Friday, December 30, 2011

Thank you!

Thanks to all of you all for checking out my blog, for your support and for your feedback about the various subjects that I've written about. My plan is to make 2012 a year in which I will continue to bring you the most current, up-to-date, accurate & cutting edge information regarding fitness programming & exercise, training protocols & methodologies, nutrition, general well being and whatever it takes to improve your ‘Life, Health & Wellness’!

Until then, get your workouts in, stay strong, eat like a champion and train hard!

Remember, as Alwyn Cosgrove says, "It doesn't matter what you eat or how you exercise between Christmas and New Years….but it does matter how you eat and exercise between New Year's and Christmas!"

Wishing you all the best for 2012!

-AR

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

TFW 6500 Pound Challenge

How will you end 2011? You will end it on a high note and cruise into 2012 better than you did the year before? Or will you surrender to the status quo and be 'satisfied' with where you are now? Hopefully you'll choose the former and take on ANY challenge if your goal is never ending improvement.
Check out this video of my good friend and colleague, Martin Rooney, CSCS - founder of Training for Warriors, as he leaves his mark in 2011 on a high note with what he calls the "TFW 6500 Pound Challenge". His goal - to leave the year stronger than when he entered it!

Are you up for the challenge? Unleash the 'WARRIOR' within and see just how far you can go.

There's no way you can stop GREATNESS!

Get to it!



-AR

Ask A Ninja - "Night Before Christmas" - Revisited

O.K., I know we're already 3 days past Christmas (which also happens to be my birthday) but this is a great, hilarious & awesome video that I think you'll enjoy which I posted a while back.

The reason I'm very fond of this video is because I'm a member of the world class, prestigious, eminent, legendary, glorious, powerful and famous organization known as the "International Order of Ninjas (ION)" - which you need to be invited to in order to join. I consider myself one of the lucky ones as I was discovered by an ION Five Kage Ninja long ago!

Maybe someday you too will be discovered! In the meantime, enjoy this video.

Wishing you all the best this holiday season!



-AR

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Regret or Rejoice - The Choice Is Yours

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."
- Albert Einstein, theoretical physicist, philosopher & author

I firmly believe that in order to live our lives to the fullest, to get as much as we can to fulfill and receive the most satisfaction, we have to be willing to decipher the good and the positives even during the worst situations we may or have dealt with. If you're the type of person who refuses to have those ah ha moments of clarity and see the good in every situation, you're 'missing the boat' on a major opportunity to grow and learn.

In other words, you're letting your challenges overcome who you are & letting them get the best of you!

Trust me....I know it's hard to see the light when certain situations look bleak - death, bad break-ups, unemployment, financial struggles, etc.  However, we must never give up hope in our quest to learn from these struggles and appreciate every situation which in turn makes us stronger, smarter and capable of taking on any challenge head-to-head.

Never let any of your circumstances get the best of you, because you're better than that. Even when life has you down on your knees and keeps kicking you in the teeth, you MUST get back up on your feet and move forward....no matter how hard the hits!

Always hold your head up high and always look for the best in the worst of life. After all, you have a choice....

You can either REGRET or REJOICE! 




















-AR

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Ho Ho Hold It Now

No, the title of this blog isn't about the hit single from The Beastie Boys - "Hold It How".

photo via: http://deardonaldvincent.com/2010/10/20/top-ten-greatest-hip-hop-groups/

Instead, it's a title that's meant to shift the advocating illustrations of what the mainstream media portray Santa Clause to be. Given that it's the holiday season, it's also that time of year when we start seeing Santa Clause all around us - book stores, TV commericals, malls, Christmas cards, etc.

Before I go on, I ask you this - "What does Santa Clause look like to you?"

Is he the big, chubby red-cheeked man with the white beard wearing the red coat & pants? For the majority of you, this is what the ideal is.


For a fitness professional as myself, my image of Santa is different - a lot different!

We live in a fast paced, remote control driven, instant single-serving society and sadly many of us have succumbed to the pressures of everyday life - lack of exercise, fast food, sleep deprivation, etc. - while paying the price for our most precious asset - our health!

Knowing that we're dealing with issues like cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and sedentary lifestyles, some health professionals are promoting that the image of Santa Clause be cleaned up. If that be the case, then it looks like we better "ho ho hold the milk & cookies"!

So why the sudden push to clean up Santa's appearance? Those who support the "Healthy Santa" cite the following as their justification to do so:
  • Santa is used as a marketing ploy to sell sugary and fatty foods to kids 
  • Children are encouraged to leave a plate of high fat & sugar cookies along with a glass of hormone-filled cows milk
  • Santa's fat belly seems to be accepted as the societal norm - in other words, it's perfectly fine to be fat & obese! Or is it?
  • In some countries, leaving Santa a shot of rum or brandy is customary and promotes "good luck" - Yeah, he's gonna need it especially after taking all those shots from visiting those homes world wide. 
  • Santa's trip down the chimney may encourage children to do the same - play in the fireplace or crawl up the chimney
I know some of the reasons above may sound 'ridonkulous', but the 'Healthy Santa' promoters are doing their best to reverse the ideals of Chris Kringle's image in hopes that it may help others live a healthier & active lifestyle - which many do not!

So, what if Santa did....
  • Eat 5-7 meals each day - didn't skip meals >> most importantly breakfast
  • Eat protein with every meal
  • Eat a serving of veggies with every meal
  • Decreased his fruit intake to a low-moderate level
  • Decreased his grains, starches & sugar intake - replaced grains with greens
  • Increased his healthy fat intake - fish oil, olive oil, coconut oil, nuts/seeds, nut butters, avocados
  • Drink half his body weight in ounces of water each day
  • Take his daily multivitamin
  • Exercised using the principles of HIIT and compound exercises
  • Move constantly - the human body was designed to move and 'Do Work'
  • Go to bed at a decent hour rather than staying out all night - that way he can have an awesome start to his day the next day
If Santa did all of the above, he would be what I consider....

A Bad Ass Santa!!

What does 'Bad Ass Santa' look like?

Like this.....


You too can transform your mind & body by adopting the same principles that "Bad Ass Santa" does. Not only will you look & feel better, but you'll have an improved quality of life! Guaranteed!

Happy Holidays!

-AR