The Hero's Journey- The Known and The Unknown

The World May Not Be Sane, But There Is An Order To The Disorder! There is too much that doesn't make sense, too many injustices, too many acts of random violence, too much hate toward one another, and many people believing for every moment that this is the way it's supposed to be. It saddens me to see what this world has become at any cost. How this world has literally turned upside down, and as a whole empathy toward one another has been completely lost. What has happened to this world? The days when people were kind and showed support for one another through the toughest of times. Now a person is praised and is backed up by others when they express hate toward someone who did not meet a certain expectation. Smh...

BUT, with that being said, I also believe that we can still maintain our serenity, our spirituality, and our sanity by remembering that for every act of madness there is always a corresponding act of BEAUTY. That we must be anchors of sensibility, oasis of joy, and guideposts of HOPE in an imperfect paradise...especially to those who need it the most.

I want to share something special that happened to me today. I have always tried to pay attention to the signs and messages that present themselves to me. I do not believe in coincidences. I believe that if everyone could see past the distractions, the hate, and the chaos...they would receive messages of hope and love. It is love that truly wins in the end. 

I first want to say that my heart and prayers go out to Ronda Rousey during this difficult time. I was an athlete since the age of 4, and I can completely relate to the challenges she is facing in sport and in life right now. My thoughts go out to her family...her wonderful mother- AnnMaria DeMars, her sisters Maria Burns Ortiz, Jennifer Rousey, and Julia DeMars. At the end of the day, it is family who will support you and help pick up the pieces when all seems lost. 

This morning as I am working on my computer, I looked over at the book Rousey: MyFight/YourFight (a great book that shows the true emotion and passion of Ronda), which was written by Ronda and her sister Maria Burns Ortiz. This whole situation has been very heavy on my heart since all of this went down on December 30, 2016. To me it is more than just fighting...it is living...it is growing...it is understanding...it is surviving...it is overcoming. It breaks my heart to see others hurt and in pain. I tend to feel other people's emotions, and I try to send tokens of love and hope when needed. So I leaned over and grabbed her book...closed my eyes and just opened the book on whatever page it decided to open up to. Just to see where it would lead me.  I do this all the time with books just to see where I land and what messages are given at that right moment. The book opened to page 77. What a message...Absolutely AMAZING!

First, looking at the special number Seven (and doubles too) is considered a very positive number with a strong message. Symbolizing inner wisdom, intuition, contemplation, understanding, inner strength, tenacious, endurance, determination, development, spiritual awakening. But the main message of double 7 (77) is: 

*To Expect Miracles To Occur In Your Life*  

Hasn't Ronda already experienced all sorts of miracles at her young age of 29? Of course she has... so many accomplishments/achievements at a very young age...but it goes deeper than that. I believe that miracles will continue and always surround Ronda and will always be there to give her hope, light, and love. She must trust her instinct and be confident in all of her decisions. She doesn't need to place a high emphasis on all of her successes, but instead focus on her journey...what she has endured, what she has overcome, understanding herself completely through this process right at this moment. Life always comes full circle. The adventure of life is to LEARN. The purpose of life is to GROW. The nature of life is to CHANGE. The challenge of life is to OVERCOME. The essence of life is to CARE. The opportunity of life is to LOVE. The secret of life is to DARE. The beauty of life is to GIVE. 

As I sat back and read Page 77, I began to cry and was overtaken by so much emotion. Amazing page with such an ironic and powerful message. I won't spoil it and will allow for anyone who is interested to go read that page and the message that was as clear as it gets. I am not sure if Ronda will ever see this blog entry (my hope is that she does), but if not, maybe here family will. If not, there are many lessons that can apply to anyone reading this. We all fall, break, succeed, overcome- this is what life is all about. As I read that page, I began to take notes and felt a very strong push to write this blog entry (fyi, this is something I normally wouldn't do, especially with someone I do not know). Like the saying goes- send out love and positive vibes to the universe and that love and energy will go to where it needs to go. There are always two realities...the one outside of us and the one inside. We must constantly remember there is always far MORE TO LIFE THAN MEETS THE EYE. The universe extends far beyond our limited perception and there will always be something new to discover.

