From Fat To Fit! Story Of An Inspirational Man - Keith Rocheville

Battered, bruised, dejected, broken and failed! These are few adjectives you would refer yourself with, if by the age of 38, you lived in a car, had two failed marriages, had 4 kids but you could not meet them, because of court orders and had no real identity. Add to it, bad fitness, out of shape body and there is literally nothing that is going right in your life.

But not for Keith Rocheville!

Overcoming all these obstacles in life, and turning into an aspiring MMA fighter, Keith is one man I would look up to, when it comes to taking inspirations in life. Over-awed by his story that I read on internet, I decided to try and get an interview with him, which he duly obliged me with. And here we are, with an exclusive chit-chat on www.stylerug.net with Keith Rocheville, covering on various topics of his life.

Read Full Story Of Keith Rocheville Here

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Lifelong Benefits of Exercise

Feel younger, live longer.

It's no slogan — these are actual benefits of regular exercise. People with high levels of physical fitness are at lower risk of dying from a variety of causes, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Physical Fitness: What the Benefits of Exercise Mean for You

There's more good news. Research also shows that exercise enhances sleep, prevents weight gain, and reduces the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and even depression.

"One study found that when breast cancer survivors engaged in exercise, there were marked improvements in physical activity, strength, maintaining weight, and social well-being," explains Rachel Permuth-Levine, PhD, deputy director for the Office of Strategic and Innovative Programs at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health.

"Another study looked at patients with stable heart failure and determined that exercise relieves symptoms, improves quality of life, reduces hospitalization, and in some cases, reduces the risk of death," adds Dr. Permuth-Levine. She points out that exercise isn't just important for people who are already living with health conditions: "If we can see benefits of moderate exercise in people who are recovering from disease, we might see even greater benefits in those of us who are generally well."

Physical Fitness: Exercise Basics

Physical activity doesn't have to be strenuous to produce results. Even moderate exercise five to six times a week can lead to lasting health benefits.

When incorporating more physical activity into your life, remember three simple guidelines:

Exercise at moderate intensity for at least 2 hours and 30 minutes spread over the course of each week.
Avoid periods of inactivity; some exercise at any level of intensity is better than none.
At least twice a week, supplement aerobic exercise (cardio) with weight-bearing activities that strengthen all major muscle groups.
Physical Fitness: Making Exercise a Habit

The number one reason most people say they don't exercise is lack of time. If you find it difficult to fit extended periods of exercise into your schedule, keep in mind that short bouts of physical activity in 10-minute segments will nonetheless help you achieve health benefits. Advises Permuth-Levine, "Even in the absence of weight loss, relatively brief periods of exercise every day reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease."

Set realistic goals and take small steps to fit more movement into your daily life, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator and walking to the grocery store instead of driving. "The key is to start gradually and be prepared," says Permuth-Levine. "Have your shoes, pedometer, and music ready so you don't have any excuses."

To help you stick with your new exercise habit, vary your routine, like swimming one day and walking the next. Get out and start a baseball or soccer game with your kids. Even if the weather doesn't cooperate, have a plan B — use an exercise bike in your home, scope out exercise equipment at a nearby community center, or consider joining a health club. The trick is to get to the point where you look at exercise like brushing your teeth and getting enough sleep — as essential to your well-being.

Remember that physical fitness is attainable. Even with small changes, you can reap big rewards that will pay off for years to come.

Courtesy: www.everydayhealth.com

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Best Protein Food And How Much To Take

We join a gym, go daily without fail, workout rigorously, give up on our social life to have that ripped body and also turn a blind eye to our favourite Chinese and Continental delicacies that we crave for! But even after six months of keeping up with this torture, our body refuses to show signs of improvement, let alone having a shape that would make us wear a tee that would make us look like Adonis.

And here’s what happens next. We talk to different kinds of coaches and beefed up gym-mates who tell us, “Dude, you need to add some serious protein to your diet to get long-lasting mass.” We make a beeline to a supplements store, buy the most popular protein on the rack and start feeding on it as if our lives depended on it.

