Exercise Dude

Save yourself the trip to Dick’s. I recently built a home gym with free weights, a pull up bar, some medicine balls and various other home gym gadgets. This may be obvious, but not knowing this cost me at least a few hours of my life.

My options were…

1) Used online gear – I don’t want to spend the time scouring web postings and competing for beat up gear sold by I don’t know who. If you like that sort of thing, this is definitely the most cost effective option.

2) Mom and Pop sporting goods store – God bless ‘em. I like that they are out there. If you want to chew the fat with someone about a specialty item, you may chalk this up to an entertaining conversation and a contribution to Main Street America. I’ll leave that up to you.

3) Regional sporting goods store (Academy in Texas) – Be patient and check out their weekly advertisements. You will find a good deal and they always have basically what you need. It may not be perfect, but it works. Don’t pay a premium for high end dumbells. We are talking about metal and rubber.

4) Used sporting goods store (Play it Again Sports) – They have way less used gear than you would expect them to and their new gear is basically the same price or more than the regional sporting goods store, but they have less selection. Swing by if it is convenient, otherwise I wouldn’t jack with it.

5) Big box sporting goods store like Dicks – These guys were at least 15% more on just about everything I was looking for. Their selection is better, cleaner carpets and brighter lights. No real reason to go here if you don’t have to.

6) New gear online – if you can wait for shipping, you can pretty much get whatever you need for a really competitive price, and let’s face it, you know more than the 17 year old kid at the regional sporting goods store who is dodging you between aisles.

Winner = Regional Sporting Goods Store or New Gear Online

People have wondered about the term “cheat days” ever since the whole diet craze hit this country, especially over the last 20 years.  What is a cheat day, in reference to your nutrition (we will not be using the word diet at any point, as diet is a short term goal)? Are cheat days ok?  What purpose do they serve?  Are they bad, or do they give the exerciser a break from the day to day grind, of eating relatively healthy, small meals 4-6 times per day?

Before I proceed, remember that what I am about to describe may not be for everybody, especially if you have a pre-existing condition that prohibits you from eating certain foods that may be high in carbohydrates, sugars, or fats (diabetics, hypertension, or any other ailments that don’t allow for an occasional bad meal). You can probably google any website, with them all giving conflicting responses to these questions.  However, what I have found, is that most of the websites that declare “cheating” on your nutrition detrimental, are pushing a specific product or diet (remember, we don’t use that word) the answer, in my opinion, is yes, cheating on your nutrition is ok!!  There, now everyone can relax. 

What is a cheat day exactly?  The simple answer is a cheat day is a day (or meal) where the exerciser strays from their normal nutritional intake to enjoy (yes, it’s ok to enjoy bad food every once in a while) the foods we are all told not to eat.  The pizzas, the ice creams, the tacos.  The reasons are simple.  First, maintaining a fairly strict daily nutritional regimen is tough.  Our food choices are limited, in most cases to food with a poor nutritional rating to begin with, and most of us report to an office every day, and it’s difficult to prepare every meal, if we are trying to maintain a good 5-6 day a week meal plan.  Therefore, the mental break alone of taking 1-2 days to enjoy what foods you want, is completely normal, and recommended.  People that go on diets, in most cases, completely eliminate cheat foods (pizza, ice cream, I think we all know what they are) for an extended period of time, end up wanting that food, and when they are finished dieting, go right to the food they have eliminated (and gaining all the weight they lost because they never learned portion control).  Give yourself a break from all of the hard work and reward yourself.  

Secondly, and this is the part that will shock most people, but cheat days can actually speed up your metabolism!  Here’s how; when you spend 5-6 days a week, eating a set amount of calories, consisting of the appropriate amount of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, your body will get used to the routine you have set for yourself.  Having one or two days a week of eating more calories, consisting of foods that aren’t introduced in your body much, will actually make your body work harder to burn the excess calories!  Your body will literally be shocked at the food you have introduced, and will want to eliminate it as fast as possible, speeding up your metabolism.  In all my years as a personal trainer, or working out at gyms, I never met one fellow personal trainer who did not allow themselves 1 day, or 2 maximum, to enjoy the foods that most diets tell you to completely eliminate. 

The fact is, we are here to teach you that there are lots of ways to meet your fitness goals, and there is no reason why this should be a painful process, physically or mentally.   Our mental health is just as important.  Don’t forget that even though this should be a commitment you make to better yourself, physically, mentally, and emotionally, it should also be fun.  Take a day off, and enjoy a meal or three to break up the routine.    It’s ok, you are allowed to!

This guy’s a creampuff. Can you beat 11:16?

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