Diabetes – We can control diabetes, DON’T LET IT CONTROL YOU. It’s about Lifestyle and ATTITUDE.

Have you ever had a series of events fall into place, in a way, that you just know that it was not a coincidence? As I am in the final editing of The Performance Nutrition Book, I received a message from a friend of mine. His Diabetes has “gone wild” and he is suffering. He is two weeks out from having MAJOR surgery. HE IS 40. His Health is BAD. He asked for help. I want to help … That’s why I am here. He will be one of the reviewers of Performance Nutrition, and HE WILL be a success story of this book.

No one literally asked for Diabetes … right?

There are people who are predisposed for Diabetes, meaning that their genetics puts them behind the 8 ball when it comes to developing diabetes. Others HELP bring on Diabetes through their lifestyle. Their lifestyle may include eating the WRONG foods, overeating, or a lack of exercise.

Unlike Osteoporoses and like High Blood Pressure, Diabetes is not reversible BUT IT CAN BE CONTROLED … as in VIRTUALY non- existing. I say virtually non- existing meaning that it will always be there ready to show its UGLY face BUT we can put it so far in the back of the closet that it doesn’t come around.

What is Diabetes?

The short and sweet definition is: Diabetes mellitus (MEL-ih-tus), or simply, diabetes, is a condition in which high blood glucose levels result from the body's inability to produce and/or use insulin.

When we eat too much or we eat the “right” … or wrong foods, the blood sugar level “spikes”. In an effort to maintain a consistent blood sugar level, the body produces insulin to bring the blood sugar level back down. Diabetics have a problem producing this insulin or using the insulin. As a result they become weak, dizzy or past out.

Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use glucose for energy. As part of digestion, the body breaks down all of the sugars and starches into glucose, which is the basic fuel for the cells in the body. Insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells.

There are 3 types of Diabetes: Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational Diabetes.

Type 1

Also known or formally known as Juvenile Diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes is present in someone whose body does not produce insulin. It is normally diagnosed in Children and Young Adults. Only 5% of people with diabetes have this form of the disease

Type 2

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes.

In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it can cause two problems:

Right away, your cells may be starved for energy.

Over time, high blood glucose levels may hurt your eyes, kidneys, nerves or heart.

Type 2 diabetes is more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, as well as the aged population.

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes affects the mother in late pregnancy. Pregnant women who have never had diabetes before but who have high blood sugar (glucose) levels during pregnancy are said to have gestational diabetes. It is estimated that gestational diabetes affects 18% of pregnancies.

According to the American Diabetes Association, We do not know what causes gestational diabetes, but we have some clues. The placenta supports the baby as it grows. Hormones from the placenta help the baby develop. But these hormones also block the action of the mother's insulin in her body. This problem is called insulin resistance. Insulin resistance makes it hard for the mother's body to use insulin. The mother may, now, need up to three times as much insulin.

Gestational diabetes starts when the body is not able to make and use all the insulin it needs for pregnancy. Without enough insulin, glucose cannot leave the blood and be changed to energy. Glucose builds up in the blood to high levels. This is called hyperglycemia.

Any insulin produced by an overworked pancreas, does not lower the blood glucose levels. Although insulin does not normally cross the placenta, glucose and other nutrients do. Extra blood glucose goes through the placenta, giving the baby high blood glucose levels. This causes the baby's pancreas to make extra insulin to get rid of the blood glucose. Since the baby is getting more energy than it needs to grow and develop, the extra energy is stored as fat. This can lead to macrosomia, known as and unfortunately adored as "baby fat". Babies with macrosomia face health problems including:

Higher risk for breathing problems due to very low blood glucose levels at birth due to the extra insulin made by the baby's pancreas.

Babies with excess insulin become children who are at risk for obesity and adults who are at risk for type 2 diabetes.

