The Good, The Bad....Foods

THE GOOD

Eggs-A large egg has about 7 grams of protein. Don't worry about all the cholesterol and fat talk about egg yolks, the media has over-hyped the issue over the years. A good strategy is to do 2 whites to 1 yolk or just do whites every other day or so.

Oatmeal-Oatmeal can be your carb of choice. It is a great compliment to protein in the morning. Your body has been deprived of food overnight so some slow digesting carbs and protein for breakfast make for a great option. Adding protein powder or sliced almonds makes oatmeal even better! Be careful not to add sugar or any other unhealthy additions. When buying oatmeal stick to the kind that lists "100% natural rolled oats" in the ingredients and thats it! No packets with other garbage in it!

Tuna-It is a staple that is low in fat, cheap, low in carbs and packs a protein punch! Some might say be aware of the mercury levels so I would say eating tuna 1-2x a week and you should be fine.

Cottage cheese-Fat free versions would be best. Cottage cheese is a great source of casein protein, which is a protein that digests slowly therefore giving you a slow and steady release of amino acids into the bloodstream. Cottage cheese is also low in carbs and makes a great nightime snack!

Fruits/Veggies-Provide vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, fiber and more!

Meats- Lean variety is best specifially turkey, chicken, beef and buffalo. In terms of beef, look to buy the kind that has the names "loin" or "round" since those tend to be the leanest.

HONORABLE MENTION-

Natural peanut butter, nuts-Great source of protein. Nuts can be a great portable and easy snack to bring to work and travel with. Just be careful since nuts are very calorie dense and if weight gain is not your goal then make sure to eat in moderation.

Whole grain breads, Sweet potatoes, brown rice-yes better than the white variety but still watch since they are high in carbs

THE BAD-Ok so this might be common sense but you still need to get smacked in the face with this info more often to let it sink in!

High fat/high carb foods-The American diet usually consists of foods under this category and that is why everyone is fat. The combo of meals with a high carb content and high fat content can promote a higher insulin release than when the two are eaten seperatley. The end result will be high levels of insulin, fat and carbs in the blood...not good! We are talking pizza, cookies, ice cream, cakes, pancakes, most chinese and mexican foods.

Fruit juice and pop-Eating fruit is great, drinking fruit juice not so much. It is always better to eat your fruit than drink it. Eating whole fruit you get much more fiber, phytochemicals, nutrients etc. Fruit juice is just an easy way to over consume calories. Remember I am talking about fruit juice concentrate here and not fresh squeezed in your juicer.

Breakfast cereals-I heard once that cereal is like breakfast candy. Most cereals are loaded with sugar and carbs. If you must eat cereal some best options are All Bran Fiber One or Kashii.


ROUTINE TO TRY
*Make adjustments if need be


A1) Pullup ( mixed grip, one palm facing you and the other facing away)-do 6 reps, then switch hand grips and do 6 more, 12 total
A2) Goblet squats with dumbbell-15 reps http://h4training.blogspot.com/2011/09/goblet-squats.html
A3) Pushups off med ball ( place right hand on ball and left on the ground, do a pushup and then move over to the other side with right hand on the ground and left hand on the ball, equals 1 rep )-10 reps
A4) Deadlift barbell, dumbbell, or kettlebell-12 reps
A5) Core exercise-your choice

**Repeat 4 rounds without rest, take 1-2min rest if you are not conditioned yet

B1) Seated row ( palms up grip )- 15 reps
B2) Alternating front lunges with dumbbells -8 each leg
B3) Standing alternating neutral grip should press with dumbbells ( palms face each other )-12 reps each
B4) Alternating lateral lunge ( bodyweight or weight if needed )-8 each leg
B5) Core exercise of your choice

**Repeat 4 rounds without rest, take 1-2min rest if you are not conditioned yet

To finish you can do some sprints outside, on a track or on the treadmill.

4 sets of quick sprints, 40-50 yards in distance, taking 45 sec between sets. All out sprint!

