Summer 2011

A m e r i c A n c o l l e g e o f S p o r t S m e d i c i n e

AcSmFit Society pAge ®

Supported by

THEME: BEHavior CHangE Get to Know the Motivators

and ExErCisE adHErEnCE for Exercise and Fitness
Public health researchers are particularly

Finding the interested in psychological influences on

exercise behavior (including intrinsic and

Motivation for extrinsic motivators) because they may be

modifiable. One intrinsic motivator is

Exercise and knowledge. Understanding the benefits of

exercise—including reduced risks of

Fitness Within cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, colon

cancer and all-cause mortality as well as
increased energy, improved fitness and better
Letter from the Editor by Christina Geithner, Ph.D., FACSM, ACSM HFS quality of life—can be a motivator. Intrinsic
by Dixie L. Thompson, Ph.D., FACSM motivators can also include reduced
depression and anxiety levels, enhanced mood,
Welcome to the summer 2011 edition of the improved confidence and self-esteem, and
ACSM Fit Society® Page, sponsored by heighted need to enjoy activity in retirement.
Liberty Mutual. For many of us, starting and Extrinsic motivators for exercise include
sticking with an exercise program is a weight loss, improved physical appearance and
challenge. We start with enthusiasm, but competition for awards. A recommendation
within a few weeks time constraints and from your health care provider, something
other commitments get in the way of ACSM advocates through the Exercise is
sticking with our plans. This issue is Medicine® initiative, can serve as a strong
dedicated to helping you make exercise a external motivator for exercise. The key is to
lasting part of your life. Whether you’re determine what are important or salient
brand new to exercise or a long-time motivators for you.
exerciser looking to spice up your routine,
this issue is for you. How to Build and Maintain
Motivation
Please look over this information that ACSM Common recommendations for building and
experts have prepared for you, share it with maintaining exercise motivation include the
friends and family, and enjoy the fitness following:
opportunities afforded by making exercise a
part of your routine. • Set a goal or vision. Having a clear picture
of your desired outcome (your destination)
Dixie L. Thompson, Ph.D., FACSM Having the motivation or intention to be fit is makes you much more likely to achieve it.
Editor, ACSM Fit Society Page
® one thing; acting on the motivation is another. Clearly specify how you will know when
Email: dixielee@utk.edu It takes intention (motivation) plus action to you’ve reached your goal. You might take a
equal results. The more motivated you are, the picture of yourself now and every four
To subscribe to the ACSM Fit Society Page,
® easier it is to take action (exercise) to realize weeks, so you can see how you’re
please send an email to publicinfo@acsm.org. your fitness goals. Motivation is a cognitive progressing.
process that connects a thought or a feeling • Strategize.
with an action. Motivation may be intrinsic (an —Develop a realistic action plan. Create
internal drive to do something out of interest a clear, logical and achievable action plan
or enjoyment in exercise itself, or valuing that includes frequency, intensity and
exercise as important or beneficial) or extrinsic duration of cardiovascular exercise,
(an external drive, such as rewards, strength training and stretching. Include
competition or the threat of punishment). realistic short- and long-term goals. Start

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : 4 | Making Physical Activity a Family Affair

1 | Letter from the Editor 5 | Making Exercise Fun Again
1 | Finding the Motivation for Exercise and Fitness Within 6 | Ten Ways to Start An Exercise Program
2 | Q&A with ACSM 7 | The Athlete’s Kitchen
3 | Starting an Exercise Program and Sticking with It
Motivation (continued from page 1)

