Well, I am happy to report that after just one week, I have dropped over 17 pounds, 4% bodyfat and two inches off my belly.

My waist measurement has decreased some, but not quite an inch yet.

Suffice it to say,  I am more than pleased with the results for the both of us so far.

Keylea has lost 8 pounds this week. She is feeling fantastic!

But even so, we won’t measure her until her cycle has passed.

A woman’s menstrual cycle can play havoc on her weight, her measurements and of course -her emotions.  So there’s no good sense in measuring what you know isn’t accurate and what you can be relatively sure will be more bad news than good.

The emotional toll just isn’t worth whatever metric data you may or may not discover.

At the outset, I wanted to try the training routine that Tim outlines in the book.  And in fact I did perform the very first training session exactly as Tim describes. It was short, sweet -and everything I remembered High Intensity Training to be.

However, HIT training  is very familiar to me. I have used HIT several times in the past; on myself and with various clients.

And while HIT can be very effective for beginners, the under-trained or those coming off an injury -High Intensity Training just isn’t my cup of tea at this stage in my life.

I enjoy my time in the gym and although HIT can be very effective -the counting, timing and cadences required to perform that type of training properly, just seem to sap my energy and drain my enthusiasm.

I will instead continue to use the training program that has been the most enjoyable for me to date:

Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 Training Program

The 5/3/1 program allows me to make substantial strength gains while working well below the level of muscular failure.

I can also incorporate the Olympic lifts and other more specialized training implements without over-taxing myself or pushing my recovery capabilities.

Fat Loss and Strength Training:

Dieting while building strength and/or muscle tissue can be tricky.

Many would say that you cannot serve two masters; that one must either focus on fat burning or muscle building.

I have always challenged this theory and I believe that this little experiment will help me establish the appropriate diet, training and supplement  program to accomplish both goals simultaneously.

Supplementation:

Right now, I am taking the following Poliquin nutritional supplements to aid my recovery, fortify my immune system and give me an advantage in my fat loss efforts:

Upon waking, on an empty stomach:
Two (2) Holy Basil Supreme

Immediately after training:
Three (3) UberZinc Px
Two (2) UberMag Px

With each meal:
Two (2) Ultra HCL 4.0 -Mid-meal
Five (5) grams Fish Oil in either liquid or capsule form

Before Bed:
Two (2) UberMag Plus Px *with L-Tryptophan
Two (2) UberZinc Px
Two (2) Tribulus Supreme

I am still feeling very strong.

In fact, even after losing my 17 pounds, I experienced absolutely no loss of strength during my squat training tonight -which for me -is quite amazing. My squat is usually the first thing to suffer as I cut weight.

Not this time though. And I could not be happier.

Stay tuned!

]]> http://www.sportfitnow.com/2011/01/becoming-super-human-part-deux/feed/ 1 http://www.sportfitnow.com/2010/12/happy-healthy-smart-and-lean/?nucrss=1#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed http://www.sportfitnow.com/2010/12/happy-healthy-smart-and-lean/#comments Thu, 30 Dec 2010 20:16:20 +0000 admin http://www.sportfitnow.com/?p=1148 You just might need more D3  -ya know what I mean?

If you’re feeling kind of down, or maybe a little SAD as the experts call it, you might just need a bit more Vitamin D3.

You probably don’t think much about it -but
Vitamin D3 is an incredibly important nutrient!

We all need adequate Vitamin D to build and maintain strong bones, regulate our blood pressure, protect us from Diabetes, keep us healthy and fight disease by fortifying our immune system (1, 2, 3).

We know that Vitamin D is essential for cognitive development in infants, children and in young adults.

Adequate Vitamin D is also crucial for avoiding cognitive decline later in life.

We also know that Vitamin D deficiency has a strong connection with Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, and cancer of the colon, breast, and prostate (4).

And if that’s not enough, as an extra added bonus, new research is suggesting that Vitamin D can even help you lose abdominal fat too (5)!

‘How cool is that!?’ As Flo would say!

We get most of our D3 through our skin from sunlight exposure (I bet you’re not getting a whole lot of that right now, eh? -Especially in the northern hemisphere).

