I don't feel like working out today!

"Eighty percent of success is showing up." - Woody Allen

When I was younger, I made the mistake of staying up too late on Sunday nights. Boy would I suffer on Monday mornings! Feeling tired and groggy throughout the day is the worst way to start off your week. 

 

Even at the age 30, I still make that mistake once in a while! My wife and I stayed out too late at a friend's house this past Sunday night and we cursed Monday the next day! The last thing I wanted to do was work out. I got tired just thinking of the idea, but I wanted to start off the week on the right track. So I slowly went to the gym (like literally slowly)! Yes I was tired, but I inadvertently had a great work out! I did my exercises at a slower and more controlled pace, I lowered the amount of weight I lifted, thus concentrating on all my reps while breathing at a steady pace. I left the gym feeling great due to getting an adrenaline rush, and I was instantaneously re-energized...until that night when my face hit the pillow! 

A Simple Pasta Sauce Recipe

A Simple Pasta Sauce Recipe

Makes 3-4 servings

• Chop cooking orange skinned onions (2 small or 1 big).
• Pan on medium heat.
• Pour olive oil to coat pan.
• Drop chunks of onions in pan & cook until onions are clear & soft.
• Cut garlic & put in pan.
• Add a little water in pan so that the onions do not burn.
• Add a can of tomato sauce (diced tomatoes).
• After the sauce is poured, fill 1/3 of the can with water to add the excess sauce in the pan.
• Reduce heat.
• Rinse/chop/add mushrooms & put in pan. *
• Cut 1/2 or 1/4 tomato & add in pan.
• Add spices (salt, chili pepper, basil, oregano, italian style seasoning, etc.).
• Leave on low heat for 25-30 minutes.
• Stir every 2-3 minutes. **
• 10 minutes before the sauce is done, boil a separate pot of water for the pasta. Put salt in the water.
• Add pasta to the boiling water (I use whole wheat penne rigate pasta).

* Use vegetable of your choice here. I have used kale before.

** Use wooden spoon.

Fitness Guide

Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.
- Tony Robbins 

Steps to Success:

• Set a schedule and stick to it. Pick a time of the day and don't vary. Consistency builds habit which leads to great results.
• Set realistic goals. It is important to set a goal and achieve it, adding difficulty as you can handle it.
• Chart your progress. Place it on the fridge where you can see it often. Put a pic of your favorite "in-shape star" next to the chart to remind you where you're headed!
• If you fall off the horse, collect yourself and get back on! That's ok. Just re-evaluate your goals if required, by all means begin again!
• Begin each session by stretching and loosening the muscles through a warm up routine.
• Do the exercise slowly and in a controlled, smooth and fluid manner.
• Steady effort will build strong muscles.

Workout Plan:

• Weeks 1-3: 3-5 sessions per week (for ex. every other day).
• Weeks 4-8: 5-7 sessions per week.
• Weeks 9-12: 5-7 sessions per week.
• After that, maintenance: 3-5 sessions per week.

Nutrition Guide:

Proper diet combined with regular exercise will help you lose fat as
well as strengthen and tone the body.

Eating Recommendations:

• Get at least 6 meals daily.
• Make each meal count. If you eat anything, consider it a meal.
• Eliminate any and all refined sugar and sweets.
• Reduce caffeine intake and increase water intake (should be half your body weight in ounces). No alcohol!
• All heavy starches to be consumed by 1 pm or 3rd meal of the day. For example: bread, pasta & rice.
• 1 serving of protein should be consumed with every meal. For example: 4-6 ounce piece is considered 1 serving.
• Limit dairy intake to 1st or 2nd meal.
• All fruits should be consumed before 1 pm. No fruit juice!
• Multi-vitamin everyday.
• Maximum amount of time between meals should be 3 hours.
• Protein always first choice then carbohydrates to be added.
• Limit sugary condiments such as salad dressings
• Meal replacement bars and shakes to be used if sugar free.

Food choices:

Proteins: Fish, chicken, lean steaks, lean ham, tuna, salmon, egg whites.

Carbohydrates: Every Carb item should be 1 cup of less - steamed brown
rice, steamed wild rice, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, beans, sweet
potato.

Vegetables: Broccoli, snow peas, peppers, lettuce, eggplant, string
beans, spinach, cucumbers.

Fruits: (No canned or dried fruits) - Green apple, grapefruit,
cantaloupe, honeydew melon, blueberries, raspberries.

Sample meal planning:

7 am - Protein, carb.
9:30 am - Protein, carb.
12:30 pm - Protein, carb.
2:30 pm - Protein, vegetable.
5:30 pm - Protein, vegetable.
7 pm - Protein, vegetable.

