Weight Loss Update

So tomorrow is my final weigh in for the 12 week weight loss challenge that myself and several friends have been a part of. 

I'll tell you that this has definitely seen it's share of highs and lows for the last 12 weeks and I'm reaching the point to where I'm glad that there will be some degree of closure. 

So tomorrow I'll be posting a video update to the status that I've been able to achieve through this process. 

In the video I'll also go into what I've done to get there.  I promise that it hasn't been an easy road, but there are ways that YOU can go about it and achieve similar success! 

I'll be posting live on Facebook at Biblical Wellness!  Likely it'll be tomorrow night around 8 or 9pm EST.  

30 Days, 10lbs...can you handle it?

In the next 30 days, do you have any weight loss goals? 

Do you want to have that beach ready body that you've striven to get? 

Do you try each year and find no success? 

What if I told you that in the next 30 days, you can see 10lbs lost?   Would you believe me or would you think I'm BS'ing you? 

It's possible, but you need to be strategic in your approach.  I can honestly attest to you, especially since I've lost my own weight, that we often don't realize how much we are eating until it's too late. 

Take a second to look at your meals....

What's your breakfast look like? Is it a biscuit or something?  I guarantee that it's somewhere in the ballpark of 400-500 calories. 

What about your lunch?  A sandwich and a bag of chips?  Another 500 or so calories. 

What about dinner?  This is probably closer to 1000 calories, depending on what you do. 

Without adding snacks in, I just gave you a quick 2000 calories that you are probably consuming in your day without you realizing. 

So if you want to see a 10lbs change in the next 30 days, contact me for details. 

My top 5's and why

Rather than go through some advice that I often do with these posts, I wanted to go through some of my top 5's and why I chose them.

My top 5 exercises: 
1.  Barbell Back Squat.  This exercise, when done heavy enough and for enough reps, hits pretty much everything.
2.  Pull-ups.  Kind of the upper body's version of the squat.  When done well, hit's everything.
3.  Dead-lift.  The "king" of lifts.  Between the break off of the floor and the amount of muscle it hits, can't forget this one.
4.  Pull-over.  I used to like the bench press and whatnot, but now my shoulder pretty much hates those.  These hit much of my upper body, especially in the front.
5.  Barbell Lunges.  Kind of like the back squat, these can get everything.  Plus you have the added bonus of maintaining your balance throughout.

Top 5 proteins: 
1.  Chicken breast.  You really can't go wrong here, versatile and can be made to taste like everything.
2.  Turkey breast.  This honestly tastes better than chicken, but with less versatility.
3.  Tuna.  This is cheap, easy, and honestly you can't go wrong for the amount of protein for the price.
4.  Protein shakes.  I use Arbonne Essentials,  they taste good and you feel full for awhile afterwards.
5.  Steak.  The killer here is the price.  Most of the time it's more expensive than what I had listed above, but it's still amazing.

Top 5 Extras:
1.  Coffee.  Without it, everyone suffers.
2.  Silence.  Surprisingly misunderstood and unappreciated.
3.  Trucks.  My favorite vehicle.
4.  Muay Thai.  What I do when I don't lift.
5.  Podcasts.  How to learn without anything crazy, like spending money.


Finally, my top 1....the Lord Jesus Christ and His teachings.  This is how I want to live my life, and I want to give my life to Him.

Those are some of my top 5's and why I thought them.  I hope you gain something out of it that's useful and valuable.

Trying something new!

Last Thursday I didn't post via my blog (what you're reading here).  I ended up posting a note on Facebook  and ended up doing fairly well for my first note/post on there.  I haven't decided  on which route I'll be taking more often, so in the next several weeks expect to see both.  I'll post an update here so if you're not following Biblical Wellness on Facebook, then you can still see them. 

I'll also be live streaming an opportunity for my friends on tonight at 9 pm.  SO if you're reading this from my personal Facebook page, you'll be able to see it.  It's definitely a good opportunity for you if you're a veteran, student, stay at home person, or just looking to have some side cash flow.  If you like helping people improve their lives, this may be for you. 

Don't be afraid to try something new.  Even if you're not sure of how it will go, or are afraid to see...you never know what you'll discover. 

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.  
Matthew 6:34 (NIV)

5 Tips to Boost Productivity!

Make no mistake, I'm not an expert in productivity, at least in the direct sense.  How I consider myself to be pretty good at productivity considering what I do in my day-to-day routine.  I've chronicled in a previous post how I go about my day, and here are some tips that may help lead you to be more productive during your day. 

• Wake up early
• This doesn't have to be super early, but 15 min can be a game-changer
• Plan ahead
• I have certain things that change day to day and I go ahead and plan/schedule them a few days in advance
• Meal Prep
• Social Media Posts
• Be on time
• The Marine Corps taught us that "Fifteen minutes early is on time.  On time is late.  And late is you're dead."  I live by this and it helps. 
• Don't sweat the small stuff
• I tend to remain fairly low-stress.  Sometimes a large thing catches me off-guard, but nothing I can't handle.  Learn how to deal with daily stress though exercise, meditation, or even just talking through it and you'll see a change.  
• Pray
• Pray often.  When you ask the Lord to help you with your problems, stress, and life...He Will!!!!  Pray in the car, pray in the shower, pray everywhere!  When you can do this, I promise your life will change.  

