So, tomorrow I drive to Flint, my usual 50 mile commute each way, and then from there I will go to Columbus tomorrow afternoon to meet my friend Dave Wendel and have dinner. Then, we’ll be off to find the new champions and get a chance to shake their hands, as well as a chance to squeeze a few people we already know! That’s “squeeze” as in hugs, not as in shaking them down, by the way!

Last year I flew to Columbus with my wife Ruth, and it took most of the day due to bad weather. We weren’t really wanting to fly but that was an EAS policy, and they were paying for it, so that’s what we did. This time, I’m driving. I love to drive by myself! I can listen to sports talk radio without anyone telling me to change the station or asking if I haven’t already heard a particular broadcast. Last year while driving to Kansas I actually listend to 14 hours straight of sports talk radio and never batted an eye! I can also stop whenever I feel like it.

Here’s what I’m taking on the road; several articles of workout gear, including my versagripps, a journal, a four day supply of Myoplex, Phosphagen Elite, Muscle Armor, and branch chain amino acids, all appropriately labeled. A shake cup, and a large cup as well; capsules of supplements, and of course my champion’s jacket! I already know there’s a place to work out at the hotel, and I think that there’s a possibility of getting in to the Lifetime Fitness gym there as well, for a fee of course. We’ll see. Anyway, I’m not carrying any road exercise gear such as bands or a fitness ball, but I would be if I was going where there wasn’t a gym.  I’ll also have my laptop computer so I can use the hotel wireless and give you all live updates on the guestbook regularly.  I have a camera, a Body for Life book that already is nearly filled with autographs of champions and friends who ought to be champions. I’ll add a few more this time I bet!

I’m excited to see lots of you, and I’m sorry I’ll miss some of you who won’t show for various reasons. Some of you have very good reasons and some of you are just plain fearful. You’re afraid you would look out of place, or wouldn’t know anyone, or would be the fattest person there. Or you’re afraid that you’ll make a fool of yourself. Look, I know the feeling. I hate it when I go somewhere for the very first time. The fear in the back of my mind always makes me think of 900 very good resons why I shouldn’t go there! Today, though, I know that champions take action in the face of fear. Today, I know that when I’m afraid, I must go right to the source of the fear so that it cannot defeat me. I also know that if I’m really fearful about going somewhere there’s probably a very GOOD reason why I should be GOING THERE!

Fear, for most of us, is the number one enemy! Is there anything missing in your life because you let that fear keep you from doing something you wish you had done? It’s never too late to face fear–and to get that victory. What is missing can be obtained, and what is obtained can be kept, so long as you give it away to others!

Bits and Pieces

This weekend I was in  a Burlington Coat Factory as an unwilling shopping participant. In order to avoid acting like I didn’t want to be  there, I went off on my own and found a few things I think you should all know about.

One is that they carry a set of hand weights made by Valeo, a longtime fitness gear manufacturer, which weights are adjustable from one to five pounds around the wrist. They are only $7.99 I think. A set of these would be a great help to you ladies who have a hard time going up the entire 5 pounds between dumbbells. By adding a little weight to your wrists you are lifting that much more, and so you can go up in your weights by as little as one pound a time if you need to.

They also had body balls, the small fitness ball that goes in the small of your back and in the abs and various other areas, and becomes the pivot point of many body weight exercises. This too was very inexpensive.

Fitness gadgets are really catching on, and if you go to some of the more out of the way places, and the places like TJ Maxx that end with lots of new closeout items, you can usually find things at prices you can afford. 

Another item that ought to be in everyone’s home is a fitness ball, or what is sometimes called a Swiss ball or an exercise ball. These can be used as a weight bench, a seat, and a pivot point for all kinds of exercises. WIth a pump, this ball can go on the road with you and can really provide a great workout, especially for the core areas of your body.

Thursday I’m headed to Columbus and I’ll post a blog about what is happening at the Expo, on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and maybe even Sunday.

Most of you know that I am a recovering alcoholic and that I owe my life to a 12 step recovery program. After many years doing the body for life lifestyle, I have come to appreciate parallels between the two programs. They are not the same, make no mistake about that. But here are the points that make both programs strong, successful, and life-changing.

1. Both programs assume that the participant has pretty much hit bottom, and feels powerless to change his basically unmanageable life. With the 12 step program the weakness and point of change has to do with addiction. In BFL, the weakness and point of change has to do with physical health and disordered eating habits.  Without such a realization and a sense of near helplessness at the beginning, there is usually only a shallow commitment at the outset, and shallow commitments wash away like the sands at the beach as the tide rises.

2. Both have a moment of “aha!” That is, there is a realization that “this is the way out for me.” In the 12 step program it is represented by a recognition of the insanity of the current situation, and an understanding that a Higher Power can solve this problem. With BFL, it’s much more subtle yet nearly the same. By the time someone decides to do BFL, there has been a lot of “insanity” in the classic definition of doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, hasn’t there? Who of us hasn’t looked upon an empty bag of chips, cookies or candy and wondered, “Did I just eat that whole damned thing–again?” 

3. MADE A DECISION….that’s the first real action step. The other two are worked in your head or by your past habits. Like Porter Freeman says, “You need to take that essential first step–you need to make that conscious decision to change. I made that decision of February 12 1997. …its the day this Freeman became a ’Free Man’!”

It’s like lighting the burners on a rocket ship when you make that decision. It’s memorable, indelible and powerful! Yes, you’ll be scared, or at least you ought to be! It’s probably been a while since you did anything quite that precipitous and you’ve just committed yourself to a whole lot of work, and even more enjoyment! In fact, you’ve just committed yourself to a brand new life.

4. Fast forward. The twelfth step is all about carrying the message to others, helping them to get what you got, and to keep it.  Body for Life, if it is done successfully, cannot help but leave you with the same fervor and gratitude out of which step 12 is worked. Let me give you an example: Sylvia Bortman, the lady from Texas who was last year’s lady over 50 winner, has been tirelessly helpful to women not only this year but long before. Not only on the guestbook but on other boards she has constantly answered questions, did inspiring blogs, and generally gave more time than anyone could ever imagine she had in a day! She hasn’t done this by luck, and has had no small amount of personal, family challenges while functioning as a great BFL ambassador. She didn’t do that just because she’s a nice lady, but because she’s a great champion who wants to keep body for life as the most successful personal transformation program in the world!

Well, I hope this has you thinking. I hope this has helped make you thankful for a program like Body for Life. I know it has done that for me. I often write stuff literally for myself, because remembering what I used to be like, what happened, and what I am like now is a sure cure for the blues, the doldrums, or a lackluster attitude.

Love you all! I can’t wait to see many of you in Columbus.

BY THE END OF BUSINESS TODAY, February 25, if you don’t have your Expo tickets purchased, you’ll be out of luck so far as coming to Columbus to be a big part of the action there! If you want to go, call 800 297 9776 right after reading this blog and make arrangements to be there. You won’t regret it!

One of the questions that was submitted for the contest I ran a week ago was a request to submit a perfect supplementation plan for women. I thought that was a great idea, but I think I’ll do both men and women instead. It is below!

