70 Year old Bodybuilder - Melanie

I just posted the training routine and some of the diet a 70-year-old bodybuilder Melanie from England.   She is in incredible shape it looks like she's about 40 years old.  She has been training for most of her life and really hard for the last 15 years.

She is living proof that if we continue to train scientifically and watch your diet we can stay in shape and look great for our entire life. 

http://bodybuilder.com/

The new one second slicer

Yes I know I have seen many product advertised and when I took the plunge and bought them to be greatly lacking.    But I have found that this product has been a very good purchase for someone interested in health

I have been able to cut up fruit salads in a matter of a minute and also cut up onions,  tomatoes, zucchini,  most any kind of vegetables and then cook or put them in salads.

The only problem I see is sometimes what you were cutting up will stick to the plastic part you push down where you can easily scrape them off. It also has two different size cutting blades that you can use the reverse.   And the good thing is you could also use it to store what you just cut up in the fridge  very easily.

You can find them online so they have a infomercial. They can also be washed by hand or easily inside the dishwasher.  I use one and I also gave one to my daughter. I would highly recommend it for a project for you to use or a gift for anyone interested in being healthy.  It really makes cutting up vegetables or fruit something that could be done in seconds and therefore providing you with a very healthy meals

POWER TRAINING,

If you're going to be successful in developing your body you must not only be constantly trying to increase the amount of weights that you handle for your exercises, but at the same time you must also be very careful of the stress that you were placing on your shoulders, knees, and lower back.

I have seen athletes for over 30 years virtually ruin their joints by handling too much weight and only getting exercise from lifting weights  They begin to cheat when they do the exercises and when they start experience pain in her joints.

They stop doing perfect form and start to use their legs and lower back so they can handle the same amount of weights, or no longer do a full extension of the exercise.  And the more their joints ache, the less range of motion they use on the exercise that they are doing.  Which also means they are losing flexibility in their muscles and joints for they no longer doing a full range of motion. 

I would suggest that every athlete include some static and non-static stretching either during their work out or to different part of the day.  And that you also include at least 1-2 rest stays during the week when you should be doing some flexibility exercises and aerobics to let your joints relax and your muscles grow.  

In fact if you find your poundages are going down, your joints and body are racing, it is always good idea to take a day or two off and let your body recover and your muscles to grow.

Do not feel guilty about this and definitely do not keep training add keeping the weights up or you are risking the chance of serious surgery and having to lay off for months before you can train again

Training at Worlds Gym in Glendale 

I had some super training sessions the last three weeks at world gym.  They really have some serious bodybuilders and fitness people there and it makes it very easy to train hard and to get some serious weight lifting in.

My weight poundages have gone up significantly in the last month and I could definitely see and feel the results.  if you're going to train and you want results you do after increase your weights. You simply cannot put on muscle if you're handling super lightweights, and you really will not get any results either.

I sometimes jump rope for 10 minutes at the end of my workout and I'm still playing tennis and hiking too.  Now I did you just start to clean up my diet the next two weeks I get a little more sleep and see how far I can take this

I have big plans! 

Training in the Swimming Pool - 07/19/14

I have been running sprints in the pool doing straights- running backwards sideways and jumping up. I alternate with treading water and go over 30 to 45 minutes of full sprints and some stress.
Played tennis today and flat out kicked ass!!!! I want four sets in a row against them the top players in SCV

I Run as fast as I can in the water for sprints, and then I do stride outs as long as a stride as I can also!  I then tread water  pushing as hard as I can with both arms and feet while I'm doing it.  I can Tread water easily for 30 minutes now while making the water really rise  what I'm doing it,  I mean making my legs and arms move rapidly.

It is an incredible high intensity low-impact workout! 

Training Update -7/10/14

My training world's gym is really escalating. In our work out in five times a week along with tennis and swimming.  My weight pal just going out and  am able to do more exercises each day. I'm going to start tightening up my diet

I'm going to steadily increase the power outages next 60 days, remove most of that from my diet, see what I can look like.  I only take about 30 seconds between each exercise is big enough to put equipment to use. 

