5 Things Currently Rocking My World

I actually stole the idea and title of this blog from one of my favorite writers, Nate Green.  I always enjoy Nate’s posts because he is down to earth and does a great job communicating with and engaging his audience.

In his articles, “Things Currently Rocking My World”, he introduces readers to things that he is currently enjoying, which gives his readers some cool things to try out as well as helping his audience get to know him a little better.

I really enjoyed these posts from him, and I hope you enjoy them from me as well.

So let’s look at some things rocking my world:

The Perfect Health Diet by Paul and Shou-Ching Jaminet

I have talked about this book on my blog before, but the Jaminets just released a second edition of the book, and it is excellent.  It has a ton of updates based on new research, which is one of the things I really like about the authors – they are willing to admit if they are wrong, or change their minds about certain topics if research points them in a new direction.

I also love their approach to nutrition.  It is currently my favorite book on the subject and is one of the first I recommend to my clients or friends interested in eating more healthily.

Aeropress

I learned about this from Tim Ferris’s book, The 4 Hour Chef.  In the book he has a chapter titled, “The Perfect Cup Of Coffee”, in which he details all of the tools you need to make an awesome cup of coffee.

One of these tools is an Aeropress.  So I decided to buy one since it is fairly cheap, and my coffee pot was getting old.

The first time I used it I was blown away.  The coffee is great, it is extremely simple to use, and the clean up is minimal.

Sauerkraut

I have had a lot of struggles with my digestion ever since my eating disorder.  I have tried many things with no success.  But recently I tried sauerkraut (I was desperate) 🙂 and immediately noticed a difference.  I was absorbing more of my food and going to the restroom more regularly.

Sauerkraut, and other fermented veggies, have been shown to be very beneficial in promoting healthy gut bacteria.  Click HERE for a good article on more of the benefits of fermented foods.

I will say that not all sauerkraut is equally beneficial.  Ideally, you can find a raw and organic variety with no additives.  I buy mine from Fabulous Ferments.

You can also make your own fermented vegetables, which I really want to try.  Here is a good recipe if you want to give it a shot: “Making Sauerkraut“.  If you decide to make some, let me know how it turns out.

Bodybuilding/High Rep/Pump Style Training

As I have said many times, I believe lifting weights is an extremely important component of building a healthy body you are confident in and happy with.  I have not talked much about the different styles of lifting weights there are because I have come to believe that the style of training you perform does not matter as much as actually doing it.

However, I recently adopted a new style of training and have loved it thus far – bodybuilding/pump style training.

In the past, I would have shunned this style of training because I felt that it had little benefit for most trainees.  I have since changed my mind and feel that it can be a great addition for most goals.

I started training this way after I got back from my vacation in California in September.  I had decided to focus on gaining muscle, and I wanted to see how my body would respond to bodybuilding style training – higher reps, more isolation work, and a focus on feeling the muscle.

I was always a big believer in just trying to add more weight to the bar and getting stronger.  I never put any thought into actually feeling my muscles work.  I also rarely went over 6-8 reps on big movements like squats and deadlifts so this was a big change.

To be honest, I had probably only done biceps curls a few times since high school.  Crazy, right?!

So I decided to try out a body part split – Sunday: chest, Monday: back, Wednesday: legs, and Friday: shoulders/arms.

I also stick to mostly higher reps with slow eccentrics.

At the start I did not have a lot of confidence that this would work, but after 3 weeks I was loving it!  I saw nice gains, and my body felt great.

I have since transitioned to more of an upper/lower split (upper body twice a week and lower body twice a week), but still include several isolation exercises such as bicep curls and lateral raises.  My body feels better, and I have put on about 10 pounds since my vacation in September.

I still believe in getting stronger and trying to add weight to the bar, but I also realize there are many other ways to progress depending on your goal.

On this same note, I recently subscribed to John Meadows’ Mountain Dog Diet Club.  It is a great resource if you are interested in the science behind optimal nutrition and training to improve hypertrophy, fat loss, strength, and performance.

Indiana Hoosiers Basketball

I grew up in Southern Indiana where everyone is obsessed with basketball, especially IU basketball.  I have been an IU fan since I was young.  I am pretty sure my dad would disown me if I did not like IU.  🙂  So I have been greatly enjoying this season as they are currently ranked #1.  The Big Ten Conference is pretty tough this year so hopefully they will keep playing well and make a run at the Championship.  Go IU!

 

That is it for this edition.  Let me know in the comments what you are currently enjoying.

Hope you have a great week!