I'm often in awe of people who look at me and what I do in awe.  This is because how I do my life is normal for me, and I find it to be nothing special.  What I outlined in the 5 tips is what I do regularly and seem to be able to maintain my lifestyle (and my family's) long-term.  

Give it a shot and let me know how it goes!

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Biblical Wellness Coaching Contest!

If you've followed me for awhile you have seen the metamorphasis from just self-branding to the creation of my coaching platform, Biblical Wellness. 

Biblical Wellness is something that I wanted to create so that I may spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to more people and to impact their own lives through coaching in fitness & nutrition. 

I want to tell you about a promotion that you can enter to win!

Head over to my contest page and enter to win a month of free coaching ($200 value).  What you'll get:

• Accountability Coaching to keep you on track
• Fitness program customized for you
• Nutritional Program customized for you
• Unlimited text/Facebook Messenger (I have an Android, so this is preferred when interacting with iPhone's)
• Weekly video chat
• And more!

I'll be closing it down on April 8 and announcing the winner on April 9.  

This is online coaching, so what you get is entirely remote.   I provide much through Facebook Messenger and Google documents/calendar.  

Enter to win by April 8 and I'll email the winner directly.  God Bless!

Another Glimpse, freestyle!

My freestyle boxing workout.  This took place after a day of kicks.   Focusing on my hands work and I definitely made some mistakes, but those can be fixed.  Thanks for watching.  Please "Like" and "Share" this post. 

http://www.facebook.com/BiblicalWellnessCenter
http://martinhubner.arbonne.com

How to eat for fat loss?

You wouldn't think that when you want to lose weight, specifically fat, that you'd be eating all of the time.  However this is exactly what you end up doing.  It's actually fairly simple, but nevertheless it's something that we tend to mess up when we try for it. 

The numbers add up differently for different people.  Men vs. Women.  Large frame vs. small frame.  Active vs. sedentary.  This can go on and on.  

Overlooking some of the numbers (like calories), some basics are that you should have vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, etc., at every meal.  You should be eating protein, not avoiding it.  Protein helps you feel fuller longer, plus it aids in fat loss.  Carbs, usually a villain, is also important as it provides you with energy. 

Regular measured out portions help for you to feel full, to burn fat, and to stay in top performance.  An example break-down follows: 

1.  Breakfast: Eggs w/ spinach & mushrooms

2.  Mid-morning Snack:  Protein Shake

3.  Lunch:  Sweet Potato, Chicken Breast, Broccoli

4.  Mid-afternoon Snack:  Tuna, Cauliflower florets, oats

5.  Dinner: Rice, Fish or Chicken Breast, Kale, Spinach, Cabbage

6.  Post Dinner-  Protein Shake

This is just an example, as you may not like some of the foods (as in my case with the rice & kale).  It's always good to begin with an inventory of what you like and dislike, maybe a trip to the grocery store and surveying the foods in the produce section.  

Also notice that there's not much fruit on the menu.  Fruit is good for you but naturally high in sugar, so it's best to be around a workout rather than any other time.  

I hope that this give's you an idea of how to eat and when.  

You can get more information, challenges, and accountability through Biblical Wellness

"Like" & "Share" this post if you want to help others.  

A glimpse into a workout

This entire video is only a brief clip of one of my workouts.  Regarding the circuit, I did 5 rounds of that circuit and with the kicks, another 20 or so minutes on top of that.  Please let me know if you've got questions.  Like & Share this post.  

How to manage your time and do everything!

If you've been following me for awhile, you know that I do a lot on an average day.  While some seem to think that I'm partially superhuman, it's just that I feel like I manage my time pretty well.  So, in light of all this, I wanted to go ahead and break down my day and my suggestions to you to manage your time well so that you can do everything.
My day:

• 5:00-5:30 wake up + magical liquid (coffee)
• Usually checking emails (10-15 min)
• Livestream devotional or prepare content for my Facebook Page  (20-30min)
• Finish or work on any school work that needs to be done (20-30 min)
• Prepare mine & kids' lunches (10-15 min)
• 6:15-6:45; depends on the day, shower and get ready to leave
• 7:00-7:30; Get to work and begin training
• Anywhere from 10-2....workout
• Depends on cancellations, open time periods, etc. 
• Duration sometimes dictates what I'll do
• Short workouts are usually lifting/sprint based
• Long workouts are usually a run (weather permitting)
• 5:00-6:00; Leave work
• 6:00-8:00; Dinner, Kids' bath, Kids' sleep
• Yes, in that order
• 8:00-10/11:00
• Wife time
• School work time
• Live-stream event
• Bed

This is an average day, not including the weekends.  To me this is just the norm, and I couldn't honestly figure out my life if it wasn't this way.  I don't write in a planner or anything, though I do sometimes use a Google Calendar to keep me where I'm supposed to be, like logging in my food or what I'm supposed to be teaching on that particular day.  

My best suggestion is to start off by getting to bed and waking up consistently every single day.  This is one of the most difficult habits to get into and can be the make-it or break-it part of your day.  Next, keep the social media to a low; most of my social time is in the morning because I'm posting or doing whatever for my Biblical Wellness page at that time.  

Since I'm a student (MBA, Liberty University '19) I do my school-work at night when I can have a block of time to knock it out.  Depending on the class, that's 1000-3000 words per week which I can get through fairly quickly, having a MS already helps since I'm fairly familiar with the research process.  Sometimes, I'll be watching whatever we have DVR'd at the same time (kind of like I'm doing as I write this).  So, the take home to this section is to do your tedious/large work at the time that you have the longest period available.  

