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.
Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts
Monday, November 10, 2008
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
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
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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