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If you’re not sure how to get better results in the gym, it could simply be because you’re working out too much, too long, or too hard. But how is that possible, you ask?
Let’s talk about how to work out smarter not harder.
You don’t have to spend 2-3 hours in the gym to reach some pretty impressive goals. 1-2 hours really is all you need. And this should include a 10 minute warm up and cool down, plus a 10 minute stretch.
This article is inspired by many, many people I have seen in the gym. People who are trying their hardest to get a good pump and reach new goals. Sadly, there is a very simple and yet huge component, that a lot of people miss. As a result, there are a lot of truly dedicated people who just aren’t getting their goals met, and don’t know why.
This article is directly written for beginners as well as all my pals who have been in the gym for . . . centuries. Because, as a newb, I remember observing the more seasoned gym rats and thinking they knew what they were doing. Looking back, I see that these poor guys were also missing out on something very important.
So let’s jump right in.
GET BETTER RESULTS IN THE GYM WITH FULL RANGE OF MOTION
First we are going to talk about some basics. Range of motion. This is one phrase you need to become aware of if you aren’t already.
There are very few times when youshouldn’tuse full range of motion. So we will just focus on using full range of motion always. For now. There are exceptions to this rule, but generally speaking, one should always use full range of motion.
Full range of motion helps you build better balanced muscles. In other words, full ROM helps your muscles grow fully, filling out proportionately. When you don’t use full range of motion, you inhibit your movements and can stunt your muscle growth. Also, full ROM helps with balance and stability, and developing overall strength.
If you are not sure what full range of motion looks like, go on YouTube and search whatever move you’re trying to do, (i.e. bicep curl) and search “how to do a bicep curl using full range of motion.”
GET RESULTS IN THE GYM BY SLOWING DOWN
When you rush through your moves, you’re doing a lot of things, and none are for your good. One very specific thing that is not good is you’re increasing your chances of injury.
When I began my gym life as a newb, I really thought the faster I curled the stronger I’d become. It made sense to me. It wears you out faster, you get your heart rate up, you sweat . . .
When you slow down, you’re allowing yourself to focus on the muscle you’re working. Mind to muscle literally focuses all of your energy to the exact muscle you’re working, therefore maximizing the value of your move.
When you slow down, it allows you to fully extend your movement so that you are using full range of motion properly. In this way, you’re also able to utilize the entire flexing and extending capacity of the movement, maximizing every inch of the move to build your muscle proportionately, and increasing size and strength.
Slowing down your movements also helps you work those tiny stabilizer muscles which supports the larger muscle groups. Also, by slowing it down you have a longer time under tension which result in better muscle hypertrophy (growth).
GET RESULTS IN THE GYM BY MAKING EVERY MINUTE COUNT
When you are in the gym every move you make should count, and so should every moment.
When you are catching your breath between sets, do something.
One thing you can be doing is drinking water. Staying properly hydrated during your workouts is extremely important. If you’re not hydrated, your joints will hurt, and your muscles will cramp. Water also helps to regulate your body temp, and we all know it can get a little hot up in the gym!
Another thing that helps you maximize your time in the gym is to use a timer. It’s easy to sit down and scroll through IG. I know, I’ve had my “meh” gym days where I probably have spent equal amount of time scrolling as lifting. Time your breaks. If you’re lifting “light”, give yourself 30 second breaks. When you’re pushing heavier weights, give yourself 1.5 minute breaks. And, if you’re doing power and lifting extra heavy, you may need up to 3+ minute breaks. But don’t ever fully cool down between sets.
A third thing I like doing is throwing in a 10-rep set of crunches or a 30 second plank. It takes minimal effort, minimal time, and you don’t have to have an “ab day” when you’re doing abs between every set you do in the gym.
GET BETTER RESULTS IN THE GYM WITH VARIETY
Change can be a scary word and action, for anybody. It takes you away from your comfort zone, or your auto-pilot go-to. But it also throws you for a loop enough that it can jolt your muscles to wake up and grow.
Your body gets used to patterns of movement, lifting a set weight, and repetition without change doesn’t produce any sort of better results.
Every 5-8 weeks you should completely change up your workout. Go from light weight, high reps to heavy weight low reps. You can change from a balance and stability workout to a more cardio based workout. You can switch from using mostly machines to using bands, dumbbells and balance-inducing equipment like a Bosu ball or stability ball. Take a break from the gym on weekends and go kayaking and hiking. Something that changes up your routine not only confuses your muscles but also helps you psychologically as well. Change is inspiring. Getting “uncomfortable” and going out of familiar territory helps us grow.
When you’re doing cardio, jump off the treadmill and do 30 seconds of jumping jacks or squat jumps, etc. Changing it up like this helps to break up your time and keeps you focused.
GET BETTER RESULTS IN THE GYM WITH TRACKING YOUR PROGRESS
Write down how much weight you do when lifting, pushing, pulling, etc. Every time you work out, keep track of how much weight you did, then up your weight. Try to up your weight every week. Some times it takes 2 weeks, and sometimes the “up” is only a pound increase. Whatever it is, write it down. This gives you a visual track record of your progress.
GET BETTER RESULTS IN THE GYM WITH THE RIGHT SUPPLEMENTS
Say no to energy drinks, say hello to Nootropics. AXIO takes a different approach to energy—specially formulated to give energy to your mind, not just your body.
I have never been a supplement girl. Ever. Until about 4 months ago. But these supplements are different. This is not a multivitamin.
Let me explain.
Protandim® NAD Synergizer was specifically formulated to target NAD, and has been shown to double sirtuin activity in 24 hours. Supporting increased health, focus, energy, mental clarity, and mood.
These supplements go cell-deep. Have you ever wished to – feel young again? Well, these supplements basically help you begin your journey to aging backwards.
You won’t find a huge burst of jittery energy, and you also won’t watch your hair turn from white back to brown.
What you will feel (or, I should say, what I feel) is that energy from the teen years. That rarely-ever-tired, go-all-day, sort of energy.
Time to evolve from just taking supplements to biohacking. Clinically proven to reduce oxidative stress by 40% in 30 days.
With this kind of energy, I have not had a bad gym-day yet. Which is a lot for me to say, because I always had at least 1-3 bad gym days a week. Just the low-energy ones, the days when no matter what, I couldn’t do a 20 pound concentration curl like usual.
Also, my nights are so much better, which in turn makes for less tiring days. I also very rarely experience afternoon lack of energy. My recovery timein the gym is also much quicker, making it much easier for me to advance and progress.
Let me warn you, this supplement is one that sort of sneaks up on you (slowly). I took it for 10 days before I felt anything, and even then I wasn’t sure it was the Nrf2. I thought maybe it was just because I had a good night’s sleep. It was 3 months before I started having better nights, and that also didn’t just hit me one day. But trust me, be patient, it’s so worth it! It’s not even expensive, which is a huge win!
FINAL NOTE ON MY FAVE TWO PRODUCTS
I take AXIO in the mornings on my way to the gym. It is my “energy” drink, but again, don’t mistaken “energy” for the same thing as a cup of coffee. This energy is an awake-ness, from the brain out. 🙂
The Nrf2 is what I have consistently been taking for 4 months now which has helped improve my lack of energy and recovery time.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclaimer for more info.
Vegan Powerlifting
An Interview with Jim Gurtner Part 2
Welcome back to VeganPowerlifting!
Jim Gurtner, professional powerlifter and bodybuilder became a vegan and has competed off and on for 30 years. He won championships on this diet when the plant-based lifestyle wasn’t at all popular or cool. In fact, in the fitness world, it was thought that one could not build muscle on plants, because, after all, where would someone get protein if not from meat?
At the moment, Jim is not competing, but this doesn’t mean he won’t again. He even told me that, “When I was not training for a meet, I would be training with someone who was getting ready for one.” His career as a powerlifter hasn’t necessarily been the only thing he has done. It has been more of an off and on hobby over the past 30 year span.
Now, he says that in the past 5 years, though he may not be competing right now, he has done personal training for vegans and non-vegans alike.
Jim has just recently released a book for amateurs and professionals alike, Vegan Health & Strength.In his book, you will discover how a properly designed vegan diet can be superior to all others for building a strong, healthy, and muscular body. He teaches you how to plan and easily prepare vegan meals, as well as muscle-building workouts with energy and stamina you wouldn’t think possible.
Below, I continue talking with Jim about his life as a fitness professional, powerlifter and bodybuilder. We also talk some about his personal life and even mention some of the famous people he got to meet along the way!
When I was beginning my fitness goals, the idea of bodybuilding didn’t cross my mind. Not really anyway. Maybe briefly, but I’d say it was more of a distant thought. For Jim on the other hand, it was a passion. I asked Jim what made him decided he wanted to be a bodybuilder, and he told me his story:
“I was 16 and a junior in high school. One day in the cafeteria while eating, someone said, ‘you have to check out this freshman and the size of his biceps.’ His name was Ben Lew. When I asked him to show me his arm, his bicep flexed into a ball the size I couldn’t believe! Amazed I asked him, ‘how did you get those arms?’ He said, ‘through bodybuilding.’ I replied, ‘You mean to tell me that there’s a systematic way of going about getting muscles, and I could do the same?’ He said, ‘Certainly!’
