movement is medicine

The End of Overeating!

Nice post from theLawRawtory.com site featuring the author David Kessler M.D.

Oddly enough I’ve been feeling like crap since Memorial Day weekend. Constipation, stomach pains, bloated, headaches and straight up tired…I think we know what time it is…DETOX!  Usually, when I detox I work harder on house projects and on my rental properties, I consider this my personal time.

We all know what’s important here slimming down, eating better, and enjoying high quality food instead of high quantity food. I’ll keep you posted…

World's Smallest Bodybuilder: Aditya "Romeo" Dev Video

Aditya “Romeo” Dev is officially recognized as the world’s smallest bodybuilder. Training has completely changed his life, turning him into a celebrity. We are all given a deck of cards, it is completely up to us, on how we use them. At first I wanted to laugh but..well just check out his story:

The interesting thing is some people are afraid to go to the gym. Here and like everywhere else, the gym can have some of the most supportive people. Dissolve your F.E.A.R. (False Evidence Appearing Real) and deal with what you have!

Before and After Weight Loss Success Photos: How'd she do it?

The beautiful thing about blogging is how huge a solid network of bloggers can be. From web surfing to active community bloggin, I have been fortunate to meet and work with a lot of people. One of those people being Elizabeth, a 37 years young (she might kill me for the age disclosure) sister from Indiana. One of the reasons I love working out, is not only does it change you physically but also mentally. Below is her story…please share it as an example.

In 1997 I began having severe pain and cramping… I found out that I had endometriosis. I had surgery, thus began my ongoing battle with this disease. Every two years I would have to have surgery to scrape down my uterus, and to try to contain the growth. This was unsuccessful time after time. In between these surgeries I was given different medications to combat the pain, to try to slow the growth of the disease. By the time it was all said and done, I was on 6 different medications, including medication for hypothyroidism. In September of 2007, I had one final surgery that was supposed to take care of the problem once and for all. That surgery was also unsuccessful because in February of 2008, I ended up in the emergency room with heavy bleeding and pain so severe I couldn’t walk in. My doctor informed me that we could no longer try to prolong a hysterectomy. I had emergency surgery that Thursday to remove my uterus and my right ovary. Luckily, he was able to save the left ovary. When I left the hospital, I weighed a whopping 170 lbs. A month later I found a lump in my left breast. I had to have an ultrasound and a mammogram, which showed nothing. However, the right breast was the one that showed the fibristic tissue and could be a problem the doctor said. He also added that if I lost at least 40 lbs. I could severely cut my chances of developing full blown breast cancer my more than half.

That was it, I decided that I didn’t want to be unhealthy anymore, and I could see my quality of life lessening more and more daily. I decided that I was not going to be unhealthy anymore. That I wanted to live a productive life, that I was too young to be sick. That I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. And that I didn’t want all the diseases passed on from generation to generation from my grandparents and their parents. That I would be the one to finally break the mold of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer. My doctor released me to begin exercising in May of 2008. I bought an elliptical, and began doing cardio 4 times a week for 30 minutes. I cut out all pop, all sugar and all processed food. I also stopped eating anything that was dyed white. I started making sure that I got at least 7 hours of sleep every night. I also joined my local gym and began lifting weights. I read everything I could find about healthy eating, weight lifting, cardio, etc. By August of 2008 I had lost 30 lbs.

However, I was stuck. I couldn’t seem to lose that last 20lbs that I wanted. I still felt heavy at 5’0 tall, and still 140lbs. I ended up meeting a trainer at the gym who completely changed the rest of my life so far. I began training one day a week, and the other days he told me what to do for my exercise routine. He gave me an eating plan, and the guidelines for exercise. I started working out 6 days/ week. I started weight training 3 days/week. I began eating 5-6 small meals a day, which consisted of high protein and complex carbs at every session. I began ingesting at least 1 gram of protein per lb. of body weight. I changed my cardio from evenings to mornings. I began increasing my cardio from 30 minutes to 60 minutes / day. I started looking at life differently. I no longer lived to eat. I began eating to fuel my body to perform. To feed my muscle to continue to help it grow. The weight began falling off. I trained for 3 1/2 months, and am now currently at 107 lbs. with 11 % bodyfat. I never believed it could happen. I am healthier than I have been my whole life, even when I was younger. I am no longer on any medications whatsoever. I drink at least a gallon of water each day, get lots of green veggies. I started looking at working out differently. It no longer was a chore. It has become a way of life. I look forward to going to the gym and sweating all the toxins from the day out, and lifting weights to feel my body molding the way I want it to. To be able to manipulate the muscle, and to see the shape taking place.