Eat better at work-7 strategies

1) Load up on healthy foods over the weekend- if you have it in your house you will have no excuse not to have food around to bring the next day. Odds are you might not have time to run back and forth to the store so get your food in one shot.

2) Make extra-When you cook dinner, cook extra for yourself to bring the next day. Not only will you save money by not eating out but you will save some extra pounds of your body.

3) Keep healthy snacks-Don't load up your desk with candy and chips, but instead with nuts, string cheese, healthy bars, yogurt and so on. What is in reach will be what you eat.

4) Look ahead when you eat out-If you must go out to eat then do your research ahead of time. Everyone has that bit of time at work when they read Facebook and other sites, so instead read the menus of local places and figure out your healthiest options. Look for:

* Lean meats
* Broth-based soups
* Greens with olive oil and vinegar dressings

5) Eat away from your desk-It has been shown people eat more when they sit down and eat at their desk. Eating at your desk will lead you to ignore fullness signals from your body making it easier to overeat.

6) Set a goal-How often will you bring your lunch is a good starting goal.

7) Eat breakfast! This is the start of your work day. Eat breakfast and you eat less throughout the day end of story.

Things I like

• Good Health brand peanut butter pretzels-Whole wheat pretzels filled with natural pb a perfect combo.

• Combo of-Dumbbell hammer curls for 10 reps, followed by 10 neutral grip ( palms facing each other ) chinups. Without resting keep going back and forth between the two exercises dropping the reps by one each round. So 10/10, 9/9, 8/8 and so on until you get to 1. Of course you need to be able to do chinups in the first place.

• Rosie Huntington-She is the new girl in Transformers. See above.

• Ground bison+bell peppers+onions+garlic+diced tomatoes over a bed of brown rice=a perfect protein meal after a hard workout day

• Unilateral work-One arm chest press, one arm row, one arm squat and lunges. Not only will you stimulate your core but you will shock the body into new growth!

• Running hills-Great to build lower body strength and power. Hills also force you to drive your arms harder than running on flat ground. Nothing feels better than knocking out some hill sprints on a nice summer day.

Random thoughts..........

• Sugars are ok to consume after your workout. Your insulin sensitivity is high and your body's ability to uptake glucose is high. This means you can have carbs and not worry about it being stored as fat.

• Control your stress levels. Everyone has stress these days and it can bring you down quickly if not dealt with correctly. Exercise is the perfect prescription to ease your stress levels.

• I love Chef Jay's Tri-O-Plex bars. They are low in sugar and high in protein. Not only do they taste great but they are made with whole food ingredients. I personally like the Banana Peanut Butter bars the best. Side note-They are high in calories so keep that in mind. http://chefjays.com/

• Close grip pushups with your feet on a physio ball is a great tricep exercise!

• Try doing one arm chest presses, shoulder presses and chest flys with the cables as a unique way to blast your core.
  

Breakfast options

If your skipping breakfast then your a fool.......make the time for the most important meal in your day! Here are some ideas for you. Remember those that eat breakfast eat less throughout the day and have smaller waist lines. And if your trying to pack on muscle then breakfast can be a great way to start your day with a high calorie content.

*2-3 eggs anyway-scrambled with tomato and spinach is ideal. Hard boiled can be done the night before.

* Low fat cottage cheese with fruit

* Greek Yogurt-best brands are Chobani and Oikos

* Whey protein-Mix with water or skim milk and frozen fruit and some flaxseed oil

* Nitrate-free natural sausage-Turkey or chicken is best. Mix it in as a scramble with eggs or by itself.

* Natural peanut butter or almond butter-spread it on whole grain bread

* Kashi GoLean Crunch cereal-not a huge fan of cereal but this one contains good stuff

8 Effective ways to boost your metabolism!

1) Add some lean muscle-Muscle is active tissue and those with lean muscle mass burn more calories throughout the day.

2) Drink cold water- By having cold water your body will have to work extra to heat it up.

3) Eat the following-Calcium, curry, green tea, grapefruit, oatmeal, coffee, almonds, blueberries, ginger, beans and cinnamon have all been linked to improve metabolism.

