Starting Week 2, and Also Deadlifts

First, check out my awesome client Ed as he kills some heavy deadlifts:



Yeah, he's a beast.

Also, I'm 3,000 swings into my 10,000 kettlebell swing challenge, and it's going fairly well. Down about 1% bodyfat and about 4 pounds.

I've lost some noticeable fat, my abs are just a bit more visible, and my bike ride to work on Thursday (typically a miserable exercise in self-punishment) wasn't nearly as tiring as it usually is.

The diet, which again you can read about here, has been pretty easy to stick with so far. I'll be honest and say I haven't stuck to the plan 100%, but most of my meals are still the protein shake + fruit or vegetable + peanut butter, but I've added in a sensible meal for dinner and/or breakfast in place of the first or last protein shake. Calories are the same, and maybe it's because I've been super busy at work recently but I haven't been half as hungry as I thought I'd be. The added protein is also doing good things to keep some muscle on my frame, and....dare I say it...may have even added a bit.

The workouts, too, are getting easier. My hands are a bit torn up, but aside from a bit of hamstring soreness once or twice, I feel pretty good. My pace has increased considerably, and now even the sets of 50 are over before I know it, sometimes literally! I've lost count a few times during the higher reps, which brings me to the only negative aspect of this program I've encountered: the monotony. 10,000 of anything is going to get pretty boring, and I still have 7,000 to go.

7,000 to go.

Simple Fat Loss: a 4-Week Experiment

I like it when things are simple. Simple things make me happy, and I like to be happy.

So when I looked at my kettlebell swing form in the mirror after getting out of the shower (don't try to form too clear a picture in your head, and definitely don't ask why) and saw things jiggle that ought not to jiggle, I decided it was time to drop some body fat.

Not lose weight, mind you. You can chop off an arm and lose weight. I still want to be strong(ish) and I still want to look like I'm strong(ish), and that requires holding on to or even gaining muscle mass. That means staying far away from any starvation-based, macro-nutrient demonizing, Hollywood bimbo-endorsed "diet cleanse" that leaves you hungry and weak and requires you measure every seed in your tiny serving of watermelon so as not to go over your allotted food mass limit of the week.

For my fat-loss program to work, I need four things:

-Plenty of protein to maintain muscle mass
-A caloric deficit large enough to be effective but small enough to stay away from starvation mode
-Plenty of vitamins, minerals, and fiber to keep me feeling good and healthy
-Some leeway to account for having a life outside of dieting.

This last one is what I thing breaks most people. In a bubble, I think most people have the willpower to see even a super-strict diet to its conclusion and see great results. But life...just, like, frickin' life man, it just gets in the way. Work gets overwhelming, your significant other wrecks your car, 30 Rock has its final season, and when your buddies invite you out to the bar Saturday night you just want to unwind and have like six plates of wings and a beer for each one and not have to explain why you're on a diet and only ordered water.

The other half of the equation is what happens in the gym. Nineteen protein shakes a day won't help you hold on to your precious muscle mass if you don't give said muscles a reason to exist. I firmly believe you should keep lifting heavy while dieting, and seek to at least maintain your strength levels while throwing in some conditioning work to burn more calories and increase your work capacity.

Here's the thing though: I hate training when I'm on a diet. My willpower is usually so sapped from denying myself food that I can't pony up the man juice to do that last set of heavy front squats. As a result, my workouts suffer and I don't do enough to elicit a training effect to hold onto what little mass I've worked so hard to get.

I need three things from a training program:

-Simplicity. I don't want to write an extravagant workout-to-end-all-workouts every time I lift, I just want to train and go home. Or more accurately, back to work, seeing as how I work in a gym.
-Rigidity. I need a plan on paper that I'm not allowed to deviate from, and that I must complete before I'm done.
-Intensity...sort of. I need weights that keep me strong without breaking me, and conditioning work that gasses me without obliterating me.

With that, and with not just a little inspiration from T-Nation, I've developed a four-week fat loss plan that is simple and has everything I require.

Nutrition

My diet, every single day, is:

Breakfast
1 cup oatmeal
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tbs peanut butter

Meal 2
1.5 scoops protein powder
1 tbs peanut butter
1 serving of fruit

Meal 3
1.5 scoops protein powder
1 tbs peanut butter
1 serving of fruit

Meal 4
1.5 scoops protein powder
1 serving of canned vegetables

Meal 5
1.5 scoops of protein powder
1 serving of canned vegetables

Total Calories: ~1800
Protein: ~ 180 grams
Calories required for defecit: 2200

See that last part? I have 400 calories not included in my meal plan. Those go wherever, however I want them. Two slices of pizza at night? Go for it.  A couple of brownies my roommate cooked up? Sure! Even -gasp- a beer or two after work? CRAZY! IRRESPONSIBLE! ....and allowed.

I try to eat a lot of colors and add spices here and there to make things bearable, but that's the entirety of my meal plan.

Training

Even simpler. The 10,000 Swing Kettlebell Workout, as prescribed by Dan John:

http://www.t-nation.com/workouts/10000-swing-kettlebell-workout

I chose this one for two reasons:

1. Dan John wrote it

2. See number 1

Okay, a little more reasoning:

I am a big fan of kettlebell swings for conditioning. They gas you pretty quickly, they're easy to learn, and they work my favorite muscle group, the glutes. The workout also intersperses heavy strength movements into the mix, which I really like. 

It's also tough, but doable. My first workout left me sweating like I haven't in months, but I didn't have the burning in my throat and the dizzying fatigue I remember from my Crossfit days. And something about the workout just...I don't know, felt right. 

Starting video and photos

Here's a video of my fourth round of the workout:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mze_bMBd0jk

And here are my starting photos:

I will try to update often, post about my progress and, above all, see this little experiment through to the end.

Writing Your Success Story: Strength

We all have our reasons for going to the gym. Or at least we have reasons why we know we should go to the gym. You might even go through the process of writing down a specific, attainable goal that you consistently work towards.

 But how do you know if you've made any headway?

If you're going to write your own personal success story, you need definitive proof for yourself and all those who care to know that you've moved away from where you were and closer to where you want to be. This next series of posts will be about what you should be measuring in the gym to keep track of your progress and how you can go about it.

Hint: your goal should look a lot like this. Including the beard. Yes, you too ladies.

Goal: Get Stronger

It's a small wonder that even in 2013, where a strong back doesn't have nearly as many career advancement opportunities as a strong background in database management, strength is still a hugely valued attribute. What's even more surprising -and awesome, in my opinion- is that it's not just limited to rage-fueled jocks anymore; geeks, girls and geeky girls are finally inching their way into the iron game and finding their place under heavy weights.

But it's not enough to just show up at the gym and grunt, though grunting will account for most of your success.

Attained by: getting stronger in three big lifts, over the course of three months. 

Pick three big, multi-joint lifts, and try to improve your numbers in these lifts over the course of three months. Pick whatever three you want, but follow these guidlines:

-You should pick lifts that cover your entire body

-You should be comfortable with and have excellent form on these lifts

-You should pick a rep number to quantify your improvement. Said better, you should decide if you want to improve your 1 rep max, your 2 rep max, your 5 rep max, etc. I personally dislike 1RM's because they encourage bad form and are heavily influenced by outside factors; I like 3 reps, because ego is less of a factor and you'll get more training stimulus by keeping the reps slightly higher.

