Today is a day where many people express love and compassion to the people who are closest to them; family, partner, spouse, friend, etc. I view today similarly to how I view Thanksgiving and Christmas: these days represent times of being thankful, grateful, being selfless, giving, generous, kind, and doing it with the people you love, but also offering that kind of compassion toward complete strangers. Why do I view Valentine's day similarly to Christmas and Thanksgiving? Because it "represents" the behavior that should be expressed to the best of our abilities every single day.
We should be trying to get-together with the people we love as often as we can. We should be telling them we love them and are thankful for the things they do while being grateful to have them in our lives. We should be compassionate and kind toward complete strangers. All of the things we should do regularly we now dedicate a handful of days per year. So, with that said, I do want to say I love my family, I love my friends, and I love my girlfriend. I am thankful for my job and I'm grateful for the fact that I do what I love every day.
And now for another important aspect to my life: health topics. And this should frustrate the hell out of you. Just don't take out that frustration on anyone. Use it as motivation to consider the kinds of actions necessary to make a positive difference.
CLICK HERE
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Nutrition: What's been on my mind lately
As a trainer and as a person who plays a small role in an online community devoted to health, I have come to the realization that nutrition can bring about emotions that cause unnecessary stress in peoples' lives. That stress that I am talking about stems from "what can I eat?" to "I ate ________ , now I feel guilty/my world is ending/oh my god, kill me now."
And the best times to enjoy your favorite "naughty" foods? Right after a workout. Just because I haven't had a real slice of pizza in two years doesn't mean you have to do the same. I have had gluten-free pizza and I have made Meatza plenty of times. But there are occasions where you'll probably want pizza and you'll do one of three things: a) take it and enjoy every bite, b) take it and feel guilty for eating it, or c) refuse it. Sometimes even a refusal can lead to guilting you into having a piece.
We've all been in a situation where we've heard: "come on, just have a little," or "come on, just have one." That is usually followed up with "it's not going to kill you." They're right, it's not going to kill you. I have had a plethora of foods in my lifetime. Even though I have drastically reduced my grain intake, I can say that a solid 25 years of my life included plenty of grains. Mac n Cheese, pizza, cereal, sandwiches, garlic bread, spaghetti, lasagna, pancakes, waffles, muffins, doughnuts, and on and on.
After slowly eliminating grains from my own diet with research into the whole Paleo and Primal movement, I can say that I am still alive. They didn't kill me or give me a degenerative disease or an auto-immune disease. I've had cake and pie, and have included more white rice over the last year.
So, when I eat those foods - I enjoy those foods. I know they could potentially come with a stomach ache, or a sugar crash, and potentially make me feel hungover the next day, but I brush it off and get back on track the next day. BUT if you do have a food allergy or a disease that requires some kind of food elimination, this blog post is not for you.
That seems to be where I don't see eye-to-eye with some people and I think that a lightbulb went off. This stuff needs to work for everyone, and everyone is different. Now, if I can only apply this stuff in my everyday endeavors, I think I will have successfully grown as a fitness professional. Now I can strive for a new goal.
Another thing that has been on my mind is alcohol consumption. I really like this post on how to stay lean and drink alcohol.
The thing that I have a hard time with (personally) is that I don't count calories and have always hated it. So, the moral of the story is, if you know you're going to go out drinking to plan for it by a) keeping the fat intake relatively low, b) focus on protein and cruciferous vegetables and c) not having any high-density carbohydrate sources such as starchy roots and tubers.
Apparently, alcohol digests like a carbohydrate, but it cannot be stored, so alcohol takes precedence over other carbohydrates. This is why you should keep the starchy carbohydrate sources as minimal as possible. It can also suppress fat oxidation which can lead to fat storage from the fat that you ingest, so minimizing fat is important on drinking nights, too.
Which means protein and cruciferous vegetables are left. That way you'll minimize fat storage, you'll have the ability to get drunk and have fun with friends without running into situations like the "freshman fifteen", and you should hopefully do all of this guilt-free, as you'll have minimized fat storage. Do you see where I went with that? Right back to guilt. Because we all know what weight gain can do - lead to guilt based on the decision to have a certain food, like a slice of pizza, or the decision to have a few drinks.
And I am trying to minimize the guilt as much as possible. Looks like I need to start reading...
Jeromie
"IS JEROMIE EATING A ROLL?!? I thought he was Paleo..."
I have done some searching on Pubmed and I also have a book or two that I am hoping to read soon enough to devote an entire post on guilt as it relates to food choices. It seems that people can really beat themselves up over a slice of cake or a piece of chocolate.
Then I came across this post where the latter portion is dedicated to a food rant that linked me to this post.
