NEWPORTS & PIZZA

What Men Should Eat Every Day

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 07:57:00 +0000

If you are struggling to get your body in top condition, Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen say there are 11 things a man should eat every day—or nearly every day—to keep things running smoothly.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins and minerals that keep your body healthy. Foods rich in magnesium like beets, raisins, dates and soybeans are especially important because they'll keep your bowels moving regularly. Dr. Roizen says a man should eat about five handfuls of fruits and vegetables a day.

Fiber

Men should shoot to get about 25 grams of fiber in his diet every day. You can reach this goal through foods like artichokes, lima beans, soybeans, grapefruit, certain berries and whole grains. Dr. Oz says that eating whole grains isn't just the latest craze—they offer multiple benefits to health, including achieving proper poop. But first you need to read the label. When you're buying bread, make sure it says "100 percent whole grain" or "100 percent whole wheat." If the label says something else— like "7-grain" or "multi-grain"—it may not be whole grain. To reach your goal for fiber, the USDA recommends eating at least three servings of whole grains a day.

Folate

Dr. Oz says you can significantly reduce your chances of getting cancer by eating foods rich in folate— you should get about 800 mg a day. If you don't take it as a supplement, you can find folate in orange juice, spinach and other leafy green vegetables. "Folate decreases arterial aging, decreases blood pressure and decreases cancer rate," Dr. Roizen says. On labels, look for the words "folate" or "folic," he says.

Tomato Sauce

As well as being good for the heart, tomatoes decrease risk of arterial aging, heart disease, stroke, memory loss, impotence, and wrinkling of the skin, Dr. Roizen says. And tomato-based products contain lycopene, which has been shown to fight cancer. But to really reap the benefits, you can't just put a few slices of an heirloom tomato in your salad. The best way to get the positive effects is by eating 10 tablespoons of tomato sauce a week. "It takes 165 raw tomatoes to equal 10 tablespoons of tomato sauce," Dr. Roizen says. "So it's much easier to have tomato sauce." Dr. Roizen adds that it doesn't matter what kind of tomato sauce you have, "as long as it's cooked, and you eat it with a little olive oil and a little healthy fat because it's much better absorbed with it."

A Handful of Nuts

Dr. Roizen says walnuts and almonds are excellent for health. And not only are walnuts and hazelnuts excellent sources of heart-healthy omega-3s, but if you eat nuts before sugars (in dishes like pasta or corn on the cob), the fat in the nuts will slow your stomach and help your body most effectively process that sugar. One thing to remember is to keep nuts refrigerated so they don't oxidize.

Baby Aspirin

If there's a true magic pill, Dr. Oz says it could be baby aspirin. "It's cheap and easy to take aspirin," he says. "Aspirin has many, many helping elements. It helps your skin, it helps about anything you can imagine. It has some potential risks if people have sensitive stomachs. But for cancer, you've got to be on it." A man over 35 should take two baby aspirin—or 162.5 milligrams—every day. It can reduce his rise of arterial aging by 36 percent.

Fish

In recent years, there has been a lot of conflicting information about eating fish. On the one hand, fish is consistently regarded as a terrific source of low-fat protein. On the other hand, there are persistent concerns about mercury and other environmental impurities. Dr. Roizen says you just have to remember a few great fish—tilapia, salmon, flounder, cod and mahi- mahi—especially if they are wild caught. And not only is salmon a great source of protein, it has the added health bonus of being full of omega-3s, which are important for a healthy heart. According to Dr. Roizen, you should eat a serving of these fish three times a week.

Eight Glasses of Fluid

Dr. Roizen says that it is important to drink eight glasses—or about 64 ounces—of fluid every day. "It helps move the poop and gives you better hydration. It actually cuts down on wrinkles, too, because you hydrate your skin when you take it internally."

Red Wine

"Red wine has a chemical in it called resveratrol, which is a very strong antioxidant that's also been shown to be heart-healthy," Dr. Oz says: Why red and not white? "Red wine has the material from the skins of the grapes [which provides the resveratrol]. The white wine has that skin stripped away. So if you're going to drink wine and you're going to take the hit on calories, drink red wine."

Coffee

Men will stand up and cheer for this next Dr. Oz tidbit—coffee is actually good for you in reasonable amounts. Coffee actually has been shown to reduce liver cancer and to be effective with—or with symptoms of— Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, Dr. Oz says. "So there are a bunch of different places where coffee can play a role. The reason it got a bad name is because it does have side effects, for example, migraine headaches and heart palpitations. But if you're not having them, coffee is reasonable." Did we mention it's good for those bowel movements, too? Dr. Oz suggests 24 ounces of coffee a day is a rational amount for one person.

Milk or Vitamin D-Fortified Orange Juice

The calcium in milk is obviously good for bones—any man with a mother has heard that one. But the other important ingredient is vitamin D, which is a cancer-fighting agent. While your body can actually get this vital nutrient from the sun, if you live north of Los Angeles or Atlanta, you won't get enough vitamin D in winter and you'll need to supplement it. A glass of milk or fortified orange juice a day should do the trick.

Source: From the Oprah.com Exclusive "Spotlight on Health" by Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen, August 2007

Glutamine vs Glucosamine

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 07:43:00 +0000

Okay... So, in my last post about what I did during Insanity, I talked about using Glutamine for my joints. I was wrong (thanx for pointing that out Manny... LOL) and I wanted to clarify some things. I got the wrong stuff from the GNC people and that is why it is always good to do research on your own! I should have been taking Glucosamine... But, Glutamine isn't bad at all... Here is what I got:

L-glutamine is a sugar... A carbohydrate. Not to be confused with table sugar. Human beings and all animals depend upon specific sugars (carbohydrates) for proper cellular communication. These specific sugars (carbohydrates) are what your cell enzymes use as zip codes to know where cell parts and cells belong as well as recognizing friend or foe. Enzymes are made out of a series of protein molecules. Glutamine is a known dietary enzyme or protein. It is also a substrate used for DNA synthesis.

Glutamine comes from eggs, beets, spinach, etc... and activates as a benefit for the human body in healing and injury and regeneration of bones and tissues. Therefore, the body not only uses enzymes for cellular signals that have to do with replacing new tissues and destroying old scarring and aging tissues... The body also uses specific sugars/carbohydrates for cellular communication that is far more complicated than what enzymes can do. These specific sugars sit on top of the protein stems on cells for cellular communication. The protein stems are enzymes. The antennae or braille that the cells use are the sugars on top of them. Neither one will cancel each other out as they are food molecules that should be a part of our naturally occurring diet. Primitive man had plenty of these to function optimally, but modern man does not... So we have to supplement.

If you take more Glutamine or Glucosamine, your body will just flush out what it cannot use and innately know what it can use. So, if you can eat an apple and an orange, you can eat these supplements, together. Both are intrinsically different, but both have a symbiotic function. Symbiotic means they have a working relationship.

L-glutamine sources vary in the product. If you are allergic to shellfish, make sure you get L-glutamine from plant sources. It comes from a microscopic crustacean species to wheat or corn. Not all products have purity. So, you have to spend more to get the pure and effective product. It's about quality, not quantity. So, to be sure, you get a product with GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices), which is FDA standards, however... GMP's do ignore synergistic affects of products, but they don't ignore product claims. This means, that if a product is of GMP standards, you don't need to make things up and you are getting a high quality food supplement. Synergistic, meaning... Does the product need a specific nutritional catalyst in order for the enzyme or carbohydrate or vitamin to work? Does one nutrient cancel another one out...????

FYI - LDL is your anti inflammatory hormone. It does not cause heart disease; it is a response hormone to something that is injured, which is why it is high in the presence of an autoimmune disease, such as heart disease. Statin drugs are used to lower LDL, which again, is an anti inflammatory hormone and LDL does not trigger heart disease. It is the affect of a cause.

So, it makes sense that when there is an injury, your liver manufactures LDL, and your enzyme L-glutamine is triggered to help synthesize the DNA needed for cell repair, so both would be present... But, L-glutamine is NOT the cause of LDL anti inflammatory hormone response. It is triggered for cell repair.

... And that's about it... I got this off Google...

Be great!

S

My Insanity Workout Journey Video

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:20:00 +0000

My Final Verdict on the Insanity Workout Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 26 May 2010 09:57:00 +0000

So, I have taken the Insanity challenge and made it through in one piece! I made it to day 63 on 21 May, 2010 and I truly feel that Insanity has changed my life forever. I have come a long way from day 1 until now and I’m astonished on what I have accomplished. Over the past 2 months I have quit smoking and traded one addiction for another. I am now addicted to working out and bettering myself physically and mentally. I feel that I have the physical thing down; but the mental thing may take some time, which is for me to talk about in a different blog… LOL! I have also loss 23 lbs and 7 inches off my waist! I have changed the way I eat, the way I look, the way I think, the way I live; I have changed my life! This is all because I took a chance on an infomercial workout DVD.

Here are my final results:

Weight:

Day 1: 198 lbs/ Day 63: 175 lbs

Waist:

Day 1: 38 inches/ Day 63: 31 inches

Every two weeks or so, during Insanity, you have to take this brutal fit test. You take the test at the beginning of the program and it’s basically a baseline to track your progress. I chose to only take this test twice; once at the beginning and once at the end. People who know me know that I’m an “all or nothing” kind of guy. That being said, I looked at the fit test as something that I was training for and it would be sink or swim time at the end. I felt that doing the fit test throughout the program would make it seem inconsequential in many ways for me. I didn’t want to “dumb down” the importance of that last test. The last test would end up being my Super Bowl and if I didn’t make extreme improvements at the end; then I would have to take the “L” and come back harder. But, I was happy with my results and it worked out great for me! I did see areas during the test I could improve on during my next rounds; but overall I was proud of my performance. The fit tests consist of:

Switch Kicks – Standing up straight and alternately kicking each leg out in front as high as you can. As many as you can do in 60 seconds.
Squat Jacks – Jumping jacks, only in Squat Jacks you go down into a full squat at the end of every repetition. As many as you can do in 60 seconds.
Power Knees – Standing up straight with your hands interlaced overhead, and then bringing 1 knee up at an angle across your body as many times as you can. As many as you can do in 60 seconds.
Power Jumps – Down into a full squat and then leaping up into the air as far as you can. As many as you can do in 60 seconds.
Globe Jumps (I hate these!) – One hop back, one hop to the right, one hop forward, and one hop to the left equals 1 repetition. As many as you can do in 60 seconds.
Suicide Jumps – From a standing position down into a plank position, then back to standing and then leap straight into the air. As many as you can do in 60 seconds.
Push Up Jacks – Regular pushups, only you spread your feet wide apart and then bring them back together on every single repetition. As many as you can do in 60 seconds.
Low Plank Obliques – From a plank position, keep your upper body totally still while alternatively bringing each knee up as close to your shoulders as possible. As many as you can do in 60 seconds.

Here are my results:

Fit Test:
Day 1: S.K. = 55/ Day 63: S.K. = 150
Day 1: P.J. = 27/ Day 63: P.J. = 61
Day 1: P.K. = 59/ Day 63: P.K. = 103
Day 1: P.JP. = 20/ Day 63: P.JP. = 61
Day 1: G.J. = 7/ Day 63: G.J. = 11
Day 1: S.J. = 12/ Day 63: S.J. = 18
Day 1: P.U.J. = 20/ Day 63: P.U.J. = 41
Day 1: L.P.O. = 43/ Day 63: L.P.O. = 63

Insanity claims to be the hardest workout put on DVD. They also claim that they can get you where you want to be physically in only 60 days. That is 30 days shorter then P90X! When you hear these claims, you think that there is no way that it is that hard and there is no way it is going to get me in shape in 60 days. Only the latter of these statements could be true for some people. This program is really built for people that are already in some kind of shape. It is also made for those who have the discipline to stay committed to a physical regiment of this magnitude. Now, not everybody will see the same results that I have; but I am convinced that if you stay committed to the program, you will see results.

