Disclaimer: The publisher sent me this book to review, however I am under no obligation to do so nor to make the review positive. This review reflects my personal opinion about this book.

For a relatively short book, The Great Fat Fraud: Why the "Obesity Epidemic" Isn't, How to Be Totally Healthy without Losing Weight and If You Should Lose Some Pounds, How to Keep Them from Finding You Again has to be about the longest title ever! Through the course of this review, I'll just refer to it as "The Great Fat Fraud."

What is the book about?

From the publisher:

Fad diets, weight loss surgical procedures, diet pills and The Biggest Losers are all part of daily life. This is our "Overweight States of America,” says author Mike Schatzki. “Try to escape the weight loss industry for just one day – you'll find it nearly impossible. Around every corner, on every channel, Facebook page, and Twitter feed you'll find an ad promoting weight loss pills, 'smart liposuction,' gastric bypass surgery, and the newest in amazing plans to lose weight. We've gone from 'America the Free' to 'America the Fat.' "

But just how much truth is there behind all the Obesity Epidemic hype? Who decided what is obesity anyway? Is stick-starving skinny really the only healthy option? Find out in "The Great Fat Fraud."

Without giving away too much of the story – the book outlines how the key to fitness and health is not to manage your weight but to manage your walking. Take those much ballyhooed 10,000 steps a day and the level of fitness to achieve will be much more important to your longevity than any benefit of losing weight.

This book is about proving this to be true.

Who wrote it

Author, Mike Schatzki, is a professional speaker and trainer. Two years ago he began doing research for a speech he calls "The No Sweat Couch Potato Recovery Program." But as he studied the research on weight loss, obesity and health, he was astounded and mesmerized by what he discovered. Mike received his BA, Magna Cum Laude, Phit Beta Kappa, from Haverford College, and his MPA from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.

My take

Don't let all of the author's fancy education fool you – this is not a dry academic text. The prose is conversational, friendly and simple to read and understand. Yet, the point is clearly made and supported with facts and research.

One thing I found impressive about this book is that Mike not only refers to many scientific resources but he fully describes them in the endnotes and then he goes an extra step and makes his resources publicly available on the book's website. I really appreciate this level of transparency.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that the solution to fitlessness can be something so simple as walking since that is a topic that many of us in the weight loss blog "community" have been sharing of late, but what I really appreciated learning about was the research that showed just how much more important fitness was as a factor in health than fat.

To be clear, there are still plenty of reasons to try to lose that fat such as fitting into clothes better, but the lesson here is how much more important being fit is, and how the level of fitness required can be so simply obtained.

Whenever I read I non-fiction book I try to take from it just "one thing" – from this book I will be taking the concept of making walking a requirement, not a priority. It might seem like a small differentiator yet I can see how it might help me.

The Great Fat Fraud is a simple and enjoyable read, and I recommend it.

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The Great Fat Fraud Book Review

Disclaimer: Okabashi sent me this product to review, however I am under no obligation to do so nor to make the review positive. This review reflects my personal opinion about this product.

I've been a Crocs wearer for a number of years. They aren't an "all-day" wearing kind of shoe, but rather just a simple tool I use for short term needs. I have an old pair in my basement workshop that I slip on if I am doing anything in there for longer than a minute or so and I have another pair by the front door that I slip on when I go get the mail or the paper.

So when I was contacted by Okabashi asking me if I wanted to try out a pair of their low-cost, 100% recylable "dishwasher-safe" shoes, I said "sure!"

The model I tried out was the Men's Okabashi Torino style shoe, pictured in this image. The funny thing about this review is that unfortunately it has been a couple of months in the making. I've had the shoes sitting on my desk for the last two months waiting for me to get around to trying them out and writing about them.

But that doesn't mean I wasn't getting any feedback – my daughter would occasionally slip into them while I was working, doing a little jig dancing around the room. I knew she was a fan but I still hadn't tried them out myself.

Tech Specs

Before I share my opinion on the shoes, here are some important technical details:

Okabashi is a family-owned business who for 25 years has been making shoes in the USA that are good for you and for the planet. They believe their shoes are better than the others in three areas:

For your Well-being:

• Superior arch support
• Massaging insole
• All day comfort
• Anti-Microbial Agent
• Anti-Slip
• Endorsed by the ACA

For the Environment:

• Made in Buford, GA
• 100% recyclable
• Contain 25% recycled material
• Zero-waste manufacturing process
• Vegan-friendly

For your Pocket:

• Starting at only $14.99
• 2-year guarantee
• Durable

My Opinion

I'll admit that my primary draw to these shoes are their low cost and the fact they are durable and dishwasher-safe. While I'm sure some people care that they are "vegan friendly" (what the heck does that mean for a SHOE anyway??), that just isn't me. Having sat next to these shoes for a couple of months I'll tell you that the scent coming of the recycled material of these shoes is actually pretty good. I've come to enjoy it and will miss it once I put these shoes on the shoe rack where they belong.

The Torino model that I chose to review was in the end probably not the best for me try because I have EEE wide (read, fat) feet that had to squeeze into these shoes and that made them more uncomfortable then they should have been. I loved the solid feel of the shoes, and as mentioned, the fact that I could give these shoes a beating (mowing the lawn, perhaps?) and then throw them in the dishwasher is pretty cool.

If you are looking for a low-cost alternative to Crocs that are comfortable, recyclable, dishwasher safe (not to mention vegan friendly!) then I would recommend this company.

Check out the wide variety of shoes at Okabashi.

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Okabashi Shoe Review

Disclaimer: BTB Sports Optics sent me this product to review, however I am under no obligation to do so nor to make the review positive. This review reflects my personal opinion about this product.

We took a short vacation to Chicago last week and I figured it would be a good opportunity to put my new BTB2100 Foam sunglasses to the test. Wednesday and Thursday were a little drizzly but the sun came out for Friday, Saturday and Sunday so I was able to get a little testing in.

BTB Sports Optics

BTB was founded with the mission to introduce a line of sport and recreational sunglasses that provided the following:

• Superior Optic Quality
• Complete UVA & UVB Protection
• Frame Construction Materials of the Highest Quality and Durability
• Complimentary Styles and "Formed Fit" for Comfort
• Diverse Usage Applications for the Consumer
• Aggressive and Affordable Price Point

The company says that BTB Sports Optics are the best $100 sunglasses you can buy for under $50.

BTB2100 Foam Sunglasses

Willis Tower, Chicago

Marilyn Monroe Sculpture, Chicago

While I didn't benefit from the foam lining in this model during a walk in Chicago, I could see where having that nice snug fit along along the edges of the glasses would be great in dusty conditions, biking, or perhaps during water sports. I did feel a little out of place wearing these on the streets of Chicago because of that and in fact my kids said they thought I looked a little silly. But they also both tried the pair on!

Cloud Gate (The Bean), Chicago

Check out their blog for some cool videos of their sunglasses being shot by a shotgun and a .22 caliber rifle. I don't plan to need that kind of protection but it's pretty cool to watch.

They've also got a post called 10 Things You Didn't Know About Sunglasses with, if they are real, some pretty radical sunglasses used by the Alaskan Intuit’s. They didn’t use lenses like the current standard sunglasses. Instead they were flattened pieces of walrus ivory with small slits carved out of the eye sections. Very cool!

Overall, I'm a fan of BTB Sports Optics and I will be spending some of my own money on another pair for every day use.

Interested in obtaining a pair of BTB sunglasses for yourself? They have a lot of models to choose from. Shop at BTB Sports Optics, pick a pair or two of your favorite sunglasses, and then use the promotional code JOHNISFIT20 at checkout to receive a 20% discount!

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BTB Sports Optics Sunglasses Review

Disclaimer: FootsourceMD sent me this product to review, however I am under no obligation to do so nor to make the review positive. This review reflects my personal opinion about this product.

