December 7, 2008Remember When...Always leave it to family to remind you where you started from. I opened up my inbox looking forward to the usual email banter from a couple friends, when instead I get an email from my sister - subject line "Dude, your face is ROUND!".
Though I look festively Hawaii-bound, I haven't made it out to the islands before. Actually, this was right out of college. I guess it's just a reminder that most people have been through a "fat stage", and it's nice to know that we all have enough time to rebound from years of bodily neglect. And no, the video game addiction wasn't helpful! November 14, 2008Omron HR-100C Heart Rate Monitor ReviewIs this what wearing a bra feels like except without the cups? Okay, let's not go there. I prefer to imagine my new heart rate monitor as a fancy batman-esque utility gadget that can shoot laser beams from my chest. Yes, folks - I'm 28 years old, and I still enjoy playing "make believe". The thing does look pretty sleek, though. I bought an Omron HR-100C Heart Rate Monitor from Amazon for $32.49. I was debating between this versus a body fat tester, and I decided I'd check my heart rate more often than my lard to muscle ratio (that's the technical term, of course). From the reviews I read, there are a number of affordable monitors on the market, most of which combo clock, stop watch, and heart rate functionality just like the Omron HR-100C. Popular models come in two parts. There's the "wrist watch" portion that displays measurements, and there's the chest strap that wraps right below your manly and/or womanly cleavage. It makes sense that you want a comfortable chest strap that doesn't chafe while you workout. This Omron monitor also comes with a bike mount, which I think will come in handy. I did my first test run on an hour of P90X Plyometrics. Overall, the chest strap stayed in place. I just needed to get used to the pressure of having something wrapped around my rib cage. As I was warned, this monitor, like many others, takes a little while to rev up and deliver accurate heart rates. But it only takes 30 seconds to a minute to get steady readings. Some of my extreme jumping did seem to throw off my reported heart rate (sometimes going above 200 beats per minute), but would go steady with less bouncing around. I'd say this was a worthwhile investment. You want to read the manual first in order to figure out how to set your lower and upper heart rate indicators. The watch will beep whenever you go below or above your optimal heart rate. It's very interesting to see how your chest muscle varies it's blood-pumping duties during a rigorous workout. Definitely give it a try! September 13, 2008Eating Right on International Business Class?I'm crossing the pacific, headed out on my 3-week P90X "China edition" journey, seated comfortably in Northwest's Worldwide Business Class section. That's right - I'm one of "those" people on today's flight. Now that I'm here, though, I've definitely discovered my initial eating challenge for the trip. Question: How do you eat healthy when when you have flight attendants at your beck and call, ready and willing to stuff your face with whatever your heart desires that their in-flight galley stocks? Let's take a look at the menu shall we: To Start Mixed nuts and sampler plate of mini toasts with lobster Marsala spread and prosciutto chevre canape Dinner Salad of mixed greens with roasted corn and roma tomatoes Assorted breads Choice of Beef tenderloin with garlic feta crust, Herbs de Provence and red pepper stuffed chicken breast, Chili crusted cod, white and wild rice blend and bok choy Dessert Fresh fruit Mature Cheddar and Camembert Warmed blackberry crisp a la mode Port wine Liqeurs Coffee or a selection of Stash Tea Mid-Flight Snack Light snacks available from our skybreak basket located in the galley. Pleae help yourself On Arrival Fresh fruit and warmed breads Choice of Spinach and bacon crustless quiche, Oatmeal crips cereal with almonds Cold plate of Italian beef tenderloin with garlic aioli, Coffee or a selection of Stash Tea My banter with the stewardess, Me: "Can I get the salad without corn?" (I'm not sure if I can trust corn yet.) Stewardess: "No, sorry. The salads are already mixed." (in a cute japanese accent.) Me: "Oh, ok. No problem, that's fine. Hold the dressing, please. Got another question, do you have whole wheat bread?" Stewardess: "No, sorry. Only herb parmesan and honey rolls." Me: "Oh, ok. I'll pass on the bread then. I'll take the cod for my main course. Thanks." As the Stewardess carts away, I'm driven by a momentary compulsion to call her back, order everything on the menu, and prance through the economy cabin, doling out goodies like Robin Hood... but I didn't. I ended up eating a few nuts, a