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Runnin’ on fumes

by Justin Qualler on March 10, 2010

The oft-repeated analogy about putting food in the body being like putting fuel in your car’s gas tank is completely wrong.

Your car can’t run on empty.

But, your body can.

Tired and fatigued, your body can press on to accomplish feats of endurance that so-called modern man can’t conceive of. [click to continue…]

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Are you really reading a book and exercising?

by Justin Qualler on March 4, 2010

Form is usually a missing component in the beginner’s exercise program. A lot of people have a hard time coordinating the muscles they haven’t used. It makes sense. Sitting at a desk isn’t the most demanding activity.

That’s why a simplistic approach works well. Get good at a few different exercises and then develop that exercise to a deep level. You can increase the benefit of an exercise over time by making it into a meditative, deepening experience. [click to continue…]

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Bang for your buck exercises

March 2, 2010

I really hope that a sense of realism comes out of this recession. If the Joe and Sally’s didn’t get sucked into buying that huge house that appeared so attractive, maybe we would be faring better now.
Getting attached to maintaining appearances is sure-fire recipe for failure. How good does that big house look now that [...]

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How should I train in the gym?

March 1, 2010
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A friend at work wanted to go to lift weights but he didn’t know what to do.
Who can blame him? Most gyms are so full of different machines and weights that someone needs to give you a tour just to show you where they are.
If you’re just a beginner, walking into the gym world is [...]

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Go past the first “I quit”

February 26, 2010
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I like to either begin or end my workouts with jumping rope.
The other day, after about one minute in, I wanted to quit. I almost did. Then I on went on for about two minutes.
It’s not an impressive amount of time, but the lesson is clear: Go past the first I quit. You have more [...]

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Understanding why we suck at fitness

February 14, 2010
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People gain weight primarily because they don’t exercise, eat too much, or both. Rather than aging, people slowly lose their physical capacity because they are less physically active.
Those are immutable Qualler Laws. The sooner you accept them, the better off you’ll be.
I’ve already written about our incorrect definition of diet. Now, I want to address [...]

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The Kettlebell is Present-Day Culture’s Saving Grace

February 11, 2010

Proper kettlebell exercise burns calories so fast that you can’t eat enough to keep weight on. Well, you could—but you shouldn’t. And anyway, that’s what the recession is for. Who’s going to spend all their money on food when we can’t afford gas? That’s right, the system is self-correcting.
Here’s why the kettlebell is better than [...]

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How to define the word ‘diet’

February 3, 2010
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Word on the street is that you don’t burn many calories when you sit down all day long. As we get older, we trend towards less exercise and more sitting. Unsurprisingly, our body starts growing like it did during adolescence—but wider instead of taller. Combine that with all the food we eat and the obesity [...]

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Do you have a body? Then read this

January 24, 2010

Many people watch their body deteriorate over time, lamenting the good old days and casting aside the changes as a simple aging process, forgetting to take ownership and accountability for their actions and inactions towards their body.
Some of us don’t even take the time to really explore our body. Some of us don’t even run, [...]

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How to exercise consistently

January 20, 2010
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It’s a known fact that humans are experts at inventing excuses to avoid something they don’t want to do. If your excuses are preventing you from attaining the body you want, try some of these strategies.

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