10 More (Top) Reasons to Work Out

Earlier today I googled “Top 10 Reasons to Workout”. To my not so pleasant surprise I found 140,000,000 records. I poked around in a few of the articles trying to decide if I should add my own unique twist to this over saturated market. After close examination I decided that it just wouldn’t be right if I didn’t throw my hat into the ring. I’m not afraid of 140,000,000 records!

Sit back, relax, and enjoy my 10 More (Top) Reasons to Work Out.

1 - Peep Show

I worked out for a full year and a half at a corporate gym. Then one day I decided to take things to the next level and join a more advanced fitness club. My eyes thanked me immediately! I’d been missing out on some of the best looking, most attractive, motivating female specimens around.

Since I’m all about taking the opportunity to improve myself I decided to improve my sneak-a-peek skills. Initially, it was awkward so I only used my long range sneak-a-peek vision. After a while my courage grew and I was staring at people within arms reach. I’d gotten to the point where I could deadlift, sneak-a-peek, and turn away without being noticed.

I think Batman would be proud.

There have been plenty of times when the sneak-a-peek has gotten me through the workout when nothing else could.

2 - Sense of Accomplishment

A successful workouts provides a unrivaled sense of accomplishment. The ability to concretely measure the beginning, middle, and end is a huge psychological plus. There is a sense of gratification from improving your benchpress 35%, beating a personal best in a mile run, or trimming off 20 lbs. Few things can beat the high of knowing you’ve toppled a personal goal.

3 - Vanity Fair

We all like to look at ourselves in the mirror (some of us more than other’s). Most people may not willingly admit it but that doesn’t make it any less true. The gym is one of the few places where you may not feel like a self-righteous, narcissistic, pompous, vain, conceited, and egotistical jerk for marveling at the perfection you’ve created for 4 or 5 minutes straight. Just don’t try it at home.

4 - You can throw things

Ever wanted to throw something at school, home, or in the office but you knew you couldn’t?

In the gym you can pretty much throw whatever you want and call it exercise! There’s usually a benefit or 2 as well (strength, endurance, etc). So instead of tossing your lamp, computer, desk, or something else you’d eventually have to replace try this. Go to the gym, pick up a medicine ball, and toss it around. At least if you break something you won’t have to pay for it. That’s what the dues are for.

5 - Meet Very Interesting People There

The gym is a place where interesting people come and congregate in mass. In my time I’ve run into some interesting people indeed.

1. Man working out in a trash bag
2. Fitness Models
3. Male dancer (who offered me a job in the same line of work)
4. Immigration Lawyer
5. A woman who would eventually stalk me
6. A man who would eventually stalk me

I had to stop the list there because I was starting to get bad memories, but I’m sure you get the picture. There are some interesting characters in the gym.

6 - Prepares you for life

I sincerely believe that working out prepares you for life. The experience is so tangible and in your face. Working out a consistent basis gives you the opportunity to create goals, suffer through pitfalls, pick yourself up, and eventually excel at what you’re doing.

The last time I checked life was about creating goals, suffering through the pitfalls, and learning to dust yourself off and keep going. The gym wraps that up in a neat little package, seals it for you, and delivers it to your doorstep for about $30 a month.

You can’t beat that with a 10 foot pole.

7 - Establishes discipline

Ever felt like you lacked the discipline to get things done?

Ever wished you could involve yourself in something that would help you establish unquestionable discipline?

Setting a workout schedule and sticking to it is the perfect way to establish discipline. After you establish discipline in the gym you can then carry over to the rest of your life and improve tenfold.

I bet the gym is looking better and better by the moment ;).

8 - Respect

People seem to naturally respect those that work out. Some people pay homage through jealousy while others are more positive and upbeat. The ways in which people pay their respect doesn’t really matter. I smile just as hard when I’m called a “juicer” as when I get a normal compliment. To me it all sounds like “you’re doing a wonderful job taking care of yourself”.
Working out, developing a muscular body, and pushing yourself beyond societal biases and norms is definitely abnormal. People naturally respect that behavior. Deep down inside they probably wish they could do it to.

