Monday Motivation: Training Montage (DIY Equipment)

You are Eating Your Apple All Wrong!

To me, this video was pretty amazing.  I tried it out on my way home from work the other day and realized, wow, this is awesome.  It really works.  I didn't eat the whole thing, like the video guy, but instead of having the "core" left, I had the size of a nickel.

Thinking about this even further, I realized I wasn't really amazed because I got to eat 30% more apple, but because someone came up with a new way to eat an apple.  I will never eat an apple the same again.

What else in life is like this?  I never had a problem with the old way of eating an apple.  I never thought to myself, wow, I'm wasting a lot of this apple.

Is there a better way?

That way of thinking I find truly remarkable.  This is probably why a few companies stand out, for example Apple.  Ipad anyone?

Is there a better way?

Thinking of life, encompassing family, friends, work, hobbies, free time, Is there a better way?  Not talking about just more productivity either, but about looking at something differently to achieve a result that you don't even realize you are looking for.

I hope I can keep start to look at things through the lens of the question, "Is there a better way?" 

Monday Motivation: A Veteran's Day Tribute

Weekend Coffee #3: Good Reads

Grab your espresso, hunker down and enjoy a few reads that I've accumulated.  Hopefully something sparks your interest to read the full version.  Links provided.

I'm really interested and continue to try to improve on my understanding and implementation of PRI (Postural Restoration Institute) principles.   On the inside, we are not symmetrical.  In fact, we are very asymmetrical, and it is these asymmetries that create patterns in us.  This article talks about the right thoracic curvature in adults after adolescence.  (most scoliosis is right)  Should be a reason,  correct?  Right Thoracic Curve.

I'm always telling people about the importance of high quality fat in their diet.  This is just a basic article talking about those benefits.  Many Roles of Saturated Fat. 

We need to keep physical education in our kids lives.  So many things point to physical activity strengthening the relationship of kids learning.  Yet, we still seem to be slashing these activities in our public schools.  How Physical Fitness Promotes School Success.

There are some crazy bacteria resistant strains out there.  Ever have to deal with anyone struggling with GI issues, IBS or some crazy bacterial infection?  Life simply becomes a struggle to get through the day, let alone make the day worthwhile.  I recently had a patient tell me of her fecal transplant procedure and how it literally gave her life back in a matter of days!  Very amazing.  Fecal Transplant Article.

Not an article, but I thought a pretty good video interview with Dr. Alan Christianson about thyroid health on Bulletproofexec.com.  50 minutes.  Video Interview.

Can your grip strength influence how long you live?  This study shows that low grip strength in adolescence had an influence on risk factors of suicide and cardiovascular disease.  Grip Strength.

Routines and Being Awesome

My wife sometimes tells me I have issues with my routines.  It's true I don't like variance when it comes to routines, but there are good reasons behind "healthy" routines.

We  know that you have a limited supply of will power.  Say no to the cookie now, it's most likely leaked out a little of your will power for later.  Hopefully, the later isn't as important.

We also know that decisions sack our energy.  The more decisions we make the more mental fatigue we accumulate.  This leads to either very ill advised decisions, or the opposite, we do nothing.  Both of these choices can lead to not so desired results.

It doesn't even half to be important decisions.  In fact, it's the small decisions that start to sap our energy, not the big ones.  So how do we combat this?

Routines.

Work through the stuff that really isn't that important and create an automatic pilot for your day.

Figure out what you eat for breakfast.  Have the same thing on Monday, every Monday.  This goes for the rest of the week as well.  This goes for lunch and dinner.  Create yourself a menu.  One of the reasons I think Intermittent Fasting has become huge, besides it works, it creates a decision free morning.  You don't eat.  Talk about freeing up some mental energy.

I wear gray shorts and polo to work every day.  I never think about what I'm wearing.  The beauty of the uniform.

I lift weight every Monday and Thursday evening.  I very rarely miss them except for family obligations.  Just part of the week.

I get coffee at my favorite coffee shops on my lunch breaks Tues/Thurs.  Again, I not only enjoy this, but I no longer think whats happening for lunch today.

I have a few other things I put into automatic pilot as well, but you get the picture.  What is interesting, I often get creative thoughts or come to important decisions while I'm doing the aforementioned things.  The freed up mental energy can go to more important stuff.

So if you find yourself feeling just plain old mentally tired, set up some routines.

Make them healthy (donuts for breakfast...em no)
Make theme easy.  Creating a fresh 12 ingredient omelet for breakfast, while healthy,  sounds like so much work to me, I would never keep it in my routine.
Make them for Everything that doesn't change.   We all eat, sleep, bathroom, exercise, grocery shop, ect.
Be Awesome.   Use your extra mental energy to do the stuff well and better, that can't be in a routine.

Monday Motivation: Rugby