The high cost of "Marge" clothing

Cold temperatures, polar vortexes, snowpocalypses that didn't happen (at least not in NYC)...all these factors lead it to being FRIGGIN' COLD!!  

Yeah, I probably could have used a scarf, too. via

That also means, I'm exercising outside less (I do have that thing about not running in single digit temps), and I'm craving more "sold, warm" food. But my usual regimen should keep me all tip-top, right? 

At least according to this study, folks who exercise first in the morning even when upping their calories tend not to gain weight (they don't lose it either, but they don't gain it). And that's me right there. Every weekday up at 5 AM to hit the gym with nothing but a cup of coffee and an allergy pill to fortify my progress. (Gyms have a lot of mold issues, just sayin').

Except I have gotten bulkier. Yes, I'm still happy to be bursting out all muscly all over the body. But I don't know if I'm Streamlined so much anymore as "Pumped Ska Librarian", which doesn't sound nearly so alliterative. As one of my old acquaintances who I occasionally see at the gym said recently, "I've seen Fat Dan and Skinny Dan, but I wasn't expecting to see Big Muscle Dan!" 

I'm not gonna lie: I did strut a bit more during my workout after that.

But this also means I have to start looking at larger clothes sizes again, after so happily squeezing into skinny clothes. But even with the gain, I don't fit into my Retro Ska Librarian clothes, and that's sort of a relief. They're still far too baggy in XL and above.

That's the one thing that's making me realize I really have just changed my body, even if I am heavier than when I started this blog. Retro I was XL+. Streamlined I was swimming in mediums (I'm far too tall for small sizes). Now I'm in that horrible limbo between medium and large, where nothing quite fits well.

I am....a "Marge."

And I'm not the only one who is in this realm. A quick search shows me it's all too common to be between medium and large.


So I'm less upset that I don't fit into "regular" sizes, as it seems no one does. I'm more upset I have to spend more money on a lot of basic work and casual clothes. An entire wardrobe just because I'm taking care of myself.


It's bad enough we get thrown into fashion fail just for being ourselves. After all, I still need all my tall/long size jackets and shirts taken in on the sleeves because my torso is longer than "average" and my arms are not. But now I need to go bigger in the chest and shoulders anyway. 

And now I need to make sure I don't do something bad and increase my waist size again. It will just lead to financial heartbreak.

Damn you, heaving obliques!

To prevent yet more wardrobe issues, I do have to be careful of food intake. Thankfully I can still be creative and try not to succumb to too many cravings this time of year. 

Turkey "pico de gallo" with roast veggies.

And I guess I should be lucky that most of the decent cheap takeout places in my neighborhood are disappearing. So not so much chance of defaulting to Chinese food and pizza. Because, as it turns out, we're killing our kids with pizza. 

(I think that speaks for the amount of crappy pizza there is out there, as opposed to feeding it to kids.)

It took quite some journey to be "marge." I ain't gonna spoil it with Domino's!*

*That was a joke. As a native Staten Islander who grew up with some of the top rated pizza joints of all time, I would sooner eat my too small gym shirts than order from Domino's.

References:

Powell, Lisa M., Binh T. Nguyen, and William H. Dietz. “Energy and Nutrient Intake From Pizza in the United States.” Pediatrics, January 19, 2015, peds.2014–1844. doi:10.1542/peds.2014-1844.

Van Proeyen, Karen, Karolina Szlufcik, Henri Nielens, Koen Pelgrim, Louise Deldicque, Matthijs Hesselink, Paul P. Van Veldhoven, and Peter Hespel. “Training in the Fasted State Improves Glucose Tolerance during Fat-Rich Diet.” The Journal of Physiology 588, no. Pt 21 (November 1, 2010): 4289–4302. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2010.196493.

A return to paid ass-whoopin'

So where have I been? Not really anywhere, but usually too pooped to actually get to bloggin'. And why is that? I've gone back to my trainer...or let me put that in a more dramatic way...

My trainer has come back to me!

It's an online version of what we've been doing previously, which is obviously helped by our past in-person experience. I know that I was sort of falling by the wayside on my workouts. Not that I didn't work up a sweat, but more that it was getting boring and I was losing focus. I needed to try something new or at least mix up the old. And while I could and did peruse various training sites, videos and magazines (thanks, Jack Lalanne!), I needed someone who knew my mindset; how I worked, what would push me farther and, of course, what injuries were already in/on/around my body.

And in just a little over a month, I have noticed the difference. There's definitely more of a solidness to me and the muscles are bigger. I haven't actually felt like I was really getting something out of weight training for some time. I was enjoying it, but I can't say I saw many changes as of late. But now the difference is noticeable, which sometimes makes me wonder just how hard we really think we work it when there's not someone watching over us.

And it is noticeable in that, even though I've been getting up at 5 AM to work out for a few years now, it's been a while since I've felt the absolute need to crash by 10 PM. I guess I am expending more energy.I am whooped.

As silly as it sounds, I take things much more seriously and honestly when I have to record my progress and report it to my trainer. I could easily fudge the numbers of weight and reps and duration when I use my trainer's app, but I don't. Maybe all this time I just needed approval? Hmmm...telling, but probably true.

