Lean and Fit for life

Good morning everyone! I just left the gym after a vigorous workout hope you will join me in a fitness regime if you have not already. I returned to the gym after not working out from September 2011 through March 2012. I have to tell you it was really hard going back and trying to workout with any real intensity. Physically difficult but mentally depressing realizing how much I had lost and all the work in front of me. My weight was up to 240 lbs, the heaviest I have been ever in my life. A 38"  waist started me thinking but seeing myself on a video was the motivation I needed. 

Initially I was frustrated and ready to quit because I could not do what I wanted and it was somewhat embarrassing as fellow gym members began questioning me about my inability to lift heavy weight. My response was to follow a process of lifting that did not allow me to move to a heavier weight until I had reached at least 10 reps on any motion. Moving from my maximum bench press of  425 to barely being able to bench 225 for more than 5 reps was a crushing blow to my ego. Putting ego aside and suppressing my ego I moved forward a little at a time. I am happy top say I have progressed tremendously and I am now benching 335 and getting 8-10 reps with 275. I also have reduced my weight to about 218 with a 32-34" waistline. No trick to it just hard work and following a process.

At present I am alternating my workouts from very heavy with minimal reps to moderate weight with high repetitions. As I post I will be posting my workouts under a tab I will add named About me. So follow along get some tips and workout routines and if you need help you may contact me here or on Facebook. Personal training is available as well as I have been certified for at least 20 years and I stay abreast of all the latest information. 

Below you will find some information about fitness and how to increase your lean muscle mass. I will add some explanation as well.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/08/26/reasons-youre-lean-want/?intcmp=features

Top 10 reasons you're not as lean as you want to be

Published August 26, 2012

Askmen.com

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  iStock

You work hard in the gym, you watch what you eat, you go running every morning, but you're still not as lean as you want to be. What gives? It could be one of many things according to strength and conditioning coach Nick Mitchell, who was recently named London's Best Personal Trainer 2010 in Time Out magazine.

The founder of Ultimate Performance Personal Training says: "With all the good will in the world, your training may not be enough to get yourself into shape. If you're committing any one of these sins, you'll never be as lean as you want to be."

Here are the top 10 suggestions as to why you may not be as lean as you'd hope to be.

You Eat Too Much Fruit

"Fruit is healthy," I hear you cry! Sure it is, but that doesn’t mean it does diddly squat for your fat loss efforts. In a nutshell, the sugar from fruit (fructose) does a very bad job at raising insulin levels. Insulin is required to shove fructose into the muscle as stored energy (glycogen).

Instead, it just lingers around reaping metabolic havoc via a process known as glycation, whereby the fructose binds to amino acids leading to such lovely things as fat gain and metabolic aging. Renowned clinical nutritionist Robert Crayhon has said that “Fructose is the guest that won’t go home once the party is over.”

Your body stores sugar for emergencies via the bodies natural processes and adding sugar to your diet increases the amount of work you have to do to burn it off. This important because in order to burn fat you must burn the sugar off first and this takes 20 to 30 minutes. This is why 20 minutes or less of cardio prior to your the remainder of your workout does not produce the results you desire. I recommend doing cardio as the last part of your workout after the fight or flight   fuel is depleted.

You Are Lazy

You Are LazyYou have been sold the story that a few easy jogs and some low-calorie meals are all you need to be lean. Get real.

If you are aspiring to become a Men’s Health cover model, then you need to graft and work at it -- every single day. Three-times-a-week sessions in the gym just won’t cut it, and some of you may even need twice-a-day training. To look extreme, you have to train extreme.

No comment this speaks for itself. Do not believe the hype of the crappy gimmicks sold on TV.

You Obsess Too MuchThere is a fine line between dedication and obsession. The former is necessary to transform your physique; the latter will ultimately lead to burn out, elevated cortisol levels and poorer overall condition.

Take a leaf out of the book of men who maybe knew a thing or two about getting in ridiculous shape, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronnie Coleman. Two totally different characters united by their ability to focus completely on the task at hand, and then switch off and relax outside of the gym.

Yoga and meditation are good ways to relax and prevent the production of cortisol a powerful hormone that increaases belly fat.

You Don’t Lift Heavy Enough WeightsHeavy weights build muscular physiques. Yes, I know that Olympic gymnasts look great but they are genetically elite midgets who are in fact capable of astounding feats of strength. Don’t pump out sets of 25 reps in the gym; instead, strive to always get stronger and spread out your repetition ranges.

