1. Consume healthy, high-fiber and low-sugar whole foods. These foods include lean protein (lean beef, chicken, fish and meal replacement powders and bars), colorful fruits & vegetables (broccoli, onions, peppers, asparagus, eggplant, carrots, assorted berries, apples, oranges, etc.), unsalted nuts (walnuts, almonds and cashews), and whole grains (steel cut or whole rolled oats oatmeal, low glycemic Ezekiel bread, and oat bran).
2. Food choices should contain a large nutrient-to-calorie ratio.  Simply put, you want a large amount of nutrients with as little calories as possible.  So, no junk food with empty calories that provides nothing nutritious for your body.  For example, eat a piece of whole low glycemic fruit instead of drinking fruit juice or fruit-flavored beverages.  Or eat dark leafy green vegetables (2 cups steamed broccoli has 87 calories) instead of loading up on starches like potato chips, or snack on a variety of nuts instead of ice cream and cheese balls.
3. Consume 5-6 small meals each day rather than 2-3 large meals.  A well-planned schedule will help you achieve this goal.  Eat within 30-60 minutes after waking up, and then every 3 hours thereafter until you go to bed.  For example, begin your day with breakfast, have a small morning snack, lunch, a small afternoon snack, a light dinner, and end the day with a small evening snack.  Smaller, more frequent meals help you control you blood sugar levels, sustain your energy levels, utilize nutrients better and retain more vitamins.  It is essential for controlling your hunger and your fatigue levels.
4. Avoid combining fat and sugar within a meal.  A simple way to improve our health and lose fat is to avoid “fast food” and stop consuming cola or juice.  Basically, when both fat and sugar are combined, it sends certain hormonal signals for your body to shuttle those nutrients directly toward fat storage.  However, by consuming fat with protein or carbohydrates with proteins, you will send different hormonal signals that will elicit fat burning and increase metabolism (lean protein + non starchy carb = High TEF).
5. Avoid eating excess calories at meals.  If you consume 2-3 meals each day, start by splitting up your dinner into two meals spaced 3 hours apart.  Even though you are not changing your calories, your metabolism will start to improve.  There are two reasons for this:  one, your body cannot utilize all the nutrients (even the best of meals) when eaten in one sitting and inevitably, the remainder will go to fat storage; and two, in between those meals the body doesn’t have nutrients to fuel itself, so it resorts to breaking down muscle tissue in order to create fuel to sustain the body.  Anytime you decrease your muscle tissue, you are slowing down your metabolism because muscle = metabolism and this is the only place where fat can get burned.
6. When eating at a restaurant, avoid excess sugar, fat or oversized meals.  Restaurant meals are way too big to eat in one sitting and contain enough food for two – sometimes three people.  It’s critical that you recognize the pitfalls of dining out.  Often, you cannot control the ingredients used or the method of preparation when dining out. Stick with the foods recommended as often as you can – healthy, high-fiber and low-sugar whole foods such as lean protein, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and whole grains.
7. Avoid “processed carbohydrates”. Typically, these include carbs from a bag or a box.  Processed carbs generally contain too many calories and too much sugar.  Processed carbs rapidly increase and decrease blood sugar, resulting in hunger, cravings, fatigue and a release of fat storing hormones.
8. Consume low-glycemic carbohydrates instead of processed, high sugar carbohydrates.  Low-glycemic carbohydrates include vegetables, oatmeal and whole-grain products.  They are digested slower.  A slower digestion results in more stable blood sugar levels, decreased hunger, increased energy levels and a steady release of fat-burning hormones.
9. Replace processed carbohydrates with high fiber foods at all meals and snacks.  Examples include oatmeal or oat bran instead of sugary-cereals for breakfast, salads with low-fat, low-sugar dressing for lunch, vegetables instead of French fries or bread for dinner, and walnuts instead of candy or chips for snacks.  Fiber helps control blood sugar levels, appetite and energy.  The American Dietetic Association recommends 25-35 grams of fiber per day – while most Americans get only 14 grams (or fewer) of fiber per day.
10. Consume a lean protein every 3 hours. If you miss anything, let it never be the protein.  Protein maintains muscle mass (your fat-burning engine) and helps in the recovery process from exercise and stress.  Good quality lean proteins include: skinless, boneless chicken breasts, turkey breasts, wild salmon, 93% lean beef, low-fat cottage cheese and other low-fat dairy products.  For vegans and vegetarians, tofu, seitan, tempeh and other soy-based products and/or meal replacement bars and shakes are perfect.  Aim for 0.6 grams to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight daily.
11. Avoid foods containing trans-fats (also know as trans-fatty acids or hydrogenated fats – the artery cloggers).  These fats have no nutritional value and have no place in a supportive nutrition program.  Most processed convenience foods found in a bag or a box, as well as most margarine, contains trans-fatty acids.  Learn to be a label detective, but, remember, trans-fats currently are not listed on nutrition labels for most foods!
