Failures & Realizations, Successes & Motivation

Today was one of those days where something comes out of nowhere and hits you blindside. 

I was in the gym doing “fight gone bad” and after I was done, my girlfriends father asked: ” are you getting ready for the beach or something?” I replied with out even thinking: No I always train hard, The beach is getting ready for me.” Now I get it, this might sound outrageously cocky, but its true, when I workout, I workout hard. 

On the drive home it hit me. 

Why don’t I train hard, with all my effort, in other areas in my life?

My Failures:

Studying never came easy to me. Throughout high school, I don’t actually think I studied properly once. Its not that I didn’t want to but I never actually saw the point in why I should. To me high school was about playing soccer, basketball, and rugby, and spending time with friends. If you ask me how much I got out of high school, I would reply with ” more than anyone could imagine”, But did I endeavour all four strands(Arts, Academics, Service, and Athletics)? I met the minimum requirements but no, I really did not excel or even prepare to excel in all four. Athletics came naturally to me, and for that I am thankful. Service was fine because I loved helping where I could, I never really went out of my way though. I loved Arts, but I was afraid to really let go and be creative because I never wanted to feel like I failed by not creating something magnificent. In Academics, I was lazy. I just couldn’t be bothered to do my work. I feel like i just never saw the point. I could never sit still or focus, let alone process what I was reading fast enough, or even express my ideas by writing them out. For me Academics was the hardest thing I could ever do, and because I never practiced, never studied, and never excelled. 

I passed high school and went off to college, and I hated it. It was all academics, something I was terrible at. Because I hated it so much, I didn’t put in the time and effort to excel, thus creating a vicious cycle. 

This is my one regret: I always wanted to perform well academically, but I never put the effort in. I would have loved to get an academic scholarship and be praised for my work in science, math, english, and history, but that never happened. I feel like I let not only my self down, but also the people that invested thousands and thousands of dollars, of money that they didn’t have, to provide me with an education. 

Both my grandparents on my moms side were doctors and my mother is a speech and language therapist. My dad is a real-estate agent in toronto and grandparents on my dads side both worked very hard in WWII as well as in factories after they were released from concentration camps. They were never lazy, working every day to provide for their families. 

Me, I half ass my academics, but I workout till I can’t move. I put so much damn effort into working out but next to nothing into my studies. 

Last semester was my first at UBC. My main motivation to go to UBC was to play rugby. School was extremely hard for me and I tried to put in the effort and study, but my grades were not where I wanted them to be. On the rugby field I was starting on the top team and working my ass off. This all ended when I got my first concussion, about five months ago. When this happened, I couldn’t: read, write, pay attention, I was sensitive to light, I was insanely depressed, and I just felt like complete and utter shit. To top that off I withdrew out of my courses because it was so much harder than it already was, to read, write, focus and study, and the stress was just insane. I was seeing a doctor every week as well as cranial sacral therapy with Dr. Stefan Sigalet, which has an 8th month wait list but I managed to get in right away. He readjusted my hips, skull plates, and jaw, and finally I was feeling better. I was less depressed and could workout again. 

I went back to school in Jan, and it was going terrible for me again. After being not able to read or write, I tried to hop back into school and tackle my courses, which was a terrible idea. Its like breaking your legs, having them heal, and trying to climb mount everest… I was setting my self up for failure. 

Because school was going so terribly wrong I decided to withdraw again. My reason for this was not because of my concussion and not being able to read, it was because I was depressed that I sucked at school and I didn’t see the point of going if I hated being so shitty at it. 

My Realizations:

If I don’t want to suck at school, maybe I shouldn’t suck at school… or rewritten, If I hate being shitty at academics, maybe I shouldn’t be shitty at academics. 

What do I mean by this. Maybe instead of running away from something I’m not good at, I should pick up a weapon and run towards it. The weapon of choice would obviously be my brain and my heart. I want to succeed in life, and the only way to do that is conquer your failures. How can I feel good about my life when I know I can be better and all it will take is a little dedication and a little effort. 

Its time to grow up and go grab the bull by the horns.

My Successes:

Why did I become so athletic? I put in the hours. Everyone looks at me like I’m retarded when I wake up at 5am to go train for hours on end, then go back for a second time later at night. People think I’m nuts if I train the same muscle group more than one day in a row. Day after day I do this, and I don’t rest. I put all my effort into this, and that is why I succeed. So why can’t I work hard and Study hard, Play hard and Rest Hard? Um, there is no reason why I can’t, the only reason is me doubting my self, which is easy to do when it comes to something were not good at. 

My Motivation:

I don’t want to let my family down who have invested so much in me, not just money, but time, effort, and love. 

Most of all, I know I can be better, so why not be better.

Its time to take a stand and go after something that I want, become someone who I want to be. 

Just because I’m not good at something now doesn’t mean I can’t become great at it in the future. 

“The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavour” - Vince Lombardi

Creating a Better Life for All

I recently encountered a site that focuses on creating healthy lives for all. Such a selfless act deserves a huge shout out!

