Personal Trainer Blog
Fitness | Wellness | Diet Self-Improvement
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Learn fitness, healthy whole food diets, wellness, and other personal training tips/recipes from Denver's weight loss personal trainer.
A List of Essential At-Home Fitness Equipment
Here are several highly reviewed equipment affiliate links to expand your home gym. We believe in our recommendations and constantly update our posts to reflect the best on the market. Please let us know if you’ve worked with any fitness equipment you love. We’d love to test new products and expand this list for our personal training clients!
Please note: As part of the Amazon Affiliate program, Michael Moody Fitness may be eligible for a small commission, at no cost to you, for qualifying purchases. We will only recommend tried and true products that we use ourselves!
Ankle/Feet Bands
Resistance Bands
8lb, 10lb Dumbbells
Pull-up Bars
Body Fat Analyzers
Ellipticals
Yoga Mats
Image: @True Fitness
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
PERSONAL TRAINER BLOG
The Elements of Being with Dr. Joel Fuhrman
EPISODE #10 - EAT FOR LIFE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND AN OPTIMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH BEST SELLING AUTHOR DR. FUHRMAN
On “The Elements of Being” podcast, Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. In this episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live and The End of Dieting (which I give to all my clients).
Read more and listen here…..You can also listen to all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Castbox, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast platform!
The Whole Food Plant-Based Pyramid of Nutrition Principles
The Whole Food Plant-Based Pyramid of Nutrition Principles
ESTABLISH YOUR ANCHORS AND APPROACH
Establishing the anchors by which all meal decisions extend and are measured is essential. Although you won't live perfectly, you'll want to be sure your decisions are an extension of these whole-food, plant-based nutrition principles. Battling a lifetime of habits is never easy, and I suggest starting with Level 1 and slowly working your way down the pyramid until you reach the more specific approaches to tackling your diet. Each of the principles is an essential guiding force in nutrition. A personal training client should aim to integrate each into his or her day-to-day approach eventually. While several factors may dictate each level's shape and form, everyone will benefit from this nutritional foundation healthfully. Save the image above on your phone or desktop for quick reference.
Whole-Food, Plant-Based Pyramid Level 1
Eat nutrient-dense foods
Whole-Food, Plant-Based Pyramid Level 2
Never allow yourself to feel stuffed or starved
Half of every plate consists of plants
Whole-Food, Plant-Based Pyramid Level 3
Limit inflammatory or processed foods to 0-2 servings daily: meat, dairy, alcohol, processed foods, oils, or refined sugars (e.g., breads, rice, pasta, candy, desserts, etc). There are always exceptions for many conditions, but the less of this stuff, the less of the things around the midsection, too. Oh, and less risk of disease...and a more fabulous life of physical comfort.
Nutrient ratio goal for each plate: 50% vitamins and phytonutrients, 25% fiber, and 25% protein. Where's the good fat? You'll get it with these food choices, but try not to exceed 15%.
Whole-Food, Plant-Based Pyramid Level 4
300-500 calories per meal (20-40% more for athletes)
1300-1700 per day (20-40% more for athletes)
Most calories may be acceptable depending on the physical demands of your day-to-day activity. Usually, a greater allowance only applies to people who have been active for more than 1 hour, have more than 15,000 steps, and participate in high-intensity workouts daily. Eating too little or too much will challenge your ability to lose weight or body fat.
Whole-Food, Plant-Based Pyramid Level 5
Allow 3-5 hours between meals for proper digestion and absorption
Eat at the same time every day
Eat 3-4 meals per day
Activity
How do these principles contradict what you know about eating?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
PERSONAL TRAINER BLOG
The Elements of Being Podcast
Welcome to “The Elements of Being” podcast, where Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior.
In today's episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live, Super Immunity, The End of Diabetes, The Eat to Live Cookbook, The End of Dieting, and The End of Heart Disease.
The Evolution of a Personal Trainer's Diet (My Story)
This is the transcript of the recent “The Elements of Being” podcast episode, The Evolution of a Personal Trainer’s Diet. You may also listen here…..
I often think of the first twenty years of my life as a biased introduction to the world curated by that period's family, friends, culture, and influences. Despite my passionate connection to psychology today, I never examined my role in that world nor how I interacted with it until later in life. Most importantly, I never examined the self-my self during such a pivotal development span. Although a high school psychology course triggered my interest in mental health, I was more enamored with the study of the underlying influences of OTHER people's human behavior (not my own).
Considering the standard academic and social distractions of a man in his early 20s, most of my exploration in college was the physical body. Like my many male counterparts between the ages of 21-25, I succumbed to the health and fitness trends of pushing the body to the limits at any cost. Along with Arnold Schwarzenegger's dietary guidelines, I employed the amplified versions of the standard American/midwestern diet to amass nearly 25 pounds of muscle. Usually, my meals comprised the meat, dairy, and simple carbs I grew up eating and always loved. A toast taco slathered with butter, parmesan, spaghetti, and a tall glass of whole milk? Yes, please! An entire Tombstone Meat Lovers pizza? I'll take two, por favor! You can imagine I wasn't able to say no to these temptations. It permitted me to eat everything I WANTED with the incentive of a lot of muscle!
Although my 23-inch arms appeared fit, the day-to-day discomfort told a different story. After taking Tums nearly every day for six months, I visited my doctor to seek a medical solution. While the doctor praised my muscle tone, I quickly shifted his tone when he reviewed my blood panel. My triglyceride levels were nearly double the norm (and genetics didn't account for that troubling level), and the doctor recommended taking a statin to lower the number. Also, I learned that my dairy intolerance contributed to my indigestion. I was abusing my body with poor nutrition.
Shortly later, a spasm leashed me to the ground for thirty minutes, and I, consequently, spent the following nights in the hospital for bulging discs in my lower back (L4-L5, L5-S1). While I hope no one else needs to reach this physical low, it became the push I needed to derail an obsessive mindset that blinded my physical awareness. My body was a degrading, inflammatory time bomb, and something had to change.
I asked myself, "What am I trying to optimize here?" and "What is my body's true relationship with food and movement?" Awareness or proper dietary fuel was never part of my language at home or school. I didn't know how to create sustainable change. I did possess an unrelenting curiosity about the mind and body that wouldn't allow my condition to worsen.
Of course, I tried everything I could before changing my diet. I hoped exercise was the answer. Over a year, I experimented with many exercise programs that improved my back condition but didn't affect my digestive comfort or triglyceride levels. Despite my repeated attempts, there was no way around it. My optimal fitness depended on the body I fueled and brought to the gym floor. I had to rethink my eating approach.
After much research, I learned that nothing affects the human body at the cellular level more than a nutrient-dense diet of whole food plants (a far cry from the pasta and German sausage I grew up eating). After a lifetime of the same eating habits, I knew that pivoting from the old to the new physical me would undoubtedly be a significant transition.
Nevertheless, I began my journey and went all in. I became a "human scientist" and studied my emotional, physical, and mental patterns. I quickly discovered how dysfunctional the real "me" was at times. My poor habits seemed hardwired and unchangeable. I fought against the insecurities, fears, and family culture that steered most of my behaviors and choices (the underlying influences on why I often took steps back when I knew the best steps forward). Would the fitness industry push back on my issues regarding the adverse effects of meat, dairy, and supplements? Would I lose business by advocating what's right…not what's most popular or accepted? Would I be ostracized from social functions because of my eating preferences?
Without a doubt, awareness, acceptance, and adaptation were the proper steps to overcome these influences. Armed with this approach, I created an adaptable framework for everything in life, including nutrition, and determined the optimal baseline for my physical body. I became aware of my body's sensitivity to different foods and the continuous state of inflammation and stress that I endured.
With this new awareness, I struggled with acceptance. It took time to accept that I was imperfect and didn't always make perfect decisions. It wasn't easy to accept that my physical boundaries weren't as extended as I thought and that I would need to adopt a new plan to see sustainable change.
I was determined and justified the effort for the long-term health benefits. I finally employed the most appropriate boundaries based on my optimal nutritional needs....not my wants (as I had done most of my life). I began adapting my diet to a whole-food plant diet. It became the baseline of ALL my food choices and the anchor of my meal decisions, which I still make today.
Fast forward to today, I believe every meal should be 100% whole food plants. Many studies and books, including those written by the celebrated authors Dr. Fuhrman and Michael Pollan, scientifically support the health benefits of this approach. Among many vegan, vegetarian, and plant-based social groups, there is a great debate over the proper terminology for this belief, though. I term this approach a "Whole Food Plant Diet," and I integrate a flexible extension of this system, which I named "Whole Food Plant-Based Diet," into my life.
Essentially, whole food plants are the center- the foundation of my meals. Although they are my priority, I allow wiggle room for non-whole plant indulgences (e.g., meat, dairy, processed foods, refined sugars, processed foods, and alcohol). When I do so, I accept the inflammatory and adverse health consequences unapologetically, though. If I see brisket on a menu in Austin, I will order and enjoy it. And yes, I'm drooling right now. Sometimes, that brisket is 5% of the total food on my plate, while at times, it is as high as 40%. Is any of the brisket ideal for my sustainable health? I don't believe so. It isn't the most nutrient-dense option for my health, and the benefits of the protein and iron don't outweigh the effects of the inflammation. That's okay. My brisket choice is an outlier, and I always return to my whole foods plant baseline.
I have determined I can healthfully get away with 10-15% of non-whole food plant choices without compromising my overall inflammation, cholesterol numbers, blood sugar levels, comfort, sleep, and other health indicators. I've designated 75% of my meals as whole food plants. In the remaining seven meals, all meat, dairy, processed foods, and refined sugars don't exceed 25-40%.
All in all, my diet system has helped me (as well as my personal training clients) build the most optimal "self" while satisfying the mental craving "self" at times. While it hasn't been a perfect journey, I couldn't be more thankful for the cues and signals that pointed me in this direction. If you're reading this right now, I hope this article is the cue you need to make the change you deserve today.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
PERSONAL TRAINER BLOG
4-Week Cardio Endurance Training Program for the FBI Physical Fitness Test
Personal Fitness Goal for the FBI Physical Test
Here is a phase 1 program for the FBI physical test to increase cardio endurance.
Determine the Speed of your Effort
70% effort (130-150): treadmill (run) speed ____ Stairmaster (climb) speed ____
90% effort (150-170): treadmill (run) speed ____ Stairmaster (climb) speed ____
4-Week Cardio Endurance Training Program
Weekly Cardio Training Program for the FBI Physical Fitness Test
1st Week of Cardio Training
Day 1:
10 min run or climb (70%), rest 1 min
12x: alternate 1 min (70%) 30 sec (90%), no rest in between each run or climb
Strength and conditioning circuit 1 (your choice)
Day 2:
5 min run or climb (70%), rest 1 min
4x: 2 min 30 sec (90%), 1 min rest in between each run or climb
8x: alternate 45 sec up (90%)/45 sec down (70%), no rest in between each run or climb
Strength and conditioning circuit 2 (your choice)
Day 3:
Endurance circuit training 1 (see below)
2nd Week of Cardio Training
Day 1:
10 min run or climb 70%), rest 1 min
8x: 2 min 30 sec (90%), 1 min rest in between each run or climb
Strength and conditioning circuit 1 (your choice)
Day 2:
5 min run or climb (70%), rest 1 min
4 min (90%), 90 sec rest
2 min 30 sec (90%), 90 sec rest
2 min 30 sec (90%), 90 sec rest
2 min 30 sec (90%), 90 sec rest
4x: alternate 1 min up (90%)/1 min down (70%), no rest in between each run or climb
Strength and conditioning circuit 2 (see below, your choice)
Day 3:
Endurance circuit training 1 (see below)
3rd Week of Cardio Training
Day 1:
10 min run or climb (70%), 1 min rest
3 min (90%), 90 sec rest
2 min (90%), 60 sec rest
1 min (90%), 30 sec rest
30 sec (90%), 2 min rest
3 min (70%), 90 sec rest
2 min (90%), 60 sec rest
1 min (90%), 30 sec rest
30 sec (90%), 2 min rest
Strength and conditioning circuit 1 (your choice)
Day 2:
5 min run or climb (70%), rest 1 min
5 min (90%), 60 sec rest
5 min (90%), 60 sec rest
2 min 30 sec (90%), 90 sec rest
7x: alternate 30 sec up (90%)/30 sec down (70%), no rest in between each run
Strength and conditioning circuit 2 (your choice)
Day 3:
Endurance circuit training (see below)
4th Week of Cardio Training
Day 1:
10 min run or climb (70%), rest 1 min
10x: alternate 2 min (70%) 1 min (90%), no rest in between each run
Strength and conditioning circuit 1 (your choice)
Day 2:
5 min run or climb (70%), rest 1 min
2 min 30 sec (90%), 90 sec rest
2 min 30 sec (90%), 90 sec rest
2 min 30 sec (90%), 90 sec rest
2 min 30 sec (70%), 90 sec rest
2 min 30 sec (90%), 90 sec rest
2 min 30 sec (90%), 90 sec rest
6x: alternate 45 sec up (90%)/45 sec down (70%), no rest in between each run
Strength and conditioning circuit 2 (your choice)
Day 3:
Endurance circuit training (see below)
Endurance Circuit Training for the FBI Physical Fitness Test
Day 3 of Each Week: Endurance Circuit Training for the FBI Physical Fitness Test
Program Time: 40-45 minutes
Circuit 1
2 min 30 sec run or climb (70%)
12 close grip pullups or pulldowns
30 sec run or climb (90%)
45 sec plank
15 explosive squats with 20lb dumbbells, 5 squat jumps off a seat
1 min rest
Circuit 2
1 min 30 sec run or climb (90%)
45 sec plank-45 sec run or climb (90%)
12 wide pullups or pulldowns
15 explosive squats with 20lb dumbbells, 5 squat jumps off a seat
1 min rest
Circuit 3
2 min 30 sec run or climb (70%)
12 close grip pullups or pulldowns
60 sec run or climb (90%), or jump rope
45 sec plank
15 explosive squats with 20lb dumbbells, 5 squat jumps off a seat
1 min rest
Circuit 4
60 sec run or climb (90%)/30 sec run or climb (70%), or jump rope
45 sec plank-30 sec run (90%)
12 wide pullups or pulldowns
15 explosive squats with 20lb dumbbells
Photo Credit: Find more speed on www.simplifaster.com and www.onnit.com!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
The Best All-In (Life-Changing) Fitness Plan
Whether the past year was your best or worst, now is a clean start. This is your chance to do a "check-in" with yourself. It's your chance to create a new adventure, refine your personal and business path, and redefine yourself.
