Justin Wright » Health & Fitness

The Primal Blueprint

Justin Wright — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 20:31:53 +0000

When it comes to eating, I have always tried my best to eat as healthy as possible. Almost two years ago a I switched to a natural food diet where I eliminated all the processed stuff and focused my diet on meat, fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. It was a great transition and I felt better after making the switch.

However, I’ve taken it one step further since then and have removed all grains from my diet. Why would I do such a thing? Well, I’ve been doing a lot of reading regarding health and fitness lately and one of the books I read was The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson. I’ve followed Mark’s blog for a few years now and have always considered giving his diet a try.

I also read Gary Taubes book Good Calories, Bad Calories, which was a very interesting read about the science behind our diets. It digs deep into the studies that have been performed and challenges the conventional wisdom about what we should eat.

It turns out that a lot of the foods we think are bad (saturated fat, bacon, beef, etc.) are not actually bad for us. It’s the high amount of carbohydrates we typically consume that cause most of our health problems.

I’m always up for trying new things so I figured there was no risk in giving the Primal Blueprint a test to see how it works. I have been following the primal diet and workout schedule for roughly 3 months now and thought I would share my experience making the switch.

The Diet

Before I talk about the diet, here is the official primal food pyramid from the book. It demonstrates what foods should be consumed and in what quantities.

With any diet, there is always a transition phase where your body needs to get used to the new way of eating. However, when I eliminated the grains from my diet I was surprised that I did not notice any major side effects. If anything, I actually felt like I had a bit more energy.

Instead of eating my usual bowl of oatmeal, which never filled me up or gave me energy, I started eating whole eggs and bacon cooked in butter. The first thing I noticed is that this meal tastes a hell of a lot better than the oatmeal. Plus it makes me feel full and gives me energy.

For lunch and dinner, I started eating a big ass salad with some chicken or grass-fed beef. I started eating far more vegetables than I used to and now like a lot of the vegetables I used to hate. I stick to one serving of fruit a day, which typically consists of either blackberries or blueberries. I also eat some coconut products such as coconut flakes and coconut milk.

When it comes to cooking, I now use either Ghee (clarified butter), coconut oil, or bacon fat to cook with. I only use olive oil as a salad dressing as opposed to cooking with it like I used to. One thing I have noticed is that if you cook anything in bacon fat, it’s guaranteed to taste good.

The great thing about the primal diet is the amount of fat you get to eat. It is far more filling than carbohydrates and also taste a lot better. Honestly, who would eat oatmeal over bacon? Not this guy.

The Workouts

Along with the diet, the Primal Blueprint also has a workout schedule that is designed to get you in the best shape possible without overdoing it. Here’s the workout pyramid from the book:

The thing I love about the workout schedule is that it does not promote chronic cardio. Instead, it gives you a brief overview of why you should avoid chronic cardio. Instead, it suggests lifting heavy things 2-3 times a week and doing sprints once every 7-10 days. It also suggests doing a lot of low level aerobic exercises, such as walking or hiking (two things I love doing).

For the past 3 months, I’ve been sticking to this schedule and have noticed a huge increase in my strength despite spending less time in the gym than I used to. I focus my lifting routine on doing a lot of bodyweight exercises like dips and pull-ups (with a weighted backpack). A typical lifting session consists of 4 sets of 4 different exercises.

Running sprints is also a very fun workout that only takes 15 minutes to complete yet I feel drained every time I do them. They also give me a runner’s high that last throughout the day.

The Results

After 3 months of following the Primal Blueprint, I can honestly say I feel like I am in the best shape of my life (even better than after P90X). I ran a 5K in 27 minutes despite being a terrible runner and not training for it. I can now do a ton of pushups and pull-ups and can run a mile two minutes faster than I could in high school.

Best of all, I managed to get my body fat down to the lowest it has ever been. Here’s a before and after picture to give you a general idea of the change that took place:

I have tried many “cutting diets” in the past to lean myself out. I would constantly weigh all my food out on a kitchen scale and write down every calorie I consumed and still could not get past a certain body fat percentage.

With the primal diet, I ate as much food as I wanted and lost body fat without even trying. Heck, I actually lost too much body fat and am now trying a new bulking diet where I eat the typical primal diet foods but with a ton of whole milk added in (I’ll be writing a new post about my bulking attempt in the near future).

Overall, I highly recommend the Primal Blueprint. Not only is the book a great read, but the plan does work if you stick with it.

