New Year's Resolutions and Goals!

Happy New Year to everyone!  As we jump into 2010, we often set “New Year Resolutions” in January, with our goals usually falling into the following categories:

*Lose Weight

*Start Exercising

*Stop Smoking

*Continue with your formal Education

*Get a better paying job

*Spend more time with our families

 

If you find that your goals fall into any of the above categories, this blog can definitely help you to get and stay motivated!

 

In order to lose that 10,20, 50 or 100 pounds you have to first have a plan of action.  Your plan of action (POA) can be written in the following format:

 

1. What is/are my goal(s)?  If you don’t define what your goals are, how will you track your success?  For example, if you goal is to lose “some” weight, some is anywhere between 1/8 of a pound and 1,000lbs.  Know what you want and go for it!                                                                    

2. Why is this a goal? This may seem like a silly question, but it’s very important.  Are your goals yours, someone else, or what you perceive you should want?                                              

3. Are my goal(s) realistic? If you goal is to lose 30lbs in 1 month, or to start exercising 6-7 days a week, when you’ve previously never exercised, you could be setting yourself up for a big disappointment. Hiring a Certified Personal Trainer can help you get started or to get you back on track!

4. What am I willing to do to achieve my goals? Are you willing to change your dietary habits? Are you willing to write down your daily food intake? Are you willing to ask and or seek assistance?  

5. What tools do I need to achieve my goals? Do I need a new pair of walking/running shoes? Do you have a workout buddy? A Personal Trainer? What exercises should I do?  Sitting down to write what you need to achieve your goals will help you to get started.

6. Who is part of my support system? It’s important to surround yourself with positive people who will encourage you on to success. 

7. How long will it take to achieve my goals? Start off making small changes that will make a big difference down the road.  Remember, if weight loss/fat loss is a goal, you never want to lose more than 2 pounds a week.  Any weight loss more than that will usually be water, and your precious lean muscle.  Log on to www.MyTaylormadefitness.com or email me at tmfitnes@pacbell.net to get more information on our Personal Training and Nutrition Programs. 

 

Take the time to look back on 2009 with fondness not anger and remember that everything happened for a reason.  It’s what we choose to do with what happend  that can make the biggest difference.

 

Have a healthy, happy, fit and wonderful new year.  Email or call me for your 2010 fitness support!

 

Fitfully yours,

 

Lisa

Taylor Made Fitness

619.987.9691 cell/text

tmfitnes@pacbell.net

www.MyTayorMadeFitness.com

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

Resolution Time...

So I’m keeping my resolution semi cliche’ this year. Going for 10-15 lbs to lose and being HEALTHIER overall (i.e. making healthier food choices etc).

2010 here I come…

So far, have the Cherry Blossom 10-miler on my list. What other athletic journey should I embark on… perhaps another marathon by the end of 2010? That’ll put me up to 3 marathons! Sounds like a good number to me…

I will consult with runwashington.com and come back with a more specific racing goal! Now as I write this, I’d like to challenge myself to running a faster 5k and 10k. I’m fully capable of getting myself in shape, perhaps I need a coach… hmmm……

In a few hours my dear gentleman friend and I are going snowboarding for 3 days in a row in the beautiful Seven Springs Resort in PA, about an hour SE of Pittsburgh. Hopefully I won’t come back too sore seeing that I worked out for 2 hours today after taking a 3-week hiatus. Another resolution – go to lifetime fitness gym more often!! I pay so much as it is… the gym is beautiful

Thanks for taking the time to read and I hope you have a successful and joyful 2010 <3  

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

who asked you?

Unsolicited advice at the gym is just that…UNSOLICITED!  I don’t need a fellow gym-goer telling me how to work out.  That’s what a trainer’s for.  I get it…you’re trying to be nice.  But if I wanted your opinion, I’d ask.  Only I didn’t ask!  When I go to the gym, I want to be left in peace.  It’s my alone time, when I like to relax, listen to music, and not think about anything or anyone.  Unless my arms has fallen off and is lying next to my machine, do not approach me with your fitness “expertise.”

Thank you.  That is all.

~neen

ps:  Just for the record, I’m not some imbecile that doesn’t know how to use the machines properly.  I’ve been working out for years and do, in fact, have a trainer whose advice I value.

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

Aerobic Exercise and Good Health.

When Jane Fonda’s aerobic exercise cassettes hit the market 3 decades ago the whole world got to know about aerobics and how to lose weight fast. Least did we realize that aerobics is nothing but simple exercises that help the heart rate to hasten, helping in reduction of fat. Whether you take a stroll at the malls or walk on the beach or cycling to work. Aerobics helps one and all to lose weight and keep fit. Here are 4 exercises that’ll sure help you to lose weight fast.If you want to do an easy workout, then avoid these. These will have you panting for air… big time. Here’s how you do them. Just squat up and down as fast as possible. Two key things to remember… keep your back as straight as possible and touch or swipe your finger tips on the floor during each repetition. By touching your finger tips to the floor you know you aren’t cheating the movement and you’re going down all the way.

The more muscles that move during a workout, the higher the chances of expending more calories. Since aerobic exercises employ most large groups of muscles in the body, it is likely that you can create the suitable environment for losing more fats. Take low-paced jogging for example. Because virtually all lower body muscles and some upper body muscles are used through jogging, a person who does this workout can expend around 300 calories within 30 minutes. This number of calories slashes off significant amounts of fat in your body. Coupled with other exercises that are more demanding, you can actually use up more calories than you take in.

The key to an aerobics workout is to get your heart rate elevated at least 20 minutes, with warm-up and cool-down time of 5 minutes on either side of the workout. In order for the household activities to have aerobic value, then, they must keep your body in constant motion for 30 minutes. This requires some planning but there really are enough household duties to get the job done. In fact, if you develop the habit of doing these things aerobically you may actually gain extra time because of the much faster pace. Plan your aerobic exercises (chores) so you’re doing them for 30 minutes, 3-4 days per week. To make it more fun and easier to keep active you can play some upbeat music while you’re doing you’re housework aerobics.Aerobic exercises are the most common exercises that many people start when looking to lose weight, and there is a good reason why for this. Aerobic type of exercises can be very beneficial in helping you give your entire body a workout, and most importantly exercising your heart and lungs for better and improved health. Understanding the benefits of aerobic exercise will help you see why you should start doing aerobics if you are looking to improve your level of physical fitness or lose weight efficiently.

For exercise to be truly considered cardio, it should consist of steady-state activity which uses large muscle groups in a rhythmical manner and elevates your heart rate to somewhere between 60-90% of your maximum heart rate. Generally, activities such as jogging, running, power walking, cycling, swimming, group exercise classes, rowing, and using a skipping rope are the mainstay of aerobic activities but ultimately, any activity which significantly elevates the heart rate for an extended period of time can be considered aerobic training.To be honest, the modality used makes very little difference and you should choose the one you like most/dislike least!