Supplementation is the third leg of the BFL stool, the first two being 1. adhering to the 6 small meals a day diet, and, 2. doing high intensity exercise six days a week, 3 resistance training sessions and three cardio sessions. But, what exactly should a trainee be using for her supplements?

To avoid confusion during the first challenge, Bill Phillips recommended using only the meal replacement supplements, a couple a day. That would be Myoplex Lite for women and Myoplex original or Myoplex deluxe for men. These are great sources of high quality whey protein, good carbohydrates and each shake has half the minerals and vitamins you need for the day.

For those who are in second or subsequent challenges, or who want to absolutely maximize their results and are not afraid of getting stronger by getting more muscle, here is what I recommend.

For ladies, Betagen twice a day, every day. One dose should be right after your workout and the other can be whenever you want. This will give you a supply of creatine for increasing muscle and decreasing recovery time, glutamine for helping with workout recovery, and HMB which does a lot of things, including the strength with which you work out. Understand please that the Betagen recommended dose is three a day, but for women two is enough, and it will really help. Sylvia Bortmann used Betagen throughout her challenge and still does. She swears by it. Why every day? Your muscles need it, that’s why!

Some ladies also use Thermodynamx, the EAS fat burner that helps with appetite suppression and raising the metabolic rate a bit. To me, it is a fairly minimal effect overall, and some people complain of heartburn or sleeplessness from it. The stuff is high quality, but it is more the nature of it that causes these symptoms. I think CLA probably works as well and has absolutely no side effects.

For guys, a full complement of Betagen works well–Bill Phillips takes it according to the original book. Or, to kick it up a notch, you might consider doing what I do, taking both Muscle Armor and Phosphagen Elite. These give you maximum recovery efforts from the MA, and excellent muscle growth and workout strength from the Phosphagen Elite. THe PE has not only creatine but also has beta alanine which will keep you from getting the lactic acid burn that occurs in calves, biceps and triceps and sometimes other muscles. SInce the burn is less because there is less lactic acid formed, then you can get a few more reps which makes for bigger muscles next time. If you combine MA and PE you will probably only need one dose of each a day, rather than the two that each of them recommend. Or, you could do what I do, as recommended by Brian Deeds of EAS, and that is to add a liquid or powder whey protein isolate to the supplement (use a compatible flavor) and make the supplementation a meal replacement instead. One scoop of orange flavored whey protein isolate and a scoop of orange PE, blended in a shaker cup, tastes a lot like an orange julius and is really the bomb. I can do the same thing with MA, only using a lemon flavor of WPI.

I usually take the PE before the workout and the MA after or at the end of the day. I realize that most people recommend PE after the workout, but it seems to work very well this way, And you have a ready supply of quickly digested protein (Whey protein isolate is the fastest digested protein there is).

There you have it, a quick primer on basics for women and guys! Questions?

When you got up this morning, you had a choice, one which you made by your actions if not in your mind, to live one of two different roles for that day. Everyone does it, though some end up playing both roles in the same day, depending on how they handle circumstances.

WHat am I talking about? Well, you can live each day playing the role of VICTIM, or VICTOR. THese two words, with the first four letters exactly the same, end with two different letters that make all the difference in the world.

If you choose to live as a victim, you will decide to depend on the pity or sympathy of others instead of looking at your circumstances and asking for strength to change those you can and serenity to live with those you can’t. 

If you choose to live as a victim today, you will be super sensitive and always questioning the motives of what others are doing, or what is behind what they are saying, instead of taking them at face value and choosing to believe the best about others.

If you choose to live as a victim today, you may find yourself taking up offenses for others, feeling sorry for yourself, and being envious of what others have, instead of forgiving those who wrong you and leaving it up to others to forgive those who wrong them, instead of believing the best about yourself, and instead of being thankful for all that everyone has, understanding that what they have does not mean that you can’t get the same thing some day.

Choosing victim rather than victor today means you cannot win, that you can only lose all power you had to others. It means that those others who will pity you for a while will desert you when you become a burden, and that no one will ultimately care that you grow lonely, sad, and bitter. Because you chose victim, you will be unable to taste and experience the true joy of victory over selfishness, and the true joy that giving to others will bring you.

The hardest part of all this, of course, isn’t making the RIGHT choice. It’s understanding that YOU HAVE THAT CHOICE! That knowledge comes from always beginning each day with the right actions, and then the right thoughts will follow. The first action? If you are a person of faith, it should probably be hitting your knees before you hit your feet!

Does this sound real to you? I hope so. If you’ve read my champion’s story, you’ll know that I lived victim for a long time; if you read the guestbook you’ll know I made the wrong choice early in the day Thursday. Yes, I took corrective actions, but it was a foolish choice, and it had consequences.

God bless you, people. God Bless you, VICTORS!

On the Body for Life guestbook and other sites where BFL fitness freaks congregate, I often see the word “confused.” It generally means that someone has asked everyone else what they do rather than doing it by the book to begin with, so they are really more LOST than confused! But, the prevalence of the problem did prompt me to think more about a concept usually called muscle confusion, or sometimes called muscle perturbation.

Essentially, the concept, which is not even accepted by all fitness experts, is that continued muscle strength and size growth requires introducing a  technique to counteract the cessation of growth that occurs when muscles adapt to the training demands placed upon them.

Usually, muscle confusion is created by changing up the types of exercises done for each muscle group every 5 to 8 workouts for that group, so that different angles are utilized in the lifts, or different ranges of motion are created, so that the large muscles are worked in a different way, at various insertion points, and so that the smaller, stabilizer muscles underneath or nearby the larger muscles are also prompted to grow because they are recruited to assist the larger muscle in the maneuver.  This principle, that the muscles quickly adapt to a regular exercise and quickly quit growing is quite real, and is quickly demonstrated by those who regularly use the “machines,” those exercise stations in the gym that take yu through a specific exercise that is done exactly the same way every time due to the design of the machine.

You’ve got to put a little work into keeping your muscles confused, especially if you work out at home. In that case, you might even want to invest in another book! Especially if you use dumbbells. It’s called the Mens Health Ultimate Dumbbell Exercises book and it is generally available from the online order companies.
You can accomplish the same kind of “growth” by switching up your cardio modes regularly as well. If you usually run, try doing the stepmill, a rotating staircase that can turn you to jello in 10 minutes the first time you use it. Or if you’re an elliptical freak, try a treadmill, or even a stairmaster. If all you have is a treadmill, you can change the exercise angle, or you can even get an excellent workout learning to walk backwards on it. A little awkward at first, but you’ll soon get the hang of it. Even running backwards is kind of fun after a bit, and a lot safer on the treadmill than outdoors!

Keep the muscles and body confused! But, take care of your mind! Confusion is not a friend to gray matter!

I don’t recall even what show it was, one of those goofy 2 minute spots on the morning shows I think, where some diet guru tells us the latest and greatest way to lose weight, be happy forever and be loved by everyone! Yes, I AM being sarcastic here! Anyway, whoever she was, the woman diet guru said that it’s all about “finding your comfort zone” and staying with it.

Well, pardon me, but that is about the worst thing anyone could do. Look around you! Go to the club you work out at, and watch the people who appear “comfortable.” You will notice that they aren’t changing one bit. See the people at work who look comfortable? They’re not going anywhere either. That’s because comfort at its very best produces inertia, which is simply resistance to change, and at its worse it produces deterioration. The real key to life, and the secret to success in a body for life challenge, is getting outside your comfort zone and staying that way for 12 weeks!

