Vegetarian experience wrap-up

  I did it. Thirty days without any meat. That did include fish and seafood, and other animals products such as milk (although I drank primarily almond milk), eggs, yogurt, and cottage cheese. During this experience I discovered just how difficult it must be to eat vegan. So many foods contain animal products, even if you don't realize it. The last time I did this challenge I tried a vegan day and screwed it up by eating something that contained milk without realizing it.  I didn't actively try this time, although I did eat many vegan meals and substitutes such as vegan mayo and vegan bbq sauce.
  I suppose my biggest block to being successful with the vegan lifestyle is my desire for high protein content due to my goals of exercise and muscle building.  However, after further research, I have discovered that protein really is not that hard to get.  Protein is included in so many plant sources that do contain all nine essential amino acids. So the concept of protein combining is not really neccessary, contrary to many people's beliefs.  Protein is not hard to get as it is contained in nearly all forms of food, and is the basis for so many building blocks of life, including plants, animals, and humans.  It is present in the soil and in the earth. The notion that you need animal foods to get protein in your diet is simply not accurate.
  The other misconception about protein is that so many people believe they need far more protein in their diet than they actually do.  This includes athletes and bodybuilders.  Protein isn't hard to get, and the amount you actually need is likely far less than you think.  The average person needs about .36 g of protein per pound of bodyweight.  Athletes need slightly more, but not to the extent that many "experts" recommend, which can be up to 2g per pound of bodyweight or more!  More protein doesn't equal more muscle, and isn't necessarily better. Excess protein is simply more strain on the kidneys and liver, more chance of dehydration and fatigue, and increase storage as body fat.  Protein deficiency on the other hand is incredibly rare and extremely hard to achieve.
  Anyway, back to my vegetarian experience conclusions. I actually GAINED weight by being vegetarian, something I have struggled to do for a long time.  I have not noticed any loss of muscle, and my body fat level seems to be about the same.
  My energy level has been as good or better than it was before, so I didn't notice any real change.
  I did notice some abdominal discomfort due to the increase in beans, vegetables, and fiber intake. It did ensure I was regular, however.  I also ensured I was drinking adequate amounts of water to prevent dehydration.
  One major strategy to success for this diet, or any diet, is preparation.  Preparing meals ahead of time is the single most important factor for success. This saves time, and ensures you eat healthy when in a hurry.  Making shopping lists and shopping for all needed ingredients ahead of time is of the utmost importance.
  I enjoyed this journey, and believe I will continue to implement things I have learned into my lifestyle while cutting back on meat.  Doing so will help the environment, my own body, and the animals.  It will help out soil quality, air quality, reduce emissions and global warming effects, reduce disease easing the burden on our healthcare system, and so many other countless benefits.
  I encourage anyone reading this to consider at least reducing their meat and animal product intake.  It can benefit you, your body, and the world with very little if any negative consequences.  You might even save some money, and feel better. The hardest part will be adjusting to the change, which is like everything in life.
  Thanks everyone for reading and please continue to be physically and mentally healthy.

How many different kinds of pushups can i come up with?

Hey guys, here's a quick video of me demonstrating how many different types of pushups i can do, and how to perform them.

This is just an example of how many different things you can do using your own body weight. Even though the gyms are closed keep moving and keep working.

Thanks

Heres the vid:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=vDuWxFkJVM0

Vegetarian experience update final week

Hey everybody. I am in the final week of my 30 day vegetarian experiment. Today is sunday, and Tuesday will be my final day 30. I will provide more reflections after I am done, but for now just wanted a quick update on how its going and a couple meals I have been eating.

I weighed myself this morning, and actually gained a few pounds. This could be attributed to the fact that I am not as active and burning as many calories as when I am going to the gym. I am still working out of course, nearly every day.  I also continue to eat a lot as I have been for a long time now. That includes 5-6 meals a day. I have been trying to gain muscle weight for a long time and find it very difficult. Eating vegetarian has meant eating alot of beans, which are very filling due to their heavy fiber content. This does have a tendency to increase the possibility of abdominal discomfort, which I experienced a little of. I also have been eating a lot of healthy fats, which are higher in calories than their carb and protein counterparts. This includes walnuts, almods, eggs, olive oil, avocado, natural peanut butter, ect.

