If you missed it Amelitraining has moved to it's own domain, right now only http://www.amelitraining.com/blog is up, but the whole site should be going soon
-Kian
P.S. There's a new post up too
Friday, December 26, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Soy's dirty little secrets, episode 1: a Protein's menace
Soy.
An innocent little green bean esc legume with the popularity of Paris Hilton.
Due to the lovers quarrel many people have with soy, and because of the variety of misinformation out there about soy I'll be writing about some of the facts, myths, and legends about the legume.
First used in China almost 3000 years ago as a sacred plant, but surprisingly didn't make it as a main food crop until the discovery of Tofu (they made it into a paste and voila, Tofu). As a side note, the Chinese didn't eat soy until they started fermenting it into Tofu, nato, etc.
As a cheap crop to grow it became popular for farmers in the US and it's heavily subsidized by the government which is part of the reason it's in everything. Soy didn't really become popular as a heath food until the late 1970's with the introduction of soymilk by vitasoy (a company based in Hong Kong). Since then it's been toted as a health food in the US, great for weight trainers, gainers and losers a like, organic funkies, and corporate junkies. Soy's become a king.
(Note: due to the complex nature of the material some of the crap I'm going to write is going to be simplified, so if you want to know more I'll leave you some sources at the end of the series).
So that's the question, is soy the king of the heath food world?
Let's look at one of the claims that the proponents of soy tout as a major health benefit: soy has protein. And not just any protein, but a complete protein that contains all of the essential amino acids. That is true.
While that's true why not delve a little bit deeper. Complete protein, sure that's great, but there's also another part of the protein equation.
Trypsin.
Trypsin is an enzyme in your stomach that helps digest proteins. Once trypsin does its magic the proteins are ready to be absorbed and used in the body, if trypsin doesn't work those amino acid chains are too large for the body to use and they'll be passed on as waste. So trypsin and protein are a dream team for protein.
What does trypsin have to do with soy? Well soy's first dirty little secret is that it contains trypsin inhibitors (here)... Think about that for a second. A. Soy has protein B. Trypsin digests protein C. Soy contains trypsin inhibitors. So A + B + C = poor protein digestion.
What!!!
That's right, I'm telling you that when you eat soy you don't actually digest all of the protein contained in the legume.
Let me say that another way: You don't digest soy's protein well.
One more time for the slow ones: Soy's protein doesn't get to your system.
How about one step further, if you eat soy and meat proteins together you're not going to digest the proteins in the meat as well either.
Soy 0 Kian 1
Next time we'll talk about how soy can girlify you
Go well
-Kian
P.S. You might guess I'm not a very big fan of Soy, that's pretty true, but there are times when I think you can eat it guilt free.
An innocent little green bean esc legume with the popularity of Paris Hilton.
Due to the lovers quarrel many people have with soy, and because of the variety of misinformation out there about soy I'll be writing about some of the facts, myths, and legends about the legume.
First used in China almost 3000 years ago as a sacred plant, but surprisingly didn't make it as a main food crop until the discovery of Tofu (they made it into a paste and voila, Tofu). As a side note, the Chinese didn't eat soy until they started fermenting it into Tofu, nato, etc.
As a cheap crop to grow it became popular for farmers in the US and it's heavily subsidized by the government which is part of the reason it's in everything. Soy didn't really become popular as a heath food until the late 1970's with the introduction of soymilk by vitasoy (a company based in Hong Kong). Since then it's been toted as a health food in the US, great for weight trainers, gainers and losers a like, organic funkies, and corporate junkies. Soy's become a king.
(Note: due to the complex nature of the material some of the crap I'm going to write is going to be simplified, so if you want to know more I'll leave you some sources at the end of the series).
So that's the question, is soy the king of the heath food world?
Let's look at one of the claims that the proponents of soy tout as a major health benefit: soy has protein. And not just any protein, but a complete protein that contains all of the essential amino acids. That is true.
While that's true why not delve a little bit deeper. Complete protein, sure that's great, but there's also another part of the protein equation.
Trypsin.
Trypsin is an enzyme in your stomach that helps digest proteins. Once trypsin does its magic the proteins are ready to be absorbed and used in the body, if trypsin doesn't work those amino acid chains are too large for the body to use and they'll be passed on as waste. So trypsin and protein are a dream team for protein.
What does trypsin have to do with soy? Well soy's first dirty little secret is that it contains trypsin inhibitors (here)... Think about that for a second. A. Soy has protein B. Trypsin digests protein C. Soy contains trypsin inhibitors. So A + B + C = poor protein digestion.
What!!!
That's right, I'm telling you that when you eat soy you don't actually digest all of the protein contained in the legume.
Let me say that another way: You don't digest soy's protein well.
One more time for the slow ones: Soy's protein doesn't get to your system.
