Fit Corner Blog

FitCorner's Friday Fit-Bullets #4.

• Study: A recent study looks into teenager sleep-wake patterns and associated study times.
  
  
  "The study looked at internal body clocks of different age groups and found that our ability to work effectively during traditional working hours changes dramatically at different ages."
  
  “We’ve joined together different types of scientists to study this and found that just one week with less than six hours of sleep [a night] leads to over 700 changes in how genes work in your body but with a full night’s sleep there were no changes."
  
  ‘Nine-to-five’ may have health risks, study finds
  
  
  
• Fun Factoid:
  
  “About a trillion molecules of oxygen go through each cell every day, inflicting about 100,000 free radicals hits or wounds on your cells genes or DNA, estimate geneticist, Bruce Aimes, of the University of California at Berkley.’’
  
  So what does that quote mean? Accpording to Dr. Aimes (geneticist, Bruce Aimes, of the University of California at Berkley), by the time we are old, each cell will have "a few million oxygen lesions"!
  
  This cell damage can cause all kinds of human disease. That's why antioxidents are important to help neutralize oxidents (aka free radicals). I'll post more on this topic next week.
  
  
  
• Quote:
  "Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will." - Mahatma Gandhi
  
• Music I'm listening to:
  
  
  1. Whispers in The Dark by Skillet - Rock
  2. Nothing Left to Say  by Imagine Dragons - Rockish
  
  
  

Every Friday I'll blog about topics related to health, fitness, wellness, self-improvement, and other miscellaneous topics I find interesting.

References: http://thenationonlineng.net/anti-aging-tips-for-buhari-in-change-era-3/

A very good friend of mine has lost 51 pounds as of today! I've known Stan since 1997 when I met him in a MMORPG called Ultima Online. We've been gaming since. This is his IDLife testominal.

Good afternoon.Here is my testimonial to date with my background story. I felt I was a very fortunate guy who loved to play tennis and direct NCAA/USTA events and as I cruised through my 20s...life was FUN. Work was work but I was doing well and the tennis had never been better as my health was top notch. Then the 30 year old curse line approached and it hit me with my first Knee Injury (Meniscus tear) which was my first time surgery was to be faced....Oh boy. Fine...

Got through that and typical jock guy....came back too soon....BLAMMO within a short 2 yrs later.....other Knee...Meniscus Tear. Rinse n Repeat, Rehab.. This time I lasted longer but now at age 36. WHAMO, knee injury again Meniscus tear again. Rinse n Repeat Rehab again....only this time something was different. A feeling that I couldn't figure out. Something was wrong and normal tests didn't show it until one physician at the local Care facility sat with me and said we would figure it out....he had an idea.

The next day I get a "SCARY" call from my general doctor who received the results urgently. COME IN ASAP we must talk. Lordy...you can imagine what Im thinking...right? THYROID out of control and needs to be either medicated, removed or killed off. I tried the medications...but I am notoriously a TERRIBLE pill taker and had an episode one night that nearly cost me my life.

I was playing an online game called Ultima Online one night at 2am....another long story in itself but the key is the ER doctor that night said if I had gone to bed normally I would have died in sleep. Online gaming saved my life. hehehe Now, I needed to decide surgery or radiation to deal with the Thyroid....I chose non surgery method. I wish I had not since it seems people who have it removed tend not to gain a lot of weight vs those who do radiation...and I gained 60 pounds in 6 months....all the time trying to burn it off in rehab still etc.

This ended late 30s and began the 40s of my life....fighting to learn how to live in this new life without metabolism n energy I had for ALL my life. The cats meow life had ended. Ive tried a ton of diets, other programs, greens, meals, only protein, no starches, no gluten even a stretch of energy drink addiction I swear......all failed and saw no success. Nutritionist actually had me gaining more weight and feeling worse.

At my job after many years of no knee issues and only the diet being the battle.....BOOM slipped at work helping a customer to their car to load items in trunk.....Knee Meniscus...but this time in a new area which now meant this repair and clean up will be last...next step is replacement. At 47 knee replacement....tooo Young. Fighting the company provider to get surgery ...they delayed for 8 months a surgery that should have been immediate....and before It was approved.....ZINGER Corporate downsized and now out of work. You did great but we are eliminating this role....1000s of us gone. And I cant work till this knee is fixed for any new employer. Dark just got darker.  Jump ahead to this past year....and the wife of a friend of mine who is a local coach that I ironically met FIRST in the tennis community in Ithaca makes a post about IDLife on Facebook. I begin to check it out......she is smart and sharp as nails....tough as nails too....not the finger kind but like railroad nails tough. Well....Tracey shares with me more info and i visit her site and do the assessment, read it all print it and keep poking around site for HOURS!!!!

I go back soon after and log in and get set up for auto shipment of MY IDNutrition box. I check each day the front door.....grrrrr. Misread the email receipt that says my order is ready to pick up in TEXAS ( ehhehe didnt first see IF AND ONLY IFF I had set it up to pick up eheheh) Soooo after a few moments of HOLY CRAPOLA NOoooooo I re read the email.....whew....next day it arrives.

I begin taking the pills as instructed and after 3 to 4 days I feel different....better. Realize....I have had MONTHS of time around that last knee surgery that had TERRIBLE rehab scaring that pushed the rehab a full year to get done and there was actually almost 5 months I could not even walk....(gained more weight unable to walk) SO as to say I could notice even the smallest detail or improvement.....I could easily now.

So Thursday, the day before IDLife's anniversary I upgraded and joined as an Associate on team FULL THROTTLE as one of Tracey's new team members. Spent that day honestly awake from 3am to 3am just mind a rolling on the materials and ideas about how many people I care about I can help and looking forward to helping even more.

In behind all of that it has been 3 weeks and I have finally started to FEEL like the person I know I was....the guy I remember in the mirror and know now I am going to be able finally to bring him back to form and health overall.

As I hit the 4th week on just IDNutrition, I had my scheduled run of blood work tests and checkup and for the first time...FIRST TIME IN 10+ yrs....everything was good. Doc asked me what has changed and I pulled out of my pocket the list of the IDNutrition I was taking for the last 4 weeks....he approved and now both of my physicians are happy to see me dropping weight.

In first month I dropped a solid 20 pounds and feel great and as the second month moved through another 10 came off. Now I am starting to add on other products (HYDRATE, SLEEP) and increasing my workout as the weight comes off and is not as dangerous to my knee. As I said...I had tried tons of programs and some twice but now...FINALLY the LIGHT is growing at the end of the tunnel. I am on my way to getting back toward the shape I should be....and will be.

Yup I just have started with IDLife indeed....yes....learning like a sponge and I apologize early for any redundant question I may fail at finding the answer on my own....before I post for help. The IDNutrition system has fixed my bad pill taking past habit and I am so jacked to get the word out and help my family, friends and contacts overcome any of their challenges they may be facing or even working on. I would love this to be my income provider as it would allow me a great platform with USTA/NCAA Tennis tournaments to promote the brand at activities I am the Director of.

Looking forward to any advice and/or assistance I can learn from and that I can give the IDLife team on Marketing/Merchandising since I have 30 years in Retail Management/Operations experience across the whole board of roles....building store, merchandising, training and compliance. Including my hobbies and passions...all are areas I see IDLife helping incredibly.

