Want to Lose Weight? Lose the Debt.

Normal weight loss research focuses on small-scale stuff like how taking smaller bites and drinking a glass of water before you eat will help you lose weight. Wusses. German researchers announced today that they found a significant link between people who are heavily in debt and people who are heavily overweight.

After conducting the not-terribly-rigorous-but-still-very-interesting study, researchers from the University of Mainz concluded that being in serious debt - defined as not being able to "pay off debts in a reasonable time frame" - puts you at an approximate 2 - 2.5 fold risk of being overweight or obese. At least if you are German and are honest in telephone surveys. (Who would ever lie to a stranger over the phone about their weight or their money problems?? )

The researchers readily admit that there are compounding variables not addressed in this survey. For example, a low socioeconomic status (i.e. being poor) has already been correlated with both a higher BMI and a greater amount of debt. Correlation is not causation; I get it. But on a certain level the debt-obesity connection just makes sense. It has been well proven that stress exacerbates weight problems and what could possibly be more stressful that having a slew of creditors breathing down your neck? I recently acquired a new phone number (not for nefarious purposes but thanks for asking) and with the new digits came all the collections-agency phone calls accrued by the previous owner of the number. At least five times a day I get an automated voice insisting that I put "Robert Imigraio" on the line immediately. I'm about ready to chuck the phone through the wall and it's not even my debt!

In addition to the stress factor, being in debt is a clear sign of money issues and as anyone who is short on cash knows, the last thing you are worried about is whether or not the "froot" in your loops is organic much less low sugar. Not to mention that being in debt is also depressing and, hey, some people eat when they are depressed.

Another nuance that interests me, but was not addressed in the survey, is that poor people are not the only people with debt issues. Just using Google Earth's new "foreclosure" feature shows me that plenty of wealthier folks are losing the debt war. At least in America, debt is becoming the great equalizer.

So what's the point of all this, beyond morbid curiosity? Not to go all Oprah on you but it's another angle at helping people live better lives. Fat shaming certainly hasn't reduced the level of obesity. Neither have well-intentioned educational programs. Nor has scary you-will-die-young-and-also-destroy-the-environment-if-you-can't-shut-your-piehole statistics. So why not try addressing one of the possible causes by helping people get out of debt? I haven't done any surveys on the issue - not to brag or anything but I do know 9 people in Germany plus I have a phone - but it seems that resolving debt could have many positive effects, not the least of which is on your waist line. Gives a whole new meaning to "the debt diet" no?

PS, if you have any tips on how to make these collection people stop calling please let me know! Just don't call me though because I've stopped answering my phone.

unconventional is my conventional...fit tips.

Get off the elliptical trainer.

The elliptical is mindless and by far the least effective machine for fat loss, It uses momentum, not muscle force. Most people don't use enough resistance. This machine may increase your heart rate and sweat level, but to burn fat using one, you'll need to exercise for 45 to 60 minutes and vary your levels of intensity and resistance. The elliptical machine is best for warming up before weight lifting or rehabilitating injured body parts. If you can watch television or read while doing cardio, you're not working hard enough, and therefore not burning fat.

Don't sweat it.

Sweat is your body's way of regulating your rising temperature, not a clear sign of increased calorie burn or an intense workout. In the sauna, you'll sweat buckets, but you aren't burning fat. The best indicator of calorie burn is either heart rate or Rate of Perceived Exertion. RPE is a self-reported scale that determines intensity; it ranges from 1 (complete rest) to 10 (maximum effort). High intensity exercise—such as my H.I.G.T interval training—increases your heart rate, which equals more fat burn. So, don't aim solely for a sweaty workout. Go for an intense one.

"Get-Up."

The Get-Up is one of the best kept secrets in the fitness industry, It's one of the most functional exercises [meaning it trains your body for real-life situations], yet the majority of gym-goers have never heard of it. You move from lying down, up to a standing position, and back down, all while holding a weight above your head. Start with 10- to 20-pound weights. The Get-Up integrates all joints and muscles in one sequence, It increases your whole body's strength, stability, balance and flexibility.

Learning to eat with a new tongue ring

Learning to eat with a new tongue ring may seem complicated. If you are contemplating adding this piercing to your existing piercings, you will find that this feat is actually easier than you had expected. You have already gone through the hardest part - getting the piercing. Now, all you have to do is remember all of the cleaning and other aftercare. Eating will actually be one of the easiest adjustments to make.



If you have already tried to carry on a conversation with anyone, you are already aware of the difficulty in speech with a new tongue ring. One quick way to help reduce the amount of saliva in your mouth before speaking and while eating with a tongue ring is to take the time to swallow, not spit. Spitting causes the mouth to close on the tongue; the added pressure on your fresh piercing may even cause you more pain.

What foods can you eat that will not cause any unwanted pain?

With a fresh piercing, you have to avoid foods that are hot, spicy, or may get caught up in the longer, healing barbell. The easiest food is clear broth, as you might or might not already be sucking on ice to reduce the swelling. Instead, try such suggestions as chicken and stars soup, mashed potatoes and baby food - just avoid those with citric acid. If you do decide to sip broth or eat chicken and stars, remember to let the food cool before eating. You do not want to burn your tongue.

Any food that is easy to chew or just swallow is best.

While chewing your food, you should pay close attention to your tongue and the way it 'naturally' moves inside of your mouth while chewing; you may be surprised at how much you use it. This will be painful to the piercing and it's bad on the teeth if you do bite down on it while chewing - this can be bad enough to make you not want to eat anything, so be careful for the first few days.