Physically I have felt pretty good. Not all that different than I did before. I ate pretty healthy before anyway, so this doesn't surprise me that much. It's not like I am cutting out junk, processed foods or something, which I never eat alot of anyway.  Mentally I have been feeling a little down , but I don't  think that is due to my diet. That is more due to this corona virus thing, and other factors.

Now for some foods I have been eating this week:

Mini eggplant pizzas. These were really good. Used non-dairy cheese.

White bean chili. This made alot, and i ate it several times this week. It was pretty good, but gave me gas. I did eat a lot of it though.

Lentil loaf. I really liked this one. Had a vegan bbq sauce on top. Only complaint was the thyme, which felt like little sprigs of hard grass.

Tofu scramble. Finally figured out how to use tofu. Turned out decent. A good egg replacement. Actually tasted like egg. I put peppers, onion, turmeric, black pepper, and fried in vegetable stock.

Thats it for this week. As always thanks for checking me out. Its much appreciated, and i will check back when this thing is all done. Take care and stay healthy.

Check out my video on how and why you should foam roll.

We all get sore and achy muscles from time to time. Well one way to combat this is through the use of foam rolling. Check out my video below for some tips on how best to utilize this recovery tool.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=WQbei_10B6s&feature=youtu.be

Vegetarian experience week 3

  I've completed week three of my vegetarian experience.  I am proud to say I have had no meat in those three weeks.  I honestly have not had that difficult of a time with it.  The hardest part is going out.  The choices are much more limited obviously. There are still many options, however. It actually allows me to try some things that I wouldn't ordinarily try. For example, we went out to cheesecake factory and I got the fish tacos.   I've never had those before, and it was quite good.
  One day I did have a problem. I ran out of pre-made meals and was searching for a dinner quick.  I decided to throw some things together from the fridge. I had some leftover brown rice, tofu, and chipotle peppers in Adobe sauce. I've used the peppers before, and don't remember them being that spicy. I mixed all of that together. After one bite my mouth was burning, and it wouldn't stop. The peppers were about a week old, and I reheated them, which might have been why.  I couldn't eat it. I had to settle with my salad and some yogurt. Needless to say I still need to learn how to cook with tofu, a vegetarian staple.
  The other thing I've learned thus far is that success in eating healthy is all in the preparation. I prepare most of my meals on sunday, and some the night before a day. This allows me to eat healthy all week long. Without preparation I would be scrambling for meal options, and probably choose something less healthy.
  My energy has been good. I've been getting my workouts in as usual and am feeling pretty strong, and my endurance seems better.  Weight wise i haven't noticed much change. Maybe a loss of a pound or two.
  Here are some other meals I ate this week:
  A chick pea fajita bowl, which was really good. Had a lime, rice vinegar, and spices dressing.

Black bean brownies. Turned out really good. Actually pretty sweet due to agave.

Thai brown rice, veggie, and quinoa bowl. The spices made this one.

Homemade black bean with rice veggie burgers and roasted sweet potato fries. This turned out really good. My favorite meal so far. I was full for hours after.

  As always thanks for reading. Stay strong and stay healthy.

Vegetarian experience update

Today is day 9 of my vegetarian experience. I am feeling pretty good. I have good amounts of energy, and am not feeling starving or anything. I am happy to report i have not had a piece of meat throughout this whole experience thus far.
  I have noticed after i eat a meal i don't have that foggy, bloated kind of feeling where you just want to go take a nap, and feel all sorts of indigestion. Thats a good thing.
  My workout energy is good. My mental energy is iffy, but with all that's going on thats to be expected.
  I did a good amount of cooking on sunday, and noticed that a good amount of spices are used in vegetarian/vegan cooking.  I believe all of the meals that i made are vegan as well, although i am not currently practicing vegan.
Here are a couple.  Stuffed peppers with quinoa, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, black beans, spices, ect.  Shown here cut up.

Another was an indian "dahl" over brown rice.

And some protein powder brownies.

Finally, an enchilada casserole

with quinoa and brown rice.
  Everything turned out pretty good. I enjoyed them all. Tasty while still being healthy.
  As always thanks for reading.

