Step 4 of 5 Steps to a More Fit You.

Embrace Self Experimention be your own scientist, trainer, nuritionist, etc
There are some pretty basic truths about health and fitness that are universal to all bodies. We all need certain enzymes to facilitate bodily functions. Calories are the suppliers of energy. Our bodies manufacture certain vitamins, and others are required through diet. However, the way our individual bodies utilize foods or combat stress are as unique as the fingerprints that keep us from walking into our local jewel store for some gas money.


I have discovered many interesting things about how I gain muscle, lose fat, and feel generally healthier simply by being curious! I think that the realization that with time, you too can figure out your "keys to success," is the most important component in getting motivated and staying that way.

There are three principal means of acquiring knowledge... observation of nature, reflection, and experimentation. Observation collects facts; reflection combines them; experimentation verifies the result of that combination. - Denis Diderot

I suggest getting a scale and weighing yourself every single morning. If muscle gain is your goal, monitor that the scale is doing what you want. If fat loss is goal, monitor that the scale is going down at a safe rate. Try eating styles that are high protein/low carb/high fat. Try diets that are moderate protein/ moderate carb/low fat. These are all protocols that I tried and discovered that when I eat high protein/low carb/high fat, I drop fat like it's going out of style. When I want to gain a little weight and put on some muscle, moderate-high protein,moderate carbs/low fat is the route that works for me. These values are based on my individual metabolism and goals. What works for me, may be near toxic for you or vice versa.


Experimentation relates to workouts as well. I personally enjoy having a lean muscular physique. I have tried weightlifting repetition ranges of 3-6, 8-12, and 20. I have got good results on certain workout routines that others haven't. Everyone's body reacts differently.


So, by taking a good 8-10 weeks to dissect what approach is creating what results, you too can figure out your own body. There is something quite liberating about knowing exactly how to cut fat, or increase size and strength; because you've done it before. Now, all that is left is actually doing it.

Step 3 of 5 Steps to a More Fit You.

be honest with yourself (consistently)

I don't know how many times I have thought or said I was going to do something without actually taking in to account how much time and effort would be required.  Often times, I don't consider what habits or activities I will have to cut out to achieve this new "want".  In the pursuit of health and fitness goals, the desire could be there, but without a rational, realistic long-term approach, nothing of any substance can be accomplished.  Long-term life changes come from just that; lifestyle changes. Short-term accomplishments merely come from inspiration and compulsions.

By being honest with myself about how long a goal will take, I set myself up for success and satisfaction. I often have a conversation with myself. Did I take a systematic step today toward instilling a better mindset/habit? Or, did I aimlessly fill my day with small compulsory attempts to achieve something just to apease that "I should _____," feeling?" By being honest with myself in this way, it is easy to see that one of the two, is actually going to make a long-term difference.

Motivation is what gets you started.  Habit is what keeps you going.  ~Jim Ryun

Habit is habit, and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time.  ~Mark Twain

Step 2 of 5 Steps to a More Fit You

find a mentor    “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”      ― Benjamin Franklin

       One of the most fundamental forms of learning, we as humans employ, is imitation. We imitate others' speech and actions very early on in life. We imitate their actions, manorisms, and  their ways of thinking in some ways;  until we form our own.  This type of learning is just as relatable to fitness related goals as it is in cognitive and social behaviors. We all learn differently, but in my experience, a mix of self experience and a little "been there, done that" influence is the best recipe for success.

I recommend two things:

1. Find someone with a similar goal. Surround yourself with a presence that you feel instills in you a positive influence. Have you ever heard the phrase, "You are the company you keep?" Well use this with fitness just as you do in your personal life. This can be by asking someone at the gym, or walking club, or a family member for advice or continued interaction, but just ask. This could also be a personal trainer or a blog author!  Surround yourself with a positive driving force that will facilitate consistent progression. 
2. Compete.  The most vital source of competition you should feel is the one with yourself. Genetics, time frame, and resources play a role in one's ability, yes.  But, there is no reason you shouldn't be able to compete against your mentor. Odds are, they once had a mentor who they looked up to. Those who are more fit than you, are no different than you.  They have made more of a commitment  to fitness. There is no reason you cannot be where they are, or even higher, once it is all said and done.

