GEEZERCISE: Growing Younger After 40

Your Knees Are Just Hinges

2010-05-29T15:05:00.000-07:00

Knee replacements would be totally unnecessary if people would stop forcing their joints do what their muscles were intended to do, but hey, in order to do that you'd actually have to have some muscle, right?

Our joints —all of them—are simply hinges. No joint in your body was meant to bear weight or act as a shock absorber or brake. Yet 95% of all people are so weak from muscle atrophy that they must stress the joints to accomplish any given task.

If your knees hurt when climbing stairs it's because you are not using your butt muscles, assuming you have any of course, or your quadriceps and hamstrings to do the work of propelling your body up those stairs.

Watching most people perform squats or leg presses at the gym makes me cringe because of the extreme and completely unnecessary and counter-productive stress they are putting on their hinges.

If your elbows, shoulders, knees etc. hurt at the gym, it's because you are doing your exercises wrong.

What Is Your Definition Of Sacrifice?

2010-05-29T14:22:00.000-07:00

People who think that it's a sacrifice not to eat whatever they want, thoughtlessly and whenever, and it's a sacrifice to go to the gym instead of sitting in front of the TV "relaxing after a hard day" have an odd idea of what sacrifice is. Looking great and feeling great is a sacrifice only to those too lazy to actually do what's required. EVERYONE would like to look fantastic. EVERYONE wants to feel great, and be filled with confidence and high self esteem. But most can't keep their mouths closed or get their feet moving, so they delude themselves into thinking that achieving the above requires sacrifice.

I've trained non-stop except for time off for the flu or colds for 25 years. And as you go, you become motivated by your successes, even though I was never happy with my own progress. No matter how good I looked I always thought I should look better considering my diet and exercise regimen.

Progress will ALWAYS seem slower that what you anticipate. You just need to celebrate the gains you make and keep on track. As I always say, looking this way and feeling this way is so superior to any food or time that others think I am "sacrificing" —that their not getting it just makes me chuckle. I know any negativity from others is just an expression of their own disappointment in themselves and their lack of will to go after what they really want.

When it just becomes part of your lifestyle rather than some sacrifice or challenge it's far easier than the couch potatoes want you to believe. diet and exercise regimen.

Bodybuilding.com and Other Forums: Yikes!

2010-05-21T12:17:00.000-07:00

A few people have asked why I'm not very active on the bodybuilding.com forums. Honestly, it's because the forums are 90% populated by guys who should be at the gym rather than wasting their day in front of the computer. "Would you rather have big shoulders or a big penis?" is a great example of the brilliant ideas and exchanges found there.

Most forum posts are repetitions of posts made last week, but the posters are too lazy to scroll through to see if their dilemma has been hashed out previously (I can guarantee it has). One guy emailed me because he looked and felt terrible and wanted me to take the time to help him by detailing a comprehensive workout and diet plan just for him, even though I have written a book on the subject. How someone who by his own hand looks and feels terrible has incongruously developed such a sense of entitlement at the same time is one of the great mysteries of psychology.

The problem with most people who hang out on fitness or fat-loss sites is that they flat out refuse to do the research or take any action. They want to "talk" about it instead, and think that somehow that counts as progress. I feel sorry for the posters on forums who do the work and who do ask intelligent questions, because one has to sift through a torrent of junk before ever encountering them.

GREAT INSPIRATION

2010-05-17T14:04:00.001-07:00

Comment:
Greetings from the UK.
I found your profile on bodybuilding.com and you have been an inspiration to me to train... @ 45 I was in terrible shape and my health was not good. I used to body-build in my twenties and thirties but injuries and having kids kinda put the spanner in the works. But finding and listening to your philosophy on training helped me train the right way and without the baggage that I see younger men bring to the gym, and the gains this time are much better and I look better for it...as a fellow trainer who's in it for the long haul ..many thanks for just being...
Many thanks,
Ray

Response:
Thanks Ray. Unlike a business, or relationships, where you may not see any appreciable results for the time and effort you put in, improving your body by cutting back on fat and nutrition-poor foods, and working out, lets us experience success fast, and it looks good and feels good 24/7. As a trainer you probably wonder the same thing I do...how can so many people not want this?

Shopping In Order To Lose Fat

2010-04-06T10:50:00.000-07:00

Whether you're a regular person trying to lose love handles, or a bodybuilder trying to refine your abs, what you eat can either give you the results you want, or remove you farther from them.

Nutrition is a big mystery for most people. But the truth is, snacks and fast food will keep you from reaching your goal. So what can you eat instead?

Buy the biggest and best calorie and fat gram counter book you can find. Search on Amazon.com and on the right side of the book page you'll find real bargains in the "Used and New from" section.

Sit down after you have eaten a meal, so you're not hungry, and go through the book, highlighting all the foods you love that are low in fat, low in calories, and low in carbs. You will find scores of foods that fit these criteria, or even hundreds. Most people love a juicy ripe peach or mango, but all too often pass these up at the market in favor of a bag of cookies.

Make up a shopping list of favorite foods from the book, and buy only those. Remember, these are foods you really like, so there's no need to feel deprived. It's simply about substituting one food you love for another.

You Can't Eat What Isn't In The House

2010-04-06T10:48:00.000-07:00

Eating Better means Shopping Better, and I always check out others' shopping carts in line at the check out stand. Obese people's carts are piled with snack foods and prepared foods from the deli, and all kinds of frozen meals, but then again, so are skinny people's. The fact is, only we control what we eat, and ground zero is our own kitchen.
Open your kitchen cupboards. If you see packages of crackers, chips, cookies or other easily ingested grab foods, then your goals are being sabotaged.
When I come in the house, starving, I will grab whatever is available and appeals to me. If I had potato chips or other no-prep foods in the house, I would attack those. If I don't --and experience has taught me not to keep them around-- then I have to prepare something else.
One solution is to cook more food than I want for dinner so I have leftovers to grab the next day. And because I cook healthy foods that I enjoy eating, this is no sacrifice.
Some people feel deprived when they can't eat exactly what they want whenever they want it. Others feel deprived because they don't have the kind of body or level of health and mobility they long for.

You have to decide which of the two you are, and shop accordingly.

Vickie: The Voice Of Experience

2010-03-12T09:28:00.000-08:00

Have to tell you how much I loved your post and enjoyed your profile.

I've been active and thin my entire life, always enjoyed looking 10 years younger than my girlfriends. It never fails that my overweight friends always ask me "Vickie, how do you stay so thin". There's no magic here- I've just always stayed really active. I've been thru every fitness craze and always come back to lifting.

I took a few years off from resistance training- had a physical challenge that I was told I'd never come back from. As an athlete, I had to really dig deep to get past that, "I've always done everything right, why me" mind set but when I got to the other side of it, a much different girl emerged. Way stronger in the broken places and much more than 'just a great body".

So now in my early 50's I return to weight training. It's incredible how my body has responded especially because i didn't have a ton of fat obscuring my muscle.

I feel so much more 'magnetic' and attractive at this stage of my life than I did in my thirties or forties. Confidence in yourself, having your feet on the deck for a while and doing the most i can with my own tiny, mighty body has been like wearing a special perfume in my experience.

I hope you don't think its out of line to say this but i've seen guys in my gym in their 40's walk past women in their 30's to get to this 50 something woman even in age crazy Los Angeles. I've bet that you've had that experience.

Your inner game is soooo important. But you really can't explain that to someone who hasn't experienced that themselves.

Water, Clean and Pure

2010-03-08T17:51:00.000-08:00

Plenty of clean water for drinking and cooking should be everyone's goal. Bottled water is expensive and of questionable value. Costco has a killer under-sink filter that is cheaper and better than anything available, trapping pathogens as well as microscopic debris. And it comes with a year's supply of filters, and a really handsome chrome water spout for your sink, all for about $150.
The Pur or Britta water pitchers with filters are a far better investment than bottled water is, except the price of the pitcher itself is ridiculous, especially for a piece of plastic that breaks easily.
Paying someone to filter tap water and supply it to you in bottles is crazy when you can use a pitcher or the Costco filter to make your own.
Drinks lots of water, but 8 glasses a day is a little much I think, unless you have a job or sport that makes you sweat profusely. Water engorges your skin and muscle cells, plumping them up, making skin softer and smoother, and giving muscle a more toned appearance.

