http://www.thealternativedaily.com/
As big advocates of Apple Cider Vinegar and all of the health benefits it has, we are always looking for new ways to incorporate it into our diet. One way to do that is with Switchel, a drink that combines apple cider vinegar, with other vitamins and nutrients that help boost your health and aid in digestion. […]
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/
Health is about action. If your resolution doesn’t transfer to your routine, it will be dead in the water. Now’s the time to think about what in your routine needs to change to accommodate new choices. Healthy eating, for one, can be simple, but it requires some forethought. Strategic preparation helps, too. In that spirit, we’ve got a practical guide you can apply right away to your Primal diet—not to mention this weekend’s shopping list. Enjoy, everyone.
Stocking your freezer with homemade food is a winning strategy for eating well, especially when life gets really busy. There’s no better feeling than knowing that dinner is already cooked and just needs to be reheated. The easiest way to fill your freezer with meals is to regularly double, or triple, recipes so you regularly have leftovers to freeze. Of course, some meals freeze better than others. Here’s a handy guide for freezing cooked food, plus 10 recipes you should definitely have in your freezer.
Tupperware (or freezer-friendly Pyrex containers) and freezer bags are the most convenient containers for freezing food. Freezer bags are especially easy to label and space efficient. Fill a bag with food, smooth it out into an even layer and press out all the air (the less air in the bag, the less chance of freezer burn). Flat freezer bags filled with food stack up conveniently in the freezer.
Don’t put hot food in the freezer; always cool it completely first. As a general rule, frozen, cooked food will taste best if eaten within 3 months. If it helps, keep an inventory of frozen meals taped to your freezer door so you don’t forget what’s in there.
Consider freezing individual portions rather than freezing a big portion of food in one bag. This allows you to defrost a little bit at a time. This is an especially good idea if you want to use frozen meals for lunches, or if you’re not cooking for a big family.
The best and safest way to defrost frozen food is in the refrigerator overnight. Large cuts of cooked meat (like a roast) can take 48 hours to defrost. Defrosting in the refrigerator discourages bacteria (as opposed to defrosting at room temperature, which puts food in the bacteria “danger zone”). Defrosting in the refrigerator also helps maintain the texture of food, so it doesn’t get mushy or grainy.
When defrosting soup or other liquids, there’s also a faster option—immerse the plastic freezer bag filled with soup in cool water just long enough so you can break up the soup, then immediately dump in a pot and reheat.
Once defrosted, most frozen meals can be reheated by simmering gently in a pot over medium-low heat. Often, it helps to add ¼ to ½ cup liquid to the pot, such as water, broth or coconut milk. For smaller portions, a microwave can be used, which is especially handy at work. Meals can also be reheated in the oven. Usually, reheating at 350 ºF/176 ºC with a lid or foil cover works well. Some cooked foods need extra seasoning after being reheated, and fresh herbs can help liven up leftovers.
Cooked potatoes tend not to freeze well in any form, whether mashed, roasted, or in soups and stews. When reheated, cooked potatoes usually have a grainy or dry texture. (cooked sweet potatoes, however, usually freeze and reheat well.)
Frozen dairy products like milk, cream, sour cream and cheese tend to lose their smooth, creamy texture when reheated and can turn grainy and watery in recipes. Nut milks can also separate and become grainy when frozen. However, if reheated very gently over low heat and whisked vigorously, texture is less of a problem.
Coconut milk used in recipes generally reheats well, but again, do it over low heat.
Vinaigrettes, mayonnaise and mayonnaise-based sauces and salad dressings usually don’t freeze well.
Let’s start with a long-time Primal favorite…. For breakfast, a healthy snack, or a quick lunch, you won’t find a recipe much better than these gems. Lots of flavor and a wallop of protein will keep you fully satisfied until you have time to sit down to a larger meal.
Freeze a bunch of these sausage and eggs on the go wrapped individually in foil and thrown into a freezer bag.
For the best texture when reheated, defrost overnight in the fridge first, then reheat briefly in the microwave.
For breakfast on busy weekday mornings, pull a pancake out of the freezer and pop it in the microwave. No need to defrost first! Pancakes can also be wrapped in foil and reheated in the oven.
To freeze, stack pancakes with parchment paper in between so they don’t stick together, and put a bunch in a freezer bag. Hint: these work well for kids’ lunches. What child will turn down a “breakfast” meal after all?
A great strategy for freezer-friendly meals is simply freezing portions of cooked meat. The meat can be defrosted and used to make a variety of different meals.
Shredded pork is a great example. Cook a whole pork shoulder, cool and shred it, then freeze in smaller portions. The defrosted pork can be used in salads, tacos, stir-fries, or as the main course with steamed veggies on the side. Korean short ribs also freeze well and can be turned into a quick meal.
Cook a big sheet pan of Green Goddess chicken breasts, then shred the cooled meat and freeze.
