YOU DON'T HAVE BAD KNEES! " http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbfLvo6eJsQ (if you'd rather watch the video, here it is!) If not, enjoy the article! "squatting is bad for your knees. I have bad knees anyway. I used to be able to do that but I guess Im just getting older now...." "My knees are just jacked up..." How often do you hear that? Or how often do you say that to your friends/peers? I ask this question because I hear it so much! Because of this, I had to look deeper into the context behind why people's knees were bothering them. Because in reality we are meant to squat, bend, twist, lunge, push, pull, and throw (primal and innate movements!). That's what our bodies are designed for! Most of the clients that I have come across have chronic knee pain. Now, if you have had knee surgery due to injury, the process by which you get back into your primal movements is a little different. However it doesn't mean you justify not squatting or moving with "bad knees". There is always something else going on BEHIND the scenes that can better assist your knee in functioning in a healthy way! So what am I talking about?

The Body is Holistic! To isolate the knee and say "you are the cause of why I can't do this, this, and this! ughhhh!", is assuming that your body works like a car. It has parts and you can isolate the problem, remove things, and replace them. But you see, the body is more complex and interconnected than that. Imagine this. Your brain connects to your spinal cord and then literally branches out into your periphery. It's almost like it falls into your body spreading its connections to organs, muscle tissue, glands etc. Beyond that, there are connections between connections. It's one HUGE network of communication! Why then would be treat the body as anything different?! Okay back to the knee.

Your Knee is Like The Middle Child Your knee literally is like the middle child. It lies between your hip joint and your ankle joint. Whenever the knee is extended (straight) the ligaments around the knee have to tighten or fasten to hold it locked in position. Whenever the knee bends however, those ligaments have to loosen to allow for movement of the knee. NOWWW.... it's really on your tendons and muscles that are either upstream or downstream from the knee that will ensure that it is stable and functional! We blame the knee so much that we forget what's happening around it. It's not your knee folks! If you hips and ankles are dysfunctional, then..you guessed it...your knee will be as well! So what does THAT even mean? There are two main reasons why your knee becomes compromised: 1) You have muscular imbalances that have developed from your hip to your ankle  due to misuse,abuse, and disuse! 2) Your body structure is either bow-legged or knock-kneed making your more prone to knee pain

Muscular Imbalances Muscular imbalances apply to your whole body! if there are some muscles that are overdeveloped compared to others, there will be some sort of dysfunction or instability. The degree to which this exists depends on the disparity between muscle groups. So let's start with the hips and move downward! 1) Hips- If there are muscles around your hip that are weak relative to the surrounding musculature, it will cause instability and pain in the knee. a) Namely, if there are imbalances between your ABductors (the muscles that move your leg away from your body) and your ADDductors (muscles that move your leg toward the body). What this means is that one set of muscles are overdeveloped compared to the  other. They are like wires on a bridge. If one side is underdeveloped the foundation begins to shift and fall out of place (knee instability and pain). This is more common than you think! You may very well have the same process occurring with your physiology.   2) Quadriceps and Hamstrings- The same concept applies to the quads and hamstrings! If one is way overdeveloped than the other there could be anterior or posterior tracking of the knee. This puts your knee at risk for injury! 3) Foot, Ankle, Tibia- Again the same concept applies for the muscles downstream from the knee as well! Also if your ankles are overly tight, you limit the amount of movement you can have in your knee.This causes tightness in the achilles, calves, and even the muscles on the lateral and anterior parts of the tibia! Andddddd you guessed it...it will cause a dysfunctional pattern in the knee! So what should you do?!?! For all imbalances your goal is to stretch the muscles that are overactive and strengthen the muscles that are weak!!!

Bow-legged-ness vs Knock-Kneed Now the other cause of knee issues can also be the way you are structured. Don't worry you aren't doomed! Below is a depiction of different kind of structural positions of the legs. Genu-valgum indicates "knock kneed" and Genu Varum indicates "bow-leggedness". 1) Knock-kneed- Your ADDuctors are over-active while your ABductors are weak. A primary concern for this group of people would be strengthening the ABductors while stretching the ADDductors. 2) Bow-legged-ness- Your ABductors are over-active while your ADDductors are weak. So your goal here would be to strengthen the ADDductors while stretching the ABductors.

This should shed some light on why you feel like your knees are "bad"! In the end, the goal is the same: strengthen the muscles that are weak, and stretch the muscles that are overdeveloped. This will help bring your body back to a more functional state. And remember folks don't hate on your knees. It's has a difficult job as it is being the middle child! Next time, we will focus on exercises that aid you in balancing the muscles around your hips, knees, and ankles! Stay tuned and much love,                                              Sumair

