Peter's blog

Does Your Genetic Code Make You Fat?

Peter — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:11:36 +0000

But what about people who rape and murder — should we feel empathy for them? Should they be allowed to argue in court that their brains made them do it? Enter the new world of "neurolaw" — in which neuroscience is used as evidence in the courtroom.
~Barbara Bradley Hagarty from NPR

James Fallon, a neuroscientist at the University of California-Irvine has used PET brain scan images of psychopaths and found that the images of serial killers shared similar traits. Fallon believes that the body of evidence is growing and indicates that the brains of some individuals along with their personal histories predisposes them towards violence and damaging behaviors. Fallon's study may also suggest that these traits can be passed down from one generation to another. Despite these findings, Fallon cautioned that genotyping is a young field and scientists world wide have just begun to study this area of the brain in 'normal folks' — much less the brains of athletes .

Interesting... but can this new research be applied to our fitness goals? Can studying our genes and genetic code help us get in shape faster and stay in shape longer?

...[T]he orbital cortex puts a brake on another part of the brain called the amygdala, which is involved with aggression and appetites. But in some people, there's an imbalance — the orbital cortex isn't doing its job — perhaps because the person had a brain injury or was born that way.
~James Fallon

Genetics and You

Question: Do genetics directly impact our fitness and health levels?

Answer: Yes. The really, really simple short term answer to that question is yes. BUT- how we live our lives, in and out of the gym may have the greatest impact; not our genes. Genetics do have an enormous impact in the early stages of our lives and fitness goals but they are not the determining factor say researchers like Fallon.

Lifestyles and behaviors are established early in life; therefore, a focus on healthful behaviors is vital to promoting healthy weight. The primary goals of overcoming childhood overweight should be healthful eating and increased activity. It is important for children to consume enough calories to support normal growth and development without promoting excessive weight gain. The home, childcare setting, school, and community are all integral to a more healthful environment for our children.
~Colorado State University Extension

Your Body and Genetics

Having heavy parents or the 'fat' gene in your family history does not predestine you to being a fat child, a fat teen or a fat adult. For most of us, those without physical or mental disabilities, our bodies are the result of our life long habits. You know, 3 cookies instead of 2. Four scoops of ice cream instread of one. Mochas instead of Lattes. Doing 8 reps instead of 12. Four miles instead of five. Missing workouts on a regular basis. It's all the little things like that that add up on the scale and the body fat calculators. It's more about us, our will power, rather than our bodies. For most people, they give up before they get want they want. Some of the lucky ones might actually hit their goal but stop working out and end up back to their former self wondering where their perfect body went.

Quick Facts...
Overweight children have an increased risk of being overweight as adults.
Genetics, behavior, and family environment play a role in childhood overweight.
Childhood overweight increases the risk for certain medical and psychological conditions.
Encourage overweight children to be active, decrease screen time, and develop healthful eating habits.
~Colorado State University Extension

Bellows, L., & Roach, J. (n.d.). Childhood Obesity. Retrieved June 30, 2010, from http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09317.html

Hagerty, B. B. (n.d.). A Neuroscientist Uncovers A Dark Secret : NPR. Retrieved June 29, 2010, from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127888976

petscaninfo.com. (n.d.). PET Scan: How Can PET Make a Difference? Retrieved June 29, 2010, from http://www.petscaninfo.com/zportal/portals/pat/brain

Wikipedia.com. (n.d.). James Fallon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved June 29, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Fallon

NPR Quality of Life on Obesity

The Fat Gene - The Helena Study

Turn Off the Fat Genes: The Revolutionary Guide to Taking Charge of the Genes That Control Your Weight

Food for Life: How the New Four Food Groups Can Save Your Life

mff-nidnpr-neuroscientist.jpg

Paul George Makes NBA Lottery By Being Selection 10

Peter — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 03:31:04 +0000

Congratulations to Paul George

Former Fresno State Bulldog

NBA Lottery Pick #10

What I like about Paul is, I put, as a coach, a tremendous premium on your ability to create your own shot. That's something our wings were sorely lacking this year."

~Pacer Coach Jim O'Brien in USAToday.com

We're very happy to select a player who is very talented. Paul is multi-skilled, he can play two positions and with his work ethic, he has a chance to be a very good player in this league."

