Genesis Transformation Retreat 2009 - COD Ranch, Oracle, AZ

hiking in the desert - the Arizona Trail

We met in Oracle, Arizona at the COD Ranch for 5 days and 4 nights of exploring, hiking, eating, yoga, yakking,  javelinas, games, dancing, bonding, coyotes, tea by the fire and oh yes – fat loss!  Some of us wanted to get back on track, some of us were newbies, some of us looking for a chance to fully immerse ourselves in healthy living with like-minded people.  No matter what we were looking for, we all found what we needed and more!

My personal highlight came on the 4th day.  Samantha and I led the group on a meditation hike:  70 minutes of silent walking in the desert.  We all had much to think about; things to let go of, ideas to embrace, concepts to consider.  My three faithful therapy dogs were along for the mediation and stayed right along side us.

At one point near the halfway mark, the dogs took off in a streak.  I knew they’d heard a pack of javelina off in the brush.  I saw them go and knew there was nothing to be done but wait.  And walk.  I heard the scuffle and the voices of my dogs – trouble.  I pulled slightly ahead of the group to meet the dogs when they returned.  I stepped off the trail and met the dogs and let the group pass me.  I’d already noticed BabyDoll’s hindquarters were chewed up and bloody.  I bent to examine her.  Samantha and I waved on the group and I cleaned up BabyDoll best I could.  Javelinas are sort of like a cross between large rodents and wild boar – they have tusks and curved long teeth that do quite a bit of damage.  They travel in packs, can’t see very well and so tend to just charge, goring anything in their path.  BabyDoll had been bitten and gored.

Samantha went back to tend to the group.   I pulled up in the rear with BabyDoll, Mangas and Seb.  We had about 2-3 miles to go.  Once we got through the green gate, the meditation was over and it was obvious there had been some deep letting go on the trail.  I shared what had happened with BabyDoll – and while there was general concern no one got into the drama. We loaded her up and got her back to the Ranch – and on to the vet – and into surgery – and here she is later that day:

BabyDoll with Sheri and Lisa

The piece I loved about this adventure is that this group was so focused – so deeply attentive to the task at hand of inward contemplation – that we were able to move through a javelina attack with NO DRAMA.  No excitement.  The group did not even know what had happened.  I loved that a group of women could be taking care of themselves in the desert and allow Life to flow around them without messing with their tranquility.  That’s focus.  I’m also pleased that Samantha and I were able to hold that meditation space for everyone else.  It was a beautiful thing.   There was a little bit of noise when I asked if anyone else had seen the hairy tarantula crossing the trail, but hey, that was later.        –Sheri Lynn

The retreat at COD was a life changing event for me.  I’m still trying to really sort everything out, but I definitely had several

Lisa, Kelly, Donna

epiphanies that will serve me well.  My ‘growing up’ in this process really started about 6 weeks ago after I climbed the mountain to Upper Rumble lake.  The following week I had the best workout with Jamie EVER.  Instead of ‘boo-hooing’ I pushed really hard in my head with my power and with my breath and just ‘went for it’.  Ever since then, I have really been enjoying the workouts and the cardios — just a mind switch, really.

So, I believe I was already on a better path mentally and then I got to go to the retreat. . .

HOLY F’AROONIE!

My Attitude
If I had to sum up the retreat, I would say it was a full out cleaning process from my head to my toes.  As I swept away some of the false beliefs that were continuing to limit my success, I realized that I do have the power to change, I want to change, and nothing is going to stop me.  More importantly, I have a better set of tools to deal with faulty thinking.  I am human, and I know there will be both mental and physical obstacles along the way.  Patience, persistence, integrity, and joy will get me where I want to go.
My Eating Habits
I’m on the next step in regard to my eating habits.  I am weaning myself off of American Whey and whey powder in general, and I am focusing more on vegetables and healthy fats.  I got some great new food ideas at the retreat and I’m going to expand my cuisine a bit — I was getting kind of bored with my food.

My Exercise Habits
Why is it that I HAVE to move now?  There must be reason for it, but it feels a bit freaky sometimes.  I LOVED LOVED LOVED the desert hikes, the Yoga and the workouts, each and every one of them.  Can I continue to love them in the midst of work and responsibilities.  Yes, I believe I can.

Mangas

My Choices
The retreat made me realize I have real choices.  It made me realize that I like living with sunshine, I like dogs more than I thought (that spicy little Mangas did it for me), and I want more out of life than what I have now.  My biggest challenge is finding out how many of my relationship problems are my fault and how many of them are not my fault.  My hope is that they have all my fault because then I can solve them.  My fear is that they are not all mine and that my hb will not want to fight for me .  My commitment is that I am going to look at my issues through clear eyes and not through the haze of denial.  Either way, I am happy with the place in my journey right now.

THANKS FOR LISTENING!!

Donna

OTHER COMMENTS:

“It was a welcoming safe environment to learn and talk about a sensitive issue for many of us…”  J.

 

“This was much more than I expected.  The sessions with Sheri Lynn were both informative and thought provoking.  They were appropriate for people at any stage of transformation…”  L.

 

 

 

“…This has been the REAL beginning of my transformation.  It has been educational, emotional, and spec-fucking-tacular!” M.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“…hands on full immersion of the GT system – clean food, info, exercise and no interruptions from ‘real’ life!  Almost one on one with staff – support, bonding, fun, hard work mentally and physically…plus the benefit of starting right where you yourself are.”

“…great food, lots of group activities, hiking and making new friends really helped me solidify my dedication to healthy living.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“It’s not just weight loss and I don’t think some people get that.  This was a real eye-opener, and I loved the yoga.”  K.

“Interspersing the conversations with Sheri Lynn with yoga and hiking gave me time to incorporate the content.  The opportunity to have the Team eat with us and share candid conversation expanded the information for me… I would unconditionally recommend this retreat to people…”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Treacherous Treat Time of Year

Think Halloween is scary with its vampires, ghosts, spiders, witches, and ghouls?  Not nearly as scary as the next two months of candy, pies, cookies, pumpkin rolls, pitch-ins, and monstrous calorie packages disguised as gifts.  This afternoon I have eaten two handfuls of candy corn and peanuts.  There is a bag of opened trick or treat candy in the kitchen, but I will resist the evil temptation.  I did not lose 50 pounds to gain some back over two months!  Ugh!

