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!

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?

Eggs are good for you -Even the chocolate kind!

Just in time for Easter!

In the largest observational study to date,  researchers from the German Institute of Human Nutrition in Nuthetal, Germany have discovered that habitual chocolate eaters have significantly lower blood pressure and an amazingly lower risk for stroke than people who do not regularly eat chocolate.

During the eight year study, researchers monitored the diets and lifestyles of 19,357 people -35 through 65 years of age. The participants in the study were periodically weighed, measured and evaluated for changes in health, weight and blood pressure.

What the researchers found,

was that the participants consuming the most chocolate (averaging 7.5 grams daily) reduced their risk of heart attack and stroke by up to 39%!

The regular chocolate consumers also had lower blood pressure than their not so chocolate happy counterparts.

Lead author Dr Brian Buijsse (German Institute of Human Nutrition, Nuthetal, Germany) believes that if people were to increase their chocolate intake to only 6 g a day, 85 fewer heart attacks and strokes per 10,000 people could be expected to occur over a period of about 10 years. [1]

Dr Frank Ruschitzka (University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland) agrees. He said in a European Society of Cardiology statement: “Basic science has demonstrated quite convincingly that dark chocolate particularly, with a cocoa content of at least 70%, reduces oxidative stress and improves vascular and platelet function.” [1]

But don’t get carried away!

Enjoy a little chocolate -but just a little!

It’s all about balance.

Keep in mind that there are roughly 500 calories in every 100 grams of dark chocolate, so when you enjoy your healthful, flavanol rich chocolate -be sure you cut out an equivalent number of calories from another part of your diet.

A great way to ‘have your chocolate and eat it too,’ would be to cut grains and flour based foods from your diet. Many people are at least slightly allergic to the many allergens and antigens found in grains.

So indulge a little -but just a little….

Too much chocolate is just as bad as not enough.

To your Good Health!

[1] Source: Lisa Nainggolan, TheHeart.org

Get Stronger - Live Longer

Researchers from the University of South Carolina have found that total body strength correlates to longer life and better health.

Cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, bad cholesterol and insulin resistance are all far less likely to develop in strong, healthy bodies.

Eat Well: Fortify your body with fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, nuts and seeds.

Train Hard: Engage in strength training three to four days a week. Train your cardiovascular system with interval training at least twice a week.

Follow these simple tips to live a longer, healthier and happier life.

To your Good Health!

~Makes me sad.

You know folks….

-You can avoid it -cancer…

You can do things -change your diet -change your behaviors -change your lifestyle…

You can keep that gene from expressing itself within you…

You can save yourself from cancer.

You can….

You control how your life plays out….

Cancer may be in your “cards” -it may be within your genetic expression…..but that doesn’t mean it has to happen….

You don’t have to experience cancer…..or the life altering -completely devastating effects of that disease.

Take good care of  yourself….Prevent that nauseous, debilitating, devastating  disease.

Eat right.

Fortify yourself.

Protect yourself.

You are ultimately in control.

Save yourself….Save your family -protect them from the grief of endless days and nights at the hospital -an early funeral…..

Protect yourself…..

To your Good Health….

……..ask me

-just ask……………      please?

Stop eating at least three hours before bed.

Your body needs time to rest, recuperate and rebuild.

These important functions occur primarily at night as we sleep, but are inhibited when the body has food to digest.

So let your body do what it needs to do.

Stop eating at least 3 hours before bed and watch your health improve and your waistline shrink!

To your Good Health!

You gonna eat that?

Follow this tip for better health:

Do not eat anything from a box, a bag, a tube, a can or a wrapper.  Avoid eating anything processed, preserved and anything with ingredients label. Sound harsh?  Think again.

Take a look at a typical ingredient label. Would you eat each and every one of those ingredients all by themselves? Could you even get your hands on each one of those ingredients? Not likely, not unless you’re a chemist working in a lab.

Do you know what sodium benzoate is? It’s a food preservative. It’s an ingredient in countless food items at your local grocery or convenience store. –Just look on a label –you’ll see it. Sodium benzoate keeps prepackaged food from going rotten for a long…long….long…time.

Rocket Fuel in your Food?

Sodium benzoate is also an active ingredient used in the production of fireworks. It’s packed into the business-end of rockets to provide propulsion and as an added bonus it makes a whistling sound as it burns.  That’s in your food. How well do you think your immune system is handling that?

I’m sure you’ve seen sodium phosphate listed on ingredient labels too. Sodium phosphate is used to keep oils from separating in their packaging. Sodium phosphate keeps your canned soup looking like soup and your packaged cheese looking like cheese.  It’s also a cleaning agent, stain remover and an industrial de-greaser used for prepping surfaces prior to paint.

The point is, if your food has an ingredients label, you had better be willing to eat each and every ingredient on that label because like it or not –you are and it’s not doing your health a bit of good. In fact, it’s slowly killing you. Stay away from food in a box, bag, can, tube or wrapper. “Eat from a box, you’ll end up in a box –a big, fat, over-sized box.

Can the bags and pitch the box…. stick to fresh, whole foods.

Choose lean meats, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables and be sure to drink plenty of fresh, clean water.

To your Good Health!