My interpretation of Page 77 is The Hero's Journey

*The Known and The Unknown* 

Each of us has a purpose in life...we all walk down our own paths of life different from one another but intersecting, challenged, interacting with others as we walk down our individual path to the unknown. Initially, things go smoothly for some, while others face bumps along the way. You know your time will come when you will be challenged and tested on your journey (this is all apart of life). Life is a beautiful struggle...experiencing the good and the bad, winning and losing>>>with an understanding that one can not work without the other. Sometimes you have to let life turn you upside down, so you can learn how to live right side up again. You must experience both sides of the coin in order to understand the process. The process of who you are, what you are made of, and knowing that there is more to life than what is in front of you. To be able to see beyond the obvious and to discover what lives deep inside of your spirit...is a gift some may never get an opportunity to experience. The part of you that holds your most dearest things, where love lives unconditionally, and the continuous light that shines when all seems dark. Life is never fair and most times it can be very cruel, but through the process of struggle and loss one begins to see through the illusion of life itself. Love, peace, joy, happiness, creativity, and humor are all gifts that are given freely to bring meaning to your life. With these gifts, you are also given a new power of perception to help you detect what isn't meaningful to your growth and awareness.

Only you hold the key to what matters and what is important. This is your journey...your process. Protect it. The more perilous the way, the more freeing it is, for it is in the throes of true peril that we are usually forced to let go of attachments to what once seemed important in order to DISCOVER WHAT IS TRULY IMPORTANT. Your inner journeys-your searches for meaning, place, purpose, and peace...and your paths are the form of expression your lives take. People will try to stop you from overcoming, others will try to bring you down then raise you up...just to bring you back down again, and some will kick you harder when you are down. But when one side reveals itself another side emerges. 

Believe in miracles and know that they are possible. Hold on to the the people who stand beside you when all seems dark. Embrace the ones that will lay down next to you and won't say one thing but you feel the presence of their love. Feel The Gifts Of Love All Around You. You have passion, you have heart, you have fight...and you have something special and magical inside of your spirit. *The love of the person that you have lived for every single day and continue to live for. That love is with you every step of the way...with every win, every loss, every challenge, every moment. He will never leave you. Miracles are real* 

You are stronger than you think, you have what it takes to do anything/to overcome anything, you have a special purpose in this life>>>that is what truly matters. Life comes full circle. To understand is to connect. The more you understand and experience, the greater and deeper you will connect with yourself and with all that is around you. Recognize the gift that lives inside of you...the gift of love. Remember who you are and where you came from. Never forget what you have endured and what you have overcome in LIFE! Life takes you to unexpected places and you meet unexpected people but finally its LOVE that brings you back home...the point of UNITY, LIGHT, and CENTER. 

Everything happens for a reason (blessings in disguise). You may not understand right at the moment what is happening and why things are playing out the way they are, but in time things will reveal themselves to you (only when it is the right time for you). Truth is everyday life. Create an atmosphere of freedom, so you can live and find out for yourself what is true. Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless and add what is essentially your own. May your daily actions and reflections keep you centered and not distracted from your true source of STRENGTH AND PEACE. The earth that nourishes you, the air that rejuvenates you, the water that cleanses you, and the stillness that calms you. Take the time to turn toward the direction in which your heart is stirring. Have the courage to let tiny seeds of possibility grow and take root within you.

Always hold on to what you believe, reach out to what you want to achieve, and FOREVER SHINE YOUR LIGHT! This is your life- full of love, purpose, passion, and spirit- all the things that make YOU! And Absolutely NO ONE can take that away from you. BE YOU, STAY STRONGER, FINISH YOUR FIGHT!  

BELIEVE

"I Want To Be The Best Swimmer I Can Possibly Be"

This month's Dofitness Training Spotlight shines on Sarah Ashlyn Pope. A young girl that has and does everything it takes to be the best she can be day in and day out. 