When FootsourceMD contacted me to see if I would be interested in trying out one of their products I of course said "sure" – who doesn't want to try out something new? The question was – which of their products should I take a look at? After checking out my options I settled on the SteriShoe, an Ultraviolet shoe sanitizer.

Before I share my personal experience with the SteriShoe, here is some general information about it.

The SteriShoe® ultraviolet shoe sanitizer is the world's first product to safely and effectively sanitize the inside of your shoes without using chemicals. By using germicidal ultraviolet light ("UVC"), the SteriShoe® ultraviolet shoe sanitizer kills microorganisms that cause athlete's foot, nail fungus, and shoe odor.

The SteriShoe® shoe sanitizer is sold in pairs so you treat a pair of shoes with each application. The treatment time is 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, the germicidal lamp automatically turns off and the SteriShoe® shoe sanitizer supports the shape of your shoe like a regular shoe tree.

We wash our clothes and we dry-clean our clothes. Given the fact that we sweat up to ½ a pint a day per foot, it's a good thing we can finally sanitize the inside of our shoes with the SteriShoe® ultraviolet shoe sanitizer.

People with diabetes must be proactive about the health of their feet. Using the SteriShoe® ultraviolet shoe sanitizer provides a healthier environment for feet inside shoes.

Each order includes: A pair of SteriShoe® shoe sanitizers, 2 shoe bags, 2 UVC lamps, and a power cord.

The SteriShoe sanitizer is an innovative foot care product that provides a healthier environment for your feet by sanitizing the inside of your shoes. It's clinically proven to be effective in killing up to 99.9% of problematic microorganisms! Using germicidal ultraviolet light (UVC), the SteriShoe shoe sanitizer kills the organisms that cause:
- Toe nail fungus
- Athlete's foot
- Offensive shoe odor

Plus, SteriShoe is:
-Accepted by the American Podiatric Medical Association
-Very easy, safe and convenient to use
-Completely chemical and drug free
-A must for diabetics as part of their general foot care regimen

My Experience

I decided that I would test my new shoe sanitizer out on the nastiest, stinkiest shoes we have in the house – a pair of my son's soccer shoes.

The process of using the SteriShoe is very easy, you simply put the device into each shoe and then seal each one into their specially designed bag.

Then you plug it into a power outlet and turn on the "on" button and you let it do it's thing for 45 minutes, after which the device will turn itself off.

According to the SteriShoe FAQ it should only take 1-2 treatments before the odor from the shoes is eliminated. That was not my experience exactly, however after 2 treatments there did seem to be a lessening of odor. Remember, these are a pretty tough test case! I'm not sure why I thought they would smell like new shoes after just a couple treatments, obviously that should not be the expectaton.

In the end it was probably not wise to use soccer shoes as a test case because they really are an unusual case. My own feet certainly don't smell like roses, and I'm sure I could have noticed a difference more easily with them.

If you are looking to promote good foot health you may want to try the SteriShoe Ultraviolet Shoe Sanitizer.

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SteriShoe Ultraviolet Shoe Sanitizer Review

Disclaimer: Conair sent me this bathroom scale to review, however I am under no obligation to do so nor to make the review positive. This review reflects my personal opinion about this product.

I watched the movie Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead last night and this morning (it was available for streaming on Netflix) and it inspired me to try something new. Juicing. Later today I'm going to go out a buy a Breville juicer, if I can find one, and then I'm going to buy a bunch of fruit and vegetables and see what kind of concoctions I can mix up.

Thinking about starting something new caused me to look at the box Conair recently sent me that I had been avoiding – time to open up the new scale! I've done a few bathroom scale reviews before and could very well be the world's foremost expert on bathroom scales. But that's not a good thing! Frankly I wish I didn't need a scale at all.

The scale I'm reviewing today is the Weight Watchers by Conair Glass Body Analysis Scale Model WW52 (wow is that a mouthful!).

Here are the technical details of the scale:

• Extra-large 1.9 in. 2-line LCD display with blue backlight
• Measures body fat, body water, bone mass and BMI
• 4-user memory
• 400 lb. capacity
• 0.1 lb. resolution
• Sleek, streamlined design
• Impact-resistant tempered safety glass platform
• Long-life batteries included
• Limited ten-year warranty

Overall pretty standard for the higher end scale that do more than measure weight. I'll point out a couple of features that I really like from that list.

First and foremost, the 400 lb. capacity for a glass scale is very good. Luckily I don't need that much and hopefully never will. But if you need it, it's there.

Second, the blue LCD screen is pretty and very easy to read. The only time I had a problem with it was during setup when I had to choose my gender. They used these very small icons to depict male or female and I actually had to get on my knees to see which was which.

Finally, the .1 lb resolution. My current Tanita scale, which is being replaced by this Conair scale, has a .2 lb resolution. Now I normally round down anyway so it's not that big of a deal for me now, but I've never liked the inaccuracy of a .2 lb resolution so I'm glad to move to where I think it needs to be.

The scale is easy to use – just tap to wake up and then step on to see your weight. If you want the more detailed information like body fat, body water, bone mass and BMI then you need to tap the user button to indicate which of the 4 possible users you are, and then step on the scale. As long as you are in bare feet and place each foot on the metallic sensor on the sides of the scale you will get accurate readings. I found the measurements almost exactly the same as my old scale.

So overall I'm happy enough to replace my old Tanita scale with this Weight Watchers by Conair Model WW52 bathroom scale.

Stay tuned for a potential givaway where you could win your very own Conair bathroom scale! Hoping to confirm soon.

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Conair Bathroom Scale Review

Disclaimer: Subway sent me a $25 Subway gift card to sample their new Oven Crisp Chicken subway sandwich, however I am under no obligation to do so nor to make the review positive. This review reflects my personal opinion about this product. Read below to see how to win your own $25 gift card!

I was pleased to be contacted by Subway as part of their Chicken Challenge celebrating their new Oven Crisp Chicken sandwich because I frequent Subway (as this search on Subway reveals) and am always happy to try new things their. I jumped on the Avocado bandwagon when they "went green" (which they seem to have stopped) and while I've mostly been settling for a simple veggie sub I thought this new sandwich sounded pretty good.

Last night after my daughter's soccer practice we went to Subway for dinner and I figured that I would get her opinion on the Oven Crisp Chicken as well since she had mentioned wanting to try it. She had a 6" Oven Crisp Chicken sub on Italian bread with bacon, american cheese, lettuce and tomato. According to the Subway calorie calculator this was 470 calories, 13.2 grams of fat, 27 grams of protein and 1190 milligrams of sodium. My daughter is 12 and doesn't worry about such things – she gave the taste two thumbs up. We both had the chicken heated up but didn't toast the bread.

I had a 12" Oven Crisp Chicken sub on Italian with spicy mustard, lettuce, tomato, black olives, jalapenos, cucumbers and salt and pepper. The stats on this one (notice no cheese, no mayo, no olive oil, etc) were 770 calories, 13.7 grams of fat, 44 grams of protein and 2020 mg of sodium.

Overall my daughter and I really liked the taste of the Subway Oven Crisp Chicken sandwich – deep flavor, not deep fried – available from August 15th through September 30th!

Subway has graciously offered to send a $25 gift card to one of my US Resident readers! All you need to do to have a chance to win is to leave a comment here telling me your favorite Subway sandwich. I'll pick a random winner later this week. Good luck!

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SUBWAY – Oven Crisp Chicken Review

I didn't plan to do a review post today but I figured I'd crank one out since I did give VirtuaGym a try today as I looked for a way to get a little exercise while in a hotel.

VirtuaGym is an Android application offering workout plans for both the home and gym. What makes it unique from other workout plan apps I have seen is that it is very visual, with animated characters showing you the workouts and a coach "Brad Fit" who calls out the number of reps and the occasional motivations to keep you going.

