Heart Rate Training for Weight Loss!

Hi Motiv8ers,

Hope you are having the best day. 

Below are three tips that I posted on the Motiv8 Running Crew Facebook page that got a lot of attention and is a topic that I have been hitting hard in our workouts.  I wanted to post these three tips in a place where they would never disappear and give you easy access to find this information again if you needed it.

Motiv8ers loosing weight, getting stronger for an upcoming race, or just improving ones over all health is always the biggest topic at our workouts.  We have been hitting the topic of nutrition hard to help you loose that unwanted body fat and give you the energy you need to help you feel awesome.  But, there is another tool that you can use to help shed off that unwanted body fat and help boost your energy.  That is....

Heart Rate Training!

Motiv8ers check out the three tips below and if you have an questions don't hesitate to post below.


Tip #1 Heart Rate Training! Why do it?

Motiv8ers have you ever wondered what good is a heart monitor or how do the hell do you use a heart monitor to help improve your running, biking, or to help you loose weight? Well let me give you a few training tips here that will give you some ideas.

First, in my research and experience I have found that in order to improve your running quickly and see improvements fast, you need to workout in the extremes. Make easy days easy and hard days really hard. I find most people pretty mush hover in the middle. The Grey Zone. They make easy days to hard because they want that feeling of accomplishment from a hard run and they don't push themselves hard enough on hard days because it is way to uncomfortable. 

Pushing to hard on easy runs prevents your cardiovascular system from recovering from a hard workout the day before and might start the process of a new injury because you are not letting muscles rest. This in all, will be wearing you down instead of helping you get stronger and faster.
So how do you know if you are pushing to hard on easy days or not pushing hard enough on hard days? You follow your heart rate!

Crew below is a graph that maps out the Heart Rate Zones! There are 5 zones and it is very important that you understand all 5. Also below I'll write out which zones you should stay in for each type of workout. Lets get started.

Note: This is for running workouts. If you only do Boot Camp then ask me in class about which zones you should be in for your workout.

Easy Runs: Zone 2 or low Zone 3
Tempo Runs: Zone 3 or low Zone 4
Easy Long Run: Zone 2 or Low Zone 3
Training Long Run: Zone 3
Long Intervals like 1/2 mile or Full Mile repeats: Zone 4
Short Intervals like 200m or 400m? Zone 5

Example: Yesterday I ran an easy 5 miles. Goal was to stay in Zone 2. Which means I had to keep my heart rate under 131. That is super low and my avg. pace was 9:30. Which for me feels slow and I wanted to push harder. But the training says don't. Hold back so your body can heal. And, Today I am going to do a 3 mile tempo run. Heart rate target for me is in between 148 and 152. Right at the top part of Zone 3. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

Crew there is so much more advice I can give on this topic but for now lets stop there. Check out the graph, ask questions below, and lets start improving our running ability.

Tip #2 Do you eat a little bit the morning of your workouts or long runs?

In my opinion it comes down to what your goals are for that run. If you are already a fast runner and you are going to be pushing this long run hard, to help you get a PR on an up coming race, then I would say yes, eat a little bit before like a few pieces of fruit. This will give you a little bit of extra sugar/energy to burn during your run. Then while running start the process of gels every 30 minutes.

But if your goal is weight loss, or you are getting ready for an upcoming ultramarathon, then I would say no. Don't eat before you run. For weight loss and long distance racing it is important to train your body to burn fat for fuel. Only using your sugar,glycogen stores when you absolutely need to.

When you first wake up in the morning, your insulin level is quite low and most people are just starting to enter the fasted state, 12 hours after eating the last meal of the previous day. The worst thing you could do is to eat food, spiking insulin and glucose and immediately shutting off the fat-burning process. As soon as you put sugar into the system your body switches to that. So don't eat before the long run and fully enter the fasted state and burn stored body fat.