4) Lower the temperature in your home or apartment-Your body will need to work harder to maintain its internal temperature.

5) Watch your alcohol-Alcohol limits your body's ability to burn fat.

6) Do interval based cardio-Just like weight training you will burn more calories and boost your metabolism.

7) Eat when you wake up-Research shows you eat breakfast and you will eat less and burn more.

8) Morning quick jolt-Try waking up and doing 25 jumping jacks and 25 jackkives ( burpees ) before you head out the door just to get your metabolism jacked up.

7 Excuses that will ruin your eating plan

1. Just one wont kill me-We all have been in that situation were that one extra slice, piece or serving doesn't seem to be a big deal or issue but in reality it is. Think about how much more work and exercise you will need to do to burn off that little bit. More often then not that just one turns into multiple just ones throughout the day and week.

2. I'm tired and don't feel like cooking so I will just hit up the drive thru-Some fast food choices have more calories in one item then someone should have in a whole day. Instead go to the health food grocery store and do the salad bar or prepared foods bar. Another option is to prep your food one night and that way you can make dinners in a more timely fashion. Don't take the easy way out when it comes to what you put in your body.

3. I'm bored- If your bored start doing crunches, pushups or jackknives( burpees ) on the floor but don't stuff your face. By eating not only will you still be bored but now you will be bored and fat and who wants to be both of those.

4. I am having a horrible day, I hate my boss, traffic was aweful, and everything that could go wrong has- If things are going bad why would you want to punish yourself by eating bad? First, don't let others control your emotions. Second, you cannot control those things going wrong so think about it that way. But what you can control is what goes in your body so do it. You can make a negative into a positive by staying in control with your workouts and eating plan.

5. I hate to waste food- No poor hungry kid will benefit from you eating and not wasting that extra food. It is ok to waste.

6. Everyone else is eating it- Good let everyone else be out of shape and fat, but you wont stray away from your goals. You run your show and no one else does.

7. I will eat better tomorrow/ I will start tomorrow-Yes you can slip and get back on track but why waste a day. Take advantage of the present and don't waste anything!

More weight loss tips

• Eat a small salad or a vegetable based soup ( non cream based of course ) before eating dinner. These foods are low in calories and high in water content therefore will fill you up.

• Snack on non starchy vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, celery and cucumbers, all which are high in water content and low in calories.

• Drink water all day and before meals

• If you feel like eating sweets ( chocolate in particular ), go out of the house and take a quick 10-15 minute walk. Some studies have shown that this has reduced cravings. If anything you just end up burning some extra calories.

• Commit yourself completely. Go all in!

• Every bite counts. Avoid nibbling on foods because in the end those calories will add up.

• Say no to sugars

• Be aware of food labels and read them

Ladies....5 reasons why you WONT BULK UP

This is a post for all the women out there. I cant stand when I hear some woman tell me she doesn't like to do weights because she gets big easily. If you can pack on muscle and get big that easy then please contact me asap because I want to know your secrets. Lets face you are not going to bulk up and here is why.

1. Women don't have the testosterone levels men have-depending on what you read some say women have only 10-20% of a mans testosterone level. Due to the higher levels men are more likely to be able to put on muscle mass and at a more rapid pace.

2. You wont get bulky but in fact get more toned- Since the testosterone levels are not present to give women big muscles you will simply get more of a lean muscular look. Toning comes from stripping the fat away from the muscle and therefore enhancing its appearance. Celebrity women have toned muscles because they lift weights and eat right.

3. Getting big takes years and years of training for men let alone women- You will not get huge from starting to weight train overnight. Even if you lift weights for several years you wont achieve what your gender counter parts can achieve.

4. Bulking up is calorie dependant- Often times women associate getting bulky from starting to lift weights but this is generally caused from a poor diet and them gaining fat. A low calorie healthy nutrition plan plus weight training will produce a lean individual.

Eat hummus

Hummus has grown in popularity lately and it is for good reason. Hummus is a pureed chickpea dip that is loaded with health benefits. Hummus is a traditional Middle Eastern spread that has found its way to masses. Below are some of the benefits of hummus.

