Where were the biceps at the Oscars?
So yesterday Candy and I decided to look at pictures from the red carpet at the Oscars. We weren’t looking at the women’s dresses though – we were looking at their biceps.
We were searching for 10 women with great arms so today I could post “The Top 10 Biceps at the Oscars.”
But we couldn’t find 10 women on the red carpet with Man Bicep worthy arms.
We found only two. Viola Davis and Cameron Diaz were the only two females out there repping Man Biceps.
Nice arms and a nice back, Viola Davis!
Nice sculpted arms!
I must admit….we were severely disappointed.
What the heck ladies!?! I mean did I miss some memo about anorexic, skinny arms being the new red carpet trend?
Are these really the arms you would prefer?
Eat some meat. Lift some weights. Then maybe you’ll be the best dressed on the red carpet.
What “lift heavy” really means
I constantly am preaching to women that they need to “lift heavy weights.”
This just sounded like something I would say..
And while I choose to lift 100s of pounds if I can, “lifting heavy” doesn’t mean that you have to do the same.
“Lifting heavy” simply means that you don’t fear challenging weights – that you aren’t just picking up the 5lbs dumbbells because you are afraid that you will gain too much muscle if you pick up the 15s. It means that you choose the proper weight (a heavy, challenging weight) for an exercise so that you are TRULY working the muscle.
For example…today Candy and I did the iron cross, which is a killer shoulder move. For that exercise, “heavy” meant 8lbs. Using 8lbs set my shoulders on fire. I could barely complete all 10 reps each round!
Heavy weight is definitely relative. Probably challenging weight is a better term to describe the weight you should be using.
But I use the word “heavy” because using heavy weight is what many women fear – and they shouldn’t.
Today I just want to clarify that “lifting heavy” doesn’t mean you have to lift 100s of pounds. I don’t want people thinking that if they can’t lift 100lbs it isn’t worth the effort to try to “lift heavy.”
So ladies lift those heavy, challenging weights! I think you’ll like how you look if you do!!!!
And in case even clarifying that “heavy” means challenging doesn’t convince you, here are a few articles/studies that should!
The Claim: For Better Muscle Tone, Go Lighter and Repeat
This one is just funny…10 good reasons why women should stay away from weights
Even a bodybuilding website tells you that you can’t get huge from lifting heavy – Breaking the Myth
“Abs are made in the kitchen.”
A lot of my clients want to lose weight.
And what I tell those clients is that working out will help them build muscle. It will help make them healthier. It will make the weight loss process easier.
But I also tell them the honest, hard truth – that if they don’t eat well, they won’t reach their weight loss goals.
I would LOVE to tell them that all they need to do is workout with me because that would make me a ton more money.
But it isn’t the truth.
Working out may help you build a six-pack, but if you don’t eat well, you will never be able to see it!
And I want my clients to be able to see all of their hard work paying off! Actually I want every body everywhere to be able to see their hard work paying off just like I saw mine pay off.
So until the end of March, I’m offering a complimentary PERSONALIZED 2 month Man Bicep diet to anyone who subscribes to Man Bicep AND sends me a “Show Me Yours” photo.
If you’ve already subscribed, just email me with a photo saying that you are interested and I’ll develop a 2 month Man Bicep diet program for you.
These first two introductory months of the Man Bicep diet are meant to really kick-start your weight loss or even help you cut that last little bit of fat that just seems to not want to come off. After the first two months, you can shift into more of a maintenance phase, which will allow a bit more freedom.
So subscribe and show me those Man Biceps!!
Nike has all those ads about loving other body parts...why not one about the bicep!?!
The Man Bicep Diet – 2 month update
I’m not a fan of taking photos. I don’t usually like how I look in photos and I avoid being in as many photos as possible.
BUT photos are really the best way to prove that your diet is working. Therefore, I spent a few hours this morning taking some fitness photos to show the results I got from the first 2 months of the Man Bicep diet. I’m a bit nervous to show them but I know this is key to proving just how right I am! 😉
I started this diet on January 1st with the intention of cutting off that last little bit of fat and being able to keep it off while still being able to get stronger!
So far I’m very happy with the results! The first two months were meant to really kick-start my fat lose.
