FITNESS 2: Food & supplements

Food
I can't stand complex diets, that requires a Mensa diploma to remember and understand... What's the point? I've got some simple rules I follow which are simple and makes me feel good.

* Eat all the time - Try to eat six times a day, every 2-3 hours. We're not talking full meals here every two hours, but enough to keep your metabolism up. Point is to not become hungry.

My typical meals when working:
06:30 breakfast - Two-three slices of dark bread with ham and liver patè
09:00 snack - a banana
11:00 lunch - three slices of bread
13:00 snack - 1/3 of a broccoli
16:00 dinner - whatever mama cooks up, which in 95% of the cases is healthy
20:00 supper - fruit and low-fat yoghurt

* Protein is my BFF - Chicken, milk, nuts (unsalted), lean meat, eggs, fish, peas, green vegetables and dark bread are key. Also a protein shake after each workout.

* Find a healthy craving - Find something healthy that helps you keep your crawings down. I found out that broccoli is mine. I swear, since I started this I've been eating at least half a broccoli a day. I love it raw! I know, kinda weird, but so good.

* Skip the junk food

* Have a cheat day a week - Sticking to a diet is hard. And I've tried one before. The problem was that if I slipped, I slipped properly. We're talking crisps, beer or junk food. Having a cheat day a week, where you can have a burger or a nice pizza, makes a diet much easier.

Dark bread, chicken, red meat (remove the fat), fish, potatoes, wholemeal rice, cous cous, wholemeal pasta,  tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, onions, squash, aubergine, peppers and much more. Even though you're eating healthy, doesn't mean you can enjoy yourself.

My supplements
In addition to a healthy diet, I take performance enhancers and protein shakes.

After each workout I have a whey protein shake, the favourite being mint chocolate! I also take supplements to increase the body's natural fat burning ability and to increase the muscle build up. The stuff I'm on now I bought from a good Norwegian online store, Gymgrossisten, but I've tried to find the products I use on more international sites for you guys. My examples are from PhD supplements, which is my favourite brand for whey protein. Another brand I've tried and some of my mates use is Maximuscle.

Whey protein - http://www.phd-supplements.com/store/p/10/1/PharmaWhey.html
Lean degree caps - http://www.phd-supplements.com/store/p/6/1/LeanDegree.html
BCAA caps - http://www.phd-supplements.com/store/p/38/1/BCAA.html or http://www.maximuscle.com/bcaas
CLA caps - http://www.phd-supplements.com/store/p/48/1/CLA.html or http://www.maximuscle.com/cla1000

Remember, these are just examples. It's important that you read the description and find out what works for you. Also, keep in mind that all that are SUPPLEMENTS not REPLACEMENTS! They do not replace any meal what so ever! They don't do the job for you, they just help you ensure that the hard workout YOU do is noticed by the body.

Stay tuned! I'll talk about what gadgets & gear that make my life a lot easier. What can I say? I'm a sucker for tech stuff. I'll also show how my week 6 ++ program looks like.

This song is now officially stuck in my head. I hear it all the time on the radio here, like it!

Today's song: Tacabro - Tacata

FITNESS: My workout plans

This is going to be a series of blogposts, covering my workout plans, food, supplements, gear & gadgets and motivation. So stay tuned!

The first rule: Forget about the number on the scale! (your weight) If you wish to loose fat and gain muscles and to become lean, your weight shouldn't be any concern. The reason for this is that muscle weigh more than fat.

Me the other day after a workout. Just felt like taking a picture really.

What does count, is how YOU feel, how YOU preform and how YOU feel you look. What I do from time to time, even though I know I shouldn't, is to compare myself with others. Everyone does it. Especially if you go to a gym. You can't help but look at others and often feel envy. Yeah sometimes it sucks, I know. That some people can just look at a gym and eat fast food and still be fit and look good, while you work out 3 times a week. But here's some comforting news; when those people hit their 50-60s they'll most likely get larger, fat clogged up in their arteries, muscle deterioration and general body fatigue. It's a bit mean to think that, but hey? What's the world without the devil on your left shoulder?

My goal
I want to get lean and increase my muscle mass. Not massive, but defined. I want to loose belly fat and get a six pack. And also improve my cardio. Simple as that really. Take a look at Zac Efron, now that's a great body! Lean, nice muscles, six pack, but still not Arnold Schwarzenegger massive.That's my goal. And yeah, I know it will take time, but I will get there.

Define your goal early. Having a goal it helps me push that little bit extra and gives me something to aim for. Also I feel writing a blog, posting stuff on social medias and other apps helps to motivate me. Could be something so simple as someone pressing LIKE on my photos/statuses of workout stuff.

My workout plan
I try to follow this as closely as possible, but sometimes I've had to cut it short because of work. All these sessions take about 1 hour, maybe a bit more. From next week I'll change my plan, which I will tell you more about later.

Abs workout - Day 1 and 3

Week 1 - 2

Run 4 km. At every km you stop and do a muscle session:

- 20 diamond sit ups
- 10 right oblique sit ups
- 10 left oblique sit ups
- 10 hip lifts
- 20 leg lifts

Week 3

Run 5 km. At every km you stop and do a muscle session:

- 20 diamond sit ups

- 10 sit ups whilst right leg raised and left leg bent behind it
- 10 sit ups whilst left leg raised and right leg bent behind it
- 10 hip lifts
- 20 leg lifts
- 10 wide push ups

Week 4 - 5

Run 6 km. At every km you stop and do a muscle session:


- 20 diamond sit ups

- 10 sit ups whilst right leg raised and left leg bent behind it
- 10 sit ups whilst left leg raised and right leg bent behind it
- 10 hip lifts
- 20 leg lifts
- 10 wide push ups
- 10 frog legs
- 10 wide push ups (if you're up for it)

Stretch out! You should be at 70-80% max pulse when running.

Dumbbell workout - Day 2

You keep the same exercises, but increase the weights. I try to up mine every 1-2 week.. So taking notes of what you do the first time is a good idea. It should be so heavy that doing one extra tricep kickback is impossible. You can access the program on you Apple or Android phone here: http://www.skimble.com/workouts/375051 I'm going to tell you more about the apps and gadgets I use later.


- Start with a 20 min cardio warm up. Cycling or running. About 70% of maximum pulse.

Dumbbells
- 12 dumbbell squats
- 12 dumbbell lunges right leg first
- 12 dumbbell lunges left leg first
- 12 dumbbell chest press
- 25 sec rest
- 12 dumbbell bent over rows
- 10 tricep kickbacks
- 10 right tricep extensions
- UP YOUR WEIGHT FOR BICEPS
- 10 right bicep curls
- 10 left bicep curls
- 25 sec rest

- 10 right bicep curls
- 10 left bicep curls
- 12 dumbbell lateral shoulder raises
- 12 overhead press
- 25 sec rest

Abs part - this part you do TWICE
- 30 sec plank
- 20 crunches
- 10 right oblique crunches
- 10 left oblique crunches
- 20 bicycle crunches
- 12 Russian twists (with or without a ball, you choose)
- 20 leg lifts
- 15 hip lifts / floor bridge

Stretch out
- Cobra (20 sec)
- Child's pose (20 sec)
- Shoulder stretches, alternate arms after 20 sec
- Chest stretches, alternate arms after 20 sec
- Tricep stretches, alternate arms after 20 sec
- Quad stretches, alternate legs after 20 sec
- Hamstring stretches, alternate legs after 20 sec
- Right side stretch (20 sec)
- Left side stretch (20 sec)

Shake it out!

Fitting it all in
Try to make it work for you. Also try to make sure that you have a meal straight after your workout to get all the benefits of your workout! Sometimes I can't workout that day, but I try my best to make it up the following day. Now I work full time, normally 5-6 days a week, so shuffling about is sometimes necessary.

Take the stairs, suddenly do 10 push ups at work or bounce around. Move your body every day. Don't just sit on your arse when you're not working out.

Motivation
What keeps me motivated is the progress I've been making so far. I've lost about 5 cm / 2 inches of fat at my waist during the last 3-4 weeks. I feel that I get more energy from working out. It also helps to keep me healthy.

Also I'd like to feel more confident about my body. It's not like I hide it away and shove it in a closet (haha, got it?), but I don't LOVE playing football topless on the beach for example. When it comes to my body, I'm satisfied with everything except my abs, chest and arms. I'll be the first to admit that if I had a six pack I'd probably go running shirtless down at the beach. Why? To show off, haha! I wouldn't to it every time, but I can just imagine that it would brighten your day having people whistle after you when you run past.

STAY TUNED! Pop by tomorrow and I'll tell you about what I eat and the supplements I take to maximize the workouts I do.

Have a nice Wednesday night with some Latino rhythms!

Today's song:  Shakira - Addicted to you

A FIREMAN MAYBE?

