Possibly this picture tells all there is to know on why America is two-thirds obese and

I guess enough said so off to the chocolate cupcakes! Nah—guess I will stick to the blackberries and vanilla yogurt!

Couch potato or olympian….no one should embark on any type of training unless they are having fun at it. This doesn’t mean that you should giggle or laugh your way through the 30-45 minutes of torture you put your body through each day. It DOES mean that if you cannot bring yourself to have some enjoyment from the workout and the feeling of accomplishment you have at the end then you will NEVER accomplish your goals.

Think about it??? Take a look at your day to day life. Is your kitchen clean and neat or a breeding ground for Salmonella. Salmonella would indicate you have an ingrained dislike for dishwashers and disinfectant! Cure for this? Well, if you have embarked on a fitness journey then food and eating is going to be a large portion of your life. So start learning meal preparation and I will wager that as you gain competence in cooking that the cleanliness of your kitchen will automatically
upgrade.

Approach those weights (read KETTLEBELL here for my journey!) with DESIRE. Fall in love with than darned cannonball and learn to become one with it. (Yea I know that sounds corny). I tried this approach this morning. Woke up tired and somewhat grouchy and absolutely did not want to heft that thing from the floor. Darn!

Forced myself to do some necessary stretching (absolutely necessary if you want tendons and things to stay attached) and took a look at my scheduled workout. Picked up that thing and away I went.

Guess what? Two reps of rowing and I was ABSOLUTELY PSYCHED!. The next 40 minutes or so went by great….three upper body exercises with three reps of each. Afterwards?? Tired and could hardly lift my arms. But lifted them I did long enough to get a bowl of fresh blackberries with a cup of vanilla yogurt mixed in.

Results? Well my kitchen is still messy but then my wife does most of the cooking– and is fantastic at that. However I am now ready for the day. Proud of myself for talking my way through the workout and feeling good enough to take a drive and pick another gallon or two of blackberries for the next workout!

Go get’em…I won’t be saving you any blackberries but if you live in Oregon you know where to get them!

All right the new mantra is “my kettlebell is my friend==my kettlebell is my friend==my kettlebell is my friend”. Now repeat that as you squat/swing/clean or row and you just may go into a workout trance that will be beneficial??!!. Progress is being made from my end…how about anybody out there in Calorie Land?

Most Americans are aware of their weight. When you are overweight you always feel that those Americans are also aware of YOUR weight! HaHaHa. Cannot emphasize enough that if that weight is going to change you must combine an exercise program with a sensible diet>>>>>CONSISTENTLY!

Diet??

Always include lots and lots of vegetables and fruits. Take a look at all the anti-oxidant research and you will not find very many of them in a t-bone steak. Especially in the summer fruits can be found vine-ripe in most areas…and if you have the chance to use a local farmer’s market you are just that much better off.

With this you need fiber rich foods for a couple of reasons. Fiber takes longer to digest so fill up on high fiber and you won’t be hungry in a short period of time—and NO a snickers bar does not have much fiber!

Luckily you need protein. While that t-bone won’t help with the fiber it darned sure will help you fill up on protein. No protein means little if any muscle mass gain, keeping metabolic rate low.

Everything in moderation from eating to exercising and you will begin to show results within a short period of time. Cold turkey dieting and hard core off the bat exercise programs will wear you out physically and emotionally and soon you will be back on that couch with the triscuits and the remote. Remember that tortoise and hare?..to the winner goes the spoils (which in this case is a tighter belt and less jiggly butt).

Couple of items which may be interesting and possibly will help in your quest:
Raw Food Diet

80/20 Diet

Eating Healthy

Should be common knowledge but if not I am certainly glad to pass it on again…if you go a day or two without picking up your workout weights (dumbbells, kettlebell or olympic it doesn’t matter) they do not lose an ounce of weight!!

Biggest set-back of this tidbit of information is that when you fail to pick them up and use them YOU fail to lose anything also—–might even gain an ounce or two as guilt builds up in your conscience mind!! Oh well…raise my right hand and promise not to go more than a day without some sort of workout!!

I found this article in my “G” drive—-80 gb almost full of some of the most interesting stuff you can ever read…while this is not overly educating it does bring us back to the basics of why we no longer want to be fat—–mostly to look and feel better while we live longer!!!>>>>>>>

The Advantages of Weight Loss…..

It seems like everyone is trying to lose weight—but why? Actually, there are a number of reasons why a person may want to lose wight, and these reasons are justified. Losing weight does have great advantages. Of course, there are always going to be horror stories about people who fall into the traps of eating disorders, but for the most part, losing weight is greatly to your advantage.

The most obvious advantage to weight loss is, of course, the health benefits. When you are heavier than normal, you put our body at risk to develop a number of disease and conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and intestinal diseases. These can be prevents and more easily treated if you lose weight. Maintaining a healthy weight is something that you and your doctor should discuss in order to make the best decisions for your body’s health.

