Kundalini Yoga is designed for the active person with responsibilities in school, work, family and the world. It was maintained as a secret oral tradition for thousands of years which protected the techniques from abuse, but also created an unnecessary image of mystery. Kundalini Yoga can be practiced by anyone if it is done gradually and according to the instructions.

As our society becomes increasingly technological, our world becomes more intimately connected and influenced by its numerous cultures. The pace of change is on the rise and the stress on our body’s nervous system is increasing. The science of Kundalini Yoga allows us to tap into a technology that helps us cope with this escalating change. The inner science of the mind is the tool that will enable us to cope with the pressure of these changes. It is the mind that interprets our outer and inner worlds and it is the mind that we must train to guide us through the flow of change.

As a beginning student you should go at a pace that suits your flexibility and endurance. As you feel more comfortable with the exercises taught in class, begin to practice at home. If you can practice at the same time each day, you will find that you will improve rapidly. Try to take one to three yoga classes a week and one workshop a month to establish a firm foundation for an effective program that fits your needs, goals, capacity and lifestyle. Wear loose exercise clothes to class, preferably of cotton or other natural fiber and if you wish, bring an exercise mat. For more details visit http://www.soundbodytrainer.com/

I thought with every cell in my being that I needed to push my self and add more cardio to my regimen.  I do, really, if I want to get rid of the stuff that is covering what many have told me is the rectus abdominis aka six-pack to show, then I am going to have to do more cardio.  Yuck!  I hate to run. I don't have time to go to the base and get on the spin bike or treadmill.   I know I have said this before in the "What was I thinking" post.   Why can't I just shove an enama up my you know what and just get it over with?  No, I couldn't do that, I guess I will just have to eat bushels of apples, or is that bundles of apples? 

Well, I have gone running twice this week.  Two times too many this year.  I feel alot better and my shins are aren't talking to me as much.  I guess that is good.  Now, I was suppose to do my chest, shoulders and triceps on Monday also, but man I was really exhausted after my workout in the morning class.  We really did work hard and I did not really want to because I knew I was suppose to do the Power 90x routine.  I put it off.  So, now I am behind and I did the routine today after my evening classes, which no one came for on Wednesday.  Now, I will have to do the back and biceps tomorrow which was suppose to be just YogaX.  Well, I have two Yoga classes to teach on Thurdady, so I will do those and figure out if I want to do the back and bicep routine after I have lunch with my friend.  You know priorities.  :) 

I think I will do a little jogging tomorrow again, not too bad so I will keep it up.  I will do my back and bicep routine.  I really need to get my push-up routine going as well.  When am I going to have time for all this blogging and working out?  Urgh!

I do have a dead line and I am sticking to it.  Just apples and yogurt.  Oh, and I found an awesome protein drink too.  it has a cinnamon taste to it.  I love cinnamon.

No excuses. 

www.myphysiqueinc.blogspot.com

www.myphysiqueinc.com

Blizzard's Diablo Battle Chest (featuring Diablo and Diablo 2), originally released in 2003, has now appeared on the weekly charts for three weeks straight--a feat attributed to the unveiling of Diablo 3.

The Diablo Battle Chest was #4 in this week's best sellers list. It was passed by Nancy Drew (wtf?), and Spore Creature Creator (expected), and the Sims 2 (same old shit... new expansion).

The doctor (where are all the hot docs?) comes in to tell me the good news that I'm not having a heart attack...but (there's always a but in there) the test is positive for a possible blood clot.  (Oh shit, a stroke, that's even worse than a heart attack!).  He wants to know how much coffee and alcohol I drink.  Well, about 4-5 cups of coffee and a couple drinks a day.  How much is a couple he asks?  Ummm...you know, a couple beers or a couple glasses of wine, I stay away from the hard stuff, that shit'll kill you.  He's like, are we talking big glasses?  Depends on the day...

Then I wait...since it's not an emergency anymore, you get bumped down the priority list.  Which is OK, I almost didn't go because I thought if I was having a heart attack, I didn't want to end up with a big scar where they ripped my chest open and did open heart surgery.  And the co-pay thing.  Good reason, huh?

Next I get shuttled down the hall in the bed to get an ultrasound on my legs to look for blood clots.  They drive me right by the waiting room and into the general entrance area right by the elevators.  I'm like, I freaking hope I don't see someone I know.  I shouldn't have worn a thong - forgot about that whole back opening thing to the gown. I get totally lubed up on both legs so she can check it out.  I'm like, hey can you move that thing a little south? With all that lube, I'd hate to waste it.

