What Is Your Health Worth?
Food for thought:
According to Experian, the average monthly payment for a new car in the US was $523, and $378 for a used car, during the second quarter of 2018.
According to Lending Tree, the average monthly mortgage payment in the US is $1,029.
Cars come and go. And we can always find a different house. But we have only one body. One! Why is it that people seem to frequently complain about the cost of gym memberships, personal training, group fitness classes, and fitness-related merchandise? Is your health and fitness less important than a vehicle or house? (And by no means am I saying your car and especially your home are unimportant; they’re very important. I’m simply drawing attention to the only thing you can’t replace.)
Whether it’s done on a dime’s budget or a million-dollar budget, #dowork. Just don’t underestimate the importance of the only place you have to dwell.
Neutral Back! Contract your abs!
Keep a neutral spine! Contract your abs! We say these two things all the time, but why are they so important?
A neutral spine optimizes safety; it keeps the back in the best position to remain healthy. A non-neutral spine, on the other hand, looks like either the picture on the left or the picture on the right. When your back over-arches or over-extends, the spine can be compromised. In fact, this is how herniated disks can occur! When one side receives more pressure due to the back's position, stress can cause the discs to displace.
Contracted abs, or "tight abs" as many like to say, adds to the safety of the spine. When the four sheets of abdominal muscles contract, they form a tight shield, in essence, around the spine. They hug it; they help negate the slipping and sliding of the discs. When your abs aren't tight, and you bend and twist, the spine is severely compromised. This is when injuries are more likely to happen.
So just remember: Neutral spine! Contract your abs! By doing these two things, spinal integrity is greatly increased!
Weight Loss -- 3 things you're doing wrong
3 things that are prohibiting your weight-loss goals:
(1) Drinking unnecessary, empty calories: It’s only a quick drink — it’s liquid, it can’t be that bad... If only that were the case. Did you know that a 12 oz. Mountain Dew has 170 calories? A 5 oz. glass of wine has approximately 120 calories. And every person’s favorite, the Pumpkin Spice Latte, contains 380 calories in only 16 oz. of liquid!
(2) Nibbling throughout the day adds up: A bite here and there won’t do any harm, right? Wrong. Small bites can turn into big gains! (Not the good kind of gains.) A single bite-sized Snickers contains 42 calories. Popping several of these, or snacks like these, throughout the day drastically increases your caloric intake.
(3) Portion control: My plate is full; it looks like an appropriate serving size to me... Be careful. Throwing what looks to be a serving down on the dinner plate is many times inaccurate. Depending on how it’s cooked, 1 cup of spaghetti can contain 220 calories; if it’s made with excessive butter, the number can be quite a bit higher.
You shouldn’t have to completely overhaul your way of doing things, but you should make consumption adjustments if you’re not happy with where you are or if you’re not hitting your goals. Be cognizant of how easily it is to overdo your daily calorie allotment.
Farmer Gym Football
Farmer Gym Football! Can you make it to the second quarter?
Suggested Weights:
Male DB Front Squat #: 35/50
Female DB Front Squat #: 25/40
Male DB Overhead Press #: 30/50
Female DB Overhead Press #: 20/30
Male Kettlebell Swing #: 35/53
Female Kettlebell Swing #: 20/35
Male DB Row #: 35/50
Female DB Row #: 20/35
Male Manmaker #: 20/30
Female Manmaker #: 10/20
Male DB Deadlift #: 35/50
Female DB Deadlift #: 25/40
Male DB Lunge #: 35/50
Female DB Lunge #: 20/35
MET
MET. Maybe you’ve noticed the three strung-together letters around your local fitness establishment. Maybe you gave them thought … but most likely you didn’t.
What were those three letters doing plastered to the sticker on the side of the stair master? What does MET stand for? What does it mean? And how does it impact us?
MET is an acronym for metabolic equivalent. It stands for an estimate of the number of calories burned during activity.
