Sure they do, and yes, that’s right, every once a blue moon, you may hear me or one of our coaches (politely) ask someone to sit down in order to do a core exercise … but don’t be fooled young Padawan, these two moves are tough, and will deliver some waist tightening, core improving results if mixed into your routine a few times a week …

First, let’s look at the a Seated Rotary Cable Press, also known as a Pallof Press. You can re-create this with a rubber band attached to a weight bench, door knob or held by your partner. Sit up straight, continue to breath normally, and perform 6-15 “presses’ while varying the speed and intensity of each, just as James does so perfectly below. (Begin with a lighter weight, and if done corerctly, you will really feel your waist, obliques/transverse abs area, and maybe even your glutes fire on this on. You can also do it standing and kneeling.)

Secondly, the Incline Bench Alternating Single Arm Kettlebell (or Dumbbell) Press, (yes a mouth full, but a calorie-free mouth full, so we like it and one you can duplicate with dumbbells. Though on this particular day, Jeanny was feeling perdy darned feisty, so I threw “bottoms up” kettlebells at her and she knocked out so well I had to get it on video. If you use a challenging enough weight, you will feel this in the opposite waist/oblique area of the arm that is doing the press. Perform one or two presses per side, alternating for 6-10 reps per arm. (The bench is best set at 30-45 degrees.)

Here is Scott Mayfield hitting a similar 1 Arm DB Alternating Press with 60+ lb dumbbells … so whether using bottoms up kettlebells (above) or some big weights like Scott does here, try this one out:

Mix these into your next training session … tell us what you think! Remember, the core is more or less an “anti-movement” muscle, it stabilizes your mid section and pelvis so the rest of the body can move around it. Note that both of these exercises, while wickedly effective, do not involve any sort of spine/neck/chest/lower back abusing crunching or flexing forward. And I will say it once again, if you are still doing crunches, you are living in the 1980′s, and while I love break dancing and hair bands, it’s time to move into the 21st Century with the rest of us.

Beyond self-expression?

I am a strong proponent of many success and motivational strategies that emphasize self-mastery, self-direction and of course our basic human need of self-expression. But how far can we really get by our-self? I believe the “can we be a “good person” just for the sake of being a good person” debate is an important one to consider. Can effective core values be centered around only ourselves? What much of the “self-help” and motivation literature seem to minimize or leave out completely is the inevitable transition from “self-help” to “God’s help.”

In the same breath then, when we consider this ”self-expression”, are we really just expressing ourselves? I have been playing competitive sports since I was 5 years old, and I am a stronger believer in the many vitally important values of athletic competition, most notably what is discussed below.

This article was recently given to me and I wanted to share it with you guys:

When you think about the word “competition,” do you picture two individuals or teams engaged in a furious struggle? Many people seem to think of it as such these days — and sometimes even with a touch of viciousness as good sportsmanship surrenders to a powerful drive to win.

The word “compete” is derived from the Latin com, together and petere, to seek. Aren’t we and our opponents in a sense “seeking together” to express our  abilities as fully as possible? Seen in this light, competition is one way to express our native God-given skills.

The heart often provides a better yardstick of success in competition than a final score. Numbers don’t always tell the true story. Which is the true victory: winning 5-4 in a sloppily-played game against a weak team, or losing 5-4  in a well-played game against one of the best teams around? The deepest satisfaction should come from a greater demonstration of competence — more of the alertness that comes from Mind, the joyful cooperation derived from Love, the consistency of Principle.

In God’s universe there can be no ruthless competition, no warring elements, for all is the one infinite Mind in which all ideas express total harmony. And the more we love and obey this Mind, the better our job of demonstrating this harmony will be. Paul the Apostle declared, “all things work together for good to them that love God.” (1)

These spiritual facts can have direct bearing on our attitude towards sports. We can view competing as a form of cooperating because two teams – or two individuals — are actually working together to test each other’s competence and prod one another to improve. Our goal in sports, as in every area of life, should be to express more of God’s qualities every day. And don’t we tend to progress more rapidly toward this goal when we have the challenge of competition to spur us on? From this standpoint, our opponents are friends, not enemies.

