Okay I am either going to upset a lot of people, or just make them think a little more. I am hoping for the latter. First of all, let me say that I am an exercise junkie, who is willing to try just about anything to get in shape. I also believe each individual should find their own fitness calling and run with it.
As I mentioned before, I have tried just about every exercise program you can think of: Bodypump, spin, weight training, bikram yoga (love it by the way), running, and yes I have done CrossFit. So what is this CrossFit? According to the trusted source of Wikipedia :), 'CrossFit is a strength and conditioning brand that combines weightlifting, Olympic-style weightlifting, sprinting, gymnastics, powerlifting, kettlebell training, plyometrics, rowing, and medicine ball training. CrossFit contends that a healthy, fit person requires proficiency in each of ten general physical skills: cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, agility, balance, coordination, and accuracy.'
Doesn't sound like a bad deal does it. You get to run, lift weights, jump over boxes, do gymnastics, use kettlebells which all leads to a better physical you. But here is the kicker. You get to do all these things in one session. Essentially you are given time limits of say 20 minutes. Within that period you must do as many reps as you can of certain routines.
Routines are not for your average weekend warriors and are found on www.crossfit.com, a web site run by CrossFit founder Greg Glassman. Workouts have odd names, such as "Cindy: 20 minutes of as many repetitions as you can of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 squats." There is also "Fight Gone Bad, which entails rotating through five exercises, including throwing a 20-pound ball at a target 10 feet away." Typically you train for three days straight, and rest for one.
So here is the million dollar question. Is CrossFit a safe program? Before, I answer that question, let me first state this. There are inherent risks with any exercise program. But, lets face it, you just want me to answer the question :). In my opinion CrossFit is not a safe program, because of three main reasons: lack of qualified supervision, cookie-cutter programs, and the risk of rhabdomyolysis (poisoning of the kidneys, when muscle fiber breaks down and is released into the bloodstream).
As I mentioned before, individuals log on to www.crossfit.com to download daily workout plans, which they often do on their own. Here is the problem with that concept. Outside of the elite and professional athletes that have qualified trainers and utilize CrossFit principles, the mass majority of the participants are regular everyday people who train on their own.
With that being said, how many individuals can say they are skilled in all the various disciplines that CrossFit incorporates? For example, I am a certified personal trainer, but I am not certified in kettlebell training. I also have a working knowledge of Olympic-style weightlifting, but by no means am I proficient. Now combine this into a no holds barred workout, where the object is to do as many reps as possible within a short window, and you will often find the average CrossFitter uses poor form. With poor form, comes the high risk of injuries, even amongst the superfit. Even Glassman admits in a New York Times (NYT) article dated November 22, 2005, that "It can kill you," he said. "I've always been completely honest about that." Moreover a chiropractor friend of mine, who will remain anonymous, once said "Crossfit brings him a fair amount of patients."
As I stated earlier, the programs are cookie-cutter. According to the NYT, "CrossFit exercises can be made more or less intense based on a person's abilities, but the workouts are the same for everyone, from marines to senior citizens." Fabio Comana, an exercise physiologist at the American Council on Exercise finds this to be a problem. In the above mentioned NYT article, Comana states, "My concern is that one cookie-cutter program doesn't apply to everyone," He said people in their 60's who have osteoporosis, for example, may not be able to do an overhead press, which entails pushing a barbell over one's head.
This leads me into my third issue with CrossFit, the risk of rhabdomyolysis. Remember the object is to do as many reps as you possibly can, in a short period of time, with limited breaks. This can cause a tremendous amount of muscle fiber break down, which in turns gets into your bloodstream, possibly leading to kidney poisoning. Case in point, Brian Anderson in his first CrossFit session, swung a 44-pound kettlebell over his head and between his legs. The aim was to do 50 quick repetitions, rest and repeat. After 30 minutes, Mr. Anderson, at the time a 38-year-old member of the special weapons and tactics team in the sheriff's office in Tacoma, Washington, left the gym with his muscles sapped and back pain so excruciating that he had to lie in the driveway to collect himself.
That night Anderson was admitted to the emergency room where doctors told him he had rhabdomyolysis. He spent six days in intensive care. In another case, a former sailor, Makimba Mimms, in 2007 filed a lawsuit in Prince William County, Va., Circuit Court. Mimms was seeking $500,000, as well as punitive damages, in connection with the permanent disability allegedly suffered as a result of performing CrossFit workouts under the direction of a trainer at a Manassas, VA gym. Please note that Glassman was not listed as a defendant. Rhabdomyolysis, Mimms contends "happened to him in one intense exercise session Dec. 11, 2005, in which, he said, he suffered injuries he has yet to recover from."
