The Big Secret To Health & Fitness

Yesterday I ran into two friends of mine at the market and out biking. 

Both are my age but fat and unhealthy. One "friend" immediately tells me how fit I look, then goes off on this rant about how lucky I am to have all this leisure time on my hands. Later that day out biking the other guy stops me and starts talking about how he should join a health club and that maybe I could share my secret with him. Knowing what a lush he is, I suggested he quit drinking...and that ended the conversation.

They'll both die fat.

 No thank you! 

As for my secret, here it is...

1. Set a Goal , Make A Plan

Evaluate yourself objectivity, then research the best way to go from where you are to where you want to be.

DUH! 

It takes WORK!

You get nowhere without goals or the right path coupled with the motivation and desire to see it through. That's the secret...which is no damn secret at all. 

2. Get Proper Sleep

When I was fat, my throat blubber would clog my breathing, and I was waking up 30 times per hour. I had what most fat people are plagued with: sleep apnea. 

I used a CPAP to open my throat, and sleep became wonderful again. I felt energy all through the day and after a few weeks, my desire to be fit returned. Get your sleep! 

3. Diet

I am not on any diet plan or supplements. I just eat real food defined simply as lean meats, fresh fruits and veggies, nuts, whole grains and raw dairy. Log in your food intake and balance it with exercise. Know how many calories you can eat to lose 1 pound per week - yes 1 [ONE] pound per week - NO MORE!

And eat clean...if man makes it, don't eat it. Simple...

I used the resources at My Fitness Pal - it's free; check it out.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/

4. Train Cardio and Resistance

You need to structure an exercise program that trains your heart and lungs as well as your muscles. 

DO BOTH!

Weight train and go jogging...or whatever. Find something you like and just do it, but remember: it's work!

Being fit means you may need to get off your ass when you'd rather lay around watching TV or cruising the internet. 

That's it, so get to it. NO EXCUSES - success is a choice!

ALL IS POSSIBLE! 

Fitness and Self Protection

WE LIVE IN A VIOLENT WORLD!

Did you get that?

I marvel at these videos of victims being attacked and unable to defend themselves. Folks, you must always be prepared to face down a belligerent foe who wants to hurt you and/or take your property.
Train yourself to be ready.

You can fight back

...shoot back 

...or run away! 

Fitness and Self-Defense

Being fit and healthy coupled with readiness can make the difference between being a victim or being the victor. It does not mean you need to be a tough guy but just be the best version of yourself, and accept life's dangerous realities. Being physically fit opens up many more options.

6 Easy Soft Targets

There are six very easy places on the human body to strike when attacked by some crumb with wicked intentions. Remember, show NO MERCY, because you shall receive none. 

You can strike and fight or strike and run - whatever. 

I enjoy striking and delivering up a dose of payback...and I have never lost a street fight having been in too many to count. I used to own a security company that provided service for bars, apartment complexes and retail stores. 

We were in fights daily. Fuck these guys; they started a fight and deserved anything they got!  

Here are the 6 soft target areas:

What's good about these targets are their exposure and your ability to strike fast and hard without the need for extensive self-defense training. It starts with your willingness to accept reality: our world is not always safe. Getting fit is paramount. The final element is your willingness to fight if attacked. Most people just freeze when the chips are down which is what your attacker will count on.

When you strike back, he'll be taken off guard which opens up your possibilities. 

All I am saying is don't be that guy who's a walking victim. There are bad people looking for you. FIGHT BACK!

All Is Possible

Body Re-composition

What is "Body Re-composition"?

If you were fat and reached your weight loss goal, body re-composition is maintaining that weight while lowering body fat. And it's a slow process.

I have a weekly routine that involves very specific items related to diet and exercise that seem complicated.
I start on Sunday doing intense cardio with biking, swimming and tennis - about 4 hours total. I eat about 4000 calories that day which comes to a net intake of -1000 calories. In other words at day's end, I have a 1000 calorie deficit. Further, I balance the macro nutrients to raise protein and lower carbs a bit.
Here is the breakdown: 40% Protein, 40% Carb, 20% Fat

The very next day would then be a strength training day where I eat to a 1000 calorie surplus and balance by macro's differently: 20% Protein, 50% Carb, 30% Fat
Any cardio I might do is low intensity, and again, I must eat back those calories for a +1000 calorie net gain.
And this cycle goes on with some rest days sprinkled in as needed.

Here is an article on body re-composition that explains it in more detail.
http://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_900/988_body-recomposition.html

And there are various other resources you can research, but I'd stray away from buying anything unless you really need the support of one of several body recomp communities. That's your choice.

The purpose for engaging this method of self-improvement is to have new goals once you reach your target weight . Too many people lose weight, quit on themselves and gain it all right back.
You never want that to be you.

SUCCESS IS A CHOICE! 

Nothing is my fault....

Some people are always right...or so they think!

Such drones are externally motivated and sapped of self-empowerment and  lumber through life, making excuses about why they can't achieve. Fat people like I was are notorious for this.

I am fat, because of my genes, the GMO foods, life stress....or some other psychological "factor"...