Great Thinkers – Answering President Kennedy’s Challenge

Justin Wright — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:01:04 +0000

"Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical, emotional, and mental states." - Carol Welch

John F. Kennedy once observed, “We are under-exercised as a nation. We look, instead of play. We ride, instead of walk. Our existence deprives us of the minimum of physical activity essential for healthy living.”

It has been almost 50 years since this statement was made, but unfortunately it still holds true. With the advent of video games, even when we are not “looking,” playing has become an inactive activity. And with almost every American home having at least one vehicle, walking is almost unheard of.

While it is true that the number of gym memberships may be at an all time high, it is equally as true that a majority of gym memberships go unused. Although most of us have good intentions, we tend to put off exercise until tomorrow.

President Kennedy recognized, “The Greeks understood that mind and body must develop in harmonious proportions to produce a creative intelligence. And so did the most brilliant intelligence of our earliest days – Thomas Jefferson – when he said, not less than two hours a day should be devoted to exercise. If the man who wrote the Declaration of Independence, was Secretary of State, and twice President, could give it two hours, our children can give it ten or fifteen minutes.”

Thus, in an effort to motivate, inspire and challenge us to answer the plea of President Kennedy’s speech, I have compiled a list of quotes from great modern and historic thinkers:

“Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.”

Edward Smith-Stanley – English statesman, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

“The human body is made up of some four hundred muscles; evolved through centuries of physical activity. Unless these are used, they will deteriorate.”

Eugene Lyman Fisk – Author of books on healthy living

“And I believe that the best buy in public health today must be a combination of regular physical exercise and a healthy diet.”

Julie Bishop – Australian politician and the current Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of Australia

“Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it.”

Plato – Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world

“Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical, emotional, and mental states.”

Carol Welch – Founder of BioSomatics Education, an empowering method that supports the body’s capacity to be posturally functional by overcoming neuromuscular conditions.

“A man’s health can be judged by which he takes two at a time – pills or stairs.”

Joan Welsh – Member of the Maine House of Representatives

“Exercise and temperance can preserve something of our early strength even in old age.”

Marcus Cicero – Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist

“What fits your busy schedule better, exercising one hour a day or being dead 24 hours a day?”

Randy Glasbergen – American cartoonist and humorous illustrator

“A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise.”

A.A. Milne – English author, best known for his books about the teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh

“We do not stop exercising because we grow old – we grow old because we stop exercising.”

Dr. Kenneth Cooper, MD, MPH – Founder and Chairman of Cooper Aerobics Center

“Nothing lifts me out of a bad mood better than a hard workout on my treadmill. It never fails. To us, exercise is nothing short of a miracle.”

Cher – Award-winning American pop singer-songwriter, actress, director and record producer

“To feel ‘fit as a fiddle’, you must tone down your middle.”

Author Unknown

***
Author Bio: Cathryn Johnson is self proclaimed health-nut and a content writer for Online MBA Rankings who gives advice on the education, pursuing an online mba and living a healthy life. In her free time she enjoys travel, theater and having fun in the sun.

Photo: donjd2

Switching to a Natural Foods Diet

Justin Wright — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:48:11 +0000

This post is the final part of my natural foods diet series. If you missed the beginning sections, I talked about the importance of natural foods as well as what I consider to be “real” food.

Below I’m going to share my experience with switching over to the diet, a few tips to help you out, as well as the results I have experienced from eating real food.

The Transition Phase

Just like with any diet, there is definitely a transition phase that you need to make it through. Your body will take its time getting used to real foods, especially fruits and vegetables. I can tell you right now that eating tons of vegetables is difficult in the beginning. I’m not even going to explain why…

Besides your body getting used to the foods, you also have to get your mind used to it. For me, the hardest part was fighting through the cravings for junk food. I’ve gone so long eating different foods that it was really hard to say goodbye to some of them.

Below are the foods that were the hardest for me to give up along with some useful tips I used to beat my cravings:

Soda

I’ve been kicking back soda since middle school. I still remember late nights where I would consume an entire 12 pack of Sundrop (it’s a delicious soda). That’s well over a thousand calories worth of sugar alone. Not to mention a huge amount of preservatives and caffeine.

So how did I kick the habit? I started drinking seltzer water. The only ingredient is carbonated water and it’s also much cheaper than soda. I usually add a dash of lemon or lime juice and a little stevia to sweeten it. It tastes just like a citrus type soda and never fails to satisfy my soda craving.

