Twenty Four Fitness clubs offer exactly what the name suggests the convenience of a fitness club that is open round the clock. With 300 Twenty Four Hour Fitness clubs throughout the nation there will be one close to you. A Twenty Four Hour Fitness Club offers just that.
24 Hour Fitness Clubs – How They Serve Your Fitness Needs
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Abhishek_Agarwal]Abhishek Agarwal
With 300 Twenty Four Hour Fitness clubs throughout the nation there will be one close to you. A Twenty Four Hour Fitness Club offers just that. Twenty four hour access to a top of the range facility. No matter what time of the day or night you are free to exercise we are open for business.
All that is available without the obligation of an annual contract. You can pay monthly. There is no need to sign up for a whole year at a Twenty Four Hour Fitness Club.
We find this arrangement suits the busy lifestyle that many of us have today. Demanding work schedules and family commitments can all be fitted in to your fitness routine. No one needs feel that exercise is impossible for them.
If you are out of town for a couple of weeks you are not wasting money at Twenty Four Hour Fitness. Twenty Four Hour Fitness even offers a baby sitting service.
Yet you still have all the advantage of membership. The fully trained staff at Twenty Four Hour Fitness will create a fitness program tailor made to suit your needs.
Your fitness program can help you to increase your fitness for a specific sport or prepare you for serious competition. This program is designed by athletes for athletes.
The Performance Program offers a menu plan to help you get your diet right. At Twenty Four Hour Fitness we understand the importance of diet in achieving fitness. Your fitness programme includes resistance workouts and cardio vascular training. After the session there is metabolic rate test that will show you have far you have improved as a result of your efforts.
This is a great program for any one who wants to get started straightaway but does not know much about fitness and nutrition. By following this program you will learn all you need to know about improving you fitness levels and achieving a healthy weight.You will be laying the basis for lifelong fitness.
As you follow the Performance Program you will learn how nutrition influences your health. Correct intakes of vitamins and minerals are important to your fitness and general well being. At Twenty Four Hour Fitness you will discover how to create a better diet for yourself.
As your diet improves and your fitness increases you develop a noticeably better quality of life and more positive outlook. Coming to Twenty Hour Fitness is about taking active control of your life and health.
Whether you are an athlete who wants to improve your performance or someone who wants to lose weight and maintain your health Twenty Four Fitness clubs have something to offer.
You can chose from a range of club options. You might like the active club which offers group exercise in addition to free weights and cardio machines. This can be a good option for those who need to shed the pounds. Exercise in a group can be very motivating. This is an ideal option if you have a busy life and are short of time.
Alternatively you might prefer the sport club which offers basketball as well as heated pools and a whirlpool. The super-sport club offers the same amenities as the sport club plus a sauna, massage and steam room. These facilities are excellent if you are an athlete who is engaged in intense workouts and need to protect your body against injuries. They are also ideal for those recovering from injuries who need to rehabilitate their bodies.
Then there is the ultra-sport club which offers all the amenities in the active, sport and super sport club with the addition of a day spa, racquetball courts and an executive locker room. This is the de luxe option for those who are really serious about their fitness and health.
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Our new adult class schedule is under way; a new month is about to begin; now is the time to get started in martial arts. Redwood Dojo is accepting new students in both sections: Adult Class, Tuesday & Thursday 7 to 8:30 pm, and combined Adult/Teen Class, Tuesday & Thursday 6 to 7 pm. Saturday Class is also available. The best way to find out about our workout is to come try a free class on a Tuesday or Thursday. Let us know when you’ll be coming. You can pre-register and see our current “web special” by clicking this link (it will take you to a page on our old website). OR: Leave a note for us here, or send an email to adultclass@redwood-dojo.com.
In other news: Congratulations to Hector Salazar on passing his black belt test last Thursday. It was a rigorous and detailed test administered by Grandmaster Quynh Ngo, head of Cuong Nhu. Promotion took place at the closing ceremony of the West Coast Training Camp.
The Training Camp itself was a success, with a good turnout from Redwood Dojo, especially among adults and teens. (Some kids made it there too; way to go, guys!)
Just for fun, here’s another chance to take our “reasons for training” poll. (Personally, my choice is #1!)
i went to kickboxing class, we exercise in front of a wall of full length mirrors. tona always encourages us to use the mirror to check our form, most of the time i am watching her and trying to keep up. this time i looked in the mirror and i didn’t like what i saw at all. tired, over weight and pale. i have the lower tummy bulge and the spare tire going on. i think it’s more than just fifteen pounds, i could stand to lose twenty easily. it’s discouraging. my posture is so poor. i always look down when i walk and i slump over, my shoulders roll forward. looking at myself in the mirror after adjusting my posture, what a difference it makes. it’s something i am going to have to work on. in the meantime, getting more rest needs to be made a priority. i tend to cheat myself on sleep and i have been taking naps in the evening when i get home from work. a pattern that definitely needs to be altered. i will be leaving on vacation in a matter of days. i have two weeks to rest, relax, enjoy the company of some of my friends, re-group and just restore my soul. i may not want to come back!
back in june i bought a pair of weight lifting gloves. i left them in the car but never remembered to take them into class with me. they never made it past the parking lot. last thursday night we had a few minutes before class started so i went back out to get them. i don’t know why, but what a difference it made in my workout. it was fun and i felt strong, i kicked some serious butt! i need to work on my form, specifically my kicks. i plan to leave my kb punching bag up this winter on the back porch so when the temps are mild i can go outside and play. i also want to continue working on jogging. that’s a bit harder to do in the snow, just sayin’. i have one more workout with leslie scheduled before i leave and i have one more scheduled after i get back. i should have two more sessions after that which will get me through october and then i am going to go to once a month check-ins with her. i have a variety of workouts to choose from to keep things from getting stale, some of which i can do at home when i am just sitting around watching t.v. i have all the tools i need to succeed now it’s just a matter of doing it.
it’s funny how quickly your body image can change. i was talking to lelsie about weight loss and she said she thinks i look like i have lost weight since we started working out together. the next day working out in front of the mirror all i can see are fat rolls. in fact i am more conscious of my weight now than i was when i started this thirty pounds ago. i knew i was over weight, but i never thought i looked that bad. now i look at myself and think i look terrible. it goes back to what i was saying about the girl in the bikini on every cover of fitness magazine, it’s an impossible airbrushed standard that women are pressured into trying to achieve. i need to focus more on myself and what makes me happy. set my own standards and work to get there. do i want michelle obama’s arms? damn straight i do. do i want a flat belly? yes, more than that i want sculpted abs. once i get back from vacation i am going to start spending more time at the gym, and less time in front of the t.v. i’ll be starting back to school in january so who knows how much time i will have for working out then? plus it wouldn’t hurt to do a few extra crunches with christmas less than three months away.
once i finally break the 160’s i am going shopping. i am treating myself to one new workout outfit, once i reach my goal weight i’ll treat myself to one more. then maybe take off another five pounds, we’ll see. think i can do it by the end of the year?
According to Wikipedia, the Native Americans started using this as a target for teaching accuracy for hunting while in ancient Greece, the citizens used it as a form of exercise which is also what we commonly use it for today.
Yes, we are referring to the plastic loop that has evolved over the years. Introducing the new breed of highly intelligent waistline trimmer- Massaging Hula Hoops.
Similar to the traditional hoop, the massage hula hoop improves spine muscles, increases blood flow to brain and Yes! Yes! it helps you to keep you in shape too! Good shape, we mean.
Available at KETTLER #04-21, the amazing range of belly burners comes in 3 different sizes, suitable for all ages
Difficulty level increases with the size of the ball bearing. The bigger the ball bearings, the faster the stubborn layers of fats can be broken down and burnt.
Personal Fitness Trainer, Tony shared that the ball bearings act as a grip. “These massaging hula hoops are easier to master compared to the traditional ones that come in smooth surfaces.”
For best results, we were told that with 20-30mins daily exercises with these massage hula hoops, you will see evident results in a week. While this exercise helps to relief back pains and shoulder aches, those with spine problems should consult a doctor prior to using these hoops.
Here are some pictures to show the fun our shoppers had last weekend in our Hula Hoop challenge:
She did the hula hoop challenge on stage.. and kept it spinning for close to 5 mins... A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!!
Swimming is very unique activity that can be used for health, fitness or fun. It doesn’t require any special gear or equipment. Swimming can be a regular exercise, a warm up or cooling down activity with other exercises, or a social activity that can be enjoyed with family or friends.
Here are ten health and fitness benefits to motivate you to take up regular swimming:
Swimming involves the use of almost all the muscles required for movement, without the weight of your body pounding you with each move like when you are walking or running.
Swimming builds muscle strength, endurance, and cardiovascular fitness. The longer you swim, the more your endurance and speed improves.
Swimming improves the body’s use of oxygen and increases lung function, without overworking the heart.
Swimming stimulates circulation, and promotes proper breathing.
Swimming helps you sleep better.
Swimming burns calories at about 3 calories a mile per pound of body weight, so it helps maintain a healthy weight.
