Productivity Hacks

THE WRONG WAY TO ACHIEVE PEAK PERFORMANCE

October 5, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

“Mental toughness is to physical as four is to one.”

– Bobby Knight

Developing superior mental strength in young athletes is invaluable and can have lifelong benefits. However, it’s also worthwhile to discuss the wrong ways to develop mental toughness and what can happen when this critical attribute is underdeveloped.

In my book, “The World’s Greatest Sports Prodigies & How To Prepare Young Athletes For Success”, I detailed the cautionary tale of youth sport training gone wrong with the storied career of Todd Marinovich and his father/trainer Marv.

Marv was a former football player, who won a national championship in 1962 at USC and briefly played in the NFL, before retiring due to injuries. He became an expert on Eastern Bloc training philosophies and continued his career in football as a premier strength-and-conditioning coach. When Todd was born in 1969, he became Marv’s test subject in an experiment to see how well an athlete could be developed if raised in a perfect environment.

The training was demanding to say the least. Before he was born, Todd’s mom, Trudi, consumed no sugar, salt, alcohol, or tobacco. As a baby, the younger Marinovich’s diet consisted of only fresh fruit, vegetables, and raw milk. As he grew older, he was limited to beef without hormones and unprocessed dairy products. He was never allowed to consume sugar, refined white flour, or junk food of any type.

The physical conditioning was just as rigorous as the dietary portion of his training. Before he could walk, Todd was already being placed on a balance beam and Marv would stretch his hamstrings in the crib. By three, he could throw with both hands, kick with both feet and already was on a program that included push-ups, pull-ups, hand weights, and sit-ups. The day he turned four, he ran a four-mile run in 32 minutes. By junior high school, Todd’s weekly workout consisted of four days of weight training, three days of running, two days of work with a quarterback coach in addition to a daily two hours of football throwing sessions. Todd trained multiple hours a day, seven days a week.

Needless to say, the initial results were spectacular. As a quarterback of national prominence, Todd would go on to set a high school record for all-time passing yardage, racking up more than 9,000 yards in his illustrious career. In 1987, he was named the Touchdown Club’s National High School Player of the year, and earned a scholarship to USC. He would even go on to briefly play professional football for the Oakland Raiders.

While those are all amazing accomplishments, the toll it put on Todd was incredibly strenuous and probably not worth the price. Looking for a release from the suffocating control exerted by Marv, Todd began to experiment with drugs and alcohol in high school, which would lead to greater problems in college. He was arrested for possession of cocaine in his final year at USC, and continued to battle drug problems throughout his NFL career. After failing his third drug test at the beginning of his third season with the Raiders, Marinovich was suspended and his professional career was basically over. Even after his football career ended, he continued to have legal problems related to illegal substances. On top of all that, he went through an extended period of estrangement from his father.

There is little doubt that Marv Marinovich was both innovative and forward-thinking in his approach to physical conditioning in young athletes. Where he failed miserably was in his failure to develop the mental side of Todd’s development. Some notable mistakes stand out.

Mistake 1 – Making Failure in Any Form Unacceptable

Todd once mentioned that Marv had a saying, “Perfect Practice Makes Perfect.” All throughout his youth career, failure was simply not an option. The answer was always more work and training and effort until success was attained. Quite simply, a young athlete should never be made to feel that success is the only acceptable outcome. The kind of undue pressure that demanding parents can exert onto their children can prove to be a crippling detriment that some struggle to overcome their whole lives. This in itself is a leading contributor to Youth Sports Burnout. This is probably also a leading factor in what caused Todd to spiral so far out of control once he reached college and was out of his father’s grasp.

Mistake 2 – Revolving Everything Around a Child’s Sports Career

Everything in Todd’s young life revolved around his training. It is said Marv lost jobs because of his obsessive need to train Todd, and it eventually caused marital issues which led to divorcing Todd’s mother. Imagine the incredible pressure Todd must have felt to succeed after seeing how much time, money, and personal relationships that were exhausted in Marv’s dream. This is a toll that no young athlete should have to bear. Youth sports are meant to be fun and rewarding, but should never take precedence over the more important things in life.

