Plain and simple…you need to watch this. Very interesting information.
Monthly Archives: April 2012
My New View on Squats
Time and time again we see people using horrible form when doing squats, people are scared to do them nowadays b/c of the implications they can have on your back. So instead we avoid them and use leg press machines. Don’t get me started on the leg press machines…..
Anyways, we have not shied away from squats but instead focused on our form. There’s no better lower body work out and f we want proper results, then we need to do it.
In doing so, I started to realize why it was that I had bad squat form in high school and why it led to a lot of back issues.
Have you ever played that “trust” game? where you fall back and you’re suppose to trust that your partner is going to catch you? Well, when sitting your hips back and squatting down, I realized that I didn’t trust that my body would catch me because it feels as if you’re going to fall backwards when you keep your knees behind your toes. So instead I’d drop my back forward to get depth instead of actually sitting back and bending my legs.
Now that I’m older and wiser I seem to be able to understand and process how things work, so don’t be afraid to squat. Just focus on your form and start light, then build from there. You’re doing no good by using the leg press machines.
UPDATE Week 7 (confessions of a large person)
So officially I start week 7 of this project and I wanted to do an update (I’m writing this during my 3 minute bag session breaks at home!) I’m officially down 30lbs, but I’ll get to that later.
A couple days ago I started realizing a few minor things that have changed in this 6 week time period, which to me is amazing b/c these things were a result of the way I’ve lived for 27+ years.
To be totally honest, these are very embarrassing things to admit, but I feel as if some people don’t fully understand how bad it is to be unhealthy and overweight. If you are going through these same issues, I hope that you’re aware of them and I hope you feel just as bad about letting things get to this point as I do. Then maybe you’ll realize you need change…
1. I no long breath heavy after walking up the stairs to get to my condo from the parking garage.
2. Yesterday I was getting ready for a wedding and after putting on a couple layers and a tie, I typically would have started sweating, in fact, I typically would start sweating no matter what I was doing or where I was going. Even if I got in a really long winded discussion, I would start to get a little warm and short of breath. In fact, I didn’t sweat at all yesterday and I realize that I haven’t been doing that as of recently anyways.
3. I’m not breathing heavy in general, I use to take these really deep “sighing” type breaths and I’m no longer doing that. I’ve become very aware of the breaths I take and I’m making sure to breath properly, not only in the gym but just through out the day.
Additional note: I’ve also started breathing through my nose more so than through my mouth….the way we should be breathing!
4. I can put on shoes and socks with out struggling. This one is by far the most embarrassing thing to admit…it use to be extremely uncomfortable to tie my shoes or even put them on.
5. There are A LOT of people out there really trying to get healthier and I love it…I’ve been meeting more people and getting to share my experiences thus far.
To me, the biggest thing is the sweating, it was always publicly visible and something you can’t hide. I think getting ready yesterday made me realize it the most, but it hasn’t happened at all and I’m not sure when that stopped.
As hard as it is to admit these daily struggles, I have no problem doing so because I am conquering them and I now know what I will never go back to. The only place I’m sweating these days is the gym and outside when I’m active….or hopefully when I’m relaxing outside during a beautiful chicago summer day.
Most importantly, I want people to know that they aren’t alone with some of the things they go through. But it doesn’t have to be that way. I know it’s not a good feeling inside and it tears you apart as a person. But you ARE better than that and you can easily change this. I’ve done it in 6 weeks with hard work and dedication. I’m not near where I want to be yet, but the changes are showing.
On another note, I did attend a family wedding as I stated and the last time everyone saw me was Christmas. I didn’t actually start this journey until march 22nd. To be brutally honest, I’m not happy with the results yet, but that’s not dragging me down…it is only pushing me harder. I do look in the mirror often and I’m wishing for more, but at the same time…I’ve lost 30lbs in 6 weeks. It’s just harder to see the results when you look at yourself every day.
But to my surprise a few of my cousins pulled me aside and told me they can notice a big difference and I can tell it wasn’t just a “you look good compliment”. I can tell now that probably everyone in my family was worried about me but no one really said anything. It’s a tough subject when you’re family and I can respect that. But they support me now and that’s all that matters. I was also extremely shocked when a couple made sure I wasn’t drinking….considering my family very much knows how to party! A night like last night made me realize more what an amazing family I’m a part of. Unfortunately I didn’t do any dancing mainly b/c I was dead tired from my 630am work out and it was a leg work out…but for the record I’m an amazing dancing, this cannot be denied.
I did mention how I’m not completely happy with the results and because of this I’m really committing myself over these next 6 months, that means no going out, no drinking…just focusing on my diet, working out, and getting treatments. I really hope if anyone wants to hang we can put in a good work out together and learn from each other or spend some time outside doing something active. This is just something I need to do to get right and get where I want to be. I know I’m going to hit a wall soon, but I want to be prepared for that.
