workout

Love of the Weights. Pauline Nordin’s Fighter diet.

Now let me stress that i did not write this. IT actually comes from Pauline Nordin’s fighter diet blog. check it out.

This is for you who just found weight training and are very eager to get the results you want.. Like yesterday or even earlier!;-)

Think of you and the weights as a love story. First out is the crush. All you can THINK of is this wonderful thing you now wonder how you could live without before, right? And you cannot wait til you see the gym again. You plan your workouts, you cannot wait, and whatever you do, every little move, you get instant feedback! Your muscles are growing, you can FEEL it! There is no stop, no end, your energy is so high and vibrating, all you wanna do is cuddle those weights LOL. You fantasize about what you will look like in the future with those weights in your daily life.

Then, after a while, just like a crush, the routine gets lame, you’ve seen every move those dumbbells do, it does not feel the same and your emotions are not as intense. It got to become an every day thing. It losts its vibe! This is where you either find out there is more behind those bars and dumbbells, there is a deeper connection that is actually stronger than the crush. Yes, you and the weights know each other very well know, you’ve “been there, done that”, in all angles and positions! But you got to a halt or an incomplete stop in the relationship. So, now…. either you hold on to the weights because you’ve got something beautiful going on there, OR you say hasta la vista baby, try a new love story and kiss goodbye to the dream body of yours you wanted so bad!

But now, if you stay committed, and you enjoy the every day life with this your love, the dumbbells in the gym, you grow. Literally. And find deeper meaning with going in, doing the same thing over and over again. And some days when you reach a personal best, you find a new connection, yes, you fall in love again! Those newbie crush feelings arise from deep inside. And then cease again like the waves in the ocean. They come and go.

Getting results is all about commitment. It is a relationship. You cannot walk out of it just because you have some issues to deal with, if it’s worth it that is. You have obligations, you know? Just like paying bills, you got to put in your work hours in the gym. And quality that is in those hours. You must be kept accountable.

Relationships go up and down and so does this one between you and the weights. It’s normal to hate them sometimes, to even wanna kill them, strangle them, tell them to fxxk off and kick them in the balls! But you gotta go back and give back to reap the rewards. After many years of true commitment, you will feel like you’ve got it all.

Turbulence Training: Can't Out Train Bad Eating Habits

You can not out train bad eating habits trust me I know. Diet, exercise and recovery are the three pilars of fitness.  At 212 and 18% bodyfat I workout 3-4 times a week. Sometimes as intense as you can be and sometimes just to goof off. Either way the past month I’ve been up since 5 A.M. working hard…but I’ve also been eating more as if I deserve it. Diet is the name of the game. You can workout till you are blue in the face but poor nutrition will sabatoge everything. Working out will actually become second nature, almost a no brainer.

Dieting will become 80% of the game. It will be the difference maker and the hardest part of your day.  Craig Ballantyne makes a simple but true point here…check it out!

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!

Why do you workout? Need Inspiration?

Today at work someone asked me ” Why do you eat that?…it looks nasty!” It was protein powder,yogurt and some homemade granola, I smiled and responded, “My Choice.” I read an article from one of my favorite sites ZenHabits and Bodybuilding.com about the choices we make.

I have learned through a lot of personal experiences that I am responsible for my choices. There have been a few choices made that I wished I could change, but I no longer focus on those negatives. In all due honesty there is nothing I can do about them. I try to take those failures as a jumping off point, and through these events, have discovered “my choice” of eating better and changing my body. Going to the gym when everyone else is sleeping has built a strong, confident and focused me. I was once told that “Commitment to consistency creates emotional stability” Waking up and pounding cold steel is a positive choice for me and no one else. I love seeing myself in the mirror lifting those weights and feeling the sweat dripping down my face. Nothing is more empowering that seeing defined curves, lean muscle and once “fat” replaced with firm, tight skin. All of these changes are the results of my choice.

I think it would be a good choice for you…but I might never say so, but I know for sure it’s a good choice for me.

So, the next time I am posed with the question, “Why do you lift weights?” or “Why are you eating that?, I can show off a little bicep, go to my cubicle and think about that next time I’ll be in the gym.

Ciara shows off body in Men's Fitness Magazine Hot!!!

Not sure how Ciara got into Men’s Fitness magazine (May 2009 issue) but I guess her latest single Love Sex Magic had them thinking. Actually after looking at her and having a dream I know exactly why she’s in! After seeing those toned arms and legs in that most recent video with Justin TimberFake…um…nuff said.

Ciara looks very toned and fit. She must have a strict and regular workout regiment. I’ve read somewhere that she tries to stick to a low-carb diet but doesn’t fuss too much about what she eats. Rather it’s the exercise she focuses on.
I hate saying this but she does have good genetics among other things.

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Mike Jones Weight Loss with Subway?

I posted an interview with David Baner from Men’s Fitness last month and now another rapper has done it again!

No, he is not on that crack diet….no steroids…no surgery. HARD WORK! I am not a fan of his, but he gets props from me.

If you need that extra motivation to shed those 10 or 15 lbs to get right, look no further than Mike Jones, who has lost the equivalent of a small woman by eating fresh via Subway (the Subway Diet):

Rapper MIKE JONES has shed a third of his body-weight – thanks to a diet of Subway sandwiches.

The Still Tippin’ star used to tip the scales at nearly 300 pounds (136 kilograms) – but after embarking on a new exercise regime and special diet of the U.S. sandwich chain, he’s now down to a healthier 190 pounds (86 kilograms).

He tells BallerStatus.com, “I was almost 300 pounds man. I lost almost 100. I’m 190 right now. That goes from eating Subway, running on the treadmill, and watching what I eat.”

Back then they didn’t want him…

Mike Jones! Who??? Mike Jones!

Another BlackFitness Champ!  I know this pic is photoshoped but the dude looks good…Congrats, I wonder if Jared will take a back seat to Mike Jones?

I did 500 Push-ups today!

Okay, so dont ask me why. I just felt like it. When I was in high school, I would do push ups during commercials while I did my evening tour.  Evening tour?! Yes, this was Facts of Life, Different Strokes, Family Ties and Wheel of Fortune.

I feel swole now (it’s actually lactic acid build up). I did 100 every hour in between erands around the home and I think I might be on to something. My metabolism feels jacked right now and I want to incorporate this some how in the mourning. First, I have to commit to my fasted cardio, then I can start doing these pushups.

So I thought I was doing something big here until I did a little web browsing …

“Lu Di, 6, flexes his muscles as other students watch at a kungfu school in Songshan, central China’s Henan Province July 26, 2006. According to the school’s president Shi Yongdi, Lu did 10,000 push-ups in three hours and twenty minutes on July 22, 2006. Shi said the school was waiving his tuition for ten years due to his outstanding performance, China Daily reported.”

THIS GUY HAS A LITTLE PROBLEM DOING 100 BUT HAS HEART I THINK HE DID…DO YOU?

The Iron Gym and Calisthenics Video