Faith in the Functional: Is your training benefiting your body or simply ruining it?

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By Richard Labaki

Most people nowadays understand the importance of integrating exercise into their daily lives.  The positive psychological and physiological effects of working out regularly have been extensively documented by countless studies.  Yet, the realm of fitness remains a moving target.  In nutrition, there are various competing philosophies – each claiming to present the right path to health (similar to how each religious group claims ownership of the sole path to God.)  The same applies to the fitness domain.  You have, for example, those who believe that weightlifting or bodybuilding is the best way to train.  And there are those who have been religiously following the CrossFit approach.  Some like to work on their endurance (marathoners) while others adopt the high-intensity interval training method (sprinters.)  But if I have learned anything throughout the years, it is simply this: Never follow a single doctrine to a point where you become a slave to it.  From every philosophy, you need to select the parts that make sense to you while discarding the elements that don’t feel right or simply fail under scientific scrutiny. 

And so here are scientific facts.  Training for endurance (such as jogging over long distances or doing low intensity cardio classes for long durations) could have a detrimental impact on your physiology.  Heart and lungs shrink in size as a result, and it is common to see marathoners collapsing of a heart attack because of endurance training.  Bodybuilding, in which training is solely intended for increased muscle growth, creates severe joint and muscular imbalances.  Just look at how bodybuilders walk; their movements resemble that of a poorly lubricated robot.  Over time, the biomechanics become utterly disrupted and bodybuilders wind up with a dysfunctional physique.  Weightlifters train in order to lift heavier weights during competition.  Again, their body becomes irreversibly damaged and most of the exercises they perform have no application in real life.  CrossFit – as a training doctrine – is probably the undisputed champion in terms of causing severe and numerous injuries.  So by now you must be wondering what could possibly be the best form of training.  To answer this question, first you need to define what you wish to derive from working out.  Personally, I believe that exercising should enhance the following aspects: Health, energy and functionality. 

Let us start with the element of health.  Training regularly should improve biomarkers in the body such as triglycerides, cholesterol ratios, blood sugar, CRP (an inflammation marker) and others.  If the way you train does not improve these variables and boost the functioning of your organs (like the lungs and the heart muscle) then it makes no sense to continue working out in that fashion.  And if the way you train does not affect your energy levels favorably – by stimulating your anabolic/anti-aging hormones and improving mitochondrial performance in the cells – then there is no point in going to the gym and sweating your heart out!  Finally yet importantly, training should address your biomechanics – work on improving your body’s functionality and range of motion while avoiding the possibility of sustaining injuries (in fact, proper training should shield your body against injuries.)  You see, the human body was designed to move through different planes of motion and in specific ways.  It is an evolutionary aspect that took millions of years to develop in order to improve the survival of our species.  But unfortunately, several training methodologies do not consider this simple yet crucial element. 

Functional forms of training are paramount and should be the foundation of any exercise regimen designed to build a healthy, strong and flexible physique.  In recent years, I have been seeking figures who have delved deep into the realm of functional training and biomechanics.  And the one who impressed me the most has to be Naudi Aguilar – creator of Functional Patterns (FP).  This man has surely gone where no one has gone before in terms of understanding how the human body was originally designed to move.  Consequently, FP as a system seeks to train the body in the right manner – every single exercise is designed to strengthen and help the body move the way it was originally intended to.  And so while other training systems are all about increasing muscle size, burning body-fat or simply teaching acrobatic exercises to impress others, FP focuses intently on posture, flexibility and proper rotation of the torso – without overlooking the element of increasing strength.  I have learned a lot from Functional Patterns, although this education has not been an official one (it has been acquired mainly through YouTube clips posted by Naudi who is very prolific in this regard.)  But soon I will start training with my friend and Functional Patterns master trainer John Haddad – owner of Level 8 Gym in Beirut (john.functionalpatterns.com).  And so, you will be hearing more about my training the FP style shortly. 

I would also like to point out that once the right exercises are performed in the proper “functional” manner, you could then apply other training philosophies to the equation.  For me, high intensity interval training (HIIT) completes the picture in terms of physiologically bolstering the body.  Research has shown that this form of training improves various biomarkers and enhances overall wellbeing, in addition to boosting energy, metabolism and body-fat burn capabilities.  I personally enjoy doing Tabata, which is an intense form of HIIT whereby I do 20 seconds of high impact exertion followed by 10 seconds of rest – repeated over eight sets.  One round equals eight sets (completed in only four minutes.)  But make no mistake; those four minutes are excruciating!  I do three rounds and so my workout is over in 18 minutes max.  Training should be part of everyone’s lifestyle, and it has to be adapted to meet each person’s needs and capabilities.  But what should never change is the functional element.  Any person will benefit tremendously from training the functional way, while failing to do so will have dire consequences – on both the short and long run.   

Weight Loss or Health Gain: Which Comes First?

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By Richard Labaki

 

(RenYou) “I felt encouraged to contact you, because I have been told that you’re not the typical ‘eat cucumbers for lunch and lettuce for dinner’ type of therapist,” says the half German half Lebanese lady during our first meeting.  “I love gourmet cuisine and I want to enjoy tasty food – caloric restriction is definitely not for me!”  At the time, Hania Senno had just given birth to her daughter and was eager to get back in shape.  My first response was that she came to the right place; I do believe in eating nutritious and tasty food and I disapprove the notion of starving oneself in order to get fit.  However, I don’t take on cases whose sole intention is weight loss.  My prime focus as a therapist has always been to improve health through natural means.  And ultimately, a healthy lifestyle would lead to improved physical shape.  But first and foremost, my mission is to boost well-being.  “I love what I am hearing; let’s get down to it then,” she responds assertively.  