Our diet guru, the lady who wants everyone to be comfortable, is selling a product that won’t change anyone one darned bit. What causes muscle change is forcing a muscle to work harder than it is currently equipped to handle. The harder work does micro damage to the muscle, and the muscle responds by getting stronger and sometimes larger as well. What causes fat changes is a little more intricate. You can burn fat without losing body weight by eating a diet high in protein and low in fat, with slow burning carbohydrates. This formula, especially if eaten in 6 very small meals spread out over the day, will keep blood sugar levels stable, which keeps insulin levels stable, which then allows body fat to be used as fuel. On the other hand, when you eat too much in the way of sugary carbs, as we do when we get “comfortable,” the insulin levels rise in response to the excessive blood sugar which is corrosive to the cardiovascular system, and the excess sugar is stored in the fat cells.  Is it comfortable to burn fat? No, it takes hard work in the form of disciplined dieting, heavy resistance training, and occasional short but very intense cardiovascular activity.

Even when you get where you want to go physically and mentally, staying there takes more than being comfortable. The bottom line is that most “comfortable” people are not really happy people. In essence, the secret to life is being comfortable with not being comfortable all the time. Push yourself! That’s what produces change–pushing yourself, and challenging yourself!

That’s what Body for Life is all about. It’s an efficient, healthy, and holistic system to push yourself to a better you. That’s the only real comfort anyone needs!

I’m not going to talk down to any of you by trying to explain how to hit a ten, or what exercises to do and when you need to do them. You all already know that, or at least you should if you are at all serious about this Body for Life thing. It’s all in the book. Today, we’re going to briefly deal with what I think is the most dangerous part of the first transformation, the middle weeks.

About weeks 5 to 8, somewhere in there, you will encounter the “what the heck” syndrome. How you deal with it will determine the course and outcome of the rest of your challenge. Here’s how it works. You’ve seen good results to this point, maybe nothing spectacular, but your clothes fit looser, people have noticed, you feel stronger and lift more, and your diet has been pretty much by the book. You’re feeling confident and more. Then, here it comes: “Honey, you’re looking great, and that big wedding reception is coming up next week. Would you do me a big favor and just try to eat and act normally while we’re there? You deserve a little break–you’ve worked so hard!” A smile, and a “pretty please” squeeze and he or she walks away.

You bite. At the wedding reception, it’s cake and ice cream, a few beers, a couple of handfuls of nuts, and so on. What the heck–you’ll burn it off in the early morning cardio. And you hit the cardio hard. But you hit free day which comes up very quickly even harder. Sleeping in after free day felt pretty good, and you’ll be back on that routine before they know it. This begins a spin from which some never recover.

Well, this is just an example, and the what the heck syndrome can take many other forms. A very sad event that just begs you to eat and drink over it. A really joyous event that just has to be celebrated. So, what’s wrong with that? Can’t I enjoy life, you say? WELL, my question to you is, “What does risking all the work you’ve done so far, in exchange for some really unhealthy eating actually have to do with the enjoyment of life?? If this is how the rest of your life after your challenge is going to be, you don’t stand the proverbial snowball’s chance in Hell of keeping your weight off and staying conditioned.

The appropriate response to the “what the heck” opportunity is simple. Act like you’re enjoying yourself, and you no doubt will. If you can’t handle the peer pressure, grab a glass of diet soda, put a few little food treats on a plate and walk around talking to folks. Mess up the treats, and then at the first opportunity put the plate down, or hand it to a waiter, and walk away. You’ll feel better, and really, no one who matters to you will ever notice the difference. You will, though, because you won’t be waking up the next morning feeling like a bird slept in your mouth!

Having fun and acting normal at foodfests, without becoming a victim of the gluttony, takes practice but can be done! If you don’t master this, even if your challenge goes smoothly, the rest of your life is going to be a bumpy road! When I was first learning how to be a recovering alcoholic, I worried to death about how to decline a drink when offered one. My sponsor told me to simply say, “No thanks, I’ve had plenty!” And it was certainly no lie either. It worked. The only people who still tried to push drinks on me were people who needed the program I had just been in. It’s no different with food. The ones trying to get you to stuff yourself are doing it due to their own issues, not yours!

Eat, drink and be merry–on free days! On other days, be merry! Don’t let anyone steal the prize out from under your nose!

The Prize Winning Blog Idea!

Here’s the question that prompts today’s blog, the one that wins the 4 CD package from Audtiotimekeeper. (Thanks to everyone for their entry questions. Most were excellent questions, though some were already posted on my blogsite from past days, and in some cases are actually answered directly by the book or by articles on the EAS website.) So, this one is the one I chose: “Do you think it benefits a person who is doing BFL to become knowledgeable about caloric intake, how your body uses different foods, how the body’s muscles work etc? The book really doesn’t go into a lot of detail about this or the need for it, but what I am finding out the last couple months is that really digging into this stuff gives me great incentive to really want to do the right thing with my body…it is making me really appreciate the “fine machine” that I am…LOL! The Hussman site is especially valuable to me.”

Here are my thoughts. The body for life book has much great information on HOW to do the challenge–including perfecting the power mindset, setting excellent goals, preparing for the challenge, what exercises to do, and what to eat and when. Beyond that, it de-emphasizes concentrating on calories, how certain foods work, and the process by which muscles are stressed, fed, and rebuilt.

The lack of detailed information in the original body for life book, which is written entirely from Bill Phillips’ view and personal experience, is intentional and wise.

I think Bill Phillips clearly anticipated that the difficulty factor of an excellent challenge, particularly given the amount of time most trainees have to put into it, was such that putting a whole bunch of information in the book about biochemical processes, nutrition, and  exercise kinesiology would just be too much for someone concentrating on a challenge.

So, is such knowledge ever necessary? Absolutely, if you wish to take this to the next level! The whole idea of the body for life experience is that one person’s success will become another person’s success. Most of you already have had that great experience of having someone ask you how you did this, and why. That’s only the beginning. And when someone wants to talk to you about this they want to know not just how it works but why as well. For people to trust you, and to want to follow you, they need to know three things–that you’re trustworthy, that you care about them, and that you know what you’re doing. The first two are about your integrity and your willingness to use your experience to help others, but the third is about what you know. The more you know, the more you can help others.

That’s why over the years I have recommended several books that give more than the flyover view of exercise and nutrition. One of the best on nutrition from a layman’s view is “The Zone” by Barry Sears. One of the most fantastic websites of all time on the dietary and biochemical reasons that BFL works is the hussmanfitnessdotcom website. The exact link is on my own personal website as well.  The book by Delavier called Strength Training Anatomy is as good as they get for understanding how muscles work, how they are exercised, and what exercises to choose.  A great website on the same topic is exrxdotnet.I also like both of the books written very recently by Lou Schuler, the “New Rules of Lifting,” (for guys) and the “New Rules of Lifting for Women–Lift Like a Man”. Schuler does a nice job of debunking myths, simplifying the complicated, and keeping you laughing while he does it.

