Tag: gym

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Weight Loss Versus Fat loss: The Basics

 

Photo by Joseph Kellner

Understanding the difference between weight loss versus fat loss could be the solution to a successful weight loss journey.

I recently decided I wanted to take my fitness to the next level. I want to be ripped again. And that includes getting rid of some . . . weight.

Or, perhaps, fat?

Photo by Eugene Chystiakov

The reason I decided that I wanted to take my fitness to the next level is the difference between looking like a regular, “healthy” mom that isn’t overweight but doesn’t necessarily look like she works out, to a ripped and obviously fit mom.

That’s what I used to be.

And I know it ’cause every time I went anywhere, people used to ask me, “are you a trainer?”

 

Photo by John Fornander

Now, I just don’t get that.

Knowing the difference between weight loss versus fat loss can help when beginning your weight loss journey, even if it is more of a toning or trimming journey.

If you don’t know the difference before you set out on your new goal path, you could be throwing away valuable muscle or simply eliminating water.

It can also be difficult to reach target weight goals when you’re already close. Sometimes it’s even more of a struggle to knock off the last few pounds than it is at the very start of your journey.

It is a little more complex than just getting on the treadmill to burn some fat. Sometimes those last few pounds just don’t want to go away!

If you’re trying to knock off a few extra pounds,  wanting to change your physique, or at the beginning of your weight loss journey, it helps to remember that muscle weighs more than fat, and it also helps to know the difference between overall weight, and actual fat.

 

WEIGHT LOSS DEFINED

Understanding the difference between weight loss vs. fat loss is important when beginning your weight loss journey.

When you are are focused on weight loss, you’re focusing on a decrease in your overall body weight. You’re also focusing on the numbers that stare you in the face when you jump on the scale.

At this point, you are seeing the weight loss of muscle, fat, and water.

If you don’t know the difference between weight and fat loss, the fluctuation in numbers can be very confusing.

FAT LOSS DEFINED

Fat loss is specifically talking about your body fat.

You might not completely understand it yet, and that’s okay. Depending on your diet, workout program, and water intake, depends on how the numbers read on the scale and what it is that you are actually losing.

With a lot of sweating also comes dehydration. Dehydration equals water loss, which isn’t helping you reach your goals. As soon as you hydrate, your “weight” will be right back to where it was.

You have to learn how to target fat for successful fat loss.

 

Photo by Mor Shani

CALORIE RESTRICTION AND WEIGHT LOSS

When you restrict your overall calorie intake, the misconception is that you are also restricting a needed amount of macronutrients. (Protein is often the biggest concern). 

When people get caught up on these technicalities, it is easy to fall into a weight loss yo-yo of fad dieting, not being able to lose weight, or losing too much of the wrong weight too fast, and then gaining it all back.

Yes, your muscles need protein. But it is a myth that working out breaks down muscle tissue that can’t be built back up without large quantities of protein in the diet. You don’t need any more protein than you’d eat in a regular, balanced meal.

Working out simply inhibits the naturally occurring breakdown of muscle tissue.

Restricting caloric intake along with exercising and a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes, is (in a nutshell) all you need for successful weight loss (and muscle gain).
To maintain proper macronutrients to gain muscle and lose weight is as simple as making sure you’re eating until satisfied, but not stuffed.

 

Photo by Alexander Redl
More information and references:
If you are living a sedentary lifestyle or training moderately, the recommended protein need is: 0.8 to 1.2g/kg body weight. 

 

Photo by Anna Pelzer

CALORIES: GOOD VERSUS BAD

Calories come from all sorts of foods, healthy and unhealthy, empty and complex. Even from foods labeled healthy that really are not. 

Counting calories is not necessary for weight loss or maintaining healthy weight. (The only time I suggest counting calories is for extreme situations, and even in this case, it is best when suggested by a registered dietitian.) 

Empty calories don’t have nutritional value and don’t supply good energy for your body to function at peak performance. Foods with empty calories simply have loads of calories with zero nutrients. Since empty calories don’t have any nutrition for your body, they leave you hungrier and less satisfied and you’re more likely to eat more, more frequently, more of them, and put on more weight.

