Inside every person -- fit or on their way to fit, is a strong, motivated, determined Badass! Follow Cycling instructor and trainer Shannon Colavecchio down the road to a better, more Badass you.
This workout won't tickle. But when you finish it - and yes, you can and will because you are Badass - you will feel empowered. Unstoppable. Ruling the mountaintop! Ready to take on the world - or at least ready to face a new week!
The format is an upside down pyramid: 30 reps, 20, 10, 5, then back up to 10, 20 and 30. The exercises: tried and true moves like jacks, jump squats and pushups plus burpees, dead man crawls and walkout planks. If you're just starting out, you can finish one round and gauge how you feel to decide whether to keep going. If you've been at this Badass Journey for awhile, aim for 3-5 rounds.
You'll need: A set of dumbbells, a mat depending on what type of flooring you are dealing with, and yourself!
We did this in Badass Bootcamp this morning, and it was one of those "hurts so good" kinda burns. So go ahead. #Getafterit and show Monday who's boss.
Oh, and it's that time again! My Foodie Pen Pal this month delivered some yummy sweet potato chips, trail mix and other goodies. Have a look, and if you haven't done the Pen Pal deal yet, I encourage you to try it for a month. It is fun to give AND to receive!
Coming up: 5 ways to use pumpkin - none of them for pie! And a post about inspiration, motivation, and Under Armour's challenge to help women unleash their most Badass, beautiful selves!
Two weeks ago, I decided to up the ante on my "most of the time" clean eating and move to the PALEO eating plan.
This is the first of occasional posts related to my PALEO living, from great recipes to the inevitable frustrations (why can't the PALEO referees make an exception for hummus!?) mixed with victories (finding coconut bread that is PALEO-approved!). I also hope this can be a forum for "veteran PALEOs" to share ideas, thoughts, recipes, snack finds, etc.
First, a little PALEO 101!
What is PALEO eating?
In three words followed by a grunt, "Eat like caveman." Basically, if it could be hunted and gathered by our cave-dwelling ancestors, it is PALEO. If it was around before the Agricultural Revolution, it is PALEO.
Lean meat, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds, fruits, vegetables, and healthy oils (olive, coconut, avocado) are all part of PALEO eating. Starches, sugar, grains, legumes, dairy and alcohol are to be avoided.
The PALEO plan encourages nutrient-dense fresh fruits and veggies to replace dairy and grain products, which are less nutrient-dense.
PALEO followers also believe grains are legumes are irritating to the body's designed digestion, so basically they follow a gluten-free plan.
Why go PALEO?
My reasons for going PALEO are a few, ranging from the very basic Can I do it and stick to it? personal challenge to a desire to act in the most complete way on my belief that we put far too many foods and drinks into our bodies today that were never intended to be there. Beyond that, there are well-documented health benefits to eating this way, including:
Reduces inflammation, key for those with arthritis, fibromyalgia or other inflammatory disorders
Stabilizes blood sugar levels, thanks to the slow-digesting protein and slow-release carbs in the veggies and druits
Promotes weight loss and maintenance of a healthy weight. It's tough to have a calorie binge on fruits and veggies, thanks to the water and fiber content. Not so true when it comes to processed, calorie dense foods that can literally pack a few hundred calories into a few bites.
What does a day of PALEO eating look like?
My days have been something like this:
Meal 1, before workout/teaching class: Egg and 2 egg whites scrambled with spinach, tomatoes, asparagus and a side of fruit OR 2 slices Julian Bakery coconut bread (made w coconut flour vs wheat/white) spread with fresh ground almond butter or my fellow blogger Ginger Mantra's homemade Tupelo Honey Almond Butter.
So good!
Meal 2, after workout: Handful of almonds with fruit or with roasted veggies OR a smoothie made with unsweeteened almond milk, fresh fruit, cocoa powder, cinnamon and ground flax plus a little bit of honey or stevia.
Meal 3, late-am: Lean protein, ideally fish, with veggies and maybe sweet potato for the good carbs.
