Workout: Mueller Lake Park Circuit 3

Equipment Used: Timer One pair of dumbbells Soft ground area for push-ups/sit-ups Park Bench or flat area of similar height Optional: Slightly lighter weight pair of dumbbells/li> Optional: Pull-Up bars Highly recommended: Water source / Shade

Tip: This workout is outside, designed for a park with some space & some basic equipment. Scout out parks near you. *** Directions to the park we use are at the bottom of the page. (Mueller Lake Park)

Tip: At least here in Texas, it's hot as hell outside. Bring water and snack bars to keep your energy up. As always, drink plenty of water and get sufficient rest.

Circuit #3 - HIIT Style

"Superset to make 'em sweat!!!" The circuit has been getting stale so we decided to switch things up and go for a more high-intensity style workout. Instead of counting reps, we use a countdown timer and try to burn out as many reps as possible in the allotted time. For supersets, perform as many reps as possible for the 1st exercise in 15 seconds. Without rest, move onto the next exercise in the superset and knock out reps of that for 15 seconds. That will complete one "set". Rest 30 seconds and repeat for two more sets. Be sure to drop weight and/or exercise difficulty level if you find it hard to complete reps the entire time. The main focus is to be actively working the entire time period and not rest. For the compound movements (#3/6/9), perform as many reps as possible in 30 seconds. Again, you want to be moving the entire time so even if you get fatigued, keep moving and perform the exercise in a slower, more deliberate fashion. Focusing on *** INTENSITY TIP: If you find the circuit too easy initially, make sure you are doing the weighted and/or most advanced version of each exercise. If you already are then increase the length within the superset to 30 seconds per exercise but do not increase the rest time. So do 30 seconds of part "A" and then immediately into 30 seconds of part "B". You can also optionally increase the time spent compound movements up to one full minute. BEAST MODE: ON

SUMMARY ***Stretch/Warm-up Seated Bicep Curls into Reverse Flys High Knees into Shoulder Press Burpees Bent Over Rows into Triceps Kickbacks Static Lunges into Wall Sit Mountain Climbers Push-Ups into Plank Lying Kicks/Bicycles into Chest Press/Fly Squat Jumps (or Box Jumps/Step-Ups) Optional: Pull-Ups / Chin-Ups Optional: 1-2 mile warm down run/walk

Stretch / Warm-up Loosen your muscles (both upper/lower body). Stretch out and hydrate.

1 - Seated Bicep Curls into Reverse Flys Superset A - Seated Bicep Curls Click For Video Example Get seated on a park bench or similarly raised flat area. Grab one dumbbell and lean over slightly with your legs open wide. Place your arm with the dumbbell inside of your leg with the back of your elbow resting against your inner thigh. Start completing reps of curls. After 15 seconds, grab your other dumbbell and immediately start Reverse Flys. B - Reverse Flys Click For Video Example After completing your curls, remain seated on the bench. Grab your other dumbbell, place your legs tightly together and scoot up to the edge of the bench. Lean all the way over until your chest is touching your legs. Start with your dumbbells under your legs and complete reps of reverse flys. Complete as many reps as you can for the remaining 15 seconds. C - Rest 30 seconds Repeat the entire superset at least three times w/ rest in between sets.

2 - High Knees into Shoulder Press Superset A - High Knees Click For Video Example With no weights in hand but nearby, stand up straight w/ your feet shoulder-width apart. Begin an exaggerated in-place run, making sure to bring your knees as high as possible into your torso area. Maintain this running motion for 15 seconds. After 15 seconds, bend down and grab your weights, moving into Shoulder Presses. B - Shoulder Press Click For Video Example After completing your high knees, grab your weights and remain standing. Move the dumbbells into position near your head with your arms bent at a 90 degree angle facing upward. We will push the dumbbells upward into the sky until they touch at the top to perform a rep. Knock out as many reps as you can for 15 seconds. C - Rest 30 seconds Repeat the entire superset at least three times w/ minimal rest in between sets.

3 - Burpees Click For Video Example Stand up with feet shoulder-width apart and plenty of clear space around you. With no weights in hand we want to first drop down from a standing position into a crouched position. Knees bent and your hands on the ground and a little more than shoulder width apart. While crouched, kick both legs back and have your legs rest on your toes so that you're in a push-up position. Perform one push-up. Bring your legs back toward your hands and scoot your feet forward so that you are crouching again. Now stand up quickly and push your body to jump off the ground a few inches. Stretch your arms into the sky as you jump. This completes a rep. When you land, start into the burpee motions again. Repeat as many reps as possible within 30 seconds. This completes a set. Rest 30 seconds and repeat. Knock out at least three sets w/ minimal rest between sets.

4 - Bent Over Rows into Triceps Kickbacks Superset A - Bent Over Rows Click For Video Example Stand with your feet fairly close together. Bend your knees slightly and bend over at a 45 degree angle with your back straight. Grasp your dumbbells with wide overhand grip and place them close together, hanging down in front of you. Pull your arms back and pull your dumbbells up toward your shoulders. Since you are bent over and have the dumbbells overhand, your elbows should bow out away from your body at about 90 degrees. Keep bending your elbows until they pass the angle created by your back. Return to starting position to complete a rep. Complete as many reps as possible within 15 seconds then start Triceps Kickbacks. B - Triceps Kickbacks Click For Video Example Stand in the same bent over position as you would for Rows. This time start with your elbows tucked in close to your body and your arms bent upward. Your weights should rest near your shoulders in a position similar to having ski poles tucked under your armpit. To perform a rep you want to slowly swing both weights around, downward and then back until both warms are fully extended and slightly behind our backs. Return to starting position to complete a rep. Perform as many reps as possible in the remaining 15 seconds. C - Rest 30 seconds Repeat the entire superset at least three times w/ minimal rest in between sets.