There are, however, other advantages as well. First and foremost, when you are of a normal weight, shopping for clothing is more fun and easier because you actually fit into clothing more readily. It can often be less expensive as well. The extra large sizes and beyond use more fabric to make, so many manufacturers raise the prices for these larger articles of clothing.

Losing weight also can teach you about healthy eating, which opens up a whole new world when it comes to food. Cooking with healthy, fresh ingredients can be really fun, and it can be an activity your do with a spouse or children so that the entire family is eating more healthy foods and focused on losing extra weight and maintain healthy weights.

Of course, one of the best advantages is how you will feel about yourself after you’ve lost the weight. Who doesn’t want to receive compliments from coworkers? Who doesn’t want to attend their high school reunions looking even prettier than when actually in high school? Who doesn’t want to smile at their appearance every day when looking in the mirror? Of course, for some people, this takes more than losing weight, but it’s a good start. Discuss your weight loss and potential happiness with a counselor to learn how feeling better about yourself can be possible.

There are a number of other advantages to losing weight as well—you’ll have more energy, be better able to play with your children, have a sense of achievement and much, much more. If you think that you’ve like to take advantage of these great things about weight loss, talk to your doctor today to find out how that can be possible.

Well…taking care of yourself usually means you watch what you force down your gullet (or SHOULD)…I found this short book that may be of interest to some of you. Doesn’t give you a PHD in food education but will return you to the basics of feeding your frail frame. So download and enjoy…“Eat Right To Feel Great”

And there is something we should always be aware of. As we trim down and start packing the muscle on there is one thing we most times forget…PROTEIN. Take a gander at the recommendations for daily intake of protein for an active person and most of us fall short. So time to consider supplements. Supplements come in many sizes and styles and you might need to go through a few brands to find what you want/need. Prices vary also…from high to higher!!!! So whether you are an ongoing protein supplement user or new to the game you might want to check out Muscle Advance–My Little Muscle Shop.

Take a gander…might just increase your strength and save your bank balance at the same time!!!

have a wonderful day and don’t forget to DO SOMETHING!

O.K. No Secret! I am partially doing this blog to create a few dollars. Workout this morning was short and sweet (as well as tiring and fullfilling!) so I decided to run a few banners on todays post to see who is appreciates this and who doesn’t!!!!!

Okay Okay….Nothing but blatant capitalism. Excuse? You bet….my checking account balance is less that triple digits and rent is due!!..Take a look at the ad’s and if they offend you let me know….might just change them!!!

Have a fabulous day…wife, dogs and myself are off to pick blackberries!

GOALS!!!

Doesn’t matter what you do in life you must set a goal in order to achieve the desired effect. Get married and have three babies? How about winning the high school homecoming football game?? Or even buy yourself a 1970′s muscle car for your 40th birthday…all are goals and all fit into the same category of “goal”. When you set a goal for yourself it will fall into one of three categories.

(1). Process Goal…this is the methods you go about to achieve whatever it is you are seeking.

(2). Performance Goal…speaks for itself. The actions you must take in order to achieve success…i.e. >>>>must put $10.00 into savings account every payday in order to purchase that muscle car.

(3). Outcome Goal…this is the dream. This is the end of the rainbow and should be the culmination of what process and performance goals have accomplished during your quest. This is the one that usually is in your mind when you decide to lose weight. And this is where we get into trouble. Do you just wake up one Monday morning and decide to get that collegiate body back again…

WRONG. No set specifics so that goal can change from day to day (or hour to hour depending on how close you are to the donut shop). So after considerable measuring, researching and thinking I have set myself some outcome goals!

Outcome Goals

WEIGHT. Probably the least important of my goals due to my age but must be included. Right now I weigh just under 250 pounds. Not bad if I was a power lifter or football player but down right embarrassing as a couch potato. Well, weight is a great social measurement and talk has been about college days so lets take a look. As a sophomore in college I lifted weights (my only sport other than beer drinking) and I hit the scales at just about 225 pounds day in and day out. I am just under 6′ tall and the guidelines say I should weigh in at 184 but I think not…therefore I set my six month goal to weigh in at 225 pounds. This is “ONLY” 25 pounds but that sure is a heavy “ONLY”…in actuality it means I must burn 87500 more calories than I consume. Over six months that is about 500 calories a day…not even a good double burger at the drive-in!

Body Mass Index…More important than weight but still only a guideline. If I check my BMI at my current weight I come in at 34.9. Look at the charts and I find that I am “OBESE”. Well not to disappoint those folks that make up the charts but I knew I was OBESE when I glanced in the mirror or attempted to button those fresh-washed “shrunken” blue jeans! Never-the-less must have a goal and the charts are available. So if I stick to my 225 pound weight goal I find my BMI will be 31.4. So…OUCH…I will still be OBESE but that darned pair of blue jeans will fit.

Waistline Measurement…Personally I think this is the one guideline that is high on the list of important. It is said that a first impression is a lasting one and that you only have one chance to make that “first” impression. Walk into an all you can eat buffet restaurant behind a waist that is 48′ in circumference and the manager’s face will definitely turn white! Get on a crowded subway car with that same leading edge and the other passengers will automatically “will” you to sit next to someone else. Want to take your wife shopping for a new car?…what happens when you try to slip behind the wheel of that sub-compact? That’s Right!

