I knew I loved blueberries for a reason!

Hey guys,

Here's an article I came across that totes the many benefits of eating blueberries (I have them almost every morning with my cereal). Enjoy!

http://www.womenfitness.net/blueberries.htm

I'm baaaaack....

Back in the saddle....

Ok...I can definitely say that I have been seriously remiss in my blog posting responsibilities. I apologize. :-)

Anyway, I figured that the best way to make sure I continue to post on a regular basis and also provide helpful or interesting material will be to keep my post short and to the point...similar to John Tesh's "Did you know..." blurbs. Speaking of....here is some info I got from his website about the added benefits of exercise....

Here's What a Workout Can Do for You

You know you have to exercise to keep your weight in check, but there are a slew of other things a daily workout can do for you. Here are the facts, courtesy of Psychology Today magazine.

• You’ll smoke less. A short bout of moderate exercise – like a walk around the block – may be all that’s needed to help smokers resist the urge to light up. How? Exercise affects the mood centers of the brain, reducing cravings and boosting your ability to manage withdrawal symptoms. In fact, researchers say, if a drug were to be invented that had the same effects, it would be hailed as a breakthrough.
• Exercise is good for your memory. According to the National Academy of Sciences, exercise strengthens your memory by stimulating the growth of nerve cells in the part of the brain where age-related memory loss usually occurs.
• It protects your heart. Researchers at Columbia University found that moderate and high-intensity exercise decreases inflammation throughout the body. This reduces the risk of fatty buildup in the arteries – which is what triggers most heart attacks.
• Exercise keeps you healthier! According to the book Brain, Behavior and Immunity, a short muscle-building workout before getting a flu shot gives your immune system a boost! How? The stress of exercise – that includes working with weights – causes an inflammatory reaction in your body. Although that might SOUND bad, this reaction actually revs up your antibody production, improving your response to the flu shot.

Fell off the wagon a little...

First, I'd like to apologize for not posting in almost three weeks now...I have been quite the slacker.

It's very hard to stick to a precise workout regimen when you start to make excuses for yourself. I recently had a good friend over this past weekend, and in doing so took the liberty of treating myself to a few "indulgences" that I normally would pass over for healthier choices (large steak & cheese sub, breaded boneless buffalo wings, soda, etc). I also dropped down to three days of working out last week from my typical six-day schedule. This, I have decided, must stop today!

It is dangerously easy to let yourself fall back into your old ways and habits. My best advice to anyone (and to myself) is this...the earlier in the day you can get yourself to exercise, the better! If you can get it out of the way early, you will be more likely to stick to your routine, and less likely to talk yourself out of it.

Food for thought.

Moving on up...

Good Morning! Yes, I have been very bad about posting consistently every weekend...I promise to get back on track from now on. :-)

This week I have stepped up my workout by adding another 5 lbs to my current dumbbell sets (20 lbs each now). My muscles have been whining that they have not been properly challenged in about three weeks now. Hopefully they will be sated for a while now.

Anyways...back to my bowl of Cheerios and fresh strawberries.

Have a great day!

Link to a list of good summer foods to help loose the gut!

I came across this article today titled "6 Essential Fat-Belly Foods"...

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/33631/6-essential-flat-belly-foods/

It's a good read and I'll probably start trying the quinoa for breakfast.

Yes, I know...very late with the post this time around. I'm going to blame it on the fact that I was on vacation last week. ;-)

Later!

Malc

Feeling the hunger...

Just recently I have been noticing that I have a constant hunger that won't really go away, in spite of eating close to six regular meals during my waking hours. I'm not sure if maybe I am not eating enough protein to sustain my current metabolism and muscle growth in the course of my six days a week workout schedule, or if it's something else entirely. It's not like I'm starving...just never quite satisfied with what I have in my belly. Strange! I'll keep you posted.

Malc

When you take days off...you definitely feel it!

This past week was a very busy work week for me. I ended up taking two of the morning workout hours I normally have and, in stead, worked to get caught up. I staggered the days, so it was only the Wednesday and Friday morning workouts that I sacrificed for the sake of my job. However, by the time Saturday morning came around and I did a typical hour long session...my body let me know in no uncertain terms that it was not happy with my inconsistency. It wasn't as bad as when I used to get sick and take a week off, but my muscles had become accustomed to my daily routine. Even two days of slack made them feel a little more achy and slower to recover from the workout than usual. It scared me that only two off days could make me feel such a difference. I took it as a reminder that my new healthy life is for a lifetime, not just for a few months and I'm done. If I don't keep on track with this lifestyle change, it will all be for naught. I'm committed more than ever to stick to my 6 days a week workout schedule, no matter how busy I think I might be. My life is worth the effort. :-)

See you next weekend!

Malc 

Make sure to indulge once in a while!

Hey there!

For the first time in about two months I ordered myself a cheeseburger out today! Now mind you, it was not easy...having been on my healthy food regimen. However, it has been suggested by many sources that it is much better to indulge your cravings every once in a great while so that you don't end up at the breaking point of your resolve and fall off the healthy food wagon completely. Granted, it was not the best thing for me to eat, but it probably will now satisfy my cravings for cheeseburgers for at least another month...seeing that I used to grab a double cheeseburger meal (fries and large soda included) at least two or even maybe three times a week! We all have to be honest with ourselves...we will never be completely free of temptation, but we can have control over it.

Have a great weekend!

Malc

Great book on health....

Good morning!

