What you can learn from the Presidents

One of the great things about having kids is that you go back to school every once in a while. Not only do you go back physically during parent teachers conferences and wonder how you ever drank out of those little fountains.

I used to really enjoy history class in school, but somehow got out of the habit of paying attention to it as hit more tennis balls. Dumb I know. As a student of history you better understand why things happen today, let alone understand the human condition. My avoidance of history happened over time because my priorities changed over the years and of course you get into earth shattering habits like watching American Idol!

I digress.... I had the opportunity to look at a book that Phil was reading. It was pretty interesting really, since it was a book about American presidents. We haven’t had all that many, forty three I think… But, I realized that in my lifetime their have been 7, but I can only really remember 6 with clarity.

Looking at their lives from childhood to post presidency got me thinking and wondering if I would have had the same drive to overcome the obstacles some of these men and their families endured to become our Nation’s leader.

What do these names have in common?
Richard Nixon
Gerald Ford
Jimmy Carter
Ronald Reagan
Bill Clinton

They were all President of the United States, right? They were all the most powerful man in the world at one point. However, I am looking for something else...

Richard Nixon... Nixon was born in the home his father built. He won an award from Harvard his senior year of high school. However, his family was unable to afford his leaving home for college. He instead attended Whittier College.

Gerald Ford... Ford was born as Leslie Lynch King, Jr. In 1913 his mother left her abusive husband and took her son to live with her parents. She met Gerald R. Ford, whom she married and gave her child his name Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. He was the only President to be adopted. Ford worked in his stepfather's paint and varnish store growing up. He coached boxing during college to afford his tuition.

Jimmy Carter... He was the first member of his family ever to go to college and his father was a peanut farmer.

Ronald Reagan... he was the son of an alcoholic traveling shoe salesman. He worked his way into show business by broadcasting baseball games. At forty, he was divorced and his career was at a dead end.

Bill Clinton... Born William Jefferson Blythe IV, his father ( another traveling salesmen) died in an automobile accident three months before he was born. His mother married Roger Clinton and Bill took that name. Clinton grew up in a turbulent family. His stepfather was a gambler and alcoholic who regularly abused his wife, and sometimes Clinton's half brother Roger.

None of these men were born into wealth and prosperity, yet they each achieved the rank of most powerful person in the world by working hard and not making excuses. That is 5 out of the last 7 Presidents or 71% of Presidents in the last generation born into normal families who struggled. Yet, they refused to use that as an excuse.

'The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.' You have heard it a million times. However, my guess is that you have never heard it from the mouth of the 'rich'. Instead, this echo has most likely bounced to your ear with its origins being an excuse. That is right... an excuse. Excuses are what many use to pacify their guilt of not accomplishing what they are capable of.

I am not suggesting that wealth is success. My inference is that success is the progressive realization of predetermined worthwhile goals. It may be something as simple as raising a family.

I guess my point here is that life is too short to make excuses. Set your goals and pursue them. If you have been dealt a 'worse' hand than another, it may indeed be a gift that teaches you the value of hard work. Your story will be richer and your success sweeter when you achieve your dreams.

Til next time…

How long do you think you'll live?

Normally I don't usually do these things, but with it being a holiday I couldn't help myself. Peter Russell has a calculator for Real Age, that looks at your lifestyle and then predicts how long you might live.

In my case with my current lifestyle, I am projected to live another 13,100 days. Or almost 36 years. However if I just change two things in my lifestyle, easy ones at that, I would statistically live to almost 17,200 days or 47 years. huh...

For a whole lot of reasons, but mainly trying to outlive all those tennis pros who whooped up on me when I was playing - read that as spite (Using up my son's inheritance comes to mind as well!)... I think I'm going to make those lifestyle changes permanent over the course of this year.

Why don't you check out the website and see how you do.... the web address is: http://www.peterrussell.com/Odds/RealAge.php

Til next time....

The moral of the story is....

I had the good fortune of spending some time in Savana Georgia a few weeks ago. We had an afternoon to explore and I found some terrific old bookstores down by the river and spent a pleasant afternoon window and book-shopping.

In one of the stores I found an old autobiography with yellow pages and grainy photos. I happily paid $19.95 for it, and stuffed it into my backback and rediscovered it just the other day.

Here’s how it begins:

"In 1915, when I was nineteen, I fought Johnny Sudenberg ten rounds in the wild mining town of Goldfield, Nevada. I was in there with a good fighter, one much better than I was, but I took the fight because I was dead broke and my manager of the moment, Jack Gilfeather, had been able to jimmy a $100 guarantee out of [the] promoter...

Sudenberg almost killed me. For two rounds it was a fight. For the next eight I was a helpless, blood-soaked punching bag. It was the worst beating of my life. I don't remember going down once, because I still don't remember the last three or four rounds.

Goldfield was a tough town. A stranger who got his brains knocked out in Goldfield was no rarity. Hardly worth bothering the doctor about. So they dumped me, unconscious, into a wheelbarrow and some good Samaritan pushed me through the hilly streets. He threw me on the bunk in my "home." I slept.

My "home" was a cave in the side of a hill. Goldfield had been a boom mining town and a room cost five dollars a week. In advance, for a skinny young hobo with holes in his shoes and a newspaper for a suitcase. ...

I remember nothing at all until I woke up at three o' clock the next afternoon – nearly twenty hours after I'd been wheelbarrowed "home."
Everything hurt, of course. But I was young, and I was hungry. I stumbled over to the saloon where Gilfeather hung out, to collect my share of the purse.

In the saloon a few heroes laughed at my battered face. A few made jokes about how funny I looked being trundled through the streets in a wheelbarrow (which is the way I found out about that journey).

I asked where I could find Gilfeather.

A bartender said, "He left town last night, kid. He got drunk and Blew his wad shooting craps."

I had been almost killed for nothing. I was broke and starving. It was the lowest point of my entire life..."

Four years later, on July 4, 1919, Jack Dempsey – yes, the dog-eared old book was Dempsey’s Autobiography—demolished the hulking giant, Jess Willard, to win the single most coveted prize in all of sports in that era: the Heavyweight Boxing Championship of the World.

Is there a moral there? I think there is.

For Champions, the most essential attribute is a grim determination to succeed. Successful people have patience, tenacity and they never quit. They never yield. They never give in. They always keep on going...

Just like Jack Dempsey.Just like every single person in the history of the world who has dared to dream great dreams—and to turn those dreams into reality, no matter long or how hard the journey.

If YOU want to succeed, you MUST accept this fundamental truth. Success requires effort. It requires hard work. It demands persistence. There is always a price. Nothing in life is easy. Not for you, not for me, and certainly not for Jack Dempsey.

And yet – look at what he accomplished, against unimaginable odds. Take it to heart. It’s a classic example of the indomitable power of the human spirit.

No matter what the odds, if you keep on fighting the fight, you WILL win. I guarantee it.

Til next time....

My thoughts on Georgia

Hi Everyone, just got back from one of those bike tour thingees.

I worked the Tour deGeoriga presented by AT&T (got to get the plug in - I got some free shirts!) professional cycling race. It was pretty neat.

