The BodyBlog of Patrick Hitches

Reading time: 3 – 5 minutes

Still, I Rise…

“You create who you want to be and the life you aspire to live.” -hippietales.com

There are days when the motivation simply isn’t there.  Your eyes open to the world around and laying in bed seems like the most desirable of choices.  Responsibility and life’s daily tasks are daunting to the process of thought.  The only true push towards putting your feet on the ground is the continuous building of pressure in your belly from the glass of water you slammed prior to cozyin up in the sheets the night before.  What exactly is causing all of this and why are you feeling abnormally out of sync?  It could very well be at the core of an unsettling life unhappiness or as simple as a lacking of sleep.  Whatever the reason, whatever the cause, it’s a part of life.  Open your eyes, make your body move and if going through the motions helps in the early AM hours, do it.  Crab the cup of coffee, lace up the shoes, grab your ipod and walk out the door into the crisp morning dew.  The world around awaits your presence with a screaming desire to have your mind present to embrace its’ every moment.

I, like each and every one of you, experience these moments in time.  The motivation to get the day rolling and to tackle the tasks I’ve laid out for myself can seem overbearing.  At that precise instant I put my body into motion and as I said before, I just move.  Jump started with a cup of Joe, I enter onto the sidewalks for a brisk walk as I listen to some acoustic jams with the rising of the morning sun.  Suddenly the fog over my mind subsides and the clarity of the day begins to unfold.  The tasks and “to do” lists now seem doable and the positive motivation that temporarily seemed remiss comes flooding back into my entire being.  I am back.

It’s about finding your rhythm.  Finding what makes your body tick and what puts the wheels in full motion.  Mine has always been the world of the fitness and being active.  When I get the blood flowing through my veins and I begin to feel my body releasing it’s natural endorphins, I feel alive and full as a human being.  My world feels complete and fulfilled in the passing moments of the workout.  With countless stresses coming at every angle, for the 45 minutes with my morning cardio or the hour in the gym as weights are being tossed around, the world makes sense.  Everything takes a back seat as you continue to take control of your mind, body and soul.  As you hit that breaking moment where the decision to workout or lay on the couch takes place, think back to the goals you’ve laid out for yourself.  Imagine living the rest of your life always striving to be in a place that you’ll never get to.  Always having high hopes for a better state of mind, a new body and a new perspective on the life you truly want for yourself.  When you hit that pivotal moment in your day, remember that “you create who you want to be and the life you aspire to live”.  The power and control is completely in your hands.  Push yourself through these moments and stay focused and empowered by the reality that this life is a choice.  Grab your gym bag, your running shoes, or whatever it is that you’ve grasped as your go to active outlet and embrace it.  Your life is marked by the decisions you make and will be fulfilled by the destiny you choose to follow.

A near and dear friend left me with these words a short time ago, which I’ll now pass on to you…

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs.  Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come ALIVE.”

www.patrickhitchesblog.com

Reading time: 6 – 9 minutes

Fat Food – The good and the bad

Reading Level: Intermediate

Fat, Fat, Fat… A word that rings through our ears like finger nails on a chalk board.  Run for the hills and leave the fat behind is the standard approach to any “dieter”.  Although that seems logical and fitting for most, it’s simply not the case.  There are many variables when it comes to qualifying the degree of health behind a particular fat.  The goal here isn’t to avoid it, but to understand the facts behind the various sources and make appropriate choices while consuming them at the appropriate times.  So before diving in to a no/low fat diet, let’s get the facts straight and look at the do’s and do not’s in the wonderful world of fat.

But before we break it down to the specifics, let’s first try to grasp the idea that fat in general is caloricaly dense.  Every gram of fat equates to 9 calories, compared to just 4 calories per gram of carbohydrate or protein.  So, for example, if you’re about to eat a serving of chips that has 7 grams of fat and 30 grams of carbohydrates, 63 of those calories are from fat (9 x 7 = 63 calories) while just 120 calories are from carbohydrates (4 x 30 = 120).  Don’t be confused here, fat can and will add calories to your overall daily intake quickly.  So be cautious and aware when you’re tossing olive oil into your evening veggie stir fry.  Although healthy and delicious, the olive oil will tack on calories quickly with a little slippin of the bottle tippin.

The Do Not’s

Saturated Fat:  I’ll spare you as to the actual root meaning of the word “saturated”, as it deals with the scientific composition of hydrogen and carbon atom bonds (all you science and bodybuilding nerds can revel in the fact that you already know all of the details.  For the rest of the world, we’ll stick to the “need to know” info).  Consumption of high levels of Saturated Fat has been correlated consistently with incidence of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.  You’ll find saturated fat in sources of:

• Coconut Oil
• Palm Oil
• Cows Milk
• Dairy Products
• Butter Fat
• Palmitic Acid
• Palm Oil
• Meat
• Cocoa Butter

The worst of all these evils being full fat milks, cheeses, butter and other dairy products.  Why are these saturated fats so nasty to consume anyways?  I’ll do my best to keep it easy here, but try to follow.

