Growing Into You

“Today is a gift; that’s why they call it “the present”.” -Unknown

I was sitting here tonight holding my daughter when a thought hit me. Tomorrow, she will be six weeks old! I just thought to myself, “Wow, where did the first six weeks go?” The time she has been here has gone by in the blink of an eye. It was just yesterday I was holding her for the first time.

For the past couple of weeks, I have been running around Bloomington like there is no tomorrow. I have been trying to complete my internship, finish my independent study class, finish my regular class, and have been trying to decide what I am going to do for money come summer time. I have not actually taken the time to just slow down and enjoy where I am at.

I am at a place in my life right now that I will NEVER get back. I have about a month until I graduate from college, I don’t have a lot of bills to pay, and most importantly, my daughter is still a baby. Today when I realized what I have been doing for the past few weeks, I wondered what it was all for. Why am I completely stressing out about things that will get done? Yes, it is very important that I graduate, but my stressing out about it is not going to make it happen any quicker.

It seems like my entire life I have been waiting on something to happen. I couldn’t wait to drive, I couldn’t wait to play college baseball, I couldn’t wait to…whenever I got where I wanted to be, I always wanted something more. Now, here I am, and I feel like all of the great things in my past flew by so quickly, and I never got the chance to appreciate or enjoy the moments I had until they had already gone by.

Now, I have the greatest thing in my life, Peyton, and I am doing the same thing. This time, it is not that I want more; it is that I am stressing out about what is going to happen in the future. If I do not break the cycle of looking ahead, I will one day be looking back on what I did not enjoy to the fullest with her.

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“After half a century in psychiatric practice, I know without a doubt that the source of addiction is spiritual deficiency. Irrespective of whether we are religious or atheist, all human being are spiritual by nature, and spirituality is the cornerstone of our recovery.” –Abraham Twerski

As I have now gone through Day 3 of my 40 day abstinence of solid food (the first 3 days are suppose to be the hardest), I have come to the realization that most of the “hunger” you or I feel is not really hunger at all. Ninety-five percent of the time, when we feel like eating, it is our mind that is “hungry”; or in other words you are just craving the food you are about to eat.

The Difference: Hunger vs. Cravings

It is very important to understand the difference between hunger and cravings. When you are truly hungry, it is a signal from your body telling you that it needs nourishment. Without the nutrients your body receives from healthy food, it would not be able to function properly. It would begin to wither like a flower from lack of water and soil.

Craving food is something completely different. When you crave something, it is your mind’s boredom or addiction to the food that you eat at work. Your mind is a very powerful, and many times destructive, tool. It is constantly working; rambling away while you listen to it. When your body is at rest, your mind becomes restless. It makes you feel as if you are hungry. Almost every time you feel hungry, you will crave junk food.

Your mind also can become addicted to the food you eat. As I have posted before, research has shown that foods high in fats and sugar allow your mind to become addicted. After eating these foods (mainly fast food or other junk foods) for a long period of time, your mind constantly craves them. If you then abstain from these foods for more than one day, you begin feeling withdrawal symptoms such as headaches.

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“Exercise: you don’t have time not to.” -Unknown

About four months ago, I had my second shoulder surgery repairing both my labrum and rotator cuff. So, for the past four months, I have sat on the couch and not done a whole lot of physical activity. The first two months weren’t my fault, I was in a sling unable to move. The last two months, however, have just been laziness. It is hard motivating myself to run. Running is the only thing I was really allowed to do, and since I am so used to doing all explosive workouts, the thought of jogging just did not sound appealing to me. The result: A gain of 30 pounds, 4 inches on my waist, and huffing and puffing walking up and down the stairs.

Today was the first day I truly did any physical activity, and I paid for it…DEARLY!! I volunteer for one of the local high school baseball teams as a coach. Today was the first day I was really able to do anything. So, I grabbed a bat and began hitting groundballs to the infielders. Now, you have to remember, for the past five years I have paid my way through college hitting baseballs, and I have spent the last 18 years swinging a bat hundreds of times daily. Six months ago, I could have gone out and taken batting practice for hours, swinging as hard as I could every single time. Not today, however.

The first couple of swings I took were very light because I did not know how my shoulder would react. After the first few swings, I was warmed up and ready to go. So, I hit about 20 baseballs pretty hard, and I had to stop; I was out of breath. Then, about five minutes later, I felt a burning sensation on my hand. I look down and noticed I had blood all over. In the ten minutes I had been swinging, I had already formed a blister AND ripped it open! Then, after another few minutes, my hamstring cramped up. Finally, I let somebody else hit, and I went out and coached before I hurt something bad…like my shoulder for the third time.

Now, I do not want you to think I am complaining about my experience. I most certainly am not. I thoroughly enjoy my time out on the baseball field. These “injuries” are the result of my actions. Every one of these could have been prevented if I had just maintained my physical ability instead of letting myself completely go.

I have decided to compile a list of the top reasons as to why you should not make the same mistake as me.

