Quick Changes when Home

A few months back when I wrote the college tips, I suggested to be able to separate your workplace and R&R areas. Here are a few more helpful tips,

Shoes at the Front Door
- I know many families who take their shoes off when they enter their home. This is great to incorporate more barefoot activity if your feet are usually cramped in shoes. The added bonus is less dirt is carried into other rooms which means there's less cleaning for you. (Trivia Fact: One of the high schools in Europe has their students leave their shoes in one area to keep the school cleaner.)

Eat in the Kitchen
- By having all your meals in the kitchen, crumbs won't end up in other rooms and your attention is on your food. Watching TV or doing work as you eat lengthens how long it takes to finish your food. When it's time to eat then eat and when it's time to work then work. Ditch multitasking. Multitasking is the synonym for half-assing everything at once.

TV in the Living Room
- Keeping a TV in the bedroom will waste more of your time. Stick to lounging in the living room to avoid becoming a couch potato when you're not even on the couch. Consequently, this reduces your overall TV viewing and frees up your time to do other things.

These are a few easy and subtle changes to improve your productivity and health. If you know more helpful suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments section.

Quitting Fast Food

McTurtle

Everyone has certain habits. Some are good, some are bad, and some are neither of the two. I'm sure most of us would like to eliminate the bad habits.

And it's possible to get rid of them. As far as I've experienced, there are two ways to quit a bad habit.

#1: The Bad Experience

An aversive experience will leave an impression on you. My high school motorcycle & auto shop teacher told us after he had a throat surgery years ago the doctor told him he had to quit cigarettes or he would die. From that day forth he didn't touch a cigarette.

My personal story is getting a harsh case of food poisoning in elementary school. I was addicted to McDonald's but I think god believed I had my fill of it and decided to set me straight. The only details I can recall are feeling horribly ill and the doctor telling my mom and I that another kid came in with McDonald's food poisoning. It was enough for me to never eat it again.

These stories are a bit extreme. No one wants to go through a terrible situation to quit a habit.

#2: Time Off

Going cold turkey works if you can shake the initial withdrawal jitters. I've done it twice and only once it was a conscious effort.

One summer I decided to not eat fast food for a year. I can't remember what compelled me, but I did it. It went fine; I just didn't eat fast food for a year.

When the year was up we got Pizza Hut for dinner and man it tasted disgusting. I feel I was conditioned to fast food and breaking away from it returned my palate to its own sense of normalcy.

Time away from a habit works wonders. The initial period can be difficult, but if you can do it for a year then you have a significant amount of control over the habit rather than it controlling you.

It becomes easier as time goes on.

Supplements, Part 2: How?

Fish oil does the body good.

Part 1 was posted back in September and I intended to do this right behind the first half. How to write it succinctly became another conundrum. To keep it simple, I won't go into every minute detail but will offer resources at the end of the post. And I'd like to note a lot of my nutritional background comes from the Precision Nutrition team.

Protein

There are a variety of protein powders differing due to their derived source, processing, and rate of digestion/absorption.

A common type is whey protein that comes from milk. Casein protein, which is similar to it, digests slower. Whey protein itself can be hydrolyzed weakening its bonds allowing for quicker absorption, albeit priced higher. Aside from these two, there are vegan-friendly options such as hemp, pea, rice, and soy-based proteins.

This supplement is useful either in kicking up the protein profile in a meal - or shake - or to aid in minimizing catabolic effects of strength training (the breaking down of muscle). This is where hydrolyzed whey comes into play. Alternatively, branched chained amino acids [BCAAs] are the building blocks of protein and are absorbed the fastest.

So how should you use it? During a workout session, the exact amount varies person-to-person and their goals. Half a scoop to one full scoop is usually enough. If it's only one ingredient in a large shake you're creating, 1-2 scoops should be sufficient. I use Optimum Nutrition, but I've heard great things about True Protein, although the S&H is a bit pricey.

Lastly on protein powder, I'll advise against protein blends. The powder contains protein from multiple sources - like egg albumen, whey, & casein - but often results in a very unhappy stomach. Use it at your own risk.

Be sure you are satisfied with the mixability of your powder, taste, and do a little research online for reviews.

Greens Powder

First, be sure you can stomach whichever brand you purchase - my go to is Greens+. I've gotten use to the texture, but it's incredibly nauseating to others. I add half the serving size into water or a shake. The latter masks it very well and can be hardly noticed.

I rarely use the label's suggested three 3 teaspoons since I consume vegetables and fruits with other meals during the day. If you're eating plenty of each, at least +5 servings a day, then you probably don't need this in your inventory.

If you're looking to use this primarily in shakes, leafy greens are the better option. Tossing kale, baby spinach, or a similar vegetable into your blender will be more beneficial than the powder. Buy whichever you prefer and store it in your freezer to avoid spoilage.

Fish Oil

If you decide to start using fish oil, consume your body fat percentage in grams spread throughout the day for the first 2-4 weeks. After that lower the dosage to half your body fat percentage. Someone at 18% BF would take 6g (18g per day) with breakfast, lunch, and dinner then after the hyperdosing period switch to 3g (9g per day) with the three meals. I picked these recommendations up from John Berardi over at the PN forums.

Brand-wise, if you want a liquid version then Carlson's lemon-flavored fish oil is a popular choice. If you prefer capsules like myself, I believed the best priced is Kirkland's from Costco or again True Protein.

Vegans can opt for algae oil. The dose recommendations above don't apply when using algae oil. For those interested, check out V-Pure or Omega-Zen-3.

If I had to select only one supplement for use, it's definitely fish oil. I highly doubt people are consuming enough omega-3 fatty fish on a daily basis. It's unlikely and the diet disparity between the amount of omega-6's to 3's ratio is large.

