Stretching: How, When, & Why You Should Do It.

  Our muscles are very complex. They get tight, and they hurt. But, with proper stretching, we can loosen them up thus, eliminating the nagging pains we often feel. When we stretch our muscles, they become more elastic and they have a greater range of motion. They often help us with our daily lives. With tight muscles (which most have now a days, due to the overwhelming rise in technology), it is hard sometimes to perform a simple daily action of even walking. Our posture becomes terrible, we hunch over, we complain when we walk. Our bodies are deteriorating, slowly. But thankfully, we have this little thing on our side called time.

  With time, perseverance and patience. We can change that. We can reverse the damage we have caused. We can change what we have done to our bodies over time. With a simple stretching routine every morning, you will see improvement in your posture, in your mood, your physical pay load. Everything. You will noticed your gym activities, whatever they may be, will improve. Your life will improve ten fold.

  Now, why do we stretch? Well when we are active, our muscles become tight, and filled with lactic acid. If not properly stretched, the tightness never goes away and sticks with us forever. Hindering our abilities to perform some simple tasks as: squatting down, bending over and even walking. Reaching for things, can become a burden too.

  You can see why stretching is so important. It helps us, well live better lives. So I will tell you the basic fundamental stretches that will help you in your everyday life. And perform better at the gym.

  With every stretch, hold it for 30-90 seconds, working your way up to 90.

1.Sit with your legs spread as far apart as you can, bend forward like a hinge at your waist, stretching your arms out towards your feet. Reaching as far as you can. And hold that position for up to 90 seconds, or as long as you can.

2. Repeat, doing it with a single leg.

3. The butterfly, I'm sure you remember this from gym class. Sit with your feet together, and press on your thighs with your elbows stretching open your hips.

4. Stand, feet spread as wide as you can, breathe in and exhale down slowly. As you fold your arms, hand your head, arms folded in front of you. And dangle there, stretching your hamstrings and lower back. This is a great one, to help your nagging hamstrings.

5. Now, feet wide again, squat as far as possible. And maintain that position. Stretching your hips again, and inner thighs.

6. Step one foot in front of the other, and bend forward, keeping your feel about 2 or 3 feet apart, like scissors. And bend over that front leg, like a hinge. Reaching as far as possible.

7.Repeat #6, but bend your front knee. Do #6 and #7 for both legs.

8. On your hands and knees, inhale, and arch your back, exhale and press it out. Called the cat stretch. Do this, for 10 reps.

9.Stand, and cross one arm across your chest and make an L with the other one, hugging it close to you. Repeat for both.

10. Reach one hand behind your back, like you have an itch and press on it with your opposite hand. Repeat for both arms.

11. Sit, with one leg crossed, putting your leg on the opposite side, and push on your knee with your elbow, stretching your spine. Take care of those spines, they help you live and walk right. It is, the "backbone" of your body.

12. Get in the push up position, and push back, having legs straight. And bend one ankle. Stretching your calf. Repeat on each side, up to 10 times.

Those, are pretty much the basics.

There is a more in depth stretching guide, I will be writing soon. For now, do these daily. But, at least 2 hours before you work out.

 You don't want to do static exercises before working out. You want to do dynamic stretches, such as.

Body squats, pot stirs, etc.

These will open up your muscles and get them warm for working out.

More on those tomorrow.

Stay strong, stay fit, stay active, and stay healthy.

Check out my book, How To Get Everything You Want:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/609912

I'm also selling custom made T-shirts, to which half of the proceeds will go towards testicular and prostate cancer charity.
https://teespring.com/liftwithyourbeard

Yesterdays post about fitness, and over complication, in case you happened to miss it! http://coreysperspective.blogspot.com/2016/01/fitness-quit-over-complicating-it.html


In case you missed it, or you're new around here: http://coreysperspective.blogspot.com/2015/10/my-introduction-pt-1.html

Until another time,

Corey.

Fitness: Quit Over-Complicating It.

  We are all guilty of this in our lifetime. We over complicate things. We get so caught up in the lights and glamour of things. We have so many options. So many avenues, and they all claim to the be "right answer".

This place says, do high this and low that. This place says, the opposite. One says, heavy this, one says light that. Another says to follow this routine, another says that routine is bogus.

  It can be quite overwhelming. But, I am here to shed some light for you all. The truth is, there is no "right" or "wrong" way. But, there is effective and non-effective. Depending, on exactly what your end goal is.

  So you want to lose weight? But, not sure where to begin? Join the millions of other people who are researching along side you. Who are so overwhelmed with all the information.

