The awesome Jose Raymond

Motivation wanes, workouts get a bit sluggish, goals get murky.  Something needs to happen.

For me, it was a week off from the gym and then an evening in Tampa at the PBW Pro Bodybuilding Contest.

All you have to do is walk into an environment like the one at a serious bodybuilding competition and your mind is filled with inspiration.  Your eyes are bombarded with amazing sights, and your ego is given a wallop.  But the outcome of all of this over-stimulation was just what I needed.  “When can I get back into the gym?”

For anyone who has not attended a bodybuilding competition, the atmosphere can be almost carnival-like.  The lobby is typically filled with booths and exhibition space from companies selling nutrition and workout products.  Standing at these booths are national level or pro bodybuilders who are affiliated with the company.  They are there to greet you, take a picture, give you an autographed picture, or give you some free product.

It is always inspiring and thrilling to be in the company of the real elite in any activity.  Certainly getting to meet a bodybuilder that you have seen in the magazines or even seen compete onstage can be a great experience.

Meeting Brian Yersky

It’s also humbling to stand next to these bohemoths whose arms require their own zip code.  Last night I met Brian Yersky, a top national competitor, and his deltoids seemed bigger than my head.  The guy is huge, he is serious, and he is walking, talking inspiration.  Shaking his hand and taking a photo was a surreal experience.

The atmosphere is also mind-blowing because the men walking around in the crowd are also all size Extra Large.  It makes sense that serious lifters would be the most likely to attend this kind of event, but it’s still always humbling to walk around in a crowd where you feel small.  And it’s motivating.

Troy Alves, at his peak at 42

I’m anxious to get back to the gym as soon as possible while I have these images of Jose Raymond winning the 202 class with arms you wouldn’t believe.  Paco Bautista was so large I suspect he had to enter backstage via crane.  Troy Alves was so conditioned that his 29 inch waist looked unreal compared to his super wide shoulders.

And a couple of over-40 competitors in the NPC show reminded me that it’s never too late to make things happen.

I’m appreciative of the inspiration, perspective, and motivation I received at this show.  Now where are my lifting gloves?  And get out of my way!!

If you want to lose weight and trim down, you need to eat more often.  Here’s how it works:

The body is like a finely tuned machine that likes regular fuel to keep running most efficiently.  Regular ‘feedings” of good nutritious food allow the body to keep running smoothly.

The problem many people have is that they don’t eat consistently.  They’ll eat maybe 2 giant meals one day, and then 4 smaller snacks the next.

But here’s what happens!!  The body does not feel  that it is going to be fed consistently, so it HANGS ONTO its fat.  The body is all about long-term survival so it will keep its fat around because if you are in a crisis and you stopped getting any food, the body knows it will survive the longest with the most fat at its disposal.  So inconsistent food intake encourages the body to keep its fat….just in case!

So inconsistency in meals is a huge factor in your body’s fat content.

If you want to lose bodyfat and lean up, then you need to convince your body that it has nothing to worry about, and that regular nutritious meals will be coming it’s way regularly.

I recommend that you have 6 or 7 “feedings” each day.  Make your main meals a little smaller, and then add some healthy snacks between meals.  I try to eat something every 2 to 3 hours.  My overall food content is not huge, but each meal or snack is a smaller portion of my daily total.

If you’re busy and don’t know how you’ll have time to add these snacks, invest in some protein shakes or bars.  There healthy snacks are ready-made sources of good nutrition that you can take with you “on the go” or throw in the fridge at work for a quick meal.  Meal Replacement Shakes are delicious ready-made shakes you can take anywhere.  I can down one of those shakes in 90 seconds and get on with my day!

If you eat consistently for days and weeks, the body will feel confident that it will be well fed and it will start to drop the extra body fat that it really hates lugging around.  Combine this smart nutrition plan with exercise and adequate rest, and you’re got a great recipe for losing weight and looking great.

Life is not always easy, and sometimes things just don’t go the way we want.  Life can be full of disappointments, and it’s our job to react to them in the best way possible.

We don’t always get to do everything we want.  Sometimes we don’t have enough money, enough influence, or enough time.  But sometimes it’s our physical body that can get in the way of something we want to do.

Children are often too short or too small to ride amusement park rides.  They have to wait until they grow taller to be able to ride safely.  A 7 foot tall basketball players may not be able to do certain things because of his height.

