Hey everyone.
Just wanted to let you guys know that the DK FitSolutions blog now has a new home, so please come by and check me out. You can find my new stuff at www.dkfitsolutions.wordpress.com, so please come check it out. My old stuff will stay here, and I'll reference the good posts from time to time. I just had to switch because wordpress offers so much more than google ever dreamed of, and hopefully this move will help things to start taking off a bit more.
In any event, thanks for following me so far. Hope you'll come check out the new page and follow me there.
Denny
Monday, February 27, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger
Confession--I've got a thing for Kelly Clarkson, and I really don't have any idea where it came from.
I'm not a fan of American Idol, not even a little bit. I didn't watch a single episode the year she won it. Half of her hit songs I didn't even know were her's for weeks or months. And yet, for whatever reason, I like her.
She's got a new song out called Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) and I love it. At least the chorus. The song is all about her breaking up with a guy, but the chorus is a great song to encourage perseverance during a tough workout or run.
Check out some other great songs for working out. What are some of your favorite workout songs? Leave a comment below.
When you are pushing your body to your perceived limit, it responds. It gets stronger. And the change may blow your mind. There was a time not too long ago, when running faster than about 10 min/mile pace for more than a mile or so was a pipe dream. But since I've started running much more seriously at the start of the year, I've already quickened my average pace to closer to 9 min/mile for runs of about 3 miles or less, and closer to 9:30 for 5-8 mile runs.
Your body will adapt and change as well. If you work hard, it will respond. And it doesn't even have to be anything as strenuous as running. Start a simple resistance program--heck, do as many good push-ups as you can. Do them again tomorrow. You'd be surprised how quickly you can get up to 25+ good push-ups. Your body is an amazing machine, and the only thing holding it back from excelling is you.
Whatever is challenging you right now, vow to overcome it. The first step may be tough, and it may hurt, but like my girl Kelly says, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stand a little taller.... What doesn't kill you makes a fighter, foot steps even lighter....What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, STRONGER!"
Now, go get stronger.
I'm not a fan of American Idol, not even a little bit. I didn't watch a single episode the year she won it. Half of her hit songs I didn't even know were her's for weeks or months. And yet, for whatever reason, I like her.
She's got a new song out called Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) and I love it. At least the chorus. The song is all about her breaking up with a guy, but the chorus is a great song to encourage perseverance during a tough workout or run.
Check out some other great songs for working out. What are some of your favorite workout songs? Leave a comment below.
When you are pushing your body to your perceived limit, it responds. It gets stronger. And the change may blow your mind. There was a time not too long ago, when running faster than about 10 min/mile pace for more than a mile or so was a pipe dream. But since I've started running much more seriously at the start of the year, I've already quickened my average pace to closer to 9 min/mile for runs of about 3 miles or less, and closer to 9:30 for 5-8 mile runs.
Your body will adapt and change as well. If you work hard, it will respond. And it doesn't even have to be anything as strenuous as running. Start a simple resistance program--heck, do as many good push-ups as you can. Do them again tomorrow. You'd be surprised how quickly you can get up to 25+ good push-ups. Your body is an amazing machine, and the only thing holding it back from excelling is you.
Whatever is challenging you right now, vow to overcome it. The first step may be tough, and it may hurt, but like my girl Kelly says, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stand a little taller.... What doesn't kill you makes a fighter, foot steps even lighter....What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, STRONGER!"
Now, go get stronger.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Valentine's Day
Happy Valentine's Day!
Valentine's Day is that one day of the year that almost no one is happy. If you're single, the day reminds you of how single you are. In a relationship? Now the pressure is on to do something great/romantic foe your significant other. In along term relationship? Good luck. The pressure is on to one up whatever it is you've done in the past.
In my opinion, you really can't win on this day.
The one constant on Valentine's Day, however, is the candy. Whether its the candy hearts, chocolates, or some other sweet treat, most people will indulge in something today. And the ones not getting chocolate from their significant other may well drown their sorrows in a bottle of wine and a box of chocolate.
If you're in the market for some chocolate on this classic Hallmark holiday,do yourself or your partner a favor, and opt for the darkest chocolate you find palatable. Darker chocolate is certainly more bitter, since it has much less sugar and cream as other forms of chocolate, which makes it a bit better for you. The darker chocolate also has a higher concentration of anti-inflammatory flavonoids which are actually good for you. Note, I'm not authorizing dark chocolate as a health food, there are some benefits of a small amount of dark chocolate over a whole box of milk chocolate. But if you're going to eat a whole box anyway, make it dark instead of milk or white.
As for me, I thankfully married a girl with low Valentine's Day expectations. So I'm getting off easy today. A simple card this morning and a trip to Home Depot this evening, as well as an ice cream stop on the way, and she's as happy as a clam.
My wife's the best. I love you, dear.
Valentine's Day is that one day of the year that almost no one is happy. If you're single, the day reminds you of how single you are. In a relationship? Now the pressure is on to do something great/romantic foe your significant other. In along term relationship? Good luck. The pressure is on to one up whatever it is you've done in the past.
In my opinion, you really can't win on this day.
The one constant on Valentine's Day, however, is the candy. Whether its the candy hearts, chocolates, or some other sweet treat, most people will indulge in something today. And the ones not getting chocolate from their significant other may well drown their sorrows in a bottle of wine and a box of chocolate.
If you're in the market for some chocolate on this classic Hallmark holiday,do yourself or your partner a favor, and opt for the darkest chocolate you find palatable. Darker chocolate is certainly more bitter, since it has much less sugar and cream as other forms of chocolate, which makes it a bit better for you. The darker chocolate also has a higher concentration of anti-inflammatory flavonoids which are actually good for you. Note, I'm not authorizing dark chocolate as a health food, there are some benefits of a small amount of dark chocolate over a whole box of milk chocolate. But if you're going to eat a whole box anyway, make it dark instead of milk or white.
As for me, I thankfully married a girl with low Valentine's Day expectations. So I'm getting off easy today. A simple card this morning and a trip to Home Depot this evening, as well as an ice cream stop on the way, and she's as happy as a clam.
My wife's the best. I love you, dear.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Pulling the Plug on the Disconnect
Americans are as unhealthy as they have ever been.
This is a fact.
And there really is no good reason for it. We have access to the best health care ever, nutritious food has seldom been more accessible, and we have more knowledge (as well as the ability to gain more knowledge) about how to make healthy decisions than we ever have before.
Regrettably, there are two sides to this coin. We have never lived in a time where doctors push medications to every patient. We are exposed on a daily basis to literally tens of thousands of chemicals. There are fast food restaurants on almost every street corner in America, with more being built every day. And while the Internet does provide us with a wealth of valuable information, it is also a terrible vehicle of misinformation and blatant falsities.
Somewhere along the way, the people struggling to live a healthy lifestyle are suffering a serious disconnect. And this disconnect is costing them money and quite possibly shortening their lifespans.
How do we fix it?
Health Care
There is no doubt that our health care system improves all the time. Recoveries from surgeries are shorter than ever, and people with terminal illnesses are able to live longer and healthier than ever before. The problem with health care in America is that we have somehow managed to forget that preventing health maladies is infinitely preferable to treating those same maladies for every conceivable reason.
Unless, of course, you are a prescription pill manufacturer.
Then, unhealthy America is nothing but a cash cow for you as you come out with the newest cure all pill for everything from cancer to diabetes to obesity.
And sadly, we are ok with this. In fact, many doctors feel that what their patients want most from them is a prescription for a pill to solve their health problems.
If only it were that easy.
The Food We Eat
When I talk to people about their eating habits, by far the biggest complaint I hear is that it is too expensive to eat healthy food. These people are often drinking from a Starbucks cup or holding a McDonald's bag.
I'm literally at a loss for words in these situations. Maybe you can explain this to me. How is healthy food too expensive when you can justify spending $5-7 on a coffee at Starbucks that has 1000 calories in it? Not only is that expensive, but it is terribly unhealthy.
A better alternative? Brew your coffee at home and drink it as close to black as possible.
But the real problem lies in the foods we choose to eat. If you can even call most fast food food. There really is little room to argue that fresh, healthy food can be a bit pricy. I get it. And yes, that food does go bad quicker than heavily processed, non-perishable food does. But you know what? You get so much more nutrition per dollar of nutritious food than you do from processed food, that the actual bang for your buck makes fresh, healthy, organic fruits and veggies way cheaper than the unhealthy alternative.
The Knowledge Conundrum
The Internet is a great thing. I love it. There is so much useful information available online to help you make good choices about the health of you and your family. However, there are also no shortage of scams and misinformation available that you just don't always know what to trust.
Another problem with the evolution of the roll the Internet plays in health care is Web MD. If used correctly, Web MD can be a great tool to help you figure out exactly how serious your symptoms are, and what an appropriate plan of action would be to treat your symptoms. However, for all you hypochondriacs out there, no matter what your symptoms are Web MD is likely telling you that you are dying. And at that point, you run to the doctor to get a prescription that you probably don't need, and the vicious cycle just repeats.
The Internet is also a source of all kinds of diet and fitness trends that tell people they can loose weight with just a few easy payments and only 8 minutes a day.
Unfortunately, the good information on the Internet is harder to find than the bad information. And there really isn't a good way to change that.
So, What is the Answer?
If only there was a good answer.
The problem here is that everyone is going to have a different answer. And that is ok, provided the process is sound.
For some, that may mean just getting off the couch and getting more physically active. Workout doesn't have to mean getting on a treadmill and walking for days. There are plenty of ways to get in exercises that are not only fun, but super effective.
For others, it may be time to find a farmers market in your neighborhood for some fresh and relatively inexpensive produce. A great resource for finding farmers markets and local foods is the Local Harvest web page. All you need to do is enter your zip code and you'll find plenty of local options, that you may have never known even existed.
But no matter what your answer is to help you live a healthier life, it is up to you to make it happen. No one can do it for you, though plenty can help you along the way.
There's never been a better time than now to get started on a better you. Go ahead and pull the plug on whatever it is that is holding you back.
This is a fact.
And there really is no good reason for it. We have access to the best health care ever, nutritious food has seldom been more accessible, and we have more knowledge (as well as the ability to gain more knowledge) about how to make healthy decisions than we ever have before.
Regrettably, there are two sides to this coin. We have never lived in a time where doctors push medications to every patient. We are exposed on a daily basis to literally tens of thousands of chemicals. There are fast food restaurants on almost every street corner in America, with more being built every day. And while the Internet does provide us with a wealth of valuable information, it is also a terrible vehicle of misinformation and blatant falsities.
Somewhere along the way, the people struggling to live a healthy lifestyle are suffering a serious disconnect. And this disconnect is costing them money and quite possibly shortening their lifespans.
How do we fix it?
Health Care
There is no doubt that our health care system improves all the time. Recoveries from surgeries are shorter than ever, and people with terminal illnesses are able to live longer and healthier than ever before. The problem with health care in America is that we have somehow managed to forget that preventing health maladies is infinitely preferable to treating those same maladies for every conceivable reason.
Unless, of course, you are a prescription pill manufacturer.
Then, unhealthy America is nothing but a cash cow for you as you come out with the newest cure all pill for everything from cancer to diabetes to obesity.
And sadly, we are ok with this. In fact, many doctors feel that what their patients want most from them is a prescription for a pill to solve their health problems.
If only it were that easy.
The Food We Eat
When I talk to people about their eating habits, by far the biggest complaint I hear is that it is too expensive to eat healthy food. These people are often drinking from a Starbucks cup or holding a McDonald's bag.
I'm literally at a loss for words in these situations. Maybe you can explain this to me. How is healthy food too expensive when you can justify spending $5-7 on a coffee at Starbucks that has 1000 calories in it? Not only is that expensive, but it is terribly unhealthy.
A better alternative? Brew your coffee at home and drink it as close to black as possible.
But the real problem lies in the foods we choose to eat. If you can even call most fast food food. There really is little room to argue that fresh, healthy food can be a bit pricy. I get it. And yes, that food does go bad quicker than heavily processed, non-perishable food does. But you know what? You get so much more nutrition per dollar of nutritious food than you do from processed food, that the actual bang for your buck makes fresh, healthy, organic fruits and veggies way cheaper than the unhealthy alternative.
The Knowledge Conundrum
The Internet is a great thing. I love it. There is so much useful information available online to help you make good choices about the health of you and your family. However, there are also no shortage of scams and misinformation available that you just don't always know what to trust.
Another problem with the evolution of the roll the Internet plays in health care is Web MD. If used correctly, Web MD can be a great tool to help you figure out exactly how serious your symptoms are, and what an appropriate plan of action would be to treat your symptoms. However, for all you hypochondriacs out there, no matter what your symptoms are Web MD is likely telling you that you are dying. And at that point, you run to the doctor to get a prescription that you probably don't need, and the vicious cycle just repeats.
The Internet is also a source of all kinds of diet and fitness trends that tell people they can loose weight with just a few easy payments and only 8 minutes a day.
Unfortunately, the good information on the Internet is harder to find than the bad information. And there really isn't a good way to change that.
So, What is the Answer?
If only there was a good answer.
The problem here is that everyone is going to have a different answer. And that is ok, provided the process is sound.
For some, that may mean just getting off the couch and getting more physically active. Workout doesn't have to mean getting on a treadmill and walking for days. There are plenty of ways to get in exercises that are not only fun, but super effective.
For others, it may be time to find a farmers market in your neighborhood for some fresh and relatively inexpensive produce. A great resource for finding farmers markets and local foods is the Local Harvest web page. All you need to do is enter your zip code and you'll find plenty of local options, that you may have never known even existed.
But no matter what your answer is to help you live a healthier life, it is up to you to make it happen. No one can do it for you, though plenty can help you along the way.
There's never been a better time than now to get started on a better you. Go ahead and pull the plug on whatever it is that is holding you back.
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