Remember to take your time when eating with your new tongue ring, sometimes it takes biting down on it once to remember. If you do bite down, don't panic. It is possible to shatter a tooth if you hit the ring just right, but if you don't rush the process it's actually normal to bite the piercing once or twice as you're learning.

Listen to the piercer's advice; most tongue piercings take between 10-14 days to heal, but if you do not eat the required amount of food dail you will prolong the healing process and it will take longer for you to get the shorter barbell, which is easier to eat with.

Body Image is in the Eye of the Beholder

photo credit: fallen princesses

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." We've all heard this, usually in trying to justify someone's love for someone or something that is conventionally not beautiful. The rationale, I suppose, is that if you love something or someone enough then you are blind to their flaws and see their true beauty. The point is that the nature of beauty doesn't change but rather the person observing it does. I love this idea - even if it kinda slams both the people in question, one for their looks and the other for their taste - but for me this axiom reads a little differently.

Let me back up. On our vacation we got to visit a wide variety of friends and relatives. As in any family gathering there was an abundance of children, wet swimsuits and food. (I ate a shaved ice every single day, I swear. Why does Minnesota not sell shaved ice? We have lutevisk - fish jellied in LYE - yet you can't buy frozen water doused in artificial colors and a sweetener.) There was also an abundance of opinions covering everything from ObamaCare to whether or not the National Enquirer is an actual news source. And some of the opinions were about me. (Yes everything revolves around me, can we get back to talking about me now? Me, me, me!)

At one place, I was surrounded by people who love me and respect me and, unless I'm disciplining their children (which I have totally learned not to do), think I can do no wrong. Here everyone gushed over my baby bump and told me how adorable I was and how I didn't look big at all. In fact, my sister patted my tummy lovingly and said, "This is a just right belly." And I felt that way! I felt adorable and cute. My maternity clothes felt stylish and well fitting. I even wore my maternity swimsuit with a certain unselfconsciousness that I normally do not possess. I saw myself that way because they saw me that way.

The next place, sadly, was the opposite. The people there, folks who admittedly tolerate me at best, staunchly ignored my pregnancy unless it was to make off-hand comments like, "Is it just me or do you look a lot bigger this time around? I can really see it in your arms." and (looking me up and down), "I'm so glad I lose weight when I'm pregnant." And for the time I was with them, I felt that way too. I felt lumbering and large and slow. My clothes felt ugly and too tight. I was absolutely positive that I had overindulged and gained at least 5 pounds in the week we were there. By the end I was avoiding my reflection in windows and planning in great detail the diet I was going to start rightthisverysecond.

So it was with some surprise when I arrived home and went to my next doctor's appointment to discover that I'd actually lost a couple of pounds on my vacation. I was still in the textbook-normal pregnancy range. At first I was relieved - I wasn't the elephant girl! - and then I was angry. How dare they make me feel so ugly? And then I was frustrated. With myself. I know there's a Dr. Phil-ism in here about people not being able to make you feel anything and perhaps something about cattle ranching but I'm too tired to look it up.

Here's my problem - and it's been a lifelong problem: I let other people define me. Sometimes it works to my benefit such as when I was in third grade and my teacher told me over and over again how smart I was. But sometimes it works to my detriment. When I was 5, someone close to me told me I was shy and for years I believed that about myself and even acted the part despite my natural inclinations towards gregariousness. And so it was this time: My body didn't change in any measurable way while I was gone and yet my body image went through enough costume changes to make Cher jealous.

Shouldn't my body image be mine to define? Shouldn't I have learned in my 31 years on this planet how to see myself and not have to use other people's eyes? I'm not saying that other people's opinions can't be worthwhile but how does one temper their effect? I can't be the only person who has ever had this problem. *cough*Oprah*cough* Any of you guys dealt with this? How have you figured out how to deal? It really depresses me that I am this malleable. Help!

Week O' Giveaways Winners

Thanks to everyone for their wonderful comments and for participating! I wish I had prizes for every single one of you! (Heck, I wish *I* got these prizes.) You guys truly are the best part of the Internet!

Dick's Sporting Goods 100$ gift card:
Regular Cinderella!

Oiselle Outfit:
Quix!

Fitness Magazine Prize Pack:
Brooke!

Pond's:
Daria!

E-mail me your details girls and I'll get you hooked up with your prizes.

Let’s clear up the creatine myth

Let’s clear up the creatine myth.

One of the most popular and effective muscle building supplements is Creatine, however there is a lot of confusion and misinformation spread about Creatine. The purpose of this article is to explain to you how Creatine can help you build muscles.
Creatine is a naturally occurring substance. It is produced in small amounts by the liver. Creatine travels through the bloodstream to muscle cells. Once there, it is transformed into Creatine phosphate that provides short energy bursts. These are extremely useful for muscle building.
There is not a direct link between Creatine and muscle building. By increasing your intake of Creatine, you will find that more Creatine phosphate is converted to energy in your muscles. The increased production of energy means that you can work out for longer, lift heavier weights and do more repetitions of each exercise. It is this increase in output from your exercise routine that will allow you to gain strength and build more muscle.
Creatine supplement can be great for your muscle building endeavours. However, there is some concern of possible negative side effects from excess consumption. There have been some reported cases of water retention and mild nausea, but no documented scientific studies. There are no studies that have linked taking a Creatine supplement with any serious medical illnesses. One major study done by Jaques R. Poortmans and Marc Francaux, back in the late nineties entitled “Long-Term Oral Creatine Supplementation Does Not Impair Renal Function In Healthy Athletes” compared kidney health and Creatine use in healthy athletes for a period of 10 months to 5 years. There findings showed no adverse health conditions in those that had taken a Creatine supplement regularly.
I have been using creatine in a cycle ” on - off ” fashion safely and effectively for about ten years now and strongly believe Creatine is an extremely effective and useful supplement that is highly recommended for anyone wanting to boost their muscle building endeavours.