“Well, the iron bug bit hard! That whole year at lunchtime I would pick Ben’s brain about bodybuilding. His hero was Bruce Lee, and was working out to emulate him, but he knew quite a bit about bodybuilding and taught me a lot. I am still in touch with him and he is still in fantastic shape!”
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
“It was in 1978 when my best friend, Joel, picked me up to go to the my very first gym: Health & Strength, in Highland Park, New Jersey. I had just turned 17 and had been training for about a year in my home gym that I put together. It included a Joe Weider Multi Bench and a small beginner, 110-pound barbell and dumbbell set. I saw in a magazine article that Joe Spooner, Mr. America at the time, worked out at this gym. My buddy Joel and I decided to check it out.
“Well, we walked into the gym, and as providence would have it, there he was, doing wide-grip chin-ups, as big as day! I could not believe how big and strong he was! We asked for his autograph, and asked a few questions. After that, Joel and I had our very first workout in this fantastic gym.
“In the late 70s and 80s when I first started working out, there was no such thing as personal trainers. With no internet, and only a handful of bodybuilding magazines, most everyone in the gym was doing very similar workouts.
“I learned how to train and gain muscle by working with and around champion bodybuilders. One was Richard Gaspari, the number 2 bodybuilder in the world at the time. I also learned by attending local bodybuilding seminars. They were held by notable champions and the time. I also poured over any and all books and magazines on bodybuilding I could get my hands on.
“I was even able to attend a training seminar with Arnold Schwarzenegger and his long-time training partner, Franco Columbu. What I learned in that seminar was life changing!”
CHAMPIONSHIPS, COMPETING AND PERSONAL LIFE
I heard through other people that Jim had won championships on a plant-based diet.
When I first met Jim, I was a total noob. I had never really worked out before, and I was so enthralled with the thought of bodybuilding. I was a vegan, and I have to be honest, I didn’t think vegans could actually bodybuilder or compete. When I found out that not only could one bodybuilding, but it was possible on a vegan diet, I was so excited. When I finally got the chance to interview Jim nearly 8 years later, I had to ask him to tell me about how and what he did as a competitor.
“Championships that I have won have all been in the sport of powerlifting, where you are judged by the total amount of weight lifted in the bench press, squat, and deadlift.
“I won three state level championships, two in 1998, and one in 2003, all in the over 40-year-old, 242 pound class, and drug free.
Often when I think about competing or someone else competing, I know it requires a lot of time, and I wondered how that effected Jim’s personal life. I asked him if his wife ever hits the gym with him, but he said no. “Hours in the gym is time away from my family, but they understand . . . My workouts are far too intense for my wife’s liking. . . our workouts are not compatible with each other.”
When I asked if he is still competing, he said that he is not, “at the moment,” but, “I never train just to maintain. I always push myself to the limit with the intent of a possible future meet. . .”
When I asked him if he thinks he’ll ever compete again, he said that he is definitely thinking about it!
I was curious what the main difference was between his regular fitness and diet regime and when competing. He said that it depends on if it’s bodybuilding or powerlifting.
“. . . In powerlifting, calories are increased to push my bodyweight up to compete in the 242 pound class, where I feel the strongest. Bodybuilding is much more involved and includes cutting calories to slowly loose all body fat, tanning, practicing posing which makes the muscles look harder, longer higher volume training sessions. For both powerlifting and bodybuilding completion, I will travel to a gym several times a week and work with a training partner to push me to the limit!”
BODYBUILDING AND NOT YET VEGAN
“In 1988, after training for 10 years, I competed in my first bodybuilding contest, the Mr. Natural New Jersey, which a good friend of mine, Mike Rieker, had won the year before. I got too heavy in the offseason, and ended up having to loose 40 pounds of bodyweight in three months to get defined enough for the show.
“My diet at the time was low fat, low carbs, and high protein. Lots of tuna fish and salads. I trained hard and fast 1.5-2 hours a day, and the last few weeks did an hour of cardio a day. On top of that, I even did 1-hr aerobic ab classes. It was exhausting!
“By contest time, bodyfat testing showed that I had lost 25 pound of fat, but unfortunately, lost 15 pounds of precious muscle. I ended up coming in too flat for the prejudging, and after eating, my muscles filled out nicely for the night show, but it was too late! I ended up not placing.
“After the show, I hit the gym hard again, and helped someone I met in the gym prepare for the Mr. Natural New York City. In about 4 months he was ready for his first show, where he ended up winning 1st place in this class.”
"At the end of the same year, I went to Brazil for a
wedding, met the girl of my dreams, and got married
6 months later. This is when the vegan
adventure began!"
STEAK, CHICKEN, EGGS AND A QUART OF MILK
At this point I was curious what Jim’s diet was like. All of the people I knew that competed, came into the gym all puffed up, talking about how much protein they had to have in a day. They were beasts! (Smelly – beasts).
But it was just how they did things, not just when they were competing! These regular gym-bro’s always bragged about the amount of protein they were consuming in a day. I had to ask Jim, “What was your diet like?”
He said, “before I came up vegan, in my mid 20’s, I would eat 70 jumbo eggs a week, two roast beef sandwiches or two cheese sandwiches for mid-afternoon and mid-morning snack. A whole rotisserie chicken for lunch. About an hour before working out, a pound of fruit. After working out I would drink a quart of milk with frozen banana and four raw eggs. After working out I would go with my friends to Arthur’s Steakhouse and have a salad, baked potato, and a 24-ounce steak.”
Okay guys, there you have it. I honestly don’t know how he ate like that. I’d be 250lbs in two weeks, I’m sure!
“Do you eat differently when you’re competing than when you’re just working out on a daily basis, and how?” I asked. Jim replied, “To get to [desired] weight meant eating three large meals a day. Now that I’ve retired from powerlifting, my diet consists of a large breakfast and lunch, and a light dinner so I can keep my bodyweight close to competition weight.
“I look at the third meal as a thermostat: eat more at this meal to gain weight, eat less or nothing to loose weight.”
I asked Jim what his number one diet/fitness tip would be for someone like myself (or you!) who’d like to get into bodybuilding. His advice was pretty simple:
"Consistency with your workouts - no long layoffs."
STRUGGLES WITH GAINS, NOT DRUGS
Jim Gurtner 26 Years-old
I got close to being able to compete – once. But I remember when I was training, one of the hardest things for me was gains, so I asked Jim how it was for him. He said, “gains never came easy for me. Being tall with long legs and arms, I found it difficult to put on mass. But I was persistent, and year after year I worked to increase my muscle mass and strength. It has taken a lot of patience.” Now he says that he doesn’t have any difficulties maintaining his weight. “I enjoy eating very much, so weight gain is no problem.”
The big question we’ve all been waiting for – did Jim take steroids? Or at least for me, it was a question I was waiting for! Because even the regular ol’ gym-bro at my gym seemed to think steroids was a good idea. I figured competing would add the temptation. But when I asked if he ever took them, he replied with a solid, NO.
"All of my gains in size and strength
have been without the use of drugs.
“After competing in the Mr. Natural New Jersey, I decided to try a 10-week steroid cycle, but did not see much change except for a little more definition. I discovered that if I was going to be the mass monster like those bodybuilders I emulated, I would have to take a lot higher dosages than what I had taken, and for a much longer period of time. Not wanting to put my health at risk, I decided not to go that route!”
IN THE GYM TODAY
I asked Jim what his regular fitness regime is now, and he told me that he works out about 4 times per week for about an hour to an hour and a half a day. He said, “I divide my body in 4 parts: Chest day, back day, shoulder, arms day, and leg day. So all body parts are worked 1 time per week, while calves, abs, and forearms I will do 2 times per week.”
He says even when he was competing, he followed the same basic routine he follows now.
“4 times per week is about all that I have ever trained,” he says. “When training light and fast, for a week or two, I may train 6 times per week.”
Do you have a partner or somebody that keeps you accountable?
“Although I highly recommend a training partner, I am currently training alone,” Jim stated, “However, during this past year I was highly motivated to push myself hard to be ready for a reunion workout with my first training partner in New Jersey this past July. The recorded “Reunion Workout” will be posted on my online training course.”
INSPIRATION AND ROLE MODELS
I really enjoy finding out who inspires great people and who they look up to. I asked Jim who his role model is, and he said, “Arnold Schwarzenegger, whom I have had the privilege of meeting on three different occasions.”
When I asked Jim if he listens to or watches any motivational speakers, podcasts, YouTube channels, or has any particular reading material he would like to share, he again mentioned Arnold Schwarzenegger. “The movie Pumping Iron, Arnold’s book, Education of a Bodybuilder, and Franco Columbu’s book, Coming on Strong, have all been extremely inspirational for me. Nick’s Strength and Power, and Dr. Michael Greger’s NutritionFacts, are two YouTube channels I watch regularly.”
Obviously, the previous question sort of answered my next questions, “have you ever met anyone famous?” but I asked him if he still talks to the people he has met, and who else he’s met besides Arnold.
