INJURIES REQUIRE

REST

A few weeks ago I was bench pressing for maximum weight and asked someone who appeared capable to spot me. I explained to him exactly what I needed him to do and we proceeded. Well either I did not explain it correctly or he did not understand because it did not go well. As soon as I heard the click in my right shoulder I knew there was a problem. Those who have been at this for awhile know the sound and feeling the moment an injury occurs. When I got home I did nothing to treat it and slept on it awkwardly which seems to have increased the damage.

Now you are probably thinking I guess you stopped lifting for a day or so to allow it to heal. Nope, instead of shutting it down and listening to my body I continued over the next 2 weeks or so to do weight resistance exercises. The discomfort caused by the injury to shoulder became progressively worse and now I have had to shut it down completely for the last week or so. I continued to lift because I was determined to reach certain goals and I was closing in on them quickly. My plan was to compete in a weight lifting contest that was certified and provided an opportunity to go after the PA/USA bench press record for my age and weight.

The record for PA for a 54 year old in the 220 lbs range is 347 and my last maximum was 375. I was able to take it down to my chest stop it and press it without help. Having gained so much strength since I started back in April 2012 I was determined to keep it moving. In April, I struggled to lift 200 lbs and now I was approaching 400. I was excited to see what the limit was and I did not pay attention despite not being able to turn in bed without discomfort. I finally accepted the reality of my situation last week and ceased lifting free weights as the strain is too much. As a result I will not be competing this weekend and in addition I will lose the registration fees.

I am disappointed not as much about not competing but because this did not have to happen. If I had stopped immediately and treated the injury with ice initially and then heat after the first 24 hours, I believe I’d be fine right now. However my fear of losing ground dominated my mind and led to poor decision making. My body was telling me to stop and instead I allowed my ego to drive my decision making. As I reflect on my life in and out of the gym decisions driven by ego usually lead to negative outcomes. This one certainly has.

My shoulder is healing slowly and I have not lifted for the last 7-10 days and I miss it. However I know it is not ready and my decision making is coming from a different place. So I want you to take this lesson from my experience pay attention and hang your ego at the door. Whether it is in love, work or play ego based decision will almost always create barriers to your success and our ego is almost always actively present in our minds. It takes conscious decision making and that requires us to make outcome based decisions always keeping the goal in mind.

My goal was to go beyond just competing and obliterate that record on Saturday, November 17, 2012 at a State certified competition. It is likely, based on the progress I made, that I would have done exactly that. However the positive feedback I was getting at the gym was seductive and I lost sight of the goal. Breaking the record at the gym was not the goal and now all I have is a few witnesses that are able to tell what I did. However here I sit with no certified record.

The main reason I was training to set the record was to increase my credibility as a fitness expert and promote my brand. It will have to wait for now as I sabotaged myself because I did not pay attention to clear and indisputable evidence that I was injured and required rest. So my advice to you is pay attention and do not let your ego create barriers to your goals. This is a setback that I am certain I will overcome however there is no guarantee. As I have advised many people, make conscious decisions based on the goals you have set for yourself. If it is not consistent with and does not further your progress towards achieving your goal, why are you doing it?

I continue to work out but I am making very conscious decisions about what I am doing. So I have adjusted my work out and I am using bands, and machines so I do not strain the shoulder any further. I have also increased the amount of cardio and core work so that I am still able to Get Up Get Moving because I know……….

CHIT CHAT WON’T BURN FAT

And All You Have to Say Is

An Open Letter to the Secessionist


We have died and suffered at your hand. First on your slave ships, dirty debased living and dying in our own filth. The smell of death is overwhelming. Our beautiful black skin is soaking in salt water, urine and solid human waste. All splashing in our faces as we are smeared with feces. Naked stripped of our dignity, chained together woman and man pissing, shitting, menstruating as one. And all you have to say is “Get Over It.

We have not reached your shores and already in your name for profit we are injured or dead. Debased, embarrassed beyond your shallow imagination while more die than reach your shores. Watching sister mother brother father helpless and unable to provide or protect. And all you have to say is, “Get Over It.”

