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Monday, December 30, 2013

Follow your heart

Recorded a quick video today regarding what I think is an interesting subject for endurance athlete.

What event do you do: the one you like or the one that you are best at. My response may surprise you:

I have been a coach and an athlete for MANY, MANY years. Would you believe that I did my first road race in 1982? I was 9.

I know how to help people get results. Are you someone that has some endurance skills but feels that you are not quite at you potential?

I am here to help. To check out the program that we offer CLICK HERE. Email me if you interested in doing a free 30 minute consultation to see if we can help you reach you goal.

Please like, comment and share if you find value. Happy New Year!

Sunday, December 29, 2013

24 Day Challenge Meal Plan



I am often asked for recipes for the 24 Day Challenge.  So here is a 24 Day Challenge meal plan that you can follow.


  AdvoCare 24 Day Challenge Meal Plan and Recipes

       
                                                Day 1                                                   


                                                                                          Day 2



1. Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brown Rice.
2. Turkey Meatloaf Muffins with Steamed Broccoli.


                                                                                              Day 3                                                                                                   




                                                                                         Day 4


3. White Chicken Chili (Omit Cheese)
4. Butternut Squash Quinoa Skillet and a fresh salad

                                                                                    Day 5



Day 6
                                                                            
                                                                                                        
6. Chicken Fajita Bowls (Oven Fajitas served over Black Beans and Brown Rice)


                                                                          Day 7                                                                                                     
                                                                                               


                                                                          Day 8



7. Turkey Meatballs with Spaghetti Squash Serve with a salad.
8. Rosemary and Garlic Crusted Salmon with roasted Asparagus and a Baked Sweet Potato

                                                                                  Day 9


9. Grilled Lemon Herb Pork Chops (Swap Olive Oil for Vegetable Oil) with Mashed Cauliflower and a Tomato, Cucumber, Garbanzo Bean Salad.


                                                                                          Day 10



                                                                                                                
10. Black Bean Chili with Butternut Squash and Quinoa.



                                                                                        Day 11                                                                                                                                                                      





                                                                                         Day 12


11. Turkey Burger Lettuce Wraps with Sweet Potato Fries.
12. Grilled Pesto Shrimp served over brown rice with Baked Yellow Squash.

                                                                                       Day 13


13. Taco Salad (Omit Chips and Cheese) Add fresh Guacamole, Salsa, Olives, and Black Beans.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                      Day  14
                                                                                                    




Day 15




15. Avocado Chicken Lettuce Wraps and Baked Sweet Potato Wedges.

                                                                                    Day 16

16. Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash (Omit Blue Cheese) Serve with a salad.


                                                                                    Day 17
17. Grilled Greek Chicken and Green Beans.


                                                                                                                                     Day 18                                                                                     
                                                                                       




                                                                                              Day 19




                                                                                         Day 20
20. Shrimp with Couscous and a Salad.


                                                                                                  Day 21


21. Stuffed Peppers.


                                                                                                                                                         
                                                                             Day 22        
 


                                                                                            Day 23



23. Turkey Kielbasa Kebabs with Brown Rice and a Salad.

                                                                                                Day 24
 24. Grilled Steak Salad                   

Friday, December 27, 2013

Just an average guy

No I am not.



Are you average? Is it OK to be average?

No it is not.

Average is not "normal". Average is accepting your fate and refusing to take responsibility for your own self and letting others dictate what you are and who you are.

73.9%. That's pretty average, right?

That's the percentage of people in North America that are overweight (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_weight) . Sounds like we as a county are pretty average.



According to Nerdwallet.com The average credit card debt of Americans is $15,279. Awesome.

So...being "average" in this country is about being in debt and being overweight. Interesting.



Still want to be "average"?

Average is easy. You can always blame someone else and you can always to be thinking, "at least my neighbor is in the same boat".

Being average is about giving up accountability. It's about making excuses. Being average is about acceptance. Being average is a choice.



Do you want to choose to be average?

Do you want to be more?