small and progress gradually to help you about progress that reinforces your exercise efficacy, or confidence in your ability to
feel successful and avoid injury or behavior. succeed, can be built by self-affirmations or
burnout. —Build a social support network. Find a positive self-talk and by small fitness gains.
—Use environmental cues. Put your gym buddy with whom you can work out Don’t expect perfection or compare yourself
bag by the door, so you remember to take it regularly. You can help and encourage each to others. Keep your focus on what makes
to work. Or schedule your workouts into other, rely on each other for moral support exercise meaningful for you and what you
your calendar or planner and set electronic and accountability, and share in your ultimately want to gain from your exercise
reminders on your cellphone or computer. accomplishments. If you need additional program.
—Have fun. Find an activity that you enjoy help and accountability, you can hire a • Persist. Making good exercise and nutrition
and will stick with, along with an personal trainer. Look for a trainer who is choices day after day can be challenging. If
environment that is supportive, safe and credentialed by a well-known organization, you have momentary setbacks, accept them
comfortable for you. such as ACSM. and get back on track.
—Make it convenient. Exercise at home to —Reward yourself. Treat yourself to
fitness DVDs if you don’t have time to drive something that is compatible with your Your exercise goals depend on your ability to
to the gym. Exercise at the time of day health and fitness goals (e.g., not a piece of understand your exercise personality and
when you have time and you enjoy doing chocolate cake, but something else you motivators. Having a clear goal or vision that
it. enjoy, like a movie, flowers or new exercise excites you and pursuing it in an enjoyable
—Record your progress. Keep a written clothing). way is a great start. It’s all about knowing what
record of your exercise (weights, sets, reps; makes you tick and pairing intention with
distance walked, run, or biked; flights of • Believe in yourself. You can implement a action to achieve tremendous fitness results.
stairs climbed; etc.) to provide information strategy and achieve your vision. Self-

ACSM FIT SOCIETY PAGE Q&A

A M E R I C A N C O L L E G E O F S P O R T S M E D I C I N E

by Anthony Luke, M.D., FACSM

ACSM Fit Society® Page Editorial Board:
Dixie L. Thompson, Ph.D., FACSM, Editor
University of Tennessee Q: There’s a new online program that my employer is encouraging me to do. It involves
Thomas S. Altena, Ed.D. lifestyle change and exercise monitored over the computer. Is this an effective method to
Southwest Missouri State University increase my activity?
Katherine A. Beals, Ph.D., R.D., FACSM
University of Utah A: Just as in many other areas in life, computers, mobile devices and the Internet are now playing a
Greg Chertok, M.Ed. role in physical activity. It’s estimated that more than 1.4 billion people use the Internet on any given
The Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Center day. Since it is a commonly used tool, it makes sense that the Internet could be a useful method to
Dawn Coe, Ph.D. affect behavior and encourage exercise. When we reviewed 15 studies from 2007, more than half of
University of Tennessee
the controlled trials of website-delivered physical activity interventions reported positive behavioral
Kate A. Heelan, Ph.D., FACSM
University of Nebraska-Kearney
habits. Web-based programs that interacted with the users more than five times had better results
Cherilyn Hultquist, Ph.D. than those with more limited contact. Interventions showed better results when they followed
Kennesaw State University people for a shorter period, like three months rather than six months or one year, which shows slow
Gerald Jerome, Ph.D. but steady decline in exercise adherence. This suggests that regular contacts and reminders can be
Towson University helpful to encourage exercise, and this needs to continue long-term to keep interest levels high and
Anthony C. Luke, M.D., M.P.H., FACSM have people maintain their improved activity levels. In the last five years, technology and the Web
University of California, San Francisco have grown significantly, and the future will likely bring more sophisticated and appealing Web
Lynn Millar, Ph.D., FACSM programs. A more recent study for a worksite Internet-based physical activity and nutrition
Winston-Salem State University promotion program in the Journal of Medical Internet Research suggested that women were more than
ACSM is the world’s largest association devoted to
twice as likely as men to use these programs. The use of the program didn't depend on the person’s
sports medicine and exercise science. ACSM advances and level of health, and more than half the people did use the program. Long-term effectiveness of Web-
integrates scientific research to provide educational and based promotion programs are still under review. However, though you can be reminded and use
practical applications of exercise science and sports the Internet to document your activities, you still have to exercise. So, turn the computer off and get
medicine. active.
Permission to reprint material from this publication is
granted by ACSM contingent upon manuscripts being Q: I like to run with loud music, which really pumps me up. Is this psychological? I
reprinted in total without alteration and on proper credit really do feel stronger and faster.
given to ACSM by citing ACSM Fit Society Page, issue and
®

page number; e.g., “Reprinted with permission of the

A: There seems to be a real motivating effect of music while you exercise. In a few studies,
American College of Sports Medicine, ACSM Fit Society ®

