Sharpen your metabolism

Hello!

Leah and I are well and are living life by design and not from crisis to crisis. It's such a beautiful feeling - like sitting in a garden with flowers blooming. I hope all of us are living by design and if someone is not, revisit your plan. There is just a little thing that you need to do and it will fall into design mode.

I wanted to share a formula that has worked for me. I am hoping it will work for you as well. Two things: 1)how I eat and 2)what do I do to burn calories for the time I am not in the gym.

1. I divide my food into three food type percentiles with respect to the time of the day. I do not consume certain types of energy giving foods after 3pm and then definitely no carbohydrates higher than 10% of my meal after 6pm. The body does not know how to turn off; especially energy giving foods after 9pm. It also affects your rest and recoup time.


- less than 10% carbohydrates of my meal at night

- less than 40% carbohydrates of my meal after 3pm

- 0% carbohydrates after 6pm (or 7pm for those nightowls)

- protein and some healthy fats is the balance percentile


There is a superfood out there for anyone who cannot overcome their carbohydrate withdrawals. This food is packed with protein but tastes like a carbohydrate. Loaded with fiber, it is called QUINOA and is one of the most delicious foods on the planet. It is from Peru and has twice the amount of protein of other grains and fewer carbohydrates. Power up your breakfast and introduce a different type of dessert - Quinoa!

2. I ignite my metabolism during the other 23 hours by doing some explosive workouts at home. Think beyond the amount of fat you burn during your hour workouts at the gym. Try the following at home:


- Push-ups: vary the repetitions and sets

- Double-leg vertical jumps; Single-leg vertical jumps; Single-leg broad jumps and dumbbell lunges


Please look over what I have just shared with you all and we will revisit this in a couple of months.

That my friends is your Tip of the Week...

Please help me congratulate Rick H. who has lost 18 pounds since he started 3 months ago. Very nice work!



--
Stephen Menya
Personal Trainer & Owner
www.lionsgym.com

take time

Hello and hello,

I had the best surprise of my life this past Sunday - a surprise birthday party! I was just so amazed how one, my Leah pulled it all together without me having a clue and two, how all the people showed up. It was a very beautiful experience for me and I am sure for all who were there. It feels so good to be loved and boy, it was like sitting in a beautiful garden with all sorts of flowers. I want to say thank you, thank you for
all who came. May you all be blessed.

My tip to you this week is to give a little time to someone else who feels like no one gives them any time. I felt a lot of sacrifice coming from people who came to my surprise party. I am not saying that the ones who did not come did not sacrifice, but it felt good for me for those who spent their time with Leah and I. It is amazing what it feels like when someone shares their time with anyone, yet they do not have to. Maybe there is someone you know who you are scared of even taking a walk with for exercise. Next time you are going for a walk, invite them! How about when you are at the gym and you see them squatting incorrectly. Please take a minute to correct their form. How about if your friend was struggling with their diet and you know what has worked for you. Share what you know! You will be amazed how far that idea can go.

As for me, I have tuna and salmon at the gym and one time a person came in that was hungry and I shared that healthy snack with him. We are not out to change the world, but we are just sharing the time and care that we all have within us.

I read somewhere once that "love, grace, patience, kindness and yes! exercise - against these there is no LAW."

my little victory

Hello!

REMINDER - keep fighting the good fight!

I have been training at the Lions Gym for about 7 months going on 8 now. Basically since we founded it. I have been keeping a small journal of how different victories everyday come through this gym door from each separate person. I have witnessed everyone's different change: physically, spiritually and/ mentally. It is just a beautiful thing that makes me appreciate everything that you and I have accomplished. I have witnessed throwing up, almost passing out and cussing within and without there too.

I have heard, "I am not coming back!" (with a slam of the door), and "When can I come back?" But through it all, I have seen hanging in there and reaching the goal. These are our battle scars. Gosh...I have even heard "you are a principle of torture" but at the end "thank you". What I am saying is please just stay consistent with your goals and you will get the result you are looking for. What you do now will show up ten years from now. What would you like to see ten years from now? Ask yourself that.
Read it again a month or two from now and see how accurate you were from what your projection was. Let's keep the focus.

I will see you at the gym.

~ Stephen

Ask Me.

Hello!

