Video Friday - Picnic Table Workouts

I saw this video a week or so ago and LOVED IT! I'm a big fan of Strength Coach Zach Even-esh in the first place but this could be his most creative idea to date. I re-watched the video before I left to go to my in-laws house for Thanksgiving and was so inspired that I did a Picnic Table workout and a playground workout at the local elementary school - It was great.

My to my suprise when I woke up this morning I saw that Zach had released the ebook that was mentioned in today's video. Even if you aren't interested in the ebook watch the video, get inspired, and have a killer workout outside this weekend.

WARNING: The music in the video contains some profanity so turn the volume down if you get easily offended.

Zach is practically giving the Picnic Table Workout ebook away as a new release promotion. You can find HERE.

Have a great weekend,
MR

Your Kitchen...

Last night I came across a great idea while reading Million Dollar Habits by Brian Tracy. He wrote a looking and acting the part. This has great carry over to achieving the physique and level of health that you desire. One of Brian Tracy's examples was if someone walked up to your desk when you weren't there would they conclude that you are a successful and efficient worker?

Let's apply this to you and your training/nutrition life. If a person were to enter your kitchen and examine it what would they conclude?

1. That you are a fit and lean person that eats clean is lives a healthy life.

2. That you are a person that tries to eat clean foods but enjoys having processed foods.

3. That there is no food because you always eat at McDonald's.

So which one are you?

This point goes right along with one of my favorite things that John Berardi has ever written called Berardi's 1st Law. Here it is:


Berardi’s First Law:
If a food is in your possession or located in your residence, you will eventually eat it.

Corollary to Berardi’s First Law:
If you wish to be healthy and lean, you must remove all foods not conducive to those goals from said residence and replace them with a variety of better, healthier choices.

Second Corollary to Berardi’s First Law:
If you know someone whose house is stocked only with optimal food choices and yet who is not healthy and lean, look under his bed.


I'm off to clean my desk :)

What is in My Library - Part I

Most people don't read enough. How many books have you read this Week? Month? Year? Hopefully a lot. Often times we aren't able to surround ourselves with mentors and role models. For example let's say you really want to drop some body fat but everyone around you IS fat. You can't just start hanging out with myself or John Berardi. The next best thing is books. Books allow you to enter the world of your mentor, hero, or role model. Blogs are really good at this too. Blogs are personal and thus you can get a real feel for the person that is blogging.

What I'm trying to get at here is that reading is your gateway to creating the world your want and developing the skills you desire. Currently one of the most overlooked genre of books is success literature. I LOVE SUCCESS LITERATURE. Most people mistake this for "get rich" books. Yes, the authors often write about making money but the skills, ideas, and techniques outlined in these books are applicable to all areas of life.

Here is a list of the books that I picked up over the holiday weekend.

I had given my copy to another friend


This is a great book that outlines skill not limited to making money


Napolean Hill is a dynamite author


This came highly recommend from a friend


Another Success Classic

27 Nutrition Facts

Yesterday I had a new article published on T-Nation entitled "27 Nutrition Facts". It is full of great nutrition (and non nutrition tidbits). If you are into fish oil then check it out because I have a bunch of fish oil facts covering areas such as purity, the effects on asthma, and fish oil vs. flaxseed oil.

Here's the link: 27 Nutrition Facts by Mike Roussell



-MR

The Line Was Backed Up Into the Road

Oh Americans....they are fat! My wife just called me and gave me some distressing news. She is out running errands and found that there was a line of cars backed up and at a stand still (this is out of the ordinary in State College, PA). She couldn't figure out what the hold up was until she eventually rounded the corner and saw the source of this traffic hold up - Wendy's.

So many people were trying to get a Wendy's burger for lunch that the line extended out of the parking lot and into the road! Now if you are reading my blog you don't need a reminder that that the American rear end is growing larger with every french fry but I would like to take a moment to dismantle an argument that many people use when they refuse to eat clean.

"Eating 'healthy' is too expensive" - I hate this excuse. I had a friend in college that started the "Body For Life" challenge. He was doing great - losing fat, getting stronger, etc. Then he stopped. He said he ran out of money. However, he still had the money to drink and party on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Do you know people like this? Are you like this?


Fast Food Meal ~ $5

Mike's Fast Meal
3oz Bagged Triple Washed Spinach - $1.25
1 can Chunk Light Tuna - $0.60
1 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil - $0.25

I'm going to stop there. With my meal I've only spent $2.10 so you have at least $2.90 to spend on whatever you would like (other things to spice up the lunch). I would also like to add that 3oz of spinach is a BIG serving of spinach (volume wise). Even if you just ate the three things I outlined (though I suggest that you add some more variety) you would get an incredible amount of nutrients as well.

Eating healthy doesn't have to be expensive so don't let that be an excuse.