The new Nikon D300 is a marvelous camera with a lot of extra functions over the D200. The larger viewing screen for one, is a big plus and is really just a mini LCD screen.
BUT like all cameras there are many shortcuts and ways to do things that are not always obvious, unless you read and understand the small novel of an instruction book that comes with the camera. What this article is about is showing a few basic shortcuts that will help make life a bit easier.
THE first simple one is that just by hitting the the info button (the one with the Key symbol) just below the Menu button, you get a display of all the camera information that is in the top info panel, very easy to see especially if your eyesight is not as good as it was.
YOU can make all your normal adjustments and they will change as you alter them. The next thing is a quick way to zoom in on the subject, this is the way to set it up. Push the Menu button, then using the multi-selector button go to the Pencil icon.
Scroll down to “f Controls”
Right click on the multi-selector button which will show, “Multi-Selector Centre Button”.
Right click again and go to Playback Mode” Right click and go to “Zoom on/off
Again right click and you will have 3 options, Low, Medium or High, pick which one suits you best. Medium or High for checking focus, Low to get in close to see facial expressions when doing a portrait, you can still use the plus and minus buttons on the left to move in closer or move out as normal. And you can still use the scroll wheel to flick through all your photographs at the same magnification.
ONE other thing that could be of great use is that you can set up the back scroll wheel to flip through the photographs instead of using the Multi selector wheel.
This time go to f 7 “Customize Command Dials” right click and go down to “Menus and Playback” Click that to “ON”
AND one last tip, make sure that the f 9 “No memory card” is set to lock, that way you will not accidentally take photographs without a card in the camera.
As a daily runner, I don’t often get to celebrate victories or cherish running moments because they’re happening every day. So when I do happen to find a victorious moment, I can’t help but share. Sharing is caring, friends.
Today I went out on one of my usual runs that orbits around South Coast Plaza. It’s a really nice jaunt early in the morning when there aren’t too many commuters out yet, the So Cal air is still pretending to be unsmoggy, and all the streetlights are in my favor.
Running around something is almost as fun as running to somewhere; having a definite point or plan for a run keeps me motivated and lets my imagination soar. Today I was pretending to be one of the planets, busily circling the sun and enjoying my place in the universe. I imagined the other runners I passed as being other planets with whom I was creating eclipses with, and the cars were simply meteors I was attempting to not collide with.
What are you orbiting?
My victorious moment came after my run, when I was safely back in my apartment and right before I laid down to do crunches on the living room floor. I checked the clock and saw I had finished the route six minutes faster than I normally do! I’m not sure if it was the dark matter laden imagination or the fact that at soccer last night, our newest team member Bethany was a spunky and fierce sprinter who inspired me to want to be the sort of player that people think, “Holy Macaroni!” when I get on the field.
Either way, I’m celebrating tonight by doing sprints at the gym.
Workout for 3/15/2010. We didn’t have out usual Saturday workout. I went to Fort Walton Beach, FL. Just a quick visit for a couple of days. Not a bad trip at all. Did we exercise at the hotels’ “fitness room”? No! Did we exercise on the beach? No! This was a totally chill out weekend!
Music by: Anvil http://www.anvilmetal.com/. I became reacquainted with the group after I saw a documentary on them last year. http://www.anvilthemovie.com/ T-Shirt? Well Ft. Walton Beach of course!
Warm Up: Whoops we forgot to do a formal warm up. Just launched right into the exercise circuit.
Exercise Circuit: 11 exercises at 30 seconds per station for maximum reps. 3 cycles. The video says 10 exercises. I made a mistake on it. Darn! The exercises included:
1. Squats with a medicine ball overhead.
2. Alternate foot to hand push ups.
3. DB incline presses.
4. Lying pull ups.
5. Triceps extension with Gold Tband.
6. Laterals with Vertimax.
7. Jump rope.
8. Run drill on step.
9. Plate raises.
10. “L” sits.
11. Ab pullins on slide board.
Next: Inchworms for 50 yards. These became really hard after doing the exercise circuit. Just shows you can mix things up a bit to get stimulated with something familiar.
Next: 100 Squats.
Next: 100 Push ups.
Core stuff: Crunches 50, Side crunches 50 on each side, up the middle crunches 25, Leg Raises 50, Side of Shoe side crunches 25 on each side, Alternate hand to foot 25 each side, lemon squeezers 25 and seated leg raises 25.
I chosen the title of this post after reading a couple of articles from other trainers that promote rapid “fatloss”. They now preach about how intense strength training workouts will cause rapid fat burning while building muscle. Its about time I have been waiting for years to hear this.