Multivitamin

I was researching multivitamin information back in July and it was a confusing topic. I've come to the conclusion not to worry about it. Simply grab one that won't make you queasy. Men and postmenopausal women should select an iron-free product and women who haven't gone through "kill everyone" mode yet, take a multivitamin that has iron.

Certain brands suggest taking 3 pills a day and have high vitamin doses. In a situation like that, take only 1-2 pills. One with food, one without. Certain vitamins are only absorbed with foods while the opposite is true for other vitamins.

Additionally, take one and toss it in vinegar to see if it breaks apart. If it doesn't, chances are your stomach acid isn't breaking it up either.

Brands are endless, but New Chapter seems pretty good from what I've seen.

The supplement industry is huge. The ones I've described here are my staples. Another supplement that is widely used and safe is creatine. Only 3-5g is needed. (I personally just don't use it.)

Are supplements I've excluded useless? Not quite.
Are they necessary? Not at all.
Do they have their merit? They do.

At the end of the day, "it depends" is the big question for optimizing your own goals. What one person may need, another person might not. I've found the above supplements help me optimize my gains a tad more than I would on my diet alone.

In my own opinion, it's never all-or-nothing. Feel free to dabble here and there to see what benefits you.

Here are a few worthwhile reads on supplements,

All About Protein
All About Greens Supplements
All About Fish Oil
All About Vitamins & Minerals
All About Where Vitamin Supplements Come From
All About Creatine
The Science of Nutrient Timing, Parts 1 and 2

You may need to register to the site to be able to read the articles, but it's free*. They cover the topics very well for anyone interested in reading more.

Got it? Good.

*If you need to be a registered member, use this link.

The Mind Expounded

We all have those days.

Tuesday's quote was short, but stresses an important point. Let's examine the last line of it,

"Do not allow negative thoughts to enter your mind for they are the weeds that strangle confidence."

Where do negative thoughts originate from? Either poor performance/results or, unfortunately, other people.

I think one of the greatest challenges presented to many of us who find a comfort in a healthy lifestyle is at the juncture where we butt heads with everyone. Friends, family, or someone else: people quickly shun away from fitness. If not that, they sure seem to be a qualified expert for someone who reads and/or does little.

It finally hit me this week. Often I've been told you need to be friendly to clients or you won't make it in the industry. From professors, to working with random students, young kids, you name it, I've always had a pleasant demeanor where we've at least got along.

But, that quickly disappears if we bring up anything related to training or diet. I'm not quite sure what the exact reasoning is, but it does happen.

I recall in a recent FitCast episode, Kevin spoke about how Dave Tate explained he would go to a restaurant with friends. They all order their entrees then when it was Dave's turn, he asked the server for grilled chicken. His friends would change the conversation and get on his case.

That's a perfect example of what many of us deal with.

And you know what? The most popular post to date is the one where everyone said they experience the same situations.

So I'll say it again.

Have a little faith in yourself. You're not alone.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Supplements, Part 1: Which?

As the women say,
"om nom nom nom."

While I'm still working on another post that's going to take much more editing than anticipated, let's talk supplements.

I've touched upon the subject before, but never discussed any specific supplements. Today I'll give my recommendations, why I chose them, and the reason I exclude others.

Protein

Gasp! Big shock, huh?

I used it when I initially started lifting then stopped - for whatever reason - last year and have now started using it again.

It's convenient. Plain and simple. When I wasn't using it, I would cook up a meal right after a training session to get my fill of carbs and protein. Sipping a shake is much easier and allows me to go about doing other tasks, such as working on my laptop.

There are times when I'm in a rush, tired, or don't want to cook for a 3^rd time in a day. Last night for example, I tossed whey isolate & greens powder into my shaker and chowed down on a piece of string cheese & walnuts. After a long day, I wasn't in the mood to clean dishes again nor was I hungry for a full meal.

At around 20g a scoop, I'll take it.

Greens Powder

My first hearing of it was a few years ago when I read Metabolism Advantage.

Again, I take it for the sake of convenience. It should be obvious that vegetables do the body good. I aim for a minimum of 5 servings of real veggies a day, but net around 7-9 since a teaspoon of Greens+ is 2 servings.

It tastes disgusting alone in water, but mixed with protein powder or in a shake it's flavorless.

Fish Oil

This one's been cropping up all over the place in recent years. I mentioned omega-3 fatty acids once.

I don't eat fish. Even for those who do consume it, I don't know how many of them eat enough of it in a week to get the healthy amount of EPA & DHA fatty acids.

Liquid or capsules: your choice.

Multivitamin

Not the most necessary, but it helps.

Between the fruits & vegetables I eat, I should be getting all the nutrients I need. But let's face it, a perfect diet is nonexistent. I ensure I'm getting the micronutrients I need by taking a multivitamin throughout the day.

However, it's not to the point where I'm going over the top and my urine is a bright neon highlighter yellow. I tend to go lower in dosage for a smaller boost.

While this post could be much more extensive, I'm not here to talk about the science of it all, but instead provide an overview of what I do take and serve as an introduction to part 2.

You'll also come across individuals who swear they don't need supplements. That's quite alright. No one says you have to incorporate them into your diet. Then there are those who take an array of supplements and drop a huge amount of cash on them. Let them be if they choose to do that.

But like in most topics, you should avoid the extreme ends and choose something more reasonable down the middle.

Likewise, this is a small amount of the supplements available in the vast selection found in stores or on websites. Certain supplements have little research to back up their efficacy and serve no purpose besides the illusion of providing you results (placebo anyone?). Others can be helpful, but are not necessary for the everyday individual. They should be reserved for those who can really benefit from their use, such as high level athletes or if one is debilitated with a condition.