Step 1 of 5 Steps to a More Fit You.

I SUPPOSE I'VE BEEN A BIT THICK.


I have been a serious sports buff since as long as I can remember.  Both organized sport and pick-up games. Whether Dad and I were throwing baseballs into a home-made back-stop, or heading to the old junior high gym following a Thanksgiving get-together, my life has been thouroughly infused with fitness, exercise, and training.

 I became interested at a young age in movement, cognition, and fitness. What makes a muscle "fire"? Why can another ball player throw harder or more accurately than I can? How do eating habits affect my energy levels, power, thought processes, happiness, anger, speed, etc. I realize now that I have always had a burning desire to improve each and every one of these aspects for the betterment of performance and functonalities sake.

 I made the error of assuming since I was facinated by these aspects of life, others must be too. And to the same extent. We each must posess the knowledge and level of self discovery I posess, right? After all, I'm a normal guy with a pretty normal approach to life. We each surely understand the role a carbohydrate plays in fat gain. We each surely understand how cardio affects muscular strength. We understand how balance, motor neuron synapses, and muscle memory influence our everyday lives, right? Lastly, surely we all at least CARE about similar things!

Well I was ignorant. I believed if I had a client or a friend who I was advising with regards to fitness, there were some "givens" that need not be emphasized. As with many things, the real gain occurs from understanding the building blocks and principles of a fundamental topic.  The belief that these were universal dogmatic realities is no different than a software developer assuming that I would understand how to define functional specifications of software protocol based on a clients' hardware requirments. We all have our own area of expertise and my adolescent view of shared expertise is flawed.

So, I have assembled my 5 keys to developing a mindset and route to building a healthier more enjoyable life as it relates to physical fitness and health. My next 5 blog posts will focus on each step individually.

 1. FIND YOUR TARGET    "Goals are dreams with deadlines." - Diana Scharf Hunt

Michael Connell / Free Photos

 BE MORE HEALTHY. LIVE LONGER. LOOK YOUNGER. LOSE FAT. GET BUFF.

 As with most things, setting goals for youself is paramount. Goals don't just give us a way to motivate ourselves. Goals establish when we have reached our own vision of success. It may seem silly to think we could have achieved something and not even realized it, but over time our definition of succes may well change. By setting a few short term goals, we can evaluate our progress. More importantly, reaching small stepping stones reaffirms our effort as fruitful. In my experiences those who set goals garner far more self appreciation and contentness than those who wake up and say "I'm gunna get in shape today."

A few goals I have made in the last 6 months:

• Deadlift 500 pounds 
• Reach single digit body fat %
• Be able to go 24hrs without any caloric intake
• Go one month without alcohol consumption

All of these goals were tangible and easy to access my progress.  They served the purpose of displaying constant improvement.  With each success, or failure, my pursuits are evaluated and celebrated. 

Set goals, get results.

What the heck is intermittent fasting!?

"What the heck is intermittent fasting?"
"Why should I care about it?"

Welcome to the one of the most interesting and opinionated discussions in fitness today.
Intermittent fasting, if you haven't heard the term yet, is nothing more than WHEN to eat, and WHEN not to eat.  O boy, what a difference it makes. If this immediately plucks your skeptic cord, PLEASE keep reading. YOU are no different than I was. You are the reason I started this blog. It is truly making even the most fitness and health oriented experts reevaluate what they understood as healthy.


The best introduction I've experienced is what it is not:
-it is NOT a diet. There is no specification of what food you should eat.
-it is NOT a new concept. Intermittent fasting has been in prevalence since humans have been in existence.
-it is NOT a cash cow. No nutrition company, supplement warehouse, or health guru created this idea as a marketing ploy or scheme. Nor is there some "product" that can be justifiably marketed for IFers.
        -it is NOT just a way to lose fat. There is scientific evidence that increased longevity, lean muscle gain, natural self detoxification, higher injury resistance and other benefits can be expected.


I am a believer in the reality that many people do not know how bad they feel until they feel well. And feel well all of the time. This was my reality and the like for many new intermittent fasters. So, what does this have to do with intermittent fasting? Well glad you asked!

