5 Fitness Tips You Can’t Afford To Miss, By Stryker

Now I already know the first question that’s going to pop into your head. Why should I take fitness advice from you? Okay, so I’m a singer/songwriter for Millennium, a pop rock group from Los Angeles. I admit that’s no reason to jump on my fitness wagon. You also shouldn’t take my advice because I happen to be a certified fitness trainer, have an extensive background in nutritional biochemistry, nor because I have a black belt in Shaolin Kenpo. The real reason you should heed the advice that I’m about to give you is this: I’ve been working out consistently since I was 12 years old, without missing a week. That means that what I do in the gym is sustainable over the long haul. I’m no big buff dude, but I’ve maintained the same physique, body fat percentage and lean body mass since I was eighteen years old.  I’m happy with that. Here are the basic guidelines that keep me going:

1. Three Times Per Week is Enough

For most people leading hectic lives, this should come as good news. Three 90-minute sessions per week is sufficient to get all of the health benefits of working out (cardiovascular, pulmonary, muscular, etc.). Adding more sessions per week risks over-training and muscle injury which can easily lead to brief or permanent hiatuses from the gym. 

2. Forget the heavy weights

There is no sane reason to grab any dumbbell over 40 lbs or to stack more than 200 lbs on the bench press or squat rack. Ha! This guy is a little punk, you’re saying. That’s the ego talking. Sure, most of us can lift more weight than that. But it’s not going to produce any additional health benefits and it’s exactly that sort of competitive mindset that leads to injury and brief or permanent vacations from the gym. I guarantee you can achieve the same burn safely by using lower weights and by concentrating on good form and slow continuous movement. Another downside of using heavy weights is more insidious. We all have a natural psychological aversion to pain. You may overcome that aversion for a period of time when hormone levels are high and other factors align. However, the moment those factors are not aligned, you will stop going to the gym. Simply put, if you establish a high threshold of pain and intensity that you cannot maintain consistently over the long haul, you are setting yourself up for failure.

3. Stick to simple exercises

I can count on ten fingers and toes the exercises that are needed for a complete workout in the gym. That even includes alternate exercises for each muscle group to keep it interesting.  Yes, these exercises are the most basic linear and circular movements, but they are also the most effective.  I always get a good laugh over some of the off-the-wall exercises I see fitness trainers instructing their clients to do. Most of those clients never come back after their five-session pass is up. The clients that do stick around continue doing this litany of bizarre and dangerous exercises without any supervision which quickly leads to injury (sometimes even to the people standing near them!) The truth is, not being able to stick to a simple set of exercises that are beneficial and safe sets you down the wrong path. Be wary of the mind’s subtle attempts to sabotage your workout and resist them by keeping it simple. 

4. Don’t overtrain

This point gets at the heart of what motivates us to work out. In a healthy state of mind, we work out to maintain and enhance the beautiful aspects of ourselves. It is an act of self-love. When we work out our bodies too hard, too fast, over too short a period of time, we are no longer motivated by self-love but by self-hate. We are trying to change the image in the mirror because we don’t like what we see. These kinds of negative emotions are not going to get you through the long haul. The best way to avoid overtraining is to 1) limit each exercise to 3 sets of 10 – 12 reps using moderately challenging weight, 2) limit 2 exercises per muscle group and 3) take a rest day in between workout days. There is a sound scientific basis for these limits. Overtraining triggers the body’s chemical pathway for ‘fight or flight’ leading to increased cortisol production and the storage of fat. Over decades of training, I’ve observed these limits to work very well. Be wary of overtraining, as it points to negative motivating factors and directly sabotages our fitness goals. 

5. Eat right and avoid sports supplements

The answer to the secret of how to burn fat and tone muscle does not come in a bottle. It comes in the form of a gym membership and a good workout plan. These so-called sports enhancement supplements carry a number of undesirable side-effects that hurt you in the long run. The only three supplements I have found to be worth taking on a daily basis are ones that everyone should take, whether or not you work out: 1) a multivitamin/multimineral tablet, 2) a calcium tablet (500 mg) and 3) coenzyme Q10 (100 mg). The science supporting these three supplements is irrefutable at this point. That said, it is important to get a sufficient amount of protein, carbohydrates and fat from your daily diet to support your workout and overall health.  This is quite easy if you stick to lean meats, such as chicken breast, fish, non marbled pork and red meat, in conjunction with rice, pasta, vegetables and fruit. Nothing new there. I‘ll be honest, over the long term I don’t think it’s possible to get the macronutrients necessary to support a rigorous workout on a vegetarian diet (but that’s a whole other article). When it comes to diet and exercise, the first concern is having sufficient energy to power through your workout. To this end, it is okay to eat up to 15 minutes before exercising. The second concern is having adequate building blocks for muscle growth and antioxidants for detoxifying the body after your workout. A healthy diet with the three supplements mentioned satisfies these requirements every time. 