Part 2 will be a bit more in-depth and cover a variety of topics such as different types of protein, when to use supplements, how to use them, and alternative choices.

Trust me, it won't be yo' granny's type of supplements post.

Going It Alone

I won't lie.
It's tough....at first.

If there's one thing people don't like it's being alone. Some activities are flat out awkward and cause anxiety. Examples such as going to the movies or restaurant alone are not imaginable by individuals.

But the most difficult journey of all is fitness. Embarking on it is scary, frightening, and full of unknowns. Admiration and support should be shown to people who take mindful consideration of their health.

However, how many times has a friend or family member negatively commented on that lifestyle? If there hasn't been a disheartening comment, was there a lack of support?

It isn't easy.

Stepping into the gym for the first time without a clue on what to do. You're so new and everyone around you seems to know what they're doing. (although the truth is a good majority don't)

What do you do?

Ignore it. Everything. Don't give a damn about what or whoever is around you.

Sounds harsh? Possibly, but does that matter? If they're not supportive, cut'em loose from that aspect of your life. You signed up to work hard, not tolerate other people.

Show them what true determination really is. Keep your fitness life yours and share it only with those who have a genuine interest in it.

Let yourself be a positive model and let your habits rub off on to those around you.

Exercise & food are an extension of your body and are intimately connected to it & your life.

No matter what comes your way, don't ever give up.

"First, they ignore you, then they laugh at you,
then they fight you, then you win." - Gandhi

Illusion of Difference

Why do differences exist?
Why create separation?

This was going to be post 100, but it got bumped to 98 for particular reasons (order of posts & #100 being more important). However, this shouldn't downplay it's importance. I've been waiting to do this post for quite some time - months - and the message is very dear to me.

I remember one day in high school, my senior health teacher asked us to write down what made our personal culture unique compared to others. He drew a chart on the board to keep track of what we all wrote as we said what we came up with.

After he got all our points, he began to list all the similarities. A few of the things he came up with were,

• We all have special foods set aside for important occasions.
• We all have music we enjoy.
• We all have holidays and celebrations shared with family and friends.
• We all have clothes we wear for specific events, like weddings.
• We all mourn the loss of loved ones and share the joy of new lives.

I'm sure he said more.

Differences muddle one's clarity and, unfortunately, the similarities become overlooked.

For instance, let's examine exercise. Exercise covers a broad variety of activities and is used for a number of reasons. The methods available at one's disposal are many, but how important is that?

The goals - regardless of the means - are typically the same. It's either get strong, have fun, or look better. Stronger doesn't mean being able to move big weights in the gym, but also better aerobic capacity, immune system, self-esteem/-confidence, bone density, use of the muscles, and so on & so forth.

Even sub-categories of exercise are cluttered with divisions and distinctions. Everyone approaches weight training with the notion that certain methods are more effective than others.

A squat is a squat no matter if there's a bar, kettlebell, dumbbell, weight vest, overhead/back/front placement, bodyweight, or sandbag.

Crossfit, plyometrics, powerlifting, circuit training, high reps, low reps, whatever. It's all done with the purpose to improve one's self. We should not limit ourselves to thinking so rigidly.

Bruce Lee exemplified this fact. I recall reading he studied fencing and boxing. His goal was to become the best and to do so, he studied other systems of combat. From what he learned, he incorporated the important lessons into his own practice. He did not seclude himself to one style. He passed on what he learned by teaching others.

Many differences can be created, but why separate ourselves from others? We create them, we separate ourselves.

But acceptance is finding things we have in common with one another.

Simply put, similarities are the ties that bind us.

Medicine, Methods, & Supplements

Looks so nice

I would buy it.

Continuing with suggestions from others, here's one from my friend whose name means elephant (Hathi).

She said,

"Try to do the next one on how people resort to alternative medicines and treatments in order to control their diet or lose weight, such as yoga or even herbal remedies like green tea."

Great idea! I don't think I've talked about supplements or medicine on the blog before so this is perfect.

First and foremost, no doubt Western medicine is the dominant force here in America. It's great, it's saved countless people.

But in a sense, it's not wholly "complete."* Typically, a patient describes their symptoms which the doctor clusters together and matches it as best as possible to what it may be. Thus, a diagnosis is given.

However, keep in mind the doctor refers to a description of what the ailment could be. Usually it's correct, but where do these ailments come from?

They're humans' way of classifying and categorizing symptoms then giving it a name. Now humans don't know every possible problem or sickness that potentially could exist.

I'm not knocking it by any means. I'm simply giving another perspective on medicine. This is where alternative medicines and practices come in, such as Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, Yoga, Taiji, acupuncture, herbal remedies, and old methodology among other things.

Are they the answer to all problems? No.
Do they have some merit? Yes.

While they aren't the main driving force in good ol' USA, they have been around for a while. People have lived very healthy lives using these practices and systems, that's why they're still around.

Then we have the second tier list of supplements. Greens, fish oil, creatine, protein, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin B, calcium, iron, folate, folic acid, blah blah blah.

Supplements aren't mandatory. If you have a solid diet full of protein and a variety of foods where you have the body you want, you probably don't need them.

On the other hand, if you have a diet that's good but struggle in some aspects like eating enough fatty omega-3 rich fish then supplementing with fish oil might not be a bad idea.

In the end, it's all relative. You need to look at if a person is trying optimize their specific goal(s) or health, the situation, and in general just the context of it all.

The main problem is individuals look for a quick and easy solution to their problems, such as weight loss. They want results now and immediately, but it's not that easy and unfortunately they don't realize that. What ends up happening is they hear of something - by the oh so wonderful media - and view it as a panacea.

