Getting your body back - a primer. 

 Nutrition is the key factor for your life. What you put in your body for fuel will decide on the returns you get in the form of energy, concentration, mental well-being, everything. Food is like a drug, a very addictive drug. Your brain as well as your body will become accustomed to the way you eat, especially if you eat for pleasure. Once you decide that you want to take a step toward a healthy lifestyle - the key to success is the old phrase, "One Step at a Time". For anyone trying to accomplish anything big or small, this idea is paramount. Alcoholics and drug addicts repeat "One Day at a Time", because they are trying to accomplish a huge lifestyle change and only have the energy or ability to focus on one day. If addicts try to look forward to something in the future, they have a greater risk of relapsing into drug use, because the change is so enormous, their defenses are weakened. It really is no different when it comes to nutrition changes. Some folks may say that it is even harder to lose weight than to quick alcohol and drugs. This may be  a bit naive of an idea - but I get it - it's damn hard to do.

So, if you have just recently decided to change your nutritional lifestyle you have to create your own mantra. Most people need something to focus on, a photograph of how they want to look or something they wish to achieve by reaching their goals. I would suggest your goals are small, short-term and achievable. It is easier to drop 50 pounds when you are only striving for 5 at a time. You will often have to deal with plateaus and such which can discourage you at around the 35 pound mark. Then you may go drown your sorrows in a garbage plate(s).

I only wanted to make sure that it is understood that, as important exercise is, nutrition beats it hands down. get yourself on a good eating regimen.

Calories in vs Calories out. The math is simple and difficult.
Physics is the study of mathematical and physical laws that exist in the universe. Imagine your body is this universe and it controls the physics. The only problem is, everyone's body is an ever so slightly  different universe and so the rules are all slightly different. I cannot get into all of it right now - but metabolism (your universe) is the key to your body's math.

So you have to eat at a deficit to lose the weight (and you really need to lose fat and not weight)
But that is all the complicated mess for another day.

First step is changing your lifestyle and eating right. We will concentrate on the nitty gritty later.

Anyway....

Firstly eat only clean foods 90% of the time. One cheat meal per week if you really must.
The closer to nature the better.
The fewer the ingredients the better.
Microwave meals are loaded with sodium and other preservatives.
Fresh or frozen veggies only, canned stuff is pack with sodium and sugary syrups.
Try a 50% clean carbs - 25% Lean Protein - 25% Healthy fats (75% Monounsaturated fats - 17% Polyunsaturated fats - 8% saturated fats).
Eat loads and loads of leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables.
Some fruit is OK, but watch out for the Glycemic Index!

So this is what I am doing now..

Fitz

Trying to find my way again...

2007 - I was 34 and sick of how fat I had become. I had 3 kids and didn't want to be the fat old dad you see sitting on the park bench while his kids played at the playground. I wanted to run with them and not get winded. I took matters into my own hands, learned a bunch of information about weight lifting, nutrition and fat-loss. Two years later I was 40 lbs. lighter, much stronger and had a nice lean body fat percentage of about 12%. My wife was happy with my new physique and I was finally confident. I knew I looked better and I felt better. I stopped snoring and was performing better in every aspect of my life. Then I was forced to stay home with my kids and I lost it. Almost 3 years later I have gained it all back - I am unhealthy and sad. I cannot fit into any of the clothes I used to and I am miserable. So I am going to get it back. When I first did this I posted all of my progress and kept a very precise journal. I managed to inspire many people who followed my progress and I was happy to give them advice and motivation. Sadly, those people are all gone from the sites I once frequented. The sites themselves have all changed to become pay-sites and are no longer free. I will post my progress the same way I did before and will take you day by day through my struggle to regain my health and well-being. I am documenting this more for my own purposes, but you are welcomed to follow, comment, motivate and possibly be motivated. Tomorrow - I will be up at 3:50am. I will have a whey-skim shake and 2 glasses of water. I will give my spine 30 minutes to dehydrate (it hydrates while you sleep, so unless you give it time to dehydrate, you risk injury if you lift too soon after waking). I will stretch. I will lift my modified 5x5 Stronglifts routine starting at the bar. It will be light, but I am going to do this right. After I lift, I will run for 30 minutes. After the run I will be ready for some more protein and fruit. My carbs will be only from complex sources like rice, pasta or sprouted grains. My intake will be limited because I believe I am carb-sensitive. My macro ratio will be 40/40/20 (Protein/Carb/Fat). Considering my carb consumption may be less than 40% I will have to see how it goes. Adding some fruits may keep the numbers up. I will eat approximately 2300 kCal per day for one month and then adjust. I will limit my alcohol consumption to only on Fridays or Saturdays, no more than 2 mixed drinks total. I am going to attempt to cease all alcohol intake, but I am irish, so we shall see. I will post my progress in journal form. I will take pictures, however I will not post them initially. Let's do this! SF

Healthy Sweet Tooth Ideas

Hey People - long time no post for me - but I am working hard at getting fit. Dropping fat and gaining muscle can be a slow process when taking care of a family.