I am a work in progress, just like we all are, but most of all, I want to be encouraging to others. Especially other black women. To let them know that they can succeed with their goals. They can change their bodies. They can be healthy and strong. That our genetic makeup does not “have” to predetermine the people that we are. WE are the ones to determine who we are, and what we will become. And that our daughters can look at us and be inspired to continue in our footsteps on the journey of life in a healthy and happy way.

How’d she do it? Leave a comment, email me or subscribe to BlackFitness and I’ll send you her personalized workout!

Human Machine: David Goggins Inspiration, motivation and desire

In life there are two kinds of people those that can’t and those that can. This is for all my friends and supporters get tough and get in shape.

 To Tim, if you focus like you did for med school, then you got this! For my moms if you focus like you did for your masters degree, you got this! If you ever wanted to find out what your human spirit is made out of …you got this!

Honestly, I HATE RUNNING! Must be like broccoli…if it taste nasty then it’s probably good for ya! 

Bartendaz Video: Movement is Medicine

Shirtless Will Smith Doing Pull Ups

So, for those that know me, I’ve been doing more dynamic workouts instead of the heavy lifting. To get a more physical body instead of a bodybuilder / muscle head type. Nothing is wrong with either the bodybuilder or muscle head  but since I don’t play sports or plan to compete …why?  I’ve done the Lebron James workout and the 300 Workout , both are giving me the results I want…leaner and athletic.

So now I’m doing 20-25 pull ups like nothing and when I’m really pumped, I’m doing pull-ups with weights 10′s and 25′s(low rep/high sets). So with my chest all swole & pumped, beating my chest like a silver back gorilla. Some guy approaches me and asked  ”Have you ever heard of BARTENDAZ?” And like the next cocky negro, I was like “yeah…yeah ..yeah!” So I go home have my protein shake, watch these guys on youtube and deflate my chest.

So I really thought I was working out….compared to these guys I was warming up!

These guys have actually started a movement that promotes physical fitness and self-empowerment through calisthentics, and they preach that “Movement is Medicine”.

They’ve done T.V., The Iron Ring, BET’s Reality MMA series, when they were working with Ludacris’s team, seminars and self improvement programs. If you’ve never seen these guys before, just be prepared to pick your jaw off the floor! 

Yasin’s Giant Thinking presentations and Bar-Tendaz demonstrations offer a powerful and inspirational self-awareness program that empowers participants to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles in their lives. Demonstrations and presentations leave participants with concise actions they can immediately take to work toward achieving their goals. Though most of his efforts are aimed at helping inner city youth obtain and maintain a sense of worth and positive destiny,the training transcends age and station in life

Punctuated with thought-provoking examples and exercises, Giant Thinking Inc. and Bar-Tendaz presentations and seminars are proven in enabling participants to set and achieve goals, establish values by which to live, and face challenges and opportunities in a manner that will bring about success. Giant coined the phrase “Exercise Evolution” to describe his unique blend of calisthenics, physical and mental fitness exercises.

We believe that when offered together a Giant Thinking seminar and Bar-Tendaz presentation are the unbeatable one-two combination for success!

Hassan Yasin is certainly dedicated to making sure that Giant Thinking / Bar-Tendaz becomes the premier program for those who seek to better themselves and our youth.

I’ve never attended any of their presentations and in working with children and coaching myself, I know there are techniques and principles that have to be kept in mind. I can not attest nor vouch for these guy in this arena. But if they are as intense with their workouts, as they are with their teaching priciples, a youth seminar with these guys can only be a win, win situation.

No Money, No Problem…No Motivation, No Problem. Today I give you 1-2-3 BARTENDAZ! Check ‘em out better yet give them a call!