Self-Control

“It’s silly to try to escape other people’s faults. They are inescapable. Just try to escape your own”
-Marcus Aurelius

“Wow…How can they do this to me?”

“I’ve done so much for them.”

“They always use me.”

This scenario occurs time after time throughout our lives. Sometimes we’ve taught people how to treat us…sometimes people are selfish and lazy.

Theses no doubt that it’s frustrating, but how much time do you allow other people to occupy your mind? How much time do you allow it to rob you of your time, family, and your peace of mind?

There is a line that Marcus Aurelius quotes from Euripides. “You shouldn’t give circumstances the power to rouse anger, for they don’t care at all.” 

What good does the negative emotion do anyway?

Isn’t it interesting how we rage at the things that are outside our control; traffic, employees, opinions, weather.
The world is going to take things from you; time, energy, and money.

It’s even going to take other people from you. It’s going to do this whether you like it or not. It leaves a little control for us; however, only a small piece of control remains in our hands.

Therefore it’s all up to us to decide what we choose to do with our emotions.

Hold on to them?

Or let them go?

So if we’re going to be stressed or upset about anything; if we’re going to criticize or critique; there is only one place to look. It’s in that very little space we have control over...Our thoughts

“Let go or be dragged” –Chines Proverb

The Diet ‘khor ba (Circling)

“I yearn to be free of pain, but rush straight to it; I long for happiness, but foolishly crush it like an enemy” -Shantideva

‘khor ba, in Tibetan means circling, This “circling” is an endless round of compulsive flight and fixation. We feel compelled to struggle ahead completely blinded by the emotional highs that bring us right back to where we first began.


Optimism- This time is different!!!

Excitement- This is new!!!

Thrill- I’m seeing changes!!!!!

Cockiness- Haters gonna hate!!!!

Euphoria- Look at me now!!!!!

Anxiety- How can I keep this up?

Denial- This can’t be happening?

Fear- What will they think?

Desperation- What will I do?

Panic- No!!!!

Capitulation- I quit

Despondency- There’s absolutely no hope

Depression- There’s nothing left

Hope relief- This sounds interesting?

Optimism- This time is different!!!


“If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth, only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.”
-C.S. Lewis

IT’S NOT THE FOOD!

Personal awareness precedes personal transformation

Tips:

Paradigm Shift - A fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions

The reason we don’t change for long is because we have a set of beliefs that keep us who we are, not who we want to be

Things don’t change…we change


Traditional Method (externals)

What?

What can I do to lose weight?

How?

I’m going to restrict my food, and exercise more

Why?

I want to look better


Transformation Method (internals)

What?

What can I do to get what I want out of life?

How?

Personal awareness of thoughts

-Internals are primary (self-awareness)

- External are secondary (diets, exercise)

Why?

Because I’m important and I want to fully experience all of what life has to give.

“The day you decide you are more interested in being aware of your thoughts than you are in the thoughts themselves - that is the day you will find your way out” - Michael Singer

5 Steps to Euthymia

Eu.thy.mia (yu-thi-me-a) Energetic tranquility


Principle 1: Acknowledge
There is only one person you can change. You can’t change things outside of your control.

“You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Be mindful…Recognize/accept the events in your life that you do and don’t have control over. If you focus on events outside of your control, you are wasting energy and fostering negative emotions. You can’t change events; you can only change your attitude towards them. Through this realization our mind can become impenetrable. So long as we can control our attitudes and reactions, we can very well never be negatively influenced by outside events.

Principle 2: Contentment
Don’t fall prey to modern society’s materialistic nature.

“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.”
― Epictetus

You can't buy happiness. Tranquility is something that comes from within.

“There’s no dollar sign on a piece of mind” -The Zack Brown Band

Principle 3: Appreciation/Gratitude
Picture life without the people and possessions you have to truly appreciate them.

“Do not indulge in dreams of having what you have not, but reckon up the chief of the blessings you do possess, and then thankfully remember how you would crave for them if they were not yours.”     ― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

We’ve realized now that wanting more leads to dissatisfaction…so how do we find happiness? The key lies in gratitude. We must appreciate all that we have and find joy in it. Ironically, in modern times, we already have everything we need.

Principle 4: Do the right thing
Be genuinely cheerful (passion) in all your interactions. “A man thus grounded must, whether he wills or not, necessarily be attended by constant cheerfulness and a joy that is deep and issues from deep within, since he finds delight in his own resources, and desires no joys greater than his inner joys.”― Seneca

Now, utilizing the stoic principles, our happiness can become independent of other factors; we should be cheerful all the time as stoics because we desire nothing more than human experience. If we desired more, we could allow ourselves to be disappointed. This doesn’t mean that stoics can’t enjoy the finer things in life…it just means we shouldn’t think of them as necessary for our happiness. Only providing goodness to the world through helping people and advancing society…something we each are able to do on a daily basis, can make us truly fulfilled.

Principle 5: Embody
Practicing your values beats preaching them.

“Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.”
― Epictetus

Stoicism must be practiced if you want to influence the world in a better way. Ask yourself regularly, “What’s the best way to act in this situation?” You should be looking to make choices based on your personal values to increase the greater good. Live by your moral code.

To Summarize: 

-Don’t get caught up in materialism

-Let your cheerful attitude (passion) elevate your colleagues to bring them up; perform work diligently and for the greater good

-Recognize and acknowledge what’s in and out of your control…don’t let things out of your control affect your joy

-When frustrating things happen, breathe, recognize your emotion and the reason for it, and let it pass. You can’t do anything about it anyway. All that you can control is your reaction, and all you can do is embody goodness and appreciate all you have, which is something I’m sure we’ll all find joy in.

"You are here for my benefit, though rumor paints you otherwise." And everything is turned to one's advantage when he greets a situation like this: You are the very thing I was looking for. Truly whatever arises in life is the right material to bring about your growth and the growth of those around you. This, in a word, is art -- and this art called "life" is a practice suitable to both men and gods. Everything contains some special purpose and a hidden blessing; what then could be strange or arduous when all of life is here to greet you like an old and faithful friend?”                                             -Marcus Aurelius

Amygdala Hijack (Social media)

Have you ever sent an email or posted a Facebook comment that you've dreaded later? If so, there's a high probability that your brain has been hijacked by an ancient structure in the lower mid-brain area that represents our personal "smoke detector". The Amygdala.

Amygdala hijacking is an immediate and disproportionate emotional response to a stimulus that has triggered it. This is because the stimulus is perceived as a threat to one’s emotional stability. This is produced because the amygdala prevents the activation of other areas of the brain, especially the    neocortex. Emotions end up dominating the individual’s behavior. Also, it shuts off the area of the brain that makes us more rational... more human.

“Intense negative emotions absorb all of the individual’s attention, serving as an obstacle to any attempt to attend to other things.”
-Daniel Goleman

The frontal area of the cortex that is inhibited in the hijacking is the one responsible for our logical thinking and the planning out of our actions. Instead, the amygdala forms part of the most primitive parts of the brain. It’s the one that regulates our emotions (flight or flight). Thus, our logical thinking winds up subordinated to the command of our emotions.

