Lead a Fit and Healthy Life
Archive for November, 2010
For Paleo-ish to go mainstream, it’s got to be somewhat price competitive
01 year ago
Budget Paleo | Free The Animal
Some good ideas here — not necessarily on board with all yet, but its certainly in line with what I am starting to see and believe….
For Paleo-ish to go mainstream, it’s got to be somewhat price competitive
Let’s face up to it and admit it: the obesity problem in America, and why it leads the way worldwide, can be reduced to an essential single development: cheap “food.” I’m increasingly coming to the opinion that the primary cause underlying that, is the relative cheapness of liquid calories (albeit, not nutrition — it’s just raw caloric energy). And the rest of the world now follows suit because they too are learning — from us — how to supply more calories per dollar and the obvious choice for any company wanting to maximize profit is to deliver their calories in the form of a quickly digesting beverage.
Most of you have heard the arguments supporting that, so I’ll not rehash it (feel free in comments). Now, health markers might be a different subject, but to my mind, there’s no quicker way to get fat than to drink a lot of your calories, and this is what people are doing, especially kids.
It’s not about factory farmed meats vs. grassfed and pastured…..
….You see, here’s one thing about all aspects of all diets and all eating lifestyles, including Paleo: nutritional density and cost are nowhere near correlated. Ounce per ounce and gram for gram, some of the most nutritionally vapid food is the most expensive, while some of the most nutritionally dense is the cheapest.
Mini Camp Workout
11 year ago
by Stephy
in Fitness/Exercise
Someone recently asked me why do I keep posting my workouts and talking about all the focus it takes to live healthy and fit — i think personally it’s good to have a record of the work I have done and track my progress but it’s also for anyone that follows me -you know that they are not alone in their journey. You can be confident that I am up at the crack of dawn working on my fitness and it’s working. I am not some superhero or have extra help that allows me to do this –Me and the 20 other women that get up alongside of me to head to Plumbline are normal everyday people just like you – full time parents, full time jobs, stress, illness, successes, challenges you name it — it’s a choice, commitment and awareness of how important being fit and healthy is to them and to those around them. And the benefits of leading this life present themselves in so many unexpected ways — that’s one of the best parts!
I chose to get up today at 5a even though when that alarm went off, I thought no way can it be time yet — but it was. Today’s Plumbline boot camp was inside which was good — it wasn’t as cold as yesterday but it was rainy. It was a twist to the normal inside workout – and I loved it! Mikey split it into 2 mini workouts and split up the groups. Space is limited at Plumbline Training – so you definitely need a space management degree! Each workout had a time limit of 15 mins and then we switched –
warmup
checkpoints
forward lunges
frankensteins
pushups
corex2
partner ball toss 14lb
6in bridge 14lb dynamax
general stretching
partner high five push -ups
15,12,9,6,3
hang clean press 65lb
150 jump rope
burpees
15,12,9,6,3
push press squat 65lb
50 ring rows
I didn’t finish either session in the 30 min time limit– but it was a great workout for me. I really like the mini camp approach better than AMRAP 3-5 min sessions. Something about knowing there is a max rep to complete helps me get through the workout-or at least gives me the illusion of helping me….
Freeze your butt off workout
01 year ago
by Stephy
in Fitness/Exercise
Stac!, Me, & Cheryl 'Jersey'
Super cold morning – sub 30′ outside. I want to acknowledge how sweet my husband is for allowing my car to be in the garage last night so that I didn’t have to scrape the frost/ice off the windshield and get the shock of the cold air when I first went outside. Little did I know that one of the stations was us running 900m — Brrrr! Off to Plumbline Training, hi ho hi ho….
The week of being off my routine has me 2lbs up — The plan is to refocus and get back on track starting today. You have to have a plan…back to work, back to routine, back in business!
warmupx2
rockette kicks
forward lunges
tabatas
corex2
scissor kicks
side plank push-ups
alternate side back extensions
general stretching
25 push-ups
5m stations
rope waves (1m left arm, 1m right arm, 1min both arms, 1m left, 1m right)
Assisted pull-ups
20lb db step ups (switch legs half point)
450m run x2
SDHP 65lbs
NFL star Michael Vick urges kindness to animals in visit to New Haven school – King Of Prussia Courier
11 year ago
NFL star Michael Vick urges kindness to animals in visit to New Haven school
Now I have mixed feelings about this. I do believe people can change and perhaps Vick has changed but he treated those dogs so badly, that how do you forgive that? Those dogs didn’t want that and didn’t deserve it and the thought of it, just breaks my heart. Here’s this guy who is still able to play football, earn big bucks after what he did. Sure he goes around to schools talking about it to help make amends, but has he really paid a real tangible price for what he did? I’m not so sure…
NEW HAVEN — Philadelphia Eagles star quarterback Michael Vick told Hillhouse High School students on Tuesday morning that he would hold them accountable to be kind to animals and to attain their goals.
