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Atkins Schmatkins!

July 18, 2008 – 11:17 am

The front page of most newpapers yesterday touted that the Atkins diet really isn’t as bad as everyone thought (Philly Inquirer).  Oh no, in relation to a low-fat or Mediterranean diet, Atkins followers lost more weight, on average, and did not show a marked increase in cholesterol. Yippee! Someone please pass me the T-bone and egg yolks salad!

A 6 to 10lb weight loss average over two years is horrendous!!!!!  Yes this is an average, so certainly, I’m sure, there were some with more loss and some not.  Even still, this equates to less than a one-tenth pound a week! Is this number worthy of front page news!

Major flaws: 

  1. This study was funded by the Atkins Foundation
  2. There was counseling and not prescription
  3. The Atkins minded Americans are not getting their protein from lean meats and vegetables as were the “suggestions” from the study leaders for this group.  If the American, Atkins diet consisted of steamed broccoli, mixed vegetables and baked salmon I really don’t think the low-carb diets would be under the scrutiny that they are.;
  4. It was performed in Israel??  Apparently enough Americans willing to subject themselves to such discipline over two years could not be found. : (  

This news is probably one of the worst headlines for fat America to hear. All they’re going to see is “Atkins - Good,” and re-convince themselves to re-start their re-commitment to having bacon, eggs, and bun-less burgers. What a bunch of garbage!!

People do need to eat less and certainly try to eat more of the right things, however carbohydrates are not the evil that is continuing to grow waistlines and burden our health care system. INACTIVITY is!!

I know this because I have been fortunate enough to live on both sides of the glass. Exercise transcends lives - not a diet.  Will we ever see the day when the boundless benefits of exercise, for health’s sake, trumps a sleazy way to sell papers with an enticing headline for an easy way to lose weight?

That which you desire most earnestly, you believe most easily.

David Berger | Uncategorized | Comments (1)

Pushing for More than Just Finish

July 10, 2008 – 12:10 pm

Two years ago I entered my first mountain bike race.  I entered as a first time beginner, which I was to mountain bike only events (however prior to this event I had already completed two Xterra triathlons).  It was so cool. It had such a different feel from the triathlons and running events I had competed in.  It was more a laid back, field party kinda atmosphere.  The distance of my race was a little over 12-miles.

 I remember how nervous I was prior to the start. I didn’t have an expensive name bike that many of the other riders had.  I got my bike for less than $500 off eBay and put it together myself.  I wasn’t dressed in the form fitting, ultra bike rider wear either. Just one of my holey workout tees and my single pair of bike shorts that I had gotten in college (10-years old).  As I was heading to the start corral I was thinking how I had no business being there. ‘I’m sure that most of these guys were training several days a-week at least for this,’ I thought.  My strategy at that point was to chill out, ride at a comfortable pace, enjoy the excitement of it all, and to not finish last.

However, when I was sitting on my bike in the corral, a staging area were heat riders congregate just prior to going to the start line, I was checking out the competition.  There were a couple guys I knew that I could finish ahead of just by looking at them.  Then I was watching the group ahead of us start, how some guys blew right off the line and got ahead of everyone else before going into the woods.  Suddenly I found myself thinking that I might be able to win this thing instead of just trying to not finish last.  Damn the competition! I’m going for Number One!

My training (term used loosely here for there was no specificity) for this event were 5-mile rides, twice a week, that were on the road to an afternoon appointment that I had.  Other than that there was little time spent on the bike.  Of course I was still running and kept up with my strength training so I’d say that my overall fitness was better than average. 

When the gun fired for our start I focused only on the trail-head that entered the woods, about 500-yards slightly uphill, to the right.  I am big fan of Lance Armstrong so I was using his high cadence maneuvering and was in sixth place as we turned into the woods.  I passed two guys on the turn.  Only three ahead of me!

We were less than two-minutes into this thing and already I was gasping air and my thighs felt like they would explode if I didn’t immediately cease this mad pedaling.  The course we were riding was a combination of gravel roads, single track and open field, and chock full of roots, rocks, steep climbs, fast downhills, creek crossings, plus we had heavy rains the night before making some areas much more difficult to navigate.  As we emerged from the woods into wide open field on a downhill I passed another rider.  After only a mile I was already in third place!  Pedal, pedal, pedal!

