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Why Bodyweight Training is Essential for Fitness

Bodyweight exercise has existed before any other kind.

Whether humans were running along the fertile ground near rivers or performing feats of strength as ritual, the ability to have control over one’s body is more human than any other training.

These guys didn’t wake up one day and do a handstand… no — they trained for it.

Rediscover the benefits of bodyweight exercise

  • Exercise in a natural range of motion
  • Metabolic boosts, calorie burning
  • Improved recovery capacity and less stress on the central nervous system
  • Typically supports joint health and muscles which stabilize the joint
  • Lean muscle tone

Why don’t more people do bodyweight training?

Even though there are many subcultures of fitness which are entirely dedicated to bodyweight training, the truth is that most people have a failure to appreciate the difficulty of bodyweight exercises.

The Planche is a static hold requiring tension throughout the entire body. This is an advanced position requiring many months of progression and exercises as well as a lean physique with low body fat.

The result, however, is an incredibly fit individual. This is just an example of how bodyweight exercises can increase in difficulty by changing the levers of the exercise. What was once a push up position now supports the entire body in the air.

The cons of bodyweight exercise

Gaining the strength, skill, coordination to perform advanced variations is difficult enough. Moreover, most people simply don’t have the physique (at this point in time) to be able to perform advanced exercises.

So most people are forced to begin with simple variations on bodyweight exercises and they feel very humbled by how much trouble they have. Instead of doing bodyweight exercises, many gym-goers go off and use implements such as dumbbells and machines. People with large body mass or people with significant excess body fat will have difficulty performing bodyweight exercises.

“Older” guys can do it too. Jack Lalane showing his fingertip push up skills.

On the flip side, people with very LOW body mass (skinny people) may have more trouble building muscle mass from bodyweight exercises alone because their bodies are not forced to move as much weight. For example, if a 130 pound guy does 20 chin ups, versus a 200 pound guy who does 15 chin ups — who do you think will have bigger arms and back as a result of chin up practice? Most likely the larger guy.

Embrace the challenge

This man realized the benefits of bodyweight training in association with weighted implement training.

The more I learn about the human body, the more I realize that bodyweight exercises should be foundational and not supplemental. The joint health benefits alone are significant enough, and then you should also remember the coordination and functional benefits as well.

Physical Fitness by Dre
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When Diet Food Just Isn’t Enough

How many Diets have you been on?

Go ahead. You can take a second to count now.

I’ll always remember my 8th grade crash diet that lasted for a week and ended with nearly a gallon of ice cream.

Help is on the way!

Because…

Diets can be sooo unsatisfying…

New research suggests that your expectations play a physiological role in the release of hunger-satiating hormones.

In other words, if you believe and expect that a meal will satisfy you, that meal will have a significantly greater chance of actually satisfying you — regardless of its content.

Food restriction is unnatural and psychologically taxing

Imagine yourself in the times before civilization — even before agriculture. Lets say you have been wandering the land for days without food and suddenly you stumble across an abundance of bright, firm, and deliciously sweet fruit.

You will indulge… as you should.

“If you try to serve that for dinner, I’m going to Andre’s instead!”

Food was never meant to be limited. In reality, our bodies are extremely powerful digestion machines. The fact that we can process “edible substances” such as candy, highly processed foods, and overly refined foods is remarkable in itself.

Maintaining healthy weight is all about your mindset of food.

I am highly active, but I never restrict myself.

Some people might think that because I opt-out of eating ice cream, that I am restricting food. This is not the case.

The reason I don’t eat ice cream is because I purposely save room for foods that are nutrient dense. If I ate ice-cream, I no longer would have an appetite for greens and veggies.

It’s an opportunity cost. By consuming high-sugar-substances, you literally LOSE the opportunity to consume healthful foods.

What kind of Loser do YOU want to be?

Live life with an Abundance Mindset

Some people talk about the Law of Attraction. Creating a reality for yourself which attracts an abundance of wealth, health, friends, and love. Whether or not this can apply to your life, the simple “Abundance Mindset” can seriously help you get weight loss results FAST.

