Fitness – Page 8 – Team Quadzilla

What Happens When You Go “All In”

April 26, 2018June 3, 2020 teamquadzilla

Angie and I recently finished a rigorous fitness & nutrition program called 80 Day Obsession. The name is a little off-putting as I don’t like to think we are (or ever need to be) “obsessed” with our fitness or physique. I prefer to think of this endeavor as 80 days fully committed, focused, and “all in.” It was a personal test to see if I could eat really healthy for 3 months and stick to a challenging workout schedule. I often say we must do hard things if we want to be our best, so I put my words to action. Here are a few key takeaways from the experience:
Results are Visible
While my photos may not blow you away with transformation like Bruce Banner to Hulk, some pretty cool stuff happened to my body.
Lost over 4% body fat
Lost about 3″ from my waistline
Gained nearly 1″ in my arms
Gained about 5 lbs.
Angie reported losing over 8 lbs. and 7 inches overall which is significant for someone who is already fairly petite. There’s one thing you need to remember about the scale though. Muscle weighs more than fat, so to focus on the scale as the judge & jury for success in your healthy living journey is very short-sighted. No one wears a sign with their weight on it. It’s about how you carry the weight, how you FEEL in your skin, and what you can DO now that seemed impossible before. Clothes fit better, and in Angie’s case she’s down a couple sizes even though the scale only says down 8 lbs. More importantly, she’s gained confidence from this experience which brings me to my next point.
Invisible Results are Awesomer
That’s right, I said awesomer. Doing something hard like a rigorous fitness program does amazing things to you that can’t be seen in before & after photos.
Added significant strength – Angie & I both increased our weights more than we could have hoped. We FEEL so much stronger because we ARE MUST STRONGER.

Mental fortitude increased – I can’t say enough about this part. The “doing hard things” is mostly mental. The body will go where the mind takes it. We are so apt to quit when something is hard, so to LEARN to conquer our mind and tell it “No!” when we feel like quitting, when we feel too tired to exercise, when we feel like eating cookies instead of carrots, is a really big deal. The DISCIPLINE learned is that I can do more than I thought, I CAN conquer my mind – my thoughts, feelings, and attitudes to align with my goals.

Eating Healthy Isn’t Punishment – I had my doubts about the nutrition plan that goes with the workout program. Yeah, you probably think I’ve been a healthy eater for a long time so this would be no big deal. You are mistaken my friend. To REALLY dial in the nutrition by eating certain food groups at specific times of day in specific quantities, and eating ALL THE FOOD I’m supposed to was a huge challenge at first. Practice became habit. My body adjusted to eating 5 meals with 6 servings of veggies a day . All the veggies! I was rarely hungry, no energy crashes, VERY regular digestion, and we saved money at the grocery store.

“Hmmm. Eat more, save money, and get more lean? Where do I sign up??”

Further, meal times required no fuss or thought. No scavenging through the pantry. I planned ahead. I did meal prep on the weekends. Virtually all my meals were accounted for ahead of time. Super easy. And when I wasn’t at home, I could either take a healthy snack with me or just make good choices. Just because donuts are offered, doesn’t mean I have to eat them. Especially in the last month of the program, I found it easier to make healthy choices. Instead of craving sugar and junk food more as I went along, I wanted it LESS. And when I did treat myself, it was disappointing at best. It’s miraculous really. The body craves real, healthy food and rewards you when you eat it.

Bottom line is that eating healthy is actually a blessing, a gift rather than a punishment. My transformation is mostly mental in the way I see food. I understood the ideas of healthy eating before, but this experience has changed me. Healthy habits refined. Momentum built. Confidence growing.

I firmly believe that when you conquer your mind with discipline and a lifestyle of healthy habits, the benefits can reach into other areas of your life to make you a better spouse, friend, parent, worker, etc. Do you want to be a better person? Gain confidence? Get in the best shape of your life? All at the same time? Maybe it’s time for you to go “all in” on a complete fitness and nutrition program.

Fitness

The Paper Plate Workout

April 24, 2018June 3, 2020 teamquadzilla

Before I go global with this new exercise craze, I wanted to share it with you first. Inspired by some moves I learned in Beachbody’s 80 Day Obsession workout, I have prepared a 20 minute full body workout you can do in your living room. The only equipment you need is a pair of paper plates. That’s right. Don’t laugh. Moves like Windshield Wipers, Pike Scissor Twist, and Sumo Slide will challenge any fitness level.

Join me in Studio 1A at Team Quadzilla World Headquarters for a workout unlike any you’ve done before.

Get the full workout HERE.

