When I heard the news this evening that MJ had died earlier today, along with Farrah Fawcett, I was truly just confused. Naturally, I was traveling and my phone was dead so there was no way to confirm the information. I suppose it's true what they say about bad things happening in threes what with the death of Ed McMahon earlier this week. Neither of the other two celebrity passings comes as much of a surprise, but his epic sound, his moves and his Neverland mansion only added to the illusion that you would live forever. Now we only have the songs, which is more than any other pop artist will ever contribute. He died doing what he loved, soul sweating for what would have surely been a stellar tour, even at the age of 50.
Well before his death, he prophetically summed up his own life: “If you enter this world knowing you are loved and you leave this world knowing the same, then everything that happens in between can be dealt with.”
... READ MORE
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Runing from the Treadmill: On your mark, get set..
by JLee
Tomorrow, being June 1, marks the beginning of some kind of fitness journey, inspired by literature, my swimsuit and the scary potential onset of hereditary health problems.
My goal: Lose some inches, gain definition, prevent disease and boost energy.
My plan:
1) Build muscle mass via targeted strength training to increase my resting metabolic rate, along with the other benefits that having toned, powerful muscles has to offer, like getting all the groceries in a single trip upstairs, etc...
2) Just say no to cardio. Seriously, I am excommunicating myself from the church of sweat your ass off. I've never actually known someone to lose a significant amount of weight (and keep it off) on cardio alone. No more blacking out at spin class.
{Sorry to interrupt: Kristen Stewart, you're wigging me out, but not any more than the rest of the MTV Movie Awards. Keep it on the stoop.}
3) Diet (control). One thing I hate about the 90s is that self-help books turned diet into another 4-letter word: 'She's too skinny to diet!'/'I'm going on a diet after this slice.' Is nutrition no longer a required course in public schools? Everyone on the planet is on a diet, even starving third world children, since "diet" used to refer to the collection of foods you regularly eat, regardless what that consists of.
There are various theories out there about how to eat and what to eat, when etc. Based on a median of sources, I'm going to shoot for the 1,200 calorie diet, with 300-400 calories consumed per meal, minimum of 3 meals per day, breakfast non-negotiable.
My existing routine:
Weekday bedtime - 11ish
Morning wakeup - 6:30a
Breakfast - nada
Lunch - whatever I crave, when I crave it, occasionally delayed by an inability to break focus
Daytime snacks - none
Dinner - 8p or later, often followed by a bedtime craving for popcorn
Smoking - nada
Alcohol - yes
What will I change? More on that tomorrow.
Stats:
Height: 5'2"
Weight (as of May 31,): 116.8 (Remember, this isn't about losing lbs. but preventing diseases, controlling shape and feeling good)
Waist: 27.5"
Hips: 36"
Arms: 10.75"
Thigh: 21"
As for a specific plan, that will get made up as I go along, roughly following the direction of "The Cardio Free Diet" by Jim Karas.
In the name of science and blogging, here's to better health tomorrow!
... READ MORE
Tomorrow, being June 1, marks the beginning of some kind of fitness journey, inspired by literature, my swimsuit and the scary potential onset of hereditary health problems.
My goal: Lose some inches, gain definition, prevent disease and boost energy.
My plan:
1) Build muscle mass via targeted strength training to increase my resting metabolic rate, along with the other benefits that having toned, powerful muscles has to offer, like getting all the groceries in a single trip upstairs, etc...
2) Just say no to cardio. Seriously, I am excommunicating myself from the church of sweat your ass off. I've never actually known someone to lose a significant amount of weight (and keep it off) on cardio alone. No more blacking out at spin class.
{Sorry to interrupt: Kristen Stewart, you're wigging me out, but not any more than the rest of the MTV Movie Awards. Keep it on the stoop.}
3) Diet (control). One thing I hate about the 90s is that self-help books turned diet into another 4-letter word: 'She's too skinny to diet!'/'I'm going on a diet after this slice.' Is nutrition no longer a required course in public schools? Everyone on the planet is on a diet, even starving third world children, since "diet" used to refer to the collection of foods you regularly eat, regardless what that consists of.