Open your arms and accept the gift of abundance

It’s always about the Possibilities — never the restrictions.

If you laid out all the food that I consume in a day, it’s like a bountiful feast for medieval royalty! Shall you be a guest in my kingdom?

“I’ll drink to that!”

There are so many colors, textures, and pleasures attached to the food that I welcome into life.

For example, please visualize:

  • Organic Red bell peppers complimenting fresh Alaskan medium-rare broiled salmon over a bed of rainbow chard.
  • Avocado displaying it’s creamy green beauty with broccoli florets resembling mini trees of life.
  • The sweet pungency of a Walla Walla onion lightly fried over high-smoke-point tropical cooking oil adding a moist crunch for the sensation of a dinner guest.
  • Aromatic Chamomile/Ginger/Tulsi Tea steaming wonderfully on the side, acting as a digestive aid and healing beverage.

Forget the middle man.

You take responsibility for yourself. There’s no tricks, gimmicks, weight loss powders, pills, or laxatives that can save you from the inevitable adipose tissue.

Only realizing the limitless possibilities of food will allow you to obliterate that last bit of body fat on your lower stomach and thighs.

You’re nothing without a Taste for Improvement.

Similar to practicing your hobbies and advancing in your career, developing a palate for healthy foods can be achieved by discipline and persistence.

My “ah-hah” moment came when I realized that not only could I reduce body fat with natural foods, but that I would cure my ailments in ways the doctor’s never imagined.

Endless possibilities to Fuel your amazing body (you deserve it)

Now every single day is an experiment with fresh food combinations, fresh culinary herbs, and different preparation methods.

If all else fails, try eating half of a wild salmon every day and you may start seeing results immediately.

Stay tuned for more…

Nutrition, Immunity, and Digestion Weightloss Now
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What is it that Makes COCONUT OIL a top Superfood?

Coconut Oil

Upon unleashing the power of coconut oil, let the delicious tropical aroma of coconuts gently flow toward your senses.

A Jar of Goodness

That delightful scent is animated by a rich texture which welcomes you into the World of Health Benefits from Coconut Oil. 

I'd crack a coconut for you.

Do you want to know more?

Coconut Oil is the ideal Oil for Health, Fitness, and Vitality

It is not my intention to persuade everyone into the world of Coconut Oil. I simply aim to share how this oil has completely replaced butter, and many other cooking oils in my life.

Coconut Oil Benefit #1:

Saturated Fat.

You heard me, SATURATED FAT. Say it loud and proud!

We all benefit from some saturated fat in our diets.

Chemical structure of fatty acids

Just like mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fat, saturated fatty acids can be found in every cell of the human body.

Take home point: Diets should be no more than 10% saturated fat, and saturated fat should come from food sources with other redeeming qualities (like coconut oil).

Coconut Oil Benefit #2:

Medium Chain Triglycerides.

Say what?

Medium Chain Triglycerides (or MCTs) are different than their Long-Chain counterparts — which you will find in foods like butter and red meat.

Beautiful beautiful MCT structure

MCT’s have multiple benefits:

  • Very easily digested by the body (for example, surgery patients in hospitals who can’t digest regular fats are often fed pure MCT’s in order to promote recovery)
  • A great source of energy for the systems in the body
  • The energy from MCTs is similar to that of energy from carbohydrates, except your pancreas doesn’t have to release a lot of insulin for it. As a result, you don’t get blood sugar spikes — making it easier to lose weight and stay lean.
  • Due to chemical structure of MCTs, it is nearly impossible for it to be stored as bodyfat.

For these reasons, the MCT’s in coconut oil can make your day better, everyday better.

Coconut Oil Benefit #3:

Immune System Benefits

I want you healthy from Day ONE!

Coconut Oil contains several interesting components which can help fight infectious disease and yeast overgrowth.

Lauric Acid: A 12-carbon Medium Chain Triglyceride which has antimicrobial properties. In the human body, Lauric Acid converts into a substance called Monolaurin to reap the antimicrobial and immune benefits.