“You have to keep in mind that impulses are the vehicle of emotions and the seed of every impulse is an expansive feeling that seeks to express itself through action.”
-Daniel Goleman

Colon Cleansing

The latest research pertaining to cleansing is very promising!

If you are new to the “cleansing” scene, let me explain the typical method.

Most colon cleansing systems are 2 week programs that are designed to generate a progressive cleansing effect on our body in just 14 days.

During these 14 days, you follow a 3 phase cleansing process.

Phase 1: Preparation Phase - Prepares the colon for the cleanse.  This phase helps you go to the bathroom more often and kills off the deadly intestinal parasites.

Phase 2: The Cleansing Phase - The primary colon cleansing and detoxifying effectiveness revolves around the ingredients found in the phase 2 Cleansing and Detoxifying Powder. These ingredients merge together with the other super nutrients in the capsules to perform a proper cleansing process.

Sally, house wife and mother of 3 said,

“The powder swells up in your stomach and makes you feel full. I’m never hungry!”

Stomach fullness is very important when you’re fasting; however, the main purpose of the Cleansing and Detoxifying Powder is that it absorbs toxic buildup in your system and scrubs the wall of the colon by sweeping away the parasites that cause fat spackling, water retention, and disease. 

Phase 3: The Restoration Phase – The cleansing is complete and now ready to be restored. In this phase you reintroduce solids foods and continue to consume the included capsules. This process completes the cleanse by adding pro-biotics that introduce good bacteria back into your system.

You can now go back to your regular eating habits!

Latest Studies!

The latest cleansing research is very promising for anyone wanting to regain their health; however, it’s creating a conundrum for insurance companies and the health care industry. At this very moment, these big corporations are lobbying to prohibit this information leaking into the private sector due to the impact it could have on their businesses.

So what is it?

This highly anticipated system is specifically designed to have a progressive cleansing effect on your body in just 14 days. “Every study” has shown that this 3 phase process surpasses every diet and cleansing system on the market, due to its unique approach.

“As it turns out, it’s not about cleansing the body.  It’s about cleansing the mind!”

This controversial statement was made by Kelly Hitchcock (PFT, BCS, CBT, RBT, NLP, Dad, Gym Owner and me) during a training session at KH Fitness.

“For many years we look at the environment and food as the problem… But then I thought, 'Hey, I live in the same world!' It’s not that I eat different…it’s that I think different!”

With that simple thought about thinking about our thoughts, Hitchcock’s system was developed.

Cognitive Cleansing System

Phase 1: Preparation Phase (Awareness) - Prepares cognition for the cleanse. This phase helps you become aware of your flawed thoughts and identify their manifestations.

Phase 2: The Cleansing Phase (Acceptance) - The primary cognitive cleansing and detoxifying effectiveness revolves around the ingredients found in phase 2’s clarifying, evaluating, and acceptance process. These ingredients are teamed together with other psychological methods in this system which allows a proper cognitive cleansing and detoxifying.  The amount of self-esteem that swells up in your head provides complete and unadulterated liberation.

Barbra, secretary and mother of 2 said,

“My head felt full, yet empty. I was finally free from the diabolical constructs that imprisoned my thought process for so many years. This cleansing process has truly imbued me with purpose, freedom and compassion.” 

The true secret to this system is the clarity of perspective. This clear honest view absorbs the toxic buildup of cognitive fecal matter in your mind, while at the same time sweeps up the ANT’s (automatic negative thoughts).
And as an added bonus, it scrubs the neurological wall of arrogance, ignorance, and ill-discerned certitudes. 

Phase 3: The Restoration Phase (Contentment)  

The restorative phase in Eastern philosophy is called Nirvana. It’s a place of perfect peace and happiness. The individual’s desires and suffering are diminished into a world of cognitive clarity and acceptance.

The Cognitive Cleanse System has been referred to by many clients as an emancipation, liberation, self-realization and a release of false-self.

The part Hitchcock (me) said he was the most excited about with this new revolutionary system is it that it works for any age, gender (even those with a gender identity disorder), and race.

“This program is available to anyone, from kids to adults of any age that are compacted with brain spackling and toxic buildup of flawed thoughts… and the best part... it doesn’t cost you a thing!”

He/me continues…

“There is one catch; you have to be honest, intentional, and persistent. ‘The system is a process’… It’s really cool to see how it works; nothing changes; however, everything changes” 

He/I concluded…

“Unlike the colon cleanse, that goes right back to the “regular way”…with the cognitive cleanse system, you will never be able to look at things the regular way ever again!”

"Cleanse the mind and the body will follow!”

Three Fitness Truths

1. Physical looks are 80% nutrition and 20% exercise

2. Training specificity is extremely important in reaching your goals

-Cardio…You don’t increase caloric expenditure by shrinking your muscles

-Weight training (not circuit training)… Increases caloric expenditure, builds bone density, and aids in preventing injuries in other sports.

3. Your body is a reflection of how you think. The reason we don’t change for long is because we have a set of beliefs that keeps us where we are, not where we want to be

Changing your body is really about changing your mind

Self-Esteem

Internal or external?

The man who desires attention, accolades, or wealth, then becomes enslaved by attention, accolades, or wealth.

The man who derives satisfaction from doing the right thing, becomes liberated by doing the right thing.

Never let your self-esteem be dependent on what others think.

“Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them”

                                                                                        ~ Epictetus

Perhaps (Buddhist parable)

Long ago in China there was an old farmer. With the same horse this old farmer had plowed and worked his land for many years when one day his horse suddenly ran away. As news of this reached his neighbors, the old farmer was met with sympathy. Neighbors visited throughout the day saying, "Wow, what bad luck to have your horse run away!"

The old farmer would think for a moment then say softly, "Perhaps..."

The next morning the old farmer awoke to find his horse had returned. With the horse were several wild horses who had apparently followed the horse home. Neighbors rejoiced, visiting the old farmer to express how happy they were for his sudden good fortune.
The old farmer would think for a moment then say softly, "Perhaps..."

Shortly after, the old farmer's son decided to try to ride one of the wild horses. Climbing on the horses back, the boy knocked the animal hard with his leg shouting for the horse to go. Startled, and probably a little annoyed, the horse flung the boy off its back. The old farmer's son broke his leg in the fall. Again, neighbors came to offer their sympathies for the misfortune, "What a horrible string of bad luck you're having!"

The old farmer would think for a moment then say softly, "Perhaps..."

The very next day, military officials came into the village with orders to draft young men into military service. As they went from home to home, rounding up young men, they made their way to the old farmer's house. Upon seeing the farmer's son with his broken leg they decided to move on, leaving the boy alone. Once again, neighbors came to share words of congratulations to the old farmer for the good fortune to have his son passed by.

And again, the old farmer would think for a moment then say softly, "Perhaps..."

 When the soul cries out, it is a sign that we have arrived at a necessary, mature stage of self-reflection. The secret is not to get stuck there dithering or wringing your hands, but to move forward by resolving to heal yourself. Philosophy asks us to move into courage. Its remedy is the unblinking excavation of the faulty and specious premises on which we base our lives and our personal identity.