Green tea has been hugely made more popular in the last few years. However, most people aren't aware that to see the benefits of green tea you need to drink about 4 cups a day of either loose or the teabag kind. What do most people buy? The sugary bottled stuff in stores.

One method or item is never the cure to a wide range of problems.

On the contrary, it's only one part of a system.

The different parts put into it contribute to a bigger better picture of health.

*A thousand pre-med students will descend upon my ass for this comment when the semester starts.

Nemo oil anyone?
(Yes, I know it's wrong.)

How ya feeling?

Or the lack of feeling?

A thousand apologies to my readers (assuming I have any). I know I haven't updated in the last 2 weeks, but well, I've been a bum. It happens. Additionally, most recent posts have been on the less than useful side so I'll change that.

That's beginning with this post and hopefully more next week. I've recently noticed I assume everybody knows certain simple concepts and notions, but in reality they don't. You'll see what I'm talking about in the weeks to come.

I had a big "duh" moment 2 weekends ago. I completely forgot not everyone connects what they eat with how they feel.

Ack! I wanted to slam my head through a wall for missing something so obvious. This is true from children to adults. Food is taken for granted and we don't see it as the fuel for our bodies.

Remember the saying "you are what you eat?" All the dumb jokes aside - like you're nuts if you eat nuts - it's true.

Anyone familiar with Super Size Me? Excess of processed foods left Morgan Spurlock feeling horrible. While none of us consume McDonald's for 3 meals a day - I hope not - it still shows how food can affect mood.

Analogy? Sure thing.

Say you have a car that needs to get going as efficiently as possible. Would you fill it with the cheapest low-grade fuel there is? Or would you want it up and running like the fine machine it is using quality gasoline?

If it's not fueled properly (your body) then it won't run well. If it's operating poorly, who would be happy with that? People get frustrated by a slow computer, so imagine how your body is making you feel.

Quality foods contribute to better health. Vegetables, lean meats, nuts, seeds, fruits, you know what I'm talking about, the good stuff.

Eat good, eat happy.

Someone's sad for a banana.

Win some, lose some

I don't eat too many white grains nowadays.
Mostly cause they make me sleepy like
it's nobody's business.

I get made fun of, knocked on, looked at, or commented for a lot of the things I do or have, like...

• Eating unprocessed foods too often
• Eating Fiber One
• Avoiding white grains
• Foam rolling
• Owning a copy of New Rules of Lifting for Women
• Lifting weights
• Stretching
• Dynamic warm-ups
• Doing front squats, overhead squats, and a whole bunch of other exercises
• Blogging
• A load of other stuff that doesn't come to mind

Oh well!

On the bright side I can deadlift twice my bodyweight, sprint pretty fast, have an understanding of what I'm doing when I exercise, have a body that's not aching or tired, and I'm pretty content with it all.

You win some, and you lose some. That's what people probably think.

Truth be told, there's no losing on my end.

Stepping out of the box puts you in an uncomfortable position and away from everyone else.

But also keep in mind, everyone in the box isn't happy with their results.

Be stuck with where you're at or do something about it.

The choice is yours.

Don't take it for granted

This bad boy.

Or girl?...thing?

The human body of course.

I believe most people are under the assumption the human body is weaker than it really is.

Hogwash!

The body is quick to adapt, is stronger than we know, and more efficient than any machine.

Such as,

• The human heart beats 1.9 billion times by the age of 50 (average 72 beats per minute x 60 mins. x 24 hours x 365 days x 50). My high school physics teacher told our class how enduring the human heart is and there isn't a machine to date that can replace it's efficiency.

• Get a spoon and put peanut butter on it. Now, try washing it clean with your hands and water. Not easy huh? Now use your tongue. Tasty? Yes I know, but also not too shabby to clean with. And no soap needed! Your tongue is more abrasive than a sponge. Cool? Very.
  

• Shoes, yuck. Nowadays, shoes have way too much support than what is necessary. Go back a couple hundred years and see what they were wearing. Probably the bare essential, only something that offers protection for the bottom of the foot and that's all. I bet they didn't have shin splits, sprained ankles, or bad knees. Honestly, you don't wear bulky gloves on your hands all day, so why restrain your feet which have just as important fine motor movement functions? Absurd I say!
  

• Movement. What of it? It's functions in an X-fashion, meaning when your leg foot takes a step forward while you're walking or running, your right hand will swing forward. Go sprint and try not allowing that to happen. It's tough and awkward. Even in the most basic movement - crawling - this fashion of movement is present. (I crawled on the floor to make sure)

Only a few examples, but I think they're great ways to think about the body.

It's not some flimsy squishy bag of bones. Rather, it's a vehicle of amazing potential.

But, it comes down to how you want to treat it and use it.

Will you use it for it's most simplest purposes?

Or, will you use it to achieve great and wonderful things?

The choice is yours.

It always is and it always will be.

Alright, it's not that good.
But who knows, keep at it!

This blog summarized in 2 words.

I'm so lazy, but yet I find the will to post (aka, procrastinate reading for my classes). If I have to summarize this blog in 2 words, they would be:

Lift smart

Yes, that's it.

If you come by here, you know I stress efficiency, quality, proper warm-ups, etc.

Although, it brings up a new question. Why the blog?

The answer to that and other exciting adventures are in the weeks ahead, stay tuned!

Have a good weekend everyone...

...and thanks for stopping by.

Lessons from Ninja Warrior

Fact: Ninjas are cool.

I like the show Ninja Warrior (including the women's version). Not familiar with either? Here's a clip from each of the series. Each clip shows all the obstacles the contestants have to go through.