“I have met a number of famous people: Dr. Atkins founder of the Atkins diet. I actually sat in his office. . . Richard Gaspari, the number 2 bodybuilder in the work for 3 consecutive years in the late 1980s, I knew since he was was 14 years old. Trained with Steve Goggins, ranked by Powerlifting USA, the number 1 powerlifter of all time. Casey Viator, the youngest Mr. America ever, who I met at Coffee’s Gym in Marietta, GA. . . I never stayed in regular contact with any of them, except Rich Gaspari, who I talk to on a regular basis since we trained at the same gym for so many years in the 1980s.”
HABITS UNRELATED TO DIET AND FITNESS
Every successful man and woman I have met have always had some sort of good habit that they swear by. Sometimes it’s an early 3am jump in a cold lake, or a two hour meditation process. At times, it’s pretty ordinary while other habits are quite odd.
I wanted to know what type of habits Jim might have to share that he does regularly. He told me that one of the things that keeps him motivated and on track is, “Being a Christian, daily prayer and Bible study in the morning before eating breakfast.”
While Jim may not be competing right now, he still lives the life of one working towards a goal. He doesn’t just train to compete. For Jim, health and fitness is a lifestyle. His daily regime is a routine of always moving forward with health and fitness his primary focus.
“On a typical work day, I get up about 6:30am, drink 3-4 cups of warm water, feed my 2 cats, eat breakfast and take a 10-20min walk. Work starts at 8:00am from my home office and I set a timer to get up, stretch and squat 10-20 reps every 45 minutes since my job entails sitting the whole day. Lunch is around noon and I go for another 10-20 min walk, then I get off of work at 5pm. At that time, I have a light dinner and walk again. About 7:30pm I will start my workout at my home gym and finish about 9:00pm. Shower, drink some cold water, and in bed by 10:00pm.”
NO EXCUSES
Too busy? Never. Jim says, “I can always find time to squeeze in a 1-hour workout, especially now that I have build a gym at home. There are times when I will have to workout as late as 9-10 pm, but I feel so much better than if I would have missed it!”
In a rut? No excuses there either. Jim says that, “sometimes I will take as much as a week off from training, and come back using lighter weights with higher reps and short rest periods between sets. Then over the period of 2-3 weeks gradually increasing the weight used until I am lifting the same or more before the “rut” hit!
THE TEAM, THE FAMILY
When I asked Jim about his family and how they support him, he said, “My family and I have always been very close. My son, now 28, and daughter, 25, have been vegan from birth, so together we have shared the joys and challenges of living in a meat-eating world. The latest addition to our family is my daughter-in-law, who adopted a vegan diet shortly before getting married to my son. We all live on the same property in the country and all enjoy preparing and eating vegan meals together, especially for celebrations and the holidays. It is a lifestyle that we all relish!”
IN CONCLUSION
What is your core drive to stay healthy in general?
“I want to live a long life, enjoying plenty of health and strength at the same time. In the future, I want my grandchildren to say when they are trying to move something heavy like a piano “We can’t move it. It’s just too heavy. We will have to call Grandpa’!”
SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS
One last thing, Jim Gurtner is an award winning author of Vegan Health & Strength, a book on How to Build a Strong, Healthy, and Muscular Body on a Plant-Based Diet. I’ve included the link so you can get your hands on it and make it your own (above). Enjoy!
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclaimer for more info.
Vegan Powerlifting
An Interview with Jim Gurtner
Have you ever thought about the fact that vegan powerlifting could actually be a real thing?
Welcome to the plant-based, power-loaded life of Jim Gurtner! He has won championships as a powerlifter. Jim has also competed as a bodybuilder, and accomplished this all on a vegan diet. This man impressed me from the moment I first met him.
I was intrigued by the fact that Jim was able to be so successful with bodybuilding and powerlifting on a plant-based diet.
As some of you may know by now, I am a vegan. I promote a healthy vegan diet for weight loss and weight (muscle) gain. And as a result of this lifestyle, I have caught a lot of flack for it. I am not the only one though. Jim has as well. You’re about to see how he maneuvered around all of this and still accomplished his goals. He did this on a vegan diet, invalidated pretty much every vegan-muscle building myth, and beat the stigma that goes along with it.
It has become apparent in recent times that bodybuilding, muscle gains and powerlifting are very attainable on a plant-based diet. Jim proved this fact way before it was cool.
After I started my blog, I contacted Jim and asked him if we could chat. I asked way too many questions and got a ton of amazing answers. As a result, I will be continuing this interview in Part 2 next week. (I was going to shorten it, but there’s just too much awesomeness to cut out).
Jim has taught me so much. If you are new, or advanced, there are a lot of great tips in here that I promise you, you have never heard of in your life!
Read below to discover how you can build muscle and take your regime to the next level and accomplish this on a plant-based diet!
THE BEGINNING
I was raised a vegan. For me, it was a way of life. I almost half-way expected Jim to be the same way. (I’m not exactly sure why, cause let’s face it, that’s not exactly normal.)
When Jim and I first started chatting, I asked him if he was raised eating healthy and living in the gym. To my surprise, Jim said that was not the case. In fact, when I asked him if he was raised vegan, his answer was, “No! My brother, sister and I were raised on the 4-food groups taught in almost all schools in the 60s and 70s: The meat, dairy, vegetable, and fruit groups were our mainstay.
“My father, was a smoker and a beer drinker had no interest in nutrition at all. He was furious with me when I started bodybuilding at age sixteen. He did everything he could to make me quit. My mother on the other hand instilled in me an interest in nutrition and health from an early age.”
THE SHIFT FROM MEAT TO PLANT-BASED
I asked Jim what the one thing was that made him decide to change his eating habits. He said, “When I got married at 27 I had been bodybuilding for over 10 years on a heavy meat, egg, and milk diet. My wife’s diet, before we got married, was primarily vegetarian. After we got married, she started eating more like me.
Shortly thereafter, she started to complain about a severe stabbing pain in her abdomen. We visited many doctors, and I eventually took her to see the now famous Dr. Atkins in New York City, but even with the supplements he prescribed, she got no relief. It was at this time she started to suspect that the problem may be caused by her recent change in diet.
At first, we cut out all beef, chicken, and fish. With this change alone, her health problems were completely resolved in a few short weeks! After about a year later, I cut out all dairy, including cheese.”
For me, personally, I have never had the challenge of having to change my diet. I grew up vegan, so it was my lifestyle. For most people, and for Jim, it was a developed habit, and not exactly an easy change.
Interestingly enough, Jim states that the most
difficult part of the change in diet wasn't the food.
It was the lack of support from his family.
His mother was seriously against it, especially after his son was born. “She said that he would not develop properly without meat. Ironically, after my father passed away in his sleep from a heart attack at 62, my mother shortly thereafter adopted a vegan diet, and has been mostly for nearly 20 years now.”
THE PROCESS OF LETTING GO
I asked Jim how long it took to embrace veganism. He said going vegetarian was easy. “However,” he went on, “we started to eat a ton of cheese, especially mozzarella to make sure, I thought, we were getting enough calcium and protein. I remember having up to 20 blocks of cheese in the freezer.” Later, he says, “I became very good friends with my chiropractor who was vegan. He and his wife inspired me to do the same. It has been nearly 30 years now that I have been on a vegan, or plant-based diet.”
Of course, you’re probably thinking the same thing I’m thinking, do you miss meat? But he adamantly stated, “No, never! Believe it or not, even though I ate a ton of meat before I became vegan, I never really liked it. I just ate it because I thought I needed to to get big!”
Jim suggested a book that was (and is still) a strong motivator for him, written by Dr. Agatha Thrash. It is called, “The Animal Connection: The Proven Link Between Cancer and Other Diseases from Animals, and Man”. He stated that, “even if it means going hungry and missing a meal or two,” he’d rather skip out than eat meat.
ADD THIS TO YOUR DIET
I was curious what two foods Jim would recommend cutting out and/or adding first, when deciding to switch to a plant-based diet. His answer was pretty simple:
"Cut out meat and add nuts to your diet."
I asked Jim, “what should a vegan bodybuilder eat a lot of?” He again stated pretty straight forward, “Fruits, grains, nuts and vegetables.”
As you can see, and to my surprise, even as a vegan advocate, that taking your body to the next level (bodybuilding and powerlifting) doesn’t require some extra special, weird foods! So far, he hadn’t said a word about how many shakes he was making, or anything unusual.
COUNTING CALORIES AND CHEAT (“TREAT”) MEALS
When someone is trying go make a huge change in physique, one often envisions a lot of diet . . . pains. One of these dreaded changes is counting calories.
So I asked Jim if he counts calories, and his answer will shock you.
“I never count calories. I weigh myself every day at the same time to see the effect reducing or increasing the amount of food consumed at
dinner. The hungrier I go to bed, the more weight I loose.”
I went further and asked him if he cheats on his diet. And I loved his answer. “I have never looked at eating food that is not entirely healthful as cheating, but as a treat. Whenever there are family celebrations or Thanksgiving, I will eat more food than I usually do, and that may include some white bread.” He went on to say that, “I never have an entire cheat (or treat) day. It will only be for one meal of the day.”
As Jim went on to describe what a “treat” meal looked like, it was still ” —all vegan, of course!” He said, “We also enjoy Papa John’s veggie pizza with no cheese and extra sauce.”
ON THE DAILY MENU
I asked Jim what the number one thing was that he made sure to eat on a daily basis. His answer was a solid . . .