Here are some ideas for your big three exercises:

Back Squat, Deadlift, and Bench Press

The classic powerlifting combo is popular for a reason. A bit low-back intensive, but with the added possibility of getting involved in a growing sport.

Bench Press, Chin Up, and Front Squat

This is a great combo for anyone whose back can't handle frequent back squats and deadlifts.

If physique is a secondary goal, you should aim to be really good at chin-ups. If you're getting better at chins, it's either because you're stronger or leaner or both. I have this theory that for as long as you can do 10 honest, all-the-way-down, all-the-way up chin ups, you'll never be out of shape. And if you can do 3 chin-ups with 100 lbs of external load, you get your beast card in the mail within 5 business days.

Hang Power Clean, Push Press, and Bulgarian Split Squat

Are you an athlete? Whether you're on your high school football team or just play pick-up basketball every Thursday, you need two things specifically in addition to your other gym goals: power and single-leg strength. I like the hang version better than the pull off the floor, simply  because you don't get a whole lot of added power compared to the increased risk. The push press is a great way to get crazy upper-body and core strength without destroying your shoulders, and....no, really, the push gets the bar out of the "danger zone" as far as your shoulders are concerned, even when you use more weight. And the bulgarian split squat can be loaded up like few other single leg exercises.

Putting It Together

Strength is a goal that benefits with a lot of rest, so go with lifting 3-4 days a week. Here's how you would divvy it up, using the powerlifts as an example:

 3 Day Split, 3 RM Goal

Day 1

A- Back Squat: work up to a heavy triple over the course of 3-5 sets

B1- Deadlift assistance exercise (Romanian Deadlift, pull from blocks, deficit, etc.): 3 sets of 6

B2- Upper body pull:  3 sets of 8

C - Abs, your choice

Day 2

A- Bench Press: work up to a heavy triple over the couse of 3-5 sets

B1- Squat assistance exercise (Front squat, squat w/chains, overhead squat): 3 sets of 6

B2-  Glute work (hip thrust, glute bridge): 3 sets of 8

C- Abs, your choice

Day 3

A- Deadlift: work up to a heavy triple over the couse of 3-5 sets

B1- Bench assistance exercise (close grip bench, floor press, board press): 3 sets of 6

B2- Upper body pull: 3 sets of 8

C - Finisher: Max reps of Bench and Back Squat with 60% of your 3RM from this week

Stay on this program for 3 months and try to add 5 lbs to your 3 rep max every week.  Provided you're doing everything mostly right outside of the gym -eating enough calories and protein, getting enough sleep, drinking water, getting sleep, avoiding excessive alcohol consumption, sleeping for the love of God- you'll be well on your way to being a modern He-Man. Or She-Ra. 

Another Plug for the Hip Thrust

Wordplay!

So while I was on blog hiatus for the past few months, a funny thing happened: I started my new job at Body Structure, and now have a full roster of clients ranging from kids to the elderly and from healthy and strong to injured and deconditioned. It's amazing how much experience you can gain from....doing stuff.

And from working with such a diverse clientele, I've learned these things about lower body training:

1. Squats are awesome, but not everybody can do them. Some people just don't have the knee integrity or the hip and ankle flexibility or even the right body structure (though that last group is few and far between) to squat correctly. Most people do, but even then it can take weeks and even months to master the form and start using heavy weight.

It's amazing how much we've forgotten since we got out of diapers.

2. Deadlifts are awesome, but not everybody can do them. I truly believe that deadlifts, when done correctly and in moderation, are a great way to prevent back injuries, and can definitely be used as a lower back reconditiong program. But much to my dismay most of what physical therapists say is right in this regard: people with bad backs shouldn't deadlift.

Chest up...no, chest up, hips dow- you know what, you'll find out.

It saddens me greatly, but I must concede this unfortunate fact. Form is also vital for this lift to be performed safely, and much like the squat many people lack the ankle and  hip mobility to get into a good starting position. It's simple, but there is still a learning curve.

3. Hip thrusts are awesome, and everyone can do them. Seriously. The closest I've come to meeting someone who can't do a hip thrust (or at least a glute bridge) was a woman who had neck surgery and couldn't support her neck in a supine position, and even that was fixed with a simple pad.

Adding to that, there is almost no learning curve. Bar on hips, push hips up. Genius stuff.

It's almost like this motion is ingrained into our psyche. Weird.

And maybe my favorite quality of this lift: Women can be just as strong as men with this movement, or at least very close to it. There is a pretty big gender discrepancy on the squat and deadlift, but the hip thrust is an amazing equalizer. It's not uncommon to have a woman be able to hip thrust her body weight on her very first try at this exercise, even if her squat and dead aren't up to snuff.

If you haven't given it a try, please consider this exercise. Your knees will thank you, your back will thank you, and everyone following you on the sidewalk will thank you. (Your butt will look good.)

If you need more instruction, I have no business giving it to you since the absolute greatest hip thrust instructional video ever has already been created by Mark Fisher and his crew:

And if you're serious about finally working those long-neglected glutes, you can join me in doing Bret Contreras' 30 Day Thrusting Challenge (boom, phrasing).

Here's a link: http://bretcontreras.com/the-30-days-of-thrusting-challenge/

I've already done the first day, 3 sets of 20 reps with 155 lbs. Holy glute pump, Batman!

So Where Were We?

So it's been almost a month since you've heard anything from Skape Fitness.

Despite the impressive and much-appreciated support we received upon starting our little venture, I doubt anyone was lying awake at night wondering what happened to their favorite fitness folks. Still, it mattered to me, and I feel like I should elaborate.

The real world is a cold, uncaring beast, as many of my recently-graduated friends are about to find out. Two months is not a long time for a business to get on its feet, but it is a very long time for a broke individual to go without money. Simply speaking, the business wasn't making enough money for me to support myself, and I had to look elsewhere.

Never even got to put those business cards to use.

So I applied and got a job at Body Structure. They're a great local gym that focuses on long-term lifestyle changes and heavily endorse the mantra of "Exercise is Medicine", which I am very passionate about. It's a great fit for me, and I'm already doing pretty well there, but there was a condition of my employment.

They're launching their own online training service, www.mybodystructure.com, and they very reasonably didn't want a conflict of interest with my online project.

And so, with no small amount of grief, I had to close Skape Fitness Online Personal Training.

That doesn't mean that Skape Fitness with sink to the bottom of an ocean of unused ideas, like so many internet start-ups. It simply means that we must adapt to our situation, and become something else.

Something like a free fitness resource.

In the coming weeks, Darren and I will set to work on making skapefitness.com a free fitness blog and resource that will keep you informed and motivated, just like we set out to do in the first place. Except now it will be solely out of the goodness of our heart, which makes us pretty much like Ghandi-caliber heroes if I do say so myself.

And, yes, the tips of the day will resume.

We'd love to hear your input on what direction Skape should take going forward, and what you would expect out of a free online resource. Let us know in the comments!