He's a fisherman.


Ignore the annoying
English announcer.

It doesn't look easy, but seems like plenty of fun. I'd prefer doing events like these for charity instead of those 5k walks/runs.

But, that's another topic altogether. If you checked out the clips, you can actually learn bit and pieces of what attributes are needed to succeed. Will they make you an instant

NINJA WARRIOR?!

No, probably not, but they're definitely important aspects of physical strength and athleticism. With a little assistance from our good ol' friend weight training, we're good to go.

Lists are easy on the eyes, so let's roll with that.

Grip strength reigns supreme:

- Stages had various forms of hardcore hand clinging. While it was more emphasized for the men than women, it's equally important to both sexes. If you can't hold on to it, forget trying anything else.

- If you're going heavy on overhand deadlifts & pulls, enough said. Other tricks of the trade are plate pinching, farmer's walks, and thick handles (done by wrapping a hand towel around a handle).

It's all relative pull-ups:

- There's a lot of hanging for the men. Pulls - horizontal & vertical - are great for the body, not to mention people don't do enough of them.

- A combination of pull/chin-ups, lat-pull downs, and/or rows are a simple start.

Stamina:

- Getting through 1 obstacle doesn't call for celebration. Going through a series of them is physically exhausting.

- Conditioning workouts are key here. A session can be anywhere from 4 to 20 minutes. If you're going for an hour, chances are the intensity isn't enough.

Need to know how to use the body:

- There's a lot of switching between unilateral & bilateral work, meaning the hands/legs are working independently & together at various points of time. An example of unilateral coordination is seen in the very first video's initial obstacle, side-to-side jumping, and bilateral in the second where the woman does the hop rocket (both legs working in conjunction to explode into the air).

- Bilaterals are typically done with any barbells, while unilateral can be done in a number of ways such as dumbbells, kettlebells, ropes, pistol squats, 1-handed push-ups, so and so forth.

- Compound lifts are an excellent way to use the body as one whole working system.

Power/rate of force development:

- It's how fast you generate strength in a given time. Faster you do it, the better and more strength you can bust out. It's most evident in the massive broad jumps and hops that are performed. No point in having strength if you can't be quick with it.

- Plyometrics, sprints, medicine ball slams/tosses/throws, & Olympic lifts all improve power/ROFD.

Working in more than 1 plane of motion:

- Contestants have to move their feet around more than just going forward. They go all over the place! This is also seen in sports such as football and tennis. The players are constantly changing directions.

- Variations of regular lifts like lateral lunges, lateral step-ups, rotational movements, side-to-side pull-ups, and as well as sport-specific drills are performed in different planes.

Balance, coordination, speed, & agility:

- As you can see, the contestants are not fumbling all over the course. Rather, they're moving along it with excellent precision and grace.

- Unilateral work again. Balance can also be improved by simply balancing on 1 hand or foot and going through motions with the other. An example such as a 1-handed push-up position while moving a light weight plate around on the floor.

- Speed goes back to power/ROFD.

Mobility:

- Just seeing how their ankles are positioned at certain instances shows they've got great mobility.

- This is too expansive to cover in this post, but use what's listed in the dynamic warm-up here as a basic starting guide. Youtube channels such as these - 1, 2, 3, 4 - also list more movements to use. Check them out.

There you have it.

Hopefully I covered everything and you can apply some of this information to your own training to help with progress.

Cause above all things, the take home point of this post was...

...ninjas are cool.

Except this one.

A conclusion

What it means to be strong.

Why did I do this series?

For one, I thought it would be informative to share what I learned in my psychology class and how it combines with what I've known about most women's beliefs on exercise.

Helpful, but it's the least important aspect.

Survival of the fittest is an interesting statement. Physical abilities aren't humans' most vital need in present times.

But, if it came to it, women aren't equipped with strength. It's a problem, a big one.

As we age, we get weaker. It's a fact. And recall, I mentioned at the end of part 1 that the purpose of the muscular system is for movement.

If a woman is weak at her peak age - around mid 20's - then how will she fare later in life?

It's even worse of a problem since society has become increasingly sedentary.

Strength builds confidence and self-esteem.

It's necessary.

Pictured above is professional boxer Natalia Ragozina. A month or so ago, I read an article on CNN about her. She faced off against an opponent 60 lbs. heavier.

Do your weight +60 and imagine fighting someone that much heavier. It seems impossible to win.

But it's not.

Neither is getting the body you want.

Natalia Ragozina: plenty strong & no bulk.

When Anna Meets Jane, part 4: A Start to the Right Path

Step 1, give those good-for-nothing
weightless dumbbells to someone else.

Not too much fluff in this post, just the information you need to get started. But, a quick recap is in order.

Part 1: There are reasons why women don't like their body.
Part 2: Other minor external reasons exist as well, which are quite significant.
Part 3: Problems are encountered when armed with less-than-optimal information.
Part 4: Better information for you to use.

Let's start with nutrition.

Nutrition

First, here are solid guidelines that anyone can follow. Specifically, the 7 rules of good nutrition.

"1. Eat every 2-3 hours, no matter what. You should eat between 5-8 meals per day.

2. Eat complete (containing all the essential amino acids), lean protein with each meal.

3. Eat fruits and/or vegetables with each food meal.

4. Ensure that your carbohydrate intake comes from fruits and vegetables. Exception: workout and post-workout drinks and meals.

5. Ensure that 25-35% of your energy intake comes from fat, with your fat intake split equally between saturates (e.g. animal fat), monounsaturates (e.g., olive oil), and polyunsaturates (e.g. flax oil, salmon oil).

