The Marble Story

Here is a story I dug up from my vast archives. Interesting angle on priorities, work and enjoying life. Enjoy!

SATURDAYS
The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable.

A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the garage with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time. Let me tell you about it:



I turned the dial up into the phone portion of the band on my ham radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning swap net. Along the way, I came across an older sounding chap, with a tremendous signal and a golden voice. You know the kind; he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business. He was telling whom-ever he was talking with something about "a thousand marbles." I was intrigued and stopped to listen to what he had to say "Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well but it's a shame you have to be away from home and our family so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or seventy hours a week to make ends meet. It's too bad you missed your daughter's "dance recital" he continued. "Let me tell you something that has helped me keep my own priorities." And that's when he began to explain his theory of a "thousand marbles."

"You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years.

"Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900, which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime. Now, stick with me, Tom, I'm getting to the important part.

It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail", he went on, "and by that time I had lived through over twenty-eight hundred Saturdays." "I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy. So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended up having to visit three toy stores to round up 1000 marbles. I took them home and put them inside a large, clear plastic container right here in the shack next to my gear."

"Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and thrown it away. I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life. "There is nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight."

"Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign-off with you and take my lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure that if I make it until next Saturday then I have been given a little extra time. And the one thing we can all use is a little more time."

"It was nice to meet you Tom, I hope you spend more time with your family, and I hope to meet you again here on the band. This is a 75 Year old Man, K9NZQ, clear and going QRT, good morning!"

You could have heard a pin drop on the band when this fellow signed off. I guess he gave us all a lot to think about. I had planned to work on the antenna that morning, and then I was going to meet up with a few hams to work on the next club newsletter.

Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a kiss. "C'mon honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast" "What brought this on?" she asked with a smile. "Oh, nothing special, it's just been a long time since we spent a Saturday together with the kids. And hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out? I need to buy some marbles.

More About Cormax West Personal Training

Hello, Friends!

For most of us, summer vacation is over, kids are back in school, and focus is directed back to "getting back to business." For us, that's getting back to the business of fitness.... YOUR fitness, in fact, lol.

I heard a great quote this week - "Like anything else, with proper training, what was once hard becomes easy." Applies to fitness, too! Yes, it's hard to start. Yes, it's hard to stick with it. But it's so worth it! To reach your next level of fitness and health, no matter what your goals are, you need to constantly challenge yourself, and seek for consistency and professional advice. That's where we can help, of course!

So how well do you really know Cormax West Personal Training?!

Here are some interesting (or maybe not?) facts that most people DON'T know:

• Our first "studio" was a 1500 square feet room on Main Avenue in West Fargo, with 3 sets of the Cormax machines, an assist pull-up and dip machine and an adjustable slant board for abs. We painted the walls ourselves and the ceiling was only 9' 6". Now that space remains unoccupied. Obviously a poor location
  
• Some of our very first clients (from the Exercise Physiology Lab at Orthopaedic Associates) are still training with us to this day - 15 years later! (And look better and stronger now than the day we met them! We love you guys!)
• Back in those days Monty had three jobs.
  
• He worked in the Exercise Physiology Lab rehabilitating numerous ACL repairs and the like, as well as baseball hitting and throwing mechanics instruction, hockey treadmill training, running treadmill training, plyometrics training and strength training. The clientele ranged from youth to college to adult fitness to Olympic athletes and professional athletes.
  
• He worked directly under a Physical Therapist in rehabilitating nursing home residence. Two notable memories were how amazing it was to see 80+ year old individuals regain strength, balance and coordination in such a short period of time and meeting and rehabilitating a man who suffered a stroke whom was a veteran football player from Super Bowl III.
  
• He was also the Off Ice Director for Burggraf Skating Skills where he trained Mites through NHL players. He also expanded his program to figure skaters.
  
• About nine years ago Monty became the first trainer to experiment with the Cormax line of strength training equipment. And still remains the knowledgeable source in Cormax training beyond the inventor, David Karlstrom.
  
• We moved our training site to the West Acres Sports Center in October of 2008.
  
• We welcomed aboard Lacey Igo as our PR & Marketing Director soon after the move. I can't thank her enough for her creative help.
  