Cowboy's Football Stadium Redefines Irony

image credit

Alanis Morissette may have thought irony was 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife but that is only because the Dallas Cowboy's new football arena hadn't been built yet. This $1.2 billion, tax-payer funded, state-of-the-art stadium includes all the amenities. The crowning glory is a 160 x 90 ft HD video board that hangs right over center field.

The problem? Your average NFL kicker can punt a football right into that sucker, something that happened at least 6 times in the warm-up alone. Jerry Jones, the owner, isn't worried though:

"If you look at how you punt the football, unless you're trying to hit the scoreboard, you punt the ball to get downfield. You certainly want to get some hangtime, but you punt the ball to get downfield, and you sure don't punt the ball down the middle. You punt it off to the side."

"How high is high if somebody just wants to sit there and kick straight up?"

I don't play football. Heck I'm not even going to pretend I watch it. (I used to mortify my husband when we attended college football games by bringing a book. What? Have you seen how many time outs they have in that game??) But this amuses me so much I just might start now.

I love me a good sports irony.

Anyone else have a good ironic sports moment to share?

Don't forget, today is the last day to enter the Dick's Sporting Goods, Oiselle Apparel, Fitness Magazine & gift pack, and Pond's giveaways. All contests close tonight, Friday Aug. 28, at midnight!

Hand Speed

Hand speed is something that every fighter or boxer needs to have in order to be successful. After all, a powerful punch isn't much good if it's so slow that the opponent can easily see and deflect or dodge it. Hand speed is something which takes plenty of time and effort to obtain and increase. However, it is well worth it in the end when you have a blazing fast jab! Here is how to get hand speed.


Step 1-Hit a speed bag daily. The speed bag is probably the best known tool for getting and increasing hand speed. It forces the striker to be quick as well as hone his hand-eye coordination. One must also learn how to be controlled in his punching when hitting the speed bag.

Step 2-Look into the mirror and shadow box. This is a way to give you hand speed and teach you the proper way to throw a jab. When performing this exercise, simply pretend that your face is your opponent. Practice snapping the jab, first with one hand and then the other. Remember that you shouldn't throw the punch with too much force. Your punches should “pop” without you straining your arm to being completely stretched out. See how many punches you can throw in one minute and then try to increase that number daily.

Step 3-Train with a heavy bag. Most people utilize these bags to gain power to their punch but they can also be used for gaining speed. To do this, use some tape to make small “X” marks on one side of the bag. Stand far enough away so you can jab the bag and try to hit the "X" marks with a quick, popping jab. Remember that you shouldn't be trying to hit the bag with all of your power as that is not the point of the exercise. Throw different punch combinations by hitting the "X" marks in different sequences. This will quicken your hand speed and thus quicken your punch combinations.

Step 4-Have a partner or trainer wear boxing mitts and perform striking drills by hitting the mitts. This, like the power bag, will help to improve the speed of your punching combinations. Your partner or trainer should position the mitts differently throughout the drill. He should also try to pull the mitts back occasionally as a way to “dodge” the incoming punch. You will notice that your hand speed will increase after awhile and that you will be able to catch up to the mitt before it can be pulled away.

Step 5-Shadow box with hand weights. Ever wonder why a batter practices with weights on his bat when he's in the on deck circle? It's because the bat he will be using at the plate will be lighter than the one he was just swinging with, thus giving his swing at the plate more force. This is the same thing with shadow boxing while using hand weights. Begin small, perhaps with 3-lb. weights, and perform a 3-minute round of shadow boxing. Set the weights down and perform a minute or two of the same routine. You'll notice that your hand speed will have increased. Eventually, move up in weight. Be careful, though, to not use too much weight as you can hurt your shoulders, arms or wrists. Ten pounds should be the absolute limit when performing this exercise.

Motus USA Awarded CMS VENDOR OF THE YEAR AWARD (Distinguished Performance Award 2009)

Motus USA's CEO & President, Roy Greenberg received the CMS Vendor of the Year award (CMS Distinguished Performance Award) during a CMS session conducted in conjunction with the National Fitness Tradeshow. The award recognizes and acknowledges it's recipients for greatly contributing to the CMS Worldwide Club Group. Motus USA thanks the CMS board and consultants for the recognition award and we look forward to continuing to grow our relationship.

The Skinny on Skin (Giveaway!)

Today I learned that maternity mags can be every bit as confusing as their sisters-of-a-wider (but thinner!)-audience.

Headline #1 courtesy of American Baby: "Fashions That Flatter Your Bump"

What exactly does it mean to "flatter your bump"? Is the object to make it appear bigger, thereby indicating greater fertility? Or smaller to show you're not a greedy gainer? Or more bump-like so that people will stop thinking you're just chunking out? Certainly they can't mean to make you look thin as that is the antithesis of pregnancy. I skipped that article.

Headline #2: "First Time Parent? We've Got Answers!"