With this being said, here is your all-in, quick guide to bringing more structure to your plant-based nutritional and fitness approach. I don't advocate an all-or-nothing approach, but this could be the opportunity to observe your patterns and instill the right habits (you are a human scientist, after all). The keys to your success require observation, tracking, or whatever time is necessary to reach your goals efficiently. I've included the breakdown below. Try it for a week or as much as a month. If you don't want to change your approach, no worries! If the current plan still works, let's continue! Otherwise, read away!
TRACKING YOUR WEIGHT AND BODY FAT
Until now, most of my personal training clients only check their weight and body fat when they want (we occasionally do a "check-in"). Luckily, we can achieve success without obsessing over a number. Nevertheless, this is a good time to measure the correlation between your weight/body fat and what you do and eat. Create an Excel spreadsheet to track your numbers. Identify your fluctuations and describe the possible reasons in a column next to each record.
PERSONAL TRAINER TOOLS
Omron Handheld Body Fat Analyzer, Bodyweight Scale
ACTIVITY
Record the date, weight, body fat, and necessary notes each morning before breakfast. Please note that the handheld analyzer is more reliable than a scale for measuring body fat (the margin of error is still 1-2%, but it most reflects your trends and patterns).
FITNESS WORKOUTS
You don't need to exercise to lose weight (despite what every personal trainer likes to tell you). A fitness plan will minimize many diseases, disorders, imbalances, pain, discomfort, stress, body fat, and more if you want optimal health. Most importantly, you will develop the lean look you desire. Considering our sedentary lifestyles, you should exercise at least three days per week to achieve a noticeable physical change (not just weight loss). Since you're an overachiever and want the best out of yourself, I challenge you to exercise 5 days per week (30-60 minutes apiece). Keep the blood flowing to the muscles...keep them activated. Whether you focus on weight loss or not, everyone wants to look lean...which means losing body fat. You will achieve this with a consistent, challenging routine. Watching Judge Judy on the recumbent bike while sipping tea doesn't count. If your goal is 15 reps, you should struggle to reach 13.
FITNESS TOOLS
Personal Trainer, Gym Memberships, Condo Gym, At-home Equipment, Stairmaster
FITNESS PLANS
Here are several examples. Choose the one you're most interested in, and we'll adapt it to your goals, history in the gym, injuries, and more.
"I'M CONVINCED, BUT TOO BUSY" PLAN
2-3 Days / 15-30 minutes: Stairmaster (Great for legs, thighs, and butt) or Rowing Machine (Great for everything)/muscular endurance, muscular strength, aerobic endurance
3 Days / 30-60 minutes / 12-15 reps: Functional Training / Strength Training / Yoga
Notes: If three days of strength, then:
- Day 1 Upper Body (Back/Chest) / Core Circuit
- Day 2 Endurance Legs / Core Circuit
- Day 3 Explosive Legs / Arms / Shoulders / Core Circuit
"LET'S DO 4 AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS" PLAN
*3 Days / 15-30 minutes: Stairmaster (Great for legs, thighs, and butt) or Rowing Machine (Great for everything) / muscular endurance, muscular strength, aerobic endurance
4 Days / 30-60 minutes / 12-15 reps: Functional Training / Strength Training / Yoga
Notes: If four days of strength, then:
- Day 1 Upper Body (Back/Chest) / Core Circuit
- Day 2 Strength-Endurance Legs / Core Circuit
- Day 3 Explosive Upper Body (Back/Chest) with Bands and Body Weight / Core Circuit
- Day 4 Explosive Legs / Arms / Shoulders / Core Circuit
"YOU HAD ME AT HELLO" PLAN
4 Days / 15-30 minutes: Stairmaster (Great for legs, thighs, and butt) or Rowing Machine (Great for everything) / muscular endurance, muscular strength, aerobic endurance
5 Days / 30-60 minutes / 12-15 reps: Functional Training / Strength Training / Yoga
Notes: If five days of strength, then:
- Day 1 Upper Body (Back/Chest) / Core Circuit
- Day 2 Strength-Endurance Legs / Core Circuit
- Day 3 Explosive Upper Body (Back/Chest) with Bands and Body Weight / Core Circuit
- Day 4 Explosive Legs / Arms / Shoulders / Core Circuit
- Day 5 Upper Body / Lower Body / Core Circuit
"MAKE ME LOOK LIKE ARNOLD" PLAN
4 Days / 15-20 minutes: Stairmaster (Great for legs, thighs, and butt) or Rowing Machine (Great for everything) / muscular endurance, muscular strength, aerobic endurance
5 Days / 30-60 minutes / 8-10 reps: Functional Training / Strength Training / Yoga
Notes: If five days of strength, then:
- Day 1 Chest / Core Circuit
- Day 2 Back / Core Circuit
- Day 3 Strength-Endurance Legs / Core Circuit
- Day 4 Arms / Shoulders / Core Circuit
- Day 5 Upper Body with Bands and Body Weight / Explosive Legs / Core Circuit
plant-based NUTRITION
SIMPLE PLATE RATIO
Most plant-based personal training clients lose weight within the daily caloric range of 1200-1500 calories (you must determine the healthiest amount for you...i.e., athletes will need 2000 plus). To do this, you must limit your calorie intake to 3-400 calories per meal. Break down the contents of your plate for every meal into the following percentages (See the chart below):
45-55% Plant Nutrients/Vegetables (dark green, starchy, red/orange, etc.)
25-40% Protein (vegetables, edamame, legumes, nuts, beans, etc..…..or if you allow animal products: grass-fed lean white meat, wild fish, and omega-3 eggs). Note: Athletes or clients with a strength-based focus will need an amount closer to 40%
25% Fiber (beans, legumes, fruit, seeds, vegetables, etc.)
Although I haven't explicitly mentioned it, you should still be mindful of the number of good fats (nuts, avocado, olive oil, etc.) in your diet, too. You shouldn't exceed 15% in any given meal unless deemed necessary.
ADD THIS TO YOUR DIET
Choose the most nutritionally dense foods for every meal using the Simple Plate Ratio as your guide. Foods in the whole form will provide the necessary macronutrients for proper absorption and digestion. With this in mind, make the following substitutions to meet your nutritional needs:
Eat beans, oats, barley, farro, wild rice, quinoa, or dark leafy greens instead of bread if you need fiber.
Eat dark, leafy greens and nuts instead of dairy if you need calcium or vitamin D.
If you need antioxidants, eat grapes instead of drinking red wine.
If you need protein, eat beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds instead of drinking a highly processed (not very absorbent) protein shake.
SUBTRACT THIS FROM YOUR DIET
Our bodies are equipped to handle quite a bit. Like the rest of nature, the human body has boundaries, too. The following items have been scientifically proven to cause weight gain, inflammation, and more. Determine your sensitivity to each item and what you can get away with.
Grains, including breads, crackers, rice, cereals, etc.
Processed foods (products with additives and preservatives; genetically modified foods; or anything else not in its whole, natural form)
Dairy (butter, milk, and cheese processed from animals)
Alcohol, refined sugar, and artificial sweeteners
Animal protein with high levels of saturated fat (red meat, pork, wild game, etc.)
INTEGRATING CHANGE
Record your daily consumption and study your body's response to your plant-based diet. Develop boundaries based on your physical symptoms and weight loss results. You might employ a moderate version of the recommendations above:
Don't exceed two portions of any weekly items on the Subtraction List above.
Avoid domino foods (foods you can’t limit, such as chips, nuts, etc.)
If you drink alcohol, the amount must not push you over the set caloric amount for the day.
**********************Your weight loss will depend on your adherence to the guidelines above. There is no doubt that you will lose weight if you:
Track your food intake
Follow the recommended calorie amounts
Moderately integrate the subtraction list
Create a new routine based on these recommendations
As you determine your sensitivity to the Subtraction List, you may incorporate more flexibility in your eating habits. Please note that the further you stray from this plan, the less weight you will lose. It is based on nearly 20 years of research (individual studies, government doctrine, Dr. Fuhrman, and more) and personal training client success across all genders, ages, and activity levels. Push through Month 1, and you can redefine your new boundaries in Month 2!
**********************Always remember that the suggestions above are meant to be adaptable to your body. Take this time to learn about your body without causing inflammation or a nutritional deficiency. Good luck!
More to Read:
When losing weight or toning up, never estimate the effects of stress on your body (even when you're eating perfectly). Find out how stress may be undermining your weight loss and fitness goals: "Why Stress Makes You Want to Eat Everything in Sight (or Nothing at All)" Review
Picture Credit:
O2Fitnessclubs. com- What steps will you take to change your life this year?
Let this plate guide your imperfect choices.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
The Elements of Being Podcast Featuring Dr. Joel Fuhrman
EPISODE #10 - EAT FOR LIFE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND AN OPTIMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH BEST SELLING AUTHOR DR. FUHRMAN
On “The Elements of Being” podcast, Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. In this episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live and The End of Dieting (which I give to all my clients).
Read more and listen here…..You can also listen to all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Castbox, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast platform!
WELLNESS Podcast
Friday Quick Tips: "7 Portion-Control Tricks for Weight-Loss" Review
Are you struggling with plant-based weight loss even though you've changed your diet drastically? The answer may lie in the amount on your plate. While substance is always the most important, don't forget that you can still gain weight from overeating the excellent stuff.
In our overindulgent society, everything is supersized for value, and you should reconsider how much you eat every meal. Look at the portion-control tricks below and quickly adapt your eating approach (from the msn.com article "Portion-Control Tricks for Weight-Loss")!
PORTION-CONTROL TRICKS FOR WEIGHT-LOSS.
1. Eating out- Share a meal with a friend, or eat half of your meal and bring the other half home. Always ask for your dressing on the side.
2. Plan your meals ahead of time- Write down your meals for the week and prepare them ahead of time.
3. Don’t skip meals- Skipping meals is harmful to your body. You will end up hungrier, which in turn will lead to overeating. Try eating a minimum of three times a day.
4. Don’t place serving bowls on the table- How will you ever control the amount of food you consume when you are staring at a full bowl of food in front of you at the table? Keep the serving bowls on the kitchen counter and the pots on the stove. This way, you are not tempted to dig in for some more.
5. Measure and weigh your food- Measuring and weighing your food is a great way to control your portions. Read the nutrition labels on your food and measure out one serving. This way you avoid overeating.
6. Use simple substitutions- Purchase natural, plant-based ingredients to control the calories you consume during your meal.
7. Use portion control plates- Yes, there are actually plates that are embedded with lines to separate your foods and portions.
Are you having trouble attaining any level of weight loss success? Check out the list of tips and tricks in the links below.
Picture Credit: Welldoing.org - Which of these plates will help you lose weight?
MEET PERSONAL TRAINER, MICHAEL MOODY
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver and Chicago, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212), and Capitol Hill (80203, 80218). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Cheesman Park (80218, 80206), Jefferson Park. (80211), and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
Eat for Life, Weight Loss, and an Optimal Immune System with Best Selling Author Dr. Fuhrman
EPISODE #10 - EAT FOR LIFE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND AN OPTIMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH BEST SELLING AUTHOR DR. FUHRMAN
Welcome to “The Elements of Being” podcast, where Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior.
In today's episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live, Super Immunity, The End of Diabetes, The Eat to Live Cookbook, The End of Dieting, and The End of Heart Disease.
The Ultimate Resource List for Optimal Health and Weight Loss
Here is the ultimate list of health and fitness resources I've sent to my personal training clients to help them reach their optimal health (and lose weight)! You’ll find the answers on how to lose body fat, what to eat for breakfast to lose weight, how to manage stress, why you’re not losing body fat, how to eat on the road, what drinks to avoid, how to approach fitness and prevent injury, how to improve your sleep, how to make your life more efficient, and much more!
Please share this list with anyone (friend, family member, colleague, client, etc.) who wants to change their life and finally see a difference in their health and lifestyle. Also, be sure to bookmark this page and return to it when you're frustrated with your results (which happens to everyone) or need a new idea.
Tip: Skim through this list and find the headlines most relevant to your current goals and interests (then spend 20 seconds skimming the article).
