Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Why we should consume Olive Oil regularly
Olive oil's health benefits
The greatest exponent of monounsaturated fat is olive oil, and it is a prime component of the Mediterranean Diet. Olive oil is a natural juice which preserves the taste, aroma, vitamins and properties of the olive fruit. Olive oil is the only vegetable oil that can be consumed as it is - freshly pressed from the fruit.
The beneficial health effects of olive oil are due to both its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and its high content of antioxidative substances. Studies have shown that olive oil offers protection against heart disease by controlling LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels while raising HDL (the "good" cholesterol) levels. (1-3) No other naturally produced oil has as large an amount of monounsaturated as olive oil -mainly oleic acid.
Olive oil is very well tolerated by the stomach. In fact, olive oil's protective function has a beneficial effect on ulcers and gastritis. Olive oil activates the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones much more naturally than prescribed drugs. Consequently, it lowers the incidence of gallstone formation.
Olive oil and heart disease
Studies have shown that people who consumed 25 milliliters (mL) - about 2 tablespoons - of virgin olive oil daily for 1 week showed less oxidation of LDL cholesterol and higher levels of antioxidant compounds, particularly phenols, in the blood.(4)
But while all types of olive oil are sources of monounsaturated fat, EXTRA VIRGIN olive oil, from the first pressing of the olives, contains higher levels of antioxidants, particularly vitamin E and phenols, because it is less processed.
Olive oil is clearly one of the good oils, one of the healing fats. Most people do quite well with it since it does not upset the critical omega 6 to omega 3 ratio and most of the fatty acids in olive oil are actually an omega-9 oil which is monounsaturated.
Olive oil and colon cancer
Spanish researchers suggest that including olive oil in your diet may also offer benefits in terms of colon cancer prevention (5). Their study results showed that rats fed diet supplemented with olive oil had a lower risk of colon cancer than those fed safflower oil-supplemented diets. In fact, the rats that received olive oil had colon cancer rates almost as low as those fed fish oil, which several studies have already linked to a reduction in colon cancer risk.
Types of olive oil
Generally, olive oil is extracted by pressing or crushing olives. Olive oil comes in different varieties, depending on the amount of processing involved. Varieties include:
Extra virgin - considered the best, least processed, comprising the oil from the first pressing of the olives.
Virgin - from the second pressing.
Pure - undergoes some processing, such as filtering and refining.
Extra light - undergoes considerable processing and only retains a very mild olive flavour.
When buying olive oil you will want to obtain a high quality EXTRA VIRGIN oil. The oil that comes from the first "pressing" of the olive, is extracted without using heat (a cold press) or chemicals, and has no "off" flavors is awarded "extra virgin" status. The less the olive oil is handled, the closer to its natural state, the better the oil. If the olive oil meets all the criteria, it can be designated as "extra virgin".
What is pure and light olive oil? "Pure" olive oil is made by adding a little extra virgin olive oil to refined olive oil. It is a lesser grade oil that is also labeled as just "olive oil" in the U.S.
"Light" olive oil is a marketing concept and not a classification of olive oil grades. It is completely unregulated by any certification organizations and therefore has no real precedent to what its content should be. Sometimes, the olive oil is cut with other vegetable oils.
How to care for your olive oil
Resist the temptation to place your beautiful bottle of olive oil on the windowsill. Light and heat are the #1 enemy of oil. Keep olive oil in a cool and dark place, tightly sealed. Oxygen promotes rancidity. Olive oil is like other oils and can easily go rancid when exposed to air, light or high temperatures.
You can of course buy extra virgin olive oil in any grocery store. A good source on the internet for extra virgin olive oil is here.
Olive oil versus canola oil
Do not fall into the hype which is put out by traditional medicine regarding the promotion of canola oil (rapeseed) as superior due to its concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids. Olive oil is far superior and has been around for thousands of years. Canola oil is a relatively recent development and the original crops were unfit for human consumption due to their high content of a dangerous fatty acid called euric acid.
If the taste of olive oil is a problem, or if you are frying or sautéing food, then you should consider coconut oil. Many nutritionally misinformed people would consider this unwise due to coconut oil's nearly exclusive content of saturated fat. However, this is just not the case. Because it has mostly saturated fat, it is much less dangerous to heat. The heat will not tend to cause the oil to transition into dangerous trans fatty acids.
The greatest exponent of monounsaturated fat is olive oil, and it is a prime component of the Mediterranean Diet. Olive oil is a natural juice which preserves the taste, aroma, vitamins and properties of the olive fruit. Olive oil is the only vegetable oil that can be consumed as it is - freshly pressed from the fruit.
The beneficial health effects of olive oil are due to both its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and its high content of antioxidative substances. Studies have shown that olive oil offers protection against heart disease by controlling LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels while raising HDL (the "good" cholesterol) levels. (1-3) No other naturally produced oil has as large an amount of monounsaturated as olive oil -mainly oleic acid.
Olive oil is very well tolerated by the stomach. In fact, olive oil's protective function has a beneficial effect on ulcers and gastritis. Olive oil activates the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones much more naturally than prescribed drugs. Consequently, it lowers the incidence of gallstone formation.
Olive oil and heart disease
Studies have shown that people who consumed 25 milliliters (mL) - about 2 tablespoons - of virgin olive oil daily for 1 week showed less oxidation of LDL cholesterol and higher levels of antioxidant compounds, particularly phenols, in the blood.(4)
But while all types of olive oil are sources of monounsaturated fat, EXTRA VIRGIN olive oil, from the first pressing of the olives, contains higher levels of antioxidants, particularly vitamin E and phenols, because it is less processed.
Olive oil is clearly one of the good oils, one of the healing fats. Most people do quite well with it since it does not upset the critical omega 6 to omega 3 ratio and most of the fatty acids in olive oil are actually an omega-9 oil which is monounsaturated.