Indespensible Workout Foods Increase Overall Attractiveness

2010-03-04T10:11:00.000-08:00

I think you know that the best bodybuilder foods aren't just for bodybuilders.
The following foods promote glowing, healthy skin and increased muscle tone, for a more attractive you, whether you are male or female: here's a list of some of some foods you should be eating on a regular basis:

-salmon with the skin on: this kind of fat is awesomely healthy
-broccoli and asparagus
-sweet potatoes
-chicken/turkey breast
-beans / lentils
-oatmeal
-whole grain bread, rice, pasta

It goes without saying that the health benefits are decreased substantially if you add butter, cream, sugar or fatty ingredients to these, or any foods. Monosaturated oils, on the other hand, may indeed add calories, but are healthy: nut oils, olive oil, avocado oil.

2010-03-04T10:04:00.000-08:00

Comment:
Worked chest today and I really felt the chest working. I have adopted the one-body part per workout deal. I wanted to keep training and training, but I had to force myself to stop. I wanted to do MORE! I love to train, so that was real tough; I had a lot of energy and power!
I really felt the pecs working. I was only pressing 60's, but man, the pec was working real nice.

Response:
60s are a good heavy dumbbell weight. When you see theses pro BBs doing 100 lb dumbbells, understand they are huge, have anabolic help, and are still taking chances.

Bob Paris was a major BB star in the '80s and he was questioned about his biceps workout and how he got away with doing preacher curls with a 60lb. barbell, yet he was huge and cut and the envy of all.

"If I can make a 60 feel like a 100, who's going to break the news to my biceps?", he said.

That quote was a turning point for me, as he was saying, it's not how much weight you use, it's how you use the weight.

If you watch the Charles Glass videos on bodybuilding.com, notice his instruction on posture/form when performing chest. Make sure there is no curve in your lower back: keep the entire back and shoulders completely in contact with the bench: this will force the pecs to do all the work.

I am glad to hear you are so motivated. There is nothing like seeing and feeling progress to keep you upping the ante. Instead of increasing weight, try to perfect your form, forcing the target muscle to take on more and more of the full stress of moving that weight, and also, try to rest less and less between sets for the aerobic benefit. Those two things will tire you and leave you less wanting to work out more. Put EVERYTHING, mentally and physically, into each workout, and you'll be very satisfied, and very tired. Your muscles grow while you're at rest. Don't rob your muscles of their full potential to build and shape by your taxing them again too soon.

After Giving Birth, What To Do About The Stomach?

2010-02-28T13:59:00.000-08:00

Question:
Any advice? I do a lot of cardio and crunches, but haven't notice a big difference. I know my stomach will never be the same after having twins two years ago, but I would like to see a little improvement. Any suggestions?

Answer:
I know that many women really have a problem accepting strength training, as they seem to believe they'll look like a freak, but the opposite is actually true. The women who compete in the Fitness Universe pageant demonstrate that strength training does amazing things for bodies of all ages.
Performing leg presses on the leg press machine, and/or performing squats with correct form on a Smith Machine, concentrating on keeping your core muscles tight and flexed during the entire 8-10 reps, WILL change your stomach problem.
Both men and women erroneously want to believe that crunches or other ab exercises alone will transform their abs, but little will happen if you are not working your entire body. You can't just solely do ab exercises, especially after having given birth to twins (congratulations by the way), to transform yourself.
Too few women are willing set the bar high, and complain about "unrealistic beauty standards", but unless we choose the best of the best as our role models, our own progress will be minimal. Don't be turned off by the world-class bodies at the Miss Fitness Universe page, with videos. Yes, it's flashy, but remember that ALL these women strength train at the gym alongside the sweaty big boys to achieve this level of fitness and beauty.

Copy and paste this code to see a good Smith Machine youtube video performed by a female:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU36k3-p5UI

...and a leg press demo, without instruction:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc1wlk9PzBc

The link to Ms. Fitness Universe:

fitnessuniverse.com/

How To Avoid Choosing A Really Bad Gym

2010-02-15T12:57:00.000-08:00

Most of us have visited, or even worse, been a member out of necessity of an exceptionally bad gym. Nothing hurts more than not having a choice, and in the city of Hilo Hawaii, where I spend a lot of time these days, the choices are, with the exception of BJ Penn's, absolutely dismal. And that affects my workout goals negatively.

Of the 100-plus gyms I have worked out in and/or been a member of, the worst have always been coincidentally owned or managed by people who did not themselves work out, and that is your first clue: what do the manager/employees/owner look like, and how do they conduct themselves?

I quit World Gym in Glendale California because it was owned by an overweight elderly couple with no clue, and was staffed by a morbidly obese female relative whose disdain for the customers was overt. It was actually a good basic gym and virtually empty at midday when I worked out, much to my appreciation, but when I found a better gym, I had to move on. What made me stay as long as I did was a bond I had formed with some of the terrific members, which made leaving a harder decision to arrive at.

This is an interesting issue that I also experienced at the now-demolished City Gym in Downtown Los Angeles. I was the only caucasian member, and the gym was very basic with none of the latest equipment, yet other members were so supportive, inclusive and friendly that they kept me coming back despite much better equipped gyms opening closer to my house, until City Gym had to close its doors to make way for redevelopment.

Bally's in Hollywood was a complete chaotic mess and astonishingly crowded, making achieving a focused workout, and parking, impossible. Which reminds me, you do NOT want to sign a contract, or allow a health club access to your money via your credit card. Signing a contract just to work out is preposterous: think about it. Have you ever signed a contract for far more vital endeavors, such as going to school, or getting a job? Neither have I.

Gold's Hollywood has amazing equipment but is very crowded, and has a staff of cleaners agressively vacuuming around your feet as you are performing your exercises, with cords stretching above the floor, tripping members. Despite repeated falls, the owner insisted that round the clock vacuuming take precedence over the safety or comfort of members. One Sunday we showed up with men jackhammering-up the concrete floor, while the gym filled with members! We were astonished. The noise was deafening and the air so thick with dust that we literally could not see across the gym, yet the owners persisted with demolition and the idiot members didn't have enough common sense to leave and come back another time. We turned right 'round and walked out.

Spencer's in Hilo is in profound disrepair, and neither owner nor staff works out. Pointing out poorly maintained or incorrectly repaired equipment or suggestions for improvements have been met with hostility. Even the ceiling fans remain broken for years on end after they fail, despite steamy indoor temperatures hovering near 90 degrees, no cross ventilation and no air conditioning. The roof has leaked for years, and every time it rains, which can be daily in Hilo, buckets are scattered about to catch the drips, and to trip people up. However, on the bright side, Spencer's is cleaned continually.

Having problems, especially multiple problems, with any given gym makes me wonder why I have never had any problem at all with some others, such as the de Haro World Gym in San Francisco. I have worked out at this gym dozens of times since 1994, in every season, and I have never had any issue with it. It's a huge gym, very well equipped, with a staff that has gone out of their way for me more than a few times.

Gold's Gym in South Buffalo NY, now closed, was one of the best run and maintained gyms I have worked out in, with a staff that both welcomed and acted upon customers' suggestions. It is sad to see terrible gyms chug along year after year, while really fine gyms close down.

Every gym is filled with equipment that needs continual monitoring by staff who know how it all works and how it should be functioning, and who will listen to and consider customers' concerns, so obviously a gym whose owner or employees do not use the equipment should be seen as a giant red flag. Nothing will sabotage your fitness goals faster than equipment that is actually working against you, or worse, an injury caused by poorly functioning equipment. And don't count on other members' expertise either, as 95% of members have no idea when equipment is optimally functional. Worse, at the owner-ignored gyms, disregard for the customers' concerns about equipment always went hand in hand with their basic disrespect for the customer in general.

What the bad gyms also had in common were owners and staff who never thanked the customers for their business, and a few were actually hostile toward the customer, taking offense when any criticism was voiced, such as non-functioning equipment, improper repairs, or poor set-up and design.

Even with the best gyms there will be some give and take; things you love about it and things you don't, so you have to keep your main fitness goals in mind and decide if the things you hate are interfering in your overall process. Positive or negative word of mouth is important, but not all members have the same amount of experience, expertise, or goals, and may see the same issue in opposing ways.

What it ultimately comes down to is a choice between what you can live with and what you can't.

Vic Siepke; 60 Years Ago, and Today

2010-02-15T10:18:00.000-08:00

Vic Siepke won the Mr. Michigan Title in 1951. Had there been any appreciable bodybuilding sene at the time, this Detroit firefighter would have been a superstar. Here is a photo of Jim almost 60 years ago, and a link to a 2005 news article looking quite fit and happy:

http://www.thevillagesdailysun.com/articles/2005/03/09/villages/villages01.txt

Because Sometimes We Just Feel Threatened

2010-02-07T12:10:00.000-08:00

Photos: me and Gene in his home, before, and Gene in December 2009, after.

