The Biggest Loser Inspiration

I think the coolest job in the world would be to be a trainer on The Biggest Loser! I watch The Biggest Loser religiously and usually always watch it every Wednesday on Hulu the day after it comes out! I have to admit this current season is the best one I have seen in a while. The reason I love to watch this show is because the contestants work so hard, they're all fighters.

All the contestants are fighters, however they did not start out that way. They all come on to the show severely overweight and torn down by emotional problems. Most of them have all gotten so busy that they forget to take care of themselves and make excuses. After watching this show it is an inspiration to me and has greatly impacted several of the ways I live.

The Inspiration I've Gained:
-If the contestants can do their work-outs at their current weight there is no reason I cannot do mine. I can also fight as hard as they do!
-You're worth it, you got to make time for yourself and you deserve to be happy and fit.
-Work-out in the morning! Make it your first activity in the morning and then you're workout clear for the whole day. You may say you're going to workout after class or work, however once your done with class or work you might feel to tired and not. If you workout in the morning it help ensures that you'll never miss that workout.
-Junk food isn't food, it is poison. I learned this from Losing it with Jillian when she threw out a whole party's food because she was trying to help someone lose weight. She said it wasn't food and it was poison because it would create a list of problems for one's body.
-Push yourself, you wont pass out. Jillian would always say I want you to work until you pass out. No one ever passed out which means you can really push yourself.
-If you don't work faster I'm going to break your leg!!! -Bob Harper

Those are my most common inspirations! I'm sure I have a few more and I highly recommend the show!
Stay Strong,
Trevor
The picture is from http://brooklynfitchick.typepad.com/brooklyn-fit-chick/2011/09/what-did-we-learn-this-month-fitnessmagazine-september-issue.html
and it is of Hannah and Olivia of Season 11 of The Biggest Loser! These two sisters placed first and second that season and they almost never had a bad week. They did not make excuses, they just got it! Even near the end they were still pulling great numbers! There is a reason they won that show and are still in-shape today. If you ever see an article with them, I would take their advice.

"You Trash It, I Eat It" -Caney's Blog

I bumped into one of my friends a few days a ago and she said she had a blog so I checked it out.
Her name is Caney and her blog is You Trash It, I Eat It. In her blog she records/shows off all of her finds from the trash room in the Residential Hall that she lives in. She was so shocked about what people were throwing away that she had to blog about it. After reading her blog I have to agree, people throw away a lot of perfectly good food. In this post I am going to talk about her finds and my thoughts on thrown away food.

Luckily I have never been one to search the trash for food, however Caney does not search because she is hungry or financially insecure but because she is not wasteful and why throw away food that is perfectly good. I wonder, is that food perfectly good? She describes what makes an item safe and packaged foods are a gold-rush for trash hunters, many times the products are unopened. Another thing to note about dorm trash rooms is they are almost emptied every day, so nothing will have been sitting in there for too long.

Packaged Foods: They are often found unopened, so...why did one buy it in the first place just to throw it out? Or people will often eat part of a box of food, whether this is cereal, cookies, or crackers, and throw out the rest of it. Rarely these items are found to be stale, outdated, or inedible, people just wanted to get rid of them.
I do have one major point to consider in taking food from the trash: The nutritional content of this food. After reading most of her blog, most of the food thrown away is junk food that is mostly empty calories. This food is what Jillian Michael's, celebrity trainer, would classify as poison. I don't go that harsh, I say everything in moderation. One must consider they cannot live a complete diet off of this food and function at their highest ability, however it can be a good way to find one's guilty pleasure. (Luckily Caney also has a meal plan.) It can also be a good little snack to bring to a study party or some other gathering, just be sure to tell them that you did not take it from the trash. (make sure you clean off the outside of the box or food as necessary)
HOWEVER, there are some brilliant finds thrown into the trash that are packaged. For example: some cereals are healthy, and the main find: Granola Bars. Granola bars are mostly a solid form of energy, generally whole grains, and are in general a great snack. I love to eat one before I am going to do something active such as going for a run or going to the gym. I was most shocked to see she found an unopened Cliff Bar in the trash, those are healthy and expensive. They are almost a dollar and piece and this one was not outdated or opened. Sometimes I just don't understand people.