• Sleep/Wake at consistent times each and every day
• Workout when you can, it's best to do a hard 5 minute workout than none at all
• Keep Social Media at a low, unless you absolutely need to get onto it
• Stretch or do some light workout while watching TV
• Use your longest time-blocks to do your most relaxed work

These are just some suggestions in getting stuff done.  They seem to work for me and I just wanted to pass it along to you.  Now, if you need to write it out and put it into a day-planner, then go ahead; better to do that and be successful than not do it at all.  

If you have questions or need help in your time management, head over to Biblical Wellness on Facebook and shoot me a message.  God Bless!

My weight-loss workouts

Prowler

Since January 26th, if you've been following along, I've been in the midst of a weight loss program.  I've battled my weight off and on for much of my life and it became much more challenging once I had kids.  Granted, it's not because I had the kids myself (high-five to my wife on this one), but because of the sleep deprivation and the change in schedules (kids are chaos). 

I have several workouts I've been working through while engaged in my weight loss journey.  Most of them are cardio, but some weights so that I can maintain some amount of muscle mass.  So here it goes:

• Running (3, 4, & 5 miles so far) = Outside when the sun's out
• SkiErg= A machine by Concept 2 that is similar to a rower, but mimics Cross Country Skiing
• Elliptical= Not my favorite, but burns some calories
• Treadmill= One of my most hated machines, cranking up the incline and going for a rigorous walk
• Prowler= If you're not familiar with this, then you don't want to know
• Jump-rope= Not a fan of double unders, but just some basic footwork & Time
• Boxing/Muay Thai= My favorite fitness, just having the privilege to hit a bag or spar a person is exhilarating
• Weights= Deads, squats, pull-ups, kettle-bell swings.  All the big-boys.  

SkiErg

Often, what I've done is a combination of some of these.  For instance on Tuesday this week I did a circuit of barbell squats and SkiErgs.  Last week was Boxing & Jump Rope.  Some days it's Ski's, Treadmill, Elliptical, and more!  So it depends on what I want that day. 

Regarding the lifting, I only shoot for 1-2 days per week so I can cut mass.  I also integrate it with some of the cardio, but mostly just the ski's.  

Anyway, that's my general workout routine (sort of), seems all over the place, but I do have a rhyme or reason behind everything I do.  But if you need inspiration, take a look at what I put above and begin to work on a plan for you.  It'll change your life.  

Cheat Meals, yes?

The motivation and purpose behind a cheat meal.   Also testing a new intro/outro.  Enjoy!

What I take & What's my plan.

Each and every day are different.  Some are easy and some are hard.  Nutritionally, I modify each day according to a few different things, which I'll tell you below:

• Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, & Fridays= Atkins level low carb (not full keto, but closer to 50g of carbohydrates on these days.  
• Saturdays & Tuesdays = 24 hour fasts (not eating until dinner)
• Saturdays have the cheat meal to close it all out
• Tuesdays have a normal meal, meaning whatever my wife prepares.  
• Wednesdays have been, at least lately, my normal to high carb day.  

Now, this was after a 2 week ketosis primer (<25g carbs).  It was challenging, but easy to maintain for that short amount of time.  Currently I'm still in weight management mode, but it's much easier with the addition of some carbs.  

My foods generally look like:

• Green vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, asparagus, bell peppers, celery
• Lean proteins such as chicken, tuna, or eggs.....sometimes red meat (if we have steak leftover)
• When I do have carbs, it's usually sweet potatoes or butternut squash.  

I usually don't eat until 1030 in the morning or later, most days.  On fast days, that's dinner.  

Supplementally, I keep it simple.  There are some daily but some are specific to a day or two.  

• Protein supplements.  My goal is 1g/lbs of body weight, so around 200g per day.  
• Greens supplement.  My fast days need something to preserve muscle mass, so this helps provide vitamins and minerals. 
• BCAAs.  Same thing with the fast days, but it's entire purpose is preservation of muscle. 
• Digestion pre/pro-biotic.  Digestive health, feel better, live better. DAILY

I keep it simple and purposeful for myself.  I've lost about 5 inches or so in the last month and continue to feel and move better every single day.  This took some trial & error and some strategic
planning to fine tune.  I have some other strategies that I employ to keep me on track (my clients too!).  But I wanted to let you all know what I've been doing to get it done.  

1 Month in, my journey

A month into my weight loss journey.  I know it's difficult to imagine someone into fitness struggling with weight, but I promise you that this fight is more prevalent than you realize. 

I hope that this inspires you to change and become better than you are.  

The Power of Supplementation, performance edition

In my previous post, I discussed how supplementation can help improve your diet & nutrition.  This post highlights more of how supplements can boost your performance.

Most athletes view supplements as a way to improve their performance.  In honesty, I thought that too when I first was driving into the field.  The first supplement that I had ever taken was a form of creatine monohydrate called Cell-tec (or Cel-tec, I don't remember exactly).  In any case, I was supplementing with it largely because my friends were and because it seems that what limited knowledge I had at the time was that it was supposed to get me ripped and huge.