Tracey said "we are all one powerful team supporting each other" and Logan said "we are a big family" and many times refers to the FUN we all should be having and rightly so. We are in a great time and position.....IDLIfe 's Time is NOW. So.... LOCK N LOAD ladies and gents..... Leave the cord at the door... FULL...METAL....JACKET.!!! LETS ROCK N ROLL!!! (((parachutes out with Team to a new area to help others get IDLife)))
And a post from today:

An end of summer special thanks out to my friend Tracey for helping me and my doctors find a nutritional program that has scored solid success...this has allowed me to make plans to return to competitive tennis and league play in 2016. Down 51 pounds....cracked the 50 line in going into 5th month!!!  

Do you stereotype people or objects? Do you take things at face value? I see others do this constantly. "That person is fat". "Let's walk that way, he looks scary". "He must be gay". "She needs to lose weight". Why do people think this way? Why do they sterotype people? How do they know that overweight person doesn't have a medical condition? Do they know the amount of ridicule the individual with different sexual preferences takes on a daily basis? Or the "scary-looking" bald guy with the goatee, could be a kind and gentle person who gives to and helps charities. We all take people and things at face value, and it's difficult for some to change and get out of that mindset. Many do not even realize they are acting on these impulses, they simply go through life without giving thought to their actions or where they stem from.

How does this relate to a blog on health and fitness? It's simple... before you jump in and purchase a product based on "false" promises, face value, or some amazing advertising, you should research that nutritional supplement or product. Take a look at what's under the hood and not just skin deep. Oh, while I'm at it, consider self-development and self-analysis. Many just go through life day-to-day, going about their actions, without really having the understanding of why they do what they do. There are plenty of books, The Ennegram by Richard Riso is a great place to start.

To continue, those in the supplement industry tend to have anecdotal evidence, or loosely correlated data that claims some magical pill will make you lose weight or get ripped. A significant portion of these studies are conducted by their teams and their resources without third party verification. Also, beware the reviews. For example, there is a weight loss company that has fantastic reviews for their supplements on amazon. However, they also offer a free-bottle if you publish a review but ask that you contact the company if it's less than 5-star before posting.

Look at the science behind the product. See if it has third party verification. Don't take it at face value. This is why I have been promoting IDLife. The science behind the products can be weighed and measured, it can be studied. Research the products yourself, don't take my word for it.

FitCorner's Friday Fit-Bullets #3.

•  Study: A study published last month shows a strong correlation between higher protein and amino acids from your diet can lower peripheral and central blood pressure.  Make sure you get quality sources of protein (whether from vegetables or meat).
  "In multivariable analyses, a higher intake of total protein and the 7 individual amino acids examined [(arginine, cysteine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, leucine, and tyrosine)] was significantly associated with lower peripheral and central blood pressure"
  
  "The intake of amino acids associated with lower arterial stiffness and central blood pressure is easily achievable in the habitual diet, making these findings very  relevant for public health strategies to reduce cardiovascular disease risk."
  
  - Amino Acid Intake Is Inversely Associated with Arterial Stiffness and Central Blood Pressure in Women
• Quote: " Of the 2.4 million deaths that occur in the United States each year, 75% are the result of avoidable nutritional factor diseases."– Dr. C Everett Koop, Former US General Surgeon General Want to know more? Read my post on your DNA, Genes, and Nutrition.
  
  Also, for a 101 on DNA, check out DNA, Amino Acids, and Proteins.
  
  
  
• Fun Fact: Not getting enough sleep can increase cortisol. According to wikipedia, "It is released in response to stress and low blood-glucose concentration.". With a higher stress high-fat and sweet foods are more desirable. Get some sleep folks!

• Music:
  
  
  1. Sunlight by Modestep - Techno/dance. The sunlight hurts my eyes!
  2. Call Me by Shinedown - slower Tempo, but it moves me emotionally.  
  
  

Every Friday I'll blog about topics related to health, fitness, wellness, self-improvement, and other miscellaneous topics I find interesting.

How does your DNA, your Genes, and Nutrition relate to each other? The Human Genome Project set out to map out DNA, starting in 1990, to determine the sequences in the some 3-billion chemical base pairs you find in DNA. It was declared complete in 2003, you've probably read that "DNA has been cracked" someplace or heard about it. Despite this incredible accomplishment, your genome couldn't tell you your eye color. So, what determines your eye color, your body composition, if not your DNA? The Epigenome.

"The epigenome is involved in regulating gene expression, development, tissue differentiation, and suppression of transposable elements." In simple terms, it tells the genes instructions for what to do, how to do it, and where to do it. Think about a software program. Software directs the hardware of a computer, tells it instructions in order to accomplish a task. The epigenome is the software. It directs your genes and tells it what, how, and where to do it! It determines how the genes are expressed and what the cell becomes (i.e. a lung, liver, hair, heart, skin, muscle, brain cell, etc).

As I discussed in my previous post, DNA is the blueprint for your body. Your cell membrane and its organelles read this blueprint. They implement certain parts based on what comes in contact with them. Your genes are a single chapter, one of many, in your DNA book, containing instructions on making proteins and cell production assistance.

Take a look at identical twins who have identical DNA. Why then does one twin have different diseases, or age differently, have different issues than the other? Shouldn't they be identical? Researchers keep coming back and concluding that the environment is the contributor (e.g. outside modifications). The environment is the cause of degenerative diseases, aging, even auto-immune diseases like lupus that you see between identical twins. 

Do you know what science is related to how food, what you inhale, what you drink, touch, breath, feel, even what you believe and perceive affects your body? What do scientists call this environmental factor? Epigenetics. It's how your gene activity is selected (switched on and off), modified, and regulated by environmental signals. Your unique environment and food choices all affect the activity of your genes. Your environment is constantly changing and therefore, so is your gene activity!

With nutrition and diet, good or bad, it switches those genes on and off. Diet can be studied far easier than stress or behavior, therefore if can be better understood. For example, BPA (used to make plastic) was in water bottles, tin cans, and even in your food-storage plastic containers. A study on mice showed that BPA given during pregnancy resulted in their pups to be yellow and obese, instead of the normal brown and standard weight. But when given the proper nutrients with BPA, the nutrients counteracted the effects of the BPA (see the Utah reference below for more).
  
What does this tell us? Proper nutrition can either help you, prevent diseases, manage weight loss, or it can harm you, cause obesity and diseases.
" Of the 2.4 million deaths that occur in the United States each year, 75% are the result of avoidable nutritional factor diseases."– Dr. C Everett Koop, Former US General Surgeon General So what should you do? What vitamins, essential amino acids, and foods, should you eat? In theory, you can get all of your nutrition from food. It's not easy, but it can be accomplished. In our busy lives, trying to research, find what foods have the most nutritional impact, what carbs, protein, fat is the best, is a very time consuming process.

What if there was an an online assessment that considers your allergies, dietary habits, lifestyle habits, medical conditions, prescriptions, and goals? What if you could run your profile through a database with over 7,000 published findings, 4,000 algorithms to provide you a detailed summary, that's been proven and backed with scientific research? Science that can be weighed and measured, that can be studied. Would you take it? Because it exists, and it's something I have not seen in the health and wellness industry before.



It's customized for you. Nothing is artificial or synthetic. New studies are looked at every week. They are all in class A facilities, it's all very high tech, and follows FDA regulations. It's about the science, ingredients, ingredient levels, the time of the day given, and dozens of other steps to determine the best nutrition for you. Take charge of your nutrition and your genes.

I'll be posting more articles on health and wellness as I learn more about nutrition and how our unique environmental factors affect our health. If you found this helpful please like our facebook page or sign-up to receive blog updates on the sidebar menu.

