Below is an amusing video that takes punches at the different things men and women do at the gym.
Looking for a personal trainer in Toronto for training in your condo or local park? Look no further than Cardio Trek?
Showing posts with label Dieting and Exercise News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dieting and Exercise News. Show all posts
July 29, 2013
What if guys and girls switched roles at the gym?
What if guys and girls switched roles at the gym?
Below is an amusing video that takes punches at the different things men and women do at the gym.
Looking for a personal trainer in Toronto for training in your condo or local park? Look no further than Cardio Trek?
Below is an amusing video that takes punches at the different things men and women do at the gym.
Looking for a personal trainer in Toronto for training in your condo or local park? Look no further than Cardio Trek?
April 4, 2013
Archery Lessons for Businessmen in Toronto
It is not just little kids who are getting into archery as a sport (thanks to the Hunger Games, Brave, The Avengers, Arrow and similar films/TV shows).
It is also adults and even people you wouldn't normally see doing archery - including businessmen.
That is right.
CEOs, bankers, investment managers, stock market analysts... your boss!
In other words people you would normally expect to be playing golf or tennis are taking up archery instead.
So does this mean that in the future many golf and tennis clubs will start offering archery ranges as an additional service?
Maybe. It is entirely possible.
In the meantime if you are looking for private archery lessons in Toronto check out the website CardioTrek.ca. Private archery lessons start at $60 for a single lesson, $270 for 5 lessons or $500 for 10 lessons. All equipment is provided by the trainer.
You can also go out and buy your own equipment and try to learn by yourself, but archery equipment (the good stuff) is expensive and the arrows alone are pretty pricey - and the learning process will be slow without an instructor.
It is also adults and even people you wouldn't normally see doing archery - including businessmen.
CEOs, bankers, investment managers, stock market analysts... your boss!
In other words people you would normally expect to be playing golf or tennis are taking up archery instead.
So does this mean that in the future many golf and tennis clubs will start offering archery ranges as an additional service?
Maybe. It is entirely possible.
In the meantime if you are looking for private archery lessons in Toronto check out the website CardioTrek.ca. Private archery lessons start at $60 for a single lesson, $270 for 5 lessons or $500 for 10 lessons. All equipment is provided by the trainer.
You can also go out and buy your own equipment and try to learn by yourself, but archery equipment (the good stuff) is expensive and the arrows alone are pretty pricey - and the learning process will be slow without an instructor.
June 7, 2012
America's Glorification of the Obese
Is it a coincidence that the history of the world's fattest people is dominated by Americans? 10 of the world's 11 fattest people were Americans.
#1. Jon Brower Minnoch, American, 1400 lbs, died at the age of 42.
#2. Manuel Uribe, Mexican, 1320 lbs, still living. (Has since lost 500 lbs and is much healthier.)
#3. Carol Yager, American, 1200 lbs, died at the age of 34.
#4. Walter Hudson, American, 1200 lbs, died at the age of 47.
#5. Rosalie Bradford, American, 1200 lbs, died at the age of 63.
#6. Michael Hebranko, American, 1100 lbs, still living.
#7. Patrick Deuel, American, 1070 lbs, still living.
#8. Robert Earl Hughes, American, 1070 lbs, died at the age of 32.
#9. Kenneth Brumley, American, 1030 lbs, , still living.
#10. Mills Darden, American, 1020 lbs, died at the age of 58.
#11. Mayra Rosales, American, 1000 lbs, , still living.
And you will also probably note half of them are dead.
The USA is also home to the World's Fattest Twins Billy and Benny McCrary, often known as the McGuire Twins, shown here on their Honda motorcycles. They weighed 720 lbs and 750 lbs. They're both dead now too.
In North America the general philosophy is that Bigger is Better. Thus when eating out Americans love eating whatever is biggest because they want to get their money's worth. And frankly who can blame them, the prices in so-called healthy restaurants are ridiculous. It makes perfect sense that people will want to get a bigger bang for their buck.
The problem is that those bigger bangs have more fat and sugar in them.
And this isn't limited to America's eating habits. Big cars, big trucks, big houses, big mortgages, big economic failures, big bailouts...
And the worse the USA becomes the more governments and health officials struggle to get obese people to recognize their problem and do something about it.
And so governments weigh options like:
#1. Increasing funding for school exercise programs.
#2. Creating a Fat Tax on fatty foods. (Although I would argue this should be a tax based on the percentage of fat in such products. eg. 10% fat = 20% tax.)
#3. Use the money raised from a Fat Tax to create Free Public Gyms, Swimming Pools and Stationary Bicycles in an effort to make it easier for Americans to exercise.
#4. Ban advertising for fatty foods on television and in magazines/newspapers (cigarettes are already banned this way).
#5. Charging parents with negligence if they feed their kids unhealthy food.
The problem with trying to enforce some ideas turns it into a civil rights issue. People talk about things like "personal responsibility" and that the government should mind their own business, but its clear that most Americans aren't that responsible when it comes to their health.
66% of Adult Americans are overweight or obese. 42% are obese and 6.3% are "extremely obese". 33% of American children are overweight or obese. (CDC / February 2012)
The exercise and diet industry in the USA is also huge, but it seems to be largely based on short-lived fads and not many real solutions.
And the sad truth is that the only real long term solution is changing your lifestyle to include a healthy diet and exercise. But that sounds like too much work for most Americans.
And why bother when so many people now glorify fat and celebrate it? Brag about it even.
Its a bit like "Look at me, I am so fat I will die before the age of 40!"
But ask yourself, do you really want to die before the age of 40? Its no wonder so many people are hiring personal trainers (even though they charge an arm and a leg) in a desperate need to lose weight by throwing money at it.
Brought to you by Cardio Trek
10 Exercise Tricks 12 New Years Resolutions 6 Minute Cardio Ab Workouts Bicycling Calorie Myths Dancing Dieting Exercise Humour Interval Training Jogging Loose Skin Mission Statement Motivating Yourself Obesity and Weight Loss Running Gear Sit Ups Tracking your Calorie Loss Whey Protein Winter Activities
#1. Jon Brower Minnoch, American, 1400 lbs, died at the age of 42.
#2. Manuel Uribe, Mexican, 1320 lbs, still living. (Has since lost 500 lbs and is much healthier.)
#3. Carol Yager, American, 1200 lbs, died at the age of 34.
#4. Walter Hudson, American, 1200 lbs, died at the age of 47.
#5. Rosalie Bradford, American, 1200 lbs, died at the age of 63.
#6. Michael Hebranko, American, 1100 lbs, still living.
#7. Patrick Deuel, American, 1070 lbs, still living.
#8. Robert Earl Hughes, American, 1070 lbs, died at the age of 32.
#9. Kenneth Brumley, American, 1030 lbs, , still living.
#10. Mills Darden, American, 1020 lbs, died at the age of 58.
#11. Mayra Rosales, American, 1000 lbs, , still living.
And you will also probably note half of them are dead.The USA is also home to the World's Fattest Twins Billy and Benny McCrary, often known as the McGuire Twins, shown here on their Honda motorcycles. They weighed 720 lbs and 750 lbs. They're both dead now too.
In North America the general philosophy is that Bigger is Better. Thus when eating out Americans love eating whatever is biggest because they want to get their money's worth. And frankly who can blame them, the prices in so-called healthy restaurants are ridiculous. It makes perfect sense that people will want to get a bigger bang for their buck.
The problem is that those bigger bangs have more fat and sugar in them.
And this isn't limited to America's eating habits. Big cars, big trucks, big houses, big mortgages, big economic failures, big bailouts...
And the worse the USA becomes the more governments and health officials struggle to get obese people to recognize their problem and do something about it.
And so governments weigh options like:
#1. Increasing funding for school exercise programs.
#2. Creating a Fat Tax on fatty foods. (Although I would argue this should be a tax based on the percentage of fat in such products. eg. 10% fat = 20% tax.)
#3. Use the money raised from a Fat Tax to create Free Public Gyms, Swimming Pools and Stationary Bicycles in an effort to make it easier for Americans to exercise.
#4. Ban advertising for fatty foods on television and in magazines/newspapers (cigarettes are already banned this way).
#5. Charging parents with negligence if they feed their kids unhealthy food.
The problem with trying to enforce some ideas turns it into a civil rights issue. People talk about things like "personal responsibility" and that the government should mind their own business, but its clear that most Americans aren't that responsible when it comes to their health.
66% of Adult Americans are overweight or obese. 42% are obese and 6.3% are "extremely obese". 33% of American children are overweight or obese. (CDC / February 2012)
The exercise and diet industry in the USA is also huge, but it seems to be largely based on short-lived fads and not many real solutions.
And the sad truth is that the only real long term solution is changing your lifestyle to include a healthy diet and exercise. But that sounds like too much work for most Americans.
And why bother when so many people now glorify fat and celebrate it? Brag about it even.
Its a bit like "Look at me, I am so fat I will die before the age of 40!"
But ask yourself, do you really want to die before the age of 40? Its no wonder so many people are hiring personal trainers (even though they charge an arm and a leg) in a desperate need to lose weight by throwing money at it.
Brought to you by Cardio Trek
10 Exercise Tricks 12 New Years Resolutions 6 Minute Cardio Ab Workouts Bicycling Calorie Myths Dancing Dieting Exercise Humour Interval Training Jogging Loose Skin Mission Statement Motivating Yourself Obesity and Weight Loss Running Gear Sit Ups Tracking your Calorie Loss Whey Protein Winter Activities
February 23, 2012
America's Obesity Epidemic
HEALTH - In 1985 less than 9% of adult Americans were obese.
By 2010 that number has risen to 33.8% of adult Americans. You can see a slideshow map of the USA at http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html which will show you how obesity in the USA has gone from 1 in 11 adults in to 1 in 3.
The silly thing is that many Americans blame genetic or health problems for their sudden weight gain. They blame diabetes or genetic conditions like Factor V Leiden.
Factor V Leiden usually effects Caucasians under the age of 45. It only effects people whose parents both had the gene, and even then only effects 1 out or 12 people who inherit the "double gene". Only 1% of the Caucasian population in the USA has the "double gene" and only 0.083% of the population is effected by it. Only 1 in 1200 people.
The end result is only approximately 167,000 people who are effected by "double gene" for Factor V Leiden.
Note: Since it is genetic there is no "cure", but there is treatment for Factor V Leiden:
Treatment of a patient with Factor V Leiden requires anticoagulation and cardiovascular exercise. This is accomplished by several different medications: 1) heparin, 2) warfarin and 3) low-molecular-weight heparins. These medications are generally used for 3-6 months. Patients under treatment should do cardiovascular exercise twice per day for approx. 30 minutes each time.
The use of long-term (over the limit of 6 months) anticoagulation has an approximately 3% risk per year of having a hemorrhage and thus patients should routinely go off the medication for 2 months at a time, but continue cardiovascular exercise treatment during that time period. The accepted method of treatment is 4 months on anticoagulation medication and 2 months on a non-sugar based placebo, repeated continuously in combination with daily cardiovascular exercise.
Ahem.
