Training The Fat Kid

Why is This So Damn Hard!?

2016-01-22T09:22:00.002-06:00

Why is This So Damn Hard!

Why is this so damn hard!?

Changing our diet and exercise habits are two of the hardest things to do in life. Why? Well, there are many reasons.

It’s easy for me to sit here as a coach and say “you really just need to stop eating so much junk” or “if you would just be more consistent in your eating habits and move your butt more you’d reach your goals,” or “food is fuel, don’t worry how it taste.” However, in reality…. It’s hard as crap to do those things and hard as crap to change our habits and ways of thinking. Fact is, our habits fit very neatly into our current lives and well, nutrition and exercise may throw us out of our comfort zone, or just may not fit in our current lifestyle.

I get it.

Trust me, I really get it.

For my entire life I have battled an addictive personality and numerous addictions. (Alcohol, narcotics, prescription drugs, smoking… you name it I’ve done it, enjoyed it, and tried to be the best at it.)

With that being said, I’ve grown a lot, learned a lot. If you know me, chances are you can’t imagine that I was ever that person. Now my life revolves around health and wellness and helping others. The opposite of all those things that I listed above. So, what happened, what helped me change my habits to healthy ones?

The first thing is I determined my WHY. (NOTE: I didn’t realize this at the time) I truly wanted to change in the past but, honestly, I had no motivation to do so. Like I said, I enjoyed being that person that partied like a rock star, literally. Then, my wife and I got pregnant with our first child and that was my why. Why did I want to change? Because, if I wanted to be around to see my kids grow up, I had to not only quit the drugs and partying, but also I needed to lose about a 130lbs. (Yep, I weighed 325lbs and yes, I am only 5’8”) And I did, and for the most part I have kept it off for almost 17 years now.

The struggle is real!

Thus began the struggle that I STILL face daily. I’ll be real honest here, my self-image is terrible; still to this day! If you guys have ever read my blog post about my social media name, Trainingthefatkid, you know that to this day when I look in the mirror I am still the same person that I have ALWAYS been. The little fat kid that was made fun of most of my life because of my body.

It is HARD to overcome that. In fact, I haven’t entirely.

But, daily I try. Daily I choose to get up and work on me. Now, I’m not saying that I spend all day wallowing in my misery. In fact, it is not like that at all. But, I do struggle and I do think about how I can be better every day.

Let’s stop talking about me…

Change is hard. Very hard. I can throw out things like “you got this” “you can do it” but, maybe you don’t. Maybe you need your why? Or maybe, rather most likely, what you need is baby steps.

If you are going to attempt to quit smoking, give up soda, eat more protein and veggies, cut calories, exercise more, and call you mom daily, chances are you will fail. Why? Because, this will overwhelm you. Studies show that the more things you try to change at once the less likely you are to succeed.

So… baby steps. Perhaps, cut that soda to once a week, let that become a habit, then work on adding more veggies, when that becomes a habit, maybe add 10 minutes of exercise per day. Baby, steps.

Another thing, and this has been super hard for me, STOP beating yourself up if you slip up. You know what, it’s ok if you had a piece of cake at your sister’s wedding! It’s your sister’s wedding for Pete’s sake! Move on with your life.

Now, I am not saying that because you had cake you can get away with eating cake every day. That would be a poor choice. What I am saying is, relax! Enjoy life! Make gradual changes toward healthy choices that will make you a better person. Work on your body, but also, work on you mind and soul! Nourish your spirit with positive people and positive thoughts.

2014-06-27T11:45:00.003-05:00

What we choose daily is who we become.

In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility. Eleanor Roosevelt

Every day you wake and are faced with thousands of choices. The impact of all those daily choices add up. They define us.

What if we actually took the time to examine each choice and look at the impact it has on our lives.

You are choosing to over-consume alcohol, you will become an alcoholic.
You choose to overeat every day, you will become fat.
You choose to smoke, you will get cancer.
When that person cuts you off in traffic, you choose anger.

Daily you have choices. Are you choosing wisely?

Choose to be happy!
Choose to be positive!
Choose to forgive!
Choose to stop that addiction!
Choose to eat healthy foods!
Choose to exercise!
....It's your choice.

CrossFit... Don't Be Hatin!

2011-12-09T11:24:00.000-06:00

Lately I have been reading a few “fair and objective” articles about CrossFit. They typically go something like this…. “I’m not a CrossFit hater but, here’s why it sucks!” (Not a direct quote but, the jest of most articles) So, let me explain why I think some of them are missing the point and why I like the CrossFit method.

