The highly anticipated launch of the new revised blog is here!  http://cagedpigs.blogspot.com/ is now officially up and running.  As a reminder this blog is LE Sensitive and can only be accessed after an invite.  For those of you who are interested in taking part in the new program contact me and I will get you set up, after LE status is verified of course.  See you there.

New Name and Look

The OBPD Fitness Committee has decided since this program is an unofficial program and is 100% voluntary it would be best to create a new name for ourselves and our blog.  Along with the new name our blog will take on a new look.  The layout will be updated and color scheme changed to reflect our new focus.  The new name and layout will be in place on Sunday August 1st in anticipation of our launch on August 2nd.  The archives section will remain and old old material will be available there.  New postings, topics and layout will hopefully be easier to read and to navigate.  For those wondering about the new name...........you'll find out when the blog is in place! 

Blog Access

  With the highly anticipated launch of our revised blog, access will be restricted to law enforcement personnel only.  In order to access the blog you will need to sign in with an e-mail address.  The e-mail address MUST be a work e-mail address as this is the easiest way for me to verify your LE status.  You will need to provide this to me no later than 7/31 in order to ensure you have immediate access to the blog on its launch date.  As this blog is currently open to the public I will not be providing my e-mail address on this post.  Those of you in the community know how to get in touch with me.  I look forward to hearing from you soon.

On Schedule...

We are on schedule for the August 2nd launch of the revised Oak Brook Police Department blog page. The blog page is unofficial and participation is 100% voluntary. As such, it's likely the revised page will have a name commensurate of our unofficial status.

Our new, broader focus, will be Officer Survival. Our intent is to reinforce your pillars of survivability: Mindset, Tactics, Fitness & Firearms. Because we'll be talking tactics, access to the page will be controlled. Any department member interested in viewing the blog must sign up to participate. Jason W. will be letting you know how that can be accomplished.

It is our hope that you will participate in our 30 Day Fitness Challenge. It will be exactly that... a Challenge! You can prepare for this challenge by determining your one repetition maximum weight load for the following exercises: thrusters, deadlifts, flat bench & overhead squat. Whether it's the 25lb. curl bar or the larger 45lb. bar fully loaded with plates. Finding it out now will save you time later as certain exercises will be based on a set percentage of your one rep max.

The "Challenge" itself has been structured in such a way as to expose you to as many different exercises in as many different formats as possible, while consistently working each muscle group. This will be a three day on / one day off workout format in which no two days will be the same. All of the equipment you will need can be found in "The Cage".

We hope to see you there!

Brain Workout (Thought For The Week)

There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.

Pill-Free Pain Beaters

I have arthritis in both knees, but my left knee has additional issues (primarily cartilage loss). The arthritis is basically from wear & tear, old age, and pretty much developed from years of carrying extra weight. With the help of my Orthopedic Doctor (a sports medicine doctor out of Elmhurst specializing in knees and shoulders), I have learned a lot over the past few months about my knees (and knees in general). He personally has had his knee scoped, so he knew exactly how to coach me through mine.

I recently read a Dr. Oz article pertaining to knees (and joints), and his advice is consistent with the advice I received from my Orthopedic Doctor (as well as from my Physical Therapist). Dr. Oz provides us with some “pill-free pain beaters”:

Get strong quads. Strengthening these key leg muscles in the front of the thighs can help you maintain cartilage because your muscles act as shock absorbers. Strong quads have been shown to protect against cartilage loss in a certain area of the knee (lateral compartment of the patellofemoral joint). Even if cartilage vanished in other parts of the knee, people with the strongest quads have still reported less knee pain and better physical function than people with the weakest. Don't wait to strengthen: More than half of the people with cartilage breakdown are under age 65.

Take a hike. Or a walk. People who pick up their feet and commit to regular aerobic exercise have much less muscle and joint pain as they age. Even better, pick up the pace. Vigorous activities like running, swimming, and brisk walking -- anything that boosts your heart rate and makes it slightly difficult to talk -- could increase the amount of cartilage in your knees. The caveat: Vigorous exercise = good for the knees. Vigorous exercise that causes a joint injury = really bad for the knees. Don't overdo it.

Fill up. Berries, ginger, avocado, flaxseeds, omega-3-rich fish (trout and salmon in North America), or the algae where the fish get their omega-3s from (you'd get it in the form of a DHA supplement) all help stifle joint-damaging inflammation.

I used to live on Ibuprofen (600 mgs - 3 times a day). Now, I very rarely will take 400 mg - 1 time a day (as there have been a few isolated incidences where I over did a workout and my knees were not too happy!) As it regards supplements, I take glucosamine sulfate, omega 3’s and fish oil (as recommended by my doctor). Additionally, I found a nice product called “Inflamma-Less” (an all-natural herbal supplement). The bottle reads “More Than Just a Joint Formula! Promotes Tissue and Muscle Comfort & Flexibility”. If you would like more information on this, I have a couple of brochures.

Dr. Oz also provides us with “5 Foods Your Joints May Love”:

Strawberries: Why? They are packed with vitamin C. Some studies suggest vitamin C may stymie the progression of osteoarthritis and the accompanying cartilage loss. Other good C sources: oranges, peaches, and red bell peppers.

Olive oil: You know how the Tin Man's joints loved oil? Well, your joints may love olive oil just as much. Research shows that polyphenols in olive oil may help reduce inflammation in the body -- always a good goal if you have arthritis.

Salmon: This fish is loaded with two joint-soothing nutrients: vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. If you are deficient in D (and many adults are), boosting your intake could help with osteoarthritis pain and disability. And omega-3 fatty acids have long been promoted by health experts for their anti-inflammatory qualities.

Green tea: This brew is brimming with antioxidants called catechins, inflammation quieters that could delay cartilage damage in people with arthritis.

Leafy greens: The more plant-based foods you add to your diet, the better it probably is for your joints. A Mediterranean-style diet that emphasizes fruit, nuts, and veggies may help quiet inflammation. (Leafy greens also happen to be rich in vitamin K, a nutrient that seems to play a role in osteoarthritis prevention.)

I hope you find this information helpful!

Time to prepare

After taking some extended time off from The Cage.....I have decided to jump back in with the Prison Workout #1. I'm through the first two workouts and realized how much I've missed it.

With Lt. Cates spearheading this new Officer Fitness Program, I wanted to make sure I get back into a healthy lifestyle to get the most out of it. I'm excited for this new journey, and I hope you are as well!

I will be posting my results from the PWO on the board, feel free to help motivate me along and post your results if you jump in and join me in this program!

Logo

Hey all.....I have a friend who does graphics as a profession. I asked him a while ago to come up with a basic logo design for us to work with for T-shirts, poster, etc. It took a while as I said this is his profession, and he has been very busy. He sent me some ideas and we narrowed it down to the one posted on the board in The Cage. Take a look at it and let me know what you think? He can tweak it. He showed it to me in Blue and Light Gray also.

Officer Survival Program

This is an opportunity for a professional and personal life change. Will you seize it?

On June 30th, we were asked this question …. Have you been thinking about it? I have. There are two key words that jump out at me ….. “opportunity” and “seize”. Using Microsoft Word’s Thesaurus tool, here’s some other meanings of these two words:

Opportunity = chance, prospect, opening
Seize = take control of, take advantage of

Using the above Thesaurus meanings and changing the above question to a statement, here’s what I came up with:

This is a CHANCE for you to TAKE CONTROL OF your professional and personal life.

The hard part to TAKING CONTROL OF is admitting you don’t have control. As humiliating for me as it was, I had to admit my eating was out of control ….. how else do you explain an extra 55 to 60 pounds! The humiliation still haunts me to this day ….. if only I had the courage to post a fat picture of me (humiliation at its best)!

But there’s a positive side to experiencing humiliation …. It’s the driving force that keeps me running in the other direction ….. HONOR.

If you want to be “Officer X”, here’s your opportunity.

If you are “Officer X”, here’s your opportunity to help your peers.

Humility to Honor ….. it’s a trip worth taking!

Crazy 8's workout

This probably won't be too challenging for most, but this is what I decided to do today:

AFAP 8 rounds:
8 KB swings
8 Air Squats
8 Reverse Crunches (or any other ab exercise like situps)
8 pushups

Brain Workout (Thought For The Week)

There is no real failure…there is no real success….only actions and results. Stop judging yourself and just do what you know you need to do. As the worst action, is taking none at all.

Speaking of Metabolism ...

