Can you play "Chopsticks" on it?

I do have to say, this would make taking the stairs SO much more appealing. And it looks so fun!

*Results Not Typical

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I know whenever I see a diet or fitness ad on TV to look for the fine print--those ten lines in five-point font that say, "Results not typical. Patients lost an average of 5 lbs over three months with diet and exercise."

But that's how those diet and fitness ads work--they show a beautiful, fit man or woman who had outrageous success with the product and present them as the norm, while the fine print tells us otherwise.

Well, those ads are about to become a thing of the past.

According to the new Federal Trade Commission guidelines:

"...advertisements that feature a consumer and convey his or her experience with a product or service as typical when that is not the case will be required to clearly disclose the results that consumers can generally expect. In contrast to the 1980 version of the Guides – which allowed advertisers to describe unusual results in a testimonial as long as they included a disclaimer such as “results not typical” – the revised Guides no longer contain this safe harbor." [words in bold by me.]

Basically, no more tanned-and-toned beauties touting products that made them "lose four dress sizes in four weeks," or whatever. Companies will now have to include what are "typical" results that consumers may see when using a product; hopefully this will lead to more realistic weight loss goals.

The new guidelines also state that celebrities and bloggers will be required to reveal any compensation they may be receiving for making a product endorsement.

The celebrity thing was probably a long time coming, since it's hard to turn on the TV and not see a glamorous celeb endorsing some new fitness craze, but the situation with blogger endorsements is relatively new.

Bloggers who run their own product review sites or fitness sites have been receiving samples, freebies, even money to give a good review. It can turn into a pretty sticky situation, since a lot of these blogs are in a friendly, word-of-mouth style and are easy to trust. Both professional and non-professional bloggers will face fines if they don't reveal any freebies or kickbacks they may be receiving.

For anyone who is interested, I read a really good/funny beauty blog called Apocalypstick Now and the blogger makes it clear that she only reviews stuff she buys herself.

Hopefully this new FTC regulation will make the whole advertising industry more transparent which, in the case of the health and fitness industry, is totally vital. I look forward to seeing this plan put into action (it starts Dec. 1) and I'm eager to see what will come of it.

Climbing my Way to Fitness

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This weekend was exciting. I've been waiting to go to rock climbing at the Gainesville Rock Gym for, oh, EVER, and no one could ever go with me. Well, Saturday, no one could go with me, either, but I went on my own for a cool workout that definitely left me sore.

Because I didn't have a partner (which is required in typical rock climbing), I tried bouldering, a low-height, freestyle type of rock climbing without a harness/rope that requires strength, flexibility and a lot of mental work. You slip on your super-stylish rock climbing shoes and follow a trail of grips marked with different colored tape. The courses never go more than seven feet or so off the ground; the challenge is finding the best way to move your body from start to finish.

Rock climbing is a great workout; it works your strength, endurance and flexibility.

At GRG, they number the courses from level 0 on upward. I started with a level 0.. and couldn't even finish. It was HARD. I could swing from one grip to the next, but after a few feet I would lose my footing or fall down. The challenge was part of the fun, though; after half an hour of practicing I could get about halfway up one of the taller ones.

One problem I did have, though, was with my hands; they were really raw after the climb and I had a couple blisters. I should have taped my fingers and used chalk while I climbed.

It was a great workout! My arms felt crazy sore after I was done. (I stopped climbing after an hour or so; it was tiring!) It was really fun and I plan on going again soon with a partner so I can try vertical climbing.

What's the coolest thing you've tried for fitness lately?

Uphill Battles

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I am not a runner.

I want to stress that again. I am NOT a runner. Never have been. Ever since my gym class had to run the mile in the third grade and I took 20 minutes to complete the task I have been discouraged. Plus, I'm not so fast and I have, like, zero lung capacity.

All that being said: I'm trying.

Monday I ran the mile track around my apartment complex. It's the first time I've attempted such a feat in years. Took me 10 minutes, and I alternated 30 seconds of brisk walking and running, but I did it! It's part of my plan to get back in shape after a few months of lapsed gym-going.

I was pretty sore the next day. Maybe if I had read this Newsweek article about the ten mistakes new runners make I might have avoided some of them. I definitely didn't stretch properly before and after. The article said that cooling down after a run is extremely important, but I sort of just stepped off the track and got into the shower. And I don't think I'm wearing the right shoes. (Mine are more designed for support in the gym or general training instead of running.)