  First off, forget all you have ever been taught. Forget all the health and fitness magazines. It's all just for show, to sell their supplements. Those big jacked guys, are simply on steroids. And you won't get those results without them.

  Okay, so, you're looking for a plan to help lose that fat.

First thing's first: WALK.

Just go for a walk, 30 minutes a day. That isn't such a big commitment, is it? You can walk around your neighborhood, get some sunlight. Anything, just walk for 30 minutes a day. It will get your fat loss jump started. Help your cardiovascular system. Help your bone structure. Your posture will improve. It will help your health seven fold.

  That is your first step, just to walk, make the commitment, and promise to yourself.

 Second step, is to find a program. Now, a lot of programs well quite frankly, suck. They give you all these complicated exercises, with all these crazy machines that twist your body into unnatural positions.

The ONLY exercises you will need, to build muscle and lose fat:

-Deadlift.

-Squat.(front and back)

-Bench Press.

-Overhead Press.

-Lunges.

-Power Cleans(and press)

-Bent over row

-Pull ups.

That's it. Those are all full body movements, all of them shock your CNS(central nervous system), enough to promote either fat loss or muscle gain. (depending on your level of nutrition)

Now, starting out, you can also use body weight movements.

-Body squats.

-Body lunges.

-Pull-ups.

-Push-ups.

-Bear Crawls.

-Planks (for core stability)

-Plyometrics(depends on your fitness level)

And you don't need a gym membership or fancy equipment, if you cannot afford it. Simply find heavy things to lift around the house. Anything to jump start your metabolism. Just get active.

-Barbells.

-Dumbbells.

-Kettlebells.

Those are the three major items you can buy, to use.

There are also different ways, such as tire flips/sledge hammer slams (like the UFC fighters use).

Those movements can be sort of advanced though.

Don't buy into the hype of all the items you see on tv, all the advertisements. All the information saying you need to do biceps and triceps and all that to make them look good.

You can do full body movements, and it can help grow all your secondary muscles. Like your biceps and triceps.

  Don't complicate yourself. And do what works for you. A good starting routine for strength and muscle gains (also fat loss):

(this follows the 5X5 aspects (5 sets of 5 reps each, as heavy as you can go)

Monday:

-Squat(back)

 5 sets of 5 reps each

-Pullups

5 sets till failure.

-standing barbell press

5 sets 5 reps each

-bench press

5 sets 5 reps each

Tuesday:Do your walking.

Wednesday:

-Dead lift

5 sets 5 reps each

-bent over barbell row

5 sets 5 reps each

-upright row

5 sets 5 reps each.

-push ups

5 sets till failure

Thursday: Do your walking.

Friday:

-Squat(front) (until you can do power cleans)

5 sets 5 reps each.

-Shrugs(dumbbell is better, but barbell works)

5 sets 5 reps each

-Front raises (barbell is better, but dumbbell is more versatile)

5 sets 5 reps each

-Dumbbell inclined bench press

5 sets 5 reps each

Saturday/Sunday:Do your walking.

That's it.

Age old workouts, that Arnold himself used. They're effective for muscle and strength gains. And fat loss.

These full body movements, such as dead lifts, power cleans, and squats. Tax your CNS, and send your body into a fat burning machine stage. Or a muscle building machine. Depending on your desired results. As long as you're getting stronger. It's working.

Do that, for 2-3 weeks. And if your strength gains aren't going up, change your diet up. Revise what you're doing inside the kitchen over all.

There you have it, the simplistic way of fitness. No glamour, no lights, no bullshit. Just simple, effective exercises.

Stop making it so complicated, thinking you have to follow some routine that makes you stay in the gym for 3 hours, doing all these "toning" exercises.

Now, long gym times aren't necessarily "bad" but, those are for different types of people. Such as strength athletes, training for strong man, and what not. That is a completely different world, for a different time.

Keep strong, keep healthy, keep active. And most importantly, STAY OFF THE SCALE.

Judge your fitness efforts by what your mirror says.

Until next time,

Corey.

I will be discussing stretching, and how it can help you in your fitness and healthy life goals.


Check out my book, How To Get Everything You Want:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/609912

I'm also selling custom made T-shirts, to which half of the proceeds will go towards testicular and prostate cancer charity.
https://teespring.com/liftwithyourbeard

In case you missed it, or you're new around here: http://coreysperspective.blogspot.com/2015/10/my-introduction-pt-1.html

If you need help with the food part: 

http://coreysperspective.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-basics-calories-carbs-fats-proteins.html

How to calculate calories:
http://coreysperspective.blogspot.com/2016/01/so-you-want-to-lose-weight.html

The Basics: Calories, Carbs, Fats & Proteins.

