(click on any of the titles to open the film in a new window)

You can view them all, except Food Inc., online for free.  And I am sure you can find that one if you look hard enough.

1.  Sweet Misery: A Poisoned World

90 minutes:  This is a must watch for all you diet-Coke lovers.  Anything ‘diet or sugar free’ and usually fat free contain some type of chemically laced sweetener.  “I use it all the time and I am just fine, Mike!” That may be true, for now.  Or, there may be problems that already exist…who knows?  Just watch it!  And read my articles on aspartame by clicking here.

Fake sugar makes you dumb.

2.  Food, Inc.

94 minutes:  Made in 2008, it’s probably the most recent on the list.  A must watch for the meat lovers.  This film digs deep into the corporate controlled food industry.  It is no longer farm to fork…and the ‘farm’ is actually an endangered species.

3.  The world according to Monsanto

109 minutes:  A full documentary on the chemical / seed company.  Most people don’t even realize how involved this company is with what they eat.  Over 100 years old, and responsible for some nasty stuff; agent orange, ddt, they now dominate the big Ag industry and continue to lead the way in the gene revolution.  With a constant revolving door between them and the FDA- it’s like putting the fox in charge of the hen house.  You need to see this film.

Don't be scared, watch it!

4.  The Future of Food

89 minutes:  Made in 2004, this is another great documentary that deals with some issues regarding the gene revolution.  This film also points out many of the turning points in history in regards to the food production shift.  We now have scientists and factories trying to do what farmers were once in charge of.  You may want to watch this one before you watch #3.

5.  Bonus: If you haven’t seen Super Size Me, you need to check this one out too.  A definite must watch about a real 30 day experiment done with fast food eating.  You can also watch that one free, HERE.

Get on those for now.  There are a few other good ones out there!

It’s time you get your head out of the sand…or your ass, and get with the program.  Nobody is going to take care of you- and you need to educate yourself on these real life issues!  This is food, you cannot avoid it.  Regardless if you choose to ignore it or not- it does concern you.

It is no longer ‘OK’ to play dumb.  Take charge of your own health.

-Mike.

Related posts:

1. This one’s for the kids

I decided to change it up, I’ll save the 20 prowlers for another day!

Before you start accusing me of being a pu**y… Today was one of the tougher WOD I have done in a while.  Mostly because it taxed my entire body- and I kept the intensity as high as I possibly could…and I probably won’t repeat it for a while.

Squats: when I first got the rack, I hadn’t squatted in over 4 months.  With the shoulder issues and PT’s (therapists) advice- it was limited to 185.  Actually, she said don’t do any at all…but whatever.  It hurt like shit too.  We made some progress so far.

This was the 4th time squatting in about 5 weeks since I picked it up at a yard sale.  Week 1, we ended at 205 x 3 for our heaviest load.  Week 3 was 235, and today we ended up at 265 x 3- last rep barely parallel.  But, we’ll take it.

Part A) 135×8 / 155×8 / 185 x 5 / 225 x 5 / Rest 1 min 15 sec between sets.

245 x 3 / 265×3 / 155×20 for my “death squats” inspired by Jamie Sulc’s post a while back.   I rested 2 mins 30 seconds for each one of the last 2 sets.

Part B) The pretend prowler 2000, puker edition.  Pictured in action below.

3 rounds of 200lbs:  Push 50′ and turn, 40′ and stop, run 1 flight of stairs, return to the start with a 30′ prowler push.

Max Capacity: Unknown

Part C) Air Dyne:  The Vintage ass kicker.  200 clicks.  Im not sure how fast you could get it done before all that mess…but it was about 6 minutes of torture for me.

Hulk Hogan may have used this one.

Part D) 3 Rounds of Tire Rips to Tire Sled Sprint

Tire: 90# added, backward walk to rip n’ pull 10x to sprint back to start. 20′ each way.

Bonus: 3 rounds of 100′ farmer walks, 80-90% of body weight.

As far as the diet, it was “fair” at best this week.  I did some kick ass workouts, and to be honest, feel I have declined in body composition.  I’m just keepin’ it real again, the diet is crucial.

Your excuses bore me.

What’s the reason?  There really is no acceptable excuse. I flat just haven’t gotten it done.  There is improvements, but still too many holes.  If you can’t put together 1 week of SOLID eating, how can you put together 4, or 8, or even 12…which is about how long it’ll take to see some real kick ass results from your hard work you put in under the bar?  You just gotta keep trying! Better yet, you gotta start doin!

Sunday: Complete day off.  Me and moms did a day at Pechanga Casino.  My wallet and waistline got an ass kicking there…

It’ll be another lite food day tomorrow.  The past week has been about a 3 star rating out of 7 for the nutrition side of things.   Not always eatign too much junk, but also water shortage, meal timings, missing supplements, and just not good enough.  I tried, but not hard enough.  When you face setbacks, you gotta dust yourself off and keep pushing forward.