Page, Summer 2011, p. 3.” individuals exercising with music did perform better than those exercising without music. In one
study, the presence of music led an active group to report lower anxiety levels and exercise longer.
Another study showed that young women 20-22 years old demonstrated better ability to bench
press and could do more repetitions with weights with music than without. Interestingly, the louder
the music, the better the individuals performed with their strength training. So it does seem that
music can pump you up.

ACSM Fit Society® Page • A Quarterly Publication of the American College of Sports Medicine • www.acsm.org • Summer 2011 Page 2
THEME: BEHavior CHangE
and ExErCisE adHErEnCE considering an exercise program, choose identifying specific desired results will help
something that is feasible, accessible, proven you stick with it. Whether results are related

Starting an and enjoyable. to overall health improvements or a physical

transformation, it is important to get a

Exercise For feasibility, it is important to consider

physical requirements, potential costs and
baseline measure of all variables of interest, set
short- and long-term goals, and match the

Program time commitments. First, if you have known

health concerns, or if you are unsure of your
exercise program to the goals that have been
set. This will help identify the best type of

and Sticking current health status, a physician’s clearance is

recommended to identify types of exercise to
physical activity, the intensity and duration,
and how many days per week you need to

with It pursue and/or avoid. The physical

requirements of a new activity definitely
influence adherence. Even though skills will
meet those goals. Be sure to decide ahead of
time when progress will be assessed and track
daily and weekly activities on a calendar. By
by Cherilyn Hultquist, Ph.D. develop, starting with exercises that are too tracking physical activity and progress, it will
intense or too difficult can lead to excessive be easier to make the appropriate adjustments
soreness or injuries, which can lead to to a program in order to achieve desired
dropping out before benefits are realized. results and avoid burnout. If you find this
Choosing activities that are beginner-friendly daunting, consider turning to a fitness
and low-impact – such as walking, light professional for help.
resistance training or beginner-level classes –
provide the appropriate intensity for new Finally, finding activities that are enjoyable will
exercisers. Regular exercise does not have to help transition to a healthy lifestyle. This
be a huge expense, but understanding one- includes determining if exercising alone, with
time and ongoing costs will help you choose a a partner or with a group is more desirable.
program that matches your budget. Possible Some people will prefer the accountability of a
costs can include monthly facility fees, special partner or fitness professional while others
equipment, appropriate attire or professional enjoy the solitude of being alone during a
assistance. As with any informed purchase, workout. Also, there are endless options and
new exercisers should shop around and ask combinations for exercise including
for referrals. Another important consideration cardiorespiratory, strength training and
is time. Since lack of time is often cited as a mind/body practices, and trying a variety of
major barrier to exercise, choosing activities activities will lead to a well-rounded program
that fit within your available timeframe will with plenty of options.
help make exercise a comfortable part of your
daily life and not a burden. Identify a time Starting and sticking with an exercise program
each day when exercise will be the least is a challenge for many individuals, but by
disruptive. This could mean a morning planning ahead and giving consideration to
workout some days and an evening workout personal needs and preferences, the benefits of
Many people struggle with how to actually other days. Don’t forget to consider lunch leading a healthy lifestyle will soon be evident.
initiate an exercise program. While intentions hours and weekends, too.
are often sincere, an overwhelming amount of
available information can make this healthy Exercise must also be accessible, and making
lifestyle adjustment a daunting task. While it as convenient as possible will help a habit to
there are numerous strategies targeting develop. Identifying exercise options close to
behavior changes associated with physical home and work, such as fitness facilities,
activity increases, your reasons for starting an parks and trails, will provide several options
exercise program are unique to you. for tight schedules. When exercising during
Considering the following points may help the week, consider packing a bag to carry
you begin and adhere to a program. when you first leave home for the day. This
will eliminate extra trips, which can cause
Understand that starting an exercise program distractions and take up valuable time. Also
will alter your daily routine, so a little thought keep a pair of athletic shoes at work for a
and preparation will make for a smoother quick lunchtime walk. You could also keep a
transition. Also, several factors influence long- mat, dumbbells and exercise DVDs at home
term adherence, including how confident you for days when weather, time or other barriers
are in your ability to continue exercising amid prevent planned activities.
life’s challenges and whether or not you think
the exercise program will yield the desired Setting a personal goal of beginning an
physical and mental results. Therefore, when exercise program is a great start, but

