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Two is One and One is None

April 13, 2022
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| Health and Wellness

Two is one and one is none is a concept used by Navy Seals that simply means to have a backup plan.  It means having one of something is like having none and that having two of anything is the same as having one. This important concept is not only extremely valuable on the battlefield and in outdoor survival but in everyday life. Taking it a step further, I like to also apply this to healthy eating and exercise.

Exercise and eating healthy are the two key components of living a healthy lifestyle. Yet too many people leave these two important components to chance. Then when something causes your day or week to go sideways, without a backup plan your initial plan for diet and exercise goes off the rails.

This leads to inconsistency, frustration, and overwhelm. All of which makes it much easier to get discouraged and just say screw it. I’ll try again tomorrow or next week. For some people, it can mean they may just give up all together.

Fortunately, this problem has an easy solution.

An ounce of prevention is equal to a pound of cure. The best way to avoid all the problems listed above is to create back up systems and have them in place. In life it is not if something will go wrong but when.

Here are some ideas to help you create your own back-up plan for your diet and exercise routine.

  1. Schedule your workouts for each week in advance. If something is on the schedule you are more likely to get it done.
  2. Always have 2-3 backup workout programs that you can do if something pops up and you cannot get your planned workout in for that day. EG. Go for a walk or run. Do a shorter 10–15-minute or 15-30 minute workout or yoga flow.
  3. Shop and prep food ahead of time so the ingredients are ready to go at a moment’s notice to throw together something tasty and healthy.
  4. Have healthy food readily available. Keep healthy bars, snacks, and protein powder in your car, pocketbook, backpack, at work, and at home.
  5. Have an emergency meal plan. Simply keep a set of ingredients that will allow you to throw together a healthy meal if you run late from work or the kids practice or game runs over. Instead of grabbing fast food. Quickly whip up a healthy tasty dinner.

A quick caveat. Having a backup doesn’t always mean having the exact same thing that may become lost or broken but something in place that can do a similar job when the SHTF.

Sure, the workout you may end up doing isn’t the exact one you had planned but you still got a workout in. This is better than nothing. Sometimes this can even work out better than the original. Getting something done keeps you consistent and keeps your momentum going. These are two key variables for long-term success.

The old saying of failing to plan is planning to fail always holds true.

Don’t overcomplicate the plan. Take a little time now and create 1-2 backup workout options, backup snacks, and backup last-minute meal ideas. Then save the workouts on your phone and go buy the ingredients for your meals so you have them on hand.

Once again, a plan without a backup plan is like having no plan at all. Incorporating these easy-to-apply techniques can assure that you won’t get caught with your pants down the next time life goes sideways.

To your health,

Kevin

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What Type of Workout(s) Should I Be Doing?

March 8, 2022
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| Health and Wellness, Workouts

We humans always feel the need to complicate things. Never is this more apparent than when it comes to trying to lose weight and get in shape.

People are always looking for that perfect workout. That perfect diet. One day it’s HIIT., One day it’s barre, One day it’s yoga, etc., etc. If this sounds like you then let’s stop for a second and take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for a count of 4 seconds. Then slowly exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds. OK, feel better now?

Here is the deal. I am going to break this down as simply as possible. At the end of the day, unless you are training for a specific sporting event, race, etc, it isn’t any more complicated than what I am about to tell you.

If you are currently only doing “cardiovascular” training such as running, cycling, etc. then add some weight training and yoga/mobility/flexibility training 2-3 times per week for 30-60 minutes.

If you are a meathead currently clanging and banging the weights away at the gym, then add some HIIT and/or cardio training as well as some yoga/mobility/flexibility training 2-3 times per week for 30-60 minutes.

If you are currently only doing Yoga, then add some strength training and cardiovascular or HIIT training 2-3 times per week for 30-60 minutes.

If you currently only lift and do cardiovascular or lift and do H.I.I.T. then add yoga 2-3 times per week.

Understand where I am going with this?

Don’t have 30-60 minutes a day to do this type of training? Then do 15-30 minutes.

Don’t have time for a full yoga class? Then pick out 1-2 short yoga flows of 10-15 minutes that focus on your whole body and add them to the end of your other workout routines or do them just before bed to relax.

Don’t have time for HIIT or Cardio then add it for 10-15 minutes at the end of your weight training workout.

Get the idea?

