Sweat off the Stress

Today I was thinking to myself I’m one week away from spring break, luckily  the only thing standing between me and finishing winter term is a 3 page paper. So I have one last week to get my body and mind into tip-top shape. But for others it means forgetting the gym and staying up all night studying for those last finals. This can bring on a lot of unwanted stress. Skipping the exercising to stay up and study can not only ruin all your hard work you put in at the gym but can also add more stress during this already tuff time.

 

 

It is proven that exercise has multiple benefits to help improve your studying while relieving stress. Some facts I found on Web MD showing the benefits of exercise:

1. Certified trainer David Atkinson talked about exercise not only helps improve your body, but benefits your mental function. Atkinson says, “Exercise increases energy levels and increases serotonin in the brain, which leads to improved mental clarity.”
2. When you are stressed and studying the last thing you probably want to think about is exercising. But once you begin, you will immediately begin to feel more relaxed as the movement melts away stress. “Exercise produces a relaxation response that serves as a positive distraction,” says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise
3. Exercising boosts your energy levels making you more focused throughout your day. Just a quick 30 minute workout can release endorphins into your bloodstream providing a natural energy boosts for the rest of the day.

Keep your mind sharp, your body in shape and watch the stress fade while your getting those A’s!

 

A Man’s Best Friend

 

Being in college can take up so much of your time, whether you are in class, working, or just want to hang out with your friends. When you’re looking for someone besides friends to keep you company, a pet could be a good option. A man’s best friend is said to be his dog, but are you picking the right dog out?

I found this article at Men’s Health Magazine that will help find the right dog for you. It asks a series of questions that deal with the dog’s needs and your willingness for commitment. This is a great little test to see if you are prepared because dogs should be treated like family, and I don’t think you would leave family cooped up all day. So if you’re looking for that buddy to spend time with on those rainy days or to go play in the sun with, choose carefully because it can be a full time job.

 

300 Challenge

Now that you are finally in the gym, I want to challenge you both physically and mentally. You may have heard of the movie 300, and noticed how the actors were in shape with bulging muscles. I bet you wondered if you could ever look that buff and toned. Well there is actually something called the “300” workout, designed by a self taught exercise guru and former world class mountain climber Mark Twight that helped whip the actors into tip top shape. Unlike other exercises that focus on the amount of weight your able to lift, this one focuses on time and total body strength. So don’t just sit on the couch dreaming to look like actors on tv, get to the gym, put in the hard work and it will happen.

The Challenge: Complete the entire workout and record your time. I will do the same and post this week, see if you can beat me!

Here is the workout:

300 Workout

25- Pull-ups

50- Deadlifts at 135lbs

50- Push-ups

50- Box jumps with 24in. box

50- Floor Wipers

50- Clean and press with 35lb. dumbbell or kettle bell

25- Pull-ups

For a total of 300 reps

 

This exercise is intended for those who are already in adequate shape to do a rigorous high intensity workout. Don’t get down on yourself if you cannot complete the entire workout the first time, it may take time to work up to it.

 

Gym Time

I’ve talked about nutrition a little to get you started. Now that you are eating healthy getting enough protein and carbohydrates to fuel your muscles, it’s time to hit the gym. What to do when you’re in the gym is yet another crossroad. You may want to get stronger, bigger, tone up, or drop some unwanted pounds. The key to success is almost like eating habits, having a plan, knowing what you’re doing in the gym can help you focus on your goal. Some general rules for targeting plans:

1. To get bigger and stronger, lift heavy weights with fewer repetitions.
2. To tone up and burn a little body fat, use lighter weights with high repetitions.
3. When focusing on weight loss, cardio is vital to shedding those stubborn pounds.

I surfed the internet in search of workouts that allow you to work around your busy lifestyle and fitness goal.

Body Builder offers a database of workouts for those trying to tone up or get stronger.

If weight loss is your goal, Ask Men gives 10 ways to maximize your cardio workouts.

So no more excuses like “I don’t have enough time” or “I’m too tired.” Just like everything else in life it takes hard work and dedication to achieve the body you want.

“A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive, and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done.” –Vince Lombardi

Eating and Sleeping to Get Your Six-Pack Abs

How many abdominal workout plans have you seen? How do you know which one to try? With the guarantees to get you that perfect six-pack in 4 weeks, all it leaves you with is disappointment. While the workout might make your stomach rock hard, getting them to stick out and show-up is a completely different ball game. For any type of exercise, it starts in the kitchen and end’s with plenty of sleep.  According to Men’s Health Magazine there is four steps to follow to get your body in the best shape without countless hours spend in the gym.

1. Wake up to a big glass of water:

When you wake up, drinking a 16-ounce glass of chilled water as soon as you rise can increase your metabolism by 24 percent for up to 90 minutes afterwards. Not only does it speed up your metabolism but also it’s proven that muscle cells grow faster when well hydrated.

2. Proteins and Carbs belong together:

Carbs usually get a bad wrap and are seen as slowing down your weight loss. According to Alan Argon a health expert, carbs plus a combo of protein can help stimulate muscle growth, especially when consumed right before and after exercise. “More muscle enhances fat loss because muscle is metabolically active tissue that helps burn more calories around the clock.”