While everyone is having the day off and stuffing the tummies, we will be doing work.

Today is Monday, week 2.  Let’s have a strong week!

-Mike.

PS:  Many uncertain times ahead, including a possible relocation and maybe a new direction for OCSF.  First be happy and serve the Way.  Make your goals, and detach from the outcome.  Last but not least;  fight like a fu**in warrior!

DO or DIE

Related posts:

1. WOD Files III: Sleds & Bells
2. WOD files: Deadly Deads at The Dungeon
3. WOD Files: King of the Hill II

If you are committed, you will do whatever it takes.  If you are interested, you will do whatever is convenient.

Well, that sums up the last couple of days for me.  I have made excuses and accepted mediocrity.  I accept it as my own, and now we must get back on track and change it.

Day 3 was very solid.  I did lots of recover work, mobility drills, and stretching.  The diet was solid and water was tip top.

Day 4 was a semi cheat day, but the workout was intense.  You could probably call it the baby brother of the FGB workout done by Crossfitters.  Swings, double kb push press, air dyne, lateral jumps- just a bunch of heart pounding fun!  We’ll cover that workout in a near-future WOD files post.

The day would have been a complete success, but I messed up in a few areas:

I don’t have a water filter, so I still purchase it from stores.  I ran out.

I also ran out of a few other items, and excused myself into having cheats.

I didn’t pack my food when I had to hit the road.  I excused myself into fast food.

Starving during the day, only to binge at night when food was readily available.

I didn’t log anything at all during day 4, and day 5.  Both were my worst days by far.

Day 5 was pretty bad.  I started off solid and ended up not replenishing the items I needed.  Excuses everywhere today.  No workout, no recovery work to speak of.

We’ll just chalk day 4 and 5 up as cheat days and a change in the diet to keep things from getting too routine and boring.  But really, it’s a poor excuse for plain ol’ messing up.  No reason to quit, just pick yourself up and keep moving forward.

—

Day 6:  Back on track, the plan of attack.

-Wake to water and foam roll recovery work.

-Breakfast: 1 handful of almonds, 1 apple, 1 serving Amazing Grass, coffee

-Snack 1: 1 handful of cashews, 1 iced tea

WOD: for time

*  20 Prowler Sprints @ 200#s for 50′

*  200 clicks on the Air Dyne

Time to hit it hard and get lean.

It’s 8am and time to hit the streets to b-make for a few hours.  More updates to come later.

Keep pushing forward!

-Mike.

Related posts:

1. WOD Files: Week 1 Update
2. FREAKFEST09 VIDEO UPDATE 1
3. OCSFest aka OCT Freakfest Update from Mike

I have not had enough training on selling prescription drugs to be considered a doctor…anyhow- on with the list and lesson..

Grocery List Part II:

Veggies to fight the flu / common cold.  High in Vitamin C.

Fight the vaccines, eat your greens!

Dark Leafy Greens- some examples to look for;  Mustard Greens, Watercress, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Arugula, Collard and turnip greens, as well.  Select at least 2.

Red Bell Peppers: 3x as much vitamin C as the green peppers.

Brussels sprouts: boil em’ up in some veggie soup, or just steam and dip in organic butter.

Radishes: Eat in salads to spice it up a bit.

Cabbage: Weight loss veggie here.  Cabbage absorbs water, so it will leave you satisfied longer.  It also kicks in some Vit C as well.

Veggie of the week: Mushrooms-win this award for packing plenty nutrients only found in animal products, and grains.  They are a great vegetarian source of riboflavin, niacin, and selenium.  They can also be added to a variety of meals, so eat up!

Oils…if you still do not buy my theory that fat is actually good for you to cook with, such as butter, and coconut oil- and you still use some form of non fat substance to grill with, pick up some of these items.

Avocado- Vitamin C, E, and potassium.  Also kicks in magnesium, and niacin.

Walnuts- rich in omega-3s.  “Good fat”.

Salmon- Wild caught salmon, of course.  High in protein and the sexy omega-3s.  Fried fish ruins all nutrient value.  Seriously.

Supplement worth noting; if you’re not into fish or the vegetarian that can have ‘fish products’, try a fish oil capsule.  Carlson’s is a very good brand.  You need to read the labels.

Side lesson: Pay attention to the EPA and DHA levels, not the total ‘fish oil’ blend.  A good brand will make it clear, while others will usually only list the total.  For example:  I have a bottle that says “EPA, DHA, and other omega-3s” 720mg.  The capsule is listed at 1200mg fish oil.  It does not list the break down.  I would avoid these brands.