~ Larry Bird the Pacer's Team President in USAToday.com

FresnoBee.com. (n.d.). Ex-'Dog George receives invite to NBA draft - Fresno State Bulldogs - fresnobee.com. Retrieved June 25, 2010, from http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/06/22/1979694/ex-dog-george-receives-invite.html?mi_pluck_action=comment_submitted&qwxq=1336620#Comments_Container

O'Brien, M. (n.d.). 2010 NBA Draft, Tenth Pick: Pacers Select Paul George, Fresno State - SBNation.com. Retrieved June 25, 2010, from http://www.sbnation.com/2010/6/24/1535523/2010-nba-draft-tenth-pick-paul-george-pacers

Pacers take F George at No. 10 - USATODAY.com. (n.d.). . Retrieved June 25, 2010, from http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2010-06-24-2011315079_x.htm

Fresno State Men’s Basketball Camp 2010

Fresno State Dance Team 2010

Peter — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 20:42:18 +0000

The Fresno State Dance Team is back with a vengeance in 2010. Check out their competition videos at Varsity.com under the direction of Tiphanie McNiff, former Riderette 2009-2010. The Lady 'Dogs are back...!

The Official Fresno State Website www.GoBulldogs.com

For more details Visit http://www.gobulldogs.com/trads/fres-cheer.html

Coaches & Contact information - (Click name for e-mail)
Athletics Advisor: Clarence Chiong - (559) 244-5622

Cheer Team
Head Coach: Shawna Pribble - (559) 940-1559
Associate Head Coach: Nichol Gagnon

Dance Team
Head Coach: Tiphanie McNiff

Campbell, B. (n.d.). Is cheerleading a sport? : The Collegian Online. Retrieved July 12, 2010, from http://collegian.csufresno.edu/2010/05/07/is-cheerleading-a-sport/

varsity.com. (n.d.). 2010 USA All Star Spirit, Dance, and College Nationals. Retrieved June 14, 2010, from http://www.varsity.com/event/1327/2010-usa-all-star.aspx

Fresno State Cheer Tryouts 2010-2011

SportSkool on Comcast with Sean Astin

Peter — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 21:16:34 +0000

Sportskool is a free new youth centerd sports show by Comcast OnDemand (On Demand-> Sports and Fitness -> SportSkool) and is hosted by actor Sean Austin (aka Rudy Ruettiger). The show has some of the world's best known athletes like Shaun White, Mia Hamm, Bode Miller, Doug Flutie, Misty May-Treanor, Tony Gwynn, Bill Walton, Nomar Garciaparra, Jennie Finch, and Magic Johnson teaching parents and kids about sports and sportmanship.

Some of the free featured topics:

Parents and Coaches
Skateboarding
Tennis
Baseball
Sports Docs
Lacrose
BMX
Softball

Sportskool can be found OnDemand, when and where you want it. We are currently found in most major markets, on most cable and satellite providers. Go to www.sportskool.com to find out if you can get Sportskool in your home.
~http://www.facebook.com/sportskool

Winning can actually have a negative effect on children. And when it come to learning life lessons; losing can be just as important. Maybe more so. Keeping winning and losing in prespective is key to developing a player's character and ensuring their healthy and continued interest in competitive sports.
~Sean Astin on SportSkool

SportSkool.com. (n.d.). Facebook | SPORTSKOOL. Retrieved June 13, 2010, from http://www.facebook.com/sportskool?v=wall#!/sportskool?v=info

SportSkool.com. (n.d.). Sportskool. Retrieved June 13, 2010, from http://www.sportskool.com/video-27.html

Si Se Puede Learning Center: Summer Fun Program

B.A.R.K. Sports Camp for Summer 2010

Rudy (Special Edition)

The Rudy in You: A Guide to Building Teamwork, Fair Play and Good Sportsmanship for Young Athletes, Parents and Coaches

Abby Sunderland Found

Peter — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 14:36:26 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/myfresnofitness / CC BY 2.0

Yes..!

They found Abby alive and well. Her mast and rigging broke off in the storm but she is doing well.

Great news.