References:

• Eat your last meal at least 3 hours or more before bed (less chance of heart burn at night).
• Have a small protein snack before bed (for example; almond butter, or a handful of nuts).
• Exercise every morning. 
• Read a book/turn off blue light electronics an hour before bed.
• Keep the temperature between 66 and 69 Fahrenheit.
• Melatonin 20 to 40 minutes before bed (helps to fall asleep).
• ZMA (Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate, Magnesium Aspartate and Vitamin B6): supposedly some studies say it helps the body with deeper levels of REM sleep. It didn’t work for me, just gave me a headache before bed. But may be worthwhile to research and look into. See below for what I recommend.
• iOS sleep apps that monitor and track sleep (useful to see how you sleep and when you wake up or move).

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) is basically a bunch of items stuck together that forms a fairly large and long ladder, albeit a bit curvy. It's the blueprint for every living thing. Every cell in your body has an exact duplicate copy of your DNA. It's like a long string curled up inside of a cell's nucleus.

Amino Acids are important tiny chemicals that are the buildings blocks of life.  Think of a lego blueprint, the legos can be attached together to form something, like a car. Amino acids are similar to legos in that they can attach to each other to form proteins. There are about 21 different types of Amino Acids (9 you can't make and are called essential amino acids). You can find them in a cell's cytoplasm (that gel-like stuff around the nucleus).

Human Cells

So how does DNA work with Amino Acids? DNA tells amino acids how to line up correctly to form protein shapes. There are literally millions of kinds of proteins but they have to be just the right shape to work. A special enzyme in the nucleus creates a partial copy of DNA, called RNA. RNA are shorter pieces of DNA and are missing one side of the ladder, single-stranded molecule (think of cutting a ladder down the middle). They are extremely small, and usually folded onto itself, and slip out through the cell's nucleus walls and make their way into the cytoplasm. Once there, they can fit into a particle called a Ribosome.

CAG = Glutamine

Ribosome are the heavy lifters that build proteins. Think of a conveyor belt in a factory that passes under a machine (or better yet, think of a Turing Machine). A piece of the DNA string, RNA, is on that conveyor belt. As it passes through the machine (the Ribosome particle), it reads the RNA 3-letters at a time. Those 3-letters represent an amino acid, one of the 21, that it pulls out from it's surroundings to form the next link what will be eventually the perfect protein. For example, the letters CAG form Glutamine (also CAA is another codon). You can find it in a lot of health related supplements, especially in the workout arena. Now the protein can go on to do other work, such as building a new cell!

FitCorner's Friday Fit-Bullets #2.

• Recipe: Stir-Fry. I love me some Stir-Fry! This is a bulk Paleo-ish (depends on your stir-fry mix) Stir-Fry Recipe that my wife and I use.
  
  
•  MIT, Harvard find 'master switch' behind obesity: Very interesting article on genetics and obesity. “Obesity has traditionally been seen as the result of an imbalance between the amount of food we eat and how much we exercise, but this view ignores the contribution of genetics to each individual’s metabolism,” said senior author Manolis Kellis, a professor of computer science and a member of MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and of the Broad Institute, in a release.
  
  
• CVD Risk Calculator: If you know your Systolic Blood Pressure (that's the top number), your total cholesterol, and your HDL cholesterol you can calculate your 10-year Risk of Having a Heart Attack. What is your risk? I'm less than 1% of people having a heart attack in the next 10 years. Both of my grandpa's died from heart failure early in their lives. I want to see my grand-babies one day.
  
  
• Fatigue and gaining weight? Maybe you have a thyroid issue. I thought I did. I had a full thyroid panel completed. Make sure you get your TSH, Free T3, Free T4, and Antibodies tested. TSH no longer gives the most accurate picture of your overall thyroid health, but most Docs will still only test TSH. In any case, my thyroid is fine across the board. So I'm suspecting it's just fatigue/stress. Stop the Thyroid Madness is a good site to check out if you want to know more why TSH is not the only test to determine if you have a Thyroid issue.
  
  
•   Music:
  
  
  • Elements by Lindsey Stirling - I like most everything she creates. I played the Viola for about 6 years, so I really dig modern Orchestral music. Check out her music sometime.
  • Spaceman by Hardwell - Techo/dance. Good pace and a lot of bass! This is part of my workout playlist.

Every Friday I'll blog about topics related to health, fitness, wellness, self-improvement, and other miscellaneous topics I find interesting.

This is a paleo based dinner that my wife and I have weekly. The recipe below is for making it in bulk.



Ingredients

• 3.5 to 4lbs of hormone cage free boneless skinless chicken breast (slice into small chunks)
• 2 bags of Great Value Deluxe Stir Fry (16oz ea)*
• 3 bags of East Blend frozen vegetables (16oz ea)*
• 1 bag of Hong Kong blend frozen vegetables (16oz ea)*
• 8 packs of Stir Fry mix. We like the Kikkoman brand.
• A LARGE skillet or Electric skillet (love these! Saves me so much time).
  
  
  

Directions

• Add enough oil to coat the bottom of your electric skillet
• Brown the chicken chunks
• Add in your vegetables (note, you can only get in 4 bags at first, once those have cooked down you can add the additional bags) and cook until soft.
• Add in your stir-fry (follow the directions on how much water)
• Bring to boil and simmer for a few minutes (typically I simmer until most of the juices are vapor).

 And there you have it! Simple and easy bulk paleo Stir-Fry. If eating something different every day is for, cut this recipe down to 1 lb of chicken, 2 bags of mixed veggies, and 2 packs of stir-fry.

* Pick and choose based on preferences. For 3.5 to 4lbs of chicken, 6 bags works best. There is an example of a 16oz bag below. Also, you can always buy fresh if you have the time!

I may be addicted to sugar! I'm not kidding, and this isn't one of those "haha, that's funny" scenarios. One of my issues is overeating at night. I have a customer that also has this issue and it got me thinking. I can eat an entire plate of stir-fry and still feel hungry 30 minutes later! WTH?

It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to realize you're full, right? Well, I've waited 20, 40, even 60 minutes and I'm still hungry. I tried frying up some bacon (Mmmmm) to see if the high fat and calorie dense treat would do the trick.. Did that solve it? No. But If I grab some pretzels, or red hots, HotTamales, some lemon heads.... that hunger vanishes. Simply amazing. My brain gets all happy-feely when tasting that sweet sugar; that high calorie substance that comes in very low satiated foods.

Maybe the term hunger is incorrect. Perhaps... longing, aching, craving a need for glucose would be more appropriate. We are pre-programmed to eat high calorie foods. After all, our hunter and gatherer ancestors had to survive! But... sugar was not a common staple for them. They didn't have high-fructose corn syrup.

How can you say no when we are bombarded by advertisements every day for mouth watering treats? The advertising companies certainly have it down to a science. The textures, smells, taste, all designed to lure us in to their trap of addiction.

I've read someplace, can't remember where, that sugar has the same effects on brain chemical properties as cocaine, or was it crack? I can't recall. Either way, sugar has always been my downfall.

It's difficult to find the willpower to resist that temptation. With modern supermarkets that have endless racks of tasty treats at our finger tips, it's easier than ever before to grab something sweet. No wonder why the US has such an obesity problem!

So how do you find the will power to say no? What I've been working on lately is a reward system. And NOT a food based reward system; "just say no to crack donuts!" If you have a Rise'n Roll Bakery near you, you'll know what I'm talking about (those things are addicting!).

What I'm referring to, as a reward based system, is something you enjoy outside of your love/hate relationship with food. Maybe it's a new phone app, some game you like to play, new shoes, jewelry, something for a hobby, or whatever. Find a way to reward yourself, that's within your means, when you successfully complete a week without succumbing to that treat. Up the ante and the prize to a month once you get the weekly resistance down.