There are various theories out there about how to eat and what to eat, when etc. Based on a median of sources, I'm going to shoot for the 1,200 calorie diet, with 300-400 calories consumed per meal, minimum of 3 meals per day, breakfast non-negotiable.
My existing routine:
Weekday bedtime - 11ish
Morning wakeup - 6:30a
Breakfast - nada
Lunch - whatever I crave, when I crave it, occasionally delayed by an inability to break focus
Daytime snacks - none
Dinner - 8p or later, often followed by a bedtime craving for popcorn
Smoking - nada
Alcohol - yes
What will I change? More on that tomorrow.
Stats:
Height: 5'2"
Weight (as of May 31,): 116.8 (Remember, this isn't about losing lbs. but preventing diseases, controlling shape and feeling good)
Waist: 27.5"
Hips: 36"
Arms: 10.75"
Thigh: 21"
As for a specific plan, that will get made up as I go along, roughly following the direction of "The Cardio Free Diet" by Jim Karas.
In the name of science and blogging, here's to better health tomorrow!
... READ MORE
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Running from the treadmill: A healthy lifestyle without cardio?
by J Lee
Could it be that cardio workouts-- Taebo, jogging, the beloved Elliptical machine-- aren't the easy route to fitness that almost every health publication would have you believe?
I'll find out by taking on a diet/workout routine, sans the sweat of cardio, testing the theory that strength training is the only way to a success story.
During a mini-vacation to the beach on a grimly overcast weekend, I was forced to spend all my time at the nearby outlet mall. There wasn't exactly a gun to my head, but after three days, dozens of stores and dressing room after dressing room, I found the motivation to kick start some a serious weight control regimen. I'm 24, but my metabolism isn't what it was this time last year. Extra inches are showing up in all the wrong places. And I fear the worst, the dreaded mom butt.
Coincidentally, in my stash of mindless beach reading, I'd stashed "The Cardio-Free Diet" by Jim Karas. It only looks like a lousy read.
....
Wanting to regain control of my diet and workout routine is not just about looking good. It's about living longer. My grandfather (dad's dad) died when I was 8 years old of complications from a heart attack. I painfully suspect that my grandma's delicious Southern cooking may set him down that deadly path, though he worked back achingly hard his entire life on the family farm.
When I was 15, my grandmother (mom's mom) died of complications from a stroke, though she was always tiny in stature and was married to the traditional Phillippino diet of fish and rice.
My mother struggled with thyroid problems, now somewhat under the control of medication, that could cause her weight to yo-yo from season to season. She and my father work out multiple times a week, a routine that always includes between 30-45 minutes of cardio in the form of aerobic classes or treadmill time. Yet after over 20 years of steady gym membership, neither is truly satisfied with the results. And who can't relate?
Cycling, kick boxing, lap dancing moves, can all put our bodies through the ringer. All that sweat has got to amount to something, right?
We'll let's just say that it doesn't. What if the key to fitness was building stronger muscles that could increase your resting metabolic rate, thereby burning more calories between workouts? What if the key was eating more frequently, rather than less? Maybe you've already heard these tips, possibly even put some into practice, but it's certainly not the majority of health advice out there.
Jim Karas, personal trainer (you've seen his work on Hugh Jackman, aka Wolverine), is a rather lone voice.
After reading "Cardio-Free," I want to listen.
So come June 1, I'll be trying his method of strength training, along with 3-300 calorie meals a day plus 3-100 calorie snacks. Never been much of a snacker, but since 12 almonds constitutes as a snack, I think I can hang.
Other rules won't be so easy to follow, like sticking to the calorie counts while out to eat, or factoring in alcohol. But if you can add even a year to your life, it's worth it right?