The most important part of this plan would have to be the diet. I’m no nutritionist, but I realized the importance of eating right from day 1. Did I follow the diet plan to the letter? Hell no! LOL… But honestly, for the first two weeks I counted my calories and followed the diet plan. See, I had already done P90X and basically knew how to eat. The thing I noticed about the Insanity diet plan verses the P90X plan was the carbohydrates. You can eat way more carbs on the Insanity plan, which is a good thing because you use every single carb during the workouts. After a few weeks, I slowly started to stray from the plan and incorporated my own eating habits. I looked at this as a lifestyle change and I wasn’t going to just eat from this book for the rest of my life… Now, that would be insane… LOL! So, I used the Insanity meal plan and the P90X meal plan as the framework for what I wanted to eat. I Google'd and researched a lot of different things on eating right and just started eating healthy stuff I wanted to eat. Furthermore, after counting calories for awhile, you can really gauge your intake in a day without literally counting. Using the formula in the Insanity plan, I was supposed to intake like 2000 calories a day to get to my goal of 165 lbs. That rarely happened… LOL… Do you know how hard it is to eat that much healthy shit in one day? Without coming off the diet to just get calories; getting to 2000 calories a day was a very difficult thing for me. Thus, I tweaked my diet a lot during Insanity. I noticed that I would stop losing weight… Tweak the diet… I would feel fatigued during the workouts… Tweak the diet… I would feel sore and wouldn’t recover fast enough… Tweak the diet… I would feel or look bloated… Tweak the diet… I wasn’t sleeping well… Tweak the diet… Diet, diet, diet!!!! I can’t stress the importance of a healthy diet while doing Insanity or any other workout plan. It is the key to your results and success! I plan on experimenting with the Zig-Zag calorie intake method next; to help me lose another 10 lbs. I will talk about that in another post.

During Insanity I experimented with a lot of supplements. I can't stress the importance of good supplements and vitamins while doing Insanity. I used GNC AMP Muscle Igniter 4X at the beginning and didn’t like the way it made me feel. First off, it gave me the “bubble guts” if I took it on a empty stomach and the second problem was the ignite heat shock proteins (HSPs). This HSP Activator is involved in releasing heat shock proteins during exercise. HSPs are proteins included by heat or other stresses that play a role in muscle physiology and are multi-functional. Well, that HSP stuff just made me extremely hot and sweaty all day. Even hours after my workout, I was still sweating profusely. It really sucked! Then I used USP Labs Jack3D once and almost died. That shit made me feel like my heart was going to explode and dribble down my leg, half way through the Plyometric Cardio Circuit workout. Not good! Finally, I just started using Hydroxycut Hardcore for the majority of the final month. Hydroxycut really isn’t a workout supplement and did nothing but give me a really nice caffeine rush during my workouts. It gave me energy without killing my heart-rate or giving me a stomach ache. I only lost 5 lbs during the month I was using it, so I really didn’t see the massive weight loss effects that they claim it has. Finally, I have recently started using MRI Black Powder and I love it so far. Black Powder is a NOS up-regulated pre-training formula with instant release formula spiked with ACTINOS2 IR (MRI's new technology). It's loaded with B vitamins and raw muscle fuel like MCTs and malic acid so your energy metabolism remains efficient and steady throughout even the toughest parts of a workout. Supposedly, the ACTINOS2 IR creates an "instant blast" of nitric oxide, creating levels 950% greater than previously possible. It’s also a blood doper that causes blood channels to "hyper-dilate" - driving Black Powder's nutrient matrix to muscle. At the same time, the spike of 950% more nitric oxide amplifies the "cell-signaling" and magnifies the signals that control both muscle performance and muscle size. Now, is all that just bull-shit? Maybe, but it is the best supplementation I have used so far and it makes me feel like a beast with no side-effects... So, I likes it! As far as vitamins go, I just used Mega Man Sport, which seemed like a good multi-vitamin that turned my piss florescent yellow. So, it must be good, aye? Lastly, you have to have an awesome recovery drink. This is a must for Insanity and I used Vanilla or Dutch Chocolate Zero Carb Isopure, GNC Pure Glutamine Powder, and Chocolate Soy Milk. I swear by chocolate milk as a recovery drink! There are so many studies that have shown that it is the best thing out there and it taste like awesomeness! I use soy because I’m lactose, but I’m sure 2% low fat would work just fine. Couple it with the Isopure protein and the Glutamine for joint recovery; you can’t go wrong with it. Not only is this drink an awesome recovery; it can also be a meal replacement if you want. You can add Banana, peanut butter, berries, oats, and all kinds of stuff to it. It is great!

Finally, you have to have a good pair of shoes. I used a pair of Nike basketball shoes at first and they worked out pretty good. Because of all the jumping involved in these workouts, basketball shoes or cross-trainers work pretty well. DO NOT USE RUNNING SHOES! Well, you can if you want, I just didn’t like them. I experimented with a pair of straight running shoes and almost rolled my ankle a few times. Afterwards, my feet went into cardiac arrest and cramped up like never before. I never wore them again while working out (wasted $90). Then I went back to the basketball shoes, but I was still having a lot of pain in my legs during and after the workouts. So, I dropped $100 on a pair of Reebok Zig-Zags. Awesomeness! Very, very, very, good shoe! I love them! Their design took away almost all the pain in my legs. They are so light; it is like working out on airbags. Reebok’s Zig Tech footwear is designed to conserve and return energy to the athlete for a soft and springy ride. The one-of-a-kind Zig Tech bottom unit features innovative, lightweight foam that is engineered into a dramatic, geometric, zig-zag shape. This unique zig-shaped sole absorbs the impact of heel strike and sends a wave of energy along the length of the shoe to help propel the athlete forward with each step. That is exactly what it feels like when you jump or run in these shoes… You just want to jump out the room! Now, these are running shoe, but they kind of aren’t because of the way the absorb shock. Another shoe that I hear works nicely are the Nike Shox. But the Reebok Zags are just what they claim to be… They are an “energy drink for your feet!”

My final verdict on Insanity is that it is an awesome program for those who are committed to it. In order to get the full worth of a workout program like this you have to look at it as more than just a 60, 90, or 120 day thing. It has to be a lifestyle change in order to see results. You will only get out, what you put in and Insanity demands a lot. But, all the hard work will pay off if you stick with it and buy into its philosophy. If you are extremely out of shape and overweight… Insanity is not for you! If you are unwilling to work harder than you have ever worked in your life and then dig deeper and work harder than that… Insanity is not for you! If you are not willing to change your mind, attitude, and life… Insanity is not for you! But, if you are one of the many of us, like me, who are willing to work harder than you ever have to obtain your fitness goals… Then Insanity might be that perfect stepping-stone for you. Next up for me is recovery for a few weeks. My recovery will consist of working out 5 days a week instead of 6 days, doing some of the lighter Insanity recovery workouts, P90X’s YogaX and StretchX, jogging, bike riding, and just staying active. I will also be experimenting with the Zig-Zag diet and dropping my carbohydrate intake. Then when my body feels like it is ready, I will be starting a P90X-Insanity hybrid program… My journey continues! Stay tuned!

Good luck and keep digging deep my fellow Insaniacs!

My Insanity Journey UPDATE: Final Week of Round 1, USAF PT Test, & Upper-Cross Syndrome

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 16 May 2010 02:11:00 +0000

I’m fast approaching the end of my first round of Insanity. Yes, I did say, “first round” because I plan on doing it again and again and again and maybe again after that! LOL! I really love the workout and it has helped me change my body, as well as my mind, and hopefully my life.

This week I had my Air Force annual physical fitness assessment. I passed my test with the best score of my entire 13-year military career! I scored an 85! I received max points for my waist measurement, push-ups, and sit-ups! But, the 1.5-mile run was still my nemesis. Even though I knocked 45 seconds off last years time; I was still under-satisfied with my run performance. Insanity did not really help me in that regard. I have come to the conclusion that, in order to be able to run, you have to get out and run. There is no substitute for running. I really don’t like running, but will have to get out and do it, if I want to improve my run time. Insanity did help me improve every other aspect of my fitness level on the test. I have a 31.5-inch waist (down from a 38-inch waist!!!!); I did 52 push-ups, and 54 crunches. Insanity really helped me, waist and strength wise, but I will have to really train for the run.

Now, since I have been on Insanity there has been one problem I have noticed with these workouts. The workouts, along with my lifestyle, have caused me to developed upper cross syndrome and it has really been an annoyance. The best way to describe upper cross syndrome (UCS) is seeing that old person who's standing up, but appears to be falling over. You know, their head shifted forward, shoulders rounded, and they look like a hunchback. The reason why they look like that is because of a muscular imbalance between the flexors and extensors of the upper torso. UCS is the weakening and lengthening of the posterior upper-back and neck musculature, and the tightening and shortening of the anterior and opposing musculature.

The way to tell if you might have UCS is you may feel an ache or severe burning sensation in the upper-back, between the shoulder blades, at the base of the back of your neck. You can place two fingers at the top of your right shoulder and feel for a bony notch that protrudes from it. That's your acromion. Now grab a ruler and lie on your back on the floor, your right arm resting alongside your body. With your left hand, measure the distance from your right acromion to the floor, being careful not to raise or lower your right shoulder. If the distance is more than 1 inch, you have UCS. Another method would be to have a friend take a picture of you, shirtless, from the side. Stand tall, but in a relaxed position, the way you would if you weren't thinking about your posture. Check to see if the middle of your ear is in line with the middle of your shoulder, hip, and ankle. If you can't draw a straight line through these points, then you have UCS.

Poor posture, such as slumping over a computer or slouching, contributes to the development of UCS. See, the average human head weighs 8 pounds and if your chin moves forward just 3 inches, as it tends to when you work at a computer, the muscles of your neck, shoulders, and upper back must support the equivalent of 11 pounds. That's a weight-bearing increase of 38 percent, often for hours at a time.

The shoulder (upper-back) is the most complex and unstable joint in the human body. For it to function properly, you need to train all the muscles that help stabilize it. The trouble is that Insanity fails to isolate work the shoulders and back. Some of the exercises target the front and middle portions of the deltoid, but neglect the smaller muscles at the back of the shoulder joint. The result is a strength imbalance, which makes the shoulder less stable. The correction of this problem involves the strengthening of the weakened posterior musculature and stretching of the tight anterior musculature.

A lot of experts feel that a good stretching program, such as Yoga, is essential to both preventing and correcting UCS. In particular, the pectoral muscles and anterior shoulder muscles must be stretched often, especially following training of these muscle groups. Furthermore, a conscious effort should be made to maintain correct posture when walking and sitting (shoulders pulled back, head, neck and back straight). This practice is especially important for those working in an office setting and sitting at a desk in front of a computer all day long. The tendency is to slouch forward with head bent. To help support proper posture when working at a desk, the computer monitor should be at eye level, keyboard should not be too far in front of the body so that shoulders can be kept back, and feet should be flat on floor with a 90-degree bend at the knees.

Insanity doesn’t really address this back and shoulder area at all, but P90X does! So, I will be starting a P90X-Insanity hybrid program after a recovery week, once I finish my first round of Insanity. Hopefully P90X's YogaX and the back and shoulder workouts will help get my back right again… We will see!

I will keep you all posted on what happens once I start. Until then, I will keep digging deep and pressing play! I will be posting my final results and before and after pictures soon!

Late

P.S.

If you are suffering from UCS, here are the sources for this article, which have awesome info on the how’s, what’s, why’s, and treatments for this syndrome:

http://www.menshealth.com/men/fitness/muscle-building/posture/article/98b871957cb98010VgnVCM200000cee793cd

http://www.myyogaonline.com/videos/workplace-wellness/upper-cross-syndrome

http://www.active.com/fitness/Articles/Avoid_upper_cross_syndrome_and_maintain_rotator_cuff_stability.htm

http://www.mmatraining.com/fitness/posture-up-dealing-with-upper-cross-syndrome/

5 Best Heart Foods

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 04 May 2010 05:53:00 +0000

5 Best Heart Foods

5 foods that can help rein in out-of-control cholesterol

By: Phillip Rhodes, Illustrations by: Eboy

1. Almonds

These nuts provide a rich source of cholesterol-lowering sterols, but Christopher Gardner, Ph.D., a cholesterol researcher at Stanford University, credits monounsaturated fat with most of the benefit. Unlike saturated fat, the mono kind doesn't block the removal of LDL cholesterol from the bloodstream.