Just three days of training at world gym

This picture was taken today right before I go play tennis

Then super busy teaching and so have been short on sleep and also diet is just and fair.  But I have got my routine up to a full hour now, and in fact I could go for another 30 minutes if I get up earlier

So this next week I'm going to train even harder give my diet cleaned up and see if I can keep increasing those weights. Doing mostly aerobics and lightweights the last 10 years so now to see how much I can increase them.

New Training Routine

Okay so I've decided it's time to get serious and I went enjoying Worlds Gym Glendale!  I spent the last three years training in a small school gym with very limited weights and equipment.

In fact the dumbbells only go up to 20 pounds. So since I want to see how far I can push my training at age 60 I decided Time to get to a real gym and do some hard training. So I'm not training very early morning four-  five times a week. This is my third  work out and my ways are already starting to go up and I could feel my muscles were sore from the previous two days. 

But I will now be able to see just how far I can push my training.  My age I don't have to worry about losing muscle or really losing weight. Your body becomes a economic  machine and you have to watch what you eat and get the maximum out of the calories and the carbs you consume

So I am also starting my diet this week and hope to tighten my entire body in the next 60 days. I am not on a super strict diet for I do not believe in those and those usually lead to overindulgence at times. 

Simply put I intend to train as hard as I can and eat as healthy as I can. I will put pictures up of the results each week.

Free photo shoot for a bodybuilder/Fitness athletes who wants to take before and after pictures

Going to do photo shoots next week for all those bodybuilders and fitness people who want to do a before and after training session. We will do them twice a month and see what changes can be made

This is Debbie from Canyon country who is 64 years old and still training hard. Come on down if you can make it if not post your picks up here and tell us about your training

Training at age  60

Before 04/26/14

After 05/30/16

You can see the difference over the last one with my training and I am just getting started. I am back to lifting weights in the morning and I have now started to run in the pool and tread water filed to six days a week.

I'm also playing tennis for five times a week and hiking or five times a week. I'm starting to clean up my diet and eat healthier each week. I want to see how far I can go with my training I will start to record pictures every week and profile for my training

I will start to take pictures each week and record more more my training

Apple - Strawberry Smoothie

I just created this delicious healthy Apple strawberry smoothie using my vita mix blender. 

The ingredients include

• One Apple cored
• 10 strawberries
• One cup of protein power
• Eight ice cubes 

Remember any smoothie or drink that you blend,  you need to drink within 20 minutes of blending to get all of the nutrition from it.

Bodybuilding at 60 years old

Well it's time for me now to really start training. I have been swamped training and also educating students for the last couple years. 

But from now on I'm going to make sure that I put in time on my own training and diet for want to see just what kind of shape I can get in!  

My current routine includes;

• Training at 6:15 AM Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
• Playing teaching tennis Monday – Tuesday – Wednesday – Saturday – Sunday
• Hiking or running sprints to three times a week

I am now going to start doing an extra work out and night twice a week, some yoga and flexibility, and some medicine ball and jiu jitsu workout.  

Plus I am going to try to tighten up my diet and to also make sure I have more time to relax and recover. 60 years old you can still handle very substantial weights we have to make sure you have perfect form and higher reps.  You also have to watch your weight is absolutely stupid to try and get too heavy when you're over 50 years old. This puts a lot of strain on your heart and internal organs will do no good at all.

In fact I know it will hurt your cardiovascular system it will put excessive strain when your joints and you will begin to lose movement and flexibility!  Remember is we age our bones lose strength and also some flexibility.  Therefore do not try to weigh more than you did or the same about you did if you were playing college football or another sport that required you to bulk up.

Trading over 50 you  have to be smart and use your mind as much as your body. We want to be able to move, be active,  and enjoy our life as we age. So let's made sure we train to be healthy, and have fun,

I will now post more pictures and the effects of my training once or twice a week. I will soon start the channel on YouTube.