The next phase of my diet starts on March 1st and it is more of a maintenance phase than the first one; however, during the next couple of months I will continue to lose fat while gaining strength and muscle until I reach the exact body composition I want!
And if my photos inspired you, here are more recipes from the Man Bicep Recipe Box to help you reach your goals!
Pull ups...they do a body good!
We can't just look good...we also have to kick some butt!
Renaissance Woman
What are your fitness goals?
Are they to be the strongest? Or the fastest? Or even just the best looking?
Or what if your fitness goal isn’t necessarily to be the best in one thing but to be great at everything?
That is my goal. I want to be a fitness renaissance woman. Actually, I want to be a renaissance woman in life, but that is a story for another post.
What is a fitness renaissance woman?
It is a woman who can partake in any physical activity and do it half-way decently even her first time. It is a woman who is willing to try any fitness related activity at least once. It is a woman who can lift heavy weights, sprint quickly, go on a long jog, play a game of basketball, go paddle boarding or even just go for a leisurely hike.
It is a woman who trains for life and looks amazing while doing it!
I am that woman. I train to be that woman. I encourage others to be that person!
That is why I can’t stick to a purely powerlifting or bodybuilding/fitness modeling workout program.
Each is too narrow in what it makes you good at. A strict powerlifting program will make you super strong, but will totally ignore the cardio part of being in shape. It won’t make you an awesome sprinter or make you able to go for long jogs outside just because the weather is nice.
The same sort of thing goes for a bodybuilding workout. The main goal of a bodybuilding workout routine is to make you look good. You won’t necessarily get super strong or develop strength in other areas of fitness, but you will look good.
Is it worth it to do these programs and really only be great at one thing?
Why not do a program that can make you strong, fast and look good all at once?
Maybe it’s because I’ve set narrow goals and achieved them only to realize there is so much more out there that I want to experience. So why not experiment and try everything I can!?!
That is why I lift heavy, sprint often, go for long bike rides (and even jogs…preferably outside since I don’t like running very much), do some boxing and even some gymnastics!
And guess what, doing that made me strong enough to win a powerlifting competition EVEN though I didn’t do a strict traditional powerlifting program.
This program made Candy powerful enough and in great enough cardio shape to row a 2k in 7:33 even though we never actually rowed any 2ks over the last two months.
This program allows me to feel like not only can I do any physical activity that someone asks me to do, but it also makes me look pretty freaking good!
I’m not saying I look like a fitness model, but I look strong and lean.
So why spend time on a strict program that makes you super good at only one thing?
Why not do a program that makes you great at everything so that you can take on every physical challenge life throws at you AND look good while doing it!?!
Be a fitness renaissance person! Be a Man Biceper!
Here is another weekly workout to help make you awesome at everything! 🙂
Eat Whole Foods!
Man Biceper Francine shared this article “BPA’s Obesity and Diabetes Link Strengthened by New Study” with me today with the comment, “Another reason to go Primal, people. Or at least organic/grass-fed/all natural stuffs.”
And she is totally right.
This is just more proof that all of the processed crap that we feed ourselves isn’t good for us…no matter how low-fat or fat-free it is.
Nothing can replace eating whole, natural foods raised in humane, ethical and NATURAL ways.
I mean can you really argue that a fatty steak from a grass-fed, free range cow is worse for you than some processed food with chemicals even if that process food has less saturated fat?
I think I’ll take my chances on the yummy steak and avoid all foods that are processed like grains and vegetable oils.
Top 10 ways to have more fun while working out!
I love lifting heavy weights and workouts that nearly kill me. For me that is fun…as sick as that may sound.
But I do realize that my idea of fun doesn’t necessarily appeal to everyone.
And if you want to find the perfect workout routine for you, you have to find a form of exercise that you enjoy!
While I don’t think any workout routine is complete without at least two days of heavy lifting, I do think there are lots of things you can do to make your workout routine fun in general.
Here are 10 ways to make your workout routine more enjoyable:
- Workout with a friend. I find that working out with someone not only pushes me harder but makes any workout, no matter how torturous, more tolerable.
- Do activities that you enjoy! Do a Zumba class if you enjoy it. While lifting is important, you don’t have to lift every day, which leaves plenty of time to do the activities you love! Combine an activity that you love with a couple of essential, but maybe not as fun lifting days, and your overall program will be something you enjoy.
