Start when they are young: Community ending childhood obesity

Live Like Steve Jobs, Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish

Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.

Want a superhero physique? Here’s how

Actors have the time and money to look like Thor and Green Lantern. For the average guy, finding the right motivation to stay in shape is a good start.

Perhaps you’ve been to the multiplex to see Ryan Reynolds‘ Green Lantern save the universe from the evil Parallax or to witness Chris Hemsworth’s Thor hurl his magical hammer at invading Frost Giants.

Perhaps you’ve wondered how those actors achieved the chiseled abdominals, powerful pecs and bulging biceps — and whether you could manage to get them yourself without their superhero powers.

The short answer: Probably not. But we can still do pretty well for ourselves even when fitting fitness into a mere mortal’s existence that involves going to work, taking care of kids, preparing family meals, changing toxic diapers and waking in the night to be regaled with tales of the slime monster in Junior’s closet.

Your Commute is Killing You

This week, researchers at Umea University in Sweden released a startling finding: Couples in which one partner commutes for longer than 45 minutes are 40 percent likelier to divorce. The Swedes could not say why. Perhaps long-distance commuters tend to be poorer or less educated, both conditions that make divorce more common. Perhaps long transit times exacerbate corrosive marital inequalities, with one partner overburdened by child care and the other overburdened by work. But perhaps the Swedes are just telling us something we all already know, which is that commuting is bad for you. Awful, in fact.

For best exercise, don’t be lonely or late

Activities done in groups and early in the day seems to show the best success rates.

This article is completely in line with my own experience. I work out early in the day with the same group of people — it creates a routine and a community – 2 important components of finding a successful fitness program.

Thinking about starting an exercise program to help lose weight? If you find some activity that allows you to regularly work out early in the day with the same group of people — and it’s something you like — then you’re well on your way.

Conversely, if you plan to exercise at the end of the day at home, alone, on some machine you bought from an infomercial, prepare to continue being fat.

Social context, self-control and positive reinforcement play critical roles in exercise adherence, and the data provide interesting insight that can be used to increase your likelihood of following through.

Losing your grip? It could be a clue to your health

Grip strength can indicate overall muscle tone and, according to one study, even suggest how long you might live.

Getting a good grip on your health may mean … getting a good grip. The force you can muster when squeezing an object or a weight doesn’t only reveal how strong your hand and arm are. It can be a measure of overall muscle function and — according to one recent study — even portend how long you’re likely to live.

That’s not as nutty as it seems, says Richard Bohannon, a professor of physical therapy at the University of Connecticut. “Grip strength reflects your overall muscle status and a general sense of how much muscle mass you have” he says. “If you have more muscle in your upper body, you probably have more in your lower body as well.” And if your muscles are wasting, you’re further down the road to frailty.

Today is my rest day — I have workouts planned for the rest of the week including a 5K in DC the Chris4Life Scope It Out 5K for Colon Cancer Awareness! It’s my first race of the season so I am pretty excited! It’s not too late to join me or donate to the cause under Team Ashburn CrossFit Impavidus!

Thanks to those that have already committed to run and/or have donated to the cause!
I woke up this morning to hear Rapper Nate Dogg died. Very sad and another reminder how short life can be. I call my son Nate Dogg all the time in homage to the original.

Successful women know only too well that in any male-dominated profession, we often find ourselves at a distinct disadvantage. We are routinely underestimated, underutilized and even underpaid. Studies show that women need to perform at extraordinarily high levels, just to appear moderately competent compared to our male coworkers.

But in my experience, smart and talented women rarely realize that one of the toughest hurdles they’ll have to overcome to be successful lies within. Compared with our male colleagues, we judge our own abilities not only more harshly but fundamentally differently. Understanding why we do it is the first step to righting a terrible wrong. And to do that, we need to take a step back in time.

Heidi Grant Halvorson, Ph.D.: The Trouble with Bright Girls.

On the morning of Jan. 28, 1986, there was a collective gasp as Americans watched the space shuttle Challenger break apart just 73 seconds after it lifted off from Florida on what was supposed to be a mission of discovery and education.

All seven astronauts died, including Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher chosen to go into space.

via 25 Years After Disaster, Keeping the Challenger Spirit Alive.

I Feel very sad for those in Tucson, AZ – I spent many years there, Graduated from The Univ of ARIZONA and it’s a place I consider home. I know that this horrific tragedy was felt deep by those that live there and those that still consider it home.

My heart goes out to those forever changed by this inhumane act.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2011/01/09/obama-calls-for-moment-of-silence-to-mark-tucson-shooting/