Brad can be a little corny. Here are some of my favorites:

"You're reaching your goals."
"You will turn heads."
"Can you feel the burn?"
"You're burning calories like an inferno."
"Let's get sweaty."
"Oh my, you'll look hot."

May be corny, but I have to see the combination of the visual animation and the audio makes it very easy to follow along, even when you can't be looking at the phone.

This morning I did the 15 minute morning workout which is classified as "beginner", and while it was really simple, the fact I was sweating a bit after the 15 minutes. I also found that my knee that has been bothering me for a few weeks actually felt a little better today, perhaps because of the stretching it got put through with exercises like squats and lunges, not to mention a little yoga.

One thing I haven't been able to figure out is how to do multiple sets of an exercise. There seems to be a visual cue on the app that shows you can do multiple sets, but I haven't figured out how to make it work. Other than this, the app is simple and easy to use.

The app is free, it's a little fun and corny and it might actually get you to do a little exercising. if you are on an Android based phone tablet, give VirtuaGym a try.

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VirtuaGym Review

Disclaimer: Code Blue sent me this product sample to review, however I am under no obligation to do so nor to make the review positive. This review reflects my personal opinion about this product.

One of the benefits of having a weight loss blog is that marketers are always interested in sending you product samples. My kids have picked up on this, often complaining about the number of packages that I get in the mail.

But they have also figured out that occasionally there arrives something that interests them as well. Code Blue Recovery Drink was such a product – despite receiving a 12-pack to sample I ended up only having one. Not because I didn't like them – but because my son and his friends ended up drinking them over a long Xbox 360 session. So, at least they give it the thumbs up. How did I like it? Well, some background first:

What is a Recovery Drink?

Code Blue targets three area of life where you may need a little extra help:

Workout – Code Blue can be consumed before, during or after workouts to help speed the recovery process and bring the body back into balance. A couple of things it promises are more energy in the gym and reduced post-exercise muscle soreness,

Night Out – Code Blue was created for people who enjoy going out at night but need to wake up feeling refreshed in the morning.

Travel – Dehydration is one of the most serious hazards long-distance fliers face. Before, during or after travel Code Blue hydrates your body with the optimal amount of fluids and electrolytes allowing you to arrive with a body in balance.

What is in Code Blue?

Code Blue was developed by leading beverage scientists who selected the most powerful ingredients which work synergisticly to revive your body:

Electrolytes – Code Blue provides your body with the optimal amount of electrolytes (3 times more than the leading sports drink) to allow you to feel better faster.

Vitamins & Minerals – Code Blue's formula combines a proprietary blend of vitamins and minerals that are optimized to promote kidney and liver function, which are keys to the body's detoxification pathways.

D-Ribose – Helps speed energy recovery, increases energy reserves and maintains healthy levels in the heart and muscles.

Sustamine – A "high-tech" amino acid that promotes muscle re-hydration and recovery and can be used as a source for energy refueling.

N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC) – A powerful antioxidant that increases the body's ability to remove harmful free radicals which build up in the liver.

Milk Thistle – Utilized for 2000 years, Milk Thistle is a powerful antioxidant used to protect and strengthen the liver against harmful toxins.

Prickly Pear Fruit Extract – Prickly Pear has been used for centuries by indigenous Mexican tribes to treat a variety of ailments and conditions. This natural plant substance acts as an anti-inflammatory and promotes liver function.

My Take on Code Blue

To be honest, I'm skeptical about drinks that promise the things that Code Blue does. Need hydration? How about water? But I'll also admit to not being a scientist and to have no basis of knowledge to attack any claims that a drink makes.

For me, when the drink contains calories, I have to really understand the benefits of why I am drinking it. When I drink a beer with calories I'm willing to do it because the benefit is the alcohol. Code Blue tastes good, and I enjoyed the can I had. But would I buy more to consume on a regular basis? No. Not for me.

But as I mentioned in the beginning, my son and his friends really enjoyed it, and I would much rather them drink this no caffeine, low calorie drink than the sorts of drinks they often choose which are loaded with caffeine and sugar.

The good news for Code Blue is that they are probably targeting that younger demographic anyway.

Interested in learning more? You can follow Code Blue on Facebook or Twitter.

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Code Blue Review

Disclaimer: Sinless Cocktails sent me this product sample to review, however I am under no obligation to do so nor to make the review positive. This review reflects my personal opinion about this product.

I don't think you are supposed to get a buzz on when doing product reviews for a weight loss blog but that's exactly where I find myself tonight. And I don't care! I spent half the day in a warehouse cheering my daughter on to a 9-0 record in volleyball, and when I got home I figured it was time to crack open the bottle of Sinless Margarita Mix sitting in my frig – not to mention the bottle of 1800® Silver Tequila sitting atop the frig. Serendipity? Perhaps.

Before I get into my thoughts on the product, let's get everyone educated.

What's a Margarita?

I figure I better start there, just in case. Let's be clear here – this review is not going to be about the perfect margarita recipe. That is quite simple – 2oz. 100% Agave Tequila, 1oz. Cointreau and 1oz. fresh lime juice. Salt the rim if you like. Do yourself a favor and make one of those some time. Bet you can't drink just one. Margaritas are typically served shaken with ice, on the rocks, blended with ice (frozen) or straight up. When I make them myself I make them shaken with ice but for some reason I usually go for frozen when I'm in a restaurant. Perhaps because I'm ordering a 40oz. special.

What's a Sinless Margarita?

Here is how they describe it:

An All-Natural & Sugar Free Margarita Mix that you can enjoy and not feel guilty about! The Sinless Margarita is made with only the best, natural ingredients. We use real lime and lemon juice and balance it perfectly with the all natural sweetener Stevia. You do NOT need to add Triple Sec.

The last bit is key because Triple Sec (remember to go with Cointreau) is chock full of calories. 80 per ounce – in fact that tequila recipe I shared is going to set you back about 225 calories for a 4 ounce drink.

But here's the thing, it isn't the margarita connoisseur they are going after. It's my wife and her friends who will soon be sitting out on the deck sipping some swill from Bethany Frankel called Skinny Girl Margarita Mix.* Now I'm not saying that's who they mean when they write "Skinny" but I think you can put two and two together.

Final Verdict

I mixed my Sinless Margarita's three ways during my taste taste – shaken with ice, frozen and straight up (without the tequila). My 13 going on 14 year old son had a little sip of the first and then also had a glass straight up (without the tequila). Yes, I'm a bad dad. But he says he liked the straight up one better so maybe it worked out for the best! He said it tasted like limeade. I ended up enjoying the shaken variety, but I had to make a few of them to be sure. The frozen one got too frothy and then didn't mix well with the ice, I don't know if that was purely operator error or if there is some chemical reason why it didn't blend nicely. Probably the former.

Remember, I'm not comparing this to a fresh, homemade margarita. There is no comparison. But if you are looking to watch your calories, I found this to be a tasty alternative to some of the other sugary mixes. It had good flavor with a slightly sour finish that was not off-putting.

Although that does bring up an interesting point.

Is it really low-calorie?

Here's what I come up with for calorie counts for the 3 referenced drinks:

Fresh Margarita: 226 calories (4oz. pour – 138 calories for 2oz. tequila, 80 for 1oz. Cointreau and 8 for 1oz. of lime juice)

Skinny Girl Margarita Mix: 100 calories (4oz. pour – 100 calories for 4oz. mix, alcohol is already included.)

Sinless Margarita Mix: 74 calories (4oz. pour – 5 calories for 3oz. mix, 69 for 1oz. tequila)

So yes, lower calorie if you assume that these would be a standard way people would drink them. But also less alcohol – if you add a little more tequila you are going to easily get up to 100 calories too. Low-cal when compared to the gold standard, but I think they put out a bit of FUD when the printed a card saying that a 20oz. Skinny would be 490 calories (that sounds about right) and a 20oz. Sinless would only be 33 (that doesn't). They neglected to mention that alcohol is already included in their competitor's and that theirs would increase in calories once tequila was added.