Meal 4, early afternoon: Ditto
Meal 5, pre-workout/class 2: More nuts or PALEO-friendly beef or turkey jerky and small amount of fruit
Meal 6: More lean protein with veggies
Note: Flex Foods, a local meal delivery business operated by longtime fitness buffs and nutrition experts, has been awesome about adapting meals for my PALEO eating. Everything has been delicious and totally filling - and at $6 a meal including daily delivery, a bargain.
(See at right)
What about snacks?
I am learning there are a world of PALEO friendly products out there, beyond the "born PALEO" things like fruit, nuts, and jerky.
I am loving kale chips, which can also be made at home; as well as Go Raw's flax snacks line which is all nuts, seeds and spices baked into little snack "chips." Steve's Original also makes PALEO kits of trail mixes, jerky, etc. (a review on those to come)- though you can just as easily make them at home. I even found Paleo cookies!
What about alcohol?
I have had red wine (basically, fermented grapes) and vodka soda with lime (spirits like vodka are the product of grain fermentation, but the
distillation process eliminates residues from grains, making them gluten-free). But I have consumed these very much in moderation.
What about coffee?
I drink it black, with cinnamon and coconut milk. Cavemen probably didn't have it, but this is a non-negotiable item for me! :) #teamcoffee
What about cravings? Won't I miss all of the non-PALEO foods?
At first, it is an adjustment. But I cut out processed sugars even before PALEO, and I can promise you that after a week of keeping them out of your system, the cravings cease. Your tastebuds get "real" again, and the natural sweetness and flavors of real foods pop like never before. Also, there are lots of PALEO friendly 'dessert" recipes out there using honey, coconut flour, almond flour, etc. I even found a recipe for "hummus" using cauliflower instead of chickpeas. And when I want cereal with milk? There are ample "Paleo Crunch" non-grain granola recipes that I can enjoy with almond or coconut milk.
It's all about adapting, hunting out what works, and eating real! Will I use whey or soy protein sometimes? Will I fall off the wagon and eat ice cream? Sure, maybe, we are all human. Life happens. It's all good. But I am giving this PALEO thing a 110% effort, because that is how we Badasses do! #fistbump
If you have more PALEO questions, send them my way via the comments box or email at [email protected]. In the meantime, some helpful links that have helped me along the way in these first couple of weeks!
Great PALEO Links: (Being a FitFluential Ambassador has helped immensely in pointing me to blogs, recipes and information, so thanks to my fellow Ambassadors for the help!)
Coming up: A review of Caveman Cookies and my Steve's Paleo Kit; an awesome healthy pancake recipe for the non-PALEOS; and a circuit workout that puts the F*&@! in TGIF! ;)
My sweet tooth can be, when left to its own devices, Ironwoman strong. I know I'm not alone, so this post is for all of you out there looking for a sweet you don't need to fret or guilt about afterward.
As much as I commit myself to a clean eating plan, there are of course those moments when the sweet tooth and I arm wrestle...and the tooth wins, no matter all those biceps curls I have logged!
Fortunately, sweet tooth concessions don't have to taste like cardboard. Balance is everything. So if we train with commitment and eat clean 90 percent of the time, a piece of really well made chocolate or a decadently baked cookie won't wreck us - or our physiques.
The proof in the pudding for me lately? Green&Black's Organics line of dark chocolate bars infused with fruits and nuts, and The Protein Bakery's line of high-protein brownies, cookies and blondies in a variety of flavors.
A few weeks ago Green&Black's, very generously, sent me a few bars to sample (milk chocolate with almonds, 70% dark, dark with tart cherries, and dark chocolate with hazelnuts and currants). The same week, I had spotted a few Tweets and Instagram and Facebook pics about The Protein Bakery's sweets, so I decided to treat myself to a few of their treats (oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and a coconut walnut dark chip blondie). So, yeah, my sweet tooth was feeling very victorious.
In hindsight, it was my pre-Paleo Detox sweet-and-gluten-fest! (More on that later this week....)
But ya know what? I felt not a lick of guilt after trying these chocolates and cookies.
