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Boys Will be Boys
A semi-weekly blog with tips and advice to improve your health, image, and professionalism - all while still being manly
Hello Team Liquiders, and welcome to _SkY’s semi-weekly blog about simple ways to improve your health and lifestyle, as well as branching out your interests! Briefly, this blog will be organized into different sections that will be focused on various topics to help enhance your lifestyle, image, health, and even your professionalism. I hope that you will enjoy this, and please leave comments at the end for ways to improve this column and things that you liked about it.
Self-Improvement:
Since StarCraft II released on July 27, we all know that you’ve logged almost 500 games. It’s true that you, and 95% of the rest of this fantastic community are allegedly 700+ Diamond level destroyers of Zerg scum (except for me) – probably because you drop your Siege Tanks on the cliff overlooking the natural expansion on Lost Temple, every single time - and for goodness’ sake, if you don’t play another ten games before bed, you might lose your #1 ranking. I get it. We all get it. As amazing as this game that we all know and love is however, it’s really not conducive to good health. In fact, so much StarCraft is likely to turn us all into lazy, fat, alcoholic assholes with an utter disregard for productivity and a lack of concern for our general well-being, or that of our family and friends.
However, if you want to have fun and improve your life along the way, then keep playing a ton of StarCraft II, but just make some small, simple changes throughout your day as you do so (these are just a small taste – more to come in the future):
1) Stretch out for 30 seconds between games.
If you’re anything like me, you probably spend a lot of time at your computer, and you probably have pretty pathetic posture that you’ll definitely be paying for later in life as some sad, old, arthritic bastard. However, according to Alan Hedge, Ph.D., a professor of ergonomics at Cornell University, stretching for 30 seconds after every half hour of sitting at your computer will do wonders to improve your circulation and posture, and will even reduce your fatigue, so that you can stay focused on your micro when you are cheesing your friends (on a side note, check out more of HunterStarcraft’s videos on YouTube – he has a great voice and does a nice bit of commentary, focusing primarily on Korean and other upper-level plays).
A good stretch to do between games is to get on your hands and knees and curl your back upward (like a cat), and then the opposite, thinking of being able to place a bowl in the small of your back as a reference to the proper form.
Another simple and quick stretch is to lie on your back on the floor. Take a towel and roll it into a log shape. The thicker the roll the more stretch you will get. Place the rolled up towel under your back along your spine (the long way), so one end of the towel roll is between your shoulder blades and the other is hitting about your mid-back. Place the towel far enough down your back that your head can comfortably rest on the floor. Lie down over the towel and bring your arms out to your sides in a “T” position with the palms facing up. Lie here and breathe into the stretch for as long as comfortable.
The plain and simple truth is that you should be conscious of your posture and do your best to improve it while you are young and able, as it has been shown that poor posture (mostly as a result of sitting at your desk and spamming waypoints) can lead to serious problems in muscle flexibility and strength.
2) Fight your unhealthy snack cravings.
This one is another no-brainer. It’s easy to eat nothing but unhealthy junk while you mash out on the Ladder or rage because all Terran players are noobs that abuse such an imbalanced race (myself being one of them). However, unless you are playing StarCraft II while running on the treadmill or riding a fixed bicycle, then any fat and excess calories you consume are festering in your ever-growing love handles. For goodness sake, I can see them from here. However, you should throw out all of that horrible crap that you love to consume, and learn a bit about your cravings and your refrigerator.
According to researchers at Cornell University, you are 2.7 times more likely to eat healthy snacks if you place them on the middle shelf of your refrigerator, than when you hide those suckers in the crisping drawers in the bottom. So, after you finish reading this wonderful article, go move all of the soda, beer, nacho cheese, pizza, cake, and Red Bull from the middle shelf, and stock that bad lad with fresh fruit (apples and nectarines are a good choice right now), veggies (baby carrots and red peppers), juice, and Swiss cheese sticks for better quality snacking and happier health overall.
EDIT: On a side note, one poster noted something very important that I failed to mention originally. If all you eat are fruits and veggies, you'll end up not consuming any calories, and your hunger won't be satisfied. It's important to understand the difference between healthy, calorie-dense foods, like almonds and trail mix, and unhealthy, calorie-dense foods like pastries. It's okay to indulge in these delicious treats from time to time, but if you do a lot of snacking while you are inactive (i.e. playing StarCraft 2), it's not a bad idea to grab a healthy snack more often than not. Remember though, you still have to eat! Just keep the idea in the back of your mind, that if you are consuming more calories than you need each day (this can be calculated using different spreadsheets on the internet), eating a pepper and a handful of nuts rather than a bag of chips might be the way to go.