Since I have started intermittent fasting I have experienced the following changes:
-no more jittery, "going to pass out" feeling after not eating for 4 hours.
-no more groggy, lethargic workday accompanied by the ever popular endless procession of        mid-day yawns.
-a 15 lbs weight loss in less than two months while not even really trying to!
-a ton more free time in the mornings due to no need for breakfast prep, and eating.
-an increase in strength and endurance simultaneously.

IN SYNOPSIS, MY MIND IS UNMISTAKABLY CLEARER, MY POCKET BOOK IS FATTER, MY WAIST IS SHRINKING DAILY, AND MY VIGOR AND ATTITUDE TOWARD LIFE IN GENERAL IS AS POSITIVE AS POSITIVE GETS!

Think we could all benfit from those positive changes? I sure think so. That is why I tell everyone I know from age 16 to 85 about intermittent fasting and the influence it has had on my life and hence this blog.
And all of this from WHEN you eat??? I'm a cynic and a skeptic through and through but the proof is in the pudding. As long as that pudding is eaten after a good healthy fast!

Using Diet to Control Your Nervous System for Everyday Dominance

Diet vs. Central Nervous System


I'd like to explore how when we eat affects the amount of attentiveness and mental acuity we experience throughout a typical day.  Well I may be wrong but, I think almost everyone has heard the term "fight or flight."  This is a reference to our physiological responses to environmental stimuli.  These physiological responses shape our prospective of our reality. Are we feeling energetic and vital or are we feeling relaxed and tranquil.  Each time an adequate amount of calories enters our bodies, we are indirectly making the choice to which physiological response we employ.

This could be possible mugger in a poorly lit parking lot or a project deadline that is quickly approaching and you're working at a pace that would dizzy the busiest of busy honey bees.  If we are presented with some sort of threat or stressor our natural reaction is to null this issue by taking one of two basic actions.

Fight OR Flight. Fight is a general term which merely describes staying in your present situation and "combating" the stressor. This would be fighting back against your possible assailant or continuing to progress with every intention of meeting your deadline in our previous "stressor" examples, respectively. Flight, is the elimination or relinquishment of the issue by removing oneself from the situation by literal or other means.  Flee the assailant, or trying to have your deadline pushed back. These actions both remove yourself from the immediate response instigating stressor.  In modern times we are faced by more and more stressors. No longer are the days where we had to watch out for lions and other humans alone. This is an over simplified explanation of outdated daily stressors but financial, societal, and time oriented stimuli are at an all time high. Now, more than ever, our senses are bombarded with more environmental cues that must be received, processed, and acted upon. To be adequatelly prepared for whatever life throws our way we can be ready by being in the most adequate mode of nervous system function.

The purpose I include a brief description of the fight or flight response is not so much about the possibility of encountering these stessors as much as it is to explain the fact that there are very concise "styles" of bodily function. One does not have to expect to encounter any stress whatsoever to want to utilize the biproducts such as increased energy levels, ability to concentrate, or winding down a day. This is the reason I think fine tuning our nervous systems' plays such as an important role in being able to adjust and thrive in today's world.

 Why are you telling me this and how does it apply to an IF fitness blog?

Well I believe this topic has substantial importance to fitness and psychological well being. The endocrine system's (HGH & insulin) role in all our daily personal pursuits has been explored in previous posts and I will delve into it more at a later time.  Enter the Central Nervous System (CNS) -the main controller of environmental responses, alertness, and relaxation.  No matter if you're addressing a board of trustees, or navigating a car full of passengers on a dangerous turnpike the need and requirement to be alert and mentally agile is an ever important quality. This is especially true in today's fast and hectic world. The two modes dictate how you will respond to issues, not necessarily that you will be in a stress abundant or stress limited environment.

CNS: understanding it's role in everything from financial consulting to fitness goals.

The CNS is broken up into two "modes" if you will.