All of us

Diabetes is a condition that affects 25.8 million children and adults in the United States. 8.3% of the population has diabetes. 18.8 million Americans have been diagnosed with Diabetes, and it is estimated that another 7.0 million people live with Diabetes but have not been diagnosed. It is also estimated that another 79 million people are on the verge of developing. If you are a parent or a school administrator trying to evaluate the importance of Physical Education and Sports in your school, or if you are someone who really wonders if we have a problem with the health of our youth, in America, try this on:  25.6 million, or 11.3% of all people in this age group have diabetes. How big of problem is Diabetes? The “suits” are concerned about the bottom line financial cost of Health Care and Treatment of Diabetes. I will include those numbers later in this article. Those numbers are what they are, and they are SKY HIGH, but here is a statistic that should hit home with everyone: In 2007, diabetes was listed as the underlying cause on 71,382 death certificates and was listed as a contributing factor on an additional 160,022 death certificates. This means that diabetes contributed to a total of 231,404 deaths.

Effects of Diabetes

Many long term health conditions develop or come along with Diabetes.

Heart Disease and Stroke

In 2004, heart disease was noted on 68% of diabetes-related death certificates among people aged 65 years or older.

In 2004, stroke was noted on 16% of diabetes-related death certificates among people aged 65 years or older.

Adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates about 2 to 4 times higher than adults without diabetes.

The risk for stroke is 2 to 4 times higher among people with diabetes.

High Blood Pressure

In 2005-2008, of adults aged 20 years or older with self-reported diabetes, 67% had blood pressure greater than or equal to 140/90 mmHg or used prescription medications for hypertension.

Blindness

Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults aged 20–74 years.

In 2005-2008, 4.2 million (28.5%) people with diabetes aged 40 years or older had diabetic retinopathy, and of these, almost 0.7 million (4.4% of those with diabetes) had advanced diabetic retinopathy that could lead to severe vision loss.

Kidney Disease

Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, accounting for 44% of new cases in 2008.

In 2008, 48,374 people with diabetes began treatment for end-stage kidney disease in the United States.

In 2008, a total of 202,290 people with end-stage kidney disease due to diabetes were living on chronic dialysis or with a kidney transplant in the United States.

Nervous System Disease (Neuropathy)

About 60% to 70% of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of nervous system damage.

Amputation

More than 60% of nontraumatic lower-limb amputations occur in people with diabetes.

In 2006, about 65,700 nontraumatic lower-limb amputations were performed in people with diabetes.

Cost of Diabetes

• $174 billion: Total costs of diagnosed diabetes in the United States in 2007
• $116 billion for direct medical costs
• $58 billion for indirect costs (disability, work loss, premature mortality)

After adjusting for population age and sex differences, average medical expenditures among people with diagnosed diabetes were 2.3 times higher than what expenditures would be in the absence of diabetes.

The American Diabetes Association estimates that factoring in the additional costs of undiagnosed diabetes, pre-diabetes, and gestational diabetes brings the total cost of diabetes in the United States in 2007 to $218 billion.

• $18 billion for people with undiagnosed diabetes
• $25 billion for American adults with pre-diabetes
• $623 million for gestational diabetes

In Conclusion

Another fitting quote (not from this situation but it sure fits) is: If you’re not preventing, you’re trying. I vote that we all make an effort to prevent Diabetes from ever entering our lives. Prevention is like “getting in shape for the season”. It’s a whole lot easier to “stay in shape”, that it is to “get in shape”.

At you next physical, ask to be tested for diabetes. Ask for the “FULL MONTY” of blood work to be done. Advise your Doctor that you want to know EVERYTHING, and you want to be HEALTHY.

Prevention is somewhat easy. Eat Right, Exercise and Accept the attitude that you WILL NOT LOOSE!!!

All information and statistics came from the American Diabetes Association.

They may not win all of the time but they DO NOT LOOSE.

