Are You Ready For a Transformation?

Hello, If you are reading this, you probably wonder if you think setting a fitness goal or competing is for you. My answer… Of course, it is! This will be my first real online competition. I have signed up for the EHPlabs Shred challenge, Bucked Up Bootcamp: 30-day core challenge, and Mr. Health and fitness. If you wonder why I chose all three, it was simply because they all matched on the timeline. They all compliment each other as well. You are getting shredded, core more dominant, and generally getting in shape (getting bigger, stronger, and more defined). Now, why should you pick a goal and give it you're all? The answer is satisfaction, confidence, physically feeling better, more energy, commitment, discipline, anxiety reduction, etc. Have you ever wanted to do something challenging and did not finish? Did that leave a bad taste behind? Yeah, me too. Picking a goal is not about getting a first place (granted, we will be trying to) but about putting everything you have into the effort and process. When we are done, we can honestly say, "I tried hard, and I see results." That is satisfaction. Along with the satisfaction of completing your goal, your confidence will grow. It is not easy to break out of your shell and put yourself out there. There are others like you out there who are nervous about committing, who do not have confidence in themselves, and in general, do not like the way they look. I urge you to set a goal and follow it through, find a community that will help you follow through. As your body gets in better shape, you produce more energy, and your body consumes more calories at a resting metabolic rate (muscle consumes more calories than fat to sustain). Endorphins are released, causing you to feel better, lowering anxiety, and you might be surprised that some of those aches and pains might gradually disappear. Some things we need to consider; our workout routine, our supplements, and our nutrition. Our workout routine should consist of strength training and cardiovascular. When you strength train, you increase lean muscle mass, which allows your metabolism to burn more calories at a higher rate even when resting. A good example is cardio being recommended at 30 minutes of moderate-intensity 4/5 times a week or 25 minutes of vigorous activity 3 or 4 times a week. Moderate examples would be brisk walking or a jog, going on a hike, or nature trail. Vigorous training would be HIT (high-intensity training) which would be doing sprints for 10 seconds, then walking for a minute and repeating. Sledgehammer training, medicine ball smash, or intense circuit training such as burpees, mountain climbers, jumping jacks. Strength training can include body weight, resistance bands, universal lifting machines, and free weights. An example of my exercise routine is two days lifting, one rest, two days lifting again, and two rest. On those active rest days, I do conditioning and calisthenics. I do a 10-minute jog before each weight training session and HIT training on my conditioning days twice a week. Calisthenics I do on the remaining two days. So it looks like this: Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun weights condition calisthenics weights weights condition weights jog core BJJ practice jog jog calisthenics core Next, we need to discuss nutrition. (read my blog on nutrition__coming soon_____). We need to ensure we get enough macro's to support our body growth, especially protein and carbs. We can use supplements to help reach that goal. I recommend protein powders, pre-workout, post workout, and a multivitamin. I recommend the protein powder because we will want at least .5 grams of protein per lb of body weight. So a 200lb male will want to consume 100 grams of protein a day. That is a lot of food or about three big scoops of protein powder. I normally do two scoops and eat some lean white meat for dinner and lunch. The pre-workout is a big benefit as they help us focus and help with oxygen reception allowing us to perform better and feel a bigger "pump." Post workouts are important so that our body is recovering properly. We do not want to over-train, and our body needs to be fed to heal properly. There are plenty of post work out supplements. Still, we especially want BCAA because they function as enzymes that help us convert macros into building blocks, lower the activation energy for hormone transportation, and more. Basically, it is like adding an extra hand into the healing process. A good multivitamin is always recommended (see article on vitamins___coming soon__). I recommend using Animal Staks for supplements for serious competing and athletes; they have great multivitamins and pre-workout formulas. However, a generic multivitamin is also beneficial, especially for someone just beginning their fitness journey. I urge you to begin your fitness challenge, be it body transformation, strength training, powerlifting, sports, weight loss, or whatever your goal is. The biggest thing is to eat clean and stick to the routine you make. Give it time, and you will see results.

Be The Best You Can Be Joseph Richards. FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1116682265802472 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joseph_richards19/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDzLGr9XzQ_6j4WIekauGmg