Building An Empire

gonna build an empire

I love the fact that the notion of building one’s empire has become a trendy thing recently. In keeping with the warrior mentality which has spread like a brush fire among ambitious, talented people, I am also hard at work building an empire of my own. I regard every single day as a new brick to add to the foundation of that empire, and I am bound and determined to reach all the goals I have placed in front of me.

The limiting factor in my empire building efforts is my skill set in marketing and branding. While social media platforms have made it easier than ever before to market products or services for free, I still get overwhelmed with all the elements which go into a successful marketing campaign. Branding is even more challenging for a hybrid like me who is much harder to define and who has a relatively diverse potential audience.

my passion

Nevertheless, all of the things I am passionate about, coupled with my fierce drive to leave a lasting and positive impression on the world, keep me focused and moving forward. There are times when I feel like I am trudging in mud, because I might not know the technical aspects of putting a banner ad together, or how to add a sound byte to one of my websites, but it’s all a learning process for me, and it definitely keeps me on my toes!

I am

Taking Youth For Granted – Part 1

stupid

There’s a saying I used to hear quite frequently when I was a teenager, which was, “Youth is wasted on the young.” What’s funny is that I can’t remember who used to say it, but I heard it enough times that it seeded in my brain as part of my belief system as I got older. The feeling of being invincible, and the illusion that time is limitless, can fool youngsters into thinking that all the opportunities which they are flooded with will always be there. They may be too busy having fun and partying to build a foundation for the future. Though I had enough common sense to keep myself out of trouble most of the time when I was younger, I had moments when I would do something foolish or rash, and in those moments, I would jeopardize my own chances of success. However, despite the times I stumbled, I was able to accomplish more than the average young adult, so perhaps youth wasn’t completely wasted on someone like me.

I have come across some very disciplined young adults who were able to explore and develop their talents without trudging into the muck of ambivalence and laziness. They were obviously encouraged by parents and educators to formulate dreams and pursue related goals. These impressive overachievers definitely didn’t waste their youth, but have transformed their vibrant energy, passion, and creativity into lofty achievements. They also have shown a tendency to create a real impact on others through their ingenuity, their compassion, and their drive, and by doing so, have become leaders who will leave a true legacy.

There’s an odd and delicate balance which young people are challenged to figure out. Though they are encouraged to grab life by the horns and go for it, they are also expected to have the sense to pace themselves and stick to the straight and narrow course during a time when distractions and temptations abound. It’s no mystery why some twenty-somethings may find themselves in a situation in which they have to repair their finances, become centered, and undo all the damage which playing or partying too much can create. I know I wouldn’t want to be a youngster again, and I certainly wouldn’t want to experience my youth in this day and age.

The best advice I can give to someone who is young is to BUILD FOR THE FUTURE. Sure, it can be fun to party on the weekends and hobnob with the movers and shakers in the social media world, but make sure you are working towards goals which enable you to grow as a person, which ensure financial stability for the future, and which give you a platform on which you can impact the world. Make sure that you are doing things that your parents can be proud of, and which your future children won’t be embarrassed by. Everything you do has some sort of impact, even if that impact is only on yourself.

Squat Pant Obsession

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I have a confession: I am obsessed with Beleza Brazil Squat Pants, so much so that my leaning towards Lululemon capris has dwindled to almost zero. Beleza Brazil Squat Pants are very high quality and well made, and incorporate some of the softest, most curve-flattering fabric on the planet! I still remember the first time I tried on a pair, and I truly was expecting them to fit like just about every capri legging to fit. Yet I pulled them on and immediately noticed how the cut and the fabric hugged my curves like a second skin, and how my booty just went POP! once I had them on. It was love at first sight with these pants, and since that fateful day back in January, I have worn these wonderful booty enhancers pretty much daily. Not only do I wear them to the gym, I wear them to run errands, and I even have a pair of the Long pants in Blue, which I love to wear with short black legwarmers and black pointy-toed boots for a night out. Oh yes, I am obsessed with BB Squat Pants!
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Here are the specs on these incredible pants:

Features: Booty shaping waistband to contour your natural shape, Elastic Free waistband to avoid muffin top.

Fabric: SoftMAX

Properties: Custom made for the softest feeling to touch, while still having hold and support.