Nevertheless, nothing is what it seems.  I can no longer take creatine without becoming violently ill.  It's a rare side effect associated with it's use.  The moment it hits my stomach I vomit, nearly every time.  Pretty terrible if you ask me.  So I go on, not taking it.

My friends & colleagues now can take it without any adverse effect.  Most of them take it so that they can lift more weight or to put on mass.  I envy them to some degree.  The primary effect of supplementing with creatine is an increase in performance, specifically lifting and sprint performance.  One of the major ways that this is accomplished is by increasing the water in the cells, of which is what binds to creatine at a molecular level.

I mentioned in my previous post BCAAs, or Branched Chain Amino Acids, these are amino acids that are primary metabolized in the muscles rather than going through a chain of events to get there.  My primary reason for use is to preserve as much muscle tissue as I can in a caloric deprived state.  I find that in hyper-dosing (a lot of BCAAs), that I don't experience the same degree of soreness as I would otherwise.

Regardless, some supplements are designed to boost performance.  The ones that I had talked about are some of the best out there.  In my next post, I want to discuss the superpower, Omega 3.  

The power of supplementation, dietary edition

Supplements are a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States.  Every day various supplements are taken by Americans looking to improve their health, vitality, and performance.  For this post, I want to discuss with you how supplements can impact your overall health, from a dietary standpoint. 

Dietary supplements are food-based products that are intended to supplement the diet, not replace it.  The way I look at it, supplements either help you regarding your nutrition or regarding your performance.  In my next post, I'll be talking about the performance aspect of supplements. 

Look at your own nutrition.  Let's take a start by wandering off to your fridge and peering inside.  What do you see in your own refrigerator?  Is it mostly styrofoam containers leftover from takeout restaurants?  Is it mostly fresh fruit and vegetables?  Are there matching containers filled with matching foods?  Which is it? Any of those or none of those? 

Regardless of how you answered, odds are your nutrition sucks.  If it's fruits & vegetables & lean proteins (which it should be), you are probably struggling to get all of your calories in.  I know for me, I'm aiming for around 1600 Kcal per day and that's only for weight loss.  To get a healthy 1600 kcal in, it's pretty challenging without supplementation. 

The majority of my own supplementation comes in the form of protein, of which I get around 60g per day from supplements.  Largely because of speed, convenience, and prep time protein supplementation is my go-to so that I may hit my goal of 200g/day of protein.  Plus, imagine how many eggs and chicken you need to eat pretty frequently to get there. 

Additionally, I do two 24 hour fasts per week.  That's dinner to dinner fasting.  Now, it's not ultra strict fasting, because I consume Arbonne Greens Balance and BCAA's with the intent on maintaining as much muscle mass ad I can with losing as much fat mass as I can.  Plus, I'm heavily caffeinated on those days that I fast.  The greens provide fiber, vitamins & minerals, and keep me balanced, while the BCAA's provide the amino acids for my muscles to stay intact without compromise. 

So supplementation is built to improve and add-to your diet.  It's not a replacement, but a boost.  If you exercise regularly, you'll need to have more calories, more protein, and likely more carbs and fats in your diet.  Post what you do supplement in the comments! And, for more information check out my supplement consulting site, http://MartinHubner.arbonne.com/

I heart food

Food, it's what unites us.  It's what we all share and enjoy in company.  It's what keeps us alive.  And it's what we don't understand. 

Nutritionally, food is made up of a combination of protein (pro), fat, and carbohydrate (carb).  However we don't eat nutrition, we eat food.  Food is made up of all nutrients, from vitamins & minerals to macro-nutrients like pro, fat, & carbs. When we eat, we absorb all of these things to put to work in our bodies. 

Eating foods is pretty simple, and finding nutritious foods is also simple.  For example, I'm writing this on Sunday night and what we had for dinner is one of my favorites...grilled turkey breast (over charcoal), sweet potato, broccoli, and we tried these broccoli & cheese tots.  From all of this we get our pro (turkey), fats (butter if added, or from the tots), and carbs from sweet potato and broccoli.  Overall the meal, if you count out the tots, was around 300-500 cal if you account for portion size. 

I love eating like that.  It's healthy, it's tasty, and you don't make yourself feel guilty over any of it.  Plus my kids love it, which is challenging by itself.  They don't care about vitamins and minerals or macros, they care about how it tastes. 

Taste is more important than virtually anything else when it comes to nutrition.  Just because something is healthy, doesn't mean it tastes good.  Just because something tastes good doesn't mean it's healthy.  You need taste and satiety to enjoy the food, without it it's just food. 

Honestly, and the most important part I need to make note of, is that often you need to eat much more than you think you do.  Like what I ate for dinner, I was full pretty quick and only tapped into a small percentage of my total calorie estimation.  Often to fill the void, we supplement. 

Next week, my view on supplementation.  

What the "experts" say?

Fitness & nutrition are some of the most misunderstood topics.  I can be considered an expert at fitness and nutrition due to my experience and education, and in many ways I am.  In other ways, I would consider myself to be a novice.  This would definitely be based off of my experience in training. 

There are many who may be considered experts in fitness & nutrition, and like myself they are in many ways.  However you don't know what you don't know.  And there are many things that these experts get right, and many others that they don't.  One thing to consider is that each person is different, and in many ways we can focus on training and nutrition in the same way. 