• We provide an innovative, results oriented and cost effective personal training service called Semi Private Training.
  
• This spring we incorporated boot camps for youth and adults. All of the related information is posted on Facebook pages.
  
• Monty at one time weighed 245 pounds in attempts to be a strongman competitor. Soon realized that weighing 60 pounds less is far more enjoyable.
  

Contract Pricing on All Semi Private Training Programs!

Lacey and I have researched our pricing in serving to help you, our local community, seek better fitness, health, and better quality of life! And we realized that we offer what people actually want at a discount -here are the facts:

We offer the most cutting-edge programs possible and constantly seek improvement in all we do; our clients get amazing results; and the training environment we create is positive, encouraging and FUN!

Our client niche is motivated, smart and hard working fitness enthusiast who don't need a trainer to hover them. Rather our clients want to know that when they walk in the gym they know exactly what they are doing that day with program in hand to log their progress and have an experienced trainer available to help set weights, modify routine and an be there as an extensive source of information to refer to for questions relating to health and fitness.

We are implementing contracts in order for the accountant to be able operate a budget and for us to have an idea as what time slots will be available at different times of the year to serve you better. EFT, monthly invoices and recurring credit card payments will also be offered for your convenience.

Additional programs such as boot camps are offered at discount to current clients in appreciation for your continued loyalty.

COOL STUFF CORMAX WEST PERSONAL TRAINING DOES AT THE SPORTS CENTER!

Many of you know that Doug Duran has purchased Cormax equipment last Christmas season for the gym. But in addition to Cormax, Monty implements bands training, rehabilitation, free weights, machines, his version of cardio training on treadmills, bikes and ellipticals. As well as tires of all sorts outside, speed training, jump training and other toys such as sledge hammer and tow ropes.

THANK YOU for your continued support, interest, and friendship. You're important to us!

Sincerely,

Monty and Lacey
Cormax West Personal Training

The following is an article we found from some friends of ours.

Knowledge can lead to better health.

The Deep Fried Disaster

I am often asked how to lose weight quickly and easily.

Of course no one wants to listen to a lecture on the importance of healthy eating coupled with a solid exercise routine. That would preclude the quick and easy part.

So in a world where two thirds of all adults are overweight or obese, and some doctors predict that we will soon see a generation with a lower life expectancy than their parents due to obesity related diseases, I've come up with a solution that is both quick and easy. (Drum roll, please.)

Stop eating fried foods. (Gasp!)

Fried foods, despite having little to no nutritional value and being loaded with fat and calories, have become an accepted indulgence in our society. So accepted that many restaurants serve fries or chips alongside every meal.

It's no wonder that fried foods are the number one thing that most people crave – they are salty, addictive and plentiful.

Are Fried Foods Really That Bad?

In a nutshell, yes, fried foods really are that bad for you.

Take an average potato, bake it and you have 110 calories and 0 grams of fat. Take that same potato, turn it into French fries and you have 380 calories and 18 grams of fat.

Frying food is the easiest way to dramatically increase the calorie and fat content. And you know that extra calories and fat end up as extra body fat.

Other disasters that fried foods put you at risk for include:

• Heart Disease
• Diabetes
• Clogged Arteries
• High Blood Pressure
• Obesity
• Acne

Fried foods have also been known to trigger Acid Reflux and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).

Need I say more?

Going Fried-Free

Giving up fried food may not be easy, though it will arguably be one of the best things you do for your health and appearance. You will lose weight and improve your health by eliminating fried food from your life.

Keep in mind that, like all habits, the first thirty days will be the toughest. Make things easier by staying away from situations that place you in front of a big basket of fries or plate of doughnuts.

New Foods to Love

Instead of fried foods, enjoy the following:

• Substitute a salad or fruit instead of fries
• Baked potato – but pass on the butter and sour cream
• Baked chicken instead of fried chicken
• Baked chips instead of fried chips
• Raw veggie pieces

You may be surprised how delicious these healthier options taste.

Help, I'm addicted!

If your diet has consistently included fried foods - multiple times a day or several times each week, then giving it up may take more work than simply trying healthier options.

You'll need to use some mental strategies as well.