How should we treat these “friends” when we play against them? Just as we would treat any friend — with respect, friendliness, and perhaps with open appreciation for a well-executed play, but especially with a determination to show them the very best we have to offer and in turn to draw the best from them. For if we are not doing our best, we are not expressing our innate ability to the fullest. We’re not doing all we could to glorify God.

We can’t afford, either, to view our opponents with disdainful contempt. That’s how Goliath viewed the Israelites. Odds-makers would have favored the big fellow, but, as you know, haughtiness got him nowhere. We can’t afford to be like the Israelites either — psyched out and admitting defeat even before the opening bell. Instead we have to be like David, who didn’t indulge in comparing mortal appearances but dedicated this effort to showing the world God’s power.

Any appearance of overwhelming opposition isn’t something “out there” against we are helpless. A statement of Mrs. Eddy’s from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures can help remind us of this: “We must look where we would walk and we must act as possessing all power from Him in whom we have our being.” (2) It doesn’t matter if the apparent obstacle is a state champion opponent, poor weather conditions, a fluky turn of events (which tempts us to believe in luck rather than in God) — the circumstance can’t stop us from doing our best, can’t rob us of dominion. Courage and humility “bind the strong man,” the false mentality that argues limitation and suggests fear; for courage stands up to the foe, mortal mind, and humility stands aside and lets the divine Mind express its own glory.

Growth in Christian character is the single most important outcome of athletic competition. In addition to developing courage and humility, competition can promote our practice of other important qualities. Patience with fellow players and unwavering encouragement of them — especially when they seem to be struggling — exercise the kindness that builds true friendships. Someone eager to be given more playing time or to win more matches may need to show grater self-discipline and persistence, qualities essential to the successful practice of Christian Science. By wrestling with the discouragement and defeat, the young athlete has the chance to develop the steadfastness needed to persevere during life’s crises — even a faithful clinging to God, a refusal to fold under material pressures.

These are just some of the values of athletic competition. Anyone striving to better express God-given qualities through sports is a victor, never a loser.

1. Rom. 8:28
2. Science and Health, p. 264

- Mark William Hendrickson

(The Herald of Christian Science Vol. 33, No. 1)

 *Thank you so much to Susan Jackson for sharing this article.

That was the sign above the locker room door in my college basketball locker room. Nice huh, but it did make a point. We often tell others:

people have one of two things in life: stories or results.

Like anyone else, I hate being injured, but I also look forward to the challenge and opportunity to improve something I may not have concentrated on if I wasn’t injured. After my toe surgery in the summer of 2010, my bench press strength became stronger than it had been in 10 years. (See the video below.) Our bodies have so much wisdom to share, that is, if we are patient enough to truly listen, especially when we are sick or injured. I write this post less than 2 weeks out from yet another toe surgery, one that will keep me from doing any lower body leg training for close to 3 months. What shall a guy like me do, you ask? I plan to hit my core harder than ever, improve my flexibility, balance my shoulder strength and hop in the pool with Kay Lynne to work on my lap swimming. All of these things will improve my overall athleticism (and health), and are all things I probably would not have focused on as much if I had not opted for this surgery. (Especially the swimming part, as Kay Lynne so doesn’t believe a word of the lap swimming part.)

No Excuses Training – A Tough But Great Lesson To Learn

This summer, I had the opportunity to work with a young (very) talented hockey player named Brady who has a bright future in the college (and possibly beyond) ranks … he went to a summer camp for the USHL’s Cedar Rapids Team who drafted him in the spring only to be taken out in a pretty dirty play that left him with a chipped bone above his knee. This resulted in a total leg brace that ran from his ankle to his upper thigh … so what was his response to this?

That’s right, he got home from camp and we hit it that much harder the next week … here are a few videos of his No Excuses training in the weeks following his injury. He has since been released to play and due to his positive attitude, continuing work ethic and ability to see far beyond this  minor road block, will hit the ice again soon, bigger and stronger than ever, without skipping a beat.

Single Leg Dead Lift – research actually shows that strengthening the healthy arm or leg, when the other is injured and braced, benefits both limbs, due to what they call a “contra-lateral” neuromuscular effect, or some fancy sounding phrase like that. Brady mastered this move, improving his strength and balance, and immediately began performing this on both legs when he was allowed to go without the brace.