WHAT TO EAT FOR BREAKFAST TO LOSE BODY FAT
6 Breakfast Items at Starbucks that Will Lead to Weight Gain
"If You're Trying to Lose Weight, Don't Make These 10 Breakfast Mistakes" Review
“5 Ways Your Breakfast is Sabotaging Your Weight Loss” Review
TIME TO REACH YOUR OPTIMAL HEALTH (AND LOSE WEIGHT WHILE YOU'RE AT IT)
The "All-In, I'm Sick of Trying Everything" 2 Week Weight Loss Plan (What I Sent my Client)
The Grocery List that Will Help You Lose Weight (and Live Healthy)
Friday Quick 5: Plant-Based Grocery Items You Need this Weekend
How to Turn Your 13 Favorite Midwestern Meals into a Weight Loss Diet
My Advice to a Friend’s Frustrations While Trying to Lose Weight (And Why it Worked)
Your Business Plan to Lose Weight (or Achieve Optimal Health)
"6 Things You Can Do Every Day to Prevent Weight Gain" Review
MANAGING YOUR STRESS AND ANXIETY
WHY YOU'RE NOT LOSING WEIGHT OR BODY FAT
WHAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THE FOOD YOU’RE EATING
PARENTING TIPS ON HEALTHY EATING
WHY SALADS MAY NOT HELP YOUR WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
HOLIDAY WEIGHT LOSS TIPS
BEST SOURCES OF PROTEIN FOR WEIGHT LOSS
FOODS YOU WANT TO AVOID....AND WHY!
WHY YOU SHOULD AVOID THESE DRINKS
"20 Coffee Drinks with More Sugar Than a Can of Coke" Review
How To Fit Alcohol in Your Diet without Ruining Your Weight Loss Goals
"The Best and Worst Booze to Drink if You Want to Lose Weight" Review
HOW TO EAT AT RESTAURANTS AND AIRPORTS AND STAYING HEALTHY ON THE ROAD
The "No Messing Around" Guide to Eating Healthy on the Road as a Professional
“23 Restaurant Foods with Crazy High Amounts of Sugar” Review
The Personal Trainer's Guide to Staying Healthy While Traveling
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FITNESS
You’ll Want to Try this At-Home Core and Butt Workout over the Weekend!
Do you have what it takes to pass this physical test to join the FBI?
You Should Master These 6 Exercises Before the New Year (And Here's How)
The 15 Most Common Mistakes Personal Trainers See in the Gym
INJURY PREVENTION
How I've Prevented More Lower Back Pain in the Last 12 Years (After 2 Bulging Disks)
Why Your Office Desk Is Destroying Your Posture (And What You Need To Do)
THE KEYS TO IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP AND REDUCE FATIGUE
"10 Nighttime Habits that will Transform Your Tomorrows" Review
This simple addition to your bedtime routine could make a huge difference in your sleep
QUOTES
12 Inspirational Quotes that Have Shaped My Life Over the Last Year
My 10 Favorite Life-Guiding Quotes from the Stoic, Marcus Aurelius
MAKE YOUR LIFE MORE EFFICIENT
RESOLUTIONS, GOALS, RELATIONSHIPS, AND THE REST OF LIFE
The 1 Article that Will Make You Rethink Your Day-to-Day Approach
Why 'Follow Your Dreams' May Be the Worst Advice You Ever Heard
Advice My Future (10 Years Older) Self Would Tell Me Today (And Why I Need to Listen)
My List of New Year’s Resolutions (and How I’ll Achieve Each)
"9 Ways to Ensure Your Relationship Is Built to Last" Review
Excerpt from the book Redefine Yourself: Define Your Purpose
TRAVEL ITINERARIES (AND WHERE TO EAT)
The Detailed Itinerary You Need for an Adventure in Australia (You’ll Need to Save This)
Picture Credit: elegantmedia .com – Is it time to redefine your approach to old habits?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
Personal Trainer Blog
Friday Quick 5: Plant-Based Grocery Items YOU Need This Weekend
Who has time to research???? Let me do it for you (with some help from my friend, Wes). Here are my “Friday Quick 5” of plant-based grocery items YOU need to add to your list this weekend:
1. Sea Tangle Noodle Kelp Noodles
Sea Tangle Noodle Kelp Noodles
Pasta in minutes! You only need to rinse the noodles before adding them to a veggie-heavy pasta sauce. It adds a nice, firm, snap texture that brings a new experience to an old favorite. (Picture credit: https://simple-veganista.com/kelp-noodle-salad-peanut-dressing/)
2. Better Than Bouillon Vegetarian No Chicken Base
Better Than Bouillon Vegetarian No Chicken Base
I seek bouillon for the added taste to my stews and soups. It serves the purpose minus the meat and dairy factor. (Picture credit: www.thesimplestatekitchen.com)
3. Califia Farms Original Almondmilk
Califia Farms Original Almondmilk
Of all the almond milks I’ve tried, this product ranks the highest for the combination of health and texture. (Picture credit: www.pinterest.com)
4. Forager Project Unsweetened Plain Dairy-Free Cashewgurt
Forager Project Unsweetened Plain Dairy-Free Cashewgurt
It's the best-tasting alternative to Greek yogurt that I’ve found. (Picture credit: www.goodeggs.com)
5. Trader Joe’s Sundried Tomatoes
Trader Joe’s Sundried Tomatoes
A perfect way to add a little zip to any dish. (Picture credit: www.eatingbirdfood.com)
Disclaimer from Michael: Hey, vegan, vegetarian and plant-based friends! If you have any insight about this topic that I overlooked or left out, don’t hesitate to send me an email (michael@michaelmoodyfitness.com). I grew on a Midwestern diet of meat, cheese, and processed foods and just want to guide the world back to some of its plant roots (see what I did there). Help me educate the world on the benefits of a whole foods plant-based diet!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
PERSONAL TRAINER BLOG
My List of NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS for 2020
Hello! It’s a joy to be sitting here in the next decade with a cup of black coffee and my shoes off (both mental triggers to embrace a state of relaxation). Today, we’ll pivot from the typical interview to examine the self….or I should say the examination of myself and the setting of intents. After three months of testing, reflecting, and pivoting, I have officially developed my list of intents for 2020 (AKA resolutions, goals, etc). This list will provide the anchors to being my best self. Why test for three months? I wanted to hit the ground running in the new decade, and the only way to do that was to be sure that my intentions were reasonable and realistic. Honestly, I take this annual list seriously. It’s available in my closet for an unconscious glimpse every morning of the year. Who has a list of 21 resolutions or intents? I do. Last year’s list was ambitious, and this year is no different. I successfully achieved many of my intents from last year, including “Stop texting while driving,” and failed to meet my expectations of others. I aim high, though, and don’t mind falling short (30% down the path is still 30% further away from the starting line). That said, I’ve added those failures to my new list (with some adaptations). Truly, my annual list appeals to the efficiency geek. The person inside of me that loves systems. If you are of the same breed or are looking for inspiration, get ready to dig in.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: TRUST MY INSTINCT MORE OFTEN.
Personal Trainer Plan: It has taken ten years to add this intent to my list. After observing myself, exploring my past decision-making process, integrating a new decision-making process, testing my new decision-making process, examining my past coping behaviors, integrating new coping behaviors, testing my new coping behaviors, identifying my biases and blindspots, understanding how my past experiences, current perspectives, and physical well-being affect my emotional state, reinforcing unbiased evaluations and perspectives, and identifying the influence of the environment on my perspectives and behaviors, I’m officially ready to trust my instincts. You could see why it took a decade! I don’t think I could trust my instinct with great confidence without this level of examination. Otherwise, I would be susceptible to more errors, biases, or blind spots.
So, how do I trust my instincts more often? Assessing the situation….which sounds counter-intuitive. While this is my intent, I don’t plan to jump without looking. If given the proper amount of time, I will thoroughly examine the conditions of the moment environment, the risks, the consequences, and the possible paths. After careful consideration, I will make a decision….even if I’m only 75% certain. Suppose the decision is more significant (e.g., buying a house or making a pivotal business decision). In that case, I will recognize my instinctual response and sit with it for 24 hours or continue my research. I’m often indecisive because I don’t have enough information in front of me. I will honor that as often I could.
In the case I need to decide within 20 seconds, though, I will amass the consequences of two options and then move forward. Luckily, I’m not in a familiar position with pressure to decide quicker than this.NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: GIVE PEOPLE MY FULL ATTENTION WHEN SPEAKING TO THEM.
Personal Trainer Plan: Although I don’t waver on my attention when meeting with colleagues or clients, I find myself too often multitasking with my phone while speaking to friends and family. I’m guilty. I once sold this behavior to myself as effectively multitasking. I now realize that I was simply rude. I believe interaction is the root of all being, and I have allowed a poor habit to diminish the quality of my interactions. A genuine, meaningful interaction requires my undivided attention, reflection, empathy, and sympathy. Achieving such a level with my nose in a phone is difficult. How will I keep myself in check with my phone? Wait until I can step away for a moment, ask the person if I could excuse myself, and remove the two biggest reasons I jump on my phone: Gmail and Facebook. I must access my Gmail and Facebook on my laptop at designated times instead. I can still meet my personal and professional needs within these two programs without my phone….I need to be more efficient.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL SLEEP 7.5 HOURS PER NIGHT.
Personal Trainer Plan: Of all the health and fitness tips I recommend, nothing is more valuable than a whole night’s rest. Based on a study of my physical self, I’ve determined that 7.5 hours is ideal for proper recovery. I feel ready to take on the world on those days, and my creativity flows like a manageable stream. Although the number of hours of sleep will be a priority, I will also be sure that my bedtime falls within a 60-minute range for consistency and physical predictability (think hormonal release). I have carried this goal over from 2019 with the hopes of ACTUALLY being more consistent. I will achieve this intent by cutting off everything by 10:40 pm if I must wake at 6:50 am or start my bedtime routine earlier.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: IN A DEBATE OF ANY SORT, I WILL FIRST THINK, “WHAT ARE MY BLINDSPOTS HERE?” AND THEN SAY, WITH REASONABLE CERTAINTY, "I UNDERSTAND," BEFORE I SAY ANY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING THINGS: "I AGREE," "I DISAGREE," OR "I SUSPEND JUDGMENT."
Personal Trainer Plan: I want to challenge what I understand during a conversation. Instead of offering an opinion, I will confirm the other person’s point vocally and then express a judgment (in a good sense) based on the facts. I will also try to identify my biases and blindspots and express those explicitly. And, yes, I will accept the luck you wish me. I'm armed and ready to take on this approach, but I must make it a habit. I plan to add this resolution to my day-to-day calendar as a reminder. I have carried this goal over from 2019 with the hopes of ACTUALLY being more consistent. I will achieve this intent by placing a reminder post-it note in numerous places.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL INVITE MY INFANT SON, PRESTON, TO HELP ME WITH ANY TASK I’M COMPLETING IN FRONT OF HIM.
Personal Trainer Plan: While it seems as if I’m encouraging child labor here, I’m stimulating Preston’s neurons and teaching him the basics of life, such as cleaning out a dishwasher, throwing garbage away, completing my taxes etc., etc. Too often, I complete a task without considering it a teachable moment. Interestingly enough, Preston loves to help! Who would have known that he loved tax work? I’ve been doing this for the last year and will continue to do the same.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: PLACE CUES IN MY ENVIRONMENT TO INFLUENCE MY PRODUCTIVITY AND JOY.
Personal Trainer Plan: I often underestimate the effect of my environment on my thinking process and behavior. I’d love to believe I can pinpoint the influence, but it isn’t always possible in the flow of a task or moment. With this being said, awareness is a priority before this intent. I frequently perform a personal check-in: What am I experiencing? What am I thinking? What are the conditions of my environment? If I discover something that may negatively impact my moment, I need to take care of that first.
If I’ve built a safe environment as I have, the natural next step is to add positive cues or triggers to help me reach my best self. These cues or triggers often come in vision boards, post-it notes, or other media strategically placed in my environment. Although I don’t read or consciously recognize their form daily, they undoubtedly are recognized by my unconscious. They are steering my unconscious and reminding me of intent or what brings me joy. Essentially, the positive message on my laptop, “You got this,” the pictures of my wife, son, and the Chicago White Sox at work, the maps, plants, random inspirational quotes, and travel photos scattered throughout my home are all examples. Other specific professional-related cues include this list of intents inside my bedroom closet door and an occasional screenshot on my computer or phone background to keep me aligned with my purpose.NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL ONLY CHECK MY PHONE ONCE IN THE TWO HOURS BEFORE BED.
Personal Trainer Plan: No matter how tired I am, a phone or computer electrifies my brain. Not only does this stimulation affect my ability to fall asleep, but it also disrupts my present mental state. I will set a daily alarm for 9 pm on weekdays to remind me to shut off before I shut down for rest. I’ve been unsuccessful in doing this for the last year, and I will adhere to the 9 pm time on the weekdays.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL READ SEVEN PAGES OF A PHYSICAL BOOK (NOT SOCIAL MEDIA, ONLINE ARTICLES, OR ANYTHING DIGITAL) PER DAY.
