Everybody likes to have some sort of confirmation that what they are doing is right. The scale, the fat calipers, the way the clothes fit are all good, but they don't always tell the whole story. I've been doing this primal way of eating now for about six months, which does involve a lot of eggs. Before that, I was following more of a body builder diet which also included a bunch of eggs. My mother-in-law in her visits would often shake her head at the vast amount of cholesterol that I was eating. I read some studies that said eggs were good, but I'm sure there are just as many studies, probably funded by Egg Beaters, that say the opposite. The same goes for grains. Personally, I'm not getting my 7 recommended helpings daily, as the government's experts recommend based on a General Mills funded report. Actually, if I have one, I feel guilty.
So two weeks ago, I had my 5yr, checkup. The last one was at age 40 and I don't think I was really in that bad of shape ....yet. Here are the results, and I'll let them speak for themselves:
..........................Now........2004..........Excellent Range
Triglycerides:...49.............44.................<150
Cholesterol:......159...........183................120-200
HDL(good):.......58.............52..................40-60
LDL(bad):.........91..............122................0-130
Risk Factor:......2.74...........3.52...............0-4.98
As the Doctor said, "Keep doing what you're doing". I'll take that and run with it!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
I'm Doing Everything Right - Why am I Still Not Losing Weight?
As a fitness coach, I get asked asked this question every once in awhile, usually by women (okay, always), so I thought it might be good to share my latest response to a friend that has been doing the P90X program 4 days a week, plus one day of running:
Tough question and I'll try to cover it properly, but there's a lot of variables that go into each individual's weight. Maybe we'll get lucky and hit the solution that works for you:
1. Measuring your results by the scale is flawed, yes, I know it is how we all do it, but the tape measure and fat caliper provide the most accurate results.....especially for women. Women's bodies adjust as a natural survival instinct, the harder you work, the more the body fights to retain the weight. This is a child bearing side effect. I'm sure you've heard of the 100 stranded pioneer story, 50 men and 50 women trapped by a snow storm without food, all the men die and 40 women survive (or something like that). So, have you seen results in the way your clothes fit? Did you take before pictures so you can see the actual change?
2. How hard are you pushing yourself in your workouts? Have you been writing everything down? Are you making improvements? I know I sometimes go through the motions and just do what I did the week before without pushing myself an inch farther. Goal setting helps. If you're able to get all 25 reps in on each of the AbRipper moves (lucky you!), try for 30. 4 days a week may not be enough, sorry, it isn't for me. If you were doing 6 and now you're doing 4, you may just be maintaining. Running distance, treadmilling, spinning, etc. all have very short term results because the body once again plateaus. Try doing interval or tabata instead, since you like running - full out sprint for 30 secs, jog for 30 secs, walk for 30 secs over the same distance that you were running and you'll get twice the workout in the same amount of time.
3. Diet - this is the tough one and the most difficult to master. Personally, I like a bowl of ice cream or a few beers every once in awhile, but I can feel the affect and it doesn't like me. Maybe you are eating clean, following a low fat diet, maybe even starving yourself. That alone could be the problem, the body will do everything in it's power to hold onto the weight. I highly recommend 5 smaller meals a day, and I'm personally following the Primal Diet ( www.marksdailyapple.com ) or Caveman Diet which works great for me - and I feel a lot better as well. It is based on the theory, or fact, that our bodies stopped evolving before the agricultural revolution when grain was introduced to us. It involves eating all of the fruit, veggies (except white potatoes or corn, which is a grain), nuts, eggs, and meat, but avoiding all grain and sugar. I cook everything in butter or olive oil. I still make the side of rice or pasta for the family, but I don't eat it myself. I use romaine lettuce for bread on my sandwiches and sweet-n-low in my mojitos. It does take some discipline and a few weeks to adjust but it works for me. It could also be that you are just not eating enough to fuel your metabolism, add some fresh fruit if that is the case.
Sorry for the long answer, but those are my thoughts, and I believe that the answer is probably in there somewhere, if not all over the place.
I guess if it were an easy answer, we'd have a much larger unemployment rate! Everybody is different and what works for one person, doesn't necessarily work for everyone. I am a big big believer that dieting by itself is flawed, having lived that yoyo myself for the first 40 yrs. You lose weight, stop dieting and get fatter that you were before the diet in half the time it took you to lose the weight in the first place. Dieting eats fat and muscle which lowers your daily caloric burn, so when the diet ends the body needs less fuel! A permanent lifestyle change is in order!
Tough question and I'll try to cover it properly, but there's a lot of variables that go into each individual's weight. Maybe we'll get lucky and hit the solution that works for you:
1. Measuring your results by the scale is flawed, yes, I know it is how we all do it, but the tape measure and fat caliper provide the most accurate results.....especially for women. Women's bodies adjust as a natural survival instinct, the harder you work, the more the body fights to retain the weight. This is a child bearing side effect. I'm sure you've heard of the 100 stranded pioneer story, 50 men and 50 women trapped by a snow storm without food, all the men die and 40 women survive (or something like that). So, have you seen results in the way your clothes fit? Did you take before pictures so you can see the actual change?
2. How hard are you pushing yourself in your workouts? Have you been writing everything down? Are you making improvements? I know I sometimes go through the motions and just do what I did the week before without pushing myself an inch farther. Goal setting helps. If you're able to get all 25 reps in on each of the AbRipper moves (lucky you!), try for 30. 4 days a week may not be enough, sorry, it isn't for me. If you were doing 6 and now you're doing 4, you may just be maintaining. Running distance, treadmilling, spinning, etc. all have very short term results because the body once again plateaus. Try doing interval or tabata instead, since you like running - full out sprint for 30 secs, jog for 30 secs, walk for 30 secs over the same distance that you were running and you'll get twice the workout in the same amount of time.
3. Diet - this is the tough one and the most difficult to master. Personally, I like a bowl of ice cream or a few beers every once in awhile, but I can feel the affect and it doesn't like me. Maybe you are eating clean, following a low fat diet, maybe even starving yourself. That alone could be the problem, the body will do everything in it's power to hold onto the weight. I highly recommend 5 smaller meals a day, and I'm personally following the Primal Diet ( www.marksdailyapple.com ) or Caveman Diet which works great for me - and I feel a lot better as well. It is based on the theory, or fact, that our bodies stopped evolving before the agricultural revolution when grain was introduced to us. It involves eating all of the fruit, veggies (except white potatoes or corn, which is a grain), nuts, eggs, and meat, but avoiding all grain and sugar. I cook everything in butter or olive oil. I still make the side of rice or pasta for the family, but I don't eat it myself. I use romaine lettuce for bread on my sandwiches and sweet-n-low in my mojitos. It does take some discipline and a few weeks to adjust but it works for me. It could also be that you are just not eating enough to fuel your metabolism, add some fresh fruit if that is the case.
Sorry for the long answer, but those are my thoughts, and I believe that the answer is probably in there somewhere, if not all over the place.
I guess if it were an easy answer, we'd have a much larger unemployment rate! Everybody is different and what works for one person, doesn't necessarily work for everyone. I am a big big believer that dieting by itself is flawed, having lived that yoyo myself for the first 40 yrs. You lose weight, stop dieting and get fatter that you were before the diet in half the time it took you to lose the weight in the first place. Dieting eats fat and muscle which lowers your daily caloric burn, so when the diet ends the body needs less fuel! A permanent lifestyle change is in order!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Insanity!
I had done a few rounds of P90X and X+, okay, 6 in total, and I'm thinking I'm in the best shape of my life and this Insanity thing is just going to be some easy workout that's meant for those that aren't really in that great of shape......wrong!!
Guess again! Completing a 67 day Round of INSANITY is very humbling experience. It is by far the toughest workout system ever put to DVD. A gift of extreme fitness.
I just completed my first Round of INSANITY a week ago Sunday (September 20, 2009). It was by far the toughest workout program that I have done and produced literally buckets of sweat throughout. I originally received the trial Plyo workout with my order of Tony Horton's One on One Diamond Delts. The trial itself was enough to get me to order the program, figuring it was the hardest workout in the program and targeted towards us hardcore fitness types. Seriously, the warm-up alone was too extreme for me the first time.
It got better when INSANITY arrived at my door. The packaging was AWESOME! Beachbody really outdid themselves with this program. Absolutely 1st class all the way! Its as gorgeous to look at as it is difficult to complete!
Shaun T accomplished something truely special in creating INSANITY. It is as much of a mental challenge as it is a physical one. INSANITY is VERY HARD. You cannot have an "Off day" and skate through the workouts. It doesn't work that way. It is so difficult that I think it makes some people shy away from it. This is EXACTLY what attracted me to it!
Some people started INSANITY when it first came out and then switched back to P90X or ChaLEAN Extreme. That is perfectly OK. INSANITY is not for everyone. The beauty of Beachbody is that there is a workout system for everyone. The people in the workout program itself, mostly 20 somethings, are usually stopping on and off thoroughout the routines to catch their breath, and there's no shame in that!
I fell in love with INSANITY from the first Fit Test. It was HARD, it hurt, and it set the stage for the next 66 days. My body started to adapt to the new exercises and routines and I fell into a groove pretty quickly. Which after 20 months of pushing myself, I found hard to believe, was it really possible to push this old body farther, and would it hold up?
The better you get at INSANITY the harder you can work. The body is an amazing thing. One of the first things I noticed was that I was SORE all over. I am talking all over fatigue. EVERYTHING from my toes to my eyebrows got sore, bringing me back to why P90X worked for me in the first place. Surprisingly your back will get very sore from all the Plank work. There was such a sense of accomplishment with each workout completed. Why? Because you had to give 100% effort and focus to every exercise and rep. It demands allot but the rewards are SO AWESOME!
Here is what you get from working HARD at INSANITY for 67 days:
- Adamant Mental Toughness (You push harder than you ever though possible and then go beyond!)
- Incredible Muscular Endurance
- Out of this world Cardio
- Body fat is SHREDDED from your frame
- "Real World" functional Fitness (No fluff exercises that look good but don't translate to real life)
You become the Athlete that you never thought you could become. Because of INSANITY, I am in the absolute best shape of my life. I am stronger, faster, in better cardio shape, and have more muscular endurance than I have ever had at any stage of my life. My body fat is roughly 9% right now at 205 pounds. All at nearly 45 years old.
For those of you out there that think INSANITY is only a cardio program, nothing could be further from the truth. Its total body blasting with the best cardio routines ever put together in one workout System.
If you work hard your physical progression is incredible. I expected to lose some strength, thinking this was just some ShaunT aerobic dancing program. There's no weights involved, no pull ups, but an incredible amount of push ups. A week after the program, and following a week of my old serious circuit weight training I'm very happy to report major increases in all of my weight lifting - which seems almost impossible to believe after two months away from the weights and kettle bells. The only downside is that I lost the calluses on my hands. I'm not claiming an increase in strength or muscle, but I am stating that my muscle endurance increased drastically. My old sets of kettle bell swings or dumb bell curls got so much easier. At the end of the set with the same weight that I was struggling to lift at rep 8 is so easy now. Plain and simple the muscles just aren't fatigued!!
If you are planning on doing INSANITY here are some tips:
1.) Wear some decent cross trainer shoes (Essential as 90% of your work is on your feet)
2.) Workout in an area that can handle getting wet from your sweat (You will SWEAT during INSANITY like never in your life!). As a side note, I did yell at our new puppy one day after working out, only to discover it was really a puddle caused by my sweat dripping off the the shirt that was hanging on the chair.
3.) Workout on a surface that is non slip and forgiving on your joints.
4.) Get enough Beachbody Results & Recovery Formula to have a post workout drink 6 days a week)
5.) Wear something on your head that wil keep the sweat out of your eyes (Bandana, headband, hat)
6.) Get a Heart Rate Monitor (Best is a wrist watch type that calculates calories burned)
7.) Follow the INSANITY ELite Nutrition Guide (Shaun says to subtract 300-400 extra cals to lose weight)
8.) Drink ALLOT of water. (You will sweat so much you MUST keep well hydrated to recover)
9.) Get enough Sleep (Again Recovery is most important)
10.) Realize that you will "suffer" and struggle during all of the 67 days of INSANITY. That is GOOD!
11.) Harden yourself mentally to the workouts as quickly as possible. Your mind fails first.
12.) NEVER lose focus on your goals. INSANITY will help you achieve them.
I dropped 10 pounds during the 67 days of my 1st Round of INSANITY. I went from 215 pounds at 10% BF to 205 pounds at sub 9% BF. I didn't lose an ounce of visible muscle. I leaned out like crazy.
So there it is my friends. Think you want to take on INSANITY? Be prepared to work harder than you ever have in your life. When you find yourself standing tall and proud on Day 67, in the absolute shape of your life, you can call yourself an "Insanity Graduate", and that is somehting you can be VERY proud of!
Guess again! Completing a 67 day Round of INSANITY is very humbling experience. It is by far the toughest workout system ever put to DVD. A gift of extreme fitness.