Our bodies use oxygen for energy. The more oxygen we use, the more calories we burn. Simple as that. At rest, our metabolic equivalent is roughly 1. Should we get off the couch and cease rest, opting for a light- to moderately-paced jog instead, our METs would increase. A not-so-strenuous jog can be about 7-8 METs, depending on the individual and the jogging conditions. Because of increased intensity and heightened demands on the body, we are using more oxygen – 7-8 times more than at rest. Therefore, we are burning more calories with the greater workload.
How does this translate to burning calories? Here’s the formula: METs x 3.5 x weight in kg / 200 x minutes performed
Example: Matt weighs 90 kg (that's 198 lb – to get pounds, multiply kg x 2.2). He participated in a HIIT program for 30 minutes, working at 11 METs.
11 x 3.5 x 90 / 200 x 30 = 527 calories
Matt burned 527 calories during his workout.
Of course, like everything, it gets more nuanced than this. Many factors go into weight loss – one’s metabolism, age, weight, lean body mass, etc. But hopefully you get the idea. If your goal is to lose weight, it might be wise to include high-MET activities into your routine.
So the next time you see or hear of the word MET, you’ll know exactly what is being shown or presented.
WORDS and your Frame of mind
"We will take good care of him."
Words are only that, words. But they sure do have a powerful impact on the mind!
This morning, my almost-4-month-old son had surgery. It wasn't a serious surgery, but he still had to be put under. Like any parent, I was nervous. Really nervous.
Before taking him to the operating room, I met with several members of the hospital staff, including the surgeon. Each one before leaving me said seven words that stuck with me: "We will take good care of him."
Did the words change the doctor's ability? No. Did the words change the staff's competence? No. But the words did one thing: put my mind at ease. They gave me a mindset that trusted the process; my spirits were lifted; the words gave me greater optimism.
What I'm getting at is this: what is it you need to tell yourself in order to perform better, to get through a difficult set, to weather a difficult situation? Sometimes a few positive words make all the difference in the world. "I *can* do it." Or, "I've prepared for this -- I'll make it to the other side."
If you've put in the work and have spent the time in preparation, give yourself the words of encouragement to put yourself over the edge. A positive frame of mind will ALWAYS defeat a negative one.
Now, go #dowork!
(And by the way, my son is doing great!)
Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
You asked for it, you got it! Once a month, we'll spotlight one of Mrs. Farmer Gym’s favorite recipes.
This month: Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Bars:
1 c oats
1/4 c wheat bran*
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
2 very ripe bananas
2 scoops protein powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 c almond milk
2 egg whites / 1/4 c egg substitute
dash of salt
*can be replaced with flax seeds or oat bran, or omitted
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 8” round or 8”x8” square pan. In a large mixing bowl, stir dry ingredients together. Add ripe bananas and mix until well mashed. Stir in egg whites, almond milk, and applesauce. Pour into pan. Optional: sprinkle with granola to top. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until firm.
Makes 4 servings. Approximate nutrition per serving:
220 calories
1 g fat
6 g fiber
15 g protein
optional:
1 c blueberries or raspberries
1 c diced apple
PUT ON MUSCLE
Every morning between 5 and 6am I wake up with my newborn. And every morning at the same hour, he chugs 4 to 5oz. of milk. A boy has to grow, right?!
Many times when feeding him, I play a college football podcast. (34 days until kickoff!) To start the show this morning the hosts talked about quarterbacks across the country gaining weight. A football player, like my son, has to grow! Three named QBs put on approximately 20lbs. over the course of only several months!
How can this be? How can a person put on 10, 15, or 20lbs. of muscle in only half a year?! Something fishy has to be going on, right? Wrong. It's not easy, but it can be done.
First and foremost: a new college football player is ripe for muscle gain. He is the type of person who has the appropriate hormones kicking on at the right time -- an 18-21 year old male with lots of testosterone.
Beyond that:
*Calories coming in *must* be more than calories going out. And if you want the weight gain to be more lean muscle than bulky fat, make healthy food choices. That excludes frequent fast-food stops and at-home foods high in saturated fat.
*Get your protein! Protein builds the body; carbohydrates and fats give it energy. So, if you're not consuming protein, you're not building the body right. A good rule of thumb for the active, weight-bearing lifter without bodily complication: 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.