That aside, if I don't have time to make a fresh margarita I would much prefer to control my mix/alcohol ratio and use a mix that doesn't include the booze, like Sinless Margarita. Follow them on Facebook and/or Twitter and tell them John said hello.

* If you didn't click through to read the review of Skinny Girl I just have to do that here, it's too good not to share:

What it tastes like:
Say the cute little four-year-old down the block made a bowl of lemonade but instead of sugar used Splenda and instead of lemons used lemon flavoring and put it in a big bowl filled with ice and set it in the sun so all the ice melted and the "lemonade" got kind of hot and she got bored and went inside and a Labrador retriever came along and lapped some up and then stuck his head in the bowl and got the stuff all up in his nose and sneezed uncontrollably into the bowl for a while. That's what it tastes like. On ice.

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Sinless Margarita Review

I've been reading (and watching) Mark Sinderson's blog "Bike Beer BBQ" for a couple of years. I'm not sure how I came across it, but I suspect that it had something to do with the tagline "Drinking Good Beer, Eating Tasty Food, Keeping Fit & Healthy." (One could argue that with that tagline the name of his blog should be "Beer BBQ Bike", but I digress.) I'm not sure you would call him the Gary Vaynerchuk of beer, but that wouldn't be far off.

So when Mark contacted me last year to offer a "pre-read" of a book he was working on, I jumped at the chance. I didn't offer anything in the way of editing but I liked where he was at, and even offered up a quote for him to use should he wish:

Mark Sinderson shows how having good taste in beer and being fit and healthy are not mutually exclusive. That's good news for this lover of craft beer.

A few weeks ago I received a signed copy of Mark's new book, Beyond the Twelve-Ounce Curl: The Beer-Lover's Guide to Having Your Brew and Being Fit, Too! Or How to Eat Healthy, Lose Weight, Build Fitness and Strength While Still Enjoying Good Beer and Food and what do you know but my quote made the first page. Sweet!

So what about the book other than having the longest title ever? Should you buy it? Well, here's what I think about that:

Like a lot of things in life Mark came across the topic of this book by accident. He had started his beer review blog and was posting videos sharing his appreciation for beers like rich, creamy ales and heavy porters and stouts. He noticed a trend in the comments to his blog – people liked the idea of drinking these delicious craft beers but they were concerned about the calorie content, which can be quite high.

And so a book topic was born.

Because of Mark's healthy lifestyle, including biking thousands of miles per year, he was able to strike a balance with his love of beer (and BBQ!) without it negatively impacting his health. Beyond the Twelve-Ounce Curl is his guide for how everyone can enjoy a love of beer without growing the beer gut to match.

What I liked about the book is Mark's refreshing candor and overall approach to the problem at hand. This is not a book that is going to contain a magic formula that will allow you to drink all the beer you want without gaining a pound. No, this is a book based on common sense and a very basic formula = Calories in must equal calories out.

The primary sections of the book are "The Beer Lover's Diet" and "The Beer Lover's Fitness Plan".

For the diet, Mark focuses on education around the calorie content of beer and other foods, and does so from the standpoint of an educator rather than a preacher. Education is key to finding the balance you need to be successful, and he delivers it in an easy to read and fun style. There are no day by day menu plans here, just sound advice and practical tips.

Mark goes more in-depth in the fitness plan section, describing various exercises and even exercise equipment. I particularly liked his section on Fitness Myths.

At less then 200 pages, Beyond the Twelve-Ounce Curl is a light and interesting read that could help you with the motivation you need to take control of your own fitness, whether you drink beer or not.

I've become a huge Kindle user and if you are too you'll be happy to know that Beyond the Twelve-Ounce Curl also comes in a Kindle version.

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Book Review: Beyond the Twelve-Ounce Curl

Be sure to read through to the bottom of this post to learn how to win your own bathroom scale and kitchen scale!

Disclaimer: EatSmart sent me this product sample to review, however I am under no obligation to do so nor to make the review positive. This review reflects my personal opinion about this product.

Up until a couple of years ago I didn't know much about bathroom scales. I always had one around somewhere, usually the mechanical kind you would find at Target that was white plastic with a red needle and big black numbers on the dial. I don't know that there was much in the way of technological improvements in bathroom scales from the 70s to the 90s, or at least there wasn't in my house.

But over the past couple of years I have had the opportunity to try out a number of different scales and written a few bathroom scale reviews. It's amazing what you can get in a scale these days! Some go for the whiz-bang approach of providing more than just weight and others go for simplicity and elegenace. The bathroom scale I am reviewing today, the EatSmart Precision Digital Bathroom Scale, is one of the latter.

Glass scales are very popular if my reader's buying habits are to be believed, but I've never thought they would work for me because when you are big, stepping on a glass platform just doesn't seem like a great idea. But this scale is very sturdy, there is absolutely no feeling like it wouldn't support all of my weight, so I really do believe the 400 pound capacity it claims.

There are a number of features I like about this scale:

• Large blue LED screen
• "Step On" technology means you don't have to tap the scale to wake it up – just get on it!
• Large 12" by 13" tempered glass platform
• Super solid feel
• Nice to look at

The one thing I don't like about this scale, and it seems to be pretty common in the scales I have used, is that the graduation increments are in .2 pounds, rather than .1 pounds. Now when I report my weight I round anyway, so it isn't a big deal for me, but why not utilize a normal graduation?

Despite that one minor criticism, this is a beautifully designed and simply elegant scale that no big guy should be afraid to stand on.

HOW TO WIN YOUR OWN SCALE:

Want to try a EatSmart Precision Digital Bathroom Scale for yourself? Well then you are in luck! EatSmart was kind enough to offer a new bathroom scale to one of my readers and winning it couldn't be any easier.

All you need to do is one of the following:

Follow EatSmart on Twitter @EatSmartScales
LIKE EatSmart Products on Facebook

Then leave a comment here saying you want to win a new bathroom scale, and you will be automatically entered! What could be easier?!

Contest runs until sometime Wednesday, December 22nd and I'll randomly select a winner who I will put in touch with EatSmart to get their prize shipped out to them. Sorry to my international readers, U.S. shipments only.

The winner of my contest won't get their prize before Christmas but EatSmart is having their own contest to win an EatSmart kitchen scale and they are committing to get the winner their prize before Christmas! I own the EatSmart Precision Pro Digital Kitchen Scale, although I use it in my workshop rather than my kitchen.

You can find more information on their Twitter page, their Facebook page or click here to directly view contest details and enter to win.

Good luck!

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EatSmart Bathroom Scale Review

Disclaimer: Gaiam sent me this product sample to review, however I am under no obligation to do so nor to make the review positive. This review reflects my personal opinion about this product.

Last month I came back from a business trip to find a large package waiting for me, with my children hovering over it just waiting for me to take a look inside. Once I did, I found a veritable cornucopia of workout equipment – the Step360 Deluxe package from Gaiam. We immediately unpacked it, blew up the enclosed fitness ball and the step platform itself (as you will see below this platform actually is made up of two inflatable chambers), and set about trying to figure out how to use the large rubber band with handles that was included.

There was a pile of DVDs and booklets where I am sure there were some instructions but my family (the cats got involved too) is impulsive and we all just started hopping on it, using it as we assumed it was intended to be used, which basically is for step aerobics. It got a little use that night then was put back into our workout room for me to figure out later. The day after Thanksgiving seemed like a great time to start, so this morning I pulled it out, skimmed through the enclosed DVDs and set about to do my first workout.

But before I get to the results of that, let's take a little deeper look into the Step360 program:

What is the Step360?

