Channeling Negativity Into Positive Workout Results

It was quite a while ago, but I can still remember a time when I was skinny, frail, and thought dumbbells were something that rang.  Also, I can still remember being told I look weak and "move like a snail".  It was comments like that which originally drove me to start working out.  I remember thinking to myself, I want to get stronger, I want to get faster, I want to be fitter than everyone else.

These days exercise is second nature to me.  In fact, it often seems like my life revolves around my workout routine.  But it wasn't always like this.  To say I was intimidated the first time I walked into a gym would be an understatement.  Looking at myself in the mirror struggling to curl 10lb dumbbells, I remember thinking "what am I doing here? I don't belong here".  But just as I was about to put the dumbbells back and walk out of the gym I remembered the names, I remembered the laughs, I remembered why I came to the gym.  I told myself that I would keep coming back to the gym no matter what happened.  It took a while, but eventually I got strong, I got bigger, I got quicker and the jokes stopped.

However, not all my dreams came true.  Girls don't magically flock to me (at least not in-shape girls, but that's a topic to be addressed at another time in another post), guys don't look at me and cower in fear, and I can't crush rocks with my bare hands.  But still, I'm healthy, I feel great, and I can't help but smile a little when I look at my reflection in the mirror (a little conceded, I know, but hey, it took a lot of work to get the body I have now).  The point is that negative people can bring you down or bring you up, it's all about perspective.  I don't get angry anymore when I encounter negativity.  I just kept my calm, keep going about my day, and when I step into the gym I use that negativity to fuel my workout.  I let it push me to be stronger and faster.  Like the old adage goes; nothing in life is easy.  But a little commitment and self-belief can go a long way in the workout room.  A different perspective can go a long way in life.

Top 3 Worst Protein Powder Flavors

Normally, I like variety in life.  However, with regards to protein supplements, I've learned that consistency is key.  Unfortunately for myself, I recently ignored my own advise and decided to try a few flavors outside of my normal rotation.  Several days of forcing down horrible protein shakes has inspired me to make this list. 

1. Classic Vanilla: Recently, there have been a lot of variations of vanilla appearing; rich vanilla, vanilla ice cream, etc. Fortunately, these new variations are an improvement.  But still, for original flavored vanilla protein powders, I'm often left wondering if they've mistakenly put chalk dust in the container.  
2. Strawberry:  It's unreasonable to expect protein powder to taste like proposed flavor, but something similar would be nice.
3. Cookies and Cream: By far, the worst flavor ever.  It tastes like neither cookies nor cream.  It would be more accurate to call this flavor "Mylanta".

Kale and Mushroom Chips

One of my guilty pleasures are potato chips.  They're a convenient and tasty snack.  Unfortunately, they're also loaded with saturated fat and excess calories.  Even the baked variety are quite unhealthy.  A great alternative to traditional potato chips are kale chips.  They're relatively easily to make and a very healthy snack.   

Ingredients

• 1 head of Kale

• 8 oz mushrooms

• 2 tbsp. flour

• Canola Oil

• Sea Salt

Preparation

1. First, thinly slice the mushrooms.  Then, lightly coat the mushrooms in flour.  
2. Fill a deep pan with approximately 1 inch of canola oil and bring to a high heat.  Also, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. While waiting for the oil to heat, removed the stems from the kale and then slice it into pieces.
4. Once the oil is heated, add the mushrooms in small batches and fry them for 25-30 seconds.  After the mushrooms are fried, allow them to dry.
5. Place the kale onto a cooking sheet and place in the oven for 13-15 minutes.
6. After the kale is done, combine it with the mushrooms in a bowl and lightly salt and toss.

The 1/4 Button Up T-Shirt: Cool and Causal

Finally, summer is upon us.  Unfortunately, one of summer's first casualties is fashion.  As temperatures start approaching triple digits, over-sized T-shirts and baggy shorts start to become everyone's go-to outfit.  Now, there are some dedicated individuals that stick with their normal wardrobe, but I'm not one of them; sweats stains destroy any outfit.  But therein lies the problem, how do you stay cool but still look good.

Fortunately, it's easy to add a little sophistication to an outfit and still keep cool.  For instance, something as simple as adding a few button to a T-shirt.  The buttons give a little sophistication to the old classic while still staying away from a stuffy collar.  It's the perfect shirt to wear on a causal summer day.

Tips for Motivation to Workout

So it's been a while since your last workout.  Maybe it's been a couple weeks, maybe it's been a couple months,  maybe even a couple years.  Either way, it's hard to get back into the rhythm after a break.  I hate to have breaks in my routine.  Even after just a few days away from the gym, I feel sluggish and unmotivated.  However, I've found there are a few things that I can do to re-energize me and get me motivated again. 

1) Get back to eating properly.  For me, less time working out means more time eating.  And it's not just eating more, it's eating worse.  There's always a reason why workout routines get interrupted.  No one just says "eh, I think I'm gonna stop going to the gym."  Whether it be school, work, home-life, or maybe even an injury.  Something within our lives is requiring more time and more effort.  Not only do we have less time to spend in the gym but also less time to spend in the kitchen to cook healthy meals.  Before we know it our normally healthy meals are being replaced by donuts  and hamburgers.  Now this is one of the biggest challenges, but also one of the most important.  You have to return to a healthy diet, completely.  There's no room for compromise and gradual substitution just doesn't work.  Developing a meal-plan can really help.

2) Set ambitious, but reasonable goals.  Remember how good your six-pack use to look.  Remember all those stares you'd get because of your toned arms.  Those are the things you need to remember when you first pick up the weights after a break.  Whether it be weight-loss or strength-gains, you should have a goal in mind.  However, it's important not to get over ambitious.  It can be discouraging if you do not see the results you where hoping for.  It can take only a week to gain 5lbs., but a month or two just to lose it.  

3) Commit to returning to your routine.  You know deep down if you're committed about returning to the gym.  For some people, after a while away from the weights, it can take a lot to return.  Whatever your reason for returning to the gym, you have to remind yourself constantly.

Returning to the gym is never easy.  But I've found following these guidelines can help me break through the initial shock.  For those of you contemplating a return to the gym, hopefully these guidelines can make it a little easier for you as well.

Coconut Water Benefits vs. Sports Drinks

Lately, there's been a lot talk about coconut water.  But is it really that good for you and what exactly is it?

Coconut water is the clear liquid from the center of young, green coconuts.  One of it's main benefits is the fact that it contains plenty of easily digestible carbohydrates and key minerals, similar to sport drinks. Hence, the nickname, nature's sports drink.  Contrary to sports drinks, coconut water contains fewer calories, less sodium, and more potassium.  Another of it's attributes is it's unique nutty taste, which is quite different than the manufactured syrupy taste of sports drinks.

Is coconut water better than a sports drink? Yes, it's a better alternative.  However, it is important to remember that it's still no substitute for regular H20.  There are many people that praise it as some sort of miracle drink.  This is not the case.  The only thing these people have are cavities and extra calories.  Coconut water, similar to sports drinks, should be consumed in moderation.  For instance after a tough workout, it's a great way to refuel on electrolytes.

Review: Adidas Falcon Elite 2.0 Running Shoes

+ Comfortable with good arch support

+ Light weight

- Upper material tends to tear easily



It's not easy to find good running shoes.  That being said, these are one of the better pairs I've had the pleasure of using.  When buying running shoes, I always try to find the lightest pair possible.  At just under 10 ounces, these are one of the lightest I've ever had.  However, I was a little wary at first because I wasn't sure how well such lightweight material would hold up over time.  The soles are very sturdy and hold their shape relatively well after extensive use.  Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the upper part of the shoe.  Over time, various tears began to appear over the toe and upper areas.  I'm not actually sure what is caused the tears as I don't do any sort of trail running.  They are not bad enough to affect the performance of the shoes, but it does give them an unkempt appearance.  Yet, all things considered, still a very solid pair of running shoes.

Current Workout

I had switched to a high-rep, lower weight workout a few months back, but I just haven't seen the results I expected so I decided to go back to a low-rep workout.  I like to work in the 8 to 12 repetitions range as I have noticed this seems to give me the most gains.  I spread this workout over three days during the week and, for cardio, do boxing on other days during the week.

All exercises are done for 4 sets of 8-10 repetitions.
I use the same weight for every set and use an amount of weight so that I begin to struggle on the 8th or 9th repetition of the 3rd set.

Day 1

Biceps
Dumbbell Curl
Reverse Grip Barbell Curl
Wide Grip Seated Barbell Curl
One Arm Cable Curl

Back
Machine Row
Lat Pulldown
Seated Cable Row

Day 2

Shoulders
Seated Dumbbell Press
Barbell Front Raise
Dumbbell Fly

Legs
Squats
Machine Leg Extension
Machine Leg Curls
Calf Raise

(Rest day in between)

Day 3

Triceps
Dips
Cable Tricep Extension
Close Grip Bench

Chest
Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
Dumbbell Flys

Steak Salad

This is a simple salad that's quick to prepare and high in protein.  I like to enjoy it as the last meal of the day.  The steak supplies the protein to give your muscles what they need to recover and there's no unnecessary calories.

Ingredients

• 6 oz steak

• 1 cup lettuce

• 1/2 cup sliced tomatoes

• 1/2 cup sliced cucumbers

• 1/4 cup sliced onions

• 2 tbsp dressing of your choice

Preparation

1. Slice the steak into strips and season to your liking.  I like to stick with the basics; a dash of salt and pepper, plus a little garlic.  
2. Once the seasoning is done, grill the strips for 5-10 minutes depending on how you prefer your steak.  
3. While grilling, combine the lettuce, onions, and cucumbers into a plastic bowl along with the dressing of your choice.
4. Place the cover over the bowl and shake until the dressing is thoroughly mixed into the vegetables.  While this step is not necessarily required, it is a good way to ensure you don't overuse the salad dressing.  People tend to have the habit of adding more and more dressing as they eat if it's not properly mixed into the salad.  Shaking it in a covered bowl ensures that every bite of your salad with be flavored with dressing while also preventing you from adding a lot of unnecessary calories.  The quickest way to destroy a healthy salad is with too much dressing.
5. Finally, add the steak and enjoy.