We have just heard from the Australian Search and Rescue. The plane arrived on the scene moments ago. Wild Eyes is upright but her rigging is down. The weather conditions are abating. Radio communication was made and Abby reports that she is fine!
~http://www.soloround.blogspot.com/

We've got our Abigail back and the quest will be over. Knowing that she's alive and well means so much more to me than any sailing record. It's just a huge, huge relief.
~Laurence Sunderland

Abby Sunderland. (n.d.). Abby's Blog. Retrieved June 10, 2010, from http://www.soloround.blogspot.com/

BBC News. (n.d.). BBC News - US teenage sailor Abby Sunderland found in Indian Ocean. Retrieved June 11, 2010, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/us_and_canada/10291246.stm

Huffington Post. (n.d.). 16 Year-Old Abby Sunderland Feared Lost At Sea. Retrieved June 10, 2010, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/10/abby-sunderland-lost-16-y_n_607691.html?page=3

Rudman, R., Dorian, M., & McCarthy, T. (n.d.). Abby Sunderland, Teen Sailor Possibly Lost at Sea - ABC News. Retrieved June 10, 2010, from http://abcnews.go.com/2020/abby-sunderland-possibly-lost-sea/story?id=10877108

Teen Sailor Abby Sunderland Lost

Abby Sunderland 16 Year Old Sailing for World Record

The Annapolis Book of Seamanship, 3rd Edition Revised

The Complete Sailor: Learning the Art of Sailing

Teen Sailor Abby Sunderland Lost

Peter — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:00:40 +0000

http://www.soloround.blogspot.com/

Sixteen year old Abby Sunderland may be lost at sea. She reportedly activated her emergency beacons this morning at 6AM while fighting 25 foot waves in the Indian Ocean. Abby had difficulties in her quest earlier when her navigation systems failed. The loss of her computer cost her the World Record for Youngest Person to Sail Around the World Non-Stop. Still Abby persisted in her journey until today when the beacons went off.

Abby has all of the equipment on board to survive a crisis situation like this. She has a dry suit, survival suit, life raft, and ditch bag with emergency supplies. If she can keep warm and hang on, help will be there as soon as possible. Wild Eyes is designed for travel in the Southern Ocean and is equipped with 5 air-tight bulkheads to keep her buoyant in the event of major hull damage. It is built to Category 0 standards and is designed to self-right in the event of capsize.
~www.soloround.blogspot.com/

I hope they find her safe.

They are exhausting every resource to try to mobilize an air rescue including discussions with the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Coast Guard and various international rescue organizations.
~ Christian Pinkston, Family Spokesman

Abby Sunderland. (n.d.). Abby's Blog. Retrieved June 10, 2010, from http://www.soloround.blogspot.com/

Huffington Post. (n.d.). 16 Year-Old Abby Sunderland Feared Lost At Sea. Retrieved June 10, 2010, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/10/abby-sunderland-lost-16-y_n_607691.html?page=3

Teen Sailor Abby Sunderland Around the World Trip Falls Short

Abby Sunderland 16 Year Old Sailing for World Record

Peter Kinloch Dies After Climbing Mount Everest

Peter — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 14:47:41 +0000

The top of Kilimanjaro. Photo by stignygaard / CC BY 2.0

Peter Alasdair Kinloch (17 July 1981 – 26 May 2010), was a Scottish mountaineer who combined his fitness pursuits with charity work for OCD Action. Peter was worked as a motivational speaker for OCD Action which provides support and information to anybody affected by Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Peter had embarked on the Seven Summits challenge and gained a rep for always wearing a hat and scarf of his beloved Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club. That's awesome.

It's really sad to see a person who uses their fitness or education skills and talents to help or motivate others to improve their lives and their communities pass away too soon. Peter had a goal of climbing the highest mountains in the world and use those experiences to teach others that they too can overcome the seemingly impossible.

Rest in peace - Peter.

The 28-year-old motivational speaker was climbing the 29,035-foot (8,850-meter) mountain from the Chinese side, the lesser traveled but technically more difficult route.
~MSNBC.com

Peter Kinloch's Climbing History

Year	Details
2005	Kilimanjaro, Tanzania summited by the Rongai route
2006	Fox Glacier; Franz Josef Glacier, both New Zealand
2007	Elbrus, Russia
2008	Aconcagua, Argentina summited by the Polish Glacier route
2009	Denali, Alaska, USA summited by West Buttress route; Mont Blanc, Alps
2010	Everest, Himalayas summited by Tibet/North Col route (died on descent)^[8]^[9]^[1]

msnbc.com. (n.d.). British climber dies after reaching Everest summit - China- msnbc.com. Retrieved June 3, 2010, from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37484118/ns/world_news-asiapacific/?GT1=43001

