Roller Derby … For Women Who Want To Feel Powerful

September 14, 2009 | 4 Comments

Official poster for Whip It
The main reason why I choose extreme kickboxing as my main form of exercise is because it makes me feel powerful and strong. But I don’t think there are too many sports for women that will make one experience more power than what is experienced with roller derby.

Roller Derby is a “going for the gold” type sport.  In this sport, the skater is moving at amazing speed putting up a fight to get through the Pack which may result in anything from bruises to pain and broken bones to the feeling of strong inner strength.

An American-invented contact sport, according to the Derby Dolls website (a roller derby league in L.A.), roller derby was created in 1935 by Leo Seltzer.  A match is composed of two teams with five players each … four Blockers and one Jammer … which face off against each other.  The Blockers skate together to form a Pack.  A Jammer from the opposing team fights her way through the Pack scoring points if she succeeds plus earning more points when she laps the team.

In the 70’s, roller derby was played to sold-out crowds across the U.S., and it has made a comeback in recent years.  But with the movie Whip It coming to theaters on October 2 with Ellen Page (Juno) playing the leading part, I expect the sport will take off even more so.  Director Drew Barrymore … yes, besides playing a role in the movie, she was also the director … has shared these motivational thoughts about the leading role in Whip It:

“I believe that girls can do it all.  . . . finding your inner strength, believing you can do what boys do, and figuring who you are along the way.”

In case you think this is the sport for you (remember it is extreme), Derby Dolls has provided on their site a list of roller derby leagues.  Hopefully, you can find one in your area.

I think it would be a blast to watch the Derby Dolls live in real action, but for the time being I’ll have to settle on YouTube.

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Posted by Julie | Filed Under Blog, Celebrities, Sports, Strength Training 

Kelly Clarkson Works Out With Crossfit

August 17, 2009 | 1 Comment

What do pop singer Kelly Clarkson and I have in common?

No, I don’t have a beautiful voice from which I can establish a huge following of fans.  And I have never met Simon Cowell. But rather Kelly and I both do an intense boot camp-type workout regimen.

Yes, Kelly Clarkson recently told Self Magazine (September 2009 issue) that she attends Crossfit, a strength training and cardio program used by police academies and military special operations. Clarkson tells Self about her workout that increases her energy:

“I love it.  It’s like boot camp.  You never work out more than 35 minutes, but it’s so intense. It makes me feel like G.I. Jane. It’s very empowering. I feel like I can whup ass!” “I do it totally for my psyche,” she told Self. “I’m much better when those endorphins are going. It’s a release. And I also love food, so there’s a payoff!”

And don’t forget about the health benefits, Kelly!

With Kelly Clarkson doing Crossfit, she just might be a great example for any skeptics out there who think that women cannot do a serious strength training workout and still retain a feminine look.

While Crossfit trains elite athletes worldwide, people who train with Crossfit range anywhere from housewives to Olympic athletes.  You set your goals. Click here to find a Crossfit affiliate in your state or workout on your own by watching Crossfit’s videos or by following their Workout of the Day (WOD).

On a side note, there is a lot of controversy about Self retouching the cover photo to enhance Kelly Clarkson’s looks.  But while Kelly’s weight has fluctuated up and down in the past, there is no doubt that she always looks fabulous!  Take a look at the above recent video of Kelly Clarkson’s performance on Oprah.

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Posted by Julie | Filed Under Blog, Celebrities, Strength Training 

Learn How To Lose Weight From Twin Winners Of “The Biggest Loser”

August 2, 2009 | 1 Comment

Remember the identical twin brothers who won season four of “The Biggest Loser” … Bill and Jim Germanakos?

If you are a fan of the show such as I am, you may recall that Bill won the grand prize of $250,000 and brother Jim took home the eliminated players “at home” prize of $100,000. Quite impressive!

