Add Cold Conditions to Your Fitness Routine

Cold conditions aren't necessarily fun when we think about it. All we want to do is bundle up and stay warm. Its our first protective instinct as a human being. However, I'm here to introduce to you, considering you aren't aware, of how cold conditions can actually be good for you. I decided to write about this since I'm asked all the time why I take my morning fasted cardio or interval sessions outside when its cold, or what a contrast shower is and why do I add them to my lifestyle. I research and apply everything I learn before sharing it with others. I love and believe in credible research and application because it gives me the ability to use it long enough to see if it works. It's after I've done it that I can pass it along. Knowledge is power but only when you apply it.

Here's my reason for cold condition training:

Taking your workout outside can be extremely beneficial to you when its cold and here is why; we have 2 different fat tissues. Adipose tissue (better known as the white or outer layer of fat), which contains a single lipid droplet and then there is brown fat. Brown fat is located deeper in the adult body in the chest and neck area and uses calories from adipose tissue (white fat) to burn it. The reason it’s brown due to the increased fat cells and number of iron containing mitochondria. Its primary function is to generate body heat in animals or newborns that do not shiver, but works in adults as well when its cold. The brown fat is activated and is burned off to help keep us warm which increases the fat we burn in total. Want more fat burn? Take your workouts to the cold outdoors!

It works the same with taking straight cold or contrast showers after training! Just be careful with contrast showers because when you begin, your lymph system is not used to it, and is affected negatively if you don't slowly introduce yourself to them by alternating warm first, then cool and once you can handle that, you can go into very cold and very hot. A contrast shower works best when you use the extremes of both temperatures, so be careful both when starting out and once you're advanced. The intervals of a contrast shower are usually 4-6, thirty second intervals (you can find articles all over the internet about different timing and intervals). I'm a sucker for a contrast shower sometimes after my fasted morning LISS (Low Intensity Steady State) cardio sessions, but especially after my intense workout later in the day.

With a contrast shower, there is an increase in blood circulation, which helps in the detox process by increasing the excretion of metabolic and cellular waste from the body. It can also help in transporting the nutrients and oxygen to the damaged tissues and activate the brown fat I discussed above. Contrast showers also increase the number of white blood cells. It is part of a skin cleansing process. There are also recovery benefits from contrast showers. It helps speed up the process of healing the muscles in the body after they've been broken down from training. There are tons of reasons for cold conditioning or a contrast shower but I'm sure you get the picture.

It’s not recommended for everyone. If you're asthmatic (I am but its not severe enough to affect me anymore), have active autoimmune disease, inflammation, cardiovascular issues, pregnant, temperature insensitive, weak feeling or otherwise feel awful after doing so, do not take a contrast shower! You can always ask a specialist if you would like to introduce them to your routine. Just be sure its safe for you and enjoy the cold conditions!

The Body Loves Muscle

Picture big enough? Good. It should be. That's the point of hard work. That you can see it. Anyone who has to work hard to keep fat off their body deserves blown up photos of themselves. Why? Because it's a constant reminder of how bad you wanted it and how hard you worked your ass off to get it. 

One of the most annoying phrases to me? "The body LOVES muscle." I'm sorry; it does? Interesting. Now I'm not sugar coating any of this so if you're sensitive to foul language, close this out now. If the body loves muscle so much, why does it store fat over muscle when we eat whatever we want? Why does the body eat the muscle when one is in starvation mode or eat muscle in marathon runners or chronic cardio idiots for fuel during a session because they don't have guidance to fuel properly? Is 'idiot' too brutal? Oh well. I can speak on that. I've been there. I've been the chronic cardio idiot. Don't get me wrong, if there is a goal for endurance, heart health or you're training for something that requires long drawn out cardio sessions, by all means; proceed. But when it comes to fat loss; Hell No!! 