Visit for more useful information on aerobic exercises and eye exercises also butt exercises .

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

Lincolnwood Turkey Trot 5K - November 22, 2009

Workout #44

Most turkey trots happen on Thanksgiving Day, but luckily there are a few that happen the weekend before so that all of us who might be bogged down in holiday plans are still able to share in the fun. 

I love this time of year, and Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  Anything remotely related to Thanksgiving is ok in my book, so today I participated in the Lincolnwood Turkey Trot 5 and 10K run.  I chose the shorter distance because I am also in Half-Marathon Training with Chicago Endurance Sports, and one of our long runs was schedule for the day before this trot.   

It was the perfect temperature outside for an event like this; the sun was shining, the breeze was light, the temperature was cool, but not frigid like last year, and there was no snow or moisture on the ground.  The starting horn blew at exactly 8:45am, and I felt excited to get going.  Each race like this always starts out the same way:  I get no sleep the night before, I’m excited and smug in the beginning, saying things like “Oh, it’s only 3.1 miles, no biggie,” and then when the horn blows and the realization sinks in I spend the whole first mile cursing my existence and wondering why the heck I’m torturing myself like this.  Sure, it’s “only” 3.1 miles, but I still have to run them. 

By the time the second mile starts I find that I am in a comfortable groove and starting to relax, and that’s when I can look around and enjoy myself.  Invariably there are always people along the side either cheering on runners they know, or cheering for people just because, or simply looking on with curiosity.  All of these people are important to runners because we each have some sort of sense of certainty that any one of them would probably call 911 if we had a grabber right in front of them, and there’s comfort in that knowledge.  Sometimes they bring snacks too, and that’s just as good.  There is also that unique class of volunteer along the route that isn’t there to block traffic for you, or hand out water, or direct you around the correct corner, but one who simply came to yell encouragement to you even though there’s no possible way you could win this race, or any other for that matter.   God bless those people for being them!

Without too much drama, I near the third mile and decide to sprint the last bit of distance into the finishing chute.  My normal time for a 5K race is somewhere around 36 minutes (yes, I’m quite slow due to asthma), but today I was feeling especially light and cheerful, so my time is going to be close to three minutes faster than the regular pace.  I did not win the race, but having a good run can be just as satisfying.

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

A Very Foodie McBody Christmas

I had a great Christmas. It was one of the nicest Christmases I can actually ever remember. Even though I was out shopping late Christmas Eve, something I swore I would not do, I was still in good spirits throughout.

Foodwise, I had a pretty decadent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I am certainly up a few pounds. But that’s really the end of it. (I am so relieved!) I don’t have any big plans for New Years’ Eve, and I don’t celebrate Boxing Day. I don’t even know what Boxing Day is. I guess I could look it up. Okay, so they say it’s a day of “cold buffet” (ie., leftovers?!) and parlour games.  That just seems… um, obvious?

On Christmas Eve, we went to our neighbors’ house for their traditional jumbo breaded fried shrimp and cookie and champagne fest. Ah, it was so good. I had two champagne cocktails, about 4-5 giant shrimp and about five cookies. Which I can tell you is a fraction of what I ate last year, and previous years. I enjoyed every bite of those things, and I felt full but not painful when I left.

Yesterday we had ham, turkey, some incredibly decadent scalloped potatoes, creamed spinach.  All of it (except the scalloped potatoes) we got from the Honeybaked Ham store. Now I know that HB ham is probably not the most nutritious thing on earth. I know it’s all injected with glucose and salt and chemicals and stuff. Do I care? Hmm. Last year and before, I’d say probably not. But for me, Christmas dinner has to be all about EASE. I can’t cope with shopping, cleaning, wrapping etc AND cooking some multi-day meal. Maybe if I lived near a bunch of relatives where everyone makes a dish. But it’s pretty much all on me so it has to be easy.

Our easy Christmas morning breakfast is traditionally those giant Pillsbury cinnamon rolls, yeah the Cinnabon kind. We wake up, make the giant rolls, then open presents. It’s that typical Christmas morning smell. It’s also.. yeah, easy. But I felt kinda sick after my roll yesterday and felt like, I wish I’d made a nice caramelized onion frittata or something else proteinish for breakfast. Again, no time. Next year I might consider tweaking this particular tradition. Or maybe not. Hey, it’s just ONE DAY. I don’t need to eat another Cinnabon for another year.

I got some fabulous presents this year. Some of the best ever. One was a BodyBugg, which I have been desiring ever since I started watching Biggest Loser. I am very excited about really knowing the calories I’m burning. I have not quite figured it all out yet. I was hoping to get it rolling this morning but I’m still having some technical difficulties. So I’m gonna have to wait until tech support is on hand, probably Monday.

I also received a panini press, which I have been wanting for eons. I am so excited about this. I love warm sandwiches. I love grilled cheese. The great thing about this is that it makes warm sandwiches without having butter all over the bread, which is a huge calorie saver. And I can also use the great thin low-point bread. So it’s all good! We had some leftover ham-and-cheese paninis just now and they were amazing. I’m excited that you can also grill meats (like chicken breasts!) and veggies (like eggplant!) on this machine. I am jazzed, baby.

Santa also brought our family an ice cream machine. I admit this is not exactly a WW endorsed product (HA) but I am feeling happy and confident. Just because we have an ice cream machine does not mean we are going to be eating ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But right now there is some homemade vanilla churning away and I am excited.

One of the gifts I gave myself yesterday is that I registered for the Kaiser Permanent Half Marathon in Golden Gate Park on February 7th. A friend of mine is having a Big Birthday that day and she asked for friends to join her in this event.  What a great way to celebrate, right? I am not at all sure my ankle will be able to put up with much running but I’ve decided to racewalk most of it and jog a little if I can.

Last night we watched Julie and Julia on DVD. I love that movie so much. A feature film about a blogger! A food blogger! That alone made me so happy. As did all the food. And best of all the beautiful relationships between the women and their supportive husbands. It made me laugh and cry.

So it was a great Christmas, one of the best ever. It’s the day after, and I am not awash in regret and self-loathing. I’m quite happy. And now I’m going to the gym!! Hope you all had a great holiday. oxoxo

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

top five tech gadgets for your outdoor exercises

With the boxing day sales now on, it’s the perfect time to take your exercises to the next level with technology for your exercises outdoors, cycling, running, climbing or whatever else….

