ALTERA Life Newsletter

Week 3

“If you get a chance, take it;

if it changes your life, let it.”

We as humans do not always like change very well.  Especially in today’s world, just as you finally figure out how to use that new device, a newer one arises and back to the learning boards.  They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, and although can’t is a very strong word, I will agree that it is extremely difficult.  If you have been accustomed to the same thing for a very long time, is seems very inconvenient to change.  It is part of your daily routine.  You know where it is.  You know how it works.  Why change?  Then what happens…you finally change and you say to yourself, “why did I waste so much time not changing?!”  You realize that the change is for the better.  Everything becomes much more convenient, faster, easier, etc.  And then when it’s time for the next change? NO!  And we start all over.  Society has trained us on fear and some of the most successful people we see today just never seem to be afraid of anything.  I am not saying go jump off a bridge until you fly, but I am saying at least have an open mind to think of the possibilities.  Just like last week’s quote, jump, and then figure some things out along the way.  Not off a bridge obviously!  Every day can go a thousand different directions depending on the little choices that you make.  Think about it; if you would have gotten up five minutes earlier, but did everything “the same”, your entire day would be different.  The cars you pass just on the way to work would all be different.  Then make another small decision differently than usual.  What could come from that?  The choices you are going to be making, especially with food, may seem like some of the hardest you have ever made.  Cravings are real and it is difficult to stand strong against them.  But what if you do?  What if you do not give in to a SINGLE craving.  What could happen?  What could life feel like 20 or 30 pounds lighter?  How would you feel being able to wear clothes you never before could?  How much more often would you smile with whiter teeth?  What could you accomplish if you hardly ever got sick, or tired?  Add all of these up and see a glimpse of what your life could actually be like!  Take the chance, and let it change some things.  Go become who you always wanted to be.

Exercise of the Week: Row

One of the most important aspects of working out is balance.  Last week we introduced the push up and everyone, in theory, knows how to perform one.  Because the push up is so common, the opposite is too often neglected; the row.  The back is made up of many muscles; different sizes and with different movements.  For simplicity purposes, we are going to introduce the row as if you are trying to strengthen or built your “inner” back muscles; the rhomboids.  As shown in the picture, and like the push up, we stress keeping the trap down and using the back muscles in order to pull the bar, dumbbell, or handle toward you.

The important things to note about performing a row correctly are:

• Keep your core engaged, while disengaging your traps (shoulders down)
• Use your back muscles to pull the weight, not just your arm
• Engage different muscles in order to strengthen and build your entire back.

More on the Row: If a cable row machine (above) is not available, any type of weight, such as a dumbbell also works.  Another way to add some extra core engagement is to stand with one hand on the bench, as shown, and row with a dumbbell or kettlebell.  The picture shows good form with a dumbbell in regards to not using your trap.  Always drop weight to perform a good rep, rather than worry about the number on the plate and simply “muscle” through the rep using all momentum.

 

Nutritional Tip:

 If it has a longer life span than you, do not eat it.

The next time you walk into a grocery store I have a simple, yet not easy, challenge for you.  Only shop on the perimeter; do not use any of the middle isles.  When you start walking down the aisles of the store, that is where many shopping trips go wrong.  The middle isles are filled with products that are processed, sugar-based, and preservative filled.  Most of the products on those shelves will literally last years.  When those foods enter your body, the body sees a complete foreign object and does not even know where to start.  Since it already has a million things going on, like your immune system, building and recover muscles, etc, the simplest thing to do is cover the foreign object with fat and save it until later.  Stay on the outside where “real” foods are found and you will not only give your body the nutrition it needs but a better chance as simply breaking it down, using what it can, and getting rid of the rest.

 

“What does your ALTERA Life look like?”

 

 

 

ALTERA Life, LLC
www.alteralife.com
cforce@alteralife.com