Cycling Performance Tip #1: Follow the 75% Rule

Greetings, I am starting a new TIPS series designed to help you improve your cycling performance.  Whether you are a serious competitor with a desire to compete at a national level or a cycling enthusiast who just wants to hang on during local group rides, you will find some extremely useful tips over the next few months.  Keep in mind that not every tip will apply to every cyclist.  Some of these tips may include activities that you are already doing.  However, many of them will be new and will provide a significant boost to your training program.  

My first tip for you is “Follow the 75% Rule”, which states that during a given training week, at least 75% of your miles (or time) should be at or below 75% of your maximum heart rate.  In other words, at least three-fourths of your weekly training should take place in Zones 1 and 2 (click here for more information on the Training Zones).  That’s right, most of your cycling should consist of easy recovery and endurance building rides.  So how will you get faster?  That’s the other part of the 75% rule.  10% of your weekly mileage should be in Zone 5 (90 to 100% of maximum heart rate).   In other words, it should consist of really, really intense riding.  The other 15% will vary depending on your training phase and goals, but will often include some training in Zone 4.  This is what allows cyclists to modify their physiology.  A relatively small amount of very high intensity work combined with lots of endurance and recovery.  

This approach will help you avoid the biggest mistake made by serious cyclists.  I call it the Zone 3 Syndrome.  This happens to cyclists that spend too much time riding at a moderate intensity (i.e., Training Zone 3).  At this level, they are riding too hard to promote recovery and not hard enough to facilitate the physiological change needed for significant performance improvement.  I never ceased to be amazed at the number of cyclists who make this mistake.  You feel like you are working pretty hard (and you are – sort of), but you’re just not working hard enough to modify your physiology in ways that will make you faster.  For that, you need Zone 4 (80 to 90% of maximum heart rate) and Zone 5 workouts, and they require a significant amount of time for recovery.

NEXT POST – November 2, 2009

Cycle Log: Endurance Phase - Week 3

Boxcamp

CC-Foto von fight-club / http://www.flickr.com/photos/fight-club

Das Boxcamp ist ein Betrieb für Kinder ab 12 Jahren, Jugendliche und Junge Erwachsene, der ein kostenloses Box- und Fitnesstraining anbietet. Ich persönlich bin 3mal die Woche dort hin gegangen um Bodybuilding zu machen, man kann auch mit den Betreuern trainieren, oder mit ihnen ein bisschen boxen.

Es gibt viele Geräte mit denen man trainieren kann und wenn man eine kleine Pause braucht kann man dort auch etwas trinken und essen, und sich in den Aufenthaltsraum hinsetzten und entspannen. Mittlerweile habe ich bei mir zuhause ein Fitnesscenter.

Lift Weights Until You Keel Over And Die

Jack Lalanne will never die.

Just a quick blurb about an older study I found this week whilst writing a post over at the work blog:

We conclude that high-resistance weight training leads to significant gains in muscle strength, size, and functional mobility among frail residents of nursing homes up to 96 years of age.

96 years old. That’s 70(!) years away for me and I’m sure it will come in a blink. While I could take the time to note training temperance and gradual improvements because you really have a lot of time to do this, I’d like to focus on the fact that one can lift weights until the day you collapse. You really can.

1. There people were at least 90 years old when starting the study; they could barely walk but they could lift weights.
2. Controlled lifting through a full range of motion will preserve your joint strength, integrity, and keep your maximum range of motion. It really is a use it or lose it situation with mobility.
3. Art De Vany talks about physiological headroom (or as he said in his interview with Charles Staley, the “One Horse Shay”). The largest area under the curve for quality of life. I’d like to still be doing chinups at 90+, which means you have to be fairly consistent with your lifestyle over the long term. Just as 20lbs of muscle doesn’t magically crawl up into bed with you and fix itself to your body, strength, ROM, and health doesn’t magically fall off of your body (save for pathologies/muscle wasting diseases).

So what’s the take home message? You’re going to be doing this for a long time. If you do it right, you’ll be nearly as active at 95 as you are at 35. Stay safe, try new things, and have fun.

Gym etiquette...we could all learn a thing or two

There are hundreds of people that walk in and out of the same gym every hour and there should be some customary rules set in place that can make every gym visit as pleasant as possible. First, let’s start with our “cardio queens and kings”. These are your people that come to the gym for the sole reason to burn calories on their favorite piece of equipment. They are in and out and will even wait for the same machine they use each time they go to the gym. Normally it is required that you bring a towel to wipe down your equipment, sweat off your face, or wipe someone else’s sweat left behind-once that happens you don’t dare use it on yourself. I’m here to let you know that not everyone brings a towel and of course the girl/guy checking memberships is not entitled to reprimand you if you don’t. So ladies and gentlemen let’s all do each other a favor and byot-bring your own towel.
Something that I can not stand is when someone is using a machine and they are sitting there talking on the phone. No one, including myself, wants to listen to anyone discussing their late night adventures or whatever else they are talking about in the gym. The gym is for working out. Get in, get out. If you are going to chit chat on the phone you should wear an earpiece and use your phone voice.
Here’s a question for you? Don’t you hate it when you have to wait for a machine and the equipment hog doesn’t let you work in? I see it everyday and it’s annoying when someone refuses to share. I can understand if you are on a smith machine and it’s a hastle changing plates but a simple machine that requires a single pin move to change the weight should be easy to share. Come on people lets play nice.
Finally, put your weights back where they belong. It’s that simple. Tripping over weights that were left behind is no fun for anyone and there’s nothing more aggravating than not being able to find equipment or weights.
I know people are set in their ways and maybe don’t care what others think but, if you are like me, you like having a good gym experience where you not only have a great workout but you don’t experience a few bumps along the way.