Diary of a Fasting Man

So, summer is almost here, and I have a little more jiggle around my waistline than I'd like. However, I'm also training to enter an weightlifting competition. In my experience, I cannot get stronger, at least to any significant degree, while going on an effective diet to lose weight. A caloric deficit just seems to ruin my workouts.

My solution: intermittent fasting. It's a way of eating that has become really popular with fitness professionals recently. I didn't say "diet", because you're eating normal, healthy foods, but only eat them certain times and fast the rest.

Despite it being simple, I don't feel like explaining it because shut up. Here's an infographic that does a better job than I ever could.

To stick my toe in the water, I'm going the one-day approach: Don't eat for 24 hours. From 10 pm on Saturday, May 18, to 10 pm on Sunday, May 19, I can drink water and coffee and green tea to my heart's content, but no food. Indeed, nothing with any calories whatsoever.

This is the log of my experience.


Saturday, 10 pm- Okay, just finished up my last meal for 24 hours.

Liver and Onions.

Liver is supposed to be like..the best food ever for you. It's also, however, a liver. I kind of tastes like squishy pennies, and the whole time I was eating it I couldn't not  think about punching into a cow and ripping out its liver (one of its livers? I don't know cow anatomy) and throwing it in a skillet.

Anyway, fasting isn't looking as bad now.

Sunday, 11: 30 am- This is when I for real sat down to write this blog entry. I have a cup of coffee in hand, and so far no appetite to speak of. Googling "liver and onions" helped. 

However, I've tried not eating a whole day before, back when I was a teenager. I vowed not to eat during the weekends so I could lose weight (because shut up, you weren't a rocket scientist either). I made it 6 hours. 

Today, I'm going to remind myself of why I'm doing this by sitting without a shirt on and looking down at how my fat rolls bunch up and grabbing them while calling myself names before seriously considering whether or not I have medically significant body issues. Huh. 

2:12 pm - Okay, so the first hunger pangs are finally starting to hit. I'm used to eating right as I wake up, so four hours later... yeah, I can feel it. So far, it's manageable. I'll just drink some water and play Xbox to keep myself occupied.


3:51 pm - Starting to feel it now. That sort of weak feeling you get when you're really hungry. Coffee should help. Yeah. gonna drink some more coffee. That'll clear up the jitters. I'm I skinny yet?

Darren kind of looks like a turkey leg.


4:41 pm- coffee has not made me less jittery. Water now.


5:39 pm - Feeling great, actually. Hunger is gonOH GOD NOW THAT I'M WRITING ABOUT IT THE HUNGER IS BACK WHAT HAVE I DONE

So yeah, I don't know if its actually hunger, or appetite. I've found that I'm pretty much surrounded by food, all day, all the time. It makes me wonder how much I would crave food if it wasn't always immediately available.

Something to think about; brain food, if you wTHAT WAS STUPID I DID IT AGAIN


6:27 pm - This is where it starts getting tough. All I can think about is that I know in 3.5 hours I can eat again, and it's going to be a protein shake and a big pizza and breadsticks and a PB&J because shut up, I'll do what I want, no it's not negating any benefits I got from fasting, shut up. Oh my....pizza... it's going to be amazing.


6:50 pm - I'm going to watch how i met your mother and hope they don't talk about food they wouldnt do that would they why would they be mean like that


7:28 pm - Friends are over. They want to play Magic. They don't know my pain. They don't know what I'm going through. So I'm making a point to bring it up every 9 seconds. My pain will be their pain.


8:12 pm -  That pizza is going to be amazing. I'm going to eat it so hard. I'm going to savor it and let it swim in my mouth and whisper sweet nothings to my taste buds before gracefully sliding to its rightful place in my gullet.


8:13 pm - Food is better than sex. I know that now. I know that because I've decided that I'm not actually all that hungry. But the thought of eating something delicious after not eating anything at all for .... 22 hours and 13 minutes is at the forefront of my mind and it isn't leaving.


8: 19 pm - Still there. Yup.


8: 27 pm - There's only an hour and a half left to go. I can't tell if that makes it easier or harder. But I'm going to make it , and I'm not even going to pretend it was all that hard. There are starving kids in the world who have been three days without food and they're thankful when they get a bowl of under cooked white rice for their one meal before the next three days without food.

On a side note, I don't know if I feel good about myself forcing a fast to look better when so many people do it because there is no food to eat.


8:59 pm - Game of Thrones time.


9: 10 pm - Also Game of Thrones time.


9:31 pm - Ordering that pizza online while still trying to watch Game of Thrones. OH HELL YEAH YOU TELL HIM TYRION.


10:00 pm - 

10:20 pm - Ughl....stomach may have shrank a bit during the past 24 hours....normal pizza load not well received...no touch me now.....Am I pretty yet?



The Next Day: 

So, it's done. And you know what? I'm going to do it again. I don't feel weak today, and I don't feel like I need to eat two days worth of food to make up for yesterday. FYI, I normally overeat pizza when it's available to me, so last night wasn't out of the ordinary....except for the fact I got full quicker than normal.

One of the primary benefits cited by intermittent fasting is appetite control, and I can definitely see it. One bowl of oatmeal this morning, and I feel like I could go hours without eating, which is normal for normal people, not normal for me.

The effects? I couldn't tell you. It's been one day. What I'm going for here is a hormonal change, which could take weeks to take effect, especially if I'm only doing one day a week. The most popular methods involve fasting 16 hours every day, eating good food (which apparently isn't pizza) during the 8 hour window. I might progress to that, because 8 hours sounds like a long time to eat. It means you skip breakfast, but that just means I'm eating eggs, turkey bacon, and wheat toast for lunch instead.

All in all, I can see how this works for people. Everything works. There are tons of success stories of people using intermittent fasting, and tons of success stories from almost every other diet ever written. The key is finding something you can do that won't kill you or compromise your health.

I'll try it again next Sunday, if that's any indication.

Flexibility vs. Mobility

These are two fitness terms often used in conjunction with each other, so I'll try to clear up some confusion right off the bat: flexibility and mobility are two different things.

Flexibility refers to the range of motion you can stretch, passively or actively, a muscle before it snaps off the bone and hits you in the eye. More or less.

Mobility refers to the range of motion you can use a muscle effectively.

Here is side-by-side comparison of a female yogi demonstrating flexibility, and a ridiculously photogenic weightlifter demonstrating mobility:

Side note: a google image search for "flexibility" is the closest thing to porn you will see with safesearch still on.

Both of these girls have great hip, knee, and shoulder range of motion. The one on the right, however, is going to stand up with a big weight at the bottom of her position. She is demonstrating mobility. The girl on the left has "gotten into position" by pulling her hip past the point where it ceased being strong for the sake of a stretch. She exhibits great flexibility.

Think of flexibility as a bucket, and mobility as the water you have available to fill that bucket.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I think flexibility and mobility work are both hella-boring. I'll also admit that I get jacked up something fierce when I stop stretching and mobilizing, so I understand that these are the raw broccoli to my weightlifting's tender juicy steak.

And while the two are not the same thing, they are both, unfortunately, important.

