Archive for June, 2010

5 Things you can do to “Build Muscle”

on June 27th, 2010 by Rob

This was actually me in 1987---- Olympics

Recently, I read an article/blog post by Tony at The Anti-Jared…. he was complaining about people that say they gained weight because they were “gaining muscle”. He really kind of slammed these people.

Well, don’t get me wrong…. I like Tony’s site… I think he is a smart guy…. He OBVIOUSLY knows what he is talking about…. but I think that he may have been a little quick on the draw with this. And BTW—- I am sure that this has been his experience….. it is HARD to build pounds and pounds of muscle. But I think that it can be done and particularly for people that are new to strength training.

Here are 5 things that I think can help—- and they are great tips for new lifters:

1. Choose 8-10 exercises that work all the major parts of the body. Arms, Legs, Abdomen, Chest, Shoulders, Upper and Lower Back (actually I also break arms into Triceps and Biceps). Do pushing and pulling exercises.

2. Get the Negative- do the exercises slowly—– push up and let it down slowly.

3. Don’t hold your breath- Exhale when pushing, Inhale when lowering weight.

4. Rest between sets to build muscle….. shorten the rest time to add and aerobic aspect (loose weight)

5. Remember to warm up- just jog or walk around a little before you get started…. or better yet, jump rope a little. It will kind of get you in the mood.

Remember—– check with your doctor before you start any exercise routine.

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Wings are SO great!

on June 25th, 2010 by Rob

The really alarming part is the the high-chairs on the right!!

I have told you before—- well, at least I have said before, that I have this reoccurring nightmare about wings.

The way it works is—– I am caught!!!! Red handed with a pile of wings and a pitcher of  Bud Heavy by an ex-girlfriend. She says, “What happened to you?? I thought you lost all that weight in the People Magazine Weight Loss Challenge.” Then she completes the thought with “Jeez…. for a while there I was sorry I dumped you”.

The point here is that now I have to eat my wings in PRIVATE… you know… like the true food addict that I am —– I hold up in my house and eat wings….. alone!!

All kidding aside- I don’t really like Hooters that much, but they do make a nice wing. This recipe is for the REGULAR WINGS—- you can also order the NAKED WINGS that I BELIEVE are baked and I know that they don’t have the breading.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup Louisiana hot sauce
1 dash pepper, Ground
1 dash garlic powder
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 chicken wings

Directions
1 Combine the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt in a small bowl.
2 If the wings are frozen, be sure to defrost and dry them.
3 Put the wings into a large bowl and sprinkle the flour mixture over them, coating each wing evenly.
4 Put the wings in the refrigerator for 60 to 90 minutes. (This will help the breading to stick to the wings when fried.)
5 Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees.
6 You want just enough oil to cover the wings entirely — an inch or so deep at least. Combine the butter, hot sauce, ground pepper, and garlic powder in a small saucepan over low heat. Heat until the  butter is melted and the ingredients are well blended.
7 Put all the wings into the hot oil and fry them for 10 to 15 minutes or until some parts of the wings begin to turn dark brown.
8 Remove the wings from the oil to a paper towel to drain.
9 But don’t let them sit too long, because you want to serve the wings hot. Quickly put the wings into a large bowl.
10 Add the hot sauce and stir, coating all the wings evenly.
11 You could also use a large plastic container with a lid for this.
12 Put all the wings inside the container, add the sauce, put on the lid, then shake. Serve with Bleu cheese dressing and celery sticks on the side.

Now- this is the actual recipe—— if you want to do it the WeighDownSouth way…. cut down on the butter and DON’T fry them…. stick them in a Pyrex dish and BAKE them in the oven. I just kinda watch them and when they are brown—– then I enjoy!

The whole point is that I have absolutely NO INTENTION of never eating wings again. I might change the recipe a little—- and eat just a few—– but I won’t be happy without them. I mean, if somebody told you that you can’t have your favorite thing again….. ever…. that sux doesn’t it? It would be enough to make me depressed.

Can’t do it!

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5 Things Exercise Can Do For You

on June 24th, 2010 by Rob

Well, by now you all know what a big proponent of exercise I am. Once again, if I have to hear one more person talk about how long they have been going to Weight Watchers “but I am not loosing weight”— I’m gonna hurl.

O.K.- that being said…. if you don’t want to exercise in order to loose weight…. then do it for something else. These are good things that exercise can do for you BESIDES fight fat.