Bella, the Gym Bunny - Getting REAL about food

 

Last night I had my first personal training session in a week (both Jimmy and I had personal things going on and had to cancel our last two appointments).  I walked into the gym, and right away he could tell that something was up with me.  He asked me what was wrong, and I told him that I’d been having a really tough time of it lately.  He immediately hugged me and said that things were going to be alright. 

He and I had a “come to Jesus” talk about my weight loss.  He said that I was doing really, really well with the activity, although he wants me to commit to spending a minimum of 30 minutes every day doing some sort of cardio – a walk, riding my bike, the Wii games, or at the gym.

Then we moved on to food.  He asked me how it was going and whether I could honestly say that I was doing everything I could as far as my eating was concerned.  I told him I couldn’t.  I said that I do really well at breakfast and lunch, but when it comes to dinner, I know I’m overeating.  I’m eating good food, but I just feel insatiable at night.  He told me that it was good that I could identify the problem, and now it was time to do something about it.  He suggested that I cut out my carbs, meaning the rice and pasta that I normally eat, at dinner.  He said that eating oatmeal, yogurt, and a piece of fruit at breakfast was fine, although he’d rather see me have eggs (instead of the oatmeal), but I told him I wasn’t a huge fan of eggs.  He said salad, fruit, and pretzels (or some sort of “healthy” chips) were great for lunch.  And for dinner he suggested chicken or fish along with spinach or some other type of vegetable.  The main thing he asked me to change was to center each of my meals around the protein.  That is definitely something new for me, especially at breakfast. 

I think Jimmy’s suggestions are spot on, though.  I do think that I eat too many carb-heavy meals, and that my body isn’t metabolizing them as well.  I am not going to go on an Atkins or South  Beach diet, because that’s just unrealistic for my life, but I do think that making some simple changes and trying to reduce the amount of carbs I eat at dinner will be something I can benefit from and accomplish easily.  He told me to remember that this was the healthiest way to eat on a daily basis, and then on special occasions like my reunion, or Thanksgiving and Christmas, I could have a bit more freedom as far as the heavy, carb-laden foods were concerned.

And it makes sense.  I know that when I was eating fewer carbs when I did South Beach I felt better and had fewer cravings for sweets at night (this is something I’m struggling with right now). I felt like I had more energy and I felt healthier in general. 

So I’m going to do a combo WW/low carb food plan.  I’m not going to totally eliminate carbs by any means, but I am going to take them out of my dinner.  I’m thinking of a menu that looks something like this:

Breakfast: oatmeal; yogurt;  fruit  or  Green Monster smoothie; oatmeal
Morning snack: string cheese or nuts
Lunch: salad or a low-carb wrap with lunchmeat, leafy greens, hummus/laughing cow; fruit; pretzels (or some other low calorie snack)
Afternoon snack: cottage cheese & tomatoes or hummus & veggies
Dinner: protein + veggies (ex: salmon with spinach).

_________________________

Even though Jimmy’s main “job” is to help me workout, I can see now that he’s so much more than a personal trainer to me – he’s a friend and he’s a life coach.  He really took the time to make sure I was doing well, and even texted me last night to check in on me.  He also told me that I can call or text him any time.  He gave the example of being in the grocery store, not knowing what to buy: “call me and ask me, and I’ll walk you through it over the phone.” He’s really the greatest, and I’m so lucky to have him as my trainer.  I really need to remember that and show him how grateful I am by listening to his advice about the food.

Upperbody Split Routine

I was looking at my old emails from Craig and I found this routine that I thought you might enjoy.   These are a Turbulence Training upper body lower body split routine workouts.

Click here to listen to this week’s fat loss podcast

Let’s start with a bonus body transformation tip…

There is no secret formula for fatloss that works for everybody…  We are all different and our bodies work in different ways, that is why somethings work for some and for others it doesn’t.  There are basic guidelines that you should follow like the ones I should you in the last entry, but you must figure out what works for you. That’s why tracking your workouts and nutrition is so important, especially for beginners and for folks who want advanced results. Once you know what works for you, it becomes almost impossible to gain weight. You’ll be a fat burning machine forever.

Monday – September 28th

Transformation Tip of the Week:

You must get out of your comfort zone, mentally and physically, to lose fat and radically transform your body.  You have to keep your body guessing.  Once your body figures out your routine y will be less effective in burning fat.  Change your workouts every 15 days or so to avoid reaching plateaus. 

And now a great workout to take you out of your comfort zone…

Turbulence Training 2K3 – Workout A

1A) Chin-ups or DB Pullover (8 reps)
1B) DB Chest Press (8 reps)

2A) DB Elbow-out Row (8 reps)
2B) DB Low-Incline Press (8 reps)

3A) Decline Push-ups (15 reps)
3C) DB Incline Curl (8 reps)

Advanced Interval Workout A

Tuesday
30 minutes of fun activity and time for another Transformation Tip…

Kekich Credo #76 => “I will do this” is the only attitude that works. “I’ll try” or “I think” doesn’t work.

So much can be accomplished with a long term vision and resilience to short term setbacks. Not every problem is conquered overnight, but if you persist and never give, you will succeed.

Wednesday

The TT 2K3 program is an alternating A-B fat burning workout rotation. On Friday, you’ll return to Workout A, and then you’ll start the next week with Workout B.

Workout B
1A) DB Forward Lunge (8 reps)
1B) Side Plank (30 seconds)

2A) DB RDL (8 reps)
2B) Stability Ball Jackknife (15 reps)

3A) DB Step-ups (8 reps)
3B) Stability Ball Leg Curl (15 reps)

Advanced Interval Workout B

Click here to get the Turbulence Training 2K3 program in the TT Trial Offer

Again, on Friday you’ll return to Workout A.

Thursday
Do 30 minutes of fun activity and then go meatless for a day.

On October 1st, Vegetarian Month starts (October 1st is actually World Vegetarian Day). So go meat-free today, it’s not that hard. You can still eat eggs and dairy if you want on a vegetarian diet.

For more of a challenge, go vegan – no animal products.