Note: it is important to not let your heart rate go above Zone 3 during this run or your body will switch from fat burning to burning Glycogen/sugar. As soon as your body enters Zone 4, which is an anaerobic state, your body needs a more efficient energy source to burn, which is sugar or glycogen that is stored in your muscles. This energy will burn out fast and at that point you will need to start the gel process.

So in conclusion. If you are training for a fast race to PR then eat before your long run. If you are trying to loose weight or train your body to burn fat for an ultra marathon, then don't eat before your long run so you can stay in the fat burning zone and remember to keep your heart rate low.

Last thing. If you don't eat before your run and want to stay in fat burning but your long run that day is going to take you around 3 to 5 hours then I would start eating a little bit every 30 minutes starting on the first hour. Just to make sure you don't crash and especially if you are new to this process.
Motiv8ers post below with your thoughts and do you eat before your run?

Tip #3  Zone 2 training for weight loss and base building for a marathon or half marathon!

Crew lets start with weight loss first. If you don't know what I mean by Zone 2 training then check out the picture above. Zone 2 is 60 to 70% of your max heart rate. As you can see this heart rate will improve general base fitness, improve recovery, and boosts your metabolism. If your goal for most of your cardio is weight loss, then staying in this zone is very important. Because look, once your heart starts to move into the Anaerobic zone, meaning high zone 3 or zone 4, your body needs a more efficient source of fuel. That fuel is glycogen, which is stored sugar in your muscles. Keeping your heart rate in Zone 2 will ensure that you are not working to hard and will keep you in that fat burning zone. For maximum fat burning do low intensity cardio in the morning before you have your first meal. You will start your cardio in a fasting stat and through staying in zone 2 you will see maximum fat burn. To understand this process more re read Tip #2.

If you are a Motiv8 boot camper in the morning and your heart rate gets high every day that is fine. Just don't eat in the morning so you can start in that fat burning zone and over the weekends just try to get in some low intensity cardio in the morning to maximize your results.

Now for marathon training. The theory is this. If you are new to running and you have never ran a marathon or half marathon before then you need to train your body to handle the work load. Your bones, joints, heart, lunges, and muscles are just not used to moving the amount needed to get through a marathon. To ensure that you are not over training, and to prevent an injury, you need to do a lot of easy miles first. Lets say you want to start training 5 days a week and we are going to do base training for the next month and a half to get you ready for the real marathon training coming soon. 4 of those runs need to be in Zone 2. The goal is to be moving your body and getting it used to putting in the miles. And don't get discouraged if your zone 2 is only a fast walk. Your heart rate will improve over time. This training will make sure you are not pushing the system to hard and help you start building that base you need without getting injured. Your recovery will be fast and you will find that your energy will stay stable. You won't have that extreme fatigue and tired feeling through out your week from training.

Now that one workout a week needs to be a run that you push pretty hard. You will push this run or workout in high zone 3 or zone 4. This run will help you improve that heart rate over time. But only one per week.


Motiv8ers I hope these three tips have helped you.  There is still a lot to discuss about on this topic so please join the Motiv8 Running Crew page or the Motiv8 HQ page for updates and to ask any questions you might have.  There is a ton of info here to get you started and use it to help you get started.  Remember I am right here to help you along the way.  Just reach out to me with your questions Motiv8ers.

No Stay EPIC and Don't Forget to Be AWESOME!

Coach Ty Out!

There is POWER in a Clean Diet!

Motiv8ers we have a problem!

You hear me talk about this problem almost every day but why is it that many people don't take action on it!?!?!?

Did you know that processed foods are causing one of the biggest health crisis the world has ever seen. This crisis is happening right now with heart disease, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, obesity, arthritis,  osteoporosis, and many other health issues.  Did you know that the majority of these health issues like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, inflammation in the joints, obesity and much more can all be cured quickly by just focusing on the foods you put in your body.

Motiv8ers if you are eating foods like the ones below you will have a high risk of acquiring many of the major health issues posted above.

or these..

