Psychology and Lifestyle

If you’re happy and you know it… you probably won’t eat a super-sized bag of chips.

Pizza Hut now? Or six-pack abs later? Get this question right, and you might just win at the game of life too.

Counselling psychotherapist Erin Byron chats with Lean Eating coach Krista Scott-Dixon about how our experiences with food are actually about relationships. Emotion sandwich, anyone?

Are vegetarians too skinny? Is there something to be said for this level of leanness? Are vegetarians just wasting away due to their food choices, on a collision course with anorexia and eventual death? Or is their leanness all part of some other plan?

Frustrated? Feel like “nothing’s working”? Here are 9 hard-learned lessons from real people trying to get lean. YOU could be the biggest factor impeding your progress.

Whether you’re interested in competing as a bodybuilder/figure competitor, or whether you’re just looking to drop body fat as fast as possible, it’s important to understand the difference between training for aesthetics and training for health. In this article, Krista Schaus shares some valuable lessons about managing body image and imbalances while trying to get into the best shape of your life.

Around PN, Lean Eating coach and Director of Education Ryan Andrews has a reputation for being a nice guy. But sometimes he gets mad. What makes this man mad? You.

Pam Boteler is a sprint canoeist and raw vegan advocate. Here, Pam talks about her diet, her champion mindset, and how nutrition fuels her world-class performance.

In Part 1 of this article series, Amanda shared some great “big picture” tips on how you can think about and plan for your fitness photo shoot. Now, in Part 2, Amanda’s going to get down to the details including: attire, hair, make-up, nutrition/exercise peaking, and much more.

Back in September, we spotlighted PN Team members Amanda and Erin, sharing pics and video from their recent photo shoots. And today we’d like to share some additional photos as well as Amanda’s top tips for looking your best – whether it’s a class reunion, back-yard bbq, or your very own photo shoot.

Ryan Andrews goes to Uganda and discovers that some things are true even thousands of miles away: eating real food moderately, having social support, and staying active keep people lean.

Round Two of Tips from Pretty Boys — three more certified PBs spill their secrets to helping you grrls look fabulous.

That hair! That skin! Those abs! Ooh la la! *swoon* Pretty boys aren’t just for underwear ads and eye candy. Their secrets to getting and staying Calvin-Klein-worthy can help us ladies get foxy too. (Plus it gives us something to look at between sets.)

What if I told you that 1/2 cup oats, 4 egg whites, 5 ounces of chicken, and 1/2 cup broccoli was a recipe for getting fat? For most people, restrictive meal plans are the last stop on the expressway to overeating.

Research shows that regardless of what we’re eating, humans typically eat about 3-5 pounds of food each day. If we prioritize natural, whole ingredients, the 4 pounds we choose will fill us up without boosting our body fat. If we choose fast or junk food, the 4 pounds we choose are guaranteed to cause problems. So, think about it, what are your 4 pounds made up of?

Social support is essential to success. Family plays an important role in our social support networks. Are your family dinners helping or hindering your goals?

Research shows that people eat more while watching TV. But does this “TV munchie effect” persist even hours afterwards? The results may surprise you…

Have you ever missed out on accomplishing a goal or task because you were overwhelmed? Well if so, we’ve got the answer for you. It’s called “Habit Based Coaching.” And it’s the commitment to a single, but immensely important idea: focusing on less helps you achieve more.

Why does temptation always have to be bad? Here’s how to make temptation work FOR, rather than against, your fitness goals.

Many decisions are shaped by your belief that you have control over your own life and behaviour… regardless of whether you ACTUALLY have control. So, are you the boss of you?

Starting with a clean slate. It’s a simple thought. But it might have profound implications for your physique – and your life. The key is to learn how to stop fixating on your mistakes – we all make them. And to focus on the awesome stuff that lies ahead of you.

If you’re hoping to diet down to your ideal weight, then quit working on it, you’re in for a surprise. Just like you don’t brush your teeth once and then forget about it, research shows that staying at a healthy weight requires regular effort, exercise, and a long-term focus.

