly, this also applies to health and fitness habits.  In a really cool 30 year study which followed 12, 067 people and their social networks these interesting conclusions were drawn: 

(a)  when a friend becomes obese, the chances of you becoming obese increases by 57%.

(b)  family and neighbor obesity had much smaller effects on an individuals obesity.
(c)  the greatest influence was on close friends:  if someone was close friends with someone who became obese, the non-obese person's likelihood of becoming obese rose to 171%!
(d)  the same effect was observed for weight loss.

(e)  the proposed mechanism is that friends affect each others' perception of fatness. When a close friend becomes obese, obesity may not look so bad. "You change your idea of what is an acceptable body type by looking at the people around you."

For a more detailed analysis here's a good write up: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/25/health/25iht-fat.4.6830240.html?pagewanted=all

So, how can we use this information to our advantage?  Should we drop our close friends if they become obese?  Probably not.  Instead we should also seek out peers that have healthy habits we wish to emulate.  This will have the effect of countering an obese peer and at least give us a fighting chance.  171% is a lot to overcome! But don't forget, the effect works both ways...

But where am I going to find peers with healthy lifestyles?  Um, maybe at the fitness activity you skipped out on yesterday to eat cupcakes with your other friend!  

Accountability and Support within Peer Groups

We increase the probability of our following through on something when we are held accountable and given support by our peer group.  Big whoop.  How does this apply?  Well, for example, in one study of those who went into a weight loss program with a friend, 95% completed the program (10 month program) and 66% maintained the loss.

http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/ccp/67/1/132/

While the numbers vary between studies, the general effect is clear.  Those who enter weight loss programs with peers have higher completion rates and long-term success rates.  

The moral of the story?  Get a fitness buddy or group to keep you on track, motivated, and accountable.

One interesting model I heard about on NPR was people starting using social networking for motivation and accountability.  This can be done on your personal page or you can create a private group.  In the show they talked about people announcing their starting weight and having to report every determined interval.  

I doubt many people who are already self-conscious about their weight would be comfortable with publishing their weight on facebook or even to their close friends.  I suggest the following solution.  Don't publish your weight.  Your weight is 'x'.  However, you do need to publish after each week how many pounds you've lost or gained.  You might also considering publishing whether you've attended your fitness activity as you promised to your friends.

Aside: This brings up a side issue of whether body weight is a good measure of fitness and health.  I won't engage in that debate.  Use whatever measure you like--BMI, waist circumference  bicep size--whatever.  It's not that important in the early stages.  Personally, I just look at my abs.  If I can see them, I'm on track.  If I can't, I've got work to do.

The Power of Competition

Most, but not all, of us like to compete.  Modern techmology has made quantification and comparison of fitness activities easy.  My sister wears a little device on her waist.  It's about the size of a thumb drive.  It uploads how much distance you cover in a day and about how many calories you've burned as well as other biometric info like heart rate.  

Now, here's the cool part.  Her company started a program where you can have all this info uploaded to a common website.  Everyone who opts in gets their info uploaded to this site.  So, everyone can see how everyone else is performing.

You'd be surprised how engaged people get in the competition.  Now, instead of driving a short distance, employees walk so they can 'beat' the other competitors for calories burned or distance covered.  Add incentives and you have a workforce full of fitness freaks.  

Trust me.   My sister's a maniac about it.  Every time we've gone for a run she has to bring her little device so she can beat the other employees.  

This same mentality can easily be harnessed between groups of friends.  For example, everyone puts $20.00 into a pot, whoever burns the most calories over t wins the money or gets to donate it to the charity of their choice.

Bottom line is that the most powerful motivational forces for humans are social.  Use them to your advantage in conjunction with rewards, punishment, and emotional support.  And go with your friends to buy one of those gadgets my sister has!

Rules vs "The Reasonable Person" 
This is an interesting one.  This belongs more to the realm of psychology proper rather than social psychology.  To illustrate consider the following typical scenario:

You're at home watching the boob tube.  You say to yourself "I'm just going to have one square of chocolate--besides, it's got antioxidants so it's good for me!"  Next thing you know you're thinking, "I've already broken my rule so I might as well have a few more pieces.  Five chocolate bars later you're not feeling so hot.  Then you think, "well, I've already broken my diet, I might as well eat the ice cream too."

This is the problem with rules.  Once we break them, there's no reason for us to act on them so we easily rationalize further transgressions.  I.e., "I've already broken the rule, so breaking it more isn't going to matter."  