Now from reading all this, its easy for one to conclude that I am completely against CrossFit. Quite the contrary. I believe it has several benefits, such as keeping people active and preventing boredom by mixing up workouts. But until they address the three issues I discussed, which I believe is possible, I cannot endorsed this type of program. Especially for the novice participant. However, if you believe that these issues have been addressed, feel free to leave a comment, and facts to corroborate your statement, and I will definitely respond to you.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Supplement Review: Alpha-Lipoic Acid
What is Alpha-Lipoic Acid?
Alpha-Lipoic Acid (AlA). Sounds like a mean prize fighter doesn't it. Essentially its an antioxidant that is made by the body and is found in every cell, where it helps turn glucose into energy. Antioxidants are substances that attack "free radicals," waste products created when the body turns food into energy. Free radicals cause harmful chemical reactions that can damage cells in the body, making it harder for the body to fight off infections. They also damage organs and tissues.
Benefits of ALA
One of the beauties of ALA is that its both water and fat soluble, which in layman terms means it works throughout the entire body. But one of the best benefits of ALA is that it appears to lower blood sugar levels. This of course is important for individuals who are diabetic. But this also mean it can assist with weight loss. Essentially, if you are able to control your bodies sugar levels, then you in turn control its insulin response. This mean the body is better at utilizing sugar for energy, and not storing it as fat.
How do we get ALA
A healthy body makes enough ALA. It is also found in red meat, organ meats (such as liver), yeast (particularly Brewer's yeast), and in very small quantities in spinach. But ALA can also be supplemented through 30 to 100mg tablets.
Recommended Daily Allowance For Adults
There are no recommended daily allowances. But for general antioxidant support, the rule of thumb from most sources seems to be 20-50mg per day. "However, oral ALA is reported to be well tolerated in doses up to 600 milligrams per day, and 200-300 mg a day is frequently used in Europe as a therapeutic adjunct in treating diabetic neuropathy." But as I always say to clients, check with your doctor before doing any supplementation.
Side Effects
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center Website:
No evidence suggests whether or not alpha-lipoic acid is safe for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, so such women should not take alpha-lipoic acid.
Side effects are generally rare and may include skin rash.
Alpha-lipoic acid can lower blood sugar levels, so people with diabetes or hypoglycemia should take alpha-lipoic acid only under the supervision of their doctor. (See "Interactions" section.)
Results of animal studies suggest that people who are deficient in thiamine (vitamin B1), a condition often associated with alcoholism, should not take alpha-lipoic acid.
Possible Interactions:
If you are currently being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use alpha-lipoic acid without first talking to your health care provider.
Insulin and drugs that lower blood sugar -- Apha-lipoic acid can combine with these drugs to further reduce blood sugar levels, resulting in hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Tell your doctor before taking alpha-lipoic acid and monitor your blood sugar levels closely; your doctor may need to adjust your medication doses.
Thyroid-regulating medications, Levothyroxine -- Apha-lipoic acid may lower levels of thyroid hormone. Blood hormone levels and thyroid function tests should be monitored closely in people taking thyroid hormones who are also taking alpha-lipoic acid.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid (AlA). Sounds like a mean prize fighter doesn't it. Essentially its an antioxidant that is made by the body and is found in every cell, where it helps turn glucose into energy. Antioxidants are substances that attack "free radicals," waste products created when the body turns food into energy. Free radicals cause harmful chemical reactions that can damage cells in the body, making it harder for the body to fight off infections. They also damage organs and tissues.
Benefits of ALA
One of the beauties of ALA is that its both water and fat soluble, which in layman terms means it works throughout the entire body. But one of the best benefits of ALA is that it appears to lower blood sugar levels. This of course is important for individuals who are diabetic. But this also mean it can assist with weight loss. Essentially, if you are able to control your bodies sugar levels, then you in turn control its insulin response. This mean the body is better at utilizing sugar for energy, and not storing it as fat.
How do we get ALA
A healthy body makes enough ALA. It is also found in red meat, organ meats (such as liver), yeast (particularly Brewer's yeast), and in very small quantities in spinach. But ALA can also be supplemented through 30 to 100mg tablets.