"Pressure cooked beans, every day! Right up there with beans is nuts every day, an ounce or two,
2-3 times perday."
SUPPLEMENTS
As a bodybuilder, powerlifter and someone that competes, I assumed supplements would be a huge thing.
As I prepared to make a $500. list of supplements for you, he stated that, “In my first 10 years of training in the 1980’s, I took every supplement, protein powder, and weight-gain imaginable, but never really noticed any great gains from any of them. For nearly 30 years as a vegan, I have not taken any supplements, until recently. I go into detail on this topic in my online course.
I asked him if one can actually get body-builder-big without any supplements on a vegan diet, and he said, “Absolutely! I took my body from 200 to 242 pounds in one year with no supplements on a vegan diet.” See his results here.
HOW MANY MEALS A DAY
As a personal trainer, I have worked in small gyms, large gyms and also have private trained. There is a very common number of things that most trainers teach their clients. Number 1, eat frequently. Preferably 6 meals a day. And if you are trying to gain, you have to eat a lot. Number2, I often heard trainers tell their clients not to eat fruit. Personally, I cringed inside at both of these pieces of crazy advice.
Vegan Thanksgiving at the Gurtner’s. Jim at the head of the table, his wife, daughter, son, and his son’s wife.
I wanted to know from Jim how exactly he maneuvered these total myths. Since he’s got a little more experienced than I, and actually competed on a vegan diet, he’d have some great advice.
When I said, “A lot of trainers tell their clients to stay away from fruit, what do you think?” He replied with: “I think this advice is absurd!”
My next question was, “how many meals do you recommend eating per day, and is it the same for a regular gym-rat as it is for a bodybuilder?” Jim said to eat, “2-3 times a day max. Serge Nubret, who came in second place to Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1975 Mr. Olympia, followed this meal plan and was far ahead of his time in terms of muscularity and definition.”
VEGAN MUSCLE BUILDING AND CARBS
“How do you feel about carbs?” I asked Jim. He said, “Complex, low-glycemic carbs are essential for the energy needed for intense workouts to suppress myostatin!”
So there you have it my friends. To be big, you don’t have to eat, “70 jumbo eggs a week, a whole rotisserie chicken for lunch, and a 24 ounce steaks for dinner,” which was Jim’s usual before he made the change to vegetarian and then a plant-based diet.
POPULAR FAD DIETS
When I asked Jim how he felt about all these popular diets that pop up, he said that, “The Keto and Paleo diets are so bad for your health. Vegan is the way to go. The majority of longest lived people on the planet are on mostly a plant-based diet.”
I asked him if he was gluten free or recommended it, and he said that he is not gluten-free, and that he does not recommend a GF diet, “unless of course a person has celiac disease.” He went on to say that he feel like, “there are a lot of excellent whole-grain products, rich in fiber, B vitamins, and well as carbohydrates and protein, that you would be missing out on when cutting gluten from the diet.”
I assume you’re probably wondering the same thing I wondered right off the top, and that is . . . protein!
LET’S TALK PROTEIN
The very first question that comes to mind for all fitness enthusiasts is:
Where do you get your protein as a vegan?
He answered by quoting his recently released book: Vegan Health & Strength – How to Build a Strong, Healthy, and Muscular Body on a Plant-Based Diet.
“Our education system has taught that true, high-quality, and complete sources of protein can only be obtained from meat and dairy products. Any plant-based proteins are mostly low-quality, inferior, and incomplete, . . .”
He said a lot more, but for the sake of shortening things a bit I’ve cut a lot out. Sorry. Please go buy his book! You will not regret it! But carrying on, he says that, “A lack of protein in the diet can only occur when there are not enough calories being consumed. If you are getting enough calories to function normally on a daily basis, you are getting enough protein.” He continues to quote: “. . . all foods have complete proteins and contain the nine essential amino acids needed for health and strength. But how can this be confirmed? By using the readily available USDA Food Composition Database tables on the Internet, to look up the amount of each of the nine essential amino acids that various foods contain.”
“The argument that is most frequently put forth is that protein from most plant sources are incomplete (and therefore, inferior), because they are either deficient or very low in the nine essential amino acids. . .these claims are absolutely false!
By graphing and comparing the relative amounts of each of the nine essential amino acids for various foods using the USDA Food Composition Databases, it can be clearly seen that no plant food is deficient in any of the nine essential amino acids. While certain plant foods, like nuts and beans, have more protein than carrots and apples, but both contain all nine essential amino acids in relatively the same ratios. I have graphed the nine essential amino acids of many foods, including beef, chicken, fish, milk, and eggs, and have compared them to plant-based foods such as nuts, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Many are shocked to see no apparent difference in the relative amounts of amino acids that these foods contain. A table of these graphs is available as a free download from my book’s website.”
ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH PROTEIN?
I asked Jim if there was ever a point when he just really felt like he was not getting enough protein. Wow, he really feels confident when he answers with a very strong, “NEVER!” He said, “The reason for the concern about getting enough protein, especially for bodybuilding, is that it is widely believed that muscle is being broken down by exercise, and rebuilt by the protein we consume. However, surprisingly enough, this is not the case!”
Jim sent me another excerpt from his book on this subject.
“Search results on Google, for “how do muscles grow,” basically say that muscle is broken down, or even damaged during training, and is rebuilt stronger than before. This idea of rebuilding muscle that has been broken down has given rise to a multi-billion dollar protein supplement industry that promises to rebuild all that muscle that is being broken down out there. But . . .
As far back as 1981, Joe Weider, who is considered by many to be the father of modern bodybuilding, in his book, Bodybuilding: A Weider Approach, stated the following:
“For decades it was thought that muscle cells were broken down by exercise, and then during periods of rest, built up larger and stronger than they were before being trained. Recent scientific research has tended to disprove this theory, however. Physiologists now support a theory that involves inhibition of catabolism [muscle breakdown]… Your body is in a constant state of building up cells (anabolism) and tearing down cells (catabolism). In most individuals, the rates of anabolism and catabolism are balanced, so the body is in an equilibrium. In other words, it is maintaining its size and bodyweight at a constant level… Research now suggests that this [adding muscle mass] is not done by increasing anabolism, but actually by decreasing the catabolism, which makes the net anabolic rate essentially higher.’
In other words, working out does not break down muscle tissue to be built up later by eating large quantities of protein. Working out simply inhibits the naturally occurring breakdown of muscle tissue. Recent research supports this theory and explains the mechanism behind this.” And Jim fast forwards to 2012, but again, buy his book for all this amazing and new info!
“Doing a search for myostatin will reveal dogs, mice, and cattle with enormous muscles from blocking myostatin production with drugs. But fortunately, there are ways to block myostatin naturally without their use. . . “
"It can be done with intense exercise, intermittent
fasting, and an alkaline diet."
Jim went on to say that, “My goal in the gym is to workout intensely enough to block myostatin. My goal in the kitchen is to prepare and eat foods that will give me enough energy to do so.”
TOO MUCH PROTEIN
From my own experience, these huge guys walking around in the gym would stand around talking about their diet, and I personally remember being blown away at the high amount of protein they would make sure to consume. It was way beyond healthy . . . From what I, as a new personal trainer at the time, had recently learned. So I asked Jim . . .
“Do you believe there’s such thing as too much protein?”
And he said, “Absolutely! It is believed that if on a high protein diet, low carb diet, that the protein will be applied to building muscle, and with low carbs, the body will be forced to burn fat. But what actually happens with low carbs is that the body will end up using protein for energy, which can put a strain on the kidneys.”
So there goes the that whole loads of protein myth.
HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO WE NEED?
I asked Jim, so . . . “How much protein do you recommend to be healthy? And does it differ for someone who doesn’t weight train vs. someone who goes to the gym regularly?
His answer: “If you are getting enough calories, you are getting enough protein. This goes for everyone. Again, muscle growth comes from suppressing myostatin, not from rebuilding muscles damaged from working out.”
Of course, I did take it just a little further, though I kind of already knew what he was going to say, but it never hurts to ask, right?
“Do you recommend a protein shake?” I was a little surprised, that he said yes, but in the context, not so much. He said, “If you are trying to gain weight, like I was to compete in the 242 pound class in powerlifting, I added a protein shake for dinner to increase my calorie intake.”
SHAKE RECIPE:
In a blender put 2 cups of soy, almond, or similar milk. Add two or three frozen bananas and a small amount of some other fruit, frozen if available. I prefer strawberries, or half a cup of blueberries or similar fruit. Avoid adding too many strawberries or blueberries. This will water down the smoothie, and it will start to lose its rich, creamy taste. Blend until smooth.
SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS
One last thing, Jim Gurtner is an award winning author of Vegan Health & Strength, a book on How to Build a Strong, Healthy, and Muscular Body on a Plant-Based Diet. I’ve included the link so you can get your hands on it and make it your own (above). Enjoy!
That’s it for today folks. Next week we’re going to continue talking with Jim Gurtner about his gym life, inspiration, fitness goals and how he attained them.
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5 Ways to Stay Fit at Home
There are plenty of ways to stay fit at home, but here I am going to dig a little deeper to the how of it!
You might be asking yourself, can I really be successful at staying fit when I’m working out at home?
