News: fitness

Are you ready? 4-Week Spring Challenge starts April 1st!

2010-03-23T11:03:00.000+02:00

Ready to challenge yourself? We are holding our first ever 4-week Spring Challenge.

Unlimited Classes from April1st to May 1st
Weekly Weigh In and Measurements taken
FREE MBC T-shirt
Support and help from your trainers!
The one who loses the most inches/pounds wins a week of free classes!
Cost: $125

[Via http://mariettabootcamp.wordpress.com]

Reflections . . . Week in Review (3-21-10)

2010-03-21T23:50:00.000+02:00

It is hard to believe that only seven weeks ago I started on my journey to train for a 5k run. At that time, I had never run before, nor had I ever had a desire to run. When I first hit the pavement, it was really difficult to run and I had doubts as to whether or not I would be able to train and run the 5k on May 1st. I can confidently say that determination and persistence pays off, as I ran 3 miles in 35 minutes and under a couple of times now! My goal is achievable and I have gained a lot of self-confidence.

Accomplishments include running 3 miles in 34 minutes, beating my previous time by one minute!

Areas to improve upon . . . Running longer and building even more endurance. I hope to continue to improve my speed and time over the next several weeks.

Mind: Test your mental ability and flexibility by solving the following: 5=# of D in a Z C (see answer below).

Body: Yoga – 30 minutes.

Spirit: Get inspired by “Life is Like a Cup of Coffee”.

Answer: 5 Number of Digits in a Zip Code.

“Ignite a Passion . . . Live a Dream”

xxSperanza

[Via http://xxsperanza.wordpress.com]

Workshops w. Fitness Expert-Dianne Woodruff, CMA, PhD at Movements Afoot

2010-03-21T11:23:00.000+02:00

Dianne Woodruff

Dianne Woodruff will take your teaching and your body to a new fitness level this April. Whether you are a Pilates teacher, fitness trainer or just a client, experience unique workshops to fine tune your body’s and your client’s connection to wellness and fitness. Lesley Powell

Dianne L. Woodruff, CMA, PhD, has been teaching for 35 years and has been in private practice for 20 working with people who have movement difficulties and unresolved myofascial pain. Her newest video, 3-D WORKOUT™, vol II, an integrated approach to fitness, was released in 2006. A Certified Movement Analyst with a doctorate in Somatic Education, she developed the anatomy curriculum for Stott Pilates in Toronto. She writes and lectures widely.www.body-in-motion.com.

Introduction to 3-D Workout

With Dianne Woodruff

Date: Sunday 11 April 2010

Time: 2-5 p.m. $120

3-D Workout is a low-impact, low-tech fitness program you can do anywhere. This workshop introduces you to the basics as shown on the DVD and then some. We use our bodies in three-dimensions at all times so your exercise should go beyond the conventional biceps curl and other single plane exercises. The 3-D Workout program, developed by Dianne Woodruff, CMA, PhD, is inspired by the Laban/Bartenieff framework. Available in classes and as instructor training, this workshop is open to all. DVDs will be available for sale at a discount.

Sacroiliac treatment protocol

With Dianne Woodruff

Date: Sunday 11 April 2010

Time: 9:30-12:30 $120

This workshop offers a step-by-step method of assessment and treatment for sacroiliac pain. It includes the anatomical framework and function, observation of whole-body and defined body parts in motion, various tests for sacroiliac dysfunction and methods for treating the problem. The workshop, aimed at “the dead seven inches” is an application of Bartenieff Fundamentals in a therapeutic framework. Open to personal trainers, pilates/yoga instructors and health practitioners. Taught by Dianne Woodruff.

Glute strength for true balance

With Dianne Woodruff

Date: Saturday 10 April 2010

Time: 1-4 p.m. $120

We have only two legs and must stand on one of them to take a step. No one would argue the importance of good balance and prevention of falls. Balance boards and other devices are fine but the anatomical and functional issues behind bipedal stability deserve more attention. This seminar for pilates instructors, personal trainers and health-care practitioners addresses essential movement patterns for bipedal stability and a healthy back in a pedestrian culture. Such patterns were identified and researched by Dr. Vladimir Janda as early as 1964. Over the last 20 years Dr. Woodruff has developed an approach to assessment, correction and preventive exercise that you will learn in this seminar.

To register

[Via http://movementsafootblog.com]

Assimilaid and the Digestive System

2010-03-20T23:47:00.000+02:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/suavehouse113/ / CC BY 2.0

The digestive system chemically converts food for absorption by body tissues. In the stomach, food is mixed with gastric juices and broken down. Nutrients extracted from digested food are absorbed directly into the bloodstream from the small intestine. There they are carried to bodily tissues for energy and maintenance.Water and water-soluble substances pass in the blood to the kidneys. The kidneys return most of the water and salts to the body and excrete other salts and waste products.

Assimilaid nourishes and balances the organs that support digestion with herbs that help the body process food quickly and efficiently.*

For more information on Assimilaid or one of 400 other Sunrider products, please contact me.

[Via http://positivelyarcher.wordpress.com]

I like sportz... but not everyone does.

2010-03-20T11:56:00.000+02:00

Football (or soccer), kickboxing and rugby. I’m a huge fan of them all. Being from Ireland, I support Leinster and Ireland (duh) in rugby. In football I adore Manchester United and of course the Republic of Ireland. I’m a relatively new kickboxer but I have always enjoyed watching K1 kickboxing or similar Thai kickboxing sports. I’m pretty fit and due to what I believe to be a healthy lifestyle and gene pool luck of the draw, I’ve got a body I’m very happy with.

However, every single one of us knows someone who complains about their body. Yet genuinely lead a life devoid of any fitness routine and junk food. You really don’t need both of these things to be overweight or even obese. You need only have one of them. No fitness routine, or no physical activity means your not burning off your calories, so your body stores them, in the form of fat. Having some physical activity but eating loads of junk food can also be enough for some people.

Well here’s the thing. You can complain to me as much as you like about your weight as long as you actually are doing something about it. Notice I didn’t say “trying” there. If your going to whinge and moan about your arse or arms or thighs or whatever being too big then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Otherwise you will just simply annoy your friends with constant complaining about something they don;t really feel comfortable talking about. How likely is it that if a woman says to a guy “My arms are too fat” that the guy will then reply, “yeah, you could do with trimming them down”? It’s not going to happen. Too often I’ve fallen into the trap of agreeing, saying, “I agree, you could do with some exercise”. It’s always been a fucking trap, a way of creating something more to complain about. To complain to your other friends about your weight, and the fact that I agreed that you are overweight, well Jesus fucking christ, you are overweight! If your going to go around telling people something that’s true, then they are going to eventually agree with you, where is the surprise!?

Anyway, rant over. As I’m sure you are aware, this is based on a recent real life situation, so that’s why it was a specifically female example.

[Via http://amanofhisword.wordpress.com]

Need Your Advice

2010-03-18T23:42:00.000+02:00

Happy Thursday Evening Bloggies!

Thank you for all of your sweet comments today-I definitely felt hung over from the migraine and still sort of do.

But I did manage to get through the day and to take Pepsi-Bear on a walk after work

She loves to sniff:

And she loves to prance

I am obviously a crazy dog loving gal when I write about how my dog likes to prance!

Any other dog lovers out there? I know Joanne from Apple Crumbles is!

Okay so I need some serious advice.

This Saturday is a 5K and a 10K.

Last year I was putting in a lot of miles and did both races on the same day but this year I need to choose which one to do.

They are both a mixture of trails and street running.

The longest run I have done so far has been the b-day run of 5.6 miles.

If you were me, would you do the 5K or would you do the 10K?

Help!

And of course if you have not voted for me yet, will you?

I think I am gonna make “burgers and fries” tonight. Andrea from Can you Stay for Dinner inspired me.

What are you having?

[Via http://fitandfortysomething.com]

Vitamins D3 & K2 - You are My Sunshine!

2010-03-18T11:10:00.000+02:00

By Marcia Zimmerman, CN, The Zimmerman File

Exciting new information on the disease preventing roles of vitamins D and K has been making headlines. How did it happen that these two vitamins, previously known only for bone strength and blood clotting, have suddenly become so newsworthy? Let’s take a closer look.

Vitamin D Hormone

Experts maintain that Vitamin D deficiencies are implicated in 60 to 70 percent of total mortality in high-income countries. Serious illnesses that are associated with vitamin D deficiency include cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, autism, asthma, and a host of other illnesses. A recent meta-analysis of 18 randomized controlled trials found that supplementing 300 to 2,000 IU (528 IU mean dose) vitamin D2 or D3 reduced total mortality by 7 percent. Vitamin D, in its active 25-hydroxy-vitamin D steroid-like hormone form, targets more than 200 human genes involved in tissue repair and maintenance.

One of the most important genes up-regulated by vitamin D is one that encodes for cathelicidin, a naturally occurring broad-spectrum antibiotic. John Cannell, M.D., a psychiatrist at Atascadero State hospital in California, who heads the nonprofit Vitamin D Council, maintains that doses of 2,000 IU of vitamin D taken daily for three days, might produce enough cathelicidin to cure common viral respiratory infections such as influenza and the common cold. Experts think that reduced exposure to sunshine during the winter months explains the seasonal ebb and flow of colds and influenza.

Vitamin D has long been recognized as critical for bone health, by regulating the uptake and utilization of calcium in bone. Now there is resurging interest in vitamin D and calcium homeostasis and osteoporosis prevention and treatment. Until recently its effect upon the cellular receptors in internal organs has not been fully appreciated. It is through these receptors that vitamin D prevents or treats various diseases. In addition to virus infections, these include cancer, and multiple sclerosis. Vitamin D has been shown to reduce diabetes type 2 and inflammation. Experts further suggest that supplementing the vitamin may help lower risk factors for heart disease and hypertension, and that there is widespread deficiency of this important nutrient.

A June 9, 2008 article in the Archives of Internal Medicine by Harvard’s Edward Giovannucci, M.D. and colleagues, revealed that low and moderate blood levels of vitamin D are associated with higher risk of heart attack in men. According to Dr. Giovannucci, “These results further support an important role for vitamin D in (heart attack) risk.”

Vitamin K Biological Response Modifier

Since the time of its discovery in 1935, vitamin K has been widely recognized for its role in blood clot formation. Obviously this is a life-saving event but excessive blood clotting can also be life threatening – leading to stroke and heart attack. While life saving, blood clots can also lead to heart attacks and stroke. To prevent stroke in at risk patients, anticoagulants such as coumadin (warfarin) are widely prescribed. And in the past, doctors have steered patients taking anticoagulants away from eating too many vitamin K rich dark green leafy vegetables. This deprived some patients of the many benefits of adequate vitamin K levels.

Today doctors urge patients to enjoy dark leafy greens but be consistent in the amount they eat. This helps establish the proper blood “thinness” which can be controlled by proper coumadin dose. Cardiologists may not even be concerned about these patients taking vitamin K in a multiple as long as they have frequent INR (International Normalized Ratios) tests. Even more surprising, is the discovery that supplementing with vitamin K (100 @ 500 mcg) daily may stabilize INR levels in patients who have had difficulty maintaining consistent test results.

It is very important for anyone taking coumadin to make sure their doctor approves of vitamin K supplements. Those taking coumadin should also be aware that it depletes other key nutrients such as magnesium, iron, zinc and perhaps Co-Q10. High dose vitamin E may enhance the effects of coumadin and several herbs are contraindicated for use with the medicine. You can find out more about this in the Zimmerman/Kroner book 7-Syndrome Healing , which is available through NOW Foods.

Recent research has identified two other equally important roles for vitamin K. It contributes substantially to bone building and maintenance, especially in osteoporosis and fracture. It is estimated that one in three women and one in twelve men aged over 55 years of age will suffer from osteoporosis in their lifetime. Calcium, vitamins D and K, particularly among older people, have been clearly identified in the scientific literature as preventive of osteoporosis and fracture.

Vitamin K has powerful anti-cancer effects in arresting aberrant cells and amping up apoptosis (cell death). These findings stem from the discovery that several vitamin K-dependent receptors exist in cells and these regulate cell survival, transformation and reproduction. Petri dish (in vitro) and animal (in vivo) studies have shown that menaquinone (vitamin K2) inhibits liver, colon, leukemia, lung, stomach, lymphocyte, nasopharynx, breast and oral cancers. Some investigators report that vitamin K enhances the effectiveness of chemotherapeutic drugs.

[Via http://integrityhealth.wordpress.com]

Coffee Craving

2010-03-16T23:46:00.000+02:00

Today I’m out in the wilds of rural Missouri for work. You know what this means? When you leave your house in a rush, thinking “oh, I’ll stop for coffee on the way,” you should remember that there is no such thing as a Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts in rural Missouri. There is Quik Trip, which has coffee that tastes vaguely like fuel and is not worth the $1.29. And that’s it.

It was a long, coffee-less drive to get where I’m going. Generally, I’m not a coffee-needer to get going in the morning. I usually brew one cup in the Keurig, and rarely finish it. But with Daylight Savings, and sore running legs, and driving,…all morning I was dying for coffee, or at least something coffee-flavored which would give me the illusion of being caffeinated. Ugh.

I had to be somewhere for a few hours in the morning and then had to go somewhere else about an hour away for a few hours in the afternoon. I was absolutely determined to get something coffee-like. Sometimes, friends, we have to settle.

McDonald’s sugar-free vanilla iced coffee. Full of crappy chemicals, I’m sure, but goodlord did it taste good (and pick me up mentally for awhile.)

I also packed my lunch in my favorite Fit n’ Fresh lunch container so I wouldn’t have to stop. I had an Everything bagel thin sammich, strawberry Chobani, and granola, eaten in my car. I’m a classy lady.

I was done with my stuff by 3:00 and checked into my hotel by 3:30. I decided that I was going to check out the hotel gym. Hotel gyms kind of creep me out. Even though I stay in half decent places…they make me feel icky. I don’t know, I have weird mental blocks on some things. (See also Home Depot, condiments, and birds.) But, today, I packed workout clothes and shoes and was determined to at least give it a try.

I was impressed with the gym. It had three treadmills, two ellipticals, a recumbent bike, and free weights (complete with loud, grunting, Jersey-shore-type dude). And every machine had a TV ATTACHED RIGHT TO IT JUST FOR YOU! Love. TV makes running 35% more tolerable.

I watched Stacy and Clinton, naturally. I had 3 miles on the schedule today, but I figured I’d do tomorrow’s 5 today, so I can get home after a night away a little sooner tomorrow. And really, what the hell else am I going to do here?

So yeah. Ran 5 miles, kept at an easy 10:00/mile pace since my legs were still a little twitchy from yesterday and sitting in a car all morning. Even though the gym was nice, it was really hot and I sweated approximately six gallons.

I showered and then went for the epic “What’s for dinner in this strange town?” question. My options, according to my GPS and eyes, were Bob Evans, Shoney’s, Hardee’s, McDonald’s, Burger King, and Cracker Barrel.

Now, I’m not one to shun fast food entirely. I love me an occasional McD’s breakfast and I get cravings for Arby’s. But the thing is, I want to eat that food WHEN I WANT IT. Today, it all sounded gross to me. Specifically, I was craving two things very strongly during my run: cut fresh fruit and peanut butter. More and more, lately, while I’m running, my body will say, VERY clearly, “Feed me THIS when you’re done.” 99% of the time it’s something healthy—peanut butter, fruit, and eggs have all been very common ones lately. I don’t mean to be all crunchy and shit, but who am I to say no? My body is like a stupid puppy—I should reward it when it does something right, like say “I want healthy food.” So I do.

Obviously, with limited options, it wasn’t going to come from any of those places. So I took a cue from Susan and hit up the grocery store next to my hotel instead! (In my pajamas, no less, because I really didn’t want to put on my work clothes and heels after a run.)

The results?

Total? $13.46, for a big container of fruit (grapes, mangoes, honeydew, canteloupe, pineapple and strawberries), a Dannon Greek yogurt (which I LOVED, BTW), a 6 pack of Nature’s Own Whole Wheat bagels, natural PB (I went for the slightly less natural version to avoid messy stirring in a hotel room), a diet coke (I know I know) and a Cadbury egg for dessert! Exactly what I wanted. (I obviously only ate 1 bagel with PB, and about half the fruit—it wasn’t great, unfortunately.)

I hope my per diem covers full jars of peanut butter.

Anyway, it was delicious, filling, and hit the spot and I’m glad I didn’t hit the drive through.

What foods do you crave, healthy and not-so-healthy? On the healthy front, like I said, peanut butter, fruit, and eggs are big…on the not-so-healthy front, I’ve been dying for ice cream after long runs lately!

[Via http://thefitbride.wordpress.com]

Tweview: Watergate Bay, Cornwall

2010-03-16T11:57:00.000+02:00

Beachy fun, boutique beds, hip holiday apartment and gourmet delights – all in one sandy bay in Cornwall. A Twitter review of Watergate Bay, Cornwall, including the Hotel and Extreme Academy and Beach Retreats holiday short-lets.

Watergate Bay Hotel and Extreme Academy (#WBC)

Fifteen resteaurant by Jamie Oliver (#15WB)

Beach Retreats (#bchrt)

—

I’m looking forward to my Cornwall weekend! Follow me til Monday 4 updates & reviews of @BeachRetreats @WatergateBay. (thx @RosieHalloran)

I’m trying secret new Xtreme sport (4 lazies), dining @WatergateBay & 15, sleeping at http://bit.ly/4t277K & http://bit.ly/A3eLS #bchrt #WBC

My number 1 hope 4 weekend – interesting, non-risotto veggie options from @FifteenCornwall & @WatergateBay Brasserie. Fingers xd!

Finally en route to Cornwall – and the sun is out. Hurrah! #WBC #15c #bchrt

Checked into @watergatebay hotel. Lovely big bright room. White, pale blue and beachy feel. Window seats overlooking the bay. #WBC

Have sat down 4 dinner @watergatebay. Veggies rejoice! Not a risotto in sight. Instead butternut squash & swt pot curry. Mmm… #Wbc

http://twitpic.com/15i5em starter @watergatebay brasserie: grilled aubergine & courgette salad, roasted cherry toms, basil pesto #WBC

Fave dishes 2nite @watergatebay brasserie: carrot&coriander soup – best ever, creamy, intense. Squash curry – light, fresh & coconutty. #WBC

http://twitpic.com/15lsng surprise photo snap at brekkie with @watergatebay MD Will Ashworth. #WBC

@watergatebay MD Will has given inside scoop about upcoming Eco project. Shhh…

Eco village @watergatebay is opening first four in May. Finding out green cred now. Report back later. #WBC

@watergatebay’s new coach house opens in May 2010, with 12 family rooms. #WBC

@watergatebay Hotel and Extreme Academy Cornwall has free wifi everywhere!! #WBC

Suited and booted and ready for a Dual (Duallies at Extreme Academy). Good news! Sun’s out! #WBC

The Dually is a hoot! It’s an extra-wide bodyboard that 2 people can use, or just 1 person. Super easy, fun & only at Extreme Academy. #WBC

Just refuelled at Beach Hut cafe after morning doing dually and surfing at Extreme Acadamy. Great cheese fondue, veg burger & hot choc. #WBC

Have left the lovely @watergatebay hotel. Great meal at @fifteen last night (divine cocktails!). Off for day trip to Fowey. #WBC #15c #bchrt

@beachretreats dropped off the most amazing hamper this evening. Enough Cornish goodies to eat for a week! #bchrt

@beachretreats Waves34 is perfect Cornwall apt for fans of watersports: extreme academy & watergate bay just across street. #bchrt

[Via http://uktraveleditor.wordpress.com]

Suddenly Sunday

2010-03-14T23:51:00.000+02:00

It was a wonderful Sunday. I love Sunday walks and today was almost 10 miles. The park is beautiful with the spring flowers. Only one bluebonnet yet that we ran across, but lots of other wild flowers starting to sneak out.

Today felt really good. I think the MTX is actually working. My knuckle bump is just about totally gone, I can make a fist with only a couple Aleve. There is still some stiff, but not nearly as much. Now I look back on the last year and wonder how I could have really been so stupid.

What a way to start the ’spring’ weather.

I splurged on 2 DSi “games”… one Let’s Yoga (new) one Let’s Pilate’s (used and only $8). After the 10 mile walk, I copped out on a simple 5 min yoga session, but I also did my 15 min stretching at the tail end of the walk.

I also “celebrated” with donuts (I love Sundays). a dozen mixed… six cream filled. Heavenly. And the coffee is really good today. Tomorrow the clean tea jar will make its happy sun tea on the back porch as I work from home before and after Lab time.

Life doesn’t seem quite so down today.

DS got 2 used games for his PS3 so he is in Spring Break heaven. DD went for a walk (all by herself, I am SO proud of myself for not freaking out for the whole 3 hours she was at the park).

Pizza for dinner, and it is almost bed time… at least wind down time… time to listen to the birds sing in the back yard through the open back door.

[Via http://figmentoffitness.wordpress.com]

TV Weight Loss Club Offers Balanced Diet And Fitness Approach

2010-03-14T11:18:00.000+02:00

Image : http://www.flickr.com

It used to be that being called a loser was derogatory and hurtful. NBC has changed that, making it almost a badge of honor to be called a loser. And the Biggest Loser, that’s the ticket. NBC’s weight loss challenge show, The Biggest Loser, has turned Tuesday nights into must-see TV. Having just completed its fourth season, and the launch of the Biggest Loser Club, everyone wants in on the weight loss action.

Each week, more than 15 million viewers tune to NBC to watch the three Biggest Loser teams battle it out on the scale. Each team is lead by a coach who teaches them about fitness, nutrition and diet helping them shed unbelievable amounts of weight. While they each walk away with the prize of thinner, healthier bodies and new lifestyle, the one crowned Biggest Loser wins a quarter-million dollar prize. The Biggest Loser is the one who loses the greatest percentage of body fat.

Like many great TV programs, this one had a spin off. The Biggest Loser Club was NBC’s answer to the overwhelming demand for participation on the show and access to the coaches’ expertise. For just $20/month, far more affordable than a trainer or gym membership, you can get your pass to the Club. Your access to this fitness program will give you:

- Opportunity to talk with the show’s nutrition gurus and contestants

- Talk to other “losers” on the message and discussion boards

- Receive personalized fitness instruction, which will allow you to exercise at home

- Track progress with a personal online journal

- Have meal plans created just for you, with accompanying shopping lists and recipes

Thousands of pounds have been lost by the Biggest Loser contestants, and now its your turn to step up and make that change for the better. New Years is just around the corner, and there’s never a better time to wipe the slate clean and decide that this is the year for serious changes.

While this season just ended and it will be a few months before the next installment starts again, you can start being a loser today. Signing up is simple, and if you still have reservation, get the free diet profile. This will help you identify what the Biggest Loser Club is going to do for you.

Biggest Loser is a low-fat and low-carb diet, but don’t think you’re going to starve off all that weight. You’ll learn how to strike a balance with portion control, three meals a day, some light healthy snacking and exercise. You’ll enjoy plenty of delicious meals like blueberry pancakes, New Orleans chicken and stuffed mushrooms. So what’s holding you back? Decide today that you want to be a loser and join the club that sees being a loser as the first step to a healthier life.

Jim Mackey is a renowned dietician. He has been advising people on how to maintain a proper diet and how to lose those extra calories. If you want to know more about Biggest loser club, south beach diet,lose weight, diet plans you can visit www.dietsinreview.com

[Via http://weightlosssdiet.wordpress.com]

TRAINER TIP: Yoga and surfing...a perfect match.

2010-03-13T23:55:00.000+02:00

Balance, flexibilty, focus and strength… just a few of the benefits of yoga. They are also essential parts of surfing. There’s a certain Zen like quality to surfing; you’re in a zone, your mind is free…it’s no surprise that yoga creates a similar space as you ride the waves of your breath from pose to pose. While surfing is one of those sports that can be done at any age – maintaining balance, flexibility and preventing injuries is key.

A lot of people are afraid to try yoga because of the advanced poses they have seen in books or on TV. Trust me when I tell you – The purpose of yoga is not to twist the body into bizarre pretzel shapes, but to improve the body’s natural range of motion. Yoga is not about competition with others or yourself – every body is different. It is important to listen to your body while in a pose. Just because you could do a posture yesterday, doesn’t mean you’ll be able to do it today. Your body will change from day-to-day. You learn to truly honor where you are in this moment. With regular practice you develop peace of mind, as well as greater focus and concentration. The physical benefits are numerous.

Yoga can be practiced anywhere, anytime by any age. It doesn’t have to be done for an hour in a studio for you to reap the benefits. Even just a few minutes here and there can be extremely beneficial. Try doing a few poses as a warm up before you paddle out…then a few more when you’re done to stretch out. Wondering what to do when it’s flat or totally blown out…? Do yoga! By establishing a regular yoga practice you’ll keep your shoulders loose ( a common area of tendonitis among surfers and swimmers), strengthen your core and develop greater balance. All of which translate to better and more enjoyable surfing.

Regardless of whether you’re a grom or an old timer, yoga can keep you in the line up.

______________________________________________________________________________

Have a question? Ask a Health & Fitness Professional: info@thefitnessunderground.com

Visit THE FITNESS UNDERGROUND-LOS ANGELES: http://www.thefitnessunderground.com

GET FIT, STAY WELL AND THRIVE. START MOVING IN A HEALTHIER DIRECTION. START TODAY! WHY NOT?

The Fitness Underground-Los Angeles c.2010

[Via http://thefitnessunderground.wordpress.com]

What is fitness?

2010-03-13T11:45:00.000+02:00

Many people, at some stage of their lives, say, “I need to get fit”, then they lace up their training shoes and hit the streets for a 30 minute jog. Some may join a gym or health club and pound the treadmill and exercise bikes before a little play around with the resistance machines.

But what do people actually mean when they say, “I need to get fit”? How much thought is given to an actual definition of ‘fitness’, and how much is a person’s interpretation of the term ’fitness’ a determining factor when deciding what types of exercise routines to follow?

I would guess that most people don’t define ‘fitness’ at all – in fact I would go as far as saying that most people don’t really know what they mean when they mention this word. If this is the case then many exercise routines that people follow could well be wrong. Therefore, I think a general definition of the word ‘fitness’ is needed. When I say general, I mean a definition that proves useful within the context of our general every-day lives (not within the context of a specialist sport – e.g. an elite marathon runner requires a certain type of fitness that enables him or her to run 26.2 miles very quickly. But how many of us require this type of fitness in our everyday lives, and what physical compromises does a marathon runner have to make to condition his body to run long distances very fast?).

Therefore, for people who don’t participate in a particular sport at a relatively serious level (or those who are not training for a particular event), what is the thing they are training for? I would suggest the thing they are training for is life. So we need to think about the activities of life that we all carry out to a certain extent. If we exercise in a way that improves our ability to carry out these activities, then surely we are becoming ‘fit for life’ – this idea should underpin our general definition of fitness.

