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Find Your Passion

How motivated are you by your health and fitness goals? Are they inspiring you to get off the couch? Do you feel fired up to go to the gym? Losing weight for your cousin’s up-coming wedding or dropping four pants sizes are good goals, but are you passionate about them? So often people will say “Eric, I went to the gym 3 times this week.” That’s great. Was it productive? Did you enjoy it? Is it moving you closer toward your goal? Or did you go just so you could mark it off your list?

This brings us back to the basics of goal setting. Bigger than your health and fitness goal is the WHY of your goal. Like you, I have trained hard and cleaned up my diet for upcoming trips, 5k runs, weddings, etc. Those are good motivators and have helped me to stay focused and get in better shape, but what’s the bigger picture? After you get healthy and fit what are you going to DO with that healthy and fit body? Try a new sport? Maybe teach somebody else how you achieved your goal(s)? If this is getting under your skin, that’s good.

Be passionate about using your body. Test yourself. Enjoy the competition, whether it’s with yourself or with others. Remember, it’s not all about the goal, it’s about striving, aiming and reaching for your goal. It’s the journey, the experience.

In previous posts, I’ve talked about my oldest brother, Ken. He is built like a linebacker, lifts weights like a powerlifter, but also plays doubles tennis. Confused? He definitely breaks the mould. His zest for life is infectious. When we spend time together or talk on the phone I always enjoy hearing about a recent tennis match or weight lifting accomplishment.

If you want to see passion firsthand, I strongly encourage you to watch the London Olympics. The athletes definitely bring the Olympic Creed to life. “The most important thing is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.”

Find Your Passion2012-07-30T11:39:20-05:00

Beef & Barley Soup

I love soups and stews. They’re filling, a great way to sneak in vegetables and hard to mess up. Often I’ll leave a soup simmering on the stovetop for a few hours. Plus our Dutch oven yields at least fifteen servings. In this recipe, I used bison in place of beef. It has more protein, less fat and has less cholesterol. So if you’re looking for the ultimate meal that is high in protein, veggies and fiber but low in fat and carbs, this is the recipe for you. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs boneless beef, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (I used bison stew meat)
6 medium carrots, chopped
3 large celery stalks, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 large red pepper, chopped (oops, none in the fridge)
2/3 cup pearl barley
10 ounces mushrooms, chopped
1 Tbsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
3 garlic cloves, diced
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 cups broccoli, chopped
8 cups beef broth (I used 8 cups water plus 2 small beef bouillon cubes)
2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions
Heat Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and meat. Cook until well browned. Add vegetables and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add spices, barley, vinegar and beef broth. Reduce heat to low and cook for 75 to 90 minutes. In last 20 minutes, add corn and broccoli. Ready to serve.

Beef & Barley Soup2012-07-23T13:19:59-05:00

Making Fitness Fun!

Losing weight. Getting lean. Building muscle. Improving cardio. It all sounds so serious. Remember that getting in shape doesn’t have to be a big production. As a matter of fact, you should enjoy the journey, the learning, the challenges. Make fitness fun. Tennis pro, Mansour Bahrami, has been making tennis fun for over forty years. Check out his funny antics and unbelievable skill. This guy’s having fun!

Making Fitness Fun!2012-07-18T15:50:23-05:00

You Can See the Difference

Back in California I trained primarily out of one gym, but I worked out at several gyms. Some were giant warehouses downtown and others were glass buildings facing the beach. Some had top-of-the-line equipment and others had second-hand machines. Even when I was in college I would rotate locations. Why? I felt I needed a change of scenery. Otherwise, my workouts eventually seemed stale and redundant.

Now it’s a different story. I love training at my home fitness studio: one-on-one with a client, their choice of music and a great view. We’re situated on a 5 acre lot and my studio looks out onto my wife’s vegetable garden. (See pic below.) It’s not facing a parking lot, busy street or office building. Aiming southwest there is a lot of natural sunlight and my clients often comment on how relaxed and energized they are. I feel the same way, so I workout in my studio too. Must be all the green and fresh air.


Heather’s garden from my fitness studio.

You Can See the Difference2012-07-09T14:35:18-05:00

How Green is Heather’s Garden?

We’re all looking to eat more organic foods and add more veggies to our diet. So how about starting a vegetable garden? When we first moved to our home, Heather chose a plot in the backyard that was relatively flat, close to the house and received a fair amount of sunshine. We dug holes, put in the 12-foot posts and made the fencing with chicken wire. Then came the construction of the raised beds. Raised beds are a great way to reduce soil erosion and minimize weeds. Plus Heather has been able to expand her vegetable/herb garden by adding more beds. This year Bruce is excited to have his own 6’x6′ plot. In the next couple months he and Kyle will set up their vegetable stand by the side of our driveway. Last year they grew peppers, several kinds of tomatoes, green onions, corn and decorative gourds. It’s been a great learning experience and a healthy one too!


Heather shows off a head of romaine lettuce.
That’s why she’s called the Green Garden Gal.


Snap peas, snow peas, spinach and romaine lettuce. Yum!

How Green is Heather’s Garden?2012-07-03T10:01:00-05:00

Speed, Agility & Quickness

How do you improve in your chosen sport or athletic endeavor? You practice, practice, practice. 100 lay-ups, 100 backhands, 100 passes. There are also numerous drills to simulate how you jump, pivot, shuttle, turn, twist, reach and tuck on the court or field. So if you’re looking to get faster, improve coordination and up your conditioning try these three drills.