I suffer from a compulsive sweet tooth, one of the reasons why I was overweight my whole life. My favorite was crushing up a dozen oreos in a glass of milk and slurping it down. So now that the weak of stomach have dropped off I will give you some ideas for a great sweet tooth cure while you are watching your diet like a hawk.

(This is not to endorse any particular products, just what I have used and what works for me)


Muscle Cake Batter - Not really used to make cake, but it comes out with a batter-like consistency and tastes great. This is a great post work out dessert.

1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt (Fage or Oikos)
1 Cup Incan Warrior Breakfast
1 Scoop ON Whey (Double Rich Chocolate)

[i]First - make some Incan Warrior Breakfast: (season to taste)[/i]

Quinoa, Imported, Organic
Cinnamon
Spices, nutmeg, ground (1 tsp)
Spices, allspice, ground (1 tsp)
Milk, Skim Milk
Dry Roasted Whole Almonds (Unsalted)
Dole Frozen Blueberries
1 Apple

Directions (From T-Nation.com)

1) Toss quinoa, water, spices, and salt into a pot and bring it to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or so. You want most of the liquid to be absorbed.

2) Add milk and simmer for another 10 minutes. Then add apples, blueberries, and pecans.

3) Let sit for 10 minutes covered so it'll thicken, then scarf in down.

For a less carb loaded treat:

Whey Pudding:

1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt or Probiotic Vanilla Yogurt
2 Scoops ON Whey Double Rich Chocolate

Mix it real good. Seems like a lot of powder, but the yogurt will mix into it and make a pudding-like treat. Toss some blueberries or other anti-oxident rich fruit and consume with a smile.

There are tons of variations, and I am sure there are better ones than I make, but these cure my cravings and keep my numbers right on, so guilt-free sweet love for me!

Keep up the faith brothers and sisters, a healthy body makes for a healthy mind- and these are the magic keys to the kingdom!

Scott

Still Going...

Trying to be as healthy as I can, more in mind and spirit these days than body, though the body is not out of the equation. I am still losing body fat - intermittent fasting and staying at a deficit while managing to lift here and there. On days I don't lift I do enough body weight exercises to stay on top of the game.

I have been preaching up and down about fitness and nutrition, but I am living proof that if you don't feed the mind with health thoughts your body will not matter if your mind goes south. Daily self-suggestion opposing any negative thoughts you may have is a good start. Just like they say that if you repeat a lie enough times you yourself begin to believe it. Trust me it is true. The best thing you can do is write out who you want to be, then begin to suggest to yourself that you already are that person. You will begin to notice that your conscious mind will start to act on impulses and thoughts given to it from the subconscious mind - therefore bringing about actions and events that will fulfill this new self image. It has happened for me in just a few days and I am only at the beginning of my journey.

I will reach my goal of 170lbs, then I will concentrate on building muscle. I will be that guy who walks in the room, gets a few glances and people say, "He must spend all week at the gym."

I raise my glass of ice-water to your health.

Scott

Log 4-27-10

"B" Modified

Age 37
5'7"
184lbs
Forgot to get a BF reading - Tomorrow AM

RFESS: R&L: 5/5/5/5/5

OHP: 45x3 / 95x2

115: 5/5/5/4/3

bad - I should have nailed these. Too long of a rest between WO.

RP: 175: 1x5

Chins: 5/5/5/5/5/5

Sits: 15/15/15

Log 4-21-10

Inadvertently took 5 days off.

Age 37
5'7"
188.2lbs
BF% reading on Sunday

Modified B

RFESS: (L&R) 5/5/5/5/5

OHP: 45x3/95x2

115: 5/5/5/5/2.5

SO CLOSE!!!!

Rack Pulls (Deadlift substitute)

170: 1x5

Pulls:

5/5/4/4/3

Sits: 15/15/10 - kind of got lazy :(

Taking the kids to the playground for some exercise.

Log 4-15-10

Age 37
5'7"
187.8
19%

Mod A

RFESS: 125: L/R: 5x5

Bench: 45x10 / 155x2

170: 5/5/5/4/4

Come on!

Inv. Rows: 12/12/10/10/6

Push ups:

13/13/13/13/13

No situps no carido

not slacking, ran out of time - another day where a nap was more in line with how I was feeling yet I still lifted.

Nutrition has been a bit off the past few days. Not horrible, just not ideal.