Role Models vs. Mentor

                                                      http://www.jacklalanne.com/blog/

“Those that have the qualities we wish to have and those that affect our lives in way that makes us want to be better.”

A couple of post back I wrote my opinion on the pros and cons of personal trainers.  Given the above definition of a role model some may say their personal trainer is a role model fair enough. 

Is there a difference between a Role model and a Mentor and if so what is it?  Honestly I don’t have a clue however I do have an opinion on the difference between a Mentoring program and a Role Model.

I believe many relationships with Role Models are vicarious; admiration from afar without any personal contact.

My Role Models would be:

·         Dr. Pitkin’s

I ran across a used copy of his book back in the early 90’s it was published the early 60’s and he was already preaching about the evils of sedentary life styles, caffeine, nicotine, sugar and sodium.  He was way ahead of his time and prescribed some very useful, worthwhile information on physical fitness and diet.

·         Jack LaLaine

The guy has to go down in history as the God Father of fitness, I was watching his daily TV show before I even began going to school and he was still fit and strong until he died. He was in innovator, motivator, and creator of numerous successful fitness techniques, training equipment and philosophies to live by.    

I have never met and will never meet either of my Role Models as they are both deceased however their good work and inspiration continues to live on through books, tapes, institutes and products.



my black and white trainees



A Mentor in my opinion is more than a Role Model in that they are guides that educate, motivate and lead their students to a predetermined destination.  Pitkin’s was one of the first to open an in-residence wellness facility.

Fat Farms, Boot camps and weight management, residential facilities are doing a thriving business today.  I have never been to one but I am going to visit the Pitkin’s Centre in Miami next month and I am looking forward to seeing what they have go offer. 

My definition of a quality in resident wellness centre would offer hands on mentoring that would evaluate, motivate and educate all participants in a fun, relaxed, progressive environment.  If I were to enroll in a Centre I would want the following.

·         Health and Fitness evaluation: Medical test and fitness assessment

·         Food preparation: Teach me how to shop and cook healthy food

·         Diet: instruct me on how to plan a tasty healthy menu

·         Exercise:  Introduce me to several types of training methods

·         Tour: Take me out to explore

·         Party: Take me out and show me a good time.

In my vision in Mentoring facilities all the instructors are hands on guides that lead the participants to a life of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness. 

I plan to open a residential wellness facility in early 2112 with the anticipation that the good work that is done there will continue long after I have gone

Go have some fun

Geo  

Make it Better

Grrrrrrrr

My seven year old son enjoys eating, watching TV, playing with his dog, eating, riding his bike, eating, swimming eating and eating.  I have written about his emotional attachment to food before and he is getting better in regards to sharing.

work it baby

I realize a great deal of his compulsion to snack is more from boredom than hunger and a few days ago I had a serious heart to heart talk with him about this.   He is young so I kept it simple, and I said: “If you are bored read a book, if you are bored ride your bike, if you are bored practice the piano, if you are bored play with your dog, if you are bored do some sit ups, or hit the weight bag or help the staff with work around the property. If you are bored do something positive and stay away from food.”

good day at the bridge

Yesterday I was driving to the gym, the NFL has returned to morning television so I was running a bit behind schedule and experiencing one of my internal tugs of war on whether I actually wanted to train or have a nice lunch in one of the English pubs and people watch or have a deep tissue massage.  The choice had still not been made by the time I reached the car park hence the moment of truth had arrived.  I was feeling bored with training, I could park or play. 

phoenix age 6

Then I heard my inner voice ask me; “what can you do to make yourself better today?”  I parked and did a high intensity 60 minute session, took a sauna and walked away feeling stronger, spent, relaxed and empowered.

Today as I was riding the stationary bike I began to reflect on the conversation with my son and my own episode with temptation the day before.   The saying that adults are just children in bigger bodies never seemed truer and that’s why I decide to write the following:

If you are feeling bored do something to make yourself better

·         Read a book

Too few adults read for pleasure and it is a proven way to keep the mind sharp.