In a recent newsletter I received from Fitness Magazine, one of the topics discussed was “metabolism”. Here are some “new metabolism-boosting strategies” provided in one of the articles:

1. Become a Spice Girl. Capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their hotness, lights a fire in your metabolism as well as on your tongue. Recent research indicates that eating one tablespoon of red or green chilies can give you a temporary metabolic spike of up to 23 percent! To increase your fat-burning potential, chop up some chilies and add them to a meal an hour before working out. Other great options include cayenne, white pepper, black pepper and jalapenos, according to Robyn L. Goldberg, a registered dietitian based in Los Angeles.

2. Always eat breakfast. According to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, participants who did not eat breakfast and rev their metabolism early in the day gained two times more weight over time than those who did!

3. Skip the cosmo. A study at the University of California, Berkeley revealed that having just two alcoholic beverages could slow fat-burning by up to 73 percent! Your liver converts the alcohol into acetate and starts using that as fuel instead of your fat stores. Limit your imbibing for best fat-burning results.

4. Don’t skimp on sleep. There is a direct link between metabolism and circadian rhythm – your daily pattern of activity versus rest – according to a new study from the University of California, Irvine. Findings suggest that maintaining a proper sleep pattern – between six and eight uninterrupted hours a day – and a clean, healthy diet play a key role in maintaining an elevated and healthy metabolism. Lack of rest and sleep disruption can lead to obesity-related illness and accelerated aging, so turn off the television and go to bed already!

One “old” metabolism-boosting strategy is EXERCISE! The Cardio will give you an immediate metabolic boost and the Strength Training will provide your body with a continual metabolic boost throughout the day. I workout alone and have been in a rut trying to come up with new workout ideas to stay motivated and to get better results. Well, I’m pleased to advise that my rut is over …… thanks to a post on Trinity Training’s website! Free group workout sessions being held right next door at Ty Warner Park in Westmont ...

Their workouts are challenging, but can always be scaled or adjusted to each person’s fitness levels. It is an encouraging group that expects you to bring a win-at-all-costs attitude. However, even with its intensity, it is a motivating and accepting group that believes a community of committed people of all fitness abilities is synergistic.

Click on the link below for full details. I’ve attended two sessions so far, and I will be attending a third session today after work!

http://trinitytraining.blogspot.com/2010/06/group-workouts-ty-warner-park-westmont.html

Brain Workout (Thought for the Week)

While science is looking for a “cure”, the rest of us should be living with “prevention” (and not expecting for a magic pill to bail us out, it’s our responsibility to stay in good health…not your doctors).

A Disturbing Trend...

On June 29th two Tampa Police Officers were brutally killed in the line of duty. They weren't killed while intervening in a robbery or pursuing a murder suspect, they were killed while attempting to take an offender into custody on a misdemeanor warrant for writing worthless checks.

Eighty-eight law enforcement officers have been killed in the line of duty since January 1st. Nearly 50% of those officers have been killed in violent encounters. This is the first increase (year-to-date) since 2007.

We've dedicated this blog to improving the individual officer's level of fitness. And while I don't know that we have necessarily succeeded, I do realize that our focus has been far to narrow.

So pass the word, we're re-tooling.

Our focus will be broader. We will attempt to provide you with the tools needed to increase your survivability on the street. Fitness will continue to be the base but we will re-enforce that foundation with tactics and firearms.

Our mantra: Fitness - Tactics - Firearms - Survival

Contributing to the program is voluntary. Participating in the program is voluntary. And I guess even the decision to blindly leave your survival to luck is voluntary. But here's a reality check that may be difficult to read. Every officer on this department has at one time or another said to them self, "If I am ever in a fight I want Officer X there with me." Are you Officer X? Are you the officer that your peers want to take into the fight? Or are you the officer that your peers hope is no where near them when the punch is thrown or the shot is fired? If you are that officer, realize you've been named. Whether car-to-car or quietly in the mind of a single officer, you've been tagged as a marginal asset at best (better have you there than no one at all), or worse, a survival liability (you'd get me killed).

I challenge you not to be the liability.

Here's what you can expect from us:

1. A 90 Day Program
2. A request for committee members (retention of old - addition of new).
3. A revised blog site.
4. E-mail notifications of blog updates (opt-in).
5. A signed letter of commitment from you to you (sounds silly but only you can hold yourself accountable).
6. A weekly firearms challenge that targets fundamental weapons handling skills.
7. A weekly tactical tip or tips based on real world occurrences.
8. A 30-day "functional fitness" program (a one time shot to get you started).
9. Health tips.
10. Equipment and training.

When can you expect all this?

Our Officer Survival Program will be up and running on Monday, August 2nd. The success of the program will be evaluated on Monday, November 2nd. If at that time it is determined the program has failed to achieve an acceptable level of participation - it will be discontinued.

This is an opportunity for a professional and personal life change. Will you seize it? Or will you be a survival liability to yourself and your peers?

Why Cardio Alone Doesn't Cut Fat

Cardio can be the worst thing for cutting fat when it isn’t paired with weight training.

Your muscle determines your metabolism.

If there isn’t any food to fuel the body, the metabolism slows down.

Carbs will keep your muscles hydrated, making you feel like your muscles are bloated, hence the name carbohydrate. Cutting carbs will decrease your performance physically and mentally.

These are some “highlights” to an article I just read. Please take time to read this article in its entirety. It’s a real “wake-up” call to all those people (mainly women) who do so much damage to their metabolism due to over-cardio exercising and under-eating in an effort to lose weight (over-exercising and under-eating are NOT lifestyle changes!).

Two things I personally take away from this article (first the positive):

Weight training was always a part of the equation in my weight loss efforts (in addition to cardio and improved eating habits). I didn’t have an understanding of the importance of building muscle until it came time to my foot surgeries when I had to temporarily drop cardio from the equation. I didn’t re-gain any weight because I had (unknowingly) created a metabolism based on muscle and good eating habits.

The second take away from this article (the negative):

I need to let go of my carbohydrate “fears”. Don’t get me wrong, there are definitely some carbohydrates which we all should fear (i.e. sugar, white bread, etc.), but I should start increasing my “good carbs” (i.e. more fruits and vegetables) because they are good for my muscles (which in turn is good for my metabolism).

Read and learn!

http://articles.elitefts.com/articles/training-articles/why-cardio-alone-doesnt-cut-fat/

Brain Workout (Thought for the Week)

Don’t have a vision of you 30lbs lighter in 30 days, have a vision of you healthy and lean in 1, 10, 25 years…that will keep you on track for life (as I can’t tell you how many people are always trying repeatedly to lose the same 15+ lbs they seem to lose/regain year after year).

Brain Workout (Thought for the Week)

Perfection is an illusion, it means there is some final destination to be achieved (and disappointment to be had if you don’t get there). Strive for living daily instead, not trying to achieve a goal that your happiness is depending on. Your happiness is now.

Cocktails Under 200 Calories

Not only do I encourage you to drink responsibly from a legal standpoint, but also from a health standpoint! With Summer time comes fruity cocktails which can quickly add calories (and Carbohydrates). Although the sugar content is not listed, fruit obviously has sugar which affects insulin levels. Therefore, if you choose to have one of these fruity cocktails, I would suggest eating some protein with it to keep insulin levels balanced.

Personally, I choose my calories/carbohydrates/sugars sparingly, therefore, I do not opt for any of these cocktails. However, if I did, I would choose the Strawberry-Coconut Daiquiri.

Blueberry-Lime Margarita

INGREDIENTS
2 cups ice
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup blueberry nectar
1/4 cup seltzer
2 tablespoons frozen limeade
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 ounces tequila, optional
1 lime wedge
Coarse salt
DIRECTIONS
1. Combine ice, blueberries, blueberry nectar, seltzer, limeade, lime juice and tequila, if using, in a blender and blend until smooth. Rub rim of 2 glasses with lime wedge and dip in salt. Divide the margarita between the prepared glasses and serve.
NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 125, Total Fat 1 g, Sodium 14 mg, Carbohydrate 29 g, Fiber 2 g, Potassium 147 mg.


