" GREATNESS IS WITHIN "

"Today will be an amazing day because that's what I choose...and today I will recognise and consider every opportunity that presents itself.
I will be more aware, more conscious, more proactive and more open to what comes my way. I will not be handicapped by laziness, apathy, ignorance, fear or selective blindness and I will step up to the plate every day, every day.
I will not wait for gifts or luck,I will find opportunities and I will squeeze every ounce of potential out of every cell of my body. I will not make excuses; I will find a way and I will not die with my music still in me."

Weight Loss Tip #10: Think Differently

You are not your body. You are not your mind. Bold statements, both, I know. So how can I say them with confidence? Easy - you can change both. That means you are something greater than either your body or your mind. You are your awareness, your will, your intention. That's what allows you to change both your body and your mind. This fact, if you're truly willing to accept it, holds enormous power for you.

Changing your mind about what fitness and nutrition means for you is a decision, pure and simple. That doesn't mean it's easy to do. You may have a very strong attachment and years of behavior invested in your previous habits. But nothing has determined what you'll think or do today.

The best advice I can give you about how to view both eating and exercise if you are trying to be more fit and get leaner is to consider how a successful athlete views food and training. He doesn't focus on comfort, expectations of others, social rituals or body image when he thinks about what and how much he'll eat. She doesn't view exercise as a chore to endure or a quick fix or a short-term means to an end.

The athlete considers nutrient-rich food to be the critical, high quality fuel in the machine he treasures. Training is the singular, promising road to a long dreamed of goal. The road is to be embraced and savored every step of the way.

That's the way of it. Honor the journey, deeply and authentically. And the destination will present itself more gloriously than you can imagine.

Weight Loss Tip #9: Have Patience and Faith

Why is it that we want things to be fixed in a fraction of the time it took to get them in their present condition? What gives us the idea that a situation that evolved over several years can possibly be resolved in a matter of days or weeks? Any real, fundamental and lasting change usually takes a lot longer.

But I think that's good. And there's a reason for that. Our current situation may be difficult, or even intolerable. But that doesn't mean the answer is a quick, drastic action. Isn't it more important to thoroughly evaluate, as bravely and honestly as possible what habits, values or weaknesses you may have that contributed to a less-than-optimal current condition?

That's the case with getting fit and lean. Very few overweight people, especially significantly overweight people, have an easy time dropping the habits that got them there because there is a deeper motivation or attachment at work that needs to be examined. It might be a self-esteem issue, a sense of comfort that food provides, or just fear of the hard work and upheaval that's created by making a foundational shift in philosophy and practice with eating and exercise.

And that takes time, and emotional commitment. Then, once the habits are firmly in place, the process of drawing down the calorie bank (body fat) itself can't really be rushed. I tell clients that if they're doing everything right, expecting to lose, on average, about 1% of their body weight each week is reasonable. That's what my clients Marc and Tracy did (bottom of the page) http://www.trivalleytrainer.com/. And more importantly, they've kept it off.

So, like the boy I saw a couple of days ago in the back seat of his car as I was walking my own son to school seemed to be doing as his car drove past me - relax and enjoy the ride.

SUMMER'S HOTTEST FITNESS TREND

The basic principals of exercise always stay the same: Move your body, break down and rebuild muscle fibers, burn more calories than you take in. Bing, bang, boom: You lose weight and get fit. But the options for how you decide to exercise are always changing—and that’s good news for anyone struggling to find the perfect workout. It really is important to find a program that fits into your lifestyle, and not one where your lifestyle has to fit into someone else’s program. Even then, you can benefit from something new. If you do the same routine over and over again, it gets a little boring and you plateau. If a routine becomes too repetitive, your body adjusts by burning fewer calories. It’s important that you’re able to find and try different things. With that in mind, here is a multi joint, multi muscle exercises to add to any workout from my H.I.G.T program to give your routine a boost.

1) DUMBELL SQUAT JUMPS= STAND FEET SHOULDER WIDTH APART WITH A DUMBELL IN EACH HAND. SQUAT DOWN BELOW PARRELELL AND THRUST UPOFF THE GROUND. LAND AND IMMEDIETLY SQUAT BACK DOWN AND EXPLODE BACK UP. OVER 250 MUSCLES COME INTO PLAY WITH THIS ONE EXERCISE. THE LARGER THE MUSCLE USED THE MORE CALORIES BURNED. TRY FOUR SETS OF TEN.

Richard-

The “Pocket Rocket” is back

Wayne McCullough added to the ShoBox “Cayman Knockout!”
Irish eyes will be smiling at the news that – following a nearly three-year absence – 1992 Olympic Silver Medalist and former WBC bantamweight world champion, Wayne “Pocket Rocket” McCullough, will be featured on the non-televised portion of the undercard of the Friday, June 20th Showtime ShoBox “Cayman Knockout!” McCullough (27-6, 18 KOs), a native of Belfast, Northern Ireland now living in Las Vegas, will take on rugged Juan Ruiz (21-5, 6 KOs), of Santa Clarita, California in a scheduled 10-round featherweight contest.
“People will probably say this is a comeback, but in truth I never retired,” stated McCullough. “I lost my last fight against Oscar Larios going for a world title. Most recently I was supposed to fight in Belfast last December, but my opponent -- Kiko Martinez -- didn’t make weight, so the fight was called off and I just kept training and getting ready to fight when the right opportunity presented itself.”
McCullough’s goal is to win another title and promoter Dan Goossen agrees that the “Pocket Rocket” is on the right track. “This is the type of challenge that will immediately catapult Wayne into a world championship bout with a victory,” Goossen exclaimed- Boxing news

Weight Loss Tip #8: Eat a Breakfast with Protein, Produce and Whole Grain

The basic combination of these three items at your first meal (ideally within an hour of waking up, unless you work out first, and then within a half hour or so of the end of your workout) is the perfect way to start a day that will more effectively manage:

1. Blood sugar levels
2. Evenly disbursed nutrient intake
3. Drastically reduced cravings and impulse eating

And it's a great trend to continue with at lunch and even dinner (although regular readers know that for those trying hard to lose body fat, I advocate minimizing grain intake later in the day, or even discontinuing grain intake after 4pm in order to focus on veggies and lean protein sources in the last third of the waking day.) And if you haven't yet picked up on the unspoken rule, let me remind you of the importance of NUtrient-DEnsity (eating NU~DE) at every meal or snack. Just a reminder that the definition is the highest possible concentration of vitamins, minerals, protein grams and fiber for a given calorie total. So, with that stipulation, this would NOT include breakfasts like bacon, whole eggs, buttered white toast and orange juice. That could come in at around 1,000 calories and 40+ grams of fat.

A good example would be my spinach scramble wrapped up in a whole wheat tortilla.

http://45yearold6pack.blogspot.com/2007/12/flat-belly-recipe-hi-prolow-fat-spinach.html

Other ideas are:

Oatmeal (cooked in nonfat milk) with berries

Low fat Greek yogurt with honey topped with granola and trail mix and a V8 juice

Whole wheat pancakes with a side of cottage cheese and peaches

Try some of these breakfast ideas and notice the difference it makes to your eating habits all day long.

LADIES!! DON'T MAKE THESE THREE COMMON TRAINING MISTAKES.

Three mistakes I see woman make when it comes to training, over and over again. Are you making them?

1) Too much cardio and negligent weight training: Most women refrain from doing any weight lifting in the mistaken notion that they might end up with muscles like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Nothing could be further than the truth. Fitness bodybuilding enhances good health and increases physical strength Women cannot and do not produce testosterone naturally in the body and so are incapable of building the massive muscles usually seen on male bodybuilders. The muscles one sees on women bodybuilders are almost always acquired by external testosterone boosters. An exercise routine that combines female fitness and bodybuilding helps women develop fit, healthy bodies with well-formed and toned muscles.