How about one step further, if you eat soy and meat proteins together you're not going to digest the proteins in the meat as well either.
Soy 0 Kian 1
Next time we'll talk about how soy can girlify you
Go well
-Kian
P.S. You might guess I'm not a very big fan of Soy, that's pretty true, but there are times when I think you can eat it guilt free.
What do you hate?
Tyler and I are doing some research, I'd like to know what you dislike about gyms, and what makes a good gym in your opinion.
Cheers
xoxo
K
Cheers
xoxo
K
Thursday, December 4, 2008
I Have the Power!
Heman. Captain Planet. Iron man. Chip N Dale. Corey and Sean.
All quintessential participants in my up bringing.
The point that each character made was less important than the simple fact that goals are easier to reach together than they are on your own. That's why the biggest loser participants see such great results, they have a group of people that are like minded and, despite the competition, encourage one another towards greatness.
I teach a 6am Wednesday bootcamp class at my gym. There are 4 core members to the class who pretty much show up regardless of how much sleep they're missing, how their body feels etc, because they know that if they miss they are going to get reamed by the other 3. The rest of the class is slowly catching on to their relationship, and instead of being scared away they want in.
People want to be held accountable for their actions, they want a group to achieve with. That's why playing on an athletic team means so much to so many people, a common goal.
If you're stuck, board, or lazy about reaching your goals I encourage you to find a group of like minded people and help kick each others asses into high gear.
Be strong
-K
All quintessential participants in my up bringing.
The point that each character made was less important than the simple fact that goals are easier to reach together than they are on your own. That's why the biggest loser participants see such great results, they have a group of people that are like minded and, despite the competition, encourage one another towards greatness.
I teach a 6am Wednesday bootcamp class at my gym. There are 4 core members to the class who pretty much show up regardless of how much sleep they're missing, how their body feels etc, because they know that if they miss they are going to get reamed by the other 3. The rest of the class is slowly catching on to their relationship, and instead of being scared away they want in.
People want to be held accountable for their actions, they want a group to achieve with. That's why playing on an athletic team means so much to so many people, a common goal.
If you're stuck, board, or lazy about reaching your goals I encourage you to find a group of like minded people and help kick each others asses into high gear.
Be strong
-K
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The Journey
I wasn't always the hunk of man meat that you see before you. When I first got into the fitness world, started taking Kinesiology classes, and got serious about health I weighed around 220 with a body fat percentage of around 30.
I was 66 pound of fat.
Over the past 5 years I've trained, sometimes in the wrong ways and through injuries, and my body has changed to where I'm around 195 pounds and 13 percent body fat. Now I know what you're thinking, "5 years? It took you that long?" And my answer is yes, it did. Because the changes I've made with my body and my health and fitness are now permanent. I'm not about to yo yo back up to 220, or dive into the 170's. I have planed out my life to where I enjoy what I do and what I eat, and I enjoy my body.
I'm not a body builder, and never want to be one. And that's the point, looking at the over sized male models, or the anorexic female bodies makes you think that anyone who falls short of that look has an eating problem, or isn't committed enough in the gym.
I'm here to tell you that you are going to change your body, for the better. But, and it's a big but, it's going to take a lifestyle change to do it. There is no quick fix. No magic pill or drink. Just good food and hard work.
Be thankful that you have a working body and food to eat. Go make the most of the movement that you have been blessed with and see the joy in the hard work.
Happy Thanksgiving
-K
I was 66 pound of fat.
Over the past 5 years I've trained, sometimes in the wrong ways and through injuries, and my body has changed to where I'm around 195 pounds and 13 percent body fat. Now I know what you're thinking, "5 years? It took you that long?" And my answer is yes, it did. Because the changes I've made with my body and my health and fitness are now permanent. I'm not about to yo yo back up to 220, or dive into the 170's. I have planed out my life to where I enjoy what I do and what I eat, and I enjoy my body.
I'm not a body builder, and never want to be one. And that's the point, looking at the over sized male models, or the anorexic female bodies makes you think that anyone who falls short of that look has an eating problem, or isn't committed enough in the gym.
I'm here to tell you that you are going to change your body, for the better. But, and it's a big but, it's going to take a lifestyle change to do it. There is no quick fix. No magic pill or drink. Just good food and hard work.
Be thankful that you have a working body and food to eat. Go make the most of the movement that you have been blessed with and see the joy in the hard work.
Happy Thanksgiving
-K
Sunday, November 23, 2008
It's all in the Timing
When I was in high school there was a short play I loved called "Sure thing" by David Ives. It starts off with a young woman in a coffee shop being approached by a young man who asks to sit with her. The young man keeps making mistakes, or the conversation doesn't go his way ("Excuse me, is this seat taken?" he begins, "yes" she replies) one of them will ring a bell and the conversation will jump back a few lines ("Excuse me, is this seat taken" he asks after the bell, "No, but I'm expecting someone" she says). They battle through him getting a seat, her dislike of Falkner, both dismissing portions of the other until they finally leave the shop together.
