Am I Really an Athlete?

Yesterday I took a trip to a physical therapist for the first time ever. I have a history of neck issues, and recently my lower back has been giving me trouble.

As I explained my symptoms and let him evaluate my posture, strength, balance, etc. he says:

We see this a lot with athletes. Especially runners.

Wha?

Wait. Hold the phone.

I know it sounds ridiculous from the outside looking in as I’ve been running now for almost 6 years, but I still have a hard time accepting this new identity I’ve created for myself.

Should I be able to confidently say…

I am a runner.

I am an athlete.

Really?

Me?

I can’t stress how foreign this still FEELS. I think it’s just hard to undo 20 years of self-inflicted brainwashing. I absorbed what people told me. I identified myself as chubby, lazy, unathletic. Skinny, active and confident was reserved for the lucky people, and I just wasn’t one of them.

You’d think the therapist’s words would be a boost to my confidence and ego, but unfortunately it had the opposite effect. I immediately started to feel like a fraud. I became insecure, questioning yet again who I was and whether I deserved his words.

To make matters worse, last night the CrossFit Games announced the first workout for the Open. I signed up to challenge myself, and challenge me it will. I’m not sure I’m going to survive the first round!

As I watched the woman in the demo last night, I was quite sure I made a huge mistake.

There’s no way.

No way.

Then, as if on autopilot, I went upstairs to go to bed. I scheduled my alarm for 5:30 a.m. Set out my workout clothes and crawled into bed.

This morning the alarm went off and I laid there for a minute as I always do before getting up. Then I brought my clothes into the bathroom, got dressed and brushed my teeth. I headed downstairs, grabbed a sweatshirt, my keys, phone and hopped in the car.

I arrived at the gym 5 minutes before class, chatted and then worked out withOUT an insecure thought in my mind.

I came home and did a few yoga poses.

The entire morning I was just in the moment.

I was doing what I do now, and it hit me,

My insecure thoughts don’t define who I am nor does anyone else’s perception.

The only thing that matters is what I do.

Consistently.

And I do what “athlete’s” do.

I guess there’s no denying it, huh?

View the original article here

How Old Are You REALLY?

While moping around the internet procrastinating work (actually, I’ve been uninspired but that’s another story) I stumbled across RealAge.com.

I’ve been intrigued by this site for years. I think I took my first test in my mid-twenties and my “real age” was over well over 30. It was depressing.

Over the next few years I took it a few more times and it was always told me I was a few years older then what I really was. Although, as I lost weight, changed my diet and got more active, the gap lessoned.

I really wish the site kept archives of past “real ages” because I’d love to see the progression but I can’t find any kind of history on the site.

Anyway, I decided to take the test again tonight and I was SHOCKED at the results…

For those that don’t know, I’m 35. That’s 8 years!

Insanity!

This was the boost I needed. A friendly reminder that the lifestyle I’m leading is worth every bit of hard work, time and compromise it takes.

After I took the test I checked out RunningInTheUSA.com and found a few races over the next few months and registered. Running is my Basketball. No more moping around feeling sorry for myself. If I can’t run, I’ll walk.

If you have an extra 10 minutes (the test is long) take the quiz. In my opinion, lowering that number is a much better goal then trying to beat the scale.

View the original article here

This Product’s Name Really Speaks To My Heart

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

View the original article here

True Balance Toning Shoes By New Balance: Should You Really Be Wearing These?

Why the hell is Frankie wearing women’s sports shoes? Emmm, because I forced it on his foot. He didn’t take too well to modeling feminine footwear, but at least he’s got himself a (living-breathing?) girlfriend.

I’ve never worn a pair of those unattractive, platform-ish, Frankenstein-looking toning shoes. I don’t care what they promised to tone. If they’re ugly with no style, I ain’t wearing. Then there’s that lady I saw with the Frankenstien toning shoes, shoving excess sammiches down her food trap at high speed. What’s the point of the shoes then?