My badly overweight longtime friend Gene began getting sick more and more often. Unlike most people, who decide to do nothing, Gene immediately reevaluated his life, changed his diet and joined Gold's Gym Hollywood. Gold's Hollywood is a celebrity gym filled with beautiful men and women, both famous, and not so much.

Interestingly, Gene decided he needed a trainer as he felt unsure about how to go about getting in shape, and he hired a female trainer with an unremarkable physique, even though Gold's has dozens of male trainers in amazing shape, from triathalon-honed bodies to competitive bodybuilders, and everything in between.

Why did he hire an unremarkably built female trainer? Because he was intimidated. Gene thought that a trainer with a great physique would demand more of him and expect results... and he wasn't confident enough that he could keep up, so he viewed the female as less of a challenge and less of a threat. And indeed she was.

Within a few months however, Gene's confidence soared as his physique transformed due to his new eating regimen and workout ethic, and he hired a new trainer, a male bodybuilder. He had overcome a hurdle, and found that he could indeed push himself to his limits. Surrounded at Gold's by the kinds of physiques that he himself longed to have, he decided he wanted to put real muscle on his frame, and the logical way to do that was to hire a trainer who looked the part and had reached the very goal Gene wanted to reach.

Gene helped me understand why people hire trainers who look like they don't work out themselves: it's more comfortable for them, even if it is illogical.

Most of us would not hire a homeless guy to handle our investment portfolio, but apparently thousands of people hire trainers who can't even create an attractive body for themselves, let alone for their clients.

If you have a trainer, or plan to hire one in the future, and don't made impressive, fast progress within the first four-to-six weeks, then it's time to find a new trainer. One who knows what he or she is doing, one who looks the part, and will gently but firmly push you toward your personal best.

I've decided to be happy, because it is good for my health.
- Voltaire

Nobody Can Fix You But You.

2010-02-07T11:34:00.000-08:00

One of the most entertaining things about my socializing with doctors and nurses is the bizarre-but-true war stories that they enjoy relating in all their gory detail. A favorite medical topic is the extreme lengths to which many individuals will go to avoid dealing with a chronic debilitating problem.

One common scenario that is intriguing is the ability many people have to ignore a jaw-dropping circumstance that is not only a serious threat to their lives, but which is extremely uncomfortable, and looks awful at the same time.

One doctor related a story about a morbidly obese woman admitted to his San Francisco teaching hospital who carried dozens of copies of something called “The Large Person’s Bill Of Rights” everywhere. She handed one of these sheets to every person in the hospital who she came in contact with. The manifesto proclaimed her inner beauty and outlined her expectations about of how deferentially she expected to be treated as a “woman of size”, as she described herself.

While she was being admitted, one of the nurses suffered a serious back injury while trying to help her team transfer the patient’s nearly 500-pound bulk from a gurney to a hospital bed. This feat took the cooperation of many hands, as one could imagine. The patient expressed little concern that the nurse was injured at her behest. When told about it, her reaction was “Well, that’s her job”.

The patient’s pressing problem was an enormous hernia literally as large as a beach ball located below her left ribcage. To reach this size, the hernia would had to have been ignored for years until its sheer volume and impediment overcame the impressive degree of detachment and denial the patient had been capable of.

While she sat propped up in bed, the doctor recalled with amusement that the patient nonchalantly used the enormous bulge that the hernia created as a convenient elbow rest while she lectured medical personnel about her expectations of digified treatment and complained bitterly about not being able to eat solid food before her operation.

Her husband was a very thin man who appeared quiet and brow-beaten. In between his running errands for her he sat dutifully by her side as she lectured and complained.

Her operation was initially a success, and the patient remained intabated in the ICU, meaning a tube was placed down her throat to facilitate breathing. However, while in recovery she began convulsing, and despite emergency medical personnel‘s attempts to resuscitate her, she died. During the process of trying to save her, the doctors removed the intabation tube from her throat and discovered it was packed solid with chunks of undigested hamburgers and French fries, which she had vomited up, then choked on while unconscious.

Ignoring orders that she absolutely must not eat any solid food in the 24 hours before her operation, she had her compliant husband go to a close-by fast food restaurant and sneak food into the hospital for her.

The same doctor on another day examined a man who seemed sane enough, but his hernia was so preposterously far gone that his intestines were hanging down almost to his knee under the skin of his inner thigh before he decided to seek medical advice. The doctor laughs about being at first taken aback by seeing the enormous bulge in the man’s pants hanging down his leg, thinking perhaps he had a legendary porn star in his examination room.

Other doctors tell of ignored infections or festering sores that resulted in permanent mutilation and enduring muscle and nerve impairing facial disfigurements which could have been easily treated at their outset. Instead, the patient chose to ignore, tolerate and even worsen his condition by picking at the wounds for months or years on end.

In case you might tend to believe that stories like this just involve the homeless or the ignorant, think again. I was intrigued one day while watching TV to see Rosie O’ Donnell, then the mother of three small children, repeatedly removing a bandage from an injured hand on her talk show to exhibit her wound to each new guest, whether they wanted to look or not.

She admitted she had removed the stitches from the wound herself prematurely instead of waiting for the doctor to do it. She also admitted she couldn’t keep from picking at it. Doctor friends who saw the same show shook their heads and matter-of-factly remarked that she had an obsessive-compulsive disorder. A few days later she was off the show and in the hospital while doctors fought to save her severely infected hand from amputation.

My point in relating these war stories is to illustrate how certain individuals can somehow not only ignore, but learn to casually coexist with conditions that are not only painful, but uncomfortable, disfiguring, and seemingly intolerable. These examples also illustrate the ability of the human body and mind to slowly adapt to, and people’s ability to become fascinated by, dangerous, raw, and disabling conditions.

Five Simple Ways To Lose ALL That Extra Weight:

2010-02-02T13:17:00.000-08:00

The link below to the L.A. Times story makes for interesting reading for all the comments after the story left by readers, and the endless list of excuses they give for why they are fat:

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-fat-fatigue1-2010feb01,0,1902979.story

A silly yet common excuse is not having the "time to plan my diet." They're kidding, right? How is it they have no time to plan their diet but all this extra time to concoct excuses for themselves?

OK, I'll make it easy for those busy, busy people who claim to be mystified by the whole eating thing:

Five Simple Ways To Lose ALL That Extra Weight

1. Do not eat in restaurants: cook your own food.

2. Learn to cook. Nobody in their right mind depends on others for their basic survival. If you're a woman who is proud of not being able to cook, just like your dysfunctional Sex And The City heroines, shut off the TV and open a cookbook. Any man who marries a woman so clueless that she has no interest in learning to cook to keep her future children alive -or her husband happy- is an idiot. How is is that more men know how to cook than women?

2. Never eat fast food. Ever. EVER.

3. Keep no snack foods in your house. You can't eat what isn't there.

4. Eat a big breakfast and lunch, and a light dinner. Eat no food after 6 pm.

5. Join Weight watchers for the camaraderie and support. I am not affiliated with Weight watchers in any way.

Do any one of the above and you will lose weight. Do all the above and you will lose weight so fast that people will be astounded.

America's Most Amazing 71 Year-Old Physique

2010-02-01T11:04:00.000-08:00

Check out the amazing Jim Morris, multi title holder and personal trainer extraordinaire at http://www.gymmorris.com

The Fat Fight Continues: L.A. Times

2010-02-01T10:58:00.000-08:00

An article in the 02/01/10 L.A. Times featured rants from people who feel their rights are being circumvented to accommodate outspoken fat people. Believing you have the right to be fat is far different from believing others must accommodate your fat. It harkens back to the preposterous claims of "smokers' rights", when the nicotine addicts demanded unlimited access to our breathing air. Fat people are demanding rights that supercede those of normal weighted people, and why not? Smokers demanded rights that superceded the rights of the vast majority who do not smoke, and for a short while, got them.

Entitlement is a fascinating issue.

However, the Big Brother aspect of rules and regulations against fat people does help make it a little sinister. Individuals can't control the banks, the mortgage companies, the government, the war —so they pursue an issue they feel they can control and make a difference. They don't know how to remedy things when the credit card company arbitrarily slashes their credit limit, making it impossible to buy things and contribute to economic recovery, but when the fat guy next to them on the plane puts his arm rest up so he can spill over into their seat —now THAT they can control.