Hi March
From a standing position, lift and extend one leg in front of you. At the same time touch the top of your foot with the opposite hand. Lower leg and arm and repeat with other side.

Plyo Box Jumps
Stand facing plyometric box or high step with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. 
Lower body into a semi-squat position, bring elbows back, and immediately jump up onto box. Arms come up and feet should land softly on box. Step or jump back down and repeat. Be sure to use arms to help movement. Exhale as you jump up.

Sprint and Backpedal
Start in a 3-point stance. Sprint 5 yards (or selected distance) to first cone, touch with one hand, then backpedal diagonally to second cone.

Speed, Agility & Quickness2012-06-22T13:36:20-05:00

Get Moving with the Middleton Rec Dept

Staying active is a key component to a healthy lifestyle. And what better way to enjoy different activities than through the Middleton Recreation Department. They provide a variety of youth, teen and adult programs. While most classes are offered in summer, there are also programs in fall, winter and spring. I recently signed up for intermediate tennis lessons starting June 18th, and my two boys will be taking swim lessons during the summer. So if you want to add some fun and creativity to your exercise regime, check out your city’s Recreation Department.

Get Moving with the Middleton Rec Dept2012-06-13T14:22:32-05:00

Okay, That’s a Wrap!

Wraps are easy to prepare and make great substitutes to sandwiches. Today I looked in my refrigerator and just started pulling out ingredients. Lo and behold it turned into a delicious meal. So whether you call it a burrito or a wrap, I call it lunch. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 whole wheat tortilla or wrap
1 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast, grilled and sliced
2 ounces organic carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 ounces organic celery, thinly sliced
1 tbsp homemade hummus (one of Heather’s secret recipes)
1/3 cup cooked black beans (be sure to soak and rinse)
1 tsp lime juice

Directions
Warm whole wheat wrap or burrito in microwave for 30 seconds. This makes it pliable and easy to work with. Spread hummus evenly on wrap, then place chicken pieces in center. Add carrots and celery so that they are pointing in the same direction as the chicken. Spoon black beans on top and drizzle with lime juice. Carefully, roll tortilla up. Voila! Lunch is served!

Okay, That’s a Wrap!2012-06-08T15:57:34-05:00

Try it and You Might Like it

What if I don’t like it? What if it doesn’t work for me? What if I get injured? There are a lot of what ifs when it comes to health and fitness. My best suggestion is to experiment and try new things. If an exercise doesn’t feel right, for example, you might need to adjust the weight, your form or simply not do it at all. And that’s okay. Of the thousands of different exercises there is not one that you absolutely have to do to reach your goals. Having a variety of exercises in your workout arsenal, however, gives you more choices and allows you to be creative with your workouts.

A few years ago, I was at a fitness club warming up when a friend walked by. I asked him what his routine was for the day. He told me and asked if I’d like to join him. I said sure, but I’d do it at my pace. Jack is 15 years younger than me and is a kickboxer. Let’s just say I lasted less than 30 minutes. The shear volume of repetitions was amazing. We were doing resistance exercises and took no breaks between sets. It combined both anaerobic and aerobic exercises. At the time, I had not trained this way and it was a real eye-opener. Working out with Jack taught me that there was room for improvement, and in addition, reminded me to vary my work outs. Lesson learned.

Here’s another example of experimenting. My brother came out to visit a couple weeks ago, and we played tennis several times. On the first day we practiced with two demo racquets from The Tennis Shop. What a great experience! Each racquet affected our game differently. One racquet gave us more control while another more power. Not only could we see and feel our own shots, but each other’s as well. So we alternated racquets every 10 minutes to make comparisons. On another day, we played with two different racquets. Ken immediately fell in love with the Volkl Organix 10. His shots were clean and accurate. I preferred the Prince EXO Rebel and it was obvious to the both of us with my first forehand. So be willing to try things. Experiment. And remember with any new exercise or equipment to warm up properly and start slow.

Try it and You Might Like it2012-05-29T11:00:13-05:00

Take a Break and Get Fit Faster

Would you like to achieve your health and fitness goals faster? If you answered YES, I’m going to share a secret with you. Something other fitness gurus don’t want you to know. Are you ready? Take a break. Give your body and mind a chance to decompress. Think about how you feel when you’re on vacation. Inhale and take a deep breath. You’re relaxed. As my Dad says, your biggest worry on vacation is what you’re going to have for lunch. Not too stressful.

Changing your daily routine keeps you from getting stagnant. When you come back from a break, you feel refreshed, refueled and invigorated. It might only be a weekend, but it makes a huge difference. Sometimes clients will express apprehension about not working out while they’re on vacation. I assure them that it’s okay, and there’s a good chance that when they come back they’ll be stronger. And I’m not just talking about taking a break from your exercise routine. I mean your routine of checking email every five minutes, driving the kids to soccer practice or hurrying to your next appointment. Just typing the last sentence made my chest tighter. Ugh!

My big brother, Ken, visited last week, and when I dropped him off at the airport yesterday he said that it was the most relaxing vacation he’d ever had. He got a chance to read (for fun), wake up to singing birds (not an alarm clock), sit in the passenger seat of my car (not driving in stop-and-go traffic in Los Angeles) and eat home-cooked meals (without having to prepare them). His battery was recharged. The funny thing is that Ken lifted weights in my studio once and we played tennis five times during his trip . . . and he was still re-energized. So when is your weekend getaway?

Take a Break and Get Fit Faster2012-05-21T14:50:36-05:00
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