Food Becomes Your Cells The best, healthiest, and strongest version of you depends on 3 factors: How well you MOVE, EAT, and LIVE! We often get the movement thing going. We get out there and log hours and hours in the gym. We think by punishing ourselves we can feel better about the donut we ate from krispy kreme this morning. It's all about calories. Calories, Calories, Calories! Where has that game gotten us? Truly take a look at the Calorie craze. We have more colorful packages and boxed goods that promise low fat, low calorie, and "gluten" free "food" and yet people can't seem to change their bodies in their favor. They don't feel like they are getting anywhere. They aren't losing the fat, building the muscle, feeling energetic, FEELING VITAL! Here's the truth. It's more than calories. It always has been. Read http://lifefittransform.blogspot.com/2013/05/losing-fat-and-building-muscle.html to learn more. The way your body is right now is a product of genetics, how your neuro-muscular system is trained, what hormonal environment you possess in your body, what nutrients you possess or are devoid of, your emotional state, and the the thoughts you possess about yourself. You simply have to pay attention to how you feel in response to the things you DO! Whether it is in response to what emotion you are feeling, what food you put in your mouth, what liquids you infuse into your system, what you are breathing in, what you are breathing out, and how you are moving....Just pay attention to how you FEEL after doing them! What do you notice?!?! You'll be surprised by your answers. I invite you to try this as you go about your week. If you feel stressed, sub-par, and not yourself, reconsider your actions!

You Are What You Eat...Literally. Just like the title of this email, simply everything you put in to your body becomes a part of you. It infuses into your cells and becomes a very intimate part of who you are and how you function. So if you aren't fueling yourself with whole foods, you are doing yourself the biggest disservice. You are becoming something un-whole. If there are nutrients that you are devoid of, there are crucial processes that don't occur in your body. And if these processes don't occur, the functionality of your body is diminished. So, you simply have to make a choice about how you wan to FEEL everyday. Sit down and really ask yourself that question. If what you are putting into your body doesn't serve you, re-think your actions! More importantly, be aware of what you put into your body and figure out whether or not it serves you. Confused on what foods to eat? I'll lay out some options for you to experiment with!

What Do You Eat? So what the heck do you eat? Well I'm going to give you guys some healthy options to choose from whenever you create your meals. I'm going to break it down into the big food groups: Proteins, Fats, Carbohydrates, Veggies. PROTEINS- (Go local and organic as much as possible on these)- Grass-Fed beef, Ground buffalo/bison, Atlantic Salmon, Tilapia, Trout, Pasture-raised eggs, Duck Eggs, Turkey, Pork, Raw Goat's Milk, Raw cheese. FATS-Avocados, Almonds, Cashews, Brazil Nuts, Flax seed, Chia Seeds, Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Grass-fed butter CARBOHYDRATES-Brown Rice, sweet potatoes, quinoa, lentils, black beans, pinto beans, sprouted bread, Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Bananas, Apples, Watermelon,  (other fruits) VEGETABLES (Go local and organic as much as possible)-Go for as much color as possible! The wider the variety of color, the more vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and phytonutrients that you receive! Beets, Squash, broccoli, swiss chard, spinach, tomatoes, onions, garlic, red cabbage, kale, celery, zucchini, radish.

But How Much Do I Eat?! Those of you who know me, I usually craft meal plans that consist of measuring out how much you eat according to grams, cups, and oz of particular foods to meet your nutrient needs. However, I invite you to take a simpler approach. Especially in the beginning of your lifestyle change, the last thing you need is complexity! This is an approach that I have adopted and used from Dr. John Berardi, and it takes into account your body type. Here are some images below to depict the body type that you most likely possess. Each body type metabolizes and utilizes foods differently. So depending which body type and sex that you are , you can make appropriate decisions of how much of a certain nutrient you need to take in.

A Closer Look at Body Types I types: If you fall under this category you metabolize food very fast, you tolerate carbs well, and you have high energy. You have a hard time gaining weight V types: If you are here, your body is designed to be a powerful, athletic machine. Excess calories generally go into lean mass versus storage. You can gain muscle and lose fat easily. O types: Your metabolism is a little slower, you are carb sensitive, and excess calories are likely to be stored as fat. How do you portion out your meals for each body type? I'm glad you asked! This is a simple way to do it. This is based on 3-4 meals on non-workout days and 4-5 meals on workout days. If you are an I type Male: I type Female: V type Male: : V type Female: O type Male : O type Female:

There you have it folks!!! Incorporate this into your daily living and note how you feel! Stay tuned for next time where we talk about addressing nutrient deficiencies! Much Love,                      Sumair

Be Like Chinese Bamboo-Transform Your Life!

I came across an interesting parallel to growing and transforming your body. It came from a seemingly unexpected source. However, upon examining it, I began to realize that all processes are the same at their most fundamental root. So here goes.

Transforming your body is much like the growth of Chinese Bamboo. Once the seed has been sown, all the growth begins to occur underground. A complex root system is reaching upward and outward and is setting a strong foundation. After much time has elapsed (months to years), the bamboo shoots up to 25 meters!

Just like the bamboo's transformation starts with planting it's seed, YOU must do the same. AKA start by making the commitment to yourself, and BE-lieve in your grandest vision for yourself. Then water and feed that seed by cultivating lifestyle habits that serve the grandest vision you have for your body. This happens PROGRESSIVELY! Don't go about changing our life all at once.

When all the necessary changes happen internally, what you present externally to the world, will be the best version of yourself.

