Weekly Recap 4/12-4/18/2020
It is time for our weekly recap! We got our articles from two of our favorite resources this week: Barbell Medicine and Tony Gentilcore. Both articles cover topics that we are all too familiar with. Vanessa Burman over at Barbell Medicine covers an article all about hunger and satiety while Shane McLean wrote a guest post on TG’s site that covers “The Comparison Game.” We wrap this recap up with 2 Instagram articles. Matt Connolly from Integrated Performance writes about focusing on the simple over complex. And Claire Zai writes about a study that found a correlation between strength training and positive body image. Read on for more information about all of these posts.
Articles of the Week
Handling Hunger by Vanessa Burman at Barbell Medicine
We have all experienced the feeling of hunger, but how much do we really know about it? Vanessa Burman explains how biological, psychological, and social factors play into how we experience hunger and satiety. The better we can understand these factors, the better we can understand how to manage our hunger. She wraps up the article with 3 tips on how to handle your hunger.
The Comparison Game by Shane McLean at Tony Gentilcore’s Blog
Tony Gentilcore posted a guest post written by Shane McLean. Shane writes about a topic that I am sure we are all too familiar with: comparing ourselves to others. As Shane points out, comparison can be good when it provides some motivation. However, in most cases, comparison just brings us down. We spend more time breaking ourselves down and not celebrating our own achievements because we perceive that others are doing better than us. With such easy access to social media and constantly seeing everyone’s highlight reels, it is easy to get caught up in this comparison game. Shane wrote a list of things called “what to do instead” when you find yourself going down the comparison rabbit hole. Use that list the next time you stuck comparing yourself to everyone on social media.
Social Media Posts of the Week
Our first Instagram post of the week comes from Matt Connolly of Integrated Performance (@integratedperformance). He hits us with the reminder that complex doesn’t mean better. In almost all cases, we are better off going with the simple answer or way of doing things. When things are complex, they are most often complicated and overwhelming. By sticking to the basics and keeping things simple, we are much more likely to be successful.
“In nutrition, in training, in lifestyle, in consulting, in business, in everything. “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler” - Einstein
#einstein #integratedperformance”
The second Instagram post of the week is from Claire ZaI of Bullzai Strength (@claire_bullzaistrength). Positive body image is something that I am sure we all aspire to have for ourselves and the women around us. We know resistance training is good for us physically but there is also a multitude of mental benefits as well. In this post, Claire shares a study that shows that women who strength train had improved body image. If getting stronger wasn’t motivation enough, feeling better in your own skin should help to get you to start or continue strength training. Check out her post for more details about the study and its findings.
“Resistance training boasts a multitude of physical health benefits. More and more research is starting to also evaluate some of the mental health benefits of training. These benefits include having a positive body image about oneself which is important in our society where the pressure to achieve "femininity" is pervasive.
The study I have here is a qualitative study documenting how women who strength train perceive their bodies and how they feel that perception has changed over time.
I think this study resonates with a lot of women who do strength train and many of you will find it insightful and will connect with it.
This study, while very qualitative is the beginning of a new line of questioning examining body image and strength training in women. The study found 12 sub-themes that can be explored in further quantitative research.
The study doesn't prove that women who strength train have higher levels of positive body image but it provides a base upon which we can build a body of literature. The study points to the idea that the women who do strength train seem to exhibit a positive body image.
I wanted to show you all this study not only because it's a topic I think many of you can relate to but to also show you that research is an evolving line of questioning. Randomized control trials, while they are the gold standard, aren't always the first place we can start. Qualitative research such as this is subject to bias and self-selection but it is an important part of research nonetheless.
Health is multifactorial and we are effected by our activities in a multitude of ways. Training effects for than just our physical body and this is an important piece of future research.”