Cardio vs. Weight Training
I think I was one to fall for the idea that if I wanted to really lose weight that I’d have to do a lot of cardio but the more research I do, the more I learn that working out with weights is actually the better route to go. Below is what I thought was a well written snippet of info on the two. It makes sense, but I also feel that you can’t cardio out of your work out and that you can vary up the things you do so that your body does become accustomed to the same routine. Whether it be working on an incline, changing up the surfaces you work out on, switching it up between running, jogging, sprinting, walking, biking, etc.
I’ve recently decided that I’m going to workout twice a week on certain days and mix up my cardio with a multitude of things including hitting the bag. I feel this is something I can do at night b/c the benefits of weight training in the morning are superior to getting my body going for the day and essential burning more calories while at rest. Read the below bit, hopefully it gives you some insight as well:
“When it comes to burning off fat, weights have an edge over cardio.
There’s a common misperception that resistance training can’t work your cardiovascular system, but ask anyone who’s ever performed a 20-rep set of squats if his heart rate is elevated. It will be.
Technically speaking, anything that elevates your heart rate is “cardio.” Traditional steady-state cardio (think running a 5K, using the elliptical machine, or doing step aerobics) can be beneficial in terms of fat loss — at least for a while. But your body adapts to any stress placed on it. Over time, the work required to, say, run a 5K will decrease as your fitness improves. Diminishing returns kicks in. What once took 20 minutes to burn X number of calories will take 30 minutes, and then 40 minutes and so on.
With weights, on the other hand, you can stave off this effect by varying your exercises to keep your body guessing. You can change things up by adding resistance, decreasing rest time, increasing the number of reps you do or changing the order of your exercises. All of these things prevent your body from hitting a plateau, boosting your ability to burn fat.
Lifting weights also increases your lean muscle mass, which further increases metabolism at rest. That means you’ll be burning more calories throughout the day.”
Why Eggs are Excellent
I’ve been doing some research on eggs b/c there’s a lot of false stigmas around them, mainly when it comes to the yolk. Instead of trying to paraphrase everything I’ve found, I came across an article that summed it up perfectly, so I wanted to share part of that instead.
1. Eggs Won’t Make You Fat
I’m not going to reveal my final numbers until the process is done and all blood work is completed, but I’ll tell you this–eating three eggs per day has NOT made my health worse. If anything it’s made it better. I’ve been stronger, have lost body fat (not just pounds), and I feel spectacular. And I must mention, this has all happened despite the fact that I’ve suffered two back injuries and have backed off training during the process.
2. The Eggs-Cholesterol Relationship is Misleading
Eggs don’t raise cholesterol the way you think. And when you combine eggs as part of a low(er) carb diet, it actually raises the good stuff (HDL) without doing any damage to the bad (LDL). Add that to an increasing number of studies that shows the cholesterol benefits of eating eggs, (see here, and here, and here) and it’s becoming harder to deny the truth: Eggs are a “health” food and they don’t cause heart problems.
3. Eggs are a Super Food
I know that we all become tired of marketing buzzwords like “super foods” and “power foods.” (and yes, I take full responsibility to adding to that mess) But sometimes the label fits so well that there’s no better way to describe what you’re eating. Eggs fall into that category. Research has shown that eggs can do everything from improve your immune system to help your brain function better, as well as build muscle and make your skin look better. And the research continues to grow. Recently, Canadian researchers found that eggs have twice as many antioxidants as apples. Here’s a list of 8 benefits of eggs–backed by science–that make this food so uniquely valuable.
4. Diablo Eggs are Delicious
Part of this process has meant trying out many (many) new egg recipes. While I enjoy eggs, I also have a wife who eats many meals with me and her sophisticated taste buds require variety. She can’t dig in on the Born Scramble every day of the week. Enter Diablo Eggs. This new spin on deviled eggs is a culinary treat. I don’t include the chorizo, but if I ate pork, I would imagine it would only improve this dish. Check out this quick and easy recipe (it’s a video you can follow) and let me know what you think.
5. Eggs aren’t Just for Breakfast
I’ve now made eggs on pizza, on burgers (my new favorite), and even in oatmeal. Don’t judge until you try them. In fact, we have a list of 20 ways you can add eggs to your meal. (I’ve tried 13 of them)
6. Cook Your Eggs to Unlock More Benefits
If you haven’t read this smart post by Dr. Mike Roussell, you should check it out. It dissects some of the most common myths about eggs. And that includes the idea that uncooked eggs provide your body with more nutrients. Ever since I watched Rocky, I’ve been intrigued by the idea of downing a few raw eggs. (and by intrigued, I mean I tried it in my younger days). So are raw eggs more potent? No. In fact, cooking your eggs can ensure that you enjoy more of the nutritional benefits. Oh yeah–and the cooked version taste a lot better, too.
