Stat Tracking-- 1RM

Seven weeks ago, I began training to regain my strength that I had lost from losing almost 40 lbs. I was excited that I had lost a great amount of body fat, but I not that I was losing strength.

There are hundreds of strength training programs out there that can help you achieve your goals but one thing will always remain constant: DOCUMENTATION. How can you know how far you have come if you never knew where you started??

When I started my strength program I performed a "true" 1RM for bench and squat. "True" meaning I used proper form and didn't cheat... after all, you're only cheating yourself. I was able to manage 345lbs on bench and 515lbs on squat weighing 251.

I worked out with low rep schemes at 85-95+% of my 1RM and always increased 5lbs each week on every set. The 5lb/wk increase was the most important part for me that I never really have carried out all the way through.... because it gets super heavy. Then again if you never overload your muscles, you will never get stronger. Make sure to have a spotter, because chances are you will not be able to push the weight for all the reps.

After 6 weeks I retested my maxes and was up to 365 lbs bench and 545 squat weighing 260. I feel pretty good about this being the strongest I have ever been pound for pound. (When I weighed 295lbs I maxed out at 375 on bench.)

Since the program I am doing is 12 weeks I will then readjust my percentages to meet my new 1 RMs. This way my muscles won't adapt to working off weaker percentages and will put me on the plane to make great gains. I will keep remaxing and working off my percentages until I meet my goal of benching over 400lbs and squatting 600.

Super Shake-- Post Workout Magic

After you are finished lifting weights your muscles are craving for carbohydrates. As I have mentioned in earlier posts, this is because your glycogen levels (sugar) are low. Glycogen stores are like your fuel tanks and to perform at your best you always need to have them topped off. One of my favorite parts of my workout is actually my post workout shake. I like this because it is one of the few times when it is GOOD to eat/drink a sugary snack! Nutritionists say that after your anaerobic workout you have about a 15-30 minute window of opportunity to feed your muscles.

Post workout, our bodies are in a hypoglycemic state or low blood sugar. Insulin is low and natural Growth Hormone levels struggle to increase as they are trying to rebound from the intense workout.

Simple carbs like fruits and other natural sugars will give an immediate increase to blood glucose levels and cause a state of hyperglycemia. Insulin will be forced to increase! I used to drink a Grapico after every workout, but now prefer fruit and honey-- a more natural sugar source.

This high increase in blood sugar will begin causing further secretions of Growth Hormone, one of the key hormones responsible for muscle growth. Also, the faster you can get glucose into your bloodstream and muscles, the less protein destroyed and the more glycogen stored. The more protein your body keeps the faster your muscles can recover and GROW!!

I like a protein shake blended with orange juice, milk, strawberries and honey! (Sometimes even peanut butter).


--I'm out

Supplement Testimony

There are many nutritional supplements out on the market today that claim to increase strength, vascularity, and skin ripping pumps. I will preface first off by saying that the supplements I refer to in this post are not anabolic steroids. I don't believe in them and have pity for anyone who uses them.

Now I am not a supplement expert and haven't tried everything that is out there, but I know a lot of people ask me what I recommend and here is what I believe works for me.

1. Protein--- Whey Protein is by far the best supplement I take. Aids in quick muscle recovery which allows my muscles to grow.
2. N.O. Xplode- I am a huge fan of this energy/N.O. creatine supplement. It definitely delivers oxygen to the bloodstream for increased circulation "the pump" which makes your muscles swell. Also, gives me energy to complete an intense workout.
   
3. Fish Oil- Aids in brain function, Omega-3 fatty acids for heart health-- I will testify that my mind is always brainstorming when I take this supplement. Increased alertness.
   
4. Multi-vitamin- We can't always follow the food pyramid, so in order to be sure I get my nutritional needs I depend on this vitamin.
5. Vitamin C- Increased immunity to virus and infection. This is highly debated and argued, but I always feel better when taking this vitamin.
   

I have given trial and error to many supplements and believe that these are by far my top five.
I know everyone reacts differently to different things, but hopefully this list will save you time and money!