For years people have been told that doing tons of cardio will help you lose weight (remember they said weight not fat), while a small group of us have been saying for years strength training + cardio is the way to go. I took a lot of heat for me not jumping on the cardio weight loss ban wagon. I was told that my style of training was only for top athletes and not for the general public. My response has always been, “the scale will lie to you, but your clothes will never lie to you.” By the way, I have trained thousands of people and have never had one of them not reach their fitness
Now people are hearing about how bootcamps and functional strength training is now the best way to go. The funny thing is that when I was a kid, we got in shape using some of the methods that are used today to get in shape. Rope climbing, flipping tires, climbing trees (pull ups), pushups, situps, etc. We were in the best shape.
Then the cardio phase came along, followed by weight lifting that isolated your muscle. Then we got into what I call the lazy phase, just accept me for me, if I don’t work out it doesn’t matter. Now look at us, our society is in the worst shape it has ever been in. So now we are back to old school methods and seeing dramatic results.
Also now the focus is on fat loss not on weight loss. Which is where it is suppose to be. The problem in the past is that when people equated weight loss with being in shape, they did not take in the fact that if you exercise wrong and don’t eat right you will lose muscle as well as a little fat, but mostly muscle. While your body tries to store the fat because of a bad fitness program.
Now we are back on the right track, so if your out their wanting to get in shape , find a personal trainer that is promoting functional strength training along with proper nutrition and get started now. Don’t wait!!!
Yesterday was full of food! I probably did eat too much, but i had fun and a lovely day and that will add to my wellbeing aswell as my wasit line haha! We all deserve a little treat every now and then! It started off good, we (me & the bf) had a lie-in followed by my usual breakfast of Oats, milk, banana and peanut butter. With a coffee. Filled me up good and proper ready for our day ahead of shopping! I actually really don’t like shopping, but i had a few things to get so we had to go really. It was a lovely day! We even had blue sky! annnnd i got chance to bring out the sunnies for the first time this year!
In the car, my bf (who by the way is called Lawrence!or sometimes i write ‘L’ for short) had some of these that he’d left in there. They were on his seat in the sun so we thought they would be melted, i opened to see and they were just fine They were so tempting and with the nutritional information, i thought a few wouldn’t hurt!
They were so good, they tasted exactly like white chocolate maltesers, mmm! And they were on offer at only 80p per box!! Bargainnn We then got to the shops and did all the shopping i needed. I got 2 pairs of cheap ballet pump shoes but other than that it was all food really from the health food shops!
That dark chocolate was a bargain I picked up the health magazine from holland and barretts aswell, it looks pretty good!! I got a packet of so crispy because i’ve heard alot about them! A Vanilla power pack protein bar for after my workout tomorrow and sweet chilli sauce because i had the BEST wrap for my lunch!
Boots Shapers Sweet chilli chicken wrap! Chicken, lettuce, red pepper, sweet chilli sauce and a red chilli wrap. Yumm! 275 calories, only 3.4g fat and a great 18g protein! It was a done deal the minute i saw that With a snack bag o’ carrots and Extra Light Oasis! I was so excited about this, i LOOVEE Oasis, but a regular bottle has about 200 calories and i’d rather eat my calories than drink them so i avoid it, but this beauty is much better;
I grabbed 2 bottles for good measure, one is chilling in my fridge as i type this! So until now my food has been GREAT! But it’s when we got home, when i get bored i start to eat and i was a little bored when we got back in the afternoon. I had 3 snacks and then a takeaway for tea! woops!
First snack was this delicious bar of goodness!
They are new so i had to get some to try them out, i got a box of white chocolate and a box of dark chocolate. For the record, i never knew how good white chocolate was until i got with Lawrence, it’s his favourite chocolate and before that, i never really ate it, now i’m hooked!Along with winegums, which i never used to eat! Talking of winegums…
Lawrence couldn’t resist this bargain, we munched through some of these and then this..
Ahhh how i love you mini eggs It was then back for yet more winegums, geeze!!
We then had tea; We got a curry from a local tandoori house, yum! I had a chicken jalfrezi with plain pilaw rice and one poppadom. I stupidly ate a whole green chilli (which i thought was a green bean!!!!) and thought i was going to actually die!! I was literally crying and couldn’t breathe, it hurt so much! I don’t have a picture because i didn’t want Lawrence’s parents to think i was stir crazy But it was a yummy BIG plate of food!