1. Have fun- I know, I can’t believe that I said this… but since I began to exercise a couple of years ago, this is a very big one for me. I have said many times that the key to my success in the weight loss area has been that I found people to work-out WITH… not doing it alone. I have made some very good friends and now it is fun to meet with them and do stupid things…. like run stairs and bike and…. well… run. And besides, when we are done doing all these stupid things… we sit and have coffee.

2. Strong bones- this is especially important for older folks. Makes me feel good to see my Mom walking on her treadmill. Bones become stronger with exercise… particularly weight bearing exercise, i.e. tennis, weight lifting and running.

3. Maximum mobility- exercise increases balance, muscle strength and coordination.

4. Good night’s sleep- I have never, I REPEAT—– NEVER, slept as well as I sleep now. In addition to the weight loss curing my sleep apnea…. I am just tired. I get up every morning at 5am and by the time 10pm rolls around, I am done. However, I must warn you—- don’t work out too close to bedtime…. it will keep you awake.

5. Mood- aside from weight loss and the general cardiovascular improvements that I have made, I think that this has been the most important benefit that I have personally observed. I tell you—- it only takes about three days of NOT working out and I can tell that my mood has taken a nose dive. I really don’t know much about the science of this but I have heard that it is like endorphins that our brains produce—- this is triggered by exercise. It really is remarkable.

I think that these things are at least as important as weight loss.

Are there any other benefits that you can think of?

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Here fishy fishy!!

on June 22nd, 2010 by Rob

This is good stuff!!! Protects against all kinds of things!

It’s good for your joints, skin, vision, brain, heart, helps lower bad cholesterol levels and even boosts fertility. It’s an anti-ager and an anti-inflammatory. It’s found naturally in a variety of delicious foods including walnuts, salmon, tuna, olive oil and avocados. It’s omega-3 – and it’s time you got to know the daily dose that’s good for just about every single part of your body.

When I started the People Magazine Weight Loss Chalenge- I decided that I would go all out. I had read Dr. Oz’s book, You: On a Diet and he recommended 1000mg of fish oil every day. Actually, he recommends 500mg in the morning and 500mg at night— but I have not been able to find anything other than 1000 or 1200mg tablets like the ones you see here.

This is not so much a weight loss thing as it is just a good health thing—- one that I have taken up and one that I think everyone should. As a matter of fact, I was reading an article (can y’all tell I read a lot?) not long ago that sited a study by Doctors in Munich that the fish oil may work slightly better than all those cholesterol-reducing drugs you see on TV. I know they HAVE to be less expensive.

In a separate study in Italy—- or Itly as we say here in Mississippi— two parallel studies were done. One group was given a fish oil pill each day compared to a group given a placebo. The other group was given Crestor and compared to a placebo group….. the results—– about the same rate of heart disease in the fish oil group as the Crestor group.

Pretty cool.

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Wellness at Work

on June 21st, 2010 by Rob

I have been seeing more and more of this—- and it only makes sense. It seems that —- are you ready?? Companies might save some money on health care/insurance if their employees are healthier.

I think that this is a great idea… and should go beyond the obligatory Weight Watchers meeting. As it turns out, Blue Cross here in Jackson has even built a walking/running track on the campus. Good for them! I think that they have the right idea that they could be saving MILLIONS over the long term.

Bank Plus— where it just happens that I bank– says that they have saved $3 for every $1 spent on wellness programs. Perhaps they are starting to look at these programs as more than an expense on the balance sheet.

Of course Mississippi is the fattest state in the nation…. and it seems the last to take on the problems of obesity. Check out this article that I saw in Fast Company. It seems like this is the model to follow.

What does your company do?? Is it enough?

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5 Rules for— Swap this for That!

on June 18th, 2010 by Rob

O.K.- I have not made it a secret that I am a big fan of the EAT THIS NOT THAT books. If you don’t have one, get one. (Sorry, I don’t have an affiliate program, but I should)—- Anyway- good stuff, however, I like the first couple the best. Now they are just getting weird… you know, crap like (EAT THIS NOT THAT AT THE CASINO BUFFET- I mean, not for nothin’, but don’t the same rules apply if you are at the buffet or somewhere else).

Anyway- So, I wanted to give you some of my favorite swaps. As I have said before, I am not a doc or a nutritionist… this is just plain ole common sense crap that I came up with.