Should You Juice or Blend to be Healthy

Personally I prefer to blend my fruits and vegetables instead of juicing them.  I do this for a definite purpose.

When you juice you are extracting the water and nutrients from produce and trying to discard the fiber.  Without the fiber your digestive system doesn't have to work as hard to break down the food and can almost instantly absorb nutrients.  It can make the nutrients  quickly available to your body and in much larger quantities than if you were just eat those all of those fruits and vegetables. 

Is also the reason and I not use a juicer.  When you are juicing fruits, the juice that is made can release the sugar into your body at a extremely rapid raise. This is because of the fiber has been removed from the fruit and vegetables.   If you were only juicing fruit this can cause a huge spike in your blood sugar level which can be most unhealthy for your body.  High blood sugar levels can cause diabetes, mood swings and other physical ailments, 

When you use the blender you are also getting all of the fiber and skin from the fruits and vegetables you blend.  By blending you are able to break the fiber apart from the food fruit or vegetables, which helps create a slow even release of the nutrients into your body and bloodstream, and avoids the blood sugar spikes that can result from using a juicer and juicing fruits.  Also by blending fruits and vegetables it makes them easier to digest since the blender has broke the fiber apart.  Plus I have found making a smoothie in my blender is much more filling than just drinking juice from a juicer. 

Dr. Herbert Shelton states in his books is best not to combine certain fruits and vegetables so do not combine vegetables like carrots, broccoli, zucchini for they have high starch content. And starches are digested with enzymes different from those used for any other food groups.  If you combine these vegetables with fruit it can it can cause gas and other symptoms.  What he did fine is that you can combine green leafy vegetables with pretty much anything you want, that is what I combine them with spinach and kale.

The last part is make sure you try to drink but you made in the first 15 or 20 minutes after you've created it. Both the air and light will destroy many of the nutrients the longer it sits out after you have made it. So after you have made your smoothie or juice sitdown, relax, and drink it  also do not make too much and then try to store it. Try too make just enough for you to use in one session

Popeyes ice cream

I first tried this at the Blendtech booth will going to Cosco. I was in a hurry and just grabbed it and start walking toward took a taste of it.  And let me say it tasted incredible!!

I have now started make my own version the last couple of weeks.  My ingredients include;

• 3/4 Almond or coconut milk
• Spinach and Kale
• Agave nectar-  I only use 2 tablespoons- You can add more
• One cup of ice

I have a vita mix many high-end blender will do. Come by all of the ingredients and set the blender on low.  Blend for 30 seconds to one minute and then remove ingredients.

With the Agave nectar I only use a little bit of this to minimize the sugar content.

This is a great way to have your family or children enjoy health benefits of spinach and kale.   Try it I think you'll really like it.

Setting your bodybuilding goals

To be successful in any endeavor we need to set goals. This is what keeps us going when we’re tired, lack motivation, or have distractions that occur in our life.

But by looking at our goals this will motivate us to work out it correctly and push ourselves to matter what occurs in our personal life.  This is what will enable us to be successful as we pursue our fitness goals.

The first step is to have realistic goals that are short-term. After all is the Chinese say to accomplish any goal you must take the first step. So you need to sit down and write some goals that would apply for the next week the next two weeks in the next month.

Make them realistic we are not going to be Arnold Schwarzenegger in a month. That’s not going to happen. But we could lose 60 pounds or put on 6 to 8 pounds of muscle or   lose 2 to 3 inches around our waist.

I like to chart the wayside handle on a weekly basis. That way I can see how my body is reacting to what I am doing in my personal life. Am I not getting enough sleep and my not eating correctly and my letting stress what a day to day life affect me too much.

If I see A steady decrease in my ways that I know I need to adjust the other things I’m doing. I also go by how I feel each day. In other words I want to wake up feeling great and feel that way for the rest of the day. We do not want to have a three-hour workout every day and then go home and have no energy and not feel well during the day.

