Let's Hit the Mailbag

The following is a message I got from an old Army buddy of mine from 1/4 CAV, 1st Infantry Division:


Jake,

I had a question. Now that I'm out of the Army, I've become focused on getting into good shape. I actually haven't smoked in over 2 weeks and have been running almost every day.

What I need help with is I'd like to put on about 15 pounds of weight. Mixed between my chest, arms, and legs. I just don't know how I should eat or what types of lifts I should be doing. Supplements are an issue due to the carbohydrates in them and me being diabetic, but I'm open to some suggestions.

Any help you can give me when you have the time would be awesome.

I hope you are well.

Best,

Nate

 

Nate!
Awesome to hear that you're cutting out the smoking. Aside from the fact that your lungs hate it, you can't put on any quality muscle unless you're smoke free. Kudo's!

As for lifting and eating to gain a little quality muscle: I actually recommend a pretty low carb diet for anyone, but for you it sounds like a must for you. I would generally recommend around 1.5 to 2grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight (from complex sources like whole wheat, sweet potatoes, etc). Also, I'd be taking in a gram of protein per pound of bodyweight that you would like to be (red meat, fish, chicken, eggs, protein powder etc are all great choices)... and keep your fats fairly low. Good sources of fat usually include sources that maintain a liquid state at room temp (olive oil, coconut oil, etc)...and also fats that you get from animal sources. Believe it or not, bacon and marbled cuts of steak are actually good for you as long as you try not to eat carbs with it.

As far as lifts go... I'd recommend your base lifts being "compound" lifts...meaning that you recruit multiple body parts to perform a rep. Deadlifts, clean and presses, thrusters, pull-ups, lunges, squats, etc are excellent. They all recruit alot of muscle fibers per rep, which drives up your metabolism, testosterone and human growth hormone production, and allows your body to respond with muscle growth. Doing these with proper form also help things like flexibility, which are an important component of overall health.
The more isolated exercises like curls and stuff should wait til the end of your workout after your body is kind of tired from the compound lifts.
Let me know what your gym set-up is and I can help program you a workout schedule.

Hope this helps! If you don't mind, I'd like to use your message to post on my fitness blog...alot of times I'll address different questions that people ask, and I would love to post yours...good stuff.

Hope you're well bro! Stay in touch and hit me up with questions anytime!
 -Jake

BEWARE OF DOG

Ok humor me... don't ask how you got in this situation, just trust me that you are:

So you're standing there, and you hear a dog barking; you turn, and see a huge, mangy, foul breathed, brennal colored, behemoth of a junkyard dog layed out at a sprint headed toward you. Now...depending on what type of exercises you do, there may be a couple of outcomes to this scenario...

#1: You turn to run...the dog catches up with you, and bad things happen until a Good Samaritan happens by and pulls it off.

#2: You turn to run...and you actually make it across the yard to a tall wooden fence...you try to jump to catch the top and hoist yourself up...but you don't get high enough and the dog gets you.

#3: You turn to run...and you actually make it across the yard to a tall wooden fence...you try to jump to catch the top and hoist yourself up...you successfully grasp the top of the fence with both hands...but you can't pull yourself up and the dog gets you.

#4: You turn to run...and you actually make it across the yard to a tall wooden fence...you try to jump to catch the top and hoist yourself up...you successfully grasp the top of the fence with both hands...and pull yourself to safety. Standing atop the fence, you taunt the dog for a moment, then jump down on the other side and carry on about your merry way.

#5: You're exercising your God given right of self defense and were carrying a handgun... you square up to the dog ...and open fire...the end.
 (for the purpose of this post though, we'll pretend you were unarmed)

Now obviously, any of us would want to be "#4." Being in excellent physical condition can possibly turn a potential tragedy into nothing more that a funny story which you tell friends after the fact.
So how do you exercise in such a way that you could up your chances of a successful getaway in a scenario like this?

1. Do sprints. Walking is great, but God made our bodies to move quickly. Something simple like a few 50 yards sprints a couple times a week will do wonders for your workouts, but also keep your body from forgetting how to move in this very natural way.

2. Do box jumps. Practice jumping onto things. Steps, tires, curbs, etc. In this society, we never have to use this valuable explosive movement, and our bodies forget how to do it. Jump!

3. Do pull-ups. If you can already do pull-ups, keep it up! If you can't, practice until you can. God made men and women to be able to pull up their body weight. Anyone who's ever said that women are not capable of developing the upper body strength to do pull-ups... is full it. Don't listen to them. If you're too heavy right now, lose the weight until you can pull up... you're body is capable of SO much more than you think it is. Practice, practice, practice. Grab a trainer and ask for help... but by all means, get to where you can pull yourself up. It's so good for you.

So...get creative. Imagine an uncomfortable scenario, think of what you'd have to do to get out of it, then tailor a workout to where you are forced to work on those things.
It's fun!

Oh, and, "beware of dog"!

A Diet that Works

When someone says "diet," most people think of some ridiculous plan of managed starvation which is both unhealthy and unsustainable; meaning that not only are your nutrient requirements for good health left unmet, but any weight you do lose (which may be substantial) is basically due to starvation and will be gained right back when you inevitably resume your previous eating habits.