Swimming helps tone the upper arms, shoulders and legs.
Swimming doesn’t make you hot and sticky, as many other forms of exercise do.
Swimming is a great stress-buster. It relaxes the body and soothes the mind.
Swimming is a skill that can save your life, or help save someone else’s live.
Like any other sport or exercise, you can also use swimming to build discipline, enhance will power, increase competitiveness and improve your goal-setting skills.
[Photo taken by Salma when I jumped off the boat in Goa]
Well, not exactly. But according to Harvard scientist Dan Lieberman, it was a big factor in making you smart. Here’s his syllogism:
Starting about two million years ago, our ancestors’s ever increasing ability to run long distances gave them broader access to high quality sources of protein (that is, game meat); and
all this high quality meat-eating helped to “big brain” us (assisted the evolution of our large brains)
Got it? Good!
Oh, does this mean that vegetarianism (like, say, frequenting art museums) is a luxury—a boutique lifestyle born of advancing civilization—and that vegetarian practice in our earliest ancestors would have, in fact, consigned our species to the status of fruit-eating chimpanzees (in terms of brain power)?
It appears so.
This fact strikes me as a rather curious (and even stunning) illustration of contingency. You can’t possibly know, in the long run (pun intended), and often not even in the short run, what the consequences of your actions, however moral you imagine them, are likely to be. Dostoevsky’s novel, The Idiot, plays on this truth. The lead character acts like Jesus and at every turn messes up people’s lives in his “do-goodery.” And Kant said that since we cannot know the consequences of our actions, we may as well just do the “right thing” as opposed to the “wrong thing.”
But in terms of today, and with regard to vegetarianism, what’s the right thing? Welcome to the dilemmas and fogs of our human existence. What should we eat now, Mr. Long Distance Running Smarty Man?
I feel extremely fortunate (particularly in this turbulent economy) to work at a company where employees not only have health insurance, but also were encouraged to “get healthy” with a new wellness program that was initiated this spring.
After completing a total-body composition assessment, each employee was given a nice budget to use for a variety of get-healthy tools — including gym memberships, yoga or fitness classes, personal training sessions, weight loss programs, home gym equipment, smoking cessation, nutrition counseling, etc.
For people like me who already belonged to Weight Watchers and already had a gym membership, it was an awesome incentive to try something new. For example, I jumped at the opportunity to seek out a trainer for a few sessions, bought the P90X DVD system, and bought Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred DVD .
And for those who were not really active before, suddenly they had a reason to get healthier and/or become active. After all, it wasn’t going to cost anything but their own time and energy. Who could turn down an opportunity like that?!
As it turned out, not many. (We had close to 100 percent participation).
You should see my colleagues today! Several have seriously transformed themselves. They’ve lost weight, they’ve toned up, they’ve begun running or weight training … and the energy around the office is palpable.
Hell, there’s even a group of us now who were so inspired that we formed a lunch-time walking group. Now, we get bummed when there’s a conference call or meeting that gets in the way of our walk.
Of course, I realize that not every company has the means to offer a wellness program like ours — especially in this economy — and I realize I am very fortunate to work where I do.
The fact that my employer took the proactive route to invest in its employees’ health means a lot to me; mental and physical well-being are so very important, and these kinds of programs are often the first to go when it comes to cost-cutting.
That said, I am convinced that presenting employees with a program that encourages them to get healthy — without asking them to open their wallets — is one way for companies to save money and help Americans get fitter: lowering their risks for disease and illness. After all, healthy, active employees tend to be sick less often. And doesn’t that help every company’s bottom line?
No matter which side of the political aisle you stand, in light of this cluster of a health care debate here in the U.S., I think it’s safe to say that we know just how important wellness and prevention are. The benefits of exercising, eating right, getting enough sleep, etc., extend to every aspect of our overall well-being and have trickle-down effects to our performance at work.
I don’t have stats to back up how much our company has saved in health-care costs this year, but I do know that having an incentive to get healthy inspired us … and I hope it’s a program that continues next year, as well.
How about you? Does your company have a wellness program and if so, has the craptastic economy changed it? Do you participate? Would you participate if your company offered one? Can you suggest one?
Thanks to Apriori, aging skin is a thing of the past. Finally, a youthful appearance can now be achieved at home without a visit to the dermatologist!
Science meets nature with this non-invasive, in-home treatment that combines the benefits of the Nutrient Reservoir™ from the Precision Skin Rejuvenator and the latest in skin care technology; The Dermafirm Illimunitor™ (about the size of a cell phone) that stimulates with multiple methods, not just one!
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This patent-pending treatment system delivers beneficial age advantage nutrients into the upper most layers of the skin, visibly smoothes fine lines and wrinkles, increases collagen production to visibly enhance skins firmness, reduces Inflammation, visibly reduces large pores, and improves the appearance of sun-damaged skin.
kind of a redundant question isn’t it? right now you’re scratching your head and thinking to yourself, she’s really gone off the deep end now. i went jogging the other day. that’s right i said jogging. you run for thirty seconds then walk for four and half minutes and slowly build up your time, increasing your running intervals and decreasing your walking time. it was my first time out, armed with my new stopwatch, i set out for the bike/hike trail near my house. i did three intervals before it started to rain lightly, i started heading back and by the fourth interval it was pouring down rain, i did one more interval before walking home. by this time i was soaked.
i had my session with leslie that day, i did an hour of weights and abs and then went home and jogged. did you ever think i would say that? two knee surgeries and three years later i am running through the woods, timing myself in a downpour. my one year anniversary with jenny craig is coming up next week, and i still have a ways to go before reaching my goal weight. i have no one to blame but myself. i have another holiday season to get through while dieting. but i am determined to get there.
while running in the rain, i was reminded on an old goldie hawn movie, anyone remember the movie the wildcats? goldie is angry because her students broke her father’s stopwatch. they have no respect for her as a female football coach. she challenges them to a contest. all the teenage boys (watch for woody harrelson) are running by her, hotdoggin’ it. slowly but surely they drop one by one until the last man is down. goldie takes it one step at a time, putting one foot in front of the other. slow and steady wins the race. not only can i apply this to my jogging, and my weight loss, but it also applies to my finances and my overall life plan in general. slow and steady wins the race.
every day i must make a choice, to work out, to work hard, to eat right, to stick to the plan. i don’t always make the right choices but i believe i will get there. i weigh in tomorrow and hope for better results this week. i’ll let you know next week how it goes.
YEAH!!! I finally was able to get back to Crossfit. Thank goodness. For a true non-gym rat, I do really enjoy going to the Crossfit gym. Why do I like it? It is similar to me. Not real fancy, but very reliable and a little old school. Yep, that works for me. So today’s WOD was fairly simple, 1 mile run for time. Now as a little background is needed here. Some years back I was doing some running on a regular basis. Like most Crossfit exercises, running requires very little equipment. It really only needs shoes. Well, I was running and continued for a while, but then, I got an injury on my foot. Initially I thought it was just a pulled muscle. I continued to run because after I started the pain started to fade and then I was fine. Then one day, the pain, especially in the morning, was SO bad that I could not walk to the bathroom. I had to crawl on my hands and knees from my bed to the bathroom. I could put no pressure on my foot at all. Still after a while, it would be ok but this was definitely not normal and I went to a doctor. He stated that I have partial shredding of a tendon which goes from the ball of the foot to the heel. The pain was amazingly bad and he remedy was to put ice on it and wait. That’s it. Ice and time. Lovely. Well since then I have been very cautious about running. But the WOD was running so, I was running. We actually had a small debate if we should run or go 2k of rowing. I encouraged us to run. Yep the guy with the painful memory said let’s run. So out we go. I knew I would be last of the group (I think there were 6 of us). I am by far the most out of shape. I was keeping pace with Sarah for about 1/4 of a mile but then she started to pull away. I only walked about 5 steps which I thought was pretty good. My time was 10:05. I was hoping to not break 10, but as I had no real reference I guess 10:05 is ok. The hard part of the run was the breathing. The air quality in LA is really bad right now. There is a fire in the near vicinity and after the run my throat hurt, bad. It felt like I swallowed glass. Still hurts now.
Oh, and after the run, I decided to continue the work out and I did 5 pull ups followed by 20 sit ups. I did 5 reps of these. My stomach was tight so I had to be careful about the stomach cramp.
The first part of the workout however was the left test. We ran that 3 times. Since the second rep was shorter I will skip that time. My first run was 24.30 and my second was 24.33. I was pleased with this. The hard part believe it or not was the last part, the sprint. The transition was difficult to execute correctly to get the most out of it.
Now as you have seen, I have had some difficultly in being able to make the time to exercise. I still have my weigh in tomorrow morning though. So to help compensate I have worked more on my diet. I have finished the zone, and I am going to re-read some parts. In a nutshell, to eat appropriately on the zone have a lean piece of protein surrounded by veggies. The protein should be about the size of your palm. Ok I can follow that. Based on my preliminary weigh ins, I should be in good shape for tomorrow. But the midnight twinkie fairy needs to stay away.
