I don’t know about you, but I’m very goal oriented when it comes to fitness. If I know I have a race in 3 months my workouts are strategically planned to work towards that goal. In fact, a few years ago I gave myself 6 months to train for my first triathlon and it changed my life! Before that, I was a bartender living a late-night unhealthy lifestyle. And now, my life today could NOT be any more different! (Except I still make a mean Mojito! )
So, if you’d like to set a goal for a run, here’s an option for a beginner run in San Francisco called the Presidio 10 in San Francisco on April 18th. Participants can run either a 10K or 10 mile. The course starts at Crissy Field and takes you across the Golden Gate bridge and back… should be beautiful!
If you’re low on fuel and craving more energy, these supplements are designed to help you break barriers and push yourself beyond the brink. Increase your drive, up your dedication, and improve your performance.
Why I Got StartedI began a diet for a bodybuilding competition because I was sick of being the big fat guy that was strong but never looked good.
That all changed when I promised myself that I would never look like that again. I went from big and fat to big and lean. This was also the first time I saw my abs.
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Ray decided to make a change because he was tired of being the big guy that never looked good. Read on to learn how he turned everything around and shed 72 pounds!
Why I Got Started
I began a diet for a bodybuilding competition because I was sick of being the big fat guy that was strong but never looked good.
That all changed when I promised myself that I would never look like that again. I went from big and fat to big and lean. This was also the first time I saw my abs.
How I Did It
With some help and motivation seven days a week from some friends in college, I trained three hours a day for fourteen weeks and completely transformed my eating habits and training style. Since loosing the weight I have learned what true hardcore training takes.
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Hi I am Shannon from St Louis, Missouri here with Fit Factor Fit Camps What I think it means to have a Super Body, Super Brain is to remember that health is not only physical but also very mental. So if you have a healthy brain to body connection there is no limits on what you can achieve, so that is why I think it means to have a Super Body, Super Brain
Are you in Missouri? Check out Shannon’s great classes
http://www.fitfactor4.com
What does it mean to you to have a Super Body, Super Brain?
Send me your videos! You can win many prizes!
Release Date: December 2010
WEBSITE:
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Email me@michaelgonzalezwallace@gmail.com
Noni popped up on the seen (at least that I know of) only a few years ago, and although healthy, its potent taste makes it a little hard to swallow! Yuck!
Ardyss has changed all that with its flagship nutrition pruduct, Le’Vive. Le’Vive is a deliciously sexy antioxidant supplement offered by Ardyss. It is great for my fitness buffs (or wanna-bes) and my people looking for a great weight-loss aid.
Le’vive has a yummy mix of 5 (YES 5!) super fruits: pomegranate, goji, acai berry, noni, and mangosteen.
Not only is it tasty, but it’s highly beneficial! Le’vive helps with weight loss, strengthening the immune system, increasing energy, and controling blood sugar levels…it’s also been known to increase libido (for my lovers out there!)
There are MANY other benefits… but I don’t wanna bore you, when you can just check it out for yourself!
Folks, I am out of breath and my legs are sore. Today I decided to head down to the Charles River Esplanade and do some sprints on the grass alongside the river. I found a long straight area of grass that wasn’t too crowded and set up shop. I drew a line in the dirt for my starting point, and took off, since I was already warm from the light jog to the river. I sprinted at maximum effort until I simply couldn’t keep the speed up anymore, stopped, and drew a line in the dirt. That would be my distance for today. Sprint, catch your breath, sprint, catch your breath….ten sprints later I was ready to fall over! Half way through I wanted to stop, but I had made a deal with myself to do ten sprints, and so I completed all of them and I’m glad I did. Best part of all…it didn’t take very long! And the scenery wasn’t bad either:
This is the stretch of grass I used to run. Beautiful!
My pay is all healed up so I’m getting back at it this week. I’m going to exist a week behind and continue at week 6. Here it is:
Resistance/Circuit Training
A1: Pushups (feet up~ the body ball) A2: Explosive Jumps (lift your knees up) A3: Decline back tumult with bands A4: Stationary lunges with bands (45 sec/side) A5: Dips A6: Walking lunges with weights (you can use dumbbells, milk jugs, backpack, etc.) A7: Tricep extensions (45 sec/faction. Keep to form, don’t move the elbow!) A8: Toe distress A9: Concentration curl with bands (45 sec/side)
Going to insert with the Intermediate level as I did in week 5. HIIT continues as per week 5. Mighty Grasshopper has again posted a video discipline for this weeks exercises. Srsly can’t wait to startle back tomorrow!
Yay! I had a great practice today. My strategy to move to a new location halfway through worked well. When I was juggling over the bed, I simply could not get 9 throws. When I moved to the middle of the room with a wall as my backdrop, I was able to start getting 9 throws after only a few tries. So strange how that works; maybe a rut is tied to a location. I guess that makes sense, as a new perspective, whether physical or mental, seems to always promote growth, creativity and better understanding. While juggling over the bed helps with efficiency of practice, it probably creates some sort of mental crutch. But you’d also think I’d be more likely to ‘go for it’ and try to get 9 throws with the bed under me – crazy!
So next practice I will move locations again, maybe even more than twice per session. Looking forward to more progress in the coming week!
This entry promised to go on forever, such is the volume of stories coming in at the moment. That’s why I’ve divided this entry into two entries, the first going up to the initial letter M, the other covering N to Z.
A Day Through the Eyes of a Blind Woman and how technology might help to get her through.
A Chat with ABC News on Assistive Gadgets – abledbody: news, insights and reviews on disability and assistive technology – includes the Intel Reader and some iPhone apps.
A quarter of Welsh polling stations ‘inaccessible’ – BBC News
Accessible Text CAPTCHAs: 157,500,799 logic questions – a possible way around the difficulties of visual and audio CAPTCHAs.
Accessible UK Train Timetables
Accessible Web Video: JW Player Controls – OSU Web Accessibility Center – provides an accessible front end to Flash videos.
Accessibility for e-books means audio, too – Media dis&dat
Alabama creates fitness center for deaf, blind people – Media dis&dat
Am I Taking the Right Pill? – Donna Jodhan – how are you going to tell one kind of medication from another?
Apple Releases Safari 4.0.5 « AccessTech News – and it still doesn’t play nice under Windows.
Apple’s iPad Will Read Books Out Loud, Support Free E-Books | Gadget Lab | Wired.com
Are touch screens accessible?
Astronomy HyperText Book – the University of Oregon provides a fairly accessible resource.
Australia struggles to provide better disability access for performing arts – Media dis&dat
Australia’s film and TV industry opening up to disabled performers – Media dis&dat
Becta collaboration: Sources of Specialist Equipment funding for IT in the home/other support
Best Free Portable Applications – techsupportalert.com
Book Port Plus – American Printing House for the Blind
Braille Labels from Auntie Arwen’s Spice Blends – Fred’s Head
Building on Patterns: Primary Braille Literacy Program First Grade Level – Fred’s Head from the American Printing House for the Blind.
Campaigners for blind criticise Cathedral Square fountains – Peterborough Today – lack of tactile markers makes life difficult for people with sensory disabilities.
Choice Magazine Listening – Fred’s Head from APH – free magazine audio for those with print disabilities.
Claro Software Download Site – Claro Software Range – Claro Read version 5.5 is just released. I’m a bit concerned that the e-mail alert from the company didn’t read properly in plain text (meaningless ‘click here’ links, which weren’t linked at all), and the forms on the site that are not fully accessible. Try the free trial anyway.
Clisk, the Command-Line Interface for Skype
Does HTML5 Really Beat Flash? The Surprising Results of New Tests
Effective Practices for Description of Science Content within Digital Talking Books / Introduction / NCAM – Experience + Learn / Educational Media. Also visit
TouchGraphics Video for an example of audio-tactile representation using the LiveScribe pen.
FCC Talks on Broadband for People with Disabilities – abledbody: news, insights and reviews on disability and assistive technology
Finding awesome stuff online with Google Reader Play – Official Google Blog – get your chosen topics played to you without sorting out all your own feeds. Videos and maximised images included.
First park designed for disabled people to open in Texas – Media dis&dat – Morgan’s Wonderland, near Austin, not only has wheelchair-accessible ride, but many sensory experiences as well.
Flash Satay: Embedding Flash While Supporting Standards – A List Apart
Freedom Scientific Reduces Price of Focus 40 Blue Braille Display by 38% to Support Drive for Braille Literacy – it’s a snip at $2,795.
Fully Accessible Talking Glucose Meter System – Fred’s Head – the Prodigy Voice claims to be the only device of its kind for diabetics.
Global Assistive Technology Encyclopedia – Global Assistive Technology Wiki
Guess This Gadget: Stereoscopic 3D Image Scanner | Blog | ZiggyTek – Real-View 3D have produced this consumer desktop viewer, based on medical equipment.