Advancements in technology and the development of much smaller electronics are allowing people to take a lot more processor power out on the road with them, I made a post about how technology is finding it’s way more and more into fitness, check it out here

1 – Portable MP3

This is of course a no brainer, we’ve had iPod’s or whatever MP3 devices for some time now, but if your out on the road exercising, and mp3 player is great for motivation and just relieving boredom because no matter where your exercising, the scenery can become pretty boring after a while. Also if exercising in an urban area it’s a great way to block out the noise of general traffic, go for high tempo songs such from 140bpm upwards. Generally house, dance and trance music are all up there in terms of tempo but there are many more genres with fast tempo songs, check out my post on the best music for exercising here

Recommendation:

iPod is what most people know as the MP3 player and for good reason, very reliable and decent sound quality, the nano would probably be the best choice for exercising due to it’s size and lack of a screen to break!

2 – GPS devices

This product is very important if you are exercising anywhere remote or somewhere new, it’s very easy to get lost, especially if out in the bush or country in hot countries where becoming lost can actually be deadly! GPS has been around for a while now but recently many devices have had GPS chips put in them to allow you to not only track current position but also calculate distance travelled, speed and many more. This makes it invaluable for distance events, the best thing about GPS is it’s actually free to send the signal up to the satellite so there are no subscription fee’s

Recommendation:

The Garmin Forerunner has a very sensitive GPS chip inside, speed and distance trackers, heart rate monitor and more – all inside a stylish sports watch….

3-Heart rate monitors

You can use your heart rate to keep a track of your intensity, to make sure you are in the fat burning zone and keeping towards your fitness goals, of course if you don’t want to shell out for one you can use the PRE method to keep track of how hard you are working but no where near as accurate as a good heart rate monitor. Try to avoid cheap ones as you’ll probably find a lot of variance in the reading of your HR. The best type of heart rate monitors are of course the chest mounted devices, however watches on the radial artery are nearly as good.

Recommendation:

The Garmin Forerunner as before has a heart rate monitor which is programmable as well as the plethora of other features

4 – Pedometer’s and Nike+ running shoes

Pedometer’s are great for calculating how many calories you have burned although this is a very rough estimation at best, the Nike+ shoes get their category – they are great, the trainers have a small chip inside which calculate distance, running cadence and more and they look great!User’s can post their distances, times and more automatically when plugging their shoes into the computer and have competition’s with thousands of people around the world, giving you more motivation to put your running shoes on! If you bought an iPod like the first recommendation, these shoes were designed specifically with them in mind, adjusting song tempo, etc. as you run, pretty clever!

Recommendation:

The Nike+ iPod kit starts as low as $29!

5 – Action camera’s

If your into extreme sports such as rock climbing, off road biking, water sports, etc. then you may at some point want to video your heroics, this previously has been impossible without the use of someone else to video you but with the processor chip getting smaller and smaller it’s allowed for the use of camera’s in more and more previously inaccessible places. There are many head mounted camera’s around and some are even waterproof, most are very shockproof and as such perfect for extreme sports.

Recommendation

LaunchHelmetCams.com are the leading suppliers of head mounted cameras in Australia.

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

SAVE $3 - JB Berns' Deante Dance: 10 Core-Centric Moves $26.99

SAVE $3 – JB Berns' Deante Dance: 10 Core-Centric Moves $26.99

Price: $29.99 Now: $26.99 You save: $3

Dance away the pounds and have fun with the JB Berns Deante Dance, a 2-DVD set that features five great workouts, a new and effective low impact workout that everyone can do on their own. In as little as 20 minutes a day, users can have fun while they trim their waistline and flatten their abs, sculpt their arms, shoulders, legs and derriere just by dancing the Deante way. This easy to follow dance fitness DVD provides a total body workout while using contemporary dance routines that will… More info »

Last updated: December 24, 2009, 10:45 am

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Nine Things You Should Know About Yoga for Children

Nine Things You Should Know About Yoga for Children

Author: sean sandvik

Here are some guidelines and realistic expectations for parents, who are considering Yoga for their children. For your child, Yoga is much more than a kid’s fitness class. Just like adults — kids need time to learn to deal with life’s daily pressures, too.

Make sure your child starts with easy postures, and be patient with your child’s progress. Some beginner children can often be more flexible than advanced adult Yoga practitioners, but they don’t know their own limitations.

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Discover your child’s real passions. When your child wants to go to Yoga class, it is much better than what you want for your child. This is not to say that you should avoid guidance. However, it is not advisable to push a child into a Yoga class, if your child doesn’t enjoy it — no matter how popular Yoga may be. All children are different, and what is good for one of your children, may not agree with another.

Encourage your child to see the deeper benefits of Yoga: Learning to live within the moment, and appreciating the present situation, instead of focusing on desires, these are built-in mental assets of Yoga practice. Enhanced concentration skills are another benefit that will result in improved academic performance.

Look for a qualified Yoga instructor, who has experience in teaching children. Make sure the child’s Yoga instructor has adequate experience.

Watch your child practice, with his or her, Yoga teacher, and make sure you are comfortable with the environment, policies, and safety guidelines. Rules and discipline policies are usually in place so that each child can learn Yoga and get the most out of their experience.

For your child’s safety at home: Parents who are not familiar with Yoga, should not let their “beginner Yoga children” practice anything beyond beginner techniques, without a competent Yoga instructor’s approval. Once your child’s Yoga instructor gives approval of home practice, you are fine. This one safety factor should encourage parents to learn Yoga, practice with their children, and live a healthy life.

A smaller kids Yoga class is actually better than a larger one. This insures that your child’s Yoga instructor can pay close attention to each student during practice session.

Price should not be the top factor in choosing your child’s Yoga teacher.

Would you choose the cheapest dentist, clothes, or car? Very often, “you get what you pay for.”

About the Author:

And you thought Yoga Was Just Stretching.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Nine Things You Should Know About Yoga for Children

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

Slacker

I know, I’ve totally been slacking off on this thing.  Blah.  Right now I’m visiting family in TX and haven’t run since… I have no idea.

My last 5K was on 12/4.  It was a night run and it was freaking COLD!!!!  And dark.  It was the 1st Annual Reindeer Run 5K and Winter Walk.  By the time we started (10 min late) I couldn’t feel my toes.  :)  I did pretty durn good on this one…  107th overall, 25th in my age group.  5K in 33:04.  Pace: 10:38/M.  Totally happy with that.  :)  And the nifty, cool shirt I got glows in the dark!!!  Whooooot!

So now I’m totally being a slacker and not taking advantage of being in south TX where the weather is absolutely lovely.  Oh swells.  I have very important people to visit.  My sis-in-law leaves for a 15 mo deployment next month, so we have a lot of visiting to fit in.  ;)

I hope everyone is enjoying a happy holiday season.

[Via http://tattoosleeves4everyone.wordpress.com]

Recovery...

