get fit with kelley

5 Strategies for Holiday Health & Fitness

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:00:00 +0000

I must say that I enjoyed my Thanksgiving holiday weekend! We actually hosted our family dinner (20 adults and 6 kids) on Wednesday this year - which meant that I also enjoyed a second dinner at my sister-in-law's house on Thursday. Then came Black Friday shopping, leftovers, lazy time and rainy weather. While I was all very nice, it's time to be realistic and assess the damage. The things I always find challenging are:

Rich Food
Less Water
Sporadic Sleep
No deliberate exercise
High stress

Did you encounter any of these this week? I did! It's really all about strategy. Some things can be avoided, and other things just need to be approached a little smarter. Think about it as a game! Let's go back through each one and talk about strategy. These strategies can apply to pretty much any holiday that involves a special meal or party.

1. Food strategy
Here's the key: eat squeaky clean the entire week, and the day of your holiday event. Then when the time comes for the meal or party, use it as a cheat/treat/splurge (whatever you call it) for that week. I generally think that trying to make traditional holiday foods low fat, low sugar, low sodium just ends up making them tasteless. The food detour might just be a positive jolt for your mind and body. Enjoy the best things to eat. Concentrate on those that are unique to the holiday, that you don't get other times of the year. Don't waste your calories on common foods you can get any time. If you're celebrating during the day, about 3 hours after your meal/party, eat a small super healthy snack to reset your mind and body.

2. Water Strategy
Go into the holiday fully hydrated. You most likely will be drinking other stuff, but if you go into it well hydrated you won't be as thirsty for some of the other things. Also, don't drink things just because they are there. Decide what you really love. If you're going to drink some calories, don't waste it on anything that's not your favorite. Again, be choosy, and focus on the unique drinks for the holiday. Drink a big glass of water before your meal or party.

3. Sleep Strategy
Go into the holiday rested. Do whatever it takes to get a full 8 hours of sleep every night leading up to the event. Take a nap the day of if you know you're going to be up late. Be organized enough that you don't have to sacrifice sleep. It's not worth it, and it make take some pre-planning or starting your holiday prep much earlier than you are used to. When you feel tired, rest. Use the time for active recovery (doing fun stuff) and getting in extra down time such as naps and meditation. Your body will thank you. It's supposed to be a holiday, remember?

4. Exercise strategy
You just have to schedule it. Make sure you stay on track with your exercise right up until the event. If you can, get your workout in the day of before you go to your dinner or party. Wrestling a 22 pound turkey into the oven, miles walked during a shopping spree and hours on your feet may not cut it. The next day, or the next few days, you'll have extra calories on board. Take advantage of it! You'll be surprised how strong you might feel at the gym, because usually those calories are extra carbs. Hit it hard and with intensity. Get in a walk after dinner and every chance you get. Run and play with the kids, do some stair sprints, burpees in the living room, anything you can to keep moving.

5. High stress
Be with people you love. Get some time away from those who drive you nuts. Have some time each day set aside to be quiet and still. Protect your mind from negative thoughts. Ask youself, "what is this in light of eternity?" and keep things in perspective. Avoid that family debate that makes you raging mad, or the toxic people. If you can't get it all done, let it go!!

We have about 5 weeks before the new year. Don't just throw in the towel now! Those are 5 weeks that you can be productive in your health and fitness goals. Why not start the new year with a leg up? You can do it!

How Well Do You Sleep?

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 23:41:00 +0000

Someone recently asked me about how I sleep.

Sweet lady: Do you sleep relaxed, or are you all tense?
Me: I sleep like a boxer about to go in the ring. With my hands in fists and my arms up, ready to throw a punch.
Sweet lady: You need to sleep with a stuffed animal.

A stuffed animal?

I had never thought of that. This particular lady is a volunteer with Wings Cancer Foundation (yes, click on the link and check it out). She told me that sleeping with a stuffed animal is a common suggestion for people undergoing treatment or dealing with cancer. There is something about holding something soft in your hands that is relaxing.

I'll try anything. Right now I have horrific tendinitis in my right elbow (my dominant arm), which is not only impeding my exercise plans but interfering with my activities of daily living. Every day stuff, like squeezing my toothpaste, holding my hair dryer and spraying my pan with cooking spray to cook my eggs.

So off we went, Jimmy and me, to my favorite store in the world, Target. This time I was shopping for a stuffed animal.

I didn't find one in the regular toy section, but as we were leaving we happened to walk down the aisle for bedroom accessories for kids. They had some "cuddle buddies".

And there he was!!! My stuffed bed buddy. I knew it when I saw him!!!

Buzz is the bomb-diggity. Honestly, this little guy is soft all over, he is all stitched, so no hard eyes or anything scratchy. When I wake up in the night I've either got one arm through his and the other holding his foot, or my arm propped up on him with my hand on his rear-end. Go figure! In case you're wondering, Jimmy is a good sport and hasn't complained. After all, a well-rested woman is a less cranky woman. Plus I sleep in the middle. :>)

What does this have to do with fitness?

Adequate, quality, restful sleep is one the pillars of achieving success with your fitness regimen. So if you're having problems sleeping, go find a stuff animal.

Zzzzzzzzz.

The Beauty of Sleep

Food Journals - Do They Help?

Day 1 of Using the bodybuggSP

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 20:58:00 +0000

I'm in the middle of day 1 of using my bodybuggSP^TM. After spending an hour trying to figure out how to get the blasted thing out of the frame so I could find the USB port to register it and build my program, I finally got on YouTube and saw what it looked like when it was out of the band, so then I finally figured it out. It's so simple and popped right out, but the diagram in the instruction booklet leaves a little to be desired. Thank goodness for those people who get on YouTube and help us all out.

How sad is it that I am excited to be wearing something that tells me calories burned vs calories consumed and whether or not I'm hitting my deficit? I LOVE this kind of thing. Nerds rule!

I put it on as soon as I got out of the shower this morning. After I adjusted the arm band a few times to get it comfortable, it wasn't long until I didn't even think about having it on. I have on a double layer of long sleeve shirts today and it's unobtrusive.

So far so good on building the deficit. I'm anxious to see how my workout impacts my calorie burn. It's very obvious that on days in which I am doing work on the computer much of the day my number of steps taken and general activity is going to be way too little. I have also read from another bodybuggSP^TMuser that she has determined her workouts are more effective for her in the afternoon/evening when her energy levels are high. She burns more calories then than working out in the morning.

Will post more as I get further along with it.
What has your experience been with the bodybuggSP^TM?

Links in this article are to provide the reader with additional information about the Bodybugg. I purchased this product without prompting with my own funds and do not receive any compensation for the purchase of this product through a link.

Tracking Weight Loss with the bodybuggSP

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 09:07:00 +0000

Announcement! I finally made the decision to purchase a bodybuggSP^TM. It arrived today in the mail and I have it charging right now. As I use it I will provide feedback via this blog. I plan to begin using it tomorrow morning.

It took me a while to make this decision due to two factors.

Factor 1: Cost
Honestly I didn't want to spend this much money, but after reading quite a bit of information and contemplating a Polar heart rate monitor I went with the bodybuggSP^TM. I caught it on sale for a holiday special and so I paid $199 with free shipping (about a $50 savings). This new version (as opposed to version 3) will sync with my iPhone. That seemed to be the smartest thing for me because I wanted real time data but didn't want to have to wear a wristband. I like my own watch.

Factor 2: Calories in, calories out
It is absolutely true that weight loss in its simplest description boils down to calories in vs calories out. If you consume more calories than you burn and therefore walk around, or may I say sit around, in a calorie surplus you will surely gain weight. If you break even, you will maintain your weight. If you create a deficit, you should lose weight. Sounds simple, right? Sure, if scale weight is your only concern. Most of you who read this blog know that I believe there is a lot more to it than that. I believe in changing your body composition (lean mass/body fat) rather than just focusing on scale weight. That's a blog post for another day, but I want to be clear that I'm not dissing the importance of getting excess body weight off, but I'm also not shifting from my stance that losing body fat is more important than losing body weight as the end goal.

Side bar (because I must): your weight on the scale is ONE piece of the picture. Scale weight can fluctuate wildly within a 24 hour period of time and is impacted by what you eat, your bowel habits, fluid intake or loss, hormones, menstrual cycle, etc. Don't use it as your sole measurement of success.