I just completed my first Round of INSANITY a week ago Sunday (September 20, 2009). It was by far the toughest workout program that I have done and produced literally buckets of sweat throughout. I originally received the trial Plyo workout with my order of Tony Horton's One on One Diamond Delts. The trial itself was enough to get me to order the program, figuring it was the hardest workout in the program and targeted towards us hardcore fitness types. Seriously, the warm-up alone was too extreme for me the first time.
It got better when INSANITY arrived at my door. The packaging was AWESOME! Beachbody really outdid themselves with this program. Absolutely 1st class all the way! Its as gorgeous to look at as it is difficult to complete!
Shaun T accomplished something truely special in creating INSANITY. It is as much of a mental challenge as it is a physical one. INSANITY is VERY HARD. You cannot have an "Off day" and skate through the workouts. It doesn't work that way. It is so difficult that I think it makes some people shy away from it. This is EXACTLY what attracted me to it!
Some people started INSANITY when it first came out and then switched back to P90X or ChaLEAN Extreme. That is perfectly OK. INSANITY is not for everyone. The beauty of Beachbody is that there is a workout system for everyone. The people in the workout program itself, mostly 20 somethings, are usually stopping on and off thoroughout the routines to catch their breath, and there's no shame in that!
I fell in love with INSANITY from the first Fit Test. It was HARD, it hurt, and it set the stage for the next 66 days. My body started to adapt to the new exercises and routines and I fell into a groove pretty quickly. Which after 20 months of pushing myself, I found hard to believe, was it really possible to push this old body farther, and would it hold up?
The better you get at INSANITY the harder you can work. The body is an amazing thing. One of the first things I noticed was that I was SORE all over. I am talking all over fatigue. EVERYTHING from my toes to my eyebrows got sore, bringing me back to why P90X worked for me in the first place. Surprisingly your back will get very sore from all the Plank work. There was such a sense of accomplishment with each workout completed. Why? Because you had to give 100% effort and focus to every exercise and rep. It demands allot but the rewards are SO AWESOME!
Here is what you get from working HARD at INSANITY for 67 days:
- Adamant Mental Toughness (You push harder than you ever though possible and then go beyond!)
- Incredible Muscular Endurance
- Out of this world Cardio
- Body fat is SHREDDED from your frame
- "Real World" functional Fitness (No fluff exercises that look good but don't translate to real life)
You become the Athlete that you never thought you could become. Because of INSANITY, I am in the absolute best shape of my life. I am stronger, faster, in better cardio shape, and have more muscular endurance than I have ever had at any stage of my life. My body fat is roughly 9% right now at 205 pounds. All at nearly 45 years old.
For those of you out there that think INSANITY is only a cardio program, nothing could be further from the truth. Its total body blasting with the best cardio routines ever put together in one workout System.
If you work hard your physical progression is incredible. I expected to lose some strength, thinking this was just some ShaunT aerobic dancing program. There's no weights involved, no pull ups, but an incredible amount of push ups. A week after the program, and following a week of my old serious circuit weight training I'm very happy to report major increases in all of my weight lifting - which seems almost impossible to believe after two months away from the weights and kettle bells. The only downside is that I lost the calluses on my hands. I'm not claiming an increase in strength or muscle, but I am stating that my muscle endurance increased drastically. My old sets of kettle bell swings or dumb bell curls got so much easier. At the end of the set with the same weight that I was struggling to lift at rep 8 is so easy now. Plain and simple the muscles just aren't fatigued!!
If you are planning on doing INSANITY here are some tips:
1.) Wear some decent cross trainer shoes (Essential as 90% of your work is on your feet)
2.) Workout in an area that can handle getting wet from your sweat (You will SWEAT during INSANITY like never in your life!). As a side note, I did yell at our new puppy one day after working out, only to discover it was really a puddle caused by my sweat dripping off the the shirt that was hanging on the chair.
3.) Workout on a surface that is non slip and forgiving on your joints.
4.) Get enough Beachbody Results & Recovery Formula to have a post workout drink 6 days a week)
5.) Wear something on your head that wil keep the sweat out of your eyes (Bandana, headband, hat)
6.) Get a Heart Rate Monitor (Best is a wrist watch type that calculates calories burned)
7.) Follow the INSANITY ELite Nutrition Guide (Shaun says to subtract 300-400 extra cals to lose weight)
8.) Drink ALLOT of water. (You will sweat so much you MUST keep well hydrated to recover)
9.) Get enough Sleep (Again Recovery is most important)
10.) Realize that you will "suffer" and struggle during all of the 67 days of INSANITY. That is GOOD!
11.) Harden yourself mentally to the workouts as quickly as possible. Your mind fails first.
12.) NEVER lose focus on your goals. INSANITY will help you achieve them.
I dropped 10 pounds during the 67 days of my 1st Round of INSANITY. I went from 215 pounds at 10% BF to 205 pounds at sub 9% BF. I didn't lose an ounce of visible muscle. I leaned out like crazy.
So there it is my friends. Think you want to take on INSANITY? Be prepared to work harder than you ever have in your life. When you find yourself standing tall and proud on Day 67, in the absolute shape of your life, you can call yourself an "Insanity Graduate", and that is somehting you can be VERY proud of!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
The Art of the Callus
Today's workout was the Kettle Bell 15:15 Protocol (15 secs of snatches followed by 15 secs of resting, then switching hands) followed by Tony Horton's 1 on 1 Killer Abs. And, let me say, it was a great work out. I owe the discovery of this one to the fitness king Mike French. Mike's about 10 years younger than me and a true specimen of the extreme. He eats right, pushes himself to the limit on every work out, and makes a living out of being a fitness coach along with his wife. They've both made cameo's in Beachbody's series of infomercials as well as won monthly awards for being pure case studies on what the program can do for you.I on the other hand, just want to push myself enough to keep moving forward. I've never been good at sitting still, so its up or down for me, and up feels so much better.
Mike sets the bar high, and I feebly try to keep up. His personal best after a few tries at this work out was 64 sets of 7 reps with a 44lb kettle bell....or 32 minutes to lift 2,816 lbs over his head. I've attempted to keep up before and realize that I'm not going to, but I still try. His thoughts on the program about the fear (paraphrasing here) that hits him prior to the work out and the nauseousness that follows had me more than a little intimidated. Plus, I had my 35lb kettle bell out on loan, which is where, as he advised, any sensible/smart person would start. Not me though, noooo, I had to go for the big 53lber. I figured I outweigh Mike by a good 40 lbs of muscle (okay I'm taller with bigger bones) so I may not be able to keep up on the cardio side, but it would be a real hit to my ego to go lighter. Proving someone wrong one has to be the one of the greatest pleasures in life, especially since I've cut ice cream and beer out of my diet (mostly).
So I started out with the help of my 7yr old daughter writing down each set. Now, I have absolutely no idea how Mike gets 7 reps in 15 secs, I instead quickly settled into 5 reps per set, which seemed like I was rushing to complete in 15 secs. Let me say that 15 secs of resting only seems long for the 1st two sets. Around the tenth set on each side or set 20, I got one of those side cramps that was annoying but not game ending. I was able to push though to set 40, and I truly believe I could have made it to 60, but the calluses started to tear. Actually, I think it is really blisters under the calluses. My daughter even said "what is that noise?" All is good, I didn't let the ego push me into a sidelining injury....and there are those that know me who are probably surprised at that. Yes, I am getting wiser in my old age.
So it's now time to repair those calluses. In the old days, I would just let the blisters underneath dry, and then peal away the skin. The best remedy is to now apply some high quality lotion like corn huskers or whatever my wife has in stock and then tomorrow morning take the bunion scraper that looks like a small cheese grater to them. Avoiding the dishonor of weight lifting gloves at all cost!
I'd also like to thank Mark Sisson for his work on the Primal Blueprint. I'm loving the diet high in fruits, vegatables, and meat. I'm not sure how far I go into the evolution theory behind the diet, but I will say it works!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Kettle Bell Goal Accomplished.
I hit my goal of 200 two handed swings today with my 70 lb. kettle bell, along with 3 sets of presses and flys at different angles, before my MRI for a pinched inguinal nerve (I hope).After failing to hit my goal of 200 on Wednesday I wasn't going to quit until I did it today. I thought I had mastered the breathing technique. After the 3rd set of 50 swings, I wasn't sure I'd make another set. I was doing as I had learned from watching you tube videos, exploding the air out and virtually pushing the Kettle Bell up. After each of the first three sets I was left gasping for air at 50, usually after I put the kb down. The 4th set today, I just relaxed and breathed almost normally but in tempo with the swings. At the end I was barely winded, almost disappointed. I'm sure you know what I mean. I had anticipated failure, almost expected it. So much so, that when the success was easy, I felt a sense of let down....of course, not so much that I needed to attempt another 50.
This week regime was focused on variation and explosive power:
Monday - Tony Horton's One on One - Just Arms
Tuesday - Tony Horton's One on One - Bun Shaper (still feeling this one when I sit down!)
Wednesday - Kettle Bells and Shoulders
Thursday - Tony Horton's One on One - Plyo Legs
Friday - Kettle Bells and Chest
Tomorrow - Tony Horton's One on One - Fountain of Youth Yoga
Friday, April 10, 2009
Just Breath!
Okay, it sounds easy and we do it without thinking, but sometimes it's not quite that simple. It really helps to relax us when we are stressed out; a few long slow ones will do wonders, as well as in yoga. But other times different methods are required.
Yesterday, I talked about the difficulties of the Kettle Bell Two Handed Swing - the chest pumping, full out assault on the cardio system that will push my pulse up to 200 and requires twice as long for it come back down. Well, guess what, I did a little research and learned a new way to breath. My normal 50 swings today were a breeze. I was scrambling to catch my breath all the way through 50 swings each time. The down swing was not allowing me enough time to inhale and the upswing was not allowing me enough time to exhale. It was similar to running a 800 meter (yeah right) sprint while hyperventilating! No wonder I was seeing pretty colors!
Now I explode the Kettle Bell up with my exhale, and get a full inhale on the downswing. 50 swings felt like a joke today, all 4 sets. I understand how my P90X coach's coach did 500+ swings now. Personally, that will never happen for me - I can't count that high ;)
The two pood arrives on Monday - I hope the UPS guy is a P90X graduate!
Happy Easter and stick to the real eggs!!
Yesterday, I talked about the difficulties of the Kettle Bell Two Handed Swing - the chest pumping, full out assault on the cardio system that will push my pulse up to 200 and requires twice as long for it come back down. Well, guess what, I did a little research and learned a new way to breath. My normal 50 swings today were a breeze. I was scrambling to catch my breath all the way through 50 swings each time. The down swing was not allowing me enough time to inhale and the upswing was not allowing me enough time to exhale. It was similar to running a 800 meter (yeah right) sprint while hyperventilating! No wonder I was seeing pretty colors!
Now I explode the Kettle Bell up with my exhale, and get a full inhale on the downswing. 50 swings felt like a joke today, all 4 sets. I understand how my P90X coach's coach did 500+ swings now. Personally, that will never happen for me - I can't count that high ;)
The two pood arrives on Monday - I hope the UPS guy is a P90X graduate!
Happy Easter and stick to the real eggs!!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Accountability and Progress - Day 440
It is hard to believe that I've almost finished round #5 of a 90 day program that some said I would never complete. I find it hard to believe myself, that through all of the traveling and temptations of ice cream and beer that I have stuck with it. That cheat day on Saturdays does help. But truthfully, after sticking with it for 90 days it does become a habit/routine and the small helping of ice cream every once in awhile is okay. Let's face it in my 45th year, I really do not need to look like Arnold, I just need to be fit and healthy. I'm good with that, but a little voice in my head is always pushing me harder. That's also okay, as long as I keep it in check and it really does help me to exercise everyday.
I've recently added a new variation to my regiment. Kettle Bells. A Russian torture device that looks like a cannon ball with a handle. Most men start with a 35lb bell or one pood equal to 18kg. There are many different exercises that can be performed with it, but the most popular and torturous is the two handed swing. It takes a strong focus, great technique, and pure determination. Unlike most exercises, it is not something that can be paced or modified. There's one speed only. After 5 minutes of swinging, my heart rate is up to 200 bpm, and it seems like it takes me another 10 minutes to stop breathing heavy. I really need to learn how to breath better! Not an exercise that I would recommend for anybody before at least one round of the X!
I'm really loving the coaching aspect of this as well. On one side I have the newbies with all sorts of enthusiasm at getting started after usually months of "does it really work?", in the middle are the people who are saying I'm getting incredible results or "I have lost two sizes but the scale hasn't changed", and at the end are the happy graduates who can't believe the change they have made, and like me have no desire to stop feeling so good. Every once in awhile, somebody stops after 90 days feeling great about their accomplishment, but not willing to continue the devotion, generally, I see them back in the swing of it after a month.