Like shredded pork, shredded chicken can be stored in smaller portions and defrosted for a wide variety of quick meals (stir-fries, tacos, salads, soups and stews). Add additional Green Goddess for flavor if desired.
Any type of chili freezes well, but this lamb chili is especially delicious. For a complete meal (and delicious pairing), freeze a loaf of Primal cornbread, too.
When freezing the cornbread, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or parchment paper, then put in a freezer bag.
All types of meatballs freeze well. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then pop meatballs into lunchboxes, or reheat meatballs for dinner in a sauce like this one.
For Moroccan Meatball and Egg Tagine, freeze the meatballs and sauce together, then reheat slowly on the stove with ¼ cup water. Don’t freeze the eggs and fresh herbs—add them once the sauce and meatballs are reheated.
The complex flavors in this lamb and prune tagine are worth savoring over and over again, so make a double or triple batch to freeze.
Defrost overnight in the refrigerator then gently reheat on the stove or in the oven (350 ºF) with a lid. Add ¼ to ½ cup liquid as the tagine reheats.
Picadillo is home cooked comfort food, the type of easy weeknight meal that both kids and adults love. Traditionally served over rice and beans (and sometimes, plantains) Primal Picadillo can be served over cauliflower rice or simply heaped in a bowl with nothing else. It’s also pretty great next to eggs for breakfast.
Picadillo is an easy recipe to double or triple. It reheats quickly on the stove or in the microwave.
Brisket often tastes better when it’s been cooked and then reheated, so don’t worry about freezing this big piece of meat. Transfer a cooked and completely cooled brisket to a plastic freezer bag. Be extra diligent about squeezing out all the air out—getting out the air is really important to avoid freezer burn.
To defrost, put the cooked brisket in the fridge two days before you want to serve, then reheat, covered, in a 300 ºF degree oven. The meat will probably need additional salt before serving.
Fragrant and richly flavored beef Rendang requires two ingredients you might have to search for—galangal and kaffir lime leaves. This dish is well worth the effort, but you can make it doubly so by cooking a big batch so you can freeze an extra meal or two.
Reheat defrosted Rendang on the stove in a pot with an extra ½ cup coconut milk.
Today to spur your healthy eating goals (not to mention kitchen inspiration), I’m giving away two sets of our Advanced Keto Kit. These are some of our most popular Primal Kitchen® products, and for pursuing a keto lifestyle, they’ll offer flavorful options that don’t undermine your eating objectives.
I’ll choose 2 random comments below as winners. Just tell me what recipes and cooking tips you’d like to see the Bees and I offer this year on Mark’s Daily Apple. Submit your comments by midnight tonight (1/4/18 PST).
Thanks for reading, everyone. Do you have further questions on freezing tips? Let us know!
The post 10 Freezer-Friendly Meals (and a Giveaway) appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/
I have a question for you today. Maybe it’s already part of your New Year vision. Or maybe it could help clarify a goal or add a new aim to your plan.
What are you physically unable to do (comfortably) that you’d like to be able to do (comfortably)?
Just as the most effective type of exercise is the kind that you actually enjoy and are willing to do consistently, the most effective kind of fitness resolution aims to solve a problem that you actually have.
Think about the physical acts you’d like to be able to perform but currently cannot, like comfortably sit in a squat for ten minutes, play with your kids for a solid hour, hike a local mountain without feeling like you’re dying, participate in a charity 5K, do a pull-up, or deadlift twice your bodyweight. It could be anything really, as long as it’s something you actively want to do.
What deficit do you want to correct? What “problem” will you solve this year?
The post Primal Action Point: What Problem Will You Solve? appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.
Originally posted at: http://www.nerdfitness.com/
“There’s no way that’s the same person, right?”
Admittedly, that’s what I first thought when I saw Kenney’s before and after photos. There was just NO way that this Tony Stark looking dude on the right was the same person as the man in the other photo, right?
And then I saw his other photos. And then I heard his story.
And then I teared up.
Shut up I’m not crying, you’re crying.
Today, we’re going to be talking about Ironma—-Kenney Frazier, an IT systems administrator from Alabama, a gamer, and an opera singer who has had one of the most dramatic transformations I’ve ever seen. It’s no exaggeration to say that Kenney clearly saved his own life. Not just in terms of life expectancy, but also quality of his life.
Kenney is a proud member of the Nerd Fitness Academy who made some key changes in his life that helped him succeed. We’re going to dig deep into those major and minor changes Kenney made and how you can be like him!
After years of struggle, starting and stopping, a switch flipped and he has lost over 120 pounds in the past 15 months.
Here’s his origin story.
