Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Is there a Limit??

If you've watched Usain Bolt run, you know the guy is fast. At the Olympics in Beijing, he smashed records for the 100m and 200m dash. This video is of him setting his first World Record at 9.72.



Bolt is not just fast, he is a marvel and a contradiction to physics and what we thought were human biomechanics. He is 6'5". Normally that is considered too tall because longer limbs move slower. They have longer reach but require a little longer to get through a cycle.

Sure there are some fast guys who are tall, but at the olympics, at such a high level of performance all but 1 do not compare. What this demonstrates is that even when everybody says it can't be done, that you're just not cut out for it... you need to keep pushing. You might not break world records, but you'll never know if you walk away. Push and push harder. Work and work harder, it will be rewarded.

Here is a link regarding the statistics of human speed limits. The article states that based on muscle types and limb lengths Bolt is an unusual specimin. But the article also states people will run faster!! Can you believe that!!!

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/08/bolt-is-freaky.html?npu=1&mbid=yhp

Work and work harder, push and push harder. The only thing that will come of it is you going further than you thought possible. Where is your Limit?

Monday, August 11, 2008

Always Thinking About Eating

As I was growing up, I ate a lot. Generally my brothers and I were asking about when our next meal was, even if we had just finished one. Dinner was always our favorite because it gave us something to look forward to for most of the day. Being that we were kids, we didn’t really get much say in what we ate for dinner, as our job was unpaid (going to school rarely is a paid occupation) and we got what was put in front of us.

However, at this point in our lives, we are on the other end of that equation. We are all adults and we are the ones making decisions about the food we eat. We make these decisions not only for ourselves, but often for our families as well. I was thinking about this the other day and realized how easy it is in our society to eat without thinking. Generally our meal/food choices are often based on convenience instead of content. What I am suggesting here isn’t a radical shift in philosophy, only a shift in how we approach food and eating.

Food cannot be something we do out of habit. That is what has gotten our society in the overweight mess it is in. We need to consider our meals far ahead of when we eat them. Planning meals must become something we put more emphasis on and more effort into. By planning out our meals for the week we know and are able to make healthier decisions that will aid us in shaping our bodies and constructing a healthy machine!!

Let’s say a week is way too far in advance for you to plan your meals. Start with planning out your meals for the day. Before you leave the house in the morning, you need to know what you will eat for snacks, lunch, and dinner. By preparing your day and thinking about what you will eat, it is easier to make healthier choices.

For example, if you are on your way home and already know that you and your family are having chicken and wild rice tonight, there will be no reason to stop off for the $5.99 pizza for your family. Obviously chicken and wild rice is much healthier than pizza. So, plan out your meals for the day. Take your trail mix, fruit, yogurt, string cheese, or snacks with you to work so you are not tempted to make a trip to the candy machine when you need that afternoon energy kick!! Have your bottle of water next to you so when you are thirsty, that call from the soda machine can be ignored.

By planning and preparing we are better able to make smarter choices about what we eat and drink. I always thought it was corny, but as I go through life this old adage makes more and more sense:

If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.