1/24/2010

One Big Happy Family

By Laura Moncur @ 10:00 am — Filed under:

One Big Happy FamilyEarlier this month, TLC started a new reality show about a family that is trying to lose weight together. Not only does the show highlight living a healthy lifestyle, but it also shows how difficult it can be to be overweight.

For example, the Coles decided to have a yard sale to get rid of the junk in their lives and maybe make a little money. Whenever you open yourself up to the public, however, you’ll encounter one of those jerks who hate fat people.

Then, when they went to an amusement park, they encountered embarrassing weight restrictions on the rides.

For the first time since we canceled our cable, I’m wishing that I had forked out the monthly dollars to Comcast. I can’t find a way to watch this show except on TLC. I’m interested to see how the Coles progress and see if they have anywhere near the success that the contestants on The Biggest Loser have.

1/20/2010

Treadmill Tumbling

By Laura Moncur @ 9:50 am — Filed under:

I found this little animation from Your daily gif blog.

Treadmill Tumbing

Next time you are thinking of skipping your workout, remember that you might be just making it hard on yourself. You might be Treadmill Tumbling instead of just working out.

Promise yourself that you’ll just get on the treadmill and do a little bit for five minutes. You don’t even need to run. Just get on the treadmill and if it’s miserable after five minutes, give yourself permission to stop.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably feel a lot better after your walk on the treadmill and be willing to do a full workout. Don’t make this hard on yourself. If you are dreading your workout, remember this Treadmill Tumbler and promise yourself that all you have to do is five minutes.

1/14/2010

Dead Nike+ Battery? Nope Reboot Your iPhone!

By Laura Moncur @ 10:00 am — Filed under:

Dead Nike Battery Nope Reboot Your iPhone“My Nike+ is dead.” Mike was trying to start his workout, but the iPhone couldn’t find his sensor. It just sat there, spinning it’s wheel and searching helplessly.

“I’m going downtown tomorrow. I’ll pick you up a new sensor.”

So I did, but the next day when he tried to start his workout, it sat spinning again.

“Maybe you should reboot.”

When he turned off his iPhone and turned it back on, it worked just fine with his old sensor. “I guess we didn’t need to buy a new one.”

This happened to me just yesterday, but because it had happened to Mike last month, I knew what to do. Before you assume your Nike+ sensor is dead, try rebooting your iPhone. It might save you twenty bucks.

1/12/2010

Old Navy Wants To Help You Get Fit

By Laura Moncur @ 11:00 am — Filed under:

I rarely shop at Old Navy, but I saw these advertisements in their store windows and they just made me smile. The ads are made up to look like Lost Dog signs, except what you lost was your flabby body.

Old Navy Lost Couch Potato

This was the first sign I saw and I love how they used Jello to represent Jiggle.

Old Navy Lost Jiggle

Muffin Top is a recent phrase in my vocabulary. If it’s new to you as well, it means the fat that can spill out the top of jeans.

Old Navy Lost Muffin Top

Losing your spare tire would be a bad thing on a car, but a very good thing when you’re exercising.

Old Navy Lost Spare Tire

Despite what Old Navy is trying to convince you, there are no magic clothes that will make you lose weight, but having a new exercising outfit is sometimes enough to get me on the treadmill. I really liked these t-shirts because they entice me to do a little more.

Old Navy Just One More Mile

If these posters or clothes entice you to exercise, then Old Navy HAS helped you to lose your couch potato, jiggle, muffin top or spare tire. Get up and do a workout now because the motivation is free!

1/9/2010

PostSecret: Orgasms at the Gym

By Laura Moncur @ 10:00 am — Filed under:

This week, on PostSecret, there were tons of postcards that I found interesting. Here is one of them.

PostSecret: Orgasms at the Gym

It reads:

I have involuntary orgasms doing strenuous exercise at the gym all the time. I wonder if anyone notices.

My only comment is, “Why can’t I have that problem?!”


PostSecret‘s beneficiary is the National Hopeline Network. It is a 24-hour hotline (1 (800) SUICIDE) for anyone who is thinking about suicide or knows someone who is considering it.

1/7/2010

PostSecret: Pumping Iron

By Laura Moncur @ 10:00 am — Filed under:

This week, on PostSecret, there were tons of postcards that I found interesting. Here is one of them.

Pumping Iron at the Gym

It reads:

I’ve been pumping iron for a year and my wife has said nothing, but other women do…

This postcard made me realize what a minefield our lives can be. Has his wife really not noticed that he has been working out? I doubt it. She probably has been watching his progress, but doesn’t know what to say. Sometimes we train people to treat us the way they do.

Maybe every time she has noticed his progress in the past, her husband acted as if she had insulted him. “Was I so out of shape before that now you need to gush over me?”

Maybe he is walking around like he is god’s gift to women and she is sick of his posing.

Maybe she has been working out as well and he hasn’t noticed HER progress.

