From Animal Flow to the GNC InBody Machine - There’s no boundary I won’t cross

Last week I shared with you the diet that helped optimize my body, energy levels and blood work. Much in the same way people ask me what I eat, I get a lot of questions about my fitness routine. And while I post a lot of stories on Instagram about my peculiar “animal flow” workouts, that’s actually only half my formula.

I’ve always generally been what would be considered “in shape.”  I was on the track team in high school. I played sports. I exercised (somewhat) regularly. As fitness culture evolved, so had my repertoire with the likes of Barry's Bootcamp, boxing, pilates, yoga (in all its various forms and temperatures) and other types of classes at least once a week. Cardio was a constant thrown into that mix.

Usually when doing cardio I’d go super intense because I was under the impression that I’d get the best results by dedicating an hour to accelerated running or sprinting intervals. I thought that would get me the physique I wanted and burn calories to lose fat quickly. I was wrong. It definitely got me a great sweat but it didn’t transform my body.

Finally after years of trial and error, I completely transformed my body with one pivotally crucial workout: weight training. Compared to cardio alone or cardio with a mix of “body weight only” activities, weight lifting is far more effective. And while pushups, situps, and lunges are great, if you aren’t using actual weights with those movements, your muscles and overall physique simply aren’t pushed into true transformation. Granted a few years ago I was doing lunges with a ‘spare tire’ around my waist but that’s not the kind of extra mass I’m talking about here! 

From weights to cardio, smooth merchandise, time management and more, here are 6 ways I stay on top of my fitness game:

Weight Lifting Vs. Cardio

Given the choice between doing cardio vs weightlifting on any given day, I will always choose the weight lifting as the results its given me are unequivocal.

I had 3 primary goals: have a toned muscular body, get shredded by reducing body fat, and lower my blood sugar. I’ve now achived all 3 without having to kill myself with an hour of super intense cardio every single day.  The key is to build muscle and the more (lean) muscle mass that you have, the more calories your body burns. When those built out muscles are then used during cardio, it actually lowers blood sugar. My trainer recommends doing light-moderate cardio around 4-6x/week as a supplement to weight lifting, but it's definitely not what's going to whip you into your dream body. If you can fit both the weight training and the light cardio, it's obviously optimal. A quick note to the ladies: my wife was always terrified of weights in the fear it would make her look “bulky.” She had mastered the art of soul cycle, jet set pilates (miami’s SLT), triathlon type workouts including swim and boot camp interval training, rebounding, barre and anything else under the class pass roster. Yet still couldn’t find that magic formula to tone the specific areas she wanted. Finally she tried weight training and it hit the nail on the target. She’s stronger and happier than ever, and you what they say a happy wife means a happy life for her husband!

In my own search for a motivating supplement to my weight lifting, that would also challenge (and not bore) me, I found Animal Flow through social media. Boy did it look intriguing! The idea of crawling on all fours and contorting my body into different animal-like positions was like nothing I had ever seen before.  After a few lessons I found it to be super fun and a great workout. It has a little bit of everything: cardio, flexibility, mobility, and endurance training. It also progresses in difficulty with moves that are gradually more difficult, which has kept me motivated. Which brings me to my next key fit-factor:

Motivation

Figuring out how to stay motivated is the key factor to keep the vibe going (especially in the beginning). Step one for me was getting a trainer. I teamed up with local trainer Body Architects, who I found on Instagram.  I looked for someone that was plant based and had the type of physique that I myself wanted.  After all, who better to learn from than a person who has already achieved the same goals you set for yourself.  I found Body Architects by searching hashtags like #fitness and choosing a location nearby #NorthMiami, where I live.  I knew my specific criteria and in this day and age with so many social media channels, it’s not difficult to find exactly what you’re looking for.  For me, it was someone who was vegan and had the kind of physique I strived for: not stick skinny nor too bulked up (specializing in a 350 lbs deadlift was definitely not a criteria). It's also important to find a trainer that can put you on a meal plan built around the types of foods you like and can continuously tweak as your results progress.  

Another motivating factor for me was to pre-purchase a training package of 10 workouts in advance. If you can afford to pay upfront it will ensure you actually show up because there’s nothing worse than feeling like you’re wasting money to help motivate you. Skipping a session is wasting money. Chatting and looking at your phone is wasting your money.  A trainer keeps you honest, consistent and on time. When your trainer shows up you don’t want to BS your way through the session and if they are good, they won’t let you even if you try. Mine eventually got me so focused and motivated, that I’ll still go do the workout on days he doesn’t come to train me.

“But a trainer is expensive” isn’t a valid excuse anymore. Thanks to the internet and social media, today we have so many alternatives to a personal trainer to stay motivated. And sometimes at no-cost at all. I’ve had a great experience with the apps Shred (virtual personal trainer) and Habit Nest (weight-lifting journal). If none of that works, then find a gym buddy to keep you accountable who has the same fitness goals and level of commitment. 

A social media feed populated by lots of exercise and fitness influencers is an excellent motivational tool as well! Fitness influencers with good accounts give you ideas on what to wear, what to listen to and what cool exercises to do. But mostly they keep me motivated to go to the gym everyday. If I am inundated with fitness content and my instagram or facebook feed is flooded with 8-pack hard-body trainers, my motivation level hits new highs as my brain processes these images dozens of times a day.