3. Just like elementary school, pack your lunch daily:

Don’t even think about fast food and soda, it will undermine any weight loss or ab-gain effort. Take a cooler or a sack lunch to school/work everyday with the following:

• Fruit or vegetables for a morning snack.
• A 500 to 600 calorie portion of dinner leftovers for your lunch.
• For your afternoon snack bring a protein shake or a pint of milk.

4. Hit the sack early:

Try to go to bed early enough to ensure yourself about 7 to 8 hours of sleep. University of Chicago scientists recently found that “just 3 nights of poor sleep may cause your muscle cells to become resistant to the hormone insulin.” This is bad because over time it can lead to fat storage around your stomach by slowing metabolism, increasing your appetite and reducing your calories burned.

Eat Right to Get that Boost

When your day is long and you seem to be getting worn down from the daily grind, now is the time to change that up, starting in the kitchen! One of the main problems that physically active men experience is sustaining enough energy to get them through work, exercise and socializing. If you’re the type to rush home after work, grab a cold one, turn on the TV and relax on the couch rather than stopping by the gym for a high-intensity workout, than it’s time for a change!

What you eat during the day will have a significant impact on your energy level, so it’s crucial to eat the right foods at the right time.

According to AskMen, here are the best fatigue-fighting foods to concentrate on:

Steel-cut oatmeal with egg whites

You need some fatigue-fighting food to start your day off and to make sure you have enough energy to carry you through the morning, and you really can’t go wrong with some steel-cut oats and egg whites. The steel-cut oats slowly digest in the body, so they will break down over time rather than all at once. In addition to this, the egg whites will provide protein to the meal, which further reduces the release of glucose into the blood from the oatmeal.

Whole grain crackers with almond butter

As midmorning rolls around, it’s important to feed your body again to carry your energy levels through the morning and into lunch. To prevent that midmorning slump, top off your tank with some fatigue-fighting foods like whole grain crackers smeared with almond butter.

Whole grain crackers digest more slowly than a cereal bar would and the healthy snack provides a long-lasting form of energy.

Salmon spinach salad with an apple

Moving on to lunch, think lower carbs and higher protein. Many people overload with carbohydrates, which leads to a significant energy crash come there gym session.

If you find you always come back from lunch wishing you could take a siesta, that’s a sure sign you’re overdoing carbohydrates.

Instead, go with protein that contains omega-3 fatty acids, such as grilled salmon. Serve this over spinach, which provides a hit of iron, and you have an energy-packed plate in front of you. Since you still should take in a small amount of carbohydrates to set you up for the workout period, toss an apple in for dessert.

The fiber in the fruit will cause a slower release of sugars in the blood so the chance of fatigue from eating this is lower.

Protein shake and a banana

About half an hour before you’re finished work and plan to leave for the gym, it’s time to get another dose of protein with some carbohydrates. Depending on your overall diet strategy, you may want to toss in about half a cup of raw oats into the shake for a slower-digesting form of carbohydrates.

Pair this with a banana for a faster source of carbohydrates to fuel your upcoming workout. Bananas are also a great source of potassium, which will also really help to get your muscles ready for exercise.

Steak with a brown-rice-stuffed pepper

For your evening meal, you don’t want to entirely cut down on carbohydrates unless you didn’t train that day, as you still need them to increase the muscle storage of energy. The trick is choosing carbohydrates that are more complex in nature so they don’t spike and crash your blood sugar levels, leaving you feeling very fatigued throughout the later evening.

Brown rice is a good option paired with a lean protein source like steak. The steak will add iron to the meal, which is essential for keeping a healthy level of red blood cells in the body. Serve this with a red pepper for a boost in vitamin C, which improves the absorption rate of iron for a meal that’s going to fight fatigue head-on.

Smooth and Fresh

The saying goes “if you look good, you feel good.” As men we all like to feel good, it gives us confidence throughout the day. So I found some tips to give us a boost when getting ready in the morning. Me being a young adult paying my way through college, it can be difficult to buy expensive fancy razors to get that perfect shave for a smooth face or it can be difficult to find that cologne that drives the girls crazy. I have looked around and there is help. Let’s start with the shaving, we have all bought disposable razors that seem to always leave razor burn or just don’t flow smooth and get all the hair. Well thanks to Men’s Health Magazine for finding something to do the trick, it is the Gillette Fusion Power razor; you can find this for around $15. This has five blades and is battery powered creating a micro-pulse that guarantees a close shave without burning the wallet or the face.

Now let’s move on to the fragrances, have you ever walked past someone who seems like they bathed in cologne or been somewhere that people are like “someone smells good.” Let’s try to avoid the first one and narrow down on the second. According to Rochelle Bloom president of the Fragrance Foundation, there are rules to go by when putting on cologne. The first one is apply cologne close to where you have a heart-beat, like the neck or chest it is said to add “impact to the scent”. Next keep it light, if you constantly smell it, then you’ve applied to much, cologne is made to attract so make them get close to get a whiff. Making it last all day, oily skin holds the scent longer, so be sure that your skin is well moisturized. The last one is wear different types of colognes for the each season. Heat intensifies the smell so aromatic or citrus scents are best saved for the summer and stronger ones are best for the colder seasons. I hope these couple small tips will help you start your day off right. When you look in the mirror and feel good it triggers a natural smile, which everyone you pass will notice. So men get to grooming and people will get to noticing.