I want to share a great quote from each post. First, from the rant:
"Bottom line – eat real food at least 90 percent of the time, and enjoy some of your favorite not-really-food-items once a week or so."
And this one from the principles post:
"When I overdo things (eat too many sweets, too many processed foods, etc) I tell myself to just accept it and move on. I try not to beat myself up because in reality, it’s no big deal. Just like one whole day of “eating clean and perfect” won’t cause me to wake up drastically leaner the next morning, indulging in pizza once a week won’t cause me to pile on body fat overnight either. I do my best to keep things in perspective and realize there are far more important things in my life to do and concern myself with than feeling guilty about eating too many pieces of pizza." [Emphasis added]I am not perfect, and I am certainly not perfect every day. Granted, I try to avoid gluten and soy as much as possible, but if eliminating foods/food groups becomes a stressor, then I have failed. Stress reduction is a powerful part of living a healthy life.
And the best times to enjoy your favorite "naughty" foods? Right after a workout. Just because I haven't had a real slice of pizza in two years doesn't mean you have to do the same. I have had gluten-free pizza and I have made Meatza plenty of times. But there are occasions where you'll probably want pizza and you'll do one of three things: a) take it and enjoy every bite, b) take it and feel guilty for eating it, or c) refuse it. Sometimes even a refusal can lead to guilting you into having a piece.
We've all been in a situation where we've heard: "come on, just have a little," or "come on, just have one." That is usually followed up with "it's not going to kill you." They're right, it's not going to kill you. I have had a plethora of foods in my lifetime. Even though I have drastically reduced my grain intake, I can say that a solid 25 years of my life included plenty of grains. Mac n Cheese, pizza, cereal, sandwiches, garlic bread, spaghetti, lasagna, pancakes, waffles, muffins, doughnuts, and on and on.
After slowly eliminating grains from my own diet with research into the whole Paleo and Primal movement, I can say that I am still alive. They didn't kill me or give me a degenerative disease or an auto-immune disease. I've had cake and pie, and have included more white rice over the last year.
So, when I eat those foods - I enjoy those foods. I know they could potentially come with a stomach ache, or a sugar crash, and potentially make me feel hungover the next day, but I brush it off and get back on track the next day. BUT if you do have a food allergy or a disease that requires some kind of food elimination, this blog post is not for you.
That seems to be where I don't see eye-to-eye with some people and I think that a lightbulb went off. This stuff needs to work for everyone, and everyone is different. Now, if I can only apply this stuff in my everyday endeavors, I think I will have successfully grown as a fitness professional. Now I can strive for a new goal.
Another thing that has been on my mind is alcohol consumption. I really like this post on how to stay lean and drink alcohol.
The thing that I have a hard time with (personally) is that I don't count calories and have always hated it. So, the moral of the story is, if you know you're going to go out drinking to plan for it by a) keeping the fat intake relatively low, b) focus on protein and cruciferous vegetables and c) not having any high-density carbohydrate sources such as starchy roots and tubers.
Apparently, alcohol digests like a carbohydrate, but it cannot be stored, so alcohol takes precedence over other carbohydrates. This is why you should keep the starchy carbohydrate sources as minimal as possible. It can also suppress fat oxidation which can lead to fat storage from the fat that you ingest, so minimizing fat is important on drinking nights, too.
Which means protein and cruciferous vegetables are left. That way you'll minimize fat storage, you'll have the ability to get drunk and have fun with friends without running into situations like the "freshman fifteen", and you should hopefully do all of this guilt-free, as you'll have minimized fat storage. Do you see where I went with that? Right back to guilt. Because we all know what weight gain can do - lead to guilt based on the decision to have a certain food, like a slice of pizza, or the decision to have a few drinks.
And I am trying to minimize the guilt as much as possible. Looks like I need to start reading...
Jeromie
Monday, January 30, 2012
Current Events
This is going to be a post compiled of a bunch of things that have been going on in my life as of late.
First and foremost, my birthday was on Thursday, January 26th. I turned the ripe old age of 28. As I grow, stay patient, stay caring, and stay humbled, I can see great opportunities falling into my lap. I look forward to the next 10 years.
From some birthday cards and text messages:
Now for some current events with the fitness aspect of things (since that is my life).
I tried for 200 consecutive double-unders and recorded it so I could count and make sure I was correct. So far I've had 205 and 206 be the estimates. I am pretty proud of this, but my overall goal is a solid back squat (2x bodyweight) and mobility. Here's the video.
As far as back squat goes, this is a common picture of reference from Starting Strength:
I am experimenting with the high bar position (the middle picture) and the low bar position (the picture to the right). Low bar on Monday's or Tuesday's and High Bar on Friday's or Saturday's.