Olive oil and colon cancer
Spanish researchers suggest that including olive oil in your diet may also offer benefits in terms of colon cancer prevention (5). Their study results showed that rats fed diet supplemented with olive oil had a lower risk of colon cancer than those fed safflower oil-supplemented diets. In fact, the rats that received olive oil had colon cancer rates almost as low as those fed fish oil, which several studies have already linked to a reduction in colon cancer risk.
Types of olive oil
Generally, olive oil is extracted by pressing or crushing olives. Olive oil comes in different varieties, depending on the amount of processing involved. Varieties include:
Extra virgin - considered the best, least processed, comprising the oil from the first pressing of the olives.
Virgin - from the second pressing.
Pure - undergoes some processing, such as filtering and refining.
Extra light - undergoes considerable processing and only retains a very mild olive flavour.
When buying olive oil you will want to obtain a high quality EXTRA VIRGIN oil. The oil that comes from the first "pressing" of the olive, is extracted without using heat (a cold press) or chemicals, and has no "off" flavors is awarded "extra virgin" status. The less the olive oil is handled, the closer to its natural state, the better the oil. If the olive oil meets all the criteria, it can be designated as "extra virgin".
What is pure and light olive oil? "Pure" olive oil is made by adding a little extra virgin olive oil to refined olive oil. It is a lesser grade oil that is also labeled as just "olive oil" in the U.S.
"Light" olive oil is a marketing concept and not a classification of olive oil grades. It is completely unregulated by any certification organizations and therefore has no real precedent to what its content should be. Sometimes, the olive oil is cut with other vegetable oils.
How to care for your olive oil
Resist the temptation to place your beautiful bottle of olive oil on the windowsill. Light and heat are the #1 enemy of oil. Keep olive oil in a cool and dark place, tightly sealed. Oxygen promotes rancidity. Olive oil is like other oils and can easily go rancid when exposed to air, light or high temperatures.
You can of course buy extra virgin olive oil in any grocery store. A good source on the internet for extra virgin olive oil is here.
Olive oil versus canola oil
Do not fall into the hype which is put out by traditional medicine regarding the promotion of canola oil (rapeseed) as superior due to its concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids. Olive oil is far superior and has been around for thousands of years. Canola oil is a relatively recent development and the original crops were unfit for human consumption due to their high content of a dangerous fatty acid called euric acid.
If the taste of olive oil is a problem, or if you are frying or sautéing food, then you should consider coconut oil. Many nutritionally misinformed people would consider this unwise due to coconut oil's nearly exclusive content of saturated fat. However, this is just not the case. Because it has mostly saturated fat, it is much less dangerous to heat. The heat will not tend to cause the oil to transition into dangerous trans fatty acids.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
90 Days to Summer!
Ok, so we’re all back (and fat) from vacation, we’re all looking outside at how absolutely warm and gorgeous it is, and we all suddenly realize that, as much as we thought it wouldn’t come, Spring is here. Yay! Now, that in turn means that SUMMER IS COMING!
Translation, we have 90 days to whip it into shape! So, if you have been reluctant to give what we’re telling and selling a try, but are still frustrated because whatever it is that you’re doing, isn’t getting you the results that we’ve shown you we’ve had, then maybe, just maybe, you should take a step back, and see what we have to offer?
We’ve had great results. Beachbody has about 5 of the all time leading workout programs, including “Slim in 6” which is THE best selling program of all time. But Beachbody is more than the programs. The results come from the program, the INCLUDED diets and nutrition guides, the scientifically proven supplements and the peer support of literally hundreds of thousands of customer s and coaches. Have you seen our pictures?? It works.
P90X is used and touted by the US Coast Guard, numerous police and fire departments nationwide, pro-athletes, movie stars, musicians, and thousands of people like us. It has been featured on Oprah, Tyra, Mike and Mike in the morning, and many other programs. Simply google, “P90X results” and click on images and you can see what P90X can do for ANYONE.
Slim in 6, with Debbie Seibers, as we said, is the best selling workout program of all time. So, something must be right with it. Actually, Slim and 6 has just been re-vamped and re-released. Beachbody is running a special with it’s new breakthrough nutritional product, Shakeology (which is the most amazing nutritional product on the market hands down). Slim in 6 is a great starter workout for beginners, and is also a great maintenance workout for those who are active already.
Beachbody also offers great programs such as INSANITY, Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Abs, Rev-Abs and their newest and hottest program, “Brazil Butt Lift” which was developed by Victoria Secret model, personal trainer, Leandro Carvalho.
So, what we do, is free. We can advise you on what program would work best with your time available, and your goals. But we can only lead you to the water… And remember, the best investment we can make, is in our health!
We’d love to help. All you have to do is ask!
Bradley Hall
Independent Beachbody Coach
www.facebook.com/unclefraddy
www.twitter.com/thebradleyhall
bradleyhall@comcast.net
Translation, we have 90 days to whip it into shape! So, if you have been reluctant to give what we’re telling and selling a try, but are still frustrated because whatever it is that you’re doing, isn’t getting you the results that we’ve shown you we’ve had, then maybe, just maybe, you should take a step back, and see what we have to offer?
We’ve had great results. Beachbody has about 5 of the all time leading workout programs, including “Slim in 6” which is THE best selling program of all time. But Beachbody is more than the programs. The results come from the program, the INCLUDED diets and nutrition guides, the scientifically proven supplements and the peer support of literally hundreds of thousands of customer s and coaches. Have you seen our pictures?? It works.
P90X is used and touted by the US Coast Guard, numerous police and fire departments nationwide, pro-athletes, movie stars, musicians, and thousands of people like us. It has been featured on Oprah, Tyra, Mike and Mike in the morning, and many other programs. Simply google, “P90X results” and click on images and you can see what P90X can do for ANYONE.