-Sympathetic
this mode is prevalent in the morning time upon waking or until you eat a large, or carbohydrate prevalent meal. The biologically adaptive reasoning for this mode is to be alert and energetic, put simply. You can imagine why this response is employed when you have not eaten. The case for almost every human for the majority of our existence was we had to dedicate a lot of time to hunt or gather for food. Being lethargic and undergoing that full feeling you get after eating a large meal, would be quite disadvantageous to the taxing pursuit of you and your social group's next meal. Imagine back to the last time you remember thinking "I need a nap after that meal." Remember how you felt. That remote control is three feet away but it feels three miles. You're eye lids are connected to your cheek bones by rubber bands. Now imagine your food was not already sitting in the fridge and your life is now similar to the times long ago when our physiological responses and functions were shaped. With your belly full and feeling satiated, you see some sort of game cross your vision. Are you more likely to pursue it for a meal which requires a substantial energy expenditure, or sit there with your butt in the dirt and let your food digest? There were no deep freezes to put that antelope in. Food surpluses were also a major risk considering other predators would be attracted. Obviously you have eaten your meal already and after all we as humans are programmed to survive. I know what I'd do. Survive. That is it. Your survivl is not in question.
I realize we are not living as cavemen and women. I realize a short drive is the only energy expenditure that is required to get car loads of food. The knowledge of how our physiological responses to what and when we eat are as relevant as ever. I believe it's key to imagine and evaluate the long periods of time in which our bodies adapted to better understand the way we are today. The access and quantities to modern day foods is unreal considering how we lived even 60 years or so ago. Just because we do not live in caves and draw stick figures spearing buffalo (I assume), the realization that we have not evolved much since these times is paramount. Some experts argue we have not had enough time as the modern human species to evolve any more than a negligable amount. So, with that in mind, the use of the knowledge we posess can be applied to our everyday lives by maximizing what we get out of ourselves. Some people call this way of thinking as "primal". This is a good descriptor, but it is as simple as knowing how to maintainence your automobile based on how it was manufactured to perform.

Don't want to be sitting at your desk wondering if that janitorial closet has enough leg room to get you a quick nap in before your punch out? Well implore your knowledge of the CNS and its natural responses to environmental stimuli.  Literally put, don't eat that big greasy burrito or life preserver sized bagel first thing in the morning!  When you fast, the temptation to eat poorly and over-eat is greatly alleviated. Once IF becomes your norm you will be amazed at the lack of desire to eat breakfast at all due to the unmistakable internal phyiological response that this is how we are designed to function.

Our bodies naturally respond to this large breakfast, or any substantial meal with the application of the second of two CNS modes.   Keep in mind that these two modes are not binary. In my extensive experience the two modes are usually both "present". They are proportionate however to the amount of input they get from your diet. For example, eating a piece of chicken and a salad is not going to cause you to be para-sympathetic mode (explanation in following paragraph) dominant near as much as a frozen bean burrito, bag of Doritos, and a 32oz Coca Cola. The latter scenario is also true for healthy but very large meals.


-Para-sympathetic
I initially thought, "well if the sympathetic mode is giving me energy and the ability to stay alert," what could be the biological benefit to the para-sympathetic mode.  Well, just as our circadian rhythm rises and falls, the need for the para-sympathetic response to "bring down" the afore mentioned response is necessary for adequate relaxation and sleep patterns.  Ever have a hard time falling to sleep? Lie there feeling like your mind is twice as active as it was during the day? I had this issue. Not at all since I began intermittent fasting though. Since the majority of calories are eaten later in the day or even evening, this action is interpretted by your body as the accomplishment of the days survival and the need to wind down in preparation for the next trial-the following day.  It is completely natural to feel lathargic after eating a big meal. It is not common however to use this knowledge to your benefit. Once you do, your body works on you schedule, not the other way around.

• After all, we are programmed to survive.
• The purpose of fat is to serve as a survival storage or back-up energy supply.
• What could be more efficient than to sleep right after a large meal?

Let me be clear here.  I am no proponent for fat storage but I use this breakdown to illustrate how our bodies naturally get sleepy and restful after consuming calories and how delaying the vast majority of our calories later into the day is how we are designed to consume.  This optimization in essence insures we remain in maximal energy level during the day and get relaxed and under restful sleep.