9 - Eventually you’ll have to beat them off with a stick

Common sense (and some studies) have shown that people are attracted to muscles. Big surprise!! As a society we’ve made it painfully clear that having more muscle and less fat is a good thing. I’ve definitely seen a noticeable increase in female interest since I’ve made the transition over to be being “buff”. It’s a simple fact of life that those who are more physically appealing have a better chance with the opposite sex. While it may not be “fair” its definitely true.

If you get to the really elite level you’ll be beating them off with a stick Fabio style.

10 - It’s Good For You

‘Nuff said.

Conclusion

The internet is already inundated with lists of reasons to work out. If you’re reading this list then you’ve likely read the others as well. By now you know that you’ll live longer, save on medical bills, and strengthen your bone density so I decided to save you the pain of enduring that lecture again. Instead I chose to make you laugh, cry, and scream for more.

Am I doing a good job?

http://blog.bodybuilding.com/iamstr8fire

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Weight Loss Seminar Q & A

A few months ago I held a seminar on losing weight and keeping it off.  Originally, the audience was supposed to be 10-15 members.  I don’t know what happened in between my announcement and the actual event but nearly 40 people showed up to hear what I had to say about losing weight.  I designed the session to be an interactive group activity in which I could tell my story, entertain, and teach at the same time.

After the session was over I opened the floor for questions.  There were some good questions raised so I decided to post the questions and my answers here on my blog.

Enjoy!

How long have you been working out?

I worked out a few times on and off before I got serious about it.  I’d have to say that I took a stab at it 2 or 3 times before it finally became a permanent part of my life in August of 2005.

What motivated you to start working out?

The mirror was all I needed.  Since the first time I saw a set of chiseled, oiled up, perfectly defined abs on TV I’ve wanted a set.  So like 99% of the people in the gym my original motivation was to have a set of six pack abs to display.

You said you did things wrong for a year before getting things right.  What did you do wrong and how did you turn that around?

Eating right and engaging myself in cardio were not priorities when I started.  I was thoroughly convinced that if I lifted enough weights I would eventually lose weight and reveal the body I’d always wanted.  For a little over a year I saw my weight go up and stand still, go up and stand still, go up and still.  I never EVER saw it go down.

These results began to annoy and frustrate me.  It’s very frustrating to feel like you’re wasting your time (especially a year).

I turned it around by first owning up to the fact that I wasn’t doing everything right.  After that I began bringing high quality snacks to work and implementing cardio.  The rest is history my friend.

I want to make my body over for the school reunion.  I’m currently at 240 lbs.  Can I lose 30 lbs in the next 2 months?

You definitely can but I wouldn’t encourage it.  The odds against you losing that kind of weight and keeping it off long term are low.  You would have to engage in some very risky activity that I’m sure you wouldn’t want to continue after that reunion.

My advice would be to aim for 1.5 lbs-2 lbs per week for the next 2 months.  I’d also advise you to create a long term goal.  Life does continue after the reunion

You said there are certain exercises that you could give a beginner but you aren’t likely to.  What are they and why is that?

I’ll use one of my favorites as an example. I’m a big fan of the deadlift.  I use it in the majority of the workout programs I make for myself because it’s a great total body exercise.  It’s very tiring and exhausting when done right so the benefits are huge.

However, it’s one of those exercises that I consider to be for advanced lifters.  Most beginning lifters won’t really know what it is and the lower back pain that results the first time can be enough to keep people away from the gym altogether.  I’m not trying to scare anyone off that’s why I normally steer clear of those at the beginning.

There are advertisements around here for a “no sweat” workout.  What’s your opinion of that?

I think its offensive to offer people a watered down version of what they need to get results.  You just aren’t going to see noticeable results from a workout that requires no exertion.

That’s almost like saying you can generate income without providing value to your customers.  It’s just not truthful.

I know I don’t eat very healthy right now.  How do you recommend I begin to change my habits for the better?

The easiest and most overlooked thing you can do is create a list of healthy snacks that you enjoy eating.  Make a list, buy them, and have them available in your work environment as well as at home.  Grab a healthy snack 2-4 times throughout the day to keep your metabolism revving.

