Stop Sweatin' the Small Sh!T: Principles Trump Methods

Ask a client that I have worked with and they will confirm it. At some point I asked them to execute a very critical action; “Forget what you’ve read or heard about fitness, exercise and working out. Let’s start from scratch.” I explain that everything I ask them to do will have a specific purpose, but because of a lack of foundational knowledge (and to avoid a 4 hour lecture) you may not understand its purpose immediately. Although, I assure them that in most cases I will be able to express the purpose of what we are doing to a comfortable level of understanding. It is over the course of weeks, months and years that clients understand how the pieces of the puzzle have fit together: The “Ah Ha!” moments take place.

It’s hard for someone to let go of what they thought they knew, but it’s important to remember like any other discipline such as business, medicine or teaching, fitness and exercise is not something that you can simply just “pick-up”. There is a learning process and like the other disciplines listed above it takes coursework and studies to comprehend the principles that govern the intricate systems of our bodies. These systems and sub-systems interact among each other in a web-like fashion, and that is an understatement to their true complexity. Most experienced and successful professionals recognize there is always more to be learned. I realize that I will never have all the answers to the body, but I stress that my education and experience has given me some of them. And, when I don’t know the answer I usually know where to look.

The reason I make such an extreme request and have taken the time to explain this is because it always seems that people are placing too much emphasis on what needs much less and neglecting what needs much more. I have heard it said in many different ways to many different effects, but I find it key to accomplishing any goal:

Methods are many,

Principles are few,

Methods will change,

Principles Never do.

Below are the definitions of principle and method from dictionary.com in the context to which I would like you to understand.  

A principle is a fundamental, primary, or general law or truth from which others are derived.

A method is a procedure, technique, or way of doing something, especially in accordance with a definite plan.

The principles I am referring to dealing with the human body are found within science. They have been tested and proven true. For example, the law of conservation of energy states “that energy can be neither created nor destroyed. However, energy can change forms, and energy can flow from one place to another.” Thus, the energy that we consume in calories (for ease of understanding I will use “calories”) does not just disintegrate when it enters our body. It is transformed and either used or stored (in different forms). As I explained in the previous post atoms and molecules have a weight and when they enter the body their weight will contribute to our scale weight. Considering the most common fitness goal is losing weight, appreciate the principle of conservation of energy or “calories in vs. calories out” governs success or failure. The method that you choose or in essence the “route” you take to achieve your goal is another matter. When you group all the methods (i.e. crossfit, running, dieting, etc.) for losing weight (strictly decreasing your weight on a scale) they fit within three groups; restrict the energy going into your body, increase the energy being expended by your body, or a combination of the previous two. Some methods may be more effective than others, but they are all governed by the same principle. I too often see people focusing on the minute details of a method before they have realized and accepted the overarching principle.


Below are a few examples of when a minute detail or method is over glorified to the point that the overarching principle is ignored:

“I stopped eating carbs because it just turns into fat.”
“I started taking [X supplement] because it makes you lose weight.”
“I eat two extra small meals a day because it will increase my metabolism.”
“I stay in my fat burn zone because it burns more fat.”

Oh, boy! The list goes on (Can you tell there is something horribly wrong with every one of the above statements?!?!), but I have to stop myself. All of the statements above overemphasize the method while neglecting the principle. If a person were to tell me they were trying to lose weight and then repeat any of the statements above I would go right back to the principle and ask how many calories they are eating on a daily basis (I realize this method does not work for everyone, but unless there are pre-existing health concerns I always start here). The miniscule details that people blow out of proportion astound me every day. Always go back to the principles. Devise your method or course of action in accordance with those principles. Relating back to the weight loss example simply eat less calories and burn more (Yes, which means YOU will have to keep track somehow). Want to get a little bit more effective start to figure out the methods that allow you to burn more calories and the methods that allow you to eat fewer calories (while still being safe and healthy).

At the bottom of this post is a simple hierarchal diagram to illustrate this idea. The boxes that could be added are infinite, but for now take notice to the order. If you are of the majority because your goal is to lose weight, lean out or get ripped and you feel like something is missing, guess what? It’s probably one of those fine details that I was talking about and in a completed and vertically extended version of this diagram (it doesn’t exist, because the methods are infinite) your precious detail is probably located far below the bottom of this webpage. 