Barbell Bench + Single Leg Squat Superset – this is another great, efficient superset that Brady hit hard that not only trained his healthy leg and total body balance, but also provide a nice cardiovascular benefit he could not get any other way due to his limitations.

Brady has an awesome attitude and is looking forward to another great season for his Triple A Team here in St. Louis before headed out to Cedar Rapids next season to join the United States Hockey League.

More No Excuses Training From My Own Video Journal

Bench Press & Chin Up Strength - after my July 2010 toe surgery, I decided to focus on my upper body strength. This is a 90 second clip of me benching 325 lbs and chinning about the same (my body weight + 90 lbs), more than I had lifted in probably 7-8 years. Check out the boot! I’ll have the puppy on once again soon. (This was also a press/pull ratio test, as your pulling strength should be stronger than your pressing strength.)

One of the keys to lasting motivation while genuinely enjoying (most of) the journey is “self-mastery.” I am also a strong believer in motivation through education. Body awareness is never more evident when we are sick or injured, so next time you are feeling an ache or pain or have scheduled a surgery, (well first, call us to set up your pre/post-op coaching & therapy), but always, keep in mind this opportunity to learn more about your body, and you will come out in the end stronger, healthier, more self aware and thankful for what you can learn from your body if you take the time to listen. There is no greater teacher, unfortunately, at times, than pain. When you feel pain, that is your body reaching out, if not screaming out for help due to the layers of overuse, imbalance and abuse it has been through, (because our bodies are quite patient.) Listen to this pain, this call for help, and you and your future health, fitness and performance potential will reach higher levels than ever!

Turkish get ups and similar patterns are excellent examples of prioritizing repetition over repetitions.

This (re-)post is for the Fitness & Performance Coaches in the room, especially if you work with youth athletes, though everyone benefits from repetition. Read and consider, as we should be discussing with our clients the ideas of self-mastery, not perfection, but challenging ourselves and our clients to improve abilities and skills. It’s not about back barbell squatting your body weight in pounds, but instead, doing a body weight squat perfectly to a 12″ box, first and foremost, and most cannot do this. Consider the difference, in that it therefore isn’t about doing 3 sets of 12 reps, but rather, doing enough repetition of the movement and appropriate corrective strategies until the skill and movement pattern is improved.

Repetition vs. Repetitions: Training Youth Athletes

by Anthony Donskov

The mother of mastery is deliberate repetition! As Coaches, we are always trying to find better ways to gain maximal results while promoting movement proficiency for our athletes. Variety plays an important role! Reps, sets, stress fluctuation, tempo and exercise selection are a few of the variables that need to be manipulated in order to produce maximal adaptation.

Of these variables, many coaches/trainers make the mistake of constantly tampering with exercise selection. At Donskov Strength and Conditioning this is the LAST variable to change in youth training! Why? Competent movement skills! If you don’t practice, you will NEVER master! Coach Boyle recently answered a question about why his young athletes Clean so often. His response: “Skill acquisition!”…”Beginners need repetition, not necessarily repetitions.” Let’s look how this philosophy applies to sports. Below is some supporting data from Hockey Canada.

What the Experts Found: Experts from Hockey Canada compiled the following data with regard to a youth hockey (60-minute) practice and game.

Game Numbers:

• Players will have the puck on their stick for an average of 8 seconds a game.

• Players will average 1 to 2 shots per game.

• Players will take an average of 18 shifts per game.

Practice Numbers:

• 1 efficient practice will give a player more skill development than 11 games collectively.

• In a 60–minute practice, each player will have the puck on his or her stick for approx. 8 — 12 minutes.

• Each player will take a minimum of 30 shots on net.

These numbers clearly indicate that practice is where development takes place in youth sports. It is also where development takes place in the weight room! Practice is deliberate REPITITION! Just like skating, stick handling, passing, and shooting develop fundamental skills on the ice, building solid skills in the weight room takes constant repetition. If it’s important DO IT OFTEN! It doesn’t have to be a loaded movement. Many times these can be added to a dynamic warm-up. Coaches, the next time you decide to change the exercise selection, ask yourself this: can my athletes’ clean, squat, dead lift, push and press with masterful skill? If the answer is to this question is no, it is imperative that you practice. Your athletes will never master movement if it’s not practiced consistently and repeatedly. If you don’t practice, your athletes will always be in a game like atmosphere with the puck on their sticks for 8 seconds!