Now here is an interesting factiod. Although I am still getting tired and pooped after the workout, I am recovering much faster. I assume that all goes hand-in-hand, but it is interesting.
Well, that is it for today. Wish me luck for tomorrow’s weigh in!
I have this theory that anything that’s good for the planet is good for your health as well. You’ve heard it all before: ditching the car, eating organic greens, and drinking tap water are all great ways to maintain your well-being. But did you know that adding a little green to your workout routine can actually bump it its effectiveness and your subsequent sexiness? Read on, my friend…
Treadmill vs. Trail: Treadmills use a lottt of energy – about 6 hours of lights on a Christmas tree-worth in only 30 minutes (obscure analogy, I know). Running outside, however, requires no additional energy except for that needed to manufacture your workout clothes. I don’t expect you to run outside just for the environment’s sake, but what if I told you that running outside can up your calorie burn and save your joints from strain and impact? Not only are trails more likely to have inclines that torch calories like a wildfire, they also have a bumpier terrain which causes your muscles to make tiny corrective movements. All in all, this can increase your calorie burn by up to 10%! Run on sand, and burn 1.6 times more calories! Plus, dirt trails, wet and dry sand, and even asphalt (never run on the concrete sidewalk!) are softer than the surface of treadmills and will better protect your knees and ankles from impact and future joint pain. Trust me, running in nature sure beats trotting alongside that 50 year old man sweating like a pig in his 1976 gym shorts.
StairMaster vs. Real Stairs: Like treadmills, StairMasters use a lot of energy to simulate the effect of…stairs. I don’t know where you live, but where I’m from, stairs are not exactly a rare site. Spare yourself the pricey gym membership and the unbecoming fluorescent lighting and hit your nearest sport stadium. Depending on your weight, running stairs for 30 minutes can burn around 500 calories while 30 minutes of the StairMaster burns a measly 300 (hey, that’s an extra scoop of ice cream right there!). You can also use the stairs as a forum for strength exercises, like this one from Women’s Health. Plus, there’s always the added benefit of “accidentally” running the stairs at the exact same time as the football team…
Free Weights vs. Resistance Bands: Of course, both free weights and resistance bands take energy to manufacture and distribute. However, think about the difference between buying an entire set of dumbbells and buying one or two resistance bands. Not only is it better for the environment, but it is also a lot cheaper for us poor college students. Unlike free weights, resistance bands challenge your muscles on both the flex and the release, increasing your muscle stability and strengthening tiny muscles that you didn’t even know existed. You can use them in various exercises and you can control how hard the exercise is based on your form and the positioning of the band.
If you find that your band is too easy for you, just run on over to your local sporting goods store and buy one with higher resistance for about 15 bucks. Plus, they’re super portable so that you can take them with you on that binge drink-a-thon spring break you have planned. Don’t know how to get started? Head to Fitness Magazine’s website and check out their plethora of resistance band workouts.
Of course there are so many other green exercises you can do! Using your body as resistance instead of using weight machines, biking or walking to class instead of driving, and taking fitness classes instead of using the machines are all great examples. Let me know what you do to keep the planet cool and your body hot!
Statuesque Muscle: Strapping Shelly Howard poses during a shoot in Cleveland. She's coming soon to the studio!
It’s been several years since the last time Shelly Howard competed in a fitness show, but it appears as though the versatile 39-year-old — who has tried everything from bodybuilding to obstacle course events since she began training over ten years ago — might be poised to don a new pair of athletic shoes, practice some flips and strength holds, and polish off a fresh routine for a fitness return in 2010.
The 5-foot-7 personal trainer and mom first sampled fitness while living in Okinawa, Japan with her husband, a United States Marine. Shelly did well in the physique rounds but against women with more gymnastics skills struggled in the routine rounds. She moved on to figure in 2002.
Shelly placed well in national-level shows recently — fourth at the Jr USAs and sixth at Nationals last year — but hasn’t quite reached her goal.
Concrete Bicep: A flex and smile from pretty Shelly.
Last month at the North Americans, where our cameras caught up with her for a photoshoot, she was achingly close to winning the Masters class — and a pro card — but had to settle instead for third.
Still, Shelly remains optimistic, writing confidently on her excellent blog — drama and palpable tension unfold there as she traces the weeks leading up to a show, mingling insight with emotion — that this is the best shape she has ever been in.
And looking at her pictures, it’s easy to agree that Shelly’s hard work and tireless dedication have paid off splendidly. Who knows? Come next year, the second time around in fitness could be the charm.
We are now only accepting registration for the Wed. Basic Burlesque Class at 6:15. The classes on Tues. and Thurs. will not be running this session. Please only register for the Wed. Basic class.
In addition to the new 4 week basic session, we have a costume workshop on Sept. 26…
Class is 1-2:30pm with award winning costume designer Renea LeRoux, from Atlanta. Bring a notebook and questions. $25 – Register here on the website or in person at the studio.
Well, the biggest misconception is that a diet program will kick off the excess weight. However, the reality lies in one’s attitude and behavior towards eating habits and exercise. Changing old habits is really tough for many.
Q. What are the most common comments women make about weight loss?
Does this dress suit me? (It means, does it make me look slim and appealing?)
Have I put on weight? (It means, I know but does it show to others as well?)
You have lost weight (It means, you are looking slim and good).
You have lost too much weight (It means, I can’t let you get away with looking good for a long time, so why I shouldn’t make a remark?)
Comments on weight are common among women because they manage to hit women where it hurts more. Well, I don’t still understand why people make comments on others about their body size – everyone has got a mirror in which he or she can see oneself.
As a Personal Trainer for Women here in San Diego, I come across many different types of clients with very different weight loss needs. Usually the most common trouble area for Women is the abdominal region. Whether you are post-natal, obese, or wanting a six-pack you can benefit from abdominal training. But do all abdominal exercises work for everyone?
Not all types of abdominal exercises are beneficial for everyone.
This is where a lot of trainers go wrong. These are the things that you don’t learn from a certification or book. Through working with different body types and situations, you learn what works best for the client.
For me, it’s like choreographing a dance…you have to see how the client moves before creating the perfect workout for them. Just like a choreographer would not give a dancer a step that they can’t move through fluidly, a Personal Trainer should not give a client an exercise that does not work for their body. Your average Personal Trainer does not have a creative eye for this.
For example; A Woman who is looking to get back in shape after having a child would have a way different set of abdominal exercises than the aspiring Female Bodybuilder looking to get a six-pack. One may focus on the deeper transverse abdominal muscle engagement while the other may do exercises with weights.
Is your trainer giving you nothing but crunches that pull and cramp your neck? If so, then it is time to find a new trainer. Your trainer should be able to design a program for you that efficiently works the areas you are trying to target without doing damage to another region of the body.
So my point? When embarking upon a new abdominal strengthening routine make sure you hire a trusted and proven fitness trainer who is able to create a custom abdominal program for your body’s specific needs.
Committed to Your Health,
Nikol Klein, Certified Personal Trainer/Professional Ballet Dancer
like the title says, finished my first week. cutting one day so i can start the routine tomorrow on monday so it coordinates with the schedule. took it easy today, got trashed last night and i felt really slothy all day but still went to ride and practiced half-assedly. my wrists are really fucking frustrating and i think im just gonna buy a brace, do wrist workouts, and practice ground power for a longgg time until they are healed again. i miss full functionality =(
i guess i realized im gonna probably sign up for a english teaching job to get into tw and be able to stay for a long time so ive already revised my resume and sent it out to one school already. gotta take care of my school withdrawl tomorrow and get a graduation letter.
anyways, bout to watch the first ep of the wire!!! heard so many good things…
Here I am, a blogger. A new foray for me, but what better way to get the word out to the masses. I am an unlikely blogger, as I am a huge procrastinator, but that’s also one of the reasons I waited until I was turning 40 to take off all the weight I started accumulating as a kid. I’m a big saver, too, a pack-rat, if you will. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize that when I was “saving” all that weight, I was losing myself in the process. So at the age of 40, I decided to find “me”.
Honestly my procrastination issues have gotten much better, and I don’t feel the need to save things as much as I did (both people and things), but as they say – old habits die hard, and I work at keeping in shape and honing my organizational skills every day. But I’m a Certified Personal Trainer, a Health Empowerment Coach…I help people set goals and get results. Yep, my double-edged sword. My life experience makes me great at what I do. It also keeps me working at it just as hard as the people I work with. I have the same triggers, issues, and concerns I’ve always had. The only difference between then and now is how I look at them and how I deal with them.
My journey from then til now?… Well that’s a story I shall unfold, and hopefully this blog will make others realize that the journey is MORE meaningful than the destination. Even when you’ve “arrived”, aren’t there always further places to go? Absofreakinlutely!!! See ya soon!
She might have been some thirteen-hundred miles away from home, but Danielle Kifer was in a New York state of mind — and flawless state of body — at Team Universe last night.