The answer is, yes. Let me show you. It is indeed possible. I did it for 6 years, alone, as a mom of 5, and without more than a couple sets of dumbbells, a yoga mat and portable pull-up bar. Annnnd bands. Gotta have bands.
If there were ever a time when home workouts were abundant, now is the time. They are literally everywhere!
The Coronavirus gave plenty of people a great opportunity to give in to desired excuses. For some, it provided motivation to start making up all sorts of weird and interesting workouts. For others, it was a convenient excuse to quit working out altogether.
What is it that makes a home workout work vs. not though? Is it the actual workout or is it something deeper?
I have already talked about working out from home in my article, Working out at Home. I point out a very specific thing that you must have if you are going to work out at home. (For suggested home DVD workouts, please visit that article).
One must be self-motivated and have a strong drive to be self-committed if you are going to succeed at staying fit at home.
Working out at home is easier now than ever. Resources are at our fingertips. You don’t even need equipment. What you do need is motivation. Commitment. People, and it never hurt anyone to have a little extra frill to accompany that home workout. A little extra energy, perhaps? Maybe a new pair of shoes or outfit?
So let’s dive right in.
STAY FIT AT HOME TIP 1
People.
When we are working out at home, it helps to have people to look up to. I am going to name three of my favorites here.
One is vegan IFBB Pro League competitor, Nimai Delgado. I will let you explore more about him on your own, but he inspires and motivates me nutritionally and physically. On his Instagram page, he has several short at home workouts and great vegan meal suggestions.
Another is Jim Gurtner, a vegan bodybuilder/powerlifter. I will be including an interview I had with him soon, so please keep a look out for that in the near future! He also has a book that covers everything from plant based recipes, muscle building techniques that I promise you, you’ve never heard of before, and so much more.
The last I will mention here is a female that I follow on Instagram. Alexia Clark has a lot of great at-home workouts that she came up with during the COVID pandemic that are simple, they work, and you don’t need any equipment. Plus, she’s just positive, cute and fun.
All of these people are great people to have in your pocket when you’re looking for people to inspire you while stuck at home.
STAY FIT AT HOME TIP 2
Motivation.
At times, motivation can be a tough one. How do you get motivated, where can you go for motivation? This isn’t always an easy fix.
Sometimes motivation just isn’t there and you have to go straight to the core and dig up that raw inner strength. We all have it. It just likes to hide deep, deep down.
The number one thing that I find that motivates me is how I feel. And when I don’t feel good, I get cranky. The more I work out, the better I feel, the happier I am, the stronger I feel, and the more motivated I become. You have to get on a regular schedule and get past those first 3 weeks before you start to really feel that natural motivation. Until then, you’ve got to dig deep and harness your inner will power and just do the do!
Another motivating thing for me (and this is going to sound weird) is a treat. I sound like a puppy now, but I love my energy drink and protein shake, and want it all the time, but I only allow myself to have it when I work out. So I pre-mix it, stick it in the fridge, and have it there in the morning to grab and go. It’s like my own personal dangling carrot in the a.m.!
Axio by LifeVantage ~Specially formulated to give energy to your mind, not just your body.
Everybody finds motivation in his or her own way. It can be weird or common or simple or complicated, it is your choice and you have to decide what motivates you. If it is a picture, a song, a role model, a pair of shoes, a pet, a child, a family member’s health issue, (or your own perhaps,) or your own inner will power that drives you, use it, focus, and push yourself to keep your eye on the goal. Daily.
For help with how to set lasting goals, check out Six Steps to Setting Goals that Last, here!
This woman is total motivation for me. If at 70 years old she can accomplish this, then I can at 40 and so can you.
Joan MacDonald from Ontario, Canada
STAY FIT AT HOME TIP 3
Regularity.
It is easier to work out at home when you are on a regular set schedule and also when you have great sleep. Your energy level is going to be best in the morning, and will be much higher on a regular schedule.
It takes a few weeks to get on a routine schedule, but our bodies thrive on regularity. Once you settle on a schedule, your body will begin to do a lot of the pushing for you. For example, I wake up at 5:30 every morning on my own without an alarm. (I always set one anyway, in case!) My body knows it’s time to get up and move. I also find that when I skip a workout or two, my legs become crampy and whiney and I can’t be still. So I have to go workout in order to appease my body’s demands. I will admit though, this does not usually happen when I am not on a set, daily program.
STAY FIT AT HOME TIP 4
Energy.
I don’t know about you, but when I can’t go to the gym, I find that I tend to be less energetic. There’s just something about the lights, the sounds, and the energy in the building that hypes my personal energy level to the next level.
Energy is necessary when you’re about to hit the weights (or weight-less routine), whether it is in a gym or at home.
Working out produces energy naturally. The more you do it, the more energy you will have. That being said, sometimes a little boost is just what we need. As I mentioned earlier, I love my energy drink, and the reason I like it, is because it is formulated to give energy to your mind, not just your body. And since I am a 5:30am girl, I appreciate that brain wake up in the a.m.!
The best part about this particular drink is that it is not a caffeinated, high-energy, pre-workout type of drink. It just basically clears away the brain fog and gives just enough of a boost that you feel awake, not jittery. It’s plant based. Gluten free. All natural. No sugar . . . And I love it! If you want to try it out, go here! If you’re visual, here’s a cool vid all about how it works, what it’s made out of, and all the fun facts! (FYI – my favorite flavor is grape).
STAY FIT AT HOME TIP 5
Ask questions.
If you do not know where to begin, what to wear, how to hold your body, what to eat, what to drink, how long to work out, how far to push your body, when to work out, etc., etc., ask questions. The more you ask, the more googling you do, and the more “networking” you do, the better you become at the task at hand.
Learn. Practice. Set goals, and believe. Working out at home is just as doable and possible, and can be just as rewarding, as working out in a gym.
It is not the gym that makes you successful in your fitness journey, it is your mindset.
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If you’ve never been in a gym before, it can be very intimidating! Here are a few simple steps to boost your confidence before you walk through the doors into new territory!
If you have been in the gym for awhile, but never had anybody help you with some basics, you might find something here for you, too!
I know how daunting it is to walk into a large gym of seasoned gym rats and trainers, and know nothing.
I remember how overwhelmed I felt and how stupid I felt when I couldn’t figure out what some of the machines were for, how to use them, or how to adjust them to fit me. And just like middle school, you feel like you should already know and don’t want to appear dumb, so instead of asking someone for help, you skip that machine as if it weren’t leg day, and pretend it’s arm day and use something a little simpler. I’ve been that girl.
I’ve also been that one that did one set of arms, half a set of legs, some abs, and then something else, totally not knowing what body part I was working, just to keep moving and make it appear as though I had a plan and knew what I was doing. Been that girl, too.
But if you’re a newb, you might not even know a thing other than, you want to get in shape and a gym seems a good place to start!
Well, let’s get to work then!
TAKE THE TRAINING SESSION
First things first, when you sign up for a membership, sign up for a free session with a trainer.
Yes, the free sessions are an attempt to get you to sign up for training, and if you want a trainer, do it! But if you don’t want to pay for a trainer, sign up and show up, for that first couple of introductory classes anyway, just to have somebody that knows the gym and equipment to show you how to use the equipment with proper form. It makes all the difference in the world when you know your way around the gym and equipment.
WEAR PROPER CLOTHING
To some of you, this may seem like a duh. And if you don’t need this tip, skip right along, grasshopper. But, if you’re already insecure about going where you’ve never been, you don’t want to stick out like a sore thumb.
When you sign up for a gym membership, find out what the dress code is!
This way, you don’t get embarrassed when you walk in the door with a (sports bra and flip flops?) and get approached by the big guy and sent home.
Don’t go to the gym in any sort of jeans or stiff, loose, clothing. You will need clothes that allow you to get into awkward positions and move freely without lumps and bumps to work around. Good form is a must for safety. Your form is more likely to be compromised when wearing uncomfortable clothing, just by trying to get away from the discomfort.
SHOES
When buying shoes, ask the person in the shoe Dept for “training shoes”. Running, walking, casual, and training shoes, are all different. It does make a difference!
LOUD NOISES AND SLAMMING WEIGHTS
Loud grunting, no matter male or female, is not attractive, and in some gyms not even permitted. There’s no need to be obnoxious. It won’t bring the sort of attention you’re looking for. When you’re pushing or lifting heavy weight and an audible exhale of relief slips from your lips, this is different (and fine). You will know what I mean once you get there. You’ll see (hear) both.
Slamming or dropping weights is also a no. It ruins the equipment, again draws unnecessary attention, and in general is just rude and unattractive. You’re also more likely to hurt yourself, or those around you, if you do this. You may even get asked to leave, depending on what gym you’re at.
FORM AND SAFETY
If you don’t have a trainer or a friend who is knowledgeable on what good form is, do yourself a huge favor and Google how to have proper form when using gym equipment and weights!
I am not going to be the one to give you those tutorials here, but study this before you start.
Proper form is for your safety!
Trust me, depending on how bad your form is, you can (and will) injure yourself, possibly for life, if you do not understand proper form and technique.
This is also another good reason to sign up for training for the first month or so, especially if you’ve never in your life worked with machines and weights.
