I had a brief stint as a weed dealer in my twenties. I can remember when I got the weed, I didn’t even know how to bag it. I was the “greenest” drug dealer there was and if it wasn’t for my friend showing me how to bag it to sell, I still wouldn’t know how it was done. I can still hear him laughing as we made dime bags by taking ziplock sandwich bags and burning the top of them so they would seal in the weed. I opened shop  soon after and  word got out. The money was coming way too fast! I was able to fund a  nice little trip to Atlanta from the quick cash I made. I learned two things from my experience:

1.Never let people know where you live. Meet them somewhere for the drop — I got knocks at my door from all kinds of strange people I never really knew or cared to know

2. Fast Money is addictive – I truly understand why people become corrupt.

As a dealer, you’re able to justify your actions by making money even if it’s at the expense of someone else’s well being. That’s exactly how I did it but reality smacked me in the face and I realized the fast money is just that and sooner rather than later it will come back to bite you in the ass. I spent all of two weeks in the drug game and knew it just wasn’t for me because I’m not built for jail. Besides, I’d rather make a slow nickel than a fast dime any day and keep my freedom. My decision to get out of the game was a wise one as one of my best friends was eventually killed years later because of his obsession for fast money and shiny objects. What on earth does any of this have to do with personal trainers?

Since leaving my job in January to start my bootcamp for women, I’ve been traveling the networking circuit. You have to get to know people to build your business, right? I’ve been doing that and making some great connections. I get to meet tons of interesting people…what could be better than that? Yeah its a good gig but there are some drawbacks.

Aspartame Dangers

When I am attending networking meetings, I get approached by multi level marketers who look at me as their cash cow and ticket to the promised land. They figure because I have a bootcamp that would be the perfect outlet for me to distribute their product and in turn make a little money for myself. That’s all well and good but at who’s expense? My kitchen counter is littered with subpar products from all kinds of supplement companies claiming they’re natural. I recently thought I found a great company to promote but when I checked the back and saw the ingredients it contained Sucralose. Sucralose, if you don’t know, is how the scientific community dresses up Aspartame. They figure if they make the name sound familiar like sucrose than they can pull the wool over consumer’s eyes and for the most part they do! Few, if any, question these ingredients because they figure if it is approved to be out on a shelf it’s safe… not necessarily so! Food companies are in business to make cold hard cash and they care little about what’s healthy for you. If you become conscious enough to take a look at your favorite meal replacement, creatine, or health drink it probably contains sucralose. These aspartame dangers are real and can prove to be toxic to the body but the food companies keep telling you they’re safe and your local Pimp ahhh personal trainer is out there slingin’ it to you. It ain’t much difference between her or him and the food companies… they’re both selling a drugs for a profit.

Sucralose Side Effects

I had a lovely experience some months ago with a multi level marketer (MLM). I was taken in by some vitamins which I thought were good and up to standard as organic. My “spidey” sense should have kicked in when the company never disclosed the ingredients of the product in the catalogue. It was a dead giveaway but I fell for it hook, line, and sinker. When the vitamins arrived, I immediately saw some questionable ingredients and never took one. I sent them back and got a full refund. I later bumped into another MLM selling the same product and they put me on the phone with the distributor. I asked the product specialist, “ Is this ingredient derived from a chemical or a plant?” She couldn’t tell me as she didn’t know and she called herself a product specialist?? It’s ridiculous how many companies are capitalizing on the natural and organic label just to make a quick buck. Most of these businesses cut corners to save money and it is always at the customers expense. For example, sucralose is used to reduce calories but also save money because it can be a whole lot cheaper than using real sugar. Check out these side effects associated with sucralose:

• Headaches
• Diarrhea
• Anxiety or Panic
• Muscle Aches

**** More often than not this is in health supplements such as creatine, low calorie drinks, and meal replacements. Ask yourself why?

In my opinion, all personal trainers have an obligation to continue their health education. Too many stop at the doorstep of recommending 3 or 4 protein shakes and eating 6 meals a day because that’s the way its always been done. It is this complacency and ignorance which helps the food industry continue to practice its shady ways. I’d like to think there are some personal trainers out there who are blind but the vast majority are justifying what they do as a means to put cash in their pockets. If they are, there’s not much difference between them and drug dealers. They would probably argue with me on this but is it  much of a difference? You decide.

I started my fitness journey after my mother died in 2005. I remember it like it was yesterday because she passed away the day after Thanksgiving. The reason why I remember it so well was because my mother was the organizer of the family. She told everyone what to cook and what time we would eat and made sure the dinner ran smoothly. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who felt unorganized on Thanksgiving day with her not being there. I looked around at my other family members and something just wasn’t right. I could only think to myself, “My mother is in the hospital and she’s not doing well.” The day after a day which was supposed to be filled with gratitude I couldn’t seem to be thankful for anything because my mother was taken away from me. I’ve always been one of those people who believe things happen for a reason and now that I look back on it, I firmly believe my mother’s dying wasn’t in vain.

At the time my mother was in the hospital, I was at a very unhealthy period in my life. I spent the majority of my post college career blinded by the glitz and glamour the pharmaceutical industry offered. I wanted to be able to dress in a suit every day and drive a fancy car and finally be able to make over 40k in a year. My prayers were answered and I got my chance to become a drug rep. I realized after a year I only saw the tip of the iceberg and there was much more beneath the surface than the suit and the company owned car. I made great money and after you’ve had a few jobs where you work like a slave and get paid very little you’re able to appreciate getting paid what you’re worth. Money became my motivator and everything else took a back seat. I no longer exercised and I indulged far too many times in the lunches I catered for doctors and nurses. My weight skyrocketed until I was about 45 pounds overweight. I had a hard time coming to grips with reality because I was always significantly under weight for my size. I thought to myself, “I remember when I took weight gain shakes, now look at me.” When my mom passed away from breast cancer that was the catalyst for my transformation. I said,  “Enough is enough!”

I happened to be watching an episode of No Ordinary Family. Ever seen the show? If you haven’t, the show is about a family who goes on a vacation and through some strange occurrences come back with super powers. The mother of the family realizes she has super human speed and begins to use it to cook dinner in record time and in some cases make it to meetings which she always seem to be late for before she got her powers. It’s always funny to watch her use her speed because it looks as if everyone else is standing still. It’s exactly the way I feel about health and fitness. While the health and fitness industry are changing, there are still people who are standing still.  Way too many health and fitness industry people spew out regurgitated information and mislead people. I am not sure if they want to purposely make people confused as a marketing tactic or they’re just too lazy to research new information. In my book there are two schools of thought: innovators and copiers. Innovators are those who are cutting edge and go against what everyone else says and this is usually the right path. In my experience, if you want to know the right way to do something then find out what everyone else is doing and do the opposite. Make sense? There are way too many copiers shooting out the same ol’  sh** while diabetes, cancer, and obesity are ruining lives. What they should be doing is telling people you can take control of your health and here’s how but instead things are being swept under the rug and masses of people are suffering. Wake Up!!

I’ve changed the blog as a reflection of my own awakening. Actually, I was never “sleep” but afraid of what others might think if I brought them truth. I am no longer afraid…you can label me a conspiracy theorist or what have you but I’ve been able to see things from both sides. I think there is an urgent need for a health revolution and I am going to be challenging you to unplug from the Matrix and think for yourself… be open to change!! Be the change you want to see…. Darren

This post is inspired by a recent email I received from Sarah Ripple. Sarah is the owner of Ripple Effect Fitness in Baton Rouge Louisiana. You can take a look at Sarah’s BLOG.  Sarah tells it like it is and doesn’t sugarcoat anything so consider yourself warned!

Me at my Perfect Weight

Is perfection attainable or is it just marketable? I happen to think it is marketable  and I’ll tell you exactly why. If you look on the cover of magazines, you’ll find a society obsessed with perfection. Things just look better perfect, don’t they? For instance, have you ever seen a celebrity and your image of them is what you see on the cover of a magazine? You finally get a chance to meet them and they look nothing like the magazine. They are either too short or had tons of blemishes on their face that were “photoshopped” out. How did you feel? I have experienced this myself and I can tell you I was thoroughly disappointed. Do you see now why I say perfection is a marketable thing? People want to believe things are perfect but if you’ve spent any amount of time on this earth you know nothing is. I like to say things are perfectly “imperfect.”

The perfect trap

Yup… nothing is perfect and if it is, we spend loads of time looking for the one imperfection. For instance, Chris Brown was the apple of every female’s eye until they found out he allegedly beat Rhianna. The tabloids had a field day with this because they could finally poke a hole in his gold plated armor. I don’t condone what he did, but I think it made him human. To be human is to be flawed either physically or emotionally.  The same can be said about Tiger Woods and any other star. The question should be why do we promote perfection and
why do we buy into it?

The Perfect Trainer in 2004

The perfect trainer

Is their a perfect fitness trainer out there? People would like to think so but I don’t. I’ll never lie to a client and tell them I eat “clean” all the time. I like cakes, cookies, and pies just like they do and at times, I do indulge. I want people to see me as human and vulnerable just like them. Oh,  and your superhuman personal trainer might be on steroids or might be going home “scarfing” down pizza like it is going out of style. This is just the reality of it, but keep this in mind: you are what you do consistently! I don’t consistently eat alot of junk food and I don’t consistently play into the “perfect” trainer image although those around me perceive me that way. Hell… I have seen people gasped when I pick up a cookie like the world was “gonna” end. I ‘m sorry I had to blow their image of me but I prefer to be human and I gots to have my cookies! . Be careful of the “superhuman” trainer because it can lead to issues.  In my opinion, if a trainer can’t see himself or herself as imperfect, they will have a hard time relating to a client who is. This leaves the client feeling less than good enough and ensures the client- trainer connection will be “short circuited” before it even begins. Everyone likes to know a person walked a day in their shoes and can relate to them.

Pushback from Perfection

My take on perfection is twofold. The illusion of perfection will always keep you from taking action. It will keep you paralyzed! I talk to people all the time who want the perfect diet and workout. There is none.  The object is to get going and take action! My other issue with perfectionism is it can kill someone’s self esteem because they can’t and won’t live up to being perfect. The idea is to build up and not tear down. Here’s an idea : accept your flaws as they bring confidence and make you wonderfully human. It’s as simple as that. Accept your imperfections as they are uniquely yours and what might be looked at as a “flaw” by you might be a strength in another eyes and you never know who’s watching you. This can be said for client and trainer. Until next time, see you on the lean side!

Darren McDuffie
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
Certified Nutrition and Weight Management Specialist
Certified Exercise Foundations Specialist
Certified Fitness Testing Specialist

The body  can adapt to exercise very quickly. You have to vary the stimulus on your body over time to see results. If you are walking at the same pace every day, chances are you aren’t varying the stimulus enough to see greater results. I see most “walkers” going the same pace all the time and over a period of weeks they still look the same. There is no fat loss and there is no overall improvement in cardiovascular health. Walking at the same pace every day is just “maintenance” at best, but at least it is exercise. If you want to vary the stimulus on the body, then walk a further distance and vary your walking speed or even your weight. How can you vary your weight when you walk? You can carry a set of dumbbells or even buy a weight vest to increase your weight.  You might also try varying your walking elevation by walking up hills or if on a treadmill changing the incline. Walking is enough if all you want to maintain is your present levels of fitness, but if you want to improve you need to add something to it. Until next time, see you on the lean side.

Darren McDuffie
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
Certified Nutrition and Weight Management Specialist
Certified Exercise Foundations Specialist
Certified Fitness Testing Specialist

For the most part, we all live sedentary lives. Exercise is more important as we grow older and for women it can be the difference between gaining pounds or maintaining an ideal weight. Women will gain weight as result of childbirth and this is unavoidable but I think the female population suffers from a lack of knowledge when it comes to fitness. What do I mean by this? For example in the report I watched and later read, it made the point of convincing women an hour of exercise is too much. You might even think so as you are reading this but the fact is it really isn’t too much time if used wisely. How do you use it wisely?

As a woman ages, “strength training” becomes important. Many women are afraid to pick up a weight or lack the knowledge to use weight machines in an effective manner. This is why females are more susceptible to all the crazy diets. Here is the truth in simple terms. If women participate in a progressive strength training program it is much easier to maintain weight or lose weight if so desired. Women and men need to be educated about the right foods to eat and sadly most don’t have a clue when it comes to this. An hour a day is not too much to exercise if you have a plan and know exactly what to do. Time is a four letter word but when the time is spent wisely and not haphazardly its not a waste. We can find the time for anything we want, it just has to be made a priority. Until next time, see you on the lean side.

Read the article here

Darren McDuffie
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
Certified Nutrition and Weight Management Specialist
Certified Exercise Foundations Specialist
Certified Fitness Testing Specialist

I was very discouraged by what I saw out there. I carry my business cards with me all the time but I just don’t think I had enough cards to give out on this day. I could have given out 5,000 business cards easy at this event and still would have needed to give out another 5000. What is the problem with our society? Why is it not an option to have healthy snacks and healthy food at these events instead of fried foods and sugary drinks? I guess it is just not as enjoyable as the bad stuff. What do you think? Until next time, see you on the lean side.