I feel like this is America's relationship with health. Ringing the bell whenever we hear something we don't like until we find something that goes along with what we're already doing. A cookie diet is much easier than actually buying good food. People want to change the way they look and feel without changing anything about how they live.
Last week I challenged you to start a morning ritual; something you could do every morning to set the tone of your day.
I would put money on having less than 5 people actually doing it.
I would even say that the likelihood of one person keeping up a ritual for a full year is around one in one hundred. Despite how sad that is I expected it. Making lasting change is really hard.
On that note if you tried the ritual and missed a couple of days, don't give up yet, truck it out for a while and see how your body feels.
This week I am going to teach you how to survive Thanksgiving without 5 extra pounds, a food coma, or type 2 diabetes.
It's really simple too: Eat every three hours. That's it.
If you've been following me for a while you'll know I don't like tips and tricks, because the only way to make sustainable change is to make a lifestyle change. Eating every three hours isn't just a strategy so that you can eat a crap load of turkey and stuffing over a period of time, it's a lifestyle change that you should incorporate into your daily life.
Here are the facts:
1. Eating every three hours keeps your metabolism running so you burn more calories
2. Your insulin levels will be more even; spiking insulin levels contributes to fat gain
3. You'll feel more satisfied
4. You won't binge
5. You'll have more energy
6. You'll tend to make better food choices
Say you eat crap at one of your 5-6 feedings in a day, it's not as detrimental to your diet because you have more meals to "fix" your diet (I hate saying fix, but it's much easier than going into another conversation). Someone eating only 3 meals a day has 3 chances to make good food choices, you have 6. 1/3 is %33.33 (repeating of course), 1/6 is %16.66, so eating a crappy meal only brings you down to a B for the day instead of a D (think back to high school). Big difference.
Try to evenly divide your calories, so that if you eat 2000 calories a day eat around 330 calories a meal. That will make it so that you will have constant energy throughout the day.
It's super easy, and will change the way you think about food.
Enjoy your thanksgiving
-K
P.S. If anyone actually starts the cookie diet I will punch you in your face, that is no lie
I feel like this is America's relationship with health. Ringing the bell whenever we hear something we don't like until we find something that goes along with what we're already doing. A cookie diet is much easier than actually buying good food. People want to change the way they look and feel without changing anything about how they live.
Last week I challenged you to start a morning ritual; something you could do every morning to set the tone of your day.
I would put money on having less than 5 people actually doing it.
I would even say that the likelihood of one person keeping up a ritual for a full year is around one in one hundred. Despite how sad that is I expected it. Making lasting change is really hard.
On that note if you tried the ritual and missed a couple of days, don't give up yet, truck it out for a while and see how your body feels.
This week I am going to teach you how to survive Thanksgiving without 5 extra pounds, a food coma, or type 2 diabetes.
It's really simple too: Eat every three hours. That's it.
If you've been following me for a while you'll know I don't like tips and tricks, because the only way to make sustainable change is to make a lifestyle change. Eating every three hours isn't just a strategy so that you can eat a crap load of turkey and stuffing over a period of time, it's a lifestyle change that you should incorporate into your daily life.
Here are the facts:
1. Eating every three hours keeps your metabolism running so you burn more calories
2. Your insulin levels will be more even; spiking insulin levels contributes to fat gain
3. You'll feel more satisfied
4. You won't binge
5. You'll have more energy
6. You'll tend to make better food choices
Say you eat crap at one of your 5-6 feedings in a day, it's not as detrimental to your diet because you have more meals to "fix" your diet (I hate saying fix, but it's much easier than going into another conversation). Someone eating only 3 meals a day has 3 chances to make good food choices, you have 6. 1/3 is %33.33 (repeating of course), 1/6 is %16.66, so eating a crappy meal only brings you down to a B for the day instead of a D (think back to high school). Big difference.
Try to evenly divide your calories, so that if you eat 2000 calories a day eat around 330 calories a meal. That will make it so that you will have constant energy throughout the day.
It's super easy, and will change the way you think about food.
Enjoy your thanksgiving
-K
P.S. If anyone actually starts the cookie diet I will punch you in your face, that is no lie
Monday, November 10, 2008
Morning Ritual
I hate waking up. It is honestly the worst time of day.
One thing I know is that if I don't get my ass out of bed when I planned, everything is shot. Energy is down, I'm mentally foggy, and I know I won't sleep as well the next night.
I told you that over the next few weeks I'm going to be giving you a survival guide to get you through the holidays without adding 10 pounds of fat. These are not "tips," go here for my thoughts on that, they are lifestyle choices that will lead you through not only the holidays but into a healthy life.
