B12

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin necessary for energy production; for nervous system function. It can help depression and give you energy. In a recent study, subjects taking B12 experience improved sleep quality and increased daytime alertness and concentration, and in some cases they also reported improved mood. Although scientific studies don’t support B12 being used for weight loss, in theory B12 helps metabolizing the food we eat. But some people do report some weight loss, or at least it makes you feel more energetic so you move more (and lose more).

Uses and Benefits:

• Assists in the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats for energy production
• Supports a healthy cardiovascular system, blood cells and tissues
• Boosts energy
• Enhances immune system function
• Effectively supports brain and nerve function.
• Helps memory and learning
• Helps control homocysteine levels
• May help in the treatment of sleep-wake disorders

Canada’s Wonderland 2007

Some of my best memories at this size, 230lbs but nice and cut with all my abs showing. Hope to get back to this soon!

FLEX!

I’m quite happy with the results I’ve been seeing, feeling SUPER-SIZED! For those of you who don’t believe I’ve ever been small or out of shape, here’s the proof.

Moving

Moving can be a very difficult time for the gym. All that house hunting, cleaning, packing, painting, organizing…its enough to exhaust you to where you don’t feel like going to the gym. But no matter what, don’t let your busy schedule stop you. You shouldn’t fit a workout into your schedule, you should MAKE time in your schedule to workout. This month is crazy for me, there is so much to do with my move, I haven’t been keeping up with my pictures every other week. Hopefully once I’m settled I’ll get some more updated pictures for you all.

Last year

Here’s a few pictures from Goodlife gym last summer. Doing some shoulder presses and feeling good and pumped!

Fun stuff

Its important to have some lighter workout days, like on the weekend. Instead of taking the day off, why not do an extra ab workout, or some more cardio. Take a friend or loved one to the gym and help them out with their training. Keep things fun and interesting…here’s a short clip of me and my woman having some fun on Sunday.

Diet – Phase 2: Energy Booster

As you get into better shape, your workouts will intensify and your body will start to crave more carbs to increase its performance. You will start to add starches and “good” complex carbohydrates back into your diet to facilitate harder training in a very balanced approach. This phase would be good for the long term if you were sedentary or exercised occasionally. But you don’t, so we’re going to have to adjust it again. Keep in mind though that this would be the default phase, meaning it’s the most well rounded diet for the average Joe or Jane. But for now you will have this diet for again 28 days before the next cycle beginnings.

Protein – 6 servings

Each serving = 100 cal

3 oz. chicken or turkey breast

6 egg whites

3 oz. fish and shellfish

1/3 cup protein powder

3 oz. red meat

3 oz. tofu

3 oz. tuna

Dairy – 2 servings

Each serving = 120 cal

1 oz. low-fat cheese

1 cup cottage cheese (1%)

1 oz. feta cheese

3 oz. parmesan cheese

8 oz. skim milk

8 oz. soy milk

8 oz. yogurt (nonfat plain)

Fruit – 1 serving

Each serving = 100 cal

1 medium apple

1 medium banana

1/4 medium cantaloupe

1 oz. dried fruit

6 oz. fresh squeezed juice

1 medium grapefruit

1 cup grapes

1/2 medium mango

1 large orange

1/2 medium papaya

1 cup berries

2 cups strawberries

1 medium tangerine

1 cup watermelon

Vegetables – 2 servings

Each serving = 50 cal

1 cup = cooked vegetables

Vegetable juice

Vegetable soup

2 cups = leafy greens

Fats – 1 serving

Each serving = 1 tbsp = 120 cal

Olives, avocado, canola oil, olive oil, flaxseed oil

Carbs – 3 servings

Each serving = 200 cal

1 cup beans

2 slices bread (whole wheat)

1 cup cereal (whole grain)

1 cup couscous

12 crackers

1 cup hummus

1 cup lentils

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup pasta or noodles

2 potatoes

1 cup quinoa

1 cup brown rice

1 medium sweet potato

1 large whole wheat tortilla

1 cup wheat berries

Snacks – 3 servings

Single serving = 100 cal

1 oz. dried fruit

8 oz. fruit sorbet

1 tbsp. peanut butter w/ celery sticks

8 oz. yogurt (nonfat plain)

1 oz. nuts (double)

Protein bar

8 oz. Protein drink

Condiments – 1 serving

Each serving = 2 tbsp = 50 cal

BBQ and other low-fat sauces and marinades, fat-free dressings, mustard, honey, pure fruit jams

Week twelve coming to a close

Felling pumped and full, can’t wait to hit the gym again!

Motivational quotes from my heros

“A beginner does eight repetitions of a certain exercise with his maximum weight on the barbell. As soon as it hurts, he thinks about stopping. I work beyond this point, which means I tell my mind that as soon as it starts aching it is growing. Growing is something unusual for the body when you are over eighteen. The body isn’t used to ten, eleven, or twelve reps with a maximum weight. Then I do ten or fifteen sets of this in a row. No human body was ever prepared for this and suddenly it is making itself grow to handle this new challenge, growing through this pain area. Experiencing this pain in my muscles and aching and going on is my challenge. The last three or four reps is what makes the muscles grow. This area of pain divides a champion from someone who is not a champion. That’s what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they’ll go through the pain no matter what happens. I have no fear of fainting. I do squats until I fall over and pass out. So what? It’s not going to kill me. I wake up five minutes later and I’m OK. A lot of other athletes are afraid of this. So they don’t pass out. They don’t go on.”– Arnold Schwarzenegger

“Sell yourself short on nutrition and you’re selling yourself short on maximizing your physique development.” – Ernie Taylor

“Everybody wants to be a “powerbuilder”, but don’t nobody want to lift no heavy-ass weights.” – Ronnie Coleman

“Rule of thumb: Eat for what you’re going to be doing, and not for what you have done. Don’t take in more than you’re willing to burn off. ” -Lee Haney

“I don’t eat for taste, I eat for function.” -Jay Cutler

Week Ten…DON’T give up!

Starting to feel a bit stuck at one level as you can see from my pictures two weeks ago…but this happens to everyone. When you first start out you see changes and growth and it spurs you on to make more changes. But there is always a point you reach where you stop seeing as much change and you feel very stuck in that one place. This is where most people give up and stop trying to get through to the next level and instead you start feeling like maybe that’s as good as you’ll get. But trust me, all it actually means is its time to change your workout COMPLETELY and changing your diet as well. Shock your body again and don’t allow it the pleasure of getting comfortable with the way it is. Push it beyond that point, up the weights, change from using dumbells to using the bar or maybe a universal machine. You can do the exact same exercise in a different way and even that small change can give your body the shock it needs to snap back into life and continue to grow and change. So don’t give up!!