Then I have another bottle that lists EPA 300, and DHA 200.  The total ‘fish oil’ capsule is 1000mg.

So, if I wanted to get 1500mg per day of the ‘good stuff’, I would need to consume 6 pills per day.  This is what I do personally, 2 morning, afternoon and night. Had you just read the front label for what it says, you would think 2 capsules would contain 2000mg.  That’s a huge misunderstanding!

Remember; fish oil has become very sexy, it became ‘popular’ and that means money…so there are many companies out there putting some ‘not-so-great’ stuff together for a fast buck.

Click on this picture below for a sample label.

READ YOUR FISH OIL LABELS

Trust me, you need fat in your diet to lose fat in your body.  Let me repeat; you NEED fat- healthy, natural, unprocessed fat, in your diet to lose fat in your body.  Anyhow, let’s move on.

Cooking Oils II: For those of you that use them, good for you!  Here is some options you may want to check out.

Butter: Butter consumption went down by 50% and heart disease took off and didn’t look back!  Think I’m lying?  Do some research…  Organic butter is the only way to go.  Try to find organic butter from pasture fed cows.  If your butter is a “near white” color, it sucks…plain and simple.

Stop using plastic to cook with.

It’s also worth noting; Dr. Weston A. Price claims it is needed to make many nutrients well absorbed by the body.  It is believed that ‘grass fed’ cows produce butter very high in this “Activator X” or Vitamin K2.  Normal ‘feed’ used in conventional methods does not produce this same type of butter.  Crazy huh?  Read it for yourself, I am not bullshittin’!

That’s all I am going to list for the cooking  “oils” this time.  If you need “real oil” to fry with, then stop frying!!

Monsanto: The people who really run your grocery store.

Sorry about that pic, just needed to make sure you were still with me..

Fruits: I will leave this up to you.  Try to go organic, local, and in season.  For vitamin C, go with some Oranges. Keep it simple, stay away from the exotic stuff.

Grains: tread lightly here.  No, not all grains are evil…but, many people are very sensitive to them.  Where do you think all these bowel problems and diabetes issues come from?  Processed, empty grains.  It’s big Ag and the USDA at their finest.  It’s cheaper to produce, it has much more ‘uses’,(you’d be AMAZED what they can do with corn and soy) and it lasts much longer- so fu** vegetables, tell em’ to eat 6-11 servings a day! We need to sell this shit!

Quinoa- I dont like it Mike.  Blah blah… Get it.  Figure it out, learn to make it work.  It’s the new rice.  Rice is crap.  And white rice is stinky, runny, crap!  It’s stripped of any nutritional value!  Just a sugar spike, then a crash..and some more weight gain.

Rolled Oats, or ‘Slow Cooking Oats’- I must warn you, these will take 20-30 minutes to cook…as opposed to 90 seconds of radiation it took for the instant stuff.  BUT…but, you will gain much more nutritional benefits if you take the extra time.

Black Beans: If you buy canned, you shouldn’t.  If you must, please look for one that is BPA free and all that other shit.  Not sure if they have many out there.

I’m not going to put more on this list.  Simply, because it will lead to weight gain, and sometimes- many other problems.  If you’re an athlete or busting your ass in grueling work or events- you’ll probably be Ok.  For the rest of us, we need to limit or grains.

In the US, we over produce way too many grains. Why?  I am not sure really.  It is not because we are all healthy grain soaking, non meat eating, agri-loving people. The government has all kinds of ‘farm bills’ and funding paid to farmers.  However, a little research will show that the vast (over 90%) goes to corn, cotton, and soy.  Like I said, corn is used to make everything..from cow feed (which is horrible, cows don’t eat corn) to home items like batteries.  We are not consuming a bunch of whole, natural grains.  We are consuming a bunch of processed, fat people producing, “franken grains” being passed off as food.

This is NOT the problem.

We can sit here and discuss diets and everyone can claim to be correct and have the secret info…it is kinda like religion- so lets not over analyze here.  Don’t get me wrong; eating natural grains is fine…just don’t overdo it.  But, most of this stuff being grown at a crazy rate is being processed into cereals, frozen items, candy, breaks, crackers, health food- and some claim to be “healthy” and countless others use marketing tactics make false claims.

This is a PART of the problem.

In 2007, Joe Biden said this, “Hundreds of thousands of people die, or have their lives shortened because of coal plants, coal fire plants, and because of CORN SYRUP.”

Then why the fu** are we allowing this into our food supply??  Sometimes, I just don’t understand how people live with themselves.

Here is some homework for the “beginners” that are just starting out on a dietary change in their life.  Read the labels, every single label. I want you to see just how many products contain this crap.  I want you to look for corn oils, soy oils, and high fructose corn syrups.  You can also keep your eye out for the hydrogenated fats and oils. Avoid all this crap.  Yes, I know this means many of your favorite “goodies” will need to be very limited “treats”, and not a daily thing anymore.