First and foremost have a morning ritual. One that you will not break on trips, weekends, or even Christmas. A morning ritual is going to consist of a few things (these are mandates I'm giving you, not dictionary definitions).
1. liquid
2. physical activity
3. food
Here's my morning ritual:
The first thing I do every single morning (after peeing) is drinking a cup of cold water. This is for 2 reasons, 1. I've just had 8 hours of dehydration 2. it pumps up my metabolism for the day by around 10 percent.
While I'm drinking that water I put on a pot of water to boil for green tea (this is relatively new, it used to be coffee). This is also a time when I decide if I'll eat oat meal, if so I can put on more water and kill 2 birds.
After I finish my glass of water I'll go through a quick 5 exercise set of Sun Salutes, Single Leg stretch, Obliques, Double Leg Stretch, and Scissors (Pilates mixed with Yoga), to get all the blood that's been chilling in my organs and veins pumping through my body again.
Finally I'll eat breakfast, ranging from eggs and toast to bagel and cream cheese with salmon to a protein shake.
Some times the exact content of the ritual is changed (ie coffee instead of tea, breakfast choices, etc), but the order is always the same.
I highly encourage you to develop your own ritual that you begin as early as tomorrow morning. Develop this habit now and when temptation comes to skip breakfast for a muffin or bowl of ice cream I'm sure that the rigidity of the ritual will help keep you in line.
I meant to get this out a lot earlier, but this weeks been busy with work and school, so to make it up to you: the most useless piece of equipment ever created
Keep fit
-Kian
PS. Not sure if you know or care but Westmont College has been hit hard by a fire in the Montecito hills and needs pray and monetary support.
One thing I know is that if I don't get my ass out of bed when I planned, everything is shot. Energy is down, I'm mentally foggy, and I know I won't sleep as well the next night.
I told you that over the next few weeks I'm going to be giving you a survival guide to get you through the holidays without adding 10 pounds of fat. These are not "tips," go here for my thoughts on that, they are lifestyle choices that will lead you through not only the holidays but into a healthy life.
First and foremost have a morning ritual. One that you will not break on trips, weekends, or even Christmas. A morning ritual is going to consist of a few things (these are mandates I'm giving you, not dictionary definitions).
1. liquid
2. physical activity
3. food
Here's my morning ritual:
The first thing I do every single morning (after peeing) is drinking a cup of cold water. This is for 2 reasons, 1. I've just had 8 hours of dehydration 2. it pumps up my metabolism for the day by around 10 percent.
While I'm drinking that water I put on a pot of water to boil for green tea (this is relatively new, it used to be coffee). This is also a time when I decide if I'll eat oat meal, if so I can put on more water and kill 2 birds.
After I finish my glass of water I'll go through a quick 5 exercise set of Sun Salutes, Single Leg stretch, Obliques, Double Leg Stretch, and Scissors (Pilates mixed with Yoga), to get all the blood that's been chilling in my organs and veins pumping through my body again.
Finally I'll eat breakfast, ranging from eggs and toast to bagel and cream cheese with salmon to a protein shake.
Some times the exact content of the ritual is changed (ie coffee instead of tea, breakfast choices, etc), but the order is always the same.
I highly encourage you to develop your own ritual that you begin as early as tomorrow morning. Develop this habit now and when temptation comes to skip breakfast for a muffin or bowl of ice cream I'm sure that the rigidity of the ritual will help keep you in line.
I meant to get this out a lot earlier, but this weeks been busy with work and school, so to make it up to you: the most useless piece of equipment ever created
Keep fit
-Kian
PS. Not sure if you know or care but Westmont College has been hit hard by a fire in the Montecito hills and needs pray and monetary support.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Excited to add 10 pounds of fat?
It's true. From what I get from recent surveys and studies most people will gain about 5 pounds during the holiday season. That combined with inactivity and muscle atrophy you can expect a weight shift of about 5 pounds of lean body mass to fat with another 5 pounds on top of that to reach a whopping 10 pound weight shift in about 3 months.
If you do a google search most other websites won't take into account the body fat shift, which is really where you're going to get nailed on body composition. I mean 5 lbs of body fat look a hellofalot worse than 5 lbs of muscle
Let's take me for example. I weigh about 195 with a Body Fat percentage around 12. Meaning I have 23lbs of body fat and 172 pounds of lean body mass. If I was an average person I would end up around 200 lbs with 33lbs of body fat and 167lbs of lean body mass from over eating and inactivity. That ups my body fat percentage up to 16%.
That's sick
Over the next week or so I'm going to give you a few lifestyle strategies you can implement from Thanksgiving through New years and will lead you into summer.
Weigh yourself and have your body fat taken (most gyms will do it for free if you're a member), and once the holidays end retake those measurements, and I can guarantee if you keep doing what you are doing you'll see a similar shift in body composition. Pay attention over the next week or so and I can help you avoid the unwanted shift.
