Jared Meacham

Your System of Beliefs - Is it Fit or Fat?

“In a disordered mind, as in a disordered body, soundness of health is impossible.”

- Cicero

Fitness has many many different variables: sets, reps, load, duration, intensity, frequency and so on. These are all things most of us are very familiar with. What most of us probably overlook is how we perceive ourselves and how vitally important that is to our fitness success and life in general.

I'll try not to sound like a psychology journal here but it's relatively clear that people strive to be what they perceive themselves to be. And, if they're belief of what and who they are is not validated through their choice, actions and lifestyle, they will justify it in order to make themselves feel okay with things. In a more technical world this is called cognitive dissonance.

For example:

I'm 240 pounds, I have more body fat than I've ever had and I feel like crap. Every now and then I will decide to begin working out and eating right. After a couple of weeks I figure out that eating right is challenging and working out takes a lot of effort. So, I quit both. Now here's the important part. Instead of simply admitting that I'm unmotivated, need some professional assistance and deeply want people to think of me as physically attractive, I tell myself (and others) that I have to eat a lot because I have low blood sugar instead of recognizing that my blood sugar issues are likely tied to my poor diet and lack of exercise. Of course this low blood sugar issue would most likely be a non-issue (or less of one) if I engaged in regular exercise and quality eating. I tell myself that working out daily exhausts me and doesn't allow me to have energy to play with my kids, but I really don't spend much quality time with them anyway. I drink alcohol each night because my life is so stressful - surely you all wouldn't understand. I tell myself that eating foods I know pack on the pounds doesn't matter because my weight is directly tied to my genetics and there's nothing I can do about it because I've tried and it never works. Of course I forget to admit that my "tries" usually amount to about two weeks of "doing the machines" and starving myself. Instead of admitting that I'm partially motivated, have very little long-term commitment to my fitness lifestyle and I live in a constant state of self-loathing, I will take on the mask of someone who is perfectly happy with things as they are and justify any and all of my actions that oppose a fitness lifestyle in order to make myself feel better.

Now excuse me, I have to get on Facebook, go manic, and post endless photos, quotes and sayings of how beautiful and amazing I am and how you all are the jerks who need to figure it out because yet again, my body image, my low self-esteem and my own poor choices have ruined another would-be quality relationship.

The hardest part of the whole scenario is that deep down we know our justifications are just that. And, as always, reality sets in for just a moment, we get fed up with everything and decide to do what we truly know will fix the problem forever. So, we start and exercise program, we start to eat fresh, whole and quality foods and inevitably we realize, once again, that this amounts to daily effort and give up only to repeat the whole cycle again and again.

So here's some technical definitions of the things we are talking about:

cognitive dissonance

1 - anxiety that results from simultaneously holding contradictory or otherwise incompatible attitudes, beliefs, or the like, as when one likes a person but disapproves strongly of one of his or her habits.

2 - an uncomfortable mental state resulting from conflicting cognitions; usually resolved by changing some of the cognitions.

cognition

1 - the act of process of knowing; perception.

2 - the product of such a process; something thus known, perceived, etc.

In terms of physical fitness and the choices and actions associated with becoming fit, we can look primarily at the definition of cognitive dissonance and honestly connect our own beliefs and actions to instance where this is evident in our own lives. Personally I struggle with this very thing in a number of ways. However, being aware of the situation is a powerful place to be in. As a trainer I often tell myself "I'm fit enough", "I don't have to stay in great shape year round because I'm still in better shape than most people", things like this. And then, when these ideas sink into my psychology I find myself justifying these beliefs by eating things that conflict with a fit lifestyle. Suddenly, two months into a stint of justification I look in the mirror and say, what the hell happened? If you're like me, this cycle of success and defeat gets old.

So what to do about it? Well, check out the item above I wrote in red. The definitions above tell us that a cognition is something you know, it's knowledge, it's perception, a belief. And the red writing above tells us that cognitive dissonance, a stressful and dissatisfying state of holding conflicting beliefs, can be resolved or corrected by changing cognition (beliefs, knowledge).

In other words, if you and I change what we believe and know to be true, we can reduce the negative effects of cognitive dissonance as it relates to our fitness lifestyle. I promise you this can hurt! But in the end it'll help you put old, negative and limiting behaviors to rest and allow you to happily and confidently adopt new, positive and meaningful habits.

Here's to changing negative cognition or beliefs about ourselves and turning our new positive, meaningful beliefs about ourselves and our fitness process into reality. Here's to overcoming our current beliefs that we are genetically disadvantaged, somehow have a harder life than everyone else on earth and are the only people in the world that just can't live fit with only 24 hours in a day. Horse shit! It's all crap and let's embrace that fact because it is a fact. You have genes and they determine a lot - but you determine how fit you can live. Big dangling gobs of fat around our waists comes from eating processed foods, high fat foods, unnecessary sugars and fast food on the regular while sitting on our cans (or asses, whichever you prefer) all day and night. 24 hours is more time than any 10 people need to get and live fit. For starters, exercise, it gives you energy so you don't oversleep and mope around like a zombie until noon each day. Plan your meals and make them balanced and small, this means eating is a 5-10 minute blip on your 24 hour radar. At this rate you can eat 5-6 meals every single day in less that one hour. Your co-workers that smoke take smoke breaks that add up to at least and hour of lost production each and every day so you can take 8 minutes. And while your life can be hard and so can everyone's, your challenges aren't new and aren't keeping you from making choices to better yourself. If anything, life challenges, if used responsibly can be seen as more reason to structure you life, plan your meals, set aside time to exercise and use your time wisely. If you did 100 jumping jacks every time you checked your email or Facebook each day you would probably be on the cover of a fitness magazine in a month or two.

And let me be clear! Fit people aren't off the hook here. We hold negative beliefs about aspects of our lives too so figure it out and get to work on bettering yourself if this relates to you. It certainly relates to me so I'm not pointing the finger, I'm just being honest enough to admit that in order to better myself and ourselves, you and I need to get our minds right.

In 2012 let's identify the beliefs that are holding us back and toss those things out with the trash. Limiting beliefs have no place in the lives of great people like you and I. We are powerful, we are the masters of our own destinies and we can create positive change for ourselves without help from anyone else. So get to it friend, I believe in you and in humanity. Improvement is what we want and the only thing that stands between you and the fitness lifestyle you crave is your beliefs, your choices and your actions.

Let's rock!

(To read and post comments for this entry, visit http://jaredmeacham.com/)

Achieving Fitness - Where you are matters

I remember the first time I saw Dorian Yates do an underhand grip barbell row (Yates Row) with what must have been close to 500 pounds. It was something I'll never forget - Amazing! Motivational! Sheer Intensity! It was all of these and more. As a young bodybuilder, I couldn't get that picture out of my head. So.....what did I do? You got it! Month-after-month I went into the gym, loaded the bar and tried my best to row heavier and heavier in an effort to achieve a back like the great Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates had. While I did in fact achieve a rather large, strong and muscular physique I eventually decided that this approach to my fitness lifestyle wasn't something I wanted to sustain and eventually made the decision to change direction.

You may say to yourself, "well I wouldn't want to look anything like that anyway" and this may be true. But almost without exception I can tell you that all of us, at one time or another, overlook our current fitness level and attempt to train at a level that requires training, eating and living in a way our lives simply aren't prepared to handle for the long-term. Of course I make this statement from the position that most of us would like to achieve a sustainable fitness lifestyle instead of one that is short-term or limiting.

This fitness blog article is about one very important, but often overlooked aspect of our personal fitness lifestyle.

Exercising, eating and living in balance with where you are currently.

There are a million reasons why this is vital to a sustainable fitness lifestyle, but the one thing I'd like to discuss is the idea that failure to accurately assess your current state with regard to training, eating, motivation and living is, aside from the expectation of immediate success, perhaps the most prevelant reason people begin a program and soon thereafter quit it alltogether.