2. Apples

Earlier this year, Cornell University researchers found that eating one Red Delicious apple a day can block LDL oxidation, resulting in an 8 percent drop in levels. Bonus: Apples (and their skins) contain soluble fiber, the kind that scrubs artery walls clean. Cut one up and mix it into your oatmeal, another top source.

3. Beans

Much has been made of soybeans' ability to overcome everything from cholesterol to cancer. Gardner isn't convinced: "I'm not sure how much of the health benefit is soy versus what soy displaces." When it comes to controlling cholesterol, he says, that means substituting a vegetable patty for a fatty beef burger and topping your salad with edamame or kidney beans instead of chicken tenders a couple of times a week.

4. Blueberries

Similar to the resveratrol in grapes, pterostilbene, an antioxidant found in blueberries, can stimulate liver cells to better break down fat and cholesterol, according to USDA scientists.

5. Fish

Two weekly servings of fatty fish, like salmon, can lower LDL by 20 percent. Tufts University scientists found that, in high enough quantities, the omega-3 fatty acids from fish chewed through cholesterol molecules in the bloodstream and shrank the size of remaining LDL particles by 12 percent.

source: http://www.menshealth.com/spotlight/heart/5-best-heart-foods.php

We Have All Had A Day Like This On Our Fitness Journey...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 03:44:00 +0000

As I sit here watching the Cav’s beat the Bulls and advance to the next round of the 2010 NBA playoffs; I can’t help but think how miserable I feel. See, I didn’t get a chance to workout today… It is like the entire universe was against me pressing play!!!

1. I didn’t get enough sleep last night… But, I still could fight through it and workout, right????

2. My wife was extremely late picking me up from work, making me grumpier then normal… Best time to workout and release some stress, right???

3. By the time I did finally get home I was really tired… Again, fight through it and press play, aye????

4. It’s my daughter’s birthday… Maybe I can fit the workout in, she won’t care as long as I order her some pizza, right????

5. Finally, we are watching our neighbors two little boys while they go out tonight; thus they are now playing Wii in the room I workout in and running all over the house…

Ummmmmmm, OK!!!! That’s it… I’ve had it!!!! I will just make the day up!!!! I’m just not in the mood!!!!

We have all said this or had this happen or have had this feeling on our fitness journey...

But here is a silver lining…

You felt bad for not working-out and that is a good thing!

I feel horrible for not working-out!!!! Which is an awesome feeling!!! I still feel like crap, but I will feel better tomorrow when I get the workout in. See, that is a change in my mentality and I can finally say that I think I’m starting to get my mind right, going into month two of Insanity!

My first week of month two was like starting from day one, all over again. It really sucked! Everything I thought I was ready for went out the window after the warm-up of the first day of month two. The first workout was Max Interval Circuit and it killed me. It was double the time of the workouts in month one and the moves were twice as hard. It was a crushing blow to my ego. The next day was Max Interval Plyometrics and it was equally hard. You still get the crazy cardio, but they throw in all the jumping and strength training you expect from a plyo workout. Max Cardio Conditioning was next up and it was truly insane! Non-stop cardio and strength training with nonexistent breaks! This one was my favorite of the month two workouts thus far. Finally, it was time for Max Recovery and then I started the whole thing over again until my rest day. All the workouts are double the reps of the month one workouts and about 20 mins longer.

I had a head cold the entire week and felt horrible, but I kept pressing play and made it through the week. As I move through my second week, I feel a lot better and can feel my strength and cardio improving with each workout. My weight loss has seemed to have slowed down, which is not a good thing for me mentally. I’m stuck at 179 lbs and still would like to lose another 13 lbs. I’m trying to tweak my diet and I’m also using Hydroxycut Hardcore, which I enjoy because of the energy boost. I have had to add more carbohydrates back into my diet because I felt like my workouts were suffering. I just felt sluggish and fatigued. My workouts have improved, but my weight loss has stopped. I will have to find a way to balance to two… Any suggestions?

Other then that, I’m happy with my results thus far and I promise to stay committed!

I will keep pressing play!!!!

Late

Sore Muscles? Don't Stop Exercising

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 07:54:00 +0000

Sore Muscles? Don't Stop Exercising

Delayed onset muscle soreness is common after exercise and usually means your muscles are getting stronger.

Starting a workout program can be challenging. Making the time to exercise, creating a balanced routine, and setting goals are hard enough, but add to that the muscle soreness that comes with adapting to that regimen, and it may be difficult to stay on track.

Chances are, you won't be leaping out of bed to get to the gym when it hurts to hold your arm up to brush your teeth.

After participating in some kind of strenuous physical activity, particularly something new to your body, it is common to experience muscle soreness, say experts.

"Muscles go through quite a bit of physical stress when we exercise," says Rick Sharp, professor of exercise physiology at Iowa State University in Ames.

"Mild soreness just a natural outcome of any kind of physical activity," he says. "And they're most prevalent in beginning stages of a program."

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

Exercise physiologists refer to the gradually increasing discomfort that occurs between 24 and 48 hours after activity as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and it is perfectly normal.

"Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a common result of physical activity that stresses the muscle tissue beyond what it is accustomed to," says David O. Draper, professor and director of the graduate program in sports medicine/athletic training at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

To be more specific, says Draper, who's also a member of the heat-responsive pain council, delayed onset muscle soreness occurs when the muscle is performing an eccentric or a lengthening contraction. Examples of this would be running downhill or the lengthening portion of a bicep curl.

"Small microscopic tears occur in the muscle," he says.

The mild muscle strain injury creates microscopic damage to the muscle fibers. Scientists believe this damage, coupled with the inflammation that accompanies these tears, causes the pain.

"The aches and pains should be minor," says Carol Torgan, an exercise physiologist and fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, "and are simply indications that muscles are adapting to your fitness regimen."

Even Bodybuilders Get Them

No one is immune to muscle soreness. Exercise neophytes and body builders alike experience delayed onset muscle soreness.

"Anyone can get cramps or DOMS, from weekend warriors to elite athletes," says Torgan. "The muscle discomfort is simply a symptom of using your muscles and placing stresses on them that are leading to adaptations to make them stronger and better able to perform the task the next time."

But for the deconditioned person starting out, this can be intimidating. People starting an exercise program need guidance, Torgan says.

"The big problem is with people that aren't very fit and go out and try these things; they get all excited to start a new class and the instructors don't tell them that they might get sore," she says.

"To them they might feel very sore, and because they aren't familiar with it, they might worry that they've hurt themselves. Then they won't want to do it again."

Letting them know it's OK to be sore may help them work through that first few days without being discouraged.

Ease Those Aching Muscles

So what can you do to alleviate the pain?

"Exercise physiologists and athletic trainers have not yet discovered a panacea for DOMS," says Draper, "however, several remedies such as ice, rest, anti-inflammatory medication, massage, heat, and stretch have been reported as helpful in the process of recovery."

Stretching and flexibility are underrated, says Sharp.

"People don't stretch enough," he says. "Stretching helps break the cycle," which goes from soreness to muscle spasm to contraction and tightness.

Take it easy for a few days while your body adapts, says Torgan. Or try some light exercise such as walking or swimming, she suggests. Keeping the muscle in motion can also provide some relief.

"Probably the most important thing is to have a cool-down phase after your workout," says Draper. Right before finishing, include 10 or so minutes of "easy aerobic work such as jogging or walking followed by stretching."

At Brigham Young, Draper has been researching the use of heat remedies to treat muscle soreness. In clinical tests, a portable air-activated heat wrap -- in this case a product called ThermaCare -- applied directly to the skin was beneficial to subjects.

"When muscle temperature is increased, blood flow increases, bringing fresh oxygen and healing nutrients to the injured site," he says. "This increased blood flow also helps to wash away the chemical irritants responsible for pain."

While sore, don't expect to set personal records. Most likely, during a bout of DOMS, your exercise potential will be out of reach, says Draper. Delayed onset muscle soreness usually affects only the body parts that were worked, so perhaps you can work other muscle groups while letting the fatigued ones recover.

In a nutshell, don't beat yourself up. Just take it easy.

"Since there's a loss in muscle strength, athletic performance won't be at peak levels for a few days," says Torgan, "so it's best to plan a few days of easy exercise to prevent further muscle damage and reduce the likelihood of injury."

Don't Get in a Rut

It's also a process of muscle conditioning. Torgan says delayed onset muscle soreness also has a "repeated bouts" effect.

"If someone does an activity, they will be inoculated for a few weeks to a few months -- the next time they do the activity, there will be less muscle tissue damage, less soreness, and a faster strength recovery."

This is why athletes often cross-train and vary their routines to continue to challenge and develop their muscle strength.

It is important to distinguish the difference between moderate muscle soreness induced by exercise and muscle overuse or injury.

"If soreness prevents you from performing daily activities associated with living and work, then that is too much soreness," Draper says. "It can psychologically deter someone from continuing a workout program."

Both Draper and Torgan stress that soreness is not necessary to see improvements.

"There are all kinds of different little roads that your muscles can take to get stronger," says Torgan. Regardless of whether you're sore, there are still improvements occurring in your muscles during exercise.

However, moderate muscle pain might go a long way to keeping someone on the path to fitness.

"Soreness can serve as encouragement in a workout program because people like immediate results. Muscle doesn't visibly [grow] overnight; nor does your time in the mile drop from eight to six minutes," says Draper. "So something like soreness can give people encouragement that they are in fact working the muscle."

WebMD Feature source: http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/sore-muscles-keep-exercising

Basketball on Insanity

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 02:01:00 +0000

This week was my recovery week and boy did I need it! I have been going hard for the first 30 days and have dropped a lot of weight. I have also gotten a whole lot quicker and stronger. How can I tell? Well, during this recovery week, I have decided to get back out and start playing basketball again.

About 11 years ago, when I was stationed at Offutt AFB, NE, I used to play basketball everyday. I was 24 yrs old and could run and jump with anyone. Even though I'm only 5'7, I play like I'm 6'6 and could jump out the gym. I was in pretty decent shape back then. Well, a few months ago, I decided to go play again... Bad idea... I was out of shape and still smoking cancer sticks... Boy, did it really show on the court! I ran, my almost 200 lbs ass, up and down the court and damn near had a heart attack! I haven't been back since; until this week.

Last weekend was the start of my recovery week, so I headed to the gym to play. It was awesome! I was so quick and felt as if I could run forever! Thus, yesterday, instead of doing Core Cardio and Balance for 6th time, I decided to go play ball again. Once again, my body didn't disappoint! But, there are two things that I notice; one good and one bad.

First, the good thing was my strength. I felt more powerful when I went up for rebounds or set picks. I could also fight through picks better and was even quick enough to sometimes jump around them. That is all a credit to how much better my strength and balance has become from my Insanity workouts. The only bad thing is that my stamina isn't where I want it to be yet. I found myself still getting gassed after a few sprints up and down the court. I want to improve that and hope that month two will be the catalyst to improve my conditioning. But, I did notice that even though I would get gassed, my recovery time was short and I was back in it after a minute or so break in action. I also credit this to my Insanity workouts.

I am totally satisfied with my results thus far and excited to see what the future holds for my body transformation. I plan on going hard during month two and working on getting my conditioning where I want it to be. I'm going to tweak my diet and tryout some new supplements, in an attempt to cut some more weight. I also plan on getting out there and jogging on my recovery days. I have my military PT test coming up and want to run my 1.5 mile course weekly, to see where I'm at. I will keep you all posted on what works and doesn't work for me, as I continue on this journey. Recovery week is over... I'm ready for month two!

Late

My new belly on Insanity... Recovery week after month 1

Oh... I almost forgot!!!! Here is my Insanity tip of the week...

This week I will leave you with an awesome and healthy alternative recipe to one of my all-time favorite breakfast items... The Breakfast Burrito!

