Physical Funness for the Motion Starved

Fit more fun into your fitness while exploring the outdoors.

Tag Archives: jacks


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Coconut Water, not just for the shipwrecked anymore

Coconut Water

A couple of years ago my coach at the time suggested I try drinking 100% coconut water to rehydrate after a hard workout. Sadly at the time his words went in one ear and out the other. Now, years later I’m finding that the cloudy liquid inside a coconut has become highly popular and is currently all the rage.

Basically, coconut water contains more potassium than most sports drinks along with a huge list of other impressive claims: it cleanses your digestive tract, fights viruses like Herpes and AIDS, raises your metabolism and I even saw some data that suggested that it promotes hair growth (soak your bald head with it).

In the end, 100% coconut water is a naturally refreshing drink full of electrolytes. Use it to rehydrate after an intense workout. I think it tastes pretty good, although my friend Jacks thinks it tastes like “toilet water.” My suggestion to her was put it in the blender with some frozen fruit and whip up a post workout smoothie. Try it with frozen banana chunks, strawberries, add some yogurt, whatever floats your boat.

What the heck…give it a try, I’m glad I finally did.


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I predict a long hot season…

Hey there... what's U're sign?

It’s May. Did you know that May is named after the Greek goddess Maia? Maia was identified with the Roman goddess of fertility. Makes sense, spring, growth, rebirth, everyone is sniffing around looking for love this time of year. It must be the savage beast in us.

I wasn’t going to bring this up, but it keeps coming up so I feel compelled. My friend Jacks and I joke about it, when spring is in the air the phone starts ringing.  Old lovers seem to creep out from under the woodwork. It happens every year like clockwork. Suitors that you parted ways with years and years prior seem to suddenly feel the need to check in, to see if you’ve come to your senses I guess. It’s nuts, sometimes it’s amusing and some times annoying. Every single spring we ask ourselves “WTF?”

While this spring is no different, I still don’t have a clear answer for this phenomena other than, by definition spring means healing, hope and growth, and as time continues to move on, there will always be another spring and another chance. I guess it’s just the nature of the beast.

Anyway, lots going on in May, many opportunities for fun, fitness and romance. Start taking your vitamins and stay hydrated. I predict a long hot season…

P.s. May is both Skin Cancer Awareness and Bike to Work Month. Bottom line, wear your sunscreen and ride your bike.


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She sucked the juice out of a Wet Nap!

It was a few years ago while vacationing on Kauai, Gina (aka, Billy Goat) talked Jacks and I into going for a “quick stroll” before breakfast. “There’s this really amazing waterfall just up the trail. The book says it’s a 20-minute hike, round trip. Then we can go for breakfast…” Trusting Miss Gina, Jacks and I reluctantly agreed to hold off on our AM feeding frenzy and go on the hike.

Long story short –  Four hours later, Jacks Gina and I were remarkably rescued by a short, barefoot man swinging a machete. The man was cutting his way through the lush Napali vegetation to get us back on the proper trail, he said nothing more than, “you are lost come with me.” You can imagine the thoughts going through our heads, they make TV shows about things like this. Ever seen Gone Without a Trace?  I could hear my mother’s voice reminding me not to go off with strangers (let alone ones that pack a machete). Unfortunately our choices were few. We could perish by bring hacked to bits by a Menehune, or die of dehydration.  You see none of us were smart enough to take a drop of water or crumb of food with us on our “quick stroll.” Not only were we frightened, we were severely dehydrated at this point.

Once Machete Man got us back on the trail we still had about half an hour to hike back to the car/breakfast/lunch. We were cranky and seriously dragging.  At one point I looked back to check that Jacks was still following and what I saw was my best friend sucking the juice out of a lemon scented Wet Nap.  I yelled at her to share but she refused, shouting back “this is mine…you should have brought your own…” Can you imagine? I was near death!

That said, we all know that we need to drink lots of water every day so I’m not gonna push. Think of this as a friendly reminder.

The general rule of thumb has been to drink eight, 8 ounce glasses of water daily. Especially if you’re trying to lose weight. If you’re active in sports, live in a hot climate, at high altitude or are dehydrated for one reason or another (excessive coffee or alcohol) you should drink even more.

The latest conventional wisdom holds that you should drink daily half your body weight in ounces of water. That means, if you weight 120 pounds, you should drink 60 ounces of water every day, or seven and a half cups. If you weight 180 pounds, you should drink 90 ounces of water daily, or eleven cups and another few sips for good measure.

Makes sense. The heavier you are the more water you need to hydrate and flush out those nasty waste products.

Drink up, I’m told Wet Naps don’t taste too good, even the lemon ones…


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Goal Setting Kelley style

If you are the type to set New Years resolutions or goals then you have done so for 2011 by now.  If not, then maybe what I have to say will help.

Like with everything there’s a ton of information out there about goal setting.  Everyone has a plan. Frankly, it’s not hard to understand but it’s not all that interesting either. All you have to do is figure out what you want and then make it happen. To make it happen you simply need to acknowledge the truth about what you’re willing to do, and willing to continue to do, for as long as it takes.

Example: My goal is to become lighter and fitter. However, I know that I like to eat a lot of food and drink wine. That’s just the way it is and I’m not willing to revise that for very long. Because of that, it’s easier and smarter for me to ramp up my exercise routine then it is for me to make a big change in my eating habits. Fortunately, when I start working out harder or more often, I’m less interested in drinking a bunch of wine and eating all the food that comes with it. This system works for me, as it’s something that I can sustain for long periods of time. Years and years rather than weeks or months.

On the other side of the coin, my friend Jacks is better about cutting calories than she is about ramping up her exercise routine.  Jacks does not like to sweat, it messes up her hair and that’s important to her. With that, she’s happy to eat half portions and cut out alcohol completely rather than partake in high impact exercise. Jacks prefers low impact movement like shopping/walking and Pilates to keep tone.  In the end this combination works for her, she remains light which makes exercising more tolerable and less sweaty.

Does this make sense?  Jumping into a big calorie cutting and/or exercise program is hard for everyone.  Why not try a different approach?  Be honest with yourself. What are you really willing to do to reach your goal? Don’t forget to consider your lifestyle and the things in life that you enjoy like spending time with your kids or happy hour with your friends. You may be able to get where you want to be by suffering for a while but can you keep it up? Be smart and be honest.

Lastly… a quote from George Hincapie (the absolute hottest pro bike racer who ever lived)…

“Enduring those cold and rainy training days are the days that help you reach your goals.” (Remember that when it’s nasty outside.)