It’s one of the easiest and most efficient things you can do to get started.

I have no problem starting a program but I can’t seem to stick it out.  What are your suggestions for sticking with it?
The answer to that question begins and ends with you.  What’s your motivation for working out?

I’ve found that people who have short term or no goals at all often drop their program with ease.  If you’re doing it just for the sake of doing it then it probably won’t last.  If you’re doing it for someone else then it probably won’t last.

Your motivation for working out has to be tied into long term fitness or general wellness goals that you have for yourself.  Otherwise you’ll find yourself in and out of the gym all the time.  That’s no good.

My spouse isn’t very supportive of me going to the gym.  Is there anything I can do to change him?

Tell him you’re changing your life for the better.  Losing weight will make you happier, more energetic, more engaging, and it will make his friends even more jealous than they are now .

If that doesn’t change his mind then I wouldn’t worry about it.  I understand that he’s your spouse but at some point you have to do what’s best for you.  Don’t let his lack of enthusiasm hold you back because in the end it’s not his body it’s yours.

I heard somewhere that losing weight makes your penis bigger.  Can you comment on that?

NO COMMENT

http://blog.bodybuilding.com/iamstr8fire

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Isagenix Announces the 2008 IsaBody Challenge

In 2007, Isagenix® awarded over $100,000 in cash prizes to IsaBody Challenge winners. The winners were chosen from more than 2,200 participants who transformed their lives by using Isagenix products.

Even more important than the prizes, each participant learned how to incorporate behaviors that will help them be healthy, clean and lean for life.

Isagenix® Co-Founders, Jim and Kathy Coover, are committed to motivating as many people as possible to set new health and wellness goals. That’s why the IsaBody Challenge was created—to inspire you to greater health and wellness!

The prizes you are eligible to win are tremendous—but the transformations you can experience in your life and health are even more important: lasting weight loss, improved energy, peak athletic performance and like Mark Macey, a renewed appreciation for the miracle of your life.

“Get busy living or get busy dying.” This quote from the movie “Shawshank Redemption” has become words to live by in my eyes, because before finding Isagenix, I was “busy dying.”

Then I was recognized on stage in front of 3,200 Independent Associates as the grand prize winner of the IsaBody Challenge during Isagenix’s annual convention, called “Celebration 2007.” This not only commemorated the end of one extraordinary journey, but also marked the beginning of a new, healthier, happier life for me and my family.

When I was 400 pounds, I lived my life in denial. I was so restless at night from the weight that my wife had to sleep in another room. I had a distorted image of my weight and health. I had given up. This was not the man I wanted to be. After all, I had a lot to live for—a loving wife and seven children. I enjoyed my job as a bus driver, but everything was a struggle for me when I was at my heaviest.

Then the hard truth hit me one day. That’s when something incredible happened. My 21-year-old son Jordan, with tears in his eyes, came to me and told me I needed to do something so that I could be around for my kids. That was it. I had to make my family proud.

At Celebration 2007, my son, along with the rest of the crowd, honored me as I was announced as the IsaBody Challenge Grand Prize Winner. I shed tears of joy as I took home a prize of $10,000 and had a $2,500 shopping spree with the Coovers in Las Vegas. Now weighing in at 278 pounds—114 pounds lighter* than before the Challenge—I can easily beam with confidence.

During my shopping spree with the Coovers at the Caesars Palace Forum Shops, I took my winnings sitting down—literally. Before Isagenix, I had not been able to sit down, cross my legs and take off my shoes at night. Instead, while standing, I had to bend uncomfortably to remove them. Not only did I buy a sleek pair of new walking shoes for the event, I sat down and easily slid them on and off. The accomplishment brought out a lot of emotion in all of us.

I am still working on what I call “reaching optimum lightness,” but I am well on my way! My passion is to help others regain their spirits so we can all “get busy living!”

*Results may vary.

If you are not yet an Independent Isagenix Associate and would like more information on how to enter please contact us or click here to sign up at the Isagenix website.

Click here to see the other 2007 winners.