So Factor V Leiden does not explain America's obesity problem because its #1. extremely rare and #2. treatable using medication and exercise. That and other illnesses does not explain the almost 100 million Americans (children and adults) who are obese.
Diabetes is another scapegoat, but the problem is that it is "Type 2 Diabetes" that most obese people have. Type 2 Diabetes is caused by being overweight, not the other way around.
So what about the rest of the world that isn't suffering from such shockingly high rates? What are they doing so differently?
#1. The rest of the world gets more exercise. The average American exercises less than 19 minutes per day. That is the AVERAGE. Which means healthy Americans are exercising an hour or more per day.
#2. The rest of the world eats less sugar, carbohydrates and fat in their food. The average American consumes 3,790 calories per day (2002 statistic). The healthy level is 1800 to 2000 calories per day. Remember that 3,790 is the average. This means some Americans are consuming a lot more than 4,000 calories.
So America's obesity is really an issue of LIFESTYLE. They are overeating and barely exercising.
Compare this to 150 years ago when most Americans were farmers, worked outside most of the day, got lots of exercise, ate a decent meal and didn't pig out.
Today the average American spends 8.5 hours per day in front of either a computer screen or a TV screen. Assuming they spend another 8 hours sleeping, another 4 hours eating, bathing and doing household chores, 1 hour in traffic going to and from work or school, what are they doing for the other 2.5 hours?
Well since Americans only spend 19 minutes exercising I guess whatever they are doing must be more important than their health.
By 2010 that number has risen to 33.8% of adult Americans. You can see a slideshow map of the USA at http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html which will show you how obesity in the USA has gone from 1 in 11 adults in to 1 in 3.
Factor V Leiden usually effects Caucasians under the age of 45. It only effects people whose parents both had the gene, and even then only effects 1 out or 12 people who inherit the "double gene". Only 1% of the Caucasian population in the USA has the "double gene" and only 0.083% of the population is effected by it. Only 1 in 1200 people.
The end result is only approximately 167,000 people who are effected by "double gene" for Factor V Leiden.
Note: Since it is genetic there is no "cure", but there is treatment for Factor V Leiden:
Treatment of a patient with Factor V Leiden requires anticoagulation and cardiovascular exercise. This is accomplished by several different medications: 1) heparin, 2) warfarin and 3) low-molecular-weight heparins. These medications are generally used for 3-6 months. Patients under treatment should do cardiovascular exercise twice per day for approx. 30 minutes each time.
The use of long-term (over the limit of 6 months) anticoagulation has an approximately 3% risk per year of having a hemorrhage and thus patients should routinely go off the medication for 2 months at a time, but continue cardiovascular exercise treatment during that time period. The accepted method of treatment is 4 months on anticoagulation medication and 2 months on a non-sugar based placebo, repeated continuously in combination with daily cardiovascular exercise.
Ahem.
So Factor V Leiden does not explain America's obesity problem because its #1. extremely rare and #2. treatable using medication and exercise. That and other illnesses does not explain the almost 100 million Americans (children and adults) who are obese.
Diabetes is another scapegoat, but the problem is that it is "Type 2 Diabetes" that most obese people have. Type 2 Diabetes is caused by being overweight, not the other way around.
So what about the rest of the world that isn't suffering from such shockingly high rates? What are they doing so differently?
#1. The rest of the world gets more exercise. The average American exercises less than 19 minutes per day. That is the AVERAGE. Which means healthy Americans are exercising an hour or more per day.
#2. The rest of the world eats less sugar, carbohydrates and fat in their food. The average American consumes 3,790 calories per day (2002 statistic). The healthy level is 1800 to 2000 calories per day. Remember that 3,790 is the average. This means some Americans are consuming a lot more than 4,000 calories.
So America's obesity is really an issue of LIFESTYLE. They are overeating and barely exercising.
Compare this to 150 years ago when most Americans were farmers, worked outside most of the day, got lots of exercise, ate a decent meal and didn't pig out.
Today the average American spends 8.5 hours per day in front of either a computer screen or a TV screen. Assuming they spend another 8 hours sleeping, another 4 hours eating, bathing and doing household chores, 1 hour in traffic going to and from work or school, what are they doing for the other 2.5 hours?
Well since Americans only spend 19 minutes exercising I guess whatever they are doing must be more important than their health.
December 28, 2011
12 New Years Resolutions Worth Keeping for 2012
#1. Don't answer hatemail. Just delete it and don't worry about it.#2. Explore your sexuality. You only live once.
#3. Exercise. Just in case the religious nutjobs are right and the zombies rise up in 2012. You will live longer either way.
#4. Stop worrying about the unimportant things. "Don't sweat the small stuff."
#5. Learn to say no. You are not a slave to the whims of others.
#6. Turn off your electronics at least 1 day per month. You can answer the emails later.
#8. Pretend to be confident and you will become confident once you realize how easy it is.
#9. Stand up for others. You won't regret it.
#10. Organize your time better. Stop multitasking so much. Multitasking actually reduces productivity.
#11. Travel. Again, you only live once.
#12. Learn a new language. The next best thing to traveling.
October 17, 2011
Exercise Addiction and Other Things
HEALTH - There are many bad things one could be addicted to that are bad for your health. ie. Cocaine, crack, heroin, smoking cigarettes.
In contrast caffeine and chocolate are so comparatively minor that most people don't consider them addictions. A coke habit (Coca-Cola) certainly is better than a cocaine habit.
Anything in too much abundance to the point of addiction can be a cause for trouble, both physically and mentally.
Addictions come in many ways. A myriad different addictions for each of the Seven Deadly Sins.
1. Lust - sex addiction or fetishes.
2. Gluttony - food addiction.
3. Greed - gambling addiction. ie. internet gambling websites.
4. Sloth / Acedia - addiction to laziness or neglect. ie. procrastination.
5. Wrath - rageaholicism.
6. Envy - collection / hoarding in an attempt to outdo another.
7. Pride / Vanity - addiction to the attention of others.
But what about an addiction that is good for you? Such as an addiction to eating healthy foods?
Or how about exercising?
Truth be told even running can cause negative physical and psychological effects on a person. Runners are the most vulnerable to exercise addiction because it releases endorphins and beta-endorphins (a powerful painkiller), adrenaline and other hormones. This cocktail of chemicals ends up acting like heroin on the brain, creating a powerful addiction that many marathon runners are prone to.
Ironically there is plenty of heroin addiction treatment programs, but not many professional programs to treat exercise addiction. It can be rather difficult to determine when someone is an addict. The best route is to actually measure what they are doing and then compare to confirmed addicts.
ie. If you're running 100 km / week, you're an addict. Some exercise addicts are known to run 6 or 7 days a week, anywhere from 100 km to 150 km. They're so addicted they would rather run than spend time with friends or family. They even run when they go on vacation.
The Symptoms of Exercise Addiction
1. Insomnia and/or restlessness. All the extra chemicals being released is interfering with their ability to sleep or rest.
2. They exercise even when sick or injured.
3. They avoid family and / or friends to go exercising.
4. Anxiety, irritability, and depression.
5. Often the addict has some psychological problem from their youth that has scarred them mentally. A parent or relative who mocked their weight, being tormented by children at school, etc.
6. Denial. Exercise addicts will never admit what they are doing is "abnormal". Instead they pride themselves on being very athletic.
7. Low self esteem / an obsession with perfection.
How do you know if you are an Addict?
Have you missed important social obligations and family events?
Have you given up other interests, including time with friends?
Have you missed a workout and it makes you irritable and depressed?
Do you only feel content when exercising or after exercising?
Do you like exercise better than sex, good food or a movie?
Do you work out even when sick, injured, or exhausted?
Do you exercise more if you find extra time?
Has family or friends told you that you exercise too much?
Do you have a history of anxiety or depression?
Anything in too much abundance to the point of addiction can be a cause for trouble, both physically and mentally.
Addictions come in many ways. A myriad different addictions for each of the Seven Deadly Sins.
1. Lust - sex addiction or fetishes.
2. Gluttony - food addiction.
3. Greed - gambling addiction. ie. internet gambling websites.
4. Sloth / Acedia - addiction to laziness or neglect. ie. procrastination.
5. Wrath - rageaholicism.
6. Envy - collection / hoarding in an attempt to outdo another.
7. Pride / Vanity - addiction to the attention of others.
But what about an addiction that is good for you? Such as an addiction to eating healthy foods?
Or how about exercising?
Truth be told even running can cause negative physical and psychological effects on a person. Runners are the most vulnerable to exercise addiction because it releases endorphins and beta-endorphins (a powerful painkiller), adrenaline and other hormones. This cocktail of chemicals ends up acting like heroin on the brain, creating a powerful addiction that many marathon runners are prone to.
Ironically there is plenty of heroin addiction treatment programs, but not many professional programs to treat exercise addiction. It can be rather difficult to determine when someone is an addict. The best route is to actually measure what they are doing and then compare to confirmed addicts.
ie. If you're running 100 km / week, you're an addict. Some exercise addicts are known to run 6 or 7 days a week, anywhere from 100 km to 150 km. They're so addicted they would rather run than spend time with friends or family. They even run when they go on vacation.
The Symptoms of Exercise Addiction
1. Insomnia and/or restlessness. All the extra chemicals being released is interfering with their ability to sleep or rest.
2. They exercise even when sick or injured.
3. They avoid family and / or friends to go exercising.
4. Anxiety, irritability, and depression.
5. Often the addict has some psychological problem from their youth that has scarred them mentally. A parent or relative who mocked their weight, being tormented by children at school, etc.
6. Denial. Exercise addicts will never admit what they are doing is "abnormal". Instead they pride themselves on being very athletic.
7. Low self esteem / an obsession with perfection.
How do you know if you are an Addict?
Have you missed important social obligations and family events?
Have you given up other interests, including time with friends?
Have you missed a workout and it makes you irritable and depressed?
Do you only feel content when exercising or after exercising?
Do you like exercise better than sex, good food or a movie?
Do you work out even when sick, injured, or exhausted?
Do you exercise more if you find extra time?
Has family or friends told you that you exercise too much?
Do you have a history of anxiety or depression?
August 16, 2011
Moderation Key to a Long Healthy Life
HEALTH - When you live a balanced life style it can make huge differences in the quality of life and overall happiness.
#1. Moderation and balance. Both metaphorically and physically. You need to balance yourself mentally and emotionally (some might say spiritually) and also keep your balance in a literal sense. ie. Practice walking on top of things in straight lines like teenagers do to show off. If you practice good balance it hones various muscle groups which help keep you younger.
#2. Don't over stress yourself. Stress effects adrenalin and cortisol levels which you want to keep at moderate levels. If your work is too stressful it will be causing havoc with your health, decreasing your ability to work properly, sleep properly, eat properly and your health will deteriorate in a high stress job. (ie. Rob Ford has lost a lot of hair in the first 9 months of being mayor of Toronto, and he is pretty unhealthy to begin with.)
#3. Follow the BE SAFE program — Balance, Endurance, Strength And Flexibility Exercises. In general this means cycling, running, swimming, weightlifting and yoga. And various other activities just to make it more fun. ie. Archery.