You may remember The Step Original Health Club Step Aerobic Trainer that was popularized in the early nineties. The Step360 is the next generation of that piece of aerobic equipment, where instead of having a fixed, solid platform like the old days you now have a sturdy platform that sits atop two adjustable air-filled chambers, creating a high-performance cardio step, ab machine, butt and thigh toner, and total body resistance trainer-all in one unique design.

Every time you step on the platform, you engage your entire core and surrounding stabilizing muscles. Add or decrease air to control just how challenging you want your workout to be. To boost your results even more, use the included sculpting cord.

What is included with the Step360 System?

The standard Step360 includes the following:

• Step360 platform featuring two adjustable air-filled chambers, topped by a sturdy padded platform.
• Step360 Fast Interval Training – 6 programs on 1 DVD
• Step360 Sculpting Cord
• Step360 Weight Loss Success Guide
• Bonus – Lose a Jeans Size by the weekend – 2 Programs on 1 DVD
• Bonus – 7-Day Express Guide
• Bonus – LifeMax Vitamin & Vitality Formula 7 Day Supply
• Bonus – 30 Days FREE VIP Access to the Step360 Web Club

The Step360 Deluxe package, which is what I received, includes the following additional items:

• Get On The Ball DVD
• 360° Challenge DVD
• Step360 Mat
• Stability Ball FREE

Everything seemed to be of very good quality.

What does the Step360 cost?

I'm not sure if this is a special temporary price or not, but it looks like the standard Step360 normally retails for $159.96, however it is available now for $119.97 or 3 easy payments of $39.99. Adding the Deluxe feature is an additional $39.99, and of course there will be shipping and handling charges. One thing to keep in mind is that it isn't immediately obvious how to order the Step360 Deluxe Package – according to the Step360 FAQ you should see this as an option during the purchase process. However, this must be an option presented later in the checkout process because I tried to walk through the purchase process and never saw that option when I got the the page where I had to enter my credit card info – I'm sure it is there, it's just that I didn't see it.

My Experience with the Step360

I put the Step360 through a 20 minute workout this morning and I came away tired, and mostly happy to not have popped the inflatable chambers. But seriously, I'm beat. I started by skimming through the DVDs and enclosed plan booklets just to get a feel for what I may be getting myself into. Like most exercise shows I have seen this one always included someone in the back who was doing what the call "modifications" which is basically a euphemism for "fatties" – so for example when the main person was doing full pushups the person in the back was doing pushups from her knees.

"Pushups," you ask? Well, that surprised me too. When I first started looking at the Step360 I assumed it would be used mainly as a step, and while that surely is how it is primarily used it actually gets used in a multitude of ways. In the workout that I did I found myself stepping up on it like you normally would, but also standing directly on it with both feet and sort of rocking around, using it as a base for lunges, sitting on it, using it for pushups and even lying down on it with my stomach.

I had a very difficult time following along with many of the moves but that is 100% attributable to be own lack of coordination. It's the same reason why I could never properly line dance or pretty much do anything like group aerobic classes. In fact I'm really happy to have been doing this workout in the privacy of my own home!

Conclusion

I think the Step360 would be a great addition to your workout routine, but only if you are comfortable with the idea of adding an instability factor to your workout. I believe that instability does work in your favor when it comes to working your muscles, but it probably isn't for everyone. However, if a guy my size can get through his workout without popping the inflatable chambers or falling off of it, you probably will be ok even if you are a little unsure.

If you are comfortable with an exercise ball, have used step platforms before and want to spend time every day with Jessie Pavelka, then this probably is the system for you.

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Step360 Review

Disclaimer: Combe Inc. sent me this product sample to review, however I am under no obligation to do so nor to make the review positive. This review reflects my personal opinion about this product.

I received this product sample months ago and it has been sitting in my drawer unopened. Not because I had any concerns about the product, but simply because I haven't been doing the exercise for which I had to worry about chafing. Yes, you heard me: chafing. I'm a 44 year old guy now worried about what happens when his thighs rub together. That sucks! Still, it's the reality those of us in the supersized set have to face.

So yesterday the stars aligned because when I came home I asked my wife if she wanted to walk around the lake, which is a little over 4 miles. I was going to go regardless of her answer because I'm trying to get serious about this, but of course I was happy when she said yes. It also meant I didn't have to hold the dog.

So I strapped on my heart rate monitor and remembered the Lanacane anti-chafing gel that I had been sent. A quick application between the thighs and I was ready for my walk. The product package describes Lanacane as being non-greasy and silky feeling and I would concur with that assessment. The extra on my fingers seemed to dry off very quickly. Half way into the walk I realized I was not having any chafing discomfort and by the end of it I was still chafe-free, which would not have been the case had I not applied the Lanacane anti-chafing gel.

All in all I was happy with the product and will be using it again the next time I take that walk, which will hopefully be tonight.

If you want to try Lanacane for yourself you can get a free sample here.

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Lanacane Anti-Chafing Gel

Disclaimer: BodyTrace sent me this product sample to review, however I am under no obligation to do so nor to make the review positive. This review reflects my personal opinion about this product.

Weight Loss Bloggers seem to be split when it comes to using a bathroom scale to track their weight loss progress. Some believe it's important to weigh yourself every single day, others say weekly and still others say you should ignore the scale completely. I don't know that there is any one answer; I think you need to find what works for you. I know that what worked for me when I was having success was viewing my weight daily on the scale and then recording the weight weekly.

Truthfully, I think I would have preferred to record my weight every day but that involved an extra step that I didn't think was worth the extra effort. Now however, thanks to the BodyTrace eScale, I no longer have to worry about recording – the scale does that for me!

Billed as the world's first GSM-enabled bathroom scale, this simple little device is ingeniously cool. To use it you simply tap your foot on it to wake it up, wait a few seconds for it to signal that it is ready, then step on it to get your weight. The scale very quickly reports your weight to one decimal point precision.

At this point I'm sure you are thinking "ok, so it's a nice looking glass scale with red digital number read out, what's so unique?" Well, it's what happens when you get off the scale that separates this from it's peers. For a few seconds you will still be viewing your weight, and then the readout will change to something like "d-1" which is the indicator that your scale is now talking to the GSM phone network, relaying your weight back to BodyTrace headquarters where it is magically* being associated with your personal, secure login. Once you log into their portal you will see your weight progress chart updated with your new weight. How cool is that?

* Arthur C. Clarke postulated as his 3rd law "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" and I would say that fits the BodyTrace eScale. I've been a pretty heavy geek since about 1982 but I have to tell you it felt like magic when I unpacked the scale, stepped on it and then saw my weight update on the web.

When you buy the BodyTrace eScale you are actually signing up for an entire support program, the scale of course being a key component but there is also a portal that is used to record and track goals related to weight as well as dietary intake. And of course everything is 100% private. I could see this being an outstanding thing for personal trainer's to include in their client's programs.

For me as a weight loss blogger it's important that I have a way to show off (hasn't felt like showing off lately!) my numbers, and again you want this to be simple. That's where BodyTrace's unique integration points come into play. Within the portal you can setup the system to automatically update a variety of sites such as Twitter, Daily Burn and skinnyr. My friend Jimmy at skinnyr set me up with an account that can integrate with the BodyTrace eScale that I can post in my sidebar – you'll see it in the upper right corner of my website. I have one graph that shows my long-term weight trend and then another graph from skinnyr that shows my daily weigh-ins as coming from the BodyTrace eScale. So that chart on my website gets updated by me simply getting on and off the scale. Very nice and easy.

If you are someone who wants to record your weight every day but finds the task a burden then I would highly recommend checking out the BodyTrace eScale. To learn more check out BodyTrace.com

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BodyTrace eScale – GSM-enabled Bathroom Scale

In his book I'm With Fatty, Edward Ugel sets out to answer questions like "Can a foodie get thin again?" and "Can you continue to love food while changing your relationship with it?" His mission is the subtitle of the book – Losing Fifty Pounds in Fifty Miserable Weeks.