Island Limeade

INGREDIENTS
3 cups boiling water
1/3-1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups freshly squeezed lime juice
6 ounces dark rum
DIRECTIONS
1. Combine boiling water and sugar to taste. Stir until the sugar dissolves; chill. Add the lime juice to make limeade. Fill 4 tall glasses with ice and divide the rum among the glasses. Top with the limeade. Non-alcoholic variation: Omit the rum.
NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 182, Sodium 7 mg, Carbohydrate 23 g, Potassium 93 mg


Watermelon Gin Fizz

INGREDIENTS
5 cups diced watermelon, divided
6 ounces gin, divided
8 tablespoons lime juice, divided
1 1/3 cups ginger ale, divided
Lime wedges, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. Freeze 1 cup watermelon for garnish. Puree the remaining 4 cups watermelon. Strain; divide the juice among 4 ice-filled glasses.
2. Top each with 1 1/2 ounces gin, 2 tablespoons lime juice and 1/3 cup ginger ale. Garnish with the frozen watermelon and lime wedges. Non-alcoholic variation: Omit the gin.
NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 153, Sodium 4 mg, Carbohydrate 14 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 1 g, Potassium 180 mg.


Blueberry Ginger Bellini

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup blueberries
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cups blueberry juice
1/2 cup sparkling wine, divided
DIRECTIONS
1. Mash blueberries with ginger, sugar and lemon juice. Add blueberry juice and let steep for at least 5 minutes. Strain; divide among 4 champagne flutes. Top each with 1/2 cup sparkling wine.
NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 185, Sodium 23 mg, Carbohydrate 25 g, Protein 1 g, Potassium 25 mg.


Campari, Grapefruit & Pomegranate Cocktail

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups grapefruit or orange juice
1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
1 1/2 cups ice cubes, plus more for serving
3/4 cup Campari
6 twists of orange zest, or 6 thin slices of seedless orange
DIRECTIONS
1. Combine grapefruit (or orange) juice, pomegranate juice and ice cubes in a blender. Blend until the ice is very finely chopped and the mixture is foamy and pale pink. Transfer to a pitcher and stir in Campari. Serve over ice, garnished with a twist or slice of orange.
NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 145, Sodium 5 mg, Carbohydrate 26 g, Potassium 213 mg


Strawberry-Coconut Daiquiri

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups chopped fresh or frozen (not thawed) strawberries, (about 12 ounces)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice
3 cups ice cubes
3/4 cup coconut-flavored rum, such as Malibu (see Variation, above)
DIRECTIONS
1. Combine strawberries, sugar and lime juice together in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add ice cubes and rum and blend until frothy. Transfer mixture to a pitcher and serve.
NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 112, Sodium 3 mg, Carbohydrate 12 g, Fiber 1 g, Potassium 113 mg


Salty Chihuahua
INGREDIENTS
Coarse salt, (optional)
4 ounces tequila, divided
2 ounces orange-flavored liqueur, such as Cointreau, divided
3 cups grapefruit juice, divided
4 grapefruit slices, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. Wet the rims of 4 glasses and coat with coarse salt (if desired); fill the glasses with ice. Pour 1 ounce tequila and 1/2 ounce liqueur into each. Top each with 3/4 cup grapefruit juice and stir. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit.
NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 188, Sodium 3 mg, Carbohydrate 23 g, Protein 1 g, Potassium 303 mg


Pomegranate Cosmos

INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 cups pomegranate juice
2 1/4 cups vodka
1 cup lime juice
3/4 cup Cointreau, or Grand Marnier
1/4 cup ginger juice, (see Note)
2 tablespoons sugar, preferably superfine bar sugar, plus more for the rims
Strips of lime zest, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. Mix pomegranate juice, vodka, lime juice, Cointreau (or Grand Marnier), ginger juice and sugar in a large pitcher.
2. For each drink, fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice, add 1/2 cup Cosmo mix, and shake until the shaker turns frosty and cold. Dip the rim of a martini (or highball) glass into water and then in sugar (to "sugar the rim"). Strain the drink into the martini glass (or over fresh ice in the highball glass). Garnish with a twist of lime zest, if desired.
Tips:
Note: We use bottled ginger juice (pressed gingerroot) to add the taste of fresh ginger without the work of mincing or grating. Use it to flavor drinks, stir-fries, marinades or anywhere you'd use fresh ginger. Find it in specialty stores or online at gingerpeople.com.
MAKE AHEAD TIP: Prepare through Step 1 and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 188, Sodium 4 mg, Carbohydrate 17 g, Potassium 107 mg.


Bloody Mary with Shrimp

INGREDIENTS
22 ounces reduced-sodium V8
1 teaspoon horseradish
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 ounces vodka, optional
Ice cubes
4 cooked shrimp
DIRECTIONS
1. Shake V8, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Tabasco, pepper and vodka, if using, in a large glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Fill two tall glasses with ice and divide the Bloody Mary between the glasses. Garnish each drink with 2 shrimp.
NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 78, Sodium 284 mg, Carbohydrate 17 g, Fiber 3 g, Protein 2 g, Potassium 681 mg.

Don't Let the Name Fool You

www.crossfitmom.com

Don't let the name fool you. CrossFitMom contains scaled or compatible versions of the CrossFit Workout of the Day. This is a great starting point for those of you that are interested in CrossFit but have been intimidated by the weight, complexity or perceived duration of the workouts.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Here's some information on "Fats" I obtained from fitnessmagazine.com:

The Good: Unsaturated Fats
Monounsaturated Fats
What they do: These fats, known as MUFAs, raise good HDL cholesterol, lower bad LDL cholesterol, and protect against the buildup of plaque in your arteries. They also help prevent belly fat, according to research.
Where you'll find them: In olive oil and olives, canola oil, almonds, cashews, peanuts, peanut butter, sesame seeds, and avocados.
How much you need: Most of the fat you eat should be unsaturated, like MUFAs. "Just two to three tablespoons of olive oil a day can raise HDL levels and protect against heart disease," says Dr. Roberts.
Polyunsaturated Fats
What they do: In addition to lowering your LDL, these fats contain essential omega-3 fatty acids -- which boost brain function and may help strengthen your immune system and improve your mood -- and omega-6 fatty acids, which in small amounts can keep skin and eyes healthy.
Where you'll find them: Omega-3s are primarily in fish like salmon, mackerel, and herring, as well as canola oil, flaxseed, walnuts, and tofu. Omega-6s are in corn and safflower oil, corn-fed chicken and beef, and farmed fish.
How much you need: Most of the polys you eat should be omega-3s. Too much omega-6 can lead to inflammation, which is linked to heart disease. Trade vegetable oil for olive and canola oils, and eat grass-fed beef and wild-caught fish.

The Bad: Saturated Fats
What they do: They raise cholesterol levels and increase your risk of heart disease.
Where you'll find them: In meat and poultry, in dairy products like cream, butter, and whole and 2 percent milk, and in some plant foods like coconut and palm oil.
How much you need: Limit saturated fat to less than 10 percent of your total daily calories. One easy way to cut back: "Remove any hard fat you can see, such as the skin on chicken," says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

The Ugly: Trans Fats
What they do: Made from unsaturated fat that's been chemically altered to prolong the shelf life of packaged foods, trans fats raise bad LDL and lower good HDL, increasing inflammation throughout the body. "They 100 percent promote heart disease," says Dr. Gerbstadt.
Where you'll find them: In shortening, margarine, doughnuts, french fries, and processed foods such as crackers, cookies, chips, and cakes.
How much you need: Zero. But know this: The FDA allows food manufacturers to claim that a product contains "zero trans fats" if one serving of it has 0.5 grams of trans fats or less. "That means if you eat more than one serving, you could be getting a gram or more," warns Dr. Gerbstadt. Before buying foods, check the ingredient labels for "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil" -- trans fats' sneaky pseudonym.

Upcoming Events

With the summer months comes more opportunity to challenge yourselves.  Here are a few Upcoming Events of interest.

Spartan 300 Challenge:  This is the famous workout used to get the actors in shape for the hit movie 300.  Hosted by Atlas CrossFit in Chicago.  For the $60 registration fee you receive a 1 on 1 instructed 300 Workout, a shirt, raffle ticket, and post workout bar and brunch at Bull and Bear.  For more information and to register click here.

Warrior Dash:  This 3.17 mile run is loaded with twelve (12) obstacles that you will have to climb, jump, crawl, and slop through. This event is hosted by CPX Sports in Joliet, IL.  For the $75 registration fee you will receive the opportunity to get filthy dirty and sweat like a warrior of old (as well as a cool looking viking helmet for the finishers).  There are several members and friends of the OBPD Fitness Committee already registered.  For more information and to register click here.

Men's Health URBANATHON and Festival:  This 9 mile road race has 6 obstacle course stations staggered though-out.  Taking place in Chicago along the lakefront the obstacles are located at well known points to include Navy Pier, McCormick Place and the Soldier Field stairs.  Registration is $90 or $150 for a team of 3 to complete as a relay.  For more information and to register click here.