Posted in Weight Loss Challenge, Isagenix, Weight Loss | 1 Comment »

4 Ways to Avoid The New Year’s Resolution Death Trap

It’s that time of year again.  The time when all hope springs eternal.  That special time when we re-align, reassess, and re-focus our lives (or so we say).

On January 1, 2008 I got trapped in a New Year’s Resolution discussion.  As is the tradition on New Year’s Day she let me in on a little secret…she had New Year’s Resolutions!  After telling me what things she planned to update, change, or improve in 2008 she then turned the spotlight to me.

“What New Year’s Resolutions are you making this year?” she asked with a smile.

I knew the answer well before she asked me so I decided to build in some suspense.  What’s the use of having friends if you can’t have a little fun with them right?

I wrinkled my eyebrows, placed one hand on my chin, and pretended to be in deep thought over this puzzling question.  The more I waited the more anxious she become.  Torturing her was a little too easy so I stretched the “thought process” out even longer.  After 45 seconds of fake thinking I was ready to let her have it.

“I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions” I said.  She recoiled as if I were a monster.  I’m not a monster, I’m just into jumping into death traps.  Not my style .
The New Year’s Resolution is by far the worst trend that I’ve ever observed.  Trends like zubaz pants and pet rocks were at least kind enough to die.  The New Year’s  Resolution does us no such favors.  On January 1 18 billion goals are launched into the sky.  A mere 2 weeks later 7.99 billion have come crashing down to earth.

Read on to find out how to avoid falling into the New Year’s Resolution Death trap.

1-Don’t Buy Into The Hype

Too much fuss is made about the new year and the new opportunities that it brings (even though nothing much has changed).  December 31, 2007 was a Monday and January 1, 2008 is a Tuesday.  That’s the only difference. How much times in our lives have we went to sleep on Monday only to wake up on Tuesday oh glorious Tuesday?  Is this one really that much different?  Did something miraculous happen to you in your sleep last night?  It’s doubtful…extremely doubtful.

When it comes down to the nitty gritty it’s just another day.

2-Listen Up

This time of the year has become an interesting time for me.  Since I’m seen as a weight loss expert I am constantly barraged with questions about what to do, when to do it, and how to do it.  Before I can begin I have to break down the wall of misinformation in everyone’s heads.  I’m shocking people every day by simply telling them to eat less, exercise more, get some H2O flowing in their systems, cut back on the beers , and create realistic expectations.  You’d swear I was beating up little children with some of the faces I get.

Some people listen and some people spout off about the newest diet pill on TV.  I don’t have the time or the energy to argue about “scientific research” at the sugar pill factory so I’ve learned to let it go.  I work with those who will listen and I let the rest do as they please.  It’s nearly impossible to convince someone who wants to waste their own time not to do it.
Don’t be bull-headed when you set out those 2008 goals.  If you know someone who’s been there and done that.  Open your ears and listen.  You just might save yourself the trouble of making the same resolution in 2009, 2010, and 2028.

3-Prepare for the Stumbling Blocks

Planning for success is a very tricky thing.  Our natural urge is to be as optimistic as humanly possible. Use your rational thinking skills to be both optimistic and realistic.

Preparation for the hard times needs to go into that thinking. Just think for a second:

• What happens if the weight doesn’t come tumbling off?
• What happens if you don’t land that dream job in 3 months?
• What happens if you lose on American Idol?
• What happens if you don’t have a Valentine’s Day date on February 13?

These are all very real possibilities.  Not everything will line up perfectly and you need to be prepared.  Some days you will come outside to perfect temperature, dancing children, and an express way free of traffic.  Other days you’ll come outside to sleet storms, kids rolling in the mud, and bumper to bumper to bumper to bumper traffic.

Be prepared for both.  Your sanity will thank you.

4-Lay a Foundation and Progress From There

Rome wasn’t built in a day and your new life won’t be either.  DO NOT be so caught up with your new goals that you allow yourself to overlook all logic.  The largest and most beautiful buildings in history were built one unit at a time.  Look at the Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower, The Great Sphinx of Egypt, and the Roman Colosseum.  You think these buildings came together overnight?  Of course you don’t.

