Strength Training

I'm a longtime fan of Clarence Bass. 

He's pragmatic. Smart. And balanced. From him I've learned a lot of practical information, including the criticality of strength training for optimum health, fitness and the ability to get--and stay--lean (I am still working on the "get" part). I thought the following article was a good stair step towards building a healthier and better body, timely and relevant. 

For me, I've found the most discouraging thing about strength training is that the results don't often show up on the scale (obviously, when I was playing college football this wasn't an issue that I cared about like I do now). In fact, I have been hitting it pretty hard for eight weeks now with both cardio and weights about 4-5x per week. And my eating habits have been, overall, great barring a few lousy meals here and there. 

And with all this effort I have lost a whopping 32 ounces. Yep. Two entire pounds. 

Fortunately, I also measure bodyfat using my Tanita scale (another reco I grabbed from Clarence) which has given me a much better orientation towards my goal--the results of which would have been hidden had I only looked at the weight. While the bodyfat scales aren't as accurate as calipers or bioelectrical impedance they're good for showing the change and progress. 

And so while I now I could have achieved greater weight loss if I only initiated cardio and eliminated strength training, I also know that the weight lost would have also included muscle--and ultimately, what I really care bout is lean body mass. And I know that, at least for me, I simply can not get to my 15% bodyfat goal without strength training, and I know my body fat decline wouldn't be anywhere near what it has been--or needs to be--without the strength training. 

I think the summary below from Clarence is a good one, for a lot of reasons. 

Forget Heavy, Think Effort

The health establishment struggles mightily to persuade people to exercise regularly with mixed results at best. The latest scientific findings and government guidelines say that strength training should be part of the mix at least twice a week. Many people, including those that need it most, are turned off by weight training. They imagine themselves having to lift heavy weights, and that turns them away.

Is that true? Do they have to lift very heavy weights? An eye-opening new study says "NO." The study has the potential to change how strength training is perceived--and get many more people, perhaps millions more, pumping iron.

The study could revolutionize strength training for everyone, from pencil necks to muscle heads.

Click here to read the entire story.

Doctors, McDonalds, Airports, Associates, Oh My!

This morning I departed Orange County to head back to Seattle.

 At the airport and in line at McDonalds (Egg McMuffin w/ only one piece of bread, extra egg—280 cal’s, not bad—but for that and a decaf $8.91—not good! Makes Essentials seem like a bargain) I chuckled, reflecting back on our Road Tour in the Fall where I somehow compiled over a half dozen pictures of myself and Univera Chief Scientific Officer Cherniske with a McDonalds in the background.

So as I’m in line thinking about this, totally at random, I see ahead of me in line is our sister company’s Chief Scientific Officer—Dr. Qi Jia! So we laughed sheepishly a bit about the both of us getting caught eating fast food, albeit selecting a reasonably healthy food offering, and then proceeded to chat a bit about business. He’s both a brilliant scientist and great colleague. In fact, we’re launching a couple amazing new products this year that include some amazing new Unigen ingredients. You’ll get to see and hear about it firsthand at Convention in June. So Qi was off to San Francisco, and I was headed home. But before we parted ways I offered to take a picture of the two of us at the McDonalds and he refused by laughing “No no, Rich, I know if you take a picture of us at McDonalds you’ll put it on your blog!!!”

Well, Qi, I don’t HAVE to get a picture to put it on the blog. It just makes it a bit more interesting. J

During my travel here I spent time at the Natural Products Expo as well as with some of our field associates attending a few meetings. The Expo is an annual trade show for our industry, it’s THE health and natural products event of the year—mostly oriented around B2B. Attending this event makes me remember how wellness/nutrition industry is—I really do feel great about being in this sector right now, the energy at the event was explosive. But beyond that, it’s becoming so exceptionally clear that there MUST be a monumental paradigm AND practice shift with healthcare in North America. And we’re going to be a major part of it.

During the event I attended a speaking session by acclaimed author and speaker Dr. Andrew Weil. He shared what he thought were the two most impactful things you could do for your health, based on all his years of research and experience.

Don’t eat manufactured or processed foods. Dr. Weil referenced several of Michael Pollan’s books, which are exceptional, that really talk to the importance of eating “real” food.

2.     Breathe. There’s a breathing exercise that he picked up, I think from some Eastern medicine though I missed a bit of the history of the story, that he said he felt was transformational to a persons well being. The regimen is simple. Breathe in through your nose four seconds. Hold it for seven seconds. Open mouth (keep tongue loose, like a dog does when his mouth is open) and exhale for eight seconds. Do this four times. Not any more. And do it at least twice a day. After six to eight weeks it’s supposed to be magic.

3.     Activity. Unequivocally, those that have the best health and wellness, especially in the later years, are those who have maintained or engaged in an active lifestyle. You’ve gotta be active.

He didn’t go into a fourth best practice, but I am quite certain it would have involve something like Univera’s transformational Xtra product.

The Natrual Products Expo event was great, booming excitement. Just another reaffirmation: right time, right place.