• High in fiber and protein
• Rich in folic acid, magnesium and iron
• Low in fat, high in good monounsaturated fat
• Has cholesterol lowering benefits

Quick uses for hummus

• Use as a spread on sandwiches or for wraps instead of mayonnaise
• Use it as a dip for fresh veggies
• Use it to spread on grilled chicken or meats
  

Remembering a fitness legend....

Jack LaLanne died the other day at the age of 96 in his home in California. LaLanne loved fitness and nutrition and is known as the " father of fitness" as he is recognized as the founder of the modern fitness movement. Most young people, including myself know him as the Power Juicer salesman on tv. He was a great man and without him the world of fitness would never be the same! Jack LaLanne was a man who did some incredible physical stunts. Below are some of the things LaLanne did through his years.

• At the age of 40 he swam the entire length of the Golden Gate Bridge underwater with 140 pounds of equipment including two air tanks.
• At age 66 he towed 10 boats in North Miami. The boats carried 77 people and he carried them over a mile in one hour

This guy was a stud! Checkout the video link below to see more classic footage of Mr. LaLanne.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIVfe-crHDs&feature=player_embedded

Random thoughts.......

• No matter male or female, no matter how big or small, no matter how old or young......everyone should be able to do at least 1 solid pushup and pullup/and or chinup

• Drink your green tea- it has been show to help burn fat and boost metabolism, help lower cholesterol and fight cancer!

• There is no " best " time to workout. Find a time that works for you and go dominate!

• If you want thin legs-do cardio. If you want toned and shapely legs-do weights. If you want the best of both worlds-do both cardio and weights.

• Use a workout partner if you can. You can help motivate one another and keep each other accountable. Plus its a fact that people perform better around others.

• Workout like crazy and with the best routine known, but then you don't eat properly, well you can forget about getting results.

My rant for the day-Pre-workout supplements

I hear a ton of guys around the gym and people I know talk about their pre-workout supplements they take and the effects it has on them. If you know me or read my blog you know I am not a big supplement guy. Whey protein, fish oil and omega-3's is about all I would ever use or have used. The fact is your average Joe ( no offense to the Joe's out there ) takes pre-workout supplements because they want to get those crazy intense workouts and they want to be able to lift everything and anything they can. They hear a friend or a guy at the gym talk about how he takes NO-Xplode or Hemo-Blast or something like that and how amazing it is and that you must take it to get a REAL workout. Here is the truth, quit looking for synthetic/supplemental energy and start being a badass! Go to the gym, hit the workout weights and MAN UP! Dont look for that surge or extra burst to come from a canister, instead use your own motivation and drive! Most of that stuff you put into your body ends up either going into the toilet or hurting your vital organs/daily functions. There really is no good research on the long term harm most of these products can have and most company's can claim what they want in terms of results. I don't take one supplement before my workouts and I get amazing workouts. Its simple.....eat well and get your mind right and you wont need those things...period! If you do actually want some extra energy the right way then is to get some carbs before your workout or drink a vitamin water type product before and or during your workout. In the end if you become always reliant on the supplements then once you go off them it will seem as if your never the same and this will start a vicious cycle. Go all Man and be pre-workout supplement free! End of story......

More random thoughts...........

• With holiday partys almost every weekend and bad unhealthy food everywhere you turn it can be hard to stay on track this time of the year. The key is not to fall off the cliff, try and at least limit the damage until years end and then start fresh and go get it Jan 1!

• Please stop doing 3 sets of everything! Everyone loves doing 3 sets, trainers included. We tend to think that 2 sets is too few and 4..well that's way too many...so 3 becomes perfect. WRONG! You must change things up. You will not be looked at funny in the gym if you do 5 sets....so do it! If you are trying to pack on some muscle volume is essential so up your sets here and there.

• Greek yogurt is superior to regular yogurt. Its higher in protein and lower in carbs which is perfect in my book. Chobani is my favorite brand.

• Doing nothing but cardio makes you look doughy........resistance training makes you look good. Your choice.