It doesn't happen over night folks. When in doubt, remember Chinese Bamboo.

Much love,
              Sumair

Eggs are BAD for you?!

The word out on the street is that whole eggs are bad for you! Consuming them causes cholesterol levels to rise which leads to coronary heart disease. STAY AWAY your doctor tells you. 

Not so fast my friend. It's time to bust some misconceptions and speak the truth! Because that's what we all deserve. It is our birthright! Okay enough ranting. Here goes:

Stay away from Egg Yolks! Just Eat the Egg Whites

The reality is that the yolk contains almost all of the nutrition. All the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes are here at the core of the food you are told to neglect. As a matter of fact, in order to digest food you need vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. So if you are just eating the egg whites, where is this coming from? Why is it that most people that consume egg whites have some serious gas? Well it's because they aren't able to digest the egg white protein without the supporting cast. You are having to pull from your own body to digest this food!

Take a look yourself (the chart represents chicken eggs). There are virtually no nutrients aside from just the protein in egg whites.

I may be so bold to even say that most Americans could fix a good amount of their nutrient deficiencies just by introducing whole eggs into their diets! Chicken eggs, Duck eggs (even more nutritious!), Goose Eggs (looking forward to trying these)....Have fun with it :). Seriously. 

Whole Eggs Cause High Cholesterol

Where did this cautionary saying start? The American Heart Association and The Mayo Clinic recommends a limit of 300 mg of cholesterol a day. After eating 2 eggs you have exceeded that the limit. What about all your other meals that contain cholesterol? Are you only to get your proteins from vegetables? Do you turn vegan? 

Here's a little secret. Eating foods that are high in cholesterol don't actually raise levels of cholesterol in your body. Your body doesn't work that way. You see, your body creates cholesterol on its own for the purpose of creating and releasing crucial hormones. Hormones are the traffic cops of much of what goes on in our body. They regulate our sleep/wake cycles, sex drive, energy levels, fat loss, building muscle, and even make up the integrity of our cell membranes. If you didn't have them, you would be a mess! Here's a refresher on hormones if you don't remember: http://www.lifestyletransformfit.blogspot.com/2013/05/losing-fat-and-building-muscle.html.

As a matter of fact our body produces 1-2 g of cholesterol in the body a day. That FAR exceeds what the recommended limit per day of 300 mg. So when you consume that yummy cholesterol, your body produces less cholesterol. Beyond this, if you consume less cholesterol from foods like eggs, your body produces more!

Confused? It's because your body has a set point for cholesterol in the body. It's like a thermostat that is largely determined by your genetics, level of exercise, and stress. Diet plays a small role in all of this.

But Doctors and Researchers are the ones who claim this!

Recent research have actually determined that high cholesterol foods aren't the culprit. They have dis-proven this myth over and over in controlled trials (the best kind of research). The medical community is just slow to catch up. I don't blame them, they have been advising their patients for years to stay away from eggs. They hold a very important position in peoples health! The last thing they would want is to admit that they are wrong.

(The only instance I would be weary of eating whole eggs are in diabetic populations and those who consume high levels of sugar and carbohydrates in their diets)

What do you get out of a whole egg anyway?

Egg yolks have 90 percent of the calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, B6, folate, pantothenic acid and B12 of the egg. In addition, the yolk contains vitamins A, D and E, not to mention the heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

They also contain choline, lutein and zeaxanthin. What's so cool about these?

Eating more Choline  means less inflammation, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimers, and more.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are the major antioxidants in eggs. They protect the eyes by filtering harmful light wavelengths and lowering risk of macular degeneration.

Bottom Line

Consumption of whole eggs don't cause high cholesterol and coronary heart disease. They are a great addition into your diet, provide you with some amazing nutrients, and taste delicious. 

**Just to be clear, I'm not saying you have to eat eggs every morning. I truly believe that variety is always best when it comes to your food, or anything in life for that matter!

Enjoy your Eggs!

Much love,

                  Sumair

I Can't Workout (Inspiring Story)!

How many reasons can you think of NOT to workout? Write them down. Alright, now how many reasons can you come up with TO workout?

If your list favors the "NOT"side, here is a little story that may change your perspective.

I was at Hyde Park Gym about to hit the platforms for some heavy deadlifts (I'm thinking man these are going to suck!). As I was getting mentally prepared, I noticed someone who seemed very different from the average member there. I first noticed his gaze and it was that of complete conviction and pure emotion. What I saw next came to me by surprise. As he turned towards the platform next to me, I saw that he had his right arm amputated (from the elbow down), and that there were straps that he had attached from his upper arm. At this point I'm thinking is he about to do deadlifts?! No way...

Low and behold, he strapped his right arm to the bar, got his left arm in position, preceded from a STRONG posture, and lifted 135 lbs for reps. At this point, I was in complete awe. Here I am thinking how deadlifts are going to suck, and here this man is rocking the hell out of the exercise with one arm! Not only that, he was completely independent in the gym, he knew which exercises he was going to do, and he moved with purpose.