- Add music to your workouts. Create a playlist for your workouts. Matching up music to exercises can be motivating and make the workouts more fun. A playlist can both help you take the appropriate amount of rest and help you not take extra breaks during an intense circuit!
- Challenge yourself. There is no better feeling than pushing through a hard workout. When you complete a challenging workout, you feel successful and that feeling of success makes the hard work worthwhile!
- Mix it up! Vary what you do. If you do the same thing week in and week out, you are going to get bored. And if you are bored with your workout, you probably aren’t having fun. Keep it interesting and mix things up at least every 4-6 weeks!
- Try something new. Every time you experiment and try something new, you give yourself the chance to find something new that you enjoy. Trying something new also adds variety to your workouts, which keeps you interested!
- Take the workouts outside the gym. Try taking your workouts outside. Go for a run or hike. I always find that I workout for way longer when I’m actually GOING somewhere. Even just moving your workouts from the gym to home can make it easier to squeeze one in on a day when you aren’t motivated.
- Play. When kids play, they are exercising. What’s to say a workout has to feel like a workout? Go stand-up paddle boarding, roller skating or biking! Or even just go play on the playground with your kids!
- See results. When you see results, you are motivated to keep working hard. Find some great ways to measure your progress and do check ups every 4-6 weeks. Success is a great motivator!
- Don’t think that every workout has to be a marathon. Don’t pressure yourself into making every workout the hardest thing you’ve ever done. Also, not every workout needs to go on for an hour. Sometimes the best workouts are the ones where you go all out and are exhausted in 10 minutes. Vary the length and intensity of your workouts. Something is better than nothing. And not having to stress over the length of your workout can make working out more fun in general!
How do you make working out fun!?!
HA!
So these were a few random and interesting things from the past week. Some of the links to articles and research just provide more evidence that what I’ve been saying is RIGHT!
- Interval Training – Small time commitment, great results! Look there is even an article in the NY Times about it!
- There is no sacrificing on Primal!!! Have a sweet tooth? Than indulge in a little bit of HEALTHY dark chocolate!
- Is a gluten-free diet good for you? I think it is. But there are researchers that say a gluten-free diet is a waste of money for most people. Is it really? Or is it just that people fill the gluten void with other crap which is equally as bad?
- Now you can relieve stress through exercise even at the airport!
- People usually suggest that you don’t eat close to when you are going to go to bed if you want to lose weight. BUT consuming protein right before you go to sleep may actually help with post workout recovery, which means more muscle synthesis. So maybe you want to eat before bed!
- Ever had someone tell you that skipping meals, especially breakfast, is bad for you? Well, skipping meals may actually help protect against brain diseases.
- Want better sex? Lift and eat meat!
Everyone wants to show off their man biceps!
Am I sacrificing?
I’ve had numerous people say they could never be as “strict” with their diet as I am because they couldn’t sacrifice so much.
Maybe this is why people assume that eating healthily means sacrifice...
My question back is always, “What am I really sacrificing?”
Here are two of the most common responses I get when I ask what I’m sacrificing….
“You can’t have pizza and such any day when you just “feel like it?”
For one, I do occasionally have pizza if I want it. I just don’t give into temptation very often.
And I don’t think it is a sacrifice to not eat bad food whenever I feel like it! But then again I’m also super happy eating butter, steak, bacon and the bazillion other fatty foods that I can eat every single day that other people avoid as “bad” for them.
I also realize the bigger picture. By avoiding eating the vegetable oils and gluten that comes with a lot of those “cheat” meals on a regular basis, I’m avoiding things that are seriously detrimental to my health. Also, why would I eat those cheats on a regular basis when I can indulge in healthier Primal cheats like dark chocolate, macadamia nuts, bacon and full-fat cheese?
So really who is sacrificing? Me with my delicious healthy foods and occasional cheats? Or you with your blander diet that makes you avoid fatty foods, but gives you the ability to eat bad whenever you want?
“You sometimes don’t go out or over-indulge in alcohol because you are sticking to your diet.”
I won’t argue with this statement, but I also don’t think of staying in occasionally or not “overindulging” as a sacrifice. For one, I’ve never been a HUGE party-er or a huge drinker so that didn’t really change with my “strict” diet.
