Category: Daily

  • Let’s talk about protein powders (yay)

    Confession: I’d be a one happy being if I’d never have to eat another scoop of protein powder.

    But with a mostly plant-based diet, I find it impossible to get enough of three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in an amino acid-chain molecule.

    I’ve gone long stints powder-free in the past, and I struggle in all kinds of ways. Mainly with how I respond to training.

    I’m not talking about an excessive protein intake, either. Even hitting one gram per kilogram of body weight is a tall order without supplementing.

    But whey protein, derived from dairy, is a no-go if you’re blessed with lactose intolerance.

    I’ve’ had whey protein in the past, but it just doesn’t sit well with my gut. Plus, it’s’ not plant-based, so it burns my righteous soul.

    But luckily, there are plant-based options.

    The undeniable downside with plant-based proteins is that they tend to be disgusting as a shake. But tolerable if made into a smoothie with banana, mixed in the porridge or muesli.

    I’ve found the mix of rice and pea protein decent as long as the flavour is palatable. In Australia, Bulk Nutrients stock some decent options. Hell, even my wife can tolerate them in a smoothie. If you know her at all, this is a testament to the dexterity of the Bulk Nutrients’ flavour department.

    As for flavourless options, fava bean protein is the only one worth entertaining. I mix a scoop of it in my muesli most mornings. In Australia, you can get in at Coles. I know, right.

    And if you’re wondering why you, as a woman over 40, need to care about your protein intake, here you go.

    -J

  • Body positivity gone too far?

    To continue yesterday’s post, here’s a short column from a lady who wants to lose weight but finds it hard to talk about it because it goes against the current body positivity trend.

    The column itself is in Finnish, which makes about as much sense to most of you as reading the horoscope from yesterday’s spaghetti. So, I took the privilege of grinding that column through the ChatGPT translator. Here it is:

    “I’ve been hiding a shameful desire, but now I’ll say it out loud: I want to lose weight”

    “Can we learn to talk about weight loss neutrally, asks Laura Friman in her column.”

    “Recently, I’ve been hiding a shameful desire.

    I don’t want to cheat on my partner at the Christmas party or go wild on the weekend off and pop all the drugs that come my way. Instead, it’s something much worse.

    I want to lose weight.

    I UNDERSTAND that the problematic nature of my desire might seem strange, for example, in the break rooms of female-dominated workplaces of the older generations. I assume that it’s still loudly proclaimed throughout Finland in these places that one should not take this sinful meeting pastry, or if one does, they must go for a sweaty jog with Ripa in the evening.

    My reference group is not like that. In my bubble, enthusiasm for dieting is about as acceptable as torturing kittens.

    SO, I FEEL an immediate need to explain. I want to lose weight because I feel uncomfortable. My body is literally in my way. When I see that my shoelaces have come undone, I get frustrated – I have to reach past my stomach. Daily life and normal activities are physically exhausting. It’s depressing.

    Both body positivity talk and research emphasize that an overweight person can be healthy and fit. This is completely true.

    However, in my case, it is not. My blood pressure is not getting any lower with age, and I’m afraid to even go for cholesterol blood tests.

    I want to get rid of the idea that intentional weight loss is categorically wrong. AS DIET CULTURE CRITICISM keeps reminding us, automatic happiness does not come with weight loss. However, I am a chronically anxious person, so I can only choose whether I’m anxious while being lighter or heavier.

    I prefer lighter.

    Even then, I’m anxious, but at least I don’t have heartburn, my internal organs don’t suffocate in central body fat, and my knees are not strained. So, a couple of worries less.

    THESE THOUGHTS embarrass me. After all, I’ve declared on social media myself that I will never diet again.

    I should have added in small print that I don’t mean in the way I’ve dieted at least dozens of times before. I no longer think of weight loss as a project of weeks or even months – or a project at all.

    I don’t imagine that I wouldn’t eat truffle pasta or a chunk of cheese weekly. Instead, I eat two slices of bread instead of eight for supper and agree to eat yogurt with less than 10% fat content. That’s enough.

    I want to get rid of the idea that conscious weight loss – or even talking about it – is unsolidaristic or categorically wrong.

    I believe it’s ok and entirely possible to hate fat-phobia, be critical of diet culture and narrow beauty standards, and still want to weigh less.

    Can we learn to talk about weight loss neutrally?”

    And here’s the link to the original column.

    -J

     

     

     

  • When all your plans go to shit

    One of the readers shared her struggles the other day, and I thought my reply might also help other readers.

    Here’s what she had to say (shared anonymously):

    “I have a really good plan on Monday for exercising during the week, but then thing A, B and C (also D – Z) come along and exercise doesn’t happen as much as I want to; I’m also struggling to lose weight (and I’m struggling with admitting that I want to lose weight, but that’s another story).”

    My reply:
    Thanks for sharing your struggle. A few thoughts.
    How do your typical plans for the week look on Mondays?
    In the past, I’ve found that A to Z is most likely to derail us when our plans are overly ambitious based on our realities. One question that might help is, what would your exercise plans look like to feel 90-100% sure you can stick to it?
    Sometimes, what’s realistic is far from what we feel is ideal/what you’d want to do. But by making things achievable, you can give yourself a quick win, which helps with the motivation going forward. And if your schedule allows, you can always do more. What matters is that you do something.
    Then there’s this: we must guard our exercise time. And it will often mean saying no to other priorities. And even letting people down. Obviously, within reason though. I do acknowledge that some people have way more responsibilities than others. So do what you can.
    As for the weight loss struggle, you’ve already highlighted the first step forward for you: Dealing with the inner resistance to weight loss. Get clear on why you’re resisting wanting to lose weight. Are those reasons valid?
    -J

  • Is running better than meds for depression?