ACSM Fit Society® Page • A Quarterly Publication of the American College of Sports Medicine • www.acsm.org • Summer 2011 Page 3
THEME: BEHavior CHangE
and ExErCisE adHErEnCE that can last a lifetime. ACSM recommends Create a Schedule
that children spend less than two hours per Forming a routine for your family is vital to

Making day doing sedentary non-academic activities,

such as watching television and playing video
maintaining an active lifestyle.
• Pick the times that work for your family.

Physical or computer games. This sounds obvious, but often we think

that one time of day is better than another.

Activity a Physical activity is an important component of

health, regardless of age, gender or weight, so
The best time of day is the time you can
commit to being active. Look for those

Family Affair everyone in the family can benefit. Social

support from family has been shown to
positively relate to the amount of physical
blocks of time when the family is together,
and think of ways to make that active time.
• Some activity is better than no activity, so
by Meghan Oefinger, B.S., ACSM HFS activity done by both men and women. even if you have just ten minutes in the
Therefore, the influence of family to encourage morning and 20 minutes in the evening, use
physical activity is powerful. The 2008 it for exercise.
Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans • Write your schedule someplace where
recommend that children get 60 minutes or everyone in the family will see it.
more of daily physical activity, including
moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise, Think Outside the Box
muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening A gym membership is not necessary to make
exercises. These Guidelines encourage adults physical activity a part of your family’s life.
to accumulate at least 150 minutes of exercise There are plenty of free and convenient ways
each week. So how does one ensure that their to be active, including:
family is meeting the recommended • Throw on that pair of sneakers and go for a
guidelines? family walk. Walking is a great time to catch
up on the day’s events and check in with
There are many ways to make physical activity your spouse and/or children.
a fun family affair. If money is tight and you • If you have cable television, turn on the
are searching for new ways to spend time fitness channel and find a program that your
together and be entertained, introducing a family really likes and will get you off the
family fun hour of activity is just what the couch.
doctor—and the wallet—ordered. • Put on some music and stick with one
exercise, such as jumping rope, for the
Have Fun duration of one song. Switch to another
Do activities that you and your family enjoy. activity, such as jumping jacks, for the next
Someone who is not having fun will be much song.
less likely to join in next time. For example:
Gone are the days when children and their • If you and your family like the Harry Potter
parents were commonly seen outside playing series, learn how to play the non-flying
badminton or capture the flag. These days, version of Quiddich!
one has to look inside the house to catch a • Go for nature walks or a scavenger hunt for
glimpse of the entire family, and often they are local plants in your area.
seen parked in front of the television or on the • Push aside the couches and put in a Zumba
computer. What happened to the days of bike video.
rides and nature walks? More important, what • Pick your family’s favorite or dream vacation
is the impact on families’ health when they destination. Track how many miles it would
replace physical activity with physical take you to get there and chart the number
inactivity? of miles you walk each day.