She is the sum of all her training, which has made her one of the best competitive swimmers in the State of Arkansas. It is what lives deep inside of her heart along with complete passion and true determination that drives her to be the best athlete she can be.

Sarah has what it takes to take her swimming to the next level and beyond. She works hard each and every day and will not allow herself to settle for anything less. Through all the pain & tears she knows what it takes and what she must do in and out of the pool. This is what truly makes her unique at such a young age. This isn't taught...it lives inside of her. It is what makes her absolutely amazing.

Sarah- I am so grateful for the opportunity I have had to train you. You are a true example of what a true all-round competitive athlete is and should be. You have accomplished so much in a short amount of time through your hard work, discipline, and sacrifice. Never stop reaching and never stop fighting for your dreams. You have what it takes to make all your dreams come true. Always stay strong no matter what challenges you may face. Be true to you and never let anything come between you and your dreams. Sooooo GO FOR IT SARAH!! : )

I am so proud of you Sarah Ashlyn! Congratulations on being Dofitness Training Spotlight Of The Month! This is a tribute video that shows why you are in the Dofitness Spotlight!

A Passion For The Process

There is no passion to be found in playing small...ALWAYS PLAY BIG!

A Mother's Love That Is So Strong

"A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie." -Tenneva Jordan

This video is dedicated to an amazing woman/mother. It displays her fitness journey before & after she brought such a beautiful boy into this world. I also want to say congratulations to her for expecting once again, and especially for continuously pushing through in each workout even when you don't feel so good. YOU are truly the BEST!

It's About HARD WORK And COMMITMENT

Players who PRACTICE HARD when no one is paying attention, build the strong foundation that holds the key to SUCCESS. There are absolutely NO SHORTCUTS...JUST HARD WORK!

You must earn your way to achieve what you set out to achieve! You must PRACTICE every day...NO MATTER WHAT! If you want the RESULTS, you must put in the WORK to receive the REWARDS!

BE DRIVEN to BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE!

Always,
~Dofitness

A MOMENT TO REMEMBER- A WRINKLE IN TIME AND FOUR YEARS LATER

If I Could I Would Create A WRINKLE IN TIME (Two Points In Time That Are Wrinkled To Intersect And Would Allow Instant Travel To Any Place I Wanted To Be), So I Could Go Watch You Run. Tomorrow Is Your Big Marathon, And I Wish I Could Be There To Watch You Succeed Like You Did In 2010. 

I Am Extremely PROUD OF YOU And I Know In My Heart You Are Going To Be Great Tomorrow. I Will Be Thinking Of You And Cheering You On In SPIRIT. 

So Go DO It And Shine Bright. I LOVE YOU ALWAYS.

2010 25TH L.A. MARATHON RESULTS...

GO! GO! FIGHT! FIGHT! TRACKING MY FIRESTAR!

SHE DID IT! SHE FINISHED STRONG AND ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH. WAY TO GO DEE! I AM SO PROUD OF YOU! YOU DID IT AND YOU ARE A TRUE EXAMPLE TO SO MANY PEOPLE. YOU HAVE PROVEN THAT WHEN YOU WORK HARD AND WHEN YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU SET YOUR MIND TO...THAT ALL YOUR DREAMS CAN COME TRUE. YOU ARE THE BEST!

40K: 4:46:43 FINISH: 05:01:09 Time Chip Time: 05:01:09 /Clock Time: 5:08:14

Pace: 11:29/Place Overall: 8911/Gender: 2745

ALMOST THERE. HERE ARE HER RESULTS UP TO THE 35K MARK. PUSH! FIGHT! STRONG! DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO FINISH.

Deanna Olivas - Runners and Walkers | Bib 15650 | Los Angeles, CA - USA | Female | Age 31
Start	5K	10K	15K	20K	25K	30K	35K	40K	Finish
7:53:59 AM	00:34:39	01:09:00	01:43:39	02:18:06	02:52:07	03:29:37	04:08:52

HERE ARE HER MIDPOINT RESULTS. WAY TO GO! SO PROUD OF YOU!

