Create Your Future: Building a Stronger YOU With Charles Poliquin

• Most successful strength coach in history. The Helen Maroulis story.
• What does it require to perform mentally and physically at that level?
• Mutual friend Janet Attwood introduced Charles & Joe in Iowa at meditation training.
• Fundamentals to get in shape mentally and physically
  • Only takes about 4 hours a week.
  • Sleep is a limiting factor. Just one hour less of sleep makes a huge difference in accident statistics. Take care of your sleep patterns. (8:29)
  • “The two biggest stressors for most people is their mouth: It’s what we say, and what we put in our mouths. “ (8:48)
  • We tend to self-medicate with carbohydrates, which releases insulin.  Insulin is the hormone of aging. (9:22) The more insulin you make, the faster you age. Managing the fat loss process is controlling your insulin. (9:30) The more you control your insulin, the better you will do.
• Joe: What’s the best piece of advice you have for what you should eat?
  • Charles: Follow this simple test: Ask yourself if the food that you’re going to eat was accessible to cavemen? (10:20)
  • 11:02 Degenerative disease started around the time grains were introduced in Egypt. Humans were much bigger and stronger when living on a paleolithic diet.  (11:08)
• Joe: How do you eat when traveling?
  • Charles: I plan travel based on how easy it is to find proper food there. That’s why I never travel to England!(11:39)
  • “To be productive, you have to eat properly.” (11:37)
  • With jet lag, drink 1.5 liter of water as you are landing in a foreign country. Eat some caviar or roast beef to reset your neurotransmitters. Macadamia nuts contain choline which fires up your brain. Jet lag is a mindset.  (13:20)
• Joe: What is your fitness routine at home and on the road?
  • (13:34) Charles: Wake up early. Do meditation. Write down what I want to be most proud of at the end of the day, and what I’m grateful for. Keep it simple.
  • “The first thing you put in your mouth in the morning, provided its food, will dictate your neurotransmitter cascade for the whole day.” (14:03)
  • Eat meat at breakfast. Work out an hour after eating. Shower and have a shake. Go to work. Routine is the same whether at home or on the road. It’s important to have very steady habits. (15:30)
• Joe: What type of exercise should you do?
  • Charles: I prefer interval training to slower, long distance cardio. A lot of cardiovascular training is actually brain damaging.  
  • Whatever exercise you choose, “The most important thing is that you show up. You’ve got to be active. You’ve got to sweat.” (16:45)
  • Here’s a very simple rule about exercise: If it’s not a “Hell yes!” it’s a “no.” (17:15)
• Myth of discipline: It’s not about discipline. It’s what you want more. You make the choice. If you love your brain more than donuts – then you’ll exercise. Do you enjoy healthy joints more than Nutella? (17:40) “Make a conscious choice based on what you need right now.” (18:15)
• Joe: How do people who are wanting to make a change get unstuck? (19:48)
  • The best day to change a habit is Saturday. Don’t overcommit. Just go to the gym for 10 minutes at first.
  • The place where most people can make the biggest impact is their sleep. (20:15). German research has shown that the earlier go to bed, the better your hormones. “Managing the electronics in your life will do a lot for your sleep.” (21:05) Simple book reading and journaling will do a lot for your sleep, helps you shut off your brain. Use journaling and keep a grateful log. Keep to a sleep routine.
  • Avoid sodas. Changes alkaline balance in your body, adds calories, weakens bones. 23:50
  • Eat solid food before you drink your first sip of coffee,

Audience Questions:

• What is your postworkout drink?
  • Charles: Shakes are for recovery. What you drink depends on your body composition. Generally, some form of whey protein or amino acids.
• How have you been able to overcome emotional triggers to bad habits, like drinking pop, eating carbs?  
  • (29:06) Charles:  A lot of it can be accomplished through brain nutrition. ADHD, Many brain problems and addictions are caused by poor nutrition. Eating a proper breakfast sets you up for the day.
• Can you clarify the comment about your post workout shake? Some people recommend grape juice. Are you a proponent of that?
  • Charles: Only if you deserve it. You need to deserve your carbohydrates. You can only do that if you are lean – below 10% body fat for a male, 16% for a female. (31:30)
• Is there a difference, for men, between doing isolated workouts or compound workouts?  (32:00)
  • Charles: To get the most bang for your buck stick to the basics: squats, deadlifts, chin ups, bench presses, barbels. It’s tough, but “Nothing beats the basics.” (33:30)
• What are your thoughts on intermittent fasting?
  • Charles: (34:10) Maybe in the right context but I’m not a big fan. I think  you should fuel your brain. Studies have shown in women, that fasting seriously disrupts the endocrine system.
• What are the breakfast foods you recommend, especially for children?
  • Charles: Meat, some sort of animal based protein, nuts are good for neurotransmitters, and for carbohydrate if you can afford it, berries. In fruit, the thinner the skin, the more phytonutrients it contains.
• What about green smoothies? (37:00)
  • Charles: Ok in the right context. Avoid anything you can buy in a regular grocery store. It will be full of fillers and heavy metals.
• What about juicing?
  • Charles: The problem with juicing is that it removes all the fiber, and fiber is what slows the release of sugar into the bloodstream. (38:10)
• Where do people find more information about you? (38:55)
  • www.strengthsensei.com
• Most brain disorders, including addictions, can be helped with supplements and fish oil. For fish oil, look for high concentrations of DHA and EPA. Omega 3 can help almost any disease.
• We’ve heard that some fish oil can be rancid of the shelf, and is actually worse than taking none at all. How do you know whether fish oil is good or bad? (41:55)
  • Charles: Nordic Naturals is the one brand you can safely buy online. Otherwise buy from a trusted  practitioner only. As you get leaner, you will need less fish oil. There’s a strong correlation between Omega 3’s in a native diet, and high IQ.