August 7th, 2008 — , Beware from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
I remember my grandma wearing girdles like these. I’ll never forget how she described them, “I feel like a sausage.” I imagined what a sausage would feel like and to this day, her description has warned me against wearing girdles.
It’s easy to forget what a sausage feels like when I look at advertising, though. [...]
Related StoresAugust 4th, 2008 — , Site News from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
This old commercial for Kentucky Fried Chicken got me thinking:
The premise of the commercial is, “When there is great chicken like this, why cook?”
Why indeed? Not only is there chicken, but I can find any kind of food that I would want almost any time of the day. Why should I ever cook? I [...]
Related StoresAugust 4th, 2008 — , diet from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
Friday night, I was up late. Not just normal late, but LATE late. I had eaten dinner at 7pm, so by 2am I felt like I was STARVING. No wonder, since it had been SEVEN hours since I had last eaten. I was out of points for the day.
What should I have done?
What I did [...]
Related StoresAugust 3rd, 2008 — , diet from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
One of the benefits of living in Salt Lake City is that it’s the kind of place that attracts people like nakedjen. She moved here last January and after seven months in the town, she knows it better than I do now. I was enjoying the joy of her company at the Geek Dinner last [...]
August 2nd, 2008 — , Exercise from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
Yesterday, I posted a detailed list on how to ride your bike to work. Today, I found this excellent video about just that subject:
Each and every day 550,000 thousand Copenhageners ride their bike to work or school. Here are some of them.
This video is brought to us by this weblog:
Copenhagen Cycle Chic - [...]
Related StoresAugust 1st, 2008 — , Exercise from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
Back in 2005, I happened to work at a place that was close enough to my home that I could ride my bike to work. I learned a lot from that experience and I thought I had shared it here, but it looks like I never wrote that entry. Now that gasoline is SO expensive, [...]
Related StoresJuly 31st, 2008 — , Exercise from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
I saw these slippers on Amazon.com called Slipper Genie. You’re supposed to use them to mop the floor. They are said to
make mopping easy. They actually look kind of cool.
This video describes them and lets you see them in detail:
The question that I have is: if they are supposed to make mopping easier, does that [...]
Related StoresContinue reading → Which Burns More Calories: Mopping or Slipper Genie?
July 30th, 2008 — , diet from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
The July 17th New England Journal of Medicine has published a report that followed three groups of dieters for two years. They compared low fat, The Mediterranean Diet and Atkins (low carbohydrate). You can see the full results here:
NEJM — Weight Loss with a Low-Carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or Low-Fat Diet
The overall weight changes among the 322 [...]
Related StoresContinue reading → Weight Loss with a Low-Carbohydrate Diet Is Proven Greater
July 29th, 2008 — , Exercise from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
This photo from The Library of Congress attracted me. Here are a group of girls from Chicago, competing in Sokol Sports in Austria.
Chicago girls at Sokol Sports, Prague, Austria by The Library of Congress from Flickr
What are these Sokol sports? This website lent me a little information about them:
Czech Sokol Organization
The idea of [...]
Related StoresJuly 28th, 2008 — , Motivation from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
Keeping motivated is a constant struggle for me. Saturday night I sat in my comfy chair desperately trying to think what I could do to motivate myself to eat healthy and exercise. I felt so out of control that I couldn’t think of anything that would convince me to take care of my body.
Toys? I [...]
Related StoresJuly 24th, 2008 — , Exercise from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
When Ingrid Michaelson released Girls and Boys, she started a MySpace blog and has faithfully added to it. Back in May, she related a story about water-skiing. She started out the entry with the words, “I am not an athletic girl.”
Myspace.com Blogs - “OUCH” - ingrid michaelson MySpace Blog
She had such great dreams of what [...]
Related StoresJuly 23rd, 2008 — , Exercise from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
On September 1, 1915, a 14 year old girl swam across the Hudson river, turned around and swam back. Her name was Mary Elizabeth Miller. This photos is part of the George Grantham Bain Collection at The Library of Congress and it is supposed that it might have been mislabeled. It could be that this [...]
Related StoresJuly 16th, 2008 — , Exercise, Gadgets from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
This exact incident happened to me when I was playing Wii Fit the other day. I am so surprised when Joy of Tech gets things so right every time:
Of course, it didn’t ask me where my “obese husband” was, it asked where Elvis was. Mike and I set up our Elvis Mii on Wii Fit [...]
