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Develop a Winning Attitude

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. — Winston Churchill
Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. — Buddha
Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-fortune. — Walt Whitman
I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet. — Mahatma Gandhi
I am a little deaf, a little blind, a little impotent, and on top of this are two or three abominable infirmities, but nothing destroys my hope. — Voltaire

These are much more than just popular quotes. They speak to our inner thoughts, feelings, attitudes and beliefs. The fact is that no matter what happens around us or to us, we ultimately decide how we’re going to respond and feel.

Developing a winning attitude starts with belief. The belief that you’re going to lose weight. The belief that you can run a 10k. The belief that you will rehab an injured shoulder. There’s also the belief that you deserve to reach your health and fitness goals. Do you feel worthy? The answer is a resounding YES.

In my opinion, the best way to develop a winning attitude is to do things that will move you in the direction of your health and fitness goal(s). Like Yoda said “Do or do not.” Start by taking your eyes off the big goal(s) and give yourself smaller manageable goals that will move you in the right direction. Let’s say your goal is to lose 50 lbs in 6 months. That’s around 8 lbs a month right? Or 2 lbs a week? Now let’s focus on what you’re going to do not just this week but today. Go for your morning walk. Drink a glass of water with each meal. Show up to your training session. Lo and behold, at the end of the week you’ve dropped 2 lbs. Congratulations! Now do it again. Accumulate little wins and small successes. In our minds, these all begin to add up.

As the saying goes, success begets success. Ask any top athlete how they won a tournament, broke a school record, went undefeated all season and you will always hear them talk about belief. They believe they can win. And when they believe, they relax. When they relax, they have more fun. When they have more fun, they’re more willing to take risks. When they take more risks they increase their chances of winning. The more they win the greater their self-confidence and belief.

People often ask me how I stay in shape. My answer is that I make daily decisions to move in the direction of my goals. It all comes down to doing. And you do by deciding that you’re going to do.

Now that you have a winning attitude, you need to nurture it. Surround yourself with positive and like-minded people. Avoid the naysayer. Yes, a little criticism can reaffirm your attitude. But too much negative can possibly derail you. Just remember that your success is up to you. You have the tools. You have the attitude. Now go do it!

Develop a Winning Attitude2013-06-26T09:45:10-05:00

Campfire Cooking

I hope Father’s Day was a special day for all you Dads. It definitely was for me. My folks were visiting from California, and I tried out my new Camp Chef Lumberjack Over-the-Fire Grill. Other than sitting by a fire, singing campfire songs and perfecting my S’mores-making technique, I had never grilled directly over my firepit. Measuring eight feet in diameter, my firepit can hold a lot of wood which creates a tremendous amount of heat. A lightbulb went off in my head. With all of those hot embers I could easily cook over the fire. So I bought a 36″ cooking grate with sturdy legs. It can handle direct grilling, skillets and even our cast iron dutch oven.

For Father’s Day, we picked up top sirloin and beef flank steaks from Black Earth Meats. They were immediately immersed in my home-made teriyaki marinade which is made up of soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, ginger powder and apple cider vinegar, the secret ingredient. The vinegar tenderizes the meat and imparts a sweetness to it, so the longer you can marinade it the better. In the Foxman family, my mom is the queen of steaks and I learned my best marinades and rubs from her. She also taught me the key to a perfect steak. Prepare it medium-rare.

So I put the cooking grate in the pit off to one side and built a fire. A couple hours later, there were plenty of hot embers, and I raked them underneath the grate. I gently placed the meat on the grate and just a few minutes of grilling on each side and the steaks were done. It worked like a charm. I didn’t have a thermometer, but I’d guess the temperature in the pit was over 500 degrees F. We also placed some corn off to the side where the heat was more indirect. Those took around ten minutes.

Grilling over a fire gave me a whole new appreciation for cooking outdoors. This was a fun experience and I hope to try other recipes in the future.

Campfire Cooking2013-06-17T21:41:14-05:00

Wellness Seminar at Middleton Public Library

Join me this Thursday, June 6th at 7:00pm at the Middleton Public Library (7425 Hubbard Avenue) for a FREE wellness seminar. You’ll learn easy-to-follow weight loss tips and stress-reduction strategies. I’ll also include meal-plans and recipes as well as diet myths, fads, and other misconceptions. The seminar will be held in the Archer Room downstairs through the lobby stairwell. I promise that you will come away informed, empowered and entertained. For more information or to register for this program, email mid@scls.lib.wi.us or call (608) 827-7403.
See you there!