Diets and Glycemic Index

The following are diet summaries. As you will see, they all have a common denominator.

The Zone Diet (summary)
The key factor in Zone Diet is the hormonal balance you achieve while eating each skillfully prepared meal. With a food plan comprising an accurate balanced ratio of carbohydrates (40%), fat (30%) and proteins (30%); you actually get to eat foods, which control your body’s insulin production.

Nutrisystem (summary)
The NutriSystem diet plan started in 1972. Since then it has undergone many changes, and today features the NutriSystem Advanced plan (launched in 2008), a "glycemic advantage" approach promoting "good carbs," low fat, healthy protein, and high-fiber ready-cooked meals. NutriSystem Advanced meals also contain soluble fiber and omega-3 fatty acids to promote heart health and feelings of fullness.

The glycemic index is a popular weight loss tool, based on the idea that foods ranking low on the glycemic scale help stabilize blood sugar and reduce cravings. The premise of the NutriSystem plan is eating high-fiber, low-fat foods with optimal amounts of lean protein to curb cravings and satisfy hunger on fewer calories.

South Beach Diet (summary)
The South Beach Diet is one of the most popular diets in history. The diet is incredibly effective because it differentiates between what are considered "good carbs" and "bad carbs". As the South Beach Diet is not your typical low carb diet, the selection of food that you are allowed to eat is vast. Because of this people on the South Beach Diet find it easy to stick to the diet, and they successfully lose weight as a result.

Dr. Phil’s Ultimate Weight Loss Program (summary)
The Ultimate Weight Loss Solution advocates that you need to change your mind first and then work on changing your body. The Dr. Phil's weight loss program aims to help you understand and accept why you overeat. You follow this by making changes in your environment, food choices, and other behaviors. Once you've dealt with your emotional obstacles, you can begin to lose weight (and keep it off) by eating nutritional foods in appropriate portions, limiting less nutritious food choices, and adding regular exercise.

Dr. Phil's weight loss program divides foods into high-response cost, high-yield nutrition foods and low-response cost, low-yield nutrition foods. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to incorporate more of the former (and less of the latter) into your diet. This means choosing foods like broccoli, carrots, apples, and fish that create and sustain lasting weight loss. And you'll need to limit or avoid foods like croissants, potato chips, and bacon cheeseburgers.

Do you see a common denominator? “Balanced Ratio” …. “Good Carbs vs Bad Carbs” …. “High-Response/High Yield vs Low-Response/Low Yield”. It’s all the same. Each of these diets focus on your glycemic index. Personally, I like Dr. Phil’s approach as he encompasses the psychological issues of overeating and starts with your mind first (because that’s truly where the problem starts). I’ve read his book, and I recommend it to anyone who is struggling with weight loss.

If you want a quick reference on high vs low glycemic choices, I found a website and have provided you with a quick link (below). This link categorizes foods as follows:

• "Foods to Refuse" are high glycemic and/or unhealthy.
• "Foods to Choose" are healthy low glycemic foods.

The healthy low glycemic "foods to choose" list can help you:

• Lose weight,
• Clear up your skin,
• Reduce mood swings,
• Decrease insulin resistance,
• Reduce the risk of heart disease,
• Feel less hunger and food cravings,
• Decrease your risk of type two diabetes,
• Lower triglyceride levels and blood pressure,
• And achieve long lasting and permanent weight loss.

http://commonsensehealth.com/Diet-and-Nutrition/List_of_Glycemic_Foods_Index_of_Healthy_Foods.shtml

Heart-To-Heart

Heart Scan
Did you schedule your FREE heart scan appointment? I did. I’m going tomorrow. I did a little research on this subject, and I’ve found a guidebook entitled “What Does My Heart Scan Show? Everything you need to know about your heart scan" written by Dr. William Davis.

What Does My Heart Scan Show? is a guidebook for anyone who has undergone a heart scan, or is contemplating having one, but desires more information about what this valuable test means to their health. You will have numerous questions regarding your heart scan score. Understanding your heart scan score could mean the difference between a heart attack in the future or a lifetime free of heart disease. It could mean obtaining heart procedures that could be lifesaving, or it could mean avoiding procedures that could be unnecessary. All that in just one little number!

If you’re interested in receiving a FREE e-mail copy of this guidebook (it's 140 pages, so DON'T PRINT) you can do so by visiting http://www.heartscanblog.blogspot.com/ and scrolling down the left hand margin to the bottom left-hand corner of the page.

Gluten
While researching the above information on heart scans, I ran across a blog regarding Gluten - Wheat is among the most destructive components of the human diet, a food that is responsible for inflammatory disease, diabetes, heart disease, several forms of intestinal diseases, schizophrenia, bipolar illness, ADHD, behavioral outbursts in autistic children . . . just to name a few.

But why? Visit the following two articles to find out and take away from them what you will.

http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/blame-gluten.html

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-grains-are-unhealthy/

I hope some or all of the information is helpful to you in making decisions pertaining to your health.

Sleep and Your Diet

I recently read an article on fitness.com regarding the importance of sleep - how it relates to obesity and how it affects your workouts. Here’s some highlights:

"When you're sleep deprived, your body produces more ghrelin, a hormone that tells you to eat more, and less leptin, which signals you to stop eating," says Michael Breus, PhD, author of Beauty Sleep

"Sleep allows your body to recover from tough workouts and readies it for the next one," says Kristine Clark, PhD, RD, director of sports nutrition at Pennsylvania State University. "During deep sleep, every muscle in your body works to rebuild itself stronger than before."

"Well-rested people are typically 20 percent quicker at performing physical tasks than those who lack adequate rest," says James B. Maas, PhD, professor of psychology at Cornell University and coauthor of the forthcoming Sleep -- At Last! "Sleep plays a major role in muscle memory, which sharpens your focus and reduces reaction time." Additionally, “the body's ability to convert sugar into muscle fuel slows, so muscles don't receive enough energy, causing you to hit the wall during exercise 20 percent sooner."

If you want some tips on what to eat for better sleep, click on the link below.


http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/health/spirit/get-to-sleep-guide/what-to-eat-for-better-sleep/?page=2

Thursday Challenge 05/13/10

75 Pounds for 75 Reps

Below from Trinity Training Group:

This challenge has been dubbed "the 75-by-75" because it's just that: 75 pounds lifted 75 times. From ground to overhead anyhow (shortened G2OA). Some participants use technical barbell movements such as the clean-and-jerk or power snatch. Others just muscle the weight up "anyhow." Most use a mixture of different techniques, movements, and grips until 75 reps are completed. Regardless, it's a true challenge that puts demands on all muscle groups and the cardio-respiratory system too.

Police Officers must be ready to exert high energy for short bursts of time. This workout is designed to replicate the intensity and duration Officers meet on the front lines of crime and violence. Most participants finish between 4 to 10 minutes. That's it! You will suck wind and want to rest and catch your breath. On the street, Police Officers CANNOT quit. For many police participants, this is the first introduction to functional and practical physical fitness. Those with big arms and a heavy bench press don't always fare as well as they'd think.

This is not a fundraiser. There is no charity attached to our event. What we do demand is that each participant do this in memory of a fallen police officer, sheriff's deputy, special agent, correctional guard, or other peace officer. Many of you readers already have a downed friend or co-worker in mind. Others can go to the Officer Down Memorial Page to help find one to commemorate. Many participants pick officers who have recently been in the news or those who protected their hometown.

You do the workout on your honor, then email Lou with:
• your name
• your agency (if applicable)
• the weight/reps you completed.
• your time
• the honored officer's name/agency/"End of Watch"

For those interested in participating as a group, we'll be in "The Cage" from 1PM to 3PM. The first group will start at 1PM.

We hope to see you there!

Mini Crustless Quiche

I'm an egg white fan, and I frequently use liquid egg whites (even for protein pops)! Here's a quick and easy recipe for Mini Crustless Quiches:

Pour liquid egg whites into muffin tins (I use foil cups). Add bacon pieces and/or diced up ham and sauted veggies of choice and shredded cheese to each tin of egg white mixture. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Great source of protein. One quiche and one cup of oatmeal makes a great breakfast.

These can be stored in the fridge until they are ready to be eaten.

More egg white recipes coming soon!

Protein Pops

I recently ran across a recipe for Protein Pops. It consists of one cup egg whites and two scoops of your favorite protein shake. Mix them together, pour the mixture into Popsicle making containers and freeze overnight. It’s pure protein and very tasty! It’s also a very good treat after working out in the Cage. Here’s what Mark and Dave have to say:

Mark says “tasty and refreshing”, and Dave says “mmmm, good”.

