Do CALORIES matter?

A simple thought for tonight....

Comparing these two things when it comes to CALORIES...so many people ask me about CALORIES and what is better if you just need to lose weight....

"Should I focus on the total calories?"

"Should I make sure the food sources are healthy?"

There are so many things out there and we truly never know what is right! BUT....let me add some clarity for you all...

1️⃣ Just because something is less calories DOESN'T MEAN it is more nutrient dense! This is an EXTREME comparison, I know...but you get the idea!

✔️Check the ingredients, never just go with the claims on the front of the package⠀⠀ ✔️ Check the overall sugar content and sugar to fiber ratio⠀⠀ ✔️ Check the number of servings in the package⠀⠀ ✔️ Be aware how that plays into your overall daily intake

2️⃣ Less doesnt always mean BETTER. Yes, total calories matter when it comes to weight loss, but the overall picture is that MOST can keep in their caloric goals when eating nutrient dense foods.

You never hear someone say they lose weight and get ripped when they eat processed garbage everyday.....The reason is simple...

🥞It is VERY easy to overeat these foods and they hardly satisfy you.

🧁It DOESN'T mean their isn't ANY room for this. Balance is the key, BUT if your overall goal is PERFORMANCE...you cannot expect to fuel your tank on 87 when it takes 91 premium.

Now....who admits🤷🏼‍♂️ to falling trap of the "calorie count" mania, and what has it done for you?

🍫Personally, if I eat this crap, I feel like crap, and my workouts are crap. If I want to train at my best, I must eat the rainbow(no...not lucky charms....LOL....but with fruits and veggies and lean meats!) ....

Does this mean I never indulge? No, but you get out what you put in! So many of you who maybe fall victim to the "weekend binge" diet...I will be blunt with you....

😓Don't expect to get the results you want. Do the math. Eating in a slight deficit all week is all good and dandy, BUT 2 meals overdoing it by 500+ calories(which is SUPER easy to do when eating out) ....will set you right back to SQUARE 1️⃣....

You can take this for what it's worth....but this is my opinion!

Monday sentiments🧐

God Saved Me....

💯I'd be lying if I said I started this vision of OAF with a perfect clear mind. 

✅I was scared.

✅I was broke. Living with my parents at 25 and no where to go.

✅I had anxiety through the roof, self image issues, no confidence in myself, and thought I would grow old alone and empty. 

✅I lived my life in the shadows of everyone else, and relied on trying to be perfect in the one area I knew I had talent in....and that was always fitness.

✅Perfectionism consumed me. Friends began avoiding me because I would rather work than party.

✅For 3 years I did nothing but read and intern to learn how to get more involved in fitness. It was so bad I let my engineering degree suffer in return of spending time learning how to become a better trainer. 

🙏🏼God blessed me with an eye opening event that changed my life and thoughts around, focusing more on what I can do for others and less about whatI thought of myself and what "I thought other people thought" about me.📖

🤷🏼‍♂️A door opened.....and this opening was a mere CRACK....but I saw opportunity. 

🙀I was scared shitless....and had no idea what I was getting myself into, but knew once I started, I was going all in.

💯Truth be told, it was the "nay-sayers" who told me I never COULD or WOULD do something....and the FEAR of failure that drove me past the breaking point.

⚠️ In 6.5 years of being open, I've had:

☑️ People steel from me

☑️ People take clients from me

☑️People trash my name and perform careless acts to my property

☑️People stalk me 

☑️People speak Ill of my family

☑️People tell me I'm worthless and careless

☑️People lie to me and cut corners to better their names or selves while making me look bad.

☑️People tell me I'm too young and too narrow-minded

☑️And one of the most hurtful....tell me I was lucky.

💪🏽 In all of this, FACING my fear was my ultimate measure of success. I learned to become stronger through tough times, and that the ultimate individual isn't measured by their own success, but rather their ability to overcome adversity.

⁉️My point in all this⁉️

NEVER ....

