This guy should know.


John Belushi's Little Chocolate Donuts from GetToDaChopper on Vimeo.

breakfast. I make sure that all sugar is converted to ethanol before I consume it for breakfast.

ass recipes, just google "Paleo" and the food item of interest). I don't doubt that some of them might taste good, but cavemen didn't just use 1/3C of maple syrup instead of 2T of sugar...

I was friendsing gmurphy.

Just asking. I have seen so many conflicting theories on this that I have no idea what is right.

You want to drop some poundage, eat less. But what would I know about it...

Dumb fifth grade joke that's scarred me for life, couldn't resist. No need to answer.

Thanks for your post. I enjoy telling my wife she's wrong.

A ten year old told me that joke, probably 20 years after the last time I had heard it, in clinic. I weep for our nation.

Nothing bad happens when you fast for brief intervals. In fact, plenty of good things happen, such is increased insulin sensitivity. It might not be optimal for performance, bodybuilding, etc., but it isn't devastating. In fact, there is both scientific and anecdotal evidence that it just might be a valid option for improved performance. I think it's a highly individual thing.

When you eat sugar and trans-fat, you are ingesting poison.

There's really no comparison.

I've read and heard that one of the most common habits of obese people is that they skip breakfast.

My unscientific take on that is they overcompensate at later meals.

People who skip breakfast are not only more apt to eat more, but eat poorly. They get to lunch and all the body's alarms starting going off, so they run to the nearest Mexican restaurant for chips and and burrito.

Fasting is an acceptable method for fat loss if you can discipline yourself to still eat cleanly and in appropriate portions. Note that appropriate portions can still be fairly large. If I do a fasting day, I don't skip calories from meals 1, 2, and 3. I consume them all together from clean foods at the start of the feeding window. Get your protein requirement, old timer!

I am a committed carnivore.

half-pound bag of Twizzlers is a no ...

But, even then, I posted recently about why fruit isn't the freebie food everyone assumes it to be.

You go ahead and eat that pear, and enjoy the hell out of it. Just eat some protein with it. And don't go an an eight-pear-per-day "fast."

Also, I said sugar and trans-fat are poison. I didn't say they weren't delicious. I eat crap during cheat meals. I just don't try to convince myself it's healthy.

Now, pass the Twizzlers.

probably best rib shack east of Chicago. Always a great place in South Bend. Saw many of the varsity team there on a Saturday night. I know this post has nothing top do with nutrition, I just wanted to do a shout out for Lee's Ribs. Gone but definitely not forgotten.

being a student from 77-81

from Harris Liquor Store.

I think that place just closed down.

They were kind enough to sell a couple of 20-year-olds who weren't from the immediately surrounding neighborhood a case of Bud for 20 dollars in 1980.

That was about a 14 dollar markup from their usual price, I'm sure.

you must have lived in the wrong dorm.

Or you were in one of those majors where you had to study a lot. My pre-med classmate brother-in-law never heard of it either. I've often said to him I know we went to the same school because I would see him in the dining hall.

They're still the best ribs I've ever had.

Or so I was told.

That killed their business.

It was one of the saddest days in the history of food.

I still have a Lee's T-shirt. It doesn't fit, but I do still have it, along with fond memories of tips and hot sauce on fries. The hot sauce at Lee's (where mild meant hot and hot meant "holy shit!") would not only put hair on your chest, it would burn it right back off again.

They were targeted by excise pretty hard in 1986-87. The back to back "Lightning Never Strikes Twice" busts were pretty devastating to them. When you get busted two nights in a row and 90% of the patrons are underage, you've got a problem.

I was subpoenaed (as were many of my drinking buddies) to testify at their trial.

And you're right, one of the best things about the place as a student other than the food was they let just about anyone in with even the lamest of fake ID's. We used to joke that Lee's would serve beer to a 12 year old with a note from his mother.

Damn, I loved that place.

supported the tips, fries and sauce.

The ambiance was delightful.

Well soaked in the best BBQ sauce ever invented.

We always said "you're not a man unless you eat the bread".

was that they sold. I'm proud to say that I dined at Lee's on my 21st b-day. I covered the Papal Mass at Grant Park the next day for WSND while nursing a serious hangover.

I was told they had a fire some time in the late 80's. The last time I recall going there was after the '85 USC game.

I remember my roommate wondering if Faust saved his job yet again and the consensus being "God, I hope not!"

But can't remember if it was the last time I was there or not.

Man, our ships have passed in the night on numerous occasions.

Mostly because I've never found reason not to when it comes to dieticians.

you know a whole heck of a lot, and that many of these seemingly qualified people are severely deficient in one or many ways (S&C coaches, dieticians, etc.).

At the same time, that sort of supreme confidence that so many professionals are so wrong makes me, someone with no knowledge of the area, wonder if your opinions are largely based on unprovable theories rather than fact. That is, if it's so clear like you make it out to be, why aren't you revolutionizing these fields?

To be clear, I'm not saying your wrong; I have no basis to doubt your arguments in any way. Instead, I'm saying that the generalized criticisms — if not attacks — on huge majorities of professionals make me (a reasonable, I think, reader) wonder if you have some odd views that are causing you to criticize everyone else.

The body does just fine with periods of fasting. Frankly, the whole food pyramid, low fat/high carbs, you name it crap that these people have been putting out for years is just that...crap.