Mistake 3 – Not Allowing the Athlete to Make Decisions

Todd was never given a choice in Marv’s dream to develop a perfect athlete. Before he was born, Marv had already mapped out a plan for his entire career. Keep in mind that just because someone may be good at something doesn’t necessarily mean they love it. Todd may have been a great football player, but there is no indication he ever had a passion for it. By choosing that passion for him and creating a rigidly structured life that did not allow Todd the ability to make decisions for himself, Marv did him a tremendous disservice and the problems he exhibited later in life related to poor decision-making probably stemmed from this. Allowing a young athlete the ability to make choices, helps to develop strength of will. In the event those choices happen to be the wrong ones, it then provides an opportunity for one to learn from their mistakes. It is natural to want to protect our kids as we always feel we know best, but letting them make important decisions, when the time is warranted, helps them to grow into stronger, more mentally mature individuals.

In the end, this sad story clearly illustrates the long-term consequences of peak performance training when the focus is geared too heavily towards the physical and not nearly enough towards the mental side. By learning from these mistakes, we can hope to avoid the pitfalls suffered by Todd and help to better prepare young athletes to establish the requisite amount of mental toughness needed to thrive.

THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL TOUGHNESS IN ELITE ATHLETES

August 31, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

“Nothing on earth can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”

– Thomas Jefferson

In my book, “The World’s Greatest Sports Prodigies & How To Prepare Young Athletes For Success”, I examined the careers of a number of high-profile young athletes. In almost every case, the ones who found long-term success were the one with the greatest mental resiliency, while those who lacked mental toughness or discipline were often victims of burnout or careers that were perceived to be failures.

As if one needed more evidence of the importance of mental toughness in sports, you need only to look at players considered to be the best to ever play their chosen sport and see great examples. Athletes like Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Muhammad Ali were all superstar sports competitors who married physical excellence with mental dominance to achieve a peak level of performance. Here is a look at how each used mental toughness to take their impressive physical abilities to a world-class level.

Michael Jordan

“Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”

– Michael Jordan

Some consider Michael Jordan the greatest player to ever play basketball. With six NBA championships, five Most Valuable Player awards, two Olympic Gold Medals, and numerous other personal accolades to his name, a case can definitely be made to support his claim to greatness. Standing a towering 6’6” tall with impeccable quickness and a reputed 48-inch vertical leap, there is little doubt that even amongst elite athletes, Jordan possessed rare physical gifts that few if any have ever matched. Despite all of this, what probably set Jordan apart from any other player of his generation was his legendary mental toughness.

Looking at his career, numerous examples of mental toughness stand out. In one of the most infamous stories from his youth, it has been said that Jordan was cut from his own high school team as a sophomore at Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina. This was not technically true. While he was cut from the Varsity team, he did play on the Junior Varsity squad. For many players though, this would have been a devastating blow. Some would probably even consider giving up the game. Not Jordan. He used this so-called “slight” to fuel his training and prove that he did belong. Jordan would go on to dominate on the Varsity level in his junior and senior years and earn a scholarship to the University of North Carolina, one of the most prestigious basketball programs in the country.

Certainly, you can’t accomplish all that Michael Jordan accomplished in his career without a high measure of mental toughness. This is an athlete, who as a freshman in college in 1982, made the game-winning shot in the National Championship game against a favored Georgetown squad. This is also a player who would go onto to dominate the NBA, winning the Rookie of Year award in 1985 and eventually lifting the lowly Chicago Bulls franchise to six NBA championships. He was a player who never lost a championship series. Quite simply, Michael Jordan was a competitor who never was overwhelmed by the biggest moments and was able to succeed under immense pressure, where others would mentally crumble.

Near the end of his legendary career, Jordan played one of the most iconic games of his career in the 1997 NBA Finals versus the Utah Jazz in what is referred to as “The Flu Game”. With the series tied 2-2, game five would prove to be a pivotal match that would give one team the upper hand in claiming the championship. Unfortunately for the Bulls, Jordan was suffering from a stomach virus and severe dehydration. For an ordinary player this would be debilitating and a reason to skip the game entirely. As we all know though, Jordan was no ordinary player and his iron will would not let him even consider skipping such a monumental game. While many players might be able to “tough it out” and play under such adverse conditions, they certainly would not be at 100% and likely would not be able to significantly impact such a big game. Jordan not only played but dominated the game. He scored 38 points, including a critical three pointer with 25 seconds remaining to lift the Bulls to an improbable 90-88 win. The team would go on to win the series in game six and allow Jordan to celebrate the fifth of his six championships. Truly, Jordan enjoyed a mental edge that separated him from anyone else in the game and it showed.