1. Swap Bison for Beef- Bison is MUCH lower in fat and calories. I explored this in depth in an earlier post—— check it HERE.

2. Swap Low-fat or Fat-Free milk for Whole Milk. This one is not that big of a stretch, but some people don’t realize that an 8oz. glass of Whole milk has as much saturated fat as 5 strips of bacon. I swear, if you try this for a week you will get used to it and it won’t be a big deal.

3. Diet Coke with Splenda for regular Coke. I was as addicted to Coke as I was to nicotine at one time. I guess I still am addicted to both, but I have put them both away. Now I am just addicted to Diet Coke with Splenda—– but at ZERO calories in a 12oz. can- it HAS to be better. I know, I have heard all the talk about artificial sweeteners… but I can’t help it. And if you just don’t care for diet drinks…. try the Diet Coke with SPLENDA…. I swear, it is good.

4. Whole Wheat bread for White Bread. This is one of my top two!!!!! Remember my video the other day? Stay away from HFCS and Enriched Wheat Flower. On this one, you have to watch the pasta too. But, I promise you, if you will try the WW pasta for a couple of weeks, you will stop noticing a difference.

5. This one is not a food, but it is just as good. Swap working out for T.V.- I can not tell you how much this has helped me. I don’t give a F- who gets thrown off the island or what’s in that hatch (well, that one is kinda over)…. I still watch sports religiously, but I bet I don’t three other hours of TV a month. I just have better things to do. Like———

GET OFF MY ASS AND EXERCISE!!!!

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Boy meets Girl

on June 17th, 2010 by Rob

Everybody!!! I want to tell you all about the coolest lady that I met. A couple of days ago, I was in Memphis on business. Well, I got done with my conference and had a little while and called up Cammy at Tippy-Toe-Diet.com (that is just the best way that I could figure out to write it— the actual URL is HERE)

You just have to check her out!!! Great tips on diet and exercise. She has lost 100lbs and is now in maintenance mode…. but she tells you EXACTLY how she did this and she is VERY real. Just a good ole southern gal…. no drama, as they say.

She told me how many readers and visitors she has, so I doubt very seriously that I am doing her any real favors here…. but none the less- this is my best shot.

Thanks and make sure to tell Cammy Hi! for me. Oh, and BTW—- those are NOT her feet in the picture!!

BTW- we tried to get up with Jack Sh*t—- couldn’t make it to our little Fit-Blogging conference, but you have to visit him too!!

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Whatcha get a new Yo-Yo??

on June 15th, 2010 by Rob


Now… don’t ask me where I hear these things, but I SWEAR it is legitimate and I didn’t just make this up.

I read a short article yesterday about dog walking. It seems that some “really smart guys” did a study and the results suggested that your dog can be a better motivator than people. Maybe it is the longing looks…. or the wagging tail, but for some reason, the subjects responded to the dogs. Maybe it was just the guilt of them being locked up in the house all day.

Anyway—— get off your ass and walk the dog!!!

Thanks!

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All it takes is 10 minutes

on June 12th, 2010 by Rob

Great article by the Associated Press this past week:

Associated Press:  Study- 10-minute exercise has hour-long effect

Bottom line here- work out and the effects to your cardiovascular system last long after you quit. However, I would say, based on my last video- that the effects might last much longer than an hour. If you will remember— and if you don’t, you can watch it here—- working out prevents vasoconstriction for, according to the study I read, up to 17 hours!!!! 17 HOURS!!!!!

Anyway- got to get moving!!!!

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A is for App—- not good! Get your kids moving!

on June 11th, 2010 by Rob

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/144/a-is-for-app.html

Read this article in Fast Company magazine a few days ago…. actually from last month. Anyway- seems like there are lots of apps for the three R’s….

A very bright guy- Joe Friedlander of Hazen, ND- wrote to the editor of Fast Company and explained that (Sorry I can’t link to the letter— I have scoured the FC site for it and can’t find it) we are raising a whole new class of sedentary people.

His exact words are, “… sedentary lifestyle encouraged by a proliferation fo digital devices designed to have us sit and stare—- our fingers are the last things moving. I … bemoan the ever-growing percentage of children that literally tip the scales after years of snacking and sitting in from of a screen. If we don’t get our children moving soon, in 20 years, we’ll have a population full of digitally literate diabetics.”

Well said Joe—- what do you think? Do you work hard to get your kids moving??

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