Personal Trainer Plan: Reading has always helped me with creativity and clarity. It somehow brings structure to my wandering thoughts, improving my day-to-day focus, comprehension, and communication. This is an adaptation from my unsuccessful 10-page goal in 2019. Let’s be honest here….I didn’t achieve this goal because I chose to do other things. Ironically, I’m not spending this time reading many social media posts, online articles, or magazines. I didn’t make this intent a priority…until now. And to make this new habit a more extraordinary sensory experience, I will enjoy the tactile character of a physical book. I’ll save the computer screen for other projects, including watching the Spanish Netflix show Money Heist…..which is a complete indulgence with zero health benefits and is entirely satisfying. So, what will my following books be? My last four books include Plato’s Dialogues, Marcus Aerilleus’ Meditations, The Scientist in the Crib (an excellent little cognitive exploration of the mind of a baby), and John McPhee’s Draft No. 4 (an incredible about the writing process). The following five include 1,2,3 Magic (a book about child rearing), Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman, The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs, Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, Awareness by Anthony de Mello, and Tribe of Mentors by Timothy Ferriss.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL PERFORM AT LEAST FIVE MINUTES ON THE STAIRMASTER EVERY WEEKDAY.
Personal Trainer Plan: Humans depend on oxygen. Cardiovascular activities, like the dreaded Stairmaster, increase lung capacity and improve stamina. Most importantly, it increases my access to oxygen…hence this intent. It is a small effort but a worthwhile and approachable intent to stay consistent. I’ve been doing this for the last year and will continue to do the same.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL REACH OUT TO ONE PERSON I HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO IN OVER A MONTH, AS WELL AS REACH OUT TO ONE NEW PERSON EACH WEEK.
Personal Trainer Plan: I admittedly lose myself in the day-to-day obligations in life. Along the way, great friends and family have fallen victim to my silence. Since relationship maintenance is a priority, I will choose one new person every Monday I haven’t spoken to in over a month and reach out via text or phone. It's a small effort but a worthwhile intent to stay in touch. I’ve been doing this for the last year and will continue to do the same.
Also, I will reach out to one new person from my industry or one related by asking for introductions from clients and colleagues and connecting to people through social media (e.g., Facebook, Linkedin, etc.).NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION (INTENT): 11. I WILL CREATE A TOP TEN LIST OF EASY HEALTHY GO-TO MEALS.
Personal Trainer Plan: To maintain a neural stimulating connection to my at-home meals, I will list the meals I enjoy and experiment with new dishes each month. I will befriend my Instant Pot and Cookie and Kate cookbooks and list the options inside my kitchen cabinet as a reminder. I have carried this goal since 2019, hoping to become more consistent again. I will achieve this goal by scheduling a 5-minute check-in session once a quarter.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION (INTENT): 12. I WILL ADHERE TO A FITNESS PROGRAM THAT PREPARES ME FOR MOVEMENT AT 80.
Personal Trainer Plan: Upon further examination, I no longer need a 60 lbs or more dumbbell chest press to perform daily duties. Actuallyyyyyy……I never needed to (like many of the staple exercises in my programs). This means I’m guilty of using fitness for superficial reasons (e.g., body shape, social expectations, obsessions with gladiators, Instagram pics, etc., etc.). Am I alone? I don’t think so. While my programs are far more functional than most people, I prioritize my movement at 80. What does this mean? I will make hip and shoulder mobility the primary emphasis and the performance of basic day-to-day movements part of a weekly test. I will build and maintain the most functional body to move quickly when I reach 80. I don’t know if I will have grandchildren at that point, but I know I will need to stand up from a seated or kneeling position (so we’ll start here).
While I still may focus on a few areas that I prefer, I must build it into the program to support the “movement in my 80s” goal and not compromise my health with imbalance, asymmetry, immobility, or inflammation.NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: DON'T HOLD ONTO WORRY OR ANGER FOR MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES.
Personal Trainer Plan: Here is my advice to myself on this topic:
“Quit wasting away seconds, minutes, hours, days, years, and decades of life worrying about not being perfect, doing perfect, or acting perfect. Embrace your emotions and passion, bundle them into a positive adaptive package, and act instead of stewing in your destructive emotions. Don't let the resentment, anger, hate, and worry prison your mind and distract you from the precious little life moments (even if those moments don't feel important). Bark if you need to. Step away to be alone (and this isn’t avoidance, by the way). Shake your fist at the sky. But DO NOT obsess, swim, or dance in this negativity for longer than 5 minutes. Indulge briefly in this instinctual (or reinforced reaction) and then let it go. Find the silver lining. Accumulate wisdom from your error. Accept. Adapt. Be fair to yourself. Be kind to yourself. See the world as imperfect, and don't let it overwhelm you.” There you go. Now, I need to listen to myself.NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: PERFORM THREE PLANKS EVERY NIGHT FOR A YEAR.
Personal Trainer Plan: On August 6th, 2019, my wife and I began planking three times every night before bed. Although the core benefit is clear, the real intent lies in the mindset that it fosters. Last summer, I recognized the beautiful demands of a year to come: being a present and loving husband and father, meeting with personal training clients, officiating wedding ceremonies, leading a neighborhood association, producing and hosting a podcast, writing a second book, steering a new social conscious in our community, changing the world, etc., etc. I wanted to deliver my best in every area. I realized that to build the fortitude I needed to accomplish, I needed to knuckle down no matter what.
Hence, this plank challenge. I chose three planks instead of 1 easy plank. Each plank is 40 seconds instead of 30 easy seconds. It’s tough enough to make it a challenging commitment but insufficient to push me away. I’m forced to perform this feat every night JUST before bed, no matter if I’m sick, tired, or under the influence of an evening out. If, by chance, I sacrifice the obligation, I must complete six consecutive planks before bed the following night. As you can imagine, that’s not ideal. There is plenty of incentive to do as planned. Ultimately, this commitment reinforces the proper mindset to step up, not push through, no matter the conditions, and to hit challenges head-on.NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: CREATE MORE MENTAL SPACE. WHEN I THINK OF AN IDEA, WRITE IT DOWN. PEN AND PAPER NEXT TO THE BED. TRY NOT TO WRITE IT TWICE.
Personal Trainer Plan: In the spirit of David Allen’s book “Getting Things Done,” I am now committed to unloading the mental script, narrative, rehearsal, and whatever else is floating in the cortex onto paper or the notes page of my phone. With great practice, I’ve controlled the once-mental movie that made it difficult to sleep and become a notorious list-maker….hence this list. Upon reading this book, though, I’ve been reminded how often I still say to myself, “Oh, I’ll just remember this for later.” So, what’s the cost of this? Imagine “just remembering this” for ten separate things. No doubt my brain would be clogged with constant rehearsal. What a burden! Now that I have more awareness of this habit, I realize how it’s affected my brain's capacity for information retrieval and processing. I like to process. What have I changed? Whenever a noteworthy thought comes to mind, I add it to my organized, well-structured notes section on my phone, designed for quick review and retrieval. I would schedule it on my calendar or set the alarm to complete the task later. No matter what, I try only to note it in one location to maintain a consistent simplicity. I will also place a notepad and pen next to my bed to avoid overusing my phone late at night and to capture my epic a-ha moments (not sure what to do in the shower, though….).
ADDITIONAL RESOLUTIONS:
-Maintain alignment of my purpose among the projects I'm linked to and present my best self and efforts in each other.
-Minimize right-hand dominance by utilizing my left hand more often. My focus here is maintaining physical symmetry and equal demand on the sides of my body while fighting a natural and reinforced right-hand dominant life.
-Only open an email if I have the time to take action. If I must open it, I must reply, archive, delete it, or save it for later. There is no need to review repeatedly if it isn’t necessary.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
PERSONAL TRAINER BLOG
From Finance to Fermentation: A Journey with John Brand, Owner of Open Outcry Brewery | The Elements of Being Podcast
Recently, I interviewed finance wizard and brewery owner John Brand for my podcast “The Elements of Being.” Here are his nine thought-provoking answers to my questions about transitioning from a 15-year career in finance to opening his brewery, Open Outcry. Take a read…It may inspire you to leave your job to pursue your dreams finally.
DID YOU CONSIDER OTHER BUSINESSES BEFORE OPENING A BREWERY?
John Brand: No. I wanted to make beer. If I was going to give up my career in finance, I had put a lot of time and energy into it, and I had some excellent opportunities. If I continued it, I would give it up for something I wanted to do. I homebrewed for ten years…I just loved the process of making beer. I loved making something with my hands, sharing it with people, and watching them enjoy it. Especially a beverage like beer or alcohol, a social lubricant where you can sit with somebody and share with them. It fosters conversation and connections with people. And that idea of making something like beer and sharing that with my friends, family, and neighbors on the south side of Chicago was the only thing I was focused on. I didn't think about anything else. The idea of starting a financial services firm or investing futures……I'd never even considered it. I was going to do it- I was going to go in a different direction. I was going to pursue something I wanted to do and had a passion for. And that's what beer was.YOU MENTIONED THAT IT TOOK ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS BEFORE YOU MADE THE JUMP…AND I'M SURE THERE WAS AN INTERNAL DEBATE DURING THAT TIME. I WANT TO DIG INTO THAT A LITTLE MORE TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT HELD YOU BACK FROM MAKING THE JUMP SOONER. WERE THERE ANY DOUBTS OR FEARS THAT YOU NEEDED TO OVERCOME, AND IF THERE WERE, HOW DID YOU DO IT?
John Brand: I was entrenched in that career, and it was a long process to convince myself that it was rational to give it up to start a business-especially a high-risk business like a bar, restaurant, or brewery. The success and failure of bars and restaurants are pretty well documented. It isn’t the most rational decision. It isn’t the most conservative decision if you're a somewhat conservative guy like me. I don't consider myself conservative with risk anymore. This whole experience has changed my relationship with risk and money. It wasn't a rational decision to make. I also knew that I probably would have regretted it if I hadn't. I can choose a successful career path in corporate America to have financial security and all the things that come along with that, but I didn't want to have that regret of thinking about what would've happened if I had done it. I started hanging out with people who had done it before. I started reading a lot, too….I was introduced to writers like Tim Ferriss. He started his own business and became an entrepreneur. Ferriss wrote books that dissected the mindset and mentality of people…that entrepreneurship is in their DNA. Being exposed to guys like that started to shift the perception of risk in my head. It's risky, but you can do this if you're thoughtful about it. So that helped. It took years for me to go through this decision-making process.CAN YOU DESCRIBE HOW YOU OFFICIALLY COMMITTED TO THIS DECISION (WHETHER THAT WAS YOUR TWO-WEEK NOTICE OR SIGNING SOME LEGAL DOCUMENT)? AT WHAT POINT DID THIS THOUGHT BECOME A REAL JUMP?
John Brand: I think it was maybe in 2012 or 2013 when I started thinking about whether or not I could execute a vision of opening a brewery. I would come home from work, sit in front of a computer, and start pounding it. I would document the vision that I had in my head…I started putting it down on paper. I did this once or twice a week for a year or two. It was cathartic because I was frustrated and disillusioned with the traditional corporate career path. This was an outlet to pretend that I would open a brewery.
Over time, though, that idea started to become an actual plan….real good ideas were documented, flushed out….and a game plan for delivering what a brewery could look like. As the document grew and became more detailed, I had a little bit more confidence in the fact that I do have an idea here, and I do have a path to execute it. I did that for probably two or three years, and it was perhaps the most extended and well-written business plan you've ever seen. I had to go through the process of writing it down on paper to convince myself that I could do this.
I still hadn't made up my mind that I was going to do it, but I occasionally started looking at listings of commercial properties nearby. And again, I was not convinced that I was going to do it. When the right property came up, it clicked. I had a plan I had been working on for a few years. I had almost the perfect property that the plan sat on top of (two blocks from my house). I had an excellent rapport with my wife the whole time and shared what I was thinking. She was supportive of it. I had to make a decision. It was either crap or get off the pot. This happened in late 2015 (after three or four years of writing a business plan). It was the first time I had to look at myself and say, “Okay, am I going to do this or what?” I had done all the previous work for the last couple of years. I knew the economics of the business plan. I knew what it would cost. I knew how I wanted to execute the vision. I knew I wanted the space to work. Since I had done all that work, it gave me confidence for the first time.SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT MOST TRANSITIONS EXTEND FROM REACHING A BOTTOM, SAYING, “THIS IS ENOUGH,” AND THEN MAKING A JUMP. IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT STORY, RIGHT?
John Brand: I was never so miserable in a traditional corporate career…I never felt so desperate that I had to get out. I wasn't excited to get up and go to work every day, and I wasn't clinging to desperation either. As I matured and developed self-awareness, I knew there was probably a better path for me. I was fearful of regret. I didn't want to look back thirty or forty years from now and say, “Why didn't I do it?” I think that weighed on me the most. I convinced myself that if I did it..if I took the leap and sucked…I just wasn't an entrepreneur. I wasn't somebody that could do it, and I failed. I was comfortable with that, too. That was a real… genuine possibility. And if that happened, I also had known that I had worked hard enough in my previous life and had enough friends in that industry or that space that I could have called somebody up and gotten a job somewhere back on the streets.IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS A FAIRLY CALCULATED RISK. YOU STILL WORKED FOR YOUR FORMER FIRM PART-TIME WHILE OPENING THE BREWERY, CORRECT?
