Category: Food and Drink
Lot of us spend our days sitting around and not being as active as we could (or should). We then add rich and fatty foods to our sedentary lifestyle, and blam, we have a few to many extra lb’s. This isn’t rocket science, and this is a story that we all can relate to. (Medical conditions not being accounted for here) So, what happens? We get fat or, we do something about it.
All of us find motivation to get fit one way or the other. Maybe it was someone mentioning that you looked bigger, maybe your favorite jeans didn’t fit, or maybe you look in the mirror one day are say enough is enough. Whatever your reason to get fit, you need to look at a method/program to follow. (Any Fitness Program will take dedication and laser focus to get great results.) And this is different from staying or being healthy.
You can lead a less active lifestyle if you choose not to overeat. This does not mean you can get by without some basic exercise. Staying healthy means doing what you need to do to feel good, and live the life you want to live. You don’t have to eat “organic” this or “natural” that, and you don’t have to join an extreme fitness gym. You have to take accountability for your actions (or inaction), and not be a glutton.
To get fit, now there is a challenge. I believe you must follow a meal plan (to the letter) and you must also increase your activity significantly. It will be a ramp up to extreme fitness training, and it will be hard, but you will get through it, and you will be better off. Home programs like P90X, Insanity, and Turbo Fire will give you great results if you follow them. As will gym based programs, working with a personal trainer, or competitive sports/martial arts. There are so many activity choices once you dial in your meal plan.
Me, I like my Beach Body videos. I can throw together a 30,60, 90 day fitness program and get back to being lean and ripped. I can target improving my cardio or just work to look better naked. (Everyone wants that) This isn’t the best way, it is my way, and a way which has been working for the last 5 years. (Plus Soccer, Sambo, and other craziness) The important thing for me is to stay active for several weeks while keeping my eating/drinking in check.
Once I am where I want to be fitness wise, well then the slow slide back to needing a fitness kick in the ass begins. It is called maintenance mode. Still not being a glutton, but having a lot more flexibility in my eating. Many people call this time, “Staying Healthy.” But even when “Staying Healthy” you may (probably will) gain weight, and need to kick it into high gear for a time. And however long you need to kick it into high gear is decided on how far you are willing to let yourself slide.
My typical reset trigger: when I reach 201lbs, and it isn’t due to heavy salt or lots of drinking. This is usually a day or 2 thing. (Bloat) When that weight remains pretty consistent for a week or 2, I know it is time to get back down to 190-195.
Do you have a trigger? Do you have a goal weight? Are you happy with how you look right now? Do you want to feel better? What is your motivation?
-FitLifeSFRob
I can’t say this is the catalyst for me to get my butt working out hard again, but it helps. I am about 6 weeks into healing my left elbow, which I thrashed on June 30th. Since that day, I have been “Taking it easy.” Healing, so to speak. And with the lower amount of fitness activity that comes with healing/rehabbing, I am now back up to 200lbs. Bah. Sure 200lbs for me is still pretty fit, but I want to get back to 192-195. I feel less soft, and more like myself. I do so hate that jiggly feeling.
So, Shakelology is back in my daily routine, and this time the special mix is Almond Milk, PB2 and Vanilla Extract. Makes it so much better!
One a day, back to hard training, I’ll be down to 195 in 3 weeks. Woot!
-Rob
I am watching the the 2011 Tour de France, and the commercial that came up was RipFire. So, for the fun of it, I went to their website, and guess what I didn’t find. ANY WAY TO CONTACT THE PEOPLE WHO SELL THIS BULLSHIT! If you are one of the idiots who spend their hard earned money on this product, you are screwed. If you are questioning your sanity and are considering buying this shit, DON’T.
When there is an “As seen for TV” product out there, that has a website and NO WAY TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER, STOP!!!!!
Are you kidding me? There are very few ways to get into shape. All of them have to do with eating right and training. Bullshit in a bottle won’t do a thing for you.
And hey, RipFire asshats. If you have issue with me, come on by and prove your product works. Your crappy edited photos do nothing for me. Or anyone with a brain for that matter.
For the record, I’ll hurt you for fun. (and the fact that you are lying to the general public!)