So what are the general activities of life? What do we spend most of our time doing? This will be slightly different for people at different stages of their lives – for example, I have two young children, so I spend a lot of time lifting and carrying my kids, getting down on the floor to play with them and getting up off the floor again, running up and down the stairs, playing in the garden and park, kicking a ball around, etc. If we strip my activities back to a basic level, I spend my time lifting weight, carrying weight, getting down, getting up, ascending and descending stairs, stopping and starting, changing direction, short bursts of quick running, jumping, stretching, bending, etc. I would argue that although the actual activities we engage in may differ depending on our age and circumstances (e.g. when I’m 50 I don’t expect to be on the floor changing nappies), the basic movements I described above are relevant to most of us (e.g. when I’m 50 I expect I will still have to lift and carry things, I will still have to get down and get up again, still stop and start, etc). So if these are the general activities of life, what type of fitness would serve us best with regards to improving our ability to perform the activities? If we take it to the extreme of an elite athlete, do you think the type of training and fitness of a marathon runner will improve our ability in the activities of life better than the type of training and fitness of a decathlete? My answer would be the decathlete.

CrossFit explains this better than I can – they wrote an article in 2002 defining their idea of ‘fitness’. They use 3 ’standards’ to help define fitness, which are:

1) You are as fit as you are competent in 10 general physical skills, which are Cardiovascular / Respiratory Endurance, Stamina, Strength, Flexibility, Power, Speed, Co-ordination, Agility, Balance, and Accuracy.

2) You are as fit as your ability to perform well at all tasks, even unfamiliar tasks.

3) (this is the technical one) Total fitness requires competency and training in each of the 3 metabolic pathways. The 3 pathways are the phosphagen pathway, the glycolytic pathway, and the oxidative pathway. Each pathway powers different types of activities with the phosphagen dominating high-power activities lasting less than approx 10 seconds, the glycolytic dominating moderate-power activities lasting up to several minutes, and the oxidative dominating low-power activities lasting longer than several minutes. Crossfit argue that a frequent fault of many peoples’ fitness routines is that they favour one (maybe two) of these pathways and exclude the other(s), and they also argue that another common fault is excessive training in the oxidative pathway (if you think about the activities of life I identified earlier, many of them require relatively short bursts of effort – e.g. running up stairs).

Crossfit also argue that fitness should provide a good level of protection against disease and the effects of time, and therefore a fitness regime should promote good health and wellbeing. Diet, as well as exercise, is an important factor here.

Crossfit paint a simple picture to explain their idea of fitness in the following way: “Develop the capacity of a novice 800 meter track athlete, a gymnast, and a weightlifter and you’ll be fitter than any world-class runner, gymnast, or weightlifter.”

You can access Crossfit’s article here.

So Crossfit prescribe a rounded and general fitness regime, and although many ‘crossfitters’ train intensely to become elite general athletes, their system and ethos can be scaled and adapted according our individual aims and needs. As they say: “The needs of an olympic athlete and our grandparents differ by degree not kind. One is looking for functional dominance and the other for functional competence. Competence and dominance manifest through identical physiological mechanisms”. So, if you imagine all the different types of training a decathlete has to undertake – sprinting, weight lifting, jumping, throwing, etc, this is the type of training that will give us the functional competence for the activities of life – the difference being that most of us won’t need to train within these disciplines as intensely as the decathlete.

So now think back to the person who joins the local gym to ‘get fit’ and each time she goes to the gym she does 30 minutes running on the treadmill followed by 45 minutes pushing and pulling the resistance machines. Is this the best use of her 1 hour & 15 minutes in the gym? Forgetting the fact that regularly doing the same routine will eventually lead to boredom (at which point people start to find they are too ‘busy’ to exercise any more) and could also lead to a fitness plateau as the body adjusts to the routine, are the actual exercises consistent with getting ‘fit for life’? I would argue they are not. I accept that this person will be in better physical condition than if she didn’t do any exercise at all (and that is a good thing), but how often will her life require her to run for 30 minutes (except when she’s in the gym), and how often will life demand that she is able to lift, push or pull a weight using only an isolated muscle (or muscle group)? It is more likely that life will throw up circumstances where she is required to move quickly for less than a minute (maybe just a few seconds), suddenly change direction, lift a weight using all the major muscle groups at the same time, carry a weight over a short distance, etc. Also, the unpredictability of life means that we are often called upon to react – this could involve catching, jumping, fending, balancing, etc, – these movements are not significantly improved by steady pounding on a treadmill. Don’t get me wrong, there is certainly a place for longer cardio-type exercises within our exercise regimes (I like nothing better than getting on my bike and peddling for a couple of hours on a bright, crisp morning) but for many of us the bulk of our training should involve exercises which are more consistent with the demands of everyday life.

I like this article by Cerin Rees about Keystone Abilities; the message here – “Work out about half a dozen Keystone Abilities for you and your sport and make them the basis of your training. Put your effort into doing a few of these moves and see almost everything else fall into place” – is similar to my message of defining fitness and training accordingly.

So how do we get ‘fit for life’? The short answer is to employ the services of a good personal trainer.

The long answer is given to us by CrossFit in their explanation of ‘world-class fitness in 100 words’:

■ Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat.

■ Practice and train major lifts: Deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch. Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstand, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds. Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast.

■ Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Routine is the enemy. Keep workouts short and intense.

■ Regularly learn and play new sports.

Now I hear you saying, “blimey, I’ve got to do all that to be fit for life?”. Remember, CrossFit are explaining how to attain world-class fitness, but their methods are scalable. For example, I would argue that 15 minutes spent doing bodyweight squats and dumbell cleans will serve most people better for the demands of life than 45 minutes on individual resistance machines – plus, you’d have 30 minutes left to attend to other areas (e.g. doing jumps, mastering a perfect press-up, sprinting, improving balance, improving flexibility, strengthening the core, etc).

Remember – be creative and avoid routine.

[Via http://bodyweightandkettlebells.wordpress.com]

Going nuclear on the pain

2010-03-11T11:41:00.000+02:00

In an effort to finally beat the ache, I am now going all out attack on my poor shins.

As well as the usual ice packs and ibuprofen, I’ve picked up my stretching regime (that is, I’m actually stretching properly – what is it about runners not stretching?) and am going to add a 10 minute yoga routine from Runner’s World when I first get up.

I tried it today and was shocked at just how much my hamstrings have contracted… on some of the moves, I couldn’t even straighten my legs.

I’ve also dug out the bottle of glucosamine sulphate tablets I bought ages ago but haven’t really been taking. It’s supposed to help pull water into soft tissue to keep everything lubricated properly.

I’ve also started looking for a sports doc in south London just in case I feel the need to bring out the real big guns with some cortisone injections…. but that would be the very last resort.

Click here to see a Google Map and full details of the day’s run

Miles today: 3.02

Target: 519

Miles to date: 669.12

Want to dedicate a run to someone or have one dedicated to you? Click here

[Via http://1095miles.com]

Gold Coast Boot Camp Expert Gives Tip on How To Get a Good Night's Sleep

2010-03-09T23:52:00.000+02:00

Do you have difficulty sleeping? Do you have problems going to sleep because you have too much on your mind? Do you walk around like a zombie because you tossed and turned all night? Here are some tips that will help you get a good night’s sleep and wake up feeling ready to face the day.

• Go to bed at the same time every night – Going to bed the same time every night gets your body into a rhythm, so it will naturally want to fall asleep at that time.

• Sip a cup of chamomile tea before bed – This will help you relax, but make sure it is at least 1 hour before bed or you will find you will have to go to the loo in the night.

• It could be what you ate? If you are having trouble going to sleep, it could be caused by what you ate. Try to recall what food or drink you consumed in the hours leading up to bedtime. Many people find that heavy foods, like pizza, caffeine drinks, or chocolate and other sweets interfere with their ability to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep.

• Don’t sleep with your pets – A survey conducted by the Mayo Clinic Sleep Disorders Centre found that among those whose pets shared the bedroom, half were disrupted every night – often by pets who snored, tossed and turned or needed frequent potty breaks. Arrange for them to sleep elsewhere.

• Invest in high quality sheets – Sleeping should be as cosy as possible.

• Keep a daily journal next to your bed – Each night spend time writing down your reflections of the day. It’s a good way to unwind and allow the day to drain away.

• Get plenty of vigorous exercise early in the day so you will be naturally tired at bedtime. Don’t exercise too close to bedtime or some people will find it will actually stimulate them and keep them awake.

• Put a drop or two of essential oils on your pillow to help you relax. Try Lavender or Roman Chamomille.

Remember it is important to get 6-8 hours of quality sleep every night.

Sweet Dreams!!!!!!

[Via http://goldcoastbootcamp.wordpress.com]

The truth about eggs- are they good or bad?

2010-03-09T11:47:00.000+02:00

By: San Diego Diet and Exercise Examiner Arturo Fioribello

Are eggs good for you, or bad? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked this, but it’s not your fault for not knowing. The truth is, half the world has been debating this for so long now, that very few know the answer. We all know they’re a great (and cheap) source of protein, but at what expense? Let’s review some old

MYTHS

First, we need to get out of these out of the way:

Eggs raise blood cholesterol levels, which in turn, could cause heart disease. The yolk in a single large egg contains five grams of fat, so many assumed that eggs clogged up people’s arteries, especially since they also contain dietary cholesterol. WRONG.

Cholesterol is fat. Another big NO. Cholesterol content in food and the cholesterol in our blood aren’t as directly related as once thought.

Cholesterol is not necessarily bad. Humans need it to maintain cell walls, insulate nerve fibers and produced vitamin D, among other things. Today, we know that the components of serum cholesterol (from a blood test) include HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (bad cholesterol) and that elevated values of LDL relative to HDL are a more accurate determinant of risk for heart disease than total cholesterol values.

So, now that we have those out of the way, let’s look at what they contain besides cholesterol:

Vitamin A

Vitamin D

Vitamin E

Vitamin B1

Vitamin B2

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B12

Folate

Pantothenic acid (B5)

Calcium

Phosphorus

Magnesium

Iron

Zinc

All of this with only 71 calories, no carbohydrates and five grams of fat! They are also one of the best sources of protein. Egg protein is easily assimilated and contains all nine essential amino acids necessary for proper metabolism.

The lecithin found in eggs emulsifies fats and improves digestion. It supports liver function, reduces the chance of cholesterol-clogged arteries and prevents the formation of kidney and gallstones. It also serves as a source of choline and inositol, which support proper nerve transmission and brain function. Eggs are one of the few sources of these nutrients in our diets.

If that wasn’t enough, egg whites contain the purest form of protein found in whole-foods. It is so high that nutritionists use them as the standard when comparing other whole-food proteins. Their “biological value” — a measurement used to determine how efficiently a protein is used for growth — is 93.7. Milk, fish, beef, and rice respectively have a bio value of 84.5, 76, 74.3, and 64. Why do you think eggs have been a staple to bodybuilders and athletes?

So, as you can see, the answer to the age-old question, “Are eggs good or bad?,” is………….. GOOD!! Of course, in moderation. Too much of a good thing can also turn bad, like in anything else. Depending on your diet and what else you consume in a day, moderate could mean anywhere between 1-4 eggs per day, so use your judgment and take solace in the fact that eggs are safe to eat everyday! In fact, you should be consuming eggs, everyday!

Facts you may not have known about eggs:

A large egg contains an average of 6.3 g of protein.

A fresh egg tastes far better than a stale one. How to tell the difference? Place the egg in a bowl filled with cold water. If it sinks to the bottom, it’s fresh. If it stands up but still remains on bottom, it’s significantly less fresh, and if it floats, it’s old. Fresh eggs also tend to have cloudy whites while old eggs often have watery, runny whites.

The American Egg Board advises that grills should never be set higher than 250F. Anything above that will leave the interior raw while burning the outside. If an egg has runny parts, it means it is still not cooked properly

[Via http://integrityhealth.wordpress.com]

Good Morning Folks..!!

2010-03-07T11:37:00.000+02:00

value=”http://www.youtube.com/v/0×3W6hutEj8&hl=en_US&fs=1&”>

That is not an African accent, is it? I don’t know, I’ve never been to Madagascar…But it’s on my list.

Go hunting for Hunters.. ; 0 )

Be physically fit, you’ll live longer, be happier, and you’ll look better in your clothes.

Physical fitness is not being thin, it’s being healthy, eating better, and having a good heart rate. You know I don’t have to tell you.

I was a little or a lot chubbier, and all I did was write out my ideal size, as an affirmation..Google it

I put a picture of myself at my best on my mirror.

Danced while getting dressed in the morning and danced while cooking.

Home cooked food is better then restaurant or take out food.

I loved yoga, I now do it when necessary. I have these cards with poses and affirmations on them and they helped.

It just melted off, eventually I didn’t have to be concerned about my size or what I ate, I was still loosing weight.

Then I got in a car accident and now I am walking, which is also good, it gives you time to think and talk to the Creator.

Shout outs to the Creator and all his Creations, We appreciate the Sunshine.

[Via http://funkysquare.wordpress.com]

SPEICAL RATES FOR DANCERS/STUDENTS AT MOVEMENTS AFOOT

2010-03-06T11:21:00.000+02:00

SPEICAL RATES FOR DANCERS/STUDENTS

AT MOVEMENTS AFOOT

10% off for Student/dancer rates on single, 10-20 class cards.

Student ID is required.

** Does not include workshops and 1-2 month deals

Dancers Equipment Card

Can only be bought at studio. Does not apply to Master teacher classes

Single class $30
5 class card $135 30 days
10 class card $250 180 days

[Via http://movementsafootblog.com]

Sexy By Summer (Day 17)

2010-03-04T23:38:00.000+02:00

Day 17 March 3rd, (Weighing in 11 days)

I’m so disappointed in myself. I didn’t exercise again. I watched 2012 instead. This is getting ridiculous. I feel like crap. And It’s not like I have anymore excuses. You guys I have to get a handle on this! I have to exercise tomorrow! My husband set up a gym membership with a brand new gym across the street. So I’m excited to go there to exercise.

For breakfast I had a coffee.

Then for lunch I had tuna (chopped pickles and miracle whip) with a salad. Then I snacked an orange.

Then dinner was chicken tenders from Burger King with a salad.

I did take vitamins today. It made me feel like I was doing something a little extra special for my body. But I haven’t noticed any difference in my energy.

Note to self: EXERCISE! EXERCISE! EXERCISE!

[Via http://sexybysummer.wordpress.com]

Day 45

2010-03-02T23:44:00.000+02:00

Getting back into the swing of things after my day off, I seemed to almost be stuck at 7 again. I got a couple of clean 9-throw rounds early on in the practice, but from halfway on I could not seem to make much progress. That’s okay, my juggling still seemed smoother, and getting 7 throws was a cinch. The repetition of the pattern will result in it appearing slower each day, and I will reach 10 and more throws!

It’s freezing down here in Florida, and my place was at 61 degrees. But instead of turning on the heat, I turned to juggling and started my practice. At this moment, I do not need the heater on at all, but I’m sure as the hours (minutes!) pass I will have to crank it up!

I could not believe how quickly the timer went off today! Some days, it seems like I hav e a lot of extra time to work on my throws, but today those forty minutes went so quickly. Variance in the perception of time would be an interesting phenomenon to study at some point. We have all experienced it, but what factors affect it?

I look forward to more 9-throw rounds tomorrow!

[Via http://learningfive.wordpress.com]

Food items a family should always have in their fridge

2010-03-02T11:45:00.000+02:00

We can all use a little extra help becoming organized in the kitchen and during meal planning. The best way to ease stress is to be prepared. Make a list of frequently used items and attach it to your refrigerator door. Every weekend, check for items that you’re running low on, and take a trip to the store to replace them. Here are some items to get you started:

In your refrigerator:

* Eggs (or egg substitute)

* Fat-free Parmesan cheese

* Fresh fruit

* Green onions

* Jar of minced garlic

* Low-fat shredded cheese

* Low-fat yogurt

* Low-sodium soy sauce

* Pre-washed and sliced veggies

* Reduced-calorie margarine

* Fat-free milk

In your freezer:

* Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

* Frozen pasta such as tortellini or ravioli

* Frozen vegetables

* Frozen yogurt

* Lean meat and pork

* Leftovers!

* Salad-size shrimp

Thanks to Weight Watchers for the suggestion!

However some parents want their kids to have more fat then just get food that are not low in fat.

[Via http://missfarahsclass.wordpress.com]

Day 43: Six Clean 9-Throw Rounds

2010-02-27T23:52:00.000+02:00

What a great practice! I had nowhere to be afterwards, so I was more relaxed and focused than yesterday. I’m now consistently at the 9-throw mark. I must not have a practice session without a clean 9-throw round again! (At least that is what I am aiming for).

I didn’t get a 9-throw round one after the other. In fact, the successes were pretty dispersed throughout my practice. It took me about ten minutes to get warmed up to the point where I felt comfortable going for 9 throws. Pinning my elbows in always helps, but even still, my 8th and 9th throws were often lower than they should be. This seems to be a recurring pattern! Any time I move forward two more throws, it always takes a while to get them just as high as the others. I better just accept that this will continue to happen.

I think it will take a while to really get 9 throws solid, but I don’t want to get stuck in a rut like I did with 7 throws. Once I can get a few 9-throws rounds in a row, I will consider moving on and pushing forward. I think when I get up to 10/11 throws, I will have to celebrate.

Can’t wait to see what tomorrow’s practice brings!

[Via http://learningfive.wordpress.com]

Day 41: Several Clean 9-Throw Rounds

2010-02-25T23:53:00.000+02:00

Cool! I must be getting a lot better. I got up to 9 throws, catches and all, at least five times. At the start of my practice, I was dreading the same old humdrum solid 7 throws. I really had to do something to get beyond that number. I started out just releasing the 8th throw in any way I could. Just like I tell my students when they are stuck on a certain throw – it doesn’t matter where that next throws goes (and I don’t even care if they hit me with it!), they just need to get it out of their hand. That’s the only way to break out of the habit of stopping at a certain number.

So heeding my own advice, I literally forced myself to throw past 7, and it really worked. Once I broke through a few times, it just felt more comfortable and came more easily. Finally!! I’m only one throw away from 10!

I also paid attention to my arms, not only keeping them close into my side (like I usually do), but really limiting their lateral movement. I think this helped a lot as well, and encouraged me to throw fairly high, facilitating more throws.

Looking forward to getting more comfortable with 9 throws tomorrow!

[Via http://learningfive.wordpress.com]

IntenSati-Free class 3/3 at Movements Afoot NYC

2010-02-25T11:28:00.000+02:00

Join us March 3 for a free class IntenSati 6:30 at Movements Afoot.

IntenSati is a revolutionary high-energy cardio workout created by Patricia Moreno. This class is a unique combination of aerobics, martial arts and endurance principles with positive affirmations. The result is an unprecedented practice which is empowering physically and mentally.

IntenSati has given me the conviction of anything is possible. This class has changed how I think about my body and control my mind to a new love and appreciation for Life.

‘Chantall Brachmann-Scott

Join us March 3 for a free class 6:30. Please bring sneakers and a towel.

To Register

49 W. 27th St. Mezzanine B, New York City 212-904-1399

49 West 27th St. Mezzanine B

New York, NY 10001

212-904-1399

[Via http://movementsafootblog.com]

Aikido of Nebraska to host Open House March 20-21st

2010-02-23T23:50:00.000+02:00

Aikido of Nebraska will be hosting an Open House on Mar 20-21st, Sat-Sun afternoon. The Open House will go from 12:00pm-3:00pm each day, and is open to all the public. Attendees will be able to see a traditional Martial Arts Dojo, and view the students in regular practice. Refreshments will be provided.

Many people are intimidated by the thought of participating in a Martial Arts class. The Open House is designed to help those people see that training in the Martial Arts is an enjoyable and beneficial endeavor. The student at Aikido of Nebraska is allowed to progress at their own pace and safety is at the forefront. The Open House also allows people to see the rich culture of the Martial arts in an educational venue. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions and find out everything they always wanted to know about the Martial Arts, and Aikido.

So come join us at the Aikido of Nebraska Open House, for a few hours of fun and education. Details below;

Aikido of Nebraska, 4209 S. 33rd St. Lincoln, NE. 68506

402-261-6655

info@aikidonebraska.org

Saturday, Mar 20 12:00pm-3:00pm

Sunday, Mar 21 12:00pm-3:00pm

[Via http://blog.aikidonebraska.org]

BURNOUT - Don't let this be YOU!

2010-02-23T11:55:00.000+02:00

I’m done with being over-weight. I want to be thin and sexy. I want guys/girls to notice me. Right now I just blend into the background. They don’t even see me. They look past me to get a peek at the girl/guy with the HOT body! I want to look like THAT!

I think I’ll get a gym membership and start working out. I really want to get in shape fast so I’m going to the gym everyday. As a matter of fact…I can go to the gym twice each day. I’ll go in the morning before work and then again after work everyday. I’m on a mission. Look out world! Here I come!!!

Hey, this working out thing is not so bad. Geesh! I’m getting REALLY tired. How long have I been doing this? What?! Only four minutes? OMG! I’ve got 56 more minutes to go?! Wait a minute! Look at all these HOT people n here. They’re doing it just like it’s nothing. OK…I’ve gotta get a hold of myself. I can do this! OK… I can’t do this. My head is about to explode! I’ve gotta stop. This is nuts! I’ll just come back after work.

Hmmm. Looks like the after-work gym crowd is a little different. Even MORE hot people. I’m a little intimidated but I’m determined to have that hot sexy body so I’m going to stick with it. Gosh this is tough…but I did it! I made it through a whole hour! Yay me! Tomorrow morning I’m going to workout for TWO hours.

Wow! Is it morning already? …O…M…G…! I am soooo incredibly SORE. I can’t move. I can’t keep doing this. Maybe it’s not so bad being overweight. After all…it’s who I am INSIDE that counts, right? This working out thing just isn’t for me.

BURNOUT – Don’t let this happen to YOU! If you burnout, you will never reach your goal. Pace yourself. Do something active that you really enjoy. Give yourself a lifetime to lose weight and gain a healthy lifestyle. Slowly but surely you’ll get there and stay there!

-Jamme Morginn, Fitness Expert

Jamme is creator of Jamme’s Crunk Fitness, The high-energy hip-hop dance workout that’s so much fun you forget that you are working out!

[Via http://crunkfitness.wordpress.com]

Eat What You Need, Part II

2010-02-21T23:38:00.000+02:00

“Don’t dig your grave with your knife and fork.” – English Proverb

C.H.A.R.G.E. #036

What do you find comforting? Is it work, play, worship, exercise or food? Typically, we all turn to something to feel more at ease when life throws us a curve. Several of my personal training clients will lift weights, go on a 10-mile run, or attend a yoga class in order to set things straight. However, we all know those people (ourselves included) who choose unhealthy behaviors for comfort, especially food. In essence, these behaviors temporarily help us feel loved, accepted and relieved of feelings of anxiety.

Knowing that food won’t actually meet any of our needs outside of fuel and nutrition, we often seek distraction from what we really need. Do you know someone who has gained weight after the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, or enduring chronic pain? I think we all do. Food has a way of taking us to “another” place, even if it is for a very short time. In Eat by Choice, Not by Habit, Haskvitz points out that when she asked her “class to make such a list (of comfort foods) they wrote: oatmeal, mashed potatoes, pudding, and pumpkin pie, all of which met needs for nurturance, love and comfort.”

Awareness is the key. Once you can identify the need you are trying to satisfy with food, you have more options for meeting those needs. For example, if you have a strained relationship with your mother, you may turn to comfort food to feel loved or nurtured. At this point, Haskvitz suggests that you “…pause, breathe, and ask yourself: How am I feeling? What do I need? Follow this with a request of yourself. What choices are best for my individual health? What other needs am I trying to satisfy with any of these dieting strategies?” Then, you will be more open to address the issue(s) with your mother, if you so choose.

C.H.A.R.G.E. Questions: Where do you go to be comforted? Of those “places”, which ones have a negative effect on your health? What healthy behaviors could you engage in that would comfort you? What will it take to start making those healthy decisions? Where do you need more awareness? How willing are you to make a change with your food intake once you have increased your awareness of what you need?

Eat by Choice, Not by Habit: Practical Skills for Creating a Healthy Relationship with Your Body and Food by Sylvia E. Haskvitz, M.A., R.D.

[Via http://maximumwellness.wordpress.com]

The Chicago Tribune Names First Lady Michelle Obama One of the 2010 Good Eating Award Winners

2010-02-21T11:18:00.000+02:00

Post by: Audiegrl

Children from Bancroft Elementary School in Washington, D.C. help First Lady Michelle Obama plant the White House Vegetable Garden, April 9, 2009. (Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton)

Chicago Tribune~There’s a 1,100-square-foot organic vegetable, fruit and herb garden on the South Lawn of the White House. That patch of earth planted in March — the first time vegetables have been grown at the White House since Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency in the ’40s — has yielded 700-plus pounds of lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, collards and more for meals at the White House and a nearby homeless shelter.

That garden, first lady Michelle Obama told reporters, is “one of the greatest things that I’ve done in my life.” It also signaled the first lady’s efforts to improve America’s eating habits, tackle childhood obesity and encourage fitness. She began by bringing those efforts to her new home, where chef-working mom Cristeta Comerford runs the White House kitchen, by adding chef Sam Kass (whose track record includes work at Avec) to mentor her local-sustainable efforts.

Other first ladies have urged healthy eating at the White House ( Hillary Clinton pushed for a low-fat menu, while Laura Bush encouraged organic foods). But Michelle Obama has, in her first year, moved food and nutrition issues front and center. Her efforts dovetail with our appetite for the food-tube (she kicked off this year with an appearance on “Iron Chef America“) and America’s awareness that what you eat plays a major role in your health.

Looking for more stories on the First Lady? Check out our brand new section: FLOTUS: All Things Michelle Obama

[Via http://the44diaries.wordpress.com]

Antioxidant power smoothie

2010-02-20T23:41:00.000+02:00

I made my monthly pilgrimage to Costco today, and lucky was I to find pomegranate seeds, all peeled and ready to go. Did you know that ”recent research has found that eight ounces of pomegranate juice daily for three months improved the amount of oxygen getting to the heart muscle of patients with coronary heart disease (American Journal of the College of Cardiology, Sept. 2005).”

And I bet you know already blueberries are known as the “miracle berry” due to their antioxidant power. So I thought, why not combine these two for an awesome attack on aging! What turned out was a delicious post-workout treat. Here’s how to make it:

Blend together:

1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup rice, soy, or almond milk
1/2 cup plain, low fat greek yogurt (optional)
1-2 scoops protein powder
Ice
water if needed to thin

Makes 2 - 10 oz. delicious smoothies. Enjoy!

