"Fit"

"Fit" Justin Lowe

Preface

            This book is broken down into two parts: Part 1 "Lose Weight." The weight I am referring to is any deadweight that is holding you down from reaching your goals. For me this was figurative and literal. I had been unfit and overweight so I had to lose that weight so that I could be at my best self physically. I was also at a job where I was unhappy and it was hurting my relationship with my fiance as well as holding me from reaching my goals and following my dreams. Part 2 "Gain Life," will teach you how I was able to get into the best shape I've ever been in my life and hopefully inspire you to do the same

Part I

Lose Weight

Chapter 1

            Growing up I participated in many different sports but would have never considered myself an athlete. In elementary school, I played intramural soccer. By the time I got to middle school I had been in karate and had a green belt in Tae Kwon Do. I ran the 1600-meter event for my middle school track team and wrestled another year for wrestling squad. Once I got to High School I had played another year of soccer and swam the 500-meter event for my High School Swim team. 

            I mainly played in the band and sung in the choir. I played bass drum for both my middle school and high school band and sung baritone for my high school choir. I even got a four-thousand-dollar scholarship to sing at my college North Carolina Wesleyan. My brother on the other hand played football all his life. He played all the way up to college where he attended Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

            I wanted to be just like brother, so much, that I tried out for my High School and College football team. In high school, I realized that I wasn't built for football and quite midway through summer camp. I tried again in college but never made it past spring ball. So, I came to the conclusion that athletics wasn't for me and the rest of my college career I dedicated to music and theater.

Chapter 2

            I graduated from Wesleyan with my bachelor’s degree in history in 2013 with high hopes of becoming a high school history teacher. When I graduated the unemployment rate was at an all-time high. I applied for every possible job with an opening. Finally, I heard back from a position I applied for as an elementary school physical education teacher. Not the position I was hoping for but with the economy the way it was, I had to take anything I could get. 

            Working as a P.E. teacher I would meet the person who would end up being my mentor and close. Kris, a 29-year-old Howard University graduate who had his BA and MA in Exercise Science and an exercise fanatic, would be my co-teacher for the 2013-2014 school year. During our down time, we would throw around the football in the gym and perform push-up challenges. This would be my introduction into the fitness industry. Soon after he had finished all the push-up challenges and body weighted exercises that we could think of my focus shifted into the weight room. 

            Kris and I became workout partners, meeting at the gym every weekday morning at 5am. This gave us enough time to get in a good workout, shower, get dressed and make it to work by 7:30. We would look on Bodybuilding.com for all the updates on new workout programs. After a year of being training partners we entered into a armature physique bodybuilding competition hosted by the United States Bodybuilding Federation where we both placed in the top 5. I went from being a non-athlete into a 24-year-old amateur bodybuilder. 

            By this time all of the athletes that a went to college with had become out of shape while I was just getting in the best shape of my life 

Chapter 3

            After graduating college, I moved in with my childhood friend Brandon in my aunts under apartment. My roommate introduced me to Beachbody, a company that successfully came out with multiple home workout tapes including P90X and Insanity. Another friend of mine from college introduced me to Beachbody Coaching. Coaches were fitness professionals that helped motivate Beachbody costumers through their home workouts. I used Beachbody as a platform to launch my company Fit Lowe Beachbody Coaching which would become simply know as Fit Lowe Coaching LLC. 

            Beachbody Coaching became my entry into the fitness industry. Although I distance myself from the coaching aspects of Beachbody, became interested in their Live Certifications. Through Beachbody Live I became certified in fitness class instruction. I was instructing Insanity and P90X classes every Monday to the teachers at the school I worked for. These certifications furthered my curiosity. I began to wonder what was next for me.

Chapter 4

            By 2016 I had 8 clients under my training regimen. I had established myself as a personal trainer. The woman who would eventually become my wife, Christina and I had moved in together in her one bedoom one bath apartment in Temple Hills, Maryland. Christina and I had met at the school that we both were working for at the time. By this time, I had been teaching Pre-K 3 kids during the day and training clients in the morning and evenings. Christina was taking classes towards her special education certification and I was wondering what was next for me.