The exact workout program doesn’t make a ton of difference if

  1. You are training your whole body
  2. You work out hard each workout
  3. The workout is challenging and gradually increases in difficulty
  4. It is done consistently

If your workouts include all the above, then in a short time you will see results.

There is no perfect workout routine. The key for optimal health and performance is to make sure that you do some form of resistance/strength training, HIIT or cardio training and yoga/mobility/flexibility to keep your body looking and functioning optimally.

It doesn’t need t be fancy or complicated. Simple, challenging, and consistent is all that really matters.

If you’re not sure how to do any of these types of exercise, then hire a coach to help get you on the right track.

Yours in health.

Kevin

 

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Self-Maintenance

November 11, 2021
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| Health and Wellness

As I have gotten older and more banged up over the years it has become more apparent than ever the importance of taking care of myself. Unfortunately, as a busy father, husband, business owner and student I tend to always put other priorities in front of my own. This can oftentimes lead to me getting injured or sick and when your injured and sick you can’t really take care of anyone else. The key to long-term health, fitness, and fat loss is what I like to call self-maintenance.

 Imagine for a minute that the car you have now is the only car you can drive for the rest of your life. I’d bet you would take great care of that car, wouldn’t you? You would get all the maintenance done on time, keep it clean, use the best gas, etc. Well, our bodies are like that one car. It’s our only vessel for this lifetime so if you want it to last and run optimally you need to keep up on the maintenance. To keep this simple I created a checklist below. It’s kind of like the maintenance schedule in the owner’s manual of your car.

Priority 1: Medical Maintenance

  • Annual Physical and Blood Work. This should be done annually and always keep a record of your blood test results. Getting a regular check-up and blood work can help you discover if certain health markers are out of range and let you know of possible early illness or disease so that you can take the proper actions to fix the problem early. The basic blood test should be these, CBC with different DHEAS, free T3, free T4, TSH
    Total and free testosterone. CMP, B12/folate, GGT, Insulin, Glycomarck, HgB 1AC, PSA free PSA, Vitamin D. You doctors will also do a urinalysis.
  • Colonoscopy. I know this is most people’s least favorite exam. The prep for the test alone sucks. Nonetheless it is important to get it done. The ACS recommends that people at average risk* of colorectal cancer start regular screening at age 45. This can be done either with a sensitive test that looks for signs of cancer in a person’s stool (a stool-based test), or with an exam that looks at the colon and rectum (a visual exam).For people without a family history of cancer it is recommended to get this exam beginning at age 50.
  • Annual Mammogram and OBGYN Visit: All women should have an annual exam by their OBGYN. Women ages 40 to 44 should have the choice to start annual breast cancer screening with mammograms (x-rays of the breast) if they wish to do so. Women age 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year. Women 55 and older should switch to mammograms every 2 years or can continue yearly screening.
  • Prostate Cancer Screening. Yup time to bend over and take it like a man. Age 50 for men who are at average riskof prostate cancer and are expected to live at least 10 more years. Age 45 for men at high risk of developing prostate cancer. This includes African Americans and men who have a first-degree relative (father or brother) diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age (younger than age 65). Age 40 for men at even higher risk (those with more than one first-degree relative who had prostate cancer at an early age). It is also important for your urologist to exam your testes for lumps, varicoceles, etc. and testicular cancer signs.
  • Biannual Dental Examination and Cleaning. Going every 6-months for a dental check up and teeth cleaning will not only make the person you have to kiss happy but can help prevent developing more painful and serious conditions such as cavities, and gum disease.
  • Optometrist Exam: Having properly scheduled eye exams is important to keep your vision sharp. It is also important to discover any possible underlying conditions that may cause problems down the road. If you don’t have any symptoms or vision problems, doctors recommend getting regular eye exams based on your age:
  • Ages 20 to 39: Every 5 years
  • Ages 40 to 54: Every 2 to 4 years
  • Ages 55 to 64: Every 1 to 3 years
  • Ages 65 and up: Every 1 to 2 years