John Brand: I was very fortunate for my former employer. When I told them what I was doing, there was some shock. They questioned me, “You sure you want to do this?” I explained the maturation process I had gone through over the last couple of years and that I had done my homework. When you give a financial services firm two weeks’ notice, they get very protective of their information. Many times, even if it's a cheerful ending to that relationship, they still walk you back to your office after the notice, gather up your things, and then walk you out the door. I was fully prepared for that. It was the opposite, though. I was very fortunate. Not only did they support me through the process, they allowed me to modify my schedule. I went into a part-time capacity for six months while bootstrapping the business. Not many people have that sort of support or opportunity that I did, which certainly helped my transition. It allowed me to make a little money. I was still paying my mortgage while building the brewery….planning the brewery.LET'S JUMP A LITTLE MORE INTO THAT TRANSITION. I'M SURE NOT EVERYTHING WENT SMOOTHLY. CAN YOU DESCRIBE ANY MOMENTS OF FAILURE THAT MADE YOU QUESTION THIS NEW PATH? HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THOSE MOMENTS?
John Brand: I learned quickly that part of owning a business is accepting that things go wrong. You have to be comfortable with that. You have to be able to let micro failures roll off. You can't dwell on them because it’ll distract you from executing the plan and mission. I’m a pretty organized guy and somewhat of a type-A personality. Control has always been an issue for me regarding my management style. That was a transition for me…to accept that things won’t always go my way or the way things were planned. Things went wrong as I built out the brewery and worked part-time in downtown Chicago. I learned quickly to let the failures go and not dwell. You learn to love to eat crap. You need the capacity to eat crap if you're going to start a business.CAN YOU IDENTIFY ANY SPECIFIC LESSONS FROM THE CORPORATE WORLD THAT MADE THIS TRANSITION EASIER?
John Brand: Oh, for sure. Yeah. We were talking about how I wish I would have realized this earlier. Like you did…you had self-awareness in your twenties and just did it (starting a personal training business). I didn't. Maybe that was a blessing. While working in companies for about twenty years, I learned the best practices of accounting, planning, budgeting, HR-related issues, dealing with employees, hiring and firing people, etc. These are all things that, if you pay attention to them, you pick up on how to do it (especially on how to deal with present-day legal issues). If I had started a business in my twenties, I wouldn't have had the benefit of seeing all those things. In some ways, this delayed self-awareness and realization that I want to start a business probably are helping me now. Now, if I’m having a dispute with an employee, I know how to navigate that. I know how to document things. I know how to protect myself and mitigate risks. These are all things I learned throughout my career in finance. It also gave me confidence. I’ve seen the inner workings of companies, and now I'm trying to apply all of those best practices to the startup business.I'M NOT THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT WILL RETIRE, SIT ON THE FRONT PORCH, AND DRINK MY TEA. I ALWAYS FEEL THAT I’LL STILL BE DOING “SOMETHING” WHEN I RETIRE…PERHAPS CREATING ANOTHER BUSINESS. SOME PEOPLE FEEL THAT MAY BE UNHEALTHY, BUT ISN'T THAT WHAT WE ARE….BEINGS THAT NEED MENTAL STIMULATION?
John Brand: I agree with you. I don't know if I'll ever retire, either. I always want to do something. I think this idea of retirement…..you're speaking directly to the narrative that we're spoon-fed in this country. You go to school….you learn just enough to be an obedient worker. You work in a career that you don't particularly like or have a passion for with the hopes of one day retiring, living the golden years, and doing whatever the hell it is you want to do. Right. I think that narrative is crap. I think you should find something you want to do and do it. Enjoy doing it…enjoy the journey and all the things that come along—the failures…the successes…the distress…the fear.WHAT ARE YOUR DAY-TO-DAY HABITS (E.G., BOOKKEEPING PRACTICES, ETC.)?
John Brand: I try to be hands-on with everything in the brewery. I am there in the mornings, sweeping floors with the folks opening the place up…wiping tables down, cleaning, mopping. I try to spend an hour or two on that every day. I'm particular, and I want that place to look a certain way…there's a certain level of cleanliness and sanitation that I demand. Then, I'll spend a couple of hours in the office doing paperwork, accounting, responding to emails, and dealing with staff, HR, and payroll issues. I also try to spend an hour or two every day doing project work. I consider project work making incremental improvements to the aesthetics of the building, prepping for the next phase, and planning the next project that I want to do. I ask myself, “How can I invest two hours today that will lend itself to incremental improvements to the aesthetics, the service, the food, and the quality of the beer.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
PERSONAL TRAINER BLOG
The Questions I Wish I Asked my Grandfather Before He Died
In 2009, my grandfather passed after a long bout with diabetes and heart disease. While preparing to launch my podcast, I can't help but think of the one interview I never did. Ironically, the time was there to do it. I called him every day for over three years except four days (until two months before his passing....not an exaggeration). I guess I saw the writing on the wall. Despite those phone conversations, I never took the chance to ask him the questions that still kept me wondering.
THE QUESTIONS I DIDN’T ASK
When you were seventeen, your mother passed, and then your father nearly one year later. Tragic losses at such an early age. How did those moments shape your perspective in life, and how do you believe they steered your path? How have those experiences changed your interactions with new people? What was the greatest lesson from each of your parents that still resonates today?
You married my grandmother, and you were drafted for the Korean War shortly after. Describe the day you found out that you were drafted. Did you receive a letter or phone call? Where were you standing? What were the first thoughts that crossed your mind upon learning this new fate?
While stationed in Germany during the Korean War, you were lying on your cot at night. The unofficial Korean War officially ended three months earlier, but you were still serving in the army. What thoughts passed through your head while trying to sleep? Did you believe that the war indeed ended? What uncertainties did you fear?
People were shocked to hear that the president JFK was shot. In that period of US history, the deaths of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. added to an unsettling spirit. What was your perspective of such a time? Where does that period fit into your life span that started in the 1930’s?
What was your morning ritual? Did you wake up at the same time each day? Did you have breakfast with all five kids? Did you follow the same regimen daily? When you were operating at your best, how did you structure the days of your weeks? What were the rituals or routines that helped you to create your best self and best performance? What is one habit everyone should begin today?
Tell me a story about one of your most memorable rejections in the beginning days.
As a 7th grader, you mentioned in a church bulletin that you wanted to become an engineer when you “grow up.” Fast forward nearly a decade, and that was what you became. What sparked your interest in the industry, and who was your mentor? Have you considered pivoting towards another career at any point? If so, what were you considering? Do you ever wonder what it would’ve been like to be in that career instead?
How did you choose a personal or professional project, and how did this approach change over the years? What were the highlights of your career? If you did an autopsy, what are the takeaways?
Is there a line or passage in a book you’ve read over a lifetime that still resonates today? Has a moment led you to say, “Something has to change”? If so, how did you respond?
You have met many interesting people and checked off several impressive career milestones while working as an engineer at Santa Fe Railroad and then for the city. What valuable lesson would you share with my two-year-old son, your great-grandson, Preston, and why?
Personal Trainer Wisdom: We often overlook the resources in our pursuit of wisdom. My grandfather was an incredible person who shaped me and my approach today. Although I can’t ask him these questions, I will do my best to overlook no longer the lessons that surround me daily.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
PERSONAL TRAINER TIPS
1 Life Lesson I Wish I Would’ve Listened to as a Child
I try to live without regrets, but I often wonder how different my path would’ve been if I followed all of the important “life lessons” taught to me. Although I absorbed quite a bit as a child (and teenager), here is one lesson I would pay more attention to if given a round two.
HUG EVERYONE.
Personal Trainer Wisdom: As I mentioned in this lesson, I now fear that my neighbors will think I'll chase them down the block for a hug. Why not? Everyone deserves a hug! I’m not sure every stranger would welcome my open arms. A hug isn’t always welcomed, and I’m mindful of that. Nevertheless, I know that the root of being is interaction, and hugging is an emotional manifestation of this philosophy.
Although I’ve always realized the importance of physical interaction, I’ve been guilty of isolating myself sometimes. Call it insecurity or a simple way of protecting myself. It minimized my intimacy with people in all types of relationships: romantic relationships, family relationships, etc. Should I blame myself? My family didn’t hug much (although the love was apparent), and I didn’t see many examples of this affection growing up (known by me as “Eastern European Love”: a stoic emotional exhibit of love but present in its own way).
Words of love are enough, right? Not sure anymore. Something is missing: Vulnerability. The alternative to hugging, lying on our backs like a dog, isn’t the socially acceptable exhibit of this intention for humans. Hugs are the next best thing. It is a statement of: “I trust you,” “I’m letting down my guard,” and “I accept you”… And who doesn’t want that love? My verbal language of love was helpful but not complete for many years. My new hugs genuinely represent a new level of comfort with the people I love or don’t know very much, and my life is enriched. I'm not a perfect hugger, and I still draw the line on hugs with strangers, people who don't show signs that they're interested in hugs, or hugs extending beyond a minute (and, yes, I did say that). It's a work in progress, and I look forward to reaching new (and longer) hugging heights in the next decade!
Photo Credit: Indy 100 .com: Could hugging someone be the life lesson most of us have overlooked?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
PERSONAL TRAINER BLOG
Quick Diet Guide to Losing Weight
Here is the quick weight loss guide I share with my personal training clients to steer their new dietary choices:
BASELINE INTENT (PHILOSOPHY)
Eat nutrient-dense foods. If you make any change in your diet, this is it. Filler foods are sooooooo 1984. You’re better than that. “Eat with intent” is your new mantra! If you’re hungry, feed your engine with something meaningful!
INFLAMMATION AND DEFICIENCY
INFLAMMATION
Healthline says (reviewed by Seunggu Han, MD): “Inflammation refers to your body’s process of fighting against things that harm it, such as infections, injuries, and toxins, in an attempt to heal itself. When something damages your cells, your body releases chemicals that trigger a response from your immune system. This response includes the release of antibodies and proteins, as well as increased blood flow to the damaged area. The whole process usually lasts for a few hours or days in the case of acute inflammation. Chronic inflammation happens when this response lingers, leaving your body in a constant state of alert. Over time, chronic inflammation may hurt your tissues and organs. Some research suggests that chronic inflammation could also play a role in various conditions, from cancer to asthma.”
INFLAMMATORY FOODS
- Grains including whole grains or all-bran products (bread, crackers, rice, cereals, etc.)
- Processed foods (products with additives and preservatives; genetically modified foods; or anything else not in its whole, natural form)
- Dairy (butter, milk, and cheese processed from animals)
- Alcohol
- Refined sugar and artificial sweeteners
- Animal protein with high levels of saturated fat (red meat, pork, wild game, etc.)IF I DON’T EAT THOSE INFLAMMATORY FOODS, THEN….
- Substitute grains for beans or dark leafy greens if you need fiber.
- Substitute dairy for dark leafy greens if you need calcium or vitamin D.
- Substitute red wine for grapes if you need antioxidants.
- Substitute the protein supplement shake for lean meat, eggs, fish, nuts, etc., if you need protein. Please note that the plant-based option is the least inflammatory in most bodies.DEFICIENCY
The body is made up of 2 central systems, core and peripheral. The core system is the engine, and it has particular demands to maintain homeostasis (the perfect balance of effectiveness and efficiency). The peripheral system handles the adaptive software to manage behaviors, compensations, toxins, or compromises of our natural processes and the operation of our biological clock. It helps the body manage periods of fasting and stress and day-to-day physical hacks. It can also help the employee assigned to the midnight shift adapt her biological clock to meet her basic needs….even if it's beyond ideal. It’s important to note that just because the body can adapt doesn’t mean it’s sustainable or ideal. The body will always try to steer you back to its original processes. Long story short: Yes, you can survive periods without food, but consider how the body may compensate (and it may not help your health goals).
STARVED OR STUFFED
You never want to starve (which can lead to the compensating, deficient state described above) or get stuffed (your body may hold onto more than it needs or convert even the extra good stuff into fat, triglycerides, etc.
SPECIFIC FOOD APPROACH
GENERAL GUIDELINES
- Daily caloric range: 1200-1500 calories (you must determine the healthiest amount).
- Meal caloric range: 3-500 calories
- Meals per day: 3-4 every 3-5 hours (allow enough time for proper digestion and absorption)SIMPLE PLATE RATIO
Use this breakdown for every meal, small meal, snack, or what my son called “snat” when he was two.
- 45-55% Plant Nutrients/Vegetables (dark green, starchy, red/orange, etc.)
- 25-40% Protein (lean white meat, fish, soy, eggs, vegetables, nuts, beans, etc.)
- 25% Fiber (beans, legumes, fruit, seeds, vegetables, etc.)
*****Although I haven't explicitly mentioned it, you should still be mindful of the number of good fats (nuts, avocado, olive oil, etc.) in your diet, too. You shouldn't exceed 15% in any given meal unless deemed necessary.
BIOLOGICAL CLOCK AND CIRCADIAN RHYTHM
Your body wants to be an efficient machine that operates on autopilot. It usually depends on its biological clock - a blend of natural and reinforced forces. That said, you can train your body to efficiently release a flood of hormones to help you simultaneously utilize the fuel you feed daily. You did this in grade school when you ate lunch at 11:37 daily and still felt the hunger pangs simultaneously over your summer break. The principle also applies to your efficient recovery while you sleep each night. Your body will naturally wake you slowly over 3 hours before your waking time. Going to bed at the same time every night will reinforce this habit and wake you without an alarm clock at the same time as well!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
PERSONAL TRAINER BLOG
4 Quick Meals for Weight Loss (Only a 12 Minute Prep)
One of the reasons why my personal training clients avoid eating healthy is the usual time required to cook. With the Instant Pot, cooking at home is no longer a task. My wife, Sammy, and I recently tested several recipes and found four great ones (with some changes) to help you lose weight.