Let’s talk about Cholesterol.  I’m sure we’ve all heard the word a time or two along our years of pitter pattering through doctors offices and highly intellectual conversations with our personal trainers .  But what exactly is cholesterol and what are the true effects that it has on our internal physical health?  Let’s just say that cholesterol is a waxy component in the cell membranes of your body.  It’s presence is required to keep nerve function and contributes to cell signaling fluidity.  Cholesterol is also the precursor for various biochemical pathways within the body.  One such process acts within the liver as cholesterol is converted to bile, which is then stored in the gallbladder.  Bile contains bile salts which help to solubilize fats within the digestive tract, thus aiding in the intestinal absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.  Without the presence of fat in the diet, our bodies would struggle to absorb these essential vitamins.  Cholesterol is also and important precursor molecule for the synthesis (production) of Vitamin D and the steroid hormones; cortisol, aldosterone, progesterone, estrogen and testosterone.  Without getting your mind all twisted and contorted in these terms, just know that cholesterol is very, VERY important in proper bodily function.

Cholesterol is transported via lipoproteins.  Two forms of these include HDL and LDL.  I’m sure you’ve heard these two terms as well.  Here’s what you need to know:

• HDL – High Density Lipoprotein (Good Cholesterol)
• LDL - Low Density Lipoprotein (Bad Cholesterol)

That’s really all you need to know about those two.  But to give you a little more detail, the metabolism of HDL contributes to the transport of damaging white blood cells away from atherosclerotic arterial walls caused by high consumption of saturated fats and trans fatty foods.  LDL carries cholesterol to the arterial walls where they essentially scape the wall and cause damage.  Thus the “attack” of white blood cells and formation of scaring and closure of the arterial wall.  Without adequate consumption of foods that help raise HDL, LDL can have this harming effect within the arterial walls of building plaque and creating blockages.

Ways you can work towards increasing your HDL include:

• Cardiovascular/aerobic exercise
• Losing Weight
• Removing Trans Fats from the diet
• 1-2 drinks of alcohol a day or less
• Increasing soluble fiber intake
• No Cigarette smoking.  Put em down.
• Consumption of Omega 3 fish oils or flax oils

Trans Fat:  Trans fat can occur naturally in foods, yet they are more commonly known to be created through “hydrogenation” (additional of hydrogen atoms) of unsaturated fatty acids into what is considered partially hydrogenated fat.  The benefits of this chemical process includes an increased shelf life of products, decreased need for refrigeration as well as decrease in cost.  However the negatives far outweigh the positives.  The condensed version is that these partially hydrogenated trans fats decrease HDL while increasing LDL!!!  So if you were paying any attention to the above paragraph even in the slightest bit, you would realize that this is a very bad thing.  So stick away from those fast food joints and processed snacks calling out your name at the grocery store.

HEY SKIMMERS!!! If you started scanning through the above, do me a favor and at least focus here on the Do’s.  I promise to keep it short, sweet and to the point!

The Do’s

Unsaturated Fat: Mono and Poly-unsaturated fat.  These two bad boys are what we want to focus on when stuffing our faces with fat.

Monounsaturated fat raises HDL cholesterol while lowering LDL cholesterol.  Foods you’ll want to go for that contain monounsaturated fat include:

• nuts
• avocado
• olive oil
• sesame oil
• corn oil
• oatmeal

Polyunsaturated fat can lower LDL cholesterol but will have no effect on HDL cholesterol.  Foods containing polyunsaturated fats include:

• grain products
• fish and sea food (herring, salmon, mackerel, halibut)
• soybeans
• fish oil

With all the above mentioned on LDL and HDL cholesterol, I’ll assume you have a good handle that chowing down on these sources are very important.  Do, however, always be conscientious of the calories involved when incorporating large levels of fat in the diet.  It is easy to get a little out of control with your fatty intake and a good thing can quickly go awry.  I’ll be focusing future articles on dietary tactics involved with incorporating fat into the diet and the cycling of carbohydrates.  But for now, let’s try to increase our unsaturated fat intake while steering clear of the saturated and trans-fatty foods.  Your heart and body will love you for it…

Post Workout Nutrition - The Essentials

Reading Level:  Beginner/Intermediate

“I need my protein!” … You’ll hear this line time and again as the the buzz on getting lean spreads through the country, into the hearts and minds of every Harry, Joe and Sally watching late night infomercials on the latest “waistline zapper” ab belt.  Hopefully you’re not Harry, Joe or Sally, and you have a rough grasp on the idea that magical, electrictro magnetic impulses or scientifically formulated pills aren’t the answer to results.  Getting real with the reality of where you’re at and putting the time and attention into proper weight training and cardiovascular activity, coupled with proper nutrition and appropriate supplementation is the only way to go.  As the path to getting everything else in line continues, it’s vital to understand and implement proper post workout nutrition.  With each meal being the utmost of importance, the post workout meal is one you won’t want to let slip through your fingers.  So let’s dive in and not only understand what should be consumed, but also as to the why.