Hey, don’t get mad at me about it…I had nothing to do with mass production of food.  At least in the ol’ days, cookies just made you fat….they were never ‘linked’ to cancer.

And, since this grocery list turned into a list with a ton of info and just as much ranting- I did you a favor and grouped it all together below:

You’re welcome.

-Mike.

———-

Greens: choose 2

Mustard Greens

Watercress

Spinach

Swiss Chard

Arugula

Collard Greens

Turnip greens

More Veggies: choose a couple more here, too.

Red Bell Peppers

Brussels Sprouts

Cabbage

Radishes

Mushrooms

Fats / Oils:

(pasture fed) Organic Butter

Avocados

Walnuts

Salmon / and or Fish Oil Supplement (read the label)

Grains:

Quinoa

Oats

Black Beans

Fruit: Oranges, and 1 or 2 others.

Bonus Items:  take the extra effort…or at least ‘check em out’

Liver

Full Fat Raw Cheddar- if you love cheese, you will not buy ‘regular’ again.

Tumeric powder- it’s a spice

Decaf Green Tea-

Cocoa Bar- at least 80% cocoa and very little sugar per serving (more on this treat in the future)

———-

Related posts:

1. TO DO: Weekend Grocery List
2. Basic Vitamins
3. Food is Fuel III: The final note.

Before we get started, you MUST watch this video.  If you do not find a sense of testosterone flow thru your body, followed by a wave of goosebumps…go check your pulse.  You alive?  Fine…then, you’re a pu**.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Good stuff, huh?

Day 1

Diet did not shape up to what we wanted.  I fell victim to a custom made starbucks drink, sort of a post workout drink I guess…and I missed a few of my supplement vitamins.

For dinner, I also had some chicken with the ahi tuna.

I did not get enough vegetables in today.  I did limit my almond intake, and kept my water levels very good.  I made some progress today.  You cannot expect to change it all in one day…or you will fail.

Eat real cheese, not plastic.

The workout did not feel very “fluid” but I got it done.

During my warm ups, I decided to alter it based on how I was feeling.  Progressive hill sprints from 1-10, then back 10-1. The sprints get about 2 yards longer from 1-10, then decrease 10-1.

Then I did 5 more from the start- I did a combination of side shuffles, and back pedals up the hill.  At the bottom I performed my jump ropes, and at the top- my up downs.  After a brutal Saturday, the jump rope and up downs proved to be painful part of the workout.  They kept waking up the shoulders…

Not including the warm ups, the WOD was 25 hill sprints of various lengths, 50 up downs to a jump, and 500 jump ropes.

I did not read.  Unacceptable.

Yesterday is over.  We shall move on now.

—

Day 2

Tuesday is an early day.  It will be another “lite fuel” day.

STRONG butter is yellow.

I am finding myself to be a ‘not so early’ eater.  Breakfast is important, but we have to know our own type.  I still managed to get my 2 boiled eggs, and a salad in this morning.

I had a rough draft of my diet for Tuesday, and it worked out pretty well.  Similar to day 1 in items, but executed much better.  Instead of tuna, we had chicken stir fry. Multiple vegetables in a frozen package and soy bean oil free!  I added some chopped peppers and broccoli to the mix as well.  I also topped it off with wheat germ, for added fiber- and Bragg liquid aminos.

Tip;  keep the supplies full.  Once you run out of healthy options, you will begin to cave.

There was another minimal ‘cheat’ today, but did not derail the progress.  The goal is to make continuous progress. Once again I kept the almonds low.  I’m not eating as many nuts as I was before. (that’s what she said)  This was a big problem.  Sure, it wasn’t 4 candy bars- but 150g of fat from almonds in a couple of days isn’t a wise idea either.

Water volume was good, and I have made a cut back in my caffeine.  I had some mid afternoon decaf tea, packed with antioxidants.  For fruit;  banana, apple, and an orange.  It was pretty basic.

Goat Milk: I'll give it a shot.

I hit Mothers Market for a few things I needed to stock up on, which is not cheap at all… I usually don’t shop here, but they do have a huge selection of ‘good shit’.  I picked up some liquid magnesium, and a better brand of fish oil pills.  I also got some raw milk, cheese, butter, and a few other items.  Before I continue, I think it’s important to point out these items were probably 200% the price of ‘conventional grocery store’ products.  The more we continue to shop at the mega-food shops, the more the difference in price will increase.  But whatever…shop where ever you want- but don’t say I didn’t warn ya. Anyhow, back to the story at hand.