#4. Don't smoke and avoid over-consumption of alcohol. A bit of red wine is actually good for you. Avoid environmental factors that are bad for you. ie. Noxious fumes and chemicals, food that is burnt / carcinogenic.
#5. The older you get the more you need to exercise. That includes WEIGHTLIFTING and keeping your balance.
#6. Decrease the intake of fatty, sugary, toxin filled foods and eat more healthy choices. Your body (and your sex drive) will thank you for it.
#7. Stay active. Don't let your body go to waste. Take up activities which cost nothing but give you both enjoyment and exercise.
Which would you rather be? A broken down person in a wheel chair complaining about the nurses who won't change your diaper? Or the old fogey at the gym lifting 200+ lbs at the age of 90?
See Also: Anti Aging Techniques
#1. Moderation and balance. Both metaphorically and physically. You need to balance yourself mentally and emotionally (some might say spiritually) and also keep your balance in a literal sense. ie. Practice walking on top of things in straight lines like teenagers do to show off. If you practice good balance it hones various muscle groups which help keep you younger.
#2. Don't over stress yourself. Stress effects adrenalin and cortisol levels which you want to keep at moderate levels. If your work is too stressful it will be causing havoc with your health, decreasing your ability to work properly, sleep properly, eat properly and your health will deteriorate in a high stress job. (ie. Rob Ford has lost a lot of hair in the first 9 months of being mayor of Toronto, and he is pretty unhealthy to begin with.)
#4. Don't smoke and avoid over-consumption of alcohol. A bit of red wine is actually good for you. Avoid environmental factors that are bad for you. ie. Noxious fumes and chemicals, food that is burnt / carcinogenic.
#5. The older you get the more you need to exercise. That includes WEIGHTLIFTING and keeping your balance.
#6. Decrease the intake of fatty, sugary, toxin filled foods and eat more healthy choices. Your body (and your sex drive) will thank you for it.
#7. Stay active. Don't let your body go to waste. Take up activities which cost nothing but give you both enjoyment and exercise.
Which would you rather be? A broken down person in a wheel chair complaining about the nurses who won't change your diaper? Or the old fogey at the gym lifting 200+ lbs at the age of 90?
See Also: Anti Aging Techniques
August 9, 2011
The Practical Vegetarian Diet
HEALTH - Some of you may have heard about the health benefits of being vegetarian or vegan.
And there is a tonne of health benefits (and sexual perks) for those people who choose to go vegetarian or vegan. (There is also fruitarians, but those people are just plain crazy and suffer from a chemical imbalance.)
Vegans typically have less health problems, less headaches, less cancer, more energy and more sexual libido.
However for a a variety of practical reasons the vast majority of people are omnivores because...
#1. Eating omnivorously is more convenient. You don't have to be constantly checking labels to see if there is any animal biproducts in the food you are buying.
#2. Eating omnivorously can be cheaper (but isn't always). Especially compared to people who only buy "organic" fruits and vegetables which have been genetically modified. Organic is really a misnomer... what it means is its "pesticide free", but what they don't tell you is that they use other methods to kill insects... namely toxins in genetically modified plants which poison / deter the insects. However if you're not worried about buying foods that are organic (or grow your own vegetables) then going vegan is actually cheaper...
#3. Eating omnivorously is less stressful. You don't have to worry about vegan alternatives, where to eat, what to eat, who you are eating with, etc.
#4. Because their family / children / friends are omnivores and this creates problems for people socially.
#5. Because they're hopelessly addicted to bacon. (Okay, that is not a practical reason, but you get my point.)
Basically the majority of people can't deal with going Vegan because it just feels like too many rules, too stressful and not practical for their daily lives.
However there is a more practical approach to going vegan or vegetarian... I am not certain what to call this diet... its sort of a "Half Veg Diet"... or a "Veg-Curious Diet". Whatever you want to call it...
The Rules of the Half Veg / Veg Curious Diet
#1. The rules of this diet are really more like "guidelines". You can pick and choose which ones you want to follow. All the rules are OPTIONAL and can be modified as you see fit.
#2. You can make up and add your own rules. Whatever you find convenient or practical for you.
#3. Don't bother buying meat that often. ie. Only buy meat when its on sale.
#4. Avoid eating meat unless its offered to you. ie. You're at a friend's place and they offer you a burger.
#5. Avoid buying dairy or eggs (or other things you know to be non-Vegan) unless you actually need it. ie. You need milk for your cereal.
#6. Try to balance your diet towards more veggies / fruits / berries / grains and less meat/dairy products.
The end goal here is to do several things:
#1. Save money by buying meat less often and/or only eating meat when its either on sale or given to you for free.
#2. Still be an omnivore socially and still be able to enjoy the foods you love. (A bit like someone who only smokes when someone offers them a cigarette.)
#3. Not turn into one of those preachy people who look down on others for being an omnivore. (Not all Vegetarians or Vegans are like that, but there are a few preachy people out there who give the whole movement a bad rep.)
In theory the principles of this diet can also be applied to general dieting with respect to fatty / sugary foods... ie. Only buying fattening or sugary things when they're on sale and/or only eating such foods when they're offered to you and therefore are a treat.
The ultimate goal of the Half Veg / Veg Curious Diet is that you get to enjoy some of the health benefits of being a Vegan, but without going all the way. It also makes a good stepping stone for if you later decide to become a hardcore vegan.
If you do eventually decide to go the hardcore vegan route, you will likely want to learn more about veganism in general. I recommend the blog Beautiful Vegan for further reading. I also recommend the eBook Conscious Evolution available at the author's website or via Lulu.com.
And there is a tonne of health benefits (and sexual perks) for those people who choose to go vegetarian or vegan. (There is also fruitarians, but those people are just plain crazy and suffer from a chemical imbalance.)
Vegans typically have less health problems, less headaches, less cancer, more energy and more sexual libido.
However for a a variety of practical reasons the vast majority of people are omnivores because...
#1. Eating omnivorously is more convenient. You don't have to be constantly checking labels to see if there is any animal biproducts in the food you are buying.
#2. Eating omnivorously can be cheaper (but isn't always). Especially compared to people who only buy "organic" fruits and vegetables which have been genetically modified. Organic is really a misnomer... what it means is its "pesticide free", but what they don't tell you is that they use other methods to kill insects... namely toxins in genetically modified plants which poison / deter the insects. However if you're not worried about buying foods that are organic (or grow your own vegetables) then going vegan is actually cheaper...
#3. Eating omnivorously is less stressful. You don't have to worry about vegan alternatives, where to eat, what to eat, who you are eating with, etc.
#4. Because their family / children / friends are omnivores and this creates problems for people socially.
#5. Because they're hopelessly addicted to bacon. (Okay, that is not a practical reason, but you get my point.)
Basically the majority of people can't deal with going Vegan because it just feels like too many rules, too stressful and not practical for their daily lives.
However there is a more practical approach to going vegan or vegetarian... I am not certain what to call this diet... its sort of a "Half Veg Diet"... or a "Veg-Curious Diet". Whatever you want to call it...
The Rules of the Half Veg / Veg Curious Diet
#1. The rules of this diet are really more like "guidelines". You can pick and choose which ones you want to follow. All the rules are OPTIONAL and can be modified as you see fit.
#2. You can make up and add your own rules. Whatever you find convenient or practical for you.
#3. Don't bother buying meat that often. ie. Only buy meat when its on sale.
#4. Avoid eating meat unless its offered to you. ie. You're at a friend's place and they offer you a burger.
#5. Avoid buying dairy or eggs (or other things you know to be non-Vegan) unless you actually need it. ie. You need milk for your cereal.
#6. Try to balance your diet towards more veggies / fruits / berries / grains and less meat/dairy products.
The end goal here is to do several things:
#1. Save money by buying meat less often and/or only eating meat when its either on sale or given to you for free.
#2. Still be an omnivore socially and still be able to enjoy the foods you love. (A bit like someone who only smokes when someone offers them a cigarette.)
#3. Not turn into one of those preachy people who look down on others for being an omnivore. (Not all Vegetarians or Vegans are like that, but there are a few preachy people out there who give the whole movement a bad rep.)
In theory the principles of this diet can also be applied to general dieting with respect to fatty / sugary foods... ie. Only buying fattening or sugary things when they're on sale and/or only eating such foods when they're offered to you and therefore are a treat.
The ultimate goal of the Half Veg / Veg Curious Diet is that you get to enjoy some of the health benefits of being a Vegan, but without going all the way. It also makes a good stepping stone for if you later decide to become a hardcore vegan.
If you do eventually decide to go the hardcore vegan route, you will likely want to learn more about veganism in general. I recommend the blog Beautiful Vegan for further reading. I also recommend the eBook Conscious Evolution available at the author's website or via Lulu.com.
May 30, 2011
$50 Fat Tax?
By Suzanne MacNevin - May 2011.
HEALTH - The state of Arizona is thinking of creating a $50 Fat Tax in an effort to discourage obesity. The annual $50 fine would be imposed on overweight Medicaid recipients who don't follow a strict health regime as set by their doctor.
Its a sign that governments are starting to get desperate to lower obesity rates in America. The costs of obesity to the US economy and health care system are starting to wrack up, and worse America has developed a horrible reputation for being "fat and lazy", a concept which hurts the USA's global reputation.
Governments, in an effort to save money, are looking to take desperate action. Ideas like income tax rebates for gym memberships, bicycles, exercise equipment are being batted around.
Other ideas like taxing fatty foods have also been promoted, but America's corrupt food industry keeps bribing the right officials to keep their products on the shelves untaxed. The idea of taxing or banning foods is argued to be counter to the idea of American freedom of choice.
ie. If Americans want to obese and eat fattening foods constantly, that is their choice.
However taxing Medicaid patients has a problem... its meant for poor families who are unable to pay for medical costs. Such a tax would effectively be "taxing poor fat people".
The program would also fine the parents of poor obese children. But parents of rich obese children wouldn't get taxed at all.
The total cost of Medicaid (both state and federal parts) is approx. $340 billion per year. Due to obesity levels and an aging population the costs are expected to go up 8% per year.
In exceptionally fat states, the cost is ballooning out of control. Especially since the American Recession has caused many more Americans to fall below the poverty line and recovery has been very slow.
However avoiding a $50 fat tax doesn't seem like much of an incentive does it?
I'd argue that overweight people spend WAY more on groceries per year anyway. Getting rid of unnecessary junk food alone would save a single person hundreds of dollars per year. For a family of 4 scrapping junk food (except for special days) could save a whole whack of money.
Don't believe me? Do a test.
Cut out junk food from your budget for a month. Including fast food when eating out. Calculate how much you saved. Multiply by 12. Even if you only spent $30 / month, that amounts to $360 per year.
$360 would buy a nice bicycle...
Its like when you quit smoking and suddenly realize you have lots of extra cash. No more "one pack per day" = a lot more cash in your pocket.
I argue therefore that people should never go on a diet and/or exercise just for the sake of a mere $50. Do it for yourself. Save yourself a whack load more money. Become a healthier, happier version of yourself.
Watch your love life / sex life improve too. You will be happier more often and less likely to get depressed. Over time you will realize that you were in a slump and were eating because you were sad.
