This blog will be a quick review of the movie Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. Right from the start you get the idea of what this documentary is going to be about. Joe Cross, the creator and star of the film, set out on a journey to change his life. Starting out at 309 pounds and suffering from a rare illness known as chronic urticaria (chronic hives), Cross made a decision which could not be swayed. For the next 60 days, he would consume nothing but water and fruit and vegetable juice which would be made through his juicer. After the 60 days come to an end, Cross will only eat vegetables, fruits, nuts, and beans for 6-8 months in order to continue on the path of healthy eating.
Most of the movie is spent talking to the average overweight person about their lifestyle and eating habits. This alone pounds home the message of the movie. It becomes frustrating to see how people are in total denial when it comes to the effects of their poor nutritional choices.
This movie is much like Supersize Me from a few years back. It does have its twists and turns as it suddenly starts following an Iowa truck driver who also takes on the 60 day juice diet. The results are unbelievable.
At the end of the day, the movie’s message will get through. I don’t think anyone can watch this without becoming a little inspired to do better in the health department. I high recommend this movie to anyone!!
I’m off to Mexico…Happy New Year!!
Stay Motivated!!
Movie Review – Fat Sick and Nearly Dead
Hooray, It’s Snowing Outside
As spring is in full swing, most are looking forward to finally spending some time outdoors, while others never even went inside. I see tons of people jogging year round, even when it’s pretty cold and snowy outside. Some people ski, snowboard, and snowshoe, while others run inside on treadmills all winter long. I find it sad seeing the same faces every Saturday morning working out, when they could mix in some good physical activity outside. Why not hit the slopes or go cross country skiing in Canmore once in a while?
Last week, I took a group of students on a hiking and camping trip in the Kananaskis area. First we drove to the Moose Mountain Road parking lot, and embarked up the road on a pretty easy hike. The nice thing about this road is that it’s plowed throughout the winter, which means it’s pretty much clear of snow. We walked up hill for most of the hike, and held our collective breaths when looking at the ominous clouds hovering above us.
An hour into the hike the light snow flurries floated down on us, and it seemed like ever twenty steps further the snow fell harder and harder. The funny thing was that group actually cheered when it started to snow harder. When we could barely see due to this nasty spring snowstorm hit, I decided we should turn around and head back to the bus. This trip already had the word adventure written all over it.
Luckily, as we got to the bottom of the mountain road, the snow dissipated. I was nervous as this was only the start of our trip and I knew we were supposed to get a pretty big snow fall that night.
We arrived at our campsite a little later, and the sun had broken through the clouds. It was beautiful. Some kids were throwing a football around, while others were playing catch with their baseball gear. It was nice that these kids were enjoying the outdoors, getting some exercise, and having a ton of fun despite the not so good conditions.
The evening festivities consisted of hide and seek games and a large game of Capture the Flag. We had a great day of mixed weather, coupled with lots of physical activity. The kids cooked over their open camp fires, and enjoyed the freedom that I provided them to make their own decisions in regards to how to spend their time.
In the middle of the night, the skies opened up. I mean really opened up. There was no wind and really no sound other than a few unexplained bumps in the night (actually it freaked me out a bit). I woke up when it got light at around 5:00 am, and there was about a foot of snow on the ground. That meant that the trip’s second hike was cancelled. To make matters worse, our bus wouldn’t start. Nobody panicked, and it all worked out in the end. We called for another bus to come pick us up and we were out of there.
I’ve never experienced winter camping, but this was as close as I’ve come to it. The hardest part was getting a fire started when all of your wood is covered in snow.
People in these parts seem to be sour when it comes to our weather. What I’ve learned is that you need to embrace it. Find a hobby like skiing or snowboarding and you’ll be sad when spring finally arrives. Try some activities that you normally would do in the summer like hiking or camping and I guarantee you’ll find yourself in the middle of a new adventure.
