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A Few Points of Good Advice:
 

With summer in full swing, many people are really working on their fitness and overall wellness much more! I mean, there is so much to do- sports, vacations, warm weather, and cold drinks. We all here people talk about their “summer body” (trust, I don’t enjoy this term- health knows no season) and in the summer there is more to do outside to help work on that. Even just simply the longer daylight hours allow more time outside to be able to get in a workout, or enjoy the day more. So as summer is progressing, I wanted to offer some advice on rumors that I hear consistently in my field.

 

1- Low Carb Doesn’t Mean Healthier.

 

Maybe if you are diabetic, yes. However for the general population this is a giant misunderstanding brought about by the diet industry and a lot of people looking for an easier fix. First- let’s have a full understanding of carbohydrates. They are what gives us energy. Yes, we also use fats for energy, but not everything can run off of fats. Our brains for instance- carbs are the primary fuel for our brains. And carbs can be used both anaerobically (short intense bursts) and aerobically (longer consistent exercise). Also, before anyone says “but ketones…” Yes. Ketones produced by extremely low carb nutrition plans can be used for energy, but only aerobic processes. So for things like weightlifting, sprints, etc- that’s a no. In fact, if we don’t get enough carbs for our needs, then the liver has to take protein consumed and turn it into glucose via a process called gluconeogensis to give the energy needed for daily function. And if you aren’t consuming enough protein for that…your body is going to break down protein stores and you’re going to lose muscle. 

 

Instead of making everything low carb, let’s understand that it’s a balance- what is needed to fuel your day? The ADA recommends that 60% of your macronutrients (things that give us energy like carbs, fats, and protein) be from carbohydrates. Yes, over half. Even the gold standards of fitness- the ACSM and the NASM recommend higher carbs- ACSM says 40-60%, and NASM says about 50%. That’s because we need energy and brain function. So choose wisely- these carbs shouldn’t be beer and cookies. Have a variety of fruits, veggies, and whole grains. Watch your refined sugar intake, and enjoy some carbs! 

 

2- Heavier Weight Does Not Necessarily Mean Bigger Muscles

 

We should be consistently progressing in our workouts, and if your goal is to have bigger muscles then heavier weight might not be the best way to go. In fact, going lighter and slower has been shown to be the most effective method of mass gain if you are solely looking for aesthetic muscle gain. Heavier does mean stronger, and more muscle mass doesn’t mean stronger. It’s weird to think about, yes, but mass doesn’t necessarily equal strength, and the opposite. There are many ways to increase intensity of our workouts- load (weightxrepsxsets), range of motion, tempo, rest (more or less breaks), etc. So if you’re looking to pack on muscle, try something like decreasing your weight, but slowing down each rep. An effective tempo is eccentric (lengthening or “down phase”) for 4 seconds, and concentric (shortening or “up phase”) for 2 seconds. Then give yourself a longer break between sets to allow your body enough rest to go at the same intensity again for your next set. You can create up to 30% more force in the eccentric phase, therefore creating more microtears and that is what activates the body to build larger muscle mass. *it is also important to note here that more protein also isn’t always the healthiest- it should only be 10-30% of your macros.

 

3- Your size DOES NOT DENOTE YOUR WORTH

 

I am a fitness professional. I understand that healthy looks different on everyone. I also have a good bit of body dysmorphia myself.  I grew up very very thin- and often when I look at myself I see that skinny kid that got made fun of so much. I want you to know that beauty is not a size, a shape, or whatever you may think you need to be. I want you to be happy and healthy. Wear that bikini. Try on those tank tops. Take your shirt off and enjoy some sunshine. We all deserve confidence- and I wish for us all to find that. 

 

Go enjoy your summer! And be well!