Nutrition Week – Guest Post by Marci Nevin (Intermittent Fasting)
February 23, 2012 by danny · 5 Comments
We kicked off “nutrition week” with a great interview with Brian St. Pierre; got a chance to see what Michelle Adam’s food log looked like; and today we finish up with Marci Nevin’s food log.
Marci and I have been good friends for a number of years now. We also worked together as trainers before I moved from California, back to Illinois. Marci is one dedicated girl. And VERY disciplined too. She is a great cook… especially when it comes to making goodies. Whenever we used to have get-togethers, Marci’s treats were always a crowd favorite. I consider myself a pretty disciplined guy. But if I’m baking some treats (yeah, like that’s going to happen 
), I’m GOING TO take a bite or two along the way (like a nice scoop of cookie dough)! Not Marci. With no problem, she cooked for all of us and didn’t even take a smidge of this or that. Ever.
Moving onto Marci’s food log… I must admit, when this whole “intermittent fasting” thing started to pick up in popularity, I rolled my eyes a bit. ”Just another fad,” I told myself. In time however, I’ve heard many individuals that I really respect (including Marci), report the great success they have had with intermittent fasting.
Marci Nevin
So Marci, let’s get to it. The floor is yours…
Ive been serious about my training and nutrition going on ten years now, and in that time I’ve experimented with many different dietary protocols to reach my goals. Trying various approaches has definitely taught me that all diets “work”, yet it has also shown me that there are certain ways of eating that just make me feel and perform better. Back in June, I hired a nutrition coach to help me through a slow, muscle gaining phase. After 6 months of eating a balanced diet of carbs, protein and fat with every meal, I was about 12 pounds heavier. Although the plan worked, I noticed that the diet left me feeling sluggish and a little off most of the time, especially after I ate. I began researching some different methods, which lead me to discover a popular new way of eating that is becoming increasingly popular in the fitness industry. Enter intermittent fasting (IF) and carb back loading.
Such methods are on the opposite ends of the spectrum as to what I was doing previously, yet I enjoy this way of eating so much more. IF is simply alternating periods of eating (anywhere from 4-10 hours) with periods of not eating (anywhere from 14-36 plus hours). I typically fast for 14-16 hours. The reason IF works for me is because it allows me to eat more at one sitting (and I LOVE to eat), as well as at times during the day when I’m naturally hungrier. I can wake up at 5:00 a.m. and train my morning clients having had nothing more than coffee, yet I feel energized and mentally sharp. Come 11:00 or so, I start to get hungry. Lucky for me, this is right around the time when I can break my daily “fast”. The other reason IF fits my life so much better is because it allows me not be so consumed with food. I’ve always loathed having to prepare meals the night before, shovel in cold food in between clients or in the car, and being “that person” who carries meals around wherever I go. Simply put, IF fits my lifestyle. As for the carb back loading, it basically just means that I completely limit my starchy carbs to post -workout and evenings. I could eat my weight in vegetables and really enjoy meals that are comprised of protein, fat and vegetables most of the time. But it’s after my workout that I crave carbs, so this approach allows me to indulge in that craving while still reaching my goals. The concept is a little more in depth and scientific than I described, so if you want to learn more about it, you can do so by clicking Here. (Albeit this is a pretty simplified explanation as well). And to learn more about IF, you can click Here.
Training Day
5:30 a.m. – 8: 00 a.m.
- 2 cups coffee with almond milk and stevia
11:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
- 1 egg, 4 whites, 1 cup broccoli, 1 cup spinach, cooked together in coconut oil
- 2 pieces turkey bacon (nitrate free), cooked in Ghee
- 1 Tablespoon almond butter
2:00 p.m -3:00 p.m.
- 5 oz ground turkey
- 2 cups vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, zucchini, etc)
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- Handful of nuts
Veggies
5:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Post Workout
- Whey protein shake (If I feel like it, sometimes I will add fruit to this)
- White rice (approximately 40 grams of carbs)
8:00 p.m
- Coconut Pumpkin Pancakes (coconut flour, pumpkin, egg whites, cinnamon, stevia)
- 3 oz ground turkey or chicken
- Butternut Squash
- Vegetables with a little drizzle of olive oil
Non-Training Day
5:30 a.m. – 8: 00 a.m.