And you should also check out, “The All Pro diet”, the book about vegetarian athlete Tony Gonzalez (NFL Player).

Friday

Do Workout A of the TT 2K3 program today. You’ll notice that for fun there are some arm exercises in that program.

My 3 favorite arm exercises are…

1) Barbell Curls
2) DB Incline Curls
3) DB Triceps Extensions (done right these can work your abs hard)

And if you want some more arm exercises, check out these 5 moves you’ve never done before:

Arm Exercises

Add one arm superset to the end of a TT workout if you want.

Social Support Saturday!
Start my favorite day of the week with 30 minutes of fun activity.

Then learn that you need to “Give to Get”

Giving others social support will create a better environment for you to lose weight. The more you can help others, the more help you will get in return.

Sunday – Plan, Shop & Prepare

Do 30 minutes of fun activity with your family.

Here’s a tip from Kardena Pauza, Vegetarian Diet Expert…

If you get around to hitting a Farmer’s market on the weekend – or even during the week – here’s a quick tip…

If you go to the farmers market towards closing time, some farmers will sell you more produce for cheap because they need to get rid of it. So don’t be afraid to bargain!

But whatever you do, make sure you eat more fruits and vegetables this week.

Stay strong – eat whole natural foods – and give positive support to others.

3 keys to success!

Looking forward to your success story,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS (modified by JP)
Author, Turbulence Training 2K3

Easy Everyday Exercise (No Gym Required)

When it comes to exercising, there are a lot of options.  Whether it’s joining a gym, biking, running and more, you can find ways to be active; however, there are also some simple steps you can incorporate in your day to day living that can get you moving. Here’s a list to get you started.

1. Forgo the elevator for the stairs. You’re more likely to get to your destination faster since you’re not waiting for the elevator to arrive.
2. Explore trails or streets in a new neighborhood. A change in scenery helps keep your routine fresh.
3. Simple housework (e.g. vacuuming, washing windows, etc.) can both beautify your home as well as burn calories.
4. While cooking at the stove, stand on one leg, raise you heel off the floor; hold for 10 seconds. Do 10 repetitions and repeat on the other leg.
5. Burn calories instead of gas money by walking to do your errands as opposed to driving.
6. Take advantage of the seasons. Garden in the spring. Wash your car in the driveway in the summer.  Hike a nature trail in the fall. Have a snowball fight in the winter.
7. Sit on an exercise ball instead of a regular chair while you’re at your desk or using a laptop at home for an easy tummy workout without leaving your abs sore. When on the ball, your body constantly makes small adjustments to your posture and works your back, abdominal, glutes and leg muscles.
8. Walk while listening to an audiobook. You’ll walk farther to hear more of the story and you’ll look forward to tomorrow’s walk.
9. When you’re on the phone, you can burn more calories standing or walking as opposed to sitting down.
10. Play with the kids. Whether it’s your children, grandkids, nieces or nephews, running around with them is an activity boost that comes with a guaranteed smile.
11. If your home or business has more than one level, use the bathroom on the floor above or below to incorporate stair-climbing into your day.
12. You can also have a walking meeting with a colleague on the phone or in person, which will burn more calories than you’d burn sitting.

Exercise and the Immune system:Best remedy against the FLU season? A Powerful workout for your brain, muscles and your immune system. Check it out!

Worried about the flu? Vaccinations, pills, hand sanitizers are overloading Pharmacy shelves, what is incredible is that even at New York Delis they don’t have room for anti-flu or anti-inflammatory pills anymore so now they sell you “ready to go” pill packages? Are we insane? Are we turning into a pill addicted country? The best pill is your own body! Best remedy is boosting your own immune system with specific Super Body, Super Brain exercises that will tackle any unwanted intruders!

EXERCISE CAN CREATE OR DESTROY YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM: WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

SPORT ATHLETES, DIFFERENT BODY TYPES

We watch different sports and we realize how different is the body structure of a sprinter than form a marathon runner or a cyclist. Why is that? Some sports require more sacrifice than others and eventually more stress on the body.

Moderate intensity (55%-75% of your maximum hear rate range) has been associated to a very positive immune response and an improvement at least temporarily of the production of macrophages. The White cells are your real army and you need them to be ready for battle. Exercise Helps them as well This leads to agree with other doctors are saying that consistent exercise can lead to many benefits in the immune system in the short and long term.

MODERATE EXERCISE AS A REGULATOR FOR STRESS:

SUPER BODY, SUPER BRAIN ANTI STRESS WORKOUT

In addition, exercise is a great regulator of stress. In stressful situations your whole body starts a very powerful mechanism, releasing cortisol. Exercise helps to regulate the body and calm it down. Numerous studies have shown that people with stressful lived have reported more colds than people with less stress. Stress is detrimental for your health.

IMMUNE SYSTEM DESTRUCTION, WHEN DOES IT HAPPEN? CAN EXERCISE DESTROY YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM?

However, if you train too hard you might not building a powerful immune system but destroying it. In simple words, to perform certain activities your body will have to use whatever it has. That’s not good for your health. In these situations your body will start producing catabolic hormones (destroying) such as cortisol and adrenaline. The consequences are an increased heart rate, general muscular fatigue, joints irritability and depression (ups and down in mood feeling sad after exercising).

Therefore we suggest monitoring your workouts, planning them and making sure you are not training too intense. A good way of monitoring this intensity is always training in the heart rate zone and make sure you are building that powerful system that all of us we have, THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH THIS 5 MINUTE ROUTINE: FULL WORKOUT PROVIDED WITH THE UPCOMING BOOK SUPER BODY, SUPER BRAIN

Michael Gonzalez-Wallace

Author Upcoming Book “Super Body, Super Brain”

http://www.superbodysuperbrain.com

http://superbodysuperbrainblog.wordpress.com/

http://twitter.com/superbodybrain

http://www.amazon.com/Super-Body-Brain-Breakthrough-Workout/dp/0061945277/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255946016&sr=8-1

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=513521703&ref=pr…

Shakin' It Up!