Reasoning for trashing edible food? I don't know. One would think there is a reason why people throw out food, however judging by Caney's finds there is very little reason. Maybe weird diets or other habits? however, that does not give one the right to trash that food; the least they can do is give it to someone else. Maybe residential halls could have an unwanted food box where one leaves the food he or she does not want.

I believe my thoughts on this matter are rather jumbled and that post was all over the place, however these are my thoughts for now. Be careful what you eat and always proceed with caution. Also, unless it's healthy don't rely on this as your main source of food unless you have to.
Have great day,
and
Stay Strong!
-Trevor

Running the Distance:Making a Champion of Yourself

I consider running to be a struggle and for many people it does not come naturally; Some people may run half a mile and be dead, others may be able to run 8 without any training. I believe most people can become better runners and will if they set their mind to it. I have a couple tips for running and take what you will, but my tips will help you fight and do that extra mile or two you've been meaning to do!

1. My first tip is expect pain and discomfort: running takes a lot of will power and this is why athletes often say mind over matter; if it was easy everyone would do it and be world class athletes.If you refer back to my Chrissie Wellington post under inspiration, she says "I prepare to suffer more than I have ever suffered." (As always, be careful how much pain you let yourself endure and if it's extremely painful and unbearable walk or take a break. If the pain continues once your done running and doesn't go away you may want to consider seeing a doctor.

2. Have a good series of inspirational quotes to tell yourself and good music! Music is a great distraction from the sweat and pain however you need more than that. I believe one also needs a series of quotes to tell him or herself. I like to say, "one step in front of the other," recite my a,b,c's with each letter being the first word that comes to my mind (so a=apple, b=bat, c=cat, etc...), "I'm worth this, you're doing great trev," the contestants on the biggest loser (if they can do what they're doing at 350 pounds I can do it at 175-180), and of-coarse Chrissie Wellington.

3. Change your running route. Variation in routine and location can inspire you to run faster and further because the environment is different and exciting.

4. Find a running partner. Inspire each other on your runs.

5. Ignore every one that is watching you! They do not matter! As long as you are moving you're probably doing more than they are. This is especially crucial if you might be overweight, not very fit, or just not a natural runner, because you do not want to let others discourage you. One must consider every step forward is one in the right direction toward getting your health on track or in check. Ignore all the people that may see you, what are they doing for their health? They aren't out there running with you! (they're probably watching tv) Also, in terms of worrying about the super athletes you see, you'd be surprised to know they are probably encouraging you on! I have talked to many an athlete at the gym who will be like, damn, I wished I worked as hard as that guy/girl is, and that guy/girl is working out hard yet also slightly overweight.

6. Make sure you know you're worth it! Tell yourself you deserve to be healthy and look good. Everyone should have that right and you should as well!

7. Don't be afraid to walk! Walking is great for your health! You may not be able to run 20 minutes straight without feeling like you're going to die and therefore you can alternate between walking and running! Run one song, walk a song, and eventually you'll be able to run the full 20 minutes.

8. Pick a location and run to it! Once you get there you have to get back somehow! haha, that means you either got to run or walk back, so there's some extra-exercise in your day! You enjoy that runner's high!!!

Either way, the key is don't be afraid to try. No one is going to make fun of you for running or walking (partly because they know they should be running/walking/going to the gym as well)! if on the slim chance someone does, ignore them, they aren't worth associating with and you're still worth the work you're putting in!

If you have any other tips or comments please post them!
Have a great day!
Stay Strong,
Trevor
Picture from http://www.vermontcitymarathon.org/page.php?pid=1&pname=home

An Apple on the Go: Stayin' Healthy and Full

We've all heard that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, however sometimes that apple can take a long time to eat and one can find trouble fitting it into his or her schedule. I therefore have discovered that eating an apple while traveling from one location to another is the best way to fit in that piece of fruit.

Most of us in college have to walk or bus at least 10 minutes to class and when our lives are extremely busy we might as well do more than just walk when we can also use that time productively. Therefore, grabbing an apple before you leave your apartment or dormatory is a healthy and important way to use that time.

Far too often college students are not properly nourished. I know several students whose diet consists of burgers, fries, pizza, wings, etc. They also consider microwave popcorn and ketchup vegetables. Fruit is counted in the form of fruit punch or other juice then combined to make an alcoholic beverage. Our nutrition needs help.

