How to Achieve a Dream!

Hi Motiv8ers,

Coach Ty here again, and I want to talk to you about how to achieve a DREAM.  Not just any dream, but something that you have been dreaming about for years.  Because of life, your health, your finances, people saying you could never do that, or your dream is half way around the world, or you just haven't taken action on it, and it is something you are just left dreaming about.

One of my biggest dreams was to run a 100 mile race.  For 10 years I had that dream.  But I kept putting it off because I would always tell myself I would do it when I was financial stable, or I just wasn't fit enough, or just didn't have time to put in the work, or I would say, "I'll run one when I have a year that I am not injured."  I kept putting it off year after year and just kept making excuses.

Well, last year I got fed up and I made my dream come true.  Last summer I ran my very first 100 mile trail race out at Lake Tahoe.  It was amazing.

Well what changed in me that got my dream rolling?  I listened to this video.

It provoked me to do four very important things.  Without these four things I never would have started or accomplished my dream of running a 100 mile race.

1. I found my goal and I set the date. I put the time, the day, and what I was going to do on that day down on paper.  Setting the date is so important. And I said to myself that no matter what, on that day I was going to step up and give everything I had to try and conquer that goal.
2. I ASKED FOR HELP!!! I told everyone on Facebook, all of my friends, Every one at Boot Camp, I found a running coach, I found a group of runners that could give me advice, and I developed an accountability team.  This team kept me on track.
3. I developed a PLAN.  I worked with my coach and we scheduled out everything I was going to do leading up to the 100 mile race.  I had every day for 5 months planned out.
4. I wrote down my goal on my wall, in my notebooks, on my phone, and on my computer and I told myself every day that I was going to conquer my goal.  Never did I doubt my abilities to make my dream happen.  Nor was I going to let anything or anyone stop me from conquering my goal.

Crew, if you do these four steps, nothing is going to stop you from accomplishing your dream.  And number two is probably the biggest one.  Look, I had know idea how I was going to train for a 100 mile race or even how I was going to pay for my plane ticket to get down there.  Bu,t let me tell you after I announced it to the world what I was trying to accomplish I had people all over the place giving me advice and wanting to help me make this goal happen.

Trust me that is all it takes.

Now, let me tell you about a special person.  William Greer.

I met William about a month ago through my running Coach.  William is legally blind and was looking for a sighted guide to help him get through his first 50k Trail Race.  I was instantly inspired by his story and I didn't hesitate to contact him to see if I could help.  I was the first one to email him and he was so eager to meet me.  We instantly connected and now our goal of getting him through his First 50k happens tomorrow, Saturday, March 19th.  So Excited!!

William wasn't always blind. He was born with 20/20 vision.  At the age of 17 he suffered a severe brain injury.  Since then he has been legally blind.  He can see a little but it is very poor.  I have ran with him three times now and basically he can see the trail but he can't see details like puddles, roots, low hanging tree branches, or changes in elevation.

But here is the inspiring part.  His lack of vision doesn't slow him down.  I ran 7 miles with him last Saturday at an 8-minute pace and we were chatting the whole time.  That is wicked fast.  And never did he get nervous about hitting anything. I think I was more nervous then he was.  I would tell him about an obstacle coming up and he would just file in right behind me and we kept moving along at a fast pace. 

William found his passion for running back in 2005 and found that he could run even with his disability. He would need a little help at times from friends but it was definitely doable.  He started with 5k's and 10k's and then a friend inspired him to do a half marathon.  He said then that he would never do a marathon but that soon changed after his half. To this date, William has now completed 13 marathons including Boston.  And now tomorrow William is heading out to do his very first 50k Ultra Marathon. That is awesome. William is such an inspiration to me and I hope you find his story Motiv8ing as well.

Crew, you have been given dreams.  Every body dreams of doing something.  And you could say that your dreams could be your life's mission.  So what ever you do do not let anyone, anything, or any bad negative thought prevent you from making your dreams happen.  William has a huge obstacle.  His vision!  But that isn't stopping him from doing what he loves to do.

He set the goal, he asked for HELP, he wrote out the plan, and he didn't let anything talk him out of going for his dream.

Crew, get inspired and step up to life and make your dreams happen.  They aren't going to happen on their own.  You have to make it happen.  So right now...

Start Being EPIC and let's make some SHIT HAPPEN TOGETHER!

Crew Be EPIC and Don't Forget to Be AWESOME!