Slim in 6, with Debbie Seibers, as we said, is the best selling workout program of all time. So, something must be right with it. Actually, Slim and 6 has just been re-vamped and re-released. Beachbody is running a special with it’s new breakthrough nutritional product, Shakeology (which is the most amazing nutritional product on the market hands down). Slim in 6 is a great starter workout for beginners, and is also a great maintenance workout for those who are active already.
Beachbody also offers great programs such as INSANITY, Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Abs, Rev-Abs and their newest and hottest program, “Brazil Butt Lift” which was developed by Victoria Secret model, personal trainer, Leandro Carvalho.
So, what we do, is free. We can advise you on what program would work best with your time available, and your goals. But we can only lead you to the water… And remember, the best investment we can make, is in our health!
We’d love to help. All you have to do is ask!
Bradley Hall
Independent Beachbody Coach
www.facebook.com/unclefraddy
www.twitter.com/thebradleyhall
bradleyhall@comcast.net
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
INSANITY!
Day 1
FIT TEST
2/20/2010
Today I started INSANITY with Shaun T on a whim. I had done 2 complete rounds of P90X and was smack in the middle of my third. However, I just felt like I needed a boost. I was ready for another challenge and ready to shed some more weight fast (Spring Break and the Beachbody Coach's Summit in L.A. are coming up soon! lol).
So, as I got ready to put my P90X disc in, I just said, "oh what the hell?" and started INSANITY.
Today, Day 1, was the fit test. Basically after the warm up, it is a series of 8 cardio/core/plyometric exercises that are performed for 1 minute each. You keep track of the number of reps of each one. These include:
Switch Kicks (50)
Power Jacks (43)
Power Knees (65)
Power Jumps (21)
Globe Jumps (7)
Suicide Jumps (9)
Push up Jacks (17)
Low Plank Obliques (24)
It was fairly intense and was a good workout in itself. The number in parantheses is the number I completed. Based on some of the numbers some of participants in Shaun T's group on the disc, I was pretty happy with my numbers for a beginner. But I have a long way to go. The "Fit test" is done at Day 1, 15, 36, 50, and 63, to track and compare your progress. This should be interesting to say the least.
Starting weight: 262
Day 2
PLYOMETRIC CARDIO CIRCUIT
2/21/2010
This is about a 40 minute workout but don't let it fool you. Wow. It was pretty intense.
The "warm up" phase is a workout all by itself. It is a serious of basic movements designed to obviously raise your heart rate. They are:
Warm up
Jogging in place
Jumpin jacks
Heisman
1-2-3 Heisman
Butt kick run
Mummy kicks
Then, repeat the segment FASTER. Then...repeat it again even faster.
Time for the full body stretch. Definitely a relief, though I would top short of calling it a break. However, it definitely is pleasing to your body and you will thank yourself for following through, especially when you start the Interval Training.
Interval Training
This is the meat of the program. It leads all the way up to the 3 minute cool down int he end. It is quick and intense.
Phase 1:
Suicide Drills
Power Squats
Mountain Climbers (Pretend you’re climbing a wall. Look up and reach for the sky Ski Ski Down
Repeat and repeat again
30 second break
Football Drills
25 second break
Phase 2:
Level 1 Drills
Ski Drills
In-Outs
Repeat and repeat again
Phase 3:
Jabs
Cross Jacks
Uppercuts
Attacks
Finally, the cool down. You'll need it! I assure you though, I've never felt better!
FIT TEST
2/20/2010
Today I started INSANITY with Shaun T on a whim. I had done 2 complete rounds of P90X and was smack in the middle of my third. However, I just felt like I needed a boost. I was ready for another challenge and ready to shed some more weight fast (Spring Break and the Beachbody Coach's Summit in L.A. are coming up soon! lol).
So, as I got ready to put my P90X disc in, I just said, "oh what the hell?" and started INSANITY.
Today, Day 1, was the fit test. Basically after the warm up, it is a series of 8 cardio/core/plyometric exercises that are performed for 1 minute each. You keep track of the number of reps of each one. These include:
Switch Kicks (50)
Power Jacks (43)
Power Knees (65)
Power Jumps (21)
Globe Jumps (7)
Suicide Jumps (9)
Push up Jacks (17)
Low Plank Obliques (24)
It was fairly intense and was a good workout in itself. The number in parantheses is the number I completed. Based on some of the numbers some of participants in Shaun T's group on the disc, I was pretty happy with my numbers for a beginner. But I have a long way to go. The "Fit test" is done at Day 1, 15, 36, 50, and 63, to track and compare your progress. This should be interesting to say the least.
Starting weight: 262
Day 2
PLYOMETRIC CARDIO CIRCUIT
2/21/2010
This is about a 40 minute workout but don't let it fool you. Wow. It was pretty intense.
The "warm up" phase is a workout all by itself. It is a serious of basic movements designed to obviously raise your heart rate. They are:
Warm up
Jogging in place
Jumpin jacks
Heisman
1-2-3 Heisman
Butt kick run
Mummy kicks
Then, repeat the segment FASTER. Then...repeat it again even faster.
Time for the full body stretch. Definitely a relief, though I would top short of calling it a break. However, it definitely is pleasing to your body and you will thank yourself for following through, especially when you start the Interval Training.
Interval Training
This is the meat of the program. It leads all the way up to the 3 minute cool down int he end. It is quick and intense.
Phase 1:
Suicide Drills
Power Squats
Mountain Climbers (Pretend you’re climbing a wall. Look up and reach for the sky Ski Ski Down
Repeat and repeat again
30 second break
Football Drills
25 second break
Phase 2:
Level 1 Drills
Ski Drills
In-Outs
Repeat and repeat again
Phase 3:
Jabs
Cross Jacks
Uppercuts
Attacks
Finally, the cool down. You'll need it! I assure you though, I've never felt better!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
“Man, I am dragging”
Typical statement. We should all be familiar with it. It’s something we’ve told ourselves over and over and over again, many times. It’s that self defeating voice in our head. Or…is it rationale, trying to talk some sense into us? Probably a little bit of both. Let me explain.