To do this focus on all the negative things about eating fried foods:

• Think of how bloated and heavy you feel afterward
• Remember the heart burn you've experienced
• Focus on the extra pounds you want to lose – imagine doughnuts and French fries sticking to your belly and thighs
• Look at your acne
• Feel the discomfort of being out of breath doing normal activities

You didn't think I was really going to skip telling you how beneficial exercise is to achieving your health and weight loss goals did you?

The bottom line is that exercise plus healthy eating will give you the body that you want.

What are you waiting for? Drop that bag of chips and call me for a workout that will change your life!

The Trans-Fat-Free Decoy

You've probably heard that many restaurants and food manufacturers have stopped using trans-fats. Don't get too excited. While trans fats aren't as bad as other fats, fried items are is still loaded with fat, calories, and sodium – all things that you want to avoid when trying to lose weight.

Before you eat a trans-fat-free item check the overall nutritional content. Does it contain saturated fat? What is the total fat and calorie count? What about sugar and sodium? Don't let a trans-fat-free label distract you from the overall nutritional content of the food.

Video: Wall Push-Ups

Wall Push-Ups

Shoulder workout for those of us who get bored quickly.

First the horizontal position: The Trick here is to think about pushing the floor forward with your hands so that you stay planted against the wall to prevent the feet from slipping down.

The diagonal position: Seems to be the easiest.

The vertical position: Tends to have limited range of motion because your head is in the way.

Wall shuffles: These are great for coordination and actually easier than they look.

The "Best" Test

The "Best" Test by Chris Widener
Some time ago, I spoke to a group of salespeople in Kansas City as they kicked off their new team. It was exciting to see them get excited about making a difference through their work.

The topic they assigned me was "Simply the Best." So as I prepared, I asked myself, "What characteristics would help someone pass the "Best" test? That is, what are the characteristics of those who become the "best" at what they do? Here are the thoughts I shared with them:

The Best are Optimists. You can't get to the top if you don't think that there is a top or if you think you can't make it. One characteristic of those who reach the peak is that they always believe that things can get better or be done better. This pushes them on to be their best.

The Best have Vision. They can see ahead of the pack. Their eyes aren't locked into the here and now. They see the bright future and what things will look like when they reach their destiny. While working hard for today, they live for the future! They do what Stephen Covey calls begin with the end in mind.

The Best Relentlessly Pursue Excellence. The status quo is not for them. They want to be the best and experience the best. And that means giving their best. They go the extra mile so that in everything they do, in everything they say and think, they are striving for excellence.

The Best have a Life Long Habit of Personal Growth. They don't want to stay at the level they are at. They want to grow in their work, their intellect, their spirituality, their relationships, and in every area of their life. And they discipline themselves to put themselves in situations wherein they grow. Personal growth doesn't "just happen." You choose to grow. I always suggest what Zig Ziglar does and that is to enroll in "Automobile University." Whenever you are driving around, listen to a personal or professional growth tape or CD. Over the long run you will grow. Also, read more. The old saying is true: Leaders are readers. So are those who pass the "Best" test.

The Best Understand that They will be Pushed by the Competition - and They Welcome It. Like the lead runner in the race who has someone on his heels, the best know that the competition is right behind them. They love it though because they know that the competition keeps them from becoming lazy and resting on their laurels. Instead, the competition pushes them to go faster and to achieve more - to remain the best by forging ahead.

The Best have a Quest for Leadership. Someone has to lead - it may as well be the best! Those who attain it get there because they want to. They want to lead and help make a difference. And they want to be equipped with the skills necessary to lead others on to a better place.

The Best Leave a Legacy. They aren't in it just for themselves, though they will surely reap the rewards of being the best. Rather, the build things that last beyond themselves, things that can be enjoyed by others as well.

The Best are Adept at the Two Most Important Pieces of Time and Personal Management: Prioritize and Execute. Just like weight loss boils down to eat right and exercise, personal management boils down to prioritize and execute. First, prioritize your activities. The important stuff goes on the top. Then, execute: do them. The best have habits and discipline that get them to the top by doing the best things and doing them first.

The Best Focus on Building Relationships. Success does not come alone. Everyone who achieves much does it with the help of countless others. How do the Best get others to help them? They treat them right. They embrace them and help them. People become the best because they help other people, and people like them.

