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Tag fitness
I CAN’T EAT THAT! – BALANCING HEALTHY EATING AND NORMAL LIFE
Original post can be found at: https://www.p28foods.com/i-cant-eat-balancing-healthy-eating-and-normal-life
There are countless challenges and roadblocks which can derail us from our efforts to follow a healthy meal plan, especially when we are faced with the indulgent foods that emerge during the holidays. Whether you are a seasoned competitor who is accustomed to following a strict meal plan, someone who wants to adopt healthier eating habits, or battling excess body weight, it can be very difficult to pass up regular restaurant meals, fast foods, and holiday treats. However, it IS possible to stay on track even in the face of such temptations.
The first and most important thing is to remember your GOAL, whether it is improved health, weight loss, or getting into contest shape for an upcoming event. Your goal should serve as a tangible mark which you are aiming for. I always tell my patients and weight management clients to post images of people who possess the type of physique they covet in a prominent place (such as a refrigerator) so that they can be reminded of their specific goal.
Here are other effective strategies to help you follow a healthy meal plan:
Keep forbidden foods out of the kitchen so that the temptation to eat something unhealthy is removed. This means that you need to avoid purchasing chips, crackers, cookies, ice cream, packaged pasta dinners and whatever other unhealthy foods you tend to gravitate towards. If unhealthy foods are not in your kitchen cupboards, you won’t be tempted to grab them and indulge.
Prep your meals at home beforehand. Meal prep can be tedious but it is well worth it when you consider the control you will have over what goes into your body. You can control ingredients, cooking method and portion sizes and maximize your chances of maintaining healthy eating habits. Once you have prepared your food, you can store single serving sizes in individual storage containers which are easy to pack when you need them.
Invest in a great food cooler bag. Trust me, you NEED one of these!
Make sure your meal plan is balanced. The best meal plans have lean protein, healthy fats and slow digesting carbohydrates. Do not fall into the trap of thinking that all fat is bad! You need certain healthy fats to maintain normal cellular function.
Avoid fast food restaurants. Fast food restaurants (and most restaurants for that matter) feature extremely unhealthy options which can completely destroy your efforts at reaching your health and fitness goals. You will also save a ton of money by avoiding the calorie and saturated fat laden options found at such establishments.
Don’t cave in to peer pressure. I don’t know what it is about friends and family, but it seems like they get some twisted thrill out of convincing others to eat forbidden foods. If you find yourself in such a situation, you need to ask yourself if it is worth unraveling your healthy eating habits in order to appease a relative or buddy. I have heard, “Awww, come on, a couple of bites won’t hurt ya!” from people who usually mean well but who are unaware of the psychological torture they might be putting me through. I honestly don’t want to be pressured into consuming something that will make me feel guilty or will not digest well . It isn’t worth it!
Of Lingerie and Denim…LHGFX Image February 2014
I’m Fit Possible
I am very happy and honored to be an ambassador for I’m Fit Possible, which is a great social fitness community! You can visit their site and read inspiring and informative blog entries which will keep you on track and will lend support ad you go through your own fitness journey.
Click on the logo above to be redirected to the I’m Fit Possible site.
Cellucor C4 Pre-Workout Formula…Try It, You’ll Love It!
Click on the banner above to check out this incredible pre-workout formula! It’s an industry leader! Make sure to enter the code PRODOC at checkout so that the boys at headquarters know that I directed you to the site. BOOM indeed! You will get a great pump from C4…Cellucor ROCKS!
I Have Autographed 8 x 10’s For Sale
Please leave a comment here if you are interested in purchasing any of the images featured, and I will contact you to set up and complete the order. Thanks so much for looking!
MIAMI YELLOW – Taken by Barry Brooks in November 2011. $10 includes autograph and shipping.
BLACK IMPLIED – Taken by Chaz Photo in February 2010. $10 includes autograph and shipping.
KIMONO WARRIORESS – Taken by Second Focus Photography in March 2013. $15 includes autograph and shipping.
WHITE TROPICS – Taken by LHGFX in July 2013. $15 includes autograph and shipping.
SILVER FITNESS – Taken by Casian Photography in March 2010. $10 includes autograph and shipping.
SILVER DRESS – Taken by Chaz Photo in August 2013. $15 includes autograph and shipping.
Too Much Cardio: The Skinny-Fat Trap (Worth Reposting!)