As an example, our neighbors just completed their first round last week. Nancy was an avid runner before the X and had a lot of reservations about doing the X, and not having enough time to go running. I told her to do the X for one month, and then add back in running. She just went running for the first time in three months this week. She was pretty nervous beforehand she said. A three mile run after 90 days seemed like a lot. She actually got bored running and didn't even enjoy it.....personally, I never understood running in the first place, so it is tough for me to understand. But I do like knowing that the X got her in so much better shape than her daily running did in the past. And now, given the choice, she is sticking with the X. She's ready to add in the Kettle Bells!
Financially speaking, coaching is great! I may have mentioned before that I really only did the business side as a tax write off. Now I'm shopping for a pool in the backyard and expect ground breaking to commence next spring!
I've recently added a new variation to my regiment. Kettle Bells. A Russian torture device that looks like a cannon ball with a handle. Most men start with a 35lb bell or one pood equal to 18kg. There are many different exercises that can be performed with it, but the most popular and torturous is the two handed swing. It takes a strong focus, great technique, and pure determination. Unlike most exercises, it is not something that can be paced or modified. There's one speed only. After 5 minutes of swinging, my heart rate is up to 200 bpm, and it seems like it takes me another 10 minutes to stop breathing heavy. I really need to learn how to breath better! Not an exercise that I would recommend for anybody before at least one round of the X!
I'm really loving the coaching aspect of this as well. On one side I have the newbies with all sorts of enthusiasm at getting started after usually months of "does it really work?", in the middle are the people who are saying I'm getting incredible results or "I have lost two sizes but the scale hasn't changed", and at the end are the happy graduates who can't believe the change they have made, and like me have no desire to stop feeling so good. Every once in awhile, somebody stops after 90 days feeling great about their accomplishment, but not willing to continue the devotion, generally, I see them back in the swing of it after a month.
As an example, our neighbors just completed their first round last week. Nancy was an avid runner before the X and had a lot of reservations about doing the X, and not having enough time to go running. I told her to do the X for one month, and then add back in running. She just went running for the first time in three months this week. She was pretty nervous beforehand she said. A three mile run after 90 days seemed like a lot. She actually got bored running and didn't even enjoy it.....personally, I never understood running in the first place, so it is tough for me to understand. But I do like knowing that the X got her in so much better shape than her daily running did in the past. And now, given the choice, she is sticking with the X. She's ready to add in the Kettle Bells!
Financially speaking, coaching is great! I may have mentioned before that I really only did the business side as a tax write off. Now I'm shopping for a pool in the backyard and expect ground breaking to commence next spring!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Walking the Walk
ACCOUNTABILITY - looking in the mirror and taking a photo are two very different ways of measuring progress. It is very difficult for most of us to see or notice small changes in the mirror, but photos sure show the difference. Starting a fitness program as intense and time consuming for most of us is a very difficult decision. Something usually has to happen to force us to make a change. Getting winded walking up the stairs and noticing it might be enough, having someone tell its time, or just seeing a new record high on the scale. The act of clearing the calendar and all other responsibilities needs to occur next, for some it is a needed step, for others it is just a stall tactic. But let's say success is reached, the program is followed, the diet is changed, the goal is achieved. Then what? Have you made a commitment to maintain your results? Have your results been so outstanding that others have noticed? Have you publicly published your results so others will noticed or kept them to yourself?
Good or bad, I have published my results, here on my blog, on my facebook, as well as even the local paper:
Quite an honor, and a bit embarrassing at the same time. And I do have sympathy for my wife. It's one thing to have a blog, but the local paper is seen by the neighbors. Now I have the ultimate accountability. At church, its noticed if I sneak a cookie after service on Sunday. People look in my shopping cart at the grocery store. Even at a men's retreat this weekend, everyone had to visually compare the items on their plate to mine. The accountability is great! But I also now feel the pressure to act responsibly and not let others see me slipping up because it makes it okay for them.
There is not a magic secret to fitness and health. It requires daily work, and now for me is really routine, and if I miss workout I notice, just like if I missed brushing my teeth. Starting out it is usually enough to have your own motivation and accountability, but don't be afraid to let others help you!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
The 50/50 Project
Okay, I'm 11 months into a 90 day program and I've completely changed my diet, lifestyle, and way of thinking! Back on January 26, I weighed a whopping 225lbs, a few weeks later I was down to 215lbs. Since then I dropped all the way down to 190lbs, and I'm now back up to 208lbs. But don't feel sorry for me, I'm trying to get back to 215lbs while remaining at my current 9% body fat. The math:
At 225lbs I was around 30% body fat or a lean weight (0% fat) of 157.5lbs.
At 190lbs I was at 7% body fat or a lean weight of 177lbs - a loss of 23% body fat or 51.75lbs of fat and a gain of 20lbs of muscle!
My current goal is to get back to my starting weight of 225 but be at 9% body fat which is 207.5lbs for a lean weight or an even 50lbs of muscle gained since day 1! Since I only have about 6 weeks left, and at the most, I can gain 1lb of muscle per week, my anniversary goal is to be at 215lbs.
The real question most people ask is "why?" Quite simply, I feel the best that I have ever felt! Playing hockey or playing with the kids, I have energy and a more positive mood overall. Sure there are days when I'm tired, usually after Friday night hockey when I get home very late and then the dog barks in the middle of the night and I get up to do some kickboxing at 4:30am....doesn't everybody? But overall, I'm a very happy and positive person compared to where I was just one year ago. So this current goal is motivation to keep going. I guess most people would say "you feel good everyday, you look good, so why keep pushing?" Not me, for me it is truly a matter of al or nothing. I've never been good at doing something halfway. For me to mentally engage, I have to push it!
So, perhaps you're reading this and somehow missed the other 11 or so months of my ramblings. Here's the basic formula that I used to get where I am today:
FEB-APR: Round 1 P90X Classic, nutritionally followed the P90X suggested diet as well.
MAY-JUL: Round 2 P90X Classic, nutritionally stayed in a Phase 2 P90X diet
AUG: Ten Minute Trainer Series, my body needed a break after 6 months straight of the X, P90X Phase 3 diet
SEP-NOV: P90X+, Bodybuilder diet - Sun-Fri: 3000 Calories, 300g Protein, 150g Carbs; Saturday: 4000 Calories, 300g Protein, 450g Carbs.
DEC- : Primal Efforts: A complete mix of P90X, X+, 1on1, and TMT. Bodybuilder diet
It seems to be working. Pants are still loose, and muscles are growing. I could use some more leg routines probably, but I do play hockey twice a week when possible. Arms, chest, shoulders, and back are all showing noticeable improvements. Let me know if you have any questions or if you are ready to start your own P90X journey!
At 225lbs I was around 30% body fat or a lean weight (0% fat) of 157.5lbs.
At 190lbs I was at 7% body fat or a lean weight of 177lbs - a loss of 23% body fat or 51.75lbs of fat and a gain of 20lbs of muscle!
My current goal is to get back to my starting weight of 225 but be at 9% body fat which is 207.5lbs for a lean weight or an even 50lbs of muscle gained since day 1! Since I only have about 6 weeks left, and at the most, I can gain 1lb of muscle per week, my anniversary goal is to be at 215lbs.
The real question most people ask is "why?" Quite simply, I feel the best that I have ever felt! Playing hockey or playing with the kids, I have energy and a more positive mood overall. Sure there are days when I'm tired, usually after Friday night hockey when I get home very late and then the dog barks in the middle of the night and I get up to do some kickboxing at 4:30am....doesn't everybody? But overall, I'm a very happy and positive person compared to where I was just one year ago. So this current goal is motivation to keep going. I guess most people would say "you feel good everyday, you look good, so why keep pushing?" Not me, for me it is truly a matter of al or nothing. I've never been good at doing something halfway. For me to mentally engage, I have to push it!
So, perhaps you're reading this and somehow missed the other 11 or so months of my ramblings. Here's the basic formula that I used to get where I am today:
FEB-APR: Round 1 P90X Classic, nutritionally followed the P90X suggested diet as well.
MAY-JUL: Round 2 P90X Classic, nutritionally stayed in a Phase 2 P90X diet
AUG: Ten Minute Trainer Series, my body needed a break after 6 months straight of the X, P90X Phase 3 diet
SEP-NOV: P90X+, Bodybuilder diet - Sun-Fri: 3000 Calories, 300g Protein, 150g Carbs; Saturday: 4000 Calories, 300g Protein, 450g Carbs.
DEC- : Primal Efforts: A complete mix of P90X, X+, 1on1, and TMT. Bodybuilder diet
It seems to be working. Pants are still loose, and muscles are growing. I could use some more leg routines probably, but I do play hockey twice a week when possible. Arms, chest, shoulders, and back are all showing noticeable improvements. Let me know if you have any questions or if you are ready to start your own P90X journey!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Muscle Mass
I've embarked on the "nearly impossible" challenge of adding muscle while staying lean. Personally, I have no trouble adding muscle and bulking up, but increasing the fat % is a challenge and a very slow process. Building muscle requires fat for the process. This is why bodybuilders bulk up in the off season and then diet down for the competition. I'm not looking to compete, but I am looking for the challenge to keep me motivated. Here's an article about the nutrition side that I discovered and it is basically what I have been doing for the last 90 days of my 3rd round of P90X. I actually did the X+ series this time. I changed my diet to be 1.5x g's of protein/pound of bodyweight or around 300g's of protein a day and 3000 overall calories per day, except on my Saturday carb loading days when I targeted 4000 calories.
June 2008 to November 2008 - same 8% bodyfat, but 15lbs heavier in November:
Here's the article(Disclaimer For those who are trying to loose weight – this article is not for you. While there is loads of valuable information, these guidelines are primarily directed towards individuals who are attempting to gain muscle mass. So if you do try these tactics – YOU WILL GAIN WEIGHT):
Article #1: 31-Rules Of Nutrition:
To Get The Most Out of Your Gym Time, Make Sure Your Diet Adheres To These Principles
We read and hear about shortcuts and easy methods of gaining muscle mass, getting ripped, and burning fat all the time these days. Sadly many people are mislead into believing these "snake-oil" remedies. The truth of the matter is there is no "next-day miracles." However, there are certain fundamental principles that you can implement on a daily basis for your diet that over time will give you the dividends you have sought in your investment of fitness & nutrition. The fact is this: Getting ripped and in the best shape of your life takes hard work, commitment, and persistence. Without adding the component of a balanced nutrition plan as a source of fuel (remember: food is fuel, not comfort), you will be "dead in the water." You've got to feed your body in the "right way." It's a matter of repetition, learning, and developing a healthy dietary pattern which will "force" your body to respond with the size, strength, and definition you have sought.
If you follow the primary precepts of these 31-strategies in your diet, you will find those elements you seek to achieve in your fitness, body shape & appearance will fall in place "automatically." It takes patience, Rome wasn't built in a day & neither is your body (I wonder who said that). This process doesn't happen overnight.Sloppy to Sliced: In order to achieve that lean, muscle building framework for your body composition, you'll never achieve that look, no matter how much weight you lift or aerobic training you do unless you begin to "chip-away" at those body-fat stores. It is not a matter of eating less and exercising more. You can't hack away calories by lifting weights 2 or 3 times per day or run until it hurts. It's about balance. The following tips will help you get ripped without sacrificing the muscle mass you've worked so hard to achieve.Muscle Mass Gain Made Simple: For most of us putting on noticeable muscle mass doesn't come easy. Where most people fall short is in their diets. A balanced approach with both whole foods and supplements makes all the difference. These 31-muscle building tactics will make the difference between being ripped or being bare-boned.(NOTE: Many of the vitamins, minerals, and chemicals mentioned in this article, especially the pre and post-workout drinks or protein shakes are already contained in the P90X Recovery Drink Formula, and I would highly recommend using it for that purpose)
#1. Cycle Carbs:[B] Limit carb intake for 4 or 5 days, then boost your carbs for 2 days. When you limit your carbs to 100 grams or less for 4-5 days, the body goes into "fat burning mode." Then when you reverse your carbs increase the intake 250-300 grams for 2 days, you then drive the metabolism even higher. During this kind of cycle be sure to keep your protein intake high. This will spare the muscle tissue.[B]
#2. Clock Your Carbs: Remember this rule: Too many carbs can make you fat, too few carbs can slow your metabolism. Timing is important here. Consume a healthy portion of carbs at breakfast and after training. Eat 50 grams of fast-digesting carbs before and after a workout. This will slow training-induce muscle breakdown and keeps cortisol (a stress hormone that destroys muscle and slows metabolism) in check.
#3. Use BCAAs to Preserve Muscle: This helps prevent catabolism. Use 5-10 grams of branched-chain amino acids with breakfast also before and after workout.
#4 Make Carbs Work For You: Intense workouts burn fat. Eat a pre-workout (less than 30 mins) fast digesting whey protein (20 grams) and 20-40 grams of slow digesting carbs (fruit, sweet potato, brown rice, etc), will help you power through your workouts with the right amount of energy to keep the workout intense.**Note: The P90X Recovery Drink is an excellent pre-workout & workout drink to have handy instead of water – it has all the ingredients to make this a viable alternative to the above.