Personal Trainer Wisdom: Feel free to substitute 1 lb of meat with 2 cups of beans, quinoa, or lentils. Also, sauté the onions and garlic in the Instant Pot first if you have the extra 3-5 minutes.
INSTANT POT GROUND TURKEY LENTIL CHILI
INSTANT POT GROUND TURKEY LENTIL CHILI
INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground turkey
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 minced garlic cloves
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup dry green lentils
2 cups vegetable broth or water
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
Directions
Turn your Instant Pot onto “saute.” Brown the ground turkey. Add the diced onions, garlic, tomato paste, and salt and cook until the meat is browned and the onions are soft and translucent.
Add the lentils, water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, green chiles, chili powder, cumin, and pepper.
Cover the Instant Pot and turn it to “manual,” set the timer to 13 minutes. Make sure the valve is set to “sealing.”
When the timer beeps, let it sit for 10 minutes and then slowly release the pressure by moving the valve to “venting.”
Remove the lid and ladle the chili into bowls. We topped ours with some diced green onions.
Source: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/instant-pot-ground-turkey-lentil-chili
HEALTHY INSTANT POT CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP
HEALTHY INSTANT POT CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP
INGREDIENTS
½ cup of minced onion
½ tsp minced garlic
1 lb asparagus, ends, and tips snapped off
3 cups of cauliflower florets
3 cups of vegetable broth
1 tsp thyme
1” strip lemon peel
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp onion powder
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp cardamom
1/8 tsp ginger
¼ cup white wine
1 cup of coconut milk
1/8 tsp white pepper
Shaved almonds (topping)
Hemp seeds (topping)
Directions
Add the onion, garlic, asparagus (except for the tips), cauliflower, vegetable broth, thyme, lemon peel, bay leaf, onion powder, salt, cardamom, ginger, white wine, coconut milk, white pepper and mix well.
Place the asparagus tips in a foil packet and place on top of the asparagus mixture.
Put the lid on and make sure the steam release handle is set to sealing, or closed; change to the manual setting on high and set the time for 2 minutes.
Carefully move the pressure valve to the steam release handle and release the pressure manually. Set the foil packet aside for serving. Discard the bay leaf and lemon peel.
For the blender, transfer the cooked asparagus and cauliflower mixture to your blender along with the nutmeg. Blend until smooth and season with more salt and pepper to taste.
Serve topped with the asparagus tips and shaved almonds and hemp seeds sprinkles.
Source: Adapted from the book The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook for your Instant Pot
INSTANT POT FIRE-ROASTED BEAN STEW
INSTANT POT FIRE-ROASTED BEAN STEW
INGREDIENTS
2 cups of soaked (or drained from a can) white (or cannellini) beans
2 cups of soaked (or drained from a can) kidney beans
1 large onion, diced
1 (15 oz) can organic fire-roasted tomatoes, diced and undrained
1 cup of vegetable broth
¼ cup dried parsley
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp black pepper
3 cups baby carrots
3 cups cubed sweet potatoes (1-2 medium)
2 cups chopped celery (about 4 stalks)
2 cups sliced white button mushrooms
1 tbsp minced garlic (or 5 garlic cloves chopped or thinly sliced)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
3 tbsp hemp seeds
Directions
Place all of the ingredients in the pressure cooker.
Place the lid on the cooker and make sure the pressure knob is in the SEALING position. Select the MANUAL high-pressure function using the display panel, and use the +/- buttons until the display reads 20 minutes.
When the cooker beeps to let you know it’s finished, switch the pressure knob from the SEALING to the VENTING position, administering a quick release. Use caution while the steam escapes—it’s hot.
Open the cooker and stir everything in the pot; adjust salt to taste.
Source: Adapted from the recipe “Fire-Roasted Beef Stew” in the book Instant Loss Cookbook
INSTANT POT TUSCAN SHREDDED CHICKEN STEW
INSTANT POT TUSCAN SHREDDED CHICKEN STEW
INGREDIENTS
1 lb chicken breasts
2 cans white (or cannellini) beans
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 (28 oz) can chopped tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white or black pepper
1 cup white wine
1 tsp minced garlic
3 cups diced red potatoes
1 cup diced zucchini without skin
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Directions
Place all of the ingredients in the pressure cooker.
Place the lid on the cooker and make sure the pressure knob is in the SEALING position. Select the MANUAL high-pressure function using the display panel, and use the +/- buttons until the display reads 12 minutes.
When the cooker beeps to let you know it’s finished, switch the pressure knob from the SEALING to the VENTING position, administering a quick release. Use caution while the steam escapes—it’s hot.
Open the cooker and, stir everything in the pot and, shred the chicken, adjust the salt to taste.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
PERSONAL TRAINER BLOG
The 99 Weight Loss, Health, and Fitness Resources I Just Sent My Personal Training Clients
Here is the expansive list of health and fitness resources that I send to my personal training clients at this time of year. You’ll find the answers on how to lose body fat, what to eat for breakfast to lose weight, how to manage stress, why you’re not losing body fat, how to eat on the road, what drinks to avoid, how to approach fitness and prevent injury, how to improve your sleep, how to make your life more efficient, and much more!
Please share this list with anyone (friend, family member, colleague, client, etc.) who wants to change their life and finally see a difference in their health and lifestyle. Also, could you make sure to bookmark this page and return to it when you're frustrated with your results (which happens to everyone) or need a new idea?
Tip: Skim through this list and find the headlines most relevant to your current goals and interests (then spend 20 seconds skimming the article).
HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT AND BODY FAT (WITHOUT A PERSONAL TRAINER)
WHY YOU'RE NOT LOSING WEIGHT OR BODY FAT
WHAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THE FOOD YOU’RE EATING
PARENTING TIPS ON HEALTHY EATING
WHY SALADS MAY NOT HELP YOUR WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
HOW TO EAT AT RESTAURANTS AND AIRPORTS AND STAYING HEALTHY ON THE ROAD
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FITNESS
You’ll Want to Try this At-Home Core and Butt Workout over the Weekend!
Do you have what it takes to pass this physical test to join the FBI?
5 Easy Ways to Amp Up Your Workouts4 Simple Ways to Flatten Your Stomach
You Should Master These 6 Exercises Before the New Year (And Here's How)
The 15 Most Common Mistakes Personal Trainers See in the Gym
“How Much Exercise It’ll Take to Undo 17 Popular Fast Food Items” Review
INJURY PREVENTION
RESOLUTIONS, GOALS, RELATIONSHIPS, AND THE REST OF LIFE
The 1 Article that Will Make You Rethink Your Day-to-Day Approach
Why 'Follow Your Dreams' May Be the Worst Advice You Ever Heard
Advice My Future (10 Years Older) Self Would Tell Me Today (And Why I Need to Listen)
My List of New Year’s Resolutions (and How I’ll Achieve Each)
"9 Ways to Ensure Your Relationship Is Built to Last" Review
Excerpt from the book Redefine Yourself: Define Your Purpose
TRAVEL ITINERARIES (AND WHERE TO EAT)
The Detailed Itinerary You Need for an Adventure in Australia (You’ll Need to Save This)
Picture Credit: besthealthmag .ca – Is it time to redefine your approach to old habits?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
Personal Trainer Blog
My List of New Year’s Resolutions for 2019
It’s that time of year when I secretly eat chocolate, dream of eggnog, and write everything I will do differently in the new year. While most people run away from resolutions, I embrace them. It’s a chance to check in on ME and create a new normal. I usually begin this process by compiling a list of day-to-day stressors. Eventually, it results in a specific change list with a plan for each resolution. With this being said, here is my expansive list of New Year’s resolutions and how I will achieve each! Here I come, 2019!
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL SLEEP 7.5 HOURS PER NIGHT.
Personal Trainer Plan: Of all the health and fitness tips I recommend, nothing is more valuable than a whole night’s rest. Based on a study of my physical self, I’ve determined that 7.5 hours is ideal for proper recovery. I feel ready to take on the world on those days, and my creativity flows like a manageable stream. Although the number of hours of sleep will be a priority, I will also be sure that bedtime typically falls within a 60-minute range for consistency.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL WRITE MY SECOND BOOK.
Personal Trainer Plan: I’ve been talking about it for months (instead of years like I usually do) and started this process two weeks ago. To ensure its completion, I’m dedicating 30-minute writing sessions on five weekly weekdays to achieve it. Modest, approachable, and adaptable.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL SAY, WITH REASONABLE CERTAINTY, "I UNDERSTAND," BEFORE I SAY ANY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING THINGS: "I AGREE," "I DISAGREE," OR "I SUSPEND JUDGMENT."
Personal Trainer Plan: I want to challenge what I understand during a conversation. Instead of offering an opinion, I will confirm the other person’s point vocally and, then, express a judgment based on the facts. I will also try to identify my biases and express those explicitly. And, yes, I will accept the luck you wish me. I'm armed and ready to take on this approach but must make it a habit. I plan to add this resolution to my day-to-day calendar as a reminder.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL STOP FIDGETING WITH MY PHONE WHILE DRIVING MY CAR.
Personal Trainer Plan: I will purchase a phone mount for my dashboard. This should limit fumbling with my phone or peering down at it to see the GPS. Cheers to a safer road for everyone!
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL INTEGRATE AN EFFICIENT CALENDAR SYSTEM FOR TAXES, BILLS THAT AREN’T AUTOMATED, ANNIVERSARIES AND BIRTHDAYS, AND HOME MAINTENANCE.
Personal Trainer Plan: I will set aside 60 minutes on New Year’s Day to schedule everything that needs to be planned for a given year in Google Calendars. As a rule, once I receive the email reminder, I must take action in the moment or within 60 minutes.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL WRITE CHILDCARE INSTRUCTIONS FOR OUR BABYSITTERS.
Personal Trainer Plan: I will set aside 15 minutes on New Year’s Day to write childcare instructions for our babysitters with my wife and save them on my phone. I will also print a version and stick it on the side of the fridge.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL REORGANIZE MY CLOSETS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO WHATEVER I NEED.
Personal Trainer Plan: I will install shelving in the common hallways and reorganize the downstairs and master bedroom closets. I will create a map to show the placement of these items for quick access.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL CREATE A TOP TEN LIST OF EASY HEALTHY GO-TO MEALS.
Personal Trainer Plan: I will list the meals I enjoy and begin experimenting with at least one dish or recipe each week. I will befriend Instapot cookbooks.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL INTEGRATE AT LEAST ONE DIFFERENT ETHNIC DISH EACH DAY.
Personal Trainer Plan: I will use the ethnic seasonings guide from Dr. Fuhrman’s book End of Dieting to add a different taste profile to a dish each daily as the minimum effort. I will return to my new friend, the Instant Pot cookbook, for more options.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL INVITE MY 19-MONTH-OLD SON, PRESTON, TO HELP ME WITH ANY TASK I’M COMPLETING IN FRONT OF HIM.
Personal Trainer Plan: While it seems as if I’m encouraging child labor here, I’m stimulating Preston’s neurons and teaching him the basics of life, such as cleaning out a dishwasher, throwing garbage away, completing my taxes, etc., etc. Too often, I complete a task without considering it a teachable moment. Interestingly enough, Preston loves to help! Who would have known that he loved tax work?
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL CREATE AND STICK TO A NEW FITNESS ROUTINE EACH MONTH.
Personal Trainer Plan: I always write programs for my personal training clients, but I rarely make the time to design one for myself! I need a personal trainer too, you know! Moving forward, I will design a new 5-day program during the last week of every month.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL ONLY CHECK MY PHONE ONCE 2 HOURS BEFORE BED.
Personal Trainer Plan: No matter how tired I am, a phone or computer electrifies my brain. Not only does this stimulation affect my ability to fall sleep but it disrupts my present-minded state. I will set a daily alarm to remind me to shut off before I shut down for rest.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL READ 1 BOOK PER MONTH.
Personal Trainer Plan: Reading has always helped me reason with clarity. It brings structure to my wandering thoughts, which improves my day-to-day focus, comprehension, and communication. I will read ten pages per day to achieve this goal each month.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL PERFORM AT LEAST 5 MINUTES ON THE STAIRMASTER EVERY WEEKDAY.
Personal Trainer Plan: Humans depend on oxygen. Cardiovascular activities, like the dreaded Stairmaster, increase lung capacity and improve stamina. Most importantly, it increased my access to oxygen…hence this resolution.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL SIMPLIFY MY BUDGET SO THAT EVERY BILL IS AUTOMATED FROM 1 BANK ACCOUNT.
Personal Trainer Plan: Simple and automated equals less stress. Trying to figure out which bill is being paid from which account while transferring money between each could be more efficient and often frustrating. No mas!! Simplify, simplify! This process has already started and will be audited on New Year’s Day.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: I WILL REACH OUT TO ONE PERSON I HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO IN OVER A MONTH EACH WEEK.
Personal Trainer Plan: I admittedly lose myself in the day-to-day obligations in life. Along the way, great friends and family have fallen victim to my silence. Since relationship maintenance is a priority, I will choose one new person every Monday that I haven’t spoken to in over a month and reach out via text or phone. It's a small effort but a worthwhile intent to stay in touch.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
Personal Trainer Blog
"Is vegetarian fast food actually good for you?" Review
While I strongly encourage a plant-based diet for anyone interested in weight loss or optimal health, I will admit that not all are created equal in vegetarian options. In fairness to my endless green banter, CNN author Lisa Drayer shares the other side of the spectrum.
