Don't go half in, Go all the way

When I first started dieting, I was an idiot. It was my senior year and I had heard that chicken was healthier than beef. So when I went to McDonalds I'd order 3 boxes of McNuggets instead of that cheeseburger, I'd have a diet coke instead of coke, Lean Pockets instead of Hot pockets. Like I said I was an idiot. I'd even taken to popping Tai Bo into my VCR to get a good workout.

Ever wonder where McNuggets come from?

A year out of highschool I had started getting a lot smarter and beefier. Probably cause I was eating a lot of beef(so lame I had to say it). People even asked me if I was on steroids. I loved it when people would ask me that. There was a problem though. No matter how much muscle I had, I was never lean. Even adding extra cardio wasn't doing the trick.

I wonder if they're on steroids?

Until my Dad told me to stay away from red meat. Could red meat be that bad? I was eating chopped sirloin steak. The leanest red meat known to man. But I was out of ideas, so I tried it. All my protein came from Talapia, Tuna, Grilled Chicken, Turkey Burgers, soy, and protein shakes.

Seinfeld knows why fish keep you thin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJhlETLjdeE

2 months later my brother came and visited me, and was speechless. He almost couldn't recognize me. I had dropped about 20lbs of fat easily. I was so lean, that when I would sit down I had absolutely no table fat. I had never experienced that joy before. I had to pull myself away from the mirror.

If you got it, flaunt it

I'm not saying red meat is bad for everyone but for me it was. Smarten up about your diet and get the results. I was halfway in shape before, but making some changes got me all the way there.

Count Down to Summer has begun

No matter what struggles you're going through to get where you need to be. I've been there. Like I said, you know what we do in the gym is the best training you're going to find. So if you're having any problems, it's in the kitchen and the drivethru.

Culture Shock!

When you're struggling or need help, don't be afraid to call or text. I'll help you out.

MEAL PLANS

Snack #2 - 3:00pm

A couple of bunches of

grapes with a wedge of

Laughing Cow or Baby

Ebel cheese

Bottle of Water

Dinner - 6:00pm

Grilled Chicken Breast

w/ roasted apple/onion

Mixed Grilled Veggies

Bottle of Water

Snack #3 - 9:00pm

Muscle Recovery Drink

(Prograde Strength

"Workout" Drink or EAS

Muscle Armor

recommended)

LUNCH RECIPE WITH CHICKEN #1

Lunch is one of those meals where people often have the best intentions, but things often go awry. If you don’t prep and pack your lunch in the morning for the day, and instead, rely on your ability to make good decisions when you are starving and faced with multiple opportunities to stray from your usual intake, things are gonna go bad.

While some people do have an iron will, resist the temptation and make good choices, that is not most! This is where packing your own tasty and healthy lunch can come in and prevent that from ever being an issue in the first place.

Since time is always an issue, here one of many quick lunch recipes that you can make in 10 minutes or less before you head off to work and take with you.

One quick note is that many of these recipes call for pre-cooked chicken breasts, as this can be a HUGE timesaver. In a large Pyrex dish, cook chicken breasts that have been cut in half (so they are half as thick) or chopped at about 350°F for approximately 20 minutes, or until done. To retain moisture, cover dish with tin foil. Season these breasts to taste with sea salt, garlic powder, Montreal chicken seasoning, or anything you like prior to cooking.

Chicken, Pesto & Guacamole Wrap: This is a quick and delicious wrap that is loaded with healthy monounsaturated fats, vegetables, protein, and quality carbs. You can make this in less than 5 minutes!

Ingredients:
• 1 cooked chicken breast, chopped and seasoned to taste
• 1 sprouted-grain or whole-grain wrap
• 1-2 large handfuls baby spinach
• 1/4 cup chopped cucumbers
• 2 tbsp basil evoo pesto
• 2 tbsp guacamole(yes, I'll let you use guacomole. BUT FOLLOW THE PORTION SIZE!)
• 1 plum or other small piece of fruit

Directions: Evenly spread pesto onto wrap. Lay spinach on top in an even layer. Then lay down chicken breast on top of spinach. Spread guacamole on top of chicken breast and toss in diced cucumbers.

Enjoy with carrots and hummus or other produce of choice. FYI, the meal will end up making 1 serving for men, and 2 for women.

This Blogs Tips

Chestnuts are the only low-fat nut, with just one gram of fat and 70 calories per ounce.

While Macadamia Nuts are the highest on the other hand, with 19 grams of fat and 199 calories per ounce!

Next Blog

Next chapter in our trap foods to avoid!

P.S.

Congratulations to Randy to losing 8lbs and 2% in 2 weeks.

P.P.S.

Congratulations to Jeff for losing 2% in 2 weeks.

P.P.P.S.

Congratulations to Sarah for finishing her first Marathon!!

Sarah on right

Commercial Salads

You can’t go wrong with a salad right? You feel great because you turned

down the cheeseburgers and the burritos and opted instead for this green stuff.

The only problem though is this green stuff never hangs out alone.

It usually likes to invite its friends over. I'm sure you're familiar with them: Bacon Bits,

Chopped Eggs, Grated Cheese, and the always unwelcome

guest…Salad Dressing (The tight tummy killer…the sooner you avoid this destroyer of all things toned the better!) Add that all up and your once benign “field greens”

pack so many calories you would've been better off with some McNuggets. Stay away from this garden garbage.

Breakfast - 7:00am

English Muffin with

Peanut Butter

Banana

Glass of Skim Milk

Snack #1 - 10:30am

Walnuts and Apricots

mix about 10 dried

apricots with 10-12

walnuts in a bag)

Bottle of Water

Lunch - 12:00pm

Mixed Green Salad with

Grilled Chicken,

pineapple, and orange

slices

Bag of Pretzels

Bottle of Water

Final Thoughts:

Don't feel too bad if clever marketing has had you eating bad for years on end. Hell, my Grandma thinks Wendy's fries are healthy because of Sea Salt!? I have an example of how to eat salad correctly in the meal plans. So stick to this type of salad combination and you'll be set.

This Blog's Tip:

All fruit is not created equal. Avoid dried fruit whenever you can have the fresh version. Dried fruits are loaded with sugars, calories and unhealthy nitrates.

Next Blog:

Story Time

P.S.

Congratulations to Sarah for being insane enough to run 2 hours straight on a treadmill. Whatever it takes to get ready for that marathon.

P.P.S.

Don't forget to hit that follow button on the top right. Thanks.

I'm Tired of it and I'm Not Putting Up With it Anymore!!

RISE or FALL

Imagine a place where it's not fair. You eat just as good as others, or even better yet they have better bodies than you. Well guess what, that's the world we live in. You can make excuses that you do just like your friend does and they get good results. Doesn't matter. You gotta work with what you got. Some of got nice arms, but need work on your legs. Some of you have great legs, but need work on your belly. Some look great, but have no strength. Some have lots of strength, but need to lose fat. You have to know what works for you. The only way to get there, is take it all the way to the end. When you're there, then you can assess what you can get away with. Let me tell you my own journey into this.

For a body like this, you got to make sacrifices.

I was on the football team from 7-12th grade. I didn't like football at all, but I kind of felt like it was my ritual into manhood. With all the videogames and comic books I read, I needed something in my life to make me not feel like a 100% NERD. Even though I never played until my senior year thanks to a long overdo growth spurt, I still got a hell of a workout. Just running the drills, sprints, pushing the sled, and sweating all summer in humid Arkansas in football pads kept me at a decent size. Considering I pretty much only ate frozen pizza, Sonic grilled cheese sandwiches, Debbie Cakes, Coke, and cereal with cartoon characters on the box, I needed all the excercise I could get.

You gonna finish that?

It wasn't only physical demanding, it was even more mentally demanding. I got in lot's of fist fights all the way until 11th grade. I had almost everyone on the team go out of their way to let me know they didn't want me there. They didn't just suggest it, they let me know that in those exact words. That I should be hanging out with my nerd friends, not there wasting the team's time. Everything from name calling, to playing pranks on me, to the entire team pelting me with rocks while waiting for the coach to unlock the field house. One guy almost hit me with a cinder block. Thank God my spider sense! The coaches didn't care, they wanted me to leave too. They went out of their way to ambarass me. They would pull me by the ear and walk me around the locker room while the others laughed, or use my name for an inside joke. "FAAAARRRRRMERRRRR!" Uhhhhh, I shutter to this day.

I warned you not to pop your collar!

I stayed with it even though it ended with me having to give up a lot of Friday nights to leave town on a long road trip to stand and watch a bunch of people I hated play sports. Then finally the season would end and it was time for weight lifting and conditioning. I actually liked this. But I was the weakest one there, so I was getting made fun of again even though it was all the luck of genetics. I HAD ENOUGH. I wasn't quitting cause it would only get worse. But what could I do. I was raised by my grandparents and the only advice was to kick their asses when they messed with me. I'd been in plenty of fights and got nothing out of it. They either got broken up after two punches or got ganged up on cause everybody was related to everybody. "Hey! That's my cousin and nephew! Get'em!" The only thing I could do is earn respect. So I started working out every night on my own. Before I went to bed, I would go to the bathroom. Do push-ups, squats, calf raises, stomach crunches. I even did tricep dips on the toilet. Then I would crawl back into my bunk bed. Since I never told my brother what I was doing, I can only imagine what he thought I was up to for an hour in the bathroom every night.

Show me what you got!

After a while I started catching up in strength somewhat with the others. I finally was now gaining respect, even though I didn't like the people who respected me. I was no longer the weakest kid in the weakest training group, I was now the strongest kid in the weakest training group. Fast forward years later and I'm now in better shape than everyone from my high school years. Except for some guy that's on steriods for reasons unknown. When you actually have to work for something you respect it more. People who pay for their own tuition usually show up to class and make good grades, teenagers who work all summer to buy their own car typically clean it every week. Getting where you want to be isn't a 9-day program. It can be 90 or more days depending on how much you put into it. Stop being tired of being tired, and don't put up with the same routine anymore. June is coming up soon, let's get in the best shape of our lives and have the best summer ever!

MEAL PLANNING

Snack #2 - 3:00pm

Bag of Homemade Trail

Mix (coconut, almonds,

Kashi Go Lean cereal,

walnuts, sprinkle a few

chocolate chips)

Dinner - 6:00pm

Baked Chicken Breast

Sweet Potato Fries

(baked in the oven with

coating of PAM)

Mixed Grilled Veggies

Bottle of Water

Snack #3 - 9:00pm

Air Popped Popcorn

with drizzled honey

Bottle of Water

Vegetarian/Vegan:

Dinner - 6:00pm

Boca Burger

Sweet Potato Fries

(baked in the oven with

coating of PAM)

Mixed Grilled Veggies

Bottle of Water

FINAL THOUGHTS

So like my story you may just be starting out or fallen back far from where you used to be. Don't give up, it may be a long road but the other road is just as long with no destination. Yes, like my story it's also mentally demanding. Changing all your eating habits, your friends questioning you, teasing you. People may not like what you're doing and will try to stop you from your goal from jealousy. Keep going, don't let anything stop you. Time to not put up with it anymore!

THIS BLOGS TIP

White pasta is very similar to White Bread. Breaking down into sugar after you eat it. Go for the darker pasta! The real italian pasta.

NEXT BLOG

Either another story or a No.2 on our FOODS TO AVOID list.

P.S.

Tell me some stories of obstacles you've had to overcome and how you did it.

Holy Guacamole!!!

Trap Food #3

FACT: At first glance, if we remove the chips from the picture here

and concentrate on the “goodness” of the guacamole, things don’t

look too ominous for our chances of holding onto a flat

stomach. However, “dip” deeper(wasn't that clever) and you’ll find that just one

tablespoon of this stuff can have 40 calories (almost 2/3 of which

comes from fat!). The bigger problem? On average, we consume

about 8-10 tablespoons per serving with our healthy sized dips,

not to mention the chips that are being used to scoop it all up!

How often do you eat of chips and dip and how much?

MEAL PLANNING

Breakfast - 7:00am

English Muffin with

Peanut Butter

1

Banana

Glass of Skim Milk

Snack #1 - 10:30am

Plain Greek/or Soy Yogurt

(Fage) with sliced

peaches and almonds

Bottle of Water

Lunch - 1:00pm

Cajun Grilled Chicken

on a Whole Wheat

Wrap with lettuce,

tomato and salsa

Bottle of Water

Vegeterian/Vegan:

Lunch - 1:00pm

Meat Substitute(Soy, Tempah)

on a Whole Wheat

Wrap with lettuce,

tomato and salsa

Bottle of Water

FINAL THOUGTS

Look, if you're going to lose a battle to a food in the fight for weight loss, please don't let it be Guacamole! I know it's addictive to fill up on chips and dip before your meal, but hopefully the stats I provided should inspire you skip out next time you're at Chuy's and save more room for your entrée.

THIS BLOGS TIP

Try not to eat within at least 1 hour of working out. This will allow your muscles to receive the blood flow instead of your stomach.

NEXT BLOG

Another one of them stories.

Giving up Coke

Story of the Week

Gather round as this ol' chunk of coal tell's you yet another yarn. As I may have told some of you before, giving up Coke(the soda) was one of the hardest things for me to do. I sometimes would refuse to eat a meal, unless there was Coke there. Most times driving out to the grocery store and bringing it back before I ate.

But that was all about to change...I was trying to get in shape for Senior Trip, because I was not blessed with a natural body. I naturally had a bird chest and gut. I actually had a friend who worked out to stay in shape, so I hung out with him and started taking advice. He told me he didn't drink Coke, which I laughed at. I knew he abstained from alcohol and a lot of other things, but I didn't think he was that serious. I thought he was just trying to play up how much more of a straight arrow he was, than even me. Which with his flat top, and device that omitted curse words out of radio songs(yes, that was actually invented) I would never be able compete.

So I thought okay, I'll try it. Challenges are fun...sometimes. I wasn't sure how a drink could make me fat, but I took his advice anyway. I decided to give it up for 2 weeks, and then go back to it. After the 2 weeks were over I tried to take a drink, but it felt like acid going down my throat. All my years of drinking soda were over. I haven't touched a coke since the year 2000.

I did the same with other foods to kick the cravings. No more pig, fruit juice, or red meat. Weight just seemed to shed off of me within weeks. A lot of people like to have cheat days or cheat meals, but I find if you stay away from something long enough you don't want it anymore.

What food is just impossible for you to give up?

or

Did you finally give up something that's been plagueing you for years?

Let me know. And yes it's your HOMEWORK!

MEAL PLANNING

Snack #2 - 3:00pm

1% Cottage Cheese
1 Ripe Banana

Bottle of Water

Dinner - 6:30pm

Grilled Pork Chop

Applesauce

Grilled Portabello

Muschrooms

Baked Sweet Potato

Bottle of Water

Snack #3 - 9:30pm

Air Popped Popcorn

with Cajun Spices

Bottle of Water

Vegeterian/Vegan:
Snack #2 - 3:30pm

Soy Yogurt
Ripe Banana

Dinner - 6:30pm

Meat Substitute(Soy, Tempeh, Seitan)

Applesauce

Grilled Portabello

Muschrooms

Baked Sweet Potato

Bottle of Water

Bottle of Water

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Crustless Quiche

I've been asked to add recipe's to the newsletter, so hear ya go!

Here is an easy basic quiche recipe I found. I made it as written, but the sky is the limit as to what vegetables and cheese you use. The next time I make it I’m going to try adding diced tomato and kalamata olives. Italian turkey sausage would be tasty too. I think it could be turned into a “potluck pleaser” by pouring it into muffin papers for ”mini quiches” . You could bake them the night before and pop them in the microwave before serving. If you try it, I’d love to hear how you made it your own.

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 6-oz fresh baby spinach
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup flour (whole wheat or AP)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 1/3 cups skip milk
• 1/2 cup feta cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray a 10-inch quiche or pie plate with non-stick cooking spray. Cook diced onion with cooking spray or a little coconut oil over medium heat until tender. Add spinach and cook just until wilted. Set aside to cool for a minute.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in milk, stir in spinach-onion mixture.

Pour quiche base into pan. Top with feta cheese. Bake for 25 minutes or until center is set and edges are brown. Let set for 5 munutes and serve.

ANYONE WHO FOLLOWS THIS RECIPE AND CONCOCTS THIS FRENCH DISH LET ME KNOW THE RESULTS

FINAL THOUGHTS

Yeah, that's right. Even though I don't eat pig (for various reasons), I through it in todays food plan anyway. The secret's out, sometimes I'm nice and do things like that. Anyway's try to pick one food you know you want to give up, just one, and see what difference it makes. Then let me know about it as the weeks progress.

THIS BLOGS TIP

Two glasses of fruit juice are equal to can of soda. In other words... DON'T DRINK IT!

NEXT BLOG

Food to avoid or a supplement recommendation.