BALANCE, NOT GUILT
The Green&Black's chocolate bars are made of the best ingredients, and the dark varieties especially are not all that high in sugar. One Hazelnut & Currant bar, 12 squares, is 230 calories and 15 grams of sugar. So even if you eat half, it's the calorie and sugar equivalent of some of those "granola" bars you're eating or even a scoop of some protein powder varieties. Plus, dark chocolate really does have a great dose of antioxidants. Enjoy a little square every night after dinner, and kill that craving before it even hits!
The NYC-based Protein Bakery's treats aren't exactly like eating an apple, but they ARE made with all real ingredients including brown sugar, oat flour, peanut butter, and chocolate chips. Their "signature" ingredient is whey protein, which ups the protein content in the cookies without making them any less delicious. Little wonder that Oprah Winfrey loves them and Equinox gyms stock them! The 2-pack of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (each 100 calories with 6 grams of fat, 3 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein) are perfect for snacking that doesn't have to turn into a session of "How did I just eat the whole row of cookies?"
I also loved the blondie - coconut really does make everything better. Eaten one sitting, it is a hefty 300 calories. So I cut it in thirds and extended the enjoyment! Balance and moderation in full effect! The Protein Bakery ships all over, and they make great gift tins -- sweet but health-conscious treats to celebrate special occasions. If you want to ever get on my good side, just send me these any time! ;) So good!
SWEET GIVEAWAY
What are your favorite sweet treats? Point me to one I really dig, and I will send the lucky winner a Green&Black's bar and a snack pack of The Protein Bakery cookies! (To be eligible: 1.) Tell me in the comments below 2.) Tweet this blog post out and tag me @badassfitceo 3.) Share it on Facebook)
Coming up this week: A Wednesday WOD leg burner; and what is PALEO, and why am I doing it?
Ever since I tweaked my lower back last year after too many track speedwork sessions and not enough time with my massage therapist and foam roller, I have been diligent and adamant about making the time and setting aside a budget for monthly sports massages, plus weekly CryoSauna sessions and foam roller "therapy" a few times a week using Trigger Point's products. (I refer to them affectionately as "foam roller on steroids"!)
I learned the hard way that when your body and muscles ARE your job and work tool, sports massages and cryotherapy are not "indulgences." They are critical maintenance tools. Without them, I am no good for my students and clients and my muscles scream at me way too loud.
With massage and CryoSauna, I perform better. My muscle recovery time is markedly shorter - a must given my heavy load of classes and clients. Moreover, I recommend my hard-working students and clients give just as much care to their own muscle recovery and tension release. Overworked and under-indulged muscles don't get stronger. They just get injured.
So imagine my excitement when Trigger Point founder Cassidy Phillips and his team debuted a new product at the IDEA fitness conference I attended in San Diego last month. They call it the Cold Roller, and they had a few on hand at their IDEA expo hall booth, where I fell in love and pre-ordered one ($109.99).
It combines the cold therapy I get in the CryoSauna (which is like a speedy, dry-cold version of the ice bath) with the myofascial release I get with their Grid, Quadballer, etc.)
You store the Cold Roller in the freezer, and once it's out it stays cold for two hours. Much like the CryoSauna but for far less cost-per-use, the Cold Roller provides the benefits of the ice bath but without the need to "thaw out" frozen, stiff muscles for hours and hours afterward. Instead the Cold Roller rejuvenates and stimulates the targeted muscles with the rolling effect.
As you'll see from the video below, it sort of resembles the much-parodied Shake Weight - but I promise you the Cold Roller is nothing to laugh at. I have used it every other night this week after my 2-a-days of bootcamps and cycling classes, and all I can say is: Wow. My quads, IT bands and hamstrings are very, very happy!
Badass Fist Bump to the Trigger Point theme for this awesome product!
Coming up: Algae for extra energy and less hunger?...some of my favorite, latest Fit Fashion...and a Badass playlist and cycling ride to roll through!
Easter baskets are the stuff of childhood memories, right? All those brightly colored jelly beans and the big, hollow chocolate bunnies. But who says we have to give up Easter baskets just because we're old enough to vote?
I say embrace the Easter basket - but a different kind of Easter basket. Peeps and the like are just empty sugar plus food coloring, after all. You might as well measure out a few cups of sugar and pour it down your throat.
