The ELFF Diet

Morning Exercise Class, Anyone?

Do you live in Va Beach, Norfolk or surrounding areas? Free at 9 a.m. Monday, Wednesday or Friday mornings? Have I got an AMAZING opportunity for you.

One of my Muay Thai teachers is offering boot camp classes - 30 minutes - for a low low low price. It's an amazing workout that I've been doing for two weeks now and I'm here to tell you that, as good of a shape as I feel I'm in - it's kicking my bootay. It is a ton of fun and a huge, huge workout that I can feel for the rest of the day.

I would LOVE it if you were able to join me!

Pick Yourself UP, And Start Again

I have failed at the 200 sit up challenge. 

I did not do it at all last week, thanks to the trip and getting so sick while away and then the HUGE muscle cramp - which is mostly gone today, thanks to the wonderful massage that I got last night - Doreen (greatest masseuse ever) spent just about 45 minutes solely on my right leg.  I could barely walk when she was finished, but today it was much better.  And I'm convinced that I was seriously dehydrated, because I have been draining my water bottles dry and going back for more all day long. 

So. I was to start on week three, due to the number of sit ups I completed on the test.  But since last week was a bust, I'm doing week three again.

Check in with me.  How was your first and second week?  Did you complete both?  Were they tough?  Too easy?  If you really struggled, do the same week over. 

I'm still hanging in there.  You with me?

It's Another Brita Giveaway!

Want to win a Brita Pitcher and two water bottles?  I have two packs to give away.  contest open from now until December 27 - US readers only please, as the postage comes out of my bare pocket. 

You know you want clean water, and it'll help you with your New Year's Resolution for 2009 - the one that includes more water and exercise and less cheesecake.

Brita Filter For Life Contest and Prizes

Last season, The Biggest Loser issued a challenge to use less disposable water bottles, which resulted in a savings of more than 32,000 water bottles from the landfill. Whoot!  That's a great job!  Now, they have a new challenge happening, one that I'm pleased to participate in. 

If you click on that button, you can go and sign up and "take the pledge" to reduce bottled water waste.  This is in conjunction with The Biggest Loser season ending in December and Brita/FilterforGood. 

This what you should do:  Type my blog URL in the comments field when they take the pledge on filterforgood.com. After the final episode, they’ll count all the pledges and announce the winners.) I'll be picking two readers who sign the pledge and sending them a Brita Filter Pitcher and two Filter for Good water bottles. 

Four Things I Want You To Do

This is your homework for the next three days.

This is the last two days of the election - let's make the chaos good for us as well.

When you hear the name Obama, do ten squats in place, ten lunges, ten heel lifts, or ten jump squats.  You can alternate if you want, but work your legs at the sound of that name.

When you hear the name McCain, do ten pushups (incline, girl or regular version), and grab a set of weights and do either front and sides, overhead presses or hammer curls.  Work your arms every time you hear that name.

When you hear news of your local election, do ten jumping jacks or run in place for a minute.  Pretend to jump rope.  Shadow box.

Make the election work for you!

And The Winner Is...

Wow.  Lots of you like Weight Watchers.  With more than 60 entries, the competition was stiff, but the Random number Generator has spoken.  I have spun the wheel of fate, and the winner is #40 - Sarah Bell.
Sarah, please contact me to get your code. 

Exercise in SF is going well.  I walked four miles on Thursday.  Friday I did nada.  Except eat two cupcakes.  Today I walked two miles down to a park in Chinatown and jumped into a group of elderly Chinese women line dancing in the park.  THAT was fun.

What's up with you?

Staying Cool in the Pool

It's hot here. Brutally hot and muggy and humid and just, well gross.  Too hot to run comfortably, unless one was to go at 04:30.  And I'm not going to get up that early. 

So we've been doing a lot of swimming.  Not wanting to spend all my time floating around, I started doing some lunges and calf raises, squats and dips off the stairs, and pull ups on the diving board.  Those things will wear you slam out. 

Here are a few more moves that raise your heart rate and work your muscles, all the while keeping you cool.

• Scissor kick - holding on to the side of the pool, extend your legs behind you.  Keep your legs straight and kick for a minute.  Flip over and kick facing up.  Aim for five sets.
• Side Leg Raises - standing on one leg, holding the side of the pool, lift the outside leg to the side until you form a 90 degree angle.  Bring the leg back down and cross it over the standing leg; repeat ten times.  Turn around and exercise the other leg. 
• Front Leg Raises - back against the pool, lift one leg straight up in front until it makes a 90 degree angle.  Lower leg and repeat ten times.  Change legs.
• Pool jog - Jog the width of the pool ten times.

What works for you?

It's a Giveaway!

So, while I'm convalescing from my surgery, which is way less fun than I always thought it'd be, it occurs to me that I have a book on hand that would make an awesome gift for one of you.  I was given a brand new, still in shrink wrap, never opened or smelled or spilled on, copy of Cooking Light Complete Cookbook: A fresh new way to cook.

It's close to 300 pages, ring bound - which means that it lays flat on the counter, a must for me - and chock a block full of great recipes.

 

Want it?  Leave me a comment here.  I can only ship to the United States - sorry, but this thing is heavy.  Contest is open until Tuesday, May 27. 

Well, I did say I wanted a challenge

And wow, what a challenge it was.

Tuesday night, I took the introduction to Muy Thai - Total Defense - Thai Boxing.  It goes by many names, but all of them to me signify one thing - kick my booty.

The intro class was only about 30 minutes long, and I learned the four basic punches - the left and right jab, the cross and one other whose name I have forgotten.  I also learned two basic kicks, which are almost exactly like two of the kicks we do in capoeira.  I felt more than a bit stupid, seeing as how my punches resemble baby taps rather than full on, shake an assailant in their boots, wowie kazowie punches.  The instructor was great - all of the instructors there are, the owner really has a lot to be proud of with these guys.  He reassured me and invited me back, and so I agreed to come in on Thursday at 12.

A funny for all of us

I've had a hard week and I'm wiped out.  I thought I'd share this set of funnies with you.  Enjoy!

Q:  I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?

A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it . .. . Don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster.  Want to live longer? Take a nap.


Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?

A:  You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat?  Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain?  Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.


Q:  Should I reduce my alcohol intake?

A:  No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit.  Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way.  Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!


Q:  How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?

A:  Well, if you have a body and you have fat   your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.


Q:  What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?

A:  Can't think of a single one, sorry.  My philosophy is:  No Pain...Good!


Q:  Aren't fried foods bad for you?

A:  YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!! . . . .  Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil.   In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?


Q:  Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?

A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.


Q:  Is chocolate bad for me?

A:  Are you crazy? HELLO  Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It's the best feel-good food around!


Q:   Is swimming good for your figure?

A:  If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.



Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.

And remember:
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO, What a Ride!"

AND . . . .. . ..