2)A calorie intake that is way too low: The first thing most women resort to, in an attempt to lose weight is to go on a crash diet. This however has the opposite of the desired effect. The body goes into starvation mode and starts burning up muscle for fuel and retains the body fat. The fallout of having a metabolism rate that is too low is that every morsel that you consume then gets converted into fat. Also you are more likely to be hungry all the time and prone to temptation when offered a calorie-filled treat.

3)Staying focused on the pounds: A female fitness and training regimen helps reduce body fat and increase muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat. Hence the results may not show up on the weighing scale even though body fat has been lost. The best way to check progress is to focus on inches that are lost or gained in the right places. So stay off the scale girls, the mirror does not lie and will be more accurate.

So don't fall into these traps ladies. Train smart use my H.I.G.T program and practice it's principles.

Richard

ARE YOU FIT? TAKE THIS TEST TO FIND OUT.

According to many fitness experts a resting heart rate (RHR) of about seventy beats per minute upon waking is a indication of a healthy heart. It means your heart is doing it's job and you probably are an active individual and have decent eating habits. Between forty five and sixty beats a minute at rest, is a sure shot that you are living a fitness lifestyle with way above average training, conditioning and eating( correct foods and the correct amounts ) knowledge under your belt.
As low as forty beats per minute according to most exercise professionals, this puts you in an elite athlete's category. Simple find your pulse and count your heart beats for one minute once you wake first thing in the morning. Try to do the same after an intense set of exercises grouped together in a super-set fashion. Take notice of how long it will take your heart rate to return to normal. If you find you are breathing hard and doing some huffing and puffing, you have some work to do. It's OK you can do it. With some planning and consistency, you will have a well conditioned heart.
Come on, test yourself
STEP 1: TEST YOURSELF It's a simple matter of taking your pulse at several key times.
Check your resting heart rate Do this on a nonstressful morning, before you've had any coffee. Sit quietly for five minutes, breathing deeply, and then take your pulse. Count the beats for a minute.
Check your max heart rate Do the exercises found in my H.I.G.T program to failure, found on these pages below. Immediately check your heart rate. It's easiest to do this with a heart-rate monitor. However, if you take your pulse manually, count for just 15 seconds this time and multiply by four.
Check your recovery rate Now sit, rest for a minute, and check your heart rate again. Subtract this number from your max rate. This is your recovery rate.
Get the difference between your max and resting rates Simply subtract your resting rate from your max heart rate.

STEP 2: SCORE YOURSELF Award yourself points based on the following:
Resting heart rate More than 75: 3.5 points; 75Ð70: 2.5 points; 69Ð65: 2 points; 64Ð60: 1.5 points; less than 60: 1
Recovery heart rate Less than 25: 2 points; 25Ð35: 1.5 points; more than 35: 1 point
Difference between high and resting rates Less than 89: 4 points; 89Ð113: 2.5 points; more than 113: 1 point
One of your parents suffered a heart attack and died within an hour Yes: 1 point; no: 0 points

STEP 3: LOOK INTO YOUR FUTURE Approximate your risk of a fatal heart attack.
Add up your heart rate scores, divide by three, and add in the parental history Each point represents your estimated added risk of a fatal heart attack, extrapolated from the numbers in the NEJM study. Any number above 1 is the percentage increase of your risk (i.e., a 1.5 means you're about 50 percent more likely to die from a heart attack than a guy with a 1). Not happy with your score? Give yourself a month on this plan and recompute. Again good luck, and remember this is a way to gauge your heart's production.









Richard

Getting Motivated

Mrs. Seymour writes: Food Fit (www.foodfit.com) is a very resourceful site for all things fitness. I log on often to search for healthy recipes. You can narrow your searches according to your dietary interests or needs. For instance, you can browse recipes according to the following categories: nutrition (i.e. low in carbs, low in sodium, low in sugar, rich in protein...), main ingredient, course/meal, special considerations (i.e. 5 ingredients or less, grilled, kid-friendly, quick/easy, vegitarian), cuisine, and special occassion. Although I use this site mostly for recipe searches, there is a wealth of information to be found at foodfit.com. For tips on healthy eating, healthy cooking, and general fitness- I highly recommend you log on and register, it's FREE. Under the "Fitness" tab of the site, I found an excellent article regarding ways to break out of an exercise slump. Below are 11 ways to get motivated:



1) Embarrass Yourself

Make a mark on your calendar every time you make it to the gym or park. Seeing your motivation, (or lack thereof) in black and white helps keep you going. Suzanne Schlosberg and Liz Neporent, authors of Fitness for Dummies, Second Edition (IDG Books Worldwide, Inc., 2000) suggest "whether you write your goals on the side of your shoe or in your training diary, glancing at them on a daily basis will help keep you focused and motivated. Some people tape their goals to their bathroom mirror or refrigerators." Do whatever works to make you remember what you promised yourself.



2) Join a Plan That Wouldn't Have You for a Member

So you're not Steffi Graf. That doesn't mean you can't join a tennis team. Richard Cotton, chief exercise physiologist for MyExercisePlan.com, says "joining a club, team, or finding an exercise partner…provides a support system and someone to simply share the experience with. Often times just knowing someone will be asking you 'How's it going?' can be the difference between exercise success and failure."



3) Love Thy Neighbor and Love Thyself

You can't leave a neighbor standing on the corner checking her watch. She knows where you live. Miriam Nelson, Director of the Center for Physical Fitness at Tufts University, and the author of Strong Women Stay Young and Strong Women Stay Slim (Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1999) says, "When I make a date with a neighbor to go for a run I keep it, and we have a great time." She also plans a regular appointment with her neighbors. "Saturday mornings several of my neighbors come over and we lift weights together; it's a great way to start the weekend," she says.



4) Challenge Yourself

Working towards an event — like a 5K walk or run, or an overnight bike trip to a faraway bed and breakfast — keeps you on track. Every time you exercise you'll be closer to meeting your goal. "The minute you mail in your entry fee, you'll have a whole new sense of purpose. And the feeling of accomplishment you get from completing your event is like nothing else," say Schlosberg and Neporent.



5) Dance, Dance, Dance

"Music is a fantastic motivator," says Michael Olajide, Jr., a former professional boxer and inventor of Aerobox workout routines. "It can push you to do more and to exercise longer, even longer than you planned." Who doesn't get a surge of energy every time they hear their favorite tune? Plus, it's the perfect excuse to get that new CD.



6) Don't Count the Miles

"Do not workout to burn calories or lose weight," says Emme, plus-size model, author, and columnist. "There are more important things than burning calories taking place during your workout. Newfound self esteem and stress reduction are just two positive aspects of many that come to mind." If you're always focusing on burning off your morning doughnut, of course exercise seems like a chore. Try exercising for the sake of your health, not your body.



7) Find the Fun

Forget about the "no pain, no gain" attitude. "The mind, body and soul connection is very important here, don't forget to have fun," says Emme. Pick an activity you've always loved, like biking or walking outdoors. The more enjoyable it is, the more likely you'll stick with it.



8) Make It a Family Affair

"When I go for a run I entice one of my kids to go with me — he or she goes on their bike and I run. It's a great way to be together with my kids," says Miriam Nelson. Who better to egg you on than the ones who love you best.



9) Learn to Love Lycra

"Buying snazzy new workout shorts or comfy new cross-trainers can really get you fired up to work out, " say Schlosberg and Neporent. Once you realize how much better the right equipment makes a workout, you'll be loving your sports bra as much as soccer star Brandi Chastain.