The 33-year-old figure competitor from just outside New Orleans won the D-class Saturday in Manhattan, turning pro in her first show since taking fourth at last year’s Nationals.
Joining the always striking Danielle were Yenny Polanco, fitness short class champ, and Ann Titone, who claimed the second pro card from figure class C.
It was the second consecutive year the studio turned a triple play at Team U with NPC hopefuls becoming new IFBB stars. Last year, our own Jo Marriner and Rose Hendricks earned a pair of fitness pro cards and Jennifer Toth one for figure.
New IFBB figure pro Ann Titone
Some other highlights included medium class fitness winner Lauren DeNapoli, a last-minute crossover from figure whose smashing debut in the division comes sans a lengthy gymnastics resume; Ariel Khadr, who finished second in the short class and quickly usurps fellow teenager and friend Victoria Larvie as the youngest-ever IFBB pro; overall fitness winner Kayde Puckett, a red-headed firecracker who stole the show with her signature routine, an athletic and inventive homage to the movie “Kill Bill”; and finally, in perhaps the strangest and funniest twist of the night, there were two bikini competitors who earned pro cards just for showing up.
So I have been attempting to find the time to get back in to the gym. No dice, until today. Over a week without going there. Yikes. I was able to squeeze one work out in during the past week on Sunday. That’s it. Pretty bad. Still I keep weighing myself. And since yesterday was the official weigh in day, I was….254. Same as last week. Not bad I figure since I have been way behind on my work outs. What I have tried to focus on is my eating. I have noticed that on the days that I focus on using the Zone techniques, I don’t have the 3:00 food coma. I have much more energy throughout the day. So that is a plus. I did weigh myself today just to see how things were going. I am currently at 252. Very good given that I have not really worked out in a week.
I did have an opportunity to work out today. I did Cindy. And I did a full 6 rounds. While that may not sound like much, it is one more exercise than I did before. Very positive in my opinion. Now here is the funny. My wife is taking a class so I am on Daddy day care duty. I was determined to work out so I told them we were going to daddy’s gym. They needed to be quiet (or play in a specific location) while I worked out. For the most part they were really good (I should get them a treat of some sort). At one point they started to walk around and I stated that because they were going around the gym (remember Crossfit has stuff that is moving, people, weights, etc) they owed me 10 push ups and 10 sit ups. They didn’t move from the designated location afterwards. Now, I also tricked my knee somehow. It feels funny when I have my heel touch my butt. I amo going to put some ice on it and see what happens.
OH, one more thing. I made a dinner for my wife yesterday. Talapia, marinated in white wine, italian seasoning, over asparagus, and fresh veggies. She loved it and even the kids ate it. That is a home run!!!
Es importante el buen calzado para ejercitarnos. A la hora de elegir debemos tener en cuenta el rendimiento, la comodidad y la amortiguación que nos ofrece. Es importante dejar de lado el gusto, el color o si el modelo está a la moda.
Si es para salir a correr, hay tres puntos a tener en cuenta: El primero es el tipo de carrera que se quiere hacer, luego la superficie en la que se realizará y, por último, la distancia a recorrer.
Atención: ¡No estrenes calzado el dÃa del evento!
El calzado debe:
- Sujetar bien el pie para impedir movimientos involuntarios.
KNOXX fully supports Cung Le’s decision and wishes him much continued success on his new career in acting. Check out his next movie, Pandorum, coming to theaters near you on Sept 25th!
Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker Thursday confirmed to MMAWeekly.com that his middleweight champion, Cung Le, has booked another major motion picture role and will relinquish his belt.
Jake Shields and Jason “Mayhem” Miller will now vie for the undisputed title under the eye of CBS when the two meet at the promotion’s network debut Nov. 7 at location to be announced early next week. A report on ESPN.com says the Sears Center Arena in Chicago is under intense consideration, citing sources close to the situation. The telecast will air live from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET. Coker was unaware whether the broadcast would be tape delayed to other parts of the country.
“I had a conversation with Cung and he has a lot of respect for Jake and Jason, and he’s got another movie coming up, so he’s asked me if he could step down, which we’re going to honor his request,” said Coker. “By no means does that mean he’s going to be retired, but he’s going to be unavailable for the next two months.”
Coker said he hoped to book the newly minted movie star again after his filming obligations are completed, though nothing was confirmed.
“With Cung, every six weeks we’ll be checking back with him,” he continued. “Now that he’s not going to be our title holder, we’ll put him in some big super fights and continue his MMA career, but not have the pressure of defending his belt when he has movie opportunities.”
COMING SOON! A NEW LOCATION!
Biggest Winner has a new location and it will soon be time to sign up for our popular Holiday Challenge!
The Holiday Challenge is an 12-Week Session that spans both Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, to help you stay in shape, look great and fight the dreaded holiday weight gain. Last year was a blast and we have lots of fun activities planned for this year as well. Hope to see your smiling face!
COME BACK SOON FOR THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT! For more information contact Teri at teri@thebiggestwinnerchallenge.com.
I ran some of my bootcamp folks through a number of conditioning drills this week using a variety of sportbands. These babies are not the ones you get from the local sporting goods store. You get them online from places like Iron Woody Fitness. They vary in resistance from a few pounds up to 200+ pounds. They are the great equalizer when it comes to resistance training. Use the right band with the right exercise and it will challenge absolutely ANYONE. I guarantee that.
One of my favorite movements is the Sportband Squat. It’s an awesome drill for developing strength, power and endurance in the legs. Trust me when I say it’s a lot harder than it looks. Here’s how it’s performed:
Step inside a sportband and secure it under both feet placed shoulder width apart.
Loop the other end of the band over the head and allow it to rest on the shoulders behind the neck.
Bend the knees and press the hips backward, lowering the body to a 90 degree bend at the knee.
Extend the legs and stand upright, keeping the eyes and head forward and the back in stable position.
To see a video of the sportband squat from they Hybrid Fitness video library, click here.
START:
FINISH:
A little resistance can actually go a long way with this drill, so keep that in mind when you give it a shot. Start light and progress up as your strength allows.
More great sportband drills and a big announcement or two forthcoming so keep checking back!
Until next time, keep training hard!
Jason www.hybridfitness.tv www.blackjackfitness.com
On July 11, 2009 Cal Nutrasciences (CNI) launched a new era in weight loss and weight management in beautiful La Jolla, CA. Cal Nutrasciences (CNI) headquartered in Carlsbad, CA had spent several months in product development and testing.
The company has produced a unique product line called CORE 4. It is specifically designed to work on the “core” or the stomach area of the body. There are actually 4 products that work “synergistically” or together to allow fast and effective weight loss. CNI is owned and managed by Paul Gravette and Ray Grimm who both have over 30 years experience in the weight loss industry. Paul and Ray wanted to develop a product that would allow one to continue eating the foods that are enjoyable, without deprivation or denial, and still achieve effective weight loss.
After extensive field tests and thousands of customer testimonials, CORE 4 has delivered superb results. The product line is available through a distributor network which saves the company millions of dollars in advertising costs. The costs savings are passed on to the consumer, resulting in a very affordable product, much less than rival competitors. Distributors are paid to promote the product through a commission based compensation plan. The compensation plan was also developed in such a way, that a motivated and aggressive entrepreneur is able to make an executive level income.
For more information about Cal Nutrasciences, please visit
http:// www.irepcni.net/cnitexas
Myth #1 – Eating after 8:00 pm will cause weight gain.
FALSE. It doesn’t matter what time you eat but rather your daily total consumption and physical activity throughout the day. The basic formula for weight loss is to burn more calories than consumed. This can be done by reducing daily caloric intake, increasing physical activity or the most effective way – incorporating both methods for desired loss. No matter what time of day you eat, your body will store EXTRA calories as fat. This could be late at night or throughout the day. This is why it’s so important to practice portion control.
If you need to have a small snack before bedtime, grab something healthy like an apple, a handful of nuts or a cup of plain popcorn. Just don’t condemn yourself for eating past a certain time.
I was out of town for the weekend so I didn’t have much opportunity to work out. Still did a Mindy though. 4 rounds of burpees, push ups and sit ups. The hotel bed was really bad though and I was in pretty bad pain for the remainder of the day. Really hard to stand straight.
Went to a Neighborhood watch meeting tonight, have a church meeting tomorrow and I think the wife has something on Wednesday. Not sure when I might be able to get work out time.
Weighed myself today though, 255. Not bad given everything. I wouldn’t be surprised if I went up a pound from last week. I did the work out a day early and I am normally pretty drained after a work out. (Go figure..).
Have I got a treat for you? You bet your not-too-revealing running shorts I do! The following is A Runner’s Delight’s very first guest-blog post!
Angie just wrapped up living in Australia and is currently traveling around Europe before heading back to California. She maintains her own travel blog and dream blog, Euro Angie and California Dreaming, and considers herself the antithesis of a delighted runner. In this post, she writes about her motivation for working out despite the fact that it’s probably not in her top thirty list of ways to spend forty minutes of her day, which makes me respect her more than someone for whom being physically active comes naturally. She’s witty, she’s articulate, and she’s even more fun than making bird houses out of milk cartons! Enjoy!
