Putting Lifting on Hold

Posted on February 27, 2013 by sdorsay (itrainthereforeieat)

My title is kind of punny, although I didn’t intend it to be. You’ll find out why as you keep reading…

You see, on Sunday night, I was doing a test run of these mini pecan pies, to test them out for a dinner I’m going to in a couple weeks. As I was blending up the dates with my immersion blender, a horrible, horrible thing happened.

Some of you know where this is going. And don’t worry, there are no gross pictures attached to this post. I’m not that cruel.

Stupidly, without even thinking, I reached into the blade area with my index finger to remove some of the built up date “gunk”… but forgot to unplug it first… and must have pushed the button by accident. Well, you can imagine what may have happened next, and I’ll spare you the gory details. (Side note: I know what ALL of you are thinking — “Why the hell would she stick her finger in near the blade without unplugging it” And believe me I’m asking the same question. I know it was stupid, and I’ve NEVER done that before. I know better. And I most definitely wont be doing it again!)

Luckily, Will was here to act quickly and take good care of me! Needless to say, we spent a few hours that evening in the ER, which was an experience in itself. When all was said and done, I still have my finger, but it’s all stitched up and the entire nail/nail bed had to be removed. I’m now left with a painful open wound, and a big, bulky dressing and splint on my finger for at least 2 weeks.

(Get the pun in the title now? On hold? heh heh)

And I’ve been instructed by the hand specialist to not sweat for at least the next two weeks.

I’m a sweater. I sweat a lot. I’m not one of those girls who can go to the gym with my hair down, full make up, and look like a princess after they’re done. (Who are those girls anyway?) It’s hard for me to do ANY type of workout without sweating, so I’m kind of in a bind here. Hell, it’s hard for me to get through a work day without sweating if we’re being totally honest.

(I also just want to add that I know it could be way worse. It’s just a finger, and it’s mostly intact so that’s lovely. It’s more of a pain in the arse at this point)

I’m going to keep this short because typing is a bitch right now.

Here’s the plan: I’m taking this week totally off from the gym…an unplanned deload week I guess. Seeing as just walking around raises my blood pressure enough to make the wound throb and weep (sorry I know thats gross), that will be the extent of my exercise this week. Next week I’ll try to add in some light, non-sweaty, probably bodyweight exercises and see how that goes.

Here’s where YOU all come in! I want you to leave ideas for me in the comments, because theres only so many air squats and light weighted lunges a girl like me can do. Also, I’ll be traveling for work next week (in South Carolina) so theres that. Give me some creative things to do until I can get back in the weight room, or at least out at the stadium. Nothing where I have to grip with both hands, and remember — No Sweat!! We don’t want this finger to be stumpy forever, do we?

Ready Go!

Please share some injury stories of your own — especially those that involve kitchen appliances and/or other household items

A Change In Perspective

Posted on February 25, 2013 by sdorsay (itrainthereforeieat)

I’ve noticed something lately.

I see so many people on Facebook complaining about having to drag themselves to the gym, having tricks to force themselves to “just make it there”, and commenting on how little motivation they have to get up and do anything. It seems strange to me, because I truly, honestly look forward to my gym time.

I’m not pretending that I’ve never lost motivation, or that I’ve never complained about going to work out, because I have. But not for a long, long time.

Not since I started working out in a way that I really love.

Back in the day, when I used to go to the gym, hop on the treadmill and run 3 miles, and then maybe go do some sort of nonsensical “ab routine”, I hated it. I would complain all the time. The treadmill? Absolute torture. And then I started running outside, and guess what? I kept on complaining. I hated every second of it.

Once I started lifting though, everything changed. And then a few years ago, when I started lifting heavy things, everything changed all over again. I was no longer going to the gym to drone on the elliptical or stare at a TV screen while pounding the belt on the treadmill. I was going to the gym with a purpose, with goals, with a routine that was making me happy and giving me results.

And I’m not saying that heavy lifting is the answer for all of those people out there who have little motivation to work out (although I wish that were the case). I’m just saying that at some point I had a shift in perspective, and started treating my workouts as stepping stones to bigger goals, instead of just ways to burn off that bread bowl from the day before. And maybe that is the answer.

When I used to ride along on the elliptical or treadmill, there were no real goals and there was never really a sense of accomplishment, besides the one (yes, one) time I ran 7 miles. The most exciting thing for me would be watching the number on the calorie tracker go up as I went along. Never mind that those calorie trackers on the machines are far from accurate anyway. If your biggest concern while working out is how many calories you’ve burned while watching The View, what are the chances you’re actually making any progress?

