Gnosticism in Health and Fitness

I want that blogger's secret knowledge

Increasingly I am finding that so much of the fitness & fitness blogosphere is a strange place which I am seeing more as a form of gnosticism.  Let me explain:

Gnosticism I suppose is something of a theological term.  From Wikipedia

Gnosticism comes from the Greek: gnosis which means knowledge. Some religions and sects mostly in the few hundred years before and after Christ are said to be gnostic or practice gnosticism.
This is because these religions believe that there is a special, hidden knowledge that only a few people may have.

Not to get into the theological aspects of all this, look at that last sentence:

these religions believe that there is a special, hidden knowledge that only a few people may have.
 

Gurus & Salesmen

So often we treat our interest in Health and Fitness this way.  We are on a constant search for the  "special, hidden knowledge".  The are looking for the secrets: the special diet, the new routine, the amazing new supplement or exercise.  And on this search we become vulnerable to the gurus and to the marketing people.

The gurus are the purveyors of this special knowledge.  They have their own unique approach to diet or exercise which so often is put forward as the One True Way.  We gather around them in tribes or sects: RenEx, Crossfit, RKC or whatever.  Paleo, WAPF, Primal.

As in cults and sects behind it all often there are those who see the congregation as a source of income. We buy the ebooks, the newsletters, the DVDs because we want the secret knowledges.....

We have gurus pedalling their secrets....which you can buy in a £29.95 ebook.  (Now I feel guilty as I am hawking my ebook in the top right!)

The mainstream

All this goes along with a mistrust of "the mainstream".  There is a scepticism about the conventional wisdom.  We see ourselves as brave reformers, asserting our truth, nailing our theses to the doors of the church of the medical and fitness professions.  We know better....

The thing is that the mainstream is often right!  I know lots of research scientists and while they are not perfect, they are on a professional scrutinised search for truth.  Journalists simplify and sensationalise, but the scientists are generally on an honest journey to find what works and how to get better.

It is difficult!

Reviewing the scientific literature some things are decided....lots are held provisionally.   But the obvious thing is that a lot of it is hard to understand!  It is rarely as simple as we like to make out.  The processes and systems of the body are very complicated.  The scientists that study them work hard for years to develop the knowledge necessary to look into these things.    Yet somehow we run to the bloggers.  Why do we think that we should be getting our health and fitness knowledge, even our health advice from a blogger not a medical professional?

The Gnostic approach makes us feel special

Rejecting the mainstream also makes us feel special, better than the others.  We know a better way and are not so simple and deceived as to believe the conventional.  PRIDE is at the root of this of course.  We want to think of ourselves as so much better than the others, elevated above the drones.

Simplicity, Persistence, Habit

What if it is all actually a lot simpler.  I think it is time to reject the search for the special knowledge and embrace the basics.  A sensible diet.  Exercise.  Sleep.  Social interaction.  Stress management.  Time outdoors.

Most of all though the need is for persistence.  Just keep going.

I have been guilty

I have been guilty of all of this and still am....but I am trying to moderate it.  I have jumped at paleo, kettlebells, HIIT, low carb, whatever the current trend is.  Some - like interval training - has science behind it, but it is rarely as sensationalist as we make it out to me.

Is there still interest in the simple path?  Walk lots, do resistance training, eat well and sleep?  Where is the cash in that?

the rehabilitation of eggs continues

eggs are not so bad after all:

Use 'em, don't lose 'em! Eating egg yolks adds nutritious benefits

New research suggests that consuming whole eggs may improve blood lipids

Of course eggs are nutritious.  Funny of course that the press release is from the American Egg Board!

About the American Egg Board (AEB)
AEB is the U.S. egg producer's link to the consumer in communicating the value of The incredible edible egg™ and is funded from a national legislative checkoff on all egg production from companies with greater than 75,000 layers, in the continental United States. The board consists of 18 members and 18 alternates from all regions of the country who are appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. The AEB staff carries out the programs under the board direction. AEB is located in Park Ridge, Ill. Visit www.IncredibleEgg.org for more information.

When should you have your protein to grow your muscles?

This is a topic that keeps coming up time and time again.  It may be another example of us always seeking the secret knowledge, the magic key that will suddenly solve all our problems with muscle gain and fat loss....

Anyway there is research going on.  This full paper is available

Protein timing and its effects on muscular hypertrophy and strength in individuals engaged in weight-training

In general, protein supplementation pre- and post-workout increases physical
performance, training session recovery, lean body mass, muscle hypertrophy, and strength

Classic Erwan ...MovNat

It was good to interview and train with Erwan over 2 years ago.....

Be sure to check out his new website and podcast

Reviewing the Hoo-rag!

So what the heck is a Hoo-rag? 

That is what I thought when I received the email asking if I wanted to try one and write a review.  Intrigued I asked if they would send one to Scotland and there was no problem.  A week later it arrived.

Ah.....it is a Buff!  Well it is similar but the Hoo-rag is its own thing.

Maybe you are none the wiser?  These bits of clothing are very versatile and useful items that I have come to trust and rely on in both hot and cold weather.  A simple, seamless tube of lightweight, wicking cotton/polyester that can serve in lots of ways.  I use mine as a hat - they make simple beanies;  a wrap around my wrist to soak up sweat; a bandana.....and most often a neck gaiter on cold days.  Best of all on a cold day is pulling the tube up from around the neck so that it covers the mouth and nose and ears. Breathing in and out through the material warms to freezing air and takes the chill from icy days.

On Monday I wrapped my new Hoo-rag round my neck and went for a walk up a local hill.  It was icy and I slipped around the hard frozen ground, but eventually I got to the top of Tinto Hill to watch the sunset.

I sat there as the sun went down, turning all of the clouds to gold.  Sipping coffee from my flask I soaked in the view.  Turning to descend the cold gripped my face and then I was grateful for the Hoo-rag round my neck....I rolled it up covering half my head suddenly feeling warm and safe.

Later as I got lower I warmed up and it returned to a neck gaiter.

You can learn more about Hoo-rags at their blog. Definitely recommended.  If there are two items of kit that I rely on in the outdoors it is a Hoo-rag (or Buff) and a pertex windshirt.   For such a cheap piece of equipment, they have so many uses!  Check out the Hoo-rag site.

Why I Eat The Way I Do - by Tom Furman

Tom Furman has posted a good piece on diet.  He traces out some of my own journey here too.


Why I Eat The Way I Do:

Diet is an emotionally fueled issue. Quite often training for strength or training for sports is performance based. Put up or shut up. However for one reason or another, "belief" and therefore "faith" enters into eating habits. I was certainly one of those people years ago. I did things and said things that made sense then, but are fundamentally wrong based on evidence. Remember that word, evidence. 

Not just habit but patience

In the old days...pre-internet I got my information from magazines.  I remember an article in the old Ironman or maybe it was Hardgainer which laid out a basic routine.  Then it told you to stick to it until the next issue of the magazine came out in 2 months.  8 weeks of consistency.

Now we do not get new information every 2 months....it comes everyday, every hour as the RSS feeds pump out new stuff.  We are distracted.  Try this, try that.

What we need is not just habit but consistency.  Stick to some basics for a while.  Sleep.  Eat well.  Walk.  Train some basics  Don't swap from programme to programme, diet to diet, approach to approach.  Just keep going...