I wanted to ask him about how he got to where he is, and how I admired his strength in the gym. Instead I sat, watched, and went off on what I like to call: My Own Mental Adventures. I began to think of the stories that he must have that led him to this point. I explored the pain he must have felt when he had his arm cut off. I went off on all sorts of tangents!

In the end, all of that didn't matter. I feel that him walking into the gym at the exact time that I was dreading deadlifts wasn't on accident. It was to teach me a valuable lesson. And I can summarize it in these few words: "Obstacles are what we see when we take our focus off the goal". As soon as I realized this, I turned to my obstacle (345lbs), kept my focus on completing that lift successfully, and imagined my musculature and nervous system adapting to become a stronger version of myself. I preceded from this space, and completed the lift with an inspired sense of vigor. I achieved a personal record for that lift!

I am eternally grateful for getting to watch this gentleman in the gym. He changed my outlook by being himself. It took courage and resilience to show up the way he did, and I can't help but admire that.

So now, I ask you to revisit your list and write down your goal with conviction and passion.

What is the emotional reason behind it all. Once you've done this, connect with that emotion every time you step into the gym/playground/trail/training session. Focus on that! Let it drive you to what you really want for your body. And last but not least....Remember the man with no arm.

Much love,
                 Sumair

Memento Mori-Remember your Mortality

With the current loss of of my brother, I have gained a lot of insights. One that screams the loudest at me is "Memento mori". It is a Latin term that originated in Ancient Rome used to remind us of the inevitability of death. Native Americans would shout, "It is a good day to die" before they went into battle as a reminder that they will leave everything out on that battlefield. No reservations. No regrets. Ever since, it has evolved into sayings like: "Live today as if there were no tomorrow". The list goes on and on.

I don't say this as a means to scare you. However, I do want to offer you a perspective that may be of use to you. Let's face it. The time we have here on earth is limited. The dreams, aspirations, and relationships we want to create have a time limit. So why do we put it all on hold? It's simple: FEAR.

Everything you do now can either be a result of fear or love. Your actions are a direct reflection of how you are BE-ing in every waking moment of your day. And sometimes it takes action in spite of fear to BE who you truly desire. Either way, the sooner we embrace the fact that we are afraid, the easier it is for us to do something about it.

Sumair's Invitation to YOU!




Ok so you are afraid. But what if I were to invite you to shift your perspective into the experience of life! Just like when we were children, almost everything was experiential. We put things in our mouth, climbed things,  grabbed things that were colorful, lit up when we saw monkey bars, and learned from it all. We learned what hurt us and what made us feel GOOOOOD. What changed? 




As we have matured, we have tacked on insecurities, old tales, myths, and societal conditioning. While some of it allows us to proceed with caution, the rest of it causes us to come to a complete standstill with life. 




So from now on, I invite you to embrace that intuitive wisdom that you've always had as children. Dip into the experience of EVERYTHING. Gain your own unique insights and share it with the world.




That goes for anything you desire to accomplish in this lifetime. From attaining the body you desire, creating your most vital self, being able to move with freedom, to pursuing the hell out of your dreams as a result.....Just start DO-ing. It doesn't have to be perfect. As long as you are moving in the direction that you desire, you'll get to where you want to be. 







Let's create the life we truly desire! It all starts with taking care of YOU.




Memento mori my friends.







Much love,

               Sumair

Losing Fat and Building Muscle- Understanding Hormones Part 2

First if you haven't read part 1, make sure you do so here: Building muscle and burning fat- Busting misconceptions Part 1.

I also want to preface this post by saying this:

I don't see fitness and health as a highly compartmentalized system of techniques and activities that we must perform to look sexy and lean. I look at the human body in terms of lifestyle optimization and human performance. I know..I know..it's easy to get caught up in the whole body image mindset. We have a culture that enforces a standard of "sexy-ness".

If we don't measure up to the six-pack, curves, cuts, striations, and angular physiques, a lot of us feel as though we are not good enough. On top of that, our environment is such that we have an abundance of food and a crap ton of luxuries to keep us comfortable. Not the most conducive towards looking or feeling good...atleast long-term. So why should we pursue our health, fitness, and wellness right? Does this sound familiar? : "what's the use", "it's so mainstream", "enjoy life, you only live once", "I don't feel confident when I step into a gym", " I live to eat" ...the excuses grow ever so creative and exponential lol.

So I invite you to ditch the image mindset for a few minutes. Instead, dip into the optimization of your human body so that you can FEEL energetic, strong, functional, sharp, clear, focused, and above all happy. The way you look will be your work of art. It displays what's going on internally. And that's psychological and physiological strength. That's your context. Let that precede any sort of body image goal. I don't expect everyone to adopt this view, however I do invite you to play with the idea.

So enough of the poetry and onto the HORMONES.

I left off the last post by saying that "You need to be able to optimize a favorable hormonal environment in the body for muscle gain and fat loss." You may be thinking..."well what does that even mean?!" Before I get into the how-to's, I want to get into the context of how our body works. Your internal physiology and psychology precede what people see on the outside. So here goes...