            I started searching for graduate schools that had programs in exercise science and sports medicine and found California University of Pennsylvania. I was admitted to Cal U's Exercises Science and Health Promotion with a concentration in Performance Enhancement and Injury Prevention in December 2016. 

            I thought being in graduate school would help make things better but it just made things worse. I was at a place in my career that I didn't want to be. My fiancé was growing in her career and I felt stagnant in mine. I felt trapped and it was time to leave my job to follow my dream as a fitness enthusiast. The following year I chose not to re-sign with the school I taught at for another year and decided to pursue my personal training business full time. Second to marrying my Christina, quitting my job would be the best decision I've made in my life. I was now free to grow within the fitness industry. I decided to pick up a part time job as a Physical Therapist Technician to bring in extra money and to reinforce what I'd been learning in graduate school. 

            I went from being a college graduate who really had no background in athletics to training athlete in enhancing their performance and rehabilitating from sports related injuries. I develop programs for clients, patients and athletes of all fitness backgrounds. I am now only a few months away from my graduation date and Christina and I have moved into a house!

Part II

Gain Life

Walk “Fit”

            Walking is one of the most complicated, misunderstood and underestimated forms of exercise yet we take it for granted. It takes six phases to complete one full step. Walking (or gait) takes years to learn and most people will never perfect it. All it takes is sixty minutes of uninterrupted hiking at a place with a scenic view once or even twice a day. When I made the decision to become “fit” I would walk around my neighborhood after work for an hour while enjoying nature. I recommend taking a “mindful walk” stopping to pay attention to flowers, wildlife or a lake or stream. Making and effort to go on a walk once consistently can help you lose weight and destress.

Drink “Fit”

            You will be shocked at the weight you could lose by simply switching ALL of your beverages to water. Water has zero calories. It is the original diet drink. Nearly seventy percent of our body is made up of water. Our organs need water in order to function properly. To test if your drinking enough water check your urine when you use the bathroom. If your urine is a light yellow like lemonade you are probably drinking enough water. If your urine is a dark yellow then you may be dehydrated. If your urine is clear, like water, then you are most likely overhydrated. Yes, it is possible to overhydrate yourself. You don’t want to be running to the bathroom ever ten minutes while you’re at work or on a hot date.

 Breathing “Fit”

            Another complex yet essential action that we take for granted. The process of inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide is a vital activity in order to sustain life. Taking a few deep breathes can help to clear the mind and release stress. Always remember, oxygen is king. Whenever you’re feeling dizzy, heave a head ache, stressed or just feeling out of breath stop and take six long deep breaths. Mindful breaking works well when paired with taking a nice walk.

Eat “Fit”

            Exercise is thirty percent of your fitness; the other seventy percent is nutrition. The rules of nutrition are simple:

1.    Eat when you’re hungry

2.    Stop when your satisfied (NOT FULL!).

3.    Don’t eat fried foods (except for the occasional cheat meal).

4.    Eat plenty of green vegetables.

5.    Drink water.

Stick to these rules and you’ll be able to become “fit” and maintain it.

Example Plan:

“Fit” Meal Plan

Do morning cardio on empty stomach before your first meal

Use stevia and or Splenda to sweetened any unsweet, zero calorie beverage

Season food with sea salt and pepper. Cook with olive oil or coconut oil

Meal 1

Option 1: 8 oz grilled Salmon, 8 fl/oz liquid egg whites

Option 2: 4 slices vegan sausage, 8 fl/oz liquid eggwhites

Meal 2

Option 1:  7oz Grilled or baked Salmon pan seared asparagus

Option 2: 6 oz Grilled or baked tilapia, steamed broccoli

Meal 3

Option 1: 2 tbls peanut butter, 1 cup of Greek Yogurt

Option 2: 1 whole apple, 2 tbls peanut butter

Option 3: hand full of unsalted peanuts, cup of grapes

Meal 4:

