Life is Healthy

What's the easiest way to a flat tummy? One reader wanted to know this and so she paid $20 for an expert on Google Answers to find the answer for her. She specifically asked if sit-ups would be the fastest way to trim her waistline. She got a pretty detailed answer and if she followed the instructions, she probably has a flatter stomach now.

Here's an excerpt from the detailed answer;

What sit ups does do is tone your abdominal muscles. However, it does not "target" the fat in your tummy any more than any other form of aerobic exercise. In fact, if you only do situps as your aerobic exercise, what will happen is that you will build up abdominal muscles in your abs, but it would be still covered in the same layers of fat as before.

"The first place we usually lose fat is on our face (so our mothers can tell us we look too thin). Unfortunately, it is not possible to direct our bodies to burn fat from a particular area."
"Take sit-ups for example. It is important to keep your stomach (and back) muscles in shape, and firm abs can even help to hold in your stomach. But to reduce the size of your mid-section, you would do just as well to perform any exercise that you enjoy."
Source: http://www.eatwellandexercise.com/faqs_spot.html



Check out the easiest way to a flat stomach here.

Google Answers was a great service, but unfortunately it has closed down for now.

Three Gorges Dam: Hydropower At Huge Human Cost

For me, weighing an option also means that the negative repercussions must be truthfully weighed in proportion to the positive. In the case of Three Gorges Dam which the Chinese government has touted as a marvel of engineering in it's quest to satisfy its rapacious need for energy, it is turning into an ecological disaster with the negative outweighing the positive. And therein lies the dilemma of our age.

How can we address the climate crisis effectively if we do not or refuse to address the moral questions involved in our decisions? When we continue to prefer the old ways which are expensive and destructive to new ways which can actually improve the quality of life? Do those decisions need to always lead to displacement of millions of people? To the destruction of traditional and sacred lands? To the extinction of other species and intrusion upon their ecosystems?

This is also where we see the intersection of morality and politics, and as we see with the construction of this dam as with so many other projects like this in other countries such as Turkey, Pakistan, and India when the politics overtakes the moral considerations. If we are to see any real progress in mitigating the effects of climate change, we cannot continue to rely on old ways to deal with new situations. And we are running out of time.


Also see:
PBS: Great Wall Across The Yangtze

Home insurance is an expensive purchase for many Americans. This guide providesinformation on how to make decisions that can lower the cost of your home insuranceand increase the value you receive.Although home insurance is not required by law in most states, if your home is mortgaged, your lender may require the purchase of insurance on your home. To get the best value for your money, you must

This week I have mostly been teaching in Segovia (well Sante Tome) but close enough.

I was in a VERY nice hotel with excellent surroundings, nice students and good teachers, Peter is very outgoing and inclusive (I like his style) not to mention talented too.

This week for me was more of what I expected and I felt more at home teaching here, knowing I had support too also helped with confidence and questions. The week went by quite quickly and no issues to speak of.

Although I must admit I do miss MY job. Teaching is good but I really prefer the more active hands on and entertainment side of my work (as an MC). I will start writing some more scripts over my free time and planning what to do next year.

Christmas is now 25 days away!!!! I have a short trip to Oslo planned now and seriously considering going to the UK for a week over Christmas, as China wont be coming to Spain :'(

I will have to decide soon as tickets are rapidly selling out - but I think I will be going, the house will be empty and Christmas alone is no fun!

Tosca Reno is supremely fit at age 48. Tosca's heaviest weight was 204 and this was when she was in the middle of divorce and after having three children. She gained the weight at that time by turning to comfort foods. Today she weighs 75 pounds less.

She initially lost the weight by regular workouts on a treadmill. But her body lacked any muscle definition though she was now very slim. That's when she started weight training.

She has written a book called The Eat-Clean Diet: Fast Fat-Loss that lasts Forever! See her fitness story here.

As you videobloggers already know, you can upload your videos directly to Blogger. But for the rest of the video watchers out there, did you know you can just as easily post YouTube videos to your blog?

All you need to do is set up your YouTube account to post videos to your blog using the "Share" button. You'll enter your Blogger information once, and from then on it's one-click sharing from any YouTube video page!