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-fat-fatigue1-2010feb01,0,1902979.story

Don't Let Others Decide Your Future For You

2010-01-20T13:58:00.000-08:00

The Encyclopedia Brittanica defines a pharmaceutical as a "substance used in the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of disease and for restoring, correcting, or modifying organic functions."

Without question, it is completely acceptable in our society for sick people to take fist-fulls of physician-prescribed pharmaceuticals in an attempt to offset the damage they've done to themselves as the result of decades of smoking, obesity, alcohol and drug abuse, and other poor lifestyle choices.

However, it is NOT acceptable in our society for healthy individuals to take physician-prescribed pharmaceuticals to further enhance their good health, well being, quality of life, and intelligent lifestyle choices.

In other words, prescribing pharmaceuticals to people who have worked long and hard to destroy their health is GOOD. But prescribing pharmaceuticals to people who have worked long and hard to remain healthy is BAD.

How upside-down crazy is that?

Recently I saw yet another story, this one in the Los Angeles Times, about Dr. Jeffrey Life, who is known as the "70 year old guy with the 20 year old body." Predictably there was a flurry of negative criticism against this man who is on a physician- supervised program of hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, as are millions of other people in the US and around the world.

For those who are unaware, as we humans get older, our bodies lose their ability to produce essential hormones. Note that the key word here is "essential". HRT is the process of replenishing the natural essential hormones our bodies used to make in copious quantities but no longer do. Women can experience terrible physical and emotional symptoms as they approach menopause, and HRT can go a long way in improving their situation. For men, the positive results of HRT can be just as miraculous, by reinvigorating libido, increasing lean muscle mass, instilling a general feeling of well-being, and increasing energy, strength and stamina.

Now, who would ever guess that so many people, even some doctors, seem to think HRT is a bad idea? Is it everyone's ultimate goal to become fat, weak, immobile, depressed and to no longer have a reason to live as they age?

Those women who are considering HRT but are concerned about the reported increased risk in heart disease or breast cancer need to understand that they are already at FAR greater risk for these diseases if they are obese, if they smoke, or if they have an alcohol or substance abuse problem. Millions of people smoke and say "to hell with the risk." Millions of people are obese and say "to hell with the risk." For women suffering severe symptoms of menopause, they need to consider the true risks of their decision, or indecision, concerning HRT, especially compared to the far greater risks posed by obesity, alcohol or drug abuse, or smoking.

Millions of men are taking a medically prescribed pharmaceutical for hair loss called Propecia. How serious a health issue is a receding hairline compared to the swift downhill slide of debilitating aging, and the inherent loss of strength, vitality, muscle mass, libido and overall sense of well being?

"I want my hair back, but not my youthful physique, strength, libido, optimism, ability to burn fat, and happier demeanor"?

I have yet to see, hear, or read one single diatribe against Propecia, or ridicule or disdain for the millions of men who take this pharmaceutical for no valid reason other than vanity, but mention HRT or steroids and keyboards glow red hot. You don't have to be a shrink to figure that out.

And what about Viagra? Society applauds a medically prescribed pharmaceutical that makes my penis hard but condemns a medically prescribed pharmaceutical that increases my desire to actually put that same erection to use? That's insanity.

What this and all hypocrisy is about, is the fear of being left behind, of looking bad in comparison. People who have never exercised, eaten sensibly or refrained from inhaling toxic substances are so damaged and incapacitated by their 40s, —a decade when the chickens truly come home to roost— that some are deeply threatened by those who have lived their lives judiciously.

It's humiliating enough for them to have to share the same air with people their own age whose vibrant health and comparative youthfulness shines a naked spotlight on their decades of self destructive lifestyle choices. But to have to compete with them for the same sex partners —and life's other rewards that favor the healthy, strong and attractive— seems to them an abomination.

For the "health nuts" to want to take advantage of pharmaceuticals to become even better, stronger and more agile widens the chasm between the two groups to an intolerable level.

My grandmother always said "the person who is criticizing you is telling the world much more about themselves than they are about you." People who are in physical distress and decline by their own hand who attempt to belittle contemporaries who are clearly light years superior to them physically —and by default, emotionally as well— look downright stupid, but lack the intelligence and the ability to self-assess to realize the insecurities they are revealing about themselves.

Be aware that troubled aging men and women who have abused their health can feel very threatened by contemporaries who by comparison, glaringly reveal the results of their own bad decisions. There is no greater regret than the lost opportunities of an old man or old lady, especially when those opportunities were willingly tossed away. You have to decide what's best for you as regards your future. And that means walking away from those who do not want you to thrive, or worse, are actively trying to prevent you from thriving.

If you are interested in HRT, the place to start is a consult with a specialist whose area of expertise is focused, and his knowledge up to the minute. Not everyone can tolerate HRT, and for your information I myself cannot. But if my docs can find some way to get me back on HRT safely, I will jump at the chance.

This Will Be The Last Time I Ever Mention Steroids :-)

2009-12-09T22:37:00.000-08:00

Bodybuilders See Kidney Damage With Steroids
By KATIE THOMAS
A case study is among the first to assert a direct link between long-term steroid use and kidney disease.

No shit! Who knew?

The above story appeared in the New York Times, 12/9-2009. Substitute the word "steroids" with ANY drug, —alcohol, cigarettes, Tylenol— and you have another example of the media's ridiculous fascination with and the dissemination of misinformation about steroids. This is front page news?

Long term abuse —in this case 25 years— of ANY drug on the planet will have serious effects on some vital organ in your body. And after 25 years of "steroid abuse", all this guy had were kidney problems?

Harder Muscle After Age 40

2009-11-09T09:22:00.000-08:00

Question
The main reason I thought I couldn't continue to improve my physique over 45 is the physiques you normally see of bodybuilders in the masters/old timers classes at bodybuilding shows never seem as defined or tight as younger guys. That's why when I see a physique like yours and guys like Eric Orrao (who is amazing at 48 - check out his web site) I am really inspired.

I've also always read about muscle wastage over 45 and the difficulty in avoiding the muscle flabbiness that comes with old age. Like you I think boosting testosterone is the key and since I turned 40 I have been regularly taking Tribulus while raising my work-out intensities and increasing my protein intake (desperation can be a wonderful thing can't it ? ha ha).

Answer
Testo boosters are okay, I am not personally clear on if they work, as only before-and-after measurements of testosterone levels in the blood would prove that.

But testo boosters are not at all like taking the real thing, such as Androgel, which is a topical treatment, or better for bodybuilders, Testosterone Ciprionate injections.

Both men and women lose vital hormones as they age, and the resistance in society at replacing them is very, very odd, since people do all kinds of damaging things to themselves continually, like smoking and drinking, yet are told that hormone replacement is somehow "unsavory", when in fact the benefits are nothing short of wondrous. The reason we feel young again is because we have the hormones back that we once had.

Over-training is a reality, since your muscle needs a full week or more to recoup and rebuild. Without the rest, you are tearing it down again before it had a chance to reach it's full growth from the last workout, and thus it never gets the chance to fully blossom.

LOTS of guys are resistant to this idea, and over-train regardless, just as they fail to correct poor workout technique, or fail to rehab injuries and try to "work through" the pain. All the above are counter productive.

One of the many absurdities in popular belief is the vilification of steroids. None of the so-called adverse side effects can happen to someone taking recommended dosages...all the horror stories are fabricated —when is the last time you heard about anyone dying from steroids, or ending up in the ER? We are inundated by unsafe drugs at every turn, but instead of focusing on deaths and injury from all of those, the media loves to focus on steroids.

It's a safe hot-button issue, as no one defends steroids. But if your doc is willing, a therapeutic dose (as opposed to the illegal mega-doses that some bodybuilders abuse) would definitely harden you up, and have many other benefits, including well-being overall.

I cannot take steroids for the same reason I can't take testo, but steroids are a miracle pharmaceutical that have saved millions of lives, including hundreds of thousands of AIDS patients who would have never lived long enough to see the dawn of the drugs that have made AIDS a manageable disease.

My partner Alex in the video with me is a physician and an AIDS specialist, and also has a thriving bodybuilder clientele, because he is one himself. So my info and experience comes from 7 years with him.

Work out intensely, then REST. I hope you are working just one body part per session...that way it has a week to recoup before you work it again.

Tendonitis?

2009-11-08T09:03:00.000-08:00

Question:
Your video clip on how to handle a shoulder injury was spot on and I'm hoping you have some advice on tendentious elbow. I'm pushing my way through some discomfort but definitely I'm avoiding pull ups some curls are an issue but I've been able to handle it.

