I found this list on the Mens Health website at http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/reasons_to_lose_weight/index.php
It's pretty funny and it just might hit home with some readers.
Check it out.
"20 Reasons to Lose 20 Pounds"
written by Mike Zimmerman.
1. Because you whine that you need to. Have you ever been wrong about anything?
2. Twenty pounds of warm human fat can refill every bottle in an empty case of beer, with enough left over to fill your blender.
3. The statement "There's more of me to love" has an actual bedroom translation of "There's more of me to endure."
4. It's not scaling Everest or writing the great American novel. You can do it in your spare time.
5. You'll speak of toaster pastries the way you talk about that dirty blonde from the blues bar in Berkeley, another whiskey-soaked lament over a love too great to last.
6. It's the difference between being thought of as jolly or witty.
7. You'll lose weight everywhere, including the suprapubic fat pad at the base of your penis. So as your belly shrinks, something else appears to grow.
8. Decreased: your chances of developing heart disease, prostate cancer, diabetes, sleep apnea, depression, back pain, impotence, gallstones, joint problems, high blood pressure, low sperm counts, and an impressive collection of prescription-drug bottles.
9. Increased: your chances of putting four fingers on a basketball rim.
10. You'll literally get closer to women.
11. Holy sh-- . . . abs!
12. Men who lose weight never have less sex. They may not have more, mind you, but they never have less.
13. You'll shock the world at your local pool by being the only "big splash" champ to win the "little splash" crown.
14. Research shows that since you'll have less weight propelling you into the windshield, you'll also have less risk of dying when your car hits a semi.
15. Every time you pick up a 20-pound dumbbell, you'll remember.
16. You'll be able to reach even more places to scratch.
17. The clothing cliche: It's liberating the first time your pants fall down by themselves.
18. More pullups, because there's less to pull up.
19. Wait till you ride a WaveRunner, quad, or snowmobile when you're 20 pounds lighter. Vroom, baby.
20. In our society, people respect weight loss. Even if you do nothing cool or interesting or memorable for the rest of your life, you'll have done that.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
What Is Your Motivation?
What is your motivation for being fit? For me it’s to feel good and have a decent cardio level to enjoy physical activities such as motocross or the occasional basketball game. I have friends and co-workers are motivated to get fit and are looking for training suggestions. I will offer a few ideas involving cardio and lifting weights. I will say cardio is a great way to shed the pounds – especially running, and the conversation takes a dramatic turn.
I once had this very conversation with a coworker. He wanted to drop about 30lbs and get in shape for motocross. I told him that running and cycling was a great way to train. He said, “yeah but I have bad knees.” I looked puzzled at this 30 year old male with no apparent physical ailment. He in turn looks at me with the same matter of fact expression that Grandpa had when he explained he couldn’t go near a microwave because of his new pacemaker. He repeated, ‘’I have bad knees.’’ Really? Did you have knee surgery? No. Do you think you need surgery? No. Have you confirmed your problem with a doctor? No. He continued to look at me with a hollow expression like it was day three of looking for ‘ol Yeller and still no trace. “My knees hurt when I run,” he explained. Now I am not a physician nor do I play one on T.V., but I have an idea of what is going on here. Consider this; it may be no coincidence that weight gain + time + inactivity = painful knees….just a thought. However, this individual chalked it up to age and age alone, letting him believe that cardio was out of the question. But let’s look at it this way: we have the same skeleton that we had when we were 18 years old and weighed 165 lbs. Now year’s later and 50lbs heavier, our joints are under a bit more stress. Naturally there will be pain or stiffness associated with exercising, which is a good reason to take it slow in the beginning and seek out professional advice. But all too often people let perceived obstacles become their roadblock, and never move beyond the conversation of fitness. In the case of my co-worker, he never got past his knee issue despite the fact that he belonged to a gym that provided several low-impact cardio options to choose from. He still tells me he wants to lose weight, but is still not going to the gym or improving his diet.