But done right, a Badass-approved Easter basket can be a great gift for your friend or loved one, or even a personal treat to yourself. The Easter basket is a chance to give lots of little treats, and still stay on the path to a leaner, fitter Badass you.
To celebrate the weekend ahead, five Easter basket suggestions:
Adult-worthy chocolate: Not the cheap milk chocolate kind, which is mostly sugar anyway. Instead, splurge on the good dark stuff. Dark chocolate with 65% or higher cacao is higher in antioxidants and lower in sugar, and the flavor is so rich a smaller amount will satisfy.
Paper treats: Who doesn't appreciate a gift certificate to their favorite bicycle shop, healthy cafe or grocer, massage therapist or yoga studio? And the enjoyment will be a lot more lasting - and beneficial - than quickly inhaling a bunch of Peeps.
Sock hops and bunny britches: Well, not literally. But a great pair of cycling or running socks, new kicks for him or a pair of workout pants from her favorite athletic line will fold up pretty nicely into a basket.
Rabbit food: Skip the carrots and celery, because that would just be sort of odd - and lame. Instead, stock up on his favorite post-workout trail mix or energy bar. Fill a basket with the salt and pepper cashews she loves or her favorite flavors of Lara bars. Whatever. But make the basket all about the healthy treats your loved ones love.
Healthy baked goodness: If carrots and other rabbit eats are a must, why not go in the form of a healthy breakfast or dessert-for-breakfast treat like a carrot or zucchini bread? It will kick off Easter morning in the yummiest, no-guilt way! My fave is this zucchini-dark chocolate bread. Trust me, there is nothing green and grassy about this deliciousness!
Coming next week: All-Tabata TRX routine and an all-Tabata bootcamp!
Imagine the eighth level of hell. A fiery, torturous furnace where the afternoon "rain" is nothing more than a rain of smoking-hot fire.
This, dear Badasses, is Tallahassee, Florida during the summer. Around here, summer starts right around Memorial Day and effectively hangs around like a hot, wet sponge until Halloween. It stinks.
Summer officially began last week, but Tallahassee hit a record 105 degrees a good week or so before that. We also set some sort of "most consecutive days of 90 or hotter" record. Awesome. NOT.
Amid such wretched heat, I present you with my favorite fitness and health 'finds' - a few bright spots to make the summer of 2011 worth sweating through.
Hopefully, some of them will make you happy, too. Drum roll, please...
BADASS CEO'S FAVORITES of Summer 2011
1. Fooducate: This daily blog consistently is a rich treasure trove of no-nonsense information about food products and nutrition. Fooducate unveils the truth behind "it's so good for you" health claims and explains the skinny-- and not so skinny - on everything from mac n cheese to energy bars and frozen diet entrees. But the coolest thing is the Fooducate app for iPhones and Droids that allows you to scan an item in the grocery store and quickly get the Fooducate info on that item. I am still a Blackberry devotee, but am closer than ever to getting an iPhone - all because of Fooducate. For now, I am signed up for their daily blogs. So far every one has taught me something.
2. Bosu Trainer: Squats, pushups, pikes, cardio drills like leapfrogs and burpees - put enough Bosu Trainers together, and you get a heart-pumping, body-sculpting, Badass playground! The Bosu Trainer is a recurring 'player' in my classes and training sessions - and as much as it can make their muscles burn, clients and students also love it. And who can blame them? The Bosu makes workouts challenging AND fun.
3. Zobha and Lucy athletic wear: I have long been a devotee of Lululemon and Athleta, but ever since I tried the Zobha and Lucy lines, I am hooked. These two lines feature pants, shorts, tops, sports bras and jackets in bright colors, flattering fits, and durable and movement-friendly fabrics. All for prices comparable or less than Lululemon and Athleta. Forget baggy sweats. Fitness and fashion CAN go hand in hand. And when you look good, you feel good - all the more motivation to work harder when working out.