My vegetarian experience: day 6

  I haven't written all week since day one, so I wanted to give you some observations that I have had on days 2-6.
  I have been eating alot of the same foods that I usually do, so from that perspective it hasn't been too hard.  I've been having my usually eggs, egg whites, and pepper/onion mixture with either avocado toast or oats with chia seeds, peanut butter, and honey.  I have actually not been eating a full meal in between breakfast and lunch as I have read that 3-4 hours is best for your muscles to take full advantage of the first meal as far as muscle protein synthesis goes. I've been having a BCAA shake with pumpkin seeds, almonds, and a banana. That has been working pretty well. I don't feel too hungry before lunch.  Other foods I have been eating are my usual brown rice, black beans, spinach, spicy kimchi, and salsa mixture. The next meal gets a little dicey, because it is usually my pre-workout meal, so I need something to give me good energy. I had tuna with white potatoes and broccoli one day. I had some plant based deli slices on multigrain bread one day with some peppers and hummus. One day I didn't workout, some I had sweet potatoes, broccoli, and a BCAA shake. I have my usual post workout shake and some quick carbs such as gummy bears or gatorade. Then I have dinner. I had the broccoli cauliflower Alfredo a couple days, and a sweet potato three bean chili one day that turned out more like a stew, but it was good. I had some gluten free multigrain bread with that.  I always have salad with dinner also. I finish off with berries and cottage cheese before bed, or a casein protein shake.

  Overall I have been feeling pretty good. Energy wise I have felt fine or about the same as I did before this experiment. I have been struggling a little bit mentally and with motivation, but I think that is mainly due to this whole corona virus thing.  It is harder to get motivated when doing home workouts all the time. I did a strength training workout the other day with some heavy weights and it felt good. I didn't notice any drop in strength.
  It can be hard eating healthy foods all the time as far as taste goes.  For example, one day I tried a buffalo tofu with brown rice, peppers, and celery. It was ok, but not great. I need to learn different ways to eat tofu.  I had salmon one night also. There are many meatless options though.  Finding protein options is not hard either, which is a major misconception of vegetarians.
  I am down about a pound, but that little fluctuation isn't necessarily due to this experiment.  I am not trying to lose weight afterall.  I did notice myself feeling a little hungrier than usual, especially during my workouts. This is probably due to the lack of animal protein, which can leave you feeling fuller. Eating vegetarian is mostly carbohydrates. My fat content is probably down also having no red meat.  I might try having a pre-workout protein shake to combat this.
  A potential negative effect that I have noticed is going to the bathroom A lot (meaning #2).  This could be due to the increase in fiber and eating so many vegetables. It is something I am going to have to keep an eye on.
  Overall, being vegetarian hasn't been all that hard. Being vegan on the other hand seems incredibly difficult. I might try a day here and there, but doing it more than that is very difficult.
  Thanks for reading and I'll keep you up to date on every going on with this experience.