STEVE: Kenney! My man. When I first saw your post in the Academy Facebook group, and it had hundreds and hundreds of likes and comments, my jaw dropped. Let’s hear your background:
KENNEY: I’ve pretty much always been overweight. Even in Kindergarten I was pudgy! I attribute this to my love of Reese Cups (I’m a recovering addict; there should really be a Reese Cup Lovers Anonymous Group). I steadily put on the pounds, and by high school I easily tipped the scales at 250lbs+.
By the age of 25 I was over 300lbs and miserable.
I would go on a diet, have some success, then expand to new heights in short order. My addiction to Everquest and World of Warcraft definitely did not help. I lived an extremely sedentary life and I was depressed. I would use these virtual worlds as an escape from my self-imposed dungeon. I was finally able to break out of this addiction and decided to start living in the real world. I joined the workforce and did my best to become an adult.
STEVE: I hear ya brother – I too played Everquest (and Everquest 2) for over a decade and did it for the same reasons you did – to escape a crappy reality. What was a typical day like for you then?
KENNEY: I would wake up around 8:30am during the week and drag myself into work. On the way to work I’d stop by Chick-fil-a and grab 2 chicken biscuits and a large lemonade because breakfast is the most important meal of the day, right?
Ha. Of course being a southerner you can’t have breakfast without biscuits!
Lunch, would roll around and I’d run to Burger King and order 2 double cheeseburgers and a large fry and Coke to wash it down with.
I’d probably grab a candy bar or chips from the snack machine mid afternoon.
On the way home I’d stop by and grab more food for dinner: a large chicken finger plate from Zaxby’s because who don’t love fried chicken? I had to have another large Coke to wash it down.
After I finished my food I’d plop down in front of the TV or my computer or go take a nap for a few hours. I’d normally heading to bed around midnight or 1am after playing a few games of Dota2 with some friends.
STEVE: So let’s talk about what happened that brought about actual changes:
KENNEY: I was 35, tired all the time and unhappy with my life. Obesity, diabetes, thyroid issues, and high blood pressure are also all prevalent in my family history.
I finally had enough and made an appointment to get a physical. When I saw my lab results I knew I was in trouble. My blood pressure was high, my blood sugar was high and my A1C was in the diabetic range! My cholesterol was sky high and I weighed 334 lbs! Despite these sobering results it still wasn’t enough to wake me up.
As a card carrying super nerd – I’ve always enjoyed table top RPG – I was a member of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign with some friends from High School. One of the players started talking about Nerd Fitness and it piqued my interest.
I decided to check it out and joined the NF Academy in January of 2016. I read the starter quests, but keep putting off actually starting.
STEVE: That’s interesting – so you joined the program, but couldn’t get yourself to commit or take action beyond just reading the missions. Sounds like a classic case of not having a big enough reason WHY yet! Your doctor said you had bad health signals, but deep down you weren’t ready to change yet.
So what happened next?
KENNEY: Music has always been my main passion. I was a vocal major in college before switching to something more “practical.” I decided to restart my vocal studies at a local music school in my early 30’s.
As if being a typical DnD/MMORPG nerd wasn’t enough, my musical endeavors are in the Classical/Opera genre. The school where I study has spring and winter productions each year. I was cast in my first show and I was hooked. I was continually cast in smaller roles but I had larger ambitions. In September of 2016, I had just finished a production and felt I had performed well but I wanted more. I reached out to the teacher in charge of casting.
I told her that I was committed to landing a leading role, and her response? My weight was a showstopper.
STEVE: And there it is…your ACTUAL “Big Why” – the reason that deep down made you want to change. It must have been brutal to hear that you were too big to be considered for more important musical roles. But it appears to also have been a big turning point for you.
KENNEY: October 2016 I started my fitness journey first by cutting out sodas and cutting my portion sizes. I started logging everything in a Fitness App.
I knew from reading the articles on Nerd Fitness that making small changes at first worked best. I tried doing some of the free home workouts but I knew my motivation would suffer and I would stop unless I had some “skin” in the game. So I called up my local gym and set up a free training session on Columbus Day.
The first workout was so horrible and I was so out of shape that I almost tossed my cookies – it just reinforced how far I had to go…but I was inspired. I signed up and started working with a trainer 3 times a week.
Strength training with some occasional cardio has the name of the game since then.
At that first session, I weighed in at 320 lbs and by Nov 16th I was down to 297lbs. I couldn’t remember the last time I was under 300lbs and my motivation never faltered. I started incorporating cardio 3 or 4 times a week into fitness routines.
STEVE: Hmmm, so what you’re saying is…this whole diet and exercise thing might actually work! Hahaha – so talk to me what other changes you made along the way.
KENNEY: I started doing intermittent fasting along with a low carb, high protein diet. As my weight went down I started feeling better and was continually amazed at what I could do. By January 4th, 2017 I was down to 281lbs.
STEVE: And that’s when you discovered the power of a supportive community, right?
