Coming back home from deployment: how to maintain fitness

I just got home a few weeks ago, which would explain the lack of posts lately. So sorry! But for the people that read this blog (the very few of you, you all should tell your friends about this site and help spread the word), I have not abandoned you! I was distracted by all the shiny things on this side of the looking glass for a moment, like making the journey home, kissing my boyfriend, and taking a ballin’ trip to Paris :) However, as it turns out, I wasn’t only slackin’ on blogs. I was also slackin’ on my fitness. With all of these distractions my fitness level AND motivation went straight to the floor like a pound of bricks. So this post is about my personal experience redefining my motivation, my drive, my fitness routine, my diet and my challenges. This may come in handy for those about to go home, or when you do get to make the trip back; you can look back on this… Please feel free to comment with your own add-ins.

My motivation. I no longer had tons of empty time to try and fill up by spending hours at the gym or sleeping, or whatever else I could come up to pass the loooonnngggg hours. Since I went right into R&R, I no longer had a schedule to follow with work. I didn’t have work to show up anywhere at a certain time so why not just sleep in? Like … every day… :|   Also, being in Germany is both a blessing and a curse. Paris is only a four hour drive, so we went for a few days. I brought workout clothes, but who was I kidding, THAT didn’t happen. The streets of Paris and French wine were calling my name!!

My Drive. I had to redefine what my drive was. What drove me to the gym, or the DVD player to hit play on Insanity or P90X. I had just finished my Insanity Challenge so I didn’t have someone telling me what workout to do every day. Which is okay, just something I needed to get used to again.

My Fitness Routine. I decided to take a break from DVD routines and start prepping for my PT test in a month. So I kept it classic! Timed run, push-ups and sit-ups for one minute, and then weights for a bit. I want to do better on this PT test than the last, always improving :) I got 94 last time, we’ll see….

My Diet. So many temptations! Vacation food! Wine! Deserts! Everywhere! Luckily my boyfriend is a great cook, and does so with in the healthiest way. Otherwise I would be totally screwed. However, all the readily available alcohol was a big temptation as well so I made deal with myself. I can only drink my wine on days I get a good workout in. I’m not sure if this is a good idea or a bad one, but it’s working so far, lol

Some advice? Make a plan ahead of time for what and how you will keep up the fitness when you get home. I didn’t and I wish I would have. This way you have a DAILY plan. Even if you plan on giving yourself a three day break for example. If you plan it out, it won’t suddenly be a week later and you haven’t worked out at all. Write it down! Tell someone. You’ll be more likely to stick with it. Same with your diet. A great site to use for diet tracking is myfitnesspal.com. You can track everything you eat when you get back to make sure aren’t going too far overboard.

It’s okay to live life and take breaks, but don’t overdo it! Make sure you are still taking care of yourself. Remind yourself why you are motivated to be fit in the first place. 

Workout Song of the Week 22 July 2012

Hello to all the earbud wearing weight smashers and extreme runners. I've got a truly hot song that will surely get your blood pumping to perform at your ultimate peak. This song makes up for the tired feeling you get in the middle of your workout. It screams at you to push forward to finish that last rep, last lap, or last mile. All of us need that motivation to keep moving. Our energy levels will certainly be maintained by this workout song of the week.....





tympani roll........






.....gong craaassssshhhh.....




















"Dragula" by the artist Rob Zombie
Album: Hellbilly Deluxe
Genre: Rock




Add this energizing song to your electronic device to sweat bullets and hydrate Hydrate hydrate!!!

Be Well!!

Workout Song of the Week 15 July 2012

Hello!!

Yes, we all have our day(s) when our motivation just isn't at the notch we want it to be. Of course we all have those fabulous earbuds or large headphones we sport, but that isn't enough. We must have that "song" to make us lift, to make us run, to make us push our muscles till they are no longer tired. Tired to a point where we just want to let out all our frustrations.

This weeks workout song is.........



.....Base drum rolllll.......cymbal crasssshhh










"Scream & Shout" by the artist Dirty Penny
Album: Take it Sleazy
Genre: Rock


Download this song to your list of all motivating songs to supercharge your workout.