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Peter Kinloch - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved June 3, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Kinloch

13 Year Old Californian Jordan Romero to Climb Everest

Abby Sunderland 16 Year Old Sailing for World Record

No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing the World's 14 Highest Peaks

Forever on the Mountain: The Truth Behind One of Mountaineering's Most Controversial and Mysterious Disasters

Congratulations to Josh Koscheck of Fresno

Peter — Mon, 10 May 2010 02:12:30 +0000

Josh Koscheck is a mixed martial fighter who has made Fresno his home. Koscheck was in the Ultimate Fighter Championship (UFC) and is a former contestant in the The Ultimate Fighter (TUF). Koscheck recently won his UFC 113 Fight against Paul Daley and will be facing George Sainte Pierre for the World Tiltle.

Koscheck owns the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) in Fresno and runs the following classes:

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Children’s Mixed Martial Arts
Kickboxing and Muay Thai
Adult Mixed Martial Arts
Kids Wrestling Club
Boxing
MMA Workout

Each discipline at AKA is taught by world-class instructors in Fresno, California. AKA Fresno has a wide range of class offerings, including Saturday and Sunday classes, tailored to fit your schedule.

Koscheck Online

Homepage: http://www.kosmma.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/joshkoscheck

jurevycius2. (n.d.). YouTube - UFC 113 Paul Daley vs. Josh Koscheck post fight. Retrieved May 18, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPGuRai1aHs

Koscheck, J. (n.d.). Josh Koscheck (fresnofitness) on Twitter. Retrieved May 18, 2010, from http://twitter.com/joshkoscheck

Koscheck, J. (n.d.). Josh Koscheck Official Website. Retrieved May 18, 2010, from http://www.kosmma.com/

Petznik. (n.d.). YouTube - Josh Koscheck Highlights. Retrieved May 18, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKycZq34bLc

MMA Fitness Expo Fresno 2010

Ultimate MMA Magazine (Demolition Crew AKA Josh Koscheck Jon Fitch Cain Velasquez Mike Swick, April 2010)

Pyramex Reatta Safety Eyewear, Indoor/Outdoor Mirror Lens With Blue/Charcoal Frame

Lack of Sleep May Lead to Early Death

Peter — Wed, 05 May 2010 23:20:35 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedrosimoes7/ / CC BY 2.0

Recently the news has been flooded with reports on fat genes, fat kids and fat adults. Many of the articles suggest that in order to lower our obesity levels we should work out more. For the most part I agree however more exercise is just part of the answer. Exercise is one component of a healthy lifestyle not the whole just like dieting and eating properly aren't the complete answer. To be fit, happy and healthy you need to rest too.

Diabetes

Did you know that there are serious medical conditions and concerns with lack of sleep? Not sleeping enough can increase your chances of getting Diabetes. Researchers recently studied nine healthy volunteers. The volunteers each got eight hours' sleep one night and then got four hours the next. After each night of rest researchers checked their insulin sensitivity. The results, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, showed that cutting back on sleep reduced insulin sensitivity. This is NOT a good thing because a reduction in insulin levels may increase your likelihood of gaining unwanted body fat. Not a good thing.

Premature Death

And more bad news for the stay-up-late and wake-up-late then rush-to-work-folks: you're increasing your chances of a premature death by 1.12 times. People who sleep for less than six hours each night are more likely to die prematurely. British and Italian doctors analyized 16 studies, from the United Kingdom and United States and European and East Asian countries, involving more than 1.3 million participants. Researchers studied the volunteers for up to 25 years using sleep questionnaires. Researchers found that sleeping less than six hours a night was associated with a 1.12 times greater risk of death compared with those who the recommended six to eight hours.

"The duration of sleep should be regarded as an additional behavioural risk factor, or risk marker, influenced by the environment and possibly amenable to change through both education and counselling as well as through measures of public health aimed at favourable modifications of the physical and working environments."
~Francesco Cappuccio

Professor Francesco Cappuccio, leader of the sleep, health and society program at the University of Warwick, believe the evidence shows that the link between lack of sleep and early death may play an important part in today's society as society seems to be gradually increasing the amount of hours people work.

Get some sleep.

