One of our clients at Imagine if sent me a piece on living a healthy and happy new year. I read it and was impressed, I've made some tweaks by making it my own and I want to share it with all of you. Here are a couple of suggestions to make 2010 the best year ever....
Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Make time to pray, have gratitude, and give thanks.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books than you did in 2009.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 or more hours.
10. Exercise/do something physically active 6 days a week. Rest one day.
11. Walk.
12. Smile.
Personality:
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea as to what their journey is all about.
14. Control your thoughts. Avoid negative thoughts and worrying about things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in positive thoughts. Also keep your thoughts about the present; most problems occur because people are either in the past or in the future.
15. Don't take yourself so seriously and be so hard on yourself. No one else does.
16. Avoid wasting your precious energy on gossip.
17. Dream more while you are awake.
18. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need...
19. Hate is a strong word. Life is short. Don't waste your energy hating others.
20. If you want more peace...forgive.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class, but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. When it comes to disagreements there is no "winner". Try putting yourself in the other persons shoes sometimes and you might see the world from a whole different perspective.
Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
28. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Your job won't take care of you when are sick. Your family and friends will. Keep in touch.
Life:
31. Follow the golden rule.
32. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, joyful, or beautiful.
33. God heals everything.
34. However good or bad a situation is it will change...
35. Keep a positive attitude.
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come...
38. When you awake alive in the morning thank God for it.
39. Be happy! Somewhere someone has it much worse off.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Thoughtful Thursday
At this very moment I'm feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude and therefore saw it fitting that the last post of this year be directed to all of you.
To all of my fans, supporters, clients, family and friends THANK YOU for allowing me to do what I do everyday. I feel incredibly fortunate and blessed to help coach, guide and assist people in leading healthier, happier lives.
I hope this year has been wonderful for all of you and I hope that 2010 is an even better year, filled with more health, happiness and prosperity for each and every one of you.
Cheers!!
To all of my fans, supporters, clients, family and friends THANK YOU for allowing me to do what I do everyday. I feel incredibly fortunate and blessed to help coach, guide and assist people in leading healthier, happier lives.
I hope this year has been wonderful for all of you and I hope that 2010 is an even better year, filled with more health, happiness and prosperity for each and every one of you.
Cheers!!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Motivational Monday
Quote of the Week
"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage."
Anais Nin
"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage."
Anais Nin
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Workout Wednesday
The Single Leg Romanian Deadlift....may be one exercise you're not doing, and probably should be doing. Here's why:
This version of the deadlift can help to clean up asymmetries in the lower body, restore proper glute function, improve strength in the posterior chain, also improve balance, plus it can also help to reduce genu val gum of the knee's and aid in getting yourself a tighter butt. Not bad for one little exercise?
Typically we start people with relatively light weight, get the form down and then move up in weight. This is true of all the movements that are performed at Imagine If, however this particular one is a bit more challenging for most.
To perform the SL RDL begin by setting up a box, or a Reebok step about 12-18 inches in total height. Grab a LIGHT dumbbell with your right hand, slightly bend your left leg while allowing your right leg to track straight back and lift up while simultaneously lowering your torso toward the floor. Once the DB settles on the box take a small sniff of air through your nose and brace your abdominals. Then drive your body back toward an upright position keeping the DB close to your leg. (If this movement is done properly you should feel it primarily in the glute of the leg you are standing on). Once the reps are completed switch hands and switch to standing on the other leg.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Thoughtful Thursday
Quote of the Week
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes".
Marcel Proust
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
31 Things
Because of my 31'st birthday today I decided to do something a little different.
In the past year I've read approximately 20 something books, watched at least a half dozen educational DVDs, and attended several seminars, workshops, mentorships, plus a whole bunch of other stuff. All in all I've put in over 400 hours of continuing education since this exact day last year. Hopefully I've learned a little something along the way. Here's some of the highlights.
31 Things - In no specific order:
1) Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.
2) For the most part, there are no bad exercises just poorly selected exercises.
3) The typical American sits on their butt more than 7.5 hours per day. Which also happens to be one of the most important muscles in the human body. Nearly all (99.9%) of our Newport Beach personal training clients walk in the door with gluteal amnesia and coincidentally most have one or more of the following symptoms: low back pain, knee pain, poor posture and a flat rear end.
4) The more I learn the more I realize how little I really know.