I believe this is true. I see it all the time. Well-meaning people come into the fitness center, begin following a workout they got online or from some magazine, do their best to mimic each movement and soon discover it's harder than they thought, they're sore, they're tired, they're life isn't prepared to handle the time demands placed on it and after a week or two of self-imposed torture the scale hasn't moved so they begin doing less and less until eventually I don't see them anymore - they give up, quit.

It's a shame really and of course there are an endless number of situations and circumstances that can lead to this same outcome. However, I've discovered that by simply gaining an honest understanding of where you are currently with regard to these 4 things:

1. Exercise

2. Diet

3. Motivation

4. Lifestyle

.... you can then begin exercising, eating and living in a way that is appropriate for your current state of being. Given this, it's almost silly to mention that of course you would work hard to improve and not simply stay where you are, but my message is simple.

Learn to honestly know your limits and engage in fitness activity that is appropriate, safe and manageable.

It's ok to have a long-term goal, it's ok to want to improve quickly and it's ok to work hard to improve, but my message is one of caution and genuine concern - failure to accurately assess your current fitness mindset and physical ability will likely lead to frustration, pain (maybe injury), dissatisfaction and eventually complete disengagement. Do yourself a big favor my friend. Get to know your current state of mind, learn your limits, get to know your physical ability and work within your capability to improve steadily from this day forward. Learn to start slowly, learn to manage your daily schedule so your workouts and eating don't throw the rest of your life into a tailspin - after all, it's all got to fit together in order to achieve lifelong success.

Working with a reputable trainer is always my recommendation - I simply believe this is the best way to ensure that you are working at the optimal level for your physical body and lifestyle. If you take your time to find the right trainer for you, it's always worth the financial committment.

So take stock of your current ability, become aware of your true motivational level and develop a fitness plan that allows you to transition from where you are to where you want to be. Skipping steps, or trying to work at unreasonable levels will only lead to injury, frustration and ultimately failure. Be a winner my friend! Design a program where you can win and be a winner each and every day. With each meal, workout, action, set yourself up for success! You can accomplish all of this by being honest with yourself about your current physical ability, motivation and your true capacity for lifestyle change.

Here's to you!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

(To read and post comments for this entry, visit http://jaredmeacham.com/)

A Friend's Wake-up Call & My Gift to You!

Gratitude is one of the sweet shortcuts to finding peace of mind and happiness inside. No matter what is going on outside of us, there's always something we could be grateful for.

- Barry Neil Kaufman

Today I was in Target trying to get past the bustling crowds of present shoppers so I could purchase my truck load of sugar free gum. Standing in line I couldn't help (or could I?) being annoyed by all the tension in the air. It seemed that every person in front of me had some problem that delayed my day - they got the wrong item, their credit card wouldn't work, the manager had to unlock the register to override a cashier error - it just wouldn't stop. FINALLY! I'm next in line and the person in front of me seems to have her act together. By now I'm rather annoyed and fully prepared to put my items down and leave the store if one more delay transpires when thanks to modern technology I get a strong dose of reality.

A friend, brother in fitness, a man I've never met in person but who has been a trusted comrade via social media reached out and thumped me right between the eyes. Michael Lloyd Billington, expert fitness professional living in Fort Collins, Colorado and man of great encouragement and knowledge posted this on his Facebook page:

Being a rather "in touch" person I immediately related this message to myself. Here I am standing in a line, safe, stomach fuller than it should be with $40 in my hand to buy a month's supply of gum that I'll just end up wasting, spitting out or giving away over the next few weeks.

You, my trusty blog readers, are great, socially aware people so I won't beat the obvious message into your skull - I know you're probably already aware of many things including the message I'm about to give you. What I'd like to do is simply take this chance to remind you as a friend - like Michael did for me. As aware as we are, we all lose focus and let our daily lives take our thoughts down a path that isn't healthy, doesn't benefit us and ofter borders on selfishness. Hey! I'm not pointing the finger, I found myself there today in the situation I just described. Selfish, in a rush and completely unconcerned with the welfare of anyone but myself. For what? So I could buy some gum, get in my car and drive home to feed my dogs their organic, grain-free food.

As I did this it occurred to me that there are humans on our planet that would give anything to eat with my dogs, eat after my dogs, eat anything containing a calorie.

With this spirit in mind please accept my gift to you. Let it be this:

The world exists with you as part of it - allow my gift to be one of awareness. Awareness that there is more to the spirit and meaning of Christmas than gifts, things and parties. The main message is that of Jesus' birth - a savior sent to save the world from sin. A second message is one of gratitude, kindness and authentic generosity. Don't just give things of desire, give your time, give your love, give a friend your ear, lend your patience to someone in need of a little break and above all be forgiving to those who need forgiveness - because you also need forgiveness and I need it too. My gift to you is the message to give of yourself. Let's live to give this gift every day of our lives - imagine the greatness you and I can inspire, create and share with this kind of lifestyle. A fitness lifestyle, if nothing else should begin with generosity and gratitude. Join me in being both grateful and generous this holiday season.

Love each other this Christmas season, take the time to express your appreciation for the people in your life, smile at a stranger and offer your talents, skills, abilities and resources to make other people better tomorrow than they are today.

Give of yourself friends and receive many blessings in return. Perhaps your reward will come later, perhaps it will come in a different package than you expected, but it will come - and when it does, receive it with gratitude and joy.

Merry Christmas to you and yours and may God bless you my friend.

PS - be on the lookout for my new website at this address!! You'll love it!

(To read and post comments for this entry, visit http://jaredmeacham.com/)

I'm Busy Not Dead-Here's a Free Pass for Pie Night

Just a quick note to say hello, wish you well and let you know that I am not deceased, but rather just swamped with cool stuff that needs my undivided attention. While giving one thing my undivided attention has proven impossible thus far in life, I admit that trying is part of the reward. Whatever that means.

So here's the update!!

1. I love and miss you (but not in a weird way) and am working on some awesome, but time eating, blog articles you'll love and soon get to enjoy.

2. My broken leg and hand are healed, but training as usual has taken a back seat to hours of foam rolling to release the soft tissues that have tightened over the past few months of limited motion. If you haven't given myofascial release on form rollers a try, now's the time! Try some Pilates too, you won't regret it.

3. I'm strongly considering a slight shift in life-course and am actually very excited about it. Normally I'm quite the stickler for sticking to "the plan", but it appears that some people and some concepts are just too cool to not at least give a good hard look. So........some good hard looking is on the menu.

4. My dogs are amazing!

5. A lot of you have been sending me emails about training and mostly diet. I appreciate this and am working to get back with you ASAP in hopes that you can apply the info to your fitness program and keep on rockin' it!

6. I won't make it home to Marion, Virginia to see my folks so it'll be another year at the American original Waffle House, eating-up and catching a movie and chillin' with my dog pack before digging into some good fitness stuff.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Ok enough babble, here's the main thing I wanted to share with you!

7. My client Christa and her sister-in-law Suzie have an amazing tradition I fully intend to try......

Pie Night!

What? Oh yea, check this out......they realized that after eating all that Thanksgiving dinner, they were too stuffed to enjoy their delicious pies. So, being brilliant women and highly motivated to eat pie, they created "Pie Night!" They spend the day before Thanksgiving hiking, working out and just being active - then around dinner time their family gathers and they eat all the pies that have been prepared for their family's Thanksgiving celebration.

I personally consider this concept to be on the same amazing level (but tastier) as that of paid vacations, landing on the moon and bikini contests. It only happens once a year, so enjoy Pie Night!

(To read and post comments for this entry, visit http://jaredmeacham.com/)

4 Traits of a World-Class Fitness Professional

Delete, delete, delete, delete, delete! Oh hey there!

Yea, I got about 800 words into this article and decided I wanted to take a more positive, proactive approach to the topic of finding the personal trainer that is going to blow your mind and teach you exactly how to transform your body in the fastest, most healthful manner possible. I just figured that saying, “the vast majority of the personal trainers in the fitness industry suck” wasn’t the approach I wanted to take with this article, so I’m changing it. After all, it’s not really their fault!