Many of you know me, Coach Ty, and many of you see me as possibly a freak of nature that runs marathons, 60k, and 100 mile races and I was just born with good genes.  Well that is far from the truth.  In high school and college I really wasn't fit at all.  I was a band guy that didn't do any sports and nor did I want to do sports or physical activity.  Running was hard and in college once I started training for my first marathon I was constantly managing injuries like a pulled hamstring, IT band pain, metatarsal fracture, and shin splints.

But back in 2009 I really started to focus on the foods I put in my body.  I took the whole foods nutrition to heart after studying what other runners diets looked like who were doing what I wanted to do. Once I cut out all of the processed foods and made sure I was eating enough each day every thing started to fall in to place.  I leaned up fast, I had more energy than I knew what to do with, building muscle became easy, exercising and running became fun, my recovery time became shorter, and my fitness journey sky rocketed quick!!

And all I did was take out the man made foods, brought in the whole plant based foods, and made sure I ate enough each day.

Now Motiv8ers don't take my word for it.  Motiv8er David Valenti has a similar story.

David Valenti is 52 years old and if you talked to him now he would tell you that he is fitter than he has ever been in his life.  He is setting personal records in triathlons, Half marathons, 10k's, 10 milers, building muscle faster then he ever has before, and on his birthday we did 520 Burpees to celebrate just how fit he has become.

Has he always been this fit though!?!? not at all.  Check out his before and after pic.

David has been training with me, and our crew, for a little over 4 years now.  This morning at the 5:30am Ramsey SET he told us his story and said in the first two years he would just show up to the workouts regularly but he didn't pay much attention to the foods he was putting in his body.  He would eat basically what ever he wanted.  In that time frame he lost 3% body fat,  he was still racing but no real improvements, and the fitness gains and muscle growth came slowly.

Then I sent our group an email about the importance of focusing on your nutrition and how nutrition is almost 90% percent of the fitness journey. And then, something clicked in his head.  he took that message to heart. David began to take out the process sugars and focused on a more whole foods nutrition plan and he went from an average person to a fitness prodigy in a short amount of time.  Exercise became fun, muscle starting growing fast, and in just a few months he dropped 20% percent body fat.  That is huge and all he did was put the right foods in his body, took out the wrong foods, and focused on little bit of exercise consistently each day.  Now, all of you know him as EPIC FIT DAVID!!  I have a hard time keeping up with him in the workouts now. =)

Motiv8ers there is power, energy, health, happiness, longevity, and constant improvements when you have a clean diet focused entirely on whole fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and small amounts of lean meats.

So what is your Goal?

What path will you choose?

You don't have to starve yourself either.  You just have to choose the right foods!

  Motiv8ers the Motiv8 team is here to help.  If you are ready to take action but don't know where to start then reach out to your Motiv8 Coach or reach out to me.  We will help you focus your goals into small tasks that you can take daily so you can become the person you want to become.

Also Crew check out past blog posts to give you tools to help you form those healthy habits you will need to make the change you are looking for and keep those changes.

All it takes is you saying, "I AM READY TO MAKE A CHANGE!"

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

Take action now because the Motiv8 Team and I want you to be just as EPIC as we know you can be!

More Nutrition info coming soon.

Coach Ty Out!!

See you at your Motiv8 SET!

How Ryan Became a New Person!

Hi Motiv8ers,

Today I want to share a Motiv8ers story.  Ryan Shonts story.  Ryan attends the 7:30am Ramsey SET and every day that I see this guy, I am so inspired by his determination to get into the best shape of his life.

Below is Ryan 5 months ago.

Now here is Ryan today, 30 pounds lighter and finishing his first ever half marathon.

Motiv8ers, Ryan is on a journey.  A journey to become a whole new awesome person that can do anything both physical and mentally that he sets his mind to.  But he didn't start out that way.  He had a life changing experience while out on vacation that shifted his mindset towards his health and now he is on a journey to becoming the healthiest person he can be.