Beaten, battered, bewildered, and befuddled we began a journey beyond our belief. Framed by our circumstances you must be beyond believing we would chose slavery and servitude, lynching, beating and rape. We did not choose this as our land of opportunity. 

Picking cotton and tobacco was not our Dream. Working in the big house was never our dream. Building your cities and your monuments was not our dream and neither was fighting in your wars, raising your children, and working in your factories or your good government jobs. None of this was ever our dream.

You changed our dream to suit yours and we have adapted. Yes we made the adjustment despite what you have done and we continue to support a nation that has failed to earnestly acknowledge what they have done to the people who can truly call this home and the people forced to call this home. 

Our dreams did not include welfare and fatherless homes inhabited by pregnant teens. Nor did it include our sons dying in the street and killing each other to peddle the drugs you have provided with guns you supply. No this is your dream and it is our nightmare and all you have to say is, “Get Over It.”

It minimizes what has occurred and is occurring in a way that is insulting. How dare you deny your history and your responsibility and culpability for the outcomes by referring to the traumatizing nightmare you created for us as “It”. “It” does not begin to paint the picture of slavery, servitude, rape murder and genocide. These descriptors are far better. So in the future when you twist your mouth to say, “Get Over It”……….

Say it these ways please just get over the rapes, lynching’s, beating and bombings. Forget about to 200 plus years of slavery and forced separation from family. Ignore the demeaning names like coon nigger, spear chucker, or jungle bunny. Pay no attention to Pat Buchanan’s, Rush Limbaugh’s and Sean Hannity's as they lead legions who think just like them and are not afraid to post their hate all over the internet. Get over the poor schools lack of education and jobs that will support our families. Get over being locked out of opportunity and instead locked in prison.

Getting over all that with your boot on my neck was really difficult but I have and now one has risen to Commander and Chief and you want to secede from the Union. Really we did not leave when you did all of that and you want to secede because of our success at winning an election. If this is your nightmare you must realize you appear awfully silly when you put it up against mine. 

Let me see if I have this right you wish to secede from the union because a man born to raised by, educated by and mentored by White America seems threatening to you. Based on this perception of threat that you know will never become the reality our nightmare did, you wish to secede. Well he won and beat you at your own game as you taught him to. I have one question how long will it take you to “Get Over IT”


By Jay Henry for all those who wish to secede Get Over It

READ THAT LABEL

CAREFULLY

While shopping last week, my wife and I were really paying close attention to the ingredients on every label. It was really mind blowing the number of ingredients in each package of food. Most of the items we observed had at least 10 different ingredients and  I was not aware of what they were. I was amazed at the names and lack of useful information on the labels. Let’s use bread crumbs for example. I won’t put the brand name up but it is a very common product that is probably in your pantry right now.

·         Enriched Flour - White flour is really nothing more than refined carbohydrates and can contribute to obesity

·         Malted Barley - A tannin that may trigger migraine headaches in people prone to migraines.

·        Niacin – Vitamin B3

·        Ferrous Sulfate - Ferrous sulfate provides the iron needed by the body to produce red blood cells. It is used to treat or prevent iron-deficiency anemia, a condition that occurs when the body has too few red blood cells because of pregnancy, poor diet, excess bleeding, or other medical problems.

·        Thiamin Mononitrate -Thiamine mononitrate is the synthetic form of vitamin B1 and has the potential to illicit mild to severe allergic reactions. If you experience trouble breathing, a rash or itchy skin, you should see a doctor quickly

·         Riboflavin - Riboflavin (vitamin B2) works with the other B vitamins. It is important for body growth and red blood cell production and helps in releasing energy from carbohydrates,

·         High Fructose Corn Syrup -  "When rats are drinking high-fructose corn syrup at levels well below those in soda pop, they're becoming obese -- every single one, across the board. Even when rats are fed a high-fat diet, you don't see this; they don't all gain extra weight."

·        Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil – This is trans fat and it raises your bad cholesterol while lowering the good.