The basics behind post workout nutrition goes something like this: A lot of us are familiar with the concept that nutrient timing is just as critical as the actual nutrients themselves.  It comes down to the fact that it’s not just what you’re eating, but when you’re eating that creates an environment for optimal results.  Coupling the two concepts together and bringing in the right foods at the right time will undoubtedly yield the best results of increased muscle mass and decreased body fat.  You have roughly a 45 minute “anabolic window” post workout in which you’ll need to apply the following concepts I’m about to discuss.

I will continue to stress and preach that the three components of decreasing body fat and increasing lean body mass starts with the diet, followed by proper weight training tactics, and third of which includes low intensity cardio activity.  With the latter two being discussed in other articles, we’ll stay focused here on the dietary aspect, and further focus on just post workout nutrition supplementation.

2 components of the post workout shake:

1:  Whey (Protein)
2:  Waxy Maize (Carbohydrate)

As you push weights around at the gym, many things are happening, two of which we’ll concern ourselves with at this time.  Your body’s muscle tissue is literally being broken down.  Muscle fibers are being torn to shreds and it’s in the repair process of rest and proper nutrition that the body is able to repair and grow in strength and size.  Second of which is the depletion of your body’s main energy source for weight training; glycogen, or “stored Carbs”.  When you consume carbohydrates such as oats, sweet potatoes and whole wheat grains, your body breaks these carbohydrates down into it’s simplest form “glucose”, for storage in the liver and muscle tissue.  Through weight training, your body will eat through this energy source and you’re left “depleted” of the number one energy source your body strives to utilize.

That being said, it is utmost of importance to refill your body’s glycogen levels so that the whey protein will be “spared” and able to work in the repair process for your muscle fibers.  Further, the quality that this carbohydrate is quickly and easily digested helps in the utilization process and again, “sparing” the protein to do it’s job and function.  Remember that increased muscle mass equates to an increased metabolic expenditure (or increased need for calories on a daily basis).  Which means you can eat more and create an engine to help in burning fat from the body.

Next comes the whey protein aspect of the post workout shake.  Protein is digested and broken down into amino acids (the “building blocks” of your muscle).  Amino acids are further categorized into “essential” and “nonessential”.  The body is able to make non-essential amino acids from other amino acids in the body.  However, essential amino acids must be consumed with high quality foods in the diet.  Whey protein is considered “complete” and contains all the essential amino acids for protein synthesis.  Protein synthesis is simply the process of gathering amino acids to create the protein strands for bodily functions such as hormone production, hair and nail growth, and of course muscle repair and growth. 

When it comes to portion sizes of the post workout protein shake, there are many variables to consider with caloric intake.  A general rule for someone incorporating proper weight training tactics into their workout regimen would be to follow the 1g of protein/lb of body weight.  So to give a blanket answer, I would recommend roughly 2 scoops of whey protein (40g Protein) and 2 scoops of Waxy Maize (60g Carbohydrates) for the average male.  Being that females are roughly half the size and require roughly half the calories on a "typical" basis, I would simply cut those portions in half and do 1 scoop of each for females.  Again, this is very general and portion sizes can vary greatly from person to person.  So pack the shake with you before you leave for the gym and start sipping it down during your walk back to your car.

I hope this shines a little light into not only the what, but the why behind post workout nutrition and supplementation.  I can’t stress enough how important the combination of BOTH the protein and the carbs are.  One without the other is like Romeo without his Juliet.  Dive in… say it, mean it, know it.  Make the decision to do what is right and necessary for results and believe in the end result.  Your lean waistline can and will be accomplished.  Remain driven and focused.  Your time is now.

I have spent countless hours looking into my past and analyzing the path and journey that has unfolded through my footsteps.  Each step marking a decision and direction intertwined with the bread crumbs of all the previous ones before it, while cohesively maintaining it’s independence.  As I seep into deep thought of those pivotal moments where the seemingly insignificant decisions manifest into a complete redirection in life, I stop in my tracks and soak in the questions of what if, and if only…  Questions that on the surface seem innocent and welcome to the process of thought.  As these thoughts arise, along with them comes discontent and restlessness in that our present moment has been distorted and is off course, as if the “what if” is the supposed journey meant to be lead.  It is in these moments that I harness my thoughts and embrace the questions my life has laid before me.  I don’t allow the thoughts to envelope my being, but allow the questions to be a part of my very existence.  It is in these moments through our lives and every step that has been made that creates who we are and where we’re going.  It is within our very being, or shall I say within out hearts, that the answers to our life journey and path lie.  To follow can be challenging and will more than likely seem daunting and truly unpredictable.  This scares most of us into playing it safe in this thing called life and holding us into the socially acceptable societal norms.  There is a voice inside each and every one of us and that little voice is leading you on the right course of action.  Listening to it can be a courageous feat as it may create a sense of complete instability.  But trust in this voice for your life purpose and journey is on the other side waiting for you to take full immersion and to embrace it’s amazement.   A wise woman told me of some very insightful words in which she stumbled upon in her journey of life.  Ever so gracefully placed in my lap it lays it out as simply as it is.  I shall leave you with these words…

“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answers.”  -Rainer Maria Rilke