Just Enough Exercise…
…to not get fat. That was the motto that I quoted to Alicia when she proposed the idea of guest posting on her blog. I think it pointedly summarizes both my goals and my motivation for exercise in my life. Hello, my name is Angie and I’m old friends with Alicia, dating all the way back to Mrs. Doxy’s third grade class at Highland Elementary. After congratulating Alicia for publishing a couple articles on other websites (by way of whining that I haven’t been invited to post anywhere other than my own blogs – shameless plug), she kindly and maturely invited me to write a guest post on her blog – exciting! The only problem left is that this is a written homage to the joys and love of running, which I technically loathe.
So why would I accept an offer to guest write on a runner’s blog? Well, aside from the simple fact that I would write about nearly anything just to hear the sound of my own typing, I also do think I have something valuable to offer Alicia’s fair readers. What I would like to address are the different ways that a person who has no inclination, ability, or desire to exercise can manage to incorporate such an activity into their daily lives. I would like to discuss – disclose, really – the secret methods that I have devised to trick myself into keeping myself reasonably fit.
First, let’s address what I’m up against. Since I clearly do not know the exercise habits of each of Alicia’s readers, I can only hope that every one of you isn’t spectacularly toned and in tip-top shape and may experience some of these issues as well. I will assume, for the sake of the validity of this post, that some of you are slightly less excited about fitness than our beloved host. That at this very moment, you yourself are perhaps munching a tasty treat that is not terribly nutritious or are sprawled on your couch for the night with no plans to participate in anything more physical than a jaunt over to the tv stand to pick out a dvd. Not that I wish poor health or lack of motivation onto any of you – on the contrary – I simply would like to suggest some solutions that I have found to work, as a person faced with these sorts of issues. And, selfishly, I hope that one or two of you can relate to my lack of desire to exercise, or at least find it amusing.
So, why don’t I want to exercise more? Upon analysis, I believe these are my main problems:
1. I was blessed with relatively good genes. My stick-figure-body from childhood has matured into a normal-sized* woman body. This may seem like a good thing – and it generally is – but it provides little motivation to keep fit. Why work hard when I already look just fine? Which brings me to my 2nd point:
2. I am decently satisfied with the way that I look. Again, another good thing, but it’s not providing any driving force to change how I look via exercise. I mean, how much better can I really look (with a wink in the mirror)?
3. To move away from the shallower motivations, exercising does not make me feel any better. I try to pretend like it does, but it really doesn’t. I don’t feel refreshed, recharged, nor do I have appear to have any more energy in my daily life as a result.
4. I am not particularly good at anything physical. I’ve never been horrible at sports, but I am the worst runner who has ever lived (no, really, it’s embarrassing) and I’m not really gifted at anything in particular (exercise-related only – I am excellent at other things, I assure you).
5. And finally, it hurts to exercise. I’m a huge baby and lifting weights, jogging, biking – whatever – is painful and doesn’t really seem to get any better for me over time.
So, with all this working against me, what have I done to overcome these obstacles and do what I know my body needs? Well, that’s the start of it – I know, both from common sense and from the unstoppable spread of information and knowledge that is the age of technology, that exercise is good for me. No matter that my body and mind don’t really appreciate my efforts, I know it’s upkeeping all the bits and pieces stored neatly beneath my skin and helping to fuel them for a longer, healthier life. It’s a bit of a case of use it or lose it – I want this body, damn it, so I gotta use it!
That’s my first smidgen of motivation to keep fit – the fact that I should. But, this is not really enough to get me off the couch and into running shoes, which is why I have devised several other methods to trick myself into doing what I ought to. Though they seem contradictory, I make sure to get into a routine but remember to change it up. By routine, I mean a time of day or days of the week; a class or a set schedule. This has had many incarnations for me: volleyball with friends on Thursdays, going to the gym after work three days a week, exercise classes on my lunch break, etc. The point is, I need to find a way to put exercise in my list of things required to do in a week, right along with eating, working, and sleeping. If I don’t convince myself that it’s a necessity and give it appropriate time and priority, then it gets overlooked. So I have had to incorporate it as such and get comfortable with this additional living requirement.
Another problem that I have, which, I believe, even avid athletes compete with, is the threat of monotony. A routine gets boring and that’s all there is to it. So, while keeping a good handle on including exercise in my days, I also need to make sure to vary my activities enough that I don’t start to completely hate (and hence avoid) them. Since I’ve moved around every couple years for the past while, this really hasn’t been a problem. A new gym is always fun to join and moving around to different gym equipment is a good way to keep interest from waning. At gyms, there are always different classes to try (when I feel like showing other people how bad I am at things). And then there’s always the possibility of Going Outside. This is a whole other topic for another day, but hiking or outdoor sports can be fun if you find the right people and the right pace. Change it up and keep it up!
Next for me is to remember not to be too hard on myself. If I give continual effort during a workout or during a month of workouts, I’m not afraid to allow myself some slack. Some weeks I can skip a visit to the gym to get off work early or cut a workout short if I’m having a bad day. It’s so much easier for me to stay dedicated to something that I don’t feel constantly guilty and disappointed about. If I never felt like I was giving enough, I would be tempted to give up all together which wouldn’t help anything. If I’m attending regular workouts and my pants still fit, I’ll be happy even if I’m not giving 100% every time. Be happy with what you can offer yourself and find your own balance to your own life!
And lastly, one of the most difficult items to address: do not be afraid. Change is difficult for everyone. If you’re not used to exercising or have never used a gym, starting up can be daunting, or even repelling. It took me ages to gather the courage to join a gym and parade myself around in front of all the ridiculous hard bodies as I fumble with equipment that isn’t clear whether it’s meant for my arms or legs. I’ve only tried a few fitness classes and when I did I was mortified each time I didn’t know what move they were doing or where I was supposed to sit. But, really, who cares. I’m doing this for myself not anyone else. And it’s not as if anyone will remember that tall blond girl who couldn’t work the hamstring machine correctly, you know? If you’re overweight it must be rather unnerving to be at a gym (I can guess since my modest love handles feel a bit like saddlebags as soon as I’m around all these trim, tan bodies), but who can fault you for trying? The exact reason that you’d be afraid of people making fun of you is the thing you’re tending to by being there! Relax, forget about other people, and do what you need to do to feel comfortable giving your body what it needs.
So, that’s it. I have been a dedicated gym-goer for over three years now. Granted I’ve never had a set workout, I’ve been a member at three different gyms, and any given workout is never more than one hour (usually 45 mins for me!), but I’m doing something. I will never look as good as I could and I probably couldn’t outrun an 8-year old, but I’m making an effort and contributing steadily to the maintenance of this body that I hope to have for many years to come. For me it will always be an uphill battle, but certainly one worth exercising for.
*I am aware that there is controversy over what is “normal-sized”, especially for females. I am 5′-8” tall and 140 pounds. Size 10 pants, size 10 shoes. I’m in no danger of being asked to be in a calendar photo shoot, but I am also probably never referred to as “that chubby girl”. I consider myself pleasantly thin with some junk in the trunk. Just FYI.
It’s official. If you want to live 100 years you have to move to Okinawa. Okay I made that up but it is true that Okinawa has the highest percentage of centenarians in the world at about 52 in 100,000. That’s one of the many things you will learn by reading the article linked below which is in fact a pretty interesting article.
You can read the article yourself for the full story but what I want to talk about is something different. I want to talk about how centenarians tie into the current health care debate going on in America. Amongst all the fear mongering of a government take over of the health system and communist infiltrators destroying the country there is a legitimate debate going on over how to reduce costs, which considering the escalating costs of health care is something that needs to take place. Both the Democrats, led by Obama, and the Republicans have plans out for how they would reform the heath care system. Obama’s plan to reduce costs involves the creation of a public insurance plan for private companies to compete with, cutting waste in the Medicare system and emphasizing preventive care to catch diseases before they advance. The Republican plan seems to chiefly revolve around tort reform.
The problem is that, according to experts, neither plan seems like it would decrease health care costs all that much. According to the Congressional Budget Office medical malpractice costs make up less than 2 percent of all health care spending so any reform in tort law is unlikely to produce the kind of savings everyone is looking for. As for Obama: driving down costs with competition sounds great but there is no guarantee, the same goes for cutting waste in Medicare and while preventive care will certainly save lives studies show that it fails to save money, since many of the tests that would be used to catch diseases early would be given to people who would never have developed the disease.
The thing is, neither plan address were most of the spending in medicine takes place: the elderly. Estimates for the amount spent on health care for those over 65 go as high as 60% of total costs and it’s no secret why. The elderly are much more likely to suffer from a number of crippling degenerative diseases (Alzheimers, osteoporosis, diabetes) which rather than kill them quickly, which is horrible and cheap, kill them slowly, which is horrible and expensive. The cost of keeping the elderly alive is where most health care costs come from and this is what makes centenarians so interesting.