All the chemical reactions that occur in our bodies control our energy levels, fat storage, muscle building, growth/repair processes, and overall health. Collectively this is known as your metabolism. In order to not have all processes occurring in a chaotic fashion, our bodies need regulation and order. 

That's where your hormones come into play. Just as traffic cops direct the flow of traffic, your hormones direct the flow of your metabolic processes. The release of hormones are affected by lifestyle choices such as diet, activity level, exercise, sleep, rest, and stress. This is highly under our control! In essence, we can influence how these traffic regulators direct the flow of certain metabolic processes to obtain specific results. Yes genetics affect our metabolism to some extent, however it is not an excuse to relinquish all power towards it. 

But wait! It's not just calories in and calories out?!

On the most fundamental level, we know that if you want to lose body fat,  consume fewer calories than you expend. If you want to gain weight, consume more calories than you burn. However, what we may or may not know is that maintaining a calorie surplus or deficit does not guarantee the results we want. 

A calorie deficit could most certainly lead to a loss of lean muscle mass, and a calorie surplus could lead to a gain in unwanted fat instead of muscle. What is YOUR goal? How do you want to FEEL? Again, get clear on this before proceeding.

We are directed back to hormones (your traffic cops). These chemicals influence whether we are gaining fat or muscle mass and burning fat or muscle tissue. With that being said different hormones direct different types of metabolic processes in the body. There are some that are involved in directing growth and recovery, some that are involved in breakdown and energy utilization, and others that affect other hormones.  Still with me? Good. It gets clearer I promise.

Anabolic and Catabolic hormones

For the purposes of our discussion, lets talk about two primary types of hormones. Anabolic hormones drive growth and recovery, while catabolic hormones drive breakdown and energy utilization. One isn't far superior than the other, and the word breakdown doesn't mean your body is doomed. They just serve our body in different ways.

Anabolic hormones help deposit energy into the muscle tissue, liver, or fat cells, and drive activities of rebuilding, repairing, and growing. Catabolic hormones help extract energy from glycogen (stored carbohydrates), fat, or muscle (no bueno) to be utilized for various activities in the body. 

Keep in mind your body cannot perform both anabolic and catabolic processes at the same time. Sometimes we are building up and other times we are breaking down. There's always that polarity. However, understanding this concept and applying it to our goal of burning fat and building muscle allows us direct our traffic cops. 

Depending on the lifestyle choices we make, we are able to direct our hormones to drive muscle building and fat loss. 

How do we do that?!

STAY TUNED FOR THAT AND MUCH MORE IN PART 3-Lifestyle Optimization!

Much love,
                Sumair

How to burn fat AND put on muscle?-Part 1 Busting Misconceptions!

Every time I am approached by a new client, I am presented with a familiar goal. "I want to be more toned, lose weight, and have more muscle mass". Before I present you with some ideas and perspectives on how to accomplish this, I want to point out some misconceptions and pitfalls that often come about with the topic.

ESTABLISH A CLEAR GOAL

The terms used to describe most people's goals are either not clear or aren't specific enough to invoke an emotional drive. What do I mean by this? Whenever an emotion is attached to whatever we do, the amount of vigor and intention we drive into it is heightened. You can call it passion, you can call it enthusiasm.. I call it "The Get Shit Done" mentality. Try to think back to whenever you felt so driven to do something. Why did you want to do it? What did you FEEL? It is our feelings that direct our life. It's no different when it comes to your health, fitness, and wellness goals. It's another integral part of who you are and what you do.

So before you jump into changing your health, physique, and lifestyle, establish your WHY? Write it down, and put it somewhere you have daily access to. If you ever feel like you are lacking in "umph", remember why you started.

Now that we have cleared that up, lets tackle the 3 common guidelines you often hear to burn fat and put on muscle.

Calories in and Calories out dude...it's easy!

We hear it all the time. "Eat less" , "The amount of calories you consume have to be less than the calories you expend", and "Just eat salads...you'll lose weight". Weight from where? Muscle, fat, bone, water weight, or other lean tissue? The calories in and calories out model works for weight loss, but it doesn't account for where you are losing from. If you are wanting to put on precious muscle mass, using this model may just get you increasingly frustrated. Body composition goals are very much a hormone game. More on this later.

However, If you are considerably overweight and have a lot of body fat, using the calories in and calories out system can prove to be beneficial. You simply just need to drop weight. At least initially. However, it can also drive another person insane while they calculate numbers and stress out about how much or too little.

In all honesty, someone who does have a lot of fat to lose, should just focus on:

a) Walking. Just move. Aim to increase your distance each week, or even up your pace each week.
b) Eat less processed junk like sweets, candy, boxed items etc.
c) Stick to eating foods that are found in nature. eg. vegetables, proteins, and fruits.
d) Just eat less. You don't need a massive amount of calories or meals. You simply just need to eat less than you expend.

If you want to put on a lot of muscle, JUST EAT A BUNCH OF FOOD!

Yes, in order to put on a lot of muscle you need to be in a caloric surplus. However, it isn't just mindless foods. Being aware of where your macronutrients and micronutrients come from are crucial! It's not like you go to town on buffets and junk food every day...and voila! Striations, cuts, and definition!