5 - Static Lunges into Wall Sit Superset A - Static Lunges Click For Video Example Stand with one foot forward and the other one back, about 3ft apart. You can optionally hold dumbbells in each hand to make it more challenging. Bend your knees to lower your body toward the ground. Your rear knee should touch (or come close to) the ground. Your front knee should bend but make sure it doesn't move in front of your toes. Once lowered, push through your front heel to return to the raised position and make sure to keep your torso straight. Perform as many lunges as you can for 15 seconds. B - Wall Sit Click For Video Example Find a wall, pole or other vertical surface, turn around and face your back to it. Push your hips, lower back and shoulders against a flat, vertical surface. Walk your feet out so that you can lower your body down until your legs are at a 90 degree angle. Push through your heels. You can have rest your hands behind your head, on your hips, at your sides or on your thighs. If the exercise is too hard, raise your legs so that they are slightly wider than 90 degrees. If the exercise is too easy, you can hold weights in one or both hands to increase difficulty. Hold for 15 seconds. C - Rest 30 seconds Repeat the entire superset at least three times w/ minimal rest in between sets. Alternate the rear leg each set for the lunges.

6 - Mountain Climbers Click For Video Example Get down into a push-up position. With your hands planted the entire time, bring one knee forward toward your chest and rest on the balls of your toes. To perform a rep, simultaneously pull your other knee toward your chest while kicking the leg with the bent knee backwards into a straight position. Essentially switching places. Repeat as many reps as possible within 30 seconds. This completes a set. Rest 30 seconds and repeat. Knock out at least three sets w/ minimal rest between sets.

7 - Push-Ups into Plank Superset A - Push-Up Click For Video Example Find a soft area to kneel down. Get into the front leaning rest position w/ your legs extended. Start completing reps of push-ups. After 15 seconds, get back onto your knees and move immediately into the Plank. B - Plank Click For Video Example After completing your push-ups, remain on the ground. Get face down to the ground, resting on the forearms w/ palms flat on the floor. Push off the floor, rising onto your toes and rest on your elbows. Keep your back flat and form a straight line from head to heels. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air or sagging in the middle. Hold for 15 seconds to finish the set. C - Rest 30 seconds Repeat the entire superset at least three times w/ minimal rest in between sets.

8 - Lying Kicks/Bicycles into Chest Press/Fly Superset A - Lying Kicks/Bicycles Click For Video Example Find a soft surface and lie down. Tilt your head forward so it is slightly off the ground. Place your hands under your butt to support your lower back. Raise both your feet off the ground a few inches w/ your legs out straight. Now raise your left leg to a 45 degree angle while leaving the right leg out straight. Lower the left leg, keep it straight and then raise the opposite leg 45 degrees. Repeat and alternate to perform reps. Maintain reps for 15 seconds. Optional: If you do not like flutter kicks, lie on your back and perform the following: Optional Video Example. In the same lying position as flutter kicks, place both hands behind your raised head. We will instead bring your left knee in toward right elbow and attempt to make them touch. Keep your right leg out straight. Return to the start position & perform a rep w/ the other leg. Repeat and alternate to complete multiple reps. B - Chest Press/Fly Click For Video Example While still lying on the ground after your kicks/bicycles, grab two dumbbells. Lie flat on your back and place your arms at 90 degrees, holding the weights in the air. Press them upward and extend your arms straight until the weights touch. Then return to your 90 degree position. Perform as many reps as possible in the remaining 15 seconds. Optional: If you prefer, you can lie on your back and perform the following: Optional Video Example. In the same position as chest presses you want to have your forearms at a 45 degree angle or lower with respect to the ground. Weights in hand you will bring both weights together over your chest, slowly swinging your arms up in a semi-circular motion. Return to the starting position to perform a rep. *** Intensity Tip: With either the press or the fly, you can perform leg raises while doing your chest exercise to hit your abs simultaneously. C - Rest 30 seconds Repeat the entire superset at least three times w/ minimal rest in between sets. Alternate the rear leg each set for the lunges.

9 - Squat Jumps (or Box Jumps/Step-Ups) Click For Video Example Get into a standing squat position, feet a little bit more than shoulder-width apart. You will squat down, bending your knees and lowering your butt down as if sitting in a chair. Bend your arms and bring your hands upward and toward you as you squat. Once fully lowered, explode back up through a standing position. Pushing through your heels and jump off the ground while extending your arms over your head into the air. Repeat as many reps as possible within 30 seconds. This completes a set. Rest 30 seconds and repeat. Knock out at least three sets w/ minimal rest between sets. Optional: If you don't like squat jumps or become fatigued before the set is complete, perform the following: Optional Video Example Find a sturdy, raised surface that can support your weight. Stand w/ feet shoulder-width apart. Jump onto the raised surface, pause a second and then either step, fall or jump back down. Repeat to perform reps. Optional: If you can't do squat/box jumps or become fatigued before the set is complete, perform the following: Optional Video Example. Alternating each leg, step up onto the raised surface and then bring your trailing leg up beside it. Step down carefully with each leg and repeat. *** Intensity Tip: If you find squat jumps to easy you can step it up by throwing in split squats between squat jump reps. You can view an example of how to do split squats here: Optional Video Example Like a squat jump, explode into the air but land in a lunge position with one leg to the rear and the corresponding knee close to the ground (do not touch the ground). Jump back into the air and alternate your rear leg. This completes a rep. Throw in a few reps of these between jump squats to mix things up. *** Intensity Tip: If you find squat jumps to easy you can perform them with weights in hand. Since you have to carry weights, you may have to change your squat jump form to accommodate the weight and not hurt yourself. A common method to squat jump with weights is to perform a "Sumo" squat jump. An example can be found here: Optional Video Example You want to grab a dumbbell and hold it with both hands vertically by one end. Your legs should be more than shoulder-width apart with your toes pointed slightly outward. Your arms should be fully extended downward in front of you, holding the weight centered. When you squat, attempt to touch the bottom of the weight to the ground while bending your knees and not your back. Try to stay upright as much as possible and don't bend over too much. Your legs should be doing the work. Touch the weight to the ground, push through your heels and then explode back up, jumping off the ground slightly. The height on your weighted sumo squat jump will be smaller than a normal squat jump.