I quickly caught up to the next rider. I stayed on his rear wheel as we navigated through a pretty technical section of the woods and through many muddy switch-backs.  As we approached the opening t another field I knew that I had to pass him now and put some distance between us. We were probably about 3-miles in and just as we entered the field, this time an uphill, I passed him and turned the crank as fast as I could up the hill before the next section in the woods.  As I entered the woods I looked back to see that I was at least 150-yards up from him.  Not quite comfortable. Pedal, pedal, pedal! 

A few turns into the woods and I finally caught a glimpse of the leading rider.  I was cresting a hill to see him vanishing into a turn in an up ahead downhill.  That was last I saw of him until end.

For a the next mile or so I was all alone. I could see no one ahead of me or hear anyone behind me.  Coming into the next field section there several riders about a hundred yards ahead.  As I passed them on the next downhill I noticed one of the riders as my friend who encouraged me to enter this thing.  I gave him a slap on the butt as I rode past.  I was now passing guys that started the heat ahead of me (3-minutes prior to my start).  This felt good and I used this as motivation to push even harder to bury the guys chasing me from my group. Pedal, pedal, pedal!

I’m not going to bore you all of the details from my race. I wanted to illustrate to you the power of focus.  Fortunately I ended up being fit enough to push myself to a second place finish in my age/class group.  However if I had not changed my mindset at the beginning of the race than I would have never known what I was really capable of. 

How many times have you let yourself settle for less than you really are?  In the same thought, how many times have you pushed yourself more than you thought you could and surprised yourself?

Let us know how you deal with fear and motivation.

Fight for YOUR Life!

David

    

        

David Berger | Fitness & Exercise | Comments (2)

The “Secret” to Lose Weight

May 16, 2008 – 10:43 am

I am not going to offer you infomercial products. I am not going to suggest any sort of supplementation. I am not going to tell you that weight loss is easy. I am not going to “Guarantee your results.” However, I have personally helped hundreds of people lose cumulatively over 1000-pounds as well as shedding 88-pounds myself, so I have walked a mile in those shoes, walk the talk and am trusted by many others to help do the same.

The strategies that I am going to write here will work to attain any goal, any.  I am directing this for weight loss because this area necessitates immediate action from the majority.  There are too many of us with too much stored energy… let’s use it up! 

No matter what you read, see or hear about weight loss, you will not make sustainable weight loss and progress without consistent actions. I have heard over and over that “I know what I need to do.”  To know and not to do, is really not to know.

There is no specific exercise or exercise equipment, no pill, no medical procedure or “diet” that will produce lasting results.

You will experience a level of health and well-being that you have never felt before if you COMMIT to these four things. Your level of COMMITMENT should be at least ONE-YEAR before concluding that this does not work for you. If after 365 days of serious self-imposed discipline you do not look, feel, act and live like a better person than the one that is reflected in the mirror today than feel free to bash away on this blog or anywhere else in the Universe.  I am confident that you have never really tried anything this significant before for even 100-days, let alone 365!  Go ahead - I dare you to prove me wrong!!

Exercise

It doesn’t really matter what you do but it must be consistent - 3x week full-body calisthenics and/or strength work and 4-6x week of cardio-[heart pounding].  It must be progressive - each week you must push yourself to do more, either time or intensity or both!  Start small and work to big!  You must crawl before you walk; walk before you run; and then run, run, run (Merely a metaphor. You can also row, skip, jump, climb, elliptical, stair-climb, jazzercise, aerobics, etc., etc., etc.!).  Learn new exercises and progressions from NumberOneMe.com and get a heart rate monitor. Make progress a habit! Just Do It- because YOU CAN!

Eat Right

There are GO-foods and then there are NO-foods. I am going to list some major NO-foods and everything else, as far as I’m concerned is GO - so long as you adhere to the EXERCISE!

NO-Foods

  1. Chips, Doritos, Cheese Curls, Nachos (corn-chips), Salted Pretzels, all of this stuff is garbage and does absolutely nothing positive for your well-being. Do not go down the salty, bagged snacks aisle- you what I’m talking about!