Recent studies have connected the waistline measurement with your percentages of certain diseases…diabetes, heart attack, kidney disease as well as others. And of course they have designed a chart to give you these percentages. Short version? Waistline of over 32″ in a woman will put her in the danger category. For a man that same measurement of 37″ or over slips one foot into a casket.

Well, my waist is just about 48″ (give or take a centimeter!) and this definitely is one reason those blue jeans come out of the dryer so tight. 37″ is darned sure a long ways off and will still be in the danger category so I will set my goal to 36″. Probably because when I get there I have about ten pairs of levis that I have not been able to wear for ten years or so…in storage they have been and out of storage I wish to take them!

So 12″ must go somewhere…not much physical distance is it? Your foot is about 12″ long…a standard coffee mug is 11″ or so in diameter. Not large by any count…until you stretch it around your belly button!

Oh yea…one last goal that HAS to be short termed. My 45 minute workout with the kettlebell this morning took me just over one hour and 15 minutes! Now what good is that?…get busy fatso get busy!

A normal day on the internet will yield hundreds (if not THOUSANDS) of websites, blogs, forums and advertisements touting weight loss and muscle gaining methods. And most people start one or another…after dreaming about that Adonis body they had in college.

Guess what? Many…if not MOST of these new ventures fail. Possibly they live for a day or two and possibly they strain as they fail…but fail they do. Know why?

GOALS!!!!!!!

Easy enough to start a weight loss diet…jump into that early morning shower and start scrubbing. As the washcloth disappears under that belly flab you might just wonder how much of that you should get rid of? Then comes the kicker as you step out and start towel drying that lard lump you call a body. Naturally that scale you have been tripping over attracts your attention so you take a leap of faith and step on. Another guess what?? Must be bad batteries in that thing because it is absolutely IMPOSSIBLE that you have gained that 20 pounds in only a year!

This is not the time to start pumping iron and eating rice cakes without some first exercising some thought processes! Face it…that college body is not coming back. Probably close to it with a little (pun intended) bit of work but work you must.

BE AWARE OF REALITY!! There is not a business in the world that has succeeded without having a business plan in place. Same with rebuilding your body…this is your new sole proprietorship business. Take a look at the ASS-ets you have and what you can expect from them. If you take off without a plan in place you will quickly get absolutely nowhere and just as quickly cease all efforts…after all that scale has room to measure the NEXT 20 pounds that you will put on next year! So develop goals!!

Actually this was to have been an entry on goals…the types and how to set them. Instead I have rambled on and on about my lack of desire to look in the mirror or step on the scales. For now lets just say there is a reason I have an extra large beach towel on my shower rack…and use it daily! Probably could have written three or four articles that may have sold for enough to buy another jelly donut!…INSTEAD I hear the plaintive cry of a Russian Kettlebell calling my name from the living room floor.

Goals…what they mean…how to set them and how to monitor your goals as you progress will continue (after my fingers relax enough to type after gripping 35 pounds of iron for 30 plus minutes!)

Not very much of a fitness blog without a little instruction to begin with!

Are you aware that many Americans ingest up to45% of their daily caloric intake through FATS!!! Simply no way in the world that you will lose any weight or tone any muscles with those kind of percentages. But how to determine what to change…how to change it…and most of all WHEN to change certain aspects? Best beginning I know of is to determine your BMI (body mass index). Essentially the ratio of fat to other stuff in your body this is how the medical types determine your level of fitness. While not always extremely accurate…i.e. football players will have a high BMI while meth addicts just might have an extremely low one…BMI is not a bad tool to help us mainstream fatties set goals.

So here is a neat one to play with.

Slide away and set some goals!!

While you are making these goals you might want to consider introducing yourself to kettlebells. After a week of usage they sure seem to be a very very simple method to BUST YOUR BUTT!!!!!

Time for a good sized “whoops” to jump on this health bandwagon.  Take a personal note here for future observation:  To not (and this means DO NOT) stand on “tippie-toes” on the tongue of a box trailer while attempting to reach the 48″ over the edge into the inside bottom for tool recovery. Care for the outcome?

Thats Right! Doesn’t take long to be aware of trouble when your tippie toes slip and you start a head dive into said box trailer.  Probably would have been well off if I had gone all the way in…but fortunes do not come that way.

Actually only fell a total of about 6″ but from and do the wrong place.  Whole body weight landed on upright 3/4″ plywood capped with steel tubing.  Time for the Big Ouch!  Landing just about the navel and included the entire front portion of abdomen

Suffice the balance to say is that the last six days have been spent in bed.  Big Big knot in belly where landed and extremely difficult to move.  And when movement occurs the entire area burns like you struck a proprane torch to yourself.

Probably about two or three more days before I can even think about work out of any kind and have not had any sort of meal at all until evening o 8/7/2009.

So back to bed and hopefully the emergency room is understanding enough to remain a stranger to me through this event!