Running is extremely important right now.

There are so many excuses to quit.

Heavy breathing, burning quads and the possibility for injury?

Please, explain the importance of running so that I can go out and expose myself to these uncomfortable forces for the greater good.

1. Running is freedom.

Take a moment to appreciate that you have the capacity to bipedal your way through this life as many others have not been offered such privilege or have had it taken away from them.

Arizona. OTF class, 2013.

While running, there is freedom to express one’s authentic spirit and to traverse the gravitational vibes of Earth’s divine presence. I seek unlimited. With this comes the mindset that allows for inclusion and transformation of any and all things.

2. Running expands the mind, not just the body.

It is a mistake to try and think less while running, unless that’s working for you now.

I think it is better to open the mind to the possibility of greater rhythm and flow.

You can really feel the energy flowing through your body this way, especially as you run tall, elbows back and behind, engaging the core, lifting knees high off the ground, and kick back with excellent glute activation.

3. Realize that the question is more important than the answer.

Maybe, let go of telling your body what to do and do more about asking about what it can do.

For example, instead of saying, “I need to run faster, I can’t do this, it hurts,” perhaps it should be more like, “what is the deeper motivational reason to keep going?” “how centered or heart-focused am I right now, can I lift my chest a little higher? “does this effort bring me genuine, healthy pride?”

I don’t mean to be rude here, but the only reason average runners stay average is because they aren’t willing to go deeper. Going deeper means confronting vulnerable areas of your psyche. While we are all vulnerable, nobody is truly average so keep reading on.

4. Energy intake must have meaning.

When I speak of energy in this case, I am referring to the type of energy you put in your mouth.

Yes, food. Elite runners understand the importance of good nutrition.

Everything has a symbolic and spiritual nature.

First, let us expand on the idea of, to have meaning. This word has been used for over 700 years and it relates strongly to, “sense.” Additionally, “the act of remembering,” and, “that which is intended to be expressed.”

Energy that is devoid of meaning has been stripped of its essence. It can be argued that it has lost some vital force that once gave it more meaning. The isolation of energy from purpose has stripped too many people of their health. Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and many gut issues may arise because the foundational pillars of healthy normal function have crumbled.

Meaningless food example: refined sugar.

Refined sugar has been stripped of its original meaning which it was once symbolized by its plant form.

Now, take me back to my trip in Colombia, where I sipped on fresh raw sugarcane juice. Here, you have a different nutritional reality because the enzymes and other vital forces remain active in a fresh juice form. That’s not to say it was without a, “con,” as I’m sure it still raised my blood sugar more than needed.

Colombia inspired my nutritional adventures by offering me fresh raw sugarcane juice on this scenic lake.

Rule of thumb: food should be recognizable to its original form.

I will go on much deeper into the DNA of healthy nutrition later, so stay tuned for that.

5. Recover.

I have a belief that survival is a deeper value than longevity. That is perhaps one reason why some people keep running day in, day out, even with nagging pains that they’re neglecting. Caution: even though pain often comes from a nagging area in the body, there are likely deeper imbalances that must be addressed.

Furthermore, boundaries must be set with relationships to yourself and others. I have been guilty of prioritizing my exercise and offering less time for other people in my life. This is an area that I am trying to improve upon.

You can be extraordinary if your mindset allows for freedom.

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Intelligent eating is the cornerstone for all goal reaching success.

A lot of you having been asking me for this — so here it is! These are the foods that I consumed today, with some thought to nutrients.

Example Eating Plan:

9 AM: Carbo/Protein Break feast

Athlete nutrition from 1950's

Hot oatmeal. Add one tablespoon of coconut oil and one tablespoon of almond butter for flavor, energy, and healthy cardiovascular system. Additionally, a scoop of pure Whey Protein powder to ensure positive protein balance in the muscles.

Result: A slow digesting meal that fills you up, provides loads of energy, and promotes a healthy overall system. The oatmeal will slowly refill your muscle glycogen stores, which is especially important for athletes when they need energy.

Supplement addition: Vitamin D — all athletes need it.

11:45 AM: Pre-workout Drink

Carbohydrate/Protein drink.

Ratio of simple carbs to protein is 2:1 — may also add extra creatine and branched chain amino acids.