This is exactly what the wold needs more of. Individuals who strive to make a difference in peoples lives ranging from the less fortunate to the extremely fortunate. Steve has created a product that has meaning for all, and for this I thank him.

Steve, for all you do, this post is for you!

“STEVE’S STORY

My story is the result of searching for a healthier way to eat—and live. I love good, clean, real food. Call me a caveman. Call me an original. Call me and tell me what you think about my products, and I’ll send you something extra special in your next order. My name is Steve, and I created Steve’s Original.

My Originals are about the journey that we all take to find a better way to live our lives and fuel our bodies. They’re about the changes that I saw when I made this commitment to myself and my dedication to helping others bring about this change. My Originals are pure, quality, paleo offerings that provide a convenient energy source. They are optimum fuel for life’s journey. But the bottom line: they are insanely delicious.

Don’t know paleo? This caveman way of eating includes meat, seafood, vegetables, nuts, seeds and fruit. If you can catch it, kill it or grow it, then I will eat it, seek out the highest-quality, best-tasting ingredients I can find and serve it to the people I care so deeply about.

It All Started with the Paleokit

Paleokits are my flagship Original. A tasty medley of beef jerky, raw macadamias, almonds, pecans and dried fruits, my kits are perfect for people on the go. And man they are good—but not as good as the story of how they came to be.

Steve’s Original is the funding source for my true calling: Steve’s Club. I’m trying to change the lives of local inner-city kids with fitness training and peer mentoring. My not-for-profit club is for kids from Camden, NJ—touted as the most dangerous crime-infested city in the country. Many of these kids were drugging and ganging before they were hanging out with me. They just needed an alternative.

Four years ago, I started my first group of kids on a Crossfit exercise regimen and a paleo diet. Many needed to gain strength, some needed to lose weight but all needed real food they could pack for school. My wife Kristen and I got creative in the kitchen, and Paleokits were born!

Our kits found their way into gym, diaper, computer and carry-on bags of family and friends and the response was overwhelming. Our product was perfect for athletes striving to improve performance, those following Paleo, Zone™, low-carb and gluten-free diets, not to mention those who just love clean food and tasty beef jerky.

Our most recent Original? Paleokrunch. A delicious blend of coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds and honey, Paleokrunch comes in a resalable bag of clusters or a bar. Eat it as cereal or a snack, sprinkle it on applesauce or toss it with fruit. It’s just another big fat win in helping you achieve your nutrition and fitness goals.

I have an awesome team of cavekids committed to helping me deliver these products to your doorstep. They are from the same streets that my Club kids are from. Know that when you purchase our products, you are giving these kids a clean way to make a great living. When you buy a kit or a krunch—you are saving a kid.

The best part? I’ve only just begun. There are products in the pipe that will you love. Have an idea? A comment? A suggestion? I need to hear your feedback. Friend me on Facebook, send me a tweet, email me or old-school pick up the phone.

So that’s my paleo story, and I’m sticking to it—to the diet, the lifestyle and my mission to helping you on your journey to living your best life. Steve’s Original is at its core about journeys. I believe life’s journey is never a destination, but rather a constant quest to achieve things that once seemed impossible.

Nothing ever is.

Yours in Paleo Health and Fitness,
Steve
Head Caveman

MEET STEVE (WRITTEN BY CHARLIE)

I refuse to be another statistic. Every push up, deadlift and back squat I complete isn’t just a victory in the gym, it’s a triumph over the circumstances I was born into. The dangerous streets of my hometown offered me few options. Steve Liberati helped me find another way.

Steve was working as an exterminator in my neighborhood four years ago. He saw how tough it was and invited a group of kids to work out in a field. I used to see them when I was walking home. One day he invited me to join them. 

That was the best day of my life. Since then, I have put on 40 pounds of muscle and become certified as a personal trainer. I am also an employee of Steve’s Original. But most importantly, I am no longer on the streets. 

Steve grew up in New Jersey, but he only knew the city of Camden through newspapers and television. It wasn’t until he worked on our streets did he realize his dream of saving kids. The club quickly went from 10 kids to 20, and he rented a small space in a local community center. He kept buying and collecting equipment for us to workout with, using his own money to fund the club. For many of us, Steve was the first adult we could depend on. 

Steve is like an uncle to us. He makes sure we are doing the right thing, and he gives us opportunities to have a better life. We needed guidance, and he introduced us to CrossFit training. We needed healthy food we could pack for school, and he made us PaleoKits. We need to save more kids from the drug-infested streets of Camden, so he continues to grow Steve’s Original to fund the cause. 

Steve runs CrossFit Tribe in the same space he runs our club, and sometimes we get to train with them. It’s great for kids like me to hang out with a group of good athletes who are also professionals. We all have a lot to learn from each other, and we are like a family. 

Steve and his wife Kristen are at the head of that family. When they had their first baby, it was like we all had a little nephew. Dominic was born last year, and having him around the club has been awesome. He waddles around when we work out, he houses Paleo food all day long and he makes us laugh everyday. For me, it’s been extra important. I’m about to have my first son, and watching Steve with Dom has shown me the kind of father that I need to be. 