Team Quadzilla Paper Plate Workout_Medium_Moment

You can also find other excellent workouts you can do at home with minimal equipment for FREE in the Fitness Challenges page on my website.

Fitness

Performance Enhancers You Need Now

April 19, 2018June 3, 2020 teamquadzilla

People everywhere are looking for an edge. We’ve heard stories of the illegal performance enhancing drugs athletes have taken to get ahead of their competition. Doping scandals in cycling, steroids in baseball and football, and all kinds of crazy stuff in bodybuilding are what most of us think about when we hear the term “performance enhancers.”

You don’t have to be an elite athlete to be tempted by performance enhancement though. Have you seen the ads for magic potions you can take to boost your energy, stay alert longer, improve mental clarity? These products are marketed to you and me – regular people who feel exhausted and just want to keep up with the demands on our time and energy, let alone excel at our roles of spouse, parent, worker, weekend warrior, etc.

If you are like me, you aren’t likely going for illegal substances to keep sharp, but maybe you’ve been tempted to pop a pill or take some elixir to gain the edge you desire.

Well, I have some good news weary friend! We don’t need illegal substances, controlled substances, or so called energy potions to help us through our busy days. We can be our best by incorporating a few simple disciplines into our daily life.

Sleep

We need to rest. 7-8 hours of sleep per night is recommended. You are laughing because that hasn’t happened for you in a long time. But why not? I challenge you to review your schedule and see where you can change your routine to get the rest you need. Chances are, you don’t need to watch that late game, movie, or TV drama. If you are just vegging in the evenings, I suggest cutting that short and going to bed. I wrote earlier about HOW TO SLEEP, and if you are looking for some rest for your weary soul, I covered that topic HERE. Bottom line is that if you want to be sharp, you need to rest. Schedule it in your day like any other important appointment.

Water

I’m willing to bet you don’t drink enough water. Most of us don’t. There is a simple way to know if you are well hydrated. Look at the color of your urine. The more clear it is, the more hydrated you are. Being hydrated wards off common headaches, grumpiness, and a long list of physical ailments that keep you from being your best. Proper hydration = better performance.

Exercise

“I don’t have time to exercise!” Baloney. You don’t have time to SKIP exercise. Regular vigorous exercise is so good for you. It’s a natural mood booster, gives mental alertness & clarity, and actually energizes you for the day. Morning or mid-day exercises will help you power through your work day like nothing else. Besides, what good can you be in your most important roles at home and work if your body is a wreck and you are sick all the time? Take care of your body, and it will take care of you – and enhance your performance.

Balanced Diet

“Ugh. You had to mention food.” Yep. Food is fuel and your body is a finely tuned MACHINE. The fastest way to get physical results in your shape is through proper nutrition. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to follow the latest fad diet or starve yourself or spend a fortune on fancy produce to eat healthy. What you need is to eat reasonable portion sizes, more veggies, less cake and beer, and you will be shocked at how much better you feel. When you feel great, performance is enhanced – naturally.

BB Performance

OK, so there is this one thing. Sometimes we could use a quality supplement to our healthy lifestyle. I found the Beachbody Performance line to be just that. With real food all natural ingredients, these supplements taste great and help my body perform optimally.

Personal Development/ Journaling

You’ve got to feed your mind and soul as well as your body. Taking time daily to read and reflect on something positive and encouraging (hmmm, the Team Quadzilla blog…) will go a long way to keeping you sharp and performing your best. The inputs to our mind dramatically impact our mood and attitude. I find great encouragement in journaling. It doesn’t sound very manly, but let me tell you it is super healthy. If you want to leave a positive legacy for the next generation, I encourage you to journal your thoughts, prayers, fears, dreams, and happenings in your life. Those who come behind you might be encouraged by your writing. Journaling also helps to clear your head, reflect, and focus your mind for the day. It’s an exercise worth doing daily.

So there you have it. Nothing earth shattering here, but that’s kinda the point. Healthy living is not supposed to be complicated. We still need to actually DO these things though. Start with one and move on from there. You want to be your best and many others are counting on you as well. Maybe these simple reminders will inspire you to make a change today.

Fitness

Take Care of Your Hips – 9 Best Hip Stretches

December 21, 2017December 19, 2017 teamquadzilla

If you are a Desk Jockey like me, this article is for you. Consider all the time you spend sitting at a desk or in your La-Z-Boy. For many of us, there are WAY too many of our waking hours spent drafting spreadsheets, attending meetings, posting on social media, watching Seinfeld re-runs, etc. That’s a lot of time for your hip joints to be stuck in a single position.

