On The Grind “2016”

  

So I’m torn on how I proceed with my blog, I realize that blogging has been fun over the past year and  very difficult to keep up. 

I realize that most people are tired of being told what workouts they should be doing. You should work chest with triceps, & back with biceps, then throw leg day in their some where else.

This past year I kept hearing “do what you love & help others in achieving there goals”. 

So that’s what I’m gonna do, I’m gonna give the low down dirty on what I’m up too whether it be good, bad,  funny, or just plain boring. 

And since the blog is mine I can write whatever I want to, that’s what make this so much fun. 

So I kept asking myself “Byron, who are you writing to? Who is your audience?”

I heard all the gurus say you have to pick a niche when you are writing a blog. I come to realize that I’m writing to people like me. “Well, who is that? 

Busy Parents: Whether you are changing diapers throughout the night, assistant coach on your daughters soccer team, or convincing your son not to attend out of state state college so you don’t have that “out of state” tuition, you are still a busy parents.

Your’re either working from home or making the daily commute. Your days are scheduled, your weekends are book solid & you don’t know what a vacation is.

You want to figure out how to Lose Weight & Keep It Off: You have tried the yo-yo diets & workouts only to gain it all back plus some. 

You need a little encouragement & motivation: You get burnt out like the rest of us & sometime need a little to light that fire up under you to keep going.

I figure time is going to fly by anyway so I might as well help encourage a few people to get in the best shape of their life.

What I’m gonna do is keep giving practical tips, stories, motivation videos & maybe even a few healthy meals from my on kitchen to keep on track while trying to keep a busy family intact.

So with that said, let’s have a great year. Happy New Year & lets get On The Grind!

Fitness Gap

Up early this morning and while flipping through channels, I see all of the health and fitness infomercials getting ready to make a strong surge to purchase their program at. HIIT Pro, Body Beast, Insanity, and that longest running one “Total Gym” (Chuck Norris really has aged)

  

I realized that there is a really big gap in the fitness industry. Can the person that needs to lose 75, 80, or 100+ pounds really relate to the  21 Day Fix or Six Pack Abs mantra? I get that you may have to do a few cycles of the program but that message isn’t relayed to well when the before picture is someone who lost a whole 20lbs. (Ooh wee! You lost a whole 5lbs & now you can get stage at your 1st physique modeling show. I’m so grateful for you….Not)

There are a lot people that are a very long way from seeing any sort of a six pack ab or even a two pack abs (If that’s your goal). They would just like to lose enough weight just so that look at themselves in mirror for a split second when they are drying off after getting out of the shower without having to feel bad about themselves.

When I started my journey down the path of eating healthier & being more physically fit, I couldn’t relate to 90% the programs out there of the people out there because I knew my journey was going to take much longer than a 6 Weeks Shortcut or a 30 Day Shred.

I couldn’t find anyone that was 6’2″ 314lbs with a 44″ waist that lost the weight & now looked like healthy shredded down individual after doing one of these programs. I just wanted know that their was someone out there that had some sort of success with some sort of a program. And I would have paid anything for that bit of information.

I would see the little skinny-bone-jones trainers at gym that are fresh out of college reciting & explaining to their clients on how to lose weight. I would think to myself that this trainer doesn’t really have a true mental understanding of how hard it is for that person to have lose that much weight. I’m talking about people whom have tried for 10, 15, & 20 plus years to gain control of their weight.

 By simply doing the workouts & reducing your sugar intake is may not be enough. Your mindset, motivation, food personality, & everything else plays a part in your transformation to a better.

My point is this, please realize that everyone’s journey is different and if you have a significant amount of weight to lose, don’t get discouraged because it didn’t all of a suddenly fall off in the 6 weeks or the 12 week program that you purchased. Don’t be mad because you don’t look like the person on the before/after picture that you see on tv.

I’m sure that most of programs will work if you stick to it and follow the nutrition plan associated with it. It may take you a long hardcore 6-8 months, a year, or even longer before you reach you true goal. What may have worked for others, may not be exactly what will work for you. Take it day by day & week by week. And before you know it, you will have reached your goal.

Stay On The Grind…

Since this nation was founded under God,
More than 200 years ago
,
We’ve been the bastion of freedom,
The light which keeps the free world aglow.

We do not covet the possessions of others,
We are blessed with the bounty we share.
We have rushed to help other nations,
Anything… Anytime…Anywhere.