                                                                                                                             ~ Epictetus

Awake: Three Behavioral Truths

1) When the student is ready, the teacher will appear

-We cannot change what we refuse to confront

-Nothing changes; we change

-Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you react to it

-What you do every day matters more than what you do every once in a while

-Learn to love yourself first, instead of loving the idea of other people loving you



2) A motivated person will not be deterred from achieving their goals

-Don’t think of the cost.  Think of the value

-If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse

-Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come

-You can learn great things from your mistakes when you aren’t busy denying them

-You don’t drown by falling in the water.  You drown by staying there

-Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together


3) Motivation can only be validated by the efforts made by the individual

-In life, if you don’t risk anything, you risk everything

-You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one

-You will never become who you want to be if you keep blaming everyone else for who you are

-If you don’t like something, change it.  If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.

-Growth demands a temporary surrender of security

Nothing changes; we change

Point of Reference

Thoughts emerge
Emotions illicit fear and pain
Critical egoic attachments
Creates distortions and disdain

In seeing who you’re not
A metamorphosis occurs
The truth has always been there
A little voice was never heard

Awareness of the “now”
Enlightenment to past thoughts
We see the point of reference
The manifestation of flawed ought’s

So love the little one
Who suffered years of pain
There was nothing the child could do
Liberation from self-shame

A whole new world emerges
Our childhood now lights the path
No need for affirmation
Self-esteem has come at last


“In the seeing of who you are not,
the recognition of who you are, emerges”
-Eckhart Tolle

The Ride!

“The truth is you don't know what is going to happen tomorrow. Life is a crazy ride, and nothing is guaranteed” - Eminem


"The next rider up… on the bull Bodacious; Tuff Hedeman!"

The extreme sport of Bull Riding is perhaps the most ferocious ride a man can experience. You’re up, down, spinning one way, spinning the other way, in the air, and finally, on the ground. And remember, this is all done on a 2,000 pound beast.

What a thrill!

Some of these rides will be exciting, and some, not so much; but rest assured, there will always be a ride.

Bull riders are a fearless group of fellows.

The one thing you may not know about them is they do their homework. This allows the bull rider to adjust his strengths and weakness to the bull’s tendencies. The more you can know about yourself, and the bull, increases your chances for success.

Example: (Cowboys talking)

“He’s a crow hopper!” This is a bull that doesn’t buck; he just jumps stiff legged into the air.

“You drew you a jump kicker!” This kind of bull jumps and kicks while in mid-air.

“Watch out…he’ll suck back on you” This bull will spin one way, then instantly spin back the other.

“He’s rank!” This bull should be named Oxymoron…you want him…but you don’t.  He’s the kind of bull that makes you pay a huge price for the ride; however, if you stay on, he pays a huge dividend.

Knowing your bull is one thing: however, your strategy is another.

The beast is strong, quick, and tenacious. You can’t out muscle it (most bull riders weigh about 150 pounds); you’re not near as fast; you might be as tenacious, but that doesn’t help much with a 2 ton beast.

The one advantage humans have in this situation is smarts…intelligence. We’re able to consider all of the above listed traits of the bull, and compare that with all of our strengths and weaknesses. Equipped with this information, we can use logic and reason to come up with a strategy to increase our chances for success.

We don’t always win: however, we can minimize the damage. It’s ironic; everything in life that’s meaningful comes with a certain degree of uncertainty and danger.

Think about the ride of life.

Life is up and down. Sometimes you’re spinning one way and then in an instant, spinning the other way. Sometimes you feel like you’re high in the air… and the next, crashing to the ground. And remember, this ride in life is occurring over a 70-80 year lifespan.

What a wonderful ride we have if our perspective is clear and focused.

What a hard ride if not.

We can all learn from the bull riders. The advantage… we have our intellect.

If we stay calm and use our intellect, we can develop better strategies for dealing with the wild ride of life.

Life’s Tendencies:

“The ride of life can be a crow hopper!” Life just throws you in the air.

“Life can be a jump kicker!” This kind of life throws you up and then kicks the sh—out of you.

“Life can suck back on you” This really sucks. Things are going great, and then, sucked right back where you first began.

“Life can/will be rank” This is life’s Oxymoron…it’s not that you want it; however, its times like these where true growth occurs.

Choose life; live life; and enjoy the ride!

As Thomas Paine once said,

“The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, which can gather strength from distress and grow.”

I want to conclude with a song called “The Dance”, written by Tony Arata, and performed by Garth Brooks.

This song/video featured people who died too early in their life due to tragedies before they really had a chance to fulfill their potential. Bull rider Lane Frost was one of these exceptional people featured in the video.

The song is basically is about how their chosen paths in life led to their tragic ends, and that while they may have lived longer, they would have missed out on all they experienced if they had chosen a different path, or ride in life.

So regardless of what we choose to call life; Ride or Dance. The point is to learn as much as you can about life, and yourself, and then don’t hold back.

The Dance

Looking back on the memory of
The dance we shared 'neath the stars above
For a moment all the world was right
How could I have known that you'd ever say goodbye

And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance

Holding you I held everything
For a moment wasn't I a king
But if I'd only known how the king would fall
Hey who's to say you know I might have changed it all

And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance

Yes my life is better left to chance
I could have missed the pain but I'd have had to miss the dance

Why don’t we Change… for Long?

“A man lost in the desert can trudge along for hours through the sands until he sees ahead of him an unmistakable line of foot prints leading to the horizon. But his joy on finding the trail turns to despair when he realizes the tracks are his own. Without a path or a landmark to guide him, he traced a vast circle while convinced he was walking in a straight line”  -Stephen Batchelor

“Why don’t we change for long” is a complex question.

It could be knowledge; our thoughts are flawed or we’ve been misinformed.

It could be time or effort; we’re too busy with other things and don’t want to commit.

It could be money; we’re not aware of the financial commitment.

Or…perhaps it’s just You?

I’m not really talking about “you” as in the conscious you. I’m not talking about the voice of awareness that says, “I’m going on this _________diet”

I am talking about “you” from the perspective of the unconscious you. This is the movement that occurs prior to the voice of awareness.

In the relatively new study of neuroscience, most scientists agree that 80% to 90% of what we do every day feels like a decision, a choice, but it’s actually subconscious movement.

Now don’t get me wrong, we did make a choice at some point that hardwired the subconscious movement; however, the choice becomes less discerned over time; automatic if you will.

(Remember when you had to have complete focus to learn how to ride your bike? Now you ride the bike with no conscious thought. The brain seeks efficiency)

At the neurological level the brain, there is a 3 step process for thoughts to occur. When these thoughts occur, we act. When these acts are repeated, they become a subconscious habit.

-Perception (our view based on past experience)

-Emotion (positive or negative)

-Behavior (action)

These three things make up who you are, and may answer why you do what you do.

And this is why we don’t change for long.

The reason we don’t change for long is because we have a system of thinking (perception-emotion-behavior) that keeps us who we are, not who we want to be.

How does change occur?

