Turning 40 years old and self care...

Today, the average life expectancy projected for 2015 is 76.4 for males and 81.4 for females. 

When you reach the age of 40-it is hard to believe we are at the half way point of our life cycle.  Will an unhealthy person live to their late 70's and early 80's?  More than likely not.  We have to take care of ourselves to stay healthy.

For me, turning 40 was hard but also a reminder of the importance of self care.  Self care involves completing weekly goals to stay fit.  

Self care goals are as follows:

1.  Eating mainly plant based organic whole foods.  Try to minimize consuming dairy products, processed foods and fattening meats.  Watch the documentary, "Forks over knives."  This documentary is right on the money!  I do not understand why a lot of Americans would rather take prescription pills with other side effects and continue to eat the fattening processed foods responsible for their current health problems???

2.  Practice the Egoscue method weekly.  Thank you Peter Egoscue!  You have kept me pain free and able to work out harder than the average 20 year old.  The Egoscue method is a series of movements, stretches and positions.  They will be difficult to complete in the beginning when your posture is incorrect and causing pain.  Over time they become easier because your body will re teach itself the proper muscular positions to hold correcting the postural problems.  A person in pain will not be motivated to exercise.   

3.  Exercise daily!!!

4.  Enjoying life and doing what makes us happy.  Read the book, "The Law of Attraction."  Life is too short for us to be unhappy.    

You only live ONCE!  Practicing self care will improve the length and quality of your life especially after the age of 40....

The best bodybuilding workouts for combat athletes.

Current professional MMA fighter, Hershel Walker looks like a bodybuilder but claims to never lift weights!  Let's face it--he is a genetic freak.  He would probably win Mr.Olympia if he put his mind and time into it.... 

What about combat athletes who want to become more muscular but are not genetically superior? 

There is a way to body build without taking away your sport.  Combat athletes should focus on maximizing their weight training sessions in 4 to 5 minute intervals/supersets because their sports are predominantly anaerobic. 

This would be a great bodybuilding arm workout for a boxer or MMA fighter:

Barbell Curls(5 heavy reps explosive in a 1 to 2 second tempo)
DB Incline curls(12 medium reps slow eccentric/explosive concentric in 2 to 3 second tempo)
Standing DB hammer curls(30 light reps slow continuous tension in 3 to 4 second tempo)
Close grip bench(5 heavy reps explosive 1 to 2 second tempo)
Bench dips(12-15 medium reps 2 to 3 second tempo)
push downs(30 light reps 3 to 4 second tempo)
"All out" punches on speed bag until 5 minutes elapses

Rest 1-2 minutes then continue the same non-stop interval for another 5 minutes then rest 1-2 minutes etc...until 3 or 4 full rounds are completed.

This workout stresses all three muscle fiber types-Type 1A, 2A and 2B. 

The Type 2B are the muscle fibers combat athletes love because they are the fast twitch/explosive fibers.  They fatigue easily due to scarce mitochondria and capillaries.  The main energy pathways of the type 2B are the "ATP and the ATP-CP systems."  Adenosine triphosphate is the principal substrate of all muscle cells.  When a muscle contracts, ATP is broken down and energy is released along with a phospate bond to form ADP + P .  The muscle cell has 4 seconds worth of ATP before it is depleted.  After 4 seconds, the muscle cells begin to depend on a biochemical known as creatine phosphate.  Creatine phosphate will donate it's phosphate to ADP to create ATP.  Again, the muscle cells availability of CP is limited during continuous intense activity.  This will last 20 seconds before it is completely depleted.  The ATP and CP stores will replenish back to peak levels within minutes after intense exercise is concluded. So the heavy/explosive 5 reps and part of the medium 12 reps set-stresses mainly the Type 2B muscle fibers.   