Back to the room and more waiting.  The nurse had said even if they found a clot, worst case scenario would be that I'd be admitted for the night, given blood thinners and that's about it.  In the meantime a lady stops by to ask me if I'll take part in a Drug and Alcohol Survey.  I hate to be rude and tell her to MYOB, so I play along.  Luckily, the doc comes in and tells me that I can go, so no survey for me.  He says I've got Atrial Fibrillation, no signs of any defective valves or anything and that I need to eliminate caffeine and alcohol.

Easy for you to say mister...do you think they have a celebrity rehab for coffee and wine?

Still, despite the emphasis on upper body, we aren't neglecting your lower half not only because we expect you'll be wearing shorts this summer, but because leg exercises generate muscle growth all over. Heavy, testosterone-releasing moves like the squat and deadlift are key to success on our program, keeping your body in balance and your progress moving forward. Furthermore, three days a week you'll perform cardio or some other calorie-burning activity. This is essential for searing excess fat from around the midsection and completing the taper from your soon to be wide shoulders down to a narrow waist, carving out a classic V shape that looks great in a tee and even better when your shirt comes off.

Many personal trainers, fitness instructors and strength coaches are turning to the medicine ball as an integral part of their training programs. The following exercises can be used to provide a quick workout. Choose the appropriate difficulty level and aim to complete 12 to 15 repetitions of each exercise.

Add between 100 and 500 calories to the number you just calculated, and strive to consume that amount each day, adjusting accordingly as you gain weight. Let these calories come mostly from carbs, relying on starches such as potatoes and rice. For more details visit http://www.soundbodytrainer.com/

This exercise can be conducted with either a barbell or dumbbells. Whichever weight you use, start either standing or sitting with the weight held at eye level with you hands further than shoulder length apart. Smoothly push the weight overhead while keeping the lower back straight and steady. Do not lock the arms at the top. Then lower to original position, never letting the elbows sink to lower than a 90-degree angle. This exercise requires nothing other than the barbell and sufficient weight or dumbbells, though an adjustable weight bench and weight or dumbbell rack can be useful.

This exercises requires dumbbells. Start by sitting on a weight bench or medicine ball while holding the weights at the sides with palms facing in. With the arms slightly bent, lift both weight up and out from the body until the arms are pointing straight out to the sides roughly at shoulder level. Hold for a moment then smoothly lower to the starting position once again. It is important not to lift past the shoulder, as different muscles will then take over the exercise. The only required equipment for this exercise are dumbbells and a bench or medicine ball, though a dumbbell rack offers convenience for your home gym.

Begin by standing while holding the barbell in front of you with palms facing toward the body. Slowly bend the arms, pulling the barbell up the body to chest level. Pause then lower once more. It is important to remember to keep the wrists straight and the elbows always above the bar to target the shoulder muscles. Adjusting the handgrip will target different areas of the shoulder. The only equipment needed to perform this exercise is your chosen form of weight and a rack to keep things organized, or a weight machine with an upright row function. For more details visit http://www.soundbodytrainer.com/

The good news is that I found a repairman to fix my leaky ice maker, but on the flip side, my doctor's office recommended I go to the emergency room yesterday.  Not to alarm anyone, but I was having some irregular feeling chest pains.  Normally I would chalk it up to stress, but my dad had a bad valve replaced two years ago and they suggested at that time that I get mine checked.  Did I? Of course not.  Did I go to the ER? Nope.  I know, I should have...but the symptoms stopped and then there's the whole insurance issue.  $75 bucks for an ER visit copay and then you have to pay 20% on top of that.  Yes, I know you say, $75 compared to say, having a heart attack...is it worth it?  But you do get your money back if you're admitted.  I thought of that, but then if I'm admitted, what about my dog or work?? Better make sure to wear matching undies in case when I call 911 in case the hot fireman is the first responder.

Lift the weight toward your shoulders by contracting your biceps and bending your elbows. Your shoulders should not pivot during the exercise. Once you reach full contraction, slowly lower the weight to your starting position. Keep tension on your biceps at the bottom of the movement. Repeat.

Secure one end of the by wrapping it around the leg of a flat bench or around your foot. Grasp the free handle with your opposing hand. Sit on the bench and place your working elbow against the inside of your knee. Your upper torso will be leaning forward in this position. Let your working hand fall naturally toward the floor. Pull the band toward your chest by contracting your biceps and bending your elbow. Once you reach full contraction, slowly release the band to your starting position. Keep a constant tension on your biceps at the bottom of this exercise. Repeat.