Maybe she really hasn’t noticed his changes because she sees him every single day and the change has been gradual.

When we work so hard at making our bodies stronger and healthier, it seems discouraging when the people we love don’t notice our commitment. We can’t expect them to be mind readers. We have to tell them what we need, whether it be positive reinforcement or compliments. Expecting our loved ones to know what we need isn’t fair to them or us.


PostSecret‘s beneficiary is the National Hopeline Network. It is a 24-hour hotline (1 (800) SUICIDE) for anyone who is thinking about suicide or knows someone who is considering it.

1/5/2010

Just Filmed a Walking DVD

By Laura Moncur @ 12:21 pm — Filed under:

Just Filmed a Walking DVDI have been doing the Couch to 5K program on the treadmill while watching my Walking DVDs. It’s so cold outside in Salt Lake City that I am trapped on the treadmill. Luckily, I have many exotic locales to explore on DVD. Because of this, I decided to film two walking videos while Mike and I are in Las Vegas.

There is nothing I like better during my Vegas trips than to take an early morning walk on The Strip. This morning, I filmed from The Luxor hotel to Planet Hollywood (and back). I even got some footage of the brand new casino, Aria. It was an eerily quiet and relaxing part of the walk.

It was a total of 2.73 miles and you can see the map of my walk on RunKeeper.

My moronic Nike+, however, had its typical glitch where it doesn’t register a pace and only recorded 0.33 miles. I hate it when Nike+ screws up like that. I shouldn’t have to monitor it every second to make sure it is reading a pace for me. Grr…

I haven’t had a chance to even look at the video I shot yet, but if it’s usable, I’ll get it edited and ready for sale as soon as I can. I actually have two other videos in the hopper: Quail Gardens Botanical Garden Walk in Encinitas, California and a Old Faithful Walk in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming. The hardest part of these videos is designing the sleeve, so I will get working on that as soon as I get back to Salt Lake because I want to have new videos to exercise with as much as everyone else.

Until then, I’m kicking my butt getting filming done here in Vegas while I can.

12/23/2009

Best Workout T-Shirt EVAR!!

By Laura Moncur @ 3:39 pm — Filed under:

I absolutely LOVE this t-shirt for working out.

Roland Semprie's Personal Trainer T-Shirt

It’s a t-shirt for a personal trainer in Canada by the name of Roland Semprie. The shirt has markings along the front indicating when your workout is done. When the sweat reaches the appropriate mark, then you can stop working out.

I wish I could buy some t-shirts like this. They’re a great idea!

Via: » Roland Semprie Personal Trainer advertising/design goodness – advertising and design blog

12/9/2009

Winter Running Hacks from Jason

By Laura Moncur @ 9:20 am — Filed under:

Click to see full size

The weather has slid into winter this week and I just told Jen that I wasn’t willing to go on our weekly walks until it warms up again. With a foot of snow and temperatures in the teens this week, she didn’t blame me.

Instead of reverting to the trusty treadmill, Jason is hitting the slick sidewalks. Here are his tips for winter running.

I really like this tip:

Use old cotton socks as mittens.

This was a tip I got recently from one of my ol’ high-school teachers. I was skeptical, but it works! A sock keeps your hands warmer than the cotton gloves that have fingers, but breathes enough so that your hands don’t get too sweaty.

Personally, this is the time of the year when I LOVE my treadmill. While the weather rages its worst outside, I can enjoy a workout without risk of frostbite. I miss the scenery, though, so I better pull out all of my Starling Fitness Walking DVDs so I can enjoy a little outdoors, even though I’m indoors.

12/6/2009

You Can Always Be Number One

By Laura Moncur @ 10:00 am — Filed under:

Splashdance at Amazon.comI am swimming in nostalgia. I found Mickey Mouse’s Splashdance album on Amazon’s MP3 downloads. My sister, Stacey, and I listened to that album SO many times. I could almost sing all the songs by heart.

I can’t express how much this album means to me. This song, You Can Always Be Number One, sounds like an ABBA rip off. Sometimes I find myself singing it to myself, especially when I’m not doing well in some sport I’m trying. You can hear the song here:

The lyrics to the chorus are SO good:

You can always be number one.
You can always be a winner.
Even if you’ve played the game for years
And you play like a beginner.

You can always be number one.
Let Goofy show you how.
Don’t hide your face when you miss a point.
Get up and take a bow.

The whole idea of the song is that trying to play a sport and failing is WAY better than never trying. Because of this song, I have always been willing to try things. Even when I’m falling down, over and over, I remember Goofy and this song and keep trying.

This song was the theme song for Sport Goofy, here are the closing credits that include that song.

Sport Goofy was a series of cartoons that Disney did. Goofy would try a sport, have clumsy problems, but still try. Here is a good example in which Goofy buys a home gym.

Goofy just keeps on trying, no matter what happens. Thanks, Disney, for keeping me willing to try anything no matter how clumsy I am. Trying and failing is ALWAYS better than never trying at all.

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