CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 10/24/13

Sooooo, I heard through the grapevine that Eric Cressey released some sort of product this week?

I jest.

I know everyone and their Little League coach has been promoting it this week on their blogs and various social media outlets, and you know what?  Good!

[For those who may have missed it earlier this week, HERE’s my review of The High Performance Handbook.]

There’s a lot of garbage that gets released all over the internet on a daily basis promising abs in six minutes or the body of your dreams in 20 minutes, three days per week, or, for the more gullible, a program which guarantees immediate results using some kind of magical formula like showering underneath a rainbow every 3rd Friday.  But only if you’re holding hands with a Leprechaun.

Again, I jest. But suffice it to say I’ve seen some doozies out there, and it never ceases to amaze me what people will buy (or believe) in order to be told that they don’t need to work hard (and smart!) to attain the results they want.

The High Performance Handbook

For what mounts to $20 per month (it’s a four month program), you can have one of the best strength coaches in the world in your corner coaching you every step of the way.  Unlike many online programs, The High Performance Handbook can easily be CUSTOMIZED to fit your body-type (there’s actually a thorough video assessment to help you ascertain what your body-type is), training schedule, and equipment availability.

All of it is under the guise to help you kick-ass in the gym, attain results (strength and aesthetic) that you never thought possible, and without sugar coating anything.  You’ll need to work. Probably harder than you’ve ever worked before.  But the if you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to train at Cressey Performance, this is your chance.

The Diet Delusion – Jen Comas Keck

I read this post by Jen last week and felt it needed to be read by more people, if for nothing else to help nudge people into a little dose of reality.

Sorry, you can’t crush Pop-Tarts on a daily basis and get shredded.  Even if it “fits your macros.”

Concurrently, because of the recent trend of people writing about long-stemming affects of metabolic damage from long-term dieting (and it DOES exist), many people are now fearful of approaching a caloric deficit.

Hate to break it to you:  but if you want to shed fat, you have to elicit a caloric deficit.

Dieting ain’t easy.  Sometimes you’re going to be hungry, and sometimes you’re going to feel mildly irritated because you haven’t had carbs in two days and want to punch a hole through a wall.

It’s okay.  It’s normal.  Deal with it.

CrossFit: My Swimmers.  My Thoughts – Tad Sayce

Tad’s a former intern/coach at Cressey Performance who now runs his own facility just outside Boston that caters to more of the swimming crowd.

Coincidentally enough, even though Tad writes with swimmers in mind, A LOT of what he talks as it relates to shoulders/elbows, shoulder/elbow care, and yes, CrossFit, parlays very well to other overhead athletes such as baseball, volleyball, as well as the general fitness population.

In addition, Tad’s thoughts on how to properly progress “plyos” and how CrossFit often (not always) misses the mark hits the nail on the head.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work Uncategorized

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: Best Diet?, Dieting Gurus, and Tips to be a Better Person

It  finally feels like summer here in Boston.  Last week at this time it was 50 degrees outside, and I was wearing sweatpants to work. It could have been worse, though. On Memorial Day – which was earlier this week – there were people up in Vermont and in the Adirondack region in Upstate NY digging out of two-feet of snow.  A week before June!  Crazy.

I’ll take 50 degrees over two feet of snow any day.

Nonetheless, yesterday was the first 90+ degree day in Boston and it was glorious. I happened to have the day off from work so I was able kick back a bit and enjoy it putting in some quality time reading outside and rocking the early stages of a farmer’s tan.

Today is a bit hectic only in the sense that Lisa and I are hosting a girl from Colombia for the next three weeks, so I was placed on apartment cleaning duties for most of the morning.  And let me just say I can Swiffer like no one’s business!

To give a bit of the back story: Around two years ago Lisa made the trek to Colombia as part of a youth sports development initiative through one of the higher academic institutions here in Boston.  She stayed with a host family for ten days in Medellin and was immersed in their culture while visiting various sport/club groups and institutions in and around the city to see if she could offer any feedback as to how to make things run more smoothly.

Lisa fell in love with her host family, and likewise them with her. They’ve corresponded throughout the years and their oldest daughter, Christina, who’s expressed an interest in journalism, is coming to Boston for three weeks to stay with us as she completes a pseudo “internship” at a local latino based publication in the downtown area.

Lisa jokingly mentioned to me yesterday that “I’m so excited, we’re going to have a teenager for three weeks!”  To which I replied, “no boys”

Totally kidding.

