It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe

Rant and Tip for January 26, 2012

Quote: “It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.” – Muhammad Ali

Yes another Muhammad Ali quote. I personally like this one because that pebble can be any little thing in your life that you will let you down. Sometimes the pebble is poor planning on our part and not preparing for the events of the day to get the proper fuel. Other times that pebble is that little guy on your shoulder that is yelling in your ear that you are putting too much weight on the bar or you cannot squat that to depth. We need to remove those pebbles no matter what they are. It does not matter how big that mountain is if you are stuck on dealing with that pebble. So deal with the pebbles and move on.

So my diet is getting where it needs to be, I am increasing my dietary Fiber and working on keeping my water intake up. The funny thing is I truly enjoy my vegetables and I just need to plan better and prepare my vegetables properly. It is time to get to the store and get some fresh vegetables. We all know that Dietary Fiber is important to keep the system running smoothly and helps avoid constipation. However did you also know that it is beneficial in lowering your risk of diabetes and heart disease? High-fiber foods generally require more chewing time, which gives your body time to register when you're no longer hungry, so you're less likely to overeat. Also, a high-fiber diet tends to make a meal feel larger and linger longer, so you stay full for a greater amount of time. And high-fiber diets also tend to be less "energy dense," which means they have fewer calories for the same volume of food. So you see by increasing your dietary fiber you can also aid in your weight loss goals. Some vegetables that are high in fiber are: Avocados, Tomatoes, Artichokes, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Edamame, Eggplant, Endive, Fennel, green beans, Kohlrabi and Okra. All of these have 4 or more grams of fiber per serving. Broccoli, Cauliflower, Asparagus, Celery Lettuce, Spinach and Squash all have 2 to 3 grams per serving. So you see there are a lot of choices here. Make sure to get your vegetables today.

My call for the day in terms of exercise will be shoulders and back. I had a good workout with squats yesterday and will work just as hard on my shoulders and back today. If I can get my back to be thinker and not just wide this will help me increase my bench and allow me to handle more weight on my shoulders when I squat. Many people believe the bench press works just the chest and the squat works just the legs. These are compound exercises and work the whole body. I have a friend that states he knows he had a good bench workout when his legs are sore. If you are driving with your legs properly you will feel it there as well. The squat requires the entire body to stay tight. If you are loose at all you will not make the lift. Even the deadlift is a compound exercise and will the entire body when working out. I even feel my deadlift in my chest.

Have a great workout!

Tip:
In order to add depth to your back, you need to build the trapezius muscles, which form a kite from the base of your skull to your mid back. You need to build the teres major and minor, just above and behind the lats. You need to build the rhomboids, which sit in the middle of the back and help the traps retract the scapula. These muscles are best built with rows. Cable rows, T-bar rows, barbell rows, and machine rows are all useful. They each hit your back from a slightly different angle, emphasizing different muscles for full back development. To maximize that development, sometimes use lighter resistance and concentrate on pinching your shoulder blades together.