Priority 2: Self Care

  • Body Work and Massage Therapy. Getting a massage or other form of soft tissue work done weekly, once a month, or as needed is a great way to prevent injuries, and address, and care for injuries before they get worse. It will also keep you feeling great.
  • Chiropractic Care. Getting adjusted weekly or monthly is another great way to prevent you from getting injured. It can also keep chronic conditions that can flare up if left unchecked at bay.
  • Energy Work, Acupuncture: Energy work is something most people haven’t tried but I can tell you from personal experience that it works. Not only does it work, but it also can work wonders. The key is finding a qualified practitioner. If your body’s energy is not flowing properly it can lead to a host of injuries and illnesses. Getting energy work done once a month or as needed can make a huge difference in keeping you mentally, physically, and spiritually healthy.
  • Yoga and/or flexibility/mobility training. As people age, it is common to lose more and more flexibility and mobility. This can lead to injuries, poor movement, and aches and pains. Practicing yoga or other forms of flexibility and mobility are great ways to prevent injuries, decrease aches and pains and keep you moving young and nimble.
  • Weight training: Resistance training 2-3 days per week is the best way to add or at least prevent muscle loss as we age. It is also the best way to stay strong. Having more muscle mass and strength is one of the best indicators for longer life. Resistance training is also a crucial component for maintaining independence and quality of life as we age.
  • Anaerobic and Aerobic Training: Anaerobic fitness or interval training is a great way to improve and/or maintain fitness. Aerobic training or steady-state cardio is a great way to improve cardiovascular fitness. Incorporating both into your exercise routine will help keep your energy, physical stamina, and endurance high so that you can stay healthy and conditioned to be able to continue to participate in all types of physical activities.
  • Stress Management: Stress is a leading cause of disease. Aside from that, too much stress is just miserable. The key is to take steps to manage stress. Among these are meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, praying, getting outside in nature, exercise, improving sleep, massage, etc. By creating a routine or experimenting with different stress management techniques you can create a plan that works for you.
  • Improve Your Nutrition: This should be at the top of the list but I wanted to leave you with one of the most important aspects of self-maintenance, nutrition. The best way to help assure your health, fitness, recovery, and overall well-being is healthy nutrition. If you are putting crappy fuel, excess alcohol, or drugs into your body it cannot and will not run optimally. I will have a great new blog post soon on simplifying and saving time on nutrition coming soon. In the meantime, you can start by just choosing one of the following. 
  1. Reduce your sugar intake
  2. Reduce your intake of unhealthy vegetable oils and use olive oil, coconut, and avocado oil
  3. Eat more fruits and vegetables
  4. Eat more protein
  5. Drink more water

If you are not doing any of the above already I recommend choosing just one and starting with that until you have it down pat. Then add another etc. This makes it much easier to get going and stay consistent.

There you have it. It may seem like a lot but don’t let it overwhelm you. The first key is to stay on top of the medical aspect by staying up to date with the appropriate doctors’ visits. The second key is to choose which of the self-care techniques above resonates with you. You may need to experiment with different techniques or different practitioners until you find the modalities and practitioners that work for you. Once you do, however, you will always have a toolbox available to keep you fine-tuned and running optimally. It’s also great to have to fix you up when you have a breakdown.

To help you start getting these new self-maintenance habits in place I have created a FREE Trinity Fitness and Wellness Self Maintenance Schedule to make keeping track and staying consistent a hell of a lot easier. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please comment below.

Wishing you the best in health, fitness, wellness, and happiness.

Kevin

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Stretching for Those That Hate Stretching Series

March 19, 2021
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| Health and Wellness

An Amazing Yoga Flow

If you hate stretching and mobility work raise your hand? If you need stretching and mobility work raise your hand? If you love stretching and mobility work raise your hand? You weirdo. LOL Just kidding. The fact of the matter is a lot of people hate stretching and mobility work. These same people however typically need this type of work the most. So what’s the answer? Create short, fun and easy to do routines that people who hate stretching will be more willing to do. Don’t worry people who love stretching. This series has some great stuff for you too. 

Now more than ever with more and more people sitting for their jobs, binge watching hours of Netflix and sitting in traffic there is a huge rise in poor flexibility, mobility and aches and pains. That’s where this series comes in.

Since I am not a yoga instructor although I kinda play one on TV after our virtual boot camp classes. I wanted to seek the advice of a professional. So I asked my good friend and amazing yoga instructor Kristen from Iris Mind-Body http://irisstudiosnj.com on Instagram iris.mindandbody  to help me out by creating a short, fun, easy to perform yoga flow that works on improving flexibility for all the major muscle groups. These stretches/poses can also help reduce stress, decrease pain and help people feel great. This is a great addition to your morning or evening routine and before and/or after a workout.

Please give it a try and let us know what you think.

Namaste!

Kevin

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