The difference......(training edition)

Ever wonder what the major difference is between a person who is in great shape compared to a person who is out of shape? Excuses! Both groups of people make excuses, but one group makes excuses why they can't workout. The other group makes excuses to get out of doing "other things" so they can workout. It's really crazy how one group can be so animate about getting out of going to the gym, the other group will do anything they can to get to the gym.

Here are some excuses that "out of shape" people use for not working out:
-I have no time (BS- stop watching reruns of your favorite TV show fatty)
-The gym is too crowded (get outside- you don't need to ask your parents to go to the park)
-Its raining outside (go to the gym, you do have a car, don't you?)
-I'm tired (get real- everyone is tired, but if you get in better shape you'll have more energy)
-It's boring (you are doing the wrong type of exercise - try something different)
-I don't know what to do (Hire a good trainer, it's a small price to pay for better health)

On the opposite end of the spectrum, people in good shape make excuses to get out of other things to get to the gym, or go to a park and exercise. There aren't as many excuses for this group and they will usually make something up on the fly to get out of doing something social to exercise. A matter a fact, one of the only factors that might cause this group to make an excuse is social life, commonly known as happy hour.
Here are some excuses that our lean and mean crew will make to exercise:
-I have to work late (if asked to go out after work)
-I'm not feeling well (again, if asked to go out after work)
-I have too much stuff to do at home (unless your significant other is the one making the social plans)
-I have to help a friend move (I've actually used that one)

On a personal note, I've used so many excuses so I can get to the gym or get outside and exercise that I don't even care what people think anymore. I don't feel normal unless I perform some physical activity at least 4-5 times a week. On Friday's while most of the people I know are excited about happy hour, I'm getting excited about getting to the gym and "owning" a heavy set of deadlifts. I would rather have a great training session performing deadlifts, squats, or cleans than be somewhere I really don't want to be. People might think I am a social midget but I actually do have a pretty F'in fun and entertaining life and have plenty of vacation and social time. I just chose to do it after I push myself to the limit in the gym. Start making excuses for the right reasons, your waistline will thank you.

Wake up people.......

Here's a news flash, that skinny vanilla latte, it ain't making you skinny! Every morning millions of people start their day by going to Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks and getting a beverage, food or both. Even though the food/beverage that you select may be low-fat you're still taking in some serious sugar and artificial ingredients your body doesn't need.

I tend to prefer Starbucks, that's where I get my Grande Black Coffee, yes- I need my caffeine. I usually stop there 2 to 3 times a week, and almost every time I see someone order something that is not "calorie appropriate" for the type of physical stature that they posses. 9 times out of 10 I witness someone obese ordering a cupcake, muffin, or cookie with their skinny latte, and they think they are on the right track.

Now I don't want to sound like an arrogant bastard, but come on, you don't need to be eating and drinking 500 calories of garbage for breakfast. I do feel bad for these people because they might think what they are eating/drinking is "okay" for them or they might not even care about being overweight- but to me its unacceptable.

Little changes in someones daily routine can lead them to a healthier, happier, and more energetic life. Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts have all of their nutrition facts online, and some locations even have a hard copy on the wall or a pamphlet for distribution. Take a look at what you are putting in your system first thing in the morning. If it's a meal loaded with sugar, filled with process carbohydrates, and contaminated with artificial chemicals- it's time for a healthy change.

Are You SERIOUS?????

Working out in South Florida is an interesting experience. I have trained at quite a few commercial gyms and not a day goes by that I don't ask myself "Are you serious?" I don't know if we have more idiots that populate gyms and fitness centers here, rather then other areas, but I'm willing to bet that we are pretty close to the top. When I've lifted during traveling it's usually at a strength and conditioning conference so most of the attendees pretty much have their head on straight and have a clue on weight training etiquette. The majority of my lifting does take place in South Florida at local/commercial gyms and some of the stuff I see makes me want to stab myself in the eye with a dull lead pencil! Here's a short list of the absurdity:

1- Training with sunglasses on. I mean, come on, what the hell are these people thinking. I've seen dudes that look like they are auditioning for the next Jersey Shore performing endless sets of tricep kickbacks while wearing their designer sunglasses. I know it's sunny in Fort Lauderdale, but dude, you are inside! What makes it worse is when these idiots are wearing bandannas or stocking caps and skin tight tank tops.

2- Throwing weights down so hard it sounds like an earthquake. Okay, I get it "You're Strong". Honestly to throw your 80 pound dumbbells down (not that heavy dude, by the way) and stand up, give a double fist pump and then look around to make sure everybody see's you??? Ugggg- I just want to vomit just thinking about it! Want to impress people, do a full depth front squat with 315, or deadlift 5 plates for reps, your partner assisted shoulder press doesn't cut it! What I find crazy is when these idiots throw their weights down it's always during an upper body movement - because they don't train their legs and if they do, they fall into #3.

