Step it Up

May 1, 2012 by Leave a Comment
out of the gates for a saturday walk - _MG_2071

out of the gates for a saturday walk - _MG_2071 (Photo credit: sean dreilinger)

As long as we are on the topic of walking, let’s go a step further and embellish.  We all agree walking is a great form of exercise, but we can “step it up,” in lots of ways, making our walk, much more of a walk.  Always start walking at a leisurely pace for just a couple of minutes to get your body warmed up and then mix things up.  I like to do intervals, walking fast for about 45 seconds and then slowing it back down for the same 45 seconds.  Those numbers can be altered to suit your needs.  Aim for at least 8 cycles.  Also vary the total time walking.  Maybe some days you have an hour to walk, and others, you only have 20 minutes.  I would opt for a fast walk on those 20 minute days, and maybe adding lunges or jump squats on the days you have more time.  The options are unlimited!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             My overall feeling about the New Yorkers is way beyond the fact that they walk.  It’s more about walking being a way of life.  They walk almost daily, they walk a good amount and they walk with purpose (rushing for a train, to get to work on time, to make the most of their lunch hour, etc.)  My big take away is that while some of us may absolutely love our boot camp and Cross Fit sessions, and that is great, all we may really need to maintain a healthy weight and a healthy cardio-vascular system is our own two feet.  One after the other.  No excuses.

And speaking of no excuses, tonight is BL Season (of no excuses) finale.  Who will stand beneath the confetti tonight?  Will it be one of the sister brother team, Jeremy or Condo, or will it be the ex-wrestler, Kim?  I can’t imagine Kim had enough weight left to lose, in order to win, but it wouldn’t be the first time someone has to gain weight after the finale.  Tune in tonight at 8 on NBC and we’ll talk about it tomorrow.

I am off for a walk with the bigredguy.  He is another example of the power of a daily walk.  Turning 11 this month, which is considered pretty old for a dog of his size (over 100 pounds) he is  still the picture of great health.  And what a physique!

Happy May to you and thanks for stopping in!

Filed Under: Biggest Loser, Fitness ·

Walk the Walk

April 30, 2012 by 4 Comments
Chinatown, Manhattan, New York City 2009 on Pe...

Chinatown, Manhattan, New York City 2009 on Pell Street, looking west towards Bayard and Mott. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Having spent the last 4 days in NYC with the family, bonding, celebrating and doing the tourist thing, there was something very clear to all of us.  As you look around the streets of Manhattan, most everyone appears to be a healthy weight.  It’s not for lack of or lack of variety of places to eat.  From street vendors peddling hot dogs and pretzels, to Chinatown,  (the best) pizza on EVERY corner  and so much more, it’s hard to walk more than a few feet without stumbling upon some enticing options.  Even the vegan options were to die for.  When Derek and I hit the Red Bamboo, in fact, I declared that I did not want anything I can make or eat at home and I did not want to eat a “healthy” meal.  Instead we opted for crazy things like spicy fried “shrimp” deep fried dumplings and “seafood” tempura.  All this in a vegan place.  Only in NY!  After eating, we headed back to our hotel.  It was a couple of miles, and that was after walking a couple of miles earlier in the day.

People in NYC, both tourists and residents, clearly get their walking in.  Doing some research into it this morning, it seems that most NYCers average about 4 miles of walking a day.  It makes sense to me then, that walking several miles a day…most every single day, really might be the magic bullet.  This has definitely given me something to think about and reminds me once again, that keeping it simple, might be bigger than the big stuff.  Hmmmm.

Filed Under: Fitness, Food ·

Got Pain? Consider This…

April 19, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Monkey Bar Gymnasium

Monkey Bar Gymnasium (Photo credit: ⇨Transcend⇧)

What made you decide to become a vegan?

“I became a vegan for a few reasons.  One I do not like killing animals, two, I want to eat better for the world and three I developed an intense hand pain from what I thought was purely my decade of training in the martial art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.  At the time, I was almost 40 years of age and my hand pain was so much that I could no longer grab the gi’s of my opponents without pain.  Went to 4 different doctors and all said “your 40 years old Jon, you simply have arthritis.”  I did not agree and then life brought a guy by the name of John Allen Mollenhauer into my life.  He told me to to read the “China Study” by T. Collin Campbell.  John told me it was simply all the animal products and their acidic nature that pulls calcium out of the bones which shows up first as hand/joint pain.  I was desperate for relief so I said “what do I do?”  Cut the meat now and in a month or two I promise you’ll have no hand pain (was the answer).  He was right!!  The pain was completely gone in 2 months.”

— Jon Hinds, Owner and Founder of the Monkey Bar Gymnasium


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Filed Under: Fitness, health and happiness, Plant-based diet, vegan thursday ·

Heads UP!

April 16, 2012 by 1 Comment
iPads can be a distraction to learning

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If computers gave us medical issues like carpal tunnel syndrome and strained eyes, the smaller techno items like iPads, smart phones and blackberries are giving us neck and shoulder problems as a result of extreme flexing of the neck at various low angles.  Of course we love our “go everywhere” digital gadgets but we are paying a price and the price is pain.

Once again, the antidote is exercise, because exercise is medicine and motion is lotion (thanks, Carol, for sharing that motion is lotion expression with us…love it!).   Exercises like reverse flies, arms rows and upright rows will help strengthen up the muscles that will help counter the low, forward

flexing of the neck.   Since these gadgets are definitely not going anywhere soon, if you are lucky enough to not yet be troubled by them physically,  it would be wise to start incorporating some of these moves so you can avoid pain down the road.  Also pay attention to the angle your neck is on and try raising your gadgets up higher, like sitting your iPad on a tabletop or bringing your phone up to eye level, instead of bringing your eyes down to phone level.  Just because your phone is smart, doesn’t mean YOU can’t be smarter.

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Filed Under: Fitness, health and happiness ·
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