This is going to be a quick tip, but first and foremost happy belated 4th to everyone! Leah and I just had a wonderful weekend in Iowa and boy the golfing was just excellent. It was just a good break for all of us I am sure. Welcome back to another work week for those of us who work and welcome back to the fun week for all who just plain and simple have fun at work.

My tip this week is an encouragement to all of you who always just don't think that asking is a good thing. But of course it is a wonderful thing. Out of personal experience, I had a wonderful revelation two days ago regarding not asking. Well, I had a check that had two names on it and off course the other name is the bank that owns the asset. You guessed it a claims check! But anyways, I called the co-owner after several weeks debating left and right if I should because really I can fix what got damaged on the property because I am licensed to. Anyways I asked the
question, which I will not say and guess what!? I found out that I can pay myself to do the job. Now, what was I so worried about in the first place?

How does this relate to working out you may be asking. Please ask me questions. Ask me as many questions as you have. I am so happy to answer questions related to your curiousity. There is no dumb question. All questions are created equal.

One client is good at asking questions - - good job Gayle on doing that! Please keep asking!

That my friends is your TIP of the WEEK...

Congratulations to Pat! Check out his testimonial on the website! He has done a great job.


--
Stephen Menya
Personal Trainer & Owner
Lions Gym
www.lionsgym.com
cell: 612-296-5918
office: 952-474-7000

7 questions to answer before I indulge in my kryptonite

Hello!

I could not have had a better weekend. Boy oh boy oh boy! Or should I say my! my! my! my. We had a busy weekend! From U.S. Open spectatorship to tubing on Lake Minnetonka for the first time in my whole life; Leah and I hung out with some of the guys that come to the gym. They have really become family and boy was it a lot of fun. But anyways, I really hope that you had a good, good weekend.

First of all, I am really excited about the past week. We broke a record at the gym with weight loss. Five people had a combination loss of 40 lbs within the last two weeks. Congratulations to those individuals. I will give all of you one extra set of leg hang crunches.

This week I wanted to give you guys a little cheat sheet that you can walk around with in your pocket or purse or whatever it is that you carry around.

SEVEN QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF BEFORE YOU INDULGE IN YOUR KRYPTONITE

1. Will it add one extra calorie that I DO NOT need in my calorie count?

2. Will this favorite food of mine be there in the morning?

3. Is it an essential amino acid (i.e. protein)? If my body can create it, I will pass.

4. What would Stephen Menya do? See Nutrition

5. Will this help me meet one of my short term goals?

6. Is this drink I am partaking used to clean up road kill or a battery cell (hint...hint...coca-cola products?

7. And finally, how hard will I have to workout in order to burn what I am about to eat or drink? Maybe it is counter-productive.

Now that my friends is your TIP of the WEEK...

I hope it helps you when you are trying to figure out your food and drink types. We will see you at the gym!

Thank you

--
Stephen Menya
Personal Trainer & Owner
Lions Gym
www.lionsgym.com
cell: 612-296-5918
office: 952-474-7000

BELIEVE

Hello!
I would like you all to know that I had the best weekend ever! The most amazing ever, ever! First, my wedding anniversary week started this weekend and Leah and I started celebrating with a couple of our very good friends. Second,I found out about a protein farm in downtown Minneapolis that I would like to recommend to you all. It is called Fogo De Chao. If you are looking for a source of protein, I have found the treasure island. The food was delicious mmmmm...when you get a chance and you want to just load up (on protein I said), this is the paradise for it.

This week I wanted to address the idea of keeping the engine going. Inother words, finding the spirit to keep on keeping on. Personally, I have had to deal with this before and it is one of the hardest things to do. Every day getting the energy to actually carry out an hour long workout after a long day at work. Sometimes exercise is the last thing on my mind. Well, there is an answer to that death of the spirit. Where you just cannot go on anymore taking those strides to reaching your ultimate goal.

Imagine if the world got tired of moving around on its axis and just quit. If the sun just burnt out and said that is it. If the rain founda different thing to do rather than pour on us. All I am saying is if the rain poured on only some days and not other days. Or even if the sun only shined on a chosen few. I guess, who are those chosen few? There is no bias in nature. There is no, this group deserves rain better than that group or this group deserves a fresh breeze more than that group. We are all part of nature and that requires us to keep the going and going tradition. Nature keeps on and so it is in you to keep on going.

