What's Good To Eat,Mike? You Know, But Won't Do It.

"How do I get my bench up?"  That was always the most frustrating, commonly asked question to me, when I had my gym. Reasonable question, but always asked for the wrong reasons.  Usually 16 to 25-year-old guys would ask this, who just didn't understand the hours that were needed to really address the question properly.  They were always hoping that I had some new exercise MAGIC that they couldn't find in a silly muscle publication.  Very few were really willing to understand what had to happen to your whole body, for progress to take place.

The second, and even MORE frustrating was always, "What's good to eat, can you write me out a diet?"  Again, a very reasonable question, taking days to really explore fully.  People were always hoping that I would find some organically grown beet from Northern Bruce county to be the MAGICAL saviour.  The same people, after hearing my advice, would weekly ask me the same question.  By year 3, I would tell them to go away.  They would see me eating my fruits and veggies at every meal. Turkey, and to a lesser extent fish, were also present.  Never any pop, chips, or heavily processed foods.

The point is - it's really easy. You people out there have a good general idea of what to do, but choose not to do it.  If I ask all of you to name 5 bad foods, I will hear pop, chips, hot dogs, ice cream, pop tarts, sugary foods, cake, brownies, canned spaghetti etc.  If I ask a 5-year-old to name me 5 good foods, I will hear pineapple, cucumber, grapes, strawberries, and turkey.

Get it.  We all know what is good and bad, we just choose not to be disciplined.  To really dissect things scientifically, it is a huge undertaking.  People dedicate their lives to the field of nutrition, because that's how involved it does get. 

However, before you consult a nutrition professional, use your given brain.  Loads of fruits and veggies.  Veggies - raw if possible.  Lean proteins like turkey, chicken, and eggs.  And most of all, keep away from highly processed foods. 

I got the greatest pleasure out of one of my pro hockey members.  Every summer he would come back to see me, and of course would be complaining about the 10 pounds that he would ALWAYS have to lose.  He would ask me my opinion, and EVERY summer I would give him the same suggestions.  Finally, by the fourth summer, I quite harshly said "fill up on fruits and veggies first".  That way he would only need 1 or 2 burgers, instead of the 3 that he said he always ate.  His simple response was, "are you crazy, I can't do that. I gotta live".  That was the final straw.  Folks, please, if you want help, I will gladly help.  Once, or MAYBE twice.  But that's it, unless you are asking progressive questions.  That way, I know things are evolving.