Let's see how far we've come...

Well, I’m jumping on the bandwagon and writing a post about the things that have happened in my life in the last year. I’m mainly doing this because I don’t think I even remember a lot of things – so this will more or less be an exercise in reminding myself.

January:

• Started the New Year with friends, and without Howdy, as he was deployed
• Traveled to Connecticut to visit J, and spent some time in NYC

February:

• Spent a few days in Dallas before flying to Lubbock for Dan and Steph’s wedding (they met at my wedding)
• Had a rowdy Valentine’s Day with the girls – lots of wine, dessert, drinks and dancing
• Had a few more rowdy nights of dancing downtown with the ladies
• Ran my first 8k race

March:

• Discovered a rat in my grill on a very rainy night
• Had a rowdy night out with the girls celebrating the halfway mark of the deployment
• Reached my goal of running 100 miles before May
• Ran 2 5k races and 1 10k race, 3 weekends in a row – 3/7 (5k), 3/14 (10k), 3/21 (5k)

April:

• Ran the Cooper River Bridge Run (10k) on 4/4
• Decided to sign up for a Half-Marathon

May:

• Howdy returned from his deployment!!
• We traveled to the Bahamas for a week with 2 other couples
• Traveled to Dallas for my little sister’s high school graduation

June:

• Our 3 year wedding anniversary (which I celebrated alone because Howdy was in Oklahoma)
• Ran a 5k
• Reached my goal of running 200 miles

July:

• Really hard month at work – started thinking about quitting my job

August:

• Traveled to Chicago for a girl’s weekend with V and J
• Traveled to Vegas to visit Tim and Amy, and ran my first half-marathon with Amy
• Traveled back to Chicago for a week for work, and stayed with V again
• Flew to Hawaii for a week-long vacation with Howdy

September:

• Turned 27, while in Hawaii at a friend’s wedding
• Discovered Zumba, which I love!

October:

• Ran the Race for the Cure (5k) and celebrated my 1 year running anniversary
• Was given a second position I applied for at work
• Found out we’re moving to ALASKA in May 2010
• Traveled to Dallas for Ricky and Casey’s wedding

November:

• Starting supporting the second product at work
• We traveled to Michigan to visit my mom and her family for Thanksgiving

December:

• Howdy and I ran the Reindeer Run (5k) in the pouring rain
• Celebrated Christmas with friends, while Howdy was overseas on a trip
• About to head over to another friend’s house to celebrate New Year’s with friends, as Howdy is still out of the country

And we’ve come full circle… Thanks for caring enough (or being bored enough) to have read this far. Howdy was only home 115 days in 2009, and I’m not sorry to see this year go. I did take a lot of trips that were ridiculously fun and kept me busy, but I also became more and more fed up with my job… somehow I’m still there, but probably not for much longer (I know, I’ve been saying that since July).

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

OMG - I am STARVING!

Last night 8 PM STARVING – had a grapefruit and couple pieces of hubby’s orange

So hungry all night I prolly only slept 3 hours

Breakfast at 4:30 today — 2 eggs scrambled in coconut oil <—- felt like I needed a jolt of protein

I complained to hubby last night and this morning. His response: "Good, it means you are burning through fat and losing weight." Wow. How sensitive. Lucky for him I love him and he's hot. I'm so hungry right now I am liable to say anything. Stop me.

[Via http://muffintopless.com]

How to build Muscle Mass ?

This is a question which a lot of our customers ask: How do I muscle mass?

Here are few suggestions :

1. To build muscle requires a positive energy balance, which means that you have to consume more calories than you burn. So how many extra calories you should eat to gain muscle mass depends on how many calories you are burning each day. ( BODYFUELZ Sports & Dietician advisor can help you on this based on your height,weight,sex and fat percentage )
2. The answer to how many additional calories you should eat depends to a great extent on how hard you work in the gym. Your body can build at most about a .25kgs of muscle each week, so if you eat too many extra calories trying to build more muscle, you will gain fat, too.
3. We suggest consuming an extra 250 to 500 calories per day. But if you tend to put fat easily then consumer at the lower end of the scale. On the other hand if you can’t put on weight fast then we suggest look at 500 calories extra per day. Basically, experiment and figure out what works best for you.
4. Take adequate amounts of lean protein such as chicken, fish, lean red meat, egg whites, low-fat cottage cheese or a protein supplement. The average person requires about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of weight each day, but if you are trying to gain muscle, you may want to increase the protein in this ratio to closer to 1.2 grams each day
5. Professional body builders consume up to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of weight each day, but unless you practically living in the gym on a regular basis, this is too much for the average person trying to gain muscle.
6. Research suggests that consuming lean protein 15 to 20 minutes before, during and within one hour of working out may help improve muscle gain. Since you are probably not going to be eating a steak or chicken breast at the gym, a supplement may be beneficial immediately before, during or after workouts.