Yes, protein helps us grow muscles. Yes, it helps us in revitalising our cells and, yes, it helps them recuperate from the stressful strains of the gym and heavy lifting. But, as they say, “Excess of anything is bad,” the same implies to proteins too. Needless to say, half of us don’t even know how much protein is enough protein for our body. And without knowing of this pivotal information, most of our gym work and diet ends up having an adverse effect on our body.

Methods of calculation

Firstly, the daily intake of protein depends on your age and the activity level that your body endures itself into. For example, the amount of protein that the weight trainers and teenagers require is much more than what a sedentary individual would need. Now, there are a few calculations that can be used in terms of protein recommendations that you must know of to make life simple. And the easiest way is to go by the total percentage of calories per day.

In other words, it’s safe and within normal limits to consume twenty to thirty per cent of your total daily calories from optimal protein sources such as lean meats, eggs and dairy products. What it means is, if you are a male consuming 1,800 calories per day and 20 per cent of the calories are derived from protein, the calculation would be: 1800 x 0.20 = 360 calories from protein. Since one gram of protein is equal to four calories, divide protein calories by four, which comes to 90 grams of protein daily.

For the ones who do not workout
RDA (Resources Development Administration) has set the safe measure for protein consumption at 50 grams a day, which might look a bit low on numbers. But if you meet this level of intake, in all likelihood, it’s unlikely you will suffer from any deficiency in dietary protein. What one needs to understand here though is that the RDA originally set the standard based on ‘normal’ people, which was a sample of sedentary people of somewhat normal BMI of 18.5-25 with a mixed diet of adequate calories. Therefore, if your goals are merely to live a regular life and not regularly partake in any physical activity, the standard mentioned above will suffice your needs.

Who and how much?

Depending on both–body weight and activity level–the amount of protein needed for everyone else can be a debatable topic. Although there are no specific guidelines, there is some research that gives approximate ranges:

- The base level (assuming no activity and no desire to change body composition) is around 0.8g per kilogram body weight 64g for an 80kg person.
- An athlete or highly active person, or a person who is sedentary and looking to lose body fat would do well with a range between 1-1.5g per kilogram. This equates to 110-140g daily for for a 80kg person.
- If you are an athlete who trains extensively to benefit and influence your body composition then you should be consuming around 140-200g of protein every day.

Diet tips to increase your protein intake

Chicken
• Chicken breast, 3.5 oz – 30 grams protein
• Chicken thigh – 10 grams (for average size)
• Drumstick – 11 grams
• Wing – 6 grams
• Chicken meat, cooked, 4 oz – 35 grams

Fish
• Most fish fillets or steaks, 3-1/2 ounces – 22 grams protein
• Tuna, 6-oz can – 40 grams

Eggs and dairy
• Egg, large – 6 grams protein
• Milk, 1 cup – 8 grams
• Cottage cheese, 1/2 cup – 15 grams
• Yogurt, 1 cup – usually 8 to 12 grams, check label
• Soft cheeses (Mozzarella, Brie, Camembert) – 6 grams per oz
• Medium cheeses (Cheddar, Swiss) – 7 or 8 grams per oz
• Hard cheeses (Parmesan) – 10 grams per oz

Beans (including soy)
• Tofu, 1/2 cup – 20 grams protein
• Tofu, 1 oz – 2.3 grams
• Soy milk, 1 cup – 6-10 grams
• Most beans (black, pinto, lentils, etc.) – about 7-10 grams per half cup
• Soy beans, 1/2 cup cooked – 14 grams
• Split peas, 1/2 cup cooked – 8 grams

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What Does Alcohol Do To Your Gym Training

Most of the people, are aware of the imprecations when it comes to consuming alcohol and the potential effect it can have on their lifestyle. And hearing from your training partner that he/she can not come to the gym on a given day, because they partied too hard the night before, should not come as a shocker of a news.

This may just be a one-off example, but we are here to talk about what are the real effects of alcohol on your training over a lengthier period of time.