Supplement worth noting; I really fell the magnesium has helped my sleep and soreness.  Which is good, because I feel like a train wreck right now.  I usually take 500mg at night.  Tonight it will be 2 doses.

The workout was not very ’scientific’.  It was way too long, grueling- and probably way too many reps.  It was one of those days where you just go with what feels good, and keep going until you can’t go anymore.  Fun, but not wise.  Right now I’m getting weird pains in areas I’ve never had em’ in.  Sweet…

Overall, I am satisfied with the diet for the two days.  It needs much improvement, but I promised to stick with it and improve over these two weeks.

Your goal should be a promise to yourself.

Bedtime: Liquid magnesium, 1000mg.  It was not very easy to get out of bed today.

Who needs Ambien? F' off, big pharma.

—

It’s now the start of day 3.  Even though, I had some set backs so far…I can already feel results.  I am sore, but feel lean and fresh.  A shower, fruit, and some coffee…and I am ready to slay the day.

As a tribute to the video, let’s end it with a joke; “Knock knock.  Who’s there?  The guy who finished second.  The guy who finished second, WHO? Exactly….”

Finish first.

-Mike.

Related posts:

1. Day One: The Menu For Today
2. WOD files: Deadly Deads at The Dungeon
3. WOD Files: King of the Hill II

It’s back to the ‘lite day’ style of eating today.  For work, we will do some cardio recovery type work.  I figure this is a good way to hold myself accountable….and possibly help a person or two out.  For the next 2 weeks, I will post meals and workouts for each day.  Use some for ideas, motivation…or just ignore if you want!

What’s the goal?  Lean up.  For the majority of the days, I will eat lite to very lite.  I will do more ‘endurance’ type work, rather than ‘heavy’ lifting.  The goal is to ‘kick-start’ myself into the next phase…

Day 1 of 14 days of ‘controlled and posted’ eating and training.

Let’s see what we can accomplish in a couple of short weeks.

Old School Cardio

Day One: Here is the plan.  Results to come Tuesday.

wake- 20 oz water mixed with Amazing Grass ‘Green SuperFood’. 1 scoop serving.

1 cup coffee to get the insides moving…

Morning Stretch & Foam Roll Routine:  20 minutes in duration

Approximately 1 hr later breakfast

3 Boiled eggs- medium.  My ‘RDA’ for cholesterol, just from eggs alone, will be 272%.  Research your facts.

salad- greens mix, 1 tbsp cranberry, 1 tbsp crumbled cheese, 2 tbsp crushed almonds- approx 20 g fat total

2 fish oil pills, 1 vitamin C, 1 milk thistle

Eggs for the day: 272% RDA cholesterol.

2-3 Hrs later:

1 Whole apple, about 10 almonds for a pre workout snack.

Workout:  Moderate recovery day, Cardio.

-Hill Sprints & Jump

-Sprint 150′ and perform a) 100 Jump Ropes s b) 10 Up Downs with Jump

Perform 3 warm up sprints at 60%, increase in speed at 5.  Including warm ups, 15 sprints total.

Alternate between A) and B) every other sprint starting at # 6.

Finish with 500 jump ropes and 50 up downs with jump.

Post Workout Snack: 30 minutes later.

20 oz water with Amazing Grass and Creatine.

1 Whole Orange

Post Workout Meal: Approximately 1 hour after workout

1 Greek Yogurt mixed with 1 tsp cocoa powder

1/2 whole grain bagel with 1/2 serving of organic butter

Frozen Stir Fry Mix- 1 serving.  Cooked with 1 serving organic butter, 1 tbsp wheat germ

1 fish oil pill, 2 joint enzymes, 1 magnesium

Late afternoon Snack: 1 cup Tea, 1 pear

Real world treadmill. Free Vit D.

Dinner:

1 palm size serving wild caught ahi tuna.

Cooked with coconut oil, and wheat germ applied with 1 tbsp whole flax seeds on top.

1 cup broccoli and 1 whole bell pepper.  Grilled with the fish.

Bed Time: 1 melatonin, 1 magnesium

Bed time recovery:  10 mins generic yoga, 10 minutes foam roller.  Recovery work prior to bed, without exciting the CNS, can make a huge difference in the amount of ‘morning soreness’ you experience.

—-

For now, our intentions are not to count calories or fluid ounces of water.  My plan is to ‘experiment’ with a few things and see how it works out over two weeks.  I will adjust or continue with the same basics depending on the results.

—-

Reading:  20 minutes minimum, Your Erroneous Zones- by Dr. Wayne Dyer

—-

Results to come Tuesday.

-Mike.

Related posts:

1. Beast on the Go Breakfast Ideas
2. Protein Powder Ideas
3. Day 1 & 2 Updates

Reading is like exercise for the mind.