[Via http://thegymcoachblog.wordpress.com]

Healthy Aging: How to live to 100

2010-02-20T11:30:00.000+02:00

In a previous post, we wrote about Boomers with Zip, or Zoomers. One of the recent issues of U.S. World and News & World Report is devoted to the topic of aging well - a chief concern of Zoomers. The issue covers a wide variety of topics: longer life spans and longevity research, Medicare, epigenetics, eating, diet, and exercise, hormone therapy, Alzheimer’s disease, long-term care, and nursing homes (including the magazine’s rankings for Best Nursing Homes). I found the profiles of nonagenarians and centenarians inspiring and a featured 10-week plan for getting fit designed by orthopedic surgeon Vonda Wright realistic (you don’t have to buy any trendy equipment). Issues of the magazine are available at the El Retiro, Henderson, North Torrance, and Walteria branches of the Torrance Public Library and you can borrow Vonda Wright’s book, Fitness After 40, or read the U.S. News & World Report special issue at the Katy Geissert Civic Center Library.

Not to be outdone, Time Magazine also features the science of living longer in its February 22 issue. The focus of the Time Magazine special section is primarily on health, and thus a bit narrower than the U.S. News & World Report issue, but similar topics are covered and there are also profiles of centenarians with interesting information from the Long Life Family Study (LLFS), an investigation into the factors that help certain families produce members who live into their 80’s, 90’s and even 100’s. The study was sponsored by the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health and hopes to determine which genetic, environmental and behavioral factors contribute to longevity. Other research cited includes Dr. Bruce Yanker’s (Harvard Medical School) work on brain differences between those individuals that live to 100 with limited cognitive decline and those that show signs of Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia before 85, and Dr. Mehmet Oz offers steps individuals can take to encourage longevity based on his research studying long-living populations:

The ability to exercise remains the single most powerful predictor of longevity so try to perform rigorous physical activity – at least three 30-minute workouts weekly that break a sweat
Get 15 minutes of sun every day (or take 1,000 IU of vitamin D) and take 1,000 mg. of calcium with 500 mg. of magnesium to avoid constipation
Eat foods that look the same when you consume them as when they came out of the ground
Sleep more than seven hours a day
Have a purpose (such as family, work, community) – it serves as motivation and inspiration

If you enjoy studying charts and statistics the “Map of Health” displays a chart on life expectancy at birth around the world – the longest is Macau at 84.4 years, the shortest is Angola at 38.2 years, with the United States recorded at 78.1 (12th on the chart).

Both articles mention the importance of keeping your brain active and what better place to find hundreds of free resources to aid you do just that than the Library! Please do visit us to learn more about healthy aging.

[Via http://torrancepubliclibrary.wordpress.com]

GMC Day 17 & 18

2010-02-18T23:40:00.000+02:00

Did you miss me? Cause it’s only been a day…but yesterday (Day 17) is my one allowed break! If you knew what my Wednesdays were like you’d even question how I get myself to the gym Thursdays…but I’m not giving up now.

On other matters yesterday, it was Ash Wednesday. So here’s the deal:

After February is over, I am going to continue on a personal challenge to do 5 classes a week until Easter!
I’m giving up all bread in its plain form – no toast, bagels, dinner rolls, etc.
I will commit to reading some form of a lenten reflection all 40 days!

Moving on to today (day 18), I’m so proud of myself. So I was totally planning on going to the gym after work and before the LMU basketball game tonight…but come to find out this morning the basketball game got moved to 6pm. That would have given me no time to get to the gym, do a class, shower and get back. So…I was like crap…today is out! But I thought I’d check the schedule none the less and there was a spin class at 12. And yep…I got myself there and did it!

The Official Stats:

Class: 14/25
Category: Spin (3/5)
Title: Studio Cycling

And there are two things you need to know…I felt so great using my lunch hour to work out and get my butt kicked! Loved the instructor too! And I’m more energized now than I was before I left.

Ohhh and also…today was a fun treat! New spin bikes…sooooooo much more comfortable to sit on!

Until next time!

-M

[Via http://mirebu7.wordpress.com]

Love Your Body!

2010-02-18T11:21:00.000+02:00

It is Valentine’s Weekend! My sweetie is in another state but it left me reflecting on love.

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance”

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

I believe this was part of our marriage ceremony on May 29, 2004. Go back and read it again and were it says “Love and It” put your name in instead. I know my heart sunk a little when I did this myself. I have some areas that I need to do some work like irritable, patient, keep no record of being wronged. Ugh, I need to work on these!

If we can’t love our own bodies how can we give love to our friends and families around us? “Love is not a matter of counting the years —it’s making the years count” –William Smith. We need to treat our body with respect feed and care for it in a respectful healthy way instead of abusing it through unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles or if I cause it pain I must be working out the right way. You can accomplish a healthy diet and an active lifestyle through non heroic efforts.

I personally believe in affirmations. I have a master affirmation of “I’m creating a beautiful day for myself. My work as a business, owner, teacher, writer, speaker, classical Pilates teacher yoga master trainer and coaching is fulfilling. I am happy healthy fit successful and prosperous. Clients are aboundate they are everywhere I turn. My corporate well being programs are sought out by many. I have a wonderful relationship with my husband that continues to grow. Everything is as it should be. I can let go.” –Kimberly Searl

I say this affirmation multiple times a day. If there is a particular area that I’m struggling with then I make a smaller one to repeat every time that fear or negative thought creeps into my head such as “ I always have plenty of money, I can let go, I am hot and awesome, I have a wonderful relationship with my husband” you get the picture. I say these especially during movement. Look, if you are on the treadmill listing all these negative thoughts on why you won’t be successful, why you can’t lose weight etc. then guess what? You are self sabotaging your efforts and you are right… you won’t accomplish your health goals. But, if you are starting a new habit (which takes 21 straight days of doing it by the way) then you need to list an affirmation in the present tense and then, when you are faced with the fork in the road, you can go back to that present tense affirmation and say, “I can’t control the past or the future. I can control the present moment. Will I make the choice to honor my affirmation or not?”

Please know that these blogs come, not from a perfect wellness professional who had always towed the line without falter or for whom life has always been easy. I’ve had to learn life the hard way through personal trial and error. I always try to learn from mistakes and do a self evaluation. I’d like to say I get it right after the second time down the street but sometimes it takes me a little longer to get the whole picture of taking a different street all together. I’ve been a victim throughout my life, paralyzed, depressed, drugged, obese I believe in not crying victim because repeating those stories over and over just keep me in the victim mindset and brings the wrong energy into my universe. Yes, I’ve shed many tears over some of my experiences but I know that it is a test of character and that in a year or two down the road I will be stronger for it. This is what gives me the strength and ability to relate because I’ve been there. This is how I know that you have the power, strength and courage in you to tackle your health no matter the personal circumstances you are facing today.

Here are some guidelines for making your own affirmation:

Affirmations are very powerful. They are a powerful tool. Sometimes, when we make an affirmation, it makes no sense. An affirmation is a positive statement affirming or asserting something to manifest. Think about the “Law of Attraction.” You get what you think about. Your thoughts determine your destiny. To write your own affirmation, begin with “I.” Eliminate “should.” Avoid any negativity. Avoid hope, wish, and try. It should evoke a strong feeling in you.

[Via http://mindbodybalance.wordpress.com]

I'm sick of it

2010-02-16T22:59:00.000+02:00

How do you not get burnt out?

— Ryan Horlen asked me this this morning

I stumbled on my answer, which wrapped up to, “I DO!!!!”

Because lately, I just feel really sick of it.

Not the Evergreen. Not school. Just trying to balance all of it. No time to clean. No time to work out. No time to run errands.

Maybe I pour way too much into this news gig.

I can’t wait for summer.

Oh wait, then I have to grow up.

Damnit.

[Via http://rikkiking.wordpress.com]

When to Switch Up Your Routine

2010-02-14T23:55:00.000+02:00

“What I have to switch? I just got used to this.” I found myself asking this as I continued to grow and learn more about how to perfect my training. I learned the answer is an emphatic “yes” to these questions.

About every six weeks or twelve workouts is my general rule of thumb that I like to follow. There might be other factors that affect the frequency of the when and how, such as fatigue and overtraining. Most growth occurs with changes in our routines and through the introduction of new stress factors. One of the most obvious examples was for me noticing how I lost 5lbs in my first week of training but then only 1lb the next. The changes don’t have to be dramatic or radically different, in fact I would recommend against it, but they can be simple and subtle.

One simple change that I like to incorporate is simply doing my workouts in reverse order. For example, if you work out your chest and arms in the same day but give your chest priority you may want to switch and move your arm routines up in your ranking. You will still be receiving a full workout but your arms will still be receiving the benefit of receiving the stress, your energy and endurance first. As I have found in doing this as well, you might be able to introduce slightly heavier weights than before on your arms and lighter weights for your chest because of where the fatigue levels in your workouts will change. I find this “reverse order” to especially work well in my aerobic style routines.

Another benefit and idea in changing your routines can also cause you to be an adventurer, an explorer. Incorporating new exercises allows you the opportunity to learn new exercises and ways of doing things. If you are a fanatic about doing flat bench press you might discover that doing a dumbbell press will be more effective because it gives you a greater range of motion. When trying new exercises always use a lighter weight than anticipated. You will need time to adjust to the new movements and avoid injury.

If you’re a runner or biker you can easily opt for change by sampling picking new routes. I find a simple change in scenery can do wonders for my runs. You can also opt for more hilly routes or punch a few up in your treadmill. You can try one of my favorites and do some trail running. Or simply add some sprints to routine.

Pyramiding your routines is probably one of the most popular ways of changing your routines. This philosophy is usually concerned with training for a specific event. You increase your mileage or weight routines as you prepare yourself for a specific event.

There really isn’t a tried and true proven specific guideline for when and how to change your fitness regimes. It may take weeks longer or shorter before you decide a change is needed. The point I really wanted to make in writing this was that the changes in your routines that you may make don’t have to be as drastic as you may believe. Just recognize and pay attention to your bodies needs. If your not seeing improvement, or if your complacent it may be time for a switch. Last but not least be sure to give the new routine or exercises a chance and or time to work.

[Via http://gunghoiguana.wordpress.com]

Dr. Ria Introduces Dr. Ria's Weight Control Program

2010-02-14T11:27:00.000+02:00

PR Log (Press Release) – Feb 11, 2010 – Dr. Ria GIiday has been working on a formula for over 4 years that is natural and healthy and she is ready to give systems away for free. Today she announcing a facebook fan page contest that will give away 5 weight control systems free. To qualify you must be one of the first 500 fans on her Let’s Talk Health with Dr. Ria facebook fan page and post a comment that includes ”Dr. Ria’s Weight Control System” You can post why you would like to win it or just post YES give me the “Dr. Ria’s Weight Control System free” Dr Ria has released a youtube video to explain the system.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fu8gSNLZRoQ

# # #

Queen’s Health Center II a Premier Wellness Center focusing on health and healing. We incorporate state-of-the-art proven scientific methods to keep you and your family healthy. Director/Owner Dr Ria. has been hosting her own radio show since 1995.

[Via http://digiinews.wordpress.com]

How to select a single service Coffee

2010-02-13T22:57:00.000+02:00

A growing number of us are asking now, how to choose a single serve coffee that best suit us feel at home. This type of coffee and tea are designed to produce – like you – one cup of coffee at a time could be expected and are becoming increasingly popular with all types of coffee drinkers.

In the past we were a bit 'limited in our choices of coffee – which often, for example, an entire pot was cool> Coffee, one cup, but things are different now enjoy.

Benefits

The benefits of single serve coffee stations are mainly in the fact that they can make a coffee service at one time and they work very quickly to below against multi-service machines. So no need to waste coffee, more coffee or do you actually live in a relaxing drink.

And ifChoose one of the new pod systems use single final choice here, then you can simply drag a small coffee pod into the machine individually, have a cup of coffee and then throw the pod away. So, it will be a minimum of cleaning and maintenance, as well!

You can also choose the type of coffee you drink with this kind of machines such as the pods can come in different types of roasts and flavors. Enterprises to make coffee MajorWaffles currently include for example the biggest names in the sector such as Douwe Egberts, Folgers and Melitta – in order to ensure the experience and quality coffee is to get the most good.

Two types

There are essentially two ways to ensure the use of a single coffee. In the first case, you can use a conventional machine coffee, ground coffee standards through a filtering system to normal, but only buy beersa cup of coffee at a time, instead of a big pot together. It is interesting to note that some of these machines can sometimes be able to make two cups and not only that it might be a bit 'more flexibility.

In both cases, the machine to prepare here directly into your cup of very fast and efficient. Some of these types of models are equipped with their own mug when you buy!

Serve as a single machine, this type of option is reliable, butA bit 'boring, if you are looking for something a bit' different to drink a coffee. But if you still wondering how to select a single serve coffee then this is a good way for you if you just want an inexpensive and compact tea for one or two people. Some of these machines are now very weak and can not simply be left with an office for ease of use true without having to sit too much space.

But when something iscoffee something more exciting from a single, then you must use something like a pod of these new systems, we have already mentioned, to be taken into account. These machines are different (like the Philips Senseo in the field are determined, for example) to take a basket containing a single brand or a particular type of coffee roasted at a time.

That wrap around the skin of the package, insert it into the machine and make coffee for youthe cup. You can then simply use the pod in the trash. Again, please note that some systems purchased pod, which can make two cups of coffee at a time.

Variety – the spice of life

These machines are so popular today in part because it is convenient and reliable, but also because they have different varieties, species and varieties of coffee will be purchased. You can choose which type of coffee Brewtaken at any time of day without a huge stock of different types of coffee in the kitchen furniture.

That means you can keep the bag open to many great coffee stale in your cabinets, simply because they do not drink too fast. These modules are all individually sealed, so you can not lose freshness when you open a bag of standards of coffee milled.

A complaint that some users' computers is that podThe pods themselves are not always cheap, as they may be. As one might expect, you may need to receive a premium for convenience here pay for this type of system, podcasting may be more costly to operate effectively, including the purchase of the first machine and the sleeves, as if you're a small manufacturer of waffles and had regularly buy bags of coffee.

One important thing to think that we reflect on how to use a single coffee machine, and compatibility. Servings MayOther types of coffee machines standard, so it's worth, during the inspection must be compatible with the manufacturer. And to provide a wafer, the possibility of a normal filter to add the computer, so you can easily serve as a single standard machine with its own ground coffee.

Flexibility is important because you do not want a coffee or a pod system for the acquisition, which limits your choices. Some pod, for example, you can use otherTypes of nuclei in the car, and those that are made for each model. This option is great that you get a lot more flexibility in the choice of drinking coffee. However, some systems will only work with their own pods, it could be the choice and the cost of longer term could see.

It was not exactly the system you choose, it is better at the end of the day. You can also opt for both options! One last thingthink you have great discounts and savings on standard single serve coffee pod systems and sleeves, even if you look around. Many users of the system pod, how to buy, for example, manages Internet shopping, then let go when they negotiate for one.

[Via http://folgerscoffeepods.wordpress.com]

New resource available to help increase outdoor activities

2010-02-13T11:01:00.000+02:00

There’s a new resource we wanted to share that helps people of all ages get outdoors. Created by The North Face, PlanetExplore (www.planetexplore.com) is an online community of national and regional organizations to help people of all ages find local outdoor recreational activities. Kids especially need to start NOW to be healthy so that they grow up to be healthy adults. In fact, according to The Outdoor Foundation’s recently released Special Report on Youth (http://www.outdoorfoundation.org/research.youth.html) outdoor participation among youth continues to decrease each year, with the rate of decline steepest among the youngest age groups. Electronics, among other things, is sure to be a big part of the blame. PlanetExplore is trying to make it easier for parents to combat this issue of kids not getting outdoors enough. They and their kids need to get outdoors, and PlanetExplore helps to facilitate that.

For more heart healthy info visit www.heart-strong.com

[Via http://heartstrong.wordpress.com]

overloaded...

2010-02-11T22:51:00.000+02:00

well, i somehow managed to eat well enough to get my weight back down to 149.6 this morning. i really don’t know how this all works. it really must just be water weight. but what i don’t understand is why i would gain 2lbs of water weight all of a sudden. oh well, i guess i should just be happy that my weight is back down.

so, my exercise has been really off this week. the snowstorm that hit yesterday meant the boys were home with me, while i tried to work, which means that very little actually got done. i counted shovelin as my exercise for the day. and so far today, i’m not much better. i did tromp (is that a word?) around in the snow with the boys. and since it is about 19″ and even more in the drifts, that is a bit of a workout. but really, i think i’d feel better if i got in my 30 minutes on the elliptical. not to mention that my knee hurts a bit from my earlier hike in the white stuff.

work is just really busy these days, my boys are into everything, and i mean everything. i feel like i get no support at home. my husband is supportive in the sense that he tells me i’m doing great and i look fantastic, all the moral support type of stuff. but sometimes i’d rather have the support in the sense of him taking on some of the workload. i just feel overwhelmed at times, and i think that gets me “down”…which makes it more stressful because then i get the “who cares” feeling about eating right, which then makes me feel bad, and the downward spiral continues.

the past week or so has been stressful, and i’ve been battling the negative feelings. i have been struggling to eat well and exercise, to get back on track. i am feeling good at the moment, so i’m hoping that i can continue this and build momentum to carry me through the weekend. i am excited that the snow will be here, because that gives me a reason to be outside in the fresh air, getting exercise while just playing and having fun. it’s those types of days that make it easy to stay on track. days where i’m not sitting around inside the house, feeling bored. but instead, i’m active…and not thinking about snacks.

so while i missed my session with brent this week, i hope to make it up in outdoor activities!

[Via http://cdk09.wordpress.com]

Horizon Fitness T101 Treadmill

2010-02-11T11:37:00.000+02:00

Enjoy a vigorous workout in the comfort of your own home with the Horizon Fitness T101 treadmill. The T101 is built around a durable 2.25-horsepower continuous-duty motor, similar to the type found in premium health clubs. The result is a smooth and powerful performance at all speeds, with the ability to run quieter and longer while generating plenty of power for a long workout. The T101 is no slouch from a feature perspective, either, with nine workout programs to help you (more…)

[Via http://runawaytreadmills.wordpress.com]

Pilates and a Fresh Week

2010-02-09T21:35:00.000+02:00

Well everyone,

It’s been busy the last while. I had pilates on Thursday evening and boy oh boy is the pilates teacher the military commander of pilates teachers! It was quite the workout and I’m looking forward to some more hard work.

On the eating side of things, it’s been going better since the weekend. I had a yummy fruit salad this morning and made my own packed lunch for college. I find that it’s cheaper and also you tend to eat healthier because you don’t face the temptations of the cafeteria or cafès.

I’m using this week as a whole new start to my new lifestyle. It’s always nice to start over and have a new chance of doing it better. It always important to learn from last week but not to carry it on your shoulders into your future.

Salsa class 2 went well but still no guys on the scene except for our excellent teacher. It’s been really good and although I didn’t get round to practicing last week, I definitely will make the effort to do it this week. I definitely think it’s worth it because you learn a whole new skill and it’s something you can always do, all you need is music! So go see if there’s any dance classes near you and get involved!

Been drinking lots of water and I’m feeling much better for. I feel more energetic. Also I’ve been sleeping a lot better. I didn’t think not drinking enough water would have such a big impact on my life but there you go! So go buy yourself a good reusuable bottle and get drinking! I have a cool one that has “impossible is nothing” written on for a bit of inspiration. Why not pick a quotation you find inspirational and write it on your bottle?! At the very least it’ll make you smile!

More news to follow.

[Via http://foxrunner18.wordpress.com]

Can It Get Any Harder?

2010-02-09T11:40:00.000+02:00

Yes is the answer. So what do we do to top the last session? Just train until you can barely get up and walk out! This is the work out from 2/8/2010 and it was another tough one. I wonder what we need to do to top this one? Got a day or so to figure that one out. Music today brought to you by Bachman Turner Overdrive (BTO) and Grand Funk Railroad (GFR). T-Shirt: Northwestern Indian artwork for Orca…pretty cool stuff.

Warm Up: What warm up? We just launched into the circuit training today!

First: Exercise circuit of 11 exercises done for 30 seconds with a maximum amount of reps in that 30 second time period. No rest except getting to the next station. 2 cycles and no rest between cycles. Exercises: BB Curls, Triceps extension with gold tband, lying pull ups, DB curls, triceps bench dips, Step run, quick feet drill, Turkish get ups, walkout push ups, ab pullins on slide board, “L” sits.

Second: As if the first part of the workout wasn’t enough…another circuit of 11 different squat variations. 10 reps on each variation with 5 reps of walkout push ups in between each one. 2 cycles…of course…no rest. Squat variations: Wide squats, Feet together, Normal width, Ball squeeze between knees, Medicine ball overhead, Medicine ball in front, Toes up, Heels up, Bosu, balance board, Air Ex pad.

Core Stuff: 25 reps of crunches, leg raises, alternate hand to foot, knees to elbows, reverse crunch/hip ups…which isn’t too bad but we added 10 burpees between each core exercise. Not much fun!

And the video:

[Via http://jonesercise.wordpress.com]

"PJ" and a Dose of Weight Loss Wisdom

2010-02-07T23:53:00.000+02:00

Sometimes we need a dose of humility peppered with a helping of “walking in someone else’s shoes.” This is especially true when dealing with someone who’s embarked on a weight loss journey but is getting nowhere with it. All the education in the world does you no good if you can’t find a way to understand their difficulties, or even worse, refuse to accept that they exist.

I remember some years ago I tried to encourage an obese man to exercise.

“Exercise is fun!” I chirped happily.

“That’s because you don’t have to do it lugging around 280 pounds,” he shot back.

And you know what? He was right. His answer caught me off guard because I was trying to help him maintain a positive outlook, but the truth was I really didn’t have anything to say to make him feel better. I was pointing to the benefits of exercise, but he was still working on bending over to put his shoes on.

I’ve never been obese, although I did peak at 181 lbs for a week or two, right before giving birth to my heaviest baby (8 lbs, 5 oz) – but even that wasn’t terribly dramatic for my 5’11” frame and barely nudged me into the “overweight” category according to my BMI. While getting back into the 150s where I remain now took some months, I was so preoccupied with caring for the new family member that I never obsessed about it. Couple that with the fact that I don’t have the food issues that plague many Americans, and you can see why I’ve had to work hard to relate to people who have been fighting their weight for years, even decades. Even so, a gap remains between their thinking and mine.

Apparently, I’m not the only one trying to bridge this gap. Australian underwear model and personal trainer Paul “PJ” James made big news last year for putting on 90 lbs in order to better relate to his overweight clients. What he found was that losing that weight was not as simple as he expected, even with all his fitness knowledge. During the process of weight gain, he also gained a sugar/fat addiction that was tough to kick. And carrying around that excess weight made exercise more difficult. His joints ached and every movement required more effort.

James noted that the first three months were the most difficult because he was doing everything right, following his own fat loss plan, and still the weight wasn’t coming off. Breaking his junk food habit took a good six weeks. All this, when he had the benefit of knowing what proper eating and exercise were. Once the pounds started dropping, however, he said he regained his motivation and powered through with his weight loss.

A number of people have weighed in on the pros and cons of his experiment. Some say he’s “been there” and will be able to relate to what an overweight client may be going through, particularly because he struggled in the beginning and had to fight a food addiction. Others say that his efforts prove nothing because he wasn’t subject to the same stigma that befalls many overweight individuals, gained the weight over a short period of time using extreme measures (not the way most people gain) and will cash in on the instant fame that this stunt afforded him. Both of these points of view are valid; however, I’d like to underscore something else.

James didn’t make progress for about three months. He worked for six weeks to overcome his sugar addiction. How long would someone without James’ experience have lasted on a fitness program that didn’t show results for a quarter of a year? By that time they would have become convinced that if they’re doing everything “right” and still not dropping fat, there’s something wrong with them and substantial weight loss is a pipe dream. Furthermore, it’s doubtful that James would have had more success if someone had been yelling at him to get his act together, or calling him a fat, lazy slob like a trainer on the “reality-show-which-must-not-be-named” feels is necessary to do.

So if James’ story has a lesson, it’s not that 1) it’s possible to lose weight (we know it is) or 2) that someone who’s heavy for several months will fully understand what it’s like to overweight for decades (we know he won’t)…but rather that if you focus exclusively on weight loss as a measure of success, your motivation may peter out with the first few obstacles you encounter. If you’ve spent years putting on weight, prepare to invest substantial time into changing the behaviors that got you there. Focus on your lifestyle, not the scale.

However, there’s warning here for those of us who’ve never had to wage that fight. Really, we have no idea what we’re talking about. We’re the quintessential car mechanic who can’t drive and would be well served not to pass judgment on those who are still fighting. Use our knowledge and fitness experience to offer solutions, yes. Provide needed support, yes. But not pass judgment.

[Via http://ultranatomy.wordpress.com]

Tips For Purchasing Fitness Equipment

2010-02-07T11:22:00.000+02:00

Home fitness equipment is a great investment. Exercising in the privacy of your home offers both easy access and stability to your daily work out. Unfortunately, most newbie exercises make big mistakes when purchasing their first piece of fitness equipment. The first mistake fitness equipment buyers make is to purchase a machine with too many features.

First of all more features means more money. In the case of fitness equipment more money does not mean better quality. Many of the electronic features fitness equipments offers are never used or used very rarely. This is because most people can not figure out how to accurately use the computer and give up. The basic fitness equipment attributes are all that you need. Just like buying a car or a piece of furniture check for building quality. Ask yourself is the equipment well put together, sturdy, durable, and stable. Good construction combined with a quiet machine are the only real qualities you need to look for in a treadmill. The same is true for all fitness equipment.

Make sure you try out the equipment before buying it. The first place to start is a gym, buy a month membership and go in and see what you like and hate. Once you find a piece of fitness equipment you are interested in then go out to several stores and try their machines. Make sure you wear your exercise clothes and exercise shoes. Most fitness machines look great just sitting them, turn it on and use for a good twenty minutes. Weight machines should be used for at least 20 repetitions. Do not be afraid to try something out of your price range. Have fun when you go out looking, see what the high end equipment offers and what features you can do without and then purchase your fitness equipment accordingly.

If you are beginner in the exercise world, do not buy something complicated or hard to use or setup. You will not use, and you have wasted your money. Many of the high end fitness equipment require the coordination of upper and lower bodies which can be quite overwhelming for people who are less experienced with exercise routines. Do not be afraid to ask questions. Do not be afraid to ask for an information sheet and inquire about all costs. Look for discounts and sales. Many fitness equipment sellers will offer to put together your new fitness equipment and deliver it for you no extra cost or a small fee – let them! For an extra hundred you will not have the headache of assembly and you will make sure the piece of equipment is put together correctly.

[Via http://workoutfitness.wordpress.com]

Healthy Appetizers??

2010-02-06T23:47:00.000+02:00

Hey all, hope everyone is enjoying their Saturdays! Any big plans for the Superbowl tomorrow? I’m not a huge football fan – but I do love any excuse to make some good eats. I think Ryan is gonna make some chicken wings and I’m gonna make a chili for the game tomorrow. I’m pretty sure the boy loves it because its the one day of the year I will actually sit down and watch a football game with him.

Dinner last night was great – we made Buffalo Chicken Salad for dinner. We made a few changes to the recipes from here and here. I told Ryan it was involved hot sauce and Michael Smith – and the kid was SOLD – he adores Michael Smith and his crazy Canadian east-coaster ways. I mainly just think he’s freakishly tall – but still, his recipes = awesome, and very boy friendly.