Guide Dog Training Survey – your chance to share experiences.
Handbook for Learning to Read Braille by Sight – Fred’s Head
Have I Ever Relied On my Vision When Completing any activities? « Youtube’s “Living Blind” Blog – seems like for some people vision can be more confusing than helpful.
How I Label Things – Donna Jodhan – using Braille labels and the Penfriend audio label maker.
IBM looks into easy cellphones: News24: SciTech: News – phones suitable for people with disabilities and elderly people.
If You Are Blind Or Have Low Vision – how we can help – electronic information from the U.S. Social Security system.
ILRC – San Francisco – the Independent Living Resource Center offers a number of services to enable disabled people to live independently.
In Canada, a group of disabled people complain about costly accessible transportation – Media dis&dat
Little Things that Can Make a Big Difference – Fred’s Head from APH – as a blind person, you will still need to write things occasionally. Writing guides can be helpful.
McTwit Twitter client
McTwit Installer
Documentation – this is version 2.7
Matchbox brings you a very special Five of the Best this month, courtesy of fitness guru Matt Roberts.
In the depths of the last recession, Matt Roberts moved to London with an idea: he’d identified a niche in the market for personalised training, where athletes or regular clients could get tailored help in reaching their fitness goals.
With no banks willing to lend, he had to put in some hard graft to raise the necessary funds. But raise them he did and in 1995 Roberts managed to set up his first one-to-one training centre within a former art gallery. Today he owns four plush personal training gyms across the capital with a client list that boasts the likes of John Galliano and Naomi Campbell. The following are Roberts’s top tips on keeping healthy in 2010.
Interview with Laura Holt.
1. Staying Motivated
Set a distinct goal and a date by which you want to achieve it. Be crystal clear and devise a reward for yourself for when you reach that target – and a forfeit if you fail to make it. Your goal could be that you want to get into a certain size dress for a special occasion, for example. So buy the dress in a smaller size that realistically matches your target. You’ll have an incentive for getting your weight down – or you’ll have wasted your money.
2. The Fun Factor
The best way to avoid monotony in your routine is to mix up the intensities – with things like interval training – and by varying the activities. Part of the reason why triathlon has become so popular is because advocates can vary training up by going for a run one day, then a bike ride or session in the pool the next. It’s important to allow yourself a mental and physical break. Make sure you have different patterns you follow. Sit down on a Sunday night and plan your activities for the week ahead to help stimulate your workout.
3. Eating Better
The average female consumes between 85-105 grams of fat each day, when it should be no more than 60 grams. With men, the ratio’s roughly the same: we’re consuming 80 per cent more fat than we should be. Where possible, remove saturated fats from your diet (commonly found in fried foods and dishes with rich creamy sauces and cheese). Stay away from ‘bad’ fats (many mass-produced biscuits and the like still contain unhealthy trans fats), and focus instead on the ‘good’ ones, in sources including fish, nuts and seeds.
4. Working Out
One of the most effective ways to work out is through interval training. At least twice a week, throw a hill session into your running or cycling routine or change your speed when swimming for a minute or two. Push yourself really hard, to the point where you couldn’t carry on any further, then recover for same time. Keep this up for 45-minutes and it will raise your metabolism phenomenally. Working out at a constant pace raises your metabolic rate for about 8 hours – with interval training, the afterburn effect lasts for up to 48 hours.
5. Warming Down
When you’ve finished an exercise session, you really need to stretch. Cool yourself down by bringing your heart rate down slowly. For example, if you’ve finished a run, spend five minutes gradually reducing your pace to a slow walk before finishing by stretching all muscles.
Yesterday, I was feeling pretty pumped when I hit the gym for my back workout. I had good energy, had eaten well all day, and was psyched to try out my new workout gloves (Vain girls wear these in the weight room to avoid ugly callouses!) I had what I thought was a great workout. I did seated machine rows, seated low rows, T-bar rows, cable lat pulldowns, seated pullovers, back extensions, and some exhausting deadlifts! I came home and had a good protein and simple sugar shake (might have poured in a bit too much maple syrup, OOPS!) So how do I feel this morning??
Nothing. Nada. Zip.
Sure, I might feel a bit sore tomorrow in delayed onset muscle soreness, but I know from experience that if I’m not feeling a little buzz on day 1, I didn’t get the training I needed. My feeling is that while I did a lot of work, I wasn’t using weights that were heavy enough to get the effect I wanted.
A few months ago, following a fitness hiatus, I trained with a trainer, who showed me the proper weight I should be using to exercise. Boy, was I surprised! Although I thought I had a good amount of training under my belt, it took another person to show me what “heavy” really means. Lifting heavy really is an exhausting struggle, and sometimes it’s hard to hit that point. As you increase your strength, it becomes even harder to challenge yourself to increase your weight since your last workout. What I mean is: If you’re using 25 pound plates on your barbell deadlifts, you’ll keep using those plates because you know they work. You must constantly re-evaluate your power in order to determine when to increase the weight. When you’re looking for a quick workout, it’s easier to slap on those 25’s than to challenge yourself, isn’t it?
So, last night’s workout taught me that I need to start increasing my weights if I want to see some results. If I had remained present in my workout last night, I might have caught on that I was doing 8 reps no problem, which indicates to me that I need to increase my weights. And this morning I would have felt that beautiful sore feeling of growing muscles!
When you’re just starting out, or picking up after a hiatus, or changing your goals, how to know how many reps and sets to perform, and at what weight? The general rules are:
Goal: Increase muscle strength
How to train: Low reps (1-7) are best for training for strength. In other words, you should choose a weight that is so heavy that on the seventh rep, you can no longer lift the weight and maintain proper form. Lifting such a heavy weight puts a large overload on your muscle fibers, and may train muscle nerves to fire in rapid synchronization.
Goal: Gain Muscle (growth)
How to Train: Perform a medium-range of reps (8 to 10) at such a weight that the 11th rep cannot be performed with good form. Lifting in this rep range creates enough stress on the muscle fibers and metabolic stress on muscle cells to kick start growth.
Goal: Endurance
How to Train: Perform a high-rep range of 13+ at a weight level that allows you to perform at high reps. (Think lower than in the above scenarios) This trains the muscle pathways to build endurance without providing enough overload to start growth or strength increases.
Notice a pattern, here? No matter your goal, make sure that you’re using enough weight so that you can barely eke out single new rep!! Remain present in your workouts and you can avoid wasting time in the wrong weight range.
I got my first glorious copy of the Bravissimo catalog this week, which looked extra glorious laying next to my usual Victoria’s Secret catalog.
Have you heard of Bravissimo? They have the best explanation for how bras should fit that I’ve EVER seen.
So here comes this glorious catalog, in which models are eating cookies and dancing and looking like hot teachers – as opposed to just hot supermodels. And, what was that definition of juxtaposition again?
Oh yeah, the VS cover.
Don’t get me wrong, Vicky. I love you. I love your mesh fabrics and your good-at-sizing sizers and your smug overpricedness. I’ve given you plenty of business.
Of course this chickypoo loves her body. She gets paid lots and lots of working-class salaries to love her body. I’d look good too if I got paid to jetset around and live off lettuce and cigarettes. VS models are an epitome of the modern concept of beauty.
But don’t throw this crap at me, like you’re trying to encourage me to love myself. I can do that without you.
I’d rather look at hot chickypoos with bodies that I could aspire to. (I could aspire to VS, but I’d have to grow at least 7 inches AND lose 20 pounds.)
The sad part is that Bravissimo is in Europe, so I’ll continue to buy VS on sale online. At least VS carries great bras in my size, which is more than a lot of you department stores can say.
I’d never really considered myself a runner until I got about four months into this challenge and I still find I have my doubts at times about whether I really am one.
Other people I know though have been running for years and, sometimes, you just have to bow to their superior knowledge. Point in case is Steve Swift, regular reader and commenter (is that a word?, Steve would know, he’s a proof reader). Steve has been running for some time and regularly offers me pieces of sage advice… go back two entries ago to see his comment on my 18.5mile run: ‘be careful on Tuesday’.
While yesterday I was a little stiff, today I was a lot stiff. I mean a real lot stiff, so much so that I could go no faster than 12 minutes a mile and I began to wonder where the line is drawn between a slow run and a quick walk.
As is often the case though, a sign comes up just when I’m feeling a bit glum about things. Just as I got back, the postman was arriving – unheard of for 7.55am in the morning and he was delivering my new 1095miles.com running shirts. I’ll model them in a pic on tomorrow’s entry!