The Commercial Lady (from “Totally Commercialized”) is back!

Don’t get me wrong, I do not dislike this woman.  She is beautiful, cheery, and seems like someone you’d want to be friends with (except, of course, for the fact that she’d try to sell you something different every time you hung out with her)!

So what’s her latest must-have item?  Well, the now-blonder TCL is promoting…(drum roll, please!)…The Shake Weight!  The dumbbell-shaped contraption that uses inertia to tone your upper body.  It is an odd-looking piece of workout equipment that makes the user look even wackier when using it;  HOWEVER, it seems to be getting decent reviews.

 

I am curious: 

Have YOU tried the Shake Weight, or do you know someone who has? 

What is the wackiest piece of fitness equipment you have ever tried?  Did you realize it was too good to be true, or were you shocked to find that you got great results?

 

With billions of dollars being spent every year on health, diet & fitness products, I think reviews from REAL people (no offense to all the “Commercial Ladies” and “Commercial Dudes” out there!) are the most helpful to those of us looking for something new to “shake up” our diet and fitness routines….

 

***For more info on the Shake Weight:  https://www.shakeweight.com/ver6/index.asp

Modern man a wimp, says anthropologist

LONDON (Reuters) – Many prehistoric Australian aboriginals could have outrun world 100 and 200 meters record holder Usain Bolt in modern conditions.

Some Tutsi men in Rwanda exceeded the current world high jump record of 2.45 meters during initiation ceremonies in which they had to jump at least their own height to progress to manhood.

I believe I’ll go out for a long kick. Maybe dragging a log.

ACAI BERRY, RESVERATROL, TEETH WHITENING SCAMS CONTINUE UNABATED

Ray Salomone, Personal Trainer and Wellness Activist

For over two years, I’ve been warning my readers about internet wellness scams. Acai Berry, Resveratrol, the teeth whitening garbage. Based on my blog views and emails, I’ve warned off over 125,000 people. But the scam continues and hundreds of thousands more are getting ripped off every day.

Now comes Herb Weisbaum, The Consumer Man, charging in like the Lone Ranger, firing shots in the air to warn about these scams. You’re two years late Consumer Man.  What’s next, are you going to tell us to stay away from Cenegenics?

 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33294638/ns/business-consumer_news/

 MSNBC has a cast of wellness characters, staring with industry prop, Dr. Nancy Snyderman, Medical Ethicist Dr. Art Caplan, and now the consumer man.

 The recent spate of announced lawsuits against these scammers has done nothing to slow them down. Only by educating consumers before they purchase, will we be able to stop the scam.

 Interesting note on MSNBC, while The Consumer Man rails about Acai, etc, a relentless steam of ads for Acai Berry run on the page. At least editorial and business really are separate.

 Ray Salomone   Personal Trainer and Wellness Activist

www.GrecoRomanWellness.com

Blog: www.GrecoRomanWellness.wordpress.com

The Most Provocative Wellness Blog on the Planet

Eat Fresh, Whole Foods. Exercise Intensely

PLAY ROUGH AND LIVE LIKE YOU MEAN IT!!!

 Contact Me Directly at: Ray@GrecoRomanWellness.com

 Coming Soon to bookstores:

The Greco Roman Road to Wellness

by Ray Salomone and Dr. Katina Ioannidis

Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/Greco-Roman-Road-Wellness-Old-World-Times/dp/0982139209/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243604904&sr=8-1

 

Second day of new program

I did this workout  both yesterday and today because I was in better mood today and could concentrate more, but stayed at home because the gym is busy on Thursdays. This means can only deadlift dble 12kg but good enough.

5 mins breathing

Joint mobility
ASLR,walkouts, double and single bridges,hip flex, torso rotation.

Hindu push up x5
Deadlift double 12kg x5 (double 16kg yesterday)
Walkout x5
Clean and press double 12kg x2 1×12kg x4 each side for first two sets (Only one double yesterday)
Squat double 12kg x5
Bent over row double 12kgx5
Chest press double 12kgx5
1st stage get up.x5-more consistent now
3 sets
stretches-hang from door, hip flexor, brezztle and another I don’t know name of for back.
Stretches

My hips in particular feel very different. I followed this later with massage and more stretches. The clean and press and military press are still weak moves for me. Particularly on my left. Rights of Passage really helped my confidence when pressing but not perhaps not the form.

I’m supposed to do 5-10 sets but keep running out of time and would have to cut down the double press. Will try again next week.

STICKING TO A SCHEDULE: DAY FOUR

The sky was so unusual that I decided to take a photo using my cellphone while I was on my walk.

CELEBRATIONS:

• The weather wasn’t so cold today, so I had a lovely walk early this morning.
• I got called this morning to fill in for someone at Playcentre, and it wasn’t stressful getting everyone ready, thanks to the routines.
• The car didn’t start this morning, so we quickly carried 2 carseats and backpacks over to my mum’s place next door and used her car to go to school and Playcentre. Kids were dropped off 15mins before school started and I got to Playcentre at 9am – not bad!
• Another notice was sent back to school without the usual delay.
• Done some things off my to-do list.
• The planner came in handy to tell me that tonight was going to be only free night to get birthday presents and craft things.
• Bumped into some friends while I was out shopping, that was nice!
• Spent some time planning for tomorrow, since I have a few things to remember.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT:

• Forgot to arrange for someone to look at the car yesterday when I had some trouble starting the car. This morning we got into the car to leave and it didn’t go!
• I think I want to start dinner during the day. After I do afternoon tea it’s nearly time to cook dinner, and I find at that time of the day, I am craving down time to myself.

Coolum Kite Festival

I’ve been wanting to kitesurf for years now, ever since I first saw someone kitesurf at least six or seven years ago. I searched for locations near Saudi when I was still living there, I tried to find somewhere in Egypt which is a country I’ve never been to, since they have Hurghada and SharmElsheikh for a qualified International kiteboarding association, and did find one in one of them at the time… But for some reason or the other… It fell back to the back burner and remained a wish that was yet to see the light.