Finding happiness in execise and eating well is more difficult, but it is there. It is just a matter of effort.
In Britain the government has been debating a fat tax for almost a decade now and the UK isn't even that overweight in comparison to the USA. A whole lot of football (soccer) fans in Britain and there is a stronger belief in walking or cycling to work.
Take myself. I don't own a car. I live in Camden (London, England) and 90% of what I need is walking distance from me. If I need something farther away I can bicycle there or take the Underground.
Of course not everyone lives in a location that they can travel to what they need so easily. But if you do, it just takes a few minutes to get to where you need to go. No need to drive. Walking an extra hour/day burns an average of 150 calories/day. Over the course of a month that is 1.28 lbs you've just lost (3,500 calories = 1 lb).
Lets say you walked 2 hours per day for a year. That is almost 31 lbs just from walking alone. Add jogging, weightlifting, yoga and other activities to your lifestyle and you will see faster results. ie. Weightlifting burns 700+ calories per hour (or 1.4 lbs per week, but you will also gain some muscle mass).
See Also:
Calories: Food Vs Exercise
Ab Exercises
HEALTH - The state of Arizona is thinking of creating a $50 Fat Tax in an effort to discourage obesity. The annual $50 fine would be imposed on overweight Medicaid recipients who don't follow a strict health regime as set by their doctor.
Its a sign that governments are starting to get desperate to lower obesity rates in America. The costs of obesity to the US economy and health care system are starting to wrack up, and worse America has developed a horrible reputation for being "fat and lazy", a concept which hurts the USA's global reputation.
Governments, in an effort to save money, are looking to take desperate action. Ideas like income tax rebates for gym memberships, bicycles, exercise equipment are being batted around.
Other ideas like taxing fatty foods have also been promoted, but America's corrupt food industry keeps bribing the right officials to keep their products on the shelves untaxed. The idea of taxing or banning foods is argued to be counter to the idea of American freedom of choice.
ie. If Americans want to obese and eat fattening foods constantly, that is their choice.
However taxing Medicaid patients has a problem... its meant for poor families who are unable to pay for medical costs. Such a tax would effectively be "taxing poor fat people".
The program would also fine the parents of poor obese children. But parents of rich obese children wouldn't get taxed at all.
The total cost of Medicaid (both state and federal parts) is approx. $340 billion per year. Due to obesity levels and an aging population the costs are expected to go up 8% per year.
In exceptionally fat states, the cost is ballooning out of control. Especially since the American Recession has caused many more Americans to fall below the poverty line and recovery has been very slow.
However avoiding a $50 fat tax doesn't seem like much of an incentive does it?
I'd argue that overweight people spend WAY more on groceries per year anyway. Getting rid of unnecessary junk food alone would save a single person hundreds of dollars per year. For a family of 4 scrapping junk food (except for special days) could save a whole whack of money.
Don't believe me? Do a test.
Cut out junk food from your budget for a month. Including fast food when eating out. Calculate how much you saved. Multiply by 12. Even if you only spent $30 / month, that amounts to $360 per year.
$360 would buy a nice bicycle...
Its like when you quit smoking and suddenly realize you have lots of extra cash. No more "one pack per day" = a lot more cash in your pocket.
I argue therefore that people should never go on a diet and/or exercise just for the sake of a mere $50. Do it for yourself. Save yourself a whack load more money. Become a healthier, happier version of yourself.
Watch your love life / sex life improve too. You will be happier more often and less likely to get depressed. Over time you will realize that you were in a slump and were eating because you were sad.
Finding happiness in execise and eating well is more difficult, but it is there. It is just a matter of effort.
In Britain the government has been debating a fat tax for almost a decade now and the UK isn't even that overweight in comparison to the USA. A whole lot of football (soccer) fans in Britain and there is a stronger belief in walking or cycling to work.
Take myself. I don't own a car. I live in Camden (London, England) and 90% of what I need is walking distance from me. If I need something farther away I can bicycle there or take the Underground.
Of course not everyone lives in a location that they can travel to what they need so easily. But if you do, it just takes a few minutes to get to where you need to go. No need to drive. Walking an extra hour/day burns an average of 150 calories/day. Over the course of a month that is 1.28 lbs you've just lost (3,500 calories = 1 lb).
Lets say you walked 2 hours per day for a year. That is almost 31 lbs just from walking alone. Add jogging, weightlifting, yoga and other activities to your lifestyle and you will see faster results. ie. Weightlifting burns 700+ calories per hour (or 1.4 lbs per week, but you will also gain some muscle mass).
See Also:
Calories: Food Vs Exercise
Ab Exercises
April 26, 2011
Kids average over 2,000 hours in front of TV/computer per year
By Ai Lung Nguyen - April 2011.
HEALTH/TECHNOLOGY - According to new statistics released the average kid in Canada now spends over 40 hours / week (2,080 hours per year) in front of the TV and/or computer.
The 2011 annual report card from Active Healthy Kids Canada points the finger at a combination of TV, video games, Facebook, other internet websites and computer games. For the 5th year Canadian children have earned a failing grade for physical activity.
The report also points out that the ideal time for children to exercise is after school, the 3 hours between school ending at 3 PM and meal time at 6 PM, wherein they could be exercising. Instead the average Canadian kid spends only 14 minutes of that time doing moderate or vigorous exercise.
Only 9% of boys and 4% of girls meet Health Canada’s recommended minimum of one hour a day of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per day. Of both sexes only 7% are getting the recommended amount of daily exercise.
44% of kids meet the one-hour guideline three times a week and 80% get half an hour of exercise.
Ottawa spends less than $10 million a year on exercise programs, with real dollars per capita half of what they were in 1986. 72% of parents say their kids don’t have access to after-school programs that encourage physical activity. Its no wonder our children are as fat as Stephen Harper.
When polled 75% of kids said they would like to be doing some kind of physical sport after school, but are not able to because there is either no program or the programs available are too expensive.
HEALTH/TECHNOLOGY - According to new statistics released the average kid in Canada now spends over 40 hours / week (2,080 hours per year) in front of the TV and/or computer.
The 2011 annual report card from Active Healthy Kids Canada points the finger at a combination of TV, video games, Facebook, other internet websites and computer games. For the 5th year Canadian children have earned a failing grade for physical activity.
The report also points out that the ideal time for children to exercise is after school, the 3 hours between school ending at 3 PM and meal time at 6 PM, wherein they could be exercising. Instead the average Canadian kid spends only 14 minutes of that time doing moderate or vigorous exercise.
Only 9% of boys and 4% of girls meet Health Canada’s recommended minimum of one hour a day of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per day. Of both sexes only 7% are getting the recommended amount of daily exercise.
44% of kids meet the one-hour guideline three times a week and 80% get half an hour of exercise.
Ottawa spends less than $10 million a year on exercise programs, with real dollars per capita half of what they were in 1986. 72% of parents say their kids don’t have access to after-school programs that encourage physical activity. Its no wonder our children are as fat as Stephen Harper.
When polled 75% of kids said they would like to be doing some kind of physical sport after school, but are not able to because there is either no program or the programs available are too expensive.
September 30, 2010
Fisticuffs in Kensington Toronto
By Charles Moffat - September 2010.
CANADA/HEALTH - Last night I had a date with a girl in which we went cycling down to Queen Street West (in Toronto) and went to try a Thai restaurant (Bangkok Paradise at 506 Queen St W, I give the food 4 stars but the service was only 2 stars). Afterwards we stopped to talk at the park in Kensington Market, leaning our bicycles up against the side of the bench.
About half an hour later I was in the midst of telling a story to my date when a young guy approached and asked if we have any cigarettes.
I said "Sorry, I don't smoke." My date said "Yeah, I don't smoke either."
He started walking away and I went back to telling my story... Then he spun around and shouted at me: "Are you talking about me behind my back? Its not nice to talk behind someone's back!" (This guy was obviously on drugs.)
"What?! No, I am just finishing my story." (For those who know me, I love a good story.)
And then he said: "What, you think I won't hit you 'cause you're wearing glasses?"
"We're not talking about you."
"I am not afraid of your gloves." (I was wearing my cycling/weight lifting gloves at the time.)
I started to say something and then he punched me in the side of the forehead, knocking my glasses and my toque off (it was a tad chilly last night). Only one of the glasses stems remained, dangling off my right ear near to the spot he had hit me. I picked them off my ear and looked at them for a second, feeling a bit of anger rise as I realized this guy was wacko and was looking for a fight. (Anger and adrenaline is often a good thing when your defensive instincts kick in.)
I stood up. "You just broke my glasses. I am going to beat the sh*t out of you now you little b***h," I said as I took several steps forward and raised my fists in the classic boxing pose (I admit that pose may sound corny, but I do know the fundamentals of boxing. On the plus side I do have a fair bit of experience from getting into fights in high school and I've never lost a fight.).
He backed away a bit and I stepped closer, maintaining the pose and trying to get in close so I could land a solid punch. (From my knowledge of boxing I know there's no point throwing idle punches at someone as they're easily deflected or won't actually hurt the person, thus timing and footwork is essential.)
He tried to kick at me and punch at me but I deflected all his punches and kicks easily. I continued to get closer so I could attack back with solid punches but he kept running away.
At this point I should point out I was also trash talking him. "Come on b***h, is that the best you can do?"
He realized none of his punches were doing anything and I was still advancing on him confidently. He got scared and said "You're not worth it!" and started backing up really fast before running away in a hurry.
At this point I had to make a split decision: Do I chase after him and possibly tackle him, or do I just not worry about it and let him go? I decided to let him go, but I did shout after him: "Come back here you little b***h!" and "Coward!" (I want to point out I don't believe in calling women b***hes, but I see no reason why I can't call a man a b***h because frankly it is far more insulting for a man.)
So I turned to my date (and I admit at this point I was feeling a combination of pride and exhileration after calmly staring down my opponent and him running away like a scared little b***h due to nothing more than some well-done deflections) and we looked for the pieces of my glasses in the grass behind the bench. I found the stem that I had dropped and she found one of the lenses and the other stem, but there was a chunk of the lens missing and it was beyond repair so we didn't bother searching for the rest of it.
My response is oh well, I was thinking of getting new glasses sometime anyway. I am more upset about the fact that they were the lenses I bought in South Korea in 2005, and so there was some emotional attachment to the loss. Plus, it should be noted I seem to have good karma when it comes to these things. In one pocket and out the other.
On the plus side my date continued and ended with lots of kissing, so I can't complain about that.
FYI: I recommend Sherbourne Optical (near the corner of Bloor and Sherbourne). 600 Sherbourne Street, Toronto, ON M4X 1W4, Phone 416-925-7186. The guy who runs the place gave me a discount for being a returning customer and was very nice and helpful when I bought new frames last year.
A BIT OF HISTORY ABOUT CLASSICAL BOXING
I admit I am a boxing fan (I can't get enough of Rocky Balboa, Ali, The Boxer, Fight Club, The Hurricane, Play It to the Bone, Undefeated and Snatch). My favourite is Snatch:
As a sport classical boxing goes back to Ancient Sumeria, Greece and Egypt, but its presumed that as an activity it dates back much farther all the way cro-magnon man smacking each other around with their fists without any finesse. The more modern finesse-based boxing and the use of leather straps (and later boxing gloves) to protect the hands came much later as boxing evolved into a martial art and a sport. (In the same context classical wrestling developed in parallel to boxing.)