It also works for mix drinks and it helped me kick my rum and Coke habit.

Margaritas

I’m not going to lie, I love margaritas. They are my favorite drink on the planet, especially when summer rolls around. However, the store bought mixes are packed with sugar and high fructose corn syrup.

Instead of using the mix, I have started using pure lime juice, stevia, and a dash of agave nectar. With a good tequila the margaritas taste amazing. Far better than the mix type ones and I do not feel guilty about them at all.

Pizza

Pizza is one of my favorite foods and something that I could never give up. Luckily all-natural pizzas are not that bad for you. The key is to avoid frozen ones that use a lot of artificial ingredients.

A few times a month my girlfriend and I make a delicious pizza at home using whole wheat crust, marinara sauce, and a variety of toppings including spinach, garlic, and basic. I don’t miss the cheese at all.

Transition Tips To Help You Out

As you can see, adapting to the diet does take some time and effort. Here are a few tips to help make it as easy as possible for you:

Transition Slowly

In other words, don’t toss out every bad food you have in the house right now. Instead, slowly eat them and get rid of them. Start implementing healthy foods into your diet and replace the bad ones. Over time, you will get used to the non-processed foods and learn to love them.

Find Healthy Alternatives

As I mentioned above, I had a hard time with a few foods. Instead of banishing them from your diet forever, find some healthy alternatives. That way you can still enjoy it and not feel guilty about it once you are finished. This works wonders and will make sticking with your healthy eating plan much, much easier.

Cook At Home

This one is a life-saver. Cooking at home is the easiest solution of all to eating healthy. When you go out to a restaurant, you really have no clue what they use to prepare your food. They might be marinating your steak in MSG and frying it with hydrogenated oils. Who knows what happens behind the kitchen doors.

Instead, try to make the majority of your meals at home. You’ll start to notice it is a hell of a lot cheaper as well, which allows you to spend a little more on groceries.

Make Stuff From Scratch

One of the most powerful changes you can make to your diet is to start making everything from scratch. A great example is making your own hummus and crackers. Both foods require only a handful of ingredients and are much easier to make than you would think.

You’ll also start to notice how little ingredients you actually need to make stuff. It’s crazy when you make something yourself and realize you used 20 less ingredients than the store bought version. Plus you can save a lot of money since both raw ingredients are super cheap.

Stop Impulse Buying

It’s really easy to grab a package of cookies off the shelf and throw them in the cart. I know this from a personal experience involving monkey bread from the grocery store bakery. Before I knew it, my girlfriend and I had consumed the entire thing.

The key to stopping the impulse buys is to force yourself to leave the grocery store and go home. If you really want something, you will get back in the car and drive right back to the grocery store to get it. However, I have found that this almost never happens because your cravings disappear once you get out of the store.

The Results

As far as results go, I must say that I am very impressed with the changes I have seen. I have lost around 15 pounds by simply eating healthy and running 4 days a week. My body-fat has hit an all-time low and I feel great.

And added bonus is that I haven’t been sick in what seems like forever. I guess eating healthy really does boost your immune system.

***
After going through the entire process, I would highly recommend making the switch to real, unprocessed foods. The results are well worth the effort and you will feel great knowing you are eating foods the way they were meant to be consumed.

Photo: slynndesign’s

What Are Real Foods?

Justin Wright — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 12:56:47 +0000

This post is the second part of my natural foods diet series. If you missed the first post, I talked about the importance of natural foods and why I made the switch.

In this part of the series, I’m going to give you an overview of what I consider “real food” and will breakdown some of the most common foods I consume on a daily basis.

My Take On Natural Foods

Determining what is real and what is not is a very difficult task. I think the meaning of “real food” can vary depending on the person. Some people would argue that food like milk and cheese is real, while others would say it is highly processed. Therefore it is important to determine what “real food” means to you and adjust your diet accordingly.

I’ve personally decided that I am going to stick with eating food that comes in a natural (or as close to natural) state. I am trying my best to avoid any ” highly processed” foods that are full of artificial ingredients and preservatives. I also buy organic and local foods as often as I can.

For the most part, I am avoiding any boxed or packaged foods. Anything that comes in fancy packaging with celebrities on it, crazy health claims, or “new and improved” labels telling me how the new recipe is better (like Domino’s new pizza). Soda has been completely removed from my diet, as well as frozen pizzas, lean pockets, deli meats, and most bread products.