Tiger Woods

“My mind is my biggest asset. I expect to win every tournament I play.”
-Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods is another example of an athlete who dominated his chosen sport, Golf, by displaying unshakable mental toughness. From the time he turned pro in 1996 through 2008, Woods was a virtual force of nature on the Green and the most dominant player in the world. In that span he captured 14 major championships and seemed destined to shatter the record of 18 held by Jack Nicklaus. Standing at a chiseled 6’2 with an athletic build unmatched by any player on the tour, many might attribute his success to his impressive physical gifts. However, they are severely underestimating the mental strength and toughness possessed by Tiger.

As anyone who knows the sport can attest, it is a mentally demanding game requiring concentration, focus, and the ability to perform well under pressure. So imagine playing on the biggest stages, before the largest crowds and consider how much more the difficulty would be notched up. Woods’ mental resiliency is a huge reason why he was able to excel for an extended period of time in such a stressful sport. David Wells, a writer for the New York Times, observed “In a period that has brought us instant messaging, multitasking, wireless distractions and attention deficit disorder, Woods has become the exemplar of mental discipline. It is his ability to enter the cocoon of concentration that is written about and admired most.” Professional golfer Bob Mays added “Tiger is the most mentally tough guy in sports, from race car drivers to football players to anyone. You can never get him down, and he will never let himself get down. That’s where he really beats up on people.”

So how did he develop that famed mental acuity? Credit goes to his parents Earl and Kultida Woods. It is said that from an early age in his training, Earl would insert special tricks and challenges to keep Tiger focused, like dropping golf bags in the background as he would swing. By helping to learn to channel out distractions, Earl was able to keep Tiger singularly focused on his goals. Likewise, his mother Kultida was noted as the disciplinarian in the family and ran a tight household when Tiger was young instilling discipline and control in him from an early age. Obviously all of the mental training paid off, since Woods dominated his sport as much as any other athlete has in any sport ever.

In one of the most challenging moments of his career, Tiger again proved his mental toughness. In 2008, after being sidelined for much of the season recovering from knee surgery, Woods returned in time to compete in the US Open. It proved to be one of his most stirring victories as he defeated Rocco Mediate and captured the championship by winning a sudden death playoff on the final hole. In victory, Woods discussed the pressure he was under to make big shots down the stretch that allowed him to overcome Mediate. “Well, it’s pressure, there’s no doubt. I was nervous and that’s a good thing. That means you care. You can try and use that energy as best you can to heighten your focus and then get into the right situation and it worked out great for me this week.” Truly, being able to handle pressure can help to elevate you to the top of any profession.

Muhammad Ali

“To be a great champion you must believe you are the best. If you’re not, pretend you are.”

– Muhammad Ali

When it comes to supreme confidence, no athlete possessed that in greater abundance than Muhammad Ali. Aptly nicknamed “The Greatest”, Ali had an illustrious career that began when he captured the Olympic Gold Medal in Boxing in 1960 in Rome, Italy. As a professional, Ali compiled a record of 56-5 and was a three-time Heavyweight Champion of the World with incredible wins over a collection of legendary fighters including Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Sonny Liston, and Ken Norton. Standing at 6’3” tall with fast hands, impeccable boxing skills, and an incredible chin, he had all the physical tools to be a champion, but it was his unwavering bravado and mental acumen that made him the best of all time.

Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Clay, took up boxing at the age of 12. Though he possessed immense natural talent, he wasn’t content to rely upon that. His trainer, Angelo Dundee, commended Ali for not only his relentless drive to outwork his opponents, but also his curiosity to learn everything he could regarding the “Sweet Science”. From an early age, Ali had set a goal for himself to be a world champion and trained with that singular focus. So he not only developed the physical abilities he would need, but developed his mind as well. Ali sought out the legendary Dundee, because he wanted to know everything when it came to champions such as how they prepared, what they ate, how they thought, etc. No matter what obstacles were put in his path, Ali focused on his training, weeding out distractions and overcoming obstacles to accomplish what he set out to do. Ali expected so much of himself, he trained in a way that reflected that, not cutting corners, but instead putting in more work than anyone else thought necessary. The results were nothing short of extraordinary.