BODYFUELZ MUSCLEMAX is pure form amino acids which can be consumed before, during and after the workout as they are found in granular form.

Talk to BODYFUELZ at 1800-200-4500 or mail at pmt@bodyfuelz.com to know more about getting lean or build muscle or stamina.

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

Moksha mystery

The purpose of this feature is not simply to explain what Moksha Yoga is, but to delve into the more perplexing realm of its apparent non-existence in London, a city so seemingly up to date with the latest trends and fads – from neon tights to Pay by Phone Parking services.

According to the official Moksha Yoga website, Moksha, literally ‘release’, “takes you through a series of strengthening and toning postures in the detoxifying calm of a heated studio”. This form of hot yoga was founded by Toronto’s Ted Grand and Jessica Robertson.

I recently relocated to London from Montreal, Canada, where Moksha Yoga is as popular as the frozen yogurt craze (I’m sure you’ve heard of Pinkberry, Snog, or Yeh – if not, you’re missing out). To my astonishment, Moksha seems to be missing here. Thus began my hunt to uncover the mystery of Moksha in London.

My heart raced at each sight of a ‘Moksha Yoga London’ search result on Google. Heart rate slowing, I realized each site was referring to the lesser-known Canadian city of London, Ontario.

Upon consulting the official Moksha Yoga website, it is clear that Moksha Studios exist in Canada, the US, the Caribbean, and Switzerland. There is an affiliated studio in London, England, which offers classes taught by Naomi Reynolds, a Moksha Yoga certified teacher; I am waiting to hear back on whether these classes resemble the Moksha I knew in Montreal. Could Naomi be my only hope?

Left with no other choice, I decided to give in and attend a Bikram Yoga class in Soho. While this type of hot yoga is similar to Moksha (and equally challenging), it is more structured; it consists of an exact set of 27 postures, practiced in a specific order, each held for a fixed amount of time. Some might enjoy such repetitiveness, but I find it tiresome (pun intended). Moksha yoga is varied – instructors have the freedom to decide which postures to guide the class through, and in what order. While many of the postures are the same as those practiced in Bikram, Moksha classes include more flows (akin to a sun salutation) and certain beneficial postures not included in Bikram’s specific set of 27.

When I asked Paul, an instructor at Bikram Soho, if he had heard of any Moksha Yoga studios in London, he replied “maybe in Brighton”. Sure enough, there is a Moksha Yoga studio run by Susie Law in Brighton & Hove. The problem: it is not in London. Do I really have to drive 1.5 hours south to enjoy 1.5 hours of sweaty ‘release’?!

A week later, I needed my hot yoga fix again. So I tried a different Bikram studio, in Fulham. After completing the beneficial but same 27 postures (and 2 breathing exercises) I had done a week earlier, I approached Raj, who has been teaching Bikram for a year. According to him, “the most popular place for yoga, especially Bikram, is Canada. Moksha just hasn’t caught on here yet.” Perhaps it is as simple as that. He suggested two venues that might provide Moksha classes – the Life Center in Notting Hill and the Alchemy in Camden – both dead ends on my road to uncover Moksha in London. Neither website listed any Moksha classes.

According to Robertson, co-founder of Moksha Yoga, “a Moksha studio would be so well received in London. We get requests for one all the time.” So Moksha has caught on here, but for some reason, no one has opened Moksha Yoga London yet. Robertson then enquired whether I am simply a “wandering Mokshie looking for a home” (yup that’s me!) or if I want to become certified and open the first Moksha studio in London (never say never, but not right now!).

Danielle Hardy, who has attended 15 sessions of Bikram but never heard of Moksha, says she likes the Bikram’s heat factor but gets bored of the same routine. “At first I loved Bikram, I could feel a difference in my body right away, but then I plateaued. I don’t feel challenged anymore.” The diversity of Moksha could lift Hardy to new yoga heights.

So my options are: become a certified yoga teacher, drive 90 minutes, or settle for Bikram. I guess for now, I’ll do the latter. But my hunt has revealed that there is a market for Moksha in London and yoga goers like Hardy would certainly benefit. The mystery remains – when will Moksha Yoga London open?

Namaste

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

Week 3 of P90X

Okay, this week should have been a breeze for me, but thanks to the holidays, it was anything but. Everywhere I turned there was bad food staring me in the face. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, I didn’t get to do my workouts for two days because I only have one room big enough in my house to exercise in, and that room was occupied by family. I wanted to kick myself for cheating with my diet as badly as I did, but nothing made me feel worse than missing my workouts, so I did them both today. That’s right, I spent two and a half hours with Mr. Tony Horton doing my Kenpo X and Yoga X. I’m also back on track with the healthy eating, so I’m feeling pretty good.

