Refer a Friend, Get a Check
Starting today, I am reinstituting my referral rebate policy. Several
years ago, I offered a 10% rebate to anyone who referred a new
client to me, now for a limited time, I am doing it again.
Refer a client to me and I will send you a check equaling 10% of
whatever he or she purchases. Refer a client who takes a 10 session
package and you receive $45. A 20 session package nets you a
check for $76. A Fit in 15 package gets you a check for $158. (This
offer is not applicable to Quick Start packages.)
Current clients, former clients, and anyone else are eligible. Just
make sure the referral tells me your name so I can pay you.
Summer Is Coming to an End.
What Kind of Shape Are You In?
Most people gain weight over the summer. You might be one of
them. Now is one of the best times to begin an exercise program.
Vacations are over and the holiday season is still 3 months away. It’s
a good time to lose the weight you gained over the summer and
develop some good habits that will help you through the holidays so
you won’t add more weight in November and December.
I have some pretty good times available right now, so I can probably
get you scheduled at one of my three convenient locations at a time
that works for you, but these times are limited so don’t put off making
a decision to contact me and set up a no-obligation consultation.
My
phone
number
is
749-3461
and
my
email
is
tim@grahamfitness.com. For more information about my services
and rates, check my website www.grahamfitness.com.
Fitness News & Views
A Publication of Graham Fitness
August 15, 2012
Last month in the article on my top 10 favorite
places to run, I mentioned the new Tunnel, an old train
tunnel which runs from Finlay Park to Lady Street that has
been converted into a walking/jogging trail. I said it wasn’t
actually one of my favorites, because I had not run there,
but I would check it out and give you a report.
On a recent Saturday morning, I ran the Tunnel,
and, I’m sorry to say, it’s not a very good place to run. It
might be nice for an after dinner stroll if you’re in the Vista,
but it’s too short to be a good running trail. The Tunnel
starts at Lady Street and ends at Taylor Street, a distance
of about four-tenths of a mile. You can cross over to
Finlay Park and add a few laps there and run back to
make a decent run, but to do that, you’ve got to cross five
lanes of Taylor Street going and coming back.
I’m glad the city opened the tunnel and converted
it into a walking trail. It’s nice for a leisurely and nostalgic
stroll, but unfortunately, it’s not long enough to be of much
use for running.
I’m reading a fascinating book called The Tudors
by G.J. Meyer. It’s the story of England’s notorious Tudor
dynasty which ruled from 1485 to 1603.
One of the background chapters is titled “They
Were What They Ate.” In that era, a working family’s
typical meal might consist of dark rye or barley bread, a
little cheese or more likely curds or whey, both byproducts of cheese-making, and whatever fruits and
vegetables happened to be in season. The ultimate irony
is that the diet of the under-classes was much healthier
than that of the royalty and upper-classes.
The diet of the privileged consisted almost entirely
of meat. It was an age of excess for those who could
afford it and for those who wanted to appear as if they
could afford it. The sheer extravagance of dining among
royalty is hard to comprehend, much less believe. A
record survives of a single day’s consumption by the royal
family and guests during Henry VIII’s reign. It listed the
following: six oxen, eight calves, forty sheep, a dozen
pigs, 132 chickens, seven swans, twenty storks, thirty-four
pheasants 192 partridges, and an equal number of cocks.
Remember, that’s for one day!
Every August, I step out on a limb and make my
predictions for Carolina’s football season. Last season I
said the Gamecocks had a good shot at 13-1. I didn’t
miss it by much. They had their best season ever with 11
wins against 2 losses.
This year I’m not quite as optimistic, although I do
believe it will be another very good year. The team
returns 13 of its 22 offensive and defensive starters, and
1 Corinthians 6: 19-20
that doesn’t count Clowney who wasn’t a starter last year.
They do lose some key personnel however, including
Jeffrey, Ingram, and Allen. As good as the others were,
Allen may be the biggest loss of all.
With all that in mind, here are my predictions:
Vanderbilt is a Thursday night game road opener,
and Vandy is no pushover anymore, but Carolina should
win. (1-0)
East Carolina at home should be an easy win (20) as should UAB at home (3-0).
Missouri at home will be a tough game. This is
Mizzou’s first year in the SEC. They went 8-5 last year
winning their last 4 games including a thrashing of North
Carolina in the Independence Bowl. Carolina should add
this one to the win column, but it will be their first big
challenge. (4-0)
Kentucky at Lexington is a win unless things go
terribly wrong as they did two years ago. (5-0)
Georgia at home on October 6 has the makings of
a huge national contest. I’d rather be playing Georgia
early in the season. Carolina has won the last two from
the Bulldogs, and I don’t know if they’ve ever won three in
a row, but I’m going to pick Carolina to win only because
it’s a home game. (6-0)
LSU on the road. I don’t see it happening,
although I don’t think it will be a blowout either. (6-1)
Florida on the road. Make no mistake, this is a
key game. Florida will be much improved and Carolina
has never taken three in a row from the Gators. Here’s
hoping everyone is still healthy. I’m picking a win, but it’ll
be a knee-knocker. (7-1)
Tennessee at home should be a victory. (8-1)
Arkansas at home is a mystery. The Hogs have
had our number lately, but I don’t think they will be as
good this year and Petrino is no longer their coach, so I’ll
say Carolina wins. (8-1)
Wofford is a win as long as Carolina can slow
down the option game and I think they will. (9-1)
Clemson at Death Valley. Who knows? Has
Carolina ever won four in a row from the hated Tigers? It
won’t be easy, but there is no way, I’m picking Clemson.