One of the biggest arguments that I see, over and over, is that CrossFit will not make you a better athlete. Be it runner, power lifter, body-builder, etc… Here is where I think they don’t get it. For me, and I think this is the case for most people, CrossFit is a means by which the average Joe or Jane can get fit; and isn’t that what most of us are truly seeking? The people that are signing up in droves this time of year at globo-gyms across the nation couldn’t care less about being a better Olympic-rower they just want to get in shape. If you are an elite athlete, more than likely, you are going to seek out a coach who specializes in the sport you want to compete in. You are not going to go join Curves or a CrossFit gym for that matter. Also, most of these people don’t understand the importance of having a personal trainer or someone to help them with nutrition, so they don’t hire anyone. They want to spend their $29.95 per month, hop on the elliptical and dream of abs. However, when that same person joins a CrossFit box, they are going to be coached in a fitness methodology that has proven itself time and time again to be effective. From personal experience CrossFit has made me a better athlete. In fact, at 38 years of age, I am the most athletic I have ever been in my life and as runner I am the fastest I have ever been. Just this past weekend, I set a new 5k PR in a local race, a PR of 1:59 faster than my last 5k time using the CrossFit Endurance method of training. Obviously the training is making me faster and isn’t that, in turn, part of being a better athlete? I will never be a pro runner, and frankly don’t want to be but, I am without a doubt becoming more athletic.

Another argument that I hear is that CrossFit is not safe. Any physical activity can be dangerous. Case in point, I was reading an article just yesterday about a women suffering “compartment syndrome”. The syndrome is typically caused by high-impact accidents, like something involving a motor vehicle. However, she was not in a car accident, she had just left Zumba class. Of course, CrossFit can be dangerous, especially if it is not coached well but, there are risks involved with any type of physical activity. Proper coaching and being smart about your training can help ensure a safe and effective experience.

As a CrossFit Level 1 trainer, can I make you strongest power lifter on the planet? Nope. Can I make you the best football player? Nope. Can I improve your overall strength, speed, agility, endurance, and health and in turn make you a better athlete? Absolutely. And, while I cannot promise zero injuries, I can certainly help you to remain injury free.

Someone with Less Time than You Is Eating Right and Exercising

2011-08-18T08:45:00.000-05:00

Man, I hear this all the time. “I just don’t have time to exercise” or “I would eat better if I wasn’t always in such a rush”. Well, guess what? There are people all over the world with less time than you that are choosing to be healthy by eating right and exercising. I recently read an article in The Huffington Post that was talking about our excuses not to exercise. Of course, by far, the number one excuse was lack of time. However, the study that was cited by the article tracked 22,000 people and of those people, 80% of them spent as much as an hour a day surfing the internet. Not to mention time spent in front of the TV. According to reports published by AC Nielsen, the average American spends almost 4 hours per day in front of the TV. Yet, we don’t have time to exercise? Seriously?

So here is my point, stop making excuses. You don’t have time to exercise because you are not choosing to have time to exercise. Same goes for all those fast food meals. You are choosing to not eat healthy and blaming it on lack of time. It has nothing to do with lack of time, but priorities. If your health is a priority for you, you will make time for it. The problem is most people will not prioritize their health until they get a good scare from the doctor. Don’t be that person. Make the choice today, for you and your family, to be healthy.

A few tips that will help…

Find something that you enjoy. If you don’t enjoy being in a gym then don’t join a gym. Find something that you like and you will be more likely to stick with it. (running, sports, swimming, tree climbing, etc…)
Give it some time. If you start a new exercise and eating program give time to become a habit. Studies show that after about 21 days it will become routine.
Find you a partner. First, they will hold you accountable and second, it is always more fun sharing your workouts with someone.

I can’t tell you the number of folks that I have talked with that start exercising and eating right and a few weeks in to their program they tell me how amazing they feel and they had forgotten how much fun it is exercise. Truth is, we were designed to be active and we were designed to eat real food. So, stop with all the excuses, you have plenty time to be healthy!

On a side note: My wife suggested that I include our hectic schedule as an example of being able to live an active healthy lifestyle while being run ragged with kids, school, work, personal training, volunteer work, marathon training, crossfitting, blogging, etc… I decided not to include the details of our crazy life but, if you would like specifics you can message me and I would be happy to share.

Playing Around in Rocky Mountain National Park

2011-07-26T10:13:00.000-05:00

Below are a few pictures that we took on vacation in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Carson tree climbing.

Carson headstand

Carson rock climbing.

Hanging by a thread.

Just chillin... cooking some deer sausage and grass fed beef.

Standing on a huge stump of a tree that had fallen.

Playing on a snowfield up above the tree line.

Madalyn rolling off the cliff.

Just hanging around.

Ready to go hiking.

