Opportunity

“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.’ Alexander Graham Bell

Here is a book about Alexander Graham Bell:

Perspective

“The beauty of life is just as real as the ugliness of life. It all depends on which one you choose to see.”
― Daniel Chidiac, The Who Says You Can’t? YOU DO

Shine a Light Donation Drive

It's that time of year again! The Christmas season. It's also time for my wife's annual donation drive. As many of you know, she is a self-funded missionary. Imagine having to try to raise you salary for your job yourself! That's where our generosity comes in.

This year, Geno Atkins of the Cincinnati Bengals has joined Kim's support group. Thank you Geno for your generosity!

If you'd like to give, please click the NAMB link in Geno's post:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Day 2 in the books. More deserving families and incredible stories. It has been inspiring to hear how people push through and rely on their faith through hard times. <a href="https://twitter.com/ChassisForMen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChassisForMen</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtkinsWeekOfGiving?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AtkinsWeekOfGiving</a> <a href="https://t.co/GcncJqQOrK">https://t.co/GcncJqQOrK</a><a href="https://t.co/eqeXbxUm77">https://t.co/eqeXbxUm77</a> <a href="https://t.co/oAERfOcj6S">pic.twitter.com/oAERfOcj6S</a></p>&mdash; Geno Atkins (@GenoSacks) <a href="https://twitter.com/GenoSacks/status/1072657303176994816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

How to Configure Your iPhone to Work for You, Not Against You

Are you interested in increasing your productivity, focus, and your own longevity? This article is for you:

https://betterhumans.coach.me/how-to-set-up-your-iphone-for-productivity-focus-and-your-own-longevity-bb27a68cc3d8

Peace

The more peaceful I am inside, the more peace I have to share with others.

Here is a great book called I Am Peace:

Perfection

I forgive myself for not being perfect.

Beliefs

Almost every successful person begins with two beliefs: the future can be better than the present, and I have the power to make it so.

-David Brooks

Wisdom

There are essentially two things that will make you wise -- the books you read and the people you meet.

-Jack Canfield

Comfort

Most everything that you want is just outside your comfort zone.

-Jack Canfield

Effort

Don't worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don't even try.

-Jack Canfield

Nutrition

Everything you eat either fights disease or feeds it. You choose!

Moving On

If you had $86,400 in your bank account and someone stole $10 from you, would you be upset and throw all of the $88,390 away in the hopes of getting back at the person that took your $10? Or would you move on and live?

It seems obvious, right? It even seems like a silly question.

But, we have 86,400 seconds in every day. Don't let someone's negative 10 seconds ruin the rest of the 86,390. Move on. Don't let other peoples negativity ruin your day!

Go Do It!

Make sure you don't forget why you started.

Don't spend your entire life building a ship without ever tasting the salt of the ocean.

Be an example

Be a good example in life. You never know who is watching!

StrongLifts 5x5

Looking to get stronger and want a simple program? Try StrongLifts 5x5! I've been using it since around the start of the year and love it!

https://stronglifts.com/5x5/

Fear

The biggest reason you're not where you want to be is fear. The next biggest is lack of focus. Both are states of mind that drain your power.

-RXMindset on Instagram

Growth

'Growth is painful. Change is painful. But, nothing is as painful as staying stuck where you do not belong.' N. R. Narayana Murthy

Maybe you aren't where you want to be right now. Maybe you aren't lifting as much weight as you want in the gym. Maybe you aren't making the grades you want in school. Maybe some other area of your life is lacking.

It's going to take hard work to fix those things.

But, IF you don't put in the hard work, you'll be in a similar spot in the future. And guess what? It's going to take the same hard work to fix the situation then...

So why not start now? Take steps to achieve whatever goals you want right now!

Planning

If your plan doesn't work...change the plan...but never the goal.

Action

Never tell anyone your plans. Instead show them your results. Talk is cheap.

531 Weight Training Program

Looking to add muscle and size? You are better off going with a tried and true program that was designed by a professional than just going in the gym and randomly doing lifts. A training program is your fastest way to progress.

Once such program is the 531 program. It is a great way to build pure strength:

https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/531-how-to-build-pure-strength

The Greatest Risk in Life

When doing your risk analysis, how do you evaluate the risk of doing nothing?
-
The greatest risk we take in life is playing it safe. Never starting. Never taking the leap, purely due to the fear of failure. The fear that it might not work out. That we might be embarrassed, disappointed, let down… to ourselves or others.
-
But as we think through those things, what is the bigger risk? Those fears? Or never trying? Jump, and build our wings on the way down.

-comptrain.co Instagram

Pursuit of Excellence

The disciplined pursuit of excellence creates happiness in itself. Discipline is happiness. You don‘t need the results or the finish line to justify the path. 