Fish is another great source of Vitamin D…. you could try eating more fish if you like.

Mackerel, Catfish, Tuna and Eel yield the highest concentrations of Vitamin D.

Cod Liver Oil is a darn good source of Vitamin D too
(See? Grandma knew what she was talking about after all)!

But chances are, even if you are able to spend some quality time in the sun and you do enjoy eating fish fairly often, you could probably benefit greatly with a little extra Vitamin D in your blood, one way or the other.

Got D?

See this informative, in-depth article over at the Poliquin website for all the nifty science, explanations and more references, of course!

References:

1. Autier P, Gandini S. Vitamin D supplementation and total mortality: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Arch Intern Med 2007 Sep 10;167(16):1730-7.
2. Deane A, Constancio L, Fogelman I, et al. The impact of vitamin D status on changes in bone mineral density during treatment with bisphosphonates and after discontinuation following long-term use in post-menopausal osteoporosis. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2007 Jan 10;8:3.
3. Goldstein MR. Myopathy, statins, and vitamin D deficiency. Am J Cardiol. 2007 Oct 15;100(8):1328. Epub 2007 Jun 29. Comment on: Am J Cardiol 2007 Apr 15;99(8):1171-6.
4. http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/170/13/1135
5. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153669.php

I don’t mind the break from my own personal training routine at all ~because any time I get to spend with my beautiful wife is time well spent!

The both of us have found new inspiration for our diet and training in Tim Ferriss’ new book, The 4-Hour Body.

I’m a huge Tim Ferriss fan and as soon as I had the opportunity to purchase his new book, I jumped at the chance.

I originally purchased a dozen advance copies of Tim’s book to give away as Christmas gifts.

After receiving my purchase, I found myself reading the book not once, but several times over.

In fact, The 4-Hour Body is so fun, interesting and easy to read -that I still pick it up anytime I have an idle moment.

I just flip it open and scan through the pages.

Of course, I already have a few dozen pages tabbed with Post-it® 1-inch page tabs so I have quick access to everything that interests me.

The Post-it® tabs simplify things because I can use the different colored tabs to arrange the book’s content by subject matter, particular ideas or, in this case, my particular goals.

Now, I’ll admit, I’m not so OCD that I remember what each and every colored tab means -but by simply flipping open a tabbed page -I can then recognize what that colored tab represents -and then go from there.

Of all the well-detailed plans laid out in  The 4-Hour Body, there are three that the wife and I will stick to in reaching our goals.

1. Rapid Fat Loss (Losing 20 Pounds in 30 Days)
2. The Perfect Posterior (or How to Lose 100 + pounds)
3. From Geek to Freak -Gaining 34 lbs of Muscle in 28 Days

We’ll both use the principles in the rapid fat loss chapters to begin.

Keylea wants to build her ‘posterior’ (read: J-Lo beware!)
-so she’ll be focusing on the material in that particular chapter.

I, on the other hand, just want to be lean and buff -so I will be concentrating more on Tim’s advice to build muscle in the least amount of time and with the very least effort I need to expend to achieve the maximum results -a Tim Ferriss trademark!.

All in all, the material in The 4-Hour Body is very well thought out and extremely well researched.

I look forward to keeping you all updated with our progress over the next few months.

To Your Good Health!

Of course you have!

Who hasn’t?

We all know that these things are possible.

We just don’t like how long it takes or how much work goes into achieving these things.

It typically takes months or years and a ton of patience to see any measurable results.

Well, what if I told you that there was a way to achieve all of those goals in much less time and with much less work than you might expect?

Pretty exciting, right?

Or not….

I mean, everybody tells us that their product or service can do these things for us -don’t they?

And very few of these products or services ever deliver.

That’s why I am eagerly awaiting the December 14th release of Tim Ferriss’ new book,
The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman!

I am a huge Tim Ferriss fan!

I follow his blog and read everything he writes.

I loved the The 4-Hour Workweek and I still use it as a guide for improving my productivity (at work and life in general) on a daily basis.

Tim is one of those people you just can’t help but like. He’s genuine, sincere and he’s always trying to help others live more fulfilling lives.