I was drawn to Ed's story because of the simple fact that the author is a man. Just as there aren't enough male inspirations in the weight loss blogger community there aren't enough in the world of weight loss publishing either. So when I was offered the opportunity to review this book by the publisher (disclaimer: all opinions are my own), I snapped up the chance. Once I started reading the book I realized we had more in common than just our biology – we also both love to cook (and to eat!). So I knew then this would be a great book for me.

What caused Ed to go on this mission? A diagnosis of sleep apnea. His wife secretly recorded his snoring and used that as the impetus to get him to have a sleep study which ultimately led to Ed having to wear a CPAP mask. It was this indignity that was his driving force. Being a CPAP user myself I can understand this being a wake-up call, I only wish my own diagnosis had inspired a similar response.

Inspired to begin it nonetheless takes Ed a little bit to get going. "The diet will start whenever it does" seemed to be his response in the early days of what he called "The Fatty Project." Those of us struggling with our weight have certainly been there before. And this is one of the things I really liked about the book, the personal stories that I could relate to.

One such story sparked a totally embarrassing memory of my own behavior. In describing the shame he has felt about weight Ed mentions that he once asked for two place settings from room service so the person on the other end didn't think all of the food was for him. I can take that to a higher level – not only have I done that to mask my shame to the person taking my order, but I also tried to deceive the person delivering my order by closing the bathroom door as if to indicate the presence of another person that would explain all of the food on my tray. All readers will share similar stories.

I thought the book would be a sequential history of the 50 weeks, perhaps even a small chapter for each week, but that was not the style chosen and I think the book is better for it. The only time the reader gets a glimpse into the details of how a week went was when Ed described his experience cleansing. Other than that he focused on telling a story that only loosely corresponded to the 50 weeks project. Certainly it would have been easier to follow along with his weight loss if he had laid out the narration a week at a time but I think that probably would have read too much like a blog even, and wouldn't have allowed the author to narrate the kind of interesting story that he did. Still, I would have like to have seen in the addendum some sort of brief synopsis of his ups and downs over the weeks, perhaps by offering even a simple week by week weight loss chart.

Despite this minor quibble, I enjoyed the book and devoured it relatively quickly, over a short airplane ride and then in a hotel room where I am happy to say I did not order room service.

Did Ed achieve his mission of losing fifty pounds in fifty weeks? You'll have to read the book to find out! Perhaps his recent showing on the Today Show will offer a hint.

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Book Review – I'm with Fatty by Edward Ugel

Disclaimer: Sony sent me this product sample to review, however I am under no obligation to do so nor to make the review positive. This review reflects my personal opinion about this product.

I don't listen to music like I used to when I was younger but I have found that doing so when I'm on the treadmill or running outdoors (as little as that happens lately) really helps me forget about the time – something I find really helps when I am doing something as boring to me as running. The problem is that I've never been comfortable with the devices I have had. I've been really happy with the Sansa Clip I've been using for over a year, and I use that both when I travel (I plug it into my Bose headphones) or when I am on the treadmill. But I don't use it when running outside.

Why?

Because I'm not an ear bud guy. I can never get those little things to fit properly in my ear and they always fall out. So when I run on the treadmill I have these really ugly headphones that I think came from the late eighties, but they are light and don't get in my way. But they aren't to be seen out in the public. I did use the Music Infused Headband by i360 for a little while, but while it worked great in the winter when it got warm out there was just no way it was going to work.

So when a representative from Sony contacted me about the Sony W250 Series Walkman MP3 Player and told me it integrated the MP3 player directly into the ear buds, with a small flexible wire to keep everything in place, I knew I had to try it out for myself.

And I am glad that I did, because now I've got an MP3 player I will be happy to be seen in public with.

Sony designed this unit with the runner in mind. Key features include:

• Design – its lightweight, water-resistant frame ensures proper functionality during extended periods of activity inside or outside – even in the rain.
• 2GB of maximum capacity – holds approximately 470 songs.
• Quick Charge Option – for on-the-go or those who have forgotten to charge, charge 3 minutes for up to 90 minutes of play time. Full battery life is approximately 11 hours.
• Easy Music Transfer – Content Transfer software allows users to move music files and playlists straight from a PC/iTunes library.

I installed the software as well and can attest to how easy it is to transfer files. Simple drag and drop. They unit also has this feature called Zappin Playback which enables sequential playback of song clips at a preset duration, and it grabs a short recognizable clip of each song such as the most melodic or rhythmical section. I can't see a good use for this but I'm sure someone must like it!

Suggested retail price is $60, available at www.sonystyle.com, Sony Style retail stores & other authorized retailers nationwide.

One thing I miss having in this unit is a radio. My Clip has a radio and that's really great for a change of pace. If I could offer one improvement that would be it – give it a radio.

Overall, a great little device that hopefully will help encourage me to get out and run more this year.

CONTEST: But don't just take my word on it, if you have read down this far you deserve a little something yourself. I'll be randomly selecting one of the commenters on this post between today and May 13th (US only, sorry) to receive your very own Sony W250 Series Walkman MP3 Player, courtesy of Sony!

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Sony W250 Series Walkman MP3 Player

Disclaimer: Bai sent me a box of their product samples to review, however I am under no obligation to do so nor to make the review positive. This review reflects my personal opinion about these products.

A little over a year ago (already? wow!) I reviewed a drink called POM Wonderful that promised to be the next wonder-drink; backed by studies showing that patients who participated in published clinical studies experienced significant improvement in heart, prostrate & erectile health after drinking eight ounces of their pomegranate juice daily.

As I wrote at the time I'm no doctor nor scientist, so all I can really do is publish what they say about the science but my opinion about the taste of the drink is my own, and frankly if it doesn't taste good I really don't care what the science says. You'll have to read that review to see what I thought of it but let's just say that when I was contacted recently by Bai to sample some of their Bai Antioxidant Infusions I was actually a little hesitant to try them.

But I'm glad I did.

The Science
Antioxidants are nutrients found in foods and beverages that have health enhancing effects on your body. They neutralize free radicals that cause damage to your cells. Antioxidants work by donating an electron to free radicals to convert them to harmless molecules. A diet rich in antioxidants helps neutralize free radicals in your body, keeping your immune system strong while combating everything from wrinkles to heart disease and cancer.

Bai Antioxidant Infusions are "infused" with 400mg of the outer berry of the coffee bean, one of nature's most powerful antioxidants. According to the USDA using a scoring method called Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) the cofee fruit extract has 3,000 ORAC units per gram as compared to 24 for blueberries, 65 for pomegranates and 100 for acai berries.

I think that means science says that they are good for you. But how do they taste?

The Drink
My sample box contained 8 (or maybe 10 I lost count!) bottles with a mix of the following flavors: Tanzania Strawberry, Mango Kauai, Jamaica Blue Berry, Kenya Peach and Sumatra Dragonfruit (low calorie). They also have a low calorie Panama Peach but they were out of them. The first one I tried was Mango Kauai and let me tell you it was delicious! After that I was kind of anxious about trying the low calorie Sumatra Dragonfruit because I figured I may be let down with the low calorie option but in fact I actually liked it even better!

My 12 year old son concurred – he drank one of my Sumatra Dragonfruits and he also drank the only Tanzania Strawberry I had so I wasn't able to try that one. But he gave them two thumbs up too. Which is funny because his original review after a couple of sips was "not great but not terrible" but for that picky eater let me tell you that is a ringing endorsement. The fact he drank that bottle and another tells me all I need to know.

Here is a sample of nutritional info for a regular calorie and a low calorie bottle:

I'm working on another post on what I think about nutritional labels that word things with "about 2 servings" but I'll leave that alone for now and just point out that a regular bottle is about 140 calories and a low calorie bottle is about 10 calories. I can't afford to drink one of the regular drinks as that is too many of my daily calories to drink no matter how good they taste but since the low calorie Sumatra Dragonfruit drink is only about 10 calories and tastes as good or better, I may have just found my next non-water treat!