Most personal trainers have absolutely no professional guidance, mentorship or bad-ass person like me to show them the ropes.

So we can’t really hold it against the trainers, they’re trying – they just don’t know what they don’t know. Now that I think about it, I don't know what I don't know either but I sure hope someone teaches me. Hey shush! You don't know what you don't know either! Focus Jared. Ok! Yea, most personal trainers want to be awesome at their job, they just haven't been taught how to go about it. Luckily, this is what I do so I'd like to discuss just a few of the things that are characteristic of great personal trainers. While most personal trainers are ineffective, in my experience and in their defense, most are trying very hard to figure it out. Even still, this doesn’t change the fact that you want (and expect) to have a significant emotional experience that transforms and improves your body and life with each passing day. So with this in mind, here’s what I really want to say about you, your fitness endeavors, and what a true fitness professional can and will do for you.

I just love lists so let’s have one. Shall we?

4 Characteristics of a World-Class Fitness Pro

1. Have an unbending approach to their fitness instruction and systems

- I don’t mean to say that they should be a jerk, I’m saying that they should have a rock solid method of training that works for them and their clients. This method should be comprehensive, it should be proven, it should be healthy, it should produce quantifiable, measurable results and it should be replicable.

- Every great trainer will have this characteristic. For instance, my training is firmly rooted in dietary progressions that nourish the body, take away cravings, kill food addictions, fuel your body and lifestyle and burn fat fast. The exercise programs my clients follow are world-class for sure and highly effective but they are a compliment to their nutrition plan and the exercise component while absolutely essential, clearly takes second chair to my client’s eating schedule. My clients know that I WILL NOT train a person who thinks they are going to half-heartedly follow the nutrition plan I make for them. Not happening! I train people who experience successful, amazing transformations. My training system is not a democracy, it is a friendly dictatorship (and we have a blast) and it works every single time!

2. Have plenty of success stories to validate their systems and methods

- Fitness results can take many forms and therefore every Fitness Pro will have a different measure of success. But, whatever their measure of success is, they should have plenty of evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of their training system.

- Personally, I threaten all of my clients with bodily harm and make them send me photos every week via email. These photos show their progression through my training system and validate the program’s effectiveness. Luckily, most of my clients allow me to use their photos in my work to educate, motivate and rock the world of people wishing to engage my services.

30-Day Training Results

Age 50 - Lean and athletic Age 54 - lost 24 lb. - size 10 to size 2

3. Will disclose to you that fitness results are the product of your hard work, dedication and sacrifice.

- A world-class Fitness Professional will not mislead you in any way whatsoever. They don’t need to. Once they’ve educated you about their training system and demonstrated its effectiveness with real-life visual proof you’ll be dying to work with them. When I talk to people about my training methods one of two things happen. They either say “oh”, look at the ground and say, “well, I just don’t know that I’m ready for that,” or they pull a check out of their purse or pocket and say, “how much is it?”

- There’s no need to try and sell you something that is proven to work. Selling is easy for a true Fitness Pro! It’s the easiest part of the job in fact. This is true because their work speaks for itself, their methods are guaranteed, proven, they work. People who want to experience those results will seek that Fitness Pro out and eagerly engage their services and those who aren’t willing to follow the plan and do what is needed scurry off into the periphery to waste time trying some shortcut.

4. Will always act with your best interests in mind

- Honesty is a huge part of the process of getting fit. A world-class Fitness Professional will keep you honest by maintaining their professionalism and dedication to their system and methods. When you try to take a shortcut, lose focus or bend the rules, your Fitness Pro will be right there to thoughtfully ensure you understand exactly how you are deviating from the plan, what the outcome will be and why you need to correct course now. Great trainers are able to help clients correct course, regain their motivation and continue to progress toward their fitness goals.

- A great Fitness Professional will be an advocate for you and your goals. They will work for you even when you are working against yourself. A world-class personal trainer will help you navigate the waters of dissatisfaction, stress and disappointment - all of which are inevitable at some point in your fitness process. A great Fitness Pro will create strategies to work through the tough times and help you come out on the other side better than ever!

- Let’s face it! If a personal trainer doesn’t love what they do, they aren’t going to hold you, their client, to a very high level of expectation. Holding you to a high level of expectation requires the trainer to work, think about things, manage your program and create methods that produce verifyable results. This isn't the easiest thing to do so a slack-ass trainer isn't going to go anywhere near this type of high-accountability process. They want to show up, tell you what exercises to do and leave, that's it! My clients know that my expectations are extremely high. They also know that my expectations are absolutely attainable. However, my clients fully understand (because I educate them) that meeting my expectations means that they do everything my program requires and they do it consistently. Have I ever had a client meet my expectations all the way through their program? No. This is a great thing though. It means that I keep the bar high and my successful clients do the best they can to reach that bar and in the end, your best effort is all that is needed to get fit, stay fit and live fit.

I wish you well in your pursuit and attainment of the wonderful way of life I call the fitness lifestyle. It's an honor to have you as part of my online fitness community and I appreciate your continued support and participation.

Here's to you friends,

Ciao!

PS- the photo on front of this article displays the unofficial 5th trait of a world-class Fitness Professional. This is the ability to wear a scary mask, make your client wear a witch's hat and be awesome all at the same time! How'd I do?

(To read and post comments for this entry, visit http://jaredmeacham.com/)

Follow a Plan, Shut Up & Feed Dogs!

I just got an email from my client (a lovely lady) who for the first time in her life threw those damned Hershey's kisses someone gave her in the trash instead of shoving them into her mouth as if milk chocolate has suddenly become a substance on the brink of extinction.

Winning!

This is exactly where I want her to be with regard to her approach to food. This article will talk about how we Do and Do NOT approach food, our fitness plan and the process of getting fit. There are three (3) main things I'd like to discuss with you.

1. What we can learn from our dogs

2. Why you should keep quiet about your new fitness goals

3. Why following a plan designed by a real fitness professional ALWAYS works

Here we go......

I coach my clients to think of 2 things when they are tempted by non-Jared-approved foods.

a. Dog food

b. Doggie treats

You may be like.....uh what? But I will explain.

a. If you have a dog, you most likely fill his/her bowl full of the food he/she just loves and you go on about your day without giving it a second thought. Right?

Whenever you walk past that bowl full of food that your dog just can't get enough of do you stare at it licking your lips trying to maintain composure and resist shoving your face ear-deep into the bowl like your dog does? Hell no! You don't even consider eating dog food as an option for satisfying your nutritional needs! I work with my clients to have this same mindset toward foods that work contrary to their fitness goals. It takes some practice, but we are human beings and we can teach our minds to do things we want them to do as a means of helping us maintain our desired path. When I talk with my clients about foods that are not on their approved food list we think of those foods in the same way we think of dog food. It's trash! It's not food at all, it's something that OTHER people eat, it is quite simply for OTHER PEOPLE, not us. We approach it with the mindset that we are quite obviously too good for this type of eating. It's beneath us because it lacks quality, it lacks the nutients we need and it is loaded with inflammatory ingredients; all things sane, fitness-minded individuals who value their minds and bodies would not consider as a regular food option.

We are not dogs and we don't eat crap!

b. When your dog does something that pleases you, you probably offer them a treat, something they are motivated to work for. In fact, they'll do just about anything for that treat. They'll sit, roll over, fetch a ball, do your homework - the possibilities are endless, but whatever you want, they'll do it! Anything for the yummy treat!

Well here's an important thing to keep in mind at ALL times when living the fitness lifestyle.

You ARE NOT a dog! So stop rewarding yourself with food.

Perhaps this sounds odd, but it's actually what most people do. We make some progress, we do pretty well with our fitness program for a few days, we lose a pound or two then somewhere in that series of events we tell ourselves that we've earned the right to eat whatever we want to eat. Sounds strikingly like what dogs do for treats right? Yea, in fact it's almost exactly the same process which is the only reason I approach this situation in the manner that I do. It's obviously the same and only a total moron could fail to see the similarities between rewarding a dog with food and rewaring yourself with food!