12. Consume healthy fats from olive oil, grape seed oil, flaxseed oil, flaxseeds, walnuts, almonds, cashews, wild salmon and omega-3 fortified eggs.  Olive oils and nuts are high in monounsaturated fat.  Monounsaturated fats are associated with good cardiovascular health.  Reach for the nuts instead of chips and candy.  Fish, such as wild salmon, provide omega-3 fatty acids that are associated with good cardiovascular health.  The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least twice per week.
13. Eat the rainbow daily.  The nutrients in fruits and veggies are linked to its color so consume as many different colors of fruits and vegetables as you can.  You should eat at least 5 servings vegetables and 1-2 servings of fruit daily.  Veggies and fruits will provide you with innumerable nutrients including fiber, vitamins, minerals, and many phyto-nutrients that simply do not exist in other foods.
14. Consume a wide variety of foods, especially colorful fruits and vegetables that contain a variety of nutrients and a small amount of calories per serving (large nutrient-to-calorie ratio).  Condiments like low-sugar tomato sauce and salsa also help increase the nutrient content and taste factor of a meal.  Fruits that are nutrient dense include raspberries, blueberries and strawberries, while other fruits such as grapefruits, oranges and apples contain high levels of the soluble fiber, pectin, that helps slow digestion and keeps you full.
15. Become a label detective.  Avoid foods packed with excess sugar, calories, or that contain any trans-fat.  As a general rule, the less processed the food, the more nutritious it is.  Rule of thumb – if you can visualize where the product came from – growing out of the ground or an animal – then choose it.  I’ve never seen a coke tree.  Remember to aim for nutrient-dense, low-calorie foods when snacking.  Log our nutritional intake on a nutrition log form daily.
16. Drink at least half of your body weight in ounces of water daily.  This is simply a recommendation.  You should be monitoring the concentration of your urine to determine whether or not you are dehydrated.  Dark = dehydrated, clear = hydrated.  Most of your liquid consumption should be in the form of water.  Reduce the amount of liquids containing calories.  When in doubt drink water!
17. Consume green tea daily.  It’s calorie-free and has numerous health benefits.  Replace soda, juice and coffee with green tea and water to avoid unnecessary liquid calories.  A typical can of soda contains 150 calories and a large soda from a fast-food joint can contain over 600 calories!!  Soda has no nutritional value and is loaded with sugar that will cause a rapid increase in your blood sugar levels.  The exact opposite of what you are trying to accomplish!!
18. Eat a small protein-based meal before bed.  Yes, I know you’ve heard not to eat before bed because it will be stored as fat.  The truth is, your body needs a steady stream of nutrients including protein every 3 hours and also, your body does not know time.  By consuming a small protein based snack before bed, you will ensure your muscles are properly fueled and your blood sugar levels are stable.  A great snack includes carbmaster  plain yogurt or low fat cottage cheese.
19. Reduce your intake of caffeinated beverages.  Research shows that the caffeine content of commercial coffees can vary on a daily basis depending on water content and brewing time.  One day your coffee may have 600mg of caffeine, the next only 200mg!!  Keep track of your caffeine intake in your food log and make sure to count for the extra calories that are added in the form of cream and sugar –they add up quickly!!
20. For long-term weight loss, make small but consistent nutrition changes on a daily basis. These small changes will result in huge improvements over time.  Start by switching from whole milk or 2 to 1% or then eventually skim.  Use only “lean-ground” (90% or higher), turkey, chicken and buffalo meat to reduce total fat intake.  Substitute calorie-free or low-calorie condiments instead of high-fat condiments (i.e. mustard instead of mayo).
21. Reduce your alcohol consumption. Alcohol is liquid fat and has no place in a supportive nutrition program.  Each shot of alcohol, glass of beer or glass of wine is about 150 calories.  If it’s a mixed drink, count 300-1000 calories per drink!!  Plus alcohol is converted to sugar in the liver and your body’s ability to burn fat is “cut off” which means the sugar is eventually stored in the fat cells.  It’s easy to see how alcohol intake can add up to fat gain.  Restricting our alcohol and sugary beverage intake will help you shed fat in a very short time.
22. Do the grocery shopping on your own.  Research suggests that adults spend more money at the grocery store when they shop with their kids and are more likely to buy high-calorie foods.  If you shop alone, you are more likely to stick to your supportive grocery list.  Buy as much whole foods as possible and less refined packaged foods.  Both you and your family will eat better.
23. Strive for progress, not perfection.  Do not try to change everything at once.  Make it your goal to make 2-3 improvements weekly.  For example, in week 1, reduce your intake of soda.  In week 2, add 1 new vegetable to your dinners.  In week 3, drink more water….and so on….
24. Recruit the help of family members, friends or a coach who will help support your healthy nutrition plans.  It is also a good idea to have someone hold you accountable to your goals so when the going gets tough, you’ll have a friend to remind you of your goals and why you are pursuing them!
25. Remember, it’s OK to cheat.  I’m hesitant to put this one on here, but I know that it’s nearly impossible to “toe the line” 100% of the time (see tip #23).  Allow yourself one cheat day a week – but practice moderation!  This way you’ll look forward to the day you get to eat whatever you want and behave during the rest of the week!