4. Ultimate Muscle Protein (Chocolate): This whey and caseine blend protein powder from Beverly International has the best taste and consistency, and its nutritional profile is strong (120 calories per scoop, less than 4 grams of fat, no sugar, 4 grams of carbs and 20 grams of protein). It is delicious with oatmeal, in smoothies, and with Greek yogurt. My chocolate pudding "trick": Just mix a scoop or two with reduced amounts of water or unsweetened almond milk. Stir it until it is smooth and refrigerate. Within half an hour, you have thick, creamy chocolate pudding! And lots of muscle-building protein. Get it for less at allstarhealth.com.
5. Bolthouse Farms dressings: "Light" and Fat-Free salad dressings are a potential minefield of overly processed Franken-stuff and way too much sodium. Bolthouse Farms, bless them, offers a line of delicious, flavorful dressings with REAL ingredients like yogurt, apple juice, nonfat milk, egg yolk and vinegar. My favorite is the chunky blue cheese, which plays a starring role in my apple-blue cheese summer coleslaw. It is just 50 calories and less than 5 grams of fat for 2 tablespooons but tastes as rich and creamy as any blue cheese dressing out there.
6. Kashi Heart to Heart Warm Cinnamon: In my world, cinnamon makes everything taste better - be it oatmeal, cookie batter or even smoothies. It's also great for regulating blood sugar. So I love Kashi's new cinnamon-dusted whole grain version of Cheerios, which are low in sugar, fat and have about 150 calories for a cup.
7. Mediterranean Snack Food Baked Lentil Chips: Rice cakes are cardboard disguised as food. Baked potato chips usually aren't much better. But the grease factor of regular potato chips makes them a less than ideal snack. Lucky for us, The Mediterranean Snack Food company's Baked Lentil Chips comes to the rescue for your next snack attack. These lentil chips, available in varieties like Cucumber Dill and Sea Salt & Cracked Black Pepper (and sold at most grocers and gourmet/organic places like Earth Fare and Fresh Market), are crispy, light and amazing on their own or dipped in hummus or guacamole. And you don't have to limit yourself to 5 chips to keep the calories low. A serving size is 22 chips, which is perfect for an afternoon snack, and just 110 calories and 3 grams of fat. The chips even offer 4 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber and are gluten-free. Buh-bye rice cakes. These are the bomb.
8. You Bars: I am a huge advocate of whole food. Real food. Unprocessed food. I don't like to eat things that feature of a laundry list of unrecognizable Franken-gredients. So I am in love with You Bars. This online site walks you through the making of your energy bars, protein cookies, trail mixes and shakes. You can literally choose every single ingredient that goes into your food, and then you get to name it. Do you want cashew or almond butter, or soy nut? Cherries or Goji berries? Oats or no oats? They're about $3 per bar, but I'm OK with paying more and knowing what I am eating. The website even calculates the nutritional profile as you build your bar. So cool.
Coming up: Simple But Strenuous - Pushups + Squats x many reps = Badass kickin'...
You're five days into a new Badass, clean eating regimen. You've worked out three of the past five days, and you're thinking, 'I've got this. Let the lean me emerge!'"
Then your significant other shows up with chicken wings and fries for dinner. Or your co-worker brings in fresh-baked cookies. Or your best friend picks a dinner spot where everything on the menu is fried or drowned in butter.
Suddenly, 'I've got this' turns into 'How can I resist? They're not making this any easier for me.'
Let me stop right here and stress: I believe, above all, that we are responsible for our own actions. If we really want a stronger, leaner Badass, we have to be strong and determined and make the right choices to get there. But I also believe that the support of friends and loved ones is key to our successes - whether the goal is dropping five pounds or finishing a master's degree. Whatever. It helps to have a strong shoulder to lean on.
In recent weeks, a couple of clients lamented and fretted over the tempting foods that their loved ones keep inserting into their daily routines. An aunt sent sugar cookies. A husband has the metabolism of a hummingbird and keeps wanting fatty foods for dinner - all the while, his wife is determined to rock a bikini come spring and does not appreciate these junk food temptations at home.
At my office this past week, we at one point had a tray of sugary pastries, a decadent cake, and homemade cookies in the break room all at once. Not exactly part of the corporate wellness plan that I coordinate! I think I went into diabetic shock just looking at it all.