10 - Optional Pull-Ups / Chin-Ups Video Example (Assisted) Find a set of pull-up bars (if none available, skip this exercise or perform Delt Rows off a park bench). Perform as many pull/chin-ups as you can un-assisted. If a workout partner or sturdy cooler is available, perform as many assisted pull/chin-ups as possible. Rest 30-60 seconds between sets. Optional: If no pull-up bars are available, perform the following: Delt Rows Video Example Optional: You can use a lower hanging pull-up bar and a sturdy cooler to perform assisted pull/chin-ups. Optional: If you have a friend available, you can bend your knees and have a friend assist you by pulling up on your knees.

11 - Optional Run If you're still up for it, either walk or jog a short 1/4 to 1/2 mile course around the park. Walk the entire route to cool down or if you're not tired yet, perform alternating sprints and jogs every 1/8 mile. Walk it out an extra 1/8 mile at the end to cool down after. Optional: You can hit the sidewalk and follow it around for a 2 mile course.

Hydrate, Rest and Recover. Good luck!!!

DIRECTIONS The closest intersection is at the edge of the park. Map to the following intersection: Simond Ave & Mattie St, Austin TX 78723

FROM NORTH AUSTIN Head South on I-35 *** Or just get to E 51st street however you normally would Take the exit toward 51st Street Merge onto I-35 Frontage Rd Turn left onto E 51st St Turn right onto Mueller Blvd *** Once on Mueller, Seton Hospital will be to your right At the traffic circle, make a left onto Aldrich St Make the first right onto Simond Ave Go to the 2nd driveway entrance *** Has pull-up bars near it, park in the lot or on the street

FROM SOUTH AUSTIN Head North on I-35 *** Or just get to E 51st street however you normally would Take the exit toward Airport Blvd (237A) Keep right at the fork, follow signs for Airport Blvd S/TX-111 Loop E and merge onto TX-111 Loop S/Airport Blvd Turn left onto Aldrich St *** Should be first major stoplight At the traffic circle, continue straight to stay on Aldrich St Make the first right onto Simond Ave Go to the 2nd driveway entrance *** Has pull-up bars near it, park in the lot or on the street

Nutrition: ShopWell App

Nutrition: ShopWell App

The ShopWell iPhone App is free and helps optimize your grocery shopping. It has you enter generic targets for your dietary needs and tailors food suggestions based on that information. You can also specify certain allergies or foods to avoid (i.e. Gluten-Free, Shellfish allergy, etc). You can configure your account through the website (ShopWell.com) or the mobile application. I like the mobile app because you can scan a barcode and receive a "score" for a specific food item. It will even highlight what's good and bad about the scanned item. The app will also suggest alternatives for any poorly scored items. To test out the app, I devised a "Snack Bar Challenge" to try and figure out which brand is best for me. I currently eat Clif Mojo Bars because they lack any processed sugar, are 70% organic and also pretty tasty. I was surprised when I scanned the barcode of my morning Mojo bar and it came back as a "Weak Match". It scored only a 38 out of a possible 100. So apparently Im eating the wrong bar! I went to my local grocery store and bought a couple different bars within the same section to see which one will score better for me.

CRITERIA Below is a screenshot of my selected nutritional goals. The app has you select from a list of "Wants" and "Don't Wants":

CLIF MOJO BAR I started with my daily snack bar and was horrified to find it scored an abysmal 38% match for my nutritional goals (weak match). I believe this is due to the fact that the bar has added sugar (on my "Don't Want" criteria) and only one of my "Wanted" criteria (protein). Mojo Nutrition Info

LUNA BAR I see these bars all over the place but didn't know it was targeting women. Their slogan is "Created By Women for Women". Since I already bought it I figured I would run it through the app for fun. It actually performed better than my usual Mojo bar & scored a 48% match (medium match). Maybe I need to check my estrogen levels? (haha) Luna Nutrition Info

ODWALLA BAR I wound up with two of these bars in my cart so I scanned both. Despite being two different types of bars, they scored an identical 60% match (medium match). This is moving in the right direction however. The addition of more vitamins and calcium helps this score better than previous bars. Odwalla Protein Nutrition Info Odwalla Berries GoMega Nutrition Info

KIND BAR This brand of bar looks and tastes the closest to a few flavors of Mojo bars I usually eat. This particular one is Gluten Free and scored the highest among the bars tested here with a 74% match (strong match). This bar hits most all my nutrition criteria plus other unchecked criteria. This is why is scores so high. The only negative is the added sugar but every bar I tried so far had that drawback. Looks like I may need to start buying a different brand of bar! Kind Protein Nutrition Info

CONCLUSION The ShopWell app is easy to use and kind of fun. It was funny to discover that the snack bar I thought was the best for me actually wasn't. If you want to plan an entire shopping list, the website is the best place to set that up. The app is best used to quickly spot check items when you're on the go using the barcode reader. It's totally free and has a huge database of preloaded items that are regularly updated. The suggestions are always on point and I would recommend this app to anyone. So far the mobile version is only for the iPhone but the website is accessible to all. Check it out and audit your food purchases today. Cheers...

Music: Power Songs July 16th

Music: Power Songs July 16th
Some new songs to hype up your workouts, Enjoy!!!
1 - Somebody That I Used To Know (Hyper Crush Remix) - Gotye
2 - Don't Wake Me Up - Chris Brown
3 - The Night Out (Madeon Remix) - Martin Solveig
4 - The One That Got Away (R3hab Remix) - Katy Perry
5 - My Homies Still - Lil' Wayne ft Big Sean

Nutrition: Veggie Chili

Nutrition: Veggie Chili

Recipe Two 12oz pack of LightLife Smart Ground Veggie Crumbles Three 28oz can of diced tomatoes 15oz can Kidney beans (drained) 15oz can Black beans (drained) 1 cup diced white onion Three whole peppers, sliced thin (jalapeno or whatever you like) Minced Garlic Your favorite hot sauce (tabasco, sriracha, etc) Chili Powder to taste (I use at least half a bottle) *** This recipe yields a large crockpot of chili. Serves 10-12.