  2. Beer, Wine, Soda, Juice, Sports Drink (only acceptable when performing exercise for longer than 1-hour and maybe one after that), Any beverage from any fast-food restaurant or coffee hole (unless it’s black coffee or straight tea), Milk-shakes or any other sweetened beverages (yes any of that diet crap too!).  Just drink water - don’t tell me that you don’t like the taste because after thirty days of consistent exercise and commitment to your new lifestyle you will LOVE H2O!

  3. No red meat. Deli, homemade, restaurant; it is all the same bad.
  4. No skin on chicken or turkey.
  5. No skipping meals. Eat something every 4-hours (i.e. - 7, 11, 3, 7)
  6. No desserts. No. Nothing. Reward yourself on day 366.
  7. No eating after 7:30pm. No. Nothing. Not even at a party… eat before you go and politely excuse yourself because you are In Pursuit of Personal Best…. Forgive me, I’m trying to be Best Me!’
  8. No Cheese. None. Save it for 366.
  9. No more than a fist size portion of meats (chick and turkey) and casseroles.
  10. No fast-food. None ever again. Fast foods are not to blame for the ills of society but they also offer an insignificant amount of anything positive.  Don’t drive thru… DRIVE BY-FAST!

BE POSITIVE-ALWAYS

  • Act the way that you want to live and soon you’ll live the way you act.
  • If the sun is always shining on your face you can never see the shadows
  • If you can see the obstacles you have lost sight of the goal
  • If the world were to crumble tomorrow, I would still plant my apple tree today.
  • I am strong!
  • Anger is like an acid. It does more to destroy the vessel that holds it than anything that it is poured upon.
    • Unknown; Helen Keller; Unknown; Dr. King; David Berger; Gandhi, respectively.

Use these quotes as a mantra. Say them over and over again to yourself everyday. This positive reinforcement will strengthen you over time.  This game is at least 90-percent between your ears.  So no matter what your image looks like on the exterior, by using daily positive incantations your interior will be stronger than anyone knows… except you!

REPEAT

Remember, this is a 365-day challenge. This is a mental and physical marathon. If you rise to the occasion, you will win!  Perform each of the above three always and often.  From this not only will you increase your health and fitness but you will also be forming an intangible called well-being.  You will look, live and feel like a new person. After 365-days you will have a new sense of who you are and what you are capable of.  You will discover what it means to live with integrity and commitment. You will discover what it feels like to achieve and pursue excellence.

I am here for you. Post on this blog or email me directly.  My mission, my personal legend in life is to assist you in the pursuits of yours.  I know that easiest way for you to seek your personal legend is through healthy mind and body.  So go!

To know and not to do is really not to know. Stephen Covey.

David Berger | Fitness & Exercise, Health | Comments (0)

Creating Possibility!

April 11, 2008 – 11:40 am

Alright.  It’s been a month since I’ve submitted to my own blog.  As far as an active blogger goes, I stink… rather I stunk.  I hereby re-declare my dedication to creating an active blog. I will submit new topics of healthy pontification at least twice a month for the purpose of disseminating exercise/fitness/well-being myths, ills and news-topics and to encourage personal growth and mission through exercise/fitness/well-being.  This is In Pursuit of Number One, me for You! 

No time.  I hear a lot about “not being able to find the time.” This is regarded as the #1 excuse for people not to exercise, after all.  It’s bull!  “I can’t find the time” can be used for everything. This is definitely the easiest thing that we can say to excuse our inadequacies and inconsistencies for every poor behavior we have.  I couldn’t find the time to write my blog.  We say this excuse with such regularity that it is cliche, and really does more damage to our personal integrity than we may realize.  After all, one poor excuse creates another.

Don’t Look for It. Quit your search.  You are not going to find time under the sofa cushions like loose change.  Time is an essence.  Time is 24-hours or 1440-minutes a day. Time represents something unique to everyone while it is also the same.  Time is always here, and always moving forward.  We can manage time, get paid for time, invest in time, do time, give time, pray for  time, even ignore time, but we can not, and will not find time.  