Now, we have many people who enter the gym and do their own thing.  You have many who truly know what they're doing, and this is evident based upon the technique, exercise selection, and distribution of exercises, not to mention physique.  You have others who kind of know what they're doing, and fall into a lot of what I had said in the previous sentence, but their routine is identical day-to-day and week-to-week.  There's nothing exceptionally wrong with this approach, it's the comfort routine, but progress will stall after awhile. 

Finally, we have many who for whatever their own reasons choose to attempt to exercise and follow nutrition plans piece-mealed.  Now, some of these are sound, but unless you have a descent understanding of physiology and mechanics, it's not always the best approach.  Often, its wise to pursue some degree of expertise prior to beginning an exercise program and nutrition plan.  And to note, most physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician-assistants (all providers) are likely to have a limited understanding of nutrition and exercise....maybe an undergraduate course or two.  Some of them do, but you'll need to check their credentials and history. 

Overall, it's best that you consult an expert...especially in matters pertaining to fitness & nutrition.  For the overall "plan" you can easily look online (like me!) and get plans built custom for you to achieve your goals.  For the technical parts, it's more challenging.  If you do it remotely, you can always put your phone to good use and film yourself performing something or live-stream it.  Though with much of the technical (form) work, it's best to get private lessons, even if it's only a few. 

Exercise to live, not live to exercise!

Why do you exercise?  Is it something that helps for you to function throughout a day?  Is it something to relieve stress?  What about just feeling good?  Does it do that?

Do you exercise to function in life or does your life function to exercise?  These are basically opposite of each other.  On the one hand you have the sole purpose of being able to do the things that you love better, on the other hand your purpose is entirely to be better at exercise.  Both of them are valid and both of them are real in many people. 

The majority of us exercise to live.  We enjoy things that aren't related to exercise, at least directly.  I enjoy spending time with my family, reading & writing, and many other things unrelated to exercise.  Exercise, to me, is to make my life easier.  Walking up the stairs in the middle of the night to get one of the kids, or doing work around the house, or even teaching my oldest daughter how to box, are why I exercise.  It makes these tasks easier and more enjoyable.  Though the exercise itself may be very unpleasant. 

A minority lives to exercise.  This is a radically different state of mind.  Probably the best example I can give, and it's not really the best, are the case of many CrossFitters...who spend much of the time discussing workouts, doing workouts, and thinking about the next workout.  There's nothing wrong with this state of mind either, but in my opinion, there's more to life than workouts. 

Now, an even smaller minority is paid to exercise.  These individuals can be seen in many forms, even when they're not being directly paid (in the case of collegiate athletes).  Many receive sponsorships of some kind and these individuals can serve as inspiration to those who do not live to exercise. 

So which do you do?  Exercise to live?  Or live to exercise?  Take some time to think about your answer and why you choose to do what you do.  

The wager

On Friday January 26th, I entered a nationwide contest, with a team of 5.  This wager is to win $10,000. 

In selecting the team, I chose teammates that are very familiar with how to exercise and what works best for their bodies.  We all have several pounds to lose and it doesn't hurt us in that.  Our team name is Dad Bod Heroes, which means that all of us are of course....Dads. 

My weigh in was 220lbs.  About what I thought, but nevertheless a moderately depressing number.  This isn't the heaviest I've ever been, but it is far from the best I've felt.  As I write this, over a week later, I'm down below 215 already.  Most of which was a combination of ketosis and intermittent fasting. 

In the next several weeks, I'll be going through how ketosis works and why the "fad" of this is so popular, even though figure athletes and many others have been doing it for awhile.  I'll also be going through intermittent fasting and why that works.  This is not to say that they're the best, but they generally work to reach a goal. 

The main part of my journey lasts 3 months, with a maintenance of 9 months after.  My target is 190 or below, so wish me luck.   Several weeks into my journey I'll share a time lapse of how I look (via mirror selfie...with pants on!).  So you can follow me in the process. 

How can you change the world?

How can you, and I mean YOU, change the world?  How does one person impact the world and leave it for the better?  How do you leave your legacy?

What you can do to leave the world a better place is to step up.  Step up and put some "skin in the game."  Idly talking about how "this person should do this," or "this person should do that," is complete BS.  "This person" is me.  "This person" is who I am and who I want to be.  To change the world, we need to be involved with the world.

This change can be anything.  It can be political or some kind of activism, which is noble.  Or it can be missionary work or volunteering locally, which is also noble.  Regardless of what you do, you need to do something.  Even when you think that the work you put in is not

worth it, think of it as a long term investment. 

Are you mentally and physically able to put yourself into the game, the game of world changers.  You don't have to be Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, or even Mother Theresa to change the world.  Your impact may be upon another life, and that life may change someone else's, and someone else's, and so on.  So you see, you don't know when you'll change the world, or how.  But know that you must be involved. 

Stop sitting back and idly watching the world pass you by.  Stop complaining about things that you "have no control over" and get in the game to make an impact on those things.  Put your name in to a voted position, even when you think you have no chance, you never know.  Spend time helping troubled youth, you may not know how you impact their lives.  Help people who have no voice in finding that voice. 

To change the world:

- Stop thinking that you can't do anything.
- Strengthen your body and your mind.
- Be nice
- Look at every situation as an opportunity.
- Do not be afraid. 

Fairly simple, don't you think?  It starts with a step, by you, in a forward direction.  We impact lives, and we change the world.  We do it as a team, as individuals, and as families.  Change the world, one life at a time.  