If the body loved muscle so much, I highly doubt there would be an obesity epidemic. I'm pretty sure there would be a muscle bulking epidemic and because the human eye LOVES the look of a toned body, it would be encouraged. If bullshit fast food increased muscle mass without working out or counting macros and calories, you can bet gyms would never exist. There is a genius for whoever coined the name 'Fast Food'. Remove the 'S' and you have 'Fat Food'. 

There are many people out there who were born "lucky" or "blessed" you could say. And instead of calling them mean names because of their great physique, one can simply use the more common name; ectomorph or "hard gainer" as more universally known. These people cannot gain a damn thing and seem to get away with anything they want in as much quantities as they want. That sure as shit doesn't mean they're healthy inside. Do you ever wonder how they smell when they sweat? Do you know how many toxins are pouring out of their pores because of what they consume? Yeah, it's disgusting. Now not ALL of them do this. There are a lot of ectomorphic people who care about their health and take care of it by eating healthy, so don't get all Dr. Phil on me and start reprimanding me if you're a healthy hard gainer. Kudos!

Here is my point. I have worked very hard to lose fat, and still do. I have also worked very hard to gain muscle in my body, and still do. I can't stop. Why? I'm a "blessed" mesomorph. I was never a skinny or lean child. I wasn't born with those lean blessings. A mesomorph means I lose and gain weight easily so I have to pay attention to what I eat, how much of it I eat and make sure my macros are split they way they need to be for my body to shed fat. The body doesn't LOVE muscle. The body NEEDS muscle. There's a difference. We need it because it's the protective tissue for the skeletal structure, organs and joints. We need it because we need strength to be able to function and move on a daily basis. The body LOVES fat because body fat is essential for the healthy functioning of our body. Fat is important to the body because it transports fat-soluable vitamins A, D, E, and K which are imperative to our health. Fat is also a great shock absorber. Many athletes don't want extremely low percentages of fat levels because the fat helps protect their body during competition, but there are those who go to extremes to keep it low for whatever their goal is or have to for a career that requires it. Fat also serves as "human insulation" and helps regulate body temperature. It's what's stored when you don't pay attention to excessive amounts of what you're eating and drinking. It's what is stored after the body eats your muscle in starvation mode, a chronic cardio routine or even during sleep. 

You should get the picture by now. So the next time someone tells you "the body LOVES muscle" call bullshit. They have no idea what they're talking about. 

Ashley McTucker AFPA Certified Personal Trainer and Nutritional Consultant

Take Your Loss to the Gym

There is nothing more difficult than the loss of someone, something or loss of self. Whether its a relationship, a job, a pet, self worth, dignity or the physical death of a person you love. It doesn't matter what the loss is; a loss is a loss and its painful. They all come in different forms of pain and grief. We all experience different emotions when we endure one of these life's many trials, but it's how we decide to push through that makes us stronger and keeps our "chin up" through the coming days.

I recently took a great loss. My Grandma, Gloria Baker, was someone in my life I was very close to. Not one of those average "oh I HAVE to go see my grandma" scenario's where most people; kids, teenagers and even adults, take for granted who they HAVE to go see.  It was a privilege for me to be able to pick up the phone and call her weekly. It was a privilege when I got the chance to see her on Holiday's or whenever I drove up from Vegas to visit my family and friends. See my Grandma wasn't a chore. She was a blessing and an amazing one at that. I could talk to her about absolutely anything I wanted; she never lied or misguided me. She was the Grandma I could always count on to make any situation lighter with her laughter, her humor, her ability to scream louder than a drill sergeant when the 49ers were losing a football game or even making a touchdown. She was the LIFE of the party at every family gathering. For me, it wasn't "I HAVE to" it was "I GET to". Something I believe and know that people take for granted. Are you getting the picture?

When we take a loss, as I said above; its not how we experience the pain, its how we make it through. I'm a health and fitness fanatic. Everyone knows that. So for me, there is nothing more satisfying to my daily routine than getting into the gym. No matter what I'm going through, I ALWAYS want to be there. And I'm not talking about your average hamster wheel spinner, your chronic cardio buff or whatever name you call it. I'm not interested in getting nowhere on a cardio machine. 