3- Loading up the leg press with 10 plates on each side and grunting like you are giving birth. First of all, the leg press- do a squat you sissy! What makes it worse is when these idiots are wearing knee wraps and doing 1/4 reps. In all honesty, my fiance can squat more than these fools. You will never see a leg press competition, Why? Because it's not an adequate indicator of real strength.

4-Wearing all your "gear" while training. I love to see those fools with their knee wraps, belt, gloves, elbow sleeves, and wrist wraps on performing and intense set of cable curls. Unless you are powerlifter or training near maximum effort on a squat or deadlift, you can leave the belt at home. For you those fools that think they need a belt because they "have a bad back"- read a book by Stuart McGill, it will blow your mind.

5- Here is one for the ladies- sports bras, tube tops, and spandex- if you have a muffin top, don't even think about it! I don't think this topic need any elaboration.

Hope you enjoyed the list. Next time you're in the gym I guarantee you'll see one of these morons, just remember they are there for your amusement- enjoy a good laugh while your getting in better shape.

Back to Reality.......

The first Monday back after a Holiday break is usually something that we all dread. It's time to get back to work, to a regular exercise routine, and back on track with your diet. Today should be a stepping stone to improving yourself physically and mentally before the next holiday break (which is roughly 4 weeks away). How are you going to do that? Are your lifting days planned out and structured? Did you grocery shopping and prepare some of your meals for the week? Well it's time to devise a plan should start today! If your like me, your "binge" eating lasted for more than your Thanksgiving meal, and probably more than you want to admit. There is no use looking back at those extra calories that you put in your system, it's time to get a positive mindset and get some achievable results in these next 3-4 weeks.

To get started, you should have a goal of how many workouts you are going to get in from now the new year. December 31st is about 5 weeks away, with Christmas about 4 weeks away. If you have a goal of 20 workouts between now and New Year's you are on the right track. That is an average of 4 a week, which doesn't seem too far fetched. Make sure you get at least 3 resistance days in per week, and perform some interval training after lifting at least 2 of those days. Your best bet is total body workouts and changing your rep ranges and exercises often. If you can get some extra cardio in for additional calorie burning, go ahead- just make sure your resistance training takes priority.

As far as nutrition goes, if you stick to the 90% rule you should be fine. Basically if you eat perfect 90% of the time, and have a "slip-up" 10% of the time you should be okay. So if you eat 5 times a day, 7 days a week that gives you 35 meals for the week. That will allow you around 3, maybe 4 "slip-ups" a week. NO MORE! Now, a "slip-up" isn't an all out binge. It's more like going out for dinner and having some flatbread as an appetizer or fulfilling your sweet tooth and having a cookie for desert. If you really add up the calories from 3-4 "slip-ups" it should not exceed 100-300 calories per meal and about 500-700 per week. If you can go the whole week with only 1 or 2 'slip-ups"- more power to ya! They are there for social events, work luncheons, and a little holiday sanity.

Hope you have already begun mentally planning how you are going to end 2010 in a successful way, and you should be off to a good start this morning. I have already written up my lifting program for the month and ate 2 perfect meals and it's only 9:30am. Now is the time to challenge yourself, finish this year better than you finished last year, think about looking good and feeling great on New Year's Eve.

The sweat before the feast....

Yesterday I discussed some nutritional strategies that will help fight the dreaded weight gain that comes with the holidays. Today I want to talk about some exercise suggestions that will kick start that metabolism into high gear. You need to workout Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday- but perform different routines then you normally do on those days. The key is to not miss a workout. I know Thursday has the Macy's Parade in the morning, football at mid-day, and Stuff-yo-face-feel-like-crap time during late afternoon. The workouts won't ruin your day or take up too much time, they will actually improve your overall mood and energy levels. I will begin with the Wednesday workout and follow-up tomorrow with Thursday and Fridays routine.

Wednesday. Begin with a dynamic warm-up for upper and lower body (about 10 min). Once you are warmed up you will perform these exercises, in order for 1o reps, no rest between exercises, and 1 minute rest between each round- you will do three rounds.
-front squats (comfortable weight for 10 reps)
-push-ups (or clap push-ups if you are more advanced)
-reverse lunges (alternate legs-10 on each/20 total)
-seated rows (or TRX rows)
-jump squats
-dumbbell curl to shoulder press (both arms at same time, keep elbows in/thumbs up)

Once you are done, get on any cardio equipment (treadmill, bike, stepmill, or elliptical) and perform intervals. 60 seconds medium pace/30 seconds as fast or as hard as you can go. Those 30 seconds should be exhausting, to the point you couldn't last for 5 more seconds. The 60 second portion should be enough to keep your heart rate up, but allow you time to catch your breath.