It’s what I’m feeling right now. I’m now on week 6 of my 3rd round of P90X in less than a year. The first round was getting myself from post brain surgery shape to back to firefighting duty shape. Round 2 was more about getting myself back to where I originally was before my extended time off. This time, round 3 is about pushing boundaries and self imposed barriers. So, I chose to go the “doubles” route, and I’m doing just that (pushing boundaries).
I must say it’s working. I’m seeing the results in the mirror more so than the scale but the weight is still, once again, sliding off. I’m feeling better than I have in a long time. Actually, at 38, I may honestly be in the best shape of my entire life. But….I am dragging.
Saturday, I skipped a workout (Kenpo). I know, I can hear the collective gasp and overwhelming shock. I don’t miss workouts. When I do, I usually double up the next day in some kind of self inflicted punishment ritual. But Saturday I just sat down, crossed my arms, stuck out my bottom lip and said, “I don’t wanna”.
Well, Sunday was my “off” day. So I went back to back. Monday was crazy busy and I found myself at about 7 pm DREADING my workout. I was at a fork in the road.
I had been pushing myself. The doubles. The work. A night with little sleep at the firehouse the previous week. It was just adding up. Not to mention the winter time and our bodies natural tendency to slow way down and conserve energy anyway. My body was just trying to tell me “Whoa dude, we have to chill for awhile” (My body is an old surfer. What? It’s my body, I’ll lie if I want to!). So, it really was my body trying to tell me something. So I listened.
But then that charismatic old surfer dude, who had told me exactly what I needed earlier, then tried to take advantage of the situation. Once he had me (and had me good), he tried to keep it going as long as he could. Kind of like when a small child does something funny, and everyone laughs, the kid keeps doing it over and over and over, trying to hold the attention for as long as they can? Well, he tried.
As I said, your body has a tendency to want to conserve energy. On a primordial level, your body has no idea when your next meal is coming. At one point in time, mankind would have to go extended periods without food until some was found. We haven’t physically evolved past that concept yet. We haven’t adapted to ingesting salt laden greasy food yet (ok. That’s another blog topic. I’ll move on). So, since our body doesn’t know when the next bout of starvation is coming, it will do what it can to slow you down, just to conserve. “Just in case”.
And that’s where our “laziness” comes from. Our self defeating voice that tells you “it’s ok. You’ve worked hard today. Just sit for a few minutes”. Or “take the day off”. Or “lay in bed a little while longer, we’ll workout later today”. When in fact, if you just tell that voice to be quiet for a second, and really think about it, you know that if you sit down, you aren’t getting back up more than likely. If you lay in bed a little while longer, then there won’t be time for a workout because you have a crazy day scheduled.
What did I do, you ask? I compromised. I told myself yesterday that I was NOT skipping another workout. I readily admitted that I physically did not feel like working out again yesterday. It was late and I was still tired. But, I was out of excuses and wasn’t having any of it. So, I did not workout last night BUT I pushed the start of week six back one day. I did Day 1 on Tuesday, instead of Monday. I will just roll and adapt and start a new schedule. I will finish the next 7 weeks a day behind.
In the long run, it won’t matter that Im’ a day behind. But would have mattered was to just blow another day off, to let my old surfer dude dictate my schedule and talk me out of doing what’s best for me. To let him take away the best thing that I have ever done for myself, and that is, P90X my way into the healthiest lifestyle I’ve ever had. “Sorry dude”.
Remember:
When it comes down to it, you either do, or you don’t. Period
Bradley
Independent Emerald BeachBody Coach
BAM Elite Fitness
www.teambeachbody.com/bamelitefitness
www.facebook.com/unclefraddy
www.bamelitefitness.com
www.twitter.com/thebradleyhall
bradleyhall@comcast.net
bam@bamelitefitness.com
Bradley is a Independent Emerald BeachBody Coach. He is a full-time firefighter, husband and father of 3 beautiful children. Bradley has coached and trained some of the top Indiana boys high school basketball players. After being diagnosed with a rare condition known as a Chiari Malformation and undergoing brain surgery in January of 2009 I committed to speak out to raise awareness about personal health and nutrition to help others live a long and properous life. BeachBody and P90X have completely changed his life.
Typical statement. We should all be familiar with it. It’s something we’ve told ourselves over and over and over again, many times. It’s that self defeating voice in our head. Or…is it rationale, trying to talk some sense into us? Probably a little bit of both. Let me explain.
It’s what I’m feeling right now. I’m now on week 6 of my 3rd round of P90X in less than a year. The first round was getting myself from post brain surgery shape to back to firefighting duty shape. Round 2 was more about getting myself back to where I originally was before my extended time off. This time, round 3 is about pushing boundaries and self imposed barriers. So, I chose to go the “doubles” route, and I’m doing just that (pushing boundaries).
I must say it’s working. I’m seeing the results in the mirror more so than the scale but the weight is still, once again, sliding off. I’m feeling better than I have in a long time. Actually, at 38, I may honestly be in the best shape of my entire life. But….I am dragging.
Saturday, I skipped a workout (Kenpo). I know, I can hear the collective gasp and overwhelming shock. I don’t miss workouts. When I do, I usually double up the next day in some kind of self inflicted punishment ritual. But Saturday I just sat down, crossed my arms, stuck out my bottom lip and said, “I don’t wanna”.
Well, Sunday was my “off” day. So I went back to back. Monday was crazy busy and I found myself at about 7 pm DREADING my workout. I was at a fork in the road.
I had been pushing myself. The doubles. The work. A night with little sleep at the firehouse the previous week. It was just adding up. Not to mention the winter time and our bodies natural tendency to slow way down and conserve energy anyway. My body was just trying to tell me “Whoa dude, we have to chill for awhile” (My body is an old surfer. What? It’s my body, I’ll lie if I want to!). So, it really was my body trying to tell me something. So I listened.