But I’m not.

Anyways, I need to get back to cleaning.  So, here’s some stuff I think you should check out:

What’s the Best Diet? – Dr. John Berardi & Company

Paleo? Vegan? Low Carb? High Carb? Intermittent Fasting? The Unicorn Tears Diet?  Which is best?  Which is a fad?

There’s no shortage of diet “groups” out there, and likewise, there’s no shortage of people walking around wondering what the hell it is they’re supposed to eat.  One week eggs are the bees knees.  The next, they’re worse than Hitler.

In this excellent article by Dr. Berardi and the peeps over at Precision Nutrition, they lay it down like this:

I don’t believe there’s a single, absolutely, positively, without-a-doubt best diet for every person to follow, always, and forever.

How Your Diet Coach Is Ruining Your Metabolism – Jen Comas Keck

Running with the same theme as above, in this article Jen discussing an alarming, often popular tactic used by many online “diet gurus” that’s just flat out asinine.

That’s all I’m going to give you.  You’ll just have to click on the article to find out.

45 Things I Have Learned in 45 Years – Dr. Perry Nickelston

Some of you may remember an interview I did around this time last year on Dr. Nickelston’s popular Podcast Stop Chasing Pain.

You can listen to it HERE.

For those who aren’t familiar with the good Doc, he’s easily one of the most passionate people I’ve ever met and he’s someone whom I respect a lot.

He’s obviously learned a lot throughout the years, and this article, while not completely fitness related, offers a gulf of sage advice that will just make you a better human being in general.

CategoriesUncategorized

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 4/6/12

Two things before we get to the stuff you should be reading:

1.  I’m not going to lie, I kinda want to go see Titanic 3D this weekend. There, I said it. Let the ball busting begin.

I remember when the movie first came out in theaters (SPOILER ALERT:  the ship sinks) – back when I was in college – and being absolutely blown away.  Sure, it had the sappy love story and all that, but the special effects were on point, and well, it did show boob – albeit PG-13 boob.  But boob nonetheless!

Okay, dammit…..you got me.  Yes, I got a little teary eyed when Rose told Jack she’d “never let go.” The first time I saw it (yes, I went twice**), I balled like a little school girl.  The second time, I was on a date, so I was able to hold it together. Sorta.

Whatever.  Don’t play it off like you didn’t get a little emotional during that part, too.

Anyways, I just remember Titanic being one of the more memorable movie experiences – right up there with Grindhouse (easily, the most fun I’ve ever had at the movies), and Avatar (which goes without saying), and I think seeing it in 3D would be kinda cool.  Thing is, I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On without fighting off the urge to jump off a cliff.

If you don’t see a blog here on Monday, you’ll know the answer.

2.  My boy Dean Somerset is holding a sweet sale on his best-selling product Post Rehab Essentials all Easter weekend. I have a lot of respect for Dean, I consider him a good friend, and I think he’s one of the brightest minds in the industry when it comes to assessment and program design, which is why I feel this is a MUST HAVE product for any fitness professional to have at their disposal.

To sweeten the pot, Dean’s added two additional incentives on top of the already stellar content:

  • “Developing Medical Referrals for Fitness Professionals” – 40 minute webinar

For this weekend only, the entire package is on sale for only $99, down from the regular $209.  With the money you save, you could watch Titanic like ten times!

15 Commandments for the 3 Big Lifts – Todd Bumgardner

This article drew me in like a moth to a flame.  With a title as simple, basic, and badass as this, how could it not?  The only way I would have clicked on the link quicker is if the article were titled, “Hey, Tony Gentilcore, Click Here to See Naked Pics of Alicia Keys!”

All kidding aside, this is an excellent piece by Todd which provides some solid tips/cues/advice on how to improve your performance with the big 3 – squats, deadlifts, and bench press.

Love it.

5 Questions with a Girl Gone STRONG: Jen Comas Keck – Trey Potter

Trey continues with his on-going series with the Girls Gone Strong crew, and I think this may be the best of the bunch thus far (no offense to the other ladies

 Choose the Best Breakfast Foods – Men’s Health

I thought this was a pretty neat (yes I just used the word neat) idea by Men’s Health to test the breakfast IQ of its readers.  What’s yours?

Well, don’t just stare at the screen…….take the test and find out!

 

** Okay, I actually went three times.  DON’T JUDGE ME!!!!!!!!!!