Health & Fitness

Don’t Make these mistakes in 2011

My wish is that you don’t make these mistakes this year. My intention is that at the end of 2011 we will be celebrating success rather than commiserating about what we could have accomplished.

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Shake weight

Just this past week my son was in my studio hanging out with me. At three years old he’s a little limited with what he can lift. He picked up  a 3 pound dumbbell put it up in front of him with both hands and began to shake it up and down. And I’m thinking to myself, “oh my God, he’s doing the shake  weight commercial.” Many different nonsensical  pieces of exercise equipment has graced our TVs televisions over the last couple of decades, but there are few more nonsensical and sillier than the shake weight.

It I love the fact that they have come up with the nebulous term “dynamic inertia.” Does anybody know what that means?  Dynamic means “of or relating to energy or objects in motion.” Inertia means “the tendency of a body to preserve its state of rest or uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force.”  so we can summarize dynamic inertia as placing something in motion and keeping it in motion. This opens up to questions. First, do you need this particular apparatus to do that? And what does that have to do with looking like the model in the commercial?

The answers to those questions are respectively “no” and “nothing!” You see, this is just another gimmick. This is another way for clever marketers to convince people that  results can come quick and easy. I love the little  graph and animations they utilize to demonstrate how this thing can generate greater attention and resistance than regular conventional exercise. I have yet to find third-party research to verify this as the case. To tell you the truth, I haven’t looked that hard. Why! Because I don’t think it really matters. I know what this thing is. It’s been inexpensively produce piece of equipment that has captured the imaginations of people looking for a quick fix. For this reason you can find it in popular sporting good stores, department stores, vitamin and nutrition shops, and I even saw them in Walgreens this past week.

So obviously this thing must be making headway if it has permeated so many different distribution channels. It’s another way to make a short-term fitness  buck. It will have its time and then it will be gone.  Soon it’ll be in the basement with the other fitness equipment that made big promises and didn’t work. If you already have one then don’t let me stop you from shaking away. Even if it doesn’t tone your arms and legs like the models in the commercial at least it can provide you with some NC-17 rated amusement.

In the meantime here is my plight. Here I am a veteran fitness professional with the sun that thinks you’re supposed to pick up dumbbells and shake them. I guess I have my work cut out for me. I hope he doesn’t throw a tantrum when I tell him that 6 minutes a day won’t cut it.

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Against Cancer

Boot Camp Against Cancer is coming very soon. Your push ups will help save lives.
Coming Saturday October 23.

The goal is to get at least 100 Staten Islanders on the South Beach Boardwalk exercising together committing to help in the fight against cancer.

Please join us.
You can get more information
here: http://www.BootCampAgainstCancer.com/

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The Real Double Down!

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Have we all lost it?

I want to preface this note by saying that I am a “Dream Maker” not a dream breaker. I am not a hater. I am a congratulater. I just started watching NBCs Losing it with Jillian. I caught it on demand. I watch the Biggest Loser and that’s why this show sparked my interest. The premise of the show is that trainer, Jillian Michaels, goes to live with a family for a week in an attempt to assist with them living healthier lifestyle.

In about 5 minutes after her arrival she takes them outside to perform some really intense exercise. She has these out of shape people flipping tires, swinging huge mallets, sprinting and even pulling tractors. One of the high school age boys starts vomiting because he can’t take the intensity of the workout. Jillian jumps out of a wheelbarrow to go and observe. (She’s in the wheelbarrow because the out of shape mother is pulling her in it.) Next she is chastising the boy berating him over the all the bacon he ate that morning which he is now throwing up. She is actually celebrating his suffering.

In the following scene she is chastising the father who has had eleven heart procedures and is too sick to participate in the exercise. She taunts him saying, “Well if you took better care of yourself you could do this too.”

At this point I shut the T.V. off. I just can’t take it anymore. As a fitness pro for over 15 years I find this insulting and offensive. I am truly in fear that America will start to believe that this is what fitness training is all about. Well, I am here to tell you that it surely is not. This is what it is…unethical! To take anyone who is deconditioned and begin their training with advanced intense exercise at a minimum is dangerous and potentially lethal.

Let’s make this perfectly clear. This “works” only in the boundaries of T.V. land. in the real world, people don’t make changes this way. This type of process gets them hurt, injured and discouraged. Am I here to berate Jillian Michaels? Definitely not. Maybe she really believes in what she does. However, I will strongly attest to the fact that outside of the confines of “Hollyweird” most people with intact self esteem would not stand for this type of abuse. Even if clients would stand for abuse that doesn’t mean trainers should abuse them. This is referred to as unethical. Unfortunately it makes for compelling television.

Reality T.V. has shown us that people will do just about anything to become famous. It has also demonstrated that American viewers have a penchant for the extreme. This is all well and fine, but let’s not get it twisted and attempt to blur the line between true reality (not reality T.V.) and fantasy. Making changes takes appropriate time, effort and motivation. It is an incremental process that is the result of consistent steps. Can dramatic change occur? Sure, but this only results from the accelerated progress of those consistent steps. The truth is no one can defy that… not even Jillian Michaels.