Click here for a Google Map and full details of the day’s run
Miles today: 3
Target: 513
Miles to date: 663.1
Want to dedicate a run to someone or have one dedicated to you? Click here
Turbulence training Kettlebell Revolution System For girls
By kannan7.03.turbulence3
According to Chris Lopez, creator of the Turbulence coaching Kettlebell Revolution System, Kettlebells are superb for everyday folks who wants an effective workout.
But they are also excellent for ladies. Girls using Kettlebells would develop a sexy lean, look. turbulenct training. They might get a dancers body, versus a very muscly physique.
Chris Lopez says that Kettlebell training works a lot on the posterior chain, which embodies the hamstrings, glutes, lumbar region & abs. This is good for ladies, since girls tend to train their quads too much.
In women, the angle of the femur ( leg bone ) relative to their hips is more acute then men. This forces them to use their quads more in lower body movements.
Using KB Movements such as swings, high pulls, and snatches helps them train their frequently neglected glutes and hamstrings, allowing them to create balance and healthier knees.
Another vital benefit of Kettlebell coaching for women is they are very versatile and can be taken anywhere and everywhere. turbulence training review. You can get a great workout using just one Kettlebell. If you were to depend only on Dumbbells, then you’d need a complete set of dumbbells to get a useful workout. With Kettlebells, one weight level can last your for months.
There are 2 reasons why Kettlebells are better than Dumbbells : one ) the way in which the weight is distributed. Because all of the weight is in one, giant location, vs being even distributed as in a Dumbbell, all of the muscles in your body are called into action to manage the Kettlebell.
Chris Lopez endorses starting off with an 8kg weight for ladies. That is’s 17.6 lbs. Here’s a sample routine you can try today :
Complete the following circuit 3-5 times :
* Kettlebell ( Goblet ) Squat x10 * Kb Row x 12 per arm * KB Goblet Lunges x10 per leg * 1-Arm army Press x10 per arm * 2-Arm KB Swings x20 per arm * Rest 60-90 seconds and repeat
It’s hard for anyone to accept change – in any shape or form.
Good or bad.
Change in relationship status.
Change in career.
Change in living arrangements.
Change in appearance.
Change in personality.
That last one is a tough one. It’s where I’m sitting currently and is something my husband woke me up to today on our run while I vented about Kick and the piece I’m still struggling with: letting go, stepping outside of “me” and embodying the Kick instructor that I’m meant to be, that I need to be in order to not only pass the looming BTS video assessment/certification but to be a full-fledged instructor at my gym.
A snippet from our convo during this afternoon’s run (which was amazing btw, a little over 5 miles in gorgeous quasi-spring new england temps):
Me: I don’t know how to let go.
Scott: Just stop thinking.
Me: I don’t know how to stop thinking, I can’t do it.
Scott: You need to let go, and letting go means not thinking.
Me: But how do I do that??
Scott: You have to change who you are, stop letting Type-A take over and just go.
Me: (insert frustrated grumbling here)
Scott: You always come to class prepared, you know the routine, you know the moves. You have that going for you. You need to push that aside, because you got it, stop thinking about it, and just motivate and have fun.
Me: It’s so easy for me to just revert to status quo, and for me, that means not stepping outside the “safe” box and being someone I’m afraid to be, because I don’t know how to be someone else. “Kimmie” said I don’t need to change who I am, just be a slightly enhanced version of myself. But how?
Scott: Right. That’s it. You have to be uncomfortable until you can embrace that change in who you are, it’s in there, just let it out. Let yourself be great.
Wow. This was EXACTLY what I needed to hear today. I was so frustrated after Kick practice today because I know that the one piece that will fail me is the cueing/motivating. I am struggling with it badly. But why? Why am I struggling to, of all things, motivate? THIS is why I took the leap with Kick – to motivate others to live a healthy, balanced, LIVELY life.
So, if I can keep that in mind, that I am fulfilling a dream, something not many people get the opportunity to do in life, then I should be the most enthusiastic, excited and awesome instructor there is, right?
In theory, yes. In reality, my former shy self is holding me back. It’s like this little mini-me on my shoulder whispering in my ear, “it’s ok, just get through it” versus the motivated and inspirational mini-me I NEED screaming in my ear “DO THIS, YELL, GET EXCITED!!”
I’ve got to squash that shy mini-me, it’s not who I am. I’m better than that. Much better, in fact. Until I can squash her for good, I’m going to have to do what Scott said, fake it, act, step outside of “me” until the new and improved “me” emerges for real and it no longer feels unnatural. I need to let myself be great. Has a nice ring to it, no?
The real test is looming – Thursday is the next class I’ll be teaching and I’ll be damned, shy-me better stay in bed that morning, or else!
Because of Rich’s, I got to bed at 2a and woke up at 730a. That’s only 5.5 hrs… NOT enough.
My first appointment was at 9am, so I got to the office early today…and he was a NO SHOW! Can you believe that?
I did my eyebrows and everything!
However, I did not lose the lesson in the moment. Even though I was embarrassed in front of Jim (if you don’t know who Jim is, you’ve got some catching up to do), he asked me about my Cancellation Policy!
What cancellation policy? I don’t have one….until an hour later when my next client walked in and signed my newly written cancellation policy!
See Jayson? You’re learning!
My 2nd appointment was from Top of the Park, and he is a very nice guy. He seemed to LOVE his massage, and he’s coming back in 2 weeks….gotta keep my clients, gotta keep my clients, gotta keep my clients….
I had some clerical trouble with printing and processing his credit card and all, but I finally worked my way through it all.
I still have a workout coming up later in the day…my last workout of Level One. Mr. Trainer is going to “rock my world” with all new stuff on Monday! Ahh! I’m scared!
I look at the crazy things some of these guys do to themselves in the gym…rolling pushups on giant barbells…Serpentine pushup sequences….Scary stuff!
I think I said it in the last blog, but I am SO excited for Monday’s “Weigh In!” I know I started out the week a little rough by pouting over my small weight loss and overeating, but I’ve taken responsibility, corrected my mistake, and worked REALLY hard!
And I can feel my body changing really fast! Woo hoo! Dare I hope for a decent number this week?
As for the jog, I went over to Balboa Park and ran the new trail again! It was a very scenic hour of sweating, and just when I thought I saw all of trail #5, I discovered an entirely new branch that goes off into the distance…I’ll be exploring that this coming week, I’m sure!
My right knee though….not happy with me. Hmm…
I originally wrote in my notes today that I was going to take a nap…somehow that never ended up happening. =(
But I did get my grocery shopping done! Billy took me to Costco, and I have enough vegetables to feed a neighborhood for at least a month.
I can NOT believe how much fruit and veggies I eat in a week! Everyone was looking at my cart and what I was buying, and then looking back at me…it was weird today.
Without making eye contact, I saw people doing a lot of head nodding as they sized me up in Costco. They obviously thought “Oh, he seems in shape…yup, he’s buying broccoli.” LOL
After 40 minutes of chopping my veggies and storing stuff, I had to stop and go to the gym. I have more chopping to do tomorrow, but it’s enough for one day.
My groceries completely dominate the bulk of the fridge…Hubby is not happy about that, per se, but he’s being very nice about it…thank you Hubby!
I threw some cottage cheese and blueberries in a bowl and went to work out!
The Gym: Awesome! 44 minutes of pure Hell, but I had that fire in my pants again. As Hubby says, “Oh, you’re one of THOSE guys, huh?”
Yup, I’m one of “those guys.”
Today I couldn’t help it…I counted out loud, yelled, grunted, and otherwise was a loud, obnoxious, dramatic freak!
But I DID it!
I did a REALLY good workout, and that’s what counts! It’s not easy to do the workout at night…most of my energy is all ready gone, and I didn’t even start out with any energy today!
Oh, and the V crunches (double pikes) were burning and sore…but I NEVER reached my max out! During the final reps I just held that airborne position for maybe 30 seconds…while staring amazed at my own body, mouth agape!
I kept waiting to cramp up, to max out, to collapse back to the ground, but my abs weren’t having any of it! They were like, “Godamn it! Fine! You insist on doing this move, then HERE! DO IT THEN!” eheheh….it was AWESOME!
The rest of the night was nice and relaxing. Just had dinner with Hubby and then came home to blog. And here’s the cool thing: I had dinner at Red Lobster!
Hubby wanted to have dinner “someplace nice”…as he says when he’s feeling neglected. And I expressed concerns about only having 297 calories left to eat, as well as not being able to eat smart in restaurants…afterall, I haven’t BEEN to a restaurant in nearly 6 weeks!
While showering, I was planning on doing all this work online just so I could figure out what I was going to eat…and when I came out Hubby had all ready solved it.
There’s this .99 cent iPhone app with all the calories for over 70 restaurants! Wow! Hubby totally just jumped in and helped solve a problem without being asked! Yea!!! Way to go Hubby!