There’s going to be another book out soon, that you also need to get. I’ll be telling you all about that as soon as I have permission.

To summarize, during your first challenge, you don’t need all this knowledge. You’ll have your hands full with just keeping up with the basics. Once you get to where you want to be, in order to help others get to where they need to be, you need more knowledge, and these other places are great resources.

“The New Rules of Lifting for Women” preaches to the Choir!
by: Michael Harris  2/1/2008

I have been reading Lou Schuler’s new book, called “The New Rules of Lifting for Women–Lift Like a Man!” I like it. I recommend it, for those who have already completed a challenge. There is absolutely nothing in the book, save for a few different exercise illustrations, that a woman would need to complete her transformation successfully. What it really does do, though, is to provide the hard information and the compelling arguments for why women have been selling themselves short by not training hard with weights. Unlike Body for Life, Schuler really supports the premises that you don’t need more cardio–you need more good food, and more strength training, along with what cardio you do being intense.

Other features of the book include lots of exercise suggestions using just plain old calisthenics or a fitness ball. These are not wimpy at all and they would be useful to folks who travel a lot or don’t have room for a home gym or money enough to join one. There are also lots of illustrations using machines, something that Body for Life for the most part stays away from.

There are some recipes that look good to me–but what do I know about good eating? Have you ever seen my champion’s meal plan? One person suggested that if I ever wrote a book about my experience, the chapter on Nutrition should be called “Yuck!” One thing about the recipes furnished by Cassandra Cosgroves is that they are portioned for women, and they also include detailed nutritional information.

The book contains lots of features similar to the Body for Life book, but I think it is a bit better organized, much more technical, and it has a reasonably good index, something that the BFL book totally lacks!

One last thing. The book takes a couple of shots at Body for Life for Women, and justifiably so I think. This book empowers women, and it gives excellent information.

I gave it a B+. I’m keeping this book in my library. I sent Body for Life for WOmen to someone who lived too far away to ever return it! I have not missed it a bit. You can buy this one at Amazon for well under $20 and it is in hard cover. It is not, however, very suitable for dragging to the gym. In that sense, it is much like Body for Life! When will someone produce a book that has the exercises in a separate, spiral binder, with a plasticized cover so you can take it to the gym?

I have been reading Lou Schuler’s new book, called “The New Rules of Lifting for Women–Lift Like a Man!” I like it. I recommend it, for those who have already completed a challenge. There is absolutely nothing in the book, save for a few different exercise illustrations, that a woman would need to complete her transformation successfully. What it really does do, though, is to provide the hard information and the compelling arguments for why women have been selling themselves short by not training hard with weights. Unlike Body for Life, Schuler really supports the premises that you don’t need more cardio–you need more good food, and more strength training, along with what cardio you do being intense.

Other features of the book include lots of exercise suggestions using just plain old calisthenics or a fitness ball. These are not wimpy at all and they would be useful to folks who travel a lot or don’t have room for a home gym or money enough to join one. There are also lots of illustrations using machines, something that Body for Life for the most part stays away from.

There are some recipes that look good to me–but what do I know about good eating? Have you ever seen my champion’s meal plan? One person suggested that if I ever wrote a book about my experience, the chapter on Nutrition should be called “Yuck!” One thing about the recipes furnished by Cassandra Cosgroves is that they are portioned for women, and they also include detailed nutritional information.

The book contains lots of features similar to the Body for Life book, but I think it is a bit better organized, much more technical, and it has a reasonably good index, something that the BFL book totally lacks!

One last thing. The book takes a couple of shots at Body for Life for Women, and justifiably so I think. This book empowers women, and it gives excellent information.

I gave it a B+. I’m keeping this book in my library. I sent Body for Life for WOmen to someone who lived too far away to ever return it! I have not missed it a bit. You can buy this one at Amazon for well under $20 and it is in hard cover. It is not, however, very suitable for dragging to the gym. In that sense, it is much like Body for Life! When will someone produce a book that has the exercises in a separate, spiral binder, with a plasticized cover so you can take it to the gym?

Q: I’m interviewing Udenia Icenhour today. She has done the body for life challenge several times and has had some experiences that I think will be very helpful to all of us, but especially to women who feel like they are just too busy with lives filled with stress, craziness and multiple demands of others. These ladies want to change, but they just can hardly see out of the hole they are in right now. So, Udenia, let’s start with a bit about you, your background, your career, your family growing up, your family now,  and what you’re doing now.

1. I was born and raised in NC and was brought up on fried everything and sweet ice tea.  When I was only 6 years old, I was playing outside and a family friend who was a Navy Recruiter at the time came by and gave me some gifts from the USN (United States Navy). I was mesmerized, and said to myself, “Any place that will give me bumper stickers and Frisbees was the place for me!” Even though I was only 6, I knew that I wanted to wear that sharp uniform and serve my country, so my future was already set in stone. I always thought I would serve 20 years, but ended up with 22 years instead.  

 Growing up  I was always known as the “over achiever” in the family, striving to make the best grades in school no matter what. But I was never    the first girl to be selected for team sports, or to dance or skate for example. I hated that, and I think maybe it had something to do with my being chunky all the way up through high school.       What I am doing now?  Well I’m a single mother, recently retired from the USNavy, trying to complete my Bachelor Degree In Human Resources Development. I won’t stop there! After a short break in April and May, I start on a Masters in Early Childhood Education and Cross-Cultural Special Education, through the University of Phoenix. I have to find a way to help my son win his battle with autism. I’m living on retirement pay from the Navy and can’t work right now due to my son’s school schedule.  He gets out pretty early and there are no daycare openings for him, so I get along with the retirement pay and school loans for attending college.     

Q. How did you first learn about Body for Life and when did you do your first challenge?

  A. In 1997, I was stationed at Patrol Squadron 47 based out of Hawaii and our unit was deployed to Diego Garcia, a small island right near the equator.  One of my friends brought a Muscle Media magazine with an ad for the first ever BFL competition.  I spent $20 on a phone card and I ended up using the entire amount of that card just to get through to BFL and I never even received my entry packet. I was bummed out.  But, since I was returned to Hawaii and close to transferring to San Diego, I lost focus on the competition and concentrated on moving my belongings to California.  In December 1999, I was able to make it up to Northern California Mall after sitting in rush hour traffic for over 5 hours. I stood in line at the mall just to get my picture taken with Bill and Shawn Phillips and to ice the cake, I met Porter Freeman and Bill’s mother Suzanne. It was worth every penny and moment of time. I completed my first challenge ever early 2000 and I placed in the top 6% out of 200,000 people. I  received a special certificate personally signed by Bill Phillips.   Q. What is the best challenge you’ve done so far, in terms of weight loss and body transformation?  My best challenge was my last one that I completed in May of 2006 and was a featured challenger on the BFL website. I lost 30lbs and reduced my body fat over 10%. It was a great challenge and I was on top of the world. Then, a few people with evil motives decided to go on to every website associated with BFL and trash my name.  These dirty trick artists  started a new blog with my name and pictures on it and went around to fellow BFL’ers blogs, leaving comments in my name.  They turned a glorious time of my life into a nightmare.  Thank God for people who came to my rescue, Linda Smith, and BFL champions Tracy Jeffries and Jerry Braam. Still many people were fooled and were  more interested in the lies than what I had accomplished through my very own will and determination. It was an extremely difficult time in my life.   Q Yikes! I remember seeing some of that horrible stuff, and I know those people lost their web privileges due to that, but how in the world were you able to put that behind you?A. A very sweet girl wrote me a long note on how to handle people who hate and love to sabotage others.  I still read that to this day. I also learned that some of the champions have encountered similar efforts against them.  I choose not to waste my time hating them, because I don’t want to become like they are.    

