the good life

Well, this is week three of Dr. John Berardi’s (my favorite fitness author) Get Shredded Diet (google it!). This diet is designed for people who are already around 10-12% body fat (which is fairly lean) to get down to the 6-8% range.

What’s the diet all about?

What is the basis of the diet? Two basic ideas: completely cut out all carbohydrates, and severely cut calories (I cut mine in half). When you cut both carbohydrates and calories, you essentially force your body into “starvation” mode, forcing it to feed off the fat you already stored.

From a training standpoint, the key is to lift heavy, heavy, heavy. Why lift heavy when you are eating so little? I know, it sounds a bit counterintuitive. When you eat in such a large caloric deficit like I am right now, you risk the fact that your body might turn to muscle as an energy source; big no no. By lifting extremely heavy, you force your body to recognize that it needs to use your muscle to move the weights- it has no choice but to conserve the muscle and go after the fat.

Before you ask: no, this is not “dangerous.” I am not putting my life in danger by eating in a caloric deficit for a short amount of time. A little bit of hunger and low energy levels never killed anybody. Why does nobody worry about the health of the person who eats a Big Mac everyday and never exercises? That’s far more dangerous than what I’m doing, trust me.

This is extremely difficult though, I can’t lie. Americans are absolutely addicted to eating carbohydrates, and I am no exception. The first week of this diet was unbelievably tough to focus in the gym- I felt as though I was trying to workout after I had just run a marathon and hadn’t eaten in days. My body was starving for glucose (carbs are converted to glucose to fuel your body), so it was simply a mind game to push through and finish the workouts.

The diet has been great thus far! In the first two weeks I lost 9 pounds and 3% body fat (which is almost unheard of to lose that much BF that quickly!) I can already see that I have gotten quite a bit leaner, especially in my abdominal region, and have found myself being more vascular in the gym, which comes with lower levels of body fat. Satisfied with the progress!

JH

Advertisers scream at the top of their lungs the reasons why you will lose weight/get stronger/become Superman if you follow their program. They beg you to try out their “secret trick” to losing weight or the new techniques that nobody else knows to gain muscle. Now, I agree, many of these programs do show success for the people that follow them- others utterly fail.

Want to know what seperates a successful nutritional plan from a poor one? Check out my criteria:

Great nutritional plans:

1.. Use the word “diet” loosely- If you notice in my beginning paragraph, I never used the word “diet.” The sad fact is, the word “diet” has become synonymous with fad diets and cleanses (Atkins, South Beach Diet, etc.) and usually refers to a plan that claims you will lose _____ amount of weight in ______ of time, implying that you may stop the “diet” once the required time has passed. The word “diet” should be simply defined as,  ”foods that we eat.” If a plan identifies itself as the former, skip it. 

2. Are not overly obsessed with the idea of calories- You realize, some guy in the 1800’s (scientist Nicolas Clement, to be exact) just thought up the idea of this thing called a “calorie”, right? Yes, calories are a useful unit of measurement for energy, but they are not the be all end all of nutritional standards. Simply understand what correct portion sizes look like, shoot for an appropriate range of calories, then stop worrying about it and eat. Put away those calculators.  

3. Understand that carbohydrates have a place, but/and they must be controlled- For some diets, this means that they ask you to limit carbohydrates as the day progresses, for others, carbohydrates are saved until after a workout. One diet may ask you to restrict them completely (save one day a week), another might tell you to eat only certain types at certain meals. Whatever. As long as the plan has an opinion about the restriction/distribution of carbohydrates, it’s all good.

4. Encourage you to exercise- I know, I know- you got this diet plan “so that you wouldn’t need to workout out.” You don’t have time. You are too tired. You don’t like the gym. You’re gonna hate me for this and I am sorry, but let me reiterate: You will not achieve any long lasting health/fitness/image goals without exercise. You won’t. I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die. Forget the hype, anybody who tells you otherwise is lying.

5. Understand the value of “cheat meals”- We aren’t machines. It would be nice if we were, that way we could eat only the most perfectly nutritious foods all the time, and disregard every desire for richness of tastes or occasional cravings. But alas, we are humans, and any diet that expects you to be 100% compliant 100% of the time simply isn’t being realistic. There are both psychological and physiological benefits to cheating on your plan every once in a while and a good one will lay out what this looks like.

6. Tell you to eat your vegetables- Veggies are low in calories, high in fiber, have numerous vitamins and minerals, contain healthful free radicals, and are also PH balancers in the body (balances all the crazy acids in your bloodstream). Plus, they are delicious.