7. Cook your Eggs in (healthy) Fat
I used to coat my pans in butter, olive oil, or some sort of spray when making eggs. And then I discovered coconut oil and it changed how I prepared my meals. From an enjoyment standpoint, coconut oil doesn’t make eggs taste different (which can definitely happen with olive oil). Great taste is always preferred, but coconut oil has been linked to dropping body fat, raising good cholesterol, and fighting off viruses (due to lauric acid). I’d recommend giving it a try, and see what it will do for your meals.
8. Eat the Yolk
Just in case this was lost in translation, I’m eating three whole eggs per day. Not just the whites. And the reason is simple: The yolk is the best part. Both in taste and nutrition. The yolk is where you find all of the fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) as well as the majority of zinc, calcium, folate, and memory boosting lecithin. And you can’t forget Vitamin B12, which has been shown to help with fat breakdown. And while the whites still offer protein, it’s only slightly more than 50 percent of the total amount. The yolks are part of what give eggs the highest possible biological value, which is a measure of how well a food suits your body’s protein needs. So if you’re looking for the healthiest way to eat your eggs, your best bet is to keep the yolk.
If it’s meant to be then it’s meant to be….
I believe that is the laziest statement one can make. People who believe in this philosophy are the ones that sit around and wait for things to happen. If you want something in life, you go after it and you don’t quit until it’s yours. Make something of yourself, work your as off, and you won’t be left behind in the world and maybe, just maybe, you’ll get to do what you love every day.
If you have something or someone you love or care about, don’t squander that opportunity. Accept it and embrace it.
I’m thankful for…
I’m thankful for the last 16 months of my life, I’m thankful that I had to endure pain, humiliation, being lied to, and being let down time and time again.
Too often we’re only thankful for the good in life, and while I am as well, the good doesn’t push you to re-evaluate, it doesn’t force you to take a new approach, it doesn’t expose your flaws, and it doesn’t make you realize you can be a better person.
Too often we dwell over the hard times we struggle through…but guess what? It doesn’t have to be negative.
Am I glad that I lost my best friend and had a relationship ruined to make me realize that I couldn’t wait another day to make changes in my life, to live a healthier more fulfilling life…of course not.
Then I started to think, would I even be doing this if this person was still in my life? No, not at all. I’d be content and I wouldn’t feel the need to change anything.
So here I am, rewriting my life, not trying to make up for my past, but trying to improve my future. The past is the past, it has been written. So instead of trying to change it and instead of dwelling on it, take control.
Every person in our life is merely a vehicle to help us grow and develop. To this person, more than anything, I am thankful. Because of them I’ve changed. I had the courage to look at myself and say “I can be better”, I’m not the one who decided to sit back and tell myself I did nothing wrong. I am no longer content with being the person I was and I’m the better person for taking a risk and doing things I never thought I could do, learning things I never thought I’d learn, and pushing myself mentally, physically, and emotionally.
So be thankful for the negative just as much as the positive. It is merely a growing pain in life, because when the sky clears, you’ll see the world in a new light.
Never be content with the good, because the good can be better and better can be the best…but in the blink of an eye it can all come crashing down and that’s the moment we realize what we’re made of.
Got Goat?
So today I ordered goat meat. Before you judge me, read the facts.
Goat meat is extremely lean and as I stated from the beginning, I’m going to try new things and I’m going to do things that people may not understand or approve of. Simple fact, what do you think we use to eat as humans back when we hunted for our own food? Typically we ate lean meat. Goat meat is USDA inspected, but the USDA has not approved use of any type of hormones or additives to Goat Meat, therefore it is extremely natural.
Nutrition Facts (4 oz Serving)
Calories: 124 (calories from Fat 15)
Total Fat: 2.6 grams
Protein: 25 grams
Cholesterol: 64 mg
Total Carbs: 0 g
Sugars: 0 g
Compare this to a 3.5 oz cut of White Chicken, so in comparison the numbers are actually a little higher:
Calories: 173
Total Fat: 4.5 grams
Protein: 30 grams
Cholesterol: 85.7 mg
Total Carbs: 0 g
Sugars: 0 g
I’m not following any specific diet, in fact, I may be creating my own diet….who knows. But the simple fact is, I’ve come to the realization that our bodies will never change, so therefore I need to get back to a natural way of life. As natural as humanly possible to eat from as close to the earth as I can.
They’ve just legalized the upcoming sale of Horse Meat in the US, from what I’ve been able to research, Horse and Goat meat are right along the same lines but until more info comes out on Horse meat I’m not sure if I’ll go in to that direction as well.
I’ve said it already and I’ll continue to say it, technology has evolved and will continue to do so, but we as human beings will never change. Feed your body right and it will do wonders in return.