  As you sit there, you find yourself wanting to lose weight. More so, lose fat. You've tried everything. Every weightloss and fatloss pill known to man. The atkins diet, every diet you've heard of. You even went as far as to making yourself not eat for weeks at a time, because, well let's face it. No food=No Fat, right?

  Nothing could be further from the truth. Your body needs a certain amount of calories to survive.

Now, that isn't saying that fasting, isn't useful. Even Intermittent Fasting, (fasting for certain hours/eating for certain said hours).

We will touch on that in a different post.

  Today I want to highlight the basics:

-Calories

-Fats

-Carbohydrates

-Proteins

These are all key factors in determining your body composition, and exactly how your body functions.

Now, just a disclaimer. I take a different approach to this than most. Because I have different beliefs, the research is all there. Most call this "low carb" Some call it "paleo dieting" It is simply known as, going primal. Being in touch with your primal instincts and primal ancestors.

With that being said, here is how I break it down.

  So, protein is a major role. It helps build muscle, and regulate your body. Helps you recover and get stronger. It released the anabolic hormones inside your body. Protein is the key to either fat loss or muscle gains.

  Our ancestors ate a lot of protein, but also they ate it when they could get it. Sometimes days at a time without a bite. We of course, go to the stores and buy frozen packaged meats. That are so pumped with chemicals, it is hardly meat anymore. Our ancestors, of course hunted for their food daily. That is how they stayed active. It was either, hunt or be hunted. Needless to say, when they got meat they gorged. Protein is one of the building blocks of a nutritious and healthy life.

  You want to get grass fed meats, such as: Beef, Chicken, Pork, Lamb, Bison, Venison, etc. Turkey too, but fatty meat is where you should look, I will explain why later. 

You don't want too much protein, but don't want too little. I usually have a big helping of meat, and some nuts and what not. It usually gives me enough protein to sustain my body. You don't exactly NEED 300 grams of protein, save that for the ones injecting the steroids (not saying I am against that).

Your body will do just fine with 100-150 grams. 

  Now fats, well fats are essential for life. Good fats and bad fats. You want quality fats, animal fats. Or fats like coconut oil, and olive oil, or advacadoes, anything but processed junk. The fats you get from a box of food, has no nutritional values. Anything packaged and riddled with chemicals, and preservatives is simply, not food anymore it is so altered. Buy whole foods. "organic foods"

 I quote that term, because it aggravates me.

"organic" like it is suppose to be different.

"organic food" is what our parents and parents parents and those before them called, real food.

Just food. That is what they ate daily. Because, the chemicals just weren't there.

Look for grass fed "organic". They must put a label on the shit that is good for you. So look for those labels, is it a little more? Sure, but cancer is expensive too. So is heart disease, diabetes, and multiple medications from multiple doctors.

  What path do you want? choose wisely. Because you only get this one life. 

Anyways, back on topic.

Carbohydrates:

Ah, these things are tricky. We have simple and complex carbs. Some that are fast and some that are slow.

They all turn to glucose in the blood and the body. Yet, the type, depends on how your body reacts.

If you eat, a whole bowl of potatoes and some sugar cookies. Sure you'll get the same amount of carbs as say, two or three bags of broccoli. But, broccoli effects the body in a different way. Not only does it have a whole host of other nutrients, your body can absorb the carbs better. The potatoes and cookies(which are riddled with additives and chemicals) will turn to glucose, or sugar faster. Not to mention those pesky grains, (there they are again)

Those things, that man ate for, tens of thousands of years before us. And, they were healthy. They lived, virtually disease free.  

These things (grains) lead to so many problems, 

digestive problems, stomach problems, they're hard on our bodies. On our organs, and on our  brains (yes, they fog our brains).

Plus, they leave you hungry for more.

Try and eat a whole meal loaded with carbs,

fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn (yes, corn is a grain, funny right?), and some pie for desert (I quite enjoy some apple pie though, well use to)

And tell me, if you aren't hungry an hour or so later, if not sooner. (go on, report back to me, if you aren't.. congratulations) most people will keep scarfing their faces till they almost puke.

Candy, chips, bread, corn, potatoes, pre packaged meals, breaded foods, friend foods.