While first the nation watched them fight obesity by losing an amazing amount of weight on national television, the famous twins can now watch their viewers do the same by applying to their lifestyle Bill and Jim’s advice. In June, Bill and Jim released their Rapid Action Metabolism Program, which is a healthy weight loss plan that teaches people how to reach their weight loss goals using the same system the twins used during the show to lose weight, and after the show to keep the weight off.

Being a big believer in eating healthy and exercising regularly for losing and maintaining weight, there are a couple of things I really like about Jim and Bill sharing this program with us. (1) First seeing them achieve their weight loss goals on TV provides us living proof that they know how to do it, and (2) they use a common sense change-of-lifestyle approach without any diet fad attached. And, I might add, they provide their knowledge at a reasonable price too!

Click here to go to Bill and Jim’s weight loss plan website.

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Posted by Julie | Filed Under Blog, Celebrities, Weight Loss 

Oprah’s Weight Gain: How DID She Let This Happen Again?

December 14, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Photo by Alan Light
I can’t help but add my two cents to the blogosphere about Oprah and her recent weight gain news. This is, afterall, a blog that discusses weight loss for women.

You can bet that I’ll be watching the weight loss episodes, Oprah’s Best Life Series, beginning January 5, 2009, in which Oprah is expected to talk openly about her yo-yo dieting.  It is my hope that, in addition to the health experts she already has on her show, we’ll be seeing a tough, tell-it-like-it-is fitness expert such as, perhaps, Jillian Michaels.  This is not likely though since her preview of the series does not indicate any such expert that we have not already seen on her show.  But better yet, maybe Oprah will visit Jillian instead.  Can’t you just see it now, Oprah on “The Biggest Loser.”

But let’s get to the question Oprah posed to herself, “How did I let this happen again?” Let me just point out a few of Oprah’s obvious mistakes which jumped out at me.

Three mistakes that Oprah made:

  1. Winfrey herself said in regard to losing weight in 2005, “I had literally starved myself — not a morsel of food.” Oprah resorted to many diets over the years, including a liquid diet.  Anyone can lose weight quickly by diets such as a liquid diet.  But the real challenge is keeping that weight off.  And it cannot be done with a “quick” weight loss plan.  Quick weight loss plans are not usually plans you can maintain for a long amount of time.  You eventually have to start eating again.  Oprah should have made a lifestyle change, for life, and took a slower approach to losing weight.  An approach that involved eating real food.
  2. Winfrey said in regard to her hypothyroidism, “I actually developed a fear of working out.” Her out-of-balance thyroid made her fearful of exercise and gave her an excuse to skip exercise altogether.  In fact she admitted in her O Magazine to having said, “Now I have an official, documented excuse.” No excuses, Oprah!  Her health problem may have limited the exercise she could do.  But she simply should have consulted her doctor about an exercise plan that would work for her.
  3. Being in the public eye, Oprah (so it seems) focused on being thin instead of being healthy. Despite the fact she had the great Dr. Oz sitting at her side.  Luckily, she is changing her approach.  Instead of trying to lose weight, her goals, which she will share with us on the January episodes, will be to become strong, healthy, and fit.  With the hope that weight loss will just be an added benefit.

Strong, healthy, and fit.

These words are music to my ears, especially when I hear Oprah say them.  That is because, when Oprah talks, her audience follows.  Sad, but true.  Chances are, after she showed tremendous results from her liquid diet by walking out on stage in her size 10 jeans, many loyal fans probably started their own liquid diet that very day.  After all, if Oprah says it works, it must be true, right?  However,  as we now learn, just two days following that skinny episode, Oprah no longer fit into those size 10 jeans because, after the show, she celebrated her success with food.  Sooner or later she had to eat anyways.

I have no doubt Oprah will lose weight again.  Hopefully, though, with her faithful viewers watching, she will be able to do so in a sustainable way by building strength that will keep her fit and, most importantly, healthy.

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Posted by Julie | Filed Under Blog, Celebrities, Weight Loss