#5. Increase Neurotransmitters: This is your "spark plug." These chemicals signal the brain to shift into "fat-burning mode." Caffeine and tea work well here. Use pre-workout for best results.
#6. Prioritize Slow – Burning Carbs: Beans, whole-grain breads, pasta, oatmeal, brown rice, sweet potato, should be the staples of your daily carb intake. These will help you burn more fat throughout the day and during exercise.
#7. Snack Right: Sugar-free yogurt and cottage cheese may be the perfect snack foods. These too are slow-digesting carbs that keep insulin levels regulated.
#8. Always Feed The Machine: Low-calorie diets over time will impair you metabolism. Eat in small quantities throughout the day (about every 1 ½ to 2 hours). This stimulates "themogenisis," which supports metabolism and prevents slow-down.
#9. Employ Arginine: 3 grams of this amino acid before training will help you achieve the pump you want.
#10. Avoid Carbs Late: Go to bed in a carb-deprived state. This will cause your body to burn more body-fat while you sleep. If you are an evening trainer, 40-60 grams of fast-digesting carbs ingested immediately after workout (again recovery drink) is fine. The main point of emphasis here is a stable blood-sugar level. This puts you in a position of muscle growth not growing fat.
#11. Drink Tea Regularly: For instance if you weigh 180 lbs. you need to consume approximately 90 ounces of water daily (1/2 body weight in ounces). You can incorporate some of that fluid intake to work extra for you by brewing green tea. Green tea contains antioxidants which increase calorie-burning. Or add a little ginseng to the mix, which helps to keep blood-sugar levels stable.
#12. Use Glutamine and Taurine: These aminos help keep your body anabolic while dieting. Glutamine interferes with cortisol uptake (preventing protein loss and muscle breakdown). Use glutamine post-workout in conjunction with fast-digesting carbs. Glutamine aids in recovery by pulling water into muscle cells, and boost the metabolic rate.
#13. Eliminate All Fat: Well not all, but most of it. Keep fat intake low for 4-5 days. This will help you break through a fat-loss plateau (eliminating fat "tricks" the body into burning fat stores). Avoid chicken breast, lean meats, egg yolk, and oatmeal for 4-5 days. Substitute near-zero fat proteins such as turkey breast (not processed deli meat), egg whites, fat-free cottage cheese and protein powders. You body will adapt rapidly and this approach only works for 4-5 days. Afterwards return to your regular protein-rich foods.
#14. Ditch Low/Fat & Fat-Free Approach: These diets are for getting lean. When gaining muscle mass be sure to include olive oil, avocado, whole eggs, in you diet. You can also include "lower-fat" (not fat-free) yogurt, milk, and cheese. These types of dietary fats drive growth and recovery. These fats also spare the use of protein as an energy source, meaning the protein you are eating is going towards the purpose you intended – building mass. Fat also supports the "natural" production of growth hormones and testosterone. You need to incorporate approximately 30% daily from these fat sources. In addition to egg yolks, be sure to include fatty fish, nuts, and seeds.
#15. Splurge Occasionally: Treat yourself once in a while. Increase your caloric intake once every week. This can actually spur growth! Indulge in that pizza, burgers & french fries, dessert. The body will respond by increasing the anabolic hormones responsible for repairing damaged muscle tissue. This also helps keep you "sane" while eating clean.
#16. Use Powder: Protein is THE #1 nutrient when it comes to building muscle mass. If you really want to maximize your protein intake make 2 of your 5-6 daily meals a protein shake. Powders will be more quickly absorbed than the tougher proteins such as meat and poultry, and with powders you have more control over the portion – down to the gram. The critical window for protein shakes is the before workout (20 grams) and the post-workout (40-60 grams).
#17. Crank UP the T&C: Muscle building increases the T-receptors in our muscles, which work with the hormone testosterone. After a few weeks however the testosterone burst declines. To keep the T-receptors & testosterone at their maximum 500-750 mg of tribulus terrestria an hour before workouts, and 1000 mg of Vitamin C after training will help maintain muscle strength, recovery, and mass. Word of caution: women who are pregnant or men diagnosed with prostate cancer should consult physician before taking this supplement.
#18. Go With Garlic: Garlic influences natural hormones in our bodies that support growth. Macronutrients are the key to getting big. Not only is protein, carbs, and fat important but so are the hormones. So to help keep hormone levels high and muscle breakdown low use garlic.
#19. Supplement During Training: Drinking a sports drink (recovery drink) during your workout helps shut-down the usual muscle breakdown common in hard, intense, training. Make sure the drink contains glucose (at least 50-60 grams of carbs), add an additional 20 grams of protein and you're good to go.
#20. Flush The System: Plateaus are inevitable, everyone hits them from time to time. When you hit the wall what do you do? Pull back on your carb intake for 10 days, then go back to high carbs. For instance, instead of eating 400 grams of carbs daily, cut back to 200 – 250 grams of carbs for 10 days, then increase to 500 grams for 2 days before leveling off back at 400 grams. What happens? You guessed it, your body literally slingshots through the plateau! You've broken through the wall and you continue to grow. What happens is that when you pull-back and then add the carbs back in you have essentially recharged & reenergized your glycogen-storage system, allowing you to get back to increasing muscle mass.
#21. Let Salt Work For You: Don't fuss over using a little salt. Sodium is a major mineral your body needs. Salt regulates the metabolism, and aids in storing carbs in our muscles. Greater carb storage results in greater mass gains. Before a competition don't skimp on the salt. Sodium depletion will affect your body's ability to make muscle glycogen. In addition, salt helps amino acids and creatine absorption into the muscles as well.
#22. Eat Meat: If you are really pumped about gaining mass then red meat is the food of choice (and should be consumed fairly often). Red meats contain more B vitamins, creatine, iron and zinc – all vital for growth – than other protein sources.
#23. Eat Fatty Fish: Only 6 ounces of fatty fish (bluefish, sardines, salmon, and trout) provides 32 grams of protein and up to 18 grams of omega-3 fatty acids.
#24. Adjust For Inflation: If you are not gaining mass but still have energy while working out, you are probably eating enough carbs but not enough protein to gain mass. So if you're following the golden rule of 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, move that amount up to 1.5 grams of protein and gains will come your way.
#25. Emphasize Post-Workout Nutrition: What you eat right after a workout can make or break your physique. Drink that sports drink (recovery drink), making sure it contains 60-100 grams of fast-digesting carbs. Alternatives to sports drinks include fat-free sorbet, white bread with jam, and 40-60 grams of protein.
#26. Cheat Right: It's ok to once in a while food binge. But, if you do go overboard, err on the side of eating too much protein. Eat a large, lean steak with a small potato and salad, a huge pasta meal, or (my favorite) a huge pizza! The large amount of protein will signal the brain to make you feel full, whereas a carb binge does just the opposite and you'll still feel hungry.
#27. Pack Your Food: Cooking and packing your own foods gives you complete control of your diet when you're away from home.
#28. Snack Right: Avoid the snack bars and vending machines at work. Bring snacks from home that will keep you on track to becoming ripped. If you've got a sweet-tooth, some alternative suggestions are sugar-free Jell-O or s/f Popsicles, strawberries, cantelope, etc. even cucumber slices marinated in vinegar, salt, and Splenda, will help curb the cravings.
#29. Go Big At Breakfast: Eating a big breakfast ignites your metabolism and will really help you get leaned out. Don't skip this meal or else your metabolism will sputter like a dying campfire. A healthy breakfast also helps prevent gorging on those cravings at your mid-morning snack.
#30. Hydrate: Consume plenty of water throughout the day. Forget about the 6-8 glasses per day, aim instead to drink approximately ½ your body weight in ounces of water per day – minimum. If you chug 2 cups of cold water (16 ounces) it can have a positive affect on your metabolism.
#31. Be Punctual: Always eat immediately after training. You shouldn't wait longer than an hour after training to eat. If you eat after an hour, the calories will still be used for recovery and growth but not nearly to the same extent.
Okay, so from own experience I will tell you that I had great results again from the Beachbody P90X+ routine....don't hate me. I didn't exactly meet my goals, but I probably met a normal person's goals. I dropped 7 pounds, which was about 4% bodyfat and added in another pound of muscle. Again, I'm at that too lean point for me. I start back at again after a week of stretching and light cardio, and turkey consumption. Dec. 1 will be the beginning of a new program called Primal Efforts, which is just a bunch of different P90X and X+ routines, along with some Ten Minute Trainers and One-on-One's tossed in - sort of a Tony Horton's Greatest Hits. I'll be sticking to my heavy protein diet and hope to say at the end that I have added on at least 6 pounds of muscle, but kept the waist line exactly where it is today.
October to November (about 6 weeks between shots):
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
REAL Results
You can use most any measure
When you're speaking of 'Success'.
You can measure it in fancy home,
Expensive car or dress.
But....the measure of your REAL success
Is the one you can not spend.
It's the way your kids describe YOU
When they're speaking to a friend!- Martin Buxbaum
I love that quote, but at the same time as a parent I know the right thing is not always going to be the most popular thing with my girls - going to bed on time, limiting them to a reasonable amount of treats, etc.
The same can be said for my exercise routine; sure, I could take the easy route, but I'm really happy I haven't. I love seeing these miracle solutions - "do this one thing for only 15 minutes a day and you'll look like this". I wonder if they actually put in the small print that the person shown has never actually used their product.
My 6yr old daughter showed me a picture that she drew of our family - she drew me with big superman muscles, but what made me the happiest was that she drew a smile on my face!
When you're speaking of 'Success'.
You can measure it in fancy home,
Expensive car or dress.
But....the measure of your REAL success
Is the one you can not spend.
It's the way your kids describe YOU
When they're speaking to a friend!- Martin Buxbaum
I love that quote, but at the same time as a parent I know the right thing is not always going to be the most popular thing with my girls - going to bed on time, limiting them to a reasonable amount of treats, etc.
The same can be said for my exercise routine; sure, I could take the easy route, but I'm really happy I haven't. I love seeing these miracle solutions - "do this one thing for only 15 minutes a day and you'll look like this". I wonder if they actually put in the small print that the person shown has never actually used their product.
My 6yr old daughter showed me a picture that she drew of our family - she drew me with big superman muscles, but what made me the happiest was that she drew a smile on my face!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Healthy Desserts?
We all like to splurge on a decadent dessert every now and again. But do you know how decadent you're actually being? See if you can guess how many calories are in these restaurant favorites and rank them from lowest to highest:
Melon salad. Gone are the days of melon ballers and fruit drowned in whipped cream and (shudder) mayonnaise. Just get a couple of your favorite melons, such as honeydew, cantaloupe, or watermelon, and slice them up. Arrange them artfully on a serving platter, drizzle them with a bit of honey, and toss some chopped fresh mint leaves on top. Voilà ! Not only do you have a beautiful presentation, but you have a healthy choice, too.Since melons have a high water content, they are low in calories and can be eaten as much as you like. They are also a good source of vitamin C and beta-carotene. They may also help lower your risk for developing cancer and heart disease.
Grilled stone fruit. Fruit on the grill? That may sound like a bad idea, but stone fruits (like peaches, plums, apricots, and nectarines) are wonderful on the grill. Just cut each of the fruits in half, remove the pits, and skewer them with thick wooden skewers (it's best if you soak the skewers in water for a bit beforehand to prevent them from burning). Spray a grill rack with nonstick spray, and preheat the grill (to about medium-high heat). Just put the fruit on the grill (cut-side down) and grill until the fruit gets heated (about 5 minutes). Serve nice and hot off the grill, skewers or not.Generally, stone fruits are rich in iron and potassium. Peaches are low in calories and high in vitamin C. Plums have a high vitamin E content and are wonderful antioxidants. Apricots are rich in beta-carotene and help regulate blood pressure. Stone fruits also serve as gentle laxatives and help regulate your bowels.
Chocolate-covered bananas. You can make a delicious and easy version of chocolate-covered bananas at home. Just take a handful of semisweet chocolate chips (the higher the cocoa content, the healthier) and melt them in a microwave. In the meantime, get a plate or shallow bowl and slice bananas into it. Drizzle the chocolate over the bananas, and sprinkle them with some toasted almonds, if you like.Bananas are a good way of getting potassium and vitamin B6. Chocolate has antioxidant effects and may help keep your blood pressure down. Almonds can help lower cholesterol levels and are high in protein, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin E. They actually serve as an appetite suppressant, so even just eating a handful of them makes for a healthy snack.
Mixed-berry frozen treats. Get some of your favorite nonfat sorbet (raspberry and lemon are delicious options). Top it with a mix of berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and/or sliced strawberries. Strawberries are low in calories, are a good source of vitamin C, and help raise antioxidant levels in your system. Blackberries are an excellent way for you to get vitamin E into your diet. They help fight off infections and contain vitamin C, folate, and phenolic acids. Rich in vitamin C, iron, potassium, and folate, raspberries also have wonderful antioxidant properties. Blueberries, of course, have some of the highest antioxidant properties of any fruit. They also have wonderful anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiaging properties.
