Break is time over.

Hello, all you readers. Today was the first and long awaited break day. After a week of intense cardio exercise I was relieved to have this day to take a break. The dieting I have been doing this past week has actually been tasteful, not something I would normally associate with dieting. I have split my meals onto five separate "sessions" so I eat less at a time and I feel energetic throughout the day. An achy body that is weighing in at nearly seven pounds less than when I started is this weeks trophy! It has made the aches and pains worth the work. Im curious to see how the rest of you have been doing. The results and renewal of energy has refueled me for this coming weeks hell...lol.

Is stretching that important?

The one thing of real concern with the undertaking of this exercise program is that many of the family members have done little to no exercise for years and someone may over do it. A great way to avoid injury involves proper stretching.

One of the most crucial parts of your workout is the cool-down stretches. Stretching keeps your connective tissues elastic. It also helps your body flush out the lactic acid that accumulates in your muscles after exercise- the same lactic acid that contributes to achy muscles. Finally, stretching improves the range of motion in your joints and muscles and helps relieve stress and prevent injuries.

Stretching is especially important as we get older. As we age, our joints tend to lose some of their flexibility, but this tendency can be combated by regular stretching. The younger you are when you start stretching, the more flexible you'll be as you get older. If you're over the age of fifty and just starting to stretch, don't worry. It's never too late to benefit from slow stretches.

A stretching should focus on static stretch - a slow, gradual, and controlled movement that brings the muscles through the full range of motion and holds them for ten to fifteen seconds. To stretch properly:

1. Stretch your muscles when they are warm, not cold.
2. Breathe deeply while you stretch. If you inhale as you begin your stretch and exhale as you hold your stretch, you'll find that your muscles extend comfortably even further.
3. Move into the stretch until you feel a light tension- but no pain. The stretch should feel good, even if it makes your muscle feel slightly achy.
4. Release the stretch slowly. Never bounce or jerk out of a stretch; that can trigger the stretch reflex, which causes the muscle to tighten, rather than relax.

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$25,000 Home Gym Makeover

Tips for high cholesterol

In speaking with friends and family, I have decided to write about high cholesterol and how to deal with it. Although I have not had a serious problem I was on my way there. What follows is some advice to help regulate your weight and cholesterol based on some personal experience. I am not a medical doctor, and none of this is meant to be a replacement for professional advice.

A big help here is to actually like cooking. Although it depends a bit on where you live, finding restaurants that serve low-fat, low-cholesterol alternatives alongside traditional meals can be tough. When you cook at home you have the advantage of controlling exactly what it is you put in your body. All the time my wife and I modify recipes we find into low-fat, low-cholesterol alternatives, and I find that the more practice I get with doing this, the better I am at making stuff that tastes just as good as something I’d buy at a restaurant anyways.

Like most of us, I have a busy schedule and my work environment is primarily sedentary. Probably the best shape I’ve ever been in has been when I’ve had more physically demanding jobs. Unfortunately, these jobs have never paid very well. I focus on regularly fitting in a modest amount of exercise. At my worst I was 203. I was having chest pains all the time, had almost no energy, and just felt horrible in general. It took me about 6 months to reach my goals but I am now happy to say that my weight and cholesterol are both within reasonable levels and I feel great. Now I have a new goal to be even healthier.

Shawn T... Who the?

There are many so called miracle exercise programs out there that promise to make you drop pounds and get in the best shape of your life. To be honest, I rarely believe all the hype over any work out program because lets face it, they are out to make money. That is until I came across some third party reviews of the Insanity program that gained my interest. Every one was like "wow" this and "wow" that, so I looked into the actual program. The guy responsible for Insanity goes by the name "Shawn T"... Sounds like some kind of wana be Rap artist. My thought was "Is this a scam?".

The company does offer a money back guaranty so I went ahead and order it to give it a try. Let me tell you that it is not called Insanity for nothing! Trust me when I say that it is intense. It was difficult to get going today knowing the pain in store for me as I put in the work out DVD. The thing I have to keep reminding myself is that in the end I will feel much better. For some people, it can be hard to push past this anxiety and do something that you know will not be easy. Support will be a key thing for me to make it through this. Time will tell if this is a program I will end up suggesting to others, outside the family that is.