The problem with rules is that they are often binary.  We are allowed to eat chocolate or we aren't.  We're on a diet, or we aren't.  We exercise, or we don't.  Once we put ourselves on one side of the disjunct, there's nothing preventing us from being extreme. So, what's the solution?  

The reasonable person approach:  We ax ourselves what a reasonable person would do in the situation.  Would a reasonable person who is overweight eat 5 chocolate bars and a tub of ice cream?  Nope.  Would a reasonable person skip the gym because they only have 30min rather than the usual 45min?  Nope.  When we avoid thinking in binary terms, the door opens for reasonable action.

This is not to say rules don't have their place.  Rules are a good pre-emptive defensive strike against rationalizing ourselves into doing unhealthy things.  In other words, I'm not saying you should do away with rules completely, but we should not be over-reliant on them.  Perhaps a hybrid approach will be more fruitful.  

Furthermore, the reasonable person approach is not without its own difficulties.  As Hume said, "Man is not a rational animal, but a rationalizing animal."

For more on this listen to the most excellent podcast "Very Bad Wizards" Episode 7.

http://verybadwizards.com/episode-list/

Apps.

There are a whole bunch of apps that will help you with self-discipline.  Some of these harness the effects of social psychology and some don't.  Opt for the ones that do. 

No Nonsense Fitness Guide

Preamble
Happy new year, everyone!  Now is the time of year when gyms make all their money from people signing 1 and 2 year  contracts and only showing up for the first 2 or 3 weeks.  Don't become a statistic!  I'm here to help you avoid this fate and to help share some ideas on how to be successful  in the gym in the long-term.  Let's get our swoll on!

Obviously the first thing you want to do is spend a wack o' cash on new gym gear to show everyone how serious you are, as mostly to prove it to yourself.  I kid! I kid! Don't do that.  Next, you want to sit on your couch and focus your energy on thoughts of you getting in shape.  If you do this you can manifest a perfect body simply by willing the universe to conspire to make it so.  I kid! I kid!  Don't do that.

Ok, lets get serious.  Some of the things I'm about to say I've said elsewhere in my blog, but because most of y'all either haven't read or haven't applied my patented perfect positive quantum energy fitness system yet, I will repeat it.

Let's Get It Stahted in Hah!

Gear.  Don't spend any money on new gym gear unless you really don't have any.

Supplements:  Buy 1 month's supply of protein powder and a shaker cup.  It doesn't have to be the top of the line stuff.  I suggest whey protein.  If you have a sensitive stomach (awww, are you sensitive?) you might want to avoid the cheaper whey protein concentrates and go for an isolate and/or micro-filtered.  

Do not buy any other supplements regardless of what you hear.  The ones for which there is more than industry hype will be a waste of money for a beginner/amateurs and most supplements are 99.9999% industry hype to begin with (except for Andean Dandelion capsules, that shit will get you ripped in 2 days and cure cancer).  

As long as your are following a decent meal plan (which I'll outline) you won't need anything thing else to "boost your immune system" or "promote/support" a healthy fill-in-the-blank.  Big Alt-med is out to get you! Don't be fooled by their conspiracy to sell you shit you don't need and that has no proven efficacy!

Pick a Physical Activity:  Ok, er'body thinks they have to go to the gym to get in shape.  This is obviously not true.  You can pick just about anything that you will enjoy doing 3 times a week as long as it makes you sweat.  Are you moved by dance?  Learn to prance!  Do you want to be Bruce Lee? Learn marital arts like me!  (Editors note: "marital arts" is a typo but it's funny, so I'll leave it.) Do you like Zumba? Play a tuba!  Were you born under Aquarius? Swimming lessons are hilarious!  Are your legs feeling dead?  Try running instead!

Folks, the important thing is that you choose an activity that you will enjoy and look forward to; do not choose something you will dread attending/doing.  For people who haven't grown up with an active lifestyle I suggest something social because being part of a group requires less discipline than an individual activity (I'm not judging...just an observation: that's science!).  To that I should add that it helps to have a training partner, someone who will motivate you to go on days you aren't as motivated and you can do the same for them.

Choosing a Facility/Gym: Depending on your chosen activity you will have a choice of different types of facilities.  The good thing about gyms/community centers now-a-days is that the myriad fitness classes (notice it's just "myriad"--please don't ever use "myriad of" or I will have to hurt you) are often included in the price of your membership.  

This is advantageous for several obvious reasons, most of which is that you have a choice of many activities with only one membership fee.  Don't feel like doing spinning class today?  Hit the weights, I say!  Don't feel like doing a boot camp?  Swim in the pool, it's damp!  Don't feel like doing Zumba?  Play the tuba!
The lesson here is that, unless you are an absolute die-hard about one particular fitness activity you should choose a facility that offers options that are included in the membership.