Yogurt and fruit. All you need is some nonfat yogurt and a variety of fruit to make this flavorful dessert (which you can enjoy any time of day!). Layer some unsweetened yogurt in a cup (sprinkle a bit of raw sugar or honey if you want it a little sweeter) and then add some cut fruit that you like. Good candidates are pineapples, kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or bananas. Add another layer of yogurt and more fruit. If you want to go wild, sprinkle a bit of granola on top.We've already covered the benefits of fruit, but yogurt is an excellent source of calcium, protein, vitamin B12, and riboflavin. It's better for you than a glass of milk. We suggest nonfat yogurt because there's no need for the extra fat. For those of us who are lactose intolerant, yogurt cultures produce lactase, an enzyme that breaks down lactose.
1/2 cup plain, nonfat yogurt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, blend together first five ingredients. Mix in spices, oats, and baking powder; then fold in flour, raisins or dates, and nuts. Drop cookie dough by tablespoons onto a nonstick cookie sheet, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Yields 2-1/2 dozen cookies.
Preparation Time: 15–20 minutes
Apple Pie, Denny's (one slice)
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Blizzard, Dairy Queen (large)
Chocolate Mother Lode Cake, Claim Jumper (1 slice)
Original Cheesecake, The Cheesecake Factory (one slice)
Tiramisu, Au Bon Pain (one slice)
Try these healthy options instead:
Melon salad. Gone are the days of melon ballers and fruit drowned in whipped cream and (shudder) mayonnaise. Just get a couple of your favorite melons, such as honeydew, cantaloupe, or watermelon, and slice them up. Arrange them artfully on a serving platter, drizzle them with a bit of honey, and toss some chopped fresh mint leaves on top. Voilà ! Not only do you have a beautiful presentation, but you have a healthy choice, too.Since melons have a high water content, they are low in calories and can be eaten as much as you like. They are also a good source of vitamin C and beta-carotene. They may also help lower your risk for developing cancer and heart disease.
Grilled stone fruit. Fruit on the grill? That may sound like a bad idea, but stone fruits (like peaches, plums, apricots, and nectarines) are wonderful on the grill. Just cut each of the fruits in half, remove the pits, and skewer them with thick wooden skewers (it's best if you soak the skewers in water for a bit beforehand to prevent them from burning). Spray a grill rack with nonstick spray, and preheat the grill (to about medium-high heat). Just put the fruit on the grill (cut-side down) and grill until the fruit gets heated (about 5 minutes). Serve nice and hot off the grill, skewers or not.Generally, stone fruits are rich in iron and potassium. Peaches are low in calories and high in vitamin C. Plums have a high vitamin E content and are wonderful antioxidants. Apricots are rich in beta-carotene and help regulate blood pressure. Stone fruits also serve as gentle laxatives and help regulate your bowels.
Chocolate-covered bananas. You can make a delicious and easy version of chocolate-covered bananas at home. Just take a handful of semisweet chocolate chips (the higher the cocoa content, the healthier) and melt them in a microwave. In the meantime, get a plate or shallow bowl and slice bananas into it. Drizzle the chocolate over the bananas, and sprinkle them with some toasted almonds, if you like.Bananas are a good way of getting potassium and vitamin B6. Chocolate has antioxidant effects and may help keep your blood pressure down. Almonds can help lower cholesterol levels and are high in protein, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin E. They actually serve as an appetite suppressant, so even just eating a handful of them makes for a healthy snack.
Mixed-berry frozen treats. Get some of your favorite nonfat sorbet (raspberry and lemon are delicious options). Top it with a mix of berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and/or sliced strawberries. Strawberries are low in calories, are a good source of vitamin C, and help raise antioxidant levels in your system. Blackberries are an excellent way for you to get vitamin E into your diet. They help fight off infections and contain vitamin C, folate, and phenolic acids. Rich in vitamin C, iron, potassium, and folate, raspberries also have wonderful antioxidant properties. Blueberries, of course, have some of the highest antioxidant properties of any fruit. They also have wonderful anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiaging properties.
Yogurt and fruit. All you need is some nonfat yogurt and a variety of fruit to make this flavorful dessert (which you can enjoy any time of day!). Layer some unsweetened yogurt in a cup (sprinkle a bit of raw sugar or honey if you want it a little sweeter) and then add some cut fruit that you like. Good candidates are pineapples, kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or bananas. Add another layer of yogurt and more fruit. If you want to go wild, sprinkle a bit of granola on top.We've already covered the benefits of fruit, but yogurt is an excellent source of calcium, protein, vitamin B12, and riboflavin. It's better for you than a glass of milk. We suggest nonfat yogurt because there's no need for the extra fat. For those of us who are lactose intolerant, yogurt cultures produce lactase, an enzyme that breaks down lactose.
These are just a few of the plethora of healthy options you have to satisfy your sweet tooth. You can come up with so many more; just visit your local farmers' market for ideas of your own. But get there soon—the last of the summer fruits may be leaving. However, there are so many wonderful fall vegetables to choose from, too. Happy hunting!
Low-fat pumpkin cookies
And since fall is coming, think about making cookies with some of the seasonal ingredients coming around the bend, like this recipe from the Team Beachbody™ recipe archive for low-fat pumpkin cookies:
And since fall is coming, think about making cookies with some of the seasonal ingredients coming around the bend, like this recipe from the Team Beachbody™ recipe archive for low-fat pumpkin cookies:
1/2 cup plain, nonfat yogurt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp. ginger
1 cup rolled oats
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup raisins or dates
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, blend together first five ingredients. Mix in spices, oats, and baking powder; then fold in flour, raisins or dates, and nuts. Drop cookie dough by tablespoons onto a nonstick cookie sheet, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Yields 2-1/2 dozen cookies.
Preparation Time: 15–20 minutes
Cooking Time: 10–12 minutes
Nutritional Information: (per serving)
Calories: 67
Protein: 2 g
Fiber: 1 g
Carbs: 12 g
Fat Total: 2 g
Saturated Fat: under 0.5 g
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Six Pack Abs - All I Want for Christmas
So how do you sleep at night?
I've found that I sleep much better when I've avoided sugar. Just a thought, try it for yourself. This leads me into my latest challenge/competition event or as I like to think something to make me stick my diet not eat all of the kids halloween candy, and avoid my all time favorite pecan pie. I think that's probably the worst thing you can eat, probably not as bad as having that whole pint of Ben & Jerry's every night that I used to do. Yes, it is possible! The holidays are here! Or at least that's what I'm seeing at retail.
ps. Please don't tell my wife that this is all I want - I'll still take some more workout clothes, and new pants that fit.
I've found that I sleep much better when I've avoided sugar. Just a thought, try it for yourself. This leads me into my latest challenge/competition event or as I like to think something to make me stick my diet not eat all of the kids halloween candy, and avoid my all time favorite pecan pie. I think that's probably the worst thing you can eat, probably not as bad as having that whole pint of Ben & Jerry's every night that I used to do. Yes, it is possible! The holidays are here! Or at least that's what I'm seeing at retail.
So here's the deal, me and my closest 30 or so online friends who I've never met face-to-face are competing to see who can have the best abs or change in abs by Christmas. We're all putting up a can of this Beachbody Recovery drink which is something like $40 to those of us who are coaches, regular members pay about 25% more. It's really on the honor system, and if all the losers actual deliver the winner can open their own outlet. But it's really not about that. It's about doing our best and being our best and all of that miltary yadayada....play a little Rocky music for me here. The holidays are tough on the diet, and anybody who says they aren't is lying or just strange; I guess if you're a loner and don't have any friends or family the holidays pretty much suck like every other day of the year. But for me, I need the motivation and compelling reason to not have that 2nd, okay, 3rd helping of plateful o'butter - usually just to be a good guest (ha).
So here's the link: Xmas 6 Pack
Please feel free to join us, or just help me by sending my competition a nice meat lover's pizza with a side of Krispy Creams.
ps. Please don't tell my wife that this is all I want - I'll still take some more workout clothes, and new pants that fit.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
10 Healthy Snacks for Couch Time
By Joe Wilkes
Fall is upon us, which means that the new TV season has begun, baseball is heading into the postseason, and football is starting up. The weather's getting cooler and the couch will soon call for you to lay down in it with a warm blanket. Now keep in mind, we're not encouraging any couch potato behavior. We'd prefer that you pop in a 10-Minute Trainer® video and use the couch as a towel rack. But we're all human, and it's almost impossible to resist the siren song of a playoff game or the return of Dancing with the Stars or Grey's Anatomy. Just because you're taking a couple of hours off to flatten your gluteal muscles and sofa cushions doesn't mean you have to stuff yourself with chips and cookies or other bagged diet killers. Here are 10 tasty and healthy snacks that are great for TV downtime.
Popcorn. It's not just for the movie theater anymore. In fact, you're better off skipping it at the movie theater. A bucket of oil-popped movie theater popcorn can contain as much fat as three to five double cheeseburgers. But air-popped popcorn is a pretty benign treat. Three cups of popcorn have just 93 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. Air-popped popcorn doesn't have much nutritive value outside of the energy you may get from the calories and some dietary fiber, but it can satisfy your munchies without getting you too far off the diet path. The best popcorn comes from your own hot-air popper—offering no additional fat or salt, unless you add it later. If you're going for microwave convenience, make sure you read the label carefully. Even some of the "healthy" brands contain a fair amount of fat and salt. And many microwave brands contain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which has been linked to cancer. You might be better off making your own microwave popcorn. Just put a 1/4 cup of popcorn into a brown lunch bag, fold the top over tightly, and microwave at your usual popcorn setting. Try to avoid salt and butter. Instead, enjoy your favorite herbs, or a squeeze of lemon juice with some garlic powder or cayenne pepper.
Bean dip. Beans are a great source of protein and fiber and don't have tons of calories. One cup of canned pintos only has 206 calories; it also has 12 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber—almost half of your recommended daily allowance. And beans are incredibly filling. Even prepackaged bean dips are pretty decent (of course, always check the label for the fat and sodium contents). You can make your own dips, hot or cold, by food-processing canned black or pinto beans (my favorites are the ones canned with jalapeños). Add water to create your desired consistency, or you can also use fat-free refried beans. You could add some chopped bell or jalapeño peppers, green onions, or canned corn to add a crunchy texture or some chopped tomatoes for a little extra flavor and vitamins. Instead of fatty tortilla chips, use baked chips or, better yet, some raw, crunchy veggies, like carrots, celery, sliced bell peppers, broccoli, or cauliflower.
Salsa. This is the perfect mix of tomatoes, onions, and peppers—all members of the top tier of Michi's Ladder. And the great thing is that salsa is so low in calories and so high in fiber, you can basically eat it by the cupful and not gain weight. If you buy it at the store though, watch out for the salt content—that's the secret ingredient in most canned and jarred salsas. You're much better off making your own pico de gallo. Just dice tomatoes and onions and mix with as much minced jalapeño and/or garlic as you can stand. Add fresh cilantro, salt, and pepper to taste and toss the veggies in the juice of two limes. Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. You can eat it with baked chips or the crunchy veggies that also go great with the bean dip. The salsa and the bean dip also complement each other well, for the double dippers among us.
Crispbread crackers. These crunchy treats (including Wasa and Rykrisp brands) have around 30 calories a cracker (depending on the brand, flavor, and style) and a couple of grams of fiber in each one. For the Top Chef in you, they make great bases for some healthy ingredients from your refrigerator. Try a dollop of fat-free cottage cheese with a dash of hot sauce; a slice of turkey breast and roasted red pepper; a "schmear" of hummus and a couple of pitted olives; or a slice of tomato and a fresh basil leaf with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Even the pico de gallo recipe above with some shredded nonfat cheddar will make a tasty treat. By being creative with some wholesome ingredients, you'll forget all about the halcyon days of eating Ritz crackers washed down with aerosol cheese right from the can (sigh).
Pistachios. Pistachios are a great heart-healthy snack full of antioxidants, fiber, and unsaturated fats (the good kind). A 1/2-cup serving (with the shells, assuming you don't eat them) only has 170 calories, with 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber; however, that serving also has 14 grams of fat, so don't go nuts chowing down on a whole bag. Walnuts, peanuts, cashews, almonds, pecans, and other nuts all have their nutritional upsides, too, but the reason I think pistachios make great snacks are the shells. The shells are difficult to open, so rather than shoveling handfuls of pre-shelled nuts down your throat, eat shelled pistachios so that you're forced to slow down. Keep an eye on the sodium content when you buy the nuts. Either buy unsalted or low-salt versions. And forget those disgusting pink ones that taste like lipstick. Who needs to leave hot-pink fingerprints all over the couch? A lot of stores also sell flavored versions that aren't too salty. Chili-lime is one of my favorite flavors.
