Wow! You Are Really Lucky….

Natural Body Builders Live Healthy

Many people think that body building is an unhealthy sport. The truth is that natural body builders are some of the healthiest people I know. The understand that their body is the greatest asset they have and they treat it as such. Nothing is more important than health to a body builder and they take care not to do anything that will jeopardize that.

Women Do Not Grow Big Muscles

I just got these pictures from the photographer that was at the competition in Middletown this past October. I have been training for competition for about 3 years. Many women say that they do not lift weights because they do not want big muscles. Look at those little chicken wings! I really do not have a body builders physique, my muscles are too long and women never build up huge muscles. Comparing my 2006 rear bicep pose with the same pose for 2007 my muscles have not grown even though I have continued to work out. Building muscle is good for everyone. When your muscles are stronger, your joints have an easier job of it. Also, muscles burn more calories than fat so your metabolism is higher when you are stronger. Body building builds your immune system too.

NABBA Nationals, Body Building Competition-2007

2006—Rear Bicep—2007

I placed 4th in my age group and 5th over all at the NABBA National Championships held in Middletown, PA this past October. I love doing it and had a great time hanging around with healthy like minded people. Yes, It takes a lot of focus, not work. Work is not fun and I definitely have fun body building. I really enjoy the ability to create my health.

Rear Lat Spread

Body Building Is Art - Science - Skill

I think that one of the reasons I enjoy it so much is that it is science, art and skill. I notice that other activities I enjoy are a combination of all three as well. I enjoy the science part of the sport. I am amazed at what can happen to my body when I eat less sodium or water. This article talks more about the science of body building. It is amazing how easily small changes can effect your body. You do not have to be a body builder to practice balanced carb, fat, protein eating skills. Everyone can benefit from the advantages of hydration. Understanding what certain chemicals do to your body will assist everyone in living a better life. If everyone took a body fat analysis twice a year they would have a better understanding of how what they eat effects their ability to maintain ideal weights.

Everyone Deserves Health

Just because you are not a body builder doesn’t mean you can not benefit from my experiences. You can be at the peak of your health at any age when you decide to change your future. Getting older does not have to mean ill-health. Call me to learn more on how to change your life for the better. 717.751.2793

And no… I do not have a 6 pack!

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Natural body builders treat their bodies like a gift.

Natural body builders treat their bodies like a gift. This is the third article in a series on body building. I started these articles in response to the frequent questions I get regarding the bad reputation that body boulders have. Check out the previous articles:
Is Competitive Body Building Healthy?
Body Building Is An Healthy Sport!
This article addresses the other areas of concern that most people seem to focus on in regard to developing a negative attitude about body building. Most people could learn a lot from the body builder mentality. Body builders believe that their bodies are a gift and they treat it as such.

Protein Loading

Most body builders consume their approximate body weight in protein each day during the muscle building phases of their program. Protein increases muscle mass, enhances immune functions, lowers muscle breakdown from weight training and increases strength. Excess protein for a long period of time can cause acidosis. Acidosis is an excess of uric acid in the blood. Most Americans eat to much protein and have acidosis. This can result in many health issues most specifically kidney issues. (See previous post on Acidosis.) Symptoms of acid may include gout, reduced immune system, and basically becoming more vulnerable to disease. People with healthy kidneys do not have adverse reactions to excessive proteins. Older body builders, like myself, need to be more concerned in this area. Eating a diet high in antioxidants will assist the body in reducing uric acid in the blood. Long term use of high protein diets definitely will compromise the body’s ability to fight off disease if acidosis is present. Check out the article on Goji Juice. Goji juice has been my solution to this issue. Goji is the most antioxidant dense fruit in the world. By incorporating goji juice into my meal plan I have been able to keep my uric acid level in line even when protein loading.

Sodium Depletion

Body builders deplete sodium during the last three days prior to competition so that over they can eliminate all excess body water. Sodium holds water. This is a very simple process about three days out of stopping eating eggs, dairy, wheat and other high sodium foods and replacing them with lower sodium rice, chicken, oats, etc. The natural body builder only eats whole foods. This may not be the healthiest practice and I doubt very much if it causes any long term effect when done occasionally.