I do not believe it is because we don't know what to eat, I believe it is because we are too busy to eat what is best for us. As always there are ways to slip good nutrition in our diet, whether that is eating and apple while traveling to class or ordering vegetables on one's pizza.

Lastly, with proper nutrition one will feel better, have more energy, feel less stressed, look better, and overall function better. It is a choice one decides to make and I always advise one step at a time.
Best,
and Stay Strong!
-Trevor
Allenholm farm is an apple orchard/farm in South Hero VT! They have an apple called the Vermont Gold which is probably the best apple I have ever ate. Their website is
http://www.allenholm.com/ (and that is also where I got the picture from). It is a lot of fun!

Having a BACK-UP Plan:Surviving Computer Crashes

Computers are a way of life in college and it's hard to live without one. Most of us will lug our computer around for part of the day whether that be to class or the library and at sometime most of us will encounter a computer problem as well. This can be trouble with wireless, finding files, programs crashing, beer spilled on laptop, etc. Even if you have a mac, problems can still occur. I have seen many a mac that has been wrecked by spilled beer, spilled milk, stepped on by accident, and just randomly tossed around. Even if money isn't an issue to you, losing all the files you own can be an academic nightmare.

I therefore advise spending the extra money and buying an external hard-drive. I bought one during my first year of college when I was told my motherboard would need to be replaced. They said I could back up my computer, they'd take it for a few days, put in a new motherboard, then reboot it and bring it back to normal with all my data from my external hard-drive. My motherboard did not have to be replaced but I consider my external hard-drive crucial to college survival. At the time I spent $75 on a 320gig hard-drive from the campus computer store, which was probably overpriced and can now be bought for around $50.

My computer has not crashed but I have seen multiple students panic over losing music, files, homework, programs, etc. Think of buying one as part of your computer protection warranty plan when you buy a new computer. Once you have one you will probably also have it for life (or a long time).

I have a Mac and there is a free program called Time Machine (and pre-installed) which is really easy to use. I plug in my hard-drive and it instantly starts storing the data. I can retrieve data that I also put into the trash to delete a week ago. I can scan back to every time I saved work to my computer and retrieve it (even if I deleted it on my computer today, it is still on my hard-drive!). If my computer crashes I can get it fixed or buy a new one and then when it loads up for the first time just hit restore with Time Machine. It is a brilliant program and will restore all my programs I already bought, such as Microsoft Office and Apple Programs, as well as all my other files; my computer will be the exact same before it crashed.

It's a recommendation to buy a hard-drive and I understand many of us are short on cash, however the $75 bucks I spent on my hard-drive I could earn faster working than trying to go and reset my computer. It would be such a nightmare for me to try to find new music, retype files, and have to buy a new version of Microsoft Office (and learn how to use it). It's worth the extra cash so cut your alcohol consumption, avoid other unhealthy habits, don't order wings, and save that cash until you can buy it. AND if your computer crashes or finally craps out, you'll be darn happy you have that hard-drive!

Back up your s**t!

Stay Strong!
Best,
T-rev
(picture from http://cartoonsbysheila.wordpress.com/tag/computer-crash/)

A Mess Creates More Mess:Having a Productive Workspace

I firmly believe that a clean desk boosts productivity. Even a desk that seems organized with a lot of objects and papers on it still isn't as productive as a desk that is completely empty. When there are other objects on one's desk they are distractions from the task at hand. It also can be hard to decide where to get started than if your desk was blank.

An empty desk creates a work environment where all you have to do is tackle the challenge that you meant to take. It means you can sit down, start your homework or whatever, and just tackle it out with zero distractions. There is a good reason why many students go to the library to tackle their homework, it's because they sit down at a clean desk, pull out what they need to do and get working; there are very few distractions at the library.

Personally, my desk is organized but not empty. Despite it is organized I still can't spread out my papers on hand as I'd like too and find myself thinking about the other objects on my desk. I understand that the best step I could take would be to just put objects in my desk drawers, however I have not gotten around to it. My desk can also be a deposit of random objects collected in a day, which are also a disturbance from my work. I need a random object box and a box of desk supplies instead of just leaving them on my desk.