Healthy Choices:
More of this fun stuff, this time focusing on exercise and food consumption to a greater degree. As a pre-medical student, I tend to try to live with a perspective on attaining overall good, natural health, thereby preventing complications before they arise. In my opinion, we are living in a world where a pill seems to be able to fix almost everything, and so individuals often sort of “let themselves go”, knowing that a cure from their laziness and negligence is just a prescription and a glass of water away. If I could rule the world, I would hope to make it a place where people take an active role in preserving their health by exercising regularly, making healthy dietary choices, and make taking natural supplements – not chemicals synthesized in a lab that tend to have worse side-effects than the problem that they are fixing. Along that line of thought is a small dose of what I (and many experts) would suggest:
1) Exercise.
Many of us have heard that our beloved Day[9] has been working out lately using a program called P90X, thereby ensuring his continued good health, improving his sex life, and helping him stay more focused throughout the day. I would absolutely like to vouch for his decision to do so, as I, and many of my close personal friends, have undergone wonderful transformations due to the program. It’s not a gimmick, it’s simply a good, old-fashioned workout, combined with a well-engineered dietary plan, that will nearly cripple you, but will leave you amazed by the results. The other great aspect of P90X is that you don’t have to go to the gym to work out, as it is meant to be done in your home. Seriously, I dare you to try it out and be amazed by the results – you absolutely won’t regret it.
One of the biggest drawbacks to P90X however is the price. The program itself isn’t terribly expensive, but the protein and carbohydrate supplements that you need to take with the workouts are costly, and likely out of the price range of most college students. In fact, when I totaled up the final cost (including shipping) to my apartment of all of the gear and supplements (for all 90 days of the program), it came to a staggering $698, which was way out of my price range. However, I wasn’t discouraged, so I contacted a BeachBody (the honest, respectable maker of P90X and a lot of other great workout systems) coach and we worked together to find the highest quality alternatives at the lowest possible price. After working with the coach, I was able to bring the price of all of the gear and a 90-day supply of all of the necessary supplements down to $407 (including shipping) – not too shabby.
If you are seriously interested in the program (which you honestly should be), I’ve done the work of finding the highest quality alternatives for the gear and supplements that you’ll need, at a price that won’t destroy your wallet.
What you’ll need (if you’d like further detail on this, feel free to PM me, and I’ll get back to you ASAP):
Gear:
-P90X workout DVDs, exercise planner, and nutrition guide (suggested seller)
-Chin-up bar (suggested seller #1) (suggested seller #2)
-Resistance bands or free weights (I prefer resistance bands for their portability – suggested seller)
-Yoga mat (suggested seller)
Supplements:
-Recovery shake (you really, really need this to function the next day – note that you’ll need two servings per use – suggested seller)
-Protein supplement (suggested seller)
-Multivitamin (suggested seller)
-Fish oil (suggested seller)
Anyways, that is the gist of what I can suggest for P90X, but my best advice is to do yourself a favor by purchasing the program and making an honest effort and getting into good health – you’ll literally become a better person because of it.
2) Eating.
I think one of the biggest misconceptions about eating is that all tasty food is bad for you, and that if a dish is healthy, it probably tastes pretty horrible. In contest to that, I’m here to show you a huge meal that is easy and cheap for any guy to prepare:
Lemon Garlic Chicken
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 pounds skinless chicken thighs
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- lemon wedges
- parsley sprigs
Recipe:
1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a nonreactive dish and add chicken. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, turning occasionally.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
3. Remove chicken from dish, reserving marinade, and arrange in a shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Pour reserved marinade over chicken; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, basting occasionally with marinade. Bake without basting for 20 minutes more or until chicken is done. Serve with lemon wedges and garnish with parsley, if desired.
3) Natural medicine.
In a world of synthetic fixes for every ailment or condition, try something natural. The supplement that I’m highlighting this week will help you focus and snipe Reavers like it’s your job (if you’re still playing StarCraft: Brood War). Ginkgo Biloba boosts your mental functioning by increasing the blood flow to your brain, thereby delivering elevated amounts of oxygen to it. If you’re a college student, you should stop abusing Adderall before that big exam, and just take some Ginkgo instead. Ginkgo Biloba can be found in the supplements section of any pharmacy or even at your local Walmart, Target, or Meijer, and I highly suggest taking it as directed to augment your normal diet when working or studying.
Lifestyle:
Now that I’ve bored you to death with tips and advice on how to stay alive past the age of 25, let’s move onto a more interesting topic that could help you land a job, or even a lady friend (but probably not the star of Weeds).
1) Get professional.