According to Noah Webster's 1828 American Dictionary, a diet is: to eat according to a prescribed set of rules.Nothing too crazy, just some general guidelines. Now, wouldn't it be better to have a "diet" that could become more of a lifestyle change where you would improve your health? Of course it would!

Ok so here are some tried and true guidelines that will help you get to, or maintain a healthy weight:

Here are some foods to make sure that you're getting:

1. Veggies: eat as much as you want at any time of day (white potatoes are not included in this, although sweet potatoes can be eaten in moderation as long as they're free of butter and sugar)

2. Fresh Fruit: keep intake to earlier in the day since there are alot of natural sugars in most fruit. Canned fruit is packed in sugar in and should be avoided altogether.

3. Meats & Eggs: grass fed beef and free range poultry and eggs are best. Wild game like deer is great, as well as beef, chicken, fish, turkey, and even pork in reasonable amounts. These should be grilled, baked, or pan seared, not fried.

4. Nuts & Seeds: just about anything in this group is good, like flaxseed, almonds, peanuts, cashews, walnuts. etc. Products like almond butter, and flour, and coconut oil are excellent choices. Nuts and seeds, although healthy, should be eaten in limited amounts due to their high caloric density.

5. Fats: Get your fats from nuts, olives, and animals for the most part. Your body needs both saturated and unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats have incomplete molecular bonds and remain in a liquid state at room temperature. Molecules of saturated fat lock together much more efficiently and takes on a solid texture at room temperature (more like butter). Your body needs both in reasonable amounts. Coconut, walnut, hazelnut, macadamia, and olive oils are great unsaturated fat sources, while products like milk, beef, and pork are good for saturated fat.

Some other things that are fine in moderation and that make living life more fun are:
Coffee, dark chocolate, and tea (unsweet, or with minimal sweetener).

As far as things to avoid:

1. Sugar: this is important to limit. And it's in almost everything so you have to be on the lookout for it! It spikes your insulin and makes it store all kinds of things, which you don't want. Honey is a good sweetener, but the less it's refined, the better. If it's the color of urine it's too refined...the darker the better.

2. Refined Flours: If it's white, avoid it! Everything that we know and love seems to fall into this category. White bread, pasta, etc, as long as just about every snack that comes in a crackly bag.

3. Highly Processed Oils: anything that says "hydrogenated," "partially hydrogenated," "fractionated," or "refined" should be avoided as well. You can look under the "Ingredients" list on the label to find it if you're not sure.

Now remember, these are just ideas (that work!), but if you can start implementing them here and there (or all at once!) you will start to see results in both your appearance and in overall health. Also, remember that "cheat meals" are ok every once in awhile... so take heart that you won't be saying goodbye to that juicy cheeseburger or chocolate covered donut for the rest of your life!

So here's what I encourage you to do...make your own "guidelines" for a set period of time. A week, a month, a year, the rest of your life, whatever. But whatever you decide, stick to it and good luck!

A Word on Weighing Yourself

Don't.

People live and die by the number on that silly scale. We've all seen the whole spectrum...everything from the guy that fancies himself a bodybuilder and thinks that the bigger the number is on the scale, the more muscle he must have; to gals that get a little discouraged because the number on the scale isn't dropping as fast as they'd like it too....even though they themselves are toning up and dropping pant sizes.

Muscle is heavier than fat, but takes up less space. It's possible to be getting smaller, tighter, and stronger without losing a dramatic amount of weight.

Do you feel good? Are you exercising and eating the nutrients that you need? Is your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and resting heart rate within a healthy range? Is your performance improving? Are you getting faster/stronger/running further/jumping higher, etc etc etc?

Then does it matter how much you weigh? Nah. Not really.

Some Side Effects of Exercise..

...that you should certainly be aware of.


We are, for the most part, creatures of habit; and exercise introduces a lot of changes which may or may not be acceptable.
You may start spending less time watching hilarious or otherwise entertaining television shows, and instead, engage in activities that cause you to perspire profusely, your skin to flush, and even emit unpleasant body odors. Do you really want that? You'll may spend less time visiting with the doctors and nurses in your local medical facility since your blood pressure drops, bad cholesterol levels lower, body fat storage plummets, joints lubricate themselves better, muscles elongate and strengthen, and all kinds of other weird side effects that enable your body to care for itself. Also, it forces you to become more disciplined, a quality that many try to discourage in others. They find it annoying. Another big side effect that I've noticed is the clothing expense. Over time it makes your clothes baggy, forcing you to buy new ones; a terrible inconvenience. As this begins to manifest itself, you'll also become more picky with your food choices, further compounding the "baggy clothing" side effect.
 Also, at picnics, potlucks, family reunions and other social gatherings, people will try to pick you in the first round to help set up and take down tables and chairs simply because you can. Very annoying.

When you really sit down and think about some of the side effects of exercise... is it really worth it?

Sports Drinks

Sports drinks are just fine to guzzle, especially during the summer time when you're sweating a lot.
They are loaded with electrolytes that can replace the ones you lose during a bout of profuse sweating, plus they taste great. However, most are loaded with sugar.... which releases insulin, signaling your body to store, store, store! Of course you don't want that.
It would be better to start burning calories from the glycogen or fat reserves already in your body, rather than having to start off by burning off what you just drank simply because you were thirsty.