Happy Downloading!!

Be Well!!

Processed Ingredient #2: Partially Hydrogenated Oil

Partially Hydrogenated Oil

Welcome to part 2 of the 5 series of processed ingredients that make your stomach grumble and your health tumble. Consumable oils should be healthy. A few healthy oils, consumed in moderation, are salmon (fish oil), olive oil, canola oil, and flaxseed oil. The next oil is the type that is man-made and considered to be cheaper than most oils: Partially Hydrogenated Oil. According to Merriam-Webster, hydrogenated means to mix with hydrogen or to add hydrogen to another ingredient. Adding any type of "made" chemical is not meant to be digested in your body.

Partially hydrogenated oils contain high levels of trans fats. Trans fats will increase bad cholesterol and decrease cholesterol that is good for you. We will talk more about Trans fats in part 3. You may potentially end up with heart disease as you continually consume partially hydrogenated oils. 

A few products that contain partially hydrogenated oils are:

-microwavable buttered popcorn
-anything baked with vegetable shortening: doughnuts, cookies, and crackers
-Corporate fast food
-Frozen pizzas or frozen prepared meals
-margarine
-cereal
-fried chicken 
-hotdogs


Partially hydrogenated oils are mainly used to extend shelf life, enhance flavor, and texture of food.
Items listed in blue are foods obtained here. The next time you decide to place packaged food containing partially hydrogenated oils into your stomach, think about how long it will take to digest due to the extended shelf life added to the product. Before you know it, your arteries will clog over time giving you a heart attack later in life. Let's encourage each other to watch what is eaten so we can extend our lives to defend our freedom and value our most precious asset.....you. Be Well!

Sources:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hydrogenated

http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm079609.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/salt/pdfs/DHDSP_Procurement_Guide_Summary.pdf

http://www.livestrong.com/article/405549-foods-made-with-partially-hydrogenated-vegetable-oil/

Looking for workouts buddies?

We are going to start a group on Facebook dedicated to coordinating workouts among people out here. Military personnel will be able to get on it and find someone to teach them swimming, or do P90X with, or go running with...  While OPSEC will always be a concern, we can use this safely and get a huge benefit from it. The Active Avocado team will screen people via work email as they ask to join the group to maintain security. Right now however, we are thinking of a name to call it. So please help us! Leave a comment below (as anonymous if you like, you don't need an account) or email me and let us know if you have suggestions! We're looking for something catchy (obviously) and perhaps self explanatory so people know what to ask for, without the location in the name..

If you like to help out and be apart of this let me know :)

Suggested names so far...

- Rock Group

Chow Hall Recipe: Wrap-A-Mania

Wrap-A-Mania

All at the chow hall!

Banana-PB-Honey Wrap … Really healthy and quick and easy!

Ingredients:

1.       Wheat wrap

2.       1 PB packet

3.       Honey to taste

4.       1 medium sized banana

Directions:

1.       Put everything in the wrap. And wrap it up!

2.       You could even take this stuff to the guys in the back of the chow hall to grill up HOT!

Chicken/Turkey Avocado Wrap … Really healthy and quick and easy!

Ingredients:

1.       Wheat wrap

2.       Sliced chicken breast OR turkey sammich meat

3.       Low fat dressing

4.       1/3 medium avocado

5.       Extras: lettuce, tomato, jalapenos, cheese est.

Directions:

1.       Put everything in the wrap. And wrap it up!

2.       You could even take this stuff to the guys in the back of the chow hall to grill up HOT!

Tuna Wrap … Really healthy and quick and easy!

Ingredients:

1.       1.Wheat wrap

2.       Tuna

3.       Low fat dressing/mayo

4.       Extras: pickles, lettuce, tomato, jalapenos, cheese est.

Directions:

1.       Put everything in the wrap. And wrap it up!

3.       You could even take this stuff to the guys in the back of the chow hall to grill up HOT!

Breakfast Wrap … Really healthy and quick and easy!