One thing most people get wrong with putting a barbell on their back is setting it on the cervical vertebrae, specifically the C7 (the big knob where your neck meets your back). The high bar position sets the bar below the C7 but still on the meaty portion of the trapezius. The high bar position also extends the knees a little more forward (look at the photo of the foot vs. the knee position) and the torso is more upright. The high bar position is a great way to train the anterior chain of the lower body (primarily the quads). The low bar position sets the bar on the supraspinatus muscle/acromion process of the shoulder blade (scapula) - meaning the bar is much lower on the back. The torso is bent forward more (but the back is flat) and the knees don't go as far past the toes (or they stay behind the toes if you can). This trains primarily the posterior chain (hamstrings and glutes).
I am also taking a break on deadlifts (except isolateral training or light deadlift days) because of the recovery time and the fact I want to focus on squats. I will also be adding in some isolateral squatting exercises and working hard on my mobility. Click here for a great mobility exercise I've come across to help with external rotation and opening the hips to help with squats.
The last thing I want to talk about is CrossFit. I found CrossFit during my last two quarters in college in 2009. I asked to become an intern and leech the brains of the owner/coach. I learned so much and quickly fell in love with the CrossFit methodology. For anyone who wasn't training for anything sport specific, I thought CrossFit was the end-all, be-all.
As my education grew and I started to read the opinions of other coaches/trainers, I started to take a step back and re-think the safety and effectiveness of CrossFit. Around that time, I received a phone call from the owner/coach whose brains I leeched, and he told me he was not renewing his affiliation and didn't want to be identified as a CrossFit gym anymore. He was asked in a forum why he left CrossFit, and this is his response:
I know there are some great facilities with great coaches and I know there are some terrible facilities that overdo it for many of their clients. Two things I found particularly useful about CrossFit is the community and the stopwatch. It's amazing to see how the community at a gym develops and how they go through the journey together, to be a support and on occasion, make other members accountable. And the stopwatch can really bring out the intensity in people and really push them beyond what they were capable of or beyond what they would've done had the stopwatch not been used. But it can be a double-edged sword if people push themselves so hard their form falls apart and they hurt themselves, or they don't listen to their body if they're trying to "get a good time" or "get more rounds."
And a coach yelling in your ear to pick it up, or keep moving, or don't stop, is not really a coach; more or less a drill instructor. You have to be able to read people, read the movements, and know when to slow down or stop someone. That means you need to worry less about the stopwatch and worry more about the client. And doing a workout "as prescribed" is not a good thing if the client isn't ready. If your top performers can complete a prescribed workout in 10 minutes and you let a client do the same workout prescribed and it takes them 20 minutes, then you've failed (in my opinion). Think of the power output lost by adding 10 extra minutes to the same workout.
You need to judge the workout with the abilities, strengths, and mental drive of each client with the goal being they all finish within a couple minutes of each other. Now that I feel as though I've ranted about CrossFit for the last half-an-hour, I think I'll wrap up this post.
This year is going to be a great year for me. I am going to really focus on what is important to the clients at my gym, focus on training what is important to my own goals, and continue to be grateful for the wonderful people in my life. Train smart. And remember: strength is better than weakness.
Jeromie
First and foremost, my birthday was on Thursday, January 26th. I turned the ripe old age of 28. As I grow, stay patient, stay caring, and stay humbled, I can see great opportunities falling into my lap. I look forward to the next 10 years.
From some birthday cards and text messages:
"I've always looked up to you as far back as my memory takes me. You were always the one I admired." - Youngest sister
"Do not change, you are amazing." - Younger sister
"Thanks for being so great and always cheering me up and making me laugh." - Roommate
"You bring so much laughter and joy to my life. I am so glad to have you back 'home' to spend time with you." - Mama
"You are an amazing man with a contagious personality. I don't know anyone who doesn't want to be around you. I'm happy to call you my boyfriend and I have loved this last month together." - Girlfriend
"Have I told you lately that you're an amazing human being? I already knew this fact, but it really hit home while I was reading your blog today." - My friend LoPoI don't expect gifts from people I hardly know, or only know because of where I work, but I was caught off guard by the generosity of many of the clients. You really didn't have to give me a gift, but I thank you for being so kind. It has truly made the last 5 days wonderful.
Now for some current events with the fitness aspect of things (since that is my life).
I tried for 200 consecutive double-unders and recorded it so I could count and make sure I was correct. So far I've had 205 and 206 be the estimates. I am pretty proud of this, but my overall goal is a solid back squat (2x bodyweight) and mobility. Here's the video.
