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Showing posts from November, 2018

3 Mistakes to Avoid for Lean Athletic Abs

Forget all the six-pack ripped selfies and marketing you’ve ever seen, let’s be real for a few minutes. So, you’re in the constant pursuit of developing a strong athletic core, and a visible set of abs. Let’s be clear from the get-go, only you know where you’re at right now so if you’re thinking this article will take you from 30% body fat to 5% body fat with veins pulsating over your ripped six-pack, it won’t.     read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2E69eY8 via IFTTT

3 Mistakes to Avoid for Lean Athletic Abs

Forget all the six-pack ripped selfies and marketing you’ve ever seen, let’s be real for a few minutes. So, you’re in the constant pursuit of developing a strong athletic core, and a visible set of abs. Let’s be clear from the get-go, only you know where you’re at right now so if you’re thinking this article will take you from 30% body fat to 5% body fat with veins pulsating over your ripped six-pack, it won’t.     read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2SlIpC5 via IFTTT

Strength Is a Relative Term

It’s important to ensure we are respecting our bodies and our minds by setting up realistic expectations in our training.   Overcoming resistance is as much as a mental feat as it is a physical one . During training our goal is to get our body, a weight, or sometimes both, from point A to point B. Your gym partner may be able to push 100lb dumbbells within three seconds while you’ll thrust it up within a half a second. Different athletes excel at different aspects of strength.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2Pb7opU via IFTTT

Honey Butternut Breakfast Crepes

This nutrient packed breakfast will keep you feeling full and satisfied well past your mid-morning routine. Squash may be an unusual choice for breakfast. However, when butternut squash is blended with yogurt and sweetened with just a touch of honey, it makes a perfect custard-like filling for the inside of crepes. Crepes made with an almond flour base provide a nice nutty flavor that compliments the earthy squash. Adding a ripe banana to the crepe batter provides structure and a hint of natural sweetness for a wholesome breakfast without a lot of added sugar.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2BFL04x via IFTTT

Strength Is a Relative Term

It’s important to ensure we are respecting our bodies and our minds by setting up realistic expectations in our training.   Overcoming resistance is as much as a mental feat as it is a physical one . During training our goal is to get our body, a weight, or sometimes both, from point A to point B. Your gym partner may be able to push 100lb dumbbells within three seconds while you’ll thrust it up within a half a second. Different athletes excel at different aspects of strength.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2BGxYDK via IFTTT

Honey Butternut Breakfast Crepes

This nutrient packed breakfast will keep you feeling full and satisfied well past your mid-morning routine. Squash may be an unusual choice for breakfast. However, when butternut squash is blended with yogurt and sweetened with just a touch of honey, it makes a perfect custard-like filling for the inside of crepes. Crepes made with an almond flour base provide a nice nutty flavor that compliments the earthy squash. Adding a ripe banana to the crepe batter provides structure and a hint of natural sweetness for a wholesome breakfast without a lot of added sugar.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2TW2Kj5 via IFTTT

Building a Healthy Body, and Active Mind, and Strong Relationships

Dr. Wendy Walsh talks about the mental aspects of health and how the ways in which we sabotage our relationships can impact our general well-being.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2FMIGwI via IFTTT

Building a Healthy Body, and Active Mind, and Strong Relationships

Dr. Wendy Walsh talks about the mental aspects of health and how the ways in which we sabotage our relationships can impact our general well-being.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2E3rz7Y via IFTTT

Stress Is Growth

Purpose stems from struggle, not from comfort. Chronic stress is a genuine concern in our current environment . Continuous "fight-or-flight" responses and prolonged cortisol exposure plague countless individuals, and their health and body composition suffers. I wish to acknowledge that at the start.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2DOMNpf via IFTTT

Energize Your Willpower

In the grand scheme of things consistency always wins over perfection. With the holiday season upon us, family dinners, never-ending temptations, samples at Costco, cookies, turkey, cheesy potatoes, and a glass of wine or two, it is no wonder that most people pack on the pounds at the end of the year.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2DMPxn1 via IFTTT