Secure one end of a band to the leg of a flat bench. Kneel on the flat bench by resting one knee and the same side hand on the bench to support your weight; place your opposite foot on the floor next to the bench to hold your balance. Grasp the handle of the band with your free hand and align your upper arm parallel and nest to your torso. The band shouldn’t have any slack in this starting position. Pull the band back by contracting your triceps and straightening your arm back. Your shoulder and upper arm should not move throughout the exercise. Slowly release the band to your starting position. Repeat exercise by alternating arms.

Sit on a flat bench and secure the ends of a band by grasping the handles in each hand and rolling the band around your hands to reach your desired band length. Place one hand behind you at the base of your seat. Raise your opposite hand over head with your elbow bent and your upper arm aligned with your torso. The band should not have any slack in this starting position.

Secure the middle of a band to the bottom leg support of a flat bench. Straddle the bench with your legs and sit down. Grasp the handles of the band in each hand. Lock your elbows along each side of your body at your waist. Adjust your sitting position on the bench to remove any slack in the band. With your palms facing up, pull the handles of the band toward your shoulders by contracting your biceps and pivoting at your elbow. For more details visit http://www.soundbodytrainer.com/

Remember to change up your workout routine every 4-6 weeks to keep things fresh. Your body is smart and will learn to become more efficient in the way it responds to the same old exercises, so change it up to keep from hitting a plateau. If possible, workout with a friend or coworker. Having someone to workout with will help push you and can help you get to the gym on those days when you're not feeling up to it.

Don't use the scale as your only measure of success. Often times with a workout consisting of cardio and strength training, you will be losing fat and gaining a bit of muscle. Muscle is more dense than fat, and so the scale may not show much improvement (and you may even have a slight weight gain). Don't panic, this is normal. A better, less objective measure of success is if you feel you have increased energy throughout the day and your clothes fit you better.

It's great that you're motivated to workout, but pushing it too hard early on only leads to injuries and a negative perception of exercise. Start out by working out 3 days per week with a combination of cardiovascular and resistance exercise. If you're just beginning, cardiovascular exercise can be done in as little as 15-20 minutes of walking, biking, or swimming. Strength training should comprise both upper and lower body exercises and if done correctly, can be completed in as little as 15 minutes. Doing exercises that focus on more than one muscle group will help make your workouts more efficient also. For more details visit http://www.soundbodytrainer.com/

Although having smooth and hairless skin is a current trend, it is still a matter of preference and function why people remove body hair. Furthermore, how much of the body hair is removed also depends on the individual.

Pubic area (bikini line) is one of the top locations for this process for both men and women. When you’re young, vellus hair grows in the pubic regions of your body. As you go through puberty, that vellus hair turns into terminal hair and becomes thicker and coarser. In Western cultures many women opt to remove hair from their bikini line.

A growing number of men have started practicing male pubic hair removal methods for various reasons.
• Some say removing all of the body hair including the hair on their pubic area keeps away odor causing bacteria because it usually gets dark and moist down there.
• It is safer for both partners if the man removed his pubic hair because this can keep his partner's private parts free from itchiness after intercourse.
• Others do it to enhance their sexual experiences. They believe that male pubic hair removal on the penis area will make one's erection look bigger.
• If you’ve been in a relationship for some time now, shaving it off might create new interest from your partner which can help increase sexual excitement.
• Others even go to the lengths of creating designs on a shorter patch of pubic for novelty reasons.

Armpits rate as the second most common place to remove hair for women. While having hair in the armpits is acceptable in most cultures for males, it is not as acceptable for females. During the 1960’s and the invention of women’s lib, many women opted not to remove their armpit or leg hair. Currently that practice has not been widely adopted by Western culture.

Leg hair is the second most popular area Western women remove hair. Women remove leg hair mostly for aesthetic reasons. Men may choose to remove leg hair for a sport, including cycling and swimming.

Chest hair grows within the region of the male body between the neck and the abdomen. Chest hair begins to grow when a male enters puberty. Some men prefer less hair on their body and opt for hair removal.

Back Hair is another sex characteristic of some men. Many men remove the hair on their backs for a variety of reasons, most often vanity.

Facial hair removal for men is done for a variety of reasons.

Eyebrows are a common area to remove facial hair for both men and women. Sculpting the shape of an eyebrow can create a defined look for the appearance of the overall face. Many people pluck the hair between their eyebrows for vanity reasons.

Eyelash removal is not a common practice among men or women, although there is a disorder called Trichotillomania that is associated with this habit. Trichotillomania is a compulsive disorder that affects people mostly during their teenage years and may continue throughout life unless treatment is sought. Some women remove their eyelashes to enable them to wear false lashes, preferring lashes that are longer and fuller.

