Change your lifestyle for YOURSELF!!!! Don’t Worry What Others Think!!!!

On Friday, I had a great conversation with some people at my daily workplace.

They were asking me what I did to lose so much weight and get fit. I told them that I started slow with my comeback into a healthier lifestyle. I started slow: lots of stretching to get my flexibility and stability back, throw in some stability abdominal work (because I am not worried about having a “six-pack,” just a strong core and lower back), strength training, cardiovascular strength condition (for my farm work at home), and lots of yoga.

They looked at me like I was crazy. Yoga? Cross-training?

I told them when I go to the gym or workout outside, I do not give a flip what people think of what I am doing. When I first started back into this lifestyle, I did water aerobics, yoga classes, spin classes, etc. to get into shape for what I really want to do, Pure Unadulterated Strength and Conditioning. I took baby steps… started out with the bar (45 lbs) with most exercises. I still do not do pullups, I do reverse rows on a TRX system. I use a  bosu ball for instability. I do different types of pullups and hand positions to keep my body guessing.

Lots of people are saying keep the body guessing for moving forward. That’s true, at home I have farm work, that is not something easy for someone who grew up in a city.  Its always different. It takes strength and conditioning to do the work.

I want to be a healthy example for my family, I want to be around for a long time and be functional during my life. That is why I work out…. and I don’t care what people think when I am at the gym. I workout for myself and my family. That is what matters, nothing else. Be All YOU Can and Want To Be. Once you figure out what you want, make a plan to get there.

#poweroftheearthfitness

Life Happens in a flash.

Life, life can happen in a flash.

 

I was trying to mow some grass after work before the fireworks on 4th of July. I did not have any gas for my mower, so I drove the half mile to the gas station.I strap the gas tanks in the back of the truck. I was on my way back trying to take the left hand turn into our driveway off the busy highway. Traffic was coming the other direction, so I waited.

My family has a gameplan because there is a nasty turn that is behind where we have to turn into our driveway. If any one is coming up from behind and not going to stop, we drive forward and turn around at the next store.

As I was sitting there, I was looking in the rearview mirror, there was a tow truck changing lanes behind me to miss me. I look to see if I can turn and look back at the mirror, and there is a gold minivan about ten feet behind me not stopping.

I take my foot off the brake, I tried to put the truck into first gear…. BAM

I get shoot forward about 30 yards. My truck stops dead, I can’t drive forward, the van drives off.

I exit the vehicle, get the gas cans out of the bed and put them on the side of the road. Most what happens next is a blurr. I get taken to the hospital for whiplash and my shoulder that is killing me.

 

Why am I telling you this?

 

You must be prepared for anything. In life, one must have plans. When I used to fight in mixed martial arts and wrestled, I had gameplans. When you are training for a healthier life, you must have a plan, and a back up plan, and another back up plan for your back up plan.

 

Why? Life happens, you hurt yourself, you go on a business trip, family happens, and etc. I was powerlifting for the past ten years, now with a hurt shoulder and my posture being affected, I must change how I workout. I cannot do chest or shoulder exercises. I am having to do a pause at the concentration part of the exercise to get my posture and stability muscles back together.

 

I will be going back and forth from my pause workouts and my powerlifting workouts (after I get cleared from the physical therapist).

 

What kind of plans do you have for your healthy life? I can help you with that!

#poweroftheearthfitness

Real World Training: What are you training for and how are you going to accomplish your goal?

What are you training for? Your health? Yourself? Your family? High blood pressure? Bad Cholesterol? Lift your truck? Be able to do something without feeling like you are dying?

 

Let’s get real for a minute. What are you training for? That must be something you have to ask yourself and write it down. That is your long term goal. Mine is to be able to lift 600 on deadlifts, 500 on squats, 450 on bench, and 350 on shoulder press. Why? might you ask. I want to be strong enough to lift the end of my truck if it were to get stuck in the snow again. That was such a pain. Now, that can coinside with my farming life as well.

I have to feed animals while heaving 50 lb bags of feed, bales of hay, and lots of mowing. I am also practicing for hiking, since I live in the beautiful Smoky Mountains. I want to make these things easy for myself rather than feeling like I am dying. I also have been diagnosed with high blood pressure and I always show up as morbidly obese. Now, the morbidly obese thing? I am not sweating this too much because I am a power lifter. I am 6-0 and 260. But I am moving around with about 18% body fat.

 

I am on the path of losing body fat and gaining as much muscle as possible. I am not a body builder. I am looking for making myself strong and healthy.

Now, what about you? What are you training for?

Grand Opening for Fitness! Limited times and pricing available!

 Are you looking for

Real World Fitness?
Real World Strength?

What happens to you when you are put in a situation that needs you to be engaged physically or mentally?

As we get older, we tend to get less mobile and lose strength.

Men, have you had that moment where you could not do something and felt like you let your wife/girlfriend/family down?

I have the solution to that:
I can move a tractor, deadlift a dead llama, and walk mow in rough terrain. I can do all of this and keep going. How?