I don’t go out any less…I just don’t always indulge in the carb-loaded appetizers you order…or the desserts. But unlike many diets I’ve tried, I don’t need to be a recluse on Primal. Very rarely can I not find at least one Primal dish to eat!
So I can still go out and party as much as I’ve always done. So…again, I don’t think my DIET is making me sacrifice.
“What do you mean you can’t try the food I brought in?”
I hate that when food is brought into work everyone always tries to force you to eat it. They try to make you feel like you are missing out because you aren’t trying it.
My theory though is that they envy the fact that you have enough self-control to refrain from eating something that honestly isn’t something you (or even they) really wanted to eat.
Is it really sacrificing to not eat something you weren’t planning to eat? Is it really sacrificing to skip that piece of pizza or brownie that you don’t know is good when you have a delicious meal that you brought with you?
Seriously, why eat something someone brought in when you don’t want it!?!
Now let me ask you, am I really sacrificing? Is being healthier while eating foods that are still satisfying even if they aren’t what I used to consider “cheats” worth not getting to indulge in some of the great “bad” foods I used to love as often?
I think so….
Nutrition Label vs. Ingredients
When I would diet in college, the first thing I would look at on any nutrition label is the calories and fat per serving.
Then the year I did low-fat, low carb, I started paying attention to not only the calories and fat, but also the number of carbs listed.
Since starting Primal, I rarely ever look at nutrition labels. Actually, most of the foods I eat don’t even have nutritional labels on them since they aren’t prepackaged.
And when I do eat a prepackaged food, the first thing I look at isn’t the nutrition label – it’s the ingredients.
If all the ingredients are natural, then I shouldn’t have to worry about what the nutrition label says. Plus, nutrition labels can be extremely misleading.
For example, let’s take two different diet sodas. Both have no calories and no sugar.
Size: 8 fl. oz.
| Amount Per Serving | % Daily Value * | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 0 | 0% | ||
| Total Fat | 0g | 0% | ||
| Sodium | 35mg | 1% | ||
| Total Carbohydrates | 0g | 0% | ||
| Sugars | 0g | 0% | ||
| Protein | 0g | 0% | ||
| Amount Per Serving | % Daily Value * | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 0 | 0% | ||
| Total Fat | 0g | 0% | ||
| Sodium | 60mg | 3% | ||
| Total Carbohydrates | 0g | 0% | ||
| Sugars | 0g | 0% | ||
| Protein | 0g | 0% | ||
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Both sodas basically only have a little bit of sodium in them. And because both sodas don’t have calories, most people would pick the Fresca since it is a light soda, which is supposedly a bit better for you.BUT if people looked at the ingredients, they would realize that these sodas are FAR from the same.
Diet Dr. Pepper Ingredients
CARBONATED WATER, CARAMEL COLOR, ASPARTAME, PHOSPHORIC ACID, ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL FLAVORS, SODIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVATIVE), CAFFEINE. PHENYLKETONURICS CONTAINS: PHENYLALANINE
Fresca Ingredients
Carbonated Water; Citric Acid; Concentrated Grapefruit Juice; Potassium Citrate; Potassium Sorbate; Potassium Benzoate and EDTA (to protect taste); Aspartame; Acesulfame Potassium; Acacia; Natural Flavors; Glycerol Ester of Rosin; Brominated Vegetable Oil;Carob Bean Gum PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE
There is one specific ingredient in Fresca that makes it a bazillion times worse despite the fact that the nutrition labels on both sodas look almost identical. That ingredient is Brominated Vegetable Oil.
Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO) is composed mainly of bromine, a poisonous chemical whose vapors are considered both corrosive and toxic. BVO has been banned in over 100 countries because it is a potential carcinogen and causes a number of disorders starting from simple headache, fatigue, weight-gain to cancer, heart and kidney diseases.
So what the nutrition label on Fresca doesn’t tell you is that it contains a chemical that is corrosive and toxic and has been banned in OVER 100 countries!
So if you only look at nutrition labels, you may want to start reading the ingredients to find out what you are really consuming.
OR best of all…just eat all whole, natural foods so you don’t even have to worry about it! Check out this week’s Recipe Box Recipe for a great meal with a very simple list of ingredients!
Man Bicep 