Directions Pan fry the crumbles and season them with hot sauce (or whatever you like). Dump the cooked crumbles and the tomatoes and beans into crock pot. Add at least 3 large splashes of chili powder. Sautee onions & peppers w/ the garlic & add to pot. Start crock pot & stir occasionally. Add more chili powder & maybe salt to taste. Should cook in about 3-4hrs on low & 1-2hrs on high.

Nutrition: Cutting Results

This is an update post w/ results of a four week "cutting" (weight loss) cycle in which I dropped down to my summer maintenance weight and also helped me test out a supplement called "Animal Cuts". I've used that product the past two summers to help add some extra definition right before a vacation. The above picture of that nerdy black dude (me) is a before and after. The left side "before" pic shows when I weighed-in between 196-198lbs during the week of May 21-25. That pic was taken May 23rd. I had more mass from "bulking" (gaining weight) through the winter/spring but looked "softer" overall, especially around my midsection. During the winter I upped my calorie intake and cut out cardio completely. I'm a hard-gainer so running 5k's three times a week made it too hard to stay in a calorie excess. I also hate doing cardio so that dropping that was easy. During this period I did gain mass and strength but it came along with extra fat. I think if I try to bulk again this winter, I will actually track my calories and try to not to bulk "blind" by just eating based on how I felt. The right side "after" pic displays me currently and I weighed-in between 190-191lbs during June 18-20. The pic was taken June 20th. I feel I was able to shred my midsection and still maintain some of my mass up top. There is no way to target a specific area (i.e. abs) and just lose weight there unfortunately. You have to try to drop your overall body fat pecentage and if the muscle is present underneath, it will shine through. So my cutting strategy is to still lift heavy and try to maintain muscle mass but intake less calories and incorporate cardio to drop weight.

NUTRITION CHANGES

Basic biology dictates that if you eat less and move more you will lose weight. I outline in a previous post how to calculate a rough estimate of your maintenance calories (Macros Post). I used that method to estimate my "cutting" (weight loss) calories at 195lbs was about 2975 on training days and 2700 on rest days. This is down 500 cals from my maintenance calorie calculation. It was hard at first since I had become accustomed to my "bulking" (weight gain) diet of never being hungry and eating anything that wasn't nailed down. My stomach was used to having any urge satisfied immediately. I would still eat clean but I ate all the time with my calorie and carb intake insanely high. The key for me to control my nutrition was to track it (also detailed in the previous macro post). It was really surprising to see how easily you can exceed 1k cals with only a few food items. I had to space my meals back out and have short times where I was slightly hungry. As you drop weight however, those urges tend to go away since you don't need as many calories at a lower weight. In my case, using the formula from the macro post, my maintenance calories are roughly 2964 at 190lbs. This is lower than my "cutting" calories at 195lbs (2975). So as I dropped weight, I was slowly sliding into the calorie range I needed to maintain a lower weight and my hunger adjusted with it. I would have never been able to gauge whether or not my hunger was legitimate if I wasn't tracking my calories. The last remaining challenge was to manage the timing of my meals and still hit my macros. I needed to start spacing out my meals again instead of just eating all the time. I also had to make sure I was still maintaining a good amount of protein with the lower calorie count. I needed to start eating high protein meals for breakfast and dinner since I was reaching my calorie cap much sooner than I was used to.

WORKOUT CHANGES

The primary change to my routine is that I incorporated cardio back into my routine. Cardio makes it easier to create a calorie deficit, which helps drop weight. I do cardio three times a week now. Another difference was to change one of my workouts to a high-intensity, high-rep workout. A group of my friends started doing circuit work at a park in town on Sundays, so I join in every week. My rest day is Saturday and I hit the gym Mon-Fri. The circuit work is a lot of body weight and high-rep work. It also is outside and helps generate a lot of sweat! It includes some sprints and agility work that helps me meet my weekly cardio requirement ( Example Workout Here). As far as gym work goes, I kept my routine pretty much the same as far as reps and muscle groups.

---

ANIMAL CUT: Shred Supplement

This supplement is used to help create more definition in your physique. It combines a mixture of several different elements that promote fat loss. A serving is a packet of about eight pills. I placed some brief bullet points on the components of the supplement below. Some people optionally remove either the thermogenic (red pill) or the diuretic (blue pills) if it causes weird reactions for you. The instructions state to take two packs a day for three weeks in a row but I only took it Mon-Fri and skipped the weekend. Since I skip the weekends I wound up with enough servings for an entire month and change. The caffeine in the supplement (red pill) is extreme but my body got used to it after a few days. Due to the diuretic (blue pill), you want to make sure that you ingest a higher than normal amount of water a day. As with any supplement, this will not single-handedly bring you to your goal on its own. If I continued to eat and workout as I did while bulking, I wouldn't see any results from this. Since I already had a plan to cut calories and adjust my workout, the pills helped "supplement" my work toward weight loss. I do admit the appetite suppresors helped control urges when I first started cutting. Once I got closer to my goal weight, it wasn't needed however. Overall I like the supplement but wouldn't recommend it for sustained use. Even the manufacturer states that you should take a week off between cycles. I think it is best as either a jump-start or finishing touch to a cutting cycle. If your body fat percentage is already pretty low you will see results. More detail and purchase info here: Animal Cuts on Bodybuilding.com

Components

1 - Thermogenic *** Red capsule The ingredients in this complex help boost the bodys natural ability to burn stored body fat.

2 - Metabolic Helps raise your body's core metabolism which increases the rate at which your body converts food into energy. A quicker metabolism will ensure that less food is being stored as body fat.

3 - Thyroid Helps support healthy thyroid gland function and avoid a catabolic state

4 - Diuretic *** Two blue capsules Sheds excess water weight by promoting an increase in the excretion of sodium & water from the body. It also helps lower the blood pressure.

5 - Nootropic Provides increased oxygen supply to the brain to promote better focus and increased alertness.

6 - Cortisol Inhibiting Helps regulate the hormone cortisol (aka the "stress" hormone). This hormone is said to break down muscle mass and help cause weight gain if present in execessive levels. Inhibitors should decrease stress levels and help maintain muscle mass.