7. Don’t claim to be a “low fat” diet- nothing makes fitness professionals laugh more than this one. Quite frankly, the American public is too freaked out at the idea of eating fats. Fats are an integral part of a healthy diet. You NEED them. Did you know that when bodybuilders prepare for competitions (trying to get extremely lean), they most often have a low carb, high fat diet? Did you know that in a study where individuals were separated into groups of high protein, high carb and high fat diets, the group that ate the high fat diet turned out the healthiest? It’s simple: avoid trans fats (always), then try to get equal parts of polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and (gasp!) saturated fats in your diet. Simply add a little olive oil, nuts, or peanut butter to your diet and you should be kosher.

8. Love protein- No, I don’t mean this in the meat-head “I only eat steak!!!” sort of way. Lean proteins (chicken, lean beef, turkey, eggs, nuts, whey protein powder, etc.) are to be eaten often. Because of the amino acid complex within the protein, the body has a tougher time breaking down protein and thus must work harder to consistently break it down within the body. This “working hard” is the raising of your metabolism; your body becomes a more efficient machine.

Live well, folks.

- JH

The wedding is just about 14 weeks away, and I plan to look the best for I can for my girl (she deserves it!) Successful people (both in life, and in fitness) have a plan for what they want to accomplish. Here’s my plan for the next 3 months, to achieve the physique I want for my wedding day/honeymoon.

Right now:

Weight: 165     Estimated Body Fat %: 10-11%

I am currently training in a more “athletic” style mode. This means I am teaching my body to move like an athlete, and perform more effectively. I have been getting a few odd looks in the gym as of late- not many people doing serious plyometrics (jumping exercises) and explosive resistance band movements.  Also, in this phase, I am trying to gain a bit of size, probably putting one 3-5 pounds of lean muscle mass (I want to get a little bigger before I cut down, because I risk losing a few pounds of muscle when in the coming weeks).

The combination of such intense exercise bouts and the desire to gain a few pounds of muscle lets me be a bit more loose on my diet. I am eating a larger portions, as well as eating carbohydrates more in my meals. This kind of nutritional freedom will last about 3 more weeks.

Where am I going?

The key word for the next phase: DISCIPLINE.

Wanna get really, really lean? You want to see muscle and veins that have never been seen before? Well, if you do, then it is absolutely all about your diet.

During the 10 weeks leading up to my wedding, my diet (and when I say “diet” I am defining that word as “foods I usually eat” rather than “going on a fad diet”) will be extremely strict. Calories will be severely dropped, complex carbohydrates (except vegetables) will be completely excluded, and my workouts will get extremely intense. This kind of rigid dieting will allow me drop body fat extremely efficiently, as I will be eating the exact same meals virtually every single day for 10 weeks. I love a challenge! I will expand more about the details of my diet/workout plan in future posts, as I am also considering doing a video blog as I go through the process (thoughts?).

My goal for the wedding:     Weight: 150    BF%: 6-7%

Lastly, I want to start trying some new blogging trends/techniques but would LOVE to hear what YOU want to know more about.

A few ideas so far:

- A day of healthy eating (each meal/snack in pictures of my meals)

- Videos of fat-loss workouts/boxing workouts, etc.

- Fact/myth of fitness entries 

I want to hear YOUR ideas about things you would like to read or see - - ANYTHING about fitness/nutrition/wellness is fair game. Please feel free to email any ideas/suggestions at jayhowardmusic@mac.com or message me on Facebook (Jay Howard).

check out www.TheFitMail.com for more fitness info!

- JH

I am not usually an angry person, but here’s a quick rant of mine:

I try to be a healthy guy; I enjoy training hard in the gym, eating well, researching wellness, and learning self discipline through fitness. It’s fun for me. It’s a challenge and I like it. I also understand that some people don’t like it. And do you know what? That is fine with me- though I might not agree with all your choices, it doesn’t keep me up at night.

What does drive me crazy is the fact that some people apparently have a problem with me pursuing health on a consistent basis. Now I know, this has all been hardwired into American culture - - McDonald’s Happy Meals are the highlight of a kid’s day, and that candy bowl is always placed at the front of the office for all to partake. Don’t get me wrong, I do indulge. I love going out for ice cream with my girl, eating pizza while I watch a fight, or downing a burrito with the buddies after a long surf session.

