SHOULD ATHLETES CARB LOAD?

PRE-GAME PASTA NIGHTS PROBABLY AREN'T A GOOD IDEA ANYMORE.

I know it's an old-school train of thought, and we've all done it and probably still do it a little bit. But carb loading is a very misunderstood topic and we should probably not let our kids do what we did back in high school.  It's ok to eat a few extra carbs to replenish some glycogen stores, but doing it in the sense of what we typically imagine---gorging ourselves on extreme portions of spaghetti and garlic bread---probably isn't a good idea.

1. EATING A BUFFET OF PASTA THE NIGHT BEFORE COMPETITION ISN'T THE WAY TO GO.

For kids and adults, eating a boat load of carbs the night before an event really isn't going to do anything, other than make you feel heavy and uncomfortable the next morning.  Pre-game prep is more about what you do for days and weeks leading up to the event, not the day before. Listen to what the International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA) says, "Good nutrition is training nutrition; it is about the food one eats day in and day out while preparing for competition day. Simply put, the adaptations that take place during training (and the food one eats during this time) are what lead to successful competition-day performance. One's only goal during a pre-competition meal is to not screw things up! (Dr. John Berardi, Foundations of Youth Conditioning)."

2. DON'T CHANGE YOUR EATING PLAN

Before a performance event, you don't want to change up your eating style. This is not the time to test out new things. The goal is actually to keep things the same so your stomach is not paying for it while competing. While intentions are good to get the "right" stuff in your body for a big day, ingesting what you're not used to may not sit well and could potentially hinder your performance.  If you think about it, most kids aren't eating properly to begin with anyways. So trying to add the good stuff in an attempt to boost performance and energy right before competition may disturb the gastrointestinal tract and cause stomach cramps and the urge to go number 2!  Athletes should stick to what they know won't cause these issues.

In summary, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

• Plan a proper eating plan for weeks leading up to an event.
• Maybe increase your carb intake a little bit during the week of, particularly before, during, and after workouts.
• Eat veggies and fruits at any meal and "other" carbs mostly after exercise.
• The pre-competition meal a few hours before should be a comfortable amount, and simply to provide energy for competition without risking discomfort or fatigue.
• Do not overeat and do not try anything new too close to competition.

It's not about me,
Coach Theo, IYCA YFS1, YSAS, YHSCS, YAAS

References: IYCA, Foundations of Youth Conditioning, Chapter 9.

HOW TO GET IN INCREDIBLE SHAPE, TRAIN SMARTER THEN HARDER

PRINCIPLE #1:THERE ARE MULTIPLE ASPECTS OF TRAINING.To master one thing may mean you sacrifice another.  For example you can be strong as heck, but not fit. (The person who can deadlift 500lbs but carries 30% body fat). You may look good but not be healthy. (The extreme bodybuilder who walks around with not enough fat). You can do a weight loss workout that detriments your performance. (Too many sets for calorie burn, leaving little to no energy to exert yourself at 100%).  *This doesn't have to happen though.

PRINCIPLE #2: YOU NEED A MIX OF EVERYTHING
There's strength, power, speed, endurance, weight strength, body weight strength, flexibility, etc. All interconnect and to be well rounded probably means to be great at many aspects rather than just specifying in one.

PRINCIPLE #3: KNOW WHY YOU'RE DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING
You need to know what your goals are and why you're training, to determine HOW YOU TRAIN. Do you want to be strong as heck? Then you probably shouldn't be doing 100 sets each wk to max reps on your curls for the girls. Do you want to increase your 5k speed? Then you probably don't want to run 7 milers 3x a week.  Do you want to lose weight? Then you probably shouldn't only power lift.  Do you want to be in ultimate shape and conditioning? Then In my opinion. you probably need a good mix of everything.

Analyzing your WHY will help you determine how you're spending your time training. That coolest new trendy DVD, or workout class, or gym down the street, may not be the right fit for you. 

It might be feel good....

It might be "hard"....

It might be what everyone else is doing....

But it may not be effective...for....you.

Be in tune to fine-tune your life.

It could be an absolute game-changer.

It's  not about me,
Coach Theo

Stephanie loses 30lbs, her game-changing transformation

Just this past December, Stephanie K. came walking through our gym doors.  She was a little nervous, somewhat uncertain as to what to expect, but totally geared up.  I could see it in her face that she was ready to go.  

Not even a few weeks later and I knew for sure she had the x-factor.  Attitude is everything and I quickly saw that she had the heart of a champion.

Here are three things that immediately stood out about Stephanie:

• She’s fun.
• She’s not afraid to try new things.
• She’s not afraid to get strong.

That’s why she’s running her first 5k this Friday at Smiles For Sophie in Avon Lake, Oh.  She set it as a goal about a month ago, pulled together a training program, and started logging in the miles.  

She’s also signed up for our upcoming HITMAN CHALLENGE on Aug. 16. Climbing monkey bars, 8ft walls, and pulling heavy sleds doesn’t seem to intimidate her a bit.  Oh yea, and she got her family to sign up too. 

This is when fitness becomes meaningful, when it becomes bigger than you.  Stephanie’s example is inspiring other people to make a change too. Her husband has lost 20lbs since he joined her journey.  She attributes her husband and kids as her main source of motivation. “My motivation is and always will be my family! I take care of me and then I can be a better wife and mom.”

We haven’t even got to the good stuff yet.  Stephanie has lost an incredible 30lbs to date. She has dropped 8 sizes.  And she’s still going!  “My newest motivation is getting stronger. I love feeling stronger! And I'm not done yet!!”

There’s no stopping this girl and I can’t wait to see what she accomplishes next.

WHAT DOES SHE SAY IS THE HARDEST PART

Stephanie agrees that the hardest part is nutrition. “Learning the good and the bad, when to eat things and when not to and trying to make the changes stick!”  

WHAT’S BEEN HER BIGGEST CHANGE

“My biggest change has to be exercise. In the past, I have exercised and enjoyed it but I always stopped when the girls were out of school for summer and I have never ever trained like we do. I have never used the equipment and have never pushed myself so hard. I've never seen changes like this before either.”

Let me point out that Steph has 4 children, ALL GIRLS by the way!!!  She finds a way to get it done.  

We love having her a part of the family. She has an amazing servant’s heart. She always willing to help with an event, she’s always welcoming and helpful to new members who walk into class for the first time, and she never hesitates to offer to hold our baby when we need help cleaning up after class or want to sit down to eat at the FMU cookout!  

She deserves to walk around with a new swag…..

And I love how she’s proud to support FMU apparel while she’s doing it.

Thanks for being you Stephanie K. You truly are an absolute game-changer.

It’s not about me,

Coach Theo