But don't just take my word on it, if you have read down this far you deserve a little something yourself. I'll be randomly selecting one of the first 10 commenters on this post (or until Monday, whichever comes first – US only, sorry) to receive your very own supply of Bai Antioxidant Infusions to try for yourself, courtesy of Bai!

Bottom line, I like these drinks and I hope I can find them at my local grocery store or coffee shop soon. Unfortunately right now they are only available in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Philadelphia, Wisconsin, California and Seattle. They are shooting for national distribution in 2011.

Have you had Bai drinks before? Tell us what you thought about them. Know anything about those sugar alcohols in the low calorie drink? Educate us. Want to give them a try for free? Leave a comment and you might be able to!

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Bai Antioxidant Infusions

Disclaimer: Equmen sent me these product samples to review, however I am under no obligation to do so nor to make the review positive. This review reflects my personal opinion about these products.

When I was in Vegas last year I had a $200 haircut. For those of you who know me, that's pretty funny. It's not like I have any hair. So what does a guy who normally cuts his own hair with an electric clipper set to the lowest setting get for $200? Well it did include a shave, new-age music, oil, hot stones, heck I forget everything it included. But suffice it to say a $200 haircut is overkill for a guy like me.

I sort of feel the same way about the Equmen undergarments I am writing about here. These things are bad ass. And by that I mean they are meant for athletes who need to wear compression tights to gain an edge, not a fat old couch potato like me.

Or are they? Read on!

Equmen Precision Underwear

As I've written about before I sometimes let product reviews pile up before I get around to them, but when I got the package from Equmen I pretty much set out to try them out right away. So one day this week when I was getting ready for work I started by putting on a new pair of Equmen Precision Underwear Trunks. The picture here is pretty accurate for how it looked on me, I think.

I was given size XXL, which is the largest size they make – meant for waist sizes 39-42 – so I was thinking they might be way too tight for me, but they really weren't. As you might expect from clothing made of polyester, nylon and spandex these had a lot of give. Which was a good thing. I'm used to baggy boxers and it's been many years since I wore tight briefs, but these were a unique experience for me.

And they felt really good. Slipping my dress pants on I just had a different feeling than I normally would with the cotton boxers. I really did feel trimmer, and my pants just slid on.

Here is a bit of the marketing speak for the product description:

High-performance trunks designed with HELIX-MAPPING athletic support technology. Seamless body enhancing fit supports gluteal muscles for improved body mechanics. Ventilated, precision-fit pouch and moisture-wicking fabric for ultimate comfort.

All in all, I was very pleased with the underwear and they are for sure going in the underwear drawer. At $52 a pair, these might not be for everyone but if you have the cash I would take a look.

Equmen Core Precision Undershirt

The other item I got to try was the Equmen Core Precision Undershirt. This thing scared me when I took it out of the box. Despite being the largest size they make, XL, it was tiny. I mean really, really small. Like about the size of an infant onesie. Yes it had a lot of stretch just like the underwear but whoa nelly it took some work to put on. Once I had it in position I felt like a stuffed sausage ready to burst out of it's skin. I knew it would be about 12 hours before I would be able to take it off so for a moment I thought I had better take it off but I ended up deciding to jump in with both feet and give it a go.

I found a couple of real benefits to wearing this super-girdle like undershirt. First, no t-shirt riding up. This things gets into place and it stays in place. Second, I definitely felt trimmer. Considering that it was pressing all my fat into my insides that isn't surprising. I didn't do much activity throughout the day but I would say it stayed feeling pretty comfortable once I got used to it.

Here someone does a better job than I extolling it's benefits:

Engineered with HELIX-MAPPING™technology, the CORE PRECISION™UNDERSHIRT builds-in physiotherapy taping techniques to sculpt, tone and improve body mechanics. With seamless stitching and targeted ventilation, they fit like a second skin, delivering the ultimate fusion of fashion and function. Ideal for tailoring your body under clothes to providing everyday ergonomic support to improving form during sport.

In addition to the v-neck which I tried it also comes in long sleeve and tank top varieties – all of which retail for $99 each. Again, these are not made for those of us who like to buy a 10-pack of tidy whities at Sam's Club every once in a while. This is serious stuff. For $10 more you can get Extra-High compression. Extra-high?? Wow, I can't even imagine.

All in all I was very impressed with the quality of the Equmen Precision Underwear and Undershirt that I was able to try out. If you have the money to pay for good quality and you could benefit from the support you get from these then I say "go for it!"

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Equmen Precision Underwear and Undershirt

Where did January go?! Can't believe that this Monday is already February. That's another month gone that I won't be getting back. I'm in a weight loss contest at work that started on the 11th (why not start on January 1st??) and goes for six months. It hasn't motivated me like I thought it would, yet, but I'm going to try to focus today and see how it goes. Read an inspiring post by Tony this morning. Got a DM Tweet from Andrew reminding me to stick with it. Thanks guys. Shedding weight is hard work. Everyone once in a while it pays to focus on shedding weight in a variety of forms and here today I'm going to do some shedding of weight that has been building up by my own accord.

People send me stuff. This is one of the benefits of having a blog where I occasionally write about products. People send me stuff, and they hope I will write about their stuff. Of course I am sure they hope I write positively about their stuff. Sometimes that works out (I still use my Sansa Clip, love it) and sometimes it doesn't (thank you for your samples POM Wonderful people, but that stuff is just nasty).

Alas, my posting schedule has been slower than the pace at which products to review have piled up. I'm under no obligation to write about any of these products, yet I really should. I appreciate the opportunities I have had to eat, play or test these products and I should have done a full-blown review of each and every one of them. And I hope I can do more of that in the future. But for now I have to shed the weight of responsibilty I am currently feeling by having a chestfull of products that I haven't written about that I should mention in some way.

So, please indulge me as I lighten the load.

Bill from EatSmart sent me a simple but really cool Digital Kitchen Scale. I have a really lame old mechanical postage scale at home that gets occasional use (think pinewood derby car weighing rather than food), and this morning that's going in the garbage. Digital is the way to go, baby! EatSmart offers a variety of different scales including a higher end food scale that would probably be of interest to some of you. I've never been able to get into weighing my food. Here is how simple this scale is to use. Click the on button. Boom, shows 0g. Not wanting to risk scratching the gorgeous chrome plate I put a piece of paper on it to protect it. Whoops, now it says 2g. Hit the on button again to zero it out to 0g. Now I can put a quarter on there safely and see that it weighs 6g. Well what do you know! Simple example. but it really is that simple. I like this scale and it goes into the workshop for a proper duty weighing things instead of sitting in it's box on a shelf.

Dennis from Aurorae Yoga Mats sent me a yoga mat. Now, when he first offered to send me one I made it pretty clear I wasn't a yoga guy, but he sent it anyway. And I'm glad he did because it's pretty handy. But I pretty much just use it for stretching, when I do such a thing, and not for yoga but who knows maybe I will turn into a yoga guy. Aurorae offers a variety of different colored mats that "define your inner self" – I have an infinity mat which means "Strength, Sophistication, Professionalism, Potential of Endless Possibilities". The Aurorae yoga mat is an extra long yoga mat at 72"x24"x1/4" (although I'll have to take them at their word that is extra large compared to other yoga mats as this is my only one) and it looks good and doesn't smell funny, two things I suspect are important in a mat you may be schlepping around to yoga class. It unrolled and stayed unrolled very quickly and easily and it only took about 2 minutes for one of our cats to decide it was a great place for her yoga – and I couldn't keep her off of it for awhile. If yoga is your thing, check out Aurorae Yoga Mats.

