Living in the country definitely has it's advantages, but one of the disadvantages is definitely the dust!!!  Over the years I have discovered a few tricks that have helped reduce the dust factor in my house.  So, without further adieu I give you my best three tips and a checklist I use to help ensure I don't miss anything.  :)

Trick #1:  Use microfiber cloths.  I used to use just regular rags and found out that microfiber cloths are electrostatically charged.... which by very definition means they attract dust!!!  They are also highly absorbent so they will last longer than regular cloths during cleaning.  The best thing about them is they won’t leave lint or dust behind and will leave your surfaces streak-free.

Trick #2:  For those hard to reach areas for dusting and delicate areas, try using pantyhose under the dust brush on your vacuum nozzle.  You can use the nozzle with the dust brush and pantyhose without vacuuming up those small items you don't want in your vacuum.  (I wouldn't use fishnet hose though.  :)  )

Trick #3:  Use fabric softener sheets on your TV screens.  I used to clean houses for a living and this was the best trick EVER!!!!  The dust comes right off without leaving anything behind.  

I try and I try to dust... but quite frankly... I don't like to do it.  So, I came up with a process to dust and it actually works really good for my family.  Hopefully you will find the same success!!!  

I have 4 levels in my home.  Every week I have a dusting day.  (That is the day I dust my house)  My dusting day is Wednesday.  If it is the 1st week of the month I know I am dusting the 1st level in my house.  The 2nd week I will dust the 2nd level in my house and so forth.  I really like this plan because when the month has five weeks I get a week off from dusting!  Whoo Hoo!!!

On Wednesday I get out my Dusting Room 1010 plan and ask my kids what portion of the process they want to be in charge of.  Then we all get to work and dust that level.  It doesn't take us a lot of time to go through the process, and vuwala!!!  We am done dusting for the week!!!  

Items Needed:
-Broom
-Pledge
-Windex
-at least 2 Microfiber cloths
-Vacumn
-Step Ladder (to clean light fixtures or high items)

I am a financial coach and entrepreneur, but in my spare time I like to de-stress in the gym.  Doing so over the years has lead me to become an excellent powerlifter.  In a sport rife with Performance Enhancing Drug use, I have remained life-time drug free and have still been able to set multiple state, national, and world records.  I am often asked what I supplement with, and so I thought it would be valuable to post an article that explains the what and the why of my personal supplementation regiment, along with my top 3 supplements for max performance.

Supplements are exactly that, supplements

First and foremost, it should be understood that supplements are exactly that, supplements.  Your food intake is more important than any supplement you take.  I did not get to squatting 903 lbs at a body-weight of 208 without eating a ton of good healthy food.  So let it be known that good food is the best “drug” out there, and bad eating habits can do serious damage to any athlete, and most especially the weekend warrior.  Make sure you get your basic nutrition right, and then supplement to fill in gaps in your personal journey for greatness.

Ok, now that we have that baseline in place, it should be noted that the hardest part of being a natural athlete is recovery.  Recovering from the grueling workouts I go through with my powerlifting team, PSM Barbell, is not only essential to continued progress in the gym, but also very important so I can still function as a business owner, father, and husband.  It’s a juggling act to do my part in each of those areas, so I can’t afford to grab a tv dinner and sit down in front of a dvd, and I don’t have a job where I might be able to hide in my cubicle and coast on somebody else’s work.  I’m like most of us out there and I have to put in an honest days work. 

Recovery is difficult, and I just compound it by choosing to be self-employed.  My supplementation, then, is centered on recovery and carefully moving forward in my goals.  As with our financial services end of the business, I maintain no special allegiance to any particular brand, but instead, focus on what has worked for me.  So you can trust that what I recommend has worked for me, I have personally proven it on the field of battle, and I’ve been pleased with the results.  Without further adieu, here are my top three supplements in no particular order:

1.     DUB Protein shots.  Jeremy Wardle, founder and owner of DUB Nutrition, has to be one of the neatest individuals I’ve ever met.  An incredible husband and father, he is also an exceptional businessman who takes great pride in his products.  Of those products, my favorite is the DUB protein (he also has a great energy shot that I use more than I should, but I really like it!!!).  The DUB protein is a collagen based protein that is ultra absorbable and since it comes in a gel-pack, it’s portable, clean, and easy to take.  I have to work extremely hard to get more than mildly sore.  In fact, I hit 405 pounds for 25 legit repetitions last week on the squat and was barely sore.  My body loves this stuff.  It’s a great price for the product and I can trust that Jeremy has made sure the product is only made with top quality ingredients.  I prefer the mint-chocolate flavor, but a lot of folks like the coconut flavor.  Either way, I guarantee your body will love this stuff.

2.     Isagenix  Want More Energy.  This isn’t a stimulant or a pre-workout, but rather, a great replacement for the other sports drinks out there.  Full of electrolytes, I use this drink to prevent dehydration and mineral and electrolyte depletion.  I sweat like crazy and so I have a difficult time maintaining my electrolyte and mineral levels and this has been an amazing tool for me, not only in the gym but also mentally in the business place.  It is incredible how much brain function is impaired by dehydration.   I prefer mixing one packet of citrus with one packet of orange.  It seems to curb my desire for a soda and keeps me feeling wonderful.  I do know that it is loaded with minerals, vitamins, and some great electrolytes.  I even think it has some alfalfa in it.  Can’t let cattle have the corner on that green stuff!

3.     Enox Sport.  This is an ultra-new supplement that just barely hit the market.  I was a test subject on the development of this supplement and I have to say, WOW!  It was great to start with, but over the last few years, Charlie, the founding chemist and owner of Enox, has really dialed in the formula.  Not only does it taste good now (it’s difficult to make good quality supplements taste good without putting junk in them), but also it really does the trick.  The secret here is in the scientific research showing that Nitric Oxide (NO) products that are so commonly used in pre-workout formulas should really be used as a post-workout supplement.  Stimulant-free and proprietarily formulated, with patents pending, this stuff works.  What’s even more amazing is it’s versatility.  I love it as a powerlifter, but so does Aric Manning, an ultramarathoner.  He’s one of those runners that think normal marathons of 26.2 miles are great for warming up.  Check out his testimonial (here).

So, there you have it.  If you feel like you’re lacking that little bit of extra oomph to compete in your sport, or in the game of life, these 3 options are great starting points to supplement your current nutrition and give you that edge to be great and win the game of health!  You don’t have to be a world-class powerlifter or an incredible ultramarthon runner to benefit from these 3 great supplements. 

Sometimes we all need a checklist or flow chart to follow in order to accomplish what we want to accomplish.  

Use this flow chart the next time you need to clean a bedroom.  It will help you fully clean the room.  :)