Stay Strong
-Kian
PS. for those of you who think I'm telegraphing my next post with some soft of shitty deprivation methodology you'll be surprised.
If you do a google search most other websites won't take into account the body fat shift, which is really where you're going to get nailed on body composition. I mean 5 lbs of body fat look a hellofalot worse than 5 lbs of muscle
Let's take me for example. I weigh about 195 with a Body Fat percentage around 12. Meaning I have 23lbs of body fat and 172 pounds of lean body mass. If I was an average person I would end up around 200 lbs with 33lbs of body fat and 167lbs of lean body mass from over eating and inactivity. That ups my body fat percentage up to 16%.
That's sick
Over the next week or so I'm going to give you a few lifestyle strategies you can implement from Thanksgiving through New years and will lead you into summer.
Weigh yourself and have your body fat taken (most gyms will do it for free if you're a member), and once the holidays end retake those measurements, and I can guarantee if you keep doing what you are doing you'll see a similar shift in body composition. Pay attention over the next week or so and I can help you avoid the unwanted shift.
Stay Strong
-Kian
PS. for those of you who think I'm telegraphing my next post with some soft of shitty deprivation methodology you'll be surprised.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Top Tips and Tricks
If you talk to any personal trainer you'll hear them offer up their best tips and tricks for you to use in the gym. "Drink at least your body weight times two in liters in water", or, "only eat protein after 2pm". I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.
It's now my turn to put out my top tip, and that is not a typo, tip is right. I'm so confident in what I have learned working in the fitness industry that I can narrow down all the tips and tricks info into one little sentence. Ready?
Tips and Tricks don't work
That's it. You can take all the advice from as many people as you want, and get all the new diet and training books, meet with a trainer who could write a novel with the letters behind his name, but if you don't take those tips and tricks and implement them into a lasting life style change then you are just spinning your wheels.
As far as I'm concerned the 70's and 80's brought on the whole miracle diet craze; the stage was set for weight watchers, Jenny Craig, Atkins, and countless other diet systems to sink their teeth into America's fragile ego. That model has been perfected in the fitness world and applied to training. Experienced personal trainers are scared shitless at boring their clients by giving them exercises they need to reach their goals instead of the top 5 best flab busting exercises from Men's Heath or Muscle and fitness (as a side note I actually read and respect Men's Health because they actually cite sources that are repitible and have qualified professionals give advice, not drugged out genetic freaks).
Gyms are owned by those magazines. I can't tell you how many times I've asked people about their training and they'll ask me what I think about the routine (which is a whole new nest of problems. I'll tip my hand and say routine is the anti result) they got from a magazine. In all honesty the periodization isn't half bad and the reps and sets are decent, but they are missing a key part of training. The guys using the workout have no clue how to do any of the exercises.
The tips and tricks that most people get from magazines or insecure trainers don't prepare them for the harsh reality that they just don't know how to do the exercise. Sure a trainer's job is to motivate, to give diet and exercise advice, and to act as a armchair psychiatrist, but first and foremost a trainer's job is to teach their client how to do the exercise properly. They are teachers and you my friend are the learner.
I know you were hoping for a nice list of things that you can pretend to incorporate into your life then forget about ten minutes later but still feel pretty damn good about yourself for trying, but the cold hard truth is that Yoda was right.
Eat your pride and take some lessons on how to do things correctly, isn't that what business and life is all about? I mean hell I know I don't know how to lay the foundation of a house, but it's a crap load cheaper to do it myself. Who cares if ten weeks down the line the whole project fails and I'm worse off then I was before, at least I didn't have to hire some cocky contractor to do it right.
If you do need to inundate your self with more tips here are the top results I found in google:
Abs tips (Gasp rules for a six pack I need to know??)
Etiquette tips (Actually some useful informaiton)
Top ten Rules for fat loss (We are obsessed with fat loss...)
I could post more but you can google it yourself.
In all honesty I will eventually post some fitness tips of my own, but you have got to understand that the tips anyone gives out are lifestyle changes not quick fixes.
Enjoy your Sunday
-Kian
It's now my turn to put out my top tip, and that is not a typo, tip is right. I'm so confident in what I have learned working in the fitness industry that I can narrow down all the tips and tricks info into one little sentence. Ready?
Tips and Tricks don't work
That's it. You can take all the advice from as many people as you want, and get all the new diet and training books, meet with a trainer who could write a novel with the letters behind his name, but if you don't take those tips and tricks and implement them into a lasting life style change then you are just spinning your wheels.
