Eddie’s Energy Bars Blog

Haven’t been to the gym in a while?  Join the boat.  I haven’t been in almost two weeks.  It’s been an incredibly busy month here, but as of tomorrow at 6:30 a.m., I am rekindling my effort to get to the gym at least four times a week.  Need some motivation to get off your butt and get to the gym?

I find the best way to get to the gym is by getting a friend to go with you.  Does it matter if they are in much better shape than you?  No, of course not!  If it wasn’t for your friends, you would never go to the gym.  They are like a support network.  They make you do an extra set of weights or five more minutes on the treadmill.  We all know that not going to the gym isn’t good for you.  You can read my many posts on how exercising is incredibly good for you.

Going to the gym for exercise, rolls into that same friend supporting you when it gets to your diet.  Hopefully it consists of our energy bars! Haha! Anyway, if you want to have seven pieces of pizza, your friend will stop you. It’s wonderful.  Want that pint of cake batter ice cream, like I did last week?  My friends let me know that I just shouldn’t have it because it was late and it was wasted calories. They distracted me by striking up a conversation, which actually ended up being more interesting than if I would have had the ice cream.

The main point: Exercise, Eat Right, and Stick To It! Need tips on any of these subjects?  Read Dinneen Diette’s articles, featured in our newsletter every month, and make some changes in your lifestyle.

I hope you all had a wonderful Columbus Day Weekend.

Michael, Owner
Eddie’s Energy Bars

Good morning,

Yesterday I went on a fantastic fall hike through Lime Rock Preserve in Lincoln, RI with a couple of friends from school.  I wish I had the opportunity to take some pictures, but I accidentally put dead batteries in my camera before I left (oops!).

I took along my last remaining Eddie’s Energy Bar that I have in my freezer, and ate it on the hike.  It was Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, for all of you who are dying to know what energy bar flavor I eat.  I eat them all, actually.

In terms of hiking, it wasn’t exactly a hike. It was more of a nature walk, as the highest point in Rhode Island is something like 872 feet.  There was nothing wrong with that though.  We climbed some rocks, looked out over a reservoir, and found lots of frogs in still water down a hill.  We then perched on some rocks and had a snack, and talked about how fun it would be to go to work in a t-shirt and shorts–basically my goal in life.

While on the hike, I said to my friends that hiking outside was so much better than walking on a treadmill inside of a stuffy gym.  I would do it any day, but winter kind of gets in the way.  If you’re sick of getting your cardio in at the gym, try going for a fall hike, and I’m sure you won’t regret it.

Michael
Eddie’s Energy Bars

For everyone that has no idea who Tim is, which is probably most of you, Tim is the fitness director at Bryant University, where I am a sophomore majoring in marketing (but, that has nothing to do with this post).

Tim is also the varsity strength coach, which basically means that he puts muscle on anyone who plays a sport for Bryant.  Having Tim as the fitness director is a great addition to Bryant University for all of the students, faculty, and staff that use the fitness center.

As I have stated in earlier posts, I am one of those earlier gym people who go before the crack of dawn, but that’s when you can grab the attention of the fitness director.  I have learned so much about how to correctly use the machines, how many sets to do, and what to take in my body.

If you are part of a gym, it might not hurt to seek out the help of a personal trainer.  Usually, you can let them know when enough is enough, and they will stop.  It might hurt in the beginning when the personal trainer is making you work harder than ever before, but in the end it is all worth it.

Find out who the trainers are at your gym, and ask them to help you out.  Even if it is a little more expensive, you will feel better about yourself, and eager to keep it going, now that you know what you should be doing.  Oh, and when you ask them, also ask if they sell Eddie’s Energy Bars.  They certainly should!

Michael, Owner
EEB

Over a year ago I was sentenced (ok, diagnosed with) exercised induced asthma.  No surprise there because I breathe like an elephant when I try to run.

Anyway, I visited my asthma doctor the other day (I think he knows about my homemade energy bars) and found out some interesting factoids about your body and oxygen.

When taking a breathing test,  it measures the amount of air you can get out within the first second, the amount of air total, and of course the amount in the middle.  I can’t recall the test right now, but it’s basically a test of your “pipes”.  Now, I like to consider myself somewhat active, and you would think my numbers would go up, but they have steadily stayed below the average every time I have done the test.

My doctor then pointed out that no matter how active I was, whether I was a couch potato or a competitive athlete, my results would not improve (unless on medication).  So, the exercising I did for six days a week during second semester wouldn’t improve my test results, however it did improve something else very important to you and I.

Your VO2 Max is basically a measurement of how your body manages your oxygen.  This is what I have improved–well it’s slightly down now because I’m a busy bee this summer, but it won’t take me as long to get back up there.  The improvement of your VO2 Max means that you are managing your oxygen better, but not necessarily getting more oxygen out because the “pipes” we’re born with are the “pipes” we’re stuck with, wide or thin, it’s just the way the cookie crumbles.

So, now that I shared that oxygen tidbit with you, I must be off to the post office!

Enjoy your day!

Michael Adams, Owner
Eddie’s Energy Bars

I have been horrible at this lately for a couple of reasons: my schedule is just plain crazy, and really it’s been way too hot–even inside my house, especially when I am baking our homemade energy bars.

But, I have to get out every now and then. I bought new running shoes last week, and thought I would give them a try, to see if they really helped. They most certainly did–I could have walked for miles in them!

Anyway, it can be really hard to just blow off your workout, so here are a couple of tips to motivate you to get off the couch and do something:

1. Positive Feeling–It is proven that when you work out endorphins are released that actually make you feel positive, and satisfied with your workout.

2. Changed Physique–After you start seeing changes in your body shape, it will get you more motivated to gain more muscle or shave off a couple of pounds.

3. Make it Routine–While this may not be a motivator, if you schedule time every day to go to the gym and work out, when that same time comes around, you will know that you need to run to the gym.

Routines work in terms of getting yourself to the gym, but make sure your workout is not routine. Switch it up a couple of times so you don’t get bored.

With these tips, I hope you stay motivated to see yourself succeed!

Michael Adams, Owner
Eddie’s Energy Bars