There’s four pops left (not enough for everyone), so we can either have a wrestle-off to determine who can have one (that’s usually how my two boys handle who gets the last food item in the house) OR perhaps the first four best times on the up-coming 75 X 75 workout. Any suggestions?

Thursday Challenge 04/29/10

Run the Hills

From 31st and Spring
South on Spring to Acorn Hill
(slow steady climb from Adams to Madison)
Up Acorn Hill
(a somewhat sharp but nearly never ending climb)
Turn around at the end of the road and return to 31st & Spring
(slow steady climb from Acorn Hill to Madison & from Adams to 31st)

Approximately 2.5 Miles

Up for a Bigger Challenge?

From 31st and Spring
South on Spring to Washington
(Slow Steady climb from Adams to Madison)
South on Washington to Wood
Up Wood
(Extremely Sharp but Short Climb)
Turn around at the end of the road and return to 31st & Spring
(Slow steady climb from Acorn Hill to Madison & from Adams to 31st)

Approximately 2.75 Miles

Size Matters!

I’m talking about Waist size! We need to put away the scale and get out the tape measure. According to Dr. Oz, here’s why ……

Love handles hurt, even if the rest of you is perfectly healthy. Why?
As your weight creeps up, so does your blood pressure (BP). That's no surprise. But now it turns out that waist size matters, too. Love handles will nudge BP higher, even if you're young (under 44), have a healthy overall weight, and currently have a blood pressure reading under 130/85 mm Hg. There's never been a better reason to watch your waist instead of your scale.

Excess weight sets you up for a host of health woes. But more and more, waist size is linked to poor health, too. Whatever you call it -- muffin top, spare tire, love handles, or beer gut -- that extra padding pushes BP higher, even in young, normal-weight people who do not have high blood pressure.

The reason? When belly fat presses on your kidneys, the bean-shaped organs feel smothered and they panic. In response, they flood your bloodstream with hormones that raise your BP. Think of abdominal obesity as your early warning system for high BP. A thick middle and pants that feel too tight signal that this health risk may not be too far behind.

Here's the trouble zone for unhealthy waist sizes:

Women
Optimal waist size: under 33 inches
Danger zone: 37 inches or more

Men
Optimal waist size: 35 inches or less
Danger zone: 40 inches or more

Dr. Oz has provided a Waistline Tracking tool … click on the link below if you’re interested:
http://www.realage.com/the-you-docs/you-on-a-diet/waistline-tracker?memberid=31506471&email=caruso5402@yahoo.com

Dr. Oz has also provided some “simple steps” to assist in getting your waist back … click on the link below if you’re interested:


http://www.realage.com/the-you-docs/you-on-a-diet/

If you don’t believe Dr. Oz, there are MANY other websites that support this topic. Just Goolge “waist circumference” or “waist health” and you can obtain additional information.

For me, last year was about losing weight, and I weighed myself twice a month. This year, however, I’m focusing on strength training and toning up. So far, I’ve weighed myself twice - - once in January and yesterday.
I’m a little shocked because all my clothes are fitting looser and I just went to Kales the other day; I’m down another size in pants and shirt. BUT …. I’m up 4 pounds?? I’m not used to seeing a weight increase, but I have to remember that muscle weighs more than fat and waist size is more important than what the scale says.

Battling a number on a piece of metal on a daily/weekly basis can be discouraging, especially when you’ve made positive changes in your diet and exercise program. If you feel good and your clothes are fitting better (and you are seeing a decrease in your waist circumference), take a break from the weigh-ins.

Keep the faith!

20 Minute Treadmill Workouts

Although the weather has been quite nice lately, there are times when the cold or rain stand in the way of getting in a cardio walk/run workout. As you may recall, the Cage is equipped with a treadmill for our use, and I found a couple of 20 minute treadmill workouts. The Glute-Sculpting Workout keeps you at a moderate speed while changing up the incline. The Treadmill Challenge changes up both the speed and incline.

If you need a little change of pace or want to try something different, try a treadmill workout. I will put a copy of each of these workouts next to the treadmill should you desire to give them a try. Feel free to make adjustments to increase and/or decrease the intensity to suit your needs and abilities.

The Glute-Sculpting Treadmill Workout
(keeping speed at 4 mph while adjusting incline levels)

Minutes 0:00 – 5:00 = Incline @ 3 – 3.5
Minutes 5:00 – 7:00 = Incline @ 8 – 10
Minutes 7:00 – 8:00 = Incline @ 4 – 6
Minutes 8:00 – 10:00 = Incline @ 10
Minutes 10:00 – 11:00 = Incline @ 5 – 7
Minutes 11:00- 13:00 = Incline @ 12
Minutes 13:00 – 14:00 = Incline @ 10
Minutes 14:00 – 15:00 = Incline @ 12
Minutes 15:00 – 20:00 = Incline @ 2 - 4

The 20-Minute Treadmill Challenge

Minutes 0:00 - 3:00, Speed = 3.0, Incline @ 1
Minutes 3:00 - 3:30, Speed = 3.5, Incline @ 2
Minutes 3:30 - 4:00, Speed = 3.5, Incline @ 4
Minutes 4:00 - 4:30, Speed = 3.5, Incline @ 6
Minutes 4:30 - 5:00, Speed = 3.5, Incline @ 7
Minutes 5:00 - 6:00, Speed = 4.0, Incline @ 1
Minutes 6:00 - 7:30, Speed = 4.5, Incline @ 2
Minutes 7:30 - 8:00, Speed = 4.5, Incline @ 4
Minutes 8:00 - 8:30, Speed = 3.5, Incline @ 6
Minutes 8:30 - 9:00, Speed = 4.5, Incline @ 7
Minutes 9:00 - 10:00, Speed = 3.5, Incline @ 1
Minutes 10:00 – 11:00, Speed = 6.0, Incline @ 1
Minutes 11:00 - 12:00, Speed = 3.5, Incline @ 1
Minutes 12:00 - 12:30, Speed = 5.0, Incline @ 2
Minutes 12:30 - 13:00, Speed = 5.0, Incline @ 4
Minutes 13:00 - 13:30, Speed = 5.0, Incline @ 6
Minutes 13:30 - 14:00, Speed = 5.0, Incline @ 7
Minutes 14:00 - 16:00, Speed = 3.5, Incline @ 1
Minutes 16:00 - 17:00, Speed = 6.0, Incline @ 1
Minutes 17:00 - 20:00, Speed = 3.0, Incline @ 1

From the CrossFit Journal by Louis Hayes

BEYOND THE BODY

CrossFit girls are beautiful—but Louis Hayes believes it’s more about attitude and determination than appearance.

CrossFit chicks are hot.

Ever hear that saying? Well, it’s true. And here’s why: Being “hot” has a lot more to it than physical appearance. Plenty of women and girls have all the physical components and gifts of the cover girl but simply “aren’t hot.” And then there are those magnetic ones who might never be a runway model but are irresistible.

CrossFit chicks swim upstream. They battle against all the images of female physical fitness that have been implanted since birth. They fight the self-limiting mentality put upon their gender community. CrossFit chicks possess a confidence, commitment and sense of accomplishment that puts them at the forefront of their gender. They know the anxiety of stepping up to competition. They savor the taste of victory. They sweat, suck wind and give their all. They are part of a community that snuffs out the mantra of popular culture—the CrossFit community.

Somewhere, each female CrossFitter was introduced to a new, unorthodox philosophy of physical fitness. It’s a model that allows women and girls to face their fears and weaknesses and learn how to win. They learn the movements and programming and attitude that put them on the pathway to a place the gym teachers and TV infomercials told them they could not go.

And once these ladies get on the path, there is no turning back. The confidence seeps though their pores. The resolve shows on their faces. Resilience shines through. These traits are common to all CrossFit chicks, and there is an added element of beauty and attraction given to these women.

Thursday Challenge 04/22/10

As Fast As Possible

20 Pull-ups
Run from the Cage to 31st & York (just about 1 mile - give or take)
50 Air Squats
Run from 31st & York to the Cage (will equal just about two miles total - give or take)
20 Pull-ups

Here's Some News On Bacon ...

Personally, I rely on bacon as one (of many) sources of protein. However, I hate the cooking time and cleaning time involved. I cheat and buy the fully cooked kind that I heat in the microwave for 20 seconds! It has no carbs and 5 grams of protein in two slices. Trader Joes carries fully cooked Canadian bacon. It has 1 carb and 10 grams of protein in three slices. Bacon is a good item to have with my morning oatmeal; it’s also good for snacking too. And by the way … it’s a quick and easy item to throw into my lunchbox!