Do workouts of 6 reps per set one week, then 12 reps the next, then 5, 8, 4, and back to 6. Trust me, when I tell you that this is one of the very best ways to develop an impressive body.

The idea is that your muscles have their own memory which allows them to adjust to your routine if you are doing the same one all of the time. You will plateau and no progress is made. I have often heard people say they are on a maintenance program. There is no such beast. Either you are making progress or you are losing ground. Life does not stand still and if you do it will pass you by.

You Have No Knowledge of Hormone ControlIf you are overstressed, under sleeping, eating too much sugar, and never have any downtime, then chances are that you are not looking too hot right now. If you can’t get a handle on your own hormones, then good intentions and hard gym work will be for naught.

Educate yourself on insulin, cortisol, growth hormone, and testosterone, and the best ways to optimise your own natural production. Better yet, seek out the advice of someone who has taught Charles Poliquin’s BioSignature Modulation theories -- this can really fast-track you down the path of physical excellence.

Again cortisol is the culprit since stress produces cortisol which produces Belly Fat

You Think Fortified Cereals Are “Health Foods”If you really think you’ll get lean eating cereal, then I have some swampland I’d like to sell you:

Cereal is bad in pretty much every way, bar the taste of course. All the studies from the 1980s that espoused the health benefits of cereal were sponsored by one very large, very well-known cereal manufacturer. Instead, have eggs and steak for breakfast, and go and buy the excellent Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes.

You Do Too Much Regular CardioWe have all seen them, the cardio bunnies toiling away on their treadmills. What we usually don’t see, however, is any change in their physical appearance. This is because the body is a very clever organism and adapts to most forms of cardio in a matter of weeks.

Sure, you will still be working hard, but your metabolism shifts a gear and goes into cruise control rather than working too hard. So, instead of wasting too much time worrying about cardio, simply lift a few more weights, sprint a few more hills and eat a few less carbs.

You Party Too MuchWe all need a quick lifestyle check once in a while. If your physique goals are not progressing the way you want them to, then it often pays to examine what is going on in your social life. Just because your buddy is ripped and can get away with a few brews every Saturday night doesn’t mean that you can. In fact, he is the exception and the only thing that counts is you and how different factors impact upon your body.

Late nights, drinking, smoking -- all of these will substantively negate your otherwise hard work in the gym and in the kitchen. If a great physique is your goal for the summer, then it’s time to knock the vices on the head for a little while. And then, when you do party, think how much fun it will be sporting a new six pack.

You Think Abdominal Training Is EasyNo, it’s not. If done correctly, abdominal training can be excruciating. The concept of banging out 50 quick sit-ups disappeared along with the ozone layer in the 1980s.

Abdominals are actually fast-twitch muscles and this means that relatively low (40 seconds) time under tension is optimal for development and muscular growth. This means 15 reps max.

You Believe the Myth of DisciplineThere is no such thing as discipline, all we have is love. Either you love being lean and ripped, or you love burgers, fries and donuts. Stop making excuses about having a “lack of discipline” and man up -- what do you love the most?

And remember folks Chit Chat Don't Burn FAT

Guns Do Kill People

How can I write about anything else but what occurred overnight in Aurora, CO? What a tragedy this is for the families, friends, observers and this entire community. I pray for all of us including this murderer and all who think like him. I pray for each of us, in our travels around our communities in this nation and across the world. People who do these types of things are living in a place so dark and ugly that most of us can not imagine, "What was the thought process prior to committing such unbelievable acts of violence and cruelty". My curiosity alone makes me ask this question because in my reality there is no WHY. None whatsoever, he cannot explain himself to anyone in their right mind and have it actually make sense.

This is not a random act. This is a well planned commando raid. He used that smoke canister to drive these folks in a particular direction and then started shooting at innocent people at point blank range. The police want to know the motive but tell me folks do we really care why this fool shot people who have done nothing to him. Even if all of them did something to this man do we really care Why. No I do not think so since I know that I do not. Knowing why will not stop the next fool from planning and committing unbelievable crimes that shock the world and get them their 15 minutes of fame. You can trust that his 15 may not even get him the full 15 before someone else does so to cause this kind of mayhem, stick, knife, baseball bat, I think not. Some may argue a bomb and I would have to agree but bombs are not easy to get, make or conceal for the average American. Although we may have access to bomb making materials and the internet may provide the intelligence, how  many of us have one or have knowledge? How many of you have a gun or easy access to one? It seems in this country the will to own and use a gun at the slightest, slight, confrontation, or imagined conflict with me thing horrific and inhumane. Why, just does not matter for this guy and next one and the next one and the next. When does this nonsense stop?