KENNEY: Later that month I saw that there was a Facebook group for Academy members, which I had somehow missed when I signed up the year before. When I joined the group I was amazed at the community. The posts were uplifting and informative!
The progress posts served as motivation for me! By February, I had lost 50lbs and decided to make my first post on the Facebook group (which you can see below):
This was a huge step for me due to self-esteem issues but the support and uplifting comments were great. I used the Academy community to help keep me motivated.
Whenever I’d feel like quitting I’d log in and read the new posts and fortify my resolve. By May I was down 75 lbs and I was doing things I never thought I’d be able to do. I went from being winded by walking up stairs to doing Burpees, Squats, and bear crawls. I even started taking tennis lessons!
By the end of summer I was down 100lbs.
And just a few weeks ago, I weighed in at 198 lbs, meaning I’ve lost 120lbs! I can’t even remember the last time I was under 200! I recently went to the doctor again and had a fresh set of labs. My results were night and day! My A1C was normal, my blood sugar was normal, and my cholesterol was greatly reduced.
STEVE: AMAZING. So let’s hear about the New Kenney. What’s a typical day like now?
KENNEY: I wake up around 6:30 and 6:45am and try to get to work before 8:00am. I do intermittent fasting so I actually skip breakfast. My “feasting” window runs from 11am til 8pm.
My typical lunch is a salad minus croutons with chicken (I have a slight addiction to Caesar salads) If I need a snack I’ll eat some tuna or even some beef jerky (can’t have enough protein). Normally, I’ll head home and get ready to go to the gym! I work out 3 times a week with the trainer so I’ll do 40 minutes of cardio after those sessions or on a non-lifting day I’ll do an hour of cardio.
Lately, I’ve been on an elliptical kick as I can zone out and watch Netflix while I’m doing it. I also play Racquetball once a week with friends and I joined a basketball league (I’m really bad!).
After I work out, I’ll grab dinner with chicken or beef, with some brown rice, and broccoli (I love broccoli!) or a mixture of other veggies.
I also have a bit of a sweet tooth so I’ll treat myself with some halo ice cream (within reason) or some fruit or Siggi’s Icelandic style skyr. I’m a simple guy so I can eat the same things a few times a week and it doesn’t bother me. I guess I look at food differently now. It’s fuel for me to reach my goals before I used it to make me feel better.
STEVE: That mentality change is amazing, and I love hearing it. You changed physically. What else changed about you along the way?
KENNEY: Looking back over the journey so far I’ve learned so much more about myself. I’ve discovered that I can reach goals and that I am capable of doing anything if I put my mind to it. While I haven’t reached my goal weight, I am well on my way. I have the tools to complete my journey.
I was a soloist in a community Sing-a-long Messiah tonight and I got to rock a tux, so I thought it would make a good after!
When I went to try on my “rent-a-tux” I was fitted in a 46S jacket and when I got home I looked at my old suit jacket and it was a 56R! It’s just amazing to me! I really appreciate the community that you have built. I wouldn’t have come this far without it!
STEVE: Everybody assumes that they’ll be happy once they lose weight. And you clearly seem like a completely different, more content, and proud person. Is there anything you still struggle with?
KENNEY: Losing this weight has really forced me to face my self-esteem issues and the mental aspects are a struggle. I feel so much better physically but I still struggle mentally with being the “fat” guy.
STEVE: Thanks for sharing that honestly with us, man. We’re all works in progress, both inside and out! And these battles take time.
It’s a good reminder to know that even if you build the body you want, you still have to level up on the inside too and that can take time! Luckily you have an amazing community of weirdos cheering you on, and others who have struggled with those same self-esteem issues and can help you get through it!
I wanted to highlight the key points to his transformation that allowed him to finally find success, and hopefully you can implement these types of changes into your life too.
KEY POINT #1: Kenney kept trying.
Kenney spent over a year reading Nerd Fitness articles before working up the courage to even get started. After that, he joined the NF Academy and read the content but couldn’t get himself to do much more past that.
And yet, something kept him around. He kept getting Nerd Fitness emails in his inbox, even if he wasn’t ready to take action yet. And EVENTUALLY, the right combinations of words on a page, life experiences, and things clicked for him to finally take action.
If you’re somebody that has started and stopped or lost 20 pounds only to put on 30, you’re not alone.
If you woke up this January and said “I said the same thing last year about getting healthy, but here I am still overweight,” you’re not alone.
If you beat yourself up when you fail and think you’re doomed to stay fat, you’re not alone.
Give yourself credit – you’re still here reading this, and that counts for something! Keep trying. Keep reading. Keep attempting different methods until you find one that works for you – though I’d consider these 10 changes before making another attempt).
The important thing is that you take action – more information is usually not the answer.
Here at Nerd Fitness we refer to the perpetual activity of collecting information as “collecting underpants!“
Don’t get stuck on Phase 1 – you’ll never get to “profit” (healthy) without taking action (that’s phase 2).