Back to this post. So I'm sure you're thinking, okay brainiac, then why did you spend that kind of money on something to help you track calories?
Two reasons.

Reason 1: Need for data
I have hypothyroidism and while I've yet to prove it I feel certain my basal metabolic rate is as slow as a snail. It's a challenge to figure out my optimal calorie range. Standard calculations do not seem to work for me. If I eat too little food or carbs, or if I don't time my food right I bonk during intense workouts and take longer to recover. If I eat the typical recommended amount of food or carbs, my weight will not come off and stay off. I seem to have to work harder than the average Jane in order to see the same type of results. Mind you I am not complaining, I just want more data to understand what is going on with my body. This is one way to get as much real data as possible. It's a fine line and I am trying to hit it just right. Somewhere between killing myself to get lean and mean and relaxing a little and getting soft and pudgy. Sigh. So don't think I don't understand your struggles. It's a journey for all of us.

Reason 2: Need for consistency
I'm a tracker. When I track things I do well, when I don't track things I slide off course. As much as I would like to be an intuitive, free spirit eater, the need for constant feedback, data, organization and consistency is woven into my genetic make-up. I teach people how to think on their feet, make good food choices when faced with bad ones and how to be prepared to gracefully handle the most unexpected sabotage. This works for me as well, but until I can fully grasp what my body requires I need data. It keeps me consistent and holds me accountable.

More to come on the bodybuggSP^TM.
If you use a bodybuggSP^TM, leave a comment with your thoughts!

Links in this article are to provide the reader with additional information about the.bodybuggSP^TM. I purchased this product without prompting with my own funds and do not receive any compensation for the purchase of this product through a link.

TRX on sale!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 04:39:00 +0000

If you've ever thought about purchasing a TRX Suspension Trainer, now is the time!

25% off TRX + free shipping, but just until midnight Monday 11/29/10! Click here: TRX Sale.

The TRX is a fabulous system you can use at home or on the road. Basically you can take your full body workout anywhere. You can do basics and progress, plus there are numerous resources available as ready made workouts or to help you develop your own. Overall it's one of the smartest workout tools you can own.

Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0
Home Gym Workout
TRX Fit Deck

I am an affiliate for Fitness Anywhere. This means if you use my link and end up purchasing a product, I will receive a commission. Please read my disclosure page for more information!

10 Tips for Holiday Eating

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 06:35:00 +0000

Ahhh, the holidays. I absolutely love them. I must confess, however, that this is one of the most difficult times of the year for me in terms of sticking with my nutrition goals. It seems to start with the Halloween candy (they start selling it in August now I think!) and carries through to the New Year.

I have learned the hard way that if I don't go into the holiday season with an eating strategy I will trip up by October and spiral to a full crash and burn by December 31.

Notice I said eating strategy and not diet. If you've spent any time on my blog, you know I am not a fan of dieting no matter what time of year. Strategy on the other hand, is just smart. Here are some tips I find helpful.

Keep your water intake up.
I find that if I am adequately hydrated I'm not as hungry and I don't have as many cravings. That might not make sense, but there are times when you think you want something to eat, but really you just need fluids.

Stay on schedule with your eating on the day you have a party or event.
Don't fall for the "I won't eat all day and that way I can eat the party food and still stay within my calories" thought pattern. It doesn't work. Your body needs clean food for fuel throughout the day. If you've gone all day without adequate food you'll be too hungry, your defenses will be down and you're likely to eat too much calorie dense, nutritionally deficient food. Instead, eat your clean meals as usual right up until party time.

Get your workout done.
Don't skip your workouts due to a busy schedule. Your health is important. What is it about the holiday season that makes us undo everything we've worked for throughout the year like it's a two month vacation? When you are busy and stressed exercise is crucial. The only way I can ever accomplish this, no matter how good my intentions, is to build my workouts into my calendar ahead of time and everything else goes around it. There are going to be some days that you cannot help missing a workout. The sky is not going to fall. Rest assured though that if you don't schedule them, they are a lot less likely to happen.

Review your week and decide on your treats ahead of time.
If you're like me, opportunities to fall off the bandwagon are lurking around every corner. I still don't think well on my feet. I'm seduced by the smell of movie popcorn, a sudden suggestion of going out for Mexican food and those chocolate/peanut butter Christmas trees that I am certain are manufactured by Satan, Inc. If I don't plan, the temptations will blind side me (as if I don't know they are coming) and I get weak in the knees. If I look at my calendar each Sunday night and decide where I'm going to spend my 2-3 treats a week ahead of time, I can focus. Then when it's treat time I can enjoy it without guilt, and without having to assess the damage at the end of each week.

Order first at a restaurant, fix your plate first at home.
That's so rude! Yeah, well so is leaving the house with a muffin top wearing jeans that are too tight. This is one of my favorite tips. If you're in a restaurant, especially for a fun occasion with friends, and you order first, chances are you're not going to change your order with the waiter after you hear what everyone else orders (you might even influence others to make better choices). But if you order last, that lean protein and steamed veggies with a plain sweet potato in your head might just come out of your mouth as an order of fried chicken tenders and honey mustard with a loaded potato and salad complete with croutons, cheese and ranch dressing.

Treat, don't cheat.
To me, examples of "cheating" are when you eat something you didn't intend to, you ignore smart portions and eat until you're about to pop, you can't stand up to temptation and give in to every opportunity to eat junk, or throw in the towel and just go on a binge or think "I'll start Monday" or "I'm so deprived, I deserve this!". It's a negative cycle of failures and it will pull you down. On the other hand, "treating" yourself has a positive connotation. It indicates you're eating in a mindful fashion, you're strategizing, you're rewarding yourself with a nice treat that you've earned. Periodic treats keep the experience positive. Next thing you know you'll desire those treats less and less, especially if they are junk food. It will have less appeal and you'll find yourself thinking twice about whether or not you even want to indulge after all.

Choose your favorites when treating.
What do you really want? A cheap processed fast-food style dessert wrapped in plastic or Aunt Betty's chocolate chess pie? Some weak soft serve artificially flavored vanilla ice cream on a kiddy cone or a scoop of Ben & Jerry's in a waffle cup? Half of a crappy frozen pizza or a slice or two of loaded pizza from an authentic Italian restaurant? Be choosy!!! Don't just eat every random thing that comes along, decide exactly what you want and eat it. It keeps you from feeling deprived, it's much more satisfying and you'll probably eat less of a really rich, tasty food than junky stuff.

Choose the healthiest options at the party.
If you're going to grab a drink, make it a small glass of red wine. On the buffet, go for the protein. Small portions of cheese and nuts may also be good options. Eat fruit if available. Top it off with a small sweet if you want it.

Eat before you go.
This is one of the smartest strategies. If you've eaten one of your clean meals before you leave for your party, you're not going to be near as hungry and it's easier to make best choices. You can still enjoy a treat, but your portions may be much smaller and the food will be less enticing.

Make it about the people, not the food.
I live in the south. We don't do anything without food, and lots of it! When faced with that situation over and over, you learn to focus on the people and try to make it less about the food. Start conversations, meet new people, plan activities that don't revolve around food. Get creative!

These are just some of my favorite tips and strategies. What works for you? Leave me a comment. I'm always learning something new!

P90X Update

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 03:40:00 +0000

I'll be posting about my P90X experience on this blog! I tried setting up a separate blog for it because I try to keep this one diverse in content, but it was just too challenging to keep up with two blogs. Plus it didn't feel right since I share all of my fitness adventures here. It's all a part of the journey!

Here's the latest:
I jumped into P90X 7/12/10. You'll see some posts around that time describing how I got started. It was a busy time for me, and I was working out, getting in the groove and didn't have time to post. First things first, you know. So I completed the first 5 weeks, then got completely derailed with travel, consequently lost my mind and ate a bunch of stuff I don't normally eat. It threw me into a three week funk. Total transparency here. It's what I get for saying I'd have no excuses!

The good news is that I snapped out of it, and about the time I was going to get started again, Jimmy announced he'd like to do it with me. Sweet!

We started together on Monday September 13. Mind you I'd been doing these workouts in the brutal summer heat of our home garage gym since July with the exception of my end of August hiatus. The heat didn't let up until this week by the way. That adds even more intensity to the workouts, so I'm anxious to see if my performance is actually better as it gets cooler. Jimmy is awesome and is getting heating and air put in. LOVE THAT GUY!

We completed the workout for today, Day 16, P90X Plyometrics. Officially, we'll be finished with the 90 days on December 11. Who knows, maybe I'll do a second round! Okay, let me focus on Round 1 first.

From this point on I'll be posting about the individual workouts, our progress, what we're learning, tips and tricks, key points, the eating plan, etc.

Feel free to post your questions and your own experiences via comments or email me at getfitwithkelley@gmail.com anytime.

What's in a Twinkie?

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:29:00 +0000

Ever wonder what's in a Twinkie?

As a kid, I ate several, along with other processed cakes and pies, usually in the lunch I carried to school. I haven't given Twinkies a lot of thought since then, but they are still on the market, and our kids (and adults) are still eating them. All sorts of stories have been told about Twinkies. Like how if you put one in a landfill it would still be there a decade or two later, still ready to eat. (I'm wondering who did that experiement if it's true).

Here's an interesting and scary article today on the Twinkie and its ingredients. Be sure to click on the links too.

Gulp! Take a gander at a Twinkie’s 37 or so ingredients

Water is boring, what else can I drink?

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 23:09:00 +0000

I often get asked if it is okay to drink flavored waters or bottled juices or store-bought smoothies or other pre-packaged "health" drinks. What do you think I say?

A
"No! Never! You must drink only the purest filtered water carefully shipped in from the fountain of youth instead of drinking that sugary, chemical-laden, bazillion calorie crap in a pretty BPA-infested plastic jug that's going to expand your abdominal girth and eventually kill you!"

B
It depends. Let's talk about your thoughts on the drinks you're asking about, how much water you're drinking and what other types of things you drink during the day or week. (Begin an actual information exchange).

My response is usually something like B.
You hypocrite! You talk about water all the time! You drink out of BPA free containers! You read Jillian Michael's book Master Your Metabolism! How can you not respond with A?

Whoa, Nellie.
Except for the fountain of youth part I think option A is pretty much right on, but a lot of the people
I talk to are new at making changes. They're determined, learning, asking the right questions and taking action. If I throw an answer like that at them they're going to run the other direction. Sometimes it's a good thing to find out where a person is now, and where they can handle going next, before we give an answer.

Plus, I've been there. I spent most of my teenage years to adult life drinking everything but water. Juice, soft drinks, diet drinks, milk, coffee, tea, Yoo-Hoo (ok, stop laughing), lemonade, fruit punch, blah, blah, blah. Once I did that, water was just plain boring and didn't taste good. I had to acquire a taste for water as an adult. Now that I'm reminiscing about my drinking habits I am suddenly reminded of two kidney stones and renal colic due to dehydration. But that's a story for another day. Now water is my primary drink, although I can't give up my coffee entirely. I also drink hot green or black tea. I'm working on giving up diet soft drinks entirely, but for some reason if I eat a treat meal like Mexican I still want a diet Coke with fresh lime.

Sometimes it's difficult for people to be drinking lattes, soft drinks, frozen drinks, alcohol, etc, or hardly anything at all and then all of a sudden go to just straight, plain water and maintain it. I know people who nurse a diet soft drink all day long, and when they start changing their eating and thinking about their drinking they want to know if there is anything else they can drink besides just water. When that happens, it's easy to be deceived by something that seems like it should be healthy. And sometimes it's better to temporarily transition to something less than optimal than to not make a change in the right direction at all!

So I spent a little time in one of our health food stores reading labels of all the bottled options of "healthy" drinks to see if I could find any viable options. You know, things with words like naked, fresh, vital, natural, energy, electrolytes, 100%, enriched, vitamins, boost, etc. Some of them do have natural ingredients, and some are quite impressive. Some of them also have 400+ calories and over 70 carbs in an 8 oz container. You also have to be careful with smoothie bars too in terms of portions, calories, and any syrups or other things they may be adding. I didn't find anything that I thought I would recommend, but I did buy and try this one:

Fuze Slenderize in Strawberry Melon. It has 2 servings in the 19 oz bottle, for a total of 20 calories, 4 carbs, 5 mg sodium, no protein. It has sucralose and 5% juice. The flavor is good, but intense! Honestly, a person could take this one bottle and add it to multiple gallons of fresh water for a hint of taste.

The real answer is, if you need flavored water or a smoothie, make your own at home! Use ingredients like water, ice, fresh fruit, whey protein, veggies, agave nectar or a dash of honey, cinnamon, non-fat milk, non-fat plain yogurt. Shakeology is one I'm getting into since starting Beachbody programs and coaching, you can add any of these things to it, or nothing at all. Other than that, start adding water while you cut back on or eliminate other drinks. Use lime or lemon to add some flavor if necessary, It helps with thirst you may not realize you have, and the other drinks aren't so enticing any more.

What do you do when you get bored of water, or when you want something different to drink? What is out there that I am missing? Leave a comment!

The link above for Shakeology will take you directly to my Shakeology website as an Independent Team Berachbody Coach, http://www.shakeitwithkelley.com/

2010 Battle on the Bluff Results

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:52:00 +0000

The NPC 2010 Battle on the Bluff Bodybuilding, Figure and Bikini was held July 24 at Sam's Town Hotel and Casino in Tunica, Mississippi. Promoter Chris Caudy, owner of Next Level Training, Memphis (also an NPC judge and bodybuilding champ), delivered an outstanding event as expected! As you may know, this is just the second year for NPC bikini events, and the bikini girls really turned out!

We were so disappointed that we didn't get to attend (Jimmy was competing at the Nationals in Pittsburgh) but Chris was kind enough to share results with me so that I could share them with you!

Special shout out to Dottie Wendler, Nicole Conner and Terry Kimble for their first bikini competitions! Great job! Also, shout out to "Rabbit" Broadnax, without a doubt my favorite high-energy crazy man to watch in the gym!

Here are some facts to know about the competitors and entry requirements:

Novice means first contest ever.
Masters Men's Bodybuilding is age 40 and over.
Grandmasters Men's Bodybuilding is age 50 and over.
Juniors are those who have never won an overall title in an NPC contest and have not ever placed in an NPC open contest.
Only the top 5 in each class were awarded trophies.
Women's Figure Short is up to and including 5'4", Medium is over 5'4" and including 5'6" and Tall is over 5'6".
Women's Bikini Short is up to/including 5'3" and Tall is over 5'3".
Women's Master Figure is 35 years and older.

Women's Bodybuilding weight class is as follows:

Lightweight: up to and including 125 lbs
Middleweight: Over 125 lbs and up to/including 140 lbs
Heavyweight: Over 140 lbs

The weight classes are all slightly different between men's novice, men's junior and men's open. Here are the weight classes for Men's Open:

Lightweight: Up to and including 154.25 lbs
Middleweight: Over 154.25 lbs and up to/including 176.25 lbs
Light Heavyweight: Over 176.25 and up to/including 198.25 lbs
Heavyweight: Over 198.25 lbs

Okay, without delay, here they are. Be sure to check out the end of the post for additional links to Battle on the Bluff resources.

2010 Battle on the Bluff Results
(placement, name, competitor #)

Teenage Bodybuilding
1st Tyler Starich (1)
2nd Reid Nichols (2)

Men's Novice Bodybuilding

Novice Lightweight
1st Jim Kurtz (6)

2nd "Rabbit" Broadnax (5)

3rd Scott Quick (4)

4th Mars Pope (3)

5th Adam Geoff (9)

6th Jerry Thomas (8)

7th Johnnie Richardson (10)

8th Ron Grubbs (7)

Novice Heavyweight
1st Christopher Beaty (16) Overall Novice Winner

2nd Tony Lucas (14)

3rd David Allen (15)

4th Austin Barr IV (13)

5th Jesse Johnson (11)

6th Sidney Ray Eudy (12)

Masters 40+ Men's Bodybuilding

Masters 40+ Lightweight
1st Tad McCarty (91)

2nd Jim Kurtz (17)

3rd Johnnie Richardson (19)

4th Marty Shettlesworth (18)

Masters 40+ Heavyweight
1st Kirk Warren (21)
2nd Nathan Palmer (20)

Grandmasters 50+ Men's Bodybuilding
1st Mike Kimble (22)

2nd Spike Huber (25)

3rd Kevin Anthony (24)

4th Mike Farah (23)

5th James Boyd (26)

Bikini

Bikini Short
1st Heather Bell (32) Overall Bikini Winner

2nd Brooke Mozley (27)

3rd Aya Nakane (34)

4th Nikki Rollins (33)

5th Nicole Conner (31)

6th Karen Avent (28)

7th Ashley Pauletic (29)

8th Terry Kimble (30)

Bikini Tall
1st Anna Hurt (36)

2nd Dottie Wendler (37)

3rd Callie Steward (35)

Bikini Masters
1st Anna Hurt (40)

2nd Karen Avent (39)

3rd Callie Steward (38)

4th Terry Kimble (41)

5th Michelle Huber (42)

Figure

Figure Short
1st Carolyn Ocampo (44)

2nd Amanda Benton (46)

3rd Shea Bakeris (47)

4th Jo Chambers (43)

5th Lavoris Anderson (45)

Figure Medium
1st Yelena Lapoua (48) - Overall Figure Winner

2nd Cindy Steele (49)

3rd Crystal Wheeler (50)

4th Janna Demonbreun (51)

5th Amanda Rogers (54)

6th Kelly Easby Smith (55)

7th Erin Fitzpatrick (52)

8th Tenelle Jones (53)

Figure Tall
1st Kristen Carver (58)

2nd Tymika Glenn (57)

3rd Angela Panozzo (56)

Masters Figure

Masters Figure Short
1st Carolyn Ocampo (60) - Overall Masters Figure Winner

2nd Amanda Benton (62)

3rd Shea Bekeris (63)

4th Jo Chambers (59)

5th Levoris Anderson (61)

Masters Figure Tall
1st Kelly Easby Smith (64)

Junior Men Bodybuilding

Junior Lightweight
1st Mike Kimble (66)

2nd Tyler Starich (65)

3rd Igor Butorsky (67)

Junior Middleweight
1st Ronnie Shumpert (68)
2nd Marty Shettlesworth (69)

Junior Heavyweight
1st Bayne O'Grady (70) - Overall Junior Men Winner

2nd Shane Pickard (73)

3rd Kevin Anthony (71)

4th Sam Bradshaw (72)

Bodybuilding Women

Women Lightweight
1st Leslie Heidmann (74) - Overall Open Women Winner

Women Middleweight
1st Brenda Skillern (75)

Open Men Bodybuilding

Open Lightweight
1st Rick Kaiser (76)

2nd Justin Hamm (78)

3rd Reid Nichols (77)

Open Middleweight
1st Tad McLarty (80)

2nd Rob Stamey (81)

3rd Farsha Jones (79)

Open Light-Heavyweight
1st Deshawn Glass (84) - Overall Open Men Winner

2nd Kirt Warren (82)

3rd Spike Huber (83)

Open Heavyweight
1st Sam Gidden (90)

2nd Antionne Scott (89)

3rd Brett Cotter (85)

4th Cornelius L. Smith (86)

5th Nathan Palmer (87)

6th Tracy Evans (88)

Links
Chris Caudy, Owner/Trainer, Next Level Training
Battle on the Bluff, Facebook
Battle on the Bluff website/entry form

In Search of Healthy Eggs

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 23:12:00 +0000

The recent egg recall caught my eye, particularly since I eat about 6 egg whites and a yolk or two every day. Over time eggs have become one of my favorite sources of protein. I would even go so far to say that when I don't feel like eating meat or figuring out appropriate combinations of plant protein, I just reach for some eggs, any time of day.

The first thing I did when I saw it online was to look at the FDA egg recall list. Thankfully, none of the eggs we had purchased were on the recall. It did make me wonder though, how do people who don't have regular access to the internet and missed the newscast know there's been an egg recall? We're assuming everyone knows, and that the grocery stores are promptly removing the offensive eggs from the shelves. I'm a little skeptical about that when I have to check expiration dates so closely in my local grocery and warehouse stores to keep from buying something outdated.

Let's assume the eggs in your fridge don't have salmonella. That's a good thing, but it doesn't end there. You could still be eating all sorts of things you don't even know you're eating.

So today an article appears on the internet regarding how to buy the healthiest eggs. Great! I eagerly opened the article and read through it, only to realize at the end that the article title was deceiving. You're not really given an answer on how to buy the healthiest eggs. Disappointing, but there was some good information and a few good links in the article that you can use to come to your own conclusions. (By the way, I don't really find the linked article that states the recall isn't expected to grow particularly comforting since there have already been 550 millions eggs recalled). Here's the article: Worried about bad eggs? How to buy the healthiest ones. Sadly, the most informative part of the article is on how labeling continues to deceive us. Be sure to read the true definitions for the following:

cage-free
free-range
free-roaming
organic
natural
pastured
Omega-3-enriched
certified humane
United Egg Producers Certified

LocalHarvest is a helpful link in the article where you can find local farmers and markets near you. From what I can deduct, there isn't a good store to shop or brand to buy when it comes to getting eggs. Instead, it sounds like we need to be looking for farmers who pasture their chickens (for real) and feed them organically.

Guess I'm going to have to go buy my own baby chicks and raise them. I'm thinking my dog & neighbors won't like that. Hmmm...I do have a big backyard though...

Other posts you may find interesting:
Food Inc., The Movie Review

P90X Day Two, Plyometrics

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 03:15:00 +0000

My first time doing Plyometrics. Wow. Let me say that again. Wow. Did I say Wow?

I'm just letting it all hang out here, so let me say that I had seen this video prior to doing it and I was really intimidated by it before I got started. I think I took about 10 huge deep breaths before I even pushed play and went through the intro. But now that I got through it, I want to jump around and yell BRING IT!!! You would think that having been an aerobics queen in the eighties the thought of jumping around for a solid hour would not have rattled me, but it did.

It is one relentless video. Here's what you need: heart rate monitor, towel, water, and preferably something rubbery or shock absorbant to jump on. Rather than dwell on my heart rate or try to stay in a specific zone, I set a threshold for mine. When my monitor started beeping I brought my activity down a notch or paused the video, marched in place, grabbed my towel and took a drink of water. When I stopped beeping I was at it again. I had to do this a few times! This kept me working at a high intensity, but also protected me from pushing too hard. You do repeat moves, but the fun part is that there are so many that it doesn't get boring and you get some relief by changing moves. Also, when you repeat a move, the second time around you know exactly what is coming, so you can prepare and your form is likely to be more precise. There are some cool sports moves at the end, and any of you who know me know that I love anything that simulates a sport without me actually having to handle a ball!

I would say this is one tough workout, even for people who are well-conditioned. Without a doubt it is one that will push you. Oddly enough, I ended up feeling glad that I had quite a bit of room for improvement because I wanted this program to be a challenge.

Here's the key: some of you will have to get your mind AROUND it, and some of you will have to get your mind OUT of it (like me).

Getting your mind AROUND it.

You don't have any injuries or any true physical inabilities. You got by the fit test. You've read and understand all the serious language at the beginning of the P90X video. But still, you're the person who thinks from the very beginning that you can't do this, so why even try? Why did I buy this? I must be out of my mind. I haven't exercised like this in years, if ever. I'm going to kill myself. I guess if I can't hang with it, I'll just turn the DVD player off and walk away. There's no way I'm going to be able to do 5 minutes of this.

I say STOP! Get your mind around it. You CAN do this. Does that mean you're going to hit play and do every single move that Tony Horton and back-up exercisers do with precision and speed? No, probably not. My very favorite Tony Horton mantra: Do your best and forget the rest. If they are doing jumping jacks and all you can do it shift your weight from foot to foot, do it! If they are doing two step Heismans and all you can do it lift one foot off the ground, do it! If they are doing leaps and bounds and all you can do right now is jump 6 inches forward with both feet, do it! Take the word CAN'T out of your vocabulary and replace it with the word WILL. I will do it, I will eventually do it, I will do what I can do now. And guess what? The more room there is for improvement, the more challenge you're going to get out of this. This isn't about all or nothing, it's about your best.

Getting your mind OUT of it.

This is a little different. If you struggle with this, I'm sorry, that means you're afflicted with the same thing I am. You think you can do it, you're motivated, you're committed. But you're focusing too hard on what you can and can't do. Release your mind, grab your stuff, push play, and do it. Work your way through. Keep your form, but don't obsess and ruminate on every little thing. It's okay if you don't do it perfect. Have fun already! Forget the crap from the day, the crap you have to deal with tomorrow, and just get in there and bust your butt. You will feel good afterwards and you'll be glad you did it!

P90X Day One!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 01:16:00 +0000

After doing all of my prep work, I was ready to start today. I have to say that I am no stranger to the gym and yet I felt somewhat anxious about starting this program. Not sure why except that I had some notion in my head that kept telling me I might not be able to do it. Not true!

One of my favorite things Tony Horton says is "Do your best and forget the rest." That is the perfect way to approach this program. So I tackled it with my very best today and didn't do too shabby! By the end of the workout I'd completed 111 push-ups, 50 pull-ups, 50 rows, 20 flys and about 144 reps of ab work. This was Chest/Back and Ab Ripper X day. The volume is incredible, but the time goes by fast and there are several grip variations on the pull-ups as well as arm stances and forms on the push-ups, so it's not tedious.

I'm already in love with the workout sheets because you can easy record your reps as soon as you complete each exercise. Do this! It will be very important and motivating. Now that I have this down, the next time I do this workout I'll be able to work hard and try to beat what WAS my personal best. I have no doubt I can do it.

A bit of advice; even if you're a seasoned gym rat the first time you do any of these workouts I'd take the time to sit down the evening before and watch it all the way through. You won't be as intimidated by the moves, and if there are some that are unfamiliar you can practice it. The videos give some instruction but they move fast, so there's not a lot of time spent on technique. You will be shown modifications which are helpful, but if you watch it the night before you can pause and study the move as needed.

I'm already seeing a critical point behind this program. It's not for the totally unconditioned but it is for the determined. There are some very specific cautionary statements at the beginning of each video. Check with your doctor, don't do this program if you've been previously injured or have certain physical issues and do something different before you tackle this if you're very unconditioned. But if you can pass the minimum tests and you get an okay from your doc, this program takes attitude and determination. The whole purpose is to do your very best, every time and shoot for improvement. If you do that you can't lose.

1 day down, 89 to go!

P90X Prep and Fit Test

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 01:52:00 +0000

I'm figuring out that it's smart to read every bit of the P90X material. My experience so far is totally positive in terms of prepping for and understanding the program. I've approached some programs in the past with a "just do it" attitude and have done well, but this is so detailed and well thought out that it only makes sense to get your mind around it too. There are actually three slightly different versions to choose from and I will be doing P90X Classic.

Included in the DVDs is a video on how to "bring it", which outlines everything you will need, including the right determination and attitude, when starting the program. I also downloaded my tracking pages today which gives you space to record every rep and weight you do during the program. The cool part is that the pages are lined up in such a way that you get to see your previous reps and weights so that you can watch your progress every single time you do that workout. I think this is a critical and often-missing element in the workouts that people do these days, especially when they hit the gym. How can you ever progress if you can't recall how many months you've been picking up that same size dumbbell? Consistent, progressive overload is the key when you want to see results. That's fact, not opinion.

I'm going to be working out in my garage/makeshift home gym and so we're going to find another type of pull-up bar that we can hang from one of the beams which we think will be better. At some point I will probably order a different heart rate monitor that doesn't require a chest strap because as much as I will be wearing it I'm afraid it will bug me!

Tonight I did my Fit Test. I would suggest scheduling this like you would a workout and allowing some recovery time before starting the actual program, which is why I did it today and will have tomorrow to rest. Wow, I must say that there's nothing like a Fit Test to show you where your imbalances lie! I had a hunch of where mine would be, but yuck, I'm not crazy about seeing it on paper!

I still cannot do an unassisted pull-up. That is one of my goals in this program, to be able to do 10 unassisted wide-grip pull ups! I could crank out 20 standard push-ups, which actually is a personal best for me (so I have some work to do on improving in 90 days!). I also found out I have a 13 inch vertical leap. Who knew? I'd never even measured it before. I have super-tight hamstrings, another area that needs work, but I still could reach past my toes. The other stinky part for me was the heart rate maximizer test. I did not score well here. For me it's a matter of breathing and endurance, so that's going to be my biggest challenge during the next 90 days.

Next on the docket:

Measurements, before pics and nutrition prep!

I am excited!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 19:03:00 +0000

I am out of my mind excited that my P90X program just arrived! Of course I tore into the package like a little kid at Christmas. For some reason I'm like that when it comes to new fitness programs, books and office supplies. I can't explain the office supply part, except that I'm pretty sure it had something to do with getting a new box of crayons every school year growing up, and I'm still nerdy like that.

So now I have in front of me the P90X Quick Start Guide, the Fitness Guide, the Nutrition Plan, a training calendar, and the DVD set. If you've ever seen a sneak peak of just the Plyometrics DVD alone you'd need a recovery drink. Normally I would just jump right in, throw a DVD in the player and get with it. Not this time, I want to do this right.

It turns out there are several resources available on-line such as worksheets and message boards and an overview video of how the program works. I have a place to do pull-ups already and think I will get the Power Stands for my push-ups since my wrists periodically bother me. What else do I need? Resistance bands, check. Dumbbells, check. heart rate monitor, check. Yoga blocks, check. I could probably use a little better mat for the plyometrics. There are some supplements I will check out.

Now I'm ready to dig into these manuals and determine which training map and also which nutrition approach (there are options for both).

I will be blogging my way through the experience. 90 days, no excuses.
If you've done P90X, please leave comments and tips for me.
What helped you?
If you haven't done P90X, join me! I can always use an accountability partner. The journey is always better with a friend.

More to come!

Stop Dieting! Have I Lost My Mind?

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Wed, 05 May 2010 23:25:00 +0000

Every now and then I escape to our local bookstore to get some work done. I like the sounds of the store and the smells of the cafe. It's a nice change of scenery from my home office. I confess though that I can never just walk straight to the cafe chair near the one public receptable in the entire building to plug in my laptop before someone else gets it (being the receptacle hog that I am). No, I have to meander through the health/fitness/diet section first.

Today it hit me like a roundhouse kick from Chuck Norris. Why are there so many diet books on the market? Do we honestly need 850 bazillion strategies to eat healthy? It's no wonder to me that so many of us either jump from idea to idea or are completely paralyzed by it all.

Have you ever been convinced that the latest idea is THE ONE? You know, you hear all about it, you buy the book, you stock up on supplies and groceries and supplements and you get started. Then it gets hard, or unreasonable, or your life takes an unexpected turn or maybe you're just flat out tired or unprepared. Suddenly it's not the one, because you can't do it, or you can't keep it up. So next thing you know, you're on the quest for the next one that must be the one, because your friend Barbie bought that other book you considered and it seems to be working for her. That's it! You just bought the wrong book. So you buy the next one, and all the marketing 101 students say "so that's how that works!"

How do you think I can describe this so well? Because I've done it! How many books on eating can we read and do? What to eat, what not to eat, when to cook it, how not to cook it, what to eat it with, what not to eat it with, what time of day to start eating, what time of day to not eat, what to not eat after 7pm, what to do in the morning before you eat, whether or not to eat or drink it cold or hot or lukewarm, raw or cooked, with the peeling or stripped naked, frozen, not frozen, fresh, processed, powder, liquid, solid, from the Atlantic or the Pacific, blended, pasteurized or not, organic or not, animal or vegetable, fat or carb? I could go on and on like a Dr. Seuss book.

We must stop the crash diets!!!

Here are some very basic principles I think we must start living by if we want to eat healthy and be able to keep our sanity at the same time:

Add what you need.

The dieting mentality starts with all the things that you can no longer have for the rest of your life. Instead of focusing on what you can't have, begin by thinking about what you should be eating. Add what you should be eating and let it push out the rest. Here are some examples:

Eat breakfast every day
Make sure your breakfast contains some protein
Pair up sources of lean protein with your veggies/fruits/grains, every time you eat
Get some healthy fat (think olive oil and almonds)
Don't skip meals
Eat about every 3 hours
Drink some water!

Make a list.

Think in terms of these categories:

Lean, natural protein, animal or plant-based
Fibrous vegetables
Fresh, whole fruit
Fats such as nuts, seeds, healthy oils
Complex starchy carbs such as whole grains
Non-fat dairy

Now write down all the foods in each of these categories that you love (first) and like (second). Post it on your pantry door or fridge. Take it to the grocery with you. When you're planning your eating, refer to it.

Shoot for high compliance.

Now that you have your plan and your focus, your aim is to be compliant with it. Go into it with the mindset that you're going to fuel your body with food it can use effectively. If you eat about every 3 hours, and that ends up being about 5 times a day, hitting 90% compliance still gives you about 3 meals a week in which you can eat whatever you want without any kind of dieting guilt. (I would choose Mexican food, or 2 scoops of Ben & Jerry's triple caramel chunk in a waffle cup, but that's just me).

Clean it up.

Once you're focused on what you will be getting in each day, you're not starting out deprived, so it's easier to start pushing the other stuff out. There won't be any room for it if you start eating right! Here are a few examples of some obvious things to start eliminating:

Fried food
Fast food unless VERY strategically chosen
Added sugar, salt and fats
Processed food (things that come in a bag or box)
High calorie, low return foods. These are the foods that fill you up like comfort food but give your body low quality fuel.

If we started eating this way, is there really any need for anything else? If I ate a baked chicken breast drizzled with olive oil and pepper, a small plain sweet potato with cinnamon, steamed broccoli and a handful of blueberries would my body be fueled? Yes. Would it be satisfied? Maybe not, if what I'm used to is pasta with cheese, garlic breadsticks, salad with Caesar dressing and croutons, key lime pie, sweet tea and then a row of Oreos (that is a serving, right?) before bed.

It's not easy, but it doesn't have to be so complicated! We must give our bodies fuel that it can actually use, along with water, throughout the day in reasonable portions so it can run like a well-oiled machine and meet our daily demands. If we don't, we have to be ready to face the consequences and side effects, and there's not a diet book on a bookshelf in America that can do that for you or me. Sounds harsh doesn't it? I'm convinced it's true.

What solutions have you discovered? Leave me a comment!

Rant: We Might Not Get Enough Salt? Really?

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 18:38:00 +0000

Tuesday April 27, 2010 USA Today published an article under Today's debate: Your health. It was entitled What can be done to shake Americans' salt habit?. The opposing view, Consumers deserve better, was offered by Morton Satin, Director of the Technical and Regulatory Affairs for the Salt Institute.

My husband pointed out this article to me, probably because he knows it will trigger a rant. I fall for it every time. The links are at the end of this post so you can read the debate for yourself. Hopefully it won't raise your blood pressure or leave you craving a salty snack for comfort. Not that it did that to me, I'm just saying...

Is salt inherently bad?

Let me think about salt for a minute. It contains mainly sodium chloride and is an essential mineral to life. It is a common preservative and has many other practical uses, such as being an ingredient in my favorite skin exfoliator. It was necessary to mix with ice for our homemade ice cream machine when I was a kid. We put it on the pavement if we have an ice storm. It hurts when I get it in a paper cut. It is what I am craving when I eat chips at my favorite Mexican restaurant. It looks pretty in my antique salt shaker. Okay, except for the paper cut part, salt can't be inherently bad.

The key is in the word inherently. No, salt in and of itself is not bad.

So What's the Problem?

Well apparently, as with many other things, Americans are taking in too much sodium. I know, I was shocked too. The article states the recommended maximum intake of sodium is 2,300 milligrams (mg) daily, and Americans are consuming an average of 3,400 mg daily. It also reminds us of the concerns of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, kidney problems and associated medical costs. That doesn't seem to be anything new to me, and the distressing part is that we've known all this for a while, but we're still consuming too much sodium, so we're obviously not motivated to change our habits to prevent disease or save money.

More interesting for fueling the debate is the fact that the article pointed out salt use in the food industry is contributing to the obesity crisis. Apparently salt used in specific combinations triggers cravings for not only more of that particular food, but for common, associated beverages. But it seems it's not so much about the salt shaker as it is about processed foods.

The problem is with intake of products with excessive, unnecessary sodium.

Let's say we want to be conscious about how much sodium we're taking in.

To do so, we MUST read labels. Here are a few examples:

Can of green beans (generic): 390 mg of sodium in 1/2 cup
10.5 oz can of popular brand of soup: 480 mg of sodium in one serving

Not compelling? Do we think the average person eats 1/2 cup of plain, unsalted green beans? How about the fact that there are 2.5 servings in that one 10.5 oz can of soup? So if you ate the whole can, you'd have eaten 1200 mg of sodium and that's assuming you didn't eat any crackers with it, or a salad with dressing on it (more sodium). (You're thinking sure, I know canned stuff has more sodium in it). How about this?

1/2 cup of lowfat cottage cheese has 450 mg of sodium
1 tbsp of ketchup has 190 mg of sodium

Think about all the ingredients that just went in to what was cooked for dinner last night. Oh, but that's assuming we are cooking! See more ranting below.

More obvious labeling? What is the world coming to?

Part of the uproar is that the FDA is working on requiring nutritional labeling on the front of the package, so it's harder to ignore the label, and perhaps it might draw attention to the label for folks who really do want to know and make more informed decisions. To that I say, let's do it! But then I guess there wouldn't be room for pretty colors, fancy logos and cartoon characters and words like enriched, fat-free, low-fat, no sugar added, sugar-free, low carb, whole wheat, more fiber, etc.

The frenzy starts with the recommendation that the FDA set legal limits for sodium content in foods. To that I say, please don't! I've never seen a situation in any area of life in which a rigid, one-way, blanket approach solved a complex, multi-faceted problem. If we only legally require less sodium in foods, we will still have a problem of twisted labeling and people making bad eating choices. How about an informed, educated and supported consumer who doesn't consume the products that have an outrageous, unnecessary amount of sodium in them?

Now, some random examples from eating out at common places:

1/4 pound hamburger, fast food: 1,152 mg sodium
6 inch turkey sub on white: 1,010 mg sodium
bowl of New England clam chowder: 1,110 mg sodium
chicken alfredo entree: 2,030 mg sodium
1 extra crispy chicken breast: 1,286 mg sodium
1 bare chicken burrito: 2,330 mg sodium

Opposing View: What Makes Sense

Besides stating that a policy that treats everyone the same is discriminatory because we all react differently, other good points are that hyponatremia is real and serious, and that there is more literature out there than is being considered. I think it's safe to say we would always be served better if a fully balanced diet is promoted, rather than focusing in on a silver bullet approach, no matter what the element.

Opposing View: What I Don't Quite Get

There was concern that we'd be put on a clinical trial unknowingly/unwillingly if sodium was reduced in foods. Maybe we should be questioning the clinical trial we've been on all these years that we've been sodium-loading without common knowledge. And perhaps instead of proposing we spend money on huge clinical trials that show what happens to people when they don't consume so much salt, we could put that money into educating the public on balanced diets and how to make smart choices.

I also must point out that world-wide statistics might show that women take in less sodium than men, but I can tell you that I've personally seen, in America, women that could eat more sodium than men and win hands down. I cannot believe a reduction of all the excess sodium will throw any people that eat sodium-packed processed food, into danger of hyponatremia, regardless of gender.

I'd like to see the studies that show that babies born to women on low-salt diets are low-weight and have lifelong increased salt appetites, and that congestive heart failure patients placed on low-salt diets die or are readmitted more often than those who aren't. I have a lot of questions, such as how large the studies were, where were they conducted, what were the conditions surrounding the subjects, how old were they, were the pregnancies healthy otherwise, how long did we track the life-long salt cravings of the babies, what other co-morbid conditions did the heart patients have, how were the patients monitored, how was food consumption tracked or reported? Things like that.

I'm trying to leave the last paragraph of the opposing view alone, but I just can't. I really need a definition of "Italians". Are we talking about American Italians, or Italian Italians? My daughter married into a lovely Italian family, and I've not seen or heard about any salt extravaganzas. How can a diet of adequate fruits and vegetables also include a larger sodium intake than the American diet?

Lastly, we don't spend enough time promoting the benefits of vegetables (true) and that's THE reason consumption has dropped? How about the fact that we can't buy a head of broccoli for the price of a fast food cheeseburger?

I believe the opposing view gets it right when saying "consumers deserve better treatment", but I don't think the thoughts behind that statement are the same as mine.

What are your thoughts?

USA Today "What can be done to shake Americans' salt habit?"

USA Today "Consumers deserve better"

Related posts:

Food Inc, The Movie Review

The End of Overeating Review

Medicine Ball Slams!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 18:25:00 +0000

When I first got serious about training it was all about losing fat. Soon after I'd been consistently hitting the gym, I realized how much I needed those sessions, not just for fat loss but also for stress relief! One by one, the reasons I needed to be there out-weighed the reasons I wanted to skip, and so it became a critical part of my life. For the first quarter of this year I've had a lot of stress, including multiple hospital and rehab visits for my little 81 year old Dad to the illness and loss of our sweet dog Gracie. My primary job is sedentary right now and I've missed multiple workouts and my eating has been sporadic at best. I think it's time for some medicine ball slams!

If you don’t have a medicine ball, I would suggest you add one to your fitness tool kit. You can get the soft-sided balls at Target now for a great price and they frequently run them on sale. Dicks Sporting Goods and Sports Authority also have some, and if you want a really big one I’d go for the Dynamax. We have a 20lb one from Muscle Driver USA.

A soft-sided ball will allow you to do any of the med ball exercises in which you hold the ball in one or both hands. They are easy on the hands and have a non-slip grip. You can do slams on the ground and partner throws. If you want to do throws against a wall and have it bounce back, you want the hard ball. But actually I think if you’re only going to get one to start off with you’d want it to be soft, because you could grab an old basketball or volleyball to do wall slams and other bouncing exercises.

They come in several sizes and an average one to start with is a 6 pounder. If you’ve been exercising a while it might seem light, until you’ve held it in the air during rotation lunges, and then 6 pounds can seem pretty heavy! If you’re new to exercising you could start with a 4 pound ball, but I’m hard pressed to come up with a reason to go lower than that unless you’re going through rehab with a shoulder injury or have been given specific instructions such as post breast cancer surgery. If you are really conditioned, go with an 8 or 10 lb ball knowing you could graduate quickly to 12 and up for certain exercises.

There are a million things you can do with a med ball, but back to the slams. Here it is, very complex, are you ready? You will hold the ball overhead. Don't lock your elbows or your knees. With as much force as you can muster, you will bring your arms down fast and slam the ball into the floor as hard as you possibly can. That’s one rep. Sound too easy or simple? Just try one! Not only is it a great stress release, but it will work your arms, your shoulders, your upper back and core. Play with your form and engage your quads too. You will get your heart rate up. The heavier the ball, the more fun the slam.

Here are some tips on med ball slams:

Incorporate them into your interval training, such as 30 seconds of slams combined with 30 seconds of jump squats.

Do 20 slams for time, and then try to beat your time.

Do slams for a set amount of time, then try to do more slams in that same amount of time.

Brace your abs and use your entire torso to get that ball to the ground with as much force as possible.

Vary your leg positioning, such as stepping forward with one leg and slamming the ball. Switch legs.

Incorporate a wood chop effect. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and slam the ball just above and outside of your left little toe. Do the same on the right.

Grunt or growl really loud when you do them. The more barbaric you sound, the better the stress relief.

Watch out for small animals you call pets.

Do it outside. Concrete is best. You can't get the full effect if it's hitting grass.

Put a picture of someone who bugs you on the ground and try to hit it.

Do some slams in the garage before entering the house when you get home from work.

Use a med ball slam to kill a spider.

Be sure to do them while your neighbor is grilling out or having a party on his deck.

Let me know your favorite exercises to do with a medicine ball!

Turbulence Training 3 Day Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 17:05:00 +0000

If you have ever wanted to try Turbulence Training, now is the time. For three days only, Craig Ballantyne is offering the original Turbulence Training e-book package plus a 3 month TT Member's bonus for just $1. Turbulence Training is a fat loss workout program you can do at home with minimal equipment. I've done several of the programs and highly recommend them.

Here's the link, but please read below for more info: Turbulence Training $1 Sale

Here's how it works:

If you order it between now and Wednesday April 28th, you pay $1 and you get to try it out for 21 days. If you love it and keep it (I think you will), you'll be billed the remaining $38.95 at the end of that time frame. If you don't, you can cancel and get your money back.

Here's what you get:

Access to the Turbulence Training Fat Loss system on ebook.
A free 3-month membership to the Turbulence Training on-line inner circle. Craig is there answering questions about fat loss and nutrition.
Several bonus workouts and Dr. Chris Mohr's Nutrition for Fat Loss Guidelines.

Another good thing is that Craig guarantees results on his product. That means if you aren't fully satisfied with your results, you can let him know and by canceling before the end of the 21 days and you won't be billed again.

Here's the link again: Turbulence Training $1 Sale

As you know, I am not going to put anything on this blog that I haven't tried. Craig is one of the first folks I began following as I started my fat loss journey. He has quality products, is very accessible via several social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter, and has two very good blogs, Turbulence Training and Turbulence Training Fat Loss. His is one of the few programs for which I am an affiliate. Craig consistently puts out sound information and provides workouts that appeal to those who do and do not have gym memberships, as well as providing workouts that are feasible for beginners all the way to those who are advanced. I don't think you'll be disappointed!

Would love to know if you try it, and if you do, what you think! Happy training!

NPC Battle on the Bluff 2010 Date Change!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 20:36:00 +0000

To everyone who is interested in competing in or attending the 2010 NPC Battle on the Bluff Bodybuilding, Figure, and Bikini Competition, there has been a date change! This year the competition will be held on Saturday July 24, 2010.

Please make a note of this on your calendar. Chris Caudy, an NPC judge and owner/trainer of Next Level Training in Memphis, is the promoter and he puts on a fab show. It just keeps growing every year!

The event is held at Sam's Town Hotel and Casino in Tunica, MS. Entry forms will be posted at http://www.battleonthebluffbodybuilding.com/, so watch the site for the updated form. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster or on-site at the door, but I'd get tickets early. You can purchase tickets to the pre-judging for Saturday morning and also for the Final Show Saturday night. Weigh-in/check-in for competitors will be Friday evening. I've not heard for sure, but I'm hoping he uses SunBlast Mobile Tanning again this year as they did a fantastic job last year.

More to come as we get closer to the big event...

Related posts:

NPC Battle on the Bluff 2010

NPC Battle on the Bluff 2009 Results

2009 NPC Battle on the Bluff Review

NPC Battle on the Bluff 2009

Muscles Worked During a Bear Crawl

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:51:00 +0000

You may remember my post on how to do a bear crawl. It seems there are a lot of people out there that are interested in bear crawls! That's great, because it's a super addition to your training plan.

One frequent question is "what muscles do you work when you're doing bear crawls?". Well, it might be shorter to list the muscles you're not using! When you do a bear crawl, you are basically engaging everything. Remember the position: You are on your hands and feet. Your legs are slightly bent to keep your butt low and even with, or slightly higher than, your head. Your back is relatively flat, maybe a slight arch (don't round your back). Your abs are braced, and your head is slightly neutral or up enough to see. You will propel forward moving your arms and your legs. To keep the position, your back must be strong and your abs braced. You will be using the muscles in your arms, particularly your triceps, your shoulders, your abs including your rectus abdominis, your obliques and your transverse abdominis, your glutes and hams and your quads and calves.

The fact that you are engaging that much muscle while propelling yourself through space is the main reason this is a superior exercise to add to your regimen. This is not necessarily a strength exercise, although you will be managing your own bodyweight, but it is one of endurance and conditioning (will help blast fat) and can also be one of power when you put some effort into it!

Your face might even look like this when you're finished!

If you really wanted to get brutal you could pair your bear crawls with push-ups or plank-ups. Bear crawl a certain distance down a straight pathway. At the end, do push-ups, either by straightening out to military style position, or do a dive bomber style. If not a push-up variation, you could go into plank-ups (that's what I call them). You would straighten out, go into plank on your hands (elbows straight) and feet. Then go down to elbow plank one arm at a time, and immediately back up into straight arm plank (that's one rep) and repeat for a certain number of reps. Nice.

Ways that you could measure yourself would be to try to beat your time, or increase the number of push-up or plank-up reps in between.

I'd love to know what different things you are doing with bear crawls! Leave me a comment!

Tom Venuto Programs

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 18:53:00 +0000

Tom Venuto's Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is now in my posession and The Body Fat Solution is on the way!

I've been passing The Body Fat Solution every time I go into the bookstore, so it was just time to go ahead and get it. From what I understand, it makes a very deliberate effort to address the emotional, motivational and support system facets of fat loss. These are critical components that I believe are often overlooked. I also think they are controversial, or at least not as clear cut as people try to make them. I've seen people who have significant resources and strong support systems still struggle. On the flip side I've seen people achieve results against multiple odds and without adequate support. At this point, I tend to believe it still boils down to what is inside of you, but the journey is tremendously laborious and shaky without meaningful support. I'm anxious to read this book in particular for that reason.

Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is not some skimpy e-book. The core book is over 340 pages with additional supporting and bonus documents thrown in. It covers goal setting in detail, sabotaging yourself, focus, and emotions. It also discusses losing fat without diets (they don't work), body composition, measuring yourself and tracking your progress, the dreaded plateaus, body types and individuality. He goes into calories, macronutrients, meal timing and frequency, water, tips for getting truly lean and provides an eating plan and training (weights and cardiovascular). Overall it is very apparent there has been a lot of thought and work that has gone into this book. He also offers quite a comprehensive online membership.

We should be able to learn quite a bit from Tom as he is a lifetime natural bodybuilder. I'll be posting more as I dig in!

Turbulence Training 3 for 1 Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 18:57:00 +0000

Passing on some info! Craig Ballantyne of Turbulence Training just started a sale on 3 of his popular programs for the price of 1. I have several Turbulence Training workouts and a membership, but have not yet started these. Craig's been around a while and I find his stuff is sound for fat loss. People seem to consistently have good results with his programs. For $19.95 you get all three programs, which should be about 3 months of workouts, so that's a pretty good deal I would say, especially if you're trying to decide what to do next. It also includes 30 days access to the membership site and I think a couple of additional programs. The sale ends February 3.

The first is the TT2K10 workout. This was his new year kick-off program that has had some really good reviews. It's not a beginner program. True to his style he includes some interval training, bodyweight and mini-circuits, and I believe some kettlebell work too.

The second one is the TT Beginner Total-Torso-Training. Should be good for someone getting started. It sounds safe and not too intense. Definitely not for someone who is further along in the fitness journey unless it's to go back for a review and rework of the basics.

The third one is the TT Transformation. Sounds like he took the best of the best of his fat burning workouts and put it together.

The first and third ones I'd like to try. Putting them on the docket! So many workouts, so little time. If you try them out, let me know what you think.

This post contains an affiliate link. Please see my disclosure statement.

The Hierarchy of Fat Loss by Cosgrove

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:52:00 +0000

This isn't the first time Alwyn Cosgrove has printed this article. It's one of my all time favorites, and one that I re-read when I feel I'm getting a little twisted up by all the "this-is-how-you-do-it" information out there on fat loss.

How many times have you searched the internet for that magic exercise/food/pill/program that will blast your fat for good? There is plenty of that information to be found. Gurus everywhere telling you they know exactly which exercises to do, which foods are super foods, how to get a 6-pack or mind blowing muscle. Oh yes, and the reason you haven't accomplished it yet is because you haven't purchased their program, because they are the only ones who happened to stumble across the answer and now they want to share it with you. They hold the magic answer for anywhere from $49.99 to however much money you want to spend. Sound familiar?

Don't get me wrong, there are some good programs to be found. I list several here on my recommended lists. The problem is that the marketing can be obnoxious. It keeps us in the magic solution mindset. In fact so much so that it's becoming more and more difficult to separate who is writing what program and which ones are for real. How do you know what to do?

I don't have all the answers, but I do have some thoughts:

Read the article, The Hierarchy of Fat Loss by Alwyn Cosgrove.
Re-read the article and compare your fitness and nutrition plan to what it is outlining.
Get your nutrition cleaned up. Before you ever count calories or grams of anything, clean your eating up. We don't have to be registered dieticians. We know a swiss cake roll out of a box isn't good for us.
Don't waste your workout time. It's valuable. Concentrate on the activities that give you the most bang for your buck.

Remember, it can be relatively simple, but it's never easy. We must stop looking for the easy button and just get to work.

By the way, did you know that everyone has a 6-pack, but whether or not you can see it depends on your level of body fat? So don't get hung up on whether or not you can get one. You have one. Concentrate on making it stronger for the sake of function/performance and on doing the activities that will blast fat and actually allow you to see it!

Would love to hear your thoughts on Cosgrove's article!

How to Sabotage Your Workout

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Moore) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 19:48:00 +0000

Here is a good guide on how to get the most ineffective workout possible. See if you recognize yourself. If not, incorporate some or all of these to be sure you don't get the results you want.

Get too little or too much sleep the night before.

Cool. Getting too little sleep shouldn't be a problem. I'll just eat a big carb-loaded meal late, top it off with some stimulating TV, play around on the computer, let the kids stay up too late and pick a fight with my spouse. Then I'll have a late night drink to calm down but read something that fires me up right before I go to sleep. I'll be sure the room is too warm and hopefully that late night drink will have me get up in the night to go to the bathroom. Awesome! If I have to go to work the next day I'll set the alarm to get up early and hit the snooze at least 3 times. If it's a Saturday I'll sleep in really late so that I can't get going all day. Got that one down!

Drink everything but water during the day.

This one shouldn't be a problem. I'll start the day with half a pot of coffee (I like a little coffee with my cream and sugar). I'll stop and get a 42 oz diet soft drink on the way to work (helps me get through my morning meetings). At lunch I'll drink another diet soft drink or maybe one of those big cups of sweet tea from the deli. I'll try to squeeze in my workout on my way home from work because we'll meet some friends for drinks before dinner (more sweet tea). Before we leave for dinner I'll probably finish off the rest of a juice box one of the kids wasted. Then maybe a glass of wine before bed. Oh, but should I sip water from the water fountain at the gym?

Hit the gym without a plan.

Super, one less thing I have to think about. That will give me more time to plan for lunch with clients, that big meeting this week, updating my status on my social media sites, my child's birthday party and which outfit makes me look the least fat for Saturday night out with friends. Wonder should I go try to find something new since I only have one pair of pants that aren't way too tight? Anyway, I won't have to work so hard in the gym because I can take my time figuring out which move comes next. That will be easy because I'll just choose the ones I like best. Hey, maybe Bob will be there so we can talk! I've heard resistance training is good, so maybe I'll do a few bicep curls, cheat on some bench presses and throw in some crunches, but I really like riding the elliptical so I can watch my favorite show or read a book. I'm thinking too much! But whatever, it still counts because I went to the gym and did something, right?

Eat high calorie, low nutritional value foods inconsistently throughout the day.

Are you kidding? I've got this one covered. I'll skip breakfast because I put so much fat and sugar in my coffee it fills me up, plus I have lots of energy! Hmmm...that mid morning slump will mean I can't make it until lunch, so is it okay if I grab something out of the break room machine or a pastry someone brought in? Oh yeah, we have a meeting that starts right after lunch so I'll just grab something from the fast food place across the street, if I even get to do that. I'll do pretty well on this tip though because I never plan for lunch and pack anything from home. Susie always has some candy or chips or something at her desk if I get hungry in the afternoon. That'll get me through the day until I can make it to our big dinner tonight! My favorite Italian restaurant! Can you say pasta-rama?! Then maybe I can rummage around in the fridge after everyone is in bed and the house is finally quiet.

There you go! You won't be eating much but you can still have all your favorite foods. You can say you go to the gym, but you won't have to work hard. You'll be able to continue your sleep deprivation without having to change, and who likes water anyway? These tips should at least get you started in the wrong direction and if you're lucky it might even snowball from there!

What is your favorite tip for sabotaging a workout?

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