10) Dive for Dollars

Money is the ultimate motivator. Put a dollar in a jar every time you make it to the gym. At the end of a month, treat yourself to a massage. You'll be at the gym more often than the trainers.



11) It's About Time

"My mood motivates me to work out, so timing is everything," says Kathy Kaehler, personal trainer and author. If you aren't up for a workout don't feel guilty about postponing. On the other hand, exercise has been known to improve a bad mood. Work out your aggressions in the gym instead of at home or work.

THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE

On Memorial Day, we honor the heroes who have laid down their lives in the cause of freedom, resolve that they will forever be remembered by a grateful Nation, and pray that our country may always prove worthy of the sacrifices they have made.
Throughout our Nation's history, our course has been secured by brave Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen. These courageous and selfless warriors have stepped forward to protect the Nation they love, fight for America's highest ideals, and show millions that a future of liberty is possible. Freedoms come at great costs, yet the world has been transformed in unimaginable ways because of the noble service and devotion to duty of these brave individuals. Our country honors the sacrifice made by those who have given their lives to spread the blessings of liberty and lay the foundations of peace, and we mourn their loss.
Today, our service men and women continue to inspire and strengthen our Nation, going above and beyond the call of duty as part of the greatest military the world has ever known. Americans are grateful to all those who have put on our Nation's uniform and to their families, and we will always remember their service and sacrifice for our freedoms.
On this solemn day our country unites to pay tribute to the fallen, who demonstrated the strength of their convictions and paid the cost of freedom. We pray for the members of our Armed Forces and their families, and we ask for God's continued guidance of our country.
In respect for their devotion to America, the Congress, by a joint resolution approved on May 11, 1950, as amended (64 Stat. 158), has requested the President to issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when the people of the United States might unite in prayer. The Congress, by Public Law 106-579, has also designated the minute beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on that day as a time for all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance.

I HAVE TO GET OLD! BUT I DON'T HAVE TO GET FAT & SLOW!

I vividly remember sitting in the back of my Dad's jeep as a young kid, maybe eight or nine years old. We were in some grocery store parking lot. I remember seeing this older man struggle to first get out of his car then shuffle his massive frame ever so slowly towards the grocery store. What struck me, was how this man had to stop and catch his breath after only just a few tiny steps.
Now years later I understand many circumstances could be responsible for that man's condition, however I also know America and Americans are fast dominating this lowly category. Number one in Obesity! Both adult and child obesity. We are a fat nation!
That scene so many years ago had an ever lasting effect on me, I promised myself I would never let my weight get so out of control that it would effect me in such a detrimental way. I control my health, my fitness. I control my blood pressure my cholesterol and my body fat. Not drugs or fad diets or circumstance. Not work, school or family obligations. I control it, so do you. Take responsibility for your own health and make the lifestyle changes needed to be healthier both on the inside and out. You and the people around you will be better off for it, this I promise you.

Richard

UNCONVENTIONAL, IS MY CONVENTIONAL.

I have been training for some time now. I have come to realize my body responds to a very specific type of training, what I call " High intensity group training" ( H.I.G.T ). Fast multi body part combinations performed using super sets, with progressively heavier weights with each new set, and little to no rest between sets.
Yes to many it's completely unorthodox, a bit extreme, and some what unconventional. To me it is very conventional because it simply works. Training this way forces hardly used fast twitch muscle fibers to be forced to come into play and your cardiovascular system to work in that all important 80% MHR range.
What this means is lower body fat percentages, more lean muscle tissue, strength gains, and a very strong well conditioned Ticker. So remember, train with challenging amounts of resistance and train fast and hard.

YOUR HEART WAS DESIGNED TO LAST A LIFETIME

Two days ago a man here at work died of a sudden heart attack, He was shockingly only 34 years old. My immediate thoughts were with his family and I silently wondered if he had told his family that day that he loved them. I learned a heart attack kills an American every 26 seconds and that heart disease is often a silent and without warning killer! Please, to all of you, let this be a reminder of how fragile we truly are, please take care of your heart and your health. When its all said and done its our one truly great possession.
Cardiovascular Disease Statistics
Estimates for the year 2005 are that 80,700,000 people in the United States have one or more forms of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
High blood pressure — 73,000,000.
Coronary heart disease — 16,000,000.
Myocardial infarction (mi"o-KAR'de-al in-FARK'shun) (acute heart attack) — 8,100,000. Angina pectoris (AN'jih-nah or an-JI'nah PEK'tor-is) (chest pain or discomfort caused by reduced blood supply to the heart muscle) — 9,100,000.
Stroke — 5,800,000.
Heart Failure — 5,300,000
Cardiovascular diseases
Claimed 869,724 lives in 2004 (final mortality) (36.3 percent of all deaths or 1 of every 2.8 deaths).
Other final 2004 mortality: total cancer 553,888; accidents 112,012; HIV (AIDS) 13,063.
Over 148,000 Americans killed by CVD in 2004 were under age 65.
2004 final death rates from CVD were 335.1 for white males and 454.0 for black males; for white females 238.0 and for black females 333.6. (Death rates are per 100,000 population. The rates listed use the year 2000 standard U.S. population as the base for age adjustment.)
From 1994 to 2004, death rates from CVD declined 24.7 percent.
In the same 10-year period the actual number of deaths declined 8 percent.
Coronary heart disease
Coronary heart disease is caused by atherosclerosis (ath"er-o-skleh-RO'sis), the narrowing of the coronary arteries due to fatty build ups of plaque. It's likely to produce angina pectoris (chest pain), heart attack, or both.
Coronary heart disease caused 451,326 deaths in 2004 and is the single leading cause of death in America today.
16,000,000 people alive today have a history of heart attack, angina pectoris or both. This is about 8,700,000 males and 7,300,000 females.
This year an estimated 1.2 million Americans will have a new or recurrent coronary attack.
About 310,000 people a year die of coronary attack in an Emergency Department or without being hospitalized. Most of these are sudden deaths caused by cardiac arrest, usually resulting from ventricular fibrillation (ven-TRIK'u-ler fib"rih-LA'shun).
From 1994 to 2004 the death rate from coronary heart disease declined 33 percent.
In 2004, coronary heart disease death rates per 100,000 people were 194.2 for white males and 223.9 for black males; and 114.7 for white females and 148.7 for black females. (Death rates are per 100,000 population. The rates use the year 2000 standard population for age adjustment.)

QUOTE OF THE DAY

" I HAVE TOO MUCH LIFE RUNNING THROUGH MY VAINS TO GO TO WASTE "

Rob Williams-

BE FIT

Being fit is a two sided coin. On one side, you have diet, and on the other side is exercise. Finding the time and energy to maintain a fit physique these days is a big challenge. The focus in fitness these days seems to be toward the lean body, instead of pure strength. So try to find the time, set some goals, plan accordingly using my H.I.G.T program, and go for it.

Richard

FIND YOUR BODY MASS INDEX

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a stastical measure of weight ranges. BMI is calculated by dividing your weight by your height. You shouldn't use BMI as a diagnosis - it's intended to give you an idea of how heavy you are relative to other people of your height. Try our BMI calculator to see if your weight falls within a healthy range. A BMI of under 18.5 suggests that you may be underweight. This may be symptomatic of an underlying condition which may require medical attention. BMI is an approximate measure based on statistical trends - you could very well be perfectly healthy. Talk to your doctor for more advice.
A BMI between 18.5 and 25 suggests your weight is at a healthy level. This does not mean that you need not worry about cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, and other health problems associated with weight. For a more accurate assesment, see your doctor.
BMI results between 25 to 30 are in the overweight range. You may be at greater risk of obesity-related conditions, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. BMI is simply a statistical average, and should not be considered an authoritative assessment of your health. See your doctor if you have any concerns.
A BMI above 30 may mean that you are obese, and have an unhealthy proportion of body fat. BMI results are based on statistical trends, and in your case may not be accurate (particularly if you have high muscle or bone mass). See your doctor if you have any concerns.