Stress Relief

My last few posts had to do with personal inspiration and music.  Today I want to discuss stress relief and what we need to do to combat stress.

Honestly, I'm not usually stressed. This may come as a surprise considering I work with the public and more specifically, people who are trying to make themselves better.  If you've ever been in the same situation, you know the stress that ensues when you wear the stress of
others on your shoulders.  I honestly have a lot that I should stress about, and sometimes I do, but I found the perfect partner to share my life and my experiences with (I'm talking about you wife ;) ).

Not only do I have a wife whom I can share my stress with, I have an occupation that allows for me to reduce my stress.  Honestly sometimes life's easier at work, other times it's not.  I can go in, basically hang out with my friends all day, make people sweat and then go home.  Each day is unique, because each person is unique.  I love the challenge of it all, and if you know me even a little you know I struggle to sit still and literally do nothing (I'm sitting here right now writing this and even then I'm doing that).

Stress is not something that you live without.  How you manage this stress is more important than anything.  My stress relief comes from lifting & fighting, writing some of these posts, and honestly just wrapping my head around what's going on in the world.  I don't stress about things that I cannot control, or at least at the moment.  I watch and listen to people stress about things, or should I say complain, and yet do nothing to intervene (mostly politics).

Outline what stresses you out and what helps for you to relax.  If you have a greater list of stressors than things that reduce it, you need to consult some coaching to release some of that stress.  If it's the other way, keep doing what you're doing.  Stress is there, but it doesn't have to overwhelm you.

Tied Together

Today, I wanted to let you know that I'd be tying many of my social media outlets together.  I've changed the name of my business side from Southern Guardians, LLC whose intention was to sell and transfer firearms, to Biblical Wellness, of which I will leverage my expertise and network to provide sound Biblical fitness, nutrition, and life advice and coaching to those who may benefit as such.  

Additionally, if you're reading this via my public group Martin Hubner MS, CSCS, Pn1 Fitness & Nutrition Coaching, then I want to tell you that this group is going to be linked with Biblical Wellness.  I'd like for this to be the community side, where you all can interact with each other and such, and the other to be more of the information/legitimate business side (sound like a mobster).  

My Twitter Handle, @BibWellCtr, will also be linked to these two groups.  This way I can post via twitter (like some of these blog posts are able to do).  

The only thing that will not be dedicated will by my Instagram account.  This will still showcase some of my private or group training as well as Biblical Wellness stuff.  So it will cross both worlds for me.

Thanks for reading and for following!  

You're the inspiration!

As I was riding in the car last week, I got to thinking that I should share those people who have or continue to inspire me.  I can honestly say that this list will not consist of celebrities (mostly), largely because if they act in film or whatever, it's not tremendously inspiring.  There are only a small handful of people that I f
eel have brought me to where I am right now, but it's still important that I note them.  Also important to note, not all of these people are currently alive.

1.  Jesus Christ = This should be easy, but I feel like you should know/realize that he is super importan
t in my life.  Without him, we are nothing and with him, everything.

2.  Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller = The Marine's Marine.  He exeplefies confidence and heroism by only doing his job.  He changed lives for the better (unless you were Chinese or a Korean, the Northern kind) and his legacy still lives on.

3.  My parents = They get a team effort here, largely because they set the stage for me to become who I am today. 

4.  James "Chaos" (not Mad-dog) Mattis = Another Marine's Marine.  He keeps it straight and is always ready to throw-down on behalf of his Marines (and now the whole military). 

5.  Walt Disney = He created, he followed his dream, and he created an empire. 

6.  Arnold Schwarzenegger = His work influenced me, in-part, to the career that I'm in. 

7.  Everyone whom I've ever come into contact with.  While this is extremely general, I try to take 1 ounce of wisdom from each and every person that I come across.  Each life is different and each have something to offer, and thus I become better through them. 

I believe that every person has something to offer, either good or bad.  Nevertheless, it's important to recognize that each of us have different experiences and different backgrounds.  When we be kind and nice to others, they will (eventually) project that knowledge to you and you gain from that.  Be a douche and it's unlikely that it will ever happen. 

This is a list of my inspiration, think about yours and why they are your inspiration.  This helps to figure out who you are and what you stand for. 

How often should I run?

By run, I mean cardio, and by cardio I mean anything not lifting.  Cardio in some ways has characteristics to lifting, and in other ways none at all. 

When many do cardio, it's long & slow.  For that you can generally do it day in and day out without fail.  Your body
won't hate you (most of you) and early on you'll see progress, at least until you stop challenging yourself.  It's monotonous, mind-numbing, and yet can be oh-so-satisfying.  But you can do it every single day as long as your body says it's ok. 

Take interval training, or High Intensity Interval Training for you more technical savvy people.  This is often way more strenuous than your long & slow training (hence the "High Intensity" part).  Your ability to handle this with frequency is dependent on the action performed and even the duration of the activity. 

If you're running, you have to take into account the beating on your joints that will ensue when you do it often enough.  This means analyzing the terrain, the shoes
, the duration, and the speed of which you'll run.  If you're swimming, you have less (usually) to think about.  Generally speaking, running is simpler and easier to perform because we are all innate runners, at least in a limited capacity. 

If you were to do sprint running, at 100% every single day, it's likely your performance will suffer over time as you're just beating your body.  If you were to "cross-train" with say...rowing or swimming, you might be able to sustain 100% much longer and more frequently.  The same goes for long distance stuff, as you vary the intensity and type of training, it's much easier to sustain over time. 