So today, I present an open letter to "the others" in our lives. Feel free to print it out and give it to them as a gentle reminder that you need less temptation and more support in your Badass journey to a leaner, stronger you.
The Open Letter, In Hopes of Making that Badass Better....
Dear [insert name of your 'other'],
I'm sorry it has come to this, but that [insert tempting food] was the last straw. As you know, I am trying to [insert fitness goal] and I'm starting to feel really good about my chances of getting there. But the [insert fast food] and [insert fave pizza joint] and [insert baked goods/chocolate] are making my Badass journey more difficult.
I don't expect you to go on this eating plan with me, but I would love it if you could meet me halfway. I would do the same for you, and I know that you get how important this goal is to me. So here is what I'm asking: [pick from the following...]
If you buy the big bag of candy, please don't tell me - and hide it.
When I ask you to pick up dinner, please find me something that isn't fried or loaded with starch and sugar.
Try to 'treat' me with something other than [candy/chocolate/cake/cookies]. I would love to have a [massage/round of golf/round of tennis/pedicure/perfume/cologne/date night] instead.
When you eat [insert non-clean eating food] right in front of me, I admit it is so tempting. Do you mind eating fast, or away from me altogether, instead?
Please be willing to compromise. I know you love [insert their fave 'cheat food' here], and I do too. But maybe we can limit that to once a week instead of every night.
It would feel so supportive if, at least a couple of times a week, you would eat my healthy foods.
OK, so I know this might seem whiny or like I'm asking a lot. But I promise, the end result will be worth it. I'm on this road not just for myself, but to get to a point where I like myself better - and can be better for you and the other people I care about. So next time you want to bring home cookies from the bakery, maybe you can just buy one for yourself and bring me [flowers/fruit/a card] instead.
I love Fall. It means football and tailgating, cooler mornings and crisper nights, and the start of the holiday season that includes costumed trick or treaters and Thanksgiving turkey leftovers. 'Tis also the season of greater food and alcohol temptations, so we Badasses have to find a few things that we love - to self-motivate us as we work to stay on the Badass path.
With that, I give you my latest fitness and wellness favorites:
Badass CEO's Favorites, Fall 2010
1. Athleta clothing: You know how on days when you're rocking a work or party outfit you really like, it just sets the tone for the whole day? Like, "I look pretty put-together today, and I feel like I can do anything." Same goes for workout wear.
A great workout outfit can be just the thing to unleash your inner Badass. I love Lululemon, but lately Athleta by Gap is my go-to spot for slightly less pricey wears that are just as well-made and flattering for a variety of shapes and sizes.They have tops that show off the back but are more forgiving in the abs. They have loose tops, tight tops, pants of all fits, even casual wear for daily errands and lounging around. Best part: Mail-order convenience, and you can wash and wear them frequently.
And ya know what? Maybe you aren't to the point where you feel comfortable wearing these outfits. Buy one anyway, and use it as motivation. "I will exercise and eat right, and one day in the near future, I will wear this outfit like the Badass I know I am."
2. Salmon burgers, in bulk: Proof yet again that Costco, the symbol of excess in mostly obese America, is getting better with its offerings. These wild salmon burgers, less than $14 for a bag of 12, are a healthy foodie's dream - and a discerning diner's dream. They're easy to prepare (just pop them on the outdoor grill or George Foreman, or pan-sear or bake them) and have 1,360 milligrams of Omega-3 fatty acids per patty (compared to 1,000 milligrams in 2 tablespoons of fish oil). And they'll cost you just 170 calories, 9 grams of fat and 20 grams of protein, and 2 carbs. A frequent meal for me lately: One of these burgers (naked or on a 100-calorie sandwich thin bun), plus sauteed salmon with olive oil and roasted zucchini. Delicious, and so healthy.
2. Indulgent flavored coffee, sans calories: There is no denying the deliciousness of the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte or White Chocolate Mocha Latte. There is also no denying the calorie and sugar nightmare of these popular Fall treats -- between 400 and 600 calories for a Venti. Ouch.
