More Thoughts from Trainer Tells All

Since the popularity of the original Trainer Tells All post, it’s inspired me to think some more and go into more detail about some things….the more I think….the more you have to read about it. 😉

• Working out with cardio type workout in the AM and more weights in the PM might more replicate our ancestral patterns. Such as waking up on an empty stomach, going on the hunt, walking, running after prey here and there. The longer the hunt, the more light snacking on whatever can be foraged such as nuts and berries (no meats available). Then the final battle, the hardest fought one to overtake dinner. The strength part to carry it back and then the feast of meat, fat and organ parts. (This has always been my natural pattern to do more activity/cardio based in the AM, and then more lifting at night)

• People usually want to be told exactly what to do and eat….but what everyone really needs is to realize how food effects them…and then they will be able to get any results they want. My daily carb tolerance is not going to be your daily carb tolerance….and activity levels will even vary day to day via person. It’s more important to learn how to listen to the body and understand what one needs to eat depending on what they feel, their past activity and what they need to get ready to do tomorrow.

• Supplements can help those who are already seeing results. So don’t take a fat burner if you are not already losing fat. They can assist in results already going on but they can not do much more than that.

• Want a $10 (or less) gym? Buy a used backpack. Now do sets of 10 reps for 3 sets of pushups, pullups, lunges (up a hill), 1 legged squats and put weights/sand/water/books in the backpack. No excuse not to workout, adjust weights as needed….and if you really want some fun, hold the weighted backpack over your head while you lunge up a hill (disclaimer – my version of fun may be different from yours).

• Insulin Resistance is the #1 health factor everyone should be concerned about…and may be the cause of all obesity. High insulin levels are just a result of insulin resistance. The 3 ways you can combat and reverse insulin resistance is exercise (esp resistance), low carb eating, and periods of fasting.

• The Abs were designed evolutionary for 2 reasons, to support and transfer power between the lower and upper body. Support/Static Bracing: Holding something heavy over your head and not dropping it on your foot. Transfer/Explosiveness: Planting your foot to throw a rock or a spear.

• Most mainstream people need to spend less time in a gym and more time pursuing their passions in life. The greatest problem with many gym goers could be obsessiveness to body image, which is a never ending pursuit because nothing is ever good enough…there is always more muscle to build or more fat to lose. Some of the fittest people could also have the lowest self esteem. Train for journey of life and everyday will be exciting.

• Most people (esp athletes) have a huge Quad/Hamstring imbalance (as mentioned before with needing to squat all the way past parallel). That imbalance could be the greatest factor in most professional athletes’ knee injuries.

• Stretching before an event/sport is a bad idea (think of trying to stretch a rubber band after it has been in the freezer….crack). One should warmup with dynamic movements increasing ROM and also ramping up their speed and agility moves to wake up their CNS to be ready for action.

• Cold watermelon could possibly be the best tasting thing after a hot day of being outside and active…probably because it is like 85% water.

• The lymphatic system which is key to helping the body to cleanse it’s cells and remove waste (detox) is most active between 4am and noon. Hence why you always have the worst breath when you wake up (your tongue is a detox organ) and you probably smell too. Probably also a good reason why morning fasting could be the best option to keep your detox going until noon. Therefore eating light such as fruit/veg would be more ideal in the AM. Also another reason why you should do your cardio in the AM, to sweat out the toxins and mobilize those fatty acids to burn.

• When you first start to diet, you feel flabby….because you lose glycogen from muscle and get the flat look. Once you can look good with low glycogen levels, your muscles will look huge once your fill them back up. True bodybuilders know this and always deplete, burn the last of their fat and carb up before the show to get the best possible look (as temporary as it may be). Use that trick before going to the beach and you will look your best.

• Intermittent Fasting has the same rules of eating all day long, you still have the same amount of variables and have to eat the right foods. If something isn’t working, you need to know what variable needs to be changed (most often level of daily carbs or total calories) and tweak it till you start seeing results.

• Not stressing out about the little things will probably bring more longevity and health to most people more than any other one thing. Most people have a hard time letting things go that don’t matter…when in fact that could be the biggest key to long term health. When in doubt, ask yourself “Will this really matter in a month….year….”.

• Eating bigger and longer dinners is more important in the social aspect in many cultures around the world (taking many courses and hours to complete….all while talking with family and friends and being in no rush to go anywhere). Make it important in your life as well.

• Your largest protein meal should probably be at night, as it will generate a huge PNS response (the rest and digest one), make you feel tired and sleepy and allow a good amount of amino acids to be present during a large anabolic environment of high GH levels while you sleep.

• When in doubt, don’t think any expert knows exactly what is right for you….just take their advice, apply to your life as you can and see what results can happen. If there are no results then you can always adjust something to make it happen. If you want to lose weight either be more active or eat less….if you want to gain muscle eat more protein and lift heavy and brief.

• Health starts in your gut….after all that is where all the food goes, needs to be broken down, minerals/vitamins absorbed, and fat/proteins/sugars are digested…..or it could be going horribly wrong and there could be malnutrition because of a messed up gut environment. Most autoimmune disorders could be a direct result of leaky gut, and allowing undigested proteins into the blood stream,…to settle in some area and then the immune system attack them as foreign invaders….and keep attacking.

• If you are afraid to fail….you will never succeed. The only real failure is a direct result of lack of action. Any action is a positive step towards feedback you can use to make your next series of actions. Nothing is impossible, unless you make it so in your own mind….as that is your only real obstacle in life.