7.12.07

#1 - Provide your body with a surplus of calories by ensuring that
your caloric intake exceeds your caloric expenditure.
In order to build muscle, you must consume more calories than you
burn.

This is a basic biological law of muscle growth.


In order to provide your body with the calories necessary to fuel
muscle growth and to keep your body in an anabolic, muscle-building
state at all times, you should be consuming anywhere from 15-20x your
body weight in calories every single day. So if you weigh 150 pounds...
150 x 15 = 2250
150 x 20 = 3000
...Then you should be consuming anywhere from 2250-3000 calories every
single day in order to build muscle.


#2 - Consume the right types of calories from the proper food sources
every 2-3 hours throughout the day.
The 3 main food groups you should concerned with are...


1) High Quality Protein - Protein builds and repairs muscle tissue and
is the most important nutrient for those trying to increase their lean
mass. Stick to high quality, easily absorbed sources such as lean red
meat, poultry, fish, eggs, skim milk, cottage cheese, peanuts/natural
peanut butter and whey.


2) High Fiber, Low Glycemic Carbohydrates - Carbohydrates aid in the
absorption of protein, provide your muscles and brain with energy
throughout the day and also help to maintain an optimal hormonal
environment within the body.
Stick to slow-release, low-glycemic sources that will provide you with
a steady stream of sugars throughout the day such as oatmeal, yams,
brown rice and whole wheat products.


3) Healthy, Unsaturated Fats - Not all fats will make you fat, and
unsaturated essential fatty acids fit that profile. EFA's are highly
beneficial to the muscle growth process by increasing testosterone
levels, improving the metabolism and volumizing the muscle cells. Some
good sources of EFA's include fatty fish, nuts, seeds, avocados and
liquids like flaxseed and olive oil. These 3 food groups should make
up the bulk of your diet, and should be spread out over the course of
5-7 small meals daily. That may sound like a lot of meals, but the
reasons behind it are quite simple...
It all boils down to your body's natural, hard-wired mechanisms.
The body's primary goal is to keep you alive and healthy, and whenever
you go without food for 2-3 hours your body begins to enter into a
"starvation mode" as a natural survival response. Your body has no
idea that you're sitting 10 feet away from a fridge full of food, and
for all it knows you may have to endure a long period of time without
any nutrients. It responds to this by slowing down the fat burning
metabolism and entering into a "catabolic state", where lean muscle
tissue begins wasting away so that the protein can be used for other
survival functions within the body.
This is NOT a good thing!


#3 - Increase your water intake.


To find out how many ounces of water you should be consuming every
day, multiply your bodyweight by 0.6. So if you weigh 150 pounds, you
should be consuming around 90 ounces of water every day.
150 x 0.6 = 90
I know it sounds like a lot, but if you plan your day out properly it
shouldn't be a problem. Keep a water bottle with you at all times and
sip from it periodically. Keep water in the places where you spend
most of your time: in your car, at work, on your nightstand.


#4 - Keep a detailed record of every workout that you perform.


Progression can take 2 main forms:
a) Increasing the amount of weight lifted on a specific exercise.
b) Increasing the number of reps performed with a given weight on a
given exercise.
If you're able to improve on at least one of the above factors each
week in the gym, your body will be given continual incentive to grow
larger and stronger.
If you neglect these factors and enter the gym without a concrete plan
in mind, you'll be ignoring the very foundation of the entire muscle
growth process.
Your goal is to always be getting better from week to week!


#5 - Be prepared to push your body to the limit.


The reality is that if you want to experience any appreciable gains in
muscle size and strength, you're going to have to be prepared to train
hard. This is one of the key factors separating those who make modest
gains from those who make outstanding gains.
Most people just plain don't train hard enough!
However, (and that's a big however) if you're like 99% of the
population, then you want to experience those gains as quickly and
efficiently as you possibly can. While training to failure isn't
necessary for growth to occur, it IS necessary if you want maximum
growth to occur in the shortest period of time possible.


#6 - Avoid overtraining by limiting your overall workout volume and by
providing your body with sufficient recovery time in between
workouts.


This is one of the most common and most deadly mistakes that almost
all beginners run into. They naturally assume that the more overall
work they perform in the gym, the greater their results will be.


You can avoid overtraining in the following ways...