A better choice of hydration would be a sugar-free workout beverage (Gatorade and Powerade both make good low calorie, high electrolyte drinks that are sold at most gas stations around here), or....wait for it.... plain ole water.

Body Image

As a descendent of Adam and Eve, you are the Creator's crowning achievement; a marvel of precision design and engineering and fashioned "in His image."
God spoke the heavens and the earth into existence, along with the animals on land, birds of the air, and fish of the sea. For humans however, He "formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul." He put some time and effort into us. Of all His creation, we're the only being that are made "in His image," and we're the one's that He died for on the cross.

So don't let people, tv, magazines, etc shape (pun!) the way that you see yourself. The fact is, you're a masterpiece. Need to lose some weight? Go for it! Eat less junk food and more stuff that's healthy for you. Want to tighten it up a little? Have at it! Eat less junk food and more stuff that's healthy for you.
Want to build muscle? Eat less junk food and more stuff that's healthy for you (and lift heavier objects more often).

Eat what God gave us for sustenance and move the way He biomechanically designed you to move...Just don't get all bent around the axle about what you look like... you're awesome.


References:
Genesis 2:7
1 Corinthians 15:3-4

Hard-core Dieting

 I met a guy from Vietnam yesterday and we talked about eating habits. He said that he's gained some weight over the last few years since he's been inactive doing so much researching and studying for his doctorate....and his wife  has put him on.... wait for it....an 800 calorie a day diet.  After 10 days into it he's lost several pounds... but is hating his life and doesn't see himself hanging in there much longer.
Wow...just.....wow.


Most people that do diets like this lose a lot of weight until they just can't take it anymore....but since it is a completely unsustainable way of living they soon burn out, go back to their former eating habits, then gain back their lost weight with a vengeance.
It would be a much better idea to change one's eating habits in such a way that could be sustained for the rest of someone's life. That's not to say that you eat junk food ever again or anything like that... but they definitely should become a rare treat as opposed to a normal meal.

We should be eating a lot of protein, some fat, and few carbohydrates.
Good protein sources are chicken, fish, red meat, eggs, milk, and even pork in small amounts.
Good fat sources include nuts, seeds, milk, and meat in modest amounts.
Good places to get carbs are from small amounts of whole grains like wheat, oatmeal, hempseed, and of course fruit (especially if the name of the fruit ends in "berry"....)

If you eat in such a way that is healthy and yet sustainable... you'll be setting yourself up for success in the long run.

(P.S. Great snack idea: instead of a snack like chips or cookies, try some almonds and fresh blueberries together. It's a cool mix of salty and sweet...the almonds tend to your hunger cravings and the blueberries deal with that sweet tooth.)

The Art of the "Cheat" Meal

"Cheat meal: a clever way of elevating your metabolism to burn body fat, replenish glycogen stores; making food taste better, and motivating you to get after it in the gym."

If you think that eating healthy means you can't eat anything delicious ever again... you're dead wrong. I take that back...if you can do that, go for it. I can't, so I'll tell you one way I know that works...

Now, I love cheeseburgers, pizza, Mexican food (anything from Taco Bell on up), Captain D's, donuts, ice cream, etc... and frankly, the thought of never eating those things again is depressing. So, I eat one meal once a week where I choose my food strictly by taste and not by nutritional value. (Mary Elizabeth and I usually go to Mugshots, or somewhere equally as nutritious)

Now some folks do a "cheat weekend" (every weekend!), others a whole "cheat day" once a week, and still others like my good friend Branden Mann will go 3 or 4 weeks before having a cheat meal. You can do it anyway you want, but I recommend one meal, once a week where you "let yourself go" a bit. If you've been eating a healthy diet (high protein, some fat, few carbs), a cheat meal can be just what you need to get your body's fat burning capabilities stoked...meaning you can actually torch more fat by having a bad meal every once in a while than you could if you didn't. How fun!
Not only that, but it makes junk food SO GOOD! Junk food is not even a treat to a lot of people anymore... so when you cut it down to once a week, it really starts to get tasty!

 Now you can do it all scientific and organized like this guy, or you can wing it like I just recommended. Either way, start with something, and of course you can always tighten up later if you want.

For those of you that are already eating healthy... hopefully this is something that you might think about implementing into your eating plan to help you stay lean.
For those that have never tightened up on their eating because they're afraid that they'll never eat the foods they love again... there's hope! Start eating right today!

4th of July Diet Tip

Eat healthy on the 5th.

In 1776 John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail that what we now know as Independence Day should be "celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more."

Today is a day of "feasting and gladness," )to borrow a quote relating to a Jewish Independence Day from the book of Esther.)

Relax, enjoy the day, thank God for His blessings, and enjoy the cookout!

P.S. And in honor of John Adams....please blow something up...it's what he would have wanted.

Running...

What is so cool about running is that it is a supremely functional movement. Since Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden, running has been used in real life preservation scenarios like fleeing danger, chasing down supper with a spear, or closing with an enemy. We rarely use it for those things in the society that we live in now, yet it's usefulness to our health remains unchanged since the day that God created Adam "in His Own image." Running helps raise your metabolism to burn fat, helps with cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, increases circulation, increases the stroke volume of your heart and the efficiency with which your body uses oxygen, strengthens and tones your legs, lower back, and abdominals, and it releases endorphins which cause relaxation and euphoria...and that's just to name a few. God engineered our bodies to do all of that when we move it in this way that He designed for it to move.