What I Eat

So what do I eat now that I’ve removed a lot of processed foods? Below are the foods I eat on a daily basis in order based on how much I consume:

Vegetables

I’m sure it’s no surprise that vegetables are at the top of my list. Since removing the bad foods from my diet, I have drastically increased the amount of veggies I eat everyday. They work wonders for feeling full and actually taste amazing once you get used to eating non-processed foods.

Some of my favorites include spinach, carrots, broccoli, green beans, zucchini, and sweet potatoes.

Fruit

Just like vegetables, fruit intake has also increased with my new diet. I try to eat 2 – 3 servings a day and love it. When you cut out processed foods, fruit tastes amazing. It’s crazy how much different it tastes once your body is not hooked on fake food.

My favorite fruits include bananas, apples, pineapple, blueberries, and strawberries.

Grains

When I first started this diet, I was having a hard time debating if I should consume grains. I’m a big fan of Mark’s Daily Apple and one of the things he often talks about is the negatives to eating grains. It’s been shown that the human body can survive just fine without them. But it turns out I love them to much to give up.

However, I have cut back on the amount of grains I eat as well as the types. Oatmeal is the main grain I eat. I tend to eat it every morning for breakfast and often use it to make pancakes.

I also consume quinoa, brown rice, and homemade pita bread made with oat flour.

Meat

Meat is another touchy subject. I’ve tried going without in the past but always came back to eating it. I am too picky of an eater to survive without meat and enjoy the taste of it. So instead of cutting it out of my diet, I’ve just made it a side portion of my meals instead of the main entree.

As far as the type goes, I tend to eat chicken the most often. It’s somewhat cheap and very versatile. I also mix in a variety of fish and beef as well each week.

Dairy

While some people may argue that dairy is bad, I feel that dairy is fine in moderation. It’s a good course of protein as well as calcium. Eggs and greek style yogurt are the main types of dairy I consume.

Eggs are one of those items that people seem to be pretty skeptical about. One week they’re a superfood, the next they will kill you of a heart attack. However, I honestly feel that eggs are not a problem. They are a well balanced food and one of the things I consume daily. The key is to find quality eggs from a local or organic farm.

Just like eggs, milk is another one of the foods that people tend to debate about. For the most part, I only use it in my coffee and oatmeal. I don’t even drink a cup a day since it does have a good amount of sugar in it.

Miscellaneous Items

Besides the foods above, I also eat/use a few other items frequently. One thing I am not afraid to use a lot of is spices. I eat a ton of cinnamon, jerk seasoning, and crushed red peppers. I also use salt and pepper from time to time.

For sweetening, I use pure stevia extract that doesn’t have any fillers added to it. It’s super potent and can sweeten just about anything. It’s a tad expensive, but once you buy some and see the size of the scoop you will realize how long a little powder will last. I also eat raw honey from time to time, which you can find at most health food stores.

I eat 100% cocoa powder in my oatmeal, which is full of fiber and contains no sugar. I also drink a lot of tea and coffee every day, two things I could not live without. I also consume a lot of wine, specifically red wines.

When it comes to snacks, hummus is one of the foods I have grown to love. It tastes great, especially with homemade pita bread. I still can’t believe I eat the stuff, I used to be the pickiest eater in the world.

So there is a breakdown of most of the food I eat on a daily basis.

***

In the final post of the series, I talk about the transition phase and share some tips on switching to a natural foods diet.

Photo: Augapfel

The Importance of Natural Foods

Justin Wright — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:15:56 +0000

After attempting to eat as healthy as possible for the past few years, I have finally managed to make the switch to an all natural diet that consists of “real food.” This post is the first one of my natural foods diet series where I will explain the diet and the process I went through to make the switch.

When it comes to eating healthy, it has been one of my main goals since I graduated high school. It all started when I wanted to bulk up and gain some weight and has since become part of my daily life.

When I started P90X awhile back, I really cleaned up my diet and ate better than I ever have before. However, I ended up quitting the program after Phase 1 because I really hated working out inside. Luckily I managed to keep my motivation to eat healthy and completely switched over to a natural food diet six months ago.

Why Follow This Diet?

There are many reasons why someone would make the switch to an all natural food diet. Eating processed foods that contain high amounts of sugar, preservatives, and artificial ingredients is not a good lifestyle decision.