Stan's Heathy Breakfast Burrito

1 Reduced fat flour, multi-grain, or whole wheat tortilla (the larger the better)

1 Raw whole sweet potato grated

1/2 cup Low fat mozarella cheese

1/4 cup Low fat cheddar cheese

1 cup Eggbeaters/egg white product

2 tablespoons I Can't Believe It's Not Butter LIGHT

1/2 cup Chopped onion

1/2 cup Chopped fresh tomato

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper

Hot Sauce, Jalapenos or Red Pepper Flake to taste

Nonstick Nonfat cooking spray

Preparation:

1. Place a skillet over low heat and spray with nonfat cooking spray.

2. Add the grated sweet potato to the pan along with the I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Light

3. Add onions immediately and stir until potatoes and onions are soft.

4. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.

5. Add eggbeaters.

6. Add hot sauce, Jalapenos or red pepper flake to taste and mix together until cooked (Note: Be careful here... Don't add this ingredient if you don't like spicy foods... I like it hot!!!)

7. Mix in chopped tomato near the end. (Note: You could also add a low fat salsa if you like... But I use fresh tomatoes)

8. Heat tortillas in microwave for 30 sec and add egg mixture down the center of the tortilla.

9. Add 1/4 cup low fat mozarella cheese and 1/8 cup cheddar over the egg mixture and fold tortilla into a burrito

Yields about 2 Burritos

Nutrient value:

1 Burrito:

350 calories

Fat: 12.1g

Saturated Fat: 5.1g

Cholesterol: 18mg

Sodium 668.8mg

Carbs: 28.6g

Fiber: 9.9g

Protein: 27.5g

A sweet problem: Princeton researchers find that high-fructose corn syrup prompts considerably more weight gain

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 06:48:00 +0000

This is an awesome article that I found on the Princeton University website on the weight gain dangers of high-fructose corn syrup... Read and heed!

A sweet problem: Princeton researchers find that high-fructose corn syrup prompts considerably more weight gain

Posted March 22, 2010; 10:00 a.m.

by Hilary Parker

A Princeton University research team has demonstrated that all sweeteners are not equal when it comes to weight gain: Rats with access to high-fructose corn syrup gained significantly more weight than those with access to table sugar, even when their overall caloric intake was the same.

In addition to causing significant weight gain in lab animals, long-term consumption of high-fructose corn syrup also led to abnormal increases in body fat, especially in the abdomen, and a rise in circulating blood fats called triglycerides. The researchers say the work sheds light on the factors contributing to obesity trends in the United States.

"Some people have claimed that high-fructose corn syrup is no different than other sweeteners when it comes to weight gain and obesity, but our results make it clear that this just isn't true, at least under the conditions of our tests," said psychology professor Bart Hoebel, who specializes in the neuroscience of appetite, weight and sugar addiction. "When rats are drinking high-fructose corn syrup at levels well below those in soda pop, they're becoming obese -- every single one, across the board. Even when rats are fed a high-fat diet, you don't see this; they don't all gain extra weight."
A Princeton University research team, including (from left) undergraduate Elyse Powell, psychology professor Bart Hoebel, visiting research associate Nicole Avena and graduate student Miriam Bocarsly, has demonstrated that rats with access to high-fructose corn syrup -- a sweetener found in many popular sodas -- gain significantly more weight than those with access to water sweetened with table sugar, even when they consume the same number of calories. The work may have important implications for understanding obesity trends in the United States. (Photo: Denise Applewhite) Photos for news media
In results published online Feb. 26 by the journal Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, the researchers from the Department of Psychology and the Princeton Neuroscience Institutereported on two experiments investigating the link between the consumption of high-fructose corn syrup and obesity.

The first study showed that male rats given water sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup in addition to a standard diet of rat chow gained much more weight than male rats that received water sweetened with table sugar, or sucrose, in conjunction with the standard diet. The concentration of sugar in the sucrose solution was the same as is found in some commercial soft drinks, while the high-fructose corn syrup solution was half as concentrated as most sodas.

The second experiment -- the first long-term study of the effects of high-fructose corn syrup consumption on obesity in lab animals -- monitored weight gain, body fat and triglyceride levels in rats with access to high-fructose corn syrup over a period of six months. Compared to animals eating only rat chow, rats on a diet rich in high-fructose corn syrup showed characteristic signs of a dangerous condition known in humans as the metabolic syndrome, including abnormal weight gain, significant increases in circulating triglycerides and augmented fat deposition, especially visceral fat around the belly. Male rats in particular ballooned in size: Animals with access to high-fructose corn syrup gained 48 percent more weight than those eating a normal diet.

"These rats aren't just getting fat; they're demonstrating characteristics of obesity, including substantial increases in abdominal fat and circulating triglycerides," said Princeton graduate student Miriam Bocarsly. "In humans, these same characteristics are known risk factors for high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, cancer and diabetes." In addition to Hoebel and Bocarsly, the research team included Princeton undergraduate Elyse Powell and visiting research associateNicole Avena, who was affiliated with Rockefeller University during the study and is now on the faculty at the University of Florida. The Princeton researchers note that they do not know yet why high-fructose corn syrup fed to rats in their study generated more triglycerides, and more body fat that resulted in obesity.
When male rats were given water sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup in addition to a standard diet of rat chow, the animals gained much more weight than male rats that received water sweetened with table sugar, or sucrose, along with the standard diet. The concentration of sugar in the sucrose solution was the same as is found in some commercial soft drinks, while the high-fructose corn syrup solution was half as concentrated as most sodas, including the orange soft drink shown here. (Photo: Denise Applewhite)
High-fructose corn syrup and sucrose are both compounds that contain the simple sugars fructose and glucose, but there at least two clear differences between them. First, sucrose is composed of equal amounts of the two simple sugars -- it is 50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose -- but the typical high-fructose corn syrup used in this study features a slightly imbalanced ratio, containing 55 percent fructose and 42 percent glucose. Larger sugar molecules called higher saccharides make up the remaining 3 percent of the sweetener. Second, as a result of the manufacturing process for high-fructose corn syrup, the fructose molecules in the sweetener are free and unbound, ready for absorption and utilization. In contrast, every fructose molecule in sucrose that comes from cane sugar or beet sugar is bound to a corresponding glucose molecule and must go through an extra metabolic step before it can be utilized.

This creates a fascinating puzzle. The rats in the Princeton study became obese by drinking high-fructose corn syrup, but not by drinking sucrose. The critical differences in appetite, metabolism and gene expression that underlie this phenomenon are yet to be discovered, but may relate to the fact that excess fructose is being metabolized to produce fat, while glucose is largely being processed for energy or stored as a carbohydrate, called glycogen, in the liver and muscles.

In the 40 years since the introduction of high-fructose corn syrup as a cost-effective sweetener in the American diet, rates of obesity in the U.S. have skyrocketed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 1970, around 15 percent of the U.S. population met the definition for obesity; today, roughly one-third of the American adults are considered obese, the CDC reported. High-fructose corn syrup is found in a wide range of foods and beverages, including fruit juice, soda, cereal, bread, yogurt, ketchup and mayonnaise. On average, Americans consume 60 pounds of the sweetener per person every year.

"Our findings lend support to the theory that the excessive consumption of high-fructose corn syrup found in many beverages may be an important factor in the obesity epidemic," Avena said.

The new research complements previous work led by Hoebel and Avena demonstrating that sucrose can be addictive, having effects on the brain similar to some drugs of abuse.

In the future, the team intends to explore how the animals respond to the consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in conjunction with a high-fat diet -- the equivalent of a typical fast-food meal containing a hamburger, fries and soda -- and whether excessive high-fructose corn syrup consumption contributes to the diseases associated with obesity. Another step will be to study how fructose affects brain function in the control of appetite.

The research was supported by the U.S. Public Health Service.
Source : http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/91/22K07/

My Insanity Workout Journey

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 07:41:00 +0000

Ok… So, 30 days ago I decided that I wanted to change my life. Really, it started as just another New Years resolution. Every year I tell my family and myself that I promise to quit smoking and get in shape. I always start off pretty good and then I burn-out and go right back to smoking newports and eating pizza (hence the name of this blog). Every year I also tell myself that this year will be different… This year I will stick too it… Nope! Never happens… But, this year is a new year and a new promise. In order to keep this promise, I have decided to start posting on this blog and hopefully the world can help me out. Also, I might be able to inspire and help others along the way on my journey.

In January 2010, I started my second round of P90x. My first round went pretty good. Let me give you guys the background. I’m in the military and I saw the infomercial for P90x on TV late one night. I was skeptical, but figured that it might help me get in shape for my annual physical fitness test. Since I live in Alaska, it can be a little interesting, to say the least, trying to workout up here during the winter months. I had let myself go over the holidays again and decided to order the DVD’s last year. I was up to over 200lbs and was just feeling old and miserable. I got the DVD’s late March 2009 and tested that May. I told my wife that I was going to be a Spartan for Halloween...LOL... I was motivated and stuck with P90x for about 60 days. I went from 200lbs down to 174lbs! I had almost a 40-inch waist on day 1 and got down to a 35-inch waist on my test day in May. I felt great and passed my test. But, then I just gave up and stopped working-out again. I had passed my test and it was over. Also, I never quit smoking that entire time and I never became a Spartan.

This brings us to January 2010 and why I started my second round of P90x. See, I have been on high cholesterol medication since I was 26. My cholesterol has been in the 400 total point range before. No matter how I changed my diet or how much I worked-out, it never would drop on its own. Thus, I was put on meds; but I never really took them. I felt like I was too young to be put on these types of meds. I truly believed that high cholesterol was something old people got and I was young and invincible. Well, this year a young person I know was diagnosed with cancer. He is younger than me and it has gotten me scared to death! Then I went in for my yearly physical and the doctor asked if I was taking any medication? I said “No” and she said, “Why aren’t you taking your high cholesterol medication?” It was a setup! I had no answer… Nothing to say… She told me that I’m a heart attack or stroke waiting to happen. She explained that all the years that I had been smoking and not taking my meds had no doubt caused polyps and artery buildup. I was thinking to myself that I’m only 34 and will be turning 35 in June and this lady is talking to me about strokes and heart attacks?!? That was it! I had to take control of my life and my body! I have 2 daughters I want to walk down the aisle one day and a son I want to raise to be a better man then I ever will. I can’t do that sitting in an urn on my widows’ mantel.

So, I started doing P90x again and set a date to quit smoking. I had quit smoking before, about 5 years ago. I quit smoking for a 2-year period, but I got sent to fight a war and started back again. I quit cold turkey and that is the only way I feel that I can quit and stay quit. I have tried all the pills, patches, and gums; but I always started right back after I stopped taking them. Cold turkey is the best way!

The P90x workouts were good, but I really wanted more cardio. That is the only problem I have with P90x. The muscle building exercises are awesome, but the cardio workouts just weren’t giving me what I wanted. I needed something with more cardio… Something that was going to get me ready for my physical fitness test that consist of: 1.5 mile run, as many pushups you can do in 60 seconds, as many crunches you can do in 60 seconds, and a waist measurement. P90x covered most of it, but the run… Also, I wanted to slim down and P90x seemed to be buffing me up more. So, I started to modify P90x by doing the Plyometric workout 3 days a week and doing the other muscle building workouts for the other 3 days. I didn’t do the other cardio workouts (e.g. Kenpo, Core Synergetics, Cardio X, etc…), just Plyo. Plyo was the best cardio workout of the bunch and was one of my favorites.

Then one night I was up late and saw an infomercial for Insanity. Insanity is made by the same company that makes P90x; Beachbody. Once again I was a skeptic, but it looked like the cardio workout I had been longing for. Plus, I already owned P90x and I’m a believer in the products Beachbody puts out. I thought, ok, lets give it a shot!

The DVD’s came in and I did the pre-test at work one night. At the time, I was working night shift and all the guys sat there and cracked jokes while I did the test. But, about half way through it, all the jokes stopped. The guys started to realize that this was no joke. I huffed and puffed my 198lbs butt through the test. Well, after I was done, the other guys wanted to try it. They got their workout clothes and huffed and puffed their way through the test. These guys were in better shape, yet only did a little better then me on the test! I was sold! And the guys weren’t laughing anymore… They are all believers now and that was just the pre-test!

I started the first week and it sucked! I knew that there was no way I was going to be able to do this and smoke. More reason to quit, aye?!? I quit the second week in and haven’t had one since. The first month consist of Plyometric Cardio Circuit training, Cardio Power and Resistance, Cardio Recovery, Pure Cardio, and Cardio ABS, which you start at the end of week two. I have to say, that these workouts are tougher then P90x, in that I still can’t make it through without taking breaks. Nobody in the DVD’s can either though, so I don’t feel that bad… LOL… Also, P90x has never made me vomit… I can’t count how many times I have vomited in the first two weeks trying to do these workouts! Though, it never gets easier, it does get better. I find myself going longer and longer without breaks. Thus, the silver lining!

Let me break down the workouts:

Plyometric Cardio Circuit Training: It is just what it says it is and is a killer workout. Plyo is a whole lot of jumping and running in place after the warm-up. Circuit training is actually the 30-second rest you get in-between sets. Shaun T (the trainer) talks about watching your heart-rate and the point to circuit training is to speed up and then rest… Then speed up again and then rest…

Cardio Power and Resistance: Is an awesome power workout with lots of leg power moves and pushups, as well. This workout will get your legs stronger, while giving you a killer cardio workout.

Cardio Recovery: Is a nice break during the week. I look forward to it. It is a lot of stretching that really feels good mid week.

Pure Cardio and Cardio ABS: Nonstop cardio! This one kills! You do all the exercises with no breaks! It starts off light and gets worst and worst (or better and better… LOL). Then when you are worn out, you do Cardio ABS. Cardio ABS is an awesome AB workout where you do no sit-ups or crunches! Your back never hits the ground! I love it! These two are my favorite workouts so far. But, I break them up… I do Pure Cardio in the AM and Cardio ABS in the PM.

Now, the most important thing is the diet. If you aren’t eating right, then you will not lose weight. I was following the diet to the letter at first… But, now, I just eat healthy period. My logic is I’m not trying to do this for only 60 days. This is a lifestyle change for me, so I just used the basic blueprint from P90x and the Insanity meal plans and that is just how I eat. I can really gage my calorie intake now. I was tracking it for so long, that after awhile, you really just learn how to eat. I will post some of the diet things I do as time goes on…

Another important thing is supplements. I have found that the most beneficial thing is a good recovery drink. I use vanilla Isopure, Glutamine, and Chocolate Soy Milk… That’s right, Chocolate milk is one of the best recovery drinks out there.

Read here: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/152240.php

I haven’t really found anything I like for pre-workout. I used AMP for a bit, but it tore my stomach apart and I hated the way it made me feel. If anyone has any ideas on what to use, get at me. There are also supplements and recovery drinks that you can buy from beachbody, as well. I haven't tried any of them yet.

Well, this is enough for my first post… I’m done with the first month and starting my recovery week. Then all hell breaks loose in the next 30 days, with new workouts! I will keep you all posted.

Now for the pictures…

Below are the pics of day 1 and day 30. I will post day 60 and day 90 and so on and so forth. I plan on mixing it with P90x after day 60… I will try to post on this blog once or twice a week from here on out.

Late

S

Insanity Workout
Number of DVDs: 10
Workouts: Fit Test, Plyometric Cardio Circuit, Cardio Power & Resistance, Cardio Recovery, Pure Cardio and Abs, Cardio Abs, Core Cardio and Balance, Max Interval Circuit, Max Interval Plyo, and Max Cardio Conditioning & Abs.
Results seen in: 60 days
Fitness commitment: You are instructed to workout six days a week for the first four weeks of the Insanity Workout. Then you perform the Recovery workouts for one week before you complete the rest of the program. Workout DVDs last 40 to 60 minutes.
Cost: $119.95, plus$12.95 shipping and handling.

Co-founder of the Detroit Trio Slum Village, Baatin has Passed Away... R.I.P.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 20:55:00 +0000

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-14684-HipHop-Music-Examiner~y2009m8d2-Baatin-of-Slum-Village-dead-at-35

Kinga M. Spanier

Co-founder of the Detroit trio Slum Village, Baatin has passed away. Baatin (Titus Glover) was found dead on the 14000 block of Anglin Street in Detroit. Detroit Police Department spokesman John Roach said Saturday he did not know a cause of death.

Slum Village was founded by Baatin, T3, and the late J Dilla. The original lineup of the group released two albums, 1997's Fan-tas-tic (Vol. 1) and 2000's Fantastic (Vol. 2).

Rapper/producer J Dilla left the group and was replaced by Elzhi for the groups third release, Trinity (Past, Present, and Future). After the release of Trinity Baatin began to exhibit unusual behavior prompting him to be removed from the group. Baatin was later diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Slum Village recorded two more albums without Baatin--2004's Detroit Deli and 2005's self titled CD. Founding SV member J Dilla requested that Baatin be invited back to the group to record a reunion album. J Dilla passed away in 2006 from Lupus complications, while T3 and Elzhi stayed true to their word and invited Baatin back into the fold.

The group had been performing on the summer's biggest Hip-Hop festival Rock the Bells in preperation for the September 22nd release of their album Villa Manifesto. Just two short weeks ago I spoke to Slum Village at the New York stop on the Rock the Bells tour and Baatin could not contain his excitement about being back with the crew.

"I'm happy to be back," Baatin said. "I just want to apologize for anyone that I hurt, but I'm glad to be back--I'm trying to do better, I'm trying."

"Baatin will be missed," Slum Village's T3 said in a statement. "I'm glad we got a chance to work together before he passed. We lost another Slum soldier, a dear friend and a brother. He touched many lives."

Baatin is survived by his son, Michael Majesty Ellis; his daughter, Aura Grace Glover; his parents, Howard and Alberta Glover, his sister, Eleanor Glover, and two brothers, Richard Riggins and Wendell Scott, all of Detroit.

To assist the family of Baatin visit: http://rensoul.com/2009/08/baatindonations.php

Baatin was an underrated MC with one of the dopest voices in rap history. His style was unique and his flow was original. He will be missed by the Hip-Hop community. R.I.P Baatin.

Warning! This song contains explicit lyrics:

Author

Sherron Shabazz is an Examiner from the National Edition. You can see Sherron's articles at: "http://www.Examiner.com/x-14684-HipHop-Music-Examiner"

Could Taxing and Regulating the Sale of Recreational Marijuana Help Us Out of Our Economic Misfortunes?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:37:00 +0000

Why not? Cannabis can be used for everything from food to clothes to paper. I know plenty of responsible recreational smokers (who all shall remain nameless, no worries). We are now on our way towards cleaner, greener, technology and nothing is greener then Cannabis. Is it really that bad of an idea?

So why not? We can focus our police, government agencies and military resources on other crimes and higher classes of drugs. We can ease the burden on our judicial system and put a dent in the number of our citizens trapped in the prison-industrial complex. We can lessen the amount of gang turf violence over illegal marijuana in our urban communities. We can stop the violence on our boarders caused by the trafficking of marijuana. We can use cannabis for paper and other things that we currently destroy our forests for. I could go on and on…

So why not take advantage of this huge cash crop? Is it really any worst then cigarettes or alcohol? Is really that gateway drug that it’s been known as for years? With all this anti-socialist talk; should the government really be deciding these things for us anyway? What are all those people that work in our prison-industrial complex going to do? Will they be out of a job? What are all the gangs that are killing and making a living off of selling illegal marijuana going to do? Are they going to start robbing people instead? What about all the people in jail for the marijuana crimes? How are they going to be reintroduced into society after all those years in a prison system that has no interest in rehabilitation?

Just some things to think about…

Kas

=====================================================

Taxing Pot Could Become a Political Toking Point
Tuesday 24 February 2009
by: Eric Bailey, The Los Angeles Times

Link: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-pottax24-2009feb24,0,7534269.story

An assemblyman from San Francisco argues that it's time to tax and regulate the state's biggest cash crop in the same manner as alcohol. Opponents say it would create new costs for society.

Sacramento - Could Cannabis sativa be a salvation for California's fiscal misfortunes? Can the state get a better budget grip by taxing what some folks toke?

An assemblyman from San Francisco announced legislation Monday to do just that: make California the first state in the nation to tax and regulate recreational marijuana in the same manner as alcohol.

Buoyed by the widely held belief that cannabis is California's biggest cash crop, Assemblyman Tom Ammiano contends it is time to reap some state revenue from that harvest while putting a damper on drug use by teens, cutting police costs and even helping Mother Nature.

"I know the jokes are going to be coming, but this is not a frivolous issue," said Ammiano, a Democrat elected in November after more than a dozen years as a San Francisco supervisor. "California always takes the lead - on gay marriage, the sanctuary movement, medical marijuana."

Anti-drug groups are anything but amused by the idea of California collecting a windfall from the leafy herb that remains illegal under federal law.

"This would open another door in Pandora's box," said Calvina Fay, executive director of Save Our Society From Drugs. "Legalizing drugs like this would create a whole new set of costs for society."

Ammiano's measure, AB 390, would essentially replicate the regulatory structure used for beer, wine and hard liquor, with taxed sales barred to anyone under 21.

He said it would actually boost public safety, keeping law enforcement focused on more serious crimes while keeping marijuana away from teenagers who can readily purchase black-market pot from peers.

The natural world would benefit, too, from the uprooting of environmentally destructive backcountry pot plantations that denude fragile ecosystems, Ammiano said.

But the biggest boon might be to the bottom line. By some estimates, California's pot crop is a $14 billion industry, putting it above vegetables ($5.7 billion) and grapes ($2.6 billion). If so, that could mean upward of $1 billion in tax revenue for the state each year.

"Having just closed a $42 billion budget deficit, generating new revenue is crucial to the state's long-term fiscal health," said Betty Yee, the state Board of Equalization chairwoman who appeared with Ammiano at a San Francisco news conference.

Also in support of opening debate on the issue are San Francisco Sheriff Mike Hennessey and retired Orange County Superior Court Judge James Gray, a longtime legalization proponent.

"I'm a martini guy myself," Ammiano said. "But I think it's time for California to ... look at this in a truly deliberative fashion."

He sees the possibility of an eventual truce in the marijuana wars with Barack Obama now in the White House.

A White House spokesman declined to discuss Ammiano's legislation, instead pointing to a transition website that says the president "is not in favor of the legalization of marijuana."

Several cities in California and around the nation have adopted laws making marijuana the lowest law enforcement priority, including Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, Denver and Seattle.

Oakland went even further in 2004, requiring pot to be taxed if it is legalized.

But where Ammiano sees taxes, pot foes see trouble.

They say easier access means more problems with drug dependency among adults, heavier teen use and an increase in driving while high.

"If we think the drug cartels are going to tuck their tails between their legs and go home, I think we're badly mistaken," Fay said.

"They're going to heavily target our children."

5 New Reasons Why You Should Stop Eating Red Meat

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:18:00 +0000

I travel around the world to much in my job to be messing around with red meat anymore. I'm done... Throwing in my fork... Not gonna be able to do it! I will stick with my fish, chicken and pork (the other white meat)... I'm done! Read below...

K

============================

Spain reports fifth human death from mad cow disease

MADRID (AFP) — The Spanish government late Friday confirmed the country's fifth fatality from the human variant of mad cow disease, a woman who died in the northern city of Santander in January.

The health ministry said laboratory tests confirmed that the woman had Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) as the human variant of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease, is known.

"The appearance of sporadic cases of the disease does not indicate new risks for the health of the public," it said in a statement.

The last death in Spain which was confirmed to have been due to the brain-wasting disease took place in August 2008 in the northwestern region of Castilla and Leon.

Spain recorded its first human death from mad cow disease in June 2005 when a 26-year-old woman succumbed to it in Madrid.

More than 200 people around the world are suspected to have died, most of them in Britain, from the human variant of the disease, which was first described in 1996.

Scientists believe the disease was caused by using infected parts of cattle to make feed for other cattle.

Authorities believe eating meat from infected animals can trigger the human variant of the fatal brain-wasting disease.

The 27-member EU, of which Spain is part, has banned high-risk materials such as spinal cord from use in feed and stricter labelling was also introduced.

Link: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gAFZ583FrJLfABJMsHuJ1PhcU-cw

Stop Hatin’ On Terrell Owens… Geez!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:46:00 +0000

By Kas

Alright… Alright… You haters in the sports media! Now I have to say something about this whole Terrell Owens “witch-hunt” I feel is going on. I get sick of reading article after article of hate on Terrell Owens. Though, I do feel some of his “supposed” off-field, on-field, locker room, antics might have been a tad divisive. He is still one of the most productive and entertaining wide receivers in the NFL today. The reason I say “supposed,” is because no one truly knows what goes on behind the closed doors of the NFL. The media is always looking for a story and the public loves drama; thus we will always have these types of players in professional sports.

Every professional sport has their T.O. type players. Tennis had McEnroe; Golf has Sergio, who changed his name just like the Bengals Chad Ocho Cinco. Hockey had Eric Lindros who whined his entire career and coincidently, played in Dallas as well. MLB has Manny, NBA has Artest (among others) and even the UEFA (European Football or “soccer”) has Cristiano Ronaldo; the best player Europeans love to hate. All of these athletes are/were top tier players in their respective sports and played integral parts to their teams’ success. Yet, these players are hated by many fans for different reasons and loathed by many sports writers for their off and on the field transgressions. But, sometimes the truth is in the eye of the beholder.

Take for instance the talk about T.O. being an aging wide-out who is losing a step. Many sports reporters and sports websites have made mention of how he dropped 33 balls this past season. They have also reported that the majority of NFL teams would be reluctant to sign Owens because he is poison in a NFL locker-room. But, Owens, at the age of 35, was 13th in the NFL in receiving yards (7th NFC), tied for 5th in receiving TD’s (4th NFC) and had only one fumble in 2008. He was arguably the Cowboys top offensive weapon and led the team in TD’s. It wasn’t T.O. that lost that pivotal week 17 game against the Eagles (6 rec. 103 yds.) or the week 16 defensive collapse against the Ravens (5 rec. 63 yds. 1 TD). Terrell Owens was never the problem in Dallas and I believe he was used as the scapegoat for an underachieving franchise. The Cowboys haven’t won a playoff game since 1996, which proves that they couldn’t win with T.O. or without him. The Buffalo Bills let Owens sit on the market for only two days after being released by the Cowboys. So much for that reluctant to sign T.O. attitude that everybody was been talking about.

Look, if you don’t like the man… Fine! But, you can not deny his talent and passion for the game. Stop hating in the media and report the facts. Stop fishing and making up stories from hearsay and give dude his proper’s for being the game changer he is. He is 35 years old and still has the swag to talk and back it up on the gridiron. I personal look at sports as entertainment and just a game. I want to see those 200 yd-3 TD games and crazy ass taunting celebrations. I want to see the passion of him blowing up on a dumb ass coach for not getting him the ball, when he is clearly the best player on the field. I want to see him call out his QB for getting tired in the Super Bowl and cry while defending a QB who just lost them a playoff game.

So, I’m sure T.O. will do just fine as a Bill and keep getting me silly points for my fantasy team.

Get your popcorn ready!

Black Milk - Tronic: Album Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 04:37:00 +0000

Release Date: October 28, 2008
Record Label: Fatbeats
Featured Artists: Dwele, Royce Da 5’9", Pharoahe Monch, Sean Price, DJ Premier, Colin Munroe, Fat Ray, Melanie Rutherford, AB

Review by: Kas

I would best describe Hip Hop as stagnate right now. A whole genre saturated with auto-tuned, alien voiced, sing-song hooks and faux creativity. You can’t even look to your favorite artist to come with anything worth the customary, conformational, Hip Hop head-nod right now. Enter Black Milk’s Tronic to semi-crash this musical strip club year and get up on da main stage to make the people say “yeah!”

The title of the album mos-def describes what you will hear once you press IPod on your IPhone. WARNING: This is not Sound of the City and nowhere near what you heard on Popular Demand. We have taken-off from the skyscrapers of chopped-soul-sample city and landed on a skillfully crafted electronic landscape dotted with lyrical vacation homes. Again… I must reiterate… Sound wise… This is not Sound of the City or Popular Demand. Black has matured as a producer and his sound has progressed to a point where he can soulfully stake his claim to a portion of Hip Hop’s future. Yet at the same time, Tronic is nothing groundbreaking and doesn’t really come with anything to far away from the electronic trend of today’s Hip Hop. When listening to this album, you might think to yourself: “Self… I feel like I have heard this vibe before…” Well, you would be completely within your Hip Hop right to think that maybe J. Dilla (R.I.P.) was looking down over this project. We lost arguably the best Hip Hop producer to ever do it, when Dilla lost his battle with lupus in 2006. But, his impact on Hip Hop lives on through Black Milk and Tronic is a Hip Hop symphonic eulogy in some ways. I have always felt that Black Milk’s production is built from the same frame as Dilla (which he has never denied) and Tronic is a confirmation of this for me. It’s as if he channels Dilla on a few cuts, e.g. Bond 4 Life, Hold It Down, Hell Yeah and Overdose, just to name a few. Though Dilla’s genius will never be duplicated; Black is doing his best to keep that “your favorite producer's, favorite producer” vibe alive and well. Is he the heir? I don’t think so… I believe it is more of him just making good Hip Hop music that we Dilla fans really enjoy.

The futuristic boom-bap beat universe that Milk has constructed is furthermore enhanced with that recognizable, syllable hostage-holding flow we have all become accustomed to coming out the “D.” Detroit is known for their lyrical terrorist, who spit Jihad on Hip Hop for their city and Black brings his vocal bomb laden vest on Tronic. Black Milk is known throughout Hip Hop for his beats, yet I believe he is underrated as an Emcee. Most producers that rhyme in today’s Hip Hop to often come off inexperienced or lazy on the lyrical side. Lyrical laziness has never really been a factor for Black Milk. He proves he is a formidable Emcee on joints like Losing Out, where he is paired with Royce Da 5’9 and The Matrix where he holds his own with Sean Price and Pharoahe Monch.

As you look back on this year in Hip Hop, don’t be so quick to banish 2008 to the auto-tune gamma quadrant of our musical universe. True, good music was hard to locate and didn’t seem to want to make contact with us; if you listened closely, it was still out there. Tronic landed on this planet formally known as Hip Hop in an effort to terraform its martian landscape. Though I’m not sure it fully succeeded, it did make 2008 Hip Hop a little more habitable for me. It was breath of, if not fully fresh air, then 100% oxygen from a rebreather. If you haven’t already, do yourself a favor and go cop this album. It makes a nice addition to any Hip Hoppa’s library.

The highpoints of the album are:

Give The Drummer Sum: The lead single with dope snares, kicks and an ill Quasimoto influenced hook.

Without U (feat. Colin Munroe): Nice commercial sounding record… Feeling the message of the whole song… Munroe comes correct on the hook, as well… Can you say Matthew Santos on Lupe’s Superstar??? Mos def could hear this one on the radio, TRL, 106 & Park… Blah… Blah… I don’t know if it is the indie label thing or whatever… But, I just don’t understand why records like this don’t get shine???

Hell Yeah: Hard Hip Hop record that Black says originally was a remix to Overdose (HipHopDX Interview)... Drum programming is crazy and has an ill horn hit sample throughout the record that sets the vibe for the lyrical onslaught.

Overdose: Banger!! DJ Dez kills the hook with a M.O.P. sample…

Try: Classic Black Milk… It’s the only record where he utilizes those soul samples that he is known for… Dope record.

The Matrix (feat. Pharoahe Monch, Sean Price, & DJ Premier): Another banger! Milk, Price and Premo do their thing and it was really nice to hear Monch finally spit again, instead of all that singing… Yuck!

If I had to say that the album staggers, it would be on one track…. Bounce, but solid word-play makes the record listenable. That’s just my opinion though….

I give Black Milk’s Tronic a 4.5 out of 5

One

Wazzup 2000 vs. Wazzup 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 04:24:00 +0000

True... True...

Good look Andy...

Al Quaida Leader Calls Obama a House Negro

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:13:00 +0000

So now we have Al-Qaida calling our president elect a house nigga... LOL... Are you kidding me? See now, I know there is a part of the black community that may think the same way. Just like there are those in the black community that feel as if he isn't black enough (e.g. not of slave blood, half white and half black, etc...). There are also those that have said the same thing about any black person in a power position or black person who isn't the stereotype... Ball-player, drug-dealer, entertainer, cook, janitor, etc... Is this all we are relegated too?

There have always been those that feel that if you are black, successful and in a position of authority.... Then you Sir, are a house negro. You must be that "liked one" that they allow to live among them. I have always been at odds with this flawed ideology. The house negro was created by the white slave owner... It was just another mind-game to keep us hating each other. It was ploy that kept control over us.... The field negroes hated those slaves that worked in the house, because they were treated better then the field negroes. Most of the house negros were fair-complected (lighter skin tone) or had the slave owners blood running through them. We hated them and envied them at the same time. But what we failed to realize, is that at the end of the day, we were still all slaves. We were slaves that would never unite and rise up against the slave owners, because we hated each other. This self-hatred still manifest itself today in our "hater" mentality. We still like to hate on anyone who we feel gets ahead or finally "makes it"... The "Neo" that doesn't fit the stereotype. That is the slave mentality that has kept us in chains for thousands of years. That way of thinking has to change... It is nothing more then psychological warfare that was used by slave owners and now being employed by Al-Qaida.

Mr. Al-Zawahri,

Here is some F.Y.I. homey,

There are no more house niggas.... Because there are no more slaves...

Church

Kas

=========================================================

Al-Qaida No. 2 insults Obama with racial epithet

CAIRO, Egypt - Al-Qaida's No.
2 leader used a racial epithet to insult Barack Obama in a message posted Wednesday, using a demeaning racial term implying that the president-elect is a black American who does the bidding of whites.

The message appeared chiefly aimed at persuading Muslims and Arabs that Obama does not represent a change in U.S. policies.
Ayman al-Zawahri said in the message, which appeared on militant Web sites, that Obama is "the direct opposite of honorable black Americans" like Malcolm X, the 1960s African-American rights leader.

In al-Qaida's first response to Obama's victory, al-Zawahri also called the president-elect - along with secretaries of state Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice - "house negroes."

Speaking in Arabic, al-Zawahri uses the term "abeed al-beit," which literally translates as "house slaves." But al-Qaida supplied English subtitles of his speech that included the translation as "house negroes."

The message also includes old footage of speeches by Malcolm X in which he explains the term, saying black slaves who worked in their white masters' house were more servile than those who worked in the fields. Malcolm X used the term to criticize black leaders he accused of not standing up to whites.

The 11-minute 23-second video features the audio message by al-Zawahri, who appears only in a still image, along with other images, including one of Obama wearing a Jewish skullcap as he meets with Jewish leaders. In his speech, al-Zawahri refers to a Nov. 5 U.S. airstrike attack in Afghanistan, meaning the video was made after that date.

Al-Zawahri said Obama's election has not changed American policies he said are aimed at oppressing Muslims and others.

"America has put on a new face, but its heart full of hate, mind drowning in greed, and spirit which spreads evil, murder, repression and despotism continue to be the same as always," the deputy of al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden said.

He said Obama's plan to shift troops to Afghanistan is doomed to failure, because Afghans will resist.

"Be aware that the dogs of Afghanistan have found the flesh of your soldiers to be delicious, so send thousands after thousands to them," he said.

Al-Zawahri did not threaten specific attacks, but warned Obama that he was "facing a Jihadi (holy war) awakening and renaissance which is shaking the pillars of the entire Islamic world; and this is the fact which you and your government and country refuse to recognize and pretend not to see."

He said Obama's victory showed Americans acknowledged that President George W. Bush's policies were a failure and that the result was an "admission of defeat in Iraq."

But Obama's professions of support for Israel during the election campaign "confirmed to the Ummah (Islamic world) that you have chosen a stance of hostility to Islam and Muslims," al-Zawahri said.

Shorty Lo and TI's camps Rumble at Awards Show

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:59:00 +0000

SMH.... Nigga moment

Please Hip Hop... WAKE UP!

Kas

=========================================================

Shorty Lo and TI's camps Rumble at Awards Show

By Tai Saint Louis

http://www.allhiphop.com/.../2008/11/24/20722485.aspx

Radio One's fourth annual Dirty Awards ended abruptly this evening when two separate altercations erupted reportedly between rapper Shawty Lo and members of the Grand Hustle camp tonight (November 24). An eye witness told AllHipHop.com that the tension between the two crews mounted during Shawty Lo's performance, which included a diss version of Grand Hustle artist Yung LA's song "Ain't I."