5) You can think whatever you like. So why not think positive and why not think big?
6) Ultimately people just want to feel good about themselves. Sadly many people try to accomplish this only with extrinsic methods. The only way I've found that people actually feel better about themselves is to go through personal growth and change. Beyond basic needs I have never seen this happen from material items.
7) Your mind is probably your most important asset. Therefore I suggest being very careful with what you allow to enter into it.
8) "Don't believe everything you read and don't just read everything you believe." Alwyn Cosgrove
9) Most growth and personal change comes first from an acknowledgement that you want something different, something better. Then an acceptance to being open to learning something new so you can go beyond where you are and have already been, must occur.
10) Everybody has an opinion and is completely entitled to their opinion. Some just carry much more weight.
11) " I am I, you are you, and you and I are totally different." Dr. Robert McDonald
12) Forgiveness is one of the fastest pathways to inner peace. Albeit it's not necessary the easiest thing to do.
13) Life is filled with ups and downs. You can choose to find the good in each and every situation or you can choose to always see the bad. The choice and your happiness is up to you.
14) The best investment you can make is in yourself! Continuing to invest in your health, strength, knowledge, mobility, ROM, and spirituality will pay dividends 10X what you ever invest.
15) A true excellent program must include all of the following:
a) SMR (Self Myofascia Release) - Foam roller, stick work, various balls etc
b) Some form of a dynamic warm up
c) Stretching
d) Rehab/Prehab
e) Core work
f) Strength (weight lifting/weight bearing activity)
g) Conditioning
16) In order to get where you want to go you must do what you've never done. What you've done thus far has gotten you to exactly where you are today. There is nothing wrong with this. However if you want to go further than you already are, doing more of what you've already done will more than likely not get you to where you want to be. An example regarding fat loss is as follows; what got you from 30% body fat down to 25% body fat will not get you from 25% body fat down to 20% body fat.
17) "There is no such thing as failure only feedback" Dr. McDonald. If you tried something and it didn't work, try something different. Avoid throwing in the towel and quitting early. Where there is a will there is a way.
18) If you want to go quickly go alone, if you want to go far go together. African Proverb
19) Regardless of how strong your legs, glutes, and back is, your "core" must be equally strong or it will become the limiting factor.
20) Most people have major issues regarding ROM, flexibility and mobility. This equates to driving your car around with the parking break on. Unless the issue is cleaned up, (ie. the brake is taken off) your body will not move, feel & perform at an optimal level.
21) Some form of energy system training is highly beneficial for everyone and needs to be included in a well balanced program.
22) The "core" needs to be trained in - stability, anti-rotation, rotation, flexion, extension, and both statically and dynamically.
23) Exercise physiologists, coaches & trainers, can theorize and guess as to why this person or that person has a particular issue. One could spend, hours, days, weeks and months trying to figure out exactly what the problem is. An easier, simpler and more effective approach is to fix the movement pattern and the problem will usually fix itself.
24) Generally. improving your form will increase the total amount of weight you can lift.
25) Understanding and looking at things from a joint by joint approach is essential. The ankles are meant to be mobile, the knees are meant to be stable, the hips mobile, the lumbar spine stable, the thoracic spine mobile and the gleno-humeral stable.
26) If the body is lacking mobility in one joint, it will attempt to get it from another joint/area. When this happens major issues tend to spring up.
27) Combining a little SMR (self myofascial release) on the pec minor & posterior capsule of the shoulder, plus a little scapular depression exercise, such as a reach roll and lift can do wonders for scapular winging, rounded shoulders and overall shoulder health.
28) Love is never gained or lost, it just opens your heart to love more.
29) I've got two ears, two legs, two hands and one mouth. Using them in that order has served me well.
30) Change is a good thing. In fact, it's necessary. If I was still doing everything exactly the same way I was a year ago then I just wasted a year of my life and didn't learn a darn thing. Much of what we do here at Imagine if is very different than what we did a year ago. Does that mean that I was wrong back then? No, it just means that I've since learned a better way.
31) Be grateful.
In the past year I've read approximately 20 something books, watched at least a half dozen educational DVDs, and attended several seminars, workshops, mentorships, plus a whole bunch of other stuff. All in all I've put in over 400 hours of continuing education since this exact day last year. Hopefully I've learned a little something along the way. Here's some of the highlights.
