I think we've all been there at some point; feeling like the brownie (or whatever sugary delight you like) is actually calling you, singing to you of all its amazing delicious wonders! Thankfully, unlike the murderous sirens of old that used to lure sailors to their deaths with their beauty and enchanting song, this is just food. If you have ever given a food item siren-like power, then read this article from NPR.org.
I'd like to know your thoughts about willpower, so leave a comment below if you have something to add!
Recently I read Mass (A)Gain by Greg Everett. Since I have been working at adding lean mass while cutting fat, I have consistently lost weight. Everett states "... the discipline required by the pursuit of functional mass surpasses that of even aggressive weight loss."
ReplyDeleteConcerning aggressive weight gain he suggests eating a lot more food and "the hypertrophy of the functional components of muscle and connective tissue". For the past week I have been eating a lot and gaining weight while increasing my lifting of heavy (for me) weights.
This seems like it is messing up my "thinking lean attitude" which took a lot of will power to develop.
Hi Vic, If you are lean already and trying to put on more muscle weight it IS super tough to do. I totally agree with you. As long as you are eating real food (food that hasn't required technology much aside from the truck it arrived at the store on) that minimizes your body's ability to pack on fat weight. A good friend of mine (24yo, 5'6", ~150lbs now) has put on over 12 pounds of muscle in the last 4 months eating a very clean Paleo-diet and balancing out his workouts (CrossFit) and rest days. His lunches are raw vegetables and a TON of meat! I saw a picture of his lunch and thought it was groceries for the week! Amazing!
ReplyDeleteI do not think that in order to gain functional muscle you need to lose your "thinking lean attitude." I believe you can certainly have both! To me, "thinking lean" means that your body's health is paramount; that you are eating a clean diet that allows your bodies hormones etc to express themselves correctly and at the appropriate times, working out hard & heavy then resting when required.
I don't believe in those gainer shakes or meal replacement bars/shakes because of the sugar, grains, artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners and other chemicals used to make them. Those will mess with your hormones (ie insulin and cortisol) in ways that are not good for your health now or long-term. Please look to real food for your sources of calories; free-range chicken, grass-fed beef, organic fruits & veggies, avocados, pastured butter, raw milk etc. If you NEED to add some sort of "gainer shake" try to get from a respectable company that uses the cleanest ingredients you can find! You will likely have to use a couple ingredients and blend your own however.
Be PICKY when it comes to your food and your health! This is the only body we'll have in this lifetime, serve it well!
Best wishes,
michelle