Increasing your flexibility changes the resting length of the muscle and makes them less resistant to being pulled to the end of its range of motion. This is usually touted as a great means of injury prevention. And it is....but not by itself. In fact, flexibility without mobility may increase the likelihood of injury by making it easier to get into positions in which you are not stable. 5 gallons of water in a 10 gallon bucket is just a lot of wasted bucket.

Increasing your mobility, on the other hand, makes you more capable of moving effectively through a large range of motion. Look again at the ridiculously photogenic weightlifting lady above: she's not only showing better flexibility throughout her shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles than most people, but she's supporting a heavy weight in a fairly stable manner at the "edges" of her range of motion. That is good mobility.

I know it sounds like I'm trumpeting mobility over flexibility... and I am. But mobility is certainly enhanced by flexibility, and the latter can aid in releasing chronically tight muscles that are the cause of a pantheon of non-weight training related injuries.

So when should you be working on these qualities?

Mobility work should be a staple in your warm up, and not just limited to what muscle groups you plan on working out that session. Hip, knee, ankle, and shoulder mobility work can and should be a daily occurrence. Don't know how? Why, here's a video, free of charge!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L5KVw2Pwic

Flexibility work can be done literally anytime, ever. Before your workout, after your workout, or my recommendation, on a completely separate day from weight training as part of a recovery protocol. Taking a yoga class has become my favorite way to incorporate stretching into my fitness routine. The common myths about stretching before workouts decreasing strength, or stretching after workouts to take advantage of pliability, are largely untrue. But that's another article.

Hopefully you know just a little bit more about these terms than you did before.As always, if you have any questions about this article or any other, please leave a comment or send me a message on Facebook. And if you haven't liked our page at Skape Fitness yet, we're totally not friends anymore.

Go forth, mobilize, and lift heavy things.

Why? And Other Philosophical Conundrums

There is a reason you're reading this blog post instead of looking at pictures of cats, which is what most of the rest of the internet is doing right now. In some way, shape, or form, you care about your fitness, and you're probably taking steps to make yourself more healthy. You are hopefully working out on a regular basis because you see value it provides, maybe you watch what you eat because you know it is key to weight control, and you are at this very moment putting forth effort to further your understanding of fitness. These, good people, are very admirable traits to have.

But why are you doing all these things?

Goal setting kind of takes a back seat to the ins and outs of training and nutrition, but it is absolutely as important. Nobody takes on a new task without having some sort of goal in mind. There was, after all, a reason you first stepped foot on that treadmill or picked up a weight in the first place.

Goals are the foundation of your fitness program, whether you've written them down or not.

Many of us, at this point, are going to the gym for the same reasons we brush our teeth: we know we should, and it's become a habit. There is definitely nothing wrong with this, but wouldn't you like a whiter smile? Wouldn't you get more out of your workouts and diet if you had a specific goal to be your driving force? 

And let us not forget those of us who are on the brink of quitting. Exercise can be very hard, and working up the motivation to go to the gym after a long day of dealing with the rest of life can be even harder. But if your reason to keep going is stronger than the reasons to quit, you'll stick with your program and see results.

Here's your homework for the day, due by the next time you work out. Write down the answers to these questions, and keep them in mind as you work.

...Seriously, get out a pen and paper, it won't take five minutes, and you'll actually get something out of it.

What is your end-game?

This goes beyond wanting to lose weight or look better; it's the foundation for your reasoning to work out, and it could be the hardest to answer. What do you want to ultimately achieve from working out?

-I want to be with my children as long as possible, and exercise will keep me going.

-I want definitive control over something in my life, and my body is completely up to me.

-I want the constant confidence that comes with having a powerful body.

Really think about this one, because "I want to bench 225" is a lame motivator without context. Remembering you end-game is the only thing that will keep you going during the times you really want to quit.

How are you going to get there?

What path will lead toward your end-game? This one is easier, since it's probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think about your fitness goals. 

-I want to be with my children as long as possible, so I need to lose weight and be healthier.

-I want control over my body, so I need to go to the gym on a regular basis.

-I want the confidence that comes with a powerful body, so I need to build muscle.

These are the traditional goals, and they're easy to write down.

What steps are you going to take?

This might be the most complicated step. These are your programs, your diet plans, your workout schedule, your mousetraps in the cookie jar; the things you do to be closer to your end-game. This is what personal trainers do, which is awesome because it simplifies this step down to "Do what Justin says." This is a philosophy I recommend to all of those people close to me.

-I want to be with my children as long as possible, so I need to lose weight and be healthier. To do that, I'll start eating 1800 calories a day, and work with my trainer three days a week.

-I want control over my body, so I need to go to the gym on a regular basis. I'm going to make it to a Spin class twice a week, work out on my own twice more a week, and cut out junk food from my diet.

-I want the confidence that comes with a powerful body, so I need to build muscle. To do that, I'm going to work hard during the online program my trainer has laid out for me, and make sure to eat at least 150 grams of protein a day.

How are you going to measure your progress?

You need numbers to back up your progress, otherwise you're just guessing. Many of us ignore this step because we almost always guess in our favor, and that's much easier than confronting the numbers to see if we're on track. Pick one or two good indicators of progress, and measure them weekly, preferably on the same day at the same time.

-I want to be with my children as long as possible, so I need to lose weight and be healthier. To do that, I'll start eating 1800 calories a day, and work with my trainer three days a week. I will measure my waistline every Sunday to see if I am making progress.

-I want control over my body, so I need to go to the gym on a regular basis. I'm going to make it to a Lift class twice a week, work out on my own twice more a week, and cut out junk food from my diet. I've downloaded a fitness journal app, and I'll post the results to Facebook every week for my friends to see. 

-I want the confidence that comes with a powerful body, so I need to build muscle. To do that, I'm going to work hard during the online program my trainer has laid out for me, and make sure to eat at least 150 grams of protein a day. I will gain weight while staying within 2% of my current bodyfat, and I will measure both every Tuesday before my workout.

Pick a S.M.A.R.T. number.

If you don't remember this acronym, it stand for "Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant  and Timely."

Or the same thing with different words, for people who want to be difficult.

This is your short-term goal, and it helps to keep your end-game in sight by breaking things down into doable chunks. There are literal books written about this acronym, but if you've read this far I trust your competency in figuring it out. Just don't be afraid to set lofty goals; falling just short of losing 20 lbs by June is still better than achieving your goal of losing 2 lbs by July, and you'll work harder to achieve the former.

-I want to be with my children as long as possible, so I need to lose weight and be healthier. To do that, I'll start eating 1800 calories a day, and work with my trainer three days a week. I will measure my waistline every Sunday to see if I am making progress. I want to lose two inches by June 1st.

-I want control over my body, so I need to go to the gym on a regular basis. I'm going to make it to a Lift class twice a week, work out on my own twice more a week, and cut out junk food from my diet. I've downloaded a fitness journal app, and I'll post the results to Facebook every week for my friends to see. I will not miss more than two workouts every month, and I will not have pizza more than once during that same month. 

-I want the confidence that comes with a powerful body, so I need to build muscle. To do that, I'm going to work hard during the online program my trainer has laid out for me, and make sure to eat at least 150 grams of protein a day. I will gain weight while staying within 2% of my current bodyfat, and I will measure both every Tuesday before my workout. I want to gain 5 lbs at stay under 12% bodyfat by the time I go on vacation.

