News and Rants (slightly informative)

Hello Fitness family, One question I often get asked is... Clarence, How many days a week should I workout? I wish I had a dollar for every time someone asked me that question. Let me first answer your question with a question. (Something I learned from my clever daughter Angelina who wins every argument) How many days a week do you take a shower? Let me ask you another question..... How many days a week do you brush your teeth? I'm really hoping you answered every day. Now that you admit to brushing your teeth and taking a shower every day, let me ask you another question. Just a couple of hundred years ago, did our ancestors brush their teeth and take a shower every day? Highly unlikely? As a matter of fact... NOPE We didn't have running water till the 1930s. And as far as the toothbrush is concerned... The toothbrush was developed in the 15th century. So over the years, we've have trained ourselves to AUTOMATICALLY take care of our hygiene. It's a NON NEGOTIABLE....

You knew there was a bit of an over-emphasis (borderlining obsession) about cholesterol, right? Before we jump into some myths let's make sure we're on the same page when it comes to what exactly cholesterol is. Myth #1: “Cholesterol” is cholesterol While cholesterol is an actual molecule that it is bound to while it's floating through your blood is what's more important than just how much of it there is overall.   In fact, depending on what it's combined with can have opposite effects on your arteries and heart.   Yes, the opposite! So cholesterol is just one component of a compound that floats around your blood.   These compounds contain cholesterol as well as fats and special proteins called “lipoproteins”.   They're grouped into two main categories: ●      HDL: High-Density Lipoprotein (AKA “good” cholesterol) that “cleans up” some of those infamous “arterial plaques” and transports cholesterol back to the l...

Be strong but not rude, Be kind but not weak. Be Humble But not timid. Be proud but not arrogant. Make it a game-changing week!

Thank you Terri O! for pointing this out to me. The fact of life is that “bad luck” doesn’t exist. We CREATE it. If you feel like life never goes your way, then you’d better take a step back and do a little soul-searching. Are you making these classic mistakes? Bad Habit #1: The Pity Party The main problem people with  “bad luck”  have is that they’re always trying to invite others to the  pity party . “My day was so horrible,” they’ll say. Then they’ll run through the laundry list of things that went wrong that day – from burning a slice of toast to getting a flat tire. And you know what?  Things will continue to go horribly wrong as long as you’re in that loser mindset. Bad Habit #2: Time Management People who are late all the time are rarely happy . They cause so much undue stress it’s unbelievable!  The people who are last in the bread line don’t eat when the food runs out.  Those who fail to get up before noon miss out on countless busin...

Were on our way through Fall and I wanted to address an issue! Many people have fears or frustrations when searching for the right personal trainer. Where do I start? What questions should I ask and what should I be looking for? First, start here at Coach Clarence where we would like to help you out with the entire process. In the meantime, we would like to share with you what we think are the top five traits every great trainer should have. Positive – A trainer needs to be a beacon of hope to a client when they are pushing to accomplish a difficult goal or a hard workout. Motivating – There will be times where a person such as you may have days where they do not want to get up and go to the gym. Having a motivational trainer who inspires you to work hard and provides an enjoyable experience can limit these types of bumps in the road. "Walks the talk" – No one is going to take any advice to heart from a hypocrite. A trainer should be able to do the exerc...

If you have taken the time to stretch out that measuring tape and you are not happy with what you see, it is time to make a change. The good news is that there are ways to reduce belly fat significantly. Start with your diet. Eating foods that will help to burn through excess weight is very important. To do so, eat foods that are rich in antioxidants, such as greens, and leafy vegetables. Focus on consuming no more than a palm-sized portion of protein with meals. Avoid red meat or at least consume minimally. Consume whole grains and get rid of “white foods” or heavily refined foods.  Your diet is not enough to focus on, though. You also need to exercise. Work on exercises that specifically target the larger muscle groups. Cardio is one of the foundations for any weight loss program. But, make sure you're doing the right types for your goals. It is also important for many men to focus specifically on reducing stress levels, which notoriously cause weight gain. Reduce portion si...