Dehydration

Body builders do not want any water in their body on competition day. The goal is to have the skin lay right on the muscle without any body water softening the muscle appearance. During the first day of sodium depletion, the body builder continues to drink the normal compliment of water, usually more than half of their body weight in ounces per day. I drink about a gallon a day year round. After reducing sodium for one day, and continuing to drink plenty of water for 36 hours then I will cut back on water to only sips all day. In the last day and a half leading up to the show, I drink maybe 16 per day total the last day and on show day. (As opposed to 126 oz on all other days.) With very little sodium and also a reduction in carbs, the body will let go of all excess water. Is the healthy? Probably not. Is it unhealthy to dehydrate your body? Probably not, if done only occasionally.

Supplements And Vitamins

Yes, there are some body builders that give body building a bad name through drug use. More often though, body builders invest in the finest vitamins and supplements on the market. They understand that when it comes to vitamins, you get what you pay for. Bio Available vitamins, although more expensive are far better value. There are three kinds of vitamins available today. The pills are the cheap vitamins, made from technology invented in the 1930’s. The colloidal vitamins and chelated minerals were invented in the 1960’s and the bio-available vitamins are made with technology from the 21st century. The vitamins are absorbed into your system the way nature intended. Your body is capable of utilizing all the nutrients to keep the body healthy and growing stronger. To learn more about Vitamins. CLICK HERE.

Live Right, Eat Right

The natural body builders stick with the old-school systems of living right, lifting right and treating their body like a gift. Natural body builders will always invest in their bodies first. For a natural body builders nothing is too expensive when investing in their health. Body building is a healthy sport because a body builder understands his/her body and treats it like the gift that it is. Most people could learn a lot from the life style of a natural body builder. There is nothing in life more important than health and we know it and live it.

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This is one article in a series of articles relating to the healthy VS unhealthy image that body building has acquired. See the initial post here. The unhealthy image is due to the practices of only a handful of body builders who abuse their bodies. Body builders as a whole are some of the healthiest people I know. Check out the article written by Curtis James on my show yesterday at his blog on BodyBuilders.com. I earned a 4th place in my age group and a 5th place over-all. Thanks Curt, for the write-up!

Body Builders Eat Healthy

A natural body builder usually focuses on eating very healthy and whole foods on a year round basis. When you look around in this blog Wow! You Are Really Lucky! focuses on the healthy living and eating skills that are a part of my life. Eating right is a habit that I enjoy and allows me to enjoy a better quality of life. So if you want to eat like a competitive body builder, then study all of the articles on the WOW site.

Increase Your Metabolism

This is a healthy eating program that will work for anyone. The WOW way of life focuses on more frequent small meals. Ideally, everyone would eat six small meals a day to maintain a high metabolism. Whole foods have more fiber as well and that also keeps the metabolism stoked like a crackling fire. If the articles here sound like a good way of life, check out the home study set WOW! You Are Really Lucky, so you can get started on building a high metabolism. So check out the WOW! You Are Really Lucky! Healthy living program by clicking here and learn living skills that will keep you healthy so that you do not have to use will power. It is all about skill power not will power. I provide a free coaching session with every purchase of the WOW program too!

Dieting Down

During the last 3 months of preparing for a show I may diet down from my everyday weight of 138 pounds to my competition weight of 118 pounds. I usually loose about a pound and a half per week through wise food choices, well balanced meals, and basically impeccable eating habits. It then takes me another 4-5 months to regain that weight back. ( A lean muscular body can burn a ton of calories!) This faze of body building training is when I most frequently get asked “Is that healthy?” My usual thought when looking at the person asking the question is that “it is a heck of a lot more healthy than being 30 or 100 pounds over weight year round!” I doubt if it is unhealthy to gradually reduce ones weight by a pound or so a week then to gradually increase weight in the same manner. It is not a see-saw effect like many crash dieters continually go through. YUP… Body building is a healthy sport!

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