Ever.......let ANYONE tell you that you can't! Face your fears and do something that scares you everyday! You only live ONCE, and I wanted to make my family proud of me for something other than getting a job I never wanted.

Fear is like AMMO...use it and fire it to reach your ultimate target/goal in life!

The Dreaded Shoulder Pain....What you need to know!

We all know the shoulder can be your best friend or WORST enemy when it comes to your training. If you are like me(and over 88% of the US population), then you have dealt with some sort of pain in that area over the course of your life.

I battled two torn labrums from my accident that I rehabbed myself back to pain free without the use of surgery!

BUT, like I said...I know how bad this can be and how annoying it's affects can trickle into your everyday activity.

So, without further delay, lets get you all rocking!

First, lets take note that the SHOULDER is a ball/socket joint that requires STABILITY and MOBILITY. While, on the other hand....the thoracic spine requires more MOBILITY along with the shoulder blades!

You see, as described in the video below....the shoulder is a BALL AND SOCKET joint, and when this gets tight or stiff and lacks movement, the shoulder blades have to compensate and make up for the lack thereof.

You see, while your arm is doing BIG pressing and pulling movements....there is rotation happening around the joint.

There are a couple quick easy tests for this to help you know if your joint has the mobility of a piece of candy from your grandma's cupboard.

It's done lying on your back and NOT allowing your shoulder blades to move! Let your joint do the motion!

90 Degrees External is the goal while 70 degree internal is the minimum we are looking for!

WHAT TO DO IF YOU FAIL?

Try stretching it for a few sets of around 10-15 seconds

It's similar to this but on your side!

Now that we have the shoulder joint taken care of, we can now test the blades! I know many of you have heard of "scapulae push ups or pull ups" so I am here to demo and show you just how important it is to get them moving correctly!

The blades snuggle in right around the rib cage and help with the movement of your arm into overhead motions. The key thing here is GETTING your shoulder blades to do the work you want. So adding these into pre or post workout routines can help then regain control. 

Other exercises like DB seated overhead shrugs, scap pull ups, and even rows are all great additions as well!

Now, as we transition into the pre-hab and strength work required to build that joint back up, we can start with one of my favorites!

The banded Bradford Press. This is GREAT for improving posterior strength and improving ROM. Check it out here: 

Next up, I love the half kneeling single arm band row. When done right, this is crucial for developing proper positioning of the scapulae and its spot along the ribcage!

Take NOTE of the incorrect ways to do this in my video:

Next up, one of my favorites...

The face pull! This one gets a load o bad rep for being done in all sorts of funky angles, positions, and rep schemes, so keep it simple and stick to the basics!

- 3-4 sets of 12-20 reps with an added isometric hold on a few ending reps will do fine! The face pull is one of the best well rounded exercises to help develop overall back/posture health while giving you an added bonus of proper scapulae retraction! Just make sure you DO NOT use your traps and have them engaged while doing it!

And finally, hitting the posterior parts of the joint(rear delts) can be your ultimate lifesaver! Too often I see people pressing horizontally and vertically without realizing they are neglecting all the important stabilizers in the shoulder and back! This lack of acknowledgment can start wrecking havoc on your neck and shoulder! The key here is balance! Try adding external rotations(i prefer them while laying on your side so gravity isn't an issue), but standing is a good place to start too! 

You can get even more creative by adding isometric holds and even alternating sides to create a more unilateral enhancement! 

Well, after watching these I hope you guys have a better understanding as to what and/or why your shoulder may be cranky, as well as a few ways to help get it better!

The shoulder is such a unique part of the body! It also happens to be ONE that you don't want to piss off or you may be watching from the sidelines sooner rather than later!

If you notice pain, don't immediately think its because your shoulder is messed up. Take a second to access your posture and where it's coming from, or get a professional to look at it! 

Above all, if you notice severe pain and/or numbness or tingling...go see a doctor!

All the best, 

Coach Mikey