Edamame. The Japanese have one of the healthiest diets in the world and soybeans are a great staple of that diet. Edamame, the steamed or boiled soybean pods, contain all the essential amino acids, many essential fatty acids, and soy isoflavones. And a 1/2 cup of beans only contains 100 calories, 3 grams of fat, and 9 grams of carbs, with 8 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. Truly one of nature's perfect foods. And like pistachios, you can serve them in their shells, which slows down your face stuffing, giving you time to feel full before you've overeaten.
Mini-pizzas. Forget the frozen food section. Anyone with a toaster oven or a broiler pan can be his or her own Mama Celeste or Chef Boy-ar-dee. Just take half of a whole wheat English muffin (67 calories; 2 grams of fiber), add a little tomato sauce or low-sodium pizza or spaghetti sauce and a sprinkle of low-fat or nonfat mozzarella cheese, and voilà —tasty and healthy pizza! As with the crispbread crackers, your imagination's the only limit for toppings. Fresh herbs like basil and oregano are delicious. Peppers, mushrooms, and anchovies are popular and fairly healthy. Just stay away from processed meats like pepperoni, which are often loaded with saturated fat, carcinogenic nitrates, and sodium.
Pita chips and hummus. Now you can open a Greek taverna in your living room. While some stores sell pita chips now, you can easily make your own with very little fuss and muss (and usually with much less fat and salt). A large whole wheat pita has 170 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and less than 2 grams of fat. To make chips, cut around the edge of the pita with a small paring knife, so you have two discs. Then with a knife or pizza cutter, cut the discs into eighths or smaller chip-size pieces. Arrange the pieces on an aluminum-foil-covered cookie sheet, lightly spray with some olive oil cooking spray, and sprinkle with a little salt or low-fat Parmesan cheese or your favorite dried herbs. Cook in the oven or toaster oven until lightly browned and crispy and serve with your favorite hummus or dip recipe. (Read "4 Hearty and Healthy Dips" in Related Articles below for a hummus recipe and some other healthy dip ideas.)
Relish tray. Some of my favorite snacks are pickled or brined anything—cucumbers, cauliflower, peppers, artichoke hearts, carrots, okra, baby corn, cornichons, cocktail onions, olives, sauerkraut, kimchi . . . even herring and hard-boiled eggs! Extremely low in calories, a plate full of pickled veggies on the coffee table is great for snacking. But watch out for the sodium! Certain store brands have more than others. The more ambitious might try marinating their fresh veggies in vinegar and a little heart-healthy olive oil, to control the amount of salt involved. If you use salty brands, you might consider rinsing them to get rid of some of the salt or mixing them on a plate with some fresh, unpickled vegetables to mitigate the salt intake.
Deviled eggs. Eggs, having once been considered a scourge of the heart-healthy diet, are now getting a better rap (read "The Good, the Bad, and the Eggly" for more on the ins and outs of eggs—see Related Articles below). What's indisputable is the health value of the whites. If you take the yolks out of the equation, the egg whites can prove to be small, healthy, high-protein delivery systems suitable for all kinds of nutritious creamy fillings. Cut a bunch of hard-boiled eggs in half, lengthwise, and scoop out and discard the yolks. Try mixing some nonfat cottage cheese with your favorite mix of mustard, curry powder, garlic, paprika, pepper, salt, or other spices and blending or food-processing until creamy. Spoon or pipe the mixture into the egg whites where the yolks used to be and you'll have a high-protein snack without the fat and cholesterol. You can also use the empty egg whites as scoops for your favorite healthy dip or salsa.
Of course, you can enjoy even more snack food if you can work some exercise into your TV watching. During playoff season, don't just save the stretching for the seventh inning. Try some exercises like Debbie Siebers' Slim in 6® Slim and Limber throughout the game. Or if you're settling in for a night in front of the tube, make a deal with yourself—you can veg out and watch The Office and 30 Rock if you turn off ER (come on, you can catch the entire series on DVD soon enough) and do Shaun T's Hip Hop Abs® Fat Burning Cardio instead. If you watch a show like Heroes that motivates you to kick some butt, schedule some KenpoX or Turbo Jam® time immediately after the show while your adrenaline's still pumping. Or if, like me, you've become enslaved to your DVR or TiVo, use it to your advantage and do a cooldown stretch to your favorite show as a reward for a well-done workout.A high-fiber diet has been found to help prevent many different types of cancer.
Fall is upon us, which means that the new TV season has begun, baseball is heading into the postseason, and football is starting up. The weather's getting cooler and the couch will soon call for you to lay down in it with a warm blanket. Now keep in mind, we're not encouraging any couch potato behavior. We'd prefer that you pop in a 10-Minute Trainer® video and use the couch as a towel rack. But we're all human, and it's almost impossible to resist the siren song of a playoff game or the return of Dancing with the Stars or Grey's Anatomy. Just because you're taking a couple of hours off to flatten your gluteal muscles and sofa cushions doesn't mean you have to stuff yourself with chips and cookies or other bagged diet killers. Here are 10 tasty and healthy snacks that are great for TV downtime.
Popcorn. It's not just for the movie theater anymore. In fact, you're better off skipping it at the movie theater. A bucket of oil-popped movie theater popcorn can contain as much fat as three to five double cheeseburgers. But air-popped popcorn is a pretty benign treat. Three cups of popcorn have just 93 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. Air-popped popcorn doesn't have much nutritive value outside of the energy you may get from the calories and some dietary fiber, but it can satisfy your munchies without getting you too far off the diet path. The best popcorn comes from your own hot-air popper—offering no additional fat or salt, unless you add it later. If you're going for microwave convenience, make sure you read the label carefully. Even some of the "healthy" brands contain a fair amount of fat and salt. And many microwave brands contain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which has been linked to cancer. You might be better off making your own microwave popcorn. Just put a 1/4 cup of popcorn into a brown lunch bag, fold the top over tightly, and microwave at your usual popcorn setting. Try to avoid salt and butter. Instead, enjoy your favorite herbs, or a squeeze of lemon juice with some garlic powder or cayenne pepper.
Bean dip. Beans are a great source of protein and fiber and don't have tons of calories. One cup of canned pintos only has 206 calories; it also has 12 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber—almost half of your recommended daily allowance. And beans are incredibly filling. Even prepackaged bean dips are pretty decent (of course, always check the label for the fat and sodium contents). You can make your own dips, hot or cold, by food-processing canned black or pinto beans (my favorites are the ones canned with jalapeños). Add water to create your desired consistency, or you can also use fat-free refried beans. You could add some chopped bell or jalapeño peppers, green onions, or canned corn to add a crunchy texture or some chopped tomatoes for a little extra flavor and vitamins. Instead of fatty tortilla chips, use baked chips or, better yet, some raw, crunchy veggies, like carrots, celery, sliced bell peppers, broccoli, or cauliflower.
Salsa. This is the perfect mix of tomatoes, onions, and peppers—all members of the top tier of Michi's Ladder. And the great thing is that salsa is so low in calories and so high in fiber, you can basically eat it by the cupful and not gain weight. If you buy it at the store though, watch out for the salt content—that's the secret ingredient in most canned and jarred salsas. You're much better off making your own pico de gallo. Just dice tomatoes and onions and mix with as much minced jalapeño and/or garlic as you can stand. Add fresh cilantro, salt, and pepper to taste and toss the veggies in the juice of two limes. Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. You can eat it with baked chips or the crunchy veggies that also go great with the bean dip. The salsa and the bean dip also complement each other well, for the double dippers among us.
Crispbread crackers. These crunchy treats (including Wasa and Rykrisp brands) have around 30 calories a cracker (depending on the brand, flavor, and style) and a couple of grams of fiber in each one. For the Top Chef in you, they make great bases for some healthy ingredients from your refrigerator. Try a dollop of fat-free cottage cheese with a dash of hot sauce; a slice of turkey breast and roasted red pepper; a "schmear" of hummus and a couple of pitted olives; or a slice of tomato and a fresh basil leaf with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Even the pico de gallo recipe above with some shredded nonfat cheddar will make a tasty treat. By being creative with some wholesome ingredients, you'll forget all about the halcyon days of eating Ritz crackers washed down with aerosol cheese right from the can (sigh).
Pistachios. Pistachios are a great heart-healthy snack full of antioxidants, fiber, and unsaturated fats (the good kind). A 1/2-cup serving (with the shells, assuming you don't eat them) only has 170 calories, with 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber; however, that serving also has 14 grams of fat, so don't go nuts chowing down on a whole bag. Walnuts, peanuts, cashews, almonds, pecans, and other nuts all have their nutritional upsides, too, but the reason I think pistachios make great snacks are the shells. The shells are difficult to open, so rather than shoveling handfuls of pre-shelled nuts down your throat, eat shelled pistachios so that you're forced to slow down. Keep an eye on the sodium content when you buy the nuts. Either buy unsalted or low-salt versions. And forget those disgusting pink ones that taste like lipstick. Who needs to leave hot-pink fingerprints all over the couch? A lot of stores also sell flavored versions that aren't too salty. Chili-lime is one of my favorite flavors.
Edamame. The Japanese have one of the healthiest diets in the world and soybeans are a great staple of that diet. Edamame, the steamed or boiled soybean pods, contain all the essential amino acids, many essential fatty acids, and soy isoflavones. And a 1/2 cup of beans only contains 100 calories, 3 grams of fat, and 9 grams of carbs, with 8 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. Truly one of nature's perfect foods. And like pistachios, you can serve them in their shells, which slows down your face stuffing, giving you time to feel full before you've overeaten.
Mini-pizzas. Forget the frozen food section. Anyone with a toaster oven or a broiler pan can be his or her own Mama Celeste or Chef Boy-ar-dee. Just take half of a whole wheat English muffin (67 calories; 2 grams of fiber), add a little tomato sauce or low-sodium pizza or spaghetti sauce and a sprinkle of low-fat or nonfat mozzarella cheese, and voilà —tasty and healthy pizza! As with the crispbread crackers, your imagination's the only limit for toppings. Fresh herbs like basil and oregano are delicious. Peppers, mushrooms, and anchovies are popular and fairly healthy. Just stay away from processed meats like pepperoni, which are often loaded with saturated fat, carcinogenic nitrates, and sodium.
Pita chips and hummus. Now you can open a Greek taverna in your living room. While some stores sell pita chips now, you can easily make your own with very little fuss and muss (and usually with much less fat and salt). A large whole wheat pita has 170 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and less than 2 grams of fat. To make chips, cut around the edge of the pita with a small paring knife, so you have two discs. Then with a knife or pizza cutter, cut the discs into eighths or smaller chip-size pieces. Arrange the pieces on an aluminum-foil-covered cookie sheet, lightly spray with some olive oil cooking spray, and sprinkle with a little salt or low-fat Parmesan cheese or your favorite dried herbs. Cook in the oven or toaster oven until lightly browned and crispy and serve with your favorite hummus or dip recipe. (Read "4 Hearty and Healthy Dips" in Related Articles below for a hummus recipe and some other healthy dip ideas.)
Relish tray. Some of my favorite snacks are pickled or brined anything—cucumbers, cauliflower, peppers, artichoke hearts, carrots, okra, baby corn, cornichons, cocktail onions, olives, sauerkraut, kimchi . . . even herring and hard-boiled eggs! Extremely low in calories, a plate full of pickled veggies on the coffee table is great for snacking. But watch out for the sodium! Certain store brands have more than others. The more ambitious might try marinating their fresh veggies in vinegar and a little heart-healthy olive oil, to control the amount of salt involved. If you use salty brands, you might consider rinsing them to get rid of some of the salt or mixing them on a plate with some fresh, unpickled vegetables to mitigate the salt intake.
Deviled eggs. Eggs, having once been considered a scourge of the heart-healthy diet, are now getting a better rap (read "The Good, the Bad, and the Eggly" for more on the ins and outs of eggs—see Related Articles below). What's indisputable is the health value of the whites. If you take the yolks out of the equation, the egg whites can prove to be small, healthy, high-protein delivery systems suitable for all kinds of nutritious creamy fillings. Cut a bunch of hard-boiled eggs in half, lengthwise, and scoop out and discard the yolks. Try mixing some nonfat cottage cheese with your favorite mix of mustard, curry powder, garlic, paprika, pepper, salt, or other spices and blending or food-processing until creamy. Spoon or pipe the mixture into the egg whites where the yolks used to be and you'll have a high-protein snack without the fat and cholesterol. You can also use the empty egg whites as scoops for your favorite healthy dip or salsa.