If you’ve read this far, then perhaps you’ve become aware of the fact that effective training is quite simple. It requires positive motivation, discipline to stick to a routine and the ability to procure healthy food. If it’s so simple, then why is it so hard for people to get and stay in shape over the course of their lives? The answer might surprise you: Because people are quick to embrace the idea of looking and feeling healthy, but they want it to happen overnight. They don’t realize that the value of a goal lies not in its achievement, but in the many intervening days of methodical work that produce that outcome. Or to paraphrase Aristotle, excellence is in habit. Only by recognizing and resisting the impulse for immediate gratification, can we take the steps necessary to achieve ideal health in a moderate, self-sustainable fashion. Hopefully, if nothing else, this article serves to focus our thoughts and get us back on a realistic path to long term health. 

www.WhoIsMillennium.com

KMIX Los Angeles Plays the Best Mix of New Artists

By Max Stanimir

KMIX Radio Los Angeles: Playing the best mix of top artists from around the world.

Finally, there’s a station that will make you fall in love with radio again. KMIX Los Angeles ‘The Mix’ is the only station playing songs from the hottest new artists from across the globe in a diverse range of genres, including pop rock, hip-hop, country, folk, latin, dance and electronica.  You’ll love expanding your musical tastes with songs this good from the newest rising stars like Seven Story Fall, Millennium, Nicky Barot, Shattrholik, Nenna Yvonne and more! The best part is there are NO commercials on KMIX- only great music!

KMIX Radio was recently reorganized and placed under the strategic management of veteran program director Glenn Eisner, who has since revamped the playlist to include a fresh roster of the most promising new artists. “As a commercial-driven station, we were under enormous pressure from management to meet revenue targets. The quality and variety of music we could play was heading in a downward spiral. When the station re-organized, I saw this as an opportunity to once again bring great music to listeners, without the involvement of big corporate interests. I think our listeners are really going to love what we’re unveiling in 2014.”

Tune in now to the best mix of top artists from all over the world only on KMIX Radio- Los Angeles. Listen from your phone, in your car, or from your computer at home or work by simply clicking on:
www.kmix-radio.com

What Your (Fake) Friends Won’t Tell You, By Kaitlyn Fleur

I just read this really awesome article where the author bitch slaps his twenty-something male readers into shape by simply telling them what they need to hear no holds barred.  It was a ‘how-to-be-a-real-man’ piece that was honestly crude, hilarious and contained a hell of a lot of profanity.  But I have no doubt that reading it has helped tens of thousands of guys out there and that number is probably growing exponentially at this very moment.

I was always taught ‘if you can’t say anything nice, then don’t say anything at all.’  Since reading my new favorite author’s article, I feel liberated to un-bite my lip for once and put out a female version of that article.  There probably hasn’t been a refreshingly blunt article for women because we are sensitive creatures.  We commiserate with each other about how ‘hard’ things are and as a result, keep each other from being the bad asses that we were born to be.  Sadly, we may not even have a real friend who can tell us honestly and directly what we need to hear that could bump up our game and make us better people.  Well ladies, consider me your first real friend.  The kind of friend that will tell you your flaws and beat that inner tigress out of you so you become stronger and better than ever.  This advice is for you.  And since I am a lady myself, I will refrain from any profanity.

Point #1:  Superwoman

Fake Friend:  ‘I know what you’re going through.  It is impossible to do everything.  We’re not Superwoman.  Men have it so easy.’

Real Friend:  Yes, you can be Superwoman.  Be a whirlwind, be a force of nature.  Be perfectly imperfect.  Stop looking flustered and thinking you can’t do it all, because you can.  Sure, maybe you can’t do it all at the same time but that doesn’t mean you should be paralyzed.  Take a breath, and do something on that to do list of yours.  When you’re done, cross it off the list and move on to the next item.  Stop whining.  Stop saying you don’t have any help.  And stop saying that there is no time for everything.  There is always time for something so quit complaining and do that.  You’ll find that you may have more energy to do it all if you stop using your energy towards your mini-meltdowns.

Point #2:  Appearance

Fake Friend:  ‘Stop worrying that you look like you just got out of bed.  You look fine!  We’re just going to the store.’

Real Friend:  Yes, you need to look good all the time.  If you don’t make an effort to be presentable, it tells people that you don’t care about yourself, so why should they?  I don’t mean you need to take two hours a day to primp and get ready.  I repeat- it should not take you more than fifteen minutes to look decent.  If you need to run errands and don’t have a lot of time, just make sure your clothes fit nicely and your hair strands are in their proper place (no Alfalfa hair). Dab a little concealer around the eyes, add a flattering shade of lipstick and voila!  Now you can walk out the door with confidence.  In the same breath, I will say that you shouldn’t put on so much make-up unless it’s a special event or you’re going out clubbing.  You’re not supposed to look like you just stepped off the make-up chair all the time.  You’ll just look like you’re trying too hard and honestly most guys don’t like a lot of make-up on a woman anyway. 

Point #3:  Sex

Fake Friend:  ‘It’s okay that you can’t remember the last time you’ve had sex.  You’ve been so busy.’