For me, its the iron I want. There is something to be said about that cold weight room when you walk in, emotion after emotion rolling through your body like an electrical current, waiting to be ignited. Its the feeling of being put in check when I step to those plates; knowing I will walk out of there a defeated happy mess. Defeated? Yep. I said: defeated. The iron ALWAYS wins. I can take any aggression out on it any time I want. I can push, press, pull, lift, curl and throw myself into the iron and no matter what, I still cannot defeat what just gets heavier and heavier with each exhausting repetition, each set that goes by; I am being defeated. The iron doesn't lie to me, it doesn't give into my problems, it doesn't care about my fears or sorrows. Its just there to release upon it the force of emotions I have inside when I'm ready. It doesn't move without me, but it always wins. 

Since before and after losing my Grandma- and many many others in between, this is my 2nd home. This is where I know I can SHUT UP AND LIFT! If I want to be left alone? Gym. If I wanna be aggressive? Gym. If I wanna beat the crap out of someone? Gym. If I took a loss? Gym. Whatever the reason may be, you can find me in the gym. I am there; giving it my ALL and fighting myself until I can't be fought anymore. I am there to leave every emotion on the ground and walk out defeated. There isn't a comfort food in the world that can leave you feeling defeated and happy at the same time.  If you have yet to experience what I'm talking about, GET YOUR ASS TO THE GYM. If you do it right, you'll walk out defeated; happy.

DO YOU EVEN LIFT???

The Diversity of Fitmark Bags

     Have you ever gone on a trip, stayed in a hotel/motel and realized you forgot your shampoo & conditioner at home? I have. Many times! Then it clicks... "I get to look forward to using one of the same old boring, nasty scented shampoo & conditioner the hotel offers". FANTASTIC! You know what I'm talking about. The ONLY 3 options you're given: 

•Dead Sea Air

•Citrus

•Melted Plastic

The only difference? The label. That's it. Not a damn thing to look forward to and no diversity in scent at all. That screams cheap to me. Of course considering how many different people they cater to, the budget does't necessarily allow for so many options at every hotel.

     So now you're wondering, what in the world do shampoo and conditioner have to do with a backpack? Its simple. Every single backpack that's been created has had the same boring theme, along with the same uncomfortable material and backing:

A few compartments, plain stitching, plain colors, oversized or too small, and treated like a punching bag; abused, thrashed and tattered. Not only are those traits a turn off but just looking at one stabs me in the back. I remember  all of Junior High through the end of High School carrying those uncomfortable backpacks where when you put your books in it and threw it on, you're guaranteed to be stabbed by the corner of the books through the bag. Eww. 

     So why did I choose the Fitmark Black Velocity and why do I talk about Fitmark bags ALL THE TIME?? To make it simple: quality, diversity, class; originality. I will only use products the creators themselves use. Why? Because I know that if the creator uses it, its without question good and its not just someone looking to make another dollar. This person believes in what they've created and if it works for them, there would be no reason they wouldn't want it to work for anyone else.

     I saw in Fitmark the same dedication to making the BEST products possible with the highest quality everything, that I saw in previous ventures my current boss, had previously embarked on. I knew that what he had created would be classy, stylish and diverse. 

     From the many different compartments, clean and precise stitching, original colors, advanced materials, the comfort of the backing of the backpacks down to the insulated water bottle holder and choice of 1 or 2 straps, I saw in Fitmark what other companies don't put into theirs; effort. Effort to make something that can suit anyone who carries any form of luggage, even when you're dressing up to go out. Effort to make sure the bag represents the lifestyle of anyone. Effort to be sure that with everything these bags represent, they would make a difference in the gym luggage and backpacking community by being diverse and breaking from the boring, expected bags that every single company creates. 

     That is why I choose Fitmark.