You see... with these types of adventures I get to travel roads and visit towns somewhat off of my personal road map. In my myopic world and workplace when someone mentions Georgia, I think of Jimmy Carter, Billy Beer, the Cheetah club and Pecans.

I remember getting lost in "Hotlanta" during my crazy college days. I looked up at the signs in the intersection and knew I was messed up when I was at the corner of Peach Tree and Peach Tree. Probably not a good a good start to my sophomore spring break considering the amount of alcohol in my system at the time.

But that is not the basis of my opinion any longer....

I had the good fortune and opportunity to eat some of the best and freshest seafood ever on Tybee Island and in America's first planned city of Savannah. This Midwesterner didn't normally think of the state of Georgia being on the eastern seaboard. The marshes and tidal areas are amazing and still fairly pristine. The history from the area is rich and with a little investigation literally comes alive.

You get a real good sense of what the soldiers, citizens and slaves had to endure from both from the revolutionary and civil wars. Apparently GA was pivotal because of it's sea ports in our early conflicts.

As an example Fort Pulaski. This national monument is located just off the coast between Tybee Island and Savannah.

President Madison ordered a new system of coastal fortifications to protect the United States against foreign invasion after the war of 1812. The fort was named after the famous Polish General from the Revolutionary war, and was actually built under the direction of General Robert E. Lee in 1829. (the good general was trained as a civil engineer before the war between the states).

The place is a testament to advanced engineering and hard work. Even after the bombardment of the Union's new rifled cannons during the Civil war, this fort still maintains its seven foot walls on marsh land without one single crack in its foundation. (With all the advances in technology why can't they do that today with the drywall in my house?)

Within 30 hours of the Union's attack during the Civil war, Col. Charles Olmstead had to surrender the fort, the Union had developed a new technology - a rifled cannon shell. Those 60 pound shells could travel far distances (up to 5 miles) and easily passed through the fort's brick walls. This advance in weaponry made brick fortifications obsolete.

(As an aside, the good Col.was the uncle of Fredrick Law Olmsted who went on to design Central Park in New York and Jackson Park in Chicago. He dropped the "a" in the last name because he did not want be associated with a confederate. Small world ain't it?)

We also had the opportunity to stay in a bed and breakfast that was well over 200 years old. (LaFayette Manor) As a matter of fact, the one who built the manson was one of the original signers of the declaration of independence - George Walton. As a lawyer and a plantation owner he held a great deal of land in the north Georgia and had much influence over the direction of our new found country.

The "house" was later named in honor of General LaFayette who used the manor as a base of operations during the revolutionary war. It was even said that George Washington spent some time in the area because of his close friendship with LaFayette.

But what heartens my day, during these sojourns, is that I get the chance to meet people in small towns that have no desire to be connected to their crackberrys or have a need to check their emails every 15 minutes. People who genuinely enjoy having a conversation with an outsider, and care about the others who live in their town.

It seems that the half step slower pace allows one to connect with people and share commonalities that albeit quaint, are quite comforting and for me, help to restore my faith in Americans and our ideals.

Even though some of the towns reminded me of Mayburry right down to the "five and dime" and included Floyd the barber, the citizens in each town usually stopped and smiled and were genuinely concerned with your response to their "hello, how are you doing?".

Too often we get so busy with the goofiness of our day, that we really don't connect. Being connected via email, blackberry and blue tooth, is very different than spending the time to talk to our neighbors and get to know the community.

I enjoyed doing just that on this trip. When you do really connect, you can learn so much more and really appreciate the situation you are in and the life you have a chance to live.

So I have a challenge for you, go talk to someone today - really listen to their response, you might just be surprised how fun it can be.

Til next time...

A random thought

Every time I need a good laugh, I always turn to a book that contains thousands of stupid things people have said. It never fails as a pick me up.

There is a special sports section that always gets me, and I've read it at least fifty times.

Today's gem was, "Left hand, right hand, it doesn't matter. I amphibious." Those words were spoken by former North Carolina basketball star Charles Shackleford.

Or the anonymous tourist who asked a lifeguard, "Which beach is closest to the water?"

How about this one, asked of a travel planner. "If you go to a restaurant in Idaho...and you don't wan't any kind of potato with your meal, will they get upset and ask you to leave?"

Former Washington, D.C., mayor Marion Berry has some jewels. The first is,"What we have here is an egregious miscarriagement of taxitude."

"The contagious people of Washington have stood firm against diversity during this long period of inclement weather."

I miss old Marion. There isn't anybody as unintentionally funny as he used to be.

The title of today's piece was something Yogi Berra said about Steve McQueen.

Everybody needs a little help shedding the blues at times. This book has always worked for me.

So has calling a friend who always makes me laugh, or getting out one of the old classicly funny movies.

There are comedy channels on radio, and on television.

Then there is the King...Larry the Cable Guy.

He's funny...I don't care who you are.

I watched a biography of Larry the Cable Guy a few weeks back. He may just be the hardest working man in show business. He wasn't an overnight sensation. He put in ten years on the road before he caught a big break, and then put in another three years before stardom came calling.

Now he's the number one act in America, hauling in $500,000 a night.

He doesn't have to dress up either. He just goes to a tractor supply store, buys some cheap shirts, and rips off the sleeves.

So there isn't any reason to go around like an old sourpuss. Find a simple cure, like I did, and like scores of other people.

The more you laugh, the longer you live.

Til next time...

Fat Loss....explained

I found a great analogy about fat loss that I wanted to share with you.

Following is a pretty good explanation of the visual representation of fat loss that was emailed to me recently (And attributed originally to a "Bob White"). Hope you enjoy it..

Let’s assume you go out and buy two rolls of paper towels, each with 112 paper towels on it. You put one aside, and keep it for future reference (your “before” picture). The other one represents you (I’ll call your paper towel “Ed”). The core represents the lean Ed. The towels represent the fat that is covering the lean Ed.

For sake of argument, let’s say that Ed wants to lose 28 pounds of fat, so (112/28) each sheet represents a quarter-pound of fat lost.

Let’s also assume that Ed loses his fat equally during each day of the program.

Each day during the first week, you tear a sheet off of Ed, representing the fat he has lost for the day. Next, you put Ed next to the full roll (“Big Ed”) for comparison.

No noticeable difference! Even at the end of the week!

"This can’t be working for me! This program sucks!

"But, you continue to follow your fat loss program. At the end of weeks two and three, you continue to compare Ed to Big Ed, and still notice very little difference.But Ed is determined! He continues to work hard!

Three more weeks go by, the sheets peeling off day after day, before Ed gets up the courage to stand next to Big Ed again.

Now there’s a big difference!

By the end of the program (112 days), Ed is down to his lean dream, or somewhere near it. Big Ed is still - well, big.

The lesson to be learned is that fat, like paper towels, comes off in sheets. When you are heavy, you are big around. And when you are big around, that fat is spread over a MUCH larger area – just like that outside towel sheet. The closer you get to the lean you, the more each lost pound of fat shows, because it is spread over a smaller area.

While the outside sheet may only cover one layer of the roll, the inside sheet may go around 4 times. That last sheet looks like it gives you four times the results of the first sheet, but in reality, the results are the same – your perception is just different! And you’ll never see the inside, if you aren’t patient while the outside is coming off!ted to share.

Til next time....

My BIGGEST diet and exericse mistake you can make....

This is something you already know, but you forget sometimes.
So I'll remind you. (This is one of those sort of preachy posts, sorry. They happen sometimes).

But here's the deal: In order to succeed at any worth while long-term health goal (exercise, diet, stress reduction, whatever) you have to Give up on Being Perfect.

Duh, right? But we all keep forgetting this all the time.

The Pursuit of Perfection, and the all-or-nothing thinking that follows naturally from this delusional quest, is one of the two most lethal motivational mistakes you can make. (The other is Not Actually Giving a Crap--this is what happens when you embark on a self-improvement program because someone else thinks it's a good idea. They may be right! Still, it ain't gonna work).

But unless you come to grips with your perfectionism early and often, you're doomed. You may start off making great progress but you won't be able to maintain it for more than a few weeks or months.

Why not?

Because long-term success in any endeavor is about Mastering the Self-Improvement Process, not about how many calories you ate or how many miles you ran or how many dollars you earned or how many words you wrote on a particular day. You can have a "perfect" record for months, but if you're not learning how to cope with the imperfect days, the first few that come along can derail you completely.

It's a simple idea (that you've heard a bunch of times before) but the implications of this are really powerful. It means that for the long haul, it doesn't matter if you ran a marathon today or stayed in bed with the flu. Whether you ate 1500 calories or 5,000 calories.

What matters is that you did what you needed to do to Stay On Track.

Staying On Track is the most important thing. Over time, if you Stay on Track, there will be good days and bad days but the good days will eventually predominate. I still maintain and defend your right to think that healthy living is a pain in the ass. But the longer you keep doing it? The less of a pain it is. It will probably never, however, be completely easy and fun. You will always be tempted to Slack. Thus you need to know how to Stay on Track for the rest of your life.

For Life! Yea, I know it blows but it is really important.

So what are some of the essential components of Staying on Track?

1. Staying Accountable and being Honest with yourself.
2. Acknowledging your Achievements and not just taking them for granted.
3. Trying your best but refusing to get all Punitive and Self-Hating when you inevitably screw up.
4. And so Not Quitting in self-disgust because you screwed up.
5. Then Starting Over if you do happen to quit in self-disgust despite your crabby self telling you Not To.
6. Setting Realistic goals and making positive changes Gradually and Steadily.
7. Accepting that while "All" may be nice, "Some" is better than "None" when it comes to good behavior.
8. Analyzing the Triggers for bad behavior and planning to Avoid them or Minimize their Impact in the future.
9. There are Lots more but I'm getting Really Bored of doing this list.

Note one important thing about all of these items (except for #9): They Are All Impossible if You Insist on Perfection!

You will find yourself lying to yourself if your goals are lofty and become inviolable (that's not a word is it? - well maybe) rules in your own mind. You will "forget" to write things down; you will fudge and cheat and you will be psychologically Off Track no matter how well you are actually doing. You will frequently feel disappointed in yourself even when you are objectively doing good things. You won't praise yourself for your good days because they're ALL supposed to be good days. You will feel easily discouraged and tempted to just go off - no, jump off the wagon in a Big Way, because it's just too hard to be good. And you won't learn how to minimize problem behaviors if you're not admitting to them or accepting them as natural and inevitable and part of the process. Blah blah blah, you get the idea.

Enough Theory? Here is a practical example!

This is an Actual Conversation that occurred in my brain several days ago.

Self: I know it's getting to be time for the gym but I don't think I'll go today. I hate the gym.

Self's Conscience: Just go.

Self: But I don't wannnnna. I go to the gym plenty. Shit, I live in a gym everyday...Leave me alone.

Self's Conscience: You're due for aerobics today. A long one, remember you said? And you're way way overdue for weights. You haven't done them since Monday. You can't skip out again.

Self: F*ck off. Go away.

Self: Are you gone?

Self: Good.
(A minute or so later)

Self's Conscience: OK, now it's really time to go. Your caffeine will wear off.

Self: Shut up!

Self's Conscience: You'll be so happy once you're done.

Self: But I'll be so MISERABLE while I'm doing it! I'll go for a bike ride later. Scram!
(A few more minutes later)

Self's Conscience: So here's an idea.

Self: WTF? I said go away!

Self's Conscience: Suppose you just go to the gym and do a little of everything. A really quick aerobics. Only half your weights.

Self: But I'm supposed to do a long aerobics! And what about the other half of the weights? I can't do just part of a workout!

Self's Conscience: It's better than no workout. C'mon. Think of it as "fun sized." An "express" trip to the gym.

Self: You've been reading my blog! That's really sneaky. But hmmm, "fun sized"... that does sound oddly less miserable that a regular workout...

Epilogue:And so dear readers, I indeed went to the gym - did only half a workout. (Some days when I bargain like this I go on do what I would normally do anyway, but this time, I really didn't feel like it.) I gave myself Full Credit Anyway and felt very happy and pleased with myself. I returned to the gym two days later, because I was Still On Track! And that time, I did every damn thing on the list and lived Happily Ever After. At least so far.)

Til next time.....

More on the NCAA's

Champion's have a certain mindset....

I'll explain what I mean.

If you really - (I mean REALLY) listen to the athletes and coaches during interviews - espcially around the "BIG" game or during championship runs, you'll become almost psychic about who will and won't win.

This past Sunday I watched the Stanford women's basketball team whoop up on Connecticut. Then I watched Tennessee eke by LSU. Afterward I figured Stanford would win their first NCAA women's basketball title.

Afterall, they had averaged 90 points in their last two games, while Tennessee didn't even break 50 points against LSU. Not only that, Stanford was red hot in the semi-finals while the Lady Vols looked like they came out of a freezer.

Stanford was going to win it all, I thought.... No doubt about it. But then I heard the post game interviews with Candice Wiggins of Stanford and Candace Parker of Tennessee. As soon as I heard what each player said, I changed my mind. Pay close attention and you'll immediately know why I reversed my thinking.

When Stanford star Candice Wiggins was interviewed after winning the semi-final round, she was thrilled to make it to the finals. That alone was a dream fulfilled. She did not speak a single word about winning the NCAA title. Tennessee's Candace Parker, however, said that "anything short of an NCAA championship would constitute a failure."

Very different goals, don't you think?

The specifics of your goals play a major role in how you perform. Two nights ago I did an "energy read" of the teams in the men's finals when Memphis was up by nine points. Even with two minutes left, upon gazing at the emotion coming off the players, I believed Kansas would pull it out.

They did.

Last night I did the same sort of reading when Stanford was down by a couple points and had the rest of the game to turn it around.

"They haven't got a prayer," I said to my son. "Tennessee is on a mission."

Tennessee's defense took the high-powered eight-cylinder Stanford offense and reduced it to two cylinders. Wiggins, normally smiling and cheerful in the midst of a big game, didn't look too happy. Parker, on the other hand, had a Cheshire cat grin most of the night. This "look" by the way, is one of the hallmarks of the truly great "Super Human" performers. Even in the midst of battle, elite athletes often look like they're having a blast. When they're in the zone, all physical and mental resistance is gone. Often you'll be in awe of how cool, calm and collected they are.

Those who do not perform at the highest level rarely look truly comfortable in their own skin. They don't know the peace of mind that comes with being on the journey toward a pre-determined objective. Instead, they're hoping that the attainment of the goal will bring them happiness.

It won't.
It can't.
It never does.

People wonder why champions tend to win over and over again. This is the 8th NCAA women's basketball title for Tennessee coach Pat Summit, who is the all-time winningest coach in NCAA hoops history - and that includes both men and women coaches.

The answer lies in how you define your goals. You'd think this would be a no-brainer - but the truth is you see this mistake being made all the time, even at the highest levels of competition.

All you need to do to pick a winner, most of the time, is listen to the interviews of players right after they make it into the Super Bowl, World Series or NCAA finals.

The eventual losing team has players who say their goal was to get to the finals. The winning team shows their excitement about making it to the big one - but they make it known that WINNING the championship is the main goal. Getting there is simply a stepping stone.
The greatest battles in sports take place when both teams in the finals have the same goal.

Keep this in mind as you travel through your day. What do you want to create today. Focus on it and make it happen.

Til next time....

Expect a celebration..

Ooops I actually wrote this a few days ago and didn't post it. Hope you enjoy.

It’s the end of the college basketball season, so I took the weekend off and watched a couple Final Four games with my son. I think the last time I watched the Final Four was when Coach Wooden was leading UCLA with multiple championships - that seems like it was about 30 years ago – so this was a definite deviation from the norm.

It turned out to be a wise choice – mostly because of what I watched on Saturday night when Kansas tore #1 ranked North Carolina apart.

Yet, it wasn't the athlete’s performance that I will remember the most. It was what Bill Self, the Kansas coach, said to his players before they took the court.

He told them they were playing a very good team - but they were also a very good team.

He told them it would be a long game, so they needed to go out there and have fun, stay relaxed and keep their focus.

Yes, in the heat of battle, he told them to remove the resistance by being relaxed.

Oh, if the average person could understand the value of this. Far too many people think the key to overcoming difficulties and surmounting obstacles is to frown, complain and flex.

Not so.

It's to keep moving forward - but in a spirit of calm and relaxation expecting all will go well.

Coach Self ended his pre-game talk with a quote from Vince Lombardi - on expectations. He told the team that they would get what they expected.

Then he paused before delivering a line I will never forget:

"I expect a BIG CELEBRATION in this locker room in about two and a half hours."
Coach Self did not talk about winning. He did not talk about beating the other team. ALL he talked about was "expecting a big celebration."

He began with the end in mind.

And the end was NOT winning - it was the joy and excitement to be felt AFTER winning.

Coach Self gave the team a vision that aroused their emotions and focused them on what they really wanted - the FEELING of victory - the FEELING of having given their best.

Kansas led 38-10 at one point in the first half. A 28-point lead on the nation's number one team!

In the second half their lead was chopped considerably as the Tar Heels fought valiantly. But after North Carolina fought so hard to catch up, they had nothing left and Kansas flew past them again - winning by 18 points.

As you go through your day, ask yourself this question, "What do you expect to be celebrating about at the end of today."

Begin with the end in mind and watch the end come to you in record time.

Til next time....

The Question...

At one time or another, and in one way or another, we have all asked ourselves these questions. "Why am I here? What, if anything, am I supposed to be doing? Is there a purpose I am supposed to fulfill?"

Until we arrive at answers to such questions, our life seems to hold little or no meaning. Once we ask, we often wonder why we didn't pursue the answer much sooner.

Life without meaning, or purpose, is somewhat like the analogy my high school history teacher used when encouraging our class to set goals. I can still picture him standing in front of the room holding a piece of white chalk, saying, "Without a goal, you're like a boat without a rudder or an anchor, just being bounced around any which way at the mercy of the wind.

We laughed and mimicked him outside of class, but that pathetic boat he had drawn on the blackboard depicted most of us back then. Unfortunately, that boat at the mercy of the wind represented a number of us years later. Those of us who were lucky, grew tired of being bounced around, and asked.

What do I want life to be?

Finally, you listen to your heart. You realize that it is your passion and love that directs you to your purpose in life. Interestingly, it has nothing to do with making the most money, what others expect from you, or what is fashionable and popular. It has nothing to do with the majority of what was written on our walls by otherwise well-meaning parents, teachers, ministers, counselors, and the like. Long forgotten writings deeply buried in our unconscious mind that now and again break loose just often enough to sabotage our happiness and success. That can, if allowed, prevent us from fulfilling our life purpose.

The good in finding your purpose is that once you begin doing, begin living, begin fulfilling it--everything you need begins to appear in your life.

Purpose makes your life easier. It flows. You are in control. You no longer get caught up in life. One that tugs and pulls you this way, then another.

It is by following your heart, your passion and love, that allows the ills of life--the worries, fears--to disappear and be replaced with joy, happiness, and satisfaction.

Yes, making changes can be a scary experience. It is far easier to stay within your comfort zone, no matter how badly you dislike where you are. However, it is never too late to find your purpose and begin taking the steps to live it. Begin by incorporating pieces of your passion into your life. Take little steps and add to them. Listen to the voice within. Soon, you will be fulfilling your life's purpose.

Life is too short to feel sorry for yourself, to sit and do nothing. If you haven't already done so, ask the question.

Have a great week

Til next time...

Hey, you just have to look...

When I initially work with people I just watch how they move, sit or stand.

When people move, their bodies give you some telltale signs that help determine what muscles are out of wack or weak and which others are over compensating.

There is a fella way smarter than I by the name of Gray Cook. He has a PhD in Physical Therapy out of the university of Miami's School of Medicine and wrote a book about 3 years ago called Athletic Body in Balance. He is one of the nicest and smartest guys you'll ever know about this physical fitness/orthopedic stuff - especially for a Ph-duh... I digress, anyway one of the best ways to find out what is going on with someone is by watching them do a squat, with their arms overhead. Looks hard huh...it is.

Following is a list of things you can look for next time you are in the gym. Or it can be a cruel party game. Either way, it can help you determine where you need work to be a better you.

1) If your arms move forward when you squat, then your chest and latissimus dorsi (major back muscle) are tight. This will lead to neck and shoulder ailments.

2) Knees move out - then your hips and lower back will have to compensate for the weaknesses in your inner thigh. Therefore your low back and hamstrings will be extremely tight.

3) Knees cave in - then your outer thighs are weak and your risk of knee injury greatly increases.

4) Upper body moves greatly forward - your calves are extremely tight, this may sound odd but if your calves are tight then your ankle mobility is probably limited so your upper body has to compensate during the squat. This will greatly affect your ability to produce power during activities.

5) Low back arches excessively - your hip flexors (front of hips) are tight and your abs are weak. This will cause you to shorten your stride and move at a slower less efficient pace when walking or running.

6) Feet turn out - Your peroneals (outer calf) are tight, this will reduce your ability to produce force when running or jumping.

I hope this helps you determine what you need to work on in the gym.... I'll be watching.

Til next time....

Where did it go?!

In an ongoing effort to motivate everyone to take action, myself especially -- here is an interesting tidbit…. Monday marked the 25% point of the year. Sorry - it's not an April fools joke.

The entire first quarter of 2008 has already passed- we are now three months into 2008.

How are those New Year's Resolutions looking?
Are you on track with those New Years Resolutions?
Are you on track with your goals?

If you wanted to lose 20lbs this year - are you down 5lbs already?
If your goal was to do 250 workouts - have you completed 62 ?
IF you wanted to make $10,000 more this year -- are you on track?

It's amazing how time passes so quickly. I guess the lesson here is don't waste a single second.

If your goal is fat loss - start today
If your goal is muscle building - start today
If your goal is (insert anything here) - start TODAY !

25% of this year is gone forever.

Will you make changes TODAY or will another 25% pass, then another 25% -- and before you know it -- it's 2009.....

I meet a lot of people in my job, and get a lot of questions

I'll talk to people who track every single macronutrient that passes their lips, and have tried just about every program out there. When I ask them how things are going -- they'll tell me that it's great, or that the program is working well.

However, very few people actually measure and take stock of their efforts. If you are following a plan to lose fat - are you actually losing fat? And I mean at a rate that is acceptable for your efforts? Or are you blindly following a plan that doesn't work, and essentially ignoring that?I know where my progress towards my goals stand because I measure it.

When I had some medical issues about a year and one half ago - enduring test after test the medical team took measurements of temperature, blood pressure and blood samples every 4 hours. That was a pain...but very telling.

When we implement a marketing campaign at The Center -- we track the results. We know for example how many direct mail pieces we send out, the cost of each mailing, how many inquiries we get, how many people we attract because of those efforts. It is still a work in progress but we can measuere how effective the plan is, and whether the return we are seeing is worth the investment.

In my current position I need to see that $X invested, we receive a return of $Y. This is important as I am trying to expanded our programs by 50% this year and are in the middle of a complete remake of the various departments I head up.

We need to know where our enrollment stands, how many members and nonmembers are involved in the programs. It it necessiary that I am able to track- our new members, renewals etc and when our busiest times are – we have put systems in place so that everything can be measured and tracked so we can continue to grow and serve our membership and users.

If you remember "SMART" goal setting -- one of the keys is 'M' - Measurable. Measure your results.As we enter the second quarter of 2008, it's time to take stock of your efforts. Has your current return been worth the investment?

Again -- 25% of this year is gone forever.
Will you make changes TODAY or will another 25% pass, then another 25% -- and before you know it -- it's 2009.....

Don't waste a single second. Start TODAY.

Where will you be at the 50% point - July 1st ? That's 13 weeks away. Will you be 13 weeks leaner- will your business demonstrate 13 weeks further growth - will you be 13 weeks closer to your goals?

The time is going to pass either way - why not make the most of it.

Til next time…

Happy 100th!!

This is a special post for me... It's my 100Th.

It still is amazing to me that I had that much to say over these past few months - considering I generally pride myself in keeping my mouth shut!

So in honor of the occasion, and opening day, I thought I would post something very important (at least to me... sorry for the indulgence).

It is true that I am a die-hard Cub fan. (I know, there is no accounting for taste), however it has been 100 years since the Cubs won the World Series - lets not talk about the 7 times the came in second since then - and I wanted to share what has happened since that fateful day in 1908

So I invite you to stroll down memory lane to see how far we have come....

Radio was invented; Cubs fans could hear their teams lose.

TV was invented; Cubs fans could see their teams lose.

Baseball added 14 teams, Cubs fans get to see and hear their teams lose to more clubs.

George Burns celebrated his 10th, 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 70th, 80th, 90th, and 100th birthdays.

Haley's comet passed Earth twice.

Harry Caray was born and died.

The NBA, NHL, and NFL were formed, and Chicago teams won championships in each sport

Man landed on the moon.

16 U.S. presidents were elected.

There were 11 amendments added to the constitution

Prohibition was created and repealed. Just in time for Cubs fans, they lost the Fall Classic three times in the 30's. '32 to the Yankees, '35 to the Tigers and again to the Yankees in '38.

The Titanic was built, set sail, sank, was discovered, and became the subject of major motion pictures, the latest giving Cubs Fans hope that something on bottom can come out on top.


Wrigley Field was built and becomes the oldest park in the National League.

Flag poles were erected on Wrigley's roof to hold all the team's future World Series Pennants. These poles have since been rusted and been taken down.


A combination of 40 summer and winter Olympics have been held.


Thirteen baseball players have won the Triple Crown in baseball.

Bell bottoms came in style, went out of style, and came back in.

The Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, and the Florida Marlins have all won world series.


The Cubs have played more than 14,000 regular season games.

Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Oklahoma, and New Mexico were added to the Union.

Today marks opening day and it is now time for me to cozy up in front of the flat screen with a hot dog and beer and root on my Cubbies. Hum of course we are expecting 2 inches of rain today. Well, there is always next year!

Til next time...

Misinformation about food? No....

There is a lot of hype and misinformation surrounding nutrition.

The goal of todays post is to uncover just some of the hype that surrounds certain foods. Here is a list of the 7 most overrated foods (and drinks). Hype, marketing, and slick advertising work wonders to line the pockets of these companies. But we're not letting them get away with it anymore! RIGHT?!

Breakfast cereal: Surprised? Of course breakfast is important - please don't mistake me for saying it's not. But most breakfast cereals are nothing more than well marketed, fortified junk carbohydrates (Fruity Pebbles,anyone?). Oatmeal, oat bran, Shredded Wheat 'n Bran, and a few others are all great - and notice on their labels, there are less than 3 ingredients in each. They also don't have cartoons on their packaging (a tell tale sign that it's junk). Or try an egg omelette with loads of mixed veggies and some fresh fruit for another option.

Xango Juice (from the Mangosteen fruit): Mangosteen is a tropical fruit. Mangosteen juice is becoming a popular healthful and "medicinal" drink. Here are just a few claims from the website -- sustains a healthy cardiovascular system, supports cartilage and joint function, supports the immune system, promotes a healthy seasonal respiratory system, maintains intestinal health, and neutralizes free radicals--to name a few.

Wow, surprising they didn't throw cancer, AIDS, and polio in there too. None of these claims have any supportive research behind them (research is not the same as a testimonial from a person).

Like all fruits, this fruit surely has some healthy properties. But at $37.50/bottle, which would last around 5-26 days depending on the dosing structure recommended for your ailment, spending that much money on whole fruits and vegetables would surely do a lot more to boost your health! Leave this multi level marketing product with the salesman!

Mona Vie (from the Acai fruit): I know I'm picking on fruit juices, let's throw this one in the mix. You can pretty much cut and copy from above; expensive, overhyped fruit juice. Eat whole fruits and vegetables -- lots of them, and you'll improve your health. Don't hope for a magic bullet by drinking juice.

Sugar in the Raw: Has any sugar or sweetener ever been healthy? Well, some believe when it says "organic, raw, natural, etc" than it is. Case in point-Sugar In The Raw.

Listen to this fantastic description from the website: "natural cane turbinado sugar is grown and cut exclusively on a 37,000 acre plantation in central Maui, Hawaii. There, nature's own sweetener is gently converted into the natural crystals that make Sugar In The Raw. The secret lies in the fact that Sugar In The Raw is never bleached or over processed..." Fortunately there aren't nutrition claims on their site, but I have heard and talked to many who believe this is a much more nutritious product than any other form of sugar. Nope, sorry -- and either are the 10 other names for sugar (there's likely more, but I'm aware of at least 10).

Rice cakes: I like food with nutrients, not taste free, air puffs that people mistake for a quality "diet food," but really do nothing to fill you up! :-)

Here's a better snack -- an apple with 1 oz of cheddar cheese, natural peanut butter on a banana, raw mixed nuts, veggies and humus, etc.

Vitamin Water: Eat your vitamins, don't drink them. And when I say eat your vitamins, that means through whole foods sources (high quality grains, fruits, veggies, healthy fat, and lean proteins).

Vitamin water is very well marketed. Try regular water and squeeze some citrus into it if you're looking for a little added flavor.

Naked Juice: (get your head out of the gutter!) Can you tell that I am not a fan of juices in general. The packaging is great here, but with some of their products packing a whopping 500+ calories per bottle (there are at least 2 servings per bottle, I don't know anyone who actually breaks them up into 2 or more servings), you're getting a heck of a lot of sugar, some sprinkling of fruit juices, and nothing in the way of fiber.

Although they list about 8 fruits on the sides of these bottles, that's a lot different than actually eating 8 whole fruits! Again, ideally eat your nutrients instead of drinking them!

There you have it. The moral of the story is stick to the basics. In the comming weeks I'll provide some actual tips and strategies to make the absolute best decisions when deciding what to eat.

Til next time...

The start of the perfect day.... gratitude

OK, so I got up early today and started working out and sure enough had a thought... well not really I had several thoughts.. This really has been the start of a perfect day. (See two posts earlier).

As I opened up my sliding class door to invite the brisk outside air into my living room, I took in the fresh air and did some form of Americanized Ti Chi ... I wanted to share some thoughts that entered my mind as I concentrated on just being while I did my exercises. Andrea will understand that last sentence.

Hope they make sense. Take care...

Larry

Walking in gratitude is not a hard thing to do yet it is the basis of a happy life and your own personal power. Native Americans give thanks to Mother Earth for everything they have. Christians give thanks before they eat. Shamans give thanks to the universe for all that they are.

When we walk in gratitude we find again that sense of wonder in everything around us. We realize the bounty that we have in life. We appreciate the beauty we see. We hear the beautiful winds in the trees. Birds chirping in the distance. We smell the flowers. We know how much is given to us that we didn't even have to work for. We walk with a sense of smallness against this gift, this experience of life.

Being grateful is as much a part of being mature as having wisdom or discernment. Gratitude teaches us to admire those around us, to lend a helping hand to those who need one. And who are we not to be grateful? Do we not see the blessings of the air we breathe? Do we not realize how fortunate we are to be walking upright on this land? Just look around at all the places you could be.

Did you have a good idea today? Be grateful for that!

Did you eat today? Be grateful!

Is there a dollar in your wallet? Can you be grateful for that?

When was the last time you looked into the heavens and said, "Thank you!"

Albert Einstein was one of the greatest thinkers in history. He was always aware of what could have been and expressed his thanks each day. Gandhi had nothing and yet was one of the most grateful men who ever lived.

It isn't about who you are or what you have, what station in life you have been blessed with. It is simply to be. To be is worthy of thanks. Some people feel they have nothing to be thankful for. But do they have air to breathe? Did they get up this morning and find the sun shining? Did they find another human being to talk to?

Companionship, caring, compassion, beauty, life, seasons, the earth, these are all worthy of our thanks.

The doctor cannot heal without gratitude. The Rabbi cannot guide without gratitude. It is not the Shaman who creates any healing, nor the minister who finds the lost souls, or the priest who comforts the dying with hope in new life. These things are greater than any man, Priest or Shaman. It is our interconnectedness with each other through the universe that gives us what we need, what we want and even more than we can imagine.

Start each day with a prayer of thanks giving. Tell the universe how happy you are to find the sun shining in your window, to hear the birds singing and see the green grass glowing with dew.

Thank your Creator for the gifts you will receive this day. Humble yourself at the magnificent creation of life and give gratitude for being an observer of this most holy miracle - today. By giving thanks you are opening yourself to all the possibilities of goodness.

You are joining into the universal awareness as a participant in life. You are forming a council and taking your seat in the creation of the day. You come with open hands to receive and ready to give your blessings to those around you.

You realize your fortune and you wish that same fortune for all. Being grateful sets the place for goodness and open communication with teachers and guides. It shows your willingness to learn and your respect for what is.

Gratitude manifests more things to be grateful for. If you make a list each day of those things you feel grateful for you will find that your list will grow over time. It will change from things seen to those things that are unseen and far more important than material possessions or fame.

You will touch the very fabric of your soul and feel the blessings you have that are so worthy of your gratitude. In humbleness, you receive more than you could ever receive with pride.

Gratitude begets humility in this awesome life experience. A spiritual person knows this humility and often falls to his knees to return the heartfelt love that he recognizes and honors.

The power of the spirit comes not from within but from without because a man standing on his own is just a man but a man standing on the grace of gratitude walks with Spirit and is given everything - even the ability to heal.

Approach each day, each hour, each minute with gratitude in your heart and find love filling your spirit with its own power and truth.

Til next time....

No more thinking....

Okay, so I’ve been studying up a storm, in order to become an Internet/fitness/coaching entrepreneur. You’d be amazed just how much stuff there is out there to learn. And how very much of it is free. I have a whole folder of free or almost free ebooks that I’ve downloaded and I’m not even close to being all the way through them.


But…something landed in my inbox that scared the bageebers out of me. There is this blogger guru dude, whose email list I got onto and he’s sent me some really cool things. So cool in fact, I might actually be able to build my own website after all. And i was really grooving on getting his emails because he always sends cool links to free stuff and tips and on and on. But….what he sent yesterday sent me into the depths of despair. It really depressed me.


Apparently he has developed a program (for lack of a better term) that has a bot writing web copy. Cool, huh? Now you don’t have to pay those nasty ol’ expensive writers anymore all those bagillions of dollars because this nifty little bot will build you an article, blog post, or heck whatever you want, fully equipped with all the right and perfect searchable key words in three seconds. Yup. Three seconds. There is even a vid where you can watch someone doing it.

Up in flames went my little dream of starting my own little writing biz. I mean, who’s going to need me after this gets around? Soon he’ll have a sales letter writing bot and Bob Bly will be out of business too.


After I got over the shock and dismay it got me thinking though. Is the human really no longer necessary - except to create things so the human mind won’t be necessary? Have things really gotten to a point where ibots can replace writers? Thinkers. Do we just want to stop thinking? Is using our minds to solve problems just now blase’ - a thing of the past?

It would seem that things may be going in that direction. I mean, why the heck am I surprised? Generally speaking, it seems that we, as a society want to be taken care of from cradle to grave. The government are in charge of our property, our incomes, our children, our health care - and the more we whine about needing to be taken care of more, the more the government seems to like it. Among others.

Maybe there is no need to write any more. Maybe I should stop straining my brain and just ask the ibot if he can give me a job filing or something. I mean, how long will it be before he comes up with a blockbuster generator? A sitcome generator? A Pulitzer generator?


On the other hand - it’s stuff like this that makes me wonder if the Internet as well as other places - doesn’t need me and other writers even more because of this. I’ve been to a lot of blogs and websites and that boring, prefab, keyword saturated crap that you see on so many of them makes my eyeballs bleed. I don’t feel the least bit inclined to stay at those sites, much less buy something from them.

Maybe this is really just a big phat cry for help. It’s something to think about.

What do you think? Til next time....

The perfect day....

After a few conversations this past week with friends, it is apparent that I need some serious help. Most of you knew that already! But really, I have gotten into the habit of just living for work - not doing too much for me.

See it is ALOT easier to get into my work mode than deal with straightening up my life. Funny how we tend to flock with similar creatures. Most of the folks I hang out with have the same concern. So, I’ll get right to the point on this post - I want to share a challenge that I have set for myself, and your are more than welcomed to join in.

If I play my cards right this will be an opportunity to learn and grow. I know what you’re thinking, “I don’t want to learn and grow, I want to ( fill in the blank)!” Trust me, this one activity could mean the difference between enjoying your dreams or not.

Everyone that I have met has a dream lifestyle. I was once asked by a friend, what my perfect “average” day would be like. I told him that it would start early in the morning so I could watch the sunrise while exercising, and in my mind, I still know what kind of day I would like to have everyday if I could choose.

In thinking about it today, it would include time spent reading literature (perhaps poetry), learning how to improve my business, helping other people somewhere and somehow, spending quality time with my family, getting adequate exercise, spending time in prayer, enjoying the outdoors, making the most of my hours spent working (high efficiency and productivity), and time spent relaxing. It sounds like a lot to fit into one day, but I think I can do it with the right mindset and a little planning.

So, tomorrow, I am going strive towards having a perfect day – a day that is optimized for not only my athletic and fitness goals, but for all of my lifestyle goals. Granted, this is probably impossible since there are so many unexpected things that CAN happen to put a wrench in my progress.

Regardless, my goal will be to do everything in my power to push towards achieving my goal, if only for one day – even if something comes up to put a stop to my progress.

Here is my idea of a perfect day and what I want to accomplish tomorrow, Saturday, March 29, 2008:

Be up by 7:00 am

Perform a full body joint mobility routine outside in the fresh air.

Eat three large, nutrient dense meals, and have at least two snacks

Begin work early, and try to finish main projects by noon.

Take 5-10 minutes to brainstorm ways to improve my business

Read some fictitious literature

Study something that will help me improve my business.

Study something regarding improving health, burning fat, or increasing athleticism

Spend unhurried time with either friends, family or both

Spend time in focused exercises that will help me reach my goals

Go for a brisk walk or spend time moving around outdoors (outside being the key)

Take time to “play”

Turn off computer by 6:00 pm – all work must be done by this time

Brush and floss my teeth twice

Contact an old friend that I haven’t spoken with in awhile

Help someone without having anything to gain from it

Write something, anything – educational article, reflective journal, a letter to someone (e-mail doesn’t count)

Those are just some of my ideas of a perfect day – I’m sure you may have a completely different list. But think about it, how cool would life be if we all picked a day this week and came up with a list of goals to accomplish that day. It can be as long as you want it to be, longer or shorter than mine.

The key is to plan out in advance everything that you will have to do to make this day perfect. For instance, I want to cook three nutrient-dense meals tomorrow, I will be going to the grocery store today and deciding on my meals for tomorrow. This way, I'll be as prepared as I can for the big day.

I realize this can take the spontonatity out of an "off" day, but the truth is that dreams will not come without persistence and sacrifice. Here are some strategies that I am going to use to make this experiment a little easier:

* I am going to have to cut out some things from my day to fit in activities. For instance, in my case, cutting out couch time in front of the TV could free up plenty of time to go for a walk or spend time with a family member or friend.

** I'm not married but if I were, I'd make sure that I would tell my spouse about what I'm doing in advance so that they wouldn't give me that puzzled look when all of a sudden I'm in “super-mode.”

*** Finally, I'm going to write out my goals/list on paper, even if I know I can remember everything. This will be my checklist for the day of. Then, tomorrow, the day of my experiement, I'm going to write down everything I do - EVERYTHING, with time slots. Every hour of the day will be accounted for in writing so that I can get a very good perspective as to how much time I spent on specific activities and more importantly how much time I waste.

Now, I think I have it covered, and I feel like I'm equipped for the challenge. But honestly, this type of activity is only valuable if you are actively choosing to seek improvement in your life - For sure it’s not a secret formula or a quick-fix solution, it’s just an honest way to seek success. Care to join me? It will give us something to talk about next time we meet. Now go get ‘em!

Til Next Time....

Something that I observed the other day....

Lately, I've been traveling alot. In fact, airports can be a great time to catch up on reading or work, since there are few distractions -- but sometimes while trying to focus, you hear some conversations that make your ears perk up.

The other day, while in the airport, a couple was talking and the man said "I've honestly tried to lose weight, but you can't lose weight if you live in Chicago." While eating a chili cheese dog with a Coke and side of fries, the man continued "You think I'm kidding, but I've tried. I don't know what to do--I live near Michigan Ave and there are so many great restaurants. Is it worthwhile to move?"

Like any big city, Chicago surely has its fair share of fantastic restaurants--and, he was right, Michigan Avenue does offer great options. But that doesn't mean you have to eat at them every single night. It comes down to discipline and making decisions. First, when a person suggests "they've tried" and they're in the process of eating about 1500 calories of processed junk, "trying" has a whole new meaning.

Spring is finally here, the weather is starting to turn (at least in some parts of the country), and that means summer (and shorts season) is just that much closer.

How hard do you want to try to achieve your goals?

Let's review the importance of goal setting and how to set them properly. Remember, a goal is a dream with a deadline.

1. Pick a goal (for example, weight loss).

2. Write down the goal(s) you want to achieve IN THE PRESENT TENSE and make it measurable. For example, "I weigh xx pounds on June 1, 2008, at 7 AM." Now you have a definitive time for achieving this goal -- it's a deadline, not just a wish!

3. Write this same exact goal down every single day. This will remind you what you are working towards -- and when the temptations are there to eat out at restaurants every night, skip your workouts, or simply not focus on quality foods, you'll quickly be reminded of your goals when they're continuously written down.

4. Take the necessary steps to achieve this goal on a daily basis.

Remember, one meal or one missed workout, won't make or break your health or your ability to reach your goals. What will is when that one meal becomes a daily habit and so does skipping workouts. Consistency is the key. The important part is to get right back on track; missing a workout on a Monday doesn't mean you have to wait until the following Monday to start over again. It means Tuesday is right back where you left off. Or overeating at one meal doesn't mean the rest of the day is shot; get right back to your normal clean eating the next meal.

You have about 12 weeks until summer and you can literally be in a new body by the time your ready to show some more skin at the family BBQ!

And now that spring is here and it's getting a tad warmer in some parts of the country, (we have a winter storm warning today!) try some new activities outdoors -- maybe just going out for a walk after dinner, in addition to your normal routine, might be the boost you need.

Consistency is the key to permanent success!

Til next time....

20 Worst Foods

If you really know me, you know that I will go to the "dark side" every once in a while when it comes to eating out with friends. Well, maybe more than just once in a while... but I digress.

Well, just got some depressing news confirmed today. The following is an excerpt from an article that is in Men's Health Magazine. If you want to read the full article click on this link. http://www.menshealth.com/eatthis/20worst.html... But the more important thing is that we consume A LOT more than we think. Look at the summary below.

The Top 20 Worst Foods in America
20: Worst Fast-Food Chicken Meal - Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips from McDonald's(5 pieces)with cream ranch sauce. 830 Calories, 55 grams fat (4.5 trans fat), 48 carbs. Add a large fries and regular soda and this seemingly innocuous chicken meal tops out at 1,710 calories.

19: Worst drink - Jamba Juice Chocolate Moo'd Power Smoothie (30 fl oz). 900 calories, 10 g fat, 183 carbs, 166 g sugar Jamba Juice calls it a smoothie, MSNBC calls it a milk shake. The beverage contains as much sugar as 8 pints of Ben & Jerry's butter pecan ice cream.

18: Worst supermarket meal - Pepperidge Farm Roasted Chicken Pot Pie (whole pie). 1,020 calories, 64 g fat, 86 g carbs. Label may say this pie serves two, but, who ever divided a small pot pie in half? Once you crack the crust, there will be no stopping.

17: Worst 'healthy' burger - Ruby Tuesday Bella Turkey Burger. 1,145 calories, 71 g fat, 56 g carbs.

16: Worst Mexican entree - Chipotle Mexican Grill Chicken Burrito. 1,179 calories, 47 g fat, 125 g carbs, 2,656 mg sodium.

15: Worst kids' meal - Macaroni Grill Double Macaroni 'n' Cheese. 1,210 calories, 62 g fat, 3,450 mg sodium. It's like feeding your kid 1 1/2 boxes of Kraft mac 'n' cheese.

14: Worst sandwich - Quiznos Classic Italian (large). 1,528 calories, 92g fat, 4,604 mg sodium, 110 g carbs. A large homemade sandwich would more likely provided about 500 calories.

13: Worst salad - On the Border Grande Taco Salad with Taco Beef. 1,450 calories, 102 g fat, 78 g carbs, 2,410 mg sodium. This isn't an anomaly: Five different On the Border salads on the menu contain more than 1,100 calories each.

12: Worst burger - Carl's Jr. (Hardee's on East Coast) Double Six Dollar Burger. 1,520 calories!, 111g fat. Carl's Jr. brags it's home to this enormous sandwich, but the restaurant chain also provides convenient nutrition info on its Web site -- so ignorance is no excuse for eating it.

11: Worst steak - Lonestar 20 oz T-bone. 1,540 calories, 124g fat. Add a baked potato and Lonestar's Signature Lettuce Wedge, and this is a 2,700 calorie blowout.

10: Worst breakfast - Bob Evans Caramel Banana Pecan Cream Stacked and Stuffed hotcakes. 1,540 calories, 77 g fat (9 g trans fat), 198 g carbs, 109 g sugar. Five Egg McMuffins yield the same caloric cost as this stack of sugar-stuffed flapjacks, which is truly a heavy breakfast, weighing in at a hefty pound and a half.

9: Worst dessert - Chili's Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream. 1,600 calories, 78 g fat, 215 g carbs.
Would you eat a Big Mac for dessert? How about three? That's the calorie equivalent of this decadent dish. Clearly, Chili's customers get their money's worth.

8: Worst Chinese entree - P.F. Chang's Pork Lo Mein. 1,820 calories, 127g fat, 95 g carbs. The fat content in this dish alone provides more than 1,100 calories. And you'd have to eat almost five servings of pasta to match the number of carbs it contains. Now, do you really need five servings of pasta?

7: Worst chicken entree - Chili's Honey Chipotle Crispers with Chipotle Sauce. 2,040 calories, 99 g fat, 240 g carbs.
'Crispers' refers to an extra thick layer of break crumbs that soak up oil and adds unnecessary calories and carbs to these glorified chicken strips.

6: Worst fish entree - On the Border Dos XX Fish Tacos with Rice and Beans. 2,100 calories, 130 g fat, 169 g carbs, 4,700 mg sodium. Perhaps the most misleadingly named dish in America: A dozen crunchy tacos from Taco Bell will saddle you with fewer
calories.

5: Worst pizza - Uno Chicago Grill, Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza. 2,310 calories, 162 g fat, 123 g carbs, 4,470 mg sodium.
Downing this 'personal' pizza is equivalent to eating 18 slices of Domino's Crunchy Thin Crust cheese pizza.

4: Worst pasta - Macaroni Grill Spaghetti and Meatballs with Meat Sauce. 2,430 calories, 128 g fat, 207 g carbs, 5,290 mg sodium. This meal satisfied your calorie requirements for an entire day.

3: Worst nachos - On the Border Stacked Border Nachos. 2,740 calories, 166 g fat, 191 g carbs, 5,280 sodium.

2: Worst starter - Chili's Awesome Blossom. 2,710 calories, 203 g fat, 194 g carbs, 6,360 mg sodium.

1: The worst food in America - Outback Steakhouse Aussie Cheese Fries with Ranch Dressing. 2,900 calories, 182 g fat, 240g carbs.

Even if you split these 'starters' with three friends, you'll have downed a dinner's worth of calories before you entree arrives. Guess, I better start eating something else or.... I could split it with more friends! :-)

Til next time....

The Lazy Lifter

A member of our community center approached me the other day to complain about the layout of the gym and the position of the weight stacks.

After having a discussion with him, his real problem was that the weight tree housing the 45-pound weights was a little too far from his favorite machine - the leg press. He was unhappy that he would now have to exert himself by carrying the 45-pound weights further to put them away. (the weight tree is about 6 feet away)

Isn't that the point? Exertion....

If this is his approach when he's in the gym, I can only imagine what he's doing (or not doing) outside of the gym.

So what's your viewpoint and approach towards your own goals? Trying to lose weight, gain muscle, or otherwise improve yourself by using the path of least resistance won't work terribly well for terribly long, and pushing yourself in the gym but not following that approach throughout the rest of your day will basically get you...terrible results.

Your goals won't be achieved just because you showed up: they take hard work and effort in every aspect of your day...And that really is the point.

Til next time....