You’ve Got to CREATE It!  The only way you are going to get something done is to create the possibility. You more than likely already do this on a daily basis, it’s simply a matter of your semantics.  You have a morning routine (i.e., brush your teeth, take a shower, get the kids to school, make coffee, etc.); you go to work (i.e., career, job, household duties, errands, etc.); you do other stuff (i.e., surf the web, play golf, volunteer, exercise?, do homework, watch T.V., etc., etc., etc…..). We even create time to eat and sleep. Some of us too much, some too little. Our days are divided into things that we must do, things that we like to do, and things that we want to do and haveto do.  The last two are pretty much synonymous.  The things that get accomplished most often are the must do’s and the like to do’s.  Our want to’s and have to’s are usually ascribed the “I can’t find the time.” And apparently EXERCISE for must of us is a matter of a want or a have and not a must or a like. Right?

Start small, WORK BIG! If you can’t seem to find the timethan try shifting your search to creating it. Start with ten-minutes.  I use a method with my participants in training and also include this with the Number One Me DVD Companion Guide called Po-TEN-tIAL.  It’s an acronym for Power-of-TEN Minutes-to Increase Active Living.  Simply it asks you to perform any exercise, preferably full body, for 10-minutes, everyday, no matter what (a must do). Perform this exercise at your ability. You can push hard or not. Inside, outside, anywhere you want. The only parameters are that it must be at least ten-minutes and continuous. 

TEN Works.For the average non-exerciser doing ten each day will decrease your inactivity by 70-minutes each week. At minimum this will burn 100-calories per ten-minutes, which is 700-calories out each week, 2800-calories a month, which equates to 33,600 calories per year or 9.6lbs of fat. More often than not, your time maxxed butt will perform more than 10-minutes- somehow creating further possibility- and thus garnering further results. Plus by committing to a minimum of 10 each you do something even far more beneficial than the approximate 10lb. weight loss (or weight savings), you increase your personal integrity.  You learn to trust you more. And when you trust what you say you are going to do, you have the potential to be more for your next 1430-minutes of the day. Number One?   

Fight for Your Life!

David

David Berger | Fitness & Exercise, Health | Comments (1)

Fat America- Part 1

March 10, 2008 – 10:01 am

Today’s Philadelphia Inquirer article “Big Patients, Higher Costs,” details the required costs of technology and equipment for the growing size of Americans. Of course these bigger items need a greater investment than the ‘normal’ sized equipment.  Plus-sized people should be able to get the medical attention they need… but where do we draw the line as a society to this growing problem?

“Rudeness to obese people is absolutely the only form of prejudice left in our society that’s acceptable,” as quoted by a Dr. Bonanni, Director of Abington Memorial Hospital Surgical Weight Loss Center.  His issue at Abington Hospital is to “raise every-one’s consciousness about comfortable equipment and humane treatment for obese patients,” there.  As the Director of the “Surgical Weight Loss Center,” Dr. Bonanni has incredible vested interest in the program, to the tune of $20,000 - $40,000 per operation, so the ’comfort’ for these individuals is very important- especially because it directly affects his comfortable lifestyle.  And the picture of Dr. Bonanni on the website looks as though he is very comfortable- not a picture of a man pursuing a healthy lifestyle of good nutrition and regular vigorous exercise - more of a man who talks but not walks.

We are way, way out of control!  From this same article a new classification of the obese is also named, the “super obese”!  The super obese have a BMI(body mass index) of 50 or more. 50! I’m not a big fan of BMI because it is not always a good indicator of health, body fat percent is more accurate, however it does generally offer a view of the size of a person.  50 is disgusting!  Instead of accommodating these super fat maybe they should feel more uncomfortable to get them motivated to move.

I know, in my profession, because of my previous life as a fat man, because I should be more empathetic to these people, I should not have this view.  But it’s ridiculous. As a society we keep bending more.  By continuing to accommodate the obese, morbid, super and otherwise, our entire society pays.  It’s comes with higher premiums in our health-care and increased costs spread over many of the services and goods.  You and I do and will continue to pay for the now 2/3 of the country that do not take of themselves.  The plight of the apparent many is partly being funded for by the few.  It’s not fair!

There needs to be a more proactive approach towards reducing the this obesity epidemic.  Offer these fat surgeries and comfortable fat equipment and procedures, and bigger waiting room chairs is not PRO-active.  We are an incredibly re-active society. We continue to solve problems.  What needs to be done is to start getting ACTVE towards the cause of the super-fat in this country and that is getting people moving and not making them feel so ‘comfortable’ in their very uncomfortable lifestyles.  What do you think?