As far as back squat goes, this is a common picture of reference from Starting Strength:
I am experimenting with the high bar position (the middle picture) and the low bar position (the picture to the right). Low bar on Monday's or Tuesday's and High Bar on Friday's or Saturday's.
One thing most people get wrong with putting a barbell on their back is setting it on the cervical vertebrae, specifically the C7 (the big knob where your neck meets your back). The high bar position sets the bar below the C7 but still on the meaty portion of the trapezius. The high bar position also extends the knees a little more forward (look at the photo of the foot vs. the knee position) and the torso is more upright. The high bar position is a great way to train the anterior chain of the lower body (primarily the quads). The low bar position sets the bar on the supraspinatus muscle/acromion process of the shoulder blade (scapula) - meaning the bar is much lower on the back. The torso is bent forward more (but the back is flat) and the knees don't go as far past the toes (or they stay behind the toes if you can). This trains primarily the posterior chain (hamstrings and glutes).
I am also taking a break on deadlifts (except isolateral training or light deadlift days) because of the recovery time and the fact I want to focus on squats. I will also be adding in some isolateral squatting exercises and working hard on my mobility. Click here for a great mobility exercise I've come across to help with external rotation and opening the hips to help with squats.
The last thing I want to talk about is CrossFit. I found CrossFit during my last two quarters in college in 2009. I asked to become an intern and leech the brains of the owner/coach. I learned so much and quickly fell in love with the CrossFit methodology. For anyone who wasn't training for anything sport specific, I thought CrossFit was the end-all, be-all.
As my education grew and I started to read the opinions of other coaches/trainers, I started to take a step back and re-think the safety and effectiveness of CrossFit. Around that time, I received a phone call from the owner/coach whose brains I leeched, and he told me he was not renewing his affiliation and didn't want to be identified as a CrossFit gym anymore. He was asked in a forum why he left CrossFit, and this is his response:
"Check out Robb Wolf's podcast 91. Skip to 36 minutes. He sums it up nicely. (I would give you a link but Robb's site is being weird this morning.) This podcast clip is not kid or work friendly!Although it's a bit harsh, he makes some great points. Heavy lifting and mobility should be a part of a training protocol for anyone, no matter what the goals. Secondly, metcons that destroy people for 20 minutes or longer are really no better than running a 5K or 10K. They're basically training endurance/stamina and the client will lose a lot of power output by extending their workouts for so long. Not to say long workouts every once in a while are bad, it's just that most people workout because they want to be healthy and look good naked. If you're training them for a sport, then of course you'd need to adjust your programming accordingly.
CrossFit has nothing to do with getting people fit and everything to do with making people good at CrossFit workouts. To make matters MUCH worse, CrossFit founder Greg Glassman has likened Paleo to a cult and strongly promotes the Zone diet. The good CrossFits all promote actual science in nutrition (Paleo) AND have a well designed heavy lifting protocol AND keep their metcons short, which means they really aren't CrossFit anymore, and I have absolutely no way to tell anyone how to find a good one when the overwhelming majority are terrible. I just couldn't be associated with that anymore."
I know there are some great facilities with great coaches and I know there are some terrible facilities that overdo it for many of their clients. Two things I found particularly useful about CrossFit is the community and the stopwatch. It's amazing to see how the community at a gym develops and how they go through the journey together, to be a support and on occasion, make other members accountable. And the stopwatch can really bring out the intensity in people and really push them beyond what they were capable of or beyond what they would've done had the stopwatch not been used. But it can be a double-edged sword if people push themselves so hard their form falls apart and they hurt themselves, or they don't listen to their body if they're trying to "get a good time" or "get more rounds."
And a coach yelling in your ear to pick it up, or keep moving, or don't stop, is not really a coach; more or less a drill instructor. You have to be able to read people, read the movements, and know when to slow down or stop someone. That means you need to worry less about the stopwatch and worry more about the client. And doing a workout "as prescribed" is not a good thing if the client isn't ready. If your top performers can complete a prescribed workout in 10 minutes and you let a client do the same workout prescribed and it takes them 20 minutes, then you've failed (in my opinion). Think of the power output lost by adding 10 extra minutes to the same workout.
You need to judge the workout with the abilities, strengths, and mental drive of each client with the goal being they all finish within a couple minutes of each other. Now that I feel as though I've ranted about CrossFit for the last half-an-hour, I think I'll wrap up this post.
This year is going to be a great year for me. I am going to really focus on what is important to the clients at my gym, focus on training what is important to my own goals, and continue to be grateful for the wonderful people in my life. Train smart. And remember: strength is better than weakness.
Jeromie
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Faith
If you’ve read any of my previous posts, I would hope you’ve read into the fact I am a genuine human being. I care about people and I’ve had some things happen that have really opened my eyes and humbled me.