Check out his story below:

"Prior to joining Motiv8 I thought I lived an active lifestyle; I would hike the Barton Springs Greenbelt, ride my bike, go for a swim, or walk around town lake on the weekends. In retrospect I was living a pretty sedentary lifestyle; fitness and eating well were not a huge priority in my life. The active things I would do were more of a leisure activity or opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. We are all busy, going way too fast, wrapped up in our day to day lives; working long days at the office, running errands, keeping up with a social life, and for those of you with kids - I don't know how you do it. 

I love to travel, I use it as a time to check in with myself, meet interesting people, and be exposed to other cultures. I went to Ireland in August which opened my eyes to many things; most importantly, I want to be able to travel, explore, hike, and climb for a really long time. There were so many tourists in wheelchairs or overweight or with other health problems that were unable to see so much of Ireland's historical landmarks and nature. I realized that there are hundreds of reasons for the current circumstances of these other tourists; but I made up my mind that I was going to be proactive about my present and future health. 

I live a few blocks from Ramsey Park and had seen the Motiv8 group a few times. I decided to do a little more research on other gyms, trainers, and programs; I finally committed to joining in mid September. My first workout was tough, but all the other Motiv8ers were positive, encouraging, and on a similar journey to the one I am on - the pursuit of a healthier life. I love a good challenge; to  improve, to become more efficient, and faster. Why would I not treat my health in the same way? 

What I didn't know during that first Motiv8 SET in the middle of September was that I was going to do a lot more than go to a "boot camp" a few times a week. Ty and the 7:30AM Ramsey group have become a part of my daily routine and lifestyle, we show up, we sweat, we make funny noises, we laugh; we get stronger, happier and healthier. Starting my day with Motiv8 means I am beginning the day doing something for myself. I focus on my mind and body, I don't worry about what happened yesterday or what my outlook calendar and inbox have waiting for me. I start my day with a challenge for myself, a community, and the intent to improve. Whatever happens for the rest of my day I can feel good knowing that I started out the day with a decision invest in myself. 

Motiv8 has been instrumental in helping me with my fitness and diet goals; always offering helpful tips on how to improve form, eating, and overall wellness. The biggest accomplishment and benefit that Motiv8 has helped me with is a holistic approach to my health. Outside of our workout, I try to implement as many of Ty and other motiv8r's tips as possible. Other than going to SET 4-5 times a week the biggest change I have made has been my shift from eating processed foods, boxed meals, and other easy, fast prep foods. I stick to a vegetarian diet, focused on whole foods and simple ingredients; keeping track of my calories, making sure I have the proper nutrition to fuel my workouts. 

With all of these changes I began to notice that I had more energy, consistently throughout the day and that my body wanted to do more. Avoiding the processed foods eliminates the "haze" or "food coma" feeling. Showing up for SET keeps me accountable and Ty constantly changing up the workout routine keeps me engaged. I have more energy during and after work to go for a walk or other light exercise and attend social events. On the weekends I still want to do all the outdoorsy things I enjoy; I have even started going for 30 minute jogs. 

I have enjoyed seeing all of the progress I have made in my health in just 5 months and learning what motiv8's me. I look forward to seeing what I can accomplish in the future and enjoy getting to motiv8 others along the way."  Ryan Shonts

Motiv8ers when I met Ryan 5 months ago he couldn't run the full warm-up lap without having to walk.  Also, we had to give him many modifications for many of the exercises in boot camp.  The workouts were hard for him and he had to take a lot of breaks.  But, from that first workout I could see the determination in his eyes to get healthier and day after day he showed that grit to not fall back into being his past self.  He was determined to create a whole new Ryan Shonts.  Over the next 5 months Ryan did every thing right and his results speak for themselves.  Here is what he did every week.