---I'm out

Cardio Interval Training--- burn more fat in half the time

Source: flickr bh88keys

Here's a Cardio Program I highly recommend in the gym:

Elliptical Trainer:

2 minutes @ 150 Strides Per Minute (SPM)
1 minute @ 200 SPM
2 minutes @ 160 SPM
1 minute @ 210 SPM
2 minutes @ 170 SPM
1 minute @ 220 SPM
2 minutes @ 180 SPM
1 minute @ 230 SPM
2 minutes @ 170 SPM
1 minute @ 220 SPM
2 minutes @ 160 SPM
1 minute @ 210 SPM
2 minutes @ 150 SPM
1 minute @ 200 SPM

This is a short 22 minute workout- but gives you the same benefit as running for an hour.
The mix between the high & low intensity keeps your heartrate guessing. The reason that interval training works better for fat loss is this: Your body will adapt to running at the same pace the whole time, your body will go into what they call a "steady state." Your body adapts to the consistent speed and conserves energy (calories). You will be able to avoid this and burn more calories and FAT by doing the interval training.

The Three Levels of Resistance Training

In strength training there are three main levels of achievable goals. A: Build Endurance, B: Gain Strength, C: Hypertrophy (muscle growth)

While some of these can be intertwined into your workouts, its nice to choose one of these as your main goal.

For Example lets say I want to get stronger.

The first thing you want to do is test your one rep max for all core lifts (bench,squat,power clean, deadlift, etc). Then for your core lifts you want to do about 4-5 sets and no more than 6 reps/set at 85% of your 1 RM.

An example workout plan could be: 1x6 @ 85%; 2x4 @ 90%; 2x2 @ 95%. The goal would be to increase your weight 5-10 lbs every week so you would constantly increase your workload. Rest 3-5 minutes between each set.


Hypertrophy (muscle growth) is a great compliment to getting stronger. Hypertrophy is working 2-4 sets with a max of 12 reps/set between 65%-85% of your 1RM. You can do these on core lifts and on secondary exercises (bicep curls,leg curls,cable crossover, flies, etc).

An example workout plan could be: 1x12 @ 65%; 1X10 @ 75%; 1X8 @ 80%. Rest time is cut down to about 30-90 seconds between each set.

Building muscle endurance is a great compliment to long-distant runners, swimmers, bikers, etc. Muscular Endurance is working 2-3 sets with >12 reps/set below 67% of your 1RM.

An example workout would be 2x 15 @ 55% with rest under 30 seconds.


Sorry for the lack of posting this week. Time is hard to come by these days ;).

I'm out

To Carb or Not to Carb

Source: Flickr-- Darwin Bell

Over the past several months I have lost almost 40 lbs and lowered my body fat percentage by at least 7%. As I mentioned in Mr. Consistency my diet hasn't exactly been high carb. I have eaten a lot of protein and up until now it has paid off.

So what's the problem?

Recently my workouts have flopped in the gym. I have very little energy and I have not been getting the "pump" I normally achieve. Not to mention my strength has dropped significantly in the last two weeks.

Typically I would expect to see a decrease in strength as far as "raw weight" numbers go. (For example, say I bench press 350 lbs at 290lbs and someone who weighs 250lbs benches 320. While I can bench more raw weight than the 250lber, the 250lber is stronger as far as body weight to strength ratio goes. )

Two weeks ago I was still feeling very strong as far as my BW to strength goes... however that was two weeks ago. My strength has since dropped significantly in two weeks and I haven't changed anything with my workout, diet, or resting.

This left me scratching my head and while I still haven't 100% solved the problem, I think I have at least identified it. I think my Mr. Consistency has finally caught up with me and my body is beyond adapted to my eating habits. I frequently mix up my workouts, but I have neglected changing my eating habits.

For the past six months, I have done a relatively good job of burning fat and preserving hard earned muscle. I failed to realize that the decrease in my strength wasn't because I wasn't working out hard enough, but because I had pretty much limited my body's source of fuel (carbs). Limiting my carbo energy tank and having lowered my body fat percentage my body went searching for the next place to make energy. It just so happened to be that it took from my muscles... my hard earned muscles. Muscles I spent years in the gym working to achieve are being used as fuel to foster my workouts.... and while they haven't noticeably withered away.. they have noticeably lost strength.

So I picked up a good book from the Human Kinetics publishers and started brushing up on my nutrition. They brought me back to such a simple solution that FITNESS AMERICA doesn't want you to believe.

Higher energy workouts produce bigger muscle and strength gains!

It makes complete sense, sure protein repairs muscles but it doesn't provide hardly any energy to complete a workout. Carbohydrates are the body's most readily available source of energy and if eaten properly can give you the fuel to supercharge your workouts.