The amount of sweeteners, artificial ingredients, preservatives, and processing will only make it harder for your digestive system to handle the food. Not only this, you will just end up with Puffy Muscle Syndrome (P.M.S for short).

Picking foods that are nutrient dense (AKA packed with vitamins and minerals), will allow you to digest, absorb, assimilate, and eliminate your food efficiently. You want the nutrients to go where it is needed. We don't need excessive stored energy in the form of fat.

Just do a bunch of cardio!

Cardiovascular training is a great modality of training to elevate the heart rate, increase your metabolism, and release good-feeling chemicals in your body (endorphins). It also helps lower our risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. It's a great way to burn fat and calories, however you can also lose muscle. Especially, if this is your dominant form of exercise.

With too much cardio, our body begins to think "oh snap, all of our fuel reserves are being burned up...I won't have anymore to sustain normal bodily function... I need this precious fuel...I'm going to have to appoint you muscles to be sacrificed, so I can maintain the fuel reserves in my body!" It doesn't know what you are wanting to accomplish. It is only responding to the stimuli you provide it. If muscles had a consciousness...lol. 

So yes, you can burn a good amount of fat with cardio, but to truly gain the "tone definition, and muscularity", you are looking for, it can't be your only way to train.

To the right are both examples of high intensity/resistance training and low intensity/long distance cardio . The difference lies in the types of muscles trained. The long distance runner trains primarily slow-twitch endurance fibers, and the sprinter trains fast-twitch explosive muscle fibers. These are two extremes. However it paints a good of picture of what kind of training style you want to lean towards, in order to achieve the results you are wanting.

Now that we have covered three common misconceptions, you should be ready to explore this a little further.

So what do you do?!?

You need to be able to optimize a favorable hormonal environment in the body for muscle gain and fat loss.

What does that even mean?!

Stay tuned for part 2 to find out more about hormones!

In health,

           Sumair

We have a disconnected relationship with movement!

MOVE!!!! We are designed to.

As defined by culture, exercise seems to be an "extracurricular" activity that the abnormal partake in during planned times of the day. Yes, I said abnormal. Not to mean something is wrong with this group. What I do mean is that these people make up a small part of the population that engages in the one activity that we are designed to do. MOVE.

Our human anatomy and physiology are a testament to this. We have limbs that have built within it a strong power of intention. When this intention is activated via our central nervous system, we are able to lunge, squat, throw, push, pull, twist, extend, and manipulate objects in our immediate environment. What's more is that our metabolic systems are made to consume energy and convert it into a form that we can use to move. Our heart pumps blood to essential parts of our bodies, our lungs exchange air, our endocrine systems regulate hormone production, and our musculoskeletal system provides integrity and structure for all processes to operate. Everything down to the most fundamental process supports movement, and yet we have lost touch with this. We have a strange relationship with our bodies. So disconnected. So out of control.

Lets back it up from the science and take a look into your childhood. Do you remember when you were 5 years old? When you saw that playground and thought I'm going to go to town on these monkey bars! Ok maybe you didn't think that. But you felt that.Your whole body gravitated towards the slides, the bars, the seesaws, and ladders. There was no thought. Just an intuitive sense to experience the world through playing.

Even further than that, take a walk down into our primal ancestry. We walked to travel, ran, hunted and gathered, labored, fought, and had sex. If we didn't move to perform these activities, we died. Our genes didn't survive to be passed along to the next generation. It was abnormal to be overweight, sedentary, or to have faulty posture and muscular imbalances.

The times sure have changed. The normal is the overweight, sedentary, and faulty postured individual. We no longer possess the control and empowerment over our bodies. Culture has shaped our society to where everything is convenient. There is no demand for movement. At least not until we develop "dis"-ease, or "dys"-function. The infamous use it or lose it reverberates in my mind as I write this. Lose it, and slip into depression, loss of vitality, fogginess, loss of function, and pain. Engage in it, and maintain the capacity to pursue what you really want in life.

Want to travel? Want to play with your kids? Play that sport you love? Hang out with friends? Pursue your dreams and passions? Exist?

MOVE.

much love,
              Sumair

Drop what you're doing and take care of yourself!

"The greatest wealth is health"-Virgil

We live in a culture where going a 100% all the time is rewarded. If you stop, you are missing out on doing the next BIG thing. We hear things like "I was working all night on this project....I got it done though!", "Man I'm busy!", "I don't think I have time, I have too much to do", " I don't have time to eat...or workout... I already do enough!". The question is enough of what? Is it the endless To-Do list that we have created for ourselves? The consistent giving to our families, friends, bosses, careers, and loved ones?

We get to a point where we have nothing left to give. There's all this energy going outward, but less and less directed towards building ourselves up. We need energy going inward to continue giving and contributing to the world around us. I'm not just talking about taking in energy through food, but also the simple act of breathing. Breathing into the things we enjoy and breathing out into physical movements our body is designed for. Lets not forget stretching and relaxing into the recovery that we need to keep moving forward. That's key!

