Life has a funny way of teaching you hard lessons. It will sometimes throw you into the proverbial deep end of the pool while you try to either learn to swim or drown.
Life also has a way of giving you things and presenting you with opportunities.
But you have to be able to recognize the opportunity when it is presented. Some people float through life hoping for something amazing to fall into their laps, while sometimes, something may. But these people are so busy looking for something terrible or bad or complaining about how much life sucks that they miss the opportunities before them.
This is a blog not only dedicated to getting stronger with iron, but stronger in heart, in mind, in spirit and also in body. All of these facets work together to make us humans what and who we truly are.
While having a big total is a great thing in the world of powerlifting and being able to show how strong you are in the gym or on the field is something worth achieving, it is also worth noting that having a strong personal sense of who you are and what you truly want out of life is important to strive for as well.
I was recently presented with an opportunity. I had lost out on something fairly recently and was upset about it, complaining and whining about it. But I eventually put on my big girl pants and said "OK, something else will come along and if I have to work harder to get it, I will."
Then life dropped a sapphire right into my lap and I was able to seize the opportunity because I recognized what it was. My ability to not be a "green grasser" gave me the chance to take the opportunity and now just run with it and make the most of it.
"Green grassers" are people who just cannot seem to simply appreciate and accept and truly enjoy and be happy with what they have already created or have in their lives. Do not mistake this for apathy. While we should all continue to try to be better, stronger and greater human beings in all aspects and continually grow, we ought to also be able to stop and appreciate the journey and the stops we have created and taken. We cannot continually look over the fence and hope that side is better than the side we're on. Granted, sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't. But we should at least try to appreciate what we have while we have it while still trying to improve and become better versions of who are are.
You can't win them all, but you should certainly try.
It never ceases to amaze me that a lot of people just need help getting started correctly.
This post is directed at the new-comer or the ones coming back after some time off who need some guidance. This post is inspired by a slew of questions I have received lately regarding supplementation, nutrition and general exercise programming.
A lot of articles can get very scientific. Lucky for you, I'm not a scientist. Let's learn something, shall we?
What to eat:
While this question can be answered differently by 10 different people, I'll break it down and enlighten you as to what your options ought to be. None of this is set in stone, and you can do with this information as you please. As TMW says, this is all just advice.
Nailed it.
1) Don't eat kit kat lasagna. Seriously.
2) Don't eat too much stuff that comes out of a bag or a box, unless it literally says "chopped brocoli" or "peas" or "frozen berries" or something very similar. If you're not sure, look at the nutrition label and see how much other stuff is added in, if any.
Seems legit.
3) Eat more protein.
4) Drink more water.
5) Log your daily calories.This does several things, one of which is letting you know what's working and what's not. MyFitnessPal is my counter of choice and they have mobile apps available for both Android and iOS.
Those are the basics to getting more healthy over-all. Without digging deeper into gluten allergies, lactose allergies, carb sensitivity, etc, this should pretty much do everyone a solid.
As far as how often to eat, that's a whole other post. But choose an eating pattern you can stick to. I personally do intermittent fasting, but that's not for everyone. Some people fair well on 6 meals per day, others on 3, and some on eating every other day. It's all about finding what works best for you.
What to Take:
1) Creatine. If you're trying to gain mass (often referred to as "bulking" in bodybuilding circles) or lose fat (often referred to as "cutting"), creatine is good for both. I like the creatine from True Nutrition and I like the company itself and its practices, but you can choose any type of creatine monohydrate you'd like, so long as the label states "Creapure" (which basically means that nothing has been added in as filler). Creatine is the most scientifically studied supplement on the market and has been shown to improve athletic performance over time more-so than any other supplement.
Other Supplements, Case by Case:
A multi vitamin. If you go this route, try to get a super food multi. But note that these have not been shown to significantly affect health or performance. These are usually used to just fill in gaps in your diet, if you're a vegetarian or vegan, for instance.
Vitamin D3 (if you want more info on this, check out Ice Cream Fitness on YouTube...Jason does a great job of talking about the benefits. (linked below) )
Protein Powder. This is one that people will say is either good or bad. And while, yes, different types of protein are "better" because they offer more bang for your buck, just meeting your protein requirements is a must no matter if you're trying to get bigger or lose fat. I get mine from True Nutrition (custom mixes are awesome) and they have tons of options, even for the vegan and vegetarian athlete. I would choose 1) Whey Protein then 2) Egg protein then 3) Rice protein. I'm not an advocate of soy in any fashion, but to each his own.
I always recommend Starting Strength for those really interested in getting strong using iron, and using a barbell correctly. It's got great information on body mechanics and it's very useful for getting you into the right type of programming. If you're looking for a very solid, general baseline foundation program, buy this book. You won't be disappointed. And don't forget to log your training sessions!
Programming is something that can be talked about until my dying breath, but I'll try to keep it simple (and it's not my forte). If you're not wanting to compete in something and just want to get in shape, just start moving more than you do now.
It's important to note that not all exercise is created equal, but that any exercise (generally) is a lot better than none.
There are a ton of mis-conceptions out there, so I'll try to be frank.
I am a strength athlete. I like lifting heavy things. Some people don't. I recognize this.
1) Try not to do cardio the same day you lift things. If you must do cardio the same day, fall back to "bro-science" and do your weight lifting first in the session, then cardio after. Better yet, separate your cardio and weightlifting by a few hours, at least. Cardio can be quite catabolic (muscle wasting) without the use of external compounds to negate this (anabolic steroids), hence the reason for splitting up the work.
2) Lift heavy things. If you're not sure what "heavy" is in this context, you aren't lifting heavy. Heavy is subjective. I cannot lift 600 pounds from the floor like Ronnie Coleman or Ed Coan. But lifting 175 is heavy for me. It's all a matter of context. But don't sacrifice good form for the sake of more weight. That only literally hurts you later.
3) Find something you like to do that will get you to your goals efficiently. Maybe weightlifting isn't your cup of tea. Maybe you like golf or boxing or basketball. How do you know what your cup of tea is? It's hard work, but it feels good. It brings you peace. Realize that there will be good days in the gym or on the field and there will be plenty of bad days, too. But if you generally enjoy the work you put into your sport and the results are getting you closer to your goals, then you found your tea.
Different flavors for different folks.
4) Don't over think it. Just get in there and do work. If you're not sure of your form, find or hire someone to help you learn it and perfect it. If you want to get into a certain sport, find others who are already into it and learn from them.
And always remember, this is our chance. Your health is something you can pretty much control. A healthy and sexy body is more apt to breed a healthy and sexy mind as a result.