Not only do these foods cause a variety of health issues, but they also affect your mood, your fitness levels, and your overall well-being. The old saying of “you are what you eat” is about as true as it gets. If you eat natural, healthy food you will more than likely be a healthy individual.

I personally made the change to a real food diet because I want to eat as healthy as possible. I love being in shape and do not want to suffer any illnesses as a result of what I eat. For the most part, I do not consider it a diet but instead a lifestyle. Eating healthy is something that needs to be done long-term.

Besides the health factors, I also love the idea of eating natural foods that actually come from Mother Nature herself. Not weird concoctions that were created in a science lab somewhere. I remember high school chemistry class pretty well and would never think of eating anything I made as a result of one of my experiments.

I also try to buy organic and locally grown food as often as possible. In the movie Food, Inc., they hit the nail on the head when they said that every purchase we make is like voting. Buying from organic and local farmers is a great way to support the people who care about the environment and treat their employees with respect.

6 More Reasons To Make The Switch

Still not sold on the idea of eating real food? Here are six common food additives that are found in processed foods and why they are bad news for your health:

High Fructose Corn Syrup

It seems like high fructose corn syrup is added to everything these days. Even a lot of wheat breads contain it despite the fact that they are marketed as “health food.” It has been linked to increased obesity levels, heart disease, diabetes, and has been known to cause overeating in some individuals. It may even contain mercury. Talk about delicious…

Aspartame

In order to avoid high fructose corn syrup, many people make the switch to diet soda and other sugar-free alternatives. Unfortunately, aspartame is one of the main ingredients used to sweeten sugar-free products. I can still remember the days of drinking a few cans of diet soda every day. Man am I glad those days are behind me.

Aspartame produces an excessive amount of formaldehyde in the human body, even in small amounts found in a typical can of diet soda. When consumed, it breaks down into aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. Not good.

Hydrogenated Oils

Believe it or not, as much as 40 percent of the food at the grocery store is made up of hydrogenated oils. They are commonly found in packaged cereals, cookies, crackers, chips, pizzas, and candy. Why are they used? Because they are cheaper than butter.

Unfortunately, these oils are made up of trans fat (and not the good kind). The oils do not occur normally in nature and are produced using harsh chemicals and heat. They can mess with your cholesterol levels and cause a variety of health issues.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

MSG is yet another ingredient that seems to pop up everywhere. It also shows up with different names depending on the product it’s in. More or less, it takes the flavor of any food and makes it better. That’s why it’s added to everything including spices, chips, salad dressings, meats, and fast food.

While MSG does not cause problems for everyone, it has been known to cause issues including diabetes, migraines and headaches, and obesity.

Artificial Colorings

Ever eat something that looked really colorful but wasn’t a fruit or vegetable? If so, it probably contained at least one artificial coloring. Colorings are added to tons of different products including candy, meats, baked goods, and drinks.

Some of the worst include Yellow 6, Blue 1 and 2, and Red 3. All of these may increase the chances of tumors and other diseases in the human body. Bad I tell you.

Potassium Bromate

Last but not least, we have potassium bromate. This substance is typically added to bread products to increase their volume and make the crumbs look better (I think). It’s been shown that most of the bromate breaks down in the body, but the little that remains can cause cancer in animals.

It’s also worth mentioning that potassium bromate has been banned in almost every country except for the United States and Japan.

***

In the next post of the series, I’ll talk about what I consider to be “real food.”

Photo: mckaysavage

P90X: Phase 1 Completed

Justin Wright — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:53:32 +0000

A little over 4 weeks ago, I wrote a post about starting P90X. It’s an intense workout program that last 90 days and is made up of 3 separate phases (learn more here). I also did a recap of week 1 and summarized the workouts and how hard they were at first.

Yesterday was officially the last day of phase 4 for me. I ended up being a few days late due to the move to Austin but I still made it. And I can honestly say I feel in great shape. The 3 weeks of workouts followed by the recovery week were intense and kicked my ass far more than anything else I’ve ever done. It’s crazy how much of a workout you can get in your living room.

Phase 1 Stats

If you missed my first post, here are my stats prior to starting the program on 5/18/09:

Weight: 173.8 Pounds
Bodyfat (Using Scale): 15.0%
Flexed Arm Size: 35 cm
Waist (Belly Button Level): 84 cm

And here is where I am today (6/16/09) :

Weight: 173 Pounds
Bodyfat (Using Scale): 13.1%
Flexed Arm Size: 35 cm
Waist (Belly Button Level): 81 cm

The bold stats are the ones that I think made the biggest difference. I lost some bodyfat and waist size while staying pretty close to the same weight I was before.