I'll be giving Cardio-Free a shot and documenting the results here.
Stay tuned.
... READ MORE
Thursday, May 7, 2009
This weekend and next beginning May 8
Friday, May 8
BoCo - Molly Ringwalds
Boom Boom Room - Flowtribe
Mugshots - Triple Lindy
T-Bone Records - Scott Chism & the Better Half (Bluegrass/Folk), 8 p.m.
Saturday, May 9
B&E Wine Bar - Cody Cox
Boom Boom Room - Petticoat Junkies w/ Static Parade
Mugshots - Hillcrest
Walnut Circle - Chris Barker, 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 10 - Mother's Day
Walnut Circle - Open 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Friday, May 15
Boom Boom Room - Molly Thomas and Blue Mother Tupelo
Walnut Circle - Dr. E & the Voodoo Kings
Saturday, May 16
Walnut Circle - T-Bone Pruitt
Community Events:
- HCLO presents, Buddy, The Buddy Holly Story at the Saenger, May 7 - 9, 8 p.m. and May 10, 2 p.m.
- Pine Belt March for Babies at The Bottling Co., Sat. May 9, 10 a.m. Registration begins at 9:50 a $10 donation is requested to participate in the 3-mile walk through Historic Downtown. For info: 228.896.0886
- Pinebelt Farmers & Artisans Market, every Thursday 3-6 p.m. now through Oct. in Town Square Park. Live music each week.
- Yoga classes offered Tuesday-Sunday at Ahimsa Yoga on Walnut Street. Click for full weekly yoga schedule.
- South MS Art Association is offering ceramics classes with instructor Wesley Smith. Classes are Mondays 9 a.m.-Noon and Tuesdays Noon-4 p.m. Cost $20, supplies are extra. Members of SMAA only. Classes are held at the Ben McNair Building, 300 N. 12th Ave. More info on South MS Art Association.
New businesses:
- Hub City Diner is now open for lunch at the former Oaks Cafe location on Main Street in downtown.
- The Grill and Grocery on East Pine is now open. ... READ MORE
BoCo - Molly Ringwalds
Boom Boom Room - Flowtribe
Mugshots - Triple Lindy
T-Bone Records - Scott Chism & the Better Half (Bluegrass/Folk), 8 p.m.
Saturday, May 9
B&E Wine Bar - Cody Cox
Boom Boom Room - Petticoat Junkies w/ Static Parade
Mugshots - Hillcrest
Walnut Circle - Chris Barker, 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 10 - Mother's Day
Walnut Circle - Open 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Friday, May 15
Boom Boom Room - Molly Thomas and Blue Mother Tupelo
Walnut Circle - Dr. E & the Voodoo Kings
Saturday, May 16
Walnut Circle - T-Bone Pruitt
Community Events:
- HCLO presents, Buddy, The Buddy Holly Story at the Saenger, May 7 - 9, 8 p.m. and May 10, 2 p.m.
- Pine Belt March for Babies at The Bottling Co., Sat. May 9, 10 a.m. Registration begins at 9:50 a $10 donation is requested to participate in the 3-mile walk through Historic Downtown. For info: 228.896.0886
- Pinebelt Farmers & Artisans Market, every Thursday 3-6 p.m. now through Oct. in Town Square Park. Live music each week.
- Yoga classes offered Tuesday-Sunday at Ahimsa Yoga on Walnut Street. Click for full weekly yoga schedule.
- South MS Art Association is offering ceramics classes with instructor Wesley Smith. Classes are Mondays 9 a.m.-Noon and Tuesdays Noon-4 p.m. Cost $20, supplies are extra. Members of SMAA only. Classes are held at the Ben McNair Building, 300 N. 12th Ave. More info on South MS Art Association.
New businesses:
- Hub City Diner is now open for lunch at the former Oaks Cafe location on Main Street in downtown.