As Lo performed his version with a chorus "Don't I," an audience member identified by an eyewitness as Capitol recording artist Alfamega, allegedly threw a chair onto the stage. At that point, witnesses say another artist signed to the T.I.-helmed label stormed the stage, at which point authorities proceeded to break a fight.

T.I. himself took the stage shortly after the fight to accept an award following, a reported private conversation with Shawty-Lo, in which the Grammy Award-winning rapper/actor allegedly insisted once again, that the two end their long-running beef. He proceeded to denounce the violence and negativity and assured the Dirty Awards audience that he did not condone the fighting.

Shortly thereafter, however, a second fight broke out as T.I. performed his verse from "Ain't I," allegedly substituting some lyrics with verbal jabs at Shawty Lo, with whom he has had an unpleasant relationship throughout the year.

Towards the end of the performance, another member of the Grand Hustle camp allegedly jumped off stage and assaulted a man witnesses said was Shawty Lo's brother. Police officers then halted the awards show, using pepper spray to end the fight. While the Dirty Awards audience was immediately evacuated, witnesses say other altercations may have occurred outside of the event. More details as this story develops.

President Bush Pardons John Forte

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:49:00 +0000

With a new administration about to take over in about a month... Could we finally see the government about to revisit our ridiculous drug mandatory sentencing laws?

Kas

======================================================

President Bush Pardons John Forte

By Charlie Rem

http://www.allhiphop.com/.../2008/11/24/20721874.aspx

President George W. Bush has pardoned rapper John Forte, an affiliate of the Fugees, who has been serving prison time for smuggling drugs, sources told AllHipHop.com.

Forte was one of 14 persons that Bush has pardoned or granted commuted prison sentences.

This wave of White House pardons is Bush's latest, as he has less than two months in his presidency. A pardon cannot be overruled.

Forte was arrested at Newark International Airport in 2000 and charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to distribute. Police caught him accepting a briefcase with about $1.4 million worth of liquid cocaine in it.

Forte was hit with a 14-year sentence in a federal penitentiary under minimum sentencing laws even though it was his first offense and he was a non-violent offender. He began his bid in jail in 2001 and has fought the laws vehemently.

Through the ordeal, he maintained his innocence and turned down a plea deal.

John Forte has released two albums, Poly Sci and I, John.

John found an ally in legendary singer Carly Simon and her son Ben Taylor, both close friends. Forte lived at Simon's estate in Martha's Vineyard for about six weeks in 1999 and even spent the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays with the family. Simon and Taylor have lobbied on Forte's behalf since he was incarcerated.

Much speculation has been made of others Bush may opt to pardon. Most of these involved those that government employees that may have unjustly interrogated suspected terrorists in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center.

A pardon of these cases would severely impede president elect Barack Obama from investigating such crimes.

KRS-One Rhymes About Obama

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:44:00 +0000

You still must learn!!!!!

Flint rapper MC Breed dies at 36

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:23:00 +0000

Just another classic example of why we need universal health care. Dude couldn't even pay his medical bills... SMH! Why should we have to put on benefits and fund raisers for the funds to save a life? A price should never be put on life; but it is everyday in our great country. Things need to change, man...

R.I.P. Mr. Eric Breed

Peace

Kas

=========================================================

Flint rapper MC Breed dies at 36

Adam Graham / Detroit News Pop Music Writer
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081122/ENT04/811220438

Influential Flint rapper MC Breed, who was one of the first Midwest rappers to emerge onto the national hip-hop scene, has died, his manager has confirmed to The Detroit News. Breed was 36.
Breed, who scored a hit with his 1991 lo-fi classic "Ain't No Future in Yo' Frontin'" and later collaborated with a young Tupac Shakur, was found dead on Saturday at a friend's home in Ypsilanti, according to Darryl Morris, Breed's manager. No further details were available as of press time.

Breed, whose given name was Eric Breed, had recently been wrestling with health issues and was admitted to a hospital in his adopted home of Atlanta in September after suffering from kidney failure, according to reports. The rapper was put on life support, according to reports, and had only 30 percent functionality of his kidneys. Plans were put in place to throw a benefit concert for the rapper to raise money for his medical bills, but they were put on hold when his condition seemed to improve.

Breed's biggest hit was "Ain't No Future in Yo' Frontin'," from his 1991 debut album, "MC Breed & D.F.C." The song sampled Zapp's "More Bounce to the Ounce" and the Ohio Players' "Funky Worm" and found Breed not only bragging about his hometown of Flint but also stating his goals for the highest office in the land. "If I was the President, then I would state facts," he rapped, "you leave it up to me, I'll paint the White House black."

Breed bolstered his cred when he collaborated with Shakur on "Gotta Get Mine," the lead single from his third album, 1993's "The New Breed." The song came just as Shakur was just starting to earn his bad-boy-of-rap reputation, and it reached No. 6 on Billboard's Hot Rap Singles chart.

Over the course of his nearly 20-year career, Breed also worked with Too $hort, the D.O.C., Warren G and more. While never achieving full-fledged mainstream success, Breed was respected in hip-hop circles for his work ethic and his lucid, scratchy-voiced flow.
He recorded 13 albums, and released an album a year between 1991 and 2001.His final album, "The New Prescription," was released in 2004.

Detroit rapper Trick Trick says he looked up to MC Breed.
"I salute him for everything he did," Trick said Saturday. "It was good to see him break out of Flint. It gave a lot of us hope, like, 'We can do this, too.'"

Breed's career cooled considerably in recent years, and he spent eight months in prison for a parole violation that was a result of unpaid child support. In April, a Flint judge sentenced him to 60 days in jail as a result of owing more than $200,000 in unpaid child support to three different women.

You can reach Adam Graham at (313) 222-2284, or at agraham@detnews. com.

Random Thought: Has Boondocks Gone Overboard??????

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 13:41:00 +0000

Random thought time y'all:

Did Anyone see Boondocks last night?? Is it just me or does anyone else feel like Aaron McGruder might have gone a little overboard with this last episode? I’m sayin… It was funny… But, at the same time, I could have been crazy offended… The name of the episode was “Stinkmeaner Strikes Back”… For those who missed it: The show plays off the nigga moment … Definition: Nigga moment is where ignorance overwhelms the logic of an otherwise rational negro man…

Watch:

Well, this episode takes that theme from the last episode, when Granddad kills Col. Stinkmeaner in a classic nigga moment. Huey has a dream of Stinkmeaner coming back from hell to get revenge. Granddad says that he was a menace and he sent him to hell like he deserves. Stinkmeaner's spirit later inhabits Tom Dubois' body and goes looking for revenge against Granddad. Dubois’ starts having nigga moments and Stinkmeaner is the cause of it. Eventually, they tie Dubois’ up (who is possessed by Stinkmeaner’s ghost) and call Uncle Ruckus to do the exorcism… LMAO!

Yo, and that is where I felt like they might have went a bit overboard… The exorcism performed by Uncle Ruckus was craaaazzzzzyyy!!!! LMAO… Basically, they had to get “the nigga” (Stinkmeaner), out of “the Blackman” (Dubois’). So, to do that… Ruckus brought his tools… A noose, a whip, a branding iron, police baton, and a job application… LMAO!

Wait… Wait… It gets worst…

The exorcism involved them making him read a book, beating him with the whip, baton, and straight tim stompin' his ass; while screaming “nigga get yo’ black ass out of here!” LMAO!

Watch for yourself:

Now, I understand what McGruder is getting at with all this… I agree… But, c’mon now… LOL… Shouldn’t some things be sacred and only talked about within our community??? Should we really be airing out our dirty laundry for all of America to see???? With all the controversy surrounding the “Read A Book” video; I can’t see how Boondocks flies under the radar… Is it because it is shown on Cartoon Network and not BET (I really wish it was on BET, where it is needed)???

Also, I know a lot of white people probably watch the show… So, do you think they get it? Do they really truly understand the message behind all the, “nigga this and nigga that?” Do they really overstand??? Because the first time a white kid sees a fight at school between two black kids and says some shit like: “Yo, never-mind them, they just having a nigga moment…” LOL… There might be a problem or would it be a problem???? **scratches head**

Either way, it is a great show… With its brilliant use of humor; it brings up some topics that are in need of discussion in our community… But, this episode had me laughing so hard at how offensive this shit could be taken.

Oh… and the Ghostface cameo was awesome!!!! LOL…

Peace,

Kas

Review: Little Brother "Getback"

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 03:52:00 +0000

Little Brother Getback At It

By Kas

No major label deal! Well wave bye, bye, to the little bit of major radio and MTV2 run they had!

The Listening… Classic!

The Minstrel Show… Arguably, classic!

They can’t follow up two solid albums with another solid album????? Not in this Hip Hop day and age… They have to stumble, right?

Man, no 9^th Wonder! Them niggas album gonna be garbage!

All the cards seemed to be stacked against them and now we are blessed with Getback. Phonte and Big Pooh, the middle-east’s (N.C.) finest, are back again with another soulful addition to their already impressive discography. The album is a journey into the last two years since The Minstrel Show dropped. It is a very “grown folks” type album lyrically. Phonte and Pooh lace every record with their classic personal, gem dropping, everyday grind, let me learn you something little nigga, flow. That is why L.B. albums are always critically acclaimed and they are one of the few groups left whose material can get copped on name recognition alone. Why? Because you know what the fuck you are getting with a L.B. album and that is good Hip Hop music!

No punch pulling lyrics, over soulful boom-bap beats, is a genetic trait of this crew and that didn’t change with the disappearance of 9^th. They just threw on some new “good clothes” and enlisted the help of some intelligent Hip Hop beat-crafters. Yet, they didn’t go outside their lane and stuck with producers who could concoct that classic L.B. elixir in a new shinny shot glass. The producers seemed to try and keep 9^th’s soulful sound that he crafted for Tay and Pooh and just throw their own little spin on it (except Zo! LOL…). Which really worked out to Tay and Pooh’s advantage on Getback, as it is another solid album.

If you are expecting the social commentary of The Minstrel Show once again on this one then…. Ummmm…. Well, you are out of luck sunny. The album starts off with an intro instrumental, which is a jazzy acoustic version of We Got Now, the last record off The Minstrel Show. That intro leads right into Sirens, which is an Illmind produced banger… That is about as much of that political shit as you gonna get on this one… With Pooh spitting shit like:

“They talk about us not using the word nigga

I want to speak about a couple issues much bigger

Like mos black folk live below the poverty line

And they wonder why the fuck we attracted to crime”

And Tay:

“They trying to blame this rap shit for all of our ills

Like I can stick you up with a mic

Like I can rape you with a verse or use a verb as a knife

Like before Kool Herc everything was alright

Like I wasn’t calling black women hoes before Rappers Delight”

And that is it…

This flows right out of The Minstrel Show and into the Getback… There are a few skits, but the concept album feel is gone. It is more just banger after banger and head nod after head nod.

The relationships between woman and man are a big topic on this one… Records like Breakin’ My Heart, After the Party, and Step It Up, all have a lady drama feel to them. Which is cool, because grown folks can relate to lady drama (say word) and the other records are more introspective. There aren’t any real braggadocios, nonsense records on this album. The closest to braggadocios is the Denaun Porter, aka Mr. Porter, produced heat rock ExtraHard. But even then, they manage to slide in a message of self improvement, do for self, and keep it movin’ness. Each song has a clear message and hits with soulful quality production. Can’t Win for Losing, Two Step Blues, That Ain’t Love, Dreams, When Everything is New, and even Good Clothes, are all those relatable records that you can affirm with a head nod like: “Yeah, nigga… Church… I can relate to all that shit you just said!”

If I had to pick a weak record on the album (which is hard), it would have to be the only 9^th Wonder produced record, Breakin’ My Heart feat. Lil Wayne (as much as I love Tay’s verse on it). Yes, that is right, Lil Wayne… This nigga is everywhere! I can’t even cop a L.B. album without hearing him now… Yo, dude is camping outside of every studio in America, waiting to get on dudes albums… LOL… I’m sayin’… The beat is just lack luster to me and the claps get annoying after a minute into the record. Also, Wayne’s verse is not that great… With lines like “…and my game is skin deep like a first tattoo/ I get all in your head just like shampoo…” C’mon Mr. Weezy… What was that??? **shakes head** But, the song is still listenable on the strength of Tay and Pooh’s verses.

Quick play by play:

1. Sirens Feat. Carlitta Durand – produced by Illmind:

Crazy! Illmind is a beast on this one! Nasty keys and eerie Carlitta Durand sang hook, give this record a dark feel. Awesome pro-Hip Hop, lets get right, message from Tay & Pooh, reminiscent of that Minstrel Show shit.

2. Can't Win For Losing – produced by Illmind:

Claps + Ye styled soul sample + solid drum work and synths = Another Illmind banger! Tay and Pooh lace it with the personal real talk that L.B. fans expect from them. Speakin’ on the trials and tribulations of being Hip Hop artist and how shady the biz can be...

3. Breakin' My Heart Feat. Lil Wayne – produced by 9^th Wonder:

Starts off with a hilarious skit, with dudes girl breaking into his email and finding messages from some other woman… Then a lazy, monotonous, clap filled 9^th beat comes in (well, it isn’t as bad as I’m making it sound… LOL). Tay’s verse is church and Weezy’s verse is not.

4. Good Clothes – produced by Illmind:

The single off the album… Simple looped joint with Illmind solid drum work. The lyrics carry this one! Y’all know you can relate to this record… Don’t front!

5. After the Party Feat. Carlitta Durand – produced by Khrysis:

If you haven’t heard of Khrysis (Away Team), you will sunny… Dude is a beast! He will be a household name in the near future. The beat captures the essence of that late night after the club is closed and the lyrics follow that theme. Smooth and laid back… Subtle synths and another Carlitta Durand murked hook…

This one is connected to Good Clothes through a skit… Yo, the intro to the song is hilarious too… It starts with Tay in the parking lot after the club closes, trying to spit at a woman and his conscious telling him what to say… LOL… One of my favorite records on the album.

6. Extra Hard – produced by Mr. Porter:

Tay says it best at the beginning of the song… This beat is provocative… That is the only way to put it. Honesty, this record sounds more like something 9^th would have crafted. Nice, looped sample with Pooh and Tay spitting that meth.

7. Step It Up Feat. Dion – produced by Hi-Tek:

Y’all know Tek’s pedigree… This shit is meth! Tek’s crooner, hook maestro Dion, assists Tay and Pooh with an ode to the ladies.

8. Two-Step Blues Feat. Darien Brockington – produced by Nottz:

Again L.B.’s enlist another solid pedigree producer in Nottz. Who kills on this jazzy, smoke filled, soulful, banger! Darien Brockington laces the hook with a neo-soul vibe. Highlight is Pooh’s Phife’ish, TCQ inspired, sounding verse… Very nice!

9. That Ain't Love Feat. Jozeemo – produced by Illmind:

Man, another Illmind gem! Mos def a standout track on the album… Along with Two Step, Step It Up, After the Party, and When Everything Is New. “If this is love, I don’t want to see hate… If this is real, I don’t want to see fake!” If you can’t feel that, then you ain’t living.

10. Dreams – produced by Rashid Hadee:

Nice looped sample with a killer bassline and subtle keys… Another 9^th inspired sounding track. They message on this one is meth. Just sit back and listen to what they are saying… This song is real talk and Tay drops a gem with his verse:

“I still go to the crib and see my niggas on the corner

Chillin’ with the pounds on they waist

Gettin’ old, gettin’ round in the face

And when I hang with them

They ask me if The Minstrel Show means I’m ashamed of them

Well, I can’t say that I’m proud

But all the same, can’t say I’m allowed to judge

I’m just glad to see you”

11. When Everything Is New – produced by Zo!:

Yo, Zo! Murders the synths on this record… This is not one of your normal L.B. cut right here… But oddly, it fits them and this album… It is more in the vain of Foreign Exchange too me. Very up beat record and with all the negative shit they vent out on the album, this is one of the happier lyrical tracks… LOL…

All and all, any Little Brother fan will be happy with this album. The whole thing is cover to cover and only one possible skippable record. Some may say that the album is a bit angry, bitter, and dark. But, if you ask me, they just sound hungry… Classics are created off of this type of hunger… In this era of topicless, cookie cutter, dumb downed Hip Hop; it’s nice to hear some Emcees that actually have something to say.

On a scale of 1 – 5

Getback – 4.5

Review: Kanye West "Graduation"

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 02:13:00 +0000

September 8, 2007 - Saturday

Graduation Day for Kanye West
By Kas

As I sit here contemplating the state of Hip Hop and listening to Kanye West's junior effort "Graduation"… Yo, I can't help but smile.

In the last few months, mainstream Hip Hop has witnessed solid albums dropped from Common, Talib Kweli, and Pharoahe Monch. Now we have an offering from the big dog of mainstream-conscious-neo-Hip Hop-backpackerism.

At first glance, I think: "Damn, what is the deal with these sissy ass album covers? First Common and now Kanye… WTF?" Makes you wonder what is really good over there at Good Music.

But that is neither here nor there…

Have you ever listened to a Hip Hop album and every song you think: "damn so-n-so would have sounded really dope on that song…"??????????????????

Well, this is mos def that album.

What is so frustrating about Graduation is that it is a really meth album. But, Kanye just can't rap!

Usually, you want to hear an album without a dozen guest spots. Graduation is not that kind of album. Lyrically, he just lacks the skill to drop a classic Hip Hop album without a little help from his friends.

That being said, his friends are absent on Graduation day and it's just him walking across the stage to get his diploma (where the fuck is Common??????). Between his new fascination with lesbians (more then one reference made to them… LOL), personal venting, and the normal money, clothes, and hoes all a nigga knows… He really thinks he is a "top 5" Emcee. Well, Graduation just confirms the fact that he is not.

I can't front though, he does make a damn good effort and there are some lyrical bright spots. Records like "Everything I Am", "The Glory", "Bittersweet Poetry", and "Big Brother" have solid lyrical performances. What comes through in Kanye's lyrics is how honest he is. That is his appeal or "swagger" if you will, to the mainstream. His simplistic rhyme schemes and "…though I have a shit load of money… I'm still a normal nigga and going through the same shit as you…" candor, seems to captivate people… I guess…

As for the production…. SOLID! He has reinvented his sound on this one. His use of synthes on Graduation is something I haven't heard from him before like this. He really tried to be creative and that is respectable in this Hip Hop day and time. "Flashing Lights", "Stronger", and "I Wonder" are songs that he really seemed to go outside the box and reach for a new type of sound. He also has his commercial single type records "Stronger", "Good Life" (WOW!), "Champion" and maybe "Bittersweet Poetry" featuring John Mayer. But he does get back to his patented soul sample driven sound on records like "Everything I Am" and "The Glory."

Here is the play by play:

1. Good Morning

Kas says: Basically an intro to the album… The beat is laid back with a sonar echo snare and a Jay-Z sample at the end. Simple track… He says dumb shit like "You got D's muthaphucka D's Rosie Perez" ***shakes head***

2. Champion

Kas says: Nice record… Looped Steely Dan sample (damn he paid for that shit)… Points for good subject matter… "Lauryn Hill said her heart was in Zion… I wish her heart still was in rhyming"… Say word…

3. Stronger

Kas says: You already know… But this stupid ass song is starting to grow on me… 1000000000000 times a day on the radio… I know all the words…

4. I Wonder

Kas says: Nice song… Catchy Labi Siffre sample… Good subject matter… One of the only songs where he let's his production skills take over without him saying to much dumb shit… "Trade it all for a husband and some kids; you ever wonder what it all really means… You ever wonder if you'll find your dreams?"

5. Good Life (Feat. T-Pain)

Kas says: Heat rock… More then likely the next single off the album… Nice use of the M.J. P.Y.T. sample…. I don't care what y'all say about T-Pain… Everything he sings on is a hit… He is like this Hip Hop generations Nate Dogg… LOL… Now throw yo hands up in the sky!!!!!!!!!

6. Can't Tell Me Nothing

Kas says: Toomp was a beast on the beat… Lyrics are garbage and the remix is worst with Jeezy sayin' "Yeeeeaaaaahhhh" 200 times…

7. Barry Bonds (Feat. Lil Wayne)

Kas says: Wack… Wackest shit on the album… Again, the beat is meth… But how can you get on record and say….

Kanye says: "…how you gonna say I aint no lo-head, cuz my dior got me more my dough head? Im insulted...you should go'head...and bow so hard till yo knees hit yo forhead…" ***WHAT?***

Wayne says: "…and me i'm Mr. Weezy baby...yea i'm so bright not shady, my teeth and my ice so white like shady…" ***Shakes head***

8. Drunk & Hot Girls (Feat. Mos Def)

Kas says: Aight… I'm torn on this one… When I first listened to it, I was like "WTF?"… But after listening to it a few times… I feel what Mos and him are sayin' on this record… I dig the whole concept of the record and it is real talk… LOL… But the beat is like some Eminem shit… Garbage… Mos tries to save it with his singing… You'll be singing the hook after listening to it a few times though… Stupid ass song… Skippable….

9. Flashing Lights (Feat. Dwele)

Kas says: Beat is crazy… Wish Dwele would have just sung on the whole song… Kanye again saying dumb shit about some girl: "…Feeling like Katrina with no fema…. Like Martin with no Gina…" LMAO

10. Everything I Am (Feat. Dj Premier)

Kas says: Nothing but methamphetamine on this one… Simple beat and well placed cuts from Premo, make for the highlight of the album… Dope lyrics and beat… He really addresses all his "haters" on this record… You can tell he has his ear to the street **cough** I mean the net… Yo!!! Also, he says that Common passed on the beat at the beginning of the song… Wow! I would have loved to hear him over it… Let's hope for a remix…

11. The Glory

Kas says: Classic Kanye… Sped up "Save the Country" Laura Nyro sample, killer drums, strings, soulful singing chorus, arrogant ass lyrics, and his second reference to lesbians…

12. Homecoming (Feat. Chris Martin)

Kas says: **Scratches head** I don't know… Just sounds like something was missing on this one… Nice keys and Martin's hook is cool… I just don't know… Kanye is again on some female reminisce type shit at first… Then he switches it up midway through the second verse… I think… ??? Really, who knows what the fuck he was talking about… It had something to do with Chi Town though…

13. Big Brother

Kas says: Again Dj Toomp is a beast on the beat… Kanye's ode to Jay-Z… A little corny, but he pulls it off nicely… Telling about how Jay put him on…

14. Bittersweet Poetry (Feat. John Mayer) (Bonus Track)

Kas says: Nice record… Just because people can relate to it… This real talk and honesty on this record… Can't front on personal drama records…

15. Can't Tell Me Nothing Remix (Feat. Young Jeezy)(Bonus Track)

Kas says: Def Jam remix… Jeezy with all his "Yeeeaaahhh"…

16. Good Night (Feat. Mos Def & Al Be) (UK & Japan Bonus Track)

Kas says: Nice little tune… Dub reggae type beat… Mos comes with the sing song hook that is catchy as hell and Ye's verses are simple and smooth… Nothing to write home about…

If you ain't heard "Good Night" … Cop it here:

http://www.zshare.net/audio/34784673872579/

(Good look to Gotty and dem over @ http://smokingsection.rawkus.com for the link)

I refuse to get into all the 50 vs. Ye bullshit that is going on… It is all marketing… Ye even quoted 50 on "Good Life" sayin':

"50 told me go head switch the style up
And if they hate then let 'em hate
And watch the money pile up, the good life"

So, they are mos def working together to pile up some money…. I ain't mad at them all… Because at the end of the day, It's good to see two African American brothers doing good…

So I will just say this…

For all you Kanye fans out there, it will be worth the $12 - $15 or $20+ for the import. I know some "Ye" fans were turned off by "Stronger"… Give the album a chance, it will grow on you. For heads like myself… I don't know… It will get some run in the ipod and I'll be waiting on the instrumental version to drop…

On a scale of 1-5

Kas's Verdict: 3.5 **On the strength of the production**

Peace

Kas

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