Resources:

Hockey Canada Minor Hockey Development Guide: http://www.hockeycanada.ca/multimedia/e/develop/players/downloads/mhadev.pdf

Anthony Donskov, MS, CSCS, PES, is a former collegiate and professional hockey player, founder of Donskov Strength and Conditioning Inc., (www.donskovsc.com) and Head Instructor/Director of Off-Ice Strength and Conditioning for Donskov Hockey Development (www.donskovhockey.com). He can be reached at info@donskovsc.com.

This is a popular circuit in the metabolic-strength training circles … so I thought I would high light it here … (if you have not attempted a Rubber Band Assisted Chin Up yet, ask your coach … everyone likes ‘em after they try them.)

“Supersetting” two exercises is one of the most effective modes of improving strength and burning calories … the idea is to do one exercise immediately followed by another, rest 30-90 sec, and repeat 2-5+ times. The combinations of exercises usually look something like this:

• Upper Body (push up, chin, cable row) followed by a Lower Body (squat or lunge)
• Pressing Exercise (push up, dumbbell press, triceps press down) followed by a Pulling Exercise (chin up, cable pull down, biceps curl)
• Total Body Strength followed by a Core Exercise (plank hold)
• Upper Body Strength followed by a Total Body Press or Pull (as in the example below:

In the videos below, you can see examples of Scott and Becky doing a wicked superset including:

• Kettlebell Swing – hitting the entire body, notably the core, glutes and hamstrings
• Chin Up – hitting the abs, biceps and upper back

Note that the entire body is being blasted here in a short amount of time, and the cardiovascular benefits are incredible, as this is the perfect combination of strength and endurance training.

The sets and reps generally progress like this:

• Chin Up x 10
• Swing x 12
• Chin Up x 8
• Swing x 10
• Chin Up x 6
• Swing x 8
• Chin Up x 4
• Swing x 6
• Chin Up x 2
• Swing x 4
• Chin Up x 1
• Swing x 2

Try this or any variation by substituting the chin up for a Cable Pull Down and the Swing for a Body Weight Squat.

Here is a 60 sec clip of Scott in the middle of performing this Superset with Chin Ups and a 55 lb Kettlebell. (Scott is headed to Denver University to play hockey … and was recently drafted into the NHL by the New York Islanders.)

 Here is Becky knocking out a similar routine but with a Rubber Band Assisted Chin Up and a 35 lb Kettlebell Swing:

Your options are limitless. Whether at home or in the gym … pick two exercises that hit several muscles each at a time and superset them like this for best results. More examples include:

• Push Up <–> Body Weight Squat or Reverse Lunge (20 sec each or 10 repetitions each)
• Barbell Bench Press <–> Seated Cable Pull Down
• Barbell Bench Press <–> Kettlebell Bench Squat (great for a crowded gym)
• 12″-24″ Box Step Up <–> Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extension or Plank Hold

Try these out and/or let us know if you’d like me to high light any more examples like this in the future …

So here is Jeanny, swinging a 45 pounder, (mind you, coming off toe surgery rehab and as always, working on improving her 250 yard drive) and Jamz, swinging ”Brownie”, our 36 kilo (79.2 lb) Kettlebell for some perdy nicely choreographed swings together. 

Gotta love it … 

Why? Well … why not?

 … weight management … athletic performance … living with intention.

These three things all go hand in hand, they are inseparable. Train like an athlete and you will increase your chances of managing your weight (you don’t see too many overweight athletes walking around, right?) Train with purpose, that is, live and train with specific intent. Athletes need to spend most of their time improving their sport’s skills, so they must be efficient in the weight room, performing the most functionally sound, bang for your buck exercises they can. Athletes do not change things up every other day simply to prevent boredom. Instead, they stick to and master the basics.

Just as in weight management, our training is not the means to the end, it is the complement to our nutrition and the catalyst for developing a stronger, more energetic body that is meant for so much more than remaining on a diet forever. People, we gots things to do in life, so in similar fashion to an athlete, set your goals, define your purpose, write down your plan, and then get after it!