"If you sleep little, you can develop diabetes, obesity, hypertension and high cholesterol."
~Francesco Cappuccio

AFP. (n.d.). Lack of sleep linked to early death: study - Yahoo! News. Retrieved May 5, 2010, from http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100505/hl_afp/healthsciencesleepbritainitaly

CBC News. (n.d.). CBC News - Health - Lack of sleep linked to premature death. Retrieved May 6, 2010, from http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/05/05/sleep-death-risk.html

lackofsleeping.com. (n.d.). Lack of Sleep Effects | Effects of Lack of Sleep | Sleep Deprivation Effects. Retrieved May 6, 2010, from http://www.lackofsleeping.com/lack-of-sleep-side-effects/

Press Association. (n.d.). The Press Association: Lack of sleep 'linked to diabetes'. Retrieved May 6, 2010, from http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5ixDhHNsLW0FPnirYYZtuHGcRgNug

Theorell-Haglow, J., & Berne, C. (n.d.). SLEEP - Article Abstract. Journal of Sleep. Retrieved May 6, 2010, from http://www.journalsleep.org/ViewAbstract.aspx?pid=27781

A Sleepy Tale

Sound Sleep, Sound Mind: 7 Keys to Sleeping Through the Night

Sleep Solutions (The Calming Collection)

Delta Sleep System

Teen Sailor Abby Sunderland Around the World Trip Falls Short

Peter — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 03:03:12 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonezes/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

Due to failing equipment 16 Year Old Abby Sunderland has announced that she has been forced to end her attempt to sail around the world nonstop. Yes, her NONSTOP attempt to sail around the world... Abby's amazing trip has ended because her main auto pilot and backup auto pilot systems have both failed. Due to the equipment failure, the young adventurer endured nearly 24 hours at the helm of her ship Wild Eyes in rough and tumbling seas.

I'm happy that Abby proved that even at 16, she has the intelligence to make the right decision to end a trip she had invested so much of herself in. I know many people, myself included who may have not been able to make the decision to stop. Sometimes athletes don't know when to say when.

Best wishes Abby..!

To put these adventures into perspective, more than 3,000 people have successfully climbed Mt. Everest during the past 56 years. According to the American Sailing Assn., fewer than 250 people have sailed alone around the world since Joshua Slocum logged the first documented solo-circumnavigation in 1898.
~Pete Thomas

Thomas, P. (n.d.). Teen sailor Abby Sunderland abandons nonstop around-the-world quest, by Pete Thomas. Retrieved April 27, 2010, from http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/blog/17192/teen+sailor+abby+sunderland+abandons+nonstop+around-the-world+quest/

13 Year Old Californian Jordan Romero to Climb Everest

World's Strongest Kid - Liam Hoekstra

Abby Sunderland 16 Year Old Sailing for World Record

Suunto Vector Wrist-Top Computer Watch with Altimeter, Barometer, Compass, and Thermometer (Yellow)

Rue and Gwen Gibson Farmer's Market

Peter — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 21:46:43 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdickert/ / CC BY 2.0

The offerings of CSU Fresno State's Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market is wonderfully awesome and good for you. In Fresno, we're lucky to have a University in our backyard neighborhood that produces such healthy and tasty products for us. My favorite selection? Of course the diary and ice cream products!

Just to let you folks know products are all are processed, produced, created, and/or harvested by dedicated Fresno State students and enterprises. Each and every time you purchase a product from Rue and Gwen's Farmer Market, the profit goes directly to supporting the students and enterprise.

The Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market
was originally a humble fruit and vegetable stand on the corner of Chestnut and Barstow created to sell the students' produce from the College of Agriculture Sciences and Technologies over 20 years ago. Over time, the students and enterprises created new products and produce as they increased their knowledge and expertise. The products are created on campus and are divided into different enterprises that are operated by dedicated faculty and enterprise technicians who work closely with students in managing a field, product or product line. Today the Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market carries products from over 15 enterprises from five different departments.
~Rue and Gwen Gibson Farmers Market

Fresno State and the Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market are truly unique in their mission to educate the future agriculture leaders of the Central Valley and beyond.
~ ~Rue and Gwen Gibson Farmers Market

Rue and Gwen Farmers Market. (n.d.). CSUF Farm Market: History. Retrieved April 14, 2010, from http://www.auxiliary.com/AGF/farmmarket/history.shtml

Lecture on Organic Food

To Buy or Not to Buy Organic: What You Need to Know to Choose the Healthiest, Safest, Most Earth-Friendly Food

The Organic Food Shopper's Guide

Lecture on Organic Food

Peter — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 21:28:08 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gudlyf/ / CC BY 2.0

USU Productions Presents a Lecture on Organic Food

Ever Wondered What Organic Food Really Is?