GOT MUSCLE?

Most of us take our muscles for granted, not realizing how crucial they are to us. Muscles are the body’s engine, and energy is the fuel. It would be impossible for us to do anything without them, including expressing ourselves. We convey ideas through spoken words using the muscles of the mouth, tongue and larynx, through written words using the muscles of the fingers, or through body language using skeletal muscles.
The human body contains more than 630 muscles. Approximately 35-45% of body mass is muscle tissue. Muscles are long- lasting, self-healing and grow stronger with use. There are three unique kinds of muscle:
• Cardiac muscle, which is found only in your heart. It contracts involuntarily; it is automatically controlled by the nervous system.
• Smooth muscle is found in blood vessels, the digestive system, bladder, airways, and the uterus in a female. It also contracts involuntarily.
• Skeletal muscle is the kind we can see and feel. They attach to the skeleton and come in pairs; one muscle to move in one direction and another to move back the other way. Skeletal muscles contract voluntarily, you have to think about contracting them and the nervous system tells them to respond.
The combination of muscles and bones make up the musculoskeletal system. Together, the skeletal muscles work with bones to give the body its power and strength.
In most cases, skeletal muscle is attached to one end of a bone, stretches across a joint, and then attaches again to another bone. Tendons serve as connector pieces between muscle and bone; when a muscle is contracted, the tendon and bone move along with it.
Skeletal muscles come in a variety of sizes and shapes depending on their job. The muscles in your back, near the spine, are some of the biggest and most powerful. These muscles have the difficult job of keeping the body upright and providing the power to lift and push.

RICHARD SEYMOUR'S FIT/SCHOOL

Here is a full body superset using exercises from my (H.I.G.T) program to get the most out of any limited schedule. Intensity is the key! Progressivly increasing your weight with each set and reducing your rest period between sets. Move quickly from one exercise to the next and have the equipment needed for the next exercise ready to make the trasition from one to the next smoothly with little to no wasted time. Remember intensity. Please warm up thoroughly.

1. Push up>Pull up>Dips....3 sets as many reps as you can perform with good form.
(swinging yourself up to complete a pull up does not count for a rep)
2. Bent over barbell row>Stiff legged dead lift>Dumbell lunges.

3. Barbell squat>Dumbell squat and press>Standing barbell curl.

You just worked every muscle in your body! Your abdominal muscles worked hard in every exercise you just performed to stabilize your spine and assist in most movements. Now get your protein and creatine in you, eat good foods throughout the day. You're on your way to building a beautiful body and creating functional strength.

Bye Bye 45

When I post again, I'll no longer be 45. Wow, 46. How did that happen? My older son is now less than a year younger than I was when I first got married. My dad was retired less than four years older than I am now. And when I'm done, I will have been raising kids for nearly 40 years. I'll be collecting a Social Security check when I'm at my little girl's high school graduation.

Forty years ago I was learning how to ride my bicycle.

Thirty years ago I was learning how to drive.

Twenty years ago I was about to become a father.

Ten years ago I changed careers.

Ten years from now I hope to have a deep sense of peace and purpose.

Today I'm thankful for everyone and everything in my life.

Have a terrific weekend.

Weight Loss Tip #7 - Drink Enough Water

If you're serious about losing fat, you need to drink enough water because:

1. It helps you metabolize fat more effectively.
2. We sometimes eat moist or fatty food because we're dehydrated, rather than hungry.
3. Drinking caloric beverages when you're thirsty can contribute to a daily calorie surplus.

And forget about the 8x8 (glasses, ounces) as the magic amount. Water consumption needs vary due to factors such as body size, climate, salt and protein intake, among others. Drink enough to keep your urine pale or clear, and you should be fine.

Try to drink it evenly throughout the day as well, and that's even better.

SUMMER SIX PACK...No! Not the cold frosty kind.

Ab training doesn't have to be overcomplicated, in fact It can be and for me is very simple. I train my mid section once a week upon completing day four of my H.I.G.T program. ( Day four is the full body monster set day ).
My abs have just been worked hard during the training with exercises better than any crunch. Squats, dead lifts, pull- ups and other multi joint exercises. Your abs must contract hard to stabilize your core in order to correctly perform these exercises, so they have been worked over pretty good. Again better than any ab machine, I promise you!
I finish them off with six sets of a combined three very distinct weighted exercises from very unorthodox angles. Kneeling rope crunch, oblique and inter-costal super set, finishing with some sort of bridging exercise. Simple and effective. Look I am thirty seven and just an average guy with the same domestic responsibilities as you. Family, work & overtime, home and travel. You just need some basic planning, smart eating strategies and a goal. Good luck.

Richard

Weight Loss Tip #6: Find a Vigorous Activity You Love

I have a client who, like others I've worked with, realizes that she's missed opportunity to get the most out of her past fitness efforts. Why? There are a number of reasons people have less than ideal results, and most of it has to do with engagement.

Like anything worthwhile, if you want anything you're involved with to be as successful as possible, it has to have significance for you. You need to feel truly emotionally invested and committed. Sometimes that just takes maturity and determination. Sometimes it's a matter of personal discipline. But one way to ensure engagement is to pick an activity that's just plain fun.

I know people who are passionate about hiking, yoga, swimming, and, of course, running. These are all good activities to test out your own level of enjoyment (provided running is not too demanding for your lower body joints). But sometimes you have to venture off the beaten track. I have a heavy punching bag and a target bag in my studio and after nearly a year, my client expressed interest in learning how to box (I teach traditional, pro-style boxing as well as doing fitness training).

A powerful transformation takes place when she gets those gloves on! And whenever we work in mitt and bag drills, she pushes herself to unprecedented levels of intensity, always ending with a big smile on her face.

Boxing training is great fun, but it's not for everybody. Other demanding, slightly less traditional but higher intensity exercise activities include dancing, roller blading, racket sports, martial arts and rock climbing.

Try something new. You never know what might open up for you and bring you to that next level of both program success and sheer enjoyment.

Rough Night

Tonight was not my finest hour.

I've been feeling some stress lately for a number of personal reasons, and concerned about others I care about who have had recent difficulties of their own, so I guess it finally just got to me. I found myself screaming at my seven year old while he was in the shower. It's a very particular brand of guilt you get to enjoy immediately after you've watched a kid with a sweet disposition tremble as you bellow at him in an intentionally deep, angry voice while his head is full of shampoo and the water is raining down on him. Oh, and did I mention my three year old daughter crying outside the bathroom door because I had escorted her out and closed it behind me? Seconds before, when I first started yelling at him she was hitting my thighs shouting "Bad Daddy!" I'm so proud.

Like an angel, a good friend and neighbor called shortly afterward and helped me put things into perspective. I had already apologized to him, and a problem remains with his recent behavior pattern (he's at the stage where he's constantly distracted, argues incessantly and forgets - or ignores - what you tell him to do before the ring of your voice has faded in the air.) But the more important point is that I acted in a way that was beneath me, him and that I don't want to model for my children. Mistake made, lesson learned. But still, I don't want to repeat it.

After he was out of the shower we needed to go back over his homework before he went to bed and fix some of the mistakes he made. One of his assignments was to write about an insect he chose to study. He picked the dragonfly. I read his little essay and thought more about the dragonfly, and it gave me some comfort and helped ease me a bit out of the guilt I can easily become consumed with when I've hurt someone I love.

