Once again it’s been long over due. This time, I’m going to focus this blog on my daily workouts, diet, primal tips (I’m still new at it) and keep it more like a daily journal to keep me accountable. I don’t know how many people read this, or even know it exists, but I figured I’d keep it for me and anyone else who wants to read along when their bored and or need some toilet reading to pass the time. Sit back, and hopefully I can entertain for the time being 🙂
So it’s probably been a year since I’ve updated this blog. I’ve bounced between doing just healthy recipes, fitness routines, or a little bit of everything. I can’t really figure out what people enjoy reading the most, or if anyone even reads this at all! I suppose now that we are buying a house, I can throw that into the mix of crap I post about. Maybe some life hacks on how to deal with stuff that comes up when your a first time home owner. I tend to search google a lot and try to find tricks to make things easier.
I’ve never really had anyone comment about wanting to know more about fitness. And because of that I’ve learned giving advice is a moot point. From here on out I may instead make the switch to reviewing travel places. Hubby and I travel a lot, sometimes just road trips and other times on vacation. I think for now, I’ll post about those, packing tips, places, and pictures of where we go. Thanks for reading!
A couple months from now you may find yourself abandoning your resolutions, reaching for McDonalds or Wendy’s, assuming all hope in the weightloss game is gone so why not just give in? Well, hopefully the next 19 images helps to keep you on track with your goals:
No explanation really needed here. After tomorrow you may find yourself asking “how do I get rid of those candy calories??” Follow this little guideline based on how many of these evil little chocolate bars you’ve eaten.
PUSH UPS
🔹The primary muscles targeted in pushups are the pectoralis major, anterior deltoids and triceps. But there are also many other muscle groups used during pushups, such as the quads & core, which make this a total body exercise.
🔹Total body exercises generally can produce a greater calorie burn than isolation exercises, & create a more cardio-driven & metabolic workout. 🔹There are infinite variations of pushups, each with different benefits. Simply lifting a leg or elevating the legs (or both!) can dramatically raise the intensity of the exercise.
🔹Pushups done on the knees are a very effective way of simplifying military push ups, while still getting many of the same benefits.
🔹If military pushups are difficult for you, there are many ways to work up to them. For example, you could perform a knee pushup, then raise up to the toes, lower back to the knees, and repeat.
🔹Incline pushups (feet on the floor, hands on a higher object) are easier than the basic military pushup & simulate doing decline bench press. These primarily target the lower angle of the chest.
🔹Decline pushups (feet on a higher object, hands on floor) require more strength than many of the other types of pushups because they involve pushing more body weight. These simulate doing an incline bench press and primarily stimulate the upper area of the chest, as well as the deltoids and triceps.
🔹If pushups put too much pressure on your wrists, try holding on to dumbbells or any other type of handles (like the “Perfect Pushup” tool in the picture).
🔹Form Tips: Keep a neutral spine- flex your abs to keep your back from arching. Also, don’t let your hips be too high or too low- have a straight line from head to knees/toes. It’s really important to get full range of motion in your exercises! Get a deep 90 degree bend in the elbows at the bottom, and full extension (without locking the elbows) at the top.
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SQUATS
🔹Squats are arguably the single best exercise to build the thighs and glutes. 🔹60% of human muscle mass is located in the legs, & squats use almost all these leg muscles in unison. 🔹Because they work so many muscle groups simultaneously, squats are also one of the highest calorie burning exercises.
🔹Ab contractions that occur during a squat can be more beneficial than crunches! They also help strengthen the lower back & can help improve posture.
🔹Most athletic injuries involve weak stabilizer muscles, ligaments & connective tissues. Body weight exercises like squats can help strengthen these & help prevent injury.
🔹To practice proper squat form, try sitting on a chair or bench that is about knee height. Stand up with your feet planted hip distance apart & knees in alignment with your ankles. Sit back down & repeat. Doing 10-20 reps of this can help your body get used to the movement, & eventually you can just tap the seat with your hips instead of sitting.
🔹Some of the most common form mistakes during squats are descending too rapidly, leaning the torso too far forward, rounding the back, buckling the knees in toward each other, or letting the knees shift too far forward.
🔹Distributing more weight into the heels of the feet helps provide a more stable base, which allows for more muscle activation- so focus on keeping your heels on the floor & leaning your hips back. This also helps target the glute muscles more!
🔹There are many versions of squats, & each has different benefits. Some examples are barbell squats, which incorporate upper body muscles, sumo squats, which target the inner thighs, & 1-legged squats, which strengthen each leg individually. Changing up your squat exercises can be a great way to increase the benefits & results.
Try this workout to help improve your squats:
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Aside from non-melanoma skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the United States. It is also one of the leading causes of cancer death among men of all races and Hispanic origin populations.
In 2010 (the most recent year numbers are available)—
*Incidence counts cover about 97% of the U.S. population; death counts cover about 100% of the U.S. population. Use caution when comparing incidence and death counts.
This is a type of cancer that can go undetected for many, many years. I wanted to take a moment and stray from my normal, albeit lacking, posts of fitness and pinterest to address a more serious issue. Here is the story of my husband’s diagnosis with prostate cancer:
First let me start by letting you know why we went to the urologist to begin with. My husband has a history of passing kidney stones. Not that big of a deal, but they’ve caused him quite a bit of pain in the past. He explained this to his primary care doctor and was given a referral to a urologist here in Miami to follow up. They did his annual exam of his prostate and said it felt firm but nothing to be concerned about. We held on to the referral for a few months until he thought he was passing another stone. Something told him to use the referral and just get checked out.