For example, whole wheat bread is high in fiber and is nutrient dense, which makes you feel fuller, so you eat less and get fuller quicker, and will stay full longer, which limits your need to consume more and more frequently.

White breaded foods can contribute to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. The white flour is highly processed and filled with additives that don’t show up in your homemade 100% whole wheat bread.

Calories aren't the issue. It's the type of calories you 
need to concern yourself with.

 

 

weight loss verses fat loss
Photo by Drew Hays

Stop and consider where you’re getting your calories from. They should be from this list of foods:

  • whole grains
  • nuts
  • seeds
  • lagumes
  • fruits
  • veggies

I realized that when I moved into the city and began making more money, I options. More options can be a lot to manage and, if you’re not careful, it is easy to start adding unneeded calories.

Back when I was very fit and looked like it, I had very few options. I basically had two. Eat very unhealthy, because it’s cheap. Or, in order to eat very healthy, I had to cook from scratch. I chose the latter.

Recently, as I got to thinking about how I ate then vs. how I eat now,  I started to realize that my lack of money and also living in the country, actually prevented me from buying junk. Now, I live 3 minutes from Whole Foods. That means a quick run for a tasty treat (healthy as it may be) is a lot easier than grabbing a can of beans out of the cupboard.

Quality is always better than quantity.

Pre-packaged items and the beautifully labeled boxes of some so-called healthy foods, are most often higher in fat content and calories, than if you cook from scratch.

When you make your own food, and when you start measuring out cups of oil or sugar, you start to realize just how much is actually going in your food. And then, you have the option to substitute!

Cooking from scratch is a glorious opportunity to really take complete control of your health.

 

weight loss verses fat loss
Photo by Patricia Tsernoshova

WEIGHT LOSS VERSUS FAT LOSS: WHITE LIES

Just because food labels say low sugar, low carb, low fat, doesn’t mean it’s healthy and good for you.

There are a lot of vegan foods that are still processed, fattening and unhealthy!

Back when I was ripped, I made all my own food from scratch. I also had a garden, and we ate a lot of homegrown, fresh foods.

Eat the basics and you can't go wrong.

When you eat whole foods, which equals quality caloric intake, you don’t have to look for the lies. There are none.

When you are buying pre-packaged foods, things can sneak into your diet

Photo by Dan Gold

without you even knowing. And how clever packaging can be, to help you sneak the bad into your diet.

Labels tell white lies. Vegan and vegetarian foods can be real fattening, just like any other foods.

When you make your own food, the devil is in the details, and it is in your control to take the devil (errr, the sugar & fat) out, when you’re the one making the food.

Vegan means no animal products. Vegan can still be white, fried, full of sugar, and absolutely fiber free, and full of empty calories. So read labels and watch for the lies!

Keep it real. Keep it basic.

weight loss verses fat loss

THE RIGHT FITNESS

When you are building muscle and losing weight while building muscle, the numbers on the scale can be very tricky and quite frankly, frustrating.

It is not only important to be aware of how you are eating, but it is also a good idea to make sure that your workout routine is matched to help you achieve your weight loss, or gain, goals.

When you are building muscle while also losing weight, you may see that your weight doesn’t decline as quickly as you would like, and that can be frustrating.

Keep in mind that muscle weighs more, and is more dense therefore, if you are losing fat and gaining muscle, your weight loss may be a little slower, simply because your fat (weight) is being replaced by muscle (weight).

weight loss verses fat lossSIDE NOTE:

Use measurements instead of a scale, to monitor your weight growth and loss. You can gain weight and lose inches at the same time. When you see you’ve not lost the pounds you wish, but also see you’re an inch smaller in your waist, it is easier to swallow the slower weight loss.

Weight loss versus fat loss can be “seen” in measurements.  You can actually see the inches lost, yet see that your weight hasn’t dropped too much, indicating that you are gaining muscle, not losing it!