That’s a problem. “Elongated periods of sitting sends messages to certain muscles to stay turned on which keeps other muscles turned off,” says Beachbody fitness expert Cody Braun. “This creates an imbalance, which can immobilize your hips.” Your hips are built to move in almost any direction, explains Braun, and when they’re stiff, they don’t just make exercise more difficult; they also make you more prone to pain in surrounding joints — including the oft-troublesome lower back.

If your hip joints could use some TLC, help has arrived. All you need to do is spend a moment or two before and after your workouts — or, heck, while watching TV — on a time-honored fitness activity that few of us do enough of: stretching. Below, I’ll show you some of the best hip stretches to improve flexibility and mobility, hopefully making up for all that time on your bum.

Why Hip Mobility Is Important

Quick physiology lesson: when a joint becomes stiff and immobile, the joint above and below it moves to compensate. So if you can’t move your hips, you’ll move your lower back instead.

Know anyone with lower back pain?

Oh, that’s right — the overwhelming majority of Americans has lower back pain. If that includes you, you may benefit from making some or all of the hip stretches below part of your regular routine.

But mobile hip joints don’t just relieve pain. They’re also essential for walking, hiking, running, jumping, dancing, playing sports, and pursuing virtually any fitness goal safely and effectively. Want to develop stronger, more muscular legs? Hip mobility allows you to lunge and squat more deeply so you can reach your muscles’ potential. Want to avoid injury? Hip mobility improves range of motion so you can perform exercises more safely.

Anatomy of the Hips

The pelvis, that sturdy, bony structure that houses your hip joints, is the Grand Central Station of the body: dozens of different muscles, nerves, and tendons attach to and pass through it. The main ones you’ll focus on in your hip stretches are:

Hip flexors

These muscles extend roughly from your spine to your thighs. Their main job is to pull your thighs toward your chest. When they’re tight, they can pull the front of your pelvis downward, causing strain and pain in your lower back.

Hamstrings

This muscle group, including the biceps femoris muscle, runs along the backs of your thighs from your hips to your knees. Your hams oppose your quadriceps, bending your knee and helping to extend (straighten) your hip joints behind you.

Adductors

Located on the insides of your thighs, these muscles squeeze your legs together, and can cause tightness and limitation when you step laterally (sideways).

Glutes

The butt muscles work along with the hamstrings to extend, or straighten, your hips, and, with the aid of the abductors on the outsides of your hips, raise your legs out to the sides.

Stretch these four main areas to help increase mobility, and you’ll be good to go.

2 Main Types of Stretching and When to Use Them

The 9 hip stretches below, all culled from the extensive library of full-body workout programs available at Beachbody on Demand, offer two different stretching techniques: dynamic and static stretches, which you should use at different times.

Dynamic stretching

These are large, full-range movements of one or more joints at once, often performed standing and sometimes while walking or jogging. They resemble old-school movements you might have done in calisthenics or gym class: arm swings, leg swings, high-knee walks. You usually count off reps, rather than time, on dynamic stretches, which work best as a warm-up activity before a workout, or any time you need a pick-me-up boost throughout the day.

Static stretching

These movements are slower and mellower; they’re the reach-and-hold stretches you might see in a basic yoga or stretching class. Forward bends, knees-wide butterfly stretches, the pigeon, or the figure 4 pose in yoga are classic examples.

Often you’ll perform static stretches seated or lying down, and focus on breathing slowly and deeply to facilitate relaxation — sometimes for several minutes at a time. Static stretches can be very effective at loosening you up, but they also inhibit performance in the stretched muscles for a short time afterwards. So they’re best reserved for after a workout, or as an any-time stress reliever — just not right before a workout involving the muscles you’re stretching.

9 of the Best Pre- and Post-Workout Hip Stretches

Together with a healthy diet and a great workout program, the following hip stretches will leave you feeling and looking your best.

Seated Leg Cradle

Type of Stretch: Static

Benefits: Lengthens and relieves tension in the glutes, adductors, and hamstrings.

Appears in: Yoga Studio – Hip Opening With Faith

• Sit on the floor with both legs extended straight in front of you, feet flexed.

• Keeping your back straight, draw your right knee toward your chest, and try one or more of the following variations:

Holding your right knee in your right hand, grab your right ankle with your left hand and draw it toward your chest as far as you can.
Draw your right ankle toward your chest and rest your lower leg inside the creases of your elbows, bending them to draw your leg as close as you can to your chest.
Draw your right ankle toward your chest and wrap your arms around the lower leg, interlacing your fingers with your knee inside the crease of your right elbow and your foot inside the crook of your left. Hug your lower leg toward your chest as far as you can.