- 2 cups coffee with almond milk and stevia
11:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
- 1 egg, 4 whites, 1 cup broccoli, 1 cup spinach, cooked together in coconut oil
- 2 pieces turkey bacon (nitrate free), cooked in Ghee
- 1 Tablespoon almond butter
3:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m.
- Turkey Meatloaf (ground turkey, spices, salsa)
- Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes (cauliflower, coconut oil, salt, all blended until it resembles mashed potatoes)
- Zucchini sautéed in coconut oil
- Handful of nuts
7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- 4 oz poached, organic chicken breast
- 1 whole egg
- Broccoli Slaw
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil, 2 teaspoons coconut aminos
*I cooked all of this together into a big scramble
- Green beans, drizzled with olive oil
*Some days I will add a protein shake between my 3rd and 4th meal on non training days. Made with chocolate pea protein, coconut milk and spinach. (And yes, its much better than it sounds)
*As for supplements, I take a minimalist approach. Each day I take fish oil (3 g EPA/DHA), 5000 IU vitamin D, folic acid, vitamin b12, and probiotics.
Back to Danny…
Awesome, Marci! Thanks for sharing! I don’t know if I could ever go the IF route!?! Although the fact that you save a lot of time NOT having to prepare so many meals, is appealing! We’ll see, I’ll never say never!
Have any of you tried intermittent fasting? If so, how did/do you like it? I’d love to get more feedback on IF. Feel free to share your experience in the comments section below. Or, if you are considering IF and have a question for Marci, go ahead and and do so in the comments section.
And Marci, the next time we meet up, PLEASE make me one of your extra special treats! They are ALWAYS soooo good. Pretty please? 
The Cliffs Notes Version of Great Fitness Information
December 6, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
I know most of your are not personal trainers/fitness coaches/strength & conditioning coaches (whatever you want to call me). Therefore you don’t have all day to spend in front of the computer reading articles, attending seminars, or watching training/nutrition DVDs. But at the same time, you want the best training and nutrition information that you can get your hands on. No worries, that’s what I am here for (you can thank me later). When I’m not actually training clients and myself, I DO spend a lot of time scouring the web for great fitness information that I can apply to help make me a better trainer to those that I work with. With that said, here are some great little nuggets of of fitness tips that you can start applying right away en route to your fitness goals…
Eric Cressey made this blogpost a couple months back, and I’ve been meaning to share it with my readers – especially since winter is coming. Here is the portion of his post, that I wanted you all to see:
“Warm-up – This seems like a no-brainer, but you’d be amazed at how many people jump right into their weight training program of the day without even getting their body temperature up. It’s well documented that performance improves as core body temperature rises. However, as this study demonstrated, even a lowered skin temperature can decrease force output – independent of core body temperature. So, it may be advantageous to start your day’s strength training program in long sleeves and remove layers as you go. I prefer to see folks sweating by the time the warm-up ends; set aside at least ten minutes for it so that you can get some foam rolling and mobility drills in.”
More and more information is being gathered, suggesting that dental health may play a key role in overall health. In Charles Poliquin’s recent blogpost, he states:
“Researchers found that individuals who had had their teeth cleaned and scaled once over that period reduced their risk of heart attack by 24 percent, and lowered stroke risk by 10 percent compared to those who never had their teeth professionally cleaned. Plus, the more frequently that participants had their teeth cleaned, the more of a reduction in heart attack risk they experienced.” And …
- Step 1: Wear this before you break a sweat…
...and for after you break a sweat.
If you have friends or family members that can benefit from this information, be sure to share it and/or hit the like button below…
Cardio: Did I Beat My Previous Time?
October 25, 2011 by danny · 2 Comments
A couple weeks back I did a blogpost going over my cardio session. I explained the “inverted ladder” and got part of it on video. Well, the other day I repeated the SAME EXACT ladder, in attempt to improve my time. And I know y’all have been on the edge of your seats in anticipation – waiting to find out if I improved. In case you missed the video from my first attempt at this inverted ladder cardio session, here it is …
In week 1, I completed the entire ladder in 7:09. And in my 2nd attempt, I did it in 7:01. As you can see, I shaved 8 seconds off of my time. When I repeat it a 3rd time, I’ll go for 7:00 or faster.
Goals
Each time you head to the gym for your training session, that is exactly what your goal should be… making improvement each and every time! Even if that improve seems minuscule, it is still improving, meaning that you are heading in the right direction. A little + a little + a little, ends up to be A LOT down the road.
When I train clients, quite often they are disappointed when they only beat their previous week’s numbers by 1 rep. I tell them; “No, that is great! Even if you end up improving by 1 or 2 reps on each day of the training program, in the end that is going to be VERY significant improvement!” Example:
Your program calls for 4 X AMRAP chin-ups (that 4 sets of As Many Reps As Possible)
Week 1 you get 10 reps, 9 reps, 9 reps, 7 reps (total of 35 reps)
Week 2 you get 10, 9, 9, 8 (total of 36 reps. “Only” 1 rep better)
Week 3 you get 10, 10, 9, 9 (total of 38 reps)
Week 4 you get 10, 10, 10, 9 (total of 39 reps)
So, over the course of the 4-week program, you just improved by 4 reps. Again, significant! So, small improvements from week to week REALLY add up. And by the way, IF you are making HYOOGE improvements from week to week, then I question your effort. Lets say you went from 22 total reps on week 1, to 35 total reps on week 4. When I see a client do this, it makes me think that they were sandbagging it on week 1.
The only time that I think really BIG jumps in numbers are ok in that short of a time-frame, is if you are just learning a new movement in week 1, and don’t want to push it too much due to the fact that you don’t really have it “figured out” yet.
Moral Of The Story
Make each training session a competition and try to improve each and every time… no matter how small the improvements seem to be. Just make sure that are you being honest, and continue to use good form and a full range of motion (i.e. if you ended up adding 3 additional push-ups on week 2, but didn’t go down all the way to the floor, that is NOT improvement. You cheater! ) 
Is this a new concept to you? I mean, do you just randomly go from session to session without any real purpose? Or do you set it up where you try to beat your numbers from week to week? I’m curious to hear what you have to say, so let me know in the comments section below…
My Lower Body Session – 10/17/11
October 18, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
I’ve been splitting my training between my home gym and the gym at the local high school. Yesterday I headed down to the basement for my lower body (and “core”) session. Since I moved back to Illinois in late August I’ve been doing mostly “random workouts” due to the fact that I JUST added a squat rack and a few other pieces of “essential” equipment to my home gym. In the video you’ll see day 3 of week 2 in my current training block. I’m currently doing an upper/lower split and it feels good to back to a structured program again. Anyway, here’s what went down yesterday…
Today, I’m heading up to the high school to finish up week 2 of the 4 week program (upper body today – day 4).
Talk to you later in the week…
My Training Day – 9/25/11
September 26, 2011 by danny · 2 Comments
I thought I’d share my workout from yesterday with you all. Since moving back to Illinois, my workouts have been pretty random, as the craziness has continued. You know… the twins getting up in the middle of the night about 22 times, every night; networking with the locals about job opportunities; adding equipment to my basement gym; stuff like that. BUT, my squat rack just arrived, and I am PUMPED. So, I’m ready to get back to my usual training regimen, where I write up my program in “training blocks.” I definitely prefer to train this way. But sometimes life REALLY gets in the way, and you have to do what you have to do, just to get SOMETHING in, when it comes to training. For more of my thoughts on random training sessions vs planned training sessions, check out this older blogpost that I made.
Alright, onto the video from yesterday’s training session…
The sets/reps looked like this…
A1) Snatches – 3 X 3-5
A2) Fillers (stretches/mobility work for all my “tight” areas)
B1) Bent Over Rows – 4 X 8-10
B2) Bulgarian Split Squats – 4 X 8 per leg
C1) Incline Press – 4 X 8-10
C2) Curls – 3 X 8-10
There is something about seeing bumper plates that just makes me want to do the Olympic lifts. I did snatches today, and for my last workout, I did hang cleans… fun to get back to these lifts, as it has been awhile. And by the way, Hononegah High School’s weight room (my old high school) is UNREAL! They did a GREAT JOB of putting it together… a bunch of squat racks, trap bars, barbells, dumbbells, sleds, chalk, etc. GREAT STUFF!
Alright, off to watch my dad put together the squat rack! I’ll add some pictures of how my “home gym” is coming along real soon.
Have a great Monday!
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…
Smart Planning For a Better Body
September 5, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
Every now and then I like to bring back an old article of mine for you to see, in case you missed it the first time around. If you are BRAND NEW to training, then a lot of the information from this article is probably unnecessary for the time being. All you have to do is get in the gym consistently and work your ass off (and clean that diet up!).
However, if you’ve been doing the same exercises for 3 sets of 10 reps for a couple years now with changing it up, then this article is just for you! Although this article, “Smart Planning,” was published on Olesya Novik’s website – “Olicious Life,” which is primarily a female website – many guys out there will definitely find the info beneficial as well.
If you’re looking to improve the set-up of your program design, then check out Smart Planning.
My Split Is The Best Body Part Split Ever Splitted! Plus, A Sample Training Day Inside…
July 26, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
OR, should the title read; My Split Is The Best Body Part Split Ever Splat? I’m not sure. Proper grammar is not my strong point. What is my strong point however, is my unreal program design! If you haven’t already checked out my article, “Breaking The Rules,” but sure to do so. In it, you’ll see that I am currently using a body part split, even though my time is very limited. Usually I’d recommend full body training when life is as crazy as mine is right now (thank you twins). But I decided to break the rules, because I’m crazy like that.
Anyway, here is a sample training day of one of my current body part splits …
Sternocleidomastoid & Biceps Femoris (Short Head )Day
As mentioned above, you can read the reasons I’m going with a body part split right now even though I don’t have much time to train these days. Therefore, I won’t get into the reasons for going body part split in this post. I will however, tell you why I chose to go with the sternocleidomastoid and biceps femoris short head day… besides the obvious – and that is, because I think of and execute brilliant plans. Things that others would never be able to come up with in 100 years! Readers, PLEASE leave a comment in the comments section below. I want to hear from you; do you think I should start working on my book (Titled: “How to REALLY Break Down Body Part Splits, and Make Them Work For You”)? Or should I let the anticipation build, and wait awhile before I release the book?
Now that you all truly understand how awesome I am, let me highlight the bold points, as far as what makes this split SO effective…
-The sternocleidomastoid and biceps femoris are non-competing muscles. This allows me to go back and fourth between the two muscles so that one exercise doesn’t “interfere” with the other.
-They are relatively small body parts, so the workout is incredibly easy!
-Because the body parts are relatively small and don’t need much recovery time between sets, I can finish the workout in less than 8 minutes.
-No one else in the gym is using a similar split, so this alone separates me from the pack.
Ok, let me stop right here. I just hope no one stopped reading this blogpost before reading this line. Because if they did they’d probably think I was a bigger jackass than Steve-O!
Obviously going with a sternocleidomastoid and biceps femoris (short head) day would be pretty ridiculous (but I had you thinking that I was really using that split – didn’t I!?!). So, let me give you an example of one of the days that I am REALLY using…
Triceps + “Posterior Chain” Day
A1) Close-Grip Bench Press – 5 X 5
A2) Hip Thrust 4 sets (2 X 5, 1 X 10 and 1 set of 1-leg body weight X AMRAP)
B1) Decline DB Skull Crushers – 2 X 15
B2) 1-leg Swiss Ball Leg Curl – 2 X 15
Everyone of my training sessions takes me about 20 minutes (not counting warm-up and post-workout stretching). This is NOT my norm, but for the reasons mentioned in the article, this fits the bill perfectly for the time being!
There you go, a look into my current training program. Sometimes you have to modify your training when life “gets in the way.” Nothing wrong with that!
Breaking the Rules
July 19, 2011 by danny · Leave a Comment
I’ve contributed a few articles now to a great fitness website, Zen to Fitness. Here is my most recent…
“I’m a law-abiding citizen. I realize that rules are put in place for a reason – without rules there would be chaos. But now and then, it is perfectly fine to break a few rules. When it comes to training, the rules made by the fitness gurus are no different – there is a time a place to take these rules, and throw them out the window.
Always Train Full Body When Time Is Limited… Right?”