Answer
"Pushing through" any injury is counter productive.

I have been injured MANY times, and if I did not take the time off to heal (you can always work legs when the tendonitis is flaring up), and rethought my technique, I would not still be in top shape.

The basis of my video is NOT over extending on any exercise, as that's what causes most joint problems. The stress and focus in every exercise has to be on the target muscle itself, and never the joints, or surrounding muscles. They call it the "mind-muscle connection".

I realize from experience that it is hard to step back, rethink and relearn how to do exercises, but pain and injury such as tendonitis is our body's way of saying we are not focused on doing the exercise correctly.

There are a lot of exercises in the DVD but keep in mind that the MECHANICS of all exercise is the same: you have to focus completely on what the target muscle is doing, and not overextend.

Whenever I do any single arm exercise, I always pick up the weight/handle/with BOTH hands, even when I don't have any tenderness or injury, in order to AVOID injury. I want all my effort to go into the exercise, not picking up a dumbbell or barbell plate. All your energy should go into the muscle that is being targeted by any given exercise.

Give the injury a week's rest, ice it, and take ibuprofen 4X a day to keep the inflammation down.

The Magic Pill Syndrome

2009-10-29T12:52:00.001-07:00

I got a call from someone searching for guests for a radio show on chronic back pain. Since I had chronic back pain in my early 30s and cured it, and have helped many others do the same, she was all gung-ho ...until I told her that the cure was losing weight, strength training to build all the supporting muscles in the back, and a gravity apparatus that many gyms have that allow people to safely stretch their spines and supporting muscles.
She was at least honest when she said "Our listeners frankly do not want to hear the same old-same-old. They do not want to lose weight and they certainly do not want to start lifting weights!!"
I said, "Exactly. They have a problem caused by their lifestyle which will be relieved or even cured when they change their lifestyle, and you're going to help enable them not to change their lifestyle and cure their pain by offering snake oil cures and wacko advice from new age shamans ".
She hung up on me. Imagine that.

What's Up With GNC and Vitamin World?

2009-10-28T12:07:00.000-07:00

The world evolves as certain companies staunchly keep their feet planted in the stone age. These two has-beens have always required you to pay a fee to join their "club" in order to get a different pricing tier, which is insulting to other potential customers who refuse to pony up the extra dough. It's a matter of self esteem, I feel, not to participate in stores that require you to pay a fee to shop there or get better pricing.

Buy your supplements ONLINE, they are much cheaper, arrive fast and come in a far wider variety.

GNC's own store brand of whey protein has scary sky-high cholesterol, 70 grams per serving, while IsoPure only has 10 grams of cholesterol per serving. Read labels online and compare. Do not compare number of servings in a package; instead, note the number of grams of protein contained in each serving, multiply by the number of servings in the package to get the total of protein grams contained in that package, then divide that number into the price to see the cost per gram of protein.

I have no affiliation to any online retailer, but I find that A1supplements.com have the best prices and an enormous selection. http://www.a1supplements.com/

Using Diet To Enhance The Look Of Your Muscles

2009-10-18T12:23:00.000-07:00

Diet is a balancing act: calories in vs. calories out is the simplest way to explain diet.

If you want to lose fat that may be covering your abs, or keeping your arms from looking razor-sharp, try cutting back on fats and carbs. You can still eat enough food so as not to feel deprived by choosing those foods wisely.

Low-fat and non-fat is an obvious choice in dairy and other foods. Frozen dinners, restaurant food and any food prepared by others will contain much more fat than you want, so making your own food is the answer. Trouble is, most people don't want to spend the time shopping, prepping and cooking, so serious members of the fitness community resort to the simplest foods, such as chicken breasts, broccoli, oatmeal and other classic bodybuilder foods. Their goal to look a certain way supercedes their desire to indulge their cravings and tastebuds. But if you cook, the choices available in the low-fat, low-carb category expand exponentially in relation to your eagerness to create tasty meals.

For starters, buy non-fat products and cut back on carbs, such as bread, pasta and rice. We need carbs to fuel our workouts and provide energy, so experiment to find a balance between fat loss and a good level of energy retention.

The best way to lose fat is slowly, so you don't lose hard-won muscle along with it. Crash diets will decimate your physique.

No food satisfies as much or for as long as having a great physique does.

Flexsolate Straps Help You Keep Your Mind Focused

2009-10-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

I do not work for Flexsolate or have any promotional ties with the company. This is a fine product that allows you to do what is so difficult to do otherwise: isolate your target muscle.
By removing your hand from the exercise, and thus your wrist and forearm, all your focus can be placed on the target muscle as you exercise, allowing for faster improvements with no extra work or time involved. These straps are especially excellent for back exercises, an area many people have problems developing.

Watch the video to see how they work:

Nancy Snyderman Quacks

2009-10-07T20:18:00.000-07:00

Steroids may not exactly be harmless when abused or taken in extreme doses, but they are far less a threat to the user than large doses of Tylenol and other over-the-counter uncontrolled pharmaceuticals. Like any pharmaceutical, when taken as prescribed, steroids and Tylenol are mostly benign, or else neither would have won FDA approval. The media loves to get all inflamed about steroids because they are a safe distraction, a hot-button issue employed to rile up those ignorant of the easily-learned facts. I do not take steroids, or even testosterone, although I legally qualify for both under a doctor's supervision.

MSNBC's "Dr." Nancy Snyderman is one of a virtual army of amped-up talking heads spouting nonsense in all directions, and I'm pretty weary of these goons who never stop vomiting untruths, half-truths and outright lies all over us.

It's bad enough that the general public is completely ignorant when it comes to the subject of steroids, but a so-called doctor spouting lies right there on my TV is outrageous. Anything for a chance to bump up your ratings a bit, eh, Nance?

Preposterously and recklessly inferring that most commercial popular protein powders contain steroids, even though her two talking-head guests told her she was mistaken, Nancy rolled right over their insolence at not blindly supporting her bogus claims and dusted off the time-worn TV graphic outlining all the nasty "side effects" of steroid use, which are absolutely bogus. These side effects could possibly --but not necessarily-- occur as a result of long-term steroid abuse, but not by taking prescribed dosages.

Such extreme side effects from steroids would require extreme dosages taken over long time periods to do such harm, just as aspirin, cough syrup or any other pharmaceutical would.

Steroids are a safe hot-button issue that boneheads like Nancy Syderman, et al, roll out on a slow news day or during ratings sweeps so they can act all enraged without anyone calling them on the carpet for it.

So, I'm calling you out, Nancy. You're an irresponsible fraud.

By the way, one of the side effects of Tylenol is death, yet any five year old can purchase it at the corner convenience store. 53,000 Americans ended up in the nation's emergency rooms last year due to Tylenol reactions. 100 of these died. Oh, but Tylenol is one of your sponsors, aren't they Nancy? Yeah. Well, you sure don't want to piss them off by passing these statistics on to your viewers, now, do you?

Eat Whatever You Want, Whenever You Want It

2009-09-06T10:49:00.000-07:00

In my 20s and 30s I was quite the industrious baker. I made killer oatmeal cookies, amazing carrot cake that people who hated carrot cake loved, and lots and lots of home-baked bread. And more often than not it all disappeared within a few hours. If I baked cookies, that was my meal, or meals, that day.

I knew this was not healthy eating, and even though I only did it periodically, I began to think about what, other than taste, was my reward for this. And the answer for me was, there wasn't any.

Although this was not my intention, in realizing my life was not better or happier because I ate whatever, whenever —and indeed I felt and looked unhealthier— led quietly to the quieting of my cravings. When I turn down a dessert, friends look at me like I'm crazy, or as if I am making some huge sacrifice. They're even threatened, because I can say no effortlessly —and genuinely mean it.

Overeating is an emotional problem, not a physical one. Nobody is 50 pounds overweight because they are physically hungry: it's because they are emotionally hungry.

Wanting food —the amount, the type— is an emotional decision for most people. People put the weight back on when they end their diet because they ended their diet. Who is too stupid to make this connection? Apparently, millions, as witnessed by their astonishment that returning to the eating habits that made them fat in the first place causes them to return to their previous condition of excess weight, and the self-righteous claim that "diets don't work".

Until we understand why we want certain foods in excess amounts, nothing will really change. The trouble is, most people don't want to find out, as most emotional eating stems from an unpleasant experience they have yet to deal with.

My New DVD Is Finally Here!

