Posted October 31, 2007 
Comments(0) Yes - this is me 
Being a healthy dish for Halloween!
I brought sweet strawberries and fat free cream to the party I attended on Halloween.
(of course, I still had some chips, wine, and sugar that night too!)
Have a good one y’all!!!
Posted October 31, 2007 Comments(0) I received this little gem of advice today.
“Remember, good nutrition is all about making good choices in all situations - even on Halloween!”
Thanks for that. (eyes rolling)
Somebody needs to GET a DAMN life. Why is it that every fitness guru’s newsletter I subscribe to gives out this bogus, unrealistic advice? Not all of us want to eat, sleep and breath a plain chicken breast lifestyle? For god’s sake, give out some REAL tips on this day not just “avoid the candy and beer.”
How awful it must be to just workout, eat healthy, and never drink a beer, eat a piece of candy and miss out on life becuase you might miss a workout.
You’ll be the healthiest dead person I know.
Here’s to that advice and anything else like that I receive today on Halloween. 
My One Finger Salute to Piss Poor Fitness Advice
Posted October 31, 2007 Comments(0) 
This has nothing to do with this post. But ISN’T this dog adorable?!!>>!
For two seconds I was thinking of giving kids fruit for Halloween…afterall, candy really IS NOT that good for you. When I was little it was a game to see who can find the candy bag mom hid from us after Halloween. LOL!
Here’s some Fit thoughts about Halloween treats:
Halloween brings out the kid in all of us. It’s fun to get dressed up in a costume and parade around the neighborhood or go to a party. Treats are a part of the fun. However, treats don’t have to be sticky, gooey candy.
When gathering the treats you will offer this year think about some possible low- calorie, low-fat options.
Here are some ideas to get you started thinking:
You could also consider giving some non-food treats such as stickers, balloons, crayons, pencils, colored chalk, erasers, whistles, baseball cards, rubber spiders or worms. A friend of mine used to give nickels, in today’s economy that may need to be dimes. read more tips here.
mmmmm…I love these!
I gave a TON of these popcorn balls out last year!
Posted October 31, 2007 Comments(0) Well, not officially that is.
Since college bound student, Allison Stoke, picture was posted on an internet blog site a week ago, there has been tons of hits, tons of inquiries and lots of publicity for people trying to know more about ‘that girl.’
This shows how ANYONE can really become famous by a flick, click and hit of the media technology we have today.
So what draws people to her?
In my opinion, she’s exotic. She’s young. She’s fit. She’s the “All American Girl in the 21t century.”
And I think most people are tired of looking at celebrities.
At least I am.
I think she’s a beautiful role model for young women. She’s athletic, she has strong legs, she’s natural and she’s not some stick figure wanting to become a fashion model.
She’s Real…..now THAT’S the best part.
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Teen Tests Internet’s Lewd Track Record
California High Schooler Allison Stokke, 18, Becomes a Victim Of Unwanted Attention After Photo Is Posted on a Sports Blog
By Eli Saslow
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 29, 2007; Page A01
NORWALK, Calif. — Early this month, 18-year-old Allison Stokke walked into her high school track coach’s office and asked if he knew any reliable media consultants. Stokke had tired of constant phone calls, of relentless Internet attention, of interview requests from Boston to Brazil.
In her high school track and field career, Stokke had won a 2004 California state pole vaulting title, broken five national records and earned a scholarship to the University of California, yet only track devotees had noticed. Then, in early May, she received e-mails from friends who warned that a year-old picture of Stokke idly adjusting her hair at a track meet in New York had been plastered across the Internet. She had more than 1,000 new messages on her MySpace page. A three-minute video of Stokke standing against a wall and analyzing her performance at another meet had been posted on YouTube and viewed 150,000 times. read more here.
Wow! Check out her legs. Now I don’t feel so uncomfortable with my ass kicking legs
The picture that made her famous…
Posted October 31, 2007 Comments(0) 
“It doesn’t matter what you do for 45 minutes, it’s what you do the last three minutes.” - Mike James
Fitness Motivation:
When I used to train people I’d ask them to start performing an exercise like pushups or lunges and have them tell me when they reached a level 8 on a scale from 1-10 of perceived exertion.
At a level 8 you could probably perform about 5 more reps of what you are doing.
At that point, I challenge and TELL them to fork out 10 more.
10 more reps when you are already at a perceived exertion of 8.
Of course, after an angry look and a moment of perceived weakness…we push forward. And we finish it to the very end.
It is usually not the first 10 reps you CAN DO that counts in your training, it is the last 2 reps you thought you COULDN’T DO that makes or breaks not just your muscle fiber, but also your confidence and belief in your abilities.
It’s easy to love something, do something, train something…when it’s easy.
The testament of your character is if you still love something, do something and train something…when it’s hard.
Life and training are like mountains…you will rise and fall. That is natural.
So understand that in order to maintain momentum, you’ve got to give each day a little extra push.
Challenge yourself today and do a little bit more than what you did yesterday!
Posted October 30, 2007 Comments(0) Check out my newest column in Max Sports and Fitness!
Dance it Out!
Are you having fun working out yet?
NO! I’m serious. Are you having fun? Are you excited about moving, anticipating your next burn session and enthusiastic about exercising? If not, why not?
If you want to be fit and make this your lifestyle, then the number one way to be successful is to be good at what you do! All successful people are good at what they do. They find their niche and they excel in that direction. So if you want to excel in fitness, you must find what you are mentally and physically gifted in and capitalize on those strengths.
People with large, powerful bodies sometimes play football. People with have extraordinary eye-hand coordination often find their way to playing golf or tennis. Other people who enjoy dancing and music are like me! They love to move their body sexily to music and dance!
Last year at the annual International Health Racquet Sports Association (IHRSA), I attended a few dance classes including: Urban Strip Tease, Zumba and Salsa Dancing. Many of the classes focused on freedom of expression, loving your curves and empowering your body’s presence. Each 45 minute class burned approximately 400-500 calories! Not only was I enjoying the class but I was burning my lunch, you can’t get much better than that!
Here are my favorite dance classes of 2007!
Latin Dance: Zumba!
When I tried it last year at the IDEA Health and Fitness Convention in Las Vegas, I loved it! Inspired by his Latin roots in Columbia, “Beto” Perez created this new, aerobic dance workout in 1999. Since then, fast tempo moves, shaking hips and Latin flare has influenced not only our workouts, but our sexy, workout clothing too!
Striptease: The “S” Factor
My friend, Minji Wong actually bought a pole after becoming a committed student of Sheila Kelley’s “S” Factor. After watching her utilize her core, her back strength and her body’s grace liberating on a simple pole, I was absolutely fascinated! Creator, Sheila Kelley, both focused on the basic moves of strip tease. Her classes focus on empowering females by feeling the sensual power of their body through movement.
Indian Dance: Bhangra
When I was a Fitness Manager, one of our most popular classes was Bhangra! Whenever class was in session the entire club was energized by vivacious Indian beats and buoyant dance moves. Popularized by FIT TV’s, Sarina Jain, this class was formulated from an Indian folk dance from Punjab, India, and has now become the Indian Dance Workout of the western hemisphere!
African Dance: World Dance Groove
I was recently given a DVD gift from the creator of World Dance Groove, Joey L. Dowdy, and have exercised to his dance routine a many times since then. His moves focuses on incorporating the mind-body-spirit in a sensually, moderately slow dance moves to the background of African beats.
Solo Dance: THE FUN Factor!
This is the spontaneous, hip hop dance I individually perform when one of my favorite Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson or Britney Spears songs comes on the air. It doesn’t matter where you are, you get up and dance! That extra 4 minutes of movement burns 30-40 calories! You do this sporadically 5 times throughout the day and you burn 150-200 calories just being a dork!
Dancing is one of the most primordial forms of female movement. We have used it to attract male partners, celebrate life events or come ‘into age’ as a woman. Swaying our hips, tapping our feet and flexing our limbs are all part of our in-born, feminine nature. If you want an alternative to boring workouts, go back to your womanly roots and dance!
That’s me!
Posted October 30, 2007 Comments(0) Check out some of my favorite blogs!
Here is my rundown on comments for these:
- I think routine is king (or queen) when trying to lose weight!
- Since the FDA approved eating cloned animals I have been skeptical about that organization
- I check food labels aaallll the time. I especially look for fiber
- Running shoes…my next pair will be black Nikes!
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Get up at the same time each day = more fat loss
Getting up at the same time every morning is an essential part of keeping your body’s rhythms regular and a high metabolism, regardless of your athletic goal. Your body functions best when it is on a schedule of regular sleeping, eating, and activity patterns. read more here…
get up! get up! get up!
Avoid Common Fitness Mistakes.
Don’t set lofty goals: Losing 30 pounds by the end of the month or being able to bench 300 pounds when you have never lifted weights is just not reasonable. If you set your goals too high, you’re setting yourself y goals are too lofty, it will set you up for disappointment.
Don’t omit stretching: Many exercisers, particularly younger people, do not think they need to stretch before and after working out. However, it is a key component to your fitness success. If you do not stretch as a warm-up before beginning your workout routine, you will be very prone to injuries. Basic stretches will get your muscles ready for the workout and then relax them as you cool down. read more here.
avoid the mistakes… ;-(
Natural Products Association Submits comment to FDA.
The Natural Products Association submitted comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) surrounding the use of, and forthcoming guidance regarding the Interim Final Rule (IFR) as it relates to the cGMPs.
“Submitting a petition to request an exemption from 100 percent identity testing of a dietary ingredient is not something that should be taken lightly, nor should such exemption be granted without exhaustive demonstration of both the supplier’s or vendor’s and manufacturer’s quality system. Specifically, knowledge of a given firm’s operating procedures could be used to provide such assurances comparable to 100 percent identity testing,” said Daniel Fabricant, Ph.D., vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs at the association. read more here.
I don’t believe anything they approve anymore.
How to read food labels.
Just about every packaged food made in the U.S. has a food label indicating serving size and other nutritional information. The “nutrition Facts” food labels are intended to give you information about the specific packaged food in question. Measurements of fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, protein, vitamins, and minerals are calculated for a “typical portion.”
It is a good idea to review and read most foods and beverages labels until you get a feel for what makes up your foods of choice. You will probable even change and decide on different fuels (foods) after learning what is really in your foods. read more here.
do you know how to read fitness? 
Why you need great (not good) running shoes.
The first thing I look at when a client tells me that running hurts their shins or knees is their shoes.
How old are the shoes?
Are they really running shoes?
How did they pick the pair they are wearing?
Usually they are wearing some 10 year old Reebok sneaker that hasn’t seen the light of day in years. Why is it that we can spend hundreds of dollars on our hair, make-up, or dress shoes but when it comes to running shoes we rely on the sale aisle at Kohl’s? You cannot skimp when it comes to your running shoe. This is the first point of contact between you and that pavement and you need to have a quality shoe to absorb the impact. read more here.
oh! the dilemma!
Posted October 30, 2007 Comments(0) 
“It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through.” - Zig Ziglar
Fitness Motivation:
Character. Commitment. Discipline.
If you want to develop a strong body, you must first possess a strong mind that will manifest itself into the muscles, strength and vitality you want to create in your physical body.
What kind of fitness characteristics must you have?
Fitness Character: to honor, respect and revere your body as a temple.
Fitness Commitment: the desire to do ‘whatever it takes’ to maintain a healthy and fit physique.
Fitness Discipline: the ability to follow through on both easy and difficult physical tasks in an effort to match your character and your commitment with your personal life goals.
Remember those 3 words today and understand that in order to become something, you must first believe you already are ‘that’ something.
Happy Tuesday y’all!
Posted October 30, 2007 Comments(0) 
“Who really wants to be the Scrooge who ruins the holiday for kids by handing out nutritionally smart treats?” - Clark Howard
I’ve always been impressed with those who could turn down Halloween candy. It never came easy to me and I have marveled any times when others seem to say ‘no thanks’ so effortlessly. Then, I figured out their secret…
For starters, it seems like this is the beginning of the season when every fitness personality, myself included, starts to give you all sorts of advice about the holiday season. Motivation
tips, ways to avoid overeating, secret cardio tricks or tells you flat out…
The SECRET to avoiding the candy rush is simply to say “no.”
Frankly, that’s fine for somebody who doesn’t drink, always thinks about bodybuilding, eats plain chicken day after day and is Mr/Ms. Fit but for the rest of us…
We need some REAL solutions and within reason.
On October 31, 2007 in the United States, it will be Halloween and I for one will have some candy!
::: The Secrets to Halloween Candy :::
1. Just Say No
How unrealistic is this but I had to start with it. Just say no. Pass it up. If you can that’s the best solution.
2. Time the Candy
Halloween candy usually starts a day or two before the actual event, you go shopping for it or you go last minute and grab some bags depending on the neighborhood. Your best bet for these few days is to NEVER skip a meal. The more full you can get, the less desire you’ll have to fill up on sugar. If you need your candy, then make it a desert, and AFTER the meal treat and not before. This ensures you’ll be full before you start to eat any and you are not as likely to ruin a meal by indulging in candy before hand.
3. Purchase “Healthy Alternatives”
A recent Los Angeles Times article reported a growing trend in healthy Halloween candy. Some items like little pretzel snacks, Teddy Grahams and even packets of carrots are making an appearance. But first a warning…
If you go this route, I’ve been told by local teenagers that your house will be avoided as word of mouth news makes the round or worse yet, people might egg your house. A little harsh I’d say.
4. Buy the Kind You Hate
This came as a tip from my own wife. Our son was off to a Friday night local party and she bought a bag of Skittles. She didn’t like Skittles so there was no temptation for her to eat
them while they sat in the garage. If you have a lot of kids in the neighborhood and you want to hand out candy, purchase the kind you don’t like. It’s less likely you’ll want to overeat candy you hate.
5. Be Picky
Most likely you’ll have many options for a wide variety of candy. Especially if you are at a Halloween party. In this case, be picky. Only eat what you like and keep the intake
within reason.
6. Avoid Excessive Alcohol
Why? Now I’m saying you can’t have a glass of wine or a beer? Nope not at all. But excessive alcohol will lead to reduced will-power. And with quick snacks about, you are more likely to make poor choices. You’ll spike your blood sugar which will lead to increased hunger and more poor choices. It’s like a vicious circle. Keep one or the other in check. It’s deadly to do both.
Here’s my favorite little known and never discussed secret about simple sugars… This little gem came from an interview I did with Jeff Anderson.
7. The Absolute Best Time to Eat Candy
Is there really such a time? Because today alone I’ve received several newsletters telling me that going to the gym before or after isn’t the way to go. Those guys are wrong because they are WAY to professional to tell you the alternatives. Not to mention, they feel obligated to always be the role model. Anyway, I’m a real person with real needs and I slip up. They don’t.. but I do so I know what it’s like.
AFTER an intense weight workout what does everybody recommend?
Simple carbs! They do this because your muscles have been depleted of glycogen and need simple sugars to get your short term energy reserves back to normal.
Now I’m not saying to eat the bag or grab a handful of candy but I am saying…
1- Weight Training
2- Get your protein
3- Eat your candy
Marc’s Guilty Comment: Look, I want to be professional to, so I will be honest and say I’m not telling you to eat candy as a good post-workout alternative. I’m just saying that IF you need to eat candy on Halloween, you can offset some of the ‘bad’ things if you hit the gym first and use your candy carvings as a simple sugar carb replacement taking into account for the additional calories.
Weight training, not cardio, is what you want because with cardio, you’ll just burn fat. You want to burn out your short term energy stores in order for this “have your cake and eat it too” trick to work.
That tip is going to be me some hate mail but you know what? I know living a healthy lifestyle is hard. Making choices about food every single day is annoying. Everybody is giving you the golden tips and for many, they work. But those are the people who are so determined it simply doesn’t much matter.
For the rest of us who do quite well but occasionally slip up, nobody is catering to us except my friend Jeff Anderson.
Jeff Anderson, better known as the Muscle Nerd, gave me that tip in an interview I did with him. And you can listen to the whole thing, that tip and a heck of lot more. Listen on the computer or download the MP3 file and listen later.
So no matter what Halloween, Thanksgiving, or even the earliest of Christmas parties throws at you, the Optimum Anabolics workouts will help put those calories in the right place. You’ll build muscle and burn fat.
Click here to get the interview I did with Jeff Anderson
Posted October 29, 2007 Comments(0) While this site IS about fitness…it is also about understanding what FITNESS MEANS.
It doesn’t mean skinny models, lean fitness competitors, or strong athletes.
It means a balance between your body, mind and spirit.
It means understanding the transferring of energy you ingest and energy your dispel.
It means knowing yourself through challenging your perceived physical limits.
It means finding who you are in the essence of developing your best physical self.
I am a recovering Bulimic. I will always be a recovering Bulimic. The word ‘fitness’ has continued to redefine itself many times over in my life. I recently received a heartfelt email from someone suffering from an eating disorder. In her letter, she quoted one of my most popular journal entries written last year:
“For years I suffered from an intimate disease that mentally, physically and spiritually drained me. It was a robotic even programmed act I performed 6-10 times a week for years. You lose yourself…you lose your ‘conscious’ self - for everything I was, and everything I ever stood for, no longer represented ‘me’ at that moment in time.
I honestly lost myself…I couldn’t hold down the tiniest morsel of food - I just wanted it ‘out’ of me because I felt so ‘empty’ - it’s this moment of truth when you realize that it doesn’t matter what you own, what you do, or what you look like…you could still ‘feel’ like you have nothing at all.
I am crying right now because I know how hard it is to look towards the future and be positive…to be in the present, and try not to let the shame of your past define you…
Today I value every small and big gift each day presents because I know how it feels like to die slowly -
Whenever you become passive and allow the world to define you - when you measure your personal value in the physical realm…you start to die…Living by made-up, human rules is no way to live. At that point, you don’t own you…negative ideas and fake images influences and direct your decisions, your actions and your worth and therefore, ‘it’ owns you….and you eventually become ‘lost’.” - Maria Kang
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While I will not share her email, I will share my response to her challenges….
Dear ________,
I will start adding you to my morning prayer. While I am saddened you are experiencing a very challenging disorder, I also know that you WILL overcome it, and you will BECOME stronger and wiser in this process.
God will never make a mountain we cannot climb.
In my struggle, I realized that there was a reason why I was chosen to battle this…for you have to look at an ED or any life adversity in that way. You have to OWN IT…
I regressed every weekend for 3 years! I realized I had a serious problem after 3 months…then when I was still having episodes 6 months later it became a bigger problem…after a year, it became a part of me…and the years after that I was living through a mental hell.
I never NOT thought about my problem in the years I battled it. It sticks with you. And it drains you.
My biggest advice is to pray. Pray for guidance and become more acquainted with your spiritual self. There is a deep rooted reason why you have a CONTROL issue. It is manifested in your actions today and sowed from emotional experiences of the past.
I suggest you work with someone you trust. Start appreciating food and the energy it gives you. Food is not good or bad…it is meant to nurture your body..allow your organs to function, your body to dance…food is medicine.
Take it one step at a time and know that through mentorship, through becoming a role model, through developing your spiritual center and your relationship with God…that you can and WILL overcome this.
“Don’t tell God how big your problems are, tell your problems how BIG God is.” okay….remember that.
Please stay in touch and God Bless you today.
Maria
What does fitness mean to you?
There is no real definition - no real physical manifestation of what ‘health’ looks like. We are all created uniquely different and only YOU know when you are happy and balanced in mind-body-spirit.