Things I Like (or maybe even LOVE)
September 14, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
If you read yesterday’s “Things I Hate” post, you know I had good reason to be a little moody. Well, last night I got better sleep and am in a better mood today. So it’s time to change gears to the positive. Things I like/love…
#1) The pump. All of us guys that make training a big part of our lives have a little meathead in us. I’m no different. It feels great to get after it and see your muscles temporarily swell up. Just don’t make “chasing the pump” too big of a goal in your sessions. Lifting heavy (with good form) will pay big dividends – it will allow you to lift more weight when you do your higher rep, “pump sets.” Again, the pump will happen, just don’t make getting a good pump the sole purpose of your training session.
#2) Watching a girl throw some BIG weight on the bar and seeing her getting pumped when she hits a PR (Personal Record). Here is one of my former clients Coco (I trained her in California before I moved back to Illinois), hitting a PR of 300 pounds on a “rack pull.” …
And what do you know, she still looks as feminine as ever. i.e. heavy weights will NOT turn a female into a dude.
#3) Da Bears! Great start to the season. Now, I’m not saying that they’ll go 16-0, but I loved what I saw in week one. (although they’ll probably go 16-0 
)
#4) The WHOLE egg, yolk ‘n all. In short, a lot of the nutritional benefits come from the yolk. So do NOT throw out your yolks. For a more complete report on why I prefer the whole egg over just the whites, check this out… “Are Whole Eggs or Whites Better for You?”
Also, check out BSP’s blogpost on, “The Best Eggs”
#5) The grocery store bill in Rockton/Roscoe Illinois compared to San Ramon/Danville California.
#6) The Jim Rome show.
#7) People who choose exercises that are VERY difficult; exercises that test your wo/man-hood; exercises that make you wanna cry; exercises that build character like no others. For example, Anderson Front Squats…
Yep, we all like performing curls for the girls (I’m no different, see #1), but sometimes you have to man-up and KILL IT with the most difficult exercises even if they are not as fun!
#8) The lacrosse ball. By now, most people have found out just how beneficial a foam roller is (if not, get one and use it daily – life changing!). To take it a step further, get a lacrosse ball (tennis ball is cool too) and use it to hit the areas that the foam roller just doesn’t “get at,” like the LAX ball will (namely the hip flexor area, glutes, calves, feet, pecs, upper back/rear delts).
Here’s a good blogpost with all the benefits of “self myofascial release”
#9) My dad’s Swedish Pancakes! I haven’t had them yet since returning home, but I can’t wait!
#10) Sleeping babies!!!!!!!! I’m only on #10 but I’ve had to stop to go “tend to them” 47 (ish) times so far. Hush little baby don’t say a word, daddy’s gonna……..”
#11) This picture of my wife on the day we got married…
#12) Eric Church
#13) Jay-Z
#14) Justin Bieber, err, ah, um, I mean Pearl Jam
As you can see, when it comes to genres of music, I don’t discriminate.
#15) The fact that my brother (Chad) made a highlight video of me on my birthday…
#16) A protein shake made with; chocolate whey protein, almond butter, water/ice, Superfood (veggie powder), and organic blueberries.
#17) The first beer I consume after not drinking for a month. You should try it, it makes it taste so much better and THAT night much more fun; saves you money; your 6-pack doesn’t turn into a keg; tests your discipline, etc etc. Join me in the, “pick my spots,” lifestyle.
If you have any likes/loves that you wanna share, let me hear them.
That’s all folks!
Things I Hate
September 13, 2011 by danny · 2 Comments
It’s 3:52 a.m. right now and I’m up tending to both babies. Their crying just woke me… AGAIN! I’m feeling a little ornery right now, so I decided to vent and share, “Things I Hate.” I just gave them each a bottle, so for the time-being they are happy and I have a few minutes to get a few things off of my chest…
Things I Hate
#1) Guys that have big upper bodies, but legs that resemble Spongebob’s. C’mon dude, real men squat, deadlift, perform lunges, etc.
#2) People that spend months putting together the “perfect” workout plan, yet don’t move an inch ’til they get it juuuust right. There is no such things as the perfect plan guy, so in the meantime, just hit the weight room and get SOMETHING done!
#3) Celery
#4) People that don’t re-rack their weights.
#5) People that walk REALLY slowly across the street (when I’m driving the car). I get that you have the right of way, but c’mon, pick up the pace juuust a touch please. Pretty please?
#6) The fact that the first question out of a guy’s mouth is ALWAYS, “how much ya bench?” There are other exercises, you know. See #1.
#7) The fact that the ref that goes to the replay booth has to a) stop and tell us what he is going to review, THEN b) run WAY over to the replay booth, THEN c) run all the back to the field of play to announce the result of the play. Why doesn’t another ref just describe what they are looking while the other ref goes and checks out the verdict? C’mon NFL, be more efficient with your time (ok, I have patience issues).
#8) Red lights. I CAN’T WAIT for the light to turn green! (again, I need help – I’m more antsy than a 1st grader).
#9) Women that are afraid to move from the 8 pound dumbbells to the 10 pound dumbbells because they are afraid that they are going to get too big. C’mon, throw some weight on the bar, your curves will thank you!!!
#10) Mosquitos! My move from California to Illinois has brought mosquitos back into my life. Nope, still not a fan of those little bastards!
#11) People talking on their cell phones… DURING their sets! What a joke!
#12) Snakes
#13) High rep squats. If you’ve ever busted out a set of 20-25 rep squats and really gave it your all (full ROM!), you’ll know what I’m talking about!
#14) The fact that reese’s pieces are not good for us. Damn! I shared a pack the other day with Carson and said a little prayer afterwards; “God, if you could grant us one thing, please make reese’s pieces healthy.”
#15) People that use their right hand on the left side of the hoop to finish lay-ups… when they are practicing. Don’t your realize that every time you do this you’re missing an opportunity to get better with your left!?!
#16) When my shoe comes untied. Don’t know why, but this always pisses me off! I’m mean, it only takes me 2 seconds (I’m fast) to tie it back up, but still, it REALLY annoys me!
#17) Entourage’s series finale was only 35 minutes? What! Although I thought it was as great send-off episode, they could have at least made it an hour.
#18) High schools that place records on the wall in the weight room, yet form and range of motion are COMPLETELY ignored on “max out day.” Alex can get 92 push-ups? Really? I think not! Get your chest down to the floor on EVERY rep! Oh, and get your ass down on those squats. And by the way, you look like you are having a seizure while doing those “chin-ups.” And… the list goes on and on and on.
Alright, I’m getting really tired. The babies are sleeping again and I feel a little better now. Thanks for listening!
P.S. Yes, the twins have contributed to some REALLY LOOOOONG nights over the last 15 weeks and 4 days (who’s counting?), but they are definitely worth it…
Must Try Bar (YouBar)
September 2, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
I came across the YouBar on Brian St. Pierre’s blog awhile ago. While I’m a big believer that most of what we put in our body should come from whole foods, there is a time and place for a protein bar here and there. Plus, unlike most bars, the ingredients in YouBars ARE real ingredients.
This is not usually the case with the typical protein bar. Here’s an example …
Marshmallow Cream Layer (Maltitol, Milk Protein, Sorbitol, Palm Kernel Oil, Nonfat Dry Milk, Lecithin, Salt, Natural Flavor, Calcium Carbonate), Chocolate Coating (Maltitol, Fractionated Palm Kernel Oil, Whey Protein Concentrate, Cocoa (processed with alkali), Calcium Carbonate, Natural Flavor, Soy Lecithin, Sucralose), Hydrolyzed Collagen, Protein Blend (Whey Protein Hydrolysate, Whey Protein Isolate), Glycerin, Soy Crisps (Soy Protein Isolate, Tapioca Starch, Salt), Maltitol Syrup, Water, Natural Flavor, Marshmallow Pieces (Sugar, Corn Starch, Fructose, Soybean Oil, Corn Syrup Solids, Natural Flavor, Salt, Soy Lecithin), Milk Chocolate Drops (Sugar, Whole Milk Powder, Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter, Milk Fat, Soy Lecithin, Natural Vanilla Flavor), Canola Oil, Peanut Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin and Mineral Blend (Ascorbic Acid, Tricalcium Phosphate, d-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacinamide, Zinc Oxide, Copper Gluconate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Cyanocobalamin), Salt, Sucralose, Soy Lecithin, Milk Protein Isolate, Wheat Germ, Almond Meal.
That is over 60 ingredients, most of which you don’t want in your body. Anyway…
I bought my first box of YouBars just before my drive from California to Illinois… great timing! I ate a couple a day, which made it not only very convenient while traveling, but obviously much more healthy than a quick Mickey D’s run.
When you go to YouBar’s website, you can create your own bar, or just do what I did, and go to an “already proven” bar that is healthy AND tasty. I went with Tim Ferris’ “Training 33” bar found HERE. Although I plan on doing a little mixing and matching in the future to see if I like and other combo better.
An added bonus, you can type “dmc” into the coupon code and receive 10% off!
I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
MUST HAVE Cookbook For The Fit Food Lover! And a Great Salad Dressing Recipe
June 29, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
Just like you (I’m sure), I LOVE food. Did you know tasty food can also be healthy? Most people associate healthy food with boring, nasty tasting food. Another serving of plain chicken breast and broccoli anyone? This doesn’t have to be the case. There are MANY great tasting foods that are also healthy. In our household, we use Gourmet Nutrition quite a bit. As it says on the cover; “The Cookbook For The Fit Food Lover.” There are 100 recipes in there, and the vast majority of them taste great… except for the recipes that call for tomatoes, celery, or mushrooms. I’ve always hated those foods. I wish I didn’t, because they are all healthy. But lucky for me, there are plenty of other great ingredients/recipes throughout this book.
I’ll give you a quick healthy salad dressing to try;
“Balsamic Vinaigrette”
-Extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup
-Balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup
-Shallots (finely diced) 1/4 cup (we like to use garlic in place of the shallots sometimes – your call though)
-Fresh parsley (finely chopped) 1/4 cup
-Salt and pepper, to taste
People quite often make their “healthy” salad, not so healthy because of the dressing. Try the above dressing and you can now MAKE SURE your salad truly is healthy.
I can’t recommend this book enough. If you love to grub, but also need to eat food that tastes great, then Gourmet Nutrition is just what you need!
The Most Important Factor In Achieving Your Physique Goals?
June 22, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
When it comes down to being as sexified looking as possible, there are many factors that come into play. But what is the most important factor?
Is it weight training? Soft tissue work (i.e. foam rolling)? Cardio? Protein? Veggies? Active Recovery? Explosive work? Adequate sleep? Something else?
All of the above are important, obviously. But numero uno on my list may just be…
How we respond to a bad day of eating. We are all going to have a set-back here and there, but will your set-back turn into two days of pure crap eating? How about a terrible Saturday and Sunday, followed by a below average Monday and a not-so-good Tuesday? Sound familiar? If it does, then you are probably frustrated with your results. If you have a bad day, don’t worry, get RIGHT BACK ON the plan asap! If you do this, you’ll be fine. Don’t stress, just brush it off and again, get back onto clean livin’.
Here’s an example – I ate really clean for the two-weeks leading up to the pool party that I attended on Father’s Day. But at this party, I drank a few beers, had a couple of snacks, and basically just enjoyed myself. Now, here’s the key, when I woke up Monday morning, it was oats + blueberries + protein powder (with a little bit of cinnamon added) + 1 fish oil capsule. Then, when I had a break between clients, I headed straight to the store to stock up for the week.
In this trip to the store, I picked up;
-Old Fashioned Oatmeal (I forget to include this in the picture above)
-2 cartons of cage-free eggs (36 total eggs)
-8 free range frozen chicken breasts
-Bag of frozen organic blueberries
-Bag of frozen organic berry mix (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
-BIG Bag of organic “bean trio” (1st time trying this, it is a blend of lentils, adzuki, and mung beans. Hmm? We shall see how it tastes)
And then, already stocked up in my fridge/freezer at home are some veggies (cauliflower, green beans, etc), apples, and some more meats.
Anyway, as you can see, I jumped RIGHT BACK ON the healthy-train right away. I didn’t stress about having a less than stellar day on Father’s Day, and I feel no guilt – BECAUSE I didn’t let this snowball into something big ‘n ugly.
See, if you play your cards right, you CAN have your cake and eat it too!
Randomness From Around The Web
June 9, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
From facebook, to twitter, to YouTube, to blogs, I usually come across some great information that I think you all would benefit from. Here are four random topics that I have contributed to, or run into via the wonderful world wide web…
1) My good friend Sarah Hoffman, posed this question on FitStudio’s facebook page; “I’d love to have a great conversation about the USDA’s my MyPlate. What are your thoughts on it?! Good? Bad? Agree? Disagree?”
My response …
“I think it’s a step in the right direction, but still nowhere near perfect. I agree that healthy fats should be added. But most important to me, FOOD QUALITY IS NOT DISCUSSED. For example, “grains” – I think of grains as oats, quinoa, etc., whereas the average person that doesn’t study this stuff for a living may say, “I need to add grains huh? Cool, I’ll start my day off with a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch.” After all, it does say “whole grains” right there on the box.”
Let me know if you agree or disagree with any of the above? I’m here to help make the world a mo’ healthy, mo’ buff, and mo’ sexy place. So if you like the info that I’m putting out, I’d appreciate it if you share my blog with your friends and family. Ya’ll have a great night! I’m out for now…
Processed Meat, Big Arms, and What’s In Your Toolbox?
June 5, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
I actually meant to send this out awhile ago, but with the arrival of the twins I’ve been just a little busy. Holy poop! Holy middle of the night crying! And holy cuteness… all factors keeping me EXTREMELY busy.
Below are a few good blogposts for you to check out…
Dr. Bowden is one of my favorite nutrition experts. In this post, he talks about red meat and why it is actually GOOD for you, as opposed to the devil of the world that many make it out to be. The flawed studies on red meat has led to a bunch of misinformation. Meat that is highly processed (coming from large factory farms) is WAAAY different than meat that comes from grass-fed cows. In the end, the studies should NOT lump processed meat and grass-fed meat in the same category.
I think of it like this; Kool-Aid is not good for us, we know that. Since kool-aid contains water, does that mean we should avoid water? I think not. Get rid of all the sugar, and you are left with good, healthy water. Same thing with meat; get rid of all the processing in some of these meats, and you’re left with a food that has many benefits. Check out Dr. Bowden’s as it goes into more detail than my brief summary…
Processed Meats: What’s Inside May Kill You – by Dr. Jonny Bowden
Many coaches/trainers are not big fans of direct arm work (i.e. curls for the girls and tricep pushdowns). Now, I too get frustrated with those dudes that spend 75% of their time doing concentration curls RATHER THAN the big-boy movements like deadlifts, push-ups, chin-ups, and squats. BUT, if you want bigger arms, you better be doing some direct arm training. Right Jason? …
My Take On Direct Arm Work - by Jason Ferruggia
This one is a older blogpost by me. One of my biggest pet peeves in this field is when someone says that they are a “TRX guy” (or whatever piece of equipment they choose to define themselves as). Those that do this – stupid, just stupid…
Tools In Your Training Toolbox – by me
Hope you all have a great Sunday!
Don’t forget, if you haven’t done so already, connect with me on facebook and twitter.
Preparation For “Beach Season”
May 23, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
With Memorial Day, trips to the beach, and pool parties right around the corner, it’s time to get lean. I’ve spent the last ~ 6 months trying to add a few lbs of muscle, even if it meant I added a little fat in the process. But, my mind-set has shifted – now is the time to shed any extra body fat in attempt to let the muscles show through. If you’ve been reading my work for any period of time, you know that I am the guy that has a VERY difficult time adding size, but can get lean relatively easily. So I’ve only just had to make a few simple adjustments. Simple as in; simple in theory, difficult in practice. To get lean, all I have to do is decrease my calories a touch and maybe add in a little cardio (if I am strict enough with the nutrition, I really don’t need any cardio, unless I’m trying to get uber lean).
But this is still difficult because like most any other human being out there, I’ll be craving pizza, desserts, beer, etc. I find that I crave this stuff less when I can have it – like during the winter months when I’m trying to add a few pounds. Don’t get me wrong, I still eat mostly clean in the winter, just not as clean. But when I’m trying to get ripped and eating really clean, I seem to crave some of the foods that I mentioned above. Like the song says: “You can’t always get what you want…”
I’m no robot, so I will make sure to enjoy life and treat myself to a beer(s) and pepperoni pizza from time to time. But I just have to “pick my spots,” making sure my “cheats” are few and far between. After all, goals and behaviors must match, right!
As you can see in the picture above, my abs are showing, but I have a little excess flab to remove. So, that is my goal right now: get as lean as possible without muscle loss. It’s going to be extra challenging since our twins are about to enter the world. Sounds like a good challenge though. And who doesn’t like a good challenge! 
Below is what my nutrition looked like yesterday…
-Oatmeal + Blueberries + Protein Powder + Almond Butter + 1 Fish Oil Capsule
-Ground Turkey + Sweet Potato (just a little bit) + Broccoli
-JayRobb Bar
-Beef + Sweet Potato + Broccoli + 1 tsp liquid fish oil (I’m currently using the orange flavored by Carlson)
-Beef/Chicken + Broccoli
-2 pieces bread (sprouted grain) + almond butter + chicken + 1 scoop “Superfood” (a veggie/fruit powdered mix)
-Steak + Cauliflower
Oh yeah, a ton of water all day.
I try to make sure my beef is grass-fed as much as possible, and I buy organic fruits/veggies as much as possible as well. And by the way, this was a non-training day.
I can get away with eating a decent amount of carbs/cals and still get pretty lean. But as June approaches I will probably reduce them a touch. And probably increase my cardio a bit. You know, from once every 4 months to one every week or two.
That’s about it for now. You all have a great day and go stock up that kitchen with healthy foods, as preparation may be the biggest key in getting that sexy beach body!
If you haven’t done so already, connect with me on facebook, twitter, and YouTube (I add new videos almost every week). Just scroll up and click on the icons on the upper right hand corner of the page.
Preventing Muscle Loss As We Age
May 5, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
I’m in a huge hurry as I’m about to head up to the high school to train the basketball team. And we’ve been doing a lot of preparing around the house for the babies – should be any day now! With that said, I’ll leave you with a link to an article by Dr. Jonny Bowden. The list of great things that omega-3 fats do continues to grow!
Preventing Muscle Loss As You Age - Dr. Jonny Bowden goes over a recent study showing that omega-3 fats help prevent sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss). Getting older is no reason to become a wussy!
The Glycemic Index – Awesome or Overrated?
April 25, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
Over the years I’ve gotten quite a few questions regarding the glycemic index. While I think it is a decent tool, it is definitely NOT the be-all and end-all as some infomercials like to claim; “the secret to our diet’s incredible success is the breakthrough science known as the glycemic index!” Yeah. Ok. Riiiiight. Below, I’ve copied and pasted a portion of a Q and A that Dr. Jonny Bowden did awhile back. He does a great job of explaining why the glycemic index is overrated, and why the “glycemic load” may be a more accurate indicator of healthy foods. I’ve also highlighted in RED the take-away message that I want you to get out of this Q and A. The more knowledge you have, the body chances you have for a lean, healthy body!
Q: I read that the glycemic index is overrated and that what we should really be paying attention to is glycemic load. What’s the difference?
A: The glycemic index is overrated. You should be paying attention to glycemic load. There’s a big difference. Here’s the scoop:
Glycemic index is a way of measuring the impact a given amount of carbohydrate has on your blood sugar, something you definitely want to know. But to do a fair comparison, they have to use a fixed amount. In the case of the glycemic index, it’s a standard 50 grams of carbohydrate.
Problem is, very few carbohydrate foods in real life are 50-gram portions.
See, if you go to a store to buy spices and there’s a spice that’s $500 a pound, that sure sounds like a lot of money. But if you’re only buying a half-teaspoon of the stuff, it’s pretty irrelevant. You want to know what you’re going to pay at the register, not necessarily what you’d pay if you bought a pound.
Similarly, you really don’t care what the impact of 50 grams is on your blood sugar; you care what the impact of the amount you’re actually eating is.
Glycemic load is a more sophisticated formula that takes into account the actual grams of carbs you’re eating — the portion size. The glycemic index of carrots is high, leading a lot of people to think you should never eat carrots, which is a dumb conclusion. Fact is, the average carrot has 3 grams of carbs. You’d have to eat like a giant rabbit to have a significant impact on your blood sugar.
The glycemic load of a carrot, on the other hand, is only 3, making it an extremely low-glycemic food — unless you’re drinking pure carrot juice or eating 13 carrots at a sitting.
Pasta, on the other hand, has a moderate glycemic index, but is almost never eaten in 50-gram portions. Factor in the portion size at a typical Olive Garden and your blood sugar will be on the roof, and stay there for a week. Not surprisingly, the glycemic load of pasta is very high.
The technical formula for glycemic load is GI (glycemic index), multiplied by the number of grams of carbohydrates in the portion, then divided by 100. Low glycemic load is between 1 and 10, medium is between 10 and 20, and anything over 20 is very high.
That said, remember that both glycemic index and glycemic load only refer to the food eaten alone. Add some fat or protein and the total impact goes down. And plenty of high-glycemic foods are good for you (say, carrot juice) while plenty of low-glycemic foods (fried donut holes) are not.
So take glycemic load into account, but don’t be a slave to it. It’s just one measurement to consider when planning a diet.
Incidentally, athletes in training actually can benefit from high-glycemic foods, especially when they’re training twice a day. Mrs. Smith with Metabolic Syndrome… not so much!