Result: A quick digesting energy drink that boosts insulin in order to shuttle protein directly into the muscle tissues. Moreover, simple carbohydrates are vital for optimal blood glucose levels during weight training and athletics. If you don’t have enough blood glucose and you’ve run out of muscle glycogen, then your performance will suffer and you may have to end the workout early.

1 PM: Post-workout Drink

Carbohydrate/Protein drink.

Consume the same thing as your pre-workout. Except instead of giving you energy, the purpose of this drink is to aid in muscle recovery. Following the stress from the workout, your body is ready to uptake simple carbs in order to refill muscle glycogen at an accelerated rate. In other words, the simple carbs go straight into your muscle and NOT onto your belly. Thats GREAT news — but this is only the brief period following intense exercise. Timing is everything here.

Result: Increased recovery, reduced soreness, higher anabolic lean muscle development. Remember that simple carbs act as a transporter to get the protein (amino acids) into the muscle at a faster rate — so a 2:1 ratio of carbs/protein seems to be ideal.

2 PM: BIG Lunch

Lentils with raw saurkraut, vegetables, and salmon burger. (Large serving sizes since it is first solid meal after workout)

After I get home from the workout, I put the lentils on the stove and let them cook for 30 minutes or so. I’ll steam the vegetables as well, or microwave them if I’m pressed for time. Once the lentils are finished and cooled to tolerable temperature, I’ll add the raw sauerkraut (because high heat kills enzymes) and maybe some Braggs Aminos for flavor.

Result: Lentils are a wonderful source of slow digesting carbs that will continue to refill your muscle glycogen stores, but without adding any body fat. We want to keep the glycemic index of our foods relatively low for the rest of the day in order to minimize potentially adding body fat. Since lentils are high in L-Tryptophan, a precurser to Serotonin, I usually feel very balanced after this meal.

The salmon burger adds Omega-3 essential fatty acids along with a great source of protein. Of course, the vegetables contribute vital antioxidants that are even MORE important for athletes. And the raw sauerkraut contains enzymes to decrease the load on your pancreas and help digest food — not to mention the billions of probiotics.

5 PM: Fruit Snack

Apple, a Pear, and Branched Chain Amino Acids supplement to stay in anabolic mode.

Result: Do I really need to tell you why fruits are good? I typically eat fruits in between meals because I don’t like mixing fruits with proteins. Fruits provide essential nutrients and are vital to the immune system. Your performance in the gym (strength and force output) is very closely related to your immune system. In other words, to perform, you need to be healthy…and fruits help you do that.

7 PM: Dinner

Beef and vegetables

Actually, I was at a catered training at the Super Supplements headquarters, and they typically offer delicious meals. The beef was moist and tender — thank you Naturade for providing that.

Result: Continue protein synthesis and a delicious meal.

9 PM: Healthy Fat Snack

Walnuts, Almonds and Cod Liver Oil

I like to get my fats in at night time, away from carbs. The nuts contain healthy fats and some protein, while the Cod Liver Oil contains essential Omega-3 fatty acids to keep me smart and sexy.

11 PM: Night time Snack

Raw Kefir

The goal of a late night snack is to provide your body with protein and nutrients to use through out the night. My preferred night time snack is Kefir, which contains slow digesting protein and billions upon billions of probiotics. Moreover, Kefir contains plenty of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and enzymes which all contribute to recovery and make me feel wonderful in the morning.

These foods are just an example.

With thousands of different healthy foods out there, the key is variety and nutrition. We can modify the times of day we eat certain foods, and realize that certain combinations of foods work better together than others.

The overall goal of nutritious eating is:

Healthy, functioning immune system
Antioxidants to protect cells from damage
Protein (amino acids) for maintenance and building lean muscle
Carbohydrates for energy — refill muscle glycogen stores depleted from workout, and have steady stream of slow burning carbs to use as blood glucose energy.
Optimal cholesterol and blood pressure — often by consuming those healthy fats, but foods like lentils help too.

As a result of this healthy eating, you allow your body to thrive and to grow into an unstoppable resilient force of nature. If you follow my advice and become incredibly sexy as a result, don’t blame me for the attention from opposite sex — I warned you.