1. He came to at least 3 to 4 Motiv8 workouts a week.
2. He worked hard on his diet and took to heart that in order to make a change, and see change quickly, you have to make your whole diet from real whole foods.  Your diet has to be clean.  Whole plant based foods were key to his success and he slowly over time eliminated the processed foods.
3. He did low intensity Cardio on his own outside of SET to help burn the fat and he did it consistently 2 to 3 times per week.
4. Every day I noticed that he was mentally making the effort to improve each day.  On his first day he started with 10 pound weights.  Now he is easily using the 20 pound weights and having a great time.  And, he conquered his first Half Marathon this past weekend.

Ryan is the perfect example of Loving the Process and allowing himself to let the program make him a new person.  He didn't resist it.  He generated the Motiv8ion to show up every day and he followed the process. Ryan dude keep up the good work and embrace this new person you are becoming.  We are so proud of you.

Motiv8ers if this blog has Motiv8ed you post below and ask any questions you might have about Ryan's process to getting super healthy.  Also reach out to your Motiv8 Coach for help as well.  Remember we are here for you! And, remember if you are new to any workout program.  The first few weeks are tough but hang in there and just show up.  If you consistently stay at it your body will quickly respond in a positive way and you will begin to get stronger and healthier.  Just make sure to stay Consistent.  That is KEY!  =)

CONSISTENCY is the key word!

Motiv8ers that is all for today.

Stay EPIC and Don't Forget to be AWESOME!

Post below if you have questions and give Ryan a huge high five when you see him.

Thank you Ryan for being so AWESOME!

Coach Ty Out!

Calorie Counting Made Simple!

Motiv8ers have you ever spent the time counting your calories?

Have you downloaded a calorie counting app and followed its guidelines to try and lose weight?

Do you know how many calories you should eat?

Do you know how much protein, carbohydrates, or fat you should eat?

Do you really know what you are eating every day or how much you are eating?

Motiv8ers, as a coach I have found that the questions above are really hard to answer. And guess what?  It really turns folks off from even starting.  Many don't know where to find the right information so they know for a fact that they are on the right track.  They don't know the difference in how to eat for weight lost or for just making you feel awesome.

And I hear many of these excuses about why they can't even get started.

I don't have time to track my calories.
I just don't want to do the work putting in every little ingredient.
I don't like eating the same thing every day so I don't want to constantly be working on the app.
I don't want to get obsessive about counting.
It really stresses me out when I see exactly what I am eating every day and it makes me feel bad about myself.

Crew, I hear these excuses so much and I hear you.  Adding anything new to your schedule or learning that what you are currently doing or eating isn't good for you is stressful and uncomfortable. But without that stress and discomfort you will never grow, lose the weight you want to lose, or feel as great as you want to feel.

So I decided to take on this challenge.  I made the commitment that in the month of August I would count my calories every day.  My hope for this blog is to hopefully change your mind a little about counting and help you take the first step and start.  =) I am a week into this challenge and here is my experience so far. 

Here we go!

First Step!  

What to Use to Track my Calories?

I had to find an easy way to track my calories that is fast, efficient and doesn't take up to much of my time.  I did a little bit of research and the best tool I found was an app called MyNetDiary.  Here is their website and you can download the app for free in the app store.  I didn't use any of its nutrition guidelines.  I only used it to track my foods.  The first day I used the app it took a few minutes to learn how to use it but after that, I kid you not, I probably only spend about a minute tops each day on it making sure I eat enough.  It takes no time at all to use.  Once you put a food into the app it saves it for you so it is much easier the next time you log it into your diary.

Step Two!

How Do I Know What to Eat?

So there are two theories when it comes to tracking your calories.  There is a theory called flexible dieting which comes down to this: as long as it fits your macros, which are protein, carbs, and fats, you can eat whatever you want. Lots of folks go this route because they don't want to give up the foods they love. I dislike this method because it gets too annoying and complicated to make sure I eat enough protein, carbs, and fats each day.  And it takes up too much time and evolves a lot of food prep.  I food prep but I do just the bare minimum in that category.

