Half the battle with staying healthy is simply keeping track of what you’re putting in your body and what you’re doing to burn calories. Burn more calories than you consume and you’ll be fine. Burn less than you consume and you’ll eventually approach muumuu territory.
The Wii and the iPhone are two great pieces of gear that can help you get in shape. The Wii Fit was super trendy last year and is essentially the world’s most expensive scale. The iPhone just keeps getting better and what makes it so powerful is that it can be taken anywhere. In this case information is proving to be weight loss gold for many people.
I have one friend that attributes her weight loss solely to the iPhone. The apps on the iPhone store made it “fun and easy to learn weight”. She’s looks great and has more energy and she attributes this all to the iPhone.
So, if you’ve got an iPhone and you still haven’t shed your winter coat, summer is coming next week, you may want to give it a whirl. Worst case scenario it doesn’t work. Best case you get a handle on your health and a little more pep in your step.
Visit Apple for more information and to find a killer health app for you.
Ridiculous I know. Sort of like ordering that Diet Coke at In-N-Out Burger. Every year about this time people everywhere are wondering just how committed they really are to getting in shape. There are plenty of resolutions but very little resolve. If you’re serious about getting in shape we recommend checking out CrossFit. In fact, we think this is the year that CrossFit becomes a household name.
January and February can be brutal months in some parts of the country. Here in California we’re lucky we get to spend so much time outdoors but we also have the rainy season which keeps us inside at the gym.
Gyms like 24 Fitness, Gold’s or Bally’s all pretty much offer the same thing. You pay a fee, do your workout and go home. If you need help getting motivated you can hire a trainer for some 1 on 1 time. There are some differences in philosophy but the workouts tend to be similar wherever you go. Over time, it gets a bit repetitive and even boring going to the same place, seeing the same people and doing the same workout.
Enter CrossFit. Forget everything you know about working out and go check it out. Seriously. I’ve played sports at all levels; football, baseball, basketball, you name it. I’ve had trainers and coaches put me on myriad programs over the years. None have kicked my ass like CrossFit.
The exercises are similar to what you might find with other workouts and some are totally unique. But what really makes CrossFit special is the variety of workouts and the cadence and timing within. You never really know what you’ll be doing until you show up or check the website for the day’s workout. This makes it unpredictable, fun and extremely challenging.
Most CrossFit gyms will let you come for a week to check it out. On the first day they may put you through a ten minute workout. Trust me it will kick your ass. You probably won’t be back for a few days. You’ll be that sore. However, if you can commit to the program for at least 1 month you’ll start to see results that will motivate to stay with the program.
Visit Crossfit for more information about the philosophy of the workout and to find a local chapter near you.
The Sole F83 treadmill is a folding treadmill that includes a Tri Color LED display, 3.0 HP motor, heart rate monitor, built in speakers and computer style fans in the console.
Sole offers a few setup options including a “white glove” service where the unit will be delivered and full assembled in the home. The box the F83 arrives in is quite large and intimidating however Sole does an excellent job of packing the unit and assembly is actually quite easy. The only thing requiring 2 people is moving the deck around which is heavy and awkward if not impossible for one person to move.
Sole needs a little work on the assembly instructions. A couple of steps are missing such as placing the trim on the frame before assembling as it’s impossible to do in portions of the frame once the structural pieces are in place.
In use the Sole is ergonomic and friendly. It’s extremely well made and sturdy. Runners and walkers will both appreciate the quiet motor and deck. No adjustments were required once setup was completed. Our 200 pound and 110 pound testers both enjoyed using the unit. Sole provides multiple buttons for accessing the same controls on the console and hand rails.
In Santa Monica down the corner from San Vicente and 4th street in a very nice neighborhood is a steep set of stairs that has become quite the scene. It's become a place where people meet for a social as well as physical workout. It's a fashion show too. People come from all over to do "the stairs." Basically you walk, run and crawl up and down these things as many times as you can. There are about 170 steps in all. The steps are fairly steep and it can get crowded on weekend mornings.
Some of the people are very serious about their workout. They don't talk to each other and have that look that is somewhere between aloofness and constipation. On the other hand you have lots of friendly people who actually live in the neighborhood, get the joke, and find the whole thing very funny. And aside from the weekend noise that annoys the multi-million dollar home owners, it's a good workout for everyone involved.
The scene is on the first set of stairs at the end of 4th street. These are "the stairs." People often workout in the median doing sit-ups and pushups. This is also a popular location to scope out the opposite sex. You'll often find older women with personal trainers going through the paces. One regular, Sarah, told us it's become quite the pickup place but she still enjoys the location for her morning workout. Her trainer, Lafayette, indulged us and was DJ Chris' trainer for a day.
There are a second set of stairs just up the road made of wood that are wider and often less crowded. These aren't "the stairs" but I actually prefer them for working out. Usually when I do the stairs workout I start at the top of "the stairs" at the end of 4th street, make my way down to the bottom, take a right, jog about 100 yards and climb the second set of stairs back to the top of the street. Repeat. This is a killer loop that will have your legs burning in no time. Ten laps is a workout for anyone, running or walking. Plus the wooden stairs give a little and are a lot easier on the knees.
When you're done you can make your way up San Vicente or down to the water and stumble upon a variety of places to eat. Sometimes we'll take a nice long walk down to the Fig Tree in Venice. It's a nice place to grab a bite to eat on the beach.
So come on out to the stairs and enjoy yourself. You never know who you might run into. My sister still glows when she tells the story of meeting the late John F. Kennedy Jr. on the stairs. The workout's good for your heart and the people are good for your soul.
Half the battle with staying healthy is simply keeping track of what you’re putting in your body and what you’re doing to burn calories. Burn more calories than you consume and you’ll be fine. Burn less than you consume and you’ll eventually approach muumuu territory. 
Ridiculous I know. Sort of like ordering that Diet Coke at In-N-Out Burger. Every year about this time people everywhere are wondering just how committed they really are to getting in shape. There are plenty of resolutions but very little resolve. If you’re serious about getting in shape we recommend checking out CrossFit. In fact, we think this is the year that CrossFit becomes a household name. 
The Sole F83 treadmill is a folding treadmill that includes a Tri Color LED display, 3.0 HP motor, heart rate monitor, built in speakers and computer style fans in the console.