The first goal of bodybuilding is to look and feel good. It is not to take steroids and to look good I just feel awful and to be unhealthy. Wish you stop the steroids your muscle is either going to go away or you’re going to find you’re unable to drop that excess weight you have and most of it now Will no longer be muscle.

I have walked by people in the gym and not recognize them after they went on steroids this includes men and women. Some have lost between 20 to 50 pounds others have maintained the same way I lost 20 to 30% of their muscle mass. This is also very very hard and bad for your body. Anyway that goes on fast comes Allfast is going to go right back off right back on fast. We are looking for long-term health  goals.

After you create your goals you need to look at. Look at them two or three times a day do not ignore them. Remember out of sight out of mind. Look at them they got them all the time. Was someone offers you to pieces of birthday cake repeat your goal and maybe have half of one. When everyone else is sleeping in repeat your goal and get up early in the morning and get a workout in.

Remember you will feel like $1 million when you’re healthy you train, and when you take care yourself. And you cannot buy that feeling I don’t care how much money you have. I have training in Jim’s reset celebrities and their working out many of them hooked on drugs, alcohol, etc.. They have all the money in the world but they cannot keep healthy. 

I believe that you need sufficient rest to recover to relieve stress and to feel  and perform at an optimal level. If you are not getting enough sleep rest relaxation you are going to lose muscle, Game wait that is fat, suffer the effects when your heart and body. This includes high blood pressure and the possibility of stroke or heart attack. Remember the goal of bodybuilding is to build your body and be healthy. Not to be huge muscle to be unhealthy to pass away when you’re in your 40s, 

Over the last 10 to 15 years there’ve been multiple professional wrestlers, strength athletes, and bodybuilders with passed away in their early 40s. Most of them carried way too much weight, did not do any cardio work, you do not monitor their body is the work out. By ignoring their general health and focusing just on size and muscle mass and it up destroying their body and dying 2030 years before they should have.  They died too young like trying to make everybody do what it was not meant to. 

So always remember Health first when you set your goals. You want to have a healthy happy active life for the day you're born to the day you die. So set your goals to show modest game's each week each month each year. 

Push yourself and your workouts and towards all of your goals. Celebrate the success and analyze each failure. As long as you try to correct the mistakes you make your never failing. You're simply changing directions each day to become better and stronger each day.

How does stress affect your body and your workout

High levels of stress will promote muscle breakdown and it will also release a lot more free radicals into your bloodstream.

" Stress is the body's reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses" ( WebMD).
First the good news.  

Getting exercise and a good workout increases the production of your endorphins. These are your brain's feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins.  So when you have a lot of stress getting a good workout in is going to make you feel better and relieve some of the stress you have.

Your workout will also focus your mind on what you were doing at the moment, and this will allow you to forget whatever is causing you stress in your life.   This can also make you feel happy and put you in a calm state of mind. Thus taking your thoughts away that which is causing you to have stress. 

Now for some of the bad news about stress. Recent studies have linked cortisol, a hormone that is released during times of stress, to cause cravings for sugar and fat. It is a believed that cortisol binds to receptors in the brain that control food intake. Plus if you are already overweight you may find you even more susceptible to these cravings.
This is why when you're under stress ice cream, cookies, or any other kind of sugar or fat food sounds good to you.  It almost feels like this would be comfort food to make you relax and releave the stress you feel. But in reality it is going to affect your body to cause even more stress.

Plus cortisol may also increase the level of fat tissue in your body and may also enlarge the size of your fat cells.   So it is essential that we limit the amount of stress in our life to control the amount of cortisol that is produced in our body.  This can also cause insomnia, and increased the sugar level in your body.

So we are to train hard and be able to compete and  we must also work just as hard to keep stress under control in our life. That means you need to set priorities make sure you keep organized and do not allow clutter, to come into your life i, and try to minimize any kind of distractions.  In other words try to simplify your life as much as possible.