The desire to have smooth, hairless skin and to remove excess or dark hair usually begins in adolescence and tends to be a lifelong pursuit. Whether it is hair on the face, armpits, legs, bikini line, or other body parts, many women AND men are intent upon having the hair on their scalp be the only visible hair on their bodies.

There are many options available to remove unwanted hair, but few options to get rid of hair permanently. Each person should chose a method or combination of methods that works best for them depending on cost, time available, skin type, and the desired hair-free area.

There are numerous methods for removing or hiding unwanted hair. Some methods are “do it yourself”, others require the assistance of a licensed practitioner.

“Do it yourself” methods include:
• Bleaching
• Shaving
• Tweezing
• Depliatory Cream
• Waxing or Sugaring
• Threading

“Do it yourself” or using a certified practitioner include:
• Waxing/Sugaring
• Threading

In a few future posts I will discuss each method and the pros and cons of each.

Meanwhile, for us at home, we have a chance to expand our exercise selection with his bodyweight conditioning dvd series. I expect you'll plant your face in the floor a few times as he inspires you to try more than you're able to pull off. I even had to drop back and relearn the basic pushup; somewhere along the time between grammar school and middle age, I picked up an elbow-flaring habit that Steve clearly and repeatedly advised against.

In his teaching, he demonstrates easy, beginning options to the movements, building on each one until only one in a thousand will be able to follow along. On top of these useful progressions of common exercises, we also lay our eyes on unusual ideas such as the side-to-side squat as demonstrated below.

If you're looking for a way to burn fat, boost energy levels, and get fit without spending hours in the gym, Turbulence Training creator Craig Ballantyne suggests you start doing bodyweight exercises. According to CB bodyweight workouts help you burn fat shockingly fast, without any fancy equipment, plus you can do them anytime, anywhere and on top of it all this type of workout motivates you to stay consistent and to eat better. For more details visit http://www.soundbodytrainer.com/

Start out slow, maybe just shooting for 1 or 2 workouts a week. Once you have successfully added that to your normal routine, then attempt to slowly add to your fitness program. Plus, most people don't need to exercise more than 3-4 times a week. That doesn't mean you can't exercise more; it's just not necessary.

Always have a detailed plan. In order to reach your health and fitness goals, you must have a road map to follow. I can't stress this enough. If you are unsure of how to put together a fitness plan, or if you're uncertain of the effectiveness of the one you have, I highly recommend you consult a professional fitness trainer. With a well thought out plan you are much more likely to be successful!

Set realistic, attainable goals. You must have tangible, quantifiable, short and long-term goals so you can measure and assess your progress. Too many people have totally unrealistic expectations of what to expect from an exercise and nutrition program. This is one of the most important things you can do. If you're not tracking what you're doing, how will you know what worked. There are quite a few great exercise and nutrition logs I've come across. You should keep track of all your exercise and also each day's food intake.

Set exercise appointments with yourself if you're not working with a personal fitness trainer. Use your appointment book to set aside times for exercise, just like you do for meetings or events. Don't let things get in the way. Nothing is more important than your health! If you don't have your health you can't effectively do anything. I often have mothers tell me that they can't find time to exercise because they have to take care of their children. I have 4 daughters myself, and a baby on the way, so I know exactly how hard it is. Whatever your situation is, making the commitment to exercise and your health IS possible, and very important. Plus, it sets a great example for the children. For more details visit http://www.soundbodytrainer.com/

A 12-week program geared specifically for children and teens ages 8 to 17, FitSmart for Kids focuses on healthy eating, creating a more physically active lifestyle, improving self-esteem and communication skills. The program is in a or individual setting. Weekly meetings empower young people to understand that they need to be responsible for their own choices about their diet and exercise. FitSmart for Kids is family-based and to increase effectiveness, parents are required to participate.

Lie down on your back on a mat placed on the floor. Place your hands behind your head to support your neck. Roll your shoulders blades up off the floor as far as you can. Hold the contraction for a moment, and slowly lower your shoulders back down in a controlled fashion. Do twenty repetitions before taking a rest and repeat this a maximum of three times, depending on your fitness level. This can be done three times over the next week for beginners and up to 5 times for more experienced individuals.