So knock it off! You're not a dog! Moving on to our next topic of discussion...

Have you ever wanted to just come right out and say something like this?

"Damnit will you please stop asking me to go eat lunch at that restaurant?!"

"No! I do not want to meet you for drinks after work!"

"I'm sorry your feelings are hurt but I don't eat that crap, cook some real food and I'll eat it!"

Sure, we've all had these same thoughts. But why? If you're getting a lot of pressure to eat, drink and be merry then chances are the people around you are consciously or subconsciously trying to get you to quit your new program. Like I mentioned before, it's often subconscious on their part. They don't always realize they are trying to get you to give up on your new fitness goals, to stumble, to make a mistake, to quit.

You see, every time you do something to better yourself you shine a spotlight on the people around you who would like to do the same but lack the motivation, will and ambition to follow-through with it. So, if they can get you to mess up, they don't feel so inadequate and your failure enables them to rationalize inaction to themselves.

As long as you are driven, progressing and improving there will be people who will constantly try to derail your efforts.

There are a lot of ways to deal with this, but I've learned that one particular method works better than anything else.

Here's the secret that keeps people from trying to ruin your fitness plans:

SHUT UP!

Yea that's right, just be quiet! I know it's tempting to get excited about a new fitness plan or diet and our first human instinct is to brag about it, share it with people and talk about what we are doing. But don't! Just don't do it! Keep your new fitness goals, plan and process to yourself and go about your life as if nothing has changed.

Sure, people will soon notice that you are packing your food, that you're skipping happy hour and that you're turning down more social event invitations but just keep quiet and avoid any opportunity to draw attention to yourself and your new fitness process.

By keeping the focus OFF of you and the things you are working on, you get to work in peace, uninterrupted, without anyone in your environment placing temptation or criticism in your way. Set a solid plan, begin working toward your goals and remain silent drawing no attention to your fitness process whatsoever. Before you know it you'll be well on your way, your new actions will have become habits and at that time you'll be able to share your fitness process with others without the risk of giving in to temptations that would have derailed your efforts if presented prior to the development of your new healthy habits.

When we talk about fitness we often talk in terms of a plan.

There's a reason for this. Having a plan means you know how to progress, you know what to do and you know exactly how to approach your fitness process. The most challenging part of developing a fitness plan is finding a true fitness professional. The fitness industry is full of exercise instructors who give good workouts but do not coach you toward your goals. Diet is paramount. Period!

If you are not eating a diet that directly addresses your fitness goals, attaining them is virtually impossible.

Having a fitness professional who understands you, your goals, what exercises you should be doing and what foods you should be eating is absolutely essential to achieving the physique you want. Actually, now that I think about it that is a lie. It's not entirely true because you could absolutely find all of this information yourself through careful study and research. You could also find things that are working for other people and adopt their program and possibly reach a better level of fitness and physical appearance. These things are possible.

But the lack of personalization is something that very few people are willing to devote much physical, mental and emotional effort to. Very few people will find a movie star's fitness plan online and follow it from beginning to end. This is because deep down they know this program is probably good and probably effective but they fail to "buy-in" to the program because they have no sense of ownership. It's not your program, it's someone else's. So inevitably you give up, quit and revert back to a frustrated existance.

Getting a professional fitness coach to develop your plan for you is a great way to start fresh, get on track and stay motivated as the days, weeks and months pass. A great fitness coach will update your program often (I do it weekly) and hold you accountable to the program by staying on top of your progress all along the way.

So here's the message my friend -

Get a professional to design your fitness program.

Keep it quiet until you are absolutely certain you can stick to that program no matter what obstacle arises and get it through your head that any reward you get for a job well done should directly support your fitness progam and goals, not work against it.

Rewarding yourself with food is counterproductive, it damages you emotionally, it fatigues your body and it doesn't give you the reward you truly deserve. Take a trip, get a massage, buy a mountain bike, do something that will benefit you in every way.

PS- sorry for lying to you, it wasn't on purpose

Til next time my friend!

(To read and post comments for this entry, visit http://jaredmeacham.com/)

Workout - A Near Death Experience Card Game

As many of you may know I've been nursing a cracked fibula (lower leg bone) and a broken bone in my hand. Of course this does not work out very well for a fitness pro wishing to film exercise videos so I've been writing a little more about the thought processes and various approaches we can take in order to attain a fit, healthy and down-right awesome body.

Well.......I'm tired of it and I can't take it anymore!

I don't want to "think" about fitness!

I want to DO something that promotes fitness - a "fitnessy" activity if you will. So in my eternal brilliance I thought I'd share a workout format (game actually) with you so you can wow your friends with seemingly endless creativity!

Since I cannot currently perform at a reasonable level (comments from ex-girlfriends NOT appreciated) I am just going to share a fun workout format I've been doing with a number of my clients this week. The cool thing about this particular approach is that it can easily be tailored for any person at any level of fitness.

It's a card game! Pretty simple. And sure, people have been doing card workouts for decades but they really can be fun, interesting, effective and 100% designed around you and your fitness goals. Here's one I like to do that you can easily modify for your personal use.

As those of you who are familiar with my lifetime student status, you may be aware of my hankering for Chaos Theory (among others). While this topic does not specifically qualify as an instance where strict interpretation of Chaos Theory may be observed, I still love the hell out of it simply because it provides a little chaos to my (and now your) usually predictable workout. Chaos fascinates me! Therefore, so does this type of exercise format.

Oh! And that red thing is a symbol for chaos. Just a little FYI so you can run if you see someone with this tatooed on their arm or whatever. Freaks!

I call this workout "Hell Boy!"

Rules

Shuffle and entire deck of playing cards.
On paper, list and number 14 exercises that pertain directly to your fitness goals.
Include all variables with each exercise – weight, duration, reps, speed, elevation, time etc.
Turn the shuffled stack of cards face down. Select the top card, set it aside and begin exercising according to the numbered exercise that corresponds with that card.
Minimize rest. Once an exercise is complete, select the top card and continue this process until your workout is done.

Card Exercise #

Joker 1

2 2

3 3

4 4

5 5

6 6

7 7

8 8

9 9

10 10

Jack 11

Queen 12

King 13

Ace 14

HELL BOY

If you cannot complete all assigned reps in one attempt, use the rest-pause principle to progress until you finish the exercise. Exercises must be completed before selecting another card.

1. 18” Box Jumps – 60 reps

2. Dead Lift – 5 reps, 405lb. (applicable weight for you, this example is designed for me)

3. Hollow Rocks – 30 reps

4. Treadmill – 15% incline, .25 miles (hands-free)

5. Kettlebell Swing – 50 reps, 80lb.

6. Inverted Push-up – 15 reps

7. Decline Leg Raise – 25 reps

8. Power Upright Row – 30 reps, 155lb.

9. Burpee – 15 reps

10. Stationary Bike – Level 10 resistance, 1 mile

11. Push Press – 30 reps, 185lb.

12. Incline Dumbbell Press – 20 reps, 90lb. dumbbells

13. Front Squat – 8 reps, 275lb.

14. Pull-up – 8 reps, body weight

I honestly cannot do this workout for more than 20 minutes so I stop there but you can vary not only the exercises but also the workout duration as well as any other variable in order to fit your fitness needs.

I hope you'll give Hell Boy a try, it's an awesome workout format, it shakes things up a bit, makes your workout interesting and does it all while fully addressing your personal exercise requirements.

Wonder what I'm going to dress as for Halloween....

(To read and post comments for this entry, visit http://jaredmeacham.com/)

Selective Interaction - I Didn't Kill Steve

I could have thrown the phone through a wall upon reading the text message my client just sent me. Instead, I jumped up from my seat, kicked a leg into the air and swung at the air like a tired fighter putting all his hopes into one tremendous last-chance punch. My dogs scattered, heading for cover as foul fitness-specific vitriol spewed from my mouth. After what seemed like ten full minutes of enraged tantrum-throwing I regained composure, rubbed a few cautious puppy heads and sat down to begin my reply to the inflammatory text message. Perhaps I overreacted but hey, I take this fitness thing seriously. I care damnit!

