Leading Fitness Experts Give The Gift Of Health To World With Biggest Ever Health and Fitness Giveaway This Festive Season

On Wednesday, December 10, Dax Moy and over 250 of the world’s top fitness professionals will open the doors on the World’s largest ever health and fitness gift-giving, set to generate positive health for over 500,000 people this Christmas. 

The program, called ’12 days of fitness’ initially began when the UK’s leading fitness professional, Dax Moy, wanted to express his gratitude to his clients and offered them a gift a day for 12 consecutive days as his twist of the 12 Days of Christmas.

Last year Moy shared this idea with fellow fitness professional Pat Rigsby and they expanded the 12 Days of Fitness to include not only their own clients but to the world at large and gave fitness gifts to over 200,000 people who signed up at the site at http://www.12daysoffitness.com.

This year, with the help of 250 of the world’s top personal trainers, nutritionists, therapists and specialist fitness experts, the 12 days of fitness is set to become the biggest fitness gift giveaway in history with expected downloads of over 500,000 between the 10th and 22nd of December. “There’s never been another health event like this, where so many people stand to benefit from the expertise of true professionals for free” says Moy who has been working flat out to make this year’s 12 days a success.

“Fitness professionals from around the globe have contributed hundreds of e-books, reports, videos, meal plans and other free gifts in their hope of making 2009 the year that anyone, regardless or their location, financial situation or past failures, can finally reach their fitness goals and make those New Year’s Resolutions a reality once and for all.”

Perhaps the best part of the 12 Days of Fitness giveaway is that regardless of a persons health or fitness goals, there are going to be gifts specifically designed to help them achieve success.

“We’ve received gifts designed for busy mom’s, elite athletes, bodybuilders, back pain sufferers and pretty much anyone else you can imagine covering everything from fat loss to rehabilitation and everything in between.

There literally will be something for everyone this year and all of it free, making it, without a doubt, one of the most important gifts anyone will receive this year. After all, what’s more important than health?”

The 12 days of gift giving starts December 10th but those interested are urged to visit http://www.12daysoffitness.com right away to sign up for their free gifts.

Once enrolled, participants will get a daily email telling them how to access each of the new gifts that are being added each day as well as a reminder on how to access previous gifts.

To guarantee a healthy start to 2009, simply visit http://www.12daysoffitness.com today.

Have you seen the latest commercial actually DEFENDING the consumption of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)? The commercial starts with a friend offering another friend a popsicle or a glass of red fruit punch. The friend hesitates, and with a horrified look on their face sputters something about how they just can’t because of the HFCS. When the other person presses further about it, the friend admits they can’t come up with a convincing rebuttal and relents to the sugary snack. Let me tell you something:

FRIENDS DON’T LET FRIENDS CONSUME HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP!

How this can be responsible advertising is beyond me but it is no surprise that it is sponsored by the Corn Refiners Association. Do you think they are feeling the squeeze on the bad press around HFCS lately??

In conjunction with Craig Ballantyne’s Turbulence Training Transformation Contest (http://transformationcontest.com/twitter/) I have decided to limit my consumption of HFCS. Not an easy task. HFCS is everywhere. It’s in bread, yogurt, cereal, soup, canned fruit with syrup, granola, jams, ketchup, soda drinks, sports drinks and of course in cakes and cookies. I decided to do some research regarding HFCS. And I took a good look at the Corn Refiner’s Association website that is promoting the consumption of HFCS. Here are my findings:

HFCS is very easy and very cheap to produce, which means lower costs and higher profits for food producers. HFCS is produced by processing corn starch to yield glucose, and then processing the glucose to produce a high percentage of fructose, the sugar found in fruit. So it sounds like HFCS should be as good for you as fruit, right? Wrong! The fructose found in fruit has natural fiber that feeds the beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract. HFCS does not have the natural fiber that helps to slow down digestion and feed the beneficial bacteria. With HFCS only the harmful bacteria gets fed and gastric distress is the inevitable result in the form of indigestion, acid reflux, and irritable bowel syndrome. “Here, my friend! Have a glass of irritable bowel syndrome! The bathroom is down the hall on the right!”

Since the chemical composition is different, the body processes the fructose in HFCS differently than it does regular cane or beet sugar. The hormones that regulate the body’s metabolism are altered. Leptin and insulin are two hormones that the body produces to signal the brain to decrease appetite and control body weight. Unfortunately, while HFCS forces more fat into the bloodstream via the liver, it does not stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin or the body’s fat cells to produce leptin. At the same time, HFCS, like trans fats, does not suppress the production of ghrelin, a hormone that increases hunger and appetite. The end result is that the body is tricked into still feeling hungry even while it continues to store more fat.

And does anyone know what happens when your body has a diminished production of insulin? It’s called diabetes.

So what is a person to do? Just to be clear, I’m not only picking on HFCS. Sugar is also one of the culprits for the country’s rise of obesity as well as other health problems. Therefore, I believe that all sugar should be limited in your diet. You are probably thinking that sugar is more prevalent in our diet than even HFCS. Sound impossible to do? The key is balance. Small changes and substitutions can make a big difference. Eating one cookie probably won’t cause adverse effects. Eating a whole box will. Instead of reaching for a large piece of apple pie, eat a large apple instead. Much more satisfying and it will curb your hunger longer. And at your next cookout, instead of offering your friends soft drinks, show them the love by stocking a cooler full of refreshing bottles of water. Schedule activities like volleyball games, frisbee or play tag with the kids. You will be helping everyone live a more healthy and active life, improving the quantity as well as the quality of their time here on earth.

After all, what are friends for?

50 Ways to Cut 100 Calories

Ok, you’ve recorded your meals for the last few days and have decided you need to cut calories. Where do you start? Relax! You don’t need to feel deprived or overwhelmed. Small changes can bring you big results. Start with simple substitutions and practice portion control at each meal. You’ll see that it’s painless and relatively simple to reduce daily calories and start a healthy eating plan for life! Here are 50 ways to cut 100 calories at any meal.

Beverages

1. Split a 20 oz. bottle of regular soda with a friend. Save 120 calories!
2. Drink 1 cup of diet soda instead of 1 cup of regular soda. Save 97 calories!
3. Swap a 12-oz. glass of whole milk for skim milk. Save 96 calories!
4. Drink two 12-oz. light beers this weekend instead of two regular beers. Save 100 calories!
5. Instead of 1 cup of prepared lemonade, try 1 cup of a sugar free variety. Save 103 calories!
6. Eat a medium orange instead of drinking 12 oz. of fresh orange juice. Save 106 calories!
7. Prepare your coffee with 4 oz. of fat-free half and half instead of regular half and half. Save 88 calories!
8. Enjoy 5 oz. of chocolate milk instead of 5 oz. of a chocolate milkshake Save 110 calories!

Breakfast

9. Spread your whole grain waffles with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup instead of 1 tablespoon of margarine or butter. Save 110 calories!
10. Top your whole grain bagel with 1.5 oz of fat-free cream cheese in lieu of regular. Save 108 calories!
11. Try 1 oz. of maple turkey bacon instead of maple (pork) bacon. Save 118 calories!
12. Ditch the glazed donut and eat a bagel instead. Save 93 calories!
13. Eat 3/4 cup oatmeal instead of a 1-1/2 cups of oatmeal. Save 97 calories!
14. Substitute 3 oz. of turkey sausage for a serving of pork sausage. Save 120 calories!
15. Grab a small bagel instead of a medium bagel. Save 99 calories!

Snacks and Sides

16. Dip 1 cup celery into your favorite salsa or hummus instead of 1 oz. of tortilla chips. Save 125 calories!
17. Eat an entire medium apple instead of a small (5 oz.) candy apple. Save 118 calories!
18. Snack on 1 oz. of baked potato chips instead of regular chips. Save 90 calories!
19. Better yet, eat 2 oz. pretzels instead of the same size portion of potato chips. Save 94 calories!
20. Bake 2 oz of oven fries in lieu of 2 oz. of fast food fries. Save 88 calories!
21. Forgo a 6-oz portion of potato chips and nosh on 6 oz. of tortilla chips instead. Save 96 calories!
22. Say no to 1 oz of deep-fried onion rings and instead enjoy 1 oz. of grilled onions with your meal. Save 92 calories!
23. Try 1.5 oz. of fresh grapes instead of 1.5 oz. of raisins. Save 98 calories!
24. Enjoy a healthy 8-oz. baked potato instead of 8 oz. of French fries. Save 104 calories!
25. Choose 3 oz. of mozzarella cheese for your sandwich instead of Swiss cheese. Save 108 calories!
26. Swap 1 cup of canned pineapple in heavy syrup for crushed pineapple in water. Save 119 calories!

Lunch and Dinner

27. Cut a 6 oz. steak in half and take the other portion home for another meal. Save 111 calories!
28. Order a skinless chicken breast instead of chicken with skin. Save 102 calories!
29. Substitute a fat-free beef hot dog for a regular beef hot dog. Save 104 calories!
30. Build a sandwich with 1.5 oz. of deli turkey breast instead of an equivalent of hard salami. Save 119 calories!
31. Instead of 6 oz. of crispy fried chicken with skin, eat 6 oz. baked chicken with skin. Save 102 calories!
32. Choose a slice of thin crust pizza over thick crust pizza. Save 106 calories!
33. Add vegetable toppings to your pizza order and say no to pepperoni. Save 100 calories!
34. Forget broccoli cheddar soup. A 7-oz portion of vegetable soup is better. Save 119 calories!
35. Enjoy 12 oz of steamed rice (choose brown rice when possible) as an alternative to fried rice. Save 96 calories!
36. Unwrap your 13-inch tortilla wrap and make a sandwich on a 3-oz. whole grain bagel instead. Save 96 calories!
37. Eat only half of your hamburger or sandwich bun. Save 100 calories!

Condiments and Sauces

38. Dip your salad in a side of ranch dressing (2 tsp.) instead of pouring 2 Tbsp of dressing on the salad. Save 97 calories!
39. Skip the 5 oz. of Alfredo sauce and eat a whopping 7 oz. of marinara sauce. Save 129 calories!
40. Add flavor to vegetables with 3 oz. of hot sauce—not 1 oz of bleu cheese dressing. Save 117 calories!
41. Top your salad with 1.5 oz. reduced-fat Italian dressing instead of regular. Save 96 calories!
42. Try either cheese or croutons on your salad—not both Save 72-116 calories!
43. Instead of 3 oz. of regular sour cream, use a fat-free variety. Save 120 calories!
44. Use 2 Tbsp reduced-fat light mayonnaise instead of regular mayonnaise. Save 102 calories!

Sweets and Desserts

45. Serve ice cream in a dish instead of a waffle cone. Save 121 calories!
46. Try a healthier peanut granola bar instead of a peanut candy bar. Save 94 calories!
47. Finish dinner with 1 cup of low-fat frozen yogurt instead of regular ice cream. Save 121 calories!
48. Substitute 5 oz. of apple pie, with 5 oz. of baked apple crisp. Save 85 calories!
49. Instead of 4 oz. of regular chocolate pudding, enjoy a sugar-free portion. Save 92 calories!
50. Leave that 1/2 cup of strawberry ice cream in the freezer. Enjoy 1/2 cup of fresh strawberries topped with 2 Tbsp of fat-free whipped cream as an alternative. Save 102 calories!

Share some of your ways to effortlessly cut calories!

This is the first day of the Twitter Turbulence Training 4-week Transformation Contest. Thanks to Craig Ballantyne, a few of us on Twitter are gathering together to lose weight, tone up, and transform our bodies. Follow my progress on my blog: http://fbwtwitterttcontest.wordpress.com

I totally ROCKED my Toastmaster’s speech today. I was uber-prepared. Too much fun. Here it is:

“Every day, people settle for less than they deserve. They are only partially living or at best living a partial life. Every human being has the potential for greatness.”

Does anyone know where this quote comes from? It actually comes from the Hi-Lit Toastmasters Club website. This quote has prompted me to talk to you today about the people who inspire me. My goal is that at the end of 4-6 minutes, you will not only learn a little bit about me but also learn a little bit about others, as well as yourselves.

Many people may say that athletes, rock stars, and movie stars are very inspiring. After all, they are on TV, their every move is scrutinized, their pictures (and pictures of their babies) and sold for millions of dollars. They’re FAMOUS! However, most are very badly behaved. Yes, some are talented and are doing great philanthropic duties. But they are also getting paid an insane amount of money for entertaining us for a couple of hours on a big screen. And while I have nothing against organized sports, athletes who get paid zillions of dollars to play a game don’t really encourage me to go out and change the world.

Ordinary people who achieve extraordinary things. These are the people who inspire me. Ordinary people who have a burning desire to make a difference in the world. Whether it’s striving to be the best parent they possibly can to their kids, making a difference in a student’s life, or taking a pledge to serve and protect and carry OUT those actions consistently, day by day, year after year, unfailing in their efforts, these are the people who inspire me.

I received an email recently from my girlfriend. She was employed by a great company for 11 years, a job that she thoroughly enjoyed. She also did some motivational speaking on the side. She continued to accomplish both jobs for a time. Now she has decided to quit her job and pursue her passion of speaking to groups of women to inspire and motivate them to be their personal best. Yes, it’s a risk, and yes, she is scared. But she’s still doing it. And she’s making a difference.

Tara is the perfect example of how achieving extraordinary things sometimes means getting out your comfort zone. Doing the same thing over and over again will give you the same results you’ve always had. But following the road less traveled, or blazing your OWN trail, takes guts, and the outcome can be extraordinary.

Each one of you here in front of me inspires me. Every other week, you reach out of your comfort zone to give a speech or fulfill a specific role. Yes, you may screw up, but you get up and speak anyway. And you come back and do it again and again and again. You are reaching out of your comfort zone….and getting better and better and better. YOU inspire me.

Dick and Rick Hoyt are a father-and-son team from Massachusetts who together compete just about continuously in marathon races. And if they’re not in a marathon they are in a triathlon — that daunting, almost superhuman, combination of 26.2 miles of running, 112 miles of bicycling, and 2.4 miles of swimming. Together they have climbed mountains, and once trekked 3,735 miles across America.

It’s a remarkable record of exertion — all the more so when you consider that Rick can’t walk or talk.

For the past twenty five years or more Dick, who is 65, has pushed and pulled his son across the country and over hundreds of finish lines. When Dick runs, Rick is in a wheelchair that Dick is pushing. When Dick cycles, Rick is in the seat-pod from his wheelchair, attached to the front of the bike. When Dick swims, Rick is in a small but heavy, firmly stabilized boat being pulled by Dick.

Ordinary people achieving extraordinary things. Like the single mom who endured a neglectful childhood, chronic illness, two failed marriages, bankruptcy, an abusive relationship, clinical depression, and countless struggles only to persevere and rise above even stronger. She is now employed full-time in the finance field, is also a certified personal trainer with her own successful fitness boot camp business, and is currently creating a website to inspire, motivate, and educate busy professional women how to slow down and take care of themselves through fitness, nutrition, and general health and wellness. Not only that, but I have also raised two incredible young women essentially by myself.

That single mom stands before you today, a much more confident person, and challenges you to keep reaching out of your comfort zone to make the world a better place. Impact the world by inspiring yourself.

DO EXTRAORDINARY THINGS.

We are headed to Key Lime Cove Resort in Gurnee, Illinois today. It’s the perfect distance for a “stay-cation”….close enough where we can go home and feed and take the dogs out without having to board them at doggy day care. We can pack some food, some DVDs, and some books from home to bring with us. If we forget anything, we can come back and get it. But we really hope to keep the traveling back home to a minimum. As this is really the only “get-away” that we will be getting until school starts again next week (already??!) we want to truly feel as if we are really on vacation, really live it up, and really take advantage of the time to relax, reconnect, and have some FUN. Even for just one night, it’s going to be nice to play, swim, shop, and just hang out with the kids. No work, no computers, no deadlines, no worries. Unplug for 24 hours. Now that sounds like heaven….but still just 10 minutes from home.  What can you do to unplug this weekend? Even if you don’t have 24-hours, think about what you can do for an afternoon, an hour, a few minutes that will enrich your life RIGHT NOW. Those few minutes could just be what you need to start the week off refreshed and rejuvenated.

Check it out: http://www.keylimecove.com

 I went to see my trainer this morning. Ben (www.bewellfitness.com) has been a good friend of mine for years and has recently been instrumental in helping me get out of this 6+ month rut. I’ve never had a personal trainer myself so this was an eye-opener! Now I know firsthand how my clients feel…

So was it hard to get the lead out and get back into a routine again? Yes! The first week or so I was sore all over, and it took all the motivation I had to get out of bed to meet him first thing in the morning. But it also inspired me to work harder, work out on the days that I don’t train with him, and do the “homework” (i.e. corrective exercises) that he assigns me. I am also eating better. I’m more conscious in choosing foods that will fuel my body to endure the intense workouts and I’m staying away from those that just make me feel sluggish and tired.

So how do I feel? I feel AWESOME! Ben and I both agree that the scale is not the best indicator of success. But my jeans are fitting better, I’m getting more muscle tone, sleeping better, and I feel GREAT. I’m also making great improvement and busting through my goals. How great is that?!

Yep, even us trainers can go through times of weakness, times of not eating what we should and not moving as often as we should. We’re not perfect. Far from it. Life happens and we allow things to get in the way of our goals. We totally understand.

But when you decide to make that step to finally invest in yourself, that’s when amazing things will happen. Whether you hire or trainer or not, your training session may be the hardest thing you do all day. But when you’re done, you know that you have made a positive change in your life, completed a huge accomplishment, and are steps closer to your goal.  And that’s the best feeling in the world.

Work Hard. Play Hard. Be Fit.

 Today my friend and I took the afternoon off work to go visit another friend who is currently on maternity leave. As luck would have it, she also has a pool in her backyard! We had a wonderful lunch catching her up on all the company gossip. As the baby napped, we relaxed in the pool and laughed at her crazy dog. It was so nice to just relax and chat with friends for awhile. It’s so important to take advantage of these opportunities….step away from the office for a bit to visit a friend, create some downtime for yourself, and just be present. I am now more refreshed and feel much more balanced. These times don’t come around often. Grab them when you can.

I read a great book this week called “Eat That Frog!” by Brian Tracy. It was a quick read and although the information was really nothing new, it was presented in a very refreshing way and outlined many tactics to put into action right away. Brian Tracy is a productivity expert who shows how to get things done without procrastinating. The title comes from the premise that if the first thing you do each day is eat a frog (gross), it will be the hardest thing you will do all day. Meaning, get the hardest and most important task of the day completed and you will be far more productive in getting the rest of your to-do list done. When you put his techniques to the test, they really do work…plus you feel a much greater sense of accomplishment. Tracy also covers tasks that perhaps you can outsource, or simply eliminate altogether. This was a great book worth reading! http://www.amazon.com/Eat-That-Frog-Great-Procrastinating/dp/1576754227/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216512288&sr=8-1