Like the dragonfly, my children are beautiful, and the more deeply you look, the more beautiful they are. And though they may appear delicate, they are surprisingly strong.

That's good to remember about ourselves as well. Sometimes we have to be tested to remind ourselves of that all-important fact.

My goal for tomorrow, like the we agreed he'd aim for as I kissed him goodnight tonight, is to do a little bit better tomorrow.

And that's enough.

EAT TO BEAT A SLOW METABOLISM

The late twenties seem to be a watershed period- a lot of us will experience a significant slow down in our metabolisms. Unfortunately our eating habits don't. So we put on weight as we age.
The answer, eat five to seven small meals per day. Do this with consistency and with good nutritious foods and you will have that metabolism firing on all eight cylinders once again.

Richard

QUOTE OF THE DAY

" The tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal.
The tragedy in life lies in having no goals to reach "

Benjamin E. Reach

LOOK GOOD THIS SUMMER IN JUST JEANS & A T-SHIRT

This 15 minute super set is all it takes to stay fit and look good in just jeans and a t-shirt this summer, when you can't get to the gym. Strong shoulders, shapely arms, and toned legs. So get to it! Start with the Push up then move directly into deep squats, without rest continue on with another set of push-ups, then back up for another round of deep squats. First set done! Do this circuit four times with only 30seconds of rest between sets. You will be ready to go!

Richard

ALL WRAPPED UP IN BOXING

All wrapped up in boxing; sportsmanship and discipline are part of the package for inner-city kids.
Kids as young as 5 learn the basics of pugilism in a structured program that's free for those who live in some parts of Allentown, PA. Others can pay to participate at the Allentown Boxing Gym. You wouldn't guess it was Roberto Vega's first time in the Allentown boxing gym.
After having his small hands wrapped in long strips of cotton, the second-grader began dancing in front of a wall mirror and throwing jabs into the beefy hands of former boxer Nelson Perez.
Nearby, 11-year-old Jonathan Valentine concentrated as he pummeled a punching bag suspended from the ceiling, while his father, Jose Valentine, gave him tips on his stance.
The two boys are part of a boxing program for children that is one of Allentown's newest downtown revitalization efforts.
Officials are hoping the program, in which kids as young as 5 can lace on boxing gloves and learn the basics of the sport, will provide an outlet for the youthful energy of children from some of the least privileged areas of Allentown and keep them off the street and out of trouble.
Allentown Superintendent of Recreation Kevin Easterling says he felt it was a no-brainer when former amateur boxer and trainer Luis Melendez approached him about starting a boxing program targeting inner-city youth earlier this year.
''A lot of kids are interested in boxing,'' Easterling says. ''In this area, kids need activity and this was something new.''
Funded by a Community Development Block Grant through the city's Weed and Seed program, the program is free for children in the city's First and Sixth wards. Anyone else can participate but must pay a fee.
The new gym, which opened on the top floor of a dilapidated warehouse on American Parkway, features a ring, punching and speed bags, and other equipment donated by former boxer Jesse Harris, who runs a boxing gym in Stroudsburg, PA.
Jonathan Valentine has been coming daily since the program started in April. His father, a former boxer, is pleased the city is offering it. ''We watch fights together all the time,'' says Jose Valentine.
Melendez, who was an amateur Golden Gloves boxer in the 1970s, says he saw firsthand the benefits of the sport after he began boxing at the age of 8 in Puerto Rico, where he was born.
''I learned how to control myself and how to get along with other people,'' he says.
Melendez says boxing is about discipline and structure. The training program teaches kids coordination and balance and about getting enough sleep and proper diet and exercise, he adds.
''It's not just about fighting,'' says Melendez. ''The first thing I tell them is they're not going to beat anyone up.''
Through boxing, he says, kids learn to redirect their aggression in a positive way, keeping them away from negative influences such as drugs and gangs.
''It's two hours they are not doing anything bad,'' he says. ''It's exciting to work with these kids. They don't want to leave.''
The program also fosters relationships between the trainers and the kids, giving the kids positive role models, says Easterling.
''The beauty of the sport is they come to know each other and forge friendships,'' he says. ''It's not one race or color. Everyone works together.''
It also strengthens family interaction, says Randy Cope, the city Recreation Program Development Specialist.
''More parents are stopping by and encouraging the kids to meet their goals,'' he says. ''It's really working out well.''

STANDING OVATION FOR "TYSON"

The documentary on Mike Tyson, entitled ‘Tyson,’ premiered at the famed Cannes Film Festival last Friday and received prolonged standing ovations from critics and audiences alike. News out of Cannes report that after the film's red-carpet screening, Tyson and director James Toback approached the dais to address the audience, only to receive more cheers from the packed house. Tyson, who was visibly moved by all the adulation, stated “I’ve never experienced anything like this in my whole career. It’s kind of intimidating. I had no idea this thing was going to ever make it to such a grand scale. I feel totally overwhelmed.” The former champ also added: “I lived a wild and strange life. I've used drugs and had physical altercations with dangerous people. It's just a miracle I’m here. Jim (Toback), he just elicited all this stuff out of me, I don't know how he did it.”
A choked-up Toback, who has known Tyson for over 23 years and gave him small roles in two of his movies, said he believed he had succeeded in presenting Tyson as a “complex, iconic and noble human being.” The film, which blends in old video footage and TV interviews, is told entirely from Tyson’s point of view in graphic detail and has been described by many as “shocking” and “moving.” Festival chief Thierry Fremaux, introduced the picture as “a very special film that conveys the memory of a man and the memory of a sport.” ‘Tyson’ is scheduled for major release this Fall.

Weight Loss Tip #5: Keep Your Blood Sugar Stable

What's the purpose of this? Simply stated, there's no better way to switch from a hunger-response eating pattern to a nourishment approach than to keep your blood sugar stable. Most of us eat sporadically, with big meals and big breaks between the meals. That sets up a "feast and fast", roller coaster eating routine that makes it much more likely that you'll over-consume for the day. Why? Because when your body gets an erratic and unpredictable stream of energy (calories), it wants to hoard them when it does get them. That usually means large meals that are rich with calories sound and taste best.

So how do you fix it? Here are three measures that work well, especially together:

1. Eat smaller amounts more frequently (about 1-2 fist sized portions every 2-3 hours is great).

2. Drink water between, but not during meals.

3. Spread fat, fiber and protein (elements that slow the rise and drop of blood sugar) as evenly across the waking day as possible.

This can help you overcome one of the biggest obstacles to eating healthfully: cravings and impulse eating.