Q I recall a long while back you were trying to follow the diet while aboard ship! What was it like trying to eat right while eating from a ship’s mess?

 4. Trying to follow a clean diet on a Naval Ship is almost impossible.  I can remember we were out in the middle of the Persian Gulf and I was trying to do a challenge and the “healthy food” was far and in between. When we did get salad stuff, most of it was old and just flat out nasty  and all the meats were cooked in some sort of grease, even the baked meats, so it was very hard but I still managed to lose 20lbs of the weight that I gained during my pregnancy.  I still had a long way to go but I knew I would do it. 

Q You’ve gone on a cruise, and you’ve been to some other body for life events. Have those helped you in your BFL journey? Would you recommend them to others? Why?

  5.  All BFL functions have a special meaning to me because  I get to see my friends that I have made online and through challenges, and the events help me to regain focus. The cruise was more  R&R for me because I hadn’t  had a break from my son since he was born. So, it was great to relax and act silly with Linda, Bianca and many more of my BFL Buddies. I got hugs from Abb Ansley and his beautiful wife Lise.  However, it was my BFL family and the Tennessee Championship Weekend that helped me get through this difficult year. Because of all the trials and tribulations I had to endure in 2007, I had gained 40lbs of my weight back and I was feeling terrible about it. But,  I was  too strong to HIDE because of it and I wanted to go and be surrounded by Champions.  Listening to the guest speakers tell their stories was a very genuine way of helping me see clearly  through all my obstacles, so when I walked away from that weekend, I knew 2008 was going to be my year!   

Q. This is the one I really want to know about. You have moved halfway across the world; retired from one career and are training for another; you have a son with some difficult challenges of his own—and you’re a single parent—yet so me how you are getting it done! How???

   6. Well I am sure that all of us have our trials and tribulations to endure. Me, I was no different, I have had my share.  However, when I was told my son has autism, I honestly didn’t think it could get any worse, but I was SO WRONG. To simply put it, my life was pure hell in 2007.  My right shoulder and back both flared up,  and my feet hurt from just standing. But,  I never gave up and knew I would make it through. But  what did shake the very ground I was standing on was moving myself and my son from Hawaii to North Carolina. I never thought those summer months of 2007 would be my biggest test of all. My son had an extremely difficult time adjusting to his new surroundings, being out of school, and having no structured environment. It  almost seemed that he hated me for that. With every outburst of anger came hitting and spitting and throwing himself down in the middle of the road at any given time and I was not ready for that. At one point, I could barely walk and my feet hurt so bad from him hitting them with whatever toy he had in his hands, and my house sure took a beating as well. He banged many holes in the walls and at one point, I didn’t think I could handle this anymore; I dropped to the floor in the living room and just cried. I could barely bend over or  walk and at this point didn’t even have time to cook a decent meal.  Even through all this heartache I knew that I would make it and this was only temporary. I actually stayed sick for almost 6 months, wasn’t sleeping, and was worst of all alone during this whole thing.   Looking back at 2007, and where I was in 2006, I knew in my heart that if I made it through 2007, I could make it through anything, and that I was even stronger than I realized, because I had endured this all on my own. I knew I had to get back to where I was in 2006 and I visualized the feelings I had, the exhilaration from completing a workout and posing in my suits.  It was the best feeling in the world and taking this journey now, will be one of the hardest things I have ever had to do, but it is a journey I will make.  I knew I would make it through because many years before this, BFL had given me the tools to get it done. Even though I was mentally and physically worn out, I knew I would get it back and I am! I had to set priorities and create a check list of what I had to do to make this happen. Before  I could complete a challenge there were some things I had to do so I made a list: 1) Take care of my son’s needs first, get him settled and on his way to a structured environment.  2) Concentrate on my health– I was sick for so long didn’t know what was going on, so I went for a complete physical at the VA hospital and got that started. During all of this  I was still attending college online!  I was looking for the catalyst to launch me into 2008 and that was the Tennessee Championship Weekend. I knew I was 40lbs overweight and sick as a dog but I didn’t HIDE, I went with pride because I knew that BFL is for LIFE, not just 12 weeks. Some people can do just one challenge and then you never hear from them again, but not me. But the truth is that you’re never done, BFL is just that, BODY FOR LIFE, not just 12 weeks.  Q What would you say to other ladies out there who are stuck—who have started and stopped several times, and are always derailed by those unanticipated adversities that come along?   7. The very first thing they should know is that they should be proud of themselves for even starting. Don’t let an obstacle that life has thrown your way become a reason to give up. Assess where you are; see what it will take to complete the challenge, and do what you can do.  Again, it is BFL, not for one day or one week, but for life–and life will happen. Life threw me some wicked  curveballs last year but I knew it wasn’t going to keep me down forever, I would be back AND I AM!  Do that one thing, even  if it is only eating clean, or going for a walk, or–like me–carrying your child around on your back while you hike the stairs in your house for your cardio.  Whatever it takes! That in itself will empower you and give you such control and thus increase your power in accomplishing the goals you have set in front of yourself! It is so empowering to HAVE CONTROL! Only people that have no Faith in themselves and the big man upstairs will give up so easily. Again LIFE IS NOT EASY and it is NOT NICE. Pick yourself up and prove to yourself that YOU CAN DO IT! YOU ARE WORTH EVERY EFFORT that is required to accomplish this goal. In the end, you will see a reflection in the mirror that you are proud of, a shining example of what Body For Life is all about!    

Q. What are your current goals, and what is your current diet like?

 A. My current goals are to complete 4 challenges this year, this one in particular will be used to get back to a healthy state in my life and to improve the overall health and to reduce the intensity of my current injuries.   My diet, for breakfast I will switch between shakes, egg white omelet, and stir fry vegetables with egg whites.  I am partial to fish tacos and chicken enchiladas and I just love my Sun-dried Tomatoes and Garlic Crusted Salmon with vegetables. However, I do find myself drinking a lot of shakes, depending on how my son’s day is going.  There have been a few days especially during these recent winter storms,  where I drank 4 shakes in one day.    

Q. What do you think most people don’t know about you that would surprise them when they heard it?

  I knew when I was 6 years old, I was going to join the Navy, and I started at the bottom and worked myself up to the level of Chief Petty Officer. The moment that stands out in my Navy Career  was when I was the only E-5 Female on the waterfront in Puerto Rico to qualify as Chief Engineer of a Yard Harbor Tug Boat.  2^nd thing, is that I want to have a family, and I want someone special in my life to share it with. I will obtain a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education w/ Minor in Cross Cultural Special Education to assist my son to win his fight against Autism.  The one thing that I do know, that if the system can’t do its job and give my son the services he deserves and needs, then I will take their job and do it for them! To do all of this, I need to be in the best physical and mental condition that I can be!  No excuses! And one last thing! I’ve got that lady in Body of Work beat—the one who bought all the eggs. Every time I go to the store, about every 5 or 6 days, I buy two 18 count cartons of large eggs!     

