Month: February 2020

Aim at the impossible.

“All who have accomplished great things have had a great aim, have fixed their gaze on a goal which was high, one which sometimes seemed impossible.”—Orison Swett Marden

Coyte Cooper (Flip the Script) taught me that my goal should be “not reasonable by normal expectations”. In other words, risk failure. Challenge yourself to defy others’ expectation. Be better today than you were yesterday. Let failure be your teacher.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!!

What is “energy”?

A popular soft drink company is now marketing an “energy drink”. The ingredients include: sparkling water, sugar, dextrose, citric acid, phosphoric acid, natural flavorings, color (caramel E150d), acidity regulator (sodium bicarbonate), caffeine (0,03 %), preservatives (sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate), vitamins (niacin (B3), vitamin B6), guarana extract (0.001%).* This compares to the regular soft drink, which includes: carbonated water, sugar, color (caramel E150d), phosphoric acid, natural flavorings including caffeine.* So, this bears to question, what is energy?

The ads suggest that the “energy drink” contains “energy” that is, presumably, not in the regular soft drink. However, the only energy in the drink is sugar. The additional vitamins (niacin and B6), guarana extract, and caffeine are not energy. Caffeine and guarana are stimulants that boost alertness (a perception on having more energy). Niacin and B6 help the body convert food to energy. These vitamins, however, can be found naturally in the foods we normally eat. So, the added ingredients don’t really add “energy”.

I am not a big fan of so-called energy drinks (as well as “pre-workouts”). I would prefer simply black—calorie-free—coffee.

Energy is measured in calories (1 calorie = the amount of food energy necessary to raise 1g of water 1-degree Celsius). Our energy comes from carbohydrates, fats, and (to a lesser degree) proteins. So, the difference between soft drink and soft drink “energy” isn’t energy but marketing.

Need energy? Eat a balanced (caloric-appropriate) diet with healthy carbohydrates—rather than sugar—timed to physical activity. Energy should fuel physical activity and not exceed the body’s needs. So, before consuming any “energy” drinks, get sufficient regular sleep, eat healthy, and exercise regularly.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

 

* https://www.coca-cola.ie/drinks/coca-cola

Fat loss isn’t permanent.

We’ve all cycled with our body composition. Some more extreme than others. It is hard, but it is possible to maintain our body composition (% body fat) within a reasonable and healthy range. It takes, however, effort and consistency.

I heard an ad this morning for a laser fat removal procedure that claimed to be “permanent”. It is true that a removed fat cell will not return, so, technically, the ad is accurate, however….

Fat cells grow when the body is overfed. When we diet (i.e., follow a hypocaloric diet) to lose weight (preferably only fat), we have to follow with a diet that will maintain our fat loss (gaining muscle is okay—and, frankly, preferred). If one returns to a hypercaloric diet following weight loss (preferably one will follow a period of weight loss with a period of eucaloric diet to establish a new weight set-point) weight will be gained. Thus, when calories are in excess (and one is not gaining muscle) fat will be stored in the existing fat cells. If fat cells were removed, the existing fat cells will grow.

Fat loss is not permanent—unless proper exercise and dietary habits are established and remain consistent. It is possible to permanently remove or destroy fat cells, but the only way to remain “permanently” lean is to live the lifestyle. Again, consistency is absolutely essential. For most of us, though, that consistency will be less than perfect. That’s okay. Shoot for >80% consistency, and the results will be favorable. Take the short-cut, if you must (I don’t recommend), but recognize the results will not be sustainable without lifestyle change.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

Corona fears.

It is not only flu season, but there are also increasing fear of the coronavirus (COVID-19). While there is cause for caution (rather precaution), the is no cause for panic. There are simple precautionary things we can do to limit the risk of getting sick and/or of spreading this or any virus. Besides self-isolation (i.e., keeping ourselves away from other when we have symptoms, as well as avoiding exposure from sick people—note, we may not be able to avoid exposure to sick people), we can:

Wash with soap and water. The simple act of washing one’s hands frequently—and especially after potential exposure—can go a long way toward curtailing the spread of infection. In addition, having hand sanitizer on hand to use before and after contact with items that might spread the virus is helpful.

Exercise!! I trust in the healthy immune system. Exercise that is of moderate intensity and duration has be shown to have a positive effect on the immune system (refer to “Nieman’s J”). While remaining sedentary or exercising excessively can limit the immune system, the risk of upper respiratory tract infections and other viral infections is significantly reduced with regular moderate exercise. It should be noted that there can be varying degrees of an “open window” to infection immediately post-exercise—which is most significant following intense and prolonged exercise (you might want to forgo the congratulatory hugs and handshakes after your marathon). During this time, a bit of added precaution is warranted.