As a pro, he faced many challenging moments in his illustrious career. The first came when he battled the reigning Heavyweight Champion, Sonny Liston, in 1964. Liston was a powerful and intimidating fighter who had destroyed the previous champion Floyd Patterson and entered the bout as an 8-1 favorite. Few expected Clay (Ali) to survive, let alone win, but such was his mental toughness that he relished the challenge. Using his blazing hand speed and elusiveness, Clay thoroughly frustrated and dominated Liston, forcing him to retire on his stool after six rounds. Later in his career in 1974, Ali would face even more daunting odds when he met George Foreman, considered one of the most devastating punchers of all time. Foreman was fresh over destructive second round knockouts of Joe Frazier and Ken Norton, who had both proved stiff challenges for Ali. Plus, given the fact that Ali was no longer in his physical prime and notably slowed down, he would not be able to fight in the same manner he had used to overwhelm Liston. Again, the challenge was daunting and the chances for victory seemed nonexistent. Ali, however, would once more reach into his bag of tricks by employing an innovative and highly-questionable strategy called the “Rope-a-Dope”. Using this technique, Ali waited against the ropes as a stationary target and invited Foreman to wail away with his vaunted power shots. This strategy confounded all the experts who felt he was setting himself up to be massacred. However, Ali used effective defense to cover-up and clinch the bigger, stronger man, and counter-punch when opening arose. By the eighth round, an exhausted Foreman had essentially punched himself out, and Ali seized the opportunity to score an amazing knockout win. The mental toughness Ali displayed by having the fortitude to absorb Foreman’s punishing power shots and to stick to what many considered an ill-fated tactic was what set him apart from the rest of the pack.

Further proof of his extraordinary mental toughness came in 1967, when Ali refused to be drafted by the armed services to participate in the Vietnam War. As a result of his stance, Ali was fined and sentenced to five years in prison. While he never actually served any prison time, because the decision was eventually overturned, Ali would lose more than three years of his athletic prime in exile, for his decision. No matter what one’s stance is on his decision, Ali must be commended for fighting for what he believed in and refusing to cave in to the various forces pressuring him in the government, media, and throughout the world. Having the courage to stand up for what you believe in is definitely an important component of mental toughness.

These are only a few examples of athletes who possessed remarkable mental toughness.

HOW TO OVERCOME DECISION FATIGUE

May 28, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

Many of us start out with the best of intentions when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. Eat clean? No problem! Exercise regularly? Piece of cake! Avoid harmful addictions? Of course! How then do so many of us trip ourselves up along the way with poor decision-making and an unexplainable inability to stay on the right path when we are so determined? The simple answer is a common condition known as Decision Fatigue.

In theory, when it comes to high-performing individuals, the more you accomplish, the better you have performed. However, what if our overambitious agendas are actually sabotaging our long-term goals and limiting chances for even greater success? This is something I encountered on my path to building a multi-million dollar fortune. It’s probably something you have experienced in one form or another as well. That’s why it is important to understand what Decision Fatigue is, so we can overcome it’s crippling effects.

What is Decision Fatigue?

Decision Fatigue is defined as a deterioration of ability to make good decisions as the result of extended sessions of decision making.

Think of your decision-making ability as something akin to a power meter in a video game. With every decision you make through the course of the day, the more your brain energy depletes. The more decisions you make, the faster it drains. Get the picture?

Willpower is something people like to talk about, and despite what we may believe, willpower is limited. The part of your brain that controls willpower, the prefrontal cortex, is the same one that handles a multitude of tasks such as focus and short-term memory. Because this part of the brain stays extremely busy, the more information you overload it with, the worse your decision-making becomes.

A well known study from 1991 demonstrated just how powerful this concept works. Two participant groups were were given a sequence of numbers to remember. The first group was provided a two-digit sequence, while the second was tasked with a seven-digit number. Then, each group was taken into another room with an option to choose between a snack of chocolate cake or fruit salad. The results were quite striking and showed that those that had the seven-digit sequence were more that twice as likely to choose cake as the other group.

This is what is known as “cognitive load” and demonstrates a tangible way to show that when the prefrontal cortex is overloaded, the less likely you are to make good choices. That’s why those who take on a laundry list of resolutions to start a new year invariably fail, because they are not being set up for success.

How to Overcome Decision Fatigue

So if we have good intentions, but are faced with the limitations of biology, how does one with great ambition succeed? Thankfully, there are some powerful and effective ways to promote mental clarity and ultimately better decision-making, which you can easily incorporate into your daily life.

Make a To Do List And Set Your Most Important Goals First

If you start the day with a full tank of decision-making ability it only makes sense to prioritize the key things you need to focus on for early in the day. Not only will you be in peak form to make better decisions, but you can check off the most important tasks from the To Do List while you have more time, not less.

Keep Things Simple, Stupid!