Keep that reward in mind every time you reach for your favorite snack. Better yet, if you are single, get it out of the house! If you have kids, like me... pray and good luck! Honestly, try to get them to eat healthy too. Your kids should not be rewarded with candy or a trip to the unhealthy-restaurant-of-your-choice (why are going to poison them for a reward?).

And if you want to jump start your nutrition right, check out IDLife Nutrition.

FitCorner's Friday Fit-Bullets #1.

• IDLife Nutrition - My wife and I have switched our nutrition supplementation (for vitamins) to this company. I've been happy with the results so far. My acid reflux/heat burn has all but disappeared and I no longer want to face-plant my keyboard at 2pm every day, also the time saving aspect! Read more on our switch....
  
  
• Health Tip: Vitamin D regulates calcium balance in your body, it helps to input Calcium into your bones, and also where Calcium should or should not be in your body. Make sure you are getting the proper does of Vitamin D daily. If you are a home-body and never go outside, you could be Vitamin D deficient. Personally, I take about 4,000 IUs in the morning (via EyePromise Restore)  and 2,000 IU's (via IDLife Nutrition) with my evening meal.
  
  I take EyePromise Restore as I have low zeaxanthin levels. It's measured by the 3-blue dot MPOD (Macular Pigment Optical Density) test.

•  Quote: I've seen this quote in numerous places on the internet, the first time I saw it was in the book Do The Work. Basically, in my opinion, it's about how we are afraid to get our of our comfort zones and push past our own self created boundaries.
  
  
  "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." - Marianne Williamson
   
• Tiny Brain - An almost fully-formed human brain has been grown in a lab for the first time.

• Music - My tastes have changed over the past year. It's more techno/dance/rock now, some of the more pop/modern hits as well. I'll be posting a new high bpm workout list soon. Here is my old high pbm workout music list.
  
  If you're into this genre, check out the following:
  
  1. Bonfire by Knife Party - Techno/dance
  2. Gold by Imagine Dragons - Rock

Every Friday I'll blog about miscellaneous topics that I find interesting related to health, fitness, wellness, self-improvement, possibly other topics as well (assuming my busy life doesn't interfere!).

My wife and I have switched to IDLife Nutrition for our vitamin supplementation. Previously, we purchased vitamins from the endless racks of Walmart or from online sources. I spent hours every month pouring over the latest research trying to decide what to buy!

IDLife has simplified this process considerably. They have a free assessment that utilizes over 7,000 published studies for over 4 million possible combinations. It protects me from accidentally choosing combinations that could have health consequences. I can also list medical conditions and medications as part of the assessment for recommendations and any possible medication-vitamin entanglements. 

IDLife has something unique in the industry that I have not seen before; personalized nutrition based on an individual's needs rather than a "one-size-fits-all" concept. I think it's going to be a huge success, similar to Beachbody.

Speaking of Beachbody, I keep hearing "Beachbody vs IDLife", and that they are competitors. I disagree with that assessment. Both are striving to help people be healthy. Both have fantastic products. I take my Shakeology EVERY morning and IDLife Nutrition EVERY day. Do what works best for you and your health.

I want my kids, friends, family, everyone I care about to be healthy. However, it's not easy, we all have busy lives, limited time, and limited resources. So do something that simplifies your life.  After all, we all want to be healthier and more successful in our lives.



 
Speaking of success, for those looking for extra income, consider becoming an IDLife Associate or Beachbody coach. Or, you can just utilize the significant cost savings by being an associate or coach!

P90X3 is now available! Free shipping until 12/31. Order by 12/15 11:59 PM to guarantee delivery by 12/25. Also from 12/10/13 through 12/31/13 if you purchase through us you will receive a free P90X3 hat.

P90X3 is a 90 day program, split into 3 Blocks. Blocks 1 & 2 each consist of 4 weeks, while Block 3 lasts 5 weeks.

All P90X3 workouts are 30 minutes. The lone exception is the X3 Ab Ripper workout (15 minutes), included within the Deluxe Kit. Most workouts include a 2-3 minute cool down period.

P90X3 BASE KIT: http://www.fitcornernetwork.com/order-p90x3
P90X3 DELUXE KIT: http://www.fitcornernetwork.com/order-p90x3Deluxe
P90X3 ULTIMATE KIT: http://www.fitcornernetwork.com/order-p90x3Ultimate
P90X3 CHALLENGE PACK: http://www.fitcornernetwork.com/order-p90x3Challenge

P90X3 Base Kit Includes:

• 16 unique and brand new workouts on 8 DVDs
• Plus, 5 Free Gifts
• Fitness Guide
• Nutrition Guide
• 90 Day Workout Calendar
• How to Accelerate Intro DVD
• 24/7 Online Support
• Network Exclusive P90X One on One: On One Leg DVD
• Network Exclusive Premium P90X3 Hat ($24.95 value) - December Only!

P90X3 Deluxe Kit
Includes everything in the Base Kit PLUS:

• 3 Elite Extreme workouts on 1 DVD
• Includes free Elite Block Calendar
• 1-Month E&E Tub
• 3 B-Lines Resistance Bands

P90X3 Ultimate Kit
Includes everything in the Base & Deluxe Kits PLUS:

• 1-Month R&R Tub
• Gym-Quality P90X® Chin-Up Bar
• P90X® Chin-Up Max
• Premium Beachbody Jump Mat

P90X3 Challenge Pack
Retail Price: $205 (December Promotional Price: $180)

• P90X3 Base Kit
• 30-Day Supply of Shakeology HD
• 30-Day VIP Team Beachbody Club Membership

My T25 Fast Track week wrapped up with me jotting down my calories burned for Alpha Cardio. I had already weighed myself that morning and the results were happily received. I've been doing P90 Phase 1-2 for the past couple of months and had stalled on my weight loss. So the 7.2 pounds I lost in only one week of T25 was awesome! Of course I was eating only 1100 calories a day (probably closer to 1300). This week I'll be eating upwards of 1600 calories a day.

The workouts are intense, very much like insanity with but less impactful on the joints. They also have a dedicated person in the workout videos that only does alternate moves. If you are out of shape the alternate moves will give you one hell of a workout. So don't worry if you can't follow Shaun T.

I burned on average 600 calories per workout (including the 2 to 3 minute cool downs). On a bad day I would burn 500 calories (which was today due to being dead tired).

I absolutely love this workout program! Only 25 minutes a day! P90, P90X, even Insanity, took more time than that! All great workouts, but now that I have my son I do not have nearly as much time to devout to pushing play every day.
T25 Meal Plan for the Fast Track week

All meals are in the T25 recipe booklets. Snacks were 100 to 200 calories and meals were 300 calories.

Breakfast: Almond Shakeology Smoothie or Strawberry Shakeology Smoothie.
Lunch: Foil Wrapped Chicken and Potato
Dinner: Chicken and Spinach Salad
Snacks: Trail Mix, Cracker with sliced ham/chicken and cheese, or grapes

T25 Calories Burned

Date	Day	Program	Time	Average HR	Peak HR	Min. HR	Calories Burned
9/2/2013	1	Alpha Cardio	27:56:00	159	186	77	573
9/3/2013	2	Alpha Speed 1.0	27:52:00	164	190	85	601
9/4/2013	3	Alpha: Total Body Circuit	28:44:00	174	197	102	682
9/5/2013	4	Alpha: Ab Intervals (forgot to start timer until 5 minutes into the workout)	23:59:00	162	193	122	508
9/6/2013	5	Alpha: Lower Focus	29:11:00	165	193	97	636
9/7/2013	6	Alpha Cardio	27:41:00	169	191	108	628

FitCorner's Friday Fit-Bullets #4.

• Study: A recent study looks into teenager sleep-wake patterns and associated study times.
  
  
  "The study looked at internal body clocks of different age groups and found that our ability to work effectively during traditional working hours changes dramatically at different ages."
  
  “We’ve joined together different types of scientists to study this and found that just one week with less than six hours of sleep [a night] leads to over 700 changes in how genes work in your body but with a full night’s sleep there were no changes."
  
  ‘Nine-to-five’ may have health risks, study finds
  
  
  
• Fun Factoid:
  
  “About a trillion molecules of oxygen go through each cell every day, inflicting about 100,000 free radicals hits or wounds on your cells genes or DNA, estimate geneticist, Bruce Aimes, of the University of California at Berkley.’’
  
  So what does that quote mean? Accpording to Dr. Aimes (geneticist, Bruce Aimes, of the University of California at Berkley), by the time we are old, each cell will have "a few million oxygen lesions"!
  
  This cell damage can cause all kinds of human disease. That's why antioxidents are important to help neutralize oxidents (aka free radicals). I'll post more on this topic next week.
  
  
  
• Quote:
  "Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will." - Mahatma Gandhi
  
• Music I'm listening to:
  
  
  1. Whispers in The Dark by Skillet - Rock
  2. Nothing Left to Say  by Imagine Dragons - Rockish
  
  
  

Every Friday I'll blog about topics related to health, fitness, wellness, self-improvement, and other miscellaneous topics I find interesting.

References: http://thenationonlineng.net/anti-aging-tips-for-buhari-in-change-era-3/

A very good friend of mine has lost 51 pounds as of today! I've known Stan since 1997 when I met him in a MMORPG called Ultima Online. We've been gaming since. This is his IDLife testominal.

Good afternoon.Here is my testimonial to date with my background story. I felt I was a very fortunate guy who loved to play tennis and direct NCAA/USTA events and as I cruised through my 20s...life was FUN. Work was work but I was doing well and the tennis had never been better as my health was top notch. Then the 30 year old curse line approached and it hit me with my first Knee Injury (Meniscus tear) which was my first time surgery was to be faced....Oh boy. Fine...

Got through that and typical jock guy....came back too soon....BLAMMO within a short 2 yrs later.....other Knee...Meniscus Tear. Rinse n Repeat, Rehab.. This time I lasted longer but now at age 36. WHAMO, knee injury again Meniscus tear again. Rinse n Repeat Rehab again....only this time something was different. A feeling that I couldn't figure out. Something was wrong and normal tests didn't show it until one physician at the local Care facility sat with me and said we would figure it out....he had an idea.

The next day I get a "SCARY" call from my general doctor who received the results urgently. COME IN ASAP we must talk. Lordy...you can imagine what Im thinking...right? THYROID out of control and needs to be either medicated, removed or killed off. I tried the medications...but I am notoriously a TERRIBLE pill taker and had an episode one night that nearly cost me my life.

I was playing an online game called Ultima Online one night at 2am....another long story in itself but the key is the ER doctor that night said if I had gone to bed normally I would have died in sleep. Online gaming saved my life. hehehe Now, I needed to decide surgery or radiation to deal with the Thyroid....I chose non surgery method. I wish I had not since it seems people who have it removed tend not to gain a lot of weight vs those who do radiation...and I gained 60 pounds in 6 months....all the time trying to burn it off in rehab still etc.

This ended late 30s and began the 40s of my life....fighting to learn how to live in this new life without metabolism n energy I had for ALL my life. The cats meow life had ended. Ive tried a ton of diets, other programs, greens, meals, only protein, no starches, no gluten even a stretch of energy drink addiction I swear......all failed and saw no success. Nutritionist actually had me gaining more weight and feeling worse.

At my job after many years of no knee issues and only the diet being the battle.....BOOM slipped at work helping a customer to their car to load items in trunk.....Knee Meniscus...but this time in a new area which now meant this repair and clean up will be last...next step is replacement. At 47 knee replacement....tooo Young. Fighting the company provider to get surgery ...they delayed for 8 months a surgery that should have been immediate....and before It was approved.....ZINGER Corporate downsized and now out of work. You did great but we are eliminating this role....1000s of us gone. And I cant work till this knee is fixed for any new employer. Dark just got darker.  Jump ahead to this past year....and the wife of a friend of mine who is a local coach that I ironically met FIRST in the tennis community in Ithaca makes a post about IDLife on Facebook. I begin to check it out......she is smart and sharp as nails....tough as nails too....not the finger kind but like railroad nails tough. Well....Tracey shares with me more info and i visit her site and do the assessment, read it all print it and keep poking around site for HOURS!!!!

I go back soon after and log in and get set up for auto shipment of MY IDNutrition box. I check each day the front door.....grrrrr. Misread the email receipt that says my order is ready to pick up in TEXAS ( ehhehe didnt first see IF AND ONLY IFF I had set it up to pick up eheheh) Soooo after a few moments of HOLY CRAPOLA NOoooooo I re read the email.....whew....next day it arrives.

I begin taking the pills as instructed and after 3 to 4 days I feel different....better. Realize....I have had MONTHS of time around that last knee surgery that had TERRIBLE rehab scaring that pushed the rehab a full year to get done and there was actually almost 5 months I could not even walk....(gained more weight unable to walk) SO as to say I could notice even the smallest detail or improvement.....I could easily now.

So Thursday, the day before IDLife's anniversary I upgraded and joined as an Associate on team FULL THROTTLE as one of Tracey's new team members. Spent that day honestly awake from 3am to 3am just mind a rolling on the materials and ideas about how many people I care about I can help and looking forward to helping even more.

In behind all of that it has been 3 weeks and I have finally started to FEEL like the person I know I was....the guy I remember in the mirror and know now I am going to be able finally to bring him back to form and health overall.

As I hit the 4th week on just IDNutrition, I had my scheduled run of blood work tests and checkup and for the first time...FIRST TIME IN 10+ yrs....everything was good. Doc asked me what has changed and I pulled out of my pocket the list of the IDNutrition I was taking for the last 4 weeks....he approved and now both of my physicians are happy to see me dropping weight.

In first month I dropped a solid 20 pounds and feel great and as the second month moved through another 10 came off. Now I am starting to add on other products (HYDRATE, SLEEP) and increasing my workout as the weight comes off and is not as dangerous to my knee. As I said...I had tried tons of programs and some twice but now...FINALLY the LIGHT is growing at the end of the tunnel. I am on my way to getting back toward the shape I should be....and will be.

Yup I just have started with IDLife indeed....yes....learning like a sponge and I apologize early for any redundant question I may fail at finding the answer on my own....before I post for help. The IDNutrition system has fixed my bad pill taking past habit and I am so jacked to get the word out and help my family, friends and contacts overcome any of their challenges they may be facing or even working on. I would love this to be my income provider as it would allow me a great platform with USTA/NCAA Tennis tournaments to promote the brand at activities I am the Director of.

Looking forward to any advice and/or assistance I can learn from and that I can give the IDLife team on Marketing/Merchandising since I have 30 years in Retail Management/Operations experience across the whole board of roles....building store, merchandising, training and compliance. Including my hobbies and passions...all are areas I see IDLife helping incredibly.

Tracey said "we are all one powerful team supporting each other" and Logan said "we are a big family" and many times refers to the FUN we all should be having and rightly so. We are in a great time and position.....IDLIfe 's Time is NOW. So.... LOCK N LOAD ladies and gents..... Leave the cord at the door... FULL...METAL....JACKET.!!! LETS ROCK N ROLL!!! (((parachutes out with Team to a new area to help others get IDLife)))
And a post from today:

An end of summer special thanks out to my friend Tracey for helping me and my doctors find a nutritional program that has scored solid success...this has allowed me to make plans to return to competitive tennis and league play in 2016. Down 51 pounds....cracked the 50 line in going into 5th month!!!  

Do you stereotype people or objects? Do you take things at face value? I see others do this constantly. "That person is fat". "Let's walk that way, he looks scary". "He must be gay". "She needs to lose weight". Why do people think this way? Why do they sterotype people? How do they know that overweight person doesn't have a medical condition? Do they know the amount of ridicule the individual with different sexual preferences takes on a daily basis? Or the "scary-looking" bald guy with the goatee, could be a kind and gentle person who gives to and helps charities. We all take people and things at face value, and it's difficult for some to change and get out of that mindset. Many do not even realize they are acting on these impulses, they simply go through life without giving thought to their actions or where they stem from.

How does this relate to a blog on health and fitness? It's simple... before you jump in and purchase a product based on "false" promises, face value, or some amazing advertising, you should research that nutritional supplement or product. Take a look at what's under the hood and not just skin deep. Oh, while I'm at it, consider self-development and self-analysis. Many just go through life day-to-day, going about their actions, without really having the understanding of why they do what they do. There are plenty of books, The Ennegram by Richard Riso is a great place to start.

To continue, those in the supplement industry tend to have anecdotal evidence, or loosely correlated data that claims some magical pill will make you lose weight or get ripped. A significant portion of these studies are conducted by their teams and their resources without third party verification. Also, beware the reviews. For example, there is a weight loss company that has fantastic reviews for their supplements on amazon. However, they also offer a free-bottle if you publish a review but ask that you contact the company if it's less than 5-star before posting.

Look at the science behind the product. See if it has third party verification. Don't take it at face value. This is why I have been promoting IDLife. The science behind the products can be weighed and measured, it can be studied. Research the products yourself, don't take my word for it.

FitCorner's Friday Fit-Bullets #3.

•  Study: A study published last month shows a strong correlation between higher protein and amino acids from your diet can lower peripheral and central blood pressure.  Make sure you get quality sources of protein (whether from vegetables or meat).
  "In multivariable analyses, a higher intake of total protein and the 7 individual amino acids examined [(arginine, cysteine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, leucine, and tyrosine)] was significantly associated with lower peripheral and central blood pressure"
  
  "The intake of amino acids associated with lower arterial stiffness and central blood pressure is easily achievable in the habitual diet, making these findings very  relevant for public health strategies to reduce cardiovascular disease risk."
  
  - Amino Acid Intake Is Inversely Associated with Arterial Stiffness and Central Blood Pressure in Women
• Quote: " Of the 2.4 million deaths that occur in the United States each year, 75% are the result of avoidable nutritional factor diseases."– Dr. C Everett Koop, Former US General Surgeon General Want to know more? Read my post on your DNA, Genes, and Nutrition.
  
  Also, for a 101 on DNA, check out DNA, Amino Acids, and Proteins.
  
  
  
• Fun Fact: Not getting enough sleep can increase cortisol. According to wikipedia, "It is released in response to stress and low blood-glucose concentration.". With a higher stress high-fat and sweet foods are more desirable. Get some sleep folks!

• Music:
  
  
  1. Sunlight by Modestep - Techno/dance. The sunlight hurts my eyes!
  2. Call Me by Shinedown - slower Tempo, but it moves me emotionally.  
  
  

Every Friday I'll blog about topics related to health, fitness, wellness, self-improvement, and other miscellaneous topics I find interesting.

How does your DNA, your Genes, and Nutrition relate to each other? The Human Genome Project set out to map out DNA, starting in 1990, to determine the sequences in the some 3-billion chemical base pairs you find in DNA. It was declared complete in 2003, you've probably read that "DNA has been cracked" someplace or heard about it. Despite this incredible accomplishment, your genome couldn't tell you your eye color. So, what determines your eye color, your body composition, if not your DNA? The Epigenome.

"The epigenome is involved in regulating gene expression, development, tissue differentiation, and suppression of transposable elements." In simple terms, it tells the genes instructions for what to do, how to do it, and where to do it. Think about a software program. Software directs the hardware of a computer, tells it instructions in order to accomplish a task. The epigenome is the software. It directs your genes and tells it what, how, and where to do it! It determines how the genes are expressed and what the cell becomes (i.e. a lung, liver, hair, heart, skin, muscle, brain cell, etc).

As I discussed in my previous post, DNA is the blueprint for your body. Your cell membrane and its organelles read this blueprint. They implement certain parts based on what comes in contact with them. Your genes are a single chapter, one of many, in your DNA book, containing instructions on making proteins and cell production assistance.

Take a look at identical twins who have identical DNA. Why then does one twin have different diseases, or age differently, have different issues than the other? Shouldn't they be identical? Researchers keep coming back and concluding that the environment is the contributor (e.g. outside modifications). The environment is the cause of degenerative diseases, aging, even auto-immune diseases like lupus that you see between identical twins. 

Do you know what science is related to how food, what you inhale, what you drink, touch, breath, feel, even what you believe and perceive affects your body? What do scientists call this environmental factor? Epigenetics. It's how your gene activity is selected (switched on and off), modified, and regulated by environmental signals. Your unique environment and food choices all affect the activity of your genes. Your environment is constantly changing and therefore, so is your gene activity!

With nutrition and diet, good or bad, it switches those genes on and off. Diet can be studied far easier than stress or behavior, therefore if can be better understood. For example, BPA (used to make plastic) was in water bottles, tin cans, and even in your food-storage plastic containers. A study on mice showed that BPA given during pregnancy resulted in their pups to be yellow and obese, instead of the normal brown and standard weight. But when given the proper nutrients with BPA, the nutrients counteracted the effects of the BPA (see the Utah reference below for more).
  
What does this tell us? Proper nutrition can either help you, prevent diseases, manage weight loss, or it can harm you, cause obesity and diseases.
" Of the 2.4 million deaths that occur in the United States each year, 75% are the result of avoidable nutritional factor diseases."– Dr. C Everett Koop, Former US General Surgeon General So what should you do? What vitamins, essential amino acids, and foods, should you eat? In theory, you can get all of your nutrition from food. It's not easy, but it can be accomplished. In our busy lives, trying to research, find what foods have the most nutritional impact, what carbs, protein, fat is the best, is a very time consuming process.

What if there was an an online assessment that considers your allergies, dietary habits, lifestyle habits, medical conditions, prescriptions, and goals? What if you could run your profile through a database with over 7,000 published findings, 4,000 algorithms to provide you a detailed summary, that's been proven and backed with scientific research? Science that can be weighed and measured, that can be studied. Would you take it? Because it exists, and it's something I have not seen in the health and wellness industry before.



It's customized for you. Nothing is artificial or synthetic. New studies are looked at every week. They are all in class A facilities, it's all very high tech, and follows FDA regulations. It's about the science, ingredients, ingredient levels, the time of the day given, and dozens of other steps to determine the best nutrition for you. Take charge of your nutrition and your genes.

I'll be posting more articles on health and wellness as I learn more about nutrition and how our unique environmental factors affect our health. If you found this helpful please like our facebook page or sign-up to receive blog updates on the sidebar menu.