1) Limiting the number of days you spend in the gym each week - I
would recommend that you perform no more than 3 weight
workouts in the same week.
2) Limiting the number of sets that you perform during each workout -
You should perform a total of 5-7 sets for large muscle groups (chest,
back and thighs) and 2-4 total sets for small muscle groups
(shoulders, biceps, triceps, calves, abs). And remember, this is total
sets per WORKOUT, not per exercise.
3) Limiting the amount of time spent in the gym - Each workout should
not last for any more than 1 hour. This time frame comes into play
beginning with your first muscle-building set and ends with your final
muscle-building set.
4) Limiting your training frequency for each muscle group - Each
specific muscle group should only be directly stimulated once per week
in order to allow for full recovery time.


#7 - Stop placing so much of your emphasis on dietary supplements.


If you really think that pills, powders and drink mixes are going to
build your body for you, you're in for a huge disappointment!
A supplement is just that... a supplement.
It is there to supplement your diet by filling in the missing gaps and
by providing you with greater amounts of specific nutrients that will
slightly speed up your progress. Supplements are NOT there to do the
work for you and will only play a small role in your overall success
in the gym.


Now, this doesn't mean that I'm AGAINST the use of supplements; I'm
merely against the over-use and over-emphasis of supplements. There
are a few good, solid, effective products out there that I do
recommend, but only as a small part of your overall approach.


My 5 "recommended" supplements include...


1) Protein supplements (whey protein, meal replacements, weight
gainers and the occasional protein bar)
2) Creatine
3) Glutamine
4) Multivitamins
5) Essential Fatty Acids


#8 - Understand that application and consistency is EVERYTHING!


You can have the most effective workout schedule possible, the most
intelligent diet approach available and the most intimate
understanding of muscle growth from every possible angle, but without
the inner drive and motivation to succeed you will get nowhere, and
very fast.
Just as the famous saying goes...
"Knowing is NOT enough. You must APPLY!"
Those who make the greatest gains in muscular size and strength are
the ones who are able to continually and systematically implement the
proper techniques on a highly consistent basis.
Building muscle is a result of the cumulative effect of small steps.
Sure, performing 1 extra rep on your bench press will not make a huge
difference to your overall results, and neither will consuming a
single meal. However, over the long haul, all of those extra reps you
perform and all of those small meals you consume will decide your
overall success.
If you work hard and complete all of your muscle-building tasks in a
consistent fashion, all of those individual steps will equate to
massive gains in overall size and strength. 


 

6/29/07

100 Ways to Have Fun with Your Kids for Free or Cheap

Yesterday I posted about Family Day, where we try to have fun together as a family, often for free or without spending much money. I thought it would be useful to list some ways to have fun with your kids without spending a lot of money:

Have a reading marathon.
Write stories together.
Play soccer.
Paint or draw together.
Create a fort in your living room out of blankets or cardboard boxes.
Go on a hike.
Have a sunset picnic at a park or beach.
Play board games.
Play kickball.
Get up early, pack breakfast, and have a sunrise breakfast.
Go to a museum.
Go to a playground.
Play hide-and-seek.
Have a pillow fight.
Ride bikes.
Build sandcastles.
Rent a dvd and make popcorn.
Tell stories.
Have a scavenger hunt.
Make mazes or puzzles for each other to solve.
Play card games.
Garden together.
Bake cookies (let the kids help).
Go to the zoo.
Go to the library.
Shop at a thrift shop.
Create a blog together.
Create a scrapbook.
Make a movie using a camcorder and computer.
Learn to play music.
Fingerpaint.
Make play dough from scratch.
Make homemade mini pizzas.
Buy popsicles.
Make hand-painted T-shirts.
Set up a hammock, make lemonade, relax.
Go to a pool.
Go to a public place, people watch, and make up imaginary stories about people.
Visit family.
Write letters to family.
Paint or decorate the kids’ room.
Make milkshakes.
Play freeze tag.
Create a treasure hunt for them (leaving clues around the house or yard).
Decorate a pair of jeans.
Do a science experiment.
Play games online.
Teach them to play chess.
Learn magic tricks.
Create a family book, with information and pictures about each family member.
Fly kites.
Go snorkeling.
Barbecue.
Volunteer.
Donate stuff to charity.
Compete in a three-legged or other race.
Create an obstacle course.
Pitch a tent and sleep outside with marshmallows.
Roast marshmallows.
Play loud music and dance crazy.
Write and produce a play (to perform before other family members).
Paint each other’s faces.
Have a water balloon fight.
Have a gun-fight with those foam dart guns.
Explore your yard and look for insects.
Go for a walk and explore the neighborhood.
Go jogging.
Take pictures of nature.
Play a trivia game.
Make up trivia questions about each other.
Make hot cocoa.
Play house.
Decorate the house with decorations you make.
Make popsicles.
Play school.
Do shadow puppets.
Make a comic book.
Play in the rain.
Make mud pies.
Blow bubbles.
Take turns saying tongue twisters.
Sing songs.
Tell ghost stories in the dark with a flashlight.
Build stuff with Legos.
Give them a bubble bath.
Play with squirt guns.
Play video games together.
Play wiffleball.
Play nerf football.
Build a rocket from a kit.
Bake a cake and decorate it.
Play dress-up.
Thumb-wrestle, play mercy, or have a tickle fight.
Make a gingerbread house, or decorate gingerbread men.
Learn and tell each other jokes.
Play basketball.
Learn to juggle.
Walk barefoot in the grass and pick flowers.
Build paper airplanes and have a flying contest.
Prank call their grandparents, using disguised, humorous voices.