But even my new found self-approval and newer pectoral growth haven't changed my weight much. And that's actually fine.I'm actually fitting into some snugger pants again, even though the scale is somewhat increasing. And studies show that waist circumference and abdominal obesity are the big issues to health, not just overall chunkiness and a high BMI. 

My BMI is definitely back up into the "above normal" range, even if only for the fact my shoulders and back have gained several inches. And the longer I go at this getting into shape thing, the more I find that BMI chart more annoying and sad.

So I'm saying goodbye to official dieting. I'm finally saying goodbye to some of constant diet perusal time online. Eating healthy is one thing, but trying to make my way through so much morass, both from posters and commenters, is getting harder. Maybe it just brings so many flashbacks of fat-shaming throughout my life, but man, people are nasty! 

I don't even have to link to any specific post, because a lovely, recent mixed methods analysis  on obesity in social media shows that a majority of postings are derogatory, negative and often misogynistic.  Blogs tend to be "more nuanced", although even humorous, supportive comments can get pretty gnarly. 

This is not to say I still won't be basing future blog posts on research about weight and nutrition, because I do find that research fascinating. But I'm seriously trying to move myself away from reading the nastier self-abuse out there on the topic. It's to easy to fall into that. 

People gotta play nice. Or my whooped, newly firm ass will kick yours!

References:

Chou, Wen-ying Sylvia, Abby Prestin, and Stephen Kunath. “Obesity in Social Media: A Mixed Methods Analysis.” Translational Behavioral Medicine 4, no. 3 (September 1, 2014): 314–23. doi:10.1007/s13142-014-0256-1.

Ford ES, Maynard LM, and Li C. “Trends in Mean Waist Circumference and Abdominal Obesity among Us Adults, 1999-2012.” JAMA 312, no. 11 (September 17, 2014): 1151–53. doi:10.1001/jama.2014.8362.

Hitching a ride on names

For many years, I had heard about Marcella Hazan's famous tomato sauce recipe: an incredibly simple idea with what looks like not enough ingredients that somehow becomes something magical. Crushed tomatoes, butter and an onion, cooked for about 40 min. That's it.

I've talked before about not following recipes to the letter, but I do like to try them out correctly on the first go, before I decide what I can do to tweak them to my taste. So I made Marcella's recipe as it was written.

Oh. My. God.

There are some creations of masters with which you do not tamper! It was pretty amazing both in its simplicity and it's final complex taste. My only concession is that the end product does not always end up on pasta. I use it on veggies, meats and on occasion, just plain toast.

Mmm...funny shaped tomatoes! via NYPL Digital Gallery

I don't see it as an everyday sauce. (that's a lotta butter for my everyday Streamlined lifestyle!) And sometimes I do want different flavors and textures, but then what I am making is not Marcella's sauce.

And doing a brief search around the internet, you see quite a few photoshopped versions of the sauce, but there's also a few where someone decides to "modernize it just a bit." Perhaps "veganizing" or "paleo-ing" it up. 

And a lot of those "modernizations" usually include substituting butter with olive oil and perhaps adding garlic, basil, hot peppers, etc.

Which means you're making ANOTHER SAUCE!  

There's nothing wrong with making other sauces. I myself love garlic and basil in tomatoes, or chilis, or fish sauce or assorted vinegars and curries, but I can't stretch that to say I'm making a"modified" Marcella sauce. The whole purpose of it is that it really is just those three ingedients. 

And all those other recipe bloggers ...you're just using name recognition to try to get some more attention. I find this ironic as more and more folks are trying to find "food authenticity" and yet you're completely changing something while claiming this provenance. 

Harsh? Yeah, but we see that even more so in the fitness world. Yoga has been reiterated so many ways that it's become impossible to know what is considered that form of exercise. Pilates has gained so many "improvements" that I can only wonder that the canterkerous old boxer would probably smack all these modern practitioners. 

But the biggest shift I see is taking all these exercise regimens and making them more ... comfortable. Basically creating a spa environment for what should probably be just a sweaty time. 

Take this recent article about a new CrossFit studio in NYC. I'm not a huge fan of CrossFit; I have far too many leg and hip injuries and, as I've said before, I'm not too big on team exercise classes or events. So, not putting it down, but it's not for me. And what I do like about it is that it's about movement and exercise taken to a rather basic form. 

But here's a studio looking to "deliver the luxury-level amenities to the CrossFit community" by adding yoga, spa treatments and the like.

So is this still CrossFit? Isn't this really ... a spa & gym? It seems to me that they're just taking the name and using it as a marketing ploy. 

Or is it that people just don't like exercise to be basic and dirty? They need pampering along with a name exercise?

Do they have pull up bars at this spa? Or is just hot yoga? via NYPL Digital Gallery

I get that people need a push. This study shows that overweight subjects found exercise less pleasurable the more they had to exert during the exercise. And that, of course, led to less adherence to the exercise regime.

But is claiming a name making it more palatable? I don't think you'll get more intense exercise out of added facials and rubdowns. 

Exercise is still hard. And calling something that it's not is merely pasting glitter on the same idea. Trying to make yourself popular without actually BEING the thing in question is just bad form.

I'll just wait for butter to be included in my pilates workout, then.




References:

Ekkekakis, P., and E. Lind. “Exercise Does Not Feel the Same When You Are Overweight: The Impact of Self-Selected and Imposed Intensity on Affect and Exertion.” International Journal of Obesity 30, no. 4 (2006): 652–60. doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803052.