Choosing a Trainer:  For those of you who are either completely new to fitness, want to learn/improve more than what you'll get in a group setting, want to feel comfortable in the weight room I highly recommend investing in a personal trainer.

If you haven't used weights before or haven't used them very much you should spring for at least 3-5 training sessions to get you started then once every 2 weeks or so until you're sure you've got down.  Why?  

1.  90% of people in the gym use incorrect technique.  This is not an exaggeration.  I trained for years using incorrect technique.  Weight lifting at its finest is an art and is similar to ballet in that you can spend a lifetime perfecting fundamentals.  If you don't understand what I'm talking about then you are one of the 90% (no shame in it, everyone starts there).  

2.  Incorrect technique means injuries--especially if you're over 35.  
3.  Incorrect technique means your gym time is inefficient--you are not getting the benefits you came for. 

Hiring a personal trainer needn't only be for weight training.  Often a (good) trainer will design a program that incorporates weights, plyometrics, stretching, aerobic exercise, and Zumba to help you meet your personal fitness goals in a way best suited you your dispositions and strengths.

Choosing a trainer isn't easy if you are new to the activity because you have no way of gauging their quality or knowledge.  The personal training industry isn't very regulated so there is an incredibly wide spectrum of quality and expertise.  Some certifications can be done in a weekend, and some require months, or even a university degree.  In the gym, I am very often awestruck by the poor technique or useless exercises I see "professional" trainers teaching.  I don't mean to scare you away from the idea but it is worth doing some research or trying out a few before settling on a trainer.

For those of you in Vancouver who live near the Drive I put my seal of approval on Roy Duquette from Duquette Fitness (working out of Spartacus).  I have trained with him and he is extremely knowledgeable and professional.  (This isn't meant to be a plug for a friend--he is legitimate and well-respected in the industry).
As a rule of thumb, if the person doesn't have the kind of body you'd expect from someone who makes their living in the fitness industry, try someone else.

Some Comments on Weight Training:  
1.  Myth: if women do weight training they will get too muscular. Not true--unless you inject yourself full of steroids and kill yourself in the gym 6 days a week this isn't going to happen.  

2.  Myth:  Weights are too heavy.  Use less weight.  

3.  Not myth: weight lifting is an excellent complimentary exercise for other fitness activities.  Your fitness plan isn't an either/or proposition.  Weights make an excellent compliment to a different primary activity, or a different activity can compliment a fitness plan that focuses on weight training.   

4.  Not myth: There is a growing body of evidence suggesting weight training retards (hehe! he said "retards") aging more than any other activity and it also increases bone mass (hehe! he said "increases bone mass").

What exercises should I do?  Unless you are planning on entering a bodybuilding competition you should incorporate as many compound movements as possible and limit isolation movements.  

A compound movement is one that uses more than one muscles group.  Some of the best are: Deadlift, Squat, Military Press, Clean, Clean and Jerk, Bench Press, Bent-over Rows, Dips, Chin/pull ups. 

Unless you have been instructed in doing these lifts you should not attempt them (with the exception of the last two) even if you have experience with other lifts.  

Doing them incorrectly can result in serious injury but doing them correctly will reap enormous benefits and will maximize your time in the gym.

My advice in choosing a trainer for these lifts would be (best choice) to choose someone who has competed or coached power/olympic lifting.  If you can't find someone who meets these qualifications then a personal trainer with a good reputation will do.

Many of these lifts are either power or olympic lifts and while they look simple are very complex and difficult to do correctly.  To return to the ballet analogy, anyone can teach you how to bend your knees--it looks simple enough--but a correct plie takes years of practice and a good teacher.

Meals/Nutrition:  Ok, this could be a book but instead I'm just going to tell you what I do.  It works, and that's science!  Feel free to substitute other items of comparable nutritional value. 

Note and Update: The amount of protein you need varies depending on your bodyweight. There is NO good data suggesting you need more than 0.7g of protein/lb of bodyweight/day. Also, about a year after writing this I went pescatarian and 2 years after that vegetarian. To learn how to easily ensure protein requirements on a vegetarian or vegan diet read these two articles:
1) You CAN Make Friends with Salad without Losing Gainz
2) The Myth of Incomplete Plant Protein 

Breakfast:  tea, 1 or 2 pieces of wholegrain toast; 20-30 grams of protein (egg whites/sandwich meat/peanut butter).

Lunch: Large salad/serving of vegetables (enough to fill a family sized salad bowl); 20-30grams of protein (chicken/beef/fish); small bowl of grains/1 piece of wholegrain toast/bread.