7 - CCK Inhibiting Appetite suppressors, such as hoodia, joboba seed and cha-de-bugre, which help curb sugar and carb cravings.

8 - Proprietary Bioavailability This is Universals proprietary blend of random stuff.

---

Submitted by Bars

Workout: Getting Started - Part 1

We receive the most questions from people looking to start working out and/or lose weight. Everyone is different and their are numerous ways to achieve this goal but we figured it would be best to jot down some thoughts to hopefully help inspire folks and provide a general direction on how to start.

Basic Advice 1 - Make the Decision to Change 2 - Take the First Steps 2A - Small Nutrition Tweaks Cut down on unhealthy drinks (i.e. cola, alcohol, etc) Snack healthy Eat healthy side dishes w/ your meal Eat 5-6 small meals per day Practice portion control Cut out fattening condiments Eat breakfast daily Don't fall victim to "quick fix" pills 2B - Find An Activity Workout at home Join a local gym Start walking/running Take a class: Zumba, kick-boxing, crossfit, etc 3 - Stay Motivated/Committed Have a positive attitude Start with small changes Find an enjoyable activity Reach out for support Don't obsess over the scale Keep things interesting and seek new challenges. 4 - Track Your Results

Detailed Advice

1 - The Decision Many people will experience a moment where we make the conscious decision to create change in our lives. This “change” could manifest itself in many forms. It could be a decision to go back to school, to cut back on alcohol, to switch careers or even to settle down with the special somebody. Regardless of what the destination is, the journey to that place begins with the deliberate choice to step onto a path toward that goal. With regards to fitness, the goal could be to lose weight, train for a marathon, beat an illness or just simply be around long enough to watch your grandkids grow up. My own personal path to fitness began in high school. I was always skinny and just an unassuming band geek, carrying around my saxophone everywhere. I generally did do OK in Phys Ed, because I played basketball frequently and could handle running plus other sporting activities well. Freshman year we did wrestling as an activity for Phys Ed class. I did not do well at all this day. Back then I weighed around 100lbs soaking wet and was the lightest male in the entire class. I just remember feeling utterly helpless and totally at the mercy of every opponent I faced due to my lack of strength. Eventually the coach had to place me against female classmates since they were the only people in my weight class. That day after school I decided I needed to throw on some weight and develop more strength. Over the past twenty or so years my decision has helped me in numerous ways. When I was younger, it helped my b-ball game a lot and provided me the confidence to talk to girls. I was already prepared for the physical demands of the military when I joined the Army. The habit of fitness also stayed with me into civilian life and currently keeps me in shape despite having a desk job. And rocking a six pack during lake/tubing season doesn’t hurt either (haha).