Coach Ty Out!

Why You Have No Energy & Feel So Tired!

Hi Motiv8ers!

Coach Ty here.  So, today's post is a topic you have already heard, but it is so important that we have those healthy reminders.  So today's post is about why you need to eat real whole plant foods every day in order to be healthy, lean, and have the energy you are looking for to help you get through your day and workouts.

First, let's start with a quick video.  This video talks about the importance of having a lot of fiber in your diet. Check it out.  The video is 5 minutes long and it is from the Nutrition Facts Team.

Alright Crew Lets move into our topic for today.....

"Why You Have No Energy and Feel So Tired!"

  Motiv8ers lets start with the basics.

How does the body Generate Energy? 

Our primary fuel source to get through our day and our workouts comes from carbohydrates. Carbohydrates break down into sugars.  The body then converts those sugars into glucose.  Glucose is transferred and stored in your muscles and is then used as fuel when you start any type of physical activity. Great sources of Carbohydrates are any type of plant based whole foods such as:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Whole Grains
• Starches
• Beans and Legumes
• Small portions of nuts and seeds

These foods will give you tons of energy, help you get stronger, and make you feel great!

  But....I know what you're thinking.  So then why do so many people say carbs are bad?!

What Makes a Bad Carbohydrate Bad?

When folks speak of bad carbohydrates, they are mostly speaking of man-made processed carbohydrates like breads, candy, sodas, pasta, box meals, etc.  You get the idea.  Anything that has been taking out of its original form and put into a box. 

So why are these foods bad?  The main reason is the absence of fiber.  Sugar without fiber is bad news!

Fiber prevents sugar from digesting too quickly.  If sugar enters your system without fiber your blood sugar levels will more then likely rise to a dangerous level. Your pancreas will then pump out insulin that will will travel into your blood stream and will remove the sugars balancing out that blood sugar levels.  Great right? Well not really!  The body needs to put those sugars somewhere.  The best place for your body to put those sugars, after this process, is your fat cells.  So, insulin will accelerate the conversion of sugar into fat.  Insulin stores sugar as fat.  FACT!  Then you are left with zero energy in your muscles making you feel tired sluggish and worn out.  But the body still needs that energy to move and function so your cravings for more food increases and you will find yourself over eating.  OH MAN!!  =(

If you want more info on this process watch this video...

Now lets look at some food examples to try and understand this better.

Let's start with whole foods vs. processed foods.

500 Calories of strawberries will give you more energy than 500 Calories of strawberry PopTart

500 Calories of sweet potatoes will give more energy than 500 Calories of pasta

500 Calories of rice and beans will give you more energy than 500 Calories of Hot Pockets.

Let's Get into more Detail.

If you eat 2000 calories from rice and sweet potatoes, your body will store that as glucose giving you 2000 calories of energy making you feel great and energetic. 

Now check this out.  If you eat 2000 calories from pizza, possibly half of those calories will be stored as fat giving you only a 1000 calories of energy. Why?  Because of the absence of fiber.  The blood sugar will rise, your body pumps insulin, and the body stores that sugar as fat.

Now here is the problem.  Your body wants that 2000 calories of energy.  Because it only has 1000 calories your body will start to crave more food.  If you continue eating that processed junk food, the insulin process will continue causing you to over eat, which will cause you to gain weight.  

Gain the bad weight.

So, if you want lots of energy, to feel great, be lean, and start conquering those fitness goals, start trying to incorporate more whole plant based carbohydrates into your diet.  Your body will love you for it.  It might be hard at first but give it a chance for 30 days.  Trust me, you will feel better and be bouncing off the walls in no time.

If you do eat processed foods like bread, cereal, or other meals, and you are wondering what a healthy ratio between fiber and carbohydrates is, then watch this quick video.  It will definitely help you pick the right choice.

Crew, that is all for today.  If this post has helped you please let us know and post below.  Remember, remind yourself every day of why you are doing the actions you are taking!

Crew, Stay EPIC and Don't Forget to Be AWESOME!

Coach Ty Out!

How Do You FEEL?

Hey Motiv8ers!

I don't talk much about it but one of the largest reasons for me getting into personal training and HIIT training has to do with my OWN desire for better mental and emotional health.  

It is the #1 thing on my list of reasons why I get up every morning to help you all and also the #1 reason why I run the crazy races I do.  Anyone who thinks I do it for the competition or to be faster or stronger than other people just doesn't really know me.  How I FEEL is my barometer for whether I've succeeded in ultramarathon running.  It's how I judge whether what I'm doing is contributing to my best health!