Concentration Levels: Scientific researches over the years have proved that alcohol severely reduces your mind’s ability to accept and process information and can occur almost instantaneously. It has also been seen to alter both hormonal functioning and glycogen metabolism and with reduced glycogen metabolism your body will always be short on receiving energy supplies.

Not only this, but alcohol consumption can also lead to errors of judgment and diminished levels of focus and motivation that easily be termed as detrimental to one’s normal life.

Dehydration: This probably is the most common after-effect of alcohol consumption and can play a major role in your gym regime going for a toss. It is a known-fact that your body’s water supply is heavily utilised during alcohol consumption in an attempt to metabolise the alcoholic toxins. And this results in water being diverted away from other bodily functions that are essential to keep you hydrated. Even small percentage adjustments away from your body’s optimum hydration levels can create large discrepancies in your performance levels, thus, bad or no gym sessions.

Energy Levels: Alcohol has a limiting effect on the metabolism of various substances within the body. And one of these substances, probably the most relevant to your workout too, is carbohydrate. If the process of carbohydrate metabolism is compromised, then ultimately, the fuel to power the body i.e. glycogen is reduced below the desired level. This can result in premature fatigue and diminished endurance and strength.

Recovery Rates: Intake of alcohol reduces your body’s ability to absorb protein, resulting in a less readily available supply for your muscles if you intend to gain a certain level of fitness. This reduction means, that both, recovery and growth rates are diminished.

This could ultimately affect your ability to continually train on consecutive days and can later become a more frequent habit. Alcohol consumption has also been negatively correlated with the production and release of your body’s own growth hormone.

Supplying Oxygen: One of the many side effects that alcohol consumption has is the heart’s ability to carry out its responsibilities to the fullest. This may not be noticed in a sedentary individual but for those undertaking training it can impact massively on cardiovascular fitness levels and the ability of the heart to supply oxygen to the working muscles.

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How To Do German Volume Training!

Brutally hard, but an effective way to pack on muscles and if you guessed it to be German Volume Training, then you definitely know the methods of bodybuilding.

Also known as ’10 sets method’, GVT was popularised in the mid 70′s by the then German Coach; Rolf Feser. It helps weightlifters in gaining lean body mass and shed unnecessary body fat. Targeting specific muscle groups and motor units to build massive muscles, this is a very intense workout with repetitions that pushes the body to adapt to the extraordinary, and of course, painful stress through accelerated muscle fiber hypertrophy.

The theory of GVT is to complete 10 sets of 10 repetitions  with the same weight for each exercise. When you select a weight level that is about 60-70 per cent of the maximum weight that you lift in your regular schedule, but do 10 sets of it with 10 reps, then you surely are following, the German way of exercising.

Core principles of GVT

Single exercise – As you will be performing a limited number of workouts every week, it is advisable to select workouts that recruit a lot of muscle mass and concentrate on that. Stick to heavier, compound-style lifts that can push the major muscle groups hard. Triceps and leg extensions can take a back-seat with bench-press and squats given more emphasis.

Tempo – For workouts like squats, dips and chins, use a 4-0-2 tempo; this means that you lower the weight in four seconds, immediately change direction and lift for two seconds. For movements such as curls and triceps extensions, opt for 3-0-2 tempo.

Rest intervals – Some might question the value of GVT in the initial sets, when you don’t feel the weight to be that heavy. However, with minimal rest period of about 45-60 seconds, the fatigue part will definitely come in, thus, resulting in the need of extra efforts and pushing it hard. The interesting part is, that you might feel stronger again by the 8th and the 9th set because of short neural adaptation and get back in the groove of it. Key is to keep an eye on the watch when you take rest, as you want to keep the process constant and not lengthen it any time during your workout.

Frequency of training – The first two words from the first line of this post i.e brutally hard, shall give you enough of indications for this. Because of the intensity of German Volume Training, the muscles take longer than usual to recover and need proper rest to recuperate. Therefore, one training session per body, every four to five days is plenty.

Stepping it up – Once your body gets used to the schedule of 10 sets with 10 reps and you find it easy to do, increase the weight on the bars by 5-7 per cent and repeat the process for improvement in results.

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