Of course, you can enjoy even more snack food if you can work some exercise into your TV watching. During playoff season, don't just save the stretching for the seventh inning. Try some exercises like Debbie Siebers' Slim in 6® Slim and Limber throughout the game. Or if you're settling in for a night in front of the tube, make a deal with yourself—you can veg out and watch The Office and 30 Rock if you turn off ER (come on, you can catch the entire series on DVD soon enough) and do Shaun T's Hip Hop Abs® Fat Burning Cardio instead. If you watch a show like Heroes that motivates you to kick some butt, schedule some KenpoX or Turbo Jam® time immediately after the show while your adrenaline's still pumping. Or if, like me, you've become enslaved to your DVR or TiVo, use it to your advantage and do a cooldown stretch to your favorite show as a reward for a well-done workout.A high-fiber diet has been found to help prevent many different types of cancer.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Big Breakfasts for Big Results
An interesting article that I came across:
By Joe Wilkes
Breakfast. It seems like forever since we've been told it's the most important meal of the day, but a recent study shows that it's actually true and not just Mom having been a nag. Breakfast is a key component of weight management. A study presented at the recent Endocrine Society's annual meeting showed that participants who consumed large breakfasts lost almost five times as much weight as the participants who followed a traditional diet. So what's the big deal about breakfast? And what is a big breakfast anyway? It doesn't seem like the lumberjack special at the local diner would do much to get the pounds off, so what should we be eating?
The study supported the idea that when we wake up in the morning, our bodies want food. You've burned through all the fuel from the previous day, and now your body is ready to burn anything, like muscle, to get a jump-start on the day. And if you skip breakfast, muscle is indeed what your body will burn. Later in the day, your brain is still in starvation mode from breakfast (or lack thereof), so your body will store all the calories you eat as adipose tissue, or fat, to save up for the next day when you try to starve it again. The study also found that serotonin (the chemical responsible for controlling cravings) levels were much higher in the morning, which is why breakfast is the meal so many of us are willing to skip. But if our bodies are left unfed, our serotonin levels drop, and the cravings for sweets begin to rise throughout the day.
Now, before you hit McDonald's for their 800-calorie Big Breakfast or, worse, their 1,150-calorie Deluxe Breakfast, or you swing by Denny's for a 740-calorie Grand Slam or 950-calorie All-American Slam with hash browns, keep in mind these were not the breakfasts the study participants consumed. The big-breakfast group had a 610-calorie breakfast as part of a 1,240-calorie day. Breakfasts included milk, lean meat (sorry, no bacon or sausage), cheese, whole grains, a serving of healthy fat, and one ounce of chocolate or candy to defray the sweets cravings. The other group's participants consumed 1,080 calories per day as part of a high-protein, low-carb diet. Both groups were on the diet for 8 months. The high-protein group lost an average of 9 pounds but the big-breakfast group lost an average of 40 pounds. And perhaps not surprisingly, the big-breakfast group complained less about cravings and hunger.
The big-breakfast group's breakfast consisted of 58 grams of carbs, 47 grams of protein, and 22 grams of fat. Study reviewers attribute some of the success of the big-breakfast group to the fact that the protein and healthy fats eaten kept the participants full and reduced cravings. They also said that nutritional requirements were well met, that there weren't empty calories consumed, as the breakfasts included lots of whole grains, fruits, lean proteins, and healthy unsaturated fats. So, bad news for the lumberjack-special devotees—a big plate of greasy hash browns, bacon, and biscuits with gravy isn't going to get the job done, unless the job is clogging your arteries.
Here are some healthy big-breakfasts, like the ones consumed by the study participants.
Chicken and the Egg
2 eggs, scrambled
2 slices whole wheat toast
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, roasted
1 grapefruit
602 calories, 54 grams carbohydrates, 51 grams protein, 19 grams fat
Low-Fat Breakfast
1 packet instant oatmeal with 1 scoop protein powder
1 cup blueberries
3 oz. turkey breast
1 hard-boiled egg
1 oz. dark chocolate
633 calories, 66 grams carbohydrates, 48 grams protein, 12 grams fat
Two Egg Sandwiches
2 whole wheat English muffins
2 poached eggs
2 slices low-fat Swiss cheese
2 slices Canadian bacon
599 calories, 58 grams carbohydrates, 62 grams protein, 18 grams fat
Vegetarian Breakfast
1 cup cottage cheese (2% milk fat)
1 cup canned peaches in their own juice
1 slice whole wheat toast
1/2 avocado
2 vegetarian sausage links
630 calories, 61 grams carbohydrates, 48 grams protein, 22 grams fat
Pescetarian Breakfast
1 can light tuna
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise (preferably canola or olive oil based)
2 slices whole wheat toast
1 oz. dark chocolate
606 calories, 49 grams carbohydrates, 50 grams protein, 22 grams fat
By Joe Wilkes
Breakfast. It seems like forever since we've been told it's the most important meal of the day, but a recent study shows that it's actually true and not just Mom having been a nag. Breakfast is a key component of weight management. A study presented at the recent Endocrine Society's annual meeting showed that participants who consumed large breakfasts lost almost five times as much weight as the participants who followed a traditional diet. So what's the big deal about breakfast? And what is a big breakfast anyway? It doesn't seem like the lumberjack special at the local diner would do much to get the pounds off, so what should we be eating?
The study supported the idea that when we wake up in the morning, our bodies want food. You've burned through all the fuel from the previous day, and now your body is ready to burn anything, like muscle, to get a jump-start on the day. And if you skip breakfast, muscle is indeed what your body will burn. Later in the day, your brain is still in starvation mode from breakfast (or lack thereof), so your body will store all the calories you eat as adipose tissue, or fat, to save up for the next day when you try to starve it again. The study also found that serotonin (the chemical responsible for controlling cravings) levels were much higher in the morning, which is why breakfast is the meal so many of us are willing to skip. But if our bodies are left unfed, our serotonin levels drop, and the cravings for sweets begin to rise throughout the day.
Now, before you hit McDonald's for their 800-calorie Big Breakfast or, worse, their 1,150-calorie Deluxe Breakfast, or you swing by Denny's for a 740-calorie Grand Slam or 950-calorie All-American Slam with hash browns, keep in mind these were not the breakfasts the study participants consumed. The big-breakfast group had a 610-calorie breakfast as part of a 1,240-calorie day. Breakfasts included milk, lean meat (sorry, no bacon or sausage), cheese, whole grains, a serving of healthy fat, and one ounce of chocolate or candy to defray the sweets cravings. The other group's participants consumed 1,080 calories per day as part of a high-protein, low-carb diet. Both groups were on the diet for 8 months. The high-protein group lost an average of 9 pounds but the big-breakfast group lost an average of 40 pounds. And perhaps not surprisingly, the big-breakfast group complained less about cravings and hunger.
The big-breakfast group's breakfast consisted of 58 grams of carbs, 47 grams of protein, and 22 grams of fat. Study reviewers attribute some of the success of the big-breakfast group to the fact that the protein and healthy fats eaten kept the participants full and reduced cravings. They also said that nutritional requirements were well met, that there weren't empty calories consumed, as the breakfasts included lots of whole grains, fruits, lean proteins, and healthy unsaturated fats. So, bad news for the lumberjack-special devotees—a big plate of greasy hash browns, bacon, and biscuits with gravy isn't going to get the job done, unless the job is clogging your arteries.
Here are some healthy big-breakfasts, like the ones consumed by the study participants.
Chicken and the Egg
2 eggs, scrambled
2 slices whole wheat toast
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, roasted
1 grapefruit
602 calories, 54 grams carbohydrates, 51 grams protein, 19 grams fat
Low-Fat Breakfast
1 packet instant oatmeal with 1 scoop protein powder
1 cup blueberries
3 oz. turkey breast
1 hard-boiled egg
1 oz. dark chocolate
633 calories, 66 grams carbohydrates, 48 grams protein, 12 grams fat
Two Egg Sandwiches
2 whole wheat English muffins
2 poached eggs
2 slices low-fat Swiss cheese
2 slices Canadian bacon
599 calories, 58 grams carbohydrates, 62 grams protein, 18 grams fat
Vegetarian Breakfast
1 cup cottage cheese (2% milk fat)
1 cup canned peaches in their own juice
1 slice whole wheat toast
1/2 avocado
2 vegetarian sausage links
630 calories, 61 grams carbohydrates, 48 grams protein, 22 grams fat
Pescetarian Breakfast
1 can light tuna
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise (preferably canola or olive oil based)
2 slices whole wheat toast
1 oz. dark chocolate
606 calories, 49 grams carbohydrates, 50 grams protein, 22 grams fat
The one thing that this article doesn't really mention is the effect the big breakfast has on your metabolism. I keep hearing things such as drinking a 16oz glass of ice water in the morning kick starts the metabolism for the entire day - the body has to warm the water. Personally, I know that when I work out first thing in the morning I feel like I'm in high gear all day. When I don't I'm in low gear. I would guess that the large breakfast would have the same result, plus adding some fuel to the fire. The counter point would be the need for a nap after a large lunch. I'll go with the experts, and from my own experience working out, and eating right in the morning starts my day off on the right foot.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
10 Tiny Changes for Big Weight Loss
Take baby steps to eat healthier. If you "slip," get immediately back on track. Never let a vacation or a special holiday be an excuse to overdo it the entire time. Go ahead, enjoy the occasional indulgence, but keep it reasonable. Here are 10 tiny changes you can make for big weight loss.
1. Wait 2 minutes. Cravings will disappear after two minutes if you walk away and turn your attention elsewhere.
2. W.I.W.M. When you really crave something unhealthy, answer this question: "What do I Want More," that piece of chocolate cake, or a body I feel proud of? And on rare occasions, it's okay to pick the chocolate cake!
3. No one's perfect. Don't allow one bad choice to result in bingeing the rest of the day, or falling back into old habits.
4. Focus. Make eating purposeful, not something mindless to do while watching TV, driving, or sitting in front of the computer. Whenever you put food in your mouth, try to engage all of the senses in the pleasure of nourishing your body.
5. Don't skip breakfast. Start eating a filling breakfast, but one that's lower in fat. It will help you eat fewer total calories throughout the day.
6. Veggies. Most of your plate should have veggies and/or fruit on it at both lunch and dinner.
7. See what you eat. Eat your food off of a plate instead of straight out of a jar, bag, or box.
8. Don't buy it. Stop buying the food you snack on all day. Just eliminate the temptation.
9. Eat more fruit. A person who gets enough fruit in their diet doesn't have a raging sweet tooth.
10. Watch what you drink. Cut back on or cut out high-calorie drinks like soda, sweet tea, lemonade, and especially alcohol. People have lost weight by just making this one change.
1. Wait 2 minutes. Cravings will disappear after two minutes if you walk away and turn your attention elsewhere.
2. W.I.W.M. When you really crave something unhealthy, answer this question: "What do I Want More," that piece of chocolate cake, or a body I feel proud of? And on rare occasions, it's okay to pick the chocolate cake!
3. No one's perfect. Don't allow one bad choice to result in bingeing the rest of the day, or falling back into old habits.
4. Focus. Make eating purposeful, not something mindless to do while watching TV, driving, or sitting in front of the computer. Whenever you put food in your mouth, try to engage all of the senses in the pleasure of nourishing your body.
5. Don't skip breakfast. Start eating a filling breakfast, but one that's lower in fat. It will help you eat fewer total calories throughout the day.
6. Veggies. Most of your plate should have veggies and/or fruit on it at both lunch and dinner.
7. See what you eat. Eat your food off of a plate instead of straight out of a jar, bag, or box.
8. Don't buy it. Stop buying the food you snack on all day. Just eliminate the temptation.
9. Eat more fruit. A person who gets enough fruit in their diet doesn't have a raging sweet tooth.
10. Watch what you drink. Cut back on or cut out high-calorie drinks like soda, sweet tea, lemonade, and especially alcohol. People have lost weight by just making this one change.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Let's Do That Again!
Hi all! Just finishing up my second 90 day round of P90X! Still pushing play everyday, still eating right for the most part, and still sweating. I've made that mental leap that is so difficult at first. My reasons for not exercising where the usual, all circulating around just not enough time in the day. I've gotten past that and put my priorities in place. Its also amazing how much more time I have now that I'm jumping out of bed early in the morning, eating six meals a day, and continuing to do everything that I did in the past, plus maybe a bit more. Quitting smoking probably added in the most time to my day, as well as my life.
I dropped down to a low of 190 lbs during this phase, 35lbs from where I started at the beginning of February, believe it or not, I thought I was too skinny. Fortunately, the dairy down the street has the world's best ice cream, and just as fortunately, they are only open in the summer. I'm now maintaining my ideal weight range of 195-200lbs. When I hit 200lbs, I buy the kids Italian ice to eat at home, when I hit 195 lbs its off to the dairy we go. Otherwise, I maintain my normal balanced diet with one cheat day per week. I'm not a big advocate of scale watching, especially for those early into any exercise program, but after 6 months, my system is pretty stable. I do watch the fat caliper for the most part, and sticking in the 9-11% range is where I look and feel the best.
This week is another recovery week for me, which means no weights, and lots of stretching. I had gone from 8 pull ups per hour to 200 pull ups per hour, and 3 pull ups in one set to 28 pull ups in one set. But now, I'm suffering from a nasty case of tendinitis for almost 4 weeks. I keep thinking it is gone, and then a s soon as I push it starts me back at day one, so a two weeks away from pull ups and curls should do the elbow some good. After this extended recovery period, I am going on to the the X+, and instead of the classic, my wife and I are going for the lean routine. At my age, there really isn't any need for me to keep adding muscle, unless I just want to keep buying clothes, so lean it is to help our fitness levels even further.
