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Quick Tools for Measuring Progress

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May2016-Day10

We have already discussed the importance of measuring your progress and today I am going to show you a couple of great tools for measuring that progress. As we have discussed, you should be tracking circumference measurements as well as body fat measurements. I have just the tools for you to do that.

Body Fat Calipers

One of the ways we can measure our own body fat is via calipers. I recommend Accumeasure calipers. They can be used in one single spot on your body and will give you an accurate view of what direction your body fat is going. Remember, it isn't important for the measurement to be 100% accurate. What matters is that you measure consistently the same way. This way if your percentage is dropping you know you are heading in the right direction.

MyoTape for Circumference Measurements

It can be very difficult to do circumference measurements without help from someone else. Enter the MyoTape tape measure. It is designed so that you can wrap it around a body part, latch it to itself and then hit a button to lock it tighter and then read the measurement. It is an essential tool for you to check your progress.

Progress Photos

Photos are the best way to track your overall progress. Photos tell the story. I try to take pictures weekly. I don't stress if I miss a week. The idea is to have documented evidence of your transformation. It also serves to motivate you.

Get the Tools!

It just so happens that the tools I am recommending are available from Amazon.com as a package deal. They are available for $9.98 total for both the Accumeasure calipers and the MyoTape tape measure. You should definitely head over to Amazon by clicking the image to the left and purchase this package deal. You will be on your way to great measurement capability.

 

 

 

Want to see all the messages in this May 2016 Challenge Series? I have them organized for you right here.

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Eat Clean Good Tasting Food

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Clean eating

I run a Facebook group called the Orange County Wellness Group. One of our group members, Mary Anne Polson, asked “what are some relevant and usable nutrition advise for picky eaters…i.e. No kale smoothies.” Today I will attempt to give you some relevant guidelines that you can follow in order to eat clean but good tasting food. The key here is that you don't have to eat plastic food in order to eat well.

The first thing to note is that if you are not planning to step on stage you can season your food with anything you want. Hot sauce, salsa, garlic, seasoned salt are all good things to make your food taste better. I prefer hot sauce, but you can use anything you'd like. Later I will present you with a list of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and condiments that are good when trying to lose weight.

The first thing to remember is that when working to take off weight, protein is your best friend. Higher protein diets have been shown to be the most effective.  When I advise people on losing weight I tend to point them towards a 5 or 6 meal a day plan that is pretty much a formula.

Meal 1 would include a protein, starchy carbohydrate, vegetables and a healthy fat.

Meal 2 and Meal 3 would be a repeat of Meal 1.

Meal 4 would include a protein, vegetables and a healthy fat.

Meal 5 would include a protein and vegetables.

Meal 6 would be a protein source only that is slow digesting.

This table summarizes the meal plan:

Meal Protein? Starchy Carb? Vegetable? Healthy Fat?
1 Yes Yes Yes Yes
2 Yes Yes Yes Yes
3 Yes Yes Yes Yes
4 Yes No Yes Yes
5 Yes No Yes No
6 Yes No No No

Applying this template is easy and effective. I personally eat the same thing over and over again, but you can add variety as you'd like. So what kind of food can you eat when eating this way?

Proteins:

Lean beef
Lean chicken
Seafood
Milk
Cheese
Yogurt (especially Greek)
Eggs
Beans
Whey Protein
Casein Protein (slow digesting)
Cottage Cheese (slow digesting)

Carbohydrates:

Before we address this, please note that carbs can be split into sugars, starches and fibers. You should pick from this list:

Vegetables
Fruits
Legumes
Nuts
Seeds
Grains
Tubers

Healthy Fats:

Avocados
Olives
Nuts
Natural Peanut Butter
Walnuts
Flax Seeds
MCT Oil
Coconut Oil
Fatty Fish (salmon, tuna, etc.)

To address Mary Anne's question about picky eaters, I want to point out that the best way to deal with being a picky eater is to use the lists above and pick out some healthy meals. Once you have those listed out for yourself go ahead and stick to those same meals over and over again. You can change up the taste by seasoning things differently, but this will lead to clean eating with good tasting food.  There truly is nothing wrong with eating the same healthy meals over and over again.

Now stay focused and get some work done!

 

Want to see all the messages in this May 2016 Challenge Series? I have them organized for you right here.

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Do You Need a Six Pack?