Intangibles – Work Ethic, Values, Commitment, Positive nature

I am often asked why certain “Great” players did not make the jump from High School All American to Division I Star, or College Great to The Professional Ranks. I hear STUPID stuff, like “The Coach didn’t like him”, or “They play that guy over my son because he is on Scholarship”. My Reply is: “You know he’s on scholarship because he’s good”.

There are MANY athletes with LOTS of Talent. Talent is genetic. Talent is developed with work. Now there is some talent that is simply God Given. I call those athletes SPECIAL. The 4.2 forty is special. A 400 lb power clean is special. A 40+ inch vertical is special. That being said, why does that guy with the 4.2 forty, a 46 inch vertical, AND a 400 lb power clean not make it to the “Next Level”?

On the other end of the table are guys with minimal “Numbers” or talent that makes it to the next level.

The difference between good and great or making it or not is Intangibles. Intangibles are qualities that cannot be quantitively measured. Examples of these are “Heart”, “Work Ethic”, “Desire”, etc. A person has them or they do not. Intangibles can be developed, but not overnight. As a coach, decisions would be made to play an athlete over another based on intangibles. Sure the “talented” athlete COULD win IF he did what he was asked to do. On the other hand, I knew that the athlete with Intangibles would give every thing he had. I knew what I was going to get and I could game plan around that. When this happened the “talented” athlete and/or his parents were always mad, AND it was always someone else’s fault. Blame is a Negative intangible that does nothing but bring EVERYONE down. Isn’t it easier to admit fault, learn from it and move on. Easier or not it is BY FAR more respectable.

The following is from a paper that I wrote, in Graduate School about Intangibles:

I believe that it is simple human spirit to be competitive. People have always wanted to do better than the last guy. Today, if you find a group of athletes, men, women or any group of competitive people you will hear: “I can ______ better / further / faster / more than you can. They may be talking about physical contest or even producing more “widgets” in a day. Humans are competitive. They are always looking for a completive edge.

When it comes to human performance (in athletics, or ANYTHING), There is no replacement for genetics. BUT the old saying goes: Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. We can overcome any shortcoming with Smart and Hard work. Smart and Hard work refer to the “Intangibles”. Coaches look for Intangibles, and Employers also look for Intangibles.  In looking for these Intangibles, a coach or employer may ask:

Does a person work hard?

Are they competitive?

Will they NOT quit when it gets tough?

Do they naturally compete?

Do they like and live for a challenge?

Does loosing hurt?

Do they simply just bear down and find a way get things done?

These Intangibles are what separate “Those People” from the everyone else, in a good way. They are successful; there is just something about them. They have a charisma. There is something about them that makes you want them on your team. They may not win all of the time but they DO NOT LOOSE.

I am HUGE on intangibles. I think that they have gotten me where I am today. I am not and have not been the most talented person, but I have goals, I make a plan, I follow and adjust the plan as needed and I reach my goals. Nothing stops me. I have realized that not everyone is like this and I make Intangibles my tool to separate me and my teams in a way that makes us different from the others.

Winning and losing are tangible. Our paycheck is tangible. We have to have a measuring stick to know if we are successful, that is our competitiveness. We have to know if we won or lost. These are goals. Goals are very tangible and Goals are very important. While goals are tangible, the intangibles are very important in reaching our goals. I mentioned the little things adding up to the big picture. Without little intangibles, we would never reach our big goals.

A brief list of Intangibles include: “Heart”, Care, “Want To”, Desire, “Stick-to-itiveness”, “Guts”, Fight, and Drive. I said it earlier in this post, but a person has them or they do not have them. One cannot hide it. In fact it is more evident when a person tries to “fake” it. Bottom line is that intangibles reflect a person’s character, and their motivation. This is true in athletics and in the “real world”. Show me a person who lacks the intangibles to be successful, and I will show you a person who is either a person of no or low character, OR a person who is doing something for the wrong reasons … that person is not successful in the long run.

Sleep Deprivation

Sleep … Isn’t it NICE?

