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