I learned after reading Dale Carnegie’s book, “How to Win Friends & Influence People” that it’s best to let people have their opinions. “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.” I would have left it at that, but for some unknown reason, the barber repeated his statement, “What do they know about being fit like us.”
I did not want to appear rude. I praised him on his purchase. I told him I had a NutriBullet-Go. I inquired how many ounces was his. He looked all over the packaging, but could not find the answer, which prompted his fellow barbers to resume teasing him about it being a baby bottle.
To extricate him from their derisive comments, I told him that his statement about pizza and burgers was partly correct.
“It is true,” I said, quietly, “You are what you eat, to some degree. While your statement has some merit, there is more than just what one consumes in order to become fit. Let me elaborate. If you want to eat more calorie dense foods, to get fuller, while eating less, nuts would be a healthy choice. The problem is that most individuals do not portion them out, and before he or she knows it, they have consumed the entire bag. Although nuts are a good source of fat, the exorbitant amount one eats, make it detrimental if the goal is to lose weight.”
I noticed that the barbershop became quiet. I could not move freely, since the clippers were on the back of my head.
“How could burgers be good for you?”
“The burger is not essentially bad, if ingested at the appropriate time. The body’s main source of fuel is carbohydrates, but there is a misconception that carbs are bad for you. An excess of carbohydrates is bad, because if the energy is not used, it is stored in the liver and adipose tissue, which increases your glycogen stores.
“The body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which are used by the cells. It would take approximately 80 minutes for an individual doing an intense workout, to deplete all of his or her glycogen stores. So, if a person worked out for 90 minutes, the body would be in a prime position for fuel by which to recover.
“The burger at that point in time would be beneficial to aid with recovery. Carbohydrates (the bun), protein (the hamburger), fat (the oil the burger was cooked in). You would also get carbohydrates, and fats, if you added lettuce and tomatoes, and cheese. So, drinking a whey protein shake, and ingesting a burger after an intense workout, would be just what the body needs.”
I saw the incredulous look on the barber’s face. The barber shop had now become deathly quiet. Even my barber had stopped cutting my hair. I looked around. It seemed that everyone had been listening to my explanation.
“Pizza would have the same effect if you added some grill chicken on top of it. The dough (carbohydrates), cheese (fat, protein), grilled chicken (protein), and the olive oil atop the dough, (healthy fat). Another food that had all of macronutrients a body needed after an intense workout.
“Now if these foods were consumed in exorbitant amounts, and the energy was not put to use, the glycogen stores full, the rest would be converted to triglycerides, a form of fat and stored in the adipose tissue (body fat).”
The barber took off his hat, and started scratching his head. “So, you eat pizza and burgers to stay fit.?”
“Not necessarily, I eat more strategically to maintain lean body mass. My meals are planned around my workouts. I am either eating to prepare for a workout, or eating to recover from one. Now don’t get me wrong. I do incorporate refeed days.”
“Re, what?”
“A day, where I will intentionally consume more calories than needed. I also utilize binge days. Refeed, allows me to consume whatever I want, to break up the monotony of being in a calorie deficit. Binge days, are used to add variety to my nutritional consumptions.
“Wow, an entire day of eating whatever you want.”
“In the beginning it was an entire day. I soon tired of it. Now on that particular day, I just do it for four hours. Nutrition plays a big role in carving out the physique you seek. Most people live to eat, as opposed to eat to live.
The gentlemen who had been eating curry chicken and rice immediately put down his fork. The barber nodded. I looked at my barber. He resumed cutting my hair. At the conclusion of my haircut, one of the patrons approached me.
“Where did you learn all of that?”
“What are you referring to?”
“You just gave a lecture. The whole barbershop tuned into what you were saying. Are you some kind of nutritionist?”
“I’m in the process of becoming a Certified Personal Trainer. The more I learn, the better I can help my clients.”
“If you train, the way you spoke today, you will have no shortage of people.”
B.M.Booth
Strength & Vigour 