This blog post is dedicated to all of you who think that by doing massive amounts of cardio with no weight training, you will somehow keep yourself trim and tight. People who are of normal weight but who lack curvy, tight muscle because they do not lift weights often develop a palpable frustration. When I hear someone complain about feeling flabby despite doing tons of cardio at the gym, I want to SCREAM, “PICK UP A WEIGHT!!!”, because I know that this is a key component which is missing in their regimens. For those who don’t like weights, use resistance bands or the resistance of your own body weight and do SOMETHING that will challenge your muscles and create those microtears that lead to the development of new muscle.
I have actually seen some of the regulars at the gym I have frequented for many years descend into that skinny-fat trap because all they do is climb onto treadmills, bikes and elliptical trainers, perform boring steady-state cardio, then drive home without ever lifting a weight. Over time, they look more and more deflated as the aging process slowly but surely shifts their lean mass to body fat ratio in an unfavorable direction. Who wants to be mushy? If you don’t want that, it is time to stop wasting your time in the gym and become smarter about your training. You need nice, full, curvy, sexy muscles under skin to lift sagging areas such as the buttocks, chest, arms, and belly.
For those of you who are still timid about lifting weights, or who perhaps don’t know a thing about such activity, hire a trainer. Once you start to get used to challenging your muscles, it is important to establish a routine in which you are lifting regularly. If free weights (dumbbells and barbells, kettlebells and medicine balls) intimidate you, just use the machines that are scattered around the gym until you feel comfortable enough to venture into free weights.
I know that there are many of you who are concerned about looking overly muscular or about gaining pounds instead of losing them, so let’s address those concerns. If you think that by embarking on a weightlifting regimen, you will suddenly grow ridiculous amounts of muscle that would rival Popeye, think again. What you will develop is better muscle tone which will pull your skin tighter and give you a lifted, tighter, more toned appearance. You will actually end up looking more compact as a result of building a modest amount of muscle. If your concern is based more on the fear of seeing the number on the scale increase, relax. It is more important to monitor your progress by how your clothing fits. If you are accustomed to living in a skinny-fat body, you should notice over time that your pants clothing will fit differently, probably looser in the waistband. You should notice that your shorts and pants fit differently and that your butt line is higher than it was before you began training.
If you are slender but flabby, it is time to switch up your thinking and embrace the idea of building muscle through lifting weights or performing exercises with your body weight as resistance. Of course if you want to like a deflated balloon, keep doing massive amounts of cardio and no weights. It’s your decision!
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Fighting Muscle Loss As You Age
Original post can be found at:
The sad truth about getting older is that it becomes more and more difficult to hold onto the plentiful lean muscle mass and low body fat we tend to take for granted during our younger years. An inevitable consequence of growing older is the increasing struggle to maintain lean muscle mass as the years pass. Even if you have been blessed with a genetic propensity for the optimal balance of lean tissue and body fat, be prepared to work harder over time to keep what you have. This also means that master’s competitors usually have to train harder to build muscle mass, and are also more sensitive to dietary fluctuations and digressions than their younger counterparts.
The good news is that there are steps which can be taken to combat the unfavorable shift in body composition which makes its appearance after one’s mid-thirties. Perhaps the MOST important intervention which the vast majority of you are already practicing is weight training. You can continue to challenge yourself and lift heavy, but you might want to consider adding glucosamine and turmeric to your supplement regimen to protect the joints and minimize inflammation. Another adaptation in the weight room which older athletes respond especially well to is unilateral training. Unilateral movements improve balance and coordination and make it impossible to correct strength imbalances.
Another way to naturally boost the body’s ability to combat aging which you are most likely already practicing is to consume adequate protein. When protein is consumed, a steady stream of glucose is released via glucagon without spiking insulin levels in the body. Conversely, a diet low in protein but high in carbohydrates results in high levels of insulin, which over the course of time can result in widespread inflammation, diabetes, and obesity. Surprisingly, the protein needs of people from middle age on (40’s and over) increase as a result of diminished protein synthesis in the aging body. Protein intake must be increased in order to offset the deficiency. If you are already weight lifting regularly and taking in sufficient protein, you may want to consider boosting your intake of glutamine and branched chain amino acids, particularly leucine. These building blocks help to optimize the body’s ability to utilize dietary protein to build new muscle and repair damaged muscle fibers.