So I ask you, the reader, to execute a very critical action; forget what you think you know and allow yourself to start from scratch. While reading posts, forget minor details and understand the principles. Like the castle that represents your body, realize and consider the principles when building your its foundation. Then you will be able to differentiate methods that make sense and methods that are nonsense for yourself.

Fat: The Indestructible Wetsuit

Understanding theWetsuit

Whether you refer to the goal as losing weight, leaning up,toning, getting ripped or getting rid of “this” there is one thing in common; youare trying to decrease your body fat (to some degree). As I explain to theclients I work with, we all wear a wetsuit that encases our skeleton, organs and muscles. Our wetsuits have multiple layers. Each of these layers consist of subcutaneous fat (fat that lies just beneath the skin), and is most often the fat that we aesthetically do not appreciate (visceral fat is the other type offat and surrounds the organs of the body). However, our wetsuits are all very unique in that there are variable layers (different amounts) among wetsuits(different people) and areas of each wetsuit (thighs, belly, etc.). One might have an overall thin wetsuit, thick wetsuit or as in almost all cases, areas with varying thickness (and always thicker where we wish it were thin). So, how do you attack the unwanted insulation?  

Unfortunately, each layer happens to be made of a remarkably durable and resilient material. (Okay, maybe our wetsuits aren’t really that “durable”and would be easily sliced by the likes of a butter knife, but for explanation purposes I am going to assume liposuction does not exist) No matter how hard you try to rip one portion of a layer from one specific area (1,000 crunches toget rid of your belly) you just won’t be successful. Studies have shown that “spot reduction” does not occur. (1) Rather, you must look at the big picture. In order to do this you need to understand more about adipose tissue (fat) than the fact that it tastes much better than it looks.

What is fat? How do weget it? How do we get rid of it?

Let’s get straight to the point. You probably have a simple answer to the questions above, but your answers are most likely not what I am getting at or worthy of full credit on a physiology/nutrition exam. To keep it short and sweet I am going to avoid most (as much as possible) of the science.In the picture below you see a diagram of a fat molecule (triglyceride to be specific). You will notice that “H” stands for Hydrogen, “O” for Oxygen and “C”for Carbon. Accept that proteins and carbohydrates are made up of relatively the same atoms.  Now you know what fat,carbohydrates and proteins really are; an assortment of Carbon, Oxygen and Hydrogen atoms that are consumed within our diet (as healthy or unhealthy as itmay be). Now, your answer to the second question was probably correct; we eatit and our body has the ability to create it (Well, I guess you were only halfcorrect). 

It is the answer to the third question that is the key to our 21^st century dilemma (The Obesity Epidemic). Sure the easy answer would have been“exercise,” but how does exercise take molecules of fat in the body (weight on the bathroom scale) and get rid of it (losing 10 pounds). Seriously, consider this for a second. It wasn't until I got into my first graduate level course that I was asked to figure this out. A fat molecule, like any other molecule has a weight. Unless that weight is removed from the body it would be impossible for you to lose any weight due to a reduction in fat.  No, you don’t “burn” this molecule into oblivion, sweat it out or excrete it as waste. So what happens?

 Alright, I will assume that you don’t enjoy the perplexity of this question (or at least as much as I did) and explain…

We breathe in Oxygen, as the molecule O₂. O₂, the combination of two Oxygen atoms, has a weight (don’t worry about how much; just accept that it does weigh something). We breathe out Carbon Dioxide as the molecule CO₂. CO₂, weighs more than O₂ because it contains two oxygen atoms AND a carbon atom. So, if you are still asking yourself what this all means, it’s simple. We breathe something in and breathe out something heavier. The extra weight is due to the carbon.  When we exercise and our body breaks down fat (carbohydrates and proteins too) we are breathing out carbon atoms. Thus, if were strict the amount of carbon atoms that enter our body (through our mouth) and increase the amount of carbon atoms that leave our body (through our mouth) we lose weight. Or more precisely we lose true weight equal to the net balance of Carbon atoms entering vs. leaving the body. Conversely, if more carbon atoms are going your mouth than are coming out on a daily/weekly/monthly basis you are simply supplying your body with a surplus of carbon atoms to construct fat.