But then that charismatic old surfer dude, who had told me exactly what I needed earlier, then tried to take advantage of the situation. Once he had me (and had me good), he tried to keep it going as long as he could. Kind of like when a small child does something funny, and everyone laughs, the kid keeps doing it over and over and over, trying to hold the attention for as long as they can? Well, he tried.
As I said, your body has a tendency to want to conserve energy. On a primordial level, your body has no idea when your next meal is coming. At one point in time, mankind would have to go extended periods without food until some was found. We haven’t physically evolved past that concept yet. We haven’t adapted to ingesting salt laden greasy food yet (ok. That’s another blog topic. I’ll move on). So, since our body doesn’t know when the next bout of starvation is coming, it will do what it can to slow you down, just to conserve. “Just in case”.
And that’s where our “laziness” comes from. Our self defeating voice that tells you “it’s ok. You’ve worked hard today. Just sit for a few minutes”. Or “take the day off”. Or “lay in bed a little while longer, we’ll workout later today”. When in fact, if you just tell that voice to be quiet for a second, and really think about it, you know that if you sit down, you aren’t getting back up more than likely. If you lay in bed a little while longer, then there won’t be time for a workout because you have a crazy day scheduled.
What did I do, you ask? I compromised. I told myself yesterday that I was NOT skipping another workout. I readily admitted that I physically did not feel like working out again yesterday. It was late and I was still tired. But, I was out of excuses and wasn’t having any of it. So, I did not workout last night BUT I pushed the start of week six back one day. I did Day 1 on Tuesday, instead of Monday. I will just roll and adapt and start a new schedule. I will finish the next 7 weeks a day behind.
In the long run, it won’t matter that Im’ a day behind. But would have mattered was to just blow another day off, to let my old surfer dude dictate my schedule and talk me out of doing what’s best for me. To let him take away the best thing that I have ever done for myself, and that is, P90X my way into the healthiest lifestyle I’ve ever had. “Sorry dude”.
Remember:
When it comes down to it, you either do, or you don’t. Period
Bradley
Independent Emerald BeachBody Coach
BAM Elite Fitness
www.teambeachbody.com/bamelitefitness
www.facebook.com/unclefraddy
www.bamelitefitness.com
www.twitter.com/thebradleyhall
bradleyhall@comcast.net
bam@bamelitefitness.com
Bradley is a Independent Emerald BeachBody Coach. He is a full-time firefighter, husband and father of 3 beautiful children. Bradley has coached and trained some of the top Indiana boys high school basketball players. After being diagnosed with a rare condition known as a Chiari Malformation and undergoing brain surgery in January of 2009 I committed to speak out to raise awareness about personal health and nutrition to help others live a long and properous life. BeachBody and P90X have completely changed his life.
Monday, January 4, 2010
The cold hard facts about changing your life
The Truth
Ok. Look. Here it is. This is the straight, unabashed, no holds, tough love truth. If you can’t handle the straight truth, with no chaser then please quit reading now. If you are tough enough to take it straight, knowing that it’s going to burn going down but that it’s what you probably not only need to hear, but need to really listen to and apply to your life in particular then come on in! The water is fine!!!!
Ok. Still here? OK. Here we go….
I love being a BeachBody coach, for so many reasons. First it helps motivate me. Staying involved with my fitness on a daily level and associating with other motivated people just helps drive me. Especially on those days when I don’t really feel so up to it. Second, I make a little extra money doing it. Nothing spectacular, yet. But a few extra bucks never hurt anyone. Finally, I love helping other people. Always have. Anyone who TRULY knows me, knows that. Thus my coaching history among many other examples.
However, I am also a realist. And that part of it gets to me.
I have to tell anyone that is SERIOUS about weight loss, getting fit, etc that it is a lifestyle change, literally. It can not be, except in rare occasions, a “I’ll do this here and there” or “unless I’m busy then I’ll skip here and there”. And “Oh I’ve been doing good, so I can cheat here or there”.
Most just don’t get it. The first resistive statement I get is “I don’t have time to workout 4-6 days a week”. Or “I just wanna do some workouts but I don’t want to mess with that supplement stuff”. Or “I eat ok. I just need to shed a few pounds”.
Physcial Activity
Here it is, ok? We as Americans have developed such a healthy lifestyle that it’s no wonder people actually believe their own excuses they lay out about their weight and lifestyle.
The reality is that the way we are designed is to do light physical activity all day long. If it weren’t for cars, elevators, etc. We would walk everywhere we went. If it weren’t for grocery stores and mass produced food (which is another article forthcoming…yuck!) then we would constantly be out gathering and/or hunting for food. We would gather fire wood, make our own tools, etc.
Now, we get up, take a shower and get in the car. Then we get out of the car, go sit down. Get up to go eat. Come back from eating. Then go home, do few things here and there and go to bed. NO COMPARISON!!!
We have become so lazy that we think that working out twice a week is work.
What we eat
Then the food, ugh, the FOOD. It’ horrible. Let’s again put this in perspective. IF there were none of this technological, laziness around, what would we eat? What was here before everything else? Before McDonalds? Before frozen meals? Before potato chips? Before Coca-Cola? Before Microwaves and deep fat fryers?
I’ll tell you what it was….raw, yes RAW fruits and vegetables. Meat was a rarity. It isn’t meant to eat everyday. That’s why hunting season is in the winter. Meat was used to sustain life through the winter drought of colorful vegetables. It was a means of keeping people from starving.
Thanksgiving isn’t about the hunt, or pizza, fast food! It was about being thankful for the harvest. The harvest of the grains, fruits and vegetables.
Wanna lose weight? Eat properly. Eat a salad or TWO everyday, without fail. Period. Eat an apple each day (“An apple a day keeps the doctor away”). Eat a banana a day. Throw in some grapes to snack on. Eat raw carrots everyday. Eat some broccoli everyday. You would be amazed the anti-aging, anti-cancer, anti-oxidants they contain. Anyone tells you “oh they have sugar” then run from that person. They know just enough about nutrition to get you to believe something you shouldn’t. The sugar to stay away from is high fructose corn syrup and refined sugars. Natural sugars don’t count.