SLOW DOWN
Faster is not better. Along with good form comes good lifting technique. This includes a slow, steady pace of up and down, or push and pull, at the same, steady, speed. Again, a trainer can explain this. But as a general rule of thumb, when lifting, you want a 2-0-2, steady rhythm and speed when doing your reps.
Count slowly 1, 2, 0(here you’re at the “top” of your move) 1 , 2.
When you’re throwing your weight around recklessly (with speed), you’re out of control and more susceptible to injury. You’re also not giving your muscles the proper training of endurance and load to grow adequately and evenly.
Building muscle means loading your muscle properly, and strengthening is done with endurance by gradually loading on more weight as you get stronger over time. This happens after about 2-6 weeks, depending on your fitness level in the beginning.
LIGHTEN UP
Heavier weight isn’t always better, especially for a beginner! When you are starting off, start light. Don’t worry about what others think about you. At the beginning you need light weight, – sometimes even no weight – with high reps. Once you’ve mastered this with good form, you can then increase your weight and lower your reps. (All of this in more detail later). Again, this will be 2-6 weeks from starting, depending on your fitness level at the beginning.
CARDIO MACHINES
As I keep saying, good form is necessary, not only for injury prevention, but also for gaining results.
There are a lot of cardio machines and options. All of them need to be used with proper form, but I am going to point out just two common machines that are used a lot and very often with bad form.
Treadmill:
The treadmill has a button that will change the incline. This will change your position from walking on a flat surface to up a hill. It can be slight or very steep, depending on what you want. When you use this button, never hold onto the handlebars to hold your weight so that you can lean back while walking. This is terrible form and potentially dangerous. If you increase the incline, you should always walk on the treadmill exactly the way you’d walk up a hill with no handles, leaning forward.If this is too hard, don’t use an incline until you have the leg strength and cardiac endurance to walk up a hill at a steady pace.
Stairmaster:
The stairmaster is one of my favorite’s. It also has handles for safety reasons. But they aren’t there to lighten the load. It is better and safer, to keep your speed slow, rather than speed it up and hold on in an unnatural position. Walk up the stairs the same way you would if you were walking up real stairs: standing in an upright position. Never lean (hunched) down while supporting your upper body weight on your elbows, forearms or hands.
If you are too tired to stand upright with good form, slow down, take a break or stop for the day.
CLEAN UP AND PUT AWAY WEIGHTS
Finally, wipe down and clean up your area before you leave to go to a new machine or location. It is rude and inconsiderate and just gross, to leave your sweat behind for the person that comes after you.
Always put away your weights.
ALWAYS.
Everybody is at a different level in their fitness and have different goals and workouts. Some move quickly and are on a timed workout that requires moving from one place to another in a timely fashion. Having to work around someone else’s weights, or re-rack someone else’s weights before they can do their set, slows them down and is just very irritating and also inconsiderate.
Also, if you are a large man and using heavy weight, a nice little lady coming behind you that does not have the strength that you have, cannot use that machine because she is unable to rack those weights. Always think of others when you are moving from one machine or location to another.
SHOULD YOU LOSE WEIGHT BEFORE JOINING A GYM?
Losing weight before joining a gym is absolutely not necessary!
A gym is for all body types, on all fitness levels, and for people that have all sorts of goals. It is a great place to start, no matter your fitness level.
You do not need to lose weight to walk into a gym, just like you don’t need to be saved before walking into a church, or be healthy before going to a doctor.
Check out several gyms before making a decision as to which one is for you. There are just about as many gyms as there are personality types, so take your time.
Working out at home is how I got started, but I’ma let you know right now, that it is a 100% self-motivated and self-commitment sort of undertaking. If you’re down for that, keep reading! This is how I did it for 6 years, alone, with 5 kids.
Always remember: #MomLife happens!
I started my fitness commitment when I was 30, a couple years after I had my last kiddo. I didn’t have a single clue what was about to happen. I didn’t have money or time for a gym membership. (I lived in the boonies, 45 minutes from the nearest gym). But I was determined to get this baby-body back to a pre-baby body. I knew it would have to take crazy self motivation, because I didn’t have fellow gym goers to creep on me, or a partner to support me, and I definitely had the excuse of crying babies in diapers to keep me down.
In this situation, it’s easy to say, “I’ll wait until they grow up.” But trust me, it doesn’t get easier. Waiting for the perfect time will keep you on wait for life.
I had one set of 3Lb dumbbells and I invested in a yoga ball and a yoga mat. I didn’t know how to use them or what to do with them, and I didn’t have anybody to ask.
My routine was lame and looking back now, I definitely didn’t know what I was doing.
Starting, committing, and figuring it out as you go is all some of us can do.
I want to share with you some of what I did that got me to where I am now.
1. DECIDE AND START
I knew for a fact that I had to start somewhere. So I decided to go for it. I’d been in a gym a time or two and knew a few basic things, so I started with what I did know. I set 30 minutes aside every day, to do something.
I did curls, (sat on the yoga ball and bounced?) Used my yoga mat and did a few crunches, turned around and did pushups, and did a few squats.
2. FIND A FRIEND
I lived too far away to have friends pop in and join me, so I called one.
My friend Jon ended up being the toughest, most consistent, motivating, and hard to hide from, kind of friend. We committed to getting in shape together, 2,000 miles apart from each other, and report (over phone) on the daily!
You don’t have to have a buddy at your side. Someone to check in with and be accountable to is all it takes, whether that’s a phone call, snail mail, a text, or someone personally there with you. Anything can work!
3. RESEARCH
I decided my butt was way too flat, so I started researching what I could do from home, and I discovered Leandro Carvalho’sBrazil Butt Lift and lucky for me I had a birthday coming up and requested it for my birthday.
Today, with so many things available online, within minutes, you can find all sorts of workouts for free, or that are worth paying for. Just do your research and try something! It’s all about trial and error.
The above mentioned workout works wonders, by the way, and I have actually since found it on eBay and Amazon for a very low price!
4. COMMITMENT
I received Brazil Butt Lift from my sister as a birthday gift, and whoa! It hurt. And it’s easy to quit when you’re at home with nobody watching; when the pain is real! It hurt so, so, so bad! I had never done anything so intense in my entire life! I quit after… 3 days?
2 weeks later, after I could finally walk again, I decided to give it another go, and I stuck with it. Pushed through the pain, and within 8 weeks I saw a 2 inch increase in my butt and a 2 inch decrease in my waist!
Results don’t happen if you don’t commit. Commitment and consistency is key to seeing results, whether you’re alone at home or at a class at a gym!
5. SCHEDULING
If you’re a mom at home with a kid, or a bunch of kids, it takes scheduling to actually make things possible! Fortunately, I already had my kids on a very regular nap schedule, so I was able to pop in the DVD and go for it at nap time. If your kids aren’t on a regular schedule, boss up and tell them it’s mommy time. Mom’s can’t be their very best if they don’t take care of themselves!
After doing this for several months, the kids learned that this was a routine. I talked to them and explained that they needed to stay out of the area while I worked out because I didn’t want them to get hurt. But they watched and sometimes joined in.
This is where actions speak so loudly! None of my kids have ever seen me skip a workout for more than a day or so, (unless, of course, the times I’ve had a broken bone or hurt myself). When I miss more than one day, they begin asking me why. It’s a habit and it means somethingto them that I do it! They actually don’t like it when I miss for too long. It’s become a routine which in turn equals security and “knowing what to expect from mom”. Kids like it when their parents take care of themselves.
6. LOVE AND WILL POWER
Love yourself! Some days are a real struggle. Some days are easy. I was so over the top committed to this workout plan, that I was determined to let nothing get in the way. On days when I wasn’t feeling so into it, I put the DVD in and put on my workout clothes before I was actually ready to do the do. Just the sound of the music and the pictures of those nice booties really motivated me enough to get my butt in gear. (And of course, knowing that Jon would be calling me to get a report gave me that extra boost!)
It really is simply deciding whether or not it is important to you. If it is, you will find the time to do it, and figure out how to do it.
Working out at home is a lot easier now than it was even back when I started. The options and abundance of workouts online, free or paid, are endless.
I personally loved the Brazil Butt Lift because it was focused on the booty, plus, it worked my full body. But I have also done Insanity, P90X, Hip-Hop Abs, T-25, and plenty of others. I did these interchangeably for 6 years. Some of these use more equipment than others. I’d start with Brazil Butt Lift ’cause it comes with the bands you need and the only thing extra you need is a mat. I got mine at T.J. Maxx for $9.00!
When you’re a stay-at home mom, (or dad), I highly suggest and recommend doing a DVD program because they teach proper form to those of us who know nothing abut working out. And they usually come with a calendar and a meal plan. They’re simple, and you can fit the work out in to your own schedule.
Just remember that sleeping in happens. Set backs happen. Cramps happen. Losing motivation happens. Perfection, on the other hand, happens in tiny increments, for a second or two, but it’s never something that is reached and maintained on a steady basis. It’s that “do and do again” kind of thing. Accepting when it is, and accepting when it isn’t, and understanding that it isn’t going to be a place that you get to and get to park yourself at. It’s an on-going process of riding life.
As Dory says: "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming."
If you have any other questions on how to work out from home, I’d love to hear from you! You can message me anywhere you’d like. I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life, so wherever you like to communicate best, you can reach me!