So if you have even the slightest interest in losing weight or in being competitive at all... why not train for a 5K?
A 5K is 5 kilometers, or 3.1 miles. Very do-able!

So what would a training program look like? Here's a sample that I wrote for my friend Tim who is a beginner who is looking to compete. It's broken down into just 4 workouts per week.

Workout #1: Speed work. Usually 4 laps around a track, or 440 yards on a road, with about 3 minutes rest in between is a great rule of thumb for a speed workout.

Workout #2: Medium distance at a comfortable pace (if you were running with someone, you should be able to carry on a conversation). 

Workout #3: Medium distance at a comfortable pace.

Workout #4: Long run. The goal for this is at least twice as far as the race, or at least 6 miles.

Now if you're not up to this yet, that's fine. But I'd say go for these distances even if you have to walk some. As for breathing...I think people try to make way too big a deal out of it. To me, I get it in any way I can....usually in by the nose and mouth, out by the nose and mouth. As long as you get into a rhythm that works for you you'll be good.. 


And remember, I'm can always be reached at jakephillips116@gmail.com, or on Facebook if you have any questions. Get up with me and we can personalize you a schedule.

YAY BACON!!!

"What do you do to make any food better? You wrap it in bacon."
-Jim Gaffigan

Most people think that bacon is terrible for your health because that's what everyone has always heard. Now this usually doesn't keep people from eating bacon.. it just makes them think "I know I shouldn't be eating this" as they place strip after strip of the glorious deliciousness into their mouths.

 If this sounds like you, I'd like you to take a second look at bacon for a moment. Maybe it's the foods that are traditionally paired with bacon that aren't so good for you, and not bacon itself.
Let's take a look...

Two slices of bacon usually has around 7 grams of saturated fat, 6 grams of protein, no carbs, and a little less than 400mg of sodium.
First let’s look at Protein: it helps maintain and repair lean muscle and other important tissues in your body. It’s awesome for you. No problems there.
So how about Carbohydrates?: Cow you need some carbs in your diet..but you have to careful with the quantity of these because they cause your body to release insulin which can lead to fat storage… but there are virtually none in bacon, so we don't even have to worry about that. No problems there either.
Sodium?: Honestly, that is a lot of salt. But if you’re exercising intensely and sweating like you should… you need to be taking in a lot of salt. So assuming you’re doing that…we’ll say this isn’t a problem area either.
That leaves Saturated Fats: so what do they do in your body?
Well, they…..
-Improve cell health throughout the body since cell membranes need them for maintenance.
-Improve bone health since they are essential to efficiently incorporate calcium into skeletal bones.
-have anti-microbial properties which protect your digestive tract from harmful
-help protect the liver from toxins.
-help improve the immune system.
-help properly utilize fatty acids.
-help maintain the layer of healthy fat around the heart muscle which the body can draw upon in times of stress.
Interesting!

I’d recommend no more than 2 or 3 slices at a time, and never (or rarely) served with high carbohydrate foods like pancakes and syrup or a lot of toast… but by itself or served with other simple, healthy foods like eggs and milk it can be a tasty, healthy meal. Think about it!

You know you want some.



For more on Saturated fat check out this link:
http://www.health-report.co.uk/saturated_fats_health_benefits.htm

For more on Sodium:
http://www.powerbar.com/articles/47/sodium-a-closer-look.aspx

Clean & Jerk for Longevity

“If you can clean & jerk your body weight, you’ll never be in a nursing home.”
-John Prince, Owner/Instructor at Crossfit Tupelo

My friend John and I were chatting last week about living and exercising into our old age when he summed it up with this gem. Now remember this is just A way...not THE way of seeing where you're at physically. If you're working on and improving your strength, endurance, flexibility, mobility, and stability in other ways...keep it up. Just make sure you're doing SOMETHING! However, the Clean & Jerk gives you an instant snapshot of where you stand on all these, which is why it's recommended highly.

Now in you’re unfamiliar with what a “Clean & Jerk” is… let’s break down this powerlifting terminology. The “Clean” portion is where you lift the object from the ground to your chest, and the “Jerk” is the part where you press it overhead.
You’ve probably done a clean & jerk before and didn’t even realize it.
If you’ve ever picked up a heavy object off the floor and placed it onto a high shelf or into the back of a big truck… you’ve done a clean and jerk.
If you’ve ever picked up one of your kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, or just some random neighbor kid from the ground and held them above your head “Lion King” style… well, you’ve done a Clean & Jerk.

Baboons do it, why can't you?

Now doing Clean & Jerk’s with babies and lion cubs is pretty easy… but doing one with a bar loaded with weights equaling the weight of your body is much more difficult!
However, being able to do this is a fantastic indicator of overall health and fitness. The ability to Clean & Jerk your bodyweight shows that you’ve got good strength, power, mobility, flexibility, and stability to a degree that you are most likely VERY healthy and VERY fit.... and for as long as you can do your bodyweight, you'll probably continue to be.