But all it takes is for a person who has a reputation for enjoying health and fitness to quietly decline that greasy pizza or late night fast food run one time - and then the comments start flying. Of course, they aren’t meant to be mean or hurtful (I hope), but to be honest, they are obnoxious.”Oh here comes Jay, the big fitness guy who eats perfectly every single meal!” “Oh I guess you just can’t hang out with us unhealthy people, huh?!” I wasn’t pursuing some ostentatious display of my holier-than-thou eating habits or workout routine- why do you have to highlight it?

If you ask me whether I worked out today, I will be honest; yes, I probably did. No, I’m not addicted. No, I don’t workout for hours on end. No, I don’t sacrifice everything else in life to get to the gym. But did I set aside an hour of my life today to be healthy? Yes, I did- and I honestly don’t need any recognition, good or bad, for that.

Even better is the person who comes into my kitchen and sees the multiple supplements I have in the cupboard. I just can’t wait for the, “Oh are those steriods?!” comment. Then they proceed to tell me why, “I don’t need to take all that stuff” and how “all those weird chemicals are bad for you.” Inevitably this always comes from the person with absolutely zero knowledge about fitness and proper supplementation. No, they aren’t steroids and they aren’t filled with crazy chemicals. That one is whey protein (same protein that you just ate in that steak) and those two are dextrose (pure sugar, like in fruit) and maltodextrin (complex carbohydrates, like eating a bagel). This one is BCAA (an amino acid naturally found in the body and in the foods we eat) and the last one is glutamine (it simply strengthens the central nervous system). No steroids. Nothing crazy. Just well researched and thought out supplementation to a healthy diet and training program. 

You think I don’t want to eat that tasty looking pizza, or destroy a carton of ice cream in one sitting? Of course I do. There is a reason we eat junk food, it tastes good. I would always rather not worry about what I eat. But, if I am doing the same things everybody else is doing, how can I expect any different results than the masses? And, if you look at the “masses” in America, the results are growing worse and worse.

Why do people do this?

I believe it is because it is their only way of responding to something they don’t know anything about (but would probably like to). They are often people who are scared to try something that would require a new kind of self discipline, they are the people who find it easier to belittle my goals than to create their own. Have some courage. And no, my definition of “courage” is not limited to fitness - - just get out there and grow.

“Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you too can become great.”

- Mark Twain

Why not make others feel like they can become great?

Okay, rant is complete. Now I’m happy again.

-JH

Some things in life virtually never go away. How sweet it is that we get the chance to experience certain things almost daily! For these (enjoyable) things that stay with us for almost all of life, shouldn’t we push to do them well?

Here are just a few things in my life:

Know Jesus well through theology, worship and doctrine

In the beginning He was, and forevermore He will always be. As Paul said, “Oh the depths of the riches and knowledge of God.” Enjoy the fact that you will never know Him in His fullness this side of Heaven.

Erin

I plan on being hers for the rest of my life. I labor to learn how to be a servant, a romantic, a protector and a leader. She’s beautiful too: just wanted to remind the world.

Sleep

We spend one third of our life sleeping. Why not learn to do it well? Rest is a gift.

Music

Sure, for right now, I love music. I love guitar, piano, and singing. I love to write folky/gospel/soulful tunes. I love Mozart, Ray Charles, Eminem, Trace Atkins   and all kinds of classic hymns. Though music tastes may change, as will my preference for its’ volume, as long as God gives me the gift of hearing, I will always enjoy music. It makes moments richer.

Food and Drink

Solomon tells us that food and wine were created to make our hearts merry. I already watch too much Food Network and can’t wait to go to culinary school someday.

Interpersonal Communication

It is my goal to become an absolutely brilliant conversationalist. “A brilliant conversationalist is one who talks to you about yourself.”  

- William King

Golf

  It is conceivable that I could be playing this game for the next fifty years of my life (as opposed to other sports I enjoy like basketball or boxing). I figure I might as well learn to play while I am young (it also might be the most frustrating game on the planet).

What are those things in your life that will not perish? What do you pursue?

-JH

Well, it’s time to comment again on my fitness journey, so that hopefully it might encourage you to continue on yours.

 

The last post I wrote concerning my fitness routine described how I was in a phase of slow, very controlled movements. I was using lighter weights and keeping my body under the load of that weight for a longer period of time. I have since moved on to a new phase, and a different kind of training/dieting.

 

Let me remind you, we train in phases because our body knows how to adapt to our workouts. Therefore, we want to change our phases every 6-8 weeks, so that we give our body time to learn the new workout routine, but then just as our body begins to completely “adapt” and plateau on that routine, we change to a new one.