When developing your training routine, whether for weight loss or athletic performance, choose exercises where you are producing strength and power with the entire body. This burns the most calories, and creates the biggest hormonal response resulting in increased fat loss. The Javelin Press Routines below are perfect for just that!

This has been a favorite of ours lately… a wicked combination of:

• grip strength – lending to forearm tone and strength, and shoulder (blade) stability
• shoulder strength – read that as toned muscles, and as functional, athletic overhead strength good for most sports
• core stability - any time we do an off-loaded or unilaterally loaded movement (the weight is held only on one side), we are challenging the core to remain tight and strong, which is great for a tight waist, reducing lower back issues, and developing a functionally strong mid-section
• leg power and strength – whether lunges or step ups (both variations are shown below), this is an awesome blast to your entire body, and any time we work your legs in conjunction with your arms, your core MUST engage, and you burn more calories than with any single joint or isolated movement. (Yes, that’s a great thing!)

Javelin Press with Reverse Lunge

Javelin Press with Step Up (That’s me stepping to an 18″ step)

Try these on your own and tell us what you think. You can begin with a 9 lb Body Bar, and build up to a barbell, as shown in these videos.

I remember coming home one night after a team workout and saying to Tara, “hun, I have no idea how good of a hockey player this Scott kid is, but man he is fun to work with. He just gets it, he asks the best questions, and really wants to get better at every skill and challenge I throw at him.”

Turns out, at the time, Scott was maybe the 2nd, if not the 3rd or 4th most talented player on the team, but that was before his sophomore year in high school. By year’s end he was receiving national recognition. After continuallly improving, and taking advantage of every opportunity he had in the following years, it all culminated when he was picked 34th (2nd round) in the National Hockey League draft a few weeks ago on June 25th.

Among other feats that garnered national recognition, Scott was named the most valuable player in the 2010 World Junior A Challenge held in Penticton, British Columbia last November. In 2009, he represented Team USA in the Ivan Hlinka Tournament in Slovakia, where Team USA placed fourth. At the tournament, Mayfield won the skills competition.

Scott also has since been added to USA Hockey’s National Junior Evaluation Camp, to be held Aug. 6-13 in Lake Placid, N.Y.

So I just wanted to say congrats(!) to Scott, and post a few nice articles about him from the Webster Groves/Kirkwood Times, St. Louis and ESPN.com.

Webster/Kirkwood Times:
http://www.websterkirkwoodtimes.com/Articles-i-2011-07-01-175799.114137-The-Amazing-Scott-Mayfield.html

St. Louis Post Dispatch: http://www.stltoday.com/sports/hockey/professional/article_3b153069-629e-5478-8d87-d870b4139974.html

ESPN.com:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/draft/2011/columns/story?columnist=burnside_scott&id=6704032

Training Journal & Nutrition Notes

Of course, I can’t help but show this kid off … so here are a few video clips and pictures from our workouts … a work ethic like his will get a person to any fitness, athletic performance, or weight loss goal.

Durability & Corrective Work

My primary job with Scott is to keep him on the ice, that is, healthy and durable, first and foremost. So my focus is on what James Harris and I call Durability Training & Corrective Exercises, proactively going after potential problem areas based on a thorough assessment of Scott’s history, strength, mobility, and balance (structural and functional integrity is what we strength coach nerds refer to these things as.) For a hockey player, hip mobility is vital, and with Scott, who boasts something like a 44″ inseam (I’m actually taller than him by maybe a 1/2 inch, but he has got these freakishly high hip bones that set about 5 inches higher than mine. I always say it is the elite athletes that are separated from other normal human beings by these funky anatomical features (have you seen Michael Phelps body? The guy is half fish. And most people can’t really comprehend how wide Michael Jordan’s shoulders are until they see the guy in person.) I digress, here are a few training pics and videos of Scott in the weight room at the Webster Groves Rec Complex:

All of our athletes go through the rigors of functional movement assessment, orthopedic screens, and corrective sessions with James

Strength & Performance Training

Thank you so much to Susan Jackson (www.susanjacksonphotography.com) for coming out and shooting the majority of these pictures. You are truly awesome!

Also, I want to point out that these pictures are all taken at the beautiful Webster Groves Recreation Complex at I44 & Elm Rd. where we are blessed with the opportunity to work with Scott and so many others in the Webster Groves Community.