I like that!

I have watched as Tim experimented on himself over the last several years -using the very same principles he writes about in ‘The 4-Hour Body’

It has been fascinating to witness Tim’s various transformations and accomplishments!

Will The 4-Hour Body change my life?

Will The 4-Hour Body make ME Super-Human?

I have no idea….

But for less than fifteen bucks….

You can bet I’m going to give it a try!

How about you?

When a human being encounters a life-threatening situation, a flood of hormones enter the bloodstream to help us survive. Hormones like adrenalin and cortisol, give us superhuman strength, a great big boost of energy and they temporarily switch off our other bodily functions like digestion, fighting disease and looking for a mate.

In the early days of human evolution, the stress response was vital in keeping us alive. Unfortunately, many of the modern situations that trigger the stress response are not life threatening at all.

Many of us tend to live our lives in this ‘Survival Mode’  and what science is finding is that the ‘Fight or Flight’  response that used to save our lives -is now killing us!

Chronic stress is bad for your health!

• Your Career
• Your Responsibilities
• Family Situations
• The Economy
• The Threat of Terrorism
• Even the nightly news can contribute to modern stress and anxiety.

Getting adequate rest, proper nutrition and practicing relaxation techniques each and every day will greatly reduce your  stress and anxiety. However, there are also two very effective herbal remedies for stress that work very, very well.

Holy Basil

Holy Basil is an ancient Ayurvedic adaptogen or anti-stress compound. Countless studies have shown that Holy Basil can significantly reduce feelings of stress and anxiety when taken regularly. Holy Basil has even been found to improve memory, reduce cholesterol, relieve headaches and Holy Basil also has a very positive effect on the adrenal and central nervous system.

Serenity 2.0

Serenity 2.0 is an ancient Chinese herbal formula that calms and relaxes the body -without making you feel groggy or dopey. This centuries old herbal formula effectively reduces the body’s stress and anxiety response, encourages relaxation and gives one a sense of inner calm and peace.

Serenity 2.0 can be taken several times a day…

• First thing in the morning
• Before heading off into morning traffic
• Before a stressful meeting or presentation
• Right before bedtime
• And even at night when you wake and have trouble falling back to sleep

If you are feeling nervous, anxious, tense, easily distracted, and fidgety -you may be suffering the effects of undue stress and anxiety. Chronic stress and anxiety have been linked to high blood pressure, headaches, migraines, low immunity and a shortened life-span.

Don’t take chances with your health.

Eat well. Learn to relax. Meditate. Get plenty of rest, exercise and consider using natural herbal remedies to reduce your stress, relieve your anxiety and improve your life.

To Long Life and Good Health!

If you’re a man who has lost muscle mass, seen an increase in body fat, lost your sex-drive or you’re missing that general sense of well-being and manliness… -there is a better way.

High quality, natural testosterone supplements for men are readily available. They are much safer to use and don’t have any of the nasty side-effects that drugs and over-the-counter libido stimulants typically do.

I mean, I don’t know about you -but cramping, bloating, increased risk of stroke, diarrhea and erections lasting for 4 hours doesn’t  sound like a whole lot of fun…. -especially when all you’re trying to do is get your ‘mojo’ back!

There are two reasons that men may need natural testosterone supplements:

Having Fun? -You really should!

Having fun is important.

In fact, having fun may just save your life!

Having fun is much better than being bored, right?
Boredom is really, really Bad!

Did you know you can actually be ‘bored to death?’
~Yes, indeed you can!

A study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology [1] states that people who complain of being ‘bored’ are much more likely to die at young age!

Studying over 7,500 individuals, researchers found that bored, dissatisfied adults are almost three times (3x) more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than their happier, more engaged and energetic counterparts.

Now, it’s not as though boredom itself is to blame here….
In fact, even the researchers claim that boredom is more a symptom of an inactive lifestyle -than an actual cause of any disease.

People who do not participate in physical activity are far more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease -simply because of their lifestyle.

In simple terms: If you don’t move -you die.