6/29/07

How to be a Great Dad - 12 Awesome Tips
Every Tuesday is Finance & Family Day at Zen Habits.

I’m often asked about raising six kids, and being productive and achieving goals and changing habits in the midst of raising so many kids. But here’s the thing: I do all the other stuff, the productivity stuff, because of my kids.

They, and my wife, are my reason for being.

It is my lifelong goal to be the best dad possible, and while there are many ways I can still improve, I think I’m a pretty great dad already, when I sit back and think about it. I know there are some readers who are just starting out in their careers as dads, and this post is for you.

How can you be a great dad? As always, my list of tips:

-----Put their interests first, always. Do you enjoy drinking or smoking? Guess what — it’s not good for them, and you’re setting an example with everything you do. I quit smoking about 18 months ago not for my sake, but for my kids. Now, it is still important to take care of yourself (otherwise you can’t take care of them), but you should still have them in mind.
-----Protect them. As a dad, one of your main roles is protector. There are many ways you need to do this. Safety is one: child-proof your home, teach them good safety habits, set a good example by using your seatbelt, make sure they use a car seat if below a certain age & weight, etc. But financial protection is also important: have life insurance, car insurance, an emergency fund, a will.
-----Spend your spare time with them. When we get home from work, often we’re tired and just want to relax. But this is the only time we have with them during the weekdays, often, and you shouldn’t waste it. Take this time to find out about their day, lay on the couch with them. On weekends, devote as much time as possible to them. While work may be your passion, it won’t be long before they’re grown and no longer want to spend time with you. Take advantage of these years. The thing kids want most from their dads is their time.
-----Give them hugs. Dads shouldn’t be afraid to show affection. Kids need physical contact, and not just from their moms. Snuggle with them, hug them, love them.
-----Play with them. Go outside and play sports. Do a treasure hunt. Have a pillow fight. Play Transformers or Pokemon with them. Don’t just watch TV. Show them how to have fun. See 100 Ways to Have Fun with Your Kids for Free or Cheap.
-----Do the “mom” stuff. Things that are traditionally considered “mom” duties are not just for moms anymore — changing diapers, feeding, bathing, rocking them to sleep in the middle of the night. Dads should help out as much as they can, sharing these types of duties equally if possible. And in fact, if you’re a dad of a baby, this is the perfect time to bond with your child. You should leap at the chance to do these things, because that’s how you start a life-long close relationship with your child.
-----Read to them. This is one of the most important things you can do for your child. First of all, it’s so much fun. Kids books are really cool, and it’s great when you can share something this wonderful with your child. Second, you are teaching them one of the most fundamentally important skills (reading) that will pay off dividends for life. And third, you are spending time with them, you’re sitting or lying close together, and you are enjoying each other’s company. See the Best All-Time Children’s Books.
-----Stand by mom. Don’t contradict their mother in front of them, don’t fight with her in front of them, and most definitely don’t ever abuse her. How you treat their mother affects their self-esteem, and the way they will treat themselves and women when they grow up. Be kind and respectful and loving of their mother. And always work as a team — never contradicting statements of the other.
-----Teach them self-esteem. Maybe this should be No. 1. Well, these aren’t in any order, but this is one of the most important points. There is nothing you can do that is better than giving them high self-esteem. How do you do this? A million ways, but mainly by showing them (not telling them) that you value them, by spending time with them, by talking and listening to them, by praising things they do, by teaching them (not telling them) how to be competent. -------Praise and encourage, don’t reprimand and discourage.
Teach them about finances. This is a point often missed in articles about dadhood. You might not need to teach your 1-year-old about index funds or portfolio diversity, but from an early age, you can teach them the value of money, how to save money to reach a goal, and later, how earn money and how to manage money properly. You don’t want your child to go into the world knowing as little as you did, do you?
-----Be good to yourself. You shouldn’t give up your entire life when you become a dad. You need to take care of yourself, give yourself some alone time, and some time with your buddies, in order to be a great dad when you’re with your kids. Also take care of your health — eat healthy, exercise — because 1) you can’t take care of your kids if you’re sickly, 2) you are teaching your kids how to be healthy for life, and 3) you want to enjoy those grandkids someday.
-----Be good to the mom. This isn’t the same as No. 8 — you should be good to their mom even when they’re not looking. Take her to dinner, give her a massage, do chores around the house for her, give her some time alone and babysit while she goes out, show affection to her, give her little surprises. Because when mom’s happy, the kids are happy. And dad will be happy too!