So as the weather cools, I start my mornings with a guilt-free, full-flavor coffee indulgence. One tumbler of coffee, with a splash of Torani caramel or hazelnut sugar-free syrup, and a splash of vanilla-flavored soy creamer. The Torani syrups come in many sugar-free flavors, as does a line of syrup from Starbucks - cinnamon dolce being Da Bomb.
All the yumminess, none of the sugar and calorie overload. That's what I call having my cake and eating it too...
4. NikeiD: The joy of a new pair of kicks is multiplied times infinity with NikeiD, the Nike website where you can build your own shoe from the soles up. Pick the shoe model; the colors of everything from laces to stitching; and monogram it however you please. The price is slightly higher than what you'd pay for a great Nike shoe in the store sans "iD," but I deem this a worthy investment. It felt pretty awesome when the postman delivered my "Badazz Shannon" shoes in orange and blue (Go Gators! In all kinds of weather!). The customer service is so superior - with e-mail updates confirming the initial order, then telling me "we're building your shoe," then telling me they just shipped them - I'll even forgive the apparent no-profanity policy that forced me to spell Badass with "zz." Clearly, Nike doesn't understand that Badass Fitness isn't profanity. It's an Army, a state of mind, a fitness brand...Hoo-ah!
5. Fitness playing cards: My gym bag lately always carries three things -- iPod, the TRX FitDeck cards, and Jillian Michaels' Hot Bod in a Box cards. The iPod is an obvious essential, but these fitness "playing cards" are just as key to adding variety and challenge to my own workouts and the sessions with my training clients.
The TRX cards are color-coded for core, upper body and lower body moves. And each includes a picture and description to ensure proper form. Sometimes, I pick the cards. Sometimes, my clients get to randomly select their own "TRX fun." The Hot Bod in a Box kit includes cards outlining several circuit workouts that take 4 to 60 minutes each, plus cards showing in detail proper form and technique for each exercise. These cards include lots of variety - multiple types of pushups, squats, lunges, crunches and biceps and triceps moves, many of which can be done at home sans workout equipment. Now there's no excuse for getting into a workout rut.
Fitness and wellness doesn't always come cheap. There are gym memberships, sneakers, workout clothes, healthy food (which is, unfortunately, often more expensive than processed junk), vitamins, etc.
Many of these buys are worth the investment in your Badass fitness and long-term health. But some of them are just expensive bunk. Today, I present you with three. Cross these off the weekend shopping list, and if you've already purchased them, drop down and give me 50 pushups:
1. "Toning" shoes: The Skechers Shape-Ups, Reebok Easy Tones and various spinoffs by sneaker companies are a big pet peeve of mine. Yet another example of consumers' tendency to seek fitness in a magic little pill - or in this case, a magic little sneaker. The sneaker makers claim that the wobbly heel will tone your legs and boost your calorie burn if you walk in them. Whatever. A study recently found what I suspected from the start:
“Across the board, none of the toning shoes showed statistically significant increases in either exercise response or muscle activation during any of the treadmill trials. There is simply no evidence to support the claims that these shoes will help wearers exercise more intensely, burn more calories or improve muscle strength and tone.”
Maybe people wearing these shoes will suddenly start to walk more - which is a good thing. But if anyone expects to get Serena Williams calves just by slipping these on, they're about to be sorely disappointed. Shapely legs are the result of exercise, clean eating, and even genetics. So spend the money for those toning shoes on a Badass pair of running or cross training shoes that will motivate you to work harder for those hot legs.
2. The "Shake Weight": I'm pretty sure the creator of this ridiculous product was just looking for a way to sneak a pornographic commercial past the television censorship committee. The Shake Weight commercial, aired constantly on channels like Versus, basically shows a muscular guy who appears to be getting his, um, tension, out by yanking this dumbbell like he just saw Beyonce or Jessica Simpson walk by. According to the commercials, all you need is 6 minutes a day of this yanking to get toned and ripped. Oh, really?! Do cows fly, too? Save your $19.95 "plus shipping and handling" and use it toward a month's membership at the gym or a set of regular dumbbells for the house.