Before starting a new weight management program it’s important to get baseline measurements so you can monitor changes and track results.  Often times most individuals just use their household bathroom scale as the only tool to measure weight management success.  Unfortunately, the scale doesn’t tell the whole story.

The scale cannot make a distinction between the “good” lean weight and the “bad” fat weight.  These two are important to distinguish between, because losing lean weight slows metabolism and will make it difficult to maintain the weight you have lost.  And can cause the body to re-gain any lost body fat, which leads to the yo-yo effect that so many struggle with.

In reality, the weight that you want to lose is fat.  We all want well defined arms and shoulders, and of course, the six pack abs…we want to be tone!  So we must make sure that when we are going through a weight management program that we monitor and track our lean body weight (muscle) and our fat weight.

The best way to do this is through hydrostatic weighing, or measuring your body density by weighing under water.  But this is not feasible for most people.  Therefore, skinfold testing is the preferred method for assessing body fat percentage or body composition.  In the medical community, BMI or Body Mass Index is the preferred method simply due to the fact that it is non-invasive and fairly quick to calculate.  But BMI can be deceiving because it is simply a comparison of your body weight to your height.  So if someone has a large amount of muscle on a short frame their BMI could show that they’re at an unhealthy body composition when in reality their body fat is in the acceptably healthy category.

Skinfold testing to measure body composition can be done by any fitness professional.  However, keep in mind that not each fit pro “pinches” exactly the same, in exactly the same location.  For this reason, skinfold testing has a +/- 2% accuracy.  So it’s best to be measured by the same fitness professional each time you get measured.  The scale is necessary for this form of body composition measurement because you have to know how much of your total weight is fat weight and how much of your total weight is everything else or lean body weight.