This paragraph is for all you gun promoting toting NRA supporters. Let's think about the choice of weapons, yes guns. Let see, what is the statement the NRA makes, "Guns do not kill people people kill people. Well I am going to agree for the sake of avoiding that debate since we will never be able to get off that chicken or egg contest. What other weapon can you u someone is increasing exponentially. Anger explodes on the street and innocent bystanders are struck down. The disenfranchised loners imagine the world is set against them and a movie theater, a college campus, an army base, or a village in Afghanistan is turned into a killing zone to provide this foul creature with some imagined victory in their maddening attempt to exact revenge.

Let get real folks you can make whatever argument you want but ever since the young man climbed that clock tower at the University of Texas, to today's mass shooting there is one common denominator, guns in the hands of people who are not well. So my argument is that guns do kill people. I know they do daily in my neighborhood and across this nation and this world. Guns everywhere and in the hands of someone with really bad intent, produces a rather gruesome outcome as we see today.It is the preferred weapon of the malcontents of this world and there needs to be increased control and reduced access to these weapons whether they are hand guns, rifles, shotguns or automatic weapons. Since the election of President Obama the sales of guns has increased tenfold in our country. All types of weapons in the hands of people we do not know and who look normal until they attack.

It is kind of like when you come upon a dog and the owner tell you he does not bite. My reply is always until he does bite someone. So we allow these weapons to be in the hands of anyone without checking some vital information about their state of wellness. We wait and hope the person is a responsible citizen with compassion and caring for those around him or her. But we do not know this for certain and many cases may suspect the buyer/owner may have some issues however they have a 1st Amendment right to own a weapon. I say let them have a baseball bat, a knife a taser but the guns have to go. How many of you have been ready to blow the horn at a double parked car or lane violator but hesitated because they may have a gun? How many have hesitated to correct one of young folks or failed to help someone because the perpetrator may be armed with a gun? We are not concerned about knives, tasers, bats or even bombs when we make theses decisions to not do the right thing. We do it because of the possibility of a gun. Hell nowadays its a probability not possibility they may have a gun on their person.

Big Willie In Philly

You live in fear because of the probability of a gun being on the set and no other weapon causes this level of concern. Tell the NRA to keep it real and let's get rid of the one weapon that provides most of us with some level of trepidation, in our travels, in our social lives, at entertainment venues, while driving, and even in our homes as invaders enter with GUNS. Let's get motivated get moving and get rid of this tiny device that has changed our world from one of comfort and safety in our neighborhoods to one of fear, trepidation and many dead relatives friends and neighbors. Peace out and the next time you hear guns do not kill people people do, write a letter to your legislator about your experienceshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/20/aurora-shooting-movie-theater-batman_n_1688547.html#liveblog and fears/concerns as  you move through your world.

Peace Out

Later, Let the punishment fit the crime.

STAY IN YOUR COMFORT ZONE, BE REAL IT'S OK

I find it interesting via my observations of various persons in all walks of life the amount know ledge they have but do not use for their own benefit or others. They have the information and the tools to enhance their lives but they do not use it. I listen to them complain about their circumstance and yet they do nothing to change their status. I hear at the supermarket, on public transit, in waiting rooms, and of course on Facebook.

My experience over 26 years in Human Services, 2 years with a school district and 20 years as a personal trainer provide a great deal of material for this subject. Barring mental health issues what is it that stops us from moving forward with our life in a purposeful and meaningful way. Most will say fear but is it that simple? In most cases fear is the barrier we face daily but not necessarily fear of the unknown as we are frequently told. Frequently it is fear of the known combined with a fear of having others know we do not want anymore than we have right now. We are satisfied with our lives as they are but we are not comfortable with how we may be perceived by those around us.