2 - First Steps Now that we have the inspiration to start our journey we must now choose what steps to take to begin down our path to success. For most people, the goal includes losing weight for various reasons so I will focus on that (there are other blog posts specific to gaining muscle and bodybuilding). Initially we want to focus on simply developing healthy habits. Fitness is a lifestyle and a lifestyle is basically a collection of actions and attitudes that reflects a way of life. The ultimate goal is to build a healthy way of life that is sustainable. Rome wasn’t built in a day and we need to realize that this will be a long journey. There will be milestones on the way however and hopefully they will act as positive reinforcement to keep on the path. This being said, you don’t want to start a marathon at a dead sprint. We want to start with small, manageable steps. Nutrition Some may disagree but nutrition is king when it comes to fitness. With regards to weight loss (and even bodybuilding too), nutrition can make or break your results. Some have reaped great results from simply making changes to their diet without much exercise. Before even thinking about joining a gym or heading to a boot camp, take a minute to examine your daily eating habits. We want to find ways to make small, maintainable tweaks to spark results. Below are some easy tweaks: i – Beverages Of course the best beverage for you health-wise is h2o. We all know water is what we’re supposed to drink but unfortunately it doesn’t help satisfy our taste buds. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth but I do enjoy beer an awful lot so I can sympathize. So many drinks nowadays are packed with various forms of sugar (even the diet ones!). If you drink anything but water during the day, we want to try to slowly cut back on that. Again, the idea is to slowly introduce changes that we can maintain. Downgrade your favorite unhealthy drink. For example, if you drink cola with every meal then for at least one meal attempt to drink a half-sweet/half-unsweet tea or juice. Slowly try to wean yourself off soda until you can go without it. Once you do, you won’t miss it. Of course, we want to eventually downgrade all the way to drinking water or things closest to it. Alternate drinks are coconut water, teas (unsweet or half sweet w/ stevia), natural juices (still has natural sugars so dont go too crazy), or even water w/ add-ins like Mio, Crystal Lite, etc. Cut the alcohol. Alcohol contains nothing but empty calories, helps kill your metabolism and likely your will to exercise the next day. Depending on how serious you are about your goals and your body type, you need to examine your alcohol intake. If you are a heavy drinker, a small change would be to limit the amount of brews you have when out and/or switch to lighter beer. You can also try to alternate water w/ beer (prevents hangovers and keeps you from getting too drunk). ii – Snacks Snacking can be beneficial to maintaining fitness when done correctly. The content, timing and portions of snacks are the tricky part. Snacks are useful to stave us over until the next meal but we need to make healthy food decisions. Of course we want to cut down on unnecessary snacking but we can make small replacements to certain foods to at least help us start eating right. We also need to identify situations which trigger extra snacking and try to avoid those (i.e. opportunity, stress, boredom, etc). Salty: Chips – Replace w/ a healthier snack. Grab some hummus (or another healthy spread) and eat w/ lightly salted crackers. You can also eat those 100-calorie packs of popcorn for a salty snack. Sweet: Ice Cream – Replace w/ Yogurt or similar dairy product. You can place yogurt in the freezer for a day & its consistency will be similar to ice cream but without all the sugar. Start w/ regular yogurts and eventually downgrade to healthier types of natural or Greek yogurt w/ fruit thrown in. You can even freeze grapes, watermelon or other fruits and simply eat those to cool off. iii – Meals The bulk of your caloric intake will come from your main meals. The amount of advice and types of diets are too numerous to examine in one blog post. Our main goal is to avoid any “gimmicks” as far as diets go. We want to instead create changes to the way we eat that are manageable for life. This doesn’t mean that you can’t gain any wisdom from popular diets but just tread carefully and remember that there are no shortcuts in life. Make small replacements. Of course my first point was going to be simply “eat right”. The typical response would be “no sh*t Sherlock” so I decided to keep with the theme of small, manageable changes. You don’t want to immediately turn into a health nut and attempt to only eat salads and chicken with brown rice every day. We want to slowly phase out unhealthy options until it’s easy to make good food decisions unconsciously. For example, let’s say you eat out for dinner and order a steak w/ fries normally. Keep your steak but replace that side of fries with a healthier choice. The best choice would be steamed veggies but even a plain baked potato would be better. Once you get used to having your regular main entrée but with a healthy side, try to start ordering healthier entrees. Like instead of the red meat, go for chicken or fish. Spread out your meals. A universally agreed upon truth is that we are best served eating multiple smaller meals throughout the day as opposed to the traditional three large meals. Spreading your meals out throughout the day helps keep you feeling full and helps boost your metabolism. Watch your portions. When spreading out your meals, this should naturally lessen the portions you are eating. Even when eating your larger meals around lunch or dinner, be aware of how much you are eating. Tracking your calories (or “points” in some systems) is best but you can start small by simply not ordering/making the largest meal available. If you are spreading your meals and/or snacking healthy, you shouldn’t be totally starving when going to eat. Try to avoid getting that second whole portion. Don’t use the largest bowl or plate you have when serving yourself at home. When eating out, order the lunch portion and avoid appetizers. Check your condiments. There are many meals that would inherently be healthy if left alone but are ruined by condiments. As with the steak example mentioned earlier, you can ruin a baked potato w/ sour cream. Try to eat it dry or just use a pat of butter. When getting grilled chicken or steak, don’t smother it with ranch, gravy or BBQ sauce. Eat breakfast. I know its cliché, but it is the most important meal of the day. It will get your metabolism jump started and prevent you from gorging at lunch. You should also be more alert and have better overall energy for the start of your day. Even if it’s something small, try to get something in your stomach. If you’re always in a rush in the morning, try to plan the night previous or on the weekend for your breakfast meals. A premade shake, a breakfast bar and a piece of fruit is a good combo for a fast on-the-go breakfast. iv – Supplements There are several supplements out there that claim to be “magic bullets” for weight loss. In general there are no shortcuts when it comes to fitness. The basic formula of eating less and exercising more is the only truth. That being said I personally do take supplements for bodybuilding and occasionally for weight loss (when cutting). When I drop weight during the summer, I do a cycle of supplements that include appetite suppressants. They do work for me as far as taking the “edge” of my hunger. They do not replace willpower however as I still am consciously keeping in mind that I need to eat less. I am also tracking an approximation of calories, carbs, proteins and fats for everything I eat as well. So I already have the “habit” and willpower to adjust my nutrition as needed. For those that are just starting out, they often lack healthy habits or the ability to make wise nutrition choices. So various weight loss pills will likely help them initially but you are not forming healthy habits and therefore will eventually lose any results gained from the supplement. Fat burners or similar supplements can help boost calorie burning but they are just quick fixes and can only do so much. The bulk of your results will come from your diet choices and exercise. Supplements are best to just complement a healthy lifestyle and help push you over the edge for that last 5% of your goal at most. We have a couple blogs on supplements that do not claim to be “magic bullets” but instead will help with a general goal. Those types of supplements become necessary to facilitate more advanced aerobic activity. Exercise If nutrition is king then exercise is queen. Exercise helps turbocharge your results by helping your body burn more calories. If you choose exercises that build muscle then you will burn calories throughout the day while the muscle builds and repairs. The key to anyone starting out is to try and find an activity that you will enjoy and can maintain. For some people this activity may need to change occasionally (or even often at times) to keep them from growing bored. Don’t be discouraged if it takes time for you to find an activity you enjoy. Home Workout – We outline several home workouts in this blog. Just grab a few dumbbells and workout in the privacy of your own space. This benefits people are who shy initially and/or may need to familiarize themselves with working out before hitting an actual gym. It also saves the time of driving to a gym and can be just as effective with the right motivation and equipment. Gym – Find a convenient gym and test it out. Most gyms have a trial membership or let you pay monthly. The key is to find one that’s both affordable to you and in a good location. You will be more likely to get your gym time in if it’s close to your home or work. Also find a trainer that you feel comfortable with. You don’t have to pay for personal training forever but if you are new to the gym, pay for a month or so of sessions and learn the equipment. After you are familiar, you can work out on your own. If you there is an apartment or community gym available, train there. Try to find a trainer or friend that will show you how to exercise using the equipment found there. Running – Grab yourself a good pair of shoes and either hit the trails and/or the treadmill. Even if you can’t run at all, at least get out and walk. The best way to work up to running is to do interval training. Start walking and then when warmed up jog for a short 30 second burst. Continue walking and when you’re up for it, jog for another 30 second burst. Eventually you will find that you can jog for longer periods of time. If you have issues with your knees/ankles, try to run on a track or treadmill/elliptical. Activity – Whether it is Zumba, Self-Defense courses, Kick-Boxing or Yoga, just get out and do something. There are outdoor bootcamps, crossfit classes, softball and other group-related exercise which may appeal to you. Since you are often working out with others you may be more inspired to continue and find moral support there. These classes often do have trial periods as well to let you figure out if you would like it.