So I’d like to challenge you…. Clean & Jerk your bodyweight at least once a week for the rest
of your life!
If you often do this exercise alot  but aren’t yet able to do your bodyweight…why not make it a goal? If you never do this kind of thing in the gym…why not learn?


Now let’s say you’ve got some extra bodyweight hanging that you’re trying to lose. Your goal should be to Clean & Jerk your goal bodyweight. So for example, if you weigh 190 pounds but you’d like to be 140…well your Clean & Jerk goal should be 140, etc. You can always keep increasing as your strength continues to improve.
If you’re serious about losing weight, doing this exercise frequently with its series of compound movements will help you achieve that goal.
Also, it's an invaluable tool for ANYONE, of ANY age or athletic ability to burn fat and build or tone muscle. Whether you’re a high school fullback, a stay at home mom, a truck driver, an Olympic athlete, or a great-grandmother… you should consider adding the the Clean & Jerk to your workout routine.

The attached video is a step by step tutorial on how to do a Clean & Jerk properly. Also, shoot me a message if you’re interested in taking up this challenge and we’ll get together and make sure you’re doing it right!
Please watch it and feel free to get with me with any questions!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFSBGIPMa9A

Are squats bad for your knees?

Absolutely not. Weight Loss for women, Insanity, crossfit, p90x
When I'm at the gym I like to ask people if they ever do squats... usually the answer is "no."
Often, it's because they believe that squatting is bad for their knees.

I'd like to submit to you that it is not only NOT bad for your knees, but on the contrary, they're extremely healthy for them! In fact, if you're not squatting regularly, you and your knees are not as healthy as they should be.


 Our knees were designed to move like this:

When you were this age you could do this too!

Now you may be thinking, "Oh that's just a little kid... people can't do that once they get older.

Well, check this guy out:

"You lookin' at me?"

He's in exactly the same position as that kid, and I bet he's been squatting like this every day of his life. He's probably never thought anything about it either. Can you do this?

The human body was designed to squat like this. Like the people in these pictures, YOU are made in the "image of God." Your body is a masterpiece of flawless design and engineering, far exceeding anything that man has ever been able to build...and you were designed with the capacity to do this.

Here in the U.S. we often lose the hip and knee flexibility to do this because we've been sitting in chairs all our lives. This causes us to lose the ability to move in ways that the Creator designed us to be able to do. He even designed our joints toself-lubricate upon movement...which means that the more active and the more flexible you are, the healthier your joints stand to be.

I encourage you to do 3 things if you're not already doing them:

#1: Sit like this for 60 seconds every day... if you can't do it yet, don't worry!! Just keep working at it until you can. Your knees and hips will thank you.

#2: Do a Squat Tabata interval this week. Using only your body weight, do as many squats as you can in 20 seconds...rest for 10...do as many as you can for 20...rest for 10, etc, etc for 4 minutes. If you're truly going all out, this will be a fantastic cardio session no matter what your level of conditioning.

#3: Back Squat your body weight. If you can't do it yet...that's ok! But you should start aiming for this goal no matter what your age, gender, or athletic ability.

All this squatting will help the flexibility, strength, endurance, and stability of your legs, knees, and hips, while working your back and abdominals in a big way as well.

Bad squatting is bad for your knees....good squatting is FANTASTIC!!

Looking to get stronger?

Of course you are! No matter what level of ability you're at, or whether you’re a male or a female, you should always be looking to improve.
(As a reminder to the ladies, please read “Should girls lift heavy?” if you’re worried about getting “bulky.” The post talks about how God didn’t give you the proper physiological equipment for building “bulk” so you shouldn't worry about it!)

The workouts in this post were programmed specifically for my friend Kelsey who is in ridiculously good shape and who is always pushing her physical limits. This is designed to supplement, not take the place of, her already strenuous conditioning workouts. If you’re not already doing compound lifts like these, I encourage you to! They won't seem like alots… but if you’re putting forth a maximum effort you will see results.
If you don't know the lifts in this program...I encourage you to learn today! I'll be glad to give you some pointers any time I'm in the gym. Please message me on facebook or email me at jakephillips116@gmail.com with any questions; I would love to help you any way that I can.

 These lifts build overall body strength, increase metabolism, flexibility, stability, and endurance, and are a must for anyone who is serious about fitness.

(The percentages are based on Kelsey’s 1 Rep Maximums, so please change the weight based on your own max's)

Day 1: Deadlift… 3 sets of 5 repetitions (3x5) Goal weight is 80% of max, or 180

Day 2: Front Squat 7x1… increase weight each rep. Find your max. This will help your Clean a lot… because bottom part of the squat is where you will find yourself during one of the most crucial points of the Clean.  

Day3: Clean 5x2…80% or about 85; Bench press 65% of max 1xMax reps

Day4: Squat 1x5…90% or 180

Day 5: No Strength workout

Day 6: Front Squat 3x5…70% of max from Day 2

Day 7: Deadlift 10x1… increase weight with each rep. Find your max.

Day 8: Clean 1x5…90% or about 90

Day 9: Squat 3x5…80% or 160; Bench Press 3x5... 80% max

Day 10: No Strength workout

Day 11: Clean 7x1…increase weight each rep. Find max.

