Stupid Things I Have Done in the Name of Fitness

Reader Sarah asked an interesting question in the comments the other day. Actually, she asked me three questions but it was the last one that made me realize she is truly my soul sister of fitness fanaticism. Sarah writes: 1)What are your favorite foods/things you eat everyday? 2)Do you count calories? 3)Do you suppose I …

The Strength Training Wars: Pilates vs. Kettlebells

Branching out beyond the adorable-yet-small-thinking tiny tots with their eyes all aglow crowd, Santa Claus made a pit stop at the YMCA this year. In an effort to reach an older and more lucrative crowd, while coal was not on the agenda – although I’m sure the resourceful and charitable Y folk would have found …

Biggest Loser Trainers Reinforce Gender Stereotypes – Antidepressant Sales Skyrocket

Click image to enlarge What’s wrong with this picture? The obvious answer, thanks to my Perez-style arrows (which is why you will never have to worry about me photoshopping anything on this site), is that this “health” segment on Oprah’s website is sponsored by Hersheys. Not that there is anything wrong with a little chocolate …

The Bad Side Effect of Exercise That No One Talks About

Sweat. Expended energy. Stress relief. Weight loss. Heart health. Friend time. Or alone time. An excuse to wear the ridiculously cute new workout duds from Nike Dance Line. I mean, really, what’s not to love about working out? Well, there is one part of you that doesn’t appreciate your dedication to exercise – and I’m …

When Religion and Exercise Collide

Scenario 1: At my oldest son’s swimming lesson recently the teacher, par for the first day, had all the kids line up next to the pool. It became apparent that one little girl, a devout Muslim as indicated by her abaya (a long black robe that covered her to her wrists and ankles) and hijab …

January’s Great Fitness Experiment: The Lose 10 Pounds Diet

Reader Maggie made an astute observation in her comment on my post “Can You Be Too Old To Exercise?” Smart girl, she writes: […] it really bothers me when a fitness magazine has an article about loving yourself and your body the way you are… and on the next page there’s an article telling you …

Life Lessons I Have Learned From Karate

Karate surprised me. As you may recall, I informed Sensei Don at the beginning of the Experiment that I was less interested in the mental aspects of Karate and more interested in the killing people. He was kind enough to tell me some things about the more lethal aspects but also gently guided me back …

Dance Cardio is the Fitness Trend of 2009

Yep, that’s a wee me being leap-frogged by one of my hyperactive dance partners from the Lindy Hop team. Good times. Attention all nether rock dwellers: You might not have heard but we’re in a recession. And the long arm of the recession has been particularly tough on the fitness industry. Gym memberships are down, …

Your Ideal Time of Day to Workout

Got Milk? Ahem. It’s one of the most hotly debated and simultaneously inane topics in fitness: What time of day is the best time to workout? For most people existing in the normal sphere, the answer aligns with Columbia University’s ask-me-your-most-embarrassing-questions provocateur Go Ask Alice. In addition to having her to thank for filling in …