You see, I had just talked with my client Steve (yes, this is his real name) that morning about the importance of sticking to his meal plan over the weekend while his "party friends" are in town.

Steve has struggled with food for a number of years and has recently made some tremendous progress and has begun dropping weight and feels really good about himself and his fitness process. At this point he's gaining momentum with his meal planning and he needs to keep that going in order to solidify his eating habits and to avoid doing something that could cause him to feel guilty and potentially "fall off the wagon." Being fit and looking good is more important to him than partying and socializing at this point in his life and I am working hard to help him keep this fact at the forefront of his mind. I've lived all over the United States and believe me, New Orleans, Louisiana is the hardest place in America to stick to a diet and exercise program. The distractions and constant temptations are beyond compare! Constant eating, alcohol consumption and partying are a major component of the social structure here. Having two or three alcoholic beverages every day at lunch is not unusual at all. Let's not even begin talking about the typical after-work nutrition lest I fall into a deep depression right here without finishing this article. Now, back to Steve!

So, here it is 7:30pm the very same day we talked about his eating and he sends me this text message:

"Full disclosure. I'm in the qtr we just left Cafe Du Monde."

If you're not from New Orleans then perhaps this message means nothing to you. But I know that the abbreviation "qtr" means the French Quarter and I further understand that the menu at Cafe Du Monde consists of nothing more than coffee and beignets! In case you don't know, a beignet (in America) is a pastry that is made of dough, fried, then covered in powdered sugar. No, not covered, that's not the right word. Let's say SMOTHERED, DRENCHED, BLANKETED in powdered sugar (photo right). Yes, these are more appropriate terms. The word "beignet" in French means fried dough or donut. So basically, my pep-talk with Steve about sticking to his eating plan has just been choked-out by a giant helping of sugar covered fried dough. Lovely!

Needless to say I'm three kinds of pissed-off at Steve at this point. But, my calm and cool side sets in and I gain composure before beginning the reply to Steve's text message. Instead of expressing my dissatisfaction, which would only make the situation worse (he already feels bad), I instructed him to get drunk and eat whatever he wants and never call me again. I also told Steve he would be the focal point of my latest blog article this weekend. His reply was, "can't wait!" So here we are. FYI - he knew I was joking about getting drunk and eating more.....but I still haven't gotten a phone call from him. Hmmm.

In all seriousness, Steve is a rock star, this dude has done amazing work and will absolutely continue to make progress and live fit for the rest of his life, this is certain.

But what lesson can we take away from Steve's situation? The thing I want to discuss is a concept I like to call "selective interaction." By selective interaction, I am talking about being very selective when choosing the people and places you will interact with while trying to gain momentum with your fitness lifestyle and goals.

I've found that one of the most effective ways to get on track and gain traction with your eating and training program is to avoid, or altogether delete, those people, places and situations that work against your fitness goals and tempt you to do the things you really don't want to do. It's called peer pressure friends and it doesn't stop in high school. It only grows as we progress in life.

The people around you will help you in the hardest times and they'll hurt you in your best moments too. Take a very honest look at the people you associate with and identify the ones that benefit your life and those that do not.

You may be surprised at how many people in your life have alm ost NO positive effect on you whatsoever.

Living fit is a challenge! It requires motivation, determination, persistence and whole lot of dedication just to name a few necessary factors to maintaining a fit lifestyle. The last thing you need are people who work against your fitness goals. Just be honest with yourself! Getting fit is hard enough all by itself, but how much harder do the people around you make it? I'd bet you have a number of people in your daily life who do some serious damage to your fitness goals by distracting you, criticizing you or dismissing your fitness goals as silly or unimportant. These are the very people who hear you talking about how well you're eating and in the same instant ask your if you want a piece of cake. I'm here to tell you folks - these people are a problem and you really have three options for dealing with them.

1. you can just go with the flow and let your fitness goals fall apart letting others determine your life.

2. you can take control and manage those people by remaining firm and setting boundaries

3. you can delete these people from your life and not worry about them at all

I'm actually a big fan of #3 but realize that not everyone is willing to draw such a hard line on the people in their daily lives, so let's look at #2.

By accurately identifying the people who tempt you and pressure you into doing things contrary to your fitness goals you've already done half the work necessary to taking control of your fitness situation.

Now all you have to do is determine what type of Selective Interaction you are going to have with these people. Maybe you can see one of these fitness-goal hampering people all day long in the workplace and be fine, but meeting them for dinner afterward is when they work to derail you. Well, then skip the after work interactions with that person and instead opt for lunch with them during work hours so you have a limited time with them when you can better control yourself by using the confines of a short lunch break to keep you on track.

Maybe the person who hurts your fitness process most is a family member who is always around you when you are at home. I've found that asking that person for help is one of the better ways to handle them. Tell them about your fitness goals and ask them to help you. Tell them the things that are keeping you from being fit (without offending them) and ask them to help you avoid those situations and circumstances. Once that person is aware of the things you are trying to do, it's perfectly fine for you to remind them each and every time they begin trying to derail your actions. Drawing a very hard line with this person is essential and any action they make toward you that goes against your fitness goals should be addressed immediately. Once they have knowledge of your fitness process and you've asked them to help you, any anti-fitness action from these people should be met with immediate resistance and reprimand. People may not like it, but if you're going to achieve your own personal fitness goals, you must create strong boundaries that the people around you have to respect. The people that care about you most will fall in-line and work with you to help you achieve your goals.

Being aware of the concept of Selective Interaction will help you learn to manage the people in your life that detract from your fitness goals. It will also help you form new relationships that support your fitness goals. By creating clear, strong boundaries for the people you allow into your life you'll soon find that only the people who will support and help you will make the cut as your new friend and all the other people who work against your fitness goals will surely find other people to distract and enable and will surely move on.

I wish you a fit, vibrant life and hope you'll work hard to manage your life with selective interactions that will allow you to enjoy your family, friends and the people you allow into your life while achieving and maintaining the fitness lifestyle you wish to live.

(To read and post comments for this entry, visit http://jaredmeacham.com/)

Thoughts For Eating Well While on Vacation

My neck is burnt, my feet hurt, my head is pounding and I could not be more satisfied and grateful for an amazingly successful trip to the great city of Austin, Texas! You see, I had the opportunity to attend the Austin City Limits Music Festival and just had to jump at the chance. I went without developing much of a plan and decided to allow most of this adventure to be determined by the moment. As a fitness pro I know that many of us tend to fall off the nutritional wagon when we leave home. Knowing this I always help my clients understand that one aspect of their fitness lifestyle cannot be left to the moment - that aspect of their fitness lifestyle is their diet.

As I was wandering around Austin, I couldn't help but notice how easy it would be to simply ignore any dietary planning and just make a total pig of myself. But no matter how much I thought about the limitations placed on the process of finding and eating quality foods when on vacation, I was constantly reminded that there are always good food choices available if you'll just pay attention to your surroundings and give it a little effort.

Here are 4 ways to eat right While you are on vacation!

1. Have a "Go-To" snack available at all times

Eating a complete meal may not always be the most appropriate thing you can do when on vacation. Sure, if you want to drop everything, stop the presses, tell the band to take a break and tell everyone you're with to hold that thought while you eat your scheduled meal then that's certainly your prerogative. But let's be honest, most of use aren't going to do that.

One way I coach my clients to avoid dietary mistakes it to have a "go-to" snack available at all times. Go-to snacks are easily portable, they don't spoil quickly and they keep your diet on track without requiring a stop in the fun.

Here are a few of my favorite options:

1. Ready-to-drink protein shakes like EAS AdvantEDGE boxed drinks

2. Whey protein powder - just pour some in a water bottle and you're good to go

- I've found that most gas stations have free paper funnels (meant for oil) that work perfectly for pouring protein powder into the small opening in a water bottle. I just grab one, fold it up, put it in my pocket and get on with my day. Hey, don't hate, it works!