-FitLifeSFRob
Just catching up on the Top Chef Masters/Biggest Loser crossover episode, where the Top Chef Masters are asked to make low-cal versions of the Biggest Loser contestants’ fave high-fat/calorie foods.
As a food fanatic and fitness fiend, this is challenge embodies one of my favorite hobbies. (BTW: Send your favorites to smurf@fitlifesf.com if you’d like me to give yours a shot!) So, I’m a little put off by how much these “people whose job it is to make diners happy” balked at the idea that someone might want something to be at once tasty and not fat-laden.
That said, if I go to see a Michelangelo sculpture, chances are I’ll only see it once in my life, so I want it to be made of marble, not tofu. And I would never ask Peter Paul Reubens to paint me a portrait of Kate Moss or work in steel or some other medium that he simply doesn’t have an affinity with. So, I do feel like there needs to be respect for the craft.
I can see both sides, soI have a very specific way I approach this one…
But, first, I want to know what you think. Is it fair to ask master chefs to make under-1200-calorie versions of bad-for-you-foods? And, in more everyday terms, do you feel comfortable going to a restaurant and asking for something off-menu that better fits your needs and wants?
Once we all weigh in, I’ll revisit this topic on the blog.
It’s no secret– Rob and I love a good five-course tasting menu with wine pairing and facemeat. At least I love the facemeat part. We live in San Francisco, where such offerings are served up from the backside of taco trucks and popping up in nearly every underutilized storefront in the City, so how could we not? It’s figuring out how to do that and stick to health and fitness goals that proves a challenge.
Food and Wine Magazine provides a peek at the strategy of folks who make a living at it– top chefs (only one of the actual Top Chef variety) who have lost weight and kept it off while working in such tempting environs (and, it bears mentioning, working hours that would have even most dedicated dieter crying Uncle.) If these guys can do it while surrounded by food that people wait months to taste, certainly you can find a few tips to conquer the breakroom snack machine, happy hour buffet and occasional Whole Hog tasting menu.
Healthy Chefs: How Chefs Lose Weight and Keep it Off
Also, check out the companion photo essay of on America’s Fittest Chefs.
Hello Everyone,
Smurf and I have just gotten back from a 1.5 week vacation, and are getting into the normal swing of things. More on the vacation later.
Pre-vacation weight for Rob = 196.7 lbs. Todays weight = 199.0 lbs. Not bad.
-Rob
In case you are wondering why Ms. Smoked Pork herself is going gaga for things like this…
(This, by the way, was a salad with homemade hummus and baked tofu. And, maybe I’m losing my mind, but it was DELICIOUS!)
Don’t worry, though, we’ll be back to making evil things like this soon enough:
(This, for the curious, is Cayenne Toffeed 4505 Meats Chicharones.)
And, no, Rob is not joining me on my grand Vegan Experiment. He’s just sitting across the table and laughing at me. I swear, this veganism thing was WAY easier back in college when one could live on bean burritos, peanut butter jelly sandwiches and beer.
Times like the 4th of July, parties, family events, heck, just the weekend can be a MAJOR crimp on your “Fit life.” You need to understand that is OK. We all have setbacks, the thing we all have accept that we are human, and we can get back on track. We just can’t be disheartened.
The week before the 4th, I made it through my first week of full food tracking with pretty good results, and I am very confident that I’ll be rocking 6 pack abs in 2 months. Last Monday I was at 201.3 lbs, and I am now 3lbs lighter, even after a crazy weekend of 3000 calorie days. (eeeep) When I am being diligent it is easy to eat right. But beer and cocktails are my downfall. (And late night papusa runs.)
I know that the basis of this blog is that you can live fit and still enjoy good food and drink. I stand by that 100%, but to be ripped, and super fit, then you have to record everything you eat. You have to maintain a good workout program, and you have to decide how long you want to maintain being super ripped.
After 13 years in PR, I still get a good chuckle out of being “pitched” for this blog. But, every once in a while one comes my way where I say, “Why, thank you, PR Person! That actually *is* relevant to me and my readers!” In fact, I let out a little squeal of joy that the Mrs. Dash people included lil’ old us on their news distro list…*
Check out this nifty tool from Draft Magazine that tells you how many beers you’ve “earned” for your workout! I’m more of a Manhattan girl, myself, but I do love a nice Guinness while sitting in a tub of ice post-long-run!