The Zone

David Meggyesy, former NFL player, provides this description, "The zone is the essence of the athletic experience, and those moments of going beyond yourself are the underlying allure of sport." (Cooper, 1998, p 25) THE ZONE You know you are in the zone when you exhibit the following characteristics: 1. Your performance is effortless.  2. You are in sync with your inner self, and 3. You display extreme focus and dominate in whatever you are pursuing.  Being in the zone for me is not a characteristic but an absolute requirement while I train. Putting on my head phones and “zoning out” on life's problems, redirects my focus to my breath, and the perspiration drops that fall from my forehead to the floor. This sends me into a state of pure and utter euphoria. This state is not something that occurs every time that I train, but I strive to get into that zone every time that I do …and once I am there…I never want to leave!

Man...I hate plateaus

It takes lot of effort for you to commit to exercising 3-5 times per week. With your hectic schedule and busy personal life, squeezing in that ONE HOUR for fitness is really tough sometimes. But you just do it!

 

You may feel tired and unmotivated, but just getting started is half the battle. Think about it this way, you burn 7 calories per minute on a low intensity work out versus 14 calories per minute on a high intensity work out. You would then assume that working out on a low intensity is better than not working out at all! That alone should be encouraging enough to exercise. But look at it another way, if we make that commitment to start (which is already half the battle), why wouldn't we push ourselves further onto a high intensity work out and maximize that time spent? Let's be realistic...TIME is MONEY.  Your boss doesn't pay us to just show up to work, we need to earn that money and push beyond what is required! The same thing goes with the desire to have a rock hard sexy body and/or just to live a healthy lifestyle. We need to earn it! 

 

Now, let's say that you are past that step and are exercising on a regular basis. You are set on your goals and have been training really hard...then the dreaded plateau hits. You are bored of your training routines and are not motivated. You labor through your workouts and aren't really present while your doing them. That's alright! We all go through it. What you need to do is constantly change it up. Keep shocking your muscles by adding different variations to your workout. This, in turn, will give you more motivation and energy, while improving your body's muscle and growth.

 

For example, I made a 6 week program for myself. I work out 5 days a week, Days 1, 3 & 5 are strength training days. Heavier weights with less reps. Days 2 & 4 are circuit training days, which includes lifting lighter weights with more reps. Day 2 I focus on my upper body, while on Day 4 the focus is moved to my lower body. In addition to my strength training, I also train my abs every other day. This ensures that I build strength but don't lose any definition.

 

Working out needs to be regimented, but only to a certain extent. You can have a couple of exercise regimens on the go simultaneouly....change it up and keep it fun!

The training program I am currently on:

* Credit to mensfitness.com for the strength building program on days 1, 3, & 5. Here is the link to the program titled "6 Weeks to a Big Number Deadlift": http://www.mensfitness.com/training/build-muscle/6-weeks-to-a-big-number-deadlift

WORKOUT: Day 1

1. Barbell Deadlift

Sets: 5 Reps: 3

Start with your feet about shoulder width apart. Bend down by pushing your hips back and keeping your chest up. Your shins should be perpendicular to the floor and close to the bar. Grab the bar with an alternating grip. Pull yourself tall by putting tension on the bar and pulling your back tall. Take a deep breath in and keep your core tight as you squeeze the bar off the ground and push your hips underneath you to stand up tall.

2A. Barbell Good Mornings

Sets: 4 Reps: 8

Load a barbell on your shoulders, pulling your shoulder blades back to form a rack similar to a back squat. Keep your core tight and your knees slightly bent. Push your hips back as you hinge at the hip

2B. Pull-ups

Sets: 4 Reps: 8

Grab a pull-up bar with an overhand grip. Keeping your core tight and drive your shoulder blades down as you pull your chin over the bar. Slowly lower.

3A. Dumbbell Overhead Press

Sets: 4 Reps: 8

From a standing position, brace your core and press the weights from shoulder level to overhead.

3B. T-Bar Row

Sets: 4 Reps: 8

With your chest pressed against the pad, grab the handles with an overhead grip and row the weight back squeezing your shoulders together.

4A. Pallof Press

Sets: 3 Time: 30-45 seconds

Stand perpendicular to a cable attachment. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Keep your shoulders back and your core tight. Grab the handle and extend it out in front of you. Avoid allowing it to rotate you back towards the machine.

4B. Farmer’s Walks

Sets: 3 Distance: 75-100ft

Grab a heavy dumbbell in each hand and walk for the specified distance.

WORKOUT: Day 2

Circuit training - upper body

One exercise after another since we are using less weight and need less time to rest.  I only indicated the muscle group that I emphasize with each work out since I change the type of work out that I do every time I perform circuit training. 

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 Chest and biceps 

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 Chest and biceps 

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 Shoulders and triceps

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 Shoulders and triceps

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 Back and traps

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 Back and traps

WORKOUT: Day 3

1. Front Squat

Sets: 5 Reps: 3

Grab the barbell with a clean grip keeping your upper arm parallel to the ground. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Push your hips back and sit back down until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor.

2A. Rack Pull

Sets: 4 Reps: 3

Set the safety bars at knee height. With the bar resting on the safety bars, grab it with an alternating grip. Drive through your heels and squeeze your glutes as you lift the bar off the rack to a standing position.

