Addictions and cures
Published February 16, 2012 | 
I was reading a blog post today from my hero, Mark Sisson @ Primalblueprint.com and he was discussing addictions. No, not to drugs or alcohol but to sugar, wheat, salt, etc. It seems a lot of the things we crave hit receptors in our brains the same way these other substances do. And since most of us have eaten large quantities of these for most of our lives we are actually addicted to them. Breaking that addiction is difficult because the subsequent feelings associated with their intake never go away. We will always remember their effects but distancing those memories will help reduce the cravings. And lets face it, if we look good in a loin cloth (more PC than saying naked…), we’ll feel better about ourselves!
Here’s what I want you to do. Mark up a 3×5 card with 21 days on it. Just 3 weeks. Try to eat nothing but lean meats and free range eggs, vegetables, some nuts, fresh fruit (only after a workout), good fats and oils, lots of water and green tea for 21 days. It’s less than a month, you CAN do this! You’ll be surprised how hard it is but blown away by how good you feel when you complete the task. Every day, mark off another number until the last day is complete. See if you can pull off this challenge. It’ll be worth it!
Zero Excuses, Make it Happen!
Frustration
Published February 3, 2012 | I recently hit a wall with a client. She has lost almost 150 pounds and made an amazing transformation. After success like that and with 80 more pounds to go, people get anxious to continue to see the losses they have attained in the past. The truth of the matter is that the human body fights you every step of the way during your health transformation. It is constantly in preservation mode and although you may have created a shell that you would rather crack, your brain is trying to keep that which you have built. Fat is energy, and your body gets really good at storing it. The foods we eat (i.e. processed carbs, sugar, nasty chemicals, trans fats…) tend to accelerate that process. When we break the cycle there WILL be plateaus along the way.
Back to my client, she was becoming more and more frustrated after two weeks of no weight loss even though she was still shrinking. She began cutting more calories from her diet and getting weaker and weaker with less and less energy. Starvaton is not the answer. Eating a couple hundred calories less than your basal metabolic rate combined with exercise will allow you to burn a couple of pounds of body fat a week while maintaining muscle mass. This is the healthy way to do it. Conserving muscle mass will help keep your metabolism high. A fireplace won’t burn without wood in it. Neither will your belly without food in it. And timing is equally important. More calories at breakfast and lunch will keep your mid-day burn up and tapering at dinner will keep the sugar/insulin levels low when your metabolism shuts down at night.
We adjusted her calories, (more at breakfast and lunch, less at dinner), increased her exercise and changed her routine again (muscle confusion), and low and behold, a 5.8 pound loss the next week! Don’t let yourself get frustrated. Know what you are dong to your body, be diligent, and make it happen. It’s never easy, but it sure is worth it!
Zero Excuses, Make it Happen!
Definition of Insanity
Published January 10, 2012 | Insanity: Doing the same things over and over again and hoping for different results.
Sounds like most people’s idea of nutrition. And when I have a sit down with my clients and tell them why they need to eliminate grains, legumes, and trans fats from their diets their eyes glaze over. ”It’s just too hard.” seems to be a regular response. Or, “Aren’t whole grains supposed to be good for you?” You want to know why 75% of our population in the US is overweight…Too many dense, nutrient deficient by volume, anti-nutrient producing carbs! We are suffering more and more from diabetes, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, etc…. Why? Too many bad carbohydrates.
I don’t profess to eat a ridiculously low carbohydrate diet. In fact I regularly disappoint myself with 200g – 300g of carbs days. But most days I try to stay in the 100g range. Our bodies get plenty of energy from whole fruits and veggies if we eat them. Not to mention way more nutrients and fiber than from grains and legumes by volume. Your body will start to tell you when its hungry, and definitely when its full. Usually without that bloated or over stuffed feeling! Sugar sources don’t shut the brain off the same way and we really over do it.
Eat like a caveman: Lean meats, tons of veggies, some fruits, some nuts, good fats, lots of water and tea. Your body will reach its ideal weight quickly and you’ll feel so much better. And aren’t you worth it?
Zero Excuses, Make it Happen!
Humble…
Published December 21, 2011 | I had the wonderful pleasure of joining a lifelong friend this weekend at his gym in Nashville to film a great new fitness program that he created. I had increased my fitness regimen to prepare me for the shoot. I ate cleanly, trained hard, and followed his workouts…to the level I thought I would need to keep up. The workouts are about 50 minutes, have several full body and some muscle isolation moves in them and intense cardio interval spikes interspersed throughout. The workouts are meant to be hard and done every other day. I tried to do at least one a day to prepare for multiple workouts for the video shoot as time is money and all 12 needed to be completed in a weekend.
Now, as a trainer, I know what it takes to push people. As an athlete, I know what it takes to be pushed. But somehow our egos can get the best of us and we just don’t find that little extra push we need in training when no one’s watching us closely. And sometimes, we get smacked in the face with the reality that we just didn’t train hard enough for the task at hand! I was scheduled for 3 workouts over the 2 days. Some fitness models were scheduled for 5! I thank sweet baby Jesus I was in the previous group… After my third workout, and getting crushed by a studette chiropractor in the workout, I physically could not have done one more pushup. My body was spent. I honestly spent a bundle of time praising those that managed 4 and 5 of those workouts over 2 days. I couldn’t have done it.