I finally decided that it was time, went to a store, talked to the people, bought a trainer kite and have been practising. Summer is around the corner, or has already arrived in the 30+ degree weather we are having now, so I needed to get ready for it.

There is an annual kite festival at a place called Coolum on the Sunshine Coast, about and hour and a half drive from where we are, and we decided to check it out… It was wonderful… We made a video of our trip, and I will let it do the talking.

It is, however… Not as good as this professional video, but mine is personal/blog.. His is professional… So please don’t compare… I already was not going to post it… but my lovely supporting encouraging wife convinced me that it was not that bad… Thanks honey

STICKING TO A SCHEDULE: DAY TWO

CELEBRATIONS:

• Woke up early again, and had a nice walk.
• Made a simple A4 planner for the week. It was very handy having it close by to write on as I remembered things I needed to do as I was in bed at night (as you do)
• In the morning I referred to my planner and then put it on the fridge. I actually remembered to do stuff straight away (like sending money with girls to school the day AFTER the notice…ooooooo!!)
• The meal planner I did for the week, meant I didn’t have to start thinking about what to defrost when dinner was just around the corner (even if the kids didn’t like what I made).
• When I had something on my to-do list for the day, I added it to my routine along with an approximate time that I was going to do it. This helped me schedule the best time to do it.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT:

• I forgot to set my alarm to wake up the morning! doh! Luckily hubby woke me up. I decided to add “set alarm” to my evening routine, until I get back into the habit.
• Need to add “drink water” to my routines, or link it with an activity eg always drink water when I go past the fridge.
• I need to make a contingency plan for when I go out in the evening, because I end up not being able to do everything on my evening routine when I get back, and I go to bed late.

Mike's Health and Fitness Blog: XOWii Energy

Hey everyone,

I wanted to introduce my new venture to all of you.  It’s a direct sales (network marketing) company called XOWii that is focused on health and wellness.  Being an athlete and a fitness trainer, this is a major part of my life.  Eating well isn’t a “diet” it’s a lifestyle and it’s my goal to expand my network and group of friends with like minded people.

The first product launched by XOWii is called Energy and is a functional beverage that features the KonaRed Coffee Cherry from Hawaii.  This super fruit is loaded with antioxidants (5,735 orac units per can) which will neutralize free radicals, relieve stress, help resist sun damage and boost your mood.  XOWii has exclusive rights to the KonaRed Coffee Cherry so you won’t find it anywhere else!

I’m very excited about this opportunity and am building a strong team starting in the Toronto area.  We are looking for health conscious people who want to share these all natural products with their families, friends and co-workers.  Our healthy army is growing… one enthusiastic person at a time! 

Please click on the “contact” page above for more info and join us!  We’d love to have you on board

Get in the Groove,

Mike

www.XOWiiGroove.com

Nothing is the new "something"

Weekends come and go, so quickly its SICK!

Now that I have started work/practical, I look forward to the weekends. Saturdays and Sundays are beyuutiful!!!  Oh God, why does it have to end so soon

Work/ practical have been fun, I guess. I mean this semester’s experience definitely feel different. In some way, I feel more confident as a prac teacher, compared to last semester. I don’t know if it has something to do with “I have done this before” or I’m teaching Year 3 children. I really don’t know. Nonetheless, the kids have been awesome, minus a few.

Iphone has treating me very well, I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT TO BITS. Now, I have everything I need in life. HAHA I mean come on, its an iphone, its something I have always wanted since the beginning of time. And finally, I have one. Its something to be proud of!

Now I have so much paper works on my hand, its driving me nuts. I have been sleeping all day, I guess its time I have to start working! Life’s not as easy as it seems, its not all sleep, and eat!

I’ve been slacking at gym, which is very very bad. I have a new regime as well, which makes me feel more UGHHH about going to gym. HAHA i know changes are good, and how I can’t stick to old regime forever because, I will end up not looking good, bla bla… I know, I know..

My reassessment at the gym went pretty well. I lost body fat, put on some muscle weight. Areas that need to grow smaller, grew smaller, and areas that need to grow bigger, grew bigger. But one area in particular grew bigger and it ticked me off BIG TIME! W-T-F! Besides that, I’m progressing very well. Using Jess’ exact words. I have awesome gym person, who is very encouraging and keeps me motivated by just looking at her, and her twin sister, I LIKE!!!!

3 Misunderstood Weight Loss Facts

Ever wonder why the scale isn’t changing? Are you feeling great, but not seeing the results? The following are 3 commonly misunderstood Weight Loss facts for Women.

Women like to judge their fitness success around the scale. If you have been doing San Diego Personal Training with me,  you know that you will lose inches before the numbers start to go down on the scale. I take each of my clients measurements once a month to keep them from getting discouraged. My average client loses 6 inches in one month, but I have seen as many as 16! Now this doesn’t mean that you will lose these many inches every month, but it is a good starting point!

Take measurements at least once per month

Here are 3 Weight Loss facts that are misunderstood;

Fact #1 is that muscle weighs more than fat so it may take a few months before you start to see your weight go down on the scale. This is why it is imperative that you do not get discouraged with your trainer or, worse yet, yourself in the first few months of training. By month two or three you will see a drop in your weight.

Fact #2 is that it will take at least 6 months for you to reach your goals. How long did it take you to put on the weight? A year? Ten years?  Now, how can you expect it to come off so easily? It takes a complete lifestyle change to reach your goal weight.

Fact #3 You may fit into those skinny jeans before you reach your goal weight! So STOP looking at the scale so often. All of my clients will attest that they noticed a difference in the way their clothes fit before they noticed a change in their weight.

So there you have it. With a good San Diego Personal Trainer like myself, you can start losing inches and gaining confidence. Sometimes it’s not all about pounds…it’s about the way you feel. What have you done to make yourself feel good today?

Committed to Your Health,

Nikol Klein, Certified Personal Trainer and Nutritionist

Running the Chicago Marathon

 

Why Not?

Why not  run a marathon?  Are you motivated by achievement of a personal best or an accomplishment of a goal?  Maybe the marathon defines success.   In a few days, I’m running the Chicago Marathon to honor - my daughter Jodi.