So....how do YOU feel?

Do you have days when you just don't want to talk to anybody?  I have!

Do you have days when you feel really bad about yourself?  I have!

Do you have days when you just want to beat yourself up because of something you ate?  I have!

Do you have days when it's just hard to do daily tasks because you feel run down or overwhelmed?  I have!

If any of this sounds familiar, you are NOT alone and I will always be here for you. 

Because I've been there too.

I can tell you firsthand too that there's a lot of positive hope for you if you ever feel overcome by some of these feelings!  And Motiv8 is the PERFECT place to be for you! 

Exercise has been proven in multiple studies to have an anti-depressant effect on those who stick to a consistent, goal-based training plan.  There are multiple ways that exercise can make you feel better.  Not only by LOVING what you see in the mirror after a few months but in MUCH more immediate ways.  So...forget for a second about where you are in comparison to where you want to be and consider these incredible benefits to staying committed to a healthy diet and lifestyle with regular (ahem: Motiv8 SETs) exercise!

Exercise enhances mood

There have been 3 major experiments since 2006 that have illustrated the remarkable impact exercise has on patients with Major Depression.  In one study, exercise was found to have a nearly equal effect as some anti-depressant medications.  The reason:  When you exercise your brain releases endorphins, adrenaline, dopamine and serotonin all of which are "feel good" hormones/chemicals.  In addition, muscles used to exhaustion are easier to relax...releasing tension and strain.

Exercise reduces anxiety

Fight-or-flight is a response mechanism our bodies have evolved to deal with stressful situations.  In the primitive world that translates to survival of predator/prey situations.  BUT, we aren't being chased by predators anymore and often live our lives in a bubble of routine and moderate-level stress.  

How do you think we have adapted to that change?  Well recent research has proven that we HAVEN'T!  

The natural reaction to people with high-sensitivity to this anxiety in the modern world is fear and panic.  Fear and panic are debilitating.  They keep you from making important decisions and progressing in life.  But those who exercise regularly have been found to reduce their fear and panic when they experience fight-or-flight because well...you are simulating the same symptoms (sweating, increased heart rate) during your workout!  You are teaching yourself to deal with fight-or-flight from a position of safety and control vs. danger!  

Exercise is confidence building
 

When you develop a goal and smash that goal it creates a feeling of accomplishment.  Pair that with changes in your body that you couldn't achieve based on diet alone and you start to hold your head a little higher and approach problems with the increased energy you have gained from your new diet and lifestyle.  You change the balance of power that problems used to have over you.  The impossible doesn't feel impossible anymore.  The events in your life that used to defeat you, whether they had to do with your fear or your body or your self-esteem can't control you anymore.  You have a sense of power and control over your life because you've proven to yourself that if you can change ONE thing (your mental state) you can change ANYTHING!

Motiv8ers, if you ever get discouraged because you aren't where you WANT to be...remember the effects that your lifestyle is having on you that will BUILD YOU UP to the person that WILL get to where you want to be.  Celebrate the little milestones that make you feel good (if even for a few moments) because those milestones will snowball into an unstoppable force of change.


Focus on how you feel and forget the body standards, the measurements and the comparisons because in the end it's how you function in your everyday life that really matters!

Have a great weekend!

Coach Joe

Fiber and the Microbiome!

Hi Motiv8ers,

Coach Ty here! 

Quick reminder about the Motiv8 Blog.  Remember, feel free to offer any feedback you may have–we rely upon it!  Our goal with this blog is to have a place where you can easily access all of the information we give you each week instead of having to search through your emails.  Look at the side bar for the section titled, "Labels".  From there, you can navigate to any of those topics as we add to them.  You can also go back through the archives once we begin racking up the posts.  New posts will be available every Wednesday and sometimes Friday to help educate you and keep you Motiv8ed towards conquering your goals.  I hope you enjoy.  Lets get started!

Crew, let's start today with a Nutrition Tip.  This tip is one of the most important tips we will ever give you.

After reading this post, please contemplate this information carefully because your health, and your family's health, can be greatly improved by understanding this information.

Let's Talk About Fiber and The Microbiome! 