Now, there’s a powerful psychological element to Kenney’s journey that I wanted to highlight as well.
KEY POINT #2: Kenney finally found his “Big Why.”
Just saying “I want to get in shape” wasn’t enough for him. Being overweight wasn’t enough. Having his doctor tell him that he was at risk for a all kinds of preventable diseases wasn’t enough.
Sure, he “wanted to get in shape,” but it wasn’t enough to make him actually change. After all, Chick-Fil-A, Zaxby’s, Coca Cola, and Burger King is SOOOO damn good, it takes a really powerful reason to want to give up those things and delay gratification until the future.
And then he finally found his “Big Why.”
Kenney was told that his weight was holding him back from landing bigger roles while performing on stage (something he truly loved). And that’s when he decided to finally take this next attempt at getting fit seriously and actually took steps to change.
If you are somebody that thinks you “should get in shape,” you’re not digging deep enough for your reasons. However, if you are trying to get in shape because:
A reason like this, written somewhere that you can see daily, will help you stay on track when life gets busy.
Key Point #3: Kenney changed his relationship with food.
This quote from Kenney perfectly encapsulates why Kenney was successful in his transformation:
“I look at food differently now. It’s fuel for me to reach my goals, whereas before I used it to make me feel better.”
This is a guy who ate fast food 3-4 times per day, every day. Who grew up in the South, home of “comfort food.” A self-described Reese’s Cup and Ice cream aficionado.
THAT guy now views food as fuel for his fitness goals!
How did it happen? Slowly with small changes over a long period of time. Kenney knew that going on a crash diet wasn’t going to work (he had tried that in the past), so as we discuss here on Nerd Fitness he focused on small actionable changes he could make that didn’t scare him.
He kept things simple like cutting back on soda and tracking his food intake.
Only after he started to see some progress did he start playing this “healthy eating” game on a harder difficulty setting:
Thanks to this dramatic change in his mentality, Kenney no longer needed food as an escape, but rather saw it as fuel, with occasional indulgences – like his favorite ice cream or candy – but in moderation without fear or guilt.
Key Point #4: Kenney STOPPED relying on himself.
Believe it or not, Kenney giving up on himself might be the most important mindset shift he could have made.
When most people decide to get in shape, they all do the same thing: “I am going to get in shape. I’m gonna get motivated and hit the gym consistently!” Two weeks later, they’ve already given up but now they ALSO have shame: “I am ashamed that I couldn’t stick with my goals, something must be wrong with me!”
Conversely, people that succeed know themselves better than that, so they plan for it. They stop expecting themselves to magically become a motivation powerhouse and instead start asking better questions. “Okay if Motivation ALWAYS leaves me, rather than beating myself up how can I stack the deck so that I no longer need motivation in the first place?”
Kenney stopped relying on himself in two key ways:
We’re going to dig into both of these specific issues in the next two points, but I want to return to the above:
If you rely on yourself to be motivated, and you think you need to be motivated to get in shape, you’ve already lost.
STOP relying on motivation. Instead, build systems, recruit allies, and structure your environment in ways that support your goals.
Try this: recruit a friend who will cheer you on. Give him $50 of your money and tell him you’ll check in with him every day. If you don’t check in to let him know that you went for a walk and ate a veggie, he will donate that money to a cause you HATE.
Speaking of recruiting allies…
Key Point #5: Kenney surrounded himself with the right people
I’m proud to say that Nerd FItness played a communal role in helping Kenney Reach his goals. Our Academy doesn’t a super secret proprietary workout plan – its fun compound strength training. Our nutritional strategy isn’t anything proprietary – its less junk and more vegetables. Sure, it digs deep on the mindset stuff, and it’s got a fun leveling system and nutritional strategy that gamifies getting in shape.
But that’s not what made it such a big help in Kenney’s journey: it was the community of people who are aligned with the same goal, struggling with the same problems, that were cheering him on.
Or in another Academy member’s words, when asked why he loves the community:
Human connection and supportive people can be the biggest help in transforming, and Kenney had both: a coach who pushed him, and a community that supported him.
Did you know that you are the average of the 5 people you associate most with?
Show me the weight, health, net worth, and happiness level of the 5 people you spend the most time with, and I bet I can guess a lot about you with startling accuracy – it’s because those people influence you every day without you realizing it with their words, decisions, and choices.
So then I ask you: Are your five people making you want to be better? Or are they people who make fun of you for skipping game night to exercise or goad you into skipping the salad and ordering a cheeseburger to “live a little.”
Kenney has been a major contributor to our community, sharing his struggles and his progress. Unsurprisingly, he’s also one of our BEST successes, and an inspiration to the men of the Academy group – and now the galaxy.
If you are serious about getting in shape, interact with people that make you want to be better:
I love that Kenney found the NF community to be super supportive while he also leveled up his life with in person connections too, and I want the same for you.