Go to Gym

After workout: Protein shake (mixed with water) with a banana/berries.

90min after workout: Large salad/serving of vegetables; 20-30 grams of protein (chicken/beef/fish); 1 piece of wholegrain toast/bread/small bowl of grains.

If you're still hungry later:  protein shake or 20-30 grams of protein (chicken/beef/fish).

Notes:  
1.  If you go to the gym in the morning then go after breakfast and your 90min after workout meal will be your lunch, and lunch will be moved to dinner.  

2.  Eat things in the order I listed them.  Eat the salad veggies first to fill your stomach (I usually eat them while my protein is cooking) then when you eat your protein you won't overeat. Finally, when you get to the carbs you'll be full so you may not finish them.  The point is to fill your stomach with vegetables before you eat the higher calorie foods.  

3.  If your days are long and you work out a lot you will need to adjust to carb intake to a level low enough to make you lean but not so low where you feel sluggish in your workouts.  Generally, consume your carbs early in the day and as the day progresses, consume fewer.   

4.  Drink sufficient water throughout the day.  No need to drown yourself, but make sure you're getting some!  

5.  When you go shopping DO NOT BUY JUNK FOOD!  Once it's in your house you will eat it.  It's easier to say no once in the supermarket than it is to say no every time you walk by the cookie jar!  Eventually the cookie jar wins!  If you want junk food, make yourself wait for your cheat day, and only buy what you will consume on your cheat day!  I like exclamation marks!  Yes, I do!  I ALSO LIKE CAPS-LOCK SOMETIMES!!! 

6.  Buy some protein bars--nothing over 300 calories.  Protein bars these days taste just as good as any chocolate bar.  These are good to have around if you a get a craving for junk food.  They taste the same but aren't going to do the damage.  I recommend Cliff Builders and Atkins bars for calorie count and flavour.  But experiment and see what you like. 

7.  Eat your calories, don't drink them.  Avoid high-sugar drinks (obviously) and limit fruit juice to 1x a day max, preferably early in the day.

Well, I could spend days writing about this stuff but I just wanted to offer a little overview.  I know for many people it isn't in their nature to exercise regularly so hopefully this will help those of you who fall into this category get (re)started on this path. In the Ayurvedic tradition (argument from ancient wisdom) they say "The body is the outer-most layer of the mind"; so lets hit the gym and make that outer layer SHREDDED! :)

If you have any questions or comments please post them and I'll to my best to respond.  If you want to share some inspirational stories, keep them to yerself! (I kid! I kid!)

Health and Nutrition Part 3: Sleep

Health and Nutrition Part 3: Sleep (Hopefully last one--then I can get back to more interesting material)

Ok, first I'd like to express gratitude to my brother and sister for not only reading but commenting. Now that I've thanked you I'd like to discuss some of your comments because they raise some interesting issues.

Ez, in part one you brought up your experience that when you exercise you find yourself eating healthy foods. Although we are only 2 little points on a graph and our evidence is anecdotal I have to concur that there seems to be a positive feedback loop with exercise and healthy eating. I also think the opposite is true--poor exercise regime leads to poor eating habits. I would like to offer a crackpot theory on why this is true.

When you work out your body will need better nutrition to recover. Healthier foods generally offer better nutrition, so your body craved these healthier foods. There's probably a psychological reason too. After a good workout nobody wants to "waste" all that hard work by eating junk food. I think the psychological reason could apply to the negative feedback loop too. If you're sitting at home eating donuts and ice cream watching the tube after a certain point you think "ah, what's the point".

Of course you could argue that in some cases exercising can lead to eating unhealthy foods. For instance, after a long run you come home and you've been craving cheese cake. After your meal you eat it because you justify to yourself that you've "earned" it or can afford it calorically. It's your reward. I'd counter this argument with another argument! ah! ha! I acknowledge that this type of behaviour does actually happen (guilty!) but tends to represent episodic, not habitual behaviour.

Now, Ez, while I do agree with your/our positive feedback hypothesis, I respectfully disagree with some of your other comments. Regarding my rant that if you're not sweating you're not working out you dared to challenge me and advanced the idea that walking was the best exercise to build upper body strength. You might of accuse me of misrepresenting your argument but for those readers who didn't read the comments, you look like a fool.

Back to reality, you tendered the idea that sweating might not be the best indicator of good exercise. Let me clarify. When I say that, if you ain't got no sweat comin' outta youz, then you ain't axercising, what I'm really referring to is exercise intensity. Sweat output is a good measure of this but, I concede, is inaccurate because it does not take into account environmental temperature and individual propensity to sweat. So, I will grant you this.