Why is it important to make sure you are preserving lean muscle mass with your weight management program?  Because, as mentioned earlier in this post, lean body weight (muscle) is your direct link to your resting metabolic rate.  One pound of muscle can burn up to 50 calories per day at rest.  So if your fitness program is not building or maintaining lean muscle then you could be slowing down your metabolism.  This will make it almost impossible to maintain any weight you do lose during your program.

Make sure that you are doing exercises that stimulates lean muscle growth so that you lose the weight you’ve always intended to lose…the fat.  Measure your body composition every 4 weeks to monitor and track results.  If you’re not doing enough to maintain your lean muscle, the skinfold testing will let you know so you can make adjustments to your program and bring about the greatest chance for long term weight management success.

One of the most frustrating things for me is when I allow mental road blocks to hinder my growth… whether professionally or personally.  I don’t want them to, but I’m human and most of the time I don’t even realize that I’ve stumbled until I look back and reflect on it.

Can you relate?

You might be wondering why I’m even talking about such a topic. You may even be asking yourself what this has to do with fitness.

Well, the truth is….it doesn’t directly relate to fitness, or health for that matter, at all. But it does have a lot to do with success and breeding a successful lifestyle.

Here’s what I’m talking about:

As a fitness professional I hear a lot of reasons why someone CAN’T do something. Mostly from a nutrition standpoint, like…

“I can’t eat like that. I’m too busy.”

“I don’t eat vegetables.”

“Can’t I just drink a shake or eat a protein bar instead?”

Sound familiar?

I’m sorry for the harsh tone, but it is necessary. I assure you.

You simply can’t move forward until you get rid of all the head trash, drop the excuses, and get serious about your health and fitness.

You know, in your heart of hearts, that real success…real achievement… and lasting results… require a measure of sacrifice and (at the least) a pinch of hard work….

…there is no “magic” pill!

For most, that sacrifice is trading in the convenience for some planning and preparation. Others it could mean mentally approaching your workouts with vigor and excitement.

However that looks for you, I challenge you to bust through those mental roadblocks….knock ‘em down…go right over them.

Maybe you’re like me and you don’t even realize that you are allowing the negative self talk to reinforce bad habits until after the fact. Or perhaps you don’t know at all, and need them pointed out to you the same way I do in some areas of my life.

My goal in sharing this with you today is to get the “juices” flowing, and maybe spur some reflection about what might be holding you back from reaching your own health and fitness goals…and ultimately help you grow as a person.

In closing, I’d like to leave you with a quote I read today.

“Success doesn’t come to you…you go to it!”–Marva Collins

To your continued success,

Clint Barr

You know, so much of any circumstance relies heavily on our perspective.

We react to a situation based on how we percieve it. And that perception can sometimes be skewed.

Take for example the recent debate (or lack there of) on the new Health Care Bill. Most people I talk to see this bill as an attack on their God given freedom to choose their health care provider and how they will pay for it. Still others view this bill as a much needed overhaul of the insurance industry.

Two completely different perspectives on the same issue.

I look at the current healthcare bill as an amazing opportunity for this country to turn from a reactive approach to health, to more of a proactive approach. It’s an opportunity for individuals to start taking their health more seriously by incorporating better fitness and nutrition practices into their lifestyles.

So, what kind of perspective are you looking at circumstances with?

Could you benefit by stepping back and looking at things differently?

I would say yes, and you have that kind of power over any situation you encounter. The glass is either half full, or half empty. And sometimes it helps to look at it from both the top and the bottom of the glass.

This past week I had the opportunity to go on a mission trip to Mexico.  With all the recent news about the drug cartel violence, I had every reason to back out of the trip.  But I’m glad I didn’t because I would have missed out on a pretty amazing experience.

There was 17 in all going on the trip.  We left on Wednesday evening about 5:30 after an exhilarating work day.  For me Wednesday started at 3:30 am (my normal wake up time) to allow myself time to eat breakfast and do my devotional before leaving to run boot camp class at 5:30 am.  Followed that up with men’s group at 7:00 and then ironed out some details at the studio the rest of the morning in preparation for my absence.

The drive to Brownsville took us about 13 1/2 hours with all the stops, which put our arrival there at 7:00 am Thursday morning.  Needless to say I didn’t sleep very much, if even at all.  Personally I have never done well sleeping in a car (or on a plane for that matter).

My dad lives in Weslaco, Tx which is just 20 minutes from Brownsville, so I got to meet up with him and talk with him about an hour or so before we went across the border.  A quick stop for supplies and food at Walmart was the final task before we made our way into Matamoros, Mexico.  Once we were across the border we drove about 30 minutes west of the city to the Matamoros Children’s Home where we would be living and working for the next two days.

We barely unpacked the van and we were put to work.  At this time it’s about 10 am, so I had already surpassed the 24 hour mark.  Some guys were assigned to working on taping and filling the drywall in one of the newly built cottages and some others started working on building the fascia around the roof.  Myself and 4 other guys were assigned to demolition!

One of the older cottages was being renovated so we simply had to gut the place.  There was a leak coming from one of the pipes in the bathroom so there was some wood rot in a lot of areas, but the termite damage was by far the worst I have ever seen.  The wood crumbled in our hands and sounded like Ritz crackers being crumbled up.  We filled up a huge trailer…twice!  We thought, or at least it felt like, we had been working all day.  It felt like the day should have been over, after all, to us we had already surpassed a complete day.

I was feeling extremely exhausted by this point.  Real fatigue…not the kind of fatigue when you’ve put in a “hard” day at work and you don’t feel like doing the dishes or folding laundry when you get home.  No, this was weak legged, hard to focus on anything fatigue!

Since we couldn’t do anymore demolition in that cottage for the day, we decided to head back to the missionary dorm to eat something and refuel.  Along the way we noticed a couple of swings on the swing set were broken.  We stopped to see what we could do.  And I have to admit I wasn’t thrilled about it.  Fixing stuff isn’t really my thing anyway.  And now I felt like I was going to fall asleep standing up.  We were tinkering with this and that, trying to make it work with what little we had.  We got one side fixed, but the other one had the chain wrapped around the top cross bar.  We tried throwing the swing over but to no avail.  So, I climbed up one of the poles and got the chain unwrapped so we could fix the second swing.

Where was this strength coming from?  More on that in a bit.

After that we finally ate some lunch and sat in the air conditioning for a bit… and that did me in.  I could have easily put my head down and called it a day.  But there was still some work to be done and I felt I should press on.  And I wasn’t the only one, we were all tired.  For the next 3 hours we helped pour a concrete driveway.  Mostly shoveling gravel, lifting 5 gallon buckets of the gravel into the mixer, and filling the buckets again.  Over and over, for hours.  Since I was doing something and moving about, I felt energized.  Then some of the children that live there came over and started to help which was nice, and eye opening at the same time.

My energy (strength) could have only came from one place…God.  What other explanation is there?  There isn’t one! We went down to Mexico to do His work and after being awake more than 36 hours, which consisted of some of the hardest manual labor I have experienced in recent memory, it was obvious that the power/strength/energy was not of our own doing.

You know, when those children came to help us work it made me realize something…this small community that we were there to help was displaying what a community is really supposed to look like.  Everyone there contributes, in one way or the other.  Some of the men who live there with their wives help raise 10 orphan children at a time, as well as their own.  Everybody has chores and they do them willingly, not for money, but rather the betterment of the community itself…each other.

Everyone there was smiling…truly enjoying life.  There are no deadlines, no statuses, no crime.  They live as if today is the most precious gift they’ve ever been given.  That is something I would like to learn.  I wonder how much better my day would be if I really took joy in what I was doing every minute of every day, living thankfully, instead of always looking ahead, planning for the next move in order to get ahead (or stay ahead).

I’d like to think I caught a little glimpse of heaven.  Who knew I’d find it in Matamoros, Mexico?!

“It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect it’s successful outcome.”
–William James

That virtually sums it up. It doesn’t matter what the goal is, but rather the attitude with which we approach it.