If you choose smart carbs such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables you will have more energy to work harder in the gym without worry about gaining fat....(For long term benefit stay away from simple carbs such as: sugar, white grains, sodas, candy, etc.)

If you sustain the energy to work harder in the gym, pump out more reps, lift more weight-- then your muscles will reward you with strength and growth. Remember protein does not make muscle grow, it repairs muscle faster so it can grow. It does not provide ample energy and if your workouts are lackluster--- it doesn't matter how much protein you drink-- your not working your muscles hard enough to grow or gain strength.


It's amazing how a peer-reviewed nutrition text book can show you so much more than MUSCLE MEATHEAD MAGS. Sure those guys tell you to take all the protein in the world, they don't have to worry about carbs for fuel-- they have anabolic steroids!!!


I'm out

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Now playing: Alice In Chains - Brother
via FoxyTunes

Staying on Path--- Benefits of Training with a Workout Partner

Source: Flickr-milkshakepants



So you've been hitting the gym pretty hard for about two weeks now and you're starting to get burnt out. If all other motivation techniques fail, try finding a workout partner who will hold you accountable.

So where do I find one?

Chances are you have at least one friend who somewhat enjoys doing the same things you do. Hopefully one of them is getting in shape, or working out...Try to put together a schedule where ya'll can both workout at the same time.

What if I don't have a friend like that or we pay memberships to different gyms?

Don't worry--- there has to be at least one individual in your gym that is seeking the same goals you are. Chances are if you keep any kind of routine schedule, you will start to see the same people in the gym at that time. This is where you have to overcome your fear of talking to strangers and gradually build a talking relationship.

For example: I usually workout about 6pm and notice that the same people are usually in there everyday at the same time I am. If you have been going to the gym for several weeks, people will start to become familiar to you and visa-versa. Even if you haven't ever talked to the person before, you already some sense of familiarity.

Start with a simple "hey" everyday, then you can progress to small talk,then simple conversation. Before you know it you have made friends! Since you are already in the gym the simple conversation would be to talk about working out. JUST DON'T BECOME A LEACH!
Find common goals and ask them, "Hey if you don't mind do you care if I workout with you today?"

Bam, Now you have a workout partner! It's as simple as that.

Top 3 reasons you should have a workout partner

1. Motivation---Competition--- Whether you know it or not, it's human nature to try to prove yourself. You'll work twice as hard trying to keep up or outwork your partner than just lifting alone. I always seem to have more adrenaline when I have a workout partner!
2. Dependability- Sometimes you don't feel like going to the gym--- but knowing that someone is there waiting ---will get your butt in there!
3. Safety- You can always attempt heavier weights when you have a partner there to spot you. Lifting heavier weights builds more muscle mass--- so therefore having a partner makes you stronger--LOL not quite-- but it does help!
P.S. Unless you absolutely know you can get the weight yourself, I don't recommend training heavy alone.


I'm out---
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Now playing: Stone Temple Pilots - Big Empty
via FoxyTunes

When a Calorie is not "Just" a Calorie...

The golden rule of calorie control is --" If you consume more than you burn-- you gain weight; If you burn more than you consume-- you lose weight"

Hypothetically, a person could consume 2500 cals of pure junk food, burn 3000 calories and lose 1-2 lbs per week. On the other hand, a health-nut could consume 2500 calories of the purest healthiest foods ever made and only burn 2000 cals and gain 1-2 lbs per week.

----So if this is true why would a person want to eat healthy???

Refer to my post-- sand in the tank. Following the golden rule helps regulate your weight, eating healthy regulates your life. You have to make sure you apply both if you want to achieve your weight/fitness goals. After all, you could follow the junk food/exercise diet lose weight, look great, and still be at high risk for health problems. So why not do it the correct way and minimize your risk for future health problems?

Fuel for your body
Fighting the diet battle is mainly mental. The sooner you start thinking of food as fuel instead of satisfaction, the sooner you will be able to easily control your eating habits. From now on, think about your body as new car, computer, house,investment... (just something you admire and want to take care of). Like I said in an earlier post--- you wouldn't fill your dream car with water-based gasoline, you wouldn't intentionally install viruses on your computer, you wouldn't build your dream house with rotten lumber, you wouldn't intentionally invest in a stock that will crash in 5 years--- so why would you do that to your body? It's the only one you have, better make it the best it can be!!!

Ask yourself these three simple questions before eating anything and it will help control your eating habits!