I, for one, choose to become more... to be MORE.

I choose to excel and dream and create and BE MORE.

As 2013 becomes 2014 don't you think it is time to break the mold? Don't you think this is the year to be more than average? Don't you think this is the year that you listen to the people that are moving forward and not those that are trying to hold you back?

Do you think this can be your year?

I do.

I don't pretend to be a success guru; Tony Robbins I am not. I am not the goal setting master; there are plenty of books on how to do that.

What I am telling you is simple yet profound. It is the key to a successful life. It could be your secret to unlocking the beast within...

STOP BEING AVERAGE.



Thursday, December 26, 2013

Darkness and light

If it never got dark would we every truly appreciate the light?



I woke up this morning, December 26th, 2013 and felt AMAZING.

Really... I just felt good. I felt like a million dollars. I had energy and vibrancy that I can't remember having ever. It's truly a great day.

Why?

That's an easy one. Yesterday I was sick as a dog and today I am not sick as a dog.

If it never got dark would we every truly appreciate the light?

I truly think that God makes us sick sometimes to appreciate what it is like to be well. Don't you agree? I haven't eaten in 36 hours yet I feel amazing and I am ready to take on the world. Perhaps it's because I am not on the toilet.....

Being sick is part of being healthy. If you are never sick then your body is never tested. I know that some people claim to be super healthy and NEVER get sick. This may be true. I don't get sick very often but when I do get sick I usually get over it very quickly and have a greater appreciation for being well after the experience.

Today I choice to express gratitude. I am grateful for being sick on Christmas. I am grateful that I was taught the lesson of  comparison and appreciation. Today I am happy that I was sick yesterday so that I can be well today.



Thanks for reading my quick message today. If you get value out of this please like, comment and share.
You are appreciated!


Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Hurt

Well....dag nabbit, I'm hurt.



It's not very often I say that and even less often I want to admit that; but it is the truth. I am currently hurt, injured and pretty much displeased with the situation.

Unfortunately it's not one of those "push through it" or "modify" or "do something different" hurts. It's an "I can do absolutely nothing" but rest type of hurt.



Blah.

So what happened?

Oh, you're going to love this one. I've had some pretty good injuries over the years but this one takes the cake for the absolute stupidest thing I have EVEN done to get myself hurt!

A couple of weeks ago I tilted my head to crack my neck before a workout and I hurt myself. Wait...what? That's possible? Apparently.

I worked out anyway and I was sore for a few days. No harm, no foul.

Well....

I was good for a few days then apparently I slept wrong and now I have a painful but not really serious spine ouchy. Man this thing hurts. Now I rest and wait it out. Yuck. Not my favorite thing to do.



So the question begs for an answer: what do you do when you get hurt?

My short answer is... It depends.

Not many injuries are going require complete rest like the one I have now. Some injuries you can push through or work around. Sometimes you can take a day or two and be back to new in no time. It all depends on the injury.

So how do you know? That answer is NEVER simple. It really depends on the individual, the fitness level and, of course, the injury.

In 1996 I broke my arm. I didn't miss one day or running and managed to stay in top shape despite the injury. Granted, I had a STINKY cast...

In 1998 I compound fractured my collarbone in a bike accident. Because I was young and well taken care of I only missed about 3 weeks of training.

Just a few years ago in 2008 I broke my leg. Did I pack it in and say, "too bad, so sad.."? No. I broke my leg in March and I ran a half marathon (in 1:22!) in November. I also ran a 16:45 5k in November of that month; may fastest post 30th birthday 5k.

How the hell did I do that? Certainly I wasn't young any more.

I was in PHENOMENAL shape when I broke my leg and I did as much of whatever I would do while I was hurt. I couldn't run but guess what? I walked 3 hours per day starting the day that I could walk again! Extreme? Sure. But hopefully you get the point. You do what you can!

So let's say you get hurt. What then?

I know a lady that got a stress fracture yet ran anyway; not smart. I know another friend that broke an ankle in the first mile of a 5k and kept going; not smart.