FORTY AND FIT, FIFTY AND FABULOUS

After my recent article titled "Friends in fitness, friends for life" where I talk about a group of friends all in their forties and all extremely fit, along with all recent attention for athletes like forty-something big wave surfer Laird Hamilton, forty something Olympic swimmer Dara Torres, and thirty seven year old professional world champion boxer Nate Campbell, as well as my own recent decision to re-enter professional boxing at the age of thirty seven (more than ten years removed since my last fight), I began to do some research. Research on the aging athlete and how aging and your average trainer are affected. So I found out a few really interesting things, all from the very reputable John's Hopkins University.
Without going into the many issues that surround the ageing athlete and your average ageing fitness fanatic I will just get to the study's results and not into it's details. The study found that although certain biological factors of ageing do play a role in diminished skill level, overall fitness and performance, the main factor contributing to these declines was simply "intensity;" the lack of it as we age. I love it. We get complacent and slow down. Proven by the athletes mentioned above, if we keep our training intense, all out, and keep challenging ourselves in the gym, we can prolong our fitness, continue to build lean muscle, get stronger, and yes- still compete competitively even on a professional level way past what science calls our "athletic prime." Its the mind-body connection. If you believe it, you can achieve it, kinda thing.
Programs like my H.I.G.T focus on intensity at all times and provide the tools to get better, stronger, faster, and perform on a higher level in sports and in life. H.I.G.T allows us to do this even as we age. I am thirty seven, I plan on heading into my forties fit and healthy and when I reach fifty, I want to get even better. Sixty....well just look out.
Richard Seymour

BORN AGAIN FITNESS

We are overloaded by different media outlets, books, magazines, and television ads about someone who has gone from thin to fat to thin again. Over and over this scenario plays out in today's overweight society. Perhaps sparking a ray of hope to some of the masses for a chance at six pack abs or to fit into their skinny jeans again. Either way putting many dollars into the pockets of many people.
Pick up any fitness magazine and you will most certainly come to the page of the success story. The overweight, out of shape man or woman who has now gotten back into shape. Boring and played out. Today I would like to recognize the many individuals who for years have quietly and without fan fare stayed fit, trained hard, and live a lifestyle that Madison Avenue can only portray in TV commercials or best selling books. The people who, regardless of careers, schooling, relationships, or personal set backs, have always maintained their weight and have a desire to protect our number one possession: our health.
You are the ones who truly deserve recognition for your commitment, dedication, and desire to be lean, muscular, and healthy. You are the ones who should be applauded for never allowing life's circumstances to dictate your health. I have devoted my adult life to maintaining a healthy body and mind by living a healthy lifestyle and the things I preach. So today I say, "Job well done," and will no longer keep you from the gym.

Richard Seymour

HIGH INTENSITY GROUP TRAINING..For a lean, muscular, fit body

The structure of your training program is vital to building lean muscle tissue, burning more calories, and losing body fat. High intensity group training allows for two very crucial components to be satisfied in your quest for a lean, muscular, fit body. Building muscle and burning fat! The concept of this is simple in explanation yet very difficult in execution.
My H.I.G.T program requires you to stick with some key elements that can not be changed. Two exercises of different muscle groups performed in a super-set fashion to complete one set. Little to almost zero rest between sets with max rest periods being no more than thirty seconds. You never lift lighter weights, you only strive to lift heavier loads each set.
High intensity group training means doing the prescribed exercises as fast and as heavy as you can. Training this way does a host of positive things to your body. One important reaction is the activation of fast twitch muscle fibers that are metabolically less efficient. They use more calories than type 1 fibers because more are recruited to lift heavier loads explosively.
Using minimal rest intervals between sets increases growth hormone and adrenaline levels into the stratosphere. Doing so in return increases the amount of calories burned during each set. Muscle is one of the most metabolically active tissues in the body. What all this means is simple, training this way forces you to build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories you are burning all day. Importantly, muscle is denser than fat so your body looks lean and fit.

Weight Loss Tip #4: Balance Your Fitness Program

Each mode of exercise has a point of diminishing returns. With every hour of cardio or strength you add, they both become less relatively effective than the first hour. Two hours of strength training is better than one, but not twice as good. Same for cardio. And at a certain point, not only does the effectiveness taper off, but you can even run into burnout or injury if you do far too much of any one type of exercise.

That's why it's so important to have a balance between the modes. They should compliment and enhance each other. Bodybuilders do cardio to get lean and improve their capacity to recover between strength sets. Endurance athletes should strength train to improve their muscle endurance and bio mechanics. Core work and flexibility allow you to protect and support your joints and spine so you tolerate the more aggressive modes (cardio and strength) better.

And if your main objective is to lose body fat, all that synergy between the modes lets you burn a whole lot more calories than you would doing just one thing.

SORRY, AM I SPEAKING TOO LOUD? LET'S DO SOME SHOULDERS & TRIS

Funny thing people are. Human nature I mean, it's funny.I noticed how simple words written or spoken, or cute little catch phrases cause a distinct reaction. For example....six minute abs, jogging, low impact, south beach diet, light training and my favorite.... high reps. They all seem to spark interest almost as to say, "Yea, this is gonna be easy and I will look like that fitness model arched over that can of muscle miracle growth serum!!!"

On the other hand, high intensity, heavy weights, squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, sprinting and my very own program H.I.G.T all seem to scare the hell out of the average trainer. C'mon, the bottom line my friends is fitness and the above average body with a low body fat percentage and defined lean muscle tissue is serious work. It's not gonna be easy.

Please stop the emails declaring my training program and its principles as extreme. They just require you to forget what you are bombarded with by the media and that old gym teacher of yours and become openminded to a modern way of achieving that strong muscular sculpted image you have of yourself. Now lets train!

SHOULDERS & TRICEPS
Remember these exercises are performed from one to the next. Two exercises = one set. Then 30 seconds of rest maximum. Begin next set ( exercises described below )

Seated military press into tricep cable push-downs (4 sets with progressively heavier weight. max 30 sec rest )

One arm seated dumbell presses into close grip tricep presses (4 sets with progressively heavier weight. max 30 sec rest )

Dumbell one arm front raises into dips (4 sets with progressively heavier weight. max 30 sec rest )

Side dumbell raises into dumbell kickbacks (4 sets with progressively heavier weight. max 30 sec rest )

Barbell shrugs into close grip push-ups (4 sets with progressively heavier weight. max 30 sec rest ) Followed by 15 min of intense rope work (skipping rope) 80% MHR

congrats...not so bad right? Day 3 of H.I.G.T, day 4 complete body circuit.

Richard

RICHARD SEYMOUR'S FIT/SCHOOL...Supplement smartly

FACT: Creatine and whey protein combined boosts lean muscle mass. Both are popular gym supplements and both have been studied and scrutinized more than any other health supplement. Over 300 human trials with positive results and no side effects in any of the individuals studied. Creatine works by increasing muscle creatine phosphate levels and stimulating protein synthesis, the building of larger stronger muscles.
Whey protein taken both before and after training increasing amino acid availability (building blocks of protein). Combine the two supplements, use smart eating habits and my H.I.G.T program and it's principles along with plenty of good sleep. Now you have taken the propper steps to be assured your body has the key elements for repair and recoup. Now you're ready for tomorrow's workout.

Richard Seymour

MOMS, NEED SOME INSPIRATION?

Here is a mom who may be able to help. Meet Michelle Berger.
In 4 short years Michelle became the mother of 4 children. Michelle spent every moment of her days selflessly caring for her family and finding time for herself was impossible. She was a physical and mental mess: out of shape, over weight, overwhelmed, overstressed, tired, and on the verge of depression. She was too busy to eat right and the thought of exercise was frustrating and seemingly pointless. It was then that she hit rock bottom. One day Michelle stood toe to toe looking at her battle scarred body in the mirror: her round face, blood shot eyes, dull lifeless hair, flabby arms, fat stretched out stomach, flat butt, and shapeless legs were just a shell of the "looker" she was just 6 years earlier. Who was this person in the mirror? Was she a mere slave to the needs of her family? How was she going to get the true Michelle back? It was then that she decided to prove to herself and everyone else that she could regain control of her body and life.

With the frustration of her recent fitness failures fresh in her mind, Michelle threw out the popular fitness routines and diets. She designed a unique program that addressed her body's loss of shape, her malnutrition, her hormones, and the time constrains now affecting her as a mother. Michelle also learned to treat her workout as her "sanctuary time"; she found an escape from the chaos of her life and time to focus on just herself. After several months of intense workouts and fierce determination, her plan worked. She became happier, healthier, more confident, and excited about having the best figure of her life. She was now living proof that it is possible to have a beautiful figure after having children!

