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Challenge Your Mind…

As well as your body to expand and grow your WHOLE self. It is a known fact that to grow muscle you must challenge yourself beyond what you are capable of and in return your body will reward you with greater size and strength.

Your brain, though technically not a muscle follows the same principles of muscle, you have to use it so not to lose it. We challenge ourselves to learn and take that knowledge to think and to rationalize our thoughts and perception of the world around us. We do this through many avenues. We read books, watch videos or take classes and listen to lectures. We debate our friends or even our opponents to learn and expand ourselves.

But we are so more than critical thing beings, we also are a being capable of creativity. We make things. We can produce beautiful works of art, melodic songs, and enchanting sonnets.

This is an area that I have not spent much time developing and with my goal to constantly improve myself, my WHOLE self, I stepped outside my comfort zone and challenged myself creatively. I took an art class at a local art studio and I found that I enjoyed it very much. The process intrigued me and I found myself getting into the moment and allowed my mind to open up and flow. I will definitely do it again.

I present to my critics:

So in summary, to grow challenge your WHOLE self, both mind and body. We separate our strengths and work them constantly and show them to the world with pride. Its time to step outside your comfort zone and expose your weaknesses, reshape them into a strength. As the saying goes “you are only as strong as your weakest link”. Work on every part and improve, the WHOLE will become unstoppable.

Become MAJESTIC and SOAR!!!!!!!!!

Let Me Introduce You to Fat….

For the past fifty years, fat in particularly saturated fat, has been given a bad rap as being the number one cause for heart disease and obesity in the U.S.. Because of this, we have been told by many so called experts that we should be eating a low-fat, high carbohydrate diet to protect ourselves from weight gain and heart disease. In that same time, both heart disease and obesity have skyrocketed among the U.S. population.

The truth is there has not been any link that conclusively points to saturated fats as the single cause of any disease or obesity. What has been established is the so-called replacements for saturated fats, trans fat or partially hydrogenated oils (vegetable oils and margarine) can be directly linked to heart disease.

The Science Doesn’t Lie

Human physiology has told us that our bodies need saturated fats to build cells and perform a myriad of functions to keep us healthy and alive. Evolution has actually provided the human body the ability to make saturated fats when the need arises. One such situation is the ability of a woman to produce breast milk (full of saturated fats) to feed a growing baby.

The body uses saturated fats for:

SF provides the building blocks for cell membranes throughout the body.
SF is the backbone for the production of a host of hormones in the body. (testosterone, estrogen, cholesterol, HGH)
SF carries the fat soluble vitamins A,D,E and K as well as is part of several biological conversions.
SF helps calcium absorption in bone formation.
Certain types of SF actually lower cholesterol levels and increases HDL’s (good kind)
SF is the preferred fuel for the heart and a solid source for energy.

Saturated fats from a dietary prospective, slows down the digestive process by slowing down absorption of food and promotes a longer feeling of satiety. Thus reducing your total food intake that can lead to weight loss.

The Best Sources of Saturated Fats

Where to find the best sources of saturated fats can be confusing but the answer is quite simple. Look to nature for the best sources ( animal fats and vegetable fats) and avoid at all costs those found in processed foods.

Nature provides saturated fats in:

Grass fed animal meats
Butter made from organic milk
Organic pastured eggs
Coconuts and coconut oil
Olives and olive oil
Raw nuts such as macadamia nuts, almonds and pecans
Avocados
Also another important fat Omega 3 can be found in cold water fish.

As stated before these sources of fat are a preferred fuel source for the body for the slow and steady absorption rate, much more desirable then insulin spiking( fat storage) grain based carbohydrates.

How Much Should I Include In My Diet

Considering the benefits that saturated fats offer the human body when trying to lose weight the percentage of saturated fats should be kept quite high. The evidence that many indigenous tribes around the world have diets high in saturated fats, upwards of 50 -60% while still maintaining a low mortality rate from heart disease is proof enough. As you change your diet from the traditional Standard American Diet to a more primal – low carbohydrate, high fat, high protein diet eating saturated fats (from quality sources of animal and vegetable sources) should range upwards to 45% of your intake while protein should make up another 40% and carbohydrates (primarily from vegetable/fruit sources) should make up 10%. High caloric grains and their processed counter parts (breads, pastas, flour and sugar) should be eliminated.