Stress Is Growth

Purpose stems from struggle, not from comfort. Chronic stress is a genuine concern in our current environment . Continuous "fight-or-flight" responses and prolonged cortisol exposure plague countless individuals, and their health and body composition suffers. I wish to acknowledge that at the start. However, this article won't delve into stress management or reduction. This article is not about taking phosphatidylserine or preventing overtraining. Some of what you will read is dead-serious, some hyperbole, and a little satire, but do not let that get in the way of the overall point: we need stress. read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2QndR5F via IFTTT

Energize Your Willpower

In the grand scheme of things consistency always wins over perfection. With the holiday season upon us, family dinners, never-ending temptations, samples at Costco, cookies, turkey, cheesy potatoes, and a glass of wine or two, it is no wonder that most people pack on the pounds at the end of the year.   Most of us blame our “falling off the diet train” as an issue of willpower. I want to discuss the concept of willpower—what it is, and what it’s not—and what it means for gaining muscle. read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2DNj9Rp via IFTTT

So You Tore Your ACL, Now What?

Find a coach, step into the weight room, and fuel your body to become an even better athlete than you were before your injury. Tearing your ACL sucks .    It's frustrating, defeating, and often comes with an influx of fears of never being able to return to the field as the athlete you were before. Just because your friend who tore her ACL became slower, maybe gained some weight, and never seemed to trust her body on the field again does not mean you are destined for the same outcome.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2DVy78F via IFTTT

So You Tore Your ACL, Now What?

Find a coach, step into the weight room, and fuel your body to become an even better athlete than you were before your injury. Tearing your ACL sucks .    It's frustrating, defeating, and often comes with an influx of fears of never being able to return to the field as the athlete you were before. Just because your friend who tore her ACL became slower, maybe gained some weight, and never seemed to trust her body on the field again does not mean you are destined for the same outcome.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2DWhGJn via IFTTT

The Gift of Gratitude: How to Have a Truly Happy Thanksgiving

There is nothing wrong with a pre-Thanksgiving meal workout. Maybe this year it can have an intention of gratitude.   Often times during Thanksgiving we are concerned with staying in shape and making sure we get in our workout before the big meal. I teach a yoga class on Thanksgiving morning and it is always filled to capacity.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2OVNf6V via IFTTT

The Gift of Gratitude: How to Have a Truly Happy Thanksgiving

There is nothing wrong with a pre-Thanksgiving meal workout. Maybe this year it can have an intention of gratitude.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2DRqUGy via IFTTT

Turkey and Harissa Squash Skillet

This turkey and harissa squash skillet will have your tastebuds dancing. Squash is a vegetable that many love to hate . Maybe it’s the texture or perhaps the somewhat bland flavor that is sometimes attributed to it, but the squash has a high nutritional value and it is worth finding ways that you can truly enjoy it and even learn to love it. Spaghetti squash makes an easy entry point into the squash dinner scene because it’s so delightfully shreddable and maintains a noodle-like texture rather than turning to mush. read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2R3e7Ur via IFTTT

Turkey and Harissa Squash Skillet

This turkey and harissa squash skillet will have your tastebuds dancing. Squash is a vegetable that many love to hate . Maybe it’s the texture or perhaps the somewhat bland flavor that is sometimes attributed to it, but the squash has a high nutritional value and it is worth finding ways that you can truly enjoy it and even learn to love it. Spaghetti squash makes an easy entry point into the squash dinner scene because it’s so delightfully shreddable and maintains a noodle-like texture rather than turning to mush. read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2FxCMzi via IFTTT

Bruce Lee's 3-Minute Workout

Of all the methods we’ve come across for fitting in fitness, none are as convenient and easily applied as Bruce Lee’s morning static contraction circuit. Life in the 21st century is busy. Between work deadlines, traffic, taking the kids to their various activities, keeping the house from falling apart, and, of course, our constant accessibility to the immediate needs of other people (thank you, smartphone for that 8 pm work email), it can feel like life has gotten out of your control.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2KlYOnp via IFTTT