War is just not our nature.
We won’t start, but we will end the fight.
If we are involved,
We shall be resolved,
To protect what we know is right.

We’ve been challenged by a cowardly foe,
Who strikes and then hides from our view.
With one voice, we say there’s no choice today,
There is only one thing to do.

Everyone is saying the same thing,
And praying that we end these senseless moments we are living.
As our fathers did before, we shall win this unwanted war.
As our children will enjoy the future we’ll be giving.

– Jack Buck

What the heck is HIIT?

What’s up with this new buzzword HIIT?

Sounds like bootcamp (Marine Corps that is) all over again. It was up. It was down. And it was constantly changing. Maybe not a timed tabata circuit but it was always changing. I think we may have even created some new exercises.


Sit down, get back up, get away from me, get back over here. Hands down by your side.

Eyeballs > Click

Ears > Open Sir

Zero > Freeze Recruit Freeze


This was some of the craziest stuff I ever experienced. We got IT’d on the quarter deck (one of those Navy terms).

I did more push-ups, flutter kicks, & jumping jacks than you could possibly imagine especially for being a squad leader. Whenever some other recruits did something off the wall, the drill instructor came to the squad leaders to fix the problem.

First, we got screamed at about how jacked up OUR recruits were & how we needed to work as a team to fix the problem. Then those iconic words came out loud and clear “SQUAD LEADERS, GET ON MY QUARTER DECK NOW”

As we are running over to the cold concrete slab right outside of their sleeping quarters. We hear that cracklin voice say PUSH-UP and we echo with MARINE CORPS. (Then watched sweat get poured onto that cold hard concrete)

He we go again…

PUSH-UP > Marine Corps

One Two Three > One

One Two Three > Two

FLUTTER KICKS NOW… Six inches…. Nope I SAID SIX INCHES.

We were told that we couldn’t march the best, we couldn’t shoot the straightest, & we couldn’t comprehend USMC history. But the one thing we were told was that we would be some of the strongest recruits to ever graduate Marine Corps boot camp. And I think they were right.

The more I think about it, HIIT sounds like some crazed drill instructor didn’t get enough of a fix while down at the recruit depot.  He or She decided to get their yelling in at one of those boot camp style workouts which has now evolved into this thing we call HIIT.

So, what is HIIT? It is some high intense all out exercises with some short periods of rest.

Here is an example for beginners:

Jump Squat (30 sec)

Mountain Climbers (1 min)

Jumping Jacks (30 sec)

Rest  (1 min)

And Repeat…

I’m still convinced that some Full Metal Jacket drill instructor came up with this whole HIIT epidemic. Regardless of who came up with it, it’s definitely a great way to mix up your up cardio and get it done in a short amount of time.

Head over to Google, YouTube, or whatever social media outlet of choice and try your first HIIT workout.

 

Stay On The Grind…

Byron

Overcoming Food Addiction

In the last post, I mentioned we discussed this term of “food addiction”. Addiction of any kind is very serious business and can have the same ramifications as drug addictions. Food addiction

HEALTH Cancer Obese

can lead to type 2 diabetes,  obesity, heart disease, and even depression.

This term “law of addiction” is defined as “Administration of a drug to an addict will cause reestablishment of chemical dependence upon the addictive substance.”

A person that  use to smoke cigarettes can have that one puff of a cigarette and become addicted again. An alcoholic can have a sip of wine and they could relapse. There is really know way around it.

I’m a believer that food addiction has the exact same effects. One bite of cheesecake, one sip of Pepsi, or one slice of pizza and back to it all over again. You go 30 days, six months, or even a year or two and in an instance you are back dealing with the same issue again.

guywithbiggulp

I realize we all must eat something. No one said we have to eat all of this refined sugar, wheat flour, and/or any of the contemporary junk food. With this said, there is also the susceptibility scale to these types of food on how they affect each person differently. One person could care less about drinking a Coke or Mountain Dew but they may have a hard time giving up their Rocky Road ice cream.

Truth be told, the only way to get rid of these food addictions is not eating them in moderation but complete abstinence. Again, I’m referring to “food addicts” that are very high on the susceptibility scale that simply have to have what they are craving no matter what. Not the person who can do everything in moderation….

Abstinence is simple solution but isn’t easy. So, how do you go down the road of abstaining from a certain food(s)?

A. 1st step, simply make a honest decision with yourself that in order for you to get rid of this food addiction

B. List all of the foods you have cravings for that you tend to binge on. (Hot wings, soda, pizza, donuts, & etc…)

C. List all the healthy foods that you actually like eating and prepare them in advance.

D. Set a date some time in the near future (Maybe one week or two weeks) in which you will stay away from these addictive foods. You need an accountability partner, someone who will check in with you regularly on your progress. This isn’t a family member, friend, or someone in your inner circle but someone who is gonna tell you like it is. This person needs to be brutally honest because this food addiction is to help you.

Realize, this isn’t a diet but you making a decision to solve your food cravings for life. If you want to incorporate an actual weight loss regiment, I would do so 3-6 months after you have the cravings under control and are not having multiple relapses.

If you end up relapsing and losing control over your cravings again, you are not alone. Relapses are the rule when it comes to addiction not the exception. Many people have had several failed attempts before they manage to succeed in the long run. If you find yourself not able to progress on your own, you may want to seek professional help in your area.

Food addiction is a problem that will rarely be solved all by itself. Unless you deal with it right up front, you will experience the roller coaster ride of ups and downs you will never get it under control. Regardless of the path you take to overcome food addiction, just do something and take back your life.

self destructive meme

 

 

8 Symptons You Might Be A Food Addict

junk food

Ok, so I have been doing a lot of reading lately on food addictions and the effects of food on certain people. Depending on where you are at on the cravings scale for certain food, this might be one thing keeping you from freeing yourself to lose the excess weight. Maybe you crave chips and soda where as other people crave chocolate and peanut butter cookies. Maybe it’s pizza from the local pizza kitchen down the street or the pastries your company provides on Friday mornings.

Research shows that processed junk foods have a powerful effect on the “reward” centers in the brain, involving brain neurotransmitters like dopamine. The foods that seem to be the most problematic include typical “junk foods,” are the foods that contain sugar or wheat or both.

Food addiction is not about a lack of willpower or anything like that, it is caused by the intense dopamine signal “hijacking” the biochemistry of the brain.

8 Symptons of Food Addiction:

1. You frequently get cravings for certain foods, despite feeling full and having just finished a nutritious meal.

2. When you give in and start eating a food you were craving, you often find yourself eating much more than you intended to.

3. When you eat a food you were craving, you sometimes eat to the point of feeling excessively “stuffed.

4. You often feel guilty after eating particular foods, yet find yourself eating them again soon after.

5. You sometimes make excuses in your head about why you should eat something that you are craving.

6. You have repeatedly tried to quit eating or setting rules (includes cheat meals/days) about certain foods, but been unsuccessful.

7. You often hide your consumption of unhealthy foods from others.

8. You feel unable to control your consumption of unhealthy foods, despite knowing that they are causing you physical harm (includes weight gain).

If you can relate to 4-5 of these, then you probably do have a serious problem with food. If you can relate to 6 or more, then you are most likely a food addict.

Next week, let’s tackle how you to deal with this problem. Meanwhile, Keep Grinding…

 

3 Back To School Work Out Tips For Parents

With the kids going back to school, it is a great time to get back into the your workout routine that often goes astray during the summer. Summer can be super busy time with kids out of school, vacations, amusement parks, sleep-overs and well just so much to do! But if you don’t get into the exercise habit before the holidays get here…well you know what can happen there so do I really need to say more?

So be sure to use these 5 tips to get you back on track:

Make A Plan That You Can Stick To

workout schedule

It’s really important that you plan ahead and get prepared for your workouts. By identifying a specific time for your workouts, you are more keen to follow through with them. You can get a really good workout out knocked out in 20 to 30 minutes.

 

Do Something You Enjoy

It makes no sense to do some horrible workout that you can’t stand doing. If you are a runner, then run. If you like the group kickboxing, then go kickboxing. If you would rather press play on a home workout video, then press play. Whatever you fits your personality, get started with that.

Plank Rotation

Involve Your Kids In Your Workout

Watching TV and playing video games shouldn’t be the typical family activities. These activities are simply a great way NOT to lose weight and to show your kids how to live an inactive lifestyle. Not good! Instead, get up and move around. It could be practicing a sport, going for a bikexercising-with-your-kidse ride together, or playing on the playground with your little one. Whatever activity you choose, be sure to include the whole family and yes that means you too!

 

 

 

School is almost back in session on so let’s get back On The Grind!

 

Stay On The Grind (4th of July)

  

Get It In Early

Most of us will have this holiday off so even if you normally get your workout in the afternoon this would be a great day to switch it up. Get an early morning run, do some circuit training at your local park, or use that treadmill in your garage that’s covered with junk the past couple of months.

  
Stay Hydrated, Drink Plenty Water

Bring your own water bottle & stay hydrated. There is gonna be all sorts of sugary drinks around from sodas to margaritas. But if you must partake, drinking your calories could put you way over the edge. Keep it to a minimum!

  
Eat The Green Stuff First

Dive into the large salad bowl that no one else seems to care two pennies about & enjoy. And if the salad dressing is loaded with calories, keep it light, you don’t want to ruin that morning workout.

  

Go In Heavy On The Protein

That’s right, it’s time for you taste test all the so-called pitmaster’s skills. And let them know you don’t need no stinking bun, you want meat. You might want to keep the barbecue sauce to a minimum but let the person watching the grill that they did an exquisite job so when the bacon wrapped sliders comes off the grill, the pitmaster will set aside a piece just for you.

  
Skip The Chips

Even though the kids will be eating every brand of chip on the table, stay away. From Lays to your specialty brand bean chip from Whole Foods, it’s just not worth it. Keep Away!

  
Desserts Are Tricky

This is where things might get difficult. From every cream cheese, buttery, sugary looking item, pick the one that will do the less damage. Instead of a handful of those soft buttery chocolate chip cookies, take one and go play frisbee with kids. 

  
Have Fun

All in all, it’s the 4th, have plenty of fun. Throw water balloons with kids, joined a pick up basketball game with the teens, or run a three legged race with good Ol’ Uncle Joe. And watch some fireworks. Just make sure you have a wonderful 4th Of July.


Fear Of Success

So here is a question I’ve got for you, why is so easy for some people to not try? Whether it be about health & fitness, financial goals, or maybe a personal goal to go back and get those few classes to complete that college degree. Why is it that some of us will never pursue those dreams or aspirations & some of us will? Why is so easy for some of us to give up on our opportunity to succeed?

Is it because of your childhood that you never had those opportunities where you grew up? Is it because of the high school you attended and the teaches that were teaching you? Or Is it because you have tried, tried, and tried again that every time you take one step forward that you end up taking two steps back?

I mean why is it certain people continue to get up and bust their behind to get things accomplish why the rest sit back and hope that something will just flop in their laps? Or is it simply fear of what could happen? Fear is a weird thing. For some, it can propel us to new heights because of how our past experiences have treated us. For others, it can hold us captive not allowing us to expand our thinking on how we could change our situation.

Here’s one comment I heard a lot of, “If God wanted me to have it, then he would have given it to me. I’m sorry but God gave us trees and we made things like boats, spears, horse carriages, and built homes.

I honestly believe that for most people it is actually not about failing at all because most of us have already failed at a handful of things already. Maybe you came up short being the great parent of the year but I’m sure you kids still love you the same. Maybe you wasn’t able to save money last year like you truly wanted to but you still found a way to take your family on that summer vacation. Maybe you said or did some hurtful things to your spouse but you both still have been able to figure it out over the years. Have you ever got up in the morning thinking, did someone feed the dog last night?  I bet he still comes up to you wagging his tail ready for some attention. (Hungry. . . but still want some attention)

Or maybe you have had so many moments of negativity in your life that you really don’t give positive thoughts an opportunity anymore. I’ve tried but I can’t lose weight. I don’t have time to go back to college. I don’t know anything about starting a business. And you never will this sort of an attitude!

Maybe, it just a fear of actually succeeding at something. So, instead of thinking that, “Hey, I might have a chance at this.” Your thoughts are like:

What if actually tried being a bit more positive?

What if I try and fail only to end up disappointing myself again?

What if I work really hard and nothing changes?

What if I do start changing and people around me begin to judge me?

Any of these sound familiar?

When I had this idea of encouraging busy parents like myself to get back in shape and to start having a healthier lifestyle, my first thought was I’m no personal trainer or dietician. I don’t know all the ends and outs of this fitness and health industry.

I’m not some physique model guru posting pictures on Instagram. Nope, I just some ball-headed guy that was well over 300lbs who is a dad, a husband, a coach, & a neighbor that figured out how to lose the weight without any gimmicks, pills, or potions, and keep it off. I wanted to help a few people do the same thing. So I figured if I can help at least one person to get back up to give it another try and keep pushing until they reach their goal then I accomplished exactly what I set out to do.