Don't get me wrong. There's a time and place for massive action in our lives. Especially, when you are stagnant and not growing as a person. However, there is a time for tending to our own health and well-being. So DROP what you are doing right now. Yes you. Drop into the subjective sensation of what your body feels like right now. If you feel sick, tired, depressed, and unmotivated, take a step back. Re-evaluate how you are prioritizing your life.

Is it your family, work, and others that come first? It's not all these external factors that come first. It's you. You need to be there for yourself before you can be there for the world!

Here are some steps to prioritizing your health and feeling more like yourself:

1) Whether it is meditation, going on vacation, spending time with your hobbies, or trying something new, do something you enjoy at least once a week.

2) Start going to the grocery store more often and spend less time eating out. When you get there, spend more time shopping around the perimeter of the store rather than the middle aisles.

3) Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). If you live in and around the Austin area check out CSA to get in on an awesome health investment

4) Develop a workout routine or consult a professional that can help you develop one safely and effectively. Check out my new webpage to find out more: Lifestyle Transformation Fitness.

5) Find 5-10 mins to stretch during your day. If not, then stretch while you are at work and be conscious of your posture! Faulty posture leads to muscular imbalances and the infamous "I feel tight" comment.

6) Surround yourself with people that maintain a positive atmosphere and support you in your journey to being a healthier version of yourself.

7) Sleep at least 6-8 hours a night. Make it a habit and set a time where you shut your laptop off, minimize the light in your house, and just catch some ZZzzzzs.

Remember before you start finding the next thing to do: You are not your job, you are not the car you drive, and you are not the contents of your wallet. The best person you can be is when your mind and body are in sync. When you health is your greatest wealth. When everyone can be around you because you are yourself.

Much love,
              Sumair

So I'm about to do this juice cleanse!

So we hear about it all the time: "Yo man, I'm about to do this juice cleanse. Ugh, I don't know if I can do it, but I think it will be good for me....I bet the toilet and I will become well acquainted."

To confirm: Yes you will be well acquainted with the toilet. Yes it can be a tremendously healing and detoxifying experience.

The times have changed. We don't eat, move, or lead a life like that of our ancestors. We have UN-wilded into an explosion of processing and convenience. In some ways, it has benefited us, but when it comes to what we consume, I would debate otherwise.

There are foods that are packaged in boxes with ingredients that are barely pronounceable, let alone comprehensible. What we call meat has been genetically modified several times, that I question what mystery food we are really eating. Our vegetables have been sprayed with pesticides with the expectation that it is safe to consume for human beings.

Unconsciously, we are consuming foreign materials that are bodies aren't meant to digest, absorb, and assimilate. Our body talks to us by presenting symptoms like elevated liver enzymes, indigestion, sugar crashes, bloating, mucus, inflammation, and the difficulty of losing "pesky" fat. However, it's often ignored and chalked up to "oh that's just the way it is"....
It doesn't have to be.

So what does this have to do with juice cleansing? Well the consumption of conventionally farmed and processed foods have led to us accumulating toxins, waste, and  harmful microorganisms that are now residing in our colon and our fat cells.  It's one of the many reasons we don't feel at our best. This is where someone begins to think about juice cleansing. It's a way to clean out our colon, infuse our body with nutrients rich in vitamins and minerals, and clean out our fat cells so that there is room to actually use fat efficiently for energy ("burning the fat"). However, it doesn't have to be a pure juice fast. As a matter of fact, I feel as though integrating whole foods, juices, and smoothies are a great way to "cleanse" your body. I believe it is a more complete and balanced way of re-vitalizing our bodies. You don't exclude nutrients. Integrate.

OR as I like to call it:  RE-WILDING our nutrition closer to that of our ancestors.

Some of my daily "cleansing habits" :

1) Drinking a liter of water in the morning with some lemon.

2) Drinking a green smoothie consisting of:

Recipe

-Handful of organic spinach
-Cucumber slices (half the cucumber chopped)
-1 tablespoon of coconut oil
-1 frozen banana
-1/4 cup of blueberries
-1 Tablespoon of local honey

Don't let the green-ness throw you off. You can barely taste it. Instead, it ends up being really enjoyable and energizing!

3) Getting some form of vegetables with every meal. One way to make sure that you are eating clean and fresh vegetables is by joining a CSA (community supported agriculture). I just joined my co-worker, Bekki Callaway's CSA and its a great investment into my health. It provides a really convenient way of ensuring that I get a variety of fresh and local vegetables every week. To find out more, visit Join a CSA!

4) Picking meats that are from grass-fed, non-antibiotic/hormone fed, humanely treated, cage-free, or wild sources.

5) Eating grains or other carbohydrates that aren't refined, modified, or bleached. Organic brown rice, quinoa, or sweet potatoes are great options.

These are just some ways you can keep your body functioning at an optimal level. If you want more ideas about whole food, juicing, or smoothie cleansing check out my friend Tanuja's page from  The Love Your Body Project.