It wasn’t the smoothest dinner planning ever, but it all worked out. I have to remember this was my first time using this application, and I’ll get faster in the future.
And with advanced notice, I’ll be able to preplan meals out and actually eat with Hubby once in a while!
My Dinner:
A small green salad (with lemon sprayed on top as my dressing…thanks for the suggesion, Waitress person)
A double portion of broccoli with Lemon and Old Bay seasoning…(Jayson has a new “flavor of the month!”)
And the flakiest, hottest, most delightfully lightly grilled Salmon steak I’ve ever had! I nearly died.
Of course, eating out is also MUCH more expensive…$16 for 400 calories? That’s 4 cents a calorie! Wow!
If I phrase it like that to Hubby, I’m sure we’ll never eat at a restaurant again!
I did go over todays calorie goal by about 100 calories, but it’s coming out of tomorrow’s calorie budget.
Oh, and tomorrow is my first day at the Spa, where people pay WAY more than I charge, for a shorter amount of time with me….whatever. It’ll be good to have a guaranteed busy day once a week for the next 12 months!
And besides the massages, I don’t have anything else planned. It’s my day OFF from all fitness! (So I don’t need as many calories anyway)
Well, that’s it ya’ll. I love you and thank you profoundly for your support/half-hearted amusement, or any other attention you feel like throwing my direction.
I know I talk about a lot of random, personal, gay stuff….but that’s my life. And the ONLY way for me to not slide face first into a bathtub full of “Fudge Rounds” is to “talk out” everything!
I didn’t used to overeat because I was dum, I overate because I was lonely and felt that no one heard me.
I had no voice, and no hope that people would listen if I did speak…and I’ve finally outgrown that, and I’m growing up. =)
HOW MANY CALORIES DO YOU NEED TO LOSE AND MAINTAIN YOUR WEIGHT
This NHS tool allows you to work out what calories your body needs based on your current weight, height, sex, age and level of activity. This helps you to calculate what your calorie intake should be while you are losing weight and understand what you need to continue to eat to prevent putting the weight back on.
This week has been a little disappointing because I’ve been struggling to get over a minor cold and I was so busy at work. I was going to try to push through to finish by Saturday which would be 20 days but I may have to go into next week now.
Having said that I’ve not done badly this week. I went into the gym on Monday intending to just do 500 as recovering from that cold but somehow continued to 1000.Tuesday I got onto the mats and noticed someone had left double 8kg and double 12kg. So I had some doubles fun- after some internal debate I decided that each double was just one swing as it was one hip movement. I finished with straightforward 16kg swings- added another 500.
I had to have a day off on Wednesday due to work pressure. However I ended up doing 10 press ups because children in the boxing class bet me I couldn’t-posh headteacher dress and everything.
On Thursday I completed 700 swings- mostly with the 16kg. Friday I went to see an amazing Cuban dance company so no time to workout. At the last count that made 8200. I’m going to try for finishing on Sunday…
I cannot believe it, it’s still snowing!! But that didn’t stop us going to the gym My workout this morning included:
Platform Calf Raises 3×20
Leg Extensions 10# 2×14
Leg Curls 20# 2×14
H.S. Calf Raises 10# 2×16
Then, I went to the morning yoga class! My yoga instructor threw in some pilate core routines and that really challenged me (in a good way). Meanwhile, my husband faithfully worked out for 90 minutes by himself as usual. We drove home together after we’re all done, had our breakfast, and off to work!
I had some break time in the early afternoon, so I decided to go back to the gym for cardio workouts:
30 minute intervals on elliptical
30 minute intervals on bike
My quads started feeling sore and I experienced a sharp pain in my left ankle while I was on the bike. After I lowered the intensity, I felt ok and I was able to finish the workout. I probably should go easy on my legs tomorrow.
Some of you might know that I started this blog when I began a health and fitness program at my gym. At the beginning of it I complained about having to wake up at 5:30 a couple of days, having to work out 5 days a week and eating healthy foods. This is the last week of that program and I have to say it wasn’t as bad as I thought. Basically, all of the things that I spent time complaining about are the same things that make me feel great today! Last night I put on a pajama shirt that normally makes me look fat (ok, so it was a truthful shirt) and now it just hangs on me. I’ve done things I would not have done otherwise because of the program – today I actually ran a mile. Before the program if I were asked to take a walk outside I’d say – Really? where are we going exactly?.
So now that things have changed, now that I am a healthier slightly lighter person than when I began what do I do? The last weigh in for me is Thursday. There is no group accountability after that. The only one that will be with me when I “weigh in” is me and the scale. No prizes for being the biggest looser, no pats on the back, and now for a couple of weeks, I’ll be working out alone (well just not in a class). Will I let things slide? I really hope not … I can’t …. NO! I’ve come too far to just let things slide. Plus, I have some people who read this who really care. To let them down, my family, and me – that’s just to much to think of doing.
There are going to be some hard climbs coming up ahead soon. I’ll surely plateau which will totally suck. Loosing weight has been fairly easy so far so and that has made things fun. As soon as it gets hard I am really going to have to work on not giving up and just power through it.
After all the climbing, running, clawing my way through countless hours of working out, surviving sweaty, crave filled moments while driving by a starbucks, after dragging my sore body to bed only to wake up and do it all over again I’m not done. I haven’t finished the race. I’ve only reached the top of the first hill and this week I’m enjoying the view because next week I have to start up the mountain that’s ahead.
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I had big plans for a Hot Yoga class this morning. I went to bed relatively early and made myself get out of bed at 8:50am to get ready and drive to the studio. I looked out the window…surprise, surprise–there was snow on the ground. If you know me, you know that I am NOT going to drive in snow, especially since my townhouse is kind of at the top of a hill and I’m terrified of my car sliding around. I meant SUV…with 4-wheel drive. Ha ha yes I’m just afraid for no reason, I admit it. But anyways, I had to skip Hot Yoga…I was really looking forward to it after hitting the gym hard this week. I did Body Pump twice, lots of running, and lots of elliptical intervals throughout the week. So that was a little disappointing, but I might go tomorrow afternoon…its just such a good feeling after 90 minutes of sweating out toxins and getting some good stretching in. Does anyone else love Hot Yoga as much as I do?!
I had plans for today to be my “rest” day, only doing Hot Yoga, and then running 10 miles tomorrow. But since that clearly didn’t happen, I ran 5 miles on the treadmill today and tackled a few hills/intervals…I’m thinking of running another 5 tomorrow and then doing Hot Yoga in the afternoon. I know it isn’t going to be 10 miles all at once, but it still accomplishes the basic goal of running 10 miles this weekend + Hot Yoga. So I’ll go with it I guess I can’t wait until next week, when I get to go to my hometown gym (YMCA) alllll week! I miss the fab Spinning classes and the best Ab classes I’ve ever been to…and all of the instructors are awesome! Its the little things in life that make me happy I also will probably get in a 12 or 13 mile run while I’m home…just as prep for my Half on March 21st. I’ve maintained my endurance and have been running 10-12 mile runs regularly, so I’m not really building up. I have been working on more intervals/high intensity training and I think I’ll definitely run the Half in less time this year than I did last year. We shall see I guess
Well I’m going to relax & enjoy the rest of the day…I hope everyone is having a great weekend so far!
I’m back at work this week which means that workouts are harder to fit in. So fewer swings are in order as I have less time. I decided to go up a weight and so introduced the 16kg thinking that this would slow me down. However I still managed 500 and 700 swings per session. By Friday I was up to 5600 swings.
I was due to help supervise a school disco and had little time to workout but really wanted to finish that last 400. So I managed to get to the gym for a quick blast. At one time 400 swings would take an hour, I was finished easily within 30 mins including joit mobility and stretch! I even managed 100 swings with the 20kg (2H in sets of 20).
Whats more I went back to work refreshed and ready to take on 2 hours of school disco- much more daunting.
Where did all the fat go? That’s right, the Western world has become so obsessed with eating right, staying in shape and cleansing that this once pleasantly plump country has become that of gym memberships and biking shorts. Studies will tell you that this isn’t the case, that over 50% of the country is obese, but look around you, whether we are or we aren’t doesn’t mean were not trying to change. The numbers have scared us and now it’s hard to find a business man or woman who doesn’t wake up extra early just so they can hit the gym for an hour. Doughnuts are taking the hit on this one too, it used to be rare that any sweet treats would remain on the snack table during the morning break at work but now you’ll only have muffins to choose from. Too many people have had far too much time to think about what they want to look like when all they should be doing is worrying less about others opinions and more about having a meaningful and fulfilling life. So for all those runners out there, to all those gym fanatics that can’t shower before putting on a good sweat there is hope at the Radisson Hotel Toronto East, or newly designed fitness room is equipped with the latest gear from running machines to the dreaded stair master, so you can all sleep easy knowing you can eat dessert tonight.