Let's start with case study 1. I worked with this woman for over 10 years providing personal training, nutritional consultation and emotional support. Her goal was to lose weight and improve her health. She trained faithfully and she trained hard. We trained 4-5 days a week and often on the weekends as well. She also self sabotaged constantly and practiced negative thinking and self deprecation the way a professional athlete may train for a special event. Her goal was to lose in surplus of 150 lbs. and she approached her goal on several occasions and once got to within 30 lbs of her goal. Each time I noticed that the closer she got to her goal and the better she looked the self sabotage increased with frequency and intensity. Up and down she went and over time she really did not need my personal training but she continued to require my support and counseling. She had the information but it was not enough and no amount of counseling or support was going to change that. Despite increasing health problems, heart, joints and other issues she found a way to take herself back to her self described place of despair and hopelessness. Her words not mine.

Her fear was not of the unknown but of knowledge and experience. Although she often derided herself for weighing so much she wanted the weight. She needed the weight to protect herself from the vulnerability of being female. She no longer wanted random male attention, since as a younger woman with a curvy body she assaulted and damaged. Her weight protected her from random male attention unless it was negative. Trust me people can be cruel when you visibly different, particularly over weight. Her issues were complicated and despite all of the counselling, therapy and training she never reached her goal and subsequently returned to or surpassed the original weight. She is where she wants to be for reasons she understands and really does not want what she says she wants.

Case 2 is a compilation of experience particularly with professional colleagues and peers. How many times have you heard these words,"I could do that if given a chance"? Well me too, hundreds perhaps thousands of times I have heard those words spill from some one's lips and now I just look to the sky a walk away. Not because the words are not true but because even if provided an opportunity and a gilded pathway, they are not going to do it. It is just not going to happen. Fortunately, I was in a position, throughout my professional career to provide opportunities and never once did anyone who I ever heard speak those words step up and take advantage of the opportunity once it was offered/provided. In fact most run once it is provided and make excuses for why they are not going froward. Self sabotage also raises its ugly head in this scenario as well. I can say that most who came and asked for an opportunity to further develop did so and did it well. So what happens with those that proclaim to want an opportunity?

Basically, nothing happens they stay where they are because it is comfortable and non threatening. They may or may not like, or be good at what they currently are doing but they feel safe. Their is no test of their skills ability or experience. Rarely are they required to do anything they makes them the least uncomfortable or stimulates growth whether it be physical, mental or spiritual. There is no need for them to be in the moment, determine the circumstance, devise a plan and execute it successfully. I would make the argument that this is not fear but comfort with the success they have achieved that is the dominant factor. Fear may play a role but comfort with friends, family, workload, time off, colleagues etc... is the power that holds them in place. They will continue to make the statement we started with until it becomes obvious they are not going anywhere. Once you here them say, "I could of done that if I had wanted to", know they have realized as well and that is probably a better place for them to live, since they never really wanted it in the first place.

Case 3. These folks are the most perplexing because they really, really want it bad. They will put it the time and they will work. So what happens? In a word short cuts. They love a short cut a hook up a solid a favor. These folks are easy to identify, you see them at the beginning of the race and again at the 25 yard line. You may see them again at the 50 or 60 but when you look around for them later they are back at the finish line. That is where shortcuts take you back to the beginning never reaching your goal because short cuts, cut short the chances for success. Someone I know well and love dearly, suffers from short cut syndrome and fails to see she is always starting over from a worse place than the time before. Ground level becomes familiar for these people and starting over seems normal since when they return to the starting line there are familiar faces and the faces they know they will never see again.

Perpetual starters is what you may want to term them. They just do not want to commit to the entire race. They will do it for a time and make progress but offer them what appears to be an easier or quicker way even they know it is not the prescribed path they are going to take it. And what is amazing is they all take different paths but they all wind up back at the start. To the casual observer, it may appear to be a difficult life but for them it is comfortable. It is what they know how to navigate and them measure themselves by those around them who are veering off on the short cuts. What you will hear from them is, "At least I made it this far."

Some will argue their is a common thread among these scenarios and that thread is fear but I propose that it is comfort. They are comfortable with who, where and what they are at this moment but they are not comfortable with being comfortable. They do not want anyone to know for a variety of reasons including but not limited to criticism, acceptance and relationship. Fear may be a component but comfort is the overriding factor. Change will come when their lack of comfort with their circumstances is no longer bearable. If its bearable for them, your opinions, advice, encouragement are wasted and useless. Leave them alone and leave he door open.