The Fitness Guru

Monday morning quarterbacking…….

….so what pissed me off most about last night’s Superbowl? Was is the obvious absence of any New York-based team? No. That bothered me but it doesn’t take top honors. Was it the fact that the Indy offensive line held so tough that the New Orleans defense was unable to crush the Other Manning? Sure, I screamed a few times at the TV, but that wasn’t it either. The game, I thought, was exceptionally good entertainment and very well played by both teams.

No, the part that pissed me off most was a TV commercial for Sketcher’s Shape-Ups. In case you missed the commercial, or the onslaught of various articles and TV news segments regarding this “miracle”, the Shape-Up is a shoe that is designed to “promote weight loss, tone muscles, improve posture and relieve stress on the knees and ankles.” It has a special curved sole and special insoles that make it feel like your walking in sand……yadda yadda yadda….I am so oblivious to these ads at this point that it was merely a distant hum, when a good friend turned to me and said “what do you think of those?”

What do I think? The fact that anyone would ask me what I thought suggests to me that there are people taking it seriously, something I completely have not anticipated (though, I am sure people are also stocking up on the Shake Weight). What do I think? Joe Montana suggests that they are wonderful shoes that do great things to develop my core. Why would Joe say that if it wasn’t true? Denise Austen has never found an athletic shoe that helps tone the muscles like the Shape Up in her 25 years of health and fitness. Again, what would motivate her to say that if it wasn’t true?

Let’s assume that it is all true. Let’s assume that the researchers who are finding that the more developed the sports shoe, the more likely there is to be injury associated with activity. That’s right— even Nike is starting to go back to basics because of the increase in knee and hip injury associated with over-developed running shoes. But Shape Ups are not a running show; they are over developed walking shoes. So let’s say they do help tone muscles and promote weight loss (what does that mean– promote weight loss? Clever, right? Not “leads to weight loss” but rather “suggests the possibility that weight loss could eventually happen”)– so people see the ad and think, “Wow! I can buy the shoes and that will get me out of exercise! I will simply be exercising when I walk around!”

BUT YOU ARE EXERCISING WHEN YOU WALK AROUND ANYWAY! The problem with our culture is that we simply DON’T walk around anymore.

Before you buy the shoes, buy yourself a pedometer. It doesn’t have to be expensive, it simply has to be able to keep track of the number of steps you take throughout the day. It takes 12,000 steps daily to maintain one’s weight. I guarantee that, if you are considering buying the Shape-Ups, you are not walking anywhere near 12,000 steps a day. Why? Because if you are that active, you are not attracted to a shoe that is going to help you do what you already do for yourself. And if you are not that active, you would simply like the Silver Bullet that will make all the work as easy as sliding on a pair of shoes.

It reminds me of my diabetic friend who would simply inject himself with more insulin when he wanted to have a piece of chocolate cake or a drink. Suddenly, you have the tools that would seem to allow you to avoid the problem with which you are faced.

You want to “promote weight loss”? Get up out of the chair. Stop watching the commercials and get moving. Don’t go to the gym, walk around the block a couple of times. I remember my dad losing about 40 pounds in his 40’s simply by going for a long walk after work. He wasn’t wearing Shape Ups, but he was losing weight, feeling better and stronger, and I think it firmed his thighs, calves and buns. Oh, and his core.

At a time when most people are watching their purse strings very intently, it strikes me as odd that folks would spend money on something like this. But, then, stranger things have happened.

Nice win, Saints! Congrats, New Orleans! You deserve it!

a "Tough Guy"

Over 5,000 people arrive in Staffodshire on Monday to compete in a Tough Guy competition: 8 miles of fire, water, ice, more fire, barbed wire…..you name it. Men and women, many of whom represented the military and police forces, took part in the grueling competition. And, not so surprisingly, many people chose to wear costumes. Bones were broken, blood was shed, but at the end of the day, everyone seemed to have a rousing good time and retired to the pub for a pint.

I want to do the same thing here in Brooklyn. Fire, water, tourist wrestling on the Bridge, walking down a Soho sidewalk on Saturday afternoon……. Who’s in?

Is it just me, or does it seem like this past December was a resounding kick to the stomach and we are only now starting to stumble up? The Flu? Possibly. The economy? Could be. Maybe it is just me but everyone seems a little tweaked, and not just in the Oh-my-God-Oh-thank-God-Apocalypse-Deliverance-Good-Cop-Bad-Cop reactions to the Massachusetts election. In the small sphere of the studio, things are off: Rippy Cutty boy shows up looking like a deer in the headlights instead of the noble morning warrior; the Boot Camp seems to have overdosed on Xanax; and with nerves frayed, many seem to be edging for a fight of one kind or another, even if they are not quite sure of the topic.

Did we all quit sugar and caffeine at the same time? Was that the group resolution and I just missed the memo?

No, it’s more than that. Folks are freaked. No one is quite sure where we’re headed, there is very little faith in “the system”, and many want to simply stay huddled up in the cave until the storm passes. Perfectly understandable, I say. Understandable, sure, but impossible to do. We have to get up, get out, go to work, the whole nine yards.

And I see all of this anxiety and stress wear away at all these people. And what’s the first thing to go out the window? Health and well-being. You’re not quitting the sugar and caffeine. You’re OD’ing on them. You are tanked and you are reaching for that muffin or that extra cup of coffee (or three). At the brand new DUMBO candy store, Tootsie Rolls are flying off the shelves. Anything for that little burst of energy.