So, you’re doing body for life, but yet you can’t help notice all the different discussions going on, and the various ways people on the guestbook and over on some of the other, unofficial websites are approaching their fitness regimens.  Face it! Some of these ideas seem to make a bit more sense than body for life, and some of them are pretty weird sounding.

If you’re like a lot of us, you have seriously considered doing an exercise that another recommended,simply because they said it was very effective for them. Or, maybe you decide to cook and eat regularly a pretty yummy sounding meal another says is great for you. (I remember protein pancakes becoming the food of the day a while back! Everyone was cooking them, freezing them, carrying them around wherever they went.)

The big question is, how do you know what is really going to work for YOU, and who can you trust to give you that information?

Well, it’s actually very simple, but like everything else in life, you’ve got to take a leap of faith. Almost nothing really worthwhile doing is strictly a matter of just effort or education. Almost everything worth doing takes a leap of faith, a willingness to put your trust in someone, and proceeding hopefully in the direction they suggest.

I’ve been doing body for life for going on 8 years now, with time off for serious injuries and illnesses in between challenges.  I’ve read and even tried other schemes to lose weight, gain muscle, and get fit. But, I always have come right back to BFL, because it works. Bill Phillips was not kidding at all when he said his book was a summation of his life’s work in this field. And the experiences of hundreds of champions, and thousands of successful competitors back up Phillips’ claims that if you follow the book and do what it says that you too will be successful at transforming your mind, your body and your life.
But, aren’t there good ideas in lots of other books? There certainly are. Just as an example, Joel Marion, a 2001 body for life champion, has recently published a book called the “Cheat to Lose Diet”. Now, where do you suppose he got that idea? Do you think! And the book, “Body for Life for Women,” that’s just in my humble opinion a dumbed down version of BFL, with a bit of special knowledge about women’s hormonal situations.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a one book guy, and I’m not asking you to be either. Keep reading, learning and questioning. But, don’t risk your transformation by veering clear off course of the BFL guidelines or you might well be sorry. Pound for pound, nothing works better for an overall program than BFL–nothing. Once you get where you want to be, and you’re looking for other ways to challenge yourself, give another program a try if that suits your fancy. But, don’t throw away that BFL book. Simplicity usually is best, and the simplicity of the BFL program is the proven best.

What other books do I have in my library?  Mentioning only those that have both diet AND exercise plans in them, I have The Modern Encylopedia of Bodybuilding by Schwarzenegger, The Lean Body Promise by Lee Labrada, The New Rules of Lifting for Men, by Lou Schuler, and the New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look like a Goddess, by Schuler, Forsythe and Cosgrove. I HAD a book by Sly Stallone but after more reflection I thought the book was mostly junk except for the exercise illustrations, and it is gone, as is Body for Life for Women. I have lots of other books that deal with only diet or only exercise, and it’s well worth your picking up one or two. The best on exercise is Strength Training Anatomy, Second Edition, by Delavier. My favorite books on nutrition are Barry Sears’ “The Zone” and a booklet published by EAS a couple of years ago, called the Sports Nutrition Review.

The motto here? Keep learning, but don’t wander. Stay with BFL until you get the results you want, and then and only then see what else might work for you.

FINALLY FIT AT FIFTY!

That’s the title of the book written by Abbott/EAS fitness expert Porter Freeman!

How much would you pay to be able to spend two or three days just listening to Porter Freeman talk about the principles by which he lives his life, the people who have made the differences in his life, and the events that have transpired as a result?

I for one would find a hard time putting a price tag on something like that. Porter is a charming, bright, and down-home kind of guy who really has a gift. His gift is putting together very simple phrases, and then dressing them up into something that becomes burned indelibly in your mind forever! For example, he has boiled the entire framework of a transformation down into just a few short phrases: It begins with the simplest phrase of all, one you have heard many times if you’ve watched Body Of Work or if you’ve ever talked to Porter. “You have to want it.” His next great principle? “Make it a priority.” He could hardly have made it any simpler, yet he has.

In fact, when you open the front cover of his book, printed faintly but in large type on the inside flyleaf are the words “WANT IT” and “PRIORITY.”

Well, Porter’s book is a wonderful read. Mind you, it’s not a “How to” book at all. Rather, it is a homespun, honest, engaging look at Porter’s world of old and his new world, as well as really great decriptions of the lives of people who have impacted Porter’s life. It reads just like Porter talks, and it is nearly as inspiring as hearing Porter talk.

In fact, the book has one great advantage over listening to Porter talk–if you have to go to the bathroom in the middle of it, you won’t miss anything! He has been drinking lots of water for a lot of years, and Porter can outlast most everybody else in a room when he is giving one of his famous motivational talks, and every once in a while he says, “Just one more quick point and I’m done here.” Well, don’t fall for that if you’re getting close to a bladder emergency, because Porter can make 10 points out of that one more, and when he’s done talking, there’s always a great standing ovation–well deserved–and then there’s an even greater rush to the bathrooms for most of us!

So, get this book if you can find it, and you’ll truly have a treasure! You’ll enjoy reading it over and over, and it will still be waiting for you when you get back from the bathroom! Word has it that Porter is writing another book, but I tell you, it will be hard to top this one!

It’s listed on the BOdy for Life website, but there’s no price by it any longer, which may mean that they’ve sold out of it. I hope you can find it, but if you can’t, let me know and I’ll see what I can find out about it.  

You all know what a lurker is, right? Someone who reads a website, or a blog regularly but rarely or never participates. Most lurkers are more than mildly interested in what they are reading, and they are taking it all in as well as participating in the program. Sometimes they lurk because they are at work and don’t want anyone to know what they’re doing, but more often than not it is because they believe that they just don’t know enough to be of help, and they are afraid they’ll embarrass themselves or get called out on something if it is wrong–so they just read along.

I hope this blog will change some minds about lurking.

When I was going to recovery meetings almost daily, I saw a phenomenon there that is true most everywhere else as well. The “old hands,” the folks who measured their sobriety in multiples of 5 years, usually sat at the back of the room or led the meetings. They would participate after the meeting by acting as sponsors to others who were newly sober. These people really added stability and wisdom to the meetings.

The ones who had been in the meetings a few weeks sat up toward the front, and if they were motivated to stay sober they enthusiastically participated, talking about anything and everything they had learned to stay sober for those few weeks.  Then there were the brand new people who just came in voluntarily or were invited to come by a judge who had another place they could go if they didn’t go to the meetings–what was known affectionately as “The Iron Bar Hotel.”

Well, who do you think the brand new people wanted to talk to after the meetings–the ones who had been sober 25 years or the ones who had been sober 25 days? Well, it was those who had been sober 25 days! They couldn’t even imagine sobriety of 25 years, but they really hoped to just hang on, so those who had been sober just a few weeks were the ones doing the impossible in the eyes of the brand new people!