Well, I stopped having questions round about baby number 2 when I finally decided that everything that can go wrong probably will and the only "strategy" is not to have one. Country singers with prettier hair than me call it "rolling with the punches." I just call it "wallowing in the puke." The only question of any import in my house is, "Is there any blood?" Otherwise, I don't want answers. Skipped that article too.

But it was headline #3 that really got me: "7 Reasons to Love Being Pregnant."

While I love my babies with a love that would melt the ice caps if they weren't already dumping hapless polar bears into the ocean left and right, I do not love being pregnant. There are times when I don't mind it and I certainly ought not complain about it (not that that stops me, apparently) but love it? I suppose there are some out there who adore it, probably the same folk who would enjoy an alien abduction where they surgically rewire all your bodily functions to betray you at random moments. (True story: I once squirted a man - in the back of his head - with breast milk on an airplane. Curse those experts/sadists who tell you to nurse your baby during takeoff and landing to keep them from crying. That's what binkies are for.)

So, here's my alternate list:

What I love about being pregnant: the bigger my belly gets the thinner my legs look!

What I hate about being 7 months (!) pregnant: many things but today it's primarily the never-ending heartburn.

What's weird about pregnant: Now this is where I could come up with a very long list. For instance, being very pale with dark hair normally I have a fem-stache that requires bi-weekly maintenance but when I'm pregnant - no facial hair! Because it all migrated south. My belly, all bushel basket of it, is currently covered with fine, dark hair. I'm like a big ol' furry teddy bear which you'd think would revolt me but secretly I'm quite amused by it. I like to think it makes me cuddlier, even if I am only capable of cuddling on my left side clutching a bottle of Smooth Dissolve Tums. Besides, past experience has shown that after the baby is born the hair on my belly will disappear as quietly as it sprouted (along with all the hair on my scalp) and I'll have to go back to my every-other-Saturday date with Facial Nair.

You know what else is weird about pregnancy? Your skin goes completely crazy. Sure you have that "pregnant glow" that people gush about. Sometimes. But sometimes it is the gleam of sweat glistening on your brow as you hover over the sink to puke. (Note: sinks are way better for puking. First, you don't have to kneel down. Second, if you're lucky there's a garbage disposal. Third, you don't have to stick your face where everyone else sticks their butts.) So yes, my skin has on occasion glowed.

More often, however, it has broken out in huge cystic zits or gone all Sahara Desert on me. I can go for weeks with dryness so painful that I have to pat the sweat off my skin at the gym rather than wipe it with my towel. Currently I'm in a dry spell. There isn't a lotion alive - not Eucerin, not Aquaphor, not even the humiliatingly named Bag Balm (thank you but I already feel like a cow!) - that can touch this dryness. It hurts to smile. Tears feel like acid running down my face. It goes without saying that I have not been able to wear any makeup save mascara, liner and lip gloss for almost 4 months now. And, because I have to stand backwards in the shower because of the pain, I can never wash my face. Being a normally very hygienic person this feels like the ultimate indignity to me.

So when Ponds sent me some of their moisturizing "Wet Cleansing Towelettes" (with the explanation that they'd be particularly good for gym use - I suppose because then you wouldn't have to carry a bottle of face wash?) I didn't hold out a lot of hope. But on our vacation there were about 5 days that I found myself without the benefit of modern plumbing. Lo and behold! They didn't sting! And they got my face clean! (I might have even used one or two on my pits but I'm not saying. That's me, the soul of discretion.) Although they didn't come with directions, I'm assuming that you are supposed to rinse with water after using one but, not having water, I didn't bother and they worked just fine. Since coming home I've become rather enamored of the little "towelettes." They wash your face. They remove makeup. And while I probably wouldn't be bothered to buy pre-fab face washers for everyday use, I keep the package in my car and have found them to be quite handy. Bonus: they are as gentle on my kids' faces as they are mine. Want some to put in your own glove box/gym bag/diaper bag? Leave me a comment telling me about your skin woes! (You know, skin misery loves company.)

Don't forget you can still enter to win the $100 Dick's Sporting Goods giftcard, the Oiselle outfit, and the Fitness Magazine subscription and gift pack! All contests close Friday, Aug. 28, at midnight.

PS> Don't forget to check out the list of healthy cooking/recipe websites - I'm keeping the post updated with all your fab suggestions! Thanks for everyone who helped out!

National Fitness Tradeshow 2009 Re-cap

Tania Cobb (VP & CFO of Motus USA) & Larry Scott (1st Mr. Olympia)

The National Fitness Tradeshow 2009 held in Reno, NV generated some great leads for Motus USA. In addition to meeting some great individuals, and securing some great future business relationships, we also held an informative Motus Sales Training seminar. We had the good fortune of having Mike Chaet "Club Doc" spend some quality time with our corporate and sales staff. We also attended several fabulous seminars including Steve Lundin's session discussing his book "CATS - the Nine Lives of Innovation" and Mike Chaet's newly launched book entitled "LOOPS - The Seven Keys to Small Business Success"

While at the show we got to meet the first Mr. Olympia ever! Mr. Larry Scott still has that bicep peak for show -- ever ready and took a great picture with our fabulous Ms. Tania Cobb. (see image above)







We had some great show specials going on during the show -- did you miss out? Let us get you up to speed! Contact us at 866.668.8766.

Mr. White Shawn Jefferies

What is Your Favorite Source for Healthy Recipes?

Every evening 'round about 5, this is totally me. Well, minus the nifty apron. But everything else - totally.