I asked our in-house doctor what keeps him going because I thought surely he should have all the practice in chiropractic medicine that he needs. He has raised a wonderful family and he could just wakeup to the sunrise everyday and not worry about another day for the rest of his life. He told me, "Stephen! I have learned how to keep going because of the gratification. Matter of fact Stephen, it is what is within me that keeps me going."

That my friend is your Tip of the Week...

Potassium as a nutrient

Hello!

Well here we are again...this weekend, which was actually longer than the past week, still went by so fast. Anyways, it just means we are all living larger than life and so days are just going by so fast. Leah and I went out on a boat cruise this past weekend. A good boat cruise I can say. I would encourage all of us to do something that is just different from your normal routine. It
is always better to just take a little risk. It is good for your heart.

This week I would like to remind each one of you to not forget to include potassium in your diet. I have noticed that most of us cramp up when doing sit-ups or leg curls or even leg lifts. The cramp is in the hip-flexors or toes or any other place that usually should not cramp. The mineral potassium is healthy for your nervous system and regular heart rhythm. It helps prevent strokes and ensures proper muscular contraction. There is a very notable symptom for lack of potassium and that is insatiable thirst. I am not saying do not drink water when you are thirsty, but I am encouraging you to take your minerals. Other symptoms are muscle fatigue, acne and last but not least dry skin. Food sources are fish, fruit(bananas in moderation), poultry, vegetables and whole grains.

I cannot emphasis enough to get your potassium fix. Please gang, make this important so that when I'm on my eighth count a muscle doesn't cramp and stall you. Now we know who we are eh!eh!eh!eh!eh!...

That my friend is your Tip of the Week...

Tip of the Week - Eating Cheat Sheet

Hello!

I hope all of you are having a good start to the week. I had a great
weekend. Got well needed rest. My wife and I had a great time on Sunday just
giving back to the community - filling and handing out balloons to put a
smile on the children's' faces at the Minneapolis Cinco de Mayo event for
Target Corp.

I know that a few of you have asked and suggested how hard it is to keep a
good track of what to eat. Well I found a good cheat sheet that should be
really helpful. It is a good foundation for now until you can become
solid in your eating.

The key is to add at least six of these strong foods to your diet each day.

A Almonds
B Beans or Legumes
S Spinach or veggies

D Dairy
I Instant Oatmeal
E Eggs
T Turkey and other lean meats

P Peanut Butter
O Olive oil or other seed oils
W Whole grains breads and cereals
E Extra shakes
R Raspberries

Please remember that all the small parts that play in achieving
your goals add up to your finality.

"The tragedy of life is not man loses but that he almost wins."
    ~ Heywood Brown

That my friends is your Tip of the Week...
references:Micheal Johnson Slaying the dragon and Mens Magazine

- Stephen Menya

Tip of the Week, April 21st

Hello,

I am thankful that I have yet another opportunity to get closer to my dream. I wrote this dream four years ago and boy am I grateful. Everyday it is a day closer. I am hoping that all of you feel that way. You have a vision that day by day unfolds. I once read: "One will have a vision but it is only a vision unless written down." It doesn't matter what your vision is, but it has to be written down and spoken out loud. The mind starts to register the talk and brings it to reality.

What is your vision today? Have you written it down? If you have not, please write it down and look at it every day. Your chance of achieving that vision increases every time you write it down and follow that by speaking it out loud. I know that we all have a right to a dream or vision, so claim yours. I welcome you to take your steps until you are closer to whatever it is that you dream.

Hello-

Another week just went by and behold--we have another one. I just want to say that I am proud of all of you for all the good exercises you have been doing outside the gym. I am extremely proud of you.

As for me I am even more encouraged and will push harder on your behalf to get you the results that you are looking for. A good friend of mine--someone who comes to the gym--is celebrating losing two sizes on his waist--so let us celebrate with him. Congratulations to Yugi for the achievement--when you see him just give him his merit.

A 10-year old boy was working real hard to lift a stone almost half his size. His father walking by noticed this and asked him, "Are you giving it your all?" The kid replied: "Of course I am, look I am even sweating hard." The father said, "I don't think that you are really; you have not asked for my help."

All I am saying is there are lots of resources around you that you can always use to get to your goals. I know that I tap into whatever I can to get to my goals.

Please!!!! I am challenging you to do exactly that--that you tap into what is available around you--especially with your fitness goals--or anything else for that matter.

Check out some supplement tips.

That my friends is your Tip Of The Week.