First examine the thoughts that create our perception. (Clarify and evaluate)
Our perception is based on our input. If our input is flawed, our emotions will be irrational.
If our emotions are irrational, our behavior that follows will be counterproductive for change to occur. In other words, you will end up right where you first began.

“Like someone lost in a desert, we feel compelled to struggle ahead, unaware that a circle will only bring us back to where we first began”. –Stephen Batchelor

Let’s say you’re attempting a new diet. If you have tried a diet before, and it didn’t work; the likelihood of the next one working is minimal.

Why?

Because there’s a flaw in the 3 step process: your perceptions, the emotions elicited, and the behavior that follows. We end up focusing on the failed diet…not the failed neurology of our thought process.
This is the missing link in the proverbially chain of success. The diet may be different, but you bring a flawed system of thinking (You) to attempt change.

Einstein once said,

“The world we have made as a result of the level of thinking we have done thus far creates problems we cannot solve at the same level of thinking at which we created them."

In other words…nothing changes unless our thoughts change.  So the next time you’re attempting change, don’t necessarily look for “external solutions.”

This time look for “internal clarifications.”

When you address the flawed manifestations of our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, lifelong change is one choice away.

Change your mind and everything changes…and everything changes when you change your mind.


“We are masters of self-delusion. Our desires are fruitful sources of every kind of error and misjudgment, and because we have these yearnings in us, our intellects…present to us everything distorted and accommodated to the norms of our desire.” –Merton

Stoic Optimism

-Stoicism is a practice.

-Stoicism is the foundation for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

-Stoicism’s undeserved reputation for being synonymous with emotionless, it can actually lead to an incredibly satisfying way of life.

-Stoicism is a very old philosophy that can be practiced by anyone to increase their happiness; many ideas you may already practice in your daily interactions.

-Stoicism is, at its root, a philosophy for minimizing the negative emotions in your life and maximizing your gratitude and joy; it includes mindfulness practices and value-based living.

-Stoicism is a tool to amplify your human experience, both internally and externally, by incorporating some of their thought processes into our daily lives, I believe we’ll find more joy in our daily duties and respond more resiliently to troubles and challenges that arise.

Marcus Aurelius always reminded himself that the obstacle is the way:

“Our actions may be impeded…but there can be no impeding our intention or dispositions. Because we can accommodate and adapt. The mind adapts and converts to its own purpose the obstacle to our acting”
“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way, becomes the way”

When we look at the world through this lens…every obstacle provides a chance to practice excellence.


Principle 1: You can’t change things outside of your control, but you can change your attitude.

“You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Thomas Edison

At the age of 67, Edison was having dinner with his family. A loud knocking is at his door. He is informed that there is a fire at his factory. He rushes there to find it completely engulfed in flames. The flames are roaring high emitting blues, reds and greens from the chemicals used in his facility.
He looks over to find his son distraught. He taps on his sons shoulder and reply’s, “quick, get your mother and all of her friends, they’ll never see a fire like this again”

Principle 2: Don’t fall prey to modern society’s materialistic nature.

“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.”
― Epictetus

Principle 3: Picture life without the people and possessions you have to truly appreciate them.

“Do not indulge in dreams of having what you have not, but reckon up the chief of the blessings you do possess, and then thankfully remember how you would crave for them if they were not yours.” ― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Principle 4: Be genuinely cheerful in all your interactions.
“A man thus grounded must, whether he wills or not, necessarily be attended by constant cheerfulness and a joy that is deep and issues from deep within, since he finds delight in his own resources, and desires no joys greater than his inner joys.”― Seneca

Principle 5: Practicing your values beats preaching them.

“Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.”― Epictetus

To summarize Stoicism, don’t get caught up in materialism, have cheerful interactions with your colleagues to bring them up, perform work diligently and for the greater good, and recognize what’s in and out of your control…don’t let things out of your control affect your joy.

When frustrating things happen, breathe, recognize your emotion and the reason for it, and let it pass. You can’t do anything about it anyway. All that you can control is your reaction, and all you can do is embody goodness and appreciate all you have, which is something I’m sure we’ll all find joy in.

Please…Don’t be Stupid. Frustrations!

“You can’t handle the Truth”-A Few Good Men

“I’m frustrated!”

Why are you frustrated?

“I can’t lose weight”

“I can’t build muscle”

“I can’t lose belly fat”

When I hear comments like these, I always ask, “what are you eating?” or “what type of exercise program do you do?”

Probably 90% to 95% of the time after hearing what they’re doing I end up thinking, “Why are you frustrated?”

There’s nothing that evokes frustrations more than unrealistic expectations.

When it comes to… “I can’t lose weight”

It’s simple…you’re intake is exceeding your caloric expenditure. (You’re consuming more than you’re burning)

And that’s the Truth.

“I can’t build muscle”

My first question is, “how many calories are you eating… and what is your macronutrient profile?”

Most people don’t know how many calories they’re eating, or what their diet is composed of.

And to make matters worse… they don’t care.

They just want change.

My second question is, “What type of workout program are you on?”                                        

If they say “orange theory”, “CrossFit”, or they run a lot; again, silently, I think, “Why do you think you would be building muscle?”

Building muscle with those programs is the equivalent of playing ping pong to become a better tennis player.

Training specificity is the most important component in the success of any program.

That is the Truth!

How about goals?

“Well… I’m not sure?”

In the absence of clearly-defined goals, we mistake motion for action and become frustrated at the lack of results.

Keep in mind; if you are vague in your efforts your results will be vague.

Before you can reach any destination, you have to have a map. If the map is flawed, the trip will take longer than expected.

With no clear defined goal, there can be no clear defined results.

This is the Truth!

 “I can’t lose belly fat”

Please…don’t be stupid.

Truth!

From my personal perspective, today’s society doesn’t want the truth.  We want comfort and entertainment.

I think our main problem with the Truth is that it requires us to take responsibility. And along with responsibility comes accountability.

I believe that there is nothing more frightening to most people than the thought of responsibility and accountability.

Because then… we have to own it.

C.S. Lewis eloquently stated the dilemma that one incurs when seeking comfort over the Truth,

“If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth, only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.”

The Truth is the answer.

The Truth is the way.

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." –John 8:32

Please…Don’t be Stupid. Commit!

“Tell me with whom you consort with and I will tell you who you are.”- Goethe


Studies show that our social environment plays a major role in our perception of life and our commitment to change. If you feel you are developmentally stuck in a growth rut and lack the ability to commit, take a look at these three main areas of your life:

-Relationships (who you spend time with)

-Place (where you spend your time)

-Activity (what you do with your time)

Seneca, a famous Stoic philosopher had this to say who and how we spend our time:

“Choose someone whose way of life as well as words, and whose very face as mirroring the character that lies behind it, have won your approval. Be always pointing him out to yourself either as your guardian or as your model. There is a need, in my view, for someone as a standard against which our characters can measure themselves. Without a ruler to do it against you won’t make crooked straight.”

This is simply where the rubber meets the road. If any of the above mentioned are problems, what actions are you willing to take to change your situation?

-Are you willing to change relationships?

-Are you willing to spend time in different places?

-Are you willing to change your current activities?

