My Philosophy

Excellence is the result of caring more than others think is wise, risking more than others think is safe, dreaming more than others think is practical, and expecting more than others think is possible. -Unknown

The above quote by an unknown sage basically sums up how I approach life in general. I want and expect to excel in every endeavor I set my mind to. While I haven’t always had this attitude, I realize that it’s better to have it late than never!

However, when it comes to training and nutrition, I have a definite approach and philosophy that I need to make crystal clear to you guys. On my journey, I’ve gone down many paths which yielded some results, while others gave me nada! Even though my blog is only a couple of years old, I have found that my view on nutrition and training has changed. Since I don’t want to confuse those of you who are reading my blog for the first time, I’m going to detail my philosophy below:

Nutrition

Throughout my journey, my views on nutrition have changed and evolved. I started off believing that a low-fat, low-calorie approach, which we’re all familiar with, was the answer. After sub-par results, I jumped on the more protein the better bandwagon. I eagerly bought different protein shakes believing all the promises of igniting my fat burning furnace that would melt the fat away.

Since protein was my new savior, transforming to an Atkin’s-style (or Ketogenic) low-carb diet seemed like the logical next step. As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, I lost close to 60 pounds eating low-carb and not counting calories. So, needless to say, I was hooked and became a faithful follower until I hit a plateau that I couldn’t break. What’s important for you guys to understand is that instead of reaching for yet another diet book author’s plan, I decided that I it was time for me to learn and try to fully understand the how the body loses and gains weight, more specifically fat. Dr. Gregory Ellis’s Ultimate Diet Secrets was the first book that started me on this path. Before long, I had ditched the calories don’t count dogma, but soon found myself on the fringe of joining another dietary tribe - the paleo/neanderthin crowd.

And that’s exactly how I see all the different groups of dieters out there; they’re all basically tribes of folks who believe in a dietary approach so much that they defend it as if their lives depend on it. Hey, I know that in the past I have been guilty of lashing out on a forum or in a blog’s comment section with folks whom I felt didn’t possess the truth as I did. I knew that my approach was the correct and right way of losing weight, and damn all those who didn’t agree with my position! I guess I was no better than a new religious convert (take your pick) who feels the need to now go out and spread the good news to any and everyone. Fortunately, I’ve evolved and opened up my mind.

I have nothing against the various dietary tribes, and I’ve decided that I’m no longer going to argue about calories, carbs, or saturated fat with folks. I’ve also decided that I want to be clear that I no longer associate myself with any particular dietary tribe, whether it be low-carb, low-fat, paleo, or vegetarian (OK, I just threw that one in ..). Basically, I’m a dietary agnostic when it comes to a belief in the best diet that one should follow to lose weight or gain muscle. So, when people ask me what are my thoughts on nutrition, I’ll refer them to the following list:

• calorie intake must match your overall goal (i.e., eat more to gain, eat less to lose)
• protein is one of if not the most important of the three macronutrients (fat and carbs being the other two) and its intake must be adjusted depending on a person’s activity level.
• carbs are an important and needed macronutrient, especially as fuel for the muscles and immediate energy for the body.
• besides the fact that they have twice as many calories as protein or carbs, fats are not evil and should not be focused on so much either.
• eating a variety of foods is a good thing and exposes your body to various nutrients that we know are good for the body and those we are still trying to figure out.
• demonizing and severely restricting one entire food group is not only short-sighted but an extremist approach.

Ultimately, the best approach or diet for you is the one that you enjoy eating, gives you a proper mix of macronutrients depending on your activity level, and allows you to reach and maintain a level of health and fitness that you are happy with.

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