Plant-based diets have many health benefits, including a reduced risk of obesity, heart disease, and Type 2 diabetes. So it follows that vegetarian fast food, which is inherently plant-based, is more nutritionally appealing than its traditional relatives.
The truth is that although the notion works in many cases, there needs to be a guiding food principle you can count on.
"Just because a restaurant or fast food menu item says it's vegetarian or vegan doesn't mean it's automatically 'healthy.' It can have just as much, if not more, calories, saturated fat, and sodium as non-vegetarian options," said Sharon Palmer, a registered dietitian and author of "Plant-Powered for Life."
It makes sense. After all, ingredients contribute to calories, whether plant-based or not. And while fiber and protein can be higher in vegetarian meals, thanks to plentiful amounts of beans, vegetables, and whole grains, so can things such as saturated fat and sodium, depending on how the food is prepared (fried vs. grilled, for example) and the amount of cheese and condiments a meal contains.
"Vegetarian and vegan food options that are deep-fried, covered in cheese or creamy sauces and piled over huge portions of fries, rice, wraps or breads may not be the healthiest option on the menu," Palmer said.
Personal Trainer Wisdom: This program's final paragraph typically describes how many of my vegetarian and vegan personal training clients get into trouble. Just because you’ve cut out the meat doesn’t mean you should load up on cheese, oil, and simple grains.
For example, Veggie Grill's Fala-Full sandwich -- two pitas filled with falafel, hummus, pepperoncini and schug and tzatziki sauces, with a side of tabbouleh -- has 1,100 calories, 10 grams of saturated fat and more than a day's worth of sodium (2,380 milligrams). That's more than double the calories, 2½ times the sodium, and the same amount of saturated fat as a McDonald's Big Mac. (A Big Mac has 540 calories, 950 milligrams of sodium, and 10 grams of saturated fat).
On the other hand, the Veggie Grill's grilled "chickin' " sandwich made with soybean, wheat and pea-based protein has only 530 calories, 900 milligrams of sodium and 3 grams of saturated fat.
The takeaway: Menu items can vary widely, depending on the type and amount of ingredients used, and sauces and deep-frying will contribute extra calories, fat, and sodium.
Speaking of burgers, the Amy Burger at Amy's Drive Thru -- a meat-free fast food restaurant with the ambition to expand to other markets, owned by the company that makes Amy's vegetarian supermarket foods nationwide -- includes two veggie patties with cheese and sauce. The burger has 770 calories, 10 grams of saturated fat, 33 grams of protein, 9 grams of fiber, and 1,420 milligrams of sodium. Veggie Grill's Beyond Burger with a single patty has more saturated fat (13 grams) and the same amount of sodium as Amy's.
Surprisingly, the McDonald's Big Mac has fewer calories and less sodium than both veggie burgers and less saturated fat than Veggie Grill's single-patty veggie burger (10 grams).
Still, both veggie burgers have more fiber, and Amy's has more protein than Mickey D's Big Mac, which can keep you feeling full. Plus, Amy's ingredients -- aside from being meat-free -- are locally sourced and organic, which may be more important than nutrition numbers, especially for those who don't need to be counting them.
Veggie Grill's Mondo Nachos, for another example, made with "chickin' " and "queso chorizo" sauce, have more than 900 calories, 7 grams of saturated fat and almost 1,600 milligrams of sodium. By comparison, Taco Bell's BellGrande nachos with beef have fewer calories (760), slightly less saturated fat (6 grams), and less sodium (1,290 milligrams). Once again, however, the Grill's has more protein and fiber.
It's important to remember that not all beef tacos are created equal. Del Taco's queso loaded nachos with beef top the list, with over 1,000 calories, a day's worth of saturated fat and over 2,000 milligrams of sodium.
Regarding mac and cheese, both Amy's Drive Thru and Veggie Grill's vegan versions have less sodium, more fiber, and a lot less saturated fat than Panera's miniature traditional version, though Panera's packs much more protein.
As with other menu items, the nutritional contributions of salads directly reflect the ingredients used, so it takes time to make broad generalizations. For example, Veggie Grill's All Hail Kale salad and Amy's Super Salad with tofu, hummus, quinoa, and roasted pumpkin seeds are nutritional winners. Still, a falafel-containing salad at Veggie Grill will have more calories, sodium, and fat.
Then again, that's the takeaway message for all menu items, whether vegetarian, vegan, or neither. That is, a meal is only as healthy as its ingredients.
So, just because a food is "vegetarian" or "vegan" doesn't guarantee that it's a nutritionally superior option. French fries may be vegetarian, but they should still fill your plate regularly.
Palmer recommends looking for options that include plenty of vegetables, such as salads, bowls, or wraps; whole grains, such as quinoa or whole-grain bread; and simple protein options, like beans or a veggie burger patty. She also advises "going easy on sauces, creams and cheeses," which makes good health sense whether you eat vegetarian or not.
Personal Trainer Wisdom: The story's moral is that you still need to dissect the menu anywhere you eat. Often, you may need to ask the right questions: How is the dish prepared? Do you use butter or oil? Is the dish prepared with dairy? Do you sautee the vegetables with butter? Most people fear asking anything when dining with others…afraid of their perception. What perception would you rather have (not that it matters what they think)? Don’t you care about your health/body or your health is a priority? If your “friends” judge you for the latter, you may want to help them begin reflecting on their health.
Photo Credit:
serious eats . com – Are vegan nachos as healthy as you think?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
PERSONAL TRAINER BLOG
You’ll Want to Try this At-Home 30-Minute Core and Butt Workout!
Are you looking for an excellent workout for your core and butt? Try this 30-minute circuit in your living room (minimal equipment required), and then binge on your favorite Netflix show!
Time: 30-35 minutes
Frequency: 1-2x week
Focus: Lower Body/Core
Reps: 15-20 reps
Format: You may choose whatever exercise you want from each category, but perform the categories in order (Squats, Planks, Lunges, Planks, Random Legs). You may exchange any of the following based on availability: a dumbbell (DB), medicine ball (MB), Sling Shot Resistance Band (Affiliate Link), a suitcase, or a book. You must complete every exercise (25 total). Check off the boxes as you complete each workout to help keep track.
SQUATS
☐ Explosive air squats (quick stationary squats while thrusting your arms upward)
☐ Squat with weight raise (raise the weight from your chest to the overhead position while squatting)
☐ Squat weight slam motion (start with the weight overhead and swing it downward as you squat) or weight swing squat (like a kettlebell swing)
☐ Explosive squat with weights at your side (explode upward without leaving your feet, squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement)
☐ Explosive squat with weight on the chest (explode upward while leaving your feet on the floor, squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement)
Personal Trainer Wisdom: Please remember to keep your lower back in a neutral position and straighten feet (keep your feet hip width). Maintain the natural curve with your heels under your hips. If you notice a posterior tilt (rounding of lower back) in your hips as you squat, stop just before and squeeze your glutes as you return to the standing position.PLANKS (30-60 SECONDS)
☐ Different variations using the floor, couch, or chair
Personal Trainer Wisdom: You must maintain a neutral spine no matter the exercise…especially on a plank. Too much flexion (rounding of your lower back) or extension (arching of the lower back) will wreak havoc on your sweet little disks (the impact buffers between the vertebrae of your spine). That said, maintain the neutral spine with your elbows planted below your shoulders and your hands placed in the “I’m holding a square box” position (not trademarked yet). Think your thumbs up, and your hands are spaced shoulder width. If your hands are any closer, you are transferring the energy from your core to your shoulders (and you don’t want to do this).LUNGES
☐ Walking lunge with light dumbbell twist (slightly rotate the weight two inches past your bent knee, keep your shoulders and hips squared up, and don’t lean while rotating to each side)
☐ Walking lunge with overhead weight press (press the weight overhead as you lunge downward…like a shoulder press)
☐ Walking lunge with weight on chest (keep the weight in the same position)
☐ Walking lunge with weight swing (swing the weight up as you lunge downward from your hips…like a kettlebell swing)
☐ Forward and back lunge (only drop knee halfway and return to the starting position as if you’re performing a single leg squat…which means limit the weight on the back foot, or your knee will be barking at you)
Personal Trainer Wisdom: Unfortunately, lunges shouldn’t be named lunges. An “alternating stepping kneel” may be more appropriate (less sexy, though). Think about it: A lunge insinuates that you’re allowing forward momentum (energy) to push forward at a downward angle while sacrificing your knees and overusing your quads (similar to lunging at a person with a sword in a movie). We’re cutting out other essential leg muscles and reinforcing a dysfunctional dependence on the quads. Instead, it would help if you stepped forward into a kneel and then return to a standing position like a single leg squat (isolating your hamstrings and glutes on the leg in front of you). Use the big muscles in the posterior chain and explode from the kneeling position! While the quads are part of the equation, they shouldn’t be the main focus here!PLANKS (30-60 SECONDS)
☐ Different variations using the floor, couch, or chair
RANDOM LEGS (30-60 SECONDS)
☐ Mountain climbers, 2x (hold onto a chair with your straight arms and drive your knees toward your chest (alternate) without compromising your neutral spine)
☐ Stairsteppers or chair-steppers while holding a weight at your chest, 2x (start by standing on a chair against the wall and step down with each foot, return each foot to the top before dropping the other)
☐ Mountain climbers with a twist (hold onto a chair with your straight arms and slightly drive your knee towards the opposite shoulder to engage the obliques (alternate) without compromising your neutral spine)
As part of the Amazon Affiliate program, Michael Moody Fitness may be eligible for a small commission for purchases at no cost to you. We will only recommend tried and true products that we use ourselves!
Photo Credit:
fitnessmagazine .com–How will you lunge into this weekend?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
Personal Trainer Blog
19 Hacks to Solve the Biggest Problems in Your Life
Helping my personal training clients with weight loss is the easy part! How do you get out of a submerged car? Where is the best sound in a movie theater? How do you stop a runny nose….with your finger? How do you instantly stop someone from towing your truck? These are the fundamental questions in life….and Keith Bradford’s book “Life Hacks” answers these life problems and more! Test them and see for yourself!
Use leftover coffee from the morning to make coffee ice cubes (which will cool down your coffee without diluting it).
throw one teaspoon of baking soda into the water when making hard-boiled eggs. The shell will come off without a problem once the egg is cooked.
Any citrus fruit like an orange, clementine, or grapefruit becomes easier to peel when you gently press and roll it on the table before peeling.
Take pictures of friends holding items you’ve lent them with your phone, so you remember down the road who borrowed what.
If your car is about to get towed, get in. Tow trucks are forced to stop to avoid kidnapping charges.
If you’re with Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, or Sprint, you can now text the police (911) in an emergency.
If you ever get trapped underwater in your car, use your car seat’s headrest to break the window.
If you ever get kidnapped, and they tie your hands together and put tape over your mouth, lick the tape. It will eventually fall off, and you’ll be able to yell for help.
When you call 911, the first thing you should always say is your location. They immediately send police when they have an address.
When you get a call from a telemarketer, don’t say anything and press “9” on your phone. This will automatically add your number to their “don’t call” list.
For the best sound in a movie theater, sit two-thirds of the way back and as close to the middle as possible. This is where audio engineers sit when they mix sound for movies.
When you feel like you’re about to yawn, touch the roof of your mouth with your tongue to prevent it.
Clogged drain? Unclog it with 1 cup of baking soda and 1 cup of white vinegar.
The most effective cough syrup that exists is honey.
Believe it or not, rubbing walnuts on damaged wooden furniture can cover up a lot of dings and scratches.
Place a rubber band over any stripped screw to easily unscrew it.
Nothing kills weeds and keeps them dead for longer than white vinegar straight from the bottle.
Placing an envelope in the fridge for an hour will unseal it. This is a good tip to know if you need to remember to include something in a package.
Runny or stuffy nose? Push your tongue against the top of your mouth and push a finger between your eyebrows. Hold it for about twenty seconds. Your nose should clear.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
The Detailed Itinerary You NEED for a Journey to Lisbon, Porto, and Madrid (and the Best Restaurants in Each)
Recently, Sammy, Preston, and I had set out for a European adventure to explore earthquake ruins, port, and Spanish tapas. We started in historic Lisbon, Portugal, and headed North to Porto before finishing in the Spanish metropolis, Madrid. Here is a quick itinerary of interesting places to stay, historic things to do, and an expansive list of restaurants to indulge in.
Disclaimer: Please note that these restaurants aren't plant-based concepts (many are meant for those people who allow flexibility for animal products...sorry!). You'll need to look over the menu as you see fit. I recommend checking their menus online first.
GENERAL ITINERARY
25-26: Fly to Lisbon from Chicago
26: Lisbon
27: Lisbon
28: Lisbon
29: Lisbon
30: Train from Lisbon to Porto
1: Porto
2: Porto
3: Fly to Madrid from Porto
4: Madrid
5: Madrid
6: Madrid
7: Fly to Chicago from Madrid
Preston is excited for his first flight overseas....and so is the guy sitting behind him.