According to this article and other research, centenarians avoid many of the degenerative disease that afflict those who die slightly younger and are able, in many cases, to live independently till the day they die. The reason for this is simply that those who make it to the extremes of old age are the strongest and fittest, able to resist the damaging effects of aging better than there counterparts. While lifestyle certainly plays a part in this (the article mentions diet, exercise, “psycho-spiritual” and social as contributing factors) centenarians also seem to possess a genetic advantage over the rest of us, as evidence by the fact that the various centenarian hot spots around the globe tend to be isolated island communities with a large amount of inbreeding. Centenarians may indeed hold the secret to longevity and health in there DNA and that is where the focus of health care should be.
You want to cut costs in health care Mr. President, start funding anti-aging research. Find every centenarian you can and turn their genetic code inside out, look at every substance that shows the slightest promise of halting aging, because if we can slow aging even the smallest bit the implications could be enormous. Leaving aside the benefits people would experience by living longer and healthier lives (which I assume I don’t need to go into,) the savings in costs would be tremendous. Every degenerative disease, which as I said are the ones that cost us the most money to treat, is either caused or is made worse by one thing: aging. Cure that and you go a long way towards curing them all.
I will finish this by responding to a counter argument I’m sure some of you are making. “Sure, all this sounds good but it won’t do anything to reduce costs now.” You are right. This will not in any way help to reduce costs in the immediate future and as such needs to be only one part, though a large part, of any plan to fix our health care system. But if we think what we have now is bad, we haven’t seen anything yet. The baby boomers are on the brink of retirement and with today’s medical technology stand to live even longer than the generation before them. If we start this research now, we may just be ready for them when the time comes.
WHAT ARE PHYTOS? Have you had your phytos today? That’s nutri-talk for the nineties. Once upon a time it was thought that fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals were all the nutrients necessary for growth and health. Now we know there’s another group of nutrients necessary for optimal health – phytonutrients. Despite its high tech ring, “phytonutrient” (from the Greek phyton for “plant”) simply means a “nutrient from a plant.”Molecular science is finally confirming what mother always told us: “Eat your fruits and vegetables.” As you will soon learn, the power-packed nutrients that give fruits and vegetables their many colors also provide a lot of Mother Nature’s medicine.
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4 WAYS PHYTOS ARE HEALTH FOOD
While there are many phytos that have been identified, there are probably thousands more that remain to be discovered. The best known phytos are carotenoids, flavonoids, and isoflavones. Carotenoids include yellow, orange, and red pigment in fruits and vegetables. Dark, green, leafy vegetables are rich in the carotenoid, beta carotene, but the usual yellow color is masked by the chlorophyll, the green pigment in the vegetables. Flavonoids are reddish pigments, found in red grape skins and citrus fruits, and isoflavones can be found in peanuts, lentils, soy, and other legumes. You’re familiar with vitamins, now we have “phytomins,” which are less familiar, but equally important, health-promoting substances in food.
1. Phytos protect the body and fight disease. One day while I was watching my garden grow, I wondered how plants stay so healthy. They don’t wear sunscreen or a raincoat; they don’t go to the doctor. The answer: they make their own disease-fighting chemicals we call phytochemicals – phytos for short. The same phytos that help keep the plant healthy keep our bodies healthy. Phytos provide medicine for cell health. They help the cells repair themselves by stimulating the release of protective enzymes or those that rebuild damaged cells. Other phytos inhibit cancer-producing substances, reducing their ability to damage cells. When the repair squad can stay ahead of the damage, degenerative diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and arthritis, can’t get started. Phytos also keep cancer and cardiovascular disease in check.
2. Phytos fight cancer. Cancer starts with a cell out of control. As cells wear out or get injured, they replace themselves with new and healthy cells. Within each cell a network of inner controls (the DNA) keeps this process in check. But with this cellular cloning happening millions of times a minute, there are many opportunities for an occasional cell to defy the rules and get out of control. It may go on reproducing itself, eventually damaging the organ of which it is a part. Like a band of terrorists, the out-of- control cancer cells also try to infiltrate other organs by entering the body’s blood vessels and traveling to places near and far, a devilish process called metastasis. Some cancer cells are probably formed in every person every day. Yet the body’s own defense system recognizes these invaders and attacks. Almost always, the body wins the battle, so that these cancer cells either never have a chance to develop, or they are destroyed before they have a chance to spread or cause damage. Occasionally, the body’s defenses aren’t strong or effective enough to overcome these rebellious cells, and the person “gets cancer.”
Phytos fight on the side of the body. Carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) can enter the body from all kinds of sources: tobacco smoke, pollution, pesticides, or just plain bad luck. Carcinogens attempt to enter cells and change how they develop. But antioxidant phytos nab the carcinogens before they have a chance to cause cancer in the cell. If the carcinogen manages to infiltrate the internal controls of the cell, other kinds of phytos help to shut down the precancerous cell so it does not multiply into a gang and overrun the neighborhood. This phyto protective mechanism explains why cultures whose diets are rich in plant foods have the lowest rates of cancer. The Mediterranean diet, for example, emphasizes garlic, tomatoes, onions, fruits, whole grains, and olive oil – all of which contain cancer-fighting phytos.
Phytos seem to be the most cancer protective against epithelial cells, those that form the lining of organs, such as the mouth, lungs, bladder, uterus, and digestive tract. These cells are the ones most exposed to carcinogens. They also have a rapid turnover rate, meaning they’re replaced often. Even though there are anticancer phytos in all plant foods, those found in fruits and vegetables seem to be the most powerful. It’s not only what fruits and vegetables contain that make them effective cancer-fighters, but it’s also what they don’t contain-saturated fats and chemical pollutants frequently found in animal foods.
3. Phytos help hearts. Antioxidant phytos can interfere with the damaging effects of LDL cholesterol on arteries. LDLs, the bad cholesterol, become harmful after an encounter with a free radical, during which they are oxidized. And when artery walls are damaged by free radicals, it’s easier for oxidized LDLs to build up there. Antioxidant phytos, especially beta carotene, can block this process and thus prevent cardiovascular disease.
NUTRITIP
Is Alcohol Good for Your Health?
The studies claiming longevity and better health for wine drinkers should be taken with a grain of salt. It’s likely that the health benefits were due to the antioxidant properties of the red grape skins rather than the wine itself. The harmful effects of potentially excess alcohol on health may far outweigh the benefits of moderate intake. Better to eat a handful of red grapes or blueberries than drink a glass of wine if it’s health you’re after.
4. Phytos boost immunity. Phytos, such as carotenoids and flavonoids, mobilize the body’s immune cells, called natural killer cells and helper-T cells. These act like a protective armor to keep invading pollutants and germs from entering the cell.
ALL ABOUT ANTIOXIDANTS
One of the most important roles of phytos is acting as antioxidants. Here’s why your body needs antioxidants.
When the cells in your body burn fuel for energy they burn oxygen as well. When oxygen is burned, molecules called free radicals are released. Free radicals are like vandals loose in your body. They have at least one extra electron, giving them a negative charge, which drives them around the body looking for cells with which they can react. These reactions damage the DNA and other substances in cells. Much of the time the cells can repair themselves, but the cell neighborhood can’t protect itself from these gangs of free radicals all by itself.
Enter the antioxidant “police.” Antioxidant molecules have a positive charge, so when they meet up with the negatively-charged free radicals they neutralize them – handcuff them so they can’t do any damage. Your body needs more antioxidant police officers as you get older, since the body’s ability to repair itself diminishes with age. Antioxidants also help to prevent damage by carcinogens, such as ultraviolet radiation, tobacco smoke, and environmental pollutants.
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16 FAMOUS PHYTOS
Currently, these are the most popular phytos that are known for their powerful antioxidant, anticancer, and heart disease protective properties. We call them “phytomins.”
HINT: Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, mustard greens, kale, and cauliflower.
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PHYTO FACTS
Libraries of information exist about vitamins, but phytonutrients are newcomers to the health- food table. There is currently a sort of phyto information war going on. On the one side, pill- makers are trying to package and promote phytonutrient supplements as the new magic cure-all. On the other side, researchers are trying to determine scientifically just what phytochemicals are in which foods and what good things they do for you. Here is information you need to know to separate the hype from the useful information:
Eat the real thing. Get your phytos from foods, not just from pills. Even reputable phyto supplements makers offer this grandmotherly advice. Like other nutrients, phytos operate under the biochemical principle of synergy (1+1=3). For example, flavonoids and carotenoids have more health-promoting properties when they are eaten together in the same food rather than when they are taken separately in a supplement. Each one of the hundreds (perhaps thousands) of yet-undiscovered phytos helps each other biochemically in the food – and presumably also in the body. Eating a whole tomato is better than popping a pill that contains a chemical isolated from a tomato. By eating a few florets of broccoli you’re not only getting the beta carotene you could get in a pill, but you’re probably also getting the health benefits of hundreds or thousands of other phytos that don’t even have names yet. And, of course, you’re getting vitamin C, fiber, and calcium, too.