Bruce Lee's 3-Minute Workout

Of all the methods we’ve come across for fitting in fitness, none are as convenient and easily applied as Bruce Lee’s morning static contraction circuit. Life in the 21st century is busy. Between work deadlines, traffic, taking the kids to their various activities, keeping the house from falling apart, and, of course, our constant accessibility to the immediate needs of other people (thank you, smartphone for that 8 pm work email), it can feel like life has gotten out of your control.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2DNcFCR via IFTTT

Less Is Not More

Training is a necessary stressor to create a need for improvement or adaptation. Trying to improve your game? Adding another two nights of practice may not get you the results you want. Rolled your ankle at softball practice? Taking three days off may not get you back on the field as intended.   Less is not always more—and more is not always better .   The relationship between training load, injury, and performance is much too complex to simplify in a ‘do more’ or ‘do less’ statement. Rather, we have to consider the bigger picture when working towards a certain goal. read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2OOm3Hf via IFTTT

Less Is Not More

Training is a necessary stressor to create a need for improvement or adaptation. Trying to improve your game? Adding another two nights of practice may not get you the results you want. Rolled your ankle at softball practice? Taking three days off may not get you back on the field as intended.   Less is not always more—and more is not always better .   The relationship between training load, injury, and performance is much too complex to simplify in a ‘do more’ or ‘do less’ statement. Rather, we have to consider the bigger picture when working towards a certain goal. read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2DtFJhL via IFTTT

What Feels Strong Today Won't Always Feel as Strong

Correct your movement patterns to gain strength. For some bizarre reason, Olympic weightlifting is treated as a very different discipline from general strength training by newer adoptees . Things that make intuitive sense in weight training aren’t applied to weightlifting (Olympic). One of these crucial components includes working on weaknesses and being aware not increase primary muscle strength while forgetting about all the rest. read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2PuKrCY via IFTTT

What Feels Strong Today Won't Always Feel as Strong

Correct your movement patterns to gain strength. For some bizarre reason, Olympic weightlifting is treated as a very different discipline from general strength training by newer adoptees . Things that make intuitive sense in weight training aren’t applied to weightlifting (Olympic). One of these crucial components includes working on weaknesses and being aware not increase primary muscle strength while forgetting about all the rest. read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2BboY9u via IFTTT

Moving Mountains From Within

We all have mountains to move in order to grow and because of that we grind hard in the gym and sometimes treat it as therapy. The word ‘motivation’ originates from the Latin word ‘movere’ —meaning “to move.” Motivation itself is, broadly, a force that activates or arouses a person into pursuing goal-directed efforts.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2OKS1Ey via IFTTT

Moving Mountains From Within

We all have mountains to move in order to grow and because of that we grind hard in the gym and sometimes treat it as therapy. “The word ‘motivation’ originates from the Latin word ‘movere’ —meaning “to move.” Motivation itself is, broadly, a force that activates or arouses a person into pursuing goal-directed efforts.” I recently met a courageous and self-motivated woman named Buthayna who helped me to realize how crucial it is to move personal mountains in order to attain fitness goals . read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2TcIZmZ via IFTTT

Seasonal Weight Gain: A Balanced Approach to the Holidays

This holiday season commit to being more, rather than having more. The leaves are falling, the air is crisp, baseball season is over, and football is in high gear . It’s official, the holidays are here. Really, they have been for a while. The official kick-off, pumpkin spice season, has been here since early September.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2zav4W5 via IFTTT

Seasonal Weight Gain: A Balanced Approach to the Holidays

This holiday season commit to being more, rather than having more. The leaves are falling, the air is crisp, baseball season is over, and football is in high gear . It’s official, the holidays are here. Really, they have been for a while. The official kick-off, pumpkin spice season, has been here since early September. Then came the fall festivals and their funnel cakes, corn dogs, and an increasingly creative selection of fried foods. This, of course, took us to Halloween, a day dedicated to gorging on packaged candy. Still, all that pales in comparison to the extravaganza of consumption that typifies November and December. read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2qL6M0l via IFTTT