Recommended Daily Allowance For Adults
There are no recommended daily allowances. But for general antioxidant support, the rule of thumb from most sources seems to be 20-50mg per day. "However, oral ALA is reported to be well tolerated in doses up to 600 milligrams per day, and 200-300 mg a day is frequently used in Europe as a therapeutic adjunct in treating diabetic neuropathy." But as I always say to clients, check with your doctor before doing any supplementation.
Side Effects
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center Website:
No evidence suggests whether or not alpha-lipoic acid is safe for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, so such women should not take alpha-lipoic acid.
Side effects are generally rare and may include skin rash.
Alpha-lipoic acid can lower blood sugar levels, so people with diabetes or hypoglycemia should take alpha-lipoic acid only under the supervision of their doctor. (See "Interactions" section.)
Results of animal studies suggest that people who are deficient in thiamine (vitamin B1), a condition often associated with alcoholism, should not take alpha-lipoic acid.
Possible Interactions:
If you are currently being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use alpha-lipoic acid without first talking to your health care provider.
Insulin and drugs that lower blood sugar -- Apha-lipoic acid can combine with these drugs to further reduce blood sugar levels, resulting in hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Tell your doctor before taking alpha-lipoic acid and monitor your blood sugar levels closely; your doctor may need to adjust your medication doses.
Thyroid-regulating medications, Levothyroxine -- Apha-lipoic acid may lower levels of thyroid hormone. Blood hormone levels and thyroid function tests should be monitored closely in people taking thyroid hormones who are also taking alpha-lipoic acid.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Why women should lift weights
I hear it all the time. "I don't want to lift too much weights, I am going to look like a man." "I prefer doing cardio." If this sounds like you, it could not be any further from the truth, primarily because of two hormones, testosterone and estrogen. Both hormones are produced naturally in the ovaries. Testosterone has several functions, but lets focus on one task, which is assisting the body in muscular development. Estrogen also has several functions such as regulating menstrual cycle. But estrogen can also contribute to stubborn fat deposits primarily in the breasts, hips and thigh regions (the dreaded saddle bags).
Now here is the kicker, women have about 1/7 the amount of testosterone that men do, so the female body cannot naturally develop large man-like muscles, have a deep voice, etc. But as it relates to estrogen, women produce way more than men. So what does this mean? Unless you are loading up on testosterone, and estrogen blockers, the chance of looking like a linebacker may not be so realistic.
With all that said, why should women lift weights? Well, when you lift weights your muscles naturally become more dense. When your muscles become more dense, your bones produce more Collagen. What is Collagen and why is that a good thing? Collagen is a fibrous protein which provides the bones with strength and flexibility. By the way during that time of the month when you have your lady business, your body looses some Collagen. So essentially training your body to produce more Collagen is important simply because you will have a denser and stronger bone structure. Strong bones in turn help to prevent osteoporosis s(thinning of bone tissue and loss of bone density over time). You've seen her, the elderly woman who walks with a hunch; you guess it, primarily caused by osteoporosis.
Not enough to get you starting to lifting more weights? Well how about this. Ever notice that woman in the gym with the nice broad shoulders, and strong pretty arms and legs? You know her, the one you hate because she spends half the time you do working out, but you could only wish to have her body. How does she do it? SHE LIFTS WEIGHTS!! Which as I mentioned helps to develop your muscles. By the way its true, the more developed muscle mass you have, the more effectively the body burns calories even at rest. Essentially, muscle is a metabolic tissue and can burn calories for up to 15 hours following weight training.
Of course you can loose weight by doing a whole bunch of cardio. But guess what? You have no muscle mass. So one twinkie puts that weight right back on, while the fit lady you quietly envy, has had three twinkies, and not gain a single pound. Unfair isn't it.
So every once in a while I say to women, step out of that Zumba class, get of that spin bike, and to quote a good friend of mine, "train insane or remain the same.'
Now here is the kicker, women have about 1/7 the amount of testosterone that men do, so the female body cannot naturally develop large man-like muscles, have a deep voice, etc. But as it relates to estrogen, women produce way more than men. So what does this mean? Unless you are loading up on testosterone, and estrogen blockers, the chance of looking like a linebacker may not be so realistic.
With all that said, why should women lift weights? Well, when you lift weights your muscles naturally become more dense. When your muscles become more dense, your bones produce more Collagen. What is Collagen and why is that a good thing? Collagen is a fibrous protein which provides the bones with strength and flexibility. By the way during that time of the month when you have your lady business, your body looses some Collagen. So essentially training your body to produce more Collagen is important simply because you will have a denser and stronger bone structure. Strong bones in turn help to prevent osteoporosis s(thinning of bone tissue and loss of bone density over time). You've seen her, the elderly woman who walks with a hunch; you guess it, primarily caused by osteoporosis.