The kind folks at Kraft sent me a huge box stuffed with a variety of Crystal Light Frozen Pops and Lemon Ices. The kids were excited about the shipment not just because they got to sample the treats but because it came shipped with a big block of dry ice. Who doesn't like dry ice? Good thing it came that way too because our freezer was full. Oh wait, we live in Minnesota. OK, just throw the box on the deck outside, that will work. The box actually helped insulate the frozen pops from the cold. That's life in Minnesota where you need to worry about your frozen pops getting too cold. My car thermometer read -12F yesterday morning as an example. Yeah, it's cold here. But let me tell you those Crystal Light frozen pops are low calorie but very delicious. Go to the website to request a coupon – I just did even though I still have some samples left. Good stuff.

Anna from Authors On The Web sent me a copy of Power Up: Unleash Your Natural Energy, Revitalize Your Health, and Feel 10 Years Younger, although interestingly enough when she sent it to me it was actually called "The Source" instead of "Power Up" although it is the same book. I suspect some marketing person decided that was a better name. According to the inner sleeve "The Source is the most comprehenisive., authoritative , and cutting-edge health guide avaiable on how to power up your energy, your health and your life." As I started to write this paragraph I skimmed through the book for the first time and I have to say it was compelling reading. I don't make time to read much these days like I should, hence one reason for this book having sat on the shelf, yet now that I have taken a peek at it I think I may be doing some more things with this book so stay tuned for that. The ideas presented look promising and I could see how it could help me.

Last but not least is the Mio Stride Heart Rate Monitor Watch. The selling point of this heartrate monitor watch is that it doesn't recquire a chest strap, which I know will appeal to some people. I actually like putting on the strap and my current monitor works well, so I really don't want to crack open the box on this thing. Rather, I'm going to give it away. So, if you are still with me at this point, you live in the US (sorry Andrew!) and you would like a brand spanking new heart rate watch that has never been opened, be the first commenter to say "I'll take that watch!" and I'll contact you privately to arrange shipment.

There, a little weight shed and I feel better. Now on to the real stuff.

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Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

It's a New Year – Time to Shed Some Weight

Disclaimer: An Isagenix consultant paid for my 9 day cleanse program, however the results and opinions shared are purely my own and I am under no obligation to report on the results one way or another.

Shortly after returning from my Nutrilite trip I was contacted by an Isagenix consultant who believed that I could benefit from the health benefits of Isagenix nutritional cleansing. I initially ignored the request but eventually after numerous emails I decided it was worth giving it a try. Skeptical but intrigued not only in the possibility for actually losing weight but also for trying to use this as a means to shake lose the dicipline I have been lacking lately I decided to give it a shot and document here the results.

Here is how they describe the program:

The Isagenix Cleansing and Fat Burning System is a comprehensive system packed with life-enriching nutrients to strengthen your body's ability to cleanse and replenish naturally. Each product plays an essential role in the cleaning and replenishing process to help you discover your body's true health potential.

The schedule for the 9 Day System is actually an 11 day process because it includes a couple of "pre-cleanse" days to prepare you. So overall the program is 2 pre-cleanse days, 2 cleanse days, 5 shake days and finally 2 more cleanse days.

I'm tracking my progress through the program which I will publish in a couple of parts. Here's Part 1:

Pre-Cleanse Day #1
A pre-cleanse day is basically the same as a shake day so I started the day off replacing breakfast with an IsaLean Chocolate shake. The instructions called for 8 ounces of purified water and ice and two scoops of the shake mix to be blended together. I don't know what purified water is but I figured the filtered water from my refrigerator would be good enough so I used that. And 8 ounces of water didn't seem like it would make a big enough shake so I used more like 12, which I was later regretting when I couldn't drink the whole shake! The IsaShake tastes pretty similar to other whey protein shakes I have had although since I make those with skim milk this one had a little different consistency and taste. It was actually pretty good, very rich and filling and like I said, I couldn't even drink it all. 8 ounces for me next time! I also had a Natural Accelerator capsule.

There are a number of snack options available but I was so busy this day that I got right to lunch without worrying about hunger. For lunch I had a turkey sub at Subway, had mustard instead of mayo, with no olive oil. I did have cheese, which is something I should cut out. Much better than my normal Subway Tuna Sandwich. I did try a snack later in the day and one of the snack options are something included in the program which is called IsaDelight, which are small chocolate pills (they call them wafers, but wafers imply something thin and light, and these are no wafers). They were simply nasty. My IsaGenix consultant has suggested that I have to eat them no matter how nasty they are, but I am going to take a pass. Just not going to work for me.

I had a long drive home so I did have a protein bar for a snack during the drive, then when I got home I had some celery and some fruit, but I did not have another IsaLean shake like the program called for. Still, I felt overall like it was a good day.

Pre-Cleanse Day #2
On this day I really didn't follow the program at all, however I did eat sensibly throughout the day, which after all is my ultimate goal. For breakfast I had a banana and some yogurt, for lunch I had a turkey wrap with a small side salad and for a snack I had a protein bar. Luckily for me when I got home my wife had made dinner but my son had some friends over so there really wasn't too much left for me – but it was enough to satisfy me. I also ate a reasonable amount of pineapple, celery and orange peppers. I also had a Natural Accelerator capsule in the morning.

Cleanse Day #1
Cleansing days are tough. The plan calls for having 4 eight ounce glasses of water each mixed with four ounces of Cleanse for Life liquid (a powder is also available but my plan came with the liquid), another 8 or more glasses of water throughout the day, and up to 6 snacks which as you already know I will not be using the IsaDelights. What is a snack on a cleanse day? A raw organic almond. A single almond. Oh man!

I was up pretty early in the morning and had a couple of glasses of water, then later I had a Natural Accelerator capsule and then had my first glass of water mixed with the Cleanse for Life. It was actually really tasty! I was sure it was going to be nasty but it wasn't – this is something I wouldn't mind drinking, which is good because I'm supposed to have 4 glasses of the stuff today.

My wife and I ran a number of errands and at one point when I was getting a little hungry we were at Sam's Club and one of the food samples was almonds, so I took the 5-6 they were offering and ate them for a snack. OK – so they were dusted with cocoa powder, but still – I thought I was still being good.

We got home about 2:00 and I had another Cleanse for Life which still tasted as good as it did in the morning. Then I start to feel pretty tired. The afternoon was tough. At about 6:00 I succumbed to my hunger and ate some leftover chicken we had in the fridge, then I had some crackers, then I had some cookies my daughter made. On a normal day not a bad dinner at all. On a cleanse day, not so good. So I almost made it.

Cleanse Day #2
I weighed 294 this morning, down 5 pounds from when I started the program and lower than I have been for some time. It's good to see progress, although I know this is just water weight. But down is good and I'll take it. I can't fully credit Isagenix since I have not been great at following the plan, but on the other hand I have to fully credit Isagenix because it has forced me to think carefully about what I am putting in my mouth and that is something I know I have to get better at.

My results for the second day of the cleanse were about equal to the first. Followed the plan well until late in the day when I succumbed to my hunger and possibility even my boredom – how much do we eat simply because we are bored? – and so once again I fell off plan around dinner time. It surely didn't help that this was NFL Sunday and my Vikings were playing the night game. Although in hindsight it turned out to be nothing good to watch.

Shake Day #1
I knew today was going to be a challenge for me because I had a team outing planned for dinner. I started the day well with a shake and a supplement, had a good Subway sandwich for lunch and then ended the day at a pizza buffet. Yep, I admit it. I tried to fill my plate with salad when I could, and fortunetly the pizza slices were small so I think all in all I handled that pretty well. No question that my calories for the day were way down from normal and more in line for where they needed to be.

At this point in the program I don't know that I would make a place for Isagenix beyond this test, however it has been a good wakeup call for me to think about my eating and ultimately I have seen more weight loss than I have seen in a long while so I am happy about that.

I'll report on the final 6 days in Part 2.

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Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

My Experience with the Isagenix Cleansing and Fat Burning 9 Day System – Part 1