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Fitness Motivation: How Cannabis Motivated Dexter Holman to Lose Over 100 Pounds

From NCAA defensive lineman weighing over 300 pounds to fit-bodied reality tv-star, Dexter Holman tells 3Leaf about his weight loss journey and how cannabis helped motivate him while overcoming stress, pressure, and Khloe Kardashian.

 

You grew up in Georgia and played football for years. Has cannabis always been a part of your life?

 

When I was growing up, like everybody else, I didn’t associate cannabis with being an athlete. It was something that I would do in the off-season in both high-school and college because of the risk of getting in trouble

 

I played college football at Coastal Carolina University. I was playing defensive tackle, which means I was really, really big. I had gained a lot of weight. I was gaining about 25 pounds per year. And while it was intentional, it wasn’t healthy weight and it got out of control. I lost myself in trying to be this football player, trying to make it in the NFL. I didn’t make it, and once everything was over, all I had left was all this weight.

 

My cannabis use really kicked into gear when I was trying to lose weight. At my biggest, I was 328 pounds and when I moved to California I weighed 275 pounds. I moved out here knowing I wanted to make myself better and also motivate others at the same time.

 

In 2016, Dexter moved to California with the intent of launching his career as a stand-up comedian. While performing at The Lexington in Los Angeles a producer from Khloe Kardashian’s Revenge Body asked him to be a part of the show. What ensued was nothing short of a physical and mental rollercoaster.

 

It was 14 weeks of filming and there is no way I would have made it through that without cannabis [laughs]. It was one of the most stressful situations I’ve ever been in; it was a lot of pressure. And I was putting my body through so many things that it wasn’t used to.

 

At that time, I was alone and kind of depressed. And cannabis helped me to get out of that depression, out of that feeling of helplessness, and back to that feeling that I could do things. It helped me realize that I am not my fat and I am not my weight.

 

One of the coolest things I got to do while I was on the show was work out with Michael B. Jordan. At my heaviest I was working out with him, and I remember thinking that the only difference between me and Michael B. Jordan is habits. It’s what you choose to do on a daily basis. So I changed all my habits because I want my habits to represent what I want for my life. I don’t want to just take what I can get. My goal every day is to make myself better than yesterday.

 

 

“I want my habits to represent what I want for my life,” says Holman.

 

What does a typical day of training look like for you, and how does cannabis benefit your routine?

 

Today, I ran a mile-and-a-half to the gym and followed it with an upper body workout – triceps, biceps, shoulders, and back. Then I sweat it out in the sauna for 25 minutes and ran the mile-and-a-half back home. I typically train for two to three hours a day. 

 

People think that cannabis is only for getting stoned, but that isn’t true – just look at me. It puts you in an optimal state of consciousness where you can really focus on yourself and the task at hand.

 

Before a workout, I use it to help me get into the moment. Micro-dosing helps me get into that flow-state, it’s perfect for that. It puts you in a state where you aren’t spaced out and your coordination isn’t off. It quiets my thoughts about everybody else, my relationships, my stresses, and whatever else I have going on in my life – it lets me just be in that moment. And that’s where I like to be when I workout. I like to be in the moment and not focused on anything except for my workout because that’s what gets the best results.

 

After, it helps me with my pain management. Initially, I was always sore because I was working out so much more than I was used to. I’ll get a massage with CBD topicals after a workout to help my muscles from getting sore throughout the day. I also use it for sleep management – rest is crucial for recovery. I’ll smoke and eat edibles to help me get a good sleep. I wouldn’t recommend it to the whole world, but for me personally, it’s what helps me.

 

For those who are interested in incorporating cannabis into their fitness routine, what would you recommend?

 

I think the best way to start out is doing something more like yoga, something that you can ease into so that you can observe your body and how it reacts to the cannabis and your movements.

 

A lot of times before hitting the gym people will feel like, “ah, I don’t want to be here.” But when you get in that flow-sate from cannabis it puts you in that moment, in that headspace of: I’m here and I just want to do the best that I possibly can with my time. And micro-dosing is perfect for that. Really, it’s up to you to figure out what works for you. Micro-dosing is definitely a good place to start though.   

 

Dexter knows what works for him and doesn’t recommend his consumption methods or dose for everyone. Similar to what Gina discusses in our last post, dosage and preferred consumption method are entirely personal.

 

“My goal every day is to make myself better than yesterday,” says Holman.

 

3LEAF x DEXTER HOLMAN: RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS

 

Food you can’t live without…

Salmon.

 

Favorite cardio exercise…

Running – hit the streets.

 

Favorite non-strength training workout…

Spin class. Spinning got me right. And I love the music.

 

Favorite muscle group to workout…

Legs. I love my calves

 

Favorite cheat meal…

Pizza from Wood. They have this mushroom pizza that’s very nice.

 

Favorite gym track…

I actually listen to a lot of motivational tracks when I’m at the gym. I really like Eric Thomas. And today I was listening to Tony Robbins. It’s nice to pump your mind up while you’re pumping your body up.