And to everyone else out there like me, who takes life as it is and tries to be happy, we can always sue McDonalds.
Thought of the day!
Never treat your audience as customers, always as partners. (Jimmy Stewart)
Moving into “powerpoint heaven – or should it be called hell”, the 3 parts of text are beginning to make sense and revealing the black holes that need to unveiled. Actually not that many and it seems like a fun stuff to look for.
I did learn one more thing, namely that I need to kick start my brain (short walk, coffee break outside the house, etc.) and then focus follows.
Another breakthrough on the fitness front, running uphill for a few minutes during the workout! What a change and much more fun!
I was nice to help a newby in the Al-Anon group. Hopefully the person will continue after the first step.
It’s only Tuesday, and I already feel like I’m behind. I guess that’s what happens when you go back to a really busy workweek after a week off. Yesterday flew by, and I had a lot going on, but today after work things should be a bit calmer, so I’m hoping to catch up on a few things so that I can feel more in balance.
One of the things that I’ve let slide since Saturday is working out. I was great about hitting the gym and exercising all week while I was off, but once the weekend hit, and I had a few social engagements, being active sort of slid off the radar. Then yesterday was just crazy, and here I am.
I’ve been putting a lot of pressure on myself lately about needing to lose weight. I look at other bloggers and see that they’ve lost 10, 15, or almost 20 pounds so far this year. Then I look at my own totals and see that my net weight change is a gain so far this year. And then I see photos of myself and am so unhappy with the image that I see. The main problem is that I get into a lazy mode so easily – I’ll workout well for a couple of days an then I just let it drop off. I need to break that bad habit, because although I can eat healthy and stick to my points allowance, I know my body well enough to know that I must exercise in order to lose weight.
So the main focus for today and the remainder of this week is to get at least 30 mintues of activity in, even if it’s just the Wii Fitplus. (Which actually gets my heart pumping pretty quickly, believe it or not. Especially the boxing).
I also don’t want to get into feeling so negatively about myself, because that isn’t productive. So I want to make an effort this week to treat myself well. I started by buying a beautiful bouquet of spring flowers at the grocery store when I went shopping for my weekly groceries.
I love gerbera daisies, and this bouquet is a beautiful reminder that spring is just around the corner. Everytime I look at it, it makes me smile.
A few other things I’m doing for myself to keep positive thoughts flowing this week:
reading your blogs
taking a luxurious bath
trying out new recipes- I’ve already made Scale Warfare’s frittata, and I’m planning on making two other WW recipes later in the week.
So that’s where things are with me right now. I haven’t been doing a great job of following through with everything, but I’m determined to keep my spirits up and make this work.
Channel 4 Documentary following the revolutionary life-extension and immortality ideas of this somewhat eccentric scientist, Dr. Aubrey de Grey. This show is all about the radical ideas of a Cambridge biomedical gerontologist called Aubrey de Grey who believes that, within the next 20-30 years, we could extend life indefinitely by addressing seven major factors in the aging process. He describes his work as Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence (SENS). EngEdu Related websites:
Don’t judge me but… my review of Dance a GoGo Sexy Nightclub Workout is up on DVD Talk now. It’s true that I get to pick what I review and, yes, I picked this 3 disk box set. But I’m the only fitness reviewer so I would’ve ended up with it eventually anyway.
I looked like a straight up fool trying to do these routines–Music Video, Latin and Nightclub–and I was on the dance team for five years. Lame. The instruction is non-existent so it’s kind of hard to follow along. You might as well be watching a skanky music video and flailing your body around in time with the techno beat.
The best (read: worst) part are the tips from choreographer Andrea Lin:
1. Dressing sexy can make you fit!
2. Sitty pretty with efforts!
3. Walk in heels with style!
Yep. Sitty pretty with efforts. QUOTE.
Check out the review and let me know if you want it. I’m certainly not keeping it.
Although there are benefits from repeatedly lifting heavy weights in the gym, it can eventually become tiresome. Sometimes a strength and conditioning program needs to be changed – if only to provide a temporary break from the ‘norm’.
Kettle bells offer a refreshing alternative (visit www.fitness-shop.com.au for their large range). Sure, they don’t develop pure strength, but they can provide improved conditioning, particularly as an aerobic workout can be incorporated into a kettle bell routine.
I developed my own program, which combined short sprints (20 m) with kettle bell exercises. These exercise could focus on specific muscle groups, e.g. hammer curl, tricep extension, etc., but could also include compound exercises (those that require the use of more than one muscle group (e.g. Turkish get Up, French walk, rolling squat, pullover and snatch, etc.). Even finding various ways of throwing the kettle bells keeps the routine interesting.
All of my routines are performed outside, which allows a more varied program. The confines of a gym, or your own garage, have their benefits, but can limit the exercises you can perform. And not only will you find your workouts interesting, so will people who happen to walk by!
Below are some examples that form part of my routine:
1) Sprint 20 m; turn back; 10 reps of a particular exercise (e.g. chest); rest 20 seconds;
Repeat for back, bicep, tricep, shoulder
2) Circuits: 5 – 7 exercises (predominantly compound); sets of 10 reps; 15 seconds between exercises
These workouts can really test (and improve) strength and endurance. It can provide many benefits for people who play sports, rather than lifting weights in the gym. Personally I continue to lift weights, and incorporate kettle bell training, in my program. This help to build strength and endurance, and reduce boredom.
The main issue to be aware of, I found, was the possibility of shoulder and wrist injuries. Providing you don’t use kettle bells that are too heavy, and you know how to correctly execute each exercise, you can limit the likelihood of injury. There are plenty of great web sites that give you ideas for exercises to use, and descriptions and videos to help you perform them.
One pair of kettle bells can be used by one person, or shared among several, in any one session. You don’t have to stand around while you wait for someone to finish using the kettle bells (as often occurs while waiting for equipment in the gym) – just go for some sprints, or perform other body weight resistance exercises while you wait!
So I finally cracked and decided to start a blog. I don’t know who will be reading this, if anyone at all, but regardless I decided there are some things I wouldn’t mind sharing with the world. So i’ll pop my blogging cherry with a 6 WEEK CHALLENGE ALERT!!!
A couple of my friends and I will be heading to Vegas for spring break and as with every trip we plan, everyone has all of a sudden gotten the urge to start working out. So to make things interesting we decided to have a 6 week challenge because well thats how much time is left before we embark on our sin city road trip. For the sake of competition, and to keep myself in check, i will be putting two pics up of my starting point and then later down the short road to fitness. This is not a fitness blog so don’t be scared, and don’t roll your eyes just yet. Feel free to ridicule, laugh, help, or just simply read and enjoy.
I mentioned last week that I’ll be walking/running a half marathon in March. I’m all signed up and am excited and nervous about my first event of this sort. I’m just happy I’ll be doing it with a friend!
If you think you might have lost your mind too and would like to sign up you can do it here. If you decide to run/walk…let me know so Sara and I can look for you! Just in case you’re not in the Dallas area, these evenst are hosted all over the country! Go here to find a list of cities hosting the Rock n’ Roll half marathon this year!
Five-Spice Turkey & Lettuce Wraps From EatingWell: June/July 2006
4 servings, 1 1/4 cups filling each Active Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup instant brown rice
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 large red bell pepper, finely diced
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, rinsed and chopped
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, (see Note)
1 teaspoon five-spice powder, (see Note)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 heads Boston lettuce, leaves separated
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as cilantro, basil, mint and/or chives
1 large carrot, shredded
Preparation
1.Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add rice; reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
2.Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add turkey and ginger; cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice, bell pepper, water chestnuts, broth, hoisin sauce, five-spice powder and salt; cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
3.To serve, spoon portions of the turkey mixture into lettuce leaves, top with herbs and carrot and roll into wraps.
Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the filling (through Step 2), cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Serve cold or reheat in the microwave.
Notes: Hoisin sauce is a spicy, sweet sauce made from soybeans, chiles, garlic and spices. It will keep in the refrigerator for at least a year.
Often a blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns, five-spice powder was originally considered a cure-all miracle blend encompassing the five elements (sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, salty). Look for it in the supermarket spice section.
Nutrition
Per serving: 285 calories; 11 g fat (3 g sat, 1 g mono); 66 mg cholesterol; 24 g carbohydrates; 26 g protein; 5 g fiber; 543 mg sodium; 390 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (150% daily value), Vitamin C (140% dv), Iron (25% dv), Folate (20% dv).
Jillian #3…ahhh…how I missed you since yesterday. Well…not really. But knowing that Mr. Trainer’s workouts are coming up in just 7 days, I think I’ll appreciate how relatively easy Jillian was!