Fight for Your Life!
David      

David Berger | Health | Comments (1)

Running for my life!

February 22, 2008 – 10:59 am

I ran my first 5k (3.1 miles) on Thanksgiving morning 2000.  I remember how scared I was, that I wouldn’t finish; that I’d get hurt; that I’d come in last place; that I’d embarress myself out there with all those ‘real runners’.  At 25 years-old, putting myself out there to do something I had never done before, to potentially fail in front of many others was incredibly difficult and anxious.

These thoughts were running through my head (pun intended) the other day while I was out training.  On April 12 I am going to again attempt something I have not done yet, an ultra-marathon, The North Face Endurance Challenge. This 50k (31-miles) is probably not even considered an ultra (longer than the typical marathon, 26.2-miles) by the running gods, but to me it represents incredible significance.  It is further than I’ve ever gone before and has given me many doubtful feelings. Will I be able to complete 31-miles!?  What will the terrain be like? Will I need to walk? Crawl? Will I train sufficiently? Will my nutrition plan work? Will I DNF (Did Not Finish)?

Running has always been this way for me… Can I do it?  In high school I could barely run a lap. It took me almost a full year of running stairs in my grandparents basement to gain the courage to run to the end of the block. Then it took me several more years to face the challenge of running 3.1-miles under the microscope of an officially timed event. Then it was a 10k, a ten-miler, a half-marathon, several marathons, triathlons, and now it’s a small ultra.

It’s kinda like everything else.  All of these small steps towards something bigger, better, more fabulous, engaging, empowering! I do believe that it is the ‘Secret’ to a fulfilling life- to constantly be In-Pursuitof a little more. To be invovled in something that you doubt you can do but work to do it anyway.  To push yourself further than you thought you were ever capable of going and then taking one more step. To complete and find joy in the hard efforts that it took to get you there and then moving toward something greater (I’ll talk about my post-event depression in another entry).

I don’t run because find real joy running for running’s sake.  I don’t run because I am trying to beat the guy next to me. I certainly don’t run because I enjoy having my heart in my throat and can barley catch my breath and my legs feel like there stuck in the mud while moving at a snails pace up a grassy hill for what seems an enternity!

I run because I can. I run further to see if I can.  I run to find out what I can’t… I’m still running!

Why do you or don’t you run?

Fight for YOUR Life!

Dave 

       

David Berger | Running | Comments (0)

A Heart Worth Saving

February 12, 2008 – 9:03 am
From an email 02/03/08

“Dave, Hello I hope you are doing well.”

“I have some bad news. On Wednesday morning 1/30 I suffered a major heart attack. I went for my usual morning run at about 8:30. At the two mile mark I started to have chest pains. I thought it was OK because I have had similar pain in the past and it would go away after about a minute of walking. On Wednesday the pain did not go away. The pain and pressure just kept building as I walked to the unit that I am staying in down in Florida. This was a big mistake because I had several opportunities to have someone call 911. I just kept denying that this was happening and I knew the pain would go away. Well I was wrong because the pain got much worse and when I got to my place I basically collapsed and was having a difficult time getting off the floor. At this point I knew I was in deep trouble and somehow I got into my car and drove to the hospital which is only three miles down the road. I didn’t think I could wait for an ambulance because I delayed to long.”

“I can’t tell you how lucky I am to be alive today. The left artery nicknamed the widow maker artery was 100% blocked. They performed emergency surgery and put a stint into my heart to open up the artery to allow blood flow. The doctor told me 10 minutes later and I probably would not have survived. He also told me that my running and overall fitness level saved my life because my heart was very strong due to all of my activity. I credit the work outs we have done because it gave me the strength to fight for my life. I have never been so scared.”

“The bad news is that because I waited about 45 minutes too long I did some damage to my heart. The good news is that with proper recovery he thinks I will get back to between 90-100% of where I was before the attack. He also feels that activity is much better than inactivity and thinks my goal should be to run and workout, and golf just like before. He thinks it will take about 3 months of rehab to get there. I go back to see him this Friday and he will give me a plan. At this point the most I can do is walk short distances.  So here I am in sunny warm Florida and I can’t do anything for some time.” 