See our help article for full instructions.

Well I'm off to teach in Barcelona; so they told me.
What a fun trip that turned out to be! Up bright and early (well early anyway) – off to Airport: limping all the way!

Arrival with just over an hour to spare – nice work considering all those stairs with case and damaged foot! Where next, check in, long queues – aren’t there always, get to counter – emr no with this number you have to check in via a cash machine like terminal, another queue, get to machine print ticket, now need to check in luggage and confirm ticket, yet another queue! Finally get to the desk, takes case, then looks strangely at the screen (not a good sign) – it appears somehow I am checked into 5 different flights??!? WTF??

It now takes him a further 15 minutes to decipher what has happened and where I should be – now times ticking folks, I have 10 minutes to get onto the plane – my luggage gets checked – I have apparently been upgraded now to business class (nice work)!!! BUT, “the gate is closing” he said, ok I dash through (well hobble) to the security check point – more queues! DAM IT!!!!
I am almost through when the person ahead of me gets stopped – he beeped and keeps beeping but the cant see why?? His bag also has to be searched, tick tick tick (thats time ticking away not a bomb), I get to go through after a further 2 minutes waiting and dam it, I BEEP! NO!!!!

Luckily after a wave of their wand they let me through – however the zone I need to be in is 9 minutes away! I hobble off as quick as I can, only to arrive too late the gate has closed and plane ready to taxi!

So back to get another flight – flight booked I'm on the next flight out, we start to board then suddenly, sorry folks there is a problem the fuel is leaking! Book yet another flight – bear in mind I have now had 5 virtual flights and 3 actual flights – the 3rd flight is another 1 hours time (my original flight would just to be touching down now) and it was; with my case!!!

I asked the guy at the check in desk if my case had moved planes accordingly and was told confidently it had – I had the feeling it had not – the day was going so badly it had to disappear (sods law).

So eventually I get on the plane – not business class, (what I would say is they happily moved me around the planes with no quibbling which was nice – but I have a feeling this happens often) I sit on the plane and relax – with my head whispering you know they’ve lost case, you have everything in that case etc etc!!

Inner voices they will be the death of me (especially at that height, they tell me to jump - hehehe) anyway I arrive in Barcelona – the carousel starts about 10 mins later and after 20 minutes of watching everyone else’s cases go round and round – I realise mine is nowhere to be found – to the lost luggage dept, yes it was on a plane but none of mine, eventually it shows up from who knows where – but I have it!!! OK onwards (finally), I get to see Barcelona only from the coach – as I then go underground and catch a train to Girona – 2 hours away!!!

I arrive at Ripoll to then get picked up and taken to the middle of nothing – journey time for what I thought was a 2 hours trip - 12 hours!!!

It was a very small “hotel” no where with very little to offer – oh boy this is going to be fun (said the inner voices again)

Well, its been a while since I’ve updated my blog because my pirate broadband has gone!!!
We are looking into getting our own access shortly, so what have we been up to in the last few weeks?

Well my last Vaughan Town as an MC was good, no problems with the group some excellent characters – Aussie birds huh!!
I tried out a new piece – Body Orchestra which was very funny (and clever, but mostly funny!) Each evening was action packed with lots of talented people sharing their skills and knowledge.

I have noticed that some of the Spanish participants are not so keen on the entertainment hour and want more 1 to 1’s – they are missing the point I think of this period – not only is it a team building exercise but it indirectly teaches you how to communicate, present and relax.

After 6 hours of 1 to 1’s you need shut off time and the anglos actually enjoy this section (for the most part) – if it were all work and no play it would be quite boring (in my opinion) Well all was going well until party night, and whilst dancing crazy style to the Rednex – I slipped on the wet floor and my ankle took the brunt of the fall – lucky for me the alcohol in my system acted as a painkiller; so I was not aware of just how much it REALLY hurt; until the following day, and walking became a big problem.

The day after it started to bruise at the base of my foot – obviously where I had fell onto it; and became more painful, DAM IT!!! So going out parting further with some of the group was out of the question as I had to seek medical attention.