Deanna Olivas - Runners and Walkers | Bib 15650 | Los Angeles, CA - USA | Female | Age 31
Start	5K	10K	15K	20K	25K	30K	35K	40K	Finish
	00:34:39	01:09:00	01:43:39	02:18:06
Time Predicted: 4:51:21 ETA: 12:45:20 PM Pace: 11:06

BEYOND THE INTENSITY

Life Is An Echo...What You Send Out Comes Back. Winners Don't Different Things, They Do Things Different. They Send Out An Intense Echo That Returns To Them The Rewards They Have Worked So Hard For.

Heart Rate Reserve Formula

The Karvonen Formula

This is a heart rate reserve formula and it’s one of the most effective methods used to calculate training heart rate. The formula factors in your resting heart rate, so you will need to determine your resting heart rate by doing the following:

• Prior to getting out of bed in the morning, take your pulse on your wrist (radial pulse) or on the side of your neck (carotid pulse).
• Count the number of beats, starting with zero, for one minute. If you don’t have a stop watch or a second hand in your bedroom, you can measure the time by watching for the number to change on a digital alarm clock. Find your pulse and start counting when the minute number changes the first time, stop counting when it changes again.
• To help assure accuracy, take your resting heart rate three mornings in a row and average the 3 heart rates together.

The next important element in finding your training heart rate zone is determining the intensity level at which you should exercise. As a general rule, you should exercise at an intensity between 50% - 85% of your heart rate reserve. Your individual level of fitness will ultimately determine where you fall within this range. Use the following table as a guide for determining your intensity level:
   Beginner or low fitness level . . . 50% - 60% Average fitness level . . . . . . . . 60% - 70%
High fitness level . . . . . . . . . . . 75% - 85%

The Karvonen Formula: 220 - Age = Maximum Heart Rate

Maximum Heart Rate - Rest. Heart Rate x Intensity + Rest. Heart Rate = Training Heart Rate

For example, Sally is 33 yrs old, has a resting heart rate of 75 and she’s just beginning her exercise program (her intensity level will be 50% - 60%.) Sally’s training heart rate zone will be 131-142 beats per minute:


Sally's Minimum Training Heart Rate:
220 - 33 (Age) = 187
187 - 75 (Rest. HR) = 112
112 x .50 (Min. Intensity) + 75 (Rest. HR) = 131 Beats/Minute


Sally's Maximum Training Heart Rate:
220 - 33 (Age) = 187
187 - 75 (Rest. HR) = 112
112 x .60 (Max. Intensity) + 75 (Rest. HR) = 142 Beats/Minute

Try to take your pulse, periodically, during your exercise session to gauge your intensity level. Typically, the easiest location for taking a pulse is on the side of your neck, the carotid pulse. Be sure not to press too hard on the carotid artery or you’ll get an inaccurate reading. Count the number of beats, always beginning with zero, for 6 seconds (then multiply by 10), or for 10 seconds (then multiply by 6) to get the number of times your heart is beating per minute. If your pulse is within your training heart rate zone, you’re right on track! If not, adjust your exercise workload until you get into your zone.

AMAZING Jumping POWER

This video shows a series of different box jump challenges at the end of each round of legs. There were single jumps on the high box, then on to two-motion jumps (start at the lowest point come up from your squat less than half-way up, go back down to your starting position and then jump on the box from the bottom of your squat...very tricky jumping style). Then a plate was added to the high box...then two plates to the high box...and finally ending with three plates on the high box. This was an amazing accomplishment and a huge challenge that was mastered. Mainly, because she is about 5'1 and she was ending each round with a variety of Intense Challenging Box Jumps. AMAZING JOB!!!!

