The Fitness Guru

In Santa Clara County, California, there is a new proposal to remove all toys from fast food meals that are deemed unhealthy. Believing that the toys help to lure children to meals that are high in calories, fat and/or sodium, the County Supervisor Ken Yeager wants the toys removed.

“People ask why I want to take toys out of the hands of children,” said Yeager, who is president of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. “But we now know that 70% of the kids that are overweight or obese will be overweight or obese as adults. Why would we want to burden anybody with a lifetime of chronic illness?”

But the California Restaurant Association, which is against the ban, has run a series of newspaper ads, including one with a little girl with her hands cuffed behind her back as she clutches a stuffed bear. If County Supervisor Yeager “wants to take away the toys that are making kids fat, take away Xboxes, take away PlayStations, take away flat-screen TVs,” said Daniel Conway, spokesman for the industry group.

So what do you think?

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And now……the Top 10 Lamest Happy Meals….

Did you tire of your heart monitor last year? Is Wii Fit leaving you a wee bit cold? Well, then…..have we got something for you….

Meet Autom, the fat fighting robot. Designed by Cory Kidd, MIT graduate and now-CEO of Intuitive Automata, the “socialable” robot provides feedback and encouragement for dieters who enter their nutritional information.

“It draws heavily on human psychology — so understanding how we as people interact with one another,” Kidd said. “It relies on cues that people use in everyday communication.”

Right now Autom relies on a touch screen on his belly, but next year, Kidd is hoping to release a version with voice recognition, so that you can talk to the little fella. Right now, users tap in information regarding weight, diet, exercise regime and goals in response to Autom’s spoken questions. Autom will then offer advice and tailor that advice over time to user’s strengths and weaknesses.

Kidd says that, in a Boston study, 15 people who used Autom were able to stay on their programs for an average of 51 days, whereas people keeping track on a paper journal only lasted 27 days.

I just keep flashing to “2001″:

“Open refrigerator door, HAL!”

“I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

If you have ever tried to start a weight loss program, you have probably found that after some initial success, you hit the dreaded “Plateau”– that period of time when the scale just won’t budge.

The Plateau is very common but that doesn’t mean that it is any less irritating. It’s like some sort of great cosmic prank……that somewhere, someone is giggling at your expense.

Well, if you want some answers to stop all the giggling, check out this brand new Podcast. And remember, if you have any questions, ideas, frustrations, or just good ol’ observations, shoot me an email at michael@fitnessgurunyc.com.

Rock on!

The Fitness Guru

www.fitnessgurunyc.com

The Fitness Guru

www.fitnessgurunyc.com

A new study from the University of Chester, in collaboration with the Liverpool Hope University, suggests team building exercises do absolutely no such thing. The findings suggest that these exercises, which can run the gamut from walking over hot coals to scaling twenty foot climbing walls in the dead of winter (yes, I’ve been there) do nothing to build any bonds between the individuals engaged in the exercises ( got to admit– don’t remember anyone on that wall and I certainly don’t care to be tagged by them on Facebook).

Dr Moira Lafferty, from the University of Chester, who led the study with colleagues from Liverpool Hope University, said: “Our findings suggest that, despite there being no positive relationship to team cohesion, team building activities … are still conducted. “

I would like to believe, though, that greatness can emerge from these exercises. And so, my friends, as we go into this Spring weekend, I say gather your friends for some team building exercises– throw the Frisbee, pedal the bicycles, paint the house– and enjoy!

Two Germans, a man and a woman, walk into this Mexican gymnasium…

No, not the set up for some kind of crass joke. It happened a couple of days ago. I know they were German as they were chatting with each other and, well, we were all in Mexico at the time. The guy chose not to wear a shirt for his little fitness adventure. And, from the looks of him, this was the first such adventure he had undertaken in quite some time. He set about using the Pec Deck, a machine designed to help tone the chest, with a hand towel casually draped around his neck. He did just enough repetitions to build up a sweat on his naked torso and then– he got up from the machine and walked away! Didn’t wipe the damn thing down, didn’t even think about it!

Once I was able to recover from the bit of vomit rising up in the back of my throat, I went to the front desk area and mentioned to attendant that there was a shirtless person in the gym, definitely against the rules of the house. She casually walked over to him and asked him to leave. He seemed confused but eventually acquiesced.

It wasn’t the only time I saw something that I would consider slightly unhygienic during my visits. And it made me wonder: am I just a prissy gym goer? I can’t imagine that behavior at my studio. We’ve gone so far as to post signs around the place asking people to wipe down the machinery after use. We leave spray bottles and wipes all over the place.

Is it gym-ignorance? Is it a European trait? A non-American trait? The prevaling attitude everywhere but in my own little brain? I don’t want to exercise in your sweat and I genuinely believe that NO ONE wants to exercise in mine.

Maybe I’m wrong…….maybe…….