2009-09-02T10:44:00.000-07:00

It's one thing to explain in a book how to work out —because I can go into great detail when using the written word— and quite another to be able to actually show you exactly what things should look like. That's the beauty of having a DVD in which I can guide you through a workout.

I have always said that it isn't the exercises you choose that will take you to your goal, it's how you do the exercise. The principal is always the same. The mechanics of performing all bodybuilding/fitness exercises are identical.

People always want to know "What exercises do you do?" thinking the answer for them lies in specific exercises, when in fact your results will be measured in how you perform any given exercise. How you perform an exercise will make all the difference between little progress, and enormous progress.

Let me take you to the gym with me and I'll show you exactly how to work out to obtain greatly accelerated results.

My DVD WORKOUT PhD is available from my website at:

http://www.discoveringhawaii.com/Reclaim_Your_Youth__Growing_Younger_After_40_Book.html

It's Just Not Natural

2009-08-14T09:36:00.000-07:00

Reading another blog where wingnuts were going ballistic screaming about how poisonous common comestible oils such as safflower, corn and canola are, made me wonder how the human race managed to survive and prosper for 2 million years if so much of what we eat is, according to these bored crusaders, "toxic".

The word NATURAL on a food package or ad means NOTHING. Interesting how we allowed this word to escape the dictionary and take on a whole new Madison Ave.-created definition.

Salmonella is natural, as is x-coli. Want some for dinner? All human disease, from malaria to cancer is natural.

A food advertised as natural could be loaded with any of thousands of harmful substances that nature produces naturally. Skippy's "natural" peanut butter has had all the peanut oil removed, and the controversial substance palm oil has been added in it's place...because Skippy can make a lot of money selling the more valued, expensive, and healthy peanut oil. They just pour in another very cheap "natural" oil that tastes nothing like peanut oil, and sell their less-tasty product for the same price as real peanut butter, while making a nice profit on the sideline.

Read your labels, especially if the word "Natural!" appears on it.

Men Should Be Tested Beforehand Too

2009-08-11T09:45:00.000-07:00

From The Los Angeles Times:

"It still is shocking to me how many (female)patients I see that are placed on hormone replacement (especially estrogen) without ever being tested by their doctor first. I would recommend if you are thinking about hormone replacement, have your doctor check your levels, and especially the ratio of estrogen to progesterone. Many of the symptoms experienced during peri-menopause can be due to having too much estrogen (estrogen dominance) rather than too little. Supplementing without testing can make matters worse rather than better. Doctors should not prescribe blindly."

Lakeshore Wellness Center: Natural Medicine, Bioidentical Hormones and Acupuncture in Chicago.

http://www.lakeshorewellnesscenter.com
http://www.rxacupuncture.com

Posted by: Dr. Susan Wojcik

Richard Sullivan Video Tutorial: Shoulder Upright Row

2009-08-10T16:52:00.000-07:00

The Magic Pill

2009-08-07T10:38:00.000-07:00

What's the first thing that people think of when things go wrong for them physically? A pill that will solve the problem.

But when it comes to aging, or fixing yourself, there is no such thing. There is no Fountain Of Youth or Magic Pill... but there is a way for everyone to turn back the clock.

Strength Training is the one and only way to recreate lost muscle mass and renew weakened bone. After the age of 30, we automatically lose 7% of our total muscle mass every decade thereafter, unless we are actively strength training. Diminished muscle mass means we're weaker, less attractive, have a diminished fat-burning capacity, and a diminished immune system. Take control of your own destiny by taking control of your body.

It's ironic that older people are the least fit and most obese age group, because they are by far the most vulnerable. Get off the slippery slope of aging: fight back by getting strong.

Owner's Manual

2009-08-02T10:05:00.000-07:00

People who engage in activities and hobbies —whether it be fly-fishing, cabinet-making, cooking— subscribe to magazines on their subject, watch TV programs devoted to it, buy books and DVDs that give them hints and tricks, and do research online to become better and more proficient.

So why do so many who go to the gym or workout at home NOT do these things? People perform exercises at the gym without knowing what they are even for. Their form is terrible, and it doesn't even occur to them to observe someone at the gym who is doing the same exercise correctly and displays the physical proof that they know what they are doing. They don't subscribe to fitness magazines, or buy books or DVDs. They dutifully come to the gym week after week and just spin their wheels in place, so to speak, when they could be making amazing progress.

If you are going to devote time to your workout, begin online and research exercise videos to see how others are performing the same exercises you are, and compare. Start there, resolvong to re-learn the exercise in order to get the most out of it. When done correctly, you should see results in mere weeeks. And once you taste success, you will be hungry for more.

Smashwords

2009-07-29T10:25:00.000-07:00

My eBook version of Reclaim Your Youth: Growing Younger After 40 is available in all formats, including online reading, for a very low eBook price at Smashwords.com: no paper, no warehouse, no shipping, no middleman, so the savings shave half off the price of a paper book.

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/2835

Richard Sullivan Workout Tutorial: lateral deltoid, or side shoulder muscle

2009-07-29T10:22:00.000-07:00

Average Joe Is Now A Fitness Guru

2009-07-15T14:35:00.000-07:00

How is it that people respond so favorably to "fitness gurus" with average physiques telling them how to get into shape? People would laugh at a poor person telling them how to get rich. People would scoff at a disheveled guy in raggedy clothes asking them to buy his no-fail fiscal strategies for success. Yet they pay money to guys who aren't fit, firm and healthy to tell them how to get fit, firm and healthy?

Why do people buy into Oprah's choice of Bob Green as a "fitness expert", when both Madonna and Michelle Obama have better arms on them than Bob Green does? Or the bloated and puffy ponytailed Tony Little, or the love-handled guys who hawk ab machines on late night infomercials?

It isn't just on TV, either. Over the decades I have seen countless "personal trainers" in gyms from Gold's Hollywood to World Gym San Francisco to Crunch in New York, who look as if they have never worked out a day in their life. They cover themselves from head to foot thinking baggy sweats disguise their complete lack of toned muscle —yet clients are paying them $75-$100 an hour to create a new physique for them.

Maybe I Don't Want A Jury Trial, Considering

2009-07-13T11:26:00.000-07:00

It's time again for the annual "Stella Awards"! For those unfamiliar with these awards, they are named after 81-year-old Stella Liebeck who spilled hot coffee on herself and successfully sued the McDonald's in New Mexico where she purchased the coffee. You remember..... she took the lid off the coffee and put it between her knees while she was driving. Who would ever think one could get burned doing that - right?

That's right, these are awards for the most outlandish lawsuits and verdicts in the U.S. You know, the kinds of cases that make you scratch your head. So keep your head scratcher handy.

Here are the Stella's for the past year:

7TH PLACE :

Kathleen Robertson of Austin, Texas was awarded $80,000 by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping over a toddler who was running inside a furniture store. The store owners were understandably surprised by the verdict, considering the running toddler was her own son.

6TH PLACE :

Carl Truman, 19, of Los Angeles, California won $74,000 plus medical expenses when his neighbour ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Truman apparently didn't notice there was someone at the wheel of the car when he was trying to steal his neighbour’s hub caps.

Go ahead, grab your head scratcher.

5TH PLACE :

Terrence Dickson, of Bristol, Pennsylvania, was leaving a house he had just burglarized by way of the garage. Unfortunately for Dickson, the automatic garage door opener malfunctioned and he could not get the garage door to open. Worse, he couldn't re-enter the house because the door connecting the garage to the house locked when Dickson pulled it shut. Forced to sit for eight, count 'em, EIGHT, days on a case of Pepsi and a large bag of dry dog food, he sued the homeowner's insurance company claiming undue mental anguish. Amazingly, the jury said the insurance company must pay Dickson $500,000 for his anguish. We should all have this kind of anguish.

Keep scratching. There are more....

4TH PLACE :

Jerry Williams, of Little Rock, Arkansas, garnered 4th Place in the Stella's when he was awarded $14,500 plus medical expenses after being bitten on the butt by his next door neighbour’s beagle - even though the beagle was on a chain in its owner's fenced yard. Williams did not get as much as he asked for because the jury believed the beagle might have been provoked at the time of the butt bite because Williams had climbed over the fence into the yard and repeatedly shot the dog with a pellet gun.

Grrrrr ... Scratch, scratch.

3RD PLACE :

Third place goes to Amber Carson of Lancaster , Pennsylvania because a jury ordered a Philadelphia restaurant to pay her $113, 500 after she slipped on a spilled soft drink and broke her tailbone. The reason the soft drink was on the floor: Ms. Carson had thrown it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument. Whatever happened to people being responsible for their own actions?