Ingredients:

Wheat wrap

1.       Scramble with err’thing

2.       Turkey bacon or sausage

3.       Salsa

4.       Optional: 1/3 medium avocado

Directions:

1.       Put everything in the wrap. And wrap it up!

2.       You could even take this stuff to the guys in the back of the chow hall to grill up HOT!

Workout Song of the Week 8 July 2012

Before you connect to the world wide web and download this weeks workout song, here are a few benefits of what listening to music while exercising can do for you:

-improve motivation
-relax the mind from the world around you
-enhances positive mood

Without further ado, the workout song for the week of 8 July 2012 is.......



......Snare drum roll.......






"Bring Em out" by the artist T.I.
Album: Urban Legend
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap






Remember to exercise all regulations with earbuds and headphones during your intense workout. Have a fantastic week! Happy Downloading. Be well everyone!



Source:


http://www.bestofyoutoday.com/fitness-news/benefits-listening-music-while-you-exercise

Workout Song of the Week 1 July 2012

Hello Everyone!

Every Sunday, I'm going to post THE workout song of the week. I love to listen to a charged audio track to keep me motivated during a workout. Find the song below on the Internet and add it to your workout track. I highly encourage you to leave comments below about your thoughts on my recommendation. So, without further ado the workout song of the week is:

.....Drum Roll Please:


"Ignition" by the artist Trivium
Album: The Crusade
Genre: Rock


Enjoy this track during your hefty workout. Happy Downloading. Be Well!!

Becoming a Beachbody Coach is FREE for AD Military...

Is anyone out there interested in making a career (side career for us) out of fitness? Beachbody waves all the business and start up fees for Active Duty Military (and/or spouses)!! First of all, I LOVE when I see people supporting us like this :D Even if you don't want to supplement your income, you can use this opportunity to get huge discounts on everything Beachbody. This includes any workout DVD set (like Insanity, P90X, Body Beast, est), equipment, Shakeology, supplements, est... Coaches get a 25% discount. You can really take it to any level that you are motivated to go. Application only takes a few minutes, and if you're AD, you don't give them any credit card or banking info, it really is free. Let me know if you want to take advantage of this amazing opportunity or if you have any questions by emailing me at chelsea.n.whitworth@gmail.com. The only criteria is that you HAVE to have a want to help people get fit :D You can be in the middle of your journey to fitness as well and take people with you. You don't have to be an expert at P90X or a graduate of Insanity or a size anything. ANYONE can do this!!

Processed Ingredient #1: High Fructose Corn Syrup

High Fructose Corn Syrup

This the first part of a series explaining to you what can cause a dip in your health regime. What comes to mind when we think of sugar? Candy, cavities, energy, and perhaps something you add to your coffee/tea everyday. The sugar I'm here to explain is High Fructose Corn Syrup. I purposely highlight it in red for you to notice it's in almost all American/man-made products. It is a processed sugar. Processed as in mixed with something else to get.....this product.

High Fructose Corn Syrup reacts to ones body differently compared to natural sugar. Fructose has a different metabolic response with the body than sugar. When fructose reaches the liver it is turned into fat and overtime will cause weight gain and the feeling of hunger to eat constantly. High Fructose corn syrup is also linked to high blood pressure and diabetes. High fructose corn syrup is a sweeter sweetener and is much cheaper to make as opposed to production of natural sugars.

Two "free" food products served here on base contain high fructose corn syrup. One is an "electrolyte" drink and the other is a "NUTRItious" bar. Next time you decide to open a can of your favorite soda or have a need for a candy product, check the label for High Fructose Corn Syrup and don't consume that product. Your liver and body will thank you very much :-D Stay tuned for a #2 ingredient that is processed. Be Well.

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-high-fructose-corn-syrup-relates-to-health-ris.html

This video is an excellent example between a healthy liver and a deteriorating liver:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjppyTWuZJ0&feature=related

The Amazing Kettlebell!

Is kettlebelling a fad exercise or something that works?

Russian Kettlebell Weight Training has been around for years, but has just finally seen the light in America a mere 7 years ago. Kettlebells are basically cannon balls with handles on them. They are built to be swung around. It sounds very simple, but when training with the correct regimen, your workouts will be intense and will yield great results.