 

nrf2

WEIGHT LOSS VERSUS FAT LOSS DOESN’T MEAN MONEY LOSS

It is not true that you have to have more money to eat healthy to maintain healthy weight. 

In fact, the more money you have, the more you visit specialty grocery stores and boutique restaurants.

Whole Foods and True Foods Kitchen aren’t even that special but they’re special enough that their prices are especially high. You can’t go there when you’re low on money!  When you’ve got dough in the pocket, you simply get lazy, cause it’s easy to do.

And, it’s easily disguised as healthy with these fabulous organic, “low calorie, low fat” labels on your . . .  already made, pre-packaged foods you can afford to buy!

WEIGHT LOSS VERSUS FAT LOSS:  THE BASICS TO WEIGHT CONTROL IS BASICALLY BASIC.

weight loss verses fat lossPhoto by Markus Spiske

Learn how to simplify your taste preferences, and your grocery shopping. Keep in mind the difference between needs and wants. And keep it whole! 🙂

If you have more questions, please reach out to me! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

 

 

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6 Ways to Stay Healthy Naturally

 

This post  may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclaimer for more info.

There are several ways we can stay healthy naturally, and do our best to keep sickness from entering our homes and bodies. Waiting until you think you might be getting sick is not the time to figure out how to keep from getting sick though.

Prevent sickness

 

6 in 10 adults in the US have chronic disease. 4 in 10 adults have 2 or more chronic illnesses.

Heart disease, cancer, lung disease, diabetes, kidney disease,  stroke and Alzheimer’s disease, are some of the top diseases that are the most common.

The biggest cause of these diseases are lifestyle. Lifestyles that regularly use tobacco, excessive alcohol, poor nutrition and are sedentary, are the lifestyles that can cause the above mentioned diseases.

 

TrueScience skin

 

Lifestyle choices effect our health for good and for bad. To try to avoid getting the common cold, the flu, or even more life threatening diseases it is good to follow a healthy lifestyle of wellness.

This is not to say you will never get sick, but the healthier you live your life, the less likely you will be to catch something, or for it to hang around long, if you do!

“Older adults and people who have severe underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness.” Center for Disease and Control and Prevention.

If we take care of our bodies and keep them in great shape, we are living a lifestyle of health, strength and wellness. 

 

Prevent sickness
Photo by Bara Buri

HEALTH BEGINS FROM CHILDHOOD

Mental, physical and spiritual health all starts when we’re kids. How we are raised shapes our future.

When we take control of our own health as adults, or even as teens, we can alter our health destiny by changing how we live our lives, and the lifestyle choices that we make.

One of the top lifestyle choices that can alter our wellness and health is our nutrition.

SET YOUR CHILDREN UP FOR SUCCESS

If you have kids, what are you doing to set your own children up for success with a healthy lifestyle?

Are they eating fruits and vegetables or mostly sweet, fast or fried foods? What are they drinking? Have you been able to get them on an eating schedule loaded with a rainbow of colorful fresh foods?

As a server, I have personally witnessed parents sitting down to eat with their children. I’ve seen these parents order junk for their kids, while they sit there and have a salad.

Children can eat salad, too. If their taste buds are used to good, wholesome food from the very beginning, they will love healthy foods.

I’ve got 5 of my own children, and from the first time they ate food until they were in their pre-teens, they never tasted a soda, any kind of meat, any sort of pastry or pre-packaged food. I made everything from scratch, whole grain and vegan, and that is what they ate, and still prefer. (Mostly).

What is the future of your children? As an adult, what habits will they have developed from childhood?

BREAK THE CYCLE

Parents raise their children the way their parents raise them. It is a cycle that goes on for generations and it can be a set up for success or failure, depending on the habits taught and developed from childhood.

I am extremely blessed. I was raised a vegan and I am 40 now and have never once had meat.

I’m very grateful for how my parents raised me. And I remember as a kid, them catching a lot of flak for it, too. It wasn’t easy! Especially in the 80’s. I had juice on my granola because soy milk wasn’t readily available.

I feel lucky though, because I never had to give up anything on my plate or change my diet to lose weight or combat years of health problems.