THE SPIRIT OF DANCE AND EXERCISE

One Of The Best Things In Life Is To Have FUN!!! Smile More Than You Cry, Give More Than You Take, And Love More Than You Hate! :) 

With Love,

Dofitness

BOTH SIDES UP

Exercise balls have been around for more than 100 years. The balls that can turn simple exercises such as crunches into core-building exercises that work many of the major muscle groups of the body. Why are exercise balls so effective? They are effective because you must stabilize your entire body to do the exercises.

The BOSU Ball (a half ball mounted on a platform) has some similar properties as a regular exercise ball. What makes this piece of equipment so unique is that it also requires muscle power for balance, but provides enough stability so that you feel comfortable and don't get injured. This piece of equipment helps build strength and endurance in the major muscles of your legs and trunk that will tone you up and prevent back pain. The BOSU can be the ultimate challenging exercise tool...you can challenge yourself by doing several upper and lower body exercises on both sides of the BOSU Ball...each side has a different component (one side being soft and where the half ball is located/the flip side being hard...the black platform side) that makes each exercise different, unique, and challenging.

Always mix things up. If you haven't tried using a BOSU Ball...give it a try. There are so many possibilities available to you when you use this unique piece of equipment.

IDEA Personal Trainer, Feb., 2003.

HIGH PERFORMANCE FITNESS MACHINE

PLAY HARD AND PLAY STRONG! This Video Shows An Amazing Female Athlete's Strength Of Determination and Power...Going From A Long Thick Pipe, To Nunchucks, To Baseballs, To A Chained Monkey Bar Ladder. Have Fun When You Training. Remember, Life Is A Game!!! PLAY IT!
-Dofitness

BATTLE UP!!!!

The Finish Line Is 20 Miles Away, The Road Ahead Is Treacherous And There's Not A Muscle In Your Body That Isn't Screaming Out In Pain!!! Push Hard...Stay Strong...BATTLE UP!!!

When You DO...You SUCCEED

A Video Compilation Of Dofitness Training

Be Unique, Be Kind-hearted, Be Extraordinary, Be Hard-working, Be Humble, Be Determined, Be Free, Be The Quintessential Person You Were Meant To Be...Then Let Your Light Shine For All To See. :)
With Love
~Dofitness

BACK IT UP AND SHOCK THE SYSTEM

This is absolutely one of my favorite exercises that really fatigues your muscles fast. It is an exercise that gives you an Ultimate Muscle Building And Muscle Fatiguing Experience.

Always think of your body as one unit in EVERYTHING YOU DO. This particular exercise makes you engage your core, it keeps your muscles tight through the whole experience, your legs are burning and screaming (and believe me...you feel them BIG TIME), your breathing is very essential (don't hold your breath), and it is an intense challenge which wastes no time in getting your heart rate UP.

So who said that playing around outside with a bright yellow jeep on a beautiful sunny day isn't fun...this is definitely a mighty fine FITNESS GEM!!! :) Always Go Strong...No Matter The Challenge!!!
With Love
-Dofitness

The HIDDEN SECRET Of Yoga

Do you know what the hidden secret of Yoga is? Give up! Me too...lol. Just kidding. Yoga is a tried and true method for maintaining strong, flexible joints and muscles, good posture, and MUSCLE ENDURANCE. That's right, good ol' muscle endurance. Nancy Coulter-Parker of the Yoga Journal (Mar./Apr., 2003) claimed that yoga builds endurance because it trains you to breathe more deeply and efficiently. And if you really think about this for a second...she is absolutely right. It teaches you how to breathe, which in turn will help you to perform better in the gym and/or outside the gym. Slow, controlled breathing as practiced in yoga will not necessarily have an effect on the way the lungs deliver oxygen to the bloodstream during exercise and doesn't effect oxygen consumption...BUT, it does give your body a different technique in breathing. 