Oh, and fiber….
I could just go on and on, and I will. But that is another day. Just trust me. You eat like garbage. We all do. It take a conscious effort to eat “weird” and go back to how it should be. But it has to be done to get where you want.
Supplements
Next is supplementation. So many people are spinning their wheels working out and not supplementing correctly. Many think it’s overblown and over-hyped (and much of it is). Many think they are dangerous (and some of it can be). I’m here to kinda set the record straight.
Supplementation is key no matter what you’re goals. However, your goals will determine what supplements you need. You wouldn’t put racing fuel in your car. Racing fuel is for race cars. Your gasoline is for family cars. If you put gasoline in a race car it would no loner be competitive, or worse. Vice versa. The same with your body.
The trick is to use an expert. Find someone that knows what they are talking about. Actually, find several people, read, research, use trial and error and adjust to find what works for you. But please, use something. The food you eat can keep up at best. When you work out, your body will consume large quantities of protein, vitamins and minerals during your work outs. Working out is traumatic on your body and it begins immediately working to repair itself, putting you in a deficit in certain areas. The only area you want to have a deficit in is calories. So, supplementation is key to putting back in the important stuff.
However, keep it simple. Use what you need.
The Whole Package
So basically, achieving weight loss and obtaining your fitness goals is predicated on implementing the whole package. It is the workouts, the dietary habits AND the supplementation. Period. Remember the old adage, “two out of three ain’t bad”? Well, it “ain’t good” either! You want different results, then you have to drastically work to change what you’re doing now and have always done in the past. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing you’ve always done and expecting different results. Just ain’t gonna happen my friend!
Now, it shouldn’t scare you. Because trust me. When you follow this road map you will hate it (and probably me) for the first couple of weeks. But one day you will suddenly realize “Hey!!! I feel pretty good!!”. And you will. You will have more energy than you ever dreamed of. You will require less sleep. You will just feel good.
When we started P90X last year, we opened it up and we freaked out! We thought, “6 days a week??? Are you serious??” Well, they were serious. And now, so are we! The first couple of weeks were agonizing. We were tired, couldn’t keep up, hell, we couldn’t even physically do have of the stuff they were doing without falling over or stumbling! But we got the hang of it. It works. If we miss a workout now, we miss it. We can tell. We actually look forward to them.
So, you got it. The cold hard truth. You can’t stay where you are at to get where you want to go. You have to change it. All of it. And it can be done. And it’s tough. Nothing worth having in life is easy. But it is sooooo worth it. It really is a life changing experience.
Remember:
When it comes down to it, you either do, or you don’t. Period.
Bradley
Independent Emerald BeachBody Coach
BAM Elite Fitness
bradleyhall@comcast.net
bam@bamelitefitness.com
www.bamelitefitness.com
www.facebook.com/unclefraddy
Bradley is a Independent Emerald BeachBody Coach. He is a full-time firefighter, husband and father of 3 beautiful children. Bradley has coached and trained some of the top Indiana boys high school basketball players. After being diagnosed with a rare condition known as a Chiari Malformation and undergoing brain surgery in January of 2009 I committed to speak out to raise awareness about personal health and nutrition to help others live a long and properous life. BeachBody and P90X have completely changed his life.
Ok. Look. Here it is. This is the straight, unabashed, no holds, tough love truth. If you can’t handle the straight truth, with no chaser then please quit reading now. If you are tough enough to take it straight, knowing that it’s going to burn going down but that it’s what you probably not only need to hear, but need to really listen to and apply to your life in particular then come on in! The water is fine!!!!
Ok. Still here? OK. Here we go….
I love being a BeachBody coach, for so many reasons. First it helps motivate me. Staying involved with my fitness on a daily level and associating with other motivated people just helps drive me. Especially on those days when I don’t really feel so up to it. Second, I make a little extra money doing it. Nothing spectacular, yet. But a few extra bucks never hurt anyone. Finally, I love helping other people. Always have. Anyone who TRULY knows me, knows that. Thus my coaching history among many other examples.
However, I am also a realist. And that part of it gets to me.
I have to tell anyone that is SERIOUS about weight loss, getting fit, etc that it is a lifestyle change, literally. It can not be, except in rare occasions, a “I’ll do this here and there” or “unless I’m busy then I’ll skip here and there”. And “Oh I’ve been doing good, so I can cheat here or there”.
Most just don’t get it. The first resistive statement I get is “I don’t have time to workout 4-6 days a week”. Or “I just wanna do some workouts but I don’t want to mess with that supplement stuff”. Or “I eat ok. I just need to shed a few pounds”.
Physcial Activity
Here it is, ok? We as Americans have developed such a healthy lifestyle that it’s no wonder people actually believe their own excuses they lay out about their weight and lifestyle.
The reality is that the way we are designed is to do light physical activity all day long. If it weren’t for cars, elevators, etc. We would walk everywhere we went. If it weren’t for grocery stores and mass produced food (which is another article forthcoming…yuck!) then we would constantly be out gathering and/or hunting for food. We would gather fire wood, make our own tools, etc.
Now, we get up, take a shower and get in the car. Then we get out of the car, go sit down. Get up to go eat. Come back from eating. Then go home, do few things here and there and go to bed. NO COMPARISON!!!
We have become so lazy that we think that working out twice a week is work.
What we eat
Then the food, ugh, the FOOD. It’ horrible. Let’s again put this in perspective. IF there were none of this technological, laziness around, what would we eat? What was here before everything else? Before McDonalds? Before frozen meals? Before potato chips? Before Coca-Cola? Before Microwaves and deep fat fryers?