Not enough to get you starting to lifting more weights? Well how about this. Ever notice that woman in the gym with the nice broad shoulders, and strong pretty arms and legs? You know her, the one you hate because she spends half the time you do working out, but you could only wish to have her body. How does she do it? SHE LIFTS WEIGHTS!! Which as I mentioned helps to develop your muscles. By the way its true, the more developed muscle mass you have, the more effectively the body burns calories even at rest. Essentially, muscle is a metabolic tissue and can burn calories for up to 15 hours following weight training.
Of course you can loose weight by doing a whole bunch of cardio. But guess what? You have no muscle mass. So one twinkie puts that weight right back on, while the fit lady you quietly envy, has had three twinkies, and not gain a single pound. Unfair isn't it.
So every once in a while I say to women, step out of that Zumba class, get of that spin bike, and to quote a good friend of mine, "train insane or remain the same.'
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Too Much Cardio Doesn't Work
I often observe gym members as they go through their daily routines. On one particular day, two women caught my eye as they rushed in for a 1pm spin class. They got my attention primarily because I had noticed them running on the treadmill at 6am that same morning, as I met my first client. Each ran for about 40 minutes.
Two things came to mind as watch them head to spin class. One, these were two dedicated individuals, and two, they didn't really appear to be loosing any weight, even though I noticed them every morning at 6am on the treadmill. I forgot to mentioned they are both slightly overweight :(.
Now compare these women to a client of mine who I had only worked with for 1 1/2 months, and had lost 10 pounds while becoming more toned. The question comes to mind. What is my client (a 42 year woman)doing differently? Let me answer that question in parts. I trained a number women who compete in fitness shows, including my wife, Chikondi Mseka. During contest preparation, Chikondi can easily shed any where from 10 to 12 pounds in about 4 weeks, while doing cardio 2-3 per week, sometimes for only 25 minutes.
How is that possible you might be asking? Well for one thing Chikondi, and the client mentioned above, adhere to a very to a simple meal plan, which has them eating six times per day, while cycling their carbs and calories. In addition, they both do resistance training 4 to 5 times per week for up to 1 hour per session. These session are quite challenging mainly because I want to use all the glycogen stores in their bodies. FYI glycogen is derived from carbs, which your body uses as energy. Now since the glycogen stores are depleted during resistance training, when its time to do cardio, their bodies have to rely on their fat stores for energy. This of course results in weight loss. In addition, they both become toned and trim :).
So as I often tell my clients, that becoming trim is not only about how long your cardio sessions are. Its how well you balance them with proper weight training. Of course the right meal plan helps :). If you want further advice don't hesitate to consult KooYah Fitness.
Two things came to mind as watch them head to spin class. One, these were two dedicated individuals, and two, they didn't really appear to be loosing any weight, even though I noticed them every morning at 6am on the treadmill. I forgot to mentioned they are both slightly overweight :(.
Now compare these women to a client of mine who I had only worked with for 1 1/2 months, and had lost 10 pounds while becoming more toned. The question comes to mind. What is my client (a 42 year woman)doing differently? Let me answer that question in parts. I trained a number women who compete in fitness shows, including my wife, Chikondi Mseka. During contest preparation, Chikondi can easily shed any where from 10 to 12 pounds in about 4 weeks, while doing cardio 2-3 per week, sometimes for only 25 minutes.
How is that possible you might be asking? Well for one thing Chikondi, and the client mentioned above, adhere to a very to a simple meal plan, which has them eating six times per day, while cycling their carbs and calories. In addition, they both do resistance training 4 to 5 times per week for up to 1 hour per session. These session are quite challenging mainly because I want to use all the glycogen stores in their bodies. FYI glycogen is derived from carbs, which your body uses as energy. Now since the glycogen stores are depleted during resistance training, when its time to do cardio, their bodies have to rely on their fat stores for energy. This of course results in weight loss. In addition, they both become toned and trim :).