• How long will this food satisfy my craving?
• Will it provide energy or is it empty calories?
• Is it worth it?
  
• -- Snacking on junk food is okay in moderation. Just remember it requires sacrifice! Sacrificing --by having to spend extra time in the gym or cutting back other calories to maintain you daily allowance!
  

I'm out!

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Now playing: Cold (Metal) - Just Got Wicked
via FoxyTunes

2-a-Days= 8 Week Success Story Part 3

Setting up a plan that is right for you:

Evaluation:
Before even thinking about starting a 2-a-day program, you should evaluate your fitness level. If you have been sitting on the couch the past year drinking sodas and eating moon pies then starting out hardcore might just send you to the hospital and definitely never back to the gym.

How do I evaluate my fitness level?
The best way I can think of is to go to a gym and determine your one rep maxes and endurance levels. A one-rep max is the maximum amount of weight you can lift for one rep for any lift. After that, determine your endurance levels by choosing a weight you can do 10 times without going into cardiac arrest--- j/k (without overstraining).

Knowing these should give you a ballpark estimate for how to set up rep schemes and what weight to use.

Starting Out:
Like I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, take baby steps. Set realistic goals, take before photos, and determine the duration of your 2-a-days ( I recommend between 8-12 weeks to really see improvement.) If you are not a fitness buff, hit the gym slow. Maybe do two main exercises/per body part with lighter weight until your muscles adapt to the training. [If you haven't been training don't think that you can initially Superman it in the gym--- you will be extremely sore if you do. Muscle soreness isn't a good excuse to call in for work!]

Start out with two- 35 minute workouts and gradually increase exercises until your workouts are about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 mins. Never exceed these times.

Accepting Setbacks:
Let's face it--- some days you will be tired, sick, or busy and won't be able to do a two-a-day. This is completely fine. Either make it up on another day or squeeze it in with another lift day-- just don't ever work the same muscle groups on consecutive days. Recognize when your body is telling you to rest and do so--- lack of energy, no-desire to go to the gym, extreme continuous muscle soreness.

Personalization:
Before starting two-a-days, look at your schedule to see if you can even fulfill the time demands. --Once in the morning before work, once in the afternoon after work.

Decide how much time you actually have to give-- One hour (2 x 30 mins); Two hours (2 x 1 hour).

Decide how many days per week is actually possible to lift--- (strive for at least 4, but 3 can be achievable if modified).

The key to 2-a-days is to plan ahead and stick to a REALISTIC SCHEDULE!! Don't plan for 6 days, 1.5 hour workouts if you know you can't achieve it. You will set yourself up for failure and quit the plan.

Try to hit each muscle group at least 2 times per week --- 3 for serious lifters.

Look back at my earlier 2-a-day post to see how I separated the muscle groups.

Performing:

Strive to get in and out of the gym as fast as possible. Which means work fast and efficient. Don't waste time talking about pointless things. Put on your ipod and stick to the plan. This will become habit and build up your endurance the faster you move from lift to lift. Try supersetting lifts. For example-- 1 set of bench press with 1 set of push-ups, etc.

Motivation:
8-12 weeks is a long time to be hitting the gym twice a day. Reward yourself with days off, take pictures and compare them with the before pics. Hang a picture of what you want your body to be at the end and look at it everyday or pin-up a picture of what you were--- to see how far you have come and where you don't want to go back to. There are many ways to motivate-- just be sure to do so or you will become tired and quit the plan.

Closing Thoughts:
Remember, 2-a-days are not for everyone. They take discipline, desire, and motivation to make it through. Everyone will achieve gains differently, but the main part to take away is that you will achieve what you are willing to work to achieve. Be smart, train smart, and REMEMBER to eat a healthy nutritious diet.... otherwise you won't maximize your results. Do keep in mind that you are working out more and will require more calories for energy. Just don't overdo it!


I'm out--

Monday, Monday, Monday

Work has caught up with me and I'm taking a vacation--- Part III of 2-a-days will be posted on Monday. Have a great holiday weekend!


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Now playing: Weezer - The World Has Turned And Left Me Here
via FoxyTunes

2-a-Days= 8 Week Success Story Part 2

My 2-a-Day Journey

Believe it or not, the hardest part of my journey was preparing for it. Every night I would pack my gym clothes, lay out my work clothes, pack my lunch and protein shakes for the following day.
Waking up early was pretty tough too, but after the first two weeks I actually looked forward to getting ready to get my "lift on."