There are people who enjoy a great night’s sleep each night. They wake up refreshed and ready to go. THE REST OF US sleep here and there, don’t sleep at all this night while sleeping half the night on others nights. Then there are others that “sleep” while really not getting any “good” sleep. Then there are others that sleep a few hours a night and toss, turn and “think” the rest of the night.

We all probably fall into one or a few of these categories. Unless you are in the category that sleeps all night and wake up refreshed and ready to go, you are taking years off your life each year. The lake of sleep affects your health more than feeling tired.

How many hours of sleep do you need?

Average Sleep Needs
Age	Hours
Newborns                             (0-2 months)	12 - 18
Infants                                   (3 months to 1 year)	14 - 15
Toddlers                                (1 to 3 years)	12 - 14
Preschoolers                        (3 to 5 years)	11 - 13
School-aged children          (5 to 12 years)	10 - 11
Teens and preteens            (12 to 18 years)	8.5 - 10
Adults                                    (18+)	7.5 - 9

Chart Taken from HELPGUIDE.ORG

Definition

A basic definition of enough sleep is getting enough sleep that you wake up feeling alert, refreshed, and ready for the day. The amount of sleep required is different for everyone depending on age, genetics, and physiological factors.

Sleep Deprivation is referred to, in many research studies as interrupted sleep. Interrupted sleep is sleep that does not complete normal sleep cycles.

To better explain this, I will explain sleep cycles.

There are 2 stages of sleep. They are REM and Non-REM.

The Non- REM sleep has four stages; each is a deeper level of sleep than the previous stage. REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep is our “Dream Sleep”. In the deepest stage of sleep, our brain activity is very low and the body’s organs and muscles are in a restorative stage. Non REM sleep, we fall into REM sleep. Here the body is “paralyzed” while our brain is working.

The Sleep Cycle last approximately 90 minutes and we repeat this cycle 4 – 6 times over the course of the night. If all goes well, we wake up refreshed and ready for the day … no matter what it may bring.

Problem comes when a cycle is “broken” or interrupted. All stages of sleep have a function and are important. When the cycle is interrupted, we have to start over from the beginning.

Contributors to interrupted sleep are:

Swing Shifts or Night Shifts - Working different shifts or “odd Hours” throws our bodies a huge curve ball. Swing shifts are the most difficult. You can never really develop a routine that your Circadian Clock can ever really set its self to. Night shifts would not be bad … IF the rest of the world were on it with you. The problem here is coming home to a family that is up while you are sleeping. This also welcomes more outside factors to interrupt your sleep cycle.

Having to wake up during the night by noises, babies, spouses, neighbors, or outer outside factors.

Tobacco and Alcohol – Many believe that these products “relax” them. They do the opposite. Both cause disruptions in the sleep cycle. Think of a car running on some outside source and when that is gone, the car kicks back into running on “normal” gasoline. Tobacco and alcohol are drugs. When the “wear off” your body “kicks” back to reality. Here the body basically has to start the sleep cycle over.

EFFECT

When you do not get your sleep at night, it adds up. Sleep Deprivation means your body is not getting the sleep that we NEED.

Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation include: shallow sleep, awaking early, difficulty falling asleep, and fatigue.

The effects of Sleep Deprivation may seem minor at first. These effects add up and can QUICKY “snowball”. The results of Sleep Deprivation include:

Fatigue, lethargy, and lack of motivation

Mood swings and irritability

Reduced creativity and problem-solving skills

Inability to cope with stress

Reduced immunity; frequent colds and infections

Concentration and memory problems

Weight gain

Impaired motor skills and increased risk of accidents

Difficulty making decisions

Studies have shown that these effects add up and can lead to swings in hormone levels or worse, to include: Increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems

SO NOW, We know that we are not getting enough sleep. And NOW we may understand why. BUT WHAT DO WE DO NOW.