Phase 1 Pictures

As promised, I also wanted to show the before and after pictures so you can get an idea of what to expect after doing the program for 4 weeks. Keep in mind, this is NOT a beauty pageant so I did not bring my A game in the appearance category…

The left pictures are from before starting P90X and the right pictures were taken this morning:

I Feel Great So Far

So far, I feel really good where I am at. I feel like I am in much better shape than I was before, especially on the cardiovascular side. The crazy thing is I used to workout before the program as well, but it just proves I was not going as hard as I should have been. I never felt the way I do after the P90X workouts. Sore, sweaty, and on the verge of tipping over.

The good news is I made it through the first phase of the P90X program and now have 28 days of the program under my belt. The bad news is I still have two more phases I need to survive before I am finally finished.

So wish me luck on my journey and I plan on posting a recap of week 5 since the workouts are a little bit different than the first round. I will also put up new pictures once I get to the end of phase 2.

Update: Since writing this post I have switched to the Primal Blueprint fitness plan.

P90X: Week 1 Recap

Justin Wright — Mon, 25 May 2009 14:05:07 +0000

My first week of the P90X program is officially in the books. I can honestly say it was one of the most intense weeks of workouts I have done in my life. It sort of reminded me of football practice back in high school. My entire body felt sore at some point throughout the week. I had sore muscles that I didn’t even know I had.

For all those who are thinking about doing this program, I highly recommend it. Here is a breakdown of the first seven days and what you can expect from the program. I also included the soreness level for the day after on a scale of 1 – 10, with 10 being the most sore.

Day 1: Chest & Back

The P90X program starts out with a bang. The chest and back workout forces you to do a bunch of push-ups and pull-ups with a ton of variations. I barely made it through the workout and felt super pumped up (and exhausted) by the time it was done. I was sweating more than I have in the last 6 months of workouts combined.

My first thought was I hope everyday isn’t like this…

Soreness the day after: 6/10

Day 2: Plyometrics

Just when I thought the first day had to be the hardest, this workout comes up. The plyometrics DVD basically has you jump for 60 minutes straight. I was sweating twice as much as the first day and could barely stand up when I finally finished.

The next morning, I could barely get out of bed. My quads were on fire along with my hamstrings, calves, and every other part of my body.

Soreness the day after: 10/10

Day 3: Shoulders & Arms

The shoulders and arms workout was the first one that I didn’t feel completely exhausted at the end. It goes through and has you do a bunch of different shoulder and arm exercises using dumbbells (or bands). However, it was much more intense than the old shoulder routine I was doing in the gym. I really enjoyed this DVD and all the different exercises involved in it.

Soreness the day after: 3/10

Day 4: Yoga

As soon as I saw yoga on the agenda, I figured day 4 would be an easy off day to stretch and get ready for the rest of the week. Wow was I wrong! Instead, I got my ass kicked for an hour and a half and could barely move. This is some pretty intense yoga that really pushes your body’s limits. I was not only sweating, but struggling to do some of the moves included in the DVD.

The day after yoga, I was once again sore all over my entire body. However, I did realize that yoga is a great thing to do and highly recommend not skipping this DVD if you do the program. I have a feeling I will get better at it as I do the DVD more and more.

Soreness the day after: 8/10

Day 5: Legs & Back

I was a little worried about the legs and back DVD, mostly because my body was sore from doing yoga the day before. Luckily, this DVD was not too bad. It involves a lot of lunges and squats but it actually made my legs feel better after I finished. A lot of the exercises can be done with body weight only, while a few require dumbbells or bands.

Soreness the day after: 5/10

Day 6: Kempo

This DVD was the only one that I had no idea what to expect going into it. I knew kempo was some sort of kicking or karate but had no idea what it involved. As it turns out, it’s a bunch of different kicks, blocks. and punches. More or less, it is a great cardio workout. I was sweating buckets from this workout as well, even though I didn’t feel like I was working that hard. Some of the moves are actually fun, which takes your mind off the fact that you are exercising.

What I did not expect was my calves being dead the next morning…

Soreness the day after: 8/10

Day 7: Stretch/Rest

Finally…a day to rest and let my body rebuild itself. The program gives you the option of taking the whole day off or doing the Stretch X DVD. I chose to do the DVD since I figured it would help me loosen up and relax a little bit. It’s still a 50 minute workout but all it focuses on is stretching. I felt pretty good after doing it and am pretty sure I’ll be ready to roll for tomorrow’s chest and back workout.