So as I often tell my clients, that becoming trim is not only about how long your cardio sessions are. Its how well you balance them with proper weight training. Of course the right meal plan helps :). If you want further advice don't hesitate to consult KooYah Fitness.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Calorie-Cycling
You have finally made your mind up that you are going to loose weight. So you do some research and you find what you think is the perfect diet. Within a couple weeks you have dropped a few pounds, and you start feeling good about yourself. Then you hit that inevitable plateau, and the weight stops coming off. You punch it even harder at the gym, and still that mushy tushy won't go away. Eventually you get discourage, and give up.
Sounds familiar? The answer to this problem is more simpler than you think. The average diet states that if you reduce the calories the weight will come off. WRONG! Your body's natural instinct to preserve itself at all costs kicks in. Sensing a calorie deficit, your body shifts into starvation mode, shutting down all fat burning as it hoards calorie stores. The body simply adjust to your energy expenditure in order to revert to your previous weight, known as your "setpoint." The Laboratory of Human Behavior and Metabolism at Rockefeller University in New York conducted a study in 1995 which measured both obese and non-obese people who either increased or decreased their body weight 10 percent to 20 percent. In both cases, metabolism shifted--at a lower weight, the subjects began burning less energy throughout the day, while at a higher weight they burned more, an effort by their bodies to return to that "setpoint".
To combat the "setpoint" you must incorporate calorie-cylcing. In lay man's terms this means that when your body wants to return to your "setpoint", you jolt it with a surplus of calories (clean calories of course). From there, you cycle your eating patterns, daily if you choose, and this will restart your fat-burning furnace and help you forge a chiseled physique.
This is a technique that I have often used succesfully with my wife, Chikondi Mseka, when she competes in various Figure shows. If you would like to learn more about calorie-cycling don't hesitate to check us out at KooYah Fitness.
Sounds familiar? The answer to this problem is more simpler than you think. The average diet states that if you reduce the calories the weight will come off. WRONG! Your body's natural instinct to preserve itself at all costs kicks in. Sensing a calorie deficit, your body shifts into starvation mode, shutting down all fat burning as it hoards calorie stores. The body simply adjust to your energy expenditure in order to revert to your previous weight, known as your "setpoint." The Laboratory of Human Behavior and Metabolism at Rockefeller University in New York conducted a study in 1995 which measured both obese and non-obese people who either increased or decreased their body weight 10 percent to 20 percent. In both cases, metabolism shifted--at a lower weight, the subjects began burning less energy throughout the day, while at a higher weight they burned more, an effort by their bodies to return to that "setpoint".
To combat the "setpoint" you must incorporate calorie-cylcing. In lay man's terms this means that when your body wants to return to your "setpoint", you jolt it with a surplus of calories (clean calories of course). From there, you cycle your eating patterns, daily if you choose, and this will restart your fat-burning furnace and help you forge a chiseled physique.
This is a technique that I have often used succesfully with my wife, Chikondi Mseka, when she competes in various Figure shows. If you would like to learn more about calorie-cycling don't hesitate to check us out at KooYah Fitness.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Chikondi's First Figure Competition
I am a personal trainer, and not to sound too cocky I think I am pretty good one, at least thats what my wife Chikondi says, so there you go :). In August 2008 Chikondi, came to me with a toothy smile and said “guess what I am going to do a figure show and you are going to train me.” I wanted to say hell no, because to tell you the truth I had no idea who or what a figure competition was. But like I said she had a toothy, oh wait a minute a mean beautiful smile, and you guess it I couldn’t say no.
The irony of all this was that neither of us had a clue where to start. The most we had done was train together, and I always thought that she had a great physique (I am so jealous of her calves LOL). Plus a couple bodybuilder friends had mentioned that she should consider doing show. To be honest I never really listened when they spoke. But unbeknownst to me Chikondi had dreams of being featured in Oxygen magazine which she had been a fan of for a while. So like true champs we started her training with an eye for a show in November 08.
So we found a posing coach, bought a meal plan, and off we went to conquer the figure world, YAY and a happy ending. Not! The first thing Chikondi didn’t realize was that I was going to turn into the evil trainer. You see, I started doing my own research on Figure shows, and the one thing that jumped out at me, was how fit and tight these women were. Yes Chikondi has a great physique, but when you are wearing heels and a bikini under bright stage lights, and standing beside fit looking women, you can come out looking two to three times your normal size. So I realized very quickly that in order to be competitive, she needed to come down from her 127lbs while maintaining muscularity in only 2 ½ short months. So I had to increase the intensity of her workouts, and let me tell you we bump heads. I pushed her weight training to another level, and upped the intensity and length of her cardio sessions. Combine with the diet, her abs started to show and her legs began to tighten up. That was the turning point, because then she began to realize why I was pushing her in that manner.