My mom set me up for success, and because of her and how I was raised, I have never had to deal with excessive weight or health problems.

This is what we do for our children when we set them up with healthy habits starting at babyhood.

As adults, if we were not raised with good habits, and want to be healthy, we have to change our lifestyle habits and it will not be easy.

I know that not everybody knows what to do or where to start to make lifestyle changes. And that is why I am here. I want to be there for you as you start your healthy lifestyle journey!

(See below for beginners guides on how to start your healthy adventure!)

 

 

Prevent sickness
Photo by Debbie Ducic

1. STAY HEALTHY NATURALLY WITH WATER

Water cleans us out on the inside. If you leave the inside “unwashed”, the likelihood of getting sick is higher. For best results, drink at least 8-12 glasses of water a day. Not fluids. There is a difference. This needs to be actual water.

Let me just give you a quick example of a few health problems that can be turned around with just 96oz of water in your day: Kidney stones, fatigue, lack of energy, bad breath, poor sleep, urinary tract infection, dry splotchy skin, lackluster hair, sore muscles, muscle cramps, elongated sickness, digestive problems, weight gain, and so many more pain in the butt problems, can be kept at bay simply by drinking plenty of water.

If you think drinking 96oz of water a day is impossible, I’ve got a few tricks for you right here! How to Drink 96oz of Water a Day.  And if you don’t like water and can’t stand the taste, here’s a little help with  that, too. Five Ways to Yummy-Up Your Water.

I am not a doctor, and of course, as always, if you’re not sure, it never hurts to ask your doctor what he/she advises for your daily water recommendations.

 

stay healthy naturally
Photo by Brooke Lark

2. STAY HEALTHY NATURALLY WITH HERBS

“Herbs such as milk thistle, bilberry, hawthorn, evening primrose oil, garlic, Siberian ginseng and ginkgo are some of the most powerful food grade items medicine has ever seen. These herbs and others are entirely safe and very effective.” Dr. Agatha Thrash M.D. Preventive Medicine.

For more details on why these herbs are so good and how to use them read her article Designer Foods, Herbs & Disease Prevention

When I was in high school, I lived in a dorm, and for some reason this one particular year, I remember getting sick. A lot. Unusually often. One thing that the dean always made for us girls when we got sick was the shot of death. I hated it, but now, I use it for my kids.

It is a combo of grapefruit juice, fresh cloves of garlic, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, honey, and ginger. You blend this up into a shot, and literally shoot it. It burns, but it will take away a sore throat fast.

I grew up  on herbs, they do actually work,  and a lot of times, in my past experience, are a lot less invasive than going to a doctor and work even better.

It is important to be well educated when using herbs. I suggest doing a lot more reading on the use of herbs if it is something you want to use more of.

stay healthy naturally

3. STAY HEALTHY NATURALLY WITH NUTRITION

One of the best ways to stay healthy is to eat a lot of fresh foods. Not just when you’re feeling yucky, and not just here and there. This needs to be a daily habit.

The saying prevention is better than cure is one I take seriously. And nutrition is the best way to put that saying into action.

Green, leafy veggies are on the top of my list, which is why I have “Green Drink Sunday” almost every Sunday! Habits like this make green things easy, fun and tasty. Even when my kids have friends over, they all get green smoothies or juice. It’s just how we roll!

Stay away from sugary foods like pastries, candy, ice cream, sodas, sweet tea, etc. (This doesn’t include fruit).

Sugar kills white blood cells which are our disease fighters. Increase fresh foods like citrus fruits, red and green bell peppers, kale, broccoli, kiwi, pineapple, spinach, etc. because they are high in vitamin C and they also help to increase production of white blood cells.

prevent sickness
Photo by Logan Nolin

5. STAY HEALTHY NATURALLY WITH  SLEEP

Proper sleep is essential to keeping your immune system strong and healthy. As soon as you start having late nights, disrupted sleep schedules, and then over sleeping, you’re creating the perfect playground for viruses to grow.