I had a tri-athlete buddy of mine that never skipped a workout regardless of how he felt (within reason). But he didn’t work out for tri-athilons; he worked out because he loved surfing. I guess it really comes back to motivation. If the motivation is strong, then we will find a way to get over the hurdle. So what is your motivation?
I once had this very conversation with a coworker. He wanted to drop about 30lbs and get in shape for motocross. I told him that running and cycling was a great way to train. He said, “yeah but I have bad knees.” I looked puzzled at this 30 year old male with no apparent physical ailment. He in turn looks at me with the same matter of fact expression that Grandpa had when he explained he couldn’t go near a microwave because of his new pacemaker. He repeated, ‘’I have bad knees.’’ Really? Did you have knee surgery? No. Do you think you need surgery? No. Have you confirmed your problem with a doctor? No. He continued to look at me with a hollow expression like it was day three of looking for ‘ol Yeller and still no trace. “My knees hurt when I run,” he explained. Now I am not a physician nor do I play one on T.V., but I have an idea of what is going on here. Consider this; it may be no coincidence that weight gain + time + inactivity = painful knees….just a thought. However, this individual chalked it up to age and age alone, letting him believe that cardio was out of the question. But let’s look at it this way: we have the same skeleton that we had when we were 18 years old and weighed 165 lbs. Now year’s later and 50lbs heavier, our joints are under a bit more stress. Naturally there will be pain or stiffness associated with exercising, which is a good reason to take it slow in the beginning and seek out professional advice. But all too often people let perceived obstacles become their roadblock, and never move beyond the conversation of fitness. In the case of my co-worker, he never got past his knee issue despite the fact that he belonged to a gym that provided several low-impact cardio options to choose from. He still tells me he wants to lose weight, but is still not going to the gym or improving his diet.
I had a tri-athlete buddy of mine that never skipped a workout regardless of how he felt (within reason). But he didn’t work out for tri-athilons; he worked out because he loved surfing. I guess it really comes back to motivation. If the motivation is strong, then we will find a way to get over the hurdle. So what is your motivation?
Monday, July 6, 2009
Cereal Bowls and Fitness Goals
Check out this article found at sciencedaily.com. This can be a very inexpensive means of aiding recovery – and it’s something most people have in the pantry.
"Cereal And Milk Is The New Sports Supplement"
ScienceDaily (May 15, 2009) — A bowl of whole-grain cereal is as good as a sports drink for recovery after exercise. New research has shown that the readily available and relatively inexpensive breakfast food is as effective as popular, carbohydrate-based "sports drinks."
Exercise physiologist Lynne Kammer, from The University of Texas at Austin, led a group of researchers who investigated the post-exercise physiological effects of the foods. Kammer and her team studied 12 trained cyclists, 8 male and 4 female. In contrast to many sports nutrition studies, however, the exercise protocol was designed to reflect a typical exercise session. After a warm-up period, the subjects cycled for two hours at a comfortable work rate, rather than the more frequently seen test-to-exhaustion.
"Our goal was to compare whole grain cereal plus milk—which are ordinary foods—and sports drinks, after moderate exercise," said Kammer. "We wanted to understand their relative effects on glycogen repletion and muscle protein synthesis for the average individual. We found that glycogen repletion, or the replenishment of immediate muscle fuel, was just as good after whole grain cereal consumption and that some aspects of protein synthesis were actually better".
"Cereal and non-fat milk are a less expensive option than sports drinks. The milk provides a source of easily digestible and high quality protein, which can promote protein synthesis and training adaptations, making this an attractive recovery option for those who refuel at home".
The researchers concluded that, for amateur athletes and moderately physically active individuals who are trying to keep in shape, popping into the kitchen for a quick bowl of whole-grain cereal with a splash of skimmed milk may be a smarter move than investing in a high-priced sports drink.
Kammer and her colleagues are scientists in the College of Education's Department of Kinesiology and Health Education. This study was supported by General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition.