The beauty of the experience, as humbling as it was, is the fact that after two days of serious muscle soreness my body has recovered. If we train hard for things in life and sometimes come up short, we turn around to find small victories in our efforts. My training got me through it, although not as stellarly as I had hoped. But because I trained hard, I was able to recover and get right back on that horse again. Although we may grimace at the taste of humble pie, after it settles a bit in our stomachs, many of us come back for seconds! Are you still hungry…?
Fitness “IS” your Business!
Published December 10, 2011 | Lets get ready for the New Year. We’re starting a new business. It’s your business. And it’s your fitness. Here’re the tools. You need an exercise plan, a food journal, a calorie counter, tools to measure your progress and a daily journal. I know, it seems like a lot, but they’re essential and worth it. The good news is, there are gadgets, computers, and smart phone apps now that do all of the above.
Here’s the plan: Your food and your exercise are your customers. The more and better customers you have the better your business performs. Your health and fitness are your profits. Every morning, let’s look at our plan, your first customer. Don’t turn away your first sale of the day. Put it on your daily schedule; time, duration, exercises, and place. This is an essential meeting in your schedule, make it happen. Now start with a great breakfast, your second customer. Avoid the added sugar and starchy carbs. Fresh fruit and nuts are perfect. Two eggs, sauteed veggies and a small bowl of berries work well, too. Have a cup of coffee or tea. Log it in. The better this customer is the better your day will be. Start with lean protein and fresh nutrients and you’ll feel more full longer, with more energy. Keep snacks close by, your next customers; celery and almond butter, apples and pecans, bell peppers and hummus, carrots and turkey… Log them in. Eat a good lunch. Big salads with lots of veggies, meats or fish, and olive oil or avocado, fill you up without that bloated feeling. Log it in. Dinner; fresh, steamed, or baked veggies, with 4-6oz. of lean protein. Use herbs and spices, but reduce that sodium! Avoid the processed grains, beans and dairy. Bad customers! Now log it in. Stretch before bed and start your wind down routine. Look at the days totals.
Now lets count the profits: Grab your journal or whatever you have chosen for the notes. How do you feel? Did you get enough good customers? Is business improving? How can you make it better? In weeks, not months, of doing this right you can see dramatic improvements. Track your progress. If weight loss is your goal, is it happening? If your trying to tone up, is it happening? How do your clothes fit? Are people noticing? Does the mirror notice it? Are you sleeping better? If not, what’s the journal say? Too much sugar, not enough exercise or sleep, too many calories? Fix it. In no time business will be booming. I have had too many clients fight me every step of the way in the beginning… until the profits come in; better energy, losing weight, shrinking waist lines, tighter muscles, better health, better sleep, faster metabolism…in other words, success!
There is nothing easy about running a business. But if you’re not diligent about watching that bottom line, planning your marketing, gaining and keeping customers, it is destined to fail. But this is your health we’re talking about. Your business. It is so worth it. You CAN do this!
Zero Excuses, Make it Happen!
Have you given up for the holidays?
Published December 2, 2011 | You what?! You’re going to wait until January, make that resolution and hit it hard then?! How’d that work out for you last year? The harsh reality is, for most of us, it didn’t.
Here’s the scoop: You can add way more body fat right now as it’s getting cold and we’re surrounded by bad choices in our nutrition. The main culprits, sugar and flour, are over abundant. For 2.5 million years our genes have told us to gain weight right now to survive the winter. Our brains tell us sugar and starch are dense sources of immediate energy and we NEED it. Plug those internal ears! Don’t do it! You don’t need it. There are better sources of fuel. We didn’t have access to seasonal fruits and veggies year round. We couldn’t exercise in 2 feet of snow or mud. We can now…
Here’s the solution: Lean meats, tons of veggies, some fruit, some nuts and seeds, good fats, and tons of water; (warm or hot water, tea or coffee.) At least 20 minutes per day, 6 days per week of resistance training and intense interval cardio. 20 minutes! And you can do it in front of the TV off the couch if you’re creative! Go to reallocalvideos.com and click on the Zero Excuses channel. I’ve mapped out 5 days of 3 resistance moves per day…from the couch. Wednesday or Thursday you can just do interval cardio to let the muscles recover. Be diligent and that new, New Years Resolution will be easier to attain and already taking effect!
Zero Excuses, Make it Happen!
War of the Roses
Published November 29, 2011 | I read a great post from one of my clients in Scotland. She was excited about buying ‘Roses’ for her family…and then eating them all?! What? Born and raised the US, I naturally assumed eating Roses, she had taken this Paleo diet thing a little too seriously…
Then she gained 4 pounds (God bless her honesty!) and blamed it on the Roses! Now, I know many cultures use flowers for garnishes, teas, some seasonings, but as a staple?…not so much. And 3 tins of them?! And their caloric content can’t be enough to warrant a 10 pound weight gain. Heck, I’d even expect a drastic loss on a day of eating tons of Roses.