If you’re not will to do different, be prepared to have much of the same.

Getting stuck in a growth rut is really a reflection of our inability to commit to change. The person who we’ve become is known and comfortable; we know what to expect, and the pain isn’t unbearable…yet.

This type of lifestyle can go on for years and years; that is until the pain of staying the same exceeds the fear of the unknown.

Gail Sheeby once said, “Growth demands a temporary surrender of security.” 

Acknowledgement is the first step in the growth process because it requires you to relinquish an attachment to a false identity. When you surrender the false self, the true self emerges.

It’s also an understanding that things don’t change unless we change.

There is no doubt that changing is a hard thing to do…but so is staying the same.

So the next time you’re feeling like your drowning in the sea of life, pull yourself up with these three easy steps:

-Honest introspection

-Goal specificity

-Commitment to the process

“The irony of commitment is that it's deeply liberating -- in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around like rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life.”
― Anne Morris

Ketogenic diet…Please… Don’t be Stupid!!!

Ok…here we go again.

The Devil's Diet Circle;

“A man lost in a desert can trudge for hours through the sands until he sees ahead of him an unmistakable line of foot prints leading to the horizon. But his joy on finding a trail turns to despair when he realizes the tracks are his own. Since one limb was a few millimeters longer than the other or habit or injury inclined him to step fractionally further with one leg, he consistently veered to the right or left. Without a path or landmark to guide him, he traced a vast circle while convinced he was walking in a straight line.”

Regardless of what our past diet history has told us, we feel compelled to struggle ahead, unaware that this diet is no different than the last. We are blinded by the illusionary promises that this time will be different than the one before.  We seek what makes us feel good, rather than seeking resolution.  Like an impulsive child with amnesia, we rush forward with no memory of past experiences, only caring about the emotional high that an illusionary promise provides.

Ok…enough of the poetic hyperbole.

“These diets work!”

If I had any hair left on my head I would pull it out when I hear that comment.

Clarification:

Number one... we’re all on a diet. It’s just some people's diets are more stupid than others.

Number two... just because you lose weight doesn’t mean it’s a “good thing” or that “it works!”

Let’s look at some of these diet methods that “work”:

-Starvation diets (Anorexia)

-Low carb diets (low-cal)

-Blood type diet (low-cal)

-Cleanse diet (Juice...really?)

-Eat and throw up diet (Bulimia)

-Crap it out diet (Laxatives)

And now!

Ketogenic diet!

Sigh….

What is the ketogenic diet?

The ketogenic diet involves eating foods high in fat such as meat, fish, nuts and cheese, and eating a very low amount of carbohydrates.

(*The ketogenic diet recommends taking supplements to make up for the nutritional deficiencies that the diet doesn’t provide. I’m sorry…how stupid do you have to be to start a diet that requires supplements to make up for the deficiencies of the diet???)

KH: Same as Atkins, sugar busters, zone, and so on and so on….they’re just repackaging the same stupid s--- for people who are looking for something other than eating healthy
This diet recommends that people eat 30 grams (g) of carbohydrates or below per day. The goal is to eat 3 to 4 g of fat for every 1 g of carbohydrate and protein.

Because the ketogenic diet restricts carbohydrates, there is not enough sugar available for the body to use as fuel, so it resorts to using fat. The process of breaking down fat is called "ketosis," and it produces a fuel source called ketones.

IMPORTANT!

KH: The body does resort to burning fat for fuel for muscle contraction; however, what does the brain use for fuel in the absence of carbohydrates?  The brain requires 120 grams of glucose (Carbohydrates) over a 24 hour period. When you don’t eat enough carbohydrates your brain sends a signal to convert muscle into glucose for neurological functioning. This process is called gluconeogenesis.

Gluconeogenesis is stimulated by the stress hormone cortisol.

Scientists have known for years that elevated cortisol levels: interfere with learning and memory, lower immune function and bone density, increase weight gain, blood pressure, cholesterol, heart disease... The list goes on and on.

Chronic stress (environment and nutritional) and elevated cortisol levels also increase risk for depression, mental illness, and lower life expectancy.

Other side effects:

As the ketogenic diet entails switching to a different source of energy, it can lead to some side effects. These may include:

-loss of salts

-keto-flu

-noticeable change in bowel habits, such as constipation

-uncomfortable leg cramps

-noticeable loss of energy

-mental fogginess

-frequent urination

-headaches

-kidney stones

-increased risk of bone fractures due to acidosis

Children may also experience stunted growth due to reduced levels of an insulin-like growth factor that can lead to bone erosion. This can mean weak bones that are highly susceptible to fractures.

Please… Don’t be Stupid!

The goal in our diet and life should be to reduce stress and become healthy. Reducing cortisol levels through healthy thinking and eating are definitely steps in the right direction.

Stress Reduction Techniques:

-Mindfulness (put things into proper perspective…less emotions and more logic)

-Balanced nutrition (55% carbs, 25 to 20% lean protein, 15 to 20% unsaturated fats)

-Exercise (Walk 20-30 per day, weight train 2-3 times per week)

-Prayer, meditation, yoga, reading, or various other peaceful moments in a chaotic world)

- “Pan Metron Ariston”…Moderation in All Things.

Moderation in all things is the key part of our personal growth. So the next time a “new diet” pops up… STOP. Awaken the impulsive child within us that wants immediate gratification and look for a long term solution.

It’s not about a radical new diet…it’s about a new radical lifestyle. That lifestyle is called self- control.

It’s not what we’re eating…it’s what’s eating us.....

Please…Don’t be stupid!

Words of Wisdom

Change your thoughts…Everything changes

We cannot change what we refuse to confront.

Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.

Don’t think of cost.  Think of value.

Sometimes we need to distance ourselves to see things clearly.

Too many people buy things they don’t need with money they don’t have to impress people they don’t know.

No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying.

If a person wants to be a part of your life, they will make an obvious effort to do so.  Think twice before reserving a space in your heart for people who do not make an effort to stay.

Making one person smile can change the world – maybe not the whole world, but their world.

Saying someone is ugly doesn’t make you any prettier.

The only normal people you know are the ones you don’t know very well.

Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you react to it.

The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too.

It’s better to be alone than to be constantly put down.

As we grow up, we realize it becomes less important to have more friends and more important to have real ones.

Making a hundred friends is not a miracle.  The miracle is to make a single friend who will stand by your side even when hundreds are against you.

Giving up doesn’t always mean you’re weak, sometimes it means you are strong enough and smart enough to let go and move on.

Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresea, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, Albert Einstein, etc…

“They say we waste time as if that’s possible; we don’t waste time; we waste ourselves”

If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.

Don’t choose the one who is beautiful to the world; choose the one who makes your world beautiful.

Falling in love is not a choice.  To stay in love is.

True love isn’t about being inseparable; it’s about two people being true to each other even when they are separated.

While you’re busy looking for the perfect person, you’ll probably miss the imperfect person who could make you perfectly happy.

Never do something permanently foolish just because you are temporarily upset.

You can learn great things from your mistakes when you aren’t busy denying them.

In life, if you don’t risk anything, you risk everything.