A normal 2-a-day for me:
Roll out of bed at 6 am and clumsily drag myself into the kitchen to consume a bowl of cheerios and a pre-workout shake.

7 am- Arrive at the gym ready to workout--- I had a workout partner, which made it easier to get motivated. (I will post later about the positives of getting a workout partner.)

Here's a brief look at how my workout evolved through the week:
Monday: Morning-Chest & Triceps; Afternoon- Back& Biceps
Tuesday:Morning-Legs & Front Delts; Afternoon-Traps, Rear Delts
Wednesday:Morning- Back & Biceps; Afternoon- Chest & Triceps
Thursday: Morning-Traps, Rear Delts; Afternoon- Legs & Front Delts
Friday: OFF
Saturday:The Gauntlet--- Everything (Only 2 exercise/muscle group)

I only did 3-4 exercises per separate muscle group per day. I made sure that I did different exercises for that muscle when I reached the second and third workout of the week. For example:

• Session 1 Chest- Flat Bench, Incline Fly, Cable Crossover

• Session 2 Chest- Incline Bench, Flat Fly, Cable Pullups

• Saturday Session 3 Chest- Decline Bench, Decline Fly

I could usually knock a workout out in an hour, but it was fast-paced and usually super-setted.
8:15 am--Post workout Shake w/ simple carb snack ( I will post on this later).

I would then go to work for the day and gain my recovery.

6pm- I would do my afternoon session and every other day do cardio for 15-20 minutes.
7pm- Post workout Shake w/ simple carb snack
8:30pm-- Eat Dinner
9:30pm--Prepare for next day
10:30-11pm--Bed. REST IS VERY IMPORTANT-- otherwise your workouts will be crap.

Were the results worth the effort? Look at these pictures and you decide--- remember this is only 8 weeks working out and a proper diet.Plus I'm not gonna lie, I really wanted to show someone these pics ;) And no I didn't cheat by using "superior supplementation" --



In part III, I will show you how to customize a 2-a-day program for beginners and intermediate fitness levels.

I'm Out..




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Now playing: 10 Years - Waking Up
via FoxyTunes

2-a-Days= 8 Week Success Story Part I

I remember back when I was playing ball if I even thought about the phrase "2-a-days" I felt like throwing up. Nothing was worse than practicing twice a day in 100 degree,100% humidity, August, Alabama heat! Okay so maybe I'm exaggerating it was only 99.9% humidity.

The two-a-days I want to tell you about have nothing to do with football--in fact they took place in an air conditioned facility!


It all started when I had hit a major plateau in my workouts. I wasn't getting any stronger, leaner, and was losing motivation. So I started thinking to myself... What is something I haven't tried yet in my workouts? I thought I had pretty much tried everything!

But there was something I hadn't even fathomed of doing at this point in my life-- working out (lifting weights) twice a day. Everything I have ever read was extremely against it.-- So I did some research.

I came across the training diary of one Sylvester Stallone--- call me crazy but have you ever noticed the difference in Stallone from Rocky I to II? The man definitely put on a ton of lean mass. I took a look at the workout out and made some customizations to fit my training style.

Basically, everyone usually breaks down the muscle groups they want to train into five groups--- Chest, Arms,Back,Shoulders,Legs.

I took it a little deeper and broke the muscle groups into -- Chest, Biceps, Triceps, Back, Front Deltoids (shoulder), Rear Deltoids, Traps, Legs. This way I could target individual muscle groups twice-a-day without doing it two days consecutively. I hit each muscle group 3x in a five day period. So basically I canned the whole one muscle group per day,once per week --- and traded it in for four muscle groups per day, three times per week. I then began my eight week journey!




In Part II, I will tell you exactly how I did it and provide you with a sample plan. I will also show you the results I gained from it and how to customize for any fitness level!

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Now playing: Hurt - Losing
via FoxyTunes

Beware of Leaches-- Crashing Workouts at a Gym Near You

I am going to step away from the nutrition posts for today and mix it up a little bit.

Beware of the Leaches-- Crashing Workouts at a Gym Near You

I know you think I am probably making nonsense posting a title of such nature--- bet let me explain what I mean.

Leach-- Someone who you swear to yourself takes great pride in distracting you from your workout by either and not limited to:

• Waiting to make eye contact to initiate never ending gym conversation.
• Believing they are a personal trainer when they obviously aren't and persist on giving you unwanted gym advice.
  