I have to mention that I’ve been trying to add some extra cardio into my P90X routine. I told myself I wouldn’t check my weight until I completed the first month, but I couldn’t help myself. In my first two weeks I lost three pounds, which isn’t bad, but I lost two and a half pounds the first week and only half a pound the second. Since I want to lose weight while gaining lean muscle, I’ve decided to add two additional days of cardio to my routine (probably on my Yoga X and Rest days), bringing my total to four days of cardio each week.

Week four is my Recovery Week so my routine is going to change to:

Day 1 – Yoga X

Day 2 – Core Synergistics

Day 3 – Kenpo X

Day 4 – X Stretch

Day 5 – Core Synergistics

Day 6 – Yoga X

Day 7 – Rest or X Stretch

I also plan to add cardio during this week as well, but I’m going to keep it light. My mother has a great Walk Away the Pounds video that I’ll do everyday except the days I have to do Yoga X.

I’ll be writing a review on Core Synergistics on Tuesday since it’s a new workout for me, otherwise please check back in next Saturday to see how week four went.

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

Stonehenge Archipelago Botanicals Excursion Travel Diffuser Boxed set

Stonehenge Archipelago Botanicals Excursion Travel Diffuser Boxed set Review

Check Price Now! Stonehenge Archipelago Botanicals Excursion Travel Diffuser Boxed set Feature

• Includes 1.6 fluid ounce bottle of fragrance oil
• 5 sets of disposable natural reeds
• Reusable sealing cap
• Sets up and packs away easily for travel
• Premium natural oils

Stonehenge Archipelago Botanicals Excursion Travel Diffuser Boxed set Overview

ARCHIPELAGO EXCURSION TRAVEL REED DIFFUSERS are available in 17 wonderful fragrances. Each gift boxed set comes complete with everything you need including the frosted glass vessel and 5 sets of reedsARCHIPELAGO REED DIFFUSER FRAGRANCE DESCRIPTIONS AMALFI – Olibanum, Olive Blossom & Sage AMBIANT – Avocado, Teakwood & Amber COTE DU RHONE – Black Currant, Mulberry & Vetiver DEMETER – Orange, Patchouli & Cardamon DUBAI – Amber, Mandarin & Musk FIGI – Coconut, Sugar Cane & Lemon Leaf HAVANA – Bergamot, Tobacco Leaf & Ylang Ylang JAIPUR – Cedarwood, Kaffir Lime & Amber LANAI – Ginger, Pineapple & Mandarin LUNA – Lemon Verbena, lavender & Thyme MADAGASCAR – White Orchid, Vanilla, Freesia & Jasmine MEDITERRANEAN – Galbanum, Bulgarian Rose & Bergamot NOIR – Exotic musk, Vanilla & Cedarwood PARAMOUR – Papaya, Mango & Pomegranate POSITANO – White Nectarine, Persimmon & Pomegranate SANTORINI – Lotus Flower, Bergamot & Lemon Leaf STONEHENGE – Smoked Cedarwood, Bergamot & Amber TUSCANY – Sweet Basil, Cilantro & Rosemary VENUS – Eucalyptus, Sweet Basil & Rosemary VERSAILLES – Honeysuckle, Olibanum, & French Lavender

Stonehenge Archipelago Botanicals Excursion Travel Diffuser Boxed set Specifications

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Dec 26, 2009 04:50:46

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

Holiday greetings!

Holiday greetings from Health & Swellness!

I’m loving the above holiday card from Naughty Betty — after all, who doesn’t want that lean, healthy peacefulness à la Christy Turlington?

I discovered their cards at Indigo stores in Toronto while Christmas shopping a few weeks ago. And while it’s a tad late to mail out holiday cards (although I think better late than never), check out their everyday line — it’s every bit as fun, too — a cheeky dose of goodness I’m sure your girlfriends will appreciate finding in their mailboxes amongst the sea of credit card bills all maxed out from holiday shopping.

This one here is another fave of mine, and my wish to you this holiday season! Check out Naughty Betty at www.calypsocards.com (The only bummer? The site lists only the U.S. store locations that carry the line but dash off on email to the ladies and they might get back to you ASAP — I heard back within hours of emailing them a question).

[Via http://healthandswellness.com]

Why EVERYONE should train for performance, rather than their waist line.

Take a look at this news report here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8425161.stm

It backs up why I keep banging on about why people should be more concerned with their ability to perform physical tasks, and less so with just how they look.