Wellness Seminar at Middleton Public Library2013-06-03T12:01:12-05:00

Watch, Bid & Win with Wisconsin Public Television’s 38th Annual Auction!

You can support public television and get a great deal on my personal training sessions by checking out WPT’s 38th Annual Auction! The auction starts on Wednesday May 29th and concludes June 2nd. I have donated two packages of 2 personal training sessions in the Sports & Recreation Category. So tune in on Friday May 31st from 7pm to 12am. You can bid online or over the phone. Reserved for new clients only. For more info goto WPT Auction.

Watch, Bid & Win with Wisconsin Public Television’s 38th Annual Auction!2013-05-23T12:59:46-05:00

Egg-cellent: Why Eggs Are Good For You

Eggs have gotten a bad wrap due to their fat content and cholesterol levels. As a result, carton egg whites and egg substitutes have become more popular in the last two decades. I remember eating quite a few of the refrigerated Egg Beaters during my body building years. Created in 1994, they were fat-free and had low or no cholesterol. Takes me back to the days of fat-free diets . . . and rice cakes. Of course, we could make rice cakes taste better by spreading on cream cheese or lots of peanut butter. Defeats the purpose, huh? That’s how I feel about real eggs. It’s real nutrition. One egg has 6 grams of protein, some healthy unsaturated fats and is a good source of choline (linked with preserving memory) and lutein (may protect against vision loss).

My boys love eating hard-boiled eggs. The yolk is prized above all things. It’s rich, satisfying and has many nutrients. The problem with many man-made low-fat foods is that we’re never satisfied. And where’s the taste? We’re always searching for it. So we eat more. In my opinion, a veggie egg white omelette may be lighter, but an omelette with real eggs is tastier and more satisfying.

Here’s a tip to long-lasting weight loss: Don’t deprive yourself. Include foods in your diet that are satisfying. Otherwise, you’ll keep searching (ie: eating and drinking) until you’re stuffed. Does that make sense? I’m not suggesting that you eat cheesecake, bacon or a dozen scrambled eggs every day. But a couple bites of richer foods will often nip cravings in the bud.

The question that often arises regarding eggs is “Are eggs bad for me?” Unfortunately this is the wrong question. Instead we need to ask “How many eggs are you eating?”, “How are they prepared?”, “What else are you eating?” and “What activities are you doing?” We need to look at the bigger picture of your health and fitness and not single out specific foods.

It’s exciting to wake up in the morning, walk out to my chicken coop and gather eggs. Free of hormones and antibiotics, they also free range. We’re trying to get closer to our food and be more self-sufficient. Below is a pic of our first egg and two of our chickens, Parsley (Speckled Sussex) and Sage (Buff Orpington).


Do you remember?
I’m a chicken hawk and I’m gunna get me some chickens!!!
I say, I say there boy! These here, I say these here, are egg-laying chickens.

Egg-cellent: Why Eggs Are Good For You2013-05-22T13:06:54-05:00

Asian Noodle Soup Recipe

How would you like to make a soup that is “mostly” homemade, healthy and prepared in under 30 minutes? Then check out my Asian noodle soup recipe. As you’ll see, the amounts and kinds of veggies you put in is up to you. Enjoy!

Ingredients
Ramen Noodles
5 cups water
2-3 medium carrots, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced (optional: bok choy)
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup canned bamboo shoots (cut into strips)
1 can straw mushrooms, sliced
1 can baby corn
ground ginger
egg (optional)

Directions
In a pot add water. Bring to boil then add carrots, onions and celery. (These will take the longest to cook.) Cook for approx. 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Mix in seasoning packet and ground ginger. Next add noodles and lower to medium heat. After 1 minute add remaining ingredients. If you feel the need for more protein, you can crack an egg into the soup. Cover egg with the noodles and lower heat. Egg will be cooked in under five minutes and soup is ready.

Asian Noodle Soup Recipe2013-05-13T09:24:44-05:00

I Installed the Jungle Gym XT

I’ve been interested in suspension systems for a while. They are cost-effective, portable, take up little room and offer a variety of exercises using bodyweight. Words like “core strength” and “stability” immediately come to mind. With systems like LifelineUSA XT Jungle Gym, a pushup, plank or inverted row, require the whole body. And unlike most workout machines, there are no chest pads, back rests, seats or foot boards. You create the stability. To adjust the amount of weight you push or pull, all you need to do is change your body angle or position. A pushup, for example, can be performed by both beginners and elite athletes. A beginner might position their body at 60 degrees while an individual with a higher fitness level might position their body at 20 degrees.