Darren McDuffie
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
Certified Fitness Testing Specialist
Certified Exercise Foundations Specialist
Certified Nutrition and Weight Management Specialist

Mind chatter for lack of a better word, is the place within you that tells you to give up. I have experienced it on several occasions during some grueling workouts. I start hearing this little voice saying, “quit” and “its not worth it”. I am not going to lie it is hard to ignore it, but I do. Why? I like a challenge and I want to improve. What about you? Do you listen to your “mind chatter?” Has it ever gotten the best of you? I believe people listen to it way too soon and normally it occurs just before a major breakthrough, but its hard to fight through the pain, right? Yeah, it is… but it is in these times that you’ll find what you are made of and if you are going to sink or swim. Do you sink or do you swim? I would love to hear about your experience with “mind chatter” and whether you listened to it or ran right through it and how it affected you. Until next post… see you on the lean side.

Darren McDuffie

Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
Certified Nutrition and Weight Management Specialist
Certified Exercise Foundations Specialist
Certified Fitness Testing Specialist

GET THE CRAZY EIGHTS HERE

Darren McDuffie

Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

Certified Nutrition and Weight Management Specialist

Certified Fitness Testing Specialist

Certified Exercise Foundations Specialist

In the past when I traveled on business, I was at my own mercy. I would fall prey to all the meeting snacks they put out during break which would include pastries, cookies, and even ice cream. I”m not sure what it is about meetings but the thought of sitting there listening to one person for an extended period of time made me sleepy. In order to   combat the sleepiness, I would eat just to try and stay awake. That was the wrong thing me for me to do! It gave me a sugar rush and it would temporarily keep me awake, but within a few minutes I would have to fight to stay awake even more due to the sudden rush of insulin. Once the meeting was over, I would run to my room feeling exhausted even though I didn’t exercise. Why wasn’t I exercising? It was probably because I thought I needed a gym at that time. I had fooled around in hotel gyms before and alot of them were ill equipped . What do I mean? They usually had one raggedy treadmill, no dumbells, and very few had any cardio equipment. So… what to do, what to do? I would usually go back up to my room kick up my feet and watch TV. Is that what you do now?

I think most of us give up when we are traveling because its easy to do. Its easy to eat all the bad food and skip working out because you are traveling isn’t it? What if you made the sacrifice to continue your exercise and eat healthy foods? Here’s what I did to make sure I didn’t skip my exercise routine and make sure I ate properly. I brought along my bodylastics resistance bands. I can attach those to my hotel room door for back exercises and also use them for a variety of other exercises. In addition, I packed some trail mix consisting of almonds, raisins, cranberries, and pistachio nuts. I ate that for a snack in between my regular meals. I bypassed the pastries in the morning, skipped the afternoon cookies, and told the ice cream goodbye with the evening meal. It made it easier that I prepared in advance and didn’t fall prey to self sabotage. Are you falling prey to self sabotage? See you on the lean side!

Check out Bodylastics

In case you didn’t know, there is an obsession with weight loss. I would be willing to bet you can’t watch TV for an extended period of time without seeing an ad for some pill or potion to lose weight. Companies capitalize off this, and implant in the mind weight, weight, weight. Am I correct? What about fat? Few if any of these commercials attack fat loss! I wonder why? It’s probably because the money is in the disease and not in the cure. What do I mean by that? All of these weightloss companies are out to make a buck and not necessarily to educate the consumer. Don King, the boxing promoter, says it best when he says, “ Only in America” because only in America can ignorance be capitalized on to make a quick buck. They want to make money and won’t tell you the truth, but I am going to tell you the plain truth about weightloss right here and now! weightloss is a myth, it is fatloss you want to shoot for if you want to look and feel better. How could that be?

Have you ever seen someone who has loss weight at a rapid pace? I have and I can tell you they still looked unhealthy! When you lose weight at a rapid pace, chances are you are also losing muscle. Muscle is something you just can’t have enough of because it keeps your metabolism humming along so you can burn calories. You need to burn calories in order to lose fat. If you replace fat with muscle, you’ll look damn good… more shapely, more toned, and then you’ll have something in the bank that will keep your fat burning furnace revved up. You could settle for plain ol’ weighloss where you lose weight only to gain it back. If I were you, I would pick up a barbell, a dumbell, or resistance band and start building some muscle today. What do you think? See you on the lean side…Dee

Darren McDuffie

Certified Nutrition Education and Weight Management Specialist