Inactivity at any age results in the Include Variety

development of chronic diseases such as Let each family member contribute their ideas
obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular of activities that the family would enjoy. For
disease, and a sedentary lifestyle can lead to example:
premature death. For aging adults, inactivity • Visit different locations to exercise each
can lead to loss of muscle mass, coordination week.
and balance over and above the normal age- • Assign each day of the week with a
linked declines. These losses will limit their particular sport.
ability to do daily tasks and can compromise • Try out a seasonal favorite, like swimming or Remember that family can positively influence
independence. Children who are inactive are canoeing in the summer, or skiing and snow behavior and that being active is important for
robbed of an opportunity to develop shoeing in the winter. everyone regardless of age, gender and weight. So
important motor skills, are more likely to be make being physically active a family affair and
obese, and are developing sedentary habits enjoy the rewards of better health!

ACSM Fit Society® Page • A Quarterly Publication of the American College of Sports Medicine • www.acsm.org • Summer 2011 Page 4
THEME: BEHavior CHangE
and ExErCisE adHErEnCE routine does not require a complete overhaul, Identify a New Challenge or
but you may benefit from small changes that Goal
Making restore your enjoyment of exercise. A runner
or cyclist can become a modern-day Lewis
I spent some time sorting through participant
trends competing in marathons, half

Exercise Fun and Clark, discovering new scenery through

different routes. If you train on roads and in
marathons, and various triathlon distances.
Registrants and finishers have increased in the

Again neighborhoods, try trail running or single-

track mountain biking. If you exercise at a
local gym, a different time of day might
past two decades but average finishing times
are much slower today compared with 10 and
20 years ago. Besides traditional running
by Thomas Altena, Ph.D. provide new enjoyment and a different social events (ranging from 5K to marathon) and
experience. Any change to your daily routine triathlon events (ranging from sprint to
might take some time to feel natural, so give Ironman), many alternatives exist. The Rock
these changes some time. ‘n’ Roll Marathon series is an outstanding one,
with bands throughout the courses and a
Exercise in a Group or festival atmosphere. Off-road, multi-sport
Alone events have gained popularity in recent years
Each Saturday morning, a marathon training with X-Terra, different Adventure Race
group runs past my house. Though body courses, and the Muddy-Buddy. The “Ski-to-
sizes, shapes, ages and paces differ, these men Sea” in Bellingham, WA combines alpine and
and women share a common goal. Exercising Nordic skiing, running, cycling, and paddle
with a group creates companionship and sports in a multi-person relay. Each of these
accountability. Accountability alone can be its challenges provides a new goal that can make
own motivation. Group exercise like spinning you more intentional in your exercise with a
and yoga classes, boot camps or a multi-sport focused goal for accomplishment. The fun of
group all are excellent ways to achieve fitness, exercise will definitely be restored.
accountability and social interaction. A group
can make exercise fun again through
competition and a shared experience. Many
people who exercise enjoy the solitude with
their iPod or the sounds of nature. If you have
been exercising alone and lacking fun and
motivation, joining a group may be a new
challenge. Depending on the person,
alternating group exercise sessions with solo
exercise might be a good way to gain more
Wash. Rinse. Repeat. The daily schedule of enjoyment.
individuals who exercise regularly can read
much like instructions on a shampoo bottle. Get Back to the Basics
Exercise can begin to feel mundane and static The exercise science field is filled with high-
when performed exactly the same way each tech tools and smartphone applications. A
day as with any other aspect of life. GPS can accurately monitor mileage and pace. Exercise for a Greater
Professionals in the fitness field never want to You can get instant feedback on exercise Cause
admit mental and physical staleness with intensity with heart rate monitors and
exercise, yet anyone with the goal of exercise PowerTap meters. A few years ago, I Consider friends and family who have
being a life-long pursuit will discover purchased running shoes with a microchip acquired a disease or have suffered a natural
moments when, as B.B. King sang, “the thrill that changed midsole cushion and support disaster, and use your exercise to raise both
is gone.” Fitness professionals commonly help based on my running stride and terrain. awareness and finances for nonprofit
people break up the monotony and make Further, a plethora of training plans exist organizations and research foundations that
exercise fun again. Our challenge is to have an online and in popular media to guide training help them. Personally, I train and race for
arsenal of answers, options and suggestions for 5K races to a full Ironman triathlon. ALS Foundation for Research. Examples of
that provide the keys to unlock the boredom Though these high-tech tools assist us in causes that you can also train and race for
and restore the fun. If you exercise regularly planning and tracking performance, they also include the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society,
and want suggestions you can use now to can create confusion and frustration when the Breast Cancer Awareness, groups that support
regain the enjoyment of your fitness routine, technology does not work. Sometimes getting of our soldiers in combat, or a local animal
this article is for you. back to the basics and restoring the fun of shelter. Find a cause that personally motivates
exercise means removing the digital readout you and make a difference in the lives of
Change Your Routine on your cycle or stepping away from the others. Turning our perspective from ourselves
When a fitness program becomes routine, training plan for a few days or weeks. This to a greater cause can provide new motivation
exercisers can begin to feel trapped in might mean temporarily replacing your and enjoyment.
stagnancy and complacency. Changing our training program with fun, active alternatives.
patterns is not an easy task, and many of us Stepping away from hard-core training may
who exercise regularly rely on a predictable refresh you mentally and remind you of your
daily schedule. In most cases, your exercise love for exercise.