Mando in a headstand at 10,000 feet.

Just us.

Just had to climb the tree.

Challenge Yourself: Do Something Epic!

2011-07-05T22:02:00.000-05:00

I see so many people just trudging along in the monotony of their daily lives, happy to get up, drink their cup of Joe, eat their muffin, and head off to their jobs; only to trudge home and plop down on the couch in front of the TV. Ugh! Why? Instead of going through the motions like everyone else, why not challenge yourself and do something epic. Do something mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting, something that will forever change your life and define who you are as a person.

Most people think they can’t and they are correct; as long as they think they can’t do something, they will never be able to do it. They think they are too old, too out of shape, or some other excuse that they have convinced themselves is true. When I began exercising I weighed over 300Lbs, I smoked, drank and was an illegal drug user; I was the epitome of self destructive and out of shape. By God’s grace, I escaped that lifestyle and chose to channel my passion into my health and wellness and hopefully to inspire others as well along the way.

A few years ago my wife and I had a crazy idea. We had been running for a couple years and I just mentioned the idea, almost jokingly, that we should run a marathon. Her first response…. “Are you crazy?” Then a few weeks later, while we were running, she said… “Hey, I think we should run that marathon.” So, long story short, we talked to a few people who had ran one to get some advice and began training for the San Antonio Rock n’ Roll Marathon. Little did we know the impact that it would have on our lives. After finishing the marathon people would ask us how was it, or did you win? People don’t understand the significance of those 26.2 miles and that just getting to the finish line is a huge feat. I’m not sure if it was during the run itself or afterwards that I had a bit of an epiphany, a light bulb moment. What was my “light bulb” moment? Everyone should do something that is as challenging as a marathon. What I learned about myself during the training and especially during the marathon itself is something that is a bit hard to put into words. This may sound cheesy, but it taught me that I am capable of anything that I set my mind to. I am not an athlete, nor have I ever been. I was the asthmatic fat kid growing up that never stepped into a gym or took a P.E. class. But, I set a goal for myself, went after it, and achieved it! And guess what? It has forever changed my life.

Will I do another marathon? Well, I have run two marathons so far but, I think it is time to move on to the next challenge, whatever that may be. Perhaps I will run a 50K or a 50 miler, I really enjoy trail running so that is a definite maybe. I will be 40 in about 3 years and I am seriously considering a triathlon. I have never really swam and I don’t own a bike so I figure it would be a great challenge for me to do a triathlon and who knows, maybe I’ll start training for an Ironman. What better way to celebrate my 40^th birthday. How awesome would it be for the former fat little asthmatic kid, who never took a P.E. class in his life, to finish something as significant as an Ironman?

At this point all I know for sure is this; you need a goal that impacts who you are as a person. You need a challenge that will change your life and open doors to what you never thought were possible. Find something that you don’t think you are capable of and just go after it. You might be surprised what you are truly capable of. Do something epic!

Some Pictures from Gator Bait 15k

2011-06-23T10:05:00.000-05:00

Our Crew. From left: Tina, Ron, Me, My lovely wife Amanda

Post run cool down, it was crazy hot!

Gator Bait In The Inov8's

2011-06-20T22:25:00.000-05:00

The first annual Gator Bait 15k at Huntsville State Park started like all other races that I have been in, with eager anticipation. For me, this would be the first true distance test since switching to a minimalist shoe, the Inov8 F-lite 195s. At race start the temperature was about 82 degrees and guessing, I would say the humidity was 70-80%. Obviously, not ideal for a 15k race but, I was eager to get going and had tried to prepare accordingly by taking in some pre-race electrolytes and plenty water. Also, I have been training in this East Texas heat and humidity for months now in preparation for this race. So, at the start I felt great and well prepared.

After a quick pre-race meeting to discuss the trail we were off and running. Not too much congestion at the start and at 5 minutes in I had settled into a nice pace. By mile 2 I had realized two things about the course. First, the trail was very sandy and second, there were more hills than I was used to running. Also, I noticed at around 20 minutes in that my t-shirt was totally soaked through with sweat due to the humidity and heat. (Sure am glad I remembered the Body Glide) The next mile or so that followed was nothing spectacular and I still felt fine. Then, around mile 4 the course got sandier and the hills just kept coming. At mile 5.25, the second water stop, I rested for a couple minutes, had a GU, and several cups of water. After a couple minutes I was off again, still sort of pacing off one of my running buddies, Ron. Immediately post water break the hills continued and with more sand and more roots from the trees. I was thinking good Lord, where did all these hills come from in East Texas. Somewhere around mile 7 Ron stopped to walk for a minute and I plodded on up the hill ahead. The next hill however was too much and I decided it was time to walk for just a bit. My calves had started “twinging” a little and I remember thinking …please don’t cramp. Around that same time Ron passed me and I didn’t see him again until the mile 8 water stop. At that point I stopped for about 2 and half minutes, took in a lot of water and I was off again. At this point, Ron is out of sight and I didn’t see him again until the finish. The last 1.3 miles was tough for me, although relatively flat my calves were exhausted and just on the verge of cramping up until the finish line. Every time there was the least bit of an incline I found myself walking to prevent the muscles in my calves and my feet from cramping up. I can tell you that, for me, the finish line could not come soon enough.