As far as I'm concerned the 70's and 80's brought on the whole miracle diet craze; the stage was set for weight watchers, Jenny Craig, Atkins, and countless other diet systems to sink their teeth into America's fragile ego. That model has been perfected in the fitness world and applied to training. Experienced personal trainers are scared shitless at boring their clients by giving them exercises they need to reach their goals instead of the top 5 best flab busting exercises from Men's Heath or Muscle and fitness (as a side note I actually read and respect Men's Health because they actually cite sources that are repitible and have qualified professionals give advice, not drugged out genetic freaks).
Gyms are owned by those magazines. I can't tell you how many times I've asked people about their training and they'll ask me what I think about the routine (which is a whole new nest of problems. I'll tip my hand and say routine is the anti result) they got from a magazine. In all honesty the periodization isn't half bad and the reps and sets are decent, but they are missing a key part of training. The guys using the workout have no clue how to do any of the exercises.
The tips and tricks that most people get from magazines or insecure trainers don't prepare them for the harsh reality that they just don't know how to do the exercise. Sure a trainer's job is to motivate, to give diet and exercise advice, and to act as a armchair psychiatrist, but first and foremost a trainer's job is to teach their client how to do the exercise properly. They are teachers and you my friend are the learner.
I know you were hoping for a nice list of things that you can pretend to incorporate into your life then forget about ten minutes later but still feel pretty damn good about yourself for trying, but the cold hard truth is that Yoda was right.
Eat your pride and take some lessons on how to do things correctly, isn't that what business and life is all about? I mean hell I know I don't know how to lay the foundation of a house, but it's a crap load cheaper to do it myself. Who cares if ten weeks down the line the whole project fails and I'm worse off then I was before, at least I didn't have to hire some cocky contractor to do it right.
If you do need to inundate your self with more tips here are the top results I found in google:
Abs tips (Gasp rules for a six pack I need to know??)
Etiquette tips (Actually some useful informaiton)
Top ten Rules for fat loss (We are obsessed with fat loss...)
I could post more but you can google it yourself.
In all honesty I will eventually post some fitness tips of my own, but you have got to understand that the tips anyone gives out are lifestyle changes not quick fixes.
Enjoy your Sunday
-Kian
Friday, October 31, 2008
Halloween
Happy Halloween!
I hope you enjoy the most non holiday of the year, just make sure you don't jack your kids up on too much sugar. I mean unless you want them to get type two diabetes.
Haven't found a way to embed an audio player on blogger yet so you'll have to live with a link to my podcast. Here
Have a good weekend
-K
I hope you enjoy the most non holiday of the year, just make sure you don't jack your kids up on too much sugar. I mean unless you want them to get type two diabetes.
Haven't found a way to embed an audio player on blogger yet so you'll have to live with a link to my podcast. Here
Have a good weekend
-K
Monday, October 27, 2008
Before Bed
Haven't written anything in a few days, thought I'd spring some questions on you.
1. What moves you? Where is the why in what you do in the gym or in your exercise?
2. Do you do it right? Are you taking the time to learn what is wrong with what you're doing and fix it?
3. Are you willing to change? Or are you so in love with what is killing you that you can't move on?
4. Have you found pleasure? Or do you just do it because you're supposed to?
5. Are you willing to sacrifice? will you not only change improper behavior but embrace the subtle suffering required for lasting change?
-Kian
1. What moves you? Where is the why in what you do in the gym or in your exercise?
2. Do you do it right? Are you taking the time to learn what is wrong with what you're doing and fix it?
3. Are you willing to change? Or are you so in love with what is killing you that you can't move on?
4. Have you found pleasure? Or do you just do it because you're supposed to?
5. Are you willing to sacrifice? will you not only change improper behavior but embrace the subtle suffering required for lasting change?
-Kian
Thursday, October 23, 2008
The plunge
I've made a commitment to myself. If you look at the post before this one you'll read about focus and picking one goal; this is my goal:
By January 1 I will be providing a results based bootcamp in the Woodland hills area 3-5 days a week.
The first step in finding success for your fitness goals is picking one.
Second, tell as many people as you can so that you will be held accountable to your goals. I am fully expecting anyone reading this blog to hold me to this goal.
I sincerely hope that everyone out there has chosen a fitness goal, and I encourage you to make the next step and tell as many people as you can about it. Start here and post it in the comments section. If that's too much for you send me an e-mail, kian.ameli@gmail.com, with your goal and a date you'd like to have that goal completed. I won't tell anyone else, but I will keep you accountable to that goal.
Don't be happy with the things in your life that are poisoning you be it excess body fat, lack of self confidence, an addiction to coffee, cigarettes, or alcohol, a vicious and unhealthy need to compare yourself to others, whatever it is that's holding you back from getting where you need to be I want you to focus in on it, and start working on it by being held accountable.
Be brave, be change
-Kian
By January 1 I will be providing a results based bootcamp in the Woodland hills area 3-5 days a week.
The first step in finding success for your fitness goals is picking one.
Second, tell as many people as you can so that you will be held accountable to your goals. I am fully expecting anyone reading this blog to hold me to this goal.
