the contemporary shopping lifestyle

Often times I will find myself saying the following two phrases while trying to motivate someone: “Turn on that Mental Switch,” and “Unleash that Animal within you.”

If you didn’t already know it, we are all animals. Yes, human beings are sentient beings, but that does not mean that we let our minds and bodies go to waste. We as a race have been able to accomplish amazing things with our body and mind, however the “layman” or the average guy still goes to a 9-5 job, does what his boss tells him to, and is amazingly unhappy.

This unhappiness (in my view) is directly linked to a lack of challenge. We are always “fed up” with life’s problems, and “fed up” with our inability to pursue our dreams. But in reality, we are afraid of pursuing our dreams. I am at a very delicate age in my life where I’m supposed to be pursuing a position in a large company where I perform some sort of grunt work for a high salary and stay there for five years “just for the experience.” Well, I won’t have any of that. I’m not doing anything “just because everyone else does it.”

Yesterday, I was talking to a certified personal trainer and we were disagreeing on training methodologies. He kept talking and talking and talking about things I already knew about but did not agree with it. At one point I said: “But just like with the rest of my life, I always ask myself, do I really believe in what I’m doing or am I just doing it because it’s a system that’s been in place and works.”

To that statement, my friend responded, “But what does belief have to do with anything? Working out is a tool, nothing more or less, to what your goals are.”

That is exactly where I disagree. In reality, any program will work for you if you believe in it enough and are consistent with it. You will get your six pack if you stay on that machine long enough and actually work hard as opposed to talking on your cell phone and complaining how you are unable to achieve your results.

That is why I spent 6 months bodybuilding with nothing to show for it. I did not believe in the routine and so I was bored and was probably doing half the things wrong. Something like Crossfit, on the other hand, makes perfect sense to me because of my martial arts background. I bet you if I walked into the dojo right now, my Sensei would be blown away with my level of conditioning. If I were doing bodybuilding for the past two years, then I would go in there and get my butt kicked by a complete beginner.

What are you doing with your life?

So, yes the phrase “different strokes for different folks,” holds water. But if that’s true, then why the hell are all of us doing the same exact things? Why are we all going out and getting internships in companies we don’t want to work in and are unhappy? Why are we all working at restaurants waiting tables when our real passion is acting? Why are we all listening to our bosses when we have better ideas than he has?

The other day one of my friends had a very interesting note on Facebook. She listed out all the things that she wanted to do growing up. Here was my response to her note:

Hey, you can certainly follow through with all of those, but you don’t need to hit them one by one. For example, here are some of the skills I use with Shah Training:

1. Writing - Writing my posts
2. Film - Filming and editing my videos
3. Marketing - Marketing and promoting the website
4. Business - Expanding and developing Shah Training into a brand and business
5. Acting - As a brand, I need to develop and show off a personality. I’m just not another “gym” I’m a person with a message
6. Athlete - All my workouts are athletic in nature
7. Teaching - Personal trainer, speeches, and writing
8. Fighter - Although at this point i do not want to be a pro fighter, I do incorporate a lot of fight training into my workouts and see it as a great way of getting n shape
9. Psychologist - There is an element of “fear” in my workouts, and so my trainees go through a lot of psychological s**t that helps them break through to a whole different level of living. Also, I consult my friends with problems.

So yeah, basically I’ve combined a whole bunch of skills into one. When starting this site, I just wanted to incorporate writing, my love of fitness, and marketing into a project. All the other skills just sort of came into effect as time went on.

Good luck!

So my point to my friend was that you CAN do everything you want in life. You just have to be creative, have an action plan, and hang in there when things get tough.

About the Author

Parth Shah is a Strength and Fitness Consultant specializing in developing practical, sustainable fitness solutions for his clients. He is currently going through his own personal physical transformation. His thoughts, ideas, and philosophy can be found on his website, ShahTraining.com. (Feed - http://feeds.feedburner.com/shahtraining/UQuk)

We know America’s fat. What are you going to do about it? You can start by being in shape. Then people will come up to you and ask you how you got in shape. You can either teach them the right way, or tell them to go to Tastefully Driven and read all the posts by Parth Shah.

Or, if you decide to teach them, you can tell them to SWING!

No, I’m not crazy. I’m serious. I was thinking about this a lot the other day. I thought to myself, ok, so the basics are pushups, pull-ups, situps, and running, but what if people are not able to perform those movements?

Go out on the streets and look around you. Count up all the people you see who look like they can do a push-up. You won’t see many people.