Look back over your paper, and see if it puts your goals in perspective. If you've been stuck in a rut for months, just going through the motions without getting closer to the end-game you had in mind when you started, it might be time for a change. Remember your end-game, and always work towards it.

Your goal today: lift a heavy thing. 

To My Mom

For letting me play every sport our little county had to offer

For cooking me good dinners when I didn't appreciate them

For helping give me better Christmases than any kid in my place had a right to have

For giving me no other option than to go to college

For only crying a little bit the first 12 times I went back after a trip home

For thinking I could be a great doctor when I majored in Biology

For thinking I could be a great trainer when I majored in Kinesiology a year later

For going to my first and only bodybuilding competition when it had to be the most uncomfortable time you've ever rooted for me

For being proud of me when I did well

For being proud of me when I didn't

For feeding me when money got tight

For feeding me, period

For liking and sharing and re-posting everything my fledgling business does

For being the best mom I could ask for

Thank you

I love you, mom.

One Week Down, Five to Go

May 10

I finished the first week of my workout program without any bodily injury! (Wild cheers of unrestrained joy reverberate throughout this blog.  So as you read, make sure to imagine this.)

Though completely worn out after my workout, as per usual, I actually felt like I accomplished something today.  I was super sore and I felt like my last five squats should have been deeper, but I actually did something that matters, which is basically this: I did things today that I hadn't been able to do before.

I'm paraphrasing, of course, from something I have read by some fitness author that Justin would probably be able to name instantly.  But that's not the point.  The point is that I finished my workout with only the minor weight adjustments that I had to make from Wednesday, and I did it without tears, hyperventilation, or (sorry in advance for the faint of heart and weak of stomach) violently throwing up.

Two things of note:

1) I did the complex through the first time with bar weight, because I'm still very uncomfortable with some of the more complicated exercises that it involves.  But, after my first time through, I started feeling frisky, so I added twenty pounds, which brings the weight up to 65lbs.  The macho part of me feels embarrassed that that's all I can do.  But, when I really think about it, until a few months ago, the heaviest thing I ever had to lift was my laptop or a Qdoba burrito.  But today I ran through my complex like a boss.

2) I did my 60 squats following the plan to the letter.  That's 30 squats at 95 and 30 squats at 115.  Though I'm glad that no one was watching me do these, I'm proud of them.  Especially the first 25 squats at 115.  (To elaborate on what I said before, the last five were basically half the depth of the first five.)

So, I've had my ups and downs this week, but, all in all I'm proud of what I've done.  I'm also thankful that I have two days to recuperate. And eat.  I'm going to go broke trying to eat as much as I'm supposed to...

But Sunday is Mother's Day, so I'll probably be taking this weekend off from blogging as well.  So I'll talk to you all again on Monday.  As Justin's so fond of saying at the end of his entries, "Go forth and lift heavy things."

7 Minutes of SCIENCE!!

SCIENCE, HO!!!!

I love me some science. Maybe because that's just the in thing nowadays, maybe it's because I work in a profession perceived to be dragging its knuckles and grunting loud noises and I like to break the stereotype, or maybe it's because I'm actually smart.

No one asked you, stock image of laughing business people.

Training is, in large part, a trial-and-error process. Even today, with exercise physiology a rapidly growing field of scientific research, most trainers and fitness buffs rely primarily on personal experience to let us know what works and what doesn't. This is due in part to the fact that some of us are exactly as stubborn and thick-skulled as the aforementioned stereotype suggests, eyeing research like a new form of magic to be feared and distrusted. However, this is also due to the fact that, as a new field, there are a lot of bad studies out there that do little to broaden our understanding of the field.

That's why I love reading the good stuff.

A recent study by the University of Buffalo and published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research looked at the various metabolic differences between traditional methods of cardio, such as walking for long periods of time on the treadmill, and high-intensity interval training, in this case sprinting.

If you're not familiar with high-intensity interval training, let me sum it up for you: Work really hard for a short time. Rest for a short time. Do it again until you're done. (If this thesis-worthy explanation has left you wanting, I'll elaborate in a bit.)

They observed things like VO2 max (a measure of how hard your lungs are working), heart rate, blood lactate levels (a measure of how hard your muscles are working), and total calories burned.

The results? The subjects who performed the interval workouts burned the same amount of calories and trained their cardiorespiratory system just as well, despite spending literally half the time working as the steady state group. Just remember, shorter intervals mean harder intervals; the interval group trained at about 90% of their work capacity during their work intervals, instead of the stead-state group who trained at about 70%. 

Now, what does this mean in practical terms? It means that, scientifically speaking, cardio blows and strength training is awesome. Horray science!

Okay, so maybe a bit more guidance is in order. A great example of high-intensity interval training was provided in a recent article by the New York Times, appropriately titled, "The Scientific 7-Minute Workout". The workout involves simple bodyweight movements, with the only equipment required a chair and a wall, two things most of us have laying around somewhere. The "scientific" part lies in the order of the movements combined with the time intervals.

Since you're continually shifting from upper body exercises to lower body ones, your heart keeps working hard supplying blood to all of the muscle groups instead of just the legs, as would be the case in something like jogging (do not compare the slight motion of your arms in jogging to tricep dips, thank you). 

Here is the workout, as posted in the May 12 issue of The New York Times Magazine:

How do you do it? I'm glad you asked, metaphorical person in my head!

1. Warm up. Follow along with this extremely handsome demonstrator. 

http://youtu.be/7L5KVw2Pwic

2. Go to www.tabatatimer.com and set up the timer in the following manner:

Prepare: 10 sec

Work: 30 sec

Rest: 10 sec

Cycles: 12

Tabatas: 1

You might notice that setting up your workout in this manner results in the workout taking 8 minutes and 10 seconds, not 7 like mentioned in the title. You will ignore this, because shut up.

3. Complete this workout by working as hard as possible during the work time using the exercise provided, and resting during the rest. 

4. Do this workout every other day, on top of your best effort to living an active lifestyle. 

 This simple routine is a fantastic introduction to interval training. It's short, lasting just 7 minutes (you will shut up so help me god) and covers the entire body, using the pace of the strength exercises to train the heart in tandem. If you're sick of running miles in the rain, nursing shin splints and losing muscle instead of fat, you can literally do this right now, using the chair you're sitting on and the wall your computer is plugged into.

There you have it. Detailed instructions for a simple workout you can do at home that is as effective -if not more so- than the traditional methods of "cardio" so many associate with weight loss. It's up to you to build up the motivation to follow through with it.

Now go forth! Lift heavy things, for SCIENCE!!!!!

I think I have a sunburn...

May 9, 2013

So, I swam. In a pool.

Though the cold water didn't limber me up as much as a long session of hot yoga would have, I found it much more enjoyable (and therefore relaxing).  There may be nothing better than a quick dip in the pool to lift the spirits.  However, as with all public pools, I felt the uncontrollable urge to take a scalding hot shower afterwards to remove the assorted parasites and bacteria from my body.