Your hands should only support the weight of your head. You should not try and pull yourself up with your arms. Do not hold your breath while exercising - oxygen fuels the muscles. If you can't finish the above-mentioned repetitions, do as many as you can the first time and work your way up from there. For more details visit http://www.soundbodytrainer.com/

If you came to this article hoping for me to reveal some brand new, cutting edge, top secret exercise that will magically turn you into a barrel chested stud over night then I’m afraid you’re in for some severe disappointment. The truth is that the most effective movements for building an impressive chest are also some of the oldest and most basic in the bodybuilding cannon. You’re not going to find anything fancy; no machines or Swiss ball variations. What you are going to find are the most effective exercises for building a massive chest and if you commit to stepping away from the pec dec and the cables and going back to basics, I guarantee you will see impressive results.

The Top 5 Chest Exercises:

1) Bench Press

If you’re looking to add size to your chest, press movements need to be the foundation of your training; there is simply no getting around it. The bench press is as meat and potatoes it gets in terms of exercises but it is also the most effective overall movement for adding muscle mass to your chest.

Variation: Flat Dumbbell Press

The dumbbell variation is mechanically very similar except it will recruit more stabilizer muscles to help balance the weight. Both exercises are very effective and can be substituted for each other to add variety to your training routine.

2) Incline Bench Press

A variation on the flat bench press; the incline press will target the upper portion of the chest, as well as the anterior deltoids (the front portion of your shoulder).

Variation: Incline Dumbbell Press

As with the flat dumbbell press, the incline dumbbell variation is mechanically very similar to its barbell counterpart but will again recruit more stabilizer muscles to help balance the weights.

3) Dips

Use your own bodyweight as resistance until you are able to complete over twelve reps with proper form; after that begin adding additional weight in order to make the movement even more effective as a mass builder.

4) Dumbbell Pullover

This exercise develops the entire chest and also works the triceps muscles and back muscles as well. This is another old school move that is rarely used in the gym but is much more effective then any machine.

5) Dumbbell Flies

Flies are an isolation exercise and should therefore be done at the end of your training session. While not as effective a mass builder as presses and dips, flies do have their place as they are great for finishing off the muscle at the end of a session and adding detail and definition as well.

Conclusion

That’s it, nothing fancy or ground breaking, but it’s amazing how many times I see guys at the gym spending their entire workout using the cables machines. If you want to build a big chest you have to use big moves. The cable crossover does not qualify as a big move. Next time you’re at the gym find a guy with a big chest and watch what he does. I guarantee you’ll see him do most if not all of the moves shown above. If you want to build a large and impressive chest leave the machines and the cables to the skinny frat boys and head over to the grown up section of the gym and start moving some iron.

Last night was interesting.  The Guitar Guy saga is already sort of going stale at this point, but it's important for me to say that for the past three months, the flirtation going on there has been a collection of some of the sexiest, most intense moments I've ever experienced, and it's really tragic that 

• a.) he has a girlfriend 
  
• b.) he now knows that I know about her and
  
• c.) that I launched this blog after all the good stuff

Last night, it seemed like things were finally going to ramp back up to normal.  That's really all I can hope for now, is that things end on a good note, rather than the initial happy-ending I wanted that involved an empty box of Trojans and several variations of the verb "to worship."

So, when, at the beginning of the evening, he came to order food from me, and did it by walking at me until I was against a wall, and we stood nearly nose-to-nose, speaking about perfectly polite things, such as whether there would be bacon on the hamburgers, but with under-toned smiles that suggested so much more.

He asked me if he should pay right then, and I told him it was up to him, and then basically made the decision for him by taking his credit card.  I think, in retrospect, that he wanted to drag out the process so he'd have further excuses to come talk to me, but honestly, we should be beyond that point by now, and were before the Great Revelation.  

He said, "Just make sure you bring it back to me," and I responded, "I always do," with a bit of confusion.  He muttered something about having to chase me around for it, and I turned around, holding the card to my chest and said, "Would you?"

He flashed me a smile, and assured me, "you bet."

So, that all went off without a hitch, and I danced around the first band set of the evening, thrilled with the indication that things were going back to the way they were, and should be, all the while flashing (and receiving) sex eyes to the stage.

When one of the back-up singers ordered from me a little later, I hurried her order so I would have an excuse to see him, but when I got backstage to drop it off to her, he looked slightly dejected, and handed me my credit slip, letting me know that he was just on his way down to give it to me.  

I suppose there would've been more banter if he'd made it to the deserted side station rather than having to hand it to me in the well-lit green room, but, yeah, he doesn't need an excuse to come hit on me, and he should know that.

So, a bit irritated, I went to the bar to put in more orders, and was standing at the computer, with my back to the bar while he stood at the bar with his back to me, getting water from the no-nonsense Lead Bartender, a short, black woman with very little use for romantic ideals or people who move slowly or without efficiency.  