Benefits of Kettlebelling:

Work multiple muscle groups: Swinging around the weights makes you use your entire core just to keep your balance.

Burn fat: For every minute of swinging a kettlebell, one can burn up to 20 calories. Also, because all different muscle groups are working out simultaneously, your body needs to fuel itself some more energy.

Build lean muscle: With the resistance of the weights, lean muscle will form.

Cardio endurance: When doing a regimen, you typically do intervals that really get your heat rate to accelerate.

Muscle endurance: Muscles can work longer without getting fatigued

Flexibility: Since all of the moves are ballistic, this give you a better range of motion over a period of time.

Coordination/Concentration: Swinging around a weight from one hand to another requires full concentration and coordination.

With all of those benefits, who can argue that you are not getting a good work out with kettle bells?

From the first time I tried kettlebells, I instantly was addicted. I went out and bought Kettlebel guides so that I could make sure my form was correct, and so I could get ideas of how my workout plan could be built. Ever since then, Kettlebells have been incorporated in my exercise plan.

If you are interested or have more questions, feel free to ask.

matthew.morgan47@gmail.com

Source:
Kettlebell RX: THe Complete Guide for Athletes and Coaches.

HELP!

I need some help with an idea I have. I want to make a Facebook page where people can coordinate group workout time/partners while they are out here. I have a lot of people tell me that they would love to work out in a group and it provides great motivation for them but they don't know anyone who can workout at the same time. The Facebook page can be a means to find someone. It can also be an extention of this blog and we can share tips of the trade with each other.

My question is: Is this an OPSEC violation, and if so how can we still do it and avoid releasing anything damaging? Can we put the location in the page name? Is it even possible?

If anyone sits next to an OPSEC monitor or knows the answer to these, please let me know! You can comment below or email me :)

Thank you!!

Barrier Bash Workout

When all of us think of exercising the following terms come to mind: The gym, treadmills, weights, bench press, cardio room, elliptical machine, bicycle machine, and last but not least the basketball court.    While all these things are indoors....what about the outdoors? Some places we are stationed in the military can be quite cold for us to go outside, or perhaps too wet trying to avoid getting sick. Here we must brave the heat and decide to go indoors. For those of you naysayers who prefer the outdoors, this workout is for you. It's called: Barrier Bash. 

No, I am not talking about breaking up bits of concrete. I speak of all those barriers, small, medium, and large that exist everywhere here: 

These barriers carry a multitude of creative workout routines that can charge your aerobic and anaerobic workout to the outer limits. The smaller ones can be used for the following:

Tricep dips, incline pushups, box jumps (on top and then off of).

The medium sized barriers with the metal "handles" on them are perfect for a FULL range of motion bicycle exercise. While sitting on top and holding onto the "handles" move your legs in a circular motion as far out as you can. There is no ground restriction so you can move those legs of yours to workout the whole hamstring and quadricep while keeping your abdominals tight at the same time. Lastly, please leave those larger barriers alone, one cannot perform any exercise with those apparatus.

The advantage of the Barrier Bash exercise is you can run or jog from one barrier to the next to perform a different exercise. This keeps you from being in the same spot all the time and maintains your heart rate as you move from one barrier to the next. This exercise will work out muscles you thought never existed. Stay tuned for more Barrier Bash exercise techniques...Be Well!

Remember: Use Safety when moving to each barrier and lifting your body up on those medium sized barriers. Only do what you know is comfortable for your body. Safety is the best performance supplement to utilize during an energetic workout. Enjoy the outdoors!

In...2,3,4 Out...2,3,4

The 1.5 mile run for some may be a short distance, for others it's a long way to victory. The title above states the actions to take while running and breathing using the diaphragm. Controlled breathing will assist you, the runner, to have a "relaxed" feeling during the run. A run should feel relaxed, unless you are sprinting 1/4 mile. While running, feel how your feet touch the ground. Mirror your breathing with each step you take. The 4-count method is the way to measure how fast or how slow you breathe with your diaphragm. If your running steps are short, then your breathing count will be quicker. If your steps are larger, then your breathing count will be slower. No matter if your breathing is quicker or slower, it should feel natural to you and comfortable. Try just one lap around a track. Breathe with the diaphragm to gauge a good marriage between your footsteps and breathing count...In...2,3,4 Out...2,3,4. If one lap feels comfortable, do another. The more practice one does while using their diaphragm to breathe while running, the better and quicker they will become. Now, put on that PT gear, lace up those shoes, and practice, practice, practice. Stay tuned for more. Be Well!!