So to summarize, for far too long we have been told and are still being told by govt and so called experts that saturated fats are bad for us. Science and human physiology tells us different. As a species, we have been eating and surviving off of saturated fats for a very long time and only recently with the advent of agriculture and processed foods has heart disease and obesity skyrocketed in our culture. Saturated fats are needed by our bodies to produce hormones, as building blocks for our cells and a preferred fuel source for our heart. Do not fear saturated fats, use common sense and educate yourself on the benefits they provide to your health.

But I don’t want to get Bulky?

I can tell you that I hear this line every time I sit down with a woman during an initial consultation and it is my number one pet peeve. The mere mention that you need to lift weights ( heavy weights) to change your shape sends a majority of woman into a tizzy. There is nothing wrong with having more muscle on your frame. Actually there are a multitude of benefits from a health stand point, but most importantly you just look better naked with more muscle and less fat on your body.

Some of the benefits to adding muscle are:

The more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn while at rest. Muscle has a higher demand for energy than fat. It has been estimated that for every one pound of muscle you gain over your current level you will burn an extra 50 calories a day. So if you gain 5 lbs of muscle you will be burning an extra 250 calories a day!
The more muscle you have, the more sensitive your body will become to insulin (fat storing hormone). Being more sensitive to insulin promotes better prevention of diabetes and promotes less fat storage (you will look better naked).
The more muscle you have, the more strength you will have. Having strength and being strong is very empowering and a huge confidence booster.
The more muscle you gain through strength training, the greater bone mass/density you will develop. Having strong bones as we age is critical to a healthy and active lifestyle.
The more muscle you have, the less acidic your body will become. It has been shown in many studies that when your body is in a constant acidic state, there is a higher risk for developing cancer and other immune diseases. The less acidic you are, the stronger your immune system will become. You will get sick less and recover faster when you do catch a cold.
Muscle is denser than fat so it takes up less space on your frame, it also promotes a lower body fat percentage. Simplified, the more muscle you have the less there will be of you.

So what would constitute lifting heavy weights to gain muscle? well if you are thinking all you have to do is increase from those 10 pound weights you use now in body pump class to 15′s, you are way off.

Minimum baseline:

Bench Press .5 x body weight
Squat 1.0 x body weight
Dead Lift 1.0 x body weight

A woman who has been lifting properly for 3 years should be able to perform the following:

1-3 chin ups unassisted
Bench press .8 x her body weight
Squat 1.5 x her body weight
Dead Lift 1.8 x her body weight

As an example, a 130 lb woman with weight lifting experience, should be able to perform for 3 reps:

A 105 lb bench press

A 195 lb squat

A 235 lb dead lift

in addition to 1-3 chin ups

It is this kind of effort that will get you the body you are looking for and always wanted.

Here is an example, I would like to say she is one of mine but alas she is not. But she is FIERCE!

Does she look bulky at 115 lbs?

Jeannie Bassi DeadLifts Twice Her Body Weight

So if you can get over the mental blocks of having less body fat, more confidence, a stronger immune system, stronger bones and plain just looking better naked then you are ready to start strength training!!

References:

Poliquin, Charles “Why Should Not be Afraid of Gaining Muscle”, 2/2010

Berkhan, Martin “Fuckarounditis”, 9/2011

It is 2012……Now What?

It’s that time of year again when millions of people makes resolutions to better themselves in one way or another. Be it to lose weight, stop smoking or be a better person to their family and friends. And once again many will fall short of reaching their goals. But Why? Is it mental or emotional weakness? Is not have a belief that they can succeed? For a small percentage of people it is the aforementioned, but for the other 99.9% (THAT IS YOU AND ME) it is as simple as failing to set up an action plan!

There are steps you can take to foolproof yourself into achieving your goals, best selling author and psychologist Richard Wiseman went on a mission to craft a no-nonsense approach, using a diverse range of scientific data and he uncovered proven techniques to achieve any goal.

The following 5 successful techniques are from Wiseman’s book, 59 Seconds Change Your Life in Under a Minute.

Do This: Make a Step-by-Step Plan.
If you are serious about achieving your goal, then you need to create a step-by-step plan on how to do it.