You want to eat healthy? Eat like we were designed to eat. Eat food that comes from the earth, in as minimally processed form as possible. Fasts won't bother you and likely help to regulate hormones. Humankind survived just fine with long fasting periods

We've made tremendous advances in so many health related areas, but diet is one that had undeniably regressed.

I'm would first answer by saying that it's much easier to pick out what is wrong with a program or philosophy than it is to build the perfect program or philosophy from the ground up. I freely admit that. And it's why when someone asked me earlier if I was qualified to run a D-1 S&C program, I said, "definitely not." Being qualified to know what someone is doing wrong is a long way from being qualified to do the whole thing yourself. And in that respect, I'm taking the easy road.

But, I've been surrounded by folks in the S&C and nutrition fields for a long time. Both fields, unfortunately, take very little expertise to enter. I like to highlight that for people because I'd prefer they not take it for granted. Mick Marotti has coached at the best programs in the country and has NC rings to show for it. He is a caveman when it comes to the science of performance development. I know, because I trained under him. Many of his techniques are factually misguided. I also recall the team sitting through a presentation from a dietician at one point. She asked, "Which of these foods is unhealthy: french fries, ice cream sundae, chicken wings, beer." I immediately thought I must be missing something. Her answer was, "none of them are unhealthy in moderation." My unspoken response to her was, "you're a fucking idiot." Know why? Because she's a fucking idiot. You don't fill a formula one car's tank with racing fuel and then top it off with diesel. Or, if you do, you don't then say, "Eh, it was just the last 1/8th of a gallon. It won't matter."

I'm also guilty of blurring the line between what I know to be factually true and what is simply my own philosophy. As has been mentioned, there are many ways to skin a cat. I would never insist that my way is the only way. But my frustration stems from people choosing ways that are factually misguided. My hatred of Oly lifts for football players stems from fact, but is mostly personal philosophy. But coaches who train their players to failure during every weight workout are factually wrong. Sprinting up a 45 degree incline is factually wrong, if you believe doing so will build speed. Dieticians who recommend eating a donut or a piece of fruit, or who talk about the food pyramid, etc. are factually wrong.

I also think the picture is skewed because I comment on all the idiocy I see in S&C and nutrition, but I don't take the time to point out the people I respect and admire. So, while it appears that I may think I know more than everyone, I want to be clear that I don't. I just know more than the people who are fucking it up. There are plenty of great strength coaches and dietary experts that make me look like a neophyte. They just aren't as visible as the idiots in the field.

There are people out there who are doing it right. It wouldn't be that hard to learn from them. But the field is too dominated by the groupthink mentality of an old-school brotherhood. If you had been exposed to the degree of scientific precision involved in the training programs throughout Europe and Asia like I have, you would look at conventionally-minded coaches in the US in a new light. Read the powerpoint below of a Buddy Morris presentation. It is the sport science equivalent of learning the multiplication tables. But I doubt most S&C coaches could even explain what it's saying. You find me a S&C coach who can talk about how he structures his program for development of the nervous system, and I'll show you a guy who knows what he's doing. Instead, we have the head S&C coach of the best program in the country shouting about players "getting swole" in his new weight room.

And for the record, I don't think Longo is a bad strength coach. I haven't seen his whole program. I just think he does some things that shouldn't be done.

familiar with the "Zone Diet", a book that came out about 15 years ago. I read it an came away impressed in that there seemed to be real science behind it. It explained how the body deals with different types of food. Not just proteine, fat and carbs, but got into the bio-chemistry of how the body deals with different types of carbs and different types of fat and how there is an ideal ration to maximize weight loss during a diet and subsequent daily living. I am sure it is this very same thing you are speaking of, on how athletes need to closely monitor what they take in. Are you familiar with Onwalu and the guy that trains the Cretin Durham kids ? Is he more along the lines of nutritionsists you speak of ? I know he is a trainer, but since James is so into his diet, I am assuming this trainer is also the same guy guiding him with nutrition. Thanks.

I don't believe it is a magic ratio that works for everyone, but I believe it's a great starting point. Most people could begin there, and then experiment with tweaked ratios to see what works best for them.

I did a little reading on Onwalu's trainer after reading your post. Very interesting guy. I don't agree with him across the board, but I love his approach to training. I couldn't find anything on his nutritional approach, though. But, in general, he is the kind of guy I was referring to. He's intelligent, operates outside conventional wisdom, gets great results, and flies completely under the radar. As such, he would never in a million years stand a chance of being hired at a D-1 S&C program.

Everything you said is absolutely reasonable, and part of the appearance that I was reacting to is probably due to the fact that few of us comment on as many good things as bad things we observe.

is not well regarded among RDs that are worth a shit. I think you're painting with a rather large brush.

as mediocre.

2 weeks ago, I actually have given up breakfast, and I find I am, after 2 weeks doing so without making unhealthy choices at lunch, perfectly capable of eating a healthy, protein rich, and small portioned lunch. I have just a coffee for "breakfast" in the morning. Further, with some discipline, I can do so again at dinner. I allow for some light carbs and fruit as a mid-afternoon snack. I have successfully cut 700 calories from my diet and have upped the ante during my morning workout. I feel great, and have past the "plateau" of weight loss I was bemoaning just two weeks ago. Back in the swing...