The report tells of how they tested a bunch of 10 year old kids with a simple fitness test in 1998, and another bunch of 10 year olds now.  While the obesity levels of the 2 groups of kids had not really changed, their fitness levels dropped.

According to the scales they were fine…but they were not as fit/healthy/strong as their counterparts 10 years ago!

The moral of this story is:

Train to improve your physical abilities, not just to fit in with the latest fashion aesthetic.

Change your mindset from:

“I want to fit into these clothes”

to:

“I want to be able to do x amount of work”

I promise you will look and feel better for it!

By the way.  The way they tested the kids in the report was by putting them through the 20 metre shuttle run (bleep) test.

Download your free mp3 copy from our shop and try it out yourself.

And it goes without saying, if you or your friends/family/work colleagues want to start exercising or want to improve your current workouts, just contact me.

I am based in and around Skipton, North Yorkshire and can help you!

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

New somibo.com contest - win gift cards for lululemon

Every week for the next three months, somibo.com will choose the two best reviews written on somibo.com and the somibo.com users who wrote those reviews will each get a $30 Gift Card to Lululemon! Beginning Thursday, December 24, two new winners will be announced each week on Thursday for the next three months and the winning reviews will also be posted on this blog. Come over to somibo.com now to begin posting reviews. If you want to review a wellness-related business but don’t see it on somibo.com, please suggest a business here and it will be added within a day. Reviews on somibo.com will be judged by somibo.com staff according to quality of writing and creativity.

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

A very active day

Shew! It’s been one of those days where I don’t feel like my legs have stopped moving.

It started when I woke up this morning and realized the temperature had dropped to 10 degrees Celsius in our apartment overnight. After giving myself a big facepalm, I dug into the bowl of overnight oats I prepared last night.

I used the remaining plain yogurt in the container (probably about half a cup), 1/3 cup of rolled oatmeal, 1/4 cup of 2% milk, 1/4 cup of Kashi Go Lean Crunch, 1 T peanut butter and 1/2 a banana.

My food always looks so much prettier before I make a mess out of it. And I pretty much always make a mess out of anything I eat.

I biked to work to teach my morning class and found one of my students already in the classroom. These guys never come in early so I knew something was up. He said our classroom was 0 degrees Celsius this morning, so he came in early and kicked on the heater for me.

I have some really good students.

Post-class, I biked back home and chatted with my Momma and Daddy for a few minutes while having my pre-workout snack. (Was that sentence confusing???)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hot tea to warm me up and half an apple with a wedge of cheese.

Last week I told you one of my favorite winter workout tricks is to dress in layers. Here’s another one: warm up inside before heading outdoors.

I did a 20-minute Power Flow class from Yogadownload.com before my 5 mile run this morning.

In case you’re wondering the above photo is, in fact, of the stuff you use to line the drawers in your house. I don’t have a real yoga mat, but I decided this would do for now. I’ve been putting off buying one until I knew for sure I was going to stick with practicing.

I’ve been doing yoga regularly (at least once a week, sometimes more) for over two months. I think it’s time to invest in a mat.

Oh, I am a cheap ass.

I was HANGRY when I returned to my abode from running. I wanted something nutritious, quick, and easy.

Quick and easy were probably the most important part of the equation. I chopped up some frozen spinach and broccoli and threw them in a bowl with a serving of my leftover macaroni and cheesy beef casserole. (You can find the recipe for it here—it’s really good and I’ve been eating from it all week.)

Snacked on a little trail mix covered in cinnamon whilest getting myself ready for job number two. Homemade trail mix is the bomb. That’s what I’ve decided.

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

A thankful Tuesday

Things that are currently making this lady smile:

1. Big bowls of oatmeal

2. Funny things my husband says

One of my favorite things about my husband is the nonsense he says when he’s half asleep. It’s great next-morning entertainment when I ask him, “Do you know what you said last night?”

This one happened just last night as we were falling asleep.

J begins to snore. Loudly.

Me: J! J!

J: What?

Me: You’re snoring.

J: I don’t think so. I’m asleep.

Me:

Apparently people only snore when they’re awake? We got a good laugh out of this one.

3. My students

I really love teaching my morning classes. Right now I only have male students, but they are all really fantastic and totally make my day.

4. New socks

 

 

 

 

 

 

My other early Christmas gift from my mom was a pack of new socks. She buys my brother and I new socks every Christmas. These have a small band of light pink breast cancer awareness ribbons around the ankle.

I ran in them today and they were super comfy and didn’t cause blisters. Huzzah!

5. Freshly painted fingernails

6. Snacks that feel like dessert

Have 5 minutes and a microwave? Here’s an easy faux apple crisp recipe:

Cut up half an apple into small chunks. Put in a mug and top with 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, and .5 teaspoon vanilla extract. Microwave on high for 5 minutes or until apples are softened. Top with 1/4 cup of Kashi Go Lean Crunch and microwave for 1 more minute. Stir, prepare to be amazed, and enjoy!