Scratch, scratch, scratch. Hang in there; there are only two more Stellas to go...

2ND PLACE :

Kara Walton, of Claymont, Delaware sued the owner of a night club in a nearby city because she fell from the bathroom window to the floor, knocking out her two front teeth. Even though Ms. Walton was trying to sneak through the ladies room window to avoid paying the $3.50 cover charge, the jury said the night club had to pay her $12,000....oh, yeah, plus dental expenses. Go figure.

1ST PLACE : (May I have a fanfare played on 50 kazoos please?) This year's runaway First Place Stella Award winner was Mrs. Merv Grazinski, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, who purchased a new 32-foot Winnebago motor home.

On her first trip home from an OU football game, having driven onto the freeway, she set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver's seat to go to the back of the Winnebago to make herself a sandwich.

Not surprisingly, the motor home left the freeway, crashed and overturned.

Also not surprisingly, Mrs. Grazinski sued Winnebago for not putting in the owner's manual that she couldn't actually leave the driver's seat while the cruise control was set. The Oklahoma jury awarded her, are you sitting down, $1,750,000 PLUS a new motor home. Winnebago actually changed their manuals as a result of this suit, just in case Mrs. Grazinski has any relatives who might also buy a motor home.

'Roid Rage!

2009-07-12T14:51:00.000-07:00

The only true "'roid rage" is that which spews out of the mouths of TV's omnipresent talking heads, who care little about fact or responsible journalism, because they're just hoping for a quick book deal.

The reality is that most of what we hear and read about steroids is so preposterously untrue and idiotic, if people would care to start googling and actually do some responsible research for themselves, rather than following like a sheep, they'd quickly realize this.

Most people don't want to know the truth, because controversies such as this, or the flag burning outrage of not long ago, are "safe"...meaning angry people can vent and scream and feign outrage without having to pay any significant social price.

Steroids are a pharmaceutical like any other, and a miracle pharmaceutical at that, having saved millions from the jaws of death. There is drug USE, and then again, there's drug ABUSE. How is it that the general public falls so easily, and so stupidly, into an argument whereby certain pharmaceuticals are actually vilified, when in fact they could be saving your life —or your child's— next week?

I qualify for a doctor-prescribed anabolic, so if I could tolerate steroids, I'd greatly value them for half a dozen good reasons, from increased energy and strength, to faster healing. But I cannot.

As John Stossel so rationally reported on a recent episode of ABC TV's 20/20 program, we allow doctors to install plastic sacks into women's chests for purely visual reasons, but vilify doctors who administer steroids to renew a man's libido, heal physical injuries, or enhance his athletic abilities?

As Outliers author Malcom Gladwell writes in his blog, why are athletes allowed to be legally shot up with narcotic painkillers during a game to allow them to continue playing, when doing so could permanently damage them and end their career? Why are athletes like Tiger Woods allowed to have lasik surgery to enhance their eyesight, or permitted to take vitamins, or ingest ibuprofen to help them heal from injuries faster? All of these are "unfair advantages" compared to athletes who do cannot tolerate ibuprofen, who don't have the money for lasik, and who can't digest vitamin pills.

Is the population actually getting stupider as time goes by?

And You Thought YOU Were A Mess :-)

2009-07-12T14:19:00.000-07:00

The following post of from the AARP website forum, Staying Fit After 50. This person has no desire to change, despite all the scary storm clouds on her horizon. She asks for "a kick in the pants" in her post title, but ends by telling people not to lecture her. People like this lady are energy vampires, latching onto others to vent and whine rather than stepping up to the plate. People who have the desire to change, change. They don't suck up others' time and attention with drivel like this:

" I am 62. I have arthritis and had one knee replacement in Sept 08 and looking for 2nd one in April 09. Sit at a desk 8 hrs a day with little time to move or exercise during the day. Hate to cook, dislike most veggies, and love to watch tv. I come home, grab food and sit at computer or in front of tv. It is snowing a lot this year and can't do much outdoor exercise. Food haunts me and calls to me from the refrigerator in the evenings. Hate being overweight but haven't found the motivation to change eating patterns. Diagnosed with Diabetes type 2, do not have to take any meds for it. AIC 5.9 now but it won't stay low if I don't change. I am also 4'11" and most of the machines at Curves are not meant for short peope so it takes me 30 sec. to get on and off. Need alternative exercising. I am always tired because my job is stressful too. Looks like I may get some good ideas and feedback from this group. Just had colonoscopy and am fine, low blood pressure, decent cholestoral, so I still have time if I could just get through nights and weekends. Hate salads too. Any suggestions or encouragements appreciated. Lectures or scolding doesn't work. Just makes me retreat more to bad habits. Thanks."

Fix Yourself

2009-07-12T14:00:00.001-07:00

When I am driving around in Los Angeles I often see joggers amidst city traffic. I mean, right in traffic. Breathing emissions straight from the exhaust pipe and thinking you're doing something healthy for yourself is stupid enough, but running with your leg in a brace? I have seen that too, a dozen times or more.

My Grandma used to say "There are only two kinds of people in this world: those who are smart enough to know how stupid they are, and those who are too stupid to know how stupid they are."

The majority of people are walking around right now with multiple things wrong with them, all fixable. You don't run after sustaining a leg injury: you rest and heal. If your past problems have so hijacked your present life that you taint everything and everyone you touch, you need to see a therapist to rid yourself of the demons and destructive behavior. Of course, few people ever do this, opting instead to spread their venom wherever they go, making themselves and everyone they "love" pay dearly for what some other person did to them long ago.

Whether it's problematic teeth or gums, a bad back, painful knee, obesity, smoking, junk food...whatever is dragging you down is fixable once you decide to fix it. So, decide. Living with and exacerbating pain or diminished capacity intentionally is insane.

We have just one shot on this earth. Why do so many people throw it all away?

You're Right

2009-07-07T13:12:00.001-07:00

I received some criticism from people for saying that strength training is no more difficult in your 60s than it is your 20s, because I hadn't considered those people with ailments or injuries. You're right. So let me rephrase that: strength training is no more difficult in your 60s than your 20s if you are in decent health and able-bodied.

I do realize that after decades of smoking, or for obese individuals, or those who have suffered injury, it seems tough. You can't sit around for 3 decades and suddenly adopt a challenging fitness regimen and not feel discomfort. But while the crybabies finish drying their tears, I'd like the rest of you to meet Errol Hannigan, AKA Captain Ahab, whose pictures speak louder than any words that I could write: Click his photo above... he's the guy with the bionic leg.

My philosophy is that I don't care whether people take care of themselves or not; just that they be secure enough in their choice not to be continually trying to justify it. The next time someone you know tries to make a lame excuse for...well...just about anything, send them a link to Errol's website.

Ultimate Low Fat High Protein Luscious Maple Custard French Toast

2009-07-05T12:56:00.000-07:00

Recipes are like chemical formulas: change one ingredient or leave out one step, and the result is completely different.

If you are lucky enough to live near a Trader Joe's, pick up a loaf of TJ's pain rustique bread. Amazing. Try not to eat it on the way home. Also, buy TJ's Canadian maple syrup. If no TJ's close by, buy a bakery loaf of French bread, such as a peasant loaf or similar —white, not whole wheat. TJ's pain rustique is full of big air holes, and is chewy, which is important for the outcome of this recipe.

Beat together then pour into a shallow dish:
4 egg whites + 1 egg yolk
3 tablespoon skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons maple syrup

To accelerate the process, I wrap the bread in a wet paper towel and nuke it on high setting in a microwave. The bread then becomes very soft and soaks up the egg mixture much faster.

Take 4 slices of pain rustique and place them in the egg mixture and allow to soak 10 minutes or more to absorb as much of the egg mixture as possible. Lightly coat a warm undamaged non-stick skillet with butter by holding the butter stick in your hand to control the amount, and apply evenly: don't just throw a big pat of butter in the pan.

Get the pan nice and hot, then place each slice of bread —make sure the bread is fully absorbed with the egg mixture— and cook on medium high, standing there to keep an eye on it. After one minute you can turn the heat down to a low setting, and put a lid on it. Experience will tell you how long to cook it, so on your first try, keep vigilant. You want it to cook slowly because only then will the egg mixture set like custard. When it looks firm and feels so by poking it, turn it over and cook the other side. It takes 12-16 minutes or more for me to cook this on a gas stove, but electric is trickier because of slow response to heat adjustment.