As a trainer, I get up every day and help people accomplish health and fitness goals. I learn about exercise so our clients can move safely, efficiently, and effectively. I learn about health and nutrition related issues so I can help our clients on their road to optimal health and performance.
My morals and values were shaped by my life experiences, my choices, my upbringing, my mistakes, and my peer group(s). I believe I am a well-intended person who brings a lot of joy into the lives of the people I love or the people who are around me often (like clients in the gym, many of whom I love).
Yesterday, a client gave me one of the best compliments I’ve ever received. He said that he enjoys working out when I am coaching. He said he likes how I always smile and make it a point to greet everyone with excitement and enthusiasm. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want people to do something wrong and hurt themselves, so I will yell at you or stop whatever you’re doing to change an error, but I view the gym as my second home.
I wanted to demonstrate my character as a person because I occasionally have people approach me for personal advice and my opinion. From what I’ve heard, it’s because these people respect me and the things I’ve gone through. They know they’re going to get as honest of a response as I can give. I constantly work on being direct, because I have grown into disliking when people beat around the bush.
A recent incident frustrated me enough to finally write this post. If you’re reading this, thank you. I needed to get this off of my chest. I also want you to know I don’t intend on being disrespectful to you, so if it comes across that way let me know. This is also meant for some of my family members who I feel have a similar concern.
After offering my two cents to a particular question, I received this as part of the response (broken up into parts to focus on the thanks, appreciation, and respect):
“Okay sounds good. I appreciate it... Thanks again, for everything. Besides your lack of faith in God you are ok, haha. ;) … You are cool though for sure. I don't go to people for advice so obviously I respect you. That's kind of a big deal…”
Yes, I am atheist. And the statement underlined and bolded above offended me.
Why?
Because atheist has managed to become a “bad” word. Because atheist means that I am somehow a “bad” person. Because I feel like I have to hide my beliefs (or lack thereof) to make other people feel comfortable around me when that kind of discrimination doesn’t apply to any “believer.”
In my opinion, God is what people make up in their minds to find comfort in what they don’t know or don’t understand. God does not exist in reality, God exists in your head.
I don’t need that comfort. And I don’t appreciate it when people who do need that comfort think that I would somehow be “better” if I believed what they believed. I think it might be due to the fact they want to see me for what they are and not for what I am. So, if what I believe doesn’t match what they believe, they think I am missing something or, possibly, that I'm not as good as them.
Don’t over-analyze that last sentence. I am not trying to say you consciously think you’re better than me. It could just be the conditioning of your religious point-of-view. Just don’t assume I would be "better" with your faith. I’ve grown into what I believe to be someone many people look up to, trust, and respect.
Some of you will probably read this and look at me differently. Those of you who are genuine and non-judgmental will read this and still love me for me.
And I want to leave you with some food for thought. If a person told you God talked to them, you would likely think they were crazy or schizophrenic (yet the opposite isn't crazy?). Here’s a quote that stands out to me along those lines:
"When one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion, it is called religion."
And don’t worry; I will only laugh at your beliefs when you’re not around.
Jeromie
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Resolutions
New Year's resolutions are interesting. They can be motivating and irritating all at the same time.
In the fitness industry, resolutions seem to be motivating... for a month. As a trainer, that is irritating. When I was in grad school, we had a gym owner give a presentation to our cohort. I asked him about a "New Year's rush" and if he was anticipating any growth.
His response?
"I don't want those people."
I couldn't have said it any better myself.
"I'll do it after the holidays" seems to be a common theme. And those are the people that tend to give up after a month because they already lacked any commitment during the holidays when Thanksgiving and Christmas are only two days out of a two month period. You really couldn't eat well and exercise the other 58 days? Or you really want to put off your health for another two months? Why not start right away?
Although it can be frustrating, I also want to see people be successful. So I want to recommend a couple things that I've learned as a trainer.
First: aesthetic goals will drive a person insane. I know, we ALL want to look better with our clothes off. But people really beat themselves up over the smallest, most insignificant things possible. And no, running and running and running is not going to help you reach your goals. Do you think bodybuilders get to under 4% body-fat by running and running and running? No, they change their diet. Diet is 70-80% of your body composition. MORE EXERCISE IS NOT THE ANSWER.
Yes, I am a trainer, and yes I really said that. SMART EXERCISE IS THE ANSWER.
If your sleep patterns are good (8-9 hours a night), you have no unhealthy addictions (cigarettes, drugs, alcohol) and you are eating real, whole foods, then it is wise to check up on your exercise habits. Which brings me to the goals you should have: performance goals.