Overall, it was a great race. Well organized, not too many people, and a really nice course that meandered through the woods and around the lake at Huntsville state park. For me, I learned that I needed more time to prepare for that terrain and distance in the new shoes and my new Pose style of running. Ron ended up finishing about 3 minutes ahead of me and both our wives behind us a few minutes. All-in-all, it was a nice father’s day run, my kiddos were there to greet us at the finish and we enjoyed a nice post race picnic in the park.

PS: I'll try to post some pics as soon as I get them.

Stop Rewarding Yourself With Food

2011-06-06T11:35:00.001-05:00

I am all about enjoying food. In fact, I love food, but we have to stop using it as a reward. Food is fuel, pure and simple. Just like fuel for a vehicle, the proper fuel for your body will make you more efficient and less injury prone. I cannot count the number of times that I have heard people tell me that they exercise so that they can eat whatever they want. If you are guilty of this I think it's time that you examine your health and fitness goals and get a true understanding of why we should exercise and eat healthy, real food.

As an athlete, even an average Joe athlete, take the time and learn proper nutrition for your goals and don’t fall victim to the faulty thinking that you deserve more food or you can eat junk because you are working harder. Eat only what your body requires to keep you at your most efficient weight for optimal performance. During marathon training last year I was guilty of overeating, especially on long-run days, and I actually ended up gaining weight and nursing injuries that really hurt my marathon performance. Now, training for an upcoming trail-run, the Gator Bait 15k, I have focused on limiting my calories to only what is required for my amount training and it has really paid off. Also, I have intentionally lost some weight over the past year so that I would be “lighter on my feet”. I have focused on eating clean, real food. No junk, no processed food, no alcohol, and I have been trying to eat foods that are anti-inflammatory as much as possible.

Obviously diet is hugely important to the pro’s but, I think it is equally important for the average Joe like you and me looking to perform better. So, do yourself a favor, eat real food, organic whenever possible, and stop using food as a reward and letting it hurt your training efforts.

Rays of Sunshine

2011-05-24T20:38:00.000-05:00

It's amazing what a little rain will do for the garden. This bloomed the day after the rain storm. We are in the worst drought in about 100 yrs, but I am still growing some organic veggies and, of course, sunflowers.

Is Barefoot The Way To Go?

2011-05-14T08:30:00.000-05:00

Inov-8 F-Lite 195

Some of you have seen the picture that I posted a couple weeks back of my new shoes. What you don't know is that with the new shoes I am transitioning into a new style of running. Beginning in the 1970's with the advent of the "running shoe" runners have been gradually forced in to becoming heel strikers. It has been well documented that runners that land on their heels experience more impact force on their joints. (Knees, hips, etc...) What I am trying to accomplish, because frankly I am tired of being injured, is to learn how to land more naturally on the ball of my foot thus, reducing the impact on my joints.
I have trained for a ran a couple of marathons and during the training of both I was plagued with injuries. Over the past couple of years I have added or changed several things to see what impact it may have on my running and injuries.
First, I added stretching to my daily routine and within a couple of months my hip pain went away. Second, I added a Crossfit style workout to my normal weightlifting routine. Crossfit gradually replaced my conventional workouts all together and I have seen such fantastic results with it that I really don't see any point in conventional weightlifting, for me any way.(If you want to know what Crossfit is all about checkout this link) The only problem with Crossfit was I still suffered injuries in my knees from running. So after running the San Antonio Rock & Roll Marathon this past November and having to walk some because of a ton of pain in my knees I decided to really shake up my running training routine. I discovered and had been reading about Brian MacKenzie and his site Iamunscared which in turn led me to the Crossfit Endurance site. I had also been following T.J. Murphy the Burning Runner for a while. T.J. was a long slow distance runner, an elite, that was suffering my same injuries and was looking for something new. What he found was Crossfit Endurance and Brian Mackenzie as a trainer. Frankly, I thought the premise behind Crossfit Endurance and what T.J. and Brian were talking about was crazy but, since Crossfit had worked so well for my conditioning I thought they just might be on to something. Basically, the premise is a focus on the Crossfit workouts, run a couple days a week and the conditioning will be there for distance runs. The primary focus is speed and interval work with a focus on intensity. What I have discovered since transitioning to this method is that I have gotten way faster and that so far I have avoided injury. I have set 3 back to back PRs in my last 3 5Ks. To me, the next logical step in this process was to transition from a heel striker to a forefoot striker with the Pose Method. Pose is a barefoot style running method that emphasizes form. (Recommended by CF Endurance and Mackenzie)
That brings us back to the shoes and my new plan. My hope is that the barefoot style of running will improve my form and keep me injury free. Stay tuned...