ACSM Fit Society® Page • A Quarterly Publication of the American College of Sports Medicine • www.acsm.org • Summer 2011 Page 5
THEME: BEHavior CHangE
and ExErCisE adHErEnCE 2. Understand Why You Are 6. Develop a Comfortable
Exercising Routine
Ten Ways to Pose questions to yourself such as, “Why did I
decide to start exercising?” It is suggested that
ACSM recommends that adults participate in
at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-

Start an exercisers who are intrinsically motivated

experience more positive effects and better
intensity physical activity. With this
understanding, find a challenging yet realistic

Exercise adherence than those who are extrinsically

motivated. Intrinsically motivated exercisers
starting point upon which you can build over
time. Don’t overwhelm your system by doing

Program do so for the satisfaction gained from engaging

in the activity itself; in other words, they
exercise for the challenge, to gain or learn
too much, but don’t underwhelm your system
by doing too little. While devising your
schedule—that is, minutes per day and days
by Greg Chertok, M.Ed., CC-AASP skills, or to have fun. Extrinsically motivated per week of exercise—also recognize any
exercisers do so as a means to an end; they obstacles that may impede your progress.
exercise simply to improve their appearance or What excuses have you made in the past that
because of pressure from someone else. The have prevented you from exercising
proper reason behind exercising can act as consistently? Start by altering your thinking.
powerful and long-lasting fuel. Mentally commit to the process so you’re in a
good mindset to begin.
3. Know Where You Are
In other words, know your current fitness 7. Write It All Down
level. You will need at least a general idea so Organize your daily goals, weekly goals,
you can accurately measure your progress. longer-term goals and exercise
Assess your aerobic and muscular fitness, program/routine on paper. Studies find that
flexibility and body composition by recording: those who write down their goals can
• Your pulse rate before and after you walk accomplish up to 16 percent more than those
one mile; who do not.
• How many push-ups you can do at one
time; 8. Gather Your Accessories
• Your sit-and-reach (how far you can reach What special clothing, shoes, or gear does
forward with your legs out in front of you); your fitness routine require? You might need
and to purchase a new pair of athletic shoes or
• Your waist circumference—the distance activity-appropriate gear before initiating your
around your abdomen. program. Having the right exercise clothing
and equipment can make the exercise easier
4. Know Where You Want and safer. You may find it more likely to
To Be continue with exercise when you know you
1. Get to Know Your Body To start, create a clear and vivid picture in have the right equipment. Some people like
Every exerciser must have a basic your mind—what does this look and feel like? to exercise with music, so you might compile
understanding of the human body. This When you reach this ideal, what will you be a soundtrack of your favorite music. Studies
includes: able to do that you aren’t able to do now? The have shown that listening to music during
• proper identification of the major muscle act of creating this picture alone can conjure exercise can improve results, as a motivator
groups; positive and pleasant emotions, and reminding (people exercise longer and more vigorously to
• knowledge about the effects of activity vs. yourself of this image can motivate you. music) and as a distraction from fatigue.
inactivity;
• distinction between stretching and 5. Know How You Will Get 9. Create Incentives
strengthening a muscle; and There Develop a reward system ahead of time for the
• distinction between “good pain” (muscle In other words, identify the exercise program goals you accomplish along the way. Be proud
burn and fatigue) and “bad pain” (joint pain, or activities that will take you to your ideal of your accomplishments, and don’t be shy
lower back pain/impingement). fitness level. As a rule, never choose an activity about celebrating your successes.
that doesn’t interest or excite you. Rather than
If you know nothing about the workings of fit into a generic exercise regimen, try to fit 10. Get Started, and Trust
the body, you may be putting yourself in a one to your needs. If you are looking for a the Process
dangerous position. I once worked with an social atmosphere, think about joining a You’ve done all the behind-the-scenes work;
older man who, in response to experiencing class—there’s Zumba, Pilates, yoga, spinning, now it’s time to go out and reap the benefits of
soreness from exercise the day prior, decided swim and dance, among others. If you are your preparation. A common deterrent to
to address the issue by doing more of what got looking for something more private, inquire at exercise adherence is impatience. Many first-
him sore in the first place. Rather than your local gym about personal training. time exercisers expect dramatic body-altering
stretching or resting the muscle, he assumed results after mere weeks, or even days, of
that working more would do the trick. He was increased movement. But don’t give up if you
forced to take even more time off to relieve the aren’t immediately seeing the desired physical
resulting soreness. This man, a senior vice results. Real change may take up to several
president for a successful financial firm, was months. Trust the process, and enjoy the
not uneducated. He was simply uninformed journey.
about his body and how to exercise correctly.