So anyway, New Balance threw me a pair of their True Balance toning shoes to take for a spin. At first glance and even upon closer inspection, there’s really no way to tell these are toning shoes. True Balance is sleek and sexy looking with no platform. They’ve got style, people.

I’ve heard the toning shoe concept in general get a bad rap for causing soreness and stuff – even pain in some cases, so that made me a little skeptical. My feet, legs and ass are precious to me and I don’t want them screwed with. I also got feedback from some Yum Yucky peeps who have the actual True Balance shoes. Some loved them. Some couldn’t keep them on for too long because certain prior injuries made the shoes not good for their wearing.

Okay then. Now it’s my turn to try them on and formulate my thoughts to maybe recommend them (or not).

This is my foot in True Balance.

I gave myself a full month to test these out. My first wearing was on July 5th. I wore them several times per week, sometimes for up to 10 hours. I worked in them and shopped in them. The very first thing I noticed was the comfort. Ahhhh. The fabric is thick with a little bit of stretch. It hugs your foot, yet is not tight. They also fit true to size. I tend to have a semi-wide front part of the foot, but they still felt really good.

When you start walking, there’s a little extra squish and give in the heel compared to regular sneakers. This creates an environment of “controlled in-stability” (yes, I made up that scientific term). Over the first few days, the shoes made me very aware with almost every walking moment that this controlled in-stability was going on, but after those initial days it was a gravy train. My brain caught up to my feet and I got used to the shoe without thinking about it. It was fancy walking as usual.

This controlled in-stability caused me to feel my calf muscles working, I’d say, maybe 15-20% more.  So for me, yes, I felt some toning going on. Yet I didn’t feel any difference in my upper legs or booty muscles. I did notice, however that after about 9 hours of wearing, my feet would get a little more tired than usual. Not sore or in pain – just fatigued. But this could be a plus considering what True Balance is meant to do? I don’t really know, but I just stopped wearing them for longer than 9 hours and that fixed the tired problem.

I’ve come to this conclusion about True Balance toning shoes: If you have any type of foot, leg or hip problems, these probably aren’t for you. If you’re just starting out with fitness and have absolutely no prior lower body strength, toning or conditioning experience, you may need to get your body developed in those areas before walking in these long term. But! If you have generally healthy lower body parts and desire EXTREME comfort while giving your body a little extra challenge throughout the day, go snag yourself a pair or at least try them on in the store at the very minimum. They’re FREAKING COMFORTABLE!! The shoes retail for $89.99. I think they’re worth the price.

True Balance toning shoes are meant for walking. NOT running, skipping, slip-sliding, hiking, disco-dancing, tree climbing, mixed martial arts, break-dancing or any other extremer activities. But you could wear them while couch-azzing or just trying to look cute. Okay?

Read about True Balance toning technology here. And if you desire to eat sammiches while wearing the toning shoes, please limit yourself to one sammich. Sheesh.

View the original article here

Live Fat Die Young and leave a really big corpse - Refrigerator Magnets 7x2 in

Refrigerator magnet measures 7 x 2 inches. Spice up you fridge with our magnetic stickers!

Price:

Click here to buy from Amazon

Does drinking green tea really help promote <b>weight loss</b>? | <b>Weight</b> <b>...</b>

I work out 5-6 days a week ?nd ?l?? eat aptly ?nd ?m ?b??t 35lbs ?nt? m? weight loss goal. Still h??? ?b??t 35lbs t? g?. I w?? wondering ?f green tea really helps w?th weight loss ?r ?? th?t ???t one more weight loss claim th?t h?? n? proof. C?n anyone h?l? m? out?

Tags: drinking, green, Help, Loss, Promote, really, Weight

This entry was posted on Monday, March 14th, 2011 at 6:10 am and is filed under Weightloss Questions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

View the original article here

Chia Seed Weight Loss Claim: Can It Really Help You Lose Weight?

Chia Seed Weight Loss Claim: Can It Really Help You Lose Weight? HPFB.init();
HuffPost's QuickRead... ShareBox.ad = function (tag_id){if ($(tag_id) == undefined) return; if ($(tag_id).innerHTML != '') return;ad_spec = {"zone_info": "huffpost.health/news;health=1;entry_id=813098;chia-seed-weight-loss=1;chia-seed-weight-loss-claim=1;chia-seed-weight-loss-diet=1;weight-loss=1","ord": 1295929448,"tile": 3,"width": 300,"height": 250,"el_id": tag_id + "_js","class_name": "ad_block ad_wide top","type": "iframe"}HuffPoUtil.WEDGJE.write(ad_spec, tag_id);};Loading... HuffPost's QuickRead... Loading... Energy Debates| More... | LogoutLog In| Sign Up  The Huffington Post January 24, 2011 Front PagePoliticsBusinessMediaEntertainmentComedySportsStyle WorldGreen Food TravelTech LivingHealth Divorce Arts Books Religion Impact Education College NY LA Chicago Denver Blogs#ad_curtain {height:auto;margin:10px auto 0;width:938px}
Chia Seed Weight Loss Claim: Can It Really Help You Lose Weight?

Posted: 01/24/11 05:52 PM

Amazing
Inspiring
Funny
Scary
Hot
Crazy
Important
Weird
Read More:Chia Seed Weight Loss, Chia Seed Weight Loss Claim, Chia Seed Weight Loss Diet, Chia Seed Weight-Loss, Weight Loss, Health News#news_entries #ad_sharebox_260x60 img {padding:0px;margin:0px} share this storyGet Health AlertsSign UpSubmit this storydiggredditstumble

The New York Times :

Chia Pets -- those terra-cotta figurines that sprout fuzzy green hair -- made the chia plant a household name. But chia has gained an entirely new reputation as a diet supplement.

Read the whole story: The New York Times

Weight LossChia Pets -- those terra-cotta figurines that sprout fuzzy green hair -- made the chia plant a household name. But chia has gained an entirely new reputation as a diet supplement.Chia Pets -- those terra-cotta figurines that sprout fuzzy green hair -- made the chia plant a household name. But chia has gained an entirely new reputation as a diet supplement. Videos Web Images Loading... Loading... Around the Web:

Chia For Fatigue and Weight Loss / James Scheer's The Magic of Chia

Filed by Nicholas Miriello | Report Corrections What's Your Reaction? Amazing
Inspiring
Funny
Scary
Hot
Crazy
Important
Weird
More in Health...
'Bath Salts' A Growing Drug Problem, Officials...Jack LaLanne Dead: Fitness Guru Dies At...Marijuana Soft Drink: Medical 'Soda Pot' On...Best Skin Care: What's in That Cream...   Comments 1 Pending Comments 0 View FAQ Login or connect with: More Login OptionsLogin with: Google Account Huffpost Account Yahoo AccountYou must be logged in to comment.Post CommentPreview CommentTo reply to a Comment: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to.

Share your Comment:

Post to Facebook.Post to Blogger.Post to Twitter.Post to WordPress.Post to TypePad.Post to Tumblr.Post to Yahoo! View All Recency  |  Popularity mcscience   1 minute ago (10:42 PM) 0 Fans It's true. Not enough research has been done. But chia seed provides omega-3-fa­tty acids (not mentioned in the NYT article) and lots of soluble fiber. So it's gotta be good for you. For more informatio­n about chia seeds, and some recipe ideas, check out my website: www.chiati­vity.org mcscience: It's true. Not enough research has been done. But chia http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/mcscience/chia-seed-weight-loss_n_813098_75066633.html Permalink  | Share it     New comments on this entry — Click to refreshLoading comments… Follow Huffington Post Loading twitter module... Most Popular on HuffPostUDJsahspj1oD2dOLOtiwkRSkX%2FaHxrtC4wqmtS%2FhMJC2y%2FI3Cd4XtX1X8AjOYX6SmuiCtxuTbGdeE%2BChJwXU6w%3D%3DaMIsAVTRh0HKssi%2BVe8594bnftWI7dTz4uNfPhS6MguJypomGdHNw%2Fzx%2F5fff1RmEwSZClKyC17pKEx1DLT5gg%3D%3D1 of 2 Maddow, Bill Maher React To Olbermann's MSNBC Exit
Comments (3,401) Jennifer Aniston Nominated For WORST Actress Of The Year
Comments (774) Oprah's Family Secret REVEALED
Comments (1,105) America's Best New Sandwiches
Comments (164) Mitchell Bard A Tribute to Olbermann: Why He Is Different From the Pundits at Fox News
Comments (798) What's The Least You Can Believe And Still Be A Christian?
Comments (2,042) Porn Star Dies After Sixth Breast Enlargement Surgery
Comments (260) Olbermann Banned From TV In Exit Deal
Comments (3,817) 9 Great American Companies That Aren't Recovering
Comments (1,340) Don't Miss HuffPost Bloggers1 of 5Michael R. Bloomberg It’s Time to Fix Our Nation’s Broken Gun Background Check SystemDan Rather Help Wanted! -- (But Not Here)Damien Woody Being Injured During the PlayoffsHarry Shearer The President’s Panacea for Business Regs: The Cost-Benefit RatioSec. Kathleen Sebelius Health Care Repeal Will Raise Costs for FamiliesSteven Chu U.S.-China Clean Energy Cooperation Is Good for America and Good for the WorldRaffi The Right to a Future: We Need a New Lexicon for Conveying Climate CollapseSen. Barbara Boxer Repealing Health Care Reform Will Hurt Our CountryCarl Lewis Dr. King’s Dinner ConversationsErica Jong Guns and MadnessHot Trends bath salt drug black swan hcg diet soda pot weight loss  TOP VIDEO PICKS1 of 7 At Home Cold and Flu Remedies Woman Receives Larynx Transplant In Focus: New Health Care Provisions var ndn_max_page = 7;var ndn_entries = [[{'title':'At Home Cold and Flu Remedies', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23315446&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23315446.jpg'},{'title':'Woman Receives Larynx Transplant', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23315155&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23315155.jpg'},{'title':'In Focus: New Health Care Provisions', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23315158&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23315158.jpg'}],[{'title':'Scan May Predict Alzheimer's', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23315159&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23315159.jpg'},{'title':'A&E Documents Weight-Loss of the Morbidly Obese', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23313254&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23313254.jpg'},{'title':'In Shape with Billy Blanks, Jr.', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23309950&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23309950.jpg'}],[{'title':'Down Syndrome Test ', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23309941&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23309941.jpg'},{'title':'Music Good For Your Sex Life ', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23309710&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23309710.jpg'},{'title':'Sneeze study looks for clues to flu transmission', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23309446&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23309446.jpg'}],[{'title':'Fraudulent Vaccine Research Exposed', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23308842&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23308842.jpg'},{'title':'Healthy, Wealthy and Wise in 2011', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23308855&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23308855.jpg'},{'title':'New Blood Test Could Detect Cancer', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23308397&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23308397.jpg'}],[{'title':'Losing weight with the YMCA', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23308395&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23308395.jpg'},{'title':'Floss Your Way to Better Health', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23307819&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23307819.jpg'},{'title':'Brazil