 

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Thank you for taking the time to read our post. To find out more about 3Leaf’s low-dose, high-quality edibles click here. To find 3Leaf near you click our interactive map for a full list of retailers carrying our products. To keep up with exciting news, including new product launches, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

 

3Leaf on How To Optimize Your Workout with Cannabis

What do you get when you mix high amounts of positive energy, solid muscle, and a wealth of knowledge about the benefits of cannabis? You have Gina, who is part of the 3Leaf team and works closely with our customers. If you’re curious about how cannabis can help you surpass your fitness goals by maximizing your potential pre-, during, and post-workout, Gina is the person you want to talk to. She works out six days a week through a mix of high-intensity interval training and cardio, weight lifting, modified Crossfit, and hot yoga, and she incorporates cannabis into every workout.

 

Previously Gina didn’t think cannabis could help her before or during her workouts, because they are intense in nature. She reserved it for low-impact workouts, like hiking or yoga and used it for recovery after an intense workout; she assumed that cannabis would impair her mobility. In 2018 Gina discovered that micro-dosing with properly dosed products significantly improved her workouts and benefitted her active lifestyle beyond her expectations.

 

Gina is often at a dispensary near you that carries 3Leaf products. If you haven’t met her yet read her tips below to learn how cannabis optimizes her fit lifestyle.

 

 

Pre-workout

 

After consuming a micro-dose of THC, when Gina enters the gym she’s able to quiet all of the other things on her mind. She is entirely focused on her goals for that particular workout.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“It changes your perspective and your focus. It makes you much more connected with your body,” says Gina. “When I start to feel the effects of cannabis I make a point to set an intention that I carry through my workout. It may be strength, endurance, form, or just getting through it, but cannabis helps me to keep that intention present throughout my workout.”

 

 

Focus is key to properly execute a physically and mentally demanding workout, but proper preparation in the lead-up is just as important. Warming up before a workout is crucial for preventing injury, and it will allow you to get deeper into the motions. Pushing yourself even slightly beyond your threshold increases muscle tearing and therefore improves the rate at which your muscles grow. Prior to consuming cannabis before a workout, Gina would immediately get into her cardio circuit or heavy lifting without stretching. With cannabis helping her dial into what her body needs, stretching before every workout has become a key priority.

 

 

During

 

 

“Cannabis allows me to get deeper into those poses that I have to hold,” says Gina. “It allows me to connect with my body. And it helps me to suspend other thoughts – the thoughts that are not relevant to me in that moment.”

 

 

 

 

Each time you head to the gym, roll out your yoga mat, get on your bike, or press play on a workout video, you make a conscious choice to do something entirely for yourself – something to make yourself a little bit better. When your mind wanders during a workout – we’re all guilty of this – you aren’t getting the most out of the activity you’ve chosen to engage in. When you’re thinking of what to pick up at the grocery store or the emails you have to send, you aren’t focusing on form and posture, two of the most important factors in any workout. Without proper form, you run the risk of injuring yourself; moreover, improper form can seriously slow your progress. If you’re going to take time out of your day to workout, you should do what you can to get the most out of it.

 

 

“After I’ve consumed cannabis and worked out, I feel like the hour that I dedicated was a true oasis in my day,” says Gina.

 

 

For Gina, the time she spends working out early in the morning, or having the gym to look forward to at the end of the day benefits her overall day beyond the one hour she carves out for herself. It helps her remain calm and patient in stressful or demanding situations.

 

 

After

 

Two of the most important factors in proper post-workout recovery are nutritious foods and lots of rest. When choosing foods, pick ones that are high in protein and low in sugar.

 

 

 

 

Gina makes a point to differentiate how she doses after a morning workout versus an evening workout. In the morning, she’ll eat one of 3Leaf’s ratio infused treats. The equal combination of a low-dose of THC and CBD provides a balanced experience. It allows her to relax after a strenuous workout without experiencing an overly elevating effect – perfect before a full day of work. And the effects of CBD are particularly beneficial for healing in post-workout recovery as it helps stave off soreness. If she exercises in the evening, she’ll have a 3Leaf Quinoa Granola Bite or Coconut Oatmeal Cookie after. The 10 mg of THC distillate infused in each piece provides a calming effect so that she can get a full night’s sleep.

 

 

“Many people avoid working out late at night because it boosts their energy levels up which can take away from their sleep,” says Gina. “Because I’m such a high-energy person this is an issue for me. But eating an edible after a workout ensures that I’ll get a restful sleep. And it means that I have more options for times to workout.”

 

 

How did Gina figure out what dose worked best for her? Trial and error. She says that because cannabis use is entirely personal, it’s up to each individual to take responsibility for their experience – and that’s the fun part! Some factors that you need to consider are timing and what you’ve eaten that day. Edibles can take between 30 and 90 minutes to take effect, and it will most likely take longer if you’ve had a lot to eat. For those who are new to cannabis, she says it’s best If you start with a micro-dose and consume slowly, and initially try it before a low-impact workout before incorporating it into high-intensity training.

 

If you have any questions about cannabis and how it can benefit your fitness routine, send us an email at [email protected]!

 

Thank you for taking the time to read our post. To find out more about 3Leaf’s low-dose, high-quality edibles click here. To find 3Leaf near you click our interactive map for a full list of retailers carrying our products. To keep up with exciting news, including new product launches, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram and Facebook.