Installment of the LifelineUSA XT Jungle Gym is straightforward. There are easy-to-follow directions and excellent customer service. Anchors attach firmly to a wall or ceiling using four screws and washers. Remember, you need to drill them into the studs. My Jungle Gym XT is suspended from the ceiling. There is also an instructional video describing the product (I learned that each anchor is rated to handle over 300 pounds.) and demonstrating a few beginner, intermediate and advanced exercises. The other day I played around with the suspension system and found it challenging. It’s similar to the difference between exercise machines and free weights. I was surprised how shaky I was with some of the exercises, but like anything, this was new to me. By changing up my body angle, foot stance or arm position I was able to make adjustments safely and quickly. Soon I’ll demo a few Jungle Gym exercises for you.

I Installed the Jungle Gym XT2013-05-20T15:06:04-05:00

How To Wrap/Tape Your Ankle

Ankle sprains are a common injury. We typically think of them occurring on the basketball court, tennis court or soccer field. However, they can also happen by just taking a wrong step. As easy as it sounds, wrapping or taping your ankle can significantly aid in the healing process. Watch the video demo.

How To Wrap/Tape Your Ankle2013-04-22T14:35:23-05:00

Kids and Exercise

We can all learn from kids when it comes to exercise. How? They can go outside for a couple hours, run around, climb trees and just play. They don’t calculate the amount of calories burned, count reps or estimate mileage. They have fun. So why shouldn’t we? Exercise shouldn’t be a chore. Meal preparation shouldn’t be a big production. Health and fitness should be fun. Just like life.

The other day, I was about to exercise in my fitness studio when my 5-year old asked if he could join me. Absolutely, I said. Bruce and I have “worked out” before. This usually consists of him jumping on the BOSU, pushing the ab wheel around the room and punching me with his Spiderman boxing gloves. We started with some dynamic stretches (leg swings, wrist rotations, shoulder rolls, etc), and he reminded me how loose and flexible kids are. My arm rotations didn’t look like his. Plus we did some Papa calisthenics. We call my dad, Papa, and for many years he’s had a routine of exercises that he does every morning. They’re pretty old-school, but they work for him. In between my back exercises (rows, pull-ups and back extensions), I watched Bruce “exercise”. He even grabbed a 3 lb dumbbell and did one-arm dumbbell rows like me. Good form. We finished with some focus mitt boxing. Our workout lasted 30 minutes and we had a great time. My back is actually pretty sore . . . in a good way. It’s funny when we deformalize exercise and make it fun (and safe), it can be extremely effective. That’s why I joined a tennis league. We’re all out there to have fun, move around and compete.

Sometimes I wonder what kind of impact I’m making on my kids when it comes to health and fitness. Then I read this letter (see pic below) that my 2nd grader left on my bench. I read it and smiled.

Kids and Exercise2013-04-15T16:13:06-05:00

Music and Fitness

I’m not going to cite the latest studies about the benefits of music on your workouts. Why? Because you have already experienced it. You know how it feels to get pumped up or “in the zone” with your favorite workout music. It brings out emotions and experiences. You also know how certain music helps you to relax after you exercise. Your respiration slows down and you feel a sense of calm. For some people, light classical music or jazz does the trick.

Back in college, my third-year roommate made me an awesome workout tape. Notice, I didn’t say CD. Mostly hard rock and heavy metal. Metallica anyone? Hey, I was a 20 year old college student. It would help reduce distractions in the gym and I could focus inward. The fact that the volume was on high helped drown out any noise. The tape was 60 minutes long so I knew exactly where I was in my workout when a certain song came on. For those days when I was going to have a more moderate workout or go for a jog, I’d choose lighter rock music or something with a consistent beat. As I ran, I’d try to land my footfalls with the beat. I’d get lost in the music and sometimes find myself running farther than I had anticipated. When I got back to my car or home afterwards, I’d listen to something light. I wasn’t comfortable with pure silence. I needed something to help slow me down. Otherwise, it felt like hitting a wall. Wham! Workout done and music off.

The video below features O Fortuna from Carmina Burana. The first time I heard it was at a bodybuilding competition twenty years ago. The defending champion, Dorian Yates, used it for his posing routine. The music is powerful and will give you chills.

Music and Fitness2013-04-08T14:44:46-05:00
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