Bare knuckle boxing, also known as fisticuffs and prizefighting, first started to be documented as a sport in the 1700s. In 1743 heavyweight champion Jack Broughton introduced rules to protect fighters in the ring (now known as Broughton's Rules), although these rules are frequently ignored in what is known as streetfighting. More rules to the sport were added in 1838 (London Prize Ring rules) and 1867 (Marquess of Queensberry rules).
There is also a variety of different fighting styles (sometimes they mix together):
Boxer-Puncher (ie. Joe Louis) - Well rounded, variety of technique combining strength and maneuvrebility. They tend to wear down their opponents.
Out-Fighter or Stylist (ie. Muhammad Ali) - Prefers to distance himself and relies heavily on footwork, long range punches and jabs. Usually win by wearing down the opponent, but often have a very good knockout count because they're able to reserve their strength for the big punches.
Brawler / Slugger (ie. Mike Tyson & George Foreman) - Brawlers general lack finesse and footwork, but make up for it with sheer strength and punching power. They use beatdowns, hooks and uppercuts, but are predictable and slow. Their best asset is often their ability to keep taking hits (this ability is known as "chin"). Knockouts are more common.
In-Fighter / Swarmer (ie. Rocky Marciano or Julio César Chávez) - Also called pressure fighters their goal is to get in close and throw intense flurries of punches, combinations and uppercuts. Like brawlers they need chin because they're going to be taking lots of hits in close range. The advantage however is that they have a tendency to slip past their opponents arm reach, making their punches ineffective. Swarmers are very aggressive and use bob and weave tactics.
Counter Puncher (ie. Salvador Sánchez) - This style is a very slippery, defensive style, focusing more on letting the opponent make mistakes and let the Counter Puncher take advantage of the moment. Counter Punchers often win by knockout by scoring solid hits when their opponents leasts expects it (like Micky does in the film Snatch). Counter Punchers are incredibly fast, have good reflexes and accuracy with their punches.
Boxing Technique
There are 11 common punching techniques (best used in combos):
Bolo Punch - A short circular arc that hits on a weird angle, rarely used because its more difficult to hit a solid hit.
Jab - A quick straight punch, usually with the left hand.
Cross - A powerful fast looping punch, usually with the right hand.
Hook - A downward cut with either hand (I used this once in highschool and gave the guy a scar under his eye where the skin ripped).
Uppercut - A hard punch to the chin.
Overcut or Overhand, goes over the shoulder high in the air and is sometimes used against taller opponents.
Short Straight-Punch – A short close range punch, often aiming at the chest or gut.
Cross-Counter (or Counter Punch) - A punch that goes over your opponent's punch, simultaneous dodging their attack and countering.
Half Uppercut - A shorter version of the Uppercut, similar to a straight punch.
Half Hook - A shorter version of the Hook, similar to a straight punch.
Check Hook - This punch combines footwork and is similar to a Cross Counter and a Hook. Its use to prevent aggressive fighters from moving in closer by dodging them like a matador while giving them a downward hook while they pass by.
There are 10 basic defensive techniques:
Bobbing or ducking directly under the punch.
Blocking or Parrying, deflecting the punch with one or both arms.
Cover-Up, using both gloves in a defensive posture.
Clinching, getting in close and grappling the opponent so they can't swing properly.
Drop or Break, ducking down slightly so the punch glances off harmlessly or misses.
Footwork, dancing backwards so the punch misses completely.
Pulling away is leaning backwards slightly so the punch misses.
Slipping under the punch, more to the side.
Sway or Fade, anticipating the punch and moving backwards to 'roll with the punch'.
Weaving is moving horizontally(similar to bobbing which is a vertical dodge).
If you're interested in learning more about boxing check out boxing rings in your local area: Toronto Boxing.
There is also a variety of other boxing styles (ie. Thai Boxing, Kickboxing) and other martials arts people can learn. Practicing boxing (just for fun, not necessarily in the ring) is a good way to get exercise, learn self control and useful should the need ever arise.
Boxing Quotes
"He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life." - Muhammad Ali.
"If you screw things up in tennis, it's 15-love. If you screw up in boxing, it's your ass." - Randall "Tex" Cobb.
"A champion is someone who gets up when he can't." - Jack Dempsey.
"I'm scared every time I go into the ring, but it's how you handle it. What you have to do is plant your feet, bite down on your mouthpiece and say, 'Let's go.'" - Mike Tyson.
"Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill." - Muhammad Ali.
"Boxing is the ultimate challenge. There's nothing that can compare to testing yourself the way you do every time you step in the ring." - Sugar Ray Leonard.
"A champion shows who he is by what he does when he's tested. When a person gets up and says 'I can still do it', he's a champion." - Evander Holyfield.
"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." - Marvin Hagler.
"To me, boxing is like a ballet - except there's no music, no choreography, and the dancers hit each other." - Jack Handy.
"I'll beat him so bad he'll need a shoehorn to put his hat on." - Muhammad Ali.
CANADA/HEALTH - Last night I had a date with a girl in which we went cycling down to Queen Street West (in Toronto) and went to try a Thai restaurant (Bangkok Paradise at 506 Queen St W, I give the food 4 stars but the service was only 2 stars). Afterwards we stopped to talk at the park in Kensington Market, leaning our bicycles up against the side of the bench.
About half an hour later I was in the midst of telling a story to my date when a young guy approached and asked if we have any cigarettes.I said "Sorry, I don't smoke." My date said "Yeah, I don't smoke either."
He started walking away and I went back to telling my story... Then he spun around and shouted at me: "Are you talking about me behind my back? Its not nice to talk behind someone's back!" (This guy was obviously on drugs.)
"What?! No, I am just finishing my story." (For those who know me, I love a good story.)
And then he said: "What, you think I won't hit you 'cause you're wearing glasses?"
"We're not talking about you."
"I am not afraid of your gloves." (I was wearing my cycling/weight lifting gloves at the time.)
I started to say something and then he punched me in the side of the forehead, knocking my glasses and my toque off (it was a tad chilly last night). Only one of the glasses stems remained, dangling off my right ear near to the spot he had hit me. I picked them off my ear and looked at them for a second, feeling a bit of anger rise as I realized this guy was wacko and was looking for a fight. (Anger and adrenaline is often a good thing when your defensive instincts kick in.)I stood up. "You just broke my glasses. I am going to beat the sh*t out of you now you little b***h," I said as I took several steps forward and raised my fists in the classic boxing pose (I admit that pose may sound corny, but I do know the fundamentals of boxing. On the plus side I do have a fair bit of experience from getting into fights in high school and I've never lost a fight.).
He backed away a bit and I stepped closer, maintaining the pose and trying to get in close so I could land a solid punch. (From my knowledge of boxing I know there's no point throwing idle punches at someone as they're easily deflected or won't actually hurt the person, thus timing and footwork is essential.)
He tried to kick at me and punch at me but I deflected all his punches and kicks easily. I continued to get closer so I could attack back with solid punches but he kept running away.
At this point I should point out I was also trash talking him. "Come on b***h, is that the best you can do?"
He realized none of his punches were doing anything and I was still advancing on him confidently. He got scared and said "You're not worth it!" and started backing up really fast before running away in a hurry.
At this point I had to make a split decision: Do I chase after him and possibly tackle him, or do I just not worry about it and let him go? I decided to let him go, but I did shout after him: "Come back here you little b***h!" and "Coward!" (I want to point out I don't believe in calling women b***hes, but I see no reason why I can't call a man a b***h because frankly it is far more insulting for a man.)
So I turned to my date (and I admit at this point I was feeling a combination of pride and exhileration after calmly staring down my opponent and him running away like a scared little b***h due to nothing more than some well-done deflections) and we looked for the pieces of my glasses in the grass behind the bench. I found the stem that I had dropped and she found one of the lenses and the other stem, but there was a chunk of the lens missing and it was beyond repair so we didn't bother searching for the rest of it.My response is oh well, I was thinking of getting new glasses sometime anyway. I am more upset about the fact that they were the lenses I bought in South Korea in 2005, and so there was some emotional attachment to the loss. Plus, it should be noted I seem to have good karma when it comes to these things. In one pocket and out the other.
On the plus side my date continued and ended with lots of kissing, so I can't complain about that.
FYI: I recommend Sherbourne Optical (near the corner of Bloor and Sherbourne). 600 Sherbourne Street, Toronto, ON M4X 1W4, Phone 416-925-7186. The guy who runs the place gave me a discount for being a returning customer and was very nice and helpful when I bought new frames last year.
A BIT OF HISTORY ABOUT CLASSICAL BOXING
I admit I am a boxing fan (I can't get enough of Rocky Balboa, Ali, The Boxer, Fight Club, The Hurricane, Play It to the Bone, Undefeated and Snatch). My favourite is Snatch:
As a sport classical boxing goes back to Ancient Sumeria, Greece and Egypt, but its presumed that as an activity it dates back much farther all the way cro-magnon man smacking each other around with their fists without any finesse. The more modern finesse-based boxing and the use of leather straps (and later boxing gloves) to protect the hands came much later as boxing evolved into a martial art and a sport. (In the same context classical wrestling developed in parallel to boxing.)
Bare knuckle boxing, also known as fisticuffs and prizefighting, first started to be documented as a sport in the 1700s. In 1743 heavyweight champion Jack Broughton introduced rules to protect fighters in the ring (now known as Broughton's Rules), although these rules are frequently ignored in what is known as streetfighting. More rules to the sport were added in 1838 (London Prize Ring rules) and 1867 (Marquess of Queensberry rules).
There is also a variety of different fighting styles (sometimes they mix together):
Boxer-Puncher (ie. Joe Louis) - Well rounded, variety of technique combining strength and maneuvrebility. They tend to wear down their opponents.
Out-Fighter or Stylist (ie. Muhammad Ali) - Prefers to distance himself and relies heavily on footwork, long range punches and jabs. Usually win by wearing down the opponent, but often have a very good knockout count because they're able to reserve their strength for the big punches.Brawler / Slugger (ie. Mike Tyson & George Foreman) - Brawlers general lack finesse and footwork, but make up for it with sheer strength and punching power. They use beatdowns, hooks and uppercuts, but are predictable and slow. Their best asset is often their ability to keep taking hits (this ability is known as "chin"). Knockouts are more common.
In-Fighter / Swarmer (ie. Rocky Marciano or Julio César Chávez) - Also called pressure fighters their goal is to get in close and throw intense flurries of punches, combinations and uppercuts. Like brawlers they need chin because they're going to be taking lots of hits in close range. The advantage however is that they have a tendency to slip past their opponents arm reach, making their punches ineffective. Swarmers are very aggressive and use bob and weave tactics.
Counter Puncher (ie. Salvador Sánchez) - This style is a very slippery, defensive style, focusing more on letting the opponent make mistakes and let the Counter Puncher take advantage of the moment. Counter Punchers often win by knockout by scoring solid hits when their opponents leasts expects it (like Micky does in the film Snatch). Counter Punchers are incredibly fast, have good reflexes and accuracy with their punches.
Boxing Technique
There are 11 common punching techniques (best used in combos):
Bolo Punch - A short circular arc that hits on a weird angle, rarely used because its more difficult to hit a solid hit.Jab - A quick straight punch, usually with the left hand.
Cross - A powerful fast looping punch, usually with the right hand.
Hook - A downward cut with either hand (I used this once in highschool and gave the guy a scar under his eye where the skin ripped).
Uppercut - A hard punch to the chin.
Overcut or Overhand, goes over the shoulder high in the air and is sometimes used against taller opponents.
Short Straight-Punch – A short close range punch, often aiming at the chest or gut.
Cross-Counter (or Counter Punch) - A punch that goes over your opponent's punch, simultaneous dodging their attack and countering.
Half Uppercut - A shorter version of the Uppercut, similar to a straight punch.
Half Hook - A shorter version of the Hook, similar to a straight punch.
Check Hook - This punch combines footwork and is similar to a Cross Counter and a Hook. Its use to prevent aggressive fighters from moving in closer by dodging them like a matador while giving them a downward hook while they pass by.
There are 10 basic defensive techniques:
Bobbing or ducking directly under the punch.Blocking or Parrying, deflecting the punch with one or both arms.
Cover-Up, using both gloves in a defensive posture.
Clinching, getting in close and grappling the opponent so they can't swing properly.
Drop or Break, ducking down slightly so the punch glances off harmlessly or misses.
Footwork, dancing backwards so the punch misses completely.
Pulling away is leaning backwards slightly so the punch misses.
Slipping under the punch, more to the side.
Sway or Fade, anticipating the punch and moving backwards to 'roll with the punch'.
Weaving is moving horizontally(similar to bobbing which is a vertical dodge).
If you're interested in learning more about boxing check out boxing rings in your local area: Toronto Boxing.
There is also a variety of other boxing styles (ie. Thai Boxing, Kickboxing) and other martials arts people can learn. Practicing boxing (just for fun, not necessarily in the ring) is a good way to get exercise, learn self control and useful should the need ever arise.
Boxing Quotes
"He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life." - Muhammad Ali.
"If you screw things up in tennis, it's 15-love. If you screw up in boxing, it's your ass." - Randall "Tex" Cobb.
"A champion is someone who gets up when he can't." - Jack Dempsey.
"I'm scared every time I go into the ring, but it's how you handle it. What you have to do is plant your feet, bite down on your mouthpiece and say, 'Let's go.'" - Mike Tyson.
"Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill." - Muhammad Ali.
"Boxing is the ultimate challenge. There's nothing that can compare to testing yourself the way you do every time you step in the ring." - Sugar Ray Leonard.
"A champion shows who he is by what he does when he's tested. When a person gets up and says 'I can still do it', he's a champion." - Evander Holyfield.
"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." - Marvin Hagler.
"To me, boxing is like a ballet - except there's no music, no choreography, and the dancers hit each other." - Jack Handy.
"I'll beat him so bad he'll need a shoehorn to put his hat on." - Muhammad Ali.
September 6, 2010
Fitness Clubs raping Consumers
HEALTH - If you have a fitness club membership be careful you're not being raped financially. Recurring payments from your credit card or bank account can add up if you forget about it, forget to USE your gym membership and you signed an one year membership deal.
Extreme Fitness, GoodLife Fitness, Pure Fitness, Premier Fitness, Bang Fitness, Fitness One, etc. They all do it. Signing an one year contract may look like a good deal on paper, but what if you forget to use it during the winter months because you can't be bothered to slog through the snow for 4 months of the year to go to the gym?
First they sucker you in with a trial membership and the next thing you know you're paying $60 to $70 per month ($720 to $840 per year) for a membership you weren't really sure about.
And really that gym membership is really only worth while if you go to the gym either every day or approx 66% of the days in the month. When you're spending $2 per day to have access to that gym it seems rather ridiculous.
Especially when you could be going to free public gyms at community centres, or going to YMCA instead (which is significantly cheaper but has a pool).
And better yet free public services and the YMCA don't charge you twice in one month and make errors on your credit card. So unauthorized charges on your credit card aren't exactly helping you. Its called Credit Card Fraud. You can also cancel easier, without having to pay a cancellation fee.
According to the Better Business Bureau many of these fitness clubs score a F. Extreme Fitness for example has a F because it has 132 complaints filed against it and has failed to respond to 120 of those complaints.
Its become so bad now that the Ontario Ministry of Government and Consumer Services (MGCS) has a Consumer Beware list. So far 2010 they've received 909 written complaints (through snail mail!) about fitness clubs, up 10% compared to the same period in 2009. See http://www.sse.gov.on.ca/mcs/en/Pages/Fitness_Clubs.aspx
ADVICE FOR CONSUMERS
#1. Read the contract. Never sign anything without reading the fine print.
#2. Don’t be rushed. Tell them you'll think about it.
#3. NEVER use pre-authorized credit card payments or debits from a bank account.
#4. Make it clear you're not signing up indefinitely, write that clearly on your contract.
#5. Pay by cash or cheque. Find a gym that takes cash.
#6. If you cancel within 10 days, do it in writing. Check to see if the cancellation goes through. Get that in writing, too.
Extreme Fitness, GoodLife Fitness, Pure Fitness, Premier Fitness, Bang Fitness, Fitness One, etc. They all do it. Signing an one year contract may look like a good deal on paper, but what if you forget to use it during the winter months because you can't be bothered to slog through the snow for 4 months of the year to go to the gym?First they sucker you in with a trial membership and the next thing you know you're paying $60 to $70 per month ($720 to $840 per year) for a membership you weren't really sure about.
And really that gym membership is really only worth while if you go to the gym either every day or approx 66% of the days in the month. When you're spending $2 per day to have access to that gym it seems rather ridiculous.
Especially when you could be going to free public gyms at community centres, or going to YMCA instead (which is significantly cheaper but has a pool).
And better yet free public services and the YMCA don't charge you twice in one month and make errors on your credit card. So unauthorized charges on your credit card aren't exactly helping you. Its called Credit Card Fraud. You can also cancel easier, without having to pay a cancellation fee.According to the Better Business Bureau many of these fitness clubs score a F. Extreme Fitness for example has a F because it has 132 complaints filed against it and has failed to respond to 120 of those complaints.
Its become so bad now that the Ontario Ministry of Government and Consumer Services (MGCS) has a Consumer Beware list. So far 2010 they've received 909 written complaints (through snail mail!) about fitness clubs, up 10% compared to the same period in 2009. See http://www.sse.gov.on.ca/mcs/en/Pages/Fitness_Clubs.aspx
ADVICE FOR CONSUMERS
#1. Read the contract. Never sign anything without reading the fine print.#2. Don’t be rushed. Tell them you'll think about it.
#3. NEVER use pre-authorized credit card payments or debits from a bank account.
#4. Make it clear you're not signing up indefinitely, write that clearly on your contract.
#5. Pay by cash or cheque. Find a gym that takes cash.
#6. If you cancel within 10 days, do it in writing. Check to see if the cancellation goes through. Get that in writing, too.
August 18, 2010
Toronto to build waterfront ice arena
CANADA - Toronto has decided to build an $88 million hockey and skating arena on Toronto's waterfront, near Commissioners St. and Don Roadway. $34 million has already been earmarked for the project. The city is comtemplating a bond (essentially a mortgage) to help pay for the rest of the arena plus additional funding from the Ontario government.
An user surcharge will help pay off the bond over a period of 30 years. The arena complex will include FOUR NHL-size ice rinks stacked above each other, spectator seating, restaurants, meeting rooms, an indoor track for running. The indoor arena will be ideal for tournaments and allow Torontonians to hone their ice skating skills even in the off season. The facility will act as a regional sports complex.
The building is designed to be environmentally sustainable (which is important since its build near the waterfront and can't be leaking waste into the lake) and may include an Olympic-sized rink for speed skaters and figure skaters (which would be great for if Toronto ever gets another shot at hosting the Olympics).
There is some concerns about migratory birds flying into the all-glass structure so there are also plans to make it more bird-friendly.
An user surcharge will help pay off the bond over a period of 30 years. The arena complex will include FOUR NHL-size ice rinks stacked above each other, spectator seating, restaurants, meeting rooms, an indoor track for running. The indoor arena will be ideal for tournaments and allow Torontonians to hone their ice skating skills even in the off season. The facility will act as a regional sports complex.The building is designed to be environmentally sustainable (which is important since its build near the waterfront and can't be leaking waste into the lake) and may include an Olympic-sized rink for speed skaters and figure skaters (which would be great for if Toronto ever gets another shot at hosting the Olympics).
There is some concerns about migratory birds flying into the all-glass structure so there are also plans to make it more bird-friendly.
August 4, 2010
Act your shoe size
HEALTH
In fact I am not the only one promoting a younger lifestyle. The Ontario government has launched a program promoting the concept of "acting your shoe size" because of the related health benefits.
#1. If your shoes are between the sizes of 4 and 14 chances are likely acting the corresponding age means you will be getting a lot more exercise.
#2. Children between the ages of 4 and 14 usually don't smoke or drink. Instant health benefits by cutting out the smoking and drinking.
#3. Children don't drive a car, but they will walk or ride a bicycle. More exercise.
#4. Children enjoy playing. Play increases mental activity, boosts their immune system and increases neuro-cardiovascular health.
"Act your shoe size, not your age. You will live longer." - Charles Moffat, Canadian artist.
In fact I am not the only one promoting a younger lifestyle. The Ontario government has launched a program promoting the concept of "acting your shoe size" because of the related health benefits.
#1. If your shoes are between the sizes of 4 and 14 chances are likely acting the corresponding age means you will be getting a lot more exercise.
#2. Children between the ages of 4 and 14 usually don't smoke or drink. Instant health benefits by cutting out the smoking and drinking.
#3. Children don't drive a car, but they will walk or ride a bicycle. More exercise.
#4. Children enjoy playing. Play increases mental activity, boosts their immune system and increases neuro-cardiovascular health.
May 20, 2010
12 Ways to Shed 100 Calories / Day
HEALTH - Looking to shed a few extra pounds?
#1. Select nonfat or 1% milk instead of whole milk.
#2. Use smaller plates and eat less food.
#3. Flavour your coffee with cinnamon and nutmeg instead of sugar.
#4. Use a non-stick skillet and cooking spray or olive oil instead of butter or margarine.
#5. Put lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles on your burger or sandwich instead of cheese.
#6. Try raw vegetables instead of tortilla chips with salsa.
#7. Munch on a small bag of microwave popcorn with no added butter.
#8. When eating out, ask for the breadbasket to be removed from the table as you sit down.
#9. Ask for sauce and salad dressing on the side; eat enough to enjoy the flavor, but leave most of it behind.
#10. Swap regular soda for mineral water or ice water with a squeeze of lemon or orange.
#11. Walk the dog for 45 minutes.
#12. Lift a 25 lb weight above your head 100 times. Repeat for each arm.
For reference: A pound of fat = 3,500 calories. You can do the math.
#1. Select nonfat or 1% milk instead of whole milk.
#2. Use smaller plates and eat less food.
#3. Flavour your coffee with cinnamon and nutmeg instead of sugar.
#4. Use a non-stick skillet and cooking spray or olive oil instead of butter or margarine.
#5. Put lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles on your burger or sandwich instead of cheese.
#6. Try raw vegetables instead of tortilla chips with salsa.
#7. Munch on a small bag of microwave popcorn with no added butter.
#8. When eating out, ask for the breadbasket to be removed from the table as you sit down.
#9. Ask for sauce and salad dressing on the side; eat enough to enjoy the flavor, but leave most of it behind.
#10. Swap regular soda for mineral water or ice water with a squeeze of lemon or orange.
#11. Walk the dog for 45 minutes.
#12. Lift a 25 lb weight above your head 100 times. Repeat for each arm.
For reference: A pound of fat = 3,500 calories. You can do the math.
May 2, 2010
Gym Equipment in Public Parks
HEALTH - There are several cities in Europe, Asia and also in Latin America which have been experimenting with the concept of gym equipment in public parks to promote healthy living. The equipment is designed to be sturdy, unbreakable/immune to vandalism, easy to clean and easy to use.
Right: A park gym in Liverpool, England.
The concept is simple. Instead of paying $60 / month for a gym membership people who don't have a lot of money can simply go to the park instead and lift weights, do chin-ups and a variety of other exercises all in the open air.
The equipment is reasonably easy to build, easy to install and there is a variety of innovative designs out there. So why have cities in North America failed to give this a trial run?
Right: A park gym in Wigginton, North Yorkshire.
Its not because of the lack of overweight / obese people, I assure you. America's obesity rate is continuing to skyrocket and Canada's is close behind.
No, I believe its because many cash-strapped cities have failed to see the point in promoting public health. After all fit people tend to be happier, and happier people are less likely to be criminals. Happier people are also more productive at work, have lower stress levels, less need for medical attention as they get older, less strain on the system... you get the idea.
Fitness > Happiness > Government Savings
Right: Outdoor fitness equipment in Dewsbury, England.
However that kind of logic doesn't fly that well with some Americans who are afraid of a slippery slope of government intervention in their lifestyles. Some crackpots out there seem to think the government should mind their own business and Americans have the right to smoke, drink, snort and eat as much as they want regardless of the health consequences... and in this case they forget that "going to the park and lifting weights" is optional.
Nobody is forcing you to do it. But its a nice option once you do have it.
There is the rare exceptions of course. There is a park in Iowa in the USA that has outdoor fitness equipment, but beyond that its practically unheard of.
If someone goes to the park once a day and burns a mere 300 calories every day for a whole year they will lose 31.2 lbs of fat (and presumably put on some muscle). You could accomplish the same thing by jogging 30 minutes for every day, but some people (due to whatever physical condition they are in) are better off lifting weights instead of jogging.
In theory school playgrounds could do the same thing. Many of the companies that make outdoor fitness equipment also make playground equipment so it wouldn't be a stretch for schools to purchase playground equipment which is both fun and burn calories.
And then there's the elderly. Some homes for the aged do have fitness equipment, but its hardly mandatory. The concept of keeping old people alive longer so they can bilk more money out of them apparently hasn't stuck in their heads yet. Instead retirement homes seem to be following the concept of gross negligence.
Retirement communities and towns with a large population of elderly people however would certainly see health benefits if they were to invest in outdoor fitness equipment.
If you support outdoor fitness and weightlifting equipment in your local parks I recommend contacting your local city council members and harrassing them on the issue. After all why should fitness only be for people who can afford a gym membership?
Right: A park gym in Liverpool, England.The concept is simple. Instead of paying $60 / month for a gym membership people who don't have a lot of money can simply go to the park instead and lift weights, do chin-ups and a variety of other exercises all in the open air.
The equipment is reasonably easy to build, easy to install and there is a variety of innovative designs out there. So why have cities in North America failed to give this a trial run?
Right: A park gym in Wigginton, North Yorkshire.Its not because of the lack of overweight / obese people, I assure you. America's obesity rate is continuing to skyrocket and Canada's is close behind.
No, I believe its because many cash-strapped cities have failed to see the point in promoting public health. After all fit people tend to be happier, and happier people are less likely to be criminals. Happier people are also more productive at work, have lower stress levels, less need for medical attention as they get older, less strain on the system... you get the idea.
Right: Outdoor fitness equipment in Dewsbury, England.However that kind of logic doesn't fly that well with some Americans who are afraid of a slippery slope of government intervention in their lifestyles. Some crackpots out there seem to think the government should mind their own business and Americans have the right to smoke, drink, snort and eat as much as they want regardless of the health consequences... and in this case they forget that "going to the park and lifting weights" is optional.
Nobody is forcing you to do it. But its a nice option once you do have it.
There is the rare exceptions of course. There is a park in Iowa in the USA that has outdoor fitness equipment, but beyond that its practically unheard of.
If someone goes to the park once a day and burns a mere 300 calories every day for a whole year they will lose 31.2 lbs of fat (and presumably put on some muscle). You could accomplish the same thing by jogging 30 minutes for every day, but some people (due to whatever physical condition they are in) are better off lifting weights instead of jogging.In theory school playgrounds could do the same thing. Many of the companies that make outdoor fitness equipment also make playground equipment so it wouldn't be a stretch for schools to purchase playground equipment which is both fun and burn calories.
And then there's the elderly. Some homes for the aged do have fitness equipment, but its hardly mandatory. The concept of keeping old people alive longer so they can bilk more money out of them apparently hasn't stuck in their heads yet. Instead retirement homes seem to be following the concept of gross negligence.Retirement communities and towns with a large population of elderly people however would certainly see health benefits if they were to invest in outdoor fitness equipment.
If you support outdoor fitness and weightlifting equipment in your local parks I recommend contacting your local city council members and harrassing them on the issue. After all why should fitness only be for people who can afford a gym membership?
April 26, 2010
Should Fitness Gyms be Free?
HEALTH - Last year the City Council of Birmingham in England created a program to promote healthy living and general fitness called "Gym for Free", a program which has since won awards and international recognition.
At first it was just a pilot project for the neighbourhood of Ladywood but when attendance at the public gym went from 90 to more than 6,500 within 7 months the project was extended to all of the city's 1.1 million citizens.
Health benefits aside the city (Ladywood is one of Britain's poorest areas) has also seen some economic benefits. Higher gym attendance gets people talking, networking, finding jobs they didn't know about and people who are more active have more money for other things because they spend less on junk food... and the government ends up saving money over the long term because of reduced hospital costs.
So fitness and recreational fees hamper the public's health... interesting. So if local governments in Canada and the USA made access to gyms free (or at least subsidized private gyms) then Canadians and Americans would have better health and our governments would save money on medical costs. The value of prevention.
Its not just personal health either. There is also benefits for pregnant mothers. Less premature or still births. Less babies with low birth weight. More healthy children, less medical costs for the 2nd generation.
So will we make a similar program in North America? I think its possible progressive cities or provinces in Canada might do it... but I can't see the USA doing it. They're too paranoid about "socialized" healthcare in the United States.
At first it was just a pilot project for the neighbourhood of Ladywood but when attendance at the public gym went from 90 to more than 6,500 within 7 months the project was extended to all of the city's 1.1 million citizens.
Health benefits aside the city (Ladywood is one of Britain's poorest areas) has also seen some economic benefits. Higher gym attendance gets people talking, networking, finding jobs they didn't know about and people who are more active have more money for other things because they spend less on junk food... and the government ends up saving money over the long term because of reduced hospital costs.
So fitness and recreational fees hamper the public's health... interesting. So if local governments in Canada and the USA made access to gyms free (or at least subsidized private gyms) then Canadians and Americans would have better health and our governments would save money on medical costs. The value of prevention.
Its not just personal health either. There is also benefits for pregnant mothers. Less premature or still births. Less babies with low birth weight. More healthy children, less medical costs for the 2nd generation.
So will we make a similar program in North America? I think its possible progressive cities or provinces in Canada might do it... but I can't see the USA doing it. They're too paranoid about "socialized" healthcare in the United States.
October 11, 2009
The Fat Tax is Coming
HEALTH/POLITICS - What was once a joke in political circles is now becoming a reality: The Fat Tax.
First, lets look at one example of a Fat Tax already on the books.
West Virginia and Arkansas already have a tax on soft drinks. New York City is about to do the same thing, which may indeed spread to the rest of the United States and Canada.
But other taxes are being proposed, such as taxes on 'unnatural' processed foods, fast food or anything containing an unhealthy ratio of fat/sugar/calories.
Its all part of America's ever widening battle with obesity. The idea is simple... tax unhealthy fattening foods and promote healthy alternatives / exercise.
For example last month Barack Obama openly mused about having a farmers' market across the street from the White House. It didn't happen, but this week Michelle Obama was cutting the ribbons to open a new farmers' market down the street a block away.
Michelle Obama also started her own vegetable garden on the White House lawn, again promoting the idea that Americans can save money and eat healthier (and get exercise) by growing their own vegetables.
Since 1999 the health costs of obesity in America have doubled. Its now over $147 billion per year.
Another closely related price is the $116 billion spent on type 2 diabetes, which is caused by overeating/lack of exercise.
Hundreds of billions more is spent on cardiovascular diseases and obesity-related cancers. The more we consume, the more toxic materials enter our bodies and cause serious health problems.
Creating a Fat Tax is only one part of the solution. The money raised from that tax needs to be used to help make more Farmers' Markets, promote healthy eating, boost support for children's sports and recreational activities, and boost public exercise programs / public gyms.
Between TV and the internet obesity is a growing problem that will eventually endanger America's ability to be competitive in the global marketplace. To say nothing of America's dropping birth rate, skyrocketing national debt, dependency on oil and all the other problems the United States is facing.
See Also
Anorexia Vs Obesity in North America
Obesity in Canada
American Obesity Rates
Obesity in China Skyrocketing
i'm fat and lovin' it - McDonalds and Obesity
Obese Shoppers are Discriminated in Stores
Lose Weight Canada, Get Lower Taxes
Healthy Eating Out
First, lets look at one example of a Fat Tax already on the books.West Virginia and Arkansas already have a tax on soft drinks. New York City is about to do the same thing, which may indeed spread to the rest of the United States and Canada.
FACT: Coke and other soft drinks account for a staggering 15% of the average American adolescent's daily caloric intake.
But other taxes are being proposed, such as taxes on 'unnatural' processed foods, fast food or anything containing an unhealthy ratio of fat/sugar/calories.
Its all part of America's ever widening battle with obesity. The idea is simple... tax unhealthy fattening foods and promote healthy alternatives / exercise.
For example last month Barack Obama openly mused about having a farmers' market across the street from the White House. It didn't happen, but this week Michelle Obama was cutting the ribbons to open a new farmers' market down the street a block away.
Michelle Obama also started her own vegetable garden on the White House lawn, again promoting the idea that Americans can save money and eat healthier (and get exercise) by growing their own vegetables.Since 1999 the health costs of obesity in America have doubled. Its now over $147 billion per year.