July 13th, 2008 — , Health from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
Here is an excerpt from FAT: What No One Is Telling You that was shown on PBS.
The story that this woman tells is a familiar one. Everyone who gets their life in control can tell of the day when they realized that others considered them fat.
What’d ya think her her frickin’ problem is?
[...]
July 12th, 2008 — , Exercise, Gadgets from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
As if I wasn’t excited enough about my Wii Fit, it looks like Raymond Raving Rabbids are going to use the Wii Balance Board for their next big game. Here is the promotional video:
I LOVED the Rabbids in their last two Wii games and I can’t wait for this new one!
Here is my previous review:
Starling [...]
Related StoresContinue reading → Raymond Raving Rabbids Lets You Exergame In Style!
July 11th, 2008 — , Site News from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
I have been regularly exercising with my Wii Fit and running in place every day. I really like the Island Lap in the Aerobics section of the game. By accidentally running too fast, I found myself following the yellow dog while running on Wii Fit Island the other day. He takes you on a completely [...]
Related StoresJuly 10th, 2008 — , Inner Workouts from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
This postcard from PostSecret reminded me of a friend of my grandmother who is probably long dead now.
When I was really little, I remember my grandma’s friend. As children often do, I said what I shouldn’t have said and asked her why her face was so wrinkled. She told me that when you get to [...]
Related StoresJuly 9th, 2008 — , Inner Workouts from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
This postcard from PostSecret showed up a couple of weeks ago.
When I first got my drivers license, I worried that someone might be always checking the weight that I had listed on the card. This postcard would have been my worst nightmare back then, but now, I realize that there is no hiding my weight. [...]
Related StoresJuly 8th, 2008 — , Site News from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
NakedJen has decided to start a new exercise program and get back to eating healthy. She blames it all on suffering from Divorce Brain, but it sounds like a good start to me:
nakedjen: Vegan Sunshine Every Day At 5:00 A.M.
On the first day of new regime, her dogs, Buddha and Stella, were unsure of what [...]
Related StoresContinue reading → NakedJen Starts An Exercise Program and Shares A Recipe
July 1st, 2008 — , Motivation from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
If you are one of the many people who have bought a Starling Fitness Yearly Journal, then you know that the quote of the month is about unrealistic standards. You can see the quote here:
You can either hold yourself up to the unrealistic standards of others, or ignore them and concentrate on being [...]
Related StoresJune 30th, 2008 — , Exercise, Gadgets from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
A few months ago, Life Fitness announced that they are making treadmills (and other machines) compatible with Nike+. That’s only a good thing if your gym uses these new Life Fitness machines. If you’re a member of 24 Hour Fitness, tracking your workouts just got easier.
MacDailyNews - 24 Hour Fitness first to offer Nike+iPod experience [...]
Related StoresContinue reading → 24 Hour Fitness Treadmills Compatible with Nike+iPod
June 21st, 2008 — , Inner Workouts from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
This comic from Least I Could Do really hit home for me.
Least I Could Do: A Lesser Man Among Men 06-17-08
Sometimes I feel like a poseur. I have lost weight. I have gained weight. I have gotten my binges under control. I have let them get out of control. Right now, I’m not at my [...]
Related StoresJune 20th, 2008 — , Exercise from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
This video made me laugh out loud the other day:
I’ve never tried to put my cat on my treadmill, but I suspect all cats would act the same. I love what the girl filming says:
“This is someone who’s against exercise.”
How about you? Do you feel like a cat on a treadmill? Do your [...]
Related StoresJune 19th, 2008 — , Exercise from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
With gas prices approaching five dollars a gallon, it’s in your best interest to combine your workout with your errands. You’ll save gasoline, money, and time. Instead of driving to the gym to workout on the treadmill, you could walk to the grocery store for groceries. You’ll get your shopping AND your workout done in [...]
Related StoresJune 18th, 2008 — , Exercise, Gadgets from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could have your weight bench in your living room where it was easy to access? What if it looked nice as well? That’s the idea behind this concept from Gabriel Prero:
Gabriel Prero - IndustrialDesign-Otto-Bench
I live in a tiny 850 square foot house, so this weight bench looks like a [...]