Is bacon the best protein option? Probably not, but it’s not so bad. Here’s an article for you to read …. Decide for yourself.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/a-quick-guide-to-bacon/

Thursday Challenge 04/15/10

As Many Sets As Possible in 20 Minutes

One Set Equals:

Run 200M (100M up the ramp to light pole #CO4 then 100M back to the garage)
25 Air Squats

Try Something New!

An abdominal exercise from Brass Ring Fitness.

www.brassringfitness.com

The “Down” Position

Begin in the down position. The upper back is completely flat so that the shoulder blades touch the ground, however the head stays up (this helps develop strength in the neck).

Arm positions can vary from straight out (pictured), to crossed over the chest, or with fingers interlaced behind the head.

The soles of your feet should be together with the knees dropped outward, to minimize hip flexor involvement and maximize the effect on the abdominal muscles.

It’s best to place a rolled up towel under your lower back to alleviate strain on the spine.

Midway up/down

This should be a controlled contraction of the abs, so that the upper body is raised to a seated position. Your butt should not come off the ground. Your arms should remain out in front of you, and should not ever be overhead.



The “Up” Position

At the “Up” position, your upper body is at a right angle to the ground. It is helpful to find a target for your hands to touch, like your shoe laces, to help you go all the way up each time without having to think about it.



As with all exercises, Range of Motion (ROM) is critical. A poorly performed sit up, while better than nothing, is not Brass Ring quality. If you’ve been doing them wrong all your life, that’s not an excuse to continue to be lazy.

Do them right, do them faster.

Scaling

Make it Easier:
•Raise your knees up and put your feet under something.
•Do crunches or heel touches.
•Take more breaks.

Make it Harder:
•Cross the arms over the chest or interlace fingers behind head.
•Do all sit ups in a single set (or minimal sets).

Thursday Challenge 04/08/10

The Murph for Miller is coming to CrossFit Tri-Cities www.tricitiescrossfit.com on Saturday May 15th from 9AM to 3PM. In an effort to assist you in your preparation for this event our next SIX Challenges will be dedicated to providing you with the training you will need to improve your performance.

5 Max Sets of Each Exercise:

Pull-ups (strict, assisted or jumping)
Push-ups
Air Squats

Rest 90 seconds between each set / complete all 5 sets prior to moving on to the next exercise (example: max set of pull-ups, rest 90 seconds, max set of pull-ups rest 90 seconds, max set of pull-ups, rest 90 seconds, etc.).

Defensive Tactics & Self-defense

The definition of Defensive Tactics (as defined by TDATraining.blogspot.com):

Police defensive tactics are NOT the same as self-defense. The role of defensive tactics in law enforcement and corrections is to assist the officer in performance of arrest and restraint, and to increase the margin of safety for both the officer and the suspect. Defensive tactics charge the officer with protecting others as well as themselves. The definition of "defend" as used here is neither punitive nor passive, but instead "to repel danger or harm while serving and protecting." Meanwhile, self-defense encompasses any and all means of protecting oneself. Self-defense techniques are not meant to apprehend an assailant. Indeed, there is no regard for the safety of the attacker whatsoever. So obviously self-defense and defensive tactics are not synonymous.
…. Training in defensive tactics is more than simply issuing officers a nightstick and saying, "Don’t hit anybody in the head." It only takes a few seconds to be issued a tool, but learning to use it is a never-ending process.
….. Furthermore, you don’t always have the right tool in your hand. It may be on your belt or in your car, and while it just takes a few seconds to get it, that may be more than you have. Therefore another purpose of defensive tactics training is to give you a few seconds. You can use those seconds to get a tool or to plan a better response or simply to breathe and therefore regain mind control.
…. Finally, once you learn the techniques, you can’t forget to bring them with you, either. Sure, you can lose the skills if you panic, or if you refuse to practice them, but there is no way anyone can take them away from you short of rendering you unconscious.

OK …. Where oh where could I possibly be going with this on a fitness website???? Now that I have your attention, I’ll tell you.

While trying to live a healthy lifestyle and maintain weight loss, I am faced with unexpected dangerous (aka “unhealthy”) situations, and I need to be prepared to use defensive tactics and/or self-defense techniques to defend myself against the enemy (aka “bad eating choices”). Similar to the police tactics and techniques as defined above

• “learning to use it is a never-ending process” (I am constantly reading books and articles to become more knowledgable in terms of diet and exercise)
• “you don’t always have the right tool in your hand. It may be on your belt or in your car” (or in my case … having the right foods available in my pre-packed lunch box gives me “a better response” to my hunger and therefore I gain “mind control” in terms of eating properly).
• “once you learn the techniques, you can’t forget to bring them with you, either” (I can’t forget to bring the lunch box and there is no way anyone can take it away from me “short of rendering me unconscious”)!

OK … so do you get my point? Preparation and planning are key. There are times when the lunchbox thing isn’t feasible on a particular day (whether it be a lack of time or lack of food supply in the house), but I still plan and I come to work prepared. Jimmy Johns has an un-wich option (aka the lettuce wrap). The Beach Club un-wich is awesome! Panera Bread, McDonalds and Post 20 have some good salad options too. You can also get any Subway Sandwich option made into a salad option. I also carry a protein bar with me … you never know when you’re going to be stuck on a call and lunch/dinner is delayed. Bad eating decisions can be made when you’re starving and you have not pre-packed (or pre-planned) your food for the day.

As you prepare for your next work shift (i.e. duty belt prep, taser check, vehicle check, etc), you may want to add a lunchbox/food plan check. It may save your life in the long run!

Thursday Challenge (4/1/2010)

Back by Unpopular Demand - Thursday Challenge from 3/18/2010

AFAP

200M Sprint (1st 100M under load)
200M Sprint (1st 100M under load)
200M Sprint (1st 100M under load)
200M Sprint (1st 100M under load)

Explanation: 100M up the ramp with any odd object from a 10lb plate to an 80lb sandbag. Place the object at light pole #CO4 and sprint back to the garage for your next odd object. Vary the objects and weight.

Then:
25 Pull-ups
25 Push-ups
25 KettleBell Clean & Presses (25 each arm - you choose the weight)
25 Sit-ups

Then:
200M Sprint (1st 100M no load)
200M Sprint (1st 100M no load)
200M Sprint (1st 100M no load)
200M Sprint (1st 100M no load)

Explanation: Go get all your odd objects and bring them back to the garage.

Lifestyle Challenge - Start Simplifying Life

Last week I brought to light that diet and exercise were not the only issues which needed to be addressed when trying to achieve your New Years Resolution to lose weight and get healthy. The writer of the article suggested that we examine the current structures and systems of our lives to find out what areas sabotage us from achieving our goals.