6. Drink only non-calorie containing beverages, the best choices being water and green tea.

7. Eat mostly whole foods (except workout and post-workout drinks)."

Now don't be silly and try all 7 at once. That's asking for failure. Try one at a time. After you've mastered one, incorporate a second rule into the mix. In other words, can't make a baby sprint if the baby doesn't know how to crawl (let alone stand).

Are the rules set in stone? No, of course not, but they work well for those who have no idea how to eat for fat loss. Also, take note that it's important to eat when you're hungry rather than every 2-3 hours. But, if you consume a regular-sized meal, expect hunger to strike roughly every 2-4 hours at least and if you haven't eaten enough, you'll become hungry sooner than normal.

And what if you don't want to eat vegetables for breakfast? No worries, double up at another meal, like lunch or dinner.

The rules are for guidance.

Now, that alone isn't enough. People have questions.

I look at a lot of blogs and websites to learn more. Some are good, some aren't. The most I come across that are good are exercise-based, while dietary ones are more about listing recipes.

Eh, that's alright, but it could be better. That's why I'm plugging Georgie's site into this post, www.askgeorgie.com. I was going to list Precision Nutrition, but well, you need to pay for that.

Georgie is a Registered Dietitian, the Sports Dietitian for Rutgers' - my university - athletics, lists recipes, but above all that, my favorite part? She discusses how nutrition and exercise interact - a perfect example is here. The two help one another out.

The bonus? You can submit a question which she'll answer in detail.

This should be more than enough to get you started to slim those thunder thighs. But, what about exercise?

Exercise

I wrote a simple beginner's strength training program, which if you're interested in, you can download for free by clicking here (it's a MS Word document). If someone follows it, let me know and I'll write a new one for the next 3 weeks.

All the information you need is in the document, but I'm going to list the dynamic warm-up movements and the program's exercises here with demonstration links. You can watch them to see how they're performed. Click the superscript number to view a video/picture.

Dynamic warm-up

• Standing hip flexor/quad stretch ^{1 I}
  
• Side-lying leg raise ² [let your toes point straight ahead]
• Glute bridge ³
• Wall slides ^{4 II}
  
• Pec stretch ^{5 III}
  
• Split squat w/ overhead reach ^{6 IV}

I: For each repetition, hold the leg for a full 1 second count then release.
II: Keep the back of the hands on the wall and actively rotate/press them into the wall. Good explanation here.
III: For each repetition, hold the stretch for a full count of 1 second.
IV: Minus the bar and stay in place rather than moving back & forth.

The program

• Pull-through ⁷
• Conventional deadlift ⁸
• Underhand seated cable row ⁹
• DB bench press ¹⁰
• Plank [standard version] ^{11 V}
• DB goblet squat ¹²
• Overhand lat-pulldown ¹³
• Standing DB press ¹⁴
• Single-side DB farmers walk ^{15 VI}
  

V: First shown is the standard version. Perform against an incline or spreading your feet apart if the floor version is too difficult. An incline bench works great.
VI: One dumbbell at a time on each side. Hold on your left side for certain amount of distance, then the right side, that's 1 set. Squeeze hard, walk tall & straight with good posture. Set's done when your form deteriorates or you can't hold on any longer.

That's all there is to it. If there are any questions, ask away on this post or shoot me an email at nielkpatel425@gmail.com and I'll be more than happy to help out.

While this concludes the series, I'll write a formal conclusion for the entire series, and express my own thoughts on it all. Expect it Thursday.

Now, for those who do follow this program and advice, that's great! Best of luck! I hope you all enjoyed this. That's all I got.

Maybe you'll look like this by 2011.
One thing's certain, this lady has no jiggle.

When Anna Meets Jane, part 3: The Results from a Bad Foundation

It is fun, but not whatever the hell she's doing.

Parts 1 & 2 covered the factors affecting women and fitness. The former examined the major problems, while the latter discussed slightly less direct details that are beyond one's own control.

Today, we'll take a closer look at what women do when they decide "Enough of this muffin top and these jiggly thighs, I need to take action!" and then unfortunately, simply make bad choices. First up will be exercise methods followed by nutritional approaches.

Exercise

Let's begin with a real kick in the crotch.

No way in hell do women who lift want to look like this:

"Hulk smash!"
And to answer your question,
yes, I did vomit all over my
keyboard after seeing this.

And luckily, they can't unless they inject themselves full of steroids.

BUT, despite not wanting to look like that, they follow a bodybuilder routine, meaning a body part split. You know, either one muscle a day or chest/back on one day, biceps/triceps another, legs this day, so on and so forth. These methods are employed by bodybuilders to really emphasize their muscles and get distinct muscular definition.

Perplexing eh? Often, women - as do men - choose to follow a regimen like this because it's what's most popular. It's not a program for those who want to avoid the "bulk."

It's a given people don't like to venture out of their comfort zones, so these same people do what's familiar and simple. They resort to exercises everyone else does in the gym and/or hop on a machine.

If not that, too much time is spent using weights that aren't heavy enough to elicit adaptation, meaning no progress, and train too often in the vertical plane (weight moves up & down in relation to the body, i.e., squat, curl, shoulder press, etc.). The lack of horizontal work - specifically pulls - leads to imbalances. Not to mention, your boobs may look saggier than they should because of weak back muscles (magnifies hunched posture).

And because I couldn't resist...

She look familiar to you? We've all seen
a lady like this. Just don't become her.

Also, keep in mind why lifting light weights isn't effective. If they're light, they won't require as much energy to move them. How will you burn fat? Low intensity exercise doesn't call on your body to use its stored energy - specifically, the fat you want to get rid of.

And if you didn't quite catch that,

light weights = low intensity = less fat loss

Women typically focus on trying to slim their arms, which requires less overall work. That's a small part of a total package. If a woman wants to look good to go out on the town, she won't paint her nails and be done. She'll do her make-up, her hair, find an outfit, choose accessories, and anything else us guys don't understand.

Likewise, the body needs to be treated as a whole. The bulk of the body is the torso and thighs. Effort should be concentrated there.

And oh those thighs, they are tricky. There's a lot to it, thus, better if I make a list.

• Weak posterior chain (muscles on the back of the body) creates an imbalance
  
• Women's quadriceps, front thigh muscles, are strong and become stronger with age, intensifying the imbalance
  
• Worsens since lower-body exercise focus is on leg presses, leg extensions, lunges, and squats, which predominantly train the quadriceps
• Using a treadmill shuts off the hamstrings, making the quadriceps do all the work

Pretty sucky if I do say so myself.

It's boring, but you don't
have to lie about it.

Endurance exercise itself is overused and the popular form of it is to run. Running is a sport in itself and can't be taken up thinking it leads to automatic fat loss. I'll be doing a future post on running, therefore I won't expound any further on it here.

All this usually ends up with a woman exhausted, stressed, not satisfied, wasting time & effort, but above all things, not having the body they want.

Nutrition

This is equally as important as the exercise section. What good is it to upgrade the parts of a computer (your body) if you're not going to install the proper software for it to function (food)?

I always wonder what the girl who says "Carbs are bad" and "Fats are bad" eats.

Although, it's probably not surprising she eats nothing but salads. I'm not knocking salads, but they definitely shouldn't be viewed as the solution to weight loss along with portion control.

Can't promise a carb free salad since
vegetables contain the carbohydrate cellulose.

Portion control works and is useful if a person is already eating unprocessed foods, but a problem comes about for those who continue to consume junk food. If you're scaling back the amount of junk you eat until your goal weight is achieved, it will return once you begin consuming the amount of food you were before practicing restraint.

And you become unsatisfied again. Big shocker.

But as always, it's not that simple. Yo-yo dieting is pretty common. Instead of fat being burned in a caloric deficit, muscle is broken down because the body isn't given adequate nourishment of the necessary nutrients.

To simply even further:

Less muscle = less body weight at first

Which is the primary goal, BUT because more energy is used to maintain muscle than fat and there's less muscle now...

Less muscle = slower metabolism, leading to easier fat gain

In the long run, you'll get what you got rid of plus some extra. That's not just failure, that's worse. (Epic failure sounds appropriate)

Additionally, let's not forget the time spent miserably controlling foods to eat and how much to eat. I'm also willing to bet during the decreased food intake, someone wasn't feeling all sunshine and rainbows either. Probably more along the lines of "Get the hell away from me before I beat you for that cookie!"

Honestly, I'd expect a person to be in a more depressed mood after an unsuccessful attempt and there's no telling whether they may binge or not, especially if their fitness-related actions are perceived as hopeless. After not meeting their goals, they may think "What's the point of watching what I eat if I'm not getting any results?" and proceed to chow down on anything and everything.

A smart approach needs to be taken to achieve the desired body. My dad always says think first or there's no meaning in working hard. It's good advice.

But it isn't all gloom and doom for women.

I wouldn't leave you hanging without any solutions.

Hardly. I would never do such a thing.

But of course, I need to leave something for part 4.

And on that note, I hope you all enjoyed this 3^rd installment and advise you to stay glued for the finale! In it, I'll share with you an exercise program or two and resources to start making progress.

Salad anyone?

When Anna Meets Jane, part 2: The Contribution Men & the Media Make to Create Weak Women

"I thought you were kidding! I thought it was a

joke, I even wrote it down in my diary."

Bold title of me to choose? Possibly.

In the first installment, we took a look at how women are not satisfied with their body due to changes that come about in life, as well as some interpersonal influences, that push women to exercise, but certainly not efficiently.

Today in part 2, we'll discuss subtle less known societal factors, which believe it or not, are significant themselves.

One day, my ears caught the following:

"Yeah she plays sports and is athletic, but I don't really like girls like that."

I thought it was absurd, but I didn't know the guy, so I just kept walking.

It wouldn't be a big deal, but it's not the first time I've heard such a statement. Some guys aren't attracted to a girl who takes up weight training. They either don't like muscles on a girl, think it's not part of the "proper" feminine role (whatever that is), feels it threatens their alpha male status, or some other outlandish idea.

And of course, women want to impress the opposite sex, but not in an unattractive manner (i.e., lifting weights). As a result, they either go hit the lovely cardio machines or that small area of the gym with dumbbells no higher than 35 lbs. If it's the latter, they still don't lift a weight that's heavier than a gallon of milk.

What if they venture into - gasp! - the guys' area and do real lifting? All the guys, unfortunately, stare. I'm sure that's what they were trying to accomplish. The only women their lifting like they should, and all eyes are on her. I bet that makes her feel so much more comfortable - yeah right.

All that combined with those women who believe it will bulk them up, well you could understand why they would never venture near a barbell.

What about the media? What do they do in all this?

Plenty. Models anyone? Tall, thin, and most importantly, unrealistic.

There's a large gap between what they present and what is typical of most women. If the average body weight of women has been increasing, due to improved health and nutrition, how are they suppose to look like a model? The average American women is 5'4" tall and 140 lbs., but the average American model is 5'11" and 115 lbs. These women aren't representative of the norm, but are presented as the ideal figure.

Let's not forget magazines and the images they publish. The rise of computers has allowed us to do incredible things. Photoshop however, is now used to edit photos before they are published. A great demonstration of how drastic the changes are can be seen in the following video.