Now, there’s no denying that boredom is a real emotion.
However, the feelings of being bored, listless, uninterested and ‘tired’ are often self-induced, emotional feelings -Not real physical limitations.

For instance, I work with many women who struggle with depression, fatigue and moodiness during their menstrual cycle.
They’re tired, they’re angry and they certainly don’t ‘feel’ like doing what I recommend.

My recommendations are never met with much enthusiasm.  However, each and every time my female clients reach beyond what they ‘feel like doing’ and follow my recommendations, they are rewarded with far better moods, far greater energy and a much higher quality of life.

And my recommendations?

Wow! I feel MUCH better -thanks!

Simple!

Get Out:
Get outside -get out of your daily routine and push yourself to do more than you feel like doing. The extra effort it takes to ‘do something’ will release ‘good’ hormones to counteract the ‘bad’ hormones making you feel so down and out.

Get Active:
Physical exercise is usually the LAST thing you feel like doing -but it is always, always, always the BEST thing for you to do!

Physical exercise releases endorphins and other ‘happy hormones’ that will immediately improve your moods and attitudes.

Get Real!
Choose Real Foods as often as possible.
Avoid any foods that have been boxed, bagged, canned or preserved.  Adopt a paleolithic dietary approach.

What is the Paleo Approach? = Two basic ideas to follow:
1) If it flies, swims or roams the prairie, it is safe to eat.
2) If it can be gathered and eaten by hand (without processing), then that too, is safe to eat.

Anything that falls outside these two boundaries is ‘off limits.’

The paleo diet has proven to lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, balance body composition and increase energy.
Check out Dr Loren Cordain‘s ‘Paleo Diet‘ or the ‘Paleo Diet for Athletes‘ for more detailed and helpful information.

If you’d like additional information or if you just have questions -please, do not hesitate to Contact Us.
All inquiries are personally addressed, held in complete confidence with complete security and absolute anonymity.

Let us help.

To your Good Health!

Paul D'Arcy NSCA, CPT, Poliquin certified BioSignature Practitioner

This is gonna hurt...

You’ve slipped…..and now you’re hanging there –holding tight to a tiny sapling growing out of the craggy rock.

It’s a long way down….and it seems like an even longer way up to where you want to be.

You’re afraid and you’re tired and you don’t want to be here….but here you are.

Now what?

And as you hang there -holding on and afraid to move, two rats show up -a black rat and a white rat -and the rats begin gnawing at the tiny sapling you cling to.  It seems that if you don’t make a decision -and soon -a decision will be made for you and it’s not going to be good.

In fact, you’re going to end up right back where you started -only in much, much worse shape than when you began.

What am I talking about?

It’s an analogy for your life -your health -your career -your choices.

If you’re discontent, unhappy, unhealthy, not where you want to be ….then I’m talking to you.

Life is a struggle -a climb.
It’s our nature to want to improve. We want a better life, more money, more free time, more alone time, better relationships, better health, a better golf swing, better arms, a skinny waist, better hair, whatever…

You are the climber in the story -clinging to whatever you hold dear: your habits, your addictions, your beliefs, your comfort-zone, your group of friends ….whatever it is that you’re afraid to let go of -whatever it is that you are afraid to change. And you know what?

You have to let go!
Because if you don’t let go….you will never move beyond where you are…and you’re not completely happy where you are….are you?

And the rats?

The rats are indecision: -choices.

Willard here is not your friend!

The rats are “This” and “That”

“I should try This.  But what if That would be better?”

“I heard that That works. But I think I’m going to start doing This!”

“This just doesn’t seem to work for me.”

“Oh, I could never do That!”

“I wonder if So and So ever does That?”

“This is the one for me!”

“That looks good. I think I’ll try That -but wait…what’s This?”

And there you hang…undecided and unsure -while the Rats make all the choices for you.

If left up to the Rats –you’re going to fall -and it’s not going to be pretty.

The Rats are going to decide, if you don’t take the initiative and do something for yourself.

So, what’s it going to be?

This?

That?

Some Other thing?

It’s time to decide.

What do YOU want out of life?

Let go! -And get moving!

The mountain isn’t going anywhere….Are you?