• Doesn't know that Google exists and believes you are the end-all for all questions fitness--- answering occasional questions is cool--- 20 per workout--c'mon
• For women-- someone who believes they can impress you with their bicep curls and follows you around like a lost puppy
• The list goes on--- every gym has them!

In short--- the "Gym" is your time that you should designate to yourself and your body. Short conversation is cool--after all you don't want people to think you are a jerk--- but don't ruin your "workout high" by talking about pointless random junk. It can wait till after your workout. Remember the goal of going to the gym is to improve your body-- not social hour-- if you want to talk go to a club, bar, book-club!

5 Tips to Avoid Leaches without Looking Like a Jerk

1. Wear an ipod and listen to music--- Most everyone I see does this-- but someone looking for conversation usually looks elsewhere if you appear to be in to your music. Besides-- if they talk to you and you ignore them just say you didn't hear them!
2. Avoid eye contact and go straight to your next lift/machine- If you regularly go to the gym, you most likely have already identified the leaches. Leaches stand back checking the mirrors to see if you notice their presence--- They pounce on their prey the moment someone slows down to give them the time of day!
3. Continue to workout and don't stop-- If the leach latches on and doesn't let go, don't give up! Continue to workout and make it aware that you are really involved. Hopefully the leach will become aware that your not really paying attention and release.
   
4. For women-- If you can't stand Meatheads that constantly try to pick you up in the gym-- Take a close look at what you are wearing.-- Chances are it was that sports bra or spandex shorts that got the leach hooked. This won't completely stop the leach so see steps 1-3.
5. Tell the Leach off!-- This shouldn't ever have to be used-- but if the leach persists, politely tell him that you would like to workout and let you have your time. If they can't take a hint and they are really annoying--- just let them know. That should solve it!
   

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Now playing: Led Zeppelin - You Shook Me
via FoxyTunes
I'm out--see ya next time!

Mr. Consistency

For most of us, eating is :

Morning--- rushed breakfast or nothing at all
Lunch-- Eating out during work, with limited healthy options
Mid-afternoon-- Hit up the vending machine
Dinner-- Whatever takes least amount of time to cook, or drive- thru

These days our lives are so fast paced that we rarely have time to eat prepared meals or even think about what we are putting in our bodies--- All we care is that it satisfies the hunger cravings without taking a lot of time or money!

If anyone were to ask you--
How many calories do you think you consume daily?
How many grams of protein/carbs/fats do you consume a day?
--Unless you have tracked what you are eating, it would be extremely hard to answer these questions.

The hard truth is, that in order to correctly achieve your weight/strength/performance goals you would need to know these numbers.

I will tell you what these numbers do for you in later posts, but for now let's talk about the easiest way to track what you put in your body.

• Pre-Schedule your eating times

-Aim for 6 smaller meals a day
-Easiest way to do this is eat a smaller breakfast, lunch, and dinner and then add in snacks
- Go ahead and set times to eat and stick to them
For Example, here's my eating plan:
8:00 am -smaller breakfast (Honeynut Cheerios w/ low carb protein shake)
10:30am- mid morning snack (Protein Bar)
12:00pm- smaller lunch-- (Turkey sandwich on wheat, carrots, granola bar)
3:30 pm-- Mid Afternoon- (Wheat crackers and protein shake)
5:30 pm -- Pre-workout snack-- (banana or sugar-free energy drink)
7:30 pm-- Post workout snack-- (protein shake and 1/2 cup low fat yogurt)
9:00pm -- Dinner (2 Grilled Chicken breasts with broccoli)
11:00pm-- Bedtime snack --(Protein Shake before bed)

NOTE **The key is to eat about every 2.5 hours. Never let yourself go hungry. By not letting yourself get hungry you will tend to choose foods more wisely instead of waiting for the cravings to kick in!**

This meal plan is about 3,000 calories. Which is fine for me (6'2 250lb active individual) because I need the calories to workout. I also could tell you how much protein, carbs, and fats I usually eat because I use food diary websites to help me out--- Check out the daily plate- Set your daily nutrition needs to suit your lifestyle.

--But hardly anyone has time to put in what they eat everyday into a website!! Well I have a solution!

I tend to eat the same things everyday or stray very little. So entering just this one day's calorie count helps me gauge my calories and protein count for my other days.