Apart from the Expo, I spent time on Thursday at a Univera opportunity meeting—over 150 were in attendance, and the event had leadership participation from a whole variety of Univera associates, including Bev (Tom had a conflicting meeting), Khai, Danny, Tiffany, R-Dawg (Richard Ross), Dianne McCourtney, and many others. It was a great event, lots of excitement, growth, and new people. At the event people were fired up about these amazing Univera products. And excited about the opportunity.

Later that evening over Korean food I enjoyed the excitement and energy of some of California’s enthusiastic leadership, like Danny, Tommy, Tiffany, Khai, Shari, and others. A lot of fun and excitement, a very gracious group of people whose efforts and contributions I appreciate tremendously.

As I continue to study our industry and see its constant evolution, a few things come to mind.

 Let’s always remember that first and foremost we’re a product company that focused on delivering breakthrough cellular renewal products that help the body reduce damage and increase repair more exceptionally than any other Company in this industry—and we’ve got the science to prove it.

In this industry there are some who try to emphasize business opportunity as the first and single most important (or borderline "only") criteria for their company's existence. This is a mistake. Building any business on JUST the business opportunity is pretty darned close to the definition of a pyramid.

Beyond that, it’s not sustainable. Why? Because it belies the importance of having an actual product or service that meets an unmet consumer need, which is the purpose of any for-profit business. Any sustainable business MUST start by delivering some type of unmet consumer need.

If anyone tells you different, they’re simply mistaken and poorly versed in business strategy and sustainability. And I’m putting it politely. New Yorkers would phrase it a bit differently.

Beyond that, they’re basically selling you a “chain letter” style business, where ultimately the masses at the end of the chain letter get burned. 

So, firstly, the products are the difference.

But beyond that, once we firmly establish the incredible value and life-changing impact of these products (even in this economy, well over half the people who enroll in Univera do so purely as customers), we’d also be remiss not to clearly and in a compelling way articulate the business opportunity that exists behind or in conjunction with the products. Either so someone can earn enough to get the products for free, or so they can make a little extra money. Or a lotta extra money. And in this economy the financial opportunity component is vital, if not life saving for many, but it MUST be built on something real. And that “something real” is comprised of Univera products that truly change people’s lives.

At the Silver and above reception one of the attendees asked me what I expected from the California group. A great question, and I’m thrilled it was asked—it’s not often that I get a question like that, but it shows me that individual really is focused on unity, cohesion and the mission.

My answer was a simple one: grow

And I didn’t just mean Business Volume. Yeah, do that. Do LOTS of that.

But beyond that, grow as people. As a team. Grow the culture.

What’s the culture?

Help others, including crossteam and outside of your payline. Do the right thing—whether someone is looking or not. Never compromise your integrity to make a few extra bucks—it’ll come back to you in other ways, and even if it didn’t you’ll never feel complete. Offer respect and a listening spirit to your peers and team. Realize it’s a team victory. Conduct open meetings where everyone is welcome and can participate. Leave ego aside. Settle into the amazing things that can be done when we all work together with purposeful intent. Stay committed, don’t wander and meander with other shiny objects. Have fun, and celebrate your success at ALL levels. Give back to the community.

In other words, practice Servant Leadership.

Have fun.

Stay focused.

And continue California Dreamin’. 

Secret Diet Revealed!

It's finally arrived. The secret diet. It's the magic bullet. And it all comes from a peer reviewed medical journal, the New England Journal of Medicine.

Ready? Would you guess South Beach? Atkins? Zone? Pritikin? Grapefruit diet? The amazing Inthinity System from Univera? (http://www.youtube.com/watchv=XLmglkG45jQ)

You're wrong.

And you're right!

The magic diet? It simple. It's the diet called "Sticking to it."

Seriously, that's what the findings were from the New England Journal of Medicine. The short of it was that, generally speaking, any diet will work so long as you stick with it (which is the harder part). Despite lacking any type of nutrition background, from personal study even I would debate with the study author the importance of whole grains, a low glycemic index, lean meats, organically grown if possible, and the like.

But I think the results here are telling--which is that while all of that might be important, when trying to achieve weight loss what matters most is simply sticking with it.

Which is why I have never mocked anyone for spending--even wasting perhaps--a lot of money on exercise equipment or DVD's or meal plans or whatever-it-is that people try to chase to find out what's best for them. Think about the amount of money we waste on sheer junk that goes into our lives, whether that be games or trinkets or food.

And to spend some dough on something that might end up making an impact on your life is a pretty good bet. What I've learned is that a part of the secret to weight loss and healthful living (for ME) is to find something I love to do--and that's taken some trial and error.

The more important piece is, of course, to finally settle on something and do it consistently.

So I've worked first on my consistency, but I've played around with finding the things that I enjoy most. For example, the last six weeks I've consistently done both weights and cardio 3-4 times per week, almost always using the elliptical for my cardio. But I got a little bored and wanted to mix it up a bit.

So this week I tried a few spin classes which I have absolutely loved. It's an hour of instructor led encouragement with self-pacing, an aggressive heart rate, adrenaline pumping music, and sweat. Lots, and lots, and lots of sweat.

So much sweat, in fact, that it leads me to a blog confession here to my colleague... Rachel, you know that golf shirt you lent me tonight before I left the office? Well, I did use it, as I explained I would, to hold my spot on one of the spinning bikes while I changed.

But in those spinning classes you get really really sweaty. Dripping. Like out of the shower kind of dripping. And, there was nothing else near me that was dry, apart from this lone, white, Univera golf shirt. I waited as long as I could...but I ended up using your shirt as a towel. So I owe you a shirt. Yet, just realize, you have contributed in a very unique way to my wellness, and this blog entry. Thank you. :)

So here's the magic article, and it's a really simple finding. Ironically, I wrote a blog entry a few days ago, as it relates to vocation, and my suggestion was simple.

Find something you love to do. And then just keep doing it.

And, it seems, a study published in the NEJM suggests the same principle applies as it relates to weight loss.

It's Not What You Eat, It's How Much


Dieters everywhere -- yo-yo dieters, crash dieters, fad dieters, dejected and jaded dieters -- may take heart.

A new study offers a flexible take on what it means to diet while underscoring fundamental rules about weight loss.

Researchers compared a low-fat, average protein diet, a low-fat, high-protein diet, a high-fat, average-protein diet, and a high-fat, high-protein diet in 811 middle-aged obese people over two years. Each group lost an average of 13 pounds after one year, though slowly started to gain it back in the second year, bringing the average lost after two years to nine pounds.

Click here to read the entire story.

A Simple Saturday

Somedays are brilliant in their simplicity. I'm usually pretty restless but this weekend I enjoyed some simple time. Yesterday, after I awoke and brewed a pot of "Top Pot" decaf coffee, the sun broke through the morning clouds and filled the sky for a few brief moments.

The day was simple, in that we woke up and made "Machuta's pancakes." It's my grandmothers Lithuanian recipe--and of all the fun things that they might like to ask for on the weekends for breakfast, they always choose this above all else. They're like a really thin but large crepe cooked on both sides (the flip is a bit tricky); with a little low-sugar syrup on the inside or some pureed fruit and rolled up it's unbelievable. So the kids love this, and I love making it for them.

There were a few other things that we did on Saturday, like heading to our weekly trip to the Olympia food CO-OP--where we try to make most of our food purchases. The kids love the little play area, we love the simple-yet-plentiful selection of organic and local foods. And I always feel good after leaving there.

But the most memorable was our visit to the Blue Lotus Cafe for lunch. It has been my favorite restaurant for casual (but delicious) food in Olympia.

Until it closed this weekend. The restaurant comprised all organic (local when possible) ingredients that were married together in a way that created an incredible culinary delight.

There aren't many restaurants that I love in Olympia. But, this was one of them. Part of it was the exceptional food.

Another part that it was organically based from local sources.

A final part was that you could tell someone put their heart and soul into this little restaurant. And that's the part that probably bothers me most about its closing.

This wasn't just a job for someone who ran it, instead it was a passion and calling.

But, for whatever reason, the calling for this little restaurant came to a close this weekend. Another unfortunate consequence to a stumbling economy, that has the impact not just on its owners but also several employees and the patrons who frequented the business. To me it doesn't make sense that this little gem of incredibly delicious and nutritious food, with kitchy ambiance and charming service, didn't make it yet a mile down the road IHOP still sits. But, such is life and some things don't seem to work out like we expect.

Today I meant to bring the owner a card and a bottle of wine, just to tell her that I appreciated what she contributed to the community--and that she'll be missed. Family plans got in the way of my running out, so I'll drop it off to her tomorrow but I suppose my blog entry serves as a sort of substitute for acknowledging a persons passion and good works directed toward the community, that simply didn't end like I am sure she hoped. And me either.

Thanks, Blue Lotus, for making the impact that you did during the time you were here.

Dying Wishes

There are some things in life that just don't seem fair. This story I stumbled upon gives reflection to a new definition. 

Perhaps it's especially difficult as a dad of two little girls, who talk and think of nothing more than getting married when they grow up. One day I found her sitting with a look on despair on face while sitting on the coach, and when I asked her "What's wrong my little Roycie?" and she exclaimed, "It's just so hard dad...It's just so hard to know who God wants you to marry when you grow up." She was five. 

So this story really hit me emotionally and I couldn't watch this simple video without tearing up; so I've limited myself to three views. I've included the video as well as an accompanying article (from a different news source). 

What I thought mattered to me one minute before seeing this video was differently than what I thought mattered to me in the one minute following this video. 

Dying Wishes: Weddings to Helping Homeless

The bride was dressed in ruffled white and wore a tiara. The groom pledged to be her best friend forever. They exchanged rings, and the lucky North Texas couple swooned as they danced to their favorite song -- "Love Bug" by the Jonas Brothers.

They may be a tender age -- Jayla Cooper is 9 and the groom, Jose Griggs, is 7 -- but their parents were behind them all the way.

For Jayla, who has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia and who, according to her doctors, may only have weeks to live, the "wedding" was less a dream come true than a last wish.

Click here to read the entire story.