So what can extremely obese people do? They can swing a kettlebell, dumbbell, a paint can, a milk jug, or their hands. Seriously. The implement doesn’t matter. It’s the movement that matters. Before I continue, please watch this video:

Ok, so in the first part of the video, we saw my first trainee and good friend Dominic (Dom) performing the kettlebell swing. When he first started, his form was worse than the guy in the second half of the video, Deeraj (D-Raj). But he soon became an expert himself and was able to teach his friend, and my second trainee, D-raj.

Why You Should be Doing Swings

The Swing is a movement that has the greatest carry over to daily life, especially for those that have mobility issues. Anyone who is more than 30 pounds overweight will have a difficult time performing the basics: pushups, pull-ups, running, and sit-ups (with the exception of Bud Jeffries and athletes in general).

So what can we do as a collective, health-minded community, for the sedentary, 30+ pound overweight person looking to drop some weight? Help them with their daily mobility. Get them to use the muscles they use in daily life: the posterior chain.

The posterior chain is composed of the hamstrings, hips, and lower back. This collective group of muscles are important for not only athletes who need them for explosive movements, but also for the lay person who needs to lift things off the ground, walk from one place to another, sit down and get up, and climb up the stairs. You have no idea how often you use the muscles of posterior chain in your daily life.

Here is an activity for you right now. For a 24 hour period, go about your daily life, and jot down all the activities you do. If you’ve sat down on the couch, then have gotten up, write that down. If you’ve lifted boxes out of the trunk of you car and have carried them up a flight of stairs, then write that down as well.

Recently, my grandparents came back from India. The thing with Indian grandparents is that they pack everything they can possibly pack into their suitcases. The weight limit right now is 50lbs, and so my grandparents packed 50lbs of useless garbage into three heavy duty suitcases that were double the size of my torso. Not that I’m trying to show off my strength here, but I scaled all three of those suitcases up a flight of stairs (I live on the second floor of two-family house), in less than five minutes.

Lets try to figure out what muscle groups I was working here:

1.Pulling the suitcases out of the trunk: lats, lower back, hamstrings, core
2.Carrying suitcases up to stair steps (because wheels were broken): Shoulders, core, lower back
3.Carrying suitcases up the steps: shoulders, core, lower back, hips/glutes, hamstrings

What is the one bodypart you see most there: lower back.

What is the one bodypart people don’t work in the gym as much as they should be: lower back.

What kind of injuries are most common in overweight and obese people: lower back.

Do not tell me you still don’t know why you should be performing swings.

Practicing the Swing

You can use any implement you want with the swings, but start off with just the movement. Go back and study the first half of the video in which Dom is performing the swing. Notice how low the hips are at the starting position, and how he straighten out his entire torso as he swings the kettlebell as far as the momentum will take it. Then notice how straight his back is throughout the entire movement. Notice the role his knees and lower legs play in stabilizing his body. Finally notice the hip thrust he uses. That is what will give him power and explosiveness for sports and pulling heavy suitcases out of trunks.

Once you’ve mastered the movement without any weights, go ahead and fill a milk carton with water and practice the movement. Once you get comfortable with that, search for heavier implements that come with a handle. I found a whole bunch of small weight cans in my garage that weigh 3-5 lbs. Practice with those. Finally move on to dumbbells, and progress to kettlebells.

Advanced Training Routines

Here are some advanced routines for working with the swing:

Routine One: (This is the routine that was filmed in the video you saw earlier).

• Bodyweight Squats - 50 reps
• Kettlebell Swings (each arm) - 20 reps
• Push-ups - 15 reps
• Kettlebell Push Press (each arm) - 10 reps

I challenge you to beat Dominic’s time on this workout – 10:14.35

Routine Two:

• Paint Bucket Carry to the end of the Driveway (These were full-sized cans. Heavy).
• Medicine Ball Throws and Sprint Back to front of the Driveway (Or end, depends on where you started)
• 10 Alternating KB Swings (Switch hands on top)
• 10 Pushups + Power Clean (Perform a pushup with both hands on barbell, then perform a power clean on the way back up)
• Run With Medicine Ball to end of driveway
• Walk back with Paint Buckets

Dominic’s time – 3:22.96

Good luck! And if you actually do beat Dominic’s time, send me a video of the workout to shah@shahtraining.com

About the Author

Parth Shah is a Strength and Fitness Consultant specializing in developing practical, sustainable fitness solutions for his clients. He is currently going through his own personal physical transformation. His thoughts, ideas, and philosophy can be found on his website, ShahTraining.com. (Feed - http://feeds.feedburner.com/shahtraining/UQuk)

There have been approximately six people that have tried a Shah Training (ST) workout under my supervision. Out of those six people, four people were pushed to the max and finished the workout. I saw a potential in them. I saw a determination and a drive to succeed in their eyes. I thought to myself, “yes, these are people I can reach out to. They know what hard work means.”