When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you.

Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.

There isn’t anything noble about being superior to another person.  True nobility is in being superior to the person you once were.

Trying to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.

You will never become who you want to be if you keep blaming everyone else for who you are now.

People are more what they hide than what they show.

Sometimes people don’t notice the things others do for them until they stop doing them.

Don’t listen to what people say, watch what they do.

Being alone does not mean you are lonely, and being lonely does not mean you are alone.

Love is not about sex, going on fancy dates, or showing off.  It’s about being with a person who makes you happy in a way nobody else can.

Anyone can come into your life and say how much they love you.  It takes someone really special to stay in your life and show how much they love you.

Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, and wear the fancy lingerie.  Don’t save it for a special occasion; today is special.

Love and appreciate your parents.  We are often so busy growing up; we forget they are also growing old.

When you have to start compromising yourself and your morals for the people around you, it’s probably time to change the people around you.

Learn to love yourself first, instead of loving the idea of other people loving you.

When someone tells you, “You’ve changed,” it might simply be because you’ve stopped living your life their way.

Someone else doesn’t have to be wrong for you to be right.

Be happy.  Be yourself.  If others don’t like it, then let them be.  Happiness is a choice.  Life isn’t about pleasing everybody.

When you’re up, your friends know who you are.  When you’re down, you know who your friends are.

Don’t look for someone who will solve all your problems; look for someone who will face them with you.

If you expect the world to be fair with you because you are fair, you’re fooling yourself. That’s like expecting the lion not to eat you because you didn’t eat him.

No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life.  Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.

The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.

Many people are so poor because the only thing they have is money.

Learn to appreciate the things you have before time forces you appreciate the things you once had.

When you choose to see the good in others, you end up finding the good in yourself.

You don’t drown by falling in the water.  You drown by staying there.

It’s better to know and be disappointed than to never know and always wonder.

There are things that we don’t want to happen but have to accept, things we don’t want to know but have to learn, and people we can’t live without but have to let go.

Happiness is not determined by what’s happening around you, but rather what’s happening inside you.  Most people depend on others to gain happiness, but the truth is, it always comes from within.

If you tell the truth, it becomes a part of your past.  If you lie, it becomes a part of your future.

What you do every day matters more than what you do every once in a while.

You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one.

Things turn out best for people who make the best out of the way things turn out.

If you don’t like something, change it.  If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.

Please…don’t be stupid with your breakfast

As its name implies (break-fast), is to break the fast from the last meal you ate the night before.

Ok…this is where people get stupid.

Stupid stuff: 

-“I don’t have time” (Yes you do…you do what’s important)

-“I’m not hungry” (That’s because you binged the night before because you didn’t eat breakfast that morning…I call that circular stupidity)

- “I’m trying to save calories” (Saving for what? your night time meal? Tell how that’s working for you?)

More Stupid stuff:

Then you have a stupid trainer, infomercial, or hot girl on twitter talking about the intense fat burning, incinerating, destroying, carbonizing (do you get it yet?) mechanisms of skipping breakfast. 

So here’s the truth:

When your body enters into a prolonged fasting state, "it" starts to believe that you won't be eating any time soon.

*Special note…”It” in the above mentioned, is the brain. The body doesn’t think… unlike what many internet experts may suggest 

When you finally eat lunch, your body stores a majority of the food as fat because “it” (brain) thinks, "I'd better save this for later. It (brain) doesn't know when the next meal will come." That, of course, leads to weight gain.
When you break the fast in the morning, on the other hand, your body can use that food to power you through the day.

Think about it…the Savannas of Africa was the platform in which our physiology was developed. The harshness of the environment favored a species that could store fat in times of famine.

Fast forward to modernity:

By starving the conscious creature (neocortex area of the brain) you wake up our ancestral cousin (the limbic system is the instinctual area of the brain).

You may ask why this is a problem?

The problem is we don’t have to literally run after our next meal…we can order it.
When the limbic system is awakened, the frantic consuming begins.

Controlling the Beast:

The way we keep the beast satiated is to eat mixed meals (Carbs, protein, and fat) every three to three and a half hours. This stabilizes blood sugar and allows our body to utilize our body fat stores all day long.
It’s not magic…its science.

Breakfast is the most important meal of our day; it feeds the mind, body, and sets in motion habitual patterns of successful intentions.

Tell me how you start your day and I’ll tell you who you are!

Additional benefits of breakfast:

- Kick starts your mind and body into action and keeps hunger at bay

-Elevates your metabolism

-Allows your body to utilize fat all day long

-Increases mental clarity

-Enhance problem solving skills (which is very important when you can’t understand why skipping breakfast makes you more hungry)

-If you’re an ass, it makes you less of an ass, which is beneficial for everyone

Please…Don’t be Stupid. Brain

“I don’t not understand what I do; for what I want to do I do not do; but what I hate, I do”                -Paul Romans 7:15

Let’s assume for a moment that you have ignored all of the information I’ve given you (which would be really stupid).

Chances are that you were one of two things; “offended” by what I said (please don’t be stupid), or you think "your body" doesn’t work like that.

Ok stop!

That’s the problem!

The problem is not your body…it’s your head!

That’s right…your head!

Think of the body as a computer screen. It just projects the script coming from your programing. So if the programming is flawed, the images on the screen will be flawed too.

How stupid would I have to be to think changing the screen would help? Ok…so suppose I’m stupid. I go ahead and try another screen…same thing.

It’s not the screen, it’s the processer.

In the world of human cognition, the brain is the processor. If you change the programming, the body will follow. It’s a FACT. (I’m kinda big on facts)

The brain is one of the largest and most complex super computers known to man.  It’s made up of more than 100 billion nerves that communicate in trillions of connections called synapses.
(Let’s keep this simple)

The brain is made up of many specialized areas that work together:

-The Brain Stem is between the spinal cord and the rest of the brain (Base of the brain). Basic functions like breathing and sleep are controlled here. (The autonomic system)

-The Limbic System is the mid-brain area. The limbic system supports a variety of functions including emotion, behavior, motivation, long-term memory, and olfaction. Emotional life is largely housed in the limbic system, and it has a great deal to do with the formation of memories. The brains pleasure system (Nucleus Accumbens) is also housed here. Whenever we use the linguistics, “fun” “excitement” “good” “happy” “orgasmic”; dopamine is flooding the NA. This is an important note. Anything that affects the brain in an immediate positive way, guarantees our return…Regardless of potential consequences.

-The Neocortex is the outermost layer of brain. The neocortex is the executive director of our brain that does its best to discern the desires of the limbic system. (Logic and Reason)

I started this topic with a quote from Paul. The quote is about the human struggle…the fight…the self-judgment…the condemnation.

Before I send the next part, please read over and over and familiarize yourself with the three main brain structures: (I'll explain the Id, Ego, and Superego on the next post)

-Brain Stem (ID)

-Limbic System (Ego)

-Neocortex (Superego)

The first step…knowing your computer; the second step… is understanding the programs you’ve created.  You cannot change what you do not acknowledge.

Personal awareness precedes personal transformation

Please…Don’t be Stupid. Running

Lady: I’ve been running and can’t seem to lose weight.