Real Friend:  No, it is not okay that you haven’t had sex in a couple weeks or more.  I don’t care if you’re pregnant, have two kids, or pushing sixty, you need to have intimacy in your life.  We are sensual creatures.  We need to feel wanted and we, too, have desires.  If you keep postponing it, your body will assume that you are no longer your young fertile self and it will age.  If you don’t use it, you will lose it so hurry up and get busy.  I would say three times a week is ideal, twice a week minimum.  While it is true that it kind of kills the sexiness if you have to make a sex date with your partner, if plugging it into your planner is the only way it will happen then go for it.  Make it a priority right now.  You’ll feel more sexy and be less bitchy.  It is the ultimate stress reliever. 

If you’ve hit an extremely long dry spell with your man, it may have to do with whether or not you are treating him like a man.  Do you nag him too often like he is a child?  Do you treat him more like a logistics assistant who helps take care of household chores, bills and the kids?  Just asking.  Treat your man like a man and he will treat you like the sexy woman you are.

Point #4:  Kids

Fake Friend:  ‘How’s the little one?  They take up every minute of every day and night don’t they?  Well, I guess we’ll have more time for sleep and everything else when they turn eighteen and move out (annoying laugh)!  Anyway, let’s do a play date soon!’

Real Friend:  Yes, kids are a game changer.  But they can change your game for the better and here’s how.  They teach you to be in the moment through their wonder, joy and delight over all the things we take for granted.  The love you never knew you were capable of giving to another human being makes you care more for other children and humanity as a whole.  They make you a better time manager and thus more efficient in accomplishing the most important things on your list (yes, that includes time for sex).  Do not fall into the trap of making your kids your whole life.  You owe it to yourself, your child, your spouse and everyone and everything you hold dear to have a balanced and fulfilling life.  The minute things feel out of balance, you need to take a time out to de-stress and rejuvenate.  Have your spouse, mom, sister or trusted friend watch the baby for a couple of hours while you go out to a coffee house, gym, yoga class, or even stay at home for a nice hot shower.  Then go back to being your calm, cool and collected self.  I’m not saying it’s easy and I know since I too am a mother.  I’m saying that we need to stop feeling like that juggling monkey on a tightrope and take more control for our happiness and well-being.

Point #5:  Exercise & Other Healthy Habits

Fake Friend:  ‘Are you sure you gained fifteen pounds?  You look great.  In fact, you look skinnier than ever!  Now let’s split a tiramisu already!’

Real Friend:  Put down the fork and go to the gym.  If not for health and longevity, then at least exercise to look good.  No more excuses.  You’ve got to exercise three times a week.  Finding the right workout partner can definitely be a wise move. Sapphire and Stryker of the Los Angeles pop duo Millennium juggle parenthood, a heavy workload and a social life, but they make a point of working out together at least three times per week.  According to Sapphire, ‘Usually only one of us is really down to go to the gym on any given day, but that person carries the torch and makes it happen for both of us.’  While I’m on my fitness soap box, I’ll add quit smoking altogether and stop drinking like you’re borderline alcoholic.  I’ve seen young women in their twenties who look like they are almost forty (wrinkles, dull skin tone) due to night after night of cigarettes and shots.  Stop now.  If you’re ‘only a social drinker/smoker’ but you party hard three or more times a week, then ease up and stop being so ‘social.’

Point #6:  Knowledge

Fake Friend:  ‘Why do you want to learn how to do that?  When are you going to have the time anyway?  Let’s just go shopping and then be home in time for Glee later.’

Real Friend:  You need to make the time to develop more knowledge and skill sets.  If you’ve got Point #2 (Appearance) covered, then be mindful that you’re not spending so much time in front of the mirror that you neglect your beautiful brain.  We focus too much time (not to mention a good chunk of our paycheck) on looking good.  Just add up the cost of all your make-up, moisturizers, lotions, hair care products, designer clothes, purses, heels, etc. and you’ll be able to feel me on this one. That’s not to mention the trips to the hair and nail salons and occasional facial.  And where has all that taken you?  Are you now a gorgeous goddess that everyone flocks to and worships?  Even if you do look good, you are just another pretty face or nice body in a sea of hundreds of thousands of other beautiful women.  And there are more hot women springing up every day.  Sickeningly, they also seem to be getting younger every year.  Anyway, you need something else that will make you stand apart from others.  If you say you have a great personality, than kudos for you.  But there are a lot of pretty women who are nice as well.  What else have you got?  Think more about accomplishments versus character traits and you’ll be on the right track.

I could probably go on, but the truth is I’m kind worried I’m pissing off a lot of you women out there.  Instead of thinking of me as a real friend, you’re probably thinking I’m a real bitch.  Well, honesty can be a real bitch sometimes too.  Hopefully I’ve given you something to think about.  Who knows, maybe you’ll even thank me later.  Don’t worry, I won’t hold my breath.  Say what you want, but unlike you’re so-called friends, I want you to be the best that you can be.  You’re welcome.