-comptrain.co Instagram

Learning from Defeat

Sometimes victory lays itself at our feet. And sometimes it is simply unimpressed, leaving us to pick up the pieces of our egos and to make sense of the mess. These moments will come to define us. There are lessons to be learned here, if we are willing to study the textbook victory’s absence is writing. Be careful not to skip past this chapter just because it is difficult to read. Because this will be the only thing on the test.

from Comptrain.co Instagram

Success

Accept that you control only the effort that goes in and not the results that come out. Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming. Focus on your end of the equation. External rewards are just extra.

From Comptrain.co Instagram

What to Do About Your Weaknesses || Chasing Excellence with Ben Bergeron || Ep#043

Being Grateful

From Working Against Gravity:

It’s not enough to just say how grateful you are for someone or something. If you are truly grateful, express it through your actions.
*
If you are grateful for your mom, then spend time with her even when YOU might not want to. Really engage with her on her time.
*
If you are grateful for your job, then show up early and go above and beyond every single day. Strive to make the team better.
*
If you are grateful for your body, then start or continue to exercise, eat and sleep well.
*
If you are grateful for your mind, then keep reading, playing and learning.
*
Hopefully, mom never gives up on us, but we can certainly lose our job, healthy body, and healthy mind. By actively expressing gratitude we are essentially working to KEEP the things we love. How often do we take those things for granted, always wanting something more? I sure do.

Obstacles

Here is a profound thought from comptrain.co:

We’re never going to reach a place where we sit back with our hands behind our head, completely content with who we are as athletes and people. One does not overcome an obstacle to enter the land of no obstacles. No matter how much we improve, there will always be room to grow. There will always be more obstacles, bigger challenges. Excitement comes from achievement. Fulfillment comes from the journey that got you there.

Growth

You are an adaptation machine. Your job is to place yourself under stress and then force yourself to grow.

-Comptrain.com on Instagram

You're going to find what you're looking for

You're going to find what you're looking for. If you're looking for the upside, the happy, the good, you find it. If you're looking for the bad, the shortcomings, the negatives, you find it.

-Conptrain.co on Instagram

Negativity

Just because your mind tells you that something is awful or evil or unplanned or otherwise negative doesn't mean you have to agree. Just because other people say that something is hopeless or crazy or broken to pieces doesn't mean it is. We decide what story to tell ourselves.

comptrain.co on Instagram

Dream Big - Work Hard!

Don't believe the myths. Greatness isn't sexy. It's dirty, hard work, usually required to be done in the dark, when no one is watching, while your dreams are so far away they feel like fairytales.
-
- Dream big.
- Start small.
- Be ridiculously faithful.
- Focus on what you can control.
From Comptrain.co. Check out comptrain.co's new short podcasts for more motivation!

CompTrain Radio

CompTrain Radio—a shot of adrenaline straight into your mindset. Designed to be listened to as you warm-up for the day's training, episodes are short, provoking, and uploaded frequently.
-
Episode 003, "The Choice," is available wherever you get your podcasts.

Growth

The fastest way to get in the way of your own potential is to view everything as a test. If you look at something as a test, then you will focus only on passing the test instead of maximizing your growth through the experience.
-
The secret is to understand that nothing is a test, but only an opportunity to learn and grow. Over time, the person who is simply focused on maximizing what they can learn and how they can grow will become much greater than the person who sees life as one continual test to prove themselves.
_
From Comptrain.co. I highly recommend that you check this site out!

Obstacles

Will there be obstacles in live? Yes.

Will there be people who try to hold you back? Yes.

Will there be circumstances that create challenges beyond your control? Yes.

Will it be lonely at times? Yes.

Choosing to believe that anything that happens is in your best interest will turn all of the challenges and circumstances into a refinery that will shape your character and skills.

From comptrain.co Instagram

1RM Calculator

Ever wonder how to calculate your 1 rep max? This program shows you how to do it:

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/other7.htm

The Westside Method

The Westside Method is a great program to use to get very strong and powerful. You basically lift 4 days a week. 2 max-effort days and 2 dynamic effort days where you do a lift for speed and sometimes use bands and other tools. On max effort days, you go for PR's be it 1 rep max, 3 rep max, etc. of your main left. You also do a bunch of accessory exercises to bring up weak points. Squats, Deadlifts, and Bench Presses are at the core of what you will train.

It was developed by Westside Barbell in Columbus, Ohio. If you are looking for World Record Holders for Powerlifting contests...chances are they train in that gym:

https://www.westside-barbell.com/

Here are some resources to learn more about it:

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/the-westside-method-get-legit-strong-and-jacked-as-hell.html

https://www.syattfitness.com/westside-barbell/the-westside-barbell-conjugate-method-a-users-guide/

Seeking Knowledge

When I was a kid seeking out guidance on getting strong and muscular in the 1990's...before the Internet was prevalent in homes, I would pickup Muscle and Fitness magazines and read about the routines of bodybuilders and athletes. Little did I know that many of these models used steroids and did routines that wouldn't work for me. The routines would rely heavily on isolation exercises and typically didn't do deadlifts and squats which I later learned are essential to overall power and strength.