Here are some picci’s:

Note the giant Blockbuster Video bowl with Scary Movie advertised on the side – yes, its THAT old.

After dinner, we did end up going to Boston Pizza for a couple hours I had a Bellini and a Peach Fuzzberry drink – both we’re yummy, and the bellini was surprisingly strong Ryan got two Scooners, 1 Keiths and 1 Rickards. I had never seen a scooner before I hit the Boston Pizza in Toronto – but they look like this…

I guess they are “manly”, because they are the closest to drinking from a keg that boys will get in a civilized restaurant. We also shared the spinach and artichoke dip, and some sweet potato fries as apps. They were yummy – but as I looked over the menu – they were honestly the only two remotely healthy appetizers on there. And I’m sure the spinach dip wasn’t that healthy anyways. I love the fact that you can make healthy appetizers at home, but it bothers me that that section of the menu usually gets completely forgotten when restaurants “healthify” their menu’s. Oh well – maybe times will change soon.

Today, we got up early and the boy asked if I wanted to hit one of the branches of the gym we belong too – that’s right downtown. Usually we drive to the one that’s about 5 minutes away – but I thought I’d give this one a go. It was actually kind of good because we got in a bit of a warm-up walking to and from the C-Train station. I was actually really impressed with the gym, its on the top floor of a building and is all windows (which is great, since evidently this city is perpetually sunny). The cardio theatre here was WAYY better than the other club – more machines and felt way less cramped. I think I’ll probably start going to that one. The other one we’ve been going to is in the basement of a local mall – and I hate the fact that you can’t see outside. SUN is my friend. Anyways, I ran a quick 2.5 miles on the treadmill in about 27 minutes. Not my fastest ever – but I’m still trying to build back my endurance. I followed this with 20 minutes of weights focusing on my legs.

Currently, I think I may have lost my better half – his coworkers recruiting him into meeting them at work today and stealing the boardroom to play video games. Like how this is even allowed, I have no idea. I want to work for this company. Anyways, he left to go meet them at 1, its now after 4:30 and he hasn’t been seen or heard from – despite the fact he told me he was only gonna go for like an hour. Pfft – I didn’t believe that for a second. Boys + Video Games = 2nd home.

We are planning to go out for dinner later – so hopefully he shows up by then.

What do you usually order as an appetizer at pubs? What do you think is the healthiest choice?

[Via http://learningtolivelean.wordpress.com]

Wouldn't you know it!

2010-02-06T11:52:00.000+02:00

As soon as I start thinking about getting fitter my body rebels and decides to find an illness to partake of!

I don’t usually get ill, but I seem to remember when I was cycling to work every day in my last job I appeared to pick up all sorts of niggling sniffles.

Normally, these things don’t bother me too much and I can get on with things, however, once I start getting headaches that’s my weak point. I can’t think or do anything with a pounding head.

Is there a link between me getting fitter and me getting sicker? Is it a re-adjustment phase because my body is ‘going through changes’? Who knows? I don’t!

For now though I’m just trying to get some rest, but I’m still trying to watch my intake of food, especially soft drinks. I could go for diet versions, but I tend to like the ‘full fat’ versions so the watered down stuff isn’t so appealing! Instead I’ve gone for juices, although I’ll probably read something that advises against drinking those tomorrow!

I’m determined to drop as much of my jiggly stuff as possible to become a lean, mean, running machine in time for the Cardiff Half Marathon in October.

I just need to actually start doing some running!

[Via http://cardiffmarathonman.wordpress.com]

Not bad for an old man

2010-02-04T23:42:00.000+02:00

It is time for me to get back into better climbing shape, and since I have a good little hill nearby I don’t have an excuse not to get out and ride. I am referring to Sepulveda Blvd. Here is a little history of Sepulveda Boulevard, taken from Wikepedia:

Sepulveda Boulevard is a street in Los Angeles, California, which stretches some 42.8 miles (about 69 km) from Rinaldi Street at the north end of the San Fernando Valley to the city limits of Hermosa Beach, where it “jumps” 1.3 miles (2.1 km) east and continues on to Long Beach. It generally runs north-south, passing underneath two of the runways of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). It is the longest street in the city and county of Los Angeles.

Sepulveda Boulevard is named for the Sepulveda family of San Pedro, California. The termination of Sepulveda is on a part of the Sepulveda family ranch, Rancho Palos Verdes, which consisted of 31,619 acres (127.96 km2) of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The original grantee of the King of Spain was Jose Dolores Sepulveda. When he was killed in an Indian uprising just above Santa Barbara in 1824, the rancho went to his oldest son, Juan Capistrano Sepulveda.

This concludes today history lesson. The portion of Sepulveda I am referring to is close to my home and I usually get onto it near Wilshire Boulevard.

Sepulveda runs parallel to the I-405 freeway, cresting the Santa Monica mountains

The distance to the top from my jump-on spot is about 4.7 miles and offers just shy of 1000 feet elevation gain, a perfect spot for hill repeats, which I did yesterday. I was on my third uphill leg, when I spotted a rider ahead in the distance. Feeling some fatigue in my legs I welcomed the sight as it helped me focus and set a mental goal of catching the rider. I made slow progress catching up, but eventually did halfway up. It is my custom to announce myself when passing and to offer a friendly greeting, in this case it was a “good morning, how are you doing?”.

In return I got: “not bad for an old man!”

Me: “yeah, same here”, as I passed by, “have a good ride!” But, before I knew it he was back at my side.

He: “you know, I had to see how old you were, I am 70″

Me: “well, in that case I am a youngster, I am only 52″

He: “yeah, I thought so, but you are riding strong for your age”

At this point we were entering a section with about an 8% grade, I remained in bigger gears, standing in my pedals, trying to maintain a slow but steady cadence. My exertion level at a point where it is hard for me to form complete sentences. At the contrary, my newfound riding buddy is seated, pedaling with ease, and has no problems talking.

He: “riding is good, been doing it for the past 30 years, picked it up before my first Ironman when I was 44″

Me: “wow”

He: “I was primarily a runner before, did some marathons…..”.

By the time we reached the top, I knew he was George, married twice, widowed now, lives in Sherman Oaks, has no children, a description of his first Nike running shoes, the weight, model, make and setup of his first steel bike; I also know now that the recommended food intake for long distance runners in the 70’s was steak and eggs and that he loves to hang out at the beach because of the pretty girls. In return he learned my name and the fact that I can grunt! All the while he was seated, spinning upwards with ease, no hint of exertion in his voice.

As we reached the top I hit the lap button on my Garmin out of habit, but didn’t pay attention to it until later at home. George pulled me up the hill shaving over a minute off my best prior lap time. We parted at the top as he was heading down on the valley side and I returned the opposite way.

Me: “you know George, you were right”

He: ” about what?”

Me: “you are not bad for an old man!”

If all goes as planned George and I will ride sometimes next week – I am planning on brining an oxygen tank for me!

Sepulveda San Fernando valley descent past tunnel

[Via http://gtinla.wordpress.com]

30 Day Shred

2010-02-04T11:52:00.000+02:00

I resolved this year to lose some weight and maybe have better more toned body. So I’ve been slacking January – eating all I want, and not caring for my body. Bad. I decided it’s time to get started before it’s too late. Because of my crazy working hours, I don’t really have time to go to the park for a run/walk. And I cannot commit myself spending hours hitting the gym because I just don’t have the time. So my last resort is workout videos.

I’ve been scouring high and low looking for the perfect video and I found it – Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. I’ve read so many good reviews about it and I decided to buy it last week. Basically it’s a simple 20-minute workouts which I can easily squeeze in my schedule. It consists of 2 minutes of warm up, three 6 minutes workout circuits and 2 minutes of cool down. There are 3 levels of intensity that you can choose based on your own capabilities. What’s cool about it is that Jillian Michaels devised this 3-2-1 interval system (3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of card and 1 minute of abs) which is the best and the fastest way to get the body you want.

The first day I started this workout, I was really in a bad shape. I was panting and cursing and I paused the DVD several times for water even though I’m not supposed to. Because I’m not used to working out with hand weights, I hurt my arms real bad. I was so sore afterwards but I managed to finish the workouts. Her routines are simple and easy to follow. She also varies each routines so you don’t get bored.

So anyway, I’m coming to a week of doing it everyday and I cannot tell you how happy I am with my body. My body adapts easily to the workouts and I’m starting to see changes. My arms are definitely toner than before and I can feel my body changing. I feel much more energetic and I’m not panting anymore like I did on my Day 1. I actually look forward each day to my workout time. I’m still in Level 1 intensity but I’m sure I’ll move up to Level 2 anytime soon. So in conclusion, I am definitely recommend this DVD to everyone. It’s a money well spent.

[Via http://nshafinaz.wordpress.com]

Cheat on the Gym, Not the Diet

2010-02-02T23:38:00.000+02:00

The most important part of any weight loss program is the diet. Whether you spend an hour a day at the gym, have a great metabolism (in which case I hate you), burn an extra 500 calories a day, etc, you will not succeed eating garbage. I use the word garbage, because that is exactly what you are eating. If your diet were as easy as calories in and calories out, there would be very few fat people. Why is it that every year the obesity rate goes up, yet we spend more money on the weight loss industry than in history. Think about that. Think about all the books, pills, infomercials for abs-this’ and diets that allow you to eat anything you want and still lose weight. (Really? I can eat pizza and drink beer and lose weight?) The industry is exploding, and so are the people. Guess what? It is not your fault. The food industry has made you fat by making you eat things you should not be eating, and you had no idea you were eating. Bastards!

According to the CDC, in 1995 15.9 percent of the population was Obese. In 2008, 26.7 percent of the population is considered obese. I am not talking about the 36.5 percent of the population that is over-weight; I am talking about nearly 1/3 of the population being obese! How can that be? We spend more money than ever on diet foods, gyms, etc. We read the literature, go on the newest diets, etc. How is it that things are getting worse when the tools we have seem to be more prevalent?

In 1985, Coke and other products decided to make a cheaper product. They took the pure cane sugar out of their products, and replaced it with the less expensive High Fructose Corn Syrup. The initial result, aside from the fact that the product tasted like crap (try the throwback Pepsi ((made with real sugar)) and compare it to regular Pepsi) was that it was cheap enough to start offering free refills, huge 48 oz containers, etc. What did this mean to the consumer? It meant that instead of drinking 150 calories (12 oz can), people were drinking three times that amount. The long-term results were far worse. You see, our bodies treat HFCS differently than it treats sugar. HFCS goes straight to the liver, and then releases enzymes that tell the body to store fat. It is a fake sweetener! It is unnatural! Our bodies were not built to eat it, nor were they meant to eat the fat-free, overly processed diet foods on the market today.

That’s right, diet foods make you fat. You are eating unnatural products that your body does not know how to process. For example, when you drink a Diet Soda, you will notice it contains no carbs, and no calories, yet lots of artificial ingredients. How can something with that many ingredients have 0 calories? Because it is fake food! When your body tastes the artificial sweeteners in a Diet Soda, it prepares the body for the extra calories by increasing or speeding up your metabolism. It prepares for calories that never come. Over time, your body gets wise to your tricks and stops ramping up the metabolism when it senses sugar being digested. So, the next time you eat real sugar, what happens? Your body thinks you are tricking it with the fake stuff, and treats that piece of cake like a calorie free snack. Not good! This is why we are fat.

Don’t get me wrong, calories do count! If you go eat 3000 calories of all natural anything, you will probably gain weight. That having been said, eating a balanced diet, the same diet you ate when you were a kid, is the way to go. It is time to get back to the basics. Grass Fed Beef, Fresh Organic Vegetables, and a good balance of Carbs, Protein, and Fat. On my next blog, I will get into some specific meal plans.

As of Monday, I have lost 4 pounds, bringing my weight down to 207. I am still a fat tub, but I feel a little better about myself. Going to the gym gets easier every day, but is the least important part of my transformation. As I have said, Diet is more important than exercise. If you are going to cheat, skip the gym!

[Via http://bigfatbill.wordpress.com]

POSTURE PERFECT FOR A PERFECT LIFE

2010-02-02T11:19:00.000+02:00

Our clients come for all sorts of reasons, one of the most common causes of almost every problem whether it be weight loss, sore back, sore neck and shoulders, one leg longer than the other, sore knees, you name it, they all stem from the same thing. BAD POSTURE. Everyone does certain things in their day-to-day activities that favor particular muscles which over time creates muscular imbalances that in later life can cause major problems. The good news is that most of these problems can be fixed by a properly trained Personal Trainer. For more information please contact me. In the meantime, I have included the following information that should help you to turn things around a bit. Strong Muscles for Proper Posture

Muscles support the spine. A weakness in any of the muscles that support the spine makes it difficult to maintain proper posture. Poor posture is a common cause of back pain due to muscle strain, especially lower back pain.

- Exercises that strengthen and stretch the muscles that support the spine help maintain proper posture.

The back muscles, ligaments & discs are under extra stress when the spine is not in proper alignment. Strong muscles help keep the spine in proper alignment and prevent back pain. Strong muscles also prevent the spine from extending beyond its normal range of motion, which is essential to protecting the ligaments and disks from injury.

Flexible Muscles for Proper Posture

Tight, shortened muscles in the back or buttocks can throw the spine out of alignment and cause back pain. Stretching the back muscles is important for good posture, but other muscles, such as shortened hamstrings (muscles in back of thigh), can also affect spinal alignment.

What is Good Posture?

Many people remember being told ‘Stand up straight’ or ‘Don’t slouch’ when they were children. Like ‘eat your vegetables’, this is still good advice.

The spine, however, is not actually straight. The healthy spine curves inward at the neck, outward at the chest, and inward at the lower back. These two curves balance each other to ensure that the pull of gravity is evenly distributed. If the curves of the spine are increased or decreased the muscles, ligament and joints have to work harder to support the weight of the head and body. This leads to fatigue, strain and back pain.

When standing, the center of the head, the shoulders, center of the body, knees and feet should line up vertically.

COMMON POSTURE ERRORS

Common posture errors of the lower back that cause lower back pain:

Swayback - an increase in the natural inward curve of the lower back.

Flattened back - a decrease in the natural inward curve of the lower back.

Common posture error of the upper back that cause upper back pain:

Rounded or hunched shoulders - an increase in the natural outward curve of the upper back.

Common posture error that causes neck back pain:

Head Forward – ears in front of the shoulders, caused by a bent over position or hunching the shoulders.

The Lower Back Posture Errors

The positioning of the pelvis controls the curve of the lower back. The pelvis should be in a neutral position. If the pelvis tilts forward, sway back results (the natural inward curve of the lower back is increased). If the pelvis tilts backward, flattened back results (a decrease in the natural inward curve of the lower back). Control of the pelvis is key in keeping the lower spine in proper alignment and preventing lower back pain.

Like the spine, the pelvis is supported by muscles of the back, and abdomen and buttocks and strengthening these muscles helps maintain good posture and prevent back pain.

SWAY BACK – A Common Posture Error of the Lower Back

When the pelvis tilts forward the lower back arches excessively – sway back. Sway back places extra stress on the ligaments of the spine and leads to back pain. Sway back is more common in a standing position than in a sitting position. Wearing high heels also causes the pelvis to tilt forward and contributes to sway back.

Shortened muscles can also cause swayback. Stretching these muscles and maintaining the pelvis and spine in a neutral position can restore good posture and relieve back pain. Not only can shortened back muscles cause sway back and back pain, but shortened hamstrings (muscles at back of thighs) can contribute to sway back and back pain.

Test for sway back: There should be a slight inward curve to the lower back. To see if your back curves excessively (sway back), stand with your back against a wall, place your feet about 6 inches from the wall. Make sure you head and buttocks are against the wall. If your posture in correct, you will have no more than two inches between the small of your back and the wall. If it is over than this, you have sway back.

*If you have more than 2 inches between the wall and your neck, the muscles in the back of the neck and back need stretching. Don’t be impatient. Lengthening the muscles through stretching exercises must be done gradually to avoid overstretching injuries. Overstretching muscles in the neck and back can result in intense neck and back pain and stiffness.

Sleeping on your stomach shortens the muscles in your back and encourages sway back. Sleeping on your side with the knees bent helps counteract a sway back and can relieve back pain.

FLATTENED BACK – A Common Posture Error of the Lower Back

There should be a slight forward curve to the lower back. Flat back is more likely to be a problem when sitting than when standing. If the pelvis is tilted too far backward, the lower back loses its natural curve, muscles and ligaments are stretched, causing lower back pain.

Upper Back Posture Error ROUNDED SHOULDERS is a Posture Error of the Upper Back

If your shoulders are rounded you need to stretch the chest muscles and strengthen your upper back muscles. Rounded shoulders are usually the result of slouching. When slouching, the natural forward curve of the neck is also exaggerated, which can result in neck pain as well as upper back pain. It is more common to slouch when sitting. Slouching is often caused by fatigue, especially when sitting in front of a computer.

Slouching also compresses your diaphragm, when leads to shallow breathing. Proper posture allows proper breathing and sufficient oxygen intake. Getting enough oxygen helps to relax muscles and prevents stress from building up in the muscles, especially the muscles of the neck and back. Tense muscles area common cause back pain and neck pain.

Other Posture Error HEAD FORWARD- A Common Posture Error

The back of ears should be in line with shoulders, chin parallel to floor. Being in a bent over position or slouching causes the head to be too far forward.

When standing or sitting in an upright position the weight of your head (about 15 pounds) is supported by your entire spine, which acts as a pillar for your head.

Poor posture habits such as leaning forward puts the burden of supporting the head on the muscles in the neck. This causes muscle strain and pain in the neck and can even cause headaches.

Once the neck muscles are strained, leaning your head over for even very short periods of times can cause neck pain. Proper posture allows strained neck and back muscles to heal more quickly.

The head is heavy and the muscles of the neck take the entire load when your head is forward, creating neck pain.

Proper Posture While Sitting

Many people spend much of their workday sitting. Proper posture while sitting is vital for preventing back pain.

Even when maintaining good posture, sitting for prolonged periods of times can tire the back muscles. Take frequent breaks from sitting; take a short walk every half hour to hour, as the human body was not designed to stay in one position for long periods of time.

Also, the discs are under more pressure when sitting than while standing. Having a chair that reclines slightly shifts you weight onto the backrest of the chair; this allows your back muscles to relax, and takes some of the pressure off of the discs.

Adjustable Chairs With Good Back Support Prevent Agonizing Back Pain.

The pelvis should be in a neutral position. Certain chairs cause the pelvis to tilt backward, decreasing the curve of the lower back (flattened back), which places extra stress on the lower back and causes back pain. If you don’t have access to a chair with a good back support, place a small pillow in the small of the back to correct the curve.

Some people try too hard to sit up straight and actually end up tilting their pelvis forward and arching their back. This increase in the curve of the lower back (sway back) also strains the lower back and causes back pain.

When sitting in a chair, the feet should be supported. If the seat is too high for the feet to reach the floor, use a platform to rest your feet on. The knees should be level with or slightly higher than the hips.

Besides lower back pain, neck pain is common when good posture is not maintained while sitting. Make sure your computer monitor isn’t too high of low. You shouldn’t have to tilt your head up or lean forward to see the screen. We often extend our neck to look at a computer screen, sometimes because it is too far away, sometimes out of habit. Looking upward or looking downward or sideways (which is common practice when viewing a document upon a desk) puts excessive strain on the neck and upper back and causes neck and back pain.

The arms should hang at your sides. If your computer keyboard is too high or too far away the arms have to be kept raised or extended, resulting in tense shoulder and upper back muscles and back pain.

The top of the computer screen should be just below eye level. When reading, place the material on an angle; don’t place the reading material flat on a desk or your lap. Leaning your head over for prolonged periods of time is brutal on your neck muscles.

Proper Posture While Lying Down

Lying on side with knees bent – pillow between knees for support:

Lying on your stomach increases the curve of the lower back, leads to shortening of the muscles in your lower back and encourages sway back. Lying on your side with the knees bent helps counteract a sway back and relieves back pain.

If you absolutely must sleep on your stomach, place a pillow under your hips to help support the lower back. However, sleeping on the stomach also can strain the neck and is not advisable.

Lying on back with knees bent – pillow under knees for support:

Lying on the back with straight legs can cause low back pain. If you prefer to sleep on your back, bend your knees slightly and place a pillow under them for support.

Proper Support While Lying – Mattresses and Back Pain

A good mattress will conform to the spine’s natural curves and keep the spine in proper alignment.

When lying on a saggy mattress, the spine is thrown out of alignment. For people suffering from lower back pain, a saggy mattress that causes the lower back to sink into the mattress and can irritate the spinal joints, resulting in more lower back pain upon awakening.

It the mattress is too firm there will be gaps between the inward curves of the body and the mattress that leave parts of the back unsupported, stressing the back and causing and back pain.

The solution is to get a relatively firm mattress with enough cushioning for comfort. (There must be enough cushioning to distribute the weight of the body and eliminate pressure points) If you already own a bed that is overly firm, you can just get a good quality foam topper for your bed.

If you are in reasonable nick the above will help you to keep out of trouble. If you already suffer from postural problems a personal trainer might just be your life saver, we work with an excellent Osteopath who helps us pinpoint the exact problem, we take it from there to bring you back to how you were 10 years ago. If you want to put the pain behind you forever, call me now for a free consultation where I can show how we can provide a life long solution to what you’ve been putting up with for years.

Now is always the best time to get something done, call me now on 0402273595 or email to niddrie@newlevelpersonaltraining.com for more information or to make an appointment.

Have an Awesome week.

[Via http://brucemaddigan.wordpress.com]

The Un-Diet

2010-01-31T23:38:00.000+02:00

“I’m dieting for our trip to Mexico.”

How often do we declare “I’m going on a diet” or “No thanks, I’m on a diet”? What is a diet anyways? To me, a diet is a fixed way of being specifically tailored to create optimum weight loss in a certain amount of time; the main outcome being, get skinny fast! Well, what happens when you lose that weight and look uber hot and sexy for your vacation? Most of us will feel so deprived that we booze our faces off and eat like we have never seen a buffet before. You end up fatter than you were to begin with. I can openly admit that I have most definitely done this. The results never stay because it’s not a realistic lifestyle change. These types of “crash-diets” cannot be sustained for long periods of time. If they could be, I would have 18% body fat all year round! I don’t believe there is any harm in wanting to shed a few pounds to look svelte in a bikini. It’s the after math that eventually catches up… We skimp on calories and over do work outs, just to make it to that “special day” or that “certain number” on the scale. Then what happens when you reach your goal? You go back to your regular way of being. You try not to think about it again until you get invited to an event where you know photos of you will be taken. It starts all over, you do your best to shed that underarm jiggle and pray that you will still fit into last year’s Christmas dress. I don’t want these potentially embarrassing situations to be the “fire under my ass” so to speak. I don’t want the prospect of wearing a bathing suit in public fear me into hitting the tred mill. This type of motivation doesn’t help KEEP you motivated. Motivation is the key.

Today I commit to NOT-Dieting. That’s right! I am starting the UN-Diet. I refuse to go to extreme measures to try and achieve unrealistic results. I want to create an advantageous lifestyle. I want healthy eating and sustainable choices to be the norm. I don’t know how I’m going to make this happen but I’m committed to exploring the options….

[Via http://witnessthisfitness.wordpress.com]

Getting started

2010-01-31T11:03:00.000+02:00

It’s not a secret that I need to lose weight, but I’ve decided the way to do it is NOT to diet, but to make changes that will last for the rest of my life. I don’t just want to lose the extra weight, I want to get fit and healthy. I want to get to at least 80, without all the health issues that plague my dad. He’s 60 and has already had 2 heart attacks, he’s in permanent AF (Atrial Fibrilation – means his heart beats too fast), he has high cholesterol, possible angina issues, and takes a few handfuls of medication everyday to keep these under control. He definately won’t be able to play football on the park with my kids (when I have them). I don’t want to be in that situation.

Because it’s not just about losing weight I decided I needed to start doing exercise. I do some things now, but not enough. So as well as a healthy eating plan, I’m starting running again, I used to love running but haven’t done any for over 3 years. It’s going to be slow start because at the moment I get out of breath if I have to run for a bus. I have a 10 week 5K plan from the Running Made Easy book (by Susie Whalley and Lisa Jackson) and I’m following it. I’ve signed up to run in The Leeds 10K (Jane Tomlinson’s Run For All) in July, on behalf of the Yorkshire Cancer Centre. It’s 22 weeks away and i’ll need to do the 5K plan followed immediately by the 10k plan to get me fit for the run. I WILL do this.

I also want to be able to walk into a shop to buy some new clothes and not spend 40 minutes crying in the changing rooms because I can’t find even 1 pair of trousers that actually fit me. I have clothes in a range a sizes in my drawers and wardrobe, most aree things that are now too small but I always loved to wear so I won’t get rid of them. This year I’d like to wear some if not all of those too small items that are in my wardrobe. I have some gorgeous skirts, shirts, trousers, and even a pair of really expensive pyjama’s. I WILL be wearing them by the end of the year.

There will be a follow up to this post with a nice bullet pointed list listing my exact goals; both short and long term.

If you made it this far, thanks for reading, more to follow soon.

[Via http://callingthequarters.wordpress.com]

I hate pop culture magazines (part 2)...

2010-01-30T23:17:00.000+02:00

I am not a cynical person. In fact most people who know me would say that I was a pretty optimistic person. I am a little bit of a skeptic, true, but not a cynic. I say this because the diet and health industry has driven me to unyielding, unending cynicism. I think, I truly hope I am looking at the worst of general human commercial behavior here. From outright lies trying to profit from harmful activities by claiming they are healthy to slick marketing schemes that pitch useless advice, the abject greed at the cost of the health of fellow humans is so constant as to make even the most faithful of us lose all belief in humankind.

It is like a person has fallen in the water and is drowning and 40 people run to throw them a rope. Some ropes look stronger than others and the person in the water has to choose one. The problem for the drowning person is that maybe one or two of those ropes may actually be pulled in to safety, most of the others will just drag you around, but never get you out of the water. Some will ask you for money before they pull you out and just leave you there after you have paid. The ropes that look the strongest, those aren’t ever going to pull you to safety. The people who say it is going to be easy to pull you out of the water, they are lying, they don’t have a clue, nor a care what it would take. If rescue operations were performed this way, people wouldn’t stand for it, and not many people need rescued each year. Still, the food systems, government diet recommendations, diet industry, supplements industry, prescription drug industry and health industry are all competing to ‘throw you a line’ and most of us need this help.

Look, I don’t know if this is getting to me because of the weather, or if it is because I have just started looking into the state of this business, but what I am seeing is really bothering me. Maybe come summer I will be shaking off the greed of supplement sellers and the disturbing laziness of magazine editors with a ‘come on, it is so beautiful out, why let yourself worry about a couple of bad people’. Maybe. Still it is the middle of winter here in Vancouver and it is a little gray out and has been for months and I am sick of seeing people knowingly make the world a worse place just so they can earn several MORE million dollars.