Day 12: Deadlift 5x2…90% of new max, or 205

Day 13:Front Squat 3x5…80% of max from Day 2

Day 14: Squat 10x1… increase weight with each rep. Find new max.

Good luck Kelsey!

2 Week Workout Program

My buddy David asked for some ideas for a new workout routine to shake things up a little bit in his workouts. Here's a 2 week schedule that should be very helpful to him.
 You could follow it, pick a day here and there to do as a workout, use things from it to add to your own workouts, or ignore it altogether...but hopefully it'll at least get you thinking...

If you look at this and would like to do it but are unsure of what some of these things are, get with me and I'll be glad to help! Also, if you can't necessarily do the weights involved... just put whatever you can on the bar and go from the there. Also, if you can't do an exercise due to an injury or something, let me know and we can find you a suitable alternative.

These workouts are designed for men or women. Don't afraid to add to or take away from this...it's just an idea. Have fun with it!


Day 1: Clean and Press 135, 30 times for time.
 3x12 Dumbell curls
2x 6 Hammer Curls

Day 2: See how many times you can squat 185 in 5 minutes. Running clock. Rest all you want.
Do 3 sets of Pull-ups to burn out with 2 minutes between each set.

Day 3: 3 rounds of:

10 Deadlifts at 225 15 Pushups
20 Air squats (squat with no weight)
Time each round, take 60 seconds rest between each, try to get faster.

Day 4: 3-3-3-3-3-3-3 (Go up in weight with each set)
Do it with: Bench Press, Dumbbell press
...THEN..
Time yourself on 12-9-6 Thrusters/Pushups (12 Thrusters/12 pushups, etc)
Run hard for 10 minutes non stop

Day 5: Rest

Day 6: Jump rope 500 reps
Deadlift 275 once
Do 100 air squats
Deadlift 275
30 pullups (in as few sets as possible)
Deadlift 275
Jump rope 500 reps

Day 7: 25 reps with 135 of:
Bench Press
Squats
Deadlift
Hang Clean
(for time)

Day 8: Deadlift 225, 100 times for time.

Day 9: Run 30 minutes at an easy pace

Day 10: Rest

Day 11: "2Minute Drills"
(do as many reps as you can in two minutes of each exercise)
Two rounds of: (each rep is 1 point, try to beat your first score on the second round)

Situps
Pushups
Pullups
Air Squats

...then...Run 10, 40 yard sprints at a fast but comfortable pace

Day 12: same as Day 1 (compare your times)

Day 13: same as Day 3 (compare your times)

Day 14: Rest

Don't forget to use that stopwatch! You'll be surprised how much it'll make you push yourself.

Weight Loss Supplements

... make sure you're continuing to exercise and eat healthy while using them to achieve maximum results.

The End

Which one are you?

Not everyone falls directly into these catagories… but most do.

Which one are you?

Group #1: (this group is HUGE)
These folks hang out at the gym putting forth minimal effort and seeing minimal results. This group eats pretty much whatever they want. Luck of the genetic dice is the main reason a person in this group may not struggle with their weight. The girls in this group walk on treadmills while texting or chatting with someone on the nearby cardio equipment. They’re never really out of breath and they get a little perturbed if they break a sweat. They think if they pick up anything weighing more than about 10 pounds that they’ll get “bulky.” If they do venture over to the weight area to do a little lifting… it’s usually done with the little pink dumbbells because of an article they saw in Women’s Health. It had lots of pictures of some skinny model who doesn’t actually exercise holding cute little weights and modeling with them like a pair of cute Stuart Weitzman heels.
The guys in this group have a routine consisting of a steady diet of bench press, bicep curls, and shoulder shrugs. They don’t work their legs under any circumstances, they think that squats are bad for your knees, and they rarely find themselves in situations where they’re out of breath or sweating. Their muscles are rarely under tension for more than a total of couple minutes over the course of their entire 2 hour workout. They may grimace and strain at times…but it’s never for more than a few seconds. They always climb off the bench squeezing their pecs and talking about the great burn. They do much more socializing than they do actual lifting.
They always leave the gym with lots of energy talking about their great workout.
None of these folks would ever think about doing bodyweight deadlifts for timed sets, running sprints, flipping tires, jump roping, or anything in which they would feel the sweet sting of sweat in their eyes, the searing burn of oxygen debt, or be ability to lay on the floor and make a sweat angel after a workout.  Many people that insist that they are serious about losing weight or getting into shape… but they are not doing anything that will actually produce dramatic, let alone lasting results.

Group #2 (teeny tiny group)
The girls and the guys work out much the same way within this group. They come to the gym focused and with a plan. They may say hello to whoever else is in there…but then it’s all business. The look in their eyes and ear buds in their ears silently say “Please don’t talk to me I’m very busy.” Their workouts are short and intense. They never use a treadmill…they know too many ways to destroy their body to get onto one of those things. They do deadlifts, squats, cleans, overhead presses, and snatches. They run sprints in the street, flip tires out back, and do lots of pull ups. They jump rope, do box jumps, burpees, and overhead pushups….and they manage to do all these things one right after the other without much rest. When they are resting, they’re breathing so hard from their exertion that there’s no way they could carry on a conversation. They’re in and out in 30 minutes to an hour. They spend less time in the gym and see more dramatic results than anyone. They eat alot of protein, some fat, and few carbs. They only eat sweets on special occasions and they stay away from supplements that claim to achieve amazing results with no change to your diet and no exercise. They’re disciplined, and they use the brain God gave them to make decisions about what and when to eat. They never talk about succumbing to snack cravings because it just doesn’t happen. They’re tough physically and mentally.
Some have been doing it for years…and some have just started; but they’re all on the right track.