• A great thing to do is buy a big jar and put a bunch of mixed nuts and dried fruit ( the good quality kind not the kind loaded with sugar and preservatives) in it. Anytime you need to feed grab some for a great protein/slightly sweet snack.

• Ladies if you want your legs to look good then you need to focus on angles and variety. Do lunges forward, backward, laterally and in every direction you can. Do squats, deadlifts, lateral steps, forward steps, just move at every possible angle and your legs will get the look you want. Sprints are great as well.

• If your trying to get a bigger bench and bigger triceps then you better be doing close grip presses.

• I was sick for bit and wasn't able to workout until just recently and let me tell you it felt amazing! You cant beat the feeling of working out and changing your body. If you don't get that rush when you workout its time to check yourself and find why you do what you do in the gym. Give yourself a reason to love your workouts.

Go Dominate!

6 more weight loss tips

1. Pay attention to night time snaking-Mindless eating generally happens after dinner. You go sit on the couch and let yourself relax and that is when you tend to grab the chips or candy or some other garbage snack. Your best bet is to not allow yourself to eat after a certain hour. Another option is to eat a small healthy snack like an apple or handful of mixed nuts.

2. Eat protein every meal- Protein is more satisfying than carbs and fat so make sure you are eating it! Getting enough protein ensures you to maintain your muscle which helps you keep a high metabolism. Aim for lean meats, nuts and yogurt.

3. Spice things up- Foods with more spice with add a flavor boost to foods you might call " healthy and tasteless" and will be more satisfying so you don't eat as much.

4. Keep your cabinets stocked with healthy options-If you keep good stuff around odds are you will eat good stuff. Convenience is another big key, so if you have foods that are easy to prepare or easy for you to make you will do better. Here are some things to keep around-

• Fat free popcorn


• Pre-cooked chicken breast


• Containers filled with brown rice


• Whole grain wraps or pitas


• Bags of pre-washed greens


• Frozen veggies

5. Don't cope with stress with food- Sooner or later the time will come when your super stressed and you will want to eat something that will make you feel better. Most likely when you go to de-stress by eating you will grab something that isn't good for you. A better option is to go listen to music, read a book, write in a journal, or exercise!

6. Keep working out hardcore-Don't let the workout get you.....but you attack the workout! Go Dominate!

Random thoughts.............

• Nothing beats the feeling of dominating your workout-if you don't have the I just conquered the world feeling when you are done odds are you don't workout hard enough. Feel like a badass when you walk out of the gym!




• Egg nog is a good option around the holidays for your post workout shake- Yes it is high in calories, fat and sugar but if you are trying to pack on muscle it is amazing! If your trying to trim up then not so much.




• If you don't own a foam roller then buy one-If you workout often you need one of these to keep your muscle tissue feeling good. http://www.performbetter.com/detail.aspx_Q_ID_E_5566_A_CategoryID_E_235




• Nothing beats the Victoria Secret Fashion Show- If they all were not so thin I would offer to train them.




• Guys should NEVER...NEVER.....NEVER wear tiny shorts to workout in-I witnessed this a week ago at the gym I work at and it just is not good for anyone.




• Most women don't work out with enough intensity and that's why they cant get a smaller butt or thinner thighs or toned arms-Ladies you need to drop People magazine and start working out with some authority and then maybe you will notice some changes.




• Christmas music is just perfect this time of the year




• The basic Chin-up is great to add some size to your arms




• Kind brand bars taste amazing and are great for you! The basic fruit and nut bar is one of my favorites. http://kindsnacks.com/
  

Muscle building foods

1) Milk- Is a old school bodybuilding staple. You get a nice amount of calories and a great blend of both whey and casein proteins. Milk also contains calcium ( duh ) magnesium, potassium, Vitamin A and D. Whole milk provides the most calories although a higher fat content.

2) Potatoes-Both dense and filling. Filled with Vitamin C, B6, iron and potassium and some other nutrients.

3) Wild rice-1 cup of cooked wild rice has 3 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein!

4) Whole chicken- Cheap and can be kept for great leftovers!