5/10/07

LA vs Lawrence Real Estate

so let's say that you are ready to get up and leave the lovely cold wintered midwest to head out to let's say ummm the warm sunny city of los angeles. i know that when i lived in the midwest i definitely took advantage of the low affordable cost of housing. let's take a look at the prices of buying a small 2 bedrrom 1 bath in lawrence vs los angeles. the word on the street that the los angeles market isn't so hot anymore and is starting to pop. get'em while their cheap! haha.


lawrence, ks - $149,000 - 2 bed, 1 bath vintage bungalow style house located just across the river in north lawrence. 1123 square feet. price per square foot = $133.


los angeles, ca - $619,500 - 2 bed, 1 bath in up and coming trendy atwater village on the edge of the los angeles boarder. 937 square feet. price per square foot = $661.

4/10/2007
Eight Life Hacks for Health, Wealth, and Happiness

I’ve noticed in my short existence that I tend to do many things differently from most people. Some of those things probably work just as well, whereas others make me wonder “why doesn’t everyone do this?” Here are eight things that may make you feel like you’re cheating the system, too (in no particular order):


-----Walk – No, I’m not saying “go for a walk,” I’m saying design your life so that you walk more. Live close enough that you can walk/bike/razor scooter to something that you frequent whether that’s work, a grocery store, a friend’s house, a bar, or preferably – all of them. Why spend 15 minutes driving to a gym to spend half an hour on a treadmill? If you’re fortunate enough to have legs that work – use them.
-----Smile – All of the time. Even when the cashier gives you the wrong change. People’s intentions are usually good, especially when they’re dealing with someone who isn’t being a dick.
-----Drink Water – Or I could say “don’t drink soda or coffee.” It’s a waste of money, health, and teeth. Save your caffeine tolerance for when you really need it.
-----Buy Used – I’ve already told you about my philosophy as this applies to music. Buying my clothes at a thrift store yields items that are not-so-watered-down versions of what I would get at my other favorite clothing store, and that are a fraction of the price. This strategy transfers well to books and furniture. When you buy used you get the adventure of discovery, and avoid the flat artistic experience that comes with only consuming the contemporary.
-----Underorganize – There are a number things you can apply this to, but I can’t give a better example than my “inbox/outbox” method of doing laundry. Should you keep all of your financial documents etc. in a filing cabinet? Probably, but recognize when your organizing reaches the point of diminishing returns.
-----Live Small – What’s that, you can’t afford a three-bedroom, three bath house with a huge yard and garage in a neighborhood where #1 is possible? Good. Then you won’t buy so much crap. You’ll save money in the long run, and you’ll be happier, too.
Remember How Adaptable You Are – How long could you live if you were transported to the middle of a forest? You would probably surprise yourself, so don’t be afraid of perceived “big” changes in life. It’s a part of human nature to do what is necessary to reach at least previous levels of happiness, but risks succeeded will get you there and then some.
-----Don’t Make Lists of Rules – or Follow Them (They All End This Way) – Such things are only made by bloggers hoping to get lots of del.icio.us bookmarks. The world is too complex to be condensed into a list of rules.