Someone actually said that one way before me, you, or any of our grandparents were even swimming around in a nut sack.  We need to do some more reading, and learning, and growing.  Mentally, physically, and spiritually- we must continue to grow.  Without growth, there is death.

The first subject knows much about death.  He had his own kill count.  Ok, he’s fictional- but bare with me here….24 may be the greatest show ever.  (my site, ill say what I want) and I am thoroughly convinced Jack Bauer is greater than Chuck Norris.  Yes, I have seen Chuck in action and all the crazy Delta Force movies are great…but if I had to choose im taking Jack.  So, more than the quote- you must know Jack!

(click the name for more info on the individual)

Jack Bauer

“Earlier today I shot my old partner, a friend of mine, because he tried to stop me from doing what I have to do. Don’t think for a second that I won’t do that to you.” -Jack Bauer

Jack Bauer is a beast.  Period.  If you haven’t had the experience of watching ‘24′, you definitely need to get on it ASAP.  Consider yourself lucky; you have 8 seasons to catch up on. 

We mentioned Jack, because when Jack has something to accomplish, he gets it done. Like the quote above explains, there is not much that can keep big Jack from making it happen…not even a long-term friendship. He does whatever it takes, and relentlessly seeks the truth.

Jack does not worry about being popular.  

Remember this one? Silent clock scene...

Lao Tzu

Historians estimate his birth between 600 and 300 BCE.  He is credited with writing the “Tao-te-ching” which can be translated into ‘The Way’.

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.  Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.“- Lao Tzu

We’ve all heard this one before, and I’m guessing it’s origin has been credited to someone else incorrectly.  Usually, you hear it when someone wants to tell you how you should do something, instead of doing it themselves.  You know; if I wash the dishes for you, they’ll only be clean for the day…if I teach you how, they’ll be cleaned daily.

To me, it means three things.  1. Fish is good.  2.  You must LEARN to do things on your own.  3.  Vegetarians will have to change fish to grow wheat or something…

In addition to this one, Lao Tzu was said to be saddened by the evils of man- and decided to leave civilization for the desert.  Before he was able to disappear- he was stopped and talked into writing his philosophy into verses- so they could continue to use it to teach.  The 81 verses Lao Tzu put together became known as the ‘Tao-te-ching’.  This book is worth reading.  Google it now, and you’ll find many variations of it available.

Many verses are still commonly used today, and management should take note; “A leader is best when the people barely know he exists.  When his work is done, his aim fulfilled; they will say, we did it ourselves.”

50lbs over-weight?  Facing thousands of dollars in debt?  He also said, “A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step”.

The Tao-te-ching. Read it.

Jean De La Bruyere 1645-1696

“There are but three great events in a life;  birth, life, and death.  He is not conscious of being born, he dies in pain, and he forgets to live”.

What a tragic situation.  Honestly, it happens way too often….you’re lying if you tell me you remember the day you were born.  Then, most people slave thru life serving money, and material items…living like zombies- living dead.   You can practically sleep walk thru the entire daily routine. Death isn’t always painful, but with the abundance of preventable disease and other issues- a long battle with terminal illness, drawn out by drugs and treatment- it is making painful deaths much more common practice.

So, you are born into this civilization…you live in a zombie type state thru your ‘alive’ days, and in the end- you die in pain? Don’t waste a lifetime.  Don’t make this you.

Live life aggressively! best quoted by Mike Mahler and his awesome outlook on it all.

La Bruyere was a French writer.  He had many other good ones as well, including: “Many speak a moment before they think.”

You’ve heard it before;  next time, think before you speak- dummy!

Strong Hands, Lethal Weapon

Muhammad Ali

“I am the greatest!  I am the greatest thing that ever lived!”  M.  Ali 1964

This guy was knocking people out against all odds.  He was expected to lose against many of the big names.  His confidence was sky high, obviously.  If it worked for Ali, maybe it’ll work for you.

Muhammad Ali also had some interesting interactions with the US courts over his refusal to join the Vietnam war.  Check it out some time..

Socrates469-399BCE

Socrates was another very, very, old school dude who set the standard for many western philosophers.  This guy is way too old school and smart for me to explain, you’ll have to do the research for yourself.  But, for now..here’s one of his quotes.

“Worthless people live only to eat and drink; people of worth eat and drink only to live.” – Teachings of Socrates

This one is pretty much explains itself. 

You can also sum it up to anyone on any type of fat loss goal oriented plan….”Eat to live, don’t live to eat.”

The picture below shows a local McDonalds in my neighborhood.  This picture was taken around 11am.  At 12 (lunch time) the place is buzzin’ with people and the drive thru line often reaches the street.  That would be about 12 cars in line.  There are 3 or 4 more within about 3 miles.  This is not a good thing for this neighborhood.  It may ‘create jobs’…but the revenue isn’t going to pay for health care mess it also creates.