I train for real world situations that come up in my life. You may not need to move a llama, but what if your car was stuck and you needed to push it a foot? What if someone fell or got stuck and you needed to carry them? What if a dresser fell over and you had to hold it so it would not fall for a short time? Could you do those things? I can get you there, no matter your current strength, fitness, or experience.

It all matters with how and what you train. I will get you overall strength, better agility, and more confidence than you have had in years!

I have open times for personal training available.

I am able to meet with you at your residence, gym of your choice, or with me at my gym.

I have limited open times available and multiple price packages available now!

Email me at sebeck.liberty@gmail.com
or
Text/call 865-548-1814

#poweroftheearthfitness

Low testosterone? Prescription Meds? No, heavy workouts!

I was diagnosed as low T about three years ago. I figured that I was getting older and that just happens. I was also diagnosed with low cholesterol and overweight. I was working a desk job and I was on the phone for about 10 hours a day. I only worked out about 3 days a week for about 30 minutes because I had to workout on my lunch break. I was going downhill quickly, health wise.

 

I had a terrible reaction to the meds my doctor put me on. I got really sick with liver issues and migraines. I had to go to the emergency room. It was bad, my liver was shutting down and they had to get me on different meds to fix what the meds my doctor was giving me….. see a pattern?

 

I decided to just stay on my blood pressure medicine and change my life. I changed jobs so I wasn’t living under so much pressure, made sure I workout the way I need to, and make sure I changed my diet.

 

I made these changes in a way that helped my testosterone. I got a job that was something I enjoy. It is so not as soul sucking as the last one. I feel better when I get home and I am not stressing out as much.

 

I changed my diet so that I was eating no gluten, fresh vegetables and fruits, and leaner meats. This is huge! Making myself enjoy new, healthier foods! Make sure that I eat proper portions and vary the type of food I am eating. I did add a generic testosterone supplement that I take one pill in the morning and evening.

 

The most important thing was the lifting. I changed to Dinosaur Training that makes me lift heavy weight. This is done from progressively increasing weight as I go along. I started out lifting an empty bar. I have worked to be stronger than I ever have been. I have tweaked my workouts slightly because I have needed to get back into fighting shape. I have added cardiovascular work that is similar to mixed martial arts.

 

I now have normal levels of testosterone and feel better than I have in years. I lift hard and heavy and can help you do the same. My body looks better than it has since high school and my energy level is almost through the roof.
What are your thoughts on Low T? or just body image in general?

Time is on your side……

I am a bit of a freak to some people; I like to workout in the morning.Why?, you might ask, would I subject myself to that first thing in the morning.

I feel great in the morning when there are just a few people around. I usually like the people who workout in the morning. They are there when they really do not have to be or because that is the only time they can be in the gym because of their own situation. I find I am the most motivated in the A.M.

I also live on a farm with goats, llamas, chickens, dogs, horses, and cats. When the Sun comes up, it is feeding time. If you dream of sleeping in, someone is going to let you know it is time to eat! So I am up in the morning anyways, already a cup or two deep in the caffeine.

 

It all really started when I was a kid, I had to ride to school with my dad. School started at 845 A.M. in my hometown. Problem is, my dad went to work at 5 A.M. I had to pass the time and, per my dad, best way to pass time is to work. He owned an office supply store so he dealt with copy paper, furniture, miscellaneous office supply, computers, etc. Those all were delivered on semi-trucks. He did not have any loading dock except for a double door and there was only one forklift: me and a dollie.

 

Paper, Paper, Paper

 

So, while my dad was drinking coffee and setting up the next deliveries with the driver, I was unloading the trucks, by hand. First truck was furniture at 530 A.M. The second was office supply at 630 A.M. The last truck was the worst, 7 A.M. was the paper truck. I hated that one. I had to carry two boxes of paper at a time to the end of the truck so I can put them on the dollie. Farmer walking the boxes of, at least, a half full trailer. This all had to be done by the 730 A.M. so I could get to school and shower before school. I started this at 10 years old.

 

I thought when I joined the wrestling team, I would get out of it because we had morning weight training. Well, the truck drivers and my dad were more than willing to accommodate my schedule by starting at 430 A.M. so I could be at the gym at 7A.M. I did this until I was 18 years old when I was allowed to drive myself to school. Guess what? I still did some work in the mornings when I needed some extra cash.

 

That is why I love doing legs and back training. That is what I did: deadlifts, squats, farmer walks, and shrugs. Carrying heavy, awkward stuff. That is what makes you strong and injury proof. I have only had one major injury in my life and that was because I was full of **** and vinegar as a teenager. I did not listen to my body, I was invincible. Alas, I was not. I still have a nagging shoulder injury that required spare parts from a cadaver. It seems my shoulder, back, and legs like the mornings, there has not been the needs of the day pressed upon them and they are fresh.