*Fuel up before and after workouts. No, there's not necessarily a magic window, but eating too far in advance and too far after a workout isn't a great idea. Take in solid nutrients pre- and post-workout. This will allow substances to quickly enter into your cells and begin the building and replenishing process.
*Compound Movements + Volume + Frequency = Results! Squat. Deadlift. Pull-up. Bench Press. Overhead Press. Clean. Dip. Bent-Over Row. Lunge. (Sorry Bicep Curl fans...) The large muscle groups *must* get hit. Now, use a heavy-ish weight for reps and sets. 60-85% 1RM, for example; 6-12 reps across for 3-6 sets. These are just ballpark figures -- specific alterations must be made for a particular individual. Now hit it hard for 4 days a week.
So there you have the blueprint. Sure, more intricate details are involved, but if you want to pack on muscle and increase weight, the above bullet points can be used as a guide.
Mental Resilience
“I’m not any different than anyone else. I just believe that you have a lot better chance of beating your problems if you have a determination and a drive to win.” - Robert Garbak
At Farmer Gym we endorse mental resilience. Our workouts are designed to not only build stronger bodies, but also create stronger minds. We believe that through the rigors of fitness, a harder, tougher mind is formed.
Knowing how fervently we promote strong minds, I wanted to turn to a source of inspiration, someone I consider to have one of the toughest minds around. I wanted to gather his thoughts on mental resilience. Where did his strength come from? How can we gain this mental edge? Cue Bob Garbark.
I got to know Bob nearly three years ago when I helped train at and manage a fitness center in Tallahassee, FL. There, I got to know Bob’s incredible story, which you’ll read some of below. The thing that struck me with him, though, is he *never* looked for sympathy; he never wanted someone to feel sorry for him; he never wanted the spotlight. He approached every situation with a warrior’s mentality – a humble warrior. I’ve since moved from Florida, but I’m thankful to have called Bob a co-worker and blessed to call him friend.
Before reading our conversation below, I want to first state the following: I went to Bob nearly two weeks ago asking him if he’d be interested in sharing his story. I gave him my thoughts and my ideas regarding what I’d like to cover. Bob then told me that his local newspaper, the Tallahassee Democrat, was coincidentally doing a piece on him. I had no idea of this when approaching Bob. Nothing below was taken from that article. This is a stand-alone writeup. But I highly recommend checking out what it is the Tallahassee Democrat had to say.
Q: What does mental resilience look like to you? And how does it help us in our daily lives?
A: Mental resilience is intangible. It’s a way of dealing with life and life’s downfalls. It’s a matter of believing in who you are, where you came from, and how you were raised – all while having faith in yourself and knowing that the man up above is going to take care of you.
Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your past. Tell us where your mental resilience came from and how it has grown throughout the years?
A: I’m originally from the Cleveland, Ohio area. I was quite active as a youth, playing pee-wee football and basketball; I remained active and continued to play sports into my high-school years. It was then, during my freshman year, that I was diagnosed with stage-4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
My mental resilience started the first time I heard the word cancer come out of my parents’ mouths. It was kind of like the movie Over The Top, where Sylvester Stallone’s character turns his cap backwards and he’s unbeatable; to me, I just turn my “cap” backwards, and I am able to beat cancer.
Since high school, I’ve had several close calls with my life. I’ve had a heart transplant, and recently, I’ve had stints put into my new heart. I can’t really explain it, but the minute I get bad news I automatedly go into the mode of winning – beating the obstacles in my way through working out and praying.
I don’t want to look like someone who is battling to live. I always take life’s challenges head on. I got that from my dad.
Q: Why do you believe so many people lack mental resilience?
A: I’m not sure if people lack mental resilience. A lot of people deal with life-threatening issues in their own way, but I believe your determination and fight can go a long way in whether you win or lose.
Q: Do you think this is a trait that can be taught or learned? If so, how might others build this mental fortitude?
A: Yes, I believe it can be taught, but you have to accept the issues you’re facing and you must put in the time and work to handle whatever it is you’re facing. What I mean by that is this: don’t act like you know more than the doctors (or other experts); do exactly what you’re told to do, and then some.
As I said in the beginning, have a relationship with the man upstairs and lean on your friends and family. Don’t be in denial. Be determined to win.
I spent a lot of time building mental resilience by thinking of how awesome it is going be to be cancer-free and to have a new, healthy heart. And I promised myself if I got those things I would not take it for granted and I would continue to take care of myself.
Q: What parting words do you have for our readers? What nuggets of advice would you like to give them about becoming stronger mentally?
A: My advice to people out there in Farmer Gymland is simple:
-Gather up as much information on your particular issue as possible. Ask a lot of questions, even if you think they’re stupid questions – the stupid question is the one you don’t ask.
-Believe in yourself and visualize how great it’s going to feel to win.
-Lean on family and friends and share your story with others who are battling a serious health issue; encourage them to pray, and to take a look at themselves in the mirror and accept what it is they’re dealing with and believe in who they are.
-I’m not any different than anyone else. I just believe that you have a lot better chance of beating your problems if you have a determination and a drive to win.
Get bitter or get better
Get bitter or get better, we choose.
It’s easy to let jealousy seep in when looking around our social landscape — there’s always someone posting some type of great accomplishment or some kind of incredible experience. Welcome to Facebook — or fill in the social-media-blank!
Unfortunately, when jealousy sets in, our attitude begins to change who we are. Resentment grows; anger builds. We become bitter, and we start to lose track of our worth and what it is we can do. Our energies become focused on something futile.
Instead of ill-will or selfish desire, try being happy for the person. Genuinely happy. We have no idea what path he’s been down to earn the experience; we may not have a clue how hard she worked for the accomplishment. Sure, some people have an easier road than others, but this is life; and life is not always fair.
After showing gratitude, it’s time to #dowork. Its time to sweat and get dirty! It’s time to work our butt off and maximize our God-given talents, to utilize the blessings and skills we’ve been given. But these blessings, these skills, cannot be capitalized off of with energy spent on bitterness. We must learn to use the energy on bettering who it is we are.
So tip the cap and give applause when it’s earned. And then get to work!
Get bitter or get better, we choose.
Don't Move The Plates
It’s incredibly important to keep the bar over your mid-foot during the barbell lifts, especially as the weight gets heavier. Why? Optimal leverage diminishes as the bar deviates from this position. In other words, the lift becomes harder to execute, and it can be more dangerous on your body as it drifts from your mid-foot.
At times it’s easy to see the bar drift during a lift; other times, it’s a little trickier. Although this isn’t a sure-proof way to pinpoint movement, it’s definitely a good indicator: watch the words and numbers on the plates. (Yes, the words and numbers — the 45 or whatever brand you use.) Do they move from their starting position? If not, odds are you were in a good position and moved in a relatively straight line. If they drastically changed, you likely weren’t set or the bar drifted as you executed the lift.
A number of things can cause movement — poor setup, rocking the body forward or backward, hand displacement, inappropriate lean, etc. For the sake of a strong, good, safe lift, try to get into appropriate position while you work up-to-down and down-to-up.
RESULTS -- THE FARMER GYM WAY
👇🏽 THAT is a ringing endorsement! 👇🏽
Travis is now on Week 12 of our 14-Week, The Farmer Gym Way program. Putting in work while staying committed to the process will pay off. #embracethegrind Props on the work you’ve put in, T-Bell!
You can get your copy of The Farmer Gym Way on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Age Is Just A Number
I’m 36. My physical “prime” is in the past. But if I live with an I-can’t-get-better mindset, I’ll always settle for less. Today I did a first: 140# 30” Box Jump. (And it scared the crap out of me!)
Don’t settle for less. You have one life to live and one body to live it in. #dowork and #neversettleforless!
GROW STRONG, BOTH MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY
It’s not just brainless broscience...
“Exercise is the most transformative thing that you can do for your brain today … you can think of your brain like a muscle. The more you’re working out, the bigger and stronger your hippocampus and prefrontal cortex gets. Why is that important? Because the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus are the two areas that are most susceptible to neurodegenerative diseases and normal cognitive decline in aging.”
So do your body AND your mind some good. Pick up a weight; hit that trail; move your butt! And #growstrong, both mentally and physically.