3. Nuts - almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans.....the options are many and they all fit in your pocket

4. Lara bars - all natural, very small, tasty bars usually made up of dates, some kind of nut and fruit

2. Survey Your Dietary Options Before Anything Else

This is such a simple concept. I did this by walking into this weekend's festival, opening the event brochure and seeing what food options it had. Most big events will have plenty of food options available and many will even had maps telling you exactly where food can be purchased.

Within 15 minutes of being in the Austin City Limits Music Festival, simply by opening a brochure, I had a complete understanding of all the dietary options provided at the festival and exactly where each type of food could be found. Time to party!

If you survey your dietary options before the party begins you'll probably be surprised at just how many decent food options you have. Waiting until your hungry is a big mistake because you're more likely to grab the first thing you can find and that just isn't smart for the person with real health and fitness goals.

The Austin City Limits Music Festival had a complete food court with organic preparations, vegetarian and vegan food choices as well as very affordable ($2-$4) healthy drinks like artesian spring water, organic green tea and a variety of other beverages ranging from organic coffees to coconut water.

Taking account of your food options immediately upon entering a long-duration event is one of the most valuable things you can do to stay on your eating plan without the guilt of making bad food choices.

3. Eat a Little More than you Normally Would

When you are in a new environment DO NOT allow yourself to get hungry! Hunger makes even the most disciplined eater consider making a food choice that could derail their dietary program. If you've taken a good survey of your dietary options as recommended in #2 above you're already aware of what foods fit into your fitness lifestyle and which ones do not. The ones that don't aren't important, disregard them completely instead focusing only on the food choices that are acceptable. Once you've determined which foods support your fitness lifestyle, be sure to eat enough of them to keep you satisfied, avoiding hunger at all costs.

Not only will this help you stick to your diet much more easily, but it'll also allow you to partake of more foods that an event or place has to offer, improving your overall experience. I kept going back for this organic Indian food option, it was out of this world!

4. Have Fun! Remember that food is only part of your Fitness Lifestyle

No matter who you are inevitably you're going to make food choices that are contrary to the fitness lifestyle you've chosen to live. Lighten up on yourself! If you've done the best you can do, you've taken note of the food choices available to you, you've prepared some "go-to" snacks and you've handled your business then there isn't a whole lot more you need to ask of yourself.

Remember that enjoying yourself and experiencing life (including through food) is what so much of life is about. There is no single meal that cannot be overcome by a couple days of focused eating. This weekend's consumption of beer, chips and salsa cannot derail your fitness lifestyle as a whole. It can act as a bump in the road, momentarily knocking you off course, but your lifestyle is just that - a lifestyle.

Notice the huge number of bikes I photographed at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. Do you think a couple beers or a hamburger are going to override the number of calories these people expend riding these bikes all over Austin, Texas? I think not! The six-packs walking around Austin was astonishing and I could tell these were not gym-going people, these were simply people who eat well and stay active.

So remember! If you're living fit, you're training smart, eating right and enjoying the fitness lifestyle you wish to live, partaking in some food or activity that does not directly support that lifestyle is not the end of the world, in fact it may be just what you need to renew your focus, refresh your mind and get your life right back on the track you want it to be on.

Cheers to you my friend!

Gotta love this Davy Crockett bumper sticker I saw! A true American hero! R.I.P. Davy!

(To read and post comments for this entry, visit http://jaredmeacham.com/)

Living Fit With Hashimoto's Disease

I'd like to thank New Orleans, Louisiana based Fitness Professional Jheri Turnley for educating and informing my blog readers and I about the different aspects of Hashimoto's Disease and how to live fit despite it.

Visit Jheri's website here: www.Blueprint-Fitness.org

Part II

Living Fit With Hashimoto's Disease

When I was 23 years old, I was filling seven prescriptions per month. These medications were all treating symptoms for an assortment of metabolic and physical issues I was having at the time. I approached my Family Practice physician on several occasions about the possibility of an under active thyroid, but she automatically ruled out the possibility and continued to write scripts for all of the symptoms that ranged from severe headaches, severe hair loss, insomnia, decreased short-term memory, and uncontrollable weight gain.

After several months of research, I decided to seek out a physician who would listen to "my story" and try to get to the root of the problem and fix it. I started tracking my blood work results after monthly tests with different physicians and tracking my exercise and nutrition regimes. In my diary, I also tracked my sleeping habits and how I felt each day. After about 12 months of tracking and seeing a variety of physicians ranging from Internist to Family Practitioners to Endocrinologists, I finally found an Endocrinologist who appreciated my due diligence and research and was ready to listen to me. He was ready to help me get on the right track. He was the first physician to confirm that the "normal TSH" ranges that physicians use as guidelines when prescribing medication to combat thyroid issues may not be "normal" for me. He took the time to compare my notes with his experience in doses with thyroid replacement therapy and had me drawing blood work every 6-8 weeks to see how the new dosage effected me. During this stage, I began doing research on which foods may effect my condition negatively and started a strict exercise regime that included wearing a heart rate monitor during all cardiovascular training. Over a six month period, I began to feel "normal" again and could control my weight better while all of the other symptoms had either dissipated or disappeared. The best part was that I was down to filling two prescriptions per month. That was over 10 years ago.

Over the years, I have been able to compete in triathlons, as a National Bikini/Figure competitor and in a variety of other sporting events without any complications. I still have to draw blood work on a regular basis to adjust my medication accordingly, but since I have become more in tune with my body and how it reacts to certain foods, exercise regimes and medications, I am able to help my physician determine how to adjust my medication without too much guesswork involved. I am able to accomplish these goals at the age of 34 because I decided to NOT be complacent with my condition and was determined to find a way to manage my condition with any adjustments to my lifestyle that it required. My determination and experience has helped many individuals with thyroid problems over the years find ways to reach their "normalcy". They have been able to enjoy functional and active lifestyles by simply taking bits of information from my experience and using it to work with their physicians in their quest to find the right balance for them. Today, I am now equipped to train and help others via online training.

This thought motivates me and I'd like you to remember that,

COMPLACENCY LEADS TO MORE COMPLICATIONS

For more information about personal training in the New Orleans area, her great online training options and other fitness-related information please contact Jheri at:

www.Blueprint-fitness.org

(To read and post comments for this entry, visit http://jaredmeacham.com/)

What if It's Not Hypo Thyroidism?

Over the past few years I've had the pleasure of meeting and working with a number of world-class fitness professionals. The coolest part for me is that in many cases I actually end up with the privilege of calling that person "friend". The article presented here is written by one such person. Jheri Turnely is a fitness professional who lives and breathes the fitness lifestyle. What's better is she's an absolute pro at teaching other people to do this too. This makes her an extremely effective and sought-after fitness professional.

I'm very happy that she has accepted my request to share some of her story with you in this two-part article. This article will focus on a disease called Hashimoto's Disease which often goes undetected or misdiagnosed for some time. Admittedly, before meeting Jheri, I had very little understanding of this disease and how it impacted a person's life. Having seen the amazing way she has managed this disease in her own life and body compelled me to share this very interesting topic with you. Jheri can be contacted for personal training and online coaching at: www.Blueprint-Fitness.org

Article written by Jheri Turnley, M.S.