31 Things - In no specific order:
1) Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.
2) For the most part, there are no bad exercises just poorly selected exercises.
3) The typical American sits on their butt more than 7.5 hours per day. Which also happens to be one of the most important muscles in the human body. Nearly all (99.9%) of our Newport Beach personal training clients walk in the door with gluteal amnesia and coincidentally most have one or more of the following symptoms: low back pain, knee pain, poor posture and a flat rear end.
4) The more I learn the more I realize how little I really know.
5) You can think whatever you like. So why not think positive and why not think big?
6) Ultimately people just want to feel good about themselves. Sadly many people try to accomplish this only with extrinsic methods. The only way I've found that people actually feel better about themselves is to go through personal growth and change. Beyond basic needs I have never seen this happen from material items.
7) Your mind is probably your most important asset. Therefore I suggest being very careful with what you allow to enter into it.
8) "Don't believe everything you read and don't just read everything you believe." Alwyn Cosgrove
9) Most growth and personal change comes first from an acknowledgement that you want something different, something better. Then an acceptance to being open to learning something new so you can go beyond where you are and have already been, must occur.
10) Everybody has an opinion and is completely entitled to their opinion. Some just carry much more weight.
11) " I am I, you are you, and you and I are totally different." Dr. Robert McDonald
12) Forgiveness is one of the fastest pathways to inner peace. Albeit it's not necessary the easiest thing to do.
13) Life is filled with ups and downs. You can choose to find the good in each and every situation or you can choose to always see the bad. The choice and your happiness is up to you.
14) The best investment you can make is in yourself! Continuing to invest in your health, strength, knowledge, mobility, ROM, and spirituality will pay dividends 10X what you ever invest.
15) A true excellent program must include all of the following:
a) SMR (Self Myofascia Release) - Foam roller, stick work, various balls etc
b) Some form of a dynamic warm up
c) Stretching
d) Rehab/Prehab
e) Core work
f) Strength (weight lifting/weight bearing activity)
g) Conditioning
16) In order to get where you want to go you must do what you've never done. What you've done thus far has gotten you to exactly where you are today. There is nothing wrong with this. However if you want to go further than you already are, doing more of what you've already done will more than likely not get you to where you want to be. An example regarding fat loss is as follows; what got you from 30% body fat down to 25% body fat will not get you from 25% body fat down to 20% body fat.
17) "There is no such thing as failure only feedback" Dr. McDonald. If you tried something and it didn't work, try something different. Avoid throwing in the towel and quitting early. Where there is a will there is a way.
18) If you want to go quickly go alone, if you want to go far go together. African Proverb
19) Regardless of how strong your legs, glutes, and back is, your "core" must be equally strong or it will become the limiting factor.
20) Most people have major issues regarding ROM, flexibility and mobility. This equates to driving your car around with the parking break on. Unless the issue is cleaned up, (ie. the brake is taken off) your body will not move, feel & perform at an optimal level.
21) Some form of energy system training is highly beneficial for everyone and needs to be included in a well balanced program.
22) The "core" needs to be trained in - stability, anti-rotation, rotation, flexion, extension, and both statically and dynamically.
23) Exercise physiologists, coaches & trainers, can theorize and guess as to why this person or that person has a particular issue. One could spend, hours, days, weeks and months trying to figure out exactly what the problem is. An easier, simpler and more effective approach is to fix the movement pattern and the problem will usually fix itself.
24) Generally. improving your form will increase the total amount of weight you can lift.
25) Understanding and looking at things from a joint by joint approach is essential. The ankles are meant to be mobile, the knees are meant to be stable, the hips mobile, the lumbar spine stable, the thoracic spine mobile and the gleno-humeral stable.
26) If the body is lacking mobility in one joint, it will attempt to get it from another joint/area. When this happens major issues tend to spring up.
27) Combining a little SMR (self myofascial release) on the pec minor & posterior capsule of the shoulder, plus a little scapular depression exercise, such as a reach roll and lift can do wonders for scapular winging, rounded shoulders and overall shoulder health.
28) Love is never gained or lost, it just opens your heart to love more.
29) I've got two ears, two legs, two hands and one mouth. Using them in that order has served me well.