The end result should be a crispy outside with buttery taste, and a sweet, tender, firm custard-y interior. If it doesn't cook long enough. the interior will instead be soggy.

Remove the French toast from pan when done and add any remaining egg mixture to the pan to quickly cook that, and add it to the plate. Douse with more maple syrup to taste. Crunchy outside, creamy, firm custard inside: when you get it right, it is out of this world.

Great-Tasting, Low Fat Breakfast Pasta

2009-07-05T12:34:00.000-07:00

Especially on weekends I love a hearty breakfast pasta, high in protein, low in fat, and very very tasty and filling. You can tweak this recipe endlessly to include more egg yolks, add crumbled bacon or parmesan cheese —whatever. But this following basic recipe will be the lowest in fat and cholesterol:

4 egg whites + 1 egg yolk
Garlic to your taste (granulated, dried, fresh, powdered...it's your choice)
Salt to your taste
1 Tomato, chopped, or 2 tablespoons chunky pasta sauce
1 Chopped fresh roasted Anaheim or haberno chile, or dried chili flakes, optional

Beat together all the ingredients, then add and thoroughly incorporate:

1 serving Cooked pasta, al dente (rotelli, penne, angel hair...)

I always have an unblemished non-stick fry pan on hand, which I always wash and put away immediately after use to avoid any scratches. It makes all the difference in the quality of my dishes and in the actual fun of cooking.

Put 1 tablespoon, more or less, olive oil in the cool pan and rub to coat the surface, then turn on the heat. This dish cooks fast so stand there; don't turn on the heat then walk away. You can cook on higher heat if you are very vigilant and the task will go faster. Don't use a rubber spatula as the rubber does slowly melt into your food over time. I use a wooden rice paddle to keep the pasta moving and making sure it cooks evenly.

When done (it will no longer look wet or shiny), place on your plate, have a seat, and enjoy.

Don't Allow Your Physician To Project His Insecurities Onto YOU.

2009-07-05T11:39:00.000-07:00

It's interesting that until recent problems were uncovered, doctors encouraged older women to seek hormone replacement therapy, but reacted negatively, condescendingly —even angrily— when men sought the same treatment.

HRT is purely a personal matter based on Quality Of Life. If a woman suffers horrible night sweats, daily hot flashes and is always irritable, alienating family and friends, the slight increase risk of heart disease or breast cancer sometime in the future might be worth having a much improved and happier life right now.

Men who have low testosterone will find that Androgel or injectable Testosterone can completely transform them. When I sought HRT, I was amazed at the almost indescribable calm and general feeling of well-being I felt, last experienced in my early 20s. Even when life was stressful, there was an underlying sensation that even so, all was right with my world. Testo also renews your libido, stops muscle loss, and relieves depression. In some cases, such as my own, it raised blood lipids and increased red blood cell production, causing my heart to work harder to pump blood. Since I am the oldest male in my family never to have suffered a heart attack, I wanted to keep it that way. If I can find a way around the physical problems it causes, I will gladly resume HRT. To determine whether HRT may cause threatening side effects for you, ask your doctor to get a testosterone level the next time you have a blood test. If it's low, ask for Andogel, or Testosterone Ciprionate. If you have no contraindications, yet your doctor balks at HRT, then he has a problem, and you need to see a physician, such as a urologist, who doesn't project his own hang ups and insecurities into you.

Once beginning HRT, you need to follow up with another couple of blood tests to determine if it is causing any unwanted effects, such as the ones unique to me.

If you live in Southern California, an excellent physician with vast knowledge of HRT is Alex del Rosario MD. Click his photo to go to his website.

Obesity: A Physical Problem, Or An Emotional Problem?

2009-07-05T11:15:00.000-07:00

Denial is rampant in this world where so few people are willing to accept personal responsibility. If you're fat, it's because you eat too much, and eat too many of the wrong kinds of food. Period.
When I tell people that obesity is an eating disorder no different than anorexia or bulimia, a howl goes up from the crowd.
Nobody is force-feeding anyone, or requiring they subsist on pizza, fast food "meals", or snack foods.
Obesity is all about self-medication. It's about self-protection by building a defensive wall of fat to keep the world out. It's about filling a black hole created mostly by abusive adults and other children back when we were children ourselves. It's about not seeking professional help to deal with these demons once and for all, thus accelerating our unhappiness and our ultimate demise.
Every time I have to pick up a 35 pound dumbbell at the gym to carry it 40 paces to the preacher bench to do my sets, I groan, because I don't WANT to carry 35 pounds of dead weight across the gym, maeuvering between benches and machines. It is irritating and throws me off balance. I can't imagine anyone intentionally adding 35 pounds to their body to clumsily carry around and maneuver like that, 24 hours a day.
We all have 167 hours in our week, with on average 30 or more hours devoted to sitting and watching TV. Yet few are willing to spend 3 hours a week in the gym, or engaged in some challenging physical fitness activity which would completely transform their lives for the better.

Circling The Drain, Intentionally

2009-07-04T21:56:00.000-07:00

It's one thing for young people not to take care of themselves —they have time, a resilient body, and a lot more flourishing friends and relatives than older people do on their side. They believe they can and will get around to it someday. But older people...hmmm. Older people are a real curiosity.

The same individuals who wouldn't dream of letting the roof sag or the foundation crumble in their home, or who would be mortified to be seen driving to town in a disintegrating junker, determinedly maneuver their giant asses and jiggly man-boobs around in public with no shame at all. They have already lost a large percentage of their muscle mass —7% per decade since age 30— which used to give them a human form, burn fat effortlessly, and house their immune system. They've lost up to 70% of their deep lung capacity due to lack of aerobic exercise and smoking. Their bone mass has diminished to such a degree that when they fall due to the muscle loss and fat gain, they break their bones because their very structure has been so compromised.

Who in their right mind accelerates their deterioration intentionally by shunning exercise and embracing gluttony at a time in their life when they can least cope?

The correct answer is, nobody.

Strength Training: It's The Most Control You'll Ever Have.

2009-07-04T21:36:00.000-07:00

We can have no success in our work or business without people hiring us, promoting us, or buying our goods or services. We can have no success in marriage or friendships without the cooperation of others: they hold the cards. People leave. They die, they move on, and sometimes friends just stop calling with no warning or explanation, leaving us to wonder, what happened? There is little in life that really matters for which we do not need the permission or cooperation of other people.

The one wonderful exception is fitness, or lack thereof. It's our choice, and ours alone. We alone decide what and when to eat, how much and how often. We alone decide whether we sit around the house during our off hours doing nothing, or engage in regular physical activity.

We cannot control our relationships, or their outcome: if the other person is finished, then it's over no matter how we feel. If the economy sours, or the boss hates us, we can lose our livelihood, no matter how much we love the job, how desperately we need it, or how good we are at it.

The one and only thing we can control is the appearance and fitness level of our own bodies. How ours looks, functions, performs, how strong we are, how soft or firm, how attractive or not, are all things we decide. Right now, you and I are living in the exact body we have become comfortable with up until this moment. When we are no longer comfortable, or satisfied, we can change our bodies by changing our food intake and activity choices. It's that simple. There is no one to tell us "no".

No Paper Publisher —Yet

2009-07-04T20:11:00.000-07:00

My newest book, Reclaim Your Youth: Growing Younger After 40 is only available at this time on Amazon Kindle, and iPhone.

It's not easy getting published, and I apologize to all those who want to buy my book in traditional form. I make daily efforts to contact publishers and literary agents around the globe, so I am optimistic, and I will keep you posted.

The Scourge Of The Fitness World Is...

2009-07-04T19:37:00.000-07:00

...gym owners who themselves do not work out. Over the years, the worst gyms I have ever been to, or worse, been a member of, were those whose owners had no interest. No interest in fitness, no interest in listening to their customers, and worst of all, no interest in keeping their gyms in working order or providing a safe and healthful environment.

They are oblivious to the malfunctioning equipment that members could hurt themselves on, and thereby end up quitting... another customer lost. Owners spend money trying to win a new customer, then do everything they can to drive him/her away. They are immune to complaints or suggestions that they fix things, or even take offense, yet they spend their spare time complaining how bad business is.

The gym isn't just a place to work out. It's a refuge from the outside world. Loud music, blaring competing TVs, equipment scattered all over the floor, dirty bathrooms...too many people have left all this behind at home. They don't want to pay good money to deal with these kinds of annoyances, distractions and disrespect in addition to trying to get through a challenging workout.

A lot of people tell me they have a hard time getting themselves to the gym. Is it any wonder?