Is It Good For You?

Come Find Out & Join Us
In Learning About Organic Food
@This FREE Lecture!

When: Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Where: Library Room 2108
Time: 2-3pm

Lecture Will Be Given by
Dr. Mint,a Soil Scientist/Agronomist

Ever Wondered What Organic Food Really Is? Is It Good For You?

Fresno State Cheer Tryouts 2010-2011

To Buy or Not to Buy Organic: What You Need to Know to Choose the Healthiest, Safest, Most Earth-Friendly Food

13 Year Old Californian Jordan Romero to Climb Everest

Peter — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 05:41:09 +0000

The top of Kilimanjaro. Photo by stignygaard / CC BY 2.0

I just heard that 13 Year Old Californian Jordan Romero is planning to climb all 29,035 feet of Mount Everest with his father. Incredible. That's 29,035 feet in one of the deadliest places on Earth. At that elevation, you can freeze in minutes in the sun light. Still Jordan has already scaled Mount Kilimanjaro at age 9 and became the youngest American to reach the summit. If you don't know, Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa's highest peak. Still think he's not ready? Well Jordan has climbed four of the tallest peaks on the planet since Kilimanjaro, including Alaska's Mount McKinley a mountain that may exceed Mount Everest in technical difficulties.

I recently met Dave Rodney a two time Mount Everest climber, or summitter(?) Dave Rodney and heard of the incredible challenges climbers face on the mountain. If you think cycling, Step or MMA is tough. Try climbing a mountain.

Good luck Jordan.

"Mountain climbing requires a lot of mental training and making smart decisions. It's a metaphor for life."

~13 Year Old Californian Jordan Romero on his attempt to climb Everest

Dillon, R. M. (n.d.). 13-Year-Old Boy to Attempt Everest Summit : Discovery News. Retrieved April 7, 2010, from http://news.discovery.com/earth/everest-13-year-old-summit-bid.html

Romero, J. (n.d.). Seven Summits « Jordan Romero. Retrieved April 7, 2010, from http://www.jordanromero.com/about/

World's Strongest Kid - Liam Hoekstra

Abby Sunderland 16 Year Old Sailing for World Record

No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing the World's 14 Highest Peaks

High Exposure: An Enduring Passion for Everest and Unforgiving Places

Kevin Smith: Too Fat to Fly?

Peter — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:59:18 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffmcneill/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

I wish I could say that I was shocked to hear that actor, writer, comic-stud and funny man Kevin Smith was asked to leave a plane for being too fat but I wasn't. In addition to all the health risks involved with being over weight... there's also the social challenges such as teasing, lower pay and dating dilemmas. One thing Mr. Smith's espiodes shows is that being rich and famous doesn't relieve any of the issues that heavy people face.

Best wishes Mr. Smith.

The director and actor says a pilot ejected him from a Southwest Airlines flight from Oakland to Burbank, Calif., saying he didn't fit properly in a single seat.
~The Daily Whisper Netscape.com

"I'm way fat, but I'm not there just yet," and "If you look like me, you may be ejected from Southwest Air."
~Kevin Smith

Daily Whisper. (n.d.). Kevin Smith Ejected From Flight Over Weight - Netscape Celebrity. Retrieved March 2, 2010, from http://channels.isp.netscape.com/celebrity/whisper.jsp?current=25.

Smith, K. (n.d.). My Boring Ass Life. Retrieved March 2, 2010, from http://silentbobspeaks.com/?40ac1f78.

Fired for Being too Fat

An Evening With Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder

Clerks - The Animated Series Uncensored

My Boring-Ass Life (New Edition): The Uncomfortably Candid Diary of Kevin Smith

I’ve had much of my humanity stripped away over the last week, as people discuss me as a concept, more than a person. The Southwest Air incident (or as it’s been called in the more polite corners of the internet, “ChubbyGate”) has hit home with folks, apparently.
~Kevin Smith

Barefoot Running

Peter — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:50:44 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/myfresnofitness / CC BY 2.0

Running shoes, decked out with the latest cushioning, motion control and arch support technologies, may not be as beneficial to your feet and joints as you might think.
~Rachel Rettner at Msnbc.com

I recently injured my back... how I have no idea. Work, my personal fitness routine, sitting too long or just plain moving in the wrong way and pulling something. Who knows? One thing for sure... my back did hurt. And massively.