Wish us luck!
I really haven't mentioned much about my wife Melissa's progress. She's a bit shy when it comes to posting her photos or results, so we'll just say that she is definitely in the best shape of her life and her photos really prove the effort. Her results on the scale are like most women's in the first 90 days, disappointing. But she has dropped nearly 10% body fat and it shows!
Lastly, I am loving being a Beach Body coach! Sure the discount and commission are nice and help to make this program free, and now even profitable, but the biggest thing for me is the motivation that I get by helping others. I think it has helped me get past that thought this is a 90 day program and it is truly a life long routine. I love it!
I dropped down to a low of 190 lbs during this phase, 35lbs from where I started at the beginning of February, believe it or not, I thought I was too skinny. Fortunately, the dairy down the street has the world's best ice cream, and just as fortunately, they are only open in the summer. I'm now maintaining my ideal weight range of 195-200lbs. When I hit 200lbs, I buy the kids Italian ice to eat at home, when I hit 195 lbs its off to the dairy we go. Otherwise, I maintain my normal balanced diet with one cheat day per week. I'm not a big advocate of scale watching, especially for those early into any exercise program, but after 6 months, my system is pretty stable. I do watch the fat caliper for the most part, and sticking in the 9-11% range is where I look and feel the best.
This week is another recovery week for me, which means no weights, and lots of stretching. I had gone from 8 pull ups per hour to 200 pull ups per hour, and 3 pull ups in one set to 28 pull ups in one set. But now, I'm suffering from a nasty case of tendinitis for almost 4 weeks. I keep thinking it is gone, and then a s soon as I push it starts me back at day one, so a two weeks away from pull ups and curls should do the elbow some good. After this extended recovery period, I am going on to the the X+, and instead of the classic, my wife and I are going for the lean routine. At my age, there really isn't any need for me to keep adding muscle, unless I just want to keep buying clothes, so lean it is to help our fitness levels even further.
Wish us luck!
I really haven't mentioned much about my wife Melissa's progress. She's a bit shy when it comes to posting her photos or results, so we'll just say that she is definitely in the best shape of her life and her photos really prove the effort. Her results on the scale are like most women's in the first 90 days, disappointing. But she has dropped nearly 10% body fat and it shows!
Lastly, I am loving being a Beach Body coach! Sure the discount and commission are nice and help to make this program free, and now even profitable, but the biggest thing for me is the motivation that I get by helping others. I think it has helped me get past that thought this is a 90 day program and it is truly a life long routine. I love it!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
How Do I Keep Going?
Thought I'd open this week with this article by Tony Horton:
Here's a question people ask me: "I'm finding that my exercise routine is very intense and I'm seeing the benefits on day 1, so what can I do to stay motivated and keep going?"
Most folks struggle with motivation every day. I'm one of them. Motivation can be broken down into a few subcategories. My fifth Law of Health and Fitness is "Loving It." Progress and motivation are possible if you look forward to your workouts. They have to be challenging and interesting to you. If you despise them before you start them, you're not going to survive them for very long. If your reasons why are meaningful to you, then staying motivated is easier. I'm always promoting health, fitness, quality of life, and feeling good as reasons to get and stay motivated. Not to say that a person's goal to lose weight or fit into smaller clothes isn't motivating—it's just that when these goals are obtained then new ones need to come into play.
When the numbers on your scale and measuring tape are low enough to make you happy then it's important to start to explore some new numbers. I'm talking about numbers that relate to ability, improvement, and achievement. Your physical appearance will improve at a more rapid rate if you can start to exercise with your focus on power, speed, and strength. This mind set applies to both men and women. This means that your motivation comes from your desire to "Bring It" during exercise at home and out in the world. Let your P90X® or Power 90® workouts trigger something new and bigger than anything you've done before. For me it's skiing and gymnastics. For you it could be anything that pushes you beyond the confines of repeating the same workouts the same way, day after day.
Kind of sums up where I am presently....except for of course the gymnastics part. If it wasn't for being a coach not sure I would be doing as well as I am. The peak performance on the hockey rink is there, guys my age and younger wish they had my speed, energy, and stamina. Still pushing play to do the same routine daily does get tiring when you've reached your goals. I still ove the workouts, and I jump out of bed to do them everyday, but sometimes I feel like I'm just going thru the motions.
I need a new goal - so please comment if you have an idea. I have 7 weeks left in Round 2, then I plan on going to the P90X+ routines that are sitting on my desk - need to stick with P90X for the time being to help my wife get through her first round - she is doing great and I'm really proud of her, so it has helped me. I really just need a good reason to push myself more within the current routine.
Here's a question people ask me: "I'm finding that my exercise routine is very intense and I'm seeing the benefits on day 1, so what can I do to stay motivated and keep going?"
Most folks struggle with motivation every day. I'm one of them. Motivation can be broken down into a few subcategories. My fifth Law of Health and Fitness is "Loving It." Progress and motivation are possible if you look forward to your workouts. They have to be challenging and interesting to you. If you despise them before you start them, you're not going to survive them for very long. If your reasons why are meaningful to you, then staying motivated is easier. I'm always promoting health, fitness, quality of life, and feeling good as reasons to get and stay motivated. Not to say that a person's goal to lose weight or fit into smaller clothes isn't motivating—it's just that when these goals are obtained then new ones need to come into play.
When the numbers on your scale and measuring tape are low enough to make you happy then it's important to start to explore some new numbers. I'm talking about numbers that relate to ability, improvement, and achievement. Your physical appearance will improve at a more rapid rate if you can start to exercise with your focus on power, speed, and strength. This mind set applies to both men and women. This means that your motivation comes from your desire to "Bring It" during exercise at home and out in the world. Let your P90X® or Power 90® workouts trigger something new and bigger than anything you've done before. For me it's skiing and gymnastics. For you it could be anything that pushes you beyond the confines of repeating the same workouts the same way, day after day.
Kind of sums up where I am presently....except for of course the gymnastics part. If it wasn't for being a coach not sure I would be doing as well as I am. The peak performance on the hockey rink is there, guys my age and younger wish they had my speed, energy, and stamina. Still pushing play to do the same routine daily does get tiring when you've reached your goals. I still ove the workouts, and I jump out of bed to do them everyday, but sometimes I feel like I'm just going thru the motions.
I need a new goal - so please comment if you have an idea. I have 7 weeks left in Round 2, then I plan on going to the P90X+ routines that are sitting on my desk - need to stick with P90X for the time being to help my wife get through her first round - she is doing great and I'm really proud of her, so it has helped me. I really just need a good reason to push myself more within the current routine.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Goal Setting and Competition
Continuing on with my motivation seeking quest, last week I discussed Becoming a Role Model and how it is has helped me. Now I'd like to discuss goals and competition. Each of us has different drivers, usually we're pretty close to the same. Some people will try to win at any costs, while others will give up if they feel they don't have a chance, and most of us lie somewhere in between. The same thing can be said for goals, if they are set higher than you believe you can reach, you may be the type of person who doesn't try at all.
Fortunately, as far as getting fit is concerned, you can set your own goals. Notice, I said getting fit, I'm really trying to remove "weight loss" from my vocabulary - its really immaterial, if you lose 10-15% body fat, but your weight remains the same then it is a huge win; however, we have been so programmed to think in terms of the results on the scale that we are disappointed. I know, weight loss is a huge business and we have a lot of marketing to overcome. But, if you reach your goal of becoming skinny fat and stop dieting, research proves you are just going to become fatter than you were before you started dieting - the yo yo affect. So for this discussion at least, I am focusing on "getting fit".
As a coach, I like to help people experience the feeling of winning a few before stretching them past a point that they believe is attainable. Logging each workout's results is a great way of doing this - How many push ups/pull ups/sit ups did you do last week? Let's beat that number by 1 or by 2 or by 10. Weekly progress builds confidence and helps overcome the frustration which leads to the end of the fitness quest. Many of us expect to see 90 day results in one week, we feel sore, so this must be working. It didn't take one week to get we were/are in the first place. Goal setting needs to be viewed in the long term as well. Where do you want to be at the end of the program? I had a goal of getting below 10% by the end of the program. This was by definition a great goal - it was an actual measurable number, it was attainable, and it had a set deadline. Try to make one for yourself. I strongly urge against weight loss goals, only because it can fluctuate with so many variables - water weight, etc. Fat % is great, but instead it could just be inches off the waist. Incidentally, I did miss my P90X round one goal by one week, yes, I had a really great excuse Disaster Relief, but still I know I could have done better.
My current goal is to do 160 pull ups in my Friday Legs/Back routine by the end of this round of P90X. A good goal - attainable, measurable, and time constrained. However, it may be light and therefore may not push me - after week 2 of 12, I'm already at 146 pull ups. I'm at that point where I need a new long term goal - I'm starting to consider something like "Be at this % body fat on my 44th birthday in November". I'm not sure though, how motivating a maintenance goal will be for me, but I have realized that deep down I am starting to struggle with the future of my fitness. I came to this realization last night while shopping for new shorts - the old 36" to 38" shorts that I was wearing last summer won't work. I went to the dressing room with a pair of 32's just for fun, figuring okay these won't even be close to buttoning. I'm wearing them now, however, they are really too big!! I settled for a long term result that I thought I could maintain. Yes, I'm a little upset with my lack of confidence. I fit into 30's, so why shouldn't I be wearing those today? The answer is that I should be, but I'm starting to doubt my motivation; hence, this blog.
Competition is what I really need. I happen to be one of those people that has to win. In round 1, I had a great competition going with fellow first timers, I don't have that group at the moment. Beachbody has a great competition going all the time, but I haven't bought into it yet for some reason. If I felt I could win it, I would! But I still don't understand it enough. So that is where I'm going to force myself to go next, and to do so, I need to, like a goal, have a finish line and a timeline, as well as believe it is attainable.
So what is your motivation - are you self-driven, do you need somebody pushing you, or like me, do you need to win or need to push others?
Fortunately, as far as getting fit is concerned, you can set your own goals. Notice, I said getting fit, I'm really trying to remove "weight loss" from my vocabulary - its really immaterial, if you lose 10-15% body fat, but your weight remains the same then it is a huge win; however, we have been so programmed to think in terms of the results on the scale that we are disappointed. I know, weight loss is a huge business and we have a lot of marketing to overcome. But, if you reach your goal of becoming skinny fat and stop dieting, research proves you are just going to become fatter than you were before you started dieting - the yo yo affect. So for this discussion at least, I am focusing on "getting fit".
As a coach, I like to help people experience the feeling of winning a few before stretching them past a point that they believe is attainable. Logging each workout's results is a great way of doing this - How many push ups/pull ups/sit ups did you do last week? Let's beat that number by 1 or by 2 or by 10. Weekly progress builds confidence and helps overcome the frustration which leads to the end of the fitness quest. Many of us expect to see 90 day results in one week, we feel sore, so this must be working. It didn't take one week to get we were/are in the first place. Goal setting needs to be viewed in the long term as well. Where do you want to be at the end of the program? I had a goal of getting below 10% by the end of the program. This was by definition a great goal - it was an actual measurable number, it was attainable, and it had a set deadline. Try to make one for yourself. I strongly urge against weight loss goals, only because it can fluctuate with so many variables - water weight, etc. Fat % is great, but instead it could just be inches off the waist. Incidentally, I did miss my P90X round one goal by one week, yes, I had a really great excuse Disaster Relief, but still I know I could have done better.
My current goal is to do 160 pull ups in my Friday Legs/Back routine by the end of this round of P90X. A good goal - attainable, measurable, and time constrained. However, it may be light and therefore may not push me - after week 2 of 12, I'm already at 146 pull ups. I'm at that point where I need a new long term goal - I'm starting to consider something like "Be at this % body fat on my 44th birthday in November". I'm not sure though, how motivating a maintenance goal will be for me, but I have realized that deep down I am starting to struggle with the future of my fitness. I came to this realization last night while shopping for new shorts - the old 36" to 38" shorts that I was wearing last summer won't work. I went to the dressing room with a pair of 32's just for fun, figuring okay these won't even be close to buttoning. I'm wearing them now, however, they are really too big!! I settled for a long term result that I thought I could maintain. Yes, I'm a little upset with my lack of confidence. I fit into 30's, so why shouldn't I be wearing those today? The answer is that I should be, but I'm starting to doubt my motivation; hence, this blog.
Competition is what I really need. I happen to be one of those people that has to win. In round 1, I had a great competition going with fellow first timers, I don't have that group at the moment. Beachbody has a great competition going all the time, but I haven't bought into it yet for some reason. If I felt I could win it, I would! But I still don't understand it enough. So that is where I'm going to force myself to go next, and to do so, I need to, like a goal, have a finish line and a timeline, as well as believe it is attainable.
So what is your motivation - are you self-driven, do you need somebody pushing you, or like me, do you need to win or need to push others?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