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Ego

Ego is something that drives us to do some crazy things. That leads me to ask today's question: Do you need a six pack? I tend to believe that those who are in search of a six pack are one of two types of people. Either they are a competitor who needs it for the competition or they are running on ego. Either way, let's examine whether anyone really needs a six pack.

Nicely toned abs look great on people. They give a nice look. The fact is that they are made in the kitchen and that is why more people don't have them. A six pack is not a necessity. It is just a nice to have. I personally feel that I would only really strive for a six pack due to a competition. I am good with a smoother look there at other times.

I do know that some people have such a large ego that they try to maintain the six pack at all times. I wonder if it is really worth it to them in the end or not. I often think about these things when doing cardio. I like the idea of being able to relax a little when not preparing for a competition.

The best way to get a six pack is to clamp down on what food you eat. You will have to cycle your carbs to get rid of the belly fat. You will need to be very strict. However, if you eat the way you should, the six pack will reveal itself.

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Does This New Diet Work?

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Diet

The diet question is something I think you should figure out and fast. Eating right is what helps your body drop the fat that it needs to drop. I will let you be the judge of whether or not this new diet plan I have been using is now working.

Since beginning the new diet plan 4 weeks ago I have dropped 35 lbs and 8% body fat. I did this all without feeling hungry and without depriving myself of anything. I am allowed to eat carbs right before I go to sleep at night and it has worked. This diet plan has not let me down yet. I am amazed at how well it has worked in a short period of time.

I am not going to go into specifics about my new diet plan for various reasons. Instead I am going to talk to you about the basics of it and why it seems to work so well.

  1. I am never hungry. I am eating a lot of small meals each day. As a result I am never actually hungry. I am in a much better place with eating now.
  2. I eat the same thing all the time. This simplifies things and takes away distractions. I am able to stay focused on my goals this way.
  3. I start my day off with protein and I end my day with protein. This is important. The kickstart in the morning and the settling at night are both things that have been working well for me.
  4. Carbs are not evil. I've known this for a long time, but this diet plan proves it. I eat carbs and I even eat them right before going to bed. It still works!

I feel like you need to reconsider the things you have heard about carbs, fat and protein. Give a new system a try. Eat protein first thing in the morning. Get protein and vegetables all day long. Finish the day with protein and carbs. Watch the fat peel off your body.

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Burn Fat With Bodyweight Cardio Exercises

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Burn fat

It is possible to use bodyweight exercises to burn fat. This bodyweight cardio is something that most people don't think of as real exercise, but it clearly is. Learning to burn fat using bodyweight exercises is an important skill. It takes away all excuses for getting cardio done.

Some Exercises to Use

In order to burn fat, use the following exercises to help you with that. They are all bodyweight style exercises.

1. Power Skip
Skipping isn’t just for kids. Raise the right knee up towards the hip while reaching your left arm overhead. Land on the ball of your left foot, and then alternate the skipping motion with the opposite arm and leg. Shoot for 10-15 skips as high as you can go.

2. High Knees
Stand tall with your feet hip-distance apart. Raise up your right knee as high as it’ll go, and then place the leg back down. Alternate legs and start picking up the pace. Try this jig for 30 seconds

3. Jumping Jack
This classic cardio move is a great way to warm up. Start with your feet together and hands at your sides, keeping the core engaged. Next, jump both legs out to the side (wider than your hips) while raising your arms overhead. Keep your knees bent as you jump again to bring your feet back together and arms down. That’s one. Now see what 20-30 feels like!

4. Mountain Climber
We’re not going up any real mountains, but these are a close second. Start down on your hands and knees, and bring the right foot forward to the chest while the left leg remains straight. Engaging the core, quickly switch legs, and keep this rhythm going for 15-20 reps.

5. Diver’s Push-up
Begin in a down-dog position with your arms firmly on the ground and gaze toward the floor. In a controlled and fluid motion, swoop the hips towards the floor while your chest rises. Keep moving until your back is arched and your gaze is towards the ceiling. Then swoop back down, continuing this motion for 10-15 reps.

These five exercises will help you to burn fat. None of them require special equipment. These can all be done at your home. This should remove all excuses.

The Strategy

By adding a bunch of bodyweight cardio exercises to your tool belt that will help you burn fat, you create something most people don't have. You take away excuses. These exercises can be done anywhere and need no equipment. Because of this I believe you will be in the position to burn fat more often. Leverage the strategy and you will see how much easier it is to consistently get your cardio done.

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