 

Set In My Ways

 

I have tried to workout at different times; lunch, dinner, or even after work. Nope, not the same. I do not have the same effort, let alone drive to workout after work. Lunch seems to be ok but I only did that out of necessity at a job I once had with an onsite gym. I seem to be set in my ways. I can’t really sleep in still, even if I have the chance. I have to go in the morning with the early birds…. who are out there to get the worm. Remember, accept who you are and accept the challenges that life throws at you. Listen to your body rhythmics, try different times to workout, see what works best for you. We live in the real-world too, so we may have to adapt to a different time than what we really want.  Be open-minded and flexible. But always be truthful with yourself:

 

Be Healthy and Be Zen!

What time do you workout? Why?

#poweroftheearthfitness

My Big First Couple of Weeks

Here’s what I am doing:

1. Eating! But eating right, trying my best not to snack with something unhealthy. I am eating breakfast at 730, a mid morning meal at 1030, working out around 230, having a protein shake around 430, eating dinner when I come home, and a small snack before bed.I am still working on eating gluten-free as much as possible

2. I changed my workout routine: I am doing Olympic style strength training to build muscle to burn fat. I won a bet at work and power cleaned 275 lbs for 2 times! (that beat my all time record in the middle of sports by a shattering 35 lbs!), a small stability ab workout that consists of: Plank, Side Plank, Bicycle twists, and standing one-legged crunches. The most important part is I am doing cardio work… The only kicker about it is that I am doing the elliptical because everything else seems to be too hard on the knees. Whoever said that the elliptical was easy, try the “Couch-to-5K” on it. I want to see you not sweat!

3. Doing Yoga with my wife! That is a great bonding experience and we are doing it two times a week. We are trying to do more, but we are building up the endurance and the discipline to do it.

4. Upper Cervical Health Center 1508 Coleman Road #107  Knoxville, TN 37909-380 865 249 7276. I have been going once a week and feeling amazing afterward. They are a chiropractic office who is very holistic and gently adjust the spot underneath your skull and it does amazing things! Everyone should go try it out. Since I have not changed any medication and have been eating differently,  I believe this has helped with my depression, weight loss, and overall well being. Call them to change your life!

Now here’s “The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly”:

Good: At my doctors, I have dropped 12 lbs. fully clothed, 20 lbs on our home scale (I like our scale better). My blood pressure is down to normal range consistently to 127/85. I am looking much better!

Bad: I had a genetic test done last time I was at the doctor: they found out I was pre diabetic, I do not process good cholesterol, and I have a bunch of genetic markers for cardiovascular disease. So, I have to stick with the cardio and up my fish oil and CoQ10. This will help with all of this and give me a clearer mind. (because those who know me, know I can be a bit forgetful)

Ugly: I also found I have a genetic marker for MTHFR. Which this means I do not process folic acid very well.This gene has contributed to my wife and my failure to fully conceive a child. This one hurts the worst because we both want to have a child together and we have done many things to up our chances. We were tested years ago and this genetic marker was missed. Knowing this earlier would have helped. At least we know now and (Thank the Higher Power) there are things I can do to supplement this naturally. So we keep us in your thoughts and we may have a little one soon!!!!

A great part to all of this is my wife is getting into a great kickboxing routine. She is building muscle and getting trimmer by the day. She is doing some great mixed martial arts workouts mixed with a little yoga. She is the strongest woman I have ever met. (Remember that she broke her back a few years ago!) Kim found her old instructor Keli Roberts that she really loves to work out to. My wife is getting smokin’ hot!

Wish me luck going forward!

and as always,

Be Zen, Be Powerful, Be Confident and All Things Will Come!

Derek

 

My Journey

This is my journey…… toward better health and life.

For those who know me, I have always been somewhat of a power house. I have always been a strong,  powerful, and muscular individual. I have been in Martial Arts in some form or fashion since I was around 8 years old. I played the usual sports for a young man in Ohio; football, wrestling, hockey, and golf.

I played football and wrestled throughout high school and college and then was associated with a Martial Arts school for at least 6 years after that. When I reached college I ended up being a heavy weight wrestler. The weight limit was 285, when I entered college, I weighed 220 and I needed to gain weight.  Gain Weight I Did!

By the time I was out of college I was pushing the scales at around 270 to 280 pounds. wearing 38 X 32 pants and having a collar size around 18 3/4. Since then I have gone all the way down to about 235 but keep gaining back about 15-20 lbs.

That stops now.

My wife and I have pledged together to lose weight and to become a healthier team.

My issue is that I am now a corporate worker and I am chained to a desk for 7 hours a day on the phone. I am also finding out if I am gluten intolerant, have genetic markers that make me more susceptible to diseases, and what kind of workouts work for my type.
I am really excited to find all this out. I am going to do a weekly blog on this and have been doing a gluten free diet, and am still doing Martial Arts style workouts, with my cardiovascular testing workout being the 300 workout. I am going to shoot for getting it within 12 minutes as my end goal. I have lost 10 lbs in a week from doing the GF diet and changing my workout.

I will keep you updated!