Now I know that the economy all-around sucks right now, but people are constantly applying for jobs in an increasingly competitive market, and we are nearing a time of year when students are interviewing for graduate schools and universities, so lets talk shop about how to appear and act professional, starting with some tried-and-true interviewing tips from long-time career coach Connie Thanasoulis-Cerrachio (you can read her full article here)
-Dress in a fashion that shows that you are prepared for the interview (try on your suit to make sure that it looks nice and fits properly)
-Smell good (don’t bathe in cologne, but don’t have bad breath or body odor, even if that means using clinical strength antiperspirant)
-Sit forward and look the interviewer in the eye when both speaking and listening to them
-Answer the interviewer’s questions completely, and in an enthusiastic and results-oriented manner (don’t use any negative connotations)
-Be self-aware of both your strengths and weaknesseses
-It is very important to have five or six questions ready to ask at the end of the interview to show your interest and that you’ve done some research about the position
If those tips don’t help you get an edge over the competition, then 6-pool them and laugh as their workers try in vain to stop your world domination. If your 6-pool doesn’t work, then you’re hopeless. Naw, relax, I’m just kidding, but seriously, I’m moving on to hook you up with some cool attire to wear on your upcoming date with that girl from Economics 382.
2) Look hawt.
So now that you’ve failed to escape in the morning before she woke up from what she will likely realize was a mistake made by all of that damn Captain Morgan, you better ask her out on a real date to show her that you are a classy gentleman. Don’t worry, _SkY has got you covered, provided you have some extra bones to drop:
-Express’ 1MX Fitted Stretch Cotton Shirt - $29.94 (sale) or $49.90 (regular) – just please don’t tuck it in if you are going to wear jeans with this classy ass shirt.
-Express’ Stretch Cotton Producer Pant - $59.90 (regular) – tuck that shirt into these bad boys, but make sure to wear a belt for goodness sake.
-Express’ Narrow Silk Tie - $39.90 (regular) – pick one that works with your shirt and doesn’t clash with the pants, and the classy-ness will be flooding off of you – trust me, this is a great look.
-Express’ Leather Belt - $39.50 (regular) – make sure this doesn’t clash with your tie and match it to your dress socks to really make the outfit pop (not really necessary to buy this expensive belt from Express, considering that no one is likely to really notice the difference between that and a the one you bought at Macy's - if they do, screw 'em).
-Express’ Dress Socks - match these to your belt and throw on a matching pair of dress shoes (also really not necessary to buy from a designer outlet - they're just socks).
EDIT: A very helpful poster on here noted a very important point: don't purchase clothes just because I said that they are cool. You should feel comfortable with your body and understand what fits and types of clothes will look good on you, and what styles won't. For example, if you are a bit on the curvier side, than you might want to avoid grabbing a fitted dress shirt that would accidently draw attention to your curves. Know yourself, and what you would look sweet in before you invest a bunch of money in a purchase that leaves you unsatisfied and frustrated.
Anyways, I hope that this helps you look and act classy in a hurry – keep that suit around (or buy another with all of that money from your new job), because it really is useful attire for almost every dressy occasion, and believe me, you’ll be the guy getting all of the stares at the event or making that lucky lady happy that she made the right choice.
Media:
This is the section of the blog that I’m going to keep pretty short and sweet, as it is mostly filled with my current interests in terms of media, and my honest suggestions as to things to check out (note that they aren’t always going to be extremely new). I hope that you’ll find something that piques your interest!
1) Books.
-Vintage Murakami by Haruki Murakami – simply put, this is a collection of short stories written by Haruki Murakami that are both engaging and simple to read. The book is pretty cheap at about fourteen dollars (Amazon), and was quite an enjoyable read.
-The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand – if you are looking for a longer book with amazing character development, check out this book. It starts a bit slowly, but once you are 100 pages in, you won’t be able to put it down, and it truly was one of the most enjoyable books I’ve ever read. This book is also pretty cheap, and can be bought for about six dollars (Amazon) or found at most libraries.
2) Movie.
-Moon (2009) - Trailer - Starring Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacey in solid roles, this multiple-award-winning film is a mix of entertainment and suspense. While it is not mind-blowing, it was a very cool film with some spooky elements and impressive visuals. Although it may not be the easiest movie to find, it certainly is worth your time. I bought it on DVD used from Amazon and am quite happy with the purchase.
3) Music.
The following are the five songs that I have recently downloaded and listened to the most. It’s actually a mix from a number of different genres, so I think that there’s definitely something for everyone here:
-Black River Killer by Blitzen Trapper - Video - Overall just a very catchy tune that tells a story.
-Teenage Dream by Katy Perry - Video - Loving that chorus!
-The Catalyst by Linkin Park - Video - I respect this band for continuing to innovate. This new song gets better with each listen.
-Where We Belong by Lostprophets - Video - An amazingly catchy song with impressive power behind the back-up vocalists.
-In One Ear by Cage the Elephant - Video - A cool song from an up-and-coming rock band with a lot of old school talent and swagger. They seem to play only for their love of the music.