If you have a positive outlook, and believe that you’re going to accomplish what you set out to do, then you will. No doubt about it. Unfortunately, we usually tend to think of all the things that hold us back from accomplishing our goals…. including me.

I’ve always been “thin.” I graduated high school the same height I am now, but only weighed 140 lbs. Yet, as a freshman in high school I played for the varsity baseball team and lettered all 4 years as the starting catcher. I was pretty good too.

But I felt like I would never get a shot, because so many people told me I was too skinny to be a catcher, even for the college level. I remember as a 16 year old going to a MLB scouting tryout with a bunch of high school seniors and college kids.

As a catcher, we were all timed on our throws from home to second base, simulating a throw we would make to try to catch a potential base stealer. I out threw every single other guy there… as a 16 year old.

Several scouts talked to me that day, but all of them said the same thing… “I wish you had 40 more pounds of muscle. You’re just too skinny to play at the ‘next level’.”

The wind was out of my sails and I began to accept their prediction. My attitude became that of someone defeated…not determined.

Even though I earned All Conference and All State honors my senior year, I was not recruited by single four year university. I decided to go tryout for a small junior college. And I’ll never forget when my attitude made the change for the positive.

The junior college coach looked at me and said, “Well, you can come play here without a scholarship and at best you’d be our third backup.” That did it!

I took the approach right then and there to prove him wrong… to prove them all wrong. I simply said, “Where do I sign?” I hit the weight room the next day, determined to get bigger and stronger.

Long story short… I started both years at my junior college earning All-Conference honors. I was recruited by many top universities and went on to play for a four year university on a full ride scholarship. And eventually, I signed a professional contract with the New York Yankees and played for 2 1/2 years in their minor league system.

I chose to go after my dream (goal). And took what was always a negative, and made a conscious effort to have a positive approach and belief.

I eventually did gain that 40 pounds of muscle. In fact, my last year with the Yankees I weighed 203 lbs (at 12% body fat.) I’m obviously not that big anymore. I don’t need to be and my workouts are much different now too.

So remember, your attitude greatly affects your level of success. If you sense negative thoughts about the task ahead of you to reach your goal, throw it out…get rid of it.

Focus on being positive and believe that with hard work and persistence you can and will achieve your goals.

To your continued success,

Clint Barr

Have you ever been driving down the road and your mind sorta wanders?  Obviously not a good driving practice, but it happens.  Sometimes it’s things going on in your life, or an amusing character that you saw walking down the road, or even a breath taking view of God’s majestic beauty displayed in the form of a sunset or sunrise.

Today as I was “sprinting” around town getting some errands done and I had one of those moments.  I was completely aware of my surroundings, that is all the other things that were going on around me (how far the other cars were in front of me, the road I was on, etc.)  But I was totally oblivious to what I was doing in terms of my speed.

Yep.  You guessed it.  Popped over a hill and there he was… the man in blue.  Of course at the time I wasn’t even considering how fast I was going.  Heck, I even hesitated to check my speed when I saw him, because I didn’t even know I was speeding.  Long story short, I received a “citation” from our very noble and protective civil servant.

My mind, consciously, was not on where I was at that moment.  And this is exactly what happens to our health over the years.  We lose touch with ourselves.  We essentially stop “checking our mirrors” and assessing where we are at and what we are doing.  It’s a dangerous place to be, just as dangerous as it is to let the mind wander while driving.

Sometimes we just need to be pulled over.  Be reminded that we are speeding through life and not fully aware of the damage we might be inflicting on ourselves.  Slow down… reflect.  Where are you health wise?  Can you remember what you ate today?  Do you even know when the last time you had a fitness assessment?  Have you ever had one?

It’s easy to stop paying attention to your health.  Just like it is easy to lose focus of how fast your going in your car sometimes.  Both could potentially have devastating outcomes.  If that policeman was not doing his job I could have seriously injured myself, or worse, someone else.  If you don’t take control, or better yet, if you don’t take ownership of your health and fitness, then it will end up hurting you.  And eventually those you love.

