— Leave a Comment

Is the WORLD Happy With Your Body? (depends who’s asking…)

I think as the story goes, girls want to grow up and marry a charming prince, but boys just want to become a hero.

Little Sally, at four years old enjoys role playing with barbies — it’s the complexity of human social relationships that fascinates her budding mind. She tries to make the barbie look pretty, because she already knows that looks attract.

Owner is only four years old, and already preparing for matrimony.

Owner is only four years old, and already preparing for matrimony.

Next door to her, Jimmy…a five year old boy with propensity to ram toy fire trucks into LEGO’s — demonstrates influence over his environment.

These two young ones will grow into personalities with unique desires and expectations. Despite different strengths and weaknesses, eventually they will all reveal vulnerabilities about their body image.

Why do we have so many preconceptions about how others perceive our physiques?

Truth is that…some people have extra chins, others have veins, cellulite, a little hair — you name it. Some people are just incredibly insecure about their CALVES even…!

Factors influencing beliefs about your body:

  • What you think OTHER PEOPLE feel about your body.
  • What other people ACTUALLY FEEL about your body.
  • Shouldn’t it only matter how YOU FEEL about your body?

I realize that a lot of us aren’t perfect in every way. Welcome to life.

But there’s NO point feeling bad about it!

Especially when a sliver of happiness is an inch away.

Seek life at the head, and take a step forward.

Actually, take lots of steps! (See Getting FIT with Walking) 🙂

My point is that you can implement one healthy habit at a time, and you’ll start feeling better already as you come closer to your body’s full potential.

With results, comes satisfaction.

I think all efforts are boosted by some self-understanding. Pause for a moment, and then ask yourself…what do you really value and what are you going to do to achieve those values?

As a young male, I am consistently exposed to images of masculine avatars. During my adolescence, it was Arnold, Stalone, Baywatch. Now it’s sports stars, pop culture icons, and anything that sells.

But then I realized that we’re not all that different at all. Even though toned beach bodies will remain in syndication for years, you can be sure that each actor has had some certain body insecurity.

It makes NO sense for a top level beach body actor to worry about their body. Just as it makes no sense to WORRY about yourself either. It’s quite human to have vulnerabilities, so why not instead emphasize that which you’re most proud of.

Hasselhoff to crew: Focus on my manly chest, but please dont show my puny calves.

Hasselhoff to crew: "Focus on my manly chest, but please don't show my puny calves."

The TRUTH is that we learn more from success than we do failure. The more success you have, the easier it will be to maintain a healthy weight.

Get off your butt.

Focus on the goal.

And, take it one step at a time.

Physical fitness supports all aspects of social and personal life. Whether you want to be a sports hero, or meet your prince charming, I’m with you for the journey.

But right now, I must visit my local gym, Bally’s Total Fitness, to train my body closer to its full potential.

Until the next time, my friend…

CNN — why we eat too much, and how to get control

Power of the Mind
— Leave a Comment

Why Muscles Matter (for men, women, young, and old), Part 1.

This morning, somewhere in your neighborhood, a person will struggle to physically get out of bed. With age, there is a “natural” loss of muscle which is responsible for so many elderly people lacking mobility and calling to buy those scooters you see on TV.

However, study after study shows that weight training for people of all ages increases muscle efficiency, tendon stability, and disease prevention. In other words, quality of life, health, energy, and vitality.

Weakness is inefficient, and takes a toll on the body. Untrained individuals have to use MORE energy for LESS movement.

Brian came into the store the other day to buy more bottles of Topricin, a pain relief cream, and mentioned how, “All of my friends are using it to get rid of pain too, I have to come back and get more for myself!”

I am highly in support of pain relief, but even I must confront the fact that treating the SYMPTOMS will never cure the whole person.

For example, Tendons are strong, small, and responsible for keeping you from falling over or displacing a joint. By strengthening tendons through weight training, we can reinforce the joints under stress with added protection.

I see it every day. Baby boomers are aging, and they are beginning to feel the “realities” of age, which could have been prevented all along!

The teardrop muscle of the Quadriceps is necessary for kneecap tracking.

The "teardrop" muscle of the Quadriceps is necessary for kneecap tracking.

What does it mean to be Young, anymore?

  • Strong
  • Healthy
  • Less worries

Muscles are KEY to overall anti-aging strategy.

If you seek youth, you must seek strength.

If you seek strength, you must seek me.

Because I have, plenty of strength just around thy knee.

Physical Fitness by Dre
— Leave a Comment

Experts urge Soda-tax, 12 cents more per coca cola

What is the REAL cost of soda?