 

That said, since my body has been given time to adequately learn all of the movements, as well as perform under prolonged pressure, I have no moved into more of a strength utilization phase. Some people might identify this type of training as more of an “old school bodybuilder” style format, since it has multiple sets and heavier weights. Essentially, I am teaching my body how to efficiently move heavy weight, but my body is under pressure for lesser period of time. Thus, instead of doing 12-15 repetitions, I am now working with 6-7 repetitions, with 4-5 sets. I keep the reps low, so that allows me to use heavier weights in the movements, while putting in an extra set or two (most workout formats call for 3 sets of an exercise) so that my body has more overall opportunities (reps/sets) to learn the movement in the context of using heavier weights. That said, here is a normal week:

 

MONDAY/THURSDAY

 

5 minute jog warm up/stretch/rotator cuff exercises

 

Chest exercise: recently I have enjoyed using the Freemotion chest press machine:  5 sets of 6 reps

 

Shoulder exercise: seated shoulder press: 5 sets of 7 reps

 

Bicep exercise: seated bicep rotational curl:  4 sets of 7 reps

 

Core expercise: Freemotional rotational crunches: 4 sets of 8 reps

 

20 minutes of steady state cardio

 

TUESDAY/FRIDAY

 

5 minute jog warm up/stretch/rotator cuff exercises

 

Legs exercise: squat or leg press: 4 sets of 7 reps

 

Back exercise: Freemotion lat pull down or weighted pull up: 5 sets of 6 reps

 

Tricep exercise: tricep push down: 4 sets of 7 reps

 

20 minutes of steady state cardio

 

WEDNESDAY/SATURDAY

 

Athletic day: boxing, basketball, pilates, yoga, etc.

 

 

 

Diet:

 

As far as diet is considered, it is important to correctly match the way that we eat with the way that we workout. Thus, in different training formats and workout phases, we focus on various aspect of our diet, and the way that we view what we eat must be more flexible. In the my current training format (lifting heavy weight) and even more so in my next training format (explosive movements…I will write an entry about it) my focus is less about carbs/fats/protein, or “nutrient timing” and more focused on simple caloric intake. So often you hear things about how you “shouldn’t have to count calories” because they don’t really matter. While I agree that it isn’t healthy to take account for every single calorie coming into your system, there are times when it is valuable to take them into account. For me, when I say that I focus on caloric intake, my focus is making sure that I get enough energy (calories/food) to support my intense training. My current training program has me pushing my body to the limits in the gym, and when there is so much pressure on your system your main focus is ensuring that you are properly repairing your body with adequate nutrients.

 

So what does that look like right now? It means I am a little bit more free with my diet, and I am eating more calories. It means that I eat more Chipotle burritos than chicken salads. DO NOT hear me saying that this kind of training allows you to go to McDonalds and eat 3 Big Macs; eating trans fats and processed foods is never okay for your body or your fitness journey. It simply means that I say to myself, “In order to support the training I do in the gym right now, I need to eat 3,700 calories a day. How I get those calories is no a huge concern to me right now.”

 

There IS a time to take into account carbs, protein, and examining when/how you eat. I will write an entry about this in a few weeks, as I have a little bit of time before I get into this type of training. Once again, the key is thinking about matching your diet with the way you are training in the gym.

 

 

“For physical training is of some value, but Godliness has value in all things.”

 

 

-JH

Erin and I have been engaged for just about a month now, and the planning process for the wedding is underway. I had NO idea how much thought and effort went into planning a wedding, but I am enjoying it still. 

While we are thinking about this wedding stuff, a small caveat: MY bride is amazing. She is so sweet, caring, quirky, supportive (of all my crazy ideas and interests) and SO thoughtful. She always goes out of her way to make sure I feel loved and am taken care of, and I can’t wait for our future together. I am so excited to travel with her, live with her, cook with her (and cook for her), surprise her, go to church with her, serve others with her, and start a family with her.  I can’t wait to go through life with Erin next to me.

Anyways, back to wedding thoughts: We picked a wedding coordinator that we are excited about, check her out:

http://www.jordanpayneevents.com/

Also, I am obsessed with this videographer we have been looking at. Check out a video:

http://f8pictures.com/

We are meeting with our wedding planner this week, so hopefully in the next few weeks, we will have our date and venues set!

This is a rich, sweet time in life.

-JH