Me & Lawrence then cuddled up on the big squishy sofa, me in my pjs and this cutie (Daisy) snuggled on me…
..and his parents on the other sofa, with the other cat (Poppy) and we watched 40 days and 40 nights. I’ve never had cats or really been a fan of them, always a dog person, but Daisy and Poppy never really leave me alone, and now i’m converted! Me & L definately want cats when we move out! Perfect end to a yummy day I had a good 9 hours sleep last night too, yay! I LOVE sleep! I woke to make my breakfast! Sorry girls, no oats in a jar yet!! Probably tomorrow, i completely forgot today!
In 2001, we reported on a vitamin drain in America’s vegetables (Vegetables Without Vitamins, Life Extension, March 2001). What we found in our unofficial report is now official. The Journal of the American College of Nutrition has published new findings from University of Texas researchers showing diminished levels of six nutrients in vegetables and fruits.
According to the new report, levels of calcium, riboflavin, vitamin C, iron, potassium, and protein in vegetables and fruits have significantly declined since 1950. This finding holds up even after making numerous statistical adjustments to account for the losses. The report covers only a few common nutrients; potential declines in lesser-known nutrients like lycopene and zeaxanthin are unknown.
When asked about the apparent drain, commercial plant breeders refuse to comment, but clues have emerged as to why today’s vegetables are not what they should be. It has to do with the way commercial growers do business.
From Food to Commodity Tomatoes that resemble tennis balls, peppers that taste like small rocks, and big, red, flavorless strawberries are all a result of selective breeding for pith and water (pith is defined as the fibrous part of fruits and vegetables, such as the – netting around orange sections that is usually discarded). Desirable traits for commercial growers who want produce to ship well, look good, and weigh a lot, but undesirable traits for consumers who buy produce as a source of nutrition. Plant jockeys call it the dilution effect — more water and pith, less vitamin content.
The transformation of vegetables from food to commodity is well illustrated by the one people love to hate: broccoli. Broccoli is a terrific source of calcium, especially for people who don’t drink milk. But the most prized commercial version of broccoli is a heavy, calcium/magnesium-deficient hybrid called Marathon. In research conducted by the US Department of Agriculture, Marathon is consistently about a third lower in calcium and magnesium than are other hybrids. And the hybrids themselves are about 50% lower in calcium than the broccoli listed in the 1998 USDA nutrient database2. It has been reported that the calcium and magnesium content in commercially grown broccoli sold in grocery stores can vary twofold.2
Prematurely Picked Produce The dilution effect is not the only thing causing problems in nutrient content. Most commercial fruit, including tomatoes, is picked green. Green fruit doesn’t have a chance to sun-ripen; it’s artificially ripened with ethylene, a natural plant hormone. Ethylene is what causes tomatoes to turn pinkish. Produce deprived of sunlight doesn’t have a chance to develop sunlight-related nutrients such as anthocyanins — the flavonoids that make cherries red and grapes purple.3-5 Anthocyanins are plant sunscreens. When humans ingest them, they provide protection against DNA damage, brain cell deterioration, cancer, and more.6-8
Other plant vitamins can also be affected by premature picking. Researchers in Spain conducted an in-depth investigation of cherries ripening and found 14 different stages, during which the fruit turned from green to red.9 They concluded that for maximum nutrition, cherries should be picked at stage 12, way beyond the stage at which they’re harvested green by commercial growers. To illustrate how important the ripening process is, if cherries are picked at stage 8, their vitamin C content is half the amount it is if they’re picked at stage 14.9 Similarly, researchers at Oregon State University who studied blackberries discovered that green ones contain 74 mg of anthocyanins, compared to 317 mg in ripe ones (per 100 grams fresh weight).3 The same phenomenon occurs in other fruits as well.5
Polyphenols likewise have no chance to fully develop when produce is picked green, which is why green-picked produce is so tasteless. Besides having health benefits, polyphenols give produce its flavor.10 Tomatoes deprived of UVB sunlight can be drained of carotenoids and possess little antioxidant activity.11 It’s suspected that the lack of folate in grocery store tomatoes is due to their being picked green.12
Other Factors Drain Nutrients Big, green, hybrid, inbred, watery produce is not the whole story, however. There’s more. Changing climates, commercial fertilizers, and changes in soil composition have also been identified as reasons for the vitamin drain in commercial produce. Increasing carbon dioxide levels are known to significantly diminish important trace minerals, including zinc.13
Synthetic fertilizer is another potential source of vitamin depletion. The vitamin C content of two types of organically grown oranges was higher than that of the same oranges grown with synthetic fertilizer. It’s now possible to distinguish an organic orange from a conventionally grown orange by looking at factors related to fertilizer (though the difference is not great).14 Organically grown fruits and vegetables have been reported to have significantly more antioxidants, polyphenols, and enzymes than commercial produce.15-19 According to one report, organic fruits themselves have better antioxidant defenses.16
The commercial solution to disappearing vitamins is to manipulate vegetables and fruits genetically, inserting foreign genes to force them to produce more nutrients.20 Tomatoes, for example, have been forced to produce folate through this method. Such biofortification causes the tomatoes to produce compounds never before seen in plants.12 And they end up without PABA, a B-complex coenzyme that makes up part of folate. The solution for that is to douse the plants in PABA to make up for the loss – and on it goes.12
The Value of Supplements For those who find the new, unregulated world of genetically manipulated, vitamin-less vegetables unpalatable – or find that they don’t care to eat vegetables that have absorbed up to 45 times the amount of pesticides in the soil, including DDT (which was banned decades ago but is still with us)21 – high-quality, standardized supplements are one way of incorporating a standard amount of known nutrients in the diet.