Then the Internet came along and there was more knowledge. But, looking back, that knowledge and the amount of articles are primitive compared to what's out there now.

We are in a golden age of information now and the prevalence is only going to increase. There is no longer an excuse to stay ignorant and uninformed about training.

They say that knowledge is power. You've never had more power than you do right now. Go get it!

Rogue Fitness

For some great, American-made fitness products, please check out Rogue Fitness!

6 Paleo Friendly Brands

Looking for good Paleo-friendly brands? Check out the following link:

Paleo-friendly Brands

Paleo vs Keto Diet Comparison

Confused about what Paleo and Keto Diets are? This link has a convenient comparison.

https://robbwolf.com/paleo-vs-keto/

Two Months to a Beach-Ready Body

https://thepaleodiet.com/two-months-beach-ready-body/

A Beginners Guide to Natural Movement Fitness

5 Beginner-Friendly Movement Workouts
And A Complete 4-Week Program.
Plus, Tips & Resources for Beginners
to Natural Movement Fitness

https://www.movnat.com/beginners-guide-movnat/

Do it!

“There comes a certain point in life when you have to stop blaming other people for how you feel or the misfortunes in your life. You can’t go through life obsessing about what might have been.”

- Hugh Jackman, actor and member of the 1000-pound deadlift club

How to Clean your Vegetables?

Learn how to properly clean your vegetables:

https://thedolcediet.com/how-to-quickly-clean-your-dirty-veggies

Diet is Key

“Exercise is important, but diet is critical.”
― Robb Wolf, The Paleo Solution: The Original Human Diet

Self-Control

“If you can control what you eat, you can control all other aspects in you life.”
― Mike Dolce

Diet

“Just like you have taken control of your life you must now take control of your kitchen. It is YOUR kitchen after-all and in MY kitchen, I make the rules. There are no unhealthy ingredients allowed to be brought into my home. If my family and I do feel like we deserve to get some ice cream or enjoy a pizza, we get in the car and make a day of it. My house, just like my body, is my temple.”
― Mike Dolce, The Dolce Diet: Living Lean   

Eat Real Food

3 Easy Muscle Building Recipes

3 Easy Muscle Building Recipes

Building muscle should be a fun process. And that includes what you put in your mouth. Try out these fun recipes that will not only satisfy your pallet, but also your recovering body. Remember, the better we recover and fuel, the better the results!

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Big Boy (or Girl) Scramble

• 6 egg whites (ladies reduce to 4 egg whites)
• 2-3 thick asparagus spears, sliced
• ½ cup cooked brown rice and quinoa mix (1/4 cup for ladies)
• 1 sweet mini red bell pepper, sliced
• Garlic, pepper and pinch of sea salt
• ½ pink grapefruit
• 1 scoop of The Dolce Whey protein isolate

Directions
1. Set oven to 405 degrees F.
2. Lightly coat a cast iron skillet with coconut oil.
3. Add cooked brown rice and quinoa to the skillet.
4. Pour in egg whites, and then add asparagus strips and bell pepper slices.
5. Bake for 15-18 minutes (or until eggs are cooked).

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Post-Workout Banana Split

Pictured above
• 1 medium banana
• ¾ cup non-fat Greek yogurt
• ½ scoop The Dolce Whey protein isolate
• 1 strawberry, chopped
• ¼ cup blueberries
• 1 tbsp. granola
• 1 tbsp. dark chocolate chips

Directions
1. Slice banana in half lengthwise and lay both sides on a plate.
2. Mix together protein and Greek yogurt, and spoon on top of the bananas.
3. Top bananas and protein mixture with berries, granola, and chocolate chips.

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Eggs in a (Pepper) Frame

• 2 whole eggs
• 6 egg whites
• 1 cup raw spinach
• ¼ cup brown rice
• ½ bell pepper (any color)
• Pico de gallo (optional)

Directions
1. Cook egg whites and brown rice separately.
2. Mix together and add spinach.
3. Cook until spinach is wilted. Set aside.
4. Cut bell peppers to create 2 thick rings.
5. Lightly coat another skillet with coconut oil and set on medium heat.
6. Place bell peppers rings in the skillet and crack the eggs inside the bell pepper.
7. Cook egg completely.
8. Place cooked pepper rings and egg/brown rice mixture on a plate. Top with pico de gallo if desired.

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

https://thedolcediet.com/3-easy-muscle-building-recipes