I didn't hear this, because I was pissed off and distracted, but apparently she handed him his water, pointed to me, and said, "You two back together yet?"

Now, that's enough to make me die by vaporization.  Who told her?  No one?  We're that obvious?  What?

But, apparently (and mercifully), his response was to be startled, then immediately slightly amused, and he responded, "Oh, no ... not quite yet."

If you'll allow me to bullet point again, this is awesome because

• a.) He didn't even attempt to pretend that he didn't know what she was talking about
• b.) he was amused, not horrified
• c.) he used the modifier "yet."  This is exactly the answer I would've given.

However, I spent the next several hours obsessively demanding more detail from the waitress that overheard the exchange and reported it to me.  I feared that this confrontation would freak him out and distance him more, etc. etc. etc.

True to form, the eye contact was slightly more restrained for the remainder of the night.  Not as bad as Tuesday's absurd "look, get caught, jump, stare and the ground for the next ten minutes" routine, but not to full scale by any means.

At the end of the night, when he was all packed up and ready to go, I dawdled around so I could say goodbye.  He tried to disregard me, so I stood and waited for him to turn and acknowledge me, and I said, "are you taking off?"

A bit stupidly, he joked, "Taking off my clothes?" and I said, "What right here?" 

He laughed and said, "A little later on.  It's a private show."  

"Oh," I said, cracking a smile.  "Is that an invitation?"

Which clearly startled him (two points for me), and he started muttering some nonsense about getting paid off by a table, which I asked if it was one of mine, and then upon confirmation said that it usually is.

Out of mercy, I cut him off before he could ramble any more ridiculousness, and asked him if he were taking off for the weekend, which is what I originally meant.  He said no, that he'd be there on Saturday, and I said,

"Good.  I only ask because I'm leaving in two weeks."

"I know," he said, "It's sad."  and I shrugged, wanting to let him know that it doesn't necessarily have to be.

"Well, if I don't see you -," I said, and hugged him.  It was important for me to get a hug in there, as we used to hug constantly and inappropriately before the Great Revelation, but hadn't since.  So, this was the first one.

He told me he was going to stick around and have a drink.  So, I wrapped up quickly and hung out downstairs while he drank and talked to EVERYONE IN THE ROOM BUT ME.

This marginally irritated me until he mentioned to my roommate (who is a Libra, and it was relevant to the conversation) that both of his parents are Libras, and then while she was responding, muttered under his breath, "As is my current girlfriend."

At this point, I snapped, "Okay, time to go," and grabbed my bag, grabbed my roommate, and swung out of the club.  I hope he feels like a dunce about it.  It's really unfortunate every time I realize just how human he is and just how nervous I make him.  

It's hotter to feel like there's this supernaturally sexy guitar player who wants me, and that's the most complicated thing about it.

Jenna and I got home, and then drank wine and talked about other lost opportunities to Gwags, that have always ended in too-little-too-late scenarios on their parts, where years later they confess to wanting us so badly then but how they tried to "do the right thing," blah blah blah.  

I'm still kind of dejected about the whole thing, but at least, since it's the Other Guitarist tonight, I'll be able to focus on making money and not obsessing over making out.

Today while I was doing my workout and sweating like a pig I was thinking about....

Cheesecake.

Yeah folks...I'm lifting weights and thinking about Cheesecake. It was quite distracting.

"One..mmm cheesecake...Two...with strawberries...three..wonder how it will taste being made with cottage cheese..Four..who cares? It's cheesecake!! "

I'm making a Cheesecake out of the Eating For Life cookbook today. I've had the ingredients for about a week now but I've been afraid to make it because I was scared I would eat the entire cheesecake in one day. Now I know that there's not much danger of that so I'm going to go ahead and make it.

Instead of using fresh strawberries I'm planning on making a strawberry glaze for the top out of Sugar Free Strawberry preserves, either that or marbling some of the preserves into the cheesecake. Produce is so expensive and it was cheaper to get a jar of organic all fruit preserves than to buy fresh strawberries. ( What can I say I'm cheap!)

I should also mention here that today I did ANOTHER C25K run. I know I just did one yesterday and shouldn't have done another today..especially since I was scheduled for another tomorrow but I just had to see if I could do it two days in a row. (Which I could but I'm sure I'll pay for it tomorrow.)

One of the things I've noticed about running on the treadmill is that my calves and shins HURT during the running part of the intervals. Not sure why that is or what I can do about it but it kinda bothers me just the same. Especially since the running intervals are only a minute long and destined to get longer as I go through the program.