When you hear stories about people like Steve Jobs or Albert Einstein having closets full of the exact same sets of clothes there is a good reason for that. They are keeping things as simple as possible by removing the choice from some decisions. While you don’t have to go far, keeping your choices limited to a few options makes it a simpler task to make quick and less energy-consuming decision. This can apply to more than clothes and include things such as dining options, entertainment choices, social media applications, etc.

Plan Ahead!

During a work week things can get hectic. That’s especially true here in America where we lead busy on-the-go lifestyles. So how about before the week starts, scheduling a set time to plan out a weekly meal calendar, workout routine, or other key decisions that can be decided upon in advance? Once you have it your calendar, consider it set in stone and then you just need follow the roadmap you planned ahead for.

Taking this one step further. one of the best ways to reduce the effects of decision fatigue is to automate as many of the decisions you don’t need to actually make. This could be as simple as setting up autopay functions for monthly bills, or signing up for subscription services that deliver monthly necessities and save you from time-burning shopping runs.

Learn to Say No More Often

Admittedly, this has been a tough one for me. I’m the type that constantly likes to challenge myself by taking on more difficult tasks. There is also the prideful side that likes to be the one who accomplishes things others cannot. The result is I often overload myself by taking on too much responsibility which leads to unnecessary stress. They key here is to just get more comfortable saying “No”. The more you do it, the easier it becomes and then you can dedicate more time to the truly important goals and responsibilities on your list.

Make Sure you Get Enough Sleep

We all know the importance of a good night’s sleep and how we start the day with depleted mental faculties when we do not get enough quality sack time. Therefore, as often as possible make it a routine to ensure you get the proper of amount of rest to perform at your peak. Sleep requirements vary for each individual, but most experts recommend somewhere from 7-9 hours per night. Few things are as important for your brain as a consistent sleep schedule.

Schedule Time For Breaks Throughout The Day

Similarly, it’s also important to get some mental rest during the day, as well. One of the best features of my FitbIt Ionic is that it can be set to ping me every hour if I don’t take the prescribed amount of steps. In effect, it signals inactivity which is a great benefit for people who engross themself deeply in work or projects. The secondary benefit of this for me though is a reminder to get up away from the screen and recharge my mental battery. This is a great chance to take a short walk, get some fresh air, and quite simply re-set my focus. For those who struggle to get a quality sleep on a consistent basis, a midday power nap can also do wonders.

Learn To Supplement

It goes without saying that eating well is not only good for your physical being, but your mental health as well. To take this a step further, I employ some go-to supplements for even better mental faculties. One, I use every day is Brain Octane Oil from Bulletproof. This powerful supplement is an MCT Oil which delivers a concentrated form of fatty acids that are quickly converted in ketones and can be used to boost cognitive function. If we go back to the early visual of your decision-making ability as a power meter, think of an MCT Oil as a power-up than can help replenish a depleted bar. Score!

Conclusion

These are just a few of the tools at your disposal, but if employed correctly they can provide powerful benefits in mental clarity and advanced performance and help you overcome Decision Fatigue. Try to incorporate these 7 tactics into your routine and see how much more you accomplish, while at the same time reducing your stress levels. I strongly believe the result will be new levels of personal excellence for you.

MY GO TO SUPPLEMENTS FOR PEAK PERFORMANCE

February 5, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

As someone who aspires to great things, I need to be able to perform at my best both physically and mentally on a daily basis. That can be a challenge as one ages, but along the way I’ve identified a key handful of go-to supplements I use regularly to maintain peak form. Each serves a different purpose, but when utilized as a complete regimen, I have been able to continue to accomplish the incredible! Here’s a closer look at what I use and why

Pre-Workout Supplement Recommendation: N.O. Explode

Sale

BSN N.O.-XPLODE Pre Workout Supplement with Creatine, Beta-Alanine, and Energy, Flavor: Fruit Punch, 60 Servings (Package may vary)

Pre workout igniter legendary pre workout with industry heritage that has been helping athletes train harder since 2004
Advanced ingredient technology re engineered to push you past previous limits
Supports explosive energy, intense focus, extreme pumps and maximum performance
2 sizes available 30 servings or 60 servings
5 amazing flavors cherry limeade, raspberry lemonade, green Apple, grape, fruit punch

There are a host of pre-workout supplements on the market today. In fact, I even run a separate site, The Workout Nut that offers news and reviews about the best training supplements available today. My favorite to date remains N.O. Explode.