According to studies, we can “make up sleep”. Many studies advise that getting an extra hour or two of sleep on the weekend will not fix the problem. It is suggested that we try to spread the
extra sleep over the week, in the form of an extra half hour each night. This allows for gradual changes in our routine. Speaking of change in our routine, Like in our diet and exercise plans, Changes in our routine may be a huge contributor to getting enough sleep.

Here are a few suggestions:

Keep a consistent bed time … even on the weekends. Designate a time to go to bed and a time to get out of bed. Keep that time a designate SLEEP TIME.

No food or drink other than water 2 – 3 hour prior to bed time

No Caffeine after noon. No reason behind this on other than it allows plenty of time for caffeine to get out of your system before bed time

Do not exercise 2 hours prior to bed time. Exercise elevates heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature. It takes time for these to return to “normal”. The 2 hours AND a nice relaxing bath or shower would help. IF prior to bed is the only time that you can get your exercise, DO IT. Just make it your routine and adjust your schedule accordingly. Allow time to “recover and take time to get that relaxing bath or shower. IT HELPS!

Keep your Bedroom reserved for sleep and sex. Your body and brain get into routines. If you watch TV in bed, Light stimulates the brain and prevents relaxation. If you read “to relax” that is fine, but allow for that in your schedule and keep 7 – 8 hours reserved for sleep.

Keep bedroom cool, and dark. Heat and light stimulate the brain.

These are simple and easy fixes to simple problems. If you have tried these suggestions, and still feel tired or feel the “something is just not right”, PLEASE, ask your doctor about this during your annual physical or check-up, or make an appointment with a sleep expert. Your Health Insurance plans may pay for this as preventative cost (ask your benefits administrator about it). It will help and MAY JUST SAVE YOUR LIFE!!

With a twist of Lime

I love lemon in my tea, but for an awesome change of pace, I love to use lime. To me, Lime is very refreshing in a cool drink, during these hot days. While I was enjoying the taste, I didn’t realize the great benefits of Limes.

Aside from being in the citrus family and bringing all of the benefits of those citrus guys, Limes are high in fiber. That being said Lime are great in preventing constipation, reducing cholesterol in the blood, and slowing the absorption of sugar (this alone sold me in adding it to my Tea)

Limes are high in Vitamin K, which is one of the four Fat Soluble Vitamins. Vitamin K helps with age relate osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease. Limes also contain Folate which is a Water Soluble Vitamin. Folate is huge in the role in the formation of red blood cells. Copper is also found in Limes. Copper is an antioxidant that helps protect cells and tissues from cancer.  

Between the Folate and Copper in Limes, I would say that Limes are a fantastic addition to the diet in cancer prevention and cancer patients.

Nutritional Value of Limes

Serving Size:           1 fl oz (3g)                           1 Lime

Calories:                 8                                          11          

Carbohydrates:       3g                                        4g

                Sugar:     1g                                        1g

Vitamin C               15% DRV                              22% DRV                             

Calcium                                                                                     1%

I say Tomato, You say Tomato … Mater

The more research that is done, the more that the tomato stands alone as the healthiest and the most beneficial fruit on the planet. Tomatoes get the red color from the vital Anti-oxidant Lycopene. Research has show Lycopene to be very helpful in fighting against cancerous cell formation. Research is also showing Tomatoes to be helpful against the high cholesterol battle.

Tomatoes are a great source of Vitamin C (What isn’t right?), Vitamin A and Iron. Tomatoes are somewhat unique in that they do not lose nutritional value with the heat of being cooked, like most all other foods. This makes tomatoes very useful by canning them, and making sauces, so they may be consumed year round. As always be weary of processed foods, so I am referring to canning them at home, like Grandma used to.

