Super Bowl Workout Game

Chances are I will be watching this year’s super bowl at home with my wife.  Bull Strength Conditioning is more successful than I could have ever imagined (thanks to everyone that got on the program this week!)  I’ve been putting in some long nights and its time to stay home!

Last year I wrote a sarcastic post about SUPERBOWL OVEREATING.   This year I’m doing something about it!

Here’s my plan.  Instead of a “drinking game” that people play with the tv and movies, I’m making a workout game!

Rules During The First Half:

• For every first down perform 10 pushups
• For every turnover perform 10 burpees
• For every touchdown perform 5 rows for every point the team has (light odd object)*
• For every time Brett Farve is mentioned perform 10 curls (mirror muscles for the diva)*
• For every “WHO DAT” sign that you see, perform 10 jumping jacks

Rules During The Second Half:

• Relax and enjoy some food!  Now we’ve earned it

*It is important to push and pull during a workout so I will be using ANYTHING do row or curl.  A duffel bag, book bag, my son, etc.  Grab ANYTHING!

What are your SuperBowl Plans?

Post them up in the comments?  Staying home like me?  Join me in the workout game!

- Joe Hashey, CSCS -

PS.  Bull Strength Conditioning SALE ENDS TODAY!

Delicious Secret Homemade Protein Bars

Question: “How do you have your light weights gain a few more lbs?” Jason T.

Answer: There are a bunch of ways I can suggest which I will post up this month if people want more ideas, but I’m going to steal this opportunity to tell you about a “secret recipe” (well secret until now…)

I bet you didn’t know I could whip up some good food in the kitchen as well! Well this is pretty much the one exception…

Visual Approximation of Me Cooking

I posted this on My Facebook almost a year ago and people loved it .It is an old family recipe my mother made my three brothers and me back in the day.

And all us grew up to be 6 ft 3 in or taller, so I until science proves otherwise, assume it must be this secret recipe (kidding)!

Continue reading Delicious Secret Homemade Protein Bars…

Breaking News – Exercise Makes You Fat!

I stumbled across an article on yahoo news yesterday entitled “Why Exercise Won’t Make You Thin.”  (Click here to read the full article, although its probably not worth your time…)

Here’s some excerpts for the article to give you an idea of the claims:

“It’s a question many of us could ask. More than 45 million Americans now belong to a health club, up from 23 million in 1993. We spend some $19 billion a year on gym memberships. Of course, some people join and never go. Still, as one major study – the Minnesota Heart Survey – found, more of us at least say we exercise regularly. The survey ran from 1980, when only 47% of respondents said they engaged in regular exercise, to 2000, when the figure had grown to 57%.

And yet obesity figures have risen dramatically in the same period: a third of Americans are obese, and another third count as overweight by the Federal Government’s definition.”

Here is the fundamental problem with this argument.  They take two factors and ASSUME they are related.  Here’s the author’s assumption:  More people workout, and now more people are obese, therefore exercise equals weight gain. 

And here’s the problem.  What about all the other factors that lead to weight gain that have increased over the last decades?  Increased restaurant and fast food patronage, longer work ours, increased depression rates, etc, etc….  Hmmm, it can’t be any of those, it must be that pesky exercise…

Let me give another example of abusing statistics in a hugely popular series of studies during the 1990’s.  FACT:  For every inch taller a person is than a companion, they earn $789 more dollars annually.  Therefore people that are taller make more money, right?  Must be that height thing.

BUSTED:  Why the height thing?  More commanding?  Professional athletes?  Nope.  Even though some of the studies claimed to be controlled, the determining factor was actually gender.  Taller people tend to be males, males tend to get paid more, not how they framed their original studies.

Same thing is going on with this article (not a true study).  Although it has this guys backing….

‘”In general, for weight loss, exercise is pretty useless,”says Eric Ravussin, chair in diabetes and metabolism at Louisiana State University and a prominent exercise researcher.’

Yikes. 

Quick, someone call Reggie before all that exercise makes him fat!!!

I will give the author some credit though.  The claim is that exercise makes people hungry, which in my experience is true.  Some people eat poorly after they work out.  But wouldn’t that mean a bad diet makes people gain weight..not the exercise?  If that’s his goal, to make people more aware of watching their diet, I would suggest he does it without knocking down exercises.  Exercise AND diet is most effective. 

Here is the final line of the article…

“From a weight-loss perspective, you would have been better off sitting on the sofa knitting.”

Somewhere Matt Scott weeps…Time to reshoot his commercial with another excuse :”Exercise makes me fat….”