So what do I do, you ask?  The theory I enjoy is to eat in abundance and as much as I want as long as it is real whole foods.  Stay away from those processed foods.  I use the calorie counting app to make sure I am hitting my caloric intake need each day and so I don't eat too little or too much.

But what is considered real whole foods?

Well, I took the Motiv8 28 Day Clean Eating Challenge shopping list and I said I was only going to eat from this list.  I wasn't going to worry about my macros, just eat whatever I wanted from this list and make sure I hit my caloric needs for they day.  Now remember, you need at least two protein sources a day and don't over do it on the fats but eat as much vegetables and fruits and a few servings of legumes and grains each day.  Just make sure you are hitting your calorie needs.  In the 28 day challenge list you will also see some serving size recommendations to help you along the way as well.

Step Three!

How to Hit Your Calorie Needs?

Last week, Coach Kaolin posted this easy-to-use format to get you started.  Note: this might not be the calorie intake you end up with a month from now, but it is a good way to get you started.  Do the calculations and use that calorie intake first.  Then after two weeks, see how you are feeling.  If you are losing weight and feel awesome then continue what you are doing!  If you feel tired and sluggish all day then you might not be eating enough, so increase your calories.  If you are gaining weight then you might need to cut back on your calories or maybe lower the amount of fats you are taking in.

CALCULATE YOUR CALORIE TARGET

Your goals will determine which calorie bracket you follow and how much food you will have each day. I have assumed with this calculation that you perform 30-45 minutes of moderately intense exercise at least 5 days a week. If your situation is different, please reach out to me!

Follow these steps to approximate calorie intake for healthy weight loss.

1. Estimate your caloric baseline
Your current weight (lbs) x 11 = _____ calories (your caloric baseline)
(If you do not work out and want to maintain weight, use this number to determine your calorie bracket.)

2. Estimate your caloric needs
Your caloric baseline + 450 (~calorie burn for 30-45 minutes of moderately intense exercise) = ______ calories needed to maintain
(If your goal is to maintain your weight, you will choose your calorie bracket based on this number.)

3. Estimate your calorie target
Your calorie needs - 750 (calorie deficit) = ______ calories (intake)
If your calorie target is less than 1200, round up to 1200. If it’s more than 2800, round down to 2800.
Use this number to get you started on a calorie deficit for weight loss.  Just pay close attention to your energy levels.  If you feel to tired then up your calories again for a few days.


Motiv8ers, do these calculations and let me know if you have any question, ok?

Motiv8ers, for more tips and tools to help you find just how many calories to take in watch this short cute video.

Lastly, my experience and benefits I have seen with just accomplishing one week so far with tracking my calories.

First, From just a week of tracking my calories I have seen an improvement in my mood and my energy has been more staple through out the day.  No more feeling like a zombie once I get home from work.  I have been much more productive and getting a lot more done.

Second, I found out that I wasn't eating enough during the day and I was having to force to many calories in at the end of the day making me feel uncomfortably full.  So it has taught me just how much I should be eating at each meal so I can actually take in all of my calories I need to be taking in.  It has taken out the guess work of how many serving I should actually be eating in each meal.

Third, it has taken away the stress of knowing whether or not I am eating enough to maintain my weight and recover from my workouts.  Every day now I know exactly how much I should be eating and what to eat and that has taken a lot of stress off my mind.  Have you ever heard of decision fatigue? That is a real thing.  You should definitely look it up.

Motiv8ers as you can see there is huge benefits in tracking what you eat.  And you don't have to do this forever.  After about a month of tracking you will learn exactly what you need every day and you can come back to it just a few days each month just to make sure you are still a rock star.  =)

Motiv8ers get started on this and let me know if you have questions.

Stay EPIC and Don't Forget to Be AWESOME!

Coach Ty Out!

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