7. Great workouts

2 easy miles in just a little under 18 minutes. I can handle that. Plus a 20-minute morning flow sesh before… 3 wheel poses in a row made me feel STRONG.

8. Christmas break

This is my last week of work at job number 2 for two weeks. I’m super excited to have some time off and relax with my husband.

9. Healthy living

Today marks my 12th day in a row of eating healthy and not binging. I was on an outta control eating spiral for a few days at the end of November/beginning of December. I’m happy to be back in control and learning about what works for me versus what takes me to a place where I feel deprived. Healthy living is not about avoiding the foods/activities you enjoy.

10. YOU! My readers

I’ve been loving all the comments I’m receiving from you lately. At the end of the day, this blog is for me—to record my thoughts, my eating habits, and my approach to a healthy life, all the while living in Japan—but I am so glad that someone finds it worthy enough to take a minute and stop by.

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

SL Post 12/13/09: Regression in Fitness, Progression in Work

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. So I’ve gone through a total of 4 weeks of illness, with a week in between illnesses, so a total of 5 weeks of no working out. As a result of my extra free time, I’ve been staying in lab later, which has at least resulted in more progress in lab. As of right now, I’ll probably have to take a step back and go back to doing easier work out routines and put p90x on hold, since I haven’t the time to commit to it over 90 days. I’ll have a lot of progress to go through from now to May (2nd year oral exams), so I guess whatever it takes.

As far as wedding planning goes, we really haven’t done much after we sent the save-the-dates. Hopefully, everyone has gotten their by now.

I really need to go home, I’m still in lab finishing up drying my product, which has tiny bit of crap in it, but I can probably filter it out another day.

Going to keep it short for now, better than nothing.

-SL

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

Congratulations!

Congratulations to the newest graduates of Studio L’amour: Stella LaRocque, Penny Piquant, Kami Oh!, Dottie La Vie, Nora Gretz, and Delia Aces!  Buy them a strong drink the next time you see these ladies.  They deserve it!

Studio L’amour is now on a winter break.  The next session starts the week of Jan. 4.  Registration is now available for all classes.

The next event at the studio is Naked Girls Reading on Jan. 3.  We’re doing a Pulp fiction brunch to celebrate the release of Johnny Porkpie’s (the leader of Naked Girls Reading NYC) new pulp novel, ‘The Corpse Wore Pasties’.  We’ll have some pulp and non-pulp orange juice on hand, and maybe some other brunch treats.

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

3 Stocking Stuffers for You and Yours! (Offer lasts until 12/23/09!)

2010 is around the corner: Embrace this magical time to get renewed and balanced!

Do you:

*Know someone that needs a nudge towards greater health and well-being?

*Want to give a loved one or yourself the gift of finally stepping into a more healthy life?

*Want to continue and deepen your journey towards health and fitness?

Then you will LOVE the gifts that I’ve been preparing for you!

Check out my Christmas specials below.

Happy Holidays!

Stocking Stuffer

3 Session Kick-Start!

• Three personalized one-on-one sessions at Nimble Fitness in their NEW SPACE in the Union Square area.

• One relaxing half hour stretch session to increase flexibility and help relieve stress and tension.

• Support during sessions where we will connect with personal goals and talk about the proper path toward reaching them.

$250

Regularly priced at $410!

*New clients only

Contact for in home rates!

Inspire a Lifestyle Change

1 to 2 Months of Training.

• One complimentary one-on-one call to connect and get really clear on wellness and fitness goals.

• Ten sessions held at Nimble Fitness in Union Square.

• One hour and 15 minute fitness assessment and full body work out for the first session.

• Support during and in between sessions to reach goals while integrating this lifestyle the way it fits best.

$875

Regularly priced at $975!

Contact for in home rates!

Give to Yourself

You Deserve It!

Current clients:

• Stock up on sessions for the new year and take 10% off your package rate!

Not sure what your package rate is?  Contact me!

All packages must be purchased by December 23rd.

The 10-session gift package does not include Nimble’s membership fee of $35/month. A gift certificate will be mailed to the address most convenient for you or can be hand delivered during a session. Sessions will be scheduled for dates before December 18th and/or into the new year. An expiration date of scheduling the first session by February 15, 2010 applies to all packages bought.

Never hesitate to contact me with any questions!  Conversation is always welcomed.