Training Videos (& NHL Combine Training)

Scott knocking out a 155 lb Barbell Step Up to an 18″ Platform

 95 lb Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat Jump (At the Richmond Heights Community Center)

Rear Feet Elevated Plank Up Down’s

100 lb Double Kettlebell Single Leg Dead Lift

Chin Up Knee Tucks (during his second workout with me, (and the entire team), I told Scott he had to be able to do ten of these in a row before I would allow him to do biceps curls … mind you, that’s a long 6’4″ frame he is pulling up every repetition here.)

 Finally, draft pick high lights (60 sec video)

For more videos of Scott’s training, visit our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/safefitnesssolutions.

(Update:) It’s Tuesday, July 12th, and Scott just text me from the New York Islanders training camp … he just performed 15 chin ups for their assessment, which should place him number one in the over 200 lbs category. I love it! Effective, purposeful, hard work always pays off! Look out for this guy in an arena near you in the coming years. He is headed to Denver University in the fall to begin his freshman year there. Good Luck!!

Greek yogurt, berries, and a little protein make for an awesome breakfast or post-workout meal.

First Things First.

Before I go and get all Greek-like on ya, for many of you, eating plain yogurt in the first place is a great place to start, so keep it up! More times than not, when someone comes to us for weight  loss, this is often one of the first dietary changes we make, usually shifting from a cold cereal or starch-dominated breakfast (toast, bagel, English muffin, etc.) So as always, listen to your body, mind your post-meal energy levels, and if you tolerate dairy well (not all of us do, and that is OK), then yogurt is a great choice for:

• digestive health – providing “good bacteria” (or probiotics) that assist in healthy digestion in your stomach and intestines
• muscle building (a very metabolic process, meaning more calories burned) and recovery – from the 8-20+ grams of protein you get from the milk
• a variety of nutrients – calcium, potassium, and a couple of Vitamin B’s to boot.

So (Greek) yogurt with berries is a much better breakfast for example than most cold cereals considering 3 of our primary critieria for “grading” a meal, if you will:

1. does it satisfy my hunger (not make me full and bloated, but simply satisfy my physical hunger)?
2. is it nutrient-dense, as opposed to being more calorie-dense than full of nutrients (as many cold cereals are (sorry Total marketing department)?
3. does it supply me clean energy while keeping my blood sugar in check (meaning, does it NOT spike my insulin levels)?

If you haven’t been eating it, maybe try putting your cereal in yogurt instead of a bowl of milk for the added benefits listed above, particularly the probiotics.

Go Greek

So for those of you who want to “upgrade” your yogurt options, are considering ways to eat a bit more natural or limit your corn sugars, go for the options listed as such below.

I have two winners, all things considered, that is: palatability, price, considering what the kiddo’s will eat, and convenience; along with the amount of protein versus sugar. So here are my scientifically valid results:

Dannon Fruit on the Bottom Greek Yogurt – when mixed well, we all enjoyed this one for the most part. It tastes a little bitter at times, but all in all, it’s not too shabby.

• Protein – the 12 grams of protein is better than the 5 grams you get in your regular Yoplait 99% Fat Free Original Yogurt. With the Yoplait 2X Protein Greek Yogurt, you get 14 grams of protein, but the bitterness and chalkiness were a bit too much for us. The Yoplait would probably make our honorable mention list.
• Sugar - The regular Yoplait has 33 grams of carbs (26 grams of sugar! Wowzers! Talk about spiking your blood sugar and resulting insulin) versus the Dannon’s 16 grams of carbs/sugar. Both contain corn syrup or corn starch, though the Dannon seemed to be less, based on order of ingredients on the container.
• Price - 60 cents for Yoplait Original (sugar is cheap), $1.10 for Dannon Fruit on the Bottom. (See below for my comments about prices.)

FAGE’ Total 2% Greek Strained Yogurt - Now this stuff is next to impossible to eat on its own, BUT, do not despair, with a 1/2 a scoop of vanilla whey protein and a few berries, it was pretty creamy and tasty, and very filling! (OK, Tara didn’t like it much, but I dug it, and it is Coach Becky’s favorite (she adds Stevia, and sometimes cinnamon to it for a low calorie flavor).)