“Is ‘CrossFit Chic’ Coming to New York City?” Well+Good NYC. Accessed July 16, 2014. http://wellandgood.com/2014/07/07/is-crossfit-chic-coming-to-new-york-city/.

Sometimes a swift kick...

Definition of a bad day:

Via Getty Images

It's been a frustrating week or so, even if this is the farthest the NY Rangers have come in 20 years. Still, not the way you want to spend a weekend, seeing this happen.

But if anything, it's sort of become my new "clickable moment" or perhaps a re-ignition of my old one. It's time to take stock of what I'm doing and smack myself in the tuchas to get back on it. In a way, the past few months have been filled with a quite a few "on hold" plans and events, all unresolved, which admittedly took away from my laser-like focus of the Streamlined Ska Librarian lifestyle. And now they've all ended in a somewhat disappointing way. So, the Rangers loss is sort of the symbolic culmination of all that stuff.

You can see my blog entries dropped off, too. And while I can say that my food choices weren't always great, it was definitely the drop in intense exercise that really dragged me down. And a lot of that was due to the very cheap gym to which I belong. The final straw was going three days with some missing dumbbells, thereby preventing a decent workout. (It's hard to do chest presses with only one weight .. and the bench presses were not there). Oh, and the fact that there was no airflow in this basement gym, which led to mold and mildew growth. And the boxing bag broke. Hat trick of gym hell. 

It was time to go.

So I've bitten the bullet and rejoined the expensive gym. It is a financial sacrifice? Yes. Do I think it's worth it? Most definitely.

As I've said many times before, I know what I need to stay in Streamlined mode. And that, sadly, does cost something. Or at least  it requires more of a real gym. Some other life amenities will have to go, but that's ok, I'm willing to make that decision.

As I said in previous posts, exercise makes me happy...the inability to do said exercise does not. I have become a picky gym bunny. Who knew?

Well, I did, actually.

And already, I just feel better. Because I know I will be the intense happy guy I can be, the guy who didn't get a chance to really appear for the past 6 months. And I also know, I'm doing it for me. Not because I'm back in Retro Ska Librarian body, cuz I'm not there yet, but rather because I can see Retro mindset creeping up if I don't.And that ain't good

It brings to mind a recent post from RD Aaron Flores. (Always a dietitian work into the posts!) I'm not going to say I agree with everything he says, but the mindset is there. You have to comfortable knowing what works for you and be happy in your journey to get where you want to go health-wise.

And my taking stock meant that swift kick is upon me.

No scholarly references this time, just a shout out the Rangers. You still inspire me.

The Resolutions will not be Televised

Not even a full month later and my gym is back to it's quiet atmosphere at 5 AM. Of all the new crowd squeezing into that space, only one person remains. That's not a very high percentage.

There could be a lot of reasons for this. For one, my current gym is not exactly high end and the equipment isn't always in great shape. I cannot imagine myself being a regular there had I not had gym experience and training beforehand. It's not very welcoming to a new person eager to get in shape.

But also making a New Year's Resolution for health isn't really something that always sticks. Two recent studies address intention-behavior relationship to physical activity.  Both of them are reviews and analysis of previous studies, and the results show that there are often too many variables for a solid response. However, there does seem to be an almost 50% gap between intent and activity. And a lot of that has to do with exactly what is the specific intent of physical activity. In other words, people had unreasonable expectations.

And when it comes to resolutions, our intent is usually beyond the scope of reasonable action and activity. "This year, I'm going to the gym every day and I'll be ripped by the summer!" is a recipe for failure. "This year I'm going to walk 30 minutes 3x a week." or "This year, I will replace all lunch desserts with a piece of fruit." is a more attainable goal.

So, jumping into a gym because you are "going to have a six pack" or "be buff" or "lose 100 lbs." while nice, probably ain't gonna work. And that's why I know my previous attempts at healthiness failed. 


My own "clickable" moment certainly wasn't on Jan 1st and it certainly wasn't a huge goal. I wanted to lose 20 lbs. No time limit, no special diet, just "I want to lose 20 lbs." As that happened, I realized how I did it and what i could then set as my next goal. THEN it became something with larger intent that could match my own process. I knew I could go the gym daily and I knew that I could eat healthier. And because I lost that 20, I knew another 20 could happen. And another, And another. Reachable goals make it easier to get to the next level.


It's not too hard to figure that out, but it's hard for us to make it happen.


So what was my resolution this year? I'm continuing my attendance in MOOCs, and I'm starting one on food chemistry. Nutrition and geekiness! It's definitely behavior in which I know I can stay active. 


References:

Rhodes, R. E., & de Bruijn, G.-J. (2013). How big is the physical activity intention-behaviour gap? A meta-analysis using the action control framework. British Journal of Health Psychology, 18(2), 296–309. doi:10.1111/bjhp.12032

Rhodes, R. E., & Dickau, L. (2013). Moderators of the intention-behaviour relationship in the physical activity domain: a systematic review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 47(4), 215–225. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2011-090411

Race to the End (of the year)

I have been proud of myself that I have managed to maintain the exercise ethic and good eating habits during this tense holiday season. (The holidays don't make me tense, but let's just say it's bad timing). A great 10 mile run on XMas Eve Day, some frozen bike riding yesterday and today I was up at 5 AM to get my heavy chest/tricep regimen done before having to schlep to work.

