This week, I learned yet another valuable lesson along my fitness journey. I’d like to share with you all.

I live in Ohio & we had unseasonably perfect weather this week. There were some stretches this summer where it was in the 90s with a lot of humidity. Those days usually came with air quality alerts that kept me from my running all together.

But this week was different and I wanted to take advantage of the weather while I could! I’ve condensed my workouts down to just one session taking place sometime in the 2-5 PM window. On Wednesday, I decided I’d run. I was encouraged since I had just shared with you all how much improved my running was thanks to a few short weeks of TurboFire.

Well, that optimism didn’t last long! After the usual 6-8 minute adjustment period — when I usually settle into a nice pace — I wasn’t feeling it, like I usually do. But I kept going. After a total of 15 minutes, I felt terrible. It was like my balance was off & I was almost dizzy. I knew it wasn’t the weather, so it had to be something else, right?

I took a look at what I did differently for this run. For starters, I don’t usually run in the daytime. So that was 1 big difference. Second, I didn’t eat before I ran. In past years, when I was in the early weeks of c25k, I would hit the road without eating anything at it would be fine. I guess that’s not the case when I’ve completed the Couch to 5k running plan and am consistently running for 30+ minutes each session. I bowed out of my run around the 19-20 minute mark and felt like utter crap. To make up for the apparent lack of a workout, I did some TurboFire, Fire 30. But I kept thinking about my failure of a run.

Then, yesterday, I ran again; but this time I did my usual routine of running about 2 hours after dinner. What was the result? The 30 minute run went very smoothly. I got into my usual groove & felt great the entire time.

What was the moral of this story? Find what works for you, when it comes to your running sessions. If you like running at the crack of dawn (more power to you!), then try to keep to that time if at all possible. If you don’t like to eat before you run, then stick with that as well!

When I ran my first 5k, 2 years ago, it was at 8AM. I had completed my c35k training and was running regular 35-40 minute sessions with ease. However, I struggled through the 5k; especially the last mile or so. The shock of running at such a different time, coupled with only having eaten a bowl of oatmeal prior, just didn’t work for me. That’s why I keep looking for evening 5k races to run. There aren’t that many offered, but there’s always the Fight Nite 5k…

I know what works for my body now. I’ve found that my body responds very well to nighttime running about 2 hours after a full meal. That’s why I won’t be straying much from my routine. So, if you find yourself struggling a little with your training, take a look at routine. Isolate certain factors such as time of day, pre-workout fuel, and weather. You’ll soon figure out what works for you and your running will improve!

I’ve been putting this post off for a couple of weeks now, and I’m putting my foot down now! I must talk about the latest and greatest fitness program from Chalene Johnson, TurboFire!

I mentioned that I’d be doing this program on my last fitness post, but I didn’t go into details. I’ll be doing that right here.

Being an alum of both Turbo Jam and ChaLEAN Extreme, I am extremely familiar with Chalene and her fitness programs. Also, as someone with a background in dance, I pick up choreography pretty easily. So, I approached TurboFire with a lot of optimism.

Chalene is very big on writing down your fitness goals. My August goals are very different than my January goals. My August goal is to stay in shape and keep moving, just like I mentioned in my previous post, Fighting the “Late Summer Slump”.

Really, what I want to do is keep moving. Just do something Monday – Friday. That’s my goal. Starting a 90-120 day program, like Turbo Fire, just gives me structure and accountability. That’s why I chose TurboFire. When I’m not doing a program with a planned out schedule, I’m more likely to slack off.

Right before I started TurboFire, I was already at my goal/happy weight. Once I get to about 130, my body gets stingy, to a fault, and clings to my weight like it’s going out of style. That’s how I know it’s my “happy weight”. All my clothes fit well, and I generally like the way I look. Sure my abs could always be flatter, but I’m not going to be prancing around without my clothes, or in a swimsuit, anytime soon, so it’s all good.

Well, 3 weeks into TurboFire, and I’m already down 2-3 lbs from that “happy weight”. It’s been a long time since I dipped into the 120s (I’m a tall, slender 5’8″), so this is new territory. With TF, Chalene triumphs the afterburn period; the post-workout time where your body continues to burn calories. I guess I am experiencing that. It has really kicked my metabolism up another level or two.

But let me tell you more about the program itself. Even if you are already in shape, it will improve your physical fitness even more. I’ve been running all summer, and I am 5k ready, even though I’ve yet to run one this year. After 2.5 weeks of TurboFire (and no running), I subbed in a 30-40 minute run for one of the workouts and was simply amazed at how effortless it was. Before TF, I wasn’t struggling or anything, but it did make my running sessions easier. I felt really good.

Each week I also noticed improvement with the TurboFire workouts. Not only was I becoming more familiar with them, but my recovery improved. I attribute this to the HIIT workouts. If you push yourself, as Chalene asks, you will be huffing & puffing, but as your fitness improves, it won’t take as long for you recover. In just 3 weeks, I’ve already noticed an improvement there. It’s very encouraging. She says those HIIT workouts help when you go on to do the longer/steady workouts (like running) and I’m here to say that she’s absolutely right!

FIRE 55 EZ

When I got my first taste of Fire 55 EZ, I was totally dreading it. Part of the reason I liked ChaLEAN Extreme so much was because the workouts were never longer than 45 minutes. I have attention span issues and I’m not one of those people that can just workout forever and love it. (It’s why I haven’t made the commitment to P90X yet). So the thought of a 55 minute workout scared me! I figured she rounded down to 55, but she actually rounded up! With the warm-up and cool down, it’s really like 40 minutes. Not bad at all! My attention span isn’t an issue at all & I really enjoy it! The music is great, and the choreography is EZ, just like the title says.

FIRE 45 EZ

Just like the 55 minute version, I thought Fire 45 EZ was very doable. Got my heart rate up and is nice to get a break from the Fire Drills. I’ve only done it once, though the schedule called for me to do it twice last week. The first day was the day I subbed in a run. The second time I was hurting because Mother Nature had just “blessed” me with my monthly gift. I don’t like skipping workouts because of cramp, so I fought through it. I’ll have to report back when I’ve done it at full strength.

FIRE 45

So far, this is the toughest TurboFire workout I’ve done. The choreography isn’t terribly complicated or anything, but the combination of the moves is what makes this one hard. There are a lot of kicks in this workout, so that’s what I mostly attribute to its toughness. I don’t know about anyone else, but I have really long legs. I already mentioned that I’m 5’8″, but I’m alllll legs. My college roommate liked to tell people that my legs grown out of my armpits. So, getting those kicks up high during this workout really takes it out of me. I mean, front-front, back-back, side-side — all at a very fast pace & in succession — is very tiring! In the TurboJam videos, the combo might include 1, maybe 2, kicks at most. And they wouldn’t be back-to-back either. That’s what I was expecting. But Chalene wasn’t having none of that in TurboFire!

The combo is sometimes nothing but kicks. That’s hard when you’re going so fast! The 1st time I did it, I didn’t lower them any, & I almost didn’t make it through the workout! Now I lower them a little, as do a lot of (if not most) people in the TF class. I look forward to the day when I’ll be able to do my usual high kicks for this workout. But regardless of modifying the kicks, when I get to the end, I’m exhausted! It’s the workout that take the most out of me, cardio-wise! But I love it! Like Chalene says, you look forward to that feeling, at the end of the workout, where you feel so accomplished. It’s a great natural high!

But with the toughest workout also comes my 1 big complaint with TurboFire, thus far. I hate, hate, hate the Fire Drill that remixes Ike & Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary”. I like the move, but the transition is just so awkward and off-putting. I can’t stand it. I literally roll my eyes every time Chalene tells us to do “The Tina” & the music cuts to that song. It’s just so forced. Whomever produced that segment didn’t do a good job. Just terrible. Very disappointed.

FIRE 30

I can see myself using this workout as a multipurpose workout for a long time to come. Absolutely loved the music and it’s the perfect length for those days when I’m just not feelin’ it, but I force myself to do something. Before, that workout was the TurboJam 20 minute workout or the TurboJam Cardio Party Remix. I think it is now Fire 30. Love the choreography and especially the music. Enjoyed this during week 1. Hasn’t been back on the Class Schedule since then, though. Maybe next month?

HIIT WORKOUTS

I’ll talk about all 3 of them right here. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these! I got a little taste of this method of training via ChaLEAN Extreme, in the Burn It Off and Fat Burn Challenge workouts. Also, TurboJam’s “Fat Blaster” workout is similar to this method of training. These are right up my alley, because they are fast and super intense! You should notice an improvement in these workouts from week-to-week as well. That’s what I love the most! Seeing that you’re getting in better & better shape is so motivating! And seriously, if you’re not out of breath at the end of a combo, you have got to put more into it! It’s good for you!

SCULPT 30 / TONE 30

These 2 strength-ish workouts are pretty much wasted on me. I like the creativity and different approach from using resistance tubing, but it hasn’t worked too well for me so far. First of all, the tube I have is the lightest resistance, so it’s a chore to make the exercises adequately challenging. Then there’s the ongoing issue of the very low ceilings in my workout space. Hinders form and the effectiveness of certain moves. All in all, I’d just assume pop in one of the Burn Circuit workouts from ChaLEAN Extreme instead. Actually, I think that’s what I might do. I want my body to be challenged and these aren’t really working for me.

So those are my thoughts on the TurboFire workouts I’ve done thus far. I’m really liking the program so far, and can’t wait to see how the next month goes!

**Lifted from one of my fave message boards. See how many of these items you can relate to!**

When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were. When they were growing up ; what with walking twenty-five miles to school every morning….Up hill… Barefoot…BOTH ways… yadda, yadda, yadda

And I remember promising myself that when I grew up there was no way in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on my kids about how hard I had it and how easy they’ve got it!

But now that I’m over the ripe old age of thirty, I can’t help but look around and notice the youth of today. You’ve got it so easy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a damn Utopia! And I hate to say it, but you kids today, you don’t know how good you’ve got it!

I mean, when I was a kid we didn’t have the Internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the damn library and look it up ourselves, in the card catalog!!

There was no email !! We had to actually write somebody a letter – with a pen! Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox, and it would take like a week to get there! Stamps were 10 cents!

Child Protective Services didn’t care if our parents beat us. As a matter of fact, the parents of all my friends also had permission to kick our ass! Nowhere was safe!

There were no MP3′s or iTunes! If you wanted to steal music, you had to hitchhike to the record store and shop lift it yourself!

Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio, and the DJ would usually talk over the beginning and @#*% it all up ! There were no CD players! We had tape decks in our car. We’d play our favorite tape and “eject” it when finished, and then the tape would come undone rendering it useless. Cause, hey, that’s how we rolled, Baby! Dig?

We didn’t have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and somebody else called, they got a busy signal, that’s it!

There weren’t any freakin’ cell phones either. If you left the house, you just didn’t make a damn call or receive one. You actually had to be out of touch with your “friends”. OH MY GOD !!! Think of the horror… not being in touch with someone 24/7!!! And then there’s TEXTING. Yeah, right. Please! You kids have no idea how annoying you are.

And we didn’t have fancy Caller ID either! When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your school, your parents, your boss, your bookie, your drug dealer, the collection agent… you just didn’t know!!! You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister!

We didn’t have any fancy PlayStation or Xbox video games with high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games like ‘Space Invaders’ and ‘Asteroids’. Your screen guy was a little square! You actually had to use your imagination!!! And there were no multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen… Forever! And you could never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and faster and faster until you died! Just like LIFE!

You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on! You were screwed when it came to channel surfing! You had to get off your ass and walk over to the TV to change the channel!!! NO REMOTES!!! Oh, no, what’s the world coming to?!?!

There was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons on Saturday Morning. Do you hear what I’m saying? We had to wait ALL WEEK for cartoons, you spoiled little rat-finks!

And we didn’t have microwaves. If we wanted to heat something up , we had to use the stove! Imagine that!

And our parents told us to stay outside and play… all day long. Oh, no, no electronics to soothe and comfort. And if you came back inside… you were doing chores!

And car seats – oh, please! Mom threw you in the back seat and you hung on. If you were luckily, you got the “safety arm” across the chest at the last moment if she had to stop suddenly, and if your head hit the dashboard, well that was your fault for calling “shot gun” in the first place!

See! That’s exactly what I’m talking about! You kids today have got it too easy. You’re spoiled rotten! You guys wouldn’t have lasted five minutes back in 1980or any time before!

Regards,
The Over 30 Crowd

This happened a couple of weeks ago, but I’m just now getting around to writing about it. I wasn’t going to, but I feel that CVS deserves to be called out for this.

Last month, while browsing the Sunday ads, I came across a wonderful manufacturer’s coupon for Playtex Gentle Glide tampons. (If you are a male, don’t worry, I’m not going to go into details or anything about its intended usage lol) Anywho, it was a buy 36-count box and get an 18-count box free. Yes, free!

I’ve never seen a coupon like this for this particular product, and since it’s a regular purchase, I was ready to jump all over it!

But when I got to CVS, the only available options for Playtex Gently Glide were the 36-count boxes. This isn’t a matter of the 18-ct boxes being sold out. The display was fully stocked but only with 36-ct boxes. So, even if you bought a box, you couldn’t use your coupon to get a freebie.

Now, I buy my tampons at CVS all the time — overall, I’m a very loyal shopper — and they have always had both 18 and 36 count boxes available. But clearly, they knew about this coupon, so they removed the 18-ct boxes as a money saving move. I know they run a business, but this was a punk move IMO and I don’t appreciate it. They probably didn’t think that many people would notice, but I did, and so, I’m calling them out.

It was one coupon, one time! It’s not like Playtex regularly places this in Sunday papers. (In fact, this is the 1st time I’ve ever seen one!) So, give your customers a freakin’ break already. The economy’s bad!

Now, I shall return you all to your regularly scheduled programming.

It happens to me every year.

I rock the shit out of my workout schedule from January through the end of July, and then August happens.

I’m not sure if it’s the weather or just a sense of satisfaction in accomplishing my fitness/body goals, but with August comes maaaaaajor slackage in my fitness routine. Usually, all I do is Couch to 5k training and running a 5k. And those workouts are only 3 times a week. No weight training. No ab work. No stretching. No pilates/ballet/yoga.

Then, come September, the c25k runs get even less infrequent. Maybe once a week, if the weather cooperates (which it rarely does). By the time October rolls around, I am doing absolutely nothing and remain rather idle until late December or early January, when I start all over again.

This year I’ve vowed to break the trend of late summer slacking. Conveniently, I ended my second round of ChaLEAN Extreme at the end of July, so that left me open to a new routine, beginning in August. I stuck with Chalene and chose TurboFire. I am a big CJ fan and have thoroughly enjoyed both Turbo Jam and ChaLEAN Extreme, so I figured I’d give TurboFire a try.

Now, I’ve made it known that I’m a HUGE college football fan. All I do — from the moment I wake up, until I go to bed — is watch football. Attending or watching games, pre-shows, highlight shows, whatever. That’s it. I eat in front of the TV. I’m not taking a break for a workout/shower. That’s just how it is.

So, as a result, I have decided to alter the class schedule to my liking. I hit my goal weight a month ago (and am still losing w/out trying), so I just want to maintain. 5 days per week is good enough for me. I know I’m not to do HIIT workouts to days in a row, so sometimes I must do some shuffling, but that’s ok. Taking into account the 1st month of classes, I’ll have to drop 1 day’s worth of a workouts per week. And that will likely be the Core 20/Stretch 40 day. Sometimes I could feel motivated and do something on a Sunday, but that would be an exception to the rule.

I’m about to finish my second week of August activity and I feel good. Really, what I want to do is keep moving. Just do something Monday – Friday. That’s my goal. Starting a 90-120 day program, like Turbo Fire, just gives me structure and accountability. That’s why I chose TurboFire. When I’m not doing a program with a planned out schedule, I’m more likely to slack off.

I stopped working out last fall, and then we finished our basement, which is where I do my workouts. So, my usual Dec/Jan startup time was pushed back to March. I wasn’t fitting into my jeans! I’m not ever going to let that happen again!

So, this will be the first time in years (if ever), that I will be working out year round. Don’t get me wrong. I might take a recovery week here or there, but they won’t be consecutive.

Wish me luck!

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World Famous Pig Run 5k

The 2010 version of the World Famous Pig Run 5k at the Columbus Jazz & Ribfest is next Saturday, July 24th. It looks promising and let me tell you why: it starts at 7PM.

I know a lot of people wake up and run first thing in the morning. Good for y’all! I don’t roll like that, though. I run at night. 8AM 5K races will be run as a last resort, and only when there are no options for later races. My body simply does not function properly in the AM hours.

I usually like to decide on a race and then give myself a couple of weeks of fine tuning to get ready. This one would give me maybe 1 or 2 more trial runs (Sun/Tues or Mon/Wed), then I’d need to rest the legs ahead of race day. I’ll sleep on it. If I can’t do this race, it might be another month before another evening one shows up…

The TV Gods have answered our prayers; they are allowing up to see a new season of TBS’ hit comedy “My Boys”!

About time! Now, if they would give us some reruns during the off-season, I’d be even happier, but beggars can’t be choosy, I guess.

Anyway, check out the new Season 4 promo below:

Click here to view the embedded video.

And be sure to watch season premiere, July 25th at 10 PM (ET) on TBS.

If I had a quarter for every time I’ve seen someone (mostly on Twitter) make a comment about the way my boy Evan Turner speaks, it would fund a nice trip to Vegas; which, coincidentally, I need to start saving for.

There are harmless comments, which I don’t mind seeing because a lot of people have just started becoming familiar with him. But it’s the ones making uncalled for comments and jokes that make me want to gouge people’s eyes out. But again, these people probably wouldn’t make those comments if they knew his back story. I try to keep that in mind, but it’s just so damn tacky.

So this post is dedicated to NBA fans, and Philadelphia 76ers fans in particular.

Don’t know his back story? Let me fill you in right quick. Evan had a rough beginning to his life. He had so many incidents and medical issues in his early years. Consider this short passage from ESPN:

A strapping 10-pound baby at birth, Turner had chicken pox, pneumonia, asthma and measles before he celebrated a birthday. When a measles epidemic swept through Chicago in the winter of 1989, Iris found her baby so ill he couldn’t even cry. She called a doctor who, presumably figuring she was exaggerating, suggested she come to the office. Guided instead by her mother’s instincts, Iris took him to the emergency room.

“Doctors took one look at him and just took him away,” Iris said. “They had tubes and machines and everything there in a second. He nearly died.”

Turner survived the measles but had severe breathing problems. Surgery to remove his adenoids and tonsils eventually eased the struggles, but for the first year of his life, Turner slept on his mother’s chest every night because when she put him on his back in his crib, he would almost stop breathing.

Continuing through his Job-like childhood, Turner survived being hit by a car as a 3-year-old (his mother saw him flip in the air and land on his head, but Turner walked away with just a concussion and stitches).

Oh, but there’s more…

He also struggled to speak as a toddler. Saddled with oversize baby teeth and a difficult overbite, he was capable of talking, but only his older brother, Darius, could understand him. Even Iris would turn to Darius for interpretation and translation from the boy who called her “Bobba” because he couldn’t say “Momma.”

“I don’t know what he would have done without Darius,” Iris said of her two boys’ special bond.

Intense speech therapy helped Turner, but the sting of special classes and the frustration of not being understood left Turner reserved and insecure. “I’d be yelling, ‘Darius, what does he want? What does he want?’ and poor Evan would get so frustrated, he’d say, “Oh, nebber minb [mimicking the way Turner spoke].”

Still got jokes?

And no, he is not deaf. I’ve seen quite a few people asking that.

Just want people to keep that in mind next time they’re ready to go in on Evan Turner’s voice. He’s going to be a force in the NBA, so learn the story, spread it, and get used to hearing him speak!

S/O: Did y’all peep Evan’s NBA debut in his Orlando summer league game tonight? He had almost as many rebounds as points. Should sound familiar to us Buckeye fans. He was also rocking Scarlet shoes. Once a Buckeye…

Postgame interview after you jump!

Evan Turner continues his post NBA draft tour tonight in his hometown by throwing out the 1st pitch at the Cubs/Pirates game. He also gave a so-so rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the 7th inning stretch. But let’s be real. Has anyone ever heard a really good celebrity take on the popular tune? Hmmmm…

Click here to view the embedded video.

Good thing he has that whole basketball thing going for him, right? Still love me some ET, though!

Here are some pics of him at the game, all found on Twitter via Crowdreel (awesome, awesome resource for photos shared via Twitter. Check it out!)

Catch his ceremonial pitch from his Philly debut, Friday, after the jump…shot.

Click here to view the embedded video.