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Can’t be scared when it goes down,
Got a problem, tell me now,
Only thing that’s on my mind,
Is we’re gonna lift so hard tonight…
– Rhianna (probably)
Happy Friday, Coach J here from Anyman Fitness – and welcome to the latest edition of The N.W.A. Newsletter.
Each Friday’s N.W.A. Newsletter will have 3 parts:
- A Nutritional Tip to help make your diet healthier and easier to stick to.
- A Workout Tip to help make your training sessions more effective and fun.
- An Attitude/Mindset tip to help you strengthen your greatest asset – your mental toughness.
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I will also give you my single favorite piece of social media content from AF over the past week and link to it on either Instagram or Twitter.
Without any further ado… let’s get started, shall we?
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N.W.A. Nutrition Tip Of The Week
Out of sight and out of mind.
This is my philosophy on snacks, treats, and other food you lose control over.
We all have specific foods we know we will overeat if they’re available.
Some people are “moderators”.
Moderators can have a few, small treats and stop on a dime.
My wife falls into this category.
She can eat *one cookie* or *two Hershey Kisses* and stop right there.
It’s an admirable skill, and admittedly, it’s a skill I don’t possess.
For people like me (and maybe you), I try not to keep junk food around.
I’ve gotten better over the years, but I still find myself reaching for handfuls of chips or candy after my meals if I’m not careful about it.
And one thing is for certain… I NEVER buy my all-time favorite junk food: Cheddar and Sour Cream Ruffles.
I guess I shouldn’t say never… maybe once per year I’ll buy a bag, but that’s about it.
I just love ’em too much and I know I’ll overeat them if they’re in the house.
Luckily, it’s 2023, and there are ways to ensure you don’t make impulse purchases at the grocery store.
The recommended advice used to be to use a grocery list, and only buy the foods on the list.
But even then, you’re tempted as you walk around the aisles.
I’ve “cracked” more than a few times and grabbed some treats, even when I was using a list.
Since the pandemic, grocery pick up has become our best friend.
We make our selections online and we head to Kroger to pick them up each Saturday.
We just tap a few buttons on our phone and an associate brings the bags to our car – it’s too easy – we don’t even need to get out!
There are lots of ways to stay on track with your diet.
Always be searching for ways to make things as friction-free and effortless as possible.
Your environment is super important for fat loss.
Never underestimate the power of having only healthy nutrition options available at home.
N.W.A. Fitness Tip Of The Week
One of the most common fitness questions I get is “Am I too old to build muscle?”
This question usually comes from someone 50-60 years of age or older.
They think their window for building strength and muscle has passed, and they feel like their efforts would be wasted.
I’m here to tell you, nothing could be further from the truth.
You are never too old to strength train – and your body will always build muscle in response to getting stronger.
That’s how it works, whether you’re 18 years old or 78 years old.
No matter if you’re a man or a woman.
No matter if you’ve never lifted weights before.
There is no reason why you shouldn’t make strength training your main priority – at any age.
In fact, believe it or not, most muscle building studies are done with older populations.
When you’re retired, you have more time on your hands to participate in such studies.
Usually the leg press or the leg extension is the main exercise used, as they’re simple and easy without much risk for injury.
Universally, the subjects ALL build muscle in the quads, too, regardless of any other factors.
Of course you won’t be turning into Arnold when you’re in your 60’s.
But the point of lifting weights isn’t to look like Arnold.
It’s to protect yourself from being frail.
To be sure you can get around without using a cane or a walker when you age.
To maintain a high quality of life.
To strengthen your bones, tendons, and ligaments to bulletproof you from injury.
It’s never too late to start strength training.
And you can always build muscle, no matter your age.
If you’re not in the gym consistently, working to get stronger, you’re missing out on arguably the most important form of exercise on earth.
What are you waiting for?
N.W.A. Mindset Tip Of The Week
My gym is super packed right now; it’s January, and everyone’s hitting it hard.
It can get pretty annoying, I won’t lie.
I’ve found myself having to wait longer than normal for a piece of equipment lately.
As someone who’s been going to the gym for over 10 years, this happens every January; there’s no way around it.
The parking lot is more full.
The sauna is standing room only.
The dumbbell benches are usually all taken.
All by people I’ve never seen before.
I’m just trying to get my workout in and get out, and it seems like it’s taking 30 minutes longer than necessary lately.
But if there’s one thing I will NEVER do, it’s be the pushy and annoying guy in the gym.
Especially not to the beginners.
It’s hard enough to muster up the courage to go to the gym in the first place.
And it can be even harder to venture into the free weight area with the big, hulking lifers (like myself).
This is why it’s SO important to be a smiling and happy presence during this time of the year.
I’ve never witnessed someone being outright rude to a newbie in January.
Most of the fear about going to the gym is self-perception.
People are anxious and self-conscious, and they *think* others are staring at them and judging them.
I can assure you, that’s not the case at all.
The serious lifters are paying attention to their workouts and nothing more.
But I understand that might not be how it “feels” when you lift weights for the first time.
Something I’ve noticed – a “fist bump” and a smile goes a really long way for a beginner.
Especially if you’re a seasoned veteran!
There’s nothing that will make someone’s day more than giving a bump and a smile and saying “Hey, I see you working hard here – same time tomorrow?”
I’ve done this many times before to try to be encouraging, and it’s always met with an ear to ear grin from the person on the receiving end.
We all want to feel like we belong.
We all want to feel welcome.
Nobody wants to feel unwanted.
Be sure to be a positive influence on those around you – you never know when you might be the welcoming face that keeps someone going for years to come.
One Favorite Social Media Post Of The Week:
If anyone tells you “a calorie deficit causes your body to go into starvation mode and you won’t lose body fat”, punch them in the throat.
I hope you enjoyed this edition of the Anyman Fitness N.W.A. Newsletter.
I’ll be back next week.
Hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Best,
Coach J
Anyman Fitness
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I used to be able to rap every single word of this 14 minute song, believe it or not… (Safe for work)