Try jogging outside on paths in the winter months rather than always indoors on a treadmill. It’s all about the way you view things. You can spend your winter months dreaming about summer and being miserable, or you can embrace what’s out there for you.
Stay Motivated!!
Killer MMA Workout
Ever wonder what an MMA fighter’s workout entails? I did some digging around, and found some craaaazy workout routines. There’s way more to an MMA fighter’s conditioning than just drilling various martial arts moves and skills. These guys have to be able to perform using many muscle groups for an exhausting 15 minutes. Some fights can go for 25 minutes if it goes the distance in a title fight. If two evenly skilled competitors contain one person that doesn’t have the cardio or muscular endurance that the other guy has, he’ll be at a big disadvantage.
Here’s one workout I found that focused on speed, explosiveness, strength and core. These exercises are all supersets (little or no rest between each exercise).
1) Ten box jumps on a two foot platform carrying a 10 lb. med ball.
2) Ten clap pushups.
3) Ten box jumps on a three foot platform carrying a 10 lb. med ball.
4) Two supersets of 5 lunge jumps with a 30 lb. sandbag carried above your head.
5) Ten pull-ups using suspension rings
6) Eight pull-ups on a rope starting going from a sitting position to a standing position.
Repeat this routine three times.
This workout would definitely be a tough one after completing three sets. Keep in mind that this isn’t for the beginner, but one could easily build up to it or could modify the weight to suit your fitness level.
Just for fun, I’ve posted a short video of an athlete demonstrating MMA training exercises with a big homemade sand bag. Obviously the sandbag is used to mimicking the weight of an opponent. I hope this motivates you.
Christmas Foods You Should Avoid
Not that I want to ruin your fun times during your Christmas holidays, but we do need to be mindful of what we’re putting into our bodies during this time. Whether or not you cut yourself some slack in the eating department during the holidays, you really should watch this short video. In it, Jennifer DiDonato from Made Fit TV talks about which Christmas foods you should avoid. Can you guess which foods she’s going to mention?
The Brad Pitt Workout
I was watching the movie “Fight Club” the other day, and couldn’t help but marvel at Brad Pitt’s killer physique. He was absolutely chiselled in this film. We’ve all seen actors pack on muscle for their token shirtless scenes, but Bradley took this to a whole new level. I read about a couple of different training methods he used before the shooting of this movie.
The one that caught my eye is called the “Super Slow Workout”. I’ve tried this in the past, and have even introduced my students to it, and they’re always amazed at how effective it is. It’s one that will introduce you to the feeling of lactic acid building in your muscles. The biggest advantage of it is how safe it is as you’re in total control during the entire movement. The main basis of this work-out, is doing repetitions with a very slow tempo.
For example, if you were doing lat pulldowns, your pull down phase would take 15 seconds from the start of the pulling phase to when the bar reaches below your chin. Then you would take another 15 seconds to go back up until your arms are fully extended above your head. Because you’re moving so slowly and carefully, experts say there’s a much lower chance of injury that many other traditional methods of weight training. One tip: use light weight. Try doing 6-8 reps of any weight lifting exercise using this method, and you’ll quickly feel the burn.
I also read that Pitt’s weekly routine was characterized by beating up one muscle group each day, then giving it the rest of the week to recover. After hammering each muscle group for five days, he’d finish off the week with a one hour cardio session which burned fat, and shredded his body to the max. This gave him that chiselled and ripped physique we men all envied.
After reading what Brad did for that movie role, I think I’m going to treat myself next week to something similar. I know I need to do something since it’s a tough time of year when it comes to succumbing to fatty foods and sweets. Next time you’re in the gym, why not give it a try?
Stay motivated!
No Results, No Problem – What to do if you’re stuck in a plateau
No Results, No Problem – What to do if you’re stuck in a plateau
Are you fitness training, week after week, only to find that you’re seeing little or no progress? Are you doing tons of cardio, but aren’t seeing those pounds being shredded away? What’s happening is you’re stuck in a plateau. It can feel quite discouraging, and may lead to quitting all together. Before you throw in the towel, you’ve got to try some of these methods to shake yourself out of the plateau.