References:

• Eat your last meal at least 3 hours or more before bed (less chance of heart burn at night).
• Have a small protein snack before bed (for example; almond butter, or a handful of nuts).
• Exercise every morning. 
• Read a book/turn off blue light electronics an hour before bed.
• Keep the temperature between 66 and 69 Fahrenheit.
• Melatonin 20 to 40 minutes before bed (helps to fall asleep).
• ZMA (Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate, Magnesium Aspartate and Vitamin B6): supposedly some studies say it helps the body with deeper levels of REM sleep. It didn’t work for me, just gave me a headache before bed. But may be worthwhile to research and look into. See below for what I recommend.
• iOS sleep apps that monitor and track sleep (useful to see how you sleep and when you wake up or move).

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) is basically a bunch of items stuck together that forms a fairly large and long ladder, albeit a bit curvy. It's the blueprint for every living thing. Every cell in your body has an exact duplicate copy of your DNA. It's like a long string curled up inside of a cell's nucleus.

Amino Acids are important tiny chemicals that are the buildings blocks of life.  Think of a lego blueprint, the legos can be attached together to form something, like a car. Amino acids are similar to legos in that they can attach to each other to form proteins. There are about 21 different types of Amino Acids (9 you can't make and are called essential amino acids). You can find them in a cell's cytoplasm (that gel-like stuff around the nucleus).

Human Cells

So how does DNA work with Amino Acids? DNA tells amino acids how to line up correctly to form protein shapes. There are literally millions of kinds of proteins but they have to be just the right shape to work. A special enzyme in the nucleus creates a partial copy of DNA, called RNA. RNA are shorter pieces of DNA and are missing one side of the ladder, single-stranded molecule (think of cutting a ladder down the middle). They are extremely small, and usually folded onto itself, and slip out through the cell's nucleus walls and make their way into the cytoplasm. Once there, they can fit into a particle called a Ribosome.

CAG = Glutamine

Ribosome are the heavy lifters that build proteins. Think of a conveyor belt in a factory that passes under a machine (or better yet, think of a Turing Machine). A piece of the DNA string, RNA, is on that conveyor belt. As it passes through the machine (the Ribosome particle), it reads the RNA 3-letters at a time. Those 3-letters represent an amino acid, one of the 21, that it pulls out from it's surroundings to form the next link what will be eventually the perfect protein. For example, the letters CAG form Glutamine (also CAA is another codon). You can find it in a lot of health related supplements, especially in the workout arena. Now the protein can go on to do other work, such as building a new cell!

FitCorner's Friday Fit-Bullets #2.

• Recipe: Stir-Fry. I love me some Stir-Fry! This is a bulk Paleo-ish (depends on your stir-fry mix) Stir-Fry Recipe that my wife and I use.
  
  
•  MIT, Harvard find 'master switch' behind obesity: Very interesting article on genetics and obesity. “Obesity has traditionally been seen as the result of an imbalance between the amount of food we eat and how much we exercise, but this view ignores the contribution of genetics to each individual’s metabolism,” said senior author Manolis Kellis, a professor of computer science and a member of MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and of the Broad Institute, in a release.
  
  
• CVD Risk Calculator: If you know your Systolic Blood Pressure (that's the top number), your total cholesterol, and your HDL cholesterol you can calculate your 10-year Risk of Having a Heart Attack. What is your risk? I'm less than 1% of people having a heart attack in the next 10 years. Both of my grandpa's died from heart failure early in their lives. I want to see my grand-babies one day.
  
  
• Fatigue and gaining weight? Maybe you have a thyroid issue. I thought I did. I had a full thyroid panel completed. Make sure you get your TSH, Free T3, Free T4, and Antibodies tested. TSH no longer gives the most accurate picture of your overall thyroid health, but most Docs will still only test TSH. In any case, my thyroid is fine across the board. So I'm suspecting it's just fatigue/stress. Stop the Thyroid Madness is a good site to check out if you want to know more why TSH is not the only test to determine if you have a Thyroid issue.
  
  
•   Music:
  
  
  • Elements by Lindsey Stirling - I like most everything she creates. I played the Viola for about 6 years, so I really dig modern Orchestral music. Check out her music sometime.
  • Spaceman by Hardwell - Techo/dance. Good pace and a lot of bass! This is part of my workout playlist.

Every Friday I'll blog about topics related to health, fitness, wellness, self-improvement, and other miscellaneous topics I find interesting.

This is a paleo based dinner that my wife and I have weekly. The recipe below is for making it in bulk.



Ingredients

• 3.5 to 4lbs of hormone cage free boneless skinless chicken breast (slice into small chunks)
• 2 bags of Great Value Deluxe Stir Fry (16oz ea)*
• 3 bags of East Blend frozen vegetables (16oz ea)*
• 1 bag of Hong Kong blend frozen vegetables (16oz ea)*
• 8 packs of Stir Fry mix. We like the Kikkoman brand.
• A LARGE skillet or Electric skillet (love these! Saves me so much time).
  
  
  

Directions

• Add enough oil to coat the bottom of your electric skillet
• Brown the chicken chunks
• Add in your vegetables (note, you can only get in 4 bags at first, once those have cooked down you can add the additional bags) and cook until soft.
• Add in your stir-fry (follow the directions on how much water)
• Bring to boil and simmer for a few minutes (typically I simmer until most of the juices are vapor).

 And there you have it! Simple and easy bulk paleo Stir-Fry. If eating something different every day is for, cut this recipe down to 1 lb of chicken, 2 bags of mixed veggies, and 2 packs of stir-fry.

* Pick and choose based on preferences. For 3.5 to 4lbs of chicken, 6 bags works best. There is an example of a 16oz bag below. Also, you can always buy fresh if you have the time!

I may be addicted to sugar! I'm not kidding, and this isn't one of those "haha, that's funny" scenarios. One of my issues is overeating at night. I have a customer that also has this issue and it got me thinking. I can eat an entire plate of stir-fry and still feel hungry 30 minutes later! WTH?

It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to realize you're full, right? Well, I've waited 20, 40, even 60 minutes and I'm still hungry. I tried frying up some bacon (Mmmmm) to see if the high fat and calorie dense treat would do the trick.. Did that solve it? No. But If I grab some pretzels, or red hots, HotTamales, some lemon heads.... that hunger vanishes. Simply amazing. My brain gets all happy-feely when tasting that sweet sugar; that high calorie substance that comes in very low satiated foods.

Maybe the term hunger is incorrect. Perhaps... longing, aching, craving a need for glucose would be more appropriate. We are pre-programmed to eat high calorie foods. After all, our hunter and gatherer ancestors had to survive! But... sugar was not a common staple for them. They didn't have high-fructose corn syrup.

How can you say no when we are bombarded by advertisements every day for mouth watering treats? The advertising companies certainly have it down to a science. The textures, smells, taste, all designed to lure us in to their trap of addiction.

I've read someplace, can't remember where, that sugar has the same effects on brain chemical properties as cocaine, or was it crack? I can't recall. Either way, sugar has always been my downfall.

It's difficult to find the willpower to resist that temptation. With modern supermarkets that have endless racks of tasty treats at our finger tips, it's easier than ever before to grab something sweet. No wonder why the US has such an obesity problem!

So how do you find the will power to say no? What I've been working on lately is a reward system. And NOT a food based reward system; "just say no to crack donuts!" If you have a Rise'n Roll Bakery near you, you'll know what I'm talking about (those things are addicting!).

What I'm referring to, as a reward based system, is something you enjoy outside of your love/hate relationship with food. Maybe it's a new phone app, some game you like to play, new shoes, jewelry, something for a hobby, or whatever. Find a way to reward yourself, that's within your means, when you successfully complete a week without succumbing to that treat. Up the ante and the prize to a month once you get the weekly resistance down.