2B. Reverse Lunges

Sets: 4 Reps: 8 (each side)

Hold a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip. Take a large step back and lower down so that your front knee gets to 90-degrees. Your front knee should be behind your toe. Drive off your front heel to return to a standing position.

3A. Barbell Bench Press

Sets: 4 Reps: 8

Hold the bar with an overhand, outside shoulder- width grip. Your shoulder blades should be squeezed together with your entire back arched. Take the bar out of the rack. Lower it to just below your sternum, then push your feet hard into the floor to help you press the weight up.

3B. Seated Row

Sets: 4 Reps: 8

Sit on a seated row machine with your chest up and shoulders pulled back. With a neutral grip, drive your elbows back and squeeze your shoulder blades together.

4A. Ab Wheel Roll-outs

Sets: 3 Reps: 8

Hold the axle of an ab wheel and kneel on the floor. Roll forward just until you can no longer maintain a neutral spine. Roll it back until it’s under your shoulders.

4B. Plank

Sets: 3 Time: 30-45 seconds

Plant your elbows and toes on the ground. Raise your hips and keep your back flat as you squeeze your core throughout the entire move.

WORKOUT: Day 4

Circuit training - lower body

One exercise after another since we are using less weight and need less time to rest.  I only indicated the muscle group that I emphasize with each work out since I change the type of work out that I do every time I perform circuit training. 

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 Quads and hamstrings 

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 Quads and hamstrings

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 Quads and hamstrings

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 Glutes and calves

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 Glutes and calves

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 Lower back and calves

WORKOUT: Day 5

1. Sumo Deadlifts

Sets: 5 Reps: 3

Start with your feet wider than shoulder width apart and slightly pointed out. Bend down by pushing your hips back and keeping your chest up. Grab the bar with an alternating grip. Pull yourself tall by putting tension on the bar and pulling your back tall. Take a deep breath in and keep your core tight as you squeeze the bar off the ground and push your hips underneath you to stand up tall.

2A. Glute Ham Raise

Sets: 4 Reps: 8

Lock your feet in the glute ham raise machine and rest your thighs on the rollers. Extend your knees as you bend forward. Pull from your hamstrings as you bend your knees and drive yourself back up.

2B. Chin-ups

Sets: 4 Reps: 8

Grab a pull-up bar with an overhand grip. Keeping your core tight and drive your shoulder blades down as you pull your chin over the bar. Slowly lower.

3A. Incline Dumbbell Press

Sets: 4 Reps: 8

Lie on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand and your feet pressed firmly into the ground. Press the weight out in front as you squeeze your chest.

3B. Dumbbell Bent-Over Row

Sets: 4 Reps: 8

Grab two dumbbells with a neutral grip (palm facing in). While keeping your knees soft, hinge at the hips until your spine forms a 90-degree angle with the ground. Drive your elbows back and squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.

4. Turkish Get-up

Sets: 4 Reps: 3

Lie on the floor with a dumbbell in one hand extended in front of you. Keep your arm straight and your core tight as you bring yourself to a standing position.

    

“Obsessed” is just a word that the lazy use to describe the dedicated

Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness. ~Edward Stanley


Pushing my body to the brink of exhaustion is a feeling that I relish. The results I get afterwards are rewarding for all the hard work that I put into my physical training. Not only do I want to look good, but I want to feel good. Physical activity is one way I take control of the stress in my life. Being active not only boosts my feel-good endorphins and distracts me from daily worries, but it is also a meditation in motion!

I have been doing various types of physical training for 9 years now and have gone through many transformations both externally as well as internally.

When I was in my early 20's, I did power lifting and went for a more “bulkier” look. I used to weigh 235 lbs (6'3 tall), I benched 315 lbs, curled 60 lbs dumb bells, squatted about 350 lbs, etc. In 2009, I pinched a nerve in my lower back and was in severe pain for many months. I had to wear a back brace, take medication for the pain, and attend physiotherapy. My physiotherapist noticed something that helped me change the way I physically trained for the rest of my life. He said that I was in great shape but didn't have a strong enough core for my frame. He noticed that I had abs but warned me of the dangers of only training abs. He stated that it could lead to a tight hip flexor, back pain, and lack of results. He explained to me that by training my entire core improves muscle tone, balance, stability, and posture. It reduces risk of injury, increases functional strength, and increases the activation of stabilizing muscles.

Since then, I mainly train with a core emphasis. I do a lot of cardio, plyometrics, power, resistance, and balance training. If I do use weights, they are much lighter than I used to use in my early twenties. I am more lean now and usually range in weight between 190-200 lbs. At age 30, I feel that I am stronger & quicker than I have ever been! I have not suffered another injury since I radically changed my work out routines and I feel great!

As you can tell from reading my post, I am passionate about fitness. I started this blog to share my past experiences and the on-going education that I receive from fitness. I would be more than happy to share fitness and nutrition tips, as well as my own experiences. So stay tuned…