5) Turkey-Good in many ways and contains selenium ( helps fight cancer ) and numerous nutrients and is high in protein.

6) Whole eggs- Get the benefit of the yolk!

Reviewing protein supplements

Many of you have asked for me to blog about supplements and specifically protein supplements. So since I listen to the masses here you go! I used both my own thoughts and trials with products as well as other trainers I know thoughts and reviews when putting this together.

BIOPLEX WHEYPLEX

• Terrible taste


• Terrible mixing protein


• Very $$


• No reason to buy this

NEXT DESIGNER WHEY

• Solid choice but nothing great


• Added supplements are nice
  
  

ISS RESEARCH COMPLETE WHEY POWER

• Tastes very well


• Mixes very well


• High quality


• Good flavors


• Little $$

OPTIMUM 100% WHEY PROTEIN

• Decent product


• Don't buy Cookies n cream!


• Low price


• One of most popular

GNC BRAND 100% WHEY PROTEIN

• My personal favorite because of solid price and flavor ( chocolate)


• Not loaded with extra garbage

CYTOSPORT MUSCLE MILK

• Personally not a fan


• Some like the taste, but not me


• Too many ingredients you cant pronounce


• Good nutritional value


• Sometimes doesn't shake and mix well

MET-Rx MEAL REPLACEMENT PROTEIN SHAKE

• Taste is middle of the road, often is pasty


• Newest version has cut down on the fat content


• Full of vitamins

NATURES BEST ZERO CARB ISO PURE WHEY PROTEIN

• For those looking for low carb option


• Artificially sweetened............I am not a fan of this, but most low carb options are


• Lots of vitamins and glutamine


• Mixes well

Pass the Kiwi

Who knew one fruit was such a stud but yet got none of the press like apples, oranges and bananas do. Kiwi has twice the vitamin C of an orange, more potassium than a banana, and more fiber than an apple! There was research done at Rutgers University to see out of 27 fruits which had the most " bang for you buck" in terms of nutritional value and the winner was kiwi. Kiwi tastes great so why not eat it more often.

Breakfast is served!

You wake up, still tired despite sleeping longer than you should have so you rush to make it out the door on time grabbing nothing but your cup of coffee. This scenario is what takes place for most people out there. Coffee is not a breakfast item....period! Breakfast is THE most important meal of the day......yes we have all heard this but its true! No matter if your trying to gain muscle or lose weight breakfast is going to play a very important role in your nutrition. You must make eating breakfast part of your daily life.

When you ask most people if they ate breakfast these are the responses

• I don't like breakfast

**SOLUTION-Find something you like that is healthy and start eating it.

• I don't have time

**SOLUTION-You are not making a gourmet buffet here, you can spare 2-5 minutes for breakfast some how.....just make it happen!

• Eating in the morning makes me sick

**SOLUTION-This is most likely because you are used to not eating. Take it slow and gradually introduce eating a solid meal to your body.

• I had a cup of coffee and doughnut

** SOLUTION-Don't eat the doughnut! Coffee I will be ok with...just have it with an actual breakfast item.

All of these are just lame excuses! Eat your breakfast.....make it happen!

So why eat breakfast?

For those who want to lose weight- People think by skipping breakfast they will be saving calories but in fact you will just make those up by snacking and eating later in the day. By eating breakfast you jump start your metabolism early on and you will eat fewer calories throughout the rest of day.

For those looking to gain muscle- Breakfast is the first chance to get some calories and lean protein into your system. Skipping breakfast means losing out on muscle building nutrition.

Breakfast ideas

• Eggs and whole wheat toast
• Oatmeal
• High fiber cereal- 3 to 5 grams of fiber a serving will be just fine
• Peanut butter on a whole grain English muffin
• Yogurt
• Smoothies- use fresh fruit, yogurt, skim milk or juice and your favorite protein supplement
• McDonalds Egg McMuffin with canadian bacon- if you must go this route least you will get protein and solid quality bacon. This is one of McDonalds few menu items I would ever recommend.

Remember- If you are going to eat carbs the morning is ideal because you will start off with energy and you will give yourself the whole day to burn it off.