Even though you can buy a soft drink for under a dollar, the TRUE COST is greater than you would imagine.

Research has shown that people lose weight simply by cutting back on soft drinks. Now, experts are urging the government to pass a national sales tax on Soft Drinks in order to sway your decicion at the cash register.

Soft drink: 99 cents

Coke makes you chubby, have to hire personal trainer: 35/hr

Years of soft drinks make you diabetic: THOUSANDS on medical costs, and at risk for more disease.

Drinking coke makes you LOSE your CENTS!

The latest proposal in Thursday’s issue of the medical journal calls for a 1-cent-per-ounce sales tax, an amount more than double the average state tax. It would increase the levy on that $1 soda can to 12 cents.

But the Feds are slow to act…

“That’s what happened with tobacco. The states were on it long before there was federal action,” he said.

Proggresive states must pioneer these relatively unpopular fixes, in order to see real results in the future. Making these changes now could lead to reduced medical costs, and even more importantly, a greater quality of life for all.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32883748/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/

Time is Money Weightloss Now
— 1 Comment

NO TIME for working out!!!

I work full time, and for the rest of the hours, I am full time. Needless to say, between all of this activity, it doesn’t leave a lot of time for the gym.

Can you afford any of those…hours…upon….hours… in the gym??

Aside from aspiring towards a career as a professional fitness model, the dollar signs…just. don’t compute.

dear fitness babe, if youre smiling while working out, then ITS WAY TOO EASY!

dear fitness babe, if you're smiling while working out, then ITS WAY TOO EASY!

Your time is valuable!

To me, I feel that the greatest benefits come from pure proficiency. These are called skills, my friend.

Maximum Benefit = Highest Effort

In other words…

there’s no need, at all…to spend TOO MUCH time in the gym!

Have you ever seen that one guy in the gym? He spends 10 hours hitting the weights, BUT  he neglects his body by working out only his arms, and then just blames his genetics for not making progress…

Instead, a more proficient solution…

KEY: Perform exercises with the greatest benefit.

Guess where I am?

I spend more time in the shower than I do the gym. Perhaps that’s just a lifestyle choice, or the state of my affairs, because I know that proficiency is the foundation of fitness.

In the weightlifting world, we equate risk to benefit for exercise selection. For example, placing 200+ pounds of iron on my shoulders maybe isn’t the safest thing in the world. And for each rep, I embrace this reality because I really feel a mind-body connection that improves all other physicality’s of my life.

Rule of thumb: The harder the exercise, the more potential benefits.

Lets return to our fitness babe who innocently sells a product she probably doesn’t even perform when the cameras aren’t around.

Yep, its STILL, too easy.

Yep, it's STILL, too easy.

Exercise X:

Leg Curl

Muscles worked: Quadriceps

Real Life Value: Slim-to-none, except for certain people.

Who should use it, ideally? Usually it is best used for physical rehabilitation, (weaker than average) beginners, and experienced bodybuilders.

Instead, I present an alternative. This is not only for guys who want to get fit, but for people who are serious about fitness. Do the exercises that give you LOTS OF BENEFITS, because you don’t need to be an athlete in order to perform…like one.

Exercises Y, Z:

  1. Bulgarian Split Squat
  2. Front Squat

Muscles worked: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, abdominals (entire core),

Additional muscles worked: During front squats, the upper back must help support the weight. As a result, posture improves.

During the split squat, your ability to balance is really taxed, which means you can improve balance substantially. Balance and coordination are the top ways to prevent ankle and knee sprains.

Real Life Value: Increased lower back health, greater mobility and flexibility, promotes healthy knees (don’t forget to Warm-Up), and improves balance and coordination.

Fat Loss?: YES, fat loss certified exercises.

Who should use these exercises: Healthy people over 16 in order to burn fat and build lean tissue. In addition, these exercises assist injury prevention in sport (safeguard vs ACL tear).

This is just another day in the gym, part of a 35 minute workout.

Even though I carry quite a bit more muscle than most people, I can assure you has LITTLE to do with time investment.

If you’re going to do something, you might as well Do It Right!

How to Select an Exercise

  • Does it work several muscles at multiple joints?
  • Describe the ways it is functional in real life.
  • You should be too tired to do more after 45 minutes of it. Go drink a protein shake.
  • Freeweights are some of the best, the cable pulley machines are good, bands have uses, and regular machines generally aren’t worth the time.

Now, you have the time, but do you have the drive?

Be proficient, friend, and the RESULTS…SHALL…COME!

Time is Money Weightloss Now