KH: What are you eating?

Discussion over  *This type of person still believes she can out-work her mouth

Lady: I’ve been running and my butt seems to be getting flabbier.

KH: Sprinting?

Lady: No, jogging about 45 minutes to 1 hour 5 times per week

KH: That’s why you butt is getting flabbier. The adaptation to aerobic training is to reduce the size of muscle so that our body becomes more efficient (burning less calories at work and rest). The glutes atrophy (shrink) so that you’re more efficient. Running actually reduces your RMR, making this a very ineffective way of losing weight.

Discussion over  *My comment was calling her baby ugly. Rather than accepting the facts and moving forward with a new specific program, we lash out at the person who trying to give us valuable information…drop the ego and don’t be stupid

Lady: I like how her legs and butt looks. Why doesn’t mine look like that?

KH: What kind of exercise program are you doing?

Lady: Running

KH: Well…She lifts weights. That’s why her legs and butt looks like that. Not only does resistance exercise give you a nice tone look, but the added muscle increases your caloric expenditure at rest. Now you have a body that works for you so that you don’t have to works as much for your body.
Wouldn’t you rather workout less to have more?

Discussion over *A lot of times the person who avoids resistance training is concerned about building big bulky muscles. This is the conundrum of exercise…the very thing we need to be doing to reach our goals seems counterintuitive.

Lady: What about gluten?

KH: (one eye brow cocked)

Discussion over  *Gluten has as much to do with your weight gain as a rear-view mirror has to do with your motors horse power…stop eating so much!

When it comes to exercise and weight loss, emotions typically rule over logic and reason. We continually mistake motion for action with little or no thought of specificity? We think we can participate in any physical activity and a specific action will occur.

I always compare it to studying for an English test and being pissed because you flunked the history test. What were you expecting?

The two key components to “every” successful exercise program are Specificity and Overload. If you want to be a better runner you run. If you what to reshape your body you lift…if you want to lose weight you eat less…if you want to lose FAT you eat balanced meals every three and a half hours.
If you want muscle tone, you have to work the fast twitch fibers (FT). FT fibers are the fibers you see closest to the skin and have the greatest potential for hypertrophy (growth). When you see a tight butt or firm legs, you are seeing a muscle that has been pushed hard with relatively heavy weight for 8-15 reps.  Let me also add that a muscle which is full and toned is a muscle that is saturated with glycogen (carbohydrates).

I hear gasp! The dreaded C word

Shaping and toning your body is simple:

1. Training specificity… (Your goals don’t care about your feelings)

2. You lift weights 8-15 reps to failure. (No light weight high rep stuff…circuit train is not strength training)

3. You have to eat a lot of carbs. (Not donuts, cookies, white bread, or cokes…don’t be stupid)

4. Sufficient protein to repair damaged tissue (1 gram per lb. of lean body mass)

5. Program... 45 minutes of weight training followed by 15 minutes of cardio (at a 70% of your max heart rate) three times per week is all you need to achieve that lean tone body you have been working for.

If you are saying right now, “my body doesn’t work like that” or “I get too muscular”

Please…don’t be stupid!

Please…Don’t be Stupid. Metabolism

What is Metabolism?

Metabolism is a process in which our body regulates bodily functions and converts what we eat into energy.

Resting Metabolic Rate:

Even when we’re resting (RMR), our body needs energy for all its autonomic functions. (Breathing, circulating blood, adjusting hormone levels, and growing and repairing cells)
RMR is the most important component in weight loss.

There are several factors determine your basal metabolic rate:

-Muscle mass. The bodies of people who are larger or have more muscle burn more calories, even at rest. (That includes overweight individuals…very high RMR) Think about it; a V-8 burns a lot more gas than a V-6 motor.

-Gender. Men usually have less body fat and more muscle than do women of the same age and weight, burning more calories. (Important message for women…build muscle!)

-Age. As you get older, the amount of muscle tends to decrease and fat accounts for more of your weight, slowing down calorie burning. (Important message…maintain muscle!)

RMR Alert:

-70% Resting Metabolic Rate your accounts for the largest percent of the caloric expenditure you burn every day. Let me repeat…70% of your caloric expenditure is at rest!
In addition to your basal metabolic rate, two other factors determine how many calories your body burns each day:

-20% Physical activity. Physical activity and exercise…such as playing tennis, walking to the store, and playing with your kids, account for the rest of the calories your body burns up each day. Physical activity is by far the most variable of the factors that determine how many calories you burn each day. (Activity and nutrition equals a lean tone body)

-10% Food processing (thermogenesis). Digesting, absorbing, transporting and storing the food you consume also burns calories. The greatest amount of caloric expenditure comes when you combine carbs, protein, and fat in each meal. (Mixed meals also controls blood sugar which allows the body to burn fat all day)

Maya Angelo once said, “You did what you knew how to do, and when you knew better, you did better”

Now that we know better…let’s do better!

Please…Don’t be Stupid with your Nutrition

Nutrition 101:

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
Most of us have fasted (sleep) for 6-8 hours so our body and brain is low on fuel. If we don't eat breakfast, our cortisol levels get higher as the morning goes on. (Burning muscle…lowering your metabolism)

Carbs:
If we eat only eat carbs (pastry, orange juice) our body releases insulin and burns sugar (no fat). It’s not that the carbs are being converted to fat as much as much as it’s the body protecting the brain from too much glucose. It focuses on the sugar first, fat second.
(Our brain is our body’s number one priority.

It can’t have too much or too little glucose. Our brain needs a minimum of 120 grams per 24 hours. This doesn’t include what your muscles needs for fuel. When your pituitary senses too much glucose, it triggers an insulin response…too little glucose it triggers a cortisol response. Eating a combination of all the macronutrients helps to stabilize this process. This is the way EVERYBODY's body works)

Protein:
If we eat only protein (eggs, sausage) our body releases cortisol because once again… our brain needs glucose. So the protein we eat becomes a fuel source for the brain (protein gets converted into sugar so the brain can function properly). This process is called gluconeogenesis. Protein primary purpose gets diverted, and therefore is not available to do its main job (repair muscle).
The science of nutrition says all meals should include a carb, protein, and fat.

For fat burn, muscle repair, increased energy levels, and a strong immune system, mixed meals are the most favorable for a healthy body.

Please…Don’t be Stupid. Nutrition

…Sigh

Darwin said, “Ignorance begets confidence more often than does knowledge”. When it comes to the field of health and fitness, this is definitely true.
Everyone’s an expert when it comes to nutrition: housewives, plumbers, electricians, and faux trainers…just ask them. Hell… you don’t even have to ask…they’ll tell you!

Imagine the job that you do right now.

Let’s say you’ve been a plumber for 10 years, or you’ve made huge sacrifices by attending college for 4-6 years. I would say in either case you would be considered an expert in your field.
How stupid would I have be to argue with a plumber or a college professor? Pretty stupid huh?

Well, welcome to the world of health and fitness.

“Mary lost weight doing low carbs”

“Sally did a detox diet and lost 10 pounds of undigested spackle” (What the hell is spackle?)