But splashing around in the pool (while college girls in chaise lounges looked on in abject horror that someone would be having fun in the actual pool, no less) wasn't how I got the aforementioned sunburn.  

Two things: 1) I was reading A Clash of Kings (the second book in the Song of Ice and Fire series, which is the more pretentious/nerdy way to say Game of Thrones) and lost track of how long I was sitting in the sunlight as my skin began to scream in pain at the constant pounding of the sun's rays. And 2) I forgot to put on sunscreen.  Or bring sunscreen with me to the pool.  Or buy sunscreen.  Or not be super pale.

Anyway, today was a good day, even though I have actively avoided thinking about tomorrow's workout.  If  I can keep this train of thought going, things should be great.  Otherwise...

So, in case you're wondering, and I'm sure you are, I still feel like I'm forcing myself to eat.  But, Kroger has a sale on avocados, ($1 a piece) so I stocked up.  These magical green food items make everything better.  If I have to "eat big to get big" then I may as well eat things that make me happy.  Or at least the healthy things.

I ate a slightly larger breakfast than I normally do on weekdays.  It was primarily scrambled eggs and biscuits with blackberry jelly (I broke down and bought PB&J fixin's) and a huge cup of coffee (I'd like to say it was black, but honestly it was about 1/4 milk and sugar).  Then, like an hour later, I pounded a turkey and avocado sandwich, which i will shorten to avopavo in the future.  I also had an open faced avopavo for my midday snack, and I'm making spaghetti with turkey meatballs for dinner.

Looking at my food intake, it doesn't seem all that impressive. But when you're used to two or three small snacks and a large meal a day, it's a big jump.  Ok, it's a medium jump.  Fine, it's like I sneezed a little bit and my feet jostled on the ground.  I've got to eat more.

Even though I feel like I'm just constantly forcing down food, I could be doing more.  And I need to drink more water...

Anyway, that's all I have for you tonight.  Maybe I'll actually talk about working out, weight lifting, and something other than my own complaints tomorrow...

Or maybe not.

Note: I've been eating a lot more high-protein and high fiber foods than normal.  This is my one and only warning.

Ow. My thighs. Ow.

May 8

Today was workout day two.  Knowing what to expect from my, let's just call it unfortunate, workout from Monday, I was mentally prepared.  I'm not going to let this program defeat me.

And, you know what? The extra mental preparation served me well today.  I will admit I had to go a little light on the complex today, mainly because I'm new to the clean and the front squat, but I made it through.  I even completed my 60 squats at 95 lbs.

Finished off with a big protein shake.  Strawberry protein powder, blueberries, and almonds.

Stretched out later with some yoga.  That could have been a mistake.  Even though I'm feeling looser in my legs, which is nice, I get really frustrated and tense when I do yoga.  I don't relax or stretch well.

Well, that's all I have for today.  But hey, if you have any suggestions for a good recovery day activity for tomorrow, please let me know.

The Journey Begins... My First Two Days

May 6, 2013 - Workout Day 1

11 am - Preparation

Yesterday I turned twenty-six.  Today I bulk.

Following a recommendation from my dear personal trainer friend, and the creator of this blog, I will be following a bulking plan prescribed by Dan John in his book Mass Made Simple.  Evidently for the next six weeks  I will be eating somewhere around four hundred peanut butter sandwiches a day while punishing my body with an exhausting complex and six hundred thousand four hundred and three squats.  Ok, it’s squats at a relatively low weight, but tell me that isn't still pure evil.

I’m heading to the grocery store later to buy more food. Seriously, I’m going to probably be eating my bodyweight in high protein food.  It looks like I’ll be focusing on lean meats, vegetables, beans, fruit, and all of the peanut butter.  I don’t think you understand me, I’m not saying “a lot of peanut butter.”  I’m going to be the Ron Swanson of peanut butter sandwiches.

I’ll let you know how it goes.  Hold on to your hats, you’re probably in for some grade-A, high-quality, top-shelf whining later.

3 pm - Post Shopping

Well, my wallet just lost some weight.  Nothing notable about my grocery trip except for "forgetting" the PB&J ingredients.

6 pm - Post Workout

Ok.  I’ll spare you the tears and moaning.  Let’s just say this workout kicked. my. butt.

I will take some of the responsibility for this.  I only glanced at the workout instructions for the complex before getting started. I didn't see that I only had to do three reps of each exercise in my complex on the first day, so I did the full eight like an idiot.  But I guess it’s better to do more than less, right?

I only ran into one issue that wasn't self-inflicted: I work out in a home-gym environment, so I use adjustable dumbbells.  One of the exercises requires stair stepping up each weight on the dumbbell rack, so I had to adjust how to do it.  I’ll figure out a better solution to this later.  NOTE TO SELF: ask Justin...

Also, anyone who tells you that high-rep squats aren't that bad is a dirty liar.  And please kick them in the shins for me.  They were just as terrible as I had feared.  I managed less than half of my reps before my legs decided not to bend anymore.  I forced through almost non-squats to hit my thirty.

I’m going to go soak and drink my protein (trying strawberry for the first time).

May 7, 2013 – Recovery Day

So, I’m sore.  Especially in the legs.  Luckily, I’m in decent enough shape that I’m not entirely immobilized.  But trust me when I say that this program I've started isn't for the complete beginner or someone who isn't serious about putting on mass.

I did some light yoga today to recover.  I’ll admit I’m not nearly as flexible as I would like to be, nor do I have the mental flexibility to relax in the slightest, but it was something different.  Maybe I’ll improve here too.  There's no possible way I could get any worse.

Oh, and the eating.  I've only been doing this for a day, 24 hours, and I feel like I've crammed down a week’s worth of food.  Blargh.  But I’m required to eat three meals a day, and like 4 snacks.  I’m putting off resorting to PB&J as long as possible.  Knowing that it’s the perfect food for what I’m doing makes it almost unpalatable… funny how the brain works.

Well, I guess that’s all I have to say for today.  Tomorrow is another workout, and trust me, after yesterday’s debacle, I’m going to read my workout much more carefully.

Supplement Choices for People With No Money

Five seconds of flipping through any muscle magazine will let you in on the industry's worst kept secret: supplements are a gazillion dollar industry with one hand around the author's throat and the other hand also around that author's throat.

YOU CAN'T BUILD MUSCLE WITHOUT 200 GRAMS OF ZYGOTAPHLATHINE XTREME A DAY. SAY IT.

It's a hard pill to swallow (HAHA DO YOU SEE HOW CLEVER I AM) but a lot of supplements are garbage. The supplement industry isn't regulated by the FDA, which means not only can they make unsupported claims, but they don't even have to prove their product is safe before it comes on the market.

This clip from the documentary "Bigger, Stronger, Faster" provides a good look into what goes into the various muscle milks that take up half the paper in your magazine. Also there's a guy with, like huge arms. Like redonkulously huge arms. 

That's not to say there aren't some products out there that can legitimately help you towards your fitness goals, but you have to know what you're looking for. Instead of just looking at product names, know the ingredients that work and make sure they're in ample supply. 

Here's my list of the only supplements that you should consider unless you have money to burn.