I sincerely hope that everyone out there has chosen a fitness goal, and I encourage you to make the next step and tell as many people as you can about it. Start here and post it in the comments section. If that's too much for you send me an e-mail, kian.ameli@gmail.com, with your goal and a date you'd like to have that goal completed. I won't tell anyone else, but I will keep you accountable to that goal.
Don't be happy with the things in your life that are poisoning you be it excess body fat, lack of self confidence, an addiction to coffee, cigarettes, or alcohol, a vicious and unhealthy need to compare yourself to others, whatever it is that's holding you back from getting where you need to be I want you to focus in on it, and start working on it by being held accountable.
Be brave, be change
-Kian
Monday, October 20, 2008
Focus
I'm about to hit the hay but I thought I'd send out a quick note before I did.
Most people I talk to fail in the gym, and it's because they lose focus. I was talking to a kid today at the gym who had 800 goals. He wants to bulk up, improve his posture, get a six pack, make his legs bigger, improve his flexibility, run faster, wrestle a bear, and all while saving the world.
Look the reason you fail is because you don't focus, you have got training ADD. Think long and hard about the thing that is most important to you right now and that is your goal. It will be your goal until you hit it.
I want you to go to the comments section under this post and write down exactly what you plan on achieving, how long it's going to take, what steps you're going to take to get it, etc etc.
Stay Focused
-Kian
If I read tone up I will come through the screen and bitch slap you btw.
Most people I talk to fail in the gym, and it's because they lose focus. I was talking to a kid today at the gym who had 800 goals. He wants to bulk up, improve his posture, get a six pack, make his legs bigger, improve his flexibility, run faster, wrestle a bear, and all while saving the world.
Look the reason you fail is because you don't focus, you have got training ADD. Think long and hard about the thing that is most important to you right now and that is your goal. It will be your goal until you hit it.
I want you to go to the comments section under this post and write down exactly what you plan on achieving, how long it's going to take, what steps you're going to take to get it, etc etc.
Stay Focused
-Kian
If I read tone up I will come through the screen and bitch slap you btw.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Friday thoughts
Have a fairly relaxing weekend coming up; some studying, some classes, our official moving in party is happening. Who knows maybe I'll get in some blogging over the weekend.
If I don't here are some things to pull you through the weekend.
1. If you're an athlete and don't do pilates, than you're really ignoring an excellent tool to help keep you healthy. I went into a tackle last week and hurt my shoulder, and after doing some of the arm in strap work along with the rotational work my shoulder continues to improve much faster that if I was just giving it RICE.
2. Change you routine. I don't care if you're the most devoted person to a class you're taking at the gym, run 500 miles a week, or are an avid boxer, your body will stop changing unless you change things up. Translation, if you were a fat ass who got results through kick boxing, and haven't yet hit your fitness goals through kick boxing, do something different.
3. What is up with reality shows? I know that I love some of them (G's to Gents anyone?), but there's a reality show about every little thing. Challenge for you is to stop being a voyeur and go do something.
4. I work at a gym with a lot of people doing almost every movement wrong. I've taken it to be my personal responsibility to make sure people maximize their results, so if you go to a gym and a (good) trainer offers some advice (unless it's to throw you up on a BoSu or something) about your form take it. You'll make them feel great and probably save your body.
5. Really rethinking the whole unstable surface training thing. One of the strength coaches I look up to just put out a book on the pros and cons of unstable surface training. If you're interested you can look at the page here.
That's it for now. Gonna go teach some pilates, then I've got to reregister to vote. Otherwise I have to drive all the way up to Santa Barbara just to make my voice heard.
Stay Strong
-Kian
If I don't here are some things to pull you through the weekend.
1. If you're an athlete and don't do pilates, than you're really ignoring an excellent tool to help keep you healthy. I went into a tackle last week and hurt my shoulder, and after doing some of the arm in strap work along with the rotational work my shoulder continues to improve much faster that if I was just giving it RICE.
2. Change you routine. I don't care if you're the most devoted person to a class you're taking at the gym, run 500 miles a week, or are an avid boxer, your body will stop changing unless you change things up. Translation, if you were a fat ass who got results through kick boxing, and haven't yet hit your fitness goals through kick boxing, do something different.
3. What is up with reality shows? I know that I love some of them (G's to Gents anyone?), but there's a reality show about every little thing. Challenge for you is to stop being a voyeur and go do something.
4. I work at a gym with a lot of people doing almost every movement wrong. I've taken it to be my personal responsibility to make sure people maximize their results, so if you go to a gym and a (good) trainer offers some advice (unless it's to throw you up on a BoSu or something) about your form take it. You'll make them feel great and probably save your body.
5. Really rethinking the whole unstable surface training thing. One of the strength coaches I look up to just put out a book on the pros and cons of unstable surface training. If you're interested you can look at the page here.