- The Grill and Grocery on East Pine is now open. ... READ MORE
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Small Town Life: Don't knock it till you've tried it
Never once in my childhood, teen years or throughout college did I picture myself living in a small town. Even when I peered far in the future when youth would have faded and my body would have been begging me to settle down, even then I didn't picture a return to a city with under 100,000 souls, preferably 1,000,000. Big cities have all hours nightlife, funky niche businesses that sell only pudding or hemp shoes, heavy activism and most importantly, lots and lots of strangers.
In a town the size of Hattiesburg with its 45k pop (124k metro wide), the longer you spend there, the easier it becomes to feel claustrophobic, to have regular haunts and see the same faces day in and day out. After five years in the Burg, I began to crave the newness that only a big city can offer to a Mississippi girl. And then life happened and instead I found myself living in Laurel, Miss., population 18k on a good day and after two years of making myself comfortable, I don't regret the decision one bit.
Why not? Turns out, small town living has its unexpected perks, and I'm sure I haven't discovered them all yet.
Only in a small town can you:
1) Leave a vehicle parked for two weeks straight because everything from green tea to fine art to staple guns is located within a one-mile radius.
2) Put a $25 haircut & wax (as opposed to $45+) on a tab because I left my checkbook in the car I never use.
3) Call George at the liquor store and ask him to chill a bottle of Chateau St. Michelle, I'll pick it up at 7, thanks.
4) Watch a mid-day concert at the bank where the bank president is rocking out on guitar and vox.
5) Join half a dozen civic organizations and not be miserable alone because everyone else did it too.
6) Gossip like it's fact.
7) Make a ripple with little or no resources.
8) Say 'I'll be there in 10 minutes' and mean it because traversing the whole town can be done that quickly.
9) Finally work on that book you've been meaning to get around to, and have some extremely quirky characters to fill it.
10) Get told 'you're not from around here are you' but in a nice way.
11) Develop your twang.
Small town living may get a bad rap, but I recommend it to anyone before, after or between filling your craving for city life.
... READ MORE
In a town the size of Hattiesburg with its 45k pop (124k metro wide), the longer you spend there, the easier it becomes to feel claustrophobic, to have regular haunts and see the same faces day in and day out. After five years in the Burg, I began to crave the newness that only a big city can offer to a Mississippi girl. And then life happened and instead I found myself living in Laurel, Miss., population 18k on a good day and after two years of making myself comfortable, I don't regret the decision one bit.
Why not? Turns out, small town living has its unexpected perks, and I'm sure I haven't discovered them all yet.
Only in a small town can you:
1) Leave a vehicle parked for two weeks straight because everything from green tea to fine art to staple guns is located within a one-mile radius.
2) Put a $25 haircut & wax (as opposed to $45+) on a tab because I left my checkbook in the car I never use.
3) Call George at the liquor store and ask him to chill a bottle of Chateau St. Michelle, I'll pick it up at 7, thanks.
4) Watch a mid-day concert at the bank where the bank president is rocking out on guitar and vox.
5) Join half a dozen civic organizations and not be miserable alone because everyone else did it too.
6) Gossip like it's fact.
7) Make a ripple with little or no resources.
8) Say 'I'll be there in 10 minutes' and mean it because traversing the whole town can be done that quickly.
9) Finally work on that book you've been meaning to get around to, and have some extremely quirky characters to fill it.
10) Get told 'you're not from around here are you' but in a nice way.
11) Develop your twang.
Small town living may get a bad rap, but I recommend it to anyone before, after or between filling your craving for city life.
... READ MORE
Friday, April 24, 2009
Next two weekends, April 24 & May 1
Friday, April 24
BoCo - Project Pat
Boom Boom Room - Speakfreely w/ Swampnoise
Hippo - Speedball Widow w/ Paper Scissors Rocket Pack
T-Bone- Julian Vu (electric), 8 p.m.
