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/