ACSM Fit Society® Page • A Quarterly Publication of the American College of Sports Medicine • www.acsm.org • Summer 2011 Page 6
THE aTHlETE’s KiTCHEn:
1. getting too hungry and, as a result, craving obsessing about food, feeling anxious she’d

When Food carbs. The solution is to prevent hunger, so

you don’t start craving carbs in the first
succumb to sweets and avoiding social
situations that involved food. Her food rules

Has Too place.

2. denying yourself permission to eat bread
undermined her quality of life.

Time for a change?

Much Power because it is a “bad” food. The solution is to
learn to routinely enjoy bread and other How can you break away from your restrictive

Over You carbs, which are the foundation of a quality

sports diet.
food rules and start anew? One strategy is to
understand that a few minutes of control
(such as eating only one English muffin) can
by Nancy Clark, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D., FACSM Living by rigid, restrictive food rules can be a turn into a lifetime of misery. But a few
symptom that something has gone awry. Food minutes of anxiety (eating the English Muffin
rules serve a purpose; they can be a coping plus egg and a yogurt) can contribute to a
strategy to block out emotions and distract peaceful future of enjoyable meals. You have
you from feeling your feelings. That is, if you to learn to sit through the anxiety and see that
are spending 99 percent of your waking hours nothing bad happens when you eat an
debating whether or not to eat bread, you are appropriate amount of food.
not thinking about how angry you are with
your boyfriend, how scared you are to go While you may believe that eating more
away to college, or how sad and lonely you’ve breakfast will make you instantly fat, try this
been since your dog died. experiment:
• Weigh yourself (first thing in the morning)
Being able to abide by strict food rules also on day 1 of the experiment.
gives you an unhealthy sense of superiority • Make one dietary change that you are sure
that you can say “no, thank you” to pizza, will make you get fat (such as eating an egg
sandwiches and even birthday cake with your and a yogurt along with the English muffin).
friends. You can then take pride in being able • Maintain this one change for 7 days
“I think about food all the time. I finish one to sustain yourself on lettuce leaves and Diet (without making any other food or exercise
meal and start thinking about the next.” Coke. Why would you want to change this changes), and then weigh yourself again.
menu when you are so in control, have such a • Repeat this experiment for another 7 days
“I don't keep cookies in the house; I end up perfect diet and are exercising seemingly well? and average the weights. (Weight fluctuates
eating them all.” Why? Because your quality of life stinks, and due to shifts in water.)
you are losing your friends.
“I'm afraid if I start eating, I won’t be able to Have you gotten fat? Doubtful. But take note:
stop…” Some of my clients can revise their restrictive if the scale has gone up a tiny bit, the gain is
eating patterns with simple nutrition likely due to replenishment of depleted
If any of those thoughts sound familiar, you education. I teach them how much is okay to muscle glycogen (carb) stores. For each one
are among a large group of athletes who eat, how to fit bread (or whatever) into their ounce of carbs stored in your muscles as
struggle with food. I routinely counsel food- sports diet and how to enjoy food as one of glycogen, your muscles also store about three
obsessed exercisers and athletes who fear food life’s pleasures. For example, one client ounces of water. Hence, do not obsess about a