I wanted to let you know about a great book I'm reading right now on health and quality of life...it's called "You: Staying Young: The Owner's Manual for Extending Your Warranty". It was written by two doctors...Dr. Michael F. Roizen and Dr. Mehmet C. Oz. The book is a fascinating look at the processes in the body that work to keep you healthy, active, and happier as we age. It gives tips on how to potentially stave off Alzheimer's, to help prevent against the risk of cancer, to strengthen your cardiovascular system...a TON of great stuff! You can get it pretty cheap on Amazon.com, or you can probably find it in a Borders or Barnes & Nobles near you. I read it every night now before bed. Check it out!

Later,

Malc

Great workout videos on Hulu.com

Good Morning!

Today during my morning workout I brought my laptop into the exercise room to see if there was any good training videos online. I found a ton of them on Hulu.com. Just put in "work out" in their search and they all pop up. The one I watched today was from a Bravo series called "Work Out: Trainer Tips". They have a whole series of vids featuring great workout routines and moves. I tried two of them for the first time today...a great combo workout for people short on time (like me in the mornings before work) and one to work the shoulders (which I desperately need to do). As always, if you go to try them out, make sure you know what you're doing...it's very easy to overdue it the first time you try a new move. You may want to make sure it's ok with your doctor first before you try anything new as well...just to be on the safe side. Well, going to go have my pre-lunch snack. Have a great Saturday!

Malc

How I lost 30 lbs in 8 weeks!

I dropped 30 lbs, lowered my blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and my psorisis-like dry hands have all healed up and are nice and smooth and not dry anymore...all in two months! Here's a basic rundown of my daily meal regimen in case any of you want to try it. I would say try it for 30 days but that might be too dramatic a change for most people. Even if you try it, or parts of it, 2-3 days a week I would guess would make a great difference that you will see and feel. Not trying to preach...just letting you know what works for me if you are interested...
> 
> The first, and probably the most important, factor to loosing my gut was that I gradually cut out all soda from my diet. I started by vowing to drink just one soda a day. After a couple of weeks I just gave it up completely (maybe I drink one ginger ale every other week or so, but that's it). Now I just drink water, decaf regular or green tea with lemon squeezed into it (the lemon juice boosts its antioxidant properties...and green tea is really good for lowering blood pressure)/ lowfat milk, and oj.
> 
> I have reduced my portion sizes to what they actually recommend (ex. if you eat, say,a piece of meat, or a serving of potatoes, broccoli, etc...one portion is supposed to be the size of a deck of cards). I make up for the lack in size by eating 6 smaller meals throughout the day. Here's the basic regimen...
> 
> Pre-breakfast:
> A whey-based protein shake just before and just after my morning workout (avoid any powders with "creatin" in it...that stuff is bad for you. Get only 100% natural whey protien drinks). If you drink the shakes, make sure to drink plenty of water immediately and throughout the day (otherwise the excess protein builds up in your kidneys and can do serious damage). Only drink these if you are working out to nourish your muscles...otherwise it will just add unnecessary protein into your body and probably make you gain weight.
> 
> Breakfast:
> A bowl of Cheerios with blueberries, strawberries, and banana, or steel cut oatmeal with "natural" peanut butter mixed in for protein and flavor.
> 
> Pre-lunch:
> A whole wheat english muffin with natural peanut butter.
> 
> Lunch:
> Anything in moderation. I usually have organic chicken with wheat pasta, or tuna fish with the mayo made with olive oil, or a regular serving size of whatever leftovers we had for dinner, etc.
> 
> Afternoon snack:
> Usually a nutri-grain breakfast bar, or a 100 calorie bag of microwave popcorn, or walnuts, or the Quaker Oats chocolate covered rice cakes (I know, rice cake sounds nasty, but the chocolate ones taste pretty good since they use real chocolate on them), or an apple, banana, grapes, etc.
> 
> Dinner:
> Again...anything in moderation. It's usually organic chicken with pasta and steamed vegetables, or a burger made with "grass-fed" lean beef (grass-fed meat has as much or more Omega-3 than some fish, which is also good for lowering high blood pressure, reducing your cholesterol, etc). Or every once in a while we get a veggie pizza light on the cheese and just have two pieces at one sitting, etc.
> 
> > 
> Evening snack:
> Either a slice of wheat bread with natural peanut butter, or a small size or half regular size wheat pita with hummus dip 

>Just before bed:

> Low fat cottage cheese. Again, this is only good if you are working out...since the protein from the cottage cheese is slowly metabolized over the night while you are sleeping (which is the time your body works the most to rebuild your muscles from the day's workout). Otherwise, you will be adding unnecessary calories to your diet.
> 
> I also have been taking Centrum multi-vitamins each morning, along with omega-3 fish oil pills. I think the vitamins are a big part of my dry, cracking hands being soft and healthy again. Also, I use Gold Bond "Ultimate healing" moisturizer on them at least once a day.
> 
> Also, I fit in a 30-45 minute workout with dumbbells, the "perfect pushup" thing you can by at J.C. Penny, some hand grippers, and an eliptical machine. I put in at the very least 10 minutes of cardio workout on odd days and maybe 5 minutes on even days. 
> 
> I only know that it worked for me doing this cold turkey all at once. But even if you just try this stuff out for a little while I think you will feel a difference. If you do, let me know how it goes...just remember to take baseline readings for everything at the beginning (ex. weight, number of inches around the waist, your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, etc.) so you can track your progress.
> 
> Take it for what it's worth.
> 
> Later!
> 
> Malcfett