Though animal sources of protein are excellent options for people of any age, whey protein in particular is a remarkable protein source in older people. It is highly absorbable, contains all 18 amino acids, immunoglobulins and lactoferrin, and all the building blocks for a powerful antioxidant called glutathione. Glutathione deficiency is linked to Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, asthma and cancer, and because of this, it is considered a key substance in combating the process of aging. Natural glutathione production in the body declines with age, but with whey protein on board, the amino acids necessary for glutathione production are supplied to the body and optimal levels can be attained as a result.
Though athletes and competitors are aware of the health and muscle building benefits of whey protein, I am astonished by how it is not utilized nearly enough by the average person. All too often I see patients who regularly skip meals and eat fast foods and other processed foods, and who assume that whey protein is only for athletes. If you are an average person who wants to change poor eating habits and optimize cellular function, then you need to boost protein intake and add whey as one of your protein sources. You are doing yourself a disservice if you insist on eating junk carbs like simple sugars and processed foods, skipping meals, and consuming insufficient protein, especially if you are over the age of 35 and trying to fend off disease and aging.
If you are proactive and consistent about taking the necessary steps to battle age-related muscle loss, you will reap the benefits of better health and vitality and will rival those half your age with a muscular physique to be envied.
Sexy Is As Sexy Does…
A Look into the Past – Legends of the Czechoslovak Bodybuilding
(This is directly from http://www.evlspraguepro.com/brief-history-of-cz-bodybuilding)
The roots of the Czechoslovak bodybuilding, i.e. intentional muscular and physical development in the manner of ancient Greek heroes, date back to the early 20th century. Certainly not uninteresting is the fact that from 1862 the Czech Sokol Community (a sports movement and gymnastics organization) or the representatives of other traditional power sports such as boxers, wrestlers, and weightlifters had attempted to build well-defined bodies.
This early history is related to the famous name of Gustav Frištenský, the weightlifter with head proudly erected, muscles tighten and a barbell in hands, who is also well-reputed abroad. However, the bodybuilding had to wait a couple of years before it could be recognized as an official sport.
In the 60th of the last century, people in the former Czechoslovakia started showing an interest in the western lifestyle and also in the sport known in the western countries as bodybuilding. Fragmentary information supported by smuggled American magazines had gradually encouraged the first enthusiasts to build their own hand-made fitness centres.
Enthusiasm and interest in everything that was “forbidden” had escalated in the massive spreading of this trend. In the environment of the fitness centres, which number had been increasing, and of newly established unofficial clubs the idea to fight for the sport itself was born, and after many administrative rigmaroles and despite the revulsion of the communist regime the “bodybuilding” finally emerged. It was in 1964 when the first championship in the history of Czechoslovak bodybuilding took place in Bratislava, and its great winner Juraj Višný was introduced to the public.
An idol was born and could soon be seen in the Czechoslovak movie. In 1966 Juraj Višný appeared as one of the protagonists of the legendary film “Who Wants to Kill Jessie”. Juraj played a superman, i.e. a muscular mythical individual apparently related to the western culture. Thereafter, Juraj also appeared in the movies “Road Diversion” and “O´Henry Stories”.
The story of “Who Wants to Kill Jessie” and three main protagonists of the movie had attracted the interest of an American producer who immediately started preparing the production of their own version. The uncompromising history, however, discontinued these attempts after Czechoslovakia had been invaded by the “allied troops of the Warsaw Pact”.
The dreams about the great movie career were dashed and Juraj left for Zurich, Switzerland, where he became successful architect.
Nevertheless, the bodybuilding was hotting up in Czechoslovakia and our team under the leaderships of Alexander Bačinský, the first coach of the National team in the history of bodybuilding, reached its first great international achievements. In addition, Bačinský belonged to the key founders of the sport that already followed its own direction. Unfortunately, also Bačinský was forced to leave the country, i.e. for Germany where he, besides others, worked as a coach of a German Federal League ice-hockey team in Straubing.
At the time when these two legends were active, the Czechoslovak bodybuilding also considerably influenced the international scene. This was probably the reason why IFBB boss Ben Weider took two Czechoslovak charges to IFBB headquarters office in Canada and engaged them successively in the position of general secretaries (Műller and Jablonický). In the course of years the Czechoslovak bodybuilding had gained its international reputation, and even the revolution in 1989 did change nothing in this respect. However, a reversal took place at the end of the nineties of the last century. Human calculation has found its way even in our sport and attempted to deal a final blow to it.
Nevertheless, enthusiasm and interest of the young people in this sport give inspiration to its revival we have now been striving for. So, we have got a change to return the Czech bodybuilding to the world´s top where it has always belonged to.
You can help us just now!
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