Except the gym wasn't open. Mind you, it was supposed to be, but it wasn't. And I stood there for 25 minutes in my winter coat and shorts, hopping up and down, assuming they were just running a bit late and at least I could get in a partial workout. Or maybe quick cardio. Or something, which soon became less and less of something...

But it was not to be. Someone just didn't bother coming by to open the place up. Well, you get what you pay for. So, I took that pissed off attitude and channeled it into some sort of sweaty activity. In this case, 15 minutes of HIIT on my apartment floor (much to delight and amusement of my cat) and then a brisk icy bike ride up to work (with several more blocks of walking. The NYC bike rental program doesn't yet go that far uptown). So I arrived, cold, sweaty and late.

Do I feel better about this morning? Not really. Better than if I did nothing, but I wanted something much more intense and had given myself the time to do it. I tend to know that unless I get some sort of intensity going in my workout, I don't feel like a lot has been done. Back in my retro Ska Librarian days, a little bit of exercise made a huge difference. But in Streamlined form, I can't just slack off and think lowering my calorie count is going to make the entire difference to health. Even if one is not looking to lose weight, just getting your butt moving helps.

It's the reason I took up running in Japan. I was bored, I had no money for a gym and I got breathless walking up stairs. This from the once-young Ska Librarian who would be dancing non-stop at most ska shows in the tri-state area. Running was for health and stamina. The weight loss idea came later. 

But that being said, it is the intensity that matters. I should feel like I got a workout when I exercise. I'm not in the "must do it til you puke or are injured" school, but you should feel sweaty and used (as it were.)

And now, as if on cue, here's the latest from the NY Times telling us that studies show that intensity does matter, especially if don't have much time to exercise. And it can cause a profound difference in our physical and mental well being. 

And that's why I do it at an intense level. I can see how much better I handle stress, how much better I feel, how less likely I am to grab that infamous tub of frosting. And that's why it's frustrating when it's out of one's control like when your gym "accidentally forgets" to post the hours for this week.And knowing enough that substituting a 15 minute HIIT workout instead better mean that I'm going to (paraphrasing the Times article), "maintain a thumping heart rate and spray sweat droplets around the room."

So, if I have to think of resolutions for 2014, these would be mine:

• Find a new gym that keeps their hours
• Find a new trainer to increase that intensity
• Make 10 miles the minimum for each run
• Make sure that even my "make-up" exercise sessions induce sweaty floors and a thumping chest

It's not about weight loss, it's about returning to that good feeling. 

Happy almost 2014.


References:

For Fitness, Intensity Matters. (n.d.). Well. Retrieved December 26, 2013, from http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/12/25/for-fitness-intensity-matters/

A Break From the Countdown: Tight Pants and Bad Research

OK, a slight break planning the double whammy feast to concentrate once again on exercise and diet. I still delight in many of my body changes. Many but not all. There is some thrill along with the frustration when clothes do not fit properly, but only in certain body areas.

My shoulders and lats have exceeded my nice suit jacket? Makes me preen all the more.
My chest and biceps too big for some of my size medium button-downs? Dan-tastic!
My quads actually flexing through my trousers? Well, hello!
My pants not buttoning properly? OK, wait a minute...

Yes for all my continued intense exercise and training, and all the accompanying muscle bloat, two other things have happened:
1) My weight training has now far exceeded cardio time
2) My sense of portion control spun somewhat askew

In regards to the former, I admit I really enjoy weight training and the results I see. Sure it burns calories but more intense weight training means more time spent on weight training. At this time last year, I was probably spending 30-40 minutes on weights and then 20-30 minutes on cardio. A quick self-check shows me I now spend 75 minutes on weight training, which usually leaves not much time at all to get cardio in before I have to book it up to work. Non-weight days are spent running, but now that the weather is turning crappy, there's more of a need to go do it inside.

So, I decided this week would be all cardio. Give my muscles a week's respite and really concentrate on cardio and returning to portion awareness. After a week, I'll how I'll reset this. Even after only a few days some of the water weight has already come off, so I can see it was a good decision.

Except for the cardio itself. I thought I could spend the days with boxing, HIIT and then the cardio machines. But while I'm doing it I quickly remembered that cardio at the gym is SO FRIGGIN' BORING!!

This is why I never could keep exercise plans afloat all those years past! This is why I finally got a trainer and learned what else I could do at a gym. Treadmills and ellipticals are really not very motivating. I'm glad that I now have a lot of gym experience so I can manage to get through this. Maybe add even more HIIT, switching to some light weight workouts with mega reps and little rest, those sort of things. 

I think it's just driven home that I miss that push my trainer gave me. 90% of the work may have been me, but, man some of this stuff is dull! I'm sure other people find that true about weight training, but to me, you're switching it up every day and with different body parts.I really love it.

It's also driven home how easy it can be to just not be motivated.

Now, on to the latter part regarding portion control. No real biggie there, for me. The food scale and measuring devices came back out, so I could really set in my mind how big a portion is. And more self-awareness as I was eating meals. For now, there are no "special treats." Not having a cupcake or a second helping for a few weeks ain't gonna kill me. And there may be a few evenings where I am feeling peckish, but I let it go. 