Upon further review: Roses, are a European holiday chocolate indulgence. Kind of like our See’s, Lindt, or Dove Chocolates and goodies. Heaven forbid! A massive insulin response, sugar overload, minutes on the lips and weeks on the hips, a taste in the mouth and weight headed south, belly busting, 826g of a sugar debaucle! And she reported it all…again, God bless her.
And then followed it with the confession that she had just returned from an 800 calorie burn on a spin bike! The point here is s&%t happens. The battle of the bulge really is a war and the other side doesn’t play fair. They have a bigger budget, the government behind them, peer pressure and gosh darn it, it tastes good! You have to be diligent, every second, of everyday, for the rest of your life. Period. When a battle is lost, regroup, initiate another attack of your own with a full out arsenal of metabolic resistance training, anaerobic cardio intervals, and fresh, colorful nutrients loaded with fiber! And water darn it! Lots of water! But, make sure you don’t lose many battles…
The enemy won’t rest, ever. Once you reach your goals, you can let your guard down on occasion and recover with a big makeup on the next grueling workout. But until you reach that goal, never let them see your weaknesses. Take this war seriously. To the victor go the spoils, and if they’re Roses, for God’s sake smell them, look at them, put them on display, but don’t eat them!
Zero Excuses, Make it Happen!
Is your fat crying? Sweat baby sweat!
Published November 20, 2011 | My buddy Jon Sexton, fitness guru and motivator, asked me that same question while making my fat sob! He said, ”Is your fat crying?” to which I replied, “No but I’m about to if you keep pushing me this hard!” He said good, that’s the point….
SWEAT IS JUST FAT CRYING!
Profound isn’t it? Isn’t that what we want? To punish that which our bodies don’t want to lug around. “Bad fat! Bad fat! Stop following me!”
I recently handed a client a 30 lb. kettle bell and just stared at her. She looked at me blankly and said, “What do you want me to do with this today?” I said, ”Just hold it and feel its weight.” Then after a few seconds had passed I asked, “Do you realize, you were carrying around 5(!) of those!? Every minute, of every day, for years… Getting in the car, tossing and turning in bed, sitting on the couch, walking to the fridge, etc…”
She has lost over 150 pounds. Remarkable. As Dave Ramsey, money guru, says, “She was sick and tired, of being sick and tired.” You have to want it. You have to understand what its going to take to get there. You have to prepare for it. You have to know how to do it. And then you have to do it. Hard. Everyday until you reach that goal. The more diligent you are at attacking the problem, the quicker you get control of your health. I tell my clients it’s going to be hard, and it’s going to be worth it. Don’t make it any longer than it has to be by going at it half-assed. Use all that ass! Once youre there, because you’ve learned how to do it and what it takes to get there, it’s easy to keep it! Make that sweat cry. Hell, make it scream, wail and sob! Earn it and relish the success. It’s so worth it…
Zero Excuses, Make it Happen!
Know the values
Published November 15, 2011 | On the road Sunday, Lee Ann and I were having some cravings. We rolled into a burger joint and ordered two burgers, without the buns, and satisfied that urge. Sometimes, you just gotta do it….sometimes! Make it the exception, not the norm. While there, I did some calculations. Easy of course, simple math, I’m not that smart. In California now, nutritional values have to be posted on menus. A burger, fries and a shake would have totaled 1260 calories! That’s only 300 less than most of my clients eat all day!!! It’s truly amazing how much more you can eat, loaded with nutrients, when the majority of your meals are vegetables instead of processed foods. You really have to know the values of the food you are eating. You’ll stay satisfied longer, feel better, and become much healthier if you stick to the basic formula we have used for 2.5 million years: lean meats, lots of vegetables, some fruit, some nuts, lots of water. If you stick to this 80% of the time, you’ll be amazed at the results!
Zero Excuses, Make it Happen!
Inspirational!
Published November 10, 2011 | We had been actively marketing our psychological breakthrough in fitness tools, The Zero Scale, when our marketing team had a great idea. They reached out to some bloggers whom were interested in taking a little challenge and trying our product. Four days of workouts now, Paleolithic models of eating and the buzz is already happening! These ladies have created a little network amongst themselves, all of whom have never met, but are cheering each other on with support. We are hoping this is the breakthrough they need to get back to where they want to be and I intend to help them every step of the way, in any way I can. I live for this. How about you? Are you ready to challenge yourself? And preempting a New Years resolution right after Halloween, before Thanskgiving and Christmas?! That’s what I’m talking about! Boy are they gonna have a tremendous spring!
I have been following some of their blogs and more of their personal followers are all behind them as well. Many have created their own challenge right alongside! It’s catching like wildfire….
Here’s todays advice for any of you starting a journey for better health. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. It didn’t come on overnight so it’s gonna take some time to work it back off. That said, since getting fit is hard work, don’t take any longer than you have to getting there. Maintanence is much easier. I have clients that have erased 30+ years of bad habits and poor health in less than 2 years. A good workout program is really only 20-30% of the formula at best. You have to eat right as well. Make that commitment to yourself and stick to it. It will be the best investment you ever make. And after all, aren’t you worth it…