Shame is a shit motivator. Loads of research has found that instead of inspiring people to quit smoking, lose weight, be more patient parents, whatever, it instead pushes them into a loop of self-loathing and self-punishment followed by reactive over-correction for short periods of time. Shame is the cornerstone of large-scale diet and fitness industryContinue reading “What would you want if you let go of shame?”
Category Archives: Lifting
Sexism and the Myth of Universality of Men’s Stories in Lifting
“Why do I need to learn this?” It’s day two of the sex ed unit in my 7th grade health class, and we’re labeling assigned female anatomy. The boy asking the above question is sincere. He doesn’t see why he needs to learn about the anatomy of literally half of the world’s human population. ItContinue reading “Sexism and the Myth of Universality of Men’s Stories in Lifting”
YouTube Round-up, late February
Alan wants us (by which I think he means men and male-identified people) to avoid the allure of taking exogenous hormones and learn how to progress by improving our training. (Honestly, it’s super-funny, but the joke lands a bit flat for me as someone who isn’t in the primary population of potential steroid users.) TheContinue reading “YouTube Round-up, late February”
“Getting away from avoidant language,” Barbell Medicine, Ep. #167: Exercise in Pregnancy
Is it safe to train during pregnancy? Even before this episode of Barbell Medicine, I had a strong feeling this was the wrong question. It needn’t be “is it safe or unsafe?” That’s black-and-white thinking, which is rarely the right approach in things health and fitness. Instead, we need to ask the more nuanced questionsContinue reading ““Getting away from avoidant language,” Barbell Medicine, Ep. #167: Exercise in Pregnancy”
The Dumbbells Podcast
My spouse and I disagree about comedy. The majority of the comedic content he consumes annoys me. Oftentimes, I get that the idea is funny, but the execution rubs me the wrong way. So, I had some hesitation when he recommended a podcast to me, populated by some of the voices out of UCB (UprightContinue reading “The Dumbbells Podcast”
How Do We Make a New Habit Stick?
You’re all ready to go. You know what you want, it’s in alignment with your long term goals and values, and you’re feeling inspired–and then, you just can’t seem to make it stick. That new habit of going for a walk after work or fitting some fruit into breakfast most days or prepping weekly vegetablesContinue reading “How Do We Make a New Habit Stick?”
Are You “Just Making Excuses,” or Are You Honestly Recognizing Barriers to Success?
Around this time of year, it’s common for my friends to want to talk to me about their exercise and nutrition plans for the year ahead. They want to be successful, they want to feel like they’re on a good trajectory, and they respect the changes I’ve made in my life over the years toContinue reading “Are You “Just Making Excuses,” or Are You Honestly Recognizing Barriers to Success?”
Sexism in Lifting: What is the right balance between sticking my neck out and doing my own thing?
How do we know if we’re making progress when it can go so slowly, it feels like standing still? How do we keep doing the work, plugging away at the pieces, running the experiments, when we don’t even know what the endpoint will look like? Is there a revelation, a revolution, a moment when everythingContinue reading “Sexism in Lifting: What is the right balance between sticking my neck out and doing my own thing?”
Working Out When You’re Experiencing Depression
I have experienced depression off and on for most of my life. I also now experience symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder which can feel a lot like depression, with moments of low moods coming seemingly out of nowhere, triggered often by nothing of which I am aware. It can be very difficult to maintainContinue reading “Working Out When You’re Experiencing Depression”
“I don’t think there is a panacea for depression, full stop,” Sigma Nutrition Radio #421: Brendon Stubbs, PhD – The Research on Depression & Physical Activity
Does physical activity reduce our symptoms for depression, anxiety and other mental health challenges? Does our current research give any clear guidelines on what helps, how often, and how much physical activity shows benefits for improving our experience of these diseases? This week’s conversation between Danny Lennon and Dr. Brendon Stubbs explores the strengths andContinue reading ““I don’t think there is a panacea for depression, full stop,” Sigma Nutrition Radio #421: Brendon Stubbs, PhD – The Research on Depression & Physical Activity”
Progressive Strength 