This morning, I was getting some skim milk at 7-11 for my morning protein shake. If I can’t eat a healthy breakfast I always makes sure I get a piece of toast or a piece of fruit and a protein shake. If I don’t start my morning out right, I am guaranteed to mess up the entire day. If I get my morning right, I almost never screw up the rest of the day. So, I am buying my milk and I end up having to wait for a minute or two at the magazine stand. I figure while I am standing here, I should take a look at the magazines and see if something infuriates me. I should know better and stay away from these magazines, but for some reason I just want to make myself more angry today, sort of like when you were young and had a tooth falling out. You would keep playing with it even though it hurt, maybe because it hurt…

I Hate Men’s Health

In any case I wasn’t disappointed. Right away in the number one spot on the rack is Men’s Health. I hate Men’s Health. I used to think it was a good magazine but that was back in the 90’s when I was anything but healthy and didn’t really have much of a clue how to get healthy. In fact it was only when I was getting so annoyed at the fashion and women’s magazines for their absurd diet claims that I noticed the constant promise of FLAT ABS!! from Men’s Health (and in general how much Men’s Health began to look like a women’s beauty secret and fashion magazine). Normally accompanied with the claim that they were easy and or quick. I know that flat abs are neither easy or quick for anyone to get, so this pissed me off. Don’t promise me something that is hard and maybe even impossible and sell it as easy and quick. It only makes you look like a asshole for promising me things that you can’t deliver and me look like a loser for believing you. Really you are only doing everyone a disservice here.

Then I noticed month after month, the renewed promises of flat abs, quickly and easily. The irony of this was not lost on me as after the months passed I didn’t see many more people with flat abs, in fact, if anything I would go with the contrary. Although I must admit on magazine covers I was seeing more and more of these rare creatures, but in everyday life, they were still rather elusive. This is surprising because Men’s Health boasts a monthly circulation of an astounding 1.85 million magazines and a readership of 12 million people!! That is a few more than this blog gets to be sure, but I may be catching up to their staggering 40 million page views per months (okay, catching up might not be the right term given the substantial lead that they have, but I am thankful and appreciative of the new readers I am getting every day. Thank you!).

So, flat abs are easy and 12 million people read this issue. Of course those 12 million people have flat abs, because they picked up that issue and to reiterate, flat abs are easy and quick…. but wait, the next month’s issue also offered flat abs… Why would you need to offer more easy flat abs… I am confused… It was then that I read this quote from David Zinczenko, the editor of ‘Men’s Health Magazine’:

In survey after survey, men and women say a lean, muscular abdomen is the ultimate symbol of sex appeal.

David Zinczenko obviously didn’t miss the importance of these studies. Most people would have seen that and said:

yep, flat abs are hot. They would be great to promise people, but that would be totally unrealistic, irresponsible and unethical. After all you would have to be a total douchebag to sell people a diet based on the fact that the outcome is popular, not on any belief that it works. Instead, I will just spend my time and effort to help people start to lose weight, because that is a first step and very possible achievement, albeit it will be hard and take work.

But David Zinczenko isn’t most people. After seeing these results of these studies he figured, I will give people the Abs Diet, and he did just that. But that wasn’t enough, after seeing the remarkable marketing success of flat abs (it really is only a marketing success because no unfit people are getting flat abs from this book), he brought this offer to Men’s Health magazine (and Women’s health, but I will get into that a little later). Month after month he continues to offer the promise of flat abs, or six pack abs, easily, or quickly… Month after month circulation goes up and now it is the best selling man’s magazine on the newstands. In fact, some even more disturbing information as supplied by wikipedia includes:

Under Zinczenko’s leadership, Men’s Health has been nominated for eight National Magazine Awards. It won in the category of personal service in 2004, the first for the magazine, and for parent company Rodale. It was also named to Advertising Age’s “A List” multiple times, and to Adweek’s “Hot List.” In 2007, Capell’s Circulation Report named the magazine “Best Newsstand Performer of the Decade.” In March 2008, Adweek named Zinczenko “Editor of the Year.”

2 Magazines for the Price of One

Editor of the year… I am f@#$#ing floored!! Here I was this morning, looking at Men’s and Women’s Health magzines side by side and I am noticing something more disturbing than the monthly cry of ‘FLAT ABS’… Take a look for yourself:

Yes, this is the same magazine just packaged slightly differently for men and women!! Same tips, same flat/hard abs, some sex secrets, same tip from the book Eat This, Not That (the other book empire Zinczenko has helmed). Seriously, he is publishing 2 magazines for the price of one! This is the Editor of the Year!?!? This magazine has been nominated for 8 National Magazine Awards?!! WTF?!!? Seriously they sell the same Flat Ab Crap every month and they are winning awards with this laziness! They even have the same list of health tips each month, only changing the number. This is in both the women’s and the men’s magazine, each and every month!!?! Laziness on this level is unheard of in any other business. What, do they work a 2 hour work week!?? Do they come in and move a bunch of headlines around on the page and then go for lunch? And by the way, now that we are asking questions, how do they determine how many health tips? How about the number of sex tips? Do they use a random number generator? Do they roll dice?

Here is what I think happened… The creative director for the magazine went on vacation in 2001. He left the following image as instructions for the next magazine edition. He never returned from his vacation and was never reported missing (just for the record I am now reporting that the creative director for Men’s Health is missing, please somebody help find him). Ever since, the staff walk into his office, see the now faded magazine cover sketch on the desk and go to work. Magazines keep selling, they keep getting awards and no one cares.

To do my part to help find the creative director, I have sifted through covers of Men’s Health magazine to find when he went missing. I am concerned to have discovered it must have happened quite awhile ago. Turns out anyone can help out with this missing person conundrum by performing a google search. I have compiled a bunch of covers here, and you can see that, alas his disappearance may predate the rise of the internet as an image storage device as I cannot find the start of the activity of using the same cover design. See below:

Men’s Health Recycled Cover Controversy

Seriously the same magazine has been reissued for up to 10 years!! In fact, the very observant of you, and apparently one subscriber, has actually noticed that they don’t actually change the cover at all some months:

This issue has come up in the media and written about from several blogs. According to Gawker:

…putting the same cover lines on different magazines year after year is lazy at best, deceptive at worst. And Zinczenko’s defense that he’s merely repeating the cover lines on the newsstand version — the version of the cover that’s meant to convince someone to part with their money for whatever “New Plan” the cover’s touting — only underlines the point.

David Zinczenko’s defense to all of this is as follows:

Twenty years of Men’s Health has certainly produced several lines that have proven themselves effective at newsstand, which makes up about 20 percent of our print run. We plan to keep using the most effective marketing tools to reach the largest market we possibly can, and continue to reward readers with practical, positive, life-altering service information. And we’ll continue to break new stories as we do every issue – as reflected in these covers

So, he is just lying to us to get us to give him money so we can get the positive, life-altering service information that we wouldn’t have bought has we known what it was. Is it just me, or is he openly admitting to lying to us with that defense!! Apparently this whole controversy was cracked by Perez Hilton. You have to think that when Perez Hilton becomes the watchdog of ethical marketing in our society it is time to pull the plug!! To read more about this controversy, read here, here and here.

The Real Problem

One last thing to note. Jeff Bercovici of daily finance contacted Sid Holt, chief executive of the American Society of Magazine Editors, to find out if this behavior was acceptable to the society. Here is the response that he received:

ASME doesn’t comment on the editorial practices of its members (or nonmembers, for that matter), but everyone knows the first rule of journalism is, Tell the truth. And the second is, Make it interesting. We leave it to readers and media critics to determine when those rules have been broken.

Again, we really shouldn’t be surprised that no one cares about uneithical business practices. The government, the professions, no one. You are once again on your own. The real problem here is that you don’t own the media either. They do… You get to search and maybe find a blog that will talk about the lying in pop-culture magazines and David Zinczenko gets his magazines, books, the Today Show and Oprah….

Seriously, People we have to demand more and complain more often. Men’s Health and their ridiculous covers sell. We buy them. They are marketed very professionally, using buzzwords that apparently make us buy them but have no connection to the content within. This isn’t okay. Men’s Health magazine is a vapid, empty, worthless periodical. They can put lies on the cover and people don’t even notice because the content is meaningless. They publish over 12 billion pages of hollow advice every year. Pages that must be printed and shipped around the world. Forests are dying for this claptrap. This is just a case of excellent marketing. In fact, if you look into it, all of the awards that this magazine has received have been for marketing. David Zinczenko is a master of marketing magazines and diet books. So much so that nutritionists are listening to his tips (which are inconsistent and in some cases just plain wrong and I will tackle this issue in a future entry).

Selling False Hope

And this is why I am angry. I really don’t care if they are re-selling the same story lines on their magazine, and if they spend 2 minutes or 2 months developing their cover. What I care about is that they are selling false hope. The problem with people who sell false hope is that they think they are just taking your money. They will point out the 1% of people who actually got fit after reading their advice and say, if it worked for just 1 person than it is worth it. But it isn’t, because the 99% percent lost more than their money. They lost the belief that they can succeed. If you follow bad advice enough times, and continue to fail because of this, you will lose the belief that you can succeed. So people like David David Zinczenko are stealing your ability to succeed by giving you empty promises so he can sell magazines, something he openly admits to!

Where this goes from simply being infuriating to being alarming is that people know that he is the editor of a tremendously successful ‘Health’ magazine (after all it says health in the title), so he must be a health expert, right? Wrong. But now he is revered AS A HEALTH EXPERT and has been shown on the Today Show, Oprah Winfrey and other shows as exactly that. So we continue to reward a man who is making the world a worse, more difficult place for us unfit people, a person who repeatedly promises us an easy six pack, and we reward him because his marketing skills are making him rich.

The world doesn’t have to be this way. If we demand more they will give it to us. If we stop flocking to buy their lazy output, their mind bogglingly formulaic drivel, they will actually put in a real day at work.

What We Can Do

We have to stand up and call people liars when they are. Flat abs aren’t easy and anyone who says that they are and that they have a simple way to get them is a liar (don’t confuse saying something simply, such as ‘eat less and workout a lot’ with a simple action, because eating less and working out a lot is anything but simple). We have to stop confusing good marketers with health experts (as well as experts in other industries) and we have to stop rewarding people who take from us, even if they do it very effectively. Write to TV shows that confuse expert marketers with health experts, expert trainers with endocrinologists, etc. Tell them we aren’t stupid and we demand real expert. TV shows hate real experts because they don’t make absolute statements and rarely are involved in fear mongering…

We have made David Zinczenko an incredibly rich man. All he has done is assist in the raping of a number of forests to print his lazy, intelligence insulting crap and then god knows the amount of hydrocarbons he has used to ship this to us all the while writing on the cover claims of stories that may or may not be included in the magazine but certainly will make people buy it. He has done all of this just to get us to part with our money and shown no concern whatsoever about helping guys (and girls) lose weight.

So, if you were wondering what pisses me off, look no further, you have found it. Men’s Health, Women’s Health and David Zinczenko all piss me off. That said, I am not one to hold a grudge, so David, feel free to use that graphic that I made to train your new employees in continuing to produce such high quality output. It may cut down the workweek from 2 hours to 1.5. No need to drop me a line and thank me…

Summer can’t come soon enough for me…

[Via http://youarenotafitperson.com]

Universal Healthcare

2010-01-30T11:50:00.000+02:00

The US is thought of as the leader of the free world. We are a superpower, setting the standard in many areas when it comes to freedom, rights and privileges. So, why is it that we can’t seem to come to agreement on health care for all workers.

Are there actually those among us who think our health care in the US reasonably supports the majority of our citizens? Yes, we have great medical care available to us, arguably the best in the world, in fact. But, if a large percentage of our population can not afford to use these great doctors and facilities, what’s the point in having them? Do we, the people, really believe that good medical care is a privilege of the rich and famous.

Do we hold our doctors in such high esteem that we believe that their right to make $400,000 a year is more important than the right of the person making minimum wage to get good treatment when he has cancer? Do we really believe that it’s OK for a middle class person to go bankrupt in order to pay medical bills? Do we really think that prescriptions need to cost $300 a month in order to keep us healthy.

[Via http://healthcaresolutions.wordpress.com]

Day 2...100 days of discipline

2010-01-28T23:23:00.000+02:00

OK, I know Dave’s calls it 100 days of discipline in his blog, but I think I’m going with 100 days of pure hell & torture LOL I met with the trainer at the gym this morning. And BTW, I AM NOT a morning person. Really nice guy, wish I could afford to use the trainer all the time, but for now, I will take the info that he gave me & apply it towards my fitness goals.

Best guess, because I refuse to buy a scale, I thought I weighed around 160-165. I was surprised when I got on the scales that it’s only 152. However I’m only 5′4″, so yeah…I’m overweight. Gee didn’t need a scale to tell me that I have plenty of mirrors & recent pictures that tell me that!

OK, here’s the GROSS part…at 152 pounds, my body fat percentage is 31.5%, or 48 pounds of FAT…GROSSSSSS!!!!! My lean body mass is 108 pounds.

The goal is 134 pounds, 17.9% body fat (24 pounds), and 110 pound lean body mass. Of course this is all according to the trainer. Personally I would like to be between 125-130, but who knows, I may be too skinny then.

Going tonight to work out with the BFF again, working the legs tonight! YAY!

[Via http://angiebaby4974.wordpress.com]

My Pennine Way Challenge Starts Now!

2010-01-28T11:21:00.000+02:00

It has been a long time since I was last in any kind of ‘keep fit’ process. In fact the last time I did anything with any gusto was back in 2005 for the York Bikeathon for Leukaemia Research which was linked to Geoff Thomas’ Le Tour fundraising event.

Over the years I have had spurts of mainly gym activity however never a sustained effort beyond a few months. No excuses, although I do enjoy the gym it just does not excite me enough to keep a sustained regime.

So, here we are again. A real target to hit with my Pennine Way Challenge and knowledge getting fitter than I am (which is a low base to start from!) is only going to help.

The key for me is to have the stamina to walk 14-16 miles up hill and down vale pretty much every day for three weeks to cover the 270 miles.

On top of this on certain days I will be carrying a decent sized and weighted backpack to cover some wild camping. Whilst this will not be every day I certainly need to be ready for it, so some core and upper body strength is required.

I am a believer that you can ‘walk yourself fit’ and if I had the time would happily go out and walk a few hours every day.

Unfortunately time does not allow me to do this so it is back to the gym.

With the snow of the festive period gone my new regime in Galtres gym has taken shape.

Monday evenings is a tough session with a good 75 minutes of aerobic machine work on cross trainers, running machines, rowing machines and bikes followed by a session of weights with good friend ‘let’s do weights’ Simon! Definitely the hardest session of the week.

Wednesday onwards is then in for early morning 60 minute aerobic workouts. If you had told me a few weeks ago I would be in a gym at 7:30am on a morning I would have outwardly laughed!

However, here we are and it feels good!

Not only can I see progress every day in the gym but I have to say it really sets you up for the day and does not take anything out of it.

It looks like a by product of this is going to be some weight loss. Now whilst this is not my main aim I could certainly do with seeing a couple of stone disappear!

So hopefully in the next few weeks you will start to visually see a re-sculpting from packhorse to mountain goat!

So, whilst I will be physically walking the Pennine Way in June the challenge for me has already started and it’s a 6 month one, and after that let’s just see what happens…

[Via http://leukaemiacharity.wordpress.com]

Calculating Complications

2010-01-26T23:42:00.000+02:00

(Writing Site: Click Here)

I am convinced that exercise equipment manufacturers have colluded with the Surgeon General while health websites are colluding with fitness trainers. Here is my reasoning:

For my first block of walking the treadmill – which took into account my distance, pace and weight – clocked my calories burned at 666. Not too bad I’m thinking. Then, I also used a heart-monitor watch which took into account the time and average heart rate. It clocked me at a whopping 952 calories! Now I’m thinking, either this treadmill is out of date or my watch is too flattering. The watch is missing my weight and pace, but the treadmill has no idea how hard my heart is working (I was averaging 138 bpm).

Then, I decided to see what the internet had to say. Most only calculate based on your weight, some with height for BMI (probably assuming you don’t have your heart-rate on hand to enter) and, in general, the average was about 480 calories. That 186 lower than the treadmill which itself is 286 calories lower than my heart monitor.

So, either the internet wants you to think you can’t do it alone so please purchase our advertisements – or, the exercise equipment wants you to think you’re doing just fine and any exercise is good exercise.

Of course this is only half of day 1, so on the overly attractive side of my watch I could pump out 1900 calories (ridiculous), or the treadmill’s 1300 calories (pretty high), or the modest 960 calories on the internet.

I’ve decided to take the middle choice – the treadmill. I like the idea that my watch changes to my heart (in fact at lower heart rates I averaged less calories than the treadmill, but after I clocked 138 bpm it sky-rocketed) but it seems obscene that I could burn more than I’m eating.

In other news, I’ve weighed in, taped up and added together:

Weight: 165lbs, Target: 145lbs

Gut: 36.75”

Calories Consumed: 815 (so far!)

Calories Burned: 666 (so far!)

Weight Lifted: ?? (see below!)

Even though 20 pounds is a modest goal, that includes the weight I expect to gain from body-building. Everyday I only intend to do two exercises: Tu-Th-Sa bench press and bicep curls; M-W-F pull downs and lower back extensions. As you can tell, I only really care about my upper body muscle – that’s because I’ve got tree trunks for legs and the only thing they need to do is walk off the weight. So I’m keeping track of my gut which is the real measure of my success – even if I stayed at 165lbs, if my gut dropped 8” that would be phenomenal.

Finally, I am having a hard time figuring out this all-in-one gym we have in my apartment building. It has these ambiguous numbers of 1-9 for the weight. I used a 5 for bench press and this felt pretty good, but am I to assume this means 50 pounds? Can’t be! But does 5 = 100 pounds? Sounds more right for my experience but makes no sense how they determined this. I’ll be assuming 5 = 100 pounds (1=20, etc.) and make up some fun way to equate what this means later.

[Via http://100days1000miles.wordpress.com]

An Apple At Dawn

2010-01-26T10:57:00.000+02:00

It is before 5 am as I sit here with my apple.

People who know me will realize that something is strangely amiss that I would be pulled from the warmth of the bed I love to descend to a computer and a rigid wooden chair before dawn.

The culprit? I am seriously hungry. [Hungry, people--not pregnant].

In light of the tragedies in Haiti and the devastating and legitimate hunger of others around the world, I will not say that I am starving.

I am not starving. Thank God–truly.

But I am seriously hungry.

Ten days ago I started a detox to help reposition my view of food and hopefully to change some habits that I was ready to conquer. This particular detox demands that for 28 days I eat sugar-free, dairy-free [eggs OK for part], gluten-free, and beef/pork-free. Additionally, at specific times of the plan [like this week], I am to cut out even lean meats like chicken and turkey, nuts, beans & legumes, and eggs. This is all supplemented with certifiably “yummy” shakes [read: grainy, gritty, and taste like a pile of wet autumn leaves]. That’s why I woke up hungry. Fruits, veggies, and rice, while delicious, aren’t really giving me the satisfaction that a warm and crusty piece of toast would, carefully smothered in jam and served still-warm on my plate.

My love of sugar, in fact my felt need for sugar, was something I did not run away from. I loved to sit with a glass of Coke–or three–or mix up a batch up chocolate chip cookies so I could devour a respectable portion of the dough. And don’t even get me started on the holy grail of chocolate and peanut butter. My goodness. That has the prospect of taking on a life of its own.

I began to acknowledge patterns I had long denied or downplayed. Like how my lack of self-discipline when confronted with certain things meant that food didn’t submit to me and my fork, but that I submitted to it. And the more I’ve been learning about enjoying pleasures and following Jesus, the more I realized that the former will only truly be realized when put in right relationship and in its proper place with my heart and faith. Giving free reign to self-indulgence doesn’t seem like the best way to move through life. At least not for me.

As I’ve mentioned before, I had the distinct joy of reading Gary Thomas’ latest book, Pure Pleasure: Why Do Christians Feel So Bad About Feeling Good? [I'll be reviewing this book and offering the chance to win a free copy on my blog next week!] Gary approaches the subject of pleasure in such new and interesting ways I was unable to put this book down. While he lauds accepting gifts of relationships, food, hobbies, and intimacy with open and grateful hearts, he cautions how blind abandon can, though won’t always, lead to sin. His chapter entitled “Dangerous Pleasures” gave me particular pause as I contemplated this detox:

“I grew up in a conservative Baptist church. Many of the older widows wouldn’t be caught dead saying “heck” or “gosh,” much less their demonic counterparts. They wouldn’t think of watching an R-rated movie or, sin of all sins, participating in a poker game. But they would all but clean out the desserts during potluck. Perhaps bereft of many common pleasures, they gorged without restraint when an “acceptable” pleasure sat before them, in much the same way that a climber atop Mount Everest desperately tries to suck down some air…

“…It would be a monstrosity of a generalization (as well as a lie) to suggest that being holy means being thin. God creates different body types, and it can be just as much a sin of vanity to spend hours crafting a certain physique as it can be a sin of gluttony to exert no control over our food appetites. So without referring to body size, let me gently ask you this: Does your discipline toward food honor God? Is your witness undercut by your failure to control, or even address, this particular issue? [emphasis mine] Ultimately, only God knows. I raise the issue primarily because it would be simplistic to talk about “dangerous” pleasures and ignore the most common, and therefore perhaps the most dangerous, pleasure of all–gluttony.” [pgs. 150-152]

Am I the only one who reads this and says, “Ouch“?

Maybe I wasn’t cleaning out the dessert table at potlucks, but that doesn’t mean I have the right to ignore patterns of indulgence in my life. I want to honor God with a right view of food–one that allows me to enjoy the distinct pleasure of sharing a meal with friends, to slowly enjoy and savor my [one] piece of dessert, and one that reminds me that I eat to live–not live to eat.

So in these pre-dawn hours I think on these things. I remember that the inconvenience of giving up chicken and bread is a daily circumstance beyond the control of billions of truly hungry people around the world. That most people on our planet won’t have fresh fruit and vegetables today. That most people will be grateful for a bowl of rice and nothing more. That most people don’t even have a glass of clean water to drink.

In light of those truths, my brief sacrifice is small and ordinary. My hunger is not a true concern. My sleeplessness: a poignant reminder that at dawn and always, my heart sings with gratitude for the gifts and provisions of God.

For an apple.

[Via http://heartscape.wordpress.com]

Body and Mind - Together Again

2010-01-24T23:31:00.000+02:00

When we’re kids, we’re very in tune with what our bodies are telling us. Time to eat, time to stop eating, don’t do that because it hurts, don’t put that in your mouth because it tastes bad, etc. Over time, though, at least for those of us who struggle with weight, it’s like the lines of communication between body and mind are cut. We eat when we’re hungry and when we’re not, we eat until we’re full and then keep going, and we forget that underneath the layer of adipose tissue that separates us from the outside world there are actual muscles chomping at the bit to do something! We know in our minds (and our bodies told us at some point, too) that we need exercise and that food is fuel, but somehow we’ve learned to ignore those signals over time.

It’s kind of like drinking coffee, as I mentioned above, or beer, or eating raw oysters or blue cheese (the latter of which I still can do only in extreme moderation) – these are acquired tastes for most people. You have to ignore the signals your body initially sends you to in order to learn to like these things. Obesity is, in some sense at least, an acquired taste, as well. I don’t mean that any of us set out to become or remain obese, or like it when we get there, but we do often begin to ignore those basic signals like hunger, fullness, and needing to be active, that our bodies are sending us.

I think at some point, your body is so far from what you feel it should be, that it doesn’t even feel like a part of you anymore, and you just get out of touch with it. It’s almost like your body and mind subconsciously have it out and quit talking to one another – maybe kind of like this:

Body: Yo! Mind! No more room in the stomach down here – if you could put the brakes on the Oreo’s, that’d be great!

Mind: Did I hear something? Oh was that you, BODY? The one who’s totally out of shape and doesn’t look a thing like we should anymore?

Body: Um…yeah! But that out of shape thing is your fault! I’ve been telling your stubborn butt for YEARS that we were full and needed to go for a walk. But do you listen to anything? Noooo!

Mind: I’m done with you!!! We’re not speaking – ANYMORE!

Body: Bitch, please.

Thankfully, the body never really shuts up, and at some point in the past year or so, I began to realize that I was totally ignoring many signals (or more accurately, alarms and warning buzzers) my body had been sounding for a while. I had a cough that wouldn’t go away, frequent backaches, and even gallstones that led to surgery last year. In an odd way, I have these bad things to thank for helping me pay attention to my body again. So began the wheels turning of my deciding to take my health back into my own hands, and it’s amazing how quickly your body and mind can become fast friends again.

When I started eating properly, I realized that feeling true hunger had become a rarity for me, and when I had felt hungry in the past few years, I’d often ignored it if I was busy with other things, leading to binges later in the day. When I started exercising, I became aware once again of the body that’s underneath the fat – the muscles that need to be worked and the fit guy at my core that’s waiting to be set free. Once you begin to realize that you really are connecting with your body again, it makes continuing with your weight loss journey that much easier. Reconciliation is a good thing!

Body: Gee, it’s good to have you back – wanna go for an ice cream?

Mind: Not on your life…

[Via http://reconstructingthirty.wordpress.com]

2010-01-24T11:48:00.000+02:00

Week 8: And then, fatigue set in…………………

Not bad fatigue, just the sort that tells you that you’re pushing the boundaries. Took 2 days to fully recover from Big Wednesday (long run on hot day, swim squad, stretch and core class), legs felt trashed on Thursday’s ride and I felt lightheaded doing 200’s at squad Thursday night. A quiet Friday and back on track for the weekend with some great training Saturday and Sunday. I really know I’m a few months out from Ironman now, getting a little leaner, can’t stop eating and drinking.

So, let’s look at this weeks numbers:

Swim: 4 swims, 2 squad sessions, 2x 1 hour swims alone,

13.6km 4 hrs 22, 34,060 beats

Ride: 4 rides this week, an extra 90 minute easy paced ride thrown in on Monday. Usual interval ride Tuesday, easy 2 hrs Thursday and then 160km in rain, wind then pea-soup fog early Sunday morning. Bike position feels really comfortable, nailed my eating and drinking plan on the bike and felt great the whole way.

283km, 10hrs 53, 71,830 beats

Run: 4 runs this week as well, a 20 minute run off the bike, long run Wednesday, did Sutherland Half Marathon course on Lady Carrington drive plus part of the way up to Garie on the road, 23.4km, comfortably negatively split the run, happy with pace and it was pretty hot as well. Great session. Sandhills Friday then interval run Saturday and the runnin’s done!

40.57km, 4hrs even, 32,640 beats

Total: 19hrs 16mins, 138,530 beats.