Becoming a "Fat Burning Furnace"

8/6/2012

The past two days have consisted of a 6pm-5:30pm fast on Monday, and a 5:30pm-6:00 fast today.  I have never felt better and more proud of the point I've gotten to.  It may seem weird that I would celebrate how long I've gone without food in a day.  Well, it is odd. But, prior to undertaking this new perspective as I have said, I was eating 6 meals a day and honestly felt like I was hypoglycemic. I would get nauseated, weak and shaky in just three hours time from not having food in my system. I would try my damnedest to eat small portions in hopes to stay somewhat trim (or what I thought was trim), and lose fat. It worked to a degree but I was never satiated! I was always miserably hungry and had little to no energy. I didn't really even realize how cruddy I felt until I stopped eating all day everyday.  It was a helpless feeling like I was always letting my goals go to the wayside because

  I wanted a burger for lunch instead of Peter Cottontail's vegan special.

I decided to make a change.-Ever heard that before? That statement has been on every single fitness infomercial in history I presume. Undoubtedly, that's what it takes though. Not wishing and wanting to make a change. Not hoping tomorrow your day and mood and family and job facilitate your new found invigoration to make a change. You've got to just make up your mind and tell yourself, no convince yourself, that no matter what, you're going to do whatever it takes to update your present situation.

This approach or mindset seems pretty intense but at the initial moment of changing any kind of habit, this is what works for me.   Inevitably, days go by and this "kill or be killed" mindset is not longer needed. So my fasts got longer each day until I honestly could go a couple of days without eating. O did I forget to mention the fat began melting like the polar ice caps.

• 5:45a- cup of joe
• Tons of water throughout the day.
• 3:45p- Heading to the gym right after work because I know a meal follows in it's footsteps!

I began my workout with a 10 minute warm-up walk on the treadmill. This was followed by one beast of a legs workout that was as follows.

All exercised performed for 3 sets of 10 repetitions. Heavy as I could go with great form.
      Squat
      Leg Press Machine
      Leg extension machine
      Romanian Deadlift
      Lying Hamstring Curls
      Standing Calf Press Machine

• 5:00 pm- My entire workout took maybe 45-60 minutes. In my opinion this is the optimal range when training HIGH INTENSITY.   

Post-workout I had a whey protein shake.

At this point it has been roughly 22 hours since my last meal. Carbohydrate (glycogen) stores might have lasted the first 12 hours. So what is fueling my body!? Stored fat. Some may ask why my body is not breaking down amino acids from muscle fibers for energy. This is commonly referred to as "going catabolic" in gym rat bro science lingo. Once again I must admit this was one of faulty pre-IF beliefs.

Well, our bodies respond to the metabolic stresses we inflict on them. If a person is routinely inflicting muscle damage due to weight training, what adaptive or evolutionary sense does it make to use hard earned muscle as fuel.? Our beautifully designed bodies have built in back up power generators conveniently located around you butt, thighs, gut, and love handles?

• 6:00pm- after a shower and a few things around the home front it is time for dinner.

1. Banana
2. 3 chicken breasts with diced tomatoes
3. A giant salad with cucumbers, green pepper, garbanzo beans, lettuce, black olives and whatever else veggies I could find. Topped with fat-free thousand island dressing.
4. One medium size sweet potato
5. Orange
6. A bowl of Kashi golean crunch 

Some people cannot eat all of this at one sitting, but I sure can. If people can't eat like this, simply space out a few smaller meals.

This meal left me filling very full and eager to undergo the next days fat burning session.  With each days waking, the results are obvious and inspire and reassure you that what you're doing is a physiologically superior way to eat.

Fitness Rant

Let's face it. There are as many versions of being fit as there are people who think they know how to get fit. Yes, I guess I am included in that figure. I am a bit obsessive with fitness though.

 I'm addicted to understanding how the body works and how to maximize it's performance. I classify performance as optimal function of any and all systems. Not just how much some overweight wanna be can bench press-although I'm not trashing one of the kings of upper body strength movements.

Things like injury prevention. Clearer thinking. Combating disease. Increasing longevity and the ability to greatly enjoy your later years in life. I've found through fitness, people can gain a new respect for the wonders of the human body's ability to improve almost every aspect of one's life. I know this because it has happened to me!

Well it's 3:30 on a Sunday afternoon and I've already eaten a meal! What a splurge today has been.  I'm only joking. In all seriousness, for the majority of the past week I have not eaten until after my workout, which is normally around 3:30 or 4pm.
That normally equates to an almost 22 hour fasting time period consisting of nothing but water. And a whole lot of time for my Pituitary Gland to wring out some Human Growth Hormone and tell my body to stoke Anabolism all up in this joint-or up in this Joe, in this particular case.