The one thing I find interesting in my job is how people have a tendency to hold their breath or they are unable to breathe probably...especially when the exercise is a difficult one. It is important to breathe when you exercise, but I believe it is important to be able to breathe in many forms. It helps your body to adjust and to adapt to each exercise independently and helps in the process of creating your "STRONG" body (your temple). Yoga increases muscle strength and endurance, which can help you from running out of gas during the day. Remember, you don't work as hard when you have fit muscles, so you aren't forced to use your energy reserves during daily tasks. Yoga is a terrific form of exercise for muscle and fitness...so if you have the opportunity to do yoga, definitely give it a try. Never limit yourself! ALWAYS allow yourself and your body to experience all different forms of exercise.  

Thanks for reading. Have a wonderful day. :)

PUMP IT UP...Body Weight Workout

RULES: NEVER REST BETWEEN EXERCISES/ALWAYS GO HARD/TURN UP THE VOLUME :)

Round One:

1) Warm-Up For Ten Minutes: Run In Place, Jump On Toes In

Place, Jumping Jacks, Mountain Climbers, Side To Side Jump, Etc

2)    Body Weight Squats (no rest/continuous motion)- 100x

* Make sure to sit back on your heels (as if you are pushing your butt back to the wall or as if you are sitting back in a chair)/Do not let your knees shift over your toes/Watch your breathing (Do not hold your breath)

3)    Push-ups- 25x

4)    Body Weight Alternating Lunge Steps In Place- 50x

*Stepping Forward/Make sure it is continuous without stopping

5)    Push-ups- 25x

6)    Body Weight Alternating Lunge Steps In Place- 50x

*Stepping Backward/Make sure it is continuous without stopping

*Make sure it is continuous without stopping

7)    Push-ups- 25x + Sit-ups- 25x + Abdominal Bicycle - 50x 

*Do This Three Exercise Combination For A Total Of Two Sets

8)    Traveling Long Jumps- 30x- 2 sets 

* Do 30 Long Jumps Forward/30 Long Jumps Backward)

*Jump Long Landing In Squat And Traveling Forward Until You Get To 30 Jumps/Take About 30 seconds To Recover/Then Long Jump Backward Landing In Squat (Make sure you jump from the low squat position).

9) Rest 1 Minute And Then Move On To Round Two

Round Two:

1)    Body Weight Walking Lunges- 1 lap around a track or 200 Lunge Steps

2)    One Crunch + One Sit-up (2=1)- 30 times

3)    Core Plank- 1 minute

*Get On Your Toes And Forearms And Hold Yourself In A Plank Position. If Your Knees Touch The Floor Start Over...You Must Complete A One Minute Hold Before You Move On To #4.

4)    Run In Place With High Knees For 1 minute/After You Have Completed One Minute- Do 20 Finger Facing Push-ups 

*Do This Combination For A Total Of Four Sets. PUSH YOURSELF!

5)    Core Plank Shifts- 1 minute

*Get On Your Toes And Forearms And Hold Yourself In A Plank Position...Start Shifting Yourself Forward And Backward As If You Are Doing Toe Raises. Make Sure Your Body Is Completely Contracted And Engaged.

6)    Sitting Up/Lean Back Then Pull knees-to-chest- 30x

*Do not let your feet touch the floor)

7)    On Floor- Reverse Crunches (roll knees-into-chest)- 30x

*Keep your heels close to your butt/lead from your belly button not your legs

8)    Wall- Sit- 30 sec + 15 Squat Jumps/Wall-Sit- 40 sec + 20 Squat Jumps/Wall Sit- 50sec + 25 Squat Jumps/Wall Sit- 60 sec + 30 Squat Jumps 

*Watch your form/make sure your back is pressed up against the wall/do not let your knees come over your toes/make sure you are sitting in an L on your wall sit (your legs are forming an L); Squat low and jump from the bottom and land in the bottom on squat jumps; ABSOLUTELY NO REST! Your rest time is when you are sitting on the wall. :)

Round Three:
Do 35 minutes of Cardio of your choice! Start out at a moderate pace then pick up your intensity. Try not to stop.

Great Job! ALWAYS TRAIN HARD and never give up on your goals.