The Best Make no Excuses. When they fail they admit it and move on. They get back up and do it right the next time. They let their actions speak loader than their words. They stand tall and do the right thing the next time. No excuses, just results.

The Best Understand that the Good is the Enemy of the Best. Yes, they could say, "this is good." But that would mean they have settled for less than the best. Many people think that good is good. Good is not good. Good is the enemy because it keeps us from the best. Choose your side: the good or the best. The Best choose, you guessed it, the Best.

The Best Dare to Dream. While others live the mundane and settle into a life they never bargained for, a rut, the Best dream of a better life. And then they take the risks necessary to achieve their dreams. They live by Teddy Roosevelt's quote: Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs though checkered by failure, then to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the grey twilit that knows neither victory nor defeat.

Want to be the best at what you do? Take inventory on the above characteristics and then start moving to bring your life in line with the characteristics of the "best." Then when you get to the top you will know that you have passed the "Best" test.

You are Made for Success!
Chris Widener

How To Get Sick

1. Stay out of the sun- In addition to the benefits of Vitamin D production, we also tend to be happier or less depressed.
2. Go to bed after midnight- 1 hour of sleep before midnight = 4 hours after midnight according to Elmer Josephson. It has also been proven that we can die from lack of sleep before lack of water or food.
3. Never let them see you sweat- Could talk forever about this but I’ll sum it up with benefits of exercise and detoxification.
4. Take Mega Vitamins- the angle here is the cheap synthetic vitamins and excessive quantities. Think quality not quantity.
5. Use fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash and drink fluoridated water. Do a web search on fluoride or type in fluoride on mercola.com, the history of how fluoride and human consumption is disturbing.
6. Use artificial sweeteners and avoid sugars - Backing off on sugars is a good idea but there is a reason why we need to consume carbohydrates (sugars). Another blog on artificial sugars is the works. One tidbit would be that artificial sugars are classified as neurotoxins. Ah I don’t know if I want to knowingly and willingly put neurotoxins in my body.
7. Shower every day, but don’t take a bath - Depletes hair oils, alters body pH and the shower head aerates the chlorine in tap water causing inhalation of chlorine in small frequent doses.
8. Swim in chlorinated pools.
9. Don’t breastfeed your baby.
10. Get tattoos.
11. Get all of your immunization shots - The preservatives they contain have been linked to autism and Crohn’s disease.
12. Travel in airplane often - The cabins recirculation of air also recirculates all those little cold and flu bugs as well as disturb inner ear pressure regulation.
13. Expose yourself to electromagnetic energy. Power lines, large generators, frequent talking on cell phone directly to ear have all been shown to increase free radicals (the stuff antioxidants clean up).
14. Use a lot of skin care products, cosmetics, hair care products, nail care products, shampoos, soaps, perfumes, shaving cream, suntan lotion, and antibacterial soaps

• Brown and black hair products increase: hodgkins lymphoma (20% of all cases), mult. myeloma -Tea tree and DEA are carcinogenic.
  
• Toluene is associated with asthma which is found in every fragrance since 1991.
  
• Shampoos break down to formaldehyde.
  
• Antibacterial products have triclosan - absorbed through skin and pose a liver threat.

15. Take lots of medications - antibiotics, oral contraceptives and corticosteroids may cause major problems with GI tract, damage the immune system, cause liver problems and alter enzyme function.
16. Get your cavities filled with mercury (silver amalgam, silver fillings, amalgam fillings) - vapor releases continuously and is linked to neurological and psychiatric problems.
17. Do excessive aerobic exercise - lower immune system, creates more oxidation stress, chronic ligament and joint problems with repetitive motion. Dr. Al Sears has an interesting perspective on how we should exercise.
18. Wear contact lenses and receive implants of other foreign objects - risk to immune system.
19. Live in a toxic home - toxic paint, new carpet, mold, paraffin candles, etc.
20. Wear synthetic fabrics
21. Breathe with shallow breaths - infants are instinctively belly breathers. You can actually increase your metabolism just by breathing in more air by belly breathing.
22. Swallow your food without chewing well (or at all)

• Chewing produces saliva
  
• Saliva breaks down carbohydrates
  
• Chewing action stimulates parotid gland behind the ears which signals thymus gland to produce T cells in case food contains toxins or pathogens.
  