• Keeping your back flat, your chest up, and both feet flexed, rock slightly left and right.

• Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

Standing Butterfly Lift

Type of stretch: Dynamic

Benefits: Activates the glutes while improving mobility in the hip capsule (the ligament that attaches the leg to the pelvis) and adductors.

Appears in: Yoga Studio – Get Well Rounded With Elise

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart about 18 inches behind two yoga blocks positioned on the floor at the tallest height.

• Hinge forward at your hips and place your hands on the blocks. (If that’s too difficult, use a taller surface like a chair instead.)

• Bend your right knee, pulling your heel towards your right glute, and keep it there throughout the set. This is your starting position.

• Keeping your back flat and standing leg straight, lift your right knee as far out to your right side as you can.

• Reverse the move, lowering your right knee until it’s close to your left.

• Repeat for 10-12 controlled repetitions, then repeat on your other side.

Frog Alternate Legs

Type of stretch: Dynamic

Benefits: Stretches the adductors and improves mobility in the hip capsule.

Appears in: Shift Shop – Shift Mobility

• Lie face down, bend your knees about 90 degrees, and spread them as wide as you can. Fold your hands under your forehead to relax your upper body.

• Keeping your knees bent, slowly roll your right thigh inward, lowering your right foot toward the floor.

• Try to tap your right foot on the floor, and reverse the move, repeating on your other side.

• Continue slowly alternating sides for 30 seconds.

Butterfly

Type of stretch: Static

Benefits: Lengthens the adductors and reduces tension along the entire spine and back of the neck.

Appears in: 21 Day Fix – Yoga

• Sit on the floor upright with your legs bent, the soles of your feet together, and your knees spread wide.

• Keeping your knees spread as wide as possible, take hold of your feet and slowly pull your forehead towards the floor.

• Hold this stretched position for 30-60 seconds.

Scorpion

Type of stretch: Dynamic

Benefits: Stretches the quads and hip flexors, and activates the glutes.

Appears in: P90X3 – Dynamix

• Lie on your stomach, with your legs straight, and arms extended out to the sides, forming a “T.” Your palms should face down.

• Keeping your left leg straight, lift your right leg off the floor, bend your right knee, and cross your right foot behind your left, continuing up toward your left hand.

• Try to tap your left hand with your right foot, and return to the starting position.

• Continue for 30 seconds, and repeat on your other side.

Runners Lunge

Type of stretch: Static or dynamic, depending on how long you hold the position.

Benefits: Stretches the adductors and glutes.

Appears in: 21 Day Fix Extreme – Yoga Fix Extreme

• Assume a pushup position: hands and balls of your feet on the floor, both shoulder-width apart, and your body straight from head to heels.

• Step your right foot to a point just outside your right hand. (Your right knee should be near your right shoulder.) If possible, lower your elbows to the floor.

• Hold for 15 seconds, and reverse the move to return to the starting position

• Repeat the entire sequence on your other side.

Sumo Reach

Type of stretch: Dynamic/static

Benefits: Strengthens the glutes and shoulders, stretches the adductors, opens the hip joints, and rib cage.

Appears in: Insanity – Max Recovery

• Assume a wide stance, turning both feet out about 45 degrees.

• Keeping your torso upright, and your core engaged, bend your knees and lower your trunk as you extend both arms straight out to the sides, palms down, forming a “T.”

• Perform three pulses downward, sinking more deeply into this wide-stance (“sumo”) squat each time.

• Keeping your back long and your arms straight, bend your torso to the left as far as you can, and try to place your left palm on the floor near the inside of your left foot.

• Look up at your right palm and hold the position for a 5- to 10-count.

• Brace your core to return to the starting position, and perform the entire sequence on your other side.

Groiner

Type of stretch: Dynamic

Benefits: Stretches the glutes, adductors, and hip flexors.

Appears in: P90X3 – Dynamix

• Assume a pushup position: hands and balls of your feet on the floor, both shoulder-width apart, and your body straight from head to heels.

• Step your right foot to a point just outside your right hand.

• Sink into the move for a one-count, lowering your hips as far as possible.

• Return your foot to the starting position.

• Continue for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

Too tough? Perform the move with your hands elevated on yoga blocks.

World’s Greatest Stretch

Type of stretch: Static

Benefits: Lengthens the hip flexors, adductors, chest, and rib cage.

Appears in: Clean Week: Mobility

• Start in a deep lunge with your right foot forward, your left knee and top of your left foot on the floor behind you, and your palms about hip distance apart on the floor inside your right foot.