Nutritional Value of Tomatoes

Serving Size:       1 Cup of Cherry Tomatoes 149g                 1 Large Whole Tomato (3” diameter) 182g

Calories:               27                                                                           33

Carbohydrates:     6g                                                                           7g

                Fiber:    2g                                                                           2g          

                Sugar:   4g                                                                           5g

Protein:                 1g                                                                           2g

Fat:                        0g                                                                           0g

Tomatoes may also be one of the most versatile foods. It can be eaten raw, cooked as a base for a stew, or sauce, or sliced into a salad, on a sandwich (I know that the nutritional classification of a hamburger goes to “Healthy” just by adding a slice or two of tomato on it). I remember my mom and dad eating tomato sandwiches and my granny eating canned tomatoes over rice. I love the tomato salads with Cherry Tomatoes, olive oil, Real Mozzarella, and pepper. MAN that’s good on a hot summer day. 

Little Slaw with that?

Health Benefits of Cabbage

In the South, Cabbage is known as Cole Slaw. Cabbage … or Cole Slaw is usually eaten with Fried Fish, BBQ, or on a Hot Dog. In the Eastern World, Cabbage is a main stay in the everyday diet. We are told by many that including Green Leafy Vegetables in our daily diet is very important. Green Leaf Vegetables are PACKED with vitamins and minerals, and are a GREAT source of Carbohydrates.

Two great tidbits of information:

1. Cabbage is a Green Leaf Vegetable.

2. Over the past few years I have discovered MANY delicious forms of Cole Slaw that do not involve Mayonnaise. In fact, a friend of mine makes a slaw that is so simple but fantastic. It is Cabbage, Red Onion, Pepper and Vinegar.

The initial obvious benefit that cabbage brings to the table is that Cabbage is a Leafy Vegetable, hence being a great roughage and source of Fiber.  The most interesting Nutritional Fact about cabbage is that it contains more Vitamin C than the Oranges, the fruit that is given as THE source of Vitamin C. Vitamin C being a GREAT Anti Oxidant makes Cabbage a great food for strengthening the immune system. Cabbage is also a great source of Potassium. That with its Vitamin C content makes Cabbage a GREAT recovery food.

Cabbage’s iodine content makes it a good source of food for proper brain and nervous system function. The Vitamin K and E content of Cabbage is also great for skin, hair and eye health.

Earlier, I mentioned the very basic and simple Slaw recipe of Cabbage, Red Onion, Black Pepper and Vinegar. Other uses would be adding Cabbage to a Salad of Mixed greens, Try Cabbage on a sandwich, in place of lettuce, for a very nice “change of pace”.

Nutritional Value of Cabbage

Serving Size:          1 Cup

Calories:               22

Carbohydrates:     5g

                Fiber:    2g

                Sugar:   3g

Protien:                 1g

Fat:                        0g

If you like pina coladas …

If you like pina coladas, you’re in luck. Last week, I had asked everyone to name some foods that you are interested in learning more about. I had a great response, therefore lots to cover in the coming weeks. One food that I received a request for was coconut oil. I thought that was interesting as is, but they wanted to know more about hearing that it aided in weight loss.

Here’s what I found:

I was pleasantly surprised at the many benefits that coconut oil brought to the table. Coconut oil aids in the health and adds benefit to: hair and skin care, stress relief, maintaining cholesterol levels, increased immunity, proper digestion and metabolism, relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV, cancer, dental care, and bone strength, and YES, weight loss. Who knew right?

Coconut Oil is approximately 90% Saturated fat BUT REMEMBER our body NEEDS FAT. We need fat for Fat Soluble Vitamin digestion, Organ protection, Temperature regulation but most importantly, we need fat for Brain Function. The 90% Saturated fat was where I thought that it was interesting that someone had ask about coconut oil aiding in weight loss. Turns out that Coconut oil is quite useful in weight loss. The Fatty acids in Coconut Oil increase the body’s metabolism by relieving stress on the pancreas. Coconut oil has few calories, per serving than other oils, and is digested more easily, therefore it’s quickly used for energy and therefore less is fat stored.