·        Water,

·        Salt - Dozens of studies, in both animals and people, have shown that a higher salt intake raises blood pressure

·        Honey, Molasses, Sugar,

·         Wheat Gluten – Is an inflammatory product that may cause damage to your stomach and intestines

·        Whey – if you are allergic or lactose intolerant this is a product that is not for you

·        Soy Flour - Soy does not lower testosterone, but it may raise estrogen levels over time. 

·        Whole Wheat Flour - If you seek to regulate your blood sugar after a meal, choose foods made with whole-wheat flour.

·        Rye Flour - Consuming breads made of rye or pumpernickel, are known to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and heart failure.

·        Corn Flour - Corn flour is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folate and Iron, and a very good source of Thiamin. It's good for overall health, but corn flour can be a cause of weight gain.

·         Oat Bran,

·        Corn Meal,

·        Rice Flour,

·        Potato Flour,

·        Butter, if you are lactose intolerant this could be a problem

·         Dough Conditioners (Mono And Diglycerides)

·         Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate & Calcium Stearoyl Lactylate - Sodium Steroyl Lactylate and Calcium Stearoyl Lactylateis are animal derived ingredients- made by combining lactic acid (from blood and muscle tissue) and stearic acid (a fatty substance usually taken from the stomachs of pigs)..

·         Soy Lecithin - But what exactly is it? Well, it’s a substance that is extracted from soybeans using a solvent such as hexane, and it’s a by-product of soybean oil.

·        Calcium Carbonate),

·        Yeast Nutrients

·        (Ammonium Sulfate - Ammonium sulfate is potentially dangerous to both people and the environment, so it requires care in its use. It can cause severe irritation and inflammation of the respiratory tract if inhaled. Eating or drinking ammonium sulfate will cause irritation in the gastrointestinal tract like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, although it isn’t toxic unless consumed in large quantities. Contact with the skin or eyes will cause irritation, redness, itching, and pain. It may also be a neurotoxin, meaning it can cause confusion and behavioral changes. 

·         Calcium Sulfate,

·        Monocalcium Phosphate),

·        Distilled Vinegar,

·         Skim Milk,

·        Buttermilk,

·        Lactic Acid, 

·        Calcium Propionate   Calcium and sodium propionate have the potential to permanently damage your stomach lining by exacerbating gastritis and inducing severe ulcers. You should avoid fast-food products that have a higher ratio of calcium propionate, such as buns, pastries and pizza. 

·        Potassium Sorbate  - Preservative

·        Sesame Seeds,

·        Sunflower Seeds,

·        Eggs,

·        Dextrose,

·        Spices (Including Black Pepper),

·         Citric Acid,

·         Monosodium Glutamate, MSG too many to list. See link

http://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/msg-side-effects.html

So you have approximately 40 plus ingredients in something as simple as bread crumbs. This is too much and many of them cannot really be considered to be fuel. They are preservatives and emulsifiers and other chemicals I was too weary to continue to look up. Five different types of flour to create one box of bread crumbs. I realize some of the items seem like they are a healthy fuel and they were prior to being processed in this way. Who would have guessed it contained MSG. Are you getting headaches and do not know why? MSG may be the answer. Click on the link I included above and see for yourself.

So if you have stomach problems, heart disease, diabetes, or almost any other chronic health care issue you may not want to use this product or any other heavily processed products as many of them contain some or all of these ingredients. Hidden in your food just beneath the surface lies many enemies to our health and the only defense is to inform ourselves by reading and researching what are these things the food industry places in our fuel supply.

Next time you go to the supermarket take a little more time and read what is in each product and try to purchase the ones that are the least processed which usually equates to fewer ingredients. You do not want to consistently ingest products that have the potential to cause the problems listed above. Let’s avoid needing the antidote (prescriptions) by not taking the poison (bad fuel). Remember reading is fundamental and clearly will enhance your health. 

So Get Up Get Moving and Read that Label Carefully.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxk9uKHzb8k

Remember “CHIT CHAT WON’T BURN FAT”