30) Change is a good thing. In fact, it's necessary. If I was still doing everything exactly the same way I was a year ago then I just wasted a year of my life and didn't learn a darn thing. Much of what we do here at Imagine if is very different than what we did a year ago. Does that mean that I was wrong back then? No, it just means that I've since learned a better way.
31) Be grateful.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Sensational Saturday
Good Randomness
According to a new scientific study and an article released by Science News Magazine - Junk food elicits addictive behavior in rats similar to that caused by heroin usage. According to Paul Johnson of the Scripps Research Institute, "this is the most complete evidence to date that suggests obesity and drug addiction have common neurobiological underpinnings".
The study consisted of two groups of rats. Group A was fed a diet of Ho Ho's, sausage, pound cake, bacon, and cheesecake. Group B was fed a diet of high nutrient, low calorie chow.
Rats that ate the junk food soon developed compulsive eating habits and became obese. Interestingly enough, the junk food rats took in twice as many calories as the control rats. And after just 5 days group A showed a "profound reduction" in the sensitivity of their brains pleasure center, indicating that the rats had to eat more to receive the same amount of pleasure. This is similar to drug addicts that require more and more drugs to feel good.
Plus the scientists found out that when hooked up to a monitoring system of the brains pleasure center, Group A required much more exercise (running on the wheel) to feel good vs group B. Last but not least the reward pathway deficits persisted for weeks after the rats stopped eating the junk food. Thus indicating drug like withdrawal symptoms.
In this study food is inducing many drug like symptoms. Does this make you wonder if the old adage "food is a drug" is possibly true?
2. Deadlift Variation
As many of you know, the deadlift (and it's many variations) is one of the most widely used movements here at Imagine If. Why? Because it gets people results! Here is a video of a Sumo stance deadlift using a DB. A couple of key things to notice are: a) we've shortened the range of motion using a 6 inch block to allow for individual differences b) her spine is neutral c) she is creating more forward knee motion than I would usually prefer, thus inducing more quad action and reducing the posterior chain involvement. Ultimately though the sumo DB deadlift still allows her to do the movement and induce a good amount of muscular work to the posterior side.
1. Can junk food turns rats into addicts?
According to a new scientific study and an article released by Science News Magazine - Junk food elicits addictive behavior in rats similar to that caused by heroin usage. According to Paul Johnson of the Scripps Research Institute, "this is the most complete evidence to date that suggests obesity and drug addiction have common neurobiological underpinnings".
The study consisted of two groups of rats. Group A was fed a diet of Ho Ho's, sausage, pound cake, bacon, and cheesecake. Group B was fed a diet of high nutrient, low calorie chow.
Rats that ate the junk food soon developed compulsive eating habits and became obese. Interestingly enough, the junk food rats took in twice as many calories as the control rats. And after just 5 days group A showed a "profound reduction" in the sensitivity of their brains pleasure center, indicating that the rats had to eat more to receive the same amount of pleasure. This is similar to drug addicts that require more and more drugs to feel good.
Plus the scientists found out that when hooked up to a monitoring system of the brains pleasure center, Group A required much more exercise (running on the wheel) to feel good vs group B. Last but not least the reward pathway deficits persisted for weeks after the rats stopped eating the junk food. Thus indicating drug like withdrawal symptoms.
In this study food is inducing many drug like symptoms. Does this make you wonder if the old adage "food is a drug" is possibly true?
2. Deadlift Variation
As many of you know, the deadlift (and it's many variations) is one of the most widely used movements here at Imagine If. Why? Because it gets people results! Here is a video of a Sumo stance deadlift using a DB. A couple of key things to notice are: a) we've shortened the range of motion using a 6 inch block to allow for individual differences b) her spine is neutral c) she is creating more forward knee motion than I would usually prefer, thus inducing more quad action and reducing the posterior chain involvement. Ultimately though the sumo DB deadlift still allows her to do the movement and induce a good amount of muscular work to the posterior side.
3. Coaches & Trainers
In the last few weeks I've been asked for a couple of recommendations for trainers in other parts of the US. Here's a couple of old posts I did regarding finding a coach.
http://slimsexyandstrong.blogspot.com/2009/07/transformational-tuesday-coaches.html
http://slimsexyandstrong.blogspot.com/2009/04/thoughtful-thursday-who-is-your-coach.html
http://slimsexyandstrong.blogspot.com/search?q=personal+trainers
Thanks for reading! See you all next week.
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