My New Favorite Workout Video

I have been a personal trainer for the last 14 years.  This makes me a certified EXPERT on weirdness in exercise...and THIS is WEIRD!  Anyone know just what in the hell is going on here?  

Takin’ Some Time to Heal

I had to RE-learn a very valuable lesson this year.  About a month ago, I came down with a pretty serious sore throat.  It was bad.  Can't remember the last time my throat hurt that much.  The problem was that, I didn't really have time to get sick - so, I ignored it.  Ever do that?  9 times out of 10, I get away with this, but this time I wasn't so lucky. 

I'm never a big fan of sacrificing health for exercise, but this year I bull-headedly pushed it too far.  After about 10 days of a rapidly worsening sore throat, I decided to go to the doctor.  This is rare for me.  "Doc said, "It's just a virus.  You should be OK in a couple of days."  I went home a little dejected.  The Northern Utah cowboy in me is somewhat ashamed to go to doctors.  When I finally do, I figure there must be something seriously wrong (read aneurysm or tumor).  When the Doc says there is nothing wrong, its embarrassing.   

Already feeling ashamed of going to the doctor, I decided that he was right and I was just being a wuss.  So, the next day I got back after it.  Working out, that is.  This lasted about 4 days and then I went flat on my face.  My hell I got sick.  But, I wasn't going back to the Doc.  I already demonstrated a serious display of wuss-itis.  Last thing I'm going to do is go back and label myself a "chronic wuss-itis sufferer." 

Two more weeks went by and cute little wifey got sick of hearing me hack and wheeze.  She sent me (threateningly, manipulated me with logic and understanding) kicking and screaming  to the doc.  Turns out, this time I had worked my way into a pretty stiff case of (walking) pneumonia.  Was Rx'd some pretty gnarly antibiotics and VIOLA!  I'm feeling much, much better - AFTER ONLY 48 HOURS!

Here is the take home lesson:  Take the time needed to heal your body.  My bull-headed actions this year, cost me nearly a month of health.  It is FREAKIN not worth it.  I know better, too.  Over the last 15 years I have worked with numerous (hundreds) of clients who pushed themselves too far when they were beginning to get sick and they only got worse for their efforts.  Some got MUCH worse. 

The long term ramifications are scary, too.  It's bad enough to get sick for a month and miss workouts and be grump to all those around you (hence wifey's actions).  It's another thing when you think about HOW sick you may have made yourself.  Many chronic, debilitating and lethal illnesses are contracted while a persons' immunity is low.  Yes, I am talking about things like heart disease and cancer and worse.

I'm going to take the rest of the year off, unless I feel much better within the next couple of days.  It's been a year, or so, since I had a good break anyway.  I'm a big proponent of this.  It just took me a month and a semi-debilitating illness to remember it.          

She Loves Me, Not!

"This commercial is so shallow."  "I can't believe someone would make a commercial like this."  "It's CRAP!"  "Someone should say something..."

Those are comments I have heard about this commercial.  

The problem is - it is TRUE.  

Ignoring it and griping about it doesn't make it go away. 

My response to the above comments? - FIX it!

Whatcha REALLY Eating?

Did you know that you food can legally contain maggots?  Seems unfathomable, but recently I checked out the website for the FDA and it's TRUE!  And its not just maggots either!  It seems that the FDA allows manufacturers of foods to include certain amounts of some pretty awful things in the stuff you buy from them.  Here are some examples:

Canned pineapple can have up to 20% mold tests. 

Canned tomatoes can have 5 fly eggs & 1 maggot per 500 grams.

Frozen broccoli can have 50 mites per 100 grams. 

Ground cinnamon can have 400 insect fragments and 11 rodent hairs per 50 grams.

Peanut butter can have 30 insect fragments or 1 rodent hair per 100 grams. 

Popcorn can have 20 gnawed kernels or 2 rodent hairs per pound

6% of the potato chips you eat can be off. 

That is just the start of it.  My point?  The healthy food you are eating may not be all that healthy.  Just another reason to eat foods in their most natural state.  Foods consumed in their natural state are more trustworthy because they are easier to wash, you can be sure of where they have been, and are generally healthier for you anyway. 

Sorry for the appetite killing "gross post."  Hoping to keep you away from the pie and junk in the next couple of days.  :)