A professional bodybuilder told the story of the time he and his wife spent a lot of money on a scuba diving expedition, but when they got to the boat, he was simply too massive and muscular to fit into the required life vest.  This was a great disappointment to him, but his life choice to be a bodybuilder interfered in this particular circumstance.  Of course, this kind of limitation is quite rare for someone in supreme physical shape, but even this has its moments of disappointment.

Now to the real reason for this post.  The fantastic “Wizarding World of Harry Potter” recently opened in Orlando at the Universal Resort.  It’s a magical place of remarkably detailed recreations of buildings and shops from the Harry Potter book series.   The crown jewel of this theme park is the amazing ride, “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.”  This attraction actually allows you to fly through scenes from the movies and books, including a very realistic experience of playing Quidditch and fighting dementors.

The ride uses amazing new technology where your “flying bench” is actually attached to a giant robot arm.  This arm is able to move you in every way imaginable, simulating flying, sharp turns, and sudden drops and shifts in direction.   At times you are literally laying on your back and almost on your head.  It’s absolutely thrilling and an unparalleled experience.

Ah, but the caveat….in order to ride on the “magical flying bench” you must be able to pull down the safety harness and there must be THREE CLICKS.  This insures that the rider can make it safely through the journey.  Unfortunately, there have been a number of riders who could not get the “three clicks” because they were just too fat.  The official term is that their “girth” is too great, but we all know that girth and weight go hand in hand.

What has to be the worst theme park job in the world is the poor chap who must ask you to “try the sample bench” to see if you can fit, and then must break the news to you and your party that you simply cannot ride because of your “girth.”  As you can imagine, many people have been disappointed.

So we arrive at the moment of truth for this article.  How do these disappointed Potter fans react to this terrible news?  Most are angry, possibly embarrassed, and some have gone off on tirades (often public and in print) about how unfair this is.   A few have threatened to sue.   Really.  Not kidding.

So you can’t ride because you’re too heavy?  Too fat?  Too much girth?  Say it how you will, it’s the way it was.  You don’t always get to do everything you want to in this life.  I feel badly for these folks, but I can’t abide their righteous indignation.  You’re not being put upon, you need to lose weight.

How you react at this moment in time when you find yourself facing such a clear-cut disappointment is a real test of your real inner mettle.  There are many, many wonderful stories of people who have taken similar life-changing moments and have used them as a motivator to lose weight, take care of their bodies, and start to get into better shape.  In fact, one terrific Potter fan who couldn’t ride the “Forbidden Journey” has done just that.  He created a blog to follow his progress as he exercises, eats right, and works to lose weight….all in pursuit of the goal to get on this ride and have the time of his life.

So congrats to this fellow who faced the music, looked at himself in the mirror, and decided to take control and make the changes he needed.  Of course, this will not only benefit his fun at theme parks, but will surely improve his life, and the life of those around him, in innumerable ways.

So if you are worried that you might not fit onto the flying bench in Harry’s fantastic “Wizarding World,” I hope you’ll take this as an opportunity to take action now, use this as a motivator, and start to treat your body with the kindness it deserves.   Take those walks, make better food choices, get to the gym, and then have fun on the “Forbidden Journey.”  Get started!

(Note: If you’re concerned about fitting into the seat on the ride, there are some sample seats at the entrance to Hogwarts.  Ask a cast member for help and try it out before you get inside!)

As we go through life, we tend to think about the big moments that we have experienced.  We all have major, life-changing moments that seem to dictate the way that our life flows.

However, if you consider the percentage of time that we have been alive, and the amount of time that these major moments actually took, you will discover that this is just a tiny fraction of our entire time on this planet.  Most of the time we have been living day to day, going through our lives doing the “little things.”

Certainly our major moments have often had momentous impact on our lives.  But far greater impact comes from the accumulation of little things.  Every single day we make a multitude of choices and decisions, and all of these add up to REALLY direct our lives.

Let’s take fitness for example.  There are major decisions that really impact our progress in the gym.  Joining a gym.  Which gym to join and when to go.  Whether to hire a trainer.  How often to work out.  But then there are many smaller decisions made every day during our workouts.  Things like how much weight to use, what kind of focus to bring to the set we’re doing, and what kind of form to use.

If we go through the workouts in a haphazard manner, then we will get the same kind of results.  But we are diligent in every moment of the workout, determined to be focused and do our best with each single rep, then those small decisions and that diligence will undoubtedly add up to great progress over time.