The Type 1A muscle fibers are know as the slow twitch endurance fibers.  They do not fatigue easily because they have many mitochondria and capillaries.  The Type 2A muscle fibers are in between the Type 1A and Type 2B.  Most bodybuilders have predominantly Type 2A muscle fibers.  Bodybuilders are known for being stiff and not athletic.  Bodybuilders focus on bodybuilding and view any other activity as counterproductive.  The Type 2A muscle fibers rely on the "anaerobic lactic acid system."  It starts at 20 seconds of continuous activity until it's depleted within 2 minutes.  During this system, muscle glycogen is used to replenish ATP and then lactic acid is used as well.  After 2 minutes of continuous activity, the Type 1A muscle fibers come into play.  Within the Type 1A fiber-the "aerobic energy system" uses oxygen in the mitochondria to break down glucose.  This is also known as "aerobic glycolysis."  After the glucose levels in the blood, liver and muscle are depleted-fatty acids are used to produce ATP.  This could last for several hours of continuous activity.  This is why marathon runners can run for 2-4 hours without stopping. The medium 12 rep sets and then the slow continuous tension reps of 30 focus on the Type 2A and the Type 1A muscle fibers.... 

The bodybuilding arm workout is great because it stresses all three muscle fiber types but it also addresses the punching motion of a combat fighter after fatigue has set in.  This works on anaerobic endurance.  Anaerobic endurance can easily be measured by counting the punch output after 5 minutes of weights and punches on the speed bag.  The object to this game is to improve or maintain the punch output even when the weight workout has become more intense.  The heavier the weights-the more likely the Type 2B muscle fibers will adapt to fuse and form Type 2C fibers.  This is known as muscle hypertrophy!!! 

Here is a great leg workout for MMA fighters:

Squats(5 reps heavy explosive in a 1 to 2 second tempo)
Lunges(12-15 count medium in a 2-3 second tempo)
Leg extensions(30 reps light slow continuous tension in a 3-4 second tempo)
Weighted hyperextensions(5 reps explosive in a 1 to 2 second tempo)
Lying leg curls(12-15 reps medium in a 2-3 second tempo)
Standing calf raises(30-40 reps light slow continuous tension in a 3-4 second tempo)
Non-stop "Muay Thai" Knees until 5 minutes elapses           

Rest for 3-5 minutes in between intervals and then continue until 3 to 4 supersets/intervals have been completed.  Again, count the knee output and try to maintain or increase it's number.  If the output starts to decrease and can't be improved-look into overtraining. 

Combat athletes can body build without taking away from their sport if they combine their bodybuilding with sport skills in properly timed intervals....  

Mr.Rivera, "I'm sorry, but you have cancer"....

OMG!  I just woke up sweating!  What a horrible nightmare!  Knock on wood, I don't have cancer...

This is a reality thousands of Americans are told daily!

What if it happened?  What would be going through my mind the moment my Doctor gave me the bad news?  Would I say, "The heck with it and I'm going out with a bang!  Let's party!" or would I fight it? 

I am and will always be a warrior......

There are a lot of obstacles a cancer patient must endure.  Chemotherapy is brutal on the body because it wipes out all your cells.  It destroys your immune system.  It will make you chronically fatigued and ruin your appetite.  For sure-chemotherapy kills the cancer cells but there are other ways to stop them. Chemotherapy is necessary.

I would battle cancer in three ways!  First, I would alter my nutrition regimen.  Second, my exercise plan would change and finally, I would introduce stress reduction techniques.