When I saw him yesterday, he told me that all of the workouts that he gave me were the beginners stuff. Oh! I can’t wait for the advanced stuff! When I met him, I thought he was a male Jessica Rabbit! All biceps and pecs, and no waist! If anyone knows how to whip me in shape, he’ll know how! Exciiitting! =)
Today, I went to Kinkos to make a couple gift certificates for my business. By the way, I hate the Fed ExKinkos new name..I think it’s going to be FedEx Office now…ick! Kinko’s was a HUGE name. Everybody knew it! Why change to a name that’s worse? At least FedEx Kinkos still had the Kinkos in it! But I digress..
The Gift Certificates are pretty. Although, I don’t think I’ll use more than one or two. I’m going to change to sending them out through email. I came up with a great numbering system, and I can just fill in the fields, and email it right over. No printing, no mailing, no envelopes…none of it. =) But it was still neat having the newly designed gift certificates in my hand.
If I ever DO want to continue mailing out gift certificates, I have a great design now! It was actually a design that the GLT magazine created from my logo to fit a different space.
Oh! Found the COOLEST song today! I discovered it on Season 8 of “Dancing with the Stars” that Shawn Johnson danced to for the finale free dance. It’s called “Move Your Thing” by Basement Jaxx. It’s now in all of my workout lists, and happy stuff!
If you read the lyrics to “Move Your Thing” it’s actually about sex..it’s quite obvious…but it’s the BOUNCIEST sex ever! Like, go have sex in a inflated jumping house, with all of the plastic balls when you play this song! So happy! =)
I spent a lot of time on the phone with my financial peeps who run all of the credit card processing from my business…and we went through the whole virtual terminal thing, and how to check batches, and how to approve things…basically just how to make sure the money ends up in my bank account as quick as possible. I’m still no computer program genius, but I think I understand the basics now!
I also talked to Jim about more advertising stuff to do at the office space….it doesn’t cost anything except money.
So, today is Ash Wednesday and Hubby came home early because he went to church and got the ashes smudged on his forehead. I came downstairs, and said “Heya!”, and then I cleaned up for him. I had meant to clean up all day, and I had said that I would…so it was only fair.
In any case, he was happy that I cleaned up, and I was very positive about him. At this point we still hadn’t solved anything about yesterday (if you missed it, it’s worth the read), but I was keeping a positive voice, because really, what’s the pont of being a bitch? Ya know?
So, long story short, apologies were had, quietly, and somewhat reservedly…but it is what it is. I apologized for eating his chicken, and he apologized for the abuse. But that’s not the end of it.
I don’t want to report every single little detail of my relationship on here (I lie), but I just want to say that tonight was a little bit challenging because Hubby is sad. He’s not sure about us, or about things working out. My main point was that anything is possible, and all it takes is deciding to see it through with a good attitude!
I don’t have a guarantee that we’re both up to it, or that I’m right. I don’t know what’s going to happen in a month, or six…but I know that there’s hope with a good attitude. Hubby has trouble with that. I hope he comes around. I really do. But I can understand the mood that’s in the air, and how easy it is to feel like the negative vibes are never going to end. A lot of people in relationships feel like that. =(
So, I made some points, tried to help him as best I could…he said that a few of the practical things I said helped…I’m glad. So, I’m going to leave the rest of it alone for now. It will either improve or it won’t. But in either case, magnifying the worst in one another won’t help anything. I’m committed to looking toward the positive in hopes that it will grow!
“Ready! Okay!” I went Joggin with Leo! Awesome! He was ready for it! He remembers the joggin…it’s been a couple of weeks I imagine, since our last venture out. Well, he was sprinting out in front of me the entire 30 minutes! It was like “Bring it on Daddy!” And I was very proud of him!
On the way up the massive hill that I live on top of, that’s the only place he faltered a bit…he was tired. But I started shouting more and more, “You can do it Leo! Come on! Push! Push! Push! Push! Left, Right! Left, Right! Let’s go Soldier! Come on BABY! YOU CAN MAKE IT! AAAHH!!!”
I had originally just been using quieter language…but I realized that since I was embarassed when someone overheard me talking to him, there was nowhere to go except through that stupid fear! So, I just let loose, and many people in their cars and such were pointing and laughing! Those of you familiar with this blog know that I’m not jogging correctly unless I’m being pointed at and laughed at! LOL
And my encouragement didn’t just help Leo! Nope! I got up that hill in record time! I was like “Let loose my inner Jillian Michaels!”, and it worked!
I found a new way of running, btw. I think I mentioned it on here before, but tonight was the first time I did it for the entire thirty minutes! I’m now running from my midsole, and I’m finding it much easier on my knees. I read about how most people do the whole “heel strike” thing, and how shoes are now designed for that…but that it’s amazingly hard on the body.
So, I’m committed to trying to run on my midsole, and to lessen the impact up and down my spine. Maybe I’ll even learn how to run without shoes at all. Many of the greatest marathon runners have done that, especially those from the African countries.
Funny story about that: This one famous African runner was endorsed by Nike or something…but he doesn’t wear shoes. So they just hung around his neck for the entire race! (He won too!) Ha!
I found that I was much lighter, bouncier, and had more energy in my joints somehow, because it was a smoother experience all around. I felt like that “Flashdance” chick, when she does those leg beats really fast in one spot. I actually did that move a lot. I didn’t have to run as fast, because my knees were coming up so high, and I was really working my cardio and burnin, like a smooth, frictionless love machine! (Oh shut up…I’m allowed some fantasies)
Speaking of being a love machine though….well, like I said I’m not going to tell every single detail of my marriage. I’m just going to allude to it, and pretend that I’m modest. Oh! Shocking!
But I will say this: Nobody is perfect. I think that people do the best that they can in every moment, and that the learning curve is littered with people who gave up on themselves. Well I’m not giving up on Hubby until he tells me to, and I’m not giving up on myself either. It’s HARD to change, and I can understand how challening and scary it can feel.
That doesn’t mean, however, that I’m going to stand for anymore bullshit abuse, and I haven’t….but a solid effort to move forward and save the good things in my marriage is worth the effort.
If my marriage can be saved I’ll be quite happy, because that will mean that the positive things will be at the forefront, and the positive things are magnified. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll be sad, but also relieved I suppose. Because that will mean that the negative won out, and there wasn’t much of a choice except misery by staying.
And like I said…everyone is human. I hope that I improve in the ways Hubby needs me to, and I hope that he does the same for me.
So tonight (it’s almost midnight now) I’m feeling healthy, hydrated, alive and happy…you could almost say I’m glowing! Well, to coin a new expression that I used tonight “Happy is a choice.” And tonight I’ve chosen it.
Wish me luck, and I’ll write more tomorrow! “To infinity and beyond!” (Name it)
Did I mention how stoked I am about the triathalon? Me doing a triathalon? I LOVE seeing myself in that light! Capable….shocking!
Mwah!
Jayson!
PS. I’ve stolen the idea from that amazing show starring Glen Close, “Damages”, and I’m naming my daily blogs after a selected quote contained within it. =)
Physically active with a sedentary lifestyle: Are you at risk?
As most individuals recognize, physical inactivity has been shown to increase the number of deaths from all-causes, as well as from heart disease and cancer. But what about individuals who meet the physical activity recommendations but spend most of the day sitting? Does all that sitting have a negative impact on health?
A study performed by Dr. Katzmarzyk1 and his associates (2009) examined the effects of prolonged sitting on all-cause and cardiovascular death rates in individuals who exercised and those who did not. The researchers collected information about daily activities including time spent sitting in over 17,000 individuals. They followed the subjects for an average of 12 years measuring the number of deaths and the cause.
Not surprising, researchers reported the highest death rates in persons who spent most of the day sitting. However, all-cause and heart disease death rates were also higher in persons who spent more time sitting even if they met the recommended physical activity requirements. In fact, death rates were similar in exercisers and nonexercisers who spent most of their day sitting.
Researchers are studying the effects of excessive sitting on the body. Some of the negative effects include Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity and cardiovascular disease. Scientists believe that an active lifestyle may provide different health benefits than occur with exercise alone, providing further protection against heart disease.
This research highlights the need to reduce sedentary behaviors by spending more time standing, walking, and climbing the stairs. Low intensity activities like cleaning, ironing, walking the dog and yard work are excellent ways to add activity to your day while completing chores on your ”to-do” list. For additional health benefits, focus on increasing lifestyle activities over and above structured moderate to vigorous intensity exercise bouts.
1. Katzmarzyk, P.T., Church, T.S., Craig, C.L., & Bouchard, C. (2009). Sitting time and Mortality from All Causes, Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer. MSSE, 41(5),998-1005.