And so, this post is dedicated to Jodi.

Death has a way of challenging your own personal growth and development.  It is definitively the absolute finality of our physical being.  It comes with sharp awareness, clarity and focus in the realm of one’s reality with a new perspective.  And death will be your teacher in redefining all of one’s priorities – no matter how big or small.

Although it has been six years since the ultimate endurance race of my lifetime then at the age of 45.  That race had little to do with my physical fitness conditioning.  At that  moment in time, little did I know that it would significantly change me forever.

Because in January, 2005  my daughter Jodi at the age of nineteen died and so did a part of me.  

Cancer was not invited to be a part of my plan or Jodi’s.  And now, how do I as a mother begin to put all of the pieces together?   

Running Chicago

Marathon running is a conduit in the realm of possibilities – even when situations seem impossible.   It began in August, 2006 with the NYC Half Marathon - my first emergence back into a big city race.  Then, Marine Corps Marathon, October, 2007 and More Half Marathon, April, 2008 – both in cities which connected me with Jodi’s friends and pursued the goal of 50 miles by 50.

Marathons teach us to use our minds in a new way that truly defines ourselves.  Instead of focusing on assumptions or fears, we discover what magical powers we have!  We choose to run the race that is set before us with an attitude of “why not” as opposed to ”why.” 

So, on Sunday I will be  running with you - Jodi beside me in spirit – and your brother cheering alongside the streets of Chicago and your father via text messages.  Not matter what the conditions are on race day, running slow doesn’t serve this race yet alone the greater race of  life.   Now I know that lesson for sure –  because you taught me.

Developing Your SMART Goals

Your first step in the creation of an annual training plan is the identification of SMART goals.  SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (for a detailed explanation of the SMART Goal process, review my earlier posts Setting Goals for Exercise Part 1 & 2).  Your SMART goals should embody what you most want to accomplish as a cyclist.  SMART goal development includes two steps: evaluating your performance from the season that just ended, and identifying objectives based on this evaluation.  For example, I had the following goals for the 2009 cycling season (in order of importance):

1. Complete a 40K TT in 1:04:30 (23 mph).  I accomplished this twice during the season with a 1:04:01, and a PB of 1:03:57 at the Indiana State TT Championships (2nd place in my class).
2. Finish in the Top 15 at the Hines Park TT.  I finished 3rdin my class and won my first medal!
3. Complete a 10 Mile Personal Achievement Time Trial in 25:00 (24 mph).  I rode a PB of 24:46 in the penultimate event of the season.
4. Complete a 20K race in 31:00 (24 mph).  I rode a PB 31:14 in the only 20K race I did all season (the Hines Park TT in very windy conditions).

Upon review, it is clear that I had an outstanding season that included 23 races (all time trials), 15 of which resulted in a personal best at the time of the race.  I improved my PB in the 40K by over 5 minutes!  I improved my 10 Mile race time by more than a minute (those High Impact Cycling Workouts really work)!  That leaves me confident that I can take my performance to a much higher level in 2010.  Therefore, I have the following goals for next season (once again in order of importance):

1. Complete a 40K TT in 1:02:00 (24 mph)
2. Complete a 20K TT in 29:45 (25 mph)
3. Complete a 10 Mile TT in 24:00 (25 mph)

Notice that these goals meet the SMART criteria.  They are specific & measurable (I’ll know if I have achieved them or not); achievable (based on my progress during the 2009 season, these objectives seem challenging yet reasonable); relevant (they’re focused on my specific discipline of time trialing) and time-bound (they’re targeted for the 2010 cycling season).  You can use the same process to create SMART goals for your 2010 cycling season.  One final note.  All of the aforementioned goals are outcome goals.  Feel free to select process goals as well that focus on the implementation of your training program.  For example, you may have a goal of riding at least 5 days-a-week for 50 weeks during the calendar year.  Another example of a process goal is performing 2 high intensity interval workouts per week for each of the 12 weeks of the Intensity phase (for more information, review my earlier post on process and outcome goals).  

NEXT POST – October 12, 2009

Understanding Periodized Training Programs: Macro, Meso & Microcycles

Fat Loss Tips For Bodybuilders

Some areas of the human body, like bellies in men and thighs and or butts in women, have more greasy acid receptors that inspire fat storage and inversely block any fat breakdowns. Other parts of the body like the heart or lungs basically have receptors, which amplify fat breakdown. Physiologists identify areas of the human body that are problematic when it comes to fat reduction as the lower abs and love handles in men while in ladies it is the thighs and butt region. These weight loss attempts can be complemented and speeded up by using particular diet supplements whose ingredients excite the weight loss processes in the target areas.

Beneficial fat reduction supplements play a very important role in the fat loss program of a bodybuilder at points when other efforts towards the same end have resulted to disappointment or outright failure. Running and or jogging is a particularly critical component of a bodybuilder’s workout program. Though generally regarded as a heat up to the main exercises, running on its own is a complete exercising session and needs maximal concentration of the muscle builder. The more air that interacts with the skin, the cooler the skin becomes.
The body also slows down the metabolic processes to make sure that less heat is produced during combustion. Running exercises a selection of body muscle collections and guarantees the body is excited wholesomely. But when exercises begin and increase energy demands, plasma glucose is generated in the liver.

Exercises first exhaust glycogen stores in the muscle cells and then the skeletal muscles are prompted to remove the glucose naturally resident in the blood plasma. That’s why pro bodybuilders like taking glucose polymer additions during workouts in a bid to replace the plasma glucose extracted by skeletal muscles and therefore avoid depletion. The body helps control such competition in areas where it would cause serious threats. For example, the heart muscles can use plasma glucose but don’t. Instead heart muscles have to burn power from fatty acids. Skeletal muscles usually get energy from burning trans acids while at rest and it is just after extremely strenuous and demanding exercises are they permitted removing glucose from the blood plasma. To loose the unyielding fat ingrained in this parts therefore , a body builder must be very particular with his or her eating habits.