- I'm not saying eat the same thing everyday but at least be consistent in the foods you are putting in your body. Maybe have three or four days worth of foods you normally eat that you mapped out on a food diary website. This way you can easily guess what you are putting in your body and how you are coming along on the calorie count! This saves you the time of entering in the diary everyday!!!

Sand in the Tank

Picture this---

You buy a new car decked out with everything--- supercharged V10 engine, custom paint job, 22 inch rims, anything you could imagine-- However, you fuel it with the cheapest water- based gasoline, rarely change the oil, and rag it out like a Nascar driver.You might as well put sand in the tank! It doesn't take you long to realize that your vehicle is nothing more than a glorified hunk of metal that performs like John Goodman in a 400 meter dash.

---
My point is that no matter how great your genetics are, if you eat crap you'll never perform at the highest level!

I've learned first hand that NUTRITION is the most important aspect of any type of workout program. For years, I worked out like a machine and ate like crap. I remember eating hot pockets, pizza rolls, and fast foot like it was going out of style. There was one point where I ate the McDonald's dollar menu every night for one month straight!!! I remember thinking--- well I'm working out and running--- I can eat whatever I want. WRONG! I got stronger--- I also got fatter-- I look back at pictures from a couple years ago and realize I had a pretty good pot belly and love handles. Of course, at the time it was ok-- seeing as how I was an offensive lineman--- we're all fat right? LOL

It was about my last semester of my junior year in college when I learned how to eat right. I drastically saw a huge increase in stamina, strength, and athletic performance.

However,It wasn't until after my football career ended that I really got to utilize my nutrition knowledge to change my body image.





Captain Love Handles

What's the first step towards changing ones poor eating habits?

I'm a firm believer in taking baby steps instead of attempting to make an immediate drastic change. Sudden changes usually end in dramatic failure!! So let's start simple:

1. Try cutting out fast food and start preparing your own meals. Try to limit fried foods and start substituting for non-breaded options. Pack your lunch for work, instead of eating out everyday.
   
2. Substitute regular sodas with diet sodas--- I know it's asking too much to quit cold turkey, but more power to you if you can. Simple rule of thumb--- if you want to lose 1-2 lbs a week cut back on your normal calorie intake by 500 calories per day. That's as simple as cutting out your two 20 oz. sugary sodas per day!!!
3. Eat 6-8 smaller meals a day instead of 3 big meals. Spreading out your calories throughout the day will increase your metabolism and prevent hunger!
4. Front load your calories--- Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Prince, Dinner like a Pauper. Simply eat more calories when your more active, eat less calories when you are less active.
5. Transform from White to Wheat!--- Look at it this way white bread converts quicker to sugar in the body than wheat bread--- guess what unburned sugar turns to fat! Check out the Glycemic Index

Well that's all for now...more nutrition tips to come!

Welcome to True Mirror Motivation!

You have arrived at a pure testimonial weight training, motivation, and nutrition blog designed to help anyone looking to get in shape or achieve better gains in the gym and ultimately live a healthier life.

I believe that the best motivation one can have comes from the reflection he/she sees in the mirror. You decide you need to make a change, or you accept yourself for what you are. Either way, you are what you are willing to be! If you are tired of what you see and want to make a change, then I hope to help you on your journey.


But before I get into any advice, let me introduce myself:

You can call me Grahamo and I am a graduate of Samford University --No not Stanford-- I earned my degree in mass communications. Along my path, I decided to branch out and take many nutrition classes-- does this make me an expert in nutrition?-- NO! However, it has probably been the best decision I have ever made as far as my health is concerned. I always look back and think... "if only I would have known that years earlier"

I played Division I football and had quite a successful career playing center. I gave the ol' college combine try with the NFL. Had several successful tryouts with the AAFL --before it flopped like all start-up pro leagues---and turned down options to play Arena 2 ball in Huntsville and Birmingham to pursue my career in advertising.

So what does your has-been resume have to do with anything?
In short, I have been training the last 15 years of my life..I have been exposed to many knowledgeable strength trainers and picked up a thing or two over the years...

After football ended, I realized that carrying around 290 lbs would begin to be a burden on my well-being. So I decided to make a change--- I'm still on my journey but 40 lbs lighter as of today. Like I said earlier, I don't claim to be an expert.. just a guy who has achieved successful results through my knowledge... which I am here to share with you!!!

Enough about me----- I am looking forward to posting daily tips about weight training, nutrition, and motivation for anyone wishing to benefit!!

HAPPY TRAINING---- TIP #1 Soon to Come!!