So, lurkers, you might very well be that person who has been doing this successfully for just a few weeks, and would have lots of valuable things to say to someone who is just starting and wondering if they can possibly get this whole thing done! They don’t want to talk to a champion, not near so much as someone who is having some success right now! You could be that person who gives them hope and inspiration–and the rest of us appreciate that as well! Nothing gives me a boost like seeing someone really “get it!

And as for worrying about embarrassing yourself, the guestbook is just like a daily newspaper. By evening, what was said in the morning is dead and gone. Nothing lasts more than a day there, so the worst case scenario is that you might be in a bit of an intellectual whirlwind for about 3 or 4 hours, and then it’s all over!

So, what do you say? Can you share some wisdom with us? Our community can use all the help and hope we can get!  Tomorrow we’ll review Porter Freeman’s book, “Finally Fit at Fifty!” Think I’m going to say anything bad about a book written by a guy like Porter? Stay tuned!

The following is a rerun of a popular blog I did many months ago. To those who are foundering with their challenge right now, this might be just what they needed to save all their hard work from failure!

DID YOU KNOW that I am psychic? Not really! I don’t really believe in a

lot of that stuff, but I do have some powers that help me a lot. For

example, I can tell you exactly how your day is going to go today if

you show me just one thing—your written exercise plan, goals, and meal

plan for the day.

“Ha!” you say. “I don’t have one, so now what are you going to tell

me?” Well, for starters, I’m going to tell you that your day is

probably going to be frustrating, unproductive, and unrewarding. Body

for Life in an overall perspective is a great adventure, but on a day

to day basis it is a carefully executed plan—a war plan if you will.

Good generals don’t win battles and wars just by their wits; they win

them by knowing the enemy; knowing the territory and terrain; knowing

their own strengths and weaknesses; knowing military strategy and

history; and putting them all together into a carefully crafted and

detailed plan. They then gather all field commanders and make sure that

everyone understands the plan, buys into it, understands his exact role

in the plan; and has the resources and abilities to execute his part of

it. No good leader gets up in the morning, gathers up his troops, and

says, “let’s start out and we’ll make this up as we go!” That’s not

leadership—that’s disaster.

You, as the commanding officer of your challenge, have exactly the same

responsibilities. You must know yourself, know the elements of the

challenge, the exercises and the diet, and you must have a carefully

crafted plan to execute it. You must know the enemy—which includes the

old you by the way; and you must know your strengths and weaknesses and

act accordingly. If you don’t have a plan for today, I think I know

where we can start with your list of strengths and weaknesses. Put down

on the weakness side of the ledger “Need to get organized.”

This all sounds too obvious, but truly you would be stunned to see how

many people come to the website in a big tizzy, never read the book,

ask a bunch of questions, join a gym, and then just “start” without a

clue as to how to really do this. Of course, the ultimate result is a

quick dropout, and I doubt that is you, if you are reading this blog.

Still, it applies to all of us—that trite but true old phrase—”Fail to

plan? Plan to fail.”

I’m probably writing directly to no more than 10% of you, but if you’re one of those 10% you’re going to think that I am telling your story except for using your name! For the rest of you, just ride along here with me if you will, because there’s someone you know who needs to read this blog–and you need to read this in order to know why you ought to tell them about it!

See, some people have come to Body for Life for much more than a physical transformation. The structure is what they want, because they think this will help them conquer another problem that they’re dealing with, and fear is a significant part of that problem. Even as they work their way through that challenge, they are struggling with focus, diet, and self-esteem.

FEAR is not a fun topic. But unconquered fear will usually unhinge a challenge.  Fear is the greatest enemy most of us have. It affects our physical, mental and spiritual wellness; it brings sleeplessness, depression, mood swings, confusion, anger and sadness along with it. Fear is basically a root cause of unhappiness and dysfunction in many of us.

I personally have experienced the mind-gnawing, numbing, paralyzing fear that never goes away. At one point I would have welcomed even death as a way to escape that fear. It followed me and factored into everything I did or failed to do. No amount of pills, whiskey, brave-looking actions or geographic changes quelled it.

How do you know if you or someone you know has it? Well, to start with being fearful is not a popular admission. Ask anyone if they’re afraid and they’ll quickly set you straight! So, fear acquires new names and labels. “Anxious, on-edge, nervous, jumpy, worried.” these all are in reality fear with an alias. Someone who acts that way, or uses those words regularly to describe their mood is certainly a candidate.

How do you get rid of it? Junk any habits that are creating it or fueling it. In my case, fear became recognizable and hence vulnerable as soon as I sobered up! My drinking was like pouring gasoline on the flames of fear.

Just as my drinking caused much of my fear, eating disorders ALWAYS cause fear. Fear of being found out; fear of dying; fear of living; you name it, it will be the primary product of an eating disorder, and ultimately it will result in massive depression, because undealt-with fear always does. Working on the fear instead of just trying to stop the disordered eating helps a lot.  I spent years going to meetings and talking to people who loved me too much to be nice to me. In those meetings I talked frankly about my fears and other character defects. Eventually, the fears just died of neglect. Unless you feed fear, it will die. The trick to stopping feeding it is to find someone safe to talk to–who won’t betray you or spread what you tell them–and tell them the truth about those secrets that are making you crazy with fear! Stopping the addictive behavior will help, but finding an outlet to tell someone about those fears, and the things you worry about others finding out about, will be the best way to make it go bye bye!

Fear, like cockroaches, hates light, and shining the light of truth and disclosure on it is the first step to getting rid of it. It’s also the first step to a really enloyable life instead of the darkness that a fearful person currently lives in.

Need to talk? miketharris@comast.net  

You have no doubt heard it said that “life is a journey, not a destination.” I believe that to be true, particularly so in the case of Body for Life. Body for life is a journey, and an arduous one at that.

Let’s face it–a Body for Life Transformation Challenge is likely to be one of the most difficult things you’ve ever done, if you do it right. It’s not so much the time that it takes, but the discipline and courage. It takes constant vigilance about your diet and your exercise routine, and aside from free day it leaves little room for error or laziness if you hope to be successful.

For many people, BFL can become so hard that it becomes dry, uninteresting and uninspiring–particularly during those first 4 to 6 weeks when you’re learning the ropes and waiting to see the results take place. That’s NOT what it’s supposed to be like! You are supposed to be having fun here, and you are supposed to be joyful about this opportunity!

Consider these words: “THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman….the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value.”

Written by Thomas Paine, these words are as true today as they were in 1776 when they were penned. The part  applicable to BFL is at the end. We all need to remember that the harder we work, and the more we pay for it, the more dear and  glorious the triumph is at the end.

So, the true principle, in order to enjoy the journey, is to remember why we started–and to anticipate and envision the glorious triumph at the end.  And, in the case of a transformation challenge, the triumph is not over another person or another army, but over the fears, doubts and  bad habits that we accumulated over a lifetime. Those things will be gone at the end of the twelve weeks journey. And, if you choose to continue living a Body for Life lifestyle, they will never return in sufficient force to unseat you from being in charge of a victorious lifestyle. Every time you squeeze out that last painful rep, or get up 2 hours before the rest of the world, or say “no thanks” when the donuts are passed, let your mind go to what you will be like at the end of this 12 weeks. And each time you take inventory of your results at the end of that week, have a small but real celebration of those accomplishments!