·         Start a project

Hobbies are another way to keep the mind working and completed projects are emotionally rewarding

·         Journal

Writing down your inner thoughts is opening a window to the soul

·         Go for a walk

Enjoy a stroll, take a deep breath of fresh air, look up at the sky and absorb the out of doors

·         Laugh

Laughter releases endorphins and is a great way to make you feel great.

·         Set some goals

Working on a plan that was made yesterday is a great way to make today fantastic

·         Finish what you started

Completing an unfinished project pays great emotional dividends

age 5

Tomorrow never comes, yesterday is history, and tomorrow is always today.  Our time is limited so let’s make the most of what we have been given and do something positive for ourselves to make it better.

Go have some fun,

Geo

do it now

Personal Trainers Pros and Cons

Over the years I have had the opportunity to watch many personal trainers in action.   When I lived in Bali and trained in the Radisson there was an Australian woman who had a successful business working with many of the GM’s from the hotel industry.  Most of these men were already fit, and from my observation she gave them the extra push or motivation to enhance their already sufficient training routine.   The Personal trainers I have witnessed working in the mega gyms in Singapore and Bangkok reminded me of aerobics instructors than fitness experts.  

 In Northern California the trainers I observed were part time house wives and college co-eds and with all their chatter and giggling I felt as if I was at a retired cheerleaders camp.  On Koh Samui I have been watching a trainer work for the last year with 3 separate clients and to my surprise I honestly have seen no measurable improvement in any of them; they are not stronger, leaner, or looking healthier. I have always believed that the purpose of a personal trainer is to design a training routine that will improve the client’s health and fitness and work on any target areas that the student believes needs isolated attention. 

From what I have seen the people who hire a Personal Trainer typically:

·         Are already at a level of reasonable fitness.

·         Are already doing some sort of physical activity several days per week.

·         Are not obese

·         Are looking for someone to give them an extra push and motivation.

The Trainers I have studied generally:

·         Use a cookie cutter approach to training routines i.e. one size fits all

·         Are not interested in seeing a measurable results

·         Are not well trained themselves

·         Are interested more in the clients money than their physical wellbeing

I believe that Personal Trainers can be a great asset to a person who already has a program in place and wants a motivator to keep them on track.  Personal Trainers do serve a purpose in the health and fitness arena and it is the clients responsibility to know exactly what results you want from your time with the trainer. 

If weight is an issue the trainer should have some training or education in sport nutrition and weight control.  Trainers do not come from cookie cutters they are different and as in all sales industries there are the good, bad and the ugly.  

You can get great results from using a Personal Trainer and you can waste a lot of valuable time and money with a Trainer. At the end of the day remember, they are professionals as they do get paid for their work.  It is up to you the client to be responsible enough to ask questions, know what you want from the training, and have a projected time for the desired results that you communicate to your Trainer.   No one can do the work for you but a good Personal Trainer can make the journey shorter and more enjoyable.

Go have some fun,

Geo

You Don’t Have to Be Slim to Be Fit.

130kg/286lb big fat and strong

When I was in high school one of my friends was on the wrestling team; it was a good team and they had a tradition of winning.  The head coach was a big guy; to be honest he was way over weight and probably tipping the scales at well over 300lb/145kg.  What I remember most about the coach was his “old school” training techniques.



same weight different pose

Ask Google what is fit? And a wide range of non answers come up.  I recall reading an article about what was considered a test of fitness and it was quite simple; carry your own body weight for a good distance, run a long distance without stopping, be able to do push-ups, sit- ups and pull -ups.  That was it and that was the coach’s basic fitness training, he had team mates’ piggy back one another up a flight of stairs and through a course until they failed.  They ran stairs and laps until they were spent; they did push-ups, sit -ups and pull-ups until they could do no more.  In the end they all had the endurance, strength and agility to power through a long match and win. 


107kg/235lb fat and fit

When I read about the history of fitness I learned;  as society changed from hunters and gathers, to farmers, manufacturers, and into  information and service providers the levels and standards of fitness changed as well.

 Today the average American male is 5’9”/175cm. and weighs around 180lb/82kg.

·         69% of the average men think they are fit; 13% actually are.  

·         The number of sit-ups the average man can do in a minute: 36

·         The number of pull ups an average man can do: 1

·         The number of push-ups and average man can do in one minute: 27

·         The average time it takes the average man to run a mile is: 8 min. 34 sec.