Keep that reward in mind every time you reach for your favorite snack. Better yet, if you are single, get it out of the house! If you have kids, like me... pray and good luck! Honestly, try to get them to eat healthy too. Your kids should not be rewarded with candy or a trip to the unhealthy-restaurant-of-your-choice (why are going to poison them for a reward?).

And if you want to jump start your nutrition right, check out IDLife Nutrition.

FitCorner's Friday Fit-Bullets #1.

• IDLife Nutrition - My wife and I have switched our nutrition supplementation (for vitamins) to this company. I've been happy with the results so far. My acid reflux/heat burn has all but disappeared and I no longer want to face-plant my keyboard at 2pm every day, also the time saving aspect! Read more on our switch....
  
  
• Health Tip: Vitamin D regulates calcium balance in your body, it helps to input Calcium into your bones, and also where Calcium should or should not be in your body. Make sure you are getting the proper does of Vitamin D daily. If you are a home-body and never go outside, you could be Vitamin D deficient. Personally, I take about 4,000 IUs in the morning (via EyePromise Restore)  and 2,000 IU's (via IDLife Nutrition) with my evening meal.
  
  I take EyePromise Restore as I have low zeaxanthin levels. It's measured by the 3-blue dot MPOD (Macular Pigment Optical Density) test.

•  Quote: I've seen this quote in numerous places on the internet, the first time I saw it was in the book Do The Work. Basically, in my opinion, it's about how we are afraid to get our of our comfort zones and push past our own self created boundaries.
  
  
  "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." - Marianne Williamson
   
• Tiny Brain - An almost fully-formed human brain has been grown in a lab for the first time.

• Music - My tastes have changed over the past year. It's more techno/dance/rock now, some of the more pop/modern hits as well. I'll be posting a new high bpm workout list soon. Here is my old high pbm workout music list.
  
  If you're into this genre, check out the following:
  
  1. Bonfire by Knife Party - Techno/dance
  2. Gold by Imagine Dragons - Rock

Every Friday I'll blog about miscellaneous topics that I find interesting related to health, fitness, wellness, self-improvement, possibly other topics as well (assuming my busy life doesn't interfere!).

My wife and I have switched to IDLife Nutrition for our vitamin supplementation. Previously, we purchased vitamins from the endless racks of Walmart or from online sources. I spent hours every month pouring over the latest research trying to decide what to buy!

IDLife has simplified this process considerably. They have a free assessment that utilizes over 7,000 published studies for over 4 million possible combinations. It protects me from accidentally choosing combinations that could have health consequences. I can also list medical conditions and medications as part of the assessment for recommendations and any possible medication-vitamin entanglements. 

IDLife has something unique in the industry that I have not seen before; personalized nutrition based on an individual's needs rather than a "one-size-fits-all" concept. I think it's going to be a huge success, similar to Beachbody.

Speaking of Beachbody, I keep hearing "Beachbody vs IDLife", and that they are competitors. I disagree with that assessment. Both are striving to help people be healthy. Both have fantastic products. I take my Shakeology EVERY morning and IDLife Nutrition EVERY day. Do what works best for you and your health.

I want my kids, friends, family, everyone I care about to be healthy. However, it's not easy, we all have busy lives, limited time, and limited resources. So do something that simplifies your life.  After all, we all want to be healthier and more successful in our lives.



 
Speaking of success, for those looking for extra income, consider becoming an IDLife Associate or Beachbody coach. Or, you can just utilize the significant cost savings by being an associate or coach!

P90X3 is now available! Free shipping until 12/31. Order by 12/15 11:59 PM to guarantee delivery by 12/25. Also from 12/10/13 through 12/31/13 if you purchase through us you will receive a free P90X3 hat.

P90X3 is a 90 day program, split into 3 Blocks. Blocks 1 & 2 each consist of 4 weeks, while Block 3 lasts 5 weeks.

All P90X3 workouts are 30 minutes. The lone exception is the X3 Ab Ripper workout (15 minutes), included within the Deluxe Kit. Most workouts include a 2-3 minute cool down period.

P90X3 BASE KIT: http://www.fitcornernetwork.com/order-p90x3
P90X3 DELUXE KIT: http://www.fitcornernetwork.com/order-p90x3Deluxe
P90X3 ULTIMATE KIT: http://www.fitcornernetwork.com/order-p90x3Ultimate
P90X3 CHALLENGE PACK: http://www.fitcornernetwork.com/order-p90x3Challenge

P90X3 Base Kit Includes:

• 16 unique and brand new workouts on 8 DVDs
• Plus, 5 Free Gifts
• Fitness Guide
• Nutrition Guide
• 90 Day Workout Calendar
• How to Accelerate Intro DVD
• 24/7 Online Support
• Network Exclusive P90X One on One: On One Leg DVD
• Network Exclusive Premium P90X3 Hat ($24.95 value) - December Only!

P90X3 Deluxe Kit
Includes everything in the Base Kit PLUS:

• 3 Elite Extreme workouts on 1 DVD
• Includes free Elite Block Calendar
• 1-Month E&E Tub
• 3 B-Lines Resistance Bands

P90X3 Ultimate Kit
Includes everything in the Base & Deluxe Kits PLUS:

• 1-Month R&R Tub
• Gym-Quality P90X® Chin-Up Bar
• P90X® Chin-Up Max
• Premium Beachbody Jump Mat

P90X3 Challenge Pack
Retail Price: $205 (December Promotional Price: $180)

• P90X3 Base Kit
• 30-Day Supply of Shakeology HD
• 30-Day VIP Team Beachbody Club Membership

My T25 Fast Track week wrapped up with me jotting down my calories burned for Alpha Cardio. I had already weighed myself that morning and the results were happily received. I've been doing P90 Phase 1-2 for the past couple of months and had stalled on my weight loss. So the 7.2 pounds I lost in only one week of T25 was awesome! Of course I was eating only 1100 calories a day (probably closer to 1300). This week I'll be eating upwards of 1600 calories a day.

The workouts are intense, very much like insanity with but less impactful on the joints. They also have a dedicated person in the workout videos that only does alternate moves. If you are out of shape the alternate moves will give you one hell of a workout. So don't worry if you can't follow Shaun T.

I burned on average 600 calories per workout (including the 2 to 3 minute cool downs). On a bad day I would burn 500 calories (which was today due to being dead tired).

I absolutely love this workout program! Only 25 minutes a day! P90, P90X, even Insanity, took more time than that! All great workouts, but now that I have my son I do not have nearly as much time to devout to pushing play every day.
T25 Meal Plan for the Fast Track week

All meals are in the T25 recipe booklets. Snacks were 100 to 200 calories and meals were 300 calories.

Breakfast: Almond Shakeology Smoothie or Strawberry Shakeology Smoothie.
Lunch: Foil Wrapped Chicken and Potato
Dinner: Chicken and Spinach Salad
Snacks: Trail Mix, Cracker with sliced ham/chicken and cheese, or grapes

T25 Calories Burned

Date	Day	Program	Time	Average HR	Peak HR	Min. HR	Calories Burned
9/2/2013	1	Alpha Cardio	27:56:00	159	186	77	573
9/3/2013	2	Alpha Speed 1.0	27:52:00	164	190	85	601
9/4/2013	3	Alpha: Total Body Circuit	28:44:00	174	197	102	682
9/5/2013	4	Alpha: Ab Intervals (forgot to start timer until 5 minutes into the workout)	23:59:00	162	193	122	508
9/6/2013	5	Alpha: Lower Focus	29:11:00	165	193	97	636
9/7/2013	6	Alpha Cardio	27:41:00	169	191	108	628