I don’t care where you find these people, I just want you to have these people in your life! Now, I might be slightly biased, but I believe our online crew is the best community on the planet!
Key Point #6: Kenney invested in himself
Kenney tried to follow along with free workouts at home. He read free articles on Nerd Fitness for over a year. And he couldn’t get himself to take his attempt at getting in shape seriously.
As he was still in search of his big WHY, he realized that he’d never stick with an attempt until he had some “skin in the game” (invested in himself). So he called up his local gym and set up a free training session.
And that lead to him realizing that hiring a trainer that knows him better than he knows himself was going to be a game changer:
“My trainer is perfect for me! He keeps me motivated and honest without being the cliched TV trainer who berates their clients! He’s never yelled or made me feel like a failure. Honestly, If had a trainer like that I would have quit after the first session. He’s a self described nerd so we often talk about the next big superhero movie or I crack jokes about his addiction to big Kit Kat bars!”
Whether it’s an online coach or a course, there’s so much psychology at stake beyond just the information you learn in these situations. We all know what we need to do (eat less, move more), but we can’t get ourselves to do those things.
Investing in a course or hiring a coach can be the biggest difference between success and failure for many people. When you spend money on a quality fitness product or service:
Sure, there are MILLIONS of free resources out there about how to get healthy. There are millions of free fitness articles (you’re reading one of them!).
And yes, many people can get motivated and go build their own workout and go to the gym and figure things out and LOVE spending that time doing so.
For the rest of us though, we don’t have the time or ability to sort through the junk to find the best information, or we just want the peace of mind knowing we’re learning from somebody that gets us.
And lastly, maybe we know ourselves well enough that if we spend money on something, we’ll actually use it!
Personally, I pay money to go to a gym 2 blocks away instead of using the free gym in my apartment building, because I never go to the free one! I also pay hundreds every month to work with an online fitness coach, and it’s the best money I spend each month.
I’m not telling you to spend your money on fitness. Instead, I’m saying that what you spend your money (and your time) on says a lot about your priorities.
Kenney looked at his spending habits and despite what he was told himself he cared about, he was really prioritizing fast food, no sleep, and video games.
So he changed his priorities by eliminating unhealthy, expensive food and instead, spent that money on investing in himself (a coach, the NF Academy, healthy food).
Of COURSE you don’t need to spend money on your health and wellness – but it can be like powerleveling yourself in a video game! If you think you can’t afford a gym membership, or a trainer, or a course…track your spending and measure what you have been spending your money on instead (TV, Netflix, game subscriptions, etc).
If you reallllly want something, you can find a way to save elsewhere to invest on what’s important:
If you have chosen to prioritize your health and wellness, I’d suggest investing in:
Notice I didn’t say anything about supplements or ab coasters or whatever – get your mentality in order, work with people who have succeeded in the way you want to succeed, and get started!
I’m so thankful Kenney let me share this story with you today! Here are the most important things he did to transform into Tony Stark:
Regardless of how involved you want to be with Nerd Fitness, I’m just glad that you’re here and reading this. I hope you can see Kenney’s transformation above and decide “Hey, I want to do that! maybe I should do what he did.” And put his words into your practice!
And then go see Kenney perform!
Look for the guy center stage….
-Steve
PS: I’m glad that Kenney is a really active and encouraging part of our community in the Nerd Fitness Academy, and I hope you consider checking it out too!
It’s the most supportive group on the internet, and you’ll also get workout plans, a 10-level nutritional system, an entire mindset module, and character leveling system with real-life quests and boss battles. It comes with a 60-day guarantee to give you a chance to try it out and see if it can help you level up your life!
https://www.girlsgonestrong.com/
Personal responsibility is the golden ticket to living your most empowered life. By accepting full responsibility for your words and actions (or lack thereof) you are putting the most important person in the driver’s seat — yourself.
When it comes to shirking responsibility, people are often surprised to hear that it isn’t always as straightforward as simply pointing a finger and saying, “It’s their fault!” It’s completely possible to duck ownership of our own actions by slyly blaming someone or something for what always boils down to a decision that we made.
Here are some examples of what it can look like to dodge personal responsibility, and place the blame squarely on someone or something else:
“I didn’t want to eat the cookies, but Kate baked them for me so I had to eat them or it would have been rude, and now I feel like crap.”
“Andriana wanted me to stay up late and watch more episodes of Netflix with her. Now I’m exhausted, and couldn’t go to the gym.”
In each of these scenarios, the most important aspect is the I: I chose to eat cookies. I chose to stay up late watching television. Sure, Kate baked cookies, but she didn’t force them down my throat. Yes, Andriana wanted to binge-watch television shows, but she didn’t handcuff me to the couch and physically make me watch them, too.
While we can’t control outside circumstances, we always have a decision in how we choose to act.