Extreme Fitness is a Life Saver, So is Normal Fitness

Better cardiorespiratory fitness leads to longer life, with no limit to the benefit of aerobic fitness. Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic 1 , a non-profit academic medical center in Cleveland, Ohio, retrospectively studied 122,007 patients who underwent exercise treadmill testing at the clinic between Jan. 1, 1991, and Dec. 31, 2014, to measure all-cause mortality relating to the benefits of exercise and fitness. The study found that increased cardiorespiratory fitness was directly associated with reduced long-term mortality, with no limit on the positive effects of aerobic fitness. read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2OJcppx via IFTTT

Extreme Fitness is a Life Saver, So is Normal Fitness

Better cardiorespiratory fitness leads to longer life, with no limit to the benefit of aerobic fitness. Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic 1 , a non-profit academic medical center in Cleveland, Ohio, retrospectively studied 122,007 patients who underwent exercise treadmill testing at the clinic between Jan. 1, 1991, and Dec. 31, 2014, to measure all-cause mortality relating to the benefits of exercise and fitness. The study found that increased cardiorespiratory fitness was directly associated with reduced long-term mortality, with no limit on the positive effects of aerobic fitness. read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2T6d2wC via IFTTT

There's Always a Role for Cardio

Comparing HIIT and LISS is a pointless exercise, just know when the time is right for either in a balanced program. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) was the number one fitness trend of 2017 (according to the American College of Sports Medicine). Over a year later HIIT seems to be as popular as ever, reducing low-intensity, steady/sustained state training (LISS) to a mere inconvenience. Is HIIT better than LISS? Let’s find out.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2zLcyDa via IFTTT

There's Always a Role for Cardio

Comparing HIIT and LISS is a pointless exercise, just know when the time is right for either in a balanced program. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) was the number one fitness trend of 2017 (according to the American College of Sports Medicine). Over a year later HIIT seems to be as popular as ever, reducing low-intensity, steady/sustained state training (LISS) to a mere inconvenience. Is HIIT better than LISS? Let’s find out.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2DjRibd via IFTTT

She Believed She Could and She Did

So many of us can relate to the struggles of change, the challenges of being a parent, and learning to balance both your life and your families. Here is one story to inspire. Change is difficult . We become so wrapped up in being comfortable that we forget that change is what creates the next level in our lives. On September 26, 2017, I received an email from an individual who was a bit hesitant to make the changes needed to create her next level , but she made those changes and one year later she is now an important member of my Warrior Body program and has become someone who has set an example for many. read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2DADnP2 via IFTTT

She Believed She Could and She Did

So many of us can relate to the struggles of change, the challenges of being a parent, and learning to balance both your life and your families. Here is one story to inspire. Change is difficult . We become so wrapped up in being comfortable that we forget that change is what creates the next level in our lives. On September 26, 2017, I received an email from an individual who was a bit hesitant to make the changes needed to create her next level , but she made those changes and one year later she is now an important member of my Warrior Body program and has become someone who has set an example for many. read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2QANExl via IFTTT

Set Yourself Up for Your Best Race Season Yet

A large percentage of the population sabotage themselves for fear of success, the fear of being good and some have just lost motivation. “Life got in the way.”   How many times have we used that excuse because we didn’t race the way we wanted to? Maybe we had a DNF or maybe even a DNS. We blame life for it. Let’s face it, you didn’t do the work. You made up flimsy excuses to skip a workout and as a result, you had an awful race . As a single woman, I have a lot of good excuses to get out of just about any situation, but it doesn’t help my ultimate goals.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2PhuJex via IFTTT

Set Yourself Up for Your Best Race Season Yet

A large percentage of the population sabotage themselves for fear of success, the fear of being good and some have just lost motivation. “Life got in the way.”   How many times have we used that excuse because we didn’t race the way we wanted to? Maybe we had a DNF or maybe even a DNS. We blame life for it. Let’s face it, you didn’t do the work. You made up flimsy excuses to skip a workout and as a result, you had an awful race . As a single woman, I have a lot of good excuses to get out of just about any situation, but it doesn’t help my ultimate goals.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2Ozuc2g via IFTTT