Vick, who was imprisoned for 18 months for running a dogfighting ring in Georgia, has been traveling with Wayne Pacelle, a New Haven native and president of the Humane Society of the United States, to talk about his experiences and urge students not to get involved in animal cruelty.
“I didn’t really care what people felt about animals,” Vick told an audience full of students excited to see the star. “I didn’t care about the welfare of animals.”
Vick, whose Eagles beat the New York Giants in Philadelphia on Sunday, pointed out that animals have no choice when they’re put in the ring. If you could ask a dog if it wants to fight, “Do you think he’ll say yeah?” Vick asked.
Vick said he saw good coming out of his negative experience. “I think I’m being used by God, because all the laws have changed since my incident,” he said.
But while he has served his legal obligation and is working “to turn it into something positive,” as Pacelle said, he is still paying a price.
“Nowadays, every day my daughters ask me if we can get a dog. … I can’t get a dog for my kids,” said Vick, who is barred from owning animals.
Gold’s Gym Workout
01 year ago
by Stephy
in Fitness/Exercise
I decided to go to Gold’s because I was just not in the mood for a run outside. I ran on Thanksgiving and just wasn’t into running solo. I haven’t been to Gold’s since probably late spring – why workout inside when the weather is beautiful and you can get outside?? Gold’s Gym in Ashburn is closing end of December to make way for the Super Gold’s that is opening in Ashburn. The front desk person said that they are opening the new Gold’s in stages and it will be open when the other one closes for work out weight equipment and cardio machines. The classes area and swimming pool will follow early 2011. Exciting happenings in Ashburn!! I get a free membership to Gold’s via my company and it has come in handy during the winter and crappy weather days.
I ran for 15mins to warm-up then headed to the weight room. I did some back squats 55lb and OH squats 55lb. Walking lunges 25db, hang clean press 25lb, 50 push-ups, 50 box jumps, 30 pull ups with what I think is a KIP. Now I say that because I can’t do a kip without a bench to help me get up on the bar and to lean on. I know it gets my HR up, so it works for me for now. I stayed at the gym about 1:15mins.
Core
BOSU push ups
14lb ball twists
full back extensions
6in leg lifts
14lb Med Ball swing squats
An observation from my gym time today. I have never been one to get a lot of attention from guys – in general, specifically at the gym. I have gone to Gold’s for 2 or so years now and rarely, if ever does a guy talk to me. Since I have lost more weight and continued on being fit, it has been happening more and more. Today, 4 different guys stopped me to talk about my workout or tell me they were impressed or asked me what type of workout I was doing. Maybe I am reading into it, but guys in general are usually pretty easy to read and if I was the old Stephanie – I don’t think they would have stopped to talk to me. Not a criticism or a brag, just an observation of how living this life changes a lot of things around you.
General Thoughts for the Day
01 year ago
by Stephy
in General Reflections
A few random thoughts to post before I go workout:
We went to see Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer at Adventure Theater — and in the show there was a line that said - Rudolph, you can’t run from your problems. Right after that line, a little girl in front of us asked her Mommy – why? That struck me as funny. Remember the innocence of being a kid? The are so black and white. For the most part they can run because they know Mommy and Daddy will take care of their problems — Ahh youth.
On a friend’s Facebook the other day:
‘People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they’re right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together’I have let a few people in my life go the past few years because of change and it has been challenging but yet exhilarating. I was never the person who chose to let friends and family go even though it was the right thing to do. I am not the same person I was a few years ago and no longer accept people into my close circle unless they meet my criteria. I used to make accommodations for people simply because I felt I was the lucky one to have them in my life. I now know that I deserve people who are interested in me as much as I am in them. They put the effort into us as much as I put the effort in. They think about me in the context of their lives as much as I do to them. Relationships are give and take and for a while, I was willing to accept a lot more take than give. Another unexpected benefit of living healthy and fit –
Adventure Weekend
01 year ago
During our week of staycation/Thanksgiving, I wanted the kids to get out and do stuff. Today we went to Adventure Theater at Glen Echo Park in Maryland to see Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The play was an hour and was so cute — perfect for the family. Glen Echo Park
He gets so excited to hang out with me
looks like a great place to take the kids for a day exploring too — so I will definitely head back there when it gets warmer.