    There’s this pervasive current through large parts of the health and fitness industry where physical activity is considered the cure for everything. As if it’s magic. Especially for mental illness.

    But this shit is rarely black and white.

    “One potential take-home from this paper is that even for highly motivated people who choose to try running therapy for their mental health problems, many will stop the therapy soon after. Meanwhile, 82 percent of those who took medication were still compliant at the same time-point.”

    “This is not to say that if you are anxious or depressed that running—or another form of movement—isn’t worth trying at all. If you can exercise, it’ll probably help your mental health, to some extent. Frankly, every single study we’ve ever run suggests that exercising is good for your health, physical and mental. But the evidence also seems to show that as a practical intervention, exercise has limited applicability to real people in the real world. And there’s currently no good reason to believe that it will be as effective as medication.”

    Here’s the article

    -J

  • Staying safe while improving power

    If you’re not currently strength training (get on it!), get a solid 4-6 weeks of training under your belt before adding power exercises.

    Training power requires a lot of speed and coordination. Having a bit of base strength will help you control those movements.

    If you’ve got knee pain or such, it’s probably best to avoid jumping for now. Yet another reason why kettlebell swings are such a good option.

    Whatever the power exercise you’re doing, get the form right first. Increase the speed as you become more confident with the movement.

    -J

  • When to train power in the workout

    To get the most out of power exercises, train power first thing in the workout. Here’s why:

    Higher energy levels: You have the most energy before you let all hell break loose. Power exercises need a lot of effort and quick, strong movements. Doing it first means you can give it your all.

    Lower injury risk: Power training exercises require good form, especially jumping or lifting fast. You can control your movements better when you’re not tired, making it safer.

    Muscles work better: Power exercises need fast-twitch muscle fibres, which work best when you feel like the Woollies fresh food section: fresh.

    If you wait until later in the workout, these muscles won’t respond as well, and you might not get all the benefits.

    Sharper focus: Your brain and nerves are more alert at the beginning of a workout. This helps with quick movements needed in power training. As you get tired, your coordination and focus can drop.

    The muscles, nerve connections and stuff only adapt and improve when challenged more than before. That is only possible when you’re feeling fresh and sharp. Which I am sure is also an aisle in Woollies.

    So, tag a power exercise at the start of your workouts. That way, you can do the exercises with more energy and better form and squeeze out all the juicy benefits.

    -J

  • Other power training options

    If you’re not up for learning the kettlebell swing (or simply don’t want to).

    But before I list other options, here’s why I like the swing so much.

    With swings, you can generate a lot of force with a relatively light weight. Not only to drive power out of the lower body but also to strengthen the upper body and the core. And when done right, it’s super safe.

    Ok, with that out of the way, other power training options:

    • Box jumps (two-legged, single-legged, lateral…). Land hips high and like a ninja.
    • Med ball slams if you’re lucky to own a ball and a surface that can take a beating. One of my clients once cracked a paver in her backyard and ruined a good patch of grass. Her husband suggested that she’d move on to concrete after that. When you slam the ball, channel all your accumulated frustration and stress into that damn ball.
    • Squat jumps. Jump high, land soft.
    • Gym options: ski erg, battle ropes…

    3×4-6 reps for the jumps. 3×8-10 for the rest.

    Keep the reps crisp. Slow “reload” between each rep.

    -J

  • Better than strength?

    As you age, power decreases at the rate of 1.5 that of strength. Maintaining and improving power in your 40s and beyond is crucial for aging and thriving like an absolute badass.

    But what is power really?

    Power is the speed at which you can exert maximum muscular strength. It’s about how quickly you can exert force, involving more explosive, quick movements.

    Mmmmmkay, but what does that mean?

    – Tripping on a tree root, catching your footing and avoiding losing the front teeth.
    – Quick turns on the slopes.
    – Getting on the board fast enough to catch a wave.
    – And, when older, power can be the difference between slipping in the shower and breaking your hip and not breaking it.

    Convinced? Here’s how to train power at home.

    You need a kettlebell with a challenging weight. 12kg is good for most women when first practising the form.

    But you want to jump 16kg sooner rather than later. And eventually to 20kg.

    3 sets of 8-10 reps. Three times a week.

    Keep the reps crisp.

    -J

  • Poor man’s virtual reality

    Here are some questions I’ve been thinking about:

    Can we use virtual reality to show people how their future will be if they don’t change their habits?

    Can we make them feel amazing by showing what’s possible if they adopt healthier habits?

    I don’t have access to VR goggles. But I’ve got a relatively good imagination and a pair of Raybans. You can play along at home:

    Put on your Raybans, and for the next few minutes, imagine they’re virtual reality goggles.

    Take yourself to 2050.

    Based on your current lifestyle and exercise habits, how do you see yourself 17 years from now?

    Are you content with what you see?

    If not, what would need to change to make 2050 more pleasant?

    -J

  • Master of reality

    Plans for the day:

    1. Get a bunch of work done.
    2. Get in a solid afternoon workout.

    Reality:

    1. Up most of the night with a sick kid.
    2. A day of sitting on the couch watching Frozen and Gabby’s Dollhouse.

    When our plans get derailed, we can feel as frustrated and shitty as we want to (and I definitely wanted to). But isn’t this what life’s all about?

    Making important plans and then diverting to something that matters more than the plans we had.

    -J