Lessons Learned from Rowing a Half Marathon

We should all undertake some sort of endurance training at some point. A basic tenant of Crossfit training is to “keep workouts short and intense.” Why, then, did I sign up for a full/half marathon row modeled off the recent Games event ? Great question.   I regretted my decision almost immediately after committing to five weeks of long-distance rowing; however, reflecting on the training experience and the half marathon itself, I learned important things about myself as an athlete and coach that I hope will benefit other strength athletes.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2qCopj4 via IFTTT

Instant Pot Stuffed Carnival Squash

Carnival squash with quinoa and black bean stuffing is a hearty vegan dish, suitable for all eaters at your table. Stuffed carnival squash is a one pot wonder that has all of the taste in half the time . Cooking a whole squash is time intensive but using an Instant Pot pressure cooker allows you to throw together a complete meal or fancy side dish all at once and much quicker.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2Faz4LR via IFTTT

Lessons Learned from Rowing a Half Marathon

We should all undertake some sort of endurance training at some point. A basic tenant of Crossfit training is to “keep workouts short and intense.” Why, then, did I sign up for a full/half marathon row modeled off the recent Games event ? Great question.   I regretted my decision almost immediately after committing to five weeks of long-distance rowing; however, reflecting on the training experience and the half marathon itself, I learned important things about myself as an athlete and coach that I hope will benefit other strength athletes.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2SREyhg via IFTTT

Create Your Ultimate Diet

How many times have you turned to Google for nutrition advice, only to be left even more confused 5 minutes later? You may have been caught in the middle of the following lover's quarrel :   “You know what that chicken on your plate has been through right? Meat is bad for you! It gives you cancer. It is pumped with steroids and hormones that will make you fat!” “Well, my food is shitting on your rabbit food! Do you know research shows vegans have lower IQ than meat eaters? Enjoy your carrot.”   This scenario has happened to me, many times.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2zMqXiP via IFTTT

Instant Pot Stuffed Carnival Squash

Carnival squash with quinoa and black bean stuffing is a hearty vegan dish, suitable for all eaters at your table. Stuffed carnival squash is a one pot wonder that has all of the taste in half the time . Cooking a whole squash is time intensive but using an Instant Pot pressure cooker allows you to throw together a complete meal or fancy side dish all at once and much quicker.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2SWTmeI via IFTTT

Create Your Ultimate Diet

How many times have you turned to Google for nutrition advice, only to be left even more confused 5 minutes later? You may have been caught in the middle of the following lover's quarrel :   “You know what that chicken on your plate has been through right? Meat is bad for you! It gives you cancer. It is pumped with steroids and hormones that will make you fat!”   “Well, my food is shitting on your rabbit food! Do you know research shows vegans have lower IQ than meat eaters? Enjoy your carrot.”   This scenario has happened to me, many times.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2zBM337 via IFTTT

Do You Lift, Bro? Most Americans Say Nah!

60% of all adults in the US do no muscle-strengthening exercises and 25% don’t even like to walk, cycle or run. In a first of its kind study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine 1 , data from a nationally representative sample of US adults were used by investigators to link low-to-moderately frequent muscle-strengthening exercise (MSE) with fewer reported health conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and cancer. read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2PhZzUk via IFTTT

Do You Lift, Bro? Most Americans Say Nah!

60% of all adults in the US do no muscle-strengthening exercises and 25% don’t even like to walk, cycle or run. In a first of its kind study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine 1 , data from a nationally representative sample of US adults were used by investigators to link low-to-moderately frequent muscle-strengthening exercise (MSE) with fewer reported health conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and cancer. read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2ARIYxL via IFTTT

Prevent Running Injuries with the Right Conditioning

Running can be a taxing exercise for the body, which is why it is vital to ensure the body is conditioned enough for it. Photography by Bev Childress of Fort Worth, Texas   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2QpimcT via IFTTT