Well, that’s it for this week folks! I appreciate you sticking it through this huge blog, and I really hope that you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Please leave a comment below as far as things to improve in future issues, as well as things you liked. Thanks again, and remember to take care of yourself – I’ll see you on TeamLiquid and on Battlenet 2.0!
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If you're gonna read some Ayn Rand you might as well read Atlas Shrugged. I frankly couldn't stand the fountainhead, had to put it down after the first 400 pages. Also what are your credentials?
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P90X is all over the internet ... you can get it easily if you know what I mean. You don't need to follow their supplements and particular foods unless you are really that hardcore about becoming fit. Face it ... most of us don't care about having under 10% body fat and riproaring gluts and pecs. Also it isn't particularly difficult to find a makeshift chinup bar ... go outside to your local park or high school or backyard (tree).
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On August 18 2010 03:16 n.DieJokes wrote:
If you're gonna read some Ayn Rand you might as well read Atlas Shrugged. I frankly couldn't stand the fountainhead, had to put it down after the first 400 pages. Also what are your credentials?
I've heard that a lot of people can't enjoy The Fountainhead because of its "screw the masses - I'm better than all of them, and so I can do whatever I want" perspective, and also because it is quite slow in the beginning. I'm not calling you out at all, and don't want to be confrontational, but I'm curious as to what you didn't like about it? Thank you for the suggestion about Atlas Shrugged too, as I'm currently looking for a good book to read. Why do you suggest it?
As far as my credentials, I don't currently have a professional degree, and as my blog states, I'm a pre-medical undergraduate student. Officially, I'm a junior at the University of Michigan with an Honors Anthropology major that is also completing the pre-medical coursework required for admission to a medical school after I graduate. Why do you ask?
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On August 18 2010 03:25 _SkY wrote:
Why do you ask?
Probably because when someone writes a guide about some of the most commonly prioritized facets of life, it can make one a bit skeptical? hah.
Thanks for the time put into this and welcome to the community.
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Interesting read. To be honest, I prefer Insanity over P90X. The difference is that Insanity doesn't require you to have any equipment. It kills me after each session.
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FREEAGLELAND26781 Posts
Interesting blog; I very much liked the tone of voice you gave, and your links provided are amazing as well.
I would like to say I bought some of that Express stuff during tax-free weekend hahaha.
Welcome to TL, good sir.
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On August 18 2010 03:18 lac29 wrote:
P90X is all over the internet ... you can get it easily if you know what I mean. You don't need to follow their supplements and particular foods unless you are really that hardcore about becoming fit. Face it ... most of us don't care about having under 10% body fat and riproaring gluts and pecs. Also it isn't particularly difficult to find a makeshift chinup bar ... go outside to your local park or high school or backyard (tree).
Yes, most of what you are saying is certainly true, especially the part about finding the P90X videos somewhere on the internet.
I would partially agree that most people won't go very gung-ho into purchasing all of the recommended supplements and gear. I mostly included those for people who would like to go all-out with the workouts and the program overall - those people that buy the program and the gear are probably more likely to buy the supplements too (when compared to individuals who just pirate the videos) - but it is pretty simple to pick and choose what you'd like from the exhaustive list that I included.
Also, you are completely right about most people not really desiring a "perfect body", as much as just a fit, healthy one - I couldn't agree more =] P90X will do just that for you (I'm pretty positive that that was what it was originally intended for when it was first created), but if you'd like to invest in the supplements and the gear, and if you'd really like to get crazy with the workouts, then P90X can get you pretty ripped. Truthfully, you'll only get out of P90X, what you put into it, in my honest opinion, so everyone that does what they want should be happy with their results =].
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On August 18 2010 03:30 ella_guru wrote:Probably because when someone writes a guide about some of the most commonly prioritized facets of life, it can make one a bit skeptical? hah. Thanks for the time put into this and welcome to the community.
Good point! It's true that I'm absolutely not a professional in these fields - I'd like to make that as clear as possible - but I tried to highlight areas that were generated by my own opinions and experiences, as well as tried to give credit to the professionals that generated many of the pieces of advice that I included. You're right, I probably shouldn't have come across as an expert in these areas, given their highly important nature and the degree of skepticism that comes tied to them as baggage. Thank you for clearing this up for me, and I hope that this blog hasn't been counter-productive because my own views and experiences were included in it.
On a side note, thank you for your warm welcome! I've sat back for a while without actually becoming a member of the site, but since I've joined, I've really enjoyed almost every facet of the community! Hopefully I can continue to be active and contribute to the constant evolution of the site =].
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Calgary25980 Posts
In a life-reboot moment this weekend, I donated approximately 75% of my clothes to goodwill so I can rebuild a better wardrobe.
