Heywood Broun - Quote

“Sports do not build character. They reveal it.” -  Heywood Broun

Lower Back - Warm Up - Help Prevent Injury

It is very important to do a proper warm up especially for your lower back before doing any workout routine.   If you have ever suffered from lower back pain, you will never forget that pain.   Warming up the lower back will help by opening blood flow and oxygen. This will loosen up the muscles and allow more flexibility.

Two of the simplest warm up exercises are doing a twist and touching your toes.  In the standing position, place your feet shoulder-width apart and begin twisting from side to side making sure your hips are stable and only slightly twisting.   As you turn one direction, your weight should be on that foot.  Slowly twist as far as you can.   As an alternative, toe touches are also performed standing.  Place your feet shoulder width apart, bend at the waist and stretch your hands toward your toes.   Do not lockout your knees during the stretch.  

Warming up the lower back can go a long way to preventing lower back injury.   Be sure you add it to your warm-up routine. 

Stay tuned………..

The One Vegetable You Should Buy at the Farmers’ Market (or Grow Yourself)

I sooo believe in organics.   Thought I would pass this article along. 

The One Vegetable You Should Buy at the Farmers’ Market:

http://news.menshealth.com/organic-tomatoes-more-vitamin-c/2013/02/21/

Or better yet……. Grow yourself. 

Stay tuned…….

T.S. Eliot - Quote

"Only those who risk going to far can possibly find out how far one can go."   - T.S. Eliot

Positive Results = Patience

I hear from people all the time that they are trying but not seeing any results.    Dieting and working out will not yield results overnight!!!!    You cannot workout hard for a couple of weeks and change to healthy eating and expect immediate and big results.   There are WAYYYYYYY tooo many infomercials out there that we hear over and over again that make these impossible promises.   "Get the body of your dreams in just 6 weeks!" or "Get the results you want in as little as 3 weeks!"   “Just one pill a day”.   Total and complete lies.   There is no easy and fast way.    Sorry but the quicker you accept that, the quicker you are on the road to success.

A positive result in our quest for “fitness” takes time and consistency.   As I have mentioned throughout my blog, weight training is intensity and consistency.   You cannot expect to do it all in a few weeks.  You will never succeed if you start, stop, start again, stop again, start again, stop again.   Your body needs to see you are placing demands on it consistently so it therefore will adjust and that is when changes happen.

Stay consistent and patient and change will happen.   

Stay tuned……….

Salads - Healthy Can Become UNHEALTHY

I have heard soo many people say, “Hey, I was 'good,' I had a salad”.   Then you see or hear what they ate on their salad.    For some reason people think “salad” and assume all salads are created equal and all are “healthy."   NOT TRUE.  A classic Cobb salad has chopped bacon, egg, blue cheese, avocado, and a creamy dressing.  Chef's salads are loaded with cheese, roast beef, eggs, and creamy dressings.   Both have well over a thousand calories and loaded with fat.    In some cases, a McDonald’s quarter pounder with cheese and fries is fewer calories than a “salad.”  

HOWEVER, with that being said, do not let this deter you from healthy choices in salads.    Just be extra cautious of the contents on the salad, their caloric values and the impact of the dressings.     Go for lots of veggies and lean proteins (chicken and fish).   

Stay tuned…….

Ken Doherty - Quote

"The five S's of sports training are: stamina, speed, strength, skill, and spirit; but the greatest of these is spirit."    - Ken Doherty

Grip Strength – Functional Strength

I never paid much attention to grip strength UNTIL I shattered my wrist in 2007.    I wanted to recover quickly and part of my recovery was building up my grip and hand strength.    During that process and as a result of my research, I became a firm believer in grip strength's importance in all areas of our lives.    I was going to write an article on this topic when I came across one that I believe speaks in volume.   

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/03/health/la-he-grip-strength-20110403

1.       There are a few exercises you can do to increase and strengthen your grip and hand strength.

2.       Static barbell or dumbbell holds.   Simply pick up heavy barbell or dumbbells and hold.

3.       "Plate pinches".   You grip two weight plates from the top, with your thumb on one side and your fingers on the other, then pick up the plates and hold for as long as possible.

4.       “Grip hangs”   Grap an overhead bar and hang from it for as long as you can.

5.       Fingertip pushup -   Same as a standard pushup but use your fingertips. 

Stay tuned……..

Herschel Walker - Quote

"If you train hard, you'll not only be hard, you'll be hard to beat."   - Herschel Walker

Stuck in a Rut / Plateauing – Break through it..

When you feel you are stuck in a rut, plateauing out, do not panic.     It is all part of lifting and fitness.   As frustrating as it can be, nobody can  be constantly making gains week in and week out.  Otherwise, we would all be lifting buildings. 

The single biggest cause of plateaus is repetition.   When you eat the same things every day at the same times, do the same workouts (same exercises, same weights) you actually are causing the plateau.   The body adjusts sooo quickly because you are not challenging it enough,   not keeping it guessing and thus reacting.    

In order to bust through plateaus, change your routine a bit for a few weeks and then go back to the program that works for you.   Few suggestions:  Get more rest, take a deload week, do a week of German Volume Training, fluctuate your calories and food choices, switch from dumbbells to barbells or visa versa. 

Keep the body guessing and challenged.   But be patient as well.   There is no such thing as instant changes.

Stay tuned……..

Almond-Crusted Pork

Almond-Crusted Pork with Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce

Delicious !!!  Crunchy, healthy..... what more could you ask.

Ingredients:

1 serving of crushed pork rinds

1/8 - 1/4 cup almonds (sliced, chopped)

Dash garlic powder

Dash of sea salt

1 large egg white, beaten or 1/4 cup of EggBeaters®

2 center cut pork chops boneless

Preparation:

1.Preheat oven to 425°F. 

2.Place pork rinds, almonds, garlic powder, and salt in a food processor; pulse until the almonds are coarsely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish.

3.Place egg white (or EggBeaters®) in another shallow dish. Dip both sides of each pork slice in egg mixture, then evenly coat with the almond mixture. Place the pork in a baking dish that is coated with cooking spray.

4.Bake the pork until golden brown and no longer pink in the center, 16 to 18 minutes.

Enjoy !!

Adapted from  EatingWell March/April 2009

Stay tuned……..