1. Weight gain: This is probably the most obvious result of letting yourself go. As the weight pours on, it leads you into a dark hole that is very hard to get out of. Depression can sink in as well as a lack of self-confidence.
2. Injuries: As your muscles begin to get weaker, you are much more prone to a muscle strain or pull. Everyday activity, whether it be picking up something off of the ground or just walking can lead to an injury (O.K. walking is a little bit of a stretch, but the other day I took a quick step to get onto a curb, and my achilles tendon locked up. It was the weirdest thing).
3. Back problems: This is a repeat of number 2, but back injuries belong in their own separate category. The back is very delicate, and even when you are in top notch shape, it is very easily injured. When your core muscles begin to break down, the chance of injury is heightened that much more. Bending over to pick up your one month old baby can lead to WEEKS of pain!
4. Difficulty getting to sleep: I have found that since I have gotten out of shape, it is much harder for me to fall asleep and sleep deeply. When I was working out hard, I would be able to fall asleep within five minutes of lying down. Now, on most nights it takes well over 30. I am restless, and my mind wanders all over the place.
5. Built up stress: I know for me, and a lot of people, exercising is a great way to relieve stress. As I have been sitting around, I have noticed my neck being much tighter and an overall feeling of being stressed out quite a bit. Lifting weights and hitting baseballs were a great way to just let all of my stress out by being able to have some time alone enjoying what I love doing. Without it, I have a lot of negative energy that is being bottled up with no where to go.
6. Increased physical ailments: As you continue to slide down the “out of shape” pole, it is much easier for you to become sick or develop some other physical problems such as heart problems.
7. Shorter lifespan: While this problem may not arise for a long time down the road, it is a harsh reality. The problems that develop as a result of a lack of exercising can, and most likely will, lead to a shorter life.
8. It is MUCH easier to stay in shape then get back in it: If you have ever let yourself go and then decided it was time for a change, you know EXACTLY what I am talking about. I have had four surgeries requiring extensive time sitting out, and getting back in shape is always hard. The first two weeks, you are in a constant “soreness-pain-tightness” state. Even if you would have just done 20 minutes of SOMETHING a few days a week, getting serious about workouts again would be much easier. You would maintain your base, and when the time comes to improve, it is just a matter of increasing your workout intensity. When you have let yourself go, you have to first build your strength/conditioning base before you can even attempt to make gains.

Obviously there are multitudes more reasons to keep yourself in shape. If you are out of shape however, there is no need to fret. You can begin the process of getting in shape any time you feel committed. By getting in shape, you will have more self-confidence and be on your way to a healthier life.

Now that I have been truly out of shape and have seen the terrible effects on my body and my mind, I have definitely learned my lesson.

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“Feed the soul, let the body fast” -Unknown

About a week ago, my significant other brought to my attention a detox diet that lasts between 10 and 40 days. Since I have known her, she has always researched nutrition, supplements, and detox diets in particular. For anybody that doesn’t know, a detox diet is one that helps rid the body of toxins. The benefits of this type of diet could include weight loss, loss of food cravings, having much more energy, and the general feeling of feeling better. The detox system she recently came upon is called the “Master Cleanse.” It is also known as the “Lemonade Diet.” She got me to research the diet and asked me if I would do it with her. After a few days of soul searching, I believe this is the perfect time in my life to cleanse my body. This diet will allow me to change the way I see food and force me to reach deep into my spirituality in order to get through it.

About the “Master Cleanse”

The “Master Cleanse” has three different components to it. The first component is the sea salt flush. Basically, I will be drinking a quart of water each morning mixed with two teaspoons of non-iodized sea salt. This is suppose to help push the waste through my system. The second, and most important, part of the detox is the lemonade drink. This lemonade drink consists of two tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon, two tablespoons of grade B organic maple syrup, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and eight ounces of purified water all mixed together. Basically, this does a few things for your body. First, the maple syrup provides your body with all of the nutrients it will need. The cayenne pepper helps break up any mucus inside the body and provides many of the B and C vitamins. This drink is suppose to keep me full. It will not, however, keep me from craving the foods I am detoxing. I will be able to drink this mix between 6-12 times per day (as I get hungry). The third part of the cleanse is the laxative tea. The tea is taken at night and basically helps get things going for the next day.

Why 40 Days With No Food?

There are a number of reasons as to why I have decided to do this. First, and foremost, are the GREAT health benefits I will receive. Right now, like 99% of Americans, I am addicted to food. If I do not eat food, I get cranky. Without it, I have terrible cravings. I also get headaches on occasion. My food addiction has also been the source of my weight gain. Two weeks ago, I weighed in at 210 pounds (The most I have weighed in my life). Today, like the past few days, I was at 196 pounds. My goal is to get down to 180 pounds by May 20th. However, I do not want you to think that weight loss is my sole goal, or even my main goal. Weight loss is a goal in my short term, yes, but the benefits from this cleanse are far greater than any weight I may lose.