Your Action Plan To Nutrition Part 2

"Discover what you want most of all in this world, and set yourself to work on it." -John Homer Miller

"If you do the best you can, you will find, nine times out of ten, that you have done as well as or better than anyone else." -William Feather

Please understand that I will be breaking up THE ACTION PLAN TO NUTRITION into parts (1,2,3,4...). I don't want to overwhelm you with so much information that you end up missing something important. I want you to truly grasp the concept of nutrition and how it is important to have an overall outlook on your nutrition action plan. 

In Part 1, I touched on the factors of mental preparation and assessment along with ways to stay motivated. I want to now discuss the reality of food measurement and calorie-counting. I think that this is a personal choice...some may feel that it is necessary to measure and count everything they consume. While others may find it too time-consuming and will eventually lose interest. Remember, you are in control...you want to use the best strategy that is going to give you the results you want. I believe that you can be very successful in your eating regimen without having to measure every ounce of food you eat. 

The approach I have used for most of my life is by eyeballing my portion sizes and aiming for a certain number of portions from each food group. I have never counted calories, BUT I have kept a food journal. I think that keeping a journal of what you eat and what time you eat can be very helpful. You can keep track of your energy levels, performance, recovery, and weight loss/body fat by documenting your eating plan on a daily basis. In the past, if I woke up feeling tighter around my midsection and my energy was high...I would refer to the days prior to my change and try to follow it in the same fashion. I have found that by keeping a journal and being apart of the fitness industry for a long time, I have been able to pinpoint which foods work for me, when they work for me, and what benefits I get from them these foods. Below I am including a chart that shows you how to measure your food groups without a calculator or a food scale.

1 unit of protein= 1 ounce lean protein (4 ounces = your palm); 7 grams of protein per ounce of protein

1 unit of fat= 1 teaspoon oil or 3 walnuts; 5 grams of fat

1 unit of starchy carbs= half a medium potato (1 "medium" potato = your fist); 15 grams of carbs

1 unit of vegetables = 1 cup vegetables (approximately two palmfuls); 5 grams of carbs

1 unit of fruit= 1 cup strawberries (two palmfuls) or half an apple; 15 grams of carbs

When starting an eating plan, you want to shock your body. Some of you may decide to take out foods that you seem to struggle with such as breads, sweets, pastas, and even alcohol. Others will begin their first two weeks on a detox plan, which is mainly comprised of protein and vegetables. This plan helps to flush out toxins and helps to restart your body. You then begin to bring certain foods back into your plan and your body is able to function and shuttle these nutrients to all the right places. The importance here is that your body begins to use nutrients (that may have been non-existent before the detox) in the correct way, which in turn allows your body to perform better and helps you to lose the proper weight necessary. And then you may have others who decide they will eat a high-carb, low-protein, low-fat eating plan for first two weeks. As much as 75% to 80% of their food choices are carbs...then they will begin a six-week plan, which requires higher protein and fat and lower carbs.

Again, understand how your body operates, consider how intense and how often you workout, and what start-up plan best fits your personal needs and goals. I think it is very important that if you are training intensely 6 days a week for an hour and a half to two hours, that a no-carb to low-carb would not be a smart move to make. PLEASE understand that your body needs carbohydrates to function, for energy, and for performance. You may decide to lower your carbs on the days you take off from workout or on your low-to moderate workout days. You would be amazed on how many carbohydrates I take in and how much my body is able to perform or go the distance because of my carb intake. Or, you may choose to take in your oatmeal, sweet potato, and brown rice at the beginning of your day and then taper into more vegetables and fruits after 2:00 p.m. 

This is your action plan, and that is what is so neat about it. YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DESIGN SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF THAT IS GOING TO BENEFIT YOU IN ALL AREAS OF YOUR WELL-BEING. I think that each person needs to be in control of their own nutrition plan because what may work for me...may not work for you. EVERYONE IS DESIGNED AND BUILT DIFFERENTLY. YOU ARE YOUR OWN PERSONAL MACHINE...BUILD THAT MACHINE STRONG, SO YOU CAN GO ALL THE WAY!