Nature's Goodness

Even better, after nine months the subjects had been able to maintain their weight loss -not gaining any of their weight back, as some researchers had predicted.

Source:  Reuters Health Information April 01, 2010
Howard Wolinsky

Ideally, we would rather our teens not become obese to begin with.  Teaching our children about nutrition from a very early age should be a priority. Prevention, after all, really is the best medicine.

The research is clear:

A diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, select nuts and seeds is safe, healthful and beneficial to maintaining a healthy weight and body composition -for children and for adults.

Avoid grains, breads, cereals, pasta and the like.

Avoid packaged food products, additives, preservatives and toxic sweeteners.

Drink plenty of fresh, clean water.

Get out and move your body daily and enjoy the beauty of nature.

Are we Setting a Good Example for our Youth?

Living a fit and healthful lifestyle is the surest way to instill healthful values in our youth.

Don’t know where to begin?

Need a little help?

We’re here for you.
Contact Us for ideas, help and support.

To your Good Health!
-and the Good Health of your children…

Contact Us -today!

I mean it’s strange what students are learning
-or rather …what they’re not learning –in our homes and in our schools.

Is he really ready to write? Would he rather be doing something physical?

Ask yourself this:
What part of the child do we educate?
-What specific element within the child do we chose to enrich in order to give them the greatest possible advantage ?

I would not be the first to say that our traditional education system is completely backwards and absolutely upside-down -or at the very least wildly misguided.

The traditional educational system teaches from the neck up and to the left.  That is to say, our education system tends to focus on the logical side of the brain and little else.

The right side of the brain that controls our synthetic, intuitive and creative expression -is largely ignored -or worse yet …suffocated.  Rarely do students have the opportunity to creatively express themselves through music, art, poetry, drama or dance to any meaningful degree.

But here’s a great question:
How much do our children learn about their physical bodies?

How do our students learn to care for themselves -to care for the biological framework that carries them through life and that will certainly begin to decay and to disintegrate –long before their precious minds ever begin to decay?

Worth more than we're giving her...

We’re missing something there, are we not?

We are letting our children down in many respects.

Why are we not educating the Whole Child? -The Entire Student?
Perhaps we are doing our children a greater disservice than we know.

At the American Heart Association’s 2010 Conference on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism -Dr. Lesley A. Cottrell presented fascinating new research detailing the relationship between physical fitness and academic performance.

Dr. Cottrell and her pediatric research team from West Virginia University in Morgantown, W.Va. tested 725 fifth grade students and followed them for two years. What Dr. Cottrell’s team found, was that students who began the trial in good physical condition tested higher academically than their obese or less physically fit classmates.

Furthermore, when the same 725 students were tested again in seventh grade, the researchers found that the students who maintained their physical fitness continued to test higher academically than their less physically fit classmates.

The students who worked and improved their physical fitness during the two year trial -also improved their academic performance.

Subsequently, the students whose physical fitness declined, were also found to have declined academically as well.

How fascinating!

Incidentally, the students with the lowest overall academic performance …..well, they were not fit in either the fifth or the seventh grade. That is very telling, I think.

“The take-home message from this study is that we want our kids to be fit as long as possible and it will show in their academic performance,” Cottrell said. “But if we can intervene on those children who are not necessarily fit and get them to physically fit levels, we may also see their academic performance increase.”

Get Out -Get Active -Get Smart!

So, it would seem that educating our children and helping them improve their physical fitness -is just as important as educating our children and helping them improve their cognitive performance. And with childhood obesity climbing to epidemic proportions  -educating our children to be more physically active and nutritionally savvy just makes good sense for us all.

So, how do we accomplish that?

How do we educate the whole child -the entire person?

How do we improve the odds of success in life for our students, both physically and academically?

Well, I have a few ideas…..Do you?

Let me know your thoughts on the matter.
Comment below, join the disussion -reply on Facebook or send me an email.

I have children …in several different age brackets. I have clients with children …and I want the best –For all of them.

To your Good Health! …and to the Good Health of our Beloved Children!

Are we doing our best .......for them?

Let me know!