FLIGHTS/TRAINS
25-26TH: FLY TO LISBON FROM CHICAGO
United Flight UA972 from Chicago to Brussels
Total cost: 60k miles per person plus taxes and fees
Seats: 34E, 34G (Priority boarding with a child, check a stroller with car seat at the gate)
Depart: 6:00 pm (04/25) ORD (8 hr 5 mn with bassinet
Arrival: 9:05 am (04/26) BRU
TAP Portugal Flight TP647 from Brussels to Lisbon
Seats: 16B,16A (Priority boarding with a child, check a stroller with car seat at the gate)
Depart: 11:30 am (04/26) BRU (2 hr 50 mn)
Arrival: 1:20 pm (04/26) LIS
30TH: TRAIN TO PORTO FROM LISBON (UNCONFIRMED SEATS)
Train 125
Total cost: $130 (1st Class, choose seats at check-in, child on lap); arrive 1-2 hours to book train time and seat.
Depart: 12:09 pm Lisboa Oriente (flexible time)
Arrival: 2:44 pm Porto Campanha
3RD: FLY TO MADRID FROM PORTO
Ryanair Flight 5423 from Porto to Madrid
Seats: 2F, 2E (Already checked in a month early)
Total cost: $217.94 (Priority with two cabin bags per person, child on lap)
Depart: 3:35 pm OPO
Arrival: 5:50 pm MAD
7TH: FLY TO CHICAGO FROM MADRID
Lufthansa Flight LH1113 from Madrid to Frankfurt
Seats: 20A/20B (Priority boarding with a child, check a stroller with car seat at the gate)
Depart: 12:55 pm (05/07) MAD (2 hr 30 min)
Arrival: 3:25 pm (05/07) FRA
Lufthansa Flight LH432 from Frankfurt to Chicago
Seats: 34G/34F (Priority boarding with a child, check stroller with car seat at the gate)
Depart: 5:15 pm (05/07) FRA (9 hr 5 mn with bassinet)
Arrival: 7:20 pm (05/07) ORD
View of Lisbon at sunset
AIRBNBS
26-30TH: LISBON
Listing: Comfortable, versatile best quarter with Fadoflats
Travessa João de Deus 8 (2nd floor, right)
Lisbon, Lisbon 1200 Portugal+351 91 985 8312
fadoflats-c2vmqwuwpkay6y9d@host.airbnb.com
Check-in: 4:00 pm
Check-out: 11:00 am
Directions: A taxi from the airport should take you to the flat in about 30 minutes and cost you around 15-20 euros (please tell the taxi driver flat is in Chiado quarter, very close to Cervejaria Trindade - Trindade Brewery). Alternatively, you can take the subway and drop it off at Baixa-Chiado station. It will take about an hour and cost 2 euros per person. The third alternative is hiring our private transfer service (for you only): a 7-seat van will be waiting for you at the airport for 30 euros to be paid directly to the driver. In any case, I would appreciate it if you could text me or call me after picking up the bags and passing the passport control at the airport.
Notes: This is a great two-bedroom vintage space, once a palace before the 18th-century earthquake. It's in a great location and size for our needs. There are plenty of nearby restaurants and more. The Alfama neighborhood to the East is another option (more historic and quaint).
30TH-3RD: PORTO
Listing: Caldeireiros Home Two - feel at home with Fadoflats
Rua dos Caldeireiros, 4050-250 Porto, Portugal+351 91 714 1223
alcina-77maoh3q8wdkxxbx@host.airbnb.com
Check-in: 3:00 pm
Check-out: 11:00 am
Directions: Walk to the flat from the Sao Bento train station 2 blocks away.
Notes: Great modern space with the perfect location. Truly a wonderful host.
3RD-7TH: MADRID
Listing: Pta. del Sol- Pza. Sta Ana, Madrid with Miriam
Calle Núñez de Arce 10 2b, 28012 Madrid, Madrid, Spain+34 699 915 788
miriam-zu29zer8pxbllkz5@host.airbnb.com
Check-in: 2:00 pm
Check-out: 11:00 am
Directions: Taxi: You will find taxi stands outside all the airport terminals. Always use the official taxi services and do not take offers from drivers inside the terminal. Trip duration is up to 30 minutes, depending on traffic. Bus: The Yellow Airport Express bus runs 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. You can take the bus from terminals T1, T2, and T4; the ticket costs 5 euros. The journey takes approximately 40 minutes, and the bus makes only three stops: the corner of O’Donnell and Doctor Esquerdo, Plaza de Cibeles, and Atocha train station (from 6:00 until 23:30).
Metro: You can take metro line 8 from all the airport terminals and head to Nuevos Ministerios station in the center of Madrid. From there, you can hop on another metro line until you reach your destination. The journey to the Nuevos Ministerios station is 15 minutes, and the metro operates daily from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. Tickets can cost up to 5 euros, depending on your end destination.Notes: It's in a very central location, but we don’t recommend staying here unless it’s cheap and you’re willing to experience a Super 8 hotel.
Exploring the historic Belem area of Lisbon
THINGS TO DO IN LISBON, PORTUGAL
RANDOM NOTES
Use ‘The Fork’ phone app or call to book restaurant reservations
Restaurants (5-10% tip and bread/olives aren’t free), most restaurants open 12-3 and 7-10
Most museums are free until 2:00 on Sundays
Taxes after 9 pm cost more
Lisboa card for attractions (askmelisboa.com)
Buy 24-hour pass (metrolisboa.pt)
Book a tour: https://www.withlocals.com/experiences/portugal/lisbon/?adults=2&children=1
Travel with kids: https://kindertravelguide.com/destination/europe/portugal-with-a-baby-or-toddler-2/lisbon-with-a-baby-or-toddler/
BELEM RUINS
Jerónimos Monastery, Praça do Império (free entry to the church, €10 for the rest of the monastery)
Monument to the Discoveries (Padrão dos Descobrimentos-entry fee €4)
CCB (Belém Cultural Center), Coach Museum (Museu dos Coches)
Statue to Afonso de Albuquerque
ROSSIO NEIGHBORHOOD
Parque Eduardo VII (northwest of Rossio Fountains, down the Ave da Liberdade)
Confeitaria Nacional near the Praca de Figueiro for pastries
A Ginjinha – A local sweet liquor spot near Igreja de Sao Domingos
Rossio Fountains/Park (24-hour cafes nearby)
Churches: Igreja de Sao Domingos, Praca da Figueira (next to each other)
Elevador da Gloria: Take you from the Praca dos Restauradores up to the Bairro Alto neighborhood
Ride the Tram 28 to see the historic parts of the city on a ride. Expect lines.
Rooftops of the Alfama neighborhood in Lisbon
CHIADO NEIGHBORHOOD
Elevador de Santa Justa down to Baixa Neighborhood
Convento do Carmo & Museu Arqueologico
R Garrett Street: pedestrian street
2 Michellin Star Restaurant: Bellanto
Nightlife strip: Tv Carvalho
BAIXA NEIGHBORHOOD
Nucleo Arquelologico (free underground tunnels)
R Augusta: Pedestrian street from the Praca de Comercio on the water
BAIRRO ALTO NEIGHBORHOOD
Church: Igreja & Museu de Sao Roque
Elevador de Gloria
Miradouro de Sao Pedro de Alcantara
Restaurant: Lost in Coffee Café (corner of Tv da Agua da Flor and R Sao Pedro de Alcantara)
Public toilet under Largo Trindade Coehlo
1800’s Beer Hall on R Nova da Trinidade
Fado bars on R da Alalara
ALFAMA NEIGHBORHOOD
Tram 28 stop: Near Se (free Gothic Cathedral)
Restaurants and Fado: Cruzes Credo Café, Clube de Fado (8 pm – 2 am), Memmo Alfama Rooftop Bar, Guitarras de Lisboa – Food and Fado, Senhor Fado (8 pm -2 am), Mesa de Frades (Fado in old small chapel 11 pm)Museu do Teatro Romano (free Roman Ruins)
Igreja de Sao Vicente de Fora (monastery)
Panteao Nacional (10 am – 6 pm)
A taste of Lisbon....plenty of seafood and fish!
RESTAURANTS IN LISBON
Fabrica
Pasteis de Belem
Manteigaria
Café A Brasileira
Cervejaria Ramiro
Feitoria
A Taberna da Rua das Flores
Belcanto
Bica Do Sapato
Prado
Café Tati
Merendinha do Arco
Cantinho Lusitano
A Baiuca
Marisqueira Nunes
Tasquinha do Lagarto
Beco dos Surradores 5
Tasco do Vigario
Varina da Madragoa
Zé da Mouraria
Bairro do Avillez (went twice)
Time Out Market (Such a neat food scene on the weekend)
Cantinho do bem estar
Cevicheria
Solar dos Presuntos
Palácio Chiado: Renovated palace turned into food court
Restaurante Carmo
The Sandeman Chiado (best salmon we’ve ever eaten; try the 40-year Tawny)
Royale Cafe (best octopus we’ve ever eaten)
Exploring the rooftops of Porto
THINGS TO DO IN PORTO, PORTUGAL
SIGHTSEEING IN PORTO
São Bento station
Use ‘The Fork’ phone app or call to book restaurant reservations
Take the train or drive to Duoro Valley for wine tastings (2-hour ride)
Walk over the Ponte de Dom Luís I and take a viewing cart (teleférico) over the river to the port warehouses (major port producers have their warehouses in Vila Nova de Gaia, on the south side of the River Douro)
Visit the bar Vinologia for port flights and charcuterie
Garrafeira AMS (wine shop)
Sé do Porto (free admission)
Armazém
Ribeira Square
Handy Resources: What to Do in Porto: http://portoportugalguide.com/porto-guide/porto-in-2-days-itinerary.html, https://catavino.net/travel/portugal/porto/
Clérigos Tower (Igreja E Torre Dos Clérigos)
Lello bookshop (Livraria Lello): Inspiration for the book store in the Harry Potter movies
Sao Bentro Train Station
Porto Cathedral and Bishop’s Palace (Sé Do Porto)
Stock Exchange Palace (Palácio da Bolsa)
Igreja de São Francisco
Villar d’Allen
Spoiled with shrimp in Porto
A raw approach to food in Porto.
RESTAURANTS IN PORTO
Confeitaria Serrana
Cantinho do Avillez
Michelin-starred Pedro Lemos restaurant
Stash
Centro Português de Fotografia (free)
Torre de Clérigos (admission 3 euros)
Caldeireiros
Trasca
Porta’O Lado
Brasão Cervejaria
Fonte dos Leoes for a francesinha, a Portuguese sandwich filled with cured ham
Café Guarany
Café Majestic
Matosinhos
Vila Nova de Gaia
Flor dos Congregados
Rei dos Galos de Amarante
Adega Quim
Casa Aleixo
Tasca da Piedade (Adega Rio Douro)
Conga
Casa Nanda
Adega Vila Meã
Taberna do Largo
Taberna Santo António
Maus Hábitos
Guindalense Futebol Club
O Buraco
Cantina 32
BASE
Miss’Opo
Café Candelabro
Traça
Casa de Ló
Bar Tolo
Bite Me
Boa Nova
Vinum restaurant at Graham’s port lodge: Gorgeous rooftop
Ode Porto Winehouse
Camafeu
Pedro Limos
Casa da Horta
Bacalhua
O Comercial
Bufete Fase
O Paparico
Grelhador da Boavista
Pateo das Flores (loved the francesinha and tuna poke cones)
Gorgeous cathedral in Madrid
Plaza Mayor in Madrid
THINGS TO DO IN MADRID, SPAIN
RANDOM NOTES
Many dine out at 9 pm or later
Handy Resources: https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/madrid-food-tour/,
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/09/21/travel/what-to-do-36-hours-in-madrid-spain.html,
https://www.eater.com/maps/best-madrid-restaurants-38
SIGHTSEEING IN MADRID
Plaza España
Gran Via (shopping)
Palacio Real
Plaza Oriente
Barrio de la Latina
El Rastro (Spain’s largest flea market, Sunday)
Puerta del Sol (popular plaza)
Chocolateria San Gines
Plaza Mayor
Mercado San Miguel
Watch a flamenco show at Cardamomo
Retiro Park (colossal park)
Palacio Cristal
Reina Sofia
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
El Prado (world-famous art museum)
El Bernabeu Stadium
Las Salesas (shopping)
Our food tasting tour of historic bars and restaurants in Madrid.
RESTAURANTS IN MADRID
Bocadillo de Jamón y Champán
Duquesita Pastelería (century-old pastry shop)
La Venencia (sherry bar)
Bar Cock
Pum Pum Café
Círculo de Bellas Artes (drink with a panoramic view)
Amazónico (an opulent jungle-inspired space)
Chocolatería San Ginés (since 1894, a mug of hot chocolate and six churros)
El Imparcial
DiverXO
San Mamés
Lakasa Restaurant
Kappo
Sala de Despiece
Nakeima
Quesería Cultivo
Bread at Panic
StreetXo
Tortilla de Patatas at Casa Dani
Coffee at Toma Café
1862 Dry Bar
Bodega de la Ardosa
Vermouth at Ángel Sierra
El Cisne Azul
La Tasquería
La Tasquita de Enfrente
Casa Salvador
Del Diego Cocktail Bar
Tapas at La Catapa
Takos al Pastor
Horcher
Viridiana
Pastries at La Mallorquina
Sherry at La Venencia
Chuka Ramen Bar
Cocktails at Salmon Guru
Casa Revuelta
Bistronómika
Corral de la Morería Restaurant
La Sanabresa
Yoka Loka
La Copita Asturiana
Santurce
Bar El Boqueron
Cocido Madrileño at Cruz Blanca Vallecas
Our personal tour guide
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!