First day of Insanity

Well, the first day of doing the Insanity program is over and the results are in. I am actually very impressed with the number of immediate and extended family member that have decided to participate. It is exciting to see the family working together in a common goal to live healthier lives. Today was no easy task as we took the fitness test so that we can all see where we stand and have a starting point to measure our progress. I must admit that by the end of the test it took some real pushing to keep going. There is sure to be some aching tomorrow:) Just a few safety reminders for everyone:
1. Stay hydrated.
2. Push yourself only to a limit you can safely achieve.
3. Be sure to keep your form during the exercises. Best to have someone watch if you are not sure.
4. If you feel light headed sit down and REST.
5. Have fun!

Remember that we are not in a competition with anyone but ourselves. Don't try to outdo one another but give words of encouragement to help each other compete with themselves. Lets stay positive, this first week will be rough.

Eating healthy takes work!

So many of you probably already know it takes more effort to eat healthy than to eat un healthy. Perhaps this is why so many Americans struggle with dietary related health problems. As far back as I can remember there has been a voice that chimes in when I ate alone that would try to persuade me to throw a burrito in the microwave or hit up the nearest fast food joint to save me from the added dishes and time needed to make the food. It can be a hard way of thinking to get past for some. Thankfully I have had my wife to keep me in line.

In an effort to eat healthy but still concerned about spending a lot of time in the kitchen, I have searched far and wide to compile a list of easy, yet healthy, recipes. It is my goal that by sharing this information with my family and any other readers, to help ease the transition to a healthier lifestyle. Let us know of any easy healthy recipes you my know of :)

Last Minute Note to those participating: I need your starting weight and measurements to log for a reference point to monitor your progress. Tomorrow is the BIG DAY!!!

Stress, where is the off ramp?

Life is full of stress, and in todays economic environment it comes in many forms. Stress can be just as much a danger to your health as poor dieting or lack of exercise. Although not all stress is bad, if not addressed properly it can reek havoc on a persons body. Not to stress you out but did you know that chronic stress has been linked to headaches, increased susceptibility to colds, depression, hair loss, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, sexual dysfunction, ulcers, insomnia, and a number of other things. This is a topic that had not been given much though about to put in our blog, but every member of our family is dealing with things that cause this kind of stress.

People deal with stress in different ways. Some keep themselves busy to avoid it as long as they can, others try to release it through meditation. I, T.J., have found that outdoor activities and exercise have helped me manage my stress. As our family makes these changes to live a healthier lifestyle, we hope to find ways to reduce and release stress to avoid its problems. One of the family members will be assigned to write a future article about ways to handle stress. Let us know what works for you.

Still waiting...

Everyone is waiting to receive the "Insanity" program kit so we can get started. Hopefully everyone gets the package by Saturday so we can start on time. The excitement is building as the start date gets closer and closer! Due to certain dietary restrictions the meal plan is undergoing some last minute revisions. But, everything should be fine. If anyone has some good healthy meals that do not include Soy or Wheat let us know.

Starting to live a healthy lifestyle

Millions of people have health issues that can be attributed to their lifestyle. Living a healthy lifestyle will reduce your risk of disease and illness as well as make you feel better and even live longer. In order to live a healthy lifestyle it will require a change in poor habits that have been reinforced over years and years of bad decisions. These bad habits are not always easy to overcome but with support it sure makes it easier. We hope to overcome these poor habits by working together as a family.

In a world full of technology to “help” ease our lives, we have become less physically active. This will be one of two major obstacles our family will face. The other will be changing our poor eating habits to healthy ones. In a larger family it is time consuming and expensive to eat healthy. Far too many times we have turned to fast food or simple re-heat meals that yes, taste good but are just horrible for us.

Lets make the change guys! Yeay!

A workout that works...

 We have decided that we will all use the same work out system in an effort to better track performance. Not sure how many of you have heard of the "Insanity" program marketed by Beach Body, but the reviews are promising and we have chosen this 60 day system to start us off. After reviewing this program from hell, we knew this would not be easy and would require mutual support for us all to make it through. It is not titled Insanity for nothing. The great thing about it is that there are fitness tests every two weeks to track the progress you have made. Although everyones progress will vary we will all be doing the same thing... There will probably be a lot of complaining during the first week or two. LOL