Be well,

Charlotte

www.charlotteblakenyc.com

charblake@gmail.com

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

Fitness

Its been a really rough couple of weeks, I’ve been struggling with bulimia more than I ever have before. It all started with Thanksgiving of course, where food is the main attraction, I was in the bathroom for hours just trying to make sure I got everything out of my body. This is wrong. I keep going backwards and forwards on my true opinion of this disorder and I wish I could make up my mind for you all’s sake. I’m certain of quite a few things about bulimia but other things I’m not too sure at. I know it’s dangerous, but I don’t care. I wish it was like I’d described earlier. That I can simply stop, but it sits in my brain constantly. I eat and think to myself, “I’m going to regret this when I step on the scale in the morning.” That’s another thing, weight. I’m obsessed with my weight, I think about it all the time and when I’m not thinking about it I’m wishing I was thinking about it. I’m done losing weight of course, there is nothing left to lose. I was very concerned because I’ve gained about nine pounds but I realized it’s all in muscle because I recently got a gym membership. I think lifting and running and such is really helping my mood a lot, it’s my new alternative to vomiting. Say I eat something fattening or greasy, I’ll just have workout clothes in my car and change and go on a moments notice. I love the gym, especially the atmosphere, everyone is so positive and wants to be healthy! Just like me! I joined a Lifetime Fitness and one of the perks I got was to meet with a personal trainer, boy, was that a mistake. He took one look at me and said “Baby, we’ve got some work to do.” He measured everything, and literally gasped when he found out my waist was 17 inches. The first weigh-in I was at an ugly 103 pounds. I think he knows I have an eating disorder, there is no other logical explanation for my weight, honestly. Either way, he gave me a diet and I’ve been pretty good sticking to it. He wants me to eat a lot of carb filled foods because that’ll be easily worked off but help me to gain weight so I can get stronger and look more healthy. He said there was a large difference between being skinny and healthy…I never thought of it like that. I go just about every day, it’s open 24 hours and that’s really nice for me because I stress about things at night and want to detox and having the opportunity to just run or bike or stairmaster the stress away is a wonderful feeling.

I hope you all are well,

All my love,

American Girl

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

Kettlebell inc challenge

Well I know I should stick to the carefully thought through workout plan, but I enjoy a challenge and this is true  to character. So I am going to have a go at Kettlebell inc’s Christmas challenge.  Now a yearly feature and good fun because everybody is very supportive and you work at your own level. This year is in two parts

1. one get up for every day in December- I’m glad that school finishes before we get to 20 as that might take some time.

2.1000 swings per week- I came to this part late, but made a start to day by adding 150 swings to my current workout tonight.

If Chuzzy is reading this I am sticking to the no weight and staged  bit of his plan until the end of next week. Then I’ll add some weight and go all the way! Which is fine with the rest of the group. Anybody else want to sign up! The link is on the right hand side of this blog.

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

Fitness Summary 7 December 2009

Muay Thai workout tonight. Ten or so students braved the cold and came out. Walked through several belts’ worth hand and feet combinations. Mental focus was sufficient to keep all the techniques in mind as three strikes built to six, to nine, to 15 and more. I still stop from time to time to catch my breath, but I guess that means I’m doing it right. Core exercises at the end were hard, as usual. Varieties of crunches with a ten pound medicine ball, several incarnations of pushups, all wrapped up with what felt like a day’s worth of bicycles.

Left psoas muscle feels much better, though I can feel a little tension there just now. Torsion on the roundhouse kicks much improved.  Upper body rotation on hand techniques was satisfactory. Need to improve power and confidence on the straight, pushing kicks. Fear of breaking toes is not insignificant, but it should not completely stop me from kicking the damn bag.

Great workout tonight, left winded and pleasantly sore.

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

Photos! Warrior Workout!

Thanks to Michelle for shooting the Warrior Workout prior to the celebration for my wife Jessica’s 11st place finish at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships last month. I’ll provide some captions so that you know what exercises we are doing!!!

Jessica doing sandbag rows. Looks like she's talking, not working--hmm...

John working the Backpack Atomic Push-ups

Me--Backpack Atomic Push-ups

Aaron feeds the warrior some Tire Whacks.

Me--Peek-a-Boo Balance Squats

Michelle on the balance board. Jessica coaching.

Aaron--Kettlebell Walking Lunge with Press

Jim--His first time with the Tire Whack.

 

Jessica--Webbing Pikes

The Post-Warrior Workout, 11st Place Celebration at Athenian Garden International Sports Bar

Kill it and then eat and drink like a warrior.

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

In Flight Exercise

Cheers from Chicago!

I am currently occupying myself by a) blogging, b) yoga-ing at my laptop station, and alternately, c) taking laps through the United terminal as I wait for my flight, walking not running, albeit briskly.  I am trying not to cause a scene or cause folks to worry about my reoccuring presence as I pass by for the 5th time.  Just out for a stroll, people.  Care to join me? 