"Cereal And Milk Is The New Sports Supplement"
ScienceDaily (May 15, 2009) — A bowl of whole-grain cereal is as good as a sports drink for recovery after exercise. New research has shown that the readily available and relatively inexpensive breakfast food is as effective as popular, carbohydrate-based "sports drinks."
Exercise physiologist Lynne Kammer, from The University of Texas at Austin, led a group of researchers who investigated the post-exercise physiological effects of the foods. Kammer and her team studied 12 trained cyclists, 8 male and 4 female. In contrast to many sports nutrition studies, however, the exercise protocol was designed to reflect a typical exercise session. After a warm-up period, the subjects cycled for two hours at a comfortable work rate, rather than the more frequently seen test-to-exhaustion.
"Our goal was to compare whole grain cereal plus milk—which are ordinary foods—and sports drinks, after moderate exercise," said Kammer. "We wanted to understand their relative effects on glycogen repletion and muscle protein synthesis for the average individual. We found that glycogen repletion, or the replenishment of immediate muscle fuel, was just as good after whole grain cereal consumption and that some aspects of protein synthesis were actually better".
"Cereal and non-fat milk are a less expensive option than sports drinks. The milk provides a source of easily digestible and high quality protein, which can promote protein synthesis and training adaptations, making this an attractive recovery option for those who refuel at home".
The researchers concluded that, for amateur athletes and moderately physically active individuals who are trying to keep in shape, popping into the kitchen for a quick bowl of whole-grain cereal with a splash of skimmed milk may be a smarter move than investing in a high-priced sports drink.
Kammer and her colleagues are scientists in the College of Education's Department of Kinesiology and Health Education. This study was supported by General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
I Love "The Biggest Loser"
The NBC studios continue to hit the nail on the head with their show the “The Biggest Loser.” If you are unfamiliar with the show, they basically take obese participants, and change their lives. They focus on exercise and diet and prove what the human body is capable of, as some participants lose up to 50% of their body weight over the course of the season. Clearly the contestants are not living in the real world as they live at “The Ranch” which provides a healthy environment including a strict diet, world class trainers, and a gym on site. These are advantages that most of the world simply does not enjoy. However, through the course of the program, we see how the human body can respond when given these advantages. No surgeries, no pills, just a proper diet and aggressive physical exercise. In the real world we have time crunches that may keep us from hitting the gym, or lead us through the drive-thru. We may not be able to drop the pounds as quickly as the contestants, but with some time management and motivation, we can still see results. If you think you can’t change your body, watch the show.
These surgery free transformations are inspiring and are a huge part of why I watch the program. I am not going to bash surgery as that can be the best alternative for some people. I just love the fact that someone can naturally lose half of their weight and live a better life without going under the knife. You hear contestants claim they no longer have back problems, they have lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels, and their diabetes is gone. Not to mention they can be more physically active, and lead a more fulfilling life.
Really the only thing they are doing is creating lifestyle changes. When people say they can’t lose weight, or get in shape, maybe what they’re really saying is they don’t want to change how they live. As evident by the show, the body handles change impressively. In less than a year many of them are reversing years of growing obesity and health issues. If you are not a fan, you should check out some before and after photos of past seasons. Amazing what the human body can accomplish.
These surgery free transformations are inspiring and are a huge part of why I watch the program. I am not going to bash surgery as that can be the best alternative for some people. I just love the fact that someone can naturally lose half of their weight and live a better life without going under the knife. You hear contestants claim they no longer have back problems, they have lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels, and their diabetes is gone. Not to mention they can be more physically active, and lead a more fulfilling life.
Really the only thing they are doing is creating lifestyle changes. When people say they can’t lose weight, or get in shape, maybe what they’re really saying is they don’t want to change how they live. As evident by the show, the body handles change impressively. In less than a year many of them are reversing years of growing obesity and health issues. If you are not a fan, you should check out some before and after photos of past seasons. Amazing what the human body can accomplish.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