A few weeks prior to that, I touched on the subject of cortisol and how high levels of it may sabotage weight loss efforts. I have additional information I obtained from an article I read (womentowomen.com) which I would like to share regarding cortisol, stress and the adrenal glands:
Stress and the adrenal glands
Unlike our ancestors, we live with constant stress. Instead of occasional, acute demands followed by rest, we’re constantly over-worked, under-nourished, exposed to environmental toxins, worrying about others — with no let-up.
Every challenge to the mind and body creates a demand on the adrenal glands. And the list of challenges is endless: lack of sleep, a demanding boss, the threat of losing your job, financial pressures, personality conflicts, yo-yo dieting, relationship turmoil, death or illness of a loved one, skipping meals, reliance on stimulants like caffeine and carbs, digestive problems, over-exercise, illness or infection, unresolved emotional issues from our past or present and more. The result is adrenal glands that are constantly on high alert.
The destructive effect of high cortisol levels
What is cortisol? In its normal function, cortisol helps us meet these challenges by converting proteins into energy, releasing glycogen, and counteracting inflammation. For a short time, that’s okay. But at sustained high levels, cortisol gradually tears your body down.
Sustained high cortisol levels:
• destroy healthy muscle and bone
• slow down healing and normal cell regeneration
• co-opt biochemicals needed to make other vital hormones
• impair digestion, metabolism and mental function
• interfere with healthy endocrine function; and
• weaken your immune system.
So how can we simplify our current lifestyles in an effort to make time for diet and exercise and to reduce stress? An article I read (fitnessspotlight.com) suggests 15 ways …..
Below are just a few ways to start (this weekend!) and apply to your lifestyle. You may find that freedom that comes from becoming less attached to things (or needing more things) and finding appreciation for what you have. You really have everything you need to be happy right now, but it is all in your perspective.
• Take a Fast From Technology – TV, cell phones, computers, video game, and other forms of technology. While useful, can take away time from other positive life experiences that you may be missing out on. Go for a walk, go hiking, go have a picnic, go to the beach, or just sit around and take time out for yourself to clear your head and get perspective. It’s your time, so use it wisely.
• Learn to say “No” to people – Again it is your time, do you really need to be running around doing things all the time? Pick and choose what things you would like to participate in because they bring you a positive feeling, and let go of the rest. It’s ok to say “No” to people, you are not obligated to do anything. Take control of your life.
• Keep all your Mail in one Place and Deal with it Once- Don’t leave it scattered around the house, have one inbox for all mail and set aside time to go through it whether once a day or week. When you do go through it , take care of it right then and then file or toss it. No clutter. As those stacks of bills may be just sitting in the back of your mind all day causing you worry and concern.
• Check Email at Specific Times – Same rule as mail above, except you are not checking your email inbox all day. This could be at work or home. Just log one once in the AM and once in the PM (or whenever you want to set a schedule), read mail, respond right away and file it or delete it. Don’t leave your inbox stacked up with emails you are waiting to do something, take action right there and then shut off the computer and walk away to do other things. (This may be harder for people at work, but checking email in routine bunches will distract you less from the more important tasks of your job)
• Get a Shopping List and Go Once a Week - Do you find yourself at the supermarket 4-5x a week? Why? Could you get your shopping down to once (or even twice) a week? Create a list of everything you need for a week including food, supplies, laundry detergent, etc. Check what you need to get, mark it on your list and go to the store once. Imagine all the free time you will have if you are not running around all the time.
• Have a Garage/Yard Sale – How much stuff do you have sitting around as clutter in the house? How much stuff have you not even touched in years? Are you keeping stuff based on the “what if” excuse? (Like I have a raft because what if there is a tidal wave and I need……) Having a garage sale forces you to go through your stuff and who knows what you will find. There is such a liberating feeling in getting rid of stuff you don’t need or use! Use the rule, if you haven’t used it or worn it in 1-2 years, then you don’t really need it.
• Use the 2-Out/1-In rule for Clutter – If you have a garage sale like above, don’t go out and just spend the money on more clutter to come in! That is not the point. With the 2-Out/1-In rule for every 2 items you get rid of, you can only bring in 1 to replace it. So at least that will still keep your clutter down by 50% from before. Or better yet, 2-Out/0-In!
• Practice Dying – We are all going to die someday (hopefully not anytime soon), nothing we can do about that. But it’s amazing the though of that and how it can give us perspective. What if your doctor told you that you had 1 year to live? How would that change your perception of what you are doing with your life? Would you have regrets? Would there be things you wish you had tried? What really matters at that point to you? Practice dying is just a quick way to help you get a bigger picture on your life to make sure you are doing what you want to (now I didn’t say sell everything and spend all your money on a boat trip around the world….have to have a little perspective of long term planning as well)
• Lose Everything – This is another exercise to find out what things matter and to practice detaching from things that don’t. If your house was on fire and you had 5 minutes to grab things, what would you take? Does the rest really matter (assuming you could easily replace them with insurance)? Visualizing losing everything is a simple way to appreciate what you already have.
• Decorate with Less – Do you have shelves of pictures and books and never even look at them? How about just keeping 1 or 2 pictures out and a couple books. Having less will actually help to put more value in them. Appreciate the few pictures you have out, and then enjoy changing them out every few weeks. Have more….with less.
• Keep your Finances Simple – Keep only one credit card for emergencies and pay it off monthly. Pay in cash with everything. If you have debt make a plan to cut your expenses now and pay it off as quickly as possible. Buy used items as they can be 50-70% less than what a new thing may cost you. Haggle prices as people will always give you discounts, if you ask for it. Have auto deposit for your paycheck with an auto withdrawl of say 10% into a savings account (that you will not touch). Do auto debit from checking account for monthly expenses. These are just a few strategies to try out.
• Get Rid of Junk Mail and Telemarketers – Write in to the Direct Marketers Association and tell them you want off the list. Here’s the link for the addresses. You must write in once for mail and another for phone and give your name, address and phone number. You should see a dramatic reduction in like 4-6 weeks.
• Give Back to Those Less Fortunate – You can donate your time or items to charitable organizations for those who may not be as fortunate as you. Nothing will give you a greater appreciation of what you already have than helping those with less.
• Don’t try and Keep up with the Joneses – Chances are the Joneses may have a nice car, house and lifestyle from the outside…but most are 1 paycheck away from bankruptcy, living on credit and so stressed out that their health is at risk. In fact it may be the Joneses who want to live like you in a simple and happy way!
• Stay Healthy – Nothing is as simple as never having to be in the hospital, on medications or deal with other medical issues. Being healthy is also going to save you a ton of money in the long run!
Regarding the last suggestion, specifically as it pertains to never having to be on medications, I’m currently reading a book on women’s health. The author brought up a very interesting point on this issue. She (Christine Northrup, MD) wrote:

“Lacking a way to name and change their situations, many women (and men) instead turn to addictions such as overwork, overcare, smoking, and overeating that result in an endless cycle of abuse that we ourselves help perpetuate. Being abused or abusing ourselves, we become ill. Then we turn to a medical system that is set up to deliver mostly quick-fix pharmaceutical solutions to problems that can’t be healed until we change our core beliefs and thoughts!”

Take the lifestyle challenge and start simplifying and experience freedom (from medication or whatever)!

Upcoming Event - The Maltz Challenge

Remember this quote I posted back in January ….

Believe in yourself. You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face …. You must do that which you think you cannot do.

Well here’s my chance (and hopefully your chance) to look fear in the face --- specifically, the Maltz Challenge:

• 400 meter run
• 50 pull ups (alternate form for women)
• 100 meter Fireman's Carry or 200 meter Farmer's Walk with 50 lb dumbbells (25 for women)
• 50 dips
• 100 push ups (50 for women)
• 50 knees - to - elbows
• 100 sit ups
• 400 meter run

Click on this link to read about Master Sergeant Michael Maltz and to obtain more specific details on this upcoming event:

http://trinitytraining.blogspot.com/search/label/Maltz

Hope to see you there --- and remember …… Keep the faith!

Thursday Challenge 03/18/10

AFAP

200M Sprint (1st 100M under load)
200M Sprint (1st 100M under load)
200M Sprint (1st 100M under load)
200M Sprint (1st 100M under load)

Explanation: 100M up the ramp with any odd object from a 10lb plate to an 80lb sandbag. Place the object at light pole #CO4 and sprint back to the garage for your next odd object. Vary the objects and weight.

Then:
25 Pull-ups
25 Push-ups
25 KettleBell Clean & Presses (25 each arm - you choose the weight)
25 Sit-ups

Then:
200M Sprint (1st 100M no load)
200M Sprint (1st 100M no load)
200M Sprint (1st 100M no load)
200M Sprint (1st 100M no load)

Explanation: Go get all your odd objects and bring them back to the garage.

Choose to Lose Fitness Challenge

It’s officially over! I have heard several positive success stories, and it seems that everyone enjoyed the weekly physical challenges.

Speaking of challenges …. Whether you want to continue down the path of weight loss or whether you are now at a point where you want to maintain your recent weight loss, you need to keep challenging yourself in the area of quality food intake and quality exercise. The Choose to Lose Fitness Challenge was just the first step to incorporating lifestyle changes. It was a ladder to be used to get you out of the “pit of despair” of holiday food binging to level ground. Now you are faced with the choice of sliding back into the pit or continuing down a level path. The choice is a DAILY choice; it’s YOUR choice to make. The choice will never go away, but it does get easier.

Amongst all the articles I’ve read, there was one that basically someone just gave there predictions for 2010 (stumptuous.com). The predictions varied, and the writer gave his/her predictions on subjects such as healthcare, medical research, stress, farming industry …. Just a lot of stuff. Anyways, the first prediction related to why New Years’ Resolutions will fail this year …..