Supplements are not a replacement for food, but they can give the less-than-stellar diet that extra edge. And they work. It has been estimated that a calcium supplement alone could keep more than 100,000 people out of the hospital and save $2.6 billion in medical expenses annually.22 Calcium is one of the disappearing minerals in vegetables.
If taken long enough, magnesium supplements could halve the number of colon and rectal cancer cases in women.23 And riboflavin, which has decreased 38% in commercial vegetables since 1950, could prevent a lot of cataracts.24
THE CHROMIUM-DEFICIENT WESTERN DIET Chromium is a trace mineral that is essential for optimal health. Food sources of chromium include brewer’s yeast, whole grains, wheat germ, fruit, eggs, meat, and shellfish. Chromium deficiency is widespread in the United States due to mineral-depleted soils and over-reliance on refined and processed foods.25
Chromium is an essential component of glucose tolerance factor, which enhances insulin function and is essential for proper carbohydrate metabolism and blood sugar regulation. Insufficient chromium intake is associated with signs and symptoms similar to those seen in people with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.26 Chromium helps to promote healthy glucose and lipid levels, even in healthy subjects, and may help promote fat loss and optimal body weight.26 Chromium supplementation improves serum glucose levels in both type I and type II diabetics.27 Dietary supplementation with chromium may help fill the void left by mineral-depleted soils and refined foods.
by Terri Mitchell
REFERENCES
Wellness International Network, Ltd.® (WIN), its officers and employees are not engaged in the practice of medicine. The information contained herein has not, to WIN’s knowledge, been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. WIN does not sell or market its products with intent to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate or prevent any specific disease or class of diseases. If you have a medical condition, see a qualified health professional. Outside sources stating medical or scientific opinions and other publication contributors provide information deemed to be of a general interest.
Recently I was contacted by Reebok, to see if I wanted to take part in a trial of their EasyTone trainers. In return I was to published an unshaded review on my blog and take part in their online review community. This seemed a pretty fair exchange, and I need to get fit anyway, so I of course said Yes Yes Yes! I will be taking part as soon as their community site goes live, and am quite looking forward to a fair of trainers that will support my feet!
They have also offered a pair of shoes and training kit to a reader of my blog, if they too want to get involved in the testing community that they are building. You don’t have to do anything other trial them and report back your thoughts, views and opinions.
If you want to win these trainers and take part in this trial then all you have to do is leave a comment saying why you want to get fit! Also leave a way that I can get in contact with you so I can let you know if you win!
Workout for 3/15/2010. We didn’t have out usual Saturday workout. I went to Fort Walton Beach, FL. Just a quick visit for a couple of days. Not a bad trip at all. Did we exercise at the hotels’ “fitness room”? No! Did we exercise on the beach? No! This was a totally chill out weekend!
haha! We all deserve a little treat every now and then! It started off good, we (me & the bf) had a lie-in followed by my usual breakfast of Oats, milk, banana and peanut butter. With a coffee. Filled me up good and proper ready for our day ahead of shopping! I actually really don’t like shopping, but i had a few things to get so we had to go really. It was a lovely day! We even had blue sky! annnnd i got chance to bring out the sunnies for the first time this year!
We then got to the shops and did all the shopping i needed. I got 2 pairs of cheap ballet pump shoes but other than that it was all food really from the health food shops!
I picked up the health magazine from holland and barretts aswell, it looks pretty good!! I got a packet of so crispy because i’ve heard alot about them! A Vanilla power pack protein bar for after my workout tomorrow and sweet chilli sauce because i had the BEST wrap for my lunch!