I ache ALL over.  My legs hurt (especially thanks to those one-legged squats), my shoulders hurt (thanks to push presses), and my core huts thanks to pretty much every exercises I did yesterday.  Oddly enough, otherwise I feel great.   I have plenty of energy, my guts doesn’t quite feel as annoying (even though its only slightly less noticeable visually), and even when I wince with pain when I stand up or shift in my seat it is a good reminder of a workout that went better than expected.

I am not going to push myself too hard as I get back into the swing of things.  For the next three weeks I will stick to about 3 days of heavy training per week with one day off between workouts (and one day day off period each week).

But today is anything but a “day off.”  I almost titled this post something like “first day off,” but i deleted that title.  I deleted it for a reason.  There are no day offs in fitness.  While I won’t be lifting any weights today (with the possible exception of tossing my daughter around) I am working very hard on my nutritional intake.     Today’s meals include:

• Breakfast: 12-hour Elite Protein Shake
• Snack: Protein Bar with an Apple
• Lunch: 2 slices of whole wheat toast with roast beef, turkey breast, lettuce, tomato, spicy mustard, and spinach.
• Snack: walnuts, unsweetened shredded coconut, and dark chocolate.
• Dinner:  Function at church, so I have no clue what will be offered.   This will be my first real challenge.
• Before Bed: 12-hour elite protein shake with milled flax seed
• ***NOTE: Water is consumed in large quantities throughout the day with and between meals.

I am definitely looking forward to tomorrow’s meals.  I bought a bunch of turkey drumsticks and I will be putting them in the rotisserie with some herbs and spices.

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

A little thing I like to call dedication

"I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized. If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming."

-Goethe

It’s a long quote, I know. But the lovely Erin posted it on her Spark Page recently and it has had me thinking. I bet if you take a minute to read through the whole thing you will take something away from it, too.

What did I get from Goethe’s quote? Change, of any kind, has to start with me. Whether that change is the daily choices I make to live a healthier life or if it’s spurring someone else on towards becoming a better version of themselves… it all starts with me. I can so quickly forget how powerful I am as a human being.

Breakfast

I had a wonderful bowl of oatmeal this morning. If it looks extra soupier than usual, it’s because I stirred in half a cup of milk once my oats finished cooking. Banana-blueberry oats are a winner in my book!

Lunch

I enjoyed an apple and some pb for a mid-morning snack and chowed down on this creation around 1 p.m.

A tuna sandwich (green onion, basil sauce, mustard, and a slice of cheddar cheese) with broccoli and parmesan cheese on the side. J swore the sandwich looked like what a baby does in it’s diaper. I can assure you it did not taste like that.

The basil sauce (basically it was just pesto) really was a great addition. I’m so glad I thought to add that in at the last second!

10K Training

We went grocery shopping EARLY this morning to leave me plenty of time for running this afternoon, when the temperature was set to reach a daily high of 47 degrees Fahrenheit. I sat around for way too long today thinking about how bad the cold was going to suck when it was time to run.

At one point I had even talked myself out of running today. Um, there were 7 long miles on the calendar. Pretty sure you aren’t supposed to skip long runs. But I was going to.

Until I realized that this was a “make it or break it” moment. The temperature is not going to start warming up until AFTER my 10K. If I start skipping runs now when it’s close to 50 degrees out, what am I going to do in February when it’s in the low 30’s? I sucked it up and got dressed to run after pondering that thought for a moment.

Check me out rockin’ the headband in the park bathroom.

Anyway. So, the point is I did it. I went out and I ran my 7 miles, for better and for worse. Yes it was cold. Yes that sucked. But what didn’t suck was the fact that I averaged 9:30 miles on a long run without trying. Speedwork has been paying off big time!

Basically, I’ve realized if I want to achieve my 10K goal of hitting top 100 women, I have to keep moving… even when it’s cold!

Snickity-Snack

Post-run I devoured two mikan and what was left of the grapes from last week’s grocery shopping. The grapes were starting to shrivel up and look pretty pitiful, but they still tasted yummy.

Weekend Recap

After waking up to earthquakes with an earache on Friday morning, it sure has been an interesting weekend. I think most of the aftershock is over, thankfully, and I’ve spent most of my weekend relaxing. Christmas shopping is complete, my long run for the week is complete, and I netted 12 hours of sleep on Friday night. What more could I ask for?

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

Back or Elbow Pain?

I found this article by Chirs Vogt, a fitness professional that operates a golf conditioning program at The Sports Recreation Center, somewhere in the NorthWest I believe. I am constantly seeing these 3 issues in golfers that I work with. Check it out!     As experts in the relationship betwen the body and the golf swing, we see what we refer to as THE BIG THREE swing flaws that lead to injuries in golfers. The Reverse Spine Angle, Chicken Winging, and Early Extension are the three most common swing flaws in average golfers, and there is a myriad of back and elbow issues which can accompany them. The biggest reason for these faults isn’t the fact that the golfer doesn’t know what to do (we all have a million thoughts in our heads during the swing, either from lessons or articles, most of them are actually right..), or because their clubs are old & inadequate (raise your hand if you buy the latest and greatest equipment EVERY year, but still hit it all over the course). The main reason for the flaws is much simpler than you think, it’s because the average golfers’ body can’t physically move the way it needs to move to swing the club correctly and hit the ball where they want it to go. 

Reverse Spine Angle is # 1 injury inducing swing fault. It occurs when the body bends backwards and/or laterally to the left (right handed player) in the backswing. This swing fault makes it very difficult to start the downswing in the proper sequence, due to the lower body being placed in a position that limits its ability to initiate the downswing. If the lower body can’t start the downswing, then the upper body is forced to, creating swing path problems and limited power output. This swing fault puts excessive tension on the lower back due to the forced inhibition of the abs, causing BACK PAIN.

Chicken Winging is the # 2 injury inducing swing fault. It occurs when there is a loss of extension or breakdown of the lead elbow through the impact area. This swing fault makes it very dificult to develop speed or power and tends to put excessive force on the outside of the elbow joint. If you’re suffering from high, weak shots, or you tend to develop tennis elbow on your lead side, you probably have a chicken wing in your swing.

Early Extension is the #3 injury inducing swing fault. It occurs when the hips and pelvis move closer to the ball on the downswing. This causes the upper body to lift up in order to maintain balance. The lower body doesn’t easily rotate through impact, instead it pushes forward and the person stands up. Players complain of being stuck, or trapped with their arms on the downswing. This is due to the fact that their hips have moved into the place where their arms are supposed to go. The reslut is a block or a hook as the hands desperately try to deliver the clubhead to the ball (flip), and more BACK PAIN.