Moisture Wicking, four way stretch, preshrunk, chafe resistant, breathable, UV protection, antibacterialRise: Medium
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Squat Pants are different from all the workout pants out there. They do something magical to the derriere which almost defies explanation. Obviously the cut and stitching are brilliant, and make a woman’s rear view spectacular! I have tried Freddy Pants which NEVER have looked right on me (apparently I am in between sizes), but these pants look unbelievably good on, not only around my glutes, but on my thighs and calves.
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I also love how the fabric holds you in without squeezing you like a compression garment. The fabric also wicks moisture very effectively. You can truly MOVE in these pants, which makes them ideal for weightlifting (especially heavy leg day, because these won’t restrict movement at all}, yoga, cardio, etc. And the colors…WOW!

Three colors were launched in early March, and all three colors (Charcoal, Navy, and Violet) are COMPLETELY SOLD OUT! You can still purchase Red (which is a vibrant, beautiful red with a slight rose tinge to it…I LOVE this color!) and Blue {which is a deep teal blue and so pretty!) on the website in both the Mid Calf and the Long Length, but even those colors are limited in quantity.

NEW COLORS
will be launching later this month, and they WILL NOT LAST! Whatever you do, DO NOT WAIT to place your order once those new colors launch! I am telling you, these Squat Pants will become your very favorite pants to wear. EVER.

I will post on social media when the new colors come in so you all have a chance to buy them!

In the meantime, I encourage you to visit the Beleza Brazil online store while the colors I mentioned are still available. Click on this link to shop and order:

http://www.belezabrazilstore.com/#_a_NAITO

My Discount Code: NAITO

Make sure to enter my discount code for free shipping on your order.
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So Happy To Bupsessed With Yup Brands!

I ADORE this company! Yup Brands makes the VERY BEST PROTEIN BARS, HANDS DOWN!!! I am honored to be featured as one of their Bupsessed Athletes, because I have truly been obsessed with B-Up Bars and B-Jammin’ Bars since September of 2014! Yup Brands dares to make their bars different and more nutritionally sound by using a higher grade of prebiotic vegetable fiber, and only uses natural ingredients and sweeteners. I love the fact that you can eat their bars and enjoy the real flavor of the ingredients, as opposed to the obvious chemical taste that many high protein bars have. The bars are moist and chewy, and absolutely delicious!

Please click on the links below to read my feature, as well as the features on the other nine amazing athletes! This is a dynamic, diverse, motivated group of people, and I am so happy to keep company with such an incredible team!

Stacey Naito

https://yupbrands.com/bupssessed/

As always, if you want to try these amazing bars, you can go to https://yupbrands.com/shop/ to order and have them shipped to you! Shipping is FREE and the prices are great! Though ALL the flavors are delicious, my personal favorites are the peanut butter varieties because I am a peanut butter fanatic.

What Do You Want To See On My Blog?

Noel Denim

Hey everyone! I wanted to check in with you to see what you would like to see on my blog. Since I have been posting every single day, it can be a real challenge to come up with content to post. For that reason, I am not as prone to write lengthy posts.

I have also decided to change my posting frequency to three days per week from now on. I will post every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday or Sunday.

Here is a list of topics which I typically cover:

Preventative health
Optimal health
Brain health
Medical conditions
Anti-aging
Nutrition
Healthy recipes
Supplements
Weightlifting
Exercise
Fitness
Bodybuilding
Sports
Cosmetic Dermatology
Skincare
Makeup
Personal grooming
Empowerment
Modeling
Branding
Fashion
Bodybuilding contests and prep
Music
Pets
Relationships
Travel
Comedy
Entertainment

I welcome suggestions from you! Please reply to this post and let me know how I can best accommodate your interests.

Thanks so much for following my blog!

Social Media And The Random Butt Pic

Don’t you love how social media platforms like Instagram pander to our urge to post images of ourselves for the world to see? It’s a veritable paradise for exhibitionists and voyeurs alike. Yes, I know that many of us use social media to share our interests, advertise products or services, or build our personal brands. But there are enough scandalous images which make it onto the news feed that I wonder what they are really trying to sell.

There are evenings when I will peruse the Explore page on Instagram. The vast majority of featured posts which show up on my phone are of cute animals, which is completely appropriate, since I am such a huge animal lover. However, I will often be in the process of scrolling down, when a random, bare-assed image shows up.