My vegetarian experience: day 1

  For the next 30 days I will be going vegetarian. I decided to write down my experience in here so that you all can hear about my thoughts, feelings, and experiences behind this endevour. This will be especially useful for those that have never tried being vegetarian.
  Why am I doing this? I have been trying to cut down on my meat consumption for awhile now. There was a time I would be eating animal meat 3-4 times a day.  Lately I have been good about getting it down to 1-2. I have also been doing no meat on Fridays for lent, so that was a good warmup.
  As you all know I workout a lot and am very into fitness. For awhile now my main priority has been gaining muscle. Therefore, a lot of protein was neccessary. I think the amount I was consuming was above and beyond the necessary amount at one point. I was having over 200 grams per day. I weigh 170 right now. That is such a strain on the kidneys. Too much protein can also lead to dehydration, fatigue, ect. Needless to say, I needed animal protein to accomplish this task of getting my daily protein in. However, upon doing a lot of research I have come to the conclusion that I do not need this much protein. More protein doesn't necessarily mean more muscle. It is more about nutrient timing. Meaning, when you eat that protein is more important, so that your muscles can take advantage of the muscle protein synthesis rather that simply converting it to fat, because your body doesn't need it for building muscle.
  Furthermore, upon doing research on the environmental toll that the meat industry has, I have decided to lessen my footprint. If everyone did this the environment would be in much better shape. Even simply cutting down the amount of meat consumption. The resources that are required to produce this meat at the alarming amounts that are produced take an extreme toll on the environment. That includes the feed required to provide the animals, which is mostly gmo and laden with pesticides. Then the animals are often given hormones, antibiotics, steroids,  ect. that are very bad for human comsumption, even carcinogenic. The conditions the animals are raised in are just as bad. Crowded containers, running up against one another, existing in piles of their own excrement, disease ridden animals.
  I have researched the benefits of plant based living, and the results are extraordinary. People report feeling better, and even healing disease. Not to mention the fact that animals get their protein from plants, the original source of protein.
  Another reason is that during this coronavirus pandemic meat supplies are getting low, and there isn't a lot of going out and eating socially. Furthermore, it is a great time to eat healthy and boost that immune system to stay healthy and ward off iillness.
  That is just a few of the reasons i decided to do this.
  The last day of eating meat I went on sort of a binge. I ate Thai food out, subs, chicken. I honestly felt like crap. I was congested, and my eyes burned.
  The first day I had eggs and gluten free bread with avocado for breakfast.  For a snack I had overnight oats with almond milk, peanut butter, honey, bananna, chia seeds, almonds, and pumpkin seeds. A large snack I know, but keep in mind I am still trying to build muscle.  I also had rice, spinach, blackbeans, salsa, garlic powder, and spicy kimchi for lunch. Next i had half a can of tuna, 6 oz white potatoes, and 3 oz of broccoli. I had an after workout protein shake and some gummy bears. For dinner i had a salad with peppers, cucumbers, and tomatos. For dinner i also had a home made cauliflower alfredo with brown rice pasta and broccoli pictured here, which turned out pretty good.

. 

  Finally, i had a half cup of cottage cheese with black berries and blueberries. Also, a cup of elderberry and echinacea tea.

  As you can see i ate plenty, and getting enough protein in was not a problem.

  I worked out also. I did a bodyweight cardio workout of planks, burpees, and jump lunges along with some pullups, dips, bent over row, dips, and curls. I felt pretty good. A little tired. I didnt use caffeine and got about 7 hours of sleep the night before.  Overall I felt good though.

  I will keep updating things during my experience on this blog to keep you up to date on my progress. Stay tuned and thanks for reading.

Exercise video links

Here are a few videos i did to help you get a good workout at home. One is more cardio focused:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=n62-Mxxj7jM

And the other is more full body resistance training focused:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Opq3YcZhYu8&feature=youtu.be

Check it out and keep active.

Thanks for reading and watching.

Here's my coronavirus health and fitness article

  Everybody in the health, wellness, and fitness space has put out an article, or several, about the coronavirus. They have given there opinion on it, and told you what they think you should do, and how to react. It seems everyone has an opinion on what home workouts to do, how to eat, and how to prevent getting sick. With that being said here's mine.
  The corona virus has shut down American life. Whether you like it or not we are being subject to people in positions of power and we have no choice but to accept it. With this shut down came the closing of gyms, community centers, and health and wellness facilities. You would think they would want these to be open so that people can continue to be healthy and keep their immune systems up in a time like this. Just the same, all these places are closed. That doesn't mean you should slack off on your health. As a matter of fact it means very much the opposite. It is crucial to continue to move your body in order to fight off infection. This might mean going for a 30-60 min walk outside. The movement and acquisition of vitamin D in your system are a tremendous combination to ward off sickness. Getting in cardio is easy without a gym, just go outside. Of course if you have access to a treadmill, elliptical, or stationary bike those are great options as well. If you are like me you might get bored doing steady state (that is long duration of a steady pace) cardio. Therefore, feel free to mix it up with intervals. Run for 30-60 seconds then take a 2-3 min walking break. Do that for 20 minutes to a half hour. These are great for far loss. This is due to EPOC (excess post-excersise oxygen consumption). Meaning your body is still working after your done working out, allowing you to burn more calories and lose weight. Steady state doesn't have as much of an effect in this way. Essentially when you are done, you are done.
  There are other cardio options as well. When done on a treadmill or outside you can alternate, in an interval form, between things like; incline walking, then regular walk, side shuffle for 30 seconds on one side then walk, 30 seconds on the other side, walk, side shuffle skips (jumping with each stride), walking/jogging backwards, and even regular skips. This helps mix up your cardio session and makes the time fly by.
  I am a huge believer in resistance training. Building muscle is a great way to lose weight, look great, and stay healthy.  Obviously this is a little more challenging without the gyms being open. Using your bodyweight only, however, you can get a great workout in. I fully recommend full body workouts at times like these. You can do them everyday, because you are not fatigueing each muscle group out as you would with a body part split.
  If you choose to do this warm up good first. Maybe you go for a walk first, jump rope, do jumping jacks, ect. I would endorse foam rolling if you can to warm up the muscles. Stretch out good as well. Hold each stretch for 30 seconds. Then do some dynamic stretching to further warm up. Leg swings for example, forward and back, and side to side. Arm circles are another one putting your joints through a full range of motion. Once you are ready pick an exersise from each body group and perform them in this order in circuit fashion (one after another without a rest): core, legs (first or last), chest, back, shoulders, biceps, and triceps. Here are some examples of exercises you can do:

Core: crunches, sit ups ( more advanced, harder of low back), planks of any variety, v-ups, reverse crunch, bicycle crunch, supermans/cobras, side lying leg raises, clamshells, ect.

Legs: bodyweight squat, forward/reverse/side lunges, step ups (if a sturdy chair is available), calf raises, hamstring walk outs, ect.

Chest: decline/incline/knee/wide grip pushups, banded chest press.

Back: incline row if available, pull ups where avaiable, db rows of possible, rev. band flys if possible, lying cobra, lying back extensions, standing cobra (weighted with anything you can find).

Shoulders: shoulder/pike pushups (butt up in the air), side raises with anything you can find (water jug), rev/reg scrap pushup, handstand hold/wall walks (advanced)/hs pushups.

Biceps: curls with db's/bands, reverse/hammer grip curls.

Triceps: dips on a chair/couch, weighted dips. Band press downs, overhead band extensions,  Db kickbacks, close grip pushups, ect.

Of course the more equipment you have at your disposal the more you can do. Do each circuit two or three times. Feel free to add some power to your movements for more calorie burning such as jump lunges, jump squats, clap pushups, burpees, bear crawls, clam walks, inch worm pushups, ect. The point is to pick 4 or 5 movements and do them as many times as you feel able. Rest in between circuits. More space also makes it easier, so feel free to take it outside.

There you have it. The main point is to have fun with it also. Put on some music, take it at your own pace, it's your workout.

Furthermore, as I know you've been hearing, be sure to eat healthy (lots of fruits and vegetables), get your rest, stay as stress free as possible (yoga, mediation help), wash your hands,  eat lots of vitamin c, stay positive, and don't let fear and panic overcome you. Things will return back to normal eventually, and we will get our lives back. In the mean time we need to make the best of it and help each other out as much as possible.

Thanks for reading and stay healthy.

Happy New year

Happy New year to everyone!

Here's to the start of another year, a new beginning, a fresh start. Many of us use the new year as an opportunity to work on ourselves, improve something, achieve something, set a new goal\s. Everybody out there has their new years specials, discounts, and sales. Every company seems to have their new year, new you resolution programs, detox, healthy eating, healthy living protocol. Every gym is flooded with new years resolutioners eager to use this time as motivation to change.

It is all great, and wonderful. I am all for anyone trying to improve themselves in any way, at any time. Even those that don't have the motivation to get started right after the new year. February, for example is a perfectly fine time to get started living healthier. Any time is better than never at all.

And to those that get started but fall off the wagon, any time is great to get back on. Don't beat yourself up about it.

I am all about the new years resolutions. I myself use this time to set new goals (to write in this blog more often, save for a house, improve my career for example).  I want everyone to remember that the new year is not the be all end all for self improvement, however. Any time can be used as a new beginning. The start of a new month, the start of a new day, or the start\end of a significant event or situation in your life.

Just remember that consistency is vital. Going too hard and burning out is not ideal, but steady consistent growth is the key. Remember also to be as specific as possible with your goals, which will make them that much more achievable. Remember the acronym S.M.A.R.T goals. Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.

Good luck to everyone on achieving their best self in 2020.

Thanks for reading.