No one who completes a Body for Life transformation is unchanged. Enjoy this as you go, and anticipate and celebrate those changes as they come! Please don’t sell yourself short. If you start and finish a Body for Life challenge and send in your packet, you have done something that puts you in the top 3 to 5% of those who have taken the first step and registered for the challenge. It’s worth a celebration, no matter how you feel about your finish! 
 

I found a small bag as I was cleaning out my garage cabinets. It contained some seeds, not labeled, but they looked like grass seed to me. I took them out into the yard, and I cast them in a bare spot. I watered, and watched, and watched, and in time, this “grass” came up. But it looked a bit odd, so I let it grow to see exactly what I had really planted. Turned out it was a grain sample of something called Tritacale, a cross between wheat and rye that had been given to me by a grain dealer at a legislative conference. Amazing? No, but it wasn’t what I expected. See, I had made a pre-determination that what I had planted was grass, so I firmly expected to see grass come up, but in reality I had planted a grain plant, and that’s what came up!

It is perfectly true that you reap what you sow. The scriptures tell us that, and so does secular wisdom as well. But, what complicates life sometimes is that–like me in my backyard–we don’t always realize exactly what it is that we are sowing. Sometimes we don’t know because of a self-blinding process that is called “denial” in recovery.

What does this have to do with fitness athletics? Well, there is a small but regular inventory of folks who come to Body for Life not just to get fit, but to solve their other problems. They most often are seeking relief from an eating addiction or disorder; some are dealing with a relationship that is falling apart. These folks are sincere, dedicated, hopeful, but often hopelessly confused about what they are feeling and why. And one of the most consistent things I have observed about these folks are that they are completely consciously unaware of their real motives and of why things have happened to them the way they do.

These people dealing with difficult problems often have ill-defined or fantasy like BFL goals, and they are emotionally labile, meaning that they go from one mood to another in a nano second, often undpredictably. Most are also so eager to escape the pain and torture of whatever else is going on that they have actually put little thought or serious goal setting into their challenge. They plow ahead, plant their seeds of undefined hope, and then wait expectantly for a miracle to occur in their lives. Often, what come along instead, are the predictable consequences of their disordered life.

As mature BFL’ers, many of you are no doubt reading the guestbook, the tracker and other forums, and are answering questions, and conversing with many people whom you really don’t know well. This whole blog has been just a long, long way of saying that I hope you’ll keep an eye out for the “signs” I have talked about above, that may well mean that you’re talking to someone who is desperate, but not about getting fit or losing weight, but to get rid of an addiction that has literally sucked much of the life out of them.

If you’re not sure but suspicious, most are completely unoffended if you just casually inquire if some of the difficulty or sadness could be related to food issues or tough relationships. Some are even candid about it. And you can often play the role of a good listener, which helps the person to help himself. You can never go wrong just encouraging someone with these struggles, but telling them of a champion, or a friend or whatever, who has struggled with a similar issue and had victory over it may often do more for them than anything else.

You came here to this blog for a reason, and you’ve read this far for a reason as well. I don’t know what that reason is, or what God might do with it, but you do. I hope you’ll help others and that this blog has helped you to see that there are all kinds of others out there who need help.

Helping others is the best and fasting growing seed crop you can sow!

Too Much of a Good Thing?

FAT! That’s what this is about.  I realize that most all of us–myself included–know a little about dietary fat, but not really enough. Consequently, as we shop we fall for labels that say things like “turkey sausage,” or “50% less fat than our pork sausage,” or “No trans fats” and even “Lite.”  We don’t worry about the fat calories, and we often don’t even know they’re in what we eat, so we then decide we need a bit of “good fat.”

I realized during a discussion on another website that many people are consuming “good fat” in the form of either natural peanut butter or avocados and nuts. Most of them think this is because they are not getting enough fat in their diet. But here is how it really goes in an ordinary day on a very strict BFL diet:

Breakfast, 1/2 cup oatmeal, 3 grams fat.
Meal 2, Protein shake, 4 grams fat.
Meal 3, turkey rollup  9 grams fat (7 in 4 oz turkey breast roasted)
Meal 4 Myo Deluxe bar  9 grams fat, 7 saturated
Meal 5 Chicken breast,
yam, green beans       5 grams fat
Meal 6 1 cup cottage
cheese, with fruit, 2% 5 grams fat

Total, without any cheating: 32 grams of fat equals 288 cals, about 18% of the calories in a 1600 calorie diet. Substitute salmon for the chicken and you are at or just slightly above the 20% guideline, without eating anything at all as a fat portion. If, like lots of people, you blended in one egg yolk with your scrambled whites, count 4 fat grams; count 120 calories or 13 fat grams for each tablespoon of any edible oil you used, olive, peanut, canola or whatever.

Bottom line is that “good fats and oils” don’t ordinarily need to be supplemented, particularly if the trainee is taking fish oil capsules or flaxseed oil capsule. Not that eating a tablespoon of peanut butter at bedtime, or mixing one in a shake will kill you, but it is just basically adding unnecessary and unneeded fat and calories to the diet.
I like what Bill Phillips says about it all:

“Good fats include safflower oil, sesame oil, canola oil, and the fat in avocados. Now that doesn’t mean you need a portion of any of these fats. Just a tablespoon a day can provide your body with the essential fatty acids it needs. For example, you can mix a tablespoon of safflower oil with vinegar and use if as salad dressing. And, if you eat fish, especially salmon, at least three times a week, chances are you’re getting the essential fatty acids you need.” P. 89, Body for Life.

Watch Out for Those Over the Counter Remedies!

I saw recently on the guestbook that one lady mentioned she and her husband both take Ibuprofen with their pre-workout shakes in order to avoid the soreness that often occurs from a workout.  She seemed to think this was a great idea, but I wondered about it even at that time, given what I had heard about how Ibuprofen may cause the body to lose muscle mass or at least forfeit the opportunity to build muscle, under certain circumstances.

A physician who is also a Body for Life participant directed me to a study first published in 2001 and fully published in the American Journal of Physiology, Endocrinology and Metabolism in 2002 concerning the effects of ibuprofen and acetaminophen on muscle synthesis.

Suffice it to say that the study utilized generally accepted scientific, investigative and statistical principles and though relatively small is carefully controlled and seems quite reliable. It concluded that both ibuprofen and acetaminophen in the maximal over the counter dose strengths DID inhibit protein synthesis, meaning that if it is taken during or right after exercise you are certainly likely to cause your body to not grow muscle mass in response to the exercise you just did. 

Not only that, but both the study and my own anecdotal experience have concluded that the pain reliever doesn’t do any good anyway. There was no real difference in perceived pain among the participants in the post workout, post drug dose whether they received ibuprofen, acetaminophen or a placebo.

So, in conclusion, probably the best remedies for post-exercise delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) remain self-massage, icing, elevation, mild stretching, and grinning and bearing it! Ibuprofen and acetaminophen will not only not work, but will give you one more thing to worry about!

Oh, want to know how they induced DOMS in the study participants? They made them do negatives (eccentrics–letting the weight down) with weights 120% of what they could lift, and made them do them very slowly. This could be a clue both how to avoid DOMS and how to gain muscle mass.