This led me to research my running style and habits. One of the first things I thought of was the shoes... As a half-joke... I researched barefoot running and found out that there is a real movement in the world of running that advocates shoeless running. Barefoot runners belief that our bodies are naturally designed to absorb the impact of running and that using shoes may actually affect our running and bodies negatively.

A hammer toe is a deformity of the second, third or fourth toes. In this condition, the toe is bent at the middle joint, so that it resembles a hammer. Initially, hammer toes are flexible and can be corrected with simple measures but, if left untreated, they can become fixed and require surgery.
~American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

And yes. That is a photo of me and my feet. Apparently... in addition to having a bad back... my friends say I have hammer toes. I may have found a solution to hammer toes too over at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons web site. I hope this works and my back feels better. I'll let you know.

"I mean, I think we have to be really, really careful about what we do and don't know. We have not done any injury studies; this is not an injury study. That's next."
~ Brian Richmond at George Washington University quoted in NPR.org

"Most runners, when they land and they heel-strike — they land on their heel — they generate this sudden impulse, this sharp spike of force. So it's like someone hitting you on the heel with a hammer, about 1 1/2 to 3 times your body weight."
~ Anthropologist Dan Lieberman quoted in NPR.org

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. (n.d.). Your Orthopaedic Connection: Hammer Toe. Retrieved January 28, 2010, from http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00160.

Burfoot, A. (n.d.). Should You Be Running Barefoot? Retrieved January 28, 2010, from http://www.runnersworld.com/article/1,7124,s6-240-319--6728-0,00.html.

Joyce, C. (n.d.). Study: Humans Were Born To Run Barefoot : NPR. Retrieved January 28, 2010, from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123031997&ft=1&f=1001.

Rettner, R. (n.d.). Running shoes linked to joint strain - Fitness- msnbc.com. Retrieved January 29, 2010, from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34824451/ns/health-fitness/.

Dr. Nicholas Romanov's Pose Method of Running

Evolution Running: Run Faster with Fewer Injuries

Famous runners had gone barefoot before us, of course. In 1960 Ethiopia's Abebe Bikila, the greatest Olympic marathoner of all time, won the first of his consecutive gold medals sans shoes in a world record 2:15:17.
~Amby Burfoot quoted from Should You Be Running Barefoot?

World's Strongest Kid - Liam Hoekstra

Peter — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 04:48:42 +0000

Liam Hoekstra has a very rare a condition known as myostatin-hypertrophy which increases his muscle mass while lowering his body fat. Liam literally eats all day and still cannot add body fat due to his condition. At age 2, Liam was able to do pushs and situps; something most 6-year olds and adults cannot do. Liam runs faster and is stronger than almost all children his age and most kids that are 6 (85%). To add insult to injury for us normal folks, at age 2, Liam practically had a six pack.

With his strong body Liam is also accerating in catching, throwing, running, swimming and balancing skills. Liam just may be the next Olympic swimmer or weight lifter or MMA fighter.

The World's Strongest Kid - Liam Hoestra has 40 percent more muscle tissue than the rest of us.

Liam could just be the next Michael Phelps

Kells, T. (n.d.). Myotonic Hypertrophy Makes Liam Hoekstra World's Strongest Boy | NowPublic News Coverage. Retrieved January 25, 2010, from http://www.nowpublic.com/strange/myotonic-hypertrophy-makes-liam-hoekstra-worlds-strongest-boy.

Wagner, K. (n.d.). Myostatin-Related Muscle Hypertrophy -- GeneReviews -- NCBI Bookshelf. Retrieved January 25, 2010, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=gene&part=mstn.

Classical Pilates Kids & Young Adults

6 Fit Kids' Fitness Workouts for Children

Things Not To Do

Peter — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 03:35:46 +0000

Don't accidentally put your iPod headphones in the dyer after you accidentally wash them in the washing machine.