But no time for all business as I have a plane to catch to BARCELONA!

Here are the photos of the last week - CLICK ME

If you're attending a writers' meeting to come up with new ideas, don't show everyone this video



at lunchtime and expect anything constructive to happen in the afternoon. Next time, wait until the end of the day. Well, not that, obviously, but something like that. Or not.

Cathi Lee has lost more than 300 pounds. She weighed over 500 pounds a few years ago.

She was recently interviewed by Oprah and her story will air on the Oprah Show sometime in the next couple of weeks. See more about Cathi Lee here.

John has experienced massive weight loss success. He used to weigh over 400 pounds and has lost over half of this weight. Last year, in just 12 months, he lost the biggest portion of his excess weight, 150 pounds lost in one year.

He lost this weight mainly by avoiding wheat, dairy and sugar.

See more terrific before and after photos as well as his story here.

The beautiful Fiona Falkiner has succeeded in losing a lot of weight. Again.

She first lost a lot of weight on the Biggest Loser TV program in Australia, but soon gained it all back again, and now has lost weight again and completed her first triathlon.

9:58am The day starts badly. I’ve had a flu-y stomach bug for a few days, been knackered after a run of baby-induced sleep-interrupted nights and I have to pitch three ideas at a meeting tomorrow. So far I have written none. But my girlfriend said that she would take our baby into the living room for a night so that I could get a good night’s sleep and awake refreshed and raring to go. I awake, refreshed and raring to go, but two hours behind schedule as I have managed to sleep through my alarm clock.

10:30am I start work. My girlfriend and baby are at a post-natal group, so the flat is quiet. Having found out the cost of nursery fees I have been taking on any work that I can, but three ideas in a day is a tall order. Particularly as I have to cook the dinner and want to watch the football at 8pm.

10:45am I have an idea!

11:15am Idea 1 finished! This is a great start.

12:10pm Another idea! I am on fire.

1:15pm Idea 2 finished! What a day! I break for lunch and an episode of Heroes.

2:00pm Back to work. No ideas forthcoming.

3:00pm Still no third idea.

4:00pm Aagh! Nothing.

4:15pm My girlfriend and baby come home having also been shopping.

5:00pm No idea.

6:00pm I go through every unsold episode idea for every other show I’ve ever worked on in the hope of being able to cobble something together. But nothing is suitable. My girlfriend starts the baby’s evening routine of bath, feed and bed.

6:35pm I have an idea!

7:00pm Idea 3 finished! Baby bathed, fed and asleep. Girlfriend asleep on sofa. I start manically chopping vegetables.

7:30pm Dinner in oven. Girlfriend asleep. Kick-off and dinner both 30 minutes away. All well with the world.

7:31pm Baby crying! As stated before, MY BABY IS LOVELY, but boy is it difficult to get him to go to sleep. The fact that he’s woken between feeds is not a good omen. I go into our bedroom and start off with some shushing.

7:32 Shushing and rocking the Moses basket. The baby is still crying.

7:34 Some light jiggling on my lap. The baby is still crying.

7:37 Walking around holding him. The baby is still crying.

7:42 Lullaby nightlight on. The baby is still crying.

7:45 Lullaby nightlight off. The baby is still crying.

7:49 Shushing and jiggling, trying to mimic the sound and motion of being in the car. The baby is still crying.

7:56 Shushing, jiggling, rocking, walking around and lullaby nightlight on. The baby is still crying, probably due to overstimulation.

7:59pm The baby is asleep! Gently, gently I lower him into his Moses basket and turn to tiptoe out of the room.

8:00pm My alarm clock goes off, waking the baby. I hadn't slept through it this morning, I'd just mixed up am and pm. The dinner burns. England lose.

Things to do before you file a claim:Review your policy or employee booklet carefully to make sure the plan covers the service in question. If you have any reason to think a health care service may not be covered, or that your company disagrees with your understanding of the policy, talk it over first with your provider and with the insurance company. Resolving questions first can prevent

David Eigenberg has lost twenty pounds in just three months. What motivated him to lose the weight?