Who cares about HGH-Human Growth Hormone?!? Isn't that what Barry Bonds took to hit all those homers?!?

Well synthetic HGH and the stuff your body naturally produces are similar but no needles needed and some Dr. Kevorkian look-a-like isn't handing you a black brief case on the 2:30 Light Rail.

HGH is responsible for creating an anabolic environment in your body. That is when your body grows and repairs damaged cells. It tells your body to burn the fat, grow the lean muscle. I'd say those functions are pretty important. The hormone HGH is responsible for a whole host of things but I don't have 3 weeks.  The catch though, is insulin which is present anytime you digest something, and HGH are in direct opposition.

HGH-Burn the fat. Insulin-Store the fat. 

These two conditions do not exist simultaneously. So my recent approach to Intermittent fasting is to get my normal amount of calories, just in a shorter time frame. This allows for more time where my body is in HGH secreting "growth and repair mode",  and less time in Insulin saturated "store the fat mode"

Many of you may wonder how I am not dead or on the verge of a collapse liken to the Greek financial system.

The fact of the matter is this (or something similar), is how our bodies are designed to operate.

We modern day eaters have lost our metabolic flexibility and the ability to comfortable transition from carb supplied energy and stored fat supplied energy.  With one to two weeks time most people free of a some metabolic disorder, can become accustomed to and thrive on a fasted state, followed by a feeding state rather easily.  Our ancestors did not get 6 square meals a day routinely. Our ancient ancestors did not have a giant surplus of foods they had hunted and gathered just sitting around in ziploc baggies and tupperware dishes. Their bodies utilized carbohydrates and immediate energy sources when present, and stored fat throughout the remainder of their days.

This eating approach just makes sense to me. In a weird sort of unexplained way, my body seems to send me signals that confirm my belief that not only is IF good for my physique, but it's health and hormonal implications far outweigh the cosmetic facets.

A Health Minded Approach to a Better Body. O, and Being Ripped too!

This blog will serve as a basic diary of my new found passion in Intermittent Fasting, or IF. 


A VERY quick explanation of IF is basically the prolonging of the "fast" that we partake in nightly when we do not eat and are obviously sleeping.  This is accomplished by skipping breakfast or merely pushing it back. Stopping eating sooner before bed is also a strategy for this longer time of rest for our digestive systems. 


A few personal and scientifically condoned benfits include:

1. More stored FAT BURNED FOR ENERGY (Instead of carbs/sugars)
2. More FOCUS and attentive mindset throughout the day.
3. Better MOOD AND HORMONE FUNCTION.
4. A LESSENING OF HUNGER. YES, from fasting! Who knew?

These bi-products of IF are all interrelated and the discovery of this eating style has made me realize how advanced our metabolisms are. Also, how a holistic approach to body re-composition is the best. For me and many others anyway.


Some things I'm going to include for myself and hopefully other's benefit will be:

• When I'm eating (My eating window times)
• What I'm eating.
• How I'm training. (weight training and cardio)
• My changing perspectives on fat loss. (I had never been in single digit BF% until IF although I have tried extensivly)
• My suggestions for anyone trying to regain their metabolic flexibility which I describe as the ability to transition back and forth from burning fat and carbohydrates as energy.

A personal introduction to my progress so far: 

• 4 months of consistent weight training and cardio twice a week. 
• The last two months I practiced IF. I did not go every single day in the beginning reaching my goal of a 16hr fast each day but my body slowly adapted. I did not fret about these days. Improvement each day was the goal.
• Strength has progressively increased during this 6 month period. IF has not affected my strength gains adversely in the slightest.

Feb 24th, 2012 *I had actually been working out for two and a half weeks prior to this photo.

186lbs @ Body Fat 15.8% (as tested by Bod Pod)

May 16th, 2012

183lbs @ Body Fat 13.8% (as tested by Bod Pod)

 The lighting here really played a role in how this photo came out. I still was very soft. Lower abs were holding fat and love handles/lower back fat wouldn't budge.

July 28th, 2012

172lbs @ Body Fat 10.2%