Here’s the odd thing. These three swing flaws have eerily similar body issues that cause them. The inability to seperate the lower and upper body movements, poor internal hip rotation (both legs), and poor core strength, flexibility, and coordination all work together to cause a swing with sequence, posture, and path issues. Improper sequence and posture cause the Reverse Spine Angle and Early Extension, both of which lead to path problems that cause Chicken Winging. 

If you’re hearing yourself describe your game as “Consistently Inconsistent”, you feel like you should be “Hitting it farther”, or you’re playing in pain, buying a new driver that makes the ball turn one way or the other is NOT the answer. The answer to more consistency and distance is fixing the problem at it’s source. Invest a little time, energy, and your hard earned money into yourself, get screened to find your body problems, work with a Golf Fitness Expert to fix those issues, and you’ll play better, more consistent golf with less pain.

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

Tabata Total

Tabata Timing- 20 Seconds ON(working) and 10 Seconds OFF(resting/setting up for next) of each exercise, for 2 to 4 rounds.

Exercises:

Box Jumps

Burpees

KettleBell Swings

Sandbag Squats

Crabwalks

Jump Rope

Sit Up

Go as fast as you can through all 20 seconds, keep the focus on what you are doing at present time, not what is to come.

Rest for one minute in between rounds.

POST COMMENTS!

Good luck!

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

Week 4, Day 2: In From the Cold

The details: 20 min warmup, 45 min combined toning/aerobic intervals, cooldown. Total time: 65 mins.

Today was a day where my schedule completely threw up. I didn’t partition the right amount of time to focus on eating properly and working out prior to going to work, so alas. Postponed my workout till I got home.

And boy, I really didn’t wanna do it because I was freezing my ass off from commuting in 28-degree weather with a train re-route, adding an extra 30 mins of waiting time.

But, I did it.

Part of the reason why I did it was this blog; this project is, in part, a bet I’ve made with myself. Aside from writing about beauty, self-image, and wrong times where I get called chunky, this is a chronicle of my efforts to actually like exercise and do it. I would have felt like ass and a half had I not kept up my bargain. I took yesterday off due to feeling slightly ill; today was not that day to write off. Nor is tomorrow (or, as the time would have it, later today).

And, I’m sure that while I have a ginormous amount of fans on this blog (ha, because I am that awesome), I just don’t want anyone to tune in here and go, “No, she skipped a day.”

So, I whipped out the jump rope (which, I will admit- I was sore from it, and in a good way yesterday) and went at it while watching the “Top Chef” reunion show. I don’t think I can work out to the actual cooking competition, but I can exercise while watching a bunch of chefs talk about the house drama. Especially if they’re the Voltaggios.

If these two are ever in my orbit, they can shave me, wax me, and use me as a surfboard. Or make me peel potatoes for fun.

O-kay. Heavy cheffin’ fantasies aside, I let Bravo blare on the background while I kept to the workout. The advantage of now having done it for the last week or so is that I’m pretty familiar with the order of the exercises and didn’t really need to read the book. And, after having switched to the “active core workout” versus trying out the beginner version last week, I’ve found the right workout for me. I’m pretty achy afterwards and sore the next day, but not so overly sore so that I don’t want to do it again.

The most difficult part of this workout is doing the 100 jump rope reps; it’s a question of building up reps and lung capacity; so far, my best is 46 in a row. I’ve been told by my trainer friend Bryan that jumping rope is the best form of cardio for some quick results. Jump rope it is.

I’m kind of excited and scared to put myself to that test- what if my body’s the retarded one that wants to hold on to the fat longer? What if my fat cells resist, cling to one another, and refuse to fucking budge? Granted, my line of thinking probably sounds a little nuts (and so does exercising while watching a cooking competition recap). I’m just hoping my fat cells give in.

And a reminder: let’s see what happens by Valentine’s Day. That’s when I’ll have been exercising again for some 11 or 12 weeks.

Phew. Another day down.

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

Not-So-Jolly Holiday Halfathon

Since Tiffany and I haven’t been training as much as we would like to be these days (with her new job and me feeling like a slug), we decided to “take it easy” at Sunday’s Holiday Halfathon and boy, was that ever an understatement!

 

After about two miles, I needed to walk.  Seriously, it was that bad.  Thankfully, Tiffany felt the same and my former running partner was now a running/walking partner.  We joked about how at least we looked like serious runners with our cute little running skirts, sports bras and nifty Garmin gadgets.

 

The course stretched 13 miles north along Gulf Blvd from Madeira Beach to Indian shores.  Then, it turned east for a few miles until we reached the Pinellas trail and ended at Taylor Park, which was a gorgeous finish line!

 

Despite the thick fog, we still really enjoyed the view and the relatively flat course.  Occasionally, we conquered some Florida “hills” or steep bridges as the trail bridged over busy roads.  A sign at the bottom of the steep ramp advised us to “proceed slowly” and we took its warning about the incline a little too literal.

 

Tiffany and I knew several runners in the race from the ‘hood and of course, several Striders were there.  It felt obligated to show moral support to all our running friends rather than actually running.

 

Several police officers and deputies patrolled the intersections and directed the traffic around the race.  One deputy even commented on how we were supposed to be running and Tiffany made me pose for a picture with him as punishment.

 

Around mile 10, a race official seemed to be tallying straggling athletes.  I believe I heard him say there were a few behind us.  “Well, at least we’re not last,” I giggled to Tiffany.  “Maybe we should try running again?”

 

For the last few miles, we finally kept a good pace and finished just under 3 hours.  Not our best performance at all, but at least we can only improve from here! LOL

Time 2:57:42

Ave Pace 13:34

Overall Place 824/882

Division 99/100

 

***Above picture borrowed from David Griner of the Striders.  Tiffany took lots of pics.  I will add them to this post as soon as she sends them to me.***

[Via http://deniseisrundmt.com]

Have you had your exercise today?

I know it’s pretty much winter by now (at least, it will be officially in a week), and it’s probably cold and/or wet and/or dreary outside, but that’s no excuse. You need your exercise. Not just because your doctor said so. Not just because I said so. It’s because if there’s anything that can — and will — help you and your mood (especially on cold, dreary, wet days), it’s exercise.

According to the Mayo Clinic website, there are 7 main benefits of exercise:

Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity You know exercise is good for you — but do you know how good? From boosting your mood to improving your sex life, find out how exercise can improve your life.

By Mayo Clinic staff

Want to feel better, have more energy and perhaps even live longer? Look no further than old-fashioned exercise.

The merits of regular physical activity — from preventing chronic health conditions to promoting weight loss and better sleep — are hard to ignore. And the benefits are yours for the taking, regardless of age, sex or physical ability. Need more convincing? Check out seven specific ways exercise can improve your life.

1. Exercise improves your mood.

Need to blow off some steam after a stressful day? A workout at the gym or a brisk 30-minute walk can help you calm down.

Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out. You’ll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Regular physical activity can even help prevent depression.

2. Exercise combats chronic diseases.

Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent osteoporosis? Physical activity might be the ticket.

Regular physical activity can help you prevent — or manage — high blood pressure. Your cholesterol will benefit, too. Regular physical activity boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol while decreasing triglycerides. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly by lowering the buildup of plaques in your arteries.

And there’s more. Regular physical activity can help you prevent type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer.

3. Exercise helps you manage your weight.

Want to drop those excess pounds? Trade some couch time for walking or other physical activities.

This one’s a no-brainer. When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn — and the easier it is to keep your weight under control. You don’t even need to set aside major chunks of time for working out. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk during your lunch break. Do jumping jacks during commercials. Better yet, turn off the TV and take a brisk walk. Dedicated workouts are great, but physical activity you accumulate throughout the day helps you burn calories, too.

4. Exercise boosts your energy level.

Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Don’t throw in the towel. Regular physical activity can leave you breathing easier.

Physical activity delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. In fact, regular physical activity helps your entire cardiovascular system — the circulation of blood through your heart and blood vessels — work more efficiently. Big deal? You bet! When your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you’ll have more energy to do the things you enjoy.

5. Exercise promotes better sleep.

Struggling to fall asleep? Or stay asleep? It might help to boost your physical activity during the day.

A good night’s sleep can improve your concentration, productivity and mood. And you guessed it — physical activity is sometimes the key to better sleep. Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. There’s a caveat, however. If you exercise too close to bedtime, you may be too energized to fall asleep. If you’re having trouble sleeping, you might want to exercise earlier in the day.

6. Exercise can put the spark back into your sex life.

Are you too tired to have sex? Or feeling too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Physical activity to the rescue.

Regular physical activity can leave you feeling energized and looking better, which may have a positive effect on your sex life. But there’s more to it than that. Regular physical activity can lead to enhanced arousal for women, and men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don’t exercise — especially as they get older.

7. Exercise can be — gasp — fun!

Wondering what to do on a Saturday afternoon? Looking for an activity that suits the entire family? Get physical!

Physical activity doesn’t have to be drudgery. Take a ballroom dancing class. Check out a local climbing wall or hiking trail. Push your kids on the swings or climb with them on the jungle gym. Plan a neighborhood kickball or touch football game. Find a physical activity you enjoy, and go for it. If you get bored, try something new. If you’re moving, it counts!

What’s more, it can help reduce inflammation and add structure to your life. Things really started to turn around for me, job-wise and life-wise, when I began a regular daily exercise routine. Not a weekly routine, where I did something for 30 minutes a day, but a daily routine that is a minimum of 30 minutes and often lasts up to an hour.

How do I make time for it, you ask? Good question. I balked at the idea of exercising for years (despite the fact that I was once an award-winning athlete). I thought I just didn’t have time for it. Then I realized that if I exercised at the same time I did things other that I did daily — mainly, planning my day and thinking through my schedule ahead of time — I could easily fit in a full workout every single day.

As with most things in my life, it’s not enough for me to do them occasionally, or even frequently with some breaks between. I have to commit to things totally and give them my all, or I — and others — get no benefit whatsoever.

If you haven’t had any exercise today, get up right now and do something. Walk up and down stairs a few times. Or better yet, walk outside. Or do some stretches and light calisthenics. Anything — within reason — is better than nothing. And if you’re like me, you cannot afford the luxury of that nothing.

So, get on with it. Now. Stop thinking about it, and just do it. You’ll thank yourself later that you did.

As for me, I’ve had my daily dose, and I’ve had a pretty full day, by now.

I’ve more than earned a nap, so off I go…

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

Tip #9 Exercise Lack of Inertia

“Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired in the morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired.”

- George S. Patton, U.S. Army General, 1912 Olympian

Not once, not even to this day, have I ever  felt like exercising before a session.  This has been the biggest obstacle to fitness for me.  If I have an appointment with a trainer, am keeping an appointment with myself to train or if I am at a fitness class, up until the workout starts and even five minutes in, my mind and body are saying, don’t do this.  Quit, get out of here, you don’t feel up to this, you need to rest, etc.  Seriously, I always feel terrible right before I workout.

I know physically I am up to the workout.  I know in five minutes, I will feel great.  Better than great.  In about an hour I will feel awesome, better than awesome.  Now I use this knowledge to help me get over this ‘lack of inertia’ that has always colored exercise for me.  I know that fit people don’t feel this way.  I have spoken to many of them, asked them detailed questions and this is just another distinct difference between us and them.  Some days they feel this way.  They can tell us about how much they hate to workout on a rainy day or a tired morning, but in general they don’t feel this way anything approaching ALL THE TIME like I do.

Get used to the fact that you will always feel this way and find ways to work around it.  Here are some tips:

• Put together a plan for your first event and keep it.  See You Are Not A Fit Person for a detailed explanation of how to do this.  It really is the first step in a new you and will make all of your future choices possible.
• Early on in your training, pay for appointments with personal trainers.  Ideally have an appointment once a week, report to your trainer your other workouts that week, and report back on how many you kept.  Also, get advice and help in exploring other fitness options that you may enjoy (rock climbing, cross country skiing, hiking, swimming, etc).
• If you can’t afford a personal trainer once a week, sign up for a boot camp, these things are awesome.
• Pay attention to your feelings of lack of inertia before a workout and how you feel mid workout.  Remember how you felt like you couldn’t workout before and how good you feel.  This will allow you to minimize your pre-workout feelings of dread and replace them with mid and after workout  feelings of accomplishment.  You really need to hold onto those feelings of success to keep you working out.
• Join fitness classes (masters swim class, rock climbing group, aerobics classes, etc).  Meet the people there and get to know them.  Some of them, depending on the group you are working out with are fit people.  They will help keep you honest in working out.  The more you get to know them the more likely you will be to keep working out there.  Also, don’t try this until you are fit enough to be proud of your workout.  Unless you have some confidence with your fitness you won’t be likely to make the right kind of friends at the session and you might not continue.
• Sign up for a clinic.  Clinics are great ways to learn about fitness and again, be forced to keep attending.

Seriously, think about how much easier it would be to workout if you didn’t have to fight that feeling when you thought about working out.  Sorry to say that that day may never come for you, but you can make it much easier in future.  Be prepared for the negative feelings that may come over you before a workout and until you have replaced these feelings with the feeling of the success you will feel after the workout, you can make sure that you have other factors to keep your appointment with fitness.

[Via http://youarenotafitperson.com]

Post Workout Shake

8oz milk*

1 cup of uncooked instant oats 1/2 cup of unsalted almonds 1 cup of fruit** 1 teaspoon of locally grown honey 1 handful of ice 1-2 scoops of whey protein Ice crush and blend

I read conflicting reports on using protein as a supplement, but I like to use it, so I vary my intake. The amount I use depends on what type of workout I did. Cardio-intensive workouts will be followed by less protein and weight-intensive workouts are chased by the full two scoops– never more. My own experience is that I feel a significant improvement in muscle recovery times when I use protein powder in my mix. It may be psychological, but so much of exercise is,  so I follow up accordingly.

Another way I use protein is adding 1 Tbslp to my water to carry during my workout. Again, maybe less during my 30 Minute Triathlons, and more when I plan to heave heavy weight. I refill my bottle when I only have  1/4 of fluid remaining, which slowly reduces the protein to water ratio. I honestly don’t know what sort of verifiable benefit this provides, but I have noticed less fatigue during and after the workout. I’ve read reports that protein during exercise helps spur fat loss, but I haven’t been at this method long enough to know if that is accurate for me.

There is a lot of information out there, and the main idea behind CraseFit is cataloging what works best for me, and having a record of what hasn’t worked. I’ll not say that anything I do will work for your body, but some of the filtered information is available on this site for your perusal, judgment and potential use.

*(whichever kind works best for you) **(this is approximate– I use blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries, but a whole banana works great when they appear appetizing on the shelf)

~Lee

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

How Low Would You Go?

It was two degrees yesterday when I left the house in the morning. Definitely a running-inside day. It used to be that when the temperature approached freezing, I moved my running inside. Then I gradually began to go by the daily-high forecast and run outside even if it was slightly below freezing. Still, there was a significant number of runners on the trail. I figured there must be a magic number, lower than 32, that people use as a guideline. I ran some experiments: I counted the number of people I saw running on cold days to determine the Chicago standard for rock-bottom temperatures for running outside. At first, I only counted each person once. That was hard. Then I loosened my standards and would count the same person twice if I saw them coming and going. I reasoned that their extra effort justified the double counting. If I saw ten people, that would be a sufficient count for logging that day’s temperature under ‘proper conditions to run outside’. My threshold is now around twenty degrees, like in the Chicago school system. If it is good enough for the kids to have outdoor recess, it’s good enough for me. Street runners are very friendly on cold days. We smile at each other, wave, nod. “Look,” we ponder, “another nutjob!” You don’t get this cozy feeling at the gym. At the gym, the only friendly people are the people who don’t come there to work out. My iPod is not my friend either when I’m at the gym. The vibrations in my ear buds clash with the vibrations in the furniture and it throws my brain out of whack. Instead, I let the communal gym music enhance my experience and pump me up. I upgraded my membership to have access to the latest HD TV’s and the best shower technology. Every year I pay more and more and use it less and less. My gym membership is my insurance policy. Sort of like Tiger Woods keeping a divorce lawyer on retainer. Plus, in my neighborhood, not having a gym membership is like not shaving your legs in the winter. So yesterday I shaved my legs and went to the gym and felt very normal.

“I was watching a spelling bee / On ESPN2 / And these kids were spelling words / That don’t come naturally to me or you / Like oligarchy, solipsism, bouillabaisse, epistemology, insouciant / Onomatopoeia, syllogism, perspicacious, hypothalamus… / Well, I bet they would get stumped / If they had to spell Channukkahh,” How Do You Spell Channukkahh?, The LeeVees

Art: Emma Frost, © 2009 Erin Gallagher

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

I TURNED 60 ON TUESDAY!

Linda Pulping Coffee

Beginning at Christmas Time, 2007, I embarked upon an goal of attaining a fit, trim, healthier body. I was 58 and obese.

We are approaching Christmas of 2009, and I can say I have accomplished my goal

I have attained and maintained my goal weight for several months

I really did it….

Something unprecedented in my experience…

Something I had Dreamed about a very long time

Something I had utterly lost the belief I could do

It took other people telling me they knew I could do it.

I want to support your belief that it is possible for you to be healthy

To:

1. Feel Better
2. Have more Energy
3. Wear Cute clothes…
4. Participate!
5. FIT Places
6. Be included in more.
7. Have More Fun
8. Have Better Relationships
9. Feel Good About Yourself
10. Let it be fun…
    
    

Yesterday was my 60th birthday.

I walked my 2000 th mile for 2009.

I spent the day working on my friends’ farm. While we were having lunch, he said to me: “I want to recognize you and congratulate you for actually changing your body weight in the way that you have.”

“YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON I HAVE KNOWN WHO DID THAT”

I can not even describe what it was like to hear that.

I know there are so many people who want to do this..

I am an example of success for you…. YOU CAN do this.

I am the real deal.

I know many others who have had life-changing results.

We want you to succeed.

How good is that?

What a gift!

Introduce yourself and tell me what you are thinking…

Linda Carol Berry

BraveHeart Women Global Community founding member

Instrument of Change

I Really Did It

We Are What We Focus Upon

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

Ergogenics: Part One

When it comes to achieving success in sports or fitness, consistent, hard training is probably the most important element. Once you are confident that your training is dialed in, you want to do everything else you can to enhance, or improve your results. There are many ways by which sport or athletic performance may be improved. Collectively these are referred to as Ergogenic Aids.

For those folks familiar with the term Ergogenic aids, the first thing that comes to mind upon hearing the term is probably performance enhancing substances such as anabolic steroids. In fact, Ergogenic aids come in many forms and can have a positive influence on performance in a variety of ways including but not limited to the following.

Ergogenic Aids may:

• Directly influence the physiological capacity of a particular body system thereby improving performance

• Remove psychological constraints which could negatively impact performance

• Increase the speed of recovery from training and competition

Ergogenic Aids fall into the following categories:

• Mechanical Aids, – Heart Rate Monitors

• Pharmacological Aids, – Sports Supplements and other exogenous substances

• Physiological Aids, – Sports Massage, Ice baths, Thermal Regulation Devices (Avacore)

• Nutritional Aids, – Carbohydrate Loading, targeted pre & post training liquid meals

• Psychological Aids, – Hypnosis, Visualization

 As you can see from the brief list I just mentioned. Ergogenic aids come in many forms. Some are relatively inexpensive and easy to get a hold of or implement, while others are expensive, esoteric and perhaps even illegal depending on what sport you are participating in.  

PAU for NOW

TAKU

www.hybridfitness.tv

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

The better attitude I keep, the better my physical health. The better physical health I keep, the better my attitude.

Today was postapocalyptic.  Yesterday, I slammed into a giant iceberg and started drowning in the cold dark waters of my mind.  Today, I felt emotionally and physically exhausted from such an intense struggle of survival. I am realizing more and more how the physical can affect the mind, and how the mind can affect the physical.  I am ovulating, and I know this has something to do with my mood yesterday. I know I would have felt fear over losing a weeks worth of work last week, but I know my ovulating intensified the experience. Today, my psoas is acting up, and I am having hip pain into my leg, down to my knee and wrapped into my lower back.  I am wondering if this is caused by either the ovulation, or maybe I internalized my mood yesterday. Ok. No maybe. I did internalize my fear yesterday, and perhaps this pain is its manifestation. 

So the cycle would continue because the pain puts me in a pissy mood, except that I just did an hour of yoga and dosed up on Advil.  You see, I am learning to take care of myself…and especially my body.  If I hurt or am hungry or am tired, I don’t function well.  My mind goes to its comfortable place of panic, fear and negativity.  So, the more I can get a hold of my physical health, the better attitude I am able to keep.  Of course, the better attitude I can keep, the better my physical health. 

So, body health first.  That means taking care of what I need to physically, which is eating healthy, exercising, doing my yoga, getting a mammogram and doctor’s checkup and if my new hormonal herbs don’t work, going to the doctor to try to alleviate the peri-menopause symptoms.  Or maybe read Christiane Northrup again.

Think about it for your life.  When my mom was here on vacation, I could see this pattern in her.  When she was tired or hungry, she had a harder time staying positive.  So, let me know. What do you think?

 My Christmas tree! She’s about 3 1/2 feet tall! Isn’t she beautiful?!!

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

Latest Book Picks: Physical Activity, Exercise, Fitness

Best books I’ve seen lately on physical activity, exercise, fitness.  Add your suggestions (or opinions of these titles!) in the Comments section.

Breathwalk: Breathing Your Way to a Revitalized Body, Mind, and Spirit by Gurucharan Singh Khalsa & Yogi Bhajan

Definitely the most interesting of all the titles. A meditative way to walk for fitness by combining walking and breathing to aid in healing and restoring energy.

ChiRunning: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-Free Running by Danny Dreyer

Love this book!  Innovative ways to achieve injury and pain-free running.  Gave this to my husband a couple of years ago and he still swears by it.

Bike for Life: How to Ride to 100 by Roy M. Wallack & Bill Katovsky

Our trend report has identified cycling as a real sleeper hit in the cardio arena.  It’s a “gateway drug” to fitness for lots of people turned off by traditional exercise ideas.  So I love the connection here between cycling and a longer, healthier life.  Plus they’ve got a cycling-specific yoga routine.

Light on Yoga: The Bible of Modern Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar

An evergreen foundational title that’s always relevant for those in the mind-body sector.  A comprehensive guide to yoga, including its principles, breathing, asanas, proper technique, and the muscles on which to focus for each asana, plus lists of poses to help progress your practice over an extended period.

Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe

Second edition’s a major update of the original.  Just a classic.

Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey

The connection between exercise and the physiological and biochemical function of the brain fascinates me. I think Ratey oversells the state of the research a bit – this is an emerging area and I’m not sure it quite rises to the level of a “new science” yet.  But still fascinating and thought-provoking.

The Complete Book of Pilates for Men: The Lifetime Plan for Strength, Power, & Peak Performance by Daniel Lyon

100 self-guided Pilates moves for guys.  Yeah, I know they’re really the same moves the girls do.  But that’s not the point (hey, there’s a NROL for Women, right – and it’s the same moves the guys do!).  But I do think the guy-only spin will encourage men to check Pilates out, and I’m all for inclusion and whatever works when it comes to healthy lifestyles.

Once a Runner: A Novel by John L. Parker

Once a Runner is exactly what it sounds like. Haven’t read it yet – comes highly recommended so I’m passing it along.  Long story short, Quenton Cassidy, a collegiate runner suspended from his university and banned from competing, goes off into solitude until meeting a former Olympic gold medalist who helps him find a way to compete despite his situation.  I’m told it’s the most inspiring fictional story out there for runners and athletes, so possibly a good choice for your kids if they’re competitive athletes.

Men’s Health Power Training: Build Bigger, Stronger Muscles with through Performance-Based Conditioning by Robert dos Remedios

I know, it says Men’s Health on the front.  But Remedios is a top strength and conditioning coach and what’s interesting here is that he essentially argues that functional and movement training beats out bench presses (OK, perhaps a slight oversimplification).

Defying Gravity:  How to Win at Weightlifting by Bill Starr

This book, written by competitive weightlifter Bill Starr, is a competitor’s guide to getting ready for the big event. Extremely thorough.

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

In Memory of Anna Benson

I found out a couple of days ago that legendary FIRM founder Anna Benson passed away on November 23, 2009. You can read her obituary here. Anna was an inspiration to countless FIRM fans, myself included. I have to give the FIRM credit for helping me to shed over 50 pounds of excess body weight I had carried around with me for years, and for instilling in me a passion for fitness. In the months after I first discovered the FIRM workouts, I checked out from the library and/or purchased a number of the titles in the series. One of the old videos had a segment at the end called 20 Questions About Fitness, a short but very informative video which taught me a lot about the benefits of aerobic weight training. Soon after, I read Firm for Life, which Anna Benson co-authored with her sister and FIRM co-founder Cynthia Benson. I was struck by the Benson sisters’ talent, passion, and leadership.

I think Anna Benson had a very important influence. First, I think she set a very high standard of production on workout videos in terms of the music, sets, editing, and clarity of instruction. I think her influence has carried through in the subsequent work of many of the FIRM instructors. Her emphasis on weight training and “muscle confusion,” at least in the workout video market, was ahead of its time. I also think she was an inspirational figure and role model for professional women. Anna and her vision and talent will be sorely missed by many.

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

2 Guilt Free Indulgences

Today’s 10:00 snack was a pumpkin pie, well.. not really, a kashi pumpkin pie bar. Although it tasted amazing! This granola bar wins the award for “most tasty” in the 100cal range. They come in boxes and are totally worth trying! It contains 4g of dietary fiber and 20+g carbohydrates at only 3g fat. A great ratio for a small but tasty snack!

Kashi TLC Pumpkin Pie

On the other hand, my Annie’s Vegan Oatbar review has arrived, and was a sucess!

Annie's Vegan Oatbar

For double the calories this bar does the trick for pre exercising. Made with simple ingredients, oats, sunflower butter, sunflower seeds, etc. More calories also means more nutrients, double the protein and carbs. The taste was like honey oats with a hint of cinnamon. If you don’t know what that tastes like, it simply tastes good .

Awarded thickest energy bar by far! Annie’s bars aren’t common in many stores, but your best bet to finding one is a local health market. If you do find them, I totally recommend trying one! Especially since they are only $1.00.

Off to lifting, spinning, and yoga. Have a Happy December 1st!

[Via http://seanruns.com]