So back to this change in perspective. When I first started lifting, I finally realized that there was a form of working out that I enjoyed and that could make me feel good. Running felt like torture. Lifting, although difficult, felt amazing. And by amazing, I mean equal parts challenging and agonizing — but in a way that feels like I’m accomplshing something great. While I realize, unfortunately, that lifting does not feel so amazing to everyone, doing something to get that feeling is what it’s all about, No?

And I don’t think it’s a coincidence that most people that share those types of complaints are those who are spending countless hours on cardio machines. Maybe it’s unrelated, but of all of the lifters I know, they’re generally NOT complaining about having to work out.

It’s usually more of an “F Yeah! It’s Deadlift Day!” type of mentality.

Maybe everyone doesn’t need to dive head first into the weight room and set up camp in a squat rack, but there is something to be said about finding something that gives you that “F YEAH!!” feeling.

If you’ve been parking your ass on an elliptical for the past 2 years, have seen little progress, and have hated every second of it, what makes you think your perspective is going to change and that you’re all of a sudden going to love it? (Or that you’ll magically start to make any progress, but that’s a different story).

Of course you don’t have to change what you’re doing in the gym, but if your first thought of every day is something along the lines of “Ugh, I Have to go to the gym today. Gloomy mopey mopey dread“, than it seems silly not to. I swear there’s a saying about that sort of thing…

Find something that you love. Something that makes you feel empowered, strong, capable, and purposeful. Find something that you can put your heart into, strive for goals, and be proud of your progress. It doesn’t have to be heavy lifting of course, although if improving your strength and physique are among your goals, that seems like kind of a no brainer to me. It could be yoga, it could be training for a half (or full) marathon, it could be martial arts, or something else entirely. I guess my (rather long winded) point is this:

Stop complaining. If you hate working out, you’re not doing it right. Find something that makes your life better, through both happiness and health. Find something that can help you shift your perspective from “Ugh, I have to go do this today” to “I can’t wait to see what kind of progress I can make today!”

Is there a type of workout that makes you feel amazing? Do you usually complain about working out or do you look forward to it?

Top 5 Areas You’re Probably Not Foam Rolling

Posted on February 20, 2013 by sdorsay (itrainthereforeieat)

Foam Rolling has become about as trendy as skinny jeans lately, and I don’t hate it.

I’m a big believer in foam rolling, even though there is not a large amount of research to back it up. I’m a believer because of anecdotal experience, both from myself and from the athletes that I treat on a daily basis.

Foam rollers are a tool used by many fitness enthusiasts and professionals, and essentially help you to perform a technique called myofascial release on yourself. (Note: When using a foam roller, you are not stretching the muscles. Common misconception.) The theory, in a nutshell, is that the fascia (connective tissue) that surrounds all of our muscles, can get bound up with scar tissue and adhesions from daily use, movement patterns, etc. The foam roller is a tool that can be used to loosen these adhesions, allowing your muscles to move more freely throughout their range of motion. Again, the research is not really there, but I’ve had good results. So until I stop getting good results, I’ll continue to use it and recommend it.

Most people out there who have step foot in a gym over the past couple of years have at least seen foam rollers if they haven’t personally used them. However, while most people who use them know to roll the larger muscle groups such as the quads, hamstrings, and hipflexors, a lot of people miss the smaller or harder to reach areas, which can be just as important (if not more so).

The following are 5 of the areas that most people miss when foam rolling, thus missing out on many of the potential benefits:

1. IT Band - While this is a fairly common one, I know there are still some people out there who don’t know what their IT Band is. Essentially, it’s a thick band of connective tissue that runs from the outside of your hip to the outside of your knee. It can be a nagging cause of pain for many people, especially runners. Because of it’s placement, and due to the fact that it’s not actually a muscle, you can’t really stretch your IT Band. This is where the foam roller comes in, to help areas along the ITB that generally have increased friction, such as just above the outside of your knee.

With all of your weight on the outside of your thigh use your other foot to assist you to roll from just below your hip, to just above your knee.

2. Medial and Lateral Quad – Most people foam roll the very anterior (front) portion of their quad group, but they forget that the quadriceps are made of up of 4 muscles! While two of them are located on the anterior thigh, there are also medial and lateral quad muscles that need to be taken care of as well. It’s these parts of the quad (especially the medial, or VMO), that often contribute to knee pain such as “runners knee”

Notice how my legs are rotated out so that my feet are pointing away from each other.

To target the VMO (or medial/inner quad), position yourself over the foam roller as you would for the quads normally, with the foam roller directly under the front of your thighs. Rotate your legs away from eachother so that you are slightly “duck footed”, and roll down to just above your knee (see picture above). For the lateral thigh, position yourself on your front, and then roll slightly to each side to target each leg separately (see picture below).

In this picture I am rolling the lateral (outside) part of my Left Quadriceps muscle group

3. Adductors: (Muscle group along your inner thigh) Position yourself so that one leg is turned out, and the foam roller is under your inner thigh. Yes, it will look a little awkward if you do this in public, but it’s an important area to foam roll! Overly tight adductors can inhibit your glutes which can effect compound movements such as squats, and keeping them loose can do wonders for your hip mobility and range of motion.

Not the most flattering pose when in a public place…

4. Hip External Rotators/Gluteus Medius: There is a group of smaller muscles that work to externally rotate (turn out) your hip, as well as the gluteus medius, which is basically a cap over your hip joint. When these muscles are overly tight, they can cause movement dysfunction, hip pain, knee pain, and other ailments. Keeping this tissue healthy is not only important for proper movement patterns for squats and deadlifts, but also for general hip and lower extremity quality of movement.

Position yourself so that you are sitting on the foam roller, with one leg crossed over the other in a figure-4 position. Shift your weight slightly to the side that of your crossed leg, and roll back and forth a few inches each way.

It’s hard to see in the picture, but I am shifted a little bit to the L side, so that my weight is on the L upper glute/hip area. I will also keep my legs in this position and roll almost completely to the L side to reach more of the Glute Medius

5. Lats/Upper Back: Of all the areas that people foam roll, this one is probably forgotten the most. Many people associate foam rollers with your lower body, but the upper back and lats (Latissimus Dorsi, or the bat wings, as they’re sometimes called) are just as important. Overly tight lats can lead to shoulder pain and dysfunction, back pain as well as a whole slew of other problems since it is such a large muscle and is used often.

Position yourself so that you are lying on one side, with the foam roller under the upper portion of your lats on that side, and that arm above your head. Your weight should be resting just under and to the back of your armpit, and trust me, this will not be comfortable. Roll back and forth a few inches, or you may also be able to find an exceptionally tight spot and stay on it for 20-30 seconds.

Don’t be fooled, no one ever smiles when they foam roll their lats. This is one of those “hurts so good” moments.

6. Sacrum: Your sacrum forms the base of your spine, just above your coccyx, or tail bone. I’m not telling you to roll directly over the bone, but the ever important gluteus maximus attaches along the side edges of the sacrum, and paying special attention to this area is important for proper hip mobility and function. Keep in mind that the gluteus maximus is one of the biggest, and strongest muscles in your body when it is functioning correctly. Keeping this tissue healthy is king when it comes to your big compound lifts, and for running too for those of you who don’t lift.

Position yourself so you are seated on the foam roller, with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Shift slightly to one side so that your weight is just on the side of your sacrum, and roll back and forth about 4-5 inches. Continue on the other side.

I know it looks like I”m just sitting there, but I actually am doing something here. You can’t really tell by the picture, but my weight is shifted ever so slightly to the side, to really get in along the glute attachments along the sacrum.

General Notes:

Spend a decent amount of time on each area. Although it will depend on each area and the density of the tissue, 30 seconds – 2 minutes should be sufficient.
This will not be comfortable! You shouldn’t be in agonizing pain, but it won’t feel like rolling through a field of daisies, either. The good news though, is that the more often you do this, the less it will hurt!
Do this regularly. Ideally, it should be part of your dynamic warm up, cool down, and also a part of your daily routine even on days when you’re not working out.
You may have to play around with this a little. Especially in the hip area, you may have to move your body around at a few different angles to the areas that feel especially tight. I always encourage my athletes to really take some time and notice how you feel at each spot. The area of your hips that needs more attention could be totally different than mine, so pay close attention when doing these drills.

Do you foam roll, and how often? What are the areas that you focus on the most? Do you find any areas to be so painful that you can’t tolerate it? Do you foam roll before or after your workouts (or both?)

My Thoughts on Intermittent Fasting

Posted on February 15, 2013 by sdorsay (itrainthereforeieat)

Well I’ve been officially doing Intermittent Fasting for about 12 days now. Two full work weeks have passed, and I have to admit, I’m really liking it so far.

And surprisingly, I don’t say that sarcastically.

(For those of you who don’t know what I’m referring to, you can read these two posts here and here to find out more about IF and how/why I’m doing this).

I’ve been documenting like a mad woman, and have a few observations so far. Some of these are things that have surprised me and some that I expected. So in no particular order, here are my thoughts on IF so far:

IF is essentially an exercise in meditation. Ok, this may not be accurate, because I don’t meditate (even though I know I should). But really, the first several hours of each day, from waking around 6:30 until 11 or 12, I’ve been really training my mind to not focus on the hunger. I’m not going to starve, I know I’ll be totally fine and that I’ll be eating in a few hours, but sometimes it takes some serious mental energy to not stare at the clock and daydream about peanut butter and cookies.

I eat less overall (not on purpose). I did not start this with the intention of it being a “diet” or trying to restrict my calories in any significant way. What I have found, though, is that I have decreased my caloric intake simply because I’m not hungry between meals. Ever. Eating 3 normal sized meals within the span of 8 hours (and sometimes 7), doesn’t leave much time in between meals, and so my usual mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks have all but disappeared. This has probably decreased my daily intake by about 300+ calories. I’m hardly ever hungry by the time my second meal time rolls around, and am really just eating because I know I should. Last night I had to basically force feed myself my 3rd meal, because I had to eat it a little bit earlier than scheduled (due to work). That wasn’t the most comfortable thing, but it wasn’t the worst thing in the world either.
Morning hunger really isn’t that bad. I used to think that I always woke up hungry and that I had to eat as soon as I woke up. Now I realize that yes, sometimes I do wake up feeling hungry, but that feeling generally passes within a half hour. I’ll have a cup of coffee and generally be good until my first meal which is always either at 11 or 12, depending on my training time.
Hunger pangs do pass, except for when they don’t. Most of the time when I’ve gotten really hungry during the morning or evening after my last meal, the feeling has passed within about a half hour, which is totally manageable. I’ve also learned that keeping myself busy is an excellent way to ignore these, which has meant that cleaning has been happening in the mornings when I’m feeling especially hungry. Again, not the end of the world. But there have been two days over the past two weeks where the hunger pangs didn’t go away, and that was pure torture. A few days ago, I even made a point to leave for work early, so that I could walk around downtown to keep myself busy. For some reason, that ended up being my hungriest day, and by the time I got to work, I was in a very bad place. I even had to tell people not to talk to me until I ate something (and I meant it 100%. Luckily most of them know what I’m doing with this experiment). That was the only really difficult morning I’ve had though.

This is how I felt that day.

Training fasted isn’t all that bad, except for when it is. For the most part, my strength when training fasted has been completely fine; I’ve even increased in a couple lifts over the past couple of weeks (moving my split squat up to 105 lb from 95, and inching closer and closer to 100 lb on my bench!). And generally when lifting, I don’t notice a difference in how I feel. There have been a couple of conditioning days though, where a) my legs felt like total bricks and b) I’ve gotten extremely light headed and short of breath very quickly. These have been torture and make me feel like I’ve been smoking 3 packs a day for 5 years. Yuck. Granted, the first of these was in the first few days of this program, so I was clearly still adjusting big time. And I did finally have a good conditioning session on Wednesday, so maybe I’m past that now. We’ll see next week.

There we have it. These are my observations about IF so far. I’ll be doing this for at least another two weeks, and will then update you all with full disclosure. I’ll give you a sample meal plan from a regular day, talk about any body composition changes that may or may not happen (nothing has changed yet…but it’s only been 2 weeks. Let’s be realistic).

Would you consider trying Intermittent Fasting? Do you always wake up hungry or do you skip breakfast naturally?

Have a wonderful weekend everyone, and don’t forget to visit (and like) my new Facebook Page!

Work Those Glutes: Kettlebell Pyramid Workout

Posted on February 13, 2013 by sdorsay (itrainthereforeieat)

I haven’t posted a workout on here in a while, so what better day than today?

This is similar to the Burpee Pyramid that I posted about a million years ago, with a few other things added in. When ever I have to work out at home, I love utilizing a pyramid scheme, as I can work up a great sweat in a shorter amount of time.

And with the KB swings and high rep, lightly loaded squats, this is a great plan to work on that explosive power from the hips and glutes, which will be very helpful for my weekly stadium runs! If I have any readers who are part of the November Project (or who otherwise frequently do hill sprints or stadium runs), give this workout a try on one of your days off. It’ll get those glutes ready for the stadium on a day when you can’t actually get out there (say, when everything is covered in 2 ft of snow).

Even for those who don’t do stadiums/hills regularly, doing a little glute focused workout will be good for you too. The glutes are one of the most important muscle groups in the body, and getting them properly activated is so important for proper movement patterns, avoiding injury, and just plain old beasting your workout!

Here’s the workout that I did on Saturday, since I was snowed in and couldn’t get to the gym. Just another reason why investing in a couple heavy KBs is a smart idea — you can get a great workout in with extremely little equipment. Plus, they make for excellent decor.

Equipment Used: Heavy KB (24 kg, or about 53 lb), TRX (homemade).

Notes:

Form is imperative for KB swings. This is a hip-hinge movement, not a squat. The KB should swing due to momentum and explosion from your hips/glutes, not your arms. Keep your back flat and your lats engaged.
These are HEAVY KB swings. If 10 lbs is heavy for you, than so be it. But most of you will be able to swing much more than this.
The Goblet squat is a lighter weight than you would normally do. Doing so many reps would be near impossible with a heavy goblet squat. These can also be bodyweight squats if that fits your fitness level better. I used a 15 lb KB which was very light for me, but it was all I had besides the heavy ones.
Take as little rest as possible during the pyramid set.
For the weighted glute bridges, hold the heavy KB over the front of your pelvis, as you would with a barbell for a barbell glute bridge. Place a folded towel under the KB for comfort.
Want a challenge? Time yourself! Do this workout again next time you need a quick, in-home workout and beat your previous time.

That’s all folks, now go get strong!

#BeBetter

Do you have kettlebells at home? What is your favorite piece of at-home workout equipment?

If You Don’t Have Anything Nice To Say…

Posted on February 10, 2013 by sdorsay (itrainthereforeieat)

On Friday, I finally launched a Facebook page for my blog. I’ve been told a thousand times by other (bigger) bloggers that having a FB page is important for exposure and readership, I just kept putting it off, until finally I just did it.

I don’t even have much up there yet — really just a profile photo, cover photo, and a couple of posts.

And wouldn’t you know it, after a year of having this blog with no real negative, hurtful comments, I get one on my FB page within a few hours of sharing the page. The comment was regarding the fact that this fine gentleman apparently thinks I need to slim down a little. Yes, it was a fairly mild comment (as far as internet cruelty goes), followed by an “lol”. Does that mean it was a joke?

And if it was just a joke, does that make it ok?

Is it ok to make an insulting “joke” at the expense of someone whom you’ve never met, whom you have no idea of their back story? Someone who may or may not have a history of disordered eating, or who may be struggling with body image at this very moment? Does the fact that you don’t find that person appealing give you the right to tear them down in a public forum?

Not to my knowledge. Even if it is a joke.

Maybe I’m more sensitive to it because I’m newer to the blogging world. I don’t post a ton of pictures of myself on the blog, mostly because I don’t have them. Trust me, one of my goals for this year is getting some lifting pictures to put up here, so it’s not like I’m trying to hide anything. I’m confident in my health, strength, and physical appearance, so why is it that a silly little comment from some internet troll has the ability to bring tears to my eyes? Maybe because I wasn’t always so confident, and that girl that has always felt a little “big” is still hiding in here somewhere.

I’m not going to draw this out because we’ve all heard it before. In fact, Tara published this post on Friday just after I got that comment — talk about perfect timing! But it’s been on my mind so I just have to put it out there:

We, as people, are better than that. We are better than negative comments over the internet that serve no purpose other than hurting someone else. I know I should just brush it off, and you all have every right to tell me just that. And I am, but the sting is going to last for a few days. It was my first instinct to delete the comment, and then had to fight off an urge to make a nasty comment back. But what good would that do? That just puts me at his level, however low that is. What I will say is this: I am not, and never will be a small, thin girl. I have strong, muscular legs that I have grown to love. Although there was a time when this wasn’t the case, I’m proud to be carrying around a big ol’ booty, because I’ve worked hard for it.

I would like to think that none of my readers are the kind of people who would post such comments, but just in case you ever get the urge, just stop and think for a minute. If I wasn’t in such a good place right now, that could have sent me spiraling. If I were still in the grips of the disordered thoughts that consumed me years ago, this one small comment could have ruined me. Just remember that you don’t know what else someone else has going on, and that your comment could very well be the one that sends them over the edge into a place that no person should be pushed into. Especially by some stranger on the internet.