They all are haphazardly eaten and thrown into the mouths of people. They don't see the negative effects until it's too late.

  You could eat a whole bag of candy and still be hungry, They are empty calories.

Sugar and carbs. They do nothing for your body, when you shovel in a three musketeers, or a milky way. Why do you think they have the chips and candy at every register?

It's a marketing ploy to sell more, "oh I will get a quick snack for the road" You eat it and 15 minutes later, you're hungry.

AND WORSE OFF, they actually advertise some on the tv, (not saying names *cough* Snickers *cough*) As curbing your hunger. It's asinine.

Okay, Rant over.

As I was saying, Grains= BAD, avoid them.

Eat a diet rich in  animal fat and protein, nuts, fruit and berries (sparingly) lots of veggies (green is best) but a variety of colored veggies is key.

Drink plenty of water (but don't over drink, just when you're thirsty) and just keep active.

Calories: before I forget, a calorie isn't just a calorie.

They effect the body differently, 100 calories of spinach, will greatly be treated differently by the body than 100 calories of bread or of those "100 calorie snacks"

It's all marketing.

Speaking of marketing, tune in tomorrow, Where I pick apart the supplement companies. Bit by bit.

Check out my book, How To Get Everything You Want:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/609912

I'm also selling custom made T-shirts, to which half of the proceeds will go towards testicular and prostate cancer charity.
https://teespring.com/liftwithyourbeard

Yesterday's post, in case you missed it!  http://coreysperspective.blogspot.com/2016/01/so-you-want-to-lose-weight.html

In case you missed it, or you're new around here: http://coreysperspective.blogspot.com/2015/10/my-introduction-pt-1.html

Until a later time,

Corey.

So, You Want to Lose Weight?

Simple, right?

Eat as little food as you can. Near none, just eat some a tiny little bit of food daily. And watch the pounds just melt off.

Wrong. Eating no food, will actually have the negative effect. You can actually GAIN weight.

I know, I know most of you are probably screaming at your screens right now.

Holding your heads already, not getting it.

  Your body, is a very complex structure. Yet it is so simple to change.

The formula in its most simplistic form is as follows:

Calories in<Calories out.

There is a difference with, "weight loss" and "fat loss".

Our aim, is for fat loss.

Some Basic Terminology for along the way:

1). BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): The base amount of calories, you would need if in a comatose state, to maintain your body composition.

2). NEAT (Non-Exercise Associated Thermogenesis): Calories burned by non exercise activities (washing dishes, walking, talking, etc). Also called incidental exercise, something everyone has a good amount of control over.

3). EAT (Exercise Associated Thermogenesis): Calories from planned exercised.

4). TEF (Thermic effect of feeding): Calorie expenditure associated with eating.

5). TEE (Total Energy Expenditure): The total calories you require, basically to live and be healthy.

In a more complex form, here is the formula to use as a measure on how to lose fat:

BMR= 370 + (21.6 x LBM) Where LBM = [Total weight (kg) x (100 - Bodyfat %)]/100

LBM=Lean Body Mass.

Now, in order to decide what you need total, you must factor in your Activity level:

This is your TOTAL COST OF LIVING, NOT just TRAINING:

1.2= Sedentary (desk job and light exercise)

1.3-1.4= Lightly active (light daily activity, and light exercise 1-3 days)

1.5-1.6= moderately active (moderate daily activity and moderate exercise 3-5 days)

1.7-1.8= Very active (Physically demanding lifestyle and hard exercising 6-7 days a week)

1.9-2.2= Extremely Active (Athlete in endurance training or a VERY HARD and physical job)

You Take your BRM x Your activity level.

To get your total required calories.

Now, in order to lose weight, you take and minus 20% from that, and eat those calories.

Eat that for 2 weeks, if no loss, re-calculate and minus a tad more.

Never got below 1500 for men, and 1200 for women,

not for a prolonged time.

That is the basics for now.

I will get more in detail about macronutrients(Carbs, Fats, Protein)

What role they play, and how much of each you should be eating.

Check out my book, How To Get Everything You Want:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/609912

I'm also selling custom made T-shirts, to which half of the proceeds will go towards testicular and prostate cancer charity.
https://teespring.com/liftwithyourbeard

In case you missed it, or you're new here:
http://coreysperspective.blogspot.com/2015/10/my-introduction-pt-1.html

Weight loss, will bring suffering, here's my post on suffering:
http://coreysperspective.blogspot.com/2016/01/live-to-suffer-or-suffer-to-live.html

Until next time,

Corey.