Which group are you in?

Is eating before bed really that bad?

No!! Absolutely not!

Eating bad stuff before bed is bad for you....eating good stuff before bed is awesome.

But let's talk about this...
I'd always heard that eating late under any circumstances was a bad idea... yet when I started making changes to my eating habits (one of them being eating before bed), my weight went from 275 down to 225, and my strength and endurance increased a great deal. As with everything else on this blog, I try not to write stuff that I haven’t personally tried out and seen results with. What we're about to talk about has worked great for me and I know that it can work great for you too.

Here's how it works:

Ok…
You’ll want to avoid carbohydrates this late in the day. These cause the body to release insulin, a storage hormone which will end up storing stuff in places that you least like them to be stored. There are a lot of people who are on low fat diets who can’t figure out why they’re still a little flabby… this is one of the reasons.
Protein and fats however are a different story. You can eat protein and even a little fat (from animal sources…like meat, milk, etc) before bed. Here’s why: when you fall asleep your metabolism, your heart rate, and your breathing slow down for the night. It’s kind of like turning the light off when you leave a room…your body is shutting down for the night. Also, just like a car uses less gas when idling than it does going down the highway; your body also burns less calories when resting than it does when you’re up and moving around. However, by eating the proper things before bed time you can actually cause your metabolism to stay “revved up” for a little bit even while you’re drifting off to sleep. This will enable you to burn calories for a little bit longer.

So what kind of foods should you stay away from? Stay away from carbs before bed: any kind of sugary snack or starchy snack or drink,  (if you’re unsure of whether something has sugar in it, check the Nutrition Facts on the container…they’re required by law to tell you. “Sugar” will be listed under the “Carbohydrates” heading. Even if there is little or no sugar, you should stay away from anything with a lot of carbs in it.) Also stay away from breads, pasta’s and cereals, etc this late in the day.

So what can you eat? Eat some red meat before bed! The body takes awhile to break down the amino acids in red meat keeping your metabolism elevated. A cup or so of milk is also a decent choice. Milk has a protein called casein in it which takes your body awhile to break down, making it a great choice for a bed time snack. Eggs are also a good choice, although they digest much more quickly. Greek yogurt (which contains casein) is also a great choice; just watch out for regular yogurt which is full of sugar.
Almonds or cashews can also be a helpful late night snack.
There are enough healthy choices out there that you shouldn’t be either starving to death… or shoveling down great heaping salad bowls full of ice cream before bed.

So in summary:
Eat something high in protein and low in carbs before bed!
Carbs and sugar release insulin which results in the energy they contain being stored on your body. (this is why it’s possible to eat a low fat diet and still be flabby. Limit these during the day, and avoid them like the Plague at night.)
Protein is your friend. Eat it up!
Eating late at night is not only a way to kill hunger cravings…but can actually help you lose weight or stay lean.

Happy late night snacking!!

Manhood & Bench Pressing

Here in the south it’s how manhood is measured. We like to measure a fellow’s masculinity by the size of the antlers on the buck he kills, how many gals he can get to gather around him in public places, how big his truck is and how much mud is stuck to it…. and how much weight he can bench press.

Well there is an interesting list in 1st Timothy 6 which talks about what the life of a real man should be typified by… and none of the above made the list!! It mentions fleeing things like pride, strife, arguing, perverted stuff in general, and to instead following after “righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.”(v.11) Also, when king David was on his death bed he told his son Solomon to “show thyself a man… keep the charge of the Lord thy God…”(1King2:2-3) Later, Solomon went on to write that “a wise man is strong, yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.” (Proverbs24:5) Psalm 103:20 also mentions the angels, who “excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word.” Being a “real man” has much more to do with your desire to obey God through His Word than it does any kind of physical thing
Those are the kinds of qualities that make a real man…not killing big deer or driving big trucks…. and certainly not bench pressing.

But back to exercise… let’s think about this: when in real life are you going to be flat on your back pushing something away from you? If it’s in a fight… you’re already losing. If it’s in a cave-in during a spelunking expedition then you haven’t just lost the battle…you’ve lost the war. You’re about to cross over sweet Jordan to sing with the angels, so to speak.

I’ll admit that there are some applications in football where you’ll be blocking and stuff like that, and even just for general pectoral development. I’ll even admit that I actually like to bench press and am always trying to improve upon it and increase my weight…I just don’t measure my manhood or overall athleticism by it. I also don’t measure another guys manhood or athleticism by it. The only way a big bench press is truly impressive is if the guy can also do lots of pull-ups, has a great deadlift, squat, snatch, clean & jerk, and can run like a deer.
Any one of those exercises engages more muscle fibers per rep than bench pressing does, and is also a much better gauge of strength, endurance, flexibility, stability, and power.