Nutrition is most important because certain foods will nourish the body but also prevent cancer cell growth.  I believe an alkaline environment in the blood and tissues will inhibit cancer cells.  It makes sense.  Most alkaline foods are vegetables and fruits.  Plant foods contain many valuable components such as folate, fiber, carotenoids, saponins, phytic acid, protease inhibitors, isothiocyanates, indole-3-carbinol, ellagic acid, polyphenols, lignans, allium, isoflavones and lycopene.  This cocktail of components contained in a delicious powerful meal would be a cancer cell's worst nightmare!  Do your research.  These components have all been shown to stop cancer cell growth.  I would continue my warrior diet but eliminate coffee and meats.  I might have to consider a protein supplement.  My meal would be a combination of leafy green vegetables(kale, spinach, romaine lettuce), cruciferous vegetables(broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage), legumes(beans, peas, lentils, soybeans), whole grains(quinoa, wild rice, ezekiel bread), walnuts and tomatoes.  The meal would be flavored with olive oil and Bragg's amino acids.  During the day, I will drink a powerful shake of organic fruit to include berries and flaxseed oil.  Water will always be flavored with lemon juice to increase it's alkalinity.  DIE CANCER DIE!!!!

Next, chemotherapy will cause chronic fatigue and appetite loss.  If I do not eat, I will become energy restricted and more fatigued.  It takes more calories to maintain muscle than it does to maintain fat.  I would start weight training at least 3 to 5 days a week to increase or maintain my lean muscle mass.  I have clients who report losing their appetite when they go on vacation for more than a week.  Believe me, building muscle will build your appetite!  I recommend hiring a personal trainer to start a muscle building program. 

Last, I would try to eliminate stress from my life.  Try laughing more.  Laughing has been shown to have healing effects.  I try to laugh everyday.  I would stay away from situations that are usually stressful.  Stress and the immune system are not good co-workers.  Go to a comedy act monthly!  I will drink wine daily.  Wine contains resveratrol.  Resveratrol has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.  It has also been shown to inhibit the formation of tumor cells in the lymph, stomach and breast!  When I drink wine, my stress levels drop and I'm in a better mood.  I will limit myself to 1 to 2 glasses though....Too much alcohol has been linked to cancers of the mouth, esophagus and throat.

In summary, this is how I would battle cancer:

-eliminate meat and coffee

-continue to eat green leafy and cruciferous vegetables

-add more legumes, whole grains, tomatoes and walnuts to my daily meal

-have a daily fruit shake with flaxseed and berries

-continue to drink lots of water spiked with lemon juice

-wine will still be around but in moderation

-try to build muscle in order to maintain or increase my appetite

-laugh more and eliminate all negativity from my life 

Life is so beautiful and short.  Don't let the "C" word ruin it.  We have the knowledge and a miraculous body system to defeat it.  We can defeat cancer!  I BELIEVE IN YOU!    

My prescription for optimal fitness...

Fitness is the ability to optimally function in our environment and stay disease free.  We need to exercise and eat healthy to maintain fitness.

In an ideal world, everyone would take the time to exercise daily doing yoga, Tai Chi, walking on Ladybird lake, bodybuilding, playing sports, etc...You get my drift. 

The hard part is eating healthy.  Too many of us don't understand the importance of good nutrition.  The ugly truth is we already know but would rather drive to a fast food restaurant.  Why not?  It's fast, fattening and tasty!  Most fast foods are "off the charts" when compared to whole natural foods in terms of calories and acidity.

I believe a balanced body chemistry is important in the prevention of disease.  Supposedly, the over-acidity of the blood and tissues is the culprit to many diseases.  I have read arthritis is a common disease associated with an over-acidic diet.  It has also  been stated that bacteria, viruses, fungi and cancer thrive in high "acidic-sugar" environments.  The body is always trying to balance itself with it's mechanism of being a "negative-feedback loop." One of the mechanisms is when our body will break down calcium from our bones to neutralize phosphoric acid in the blood to form calcium biphosphate.  Post menopausal women need to critically maintain strong bones to prevent osteoporosis. 