Invigorated by her new found life, Michelle's mission became to share hope with every mother that they too can regain their figures, enjoy their lives, and leave a legacy of fitness to their children. Using herself as inspiration along with the methods of her unique fitness program, she founded her company BuffMother! She now impacts mothers from all 50 states, Canada, and 16 countries around the world! Michelle's mission is to help every mother by being a role model, teacher, motivator, advocate, and friend.

www.buffmother.com

PICK UP THESE SIX PACKS, SO YOU CAN KEEP YOURS

I love a cold beer, however not as much as I enjoy a hard mid section. So I go with the light stuff.

Corona Light
Calories: 105
Total carbs: 5 g
Alcohol content: n/a
Amazingly, it tastes as flavorful as Corona Extra. This beer's strong flavor is completely satisfying, so you'll want to savor the smooth taste by sipping, not chugging, through the night.

Yuengling Light Lager
Calories: 99
Total carbs: 8.5 g
Alcohol content: 3.6%
With its caramel color (a sign of antioxidants), this was an easy favorite among our tasters. Drink it at the bar, or order it with a thick steak or juicy burger.

Sam Adams Light
Calories: 119
Total carbs: 9.6g
Alcohol content: 4%
Great amber coloring and a rich taste that reminded some on our staff of fresh fruit-especially berries. Plus, unlike the original, Sam Light has no mouth-souring aftertaste.

Coors Light
Calories: 102
Total carbs: 5g
Alcohol content: 4.2%
Coors Light has the slightly nutty, yeasty flavor of fresh-baked bread. It's light and refreshing-like ginger ale with a bigger bite-so it's hard to drink your fill of this bar standby.

Amstel Light
Calories: 95
Total carbs: 5g
Alcohol content: 3.5%
Light beer for the guy who considers himself a connoisseur, or for beer snobs looking for a "real man's beer." A complete winner-full of zest and whole-grain taste, with no weird aftertaste.

Bud Light
Calories: 110
Total carbs: 6.6g
Alcohol content: 4.2%
Bud Light is the ideal sipping beer, meaning it tastes as good in the ninth inning as it does in the first. This stadium beer washes down dogs and chips with minimal aftertaste.

PUSH UP, FOR A PERFECT CHEST!

The push up is the forgotten stepchild of chest exercises. Listen, start working them into your training, they build strength, stamina, shape your shoulders and triceps, and do a hell of a job giving your chest a monster pump. For a real chest workout, super-set push ups directly after your traditional chest exercises. Whatever you do don't go light with the weight. Bang out a heavy set of dumbbell presses and then drop right to the floor for 25 finger tip push-ups. Trust me. Mix them up, have fun with them, but DO them- they work!

AFTER THE WEIGHTS, SPEED ROPE TO KICK UP THE FAT BURNING A NOTCH!

After a hard and particularly intense weight training session, using my H.I.G.T program found on these pages, it is now time to burn some serious fat! Intense weight training not only burns fat and builds muscle, lean hard muscle, it amps up the metabolism. After about 20 minutes of training you have burned your stored calories and the body turns to fat for energy.
Once I finish the weights I go right to the jump rope and crank out 15 hard intense minutes. I believe this cranks up the fat burning process and at the same time etches out the details in my physique. I love ending the training day outside in the heat putting on the finishing touches. Remember, as we get older we have to train heavy, intense, and often to continue to progress. Don't be misled by those that want you to think as we age we have to slow down and cut back. They tell you that to make themselves feel better about their own inconsistency.

Richard

Weight Loss Tip #3 - Equal Time for Fruits and Veggies

Here's one that's so simple, you can't mess it up. Unless you don't do it at all. If you want to increase your nutrient-density (NU~DE), make sure that every time you eat, at least half the volume is either fruit or veggies.

That's it! Can you believe that half the battle of eating clean was right there for you all the time? It was as close to you as the ruby slippers were to Dorothy, and at least as magical. Why does it work? Well, the key to lowering your calories while increasing your vitamin, mineral and fiber content and, at the same time, filling up your stomach, lies in eating a lot of produce. How much? About half your food should do it. How do you do that? Make sure half of what you eat at any time during the day (which should be mostly lean protein and whole grains on the other side of the plate) is either fruit or vegetables. If you're eating just one thing at a time (say, every hour or two), every other time you eat it should be all veggies or fruit.

And you need to balance out the mix of fruit and veggies. If you lean more heavily toward either, it should be veggies.

Simply shifting 10% of your diet from empty calories (sweets, fatty foods, soda, alcohol) to produce could easily chop 500 calories off your daily total. That's a pound a week; 50 pounds in a year.

That's worth heading to the farmer's market seem like a good idea, huh?

RICHARD SEYMOUR'S FIT/SCHOOL...FIVE RULES OF FITNESS

Five rules to follow for life long health and fitness.

1.Your diet..come on, eat good foods and get your protein!

2.Supplementing...use these valuable tools to reach your fitness goals

3.Anaerobic training... lift weight and lift heavy, build lean tissue

4.Intensity...Don't let your age be an excuse, train hard, heavy, and fast. Your heart will thank you with years of loyalty.

5.Rest...You've got to get good sleep. You build muscle and repair your body only during sleep.

That's it, you are on your way. As for training, I have to recommend my H.I.G.T program. See past posts below.

Richard

REAL SCIENCE REAL RESULTS

Even though many uneducated media journalists claim the contrary, creatine monohydrate is the safest and most effective dietary supplement for building muscle, enhancing strength, lean mass, explosive power, and muscle endurance.
Despite 300 human trials, some still claim creatine causes cramps, dehydration, and altered kidney function. All untrue and proven so during these long term studies. So know it's safe, cheap, and very effective. I use 5 grams a day 30 min before training.

Want to own part of boxing history? Just pony up $2.4 million for Frazier's gym

Former heavyweight boxing champ Joe Frazier's landmark gym is up for sale.
The price tag: $2.4 million.
The real estate listing says it's "a chance to own a piece of history."
The gym in North Philadelphia is a former ballroom that is more than a century old. It has trained aspiring boxers for more than 40 years but was shuttered several weeks ago. Frazier spokesman Les Wolff said at the time it was being closed for renovations. Selling the building is only one option. He says Frazier would consider a joint venture with a developer to refurbish the gym.

FISH OIL...WHY YOU NEED TO TAKE IT!

Research studies show fish oil benefits are down right amazing.
And knowing this is the second most important thing you can do for your health. (We'll get to #1 in importance soon.)
Studies are published almost daily as the scientific community discovers more and more of the many extraordinary omega 3 fish oil benefits.
If you haven't already been swept up in the net yet, here are 7 proven omega 3 benefits you should know about.

1. Less Pain and Inflammation. Omega 3 fatty acids, particularly EPA, have a very positive effect on your inflammatory response. Through several mechanisms, they regulate your body's inflammation cycle, which prevents and relieves painful conditions like arthritis, prostatitis, cystitis, and anything else ending in "itis."

2. Cardiovascular Health. Omega 3 fatty acids have also been proven to work wonders for your heart and the miles and miles of arteries and veins that make up your cardiovascular system. They help to lower cholesterol, tryglicerides, LDLs, and blood pressure, while at the same time increasing good HDL cholesterol. This adds years to your life expectancy.

3. Protection from Stroke and Heart Attack. When plaque builds up on arterial walls and then breaks loose, it causes what's known as a thrombosis, which is a fancy way of saying clot. If a clot gets stuck in the brain, it causes a stroke and when it plugs an artery, it causes a heart attack. Research shows omega 3 fatty acids break up clots before they can cause any damage.