• Best to deliver food to stomach in a near liquid state.
  
• Optimally chew food 35-50 times.
  
• Proposed that simply chewing your food can prevent Crohn’s disease and Addison’s.

8 Perfect Fitness Foods

The following is an article presented by David Zinczenko, with Matt Goulding

I found this on Yahoo. It is a good article but I felt the need to make a few comments which will follow each topic in Italics.

It's true: Spinach is muscle fuel. But not because it instantly turns you lean and sexy. Researchers from Rutgers University found that a compound in the leafy green increases protein synthesis by 120 percent, helping your muscle tissue to repair itself faster after you work out. The problem, however, is that you’d have to eat Popeye-sized quantities to experiences dramatic results (we’re talking almost 2 pounds of the iron-packed veggies a day). The good news is that spinach isn’t the only food that can help you to look and feel better than ever--even when you're not exercising.

The right fitness foods help burn fat, build muscle, and even boost your cardiovascular health. Ready to eat your way to better results? These 8 great foods and drinks are guaranteed to make any type of exercise you do more effective—long after you’ve broken a sweat.

EAT THIS!

PINEAPPLE AND PAPAYA
Good for: Muscle recovery
Both of these tropical fruits are loaded with bromelain and papain, enzymes that not only help break down proteins for digestion but also have anti-inflammatory properties to speed up your post-workout recovery.

Remember to avoid the cocktail type drinks, otherwise yes great source. My mother use to always get pineapple juice for us as kids to speed up our recovery from illnesses.

SALMON
Good for: Cardiovascular fitness
Australian researchers found that cyclists who took fish oil for 8 weeks had lower heart rates and consumed less oxygen during intense bicycling than a control group did. The fatty acids in fish oil need to become incorporated into muscle and heart cells to have an effect, and that takes weeks of consumption—so either take fish oil pills each day, or try to eat fish rich in fatty acids multiple times a week to see similar results.

One of the main reasons I keep telling people that fat is not our enemy nor does all fats make us fat. Basically only the man-made one is killing us (trans fat from hydrogenation to improve shelf life).

PB&J or PASTA WITH MEAT SAUCE
Good for: Muscle building and repair
The perfect post-weight training repast has about 400 calories, with 20 to 30 grams of protein (to build new muscle) and 50 to 65 grams of carbohydrates (to repair old muscle). Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or a small bowl of pasta with meat sauce fits that formula.

If the ingredients in your peanut butter extend beyond peanuts and salt you just bought the crappy peanut butter.

PORK TENDERLOIN
Good for: Waist-trimming
Lean meats are a great low-calorie source of protein, and scientists at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, found that eating more protein may reduce the fat around your midsection. People who ate 20 more grams of protein every day than the group average had 6 percent lower waist-to-hip ratios.

The food source for a pig is disgusting to me, I rarely eat pork because I think of what they ate and put in their bodies before I ate them. It’s a well educated food chain thing. Try Chicken or Turkey instead. Even the fats in beef helps lower body fat.

DRINK THAT!

8 OUNCES OF CHOCOLATE MILK
Good for: Hydration
The best sports drink may come from a cow. British researchers found that milk does a better job than water or sports drinks at rehydrating the body after exercise. Why? To begin with, milk has more electrolytes and potassium. The addition of chocolate gives milk the perfect balance of carbs, protein, and fat for speedy muscle recovery.

I am a 100% believer in this. I actually drink raw or fresh milk for that healthy aspect that pasteurization cannot provide. Pasteurization is meant for shelf life and 1800’s mentality in cleanliness.

COFFEE
Good for: Pain relief
University of Georgia scientists revealed that taking a caffeine supplement (equal to two cups of coffee) after exercise reduces muscle soreness more than pain relievers can. Caffeine blocks a chemical that activates pain receptors.

Coffee is a double edged sword that requires an educated decision in whether you would want to put it in your body.

COLD WATER
Good for: Endurance
Drinking cold water before and during exercise can help improve your endurance. In a British study, cyclists who drank about 30 ounces of a chilled drink in the half hour before riding in a hot, humid environment—and smaller amounts as they rode—were able to bike 23 percent longer than riders who downed lukewarm liquids. Drinking cold water may be the most direct way to reduce core body temperature, so it takes you longer to heat up and slow down.