Another closely related price is the $116 billion spent on type 2 diabetes, which is caused by overeating/lack of exercise.
Hundreds of billions more is spent on cardiovascular diseases and obesity-related cancers. The more we consume, the more toxic materials enter our bodies and cause serious health problems.
According to the current rates in the rise of obesity 75% of Americans will be overweight or obese by 2015.
Creating a Fat Tax is only one part of the solution. The money raised from that tax needs to be used to help make more Farmers' Markets, promote healthy eating, boost support for children's sports and recreational activities, and boost public exercise programs / public gyms.
Between TV and the internet obesity is a growing problem that will eventually endanger America's ability to be competitive in the global marketplace. To say nothing of America's dropping birth rate, skyrocketing national debt, dependency on oil and all the other problems the United States is facing.
See Also
Anorexia Vs Obesity in North America
Obesity in Canada
American Obesity Rates
Obesity in China Skyrocketing
i'm fat and lovin' it - McDonalds and Obesity
Obese Shoppers are Discriminated in Stores
Lose Weight Canada, Get Lower Taxes
Healthy Eating Out
April 8, 2009
Counting Calories and Brown Fat
HEALTH - In Canada, Ontario doctors want restaurants and school cafeterias to list the caloric content of food items on their menus to counter the growing problem of obesity, particularly amongst children.
The Ontario Medical Association yesterday held a news conference to call for provincial legislation forcing restaurant chains and schools to post calorie counts, alongside prices, on menus and menu boards.
"We believe that revealing the caloric content of food ... will help provide consumers with the information they need to make healthier choices," said Dr. Ken Arnold, president of the 28,000-member body.
The OMA wants all chain restaurants to be bound by the legislation. The doctors' lobby is also pushing for an education campaign to inform Ontarians about the impact of caloric intake on weight gain and obesity. Asked about eating disorders, the OMA said the campaign will also address why it is important to eat enough calories.
A December 2008 study by the OMA said one in four Ontario kids aged 2 to 17 is overweight or obese, with a body mass index at or above the 85th percentile for those of the same age and sex. The study also found 75% of obese children grow up to be obese adults.
Health Promotion Minister Margarett Best said the government has been crusading to combat obesity. "We certainly know, as usual, there is always more to be done," she says, but remained noncommittal on whether the government would follow the recommendations.
Ontario already has mandatory calorie content labels for food bought in grocery stores/etc and many restaurants now have calorie charts (McDonalds for example now has calories and nutritional info listed on their burger wrappers), but its not mandatory in Ontario yet.
Other states and provinces have already passed similar legislation and the results has yet to be seen. Similar legislation is already in place in New York City, where chains with more than 15 locations nationally are required to list calories on menus and menu boards. A similar law has been passed in California and a bill currently before the U.S. Congress would impose national requirements for every American state.
The Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association says that major Canadian restaurants are already taking steps on their own to add nutritional info to their menus and their websites, but there are still many more restaurants with no calorie/nutritional info.
BROWN FAT = GOOD?
There is three new studies out today that says brown fat is better than white fat. Why? Because brown fat keeps you warm, whereas white fat just stores energy in your belly, buttocks, etc. And brown fat is easier to burn off whereas white fat takes for-freaking-ever to exercise away.
Thin adults have more brown or "good" fat to help regulate body temperature compared with heftier folks, researchers have found — a discovery that one day may help people lose weight.
Scientists knew that mammals had brown fat and that babies used it to stay warm, but it was thought to disappear with age.
Three new studies from the United States, Finland and the Netherlands however show some adults do have brown fat, and it appears to play a role in burning off excess calories.
Normally excess calories are stored in regular or white fat that concentrates around the waistline.
In contrast, brown fat burns calories, generating heat for the body. It's found around internal organs, between the shoulder blades and is spread throughout the body to keep it warm.
American researchers from Joslin Diabetes Center at Harvard Medical Center in Boston used a type of PET/CT imaging that indicates how many calories are burned to test nearly 2,000 people diagnosed with various health problems.
The two other groups of researchers scanned small numbers of patients at room temperature and then again a few hours later at 15 C.
Collectively the three groups of researchers found:
Lean people had far more brown fat activity than overweight and obese people, especially among people over age 64. Thin people need more brown fat to keep warm.
Brown fat burns more calories and generates more body heat in cooler climes.
Women were more likely to have deposits of brown fat than men, and the deposits were larger and more active in women, and spread out differently.
"This study demonstrates that it is both present and appears to be physiologically important in terms of body weight and glucose metabolism," said Dr. Ronald Kahn, head of the Joslin section on obesity and hormone action at Harvard and senior author of the U.S. study. "We hope this opens up a new therapeutic area for obesity and Type 2 diabetes by modifying the activity of brown fat."
Theoretically, the findings could be applied as a weight loss strategy, by having overweight people turning down the heat and using more of their calories just to stay warm.
"It might explain why there is less obesity in Canada than in the United States, despite having similar diets," says one researcher. "In theory people could move to northern Canada and lose weight by going skiing regularly."
The next step for the researchers will be to test if they can intervene in the development of fat cells, directing them to become brown fat cells, as has been done in mice. Even if successful, a medical treatment is five to 10 years away.
They're also going to try turning down the thermostat to see if it makes people burn more energy and consequently lose weight. Results of a small study into cold-effected weight loss are expected by the end of 2009.
See Also:
Obesity in Canada
American Obesity Rates
Obesity in China
i'm fat and lovin' it - McDonalds and Obesity
Diet Duds and Flops
Get Great Abs
The Ontario Medical Association yesterday held a news conference to call for provincial legislation forcing restaurant chains and schools to post calorie counts, alongside prices, on menus and menu boards."We believe that revealing the caloric content of food ... will help provide consumers with the information they need to make healthier choices," said Dr. Ken Arnold, president of the 28,000-member body.
The OMA wants all chain restaurants to be bound by the legislation. The doctors' lobby is also pushing for an education campaign to inform Ontarians about the impact of caloric intake on weight gain and obesity. Asked about eating disorders, the OMA said the campaign will also address why it is important to eat enough calories.
A December 2008 study by the OMA said one in four Ontario kids aged 2 to 17 is overweight or obese, with a body mass index at or above the 85th percentile for those of the same age and sex. The study also found 75% of obese children grow up to be obese adults.
Health Promotion Minister Margarett Best said the government has been crusading to combat obesity. "We certainly know, as usual, there is always more to be done," she says, but remained noncommittal on whether the government would follow the recommendations.
Ontario already has mandatory calorie content labels for food bought in grocery stores/etc and many restaurants now have calorie charts (McDonalds for example now has calories and nutritional info listed on their burger wrappers), but its not mandatory in Ontario yet.Other states and provinces have already passed similar legislation and the results has yet to be seen. Similar legislation is already in place in New York City, where chains with more than 15 locations nationally are required to list calories on menus and menu boards. A similar law has been passed in California and a bill currently before the U.S. Congress would impose national requirements for every American state.
The Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association says that major Canadian restaurants are already taking steps on their own to add nutritional info to their menus and their websites, but there are still many more restaurants with no calorie/nutritional info.
BROWN FAT = GOOD?
There is three new studies out today that says brown fat is better than white fat. Why? Because brown fat keeps you warm, whereas white fat just stores energy in your belly, buttocks, etc. And brown fat is easier to burn off whereas white fat takes for-freaking-ever to exercise away.
Thin adults have more brown or "good" fat to help regulate body temperature compared with heftier folks, researchers have found — a discovery that one day may help people lose weight.
Scientists knew that mammals had brown fat and that babies used it to stay warm, but it was thought to disappear with age.
Three new studies from the United States, Finland and the Netherlands however show some adults do have brown fat, and it appears to play a role in burning off excess calories.
Normally excess calories are stored in regular or white fat that concentrates around the waistline.
In contrast, brown fat burns calories, generating heat for the body. It's found around internal organs, between the shoulder blades and is spread throughout the body to keep it warm.
American researchers from Joslin Diabetes Center at Harvard Medical Center in Boston used a type of PET/CT imaging that indicates how many calories are burned to test nearly 2,000 people diagnosed with various health problems.
The two other groups of researchers scanned small numbers of patients at room temperature and then again a few hours later at 15 C.
Collectively the three groups of researchers found:
"This study demonstrates that it is both present and appears to be physiologically important in terms of body weight and glucose metabolism," said Dr. Ronald Kahn, head of the Joslin section on obesity and hormone action at Harvard and senior author of the U.S. study. "We hope this opens up a new therapeutic area for obesity and Type 2 diabetes by modifying the activity of brown fat."
Theoretically, the findings could be applied as a weight loss strategy, by having overweight people turning down the heat and using more of their calories just to stay warm.
"It might explain why there is less obesity in Canada than in the United States, despite having similar diets," says one researcher. "In theory people could move to northern Canada and lose weight by going skiing regularly."
The next step for the researchers will be to test if they can intervene in the development of fat cells, directing them to become brown fat cells, as has been done in mice. Even if successful, a medical treatment is five to 10 years away.
They're also going to try turning down the thermostat to see if it makes people burn more energy and consequently lose weight. Results of a small study into cold-effected weight loss are expected by the end of 2009.
See Also:
Obesity in Canada
American Obesity Rates
Obesity in China
i'm fat and lovin' it - McDonalds and Obesity
Diet Duds and Flops
Get Great Abs
March 18, 2009
Killing the Recession Blues
CANADA - There's a new Canadian website out there trying to boost consumer confidence and promoting recession friendly tips and advice. Its called "Screw You Recession" and in addition to money-saving tips, the site also boasts topics related to going green, fashion, entertainment, eating out and new technology.Its a bit like the fashion recessionista craze going on right now, but is more like a general entertainment/shopping site for everything recession-ish.
Not a bad idea I think. Its a good site to help kill those recession blues.
The site also has the look and feel of a blog, so its easy to get around and includes some random celebrity shenanigans (Britney Spears, Paris Hilton et al), with updates/giggles on the Screw You Recession Twitter page.
(I admit, I was looking for an excuse to use the word Shenanigans in honour of St. Patrick's Day.)
Fourteen Tips to Kill the Recession Blues1. Get a new job if yours was lost.
2. Learn a new skill so that you can get the job.
3. Help the homeless so that you can feel better that at least you have a house.
4. Don't sell your house cause it's a buyers market, not a sellers market.
5. Notice that things go in cycles and wait for signs of the upswing.
6. Listen to free music online so you don't have to buy more CDs.
7. Use your time on the internet to make money AND have fun at the same time.
8. Ignore the depressing news headlines, read the celebrity gossip and do the Soduku.
9. Don't gamble your money away, spend it all on exercise/sport equipment and buy a gym membership or join a sport-related club (Pillow Fighting maybe?).
10. Read the funnies.
11. Set aside some money to buy your favourite foods. You still have to eat, so why not make it something you really love.
12. Remember, all of your life's problems will seem small and insignificant after having sex. Unless of course you're impotent...
13. Whatever you do, don't commit a crime if you can't do the time.
14. If you do a crime, remember not to drop the soap.
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