Eat variety. Because each class of phytos affects cellular well-being in different ways, the best way to take full advantage of the best medicine nature has to offer is to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. One phyto may bind a carcinogen to keep it from latching onto a cell; another may whisk carcinogens out of the cells; still another may handcuff free radicals before they are allowed to roam free in the body; still others stimulate the body’s own enzymes to break up potential cancer-causing chemicals. Certainly, a multi-vegetable salad is more heart-healthy and cancer-protective than an apple. (Better still, eat the salad for lunch and have the apple for dessert.)
Specific phytos fight specific cancers. For example, the phytos in cruciferous vegetables (e.g., broccoli and cauliflower) are most protective against colon cancer; the phytos in garlic are most protective against stomach cancer; those in tomatoes fight against prostate cancer; and those in cruciferous and dark, green, leafy vegetables reduce the risk of breast cancer. For optimal health, eat some of all of these foods regularly.
Food preparation affects the phytos. Usually, raw vegetables have more nutrients than cooked ones, but sometimes this is not true with phytonutrients. Cooking broccoli, for example, releases the enzyme, indole, that fights cancer. Crushing or chopping garlic releases the enzyme, allicinase, to produce the active phytonutrient, allicin.
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TOP TWELVE PHYTO FOODS
While nearly all plant foods contain health-promoting phytochemicals, the following are the most phyto-dense food sources:
Soy
Tomato
Broccoli
Garlic
Flax seeds
Citrus fruits
Melons: cantaloupe, watermelon
Pink grapefruit
Blueberries
Sweet potatoes
Chili peppers
Legumes: beans, and lentils
Honorable mention: green tea, red grapes, papaya, carrots, kale, nuts and seeds, eggplant, artichoke, cabbage, brussel sprouts, onions, apples, cauliflower, dried apricots, pumpkin, squash, spinach, mangos, and shiitake mushrooms.
The perfect necklace makes even the most well put together ensemble, just a little prettier. The same goes for your diet, exercise is the perfect addition to keep you looking fit·n·pretty. Read on for some of my favorite workouts and be sure to get moving for at least 30-60 minutes everyday!
Pearls = Your go to workout Your go-to workout is like the perfect string of pearls. No matter what you are wearing or where you are heading to, you can clasp on your pearls (real or ahem…faux) and you will look and feel great. The same goes for your go-to, standby workout. For me it is a four-mile run from my house to the beach. I know it, I love it, and I’ve done it a thousand times. The best part about this kind of workout is that even if you have taken a week off, you still know exactly what to expect (every incline, decline, terrain change, stop light, etc.) and exactly how you will feel. No matter what else is going on in your life, just like your pearls, you know can depend on this workout to keep you looking your best.
Turquoise = Long weekend hike Any form of exercise that causes you to get out and experience nature is like a turquoise necklace. Turquoise makes you feel pretty but in an organic kind of way, kind of like you feel after a long Sunday hike. This type of workout challenges you and by the end of it your skin is salty and you may be a little muddy, but you feel refreshed and like you really accomplished something. Just like a one of a kind turquoise necklace, this is the kind of workout you turn to when you need to a break from your normal exercise routine and want to escape the daily grind.
Diamond Solitaire = Pliates or Bar Method Class
Like a diamond necklace (again, real or faux will do), there are certain workouts that not only make you look great, they make you feel like you are treating your body to something special. For me the exercise that comes to mind is a Pilates or Bar Method class (what is the Bar Method? click here for more info). These types of classes can be tough and it can be intimating to be a beginner in room full of women with seemingly perfect bodies (which is why I can be found in the back corner), but there is something very empowering about being able to make it through one of these classes. The abilities and poise these semi-indulgent exercise classes instill, like diamonds, are forever. Treat yourself to one when you need a little boost to your fitness confidence.
Colorful Beaded Necklace = Fun workout, like Zumba or a hip hop class
Sometimes you just want to let loose and try something fun and exciting. In the same way a colorful beaded necklace can spice up any outfit, trying a new workout can bring a whole new level of excitement to a once boring workout routine. Examples of these exercises include spinning, zumba, hip hop, jump roping, hula hooping, or any other workout that gets your body moving and shaking in a different way (who cares how many calories you are burning?). Try one of these exercises when you think you have done everything possible in the workout world, they will remind that there are always possibilities for new fun and exciting ways to stay in shape.
Surviving CrossFit workouts is sometimes my only goal. It’s not that I don’t try to achieve more than mere survival, but personal records sometimes goes by the wayside as I struggle through the exercises.
Tonight’s workout was good, but I felt so frustrated by my lack of skill. The warm-up and buy in was fine.
Warm-up:
3 minutes of double-unders or attempts — I have yet to do a double under (2 rotations of jump rope for each jump), but I’m cutting myself slack on this one.
10 shoulder rolls
10 overhead squats
10 push-ups
Buy In:
25 back extensions
25 hip extensions
10 “Snakeys” (combined hip and back extensions at slow and focused pace – kind of a snake move)
Workout:
All I had to do was push presses. Do seven one-rep attempts. My attempts were 20k – 25k -30k(failed) – 27k – 27k – 30k – 30k. So my best was 66 pounds. Not bad. I felt okay about this as my shoulder strength is on the sucky side and it’s taking me time to build up the muscles.
Then we had to take our max weight on the push press and do as many hang cleans as possible. Here’s where the frustration began. I couldn’t do one at 30k. Cullen kept trying to coach me through it, but there seemed no possible way to get my arms around to “receive” the bar, much less quickly squat below the bar. Aargh. Several attempts at the move just made me feel weaker and clumsier.
Cullen had me grab an empty bar and practice the move. It seemed simple at a low weight. I tried the 30k load again and could only get the bar up to my chest height. Cullen and Katie kept telling me that this height was great if I would just squat low enough while bringing my arms quickly around to catch the bar in a good racked position. Shiiiit. No luck.
So Cullen then had me doing front squats — a move I hate. I can’t seem to keep upright and move my butt back enough to do them well. I really try to keep my hamstrings and butt doing the work instead of my quadriceps, as too much load on the quads fires up my knee pain. So, lousy squats and a tired body led to some real pissy mood coming from me.
I was ready to quit. Cullen was so sweet. He kindly acknowledged my feelings, then the bastard made me keep trying the moves. Sweet my ass.
In my frustration I tried cleaning the unweighted bar and it felt fine. This was ridiculous. I just needed at least one clean with some weight. I put down the unweighted bar and went back to the 30k bar. I said “the hell with this” and took off 5k. Lo and behold, I had no problem hoisting the bar up in a decent hang clean. Cullen and Katie both complimented me on my form, which still may not have been great, but I was doing the lift.
Cullen had me practice and practice the move at the lower weight. Katie took pictures and even showed me one shot that proved I was getting the bar high enough with my shrug of the shoulders. If I could only squat quickly (and safely) while getting my elbows up and around I would be able to handle the heavier weight. Cullen then had me do as many as I could using the old “just one more” routine (I’m a sucker for that one). I made it to eight cleans before the ninth refused to get up to my shoulders — or I refused to squat low enough to catch it. I tried a few more times but I was at my limit.
I survived tonight’s workout. I didn’t exceed any expectations, nor achieve any huge milestones, but I did finish the workout. It took a while, but I walked out of there knowing a bit more about doing cleans than when I walked in the door. I guess I am proud of myself for doing the work even with a pissy attitude.
I’ll certainly remember this workout. After all, starting tomorrow my shoulders will let me know that I worked them hard.
Well, it’s only day three, but the first case of being lazy has already hit. With this sinus/allergy/cold crap that hit me, I was feeling particularly run down yesterday evening. I went to take a nap as soon as I got to the house since I couldn’t reach my fiancee to see what she wanted to do for dinner.
I was really hungry, and my stomach wouldn’t stop growling so I dind’t really get any rest. She called about an hour later and said she was really feeling badly and would see me tomorrow. With all of that, I just rolled back over in the recliner and tried to sleep a little more, especially since I’m on the tail end of adjusting back to the time here in the States. Up I woke at 9 p.m. and told myself I needed to eat something, but I didn’t want to invest anytime in doing so. The thought of having to prepare anything just didn’t appeal to me let alone needing to get food ready for today.
So, I looked over my seven-day menu and looked at the lite popcorn and lite ice cream entries. My dinner: two and one-half cups of pop corn and one cup of lite yogurt.Impressive, eh? No fruits, protein, vegetables or anything else for that matter. The good thing was that it satisfied me and took the edge off.
From there, I had enough umph to prepare part of the meal for today — the two snacks and part of lunch. So, here goes. I had one cup of oatmeal, eight ounces of two percent milk and one-quarter of a cantaloupe for breakfast. The snack consisted of seven multi-grain crackers with one ounce of reduced-fat cheddar cheese and a small apple.
Lunch was interrupted — went to Subway and ordered a six-inch turkey sandwich on wheat bread with no cheese, all of the vegetables except cucumbers, pickles and jalapenos, and mustard with a sprinkle of oregano to top it off. Then I had one-half cup of watermelon and cantaloupe.