4. Better Brain Function and Higher Intelligence. Pregnant and nursing mothers can have a great impact on the intelligence and happiness of their babies by supplementing with fish oil. For adults, omega 3 improves memory, recall, reasoning, and focus. You'll swear you're getting younger and smarter.

5. Less Depression and Psychosis. Making you smarter is not all omega 3 does for your brain. Psychiatry department researchers at the University of Sheffield, along with many other research studies, found that omega 3 fish oil supplements "alleviate" the symptoms of depression, bipolar, and psychosis (Journal of Affective Disorder Vol. 48(2-3);149-55).

6. Lower Incidence of Childhood Disorders. Just to show how fish oil fatty acids leave nobody out, studies show that children (and adults) with ADD and ADHD experience a greatly improved quality of life. And those with dyslexia, dyspraxia, and compulsive disorders have gotten a new lease on life thanks to omega 3 oils.

7. Reduction of Breast, Colon, and Prostate Cancer. And finally, omega 3 fish oil has been shown to help prevent three of the most common forms of cancer – breast, colon, and prostate. Science tells us that omega 3s accomplish this in three ways. They stop the alteration from a normal healthy cell to a cancerous mass, inhibiting unwanted cellular growth and causing apoptosis, or cellular death, of cancer cells.

So you can see why knowing these benefits is the second most important thing you can do for your health. Can you guess what number one is?
That's right! Now it's time to put your knowledge to work. Eat more cold water oily fish and start taking good quality pure omega 3 fish oil supplements regularly and, just as important, keep training and using my H.I.G.T program and principles.
Richard Seymour

Weight Loss Tip #2: Continually Progress Your Program

Exercise DVDs won't do it. Classes won't usually do it as well as you can on your own (or with a trainer). And most people who edpend on the pre-programmed options of a machine as their primary aerobic activity won't usually do it.

Do what?

Increase the challenge level of the program gradually and consistently over time. Why is that important? Because the whole point of training is to increase your capacity for similar activity (endurance, strength, flexibility, core stability, etc.) As you do that, what used to be hard for you becomes easier. And that's where many people get stuck. The payoff of adapting to a particular activity, for a certain amount of time each week at a fixed level of intensity is increasing comfort. As it gets easier, we enjoy the feeling of it not being so hard anymore.

That's a recipe for halting your progress. If you keep doing the same things at the same level of intensity for the same amount of time each week, it will be easier to plan your workouts and they'll become easier to do. But you won't keep improving - you'll just maintain the improvements you've already achieved.

There are countless ways to progress your program, but adding more and more time each week is not practical for most people, so intensity becomes the most important variable in the equation.

A simple way to progress a walking or running program is to choose a route that takes 45 minutes to do initially, and then try to shave off 30-60 seconds each time you do it. When you get it down to 40 minutes, add another 10-12% length to the course and try to cover that in 45 minutes.

You can follow a similar pattern with reps in a single set for each strength training exercise. Work toward adding one rep every 2-3 workouts to an exercise that you can do 10 reps with at your current resistance level. When you can do 15, move up in weight 10-20%.

Being deliberate about this part of the program can mean the difference between frustration and achieving the results you've always wanted.

Weight Loss Tip #1 - Taper Your Calories in The Evening

One of the most common practices I see in new clients trying to lose weight is "back-loading" calories. If you eat a big lunch, then get busy in the afternoon, or just don't feel like eating for five or six (or more) hours, your body is going to do two things:

1. Take energy away from your stored protein (muscle tissue)

2. Crave large amounts of calorie-dense food

Why? Well, you're telling your body it can't count on a consistent, adequate calorie supply, so it' s breaking down the tissue that allows you to burn calories, and it's loading up for the next long stretch of lean times it thinks is coming.

So, breaking down the muscle tissue makes you feel sluggish and so you become less active, burning fewer calories that day than you might have otherwise. And then if you do eat that king-sized fat and/or sugar laden meal, it's pretty likely you're going to end the day with a calorie surplus. That adds to, rather than draws down, your fat stores. Even 200 calories extra each day adds up to more than 20 pounds in a year.

How do you reverse it?

By doing the opposite. Eat just enough at lunch to get you through a couple of hours, eat a fairly substantial mid or late afternoon snack, and then you should feel like a pretty light dinner.

Do that, and it will be easier for you to create that shortfall that will trim, rather than thicken your middle.

Ten Things You're Probably Not Doing (but should be) to Lose Weight

If you've tried, unsuccessfully, to lose weight in the past in a healthful way that is sustainable and effective, you may feel that eating a healthy diet and exercising just doesn't work for you. It does, you're just not doing some specific things that keep a very common condition from playing out: Eating just enough additional calories to compensate for those you burn during exercise.

For many people, this is the singular and incredibly frustrating cause behind that lack of success. And the worst part? You don't even realize you're doing it. It's very common and it's pretty darn demoralizing.

So how do you fix it? Uncover the specific behavior(s) that are keeping you consuming caloric equilibrium (same amount in as out) and then address each, one by one:

1. Taper Evening Calories: http://45yearold6pack.blogspot.com/2008/05/weight-loss-tip-1-taper-your-calories.html

2. Continually Progress your Program: http://45yearold6pack.blogspot.com/2008/05/weight-loss-tip-2-continually-progress.html

3. Step Up the Produce: http://45yearold6pack.blogspot.com/2008/05/weight-loss-tip-3-equal-time-for-fruits.html

4. Balance Your Exercise Modes: http://45yearold6pack.blogspot.com/2008/05/weight-loss-tip-4-balance-your-fitness.html

5. Stabilize Your Blood Sugar: http://45yearold6pack.blogspot.com/2008/05/weight-loss-tip-5-keep-your-blood-sugar.html

6. Find a Challenging Activity you Love: http://45yearold6pack.blogspot.com/2008/05/weight-loss-tip-5-find-vigorous.html

7. Drink Plenty of Water: http://45yearold6pack.blogspot.com/2008/05/weight-loss-tip-7-drink-enough-water.html

8. Eat Lean Protein at Breakfast: http://45yearold6pack.blogspot.com/2008/05/weight-loss-tip-7-drink-enough-water.html

9. Have Patience and Faith: http://45yearold6pack.blogspot.com/2008/05/weight-loss-tip-9-have-patience-and.html

10. Think Differently: http://45yearold6pack.blogspot.com/2008/05/weight-loss-tip-10-think-differently.html

I AM NO MORE THAN MY MIND ALLOWS.

Two and a half days, three plane flights, and a bus ride later and I am back at work. For those new to the site, I work six months of the year in western Africa. One month on one off type of schedule. Shortly after arriving at the airport at 4am I always seem to ask myself at this very point of the journey, "Why am I doing this?" After twenty eight days straight with my family and being home, it is always hard when it comes time to head back to work. "Hard" is the reason I do it! If it were easy everyone would be here doing it. See, I truly believe if you choose an easy way of doing things then what is the point? What do you learn? How do you achieve your goals and aspirations?
Nothing worth while in this life, including achieving a high level of fitness and a body strong, muscular, and defined, is going to be easy. Reaching peak fitness and staying at this level for years and years takes a lot of sacrifice and effort and at times it's just plain downright hard. That is what makes it so special. The mind is a very powerful and under-used tool when it comes to living a fit and healthy lifestyle. You have to truly believe you can and will be better today than you were yesterday. I will never be satisfied being unchallenged, hard work and sacrifices make even the simplest things more enjoyable. You have to see it, believe it, then take the steps to make it happen. No it isn't easy, it takes a lot to stay positive and be focused with so many things distracting us today. Think about your goals and how it will feel when you reach them. Think how good that will feel. See it in your mind then go for it.
I hope today you are challenged and find inspiration in that.