A 1 tsp serving contains:

39 Calories

5g of Fat (4g Saturated Fat)

0 Carbohydrates

0 Protein

All being said; If you think about it, have you ever seen an obese person on a tropical island, that wasn’t a tourist? Could have more to do with fresh fish and fruits being a major part of their diets BUT hey if one wants to enjoy a pina colada or two with some grilled fish with mango salsa, I say have at it.

No Carb Diet? … You can’t run a car off of Antifreeze, it needs GAS … No Carbs = No Fuel

No Carb Diet? … You can’t run a car off of Antifreeze, it needs GAS … No Carbs = No Fuel

For a few years now Carbohydrates have gotten bad rap. People have all of a sudden replaced Fat with Carbohydrate as the nutrient to avoid. Here’s a news flash, both Fat and Carbohydrates are nutrients that your body MUST have.

I am amazed at the number of questions I get about “No Carb” diets, and “Low Carb” Diets. Then I am appalled by the number of Athletes who ask about these “Diets”. My answer to them all is you can’t run a race car on Antifreeze. Cars run off of Gas. Carbohydrates are our body’s “gas”. Carbohydrates are the fuel that our bodies need.

The key, just like any food, is using the right type of carbohydrate and the right amount. Carbohydrates come in 3 forms. There are Sugars, Fiber, and Starches. Our bodies attempt to break these down into sugar to be used in the Blood Stream … Blood Sugar. When the Sugar enters our blood, our bodies release insulin to tell our body to use the sugar for energy or store it for later. At the same time our body releases Glucagon to begin releasing stored sugar. This process helps maintain our sugar levels.

The rate in which these Carbohydrates are broken down or digested and get into our blood system is given a number value by the Glycemic Index. The higher the number the more quickly the carbohydrate is converted to sugar. The quicker this happens the faster ones blood sugar rises. The higher the blood sugar level raises the more insulin is released.  A food is considered High Glycemic Index with a number of 70 or higher. Examples of these foods are White Bread, Fried Potatoes, and refined and processed foods. A food is considered a Low Glycemic Index food with an assign Glycemic Index value of 55 or lower. Examples of these foods are high Fiber Fruits and Vegetables, Bran Cereals and Beans. These foods allow a slower digestion and a slower rate of insulin release, making it a more optimal food choice.

SO the message here is there is no such thing as an evil Carbohydrate. Some carbohydrates are simply better choices than others. Take a look at information on the Glycemic index. Get an idea of what is good and what is better. “Carbs” are good. “Carbs” are REQUIRED by our bodies. A good rule of thumb for choosing Carbohydrate, and ANY food, is to look at how it is prepared.

Process = bad.  / Fresh = good.

Fried = Bad / Grilled or Broiled = Good

Processed or White Wheat = Bad / Whole grain = good.

Fructose = Good / Sucrose = Bad

“When you don’t have the best of everything, make the best of what you have”.

“When you don’t have the best of everything, make the best of what you have”.

Many Folks in the State of Georgia could tell me who said this. Many of those could probably tell me the date in which Coach Erk Russell stated that when you don’t have the best of everything, well, you just have to make the best of what you have”. Coach Russell was responding to a question of how he had managed to build a Championship Football program from nothing with a shoe string budget, and WIN multiple NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS.

Georgia Southern still holds many “reminders” of those days. These days Georgia Southern Football can afford nice uniforms, but they choose to “dance with who brought ‘em”. They still wear a very basic uniform. This reminds them of where the program came from and that you don’t need fancy uniforms to be champions

This thought reminds me of the young men that I worked with at The Citadel and at VMI. These Cadets had no Air Conditioning, and no phones. Their schedule was full from 5:00AM until they finally went to sleep, sometime after midnight, when their studying was done. Both groups of men earned the best education in their respected states.