I’m not talking about images in which a woman is showing off her conditioned glutes in a sexy bikini or a snug pair of workout pants. I’m not even talking about a professional aesthetic nude shot which is tasteful. I am talking about a bare-assed, naked, in a slutty bent-over pose selfie. How does an image like that show off a woman’s gains at the gym? Something like that only shows that she has no self-respect, and is willing to show the world her goodies and contribute to an online spank bank. My reaction is always to shake my head in disgust, then keep scrolling down.

What blows my mind is that many of the people who are posting these images are fitness people who want to expand their following. I’ve got news for every single person who does this: you are only making yourself look like a slut! Sure, some sex-crazed jerks will click on your “look at my ASS!” pic, like it, and possibly follow you, but do you really want someone to follow you because he saw your bare bottom and wants to tap it? Those followers can even be downright dangerous if they are mentally unbalanced.

The queen of the slutty butt pics has got to be Kim Kardashian, whose bold butt photo blew up the internet in 2014:

Kim-Kardashian-Paper-Magazine-butt-November-2014

Do you really want to be known as a spectacle, someone who is only known for having a hot body or for being willing to bare all on a regular basis? A good filter to use when you are thinking of posting an image on social media is to ask yourself, “Would I be okay with my dad/mom/daughter/son/brother/sister/grandpa/grandma seeing this image?” Try not to rationalize the response, but really pay attention to what the image conveys, as well as what kind of audience it will draw in. Another good filter is to ask yourself, “Will I be proud or embarrassed about this image in 5/10/1/20/25/30 years?” Don’t forget that everything will follow you, whether you like it or not!

Ben And Jerry’s New Vegan Ice Cream

Ben and Jerrys

It was bound to happen. One of the biggest ice cream makers has released a vegan ice cream! Actually, since it is a vegan food item, it would more aptly be referred to as a dairy free frozen confection, but our palates should be fooled into thinking that it is just like its cow’s milk-derived cousin.

How is it possible to get that creamy mouth feel? Ben and Jerry’s used almond milk and coconut oil in place of eggs and milk to get a rich taste, and responded to Ben and Jerry’s ice cream fans (who petitioned for a vegan line) by featuring Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Chunky Monkey, Coffee Caramel Fudge, and P.B. & Cookies as the flavors.

I think I might have to check these concoctions myself and do a taste test of my own!

Here’s the verdict, posted on Huffington Post, for all the vegan flavors.

RANK #1 Coffee Caramel Fudge

Creamiest: This baffling creation tasted and felt like it was full of milk and dairy and all the creamiest creations. The coffee extract and caramel swirls balanced really well with the almond milk.

RANK #2 P.B. & Cookies

Less Creamy: You can’t really fool around with peanut butter and cookies — but it was a good call to mix it all with almonds (all the ingredients in all four flavors are vegan-certified, by the way).

RANK #3 Chunky Monkey

Getting Drier: This Ben & Jerry’s classic was nearly indistinguishable from its dairy doppelganger, it just wasn’t quite as creamy. The rocky road was just as crunchy though, with all the classic nuts and chocolate.

RANK #4 Chocolate Fudge Brownie

Oh, No It’s Obviously Not Ice Cream: This was the only one that really stood out as being made with almond milk. It had a much drier mouthfeel, almost chalky. However, the brownies, also vegan, were still delicious.

If you’d like to check out the Huffington Post article which announced the new flavors, click on this link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ben-and-jerrys-vegan_us_56b1215ce4b08069c7a549c7?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000595

A Great Client Transformation

Front January 7, 2014

Front January 7, 2014


Front December 30, 2015

Front December 30, 2015


Back January 7, 2014

Back January 7, 2014


12.30.15 Darrick back
I am always so proud of my clients when they stick with the program I give them! Transformations can take a while, but they are worth the wait! This client started with me in January of 2014. His first progress pics are seen here in the orange shorts. The pics taken in the blue are from December 30, 2015.

Over the span of two years, my client built quality muscle, and transformed his physique. What is even more amazing is that he was the same weight in both sets of pics. Bravo!

If you are interested in online training and nutrition services with me, please visit:

http://cutcurves.com/

for detailed information on packages and pricing.