Have you ever wondered how to get gains when gains are hard to get? Do you go to the gym and no matter how hard you try you just can’t get the gains that you want?
My dad is 6”4’ and 135-40Lbs. He’s like, super skinny. My brothers are also both thin (not as tall) but have had a difficult time getting gains in the gym. It has been extremely frustrating. I have watched them work hard on their fitness goals and gain little. Since I’ve been a trainer, they’ve come to me several times for help and I aways had the same answer, “Hmm…I don’t know”.
Sooo . . . I decided to do a ton of research and find out why, exactly, skinny peeps can’t seem to gain bulk like they want to!
I think I figured it out. *Big grin*
Some people are just skinny and envied (or judged) by many, but our bodies are all unique and so are our genetics. Sometimes, no matter how hard these skinny people try, they just can’t see muscle growth in the gym, or if they do, it’s very minimal.
The questions is always . . .
. . . how come I just can’t achieve my goals in the gym!?
First of all, it is important to understand your body type and genetics before you get too frustrated in the gym.
If your father and his father, or mother, or several relatives in your direct family, are tall, thin and almost unhealthy looking, it could be more than just the fact that they’re starving themselves or malnourished.
They could be an Ectomorph alien. Okay maybe not an alien, but . . .
There are three different body types: ectomorph, endomorph and mesomorph.
Today I’m just going to talk about the ectomorph.
This body type is long and lean, has a hard time gaining muscle (and fat), and has a fast metabolism. When you have the ectomorph body type your nutrition and fitness program have to be very deliberate and focused on your goals.
I am going to break this down for you into 4 groups:
Nutrition
Training
Rest
Supplements
1. NUTRITION:
For the ectomorph, it can be super tempting to eat whatever you want, whenever you want, as much as you want and as often as you want, in hopes of maybe seeing something. But let me tell you a little secret; that’s not a good idea.
Understanding carbohydrates is important because ectomorphs need a LOT of complex carbs, which are different from simple carbs.
Complex carbs are dense, packed with nutrients and keep you full longer, which is what you need.
SIMPLE CARBS
Simple carbs are very low in nutrients, and trick the brain into thinking you’re full before you’ve actually received much nutrients at all. Therefore, you’re not actually “feeding” your body anything more than a feeling, annnd stuff that can make you sick. (Artery-clogging fat, diabetes-boosting sugar, etc., etc.) And just because you aren’t carrying around a tire in the mid-section doesn’t mean you’re healthy.
Here’s an example of what a simple carb looks like: A slice of angel cake will definitely take away your hunger fast. But your calorie content is 129 per slice, with 256% sodium, 15 grams of sugar, potassium 1%, fiber 0%, (empty) carbs 9%, protein 3 grams, calcium 4%, and all your vitamins and minerals are listed at 0%.
All body types need to stay away from simple carbs, but especially the ectomorph. These evil little carbs should never enter your mouths!
Simple carbs are:
White (table) sugar
Corn syrup
Candy
Ice cream
Cake
All baked goods with white flour
Bread with white flour (you should eat a lot of 100% whole wheat/grain bread!)
Pasta made with white flour
(Most) packaged cereals
ALL sodas
etc.
COMPLEX CARBS
Now a sample of a complex carb: Vegan lentil casserole. This will also fill you up fast, but it will keep you full longer because complex carbs take longer to digest.
It has 240.1 calories in one serving, which is fine because, watch where all of your nutrients are coming from: Potassium 566 mg, 9.9 grams of fiber, 29.8 grams (complex) carbs, 15.5% protein, vitamins A, B-6 & B-12, C & D range from 3-30%, 16% calcium, plus 12 other minerals that run between 6-50%. This is power packed with all sorts of bone and muscle building material that will actually feed your body more than just a good feeling for an hour.
The denser your food and the more healthy complex carbs, the less you have to eat to maintain “fullness” and total nutrients, and as a result, the healthier you will be, and the easier it will be to gain bulk.
Complex carbs are:
Fruit
Veggies
Whole Grains (All grains that are not white)
Legumes (beans)
etc. (read on for more examples below)
Nutrition after workout:
Within the first 3-20 minutes after working out, you should have a protein shake. Homemade is best.
I personally have tried a lot of protein powders over the course of about 9 years. Since I’m vegan I really tried to stick with vegan protein powders, but I struggled, so I tried whey, too. But I noticed the whey proteins left a nasty sweet (not a pleasant sweet) coating in my mouth and the back of my throat for hours. So I switched back to vegan protein. I finally found one that I absolutely love. The texture isn’t grainy and the flavor is delicious. The brand is Love & Peas and it is sugar free, vegan certified, and allergen free. You can buy it here!
Here is a list of foods you need to make sure you’re eating regularly:
Add these to your shakes*:
Berries
Honey
Almond milk
Coconut milk
Avocado
Nuts
Seeds (hemp and flax are my fave)
Coconut oil
Moringa powder
Peanut or other nut butters
Add these to your meals:
(All of the above listed for shakes can also be added to meals if you’re not into shakes)
Bagels (fix them with some vegan butter or vegan cream cheese)
100% whole wheat/grain bread
Homemade granola (recipe coming soon!)
BEANS AND BROWN RICE – all day every day!
Vegan butter (my fave is the Smart Balance brand, if you’re adventurous, there are great homemade butter options as well.)
Sweet potatoes
Quinoa
Nuts
Olive oil
Dried fruits
Pumpkin seeds (these and the following 3 items are filled with plant-based BCAA’s which ectomorphs need more than any other body type.)
Cashews
Buckwheat
Brown rice
Items to eat small amounts of:
*update: I have had some questions in regards to why I listed “salad” (below) as a food not to eat. I have re-worded this for clarity. This article was written specifically for people who are trying to bulk up and put on fat and muscle. This is not a generalized suggestion of all body types and weight loss or gain goals. It is a targeted article for thin body types who want to gain weight and have a difficult time doing so. Please feel free to reach out to me with any more questions! Links to contact me are at the end of this article.
Celery
Popcorn
Salads
Soups
Watermelon
etc.
Note:It’s not that these things (above listed foods) are bad for you, in fact, they are very good; they’re just not very dense, so they don’t add to the bulking process. If you want to eat these items, eat them as a side with your meal, in addition to your other denser foods.
Track calories
I hate tracking calories, and don’t typically recommend it, but when you’re trying to add on muscle (and fat) you need to watch your calorie intake and eat higher calorie foods.
How many meals should you eat?
3 meals a day are best, with 2 shakes before the last meal of the day. These can be with your meals, or before or after breakfast and again before or after lunch. Keep your third meal smaller and make sure it is your lowest calorie meal, and never go to bed full!
Even though you are trying to gain weight, you still need at least 3 hours between the last time you eat and when you go to bed.
2. TRAINING
Compound weight training is a must for ectomorphs! Also, you should spend less time in the gym than you might think:
45 minutes is all you need to have a great workout! Train heavy and hard 5 days a week. Stay away from any type of cardio based workouts.
Cardio is good for everybody, and is how we keep our heart healthy and strong. For the ectomorph looking to build muscle and gain weight, definitely leave that out for now, unless you specifically need it for other reasons. If that’s the case, you just have to realize that weight gain will be nearly impossible to attain. (Sorry).
3. REST
Get sleep and lots of it. Ectomorphs need their sleep! This is when your body is building the muscle that you broke down in the gym. 8-9 hours of sleep is ideal for muscle building.
Homemade shakes with protein powder, nuts, oats, seeds, coconut oil, nut butters, nut milk, avocado, banana, etc. Naturally calorie dense foods with higher healthy fat content.
Moringa powder has 92 nutrients and 46 antioxidants and no additional supplements are needed when consuming moringa daily. Moringa is natural and there are no side effects it can be taken while on medication and is 100% safe. Add the powder to your shakes, mix it in a glass or water or get capsules to swallow, whatever way you prefer, it’s available. Right now I am using (this) by Micro Ingredients. In shakes, you can’t really taste it but alone it is a bit much.
BCAA’s. The Branched-chain amino acids – Luecine, isoleucine and valine – are essential. They differ from the other amino acids because they can be used for energy directly in the muscle without having to go to the liver to be broken down during exercise.
Lucas Guimaraes-Ferreira L, Coordinator of the Muscle Physiology and Human Performance Research Group and Bachelor in Physical Education and Sports, MSc and PhD in Human Physiology, says: “It has been suggested that ingesting BCAA’s before and/or during long duration activity may help the late fatigue, but studies have not strongly supported this theory. However the BCAAs, especially leucine may play a critical role in recovering from exercise by preventing muscle breakdown.”
Plant-based sources of BCAAs include: pumpkin seeds, buckwheat, brown rice and cashews. You can also choose a plant-based protein supplement that contains BCAAs, such as Vega Sport® Premium Protein, which has 5 grams of BCAAs per scoop. I have tried some Vega Sport proteins and they weren’t my favorite. I just use cashew milk for my shakes, add my fave protein powder, toss in raw unsalted pumpkin seeds and a fourth cup of quick oats to my shakes. And then eat beans and rice. This does the trick.