Don’t be that person. Be Better.

Book Review: The End of Overeating

Posted on February 8, 2013 by sdorsay (itrainthereforeieat)

Well, I’m 5 days into my Intermittent Fasting experiment. And you know what? It’s going really well! My body has responded positively so far, but I’m not going to go into too much detail right now; I’ll save that for a full post a little bit later on. Just know that my transition into this style of eating has been… (dare I say it?) easy for the first few days. Let’s hope it keeps going in this direction!

Speaking of eating…

I told you guys a while back that I had a few book reviews coming at ya. Here is the first of those, and I must say up front, this is a book that I really enjoyed. I actually read it twice, the second time taking some notes so that I could actually write a good review for you all.

In this book, The End of Overeating, by David A. Kessler, MD, the author investigates the physiological and psychological factors behind over eating. He also explores the lengths to which most large food corporations and restaurant chains go to manipulate us as consumers, helping to encourage the overeating epidemic. It’s a theme that many of us can relate to, but even if you aren’t a habitual overeater, but taking the time to learn about how our bodies respond to certain stimuli can be useful in helping you reach your health and nutrition goals.

Kessler spends time in the beginning of the book describing why we overeat, and what exactly is going on in our brains when we do so. According to him and his research, the brain creates a reward response to “hyper-palatable foods”. What makes a food hyperpalatable? The combination of sugar, fat, and salt. If you think about the foods in the standard american diet (SAD), many foods are essentially just layers of these three things. Think about a plate of nachos, which is really just fat on salt on fat. Not only does this combination make food taste good, but it also activates the reward system in the brain, making us want more (and more, and more).

And what else makes a food hyperpalatable, according to the author? The presence of multiple stimuli within the food. Think chocolate-chip-caramel-brownie ice cream vs. strawberry ice cream. The additional stimuli (mixture of textures and flavors) in the former are what makes it so palatable to the average consumer. (Plus the layering of sugar and fat, of course).

Take away point: We don’t always just eat too much because we like the food in front of us; highly palatable foods actually change our brain chemistry, leading us to seek continued stimulation.

Now let’s think about Big Food and modern food processing. Are major food manufacturers and restaurant chains aware of the appeal of fat, sugar, and salt? Of course they are. And according to Kessler, they use it to their advantage (and our major health disadvantage).

How do they do this?

Pre-chewed meat: Yes, you read that right. Did you know that the “chicken breast” at most chain restaurants has been “pre-chewed” in a machine before being sent to the restaurant and then to your dinner plate? This makes the food more easily chewable, helping you to eat more in a shorter amount of time. Pretty gross huh?
Excessive Layering and Multi-Sensory experiences: Think about your favorite chain restaurant (and if you don’t frequent chain restaurants, think about the commercials you see for them on TV). Think about the meals and appetizers they advertise at these places; super-loaded nachos, loaded potato skins, burgers with 10 different toppings, etc. These are all very deliberately created meal options, all with multiple layers of flavors, textures, fat, salt, and sugar.

So do we even have a chance of changing this behavior?

The author suggests that just because many of us have been conditioned to seek out these hyperpalatable foods, this is not the end-all be-all of our eating habits. There are ways to shift our perception of foods and to change the way that our brains respond to the stimuli. He suggests a few different strategies for overriding the old behaviors, but I’m not going to get into those here because I really do recommend reading this book yourself.

Overall Thoughts?

All in all, I thought this book was an excellent read. The science and theories presented can be applicable to many different people, and the author does a great job of presenting the information in a way that is intellectual and informative, yet still entertaining. I am a little weary about the way that fat is demonized, but I understand where he is coming from in terms of the standard American diet. I think learning about the brain’s responses to certain foods is fascinating, and I agree with the author that there is much more to overeating than just “poor will power”. I recommend this book to everyone, not just those who have trouble with overeating. It will change the way you look at junk, it will change the way you think about your cravings, and it will change the way you look at Big Food.

Do you think that you struggle with overeating? Do you ever feel that food has control over you rather than the other way around? Have you read this book, and what did you think?

Note: I found this book by a random search on Amazon, the author has no idea who I am or that I’m writing this review. This is NOT an advertisement.

I Train Therefore I Eat.

Nutrition, Strength Training, and joie de vivre