Well Done Is Better Than Well Said

Tony Gentilcore

January 2008

The above is a quote that I heard from Tom Brady, quarterback of the New England Patriots, and I felt it was perfect for the vibe of this month’s Fit Tip.

With the New Year upon us, it’s safe to assume that everyone has made their New Year’s resolutions for 2008; I know I have made mine:

1. Make my “comeback” and play baseball this summer for a local men’s league.
2. Getting my joints healthy again.  I’ve been battling a pesky knee issue for a few years now.
3. Finally come to the realization that Jennifer Garner will never leave Ben Affleck for me.

Nonetheless, since many who read this website are reading it because they’re more proactive in the overall health and well-being of their family, I figured I would take it upon myself to make a few New Year’s resolutions for you.  The difference here however is that you’re actually going to take these resolutions to heart and follow through with them. 

Don’t Specialize Too Soon

I see it all the time, many parents live vicariously through their kids.  While your child could very well be the next Michael Jordan, Alex Rodriguez, Tom Brady, or Mia Hamm, it’s doubtful.  Sorry, but it’s the truth.

I have the opportunity to work with many young(er) athletes and it never ceases to amaze me how young some of these athletes decide to specialize in ONE sport.  I once had the parents of an eleven year old boy come to me and want me to train him for the sole purpose of making him a better hockey player.

Whatever happened to making someone a better athlete in general?  This particular child was playing nothing but hockey year round.  Guess what?  It showed.  He couldn’t even perform something as simple as a reverse lunge without falling over.  At eleven, most kids are better off playing as many sports as possible: soccer, basketball, baseball, football, field hockey, lacrosse, tennis, volleyball, you name it.  Side Note:  competitive eating is not a sport, despite what ESPN tells you.

It’s not until a child reaches the age of 16-17 that specializing in one sport is advantageous.  By this time, (s)he has had ample time to develop all the gross motor skills necessary to be a successful athlete in whatever sport they choose to pursue.

Keep it Simple

When I was in college, I had a pitching coach who would always use the term K.I.S.S (Keep it Simple Stupid).  It’s human nature to want to over complicate things.  How else do we explain the plethora of new diet books that come out every year?  The Zone Diet, Atkins Diet, The Abs Diet, Cheat to Lose Diet, Mediteranean Diet, and every diet Oprah has ever tried are all examples of why we over complicate things.  Who is right and who is wrong?

While we are inundated with witty titles and fancy covers, people often fail to realize that 90% of the time these books are saying the same thing!  I’m going to do you a favor and save you $20 and list a handful of different eating habits that will guarantee that you and your family will be well on your way to a healthier lifestyle in 2008.   

1. Never, and I mean never skip breakfast:  It’s called BREAK-fast for a reason.  You’ve just gone 6-8 hours without eating and you need to provide the raw nutrients the body needs to prepare you for the day ahead.  It takes less than two minutes to warm-up a bowl of oatmeal; even less to pour a bowl of cereal.  Get up earlier if you have to.   I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s been shown that those children who eat breakfast on a consistent basis tend to have a lower Body Mass Index (BMI) compared to those that don’t.

1. Eat more often:  It’s been shown that given the same caloric intake, those who divide their calories throughout six meals tend to weigh less and are more lean than those who divide their calories among two-three meals.  It has nothing to do with preventing your metabolism from plummeting.   Rather, it has everything to do with keeping blood-glucose levels in check.  By eating more sporadically, you and your family are less apt to OVER-eat later on in the day.

1. Emphasize Protein With Every Meal:  My good friend Cassandra Forsythe (soon to be PhD in Exercise Science and Nutrition) has always stated, “when in doubt, eat protein.”  Protein has a much less insulinogenic response in the body compared to carbohydrates and it’s also been shown that your body burns more calories digesting protein compared to carbohydrates and fat COMBINED.  Try to ingest some form of protein with every meal and/or snack.

1. Reduce Calorie Containing Beverages:  Self explanatory since I sound like a broken record with this one.  No more soda, fruit juice, etc.  Deal with it.

All in all, I think this entails a fairly productive resolution’s list.  Honorable Mention goes to finally replacing that tacky wall paper in the living room (come on people, wall paper is so 1987), catching up on all past episodes of “Lost” before the new season starts, and taking a vacation….without the kids (wink).

And remember what Tom says, “well DONE, is better than well SAID.”

Fit Tips Links

Fit Tips Home

The Pediatrics Now Fit Tips Team