Successful goal-achievers break down their overall goal into sub-goals. Each sub-goal needs to be concrete, measurable and time-based.

You should review these goals often to reinforce how important they are to you.

Not That: Motivate yourself by focusing on someone that you admire.
Studies show that focusing on someone you admire is not a strong enough motivator to see you through your goal.

Do This: Tell Other People About Your Goal.
How badly do you want to achieve your goal? If you want it bad enough, you’ll tell your friends and family.

This technique works on two levels. First, you’ve put yourself on the spot by letting the world in on your goal, so it’s all-eyes-on-you. Failure would be public. Second, your friends and family are there to offer support and encouragement. Don’t underestimate the psychological power of having someone in your corner.

Please feel free to tell me your goals or post them to my facebook page for all to see.

Not That: Think about the bad things.
When you focus on the negative it becomes your reality.

Do This: Focus on the Good Things When Achieving Your Goal.
Remind yourself of the benefits associated with achieving your goal.

Make a checklist of how life will be better once you have achieved your aim. This gets your focus on a positive future, one that’s worth the effort.

Not That: Try to suppress unhelpful thoughts.
Rather than trying to erase that image of chocolate cake from your mind, learn to deal with the reality of temptation head-on.

Do This: Reward Your Progress.
Studies show that attaching rewards to each of your sub-goals encourages success.

Your rewards should never conflict with your major goal.

One method to reward yourself is to set up a reward fund. You take, lets say $100 dollars and put it in an envelope with your sub-goal and reward written on the outside. At the end of one month, you review your goal, if you achieved that goal then the money is yours to reward yourself with, if you happen to fall short then the money gets donated to your favorite charity so someone else can benefit. Each month start the process again.

Not That: Rely on willpower.
Willpower alone rarely gets anyone to their goal.

Do This: Record Your Progress.
Make your plans, progress, benefits and rewards concrete by expressing them in writing.

Use a hand-written journal, your computer or a bulletin board to chart your progress. This process is priceless for maintaining motivation.

Again feel free to have me be your accountability coach, post your progress on my FB wall or have me review your journal and goals on a regular basis to help you stay on track.

Not That: Fantasize about life after achieving your goal.
Daydreaming is fun, but simply fantasizing about your new life will not make it a reality.

Applying these techniques can almost guarantee you will succeed, but there is one more step you must take…….TAKE ACTION…….if you don’t apply yourself and take action on your goals you will never achieve them.

Remember it is better to try and fail then to never have tried at all.

Wishing You A Happy New Year!

I would like to wish my family, friends, clients and fans a healthy and prosperous new year. May you find your vision and SOAR to new heights!! Become MAJESTIC!!!!

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your journey……..

With respect and gratitude,

Take Action and Leave Your Mark

Dr. Jack Kruse shared a great facebook update and I wanted to share it with you:

Today, become the shaft of lightning or the glowing candle that illuminates your world. Be fast, furious, bold, and strong. Arrive quickly and depart just as fast, leaving behind a brighter mind or soul or heart in all you touch. Your gifts lie not in what change brings to you, but rather in casting light on what you can bring to the world. In your work be legendary……..in your life make history.

Remember the greatest way to help yourself is to inspire others…

Make sure you SOAR today!!!!

Get your BUTT off of that Bosu…

We have have all seen that guy or girl at the gym standing on a BOSU ball (blue half ball) doing squats or worse yet biceps curls, but have you ever asked yourself WHY? The standard gym dogma says “its working my core” or “it’s great way to gain core strength” by working on an unstable surface, but the problem is the science just doesn’t add up.

When performing an exercise on an unstable surface such as a BOSU ball, many studies have shown that there is a slight but not significant increase in muscle activation in the core muscles (abdominal and low back). More importantly these studies have shown that there is a decrease in strength, as high 50%, in the muscles that are primarily being trained (ex. the quads or leg muscles in a squat). Also it has been shown that when performing the same exercise on a solid and stable surface with a heavy load, core activation registers much higher.

So how does this apply to the avg gym goer trying to get in shape and lose weight (you and me)? You are best to concentrate your workouts on exercises that emphasize maximal muscle contraction of large muscle groups. These exercise include: squats, dead lifts and overhead pressing. In other words the best way to work your core is to stand on the ground and LIFT HEAVY WEIGHT!!!!