When deciding what to eat, we may make large goals about losing weight or eating more healthily.  But it’s the smaller decisions made multiple times each that really add up and make a difference.  What good choices will we make at this moment for our next meal?  Will we stop eating when we’re full or keep going until the giant portion we’ve been served is all gone?  Do you really want that dessert?  One bite or the entire piece of pie?  All of these small decisions add up to giant life choices over time.  It’s often the accumulative power of these choices that really dictates our success.

Will I smoke that cigarette or decide to fight that craving for one more hour?  Will I have that extra beer with friends or will I stop after two and make them “light beers?”  Will I let my coworker drive me crazy in this meeting, adding to my unhealthy life stress, or will I try to see the bigger picture and think about my career goals?

All of these choices that seem minuscule at the time will really add up together to become your life.  Each small choice is one step toward your goal.  Major fitness accomplishments are not made in sweeping gestures, but one food choice at a time, one great rep at a time, and one moment of discipline at a time.  Pay attention to your life and demand that you treat yourself with respect in every moment and in every choice.  Then the major choices will be easy and your path will lead you toward great success and better health and fitness.

If you go to the gym most every day and at about the same time, you will see the same basic crowd of people each time.   Some of these fellow gym members are people that you talk to and get to know, while others are just faces that you might nod hello to but not ever interact with further.

Either way, if you don’t ever learn someone’s name, it’s often expedient to give them a nickname to help identify them when talking with your workout partner.  I admit that John and I have a large collection of nicknames that we have assigned to our fellow gym rats.  This gives us a shorthand when mentioning someone during our workout.

I’m going to share some of these nicknames with you here.  These are just for fun and not meant to be mean.  We rarely share these nicknames with others but just use them between ourselves.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Plastic girl: a very pretty girl who works out very hard, is in great shape, and happens to have gigantic fake breasts.

Retro Stu: the fellow whose workout clothes are all from the 80’s.  String tank tops and tight coach’s shorts…and the pony tail out the back of the hat completes the look.

Mean mugger: the guy who always scowls at the rest of the gym if they happen to look anywhere toward his hot girlfriend.

Droopy Dog is always negative, and “Gigantor” is just huge.

Because of the large Latino population at our gym, we have Ricky Ricardo, Cuban tattoo guy, and G.I Juan (who often wears those camouflage shorts.)  All are huge and handsome, so no disrespect is intended.

All of this is just in fun and serves to aid in conversations as we comment on those around us.  It also helps to add an element of fun to the proceedings.  I wonder if others use this same technique?  Hmmmm…would we be “Italian Tank” and “Flattop guy?”  Or “Friendly guy” and “Surly guy?”   Makes you wonder?  Do you have gym nicknames in YOUR gym?

My workout partner, John, is a great workout partner.  At the most elemental level, he shows up and always helps me have a better workout.  That in itself would be enough to qualify him as one of the best I’ve had.

John is a little Italian tank with a wicked sense of humor and arms the size of Mt. Rushmore.  He knows what he knows, and also knows what he doesn’t.  He’s ready to learn, ready to try something new, and quick to tell me when he thinks something is ridiculous and he’s not going near it.

He’s always ready to say hello and be friendly with anyone.  He also will not suffer fools or put up with their nonsense.  Get on his wrong side and he’s done with you.  Show him you’re worth some trouble and he’s as loyal as a St. Bernard.

He puts up with my mood swings and my tendency to be distracted by hotties.  He can laugh at my insecurities and his own.  He’s always there to give me a spot or a bit of encouragement when it’s needed.  There are times I want to strangle him, but I know he could beat me to a pulp if I ever tried.  He has a slightly volatile edge (that he relishes.)

A great workout partner should have these qualities of consistency and support.  The trick is to find someone who matches your intensity level and has the same basic goals.  It’s not mandatory to have someone with the same strength level, but it can be a real plus since this means you have to add and remove weights a lot less often during the workout.

So when you’re looking for a workout partner, find someone who works hard but doesn’t take it all too seriously.  Find someone who knows a lot, but doesn’t think they know everything.  And find someone who you enjoy being around and can imagine seeing most every day.   In other words, find someone like John Passarella.

If  you’re a gym regular, you know that on most days you see the same basic crowd when you work out… “The Regulars,” as we call them.  The same dedicated batch of gym rats tend to show up at about the same time each day.

