“A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between he does what he wants to do.” — Bob Dylan
I get to work with really great people, for which I am very grateful. Seiichi Minenaga is one of these really great ones that gives his all every time I see him. He runs his own Spanish wine bar, called MyLan, in the heart of Sugamo, because that is what he wants to do. He speaks English and some Spanish, too! And he has a Six-Pack:-)
The Decision to Have a Six-Pack
Seiichi, now in his mid-forties, made the decision to have six-pack abs, while still enjoying wine on a nightly basis.
He expressed that he wanted to have a six-pack, but because he loved drinking wine, thought it wouldn’t be possible. I knew that he could have that six-pack if he balanced his eating more to make space for the carbs that come from wine. Weeks passed and Seiichi diligently did his work quietly and consistently. He came to train one day, lifted his shirt and said, “This is the first time in my life that I have visible abs!” I was very happy to see his results and hear his words.
Proof that You Can Have Your Wine and Six-Pack, too
For people who love fine wine and still want washboard abs, here is some motivation from the mouth of a master: “I am proof that you can enjoy good wine and still have a six-pack!” Bravo Seiichi! You can! You can!
This photo was taken before training without any pumping up – just relaxed and au naturel.
Six-Pack Conscious Eating
One big factor in getting results is by increasing one’s awareness of food. He dropped this Wisdom-Bomb on us, “My natural intuition about food & drinks has improved, so I “know” what works for me and what does not. The more I eat and drink in ways that work for me, the better I feel.” He added, “I used to drink canned Chu Hai (a sho-chu based liquor), but I didn’t feel that it is natural and doesn’t make me feel good, so I don’t drink it much at all anymore.” He is trusting his intuition and developing his Jedi feeling skills. This is life-changing!
What works for Seiichi is eating lots of veggies, fruit such as bananas & berries, sardines & mackerel, Greek yogurt, tofu, mozuku (a vinegared seaweed) and only about 50g of white rice which he eats with natto. He stays away from eating at convenient stores, remarking, “I don’t like to eat things like salada chicken (a packaged, high-sodium, chicken breast that is surrounded by a gelatin-like coating) from the convenience store because I think there are too many chemicals in it.”
He is right about the chemicals in that chicken. I used to eat it often and now I never do. My suggestion is that you learn to read packages and know which ingredients promote health and which do not. (I am happy to write a blog on this for those interested. Comment below if you are.)
Six-Pack Exercise Approach
Since we have a great idea of Seiichi’s approach to nutrition, I asked him to share his exercise/training secret. He said that he exercises hard with weights and bodyweight exercises with me at LFBX Gym once per week and he exercises on his own at home doing bodyweight exercises like push-ups, ab work and single-leg bodyweight deadlifts for balance, glute and lower back strength. This is vital. Exercise daily!
Back Pain Be Gone!
He shared something that is true music to my ears: “I had lower back pain, but after training with Bodhi, it’s gone.” Of course, I love to see people achieve all of their goals, AND when it’s something like back pain disappearing, that just fills me up.
Coffee? Caffeine? What’s the Scoop?
Since he has achieved his initial goal of attaining a chiseled midsection, I nudged him for his next goal. He said that he loves coffee but wants to cut it because the caffeine isn’t good for him. Coffee is a tricky subject, as some researchers say the antioxidants in it alone can add years to life. Others say that the caffeine overload overstimulates the adrenal glands, which can lead to adrenal fatigue. I say, truly enjoy one good cup of coffee per day; really savor it. Mark Sisson has a few great posts on coffee: The Definitive Guide to Coffee & 14 Ways to Make Coffee Healthier. If you need an extra boost during the day then go ahead and have one or two cups of green tea, matcha or yerba mate tea. Go Green!!
Have a World-Class Glass of Wine with Six-Pack Seiichi in Sugamo
Thank you for reading about our dear friend and super client, Seiichi Minenaga. Please visit him at his bar, MyLan, when you visit Sugamo, so you can experience his warm, chill nature, have some world-class Spanish wine, have some of his awesomeness rub off on you and perhaps get a glimpse of his abs:-)
I see Seiichi as a true success because between getting up in the morning and going to bed at night, he does what he wants to.
Be Extraordinary!
Bodhi