For the majority of us water temp is going to be a personal preference because it will be rare that we would be exercising in such extremes. There are many conflicting studies on water temp.

GREEN TEA
Good for: Muscle recovery
Brazilian scientists found that participants who consumed three cups of green tea every day for a week had fewer markers of the cell damage caused by resistance exercise. So drinking a few cups every day may help your muscles recover faster after an intense workout.

Use caution here, green tea is a stimulant and may disrupt your sleep pattern. When it comes to teas the less expensive ones tend to be the best ones for you. The leaves are less processed.

E = mv²

Not having enough energy to workout or simply stay active simply won’t suffice as an excuse once I break this dilemma down, scientifically. I’m going to revert to Einstein’s famed equation by substituting the speed of light (which does not apply to us) with “work in general” which would give us mv².

Ok so, our energy or lack thereof at times can be related to how much work we are performing.

The Derivation:
E How much energy we put out or have
m Mass meaning the resistance, weight lifted or moved, or simply our own bodies
v Velocity or to set in motion

v² Acceleration or increasing rate at which we move ourselves or “things” in… well think
a faster and faster analogy.

For those interested in this physics stuff, see http://www.lyratek.com/emc2.htm for a more detailed story.

As anyone who exercises can tell you, we actually feel more energized after a good hard workout and we’ve given ourselves a little time to recover.

Here’s why. When we either move stuff that is heavy or quickly as in lifting weights or running- that falls on the right side of the equation- there is a “more value” over there. And because it is an equation meaning equal on both sides, we get more ENERGY out of it. Sure it takes energy to workout. But the more intense the workout the more energy you will get back.

So lift heavier, swim-bike-run faster, throw the weights harder (if using Cormax, or a safe alternative), jump higher and farther and get more out of your workouts. Experience your own increase in energy, by your own doing.

Or in the animal world, move like a sloth be like a sloth, move like a cheetah and be lean, strong and quick like a cheetah.

The Formula for Failure & Success

This week I've chosen a motivational feature by Jim Rohn, whose wisdom is timeless. His words are a good reminder that it is our individual responsibility to make choices that serve us well today as well as lay a foundation to build a solid future.

The Formula for Failure and Success by Jim Rohn
Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event. We do not fail overnight. Failure is the inevitable result of an accumulation of poor thinking and poor choices. To put it more simply, failure is nothing more than a few errors in judgment repeated every day.

Now why would someone make an error in judgment and then be so foolish as to repeat it every day? The answer is because he or she does not think that it matters.

On their own, our daily acts do not seem that important. A minor oversight, a poor decision, or a wasted hour generally doesn't result in an instant and measurable impact. More often than not, we escape from any immediate consequences of our deeds.

If we have not bothered to read a single book in the past ninety days, this lack of discipline does not seem to have any immediate impact on our lives. And since nothing drastic happened to us after the first ninety days, we repeat this error in judgment for another ninety days, and on and on it goes. Why? Because it doesn't seem to matter. And herein lies the great danger. Far worse than not reading the books is not even realizing that it matters!

Those who eat too many of the wrong foods are contributing to a future health problem, but the joy of the moment overshadows the consequence of the future. It does not seem to matter. Those who smoke too much or drink too much go on making these poor choices year after year after year... because it doesn't seem to matter. But the pain and regret of these errors in judgment have only been delayed for a future time. Consequences are seldom instant; instead, they accumulate until the inevitable day of reckoning finally arrives and the price must be paid for our poor choices - choices that didn't seem to matter.

Failure's most dangerous attribute is its subtlety. In the short term those little errors don't seem to make any difference. We do not seem to be failing. In fact, sometimes these accumulated errors in judgment occur throughout a period of great joy and prosperity in our lives. Since nothing terrible happens to us, since there are no instant consequences to capture our attention, we simply drift from one day to the next, repeating the errors, thinking the wrong thoughts, listening to the wrong voices and making the wrong choices. The sky did not fall in on us yesterday; therefore the act was probably harmless. Since it seemed to have no measurable consequence, it is probably safe to repeat.

But we must become better educated than that!

If at the end of the day when we made our first error in judgment the sky had fallen in on us, we undoubtedly would have taken immediate steps to ensure that the act would never be repeated again. Like the child who places his hand on a hot burner despite his parents' warnings, we would have had an instantaneous experience accompanying our error in judgment.

Unfortunately, failure does not shout out its warnings as our parents once did. This is why it is imperative to refine our philosophy in order to be able to make better choices. With a powerful, personal philosophy guiding our every step, we become more aware of our errors in judgment and more aware that each error really does matter.

Now here is the great news. Just like the formula for failure, the formula for success is easy to follow: It's a few simple disciplines practiced every day.

Now here is an interesting question worth pondering: How can we change the errors in the formula for failure into the disciplines required in the formula for success? The answer is by making the future an important part of our current philosophy.

Both success and failure involve future consequences, namely the inevitable rewards or unavoidable regrets resulting from past activities. If this is true, why don't more people take time to ponder the future? The answer is simple: They are so caught up in the current moment that it doesn't seem to matter. The problems and the rewards of today are so absorbing to some human beings that they never pause long enough to think about tomorrow.

But what if we did develop a new discipline to take just a few minutes every day to look a little further down the road? We would then be able to foresee the impending consequences of our current conduct. Armed with that valuable information, we would be able to take the necessary action to change our errors into new success-oriented disciplines. In other words, by disciplining
ourselves to see the future in advance, we would be able to change our thinking, amend our errors and develop new habits to replace the old.

One of the exciting things about the formula for success - a few simple disciplines practiced every day - is that the results are almost immediate. As we voluntarily change daily errors into daily disciplines, we experience positive results in a very short period of time. When we change our diet, our health improves noticeably in just a few weeks. When we start exercising, we feel a new vitality almost immediately. When we begin reading, we experience a growing awareness and a new level of self-confidence. Whatever new discipline we begin to practice daily will produce exciting results that will drive us to become even better at developing new disciplines.

The real magic of new disciplines is that they will cause us to amend our thinking. If we were to start today to read the books, keep a journal, attend the classes, listen more and observe more, then today would be the first day of a new life leading to a better future. If we were to start today to try harder, and in every way make a conscious and consistent effort to change subtle and deadly errors into constructive and rewarding disciplines, we would never again settle for a life of existence – not once we have tasted the fruits of a life of substance!

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

"Goals. There's no telling what you can do when you get inspired by them. There's no telling what you can do when you believe in them. And there's no telling what will happen when you act upon them." Jim Rohn

Eating to Make Your Workouts Better and Body to Look Fantastic: Part II

What I’m about to share with you is not new ground-breaking knowledge. Rather it’s the simple truth behind nutrient timing.

Post-Workout
Consume a drink containing carbohydrate and protein in a 2:1 ratio within 15 to 45 minutes after exercise.

Most carbohydrate ingested during and immediately after exercise will either be used for fuel or sent to the muscle and liver to replenish stores. The post exercise period is marked by a dramatic increase in fat metabolism, it should be clear that even a whopping carbohydrate and protein drink will not directly lead to fat gain. Just be sure to account for this increase in carbohydrate intake by decreasing your carbohydrate intake during other times of the day (if you are trying to lose weight).

Rest of the Day
Before bed 18oz water
Wake up 18oz of water

Breakfast

• To lose weight: More protein (60%) and fats (30%) minimal carbs (10%).
  
• To gain weight: Even out the proportions to protein (40%), fats (30%) and carbs (30%)
  
• All other meals and snacks: protein (50%), fats (30%) and carbs (20%)—to lose weight.
  
• However to gain weight try: protein (40%), fats (30%) and carbs (30%).
  
• And of course to gain weight eat more and to lose weight eat less, simple math here involving calories eaten vs, calories burned.

From this discussion it should be clear that, using the principles of nutrient timing, one can load up on carbs during and after the workout while reducing them for the remainder of the day.

It’s important to continue to feed some carbohydrate and protein but definitely begin to reduce the total amount of carbohydrates ingested per meal while increasing the amount of protein ingested per meal, a ratio closer to 1:1 might be optimal now.