Soreness the day after: 0/10

Looking Ahead

Over the next two weeks, I will continue the exact same schedule above. Once those two weeks are complete, I will have a recovery week which consists of yoga, cardio, and stretching. After the recovery week is over I will be done with Phase 1 of the P90X program. From there, I will have 2 more phases to complete before I am done with the whole thing.

I’m feeling really good so far. Besides kicking my own ass, I am also eating as healthy as I ever have. I already feel leaner and stronger which is always a good thing after one week of something. In the upcoming weeks, I will do another recap and will post my photos after I am done with Phase 1.

***
Update: I managed to finish Phase 1, which you can read about here.

Starting P90X Today

Justin Wright — Mon, 18 May 2009 18:49:15 +0000

Two months ago I wrote a post about packing on a few pounds and said I would share my results. Well I managed to gain about 6 pounds and increased my lifts in every single exercise which is always good. An example is the machine bench press, which I did 5 reps of 135 on Day 1. The other day, I pumped out 10 reps of 175. Big difference!

Now that I am moving and will no longer have a gym, I have decided to start the P90X program today. If you have never heard of it, you can check out the details of the program here. Basically, it’s a 90 day fitness program that has helped tons of people transform themselves. The program includes 12 workout DVD’s along with a meal plan to go along with the program. Best part of all, it can be done at home with only a few pieces of equipment (dumbbells, chin-up bar, push-up handles, etc.)

If all goes as planned, I will have my last day on August 15th. I will be posting my pictures and progress after each phase of the workout (3 phases total), along with my before pictures below.

Before Stats

Here is a breakdown of my stats prior to starting the program:

Weight: 173.8 Pounds
Bodyfat (Using Scale): 15.0%
Flexed Arm Size: 35 cm
Waist (Belly Button Level): 84 cm

Before Pictures

The first phase is 4 weeks along, so I will post some new pictures along with my stats when I get to the end of it. I also plan on putting up weekly recaps just to keep track of where I am and how it is going.

Wish Me Luck!

***
Update – I managed to finish phase 1 and you can view the results here.

Subway Nutrition Facts: A Closer Look

Justin Wright — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 07:15:36 +0000

From time to time, I will go to Subway to grab a pretty healthy meal. I typically get a foot long oven roasted chicken breast sub without any extras. In other words, no cheese, no mayo, and only spinach and cucumbers.

To take it a step further, I usually take the chicken off of one half of the sub and throw it on the other side and just eat is as a double meat sub. That way I don’t have to eat a boat load of carbohydrates in my meal.

However, every time I go to Subway, I VERY rarely see people order subs without a ton of cheese and condiments. I almost never see people order 6 inch subs anymore since the new 5 dollar foot longs are a better bargain.

So when I happened to stumble across a Subway nutrition facts brochure, I couldn’t help but start doing some math and comparing the fast food chains to Subway. Check out the results below:

The Fast Food Contenders

All the nutritional facts below were taken directly out of the Subway brochure I got, so I am not responsible if they are off by a few calories here and there. The ones that were not listed, I used FitDay.com.

Burger Kind Original Whopper

670 Calories / Fat: 39 Grams

3 Taco Bell Regular Style Tacos

510 Calories / Fat: 29 Grams

McDonald’s Big Mac

560 Calories / Fat: 30 Grams

McDonald’s Big Mac Value Meal (w/ 20 OZ Coke and medium fry)

1180 Calories / Fat: 50 Grams

As you can see, these items are pretty calorie dense and high in fat. So how do Subway sandwichs compare? Take a look below to see…

The Subway Sandwiches

At first glance, the numbers in the Subway brochure are not that bad. A footlong sub usually comes in around 600 – 800 calories depending on which one. HOWEVER, these values only reflect those who order subs with no cheese or condiments added.

Like I mentioned above, I very rarely see people order subs in this fashion. So here are some more accurate numbers of the various subs. (Note – the sandwich only calories include the traditional vegetables and wheat bread)

Oven Roasted Chicken Breast (Foot Long On Wheat)

Sandwich: 620 Calories / Fat: 10 Grams

+ American Cheese: 80 Calories / Fat: 7 Grams

+ Mayonnaise: 220 Calories / 24 Grams

Total: 920 Calories / Fat: 41 Grams

Ouch! A Big Mac by itself would almost be 400 less calories than this sandwich.