Caprillic Acid: An 8-carbon Medium Chain Triglyceride that can easily penetrate cell walls and fight against species of bacteria such as various Streptococcus strains. It also has anti-fungal effects, which is why many people with Candida/Yeast issues can get benefits from Coconut Oil.

It is also naturally anti-parasitic.

Consuming Coconut Oil prior to eating unhealthy food can help to ward off bacterial and other infections.

College kids eating Crappy Food? Try Coconut Oil 20 minutes before meals to stay healthy.

Coaches advice: He suggested his college athletes heat up and liquefy 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to consume 20-30 minutes before crappy college meals in order to stay healthy.

Coconut Oil Benefit #4:

One of the Best cooking Oils known to man.

There are several reasons why Coconut Oil is great to cook with. Aside from the sensory benefits from the pleasant aroma and the great taste that it adds to cooked food, Coconut Oil is superior to many other cooking oils.

Table of Smoke Points. Source: easydietforlife.com

HIGHLY STABLE against Oxidation.

Coconut Oil has a high smoke point. The smoke point of an oil relates to the point at which it oxidizes.

Food which has been subjected to significant oxidation will create free-radicals in the body — causing significant damage to cells and DNA if there aren’t enough antioxidants available. (example of antioxidants are Vitamin C, E, Selenium, anythocyanins from blueberries, resveratrol from red wine, etc.)

When you think Oxidation, picture a car with a ton of Rust all over it.

THIS is oxidation!

Do you want that degradation in YOUR own body?

Even with healthy habits, some oxidation is inevitable. But the better you manage your free-radicals, the better condition you will be in.

Coconut Oil cooks foods at high temperature without oxidizing.

As a result, there are fewer harmful free-radicals present in the food.

Therefore, it provides greater nutrient value of our food.

You + Nutrient Value = Win, win, win!

Coconut Oil Benefit #5:

Weight Loss!

Actually, this is more about body-composition.

Ideally, we should have a healthy ratio of lean mass to bodyfat.

Men: Less than 15% bodyfat is ideal (You start seeing abs around 10% bodyfat)

Women: Less than 25% bodyfat is ideal. (Women may see abs around 17% bodyfat)

Does she cook with coconut oil?

Since the MCT’s from coconut oil provide vital energy for the body without even budging Blood Sugar levels in the body, it promotes a healthy state of metabolism in the body.

Fat storage for long periods of time can wreak havoc on your hormones, blood sugar, and immune function.

Coconut oil can help you stay in fat-burning mode continuously — which is ideal. We should be burning fat and storing (some) fat every day.

DOSING  Strategy for COCONUT OIL…

Weight Loss: 1-2 tablespoons per day. Cook your food in it.

Bodybuilding: Build up to 4-6 tablespoons per day depending on tolerance. Consume with each meal, spread out through the day. These are lean calories which can help promote lean muscle mass.

Do YOU know what is it that makes Coconut Oil a top Superfood?

I hope so.

Dang, I really hope so. It’s not so much that my life depends on it, but maybe yours does.

Jackie Chan fans should use Coconut Oil on their popcorn.

I truly believe that high consumption of a variety of super-foods on a regular basis can make for a Super You.

Seriously, get Super with me, my friends.

BONUS antioxidant power:

For extra antioxidant power, energy, weight loss, and vitality, Both Jackie Chan and I promote the regular consumption of Green Tea.

Click the link for more on the benefits of Green Tea

Nutrition, Immunity, and Digestion Weightloss Now
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How does Family Lifestyle become YOUR Decision?

Family depends on Our behaviors.

Most of us are on auto-pilot when it comes to neglecting our true motivation.

We don’t usually think about deeper aspects of personality until some drastic event happens to us. Like, why did it happen to me?

Do you realize what you’re doing?

I would pause for a moment and consider, the true magnitude of time spent with family.

It could be a parent, sibling, and significant other. Family time is influential no matter what.

Be passionate about a healthy lifestyle.

This is a proud statement of who you are.