I've written about this several times, but the question never seems to get old. A question asked ever since you could walk. Normally magician, fireman, policeman or astronaut are the kings of the career wishlist for many boys when growing up.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

When I ask that to anyone else, I normally do so in present tense. I don't go ...when you were growing up, because we're still growing. We always change, we always grow. The prospect of leaving university in just one year from now is kind of terrifying. Think about it. For the last 16 years I've been in full time education. A new era of my life is about to begin.

So what do I want to be? Well I love gadgets and media. TV, film and music are key elements of my life. I also LOVE moving about at work and could not handle a office job. One of the many things I got from my mother, is the urge to work with people. I love being around people, so office work at home is no option for me. As some of you may know, one of the things I actually thought of doing in my life was Child Protection Service worker. Working with children. I love kids, I do.

I have got an idea of my dream job. I would love to get to work for Travel Channel as a camera operator. Traveling the world, meeting new people and cultures and trying all kinds of different food. That's my dream. I think my urge to travel and get as far away as possible comes from the film "Eurotrip". That was the first DVD I bought for my own money when I was 12. Ever since then I've been signing/humming "Scotty doesn't know that Fiona..." once in a while.

Basically I'e boiled my future down to a few elements:

- Ability to express myself
- Organizing
- People
- Active

That's the four elements I'm looking for in my future. Stress is also something I enjoy from time to time, but not everyday. Makes you feel alive and shows yourself what you're capable of.

Where would this be? That's another thing. I'm a bit torn between at least two different places, Norway and UK. I do love Norway and I'm proud to say I'm Norwegian, but I'm.... I donno.... bored being in the same place I guess. And besides, the film industry or drama productions for TV, in Norway is very small, simply because we're only 5 million people.

In the last 6-8 months or so, the idea that's been stuck in my head is trying to get a job for BBC Wales in Cardiff. A large number of BBCs drama productions are based in Cardiff now, not London. That's also a reason I'm trying to pick up some Welsh. If I could learn Welsh, at least some basics, it might be to my advantage. So far I can present myself, greetings and count to 10, haha! Hopefully I'll get better.

But I am being a realist. Getting a job in the BBC will be really hard and IF by a stroke of divine touch I get in, I would have to start as the assistant of the assistant. I'll also try to apply for jobs with other production companies to. The only thing is that the recession has hit the UK, which has made the job market unstable as hell. In Norway the recession never came and any Norwegian telling you otherwise are completely bonkers...

And besides I like it in Swansea. 

The scary side. What's holding me back is family and friends in Norway. I often feel a guilt for leaving my sisters for example. And I do miss my parents, not living under their roof, but having them near me. And my friends of course.

My auntie told me something in April which has stuck with me "Why should you move back? You're young. Explore the world". That's what she did. After working as an Au pair in UK, she lived several years in America with my uncle. One of my nephews were born there. They've lived in Norway now for like 12-13 years, but MIGHT be moving to the States again for a few years. They survived.

But then again, true friends and family stay with you forever wherever you are. And so far they have. I've got some amazing friends in Norway which I speak to very often when in the UK. And I speak to my family often too. Skype calls are a wonderful thing! Should I then hold back my dreams because of the scary side? I think one should take family and friends into the account, but not let them make the decision for you. True friends and family stay with you where ever you go. Just remember to call home once in a while.

What will become of me? Who knows? Maybe I'll wake up one day and decide to become a... nose spray tester! Point is that even though I kinda hate it, the lack of a secure path and future that is, it's a part of growing up I guess.

So cheers to uncertainty!

Anine Stang is a great Norwegian artist. I filmed her during the Pride Days in the capitol a few weeks back. She was absolutely amazing live and what mooooooves! She had a pre-premiere on her new song which I believe is set to be released very soon.

Today's song: Anine Stang - Dominoes

PRIDE DAYS 2012

All the videos I did for Oslo Pride 2012 is now up. Not the greatest, I know that, but they did the trick. I had an absolute blast during pride days. I met some amazing people and made some new friends which I'll hopefully see soon. Pride days is about being proud, about showing off and about feeling comfortable in your own skin. And show the world that we're here and you can't hide us under a carpet, not even a rainbow one.

Anyhoodle, here's all the films:



And of course, today's song was easy. I know the LGBT society is trying really hard to get rid of the typical stereotypes. Like that gays are only into make-up, glitter, glam and pink or that lesbian all dress as tomboys in checkered shirts. That's not true. But one stereotype we can't get rid off is Eurovision, so I think "most" just embraced it. I personally am not a great fan of the music, but I watch it to get a laugh. This song was played a ton of times EVERYWHERE during Pride.

So, Euphoria....