I’ll tell you what it was….raw, yes RAW fruits and vegetables. Meat was a rarity. It isn’t meant to eat everyday. That’s why hunting season is in the winter. Meat was used to sustain life through the winter drought of colorful vegetables. It was a means of keeping people from starving.
Thanksgiving isn’t about the hunt, or pizza, fast food! It was about being thankful for the harvest. The harvest of the grains, fruits and vegetables.
Wanna lose weight? Eat properly. Eat a salad or TWO everyday, without fail. Period. Eat an apple each day (“An apple a day keeps the doctor away”). Eat a banana a day. Throw in some grapes to snack on. Eat raw carrots everyday. Eat some broccoli everyday. You would be amazed the anti-aging, anti-cancer, anti-oxidants they contain. Anyone tells you “oh they have sugar” then run from that person. They know just enough about nutrition to get you to believe something you shouldn’t. The sugar to stay away from is high fructose corn syrup and refined sugars. Natural sugars don’t count.
Oh, and fiber….
I could just go on and on, and I will. But that is another day. Just trust me. You eat like garbage. We all do. It take a conscious effort to eat “weird” and go back to how it should be. But it has to be done to get where you want.
Supplements
Next is supplementation. So many people are spinning their wheels working out and not supplementing correctly. Many think it’s overblown and over-hyped (and much of it is). Many think they are dangerous (and some of it can be). I’m here to kinda set the record straight.
Supplementation is key no matter what you’re goals. However, your goals will determine what supplements you need. You wouldn’t put racing fuel in your car. Racing fuel is for race cars. Your gasoline is for family cars. If you put gasoline in a race car it would no loner be competitive, or worse. Vice versa. The same with your body.
The trick is to use an expert. Find someone that knows what they are talking about. Actually, find several people, read, research, use trial and error and adjust to find what works for you. But please, use something. The food you eat can keep up at best. When you work out, your body will consume large quantities of protein, vitamins and minerals during your work outs. Working out is traumatic on your body and it begins immediately working to repair itself, putting you in a deficit in certain areas. The only area you want to have a deficit in is calories. So, supplementation is key to putting back in the important stuff.
However, keep it simple. Use what you need.
The Whole Package
So basically, achieving weight loss and obtaining your fitness goals is predicated on implementing the whole package. It is the workouts, the dietary habits AND the supplementation. Period. Remember the old adage, “two out of three ain’t bad”? Well, it “ain’t good” either! You want different results, then you have to drastically work to change what you’re doing now and have always done in the past. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing you’ve always done and expecting different results. Just ain’t gonna happen my friend!
Now, it shouldn’t scare you. Because trust me. When you follow this road map you will hate it (and probably me) for the first couple of weeks. But one day you will suddenly realize “Hey!!! I feel pretty good!!”. And you will. You will have more energy than you ever dreamed of. You will require less sleep. You will just feel good.
When we started P90X last year, we opened it up and we freaked out! We thought, “6 days a week??? Are you serious??” Well, they were serious. And now, so are we! The first couple of weeks were agonizing. We were tired, couldn’t keep up, hell, we couldn’t even physically do have of the stuff they were doing without falling over or stumbling! But we got the hang of it. It works. If we miss a workout now, we miss it. We can tell. We actually look forward to them.
So, you got it. The cold hard truth. You can’t stay where you are at to get where you want to go. You have to change it. All of it. And it can be done. And it’s tough. Nothing worth having in life is easy. But it is sooooo worth it. It really is a life changing experience.
Remember:
When it comes down to it, you either do, or you don’t. Period.
Bradley
Independent Emerald BeachBody Coach
BAM Elite Fitness
bradleyhall@comcast.net
bam@bamelitefitness.com
www.bamelitefitness.com
www.facebook.com/unclefraddy
Bradley is a Independent Emerald BeachBody Coach. He is a full-time firefighter, husband and father of 3 beautiful children. Bradley has coached and trained some of the top Indiana boys high school basketball players. After being diagnosed with a rare condition known as a Chiari Malformation and undergoing brain surgery in January of 2009 I committed to speak out to raise awareness about personal health and nutrition to help others live a long and properous life. BeachBody and P90X have completely changed his life.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
A few tips to keeping that New Years Resolution
A few tips to keeping that New Years Resolution
So, you’re going to give it another try? It’s a new year and you’re tired of the same o’, same o’ huh?
You are not alone. You, and I, are just like millions of Americans that will join in making promises to change habits in 2010. However, history shows that most, if not almost all will fail. Here are some tips to help you succeed:
Admit your flaws
This is first and foremost. However, it is also the most difficult. The human psyche is built for self defense. We are made to lie to ourselves. This is an ego trait that has been made worse by our American way of life. In our strive for “happiness” we medicate ourselves with food, drugs, things and yes, even little white lies we tell ourselves.
The bottom line is that if your car has a mechanical problem, you have to identify the problem before you can buy the part and fix it. It doesn’t do us any good to tell ourselves that the car won’t start because the oil needs changed. It’s what I call the “ostrich effect”. Simply putting your head in the sand won’t make things go away.
So evaluate carefully. If you originally thought you eat “ok” then you probably need to take it a step further. If you originally thought you needed to lose “10-15 lbs” then you honestly probably need to lose 30-40.
Convince yourself that you deserve what you seek
One of the most prominent factors in those who fail is the ability to self sabotage! Quit it!! Tell yourself that you deserve what it is you’re going after. If you have to, look yourself in the mirror and tell yourself this is what you want, and you are going to get it. Expect nothing less of yourself.
Plan
Next, plan. You wouldn’t take off on a hike through the wilderness without a map. (I couldn’t use a road trip as an example because someone would undoubtedly say something about GPS! Lol) Getting where you’re going is NEVER near as important as the journey there. Learn as much as you can and put together steps that will get you to where you want to go. Then, write it down! Any organization throughout history has always written plans and ideas out. It’s a proven measure to help ensure success. Life can get us busy and small details can be forgotten.