Cumulative total Weeks 1-8: 676,991 heartbeats

Heart Facts for the week: I thought I’d spend the last few months highlighting one risk factor a week for heart disease. This week: SMOKING! Info taken from quitnow.info.au, specifically the smoking fact sheet http://bit.ly/7umJVM PLEASE, quit smoking if you are a smoker, or pass on this fact sheet and ask a smoking relative or friend how you can help them quit smoking, whether it’s a regular exercise session together, being there on the phone for moral support, whatever it takes. I wish I had persevered with my sister Jodi, in the end I gave up as we would argue over her smoking and I know she was trying, when she died there was a box of nicotine patches in her kitchen. It was just 17 years of smoking too late.

Smokers have more heart attacks, repeat heart attacks and angina (over 20 times more angina) than do non-smokers. Smokers also have heart attacks at a much younger age than non-smokers.

People who smoke are up to four times more likely to die from coronary heart disease than non-smokers. The number of years you smoke and the number of cigarettes smoked increases this risk.

In addition to the effects smoking has on atherosclerosis, each time you smoke (even just one cigarette) you make your heart work harder by:

• Increasing your heart rate

• Decreasing the oxygen carried in your blood – with each inhalation of cigarette smoke, oxygen is replaced by carbon monoxide and other gases

• Short-term increase in blood pressure

Quitting smoking will reduce your chance of developing heart disease. After one year of not smoking your risk of heart disease is halved. Fifteen years after stopping smoking your risk of heart disease is the same as a non-smoker.

Even if you already have heart disease, stopping smoking is the single most important thing you can do to reduce your risk of further coronary heart disease.

The risk of coronary heart disease is not reduced by smoking low-tar or low-nicotine cigarettes rather than regular cigarettes.

Smoking around your family can also affect their health. Non-smokers living with smokers have about a 25% to 30% increase in both the risk of coronary heart disease and death from heart attack.

Decided to quit? For help, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, call the Quitline on 131 848 or visit the Quitline web site at www.quitnow.info.au.

[Via http://projectironheart.wordpress.com]

Wellness Journalism: A Breath of Fresh Air

2010-01-23T23:34:00.000+02:00

Breathing: Not as obvious as it seems.

Breathing sends oxygen to the cells and keeps you alive. But it is easy to take for granted. A body that gets more fresh air is relaxed, happier, and healthier! Incidentally, getting fresh air is less about spending your life on a mountain top and more about breathing into your stomach.

Although the act of breathing is automatic, for most of us, taking deep abdominal breaths does not come naturally. While we are thinking about this-that-and-the-other, immersed in the world, we generally breathe into our chests… without filling our lungs to capacity. This shallow breathing gives us enough oxygen to exist, but I would argue that it does not give us enough oxygen to grow and thrive.

Deep breathing for an inspired life…

Focused, abdominal breathing is one of the most important physical exercises you can do. It holds your attention within the body and the present moment, which is preferable to being wedged in some past or future dramatic presentation of the mind. Beyond consciously refreshing your mood, better breathing will also give you more energy, help the body eliminate waste, increase metabolism, give you a better night’s sleep, and improve circulation, muscle/joint health, and blood sugar levels.

To breathe into your stomach, inhale deeply and evenly through both nostrils. Imagine that you are gathering oxygen (and with it power, energy, love, courage, light, support, mojo, good vibrations, clarity, peace) directly from the atmosphere, right into your gut. Then, with your belly nice and full, exhale through the mouth…flushing carbon dioxide (and with it every toxic, tense thought or feeling within you) out into the world for recycling.

Bring your attention to breath:

Whenever you feel anxious, afraid, nervous, sad, or angry.
For five minutes when you wake up in the morning and before you go to sleep at night.
While stretching, exercising, eating, and walking.
Before and after exams or quizzes.
Anytime you remember.

Don’t exhaust yourself. Use breath to reduce pollution in your internal environment!

[Via http://tangorade.wordpress.com]

Sports Nutrition

2010-01-23T11:43:00.000+02:00

Hi Guys,

Just a quick fact for the weekend

The LA Galaxy is an American Soccer Club based in Los Angeles, who signed superstar David Beckham in 2007. A lot of people may not know in Australia the LA Galaxy are sponsored by Herbalife.

Herbalife is not only about weight management but also about nutrition and meeting your goals whether has as an athlete or regular sports participant.

Herbalife products also assist sports people to attain their peak physical performance by consulting you on a personalise nutritional program depending on your requirements.

Have a chat with my boyfriend Paul Anthony 0415 359 768 or paulanthony@unitedwellbeing.com.au

Love Merly

LAGalaxy-Herbalife-Poster-en

[Via http://unitedwellbeing.wordpress.com]

because i think i'm gaining...

2010-01-21T23:32:00.000+02:00

either that or i’m going crazy, but i feel like my thighs and calves are slowly expanding again and it’s driving me INSANE!

anyone have tips? eating? exercise? i’ve gotta get this under control…

[Via http://toastick.wordpress.com]

Healthiest Carbs:

2010-01-21T11:38:00.000+02:00

Fruits

Vegetables

Whole grains, including whole-grain breads, pastas and cereals and brown rice

Colorful fruits and vegetables also supply needed antioxidants and phytonutrients.

Bad Carbs:

Sweets and sugars because they have no fiber, vitamins or minerals

Incorporate Healthy Carbs into Your Diet:

Try filling half your plate with salads and vegetables

Have fruits and veggies for snacks and use whole-grain breads for sandwiches

[Via http://alatheea.wordpress.com]

Athletics and Nutrition

2010-01-19T23:28:00.000+02:00

Athletics and Nutrition BY JACK MEDINA, M.A.

The cells in your body, especially muscle cells (which athletes are most concerned with), will not perform up to maximum capacity unless 1) a maximal amount of oxygen can be delivered to the cell thru the circulatory (blood) system and, 2) the cell itself is healthy enough to absorb enough oxygen. If any muscle cells are in a weakened condition because they do not get enough required nutrients, and therefore cannot grow to their full capacity, it is impossible for them to perform at their maximum potential when the athlete needs them simply because they cannot absorb enough oxygen.

We have found a way for people, in this case the athlete, to increase his or her Nutritional Intensity at the cellular level; not only to prevent disease, but to allow the muscle cell to perform at its optimum level. The key ingredients for cellular growth and performance comes from fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes and beans. All good nutritionists today recommend that we eat 9 – 13 servings of fresh-raw fruits and vegetables every day (and even more for the athlete who is training hard).

My experience during 38 years of coaching and working with athletes at all levels shows that most of them simply can’t do it.

A company called NSA (National Safety Associates) in Memphis, Tennessee grows 17 of the most nutrient dense fruits and vegetables available today. They pick them at peak ripeness, immediately juice them (removing the sodium and sugar for those with Diabetes and/or High Blood Pressure) and, thru a Proprietary Process leave the enzymes and fiber in tact, putting the rest in a capsule. Without having to take a vitamin/mineral supplement (which research says do not work because they are isolated) the athlete gets every vitamin, mineral, anti-oxidant and enzyme known and unknown to man while at the same time getting the benefit of 17 of the most nutrient dense fruits and vegetables going thru their bodies all at the same time. This in my opinion is the answer to peak cellular performance. Juice Plus+ is substantiated by peer reviewed, published research studies done throughout the world.

In addition, Juice Plus Complete is, in my opinion, the most perfectly balanced meal replacement available today. It is available to the athlete specifically for enhancing their current nutrition in terms of extra meals needed; but also as a pre-game or post game meal because it passes through the gastro-intestinal tract rapidly giving high energy prior to a game or workout and aiding in cellular recovery and energy recovery immediately afterwards.

Jack Medina was the strength and conditioning coach for the L.A. and Oakland Raiders, the Seattle Seahawks, and for the Golden State Warriors. He also trained 19 All American gymnasts, 3 of them national champions, including Cathy Rigby.

[Via http://mswilder28.wordpress.com]

Why would I name myself Muffin Top?

2010-01-19T11:39:00.000+02:00

I have a serious muffin top. I am not so much of an expert at hiding it, I have just found 1 good way to cover it and stuck with that. I wear hoodies over everything! I am tired of it. I want to dress like a woman again, not a 15 year old kid. But, in order to get past my muffin top humiliation, I have to lose it. I have tried to start exercise programs, and I get bored. This is not a New Year’s Resolution, the New Year just happens to coincide with my job lay off and the free time to fit in exercise, meal planning and blogging. Of course, I also have more free time to party, which I like to do. I have vices, and I’m taking them head on. I’m hoping that this blog may keep me focused, or at least accountable.

So, here’s my deal. I’m gonna post tips and tricks that I’m trying, and I’d like to hear what everyone else is trying in the comments (or if you’ve tried something I am trying and it doesn’t work!!). On the 15th of every month, I weigh myself and take my measurements. No more often than that. I’ll post my progress, so we can all see if something I tried works. I may try to offer insight into my own psyche that may help myself (and maybe you?) break bad habits (all kinds, one I’m working is on is compulsive spending). I’m putting it all on the table for everyone to learn from, but I’m keeping it anonymous…for now.

PS. I don’t want any hating in the comments. Please keep this blog a supportive and judgement free zone. Respect is important, and any disrespect will be deleted. Thanks.

[Via http://rdstrpgrl.wordpress.com]

Susan Sarandon Stays Young With Pole Dancing

2010-01-17T23:12:00.000+02:00

Susan Sarandon, who has just split with Tim Robbins, keeps her amazing body toned by pole dancing with her daughter Eva Amurri, 24. Amurri, who is a strong likeness of her mother, is also an actress. Daughter taught mother after taking erotic dancing lessons to prepare for a role on the TV show Californication. Sarandon, 63, said she jumped at the chance to learn pole dancing which she credited with keeping her feeling young. She said: ‘My kids are so funny, they bring me into the present. I go to concerts and I went and I learned how to pole dance with my daughter when she was doing Californication. It’s very difficult and you have to be in very good shape. It’s hard.’

- Monsters and Critics

[Via http://funpolefitness.wordpress.com]

63.5kgs or 139 lb and 15.89 oz

2010-01-17T11:02:00.000+02:00

Today I know the scales are lying. I most certainly have not lost 1.2kgs overnight. What has in fact happened is my body is seriously dehydrated after too many glasses of champagne and whisky and gingers last night.

So not only are the scales being misguided in their kindness to me, but I am in such a world of pain I really couldn’t care less how I look. I just want the banging headache and tiredness to go away.

I managed to drag myself out of bed to support my housemate in her first ocean swim which was really good. Not only did she do very well, but it was really interesting to see all the different shapes and sizes taking part. Swimming is a struggle for me. I’ve only recently overcome a deep water phobia which has meant I’ve never spent much time in water, so the idea of swimming 1.5kms in the ocean is something that is very foreign to me, but an ability I deeply respect and admire.

To see all the different shapes and types of people today really brought home that your body is to be used and challenged, not just for looking pretty. None of the women seemed at all fussed about how they looked, they were more concerned about the task at hand, which is pretty obvious, but makes me wonder, maybe I’m so worried about how I look because I have too much time on my hands. Um, it’s not like I’m not a busy and social person, but maybe I should find a new focus that will distract me more from my body focus.

[Via http://bodyobsessed.wordpress.com]

Winter Walking is Wonderful

2010-01-16T23:42:00.000+02:00

Imagine stepping out your door, the sun is shining, big billowy clouds are casting playful shadows, a slight breeze blows and the temperature is a perfect 72. On a day like this it’s not hard to get motivated to go outside and walk. Once outside in the perfect sunshine your walk is effortless and enjoyable and you walk longer than you planned.

Back to reality….like last week’s record breaking cold snap which submersed half of the country into bitter cold. At my house last weekend the high temperature averaged 23 degrees. Since the average high in January is a bearable 45 degrees, a high of 23 degrees is COLD! Despite the cold and despite my threats to the contrary I managed to forego the shuttle and walk 8 minutes uphill from the parking lot to the office and, of course, I walked the dog – she even got an extra long walk on Sunday when it warmed up to a balmy 27 degrees.

Even though it is easier and certainly warmer to take a shuttle or to stay inside on a cold winter’s day, the next time you are tempted to avoid winter’s cold, grab your walking shoes instead and you will be rewarded. Believe it or not, winter is one of the best times to walk outdoors.

Winter Walking

Why is winter one of the best times to walk outdoors?

Walking outside in winter is peaceful. There are so fewer people on the trails, sidewalks and public spaces that you often feel like you have the space all to yourself. It is quiet. You will notice the quiet in the park, in your neighborhood, on the sidewalks, almost everywhere…so many people avoid going outside that it offers the ones who do a tranquility that is missing during the rest of the year.

Walking outside in winter gives you a different perspective on nature. You will see a very different view of the landscape now that the trees are free from leaves and the ground is free from brush and sometimes covered with snow. You will notice that on a sunny day the sunshine is brilliant and the sky is a deeper shade of blue. If you are lucky enough to walk at dawn or dusk you will see the most spectacular sunrises and sunsets showcasing beautiful shades of pinks, purples, oranges and reds. Amazing.

Walking outside in winter gives you a breath of fresh air. We stay cooped up during the winter with our windows shut tight. Oftentimes the only fresh air we get is walking from the parking lot to a store or office. Walking in winter will give you a big dose of fresh air and this winter air is healthier for you than the stagnant, ozone-laced air of summer. Take in a deep breath and breathe.

Walking outside during winter keeps you away from the crowded track at the gym or community center. Many of us start or renew our fitness goals with the New Year – we shouldn’t let weather be a barrier to reaching our goals. A lot of daily walkers will tell you that walking outside on a cold winter’s day can be done almost every day.

Walking outside during winter will expose you to sunlight and that can help if you are prone to seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD is a type of depression that occurs at the same time every year – most frequently in the fall and winter months when we are exposed to less sunlight. Experts recommend treatments such as going outside and exercising as much as possible during fall and winter if your symptoms are not severe.

Keep a Routine

It’s not always easy to motivate yourself to go outside in the cold, and sometimes dark, to walk. One way to tackle this is to keep a routine from which you rarely deviate. For instance, walk before work with a neighborhood friend, walk outside during your lunch break or walk as soon as you get home from work before you do anything else. On those days when your motivation is low just tell yourself you will walk for at least 10 minutes and then you can stop whenever you want. Most of the time you will continue to walk through your normal routine even though you have given yourself permission to stop early.

Another idea is to establish a shorter outside walking routine during the dead of winter…maybe 15- 30 minutes depending on the temperature….sometimes the most important thing is to just keep up the routine and get out there even if it is for a shorter amount of time. Be sure to take advantage of warmer days, especially during the weekend, when you can schedule a longer walk to help make up for your shorter daily routine.

Be Careful

You should be especially careful walking outside during the cold months of the year.

Cold is relative. Don’t try to walk outside if it is dangerously cold for you.
Wear a hat, gloves, scarf, wool socks and extra layers designed for cold weather. You can always take items off if you warm up.
Wear appropriate footwear for snow and ice.
If you walk in the dark or low light, walk in lighted areas, wear a reflective piece and keep a small flashlight in your pocket.
Walk in familiar and safe areas. Stay aware of your surroundings. Bring your cell phone.
Always drink water to stay hydrated.

Give it a Try

If you are tempted to let the cold keep you inside, bundle up instead and give winter walking a try. Discover how enjoyable winter walking can be. If you start an outside walking routine now, you will feel a remarkable sense of accomplishment and personal triumph every day that you conquer winter’s cold. And just think how easy it will be to walk outside in a few short months when the weather is perfect.

[Via http://walktoday.wordpress.com]

People with disabilities shouldn't be in the gym

2010-01-14T23:35:00.000+02:00

“People with disabilities shouldn’t be in the gym.”

That’s what I learned this morning and I’m still furious! Here’s the story…

I started working with a client a couple of weeks ago. He was involved in an incident a few years ago that left him with chronic injures and disabilities. Because of this, his mobility, strength and state of mind have been effected and it is only very recently that he has started to feel that he has “control” over his future.

One of the things that has helped a great deal over the last couple of weeks, is the very simple fact that he has come back to the gym with me.

Nothing magic in that. No mystic voodoo from the far east or anything. It is just that he is now in a positive atmosphere and he can picture himself improving over time, and being able to do some of the things that he has not been able to physically do recently.

But…he found out today that he should not go to the gym anymore, because this will provide evidence that he does not have any disability and his compensation claim will suffer!

The logic being…

“You are in a gym, therefore you must not have any disabilities, therefore you should not get any help/benefits/compensation”

WHAT??

Are they seriously saying that people with disabilities should not be in the gym?

These people are in a gym...that means they can't have any form of disability, doesn't it??

Everyone I know goes to the gym to improve their body in some way. In other words, to make their body better than it is right now.

It says nothing about what our bodies are like at the moment…but how we want our bodies to be in the future!

Exercise is both a curative and preventative form of medicine. And this stupid law firm is preventing this guy from taking his medicine!

It is as if they are saying:

“You are taking medicine…medicine makes you healthy…therefore you must be healthy…therefore you shouldn’t be taking medicine”.

Can you see the flaw in that reasoning?

Bloody idiots! They have really pissed me off! Can you tell?

Anyway, maybe I’m not understanding it properly in my rage. Am I missing something here? If so, leave a comment below and let me know.

[Via http://cerin.wordpress.com]

Runner's Q:Best cross training for weight loss?

2010-01-14T11:19:00.000+02:00

Runner’s Q:Best cross training for weight loss?

Runner’s A: Read this:

All of the contents of The 16 Minute Body Sculpting Kit are being posted here: Attain Your Dream Body. You will learn how to apply a 60%- “What you eat”- (no calorie counting-color coded food card system. 30%- “Strength Training”-

(watch instructional Strength Training video here) I happen to be a runner myself, so add that on top of the above and

wow! …amazing results!

[Via http://16minutebody.wordpress.com]

Stretch-n-Grow

2010-01-12T23:10:00.000+02:00

Hi all- I just wanted to let all the co-op families know that we will be offering a short 6 week session of Stretch-n-Grow late this winter @ H’burg parks and Rec. We are in the P&R catalog, although rather hidden under gymnastics (we’re working on that!!). I’ve coached several co-op kids in previous years, but for those of who who aren’t familiar w/Stretch-n-Grow, here is a brief synopsis: we have a 30 minute class 1 time @ week. The emphasis is on learning good health habits, getting our hearts pumping and have FUN!! We cover a health topic and specific muscle each week in a very short discussion time and then we roll right into a full blown kid-specific fitness class set to music and a theme (might be sport related like a pretending to be football, basketball or ice hockey players training for the big game), a trip to Africa or Australia, A trip to the grocery store, etc. We use a variety of equipment to go along with each adventure too! The class that is being offered is on Tuesdays from 9:45-10:15 am for 3-5 year olds. If there are enough older kids interested – I’b be happy to discuss adding a 6-10 year old class on the same day from 9:10-9:40. The older classes don’t follow a story/theme as much as the younger, but they are rockin’ non-the-less!! It would be great to see some of the older kids that I coached when younger! Just let me know asap and I’ll see if its cool w/ Parks and rec! I will most likely be the instructor, but there is a chance that I’ll have another coach teaching. Regardless, we are all Youth Fitness Certified, fully insured, and CPR trained. If anyone has any questions, don’t hesitate to ask!! Thanks a bunch! Dia Russell

[Via http://homeschoolresource.wordpress.com]

Making me a new habit

2010-01-10T23:30:00.000+02:00

Apart from successfully abstaining from pork since New Year (11 days and counting!), I’ve been standing by my resolution to take up running. The past three days (well, every other day) has seen me up at the ungodly hour of five in the morning, all energized and ready to run my ass off.

The past two runs have been with my self-appointed personal trainer K, but today I ran alone. I have no idea why he didn’t show—called and texted him a couple of times but no answer—but I didn’t mind. I went ahead and ran a part of Macapagal anyway. I even ran all the way home.

I guess I’m off to a good start here. I’ve committed to myself that I will join at least three fun runs this year, but I think I can do more than that. Might shoot for five to seven. We’ll see where this takes me.

I really hope I don’t go back to my lazy ways. I think I’m off to a good start. Now all I have to do is to keep my focus. First milestone is 21 days of running. Why 21? Well I read somewhere (the gym) that it takes 21 days to make something a habit, so I will just ride with that. 3 down, 18 more days to go!

(On a semi-related note, I am so in need of a shower. I kinda stink while writing this. TMI. IKR?)

[Via http://alizarinred.wordpress.com]

Your metabolism: speed it up for weight loss

2010-01-10T09:39:00.000+02:00

Metabolism is the chemical reaction in the body that uses the fuel of the food we eat and convert it to energy needed for us to think, to move,to grow.

It is measured according to :

The basil metabolic rate: BMR which is the resting metabolic rate, that means how quickely you body works when you are resting.

The total energy expenditure: TEE which is the sum of BMR and the physical activity you are doing throughtout the day.

FOODS THAT BOOST YOUR METABOLISM:

. Milk, whole grain cereal, and aotmeal:

secret ingredients: calcium, complexe carbohydrates, and fiber.

.spices, yellow mustard and peppers: speed up you heart rate

. green tea, coffee: speed up the brain and nervous system

salmon, tuna, sardines: omega 3 FA lowers a hormone called leptin, this hormone is responsable for fat storage.

lean meat, chicken turkey: you need more time to digest the proteins comparing to crabohydrates, so more energy is needed

5 tips to increase your metabolism:

1. Always eat breakfast in the morning, don’t skip it. If you wait until mid or afternoon to eat, your metabolism will go down.

2. divide your food throughout the day, eat 3 to 4 small meals and 3 to 4 hours apart.

3. park ypur car further and walk, use the stairs instead of the elevator, do more activities in the house to burn more calories.

4. don’t stave yourself if you want to lose weight, this will slow down your metabolism, but on the opposite side you have to plan your meals, prepare it and take it with you , skip the 6 hrs gaps between your meals.

5. don’t depend on herbal products to boost your metabolism ike green tea and coffee, this will be minimum, but take instead energy foods, like whole grains, fruits and vegetables..

[Via http://eatlikemira.wordpress.com]

The Path of Least Resistance - An Analogy for Behavior Change, Part I

2010-01-09T23:47:00.000+02:00

So many people made fitness resolutions for 2010…but why are they so hard to keep? I can offer many practical reasons (unrealistic goals, inadequate planning, etc.) but instead let me give you an analogy for what’s going on inside your head…

Let’s say you want to implement an exercise program, starting Monday. Assuming you’re very sedentary and want to start slowly, your resolution is to start walking for 20 minutes a day after work. But you already have another behavior that you engage in when you come home: grabbing a bag of chips and plopping in front of the TV. That second behavior is not healthy or beneficial, but you’ve nurtured it for a long time and it’s become a well-established pattern.

Think of that pattern as hardened ruts on a dirt road. When you get home, you put your brain on autopilot and it slips into those ruts. The body does its own thing, you don’t even have to think about it. As a matter of fact, as you’re unlocking the door to your house, your brain is being bombarded with all sorts of familiar cues. As a result, it knows that the chips and Wheel of Fortune are coming, and it starts preparing for them mentally and physiologically.

Now, you decided that you’d go walking instead, right? Changing that usual pattern of behavior is going to require some conscious, deliberate action on your part, because your body is expecting something less effortful. With steely resolve, you strap on your shoes — a completely novel behavior in this context — grab your iPod and head out the door. Once you’re outside, you’re in a different environment, listening to music, moving. It feels….good! In fact, it feels GREAT! You get home, tired and sweaty, but feeling like you accomplished something big. You have a healthy dinner prepared and you hydrate sufficiently. That was EASY.

There’s only one problem: Tomorrow.

Tuesday you miss lunch so by the time you’re on the way home, you’re starving, not to mention, stressed by the day and traffic. You walk through the front door, get hit by those familiar cues and WHAM! Your brain goes on autopilot…yeah, you should get your shoes, but faced with all this discomfort, you turn to that old well-established pattern.

Whaaa happened? You’re trying to fight a habit. That can be hard to do. Note, I said hard, not impossible, but you’ve already got a pattern wired in your head that responds to all sorts of sensory and psychological cues. Engaging in that old pattern feels goooooood. Not as good as endorphins from exercise would feel, but that pattern isn’t established yet so it takes too much conscious effort. When push comes to shove, you prefer the path of least resistance.

Back to the ruts in the road analogy: on Monday, you drove over them and started creating a new path. On Tuesday, you slipped back into them because the new path was too bumpy and hard to manage. The old way was much smoother and less stressful for you.

Take home message: breaking an old pattern requires effort, awareness and planning. Don’t expect it to happen easily. It’s not a one day deal. It’s not even a one week deal. Popular wisdom tells us that it takes 21 days to establish a new behavior, but even that fails to address the fact that the behavior pattern you’re replacing may have a lot of history with you. Each time you follow the new pattern, you strengthen it. However, each time you go back to the old one, you make that one even stronger. Focus on both aspects of the process: being consistent with the new behavior, and avoiding falling back to the old one. If you keep cutting yourself slack on the old behavior, you’re going to make the change a lot harder.

[Via http://ultranatomy.wordpress.com]

Patio Furniture

2010-01-09T11:00:00.000+02:00

Using the outside in an elegant way has become a passion with their families today, and what better way to do that with patio furniture. It is a combination of several components, which are integrated to make the use of space, not only attractive but also functional.There are never so many kinds of furniture for the outside of which, of course, the patio chairs are the most important. A whole room can be created outdoor life that starts with the type of chairs that are available. There are chairs that are large, usually deep, well-cushioned, that some manufacturers offer as rockers.

Full-sized sofas and couches are popular with sets of garden furniture. Unlike previous small couches, sitting you see today are actually extremely comfortable and you can enjoy an afternoon nap on them. Adirondack chairs are available in many varieties and style as reclining chairs, armchairs and foot stools. They are made of teak or cedar and are resistant bugs.For the producer more conservative house there is the logical choice for plastic chairs, which is a favorite today. They add a touch of color to the decor and both are accessible. Are a very attractive option considering the astronomical costs of traditional chairs. Their use value first saw them become the most sought after patio chairs with folding variety also immensely helps the user space and easy storage.

[Via http://hififurniture.wordpress.com]

The Hardest Part is Getting Started

2010-01-07T23:41:00.000+02:00

Heyooo, everyone! How is your week going? I can’t believe it’s already Thursday. The week flew by for us.

Yesterday we didn’t get a chance to post because we were super busy cleaning the apartment from top to bottom. It’s amazing how much stuff we always find despite our efforts to minimize clutter. Bah! But what are you gonna do?

Anyways, we kind of used cleaning as our exercise. It was a lot of work, and we definitely burned some calories.

Here are some of our eats from the day. Let’s just say it was a cheese-a-licious day! I realize cheese is not the healthiest food, but it’s awesome! And we still got greens.

The day started with egg and cheese on whole wheat English muffins with mustard:

Somewhere mid-morning, the green smoothie craving kicked in: Mmmm. Love. Love. Love!

A snack of orange and apple slices:

Grilled cheese English muffins (hmm our breakfast minus the egg…guess we weren’t feeling the creativity yesterday) with Deep River Kettle Cooked Chips and salad mix from Costco:

And tomato soup (I couldn’t get an appetizing picture, but it tasted amazing):

Later that night, we had some Annie’s “peace sign” mac and cheese:

Loved the concept, but overall, I wasn’t that impressed with this particular flavor. I do like their other flavors. Dustin, on the other hand, really liked it and said he would easily go buy some more to eat right now.