As I arrived this morning at O’Hare, my first of 3 flights showed over an hour delay…which meant that my connecting flights would be high in the sky before I arrived.  The sun shines bright, but the aircraft won’t be in flight when I need it to be…it simply says “aircraft delayed”.  I have an entirely new itinerary, taking me through LAX and Sydney (I will at least be able to say my feet hit Aussie soil) instead of San Fran and Auckland.  This new flight schedule also affords me about 6 hours of extra time.  Oh, well.  Things change and you go with the flow and I continue to breathe and move with it.  Can’t change it so you may as well have a ball and blog, right? 

I had researched my baggage requirements last week, heading to the Air NZ website, and stumbled across suggestions for In Flight Exercise.  It lists things such as wiggling your toes, stretching your shoulders, and recommends standing and moving about every hour or two at least for 5 minutes.  It makes me think of the knee replacement PT exercises I know from a customer’s experience.  Ankle pumps (pointing and flexing the foot several times in a row) help contract the calf muscles, stimulating circulation from the feet and lower leg back up to the heart, possibly preventing clots.  I remember using ankle pumps as a way to stay awake and yes, keep the blood moving, as I took my road trip last summer out to Wyoming and Colorado.  Movement definitely makes Nebraska a bit more tolerable).  I am thankful for my health.  I wonder if they have an In Flight treadmill they can hook me up with; maybe I could even power the movie screens on the backs of people’s chairs. 

I have adapted my lifestyle, my business, my home to accomodate and encourage the use of energy I have to burn, moving the majority of the day and sitting for the amount they recommend for In Flight Exercise.  I left Eau Claire over 30 hours ago, and will continue traveling for another 30, roughly before arriving in Christchurch, due to the delay.  I feel like I have already arrived in a foreign country, and experience culture shock from sedentary environments and lack of access to fresh food unless I am willing to pay triple.  (Good thing I have a banana and almonds in my backpack.) 

I bet you can think back to before you made a lifestyle change.  Your home environment, workplace, even your mindset look very different now.  You have traveled so far to reach your fitness goals, that you hardly recognize the life you lived before spinach and squat jumps, walking and water guzzling.  You think about how to get more movement in, where you can get fresh healthy foods on the go, or what you can do at your desk to keep the body awake and the productivity going strong.  I think there may be enough room in the aisles for lunges, and I can work through shoulder openers in my seat.  I need to mentally prepare myself, or wear myself out so I can sleep the majority of the way across the pacific.  Time to take another few laps around the terminal.  Care to join me?

Traveling well,

Cheri

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

Maintain the Every Other Day Diet Plan

The results can be overwhelming when you are looking into so many diet plans. With so many diets out there and each with a different feedback, you might find it hard to choose one that would suit your needs. But the simple face is that the every other day diet can have different effects on every person. Lifestyle, overall health and genetics is a factor when it comes to trimming down weight, which is why choosing the right diet plan is essential for your health. Failing to do this can result to lots of hard work wasted with no positive results at all.

Arm yourself with information when engaging into a diet plan. Here are a few suggestions that would help you do this, most especially when you are aiming to eliminate fats and cholesterol in your body.

Eat less and get more exercise

This is the winning formula. Don’t just eat stop eat when you are in an occasion with lots of tempting foods around you. Think of the possibilities, if you eat less, this benefits a lot because not only you had practiced self-discipline, but also control over what you eat. On the next day, don’t forget to exercise in order to burn some of the fat acquired. A simple walk to the park can do a lot of benefits to your body, so think about this.

High carbohydrate and protein intake

Though there are some diet plans out there that advises you to do this, always keep in mind that carbohydrates that go unburned would eventually turn to fats. This kind of plan would only suit you if you have an everyday active lifestyle.

Vitamins and mineral supplements

Always take this because it helps give energy to your body all throughout the day as well as strengthening the immune system. Also, this is most advisable to those who sit at their desk and work all day.

There is no perfect system in losing weight. Remember that determination and sustainability is the key to success. Couple it with exercise, hard work, and a fat burning furnace technique, you would surely achieve that lean body in just a few months time.

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

Pick Two

Yesterday it rained heavily, so after she returned from work, The Pretty One and I went to the gym. At the moment I am training without direction. Basically trying to introduce my body to being fit again, and all round fit. What I need to get out of my head is the thought that because I sometimes am unable to train as I would like (because of travel and work commitments) doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth doing as much as possible (keeping perspective) when I am able to train.

I need to develop a cycling specific programme for once a week, and an all round programme for once a week too. That is what I am working on at the moment.