Tomorrow I will give you some examples of workouts to perform on Thursday and Friday. Even though its holiday time, it's no excuse turn into a lazy sack of turd. 30-45 minutes or exercise a day, at the most is not too much to ask-You will be thankful on Monday.

It comes down to balance......

The "old wise tale" say's that most Americans gain 5-10lbs. from Thanksgiving to the new year. Whether that's true or not really doesn't matter. Mainly because if you are exercising and eating right, you are doing better then most Americans. However, with the holidays coming up it is almost impossible to stay on track with extremely clean eating. Exercise on the other hand can be accomplished whether you want to admit it or not. The key is to balance out the working out and negative eating so you can actually make progress during the time of year where most people take a few steps back.

To be completely blunt, there is no reason that this weekend you have to eat bad from Thursday to Sunday. No reason at all. Save your caloric surplus for Thursday afternoon and that's it- no more! Now that we have that out of the way let's talk about how to eat leading up to Thursday. Starting today reduce your calories by about 100-200 per day. Keep the protein the same, but cut out some carbs first, and then some fat. Something as simple as cutting out some fruit (normally I don't recommend this- its only temporary) or cutting out a serving of nuts. If you feel hungry add in non-caloric veggies such as cucumber, lettuce, spinach, mushrooms, peppers to your meals where acceptable (salads, omelets , wraps).

On to Thursday, my first suggestion is to eat a high protein, high fat breakfast. Something like red meat or eggs and a serving of nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews). After that meal eat every 2-3 hours and have green fibrous veggies and lean protein (chicken and broccoli, or asparagus) Don't drink anything but water, unsweetened green tea, or black coffee.

Around 3, 4, or 5pm- whatever time the eating begins, enjoy yourself. But do so in a systematic manner. Eat protein first, followed by veggies, then indulge in the stuffing-sweet potato pie- or whatever else is loaded with "non-ab getting" calories. Chances are you will probably eat less of the bad stuff if you fill up on protein and veggies first. If you have appetizers even better, a lot of times their will be a vegetable tray- just avoid the dip or dressing. If you drink alcohol- avoid the calorie mixes, stick with club soda. Chose wine over beer, and light beer over regular beer. If you have desert and coffee, drink the coffee first then eat desert. The caffeine might reduce your appetite.

Hopefully by this point, you enjoyed stuffing your face, and maybe you feel a little bloated and disgusting. Now would be a good time to go for an evening walk and let your food digest. Have nothing but water for the rest of the night. I will discuss some exercise tips tomorrow that will help burn some more calories during this time of gluttony.

Random football thoughts.....

One of my favorite things about the weekends during the fall is college football. The atmosphere and competitiveness that surrounds college football is like no other in sports (at least in my opinion). When I look at my life now I really wouldn't be where if I am today without the game of football. Now that I think about it, I honestly don't know what I'd be doing for a living if I wasn't involved in football throughout my life.

I started lifting weights in high school to improve myself on the football field. Ever since then I have been in love with the "iron game". Lifting with teammates and pushing each other to our physical limit helped developed a passion to train and coach people to achieve a wide range of fitness goals. I have people that I train that are athletes working to develop peak power output and I have people that I train that are over 60 and could care less about how much weight they lift. But, it all goes back to football, that's where this passion began.

I realized that through physical conditioning not only do you improve your body but you also improve your mind and your outlook on life. I know its tough to relate training a 45 year old mother of 3 to an athlete performing heavy hang cleans with a room full of sweaty yelling teammates. If you look at it from my perspective, there is a definite relation. Everyone who goes to the gym or enters weight room wants to get better. They want to get stronger, get learner, improve the condition of their cardiovascular system, or develop more self-esteem- the list goes on forever.

That's why I got into this profession. To make people, better. I look back at the days of doing hill sprints in full pads in nowhereville, Iowa and I really do miss it. Pushing yourself to be in the best physical condition of anyone at your position is something I always took pride in. I also look what I am doing today and I wouldn't trade it for another profession in the world. There are so many ways I can improve myself professionally, it really comes down to dedication and hard work, the same things that improved my ability as an athlete. What I did on the football field, in the weight room, running up and down hills, made me into the type of trainer and coach that I am today.

I always want to get better, whether it's in nutrition, strength training, or business/client relations- I want to improve. I also want my clients/athletes to get better- if they don't improve, I feel like I've failed. If I don't get better I also feel like I've failed. Its about pushing yourself to your limits, over coming adversity, and striving for excellence- all things I learned on the football field.

I also love going to CANES games. This weekend UM plays Virginia Tech and I can't wait! Throwing some meat on the grill and hanging with my dad and some friends before the game are times that are irreplaceable. Walking into the stadium and getting ready for the game to start still give me goose bumps. When kick off comes, all of the physical preparation, the long hours in the weight room, the days of running endless sprints in the summer heat, are forgotten. It's time to buckle up your chin strap and play! May the best team win- GO CANES!