3 - Commitment / Motivation Your journey will be long and difficult at times and you may falter. It’s all about trying to pick yourself back up and get onto your original path. Keep grinding and make sure your goal is still in mind so you can get back on course when you have a hiccup. The only person that can ensure you succeed is you but there are definitely steps you can take to help set yourself up for success. Mindset – Try to get your mind right and don’t look at your journey as something that is difficult or “sucks”. Look at is in a positive light as a challenge and a change of pace. It will seem hard at first but if you start small, it will not be too bad. If you fall off the fitness wagon, don’t get too down on yourself. Even when starting out, try not to be too discouraged about your current fitness level and obsess on the “how did I let myself get this way”. Look forward to the future and take joy in small victories on the way. Start small – Many people try to start too hardcore and quickly burn out. The theme throughout this blog post is to slowly implement change. Have the mindset that this is a marathon and will take time. You may want to start with one, single small change and let it snowball from there. Start with something like making a commitment to walk two blocks once a week. Make it an easy activity to accomplish. We want to practice forming habits, not necessarily practice difficult activities. Once you can commit to your small change 100% of the time you should be in the practice of accounting for the change. Whether it is a nutrition or exercise change, your mind should automatically know how to account for it. You can use this mind training to help form other healthy habits and implement other changes. Find your “thing” – If you can find an activity that counts as an exercise and a fun hobby, then you are more likely to stick with it. Try to get involved in something that appeals to you. For some it may be things like competitive sports. Others may enjoy running. No matter what you do try to beat your personal bests. Support group – If possible, surround yourself with positive influences and people that will enable you to succeed. Those that are negative influences may be a detriment to your commitment. This doesn’t mean disassociate yourself with people that aren’t into being healthy but don’t let them drag you into unhealthy behaviors. It’s always easier to have people around you going through the same struggle. Reach out to your friends and family members for support but don’t rely on them too heavily as this is a path you must walk on your own. No one can force you to make healthy food choices and exercise regularly. So even if your gym buddy starts to flake, stay on course and keep it up solo. Hopefully you can inspire them to get back into it. Don’t obsess – Do not obsess over the scale or results. Your overall goal may be a long ways away so don’t go crazy over weekly results. If you start to develop the appropriate habits, the rest will take care of itself over time. You want to definitely track your changes but if you pay too close attention to it, you may become discouraged if you don’t see immediate results. A healthy lifestyle is for life and the results that stem from it are not quick. You are in this for the long haul, give it time to develop. Switch it up – As mentioned above, a lifestyle change takes time. A main enemy of change is boredom or monotony. Working out the same way or eating the same things can become boring over time. Try to find new and exciting ways to exercise or eat when you get a routine down. If you walk/run around the neighborhood when practicing your intervals, try to change locations. Go to different local trails or scenic places and train there. If you’re in the gym and have a routine down, research some different workouts. Engage a trainer or take kettle bell class. Look for ways to spark new interest in your routine. As far as eating goes, look for different healthy recipes and/or restaurants you can try out.

4 - Tracking When starting out, you want to try and track your small victories. As said before, try not to obsess over the scale but you do want to keep a record. Try to track your small changes. In the cola example from earlier, maybe notate how many sodas you have per day. Try to decrease that number weekly until it becomes pointless to track because you are only having one or two. If you start exercising, make a goal to walk/run at least once a week. Mark it down on a calendar. Once you see you can hit that regularly, try to bump it up to twice a week. After awhile you can start tracking miles and try to exceed personal bests. Once you have developed some healthy nutrition habits and have at least some form of regular exercise, I would start tracking your body measurements in greater detail. Do keep track of weight losses but pay more attention to body image. Use cheesy mySpace-like mirror pictures to track changes in your physique.

Check back for additional beginner advice and browse our posts regularly for ideas on workouts and nutrition. Good luck!

Workout: Mueller Lake Park Circuit 2

Equipment Used: One pair of dumbbells Soft ground area for push-ups/sit-ups Park Bench or flat area of similar height Hill with a steep incline (at least 45 degree) or a set of stairs Highly recommended:Water source / Shade

Tip: This workout is outside, designed for a park with some space & some basic equipment. Scout out parks near you. *** Directions to the park we use is at the bottom of the page. (Mueller Lake Park)

Tip: At least here in Texas, it's hot as hell outside. Bring water and snack bars to keep your energy up. As always, drink plenty of water and get sufficient rest.

Circuit #2

SUMMARY ***Stretch/Warmup Push-Up into Military Press Superset Walking Alternating Lunges Sit-Ups / Crunches Bicep Curls Squats into Shoulder Raise Superset Reverse Ab Crunches into Plank Superset Tricep Dips Box Jumps / Step-Ups Lying Flutter Kicks/Bicycles into Lying Chest Press Superset Pull-Ups / Chin-Ups Incline Wind Sprints Agility Slalom Run Optional: 1-2 mile warm down run/walk

Stretch / Warmup Loosen your muscles (both upper/lower body). Stretch out and hydrate.

1 - Push-Up into Military Press Superset A - Push-Up Click For Video Example Find a soft area to kneel down. Grab your dumbbells and get into the front leaning rest position w/ your hands still wrapped around the dumbbells. Knock out a set of push-ups. Once done, get back onto your knees and move into the Military Press. B -Military Press Click For Video Example While still kneeling after your push-up set, move the dumbbells into position near your head with your arms bent at a 90 degree angle. Perform a set of Military Presses. Afterward, rest 30-60 seconds and then start the superset again with exercise A. Optional: You can perform both exercises without dumbbells if you get tired.

2 - Walking Alternating Lunges Video Example Stand w/ feet shoulder-width apart and at least 30 paces of flat space in front of you. Perform walking lunges. Rest 30-60 seconds between sets. Optional: To increase difficulty, hold a dumbbell in each hand down by your sides as you perform this exercise. Optional: You don't have to, but going down low enough to where your knee touches the ground increases difficulty as well.

3 - Sit-Ups / Crunches Sit-Up Video Example Crunch Video Example Find a soft area to lie down (or use a mat or park ab equipment). Either peform crunches or sit-ups (may vary based on equipment and/or people to help hold your feet). Rest 30 seconds between sets (abs recover quickly compared to other muscle groups).

4 - Bicep Curls Video Example Grab your dumbbells, stand w/ feet shoulder-width apart and perform bicep curls. Rest 30-60 seconds between sets.

