Usha Rajagopal, MD

The misconception that lifting heavy weights and eating carbs will make you “bulky”.

Let’s face it – we all know that health and fitness go hand in hand.

Although we understand that the path to a fit and healthy physique involves a good diet and exercise, many fail to find a long term plan that will fit their lifestyle.

First, let’s break down the term, “Diet”.
Many associate this term with restriction of food, and losing weight. For the purpose of this article, the operational definition of the term diet is as follows: the food that a person eats.

Every single person and living creature participates in some form of a diet. The difference lies in what each particular diet is meant to accomplish. Yes – some use diets to lose weight, but others may incorporate a particular diet to maintain or even gain weight.

Now that the term diet has been broken down and defined – it’s time to specifically discuss what healthy diets are and how we can incorporate them into our lifestyle. At the San Francisco Cosmetic Surgery and Laser Center, Dr. Usha Rajagopal our staff always acknowledge and approve of healthy eating habits! Specifically, Healthy diets are balanced and consist of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Whether you’re trying to lose, maintain or gain weight – the common denominator in your diet should be: Real food.

Chemically engineered food is not part of a healthy diet. Shocker.

Although it is completely acceptable to indulge in dessert and cheat meals once in a while, the majority of a healthy diet will consist of real food.

Real food includes protein – meat, lots of it. If you have an iron deficiency, eating more meat will improve your physical and mental being drastically. You see – red blood cells carry oxygen to our muscles including our brain. If you are deprived of food that will supply oxygen to your brain, you won’t be able to think logically or function properly.

Vegans or vegetarians! I’m not here to discriminate. There are plenty of other sources of protein that can assist your diet, including supplementation, but let’s face it – there’s nothing like the real thing.

Fat: We need it. Mass media marketing has its consumers brainwashed. Body Mass Index(BMI) has everyone fooled. These may be bold statements, but everyone should be aware of all of the facts. There are good and bad fatty foods, but in general I want to get the point across that you can eat fat and be healthy. Fat helps our brains function in the morning and throughout the day(add butter to your coffee for that extra boost in the AM). Although we shouldn’t be eating buckets of fat, a little bit won’t hurt our diets! The thing consumers(me and you) should be frightened of are the products that claim to be “Fat Free”.

Now let’s break down the term “Fat Free”. Many associate this term with healthy snacks, and losing weight. For the purpose of this article, the operational definition of the term “Fat Free” is as follows: chemical shitstorm.

Earlier we learned that the healthiest foods are natural – not chemically engineered. Have you ever looked at the back of your fat-free snack? All those ingredients that are hard to pronounce have no place in your body! The best foods you can buy don’t have a label or expiration date on them, because they are real and not full of chemicals. Not only are fat-free foods bad for you – they are the worst.

Alternative options for snacks that are healthy include: nuts and berries.

A handful of nuts(almonds, pistachios, etc) are a good healthy source of fat!

If you’re craving a different sort of indulgence – you can freeze your raspberries or blackberries and eat them as a late night snack(in replacement of ice cream). Yum! This leads me to carbohydrates. Fruits are a good healthy source of carbs. We are overwhelmed with such a large selection of carbs, we must balance our  diets appropriately. It is possible to get enough carbs from vegetables and fruits to sustain your diet. Carbs aren’t bad and we shouldn’t restrict them from our diets. We just have to find the right carbs to eat to keep us from getting “bulky”.  Many have become aware of “gluten-free” diets, which essentially means wheat free (I’m personally totally behind). No wheat means less bloating and room for better food intake that will fuel you throughout the day.

General rule of thumb:consume more protein than carbohydrates. You will feel less bloated and more energized to take on any physically demanding activity.

Diets should be used in conjunction with a fitness regime.

Typically, people are afraid of what they don’t know. There are a good amount of people who are terrified of lifting weights, some are afraid of injuries and others are afraid of becoming “bulky”. We need to break these stereotypes.

Lifting can benefit individuals in the long run.  Physically, lifting can prevent osteoporosis by building strong bones. Mentally, lifting is an outlet, a form of therapy to release stress. Implementing the right lifting program for each individual can prove to be beneficial.

Simply put, lifting heavy weights builds muscle, and muscle burns body fat(even at rest).

For those who want to lose weight, and look lean or ripped – you must lift weight and build muscle. Lifting in conjunction with the right diet(including good carbs!) will not make you bulky. Find a fitness regime that you enjoy, and a good trainer that you can work with to set individualized goals. Set behavioral goals that are easy to accomplish so you won’t set yourself up for failure. Behavioral goals include:meeting with your trainer at least three times per week. At the San Francisco Cosmetic Surgery and Laser Center, Dr.Usha Rajagopal our staff keep each other accountable to keep active and in shape!  It is important to be accountable in your fitness journey, so find a buddy to work out with, record your workouts and be consistent in your training. Results will take time, and every little effort counts. Some fun ways to lift weight include, Powerlifting, Olympic Weightlifting, Bodybuilding and CrossFit. Do your research, find what fits your lifestyle and try it out!

Throw away your scale, eat a balanced diet of real food, lift weights, have fun and trust in the process!