I once heard a coach tell a recruit: “you don’t come here for the next 4 years of your life; you come here for AFTER the next 4 years of your life”.  Think about it. Have you ever seen a Graduate of The Citadel or of VMI that was not a success? These men … and women (now) look past the luxuries of a social life on Thursday nights, wearing clothes of their choice in 100 degree heat. They do not focus on what they do not have. Their focus is on their mission or on their goal. They think WIN. WIN is what Coach Lou Holtz says stands for What’s Important Now. They have a short term or NOW goal, which is their mission. All of their short term goals lead them to their long term goal, of successful lives, leaders of their communities, great fathers, and great husbands. They carry this in to life. This IS why many do not graduate without a job waiting on them.

These qualities are not limited to graduates of these two schools, BUT you will be hard pressed to find a graduate of these schools that do not have these qualities.

The message here is to focus on your goal. DO NOT give a moment thought as to way you cannot do something. Focus on how you can. MAKE IT HAPPEN. WIN ANYWAY. Decide what it is that you want. Make a plan and then GO GET IT.

If your goal involves fitness, you do not need a fancy health club. You just need to get off the sofa and get outside. MOVE! Go for a walk. Cut the grass. Heck, go meet your neighbors (there is not enough of that anymore). If you have no training equipment; body weight exercises are fantastic. Do something other than sit wishing. All the planning in the world only goes so far. The key is ACTION.

Stop think about why not and do it!!! … NOW!!!

Get to / Got to

When you wake up in the morning, is your first thought that you get to go to work, or is it that you “got” to go to work. For MANY years now, I have been up between 4 and 5 each morning thinking “man I want to get to work. It’s going to be a GREAT day”. I get to go to work. On the other hand I hear people complain on Sunday night, or they complain even worse on Monday morning about how work stinks, they don’t want to go to work.

I’m a free spirit when it comes to this. Hell, if you hate it that much, this is America, FIND ANOTHER JOB!!! Yeah yeah, I do know that we are still in tough economic times blah blah blah. I’m not saying walk in your bosses’ office first thing tomorrow morning and quite. I am saying BE ABOUT SOMETHING. Stop complaining, make a plan and act on it. Not to long ago, I loved the work I did, but hate the philosophy of those that I was working for. I made a plan. I put the plan in motion and I walked away.

It’s about being in the right place for the right reasons. I loved being a College Strength Coach. I loved being a High School Strength Coach. I loved both because I loved working with the people that I worked with, in the environment in which we were working. We (meaning the Student-Athletes, the coaches and the administration) had a common philosophy, common goals and we were all in it for the same reasons. Some of the schools that I worked were not the right places for me. The situation was not right for me or I was not right for that school. At the job that I referred to earlier, my bosses and I had COMPLETELY different philosophies on what was going on. It was time for me to leave. I was happier the day I left that place than I was when I accepted the job. I say all of that to say this: You have to be YOU, to be completely happy.

What puts you in a “Get To” mode?

Your answers to the follow questions will guide you to find your right place or your right situation that will allow you to “Get To”.

What is your mission statement?

EVERYONE needs a mission statement. Your mission statement will answer: What are you all about? Why do you do what you do? What are you trying to accomplish each day?

What is your Philosophy?

Your Philosophy is what you rely on when things get tough. Your Philosophy is statement of the beliefs, the values, the “rules” or the motivation that guides you to do what you do? Why do you do what you do? Why are you trying to accomplish what you do? What does it take for you to accomplish you mission, and do it the right way?

What are your Goals?

Where are you going? If you don’t know where you are going, how will you know when you get there? More importantly how will you know HOW to get there? Goals are the single most important guide in your life, BUT your goals are based on what you do, why you do it and where you are trying to go or what you want out of what you do.

Take some time, sit down and develop your own Mission Statement, your own Philosophy and a few Goals. Then ask yourself, am I in the right place. What is or Where is the right place for me. If you are not in the right place or in the right situation, then form Goals to get there.

Remember when you were young and you could be ANYTHING that you wanted to be? What did you say then? What changed? Get back there. BE WHO YOU WANT TO BE … Be who you are!

Stop having to things that you have to do, and start getting to something that you love. It starts with you knowing where you are, where you want to go, and forming a plan of how to get there.