5 - Squats into Shoulder Raise Superset A - Squats Click For Video Example Standing in front of a park bench (or similar flat surface) , stand w/ feet shoulder-width apart and arms out-stretched. Perform squats. Rest 30-60 seconds between sets. Optional: To increase difficulty, either perform squats with a single weight held near your chest w/ both hands or hold a weight in each hand in the military press position (near your head w/ arms at 45 degrees). B - Shoulder Raise Click For Video Example With your feet together and the weights in hand, down in front of your body, perform front raises. The standard grip is to handle the dumbbell with your palms facing your body and parallel to the floor once raised (as in video example). You can optionally have your palms facing your thighs (hands by your sides) and perpendicular to the floor once raised. Rest 30-60 seconds between sets and then start the superset again with exercise A.

6 - Reverse Ab Crunches into Plank Superset A - Bench Crunches Click For Video Example Sit near the end of a flat surface (park bench or similar). Lean back slightly and hold the sides of the flat bench. Place your legs together and extend them out in front of the end of the bench. Perform reps by bending your knees and pulling them in toward your chest while leaning forward. Release by leaning back into starting position and extending your legs back out. B - Plank Click For Video Example After completing your ab crunches, drop down onto a soft ground surface. Get face down to the ground, resting on the forearms w/ palms flat on the floor. Push off the floor, raising onto your toes and rest on your elbows. Keep your back flat and form a straight line from head to heels. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air or sagging in the middle. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds to complete a rep. Lower onto your knees to rest. Rest 30-60 seconds between sets and then start the superset again with exercise A.

7 - Tricep Dips Video Example Start seating on a park bench (or similar raised flat surface) with your feet flat on the floor and your legs bent out slightly more than 90 degrees. With your palms flat on the bench and your fingers facing the same direction as your body, push your butt out in the air so that you are being supported by your arms. Perform dips. Rest 30-60 seconds between sets.

8 - Box Jumps / Step-Ups Video Example Find a sturdy, raised surface that can support your weight. Stand w/ feet shoulder-width apart. Rest 30-60 seconds between sets. Optional: If you can't do box jumps or become fatigued before the set is complete, perform the following: Step-Up Video Example. Alternating each leg, step up onto the raised surface and then bring your trailing leg up beside it. Step down carefully with each leg and repeat. Optional: You can increase the height of the object you are jumping onto to increase difficulty.

9 - Lying Flutter Kicks/Bicycles into Lying Chest Press Superset A - Lying Flutter Kicks Click For Video Example Find a soft surface and lie down. Tilt your head forward so it is slighty off the ground. Place your hands under your butt to support your lower back. Raise both your feet off the ground a few inches w/ your legs out straight. Now raise your left leg to a 45 degree angle while leaving the right leg out straight. Lower the left leg, keep it straight and then raise the opposite leg 45 degrees. Repeat and alternate to perform reps. Optional: If you do not like flutter kicks, lie on your back and perform the following: Ab Bicycles Video Example. In the same lying position as flutter kicks, place both hands behind your raised head. We will instead bring your left knee in toward right elbow and attempt to make them touch. Keep your right leg out straight. Return to the start position & perform a rep w/ the other leg. Repeat and alternate to complete multiple reps. B - Lying Chest Press Click For Video Example While still lying on the ground after your flutter kicks or bicycles, grab two dumbbells. Lie flat on your back and place your arms at 90 degrees, holding the weights in the air. Perform a set of Chest Presses. Afterward, rest 30-60 seconds and then start the superset again with exercise A.

10 - Pull-Ups / Chin-Ups Video Example (Assisted) Find a set of pull-up bars (if none available, skip this exercise or perform Delt Rows off a park bench). Perform as many pull/chin-ups as you can un-assisted. If a workout partner or sturdy cooler is available, perform as many assisted pull/chin-ups as possible. Rest 30-60 seconds between sets. Optional: If no pull-up bars are available, perform the following: Delt Rows Video Example Optional: You can use a lower hanging pull-up bar and a sturdy cooler to perform assisted pull/chin-ups. Optional: If you have a friend available, you can bend your knees and have a friend assist you by pulling up on your knees.

11 - Incline Wind Sprints Video Example Find a steep hill w/out too much debris and uniform surface. Allow enough flat space at the bottom of the incline to slow down. Sprint quickly up the hill and jog back down. Repeat several times and then rest. Optional: If no suitable hills are available, you can run a step of stairs for an incline workout.

12 - Agility Slalom Run Video Example Find a set of trees (or other obstacles/landmarks) that are staggered and spaced on flat ground (pictured at the top of the page). Run around each obstacle, alternating left to right. After the last obstacle, clear to the side of all obstacles and sprint straight back to the start. Rest 30 seconds (or until you catch your breath). Optional: You can setup a set of cones, spray paint waypoints on the ground or use other means to create the obstacles course to navigate around.

13 - Optional Run If you're still up for it, either walk or jog a short 1/4 to 1/2 mile course around the park. Walk the entire route to cool down or if you're not tired yet, perform alternating sprints and jogs every 1/8 mile. Walk it out an extra 1/8 mile at the end to cool down after. Optional: You can hit the sidewalk and follow it around for a 2 mile course.

Hydrate, Rest and Recover. Good luck!!!

DIRECTIONS The closest intersection is at the edge of the park. Map to the following intersection: Simond Ave & Mattie St, Austin TX 78723

FROM NORTH AUSTIN Head South on I-35 *** Or just get to E 51st street however you normally would Take the exit toward 51st Street Merge onto I-35 Frontage Rd Turn left onto E 51st St Turn right onto Mueller Blvd *** Once on Mueller, Seton Hospital will be to your right At the traffic circle, make a left onto Aldrich St Make the first right onto Simond Ave Go to the 2nd driveway entrance *** Has pull-up bars near it, park in the lot or on the street

FROM SOUTH AUSTIN Head North on I-35 *** Or just get to E 51st street however you normally would Take the exit toward Airport Blvd (237A) Keep right at the fork, follow signs for Airport Blvd S/TX-111 Loop E and merge onto TX-111 Loop S/Airport Blvd Turn left onto Aldrich St *** Should be first major stoplight At the traffic circle, continue straight to stay on Aldrich St Make the first right onto Simond Ave Go to the 2nd driveway entrance *** Has pull-up bars near it, park in the lot or on the street