Performance goals are going to be better than aesthetic goals. For example, I want to be able to do the splits, I want to deadlift 500 pounds, I want to back squat 350 pounds (or 400 if my next 1-rep-max takes a huge jump), I want to do a 100 pound weighted chin-up, and I want to shoulder press my bodyweight.
So ask yourself, what is my back squat? can I do a push-up? Can I do a pull-up? What about a handstand? Can I plank for 2 minutes? How is my flexibility?
When you have nailed your sleep patterns and the food choices you make, along with eliminating the unhealthy influences in your life, you can start asking yourself about your performance and how to reach those goals. Then work for them. You didn't get to where you are overnight, so if you're looking for something to transform you overnight, I can't help you.
By reaching your performance goals, and by getting stronger, you will walk by a mirror one day and go "Damn! When did I get so hot?" which is a lot healthier than beating yourself up over any aesthetic goals you might have.
I also need to bring up weight loss. Weight loss is a poorly used term with the scale being a double-edged sword. When you have a lot of weight to lose, the scale can be very motivating. When you start to get to that last 10-20 pounds, it can be extremely deflating. Why? Because the scale doesn't say the number you want it to say. The result? You do more and more exercise hoping the scale will move.
This logic is stupid (sorry).
If the scale does move, it's safe to say that your mid-section is probably still soft. Cortisol and muscle breakdown are two of the issues in this situation. The weight that is lost comes from muscle while cortisol is keeping you soft, especially in the mid-section. No, you can't spot check and doing crunches is not going to tone your stomach. But your abs will be strong under that muffin top (insert sarcasm).
Instead of weight loss, choose fat loss as a goal. Strength is better than weakness, so please don't let your muscles atrophy at the cost of losing "weight." The stronger our clients get - especially the female clients - the leaner they tend to be or end up (when they are eating right and sleeping well). And by eating right, remember that caloric restriction is an unnecessary stress on the body (stress = cortisol = keeping you soft).
Eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full. If your caloric intake drops by accident, it's okay. At least you're listening to your body's signals. Listening to your body seems to be a lost concept by many, but that's a whole other topic.
I would like to use Deb as an example. Deb is one of our clients who transformed her body and STAYED THE SAME WEIGHT.
This is why the scale can be your enemy. Her heavy lifts as of 12/30/2011: Back squat - 195lbs, Deadlift - 245lbs, Bench Press - 117.5lbs, and Shoulder Press - 85lbs. And she can do a strict chin-up with 35lbs around her waist.
We all start somewhere, and she had to work on her squat with no weight for 2 weeks before she could put a load on her back. She is 2 years in the making. She started at 50 and transformed into a terror in the gym by 52. Last time I checked, 2 years is longer than 1 month at a local fitness club. Have patience. Have goals. And let the body composition changes happen by accident
Lastly, I would like to say that the people who work at well-known gyms are there to sell you a membership. When you stop going, you continue to pay out of guilt of cancelling and you will talk yourself into keeping it thinking you'll eventually use it again. If having the membership isn't motivating enough, why keep it? Save the money. Let's say that you would be willing to pay $40.00 a month for a gym membership that you didn't use for two years. 24 multiplied by $40.00 is $960.00. Even one year of not using your membership is $480.00 that you would save.
We sell personal training packages at 12 sessions for $600.00. You want to workout for a month and not have it cost you as much as two years of a gym membership that you don't use, come see me. Just be warned, you might fall in love with me and everyone at CPC, along with the changes you will make.
Or you could try out Everyday Paleo Lifestyle and Fitness for an extra $20.00 a month for six months. Not only would you have a whole community to support you, you'd have an online personal trainer who designs the workouts for you. Plus mobility work. Six months at $60.00 a month (gym plus EPLifeFit) is $360.00. A much smaller price to pay if you slowly fall back into old habits.
Jeromie
In the fitness industry, resolutions seem to be motivating... for a month. As a trainer, that is irritating. When I was in grad school, we had a gym owner give a presentation to our cohort. I asked him about a "New Year's rush" and if he was anticipating any growth.
His response?
"I don't want those people."
I couldn't have said it any better myself.
"I'll do it after the holidays" seems to be a common theme. And those are the people that tend to give up after a month because they already lacked any commitment during the holidays when Thanksgiving and Christmas are only two days out of a two month period. You really couldn't eat well and exercise the other 58 days? Or you really want to put off your health for another two months? Why not start right away?
Although it can be frustrating, I also want to see people be successful. So I want to recommend a couple things that I've learned as a trainer.
First: aesthetic goals will drive a person insane. I know, we ALL want to look better with our clothes off. But people really beat themselves up over the smallest, most insignificant things possible. And no, running and running and running is not going to help you reach your goals. Do you think bodybuilders get to under 4% body-fat by running and running and running? No, they change their diet. Diet is 70-80% of your body composition. MORE EXERCISE IS NOT THE ANSWER.