The answer to "how often should I run?" is complex, as you were able to see.  Like lifting, it's very complicated and dependent on the individual and the choice of exercises.  In this case, variability is much more important to sustain a 100% effort level, but even then it's unlikely that you'll be able to sustain it long. 

So the best answer of how often is how often that you're able to.  That is always the correct answer, but know that the 100% effort is harder to come by.  Enjoy what you're doing and do it to the best of your ability.  

What are you looking for?

Since I have this blog up and post on it regularly, I wanted to ask you what exactly do you want me to cover?  What topics would benefit you the most?  Rather than myself talk about what I'm doing or what comes up in my life, I wanted to address this to you so that you can decide how the content (sometimes) is pushed and what it contains.  Please let me know in the comments below or in the comments on Facebook or Google+.  

How often should you lift?

A question that often arises among my clients is how often should they lift weights.  The answer is actually pretty complicated as each of them are different within their routines, ability, and even training age.  The probl
em is that virtually all advice that has been given is basically correct.   You must adapt it to your circumstance and not conform to what has been given to others. 

I'm an advocate of high frequency training.  This methodology varies the load, sets, reps, speed, and rest within the context of only a few exercises.  For example, I am performing a squat every day workout plan.  I have a client who is performing a dead-lift variation of this plan, but with less variability than mine.  The good part is you know what general movement you'll be performing that particular day, however which variation of that movement is up for grabs. 

Let's go with mine as an example.  It's built off a monthly plan, so for 30 days, I squat.  This goes against conventional wisdom that you should rest a muscle (or group of muscles) each day, but I promise you that you see some major progress each and every week.  The major variations of the squat are Back & Front Squats, though with and without a belt. 

The benefits of this is the exceptional amount of volume that we receive in the training.  We also receive a fair amount of intensity (weight) when we train high frequency.  This allows for some significant response from the muscles and thus an improved body composition and strength.  Before I conclude on the high frequency training, know that most elite level weightlifting programs consist of high frequency training, rather than the 1-2x per week training that most conventional programs suggest.

Now, this isn't suggesting that you should begin to lift the same lift(s) every single day, just that it's an effective method to improve strength & body composition.  Most however do an exercise only 1-2x per week only.  Now, there's some definite merit to this as well, especially in the muscle growth concept (and to some degree, strength).  Muscles need rest to grow, the central nervous system (the thing that's primarily responsible for making you strong) needs rest to improve.  The upside is that you can easily see improvement with 1-2x/week training, however the longer that you have in between training sessions the less practice that you receive and thus the less proficient you are at a particular thing. 

Sometimes training frequency doesn't matter, what matters is that you hit it each and every week.  As you continue, you'll see progress.  Fail to go ahead with training and overthinking it will result in you failing in general.  So even if you only know 1-2 things, go ahead and hit those things each and every day.  You'll see progress, and you'll see proficiency. 

Keep your consistency with your training, if it's every day or every other day or every week.  Your frequency only matters when you're highly trained, but know
that you need to train and train hard to see progress.  

The music that moves you!

When you workout, what's the music that moves you?  What pushes you harder than you could without it?  Each of us gravitate towards a different genre, tempo, or mood. 

What I tend to listen to

My music choice is dependent on my mood.  It's not that I don't like a variety of genres, but I do have some I prefer over others.  It also depends on what I'm doing, such as driving, lifting, running, or relaxing. 

Most of the time when I'm driving I listen to podcasts over music, unless my day has been sort of stressful.  This allows for me to learn new things doing something I do anyway.  If any of the family is in the car, I tend to put on music, generally a radio station rather than my own playlists.  Usually it's the country station (for my wife) or the Christian station (for me) when they're in the car. 

Running is different.  Sometimes I zone out to some Marine Corps cadences (on Spotify) and other times I need a fast paced style like Metallica.  The running cadences are for that exact purpose, and if you've ever been in the military you know that it's sometimes helpful to allow you to keep up the pace.  With Metallica (and others like them) it's partially the speed of the music and the length of the songs.  An example would be Master of Puppets, which clocks in at around 8:48, that's about a mile for me.  You get a lot of these cheesy pop songs that clock in about 3 min and that's not enough to get you through anything. 

Screenshot of some of what I like

Lifting is dependent on what I'm doing.  Most of the time it's some high-speed power metal or Christian rock (or a mix of those).  More-often than not, it's background noise and I'm not particularly focused on anything other than what I'm doing.  With lifting, I kind of like the more epic storytelling approach, such as Ayreon (I know, you're probably like ?????).  If I'm lifting with a partner, then I do tend to go with whatever they want, since it's usually more mainstream than what I like. 

As you can see, I adjust my music for what I'm doing and who I'm with.  I made an attempt one day to put on what I like in one of my classes and that ended up with a lot of nope. 

So what music moves you?  Why does it?  Just something to think about as you do your thing in the world. 

Sabotage!

Goal setting at the new year is common.  And if you looked at my posts last week I referenced new years resolutions and how to either succeed or fail at them.  Today is more of a reference to how to fail, but mostly how to sabotage your goals.

Your goals are easy to sabotage.  If they weren't, would the goals you made last year be successful? 
Wouldn't the goals you made this year be different than last? 