Ronald McDonald: The new Joe Camel?

There you have it; those are our quotes for today.

No particular order…and I know there are literally thousands more worth mentioning.  I chose these for now, and we will discuss more later.

Share your own in the comment section if you’d like.

Class dismissed.

-Mike.

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Phase I:  Infant stages of ‘new diet changes’ being implemented.  If you’ve been actively eating healthy for  awhile now- this may seem like old news to you.

The Hat of Wisdom, speaks.

1.  CALORIC NEEDS: How many calories do you really need? I hear ya…counting calories sucks, and it’s bullshit.  And it’s only for girls, girls with eating problems and disorders…well, that- and fat people trying to lose some weight.  For now, we need to do it.  This starts off with education.  Read labels, visit websites like www.calorieking.com and get an idea of what contains what, in terms of the big 3….fat, carbs, and protein.  These end up making the ‘calorie’ content we are going to count.  There are also many ways to get an idea of how many calories you need to survive.

What you eat, you need to burn.  If it doesn’t burn, it stores.  It stores as fat.  It’s pretty simple.

It sucks, but it is science and it is a good way to get an idea of what you’ve been doing for a while now.  This site embedded HERE has a CALORIE CALCULATOR.  Many will differ, but this one seems to be pretty accurate.  Not only will you count calories, you will record them along with the foods you eat and the times…continue below.

2. KEEP TRACK: There is a ton of studies that show the success rates sky rockets when individuals actually WRITE down what they eat thru out the day.  No…not ‘remember it and log it later’ on your computer.  As soon as you have eaten it, you WRITE IT DOWN.  Track it for at least 3 weeks to a month.  Track everything, from water to cheat meals.  Among many other benefits, this will make you ‘think about writing it down’ before you even eat it.  There are many paid sites which have pretty good software programs designed to make this easy for you…but a good ol’ notebook and pen works the same.  If you want to go hi-tech, transfer it to an excel spreadsheet once you get on your PC.  Whatever.  Just get it done.

It's not the notebook that needs to be in good shape.

3. VARIETY IS CRUCIAL: This goes for everything.  Hold on, before you start bitching ‘Mike, you said keep it simple…stick to the basics, etc” let me explain;  You WILL NOT eat the same foods everyday for very long, so it’s not sustainable over a long period of time.  Yes, it’ll work to get your ass (maybe fat ass) started- but you won’t stick to it.  Try a shit ton of different vegetables, try picking by colors.  Not only does it keep variety, it also allows you to get as many ‘phyto-good things’ (made up word of course)  from our non meaty friends.

God made a gang of plants.

Try many different veggies, and fruits- but I suggest you stick to lean meats and good quality bread and grains if you choose to continue to eat them.  Meaning, don’t use white flour and white rice as part of your variety…and raisin bread, bagels, and white toast isn’t variety either. That’s called a recipe for a trip to fatville.

Ok. Sorry, that was pretty rude.

4.  PLAN YOUR FOOD: Listen, if it’s too much trouble…than just find comfort in the spare tire around your gut.  Personally, mine is PISSING ME OFF!  So, let’s just shake that excuse right this moment.  I don’t have time, it’s too much trouble…oh well then, keep hitting the drive thrus and enjoy your size 44 waist. Sorry, just another self served rant.

Plan your meals, you’ll soon see how much food you really DON’T NEED.  We eat way too much for our bodies and digestive tract to handle.  Try doing it for 3 days in advance.  ‘I can’t, I have lunch meetings all the time.’  Ok, be a fat corporate weakling then…who cares?  The scale, my pants, and the mirror have all let me have it lately…and it hasn’t been good.  “Mike, you chose to eat that shit, not us.  Now look at us, we have built in hip pads just in time for football season.  Nice work, fatty.”

Plan on eating plenty of these, or fail.

5.  EAT MORE, EARLIER: Eat breakfast, dummy!  OK, that was rude…and could technically be bad advice…but since we’re just sticking to Phase I suggestions for today; eating a heavier breakfast is a good idea.  The old saying rings true, breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.   And yeah…also, especially for the ones looking to fine tune their physique…after lunch, sleep a while- after dinner, walk a mile.

Enough with the cliches and wise quotes…just start eating LESS as the day progresses.  Genius…

No matter the time, AVOID this.

There you have it, folks…pretty simple, pretty basic, and over looked by way too many people.

Be on the look out for our next Phase I post…we will discuss a couple days worth of meals and take a quick shopping trip for the basics.

I am not very happy with our current condition, it’s time to step it up and make a change!

-Mike.

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The weather has been awesome, and I need to get outside for a bit.  Let’s stick to bulletins.