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When I first started this website, my vision with what I wanted to do was hazy. I knew that I wanted to create a website where I could help people improve their lives. That is the one thing I have been focusing on with each article I have written so far. After that, I was not sure what else I wanted to do with the website.

With my college graduation quickly approaching, my goal for the past year has been to start my own business. I have never been exactly sure as to what kind of business I wanted to open; the only thing I knew of was I wanted it to involve physical training and improving the body physically.

As I have briefly mentioned in previous articles, throughout my baseball career, I was constantly researching how the muscles worked. My research included how to eat right, how to put workouts together to effectively reach my goals, and how to supplement my workouts and diet in order to reach maximum gains. Since I was a freshman in high school, I have been putting workouts together in order to help me reach new heights in my baseball career. As I wrote more programs, I began to understand what exercises needed to be linked together in order to get the most out of my workouts. Along with my research, I have had the opportunity to have trained under some of the best weight-lifting coaches in the country.

Kerry Rosenboom at Wichita State University is highly regarded as one of the most knowledgeable fitness instructors in the nation. He has trained many All-Americans, NBA players, and MLB stars. When I transferred to Indiana University, I had the opportunity to train under their weight training staff. They were also very knowledgeable, producing some of the best athletes in the country year in and year out. The difference between the two coaches varied greatly. Kerry was very focused on getting his athletes as big and strong as possible, while IU was more focused on becoming lean, flexible, and explosive. These differences has allowed me to further understand how to create a very effective workout.

I would like to give a brief outline as to where I would like to go with my website. The reason I am publishing this before I begin the creation part is to get feedback from you. While you read this, I would like you to think if this is something you would be interested in. Also, I would like you to tell me if there were other services I could add to be more effective.

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“The journey of a thousand pounds begins with a single burger.” –Chris O’Brien

Every day, millions of people around the world stop by their local McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, and Taco Bell. These people are in a rush, looking for convenience, or just do not feel like fixing any food in their own home. They order value meals with Biggie Fries and a Biggie drink, paying $5 or more per person.

These people understand that they are paying for convenience, but they do not understand the other high costs associated with eating at these fast food establishments on a regular basis. Eating at fast food restaurants diminishes a family’s “togetherness,” makes them psychologically dependent on the food , forces them to spend more time and money than they are expecting, and destroys their health.

The first added cost that fast food chains give to their customers is the fact that customers lose valuable family time. The fast food industry makes being in a rush a very acceptable part of everyday life. Instead of waking up in the morning and sitting at the table eating breakfast with your family before work and school, everybody wakes up at the very last possible second; quickly taking their showers and then heading off in their different directions; stopping to grab food on the way. Then, on the way home, one of the parents usually grabs a to go order from the nearest place to bring home for the family. Then, the family will grab their own order and go eat in their own individual rooms.

There are very few times throughout the day that families have the opportunity to be able to spend any kind of quality time together. I understand the busy lifestyle of families these days; kids have their extra-curricular activities and parents have long work weeks. Each day, these families should make it a goal to eat at least one meal together. Instead of trying to get as much sleep as possible, these families could wake up 20 to 30 minutes earlier and plan on having a good healthy breakfast. If the kids are old enough, another possibility would be for every night of the week, have a different member of the family cook the dinner. This would be a great, and sometimes adventurous, way to spend 30 minutes together as a family. On top of that, it would teach children cooking skills they need in order to live a healthy life.

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“The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people, but to elicit it, for the greatness is there already.” -John Buchan

I was pulling in to work today at Indiana University’s Assembly Hall (home to the Hoosier basketball team) when I saw about 2,000 people lined up around the entire building. I knew that IU was announcing the hiring of their new men’s basketball coach, but I could not fathom why that many people of all ages would be there to watch that. As I walked into the building, I began to see both pro and anti Hillary Clinton signs everywhere, and again, I thought how strange that was.

I dropped my stuff off where I work and walked to another building to attend my Financial Management class. The class lasted about an hour and a half. I figured that by the time I returned to Assembly Hall, all of the commotion would have died down. To my great surprise, there were news crews, police cars, and people everywhere. There was also political propaganda everywhere.

As I walked into the building for the second time, they were allowing people to enter the approximate 20,000 seat arena in a very orderly fashion. Security seemed to be very tight, so I knew something big was going on. I walked up a tunnel and I saw an usher and asked what was going on. The usher said, “President Clinton is on his way to give a speech.”

When she told me that, I became very excited. I did not become excited because I agree with his political views, morals, or anything else (I am not turning this into any kind of political article). I became excited because a part of America’s history was coming to Assembly Hall, and I was going to be able to see him. After going into the arena and finding a seat with one of my friends, I found out that he was suppose to have given his speech at 2 P.M. Well, the time was currently 4:20, and he was still a no show. The man was two hours and twenty minutes late, and there were still 8,000 people sitting in their seats waiting on his arrival.

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