carefully picked over (sans-corn) dressing-less salad of romaine and tomatoes, a modest filet of cod, and about six grapes plus two apple slices from the fruit dessert. For the cod, I scraped off the crust, cause it looked a little too creamy in a Philly cream cheese kind of way. And I didn't eat the rice, because it was definitely just white rice - not a blend. As a consolation prize, I treated myself to one glass of red wine, which has arguable health benefits... right? The rest of the time I enjoyed a limitless supply of hot and cold water. Not to worry, though. For my meal pre-cursor, I snacked down a trusty protein bar. Next, I'm already thinking about the grilled chicken breast that I have stuffed in a plastic baggy with my carry-on. I just LOVE flying in business class P90X style. August 16, 2008P90X Day Six: Finally Something I Can Do!"Kenpo X" DVD Kenpo X is a rigorous kickboxing cardio program based on karate that gets your heart pumping for a full hour. This is the only DVD of the week that I was able to keep up with punch for punch, kick for kick. Don't get me wrong, it was a wonderful workout, but I'm somewhat suspicious that the week was planned just so participants of P90X can end on a high note. Even if it is contrived, I have to admit that it feels quite good to be able to match Horton's horde for once. Does throwing punches make me feel badass? I suppose it's fun to pretend to be in one of Van Damme's classic movies, like "Bloodsport" or "Lion Heart". And since we're following along by throwing repeat kicks, it almost exactly resembles the slow-groaning, film-loop roundhouse camera technique made famous by the 80s action star. Or would I rather pretend to be Chuck Norris? Hmm... I'm not so sure, maybe I should have people weigh in on that one. Van Damme first (the best slow-mo kick is 7m 16s in): Now Chuck: OK, who am I kidding? It always goes back to Bruce Lee!! Did anyone take note of Chuck's distinct change in fashionable body hair?? July 1, 2008Rave Cardio with Tiesto
TI... ES... TO! The chanting broke out about 30 minutes before midnight with increasing intensity. I'll be honest, I'd never heard of Tiesto (arguably the number one DJ in the world), but apparently my friend Alia is his biggest fan. I'd bought my tickets on a whim, just for something interesting to attend on a Wednesday night. What ensued was a non-stop 4-hour workout - lots of jumping, oodles of sweaty people, deafening electronica, and an eye-piercing light show. Imagine a full night of straight cardio! So here's the million dollar brain child of mine - all you marketing geniuses read close now - we need Rave Cardio. It's the DVD series that brings the rave right into your living room! Move over Core Rhythms. Why settle for ballroom when you can look like a beefy raver? If you've never been to a rave, a good example is the "dancing in the cave" scene from Matrix Reloaded (after Morpheus gives his speech and while Neo and Trinity are getting it on). However, I wouldn't advise going to a real rave in bare feet like in Zion, cause you'll probably catch something ugly. The depiction of super sweat-drenched, shirtless people, though, is fairly accurate. What do you need to package Rave Cardio? Well, first the DVD(s) needs to be partitioned into at least 4-hour segments to get the full conditioning. Second, you need Tiesto or a DJ of equal caliber in the back spinning some beats while the trainer teaches the moves. Plus, our product must also be packaged with the following:
1.) One multi-color strobe light. The possibilities are endless people... like why not have different editions? You don't need to workout next to a nameless dummy. Rock out next to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in the celebrity edition. Look - even their kids are dancing in the back! Of course, I'd have to opt for the limited Start Trek edition, so I can bump hips with Captain Picard on my left and Lt. Commander Data on my right. Man, I'm a freakin' genius. Just remember you heard it here first. |
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About MeI'm an entrepreneur who's steadily become interested in health, nutrition, and fitness over the last couple years. With this blog I'm hoping to keep motivated to get ripped and beyond!
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There's no message in the body, of course, just a photo attachment that I choose to "view in browser" like a chump. It's the photo I've posted here that may seem small, but most people have done that thing where you click on a photo from your email and get shocked by the gi-normous, high resolution image that loads in a new window. Yeah... it's even more glorious when the intended purpose is to remember the good ol' days back in Chubs-ville.