develops low-cost Lipitor for the masses', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23307710&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23307710.jpg'}],[{'title':'Workout for Your Body and Brain', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23307682&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23307682.jpg'},{'title':'Kissing Can Be a Winter Health Hazard', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23307686&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23307686.jpg'},{'title':'Avoiding Holiday Heartburn', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23307377&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23307377.jpg'}],[{'title':'Yoga Studios Offer Free Classes for Unemployed', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23306839&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23306839.jpg'},{'title':'Use Your Imagination to Lose Weight', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23250405&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23250405.jpg'},{'title':'Ballet Beautiful Fitness', 'entry_url':'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/newsinc/landing_page.html?vid=23228849&cid=3959&freewheel=90057&sitesection=huffingtonpost_hth', 'img_url':'http://thumbnail.newsinc.com/23228849.jpg'}]];var ndn_pagination = new CommonPaginator({'moduleName': 'ndn', 'maxPage': ndn_max_page, 'is_circle': true, 'is_custom_data': true, 'custom_data': ndn_entries, 'custom_img_width': 74, 'custom_img_height': 54, 'custom_play_button': true});HuffPoUtil.ImageLoader.foldCheck("hp_ndn_page_1"); Follow Huffington Post .bf_ticker { background-color:#E1E1E1; border:10px solid #E1E1E1; font-family:Arial,"Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight:bold; margin:10px 0;}.bf_ticker_content { padding:0px 10px 0 10px; background-color:#FFFFFF;}.bf_ticker_bottom { padding:3px 10px 10px 10px; background-color:#f0f0f0; text-align:right; height:10px; -moz-border-radius: 0px 0px 4px 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 0px 0px 4px 4px; border-radius: 0px 0px 4px 4px;}.bf_ticker_header { height:48px; background:#FFFFFF url(/images/module_bg_border.png) repeat scroll 0px 0px; -moz-border-radius: 4px 4px 0px 0px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px 4px 0px 0px; border-radius: 4px 4px 0px 0px;}.bf_ticker_header_text { padding-top:10px; text-align:center;}.bf_ticket_container{ border-color:#CCC; border-width:1px; border-style:solid none none none;}.bf_ticket_first_container{ border-color:#CCC; border-width:1px; border-style:none none none none;}.bf_ticker_image { float:left; padding:10px 13px 10px 0px;}.bf_ticker_text { padding:10px 10px 5px 0px; border:1px solid red';}.bf_ticker_title { font-family:Arial; font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; color:black';}.bf_ticker_readmore { font-family:Arial; font-size:12px; font-weight:bold; padding:0 0 10px 0;} 25 Easy Instant Energy Boosters
Read More » What's in Your Food? You Might Be Surprised
Read More » Dirty Secret: Daughter of a Hoarder Writes a Memoir
Read More » powered by buzzfeed MOST DISCUSSED RIGHT NOW Young Kids Having Seizures After Flu Shot, Gov't Investigates
548 Comments What's In That Cream You're Putting On Your Face?
82 Comments HOT ON FACEBOOK Bath Salts: A Growing Drug Problem?
848 Comments Fitness Guru Jack LaLanne Dies
668 Comments HOT ON TWITTER New Antidepressant Less Likely To Lower Sex Drive
3 Comments How Eating At Home Can Save Your Life
587 Comments HUFFPOST'S BIG NEWS PAGES Justice Scalia: Lawmakers Need To Get Familiar With Federalist PapersSupreme Court 'The Rite': Hollywood's Obsession With Exorcism ContinuesCatholic Church Dr. Roseanna Means Helps Boston Homeless Get Access To Health ServicesHomelessness Jesse Ventura Sues TSA Over Body Scans, Pat DownsAirport Security Roger Wicker: Roe v. Wade Produced 'Decades-Long Holocaust'Civil Rights Bush White House Violations: Political Briefings Reportedly Violated Hatch ActGeorge W Bush Wyoming Representatives Introduce Legislation To Videotape Teacher Performance StatewideTeachers Bradley Manning-WikiLeaks Connection Not Found: Military InvestigatorsWikileaks Keith Olbermann Breaks Twitter SilenceKeith Olbermannmore big news pages »  
Front PagePoliticsBusinessMediaEntertainmentComedySportsStyleWorldGreen Food TravelTech Living Health Divorce Arts Books Religion Impact Education College NY LA Chicago Denver BlogsAdvertise | Make HuffPost your Home Page | RSS | Careers | FAQ | Contact UsUser Agreement | Privacy | Comment Policy | About Us | Powered by Movable TypeCopyright © 2011 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. | "The Huffington Post" is a registered trademark of TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. All rights reserved.

HuffPost Lightbox

View the original article here