Avoid being naive and thinking things will change overnight.  By and large they won’t.  You’ll only damage yourself looking for the quick and easy route to long lasting change.  Spend the next few months laying the foundation for the lifestyle you will create for yourself.  Let somebody else get their life changed for 3 easy payments of $19.99 (or whatever the rate is these days).
I always say if its worth doing then it’s worth doing right.  If you’re not going to do it right then why bother?

Conclusion

You can level-set, re-align, get your act together, rejigger (yes that is a word ), or otherwise improve your life at any point you so choose.  It doesn’t have to be and it most likely won’t be on January 1.  1/1 is competing with 364 days.  That’s a lot of pressure for Tuesday to handle!

Remember to avoid the hype, open your ears, prepare for the stumbling blocks, and lay a foundation. You’ll be well ahead of 99.99999999% of the New Year’s Resolutions crowd.  Oh yeah one more thing.  You can use this outline for other goals too .

http://blog.bodybuilding.com/iamstr8fire

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9 Body Transformation Road Blocks

I’ll assume that if you’re reading this article then you have some interest in going through a body transformation. I did just that in 45-60 minutes a day, 5 days a week, while holding down a corporate 9-5 position with enough stress and politics to drive the president crazy! At my heaviest weight I tipped the scales at 252 lbs. At my lowest I’m 205 lbs. Since losing that weight I’ve had the pleasure of helping people shed weight along with the pain of witnessing people fail due to some easily avoidable mistakes.

Losing weight is one of those topics that confuses even the smartest people on our planet. Confusion leads to mistakes, which lead to frustration, which ultimately leads to failure. In this article I will outline the 9 Most Common Body Transformation Mistakes I’ve seen.

1 - Poor Mindset

Many people see fitness as something only fit for athletes, personal trainers, celebrities, and “fitness freaks” (a group that doesn’t include them). As a result they are never fully comfortable with what they are about to do.

They say they’re going to work out. They say they’re going to eat right. They may even do it for a little bit until they are inevitably called a “fitness freak”. In my experiences being called a “fitness freak” is a good thing. Normally, the green-eyed monster has bitten the person who throws that out and they admire your results.

Being fit is for anyone who chooses to live a fit lifestyle. Not just athletes, personal trainers, celebrities, and the “fitness freaks” of our world.

2 - Quick Fix Strategies

I cringe whenever I hear someone say they are on a health kick, “diet”, or anything else that implies a short-term solution. Quite frankly that’s not going to get the job done. You can’t fix a 1000-year-old problem in 5 weeks. I’ve never seen anyone get significant, long lasting results from a health kick or a quick fix diet. Neither of those methods train you to get weight off and keep it off.

In order to successfully go through a body transformation you must mentally commit to a lifestyle change. Once you’re truly ready to do that you can then change the way you look. Until then you’re just spinning your wheels.

3 - Meal Frequency

When I began trying to lose weight I was convinced that I could eat however I wanted and still lose weight. The idea of eating six small meals a day was too foreign to me. All my life I’d been trained to eat 2-3 large meals a day. I, like most people, was very resistant to change. After about a year of getting nowhere fast I changed my tune and got with the program. Incredibly I started to lose weight!

I’ve written a blog with specific information on how to eat 5-6 times a day. Follow this link for more:

http://blog.bodybuilding.com/iamstr8fire/2007/11/20/how-to-eat-like-a-fitness-model/

4 - Refusal to Drink Water

Recently I’ve done some research into human nature and the results are astounding! People who want to lose weight hate the toilet! Those 30 short seconds at the toilet can apparently make or break the day of the strongest spirit.

Trust me, I understand that it’s slightly inconvenient to run to the toilet 5, 6, or maybe even 7 times day. However, it shouldn’t be a deal breaker that keeps you from losing weight.

After struggling with this issue for a while I finally found a way to get people to drink water. It’s worked like a charm.

Our bodies are 65%-75% water weight. Simple logic says that if you’re getting rid of water (65%-75% of your body) you’re getting rid of that unwanted weight. So every time you pee you’re LOSING WEIGHT. So HOLD ON TO THE WEIGHT IF YOU WANT TO!