So, next year at about this time when you head out to the beach and into the cold water you will find yourself in one of two predicaments:

1. Your natural wetsuit will be sufficient insulation and keep you warm in the water

Or

2. You will need a wetsuit because you chose to use this blog and its upcoming posts to help shed a few layers of your natural wetsuit

If you are still interested in some of the science (nerd/fitness junkie alert) this is a great video (click the link) depicting how “Acetylcoenzyme A” is the crossroads of fat and carbohydrates when your body decides to store fat. Your body has no idea whether it entered your mouth as a fat or carbohydrate it just knows how to package and store it. (A teaser to a later post on why “low” and “no” carbohydrate diets are ridiculous in most situations)

1. Kostek M,Pescatello L, Seip R, Angelopoulos T, Clarkson P, Gordon P, Moyna N, Visich P,Zoeller R, Thompson P, Hoffman E, and Price T. Subcutaneous fat alterations resulting from an upper-body resistance training program. Medicine and Sciencein Sports and Exercise 39: 1177-1185, 2007.

Constructing Your Castle

It seems more and more common each week that someone asks me for help when trying to create a workout program or “training plan.” Whether it is a member that has been taking one of my group exercise classes or a close friend that has recently become motivated, people are starting to realize what some of us have known all along. Working out is like baking; the product is a result of ingredients and with too many, too little or the wrong ingredients the product will never look, taste, smell or feel just right. Now, it would be simple to just say add “X”, remove “Y” and stop eating “Z,” but the truth of the matter is that working out and training is much more intricate than that. Like baking it requires a level of dedication and every recipe can be altered to an individual’s specific liking. This is precisely why there are so many books, videos and magazines out there of which some are helpful, others are hurtful, and some are just darn right useless. So, with that being said I offer up another metaphor to help you understand concepts associated with working out from another perspective to let you decide if you are ready to begin.

A few weeks ago I came across a motivational metaphor that I found to be a rather interesting and accurate way to describe and think of training.  The metaphor, of which I could not figure out the original author or exact text, described training like building a castle. It explained, in more ways than one, how training is very similar to building a castle. Over the past few weeks I have pondered upon this metaphor’s relationship to training and transformed it into something that I felt might be a more holistic description of the training process.

Your body is a castle and training is the process of constructing that castle. We all start with a vision (goal) and each day of training is a day spent on your castle. Like any structure you must first choose the right location and environment to build (i.e. healthy environments and positive human influences). Once the location has been decided a plan (program) is imperative (although too often neglected). Construction is sequential, as a solid foundation precedes a sturdy structure creating the skeleton to any other fine details (Sometimes this foundation does not initially seem directly linked to the end product). As it is often said, “you get back what you put in,” and thus without adequate time (on a daily or weekly basis) allocated to your castle, construction will slow or even stop (Plateau). If construction stops for too long the rough elements and time will deteriorate your structure at an exponential rate (detraining) leaving your castle in ruins.  On the other hand if construction is rushed the quality of the end product will be jeopardized. Remember that at times mortar will need to set and paint will need time to dry (recovery-mental and physical). Though more time, effort and detail put into your castle can result in more elegance, working smarter rather than harder can have similar and often better results within a shorter period of time. A benefit that leaves more time to enjoy the fruits of one’s labor and all aspects of life surrounding one’s castle.

As I tell anyone that solicits my services in creating a workout program or achieving a goal, it requires your time, commitment and determination. None of which, can be provided by anyone other than one’s self. Thus, decide how elegant, magnificent and extraordinary you desire your castle to be and then accept the time, commitment and change that will be required to construct, transform and create your castle.

1. Devise an Effective plan

2. Make your goal a priority

3. Stick to the plan

4. Stick to the plan (No! Seriously, stick to the plan)

Tell me what aspects of building your castle seem to resonate most with you?