Option 1: 4 oz pan seared or baked Tilapia, 1 cup broccoli

Option 2: 4 oz cooked shrimp 1 cup of broccoli

Option 3: 2 sliced vegan sausage (no bun) cabbage (as much as you want

Meal 5 (last meal)

Option 1: 1 slice watermelon, 1 cup Greek Yogurt

Option 1: grapes (as much as you want) 1 slice of cheese

Cheat meal (1 meal a week)

Option 1:  vegan Hamburger or vegan hotdog with bun and toppings, Sweet potato fries, unsweet drink (Sweetenw/ Splenda or stevia)

Stretch “Fit”

             According to Dinitiman and Ward "daily stretching increases range of motion, conserves energy, increases fluid motion, aids muscle relaxation, support good sprinting form, and helps cool the body at the end of a workout." (Dintiman, G. B., & Ward, B. 2016). Stretching daily and holding the stretch for thirty seconds can help prevent injury due to muscle imbalance.

Stretches	Sets	Duration	Note
Foam rolling	1	30 sec each	Use foam roller to roll out any knots or areas lacking flexibility. Roll area for 30 seconds.
Shoulder Stretch	3	30 seconds	Use one arm to hold the other across chest. Hold for 30 seconds then switch arms.
Doorway Stretch	3	30 seconds	Stand in doorway with arms extended out on each side. Lunge through doorway until you feel a good stretch. Hold for 30 seconds.
Hamstring Stretch	3	30 seconds	In a seated position prop foot on stool or char while other foot stays on the floor. Point toe up and lean forward until you feel a stretch. Hold for 30 seconds and switch legs.
Calf Stretch	3	30 seconds	In a standing position, place toes and ball of foot on wall or step while heels stay on the floor. Hold for 30 seconds.

The “Stay Fit” Workout

            The exercise program below is very broad that way you’re not restricted to certain exercises. Be creative. Use the format to create your own exercises and switch it up whenever it feels boring.

Exercise	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5	Day 6	Day 7
Walk/job/run/hike: 30-45 minutes
Stretch 6sets/30sec each
Strength train(Pushups, Squats, sit-ups, Planks) 4 sets/10 repetitions
2nd Stretch 6sets/30sec each
Mindful Breathing 10 Deep Slow Breaths
Drink Water 16 oz

Fit Lowe’s Program’s

3x Per Week

WARM-UP
Exercise	Sets		Duration		Coaching Tip
Jog	1		15 min
Jump Rope	2		1 min
Switch kicks	2		1min
Squat Jumps	2		1 min
CORE/BALANCE/PLYOMETRIC
Exercise	Sets	Reps	Tempo	Rest	Coaching Tip
Plank	3	1min		30sec
Bicycle Kicks	3	1min		30sec
Flutter Kicks	3	1min		30sec
Crunches supine/side	3	10 e		30sec
SPEED, AGILITY QUICKNESS
Exercise	Sets	Reps	Tempo	Rest	Coaching Tip
Speed Skaters	3	1min	Fast	30sec
Football Shuffles	3	1min	Fast	30sec
In/out speed ladder	3	1min	Fast	30sec
RESISTANCE
Exercise	Sets	Reps	Tempo	Rest	Coaching Tip
1.     Pushups 2.     Bench press	3	10 10	Controlled
1.     Jump Squats 2.     Dumbbell Squats	3	10 10	Controlled
1.     Dumbbell Rows 2.     Body weighted Rows	3	10 10	Controlled
1.     Bicep Curls 2.     Triceps extensions	3	10 10	Controlled
COOL-DOWN

Exercise	Sets	Duration	Coaching Tip
Static Stretch (Hamstring, adductor, piriformis, bicep, triceps, rhomboid)	1	30 sec each
Foam Roll (Hamstring, adductor, piriformis, bicep, triceps, rhomboid, latissimus)	1	30 sec each

Coaching Tips: