Seven months and counting…

Fitness Training:  Just Do It.

by John Boch
Bloomington, IL (GunsSaveLife) – It’s been seven months now since I decided to get into better shape and support my domestic supervisor as she wanted to do the same.

We found a gym that was a good fit for the two of us at LA Fitness and got to work.  It’s taken on a life of its own for me and been an interesting experience, to say the least.

When I joined the gym, I was in terrible shape.  I couldn’t walk more than a few hundred yards without wanting to sit and rest.  Running?  Only if my life depended on it and then I’d only die tired.

For most of my life I’ve avoided anything remotely like exercise and rolled my eyes in disbelief when my friends told me their workouts were enjoyable.

Now, I’m one of those people who says they feel good after a workout.  Yes, it’s true.

After the first couple of weeks at the gym, I noticed improvement in how I felt.  After three months, I saw a marked improvement in my physique.

Now, after seven months I’m seeing muscles in places I’ve never seen them before.  My weight has stabilized at ten pounds more than when I joined the gym, but I’ve graduated to a 2” shorter belt.

What’s more, cold weather used to make me miserable.  Before my time at the gym, I’d wear long underwear anytime the mercury fell below freezing.  Now the cold doesn’t bother me nearly as much and the long-johns only come out in sub-zero weather.

The workouts themselves aren’t unpleasant.  The atmosphere is energetic and the people pleasant.

I hired a personal trainer, not to motivate me, but to teach me good, safe technique.

Just as a good firearm instructor will teach you the safe and effective use of a gun, my personal trainer educated me on how to maximize the benefits of my time at the gym while minimizing the risk of injury.

My favorite trainer is no longer there, and neither is the outstanding general manager I liked, but I try to avoid the front office drama.

As for my workouts, I don’t do exercises I find excessively unpleasant.  I vary my routine so it’s not boring.  There are plenty of machines, so there’s seldom any waiting, and lots of opportunities to participate in classes.

Speaking of classes, She Who Must Be Obeyed wants me to join her in water aerobics.  I can’t bring myself to join her with all those nice, young ladies in their golden years playing with pool noodles.

The bottom line:  I’m in much better shape now and I want the same for all of you.

I would encourage each and every one of our readers, along with our friends and family members to seek out a gym that fits their needs and to start exercising.

Why?

You’ll live longer and feel better, not necessarily in that order.  Your loved ones will be glad you did, too.  After all, our loved ones  are counting on us to be there for them and not go off and die prematurely.

Lastly, don’t let your perceived disabilities stop you.  Start easy.  Spend a few bucks and seek out a professional fitness trainer to help you.  Remember, they will help you maximize your time working out while minimizing the risk of injuries.

Live and learn:

SOY = Estrogen

by John Boch
Recently, I found myself at a reproductive urologist reference my sperm quality.  In short, my spermies had gone from eightysome percent healthy and happy to effectively 0% over the span of five months.

I mentioned that I was taking protein supplement shakes and he chuckled.  “Soy is estrogen,” he said.  Yeah, he’s a man of few words.

Soy-based Whey protein supplements, like the one pictured, are chock full of estrogen-like compounds that cripple production of healthy sperm and contribute to erectile dysfunction.

So gents, ask yourself:  Do you want to consume a soy-based supplement that’s effectively chock full of estrogen-like compounds that trash your sperm quality and contribute to erectile dysfunction?

If so, I’ve got some you can have for free.

Additional:  Look over the labels carefully.  If there’s soy ingredients, you’re setting yourself up for problems.  Just because a protein supplement doesn’t contain added protein doesn’t mean it’s safe from giving you a healthy dose of phytoestrogens.  Soy Lecithin is considered a phytoestrogen, plus it may have additional estrogenic qualities in men.

Read the Men’s Health article, “Is this the most dangerous food for men?”

An excerpt:

And when you consume soy protein, you’re actually courting the Mr. Hyde side of two natural drugs: genistein and daidzein. Both act so similarly to estrogen that they’re known as phytoestrogens (plant-produced estrogens).

…But when humans consume these compounds in high enough quantities, they may experience gender-bending nightmares like James Price’s. What’s more, studies of these phytoestrogens in leading peer-reviewed medical journals suggest that even lower doses—such as the amount in the 25-gram soy protein target cited by the FDA—have the potential to wreak hormonal havoc.

I was consuming 60 grams of protein.

Watch those labels carefully.