The human body is incredibly effective at adapting to change. This applies to all types of scenarios and situations. Doing the same routine for a long period of time will do nothing, but produce the same results if any.
Some signs of a plateau are fatigue, loss of motivation, not achieving your goals, no gains in strength or muscle size, and a lack of weight loss (if that is your goal). These signs usually lead to a person becoming fed up and quitting their program.
There are several things you can do to shake out of this plateau. You need to understand that this is fixable. All you need to do is mix things up a little when working out. Variety is the spice of life.
Here’s the scoop:
There’s a girl at my gym who is quite average when it comes to her physique. Despite the fact she runs on the treadmill for about an hour EVERY DAY, she’s looked the same for two years. When she’s finished her run, she jumps on the same three machines, does a few sets, goes to the mat, does some sit-ups, and finishes with the same stretches she always does. I can tell you exactly what she’s going to do and in what order because it’s the same every time.
TIP 1: What I would tell her, if I were her trainer, is to stop all together for about two weeks. Do nothing. She needs to rest her body. This would allow her to come back feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. It’s super important to let your body heal by taking short week or two week long breaks. You need to recharge the batteries.
TIP 2: Then I would analyze her diet. Is she eating fatty foods? Foods that are high in sugar or sodium? Is she drinking lots of beer on the weekends? Is she eating 3 meals per day or is she eating 5 good balanced nutritional meals? One must analyze his or her diet. Write out a food diary, do some research, or have a professional do the analysis.
TIP 3: Introduce some variety to your workouts. Part of the problem is doing the same routines. Try these methods:
a) Increase resistance (more weight or higher reps).
b) Add a new exercise or exercises.
c) Shorten rest intervals (this will really kick things up a notch).
d) Add supersets – do two or three exercises back to back without any rest in between (see my previous blog on super setting).
e) Add drop sets – rather than stopping when you’re fatigued, lower the weight so that you can squeeze out some more reps. This will get your muscles’ attention.
f) Change the rep tempo – Slow down the tempo of each rep.
g) Use isometric contractions – this is when you do no movement, and fight gravity. Such as a wall sit or plank.
h) Force reps – if you have a workout partner, get them to assist you in the lift for a couple of reps when you can no longer lift on your own. This pushes your muscles further, hence increasing the intensity.
In the case of the girl at the gym, I would have her try other forms of cardio, such as the elliptical trainer, a stationary bike, or the step mill. When she’s running on the treadmill, I would have her mix in some interval training rather than just running at the same steady pace she usually does.
So if you’re in a rut and find yourself getting no results, you need to shake things up. Do something new, increase your intensity, and keep your muscles guessing. Whatever you do, don’t give up.
Stay motivated!
Do You Need Motivation?
Here’s a little blurb from StatsCan: “The percentage of Canadians who are overweight or obese has risen dramatically in recent years, mirroring a worldwide phenomenon. The health consequences of excess weight are well known. It is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, some cancers and gallbladder disease. As well, psychosocial problems, functional limitations and disabilities are associated with excess weight”.
Sounds pretty scary doesn’t it? I’m sure you had a hunch that this was happening in Canada or in the US. We hear about how more people are out of shape now than ever before all the time.
There is nothing more frustrating than seeing some kids I teach who are super resistant to getting any exercise. They usually think the PE teacher is out of his mind when he tries to tell them how important it is to get into the habit of doing some sort of exercise.
It’s a good habit to get into, and hopefully, it stays with them for years and years. I’ve seen many students who absolutely refuse to do anything in PE class gain weight in short periods of time. It’s not fun seeing their self- esteem go by the wayside either.
The trouble is that exercising can sometimes take you out of your comfort zone, and become downright painful at times. I’m okay with that, but many aren’t. I’m also okay with skipping the cookies, cake, and other junk foods, but there are those who have developed bad eating habits years and years ago. A lot of my clients struggle with breaking these bad habits. It’s pretty tough to undo something you’ve been doing for years.