I think I may try the Cool Running "Couch to 5k" program to get a little further--even though I don't plan on running a marathon any time soon. Couch to 5k is a neat online program that helps non-runners train for a 5k in just 9 weeks. There's a cool detailed plan online and tons of resources and support so you feel like you're running with a team. Very neat.

Hopefully my next attempt at pounding the pavement will include less wheezing. Maybe if I keep up with it I'll surprise myself and become a really great runner.

What's the biggest exercise challenge you've ever given yourself?

P.S. Some cool news about exercise: we all know it's good for us, but according to a study done by Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School in Jerusalem, even if you start exercising well into your 80s you can prolong your life and improve its quality. More motivation to keep working out!

How many licks?

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Anyone who has tried to lose weight knows that it's a challenge and, sometimes, a frustration. The thought may even cross your mind that you'd do anything to drop a few pounds.

But you'd have to be really nuts to try the newest diet gimmick: the Chugay tongue patch.

According to Dr. Chugay's Web site, "During a reversible procedure that takes less than an hour, the patient is fitted with a custom patch for the tongue which makes chewing of solid foods very difficult and painful, limiting the patient to a liquid diet."

Ouch.

A tiny, painful patch, sewn onto my tongue? No, thanks.

Of course, the surgery is probably effective since you CAN'T EVEN CHEW. Sure, maybe a liquid diet will help you drop weight fast, but that's because you're consuming hardly enough calories or nutrients. Sad, and definitely not healthy. And apparently, the few patients (or "victims," if you will.) that have tried it reported a weight loss between 15 and 30 pounds, waaaaaay more than what is deemed healthy.

The upside of this procedure is that it is, in theory, both completely horrifying and absolutely hilarious.

What's the craziest diet gimmick you've heard of?

Willpower

This video was too cute not to share:

Oh, The Temptation from Steve V on Vimeo.

From my weekly blog readings I came across this article in the New Yorker(linked by Joanna Goddard of A Cup of Jo) and I just had to pass on her find.

Isn't it funny to watch these little kids struggle against the temptation of eating those delicious, sugary marshmallows? And seeing their hilarious tactics for staying sane... I especially like the little girl who just immediately dives right in. That probably would have been me.

The video is based on a research project done at Stanford in the '60s. Scientists gave young children one marshmallow and told them if they could wait to eat it until the researcher came back in the room they could have a second marshmallow. Since that study, the researchers were able to link the length of the children's self-control to intelligence, good behavior, better grades and higher SAT scores later in life.

It's an interesting--albeit long--article. I have to say, though, that I much prefer watching those adorable little kids struggling against the lure of the 'mallow. So cute!

My dreaded date with the Bathroom Scale

Coasteering in Wales!

I spent the summer in Europe. Three months based in London, with a week in Paris, long weekends in Wales and Scotland, and day trips to tons of little towns around England.

It was part of my UF study abroad program, and I loved every second of it. I had never done much out-of-U.S. traveling before (just a cruise with my family in the 10th grade) so this was the trip of a lifetime for me.

One thing Europe definitely does right? Food.

England isn't exactly known for its fine native cuisine, but London is such a cosmopolitan city that you can get any sort of food from any country at any time of day. And, lucky me, there is such a high vegetarian or vegan percentage of the population that finding a veg option in the U.K. is pretty simple.

So eat I did.

I know that people--most people, anyway--gain weight on vacation. I was definitely no exception. And I have a history of obsessing about my weight so I decided that when I got back to my home and native land I would give myself a couple months to get back to my normal eating habits and--hopefully--my normal weight.

Well, today was the day. The first day I weighed myself since being back from Europe.

And guys? It wasn't so bad. I weighed more or less exactly the same as I did when I left. (Though that was plus a couple pounds I was trying to lose at the time, but I'm picking my battles.)

Giving myself that "recovery" time was the best thing I could have done.

WebMD has tips for avoiding vacation weight gain, and it's probably a good idea to try and stick with relatively normal eating habits when you're out of town. Here's some things they recommend doing:

• Bring healthy, nonperishable snacks with you on airplanes, trains, in the car, etc. By fending off extreme hunger you're less likely to binge. Some good suggestions? Nuts, dry cereal and granola bars.
• Dine out, but in moderation: being on vacation isn't an excuse to eat ten times as much at dinner as you normally would. Watch your portions!
• Stay active! Whether you're traveling with your family or on your own, don't just sit on your butt. See the city you're staying in! Take a walk, try a new activity... on my trip to Wales I went coasteering--basically a combo of rock climbing, swimming and cliff diving. It was amazing and exhilarating and a great workout; I never would have been able to do it back home.

Have you ever been on an extended vacation? What did you do to stay fit?