Related StoresJune 17th, 2008 — , diet from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
It seems that the 3,000 calorie a day diet that the Arkansas jail provides for Broderick Lloyd Laswell isn’t enough for him to maintain his weight.
Kstp.com - 300-pound inmate complains Ark. jail doesn’t feed him well
Instead of being grateful that he is 100 pounds closer to a healthy weight, he is suing the county.
[...]
Related StoresContinue reading → Want To Lose Weight? Go Directly To Jail.
June 16th, 2008 — , Beware from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
Usually when a supplement company is found guilty of violations, they are required to pay a fine. It appears that Metabolife founder, Michael J. Ellis, has been sentenced to six months in prison in addition to his fine of $20,000.
Consumer Health Digest has the story:
Consumer Health Digest, June 10, 2008
In November 2007, Ellis [...]
Related StoresJune 15th, 2008 — , Exercise, Gadgets from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
If you have ever watched The Biggest Loser, you know who Jillian Michaels is. She is the tough trainer who pushes her contestants to a win. In fact, last year, the two finalists for The Biggest Loser were both from her team.
If you have been wishing you could workout with Jillian, it looks like Majesco [...]
Related StoresContinue reading → Jillian Michaels Will Make A Fitness Game For Nitendo Wii
June 14th, 2008 — , Beware from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
The advertisement for Lucky Strike cigarettes says:
To keep a slender figure
No one can deny…
Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet.
Is it true? Does smoking make you thin?
Almost a year ago, there was news of a study that researched that:
FOXNews.com - Study: Smoking Does Not Aid Weight Loss [...]
Related StoresJune 13th, 2008 — , Inner Workouts from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
This postcard from PostSecret showed up a couple of weeks ago and it really hit home for me. It says:
I have convinced myself that I will never be pretty or be loved because I am not thin enough.
I have been willing to let myself be loved despite my physical appearance, but I am [...]
Related StoresJune 12th, 2008 — , Inner Workouts from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
This postcard from PostSecret showed up a couple of weeks ago.
It’s a pretty intense secret. It reads:
I’m 27 years old. Two years ago, I had surgery to lose 150 lbs. I am thin and beautiful now, but in my head, I still feel morbidly obese. I CAN NO LONGER HIDE BEHIND MYSELF [...]
Related StoresJune 11th, 2008 — , Health from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
Just this month, a new research study has been trying to find out what women want and how to convince them to take better care of themselves. You can read the summary here:
Research Brief » Blog Archive » Appearance and Weight Trumps Disease In Women’s Concerns
What was most interesting to me is what women are [...]
Related StoresJune 10th, 2008 — , diet from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
I just watched this amazing video of a talk from Barry Schwartz about the paradox of choice.
I KNEW this lecture was going to be interesting when he flashed this on the screen.
These were how many choices he had when he went to his grocery store.
285 Varieties of cookies
75 Iced teas
230 soups
175 Salad Dressings
With all [...]
Related StoresJune 9th, 2008 — , Health, diet from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
This is a photo of my grandpa working in his garden back in 2005. From fourth grade to my Junior year in high school, I spent every summer working in that garden. I would cringe when my grandma would call down to the basement, “Time to pick the beans!” I have scars on my arms [...]
Related StoresJune 8th, 2008 — , Exercise, Gadgets from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
I couldn’t help laughing at this video for the Treadmill Bicycle.
If you love your treadmill as much as I do, then you know that deep down, you kind of wish that the treadmill bicycle wasn’t a joke. Honestly, I only like to run and walk outside when the weather is perfect. If it’s too [...]
Related StoresJune 7th, 2008 — , diet from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
Sometimes the most simple and traditional recipes turn out to be healthy. Take Toad in the Hole, for example:
This simple dish is delicious and healthy. Here is the recipe:
Toad in the Hole
Ingredients:
One slice of whole wheat bread
One egg
Non-stick cooking spray
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Spray the pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Using a glass, cut a hole [...]
June 6th, 2008 — , Exercise, Gadgets from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
There is no question in my mind what my absolute favorite activity on Wii Fit is: Running on Wii Fit Island. So far, I’ve opened up the Short Run, the Long Run, Island Lap and Free Run. With Free Run, I can run for 10-30 minutes without stopping.
When I first started working out with the [...]