But nonetheless, I was grossed out. So here are some quick tips on things you can do to be kind to your neighbor on your next visit to the gym:

1. Wipe down the machinery. If the facility doesn’t offer the tools, carry a towel with you and use that. Think about how you would like to find the machinery and try to leave it in that condition for the next exerciser.
2. Don’t Bogart the equipment. If you are doing a certain number of sets on a piece of equipment and someone is waiting to use it, let them work in for a set. You can share. It’s what we learned in Kindergarten and it still works now.
3. Rule 2 is true for the classroom arena as well. It’s not your Spin Bike and you should never tell anyone to move. It’s genuinely unfriendly and works against the communal spirit that most instructors are trying to encourage. Next time, get to class a little earlier if you absolutely MUST have that bike.
4. Don’t offer any unsolicited advice to your fellow exercisers. Many people enjoy exercising as an opportunity for solitude and quiet. They are not looking for advice. If you see something that you think may be dangerous, let the staff of the facility know.
5. Use common sense. The gym is no different than many other public forums. Think of it as visiting a friend’s home……to sweat: if you wouldn’t do it at their home, don’t do it at the gym.

Beyond that, HEY, go forth and enjoy!!

Now is the time, my people.

Run for the hills! Or run down the hills! Or run around the hills! Honestly, it doesn’t matter if hills are even part of the equation, just run!!

Running is quick, it’s simple and you carry it with you. Getting out and running allows you to avoid the dreaded Health Club Monster, it gets you out in the fresh air. And, heck, it may even get you socializing with a bunch of people that you never get to spend much time with.

“But Guru,” you say, “I am not a runner. That’s just not me or my body.”

Hesh your face, I reply. We’re all runners. I’m 6’2″, 200 lb. If anyone shouldn’t be running, it’s me. The only difference between those that run and those that don’t is……well……running.

The very WORST part of starting a running program is, without a doubt, starting a running program. Taking those first few steps when your body is rusty and out of practice has the potential for misery. Your mind will tell you not to, your body will ask you quite urgently to stop.

But once you get into the habit of running, the benefits are aplenty:

• More energy and productivity in all areas of your life
• Greater sense of self-enpowerment (if you can go from zero to 60 in your personal running life, seriously, what’s going to stand in your way
• Stronger immune system and less illness
• Weight loss and increased muscle tone

But, right, I forgot, running isn’t for you. You’re not a “runner.”

About 14 months ago my friend Kane asked me if I would help him train for the NYC Marathon. As I recall, he had never run more than two or three miles at any one time at any point in his life, but he had a calling and, dammit, he was going to run the marathon. If you have kept up with the blog, you know that Kane, as well as half a dozen other Gurites, successfully completed the marathon. And I just passed Kane the other morning as he was going out for his run. How far ya going, I asked. “I don’t know,” he said “Five or six miles.” And he took off with a big smile on his face.

Running changed the way he sees himself and it changed the way he attacks life.

And you could have the same wonderful experience.

So here’s how you begin:

1. Spending money: Don’t. You don’t need fancy sneakers or $200 running pants. You are just starting. Throw on some old sweat pants and sneakers and hit the road. The only thing you should be buying from Nike at this point is their slogan: Just Do It!
2. The important thing is to get out there and move. I suggest setting a time rather than a distance for yourself. Start with 20 minutes. Try alternating between running and walking. Walk for a minute, then run for a minute. Or whatever timing you like. It’s your run, not mine. Make it work for you. Slowly over time, you can go further, longer, and take more of the time as a run. But get out there.
3. Track your progress. Keep a chart of your time, your distance and how you feel afterward. See how your mood changes as you progress over time. This way, you have a very definitive record of your progress.
4. Stretch when you are done. The worst thing that you can do when you are just starting a program is finish the run and go right into the fetal position in your favorite chair. Your body will rebel on you. Not good. Stretch: stretch your calves, hamstrings, quads, even your upper body. Stretch it all out. And take your time. If you run for half an hour, take five to ten minutes AT LEAST at the end to stretch out.
5. Find some friends who would like to do this with you. Many folks enjoy the solitude of a good run. But, if you are just starting out, you may find that having a community around you for support offers a great deal of added motivation.
6. If you’re not into running with friends, put together a great music mix that will lift you up and inspire you to keep moving (though be careful: sometimes I take that a little too far and find myself dancing in the middle of the street…..bit embarassing….)

Lastly, enjoy yourself. Don’t beat yourself silly. Go out and get some fresh air and see your community.

Rock on!

(once you get going, start working toward Badwater…….130 mile run across Death Valley…….let’s DO IT!!!)

A little something to inspire fitness this weekend. A little trip down memory lane. The time was called “The ’80′s”: Duran Duran was on the Walkman, Miami Vice ruled the 28″ TV and fitness…….well, fitness was the HOTTEST thing in town…….