Things Not To Do....

eHow.com - Contributing Wirter. (n.d.). How to Care for an iPod | eHow.com. Retrieved January 25, 2010, from http://www.ehow.com/how_2016193_care-ipod.html.

Apple iPod nano 8 GB Black (5th Generation) OLD MODEL

15-Item Accessory Bundle for Apple iPod Touch 2G and 3G

Abby Sunderland 16 Year Old Sailing for World Record

Peter — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 23:11:33 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedrosimoes7/ / CC BY 2.0

16-year-old Abby Sunderland has just set sail to become the world's youngest person to sail around the world by themselves. That's right, Abby is 16-years old and probably has been on or around the water for 17 years. You see, Abby's family lives in Thousand Oaks, California and has a strong family tradition of sailing and boat building. Abby's father, Laurence is a boat builder and her older Zac Abby set the world record in 2008-2009 at the ripe old age of 17.

While Abby plans to be at sea for about six months, her brother's Zac's journey took 13-months. During her journey Abby will maintain a blog at abbysunderland.com and communicate with her family through satellite phones. Photos of Abby's attempt at the record can be found at her gallery page here. The current record holder is Britian Mike Perham who was 17-years old when he originally set the world record. You can visit Mike's blog and check out what he's doing now at 19-years old. But... be warned... this guy has really high goals. Inspirational.

Welcome to my site. When I was 14, I became the youngest person to sail across the Atlantic. Everyone asked, "What next?". So at the age of 17, I became the youngest person to sail single-handed around the world.
~Mike Perham

AbbySunderland.com. (n.d.). Abby Sunderland | Abigail Sunderland | Wild Eyes | Solo Circumvent | Shoecity.com Sponsor. Retrieved January 24, 2010, from http://abbysunderland.com/.

Perham, M. (n.d.). Welcome - ChallengeMike. Retrieved January 24, 2010, from http://www.challengemike.com/welcome.htm.

Sunderland, Z. (n.d.). Zac's Blog. Retrieved January 24, 2010, from http://www.zacsunderland.com/blog/.

Teen Sailor Abby Sunderland Around the World Trip Falls Short

The Greatest Sailing Stories Ever Told: Twenty-Seven Unforgettable Stories

Passions: Sailing: Dream Places You'd Rather Be (Passions...)

Don't Take a Seat - It May Kill You

Peter — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:25:14 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cell105/ / CC BY 2.0

Sigh... apparently sitting down too much can kill you. Researchers now are saying that the affects of sitting too much is extremely harmful to our bodies. The kicker is... that it is not necessarily long stretches of sitting but the overall amount of time you sit for.

Wow.

The early research suggests that people who spend most of their days sitting are more likely to be fat, have an increased chance of having a heart attack or dying prematurely. The folks at the British Journal of Sports Medicine led by Elin Ekblom-Bak of the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences suggested that employees, business leaders and health and fitness policy makers rethink how they define physical activity to highlight the dangers of sitting.

The research results show that even regular exercise may not offset the damage that sitting for long periods of time inflicts. Tim Armstrong, a physical activity expert at the World Health Organization, believes people who exercise every day - but still spend a lot of time sitting - might get more benefit if that exercise were spread across the day, instead of in a single bout.

But is this really shocking? I mean, aren't we only a few generations removed from being true hunters and gatherers? Our bodies weren't built to work like we now live. Forty hours plus at work... eight to ten hours driving to and from work... Movies, videos... games and the rest of our leisure activities are new developments which our bodies haven't been able to fully adopt to in such a short time frame.

In the not too distant past we struggled to find, capture, plant our crops and kill our food. We didn't have McDonalds or drive thrus to fill our bellies. It was up to us. Times have changed and our bodies and science are beginning to reflecting this fact.

"After four hours of sitting, the body starts to send harmful signals,"
~Ekblom-Bak Quoted in Fresno Bee

The folks at the British Journal of Sports Medicine led by Elin Ekblom-Bak of the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences suggested that employees, business leaders and health and fitness policy makers rethink how they define physical activity to highlight the dangers of sitting.
~Peter

Cheng, M. (n.d.). Experts: Sitting too much could be deadly - World News Wire - Fresnobee.com. Retrieved January 22, 2010, from http://www.fresnobee.com/world/story/1788966.html.

Fat: The Anthropology of an Obsession

Fat History: Bodies and Beauty in the Modern West