For the afternoon, I’m having three-quarters of a cup of reduced sodium tomato soup (supposed to be for lunch), and another one-half cup of watermelon and cantaloupe plus one-half of an English muffin.
Dinner — who knows? I still need to eat my fish. Those three portions are getting old already so I need to eat them.
Just as I told you yesterday (or was it the day before?), the gas is incredible. I think I’m producing enough to power a small office building. I can’t wait for it to end and am thinking positively that it will.
This is taking lots of commitment and time to carry on with, and I’m just not used to all of the rigamarole that’s required. Call me lazy, which I am, but it’s going to really be a chore to keep up with all of this. I know it’ll be worth it, but it’s a real pain for right now.
To add insult to injury, I’ve not been exercising as was directed to me by the dietician — 30 minutes most nights of the week. I only exercised on Labor Day and not since then. I need to get this rolling as well so my metabolism will get revved up.
Lots to do, so little time and only so much of me to make it happen. It feels daunting, and I feel a little as though I want to give up. However, I know this can’t happen. I need to forge ahead and look forward to what next year will be like. That’s what gives me hope and inspiration. Once I start seeing some results, I’ll be stoked even more and am looking forward to it.
So here we are… it’s Monday. Usually Mondays are boring and we hate them because that signifies the beginning of the work week. This particular monday however, is very exciting for me for a couple of reasons. After years of dieting, not dieting, dieting again, not dieting again… I’ve finally decided to change my excercise and eating habits thus, changing my life.
Today is the first day of my new workout regimen where I will be training with my good buddy Patrick. Patrick and I have worked together for a few years now and we’ve always gotten along pretty well. At the gym though… it will be a whole different story. Patrick has been working out, training people and hitting the books about excercise, nutrition and general health for a long time now and he’s all about getting his friends healthy and fit.
I’ll be checking in daily to let you know how I’m doing and I’ll be posting my weekly video blog to show you what I’ve learned and offer tips that I pick up along the way on nutrition, excercise and what NOT to do. Stay tuned and if you’re struggling with your weight then tune in here and we can support each other! See ya!
Do you ever wonder about those small things…you know, those little things we take for granted? Or mom did it that way, so that’s the way I’ll do it. We all do this because it’s what we have been doing our entire life and it is easy (we don’t even think about it). Change is never easy. So we want to show you that with some small, simple changes you can have big gains for a healthier lifestyle. The first small change you can implement is breakfast. If you are not eating one, start (spike that metabolism). If you are using milk with your breakfast, try using skim milk, and if you are using skim go to fat free. By just implementing this one change you can save 30 calories per serving and up to 2 grams of Saturated Fat (think heart disease). Ok here is the next change, try taking one then two sweetened drinks out of your day and replace them with water (nature’s calorie-free drink). This also means no artificial sweeteners. There’s another 150 calories saved and more importantly, 39 grams of sugar in each 12 ounce soda. For the third change try moving from ground beef to ground turkey breast (not ground turkey). With this change you will save 140 calories, 15 grams of fat and almost 6 grams of saturated fat (think clogged arteries). Separately you may not think thesechanges are worth the effort. However, let’s take a look at these changes on weekly and monthly bases and see what happens.
7 Servings of Milk
21 Sodas
2 servings of Ground beef
Calories saved
Weekly
210 cal, 14g Sat fat
3150 cal, 819g of sugar
280 Cal, 30g fat, 12g
sat fat
Monthly
840 cal,
56g Sat fat
12,600 calories
3276g of sugar
1120 cal, 120g fat 48g Sat fat
By just looking at the calorie savings for the month it’s 14,500 calories. Divide that by 3500 calories (1 pound of fat) that’s just over 4lbs a month (BIG REWARD) and 48lbs for the year (MAMMOTH REWARD)!
Now we don’t expect you to make all these changes over night. Start somewhere and do it in small steps. You are worth the effort and these are great places to start looking. Let us know how you are doing!
It’s been 6 months since the wedding and I’m tired of toting around the extra 10 pounds that somehow stowed away sometime after/during the honeymoon. I didn’t realize domestic bliss translated into weight gain, but I should have realized that this might happen. I’m still active – I work out 5-7 days per week, but during the year before the wedding I was so busy with school and planning that I rarely had time to cook let alone bake. I’ve been indulging in culinary adventures quite a bit over the past several months and I’m paying the price.
I’ve been attempting to “diet” on and off with no real success. I decided that making a public announcement (although I’m not sure how public it can really be since the readership of this blog has dropped off to nearly nil) might do the trick.
So, in the spirit of old-fashioned accountability, I hereby declare that it is my goal to lose 10 lbs in the next 6 weeks. For workouts, I am following the Intermediate Women’s Health Running for Weight Loss program, but adding cross-training cardio on the strength training days. I have successfully completed days 1 and 2 of this program.
I am yet to successfully start the diet part of my weight loss plan – I am attempting to follow the “deadline diet” women’s health plan, at least as an inspiration. This plan involves eating 5 small meals a day, incorporating lean protein into almost every meal, adding lots of fruits and veggies, avoiding processed sugars/flours etc. and all that good stuff. I’ve had good results with this “diet” before and consider what I am doing more of getting back into line with a lifestyle rather than a “diet”. I’ve been using food as a reward way too much lately (mostly to make up for what I perceived were the hardships I endured when I was too busy to cook last year) and I’ve indulged myself enough. So, tomorrow will be day 1 of the diet and day 3 of the workout. I will be running 30 minutes, stretching, and skating for at least an hour.
If you happen to read this – feel free to post encouragement or share your own fitness goals! I could use the support : )
I wasn’t sure if I should enter the Summerland Sprint Triathlon because my training was really slacking. I finally decided to just sign up and go for it. One of the factors that pushed my towards signing up was seeing my friend Liz when I was out shopping and she said she was going to do the race. There are signs everywhere and we need to listen to them. So literally jumped in with two feet.
On the day of the race I felt organized, woke up on time, at a healthy filling breakfast, the kids and the dogs were well behaved. I didn’t really feel too nervous because I didn’t have too high of an expectation on myself. My main concern was the swim, and my fears were amped up when i saw the swells on the water. There were what looked like 2-3 foot whitecaps . I really felt a sense of calm come over me I think it was becasuse of the of the wonderful, spirited, kind women and men around me. We struggled to enter the water because of the large slippery rocks we had to walk over to get to the swim start. Just as I was feeling a bit defeated my friend Bryn reached out and offered me her hand.
I breast stroked the entire swim. Every time I tried to front crawl I was hit in tht face by a huge wave. I had to keep psyching myself up to keep going, it will be over soon…just keep swimming, swimming, swimming.
Michelle M. and Me before the swim. I was one of 2 or three without a wetsuit
The bike was just fine. I can’t say that I hated it or love it. There was a crazy headwind while we were riding south, but there was a great tailwind as we were riding back north so it all kind of evens out. The bike worked out great. I can see how having riding shoes with clip on pedals would be advantageous and gears that shift smoother. I need to prove that I like the sport before I upgrade to a better bike. As you can see from the photo, I did keep smiling all the way through the race. Why do it if you are going to frown and grimace.
Me, Bryn, Liz and Dave
I never thought I would call myself a runner. I totally rocked the run, if I might say so myself. I came off the bike with the wobbly legs that I expected. After transition we headed up a hill right away!! Not a big hill but a hill none the less. What made it okay was the gaggle of family and friends at the top of the hill cheering for me. Golly I am a lucky girl, so much support. As I was heading off on the run my legs were feeling like LEAD. I kind of knew to expect this so I just kept moving and over the next kilometer or so they loosened up and I started to pass people. Hmmm. What a feeling that was. I was wearing my new Newton running shoes and I had to keep reminding myself to try to run on the midsole so I would be putting less stress on my joints and I would be less tired. For the most part I was able to maintain this type of running style and I do think it helped with the energy return and fatigue. I was very happy that I had run the course a few times with my friend Heather, so I knew what to expect. I was so excited and not really too tired when I rounded the last corner to head up the hill to the crowd near the finish. The finish loop was on the grass at the park. I could hear Steve King’s voice announcing the finishers names and my adrenaline started pumping harder. In the home stretch I nearly caught up to the runner in front of me.
I finished with a time of 1:45:13. I am really happy with my time and I do think that there is a tonne of room for improvement. I wonder how much time I could shave off next year?
Thank you so much to my family, friends, volunteers, fellow racers. I could believe how nice everyone was at the race. I asked Mark if everyone was so nice because it is a Sprint Tri and there is a lot of beginners,and he said “no that is just how triathletes are” I think I might like this sport.
Congrats to all of the fellow first timers who did the race. Michelle, Collette, Taryn, Bryn and the girls behind me in the line up.
Jane it was so nice to see your smiling face went I exited the swim, I wasn’t sure if I died and you were an angel and Mike and Heather, everywhere I turned there you were cheering me on.