But I'm also not seeing this as a way to become super-buff. It's merely to get myself back to comfy pants size. My Streamlined Ska Librarian body still looks hot (Yes, it does!). But 10 lbs off the frame will probably be all I need. 

I will not be trying to exceed any levels of diet craziness. I'm not going to end up like this fellow. (Talk about a special diet and routine gone wrong!)

But this doesn't mean I can't still peruse the food blogs out there to continue my search for Thanksgiving-Chanukah recipe inspiration. And there's always the Dietitians blogs. Except now comes this recently published study by Dietitians seeing if food blogs provide nutritionally balanced recipes.

OK, I hate to diss my new favorite profession, but as a Librarian, as a blogger and as someone who reads a lot of food blogs, I'm not sure this is great research.

Mind you, the food blogs they chose were pretty popular (Smitten Kitchen, The Pioneer Woman), but they weren't marketed as "healthy" blogs. What were the findings? 

"Recipes met energy recommendations but were excessive in saturated fat and sodium."

OK, that's not so unusual. And:

This study revealed an opportunity for dietitians and public health professionals to improve recipes accessed on social media...Dietitians may also partner with existing food blog authors to add more healthy options or to create alternative, healthy versions of each recipe using modified ingredients. Other possible interventions include designing a branded icon for labeling recipes that meet specific nutritional standards."

Um...isn't that why you have your own blogs, as linked above? If the blogs in this study were claiming to be healthy or specifically targeting weight loss, then that might be different. It's your job as nutrition professionals to ensure that there should be some vetting of fact. But they're not. These are just regular, albeit popular, food blogs. 

To try to push one's agenda on something fairly open to interpretation doesn't work, and it also doesn't do the profession any favors. I would most definitely go to a RD blog to learn more about healthy food trends (I already do that!), and if someone was claiming health from their "special food system," I would hope Dietitians would weight in. 

But this smacks of just grasping at research straws. I'd be more concerned of RDs played a larger role in the social media of community health initiatives, school lunch programs, even the Affordable Care Act.


Maybe it's the sugar deprivation and the cardio boredom but my take is: Be a professional. Don't be a nudge.

Next post will be back to recipes (probably not RD approved.)




References:

“I Got Six-Pack Abs in Six Weeks. Here’s How I Feel One Year Later.” Greatist. Accessed November 13, 2013. http://greatist.com/fitness/six-pack-abs-six-weeks-one-year-later.

Schneider, E. P., McGovern, E. E., Lynch, C. L., & Brown, L. S. (2013). Do Food Blogs Serve as a Source of Nutritionally Balanced Recipes? An Analysis of 6 Popular Food Blogs. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 45(6), 696-700. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2013.07.002

Hormones and Amends

And now as another season of the Jewish High Holy Days have come to a close, let's get back to the blog. Actually Sukkot is here and that probably deserves an blog post about holiday eating (or the childhood memory of somebody always bringing Cheez Doodles to hang in the sukkah alongside the fruit). But that will hold for a bit.

This year was more introspective than usual. I attended some quieter groups as opposed to the major synagogue events. Not that I don't love my "shul family," but the transition from clergy spouse to just a "regular" guy has been a little odd when it comes to holidays. Even these few years later, I needed to be a little more quiet about my need to make amends and reflect on what I can do make this year better. And reflect on the changes that have already happened.

Let's jump back to macro level for a bit and talk about other changes, body-wise (which is, after all, the posts many come here to read).
After about a year of major weight training, I began to notice various body changes and not only in my waist and muscle size. It was almost as if I was having some bizarre reaction to drugs or supplements (which I was not taking! This is clean living body, baby!) A check with my doctor showed that my testosterone level had spiked dramatically. Evidently all that intense resistance training can indeed cause that "manly" upgrade. And yes, studies show that to be true.

Yeah...how YOU doin'?

But aside from being able to walk around work with that additional "strut factor", I guess it was good timing for a blog post because another recent study has shown that the lowered levels of both testosterone and estrogen in middle-aged men contribute to the fat levels around our bellies (and our waning sex drives). It turns out my "donut" was bound to happen, even if I managed to up the amount of deadlifts and reverse flys. 

So I seemed to have helped myself in ways without even knowing! Good for me! Keeping my donut to pop'em size and keeping my testosterone in the XXL aisle! 

And that's all well and good.  But let's go back to reflection for a moment.

I started this blog after having hit my weight and doing tons of research on weight maintenance. Part of me wanted to share what worked for me and what research I found. Part of me just wanted to be part of a larger group. And part of me wanted to demark this the current chapter of my life.

So, as I continue to reflect on this upcoming year and we near the 2nd anniversary of maintenance, I want to thank all of those who have supported me. Not just in my weight, but in my attempts to be a better person. 

One of my friends said to me during a rather dark Retro Ska Librarian period, "Dan, the thing is that, no matter what, you are an optimist." And it's true. Cynical, snarky, smart-aleck...but an optimist.

You can change your body and your life. You can even change the amount of hormones you produce solely from exercise. But it's hard to change something fundamentally inside of you. 

May this year bring out the better qualities in all of us. And anyone needing some extra testosterone....well, I seem to have plenty!

References:

Finkelstein, Joel S., Hang Lee, Sherri-Ann M. Burnett-Bowie, J. Carl Pallais, Elaine W. Yu, Lawrence F. Borges, Brent F. Jones, et al. “Gonadal Steroids and Body Composition, Strength, and Sexual Function in Men.” New England Journal of Medicine 369, no. 11 (2013): 1011–1022. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1206168.

Tremblay, Mark S., Jennifer L. Copeland, and Walter Van Helder. “Effect of Training Status and Exercise Mode on Endogenous Steroid Hormones in Men.” Journal of Applied Physiology 96, no. 2 (February 1, 2004): 531–539. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00656.2003.

A Pilates Peg in a Yoga Hole with a Side of Biceps

Back in 2000, I was hit by a car. The gruesome details were on a much earlier iteration of my blog. (I'm sure it's out there somewhere. Nothing disappears from the internet). Suffice to say it was not fun. Luckily nothing was broken but I was pretty banged up. My health insurance did not cover much more than a cane, so after limping along unevenly for a while, I developed scoliosis. My insurance company then provided me with only 10 physical therapy sessions, barely enough just to scratch the surface of my uneven body.

My physical therapist suggested yoga and pilates. The former was pretty much already embedded around NYC, but Pilates was still something just about to burst big time on the scene.

I scoped out a few yoga classes (easy enough to find) and let's just say it wasn't for me. It was incredibly unwelcoming, which was sort of surprising. If one is  clearly a newbie, one needs to feel like that's not a bad thing.The instructors also really pushed me into positions which were obviously not going to happen if I was that uneven. That doesn't mean that there were no good and welcoming yoga places in NYC, but I was not feeling it. Years later, I saw this article and, of course, felt vindicated. 


Pilates, perhaps because it was still relatively new to the non-dancer public, was much more welcoming. And while I've had a few not-so-great instructors, for the most part they've been pretty excellent. I will say there was one instructor, Jesse,  who tried to have me banished after I asked about her tattoos (being fairly covered myself, it was sort of general question, not sexual), but she soon became my teacher for several years. See, no one is infallible. And it was Jesse who was there when my pelvis actually aligned for the first time in years. An awesome moment. And I am still going to Pilates to this day.

I should point out that I prefer the one-on-one sessions, rather than group. And I'm just as picky on my Pilates instructors as I am with my gym trainers. No exercising fools do I suffer!

I think the reason I also took better to Pilates is that it is a much more regimented set of exercises. It was developed by a boxer for the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers, so maybe that very concentrated sets on building your core appeals to me more than yoga's more....undefined...self. But I also have seen Pilates classes where the instructor is not paying attention to form and treating it more like "feel your body move this way". And I've seen yoga classes that seem more like boot camp. 

It seems to have become an mashup of all exercise without too much accountability. Especially as Pilates has now fallen in with yoga as a "mind-body" form of exercise. This I find odd, as, to me, Pilates really is a purely physical endeavor. 

And (here's where I'll get into some trouble), Pilates is often treated as a "women's exercise." And women tend to view exercise as a more social endeavor. There was a time when I did Pilates with only male clients in the room and all the instructors kept exclaiming how quiet it was. Because women clients do often see time with their instructors as more of a time to interact. I will say my current Pilates guy, Jeremy, and I never chat until after each session. The time of the session is kept to just the exercise.To me, it's the same as a workout with my gym trainer, just with different equipment and perhaps nicer decor.

But getting to my point: The reason I looked into both of these regimens was to help my alignment and balance, not as a workout regimen. They definitely help to get your muscles and body more aware, but it's not like one should expect six pack abs and mega biceps from either Pilates or yoga. Which is why it's odd the hear people doing "power pilates", "super abs yoga" and the like. 

I'm not sure how people see this as the sole source of exercise and then get displeased when the results do not gibe with what we see in fitness/fashion magazines. One such study showed that young women and men who did yoga or Pilates still had the same amount of body image issues compared to those who did not participate. In fact, women who did yoga had a slightly higher incidence of body image issues. Not terribly surprising when the most popular manufacturer of designer yoga clothes and cultish devotion declines to sell anything larger than a size 12 and doesn't display anything larger than a size 8 in their stores. What sort of "total mind-body experience" are we trying to push, aside from body shaming. 


And yet this move towards seeing them as hardcore exercising was continued this week in the NY Times. Which is better for strengthening? Even with these 2.0 versions, yoga and Pilates are two completely different forms of workout and, in my eyes, neither should be considered for overall bodywork strengthening.

I've now practiced Pilates longer than anyone I know who hasn't been involved in the dance world. While I am so much more aligned and have a better balance and more stable core, it did not change my body into Streamlined Ska Librarian. Rather, I think it prepared me to be ready to train, but to be very honest, my Pilates has gotten better because of my current years of weight training and cardio. 

Pilates made me the Aligned Yet Retro Ska Librarian and for that I'm thankful. But it is not yoga, nor is it cardio.

To put in Ska Librarian Logic:

Pilates ≠ Weight Training ≠ Yoga

And in diversity there is strength. 




References:

“Ask Well: Pilates Vs. Yoga.” Well. Accessed August 10, 2013. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/09/ask-well-pilates-vs-yoga/.

Bhasin, Kim. “Lululemon Admits Plus-Size Clothing Is Not Part Of Its ‘Formula’.” Huffington Post. Accessed August 12, 2013. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/02/lululemon-plus-size-clothing_n_3696690.html.

Broad, William J. “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body.” The New York Times, January 5, 2012, sec. Magazine. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/magazine/how-yoga-can-wreck-your-body.html.

Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne, Marla E. Eisenberg, Melanie Wall, and Katie A. Loth. “Yoga and Pilates: Associations with Body Image and Disordered-eating Behaviors in a Population-based Sample of Young Adults.” International Journal of Eating Disorders 44, no. 3 (2011): 276–280. doi:10.1002/eat.20858.

When Your Trainer Breaks Up With You

What is the best way to talk about this? There's no way to write this without it sounding more dramatic than it really is.

Due to various circumstances including bad dealings with gym owners here in NYC and an increasing client base in CT, I got a "Dear John" note from my trainer.

Actually, I found out via e-mail from another of his clients, an old pal of mine. I was in France at the time, so it was a bit of a shock. I mean, I had just seen my trainer a week before! What was going on?

My trainer finally answered some of my texts and explained the situation, saying that it was his issue and not me, and that he hoped to be back in NYC for a few weekend bootcamp sessions in the near future, but to stay strong. 

He did always tell me that he would always keep me on as a client no matter what and that he'll make sure I got it done. But now that's changed. 

Oh jeez, my workout life has turned me into a Tori Spelling movie of the week!

Via US Magazine

Tori Spelling IS the Streamlined Ska Librarian in "Poorly Executed Squats of Danger!"

In all seriousness, I don't blame my trainer, but this doesn't make me happy. We are having a session in a few weeks, but right now that's probably it for a while, if not it period. I've spoken before as to why I need a trainer. Even though I've learned so much about weight training and core exercises, I need that extra push. I need someone who kicks my butt in the way I need. I know that the work to get to this Streamlined Ska Librarian body was done by me, but I don't think I would have found it possible to get this far without a trainer.

Now, I'm sure many of you are asking why I just don't get a new trainer. The snarky answer is that I've spent all this time breaking him in right. But the truth is, I have not been impressed with a lot of trainers out there. I've had a few trainers over the years, including a large handful of Pilates instructors, and I realize I do not really fit with many of the trainers I see at these gyms.

Now granted a good trainer fits themselves to specific clients. After all, studies have shown that personal trainers serve as a cultural intermediary, representing not only their own training work, but also the services of gyms and promoting the business of fitness. They match themselves to their clients needs, too. So, the ones just spending most of the hour chatting with their clients may be keeping their clients happy. Maybe clients don't mind of the trainer is on the phone the whole time or just not present enough. But that's not what I necessarily want.

I probably come across as the anti-social guy at the gym in that I'm not one of those "Hey Bro!" kind of guys. I'll nod hello to the other regulars, but I'm not there to chat. I have a certain amount of time to get my workout in and that's why I'm there. I don't understand paying to use a place where you then just chat and flex for 2 hours.

And I admit that rep has sort of rubbed off into my trainer relationship. The glares I give other trainers or "bros" who wander up and start chatting  in the middle of my workout is met with surprise or (nowadays) a wide berth. They probably thought I was smacking my trainer upside the head afterwards.

But I expect engagement in the sessions. I'd like to think we are friends, but I know it's also a job. Trainers work in so many of these ways because in the end they need a paycheck, just as we all do. And then there are some trainers who I see that are just not good. Just like any profession.

Right now I suppose I am still reeling from the effects of this change of routine, let alone not being able to see my big lug of a trainer a few times a week. I admit I miss it already. 

My weekly workout has kept up at pace (must get rid of French weight gain), but we'll see what not having that regular extra push means.

Until then, there's always exercise in a pill! (As long as it's not Tori certified).


References:

“Exercise in a Pill? The Search Continues.” Well. Accessed July 17, 2013. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/17/exercise-in-a-pill-the-search-continues/.

Smith Maguire, Jennifer. “Fit and Flexible: The Fitness Industry, Personal Trainers and Emotional Service Labor.” (December 2001). https://lra.le.ac.uk/handle/2381/1437.

_______. “The Personal Is Professional Personal Trainers as a Case Study of Cultural Intermediaries.” International Journal of Cultural Studies 11, no. 2 (June 1, 2008): 211–229. doi:10.1177/1367877908089265.

Back to Basics

Luther Halsey Gulick with Physical Department students, 1890 
Courtesy of Springfield College, Babson Library, Archives and Special Collections.
(via the Digital Public Library of America. If you haven't yet checked out this great new site, do so now and them come back...I'll be here.)

Such strapping youths, and they look like they appreciate a variety of workouts. (I'm not actually sure what some of those items are). I bet there was no talk of "muscle confusion" back then.

And with this fine weather finally appearing, it's time once again to mix up the workout. My last measurements with the trainer showed an increase in chest, shoulders, arms and legs. However, the diet has not been overly great. I can see a little more emotional binge stuff going on. So even though I've probably put on a few pounds from being bigger, muscle-wise, I'm pretty sure most of it is just plain old bad food residue.

And that can't happen. Keeping it off is still a full time job and studies show that successful maintenance requires planning and continuing work.