In closing, there are three things I hope you’ll take away from this:
#1: Be a man (or woman) of God. “…Follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.”
#2: Keep working on your bench press, but don’t let it take over your workouts.

#3: Learn and practice the deadlift, squat, snatch, and clean&jerk; and make them a staple in your workout routine. (whether you’re a guy or a girl!)

Should girls lift heavy?

Yes…

but only if they want to accelerate fat loss, and tone and shape their body to an incredible degree. If that doesn’t sound like what you want, please stay on the treadmill and text away to your heart’s content. That way you’ll keep your fitness gains to a minimum, and ensure that nothing too dramatic ever happens to your body's appearance.

If you ARE interested in fat loss and toning, listen up.

Guys “bulk up” when they lift heavy because maximal exertion causes the male body to release testosterone, which signals the body to increase muscle size. You ladies are not biologically equipped by the Creator to release the same levels of testosterone as men. You’re not going to bulk up! Don’t worry about that. You will increase fat loss and promote muscle tone.  I’ve never met a woman that would object to either one of those “side effects.”
Most of the women that you see in pics of bodybuilding competition are taking artificial, often illegal supplements to build bulk (not sure why).
Also, most of the women you see in perfume and make-up ads are really not in that good of physical condition…they just don’t eat anything. Plus, those photos are often airbrushed to an incredible degree to the point that if you met the woman in real life you may not recognize her.
Don’t judge what you look like based on pictures of women that are not even real, or of those that are taking illegal Mexican horse steroids.

You need to be eating the things God designed your body to eat, and moving your body how He designed it to move…. And don’t worry about anything else.

Challenge: How much can you deadlift? Get someone at the FATCO or whatever gym you workout at to ensure that you’re using perfect form….then see how much you can lift!!!!

Red Meat.

Is awesome!! Period.
Most statistics that say it increases the risk of heart disease and all manner of other ailments are skewed in my opinion. When it talks about the “average American,” you have to realize how most people get their red meat intake. Usually it’s the patty on a great big juicy burger with a big white bun, mayonnaise, ketchup, fries, and a soft drink or beer. Or perhaps a steak…with fries, or baked potato, and of course a soft drink, tea, or some other high carb beverage. The insulin released in the body,  just from the starches in the white bread, fries, or baked to potato (let alone a sugary drink) cause all this "quick" energy to be stored on your body. Red meat is not the culprit… sugars and simple carbohydrates are.

Actually, red meat is good for you if you eat it by itself or with veggies. People have been eating red meat and thriving for thousands of years (I just read this morning in 1 Samuel how the prophet Samuel gave Saul “a shoulder” to eat in celebration of his coronation.)
So what are some good ways of getting meat into your diet? A steak with grilled asparagus or some other type of grilled veggie is perfect. Flank steak and eggs is good too. Or how about low carb chili consisting of ground beef, tomatoes, and spices?…oh yeah.
Red meat is full of valuble amino acids that help you rebuild your body after tough workouts.

So anyway…. Eat your meat!!! (just leave the carbs alone)

Does the Bible mention what people ate?

Absofruitly!

Genesis 1:29 says "And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for [food]."In the context, God is telling Adam that plants, fruit, and seeds are good and healthy for us. Interesting! It's safe to assume that Adam and Eve ate only things mentioned in these categories until after the Fall.

But how about later on..?
In Genesis 27 talks about the custom of the eldest son bringing his fathers favorite meal to him before receiving the blessing of the firstborn.... well the original Jake pulled a slick one and beat his elder brother Esau to the punch.....but that's beside the point. In 27:17 it says Isaac's wife Rebekah "gave the savoury meat and the bread" to Jacob for him to take to Isaac. He did and Isaac chowed down. Isaac lived 175 years and his favorite food was Plate of Meat.

Finally, it's interesting what God prescribed for the first Passover meal in Exodus 12:
"eat the flesh [of the lamb] that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it." So here God's prescription for a good meal for an active person (they were about to high tail it across the wilderness with the army of the mighty Pharoah in hot pursuit) included lean grilled red meat, some wheat wraps, and a little salad.

So in conclusion, if the Bible is all we had concerning nutrition...then using just these 3 examples we find that fruit, seeds, vegetables, grilled meat, and small amount of wheat bread are pretty good choices!

Treadmills.

There are 3 types of people that should be on treadmills:

#1- People who have injuries to their lower extremities so greivous that they need the extra stability and safety of a machine.

#2- Little old ladies.

#3- In the interest of propriety I will leave number 3 blank. If you wonder if you are in this group you may private message me with questions.

If you do not find yourself in one of these categories you should seriously reconsider re-vamping your workouts. I don't care how fast you're running, how bad your lungs are hurting, etc, etc, etc... your time could be much better spent.

What should I be eating?

Meat. Nuts. Eggs. Green leafy veggies. A little fruit. A little whole wheat bread is ok too.
A "fun" meal is ok every once in awhile... but in Mississippi we do usually have "fun" meals several times a day.

The problem is that what we think is "normal" in American, and specifically Mississippi culture.... is horribly, HORRIBLY wrong. A lot of us are eating enough carbohydrates at a single meal to keep our bodies fueled for several days. Of course this get stored in unwanted places on the body starting when we sit on the couch and turn on the TV.

If you cant see your abs, you should reconsider your eating habits.