Walnut Circle - Ben Payton, 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 25
BoCo - Bag of Donuts
Boom Boom Room - Natalie Kirk & Matt
Hippo - Greyhounds
Thursday, April 30
BoCo - Cowboy Mouth
Hippo - Red Hill City w/ Charmed I'm Sure
Friday, May 1
BoCo - Hurt
Walnut Circle - John Wooten and Kaiso
Saturday, May 2
Boom Boom Room - The Usual Suspects
Hippo - Dark Knights of Camelot
Walnut Circle - Big Daddy Blues Band ... READ MORE
BoCo - Project Pat
Boom Boom Room - Speakfreely w/ Swampnoise
Hippo - Speedball Widow w/ Paper Scissors Rocket Pack
T-Bone- Julian Vu (electric), 8 p.m.
Walnut Circle - Ben Payton, 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 25
BoCo - Bag of Donuts
Boom Boom Room - Natalie Kirk & Matt
Hippo - Greyhounds
Thursday, April 30
BoCo - Cowboy Mouth
Hippo - Red Hill City w/ Charmed I'm Sure
Friday, May 1
BoCo - Hurt
Walnut Circle - John Wooten and Kaiso
Saturday, May 2
Boom Boom Room - The Usual Suspects
Hippo - Dark Knights of Camelot
Walnut Circle - Big Daddy Blues Band ... READ MORE
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
This weekend, April 16
Thursday, April 16
- Senior Show reception at Southern Miss Museum of Art, 4 p.m.
- Southern Miss Theatre presents: Urinetown at Tatum Theatre April 16-19 & 23-26 7:30 p.m. shows, 2 p.m. Sunday matinees
- Farmer's Market, 3-7 p.m. @ Town Square Park
BoCo - The Remanants, 6-9 free
Hippo - Petticoat Junkies
Keg & Barrel - Natalie Kirk & Co.
Friday, April 17
- Live After Five - Rotary Downs (NOLA) @ Town Square Park, 5-8 p.m.
Hippo - The Figs
T-Bone Records - Mark Mann & Allen Mann, 8 p.m.
Walnut Circle - Cowboy Blues Band
Saturday, April 18
- Spring Art Walk downtown, 4-8 p.m.
- Roots Reunion @ the Saenger Theater, 7 p.m. Free
BoCo - Burnside Explosion, 10 p.m.
also Relay for Life Drawdown, 5-9 p.m.
Hippo - Speedball Widow w/ Paper Scissors Rocketpack
Mugshot - Greystreet
T-Bone Records - Scott Chism & the Better Half, 8 p.m.
Walnut Circle - T-Bone Pruitt ... READ MORE
- Senior Show reception at Southern Miss Museum of Art, 4 p.m.
- Southern Miss Theatre presents: Urinetown at Tatum Theatre April 16-19 & 23-26 7:30 p.m. shows, 2 p.m. Sunday matinees
- Farmer's Market, 3-7 p.m. @ Town Square Park
BoCo - The Remanants, 6-9 free
Hippo - Petticoat Junkies
Keg & Barrel - Natalie Kirk & Co.
Friday, April 17
- Live After Five - Rotary Downs (NOLA) @ Town Square Park, 5-8 p.m.
Hippo - The Figs
T-Bone Records - Mark Mann & Allen Mann, 8 p.m.
Walnut Circle - Cowboy Blues Band
Saturday, April 18
- Spring Art Walk downtown, 4-8 p.m.
- Roots Reunion @ the Saenger Theater, 7 p.m. Free
BoCo - Burnside Explosion, 10 p.m.
also Relay for Life Drawdown, 5-9 p.m.
Hippo - Speedball Widow w/ Paper Scissors Rocketpack
Mugshot - Greystreet
T-Bone Records - Scott Chism & the Better Half, 8 p.m.
Walnut Circle - T-Bone Pruitt ... READ MORE
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