Eigenberg is one of the male stars in the movie, Sex and the City. Apparently the movie producers asked him to hit the gym before filming began.

He says: "It's harder to be a man on Sex and the City than a woman. They [producers] can't tell the women to lose weight. They tell the guys to lose weight. They told me to lose a couple of pounds."

Source: Sky Showbiz

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U.S. Struggles To Restore Iraq Water

Struggles? After occupying their country for over four years it is still a "struggle?" After bombarding their country in "shock and awe" and more than likely blowing up any water supplies they had, it is a "struggle?" Sorry, I don't believe for a second that they care about Iraqi people having water or that it is a struggle for anyone there but the people of Iraq to survive. I do however believe those who continue to use Iraq as a cash cow care about the ton of money they will make from building these huge plants that I am sure people will have to pay dearly for after having to deal with them "struggling" to fix what they more than likely destroyed for Bechtel.

Bechtel In Iraq

First the oil now the water...and they know that in the Middle East water is something people would pay dearly for. What a disgrace for America to be a part of such a grand deception and human rights abuse.

The Ilisu Dam Controversy

I wonder if this has any bearing on the water situation in Iraq?

Iraq's Marshes, Corporate Control, and Water Scarcity

Vandana Shiva has it right.

Hayes Grooms IV

Who do you represent?
I represent Braylon Edwards, wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns.
How did you get involved with your current client?
We are great childhood friends, and college roommates, so Braylon was aware of my involvement in the sports business first as an athlete, my various internships, and my major in Sports Business. Prior to my graduation, he made an offer I couldn’t refuse.

NFL athletes usually have a lot of people on their teams (publicists, agents, managers, etc.) – what is the role of a manager?
The role of the manager is to function as a direct extension to all matters concerning business on and off the field. They’re the liaison between the publicist, agent, and marketing execs so that we’re all in alignment with the client’s goals and expectations. The manager ensures all necessities are met.

What are some of the perks of the job?
Traveling to different cities, attending A-list events and premier parties, meeting like-minded professionals and perhaps having dinner or drinks with a celebrity or two.

…and the pitfalls?
You have to be constantly switched “on”. The position is time demanding, 24/7, always on call, always on you’re A-game in every environment and setting. You have to be extremely conscientious of how you conduct yourself as you’re a direct link and public connection to
your client.

Are NFL groupies a reality? If so, how do you deal with it?
Yes. It is a reality. The term groupie applies to both men and females. Some people have a desire to live the good life so they crowd stars. They want to be in the same setting. They want to be seen affiliating with celebrities as if its their world and their reality.

What is a typical day for you?
Hundreds of phone calls and emails, constantly checking in with the people who have dealings with the client’s off-field endeavors, meetings, conference calls, brainstorm sessions, a day filled with constant motion on initiatives we aim to accomplish.

Do you plan to retire as a manager, or do you have other aspirations in Sports?
Retirement? Hey, I’m just getting started. However, I do see myself involved in the sports industry for many years to come. I look forward to how my career evolves. Seriously, right now, I can’t even think about slowing down. I have so much to learn and achieve.

If you had to do something else, what would it be?
I would have loved to play professional basketball. I think they do pretty well. (Ha, I think so!)

How do you deal with the schedule/travel?
Traveling is tough, two to three cities a week, which can be draining. Then again, I’m keen on constant movement. Yet, at times, I’d like to be home relaxing, but when I’m on the road I like everything to go as smoothly as possible. Travel can bring forth all sorts of delays and problems, so I’m efficient in my planning. And a good play-list is always handy on long flights.

Who/what inspires you?
My family is a tremendous inspiration to me. I’ve watched and studied them since I was little and I’m constantly moved by what my father, mother and sister have all accomplished thus far. I also emulate other successful people who I deem to have the necessary attributes for greatness. I’m a sponge around people who live their dreams. Whether, they’re in sports, medicine, arts, or business—I admire individuals who fuse their passion with their unique skills and then relentlessly pursue it.

Any funny anecdotes about being on the job/road?
Unpredictability. You never who you’ll meet or what type of situation you’ll run into.