5 - Eating Too Much

Working out does not give you the all access pass to eat whole chickens and gallons of yogurt at a time. A common mistake amongst people trying to transform their bodies is overeating. Flawed logic leads people to eat more as they work out more.

Wrong…Wrong…Wrong

If you eat too much you’ll never get to that caloric deficit required to lose weight. Overeating after an intense workout session will only serve to keep you where you are. It may not seem fair but its 100% true.

6 - Intensity Plateau

The act of just going to the gym is not enough. Once you begin to lift weights and perform cardio your body will respond and adapt.

Let’s say your normal cardio routine is 20 minutes on the elliptical trainer at level 10. In your first week of training that 20 minutes feels like 2 hours. You sweat profusely, your thighs burn like sand in the desert, and you stumble off the machine at the end. Over the next 2 weeks you do this 6 times and the weight melts off.

In week 3 you mount the machine and to your delight the workout is considerably easy. You sweat lightly and the burning sensation in your thighs has subsided. The next day you eagerly hop onto the scale and realize you haven’t dropped an ounce.

What happened?

Your body has adapted to your current level of exercise and it doesn’t need to burn as much energy anymore. Since you’re not working as hard you’re no longer losing weight.

The human body is smart and responds quickly. The moment you stop challenging yourself is the moment you stop seeing results. Your muscles respond to pressure and intensity so keep it coming.

7 - Making Direct Comparisons Between Yourself and other People

This may be the death trap of all mistakes. It is human nature to compare ourselves to others (that‘s how we set standards). It’s not so easy when it comes to people and their bodies.

People fall into 3 broad categories when it comes to body types:

Ectomorph - thin, lightly muscled, trouble gaining weight

Mesomoprh - athletic, muscled body, gains or loses weight easily

Endomorph - soft body, round body, trouble losing weight

No one person is strictly one type. I exhibit traits of both the endomorph (round body) and mesomorph (muscled body). Eating right, pushing myself in the weight room, and paying attention to what I’m doing are all vital if I want to drop an ounce.

One of my best friends blends the qualities of an ectomorph (skinny) and mesomorph (muscled body). He drops weight at will. If I compared myself to him in terms of losing weight I’d be in big trouble.

Many people do exactly that and it drives them so crazy that they give up.

The only person you can truly measure yourself against is yourself. There are too many factors that go into comparing yourself to others to ever make a good comparison.

8 - Too Much Rest In Between Sets

The goal of working out is to challenge your body. Sitting around for 2-3 minutes between sets allows your body to totally recover from what you’ve just done.

One of my friends works out at the office gym. Whenever she feels tired or begins to sweat she gets off the machine for 5 minutes and “collects herself“. One day I saw her in the halls during her scheduled workout time. When I asked what she was doing she said, “taking a break because I started sweating”.

She’s three months into the workout now and still hasn’t seen any results. Don’t let this happen to you!

9 - Listening to Negative People

It’s surprising how much misery loves company. Especially when it comes to getting in shape. I’ve seen husbands, wives, coworkers, and friends turn on each other. It’s a disgusting trend of human nature.

That’s the bad news.

Here’s the good news…

You don’t have to listen to any of it. When I started taking my body transformation seriously I had people make negative remarks. People said it was “stupid”, “impossible”, and “unrealistic”. I went on with my workouts and eating as if they never said a word. Today I advise them on methods to lose weight and gain muscle. Ironic isn’t it?

Let people make all the remarks they want. It’s your life and your body. You don’t need anyone else to co-sign your goals. In the end your results are all that matter.

Conclusion

Let’s recap the list:

1. Poor Mindset

2. Quick Fix Strategies

3. Not Eating Frequently Enough

4. Not Drinking Enough Water

5. Eating Too Much

6. Intensity Plateau

7. Comparing Yourself to Others

8. Too Much Rest Between Sets

9. Listening to Negative People

Those are the 9 most common pitfalls I see when people attempt to create the body of their dreams. Avoid those and you should be well on your way to creating the body you want and deserve.

http://blog.bodybuilding.com/iamstr8fire

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