“This has been a very sobering experience and I am trying not to be depressed as I go from hour to hour being very bored. I will now start to look to the future and I can’t wait until we can resume our work outs.” -Bob

(from an email 02/06/08) 

“One week ago this morning I had a life changing event.  I am so gratefull to be alive and God has given me another chance to enjoy the rest of my life.” 

“You may use my story, and name in any way that you would like in order to help others make the right decisions about their health.  Due to my fitness and workouts with you I survived to see another day.  Thank you Dave because you are a life saver.”

-Bob

I have been working with Bob for four years now.  This man is as healthy and strong a 50+ year old man can be… or so we thought.  When I recieved this email it almost brought me to tears, as to me, Bob was pretty close to the embodiment of good healthy living. A 6-time marathon finisher, a competitve wrestler in college, an athlete his whole life. Despite his previous and current athletic prowess, Bob was neglecting his nutrition, greatly.  

This exerpience is enlightening, obviously for Bob, but for me as well.  I used to think that progressive exercise transcended everything, even poor nutrition.  Bob and I would discuss his nutrition but more in terms of what his ‘ideal’ nutrition plan could be and not so much of what he was currently doing. After all, this was a man that was running usually 6-days a week and aggressively strength training with me twice a week. He wasn’t training for anything specifically, he expressed that he simply wanted to be very healthy and I figured so long as his nutrition ills were in moderation, because of his fitness, everyhting would fall in line.

I am hoping that Bob will comment on this blog and fill us in on what his nutrition was like, we have talked but mostly about his recovery.  This opens many questions and discussions for all of us to open here though:

  1. If not for Bob’s high fitness level, this discussion would be completely different.  Isn’t this what fitness is all about - To be ready; to be prepared; to be conditioned for anything that life throws at us?  I train because I never want my fitness to be a factor for not not being able to do something, especially if it’s literally fighting for my life.  What about you?
  2. Honestly, would you have waited until collapse to seek medical attention?  I know that I have ignored my aches and pains many times when I probably should have sought a doctor.  Is this more common for men than women?  When do you stop ignoring and get help?
  3. Have you ever had a near death experience?
  4. What are you doing to prevent a heart attack?  Apparently exercise alone is not enough.  What is your healthy or unhealthy nutrition?

Please respond to any or all of the above.  I feel that we can get a super dialogue going here that can greatly help many of us.  Remember that prevention is the best medicine and YOU are in the drivers seat!

Fight for YOUR Life!

Dave

David Berger | Health | Comments (0)

Hello world! My first blog.

February 7, 2008 – 2:20 pm

I have thought about doing a blog for a while now. I don’t know what has kept me from doing it for so long: Fear that nobody would read it?  Worry about adding another task to an already overfull agenda? Concern that I would run out of things to write about?

Before I jumped in here I checked out some other blogs.  Dean Karnazes is pretty cool (http://rodale.typepad.com/deans_run_home/).  After reading a few others and looking at the barriers keeping me from doing this I realized that no matter if it’s a blog, a 5K, a marathon, beginning a fitness program or speaking in front of a group- fear can be the ultimate intimidator!

We deal with fear everyday, some of us more than others. I guess that’s what this is all about; In Pursuit of Number One. I have been fortunate enough to have learned from many chances not taken and many, many mistakes made that fear is really something that helps us rather than holds us back, if we can be strong enough to face it. Taking that stance is tough so I’ve found that reducing fears to short-term challenges is the best way for me to step-up.

What are you doing to face fear?  To rise up to a challenge? To earn the right to say ‘I did it!’?  What are the fears that are keeping you from your pursuit of being a better person today than you were yesterday? Your Personal Best?

It can be incredibly powerful to deal with issues as a community, even easier I suppose through a faceless one such as this.  In Pursuit of Number One is the title of the blog but it is also an action to be performed; a sounding board for personal growth; a listening community to encourage; and an eternal path for each of us to keep working towards!

What are you doing to be your Number One today?

Fight for Your Life!

-Dave

David Berger | Uncategorized | Comments (2)