Body Beast - Team Beachbody's newest program

From the people that brought you Insanity, P90X, Slim In 6, and about a kazillion other awesome at home workout programs, I present to you ladies and gentlemen, their new body building workout program: Body Beast:

"If you want to get big—we mean really, really big—Body Beast™ is the program for you. Here's how you can transform your body over the next three months.

Body Beast is the brainchild of former Israeli army vet and bodybuilder Sagi Kalev. Kalev, a bodybuilder since the age of 16, relied upon his years of personal trial and error, as well as his degree in physical education and nutrition to develop the Body Beast program that will help you get results beyond what you've ever imagined possible.

Are you ready to awaken that Beast inside you?

With Dynamic Set Training™

We took the best of old-school bodybuilding and combined it with cutting-edge sports science to develop Dynamic Set Training™ that will fatigue your muscles more than you ever thought possible with Single Sets, Super Set, Giant Sets, Progressive Sets, Drop Sets, Tempo Sets, and more. In return, your muscles reward you by getting huge.

With an Intense Training Schedule

So that you can follow the program that fits your needs, we've carved out two different training schedules. If you only care about getting big, follow the Huge Beast schedule.

If you have fat to lose, follow the Lean Beast schedule. This schedule incorporates more cardio workouts so you can shed the fat covering your growing muscles. Just know that both 12-week schedules are hard, so don't feel like you're taking the easy way out if you go through "Lean Beast" first.

By Eating Like a Beast

If you really want to see results, you need to eat right. Within the Book of Beast, we'll walk you through a nutrition plan that combines healthy meals with key supplements so you can build big, strong muscles.

"The harder your work, the faster your muscles will grow."—Sagi Kalev      "

You can find more info at BeachbodyCoach.com/CoachChelseaW

Aerobic Stamina

One of the ways to gain Aerobic Stamina is to breathe not from your lungs, but from your diaphragm. I know what all of you are thinking: "What is and where is my diaphragm??". The diaphragm is a parachute shaped muscle located just underneath the lungs. The diaphragm is used to take in and out oxygen as an alternate use. If you never used your diaphragm, try this helpful method to initially understand how the breathing works. Lay on your back and place one hand over your belly button. Take in a deep breath so that you feel your belly rise with your hand. Now exhale so your belly lowers. This is breathing with your diaphragm.  Running is the easiest way to practice this method. It will take time to practice this and shaving off those 5 minutes from your run time won't happen overnight. Another benefit to diaphragm breathing is it tones your abdominal muscles and you can even do it while sitting down :-) If you are ready to try something new, this is it! Now ready? set, Breathe!!

As with any type of exercise, consult your doctor or physician prior to performing actions.

http://www.acefitness.org/certifiednewsarticle/633/want-to-improve-your-performance-breathe/



http://www.health.com/health/library/mdp/0,,zm6336,00.html

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/06/what-causes-the-pain-in-your-side-you-may-occasionally-feel-while-running/

Chow Hall Recipe: Chicken Parm Sandwich

All at the chow hall!!

Thanks to Cynthia for giving us this recipe!! I'm definitely going to try this one!

Coach,

I love pasta, but the chow hall doesn’t offer a whole grain variety.  The next best thing?  “Chicken parm” sandwich! 

2 slices whole grain bread (toasted or grilled)

1-2 slices of swiss cheese (critical for keeping bread from deteriorating)

Grilled chicken breast

Veggies of choice (I like cucumber, nice crunch)

Vegetarian marinara sauce

If you want to cut more calories you can do without the cheese, but serve the marinara on the side and dip the sandwich; otherwise the bread disintegrates completely.  This can be messy, but it’s surprisingly good.  Not quite a revolutionary recipe, but it satisfies the drive for pasta, and the flavor is very fulfilling!