Over the years, have you noticed yourself becoming more sluggish and fatigued without any obvious rhyme or reason? What about unexplained weight gain that rarely exceeds above 10-20 pounds and is mostly fluid? What about muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness, especially in the hips and shoulders? What about being more forgetful than usual? Have you attributed these symptoms to getting older? If you have experienced these symptoms regularly over a few months or even several years, you may want to speak to your physician about the possibility of an under-active thyroid (hypothyroidism) or even chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis or Hashimoto's Disease. It is important to note that these terms are not interchangeable. Hypothyroidism is a condition and Hashimoto's Disease is a disease. Hypothyroidism is most commonly caused by Hashimoto's Disease which is when the body's immune system attacks the thyroid gland. Essentially, antibodies react against proteins in the thyroid gland, causing gradual destruction of the gland itself, making the gland unable to produce the thyroid hormones the body needs.
Although symptoms of Hashimoto's can vary, some people have no symptoms whatsoever while others may develop an enlarged thyroid, a condition known as a goiter. As time progresses, there can be periods where the thyroid sputters back to life, even causing temporary hyperthyroidism, then a return to hypothyroidism. This cycling back and forth is a major characteristic of Hashimoto's Disease. So, for example, periods of anxiety/insomnia/diarrhea/weight loss may be followed by periods of depression/fatigue/constipation/weight gain.
If your physician decides to run blood work to determine whether or not there is a problem with your thyroid, make sure to request that they run an antibody test in addition to the normal TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) test. Make sure you prepare for your appointment with your physician by discussing your eating, exercising and sleeping habits. The best Endocrinologits know that these three components can have a major effect on the amount of hormone replacement therapy they prescribe in order to help you start to feel better and reach your health goals. What is important to address is what may be "normal" for some, may not be normal for you, especially if you are on a regular exercise regimen.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Jheri Turnley's blog article on Hashimoto's Disease!

In Part 2 she will tell you more about her story, how to talk with your physician about unexplained weight gain and ways to live fit and look great no matter what condition of disease you are dealing with.

Check-out Jheri's website at: www.Blueprint-Fitness.org

(To read and post comments for this entry, visit http://jaredmeacham.com/)

Nutrient Density - What You Should Know

For some people who don’t have all day to research nutrient interactions, food quality and the effects of healthful activity, the prospect of eating smart, eating well and getting fit can be pretty overwhelming. One of my jobs as a Professional Fitness Coach is to simplify things like this so that my clients can understand and put into practice the things that will help them achieve fitness results.

One term I use quite often when talking about making quality food choices is “nutrient density”.

Nutrient density is the measure or amount of nutrients a food contains in comparison to that food’s total number of calories.

When I think of nutrient density I'm thinking more specifically about micronutrient (vitamins, minerals, etc.) quantities, which have no calories, as they compare to macronutrient (carbohydrate, proteins, fats, alcohol) quantities which of course have calories. According to The World’s Healthiest Foods organization a food is more nutrient dense when the level of nutrients is high in relationship to the number of calories the food contains. By eating highly nutrient dense foods, you can ensure that you get all the essential nutrients that you need for optimal health, including vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, essential fatty acids, fiber and more while ensuring your caloric intake is kept under control.

Here is a list of some of the most nutrient dense foods according to the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI) and a cool group of charts I found on the Whole Foods company website.

The higher the score, the more nutrient density that food contains.

GREEN VEGETABLES	ANDI SCORE
1. Mustard/Turnip/Collard Greens	1000
2. Kale	1000
3. Watercress	1000
4. Bok Choy/Baby Bok Choy	824
5. Spinach	739
6. Broccoli Rabe	715
7. Chinese/Napa Cabbage	704
8. Brussels Sprouts	672
9. Swiss Chard	670
10. Arugula	559

OTHER VEGGIES	ANDI SCORE
1. Radish	554
2. Bean Sprouts	444
3. Red Pepper	366
4. Radicchio	359
5. Turnip	337
6. Carrot	336
7. Cauliflower	295
8. Artichoke	244
9. Tomato	190
10. Butternut Squash	156

FRUITS	ANDI SCORE
1. Strawberries	212
2. Blackberries	178
3. Plum	157
4. Raspberries	145
5. Blueberries	130
6. Papaya	118
7. Orange	109
8. Cantaloupe	100
9. Kiwi	97
10. Watermelon	91
11. Peach	73
12. Apple	72
13. Cherries	68
14. Pineapple	64
15. Apricot	60

BEANS ETC.	ANDI SCORE
1. Lentils	104
2. Red Kidney Beans	100
3. Great Northern Beans	94
4. Adzuki Beans	84
5. Black Beans	83
6. Black-Eyed Peas	82
7. Pinto Beans	61
8. Edamame	58
9. Split Peas	58
10. Chickpeas (Garbanzos)	57

NUTS & SEEDS	ANDI SCORE
1. Sunflower Seeds	78
2. Sesame Seeds	65
3. Flax Seeds	65
4. Pumpkin Seeds	52
5. Pistachios	48
6. Pecans	41
7. Almonds	38
8. Walnuts	34
9. Hazelnuts	32
10. Cashews	27

WHOLE GRAINS	ANDI SCORE
1. Oats, old-fashioned	53
2. Barley, whole grain	43
3. Wild Brown Rice	43
4. Brown Rice	41
5. Barley, pearled	32
6. Wheat berries	25
7. Cornmeal, whole grain	22
8. Quinoa	21
9. Millet	19
10. Bulgar	17

MEATS	ANDI SCORE
1. Bison, top sirloin	39
2. Bison, chuck roast	36
3. Pork Tenderloin	34
4. Flank Steak	27
5. Chicken Breast	27
6. Turkey, light meat	25
7. Turkey, dark meat	24
8. Pork Chops	24
9. Ground Beef, 85% - 90% lean	20-23
10. Beef, top round	22

FISH	ANDI SCORE
1. Tuna*	46
2. Flounder	41
3. Sole	41
4. Salmon	39
5. Mahi Mahi	39
6. Shrimp	38
7. Swordfish*	38
8. Trout	36
9. Snapper	35
10. Haddock	35

*May contain high levels of mercury.

CHEESE	ANDI SCORE
1. Feta	21
2. Cottage Cheese, low fat	18
3. Mozzarella, part skim	16
4. Ricotta, part skim	16
5. Swiss	15
6. Parmesan	15
7. Mozzarella, whole milk	14
8. Gouda	13
9. Provolone	13
10. Gruyere	13

REFRIGERATED DAIRY	ANDI SCORE
1. Tofu	37
2. Nonfat Skim Milk	36
3. Soy Milk	33
4. Plain Nonfat Yogurt	30
5. Egg Substitute	30
6. Egg White	29
7. Low-fat 1% Milk	28
8. Egg	27
9. Hemp Milk	27
10. Tempeh	26

You may notice that not all of the most nutrient dense foods are listed here, this is simply a quality representation of many of the most common foods in our American diet that make the list. Things like parsley are not on this list because while they are nutrient dense, most of us just don’t eat foods like that in considerable quantities – therefore those types of foods are not listed.

You’ll also notice that the majority of the most nutrient dense foods are vegetables. It’s no wonder that we are always being told to eat more vegetables. Nutrient dense vegetables tend to be very low in calories and high in micronutrients making them fantastic foods for us to eat in large and frequent amounts. I have my clients munch on vegetables throughout the day as a means of avoiding those awful hunger pangs that creep into our day and sometimes cause us to make bad food choices.

From both health and fitness standpoints these charts are right on the money! Any professional fitness coach or nutrition coach is likely to recommend certain quantities of the foods you see in the charts listed above. Chances are, the nutrition coaches that are producing great health and fitness results in their clients are using the most nutrient dense foods like the ones listed above to design the vast majority of their food plans.

Choosing the most nutrient dense foods is a great way to get all the nutrients you need while keeping your calories in check. But be sure to understand that just because a food (for instance chicken) isn’t really high on the nutrient density chart doesn’t necessarily mean we need very little of it. Be sure to keep in mind that macronutrient categories are important. By this I mean carbohydrate, protein, fats and alcohol. Micronutrients (vitamins, minerals etc.) are high in the most nutrient dense foods but calories are low meaning they tend to have very few macronutrients (carbs, proteins, fats etc.). But, in order to fuel our bodies properly we need to have plenty of carbohydrate, proteins and fats to help us achieve our fitness goals so identifying the most nutrient dense foods in each macronutrient category is important for the person wanting to eat for maximal fitness.

So go through the nutrient density charts and place the foods you should eat under the appropriate category below:

Vegetables (greens, other etc.)

Caloric Carbohydrate (grains, potatoes etc.)

Proteins (meats, eggs etc.)

Fats (oils, nuts etc.)

Once you’ve created these four categories and have placed the most nutrient dense foods from the nutrient density chart into those four categories, you now have a decent idea of the foods you need to be eating on a daily basis. From here you’ll determine the caloric requirements you have and the macronutrient (carb,protein,fat) amounts you need in each meal and you’ll be able to develop a realistic and effective meal plan that will fuel your body, keep you healthy and help you achieve your fitness goals.

If all of this seems like too much work you can do what my clients do and have me or another professional fitness coach do the dirty work for you, but no matter how you approach it, make an effort to be aware of the nutrient density of the foods you’re eating so you can maximize the healthful food choices you are making while keeping your caloric intake at a reasonable level.

Ciao!

(To read and post comments for this entry, visit http://jaredmeacham.com/)

Primal Reflexes & Other Movements

Human movement is a huge and complex area of study. For all practical purposes, fitness professionals and their clients rarely need to delve into the deep complexities of this topic, but understanding some basics and being able to incorporate them into your fitness program is something I think is important for anyone interested in developing or maintaining a healthy, strong, vibrant and fit body.

These concepts are often discussed in an obscure but fascinating area of study typically called, "infant development in adults", "infant development in humans" or "primitive human movement training".

This article is going to focus on three aspects or areas of human movement specifically.

We call these the 3R's of human movement. They are:

1. Primitive Reflexes

2. Righting Reactions

3. Equilibrium Responses

The 3R's of human movement are explained just a little more in this video.

So there you have some aspects of our physiology that perhaps you've not considered before when engaging in your fitness process. I encourage you to think in terms like these as you work to develop a more functional and fit body. You'll be surprised how quickly your body can improve when performing exercises like the ones found in the video above.

Please DO NOT try to do any exercise that you are not absolutely comfortable trying. Yes, you saw me standing on a stability ball but this type of exercise simply isn't something most people need to try, it's just not important. The exercises used in this video are simply to demonstrate some of the 3R's we learned about in the beginning of the video.

Train smart, train within your means and whenever possible train under the direct supervision of a qualified professional. Enjoy your training process my friends, I hope you'll work to use some of the principles discussed in this video to suit your personal fitness program needs.

Ciao!

(To read and post comments for this entry, visit http://jaredmeacham.com/)

The Best Exercises For Every Body

So often people ask me, "what's the best exercise for ______?" This question merits a response because after all, some exercises are superior to others depending on what you want to accomplish. For the purposes of this message I want to place focus on three (3) exercises that I consider superior movements. Allow me to qualify or explain that statement. I've chosen these three exercises based on the following criteria:

1. I believe "the best" movements must be dynamic, compound exercises that incorporate as much of your body as possible.

2. I believe that statement #1 is false if your goal is body-part specific or isolation training. This article is not about either.

3. I believe "the best" movements should be superior to most (if not all) other exercises performed in a single plane of motion.

4. Considering #3, I think there needs to be 3 "best" exercises, 1 that maximizes your body's potential in each of the 3 planes of motion.

5. I believe "the best" movements should be simple enough to be learned (if not perfected) in a short period of time.

6. I believe "the best" movements should be really cool looking while you are doing them so people think you're awesome!

Exercise #1 - Cable Wood Chop (Twist)

We're going right into the Transverse (Horizontal or Axial) plane of motion. By twisting we are incorporating a ton of core muscles and are allowing the musculature that supports rotational motion to be used, maximized and trained.

I say "Cable Wood Chop" for a couple of reasons. Personally I love all kinds of medicine ball twists using a powerful throw of the medicine ball against a wall, catching it, then resuming the twist. Or, just holding on to the ball and performing the chopping motion is great! But......because a cable offers the additional component of constant tension I am opting to use it instead of a standard wood chop using a medicine ball. Therefore a cable provides constant tension and allows you the opportunity to control load, rep speed and intensity to suit your purposes. This video shows a cable wood chop ranging from high to thigh height. You may also follow a range of motion from up high to ankle level if it suits your training purposes.

Here's a video link to check it out!

Exercise #2 - Kettlebell Swing

This mainstay exercise is all over the place these days! It's very versatile because it can be done using a kettlebell, a dumbbell, a cable, a big rock (photo at right), a small child (not recommended) whatever you want to use as a weight will work as long as it'll fit comfortably between your legs when you swing it. This exercise is performed in the same plane of motion we walk and run in so it's the plane of motion we use most often - the sagittal plane.

I like this movements because you can prioritize various areas of your body as your perform the movement. You can even do this within a single set without stopping to switch focus. For example, you can begin by exploding very intensely through your hips and thighs using a lot of the muscles in those areas to perform the exercise. As they fatigue, you can begin to use them less and start using your lower back and shoulders more by putting more effort into your upper body's performance of the movement. Dynamic motions like this have a tremendous affect on our bodies and create "real life" training situations that have a direct or nearly-direct application to our daily lives.

Here's a video link to check it out!

Exercise #3 - Lateral Lunge

The lateral lunge at first glance is just a lower body exercise. However, once you try it, you'll soon realize that all the muscles that support good posture, breathing and trunk stability are also engaged in a static (no movement) hold or in a manner that uses them in a very short range of motion making this exercise a very challenging, almost full-body movement.

We're working in the Frontal (or Coronal) plane of motion with this movement. This plane of motion is very challenging for most of us to exercise in when using multi-joint motions, so be patient and work on your form and soon you'll have it down to a science.

Practice is the key to this exercise, and flexibility will also play a major role, but if your goal is fitness improvement then working on these things to make your lateral lunge more precise should be a welcomed challenge.

Here's a video link to check it out!

So there you have the 3 "Best Exercises" from me, your humble fitness professional. Of course a simple Google search for best exercises will show you a huge number of great movements that are probably all wonderful in their own right, but the main idea that most of these articles and professionals overlook is one that is basic and fundamental in my line of thinking and that is: Training all three (3) planes of motion is important and essential to developing a complete and highly functional body. Tri-planar training as we refer to it as is simply the way your body lives each and every day. It just makes sense to train in all three planes of motion and it seems to me that "the best" exercises should be representative of these three planes of motion.

So party on fitness friend! I hope you got something from this that will benefit your training and your life.

'Til next time, cheers!

(To read and post comments for this entry, visit http://jaredmeacham.com/)

Dirty Fitness Workout #34 - Hip & Thigh Complex

This workout is a beast! You may have some issues sitting down for a few days but sitting is an optional activity and having great hips and thighs is mandatory in Jared Meacham's Fitness World. Get after this one, be sure to warm-up and stretch well before you begin because you start out with Full-depth squats right off the bat and you'll need to be very warmed-up to get the most out of that exercise while maintaining the highest level of safety.

Rock on!

Check out the instructional video below!

Hip & Thigh Complex

Move quickly between sets, but do not move so fast that your training quality is compromised. Select a realistic weight if weight is necessary. Complete all exercises and sets in each cycle (A,B,C,D) in order before progressing to the next cycle. Brief rest (rest-pause) during a set is permissible if needed. All Iso-Lateral (using only 1 leg in this case) are counted by completing the total number of assigned reps with each leg.

A. 20 Full-Depth Squat, 20 Prone Hip Abduction, 20 Iso-Lateral Hip Extension,20 Stiff Leg Dead Lifts, 20 Step Up (L&R = 1), 20 Bulgarian Squat (L&R = 1)
- 3 minute hip and thigh stretch

B. 15 Full-Depth Squat, 15 Prone Hip Abduction, 15 Iso-Lateral Hip Extension, 15 Stiff Leg Dead Lifts, 15 Step Up (L&R = 1 rep), 15 Bulgarian Squat (L&R = 1)
- 3 minute hip and thigh stretch

C. 10 Full-Depth Squat, 10 Prone Hip Abduction, 10 Iso-Lateral Hip Extension, 10 Stiff Leg Dead Lifts, 10 Step Up (L&R = 1 rep), 10 Bulgarian Squat (L&R = 1)
- 3 minute hip and thigh stretch

(To read and post comments for this entry, visit http://jaredmeacham.com/)