This was round about mid October, and the show was early November. So she started learning what appeared to be the easy task of figure posing: realization number 1 posing is hard as hell and we should have started earlier. There is an old bodybuilding saying, ‘you can have best physique, but if you can’t present it you can forget about winning.’ Not that it was perfect, but after a million quarter turns to the right, her package was starting to come together. Realization number 2, competition diet kicks your ass. True story, there were days when Chikondi would eat a plain salad in orgasmic pleasure, uttering weird statements like “spinach taste better than ice cream.” Needless to say there were other days when she would cry at the site of another protein shake.
But through it all my little pocket Hercules as I call her, preserved. We made it to the November 08 show through a few tears, “I hate you Peter you evil bastard,” a millions quarter turns to the right, and a couple breakdowns from the diet. So how does the story end? Well Ms. Thang won Novice Short, Novice Overall, and came fourth out of 30 women in the Open Short. Pretty cool huh?! Check out a photo journey of Chikondi’s progress at KooYah Fitness, in the Before and After section.
A parting thought, my wife and I have always been extremely close, but I have to say that the process made us closer. I also developed a passion for the sport of Figure, and have since trained and prepped Chikondi for three shows in 2009 and she won them all. As a result I am now working with several other women.
The irony of all this was that neither of us had a clue where to start. The most we had done was train together, and I always thought that she had a great physique (I am so jealous of her calves LOL). Plus a couple bodybuilder friends had mentioned that she should consider doing show. To be honest I never really listened when they spoke. But unbeknownst to me Chikondi had dreams of being featured in Oxygen magazine which she had been a fan of for a while. So like true champs we started her training with an eye for a show in November 08.
So we found a posing coach, bought a meal plan, and off we went to conquer the figure world, YAY and a happy ending. Not! The first thing Chikondi didn’t realize was that I was going to turn into the evil trainer. You see, I started doing my own research on Figure shows, and the one thing that jumped out at me, was how fit and tight these women were. Yes Chikondi has a great physique, but when you are wearing heels and a bikini under bright stage lights, and standing beside fit looking women, you can come out looking two to three times your normal size. So I realized very quickly that in order to be competitive, she needed to come down from her 127lbs while maintaining muscularity in only 2 ½ short months. So I had to increase the intensity of her workouts, and let me tell you we bump heads. I pushed her weight training to another level, and upped the intensity and length of her cardio sessions. Combine with the diet, her abs started to show and her legs began to tighten up. That was the turning point, because then she began to realize why I was pushing her in that manner.
This was round about mid October, and the show was early November. So she started learning what appeared to be the easy task of figure posing: realization number 1 posing is hard as hell and we should have started earlier. There is an old bodybuilding saying, ‘you can have best physique, but if you can’t present it you can forget about winning.’ Not that it was perfect, but after a million quarter turns to the right, her package was starting to come together. Realization number 2, competition diet kicks your ass. True story, there were days when Chikondi would eat a plain salad in orgasmic pleasure, uttering weird statements like “spinach taste better than ice cream.” Needless to say there were other days when she would cry at the site of another protein shake.
But through it all my little pocket Hercules as I call her, preserved. We made it to the November 08 show through a few tears, “I hate you Peter you evil bastard,” a millions quarter turns to the right, and a couple breakdowns from the diet. So how does the story end? Well Ms. Thang won Novice Short, Novice Overall, and came fourth out of 30 women in the Open Short. Pretty cool huh?! Check out a photo journey of Chikondi’s progress at KooYah Fitness, in the Before and After section.
A parting thought, my wife and I have always been extremely close, but I have to say that the process made us closer. I also developed a passion for the sport of Figure, and have since trained and prepped Chikondi for three shows in 2009 and she won them all. As a result I am now working with several other women.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Is It Ok For A Fitness Instructor To Be Overweight?
During my soccer career, one of the most inspiring coaches I ever had, was obese. He had a magnetic type of personality that would make you want to jump off bridges for him. But during training he could barely get around the field. So basically my two cents is that its more about the individual and their personality than their outward appearance. If they can inspire you to new heights with just their oratory skills, I say amen to that. With that being said, when my wife, Chikondi Mseka, and I created KooYah Fitness, we made a conscious decision to follow a healthy lifestyle, one that our clients would want to aspire to.
What yours point of view on this matter? Be honest :)
What yours point of view on this matter? Be honest :)
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