Kudos...

To Dan Jackson, a client of mine.  He weighed in at his doctor's on Friday and has taken 18 pounds off in the past three months.  He is down to 176 lbs.  That's almost 10 percent of his body weight!  How did he do it?  What is his secret?

Sorry, folks, no secret.  Diet and exercise.  He's eating far fewer carbs, far more fruit and vegetables and drinking far less alcohol.  Cardio, five hundred calories six times per week.  Yep, you have heard it all before, and so had Dan; he has been a client of mine for more than three years but only this spring started paying attention to what I'm saying.  Now put down those chips, bite into an apple and join Dan on the elliptical!

Congratulations Dan!  More good news on other clients to come.

Tax on junk food

NYT writer Mark Bittman proposes serious taxes on junk food and subsidies for vegetables and fruit.  Great idea, Mark.  How many (junk) food industry lobbyists are cranking up their machinery to shoot this down before it has a chance?

OP-ED COLUMNIST

Bad Food? Tax It, and Subsidize Vegetables

By MARK BITTMAN

WHAT will it take to get Americans to change our eating habits? The need is indisputable, since heart disease, diabetes and cancer are all in large part caused by the Standard American Diet. (Yes, it’s SAD.)

Though experts increasingly recommend a diet high in plants and low in animal products and processed foods, ours is quite the opposite, and there’s little disagreement that changing it could improve our health and save tens of millions of lives.

And — not inconsequential during the current struggle over deficits and spending — a sane diet could save tens if not hundreds of billions of dollars in health care costs.  Full story:  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/opinion/sunday/24bittman.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=food&st=Search

SNBF competition pictures, results

Here are the results, the pictures of my body after months of intensive workouts and carefully planned dieting.  I placed third in my class, novice middle weight, the biggest class in the competition.   This competition was the hardest competition, mentally, that I have ever put myself through.  I would rather deal with being in the 4th quarter of the championship game and losing!

Thanks to everyone for their support, especially Tim Joyce for training me, Ben Fitzpatrick and Gisela Hodgson of Fitness @ Five gym for sponsoring me, and to everyone who wished me luck and helped me keep faith in myself.  Special shout out to my grandmother who always told me that I could achieve anything I want as long as I put my mind to it.  And believe me, this was as much a mental exercise as it was physical.

Night before preparation.  That's Tim Joyce with the paintbrush.  Thanks for your coaching and support, Tim.  I could not have done it without you.

Prejudging

Tony's routine

Tying on the feedbag in Gainesville.

Later in the evening back at the casa.

What's next?  I'm already planning my next challenge.  Competitive sports?  Maybe...

Front page news!

Hi all!

We are down to the last 5 days before the competition.  And over the weekend the local paper ran a big story on me on the front page!  Check it out.  http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/070911/new_854585487.shtml
here is a photo from last week.   Wish me luck.  Tony

Only 9 days til competition!

Well friends I've got only a few days left to drop my weight from 190 to 186, and to shave off a few more pounds.  It's been a real challenge but I'm feeling great.  Now I'm looking ahead to my next challenge.  Here is a recent picture of me at 190 lbs.  Wish me luck!

Form! Get better results with great form.

I am working on a short video, showing good form in a few exercises.  It p****s me off that people take the time to go to the gym but don't have the patience or sense to do their exercises right.  So I will show you some of the dopey things I've seen people do while working out in the gym.  These folks want to get through their workout fast and they take short cuts.  Slow down!  Watch your form and I guarantee you will get better results.  Clue:  When you use the right form, any exercise will work you a bit harder and you will feel the difference when you do your sets.  I'll post the video in a few days.

What intensity looks like