Also, document you’re starting point. Take pictures, notes, whatever you need to remember why you needed the change in the first place.
Organize
Get organized. Throw out anything that chains you to the old. Get out all that brings you into the new. Get your routine set. Most importantly, follow that routine!!!!!
Read and re-check your plan daily
Stay in the moment. Keep your promise and plan a priority. Read and re-evaluate daily. Constantly check your progress. Go back and look at those notes and pictures from before you started. Use that to help motivate.
Seek, find, and surround yourself with motivation
Let’s face it, life is one huge distraction. There are so many things that occupy our time. As Americans, our attentions spans don’t last any longer than a 30 second TV commercial. Beat yourself at your own game. Leave post it notes, send yourself emails, set reminders on your phone, set your homepage to a related website, go to chat rooms and discussion boards, find new friends at work that share the same goals you do, etc. Leave yourself a trail of breadcrumbs to constantly find your way back to your path should you stray.
Pick yourself up when you fall
The odds are, at some point, you will slip. It’s just life. No one is perfect. However, don’t fall back into your old habits just because you strayed a little. When a baby learns to walk, it continually falls over and over. Just imagine if that baby NEVER tried to get back up after it fell? It would never walk. Stay the course. Don’t get discouraged. And many times, when we slip, it seems impossible to restart. Just do it. You’ll be glad you did.
Be proud and hare your success with others
Share it! Tell everyone. If someone doesn’t like it, tell them they don’t have to listen. Be proud of what you’ve accomplished. Because believe it or not, you ARE worthy of inspiring others. For every ten people you share it with there may only be one person you will inspire but isn’t that enough? That one person may go on to inspire other people, and they may go on to inspire others and so on. It’s amazing the ripples that a small stone thrown into a quiet pond will make!!!
Lose your excuses
Know what the difference between and excuse and a reason is? A reason is used to explain why you previously did something in your life. An excuse is used to continue to do those things. Lose the excuses. Because, to be honest, when it all comes down to it……… you either do, or you don’t, period.
I wish all of you success in anything and everything you do in 2010 and beyond.
Bradley
So, you’re going to give it another try? It’s a new year and you’re tired of the same o’, same o’ huh?
You are not alone. You, and I, are just like millions of Americans that will join in making promises to change habits in 2010. However, history shows that most, if not almost all will fail. Here are some tips to help you succeed:
Admit your flaws
This is first and foremost. However, it is also the most difficult. The human psyche is built for self defense. We are made to lie to ourselves. This is an ego trait that has been made worse by our American way of life. In our strive for “happiness” we medicate ourselves with food, drugs, things and yes, even little white lies we tell ourselves.
The bottom line is that if your car has a mechanical problem, you have to identify the problem before you can buy the part and fix it. It doesn’t do us any good to tell ourselves that the car won’t start because the oil needs changed. It’s what I call the “ostrich effect”. Simply putting your head in the sand won’t make things go away.
So evaluate carefully. If you originally thought you eat “ok” then you probably need to take it a step further. If you originally thought you needed to lose “10-15 lbs” then you honestly probably need to lose 30-40.
Convince yourself that you deserve what you seek
One of the most prominent factors in those who fail is the ability to self sabotage! Quit it!! Tell yourself that you deserve what it is you’re going after. If you have to, look yourself in the mirror and tell yourself this is what you want, and you are going to get it. Expect nothing less of yourself.
Plan
Next, plan. You wouldn’t take off on a hike through the wilderness without a map. (I couldn’t use a road trip as an example because someone would undoubtedly say something about GPS! Lol) Getting where you’re going is NEVER near as important as the journey there. Learn as much as you can and put together steps that will get you to where you want to go. Then, write it down! Any organization throughout history has always written plans and ideas out. It’s a proven measure to help ensure success. Life can get us busy and small details can be forgotten.
Also, document you’re starting point. Take pictures, notes, whatever you need to remember why you needed the change in the first place.
Organize
Get organized. Throw out anything that chains you to the old. Get out all that brings you into the new. Get your routine set. Most importantly, follow that routine!!!!!
Read and re-check your plan daily
Stay in the moment. Keep your promise and plan a priority. Read and re-evaluate daily. Constantly check your progress. Go back and look at those notes and pictures from before you started. Use that to help motivate.
Seek, find, and surround yourself with motivation
Let’s face it, life is one huge distraction. There are so many things that occupy our time. As Americans, our attentions spans don’t last any longer than a 30 second TV commercial. Beat yourself at your own game. Leave post it notes, send yourself emails, set reminders on your phone, set your homepage to a related website, go to chat rooms and discussion boards, find new friends at work that share the same goals you do, etc. Leave yourself a trail of breadcrumbs to constantly find your way back to your path should you stray.
Pick yourself up when you fall
The odds are, at some point, you will slip. It’s just life. No one is perfect. However, don’t fall back into your old habits just because you strayed a little. When a baby learns to walk, it continually falls over and over. Just imagine if that baby NEVER tried to get back up after it fell? It would never walk. Stay the course. Don’t get discouraged. And many times, when we slip, it seems impossible to restart. Just do it. You’ll be glad you did.
Be proud and hare your success with others
Share it! Tell everyone. If someone doesn’t like it, tell them they don’t have to listen. Be proud of what you’ve accomplished. Because believe it or not, you ARE worthy of inspiring others. For every ten people you share it with there may only be one person you will inspire but isn’t that enough? That one person may go on to inspire other people, and they may go on to inspire others and so on. It’s amazing the ripples that a small stone thrown into a quiet pond will make!!!
Lose your excuses
Know what the difference between and excuse and a reason is? A reason is used to explain why you previously did something in your life. An excuse is used to continue to do those things. Lose the excuses. Because, to be honest, when it all comes down to it……… you either do, or you don’t, period.
I wish all of you success in anything and everything you do in 2010 and beyond.
Bradley
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