The best measure of exercise intensity is heart rate. I do not believe in these BS low intensity "fat burn zone" exercise program. Show me one person that does low intensity exercise that is slim. Show me just one and I'll believe the hype.

I believe these programs are designed by the fitness industry to take over our minds and make us kill the Malaysian prime minister....oops, I mean get people of below average fitness levels to buy gym memberships. People are such babies that they'll cry and go home if you make them work too hard. They'll never come back when they wake up with, horror of horrors, every muscle sore the next day. Guess what crybaby nation? (My pro-wrestler alter ego is coming out!) That's what happens if you sit on your ass for 10 years or more, eating donuts and then finally get up to do something beyond walking to your car. The gyms know this. They know people are soft but they want as many people as possible to buy memberships, use personal trainers, and do the classes. So they design a program that's so easy and painless (and useless) that you will keep paying for more....and KILL THE MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER! That said, I will agree that some exercise is better than none at all, but people should seek to maximize their efficiency in the gym. This means higher intensity. If you're going to go for an hour get as much out of that hour as possible.

I have one more bone to pick with you Ez: You suggested that swimming was a strenuous activity in which one doesn't sweat. Actually you do sweat, ya just don't notice cuz you're already in the water. What's next? I don't breath when I'm in air!? Booya!

To address your question about how long to exercise, there is a short and long answer. The short answer is 45 min of med-high intensity not including warm up and cool down. The long answer is that it depends on your fitness goals. For the average Joe shmo 3x a week of 45min is fine. But if you want above average fitness you need to put in above average work. I find that if you want to take it to the HNL (hole nuva lev'l) you should work out 4x a week 45-60min a session. When you approach the 60min mark the law of decreasing marginal returns starts kicking in (unless you are an endurance athlete--I'm just talking about general health, fitness and "wellness"). But in truth, if you are working out with sufficient intensity, eating healthful foods (notice I didn't say "healthy". Bet ya didn't know that "healthful" is the correct adjective!) , and are mindful of your caloric intake, 3 days a week is fine.

Coonie, I offer my sincerest apologies for the mistakes with my possessives. I usually write at about 2am and finish at 3am. By then my proof reading skills aren't anything to write home about. Nevertheless, I will be more vigilant.

SLEEP

Done with the comments from the peanut gallery...last item to discuss in the triad of health: Sleep. I know! It sounds so simple! But as someone who suffered from insomnia for 5 years, I can tell you it isn't always. (I overcame my insomnia 2 years ago). Allz I'm gonna say is that if you aren't getting enough sleep regularly, the other 2 elements of health (exercise and nutrition) don't mean poop. In fact, without sleep, exercise can harm your health.

He's a couple of quick notes on sleep (mostly directed at those who have some degree of sleep disorder): 1) Try to keep a regular wake up schedule. 2) Only use sleeping pills for 1 or 2 nights in a row to get back on schedule, never use them regularly (you build tolerance--at one point I would take 4 and still be wide awake) 3) Be outside as much as you can to get direct sunlight--at least 30 min a day. 4) Invest in blackout curtains. 5) Avoid any stimulants (caffein, cocain) after noon. It takes at least 8 hours for caffein to completely leave your body. 6) Read academic books before bed (anecdotal...worked ok for me). Reading books that don't require much brain power and are plot driven won't tire you and will end up drawing you in making you stay up even later. 7) Find time for yourself during your day for your mind to unwind (no TV or internet!). Rushing around from the time you get up until the time you go to bed leaves your mind no time to reflect on your day and this need is what might be keeping you up.

Anywho, those are some things that worked for me. I hope that in writing this somebody can learn from my mistakes and hard earned knowledge. Most of my life I've made a living off my body, whether it be manual labour, sports, dancing, or prancing. To maintain my livelyhood I've done plenty of tinkering with different approaches to exercise, nutrition, and sleep. Through trial and error and research I've learned a lot and I've also been very fortunate to have met many people along the way that were willing to share their hard earned knowledge with me. Shout out to: Coach Buono, James Wilcox, Carlos, Shaun Thomas, my seester (coondawg), my ma, my pa, Anne, Auntie Katinka, Tiki, Clay Cannon, Lind Walter, Yohan, Chris Connel, quackcast.com (Mark Crislip), Skeptics Guide to the Universe, and many more I can't remember at this moment.

By the by here are some AP approved websites for health info:

quackwatch.org

saveyourself.ca (canadian website...woohoo!)

skepticblog.org

pubmed.gov (for research--u can access all published medical studies here, unfiltered by the "evil" media)