- Joe Hashey, CSCS -

PS. Rant Over.

Protein Shake Recipes Revisted

Check out this updated post from way back in Jan.  Let’s get some more recipes in the comments!

Protein is the only supplement I use.  Its not that some other supplements aren’t valuable, but I choose protein for two reasons.  First, I just don’t trust the supplement industry.  They do not need to get their products approved by the FDA, and if you have seen the movie “Bigger, Faster, Stronger” you would know exactly what I’m talking about.  Many supplements are pointless.

 Second, for me other supplements that may aid in training,  just aren’t worth the money.  I’m faced with this question – what’s more valuable – buying 100 or so dollars with a supplements a month (many people buy more) or buy new gym equipment?  What am I going to get more results from?  The answer to that is easy.  I just added thick rope, rock climbing holds, new sleds, and farmers walks in the last two months.  I’ll get more value out of that than anything else. 

So without further adieu, let’s talk protein shake recipes.  Here are the three that I use regularly:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Milkshake

• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
• 1 banana
• 1 spoonful of peanut butter
• 2 cups of milk approx
• 12 ice cubes

Let your blender chop that up for a few minutes.  Tastes just like a restaurant milkshake.  I use this one mid morning, the ice and protein helps me feel fuller longer.

The I Hate Veggies Shake  - This is my usual shake, helps add some greens to my daily intake.

• 1 scoop choc whey
• 1 Tbs PB
• 1 Banana
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 2 ice cubes

Blend until the spinach is all mixed in and no pieces are left. It takes my blender about 20 seconds.  Barely taste it and an easy way to get more greens in. 

Fruit Meal Shake – Here is a high cal one, but its very good.  I use it sparingly, maybe once or twice a month.

• 1 scoop ON whey, choc vanilla or strawberry
• 1 Tbs PB
• 1 banana
• 3/4 cup frozen strawberries
• 3/4 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/4 to a 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup skim milk

You can change the berry amounts to preference. I have seen it done with fresh berries, but I prefer the frozen. The only downside is you need a blender with some power to blend it. 

UPDATED RECIPES FROM READERS!

Low carb snack (on the go).
• 1 ½ scoop ON vanilla
• 2 table spoons of cinnamon.
• 8 almonds.
• 1 scoop of low fat 2% dry milk.
• Just add water.
Morning energy drink.
• 1 ½ scoop ON chocolate.
• 1 cup of coffee.
• 1 cup of milk 2%
• 2 table spoons of cinnamon.
• 8 nuts.
• Ice.

Added Protein Food 

• Oatmeal: 3/4 Cup -
• 1 Cup Chocolate Protein: 1-2 Scoops
• 1 Sliced Banana – Splenda for Taste

Mix in Protein, a little water, and oatmeal. Nuke for 75 seconds. Slice banana, add a little Splenda and Skim Milk if you would like…quick, and delicious!

I should also note that we received a serious blender for our wedding a few years back – KRUPS BLENDER.   They actually measure it in horsepower, not watts.  I flip it on and all the lights dim in the house (not really, but I wouldn’t mind).  You can guess who added that one to the registry!  **Blenders do make a difference!**

Another tip – Freeze Your Fruit.  “Jake uses basically the same recipes but we use frozen bananas instead of ice cubes.  When our bananas are just about too ripe I stick them in the freezer and they are awesome in the smoothies – no watering down of the flavor from the ice.”

Thanks and keep them coming! PUT YOUR PROTEIN RECIPES IN THE COMMENTS

-J. HASHEY, CSCS-

Interview with the “Girl With No Name”

I met Jackie through Straighttothebar.com.  She is an author there and has put out some quality articles.  I headed over to Jackie’s site – Girlwithnoname.com where there are some great video posts and more.

Jackie is extremely dedicated to health and fitness, and trains mostly out of her own home.   I recently had a chance to interview Jackie, take a read:

______________________________________________________________

Interview with Girl With No Name

Could you tell us a little about yourself and your strength training background?

Well, Joe, I actually do have a name!  Its Jackie.  I live in Vancouver BC Canada and have been relatively fit my whole adult life (after I got over being very bad to myself all through my debaucherous youth).  I got into it in my early 20s when I decided it was time to quit smoking for real and get on with taking care of myself.  I threw out my cigs and went for a run that day.  A gym membership followed soon after that!  I’ve been going to the gym off and on over the years but really don’t enjoy the gym atmosphere for the most part so kinda let it slip for several years.

Continue reading Interview with the “Girl With No Name”…