I know I will be more alert behind the wheel after today.  I hope you’ll be more vigilant with taking a more proactive approach to your health and fitness as well.  Looking in the mirror and figuring out where you’re at is the first step.

To your health,

Clint Barr

P.S. I’d love to get your comments about this topic, or even answer any questions you have.  Just post them to the comments section below.

After I picked up the 15 passenger van from the rental car agency and was heading towards downtown Jackson, I began to feel a little discomfort. Not from fear, but from not knowing what to expect or what I was about to see.

I don’t go downtown very much at all. In fact, I rarely go down there. I didn’t even know how to get to Gateway Rescue Mission until 30 minutes before I left when I looked it up on google maps. The plan: pick up the homeless from Gateway, the Opportunity Center, and other shelters and take them out to Pinelake Church to eat Christmas dinner and watch the final dress rehearsal of the Christmas program.

As I turned onto S. Gallatin street the reality of what the world really looks like slapped me right in the face.  Several people were huddled together in different groups and standing on the sidewalk around the area where Gateway is located.  I had heard that there were homeless and knew they were downtown, but had never seen it with my own eyes.  I didn’t know it at the time, but my transformation had begun.

When I pulled into Gateway my heart was pounding (still haven’t figured out why.)  Some of the other guys who volunteered to help with transportation were there and we walked inside.  Several men were checking in and getting there bed assignment for the night.  Immediately many of the individuals who were staying there came up to greet us.  All of them were smiling and genuinely pleased to see us.

We started to load up the vans and it wasn’t until I started to get to know the 4 men who were in my van at that time that my guard came down, and with it my heart rate.  One of the guys said something that I still can’t get out of my head.  He said, “A good meal will stick with you for a couple of days.”  Wow!  I’ve never had to view a meal that way. My eyes were beginning to open, and so was my heart.

Once we had everyone from Gateway that wanted to go we headed over to the Opportunity Center.  The Opportunity Center is a place where people can gather and wait for employers to come by who need laborers for the day.  They also have a telephone and computer with internet for them to use.  But it’s only open during the day, and there are no beds there.

As we pulled up, there must have been 70-80 people waiting for us to arrive.  They literally engulfed the van and almost made it impossible for me to pull all the way into the parking lot.  They quickly filled the van, as well as the other vans in the convoy, and we were ready to go.

Before we left I prayed with those in my van for a safe journey and that the evening would be a blessing to them.  They all suggested 95.5FM as the radio station of choice, and with the soul gospel blaring out of the speakers we started our trek down Lakeland Drive at the peak of rush hour traffic.  After about a 40 minute van rocking, hand clapping and gospel singing drive, we arrived at Pinelake.  Everyone piled out of the van and went inside to warm their bellies with Christmas dinner.

While they were eating I had the opportunity to get to know some of the men and learn more about them as individuals.  I sat with one gentleman that had only recently found himself without a place to live.  He uses a cane to assist him with an injured knee and suffers from back and neck pain.  But if not for the limp and the cane, you wouldn’t have known he was suffering at all.  His spirit was one of thankfulness and gratitude. It was an absolute pleasure sitting there and becoming acquainted with him.

Shortly after that the program started and for the next two hours I had the privilege of seeing the worries of the world be washed from their faces and replaced with happiness and joy.

On the trip back toward downtown everyone was talking about how blessed they were to be there and to get a hot meal.  Can you imagine?! They felt blessed!  They were happy to be alive, and not one of them was complaining about what tomorrow might bring.  One of them in the seat behind me leaned forward and said, “I love you Clint.”  I was speechless, and even a little choked up.  As I dropped them off back at Gateway and another shelter in west Jackson, everyone of them thanked me and I even got a few hugs.

I went that night to help serve and to be an influence in what ever small way I could on the lives of those I would encounter.  The truth is, they were a much bigger influence on me.  My life literally changed in an evening.  I will never be the same and I thank God for ushering me into the service of those less fortunate.