Click Here Now For The World’s Best Site On Bodybuilding

Restaurant Owner Mona Muresan Has a Taste for Figure

Split Decision: Mona gives passerby a glimpse of her sensational bicep development during her shoot.

Mona Muresan is so close to achieving figure success that she can almost taste it…sort of.

Seriously, it’s not everyday you meet a top amateur figure competitor that’s also a major fixture on the New York fine dining scene. But that’s exactly the case with Mona, owner of the regal Nebraska Steakhouse and Lounge located in the heart of Lower Manhattan.

Smiling and bespectacled on the far left of this snapshot, here’s Mona posing with some friends during a recent event at the elegant downtown eatery. Besides being the tallest and having the deepest tan of the healthy and attractive quintuplet, the Romanian-born restaurateur also boasts the most chiseled triceps and well-defined legs in the group.

All of which serves the ambitious, classy brunette quite well in her other vocation as a rising star on the NPC scene. Third in her class at this year’s Atlantic States, the long-haired figure lass was one spot away from seizing a pro card at the most recent North Americans, where she finished second in class E.

Mona was second to none for our cameras over the summer in Cleveland, showing off sharp bicep peaks with striking vascularity and a mix of exotic good looks. If she shows up looking as strong next time, this European hardbody will undoubtedly taste victory on the national stage.

That will make for one great post-show party at the Nebraska.

Putting Myself Back Together a Bit

So, as I’ve mentioned before, I have a situation in my life that’s been causing me some stress. There’s nothing I can do to control the situation, I just need to wait it out and see where we net out at. As a result of this anxiety, I’ve resorted to the old tried and true habits that keep me at 300+ pounds. Stuffing my feelings down with whatever is handy – baked goods, vending machine crap, fried shit, you know the drill. Because it “soothes” me. Argh.

I decided this weekend that I’m not giving any more power to this situation, precisely because I cannot control any of it – only my reaction to it. (I’m being vague because it’s not my story to tell, but it affects me.) And that is a sea change for me because I’m a worrier and a planner and an avoider – so focusing on things that I cannot see, smell, or touch today is kind of my thing. I don’t live in the moment. I don’t tackle my demons. I don’t *live* my life. I don’t even know where the days/weeks/months/years go anymore. I feel like I’ve got nothing to show for it other than “future plans.”

Well, feh to that.

I can do whatever it is I want to do, or I can get myself as close to it as humanly possible. I have obstacles to overcome, but they are not insurmountable. They are not life-threatening (knock-wood, cross-fingers, am-not-invoking). They are just hurdles. And I can work with that. What I can’t leap over, I can crawl around.

So…I’m fat. For now. If that’s the worst that someone can call me, or if that’s the flaw I find in myself…that’s okay. It’s not permanent, and it’s not what defines the whole of who I am. Despite my frequent protestations to the contrary, I am still young and vibrant. I am smart and resourceful. Most of the time, I am a good person. Sometimes I’m funny. Occasionally, I think I’m pretty. For a brief shining moment here and there, I feel invincible. I need to remember that I’m not the only one who has dark moments. And when I feel defeated or sad or lonely or old or broken – I need to acknowledge it for what it is. A common feeling. And then I need to remind myself of all the reasons that this feeling is not my truth. It’s not WHO I am, it’s how I’m FEELING at that particular time.

Tomorrow, I’m going to have a good day, no matter what.

Still Recovering

Later today the FedEx guy arrived with my lululemon order! Downdawg pants, Kungfu pants, and Run interval shorts. I cant wait until im better so I can run and do yoga in my new pants! It gives me something to look forward to I guess. Defiantly a day brightener.

My parents went on a shopping spree while I stayed home and watched TV. They brought home takeout from Aladdin’s, a vegetarian cuisine in Mt, Lebanon. My friend told me its a healthy affair, so of course I was dieing to try it!

The food was very good. I got a salad with a variety of vegetables, hummus and pita bread.

After dinner we unpacked the groceries. They bought me a box of larabars, and organic cough drops. I never knew they made organic cough drops, but they are pretty tasty, dark chocolate mint flavor yum!

A nice variety of larabars should keep me busy for a few weeks. Expecially if im going to be doing some long runs. Excellent long run snack in my opinion!

The Best Fat Loss Tips For Bodybuilders

Some areas of the human body, like bellies in men and thighs and or butts in women, have more greasy acid receptors that inspire fat storage and conversely block any fat breakdowns. Other bits of the body like the heart or lungs basically have receptors, which amplify fat breakdown. Physiologists identify areas of the body that are cryptic when it comes to fat loss as the lower abs and love handles in men while in ladies it is the thighs and butt area. Recalcitrant fats are often impossible to eliminate without acceptable reinforcement.
Running and or jogging is a particularly critical element of a muscle builder’s exercise routine. Though often regarded as a heat up to the main exercises, running by itself is a complete exercising session and requires maximal concentration of the muscle builder. The truth is running if well done and frequently repeated with inflating intensity of speed and distance, it is a demanding exercise.

Running exercises a variety of body muscle groupings and guarantees the body is excited wholesomely. For that reason alone, it is important to make sure that the session is effective. Today, joggers enjoy a jog as they listen to their fave music. Besides purchasing that iphone however [*COMMA] there are a couple of things the body-builder should enforce. When the body is at rest, energy substrates produced from aerobic combustion constitute lactate and free fatty acids. But when exercises begin and increase energy demands, plasma glucose is generated in the liver.

Exercises first exhaust glycogen stores in the muscle cells and then the skeletal muscles are prompted to remove the glucose naturally resident in the blood plasma. The body helps control such competition in areas where it would cause serious threats. For example, the heart muscles can use plasma glucose but do not. Skeletal muscles sometimes get energy from burning trans-acids while at rest and it is just after extraordinarily arduous and demanding exercises are they permitted extracting glucose from the blood plasma. To loose the uncooperative fat fixed in this parts a body builder must be extremely particular with his or her eating habits.

Click Here Now For The World’s Best Site On Bodybuilding