You will fail at your New Year’s Resolutions this year — and every year — unless you figure out the real problem and focus on the process, not the product.
Why are you out of shape? Why are you poorly nourished?
It’s not “willpower” — it’s the current structures and systems of your life.
Your relationship with your body mirrors your relationship with the other domains of your existence. Your body reflects your current values and priorities as well as your environment — social and physical.
• Fix your surroundings and relationships.
• Bump fitness and nutrition up the list of values and priorities.
• Find the limiting factors that are holding you back, and remove them.
• Examine the structure of your physical environment and daily routines to find the elements that sabotage you (or help you).
• Get away from soul-sucking people, things, and situations. Go towards people, things, and situations that bring you joy and give you energy.
• Question your underlying assumptions about how this whole project works and why it matters.
Not saying you have to solve it all, but if you don’t address the root cause of whatever’s bothering you, you’re doomed to fail.
Another fitness writer talked about a woman he knew who planned lavish, indulgent, junk-food meals while she was “on a diet”. In other words, this is a temporary fix, and then things will be magically different and I can engage in poor choices with impunity. Nuh-uh. It doesn’t work like that.
Be brave.
Get some big garbage bags — real or metaphysical — and start throwing shit out, whether that’s energy vampire people who don’t support you, crap “food” that poisons you, or assumptions and mindsets that are fundamentally self destructive.
Question everything until you peel away all those onion layers to find out why you are in the situation you are in.

As you can see, the writer doesn’t hold anything back and this weight loss and weight maintenance stuff is not all about food and exercise. There are other components to address. What a perfect time for some Spring cleaning (of our minds)!

Keep the faith!

Thursday Challenge 03/11/10

"The Swearing In"

As Fast As Possible (AFAP)

12 Pull-ups or Inverted Rows
Run 200M (from bay 2 to light pole #CO4 and back)
67 Push-ups
Run 200M
78 24" Box Jumps
Run 200M
79 Sit-ups
Run 200M

Here's The Scoop On Carbohydrates

Under a "What Works For Me" post, I indicated that low carbs and low sugar is what works for me. I've just obtained this information on Carbohydrates (the full article link is provided at the end of this post).

300 or more grams/day - Danger Zone!

Easy to reach with the “normal” American diet (cereals, pasta, rice, bread, waffles, pancakes, muffins, soft drinks, packaged snacks, sweets, desserts). High risk of excess fat storage, inflammation, increased disease markers including Metabolic Syndrome or diabetes. Sharp reduction of grains and other processed carbs is critical unless you are on the “chronic cardio” treadmill (which has its own major drawbacks).

150-300 grams/day – Steady, Insidious Weight Gain

Continued higher insulin-stimulating effect prevents efficient fat burning and contributes to widespread chronic disease conditions. This range – irresponsibly recommended by the USDA and other diet authorities – can lead to the statistical US average gain of 1.5 pounds of fat per year for forty years.

100-150 grams/day – Primal Blueprint Maintenance Range

This range based on body weight and activity level. When combined with Primal exercises, allows for genetically optimal fat burning and muscle development. Range derived from Grok’s (ancestors’) example of enjoying abundant vegetables and fruits and avoiding grains and sugars.

50-100 grams/day – Primal Sweet Spot for Effortless Weight Loss

Minimizes insulin production and ramps up fat metabolism. By meeting average daily protein requirements (.7 – 1 gram per pound of lean bodyweight formula), eating nutritious vegetables and fruits (easy to stay in 50-100 gram range, even with generous servings), and staying satisfied with delicious high fat foods (meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds), you can lose one to two pounds of body fat per week and then keep it off forever by eating in the maintenance range.

0-50 grams/day – Ketosis and Accelerated Fat Burning

Acceptable for a day or two of Intermittent Fasting towards aggressive weight loss efforts, provided adequate protein, fat and supplements are consumed otherwise. May be ideal for many diabetics. Not necessarily recommended as a long-term practice for otherwise healthy people due to resultant deprivation of high nutrient value vegetables and fruits.

Here's the full article:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-primal-carbohydrate-continuum/

THE WARRIOR DASH

The Warrior Dash is the ultimate event for thrill-seeking athletes. This running series is held on some of the nation's most demanding and unique terrain. Participants will conquer extreme obstacles and celebrate their feat with music, beer, warrior helmets and muddy shorts.

Registration for the Warrior Dash in Joliet is almost full. I've registered for the 10AM wave on 06/19 for those of you that plan on attending. The registration fee is $65.

http://www.warriordash.com/register2010_midwest.php

Caffeine, Alcohol and Health - How Much is Too Much?

I'm a coffee drinker, so this subject is of interest to me. Just the other night I heard on the news that a benefit to drinking coffee is that it reduces your risk for stroke. Who knows? One day it has benefits, one day it has adverse effects.

I easily drink 3 to 4 cups of coffee in the morning, and I enjoy an afternoon iced coffee. I know I have a coffee addiction since I experience headaches in the morning without it! Over the past year I have implemented many positive nutritional changes (including no alcohol), so I let go of the “guilt” of drinking too much caffeine.

One adverse effect of too much caffeine is its affect on cortisol levels. For those of you who are not familiar with cortisol, here’s a briefing from one of many articles I have read regarding this subject:
The hormone cortisol is produced in the adrenal cortex in response to adrenal cortical stimulating hormone (ACTH) produced in the pituitary gland. Cortisol plays an important role in regulating blood sugar, energy production, inflammation, the immune system and healing.
If you have too little cortisol, you may suffer from fatigue, chronic fatigue, exhaustion and a disease of the endocrine system called Addison's disease. If your adrenal glands are producing too much cortisol, you may develop conditions such as weight gain, especially around the abdomen, depressed immune function with all of the consequences, accelerated aging and stomach ulcers.
Recently, a lot of attention has been directed to the effects of excess cortisol on weight gain and on the difficulty in losing weight. Collectively, the various diet plans being promoted by a long list of diet gurus have a failure rate of approximately 93 to 97 percent. There are several reasons for this. One is clearly the difficulty in achieving behavioral modification in the face of easy availability of the wrong kind of foods, inherently sedentary lifestyles, and intense media programming. Another reason is that our hormones work against us, in the weight loss perspective. High cortisol levels is one of the culprits.
Weight gain, especially in the abdominal area and aging ... I’m starting to reduce my intake of coffee!!! If this subject is of interest to you, please read this article. One of the topics discussed within the article (near the middle/bottom) is “Coffee Alternatives” and it has a link to Teeccino which is a naturally caffeine-free herbal coffee. I just started drinking it this week (1/2 coffee and ½ teeccino). It’s great tasting, and I have not experienced any headaches. I’m not planning on giving up caffeine totally, but I am reducing my intake. Read and decide for yourself. The article also addresses alcohol intake which is also interesting.
http://www.fitnessspotlight.com/2009/11/23/coffee-health-alcohol-facts
Happy reading!

Thursday Challenge 03/04/10

We'll be using the three training tracks for this challenge due to the thrusters.

5 Sets of As Many Repetitions of each excercise As Possible (AMRAP).

Beginner:
45# Thrusters (just the bar)
Push-ups
Sit-ups

Rest 3 minutes between each complete set.

Intermediate:
95# Thrusters (bar plus two 25# plates)
Push-ups
Sit-ups

Rest 3 minutes between each complete set.

Practiced:
115# Thrusters (bar plus two 25# plates & two 10# plates)
Push-ups
Sit-ups

Rest 3 minutes between each complete set.

This Challenge will set the tone for all of this months challenges. Can't wait for the warm weather to work some sprints in!

Intermittent Fasting

Previously, I posted an article which provided you with potential reasons why you can’t lose weight and also how to lose fat. One of the suggestions given under the “how to” section was to “Fast: 16-20 hours daily and/or 24 hours twice weekly.”
I’ve run across an article regarding Intermittent Fasting …. Here’s a little “taste” of the article:
It has become sacrilege to skip a meal. Skipping meals, they say, only slows the metabolism, promotes fat storage, and makes us more likely to gorge on unhealthy foods once we do decide to eat.
The same goes for workouts. Missing a workout – especially in conjunction with a skipped meal – can make a fitness buff feel like a lazy slob. Missing two, or even three? A crisis of monumental proportions! A cascade of guilt and regret!
What are we to do?
Read the full article ….. At the bottom of the article are additional articles, including a “How To” fast article if you’re interested. As previously pointed out under a What Works for Me post (in terms of workout) …. CHANGE was mentioned. Perhaps a little CHANGE (in the area of diet) will get you through a weight loss and/or fat loss slump??
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/intermittent-fasting-skipping-meals-healthy/

Thursday Challenge 02/25/10

Max Sets in 15 Minutes

1 Set Equals:

1 - Wall Ball
1 - Burpee
3 - Wall Balls
3 - Burpees
5 - Wall Balls
5 - Burpees