I have this advice to those who are struggling:
1) DON’T GIVE UP – EVER – try again if you go off the wagon.
2) BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
3) BELIEVE THAT WHAT YOU’RE DOING IS GOOD FOR YOU
4) BELIEVE THAT YOU’LL FEEL BETTER, HAVE MORE ENERGY, SLEEP BETTER
Now that you believe in yourself, here’s more:
5) Write down a realistic long term goal, and three realistic short term goals
6) Start a food diary
7) Create an eating plan or choose a diet that fits your lifestyle and food tastes
8) Stop buying and cooking junk food and other unnecessary foods.
9) Watch your portions when you eat
10) Have a cheat day – eat whatever you want on this day
11) Celebrate your small victories
12) Figure out when you can spare an hour (three or four times a week) to exercise
13) Keep a workout diary to chart your successes and failures (failing is normal and happens to everyone)
14) Hire a personal trainer to get you started
15) Research some cool exercises or programs that you might want to try (such as P90x)
16) Take it one week at a time (It’s a cliché, but it’s true. You might discover you’d like to work out more next week)
Remember that anything is possible and if one person can do it, YOU can do it! It’s all about habits. You’ll eventually get into the habit of eating healthy and exercising regularly. Before you know it, people will be asking you how you did it. I invite you to email me and let me know how you’re doing.
Stay motivated!
My P90X Experience
Over the past while, I haven’t been able to go to the gym as I’ve been coaching volleyball, and am about to start coaching wrestling. Because of this, I decided to try out the P90X home gym system. I got my hands on the full program, complete with 13 DVDs, workout guide, and nutritional plan.
I tried the first workout, which was the chest and back routine. I’ve seen all the late night TV ads and had an idea of what it was all about. Tony Horton is the expert trainer that guides you through the workouts. He is really good!
Well I knew it wasn’t supposed to be easy, but I’ll say that my ego took one heck of a hit.
The mistake I made was trying to keep up to the men and women on the DVD, and I got my butt handed to me on a silver platter. I thought that I was in good enough shape to go toe to toe with these guys as far as following their reps, but I was sadly mistaken.
Not only did I die half way through the workout, I was sore for about three days afterward. I like it when I’m sore, but this put a new meaning to the word sore. What I should have done was listen to Tony’s advice and pace myself.
The key is to write everything down that you do, and build onto that next time you do it.
You are supposed to do seven workouts in seven days, for three weeks, and then do seven others in the forth week and so on.
I’m only on week one, and each time I do a workout, I’m getting my ass kicked. Just like I like it. I also am discovering new exercises in each workout. Awesome!
My word of caution is that if you’re a beginner, you’ll likely be overwhelmed. For example, if you can only do 10 pushups, then you’re not going to have much fun, as it’s pushup after pushup after pushup. I suppose you can pace yourself by doing only three or so at a time, and going from there.
They superset pushups with chin-ups in the chest and back workout, and I don’t have to tell you how tough that can be. I, myself, need to go out and purchase a chin-up bar to really get the workout they want me to get. Instead of the chin-up bar, I used rubber exercise bands to simulate a chin-up motion.
Either way, I love this workout and the others in the program. The P90X is a butt kicker, and it allows you to get a great (and I mean great) workout when you can’t make it to the gym. It retails for about $120-$130 dollars, but it’s worth it in my opinion. I’ll be honest, I bought mine for $70 dollars from someone who got theirs for a wedding gift and never used it.
Will this end up being yet another piece of exercise equipment or workout that I’ll rarely use? That’s hard to say. Like everything else, the novelty could wear off after awhile. I’ll do my best to follow this 90-day program and see what happens. I’ll also make sure to watch what I eat during this time, and I’ll show some before and after pictures if you want.
I say, thumbs up to the P90X workout and I recommend you to give it a shot. After all, any kind of exercise is good for you.
Stay motivated.