Also, you're going to start chewing real food rather than slurping down drinks. If we assume you'll be drinking a post-exercise drink immediately after training and you train in the morning or early evening, you'll have time for about two food meals consisting of slower digesting proteins (meats, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc) and low glycemic carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, beans, ancient grains like quinoa, etc).

Since the Rest of the Day is marked by normal physiology, the food you eat during this phase should be adapted to what you know about your tolerance to carbohydrates and fats in the diet. For example, some of you may have relatively poor carbohydrate tolerance and insulin sensitivity. As a result, you should be eating mostly protein and a blend of fats during the Rest of the Day. Others of you might do better on a higher carbohydrate diet. As a result, you should be eating more protein and carbohydrates during the Rest of the Day (as long as you don't neglect getting your dietary fat, especially your essential fats).

“Paying attention to what you eat or drink and just following a good basic diet and supplementing at the right time may not sound all that exciting, but solid scientific research says it works and yields increases in muscle mass, strength and endurance, break through plateaus and suffer less soreness and stiffness after workouts. It can even protect your immune system and keep you from getting as many colds and upper respiratory ailments,” says Dr. Ivy who is an author on the subject of nutrient timing.

The Seven Habits to Follow for Nutrient Timing Success:

1. Eat every 2-3 hours, no matter what. You should eat between 5-8 meals per day.
   
2. Eat complete (containing all the essential amino acids), lean protein with each meal.
   
3. Eat fruits and/or vegetables with each food meal.
   
4. Ensure that your carbohydrate intake comes from fruits and vegetables. Exception: workout and post-workout drinks and meals.
   
5. Ensure that 25-35% of your energy intake comes from fat, with your fat intake split equally between saturates (e.g. animal fat), monounsaturates (e.g., olive oil), and polyunsaturates (e.g. flax oil, salmon oil).
   
6. Drink only non-calorie containing beverages, the best choices being water and green tea.
   
7. Eat mostly whole foods (except workout and post-workout drinks).
   

Note: Artificial sugars or “sugar free” products have no place in your lifestyle. Look for more on this topic in another discussion.

Eating to Make your Workouts Better & Body to Look Fantastic - Part 1

Pre-Workout

Number one issue to address is fluids. It is critically important to insure that we don’t go into a hard training session in a dehydrated state. Whether we workout early in the morning, lunch hour, after work or late night- we need to make sure we are well hydrated by drinking 10-20oz of water every hour leading up to the workout session. Training while dehydrated has been shown decrease strength levels as much as 30%. Given this statistic, who wants to start a workout feeling weak?

Hardcore workout enthusiast should consider a more scientific approach. 30 minutes before exercise drink 20oz of water or diluted drink of carbohydrate and protein in a 4:1 ratio. Whey has been repeatedly chosen as the quickest protein to digest. Sugar is the quickest carbohydrate source to be absorbed by the body.

Combine the two together and we get a super supplement. Why? Combined together in a shake, these two ingredients stimulate insulin to fuel the muscles. Diluting the drink delays the development of dehydration, hastens the onset of sweating and moderates the rise in body temperature.

Eating “heavy food” before a workout can cause deleterious effect: nausea, cramping and fatigue. Reason being that blood flow is directed primarily to the gut in order to support the digestion process meaning the muscles we are working aren’t adequately supplied with blood flow that would normally carry in nutrients, oxygen and carrying the waste by-products associated with working out.

A “light food” such as fruit can suffice for those who need something in their stomach.

I personally like to be a little hungry during a workout, it gives me that edginess to take out any frustrations on the weights, tires or running workouts.

Workout

Continue drinking fluids (water primarily) every 15-20 minutes. Depending on how well we keep our bodies hydrated throughout the day leading up to the workout, water consumption will vary. Some of us will only sip water throughout the workout, while the majority will drink 10-20oz of every 20 minutes.

Once again, serious individuals will incorporate an additional boost by slowly consuming a drink containing carbohydrate and protein in a 4:1 ratio.

By doing this, studies have shown improved endurance 57 percent compared with water and 24 percent compared with a carbohydrate drink.

Common sense says don’t set up a picnic in the middle of workout.

Remember the term workout is short for Work your butt off and get Out.