Purposeful rest and recovery. It’s an important part of the fitness equation. Yet it’s the one most of us neglect. If you don’t build in 30 min of parasympathetic activity per day, you need to come check out this article. It’ll show you how to build in restful, parasympathetic activities in order to help keep stress in its place.

What should your carbohydrate to protein ratio be in your postworkout drink? Should you eat carrots before or after exercise (and should they be cooked so you absorb the beta-carotenes or raw so you get their natural carroty goodness)? Should you avoid eating after 6 pm… or was that 8 pm? Ack! Relax. It doesn’t have to be that complicated.

“Hi Mrs. Smith, can Suzy come out to play?” “No Jane, I’m sorry — you’re making Suzy fat.” Should you blame your buddies for your beer belly?

In Part 1, we shared our experts’ resolutions (or, for that matter, non-resolutions), and some of the secrets to their success. Ready to make your own resolutions, and finally make them work this year? Awright! Here’s the plan…

If you already eat right, exercise regularly, and have healthy habits, what the heck do you resolve to do every January? And what’s the secret to making a resolution “stick”? Find out what our experts are planning to do after the party hats come off, and how they make lasting changes.

So, the question of the day is this…are you looking after all three? Do you have someone to mentor you, a support group, and someone holding you accountable? These are the keys to the physique kingdom.

Who do you turn to for support? Who helps you figure it out? Who’s you’re lifestyle manager? Your nutritional occupational therapist? If you’re not in the kind of shape you want to be in – and you can’t think of a good answer to the questions above – perhaps it’s time to start taking applications.

Do you have somebody in your life that actually knows how to eat well – and is healthy enough, vibrant enough, and fit enough to demonstrate it? If you have a good role model in your social circle right now, make the absolute most of it! If not, you’ve gotta find one immediately.

Maybe you hate exercise. Maybe you love it. The truth is – it doesn’t matter all that much. Not if you wanna get into the best shape of your life, that is. Embassy hates exercise. Yet despite this fact, he still ended up in the best shape of his life – losing 15.5% body fat in 16 weeks – while gaining 8lbs of lean mass!

Now, I’ll be honest with you. When I first read about this technique, I did think it was a bit cheesy. After all, with all the serious dietary choices people have to make – and all the psychological baggage involved – it couldn’t possibly be less simple. Well, I was dead wrong. And if you’re thinking the same, you’re dead wrong too.

Are you part of the 3% club? Those that take control of their lifestyle choices and behaviors, those that are either healthy and lean or on their way to healthy and lean? If so, that’s awesome. But we have another set of questions for you. Are you part of the fitness elite?

I know it’s tough on the road. Many of the executives we work with as well as the athletes have real challenges. And sometimes they’re tempted to pull the ol’ white wrap with potato chip trick. Yet when we teach them to keep it simple and to plan accordingly, they do much better.

Every day I get dozens of questions from my clients – and their questions usually revolve around “the food” – the “what to eat”, “when to eat”, and “how much to eat.” Of course, this is my primary area of expertise. And I’m always happy to answer these questions. Yet once they’re answered, I always find myself taking the conversation in another direction. I always find myself taking about mindset. Specifically the mindset of a champion.

This holiday season a buddy of mine and I decided to make the 1000 mile round-trip drive from my Toronto home to my parent’s place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was during this most recent road trip, we got on an “I wonder” kick, throwing out all sorts of ideas about health, fitness, nutrition, and success in general. Come wonder stuff with us…you won’t be sorry.

We spent the next few hours eating great tasting thai food, complaining about the service (which, is NOTORIOUSLY bad at this place), and talking about the fitness business, our own personal fitness, and more. And as we were wrapping up the evening, I was reminded of something really important. What do you think will happen when you hang out with those who inspire you, who lift you up, and who demonstrate excellence?

A few weeks back, at a small research meeting in Toronto, Ontario, my good friend Dr. Alan Logan handed me a book I hadn’t heard of before. “What’s this, Alan…The Brain Diet? Doesn’t sound all that appetizing.” Amused, Dr Logan went on to tell me that I was seeing a sneak peek at his new, soon to be released book discussing how nutrition can impact both brain and body health.