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Age ain’t nothin’ but a number!

Every year around this time I receive a visit from one of my favorite clients (you’re all my favorites), Anthony! He travels all the way from London just to box with me – ok his daughter lives here too – but we really do have a great time training every morning for the days he is in town. This year we kicked up the training a bit at my new gym in Thousand Oaks with some actual sparring… check out the video below!

Surprise…it’s your new Gym!

I finally did it, after years of hard work and months of planning, my wife and I have opened our own training center in Thousand Oaks!! “Hard Charger Training Center” is my dream Personal Training Studio and Boot Camp facility.

We were able to get an awesome retail space in a perfect location. My clients were floored, they had no idea – check out their reactions in this video…

The Dangers of Sugar

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the average American consumes 156 pounds of ADDED sugar per year. That’s five grocery store shelves loaded with 30 or so one pound bags of sugar each.  If you find that hard to believe, that’s probably because sugar is so ubiquitous in our diets that most of us have no idea how much we’re consuming.  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) puts the amount at 27.5 teaspoons of sugar a day per capita, which translates to 440 calories  – nearly one quarter of a typical 2000 calorie a day diet.

Studies have focused on sugar’s role in over-eating.  We intuitively know that sugar and obesity are linked, but the exact reason why hasn’t been well understood until recently.  Research has shown that chronic consumption of added sugar dulls the brain’s mechanism for telling you to stop eating.  It does so by reducing activity in the brain’s anorexigenic oxytocin system, which is responsible for throwing up the red “full” flag that prevents you from gorging.

Moral of the story: Be careful about consuming processed foods and "diet" foods which are often loaded with sugar. Going on a sugar detox is a great idea and keep your total daily intake of sugars as far below 40g as possible. (the sugar in food is listed in nutritional info or can be looked up online.)

Super Bowl Fun & Food

It’s Ray Lewis’ last chance for a Super Bowl ring with the Ravens, the 49ers are favored to win on Sunday by a 3.5 spread and Randy Moss claims he is the best wide receiver in the history of the game, this will be quite a showdown!

No matter which team you are rooting for the Super Bowl always entertains, Beyoncé will perform an epic half-time show & my client’s firm has several Super Bowl commercials featured this year – can’t wait to see them!

But no matter where you intend to enjoy the game you will likely be faced with a lot more junk food & alcohol than you know you should be having, am I right?! So here a few ways to make this weekend less of a weight gainer:

We are what we eat!

Considering that most food sold in our country is stripped down, processed, bleached, injected with salt, dipped in ammonia or coated with a variety of toxic chemicals to prevent bugs from eating it or mold from growing, I think it’s actually amazing that we don’t get sicker than we do from eating it. With the overwhelming increase in cancers, autism and strange diseases like irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue – it seems to me our food chain may have something to do with it.

One of my favorite quotes…

“The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.” ~ Thomas Edison

It is so true – we have become so focused on treatments we forget we have the power to prevent so much of what ails us! Consider adding a vegetable based meal for dinner once or twice a week. If you haven’t tried Miracle Noodles yet – you should, they are delicious…http://www.miraclenoodle.com. Oh and…

Marine Miguel’s Toy Drive 2012

One of my favorite time honored Marine Corps traditions is underway!

Don’t forget the little ones in need this week while you are out shopping! I’m starting my annual collection of Toys 4 Tots so please include a few unwrapped toys for the less fortunate on your list.

Check out this awesome video for motivation…

Please share this post with your friends!

Marine Miguel & the United States Marine Corps thank you for your support!

Why is Quinoa (Keen-Wah) So Amazing?

Prized as a sacred seed in the ancient Inca civilization, quinoa is still a nutritional treasure. This protein-packed food, with its nutty taste and chewy texture, is flavorful as well as filling. Quinoa is gluten free and is found at most grocery stores, it can be easily prepared and served in recipes where rice, wheat, corn or other grains are used. The benefits of quinoa are abundant and most people are not aware of the helpful role this super food can play in their health & fitness. Check it out…

1. Protein Powerhouse

Proteins are essential to the building and repair of the body’s tissues and to basic functions like growth, digestion and excretion. Quinoa has a higher protein content than wheat, barley or other major grains. One cup of quinoa has 9 grams, which trumps the protein-rich egg (6 grams). Quinoa, which contains all 8 of the essential amino acids, is a complete protein. It has become a favorite dish among vegans and vegetarians, but the benefits of it are available to anyone seeking an alternative to meat, eggs and dairy products as a protein source.

2. Dieter’s Dream

Quinoa is a satisfying, low-cholesterol source of complex carbohydrates. Rich in fiber, it’s digested slowly and has a low glycemic index, helping you steer clear of the blood-sugar roller coaster. With its chewy texture, quinoa can be eaten at a leisurely pace. Its heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats will leave you feeling full while providing more nutritional content than breads or cereals made of refined grains. Quinoa can be eaten as a breakfast food to provide long-lasting energy and help you breeze through your morning workout. A meal of vegetables and quinoa, or quinoa and beans, is a dieter’s dream: high in vitamins, minerals and protein, while low in fat and calories.

Mark’s Filthy 50th Birthday Workout!

This is how my awesome client Mark celebrated his 50th Birthday!  I like to give all my clients the gift of health and longevity for their birthdays, what did you give yourself on your last birthday?  Check out what Mark did in 50 Minutes:

I shot a video of his last set of 50 Burpees…Check it out –>>

2012 Camp Pendleton Mud Run – 10K

This year’s MARSOC World Famous Mud Run was outstanding! It was plenty muddy and highly motivating!

If you didn’t get a chance to make it, be sure to log on to active.com on January 1st to register for next year’s races since they usually sell out in one day.

Corps Values: Honor, Courage and Commitment

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Honor:  Honor requires each Marine to exemplify the ultimate standard in ethical and moral conduct.  Honor is many things; honor requires many things.  A U.S. Marine must never lie, never cheat, never steal, but that is not enough.  Much more is required.  Each Marine must cling to an uncompromising code of personal integrity, accountable for his actions and holding others accountable for theirs.  And, above all, honor mandates that a Marine never sully the reputation of his Corps.

Courage:  Simply stated, courage is honor in action — and more.  Courage is moral strength, the will to heed the inner voice of conscience, the will to do what is right regardless of the conduct of others.  It is mental discipline, an adherence to a higher standard.  Courage means willingness to take a stand for what is right in spite of adverse consequences.  This courage, throughout the history of the Corps, has sustained Marines during the chaos, perils, and hardships of combat.

Commitment:  Total dedication to Corps and Country.  Gung-ho Marine teamwork.  All for one, one for all.  By whatever name or cliché, commitment is a combination of (1) selfless determination and (2) a relentless dedication to excellence.  Marines never give up, never give in, never willingly accept second best.  Excellence is always the goal.  And, when their active duty days are over, Marines remain reserve Marines, retired Marines, or Marine veterans.  There is no such thing as an ex-Marine or former-Marine.  Once a Marine, always a Marine.  Commitment never dies.