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On August 18 2010 03:43 _SkY wrote:
=].
I see your smiley face and raise you another
^______O
On August 18 2010 03:46 Chill wrote:
In a life-reboot moment this weekend, I donated approximately 75% of my clothes to goodwill so I can rebuild a better wardrobe.
Good call. You can have a good _(noun)_ without having a big _(noun)_
The obvious blank still applies. My point being you don't need tons of clothes to be stylish, you don't need to have a fridge full of different food to not go hungry, etc.
The daily decrease.
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I understand that working is supposed to be healthy and that's fine. But how is taking protein supplements and carbohydrates healthy? I somehow doubt that it is.
Edit: I question that looking beefy is healthy. In fact I would suggest that it is possible to work out too much. It's probably better to hit the sweet spot than to be a serious body builder.
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On August 18 2010 03:31 YoonHo wrote:
Interesting read. To be honest, I prefer Insanity over P90X. The difference is that Insanity doesn't require you to have any equipment. It kills me after each session.
Dude, you are pretty intense if you can do Insanity! I haven't ever tried it, but it looks absolutely ridiculous. I just don't think I could be that active or move that much for such an extended period of time =] The fact that you don't need any equipment is a huge plus though, and it definitely looks like a killer workout. I might have to check it out!
On August 18 2010 03:31 flamewheel wrote:
Interesting blog; I very much liked the tone of voice you gave, and your links provided are amazing as well.
I would like to say I bought some of that Express stuff during tax-free weekend hahaha.
Welcome to TL, good sir.
Thanks a lot - I'm glad that you liked my blog! I appreciate what you said about my tone of voice, as I really tried to have the tone reflect my own personality and tone. Also, I'm glad you enjoyed the links, as I made my best effort to include humor, StarCraft, and good information in them. As another poster did a couple of minutes ago, thank you for welcoming me to this fantastic community, and I will do my best to contribute as much as possible!
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thankyou very much for this sir, I've been in a slump of skipping workouts, forgoing my diet and sleeping in, hopefully this gets me back on track
I certainly hope u didn't blow all your ideas on the first blog
also thankyou for the gingko idea, I went thru a whole lot of adderall this past year even though it made my body feel arthritic and shitty BUT I had no choice, so knowing there's an alternative is encouraging!
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I say front page this guy since it's pretty gnarly and so he is motivated to keep doing stuff like this
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On August 18 2010 03:53 Simplistik wrote:
Edit: I question that looking beefy is healthy. In fact I would suggest that it is possible to work out too much. It's probably better to hit the sweet spot than to be a serious body builder.
I agree. It's partly a preference thing but I never understood how dedicating so much time and money in your life to looking that ripped was necessarily making good use of your time and money. I like to enjoy food and play sports for fun ... and in that mindset I never see myself spending more than 45 min a day purely exercising (running or lifting), nor will I put that many restrictions on my diet besides overeating. It's a balance ... of your time, money, enjoyment in foods, and vanity.
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On August 18 2010 03:46 Chill wrote:
In a life-reboot moment this weekend, I donated approximately 75% of my clothes to goodwill so I can rebuild a better wardrobe.
This made me smile, because seriously, I go through a "life-reboot" like once a month where I just try to break my bad habits and become a better person. The wardrobe change isn't trying to accomplish that, but it is a fresh start, and I've been known to do that a few times too (eliminating American Eagle and replacing it with Express and the Buckle) =].
On August 18 2010 03:52 ella_guru wrote:
My point being you don't need tons of clothes to be stylish, you don't need to have a fridge full of different food to not go hungry, etc.
The daily decrease.
I couldn't agree more. I know that my blog highlighted some good food to eat and some new clothes to buy, but that really is only to treat yourself. I do think that we often over-prioritize the tangible goods in our lives, and every once in a while its good to pull a Chill and do a "life-reboot" to minimize some of our excess and refocus ourselves. Your point is definitely a great message to keep in mind!
On August 18 2010 03:53 Simplistik wrote:
I understand that working is supposed to be healthy and that's fine. But how is taking protein supplements and carbohydrates healthy? I somehow doubt that it is.
From my own understanding and experiences, and what is essentially anecdotal experiences of many others that I have spoken with, the reason to take protein and carbohydrate supplements is so that you can get the amounts of these nutrients that your body needs to repair your existing muscle and grow new muscle on top of that. The supplements are kind of "cheating" in the sense that they aren't completely natural, but they are probably the most accessible way to get the high levels of nutrients that you need (when working out) without needing to consume outrageous amounts of food (which would make you gain more weight and fat in the process). However, while I said that they are kind of "cheating" and that they aren't exactly natural, I haven't read anything about them having any negative health effects. That's not to say that such negative effects don't exist, but honestly, I haven't heard of any.
On August 18 2010 03:53 Simplistik wrote:
Edit: I question that looking beefy is healthy. In fact I would suggest that it is possible to work out too much. It's probably better to hit the sweet spot than to be a serious body builder.
Also, I fundamentally agree with what you are saying here to the most absolute extent. When I said that P90X helped transform my body, I mean that I went from a flabby kid with almost no muscle, to a very fit guy with a halfway decent amount of good, tone muscle. I wouldn't at all claim that I look like a body builder, because I don't, and quite honestly, I don't think that being muscle-bound is attractive or desirable - unless you're a 10th century warrior.
Further, I would say that body building - not working out - is an addictive behavior, that often leads to the abuse of non-natural supplements (i.e. anabolic steroids), leading to a less healthy body that an individual who, as you stated, has hit the "sweet spot". In brief, I think both of us agree fundamentally that we would rather look like this than this, for example.
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How can P90X improve Day9´s sex life...isn´t he already the number 1 playah?
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On August 18 2010 03:56 mOnion wrote:
thankyou very much for this sir, I've been in a slump of skipping workouts, forgoing my diet and sleeping in, hopefully this gets me back on track
I certainly hope u didn't blow all your ideas on the first blog
also thankyou for the gingko idea, I went thru a whole lot of adderall this past year even though it made my body feel arthritic and shitty BUT I had no choice, so knowing there's an alternative is encouraging!
No problem buddy! I hope that it does get you back on track and that you can get going steady again with your diet and workout regime!
As for blowing all of my ideas in the first blog, I didn't, which is good, because if only a small handful of health tips, fashions, and media existed, we would all look the same - everyone would be listening to Lostprophets as we do our P90X in our Producer Pants while marinating lemon pepper chicken ;] There will be much more to come, hopefully in the near future my dear friend!
The reason I included that bit about Ginkgo biloba was because, like you, I was taking quite a bit of Adderall, feeling pretty good at first, and then worse and worse as it wore off. However, while this is a healthy alternative, I'm not sure if it will have the same intensity effect as Adderall, which is quite a powerful synthetic depending on your dose. I'm glad that I've given you some encouragement, but if I were you, I would only use Ginkgo to replace your Adderall if you weren't prescribed Adderall in the first place (a lot of people use it recreationally and as a study aid - I've been there, so I'm not passing any judgement). Otherwise, if you were prescribed Adderall, I would talk to your doctor about a more natural replacement if that interests you (don't just go cold turkey and replace it immediately with Ginkgo if you really need the Adderall - talk to a professional first!). I hope this helps man, and remember that you can stay on track, you just have to get started again!
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On August 18 2010 03:59 ella_guru wrote:
I say front page this guy since it's pretty gnarly and so he is motivated to keep doing stuff like this
Thanks mate! =]
On August 18 2010 04:10 lac29 wrote:+ Show Spoiler +On August 18 2010 03:53 Simplistik wrote:
Edit: I question that looking beefy is healthy. In fact I would suggest that it is possible to work out too much. It's probably better to hit the sweet spot than to be a serious body builder. I agree. It's partly a preference thing but I never understood how dedicating so much time and money in your life to looking that ripped was necessarily making good use of your time and money. I like to enjoy food and play sports for fun ... and in that mindset I never see myself spending more than 45 min a day purely exercising (running or lifting), nor will I put that many restrictions on my diet besides overeating. It's a balance ... of your time, money, enjoyment in foods, and vanity.
As I said before, I couldn't agree more. If you're interested in my opinion on the matter, see my response to Simplistik's post (it's a couple above this one). It seems to me like you have the appropriate mindset to stay healthy and live a very balanced lifestyle sir - I'm happy that you've realized that =].
On August 18 2010 04:32 HwangjaeTerran wrote:
How can P90X improve Day9´s sex life...isn´t he already the number 1 playah?
My mind just exploded trying to re-conceive such a concept. I'm going to retract my comment.
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Couple of notes...
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So, after you finish reading this wonderful article, go move all of the soda, beer, nacho cheese, pizza, cake, and Red Bull from the middle shelf, and stock that bad lad with fresh fruit (apples and tangerines are a good choice right now), veggies (baby carrots and red peppers), juice, and Swiss cheese sticks for better quality snacking and happier health overall.
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Remember the caloric value of your snacks. Replacing 300-400 calories of chips with 10-20 calories worth of vegetables will still leave you starving. I'd throw in some nuts and beef jerky in there as well. I don't think apples or tangerines are in season, it's summer, so peaches/nectarines/plums/apricots/pluots are good. I don't know about juice either, most of them have a ton of added sugar, I'd go with water / tea / unsweetened coffee.