I've discussed, probably to the point of boredom, the things that bother me about lady mags, celeb rags and even health & fitness glossies but there is one thing that never fails to delight me: the recipe section. Every magazine has them - even People publishes a weekly celeb favorite recipe (often ironically right after an article circling everyone's cellulite in red, sigh) - but the ones that make me most excited are the "healthified" recipes.

As you all know I have ruined many a good meal by trying to healthify food myself but when under the tutelage of a health mag and whatever famous chef they employ, I do get much better results. Take for instance this recipe from Health magazine for Mariska Hargitay's guilt-free chocolate chip muffins. They are delightful and not an ounce of white flour to be found in them! Although, I must confess: I sub regular chocolate chips for the "dairy and gluten free" variety she recommends. I also use regular old brown sugar instead of turbinado. I'm cheap like that.

Sitting proudly next to my recipe books (all one of them - I love you Betty Crocker!) is a binder stuffed full of torn-out pages of magazine recipes and printouts from recipe sites. In addition to my SVU muffins above, I've also struck recipe gold with:

- Low Fat Oatmeal Cottage Cheese Protein Pancakes (Gym Buddy Allison first alerted me to these wonders and my kids ask for these at least once a week, although be warned that they turn out more akin to crepes than pancakes.)
- Diet Girl's Instant Frozen Yogurt (I got this by way of Deb a.k.a. Smoothie Girl and it has become my new favorite summer treat. I actually omit the sugar and just blend together my homemade yogurt and frozen berries. I'm all about easy!)
- Heather Eats Almond Butter's Maple Oaties (Again, a perennial kid fave. I've gotten a ton of great recipes off her site!)

And, for kicks and giggles, I'm dying to try these Peanut Roasted Chickpeas. Thanks to the delightful Sagan, now I have the peanut butter powder to do so! Whee!

What's your favorite go-to place for recipes? Let me know in the comments and I'll keep updating this page to keep you posted!

Readers' Fave Sites and Recipes:
- Allrecipes (Boy howdy, everybody loves site! I'm a big fan too - especially because you can read reviews and other people's tips!)
- Epicurious
- 101 Cookbooks
- Cooking Light Magazine
- Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking Magazine
- Smitten Kitchen
- Vegetarian Times Magazine
- Joy of Cooking
- Claudia adores Roni's Green Lite Bites
- Ally of Food Girl's Fit Life loves The Gluten Free Goddess
- Stabs loves Egg cupcakes to go and Son of Grok's Gorilla Cake and Mark's Daily Apple Primal Blueprint recipes
- Holly of Cookie Dough Disciple loves Tomato Sauce with Chickpeas, Feta & Wine
- Rachel posts recipes on http://sheditandgetit.wordpress.com/
- Terese of Healthy Hott Housewife (how can you not love that?) offers us fluffier protein pancakes and Turkey Meatloaf.
- Peripatetic digs the Kale Chips over at Cheap Healthy Good
- Godiva Girl made some yummy Fragrant Chickpea Stew from Eating Well
- VaMomof2 has a long list of sites for you! http://healthyindulgences.blogspot.com/
http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/lowcarb-recipe-help-suggestions/
http://www.hungry-girl.com/
http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeehtdx/kevinssite/id85.html
http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/
http://eatinglow.com/
http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/
http://www.mylifetime.com/on-tv/shows/cook-yourself-thin
- Laura posts her recipes at http://absolutlyfit.blogspot.com
- LC has a celeb chef crush on Ellie Krieger
- Ariel finds her primal/paleo dishes on www.elanaspantry.com & www.comfybelly.com but for ice cream she goes to www.davidleibovitz.com
- Erika cooks all kinds of stuff at www.dancingaroundthekitchen.wordpress.com
- Quix healthifies her meals by using http://www.imadedinner.net/ & http://www.sparkrecipes.com/
- Joshua watches a lot of FoodTV.com
- Kellie drools over http://www.sandiegocooks.blogspot.com

Hot Actor Ryan Reynolds

Actor, Ryan Reynolds, one of the sexiest celebs on the planet!

Fitness Male Julian Fantechi

Julian Fantechi is one fit hunk, and a firm favourite of mine!

Do Clothes Make the (Fit) Woman? (Giveaway!!)

He forgot one: "These headphones aren't on."

"U have a bedazzler?" Turbo Jennie texted me the other day. You know you're addicted to the shiny stuff when you are the go-to girl for kitchy 90's era sparklifying gadgets. Regrettably, due to my abhorrence of clutter, I had to text her back in the negative. But it wasn't because I wouldn't love to attach rhinestones to all of my workout clothes! I love me a good sparkly. (Seriously: check this top out. Love.)

One of the hard things about being pregnant for me is that you are severely limited in your workout wear options. First, actual maternity exercise gear is hard to come by (I don't own a single piece) and second, it all looks the same. So for the past 7 months I've been rocking the colored wife beaters and black capri pants. Nothing offensive but then I'm the girl whose fave website used to be 101 ways to cut up your t-shirt.

Non-gestating, I have one criteria for my clothes, workout gear included, and that is: different. I'm not terribly enamored of brand names - the Nike swoosh still strikes me as a lazy check mark - but I do like to be original. What this translates to in real life is that one day I had a friend refuse to stand next to me because, in her words, "You look like Stevie Nicks in drag." This was impressive since I'm not even blond. Sometimes I miss with my personal style, is what I'm saying.

But if finding fun every day clothing is tough, finding unique workout wear is even harder. There is a fine line between retro-funky and pitiful throwback and I have crossed it on more than one occasion, my friends. True story: I own a gold lame-accent-on-the-e leotard. Also a true story: I once cut-up a neon green Wal-Mart tee so badly that it literally fell off of me while I was lifting weights. Thank goodness for a full-coverage sports bra.

So when the delightful Sally from Oiselle, a running apparel company that is both unique and not-line-crossing, contacted me I was thrilled. She had heard about my predilection for dressing like a dork (albeit a glittery dork) and wanted to save me from myself with some cute new duds.

This is how much I love you all: I 'fessed up to being preggo and told her that one of you would be more deserving of the Oiselle outfit. She agreed to let one of you pick both a top and shorts! Seriously cute stuff there. My fave is the "logo" tee 'cause it's my favorite color but the "running is renewable" one is also pretty awesome.

And judging from yesterday's comments on the Dick's Sporting Goods $100 giveaway (still open, by the way - go enter!!), what y'all really want are some new workout clothes. Your wish, my command. To win this fab outfit, check out Oiselle's website and tell me what your favorite item is and in what color. For kicks and giggles, tell me about your workout wear philosophy! Do you get a better workout when you feel better about what you are wearing? Or are you devoted to your track shorts from high school and the free tee you got when you signed up for a credit card?

The giveaway runs until Friday, August 28!

PS> Men, you may have noticed, Oiselle only makes female clothes. But you can still win the Dick's Sporting Goods gift card! Feel free to scratch and grunt.

You say goal, I say lifestyle.

At AbFitt, http://AbFitt.blogspot.com the routine goes something like this. "Uh yea, my goal is to put on some muscle & lean up" or " my long term goal is to get ripped, but my short term goal is to build my abs" and on and on. Nothing wrong with that right? Hey if setting goals is your way to achieve the body you are after then by all means…

I simply reply to all these questions with a very simple and short answer. Make fitness and all the things that go along with it "your lifestyle" not a goal you write down.

I don't set goals, I don’t diet, I don't write down my exercises, I don’t keep a journal, I don’t socialize in the gym, I don't count calories. I have never been over weight, I have never missed gym time regardless of what life has thrown at me ( US Army, Pro boxing, School, working in Africa, family Etc..) I simply live a fitness lifestyle…like paying a bill I just do it. I love it, I live for the hard work & in return I am rewarded with results, rewarded with 9% body fat, lean muscle, endurance that is ungodly & the ability to step in the ring with any fighter and perform on a professional level. (BoxRec)

I am certainly not special and at times it’s not always easy, but it is a lifestyle I choose to live and love. Try focusing less and goals and focus more on loving all the benefits of living this lifestyle & before you know it you'll have the body you have always dreamed of. I keep myself going believing no one trains harder & no one goes as heavy & intensely, now reality is that probably isn’t true, but my point is I believe it….can you do the same…………Yes you can, now go get it!!



Richard- Abfitt

My Before and After Story (HUGE Giveaway!)

Mr. Miyagi would be so proud of me. I just caught a mosquito - the Minnesota state bird, woot, woot! - mid flight with only my thumb and forefinger (fingers: like chopsticks but for monkeys).

This feat of athletic prowess got me thinking about how far I've come. People who read this site and/or only know me from 2004 onward think I've always been this crazyobsessed with health and fitness but the truth is I do have a "before." While I've never been above my BMI range for "normal" (BMI measurement: like a real health assessment but for monkeys), I have definitely been in a position where I had to lose weight. Any woman who has had a baby has been there.

In September 2001 - yes, that September - I gave birth to my daughter Faith who immediately died of complications due to Turner's Syndrome. In October, only one month later, I got pregnant with my first son. I did not lose the pregnancy weight in that one month. Obviously. But we had more important things to worry about like mourning our daughter's death while at the same time celebrating, i.e. totally freaking out, about our son's impending birth. What can I say? It was a weird year. Thankfully my son was born happy and healthy in July of 2002. This was me when he was 5 months old:

I had not lost the pregnancy weight - a solid 46 pounds - in those five months. Obviously. Strangely, despite weighing the most I'd ever weighed, this was the only time in my life that I completely didn't care what I looked like or what I weighed. Blissfully happy just to have a baby after two years of trying and a miscarriage and a stillbirth, the scale didn't even come out of the bathroom closet. I ate what I wanted. My baby was a butterball. We were all happy. I was - dare I say it? - fat and happy. (Albeit with a really messy kitchen. Eek!)

Then I got pregnant with my second one when my first was just nine months old. Those nine months - due to no fault of my baby - were the most hellacious of my life thanks to the court case against my ex-boyfriend for sexual assault that lasted, oh yes, nine months. (My ex was sentenced and the very next day my baby was born.) Eating disorder? Back with a vengeance. Body hate? Totally. At the brink of the pit of utter despair? Indeed. It was after my second son's birth that I got into healthy eating and exercise. And despite the few jaunts back into ED-Land (hello, compulsive exercise!), it was a really good thing.

While most people measure their fitness success with before and after shots (Look ma - here I am dumpy and frowny and now here I am svelte and smiley!), my real success story is the change inside me and in my abilities.

B.F. (before learning to love fitness and nutrition) I shied away from group sports of any kind. Now I love nothing more than jumping in on a pickup game of Frisbee or kickball. And it wasn't that my athletic ability increased to superstardom - seriously, I still suck - it was that I gained confidence in my ability to play. It also helped that I could now run a few laps down the field without keeling over from lack of oxygen.

B.F. I used to look for people at Costco to help me pick up the heavy stuff and get it into my cart. Now I enjoy showing off all the big stuff I can heft around with ease.

B.F. the only thing I knew about healthy eating was that fat was very very bad for you. As were calories. Now I know that I need fat and calories to live and that just because a rice cake is only 50 calories doesn't mean it's "healthy."

B.F. I felt scared and vulnerable all the time. I'd been attacked before and didn't defend myself and so I was convinced that I was just a sitting duck waiting for the next psycho to come into my life. Now I've taken control (for the most part) of those feelings. The nightmares are gone. The PTSD is gone. I look strangers in the eye. I walk with my head up. (Although I do not carry my keys in my fingers - I have it on good authority that actually doesn't work well.)

B.F. I thought that having the perfect body would make me beautiful. Now I know that when you are beautiful on the inside it radiates out of you, no matter what you weigh or if you have stretch marks or cellulite. Now I know that "after" is a myth and progress is everything.

I could go on and on about all the positive effects eating right and learning to love exercise have had on my life and not one of them would have anything to do with a bikini. What I really wish is that there was a special camera that could take an "after" picture that would do all the changes I've been through in the past 5 years justice. This is as close as I could get (about a year after my second son was born):

Freedom.

Also, B.F. I never caught a mosquito with my bare hands. Now, if you'll excuse me, I hear a cricket chirping in this room somewhere and it's driving me nuts. I don't have any chopsticks but my garlic press is handy;)

Giveaway
What better way to celebrate a good "after" than new fitness gear? Dick's Sporting Goods - sports store extraordinare - has everything you need to support your healthy lifestyle no matter where you are on your journey and they want to give you $100 to get you started. Click through to my giveaway blog (my advertisers have these rules that all the really cool giveaways have to be done on an ad-free page) for the details on how to win. So check it out and then come back to this post to leave your comment.

Oh - and this has nothing to do with the giveaway - but if you want to tell me the best thing you've learned from embracing a healthy lifestyle, I'm dying to hear it!

Hot Magazine Model

Shirtless Male Model

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Lean for life....

superior fitness levels, and lightening-fast speed, boxing success requires tremendous power output. Get some explosiveness out of your boxing by following some the routines here at AbFitt. Combine weight training with boxing for Superior fitness & life long health .

The Cure for Compulsive Over Exercise

This is what happens when you tell me you "have to go number 2" 10 minutes after we passed the last gas station for 100 miles.

My Summer Vacation
by Charlotte Andersen

I learned a lot of things on my summer vacation:

1. Not only do my kids not like audio books, it turns out my husband and I do not like them either. Narrators are boring compared to the voices in my head! They all talk funny. And slow.
2. There are 17 different Jen/Jennie/Jennifers in my cell phone but not a single Jenny - a strange factoid I discovered when we went 4 hours straight without a cell phone signal. Apparently I still feel the need to fondle the little gadget even if I can't use it. But hey, I have the neatest contacts list in the Midwest ever. And you should see my wallpaper!
3. I cannot tell the difference between Iowa and Ohio. My apologies to any of you who may live in those states. If it makes you feel any better, before I moved here Minnesota and Michigan were all part of the same cheese curd to me.

Oh, and I learned I can go nine straight days without formal exercise! As a compulsive exerciser, this is a big deal. A really big deal. A deal of Mount Rushmore-ian (we passed South Dakota, hey-o!) proportions.

The day before we embarked on our 7-states-in-two-weeks Trip O' Fun & Family (& Gas Station Bathrooms), I was chatting on the phone with my sister.

"So are you going to get up early and run every day like you normally do?" she asked more by way of conversation than curiosity. My dedication to my fanatical exercise is legendary in my family. I assuage my guilt for eating my brother's deliciously sinful chocolate zucchini cake and they get ample time to talk about me. Plus nothing beats watching the sun rise over the Rocky Mountains. Win-win!

This year was going to be different though. "Nope," I said trying to sound calm.

"Oh yeah, it hurts to run now, I remember. So you're going to kickbox? Power walk? Find a local park and Monkey Bar Gym all over it?"

"Nope."

"Nothing?" she sounded rightfully incredulous.

"Nothing organized. Not even yoga," I said firmly.

This year - without announcing it here first because I wasn't sure if I could stick to it and I'm wussy like that - I decided I was going to make my annual vacation an exercise vacation as well. All the experts agree that taking regular breaks from exercise is good for you. Elite athletes do it but you don't have to be Michael Phelps to benefit from a long(ish) period of active rest and relaxation.

Smart people build these breaks guilt-free into their workout schedule but in the past five years the only time I've ever taken a break was under doctor's orders. You remember what happened last year. And even then it was never longer than a week. True story: after my last baby was born, I was so anxious to get back into shape that I packed the little sucker into a carrier at two days old and headed for the treadmill at my gym. They kicked me out. Turns out there are rules against walking on treadmills with fragile infants strapped to your chest. Who knew?

One of the hallmarks of compulsive over exercising is the inability to take breaks. As opposed to exercise for the sake of joy and health, the routine becomes fear-based and unhealthy. I'd like to say that pregnancy cured me of my compulsion. While it nipped the two-a-day workouts in the bud midway through the first trimester and has caused me to modify my workouts, I still felt bound to my every day exercise routine even when my body was exhausted (growing a placenta is remarkably hard work!) and really wasn't up for it. I couldn't take a break.

And then came my vacation. I was Burned Out. In every aspect of my life. So I decided to make it a total vacation: no blogging, Internet surfing or reading about fitness and... no exercise. At least, no planned exercise. I packed my cross trainers - we were headed to the mountains after all - but I left all my other exercise stuff at home (even my sports bra!) to remove the temptation. It worked! Sure, I played a couple of heart-pumping games of frisbee and did some day hiking and swimming but I was so busy enjoying being with my family and friends (and trying to contain three little boys bent on throwing themselves off the nearest waterfall) that I was able to squelch that little knot of anxiety that formed in my stomach a couple of times a day, particularly at meal times.

I didn't work out and I didn't restrict my food. In case you missed the memo: The world did not end.

It felt good. Still, I was nervous coming home. Even though we got in at 2:30 in the morning after driving for 16 straight hours, I still went to the gym that same day for an hour of Body Pump (remarkably versatile class when you're pregnant!). Perhaps that wasn't smart. Or maybe it was okay. I'm not sure. I'm still thinking about my relationship to exercise. But at least now I know that I can (not) do it.

Oh, and I learned one more thing: Despite being gone nearly two weeks, my gym has not got one single new magazine. Do they not realize I have gone for two whole weeks without knowing who Jon Gosselin is dating?!? Priorities, people.

That's what I learned on my summer vacation - it's all about your priorities.

What do you do? Do you regularly schedule rests into your workout schedule? Do you just let life tell you when to rest? Anyone else unable to take a workout break? Or are you a recovered exercise addict? All suggestions welcome!

And to thank you all for waiting for me I have an exciting Week of Giveaways lined up! Next week, every day, I'll be giving stuff away. Good stuff too! Monday kicks off with a $100 gift card to Dick's Sporting Goods so be sure to check back in.

Now I want to hear all about your summer vacations! Off to catch up on your blogs.

Yeah, we wear dresses and ties when we camp - don't you??

Ab training

How to get abs? This question you the readers of AbFitt continue to ask most often. Ab training has been on your mind lately. So let me see if I can help.


In order to get abs, and get great abdominals you need to first lower your body fat. That way, you'll reduce the belly fat covering your ab muscles, because most likely you already have a six-pack and it’s just hiding underneath your belly fat!

Abdominal exercises do not burn fat. Which means you have to lose your stomach fat in order to begin to see the definition and cuts your looking for. Remember abs also play a huge part in every exercise you do, so you have to work them the same as any other body part. Sit ups are not going to get it done! So start by...

Eating clean and lean!
Strength training!

You need to do cardio on a consistent basis. Not all forms of cardio workouts are created equal, and if you do cardio the wrong way. Or, for too long. it may hinder your results, So be careful! I prefer short bursts oppose to long steady state cardio. Science tells us this is the way to unlock the door to burning fat. Short intense bursts of cardio.IE: sprints, skipping rope, heavy bag work...circuit weight training.

I tell anyone & everyone that will listen to me rant on about it that the best way to burn stomach fat quick with is by doing interval training. My H.I.G.T is about as automatic as it gets, however its not without paying a big price in commitment and work, hard work!Its gonna cost you & your gonna pay...with the fat around your mid section.

Another key is targeting your abdominal muscles with a variety of ab exercises. So, once you reduce the fat covering your abdominals, you’ll have a defined and toned midsection!

With that being said though, you can’t just do your ab exercises in any old way. One of the biggest reasons why people can’t get better results on their abs is because their ab exercise techniques are wrong. A direct result of getting bad ab workout tips from the wrong people!

You can have all the best abs exercises in the world, spend thousands on fancy workout equipment, or hire expensive personal trainers--even hiring “celebrity” fitness trainers. You can also workout until you’re totally spent and blue in the face...

So I will make it simple for you. Again, Crunches & sit ups don't build your abs. Weighted exercises build abs that stand out, that pop! So remember treat your abs like any other muscle group.Hit em hard with weighted exercises, eat good foods & get some intense cardio training in. Your on your way.

Speed will improve as muscles become used to pushing heavier weights

In addition to superior fitness levels, and lightening-fast speed, boxing success requires tremendous power output. Power - the force or energy used to do work - in and of itself, will lend a degree of robustness to any of the main boxing punches and, in turn, increase the chances of landing the fight game's holy grail: the knockout punch.

The generating of maximal power through any punch, will certainly tell ones opponent they mean business, and this will have a profound psychological effect in terms of fazing "the enemy". Indeed, developing power will also help to enhance speed and anaerobic fitness.

Speed will improve as muscles become used to pushing out heavier weights (the cornerstone of any power routine), which translates to a faster punch when the comparatively infinitesimally light, 10-14 ounce gloves are laced on.

Anaerobic fitness, the fitness system which uses carbohydrates to generate short-term, high intensity work, will improve as muscles become adept at sustaining an all-out effort, due to greater lactic-acid-handling abilities (lactic-acid is a by-product of anaerobic metabolism and will prematurely curtail a sustained effort if it cannot be processed efficiently).

If the muscles, which are, after all, conduits for all movement in the boxing ring, cannot function optimally, meaning they cannot generate speed and power, and last the distance, boxing success will be severely impeded. Power, therefore, is a key ingredient in any boxing program. To develop optimal, specific, power for boxing purposes, one needs to pick the right exercises and execute them correctly.

American blue eyes Actor Justin Shilton

Elyes Gabel 25 year-old British Actor

He played Danny in Deadset, P.E. teacher Rob in Waterloo Road, and Vimal in Apparitions.

He played Dr Gupreet "Guppy" Sandhu in the BBC medical drama, Causality.