In the season we find ourselves it is easy to get caught up in the things that we perceive to be a hassle… the lines at the department stores, the traffic on County Line Rd., how we’re going handle the in-laws, or what ever minor issue we blow out proportion.  Now, for me, what I already have seems like too much.

I am forever grateful for the blessings in my life and my prayer for you is that if given the opportunity to serve, you will cease it and be blessed as much as I was in my experience.

With humble sincerity,

Clint Barr

Want to Save The Environment and Your Health? Eat Less Red Meat…

There is a new buzz word floating around and it’s name is “locavore?” That’s right, it sounds as wierd as it looks on the page or your computer screen. This label was born to describe those individuals who only eat food grown within a 100 mile radius of where they live. Proponents argue that this is a tastier and more nutritious alternative.

There are significant benefits to this idea. I encourage you to shop local, support your local farmers at a nearby farmer’s market if you have one, and agree that locally grown fruits and vegetables almost always taste better. There’s something about a green tomato traveling 2,000 miles on a truck that ruins the experience don’t you think?

Proponents of this type of eating also argue that this is better for the environment. They argue that eating locally promotes less greenhouse gases needed to produce food, harvest it, process it and transport it in those trucks. They believe that everyone should be eating this way and that in turn the world will be a better place.

As good as that may sound, it’s not always true and I could write a dissertation on the subject if needed. Today, I just want to make a quick point…

First, I’m a big proponent of buying locally and shopping for the freshest stuff you can find while at the same time being realistic about what is possible and what works for the long run, and in your busy life.

Not everyone lives close to a farm, variety will be limited most of the year if you’re only buying what’s in season, and just because a farm is smaller doesn’t mean the carbon footprint is lessened. Lots of small trucks traveling to lots of places can add up as much as big trucks going long distances. Efficiency is the final word on something like this. And no one is entirely sure yet, how to accurately compare the small operation to the big operation. Not only that, there are a lot of people to feed in the world and a lot of potential for problems and shortages when you start thinking about going local 100% of the time. Not to mention the economic importance of food imports and exports.

So, in the mean time, here is one thing you can do what will make you healthier and reduce the carbon footprint of food production. Eat less red meat, or stop eating it altogether. Beef is the most environmentally expensive food of all. According to the Berkeley Wellness letter this month, a recent article in The Scientific American pointed out that the annual beef diet of the average American emits as much greenhouse gas as a car driving more than 1800 miles.

Equally important is the fact that people who eat too much red meat are 30% more likely to die prematurely.

So, eat red meat once or twice per week or less and you will increase the chances that you will live a long and healthy life and still be able to breath

Clint Barr
Raising The Barr, Inc.
www.bestjacksonpersonaltrainer.com

Want to Lose Weight? Drink More Water…

The challenge of transforming your body is not a one time event. It doesn’t happen magically in 6 weeks or less because you chose to purchase the latest gadget you found on TV in the middle of the night. You can’t buy it in a special box of food or in a program that doesn’t include the three pillars you need for success – strength training, cardiovascular exercise, and supportive nutrition.

The change comes through your constant pursuit of making yourself into a better, fitter, healthier and more balanced person every day. Each change you make, and every positive decision you choose, brings you a step closer to your goal and your vision.

Here is a great example of this universal truth…

Two recent studies published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that within 10 minutes of drinking about a pint of water, the metabolic rates of both men and women increased by as much as 24 to 30 percent. Other drinks did not have the same effect.

Based on these results, you could burn an extra 17,400 calories per year. That’s 5 pounds!

Now, before you decide to rely exclusively on the “Drink More Water Weight Loss Plan” remember my point above…

“The change and transformation that you desire will come with your constant pursuit of making yourself into a better, fitter, healthier and more balanced person every day.” Drinking more water is one of many strategies you need to implement. And one that is essential.

Try starting your day with 20 ounces of water before your first cup of coffee in the morning. Then divide your current body weight by two and drink that many total ounces of water every day.

I look forward to hearing the results…

Yours in health,

Clint Barr
www.bestjacksonpersonaltrainer.com