To supplement or not?

I am 48 years old. I weighed 203 pounds with 24% body fat on me when I started this 50 days ago. Now hovering between 181 and 183 and the scale will say 16 or 18% on any given day lately.

I have looked and researched more and more about the foods I need to eat to help with this process and while I have researched I keep seeing ads pop up for supplements that get you ripped, increase your testosterone or help add muscular size.

I am not buying it. While I admit it is tempting there are too many reports out there that tell a different tale. Two such reports recently in the NY Times titled, Don't Take Your Vitamins and Supplements called Risky are Destroyed give me ammunition for my stance.

Try this sure way to kickstart your day!
4oz each of Strawberries, Blueberries, Rasberries,
Spinach, Hemp Milk and 2 tsp of Flaxseed all blended into a smoothie!
Giving you plenty of Vitamins and Minerals with
9.6 grams of Protein, 37.8 grams of  Carbs and 4.8 grams of Fat!

You can hit me with all the, "But Bill you can't possibly get all your vitamins from food" line, but you haven't seen how much I can eat! And until my Doctor says I am vitamin and or mineral deficient, I will stay on course!

When I was younger I would have tried anything, and just about did, but now it doesn't seem to fit who I am. Why take anything if there is a risk. If I am going to do this, I am going to do it naturally.

I am not making you wrong if you take supplements, I just want you to think twice before you buy into the claims!

No one ever said you're eating too many vegetables!

Health and Happiness!

Bill

What are you Focused on?

I wrote in my blog "Being honest with yourself!" that "I have been so focused on the weight loss that I neglected the one thing I tell everybody they should be doing... focus on strength first and build from there."

It's true, numbers, numbers, numbers, are what I mostly think about. How far did I run, how many isometric holds did I get in, how many sets did I do, how many calories did burn or take in, how much do I weigh and what is my body fat percentage.

Empirical results tell a tale of progress. There is no doubt they are important to the goal, but feeling strong and healthy is just as important and as I have mentioned in previous blogs, my workouts and days without measuring seem just as satisfying as the ones in which I analyze everything... Maybe more so!

If balance is part of the goal and you find yourself obsessed in numbers, perhaps it is time to take a run or a walk without knowing how far you go, how long it was or how many steps you took. Try a workout feeling each rep instead of counting them or how many sets you did.

I realize it is a challenge because how then could you measure progress?

If I had to do this all over again, I wonder if I could do it without any analysis? I wonder if I could just focus on good food, quality workouts and meditating on feeling good?

Fortunately or unfortunately, I do not want this blog to be called Even Trainers Get Fat... Again and Again! ;-)

Health and Happiness!

Bill

You Deserve Success!

In his book, The Power of Intention, Dr. Wayne Dyer writes, "If you don't believe that you are worthy of fulfilling your intentions for health, wealth, or loving relationships then you are creating an obstacle that will inhibit the flow of creative energy into your life."

The emotional roller coaster we ride on, called life, is full of ups and downs. I am sure you experience this as I do. But if we pay attention a little bit more to the downs you might notice that sometimes you may start to think that you deserve that down feeling or chalk it up to some karmic debt.

I think the any "Success" in life is best when you thought yourself worthy of achieving it.

Have you ever been successful at something and thought, "Boy I got lucky at that one" or do you say, "Of course I achieved that, I worked hard for it and deserve it!"?

Perhaps, some of the down times are when you feel successful, but don't get recognized for it. That is a tangential thought for another time.

You, I and everyone in between deserves success. We first need to believe it. That is the challenge!

My wish today is that you feel worthy of your successes... and everyday forward!

Health and Happiness!

Bill

Have an Extraordinary Day!

The past week has been a roller coaster ride of emotional ups and downs. Although I am waking up most days feeling good, I find I drift into the abyss of self loathing at times.

I walked to and from the gym again yesterday, knee still a little sore and not having that little spark of determination that I usually have.

I looked around and saw people in the local taverns having drinks, eating burgers and enjoying the day.
It was almost 5pm and I thought, "Here I am going to the gym, when I could be out relaxing like all these people."

I looked at pictures on Face Book this morning and friends where out on their boats, at family parties or on vacations. But then I saw a post from a friend that said, "Have an extraordinary Sunday!" and it lead me to watch a video that then lead me to another video and then reminded me of what my journey is all about.

Being Extraordinary is not about what everyone else is doing. Being extraordinary is about a daily dedication to person you are!

Health and Happiness!

Bill

Being honest with yourself!

I am holding steady at about a 20 pound loss and although I happy with the progress I have not lost anything since August 1.

I have a few choices. Either I stay on course and keep doing what I am doing, change my diet and/or my workouts or sit back and really be honest with myself.

I have made great gains (and losses) so far. I am running 4 to 6 miles every couple of days. I keep my calories in lower than my calories burned, but to be honest, because of a shoulder issue I have not been weight training or doing my isometrics as much.

Yesterday, I felt a tweak in my knee as I ran up to the gym and I know that has only happened because I haven't been diligent about doing my iso's and working on my strength training.

An injury to my shoulder doesn't mean I neglect the rest of me. Trunk and spine exercises, lower body strength, these are more important than the weight loss itself.

I have been so focused on the weight loss that I neglected the one thing I tell everybody they should be doing... focus on strength first and build from there.

As I tell my son all the time, there are no such things as mistakes as long as you learn from them. A little refocusing, the aches and pains will go away and progress will be back on track!

Health and Happiness!

Bill

One Day you are up... One day you are down!

Sometimes I think the universe likes to come around and kick your ass so you don't get too cocky.

Yesterday I was feeling great. Aches that I had been having in the shoulder were just about gone thanks to my MAT Specialist, Michelle. I woke up with lots of energy. I completed two great runs in the last two days. That person I used to know who hasn't seemed to get on track these last 8 years, seemed to be fading away.

Today, after a long day of clients, I took an afternoon break and then decided to run up to my gym for my workout and Bam, 3/4's of the way I felt a sharp pain in my knee. I walked the rest of the way, completed my workout and then walked home.

This was not the blog, I had intended to write although it was along the lines of feeling stuck and making the right choices to get you through it.

I have been down this road before. I have had this happen too many times. This is the point where you want to give up and go to the bar, eat a big plate of chicken wings and drink until the pain numbs. (I am just being honest)

I think I will eat a healthy dinner, take a hot bath, rest and wake up tomorrow with renewed enthusiasm instead.

Health and Happiness!

Bill

Progress Notes after 45 Days... Starting to feel like myself

Day 42 Picture with my Son

At 6 in the morning, just before I started typing, I made some tea, had a little chia and flax seed drink to get me going and looked into my refrigerator filled with green leafy vegetables and bright colored fruits fresh from the market yesterday and thought, "I believe I am starting to feel like what I would call myself."

I am up and ready to go!

I excited about the possibilities of the day like a child.

I honestly feel good.

Day 1

My mind is, for the most part until I thought about it just now, clear of fears, worries or concerns.

This is what I call the state of being me.

I am not even sure who that other person was... he is staring to fade away.

Health and Happiness!

Bill