·         The percentage of men that don’t belong to a gym: 88%

·         The percentage of men who use their home gym equipment to hang their clothes on: 45%

·         The life expectancy of the average man: 71yrs.



60 yrs plus fat and fit

The coach was big, fat and strong and I am sure more fit than many of the young slender teacher roaming the halls.  A couple of years ago, I was a big fat guy and I am sure that the last thing a person thought when they saw me was; hey that is a fit guy.

 107kg/235 fat and fit

The truth of the matter is when I was 18yrs old,  6’2”/188cm a slim 76kg/167lb I could not bench press my own weight, do 15 push-ups in any amount of time nor 50 sit-ups, or 1 pull-up.

167lb/76kg slim, weak and not fit

Today I warm up on 82kg and can max bench 115kg/250lb, do 50 sit ups in 60 seconds, 45 push-ups in a minute and 10 pull-ups, 20 dips, and run a mile in just over 6 minutes.  I am in the 12% of men who belong to a gym and I do not use my home equipment as a clothes hanger or door stop and I am not slim, trim or skinny but I am fit, strong and healthy.

130kg/286lb fat and fit

If you are fat it does not mean you cannot be fit.  If you don’t go to a fitness centre or exercise 3x per week, start and make it a part of your life style.  Follow the above list, do sit-ups, and push-ups this will build your strength and soon you will be able to perform for long periods of time without fatigue setting in at which point you will be fit.

Go have some fun,

Geo

time to bend an elbow



Point of No Return

hair

When I was in my late teens and early 20’s I did not believe that I would live much past thirty consequently I played fast and hard and in the process used and abused my body as if there was no tomorrow.  Now that I am in my fifties with young children I want to live an active life into my nineties.   In all honesty I believe I can do it, the rejuvenating process of the body is truly amazing i.e.  stop smoking and after 7 yrs the lungs will be pink again, assuming no existing serious damage to the liver, eliminate drug and alcohol abuse  and it will revitalize itself.   The possibility of changing the cycle of life is real, it is possible to abuse our bodies, change our life style and heal, resulting in a healthy, active long life.

I had a CAT scan examination last year using a new model which meant that the results were shown to me in printouts of clear color pictures.  Due to my history, excess body fat and smoking habits I was primarily concerned about two areas: plaque buildup in my arteries particularly around the heart and the health of my lungs.  To my great delight the results determined, I have the heart of a bull and the lungs of a runner. The doctors attributed my better than expected results to my last 16 yrs of daily training. Conclusion; all movement is good movement

It’s all good; change an unhealthy lifestyle to one with healthy habits and the body will reward us with good health.  My issue is not with health as much as it is with cosmetics.  The combination of age and yoyo weight loss has wreaked havoc on my largest organ; skin.  When I take a critical look at myself beyond the new muscle mass in my shoulders and back I see a huge bag of sag and at this point I don’t know if I am past the point of no return.



167lb/76kg



286lb/130kg

 I am being patient, I am doing routines to tighten the skin and build muscle but the hard fact is after the age of 50 the body naturally starts breaking down and I am working out of deep hole I dug for myself with years of obesity, abuse and neglect which may have made my task impossible.

 I weigh in every Saturday and I do a full body measurement on the 4^th of every month. My numbers are continuing to reflect growth where I want and decline where I expect however cellulite and atrophy are major issues that I simply have not been able to design a program to effectively overcome. 

 Five areas in particular are simply not responding:

1.       Inner thigh; lose skin, lack of tone and cellulite

2.       Abdomen; fatty spare tire, cellulite and minimal reduction

3.       Breast; won’t get hard, sag and fatty

4.       Thighs; saggy skin, cellulite, and wont develop muscle definition.

5.       Upper bicep; saggy and cellulite regardless of increased mass.

no matter how many curls i do i cant get rid of that extra bicep skin

I have consulted with medical professionals for solutions; the suggestions have been surgery, patients, and HGH steroid injections.  I have a dream and a vision of my ideal body. The sad reality is I may be past the point of no return to ever see my dreams come true and only time will tell.

look and you see the gut and man tits

Go have some fun,

Geo

Kindred Spirits

This thread is a personal message to all my brothers and sisters who are living with a BMI of 29 and over.

You as I am, are fat, your level of fitness is an unknown to me but what I do know is; your weight is an issue.  If you are married, in a relationship and do not live alone your weight is the pink elephant in the room that no one dares speak of.  I am you I have been there and I know and understand what it is to wake up angry because life seems to be a bore, confused because no matter how much I promise myself that I will get the weight under control it seems to stay.  Frustrated that I am not willful enough to do such a simple thing as control my eating habits. I am Ashamed because my friends and family are afraid to share their feelings concerning my being overweight and in danger of poor health.  I am embarrassed that when I do follow a diet I interpret compliments from friends and family as personal attacks or innuendos that I am unhealthy.  I am sore, my back hurts, my feet hurt, my knees hurt, my hands feel swollen and my face feels puffed, I can’t tie my own shoes and my bed has a permanent sag from carrying my weight and no longer gives me the support I need for a good night’s sleep.   Being social is not easy I would rather stay in and be alone.  Myself imposed house arrest has made me lonely, my house stinks, my clothes don’t fit and all my comfortable clothes have elastic waist bands.  I am sick of being looked at as pathetic, lazy and weak.

 I am more than what I see in the mirror and I am willing able and ready to be the best that I can be.  I will be healthy, I will allow my family and friends to help me and I will reprimand them if they reward me with sugar, salt and fat.  I want the same thing my family and friends want for me which is to be happy, healthy and fit.

Step 1.  Embrace the word “FAT” it is not a four letter word.  When you speak to people about your weight say: I am fat and I am going to get rid of all my unwanted fat.

Step 2.  House clean, throw out (don’t eat) all the junk foods that are in the house. 

Step 3.  Make a plan, set some baby step physical activity goals, such as walk to the street corner daily.

Step 4.  Make a personal commitment for 30 days to avoid all fast foods, junk food and unhealthy eating habits.

Step 5.  Go on the internet and find a low fat high protein meal plan that is easy to follow and prepare.

Step 6. Reframe your thinking and adjust your attitude towards getting healthy and fit.  You are not losing anything by eating smart and physical training, you are gaining everything you want.

Step 7. Find a photo of when you were fit and healthy and put it on display somewhere you can see it often.

Step 8.  Get tough stop being bullied by your own impulses and kick some butt.

I am a fat man in paradise, I am fat and I will always be fat, it is who I am.  I will not deny myself of this truth, which does not mean that I cannot be fit trim and healthy.   Remember all movement is good movement.

Go have some fun,

Geo

Get on the Ball

One of the easiest and most affordable pieces of training equipment is the exercise ball.  The cost is around 10.00 dollars US and it the best value for money you could ask for when looking for a way to empower your abdomen.    

The ball comes in two sizes a small and a large if you are above 162cm/5’5” I would suggest getting the larger ball.  In the video I posted the guy is trying to balance on the ball without his legs touching the floor.  The amount of pressure he is applying to his abs is incredible; he is having fun and doing a great power work out at the same time.

You tube is full of videos of trainers and armatures demonstrating what can be done with the ball.  My last blog focused on walking and finding my stride and balance along with improving my posture this rubber bubble has done wonders for my lower and upper abs.

I have two balls one upstairs and one in the TV/sound room.  I found that I was spending a great deal of time sitting after i returned home from training and the long spells of reclining were affecting my posture and creating a pain in my lower back.  I introduced the ball into the room and use it to sit, roll, bounce, stretch, and as a foot rest.  The time on the sphere has made a huge difference in the way I feel after watching a few of my favorites or listening to music.

The whole family can enjoy and benefit from having the ball nearby.  Junior loves to sit on it and try to balance without rolling over, Mom loves to sit on it and bounce up and down, she says it makes her back feel aligned and the big guy uses it as a football and does pushups with it. 

The versatility, ease of use and availability of the ball makes it a great choice for any home or commercial gym.   The ball is great for everyone; skinny, tall, fat, old or young.  It improves balance and strengthens upper, lower and mid body.

Go have some fun,

Geo