This powerful training aid, offers a proprietary blend of caffeine, beta alanine, and creative and delivers a potent kick of nitric oxide. The last is the most important because nitric oxide relaxes the blood vessels allowing them to temporarily widen and increase blood flow. The result is a superior pump that can help you power through a grueling workout regimen. If you are looking for a new best friend to bring to the gym, try N.O. Explode. The difference will be noticeable. It doesn’t hurt that it tastes good too and mixes easily for a refreshing drink.

Brain Fuel (MCT) Supplement Recommendation: Bulletproof Brain Octane Oil

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Bulletproof Brain Octane MCT Oil, 100% C8 from Coconuts, Fat Burning, Brain Boosting, Keto-Friendly, Paleo, Vegan, Organic Non-GMO, Rainforest-Alliance Certified (16 Ounce)

NATURAL ENERGY SOLUTION: Brain Octane is naturally found in coconut oil in small quantities, and we concentrate it to provide you with the purest energy source possible. Brain Octane rapidly provides mental and physical energy, powering your day by supporting cognitive function and keeping you satisfied and free from food cravings. Add it to your daily routine, and experience the state of high performance.
PURE AND CLEAN: Brain Octane undergoes our special triple distillation process with only water, heat, and pressure to create the cleanest product possible - free from harsh chemicals and solvents.
SUGAR-FREE ENERGY: As soon as you consume Brain Octane, it is rapidly absorbed and changed into ketone bodies - providing instant energy to the brain without breaking down glucose from sugars or carbohydrates. Experience the power of using quality fats for fuel, keeping you full and focused for hours.
EXTRACTED FROM 100% PURE COCONUT OIL: Brain Octane is carefully extracted from 100% pure coconut oil, not palm oil, to protect wild orangutan habitat in Southeast Asia. Not just coconut or MCT oil - Brain Octane is made with only the best parts of the coconut, which metabolize more efficiently into ketone energy than more common oils.
SUPPORTS HEALTHY DIGESTION: Brain Octane produces 4x the ketone energy of plain coconut oil, and also promotes healthy digestion and immune function.

A new addition to my regimen is Bulletproof’s Brain Octane Oil. This powerful supplement is what’s known as an MCT (medium chain triglyceride), which can be used to curb your appetite, boost energy levels, or recover more quickly. The benefit that I find most appealing though is how it can be used to alleviate “brain fog” and enhance cognitive function. With a demanding schedule and an ambitious agenda that calls for ultra-efficiency, I need to be operating on all cylinders mentally and this is one supplement that delivers on its promise.

The product itself is derived from 100% pure coconut oil and a typical bottle can provide a month’s supply depending on how many tablespoons you consume in one day. For consumption, it can be taken on its own or mixed into drinks such as coffee. It is also great for those embarking on the ketogenic diet. Not only will it help stimulate ketone production, but it also curbs some of the side effects of the dreaded “keto flu”.

Liquid Protein: New Whey Liquid Protein

New Whey 42 Grams Complete Liquid Protein Supplement, Fruit Punch, 3.8 Ounce(Pack of 12)

Contains 12 - 3.8 ounce ready-to-drink tubes
Provides 42g of Complete Protein Matrix (Collagen, Whey and Casein Isolates)
Fast acting, bioavailable protein tubes are caffiene free, sugar free and fat free with only 180 calories
On the go protein – No Mix, No Mess, No Refrigeration needed
Virtually indestructible, pocket friendly packaging can be taken anywhere

While I do enjoy a good protein shake, to me they are not ideal for the gym. After a tough workout, your muscles need to ingest protein quickly shortly thereafter to help with recovery and growth. This is why I love the convenience of New Whey Liquid Protein. Each prepackaged tube contains 42 grams of protein making it a superior option for your gym bag. No mixing, shaking, or stirring is necessary. Instead once you pop off the cap, you can quickly down its contents and ensure smart gains.

The protein itself comes in a variety of flavors including fruit punch, grape, berry acai, and more and tastes great. It also contains no sugar, fat, or caffeine and contains only 180 calories. Coupling this powerful protein supplement with a consistent workout regimen will net you noticeable lean muscle gains in short order.