What Is Real Food?

2011-05-09T22:08:00.001-05:00

I think sometimes that I am a bit naive in thinking that people understand what I am talking about when I refer to real food. I have always just assumed that the concept of real food was fairly simple. However, the more I talk with people about nutrition, the more I realize that most people really have no idea what they actually eat. They mostly rely on others to prepare "food" for them and when you talk to them about grocery shopping and cooking they are relatively clueless. We are a society that allows marketing and price to determine what we eat and we trust that they are telling us the truth. (McDonalds, Subway, Healthy Choice, etc...)

So, let's talk about real food. It is food that is not processed, refined, or preserved. It has very few ingredients or better yet, doesn't need to list ingredients because it is just what it says it is. (I.e. an apple) It is not food that has not been genetically modified like 80% of all corn and soybeans grown in the US nor, does it contain ingredients that you have to have a degree in chemistry to pronounce. Real food is just the stuff that God put on this earth for us to eat before science started jacking it all up.

How do you start eating real food again? Well, first you have to stop eating all that fast food as well as "TV" dinner style garbage. Yes, that includes all those "healthy" and "smart" dinners in the frozen section. Next, you have to learn how to cook. Don’t tell me that you don’t have time. My wife and I both work and we have two kids that we have to shuffle around to Scouts, choir practice, softball etc... We also live 30 minutes from town. You just have to schedule and prepare ahead of time. There are some fantastic resources online to provide you with healthy recipes and tips on how to prepare them. My suggestion is to find a few that are simple and fast and let them be your “go to” meals. Next, you will need to spend some time at the grocery store or local market learning how to shop. Real food tends to be on the perimeter of the store. (Produce, meat, and dairy) I typically avoid the center of the store except for items like olive oil and frozen veggies. Look for seasonal fruit and vegetables they tend to be more reasonably priced. Also, the local farmer’s market or local CSA’s are excellent places to find organically grown veggies and grass-fed and free range meat and poultry.

Finally, I have said this before but it bears repeating, don’t be afraid to question what you have been taught about nutrition and don’t get caught up in some fad diet. Nutrition is really simple; you just have to re-learn how to eat healthy. There was a time, in our grandparent’s or great grandparent’s generation, that it was just a normal way of life to eat a diet rich in local, seasonal fruits and vegetables and locally raised meats and poultry. We have simply forgotten how to eat that way. I say start now, choose real food.

Not Your Conventional Workout

2011-05-02T08:18:00.000-05:00

The morning began with a great trail run in the East Texas piney woods in my new Inov-8 F-lite 195s shoes. This was my first real run in a minimalist shoe. It's amazing how much differently the ground feels in a barefoot style shoe. After the run we decided to hang around and workout with what we had available at the park. (Rocks, polls, benches, etc.) I am always looking for new ways to have fun with working out. This morning was a ton of fun. I hear people all the time saying they don't have the time or money to go to the gym. Well guess what? You don't have to. We did several sets of rock throws, carries, and tosses. Then did some broad jumps and sprints. After that, we worked a bit on our balance by walking across the polls. No equipment to buy, just have fun and use what you have available.

My New Shoes...

2011-04-27T19:45:00.000-05:00

My new shoes will be here this Friday. With the new shoes, I hope to transition to a more natural style of running. A barefoot or Pose style method of running. I plan to blog about the transition. So far, Crossfit and Crossfit Endurance training has helped my running they recommend the Pose Method so that is what I will try next. Can't wait.

Food Revolution Baby!

2011-04-13T12:18:00.000-05:00

Last night began a new season of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. Wow, eye opening to say the least! If you haven’t seen the show, do yourself a favor and watch it. In fact, record it and play it for everyone you know especially your children. It airs Tuesdays on ABC at 7pm CST. In this first episode Jamie is trying to gain entrance into the Los Angeles school district to examine their menu and recommend change if needed. The LAUSD basically snubs him and will not let him step foot on any of their campuses. In fact they have threatened to have him arrested if he tries.

I thought I was pretty well informed about what our kids are being fed at school; I was shocked and appalled after watching this show. One of the things that he discusses is how the USDA allows all of the ‘scraps’ from the cow to be washed WITH AMMONIA and water, ground, and added as a filler to ground beef. (Note: the ammonia wash is to kill potential bacteria and such) 70% off all the ground beef in the US contain this “pink slime” and they don’t have to put it on the nutrition label because the USDA has deemed that the ammonia wash is a process and not an ingredient. Seriously! This means that all the meat you and our children are eating at school and fast food joints are loaded with this junk. I personally would call it poison. If that doesn’t make you want to know exactly where your meat comes from and how it was raised there is something wrong with you.

He goes on to demonstrate how much sugar, only from flavored milk, is consumed in one week in the LA school district. His demonstration involves filling a school bus with sugar. In fact, enough sugar to fill 3 school buses, 57 TONS! In one week, just from flavored milk! The school food services defend the flavored milk by saying that kids will not drink regular milk and will become calcium deficient. Really? My kids drink regular milk. England and Europe have banned flavored milks from their schools. Now, I am all about free choice and letting the parents decide what to feed their kids. However, I think our schools should be required to provide REAL food to our children. Eat REAL, nutritionally dense, healthy foods, not the pink slime and high-fructose corn syrup.

Now for my rant:

Parents, stop feeding yourself and your kids all the junk. Educate yourself on what is in foods. Read ALL labels. Don’t just assume that something is what it is supposed to be. If you don’t know what some food additive is, look it up. Most of you have phones with that capability now. I will give you an example; this past weekend Amanda and I were in the grocery store. We were looking at taco shells for the kids. Turns out they contained a food additive that we didn’t recognize. So I Googled it from my phone, turns out it was a petroleum based chemical. I don’t know about you but, I am not going to feed that to my kids. I have said this numerous times on the blog; EAT REAL FOOD. It is really that simple. You just have to come up with a plan; you may even have to learn to cook. But, do it for yourself and the sake of our children. Teach them how and what to eat so they can live healthy productive lives. So they can live lives free from obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, etc… The statistics are overwhelming; we are a nation that is obese and addicted to cheap garbage that is being passed off as food.

Not Just The Bible Belt Anymore

2011-04-06T12:15:00.000-05:00

The local ABC affiliate ran an article this morning on its website saying that East Texans are living in the “Parkinson’s belt”. They were referring to the fact that incidence of Parkinson’s disease are greater in the region spanning from Beaumont up through the Midwest of the US. This is the third article that I have read in the last couple of months that labeled us as living in a ‘belt’ of higher disease rates. The first labeled us as the’ stroke belt’, then the ‘diabetes belt’, now Parkinson’s. So, what did all the articles have in common? Diet. Of course, there are other factors that contribute but, all of them mentioned poor diet and higher rates of obesity. How do we battle this? Make healthy choices, eat right and exercise, and quit smoking. Also, choose organic products whenever possible.

Here is a link to the articles:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/14/us/14ttexpectancy.html

http://www.ktre.com/global/story.asp?s=14390308

http://www.usnews.com/science/articles/2011/03/08/diabetes-belt-outlined

Let's Talk Fitness

2011-04-05T10:56:00.000-05:00

Why are we, as a society, so out of shape? Simple, we don't get off our rear ends enough and move. A recent study revealed that 7 out 10 Americans don't exercise enough despite the health benefits. Lack of physical activity contributes to some 300,000 deaths each year in the United States caused by heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other conditions. We are not a society that works physically hard like our grand parents did. The majority of us sit behind a desk all day then go home and sit in front of the TV. All the while stuffing our faces with junk food.

So, how do we get fit and healthy? The simple answer is diet and exercise. Of course, if you have tried to change your diet and add exercise to your routine, that is easier said than done. A few things that I have learned over the years that have helped me:

Probably the most important thing is to set a goal for yourself. Sign up for a local 5k run or find yourself a partner that will hold you accountable if you don't show up to exercise.
It takes about 21 day for something to become a habit. So, stick with it. Give it a few weeks and it will become your normal routine.
Take your time and don't over do it. I am not suggesting that you go to the gym and creep along on the treadmill at at snails pace. I am a firm believer that the majority of people do not push themselves enough when it comes to exercise. So go hard and sweat like crazy. Just start off slow and build up as your conditioning improves.
Exercise does not have to be structured in a gym, track, etc.. Go to the park and play on the jungle gym, take a hike and use the woods as your gym. Climb a tree. Just find something that will get your heart rate up and will improve your conditioning. Just have fun.
Get out of your comfort zone. My whole family took a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class for a few months. We loved it. It showed me that I was capable of doing something that I really thought would kill me. (Jiu Jitsu, at my age? LOL) Now, I do all sorts of crazy stuff. (Handstands, flips on the jungle gym, tree climbing, etc...) So, don't be afraid to try something.

Below is a quote from the Crossfit founder. This is the 'philosophy' that I have tried follow for about a year now and I am in best shape I have ever been in.

World-Class Fitness in 100 Words:
Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat. Practice and train major lifts: Deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch. Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstand, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds. Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast. Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Routine is the enemy. Keep workouts short and intense. Regularly learn and play new sports.
~Greg Glassman

This goes along with my whole theory that diet and exercise is really simple. Just eat real food and find something that you enjoy to do that will improve your overall health. Keep it simple and have fun.

This is what real healthy food looks like

2011-04-04T08:48:00.001-05:00

Post Whole30 Challenge Day 33

2011-04-01T09:26:00.000-05:00

If you are following the blog you know that my wife and I have been doing Whole30 Challenge. Today is actually day 33 of the 30 day challenge. We have decided to stick it out a little longer. Probably until the middle of this month.

Here are a few things we have learned during the challenge:

Planning is everything. You have to plan your meals and pack your food for the day.
The first week is the hardest. You will have cravings as your body adjust to it's new way of eating. You will probably find yourself being a bit of a "grump" as well.
It gets easier as you go along.
It is almost impossible to eat out in East Texas on the Whole30 challenge.
Real food starts tasting AMAZING! Fruit is sweet like pure sugar, the intensity of flavors in all food is just crazy. I never would have thought.
We feel better and have more energy. (No 3pm crashes)
This may sound a bit weird but, I can tell when I am full. That has always been a problem that I have had.
Both of us have lost weight, lost inches, and feel lighter. (No overfed, bloated feelings)

I will post something at the end of the journey as well and blog about adding foods back and the effects. Stay tuned...

WOD 4-1-2011

2011-03-31T20:58:00.002-05:00

Shoulder Press 7×1, start at 85% 0f 1RM
6×3 Front Squat, start at 70% of 1RM
Rest as needed between sets
8 Min AMRAP
8 Thrusters 95/65
10 Pull Ups
8 Clapping Push Ups

Time For A Diet Makeover

2011-03-30T12:42:00.000-05:00

Unless your head has been buried in the sand for a few decades, you know that certain diseases are growing at alarming rates. Obesity rates have tripled in the last 3 decades and have surpassed smoking as the leading cause of death in the US. Type 2 diabetes, heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke, certain cancers, among numerous others, are growing at epidemic levels and have all been linked directly and/or indirectly to obesity. The question is why and what are we going to do about it?

Take a look around you, seriously, be observant of the people around you. Notice how the majority of them are overweight? Look at their grocery carts, start talking to them about their diet, how and what they eat, and what they feed their children. Then ask them why? For that matter, ask yourself why? Why do we eat the way we do? Why do we feed our kids the foods that we feed them? We are a nation addicted to highly processed, well preserved, junk that the food industry tries to pass off as nutritional and even healthy.
My wife is a P.E. teacher at a local school, K-8^th; she sees firsthand the effects of a poor diet on the children at school. Our kids are under nourished, overfed, and over-medicated. Not only is the number of overweight kids growing alarmingly but, the number that are diagnosed with ADD/ADHD will shock you, or should. (Over 5 million in the US alone, of those, 3 million are medicated) Of course, it is far easier for us to give them a pill than to take the time to make changes to their diets and ours. It is more convenient and cheaper for the most part, to eat unhealthy. ADD and ADHD were virtually unheard of 20 years ago. Why, all of the sudden is it at alarming levels? Below is a quote from a recently published article at Planet Green:

…And a new study published in the Lancet and reported on Civil Eats, sheds some light on what many of us have been thinking for a while. It's the medication that we take three times a day that can really make a difference and that medication is our diet.
The study's lead author Dr. Lidy Pelsser of the ADHD Research Centre in the Netherlands said this to NPR: “Food is the main cause of ADHD.” The study found that in 64 percent of children with ADHD, the symptoms were caused by food. “It’s a hypersensitivity reaction to food.”