Women see those magazines and want to look like that, but it's not even possible!

Television shows have the main characters as slim women. How often is the leading actress not attractive? or large? Usually, not a lot, except maybe Ugly Betty.

Ugly Betty left, and on the right, you can

see America Ferrara is hardly ugly.

Addition to that, these women in movies and TV are depicted as successful and powerful.

Advertisements try to make women feel unattractive because they're trying to push what they're selling, hoping they'll provoke women enough to buy it.

Now, we have more factors added to the previous ones mentioned last time. Exercise and health is tougher for women than it should be.

Weight training is important for women - more so than it is for men - because it offers a host of benefits, such as (taken from Science and Practice of Strength Training)

• Increased bone density, reducing risk of osteoporosis
• Stronger connective tissues to increase joint stability and help prevent injury
• Increased strength for daily activity
• Increased lean body mass and decreased body fat
• Higher metabolic rate because of increased muscle mass
• Improved self-esteem and confidence

The bottom line?

There are a lot more factors affecting women in relation to exercise than there are that affect men. Don't let them come between you and the body you want.

So just lift. Suzanna Sanchez does, and boy, does she go heavy.

Next week, part 3 will cover the common mistakes and problems that women encounter in training and diet. Stay tuned!

When Anna Meets Jane, part 1: The Underlying Problems & Beliefs Most Women Suffer From

Meet Anna Freud; my professor liked her.

This is a pretty dense post, bear with me.

In my class, we covered anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN), but due to both having low prevalence, and I don't think any of my readers suffer from either disorder (I hope not), our focus will shift to another set of eating disorders. They're known as eating disorders not otherwise specified, abbreviated EDNOS, or also known as partial syndrome eating disorders.

They are less recognized because they don't meet full criteria for AN or BN. The problem?

50-70% of eating disorders are EDNOS. What's with this?

Well, did you know that because body-image dissatisfaction, satisfaction/dissatisfaction one is with one's body & physical appearance, is so common among girls and women that it's considered the norm? This means a significant portion of the population shows being unhappy with their physical appearance as typical.

This is awful, and unfortunately, there's more.

A type of corumination - the focus & discussion of negative feelings with peers - termed "fat talk" refers to weight-related negative body talk that occurs in peer groups, which in turn perpetuates the thin ideal. Not only are the majority of women dissatisfied, but their feelings are further reinforced by this "fat talk."

Simply saying things such as

• "Do I look fat in this?"
• "You look great, have you lost weight?"
• Commenting on what one is eating.
• Criticizing others based on weight.

"I feel fat," how often have you heard the phrase? How often has the person looked perfectly fine? I'm sure plenty of times.

And to make matters worse, these worries about appearance can be found in young children. A few facts we were given in class...

• Over half of average-weight adolescent girls have at one point in their lives tried dieting.
• In one study, almost one-third of girls (ages 10-14) were currently on a diet.
• The majority of girls who diet begin dieting before the age of 15.
• Concerns about being "fat" and high levels of body-image dissatisfaction are found in children as young as 7 or 8.
• Half of girls between 7-13 years old, and two-thirds of girls between 14-17 report often feeling "fat" or wanting to lose weight.

That's ridiculous.

Let's look at a few reasons that high body-image dissatisfaction is present.

1) Pubertal development:

• Girls experience an average weight gain of 20 lbs. during puberty. The body changes significantly during this time period.
• Interest in opposite sex leads to more concerns about appearance.
• Importance of peer relationships increase, fat talk occurs with peers.

2) Adulthood:

• Stress increases.
• Metabolism slows down later in life, and no longer able to simply eat whatever you want.
• Responsible for what you eat as you get older. Easiest options aren't always the healthiest.
• Friends eat junk, easier for you to "go with the flow" instead of choosing better alternatives

Looks bad, right? That's because it is.

Another change that occurs is in the size of muscle fibers. Men develop larger type II/fast twitch muscle fibers than women, who actually develop larger type 1/slow twitch muscle fibers. The former-mentioned are important to train in weight lifting. They allow for sprinting, lifting heavy, and doing virtually anything that requires strength. The other fibers, they're better suited for activities like long distance running.

So far we know that,

1) the majority of females are not happy with their body.
2) "fat talk" compounds the problem within a social circle
3) concerns begin young
4) changes occur with aging (physical & intra-/interpersonal ones)

Now, what does a person do when they want to improve their appearance? Either diet, exercise, or a combination of the two.

Diet will be covered in part 3, but let's look a little at exercise.

What do most women use as their form of exercise for fat loss? Usually, long distance running.
What did I say about muscle fibers? Type I/slow twitch muscle fibers are larger and better for long distance running.
How often has it led to that dream body? Most likely, not enough.

It's important to make those type II/fast twitch muscle fibers grow. But still, women don't want to take up weight training. It's the fear of bulk and having muscles that scare women. This aversion is a limiting factor for potential success.

As you can see, Rachel Cosgrove's hardly "bulky"
despite holding 225 lbs. in that picture.
(click the image for the original article)

Where's this perception of bulk come from? Chances are because muscle is usually added before fat is shed - creating more total mass - and the fact that muscles become bigger during a workout session.

It isn't that simple to become hulkish, as in bodybuilder-like (despite women following bodybuilder routines, more on that in part 3).

I'll end this first installment on a simple note.

In one word, what is the function and purpose of the muscular system?

Movement.

And movement encompasses an array of motions outside just running.

Also keep in mind, this doesn't include every single female individual. There are women who train hard, eat wholesome foods, and aren't part of the majority that are stuck in a rut.

Hope you all enjoyed part 1. Stay tuned for part 2 next week, where I'll go over how men and the media play a role in this big picture.