Marine's advice to someone who wants to pass his PFT test. (strong language!!)

!!WARNING: Strong language... proceed at your own risk!!

Thank you R. Welles for sending me this!

 

Run man, there's literally no secret to this. Just fucking run.

I hate running more than anything. I have never been much of a runner at all. As an officer candidate, my initial PFT run (3 miles) was like 30 minutes and dying. What did I do? I just ran my nutsack into the ground. It sucks, but the more you do, the less it starts to suck. Rather quickly, I could run 3 miles in 21 minutes and feel pretty good.

30 days is a decent amount of time to at least get that score to where it needs to be to pass (you minimalist lazy shithead). Focus purely on endurance right now, not speed. In your initial training, speed will come naturally with endurance. Here's what I recommend -

Run every other day, for the next 4 weeks.

Week 1 - Run 1 mile, every other day, at a comfortable pace (for you, that's probably 10 minute miles)

Week 2 - Run 1.5 miles, every other day, at a decent pace (for you, that's probably 9 minute miles)

Week 3 - Run 2 miles, every other day, at a comfortable pace (again, 10 minute miles)

Week 4 - Run 2.5 miles, every other day, at a decent pace (9 minute miles)

This is a really basic plan, but it's designed to slowly build up your weekly mileage and endurance(with the 1.5 miler goal in mind). Once you're done with week 4, and you pass your IST (and you will if you follow this plan), keep doing this by upping your next week by half a mile. Do this until you reach 4 miles. At this point, you should be running 12-16 miles a week, with a decent base amount of endurance in you. Then you can start doing some speed work and really training for your actual PFT.

DON'T GO TO FUCKING BOOT CAMP WITH THE MENTALITY THAT IT WILL GET YOU IN SHAPE. YOU WILL SUFFER WAY MORE THAN YOU HAVE TO.

Don't miss a run, just go out and do it. Don't think about it while you're running. I find for me, that after 1-1.5 miles in, my body sort of goes on auto pilot and running becomes easy. At that point, I can run miles on end and it just feels the same.

While you're running, focus on controlling your breathing. Take nice deep breaths the moment you start running. It's called "pre-oxygenating", and it will allow your cardiovascular system to start delivering optimal amounts of oxygen to all muscles involved in your movements. This allows your body to sort of get ahead of the impeding shitsuck, and keeps you a hell of a lot less winded as you run.

As far as form goes, keep your head up at all times, even when you're tired. Try to relax your upper body as much as you can, and focus on just moving your legs. When you feel yourself really slowing down, and you want to maintain a fast pace, start pumping your arms a little bit because your legs will follow.

Nutrition is important, stop stuffing your cockhole with bacon cheeseburgers and lonely ass tv dinners. Eat a little cleaner. You can still indulge yourself, but within moderation. Drink less, and if you're a smoker, smoke less (or really just stop smoking or switch to chew).

Drink water, all day. Keeping yourself hydrated is so goddamn important that I want to punch you in the face just thinking about it.

Stretch lightly before your run if you want. Look up dynamic stretches in google, and do that. Definitely spend some time stretching AFTER your run. This is important, don't neglect this.

Now go out there, starting fucking today, and run. Keep in mind, the 1.5 mile IST run is fucking ten gallons of gayness. That's the same distance as the air force run. If you can't pass that, then that means you can't pass the easiest run requirements that the entire United States Military demands from it's recruits.

So knowing that you fucking suck right now, use that motivation to get out there and run. Marines didn't come out of the womb ready to bust out 300 PFTs (although some of them like to think they did), they worked at it. Put in your share.

Write for the Active Avocado!

Looking for writers! I want other's to share your viewpoints, advice, and opinions on my blog. Do you have something that really grinds your gears? Do you have the BEST workout that you want to share with people? Know something that might help or motivate someone else while they're out here? As long as it won't get anyone arrested it is free to go up. And of course it needs to be related to the main topic here: deployment fitness and wellness. This can be a one time thing or on the reg. Get at me if you're interested!!