Merch

I said it before about business but it also applies here: You’ve got to “Fake it to make it.”’  For me that means looking and feeling the part. I was far from shredded or jacked but I knew I needed to look the part and grow into it.  I bought workout clothes that were slightly small, and it motivated me to fit into them with a leaner, better looking body. I got shirts and tanks from Lululemon.  I bought men’s compression tights from WALACO, waterproof workout caps by Melin (these are the best made workout hats ever!), thin breathable no-show socks, thin absorbent sweat headbands, On Running Cloud sneakers that not only feel great but look great with all my outfits, a Fitbit to track my workouts and sleep (I use the Charge 3) Powerbeats Pro wireless headphones that won't slip off when I sweat and am moving, and Hyperice Hypersphere Massage Ball for post workouts

Everyone needs a push and a little head start.  For me that’s Ladders Pre-Workout, which gives me that extra boost to get through the most grueling weight training session. For my post workout I drink a Naked Rice protein shake made with water and almond milk (no more than 16 oz).

Preparation

I consistently have all this stuff around me reminding me of my fitness goals.  But I also spend about an hour each week planning what I’m going to listen to or watch during my workouts. I make a queue of Netflix shows I want to watch, a Spotify playlist of workout tracks, or a list of audiobooks for reads I’ve been meaning to get around to. And of course, adding a great lineup of interesting podcast interviews (mostly science or business related) actually gives me the best insights and ideas during focused workouts.  Most of the time I can’t wait to head back to the gym to hear or watch more.

Measuring the Numbers.  

The only way to truly understand the transformation that is happening to your body is to measure your data.  I check my blood sugar (every few days), my weight (every day), and I tape measure my waistline (every week or two).  Since we now live in the amazing year of 2020 I get to do the Quest Direct program where I can actually check my blood test levels on my own, without having to get a prescription or analysis from my doctor.  One of the most effective things I do is go into my local GNC store where they have the InBody machine.  It’s a scale that you step onto barefoot and then place your outstretched hands around two handles.  The machine then does a full body scan and measures things like percentage body fat and percentage skeletal muscle - all the while keeping track of your numbers from each previous visit to show your progress.

Finding Time

How do you find time when you are so busy? It has nothing to do with not having enough time and money.  If working out and staying healthy is truly important to you then you must prioritize it. I know business people who are busy and have intense jobs might not always be able to squeeze in 6-7 workouts a week. But organizing your time will help maximize it - even if it’s just an hour a couple of times a week. When I need more time I wake up an hour earlier and squeeze in some quick cardio before the day starts. I usually do weights later in the day around 5pm when I come home from work.  But I always go straight to the gym because if I go home first I’ll undoubtedly want to play with the kids, lie down, relax and ultimately get completely unmotivated and not go. 

My General Workout Guidelines:

30-40 Minutes of Cardio in the Mornings Fasting (before breakfast but after a black coffee) 5-6 days a week.  Aim is to keep your heart rate between 130-150 bpm. I Usually do the stairmaster, elliptical, versa climber or bike.  I also like to do animal flow for mobility, cardio and flexibility. 

Weights - 4 days a week of weight lifting using the major muscle groups (about 45-60 minutes a session): Legs, Chest, Back, Shoulders and Arms.  2-3 days of recovery for each muscle group. Try to use free weights as much as possible and lift more than just your body weight. Vegan protein shake after a weightlifting session.  

I cycle through 3 lifting modalities changing it every week:

Week 1: lifting heavy (90%-100% of my weight capacity) and doing 10-1 reps of each exercise per set (fewer sets with 2-3 min of rest between sets)

Week 2: lifting medium (70-80% of my weight capacity) and doing 15-8 reps of each exercise per set (more sets with 30-60 secs of rest between sets)

Week 3: lifting medium/light (60% of my weight capacity) and doing 6 reps of each exercise per set (min 20 sets with 15-20 secs of rest in between sets)

Recycle back to Week 1

My Typical Weekly Workout Routine

Monday: 

Early Morning Cardio: Animal Flow
Afternoon Weights: Chest, Back, Arms

1. Bench press (chest) - free weight

2. Pull ups (back) - use ankle weights on heavy days

3. Incline dumbbell press (chest)

4. Chin ups (back and biceps)  - use ankle weights on heavy days

5. Close grip bench press (triceps) - free weights

6. Barbell curl (biceps)

Tuesday: 

Early Morning Cardio: Elliptical Machine 30-40 min
Afternoon Weights: Legs

1. Leg extension machine - one leg at a time

2. Squats with feet declined on the side of a step platform with holding a barbell behind your back

3. Walking lunges holding dumbbells

4. Step ups holding dumbbells

5. Hamstring curl with dumbbell 

6. Back extensions on exercise ball

Wednesday:

Early Morning Cardio: Animal Flow
Afternoon Weights: Day off

Thursday:

Early Morning Cardio: Versa Climber Machine 30-40 min
Afternoon Weights: Chest, Back, Shoulders

1. Bench press - free weight  (chest)

2. Pull ups - use ankle weights on heavy days (back) 

3. Upper chest cable crossover

4. Pull down machine (back)

5. Parallel dips (chest and tris)

6. Military Press - free weights (shoulders)

7. Upright barbell rows (shoulders)

Friday:

Early Morning Cardio: Animal Flow
Afternoon Weights: Legs

1. Super Set: Sumo squats on benches (holding dumbbells) immediately followed by Air squats (no weights)

2. Wall Squats with exercise ball holding dumbbells 

3. Walking lunges holding dumbbells

4. Step ups with dumbbells

5. Hamstring walking using cable machine

6. Back extensions on exercise ball

Saturday:

Early Morning Cardio: Bike Machine 30-40 min
Afternoon Weights: Day off

Sunday: 

Day off cardio and weights

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