• Keeping your back flat and both arms straight, lift your right hand up toward the ceiling as high as you can, twisting your torso into your right knee.

• Hold for 10 seconds, then return your right hand to the floor.

• Maintaining the same position in your lower body, lift your left arm up towards the ceiling in the same manner.

• Hold for 10 seconds, then slowly return your left hand to the floor.

• Switch sides, and repeat the sequence.

Thanks to Andy Heffernan and the Beachbody Blog for doing the heavy lifting on this article.

Fitness

12 Tips to Help You Stick With Exercise

November 9, 2017June 3, 2020 teamquadzilla

Exercise by definition is work. And it’s hard to put in the work to get results. It’s easy to talk yourself out of exercising. Even when you have the best intentions to work out, excuses are so easy to find — “I’m too tired,” or “I’m busy,” or “The weather is bad.”

The right attitude and a few tricks can keep your fitness routine on track. Use these tips to stay in the game:

1. Do it for yourself. Studies show that people who are “externally motivated” — that is, they hit the gym just to look good at the class reunion — don’t stick with it. Those who are “internally motivated” — meaning they exercise because they love it — are the ones who stay in it for the long run. Check out this video from the Quadzilla YouTube archive to help “find your WHY” to make exercise part of your lifestyle.

2. Take baby steps. You would never try to run 10 miles on day one, right? When you do too much too soon, you’ll end up sore, injured, and discouraged. Take it easy as you get started. Maybe you only run a quarter mile your first week. When that becomes easy, you can make it more challenging. Having a plan to follow will expedite your progress without killing yourself. Baby Steps really works!

3. Hang tough. No one has perfect form the first day of strength training. Every workout takes practice. You’ll get the hang of it if you keep making an effort. And if you use the best home workout videos in the universe, there is always a modifier to help you ease into the moves.

4. Mix it up. Do different types of workouts to keep things interesting and to exercise different muscle groups. I can testify that running 5k’s works your legs and lungs differently than when playing basketball. Mix up your cardio to optimize your fitness gains. Also, switch up your weight lifting routine with some killer body weight exercises. You don’t have to reinvent your entire routine every week, but you do want to shift it around a little.

5. Don’t be your own drill sergeant. Half of all people who start a new exercise program ditch it within the first year. It often happens because they can’t keep up the boot-camp pace they’ve forced on themselves. It’s better to work within your limits, and gradually get stronger.

6. Bring a friend. When your inner demons order you to hit the couch instead of the treadmill, a workout partner can steer you back in the right direction. It’s easier to bail out on the gym than on the friend who waits for you there. Studies show you’ll also work out longer when you have a pal along. I like to exercise with my wife and son. We hold each other accountable and it’s something fun to do together.

7. Show the clock who’s boss. Health experts say you should aim for at least 150 minutes of exercise a week (30 minutes a day, five times a week, for example), plus weight training at least twice a week. Can’t find room in your crazy schedule? Take a closer look. If you work too late to get to a gym, keep a set of weights at home. If you can’t do 30 minutes at once, break exercise sessions up into 10- or 15-minute bursts. Trust me on this, you have more time than you think. If exercise is important to you, you will make time for it.

8. Get used to it. Your workout should be just as much a habit as brushing your teeth or eating breakfast. When it’s part of your routine, you won’t even have to think about it. In a few months, fitness can be a regular feature in your day.

9. Live in the present. So what if you missed a week of workouts and polished off a pint of ice cream over the weekend? Leave the guilt in the past. You have a chance to get back into your routine today.

10. Keep it real. You’re not going to skim off 30 pounds in a week. Aim for something that’s realistic as a first step. For instance, increase your workout schedule from 2 to 3 days a week, or exercise for 15 more minutes each time. Baby steps.

11. Track it. Keep a fitness journal or use an app to record your progress — for example, how much you run, walk, or lift and the calories you burn. Progress photos are a great way to measure your progress and remind you where you came from. A good training plan/ calendar will help with this too. Ask me about a plan to suit your needs!

12. Celebrate! It takes weeks to see real changes. Reward yourself with new gear or a sensible treat when you reach progress milestones. Share your results with others, so they can celebrate with you and encourage you to keep up the good work.

SOURCES:Acevedo E. Psychobiology of Physical Activity, Human Kinetics, 2006.CDC: “How much physical activity do adults need?”Ryan, R. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 1997.Matsumoto, H. International Journal of Sport and Health Science, 2004.Dunton, G. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, September 2009.U.S. Department of Agriculture.