He came home that day to tell me that they too said it felt firm and decided to run is PSA level. PSA stands for Prostate Specific Antigen and I highly recommend to all you men if you are getting your yearly exam, as for a PSA blood test, takes 2 sec and could save your life. The doctor told him his PSA was 2.1, which was very high for a guy of 44 years of age. He offered us two options: Option 1, biopsy just to be sure. Option 2 was to repeat the PSA test in 6 months and see if it had changed. We opted for the biopsy. We don’t like to take chances. On February 6th we returned to the doctor for the results of the biopsy test. We were headed to Jacksonville that evening. The biopsy was positive for cancer. 2 of the 14 samples they took came back positive. Since we had a week between the biopsy and the results, we had pretty much prepared for this kind of news. In fact, at this point, the doctor looked more upset than we did.
After we received the news, then began the scheduling of all of his appointments. He was going to need blood work, chest x-ray, urinalysis, all the good stuff to clear him for surgery. The surgery was booked for March 19th and they would use the Davinci Robot for the surgery. For you guys out there, I want to let you know that neither the biopsy nor the cystoscopy are NOT pleasant procedures for you to go through. No matter what anyone says, no many should have to have those things inserted into those areas for any reason. As his wife, I was allowed in the room for both procedures. I’ve learned more than I thought I could about the male urinary tract system, that’s for sure!
His surgery went very well. Took about 90 min from start to finish. Doctor came out and told us he took two lymphnodes to test because they were a bit enlarged. It was my husband’s first surgery ever so I was concerned how he would respond to it all. They had a drain in which was taken out the next day and he went home with the catheter for about a week after. I spent the night with him in the hospital and while it was hard to watch him just laying there in so much pain, I’m glad I was afforded the opportunity to not have to leave his side. We came home the next day and unfortunately that night was not a good one. We called an ambulance because the pain from his bladder spasms was so bad he was shaking. After giving him the Tylenol with codeine he felt a bit better.
We slept on the couch the entire week he had the catheter. Before his surgery we went couch shopping just for the occasion. We bought a couch that reclined on each end and that was instrumental to his recovery that week. The hardest part was getting him to get up and walk around. They pump them so full of gas for the surgery, that the only way to expel it is to move. Well I imagine walking around with a catheter inside is uncomfortable, but it’s the only way to feel better.
It has since been almost a month since the surgery and while he is still passing clots, he is feeling better as each day passes. The final pathology report was 1% of the gland was cancer, 5mm tumor. All margins clear. I could not have asked for better results. This man is my life, my soul mate. It took me 30 years to find him and the thought of losing him was absolutely earth shattering. I truly feel blessed that we caught it so early and that he is making a full recovery, for I’d be lost without this man.
I want this post to serve as awareness to all men who read it. This is a cancer that has a very high survivability rate, if caught early enough. Please, get your yearly exam done and always be aware of what your body tells you. Please feel free to comment or ask questions if you’ve found yourself with this diagnosis. Not only will I try to answer the best I can, I have a few forums where the guys have been extremely helpful in answering any and all questions.
FitnessFacts: CARBS
🔹Carbohydrates serve a very important role in the nutrition & function of our bodies.
🔹When carbs are digested, the body converts them into glucose & glycogen, to be used for either immediate or stored energy. They fuel many bodily functions, including the brain, heart, muscles, & nervous system.
🔹Carbs are generally broken into 2 categories: complex carbs & simple carbs.
🔹Complex carbs include whole grains, vegetables, fruits & beans. These promote good health by containing vitamins, minerals, & fiber, which is necessary for a healthy digestive system & metabolism.
🔹Simple carbs include white bread, pastries, sodas, and other highly processed or refined foods. High intake of these products can contribute to weight gain, interfere with weight loss, & even promote type 2 diabetes & heart disease.
🔹Be conscious of the amount & type of carbs you consume! Minimizing intake of simple carbs & focusing on consumption of complex carbs can help build a healthier body & decrease fat gain.
🔹Some diets limit or restrict the intake of carbs for the purpose of fat loss. This can be effective because since the body uses carbs as a primary energy source, it’s forced to covert it’s secondary energy source- fat- into energy.
🔹There are many things to consider with low-carb diets, & maintaining a nutritious, high fiber diet is one of the most important. Eating a wide variety of foods, including high amounts of vegetables, can help prevent constipation or malnourishment.
🔹Low-carb diets also drain the body of a lot of water, which can have many negative side effects including headaches, muscle cramps, & nausea. Drinking enough water throughout the diet & avoiding high-sodium foods can help prevent this.
🔹While low-carb diets can be effective for fat loss, they are not recommended to maintain for long periods of time. Diets that are high in protein & fat can be straining on the digestive system & heart, & can lack many nutrients that are beneficial to the body. Thoroughly research & plan any diet you try to ensure you are doing what is best for your health.
🔹 While there are many types of whole grain breads out there, be mindful which ones you eat, they may contain many chemicals that are counter-productive to your healthy lifestyle. Go here to read about chemical filled breads
STAY TUNED FOR MORE #FitnessFacts!!
Credit goes to @kentaseki for information
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