After the late afternoon play, we headed over to eat in Bethesda. When Scott and I first moved to the area in 1996, we used to meet my sister for dinner around St Elmo St. We ate at Haandi 
Indian on Fremont on this trip and it was delish! It is cold here tonite too – Yes, I know I have now gone 3 days without sticking to my Paleo eating — and trust me I do recognize the difference in my mood and physical state — and not for the better — so I am not abandoning it, but living it loosely just for this past weekend. I will be back to my regular routine on Monday and back with my focus on eating properly. Should be interesting to see how these past few days will affect the scale.
Last night Scott and I met up with my friend Cheryl who was in town from Florida. We met at Clyde’s Willow Creek and I had 2 Caramel Apple Martinis. Anyone who knows me knows I am not a drinker — I rarely drink and it’s no suprrise that those drinks hit me like a ton of bricks. I don’t know how people do that regularly, I hate the way I feel the next morning.
Tomorrow, I will hit the road and go for a run. I feel the need to work off some of this gluttony.
Thanksgiving Recovery Workout
01 year ago
Yes, I did indeed keep my appointment with Group training today at 545A. Just because there is no work today does not mean your body gets a day off. Turkey day was my day to let my guard down in regards to what I ate. I enjoy eating pumpkin pie and turkey with all the trimmings — and life is about enjoying as long as you keep your focus. Today – I will be back on the wagon with what I eat.
Today’s group was an odd one and I am not sure I thought it was worth it. I go there to work up a sweat, build muscle and get stress out. Mikey tried something new — we spent the majority of the workout doing what he called MAX Rep.
Warmup
2m jump rope
Corex2
Hip rockets
Planks with 10lb plate (aka TORTURE)
General Stretching
40 push-ups
MAX Rep:
back squat – 140, 165, 185lb max
hang clean squat – 95lbs max – I had a lot of issues with this one. I seem to pull up too early and don’t get under the bar. Then when I realize it, I tend to get into my head and think about it and then once I start thinking about it, well, then it gets too complicated and I might as well stop. As I have mentioned — I have coordination issues and have had to work hard to learn how to lift and work on my form.
But did you notice the 185lb max Back Squat?? How awesome is that – seriously.
PT Station
20,15,10 w/ 25lb vest
box jumps
push-ups
tabatas
Time: 5:59
Turkey Trottin’ for Thanksgiving
01 year ago
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! What a great year – we all have so much to be thankful for. For me, I am so appreciative of good health for my family, friends and myself. As I have said before — you don’t realize how valuable good health is until you are faced with a situation where you don’t have it. Take some time today to think about all the great things going on in your life. Too often we focus on the stress and hard times and lose sight of what is really important in our lives…
I woke up early and headed out to a 5K Turkey Trot with the Plumbline Crew. Mikey the trainer invited us all to register for this race instead of the usual boot camp and then he added a few ‘extras’ during the race so it was not a just a 5K run. So here’s how it went:
Start 5K
Start race area: 200 jump ropes
1st Stop sign/Gate: 50 Lunge Jumps
1st Building: 25 Checkpoint Push-ups
Last Railing: 25 Dummy Burpees (you jump over the rail after each burpee)
Finish Line: 200 jump ropes
Finish 5K
Kimmy and I after the Race
What I loved about switching the 5k up was seeing the people stop and stare at us. Some cheered us on, others just looked in bewilderment. Doing these ‘stations’ shows people you don’t have to do just a run of the mill 5K — there are ways to take advantage of people’s strengths. If you don’t like to run, you can still do a 5K and add in other ‘stations’ to help you get through it. It was a damp and chilly morning which made the extra ‘stations’ that more fun — yeah right!
As we ran, I made sure to encourage the younger kids I saw. I saw lots of young girls running and wanted to make sure they got some acknowledgment. I wish I was into doing these sorts of things when I was growing up. I think its awesome and and inspiring to see a younger generation embracing healthy living!!
Michael Thrash, Kimmy and I
Gratitude: The Wonder Drug
01 year ago
Thanksgiving, as its name attests, is a time for us to be grateful for the things we have—whether it’s a loving family and friends, health, material wealth, a decent job or good child care to make our juggles go more smoothly.But giving thanks isn’t just a custom that we should do once a year as our families gather around a turkey. In today’s Health Journal column, Melinda Beck explains how giving thanks actually improves our mental and physical health—and that of our kids—and should be incorporated regularly into our lives.Recent studies have shown that adults who often feel grateful are more energetic, optimistic, happier and have more social connections than those who do not. What’s more, grateful people earn more money, sleep more soundly, exercise more regularly and have greater resistance to viral infections, Beck writes. Meanwhile, kids who regularly give thanks tend to be less materialistic, get better grades, set higher goals, complain of fewer headaches and stomach aches and feel more satisfied with their friends, families and schools than those who don’t, Beck adds.