Wayne Gretzky said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Yes, if you don’t at least try you will never get to your goal. I would rather have tried and failed instead not trying at all. Look, life is gonna get in the way from time to time and things are not gonna always work out right but that’s no excuse for not trying.

Have you let this mindset keep you from opportunities to take things to the next level? If so, let’s re-frame your “what ifs”.

What if NOW is the best time to get started?

What if I learn a different strategy that fit my personal schedule?

What if someone hold me accountable to my goals and dreams?

What if I just took it one day at a time?

What if I didn’t give up?

What would that look like?

Any of this sounds familiar?

Ok, I get it. You are tired and life dealt you a bad hand. But if you give up on your dreams what are you saying to your kids? You may be telling your kids that “You can be whatever you want to be in life.” But, when your kids look at you and ask “Hey Mom/Dad, what did you want be when you were growing up?” What’s your answer to them because ultimately it not what you are saying is going be that golden nugget that they will remember 10 or 15 years later but what you are doing day end & day out is what you are really saying.

I heard someone say that the greatest ideas, inventions, and discoveries in the world are in the graveyard because these people died with people never really living up to their full potential. These are hope and aspirations that were never followed through with.

Don’t let fear hold you back. If you have something that you really would like to accomplish, then start down the path of achieving it. Start with those baby steps to get there. It may take you six months. It may take you a year, but time is going to pass by anyway so you might as well be working towards something in the mean time. The only difference between you and person that has already reached their goal is that they didn’t give up.

So, I challenge you to keep pushing no matter how long it takes. You can do it. Keep Grinding!

On The Grind – Byron

Plan Your Attack


Prior to going into any battle, any regime must have some sort of a plan on how the enemy will be defeated. So before starting any new workout & weight loss plan, you should have a plan of attack in place. And in order to have the right plan, there are a few questions you must ask yourself.

1. What’s Your True Goal? 

You would like to [do something] within this [amount of time]. Maybe it is going from a walk to a run. Maybe it’s dropping that last 10lbs or 20lbs before the end of summer. Maybe the goal you had  a year ago isn’t the same as what you want to accomplish right now.

Your goal need to have a start date & end date in order for you to measure a level of success. Identify a realistic goal.

2. How Will Reach Your Goal?

A lot people complete mess this up because they have this bright idea that if they just run everyday and do crunches at night before they go to bed that in six weeks they will look like the person with the six pack abs on the late night infomercial. I’m sorry to let you know that you probably gonna be disappointed.

Just because you know someone who had great results with a particular workout program doesn’t mean you will have the same results as them. Make sure your plan directly reflect your goals. The paths of building muscle and losing body fat for you may be different in nature

3. How Long Will It Take?

How long do you think it will take you to reach that next milestone? 30 days, 60 days, or maybe six months. The industry average for healthy weight loss is about 1.0 to 2.5 pounds a week depending on how much you are trying to lose. Pick a future date an work backwards toward where you are currently at. (Example) If you are giving yourself twelve weeks at an average of 2.0 pounds a week then you should be close to dropping 20-24lbs in those twelve weeks. Your numbers may fluctuate as you progress and may even stop at a certain point. Don’t get discouraged, muscle weighs more than fat.

4. When Will You Workout?

Will it be early morning before the rooster crows, after you drop the kids off at school, during your lunch break or sometime in the afternoon after a long day of work? This might be some trial and error with this one. Find the time that is less likely to be interrupted.

5. How Many Days Per Week?

So you might be really motivated and 6 days a week with only on rest day might fit your daily schedule or maybe only 3 days week is what currently have available. Putting yourself on a workout program that requires you to be in the gym five days a week when you can rationally only make it three or maybe four days if you really push it is a disaster waiting to happen. People still do it though and then wonder why they aren’t seeing results. Remember, consistency over a long period of time equals results.

6. Will You Have Fun Doing It?

If you are not enjoying it, then you probably will not stick to it. There are a lot of great workout plans and if you are not looking forward to you next cardio kick boxing session or doing Jefferson squats then you might want to find something that best fits your personality. Once you have identified some of these key elements to your plan, then get ramped for a full out assault to reach you goals. Check out www.bodybuilding.com for some really great workout plans to get you started. If you’re ever confused as to what’s the best one be sure you consult with a certified physician or personal trainer.

 

Stay On The Grind….