This normalcy can be really comforting and can be a real boost to enjoying your time in the gym.  It helps you get to know other members and helps to make the environment more comfortable and predictable, helping to create a positive mood and supportive environment in which to make great progress.

But occasionally, on certain very strange days, the gym can seem a totally different place.  I’m sure this must true at some gyms more than others, but at our friendly little LA Fitness in Conway, things can be a bit unpredictable.

On a recent evening things were decidedly strange.  We called it a “bizarro day” in the gym.  (A nod to Superman, for those in the know.)  My workout partner John and I looked around and the gym was absolutely packed.  And yet, I only recognized maybe 3 or 4 other gym members.  Very few of the regulars were there, and it seemed that an entire bus-load of new people had been dropped off for the evening.

Of course, this can make for some freshness as you have different people to look at.  But this also means that you’re interacting with new people who are unfamiliar with the gym and its setup, and with the general “vibe” of cooperation in the gym.

Plus, sadly, on this particular bizarro night, there simply weren’t a lot of beautiful new people to make these new hassles worth the trouble.  As shallow as it sounds, it’s always more palatable if there is hotness involved in these new bodies.

But to move off this vapid note, I just mention this as one of those “gym phenomenons” that we regulars occasionally encounter.  It does keep things interesting, but it tends to muck up your regular workout to a point that can be a bit exasperating.

So if you encounter a “Bizarro Day” in the gym, just grin and bear it because in all likelihood, things will be back to normal the next day with all the friendly regulars saying hello and making things comfortable again.  It’s just one of those weird gym things!

You’re spending a lot of time working on your fitness goals, sweating in the gym, eating right, and getting adequate rest.  Why, then, would you cut corners with your gym gear?

You’re already giving your most valuable assets, your time and attention.  These are the real personal assets you must devote to any activity to be successful.  But there are other things you can do also which will make a real difference.

Invest in the equipment needed to really do things right.   Start by wearing the right clothes to the gym.  Purchase comfortable and appropriate shorts and shirts to work out in.  If you can, invest a little more and get the newest products.  There are now shirts and tank tops which actually pull the sweat and water away from your body.  This can keep you more comfortable and also cooler.

I’m a big fan of workout gloves in the gym.  I don’t want my hands rough or full of calluses.    Plus having good leather workout gloves improves my grip and also keeps my hands less sweaty, preventing injuries or mishaps.

I wear gloves which include wrist wraps for wrist support.  I have a wrist injury which can hinder my workouts, but these gloves help me maintain correct form and put the force of the lift where it should go.

If you are learning yoga, then invest in your own mat.  You may need a towel or sweat band for your favorite activity, and a water bottle may help you get through a spin class.

Serious lifters can have an arsenal of workout aids, including lifting belts, wrist straps, or other products used to improve form on certain exercises.

Whatever you are doing, spend a few dollars and give yourself the best equipment needed so you can succeed.  Why spend all this effort in the gym only to be slowed by inadequate clothing or equipment?  Any money spent will pay huge dividends in increased progress and enjoyment in the gym.  Now get to Sports Authority and get it going!

There are advantages to having a regular schedule.  If you have the advantage of training at the same time every day, and training at the same gym, then you will inevitably see the same set of “regulars” each time you are there.

Phil Heath and friend in gym

For many people, the gym is their “third place.”  We have home and work, but we all need one more place to feel at home and call our own, our “third place.”  The gym is my third place.  I love going to the gym because I enjoy working out.  But it’s also nice to see a set of friendly faces each day.

These are not my best friends, and for a great majority I probably don’t know their name.  But they are someone I say hello to, greet with a smile, and get a smile in return.  We’re all compadres in the “iron game” and members of the same society, “Those in quest of fitness and muscle.”  There is a great sense of belonging and comradery that comes from being a part of such a group.

You don’t need to be a wildly social person.  I tend to be quite shy around people I don’t know.  But by simply saying hello and acknowledging that you see them, you are doing more than being friendly.  You are affirming your commitment in the gym, plus you’re giving them a nod for showing up one more time and being dedicated and diligent.

All you have to do is say “hello.”  A quick acknowledgment is all it takes.  Obviously, there are people who don’t want to be bothered or are in their own world, securely removed by headphones.  But for the great majority of gym members, they are happy to be greeted.  Take time to be friendly and get to know your fellow gym rats.  You’ll become a part of the gym family and increase your support system.  Better gains are sure to follow.