It's not because you lack the motivation, but the accountability to achieve your goals.  Everyone's motivated to lose weight, to save money, and whatever else may be their goal.  Who holds you accountable
for these goals?  Do you have a coach, a training partner, a stockbroker, a spouse, even your dog to tell and keep you accountable for these goals?

Motivation is easy, accountability is hard.  You can be motivated to lose weight, but without being held accountable for your actions, it's a sabotage of your goal.  Accountability is the opposite of self-sabotage. 

Who do you trust with your goal? 
Why do you trust them?

My accountability is being held by my wife and my friends who undergo the same torture that I go through (lifting & fat loss).  We use the "team" approach, which allows for more than 1 person to hold accountable. 

Finally, to achieve the strength and determination to accomplish my goals, I pray.  Laugh if you will, but prayer is powerful and necessary to live a wonderful life.  So, not only are my wife and my friends my accountability partners, but Jesus is too.  I pray for success, for accomplishment, and to be granted with the ability to carry out God's will, not my own.  This is the ultimate way to block sabotage, as no one can sabotage the Lord. 

So who do you trust? I trust the Lord.  Why do you trust?  I trust Him because he can do all things. 

My success is His, and my failures are mine.  Trust in the Lord, as your friend, accountability partner, and guardian and all things will be done.

How to fail at your New Years Resolution.

In my previous post, I talked about how to succeed in keeping your New Years Resolutions.  This time, however, I want to talk about how to fail at your resolutions.  I find this to be important because more often than not we do fail, but don't understand why we fail.  This is actually simpler than succeeding at them. 

To fail at your New Years Resolutions:

1.  Make them last second, like December 26th-31st.
2.  Don't have someone hold you accountable.
3.  Don't actually make a note of what you want to accomplish, just talking about it doesn't work.
4.  Don't keep records of what you're doing. 
5.  Make them overly complicated and unattainable.
6.  Be impatient.

Most of the time, if you can stick to the basics such as simplicity, record keeping, and accountability you'll succeed.  You may not succeed quickly, but you'll succeed.  Failure is much simpler and we often get wrapped up in the complexity of what we'd like to do rather than being patient and riding out the storm.

An example would be weight loss.  Go into any gym in the United States in January and you'll see what we call New Years Resolutioners.  These individuals pay for a gym membership (great for cash flow!) and use it for about a week or two and then quit.  If you think about how long it took to gain that weight, think of at least 50% of that time to lose it.  Same with smoking or some other type of addiction, it takes time and patience to break these habits and they cannot be done overnight.  This is where accountability comes in. 

To fail at your resolutions, keep them complicated and be impatient.  Rome wasn't built in a day and neither are your goals.  Think of reaching these goals like sailing through the ocean, sometimes it's rough, sometimes it's calm, but you'll eventually get to your destination.  

New Frequency

To allow for the keeping of fresh content, I'm going to change up my frequency. 

For the past year, I've posted content on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  Looking for the future,  I'm going to be posting only on Tuesdays & Thursdays.  I lose one day in posting, but it allows for me to keep fresh content and in preparation for what I'm hoping to roll out in February. 

I'll still be keeping up my posts, but with only 1 less per week. 

Thank you all for a wonderful year of reading my posts.  I'm looking forward to posting more effective content in the next year! 

How to keep your New Years Resolution.

You want to lose weight.
You want to quit smoking.
You want to start a new degree (or finish an old one). 


Whatever it is, your New Years Resolution, is yours.  We all make them, whether we realiz
e it or not.  We strive to begin each and every new year with the intent to accomplish something that we either were unable to accomplish in the previous, or something that we've never tried before.  Many of our resolutions are health related, but they don't have to be.  Mine are fairly simple and straightforward:

1.  Take each kid (and wife) on their own "date."
2.  Begin membership site. 
3.  Expand my neuro-rehab program to another cohort. 
4.  Ditch the dad-bod. 

There are a few ways that you can stick with your resolution.  The first is one that I just demonstrated to you.  I proclaimed it to the world.  This holds me accountable to you, who read this blog.  You don't have to start a blog to hold it accountable.  Maybe updating a Facebook Status each day that you want to proclaim your resolution.  An even more effective way (backed by science!) is to physically write it down.  You're in the 60+% range of being more likely in keeping your goal if you write it down and refer to it regularly. 

Another method in keeping your resolution would be to find/hire a coach.  This can be an accountability coach (i.e. someone who contacts you on a regular basis to see if you're meeting your goals and expectations), a therapist, a physical fitness coach (I'm reluctant to say "personal trainer" here), even your barber/stylist!  In paying $$$ to someone, you are more than likely going to stick with your path to the goal that you've set for yourself.  This doesn't have to be an exorbitant amount of $, but there is research to suggest that you're more than likely going to achieve success than if you don't. 

Finally, keep it simple.  I showed you 4 of my goals, and they expand upon different aspects of my life.  The first is family,  the second is personal development/entrepreneurship, the third is career-minded, and the fourth is physical.  Most of these are in for the long-haul and won't show their progress in a few short months, and I'm completely at ease with this.  Many of these will take the better part of 2018 and probably even into 2019 before I see a return on my time investment.  Don't over-elaborate your goals and you'll have an easier time seeing the success you crave.

To keep your New Years Resolution proclaim it, get mentored, and keep it simple.  If you accomplish these, success will be in your hands.