But with better weather comes a better dedication to all this. My workouts have been very oriented towards weight training and cardio was taking a back seat, usually because the weight training was taking over an hour to complete. The evening sessions with the trainer meant mornings were for cardio, but truthfully, I've been finding gym cardio a drag. And my weight training certainly was making me sweat!

But now with early sunrises comes a return to lots of outside running. So this month's schedule:

Monday: (morning) 5K run, (Evening) Chest w/trainer
Tuesday: Back
Wednesday: Shoulders
Thursday: (Morning) 5K run, (Evening) Arms w/trainer
Friday: Legs (or 8K run)
Saturday: 8-12K run
Sunday: Pilates (and 8-10K run)

And, of course, it's not just adding back more cardio. It's time to once again really look at what I'm eating. Cut back on some of the bad stuff. Be more aware about caloric intake. And just be more aware of why and when I'm eating.

Lindsay, the force behind Foodie Pen Pals, recently blogged about her falling away from the "vegetarian/vegan" label of eating she's been doing. Her post, My Diet Doesn't Need a Label, really hits the mark. Why keyhole yourself to a particular diet if it means you're "breaking the rules" when you might go off "topic", or people might judge you for it? 

Now, some of my friends have commented that my constant referencing of RD blogs must involve some kind of  self-worth issue, as they believe dietitian blogs are WAY too positive and peppy for someone of my *ahem" demeanor. 

(I think I am peppy. Snarky, yes, But peppy in my own way)

And, while RD blogs probably are more about promoting healthiness than other topics (which is pretty peppy), it doesn't mean one of these folks doesn't hit the nail on the head in their posts.

And Lindsay probably gives the most succinct answer I can could think of for anyone wishing to know what the "perfect diet is":

"I’ll focus on making healthy choices, eating a well-balanced diet, choosing correct portions sizes and enjoying my food!"

and

"I think you should do what works for YOU and not worry about everyone else."

So it is back to basics. Effective peppy basics. 
See? Here's dinner:

Mung beans and kale with kielbasa, apricots, cranberries and curry leaves

A non-genre, non-label, non-diet but damn fine dinner.
Works for me!

  



References:

Kayman, S., Bruvold, W., & Stern, J. S. (1990). Maintenance and relapse after weight loss in women: behavioral aspects. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 52(5), 800–807.

McGuire, M. T., Wing, R. R., Klem, M. L., & Hillf, J. O. (1999). Behavioral Strategies of Individuals Who Have Maintained Long-Term Weight Losses. Obesity Research, 7(4), 334–341. doi:10.1002/j.1550-8528.1999.tb00416.x

Stressed over stressing. Or not.

Snowy Saturday post-bootcamp lunch: Surimi and cucumber salad in a mustard sauce and a socca with kale and garlic.

Been fighting some achy flu-like feelings the past few days, but I've still made it to the gym, even for today's extra Saturday session of bootcamp with my trainer. I'm not saying that in a smug, superior way, but rather, more with a tone of amazement. Usually the easiest excuse of not going to the gym or for a run or whatever has always been "I don't feel well."

To me, exercise had always been a chore. I'm not sure when I actually had a clickable moment regarding an exercise regimen, but I do acknowledge it's different now. My trainer refers to me as a real gym rat, although I hope I never get to this level.

Even with a injured swollen shin, I hobbled to the gym to work out the rest of my body. I've gone with cuts, bruises, opened callouses and ankle issues. The only training session I've missed in the past two years was the one where I had just been put on antibiotics for a respiratory infection. If I'm out of town, I still try to exercise. (One caveat: As Pilates is on Sunday, I do tend to miss more of those due to conflicts, but I still run the 10 miles if I'm not working with my Pilates guy.)

I still know I HAVE to continue to do this, but it no longer is the case that I don't WANT to do this.

And now there's a new report showing that enforced exercise or exercise under stress is as beneficial as other exercise. "Stress exercise?" The NY Times article citing this report defined it as working out because your doctor or spouse makes you.

And then they pointed out the study had only been done on rats. I bet those rat spouses can be real bitchy.

So again, this is sort of "der" research. Yes, exercise makes us feel better, even if we start out not controlling it. Expending energy can help us deal with stressful situations better. However, I do feel that it takes an extra step to continue during stressful times. It's very easy to stop the workouts, even easier than falling back on bad food habits. 

But I still say it doesn't get easier. I like doing working out now but I still worry that it might slip. But hearing it from other people that I SHOULD do it is not going to push me.

On the other hand, I know these past few years for me have not been stress-free. On the contrary, they've been nerve-working firestorms of stressful activity. And now I wonder how I might have handled it if I hadn't been such a gym rat during this time. Forget if I'd be thin. Would I even be healthy?  Would I even be alive?

I'll just keep joining the rats on their treadmill.



References:

Greenwood, Benjamin N, Katie G Spence, Danielle M Crevling, Peter J Clark, Wendy C Craig, and Monika Fleshner. “Exercise-induced Stress Resistance Is Independent of Exercise Controllability and the Medial Prefrontal Cortex.” The European Journal of Neuroscience 37, no. 3 (February 2013): 469–478. doi:10.1111/ejn.12044.

“When Exercise Stresses You Out.” Well. Accessed March 14, 2013. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/13/when-exercise-stresses-you-out/.