A person who loves to live. Life empowers you only if you empower it.

In other words, to gain physical, mental, and emotional strength, you must feel like this…

Responsibility...

Have the responsibility for how you are, for what you do, and for who you do it with.

We eat vegetables. What do you do?

Nutrient-dense food that empowers us to empower ourselves.

Fresh food.

You aren’t what you eat;You’re what you digest.

Improve your digestive health by understanding it.

Sure, you can learn great nutrition tips from EllisonFitness, but the truth is that you’re already well equipped.

With body and mind, all you need is a little inspiration.

Inspire Family…

Role models are great to have. I gain respect when witnessing character, knowledge, and passion that that is virtuous to me.

Even though I may try, some traits are not for me to master. We are too unique, and I am what I am. Our benefit, though is our positive alliance.

My oldest brother inspires me, and the best part is that it’s mutual. I inspire him with this blog…unless I get too busy to write new posts!

He said this great truth about Lifestyle that I had to share:

Health testimonial:

Making physical fitness a lifestyle choice is one of the best decisions I’ve made and has changed the quality of my life for the better.

I strongly believe consistency is the most important factor for determining success. Exercise and eating healthy requires dedication, discipline, and educating yourself on how to best achieve these goals. That’s why approaching physical fitness as a “lifestyle” makes so much more sense. It becomes something permanent rather than a fleeting vague goal.

Way to go, brother! Success is built upon consistency and successful behaviors.

How to get an amazing body, with family.

You are you, and I am me.

We evolve habits that promote health.

Imagine if eating vegetables was your habit — eating healthy is easy then.

Therefore, being lean with me is the right thing to do.

Nutrition, Immunity, and Digestion Power of the Mind Weightloss Now
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Obesity isn’t always caused by eating ‘too’ much

A lot of overweight people will tell you one thing…

That they don’t actually eat that much.

And I believe them.

Many factors contribute to weight gain, not just quantity of food

Aside from metabolic diseases, there can be many reasons for weight gain…

  • Genetics
  • Not eating breakfast, but consuming more food at night time
  • Too many simple carbohydrates like sugar
  • Lack of fruits and vegetables
  • Less than 6 hours of sleep
  • Stress from work, family, life, and weight
  • Insufficient quantity or quality of exercise

You gotta give your body a reason to burn that fat

I am all about nutrients. I care more about the nutrient-density of my food than any other factor.

The reason fruit and vegetables aid weight loss is not just because they are low-calorie. Actually, fruits and vegetables contain valuable antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients (many of which are still being discovered scientifically) that support the natural function of the human body.

Fat-burning is Natural

Our bodies are often utilizing fat for energy.

The people who lose weight are the people who burn more fat than they store. On the opposite side, the people who gain weight are people who store more fat than they burn — but they are STILL burning some fat everyday.

Ideally, you want to optimize fat burning by feeding the LEAN tissue in your body (especially muscles, but also organs). You also want to feed your bones to maintain healthy bone mineral density.

Without the proper nutrients, your body will store toxins in the fat while leeching minerals and amino acids from other parts of your body.

Fool-proof weight loss

Everyone can lose weight, I really believe that.

Here’s a simple way that WORKS:

  1. Eggs for breakfast
  2. Fruit for snack (different varieties of fruits)
  3. Quinoa + Vegetables + Guacamole for lunch
  4. Handful of nuts for afternoon snack (almonds, sesame seeds, and a brazil nut)
  5. Salmon + Vegetables for dinner
  6. Unflavored Yogurt 1 hour before bed

Continue this, and try to add some variety to it as well.

This isn’t “six meals” per day. It’s actually only three meals, with three snacks. By separating fruits from meals, you can aid digestion and keep your body energized.

It works, but are you dedicated enough to try it?

It has never been about eating less.

It has ALWAYS been about Eating Right

Eating right is about eating nutrient-dense foods at the right time during the day.

What is it that you are doing right currently?

What is is that you can do today to benefit your goals?

Nutrition, Immunity, and Digestion Weightloss Now