But then, out of those four people, only two came back. The two that did not come back did not give me a call, leave me a Facebook message, or send me any sort of communication as to why they did not come back. Money is not an issue because I was willing to train them for free. So then, what is the issue here? The problem is belief. They simply did not believe in themselves. They did not recognize the determination and spirit in themselves.

I have two warriors, as I like to call them, that are currently training under my wing. They understand my methodology because they have spent at least three weeks training with me. Three weeks, or ten workouts, whichever comes first, is all you really need in order to truly understand what Shah Training is all about. But I’ll try to explain it to you right here: MENTAL STRENGTH.

It’s truly a shame how few people actually believe in themselves. My workouts are hard, and there are times when I feel like giving up. There are times when one of my own trainees beats my time. But that just keeps me going. There is a sense of fear that grabs you by the throat while you attempt to pump out those last few reps. When you know you only have 30 seconds left on the clock and you have to push yourself or else you’ll never know what you’re capable of. That is what mental strength is. The power to believe in yourself even when you’re physically and mentally exhausted. Your mind controls your body, not the other way around.

From Athlete to Warrior

Recently, one of my “warriors” attained a new level of mental and physical strength. Deeraj (D-Raj) started training with Dominic (Dom) and I approximately three weeks ago. Dominic made fun of his friend because of his stiffness. Deeraj was used to bodybuilding workouts, which make you big and strong, but also make your body inflexible and slow. The backbone of all ST workouts is power. Speed + Strength = Power. The majority of the people out there have the strength, but they lack speed.

Two days ago, we performed the following workout:

• Paint Bucket Carry to the end of the Driveway (Not sure the weight, but they felt heavy).
• Medicine Ball Throws and Sprint Back to front of the Driveway (Or end, depends on where you started)
• 10 Alternating KB Swings (Switch hands on top)
• 10 Pushups + 115lbs Clean Pull
• Run With Medicine Ball to end of driveway
• Walk back with Paint Buckets

Round One:

Parth – 3:15.78
Dominic – 3:30.85
Deeraj – 2:48.71

Round Two:

Parth – 2:34.74
Dominic – 3:19.89
Deeraj – 2:12.06

All three of us improved our times in the second round. However, Deeraj blew us away both times. I attempted to catch up to him by beating his first round score by 14 seconds, but then he decided to beat his own time by 36 seconds! Now here is a guy was as stiff as a baseball bat performing a workout that requires high levels of speed and power:

First, you’re carrying two heavy paint cans for 50 feet as fast as you can, then throwing a 15 lbs medicine ball back to the beginning of the driveway, then you perform 10 quick alternating kettlebell swings. Now the tough part begins: Pushups + 115lb Clean Pull. Anyone can just do pushups, and anyone can just do a clean pull. But an you combine the two? Can you go from one movement plane to another, and still maintain your speed and strength? That is what you call agility!

So then after performing 10 reps of these Pushups + 115lbs Clean Pull, you pick up the medicine ball again, run back to the paint cans, then bring the paint cans back. This is the perfect blend of all of Deeraj’s weaknesses: speed, power, and agility. But guess what, Deeraj beat both me and Dom.

I remember one day in Karate class, my Sensei looked at me and said, “You’ve changed, Parth.” Yes, I went from a fat, slow SOB to a fast, powerful, in-your face conditioned fighter. There is this mental switch that just turns on and helps you step up your physical game for the task at hand.

That is precisely how you go from being a regular guy who works out to a world-class warrior who know how to use his mind to fight adversity.

Application to Practical Life

Ever since I began training this way, my confidence, self-esteem, and overall outlook on life have changed tremendously. I am no longer afraid of taking chances and making mistakes. I understand that making mistakes are all a part of life.

I’ve always been the one to tell people to follow their dreams. However, I myself have held back quite a bit in my quest to excel. There is always a little piece of you telling you to just settle. Be comfortable with where you are. You need stability in your life. You need peace and tranquility in your life. Yes, you do need peace and tranquility, but you also need excitement and challenge. I refuse to do work that I do not enjoy. I refuse to take part in activities without any purpose.

Indian parents put lots of pressure on their children. Every Indian parent wants their child to be either a Doctor, Lawyer, or Engineer. I wanted to be an actor, writer, and personal trainer. I have come across many creative people in high school and college who should be pursuing a career in something that truly interests them, instead of becoming doctors.