The Truth

The main "factor" is an open mouth. At day's end each person is either self-empowered enough to govern their choices or not. Nature cares nothing for our "factors", platitudes, good intentions or excuses. Nature just is. And nature rewards good choices.

It's simple: calories in vs calories burned. That's it! 

We all have a calorie limit, and once it's discovered, we work with it. I can change my actions but not my defective, putrid genes. And our obesity issue in our nation is not a gene problem but an action problem. The progress we make is the result of unaltered genes but altered actions.

At day's end, our bodies remain the one area of life where most have near total control. Excuses can't take away from the notion of calories in vs calories burned. When I eat too much, I get fat. There has never been anything mythical about what remains the end truth in any effort to avoid or cure obesity.

As always, the ball's in our court, and we can either play the victim or play to win.

ALL IS POSSIBLE! 

Diet Free Day

I eat clean six days a week, and on day seven pig out on anything I want. 

Simple! Of course the egg-headed know-all's debate this endlessly, but I tried it to see for myself. It worked...DEBATE OVER! 

A free day in your week can help you reach your health and fitness goals. And this has benefits both physical, emotional and mental. Consider:

Physical Effects of FREE DAY

• Increased Metabolism 

Shocking your body with a solid feeding has all sorts of benefits relating to revving up your engines. When we're in a state of calorie restriction, our bodies react by slowly down-regulating the affects of our efforts. It's a survival response. 

Emotional Effects of FREE DAY

And the psychology is simple as well. When I know I have less than six days to eat anything I desire, it helps motivate me to push away from the table on weight loss days. 

Conclusion:

I have been doing this for 5 years with stellar results. It worked when I lost 90 lbs, and it has worked while I maintain weight and work to slowly cut body fat. Again, the egg-heads argue the virtues of a Free Day, but fuck 'em!

You need to try incorporating a free day into your routine and just see how things go. The hard part for me is shutting it down. I have set myself back turning a free day into a free week. BEWARE! At day's end being healthy and fit is 70% nutrition and 30% exercise, and that equals 100% effort on your part.

Peak health is earned; the government can't tax me to make you fit. You're either going to take action or not, and that's reality. You can evade this reality but not the consequences. Nature has a way of biting our ass when we step far from what's ideal. It's all up to you, so get to it! 

ALL IS POSSIBLE! 

The Friends You Keep

I know you by the friends you keep.

You remember the expression "birds of a feather flock together"?  When it  comes to health and fitness, I have seen a complete turnover in my friend list. 

Our common interest used to be food and drink in addition to health issues. That's normal - right? A group of fat ass middle aged guys gather for pigs-in-a-blanket dipped in onion gravy washed down with a whiskey sour. Nothing wrong here...

                      or  
Things have changed...and all of my old friends have just drifted away. When we see each other, it's always nice, and I love these guys, but we have little in common now. They're all fat and still on that road to nowhere. It's actually a good reminder of what I escaped. Our conversations usually end the same...

THEM: "We should get together for lunch and some drinks"
ME: "We should get together for some tennis or biking"

These are just two different worlds, and my former friends want no part of my transformed life and vice versa.
Once I made room in my life, fresh acquaintances emerged, because nature abhors a vacuum. All of my new friends are health and fitness oriented, and every social gathering is in some way connected to physical exercise.

Don't fear that you'll lose friends. Remember, until certain doors are closed, new doors can't open.
Birds of a feather flock together...

ALL IS POSSIBLE!

Striving Toward Your Ideal

Are you the best version of yourself? 

If not, answer for yourself: have I done my part?

Here are some considerations to revolve as you strive toward your own personal health and fitness ideal.

Reasonable Goals

Nature does not care about your intentions or platitudes. Nature just is. Our genes determine likely outcomes, but setting goals outside genetic potential is a fast prescription to misery. Be realistic with yourself.

Genes determine our body type in terms of skeletal structure, muscle mass  and girth. You should be objective about this and set goals that are attainable given your true potential. Stop comparing yourself to some roided up lunk or a celeb you worship. These dolts are on drugs, and that's more about the man in the mirror - not health and wellness.

  Nobody needs illicit drugs to become their best. Take a hard look at yourself and those in your family. When you set goals, keep your genetics in mind. If you set your ideal beyond reach, you'll most likely lose motivation and give up.

Hard Work

 This should be a no-brainer, but people are still too daft to get it.

HARD WORK = RESULTS

Duh! 

To become the best version of yourself means you must get off your ass, work hard and smart. That means eating clean, performing both cardio, flexibility and strength training while tracking progress.

Log in your calories and meals as well as your exercise. Weight yourself weekly and track body fat every month. Pick the fattest part of your body and just wrap with a tape measure. 

• Plan
• Act
• Motivate
• Measure

Simple deal, but most  are seeking the easy path through magical supplements or whatever.

SORRY! It's about hard, smart work. And the scammers love the herd, because they're ripe to exploit with diet and fitness shell games that are costly and ineffective.

If you want results, you must set reasonable goals, make a plan, work hard, stay motivated and just keep punching. If you can do this, you're in the 1% of those who reach potential and rise above the herd. It's simple but hard. Just accept that and strive toward your own ideal.

You author your own success or failure in life. Let's join the achievers and become our very best.

ALL IS POSSIBLE!