As I have always done in the past, I treat each case differently for there is no cookie-cutter or one-size-fits-all solution.  Every individual is a unique case, harboring a distinct set of genetic predispositions and health challenges.  Initial tests uncovered various issues that needed to be addressed; most notable was chronic inflammation.  There were also neurotransmitter imbalances that contributed to poor memory, impaired focus and less-than-optimal mood.  But I assured Hania that all these problems could be and will be resolved through a well-devised nutritional plan. Natural supplements would be added to the mix in order to enhance further the healing process.  Luckily, she had already resumed working out (hiring a personal trainer to help in improving her body composition and toning the muscles.) 

Unknown to many, chronic inflammation is a major contributor to health problems and accelerated aging.  And this is why it has been dubbed the “silent killer”.  Under normal circumstances, inflammation plays an important role in the body, helping in the defense against invaders like microbes and assisting in the healing process in the wake of injuries.  It is only when inflammation becomes chronic that it turns ugly.  And this happens mainly due to various reasons including, high blood sugar, consuming the wrong kinds of dietary fats and simply being overweight.  And guess what happens when you suffer chronic inflammation: It becomes harder for your body to shed body-fat!    

Ten days after our initial meeting, Hania began on the customized program that I gave her.  Not only was she allowed many of the foods she loved, but also she started savoring foods she had previously believed to be unhealthy and thus avoided.  “Are you sure I can eat avocado, coconut oil and raw nuts on daily basis?  I always hear that such foods make you fat,” she kept wondering.  “I will give you a refund if you add one cm to your waist,” I kept easing her anxiety.  And it wasn’t long before positive signs started surfacing.  The bloating and digestive discomfort began to subside.  A couple of weeks later, sleep patterns and energy levels were improving.  But what surprised me the most is the level of commitment Hania has been demonstrating for over a year now – something I seldom witness in people trying to adopt a healthy lifestyle.       

Many have this false concept about healthy living.  To them, it means following a diet for only a short period in order to lose some weight or to detoxify the body.  But this is a distorted perspective.  Healthy living is about trying your best to eat clean for most part of the week and for the rest of your life.  You cannot expect to be healthy doing a single month of healthy eating followed by eating badly for 11 months – it simply doesn’t work that way!  If this is what you’ve been doing then do yourself a favor and stop wasting your time.  Only when you decide that your health is your main priority and that you should start implementing healthy habits on daily basis would this work. 

And this is a lesson Hania learned and embraced wholeheartedly.  So how far did she make it into the program, you might wonder.  Well let’s put it this way, she now flaunts an almost visible six-pack abs!  Still not impressed?  You should be, for this mother of three is in her early forties.  If she can do it, you could too.  So instead of thinking that you need to lose weight to be in good health, you should think the other way around: Be healthy and the body-fat will drop.

Count Nutrients; Not Calories

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By Richard Labaki 

 

(RenYou)  “How many calories should I ingest on a daily basis in order to be healthy and to manage my bodyweight?”  This is a question that I get asked repeatedly.  And my answer is always the same: Eat as much as you want, as long as your calories are coming from the right food sources.  Alright, I can hear you wondering how preposterous this sounds – how come it’s possible to eat as much as you want!  What if you overeat – wouldn’t this make you gain weight?  Besides, you are constantly informed by the media as well as most dieticians that counting calories is essential to staying slim.  

Well let us get this straight: First, don’t believe everything you hear – be it through the media or as conveyed by the so-called experts, who probably don’t keep abreast of the latest research and very likely stopped reading scientific books the minute they earned their degree.  Nutrition, and its impact on health, is one of those fields that are constantly being shaped by ongoing studies.  It is a moving target.  And so while some principles remain sound and solid, others crumble under the weight of new and credible research.  Counting calories is one such principle that has been proven to be neither effective nor practical (come on, do you actually have the time and the energy to calculate every food item you ingest even if counting calories were effective?!)  

Here is my simple argument: The appetite center in the brain is there to maintain your health and life.  Your brain is constantly monitoring the level of nutrients your body is receiving through food.  When you eat “empty calories” – ones that come from processed foods, such as bread, sugar, corn flakes and others – your appetite goes into overdrive.  You would be eating a lot and gaining weight but your food is devoid of the necessary nutrients to sustain health.  Ironically, this makes you overweight yet totally and utterly malnourished. 

Your appetite goes “mad” in an attempt to make you eat more until you acquire the needed vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.  However, when you eat foods that have high nutritional value (like avocado and free-range eggs for example) and your body receives the needed nutrients, then your appetite automatically regulates over time.  In other words, you reach a point where you only eat as much as your body requires – no more and no less.  Moreover, healthy food choices regulate and balance all the hormones that have an impact on appetite and satiety while poor food choices (nutrient deficient meals) have the opposite effect.  

So here is a word of advice: Instead of constantly worrying about how many calories you are consuming with every bite, start by focusing more on foods that nourish your body and well-being – giving you strength, energy and vitality.  This is an effective – and very liberating – approach.  Share your experience if you have ever tried counting calories in the past; how did it go for you?