Let’s re-frame the above scenarios accepting personal responsibility:
“Kate baked cookies for me, and I chose to eat a bunch of them.”
“I chose to stay up too late with Andriana watching television.”
I am an adult who is privileged to be in control over my body and what I choose to do with it. If I want to eat cookies, skip a workout, or stay up late it’s fine, but I must take personal responsibility for my choice and be willing to own the subsequent consequences. Because the fact of the matter is that you, and only you, are solely responsible for your part in any situation.
Here is example of something that recently happened to me:
My boyfriend and I were paddleboarding at Lake Tahoe recently, and — while teetering on my paddle board — I took out my GoPro to try and take a selfie of us with our dogs. As soon as I extended the selfie stick, I realized I hadn’t put the screw in place, but by then it was too late.
Sploosh! The GoPro shot off the end of the selfie stick and instantly sank straight to the bottom.
My guy looked at me with alarm and said, “What happened?” I shrugged and replied, “I forgot to put the screw back in it.”
This is what accepting personal responsibility looks like:I could have blamed the choppy water, or my pup for wobbling the board around, or the makers of GoPro, but that all would have been ridiculous. The mishap was my fault for not paying attention when I put the camera together earlier that morning. (Sidenote: my boyfriend dove into the lake and miraculously managed to recover our GoPro.)
We all get into misunderstandings or disagreements with people that we care about, and personal responsibility is incredibly powerful and helpful here. Over the last few years, I have been quick to step up to the plate and accept where I’ve messed up in an attempt to repair a situation.
I’ve learned that there is a huge difference in terms of outcome between taking ownership by saying something like, “I’m so sorry. I messed up by _____________ . What can I do to make this right?” versus, “Yeah, well, the only reason I did X is because you did Y and Z!”
When you own up to your part, and focus on that and only that, you will open up the doors for a more productive conversation. In all of the times over the years that I’ve fully owned up to the part that I played in an undesirable circumstance, I’ve only had one person not be willing to try to work through the issue. And even in that circumstance, I still had peace knowing that I took responsibility for my part in the situation and tried to make it right.
A few years ago, Jen Sinkler wrote about this being her go-to response when someone complained to her. Since then, I have asked myself this question countless times (and usually in Jen’s kind, but assertive voice). The reason I love this question so much is because it immediately puts you in charge. It’s a great reminder that while you may not be at fault for something, you absolutely have control over your words and actions, which affects what happens next.
Over the last couple of years, my willingness to take full responsibility for my words, actions, and — often the most difficult — my reactions to other people’s behavior have had a more powerful and positive impact on my life than any other change I’ve made.
Accepting personal responsibility can be really challenging in some situations. This is especially true in circumstances that we can’t possibly control, such as how another person acts or what they say.
When you blame other people or outside circumstances for your behavior, you are essentially turning your power over to them. You are saying that how another person acts or what someone else does dictates your outcome, and that simply isn’t the case.
Here are a few reminders to stay fully in your power:
Remember: your words, your actions, and your reactions are your responsibility.
A message from GGS…
In our Strongest You Coaching program, we help women just like you reach their health, physique, and mindset goals. Strongest You Coaching is about more than just training and nutrition. It’s about changing your self-talk and inner dialogue, learning to let fitness enhance your life instead of rule your life, and finally healing your relationship with food and your body, all with the help of your Girls Gone Strong Coach, and your fellow Strongest You Coaching group.
The post The Power of Accepting Personal Responsibility appeared first on Girls Gone Strong.
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If sets require interruption at designated weight, make as minor an adjustment as needed and complete the next uninterrupted. When scheme is listed as “6 x 8″, it always refers to “Sets” x “Reps”. Reminder: Position and range of motion always govern weight.
Today:
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Like many people, I have a love/hate relationship with public restrooms. Yes, they’re necessary — for the obvious reasons — but oh how I hate to use them. I just know they’re teeming with germs. If you’re like me, you probably think putting a layer of toilet paper on the toilet seat will help protect […]
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If you have pain, weakness, numbness or a tingling sensation that begins in your lower back, runs through the buttock and all the way down the back of one leg, you could have sciatica. Sciatica is caused by a pinched nerve in the lower back. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may relieve pain, temporarily. But they […]
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I’m not going to talk about SMART goal setting or the usual “new year, new me” bullshit. Like you, I have seen it every year for a long time. In fact, 2018 marks my 20th year in the fitness industry. Personally I am not one for New Year’s resolutions. I do believe the end of the year and start of another is a great time for reflection, introspection and time to plan for a better future, but I also believe any time is great time for doing self-reflection and the like. It doesn’t have to be at the beginning of the year.
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Every New Year, the cynics are quick to tell you how arbitrary all the motivational messages, resolutions, and new beginnings are. It’s just another day, they grumble. And, sure, they have a point.
You could start that new diet, join that new CrossFit box that just opened down the street, and finally pursue the dream job you’ve always wanted on March 7th, February 15th, or August 3rd. It doesn’t have to be January 1st. Any day will do. The New Year is somewhat arbitrary.
But we’re social animals who thrive in the presence of others. We feed off the energy around us to fuel our own initiative. On some level we’re always looking to what the group is doing for motivation, if not direction. The New Year presents a unique opportunity that way for all of us. Why would we not take advantage of the tailwind?
Taking that first step toward substantive change isn’t always easy. Taking the next steps each day can get lonely. The mood changes, however, when those around you are buzzing with the same intention. This time of year, whatever space you’re in, it’s often full of humans doing, planning, and discussing big changes. Some of it is false bravado of course. Many will fail. Many will never even begin. But the energy is there, it feels real, and it’s infectious. Wasting the global and local momentum would be a big mistake.
New Year’s cynic or no, there’s no better day than today. There isn’t even any other day than today. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow hasn’t materialized. This moment is all that exists. It’s your only option. And—zip—there it went. Moments go fast. Better grab the next.
Yesterday’s post was a fantastic start. Erin’s WHY x5 is an essential tool for digging into your root desires and motivations for change. If you haven’t already, read it and go download the WHY x5 PDF. Fill it out and then come on back. I’ll wait.
Once you’ve figured out what you want to do, change, or become—and you have something (or somethings) very specific written down—it’s time to gather or shore up any knowledge and know-how you might be lacking. It’s important to know the nuts and bolts of Primal living, eating, and training, as you’ll presumably be utilizing them to enact the changes you desire.
Many of you know these topics inside and out. Others do not. The former group can take the opportunity to discover what they’re missing, what they’ve forgotten, what they never knew. The latter group will be in uncharted territory. Here’s how to navigate:
1. Primal Blueprint Challenge page – On this page you’ll be introduced to the basics of the Primal Blueprint and can follow numerous links to learn more (including a link to join the 21-Day Challenge community on Vimify).
2. The Books – I’d especially recommend The New Primal Blueprint book if you haven’t picked it up already. With loads of updated information, graphics and details, it’s a comprehensive, go-to source for Primal living.
3. What to cook? – Check out the Primal Blueprint Recipes on MDA and our cookbooks as well as the suggestions in the 21-Day Total Body Transformation book.
4. The Newsletter – Sign up on this page to get several free ebooks, a 7-day course on the fundamentals of lifelong health, and more.
While we won’t be doing a formal 21-Day Challenge on MDA until late spring, we’ve got plenty of good in store.
As for the MDA blog, this month we’ll be focusing on practical, actionable information you can use to fuel your healthy 2018 intentions, and we’ll have giveaways throughout all of January to celebrate. Check back each day so you don’t miss your chance to take part!
We’re social beings, remember? Books and blog posts and research can only get you so far. We also need the community, a living breathing thing that reacts and responds to you.
Sometimes you want to hear health and fitness experts have conversations about the types of topics that could change lives—like yours. Check out the Primal Blueprint Podcast hosted by Elle Russ (and sometimes Brad Kearns and myself), and the Primal Endurance Podcast hosted by Brad Kearns. Both are excellent.
There’s a great MDA Facebook group, extremely active and full of motivated posters, Primal Health coaches, and other enthusiasts. Go join so you can take part in the conversation (and have questions answered).
There’s also a Keto Reset Facebook group that you should join if you’re thinking about going keto. It gives you access to thousands of enthusiasts and experts who love talking about everything related to keto.
For either FB group, lurking is fine. You don’t have to participate, though you’ll probably derive more pleasure and success if you do.
The MDA forums are archived and read-only as of last month, but those archives contain valuable information and fascinating conversations between members on thousands of topics. It’s hard to summarize. Just go look.
You’ve got the tools, the knowledge, the goal in mind. Next comes the hard-easy part: action.
You stand at the base of a tall mountain, gazing up at your New Year’s goal glittering at the peak. There’s a path up, and it looks perilous but possible. Daunting but doable. You can do it. Will you? Take that first step and find out.
Now I’m going to ask you to fill in the next part. What do you need to make your intention happen—and what can we do on Mark’s Daily Apple to help you? What resources, topics, or ideas will give you a leg up? I’m looking for a whole swarm of possibilities, folks, so don’t be shy.
Let me know what your 2018 intentions are and how the bees and I can help you find success this year. No matter what your goal or your situation, the New Year can be the start of something big for your life.
I’ll choose 15 random commenters from the comment board below to receive a bottle of Primal Kitchen® Ranch Dressing—well, because the more, the merrier. Comment before midnight tonight (1/3/18 PST) to be eligible.
Thanks, everybody. Let’s make 2018 the best yet!
The post What Will 2018 Mean For Your Life? (And a Giveaway) appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.
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