Creatine powder helps your muscles produce energy during heavy lifting (which is what you need as an ectomorph) and helps with muscle gain, enhances strength and improves performance. This one is my favorite and it is pretty inexpensive.
My brother lives with me, and he is very thin when he isn’t working out and eating right. He wanted to start working out with my boyfriend and I, so I did this research specifically for him. I made a meal plan and started making him shakes to take to work. He has followed this training and nutritional plan now for over a month and has gained almost 10 pounds. It is working!
I hope this helps, I’d love to hear your story, see your before and after pics, and answer your questions! You can message me anywhere you’d like. I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life, so wherever you like to communicate best, you can reach me!
Did you decide that it’s time to get fit together? Or not . . .
Are you looking at your dude suddenly inspired to help him trim and slim back to the day he said “I do”?
Did you hear those wheels screeching and the rewind button just squeal in response and maybe even a roaring, “Oh no you didn’t!”
Thought so.
But if you’re like me and you are on a healthy kick and you suddenly want your man to join, it’s so difficult not to try, right?
What inspires you the most? Is it someone telling you that your attitude needs to change? Or is it someone that is always in a good mood and has a great attitude. Every. Day?
Positive thinking, positive living, and positive actions are a huge inspiration to those around us. It also starts a momentum for our own selves when we stay connected to our own positive energy. Our own need for change and need for improvement should inspire us to grow and in turn will inspire those around us.
Change takes time, especially the change of our health. It’s not easy for me to make a healthy decision when the one I love isn’t going after it with me. If I’m not focused on my personal need to change, sometimes I get upset and wrapped up in my partner’s lack of interest in changing in the same way and at the same time, as me.
Why do I want my partner to change? Of course we all want what is best for those we love. But going a little deeper, often times we want them to make the change with us to make it easier for us. It’s selfish at that point because we want him to carry us through the change to make it easier for us.
When someone else that we have to be with day in and day out isn’t onboard with what we think is better we tend to let that other person be our excuse for not changing. It makes it easier.
Well, his muffins are always in the pantry, (even though I eat most of them) so I can’t not eat them! It’s his fault!
If you want to change your man, you have to stop. Turn your focus back on your own journey to change, and let him come around in his own time.
(For help with how to do this change stuff, check out my article Six Steps to Setting Goals that Last) Prove to him that you are strong and capable at accomplishing difficult things on your very own.
Improving yourself also makes you more attractive physically, but I’m also talking about internally, too. The true happiness within you, the excitement of self-achievement, shines powerfully to those around us. Men appreciate a woman that can be her own person.
Respect him and praise him.
Men feel manly and powerful when their woman truly respects them. It gives them leverage and drive to prove they’re the man. If time passes and you’ve expressed that you wish he were in the boat rowing along with you, but he also recognizes your respect in not pushing it, he might just see how much fun you’re having in that boat and jump in to lead simply because he wants to prove to you that he can, just like you! If he’s competitive he might want to out row you, but that’s okay. Let him.
Appreciate him.
Truly. As he is. Shrek-like and all. Period.
Leave windows open and doors cracked.
I don’t mean actual doors and windows. I mean, entice him. Invite him with your actions, not your words.
Leave a tail of crumbs behind you.
Figuratively, again. Leave good food out. Keep bottled water in the fridge. Bake healthy meals. Leave your gym shoes at the door. Leave reminders all over the place; reminders of your new change, and leave happiness out there for grabs, too. The enjoyment within you and your own accomplishments and your change, will give him little “crumbs” to taste for himself. If he likes it, don’t be surprised if he comes back for more than just a crumb.
Wow him with your changes by not quitting when the going gets tough.
Choose your talk time and words wisely.
When you do talk to him about your wishes, remind yourself why. Is it truly for his best interest and health, or is it just because you don’t want to do it alone? Leave judgment at the door, in the trashcan with the banana peels. Kindness goes a long, long way.
If he’s all about it and in it with you 110% of the way, encourage and be supportive. And have fun!
Men are born to care for, lead, protect and provide shelter and safety for us women. When we allow space for them to take that role as they were meant to, and when they are ready to, we empower them.
So, next time you get on a healthy kick and decide that all drinks need to hit the highroad and there will only be water in the house and in the car and at the office and…
….DO IT FOR YOURSELF.
There’s always a time and place for change. Sometimes our time is a different time than Shrek’s.
Have you ever thought that you might need to quit your routine? How it might need a little make-over?
Summer sort of snuck up on me, and I didn’t have a specific plan set in place. Suddenly, it was here and moving on without me and I felt like I was running to catch up! With school out, the routine changed, and everything just went bonkers.
This is the perfect set up for fantastic bad excuses.
Excuses such as: “I’ll wait until school starts again,” “I didn’t have a plan,” “there’s just too much going on right now,” “I’ll wait for this new job to settle in”, etc. Before you know it, missing the gym is a thing, drinking more becomes a thing, eating excessive amounts of sugary treats is another thing, putting on weight, and covering up that summer body with fluff is also a thing. And all these things pile up and become an awful downward spiral that takes a lot more energy to fix than most of us want to put into it.
It’s time to quit this routine and start making legitimate, good excuses.
We all make excuses when we don’t really wanna do something. But… do you really want to fluff up? How do you really feel about your desire to get healthy and fit? Have you actually thought about whether or not you really want to be happy. What does that actually mean to you? What to you want?!
You are capable of following a routine that will change your life for the better and last a lifetime.
How many times do you think about starting a healthy routine (or habit) but make excuses because you just aren’t the routine type. Get out of that mindset. We’re all creatures of habit. We all follow some sort of routine.
What habits and routines could you replace that would get you closer to the vision you have of yourself in a year from now, or 5, 10 years from now?
Like I have talked about (briefly) before, setting goals that last means taking baby steps. Changing our daily routine is the same basic concept.
In ten years, your life will look exactly as it does today unless you take the first baby step in actively changing up that daily, stagnant routine.
It’s not having a routine that you’re not into; it’s changing the routine.
The best way to start changing the routine is to replace one thing you do regularly (drinking soda) and incorporate the new thing (water) into the routine you already have. Instead of changing everything at once, simply start with one thing at a time.
My goal with balance8life is to show you how to transform the bad routine into a good one. Before you know it, you’ll start to feel better and your health will improve. All it takes is that first step, but you have to take that first step and begin making good, legitimate excuses not to eat the wrong thing, not to stay up late, not to skip your exercise. These 8 methods work for me. They are 100% guaranteed to move you into a routine that will set you up for a healthy lifestyle.
At 28 years old, I had incredibly high cholesterol, was having serious, constant, back pain, insomnia, couldn’t do a quick sprint to catch the ball my son had thrown, ride a bike, or any activity that exerted any sort of energy past cleaning house, without discomfort and instant exhaustion.
. . . But I ate right and I wasn’t overweight.
I didn’t think I needed to exercise beyond an occasional walk with the kids.
It didn’t really dawn on me until I was thirty years old, that exercise is not only not overrated, but it is essential to being and feeling whole, healthy and happy.
When I was thirty-years-old, I went to the beach with a friend of mine and we did what we’d been doing the past fifteen years of our lives: a fun, goofy, photo shoot.
We have albums of moment in our lives from the age of fifteen on, of fun hikes, beach trips, weekend excursions to the park, museums, etc.
This time, when we returned from the beach and uploaded the photos to my computer, I was truly horrified.
I had no idea how badly I had let myself go. I wasn’t overweight, as I have already stated, and in clothes, nobody would guess that I was so unhealthy. I was a vegan and I did everything right. I thought.
But I had hit that mark. The “older” mark, and I’d had 5 children. My unhealthy state of being hit me hard. I had finally reached a point in my life where I had to actually do things to keep my body looking good.
Mind blown.
Exercise isn’t just about looking good. It’s about feeling great, too, but on an even deeper, more important level, exercise is about being truly healthy.
It doesn’t matter what you look like or how you feel, if you don’t include exercise in your daily routine, you aren’t going to be balanced in your journey to a healthy lifestyle.
When my friend returned to the great state of Washington, we talked about how we looked in the photos, and he and I made a commitment to each other to keep each other motivated and accountable, even though I was alllll the way down in Georgia.
I had no knowledge of the world of fitness. I was a stay-at-home mom that lived out in the woods, alone, and had no idea what exercise meant beyond going for a walk.
As you come with me on this journey to a healthier, more balanced lifestyle, I will show you what I did to lower my cholesterol, lose inches where it mattered, and gain them (also where it mattered) and reach my goals to a happier, healthier me.
Now, let’s get started on this journey! In order for exercise to be a part of your health journey, you need to:
SET GOALS
I can help you with How to Set Goals That Lasthere!
OUTLINE THOSE GOALS
In my article, 6 Steps on to Setting Goals That Last , I show you exactly how to go about doing this, and it’s just 6 steps, nothing overly complicated!
START HERE
If you’re at home and don’t have much, or any, equipment, read my article Working Out At Home, to see what I did when I had no money, no equipment, no gym, no time and didn’t know anything about fitness!
KEEP IT UP
It isn’t always easy to know exactly how to go about keeping up a new habit. Read my article about consistency and how to do just that!
Later on, once you’ve got this started, go to my blog for more on diet, what is and isn’t good, diet myths, fitness techniques, and tons more!