I’ve also noticed that many girls look for stability. They want a steady job that will help them pay the bills so they can get on with their daily lives. As a son whose mother has gone from one dead-end job to another, just to support the family, I can tell you that if you’re doing something you hate, but are in it for the “comfort factor,” then it’s going to show. It’s going to reflect in your mental and physical health, as well as your personality and the way you react to situations.

When you have learned to face adversity in the eye, nothing phases you. Stop settling for less, and unleash your creativity, intensity, and passion into the world. The only way you can do this is to continually take on challenges and push yourself to the limit. I don’t even care if you don’t do it through Shah Traning workouts. Follow the basic concepts of Mental Strength, and you’ll succeed in life!

About the Author

Parth Shah is a Strength Consultant based in New Hyde Park, New York. He has just started an online personal training service through his website, Shah Training.

This is the first of a series of monthly Ask Adam columns where you can ask expert Adam Gilbert anything about health and fitness.  If you have a question for Adam, you can send it to support [at] tastefullydriven [dot] com.

Adam - is it better to eat a meal before or after I workout?

Both. Here’s why:

Back in the day, people thought they should train on an empty stomach in order to burn more fat but that has turned out to be false. In fact, your body needs some glucose (blood sugar) for fuel in addition to what it can use from fat stores when working out. If you don’t have any blood sugar available, your body will eat its own muscle in order to convert them into glucose.

Low blood sugar will also make you tired and sluggish during your training session. For these reasons, I suggest you eat something 45 minutes to an hour before training: you’ll have more energy and endurance to work harder, burn more calories,
and improve your muscle tone.

After training, during a period known as the golden hour (45 to 60 minutes after a workout), muscles absorb the most nutrients, and glycogen, an energy reserve in your muscles, is replaced the most efficiently. You don’t have to have a huge meal but you should eat something with both protein and carbs in it for best results.

Next time, we’ll talk about some good pre workout and post workout meals!

About the Author

Adam Gilbert is the founder, owner, and Chief Body Tutor of MyBodyTutor. MyBodyTutor believes (and knows) consistency is the key to your health and fitness. Unfortunately, it’s just too easy to make excuses and procrastinate. MyBodyTutor helps you stay consistent by providing daily and personal accountability like no other company in the world.

Are you getting enough fiber in your diet? If you’re not getting the recommended the 20g - 35g of fiber a day, you may want to think about increasing your fiber intake. A high fiber diet is part of a healthy lifestyle that offers numerous health benefits. If fiber doesn’t cross your mind day to day, the listed benefits below might make you think twice about the importance of fiber:

• Lower cholesterol by slowing and preventing cholesterol absorption
• Maintains healthy blood sugar levels, extremely beneficial to diabetics
• Prevents constipation and promotes regularity in bowel movements
• Can help reduce the risk of colon cancer
• Help maintain or lose weight and control appetite

“It’s hard to believe that something we can’t even digest can be so good for us! A higher-fiber diet has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels and prevent constipation. High-fiber foods also tend to contain more nutrients and fewer calories, are digested more slowly, and help us feel full sooner.” - WebMD.com - Get the Facts on Fiber, by Elaine Magee, MPH, RD

I’ve made it an effort to maintain a high fiber diet and personally I think you really have make a conscience effort in order to get the daily recommended fiber. Anything short of me having complete control of my diet by eating what I cook and make, it’s really tough to get all the fiber I need. Below I’ve made a list of some of the foods that I eat day to day to meet my daily requirement for Fiber.

High Fiber Foods I Eat

• Frosted Mini Wheats - 6 grams of fiber per serving
• Friehofers Double Fiber 100% Whole Wheat - 5 grams of fiber per slice
• Garbanzo Beans (chick peas) - 6 grams of fiber per 1/2 cup
• Clif Bar (Cool Mint Chocolate my favorite) - 5 grams of fiber per bar
• EAS Protein Bars -5 grams of fiber per bar
• Silk Soy Milk Fiber Plus - 5 grams of fiber per serving
• Smoothie with added fiber from GNC’s Natural Brand™ Colon Pure™ Unflavored ~ 7
• Assorted nuts, vegetables, and fruits

I personally try to eat foods that nutrition packed that has fiber, protein, and low in calorie. For the most part high fiber foods come from natural foods in soluble and insoluble form. Soluble fiber is known to slow cholesterol absorption and regulate blood sugar level while insoluble fiber promotes a healthy colon with regular bowel movements. Look for high fiber foods in nuts, vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans to add to your diet. There’s a lot to choose from to get your fiber but if you aren’t eating a balanced diet it may be difficult to reach that intake level of 20 - 35 grams of fiber daily.

I’m 100% positive I don’t like being constipated and I’m pretty sure everyone hates colon cancer, Fiber is good, so get your roughage.