3. Fat burner pills: Fat burners make all sorts of claims about turning you from a flub-ster into a lean, mean ripped machine by speeding your Badass' metabolism and "fat-burning" ability. But the reality is this: The primary ingredients in many of these fat burners, which sell for anywhere from $30 to $60 for a bottle of pills, are caffeine and green tea extract. Guess what? You can buy caffeine and green tea in capsule form for less than $15 at a Vitamin Discount Center or allstarhealth.com, my favorite affordable online source. It gives you the boost in a more natural form, without all of the scary Frank-engredients that you can't pronounce. Oh, and guess what else? The best way to burn fat is to MOVE: endurance running and cycling, intervals. SWEAT! Your lean Badass won't come in a pill. It comes from you and the determination with which you work for it.
We're sweating our way through the dog days of summer, and we need pick-us-ups and good healthy stuff to get us through!
With that, I give you the Badass CEO's Favorites, Summer 2010 Edition:
1. Blue Diamond Natural Pecan Nut-Thins: These crackers are ideal when the potato chip munchies hit. They have the crunch and salty flavor of a potato chip, sans the fat and empty carbs. Made with mostly rice flour and pecan meal, they're also wheat and gluten free. Just 130 calories and 3.5 grams of fat for 16 crackers, and these are great spread with hummus or peanut butter - or just eaten solo.
2. Sahale Snacks Soledad Almonds: I never would have thought to combine almonds with flax seeds, bits of dried apple, dates, balsamic vinegar and red pepper, but lucky for me the creative culinary minds at Sahale Snacks did! Sahale makes a whole line of nuts mixed with sweet and spicy, but this is my fave. This makes trail mix seem so 1975, and it's the ideal snack to satisfy any type of craving - be it for something sweet, salty, spicy, crunchy, or chewy. The ingredients are all natural, few in number, and nutritionally superior. At 130 calories and 9 grams of the good kind of fats per quarter cup, the only danger in opening a bag is potentially eating it all in one sitting!
3. Aveda Sun Care: If you happen to be a Badass with highlights or color-treated hair, or if you swim alot, add this spray your summer beach bag and/or workout bag. I always use Aveda hair products because they work wonders, and they smell like the flowers and plants from which they are made. The Sun Care is essentially spray-on UV protection that prevents the sun from messing with that beautiful hair color you love so much.
4.Orville Redenbacher Natural Popcorn Salted, 50% Less Fat: Y'all know how I feel about Frankenfoods that sound like some sort of nuclear warhead activating agent. So when I recently discovered this microwave popcorn with just a handful of real ingredients, none of them artificial or processed, and a salty buttery flavor that belies its impressively low fat and calorie count, I was sold. Just 20 calories per popped cup, less than 4 grams of fat, and infinite amounts of tastebud-pleasing flavor. This is my new 4 p.m. office snack to tide me over until dinner!
5. Calorie Counter by FatSecret, Blackberry App World: I am officially in love with this free download, which I put onto my CrackBerry last week when the Badass Trio set off on our clean eating, metabolism-boosting pact. As the ultimate Type A taskmaster, this detailed exercise and eating log simply rocks my world! Every morning I can log in my weight as shown on the scale first thing, and throughout the day the Calorie Counter lets me track all of my activities - be it cycling, walking, "desk work," standing, weight training or housework. It also lets me input every single thing I put in my mouth - thanks to an impressive database of foods, from generic items like "strawberries, 1 cup" to a Whataburger Triple with Cheese (I looked that up out of curiosity, and you don't even want to know...).
As the day progresses, you can see how many carbs vs protein calories you're getting, how much fat and sugar, etc., and whether you are taking in more calories than you're burning or vice versa. This handheld food log inevitably shows you patterns you never saw before, which is key to any behavior-changing, clean-eating transformation. And it prevents mindless snacking, if only because you'd rather walk away from the chocolate chip cookie than have to take out the BlackBerry and input "cookie, 1 small, snack, 3 p.m."
iPhones and other smartphones have similar downloadable food and exercise logs, so find the one that works on yours and get it on there!
Coming tomorrow: Badass Foodie delivers the ultimate Man Cookie. All it needs to make it 100 % perfect is a side of beer and boobs...Hint: Bacon is a key ingredient. Don't knock it till you've tried it!
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