Yes, I am a trainer, and yes I really said that. SMART EXERCISE IS THE ANSWER.
If your sleep patterns are good (8-9 hours a night), you have no unhealthy addictions (cigarettes, drugs, alcohol) and you are eating real, whole foods, then it is wise to check up on your exercise habits. Which brings me to the goals you should have: performance goals.
Performance goals are going to be better than aesthetic goals. For example, I want to be able to do the splits, I want to deadlift 500 pounds, I want to back squat 350 pounds (or 400 if my next 1-rep-max takes a huge jump), I want to do a 100 pound weighted chin-up, and I want to shoulder press my bodyweight.
So ask yourself, what is my back squat? can I do a push-up? Can I do a pull-up? What about a handstand? Can I plank for 2 minutes? How is my flexibility?
When you have nailed your sleep patterns and the food choices you make, along with eliminating the unhealthy influences in your life, you can start asking yourself about your performance and how to reach those goals. Then work for them. You didn't get to where you are overnight, so if you're looking for something to transform you overnight, I can't help you.
By reaching your performance goals, and by getting stronger, you will walk by a mirror one day and go "Damn! When did I get so hot?" which is a lot healthier than beating yourself up over any aesthetic goals you might have.
I also need to bring up weight loss. Weight loss is a poorly used term with the scale being a double-edged sword. When you have a lot of weight to lose, the scale can be very motivating. When you start to get to that last 10-20 pounds, it can be extremely deflating. Why? Because the scale doesn't say the number you want it to say. The result? You do more and more exercise hoping the scale will move.
This logic is stupid (sorry).
If the scale does move, it's safe to say that your mid-section is probably still soft. Cortisol and muscle breakdown are two of the issues in this situation. The weight that is lost comes from muscle while cortisol is keeping you soft, especially in the mid-section. No, you can't spot check and doing crunches is not going to tone your stomach. But your abs will be strong under that muffin top (insert sarcasm).
Instead of weight loss, choose fat loss as a goal. Strength is better than weakness, so please don't let your muscles atrophy at the cost of losing "weight." The stronger our clients get - especially the female clients - the leaner they tend to be or end up (when they are eating right and sleeping well). And by eating right, remember that caloric restriction is an unnecessary stress on the body (stress = cortisol = keeping you soft).
Eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full. If your caloric intake drops by accident, it's okay. At least you're listening to your body's signals. Listening to your body seems to be a lost concept by many, but that's a whole other topic.
I would like to use Deb as an example. Deb is one of our clients who transformed her body and STAYED THE SAME WEIGHT.
This is why the scale can be your enemy. Her heavy lifts as of 12/30/2011: Back squat - 195lbs, Deadlift - 245lbs, Bench Press - 117.5lbs, and Shoulder Press - 85lbs. And she can do a strict chin-up with 35lbs around her waist.
We all start somewhere, and she had to work on her squat with no weight for 2 weeks before she could put a load on her back. She is 2 years in the making. She started at 50 and transformed into a terror in the gym by 52. Last time I checked, 2 years is longer than 1 month at a local fitness club. Have patience. Have goals. And let the body composition changes happen by accident
Lastly, I would like to say that the people who work at well-known gyms are there to sell you a membership. When you stop going, you continue to pay out of guilt of cancelling and you will talk yourself into keeping it thinking you'll eventually use it again. If having the membership isn't motivating enough, why keep it? Save the money. Let's say that you would be willing to pay $40.00 a month for a gym membership that you didn't use for two years. 24 multiplied by $40.00 is $960.00. Even one year of not using your membership is $480.00 that you would save.
We sell personal training packages at 12 sessions for $600.00. You want to workout for a month and not have it cost you as much as two years of a gym membership that you don't use, come see me. Just be warned, you might fall in love with me and everyone at CPC, along with the changes you will make.
Or you could try out Everyday Paleo Lifestyle and Fitness for an extra $20.00 a month for six months. Not only would you have a whole community to support you, you'd have an online personal trainer who designs the workouts for you. Plus mobility work. Six months at $60.00 a month (gym plus EPLifeFit) is $360.00. A much smaller price to pay if you slowly fall back into old habits.
Jeromie
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Previously Deleted
As I started to develop new ideas and open new doors, my blog has evolved. And in the process, I've deleted many posts; posts that I wish I could bring back to demonstrate my growth while acting as a reference to a certain point in my life.