I have been thinking about training and my objectives too. A while back, I worked very hard to make myself extremely fit and quick. There is a massive amount of selfishness involved in this, and sacrifice. No (or few) late nights, cut down on alcohol, eat properly etc. My thought however is that to train to take yourself to the ultimate you could be, you have a similar scenario to Keith Bontragers approach to bike components. His mantra is this:

Light, strong, cheap: Pick two.

Perhaps if you are training as an athlete the following is true:

Personal relationships, career, training: Pick two.

I would be interested in your thoughts on how to find a balance.

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

10 Reasons To Try TRX

Hey everyone! On the 2nd day of TRX-MAS, I thought I’d give to you: an article on the benefits of training with this amazing piece of exercise equipment. I know, it’s not very sing-songy, but I think you’ll get the point.

For the better part of the last year and a half, I have been training with the TRX. Like all exercises, diets and workouts, I was very skeptical at first. For a month after I started working here, I just walked by this mysterious black and yellow strap. I went through a mental list of pluses and negatives. It wasn’t until Ian conned me into giving it a try, that I really started to take it seriously.

As you know, I have trained in several martial arts. My favorite is Wing Chun Kung Fu. Wing Chun works on natural body positioning and a very tenuous, practical strength, that is easily transferable into explosive power. For years, I fought the battle of conventional exercise vs. natural movement and power. I love exercise, but I also love having that explosive pliability that Wing Chun provides.

So there I was; it was my workout day, and I was staring down the TRX. It wasn’t high noon, but there was about to be a showdown. I began with squats and rows—ouch! The splendor and glory of the “burn”, had come to visit me. Rep after rep, exercise after exercise, I twisted, jumped, pushed, pulled and transitioned my way into an incredible workout. What was even more astonishing, is that I felt blasted, but not bulky and cumbersome. I had found my new milieu, and it was going to change my ideas about exercise forever.

In light of all that I have experienced, and with the recent 12 Days of TRX-MAS competition, I thought you would like a little more insight as to the benefits. So here they are, the top 10 reasons for trying the TRX:

1. Utilize natural body positioning to strengthen.
2. Develop a tensile type of strength.
3. Work power and isolation movements.
4. Cardio, as well as strength.
5. Plyometric exercise.
6. Take it on vacation.
7. Anchor it almost anywhere.
8. Utilize various angles and ranges of motion.
9. Maximize your workout time.
10. Because I suggested it, and I would never steer you in the wrong direction.

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

Golf Fitness Overview

As a very keen golfer and an exercise coach, I am always interested in showing the benefits of individually tailored Golf Fitness programs. My aim in this article is to impart some concepts that will improve your golf game and/or extend your golfing life.

 

The idea of golf fitness is definitely not new – Hall of Fame players like Gary Player and Sam Snead were well aware of the need to keep their bodies strong and limber for competition. Of course, there are always exceptions to this rule – notably John Daly. However, given the magnitude and complexity of everything in J.D.’s life, starting him on any health and fitness regime would not be my first interest in his case. This is perhaps why he didn’t feel that eating well and working out had any benefit to him. Most high-level touring pros now have a trainer as part of their entourage. In the amateur world, I can safely say that undertaking any golf-related exercise program will do wonders for your game, regardless of what current level you play at.

 

In my mind there are seven key factors outside of actual skill level that influence everyone’s game: balance, power, endurance, posture, flexibility, nutrition, and mental focus. The last two are different subjects to Golf Fitness, but even just looking at the first five will directly influence your scores.

 

The important thing to know here is that it is of no real use to work on power, which many people like to do in the gym, if your posture and balance are of poor standard. So my suggestion is to start by testing how well you can stand on one leg. If that’s easy, close your eyes. If that’s also simple for you, block your ears too! If you can stand for 15 to 20 seconds in good posture on one leg with your eyes shut and ears blocked, then your balance through the golf swing is most likely of very good quality.

 

Posture is a very complex topic that I’m not able to cover in this article, except to say that the poorer your posture, the less efficiently and consistently you will swing the club. This applies to both static and dynamic posture – meaning how well you address the ball and how well you maintain good spine angle through the swing.

 

This leads to flexibility and strength – these are very interrelated. Just about everyone has muscle imbalances. So stretching everything will maintain the relative imbalance, as will strengthening everything. Stretching what is short and tight and strengthening what is too long and weak will help correct the dysfunction. Again corrective exercise is also complex, so becoming aware of these issues is the important step.

 

Golf is a very physically demanding sport, even without the walk! The combination of power, precision and touch make it unique. I hope I have helped increase your awareness for the need for fitness to be a seriously fun part of your preparation for the game.

 

If you have any questions regarding golf fitness & health, please feel free to ask.

 

Best wishes,

 

Peter McConnell

[Via http://vitalperformance.com.au]