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-Express’ 1MX Fitted Stretch Cotton Shirt - $29.94 (sale) or $49.90 (regular) – just please don’t tuck it in if you are going to wear jeans with this classy ass shirt.
-Express’ Stretch Cotton Producer Pant - $59.90 (regular) – tuck that shirt into these bad boys, but make sure to wear a belt for goodness sake.
-Express’ Narrow Silk Tie - $39.90 (regular) – pick one that works with your shirt and doesn’t clash with the pants, and the classy-ness will be flooding off of you – trust me, this is a great look.
-Express’ Leather Belt - $39.50 (regular) – make sure this doesn’t clash with your tie and match it to your dress socks to really make the outfit pop.
-Express’ Dress Socks - match these to your belt and throw on a matching pair of dress shoes.
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I'd be wary of picking clothes just because somebody said so. Different people have different body types and don't know what looks good on them. I have a huge neck, so a skinny tie makes my head look gigantic. It's more important to learn the "why" than to buy brands. I bought lots of designer clothing made for lanky Europeans. It doesn't fit my Asian body properly, and I spent a lot of money learning that. So yeah, learn what looks good before you just buy stuff off the rack.
I've also found out that cheaping on belts / socks is worth it and no one notices. Get that stuff at Ross/Marshall's.
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I understand that working is supposed to be healthy and that's fine. But how is taking protein supplements and carbohydrates healthy? I somehow doubt that it is.
Edit: I question that looking beefy is healthy. In fact I would suggest that it is possible to work out too much. It's probably better to hit the sweet spot than to be a serious body builder.
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Whey protein is derived from milk, and taking protein in the form of liquid is the fastest delivery method for it.
Carbohydrate supplement? Isn't that just sugar? If you have an intense workout you need energy. I've had friends that could not walk after intense biking and needed some carb drink or gel to actually move again.
And you can't hit the "sweet spot" if you don't start. Very few people have gone too far with it.
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I like your blog. I haven't managed to play 1 multiplayer game of sc2 since it came out  . And i haven't even touched it for the past week, campaign is still at 50%. You guys sure depress me!
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On August 18 2010 04:53 kainzero wrote:Couple of notes... + Show Spoiler +
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So, after you finish reading this wonderful article, go move all of the soda, beer, nacho cheese, pizza, cake, and Red Bull from the middle shelf, and stock that bad lad with fresh fruit (apples and tangerines are a good choice right now), veggies (baby carrots and red peppers), juice, and Swiss cheese sticks for better quality snacking and happier health overall.
"
Remember the caloric value of your snacks. Replacing 300-400 calories of chips with 10-20 calories worth of vegetables will still leave you starving. I'd throw in some nuts and beef jerky in there as well. I don't think apples or tangerines are in season, it's summer, so peaches/nectarines/plums/apricots/pluots are good. I don't know about juice either, most of them have a ton of added sugar, I'd go with water / tea / unsweetened coffee.
You are definitely right and you make a good point about the caloric replacement. There are certainly a number of different types of healthy, high calorie foods (nuts being chief among them), that can be substituted for less healthy snacks such as chips, Twinkies, etc., that you'll want to take to quell your hunger. I'm sorry that I left that out, as I was going for mostly things to keep in your refrigerator (maybe I'm weird, but I don't keep nuts there), and in terms of healthy foods that are perishable, most aren't really that calorically dense.
You are right however, and it should be remembered that you still have to eat and consume calories, but one way that you can help keep things under control throughout the day while you are sedentary (and not over-consume), is to choose healthier snacks such as fruits, veggies, nuts, or even a protein bar, thereby avoiding eating the really bad stuff (pastries, soda, etc.) on a really common basis.
Whoops! I actually got tangerines and nectarines mixed up in my mind! Sorry guys! However, I would contest that at least some types of apples are in season because I've been buying them and enjoying them for most of the summer so far =].
On August 18 2010 04:53 kainzero wrote:+ Show Spoiler +
"
-Express’ 1MX Fitted Stretch Cotton Shirt - $29.94 (sale) or $49.90 (regular) – just please don’t tuck it in if you are going to wear jeans with this classy ass shirt.
-Express’ Stretch Cotton Producer Pant - $59.90 (regular) – tuck that shirt into these bad boys, but make sure to wear a belt for goodness sake.
-Express’ Narrow Silk Tie - $39.90 (regular) – pick one that works with your shirt and doesn’t clash with the pants, and the classy-ness will be flooding off of you – trust me, this is a great look.
-Express’ Leather Belt - $39.50 (regular) – make sure this doesn’t clash with your tie and match it to your dress socks to really make the outfit pop.
-Express’ Dress Socks - match these to your belt and throw on a matching pair of dress shoes.
"
I'd be wary of picking clothes just because somebody said so. Different people have different body types and don't know what looks good on them. I have a huge neck, so a skinny tie makes my head look gigantic. It's more important to learn the "why" than to buy brands. I bought lots of designer clothing made for lanky Europeans. It doesn't fit my Asian body properly, and I spent a lot of money learning that. So yeah, learn what looks good before you just buy stuff off the rack. I've also found out that cheaping on belts / socks is worth it and no one notices. Get that stuff at Ross/Marshall's.
This is also a really good thing to keep in mind. I'll edit my original post, because you are definitely right, certain styles aren't for everyone. I think that I'll note that you need to understand your body, how you'd like to look, and what would look good on you versus what wouldn't before you break into your wallet to invest in any new styles. I've actually been there too, just in terms of buying certain "fits" (relaxed, slim, loose, etc.) that I didn't understand until I had already wasted money on clothes that just didn't look good on me.
On August 18 2010 04:53 kainzero wrote:Show nested quote +"
I understand that working is supposed to be healthy and that's fine. But how is taking protein supplements and carbohydrates healthy? I somehow doubt that it is.
Edit: I question that looking beefy is healthy. In fact I would suggest that it is possible to work out too much. It's probably better to hit the sweet spot than to be a serious body builder.
"
Whey protein is derived from milk, and taking protein in the form of liquid is the fastest delivery method for it. Carbohydrate supplement? Isn't that just sugar? If you have an intense workout you need energy. I've had friends that could not walk after intense biking and needed some carb drink or gel to actually move again. And you can't hit the "sweet spot" if you don't start. Very few people have gone too far with it.
Also, thank you for clearing this up - I don't think that I did the greatest job explaining it to him. As far as the carbohydrate supplement, I was trying to talk about a recovery formula so that you can function the next day, which is exactly what you explained despite my poor wording - thanks a lot for your comments - they were really helpful!
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On August 18 2010 05:15 Pika Chu wrote:I like your blog. I haven't managed to play 1 multiplayer game of sc2 since it came out . And i haven't even touched it for the past week, campaign is still at 50%. You guys sure depress me!
I'm sorry man! I shouldn't have been speaking in generalities like I did, but hopefully you'll find the time and/or be able to play some multiplayer soon =] It's cool that you are playing the campaign mode though - I think that you'll really enjoy it and find it to be a damn cool game - I know I did!
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I like this guide! I'd like to also add a few things that I've learned from med school and experience.
Let's say that I got a whole day off to play games all day and I want to be on my A game all day, I would expect my best games to be played right after eating something, and my performance decreases throughout the day as I get tired. I also know that right before dinner is where I do my worst because that's the longest time in my day where I have to run on a meal (lunch). If I'm serious about gaming throughout the whole day, I would eat as big a breakfast as I can manage, which is usually cereal, yogurt and 2 eggs (sometimes I don't have an appetite and it's difficult to force it down but I try) and a cup of coffee. Protein is the thing that lasts you the longest so for lunch I try to eat as much meat as I can, such as like a meatball footlong from subway or something. If I eat enough protein I should be good in the late afternoon, but sometimes right when 5:30pm rolls around I'm still mentally exhausted since I've had a whole day of gaming. I need a mental reboot, so I go on a slow jog around the city for just like 15 minutes, and I like to think of it as flushing out the metabolic byproducts that's been slowing down my gaming from a day's worth of mental activity (i don't know if it's true but I think of it like that since exercise increases blood flow dramatically). Then dinner will be full of carbs and less protein, because if I eat too much protein, I find myself with too much energy to be able to sleep, and carbs gives me faster energy than protein because between 7pm-11pm it's only 4 hrs that I need to be gaming. Then I need an hour to wind down so that I'm able to actually fall asleep so that the next day I'll be ready again to pwn some more noobs (or be pwned).
General rule of thumb that I use as an indicator of mental fatigue is that if I notice myself slipping up on macro or feeling dissatisfied or angry after a game, I know that I'm tired and either need a break, or should have strategically planned my eats better. Depending on how my mental state is, I might take a break from the games i want to play and play some customs or 2v2/3v3 where there's less pressure on myself, or even stop altogether and go on a longer workout or something. I also sometimes feel like I'm slipping up a little around 330pm but want to keep going so I grab a snack, either some carbs like cereal or bread, and some juice, never soda because I crash pretty hard like 15 min after the sugar rush. I'm still trying to do this right and sometimes fall victim to sodas and end up suffering and crashing, but being able to listen to your body and responding properly takes lots of practice but I think it's something worth paying attention to!
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A slight bump.
With regards to the yoga mat you recommended, though overall heavily positive, quite a few reviews on Amazon noted a strong industrial smell that would not go away, did you notice the same problem? Also, did the mat leave a prints at spots that you use often (e.g. footprints, backprints, etc)?
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EPT