We also attempted to make some hummus:

It looked sooo good, but we hated it! Maybe we are too addicted to Sabra. Probably. Dustin tried fixing it by adding in all kinds of random ingredients, but it just got worse. C’est la vie! If anyone has any amazing hummus recipes, we’d love to know! We’ve attempted many times and it’s never right.

OK, now flash forward to today. Well I guess if it’s today, then you wouldn’t need to flash forward because you are already here.

It was day 2 of Couch to 5K. It was also our second day of waking up at 5AM for a morning workout. I’m not going to lie. It was extremely hard to get up this morning. Not sure if it’s been the unusually cold weather or getting to bed a little later, but we ALMOST decided to snooze.

Dustin deserves all the credit for getting us up. It really helps to have a supportive partner. I kept saying, “Do you want to sleep for another hour?” I think I asked so many times that he was finally just like, “Let’s just get up!”. We felt so incredible once we got to the gym and really just have to remember that feeling every time we struggle to get ourselves up. The hardest part truly is getting started.

GOOD NEWS:

Both treadmills were working at the gym today. This meant we knocked it out in much less time. Score!
Dustin discovered XM radio built into the walls of our apartment’s gym. Needless to say, he was pumped because his headphones went out and one of the XM fitness channels plays the exact type of music he would normally play. Double score!

Super attractive red face…sweet!

FUN PROJECT: Today I decided that after every workout (starting tomorrow), we are going to take a picture of ourselves holding up a sign that says how many days we’ve been hitting the gym. Then, after 365 days, we are going to each create a slideshow that goes through every picture from start to “end”(fast forward style) in order to see how our bodies have transformed. It will be fun just to check every couple weeks or so too. If anyone else is interested in taking part in this, let me know! Maybe we can have everyone’s compiled on one website and it can be motivation for people just getting started.

After the gym, we did our first session of yoga at home. We put candles around the living room to set a tranquil mood. It made me so happy.

After some yoga, we made breakfast. We have a slight pancake addiction right now. At least they are healthy ones, and I added chia seeds for an extra health boost. I made the pancakes while Dustin whipped up a big southwestern omelette for us to share. It had salsa, green/yellow/orange/red peppers, and a sprinkle of cheese.

Then, we headed out to RunTex and Costco. We needed to go to RunTex to swap out Dustin’s shoes. He had blistered abnormally fast and called Donnie, the man who we met the first time, in order to find out if it was the shoes or if he was running improperly. Donnie was SO nice. Such genuine service. He had us come by in order to re-do Dustin’s sizes and watch him run some more. Dustin tried on some more pairs and was able to swap his out for a pair that fit him much better. Donnie and his wife also gave us more great running tips, as well as advice on eating a diet with no meat. Thanks, Donny and RunTex!

While we were there, our curiosity (and hunger) caused us to try these:

Freeze-dried fruit made locally. We tried the strawberry and decided we prefer our fruit juicy. We have yet to try the pineapple.

For lunch we wanted something quick so we swung by the grocery store to pick up these goods:

And this:

This is what we created:

We’re not usually fans of“imitation” products and prefer cooking from scratch on most occasions, but I have to say, these were awesome! I honestly felt guilty at points because it felt like I was eating an actually hamburger. Which is also the part that weirds me out. We gave it two thumbs up!

Some apple slices to snack on the way to Costco:

And we haven’t been forgetting to bring our water bottles with us:

Now it’s time to go prepare some dinner! We’re making Quinoa Vegetable Pilaf from Savvy Vegetarian’s website tonight. Exciting! We’ve been needing some more protein.

Hope you’re all having a fabulous day and feeling great!

[Via http://passionatepair.wordpress.com]

Pleasantly Plump

2010-01-07T11:16:00.000+02:00

No longer pleasantly plump but officially porky! I’ve been reading about the consolarium team’s #wiifitweightlosschallenge on twitter. Decided to get myself organised for a fitter me in new year. Unfortunately it took me two evenings to find enough batteries in the flat for my wii to get going, however this gave me the chance to stock up on additional bouts of crisp and cheese binging prior to the weigh in, also stuffed in a few special puddings and chocolates. Now I’m not publishing my weight like some…However suffice to say I was still hanging in there on the overweight bit (just…) not yet into obese, so was mighty relieved! My plot is to to continue with the no smoking – I’m now several weeks in and the world smells a much brighter place. I’ve rejoined the gym at Hamilton Water Palace and will need to shift the blubber with bouts of that in addition to the wii fit. Not yet brave enought to get the no1 son to get me out running (that’ll come later when I’m less lardy, don’t want to scare people in the street). I plan to invest in a new bike at the end of the month as my previous one got stolen last year. The one bright light on the wii was I’m four years younger in wii fitness than my real age (which is of course still 21) and apparently a bit of a muscle builder! I will keep the blog updated with progress, pitfalls and weight loss (hopefully)

[Via http://andreareid.wordpress.com]

● Free workout to tone up for summer!

2010-01-05T23:33:00.000+02:00

Going away for the holidays and can’t make it to the gym? Not a problem! Here’s a workout that you can do anywhere – the beach, the park, your lounge at home, your hotel room, a random field…

So if you are healthy and injury-free, take your exercise gear with you and don’t stop moving! Go through this workout x3 and you’ll be huffing and puffing in no time.

Squat thrusts/mountain climbers (1 minute)

Get into plank position and run your legs backwards and forwards as fast as you can.
Jump squats (15 reps)

Stand with feet hip distance apart, drop down (keeping your heels on the ground), then use your arms to help you jump as high as you can.
Push ups (15 reps)

Start off on your toes and drop to your knees ONLY IF YOU HAVE TO. Don’t sag through your lower back – tense your tummy
Burpees (15 reps)

Similar to squat thrusts, but this time jump BOTH legs in and out, then jump immediately afterwards.
Hover

Lie on your tummy, clasp your hands together, forearms on ground, tense your belly, then lift up onto your toes (so only your forearms and toes are touching the ground). Keep your body as straight as possible and don’t sag through your lower back. If you start to feel pressure in your lower back, stop. Otherwise hold for as long as possible!
Pulse crunches (20 reps)

Lie on your back as if you’re about to do a sit-up – hands palm-down, flat at your sides. Crunch forward as if you’re trying to touch your toes and don’t let your shoulders touch the ground – keep pulsing upwards.

Note: Ange Norton takes no responsibility for any injury or loss that may occur during this workout. If you have any concerns, please consult a medical and/or exercise professional. It is advised that you meet in-person with a qualified exercise professional before attempting this programme to ensure you are capable of performing these exercises safely on your own.

[Via http://angenorton.wordpress.com]

First Workout of the Year 2010

2010-01-05T11:31:00.000+02:00

So First JONESERCISE Workout of the year! This was on 1/2/2010. I get to wear an old tshirt of Grand Funk Railroads’ Bass player, Mel Schacher. Now that has nothing to do with the workout. Just throwing the info out there!

Warm Up 1: Jump rope Cycle. 3 weighted ropes (2,3,4 pounders) and 2 speed ropes. We ran out of ropes so we threw some Toe Hops in there as well. Did 2 cycles. One at 30 seconds on each rope and the other at 15 seconds per rope.

Warm Up 2: Inchworms for 25 yards and Short Lunges for 25 yards.

Next: 3 Squat cycle of 7 squat variations, 10 reps each. Wide feet, feet touching, Ball between knees, Med ball overhead, heels up, toes up, Bosu

Next: 2 cycles of 7 exercises, 30 seconds max reps each. Stool Scoots (just getting around on the stool, activates hamstrings), tband side laterals, pushups, theraball pull ins for hams, Bench bridges driving the heels into the mat (another ham/glute thing), one leg squat with foot on bench, hypers.

Core Stuff: Reverse crunches 25, leg overs 25 each side, alternate hand to foot 25 each side, reverse crunch hip ups 25.

That was more than enough!

[Via http://jonesercise.wordpress.com]

5 Tips For Keeping Your Resolutions

2010-01-03T23:50:00.000+02:00

Hello Everyone! It’s that time of year again. We are starting the new year and we’ve made some decisions to effect a change in our lives. Sitting here writing this piece, I have already begun laying the foundations for everything that I wish to accomplish this year. I realize that my goals are very ambitious, but if I don’t have a goal, I feel like I’m just drifting along.

In light of this, one of my resolutions, is to stick to my resolutions. That seems like a funny thing to say, doesn’t it? It does ring true–we sometimes make goals for ourselves, and sometimes along the way, we forget about the things that we wish to accomplish. I have done it myself so many times, and now is the time for me to make it happen. I hope that the tips listed below, help you make it happen as well:

1. REACH FOR THE STARS! Don’t be afraid to set your goals as high as you can. I constantly hear that you should have lofty goals, but if you don’t reach them, it’s okay. I completely disagree with this. If you want something out of life–go get it! As long as that goal doesn’t hurt anyone, then why not?

2. CREATE MILESTONES ALONG THE WAY TO YOUR GOALS. You should absolutely go after your goals, but you definitely need smaller goals to mark the road ahead. For instance, if you want to be able to run 5 miles for a workout; start off by running a single mile. Once you feel more comfortable with running, and more efficient, try running 2 miles. This, of course, is just an example. Just as you set your own goals, you’ll have to decide where your milestones will be.

3. BE ACCOUNTABLE. If you’re going to make those goals, you have to be accountable to yourself and the people who are cheering you on. Be good to yourself–you deserve to reach your goals. Find a way of “allowing” yourself to be successful. A great way to stay on track, is to find someone who can help you along or coach you to your goals.

4. GET RID OF THE EXCUSES! Believe me when I say that we live in a very busy world. Part of being a trainer, is to help people find time for themselves. Every single person that I have ever taught or trained in twenty years of doing so, have all had one common trigger: they made a choice to devote themselves to their goals. They found a way of balancing everything, and gave themselves the attention they deserve. When it got tough, they just adjusted and stayed the course. Anyone can do this with enough belief. It may not be easy, but it can be done.

5. NEVER SELL YOURSELF SHORT. You deserve to accomplish your goals. You deserve to be good to yourself. You can do it! Often times, I face struggles that chip away at my confidence. I always try to remember two things: The first one is that I am not the only person in the history of people that has had a challenge such as this. Because we all share the same or similar experience; someone, somewhere, somehow along the way, must have faced something very similar to me. The second thing is: I am surrounded by great people in a great community who believe in me. That is the greatest gift that anyone could have given me–help and support in who I am and what I do.

One of the great things that we do in the fitness department at TLAC, is make a 90 Day Wonder Calendar. On it we prioritize our time, and make specific allotments for various activities as they relate to our goals. We generally post them in a conspicuous location, so that we have a constant reminder. I really do love this idea…but I’m going to take it a step further.

I am going to make myself accountable, by involving all of you–my friends at the club. I realize that this is uber-ambitious, however, I can’t think of a better way of staying on track, then to have the most important people in my life there at every turn.

Starting Saturday, January 9, 2010–and every Saturday following for the next year, I will be posting my goals for the year, and my progress. I will be updating everyone with a link to my blog, via Twitter and Facebook. If you know someone that might be interested, please don’t hesitate to have them “follow” me, or become my “Facebook Friend”.It will eventually include video excerpts of my training regimen–which will also include my victories and struggles along the way. I’m not interested in creating a “polished” representation, but rather, I want to share my true experience with everyone. Believe me, I won’t be able to do it without all of you. Thank you in advance!

[Via http://autumntiger.wordpress.com]

Not much motion here...

2010-01-02T23:50:00.000+02:00

So on the second day of 2010, I admit to having been a total slug. It’s Saturday and hubby had to work. I was supposed to have gone to the dojo today, but I….overslept. What a way to start! But it is the last couple days of my extended vacation and I have found the I do work best with structure. Needless to say, today didn’t have a whole lot of structure. I got up, had lunch (pineapple fried rice…that’s really not on the clean eating list!), came home from lunch, sat down on the couch to watch a bit of TV, and…woke up when hubby got home with dinner (also not on the clean eating list!). Tomorrow will be a day for planning and preparing. I promise.

[Via http://rachaellakicks.wordpress.com]

156.5

2009-12-31T23:46:00.000+02:00

* Don’t forget to enter my Chobani Giveaway*

I have had an AMAZING 2009. But I am ready for 2010!

Let’s talk numbers.

Arms: 12.5 inches

Bust ( w/ double bra): 37 inches

Abs ( around belly button): 37 inches

Butt: 40.5 inches

Biggest part of Thigh: 23 inches

Height: 5 feet 2 3/4 inches

Weight as of Dec 31st 2009: 156.5

BMI: 27.2 ( I put myself in as 5′ 3”)

Overweight = 25-29.9

140.5 puts me at a normal weight. Which is a loss of 16 lbs.

I know BMI is not the most accurate thing in the world- but it is a pretty decent indicator of where things need to be.

The facts.

I have not worked out for 10 months due to a lower spine fracture.
I have not been on an diet- I basically eat whatever I am in the mood for. Indian, American, junk. All.

The results.

Yes, I made these pictures as tiny as possible. Because who really wants to post unflattering pictures of themselves on the internet? But I don’t think my pictures are that bad.

I love the way I look!

( Sorry Mom& Dad! I don’t dress like this in public)

-This is necessary if you come from a conservative Muslim family

So what now?

I would like to be at a normal weight range for my body that I can maintain ( 140.5).
I don’t want to feel like I need to unbutton my pants at the end of each meal.
I want to remind myself that I don’t need to eat a lot to be full.
I don’t need to eat candy/ m&m’s when I am upset or stressed out with school.
I want to exercise for at least 60 mins a day at minimum.
I don’t want to feel like an unfit group fitness instructor.
I want to keep track of all my meals and workouts daily on my blog to make sure I am keeping up with my plan.
I want to feel and be fit and toned.
I want to stay injury free and healthy!

Lastly- I want to be a runner!

Oct 16th 2010 here I come!

I don’t have a particular goal I would be happy doing the 5k or 1/2 marathon but 9 months is a long time from now so I have no idea where I will be at that point.

I don’t even know if I will be able to run post-injury. They did mention something about walkers. I will do that.

I have joined Elliptical Challenge 2010 on the lovely Kelly’s blog!

I am off to get ready for a lovely New Year’s eve with the family.

Lots of love and happiness to everyone in 2010!

[Via http://blueberrymuffins.wordpress.com]

Bleeding Piles Remedy

2009-12-31T11:35:00.000+02:00

Your occupation can play a major role in the causes of hemorrhoid, if you have to lift heavy objects or are having to sit for long periods of time, you are essentially applying continued pressure on your rectal passage. If you combine these habits with delaying going to the toilet when needed then you are almost doubling the pressure on your soft tissue lining.

For most women the real cause of hemorrhoids is due to the enlarging of the uterus during pregnancy. The increased blood flow during this period adds to the increased inflammation of the soft colon. Constipation during this period places more pressure on the surface of the colon causing the veins to become varicose.

Piles illness can affect any age and any gender, the severity of bleeding piles can be reliant on the factors discussed so far, however to help reduce the size of the piles and eventually cure the problem you can use some of the following tips.The real causes of piles are dependent by ones daily lifestyle including the excessive intake of spices in ones diet, continued constipation, and straining when emptying bowels. If your diet is also low in fibre or your daily water intake is below average, you are further adding to the cause of hemorrhoids because your stools will be harder making it difficult to pass during bowel movements.f you take action and implement these tips, you are on your way to curing your piles for good and getting that freedom of knowing you wont have to worry about this illness again.

[Via http://healthcaresolutions.wordpress.com]

Consistency!

2009-12-29T23:31:00.000+02:00

I’ve been working out at the gym for the last 8 years and the one thing I’ve learned about keeping your fittest is consistency. Going to the gym 4-5 days a week without taking long breaks has been one of the main reasons that i keep fit. Now there’s so many other factors that will help you improve whatever it is your goal is. Diet, supplements, routine changes. But in the end if you dont make it to the gym every week the results wont show. Its like that old saying it takes 2 months to start a habit and only 2 days to break it. View my other articles at MyFitnessFreak.com

[Via http://myfitnessfreak.wordpress.com]

Measuring Body Fat

2009-12-29T11:40:00.000+02:00

I mentioned my body fat measurement in my last post.

Originally I was using the electric impedance scales in the gym but the, oft reported, problem with these is the inconsistency. The results change from day to day on a scale that can’t correlate with actual fat loss or fat gain. I wasn’t originally measuring day to day (thats too frequent) but after seeing significant and difficult to understand large week to week changes I moved to day to day to help me confirm that the results were too inaccurate to be useful. They were.

Since then I’ve given the Accumeasure calipers a go which I first came across at Answer Fitness.

I’ve been using them for about 3 weeks now and so far, most importantly, they give me consistent measurements – a steady measurement for the first 2 weeks of use and a slight increase over the Christmas break which correlates with my slight weight gain over that week.

Using their measurement charts I think they’re telling me I have less body fat than I actually have, looking at comparative pictures I’d estimate I’m at 17% rather than 15% body fat, but to me consistency combined with the mirror test is sufficient for my needs.

I’m coupling this with photos for the next couple of months and hopefully this will help me see the results of my efforts. I’m toying with the idea of posting the images to this blog – but I’m not sure you’re ready to see the Wookie.

[Via http://activateyourglutes.wordpress.com]

Set it and Forget it

2009-12-27T23:00:00.000+02:00

Merry Christmas to everyone!! I hope you had a wonderful time with family and friends like I did. My Christmas vacation is usually spent in sunny Florida with my wife’s family. They are English, love to cook and I usually pack on the pounds. This year I really did some new things. Instead of lying around, I was active and worked out in the mornings. I took resistance bands and a jump rope with me which was very light and convenient. I found the 30-45 minute workout was easy to complete and made me feel so much better. I also worked on my goals a little and just relaxed.

The next step after identifying and creating the goals is to create the activities required to achieve the goals and then in my opinion automate these tasks as much as possible. I will walk you through the process I am creating on the Goal “To be 195 lbs with 120/80 BP.” I started with a complete Mind Dump. I gathered anything remotely fitness related I had in my house already and started to write down what kind of exercise this would create. This list will be different for everyone and if you elect to go to a gym it will be a massive list. I have chosen to do the workouts at home with what I have access to so I do not waste the drive time to the gym which for me would be about 45 minutes. I also want to fit the 30-45 minutes into my schedule and when it Is time to workout, there is no wait time like a busy locker room or some guy using the bench press for an hour. I also feel like whatever my work schedule is I can always fit in 30 minutes even if it is at night. So this is the list I started with:

Cross fit, Cross fit Football, Strength Bands, Dumbbells, Bow Flex, Treadmill, Jump Rope, Mountain Bike, Basketball, Punching Video Game, Jump Rope, Men’s Health Exercises, Pushups, Pull Up Bar, Dips, Medicine Ball, Sprints, 200 meter Run outside my house, Pool, Hanging Abs, Abs Workouts, Core Strength Ball, Blood Pressure Machine, Videos, DVR aerobics, Stretching, Line Drills, Ply metrics, Juggling, Bartending Flair Routines.

This week will be spent getting everything ready to Set and Forget. Basically I want it automated and ready to use. Here is what I am going to do this week to get ready for the 90 days:

Create Note cards with exercises on them so I can grab them easily.
Create a Email Folder, Favorite Folder for Workout Ideas. Ask Social network Friends for Ideas on Creative Workouts.
Create a Google Alert for Workout Ideas.
Move all workout equipment in to one place in my bonus room.
Have IPod and Pandora on Blackberry ready to go with Music
Schedule workout Time in Outlook to tell me daily when to workout.
Take Pictures of my before self

For me the key to this will be to simply mix it up, burn calories, and have fun. I think it is so easy to dread your workouts when you do the same thing over and over or you have to make the trek to the gym and by the time you get there your motivation is gone. Baby Steps is also important to me because I know that if I just start something, I will continually make it better. To me the baby step just makes me start sweating and then I will incorporate other things on the note cards going in. If I knew I had to do 15 sets of jump rope I doubt I would do it. When I blend it with other movements like weightlifting or abs, it is not quite as structured and I complete it. On a different note, I have also started to incorporate this into my other goals. I leave open an hour for the activity for the goal but purposely only list one simple activity to do.

Technology can also be helpful. By using technology I can continually push new ideas to myself, and what you concentrate on is what you become. So if Google Alerts is out there consistently looking for new and creative ways for me to sweat I will stay in the fitness mindset and keep achieving more and more. I plan to use this Set and Forget Automation on every goal I work toward in the 90 days.

[Via http://90daystosucceed.wordpress.com]

The Christmas Coronary - Holiday Heart Attack

2009-12-27T11:00:00.000+02:00

The Holidays are a joyous time to celebrate and spend time with family and friends. But they have also been found to increase the risk for heart problems. Heart related deaths and heart failure hospitalizations rise sharply around the winter holidays.

Several triggers for this increased risk have been reported in recent studies:

• Our normal routine is disrupted – we may be traveling, eating and drinking differently, under more stress and exercising less

• Cold weather can also be a trigger (especially when shoveling snow)

• Depression may be more prevalent – you may be missing a loved one more around the holiday season

For years I have been teaching people about the “5 E’s” these are five things that start with the letter E that can increase your risk for heart problems.

• EATING – heart attacks can be triggered by eating meals with a high fat content or eating heavy meals. Enjoy the holiday meals but remember moderation is key.

• EXERTION – heart attacks can be triggered by too much exertion (again think about shoveling snow). Bundle up and take frequent rest breaks. Also if you are starting a new exercise routine – slowly increase your activity, don’t overdo it.

• ELIMINATION – heart attacks can be triggered during straining to have a bowel movement. Remember to eat your fiber and drink plenty of water to avoid constipation.

• EXTREME EMOTIONS – heart attacks can be triggered by extreme emotions such as depression and anger. The holidays can be a stressful time, make sure you are taking time for yourself and your mental well-being.

• EXTREME TEMPERATURE CHANGES – heart attacks can be triggered by temperature changes, such as going out of your warm house out into the cold weather. Remember to bundle up and cover your mouth and nose with a scarf, breathing in the cold air suddenly can put stress on your heart.

So Enjoy the Holiday Season but remember to take care of your health – your heart will thank you for it! Thinking about Healthy New Year’s Resolutions check out our books “Take Charge: A Woman’s Guide to a Healthier Heart” and “Take Charge: A Man’s Roadmap to a Healthy Heart” available at www.heart-strong.com

[Via http://heartstrong.wordpress.com]

My Post-Workout Stretch Routine

2009-12-24T11:49:00.000+02:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!!

I, for one, can’t believe it’s already here! For some reason, it doesn’t feel like it to me. One reason might be because I’m about to go get ready and head into work for a half day – gotta make that dough! Another – I didn’t have time to do any Christmas baking this year, which is unheard of for me! However, I do plan on whipping up some delicious homemade eggnog when I get home today

Streeeettttccchhhh

The following stretches are my go-to moves whenever I do any form of cardio and/or lower body strength training. It only takes about 5-10 minutes, and stretches just about every muscle/ligament/tendon from the booty down. These 5-10 minutes can really save your legs and body! Why, you say? Well, I’m glad you asked!

Stretching after you work out or warm up (never stretch cold muscles) has a multitude of benefits! Here are just a few:

Better performance; flexibility in a joint asks less energy to be able to move through the exercise
Increased blood supply and nutrients to the joints, and possibly better circulation
Decreased risk of injury
Improved muscle balance and postural and kinesthetic awareness
Decreased risk of lower back discomfort

And here are the eight stretches I do (per side) every. single. time. after a cardio or legs session:

Start out with an inner thigh stretch (you can start it on either side of your body) by leaning your torso to one side with that knee bent, stick your booty out as to make sure your knee stays behind your toes, and hold for 9 counts.

Side note: In addition to stretching after a warm up and especially after finishing exercise, you should also hold a stretch for at least six seconds. It takes 6-10 seconds to elicit the stretch response from the neuromuscular system.

Next, pivot your body to the side of your bent knee into the frontal plane, and lean your torso forward to get a nice calf stretch (gastrocnemius,) like so:

To stretch your deep calf muscle (soleus,) simply bend your knee slightly, and keep stretching your calf:

From here, straighten your torso to be perpendicular to the floor, and sink down a few inches to get a great stretch in the hip flexors:

It’s easy to stretch the quadriceps muscles from this position by dropping your knee to almost a 90º angle:

Next, slide the stretching leg in, and bend slightly, resting your hands on that thigh, to support yourself while you stretch the hamstrings of the opposite leg:

And simply point your toe to the ground to get a good anterior calf stretch:

A lot of people tend to forget this stretch, but it’s very important, especially if you run!

Finish up by bringing the ankle of that leg on the the knee of the opposite leg, and sit down a few inches to get a nice gluts and hip stretch:

Then repeat for the opposite side of the body, and you’re lower body is ready to go!

Actually…I just though of one important stretch that you should do if you’re a runner – the runner’s stance stretch! I typically add this in between the quad stretch and the hamstring stretch, and it looks like this:

[source]

Hopefully a few of you got something out of this post – let me know whatcha think!

This post will be linked into the RAN Fitness tab at the top of the bloggy starting today! I’m also going to start recording my workouts in that section, so ya’ll can see (and I can keep record of!) my workouts on a day-to-day basis!

Is your lower body stretch routine similar to this? What type of stretching do you do post warm-up or post-cool down?

[Via http://runningaroundnormal.com]

Share The Love: Sunday Reads

2009-12-20T23:43:00.000+02:00

Hey, lovelies!

How’s your Sunday going? Mine’s been quite relaxing. Finals are over and all I have to say to that is, WOOHOO! PAAARTY!

Anywho, here are some awesome links that I came across this week. Enjoy!

These earrings are so cool, so unique! *swoon*- Etsy.

Need exercise suggestions? – Zen Habits
How to draw attention away from puffy eyes – Make Up and Beauty Blog
FutureDerm sheds some light on eyelash growth treatments – FutureDerm
Liquid liners that are a cinch to apply! – Nouveau Cheap
Mineral oil ain’t so bad after all – Beautiful with Brains
How do you feel about Shu Uemura’s Spring 2010 Collection? I’m lovin’ the promo image! – Musings of a Muse
I’m ‘Mad as a Hatter’, baby! – Temptalia
I’m smitten with the Japanese brand – Chic Profile
This makes me want to do a holiday pic featuring my bunny! – Cute Overload

Did you do anything cool and exciting this weekend? Do share!