I know another guy who has shoulder issues and gained 40 lbs. No more shoulder issues yet the weight keeps coming on. Again, not smart.

OK, you get hurt. When you get hurt you need to do two things:

1. Trust your gut. Sometimes your gut is right but not always. Be smart!
2. Seek professional guidance. Talk to a chiropractor, an athletic trainer, a coach or a trainer. Someone that can give you some advice. See a doctor IF YOU MUST but remember that doctors often are just going to tell you to rest and not give you additional advice. Again... be smart!

So today I admitted to you that I am hurt. The reality is that I am a ridiculously active dude who has been hurt many times over the years. I'll own that. But guess what? Because of my actively level most of my down time has been limited and I have always come back just as strong if not stronger. Plus as a percentage of all that I have done I think I have been very fortunate to have so little down time over the years.

This time is no different. Another week and I am going to be back at it!

If you get hurt be smart! Figure out what is wrong and make a plan to get better. If it is complete rest then so bit it. Rest up! My doctor told me to sit on the couch and gain 10 lbs! Some doctor he is.... like I'll do that.

Work through it if you can. Modify if you can. Do something different if you can. If you must rest then rest. You won't die. It may be good for you!

One last story before I sign off today.

My best time in the 800 meters was 2:02.9. I was sophomore in college. Late in the indoor track season I hurt my foot. It was pretty bad and I needed to take 10 days completely off from running. I did this but I subbed running in the pool. For 10 days I "ran" in the pool for 90 minutes per day. Then I ran 2 shorts runs and then a track meet. Guess what? I ran 1:57.6 for 800 meter at that meet. Sometimes it pays to change it up!

If you got some value from this article please like and share. Curious about how we can help YOU get in the best shape of your life. Check out http://yourbestfitnesscoach.com to see what programs we offer. Thank you!

Friday, December 13, 2013

8-12 reps.... nope, that's a stupid plan


Show of hands.

Who has been to a gym and had a "trainer" or "wellness coach" tell you to do 8-12 repetitions of each exercise? "...and, "if you can do 12 the then you need to add weight."

Of yeah, don't forget to do 3 sets.

That's a stupid plan.

Don't be a yes man! Love this guy! 

I, for one, should have my hand held high because I have told many hundreds of people that same silly lie over the years.

In this article I am going to explain why we tell people the whole 8-12 reps and 3 sets silliness, why it is dead wrong and what you should do instead.

I don't pretend to be a scientist nor do I pretend to be a professional researcher. If you are looking for an article that is thoroughly researched with notes and empirical proof then go back to Google.

If you are looking for real word advice from a trainer who has been producing results in his own body and in many others for a whole lot of years then you should keep reading.

OK, why do we teach 8-12 reps and 3 sets?

We do this for a couple of reasons. For one there is some scientific "proof" behind the numbers. This proof, however, is for the wrong thing. It's about muscle hypertrophy (growth). Like much of fitness today these numbers come from the body building craze in the 70's. To gain muscle it is best to do 8-12 reps. Yay.



Of course this isn't with power lifting moves or "abs" but still be like the numbers so we keep teaching them.

So there is some truth behind the numbers and it is not random.

But why do we STILL use these numbers.

Laziness.



The other reason we keep with the 8-12 numbers is because it duplicates for any 18 year old wanna be trainer who cleans equipment, picks up weights and puts new gym members through orientations.

Believe me, it's not the fault of the "wellness staff", it's the whole "gym model" that is messed up in my eyes.

That is a whole other topic I'll cover another day. The gist is this: gyms are set up to make money. What gyms do isn't based on what is right for the customer; the systems are set up to make money. The last thing that the gyms want is people to get in shape.

I'm sorry, is that harsh. Go to a gym and look around. Again...another day.

So why teach all the new members the same tired circuit with 8-12 reps and 3 sets? This is so easy and duplicate-able. We show a member once, write down the weights and the machine sets and they are off to get healthy. Yay.

The reality is that those that enjoy the social atmosphere of the gym hang around while the vast majority doesn't see results in a month or two and, since they assume it's their fault, keep paying the gym membership for months or years yet do not come. Yawn.

Trust me. This is what is behind the 8-12 reps deal. The health and fitness industry won't tell you this but here is the truth.

So, why is it wrong?

Truth is that your body responds best to confusion and stress. You do the same thing all the time and you get used to it. It is no longer hard. You adapt; there is no stress. That is the way that our body works. We need to confuse the body each and every day to continue to get good results.

Weight and number of reps is a fine way to confuse your body but not the best ways and certainly not the ways that matter.

So what should you do?



I guess before I answer that question I should make something clear that I'm not sure I have done yet.

Is it wrong to do 8-12 reps and 3 sets. No. Certainly not. But is this the way to reach your goals long term? Never.

To get results with your fitness you need to confuse your body and you need to do it on a consistent basis.

If you run 5 miles each day in 45 minutes are you getting a good workout? Yes. Will you get fit and healthy? to a degree, yes. Will you get used to this and start to lose fitness? YES YOU WILL!

So what would this person do? I would run 5 miles per day in 9 minutes per mile 3 days per week, run 3 miles in 8 minutes per mile 3 days per week and run 10 miles in 10 minutes per mile one day per week.

Same mileage but different results.

How can you vary your workouts.

Here is a list variables that you can use to add variety to your workouts:
  • Speed. Slow reps vs. fast reps
  • Reps. 5 reps one day 100 reps the next.
  • Weight. Less or more. 
  • Types of weights. Dumbbells, kettlebells, bar bells or weird things like tires or sand bags. 
  • Time of day.
  • Temperature. Outside vs. inside.
  • Order of exercise. 
  • Mix "cardio" (a term that I HATE!) with weights.
  • Surface. Grass or concrete or gym floor.
  • Music. None vs loud.
  • Time vs. number. Most reps in a minute vs. a set number.
  • Countdown and count-ups with 2, 3 or 4 different exercise. 
  • Isometric vs. concentric/eccentric.
  • One leg / one arm exercises. 
  • Duration of routine. 12 minute workouts are awesome and so are 45 minute or 60 minute workouts.
You get the point. An experienced and qualified fitness coach has an unlimited supply of routines that they can set up for you. 

Here is the workout that my class did at 6am:

Warm-up - 15 burpees

Work-out FOR TIME:
  • 5 Goblet squats
  • Across/back (basketball court)
  • 25 chair dips
  • Across/back
  • 5 burpees
  • Across/back
  • 25 sit-ups
  • Across/back
  • 5 squat to press
Variety and movement. THAT is what it is all about. It's all functional fitness.

So I hope you understand where I am coming from in this article. Seek out a trainer or a program that is going to surprise you every-time that you workout. You should not know what to expect when you walk in the door. If you know what to expect then so will your body and THAT is NOT how to get results.

Do you feel like you got value out of this article. If so please like and share of your social media pages. We appreciate you for reading! 

If you want to know more about the programs that we offer please visit our website: 

http://yourbestfitnesscoach.com 







Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Don't Start!

A couple of days ago I was helping a lady order the 24 Day Challenge. When she was done ordering she said, "I'm going to be doing this right through Christmas."

Yep.

It's funny because what she said next showed me that her attitude temperature was just right and she was going to be great results. "Good...this will keep me on track over the holidays."

It gave me an idea for a quick video this morning.

Because of the American holiday schedule (Are the holidays spaced 4-6 weeks apart for a reason? Just sayin'...) there is ALWAYS an excuse to wait till after.... after Christmas...after New Years....

After....

Check out this fun video I did this morning making light of this SERIOUS (yet funny all at the same time) subject:


It's 1 minute 20 seconds. Watch and enjoy.

Did you find value here? If so please like and share!

Monday, December 9, 2013

Brave

I want to see you be brave.



