Human Excellence
By Marc Cuzzupe, Co-Founder and Managing Member of Alpha Aesthetics
Humans were not designed to live sedentary life styles. Nor are we destined to live in a state of depression and sadness. It is my belief that we were created to move, work, laugh, and love one another. To want what is best for ourselves and our fellow man. To be as happy for someone else’s success, as you are for your own success. I believe that whatever your religious or personal background, we are on this earth to create beautiful lives for ourselves, and everyone we come in contact with. I also know that there is an easy way to do this.
To help ourselves IS to help those around us. Play big and others will rise to the occasion. I mean this in body, mind, and spirit. To create a truly beautiful life, there must be a balance of all three.
The importance of exercise…..
Your physical body IS your temple, and to allow it to become weak, feeble, or illness stricken will never aid you in your journey. To have a strong body takes work: a shared duty between your body and your mind, and if practiced enough, also your spirit.
Resistance and Weight Training
Our bodies are adaptive. This IS how different species evolve and thrive as their environment changes over the years. They must adapt or become extinct. So strength comes from adapting to different loads. This is also true for cardiovascular training. A muscle is grown, not by the physical act of lifting a certain weight, but by the adaptive repair that is done in the hours and days after the weight has been lifted. Resistance is merely the stimuli. It is the process of creating small micro tears in the muscle fibers, that with proper nutrition are then repaired. Your body adapts by building the muscle stronger to handle the same load more efficiently. This is why certain diets or training methods only work for so long then become less effective. Any SUCCESSFUL training or diet plan is one that is forever changing.
Your muscles are like the engine in your car. When muscles contract, they use fuel in the form of glucose (blood sugar), lipids (fats), or amino acids (proteins). Bigger engines use more fuel, even when idle. Compare a small compact car’s MPG rating to that of a big SUV. Similarly, a 200 lb bodybuilder requires more calories (food energy) to maintain and fuel activity than a petite 100 lb woman does. What does this mean for you? You WANT to stimulate muscle growth through weight training. Male or female, young or old, whether you are looking to grow big muscles or stay petite, resistance training is the fastest and most direct means of becoming a stronger, leaner, and more confident person.
The intensity level of your resistance training is of the utmost importance. You lifting a weight that you could do 1000 repetitions of, but are only doing 10, is NOT effective. Do not waste your time going through the motions, as this will not lead to results.
I don’t care if you are 18 or 180 years old—in a safe manner, always strive for excellence! Like Anthony Robbins says: “If you’re not growing, you’re dying”. This is true in EVERY aspect of your life!
Cardiovascular exercise
The importance of cardiovascular exercise (or cardio) is tremendous. It keeps your body lean, and your heart healthy and strong. There are many different theories on proper cardio, but for overall heart health and fat loss, I find that an aerobic approach is of the most value. That is to maintain an elevated heart rate over an extended period of time while still being able to breathe and hold a conversation. If you are gasping for air, than you are not efficiently burning fat for energy. Imagine the fire triangle. Three things are needed to create fire: fuel, heat, and oxygen. Just like snuffing out a candle by removing the oxygen, one cannot purposefully and adequately burn fat stores for energy while out of breath. This does not mean you should take it easy, or simply go through the motions. This means get that heart rate up and maintain it! There is something to be said for anaerobic cardiovascular training. Such methods can condition the heart and increase its capacity to perform, but may do little in the way of removing excess body fat.
Remember why we are here, and always strive to be the best person you can be, in mind, body, and spirit and let your strength shine through in your appearance, your capability, and your thoughts and deeds!
Alpha Aesthetics, a new fitness company fueled by inspiration, understands that nothing made in a lab is as good for us as what nature provides. They demand the very best and never compromise health for empty promises. Try their new and delicious post-workout protein powder called FEAST, a whey based protein powder with minimal processing, no artificial additives or fillers, sweetened with Stevia, gluten-free, non-GMO, and RBGH free. FEAST is available at Fitness Mania in Wyomissing, and stay tuned for Alpha Aesthetics’ expanding line of fitness apparel, soon to come!