I'm wondering if I need new shoes, or maybe my form is off or something. I wish I knew someone who ran regularly to ask to watch me run to see if I'm doing something wrong.

I'm thinking it could be that I'm just so new to running that it's SUPPOSED to hurt in the beginning until I get better. Or at least that's what I HOPE it is.

So..Today's workout was good. I ran intervals for 30 minutes, then did my Upper Body Workout. I hit my tens on my biceps, shoulders, and triceps today, which is a FIRST for me.

Anyways. Here's the Cheesecake Recipe I'm making today. Enjoy.

Eating For Life Strawberry Cheesecake:

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 3 Hours

Ingredients:

1 Cup lowfat cottage cheese

1 Tablespoon Vanilla extract

3 Tablespoons Splenda Granular

12 oz. Fat Free Cream Cheese, Softened at room temperature

1 Cup egg beaters

1 Ready Crust Reduced Fat Graham Cracker Crust

1/2 Cup Fat Free Sour Cream

2 Tbsp. Splenda

1 Cup Fresh Strawberries

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Spoon cottage cheese into a blender and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add vanilla extract and splenda; blend for about 15 more seconds.

3. Add the softened cream cheese and blend for about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides as needed. While blending, gradually add the egg beaters and continue to blend until smooth, about 45 seconds.

4. Pour cheese filling into ready crust and bake until set, about 35 minutes.

5. Remove Cheesecake from oven and cool about 15 minutes. Then cover and refrigerate at least two hours.

6. Prior to serving, in a small mixing bowl combine sour cream and sugar substitute.

7. Slice cheesecake into 8 portions and top each with sliced strawberries and a dollop of the sour cream mixture.  Serve and Enjoy!

Pilates is a low intensity workout that involved light aerobic exercise and stretching, and has become a favorite exercise of women. Crunches and reverse crunches are some of the simplest and most efficient workouts there are you simply lie on your back and either crunch up with your upper body or draw your lower body toward your upper. These two basic exercises will work out your entire abdominal system, with particular focus on the large upper and lower sections, offering optimal benefits for the greatest degree of convenience. Sit ups, on the other hand, offer limited benefits to the abdominals and can actually damage the back.

Because these exercises can be done at home, they require little in terms of equipment. An exercise mat is always useful for keeping comfortable and clean while doing exercises, many of which involve lying on the ground. Other exercises can be done with special weight lifting benches. Dumbbell plates in lower weights are great ways to add resistance to many exercises for a more intense workout. Perhaps the most flexible and fun option in exercise equipment is the medicine ball, which provides an incredible variety of uses and positions for your exercises, allowing you to target any muscle area.

An often-overlooked benefit of exercises is that keeping a strong, durable core can actually prevent or alleviate back pain. This, combined with the fitness benefits and body shaping ability of exercises, makes them some of the most important in the realm of fitness. It’s always a good idea to discus a potential workout and your goals for it with a doctor before you begin. Remember, with the huge variety of exercises out there, some work well and are highly beneficial, while others are poorly designed and destructive. Knowing which to use for your goals is key. For more details visit http://www.soundbodytrainer.com/

New Delhi, July 17 Supratim Dutta, the 23-year-old executive with HCL who was admitted to AIIMS after a two-inch wide and five-feet-long iron rod pierced through his body, has survived the accident. Doctors at the AIIMS Trauma Centre were able to perform a successful surgery that extricated the rod without causing any damage to his vital organs.

Calling it one of the “rarest of rare surgeries”, Dr M C Mishra, chief of the AIIMS Trauma Centre, said: “We were astonished when he was brought to the hospital. But we planned the surgery meticulously. We had to decide how to extricate the rod which had fortunately missed his vital organs.”

On July 12, Dutta was on his way to his Gurgaon office when his driver lost control and collided with the construction barricades on the Gurgaon-Mehrauli road. The impact of the collision caused the iron rod to pierce through the dashboard and impale Dutta.

The rod remained embedded inside his body for 90 minutes before he was taken to hospital. Dutta, however, did not lose consciousness and instead called his relatives and friends on the phone. Locals cut the rod and rushed him to AIIMS. “Fortunately, they did not try to extricate the rod from Dutta’s body. Had they done that, it could have proved fatal,” a doctor at AIIMS said.

Indian media described the three-hour-long surgery as a miracle after the iron bar, weighing six kilogrammes , cut through his liver, stomach, spleen and left lung.

It also perforated the man's diaphragm in two places and broke a rib, but missed his heart, The Times of India reported.

'In my 35-year long career, this is the first time that I have seen a case like this,' the newspaper quoted doctor M.C Misra as saying.