1. Whey Protein

Whey protein is the quicker-digesting of the two proteins you'll find in milk, the other one being Casein. I don't even consider this a supplement anymore. It's the absolute easiest way to get protein in your diet: scoop, shake, drink, there's 25 grams of protein in less than 60 seconds. It's also extremely versatile. Aside from shakes and smoothies, you can also throw a scoop in oatmeal or baked goods. Combined with the fact that, gram for gram of protein, it's actually one of the cheapest sources of protein out there, this is the safest jug of powder you'll find at GNC. 

2. Creatine

Creatine is involved in the body's most immediate way of producing energy, which makes it valuable for weightlifters and anyone else who needs quick bursts of strength and energy. Creatine might be the supplement with the most extensive research behind it, and finding good research on a supplement is like finding a unicorn, at least until very recently. Studies like this one provide pretty supportive evidence that creatine supplementation increases muscular size and strength compared to a placebo. It's relatively inexpensive, but you will still save money by buying the ingredient, rather than a big tub with a hundred other things that may or may not work.

3. Caffeine 

Yeah, you read that right. In just about every pre-workout supplement mix you can buy, you'll find this as a primary ingredient. There are studies to support that caffeine increases both muscular strength and endurance, and caffeine is like...everywhere. Instead of buying and expensive pre-workout supplement, try using Crystal Light Energy packets, provided you ignore the extensive use of "girl power" in that advertisement. It's got plenty of caffeine, and you can take it with you to pour in your water bottle....actually, just go with the Kroger brand. They don't emasculate me like Crystal Light does. What, Kraft, you think guys can't benefit from a flavored energy-boosting water enhancement powder? 

I AM A MAN, DAMN IT.

4. Fish Oil

Fish Oil does everything. You don't eat enough fish, I'm guessing, and the capsules are cheap. Take it. 

These are what I take, and I have an amount of money that many people would consider to be no money. The number one thing that will make or break your progress is the actual, real food that you eat, so don't even consider supplements until you have your diet under control. If you have more money than no money and are considering braving the counters and salespeople of your local supplement store, here are some things to consider:

-Beware of the term "proprietary blend". This is a way for supplement makers to spout off a list of impressive ingredients without telling you how much of each one is actually contained in the product. Without an amount listed next to each ingredient, there's a good chance you're buying a pill full of rice flour.

-Testosterone boosters don't work. Don't waste your money. These products want you to think they're legal versions of anabolic steroids, and they're not. They also tend to cost more than a week's worth of groceries. 

-Don't buy anything that costs more than a week's worth of groceries, on that note. You're ALWAYS better off buying better food than you would be buying any supplement. Take that money and buy some bison, if you want something expensive that will get you bigger.

-Fat burners don't work. This is from personal experience: taking a "fat burner" doesn't work if you don't change your diet and exercise. You might be saying, "Well, duh, it's meant to enhance a sound exercise and nutrition program, you can't expect it to do all the work". Bull. If it doesn't work by itself, without changing anything else, then it doesn't work. Your diet and exercise program dropped the pounds, not the pill. Spend the money on a padlock for your pantry and you'll lose more weight. 

I think everyone who catches the fitness bug dives into supplements at some point. I spent way too much money I didn't have on them when I was in college, and I didn't make any more progress than I am now when I'm just lifting heavy and eating right. Well, right-ish. 

A lot of lifters swear by supplements, and a lot of them are probably right. A 400-lb bench presser might never get up to 440 without ten tubs of powder, and good for him. But that's what supplements are for: getting you that extra 10% when you've done all the lifting and eating right up to that point. Do right by yourself in the gym and the kitchen, and don't feel like you're missing something by avoiding the drug store. 

Now go forth and pick up heavy things. 

Want to Get Started? Try Showing Up

"80 percent of success is showing up" - Woody Allen

I don't know about you, but when I need motivation to throw some iron around in the gym, I always turn to the wise words of Woody Allen. Sometimes. Once. Anyway, I like that quote.

Nowhere is this sentiment more applicable than the gym. If you come to the gym on a regular basis -I'm talking, 3 days a week for 3 months or more- and do something, you are on the right side of in-shape. You might still be overweight, you might still be using the lightest dumbbells on the rack, you might still be scorekeeper for every pick-up basketball game you are a part of, but I would bet my favorite Adidas ClimaTee that you are not "need-a-doctor, never-take-the-stairs, cholesterol-higher-than-your-credit-score" out-of-shape.

But it starts with walking through the door. You will lose weight or gain weight or get stronger or get faster one way and only one way: bit by bit. You're building a tower on top of quicksand, and if you take too long adding to the top it's just going to sink underground.

Show up. Here is how you do it:

1. Set a goal, and let the world  know. If you want to bench 225, that's a Facebook post you should be making every bench day. Write your current weight on the top of a sheet of paper on your fridge, your goal weight at the bottom, and a weekly weigh-in that hopefully bridges the gap between the two.

 2. Find a gym or buy some equipment. In all honesty, unless you have friends or a favorite trainer to influence your opinion, the most important aspect to look for in a gym is convenience. Your facility should be close by, or on the way home from work. A thirty minute drive to a gym across town is a great reason not to go. Failing that, spend $50 on a pair of adjustable dumbbells; they're really all you need to get started.

3. Have a game plan. I meant it when I said that doing something was good, but having a plan is the way to go. A plan could be:

-Tagging along with a friend who knows what they're doing. Anyone worth their gym socks is happy to show a newbie the ropes. This is how I got started as a fat kid in high school, and I've shown up ever since.

-Google "beginner program" and stick to it. Stick to reputable sources (Men's Health, Shape, Bodybuilding.com, etc.), but pick one.

-Get a trainer. <shameless self-promotion>This is by far the best option, especially if they've earned their stuff from, say, the University of Kentucky and the National Strength and Conditioning Association and have a fondness for teal. The traditional in-person trainer can provide instant feedback and correct your form, all the while yelling at you to do, like, two more reps. Or, you could try out that new-fangled online personal training, where a trainer sends you a personalized program via the internet and provides an online training log and email feedback so that both of your can keep track of your progress. </shameless self-promotion>

Fitness really is one of those life goals that rewards you for diving right in. But you have to show up and give it something as often as you can, else the fickle bastard will leave you to decay at the bottom of a flight of stairs when the elevator is out.

Go forth and lift heavy things. We're saving you a spot.

A Sensible Approach to Nutrition

We live in an obesogenic environment. Blogger doesn't recognize that as a real word, but it basically means that conditions are ideal for those of us who wish to become obese. Calorie-dense food has never been cheaper nor more widely available, most modern tasks are designed to use as little physical energy as possible, and since being overweight would put you in the majority you would no longer be viewed as a social pariah!

Your dreams can become a reality.

If you need advice on how to gain weight and become obese, I can tell you it has never been easier. However, some of you would like to know how to lose weight, and that's a bit trickier.

The physical activity side of the equation, believe it or not, is pretty easy to deal with. You can hire a particularly handsome personal trainer, and he'll explain, in a sultry but reassuring tone what exactly you should be doing and how to do it.  But if you want to be successful in your pursuit of losing weight, nutrition is what will make or break you. And, unfortunately, it is much harder to deal with.