Any suggestions for breaking into the business of sports?
Become a mini or full-fledge expert on your interested sport and field. Study everything—all the facts, movers and shakers, corporations, marketing firms. Find out as much as you can and then match your research to your skills and where you’d like to be. Networking is another major component. Make it known what you want to and claim your intended path. Then do your best through school, internships, and experience to keep yourself on your ultimate track.

"Normal is nothing more than a cycle on a washing machine." ~ Whoopi Goldberg

Chris Tucker and Kevin Liles were spotted dining together at Da Silvano last Thursday...This Italian eatery is known as a hot spot for it's celebrity patrons and their DELICIOUS meals. The hype is well worth it - the lobster gnocchi is to die for!
"I ain't one to gossip, but..." we LOVE to know what's hot, new, and now, so let us know who you spot and where. We won't tell :)

A reader saw the post on sagging skin after weight loss and has this to say about it;

I am noticing a lot of articles about people who have lost a lot of weight and are upset about the sagging skin. I think the more important thing right now is to be healthy. I have a lot of weight to lose myself and I am a little worried about the sagging skin as well but...I won't be having any surgery. I made the decision to have a life change and that includes rigorous workouts at least five days per week. Once I reach my goal size (not weight) I will be contacting a trainer from my gym that will give me advice on toning. It is very important, and I know this because it has been proven to me, to use weight training as a means to tone muscle and tighten skin. Tightening sagging skin will not happen over night but it will happen and to different degrees for everyone. Sagging skin should only be bothersome, in my opinion if it hinders your health. Looking good is great but it is not as important as feeling good or being healthy. There are, however, exercises that are specifically designed for that purpose. It takes research and patience. Don't give up! I would not preach this if I had not seen it with my own eyes. I feel sorry for the people who have had weight loss surgery and lost it so fast that all that extra skin is just left hanging. For those of us who choose to lose it the old fashion way..Weight training is the key. It will cause you to not see as big of numbers of weight loss on the scale but that will be fooling you. While you are losing weight you will be gaining muscle and muscle weighs more than fat so you will still be losing but as you continue your workouts your muscles will be becoming more toned and refined which will aid in fat loss and toning. I say all of this to encourage all of us out here to MOVE! Lift those weights, do that cardio and eat lots of good foods, NO refined carbs and no sugar! When we do this it all aids in fat loss and minimal hanging skin in the end. Any remaining skin can be toned and depending on our ages and leftover elasticity in our bodies that will determine the end result. My point is this...Please don't dwell or let this get you down and cause you to give up. It could take years of toning to satisfy your cosmetic aspects. Instead, hold your head high and be very proud of what you have accomplished. You have given yourself years to live and made yourself healthy and that is the most important thing!

Thanks much for your comment!

The beautiful poster above is Evening Mood by William Adolphe Bouguereau

There is a new word in the dictionary and it's locavore.

A locavore is someone who tries to eat food that is grown locally -- within a 100-mile radius.

The word has just been made famous because it was chosen as the 2007 Word of the Year by the New Oxford American Dictionary.

See more about losing weight to help save the enviroment here.

The photo of a farmers market in Birmingham is by Photo-Mojo

The New York Times had an article a few days ago about how men's weight loss efforts differ from women. They said that at Weight Watchers meetings, the women get emotional but the men don't. They interviewed a few men who attend male-only weight loss meetings. One guy says; “Without the women there you don’t have to be as masculine because we’re all in the same boat. We don’t have to show off for anyone. We can all be ourselves.”

See more at It takes a Big Man to Seek Help on Weight Loss.

Diets were not working for Sally so she decided to take a long term approach and change her lifestyle, rather than dieting.

She says;

Because I've taken a gradual approach, I've had gradual results as well. At first I lost a good bit of weight, but now my weight loss has slowed to an average of about .5 pounds per week. I'm down 26.5 pounds from where I was at the beginning of January; I'm halfway to my goal. If I keep my current pace, I will reach my goal one year from today. Two years to lose 53 pounds--I never before would have found that acceptable, but I also never before could have managed to lose it at all!


See her very interesting story here and here.