(10-1)
That leaves Alabama or LSU in the SEC
Championship game and at this point, I wouldn’t bet
against either of those two teams. (10-2)
The Bowl Game. It should be a BCS game, but it
won’t be for the National Championship. It’s hard to
predict a winner in a game where you have no idea who
your opponent will be, but let’s end these prognostications
on a positive note. (11-2)
Make no mistake about it though, there are six
regular season games Carolina could lose: Missouri,
Georgia, LSU, Florida, Arkansas, and Clemson. It’s highly
unlikely they would lose all of those games, but they could
drop three or four of them or they could win them all.
Whatever happens, it’s an exciting time to be a Gamecock
fan
.
A funny thing just happened. I’m sitting here
working on this newsletter when the phone rings. It’s a
telemarketing company with a recorded message for a
“health topic” meeting and I’m invited along with my wife
and up to two of my friends who are over 21. The
recording lists a number of health topics to be covered in a
30 to 40 minute discussion followed by a “relaxing and
free” meal at Ryan’s Buffet. Nothing like an all-you-caneat buffet for good health. I think I’ll pass.
Three years ago Australian personal trainer Paul
James weighed 176 pounds and had a 32 inch waist. His
body fat was 6 percent.
Then he started putting on
weight – on purpose. He went from eating around 2200
calories a day to downing about 20,000 calories every
day. Over the next few months, he gained 90 pounds.
His waist ballooned to 48 inches and his body fat peaked
at around 35%.
For years, James had worked with overweight
clients, and he decided to gain the weight so he could
better understand the real-life problems his clients were
facing. He chronicled his journey from fit to fat and back
in his new book Take It Off, Keep It Off.
In order to gain the weight, James ate ferociously.
Breakfast often consisted of 3 liters of chocolate milk, a
dozen scrambled eggs, and 2 pounds of bacon. Once for
supper he ate 4 large pizzas and washed it down with 8
cans of Coke.
While fat, James said he went through some
tough times both mentally and physically. He stopped
going out with friends as severe depression set in. He
had high blood pressure, soaring LDL cholesterol levels,
and he was borderline diabetic. His doctor advised him to
quit the experiment after two months, but he persisted
even as he sank deeper into depression.
When he began his journey back, he wasn’t sure
he could do it. Food had become an addiction. But a
scheduled photo shoot with Men’s Health magazine
became the catalyst he needed. He resumed his 2200
calorie a day diet and started working out again. James
says it took him seven months to lose the weight, and
another six months for his skin which had been severely
stretched to return to normal.
He said the experience gave him a whole new
insight into the problems his clients face daily. “Empathy
is my favorite word now,” he says. “I even have it tattooed
on the inside of my wrist.”
In the recent Olympics, many of the athletes were
juiced – but not illegally. Some recent studies have shown
a slight increase in the performance of athletes who drink
beetroot juice before a competition. As a result, many of
the Olympians became beetroot juice advocates. The
juice seems to work by increasing the flow of blood and
oxygen to the muscles during competition.
Another popular juice with the Olympic athletes is
tart cherry juice. This is not a performance enhancer, but
it does seem to help the body recover quickly after
competition. Tart cherry juice is loaded with anti-oxidants,
and it also works as an effective anti-inflammatory.
Interestingly, a friend of mine told me about the
tart cherry juice a couple of weeks before I heard about it
being used by Olympic and other athletes. This friend
who has had some severe shoulder issues for several
months began drinking the tart cherry juice, and soon his
shoulder pain decreased and eventually disappeared
altogether.
Speaking of the Olympics, I didn’t watch much of
the coverage. I might have watched more, but with the
Pirates still in the midst of a division race, I’ve been pretty
much consumed with baseball most evenings.
One observation though: There are a lot of
obscure sports in the Olympics. There must be 50
different sports, maybe more. If I sat down and tried to list
50 different sports, I don’t think I could do it, and even if I
could, I’m sure I don’t care to watch 40 of them. I mean,
badminton, ping pong, dressage, and that gymnastics
thing with the twirly banner – would anyone walk two
blocks to see one of these events if it wasn’t the
Olympics?
And while I’m at it, here’s one more observation:
Events that are left up to judges aren’t really competitions
but exhibitions, in my humble opinion.
Here’s a no excuses workout anybody can do
anywhere. It will work about 300 separate muscles, and it
only takes about 15 minutes.
First, perform one set of squats – 30 reps.
Second, do one set of pushups – 20 reps
Third, do one set of bicycle crunches – 30 reps
Now repeat the circuit as many times as you can in 15
minutes. You should be able to complete as least three
circuits, four if you’re in really good shape. There you are:
300 muscles, no equipment, no gym, no excuses.
Graham Fitness
Tim Graham
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Website: www.grahamfitness.com
Email: tim@grahamfitness.com
Phone: 803-447-8557
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Wolf’s is a total fitness facility offering
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.
Harbison Recreation Center
106 Hillpine Road
Columbia, SC 29212
Phone: 781-2281
The Harbison Rec Center offers more facilities
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