Also we will be collaborating on a tele-seminar April 16th (free of charge!) that will help you discover the secret to knowing how to consume foods that are best for your body, how to move and exercise in ways that are suitable for you, and how to manage your overall health from a well-rounded and complete perspective! The information is truly invaluable.

To sign up click the link below:

The Secret To Intuitive Wellness  . I look forward to seeing all of you there!


Much Love,
                 Sumair

Don't let fear be an excuse for IN-action.

"Decision is the ultimate power" -Tony Robbins

In the face of new experiences or uncomfortable change, the human body seeks patterns of comfort and safety. It's almost like a computer program that automatically turns on when we get confronted with the brand new stimulus. It can be a new job, a new relationship, a lifestyle change, a nutritional change, or a new movement that looks scary as hell. It can look something like this:

Client overcoming her fear (one of my favorite moments) :)

Client: "There's no way... You better stand there...or someone better stand right there"
Me: "Focus on the movement. Arms back, hips tucked back, knees bent, chest up. You got this!" 

"Shit here we go...."                                              














                                                                                                                           

                                                                        

"Did you see that?!"

It's a funny thing though. I remember as a child, I'd be fascinated by things or experiences I hadn't seen before. It's like I ran towards those things with full resolve to pique my infinite curiosity. "The colors!.. that looks funny..I want to be able to do that... I want to try!" Sound familiar? Maybe its the kid you noticed on the playground trying new things that their parents didn't approve of. Maybe it's your child. Maybe it was you, once upon a time.


We are told to be careful, to be calculated, proceed with caution..insert precautionary disclaimer here _____________. Yes, I agree there is an element of assessing your options, and making sure you are being safe in the process. But, when did that become a reason to not act at all. I feel as though the more we calculate, the more we assess, and the more possibilities we run in our mind, the element of the unknown becomes apparent...FAST. The unknown is scary. I admit, I fear the unknown too. Heck I feared judgment for even writing this post. However, I know what waits on the other side is the opportunity to grow. The opportunity to self-actualize into a better version of yourself. That's more inspiring to me than any fear or challenge. Don't get me wrong, I still feel the fear, but the difference is acknowledging that its there. Realizing that however rational or irrational it may seem, it exists for a reason.

Let me paint a physiological picture: New opportunity is presented-->

You feel your heart beat a little faster, you feel your skin getting a little warmer, and you feel your muscles tense up. It's like your body is getting ready for something.

It's like kid president says "you got air comin' through your lungs! You got a heart beat...It means it's time to DO something" (If you don't know who kid president is, look him up on youtube. I guarantee you will be inspired!)

Whatever that something is, you have a choice. As a matter of fact we ALWAYS have a choice. You are choosing to read this blog post right now. You could have looked at the title and said....naw I don't want to see what this is about. But, I'm glad you decided to read on and give this post a chance.

You can either RUN like hell, or use your heightened physiology to change your mindset, change the way you eat, change the way you move, and transform your life! The decision is yours.




Much love,
               Sumair

ABOUT ME

My name is Sumair Bhasin. As you can see in the picture below, I am always working on being the best, most optimal, and strongest version of myself.

Through hours of studying, application, experiencing different diets, playing with concepts, and moving in ways I thought never possible, I've immersed myself in the health/wellness field for over 10 years. I've always had an affinity for movement, human physiology, and the mind. The fact that I am sitting here writing this fascinates me. I begin to think about  the intricate movements of my fingers and the overarching central command of my mind and spirit.

These are the seemingly inconsequential things that I think about. As a matter of fact, everything about our human existence interests me. Some may find it weird. I find it awesome.

The purpose of this blog is simple. It is a medium in which I choose to share my ideas and experiences to help you become the best, most optimal, and strongest version of YOURSELF.

Being healthy goes beyond just "exercising" and movement. The body is deeper than that. We are fully integrated organisms comprised of connected and co-dependent systems. The circulatory system, digestive system, nervous system, our mind, and spirit are all connected. They are actually communicating to each other right now as you are reading this post. 

So I invite you to see your body as a whole rather than segmented parts. From that space, I want to help you  build intuitive relationships with yourself and people around you, have more clarity, be energetic, feel vital, be fit, experience the world more, take care of you and the people around you, and run after your passions like your life depended on it. Because it does.

This is a holistic and complete way of looking at health and well-being. I don't expect everyone to agree with me. However, I am open to other ideas, suggestions, and perspectives. It helps me grow as a person and fosters a community where people can do the same.

Why should you listen to me?

Everything that I talk about are things that I have experienced or are currently putting into practice. I don't just preach, but I walk the walk every day. I'm currently a personal trainer, I have an M.ed in Exercise Physiology,  I am a health and wellness coach, a health NUT, a personal development devotee, and a lover of LIFE!

It is important for me not to play small and help people only in my community, but to help as many people as possible. If even one person is inspired by the information I provide, then I have done my job.

I have a big vision...

I want to build a community of people who want to optimize their human potential. My hope is that this will liberate others to do the same!

So I invite you to join me in this journey, share your experiences, and transform your life!

Sumair Bhasin

Holistic Health/Wellness coach

ACE certified Personal trainer

Med Exercise Physiology