Crew, over the past year you have heard me preaching  about how important it is to get enough fiber in your diet.   Macro nutrients are fats, carbs and protein--your source of calories.  If you were going to count one macro nutrient though, to keep things simple, that would be FIBER, which is a carbohydrate.  If you are getting in enough fiber from real whole plant based foods then it's safe to say you are getting enough protein, carbs, and fat in your diet. That is a fact. This can simplify the otherwise overwhelming task of counting your macros.

Many Americans are not even close to meeting their recommended intake of fiber.  Each person needs to intake at least 20-35 grams a day according to the American Dietetic Association. On average, Americans intake only 14-15 grams of fiber a day.  DANG =(  WAY below the recommended intake!

  America is definitely Fiber deficient.  So Are You Getting in Enough Fiber? 

Over the past few weeks I have been preaching this topic so much.  I am confident you know why you need fiber in your diet, but if you don't attend my SETs then watch this quick video to learn why fiber is so important  

Watch this video to learn more about fiber:

MORE facts on fiber: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/get-the-facts-on-fiber

So in a nutshell Fiber does three things!

1. It helps push food through your system and helps you stay regular through out your day.
2. It also prevents sugar from digesting to quickly allowing your body to convert sugar to glycogen instead of fat. Sugar without fiber will more than likely be stored as fat.  Sugar with fiber will be stored as glycogen in your muscles that your body will use as fuel to move.
3. Fiber feeds the healthy bacteria that lives in your gut.  What bacteria do you ask? keep reading below.

How does fiber relate to the Microbiome?!

This brings us to our next topic.  When you eat fiber, it isn't only improving your health.  It is also improving the health of the bacteria in your gut–the healthy Bacteria.  The Microbiome.

Do You Know What the Microbiome is?

Your body's microbiome is a colony of various microbes that reside in your gut and elsewhere in and on your body.  It is as unique to you as your fingerprint, and can be rapidly altered based on factors such as diet, lifestyle, and exposure to toxins and antibiotics. You have approximately 1,000 different species of bacteria living in your body, and these bacteria actually outnumber your body's cells 10 to 1.  That's not all. You also harbor viruses (bacteriophages), and they in turn outnumber bacteria 10 to 1.  So not only is your body the home of 100 trillion bacteria, you also house about one quadrillion viruses. All of these organisms perform a multitude of functions, and need to be properly balanced and cared for in order to maintain good health.

So Crew, you need a healthy culture of bacteria in your gut in order to fight off diseases, fight obesity, and keep your brain healthy–to name just a few things.  Guess what?  That bacteria, in simplest form, feeds off of fiber.  In order to keep a healthy colony of bacteria in your body, it is important that you keep up a healthy diet.  A poor diet can produce the wrong bacteria and kill the good.  What are good sources of fiber to help build a healthy gut?   

Eat more plant foods -- vegetables, beans, legumes, fruit, whole grains, and nuts. These foods are all naturally rich in nutrients, including fiber, and provide all the health benefits that go along with a fiber-rich diet. 

Best sources of fiber are: beans (all kinds), peas, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, artichokes, whole wheat flour, barley, bulgar, bran, raspberries, blackberries, and prunes. 

Good sources of fiber include: lettuce, dark leafy greens, broccoli, okra, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, potatoes with the skin, corn, snap beans, asparagus, cabbage, whole wheat pasta, oats, nuts, raisins, pears, strawberries, oranges, bananas, blueberries, mangoes, and apples.

If you are interested in learning more on this topic check out these links and videos:

Here is an article to learn more about the Microbiome:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/07/13/importance-gut-microbiome.aspx

Here is a Mind Body Green video lecture from Dr. Robynne Chutkan, leading Researching Doctor on the Microbiome, giving the facts about your Gut Bacteria!

If you found her lecture interesting then check out this Podcast where she goes into much more detail and information on the Microbiome! http://www.richroll.com/podcast/robynne-chutkan-microbiome/ 

SO TO SUM THIS UP CREW.......EAT REAL FOOD!!!!

It is important that every day at least 70% or 80% of your diet is coming from whole real plant based foods.  Fiber should be the number one nutrient that you count.  Take your health seriously.  If you have a healthy body, your whole life will change.  You will be able to think clearly, do things you never thought possible, and increase the amount of years you have on this planet!

Motiv8ers, I hope this post has helped you gain a better understanding of the role fiber plays in our bodies.

Another post coming soon!

Motiv8ers Stay EPIC and Don't Forget to Be AWESOME!

See you at your SET!

Coach Ty