If I had to describe Steve in one word it would be: committed. To his family, to the kids that go to his club, and to the food company that allows him to save kids in our community.

He has taken my life in a direction I never thought possible. I used to walk the streets of Camden, and trouble was looking for me. Now I roll around the same streets in our club van, just looking for kids so they don’t get in trouble. I have a healthy body and a strong mind. I can be anything I want to be. 

Steve Liberati is my trainer, my mentor and my friend. His club is my home. CrossFit is my workout. Steve’s Originals are the fuel for my journey.”

This past week has just blown by

A blog post is long overdue!

Lets start this off a week ago and talk about one of my most favorite things, Training!

Last sat(Feb 18th) my training shifted from crossfit football to a more bodybuilding style of training. This was because one of my good friends, Alex, was back in town as well as another good buddy, Jeremy, was available to train as well.

on sat morning I trained heavy shoulders with Jeremy

• 7 sets of shoulder press
• 5 sets of single arm lateral raises
• 5 sets of rear delt raises
• 5 sets of lower trap raises
• 4 sets of front raises 
• then some core work (evil wheels)

On Sunday night I trained Heavy shoulders again with Alex…

• 6 sets barbell shoulder press 
• 5 sets of lateral raises
• 4 sets of rear delt raises
• 4 sets of single arm cable raises
• 4 sets of barbell shrugs
• 3 sets of dumbbell shrugs
• 2 sets of bicep curl drop sets

Monday was a rest day

Tuesday trained chest and back with Alex

• 8 sets of bench and weighted pullups superset
• 6 sets of incline dumbbell bench with kroc rows superset
• 6 sets of flat bench cable flys with bent-over rows superset
• 4 sets of seated row and dips superset

Then we did 2 sets of a crossfit football conditioning workout right after

• 10 mins on the clock
• 1 power clean, 1 hang clean, 1 push jerk every 30 seconds for 10 mins

Wednesday I did a crossfit football workout

• 7 rounds of 3 deadlifts and 3 hang-cleans, if bar is dropped during round you have to immediately drop down and perform 5 burpies

Thursday I did the crossfit open workout

• as many reps as possible in 7 minutes of burpies 

then Thursday night i went snowboarding for 5 hours

Friday was crossfit football

• on the minute for 10 minutes: 3 weighted pullups and max rep power cleans

Saturday was Fight Gone Bad: 3 rounds of 1 min at each station with a 1 min break in between stations

• wall ball 10ft, 20lbs
• sumo deadlift highpull
• box jump
• push press 75lbs
• row for calories

Ultimate Guide to Eating Paleo

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Protein Pudding

So I’ve recently become addicted to protein pudding. It tastes amazing and its super easy to make. Friday night was the first time I tried to make it, and it took me all of 15 seconds.

Version 1 Friday Night

3 scoops of vanilla protowhey

1 splash of water

stir

IT was that simple!

the second time I made it I decided to add some ingredients to change up the flavour. 

Version 2 Sat Afternoon

4 scoops of vanilla protowhey 

1 tablespoon of almond butter 

1 tablespoon of organic Honey

1 teaspoon of cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon of pure organic coco powder 

and 2 splashes of water

Then stir.

You have to be careful not to add even a drop too much water or it will liquify. 

They best thing is, if you have a good tasting protein you can have it by itself or you can mix a variety of ingredients to have a great tasting snack in a short amount of time. 

Sleepless in Vancouver?

Waking up isn’t hard when you don’t sleep, unfortunately I did, so waking up was rough. After a late night of studying I probably went to bed around 130am, the alarm clock was set for 5am…Rise and Grind.

Straight to the Kitchen for a Preworkout Mix Of BCAAs and Wired. When you Intermittent fast, its a good thing to consume some BCAAs to keep your muscles fuelled so you can focus on burning your fat off for energy and gain strength! The Wired is a Great compound of Beta Alanine for endurance, Creatine for strength, and Arginine and Citrulline for pumps. Then to add on top of that, there is a pleasant amount of caffeine for energy and tyrosine for mental alertness and focus. All in all, its a magic powder.

Nothing like arriving to the gym with a great classic playing. I feel like its always important to keep the iPod stocked with great music that gets you going, especially before the sun comes up. It puts you in the right mood to start your day.  

Todays Workout: 

• 5x5 (five sets of five reps) squats with 225lbs
• work up to 1 rep max close grip bench press
• mobility wod: Roll out the quads, hamstrings, calfs all with a barbell, then groin stretch and hip-flexer stretch
• 5x10 (five sets of ten reps) superset barbell shoulder press 95lbs with pull-ups

Post Workout Photo. As always, theres a photo to mark the hard work you just went through. Looking back on past photos helps me associate with that past event and also provides me with feedback for what I can be doing better and also the progress I have made. 

Now its time to shower up and get ready for work!