Saturday, May 29, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
May Your Trails Be Crooked...
"May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds"
–Edward Abbey
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Food Combining
I'm always tweaking my diet.
As I grow older, my body changes, my energy requirements change, and as I observe the effect that certain foods have on my body, I tweak things.
For instance, I never use dairy products - except on occasional cheat days.
They make me bloated.
I feel horrible after eating that Friday night ice cream (cheat day).
Why do I do it, then?
For mental piece of mind. And because it tastes good.
But I don't enjoy the bloat that I usually get following that cheat meal.
I get tired.
I lose energy.
But I get the ice cream desire out of my system for a week or 2 and get back on track with my nutrition the next day.
Lately, I've been studying "food combining".
This is nothing new...it's been around a lo-o-o-o-o-ng time and it makes perfect sense.
Here's an excerpt from the book, "Atomic Fitness".
"In order to avoid the unpleasant discomforts of eating the wrong food combinations, it is important to adhere to the principles of combining foods properly.
There are sound physiological reasons for eating foods in compatible combinations. Some foods will cause digestive distress if mixed together in the digestive system.
The principles of food combining are dictated by digestive chemistry.
Different foods require different mediums for digestion. Starch foods, for example, require an alkaline environment for digestion, which is initially supplied in the mouth by the enzyme ptyalin.
Protein, on the other hand, requires an acidic medium, such as hydrochloric acid, for proper digestion.
As anyone with a basic knowledge of chemistry can tell you, acids and alkalis neutralize each other.
If you eat a starch with a protein, digestion will be impaired, if not completely arrested.
The food then remains undigested and can cause various digestive problems by becoming a breeding ground for bacteria, which ferment and decompose the food, resulting in a toxic byproduct (yuck).
To further illustrate this principle, take the All - American hamburger. The bun is a carbohydrate and the meat is a protein.
You consume them together, and they enter the stomach simultaneously. Enzymes turn the food into fluids, and the stomach becomes a holding tank.
At this point, it is decided which food will be digested.
The body, in a desperate attempt digest this combination, will leave some undigested food to rot in your stomach, causing bloating, gas, and a swollen lower abdominal region (yuck).
The common complaint, particularly among women, is that no matter how much fat that they lose, their stomach is still in a bloated state, causing discomfort and looking unfashionable.
This is because they have created a constant state of irritable bowel syndrome in their lower tract due to inefficient eating habits.
No amount of exercise will ever flatten a bloated stomach.
The reason is that the internal pressure pushing out from the stomach is greater than the strength of even the strongest abdominal muscles.
In order to avoid this unpleasant condition, it is important to adhere to the following rules of proper food combining:
1) Eat acids (fruits) and starches (pasta, rice, potatoes) separately. Acids neutralize the alkaline environment required for the digestion of starch and result in fermentation and indigestion.
2) Eat proteins and carbohydrates at separate meals. Proteins require an acidic environment for digestion.
3) Do not eat more than one type of protein per meal.
4) Eat proteins and acidic foods at separate meals. Acidic foods inhibit the secretion of the digestive acids required for protein digestion. Undigested protein putrefies in bacterial decomposition and produces some potent poisons.
5) Eat fats and proteins at separate meals. Fats slow down the digestive process. Some foods, especially nuts with over 50 percent fat, require hours for complete digestion.
6) Eat sugars (fruits) and proteins at separate meals.
7) Eat sugars (fruits) and starchy foods at separate meals. Fruits require no digestion in the stomach and are held up if they are eaten with foods requiring digestion.
8) Eat melons alone. They combine with almost no other food.
9) Skip the deserts. They lie heavy in the stomach, require no digestion, and simply ferment (yuck)."
There is a ton of research on this subject.
I am experimenting with food combining because I want to see if digestion improves following this way of eating.
My gut (no pun intended) tells me that I will have improved digestion, more energy and better overall health as a result of properly combining my foods.
My only concern is practicality.
How practical is this to follow?
Of course, if I still keep my Friday cheat day (always will) and the book "Atomic Fitness" recommends it, then maybe it becomes more practical.
The other concern I have is getting enough protein.
I'll have to do more research in this area because I know that my body responds best with a 1 gram of protein to 1 pound of bodyweight ratio.
Bottom line: If you feel lethargic, if you aren't getting the results that you're after, if you get bloated/indigestion after eating, you may want to look more into combining your foods.
source: "Atomic Fitness" - by Steve Michalik, Mr USA/Mr America/Mr Universe
Basic Health Publications
As I grow older, my body changes, my energy requirements change, and as I observe the effect that certain foods have on my body, I tweak things.
For instance, I never use dairy products - except on occasional cheat days.
They make me bloated.
I feel horrible after eating that Friday night ice cream (cheat day).
Why do I do it, then?
For mental piece of mind. And because it tastes good.
But I don't enjoy the bloat that I usually get following that cheat meal.
I get tired.
I lose energy.
But I get the ice cream desire out of my system for a week or 2 and get back on track with my nutrition the next day.
Lately, I've been studying "food combining".
This is nothing new...it's been around a lo-o-o-o-o-ng time and it makes perfect sense.
Here's an excerpt from the book, "Atomic Fitness".
"In order to avoid the unpleasant discomforts of eating the wrong food combinations, it is important to adhere to the principles of combining foods properly.
There are sound physiological reasons for eating foods in compatible combinations. Some foods will cause digestive distress if mixed together in the digestive system.
The principles of food combining are dictated by digestive chemistry.
Different foods require different mediums for digestion. Starch foods, for example, require an alkaline environment for digestion, which is initially supplied in the mouth by the enzyme ptyalin.
Protein, on the other hand, requires an acidic medium, such as hydrochloric acid, for proper digestion.
As anyone with a basic knowledge of chemistry can tell you, acids and alkalis neutralize each other.
If you eat a starch with a protein, digestion will be impaired, if not completely arrested.
The food then remains undigested and can cause various digestive problems by becoming a breeding ground for bacteria, which ferment and decompose the food, resulting in a toxic byproduct (yuck).
To further illustrate this principle, take the All - American hamburger. The bun is a carbohydrate and the meat is a protein.
You consume them together, and they enter the stomach simultaneously. Enzymes turn the food into fluids, and the stomach becomes a holding tank.
At this point, it is decided which food will be digested.
The body, in a desperate attempt digest this combination, will leave some undigested food to rot in your stomach, causing bloating, gas, and a swollen lower abdominal region (yuck).
The common complaint, particularly among women, is that no matter how much fat that they lose, their stomach is still in a bloated state, causing discomfort and looking unfashionable.
This is because they have created a constant state of irritable bowel syndrome in their lower tract due to inefficient eating habits.
No amount of exercise will ever flatten a bloated stomach.
The reason is that the internal pressure pushing out from the stomach is greater than the strength of even the strongest abdominal muscles.
In order to avoid this unpleasant condition, it is important to adhere to the following rules of proper food combining:
1) Eat acids (fruits) and starches (pasta, rice, potatoes) separately. Acids neutralize the alkaline environment required for the digestion of starch and result in fermentation and indigestion.
2) Eat proteins and carbohydrates at separate meals. Proteins require an acidic environment for digestion.
3) Do not eat more than one type of protein per meal.
4) Eat proteins and acidic foods at separate meals. Acidic foods inhibit the secretion of the digestive acids required for protein digestion. Undigested protein putrefies in bacterial decomposition and produces some potent poisons.
5) Eat fats and proteins at separate meals. Fats slow down the digestive process. Some foods, especially nuts with over 50 percent fat, require hours for complete digestion.
6) Eat sugars (fruits) and proteins at separate meals.
7) Eat sugars (fruits) and starchy foods at separate meals. Fruits require no digestion in the stomach and are held up if they are eaten with foods requiring digestion.
8) Eat melons alone. They combine with almost no other food.
9) Skip the deserts. They lie heavy in the stomach, require no digestion, and simply ferment (yuck)."
There is a ton of research on this subject.
I am experimenting with food combining because I want to see if digestion improves following this way of eating.
My gut (no pun intended) tells me that I will have improved digestion, more energy and better overall health as a result of properly combining my foods.
My only concern is practicality.
How practical is this to follow?
Of course, if I still keep my Friday cheat day (always will) and the book "Atomic Fitness" recommends it, then maybe it becomes more practical.
The other concern I have is getting enough protein.
I'll have to do more research in this area because I know that my body responds best with a 1 gram of protein to 1 pound of bodyweight ratio.
Bottom line: If you feel lethargic, if you aren't getting the results that you're after, if you get bloated/indigestion after eating, you may want to look more into combining your foods.
source: "Atomic Fitness" - by Steve Michalik, Mr USA/Mr America/Mr Universe
Basic Health Publications
Friday, May 21, 2010
"Punch It Out and Lose Inches Fast!"
You must engage your core to throw punches, and twisting your torso works all of the ab muscles.
Boxing also gives you a cardio workout that burns extra calories." - Michael Olajide Jr., Aerospace High Performance Center in NYC.
I can attest to this.
We've added MMA gloves to our toolbox and I have a new respect for boxing style workouts.
We mix it up and use boxing (focus mitts, heavy bag), strength training, sprinting, jogging, bodyweight exercises and more to create the "Perfect Workout".
It's a blend of strength, agility, cardio - it's fast and furious - it's never the same.
We've got 2 spots left for Session 53 which starts on June 7th!
Register at www.fullforcefitness.net or call Scott at 512.233.0756
note - you will need mma opened fingered gloves. Cost is around $18 - $20. See pic below as an example.
Friday, May 14, 2010
FullForceFitness 30 Day Lean Up Challenge nutrition review
I was just reviewing a couple of boot camp clients nutrition logs.
We're having a 30 day lean up challenge this month - there's $200 up for grabs so nutrition is very important.
The upside is that these clients have established great consistency for the most part.
They're not skipping meals, drink lots of water and making healthy choices.
The area that needs improvement will make me sound like a broken record.
They need to bump up their protein intake.
They are not eating enough protein.
And one of them is not eating enough calories, period.
Less than 1000 each day.
That is not going to give you the energy that you need to power through our workouts or through your day.
It's not going to provide your body with the right building blocks (protein) to build lean tissue (muscle).
I told them to shoot for 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.
I told them to eat around 150 grams of carbs a day - less on days that they don't work out.
I told them to eat the majority of their carbs in the morning and early afternoon.
I told them to shut off their carbs after 6pm - the body is more primed to store the carbs as bodyfat.
And that's basically it - just stay consistent.
Try new foods - like squash, lettuces, green beans, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, etc.
Build big salads.
Drink tons of water.
Feel good, look good, and have tons of energy!
We're having a 30 day lean up challenge this month - there's $200 up for grabs so nutrition is very important.
The upside is that these clients have established great consistency for the most part.
They're not skipping meals, drink lots of water and making healthy choices.
The area that needs improvement will make me sound like a broken record.
They need to bump up their protein intake.
They are not eating enough protein.
And one of them is not eating enough calories, period.
Less than 1000 each day.
That is not going to give you the energy that you need to power through our workouts or through your day.
It's not going to provide your body with the right building blocks (protein) to build lean tissue (muscle).
I told them to shoot for 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.
I told them to eat around 150 grams of carbs a day - less on days that they don't work out.
I told them to eat the majority of their carbs in the morning and early afternoon.
I told them to shut off their carbs after 6pm - the body is more primed to store the carbs as bodyfat.
And that's basically it - just stay consistent.
Try new foods - like squash, lettuces, green beans, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, etc.
Build big salads.
Drink tons of water.
Feel good, look good, and have tons of energy!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
It's Worth It
"Any time you take a great risk to accomplish something great, you'll always receive great rewards. You may not get the rewards you expect, but they will be great nonetheless." - Jim Vance
Saturday, May 08, 2010
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Scott's Summary Day 4
Here is my nutrition summary for Day 4 of our FullForceFitness 30 Day Lean Down.
First off, let me explain that I have 3 kids ages 2, 5 and 7 who have more horsepower than my friend, Lee Priest's, Twin Lab Dragster!
And it is the most intense 45 minute workout that I have ever witnessed if I do say so myself (25 years as a fitness pro).
So I have a few excuses not to eat right (kids, up early, blah, blah, blah).
But when I eat healthy and exercise, I have enough energy and a positive mindset to get it all done.
And it is a great life.
I also go to the gym 3 days a week to train WITH my client.
And my client is always trying to catch me (lift the same, do as many reps).
It's a fun hour long workout.
Anyway, notice the protein intake, the carb intake and the calories burned through exercise.
That pretty much tells the story of a successful days eating for me.
The sodium is a little high - I try to keep it below 2000 mg and closer to 1000 mg if I am really trying to get shredded.
I eat the majority of my carbs in the morning.
I taper off the carbs after that.
I keep my protein high (1gm per pound of bodyweight).
I drink a ton of water.
The beauty, the learning, the discovery, and THE POWER is in the process.
Monday, May 03, 2010
30 Day Lean Up Challenge Details, Questions, Answers and Resources
"30 Day Lean Up Challenge" (optional)The Details:
What: a 30-day nutrition challenge. Clean up your diet by eating real
foods (meat, eggs, veggies, nuts, seeds, fruit, etc.) and cutting out
sugars,dairy, alcohol, and processed foods!
* Duration: 30 days (starting May 3rd)* Cost: $20 contribution to prize pool
* Prizes: Pool goes to the winner. Notice that if just 10 people
participate, that means the winner gets $200!
Entry Rules
* Participants must remit $20 to the prize pool (care of Scott) by
Thursday, May 6th
* Participants must maintain a food log either online or on paper *
Participants should commit to a version of the FullForceFitness Boot
Camp Nutrition Guide while making it reasonable and sustainable given
their lifestyle. Modifications should be as minor as possible (for
instance, if you know you'll never make it a month without booze,
throw in a couple allowed drinks.)
* Participants must submit 3 "before" pictures taken within the week
of starting the challenge (this week): front view, side view and back view.
Men are in shorts; Women are in shorts and sports bra/bikini top*.
* Participants must submit 3 "after" pictures taken within 2 days of
the end of the challenge*.
* Scott and KJ will choose the top 3 finalists whose body composition
changed the most over the course of the challenge (based on pictures only)
* Participants will vote on the top 3 to determine the winners.
Nutrition is often the hardest part, so if we make this a challenge with a
little money on the line, we could collectively lean up for Summer, have
fun with this and have some great social support (the key).Question: "Do the before and after pics need to be digital pics?" - Brian T.
Answer: Yes, email the pics (1 from the front, 1 from the side, 1 from the rear) to scott@fullforcefitness.net
Resource: To log your food online, check out this free resource. www.livestrong.com
"Scott, I just registered on the livestrong.com website and entered my meals
so far. I think it's way better than the one I was using. It already had
the carrot cake protein bars in there so I didn't even have to enter it!
Very cool!"
--
Carol B.
Sunday, May 02, 2010
FullForceFitness Customer Referral Program
If have a friend, family member, neighbor, coworker, etc whom you think would enjoy our boot camp REFER THEM TO US!
They'll get in shape and you'll make $30 per referral (no limit).
Click here for more details and to download the referral form.
Thank you!
Fat Loser
I'm on a 30 day "Lean Up Challenge" to lose 8 lbs.
This is nothing new to me as I competed in body building from 1988 - 2001.
I've tried just about every technique out there and the truth is, they pretty much all work as long as YOU work.
And when I say "work" the process is anything but...
It's a labor of love.
It's having control of your emotions, your body.
If you don't have control or can't control yourself then nothing will ever work.
Just like spending more money than you have or drinking more alcohol than you should, etc.
Too many people over think the process of losing weight.
Tip: Listen to ONE person whom you respect as a fitness professional and follow their advice.
And then just follow the plan.
Forget about it.
Let it go.
Easy?
Not always.
But anything that is easy, is not going to be rewarding and will not work in the long run.
With technology it has become even easier to track your meals.
Check out the free application called "Lose It" for the iphone.
This is a screen shot of today's eating (so far).
It takes 15 seconds to enter the information into my iphone.
And I know exactly where I stand.
No guesswork.
It makes being a "fat loser" downright easy...
One of my favorite meals is to mix Muscle Milk (2 scoops) into a bowl with 2/3 cup of rolled oats, 1 T ground flax seed (Omega Fats), 1/8 c blueberries and water.
.Muscle Milk Light Vanilla Creme 3.3 lbs
This is nothing new to me as I competed in body building from 1988 - 2001.
I've tried just about every technique out there and the truth is, they pretty much all work as long as YOU work.
And when I say "work" the process is anything but...
It's a labor of love.
It's having control of your emotions, your body.
If you don't have control or can't control yourself then nothing will ever work.
Just like spending more money than you have or drinking more alcohol than you should, etc.
Too many people over think the process of losing weight.
Tip: Listen to ONE person whom you respect as a fitness professional and follow their advice.
And then just follow the plan.
Forget about it.
Let it go.
Easy?
Not always.
But anything that is easy, is not going to be rewarding and will not work in the long run.
With technology it has become even easier to track your meals.
Check out the free application called "Lose It" for the iphone.
It takes 15 seconds to enter the information into my iphone.
And I know exactly where I stand.
No guesswork.
It makes being a "fat loser" downright easy...
One of my favorite meals is to mix Muscle Milk (2 scoops) into a bowl with 2/3 cup of rolled oats, 1 T ground flax seed (Omega Fats), 1/8 c blueberries and water.
.Muscle Milk Light Vanilla Creme 3.3 lbs
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