[Via http://lazybeautiful.wordpress.com]

Beginners Basketball Workout Routine

2009-12-19T23:16:00.000+02:00

In order to play basketball you must be in top shape. From power to speed, you must spend some time in the weight room to improve your game. Working is something all basketball players must consider because talent is nothing if your not in shape. Nutrition is very important for a healthy workout. You must learn about what you should eat. You can either eat 3 big meals or 6 small meals a day. Eat, eat, and eat! Here is a simple workout that I used during the basketball season and in the off season. Making time to workout is not an easy task, so therefore every workout should be one that you can benefit from. The number of sets and weights each week is key. You must increase weight over the weeks. You want an incline not a plateau. Here is an example of a four week plan that should be repeated with heavier weights after the four week period: Week 1: 6-8 reps with 4 sets. -Muscle Mass- Week 2: 12-15 reps with 3-4 sets. -Muscle Definition- Week 3: 1-3 reps with 5 sets. -Power- Week 4: 8-10 reps Make sure you don’t over work yourselves because you can hurt your body but you can also see no improvement. Workout 6 days a week with one day rest. Also do every exercise with correct form. Day 1 (Monday):

[Via http://ballerdistrict.wordpress.com]

5e692 Dell Motherboard Desktop Board Dimension

2009-12-19T11:51:00.000+02:00

5e692 Dell Motherboard Desktop Board Dimension Review

Check Price Now! 5e692 Dell Motherboard Desktop Board Dimension Feature 5e692 Dell Motherboard Desktop Board Dimension Overview

Dell – P4 System Board For Dimension(5e692).refurbished. In Stock.

5e692 Dell Motherboard Desktop Board Dimension Specifications

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Dec 19, 2009 05:51:27

[Via http://servermotherboard.wordpress.com]

Where to start?

2009-12-17T23:01:00.000+02:00

Hey guys, just started this blog today and I’m wondering where to begin… I guess I’ll start by discussing what I will, and won’t talk about in these following posts.

Will: I will discuss (from my very limited experience) things such as workout routines, how to get started, whether you should go to a gym or not and what to do when you travel.

Won’t: I will not talk about dieting. I do believe we need to eat healthy, but to me “diet” is a naughty word. The main reason I won’t talk about healthy eating habits (although a very good thing) is because I don’t know that much about it… because I’m not very good at eating healthily (yeah I know, I’m not setting a very good example).

P.S. I hope whoever reads my blogs will enjoy them or at least learn something from them. I hope I can stick to this (my goal will be to post something new at least once a week). I am completely open to suggestions and constructive criticism, I would be very thankful for any help or ideas.

[Via http://solarflex.wordpress.com]

Some Healthy Holiday Tips

2009-12-15T11:46:00.000+02:00

Well, the Holidays are almost upon us and if you are anything like me…you are thinking about some of those delicious holiday treats and holiday gatherings with family and friends. Almost every event that you attend over the next several weeks will tempt your will power!!

With all of the holiday hustle and bustle, exercise is often one of the first things to be cut from your busy routine. But remember even walking as little as 10 minutes a day can have a beneficial effect on your blood sugar, blood pressure, waist-line and cholesterol numbers. How about taking a little walk before company arrives or before you leave for that holiday gathering? Even 10-15 minutes out enjoying the holiday decorations will rejuvenate you and burn some calories.

Physical activity is not only good for you physically, but it is also good for stress relief. Here are some holiday/ winter time activities to consider:

Heart Healthy Activity Tips:

1) Participate in outings that involve physical activity like skiing, sleigh riding, ice skating and walking.

2) At the shopping malls park in the furthest spot from the store to increase your walking.

3) Go window shopping and enjoy the holiday decorations. Take your pedometer with you and count your steps. Aim for 10,000 steps per day!

4) Dance at holiday parties.

5) Schedule exercise/physical activity into your daily routine. Exercise increases your energy level!

6) Take the dog for a walk and enjoy the holiday decorations in the neighborhood.

7) Go Christmas caroling (again walking is one of the best exercises).

8) Cut down your own Christmas tree.

9) Take the stairs whenever possible instead of elevators and escalators.

Don’t get frustrated if you cheat on your diet or miss some of your exercising this holiday season, remember tomorrow is another day and New Years is just around the corner. Consider setting a healthy but “realistic” New Years resolution. Happy Holidays!

Visit www.heart-strong.com for more health and wellness tips. Looking for a healthy stocking stuffer or small gift for a co-worker, friend or relative check out our two heart healthy books “Take Charge: A Woman’s Guide to a Healthier Heart” and “Take Charge: A Man’s Roadmap to a Healthy Heart” available at www.heart-strong.com or www.amazon.com

[Via http://heartstrong.wordpress.com]

Getting back on the fitness train - if I can do it, so can you!

2009-12-13T23:47:00.000+02:00

Okay gents, after an overextended hiatus, I am back on the workout (and blogging) horse again! In the past several months, I let life get in the way. I made excuses. I stopped eating right. I did some exercising, but I wasn’t pushing myself – I was just going through the motions. The gym I belonged to was getting too expensive for my budget so I let my membership run out. Needless to say, all my hard work began to reverse itself. Before I knew it, I was getting rapidly out of shape again and had put on about 15 pounds.

It took me a bit to get motivated. The excuses kept coming – “I can’t afford to join a gym.” “I’ll pay but I won’t end up going.” “I’m too tired when I get home from work.” “The gym is always so crowded when I get there.” I was constantly sabotaging myself over and over again.

So, what happened? One day I woke up, looked in the mirror, got a bit disgusted and made a commitment to do something about it. I was not happy with what I saw, and knew that I was the only one that could do anything about it.

Coincidentally, my buddy’s fiancée had gotten him a 3 month membership to a different local gym so I went and checked it out. It wasn’t overcrowded during after work prime time (5-7pm), fairly clean, had everything I needed, and I’d get a discount for joining with a friend. So I decided to go for it and sign up for a year membership.

That was 5 weeks and 12 pounds ago, and I haven’t looked back! So how did I do it? I did it by slowly creating new, healthy, permanent lifestyle habits. I’m going to revisit everything I did to get where I am and what I plan on doing to keep going. Maybe I’ll even help you to find your motivation, too.

[Via http://gianmarioiulianella.wordpress.com]

Frugal and Fit and Busting a Move

2009-12-10T23:38:00.000+02:00

Well it has been awhile since I updated my blogging friends on how goes my journey on being a faboulous frugal and fit 45 year old mom who is ready to bust a move.

Well I have been exersicing some but not getting to the gym near enough.

I have been drinking lots of water which is good for this mom who was and is a Diet Coke addict.

Two weeks today I will be 45! Yes, I am a Christmas babe.

Now as I wrote here about a month ago I signed up for an event called Bust a Move. It is a huge fundraiser here in Nova Scotia that will help this community get a much needed first rate Breast health center.

Each woman who signs up has to raise $1,000…yes I said $1,ooo

The $1ooo is for a great cause and I think most of know at least one person effected by breast cancer. For me this is rather personal as I bust a move in memory of my grand mother who fought this dreaded illness. My grandmother died a few years ago now as the cancer spread throughout her body. So I am bringing her strength and courage along with me.

Now if you would like help me reach my $1,000 goal (maybe as a birthday prez for me) you can:

1.donate on my personal page or

2. Purchase a Food for Boobs Cookbook here. At $20 plus shipping this cookbook makes a great gift and you get to help Nova Scotia get that first rate Breast Health Center. The book was put together with recipes from a number of the #halifaxchicks on Twitter.

3. I am part of the #halifaxchicks team and well one of the fundraisers we are doing is a raffle. You make a $10 donation and your name goes in the draw for a bunch of great local treats. IF you are in Halifax this is the deal of the month! You can get a ticket here.

[Via http://commoncentsmom.com]

Bugar ala Pembalap Formula 1

2009-12-10T11:13:00.000+02:00

Michael Schumacher

Walaupun pembalap Formula 1 kerjanya hanya duduk di dalam kokpit selama kurun waktu kurang lebih 2 jam tetapi 20 orang pembalap tersebut ternyata termasuk dalam kelompok atlet-atlet terbugar di bumi ini. Walaupun mereka tidak bergerak seperti berlari, lompat, ataupun berenang tapi seorang pembalap Formula 1 sangat dituntut sekali untuk mencapai kekuatan fisik yang sangat prima bahkan lebih dan stamina yang mumpuni untuk bisa bertahan di dalam sebuah mobil dengan kecepatan hingga 350 km/jam.

Saat sekarang untuk mengendarai sebuah mobil Formula 1 moderen seorang pembalap bukan hanya dituntut keahlian alias skillnya saja tapi berbanding lurus dengan kebugaran fisik sang pembalap tersebut karena tanpa kebugaran maksimal tersebut sangat mustahil seorang pembalap F1 mampu bertahan didalam “ruang kerja” sempitnya yang hanya seluas 52 cm X 85 cm dalam kecepatan yang tinggi dan konstan.

Heikki Kovalainen

Lewis Hamilton

Apalagi pada saat pengereman yang sangat keras dan melibas di tikungan cepat dengan system aerodinamis seperti saat sekarang adalah saat-saat dimana pembalap F1 akan mengalami gaya yang paling berat yaitu sebesar 5G. Peristiwa ini sangat berpengaruh kepada seluruh tubuh terlebih-lebih pada bagian leher dan dada.

G-Force adalah sebuah istilah yang jamak dipakai untuk menjelaskan tentang dampak gaya gravitasi bumi yang menimpa seorang pembalap Formula 1, utamanya ketika menempuh tikungan. Konsep G-Force adalah ketika seorang pembalap melintas di tikungan, maka kepalanya akan terlontar keluar dari bentuk busur tikungan itu. Ini disebabkan oleh gaya sentrifugal yang bekerja berkebalikan dengan arah tikungan.

Namun demikian, G-Force juga bekerja pada saat pembalap melintasi trek lurus dengan kecepatan tinggi. Tubuh pembalap akan tertekan ke belakang sebagai akibat dari gaya gravitasi. Umumnya, seorang pembalap F1 mampu menerima gaya G-Force hingga maksimal 4-5 G.

Untuk manusia normal, tekanan (g-force) sebesar itu hampir jadi tidak pernah dialami atau kalaupun pernah mungkin pada saat menaiki roller coster. Tapi sebagai catatan pada saat manusia menaiki roller coster manusia tersebut hanya sebagai passenger (penumpang) dan hanya berlangsung sekian menit saja. Tapi sebagai pembalap F1 tekanan G tersebut harus diterima selama kurang lebih 2 jam dan hebatnya mereka yang mengendarainya.

Catatan penting lainnya adalah pembalap F1 memiliki detak jantung yang lebih cepat dibandingkan atlit-atlit lainnya dengan rata-rata mencapai 170 bpm (beats per minute) hingga puncaknya bisa mencapai 190 bpm. Coba bayangkan dengan manusia normal seperti kita yang hanya berdetak sebanyak 60 bpm?

Fitness

Untuk itu, biasanya pembalap F1 melakukan latihan-latihan kebugaran (fitness) yang sangat serius dan sering setiap harinya dimana konsekuensinya mereka harus siap kapanpun juga untuk selalu berada di “ruang kerja” nya tersebut.

“Memang sangat berbeda dengan olah ragawan lainnya karena kita dilatih untuk tetap konsentrasi selama kurang lebih 2 jam dalam kondisi detak jantung kita sebesar 170 bpm,” terang pembalap Toyota Panasonic Racing Team Timo Glock. “Benar-benar beda sekali. Makanya kita harus selalu tampil bugar sebagai seorang pembalap F1,” tambah Timo.

Tuntutan kebugaran seperti itu hanya akan tercapai apabila dilakukan pelatihan khusus yang terencana. Seperti diungkapkan dokter khusus tim Toyota Riccardo Ceccarelli, “Detak jantung yang sangat tinggi tersebut hanya akan diperoleh melalui latihan aerobic yang ketat. Mereka melakukan jogging, cycling, dan semua latihan yang melibatkan area aerobic. Latihan lanjutannya adalah konsentrasi pada leher. Mereka harus fokus pada bagian leher karena setiap tikungan leher akan menerima beban sebesar 20-25 kg dan tentunya kekuatan pada bagian atas tubuh.”

Tapi ini bukan hanya pada kebugaran fisiknya saja yang penting dalam balap Formula 1. Untuk selamat mengendarai mobil F1 dalam kecepatan 350 km/j juga membutuhkan konsentrasi yang sangat tinggi serta mental yang kuat pula.

“Kemampun otak tersebut layaknya seperi otot yaitu dapat dilatih.” Menurut Dr Ceccarelli, dia menawarkan program pelatihan kepada pembalap Jarno Trulli dan Timo Glock kesempatan untuk tetap berada dalam kondisi prima dengan program komputerisasi. Dia telah mengembangkan program simulasi yang dapat melakukan tes dan pengembangan, waktu reaksi, multi tasking dan kepekaan terhadap lingkungan sekitar.

”Kami sudah menggunakan latihan persiapan mental dengan beberapa simulasi tersebut selama beberapa tahun belakangan. Saya dapat melakukannya dirumah atau pada saat race weekend dengan menggunakan komputer. Ini merupakan bagaimana kita menjaga konsentrasi selama balapan dimana sangat sulit karena mobil F1 itu sangat cepat sekali,” menurut Jarno Trulli.

Penelitian banyak menunjukan perbedaan bagaimana pembalap F1 memiliki respon terhadap kondisi ini. Seperti contoh, waktu pembalap bereaksi menekan tombol pada saat start dimulai sebenarnya sama saja dengan waktu reaksi manusia normal tapi sang pembalap untuk melakukan hal tersebut ternyata hanya menggunakan energi yang lebih sedikit dari otaknya.

”Perbedaanya adalah pembalap sangat efisien sekali dalam me-manage kemampuan tersebut sehingga otaknya bekerja dalam kondisi yang sangat ekonomis dibandingkan manusia normal,“ jelas Dr Ceccarelli. ”Berarti pembalap dapat ’bekerja’ lebih lama di dalam kokpit dibandingkan manusia normal dan itu adalah hal penting yang harus kita perhatikan dalam sebuah program pelatihan kebugaran.”

Lebih dasyat lagi pada saat system traction contol dan engine brake dihapuskan tahun ini, setiap pembalap sekarang menghadapi kondisi yang sangat ekstrim pada tubuhnya dimana harus tetap konsentrasi menjaga mobil yang berkekuatan 800 hp.

Dr Ceccarelli menjelaskan, ”Dari seri-seri awal tahun ini dibandingkan tahun lalu, kami melihat detak jantung pembalap bertambah 5 hingga 10 bpm dan saat sekarang pembalap lebih banyak berkeringat artinya pembalap sekarang lebih banyak terlibat dalam situasi berkendara. Dan kami melihatnya ini bukan pada masalah fisik saja dan sisi mentalnya juga yang banyak mengkonsumsi energi.”

Jadi, pertarungan bukan hanya di lintasan saja tapi pertarungan menjadi pembalap yang paling fit tentunya memiliki peranan yang tidak kalah penting juga. Mungkin nantinya bisa dimasukan poin kompetisi buat pembalap yang paling bugar setiap musim dengan cara mengukur poin-poin pentingnya.

[Via http://deniscomm.wordpress.com]

Crossfit Cindy Workout

2009-12-08T23:41:00.000+02:00

A few posts back I talked about the Crossfit Cindy Workout. Well tonight I gave it a try! Here’s what I did for my cycle:

10 push-ups
10 pull ups (using resistance bands)
10 body weight squats

Make it through each once and this counts as a full cycle. Past that I kept things simple and just repeated the cycle for 20 minutes. If numbers of cycles, beating your own time, etc., motivates you then by all means, check out Formosa’s post. Otherwise I can say that doing this continuous for 20 minutes does get your heart rate up. I was able to maintain 10 pull-ups and 10 squats for 20 minutes — the squats got dicey near the end but I did it. The push-ups, however, fell apart at about the eight minute mark and I had to go to my knees.

This one is simple enough that I found myself asking: Why didn’t I think of that? I think I’ll try to add this to my weekly rotation. I’ve found that the older I get the harder it is to motivate myself to exercise. One way I do get motivated is to not do the same thing more than once-per-week.

Call this one a keeper!

-BCP

[Via http://strikingthoughts.wordpress.com]

Get the Skinny on Fats!

2009-12-08T11:29:00.000+02:00

Author: Michael Arnone

Source: articlemarketer.com

You are what you eat. Fat is bad. Fatty foods make you fat.

We are constantly, incredible key chain

, inundated with messages like the ones above. But the simple truth of the matter is this: Fats are an essential part of a nutritious, well balanced diet. I will say it again: Fats are an essential part of a nutritious, well balanced diet. First, we should distinguish between dietary fats and body fat. Dietary fats, as the name implies, simply refer to the fats in the food we eat.

The fat we take in does not automatically become body fat. Before we go any further, keep in mind that we do need some body fat. Stored fat helps maintain body temperature and protects vital organs from injury. For most of us, it is the excess the body fat that we worry about when we look in the mirror. This is the result of consuming more calories than you burn.

Calories are energy.

You need them to fuel your body. But when you consume too many, incredible key chain

, calories (in any form) your body has an ingenious, incredible, incredible key chain

, key chain

, way of storing those extra calories (energy) for when you may need them later – fat. Body fat is essentially your body’s strategic energy reserve. That is all fat is: a source of concentrated energy,, incredible key chain

, nothing more.

Back to dietary fat.

One more time: Fats are an essential part of a nutritious, well balanced diet. Dietary fat aids in the absorption and transport of the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and other fat-soluble nutrients. Plus, fat improves the mouth feel of food and makes it taste better. (No surprise there.) Finally, fat provides a sense of satiety (or fullness) that helps us moderate how much, incredible key chain

, food we eat at one time. Your body needs two essential fatty acids. (Essential meaning the body cannot produce it on its own.)

The omega 3 fat alpha-linolenic, incredible key chain

, acid, and the omega 6 fat linoleic acid.

Both are necessary and some would say critical for a wide variety of important physiological processes. So why all the bad press for fat? If dietary fat does not automatically make you fat, can I stop worrying about my fat intake? Not quite. As noted, Fat at is an incredibly efficient energy source.

Remember, energy = calories.

And one gram (g) of fat supplies nine calories, incredible key chain

, . Carbohydrates and protein provide just 4 calories per gram (g). Hence, more dietary fat equals more calories. This may be how, incredible key chain

, dietary fat got its bad name. But it is important to distinguish between different kinds of fat. Important, and sometimes confusing. There are essentially four kinds of fat. Some healthy, some not so much. First, the bad fats.

TRANS FATS

(also known as hydrogenated fats) the baddest of the bunch, Trans Fats are associated with an increased risk for heart disease. While very small amounts of trans fats occur naturally in some meat and dairy products, the majority of trans fat we consume (about 80%) is produced through an industrial chemical process called hydrogenation. (Sounds appetizing, no?)

Simply put, hydrogenation adds hydrogen to various places in the fatty acid chain. Technically, the hydrogenation process is incomplete – but the molecular structure of the fatty acids is transformed from the fats natural configuration, incredible key chain

, to an unnatural trans-configuration.

These trans fats, incredible key chain

, appeal to food manufacturers because once fat has undergone this partial hydrogenation, it becomes a solid, spreadable fat with an increased shelf life. Thus these pernicious trans fats show up in a wide variety of everyday processed foods, everything from the obvious suspects such as margarine, shortening, and potato chips, to less obvious culprits like baked goods – breads,, incredible, incredible key chain

, key chain

, muffins, cookies, chips, even non-dairy creamers and candy.

Always check ingredient labels for any hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Fortunately manufactures are now including trans fat information on nutrition labels, but stay vigilante. And stay away from Trans Fats. Your heart will thank you.

Still not convinced?

In addition to increased risk for heart disease, high cholesterol and high triglycerides, continuing studies are linking trans fats to breast cancer, diabetes, birth defects, THE OTHER FATS – The remaining three fats occur naturally. While all are better than trans fats, not all fats are created equal: two have beneficial effects, but one can, incredible key chain

, be harmful.

With names that do not exactly trip off the tongue – Saturated Fats, Monounsaturated Fats, and Polyunsaturated Fats – hard to tell which ones are better for you. Here is what you need to know: The Saturated Fats: That stick of butter on the picnic table, incredible key chain

, next to the corn on the cob? Chock full of saturated fats. Saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature. Others sources of saturated fat include coconut and palm oil, red meat, poultry, and lard.

Though less harmful than trans fats, these fats are the worst of the remaining three: Indeed, high dietary intake of saturated fat is associated with elevated cholesterol levels and an increased risk for heart disease. In addition, saturated fat can cause an inflammatory response that impairs the ability of the arteries to deliver blood to tissues and organs throughout the body. Consume this fat sparingly. The, incredible key chain

, Monounsaturated Fats: Better for you than the saturated fats.

Monounsaturated, incredible key chain

, fats are typically liquid at room temperature, but solidify when refrigerated. Sources of monounsaturated fat include olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, and avocados. Historically, monounsaturated fats, especially olive oil, were the most prevalent fats in the diets of people living in the Mediterranean and may be partly responsible for the low rates of many degenerative diseases such as cancer,, incredible key chain

, diabetes, and heart disease seen in this region.

Extra virgin olive oil is delicious and good for you. But do not overdo it. Try measuring out a tablespoon, mixing in some rosemary and crushed garlic, and using it to dip your favorite bread. The Polyunsaturated Fats: Polyunsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and remain in liquid form when refrigerated or frozen. The two essential fatty acids – linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid, are polyunsaturated fatty acids.

They are both key to good health, but their intake needs to be carefully balanced. Unfortunately in the U.S., intake of polyunsaturated fats is highly unbalanced. While many people consume excess polyunsaturated fat, (it is common in processed and fast food) they do not get enough of the two essential building blocks linoleic and linolenic acid. Worse, even those who do consume enough of the omega, incredible key chain

, 6 building block (linoleic acid) do not, incredible key chain

, consume nearly enough of the omega 3 building block (linolenic, incredible key chain

, acid).

The good news:

with a little care, you can easily increase your omega 3 intake. Best food sources of omega 3s include flax seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts and wild-caught, incredible key chain

, fatty fish such as salmon. High dietary intake of omega 3 fats is associated with a decreased risk for heart disease, and may be beneficial in the, incredible key chain

, treatment of a variety of health conditions including the autoimmune diseases (for example, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis) due to omega 3’s anti inflammatory properties.

The bottom line?

When you go low-fat, be especially careful to maintain adequate intake of the omega 3 fatty acids. And go ahead, enjoy the salmon, roast some pumpkin seeds (but watch the added salt!) Your body will thank you. Fats are an essential part of a nutritious, well balanced diet. Just make sure you are getting the right ones.

Michael Arnone is the Tiger Fitness Ambassador for Tiger Fitness Los Angeles, the premier personal training company, fitness boot camp and fat loss experts in Los Angeles and Santa Monica. http://tigerfitnessla.com/

http://tigerfitbootcamp.com/

[Via http://keycameraspycamcorder.wordpress.com]

Fitness Anywhere, Inc seeking a Senior Producer

2009-12-06T23:44:00.000+02:00

Fitness Anywhere, Inc, a growing sports and fitness company and creators of the TRX and TRX Suspension Training headquartered in San Francisco, is seeking a Senior Producer to produce, shoot and edit videos. This job will include managing all aspects of productions, from sizzle pieces, to viral pieces, to full-length DVDs, commercials, trailers and features on athletes. Our production team is a full service production company that produces product videos as well as marketing pieces. The production team works for Product Development as well as for the Marketing Team and accepts contract work for outside projects. This job will require a lot of hands on work, including shooting and editing things yourself. We are building our production team drastically over the course of the next 6 months and your talents must include managing editors, sound editors and all aspects of production on your own and under the supervision of the Executive Producers.

We are a four-year old, 60-person shop with an exciting array of products and marketing collateral. Fitness Anywhere is looking for a technically astute but creative individual to help us create video content. Videos will vary from 30-second web spots to new product promotions, product videos and training stories with professional athletes. We are looking for a jack-of-all-trades who will be one of our staples and most reliable, talented employees. We have consistent video editing and production needs with continuous project work in the Bay Area. This is a salaried position.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and manage video shoots including location scouting, location prep, camera operation, lighting and audio set-up

• Edit, publish & deliver video content in it’s final state to web or final DVD product in coordination with the video department as requested by the client.

• Ability to edit, add motion graphics, hire & supervise different crew members during pre-, production, & post-production. Color correct and embellish content.

• Shape creative for series/episodes, work closely & collaborate with on-camera talent and multiple executive producers, shoot additional camera when necessary, be able to travel to remote locations with on-camera talent as needed

• Report to Executive Producers

Requirements

• Extensive shooting background with HD cameras such as the HVX200 and RED camera (or the desire to learn with the RED and new camera technology)

• Knowledge of lighting techniques for photo shoots and video shoots.

• Extensive editing background with Final Cut Pro

• High-end working knowledge of Motion or After Effects, DVD Studio Pro, Photoshop

• Strong project management skills and ability to juggle multiple projects with very rigorous deadlines

• Team-oriented, can-do attitude

• Long-term interest in building our side of the business.

• Must be willing to travel on short notice and work weekends.

• Ability to work on short deadlines

• Extreme organization and attention to detail.

• At least 2 years of Senior Producer background or equivalent work experience

HOW TO APPLY:

Please send your resume to dcroan@fitnessanywhere.com with a link to your online reel or submit your reel on DVD to

Desmond Croan

Fitness Anywhere

1660 Pacific Ave

San Francisco, CA 94109.

[Via http://wilderhancock.wordpress.com]

I did it!!!!

2009-12-05T23:32:00.000+02:00

This morning I ran 12.33 Kilometers and set myself a new Personal Distance Record I am so happy!!

I was really really nervous about this run because I didn’t know how I was going to do, or if I’d be able to finish, but I must say, I kicked this run’s BUTT!

I had a nice, slow time of 1 hour 24 minutes and 17 seconds. With more practice and training I plan to whittle that down to around 1 hour 10 minutes. I wasn’t aiming for a killer time today, I just wanted to maintain a steady pace and see what my body wanted and needed to do and I would speed up or slow down from there.

It was actually a fabulous run to be honest, I don’t know why, but the last three runs I’ve done have been sooo good! I just really enjoy them and I’m always grateful for every single step I get to take. Today was glorious, and regarding respiratory conditions, I could’ve kept going for another 5 or 6k’s, but the only thing stopping me was my sore, stiff legs. Towards the end they felt like they were fighting their way through quicksand.

Not to mention the pretty nasty knee pain I started to get

I ran out of water around the ninth Kilometer which sucked. It meant that for three kilometers I had to suffer thirst and watch my performance suffer. Next time I’ll be more careful to fill my pack with a lot more water for long, hot runs like today’s.

I feel like I can conquer ANYTHING in running now! It’s awesome to think that I was just 2.77k’s off having run 15 Kilometers. 15 Kilometers have always seemed waaay scary and an unreachable goal. Two months ago, had you asked me if I thought I could run that, I would’ve laughed in your face, but NOW, I can’t wait to accomplish that goal!!! It’s so exciting!

I probably could’ve run 15K’s today if it weren’t for my sore quads.

I feel so good knowing that I made it No problems, AT all. It couldn’t have been a better run. I now look forward to all the long runs I have in the future!

12k’s makes 5k’s seem like a walk in the park hahaha.

Have a great day!

xoxo

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