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February 2010 Recipe

Baked Cod Casserole

Serves 4

Prep Time 20 min.

Total Time 40 min.

Dry white wine and Gruyère cheese give this fish casserole a rich flavor that hides its virtue. Before baking, we top the dish with seasoned whole-wheat breadcrumbs, which add a wholesome, nutty flavor and dietary fiber. For variety, you can substitute almost any mild white fish.

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INGREDIENTS

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2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 medium onions, very thinly sliced

1 cup dry white wine

1 1/4 pounds cod, cut into 4 pieces

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 cups finely chopped whole-wheat country bread, (about 2 slices)

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup finely shredded Gruyere, or Swiss cheese

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COOKING DIRECTIONS

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Step 1
Preheat oven to 400°F.

Step 2
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until just starting to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Add wine, increase heat to high and cook, stirring often, until the wine is slightly reduced, 2 to 4 minutes.

Step 3
Place cod on the onions and sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. Cover the pan tightly with foil; transfer to the oven and bake for 12 minutes.

Step 4
Toss bread with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, paprika and garlic powder in a medium bowl. Spread the bread mixture over the fish and top with cheese. Bake, uncovered, until the fish is opaque in the center, about 10 minutes more.

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RECIPE TIPS

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Ingredient note: Overfishing and trawling have drastically reduced the number of cod in the Atlantic Ocean and destroyed its sea floor. A better choice is Pacific cod (a.k.a. Alaska cod); it is more sustainably fished and has a larger, more stable population, according to Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch (mbayaq.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp).

NUTRITION INFO

Per serving

Calories: 328

Carbohydrates: 17g

Fat: 13g

Protein: 29g

Dietary Fiber: 4g

Saturated Fat: 4g

Monounsaturated Fat: 7g

Cholesterol: 69mg

Potassium: 384mg

Sodium: 474mg

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 4 lean meat

Carbohydrate Servings: 1

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January 2010 Recipe

Baja-Battered Fish

Serves                                       Prep Time 8                                                 40 min.	Total Time 40 min.
Nutrition Profile: Diabetes Appropriate Healthy Weight Heart Healthy Low Calorie Low Carb Low Sat Fat Low Sodium

You may not think of fish as a taco ingredient, but the Mexican-inspired fish-taco craze is beginning to spread. Once you’ve had one, you’ll understand. This recipe is a healthful version of the battered, deep-fried and crispy fish at Rossy’s Tacos in Baja California.

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INGREDIENTS

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3/4 cup beer, preferably lager or pilsner

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1-1 1 pounds tilapia, or other firm white fish, sliced into 1/2-inch-by-2-inch strips

3 tablespoon canola oil, divided

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COOKING DIRECTIONS

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Step 1
Place beer, all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, salt, oregano, mustard, cayenne and pepper in a blender; blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Transfer the batter to a shallow baking dish. Add fish, turning to coat all sides.

Step 2
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer one-third of the battered fish to the pan, placing each piece into a little oil. Cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer cooked fish to a plate; keep warm. Add 1 tablespoon oil and half the remaining fish to the pan; cook as directed above, reducing the heat if necessary. Cook the remaining fish with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Serve immediately.

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MAKE AHEAD TIP

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The fish is best when served immediately, but will keep, wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. To reheat, place on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 375°F.

NUTRITION INFO

Per serving

Calories: 120

Carbohydrates: 4g

Fat: 6g

Protein: 11g

Dietary Fiber: 0g

Saturated Fat: 0g

Monounsaturated Fat: 3g

Cholesterol: 33mg

Potassium: 180mg

Sodium: 112mg

Exchanges: 2 lean meat

Carbohydrate Servings: 0

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College Forces overweight students to take Fitness Class

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A university’s requirement that overweight undergraduates take a fitness course to receive their degrees has raised the hackles of students and the eyebrows of health and legal experts.
Officials at historically black Lincoln University said Friday that the school is simply concerned about high rates of obesity and diabetes, especially in the African-American community.

STUDY: Blacks are most obese U.S. group
AWAY AT SCHOOL: Beer, bad habits fuel weight gain
“We know we’re in the midst of an obesity epidemic,” said James L. DeBoy, chairman of Lincoln’s department of health, physical education and recreation. “We have an obligation to address this head on, knowing full well there’s going to be some fallout.”

The fallout began this week on Lincoln’s campus about 45 miles southwest of Philadelphia, where seniors — the first class affected by the mandate — began realizing their last chance to take the class would be this spring.

Tiana Lawson, a 21-year-old senior, wrote in this week’s edition of The Lincolnian, the student newspaper, that she “didn’t come to Lincoln to be told that my weight is not in an acceptable range. I came here to get an education.”

In an interview Friday, Lawson said she has no problem with getting healthy or losing weight. But she does have a problem with larger students being singled out. Read more…

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Happy Thanksgiving

Just wanted to say “Happy Thanksgiving”

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November Motivational Moment – Quick Fixes

This Month’s motivational moment talks about quick fixes. Check it out and let me know your thoughts.

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