So after a weekend of research in to the type of career which will not involve me working all day every day in the same room and with no exercise, I narrowed my choices down to the police, or one of the armed forces. Upon further research of that, I narrowed it down to the police or the RAF. Both require a basic level of fitness to be accepted, though one is much higher than the other.
After much though, consideration, reading and quizzes available online I decided that I will work towards a career in the RAF. Not a fighting front line one, but a more sensible one where I will be managing people and resources. I’ll still have desk work, and I will still get out and about.
What does this mean for my fitness and weight loss plan? Quite simply that it needs a radical overhaul to meet the needs of the assessment. The basic requirements for what I want to be doing are:
As many 20m shuttle runs as possible, in time with an increasing timed beep
As many press-ups as possible in 60 seconds
As many sit-ups as possible in 60 seconds
Having spoken to someone today about a career in the RAF, they told me that the press-up minimum standard is around 15, and the sit-up minimum is around 20. Whilst this may not seem like much, I can’t do more than 2 press-ups at the moment, let alone go for a minute. As for the sit ups, they aren’t much better, thou I am half way there with 10. I can, however do 23 half press-ups in a minute, so I am going to work on those and build up from there.
The shuttle run beep test they said is around about the same level of fitness required to run a mile and a half in about 12 minutes. That seems fine as I can do a 5 minute 30 second mile. This means I should be able to get through a mile and a half in around 10 minutes. That is something I will test at the gym this week.
I’ll be at the gym tomorrow night after work, as usual, so I will see if I can get in for a program re-assessment to help me build my fitness quicker, build my muscle a little to do the weight bearing exercises, and also strengthen my core muscles to help support my growth and prevent injury. I’ll post my new plan on here when I get it.
I know these are some big changes for me, but there is no specific time frame for me to do these. I won’t formally start my application process until I can meet the minimum requirements, or get very close to them. That way I won’t have to be rejected and wait 3-6 months before I can try again. I’m hoping I can submit an application form in late May or early June, and take everything from there.
Current Weight: 218.2
Planned exercise: Weight lifting plus 40 minutes of walking
Exercise completed the day prior: 70 minutes of walking
Daily activity: I got to use my new bowling ball today. It was quite fun.
Notes: I watched The opening ceremony for the 2010 winter olympics. It was quite nice, but the death in the luge practice that day was tragic.
Meal for lunch: A healthy choice chicken Alfredo meal
If you are training for professional or amateur wrestling it is very important to have the right equipment that helps you to gain wrestling strength.
The following can be helpful for getting started:
Brief Workouts
The workouts should never exceed 35 minutes in duration, as If they do, you aren’t working hard enough to complete your workout. The ability to recuperate from the workouts, and therefore develop more strength, is increased when you complete your workout within the stipulated time. Long and strenuous workouts will eventually cut into your body’s ability to recuperate, and lead to over-training.
Using Machines and Free Weights
There is a common misconception amongst athletes and coaches that you must use free weights when strength training. Free weights are great! So are machines! Your muscles don’t know the difference. The intensity is the most important thing when trying to improve your strength for wrestling. The tool that you use to get there is not. I like certain exercises for certain muscles. It also depends on injuries that a wrestler might already have. You can work around and injury and still give the body a thorough strength workout. If you have access to Hammer Strength machines, I highly recommend that you include them in your wrestling strength workout.
Using thick bar
The thick bar is usually a hollow metal tube that you put free weights on the end of. A thick bar forces you to hold on tightly when performing exercises. It develops fantastic forearm and hand strength. It should be part of every serious strength-training program for wrestlers. You can do curls, reverse curls, rows, and presses with it.
The Trap Bar
The trap bar another piece of equipment that helps to gain wrestling strength. The trap bar is a hexagonally shaped bar that allows you to perform dead lifts with maximal stimulation of almost every muscle vital to improved wrestling performance. An exercise that will make your entire body stronger.
“Michelle I have spoke to you over e-mail a few times and read your blog. I see how important it is for you to lose weight and develop a healthy lifestyle.
We are going to start from the beginning, I’m going to have you do a postural assessment, Lifestyle questionnaires, stress evaluation, nutrition questionnaires..etc. This way I know exactly where we are starting from. Then I’m going to coach/educate you about your unique lifestyle and develop a nutrition program, exercise program, that will work with your lifestyle to help you reach your goal(s). I develop each and every program specifically for the needs of the person I’m working with. I will be assessing you each and every session to make sure you are on track working towards your goals. I will be modifying your program as needed to make sure you stay on track. We will be developing specific measurable goal(s) for you and an action plan on how we’re going to accomplish them.”
That’s my action plan, I can’t wait to see you on Tuesday”
Adding Brandon to my mix will allow me to look at my unique health situation that does include life long allergies, high blood pressure and some depression. Then look at my sleep patterns , my hobbies, my stress levels in life and then customize things for me that will be truly suited to my life and needs. The approach will stay the same overall clearly I want to avoid processed foods and diet foods and junk food, its just fine tuning for me!! I will continue to use Usana products in my mix as I truly see that as a quality company in the supplement world and when you have a 5 star company on your side there is no reason to change!!
I will introduce my team to you all over the next week so you can get to know the wonderful people i am surrounded by and they may inspire you too!
Baby Blue: Jennifer Blundell is destined to be a splashing success.
Another outstanding discovery out of the Northwest, Jennifer Blundell is a 31-year-old personal trainer and figure girl from Bellevue, Washington. The inspired mother of two launched her competitive career in 2008 at the Vancouver USA Natural Classic, taking first in her class. She’s also a University of Washington alum and a nutritional coach and product specialist.
Last fall, Jennifer celebrated her NPC Nationals debut but missed the cut in a crowded class-D that included over thirty of the best amateurs. Still, competing at perhaps the toughest national-level event of the season is a positive for any sophomore figure girl and given her highly impressive athletic track record, this striking 5-foot-5 brunette likely won’t be lost in the shuffle next time.
Splash Hit: The latest figure dream girl reacts to the crashing surf during her shoot.
Among her achievements in an extensive sports background covering the last fifteen-plus years, Jennifer was a high school soccer all-star and went on to coach camps for younger players, teaching the fundamentals of the game to kids 12-and-under. She has also been active in tennis, softball, golf and skiing.
But the area Jennifer has overwhelmingly excelled in has been track and field, where the gifted athlete was once a Junior Olympic state champion in the 100-yard dash and finished second in the 200-yard dash. Talk about an intense rivalry, Jennifer was so dominant in her days as a sprinter that it left some opponents exasperated — the most rankled of whom would actually try to incite fights with her away from the track!
Fortunately, the fight for Jennifer down in the Sunshine State last November was a polite one amongst photographers scrambling to get her knockout good looks, winning personality and contest-shape physique — highlighted by a mighty back, powerful shoulders and strikingly detailed vascularity — in front of the lens. Luckily, before she made a splash indoors on the national stage, Jennifer was out getting her feet wet posing on the beach, as you’ll see in this picturesque sample clip.
Seaside Muscle: Statuesque Jennifer gazes out over the Atlantic.
In terms of providing overwhelming visual delight, the sumptuous sights from Florida — towering seaside resorts, swaying palm trees, golden sandy beaches and breathtaking ocean vistas — make this one of the best shoots ever, with waves crashing against the curvy feminine muscle of beautiful Jennifer Blundell at the center of a magical tableau.
I hate the term diet, as soon as I tell myself I’m going on a diet all I want to do is eat chocolate, crisps and sweets. So, no diets here. This doesn’t mean I don’t want to eat better because I do, it just means I’m not going to ban anything, or count calories, or only eat before 8pm, or any of those things. I’m not saying those things don’t work, they’re just not for me.
I want to eat more wholefoods, not just foods that tell me they’re wholegrain (like boxed breakfast cereals that are full of sugar and additives), but actual whole foods. Brown rice (which I already eat by the ton, I love the taste and it’s so much more filling than white), I also want to eat other grains (quinoa, barley, amaranth, millet, couscous, buckwheat, etc), I buy them stick them in a cupboard and never use them, I want to try using them. There’s a multitude of meals I can make using these wholesome foods, I just have to be bothered to do it.
I also want to increase my consumption of fruit and veg, it’s already well above the national average, and higher than the recommended 5-a-day, but I used to eat loads more than I do now, and I want to get back to doing that. When I ate more fruit and veg, I felt better, my skin was nicer and I found it easier to lose weight. In with this goal is to drink more water, or fresh fruit juice, and cut down on fizzy pop (soda) and dilute drinks that are full of rubbish.
I would like to cut down on my meat consumption. I used to be vegetarian (I was even vegan for 18 months) but somewhere along the line meat started to creep back in, I enjoy eating it at the time but it leaves me feeling sluggish, bloated and icky. I don’t plan to go back to being vegetarian because I don’t think it’s the right decision for me at this time, but I definitely need to cut back on the amount of meat I eat. I want to have a few meat-free days a week and try to have fish as opposed to meat on some of the other days.
Tying all these together is my next goal; I want to try a new recipe each week and I’d like these to be as simple and natural as possible, nothing overly complicated or fancy just good ingredients cooked simply.
Now that I’m working and have a bit more freedom, there are a few things I wanna do. Over the last few weeks, I’ve FINALLY got to the weight I wanted to get to (and now, I’m gonna have a battle staying there – dunno whether I’m gonna put more on or lose it again) and I’m gonna start following a plan because I need some muscle definition and I want to be more toned (I actually really wanna be like Jazz). Chris is my inspiration because he’s changing his life and I’m so looking forward to his work suits
I want to do:
Dance
Tae Bo
Ice skating
Running
As I don’t like lifts (an actual phobia), I use the stairs at work so that’ll help with my fitness too! If I can get up early enough, I can go jogging once around the park with Daniel before work and if not, I can go after with him – I think he’s looking forward to it! Hopefully as time goes on, I can run further. I just know that on the first time out, I’ll die before we get back to the top of the park! Charlie said he’ll do Tae Bo with me (I think he needs to get his aggression out too) and we’ll need space to do it because it’s a cross between boxing and taekwondo as well as being cardovascular aerobics which are hard but they work. Hardwork Maybe the pair of them can come ice skating with me too!
I’m gonna be so busy. Also I wanna do my Interior Design course too. Sigh.
the lowdown
Cycling isn’t only fun, it’s a tough workout that tones your legs, bum and abs. Just make sure you wear a helmet.
the workout
For those of us who don’t like exercising indoors, cycling is a great way to take in Mother Nature while working out. Riding with friends or family, running errands or just getting some fresh air can turn your much-dreaded exercise hour into a desired activity.
upside
Biking is one of the best fitness activities for families to enjoy together. It is also the one workout that allows you to cover some real distance. Most cities and parks have marked-off bike trails so you can ride without worrying about hitting a runner or rollerblader.
downside
More than most outdoor activities, bicycling is subject to the whims of the weather. High speeds and slick roads don’t mix well, so be extra careful if you’re riding in less-than-favourable conditions.
requirements
gear: a bike, padded shorts, helmet.
instruction/facilities: a well-marked bike path.
time: it takes time to get warmed up, so count on being bike-bound for at least half an hour.
the pros say
• If you’re going to stay on relatively smooth roads, get a road bike. Otherwise, for rougher roads including city streets, consider a ‘hybrid’ bike with slightly larger wheels.
• The right bike setup is crucial for comfort during long rides. On a road or hybrid bike, set the handlebars about an inch lower than the saddle. Unless you’re a racer, don’t set the handlebars any lower or you’ll put undue strain on your back. For mountain bikes, set the handlebars around two to four inches lower than the saddle, and make sure your seat is level.
• Buy your bike from a reputable bike shop, and make friends with your dealer. Repairs and upgrades are a lot easier when you have a buddy in the business.
If you’re on the road like I’ve been this week, you likely haven’ t seen your gym in a while. With a fitness band that takes up minimal suitcase space, you can do a million exercises on the go. This one is one of my absolute favorites!
Muscles Worked: Legs, biceps, triceps
You will need: A fitness band
Time to complete: 3 minutes
1. Step on the band with feet 6″ apart
2. Lower into a narrow squat, and curl biceps forward (image 1)
3. Push through the heels and stand up, while contracting triceps into a kick back
4. Complete 20+ at a good pace
Video Version! http://www.youtube.com/user/TheGymCoachDotCom#p/a/u/0/pNAujq-4LRY
Runescape is just a game. In this post I will show you a simple way to get fit and stay fit while playing runescape.
When it comes to creating new ideas for working out many people are at a loss so they follow the same routine and either get too comfortable and hardly see any results or they become bored so they stop working out all together. Don’t let this happen to you. Here is a fun idea that will vary your workout and still give you great results: use a deck of face cards. It sounds crazy but it will really work to help you build strength and start losing some extra pounds.
The Exercises
There are three different exercises you’ll do in order to target three different areas on your body.
-pushups for chest
-squats for legs
-crunches for abdominal
All of these are going to be free standing so you won’t need anything more than some space, your cards, your body and the right attitude before you’ll start getting in shape.
The Cards
Take your deck of cards—jokers and all—and shuffle it. The reps you do for each exercise will depend on the number—or face card—shown on the card you flip over first. For face card values:
-Joker 15
-Ace 14
-King 13
-Queen 12
-Jack 11
There are many different ways you can do your exercises. My favorite way is easy to remember because you’ll have a set order of your exercises. For example, you’ll flip a card and do pushups then the next card will be squats and the third card will be crunches repeating that order. This offers a great variety because you’ll have different reps for each exercise each day.
Let’s not dissemble and at once define that employment by fitness at home, even at a regularity and diligence from your party cannot be compared with high-grade trainings in sports hall. However if to look at a problem so to say with another sight the fitness at home is better than an absolute indifference to the appearance.
In a life of each woman there are such situations when she cannot simply find for herself a pair of hours on a campaign in fitness club. The birth of the child and the first year of his life, his education or even removed works – these and other factors complicate a life that even do not think about time for fitness.
And after all you would not like to be beautiful tightened lady and later to turn in indistinct grandmother. And any man will never estimate that you have ceased to watch yourself not because of laziness but because you was occupied every minute by creation of a good life for him and his children.
Therefore, today we make not two dishes for a supper but only one and the liberated minutes we spend for yourselves favourite. Employment by house fitness can be spent using a minimum of make-shifts. Any even house training begin with warm-up and an extension. Recollect elementary grades at school and try to execute simple exercises. Ten inclinations in every which way, circular motions hands, as knee-bends and you are ready to sports feats.
Practically all young ladies have problems with a press. Therefore study a house press in the beginning of each employment by fitness. Twisting lying feet on a sofa. (Beds, a bench or all that you will find in house). You lay down on a floor, you put feet on a sofa of 80-90 degrees. Hands are crossed on a breast or behind a head. Also you start to do twisting forward so to develop practically half-and-half. In the opposite direction strongly do not deviate – the amplitude of movement should be very small. Three-four approaches to the full is «the gold standard» in this exercise.
Twisting lateral, lying on a floor. You keep within on a floor on shovels and to the priest together with feet you turn on 90 degrees. Top of your body lies on a back and everything that more low to a waist on one side. Of this position you do twisting strenuously trying to work as lateral muscles of an abdominal tension. Three-four approaches on each party till 15-20 repetitions in everyone will be more than enough.
It is possible to diversify house fitness especially widely it concerns exercises on a press if to get feetbal. By means of it house trainings will pass more intensively and cheerfully.
Obviously distance running can assist a lot with the general fitness and health of your body. So, if you are interested in the runners training guide or distance running information – please visit this site.
And never stop to gather more useful info. Right now we are living in the world where knowledge quickly enhances the quality of our life.
Due to this if you are properly armed with the knowledge in your topic you can be sure that you will always find the solution to any bad situation. So, please make sure to get back to this web site on a regular basis or – best of all – sign up to its RSS feed. Thus you will have a direct shortcut to the latest informational updates here. Blogging can be helpful, you just need to understand how to blogging to the maximum of its efforts.
My long-term goal is to lose 60 pounds. And that sounds like a lot. How can I possibly manage 60 pounds?
And then I realized something. I am already managing 60 pounds. Each day, when I walk up the steps to the office, I am managing to carry an extra 60 pounds. When I mow the lawn, or walk the aisles of the grocery store, or stand in line at the theater, I am managing to carry an extra 60 pounds. Every moment of every day, every place I go and everything I do, I’m weighed down with this extra 60 pounds.
And what I am taking away from this newfound realization? If I can manage to carry 60 pounds for so many years, I can surely manage to carry it to the gym and on to the bike and for long walks and jogs and runs. I can carry it through my workouts until, pound by pound, it goes away.
Super Charge Xtreme
MRM All Natural Whey
RIPPED FREAK
S.A.N.
My workout this morning included:
I also will probably get in a 12 or 13 mile run while I’m home…just as prep for my Half on March 21st. I’ve maintained my endurance and have been running 10-12 mile runs regularly, so I’m not really building up. I have been working on more intervals/high intensity training and I think I’ll definitely run the Half in less time this year than I did last year. We shall see I guess 
Happy Tuesday, everyone!
I love gerbera daisies, and this bouquet is a beautiful reminder that spring is just around the corner. Everytime I look at it, it makes me smile. 
Maybe the pair of them can come ice skating with me too!