as being the fattening enemy. They think believed eating an English muffin plus an egg number on the scale. Rather, observe how
about food all day, stay away from social and a yogurt at breakfast sounded “piggy.” much better you feel during the day and also
events involving food, give themselves After one English muffin, she would stop during your workout.
permission to eat only if they have exercised eating because she thought she should, but
hard and white-knuckle themselves to one then would succumb to the hungry horrors by Easier said than done?
meager portion at dinner. 9:30 a.m. When she added the egg and the While food experiments sound like a good
yogurt into her breakfast, she felt satisfied all idea, the reality is they can be very anxiety-
If you (or someone you know) struggles with morning, with no nagging food thoughts until provoking and hard work. (If changing were
food, keep reading. This article can help food- she was appropriately hungry at lunchtime. simple, you would have been able to resolve
obsessed athletes take a step toward your food issues ages ago, right?) Eating more
transforming their food fears into peaceful In comparison, another client refused to eat calories is hard because you are giving up a
fueling patterns and better quality of life. more breakfast. She was convinced that eating coping mechanism without being sure you
Much of the information is from Glenn an additional packet of oatmeal would result will feel better in the long run.
Waller’s book Beating Your Eating Disorder, in immediate weight gain. She said, “I couldn't
an excellent self-help book for adults at war eat more breakfast. I’d get fat!” She believed To get rid of your eating disorder, you need to
with food and their bodies. her body was different from everyone else’s learn how to cope differently. This will involve
and would instantly blow up. you dealing with your feelings, instead of
Food Is Not the Problem starving them. A counselor might be able to
Food is not the problem. Food is fuel. Food is I reminded her that hunger is simply the help, as well as reading Beating Your Eating
health. Food is an inanimate object, just like a body’s request for fuel. The body is saying, “I Disorder and other self-help books. Just
desk, rug or book. It has no inherent power have burned off what you fed me. May I imagine how nice life will be for you and your
over you. But if you feel as though a food (let’s please have some more food?” Her response loved ones when you can wake up without
say, bread) has power over you, bread is the was “NO! Food is fattening.” She lived her food fears and rigid food rules?
symptom, not the problem. That is, the urge days feeling hungry all the time, lagging
to over-eat bread can stem from: energy, enduring cold hands and feet,

ACSM Fit Society® Page • A Quarterly Publication of the American College of Sports Medicine • www.acsm.org • Summer 2011 Page 7
Q&A (continued from page 2)

Just be careful. If you are running with nearby

traffic, be sure your music still lets you hear
what’s going on around you. Also, music at 85
decibels or more can lead to hearing loss. A
normal conversation is around 60 decibels.

Q: How do you find the time to exercise?

The Only Exercise
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incorporate more exercise during your daily
routine. Walking more, using stairs and
parking a bit further away can help get your
heart rate up and burn extra calories. Keep
track of your exercise using a calendar or log
so that you can monitor your consistency and
progress. This can be another good motivating
factor and reminder to get your daily exercise.

ACSM Fit Society® Page • A Quarterly Publication of the American College of Sports Medicine • www.acsm.org • Summer 2011 Page 8