I do recommend a plant or fish if you have a large desk, just to keep you happy and from going insane; however, use caution and thought with other objects.
If you have too much trouble cleaning your desk the best solution is to not work there, go elsewhere if you can. Go to the library, a lounge, a cafe, the dining hall, etc. However, do not work in your bed. One's bed is meant to sleep in, doing other work in your bed that is not sleep or sex can create sleep problems (from what I have read).

Good luck,
Be Productive!
and Stay Strong!
-T-rev
(Picture from http://blog.uvolve.com/?tag=success)
Great tips as well. You should check out that link.

Attacking Acne:The Simple Tips You NEED to Know!

Acne affects most teenagers/college age students and for some it worse for others whether that be psychologically or physically. I have been a constant sufferer of acne since 10th grade of high school. I then was on doxycycline (a common antibiotic prescribed for acne and skin infections) and that cleared up my skin for a few years until my 2nd year of college when it started upsetting my stomach and giving me stomach cramps. I then had to learn how to control acne without drugs and harmful chemicals and have fought an endless battle of creams, washes, supplements, diets, etc.
Throughout this struggle to clear up my skin, which currently looks ok (still get acne, however it looks average and nothing unusual, a little bit here and there), I have learned a lot on how to control acne naturally. All of the things I do are natural and healthy, so feel free to give all or whatever you choose a try (within reason). Also, Remember that everyone's bodies are different and what works for me may not work for you.
My Acne Attack Plan:
-Diet: Eating a healthy diet will help provide a functioning body. It only makes sense that your skin is partly a reflection of your diet because it can also be reflection of your health.
-Avoid high sugar foods and one's on the high glycemic index. This means you really should only consume sugar that comes from natural forms such as fruit. Avoid the sweets, white breads, and foods with sugars added.
-Fried Foods:these create an imbalance in your omega fat levels and can show in your skin and can cause you to break out.
-Meat: Most meat contains antibiotics and the animal was fed with a corn product. Therefore this meat may have hormones and bad fats instead of the proper omega fats.
-Dairy: Dairy is naturally full of hormone's which can cause an imbalance in one's own hormones and cause acne. It also can be full of antibiotics in order to prevent and treat diseases the cows might get therefore be sure to check on the bottle if it is antibiotic free (most are now). I am not saying avoid dairy like the plague, however eat it in moderation and see if it makes a difference for you.
-Avoid alcohol and caffeine, or drink in moderation. I personally don't drink much of either so I am not familiar with the effects. I have heard they can both make acne worse and therefore drink in moderation/avoid.
-Omega 3's: I advise eating omega 3 rich foods and consuming a supplement. I advise consulting a doctor before consuming large amounts of this supplement. If you do not have a previous health condition you are probably safe to take what is recommended on the bottle. *Also, be sure to buy one's that filtered out mercury, heavy metals, and whatever else might be in the water/fish. You should also consider buying one's that say burpless or else you might burp up fish oil odor, which tastes gross. I recommend Nature Made Burp-less 1000mg, 300mg, Omega-3. It's definitely helped me. I usually take two a day.
-Multivitamin: I also advise a general multivitamin. Try to buy a trusted well tested brand. I hear vitamins are not always consistent or well tested for accuracy so buy a well-known and trusted brand. I recommend buy one designed for your gender.
-Vitamin D: I advise consuming about 1000IU or less of supplemented Vitamin D. It is rarely found in food and if you live in New England or Northern North America there can be times in the year where you can't get enough Vitamin D from the sun. Do not supplement more than 2000IU without talking to a Doctor. I also think sun exposure can help acne, however be reasonable because there are negative effects from too much sun exposure such as wrinkling and skin cancer, etc.
-Green Tea: Grean Tea has antibacterial factors and can be just as effected as washing with benzyol peroxide washes with none to little side effects. It is also full of anti-oxidants and helps keep your body hydrated and skin clear. The only side effect I have encountered is discoloration of teethe (good thing there is whitening tooth paste and white strips). I advise drink around 4-6 cups of green tea spread throughout the day for best results.

Those are the basics that most people can try to do. Other aspects of our life are harder to control such as stress, work, sleep, however these are simple steps one can take at every meal.
Also consider exercise to help acne, wash twice a day, makeup, and birth control.

If you have acne try one of my suggestions. I always advise drinking a lot of water as well.
Stay Strong,
Best,
Trevor
Pic from http://glmfs.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1
That is my favorite, also the kind with pomegranate is tasty as well!