Almost all good things come about because someone decides to be brave.

What does being brave mean to you? Is it that call that you've been meaning to make to close a sale or build a relationship? Is it that decision that you are scared to make?

Be brave.



Are you holding yourself back because you are scared or something...of anything at all? Be brave.

Do what you want to do. Be what you want to be. It all starts with being BRAVE.

It's not everyday that I fly out of bed in the morning with a thought and a theme for the today. Today, my friends is one of those days.

Today my thoughts, passion and purpose revolve around being brave. Today I will be brave. Today I will be who I am supposed to be and fear with not stand in my way. I will be brave.

Will you be brave with me?



Life can be hard. Life is hard. The courageous among us are the difference makers. Those who are brave get the rewards and change the world. The happy among us are the brave ones.

I want to see you be brave.

Do it. Now. Be brave.



It's different for all of us... yes it is.

But it's still the same.

We all win when we are brave. Will you be brave. I want to see you be brave....

Thank you to Sara Bareilles for this Monday. Today I will be BRAVE...


Sunday, December 8, 2013

Creative pictures and other ways to rationalize


The above picture appeared in my Facebook news feed the other day. I see probably a 100 pictures in my news feed everyday so I rarely comment but sometimes, if I see something very compelling, I will give a "like" or share the picture. 

In the limited space of a a Facebook comment I didn't feel that I could properly convey my thoughts about the above picture. 

Thus today's blog post.  

To be 100% honest I do not like this picture. As a matter of fact I hate it. To me it's a lot like the YMCA not keeping score in kids soccer and giving everybody a trophy. Or these schools that don't give grades because they don't want the kids to feel bad about themselves. 



I think the picture is damaging because it helps people to rationalize the fact that they CAN CHANGE yet they choose not to because they are convinced they can not. 

The picture is intended for, and thus totally appropriate, for the 30 year old woman who weights 135 but used to be 115 in high school. Or the runner who can't figure out why her friend who doesn't run at all is 10 lbs less then she. Your weight is fine. You're good. 

For many people the scale isn't the best way to judge health and wellness. 

But let's be real. For most people the scale is a GREAT way to judge your health. 

If you were 140 lbs at 21 and your scale says you are 240 lbs at 31 should you ignore the scale because at least you are a good person? 

No.

That is not the point and I want to make sure that you understand that it's not about judging a persons self worth or who they are. People are not defined by their weight. People are not (or at least they shouldn't be) less loved based on their health. 

The fact of the matter is that it is hard to make a difference in the lives of others if you are unhealthy and sick.

If we as fitness professionals tell people that it is OK to be unhealthy then what are we doing to change the problem? Yes, it is a tough stance to take and it is HARD to face realities sometimes but it must be done.  

Many issues affect a persons weight and health. Some people honestly do need to ignore the scale. Some people obsess over a number that really means NOTHING. Some people.

In my opinion the VAST MAJORITY of people that look at the scale need to look at the scale and say, "Holy CRAP, I can't believe I weight that much. I HAVE TO do something NOW...."


I am a firm believer that YOUR health is YOUR problem. YOUR health is YOUR concern. YOUR health is 100% YOUR responsibility. It doesn't matter if you rationalize it or not. Nobody is going to change you. No book you read, no program you buy, not ObamaCare, not your trainer, not the YMCA or Gold's gym....

You are the one in charge. If you CHOOSE to focus on the fact that you are a good person and it's the fault of someone else that you are unhealthy then that is....wait for it.... YOUR CHOICE. 

Our job as fitness coaches is to help you once you have made the choice to change. I can do nothing for you if you are 400 lbs but have a good sense of humor. 

I can, however, help you if you look at the scale and choose to be disgusted by the number that you see. 

Here is YOUR action plan.



1. Look at your scale.
2. Decide what the number means to you.
3. Check with a fitness coach and ask them what they think.
4. Decide if the number means nothing or means something. 
5. Go exercise.



Does that make sense? 

If you got value from this blog post please like and share.