• Protein -  the yogurt alone boasts 20 grams of protein! Nice, so with the extra protein, you are looking at a 30-35 gram protein meal with anti-oxidant rich (and low glycemic) berries that serves as an awesome breakfast, snack, or post-workout meal.
• Sugar – Only 8 grams of total carbs/sugars. Maybe with some extra berries, or some stevia, most of you could sweeten it to your likening.
• Price – $2.00 or more for this puppy, though compared to the other 5-6 oz servings, this is 7 oz, and with a few berries and added protein, could be counted as a meal. Two bucks ain’t bad for a healthy, protein/anti-oxidant packed meal!

A few more things to keep in mind:

• Yoplait Original costs around 60 cents for 6 oz, much less than the $1.10 Dannon Greek and the $2.00+ FAGE Greek.
• The Yoplait Greek was (quite surprisingly) not as good as the Dannon; my 2-year-old wouldn’t eat it without added fruit, and it was extra bitter to me.
• I mentioned the Whey protein powder throughout only because it has come up often in our weight management group discussions. You can try all of these without the added powder, which is essentially just a convenient way to add more quality protein to your daily intake.
• I’m not encouraging spending all of your money in the name of health, but honestly, you are investing in quality nutrition now, to reduce health care bills down the road. You are in control of your health (care), not your doctor, not your insurance, and certainly not the government. You are the number one person on your personal medical team!
• Take some time to read some labels and research these things, journal what agrees with your body, and do the best you can. Improving your body awareness leads to improving your health and fitness behaviors.
• A client once told me:
•  ”I spent my health to gain my wealth. Now I’m paying you my wealth to attempt to regain my health.”
• If only it worked like that, right? If only we all lived life with a little more balance along the way, I truly believe we could not only enjoy great health along with all of life’s other blessings, but actually increase the amount of satisfaction and fulfillment the rest of life has in store for us. 

  So, no matter your choice in yogurt, read your food labels, minimize corn syrup (listed as corn starch sometimes), remember that increasing your protein intake by little bits like this makes a bit difference with your metabolism and recovery and continue to take care of your body, it’s the only place you have to live.

• Use Stevia sweetener or regular sugar … minimize or quit all together the use of artificial sweeteners.

I genuinely hope this helps … please tell me what you think below. I sampled a few other brands, and some of them were OK; but just wanted to high light a few we liked here. (And while I’d love a little endorsement deal with one of these companies, I receive no official love in any way from these companies … I’m just a guy in his kitchen doing some of the work for you so you don’t have to.)

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Successful people ask better questions.

Whether setting goals, trying to remain motivated or improve your habits, asking yourself positive questions yields positive solutions. Here are the questions (inspired by this post) to ask yourself:

• How will I increase the amount of protein I have for breakfast each day?
• Why do I make such healthy nutrition choices?
• Why will I plan to take a few extra minutes at the store to read a few select labels each time I go?
• What two small tasks can I do right now to improve how I take care of my health (body)?

The thing is, whether looking in a mirror or around a room (such as in our post-workout chat yesterday morning), I look into one’s eyes and see nothing but vast, untapped potential. (It’s part of why I do what I do for a living.) Today, opportunities in our world, (especially in our country) are endless, personally and professionally. Surrounding yourself and communicating with a healthy group of friends, support (did someone say fitness coach?) and influence are absolutely necessary, yet so many people continue to search outside of themselves (and I mean towards the wrong thoughts and things like making more money, the government, unhealthy relationships, the next quick fix diet, etc) for answers to their challenges. Smith nails it on the head here saying by having a focus, a vision, and living to contribute something to the world, we can succeed, in any context, more than we could ever imagine.

OK, I also can’t help but make this point, as I often get asked, “I want to lose x amount of weight, is that realistic?” “I want to do a push up, is that realistic?” “I want to play soccer again like when I was in college, is that realistic?” Smith delivers a great line or two to answer that question as well… enjoy.

“Being realistic is the most commonly traveled road to mediocrity.”

“You don’t try to build a wall. You don’t set out and say ‘I’m gonna build the biggest, baddest, greatest wall that has ever been built’. You say ‘I’m going to lay this brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid’. You do this every single day, and soon you have a wall.”

“I want the world to be better because I was here.”