Listen up, or I'll take out the knee cap.

We need to run thru the lesson plan for today;

* Canola Oil:  It sucks. It comes from the rapeseed tree.  To make this substance non toxic (the tree is poisonous) it must be refined, deodorized, and dyed.  The ‘healthy’ Omega-3s it boasts on the label, are mostly lost in the ‘detoxifying’ process.  It’s crap, and I don’t give a shi* how long you’ve used it for.

* Splenda is horrible, so is Sweet & Low, and Equal. Not only is it crap, it’s the SHADIEST food additive in history! Avoid sweeteners like the plague.  If you need some sweet, try Stevia or raw agave.  Funny sidenote;  Stevia was once banned in the 90s…and many think it was to protect the ‘big 3′.  After much debate and many arguments for it to be on the shelves, it’s back….and it’s gaining momentum.  Starbucks now offers it in their frozen fraps, and Coke has used it in the past.

* Soy is NOT as good as most people think, nor is it as bad as others say. BUT…you must avoid the processed, GMO based soy products.  Soy bean oil is also big no, no.

* Muscle building and fat loss supplements: If you use them often, there is a good chance you have ‘taken steroids’ before.  Food trumps all pills and powders, and most ’secret’ supplements can be easily replicated by purchasing their base product.  Such as; L-Tyrosine, or magnesium, or a caffeine pill.  Here’s a simple tip, READ INGREDIENTS- dummy!

* Your pathetic ‘treadmill routine’ is dominated in effectiveness by any hills / stairs / bleachers cardio session. OK, if you’re injured, 65 years old, or rehabbing, you get a pass…the rest of you need to quit being such PU****S!

Loser.

* Your ‘resistance training’ program is a pile of rubbish without THE PILLARS. Throw these in as the main focus, and any program is bound to bring STRONG results.  Once again, quit being such a PU**Y!

That’s it.  Now get off your ass, go lift something heavy, then eat something REAL.  Feel free to get a little sun while you’re at it.

Class dismissed.

-Mike.

Summer School, 1987

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Mike, I’ve been in the gym for over a year now…and I can’t seem to get any results that last.

Well, it’s your fault.  Most people are interested in comfort, and convenience, not real results.  For starters, a year isn’t really long enough to complain about not getting results.  There’s countless people that have been under the bar for a decade or two, and still look for ways to get stronger.  For the ones that are truly strong- and have paid their dues…you’ll find them brutally strong at these first three lifts.  You have to LEARN these lifts.  Then, you have to put in your time and continue to get stronger at em!  You need proper recovery, they hurt- they work.  They’re pillars of strength.

Note:  Make sure you LEARN these lifts before you start throwing a bunch of weight on your back.  These bad boys will definitely humble your average gym rat if you bring a big ego and little knowledge.

SQUAT: This is the first pillar. Learn the technique. Squat everything, from sandbags to logs- and of course good ol’ barbell back squats.  Shoulder issues, and ROM issues kept me off this for too long.  After much practice, we are now loading our back up with barbells again.

Does your gym look like this?

DEAD LIFT: Pillar number 2. If squat is king, then dead lift is queen. A very, very, bitchy queen.  Personally, I still have issues with the balance grip.  I am still performing these with both hands down, instead of one up and one down.  This is another weak area I am attacking.

Deads for dinner.

PRESS Over head: Lift heavy things over your head. For a list of items you can use, see the squat description.  These lifts should be lined up with your body.  Biceps in line with your ears.

SLED: Pull this backwards, drag it forward. Lessen the load and sprint for intense cardio. Load it heavy and work short strong loads. The sled is a definite necessity in my arsenal.

Press from feet, not back.

Obviously, there are plenty of others worth mentioning.  The problem with most fitness club gyms, and your average gym dweller who hasn’t seen any gains in strength since your first month, are these exercises.  Or, I should say- the lack of… Most people I run into are too worried about their bench press, or too busy doing way too many preacher curl sets. They’re the same ones that religiously do ‘abs’ after every workout.  200 stability ball crunches, a few planks, and if you’re really feeling frisky- maybe a few crunches with the tricep pull down strap.

You NEED to be doing these.  If you have issues, such as ROM, or prior injuries…they need to be addressed. Don’t ignore your weakness.  I did for too long, and it has definitely hindered progress….amongst other things.  Find out what’s holding you back; ROM issues, muscle imbalances, old bone breaks from sports, etc.  Stretch, get into Yoga, don’t guess too much- get it checked out if medically possible. Or could it be that your just afraid to get outside your comfort zone?

Whatever is holding you back, seek it out and destroy it.  If you just want to get stronger, stop wasting your time perfecting the pec-deck squeeze and add these to your routine ASAP!

-Mike.

Tire Sled and Trademark Cap.

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