That's it for now. Gonna go teach some pilates, then I've got to reregister to vote. Otherwise I have to drive all the way up to Santa Barbara just to make my voice heard.
Stay Strong
-Kian
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Opening Day
I've tried blogging before, I really have. I tried a personal blog, a professional blog, a myspace blog, and the problem with all of them is that I tried to censor myself way too much. That's what I'm going to change in this blog. I'm going to write what I want to write about, while mostly focusing on the Training world and my interactions with it.
While I'm writing this I'm sitting in my living room, sans couch, in my jamie pants, with comedy central on (Rosanne is doing stand up, and wait, yup, she still is an annoying bitch), and over all not being productive. That's a theme in my life as of late, not watching Rosanne, but not being productive.
With that in mind here's some things I plan on getting done in the near future:
1. Start Hiking again
2. Check out the Pilates studios around woodland hills
3. Find a highschool to be a volunteer strength coach.
4. Get my CSCS study work done
5. Get back to blogging (check)
6. Go to the docotor about my broken wrist (it's been about 2 years ladies and gents)
7. Renew my CPR
8. Be epic (more on this in a later blog)
The only real job I've ever known is working in a gym. Serously the only other jobs I've done don't really count as jobs; I was a receptionist at my dad's office and a RA at my college. I wouldn't exactly call that real world experience. Other than that I've worked at 24 hour fitness, a private gym in Lafayette, Spectrum, and at home gyms. I'm kind of a gym whore.
After all this experience with gyms I've realized that I really hate corporate gyms. They don't function well. They don't treat their employees with the respect they deserve, and what is worse their members are disrespected.
Tyler (His myspace) and I are planing on opening up a gym some time in the future, and from both our experiences with gyms I think its fair to say that we both have learned more about how not to run a fitness facility than how to run one. The disjointed anything for a buck style that dominates the fitness arena is ill fitting to the actual needs of the American population. 58 million people in America are overwieght, and most Americans don't move nearly enough in the day, so getting a shitload of people in a gym seems like a good idea, right? Not when they don't have a clue how to do things right. People lifting weights training like chickens with their heads cut off pretending that they are actually getting results and decreasing their health risks or chance of injury (suuuure) with no real instruction as to how to lift properly is about as effective as the last 8 years of presidency.
I'm not even going to mention unrealistic sales quotas for trainers (I'm sorry, I thought I was hired to train people not peddle your wares), and the difficulty in implementing programs or getting events off the ground.
More to come
Stay strong
-Kian
oh and I realize that I made a blatant baseball reference in the title of this post, mostly to point to the fact that the season (praise the lord) is almost over.
While I'm writing this I'm sitting in my living room, sans couch, in my jamie pants, with comedy central on (Rosanne is doing stand up, and wait, yup, she still is an annoying bitch), and over all not being productive. That's a theme in my life as of late, not watching Rosanne, but not being productive.
With that in mind here's some things I plan on getting done in the near future:
1. Start Hiking again
2. Check out the Pilates studios around woodland hills
3. Find a highschool to be a volunteer strength coach.
4. Get my CSCS study work done
5. Get back to blogging (check)
6. Go to the docotor about my broken wrist (it's been about 2 years ladies and gents)
7. Renew my CPR
8. Be epic (more on this in a later blog)
The only real job I've ever known is working in a gym. Serously the only other jobs I've done don't really count as jobs; I was a receptionist at my dad's office and a RA at my college. I wouldn't exactly call that real world experience. Other than that I've worked at 24 hour fitness, a private gym in Lafayette, Spectrum, and at home gyms. I'm kind of a gym whore.
After all this experience with gyms I've realized that I really hate corporate gyms. They don't function well. They don't treat their employees with the respect they deserve, and what is worse their members are disrespected.
Tyler (His myspace) and I are planing on opening up a gym some time in the future, and from both our experiences with gyms I think its fair to say that we both have learned more about how not to run a fitness facility than how to run one. The disjointed anything for a buck style that dominates the fitness arena is ill fitting to the actual needs of the American population. 58 million people in America are overwieght, and most Americans don't move nearly enough in the day, so getting a shitload of people in a gym seems like a good idea, right? Not when they don't have a clue how to do things right. People lifting weights training like chickens with their heads cut off pretending that they are actually getting results and decreasing their health risks or chance of injury (suuuure) with no real instruction as to how to lift properly is about as effective as the last 8 years of presidency.
I'm not even going to mention unrealistic sales quotas for trainers (I'm sorry, I thought I was hired to train people not peddle your wares), and the difficulty in implementing programs or getting events off the ground.
More to come
Stay strong
-Kian
oh and I realize that I made a blatant baseball reference in the title of this post, mostly to point to the fact that the season (praise the lord) is almost over.
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