The surgery was not an easy one. “To start with, anesthesia was an issue because Dutta could not lie down, so we had to anaesthetise him in a sitting position. It was not a standard operation but fortunately we were successful,” Mishra said.

Dutta will have to remain in the hospital for the next two weeks. “While there is no long-lasting damage, he is at risk of infection and will stay under observation,” Mishra explained. The doctor said Dutta is talking and is being allowed to walk around a little. “He is doing a few breathing exercises and has not complained of any pain in the affected area. He did complain about some pain in the neck but that was due to being anaesthetised in a sitting position,” Mishra said.

I never thought about being passionate about flossing my teeth, but dog-gone it, there are standards. For one thing, nothing beats the old-school floss that consists of a thin thread of wound unwaxed nylon (or whatever they use). It is easy, it is a strong thread, it gets the job done.

Recently I made the mistake of purchasing that fancy-dancy floss they have these days which consists of some kind of flavour-coated teflon. The teflon slips past the teeth, and the plaque. Nothing sticks to it. Not the plaque, and nothing else. It’s crap. Expensive crap. There. I’ve said it. OK, you can go to another blog, now.

Most bodybuilding workout warriors want bigger, more defined arms. This is not much of a surprise considering the number one body part bodybuilders want to develop are their arms. The men want to build more muscle, and the women want toned, shapely arms.

The good news is getting bigger arms can be quite easy as long as you understand the proper bodybuilding workout routine principles below.

Yes, you can develop bigger, more cut arms with minimal time invested in the gym.

Here are a few bodybuilding workout tips you should be incorporating into your weight training workouts in order to develop muscular arms.

1. Stick to multi-jointed exercises.

When training the chest, shoulders, and back make sure you focus on multi-joint exercises. What this does is work, secondarily, the arms. The arms are defined as the biceps, and triceps.

A good example of multi-jointed exercises are the bench press, shoulder press, row, pull down, and good old fashion pushup.

2. Boost up your intensity.

In order to stimulate arm muscle growth using your bodybuilding workout program you must increase your effort. Force the muscles to adapt, and grow. Increase the weight training weight, reps, or decrease the rest between sets. Make your bodybuilding workout progressive in nature. Keep trying to beat the reps, and weight you accomplished the previous arm workout.

3. Limit the number of arms sets.

This weight lifting tip may puzzle you. No, it is not a misprint. You want to keep the number of arm sets to a minimum to avoid overtraining.

A majority of bodybuilders overtrain their arms because they want to increase the size, and definition so badly. The more is better theory does not apply in bodybuilding.

You want to increase your intensity, tax the arms with a few sets, and begin the muscle building recovery process that immediately begins after an effective bodybuilding workout.

4. Train your triceps.

The triceps make up a majority of your arm's muscle size. Make sure you do close grip bench presses, dips, and push downs to ultimately increase your triceps muscle tone.

Make sure you focus on increasing your intensity during the minimal sets you perform.

5. Get adequate rest between training sessions.

This is the biggest mistake most bodybuilders make. They simple follow the more is better theory. Little do they know, more is a detriment to your bodybuilding workout results.

Each additional arm set performed cuts into the recovery ability of the muscle. Remember, the bicep, and triceps grows while resting, not during the workout.

I always recommend 6-10 days between arm workouts. As far as the number of sets, 2 sets of 2-3 exercises for the arms is optimal for growth. In other words, if you spend more than 10 minutes on your arms, you are overtraining.

Here is a good bodybuilding workout routine tip to determine the exact number of rest days between training sessions. Track your weight, and reps. If your strength continues to increase, you are resting optimally. If the weight plateaus, or decreases, add additional muscle building rest days between workouts.

Here are 5 bodybuilding workout tips to help you optimize your workout time by yielding greater workout results per time invested.

Looking at the Nursery Furniture Buying Guide from Shopwiki, one can shop easily for any baby's gifts and furniture. Besides the lamp, the next thing which I love is rugs.

Rugs are very useful at home. When placed at the entrance of the home, it helps to collect dust and dirt which are trapped on our feet. I think rugs are necessary in all home. At home, I have a sheep rug like this shown above. Mine is very dirty already. When Cebest was around, he loved to lie on it. Last time, my dog, Baby loves to play on the sheep rug too. This picture is obtain from ShopWiki. They are selling this sheep rug or lambskin baby nursery rug for only $50. At ShopWiki, the nursery rugs come in various themes and colours, and the prices are all very reasonable.

Picture of lambskin baby rug taken from Shopwiki