Turkey Breast (Foot Long On Wheat)

Sandwich: 560 Calories / Fat: 9 Grams

+ Swiss Cheese: 100 Calories / Fat: 9 Grams

+ Chipotle Sauce: 200 Calories / Fat: 20 Grams

Total: 860 Calories / 38 Grams

This sub isn’t as bad as the chicken breast one. However, it’s still pretty calorie dense and has 200 calories more than a Big Mac. Not to mention MORE fat than a Big Mac.

What About The Combo Meals?

Just like McDonald’s, Subway offers combo meals what include a drink and side item such as potato chips (or apples). Here is a breakdown of what a value meal might look like using the chicken breast sub from above:

Oven Roasted Chicken Breast (6 Inch On Wheat)

Sandwich: 310 Calories / Fat: 5 Grams

+ American Cheese: 40 Calories / Fat: 3.5 Grams

+ Mayonnaise: 110 Calories / 12 Grams

Sandwich Total: 460 Calories / Fat: 20.5 Grams

+ Sunchips Original: 210 Calories / Fat: 9 Grams

+ 20 OZ. Coke: 240 Calories / Fat: 0 Grams

Meal Total: 910 Calories / Fat: 29.5 Grams

As you can see, this is still pretty calorie dense and has just as much fat as a Big Mac. The next time you think about getting a side item with your sub (especially foot long), you might want to think twice.

Honorable Mentions

The subs I mentioned above are actually listed as being the healthier options. Check out the ones below that compete head to head with the Big Mac and Whopper.

Chicken & Bacon Ranch

6 Inch: 580 Calories / Fat: 30 Grams

12 Inch: 1160 Calories / Fat: 60 Grams

The 6 inch sub alone has 20 calories more than a Big Mac and the exact same amount of fat. The foot long has almost as many calories as an entire Big Mac Value Meal!

Meatball Marinara

6 Inch: 560 Calories / Fat: 24 Grams

12 Inch: 1120 Calories / Fat: 48 Grams

Another Big Mac contender. The 6 inch has the same amount of calories and only 6 grams less fat.

Keep These Numbers In Mind

This post was not intended to dis Subway or anyone that eats there. They do have some great options for eating out, which are much better than most fast food joints. And the idea that most people don’t order the plain subs is just from my observations while eating there.

I simply wanted to throw the Subway nutrition facts out there so you have an idea of how many calories these subs can have if you don’t pay attention to what you add to them. So remember these numbers the next time you are ordering a sub sandwich.

Otherwise you might end up getting a Big Mac in camouflage…

Kick Off Your Day With One Of These

Justin Wright — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 09:04:36 +0000

For the past two weeks, I have been starting everything morning with the concoction you see above. I used to drink coffee or tea in the morning to get going but I find this works MUCH better. So what is it?

A Banana-Spinach-Protein-Oatmeal Smoothie

You read that right, everything above is somewhere inside that green liquid. It’s like an energy drink only it doesn’t contain any of the crap they add to it. It won’t make your heart skip a few beats either!

Ingredients:

1 Banana
1 Scoop Whey Protein (Vanilla Or Unflavored)
3/4 Cup Ground Oatmeal (You Might Want To Use Less)
Baby Spinach (I Jam As Much As I Can In It)
Organic Honey (It’s Good For You!)
Skim Milk

You could also McGyver it and see what else you might be able to throw in there. That’s how I ended up coming up with this concoction.

Preparation

The preparation will vary depending on what appliances you have available. I personally use the Magic Bullet but I’m sure any blender or smoothie maker would work just fine.

I start by sticking the banana into the pitcher, followed by the spinach. I then add the protein powder and oatmeal. From there, I just fill it will skim milk and then top it off with a dash of honey.

Now BLEND IT until it looks drinkable…

Consumption

This part is done at YOUR OWN RISK. I’m not going to be responsible for cleaning up your kitchen if you happen to toss it back up after you’re done with it. I prefer to just throw it down the hatch and get it done with. You could sip on it all morning depending on what type of gag reflex you have (JK!)

Believe it or not, it does not taste bad at all. The spinach flavor is masked by everything else and the banana tends to be the strongest flavor. It’s actually pretty good if you make it just right.

Either way, it’s really good for you and it sure beats eating the spinach…

Give it a shot and let me know what you think!