Notice it says it’s the medication that we take three times a day that can really make a difference and that medication is our diet. So, a major study from the ADHD Research Centre in the Netherlands says basically it is preventable and controllable in 64% of the cases by diet. In the US that means that 3.2 million kids out of that 5 million don’t need medicine. (Remember it said 3 million were medicated…hmmm?) Yet, our pediatricians continue to hand out prescriptions en masse. That’s just crazy to me.
Why is there no outrage from the medical community and from our schools to teach nutrition to the kids and their parents? How about from the insurance industry? Why are our insurance rates and medical costs so high? They are high because of our lifestyle choices. We choose to eat whatever we want and feed our kids whatever they want and who cares what the consequences are. We have become no different than an alcoholic or drug addict. We are food junkies, slaves to our addictions…junk food junkies to be more precise. Now we are facing the ramifications of that addiction and all those bad choices.
So the question is what do we do about it? How do we break this cycle of passing on bad habits generation after generation? It is pretty simple, in my opinion. Start today making changes. Eat real food. Read food labels; if you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it. That should include artificial sweeteners. Cut out all that added sugar. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store where all the fresh fruits, veggies, dairy, eggs, and lean meat are. Eat like people did in simpler times. Eat your vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruit, lean meat, fish, eggs, and healthy fats. Stop buying in to the marketing of an easy fix diet like low carb, low fat, etc… Just eat a balanced diet of real food. It's really that simple.

WOD 3-30-2011

2011-03-29T22:10:00.001-05:00

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 15 minutes of:
155 pound Deadlift, 9 reps
12 Push-ups
15 Box jumps, 24" box

WOD 3-29-2011

2011-03-28T21:09:00.001-05:00

OHS: 5, 5, 3, 3, 1
Snatch: 2 on the min for 6min (use 80% of 1 RM)
Rest 10 min
5 x 30:30 (30sec on, 30 sec off) of
1 pood Kettlebell Swings, Russian height with fast eccentric pull down.

WOD 3-28-2011

2011-03-27T21:40:00.003-05:00

"Abbate"
Run 1 mile
155 pound Clean and jerk, 21 reps
Run 800 meters
155 pound Clean and jerk, 21 reps
Run 1 Mile

Decided To Hop On The Body Fat Scales

2011-03-25T12:21:00.001-05:00

Today I decided to measure my body fat. The last time that I measured my body fat was about 2 years ago and at that time I was about 24%. Today.... 15.6% woo hoo! Why is this exciting? That is the lowest that I have ever measured on a BIA scale. (Bio-Electrical Impedance Analysis) A few years back I measured by calipers and was at 8% but the BIA scale showed about 18% at that time. (Time to pull out the calipers again I guess) Anyway, the 15.6% makes me happy.

What's changed to create the lower body fat percentage? A few things actually. First, I added Crossfit as my primary form of exercise. (Yes, I am still an avid runner as well) Second, I was vegetarian for almost a year. Third and most recent we decided to do the Whole30 challenge. What had the biggest impact? Well, I really think it was a combination of.....wait for it....diet and exercise. Let me explain diet, my diet is not about depriving myself of something. Yes, I cut out meat for the better part of a year and now I have cut out a few other things and added meat back, but I am not being deprived of the nutrients that my body needs to become more fit and healthy. How do I know? Because the composition of my body has changed dramatically even though I really have only lost a few pounds. All the time people are asking me about how much weight I have lost. (Not much actually, let me tell you my story... love it) My running times are faster EVERY time that they are tested. Oh, and I feel great. That is our goal after all, right? It should be, if it is not. To be healthy, fit, and feel great so that we can play with our kids, dog, spouse, etc... Shouldn’t that be our goal?

The cool thing about all of this is I can do things that most people I know can't. I don't mean to put anyone down or talk bad about them. What I am saying is, I can go outside and run and play with my kids. I can jump on the trampoline with them. I can climb trees with them, do handstands, play soccer, etc... Other kids have commented to my kids about it. ("Wish my parents could do that") If you don't think that is rewarding, you are crazy. Does it take effort? Of course it does, but when you decide to change your lifestyle and life habits you will quickly realize that the benefits far outweigh the negatives. You eat and act the way you do because of habit and/or the way you were taught. Most bad habits are passed down from our parents and influenced by society. Just because you were taught something doesn't make it true and doesn't make it the right thing to do. Keep this in mind two-thirds of the US is overweight and the vast majority of those people, 60%, are obese. Why? That is what you should be asking. Why are we, as a nation, obese and sick? It is really simple, the food we eat and our lifestyle determines our healthy.

So, with all that being said.... what are you waiting for? Choose to be healthy, choose to get outside and play with the kids and grand kids. Choose to run around with the dog. Stop choosing the life that is slowly killing you and stop passing those bad habits on to your kids. Say a little prayer, God will be glad to help you out with it as well. You ask him for other stuff; ask Him to help you be healthy. I guarantee He wants you to be around to raise your kids and spread His word. Send me an email, I will be happy to encourage you and help you find the resources you need to be successful. Start today!