Getting too much sleep and not enough sleep are equally bad for your body. An adult should get at least 7-9 hours of rest per night.

For more on how to get better sleep, read 8 Steps to Improve Your Quality of Sleep.  And, 7 Things That Ruin Your Sleep.

 

nrf2

 

6. STAY HEALTHY NATURALLY WITH WEIGHT CONTROL

I realize this is no quick or easy fix, but it has to be done for healths sake.

Weight control goes hand in hand with exercise, nutrition, and wellness. People that are overweight are more likely to have heart disease, strokes, diabetes, cancer, and depression. These are some of the very same diseases I listed in the beginning of this article.

Excessive weight causes so many problems. Aside from disease, it is hard on your joints, your mental health, and your ability to enjoy life.

I have written articles specifically to help you begin your weight loss journey. They show you how to lose and maintain weight naturally and healthfully. Here are a couple articles for starters: Lose and Maintain Healthy Weight with Carbs and How to Maintain Healthy Weight After Dieting.

Sometimes weight loss is just something you need a little extra help with, alongside your nutrition and exercise program. I highly recommend the PhysIQ System, in combination with the Nrf2. I am a vegan so I myself won’t use the whey protein in the PhysIQ System package, but you can purchase the Fat Burn and Prebiotic separately and replace the protein with the Nrf2 for a complete package!

weight management

7. STAY HEALTHY NATURALLY WITH EXERCISE

Getting exercise has to happen. Exercise keeps us younger longer, keeps our weight in check and presents aches and pain. It can also help keeps us healthy from disease, depression, and many other things that nobody should ever have to deal with.

“As exercise is increased, degenerative diseases of all kinds are decreased, life span is extended, various minor infections such as colds are reduced . . .” Agatha M. Thrash, M.D. Preventive Medicine

When you exercise, you’re breathing deeper and this helps to flush out your lungs and helps make you more resistant to respiratory infections. Do this outside and it is a win-win!

Exercise also increases white blood cells. Remember earlier how I said white blood cells are our disease fighters?

Exercise balances out our hormones. Including stress hormones. Stress makes us more susceptible to disease. So exercising brings us to a better, balanced state.

 

 

Prevent sickness
Photo by Kayla Duhon

Below are some resources for beginners on how to change your lifestyle to one of wellness and health.

Beginners Guide to Healthy Living

Beginners Guide to Weight Lifting and Gym Life

What is a Vegan

 

More on my BLOG!

Photo by Katrin Hauf

 

 

I wish the best of health on all of you and would love to hear what tips and tricks you do, to stay healthy naturally! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

 

 

 

 

 

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Get Better Results in the Gym

This post  may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclaimer for more info.

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.

 

better results in the gym

 

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 you shouldn’t use 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.

better results in the gym

 

 

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.

better results 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

Axio
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.

NAD Synergizer
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.

Nrf2
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 time in 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.

For more on all of the products I offer in my store, please visit my LifeVantage website! I also have products for gut health, protein powder, skin and beauty, hair and pet health! Enjoy those here.

Please feel free to comment below, contact me on social media and follow me here! I love hearing from my readers. 🙂 I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

 

 

 

 

 

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Vegan Powerlifting Part 1

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vegan powerlifting

 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!

Vegan powerlifting

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.)

Jim Gurtner
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 Vegan Powerlifting
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 powerlifting
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 . . .
Is muscle really being broken down by exercise? 
For more about what the best sources of protein are as a vegan, read 8 Best Protein Sources for Vegans.

BREAKING DOWN MUSCLE MYTH

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.
If you have comments or questions, follow me on social media! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life, so wherever you like to hang, you can reach me!
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Beginners Guide to Weight Lifting and Gym Life

This post  may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclaimer for more info.

 

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!

Fat burn

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.

 

beginners guide to weight lifting

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!

 

 

beginners guide to weight lifting

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.

weight management

 

If you have any other questions, I’m here to help! Hit me up on any of the social media platforms you enjoy the most. I’m on (almost) all of them. . .  Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest ,Linkedin, and balance8life.