Maintaining a 4 to 1 ratio of alkaline to acidic foods is recommended.  For example, my warrior diet is 70 to 80 percent alkaline.  Meat, wine and some coffee in the morning-are the only "over-acidifying" calories.  I always eat an abundance of kale, Romaine lettuce, spinach, sea weed with carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, tomatoes and mushrooms in the beginning of my meal.  I soak them with olive oil and Bragg's aminos acids.  Olive oil is the most alkaline of fats.  Then, I eat the meats such as chicken, lamb, fish and steak .  Meats are the complete proteins necessary for the repair, maintenance and growth of our cells.  Finally, I eat foods such as quinoa, sprouted grains, beans, sweet potatoes, avocados and pita breads.  Some of these foods are low on the acid scale but contain a lot of valuable nutrients such as fiber and potassium.  Wine has many benefits!  I drink wine 3 to 4 nights a week.  On occasion, I will go to Whole Foods and have a wheat grass shot or a potent shake of tropical fruits.  Overall, my total weekly caloric intake is 70 to 80% alkaline!

Here is a list of alkaline foods:

garlic; beets; broccoli; brussel sprouts; cabbage; carrot; cauliflower; celery; collard greens; cucumber; eggplant; kale; lettuce; mushrooms; onions; peas; peppers; pumpkin; sea veggies; squashes; spinach; wheat grass; apple; apricot; avocado; banana; cantaloupe; cherries; figs; grapes; grapefruit; lime; honeydew melon; nectarine; orange; lemon; peach; pear; pineapple; all berries; tangerine; tomato; tropical fruits; watermelon; cottage cheese; yogurt; almonds; chestnuts; fermented tofu; flax seeds; pumpkin seeds; and nuts.

So my prescription for optimal fitness is to workout daily and try to maintain a 4 to 1 ratio of alkaline to acidic foods!

Walking; owning a car and Yost Automotive are all Austin essentials!!!

Austin is the best city to live in Texas because:

Austinites rock!

The University of Texas and it's sports venues 

Downtown Austin bars and clubs with their live music

South by Southwest and Austin City Limits

The numerous wonderful food carts in east, central downtown and south congress 

Lake Travis, Lake Austin and Ladybird Lake 

We have to walk to enjoy these Austin treasures.  No wonder Austin is always ranked as one of the most fit cities in the US. There are many benefits to walking.  It is a form of exercise.  During exercise, your heart is pumping blood and oxygen around the body.  If you walk during the day, you will be receiving sunlight and hence vitamin D.  Vitamin D enhances the absorption of calcium, and it is often recommended for helping improve moods and treating depression.  Another point about walking is you are utilizing all three planes of movement in the body. During walking, your hip is extending/flexing in the sagittal plane; abducting/adducting in the frontal plane and externally/internally rotating in the transverse plane.  The sagittal plane divides our body into right and left.  The frontal plane divides our body into the front and back and finally, the transverse is our top and bottom parts.  This is important because a lot of us have sedentary jobs and complete inefficient workouts at the gym.  For example, standard workouts usually only stress the chest, shoulders, back and arms. The problem with this is that only certain planes of the body are addressed but not all three.  The transverse plane of movement is probably the most neglected.  The most efficient workouts stress all three planes.  I would recommend a workout circuit that involves walking, running, squatting, lunging, pushing, pulling and rotations.  This will carry over into real life functional movements and sports.  It will also create more balance in the body.

I would love to walk everywhere but my gym business is not walking distance.  I would take the bus but I enjoy having a car.  I own my car because I bought it used and don't want to be stuck with high interest car payments.  A lot of affordable used cars have 75,000 or more miles and are past their warranties.  So yes, you will have problems from time to time....

Enter Michael Yost and Yost automotive.  He has saved my butt on many occasions.  He is the fairest car mechanic.  He will show you in person what is going on with your vehicle and will tell you what you need to have done in order to drive back to work.  I have made the mistake of going to corporate automotive chains.  They are notorious for ripping people off with unnecessary car repairs.  He will even loan you one of his vehicles for only 10 dollars per day.  They have two locations in Central Austin near the 2222/North lamar intersection.  You can reach them at 512-452-YOST or 512-374-YOST.... 

So yes-Walking; owning a car and Michael Yost are all Austin ESSENTIALS!!!