Greens Supplement: Athletic Greens

Athletic Greens Ultimate Daily, Whole Food Sourced All in One Greens Supplement, Superfood Powder, GlutenFree, Vegan and Keto Friendly, 30 Day Supply, 360 Grams (Athletic Greens)

Athletic Greens Ultimate Daily is an all-in-one health drink with 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food-sourced ingredients to help support your body’s nutritional needs across multiple critical areas of health, including energy, immunity, recovery, gut health, digestion, hormonal and neural support, and healthy aging.
Athletic Greens is perfect for anyone looking to live a healthier lifestyle. Athletic Greens helps you rise to the challenge. It’s great for athletes and other high performers or those just starting their health journey. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo friendly, keto friendly, vegan friendly, low allergen and <1g of sugar per serving.
Manufactured in a TGA-registered, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Certified facility in New Zealand. Exceeding cGMP and meeting FDA guidelines.
Ten years of research and optimization with nutritionists, doctors, and naturopaths, 51 product iterations to date and counting. Trusted by top performers, athletes, and entrepreneurs. Easy on your stomach due to its powder form and 75 highly absorbable ingredients that work together to help the body absorb and synthesize these nutrients in a highly bioavailable form.
We don’t compromise. You’ll find no harmful chemicals, artificial colors, preservatives or artificial sweeteners or added sugar. And no GMO’s, herbicides, pesticides, wheat, dairy, gluten, corn, lactose, sucrose, dextrose, egg, yeast, peanuts or animal products. In other words, Athletic Greens is suitable for almost any lifestyle and one scoop a day can replace the majority of your supplement board.

Even though I subscribe to a healthy lifestyle and training regimen, I have to admit I’m not the world’s biggest fan of vegetables! While I do consume some every day, there are days where I don’t get a full four servings, which is the recommended amount. That’s where my preferred greens supplement comes in handy.

Athletic Greens is something that I picked up from best-selling author, Tim Ferriss. It is a complete superfood comprised of 75 active ingredients such as Grape Seed Extract, Organic Spirulina, Rhodiola, Wild Bilberries, Green Tea Extract, Cocoa, Reishi Mushroom, and much more. In fact, one serving delivers a full-day’s supply of your needed vegetables! While packed full of vitamins, it does not contain any Sugar, Yeast, Egg, Nuts, Gluten, or GMOs. That makes it the perfect supplement booster for just about anyone.

Superfuel Supplement – HVMN Ketone

H.V.M.N. Ketone Ester - Exogenous Ketone Drink & Supplement for Endurance, Rapid Ketosis, Keto Diet, Fasting, Energy from Exogenous BHB - 3Count

METABOLIC SUPERFUEL. Bioengineered to improve metabolic health and performance, this is deep ketosis in a bottle. H.V.M.N. Ketone Ester is the world’s first and only ketone ester.
COMPLETELY UNIQUE & PATENTED. Exclusively licensed from the inventors, TdeltaS Ltd. H.V.M.N. Ketone Ester is the only product to contain ΔG ketone ester, based on pioneering research carried out at the University of Oxford and the National Institutes of Health.
ESTER, NOT A SALT. Ketone Ester is scientifically proven to work faster and produce higher blood BHB ketone levels, without the negative performance & digestion effects of salt. Salt-free, stimulant-free, and sugar-free.
RAPID, DEEP KETOSIS. Scientifically proven to elevate blood ketone levels to 3 - 5 mM in 30 minutes. Stay in ketosis for 4 - 6 hours.
SPORT PERFORMANCE & RECOVERY. Improves physical performance, cognitive ability, and recovery speed for endurance exercise lasting an hour or more. Combine with carbs for double-fuelling effect.

Last but not least comes my favorite! If you are looking for a turbo-charged pick-me up, HVMN Ketone will do the trick. Each shot is packed with 25 grams of pure ketone ester which your body can use for instant energy as opposed to relying on the normal carbohydrates. In fact, the manufacturers claim that their ketones are 28% more efficient than carbs alone. From my experience, I would have to agree. This is a clean-burning fuel that delivers! Noted performance expert Ben Angel agrees as detailed in his latest book, Unstoppable.

It should be noted this is not an every day supplement. HVMN Ketone is so powerful I save it for days when I have a rigorous physical challenge or need to be performing at 110% for an extended period of time. One reason for that is the sheer power. With a single shot of this, you will feel a bit like Bradley Cooper’s character from the movie Limitless. All things will seem possible as your neurons are firing and your body feels like you swallowed a power-up from a video game. The second and more practical reason is at the moment, this is one of the more pricier supplements on the market. Still, for special situations, this is one supplement that cannot be topped.

Conclusion

In conclusion, if you are looking for that performance edge, you could do a lot worse than some of these. I would be curious to hear in the comments what supplements you use and why.