June 5th, 2008 — , Exercise from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
Laura,
I know you’re not a medical authority. I know that you will begin your reply to this question with “talk to your doctor”. I also know you do a lot of running, know people who run and read a lot of articles on the subject.
So here goes…
I’m nearing a year ago when I [...]
Related StoresJune 4th, 2008 — , Inner Workouts from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
I love Braidwood’s writing on why she is trying to lose weight right now:
Reacting to the social pressure to lose weight | Authentic Threads
I would like to just not care what society says and not have my weight, up or down, be in reaction to establishment values. BUT, I am a mammal and [...]
Related StoresJune 3rd, 2008 — , Health from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
If you are one of the many people who have bought a Starling Fitness Yearly Journal, then you know that the quote of the month is about Google. This is one of my favorite all-time quotes and you can see it here:
If you trust Google more than your doctor then maybe it’s time [...]
Related StoresJune 2nd, 2008 — , Exercise, Gadgets from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
Suunto has just released a new series of watches called the T Series. All of them are heart rate monitors that track your calories burned and time in each training zone. The upper end watches work with foot and bicycle pods to track your mileage.
Only the t6c comes even close to doing all that I [...]
Related StoresJune 1st, 2008 — , Exercise, Gadgets from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
After a week of exercising with the Wii Fit, I have a few thoughts.
Is it a good workout?
When I started working out with the Wii Fit with my Nike Imara Heart Rate Monitor, I was worried that I wouldn’t get much of a workout. Some of the balance games (like the Soccer Heading game [...]
Related StoresMay 31st, 2008 — , Beware from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
This article from the New York Times got me thinking. A mother in search of a placebo to give to her child instead of medicine was stymied by the fact that you can’t actually buy a placebo pill. She has created a company called Efficacy Brands and released a “drug” called Obecalp, which is placebo [...]
Related StoresContinue reading → Could Placebo Diet Pills Help You Lose Weight?
May 30th, 2008 — , Beware from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
The headline on the National Enquirer was pretty dramatic. It claimed that the Biggest Loser diet had turned deadly. What was going on here?
Paul Marks weighed 303 pounds when he started with The Biggest Loser. He was eliminated back in February and has since had some medical problems.
According to the National Enquirer:
“Paul is [...]
Related StoresMay 29th, 2008 — , Exercise, Gadgets from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
It’s rare when I laugh out loud at anything. I love to read comics. Most of the time, I chuckle happily to myself at them, but this comic from Joy of Tech made me literally laugh out loud.
The Joy of Tech - Wii Fit Makes a Killing
When the Wii Balance Board turned my Mii into [...]
Related StoresMay 28th, 2008 — , Inner Workouts from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
We got a double-dose of PostSecret this week. Frank has created a Facebook group and is posting bonus secrets there for us to see. You can become a fan of PostSecret here:
Facebook | PostSecret
Here is a bonus secret that showed up on the Facebook profile:
It reads:
I take pictures of myself naked all the [...]
Related StoresMay 27th, 2008 — , Inner Workouts from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
This postcard from PostSecret showed up last Sunday.
It reads:
I am the fat man who wears speedos in public.
I don’t care what you think.
I do it because it makes me feel sexy.
All I can say is, “RIGHT ON, BROTHER!” I haven’t worn a bikini since I was six years old [...]
Related StoresMay 26th, 2008 — , Exercise, Gadgets from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
After a lengthy quest all throughout the city, Mike and I finally found a Wii Fit. I set it up and it told me that I was fat (I knew that already) and made my poor little Mii character a short and pudgy icon after weighing me. I had no idea that the Wii Balance [...]
Related StoresMay 25th, 2008 — , Inner Workouts from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
My friend emailed me this video. The subject of the video was, “So U Think U Can Dance?” and her comment was, “One word… hottie!” I think she was being sarcastic. I clicked on the video and this is what I saw: a half naked man dancing in front of the camera. You can see [...]
Related StoresMay 24th, 2008 — , diet from Laura Moncur @ Starling Fitness
This is a 1968 advertisement for Rexall Drugs’ Super Plenamin vitamins. If you look closely at the label, you can see that they were “selected for use by the U.S. Olympic Team.” It feels almost sacrilegious to say anything negative about vitamins. We need them to stay healthy, right? We’ll get rickets and stuff [...]