Articles | Page 17 of 21

Fitness Meal Plans – Why I Don’t Make Them

Fitness meal plans, or pre-made diets, are something I’ve strayed from for the longest time and I can’t imagine I’ll ever give into creating them for clients.

A few common questions I get on a weekly basis are “what do you eat?” “What do I need to eat to lose weight?” “Can you make me a personal fitness meal plan?” or something in a similar vein.

While the questions are not necessarily bad, they’re just not the right questions, in my opinion. First of all, I’ll just be outright with it – I hate meal plans. I hate them so much that when I see one written out by another trainer, or even when I scan some forums and see someone posting their meal plan, I conjure up feelings of dismay.

In saying that, I want to give some explanation on why I’m not a meal plan kind of guy, and what I believe to be a better alternative.

There are 2 main reasons I do not prescribe a fitness meal plan.

They are restrictive.
They make us stupid.
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Shoulder Savers – How to Keep Your Shoulders Healthy Post-Rehab

by JC Deen

For many of us, personal fitness, strength training and conditioning is a hobby. For others, it’s a passion. For a select few of us, it’s our lifeblood. Regardless of where this positive obsession with self-improvement is placed in your lives, we all have something in common – to continue progressing, we must remain healthy.

If you’ve followed my work for the last few years, you know I’ve battled my fair share of shoulder injuries. Now while I’ve never had anything so severe as an actual tear in my rotator cuff or labrum, I’ve experienced a few painful impingements that have kept me out of the pressing game for what seemed to be far too long.

Regardless of how severe your injury, they’re never any fun and are sure to sideline you for anywhere from a few months, to a year or more in some cases.

Previously, I wrote about how I corrected my shoulder issues with the help of Eric Cressey via email and various articles he’s written on the subject.

However, today I want to give you some tips and ideas on how to maintain shoulder health post rehab. If you’ve never been injured, then my goal is to help you keep yourself from ever getting hurt in the first place.

Counting Calories: A No-BS Guide

by JC Deen

Counting calories, tracking your intake, watching portions and serving sizes… while it’s something we talk about a lot in the health and fitness realm, it’s not easily understood as some may believe.

As someone working in the industry, I sometimes forget that many of the concepts and ideas that seem simple to me are often foreign to others. For instance, I’ve gotten emails with basic questions such as “should I use a kitchen scale or measuring cups?” or “Should I count macros, calories, or both?” I’ve even gotten the “do calories even matter as long as I’m eating clean?” That one always gives me the lol’s.

Before we go any further, I figure I’d better explain why I’m writing this piece.

This is strictly for those who have questions about counting calories, or about how to track their intake. There are some very strong beliefs about whether or not you should track your intake.

I realize that the majority of my work is based around making this fitness lifestyle easier and more laid-back than the average, frustrated bro who thinks he has to eat nothing but chicken and brown rice 10 times per day.

I also realize tracking your calorie intake can seem cumbersome and that it has potential to become an obsession (for those who have extreme personalities). I used to be that extreme person, but I woke up and wrote my Fat Loss Cheat Sheet.

Also, I’m writing this to serve as a resource for my clients and for those who email with questions about tracking their intake.

Let’s dive in.

Attention Ladies: Here’s PROOF that Lifting Heavy Weights will NOT make you Big and Bulky

by JC Deen

Well over a month ago, I revealed the deception and some of the misleading information within the fitness magazines and media, specifically the publications directed toward women in my article I Don’t Want to Get Big and Bulky – Fitness Marketing and its Effect on Women.

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In fact, as a result of publishing the article, I’ve discovered many women didn’t know anything more than what they’ve been told by the media. It’s no surprise, either. When the majority of our expert information is coming from trainers to the stars, it’s hard to imagine the information could be lacking or misleading.

However, as I mentioned in the previous article, these publications exist for one reason – to make a profit. I suppose their research suggests Americans (and the entire human race) are inherently lazy and that a quick-fix headline is sure to keep the revenue up.

Just looking at any other product being sold, especially those within the health/fitness/exercise niches, it all rings true – no one wants to work for the results if a shortcut is available.

If you can attain the body of a Greek goddess in 3 weeks without having to lift weights and while eating anything you want, why would you do anything different? The problem is the promises don’t deliver.

Month after month, women (and men) continue reading with hopes of the next best piece of information that will lead them to similar results of the cover model of their favorite publication.

Shortly after publishing the article, it was spread all over Facebook, as well as Reddit and questions continued to pour in.

The most common questions were

“What if we’re just beginners? Are the 5 pound dumbbells okay to get started with?”
“How would you suggest a lady get started in the weight room using free weights and machines?”

The answer to the first question, of course, is yes. It’s okay if you’re beginning weight training to start with the lightest weight available. You just don’t want to continue with these weights forever. If you do, you’ll never make the adaptations responsible for producing a lean, sculpted physique.

So while the light dumbbells are fine for a short period, the goal is progressive overload (lifting more weight) over time. If you aren’t getting stronger over the long-term, you are spinning your wheels, my lady friends.

Before I get to the second question, I want to make a quick point and then elaborate with some guest contributions from some ladies who’ve been strength training for some time with respectable physiques to show for it.

The number one concern I’ve come across online, and in casual conversation with women who are interested in fitness, is this fear of getting big and bulky. In case you’re unfamiliar with how the male and female bodies differ hormonally, the primary difference is the levels of testosterone between the sexes.

I know I stated this in the last article, but it bears repeating. Men are naturally leaner, stronger and can carry more muscle mass than their counterparts. The reason why is due to the levels of testosterone within their system.

So for all the females reading today, have no fear – I can assure you with all certainty that you’ll never, ever look like a male as a result of training for strength with heavy weights.

Don’t just take my word for it, though. Today I’ve pulled from some ladies I highly respect in this fitness game to contribute their thoughts, ideas and to PROVE that proper strength training can be a great way to build a lean, attractive physique and never become bulky.

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