The problem will always come down to our finite source of willpower. Many of us just have too much on our plate to make good decisions about what's literally on our plate; most commercial diets require such a radical change in the way we eat that we just don't have enough willpower left over after dealing with work, family, and other life problems to follow them with any degree of success. And if you do manage to claw your way through a tough diet and lose a significant amount of weight, you're at a great risk of gaining it all back.

According to this study published in the New England Journal of Medicine and the subsequent article by the New York Times, a significant reduction in calories that results in weight loss (a diet, in other words)  can lead to a physiological and psychological response that promotes weight gain. In the study, the obese participants were fed a very low calorie diet that consisted of low-starch vegetables and a drink best described as "liquid sadness". After ten weeks, the participants lost an average of 30 pounds.

The (fairly predictable) bad news? After a year, almost all of the participants had gained some of the weight back, and reported feeling hungrier and more preoccupied with food than they were before the study.

At Skape Fitness, we're big advocates of a sensible approach to nutrition. Most people wanting to lose weight want to do it quickly, and while that's understandable, it's not exactly practical. Look at it this way: if you are 40 years old, and you want to get back down to the weight you were at 20, you've spent half of your life gaining this weight! You can't expect to lose it in six weeks without some serious consequences.

So what can you do to approach nutrition in a sustainable way that doesn't sap your entire supply of willpower?

Our answer: one step at a time.

Every month, make a small change to your diet. Just one. Something bigger than "pick the pepperonis off my pizza", but maybe smaller than "only eat organic kelp and distilled water." Focusing on one thing at a time is not only more manageable than a complete diet overhaul, but may help you identify the real problem foods that have been slowly moving in over your belt. Here are some suggestions:

-Start taking fish oil. I'm not even going to take the time to tout the benefits of fish oil. Take five seconds to Google it. It's cheap, it helps with heart health and brain function and weight loss, and come on all you have to do is remember to swallow two pills a day. Do it.

-No soda, diet or otherwise, for a month. Soda is the pinnacle of empty calories. Fitness people throw that phrase around a lot, but basically it means that pop will provide calories, but without any other nutrients and without making you ever feel full. Diet soda may -or, hopefully for my sake, may not- be harmful to your health, but I can tell you that I very rarely pair healthy food with my diet cola.

-No alcohol for a month.  Booze is not only empty calories, but it is basically anti-muscle juice when consumed in large quantities. Give it up for a month to see if your lifts go up. Also, if after two days you start shaking, you'll know you have bigger problems to worry about.

-Eat at least 30 grams of fiber per day for a month. If you've never paid attention to fiber in the past.... well, never be more than twenty steps away from the john. I promise it's worth it, and any friends you lose in the process probably weren't all that great anyhow.

-No cold cereal for a month. This once is geared specifically towards me. I love me some Honey Nut Cheerios. Thing is, a human-sized bowl of any cold cereal is about three or four servings; that 120 calories written on the side of the box refers to an amount of cereal that I would consider to be no cereal left. It's also a poor macronutrient profile for either gaining muscle or losing weight, and it never tends to fill me up. If you have a similar weakness, consider giving it up for a while.

By implementing this strategy, you can start to zero in on what your biggest source of weight gain has been. If you look more defined after a month of abstaining only from alcohol, it might be worth avoiding. If soda has been your Achilles heel, you might find that out this month. The point is to make simple, targeted changes that you can implement without completely turning your daily routine on its head.

So there you go. Try focusing on just one thing every thirty days, and keep track of your progress. You might not see the 30 lb transformation you've always dreamed of just by switching to whole-wheat bread, but you might drop a pound or two and make progress toward a healthy lifestyle without devoting all of your extra energy towards it. I hate to say this, but there are more important things in life than being skinny.

Like lifting heavy things, for example.

Introducing Skape Fitness!

So, remember a few months back, when Darren Powers and myself had an epic contest of mass-itude challenging the very notion of what could be done with the mound of organic clay that is the human body?

You know, when we had a contest of who could look better in a month?

Well, we've set aside our differences (for the time being because I totally won and I don't think his psyche can take it much longer) and started a business venture together.

What business, you ask? Did you not read the title of this blog post?

Skape Fitness is part of a new movement in the fitness industry. I know that sounds cliche to the point of losing all meaning, but it's actually true. You see, we're finally starting to realize that the internet is a pretty neat thing, on account of its ability to share information and pictures and videos, sometimes of things that are not cats.

Online personal training is a growing industry, and for good reason. It combines the personalized workouts and instruction of an in-person personal trainer with the affordability of something you can afford. It works like this:

1. You check out our website, realize how awesome and worth it we are, and contact us.

2. We'll create your Trainerize profile for you. Trainerize is the software we use to send you workouts, and it contains a host of videos and charts to instruct you on exercise form as well as keep track of your progress. Through this software,we send you an online consultation form that lets us get to know you and your goals, you fill it out and send it back, and we give you a basic layout of a program we'd write for you.

3. If it sounds good to you (and it will), you pay for a month's worth of workouts for the price of a single in-person training session with a trainer.

4. We send you your first week's worth of workouts through the software. Please do them, this is actually the important part. Record your progress, either by printing out the workout and writing it down, or by downloading the app on your phone and recording it there. We'll be able to see your numbers like this, and it'll help us both keep track of how you're coming and what we need to adjust.

5. With this software, you'll have access to videos and written instructions of all the exercises, as well as instruction regarding sets, reps, rest, what have you. If you have any questions, you can throw them over the internet at us, and we'll throw answers back at you.

6. (Optional) You get a modeling contract with Hot Bodies That are Sexy, LLC and break the world record in the horse toss and the 400m backflip dash, two events you had to invent because you're too in-shape to do normal things.

Like this, but with the horse still attached. 

All of this, the training, instruction, and nutritional guidance that I forgot to mention, is set up to be tailored to your schedule and equipment options. If you have 8 days a week to work out in the biggest gym in Kentucky, we'll give you the absolute best program to take advantage of your options. If you have 40 minutes a week to work out in the corner of your kid's toy room using only old milk jugs and your body, we got you covered there too.

And, of course, this business is the base of operations for my personal training business at Wildcat Fitness, so you'll find all the information you want about training with me in personal on the website as well. Since in-personal training still trumps the admittedly awesome online option because of the immediate feedback and seeing my face, the ideal setup would be training with me once or twice a week, and on your own using our online services the rest of the time. It's like having a tutor and the best study guide ever and a magic potion that makes you sexier all in one.

Since I'm pretty sure it's now required by law, we are now also doing internets on Facebook and Twitter, and you should totally watch us do that. Here are the things:

Twitter Handle: @SkapeFitness

Facebook: facebook.com/pages/Skape-Fitness

We're just starting out, so we could really use the support of awesome people, and since you're reading this blog, you've passed the Awesome Litmus Test. For our first official week of business (from today until April 30, 2013) if you like, share, or scream from the rooftops our name, we will give you a free week of workouts  through our new online training program. Yes, you can do pushups and squats and one-legged Romainian Dumbbell Deadlifts the way we tell you to free for a week! How cool does that sound?

We've given you the means, now go forth and pick up heavy things, the Skape Fitness way!