Even though I can't magically bring them back, I can take what I do have and make a new post with that material. For example, on November 19th, 2010 (my mom's birthday) I wrote in a small notebook: "You're drifting away and I can feel it. You've left an incredible impression on me, thank you. You'll always be in my heart. Let your life's journey be joyous and safe. Goodnight & goodbye. J."
If you read my blog you know that just before Thanksgiving of 2010 Kristin told me she wanted space and wanted to live separately. But my heart knew better; my heart knew we were going to be over for good. December 5th we moved into separate places and December 11th we were over for good.
November 21st, two days after I wrote those brief sentences in my notebook, I opened up a word document and wrote as if what my gut was telling me was true (and it was, I just didn't know for certain). I wrote a blog post that included that document a long while back, but deleted it. What I didn't delete was that word document.
Here it is, copied and pasted.
" November 21st, 2010Kristin,I guess this means goodbye. Separation seemed to be the first step in moving forward in your life; forward without me. You want more than you expect you will get out of me: financially and emotionally.
You are an awesome person. I love you with all of my heart. You have been nothing but generous and caring and loving and I want you to know that those things haven’t gone unnoticed or unappreciated.
After all of the things we’ve talked about, I can understand your frustrations and I can understand why you think there is someone out there that is better for you. I would probably feel the same way if the situation were reversed.
We’ve had a lot of life together. Those memories will live in me forever. I will never forget you.
I hope your journey leads you to all of the places that you desire to go and to see all of the places that you desire to see.
I hope you meet someone that makes you happy and who will satisfy all of your needs. I hope they have more in common, as well.
Live out your full potential.
Change the world.
But please don’t forget me. I hope there are things you will remember and cherish about me and I hope that those things will make you smile when you need them to the most.
This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to write, but I want you to find happiness. And I don’t think you’re truly happy with me.
You’re more of a free spirit than me. Just remember to be safe on your journey(s).
Life awaits.
I love you with all of my heart,
Jeromie A******** P****.
Song of the situation: “Almost Lover” – A Fine Frenzy"
I wanted to make this public again because it makes me feel better. And I don't really care what anyone else thinks. December 2010 - July 2011 was an emotional roller coaster ride for me and I always feel better when I can embrace that, let it out, and move forward.
I am truly grateful for everyone who's impacted my life. To those who aren't in my life, thank you. To those who are still in my life, thank you. Without your impact and influence, I wouldn't be who I am today.
I love you all.
Jeromie
Social Media
Human behavior is funny. It's fun to think about, analyze, and interpret.
I would consider myself a boring person. I am amused by saying or doing things just for the "shock-and-awe" effect, I say things that bring smiles, I can be selfish, but I can also put others' needs before my own.
Overall, I would consider myself a person who cares. When it comes to social media such as Facebook and Twitter, I find myself confused at times.
The biggest confusion comes from Twitter. I say the most random and (in my mind) boring things, with the occasional quote or article, and I don't know what people would find so interesting about me. I have ~130 followers, and I would say a good 100 of them I don't know personally. Possibly more.
Is this supposed to confuse me so much?
Facebook is a little different, and I really enjoy staying in touch with friends and family who are out of state/I don't see often, but I can't handle all of the negative comments. I swear people do it for attention and it is the lamest thing ever.
Yet, I find myself always checking up on the latest status updates or what interesting things are happening on my timeline. Maybe my behavior is like those of my followers: filtering through the nonsense waiting for something to stand out and spark curiosity. Whether it's replying to a post/tweet or reading the latest article or blog post.
I may not ever understand why people would follow me, of all people, but I do enjoy the mindless (and occasionally mindful) escape that is social media.
Jeromie
I would consider myself a boring person. I am amused by saying or doing things just for the "shock-and-awe" effect, I say things that bring smiles, I can be selfish, but I can also put others' needs before my own.
Overall, I would consider myself a person who cares. When it comes to social media such as Facebook and Twitter, I find myself confused at times.
The biggest confusion comes from Twitter. I say the most random and (in my mind) boring things, with the occasional quote or article, and I don't know what people would find so interesting about me. I have ~130 followers, and I would say a good 100 of them I don't know personally. Possibly more.
Is this supposed to confuse me so much?
Facebook is a little different, and I really enjoy staying in touch with friends and family who are out of state/I don't see often, but I can't handle all of the negative comments. I swear people do it for attention and it is the lamest thing ever.
Yet, I find myself always checking up on the latest status updates or what interesting things are happening on my timeline. Maybe my behavior is like those of my followers: filtering through the nonsense waiting for something to stand out and spark curiosity. Whether it's replying to a post/tweet or reading the latest article or blog post.
I may not ever understand why people would follow me, of all people, but I do enjoy the mindless (and occasionally mindful) escape that is social media.
Jeromie
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