Sleep. Sleep is essential to recovery from exercise, but it also allows the immune system to do what it does and attack pathogens. Not only is it best to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night, but one should also establish regular sleep patterns. Assign yourself a bedtime and stick to it. Try to go to bed and get up at the same times each day.

Fuel your body with good nutrition. Hydrate and eat regularly. Your body needs energy to grow from the regular exercise, but the immune system needs energy, too. Excessive caloric restriction make the body more susceptible to infection. In addition to caloric balance, proper macro balance (protein, carbohydrate, and fat) and nutrient timing are helpful in keeping the body’s defenses high. Spreading the macros across more numerous meals (e.g., 5-6) will allow the necessary nutrients to be more readily available.

Stick to a solid health and fitness plan, and you will be most likely to avoid the flu and other viruses. If you have a suppressed immune system, be more (pre)cautious, but don’t panic. (Oh, I might add, if you are a smoker, STOP.)

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

Never “Can’t”.

“When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.”—Confucius

How often do we give up on a goal for lack of progress? (Hopefully, never.) I might adjust the above Confucius quote (that is, translation of the quote) to read: “When it is obvious the goals are not being reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.” I have long appreciated a quote shared by the pastor of a church I attended on Long Island, Dale Schurter, many years ago. He taught us that his father, an Oklahoma farmer, used to say: “’Can’t’ never done nuthin’.” (For those who would prefer grammatical correctness, that is: “’Can’t’ never did anything.”) So, if a goal is not being reached, adjust the strategy or adjust the timeline. Don’t give up on the goal. Now, obviously, our goal should be reasonable—albeit unreasonable by others’ standards. Our goals should not be easy. Goals should stretch our limits. They require effective planning, and, when our strategies aren’t working, we need to “adjust our action steps”.

Have a goal? Keep at it. Adjust the action steps rather than the goal.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

Grattitude v. Gratitude.

I have adopted a different spelling when writing about gratitude. I prefer the combination of gratitude + attitude (= grattitude). Grattitude, for me, requires more effort. It is proactive, whereas gratitude is reactive. Grattitude is how we enter any given situation. Gratitude is how we receive the outcome.

Grattitude can be slippery. It can be like a freshly caught prize fish in the hands of a fisherman. Keeping it in our grasp may take more effort than generating our attitude of gratitude in the first place.

Grattitude requires that we start our day with thanksgiving and take productive pause throughout to maintain. It requires that we see the good that can come from all circumstances and our role in a greater Purpose.

Gratitude comes after we have received. Grattitude, on the other hand, directs what we give.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

No stalling. (2nd Period)

A couple of years ago (December 5, 2016, to be precise), I wrote a post titled “No Stalling”. Wrestling season is nearing its end, I have been busy, and I have been struggling to come up with topic ideas. Someone had told me that, after posting for over 1,095 consecutive days, no one would notice if I reran a few posts. I was tempted as I thought about this post, but I don’t think it would impress legendary wrestler/coach, Dan Gable. I can, however, revisit (i.e., add to) my thoughts.

“There was no greater sin for a Gable wrestler than to be caught stalling — backing up, eating clock, not attacking and destroying — and once Gable even screamed at a ref to call it on his own guy.”—Wright Thompson*

As I wrote before, “many of us are stalling in life…, (however,) high performers in life (and wrestling) do not stall.” If you are stalling, we need to change our strategy. Moreover, we have to “wrestle”—in other words, engage in life.

I wrote: “We are wired for self-preservation.  So, sometimes, stalling might seem reasonable.  But, if one wants to be a high-achiever—a high-performer—one has to always be driving forward.  To be (extra)ordinary, one must be pushing forward.  One must always have the will to be on the attack.”

I am perhaps at a time when I am going through the motions—stalling, if you will. I make my commute to work, teach my classes, write exams, test exams and paper, and I go home. I work out and follow my nutritional plan. I am helping to coach the middle school wrestlers. I spend time with my wife and kids. I am busy, but I don’t feel like I am growing. I am not executing my growth plan. I can’t really say I am making great progress—Spiritually, Physically, Intellectually, Emotionally, or Socially. Yes, I appear to be stalling.

I wrote: “Having a growth plan is a smart attack strategy.  Approaching each day with a specific offensive strategy is the only option, if winning is to be a possibility.  Stalling is running away.  It is a position of weakness.”

Let this be my caution call. Time to move—to act. Time to take the offensive. Remember: “Stalling leads nowhere.” .  Again, there are no defensive points in wrestling.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

*Wright Thompson. The Losses of Dan Gable. ESPN The Magazine. Retrieved 12-3-2016 at http://www.espn.com/espn/featu