“Maybe my B-12 levels are low” (Maybe they are, but what does that have to do with 20-50 extra pounds?)

Now here’s my predicament…if someone states something about nutrition that is incorrect, should I say anything? Or do I just remain silent?

If I don’t say anything I’m allowing nutritional misinformation. If I do say something I’m a smart ass know-it-all. (Regardless of how respectful I say it)
So what is it about today’s society where someone’s opinion is as good as scientific facts? This is truly the conundrum that occurs when you have access to information, but not the ability to discern fantasy from reality.

What is the answer? Stop it!

(Please watch this Bob Newhart episode)
https://search.aol.com/aol/video?q=bob+newhart+stop+it+youtube+video&s_it=video-ans&sfVid=true&videoId=58F6ADF318B346663DC458F6ADF318B346663DC4&v_t=webmail-searchbox

Ok…so if you’re reading this and you are bothered, great!  The fact that you’re sensitive should be a warning sign that this could be a trait you’re guilty of.

Hopefully you can lower your defensive position long enough to at least entertain the possibility that you may be wrong.

“Please don’t be stupid” is a series of my experiences trying rehabilitate misinformation spread by the health and fitness industry and stupid people.

Please respond…just please… don’t be stupid!

Perhaps

                    “Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them”

                                                                                                  ~ Epictetus

Perhaps (Buddhist parable)

Long ago in China there was an old farmer. With the same horse this old farmer had plowed and worked his land for many years when one day his horse suddenly ran away. As news of this reached his neighbors, the old farmer was met with sympathy. Neighbors visited throughout the day saying, "Wow, what bad luck to have your horse run away!"

The old farmer would think for a moment then say softly, "Perhaps..."

The next morning the old farmer awoke to find his horse had returned. With the horse were several wild horses who had apparently followed the horse home. Neighbors rejoiced, visiting the old farmer to express how happy they were for his sudden good fortune.
The old farmer would think for a moment then say softly, "Perhaps..."

Shortly after, the old farmer's son decided to try to ride one of the wild horses. Climbing on the horses back, the boy knocked the animal hard with his leg shouting for the horse to go. Startled, and probably a little annoyed, the horse flung the boy off its back. The old farmer's son broke his leg in the fall. Again, neighbors came to offer their sympathies for the misfortune, "What a horrible string of bad luck you're having!"
The old farmer would think for a moment then say softly, "Perhaps..."

The very next day, military officials came into the village with orders to draft young men into military service. As they went from home to home, rounding up young men, they made their way to the old farmer's house. Upon seeing the farmer's son with his broken leg they decided to move on, leaving the boy alone. Once again, neighbors came to share words of congratulations to the old farmer for the good fortune to have his son passed by.

And again, the old farmer would think for a moment then say softly, "Perhaps..."

 "When the soul cries out, it is a sign that we have arrived at a necessary, mature stage of self-reflection. The secret is not to get stuck there dithering or wringing your hands, but to move forward by resolving to heal yourself. Philosophy asks us to move into courage. Its remedy is the unblinking excavation of the faulty and specious premises on which we base our lives and our personal identity"

                                                                                                                             ~ Epictetus

It’s not what you think; it’s what you don’t acknowledge

“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change” – Wayne W. Dyer

7:30 am Monday morning.

Cathy is on her way into work. Setting at the stop light she ponders on the upcoming week. As the light turns to green, Cathy slowly turns left to toward her business. Out of nowhere, bam!

Cathy’s front tire nipped the median; we’ve all done this. We’ve underestimated our position on the road and slightly, or in Cathy’s case, hit the curb.

Unfortunately Cathy’s tire was not so lucky. She immediately calls in to work to let them know she’s running late. She pulls into the new tire store just down the road where Johnny begins to explain the options she has for a tire replacement; Goodyear, Michelin, Firestone. Johnny seems to know what he’s talking about, so she goes with his recommendation. (Goodyear)

Over the course of the next few months, Cathy can’t help but notice how the tire seems to be wearing unevenly. Since she’s out of town, she goes to another tire store where they make another recommendation concerning the brand of tire.  The owner says, “Goodyear tires are good; however, they don’t last as long as Michelins”.

Again, Cathy not knowing anything about tires proceeds with the new suggestion. Unfortunately this occurs over and over…Firestone…Dunlop…Bridgestone…Pirelli…Toyo…etc.
Tire after tire the results are the same.

How many times has this been the theme in our life? We focus on a solution with no effort made toward identifying the problem.

In Cathy’s case, it wasn’t the tire…it was the rim. Since the rim is slightly bent; it causes uneven wear and tear on the tire. You can change the tire 50 times, and the outcome will always be the same.
The moral of this story is we often avoid, deflect, or we’re in complete denial about the root cause of our problem.

There is no doubt about the fact that tires occasionally need to be changed; however, to not acknowledge the primary cause of the wear and tear is to basically accept the fact that life will never change. It will be a continual cycle of misdiagnosed movements that lead us right back to the very place we started.

If we only focus on the solution; we will never find resolution for the problem.

Gym Wisdom

-You get out of it what you put into it

-If you do it right, you won’t have to do it over

-Nobody can do it for you…it’s a do it yourself job

-You look how you think…our body tells a story

-Failure provides an opportunity

-The more specific you are, the quicker the results

-The things you gain in the gym pales in comparison to what you learn from the work

-Your level of success is directly related to how bad you really want it

-The more you help someone lifting a heavy load, the less they gain. The inability to see growth from the struggle is a weak selfish act.

-Growth hurts with something to show…regrets hurt with nothing to show

-A program not well defined leads to a destination never reached

-Simple…do nothing…achieve nothing

The Costanza Dilemma

 
                 “I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.”
                                                                                          -Maya Angelou

Have you ever thought you should have done the exact opposite regarding decisions you’ve made in life?
You try so hard to succeed, yet nothing ever seems to go your way.

Well, one thing is for sure; if you continue to do as you’ve always done, you’ll continue to get the same result.

An example I use in helping people change unhealthy behaviors is the Seinfeld episode feature George Costanza. George comes in to the café where Jerry and Elaine are seated. He proceeds to tell them that everything he has ever done in his life has been wrong.

Jerry replies. “If everything you do is wrong….then the opposite would be right.”

George agrees. He then walks right up to a pretty lady and does the opposite of what he would typically do;

“Hi, my name is George…I’m unemployed and I live with my parents”

To which the lady excitedly responds, “Hello George”

Doing the opposite may seem counterintuitive, however, if the methods we choose in diets, relationships, or various other situations have failed, we may want to consider what the opposite might look like.
Many times emotional decisions are made in emotional moments. This may seem like an oxymoronic statement, but think about it…emotional moments require logic and reason to move forward in a productive manner. If not, like George, we will continue the same method and receive the same outcome.

So the next time we’re in an emotional situation; stop… Contrary to our feelings, let the urge for an immediate response subside so that logic and reason can guide us is in a more productive manner.

And as Jerry said, “If everything you do is wrong….then the opposite would be right.”
           
 “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them”
                                                                                            -Albert Einstein