But that just creates a vicious cycle that brings us further and further down. More sugar, more caffeine, more stress at work, less sleep, less peace, more tired, more sugar……..you get the idea.

So how on earth are you going to break this cycle?!? I know, I know!……it’s out of your control, it’s tough at work, you can’t get it all done, there’s too much stuff, too little time, aaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!……………

Wrong.

Here are three simple ideas, not the be-all-end-all, but certainly a good start:

1. Start to cut back on the amount of sugar and caffeine you consume. It’s tough but it’s an addiction like any drug, and this drug is bringing you down, baby. If you want the coffee and sugar, have it but then back off after lunch. You’ll probably have to take a nap on your desk, but that’s better than getting a poor night’s sleep.

2. Schedule one 5-minute period at one point in the day when you can simply breathe and relax. Five minutes is all it will take to allow your system to reload. And once you calm yourself down, it’s like a second wind. You’ll find you have more focus and energy and can accomplish more than you could a few minutes before. Not sure about this one? Try this 5-minute Relaxation podcast. Or just set a timer, close your eyes and breathe.

3. Be present. So much going on, so many responsibilities. It is very easy to get perpetually distracted. Have you been in a conversation with someone recently and noticed that you have no idea what they said for the last few minutes? Take some time for yourself and practice being present. Be aware of where you are and that that is all that is important for the moment. Nothing is going to change, nothing is going to destruct. Just enjoy that moment and be present for yourself. You will find that, as an exercise, it is very refreshing. And, as a practice, it will give you a brand new source of energy and power. And couldn’t we all use a little bit of that?

If all else fails, take a moment and watch the video:

The Fitness Guru

www.fitnessgurunyc.com

t’s been a while and I had forgotten about this one. It is a glowing example that exercise doesn’t have to be about simple repetitive movement; it can be part of a greater learning process. It can provide the opportunity to multitask. So sit back and enjoy watching others exercise, and let me know how it inspires you!

Whole Foods has created a new incentive program for their employees: get yourself healthy and you can receive a bigger discount on Whole Food purchases. The benchmarks for “healthy employees” include Body Mass Index (BMI), blood pressure, cholesterol level and not smoking.

At face value, it seems like a great idea: inspire the work force to live a little healthier by motivating with discounts. But dig a little deeper and the issue becomes problematic.

My number one issue is BMI. BMI is an individuals height relative to their weight. The concept is that fatter people will have higher BMIs than thinner people. The problem is that BMI doesn’t take into account whether the weight is fat or muscle. So yours truly, who stands at 6′2″ and weighs 195 lb is termed “overweight” according to the BMI, even though much of my 195 lb is muscle and I am in pretty good shape.

BMI is an issue across the board in situations like this. I have had problems with insurance companies not wanting to insure me because my number was too high. And Wii Fit deems it appropriate to make my Mii avatar wander through exercises sporting a bit of a spare tire around the mid-section. Consequently, Whole Food workers who are getting it together and getting fit may not be able to receive the discount simply because, in losing fat weight, they have built up more muscle.

My second issue is that, though Whole Foods is rewarding healthier lifestyles, there doesn’t seem to be a plan in place to help the less fit members of their community into that lifestyle. The incentive program, though generous, might not be impetus enough to inspire those less fit to get their acts together. The frustration of trying to conquer Mount Health is simply greater than the financial prize at the end of the rainbow. (Note: please don’t hit me with the comments that “being healthy should be reward enough.” We’re talking about the incentive program.)

So final score? Whole Foods gets points for trying to do something, anything, to make its workforce healthier. But this is simply Healthy Workers 1.0 and now follow up steps should be taken to assist all the workers to a healthier way of life.

Check this out: The Tournament of Champions squash competition held at……Grand Central Station? Seems to work. The game video looks terrific, but, as you can see from the still, it just seems a little odd to have this big glass box in the middle of rush hour.

Give me your ideas for other exciting competitions and the rather odd venues they can be held.

Ask me what sports I like and I am at a complete loss to suggest anything that I DON’T like. Oh, there are some that I don’t like to watch for one reason or another, but I am pretty game to try anything.

Except this……

Base Jumping.

What the hell?

Honestly, walk up to the edge of the building and jump off. Go ahead. HAHAHA NO WAY. Not me, friend. Go ahead, call me sissy. I don’t care.

So I was REALLY excited to find this clip of people jumping off the brand new tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

Enjoy the tape. And don’t try this at home.

This week we have a lower body workout with a lot of cardio intervals. The music is heavily ’80’s, with a little ’90’s thrown in for flavor.

Download it, try it out and let me know what you think.

Remember, the podcasts are for you. Let me have some feedback so that we can give you the best possible workout!

Click away!

….oh yes they did….

Not quite sure what the message is here, but if you ladies are looking to get something for that special man in your life this Valentine’s Day, this may be it.

I’ll be honest….I did a double take and had to squint when he was working his oblique……

And, with that, may the message boards LIGHT UP…….

Here’s the latest from the week that was. All things considered, pretty busy week. So grab a cup of coffee, kick back, and give a read…..

Junk food may make you depressed (though “Twinkie” is still a funny word- heh heh)

All this “lack of fitness” is starting to effect the military!

The good news: obesity rates aren’t rising. The bad news: it’s because most of us are already fat.

Watching TV will shorten your lifespan.