Tried to keep to as much of the schedule as you can and keep your life organized into small time compartments. Then when you go to workout you will be at your optimal state which will also give you your optimal results.  

That you can train as hard as you should and you will get the results that you want.

 60 years old and starting new training routine

I have been super busy teaching, coaching and working my websites but now is time to start my own new training routine. 

This picture was taking 3/17 today and I'm just starting to put in your training routine together.  

My current stats are 

6 feet

205 pounds

I will probably drop 5 to 10 pounds in the next 2 to 3 weeks, I am also going to really increase my training level and completely clean up my diet.

I have found that I have no problem maintaining my weight and strength no matter how much I run or play sports I do each week.  My muscles and straight still increase even when I am playing tennis for 2-3 hours a day, or high or run sprints.

So now I want to see just how far I can take my training in the next three months.  The one limitation I have is some carpal tunnel syndrome in my right hand that may limit my training some extent, but since I am off this week I intend to stretch my right hand out and see if I can get rid of this.

I will be taking pictures each week and tracking my results and putting them up on my blog and my websites

How much protein do you need to compete

Recent studies have shown that the average American gets too much protein in their diet.  Of course being a bodybuilder or athlete you're not the average American. You are going to need more protein if you're training hard then they would because you will be breaking your body muscles down much more each day.

Athletes require more protein than inactive people to build, maintain and repair muscle and other tissues in the body. The more intense you train and the more intense your work out,  the more protein and nutrients you going to require to recover sufficiently.  If you do not get enough protein your body will not recover,  and you will actually lose muscle.   When you eat protein your body breaks it down into amino acids and these can be used for several different things. It can provide energy, but that is not it's main purpose. It is used for building and repairing muscle and tissues, red blood cells, hair and finger nails and for synthesizing hormones.

Extra protein does not build muscle or bulk. For that you need to increase your exercise level. If you do not exercise the protein was just sit your body and it will soon flushed out.

So make sure you get plenty of protein in your diet each day. That will ensure that your body can recover and make games that you agree should training well

Following link provides a good list of some of the most protein rich foods to eat

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/athletes-need-protein-inactive-people-2794.html

Why do you need to eat breakfast each day

First of all breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You are literally "breaking the fast" of the night. Now I do not mean eating thre sugar loaded " cereal' that they have in the grocery store. That is nothing more than eating a "candy bar".

Studies have shown that you significantly increase your chances of being obsese if you skip breakfast! Also those same studies have shown that you also increase your chances of living longer by eating breakfast. 

Eating breakfast lets you start off your day with enery, vitality, and WILL ENABLE YOU TO EAT LESS DURING THE DAY FOR YOU WILL NOT CRAVE FOOD AS MUCH, 

Your body needs protein to recover from the fast of the night and to build muscle. If it does not get protein then it will canibalize your bodies muscles to get the protein it needs to meet your bodies needs each day.

For you parents scientific tests have proven that kids who do not eat breakfast are less able to learn and excel at school, and they do not get enough iron in their diet. Iron is a essential nutrient that's is needed to make hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying component of red blood cells (RBCs). Red blood cells circulate throughout the body to deliver oxygen to all our cells, and are essential to get oxygen to our muscles and tissue. Plus these same children are more likely to be overweight. 

So make sure you eat a healthy breakfast each day to start your day.

Healthy Power Egg Breakfast 

I believe in eating a good healthy breakfast to start each day off.  

This is my recipe for my power egg breakfast.  

Use 6 eggs

cut tomatoes

turkey sausage

mushrooms

red and orange peppers

cut onions

Cook them all in a large frying pan sprayed lightly with pam.  

When all of this is cooked then add LOTS of Spinach to your eggs for the spinach will cook way down to where you can barely see it

Now you are ready to eat.   I put homemade salsa on top of mine and eat it with 1/2 piece of whole wheat toast

Enjoy it!