When it comes to Health and/or Fitness, many of us seek the quick fix. These are called short-term solutions. Typically, these are best reserved for emergencies. These days, this is now the norm. Some call it “hacking”. I’m all for shortcuts but only when appropriate. If there’s one thing i know, you CANNOT shortcut health. If you really want to see for yourself, knock yourself out. I’m just trying to save you the trouble. Also know, i can’t recommend it. Besides it being unhealthy, it can also waste valuable time, time that we will never get back. Why spend a lifetime continually chasing the same things? Instead, i recommend finding focus, balance, and simplicity. Below is a video i did yesterday. I did it in one take. I talk about 10 principles that i think are very important, essential and the fundamentals of most everything. Wanna lose some body fat? Gain some muscle? Be healthier? Live longer? Increase your athletic or job performance? Most everyone wants these things. I recommend taking the high road. Life is short but it’s just long enough to benefit from doing a few things well and with consistency.

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This video is the second phase of my Foundations series. The first phase consisted of 3 videos. They can be found on this YouTube page and my official personal training website, www.BLUESKYSTRONGBOX.COM.

In this video, i talk about 10 principles that i feel are essential to health as well as fitness. So, regardless of what your goal(s) are, be that Fat Loss, improving General Health, increasing Lean Muscle or a performance goal for a job or sport, these 10 principles are important.

Look, i know this video is a bit long. It’s longer than i wish but sometimes it is simply just not possible to do a short video. Sorry!

Here is my list:

1. Get enough Rest/Sleep
2. Create a 5-minute Morning Ritual. Do it every day.
3. Walk and move your body as much as you can each day.
4. Exercise regularly. Focus on a balance of the big 3: flexibility, strength, and stamina.
5. Find balance and harmony with everything in your life.
6. Drink enough water each day so that your urine is clear or close.
7. Eat more plants and less of everything else.
8. Eat more variety and balance of all other food.
9. Eat less overall. Try going longer between meals.
10. Keep it simple.

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“Body Fat & Thoughts on Body Image” 7/12/10 Carlton Cullins-BLUE SKY STRONGBOX-Personal Trainer-AustinTX

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“Refocus after Time Off” 8/28/17 Carlton Cullins-BLUE SKY STRONGBOX-Personal Trainer-AustinTX

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New Weekly Health & Fitness Tips! Your health is the foundation that everything in your life is built on. Do not sacrifice it for anything else. It’s very common these days to find those that sacrifice their health for fitness gains and vanity. This can only last for so long without paying a price. If you want to look better, feel better or live longer then take good care of your health first and always. Begin with what I call the “big 3”. #1) Hydration. #2) 30 minutes of brisk, yet relaxed, daily walking. #3) A regular sleep schedule that allows you to get between 7-9 hours of sleep without the aide of drugs and alcohol during the waking hours.

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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyjhoUK2Wj0&w=560&h=315]

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New Weekly Health & Fitness Tips! “No pain, no gain” has always had limitations. You don’t have to be in constant pain to make progress. This week i talk briefly about soreness due to exercise. Some soreness is normal, unavoidable and typical ok. Some is not. Normal soreness should be infrequent and bi-lateral. In other words, if one arm or leg is sore, the other side should be equally sore. This kind of soreness is mostly due to microscopic tears in the muscles, which sounds bad but is actual very normal, due to them having to work against incoming resistance. But there are other kinds of soreness, which affects areas in a way that is not productive and may even be harmful. They may even seem similar to the good kind but are more intense and shouldn’t be frequent, or chronic. Don’t seek out soreness. Instead, gradually disrupt your homeostasis. Too much damage done too often is to be avoided. “Stimulate, don’t annihilate”. Progress can be made without killing yourself in the gym. So my questions is always this, When is it really ok to be really sore on a regular basis? The answer is, it’s not ok. Say what you want, do what you will but trust me, being sore on a regular basis, to the point of altering the way you were meant to move, is almost always gonna be wrong, especially if done intentially.

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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNttjnriiCM&w=560&h=315]

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New Health & Fitness Tips! This week I want to talk about a common occurrence, the obsession of counting calories. Things such as how many calories we eat and drink, how many calories we burn while exercising or meeting our daily step quotas. I’ve been there. Many of us have. Some of us, for medical reasons, may always need to count such numbers. And that’s ok. Health is most important. I’m talking more about vanity, which is also important to many people. It’s not that I think counting calories is completely pointless for making improvements in body composition, it’s more to do with the disregard for everything else that often accompanies. Common sense things like quality of sleep, reduction in stress, quality of food, quality of exercise and how each of these can make or break the hormone balance that controls everything you’re probably wanting to do. For those that may be in the middle of your own battle with calories, remember this important detail. Counting calories is not a long term solution. Do the right things most of the time and eventually you shouldn’t have to worry so much about all the numbers.

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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsymUkO0p10&w=560&h=315]

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New Weekly Health & Fitness Video Tipz! This week I demonstrate and describe a short and simple exercise routine that can be done anywhere by most anyone, with very little equipment. Don’t be put off by the fact that it might only take 10 minutes to do the entire workout. Don’t be put off by the fact there are only 3 exercises. I’m not going to go into great detail on this today, but just know that exercise need not be long or include lots of exercises to be effective. All 3 of these exercises will help improve the three big areas that constantly need our attention: Stretching, Strength & Stamina. Do you need to lose body fat? Then focus most of your precious energy on eating better and food prep, sleeping well and managing your stress. Most of us don’t need to exercise hours on end. But yes, we should move every day and eventually work towards 2-3 days of simple strength training each week. There will be much more on all of this in the coming year. In the meanwhile, get to work. Ask for help if you need it. You are in control.

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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsFLr__bMUU&w=560&h=315]

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New Health & Fitness Video! Today starts the new year. Figure out what you want, then figure out your plan. Lastly, put it into motion, starting today. Ask for help if needed. Happy New Year!

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“Guilt Free & Moderation” 12/19/16 Carlton Cullins-BLUE SKY STRONGBOX-Personal Trainer-AustinTX

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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN-dHOXo3G0&w=560&h=315]

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New Health & Fitness Tipz! This week I talk about avoiding injuries when trying to do things we may not yet be ready for. Sounds obvious I know, but trust me it’s not. We all have things we are good at as well as things we need to work on. Unfortunately, especially in group settings, it’s very popular now to throw body awareness and form out the window in the name of competition or a challenge. This is one sure way to get hurt. We must be smarter than that. As a bonus, near the end I demonstrate some “finesse” progressions/alternatives to burpees.

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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGHG-tzF_JE&w=560&h=315]

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