TERMINATING THE NO TIME EXCUSE

December 19, 2018 by admin Leave a Comment

“I don’t have the time.” How often have we all heard this common excuse? The truth is that we each have the same 24 hours in a given day, so why is it that some seem to be able to maximize this time, while others spin their wheels and fail to accomplish much? It’s a question worth delving into, because if you can find the answer for yourself, you open the doors of unlimited possibility. That’s where greatness awaits.

The Most Precious Commodity

Time is rightly regarded as the most previous commodity in that we all have a finite amount available to each of us. Learning to master time has probably been the most important factor in my success over the past few years. However, it hasn’t been an easy road. I’ve faced the same roadblocks that many of us do; procrastination, fear of failure, overcommitment, etc. The good news though is that it’s never too late to start making the most of the time that you have.

Learning to Terminate Excuses

One of my favorite books is Arnold Schwarzenegger’s autobiography Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story. Schwarzenegger is arguably one of the most successful individuals in recent memory who has risen to the top of not one, but THREE different professions. None of that came by luck. One of the most insightful stories in the book talks about how he came to America in search of fame and fortune. While he was already a renowned bodybuilder at the time, and he was training diligently, he had even greater aspirations and he dedicated the time it would take to achieve those goals. Not only was he training 5+ hours a day in the gym to push his body to its ultimate limits, he was also working constructions jobs to make money, taking college classes to improve his English and business savvy, and taking acting workshops to further his quest to conquer Hollywood. Did he have the time? Would it have been easy to make excuses? Of course, but that’s not the way you accomplish big dreams. They take sacrifice and hard work. The point he likes to make is that there are 24 hours in a day and we all have those same hours, so really it comes down to creating a game plan for using that time as efficiently as possible.

God Given Talent?

Consider also this truism about one of the greatest Swordsman ever, Miyamoto Musashi.

This quote has always been one of the most impactful to me. A lot of time we tend to look at successful people with admiration and envy at what they have, without taking the time to consider all of the sacrifices which pay the price for that success. One of the greatest secrets to my personal achievements has been the ability to multi-task and use my time efficiently. It’s how I was able to start a successful writing career, while working a full-time job. Learning to develop this skill could be the most important factor in realizing your goals or simply dreaming about them.

Best Ways To Maximize Your Time and Productivity

So here are some handy rules to consider when trying to make the most the time in your day:

Don’t just do something to check off a task on the list or to seem like you are staying active. Make sure you make the most of your time by striving for quality achievements or actions that build to something meaningful. You see this a lot with people in the gym. They wander aimlessly from machine to machine without a clear purpose for what they are trying to achieve in a given workout. Get focused on the important things and make those your priority each day!

Find the best ways that you can concentrate at the task at hand. Personally, I like to have lots going on around me. When things get too quiet, I find myself getting antsy. Others tend to zero in on a task when they have no distractions. Know yourself and find the best way for you to work. Because no two of us are exactly the same, being self-aware will serve to help you get the most bang for your buck when it comes to productivity.

Block out time in advance for the important things. At the end of the week, I make a calendar for the week ahead with all the key tasks I need to accomplish in the coming days. These are the things that Is et in stone, and everything else needs to worked around these things. Not only does this lock in the biggest items on my agenda, but it offers a visual for the free time I do have and then like a puzzle piece you can fit in other things as needed.

Learn to say no. Personally this has been one of the most challenging rules for me to follow. As a super-achiever, I like to think that I can “have it all”. Never one to pass up a great opportunity, I tend to fall into the trap of overcommitting with the mindset that I will figure out a way to get it done. While in most cases I can, I have often fell short of my best work while working under impossible time lines. Save your time for the most meaningful tasks and make sure you give them your best effort. The results may astound you!

Don’t Let the Hourglass Slip Away

In the end, it’s pretty simple, do not wait for the time to come, or else you will be waiting for a very long time. In this day age, our lives are busier than ever and “free time” is something that eludes even the best of us. If you have a big dream or goal, make the time to do the things it takes be successful. That way, whether you succeed or fail, you can go forward with no regrets about not trying.

You may just surprise yourself with all you can accomplish when you stop making excuses why something can’t be done and instead start to focus on finding solutions to ways to make things happen. Not only will you be a lot more productive, but you will also gain confidence and an assurance that all things are possible! Then you can take these wins move on to seeking great challenges to accomplish.

I will leave you with the following motivational video that sums it up pretty well: