Oscar Aftermath: The Winners and 15 observations about the show

I'm a movie nut, of course, so I like the Academy Awards simply as an awards-delivery device. But that doesn't necessarily mean I always delight in the ways said device operates. Usually, the day after an Academy Awards show, I'm the only one defending it as nothing more than just such an operation. But last night's show displayed so little real entertainment that I'm forced to make these

Oscar Aftermath: The Winners and 15 observations about the show

I'm a movie nut, of course, so I like the Academy Awards simply as an awards-delivery device. But that doesn't necessarily mean I always delight in the ways said device operates. Usually, the day after an Academy Awards show, I'm the only one defending it as nothing more than just such an operation. But last night's show displayed so little real entertainment that I'm forced to make these

"Baby Got Back"

This is for you ladies who continuously ask the million dollar question….How do I firm up my Bum aka Gluteus maximus? How do I get that nice round, firm, cuff at the bottom, if you would like to call it that. Well ladies, I am hear to help you achieve that. Now always remember, the biggest part of achieving your goals cleaning up your diet aka eating habits. You have to eat better to look and feel better. And trust me you will. Lean foods and lower carbs will work miracles. So that is your first step.

Now to the good stuff... To really build a firm and nicely shaped bum, you have to attack it from different areas. If you look at the muscle structure, it is comprised of 3 muscles. The Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Medius, and Gluteus Minimus. So you need to make sure you are doing drills that train and work each muscle. Here are some tips that will help you out. These are drills that you can do in the privacy of your own home if need be. Give them a shot and feel free to comment back and let me know how it’s going.

Donkey Kicks: Good old fashion kicks like a mule. You start on your hands and knees, back straight and abs tight. Form is very important. These are done one leg at time of course. Bring the right knee towards your chest (Abs tight and clinched like a crunch), then send your leg back through the starting position and pushing the heel of your foot to the sky. After your have brought as far up as possible without breaking form, bring it back through to the chest and do it again.

Do 5 sets of 15 on each side. *Target Area is the Gluteus Maximus

Fire Hydrants: Picture what a dog does when he sees a fire hydrant. For some reason to them it’s just the law of nature to use it. These definitely are an assault on your hip flexors and gluteus medius. Once again you will start with on your hands and knees. This time you will mimic the action of a dog visiting a fire hydrant. You will lift the right knee away from the body as high as possible without breaking your form, and then return it back to the position right under you. Not with this you do not want to let it sit back on the ground after every rep. Keep it elevated while going through your sets. Once you have reached your rep goal, switch to the other leg. FEEEEEEL The Burn on this one.

Do 5 sets of 15 on each side. *Target area is the Gluteus Medius

(Stripper Squats): These are exactly what you are thinking, dropping your bum as low as possible. Why do you think most strippers have and really nice and firm toosh. A little bit of humor for you. But that is one of the main reasons they do. Constantly working the Gluteus maximus with every drop. Place your feet a little wider then shoulder width and your hands on either your head or waste. Begin squatting as low as you can, making sure it’s controlled. Remember to keep your chest up at all times. That way you do not irritate your back. After reaching your lowest point, return to a standing position, but when you do…remember to squeeze the glute muscles together at the top, then go back into another. Always remember to squeeze at the top of every squat.

Do 5 sets of 20. *Target areas are the Gluteus Maximus and Minimus.

These are just a couple things to get your started. Of course there are many more drills and you can add degrees of difficulties to each of them. Whether it be weights or resistant bands, there is always a way to challenge yourself.

Crazy Core Concepts.

Toilet Training while out with Children

Living with toddlers is no doubt an adventure. As these little humans begin to develop skills that make them more independent, such as speech, mobility, dressing themselves and going to the toilet on their own, they are also developing new challenges for their parents. Working through potty training can be one of the most difficult challenges... but it doesn't have to be. It takes patience and persistence. To help your toddler make the transition from diapers to the toilet, helping them get there when they're not at home is also important.

Work with other caregivers, including your daycare provider or babysitter, to be consistent in your approach to toilet training. When you are out, be especially patient. You will soon learn where the closest restroom is in every grocery store, restaurant, and mall.

It is important to know that for every child there will be accidents. This is just a normal part of toilet training. Punishing or spanking the child for an accident can only make things worse! (Children who are punished for mistakes may end up resisting the toilet altogether.) Instead, stay calm and encourage the child; remind her or him to let you know when he or she has to go. Be sure to praise your child when she or he uses the potty, and tell her or him that you are proud. Celebrate with your child when you make it through the first "dry" day and congratulate yourself on your patience.

Take part in "The Globe At Night" project - just look up at the sky tonight!

For the next week everyone is invited to participate in a global effort to measure light pollution and to learn about stars and the sky in your neighborhood, especially for those in big cities like San Francisco. The "Globe At Night" project invites people from around the world to take a few minutes in the next 7 days and look at one of the most beautiful constellations in the sky, Orion, and simply report how much of it you can see. It's easier than you think. And it's a great family project to show kids what you can see in the night sky.

The Globe At Night website provides all of the details, but in summary you compare what you see in your sky (your backyard, rooftop or any other convenient observing location) to a series of images on the Globe At Night website. By finding the image that best matches your view and reporting this on the website, you are helping to gather data from cities around the world on the relative light pollution in the sky. The constellation Orion contains stars of varying brightness, and depending upon the darkness of your skies, you will see more or less of these stars. The charts on the Globe At Night website show you Orion with differing "magnitudes" of stars, so for very light polluted cities you might only see the 1st and 2nd magnitude stars, whereas in darker skies you will see 3rd, 4th, or even 5th and 6th magnitude stars (the higher the number, the fainter the star).

Join the worldwide "Citizen Scientists" supporting this effort to increase awareness of the night sky, and take part. And bring along a friend. It's fun!

"Fitness Model of the week"

Fitness Model of the week.

This weeks Fitness model is Tara Heston, a beautiful young lady that I had the pleasure of meeting while in LA for a fashion show. A very sweet and talented young lady, in which I had the honor of sharing the Runway with at the Fast Break Fashion show, for NBA All-star weekend.  

This young lady is from Frazee, Minnesota and has been modeling and acting from the age of 15. A woman of many talents, she is just as comfortable on the runway as she is doing commercial work, print work, and most important…fitness modeling. She moved to LA from Minnesota after graduating with a degree in Fashion. She booked her first supporting role in a film called “Dark Return”, which aired in the Chicago area. After which, La was her next stop. She has done commercials with “Living Spaces” and has walked in many shows including the famous “Fredericks of Hollywood”. When it comes to athleticism, you are talking to the right woman. Talented in Volleyball, Basketball, Track and Field, Yoga, and swimming, this young lady is the definition of hard work and intelligence.

Crazy Core Concepts

Letting natural consequences teach a lesson

A natural consequence is something that may happen naturally if your child does or does not do something. If parents allow them to work, natural consequences can be the best teachers for our children. Meaning – parents must be willing to not interfere with the consequence their child has “earned” as a result of his or her behavior. Of course, if a natural consequence puts your child in an un-safe position or can result in a life-long consequence, you must intervene.

However, many children are “rescued” by parents instead of being given the opportunity to safely experience the consequences of their actions. And for this, many children simply do not learn to be responsible. For example, a household rule may be the put dirty clothes in the hamper every day. That’s a bare-minimum request, right?

A natural consequence to a child not putting their dirty clothes in the hamper means that clothes don’t get washed. Period! However, if a (loudly complaining) adult always goes into the child’s room to pick clothes up off the floor on laundry day, the child isn’t learning to be responsible for his or her clothing.

Parents have a choice; continue to ignore the child’s refusal to follow the rule and pick the clothes up - which is only teaching the child that someone will take up the slack for his or her irresponsibility - or leave the clothing where it is and let the child suffer the consequence of having no clean clothes.

After a couple of weeks of this, I’m betting most children will “get with the program” and follow the rule. I’d be willing to push for his or her independence a little more by TEACHING the child how to sort clothes and run the washer and dryer himself. End result is a responsible, independent child and a happier, quieter household.

Likewise, a natural consequence for forgetting to study for a test may is that the child may do poorly on the test. Parents, you are not doing your children any favors by letting them stay home “sick” on test day because they were irresponsible. In fact, you may be encouraging the irresponsibility!

The world is full of natural consequences. See how many lessons your child can learn this week by allowing natural consequences to do the job.

My predictions for the 2011 Academy Awards

Given that you know from my Top 40 Movies of 2010 article what I thought were the best movies of last year, I'll contain my griping and complaining about what was left off this year's Oscar nomination roll. I will say this: as much as I like The King's Speech, we all know that The Social Network is the better, more important film. Nevertheless, Fincher's film will probably lose out to the more

My predictions for the 2011 Academy Awards

Given that you know from my Top 40 Movies of 2010 article what I thought were the best movies of last year, I'll contain my griping and complaining about what was left off this year's Oscar nomination roll. I will say this: as much as I like The King's Speech, we all know that The Social Network is the better, more important film. Nevertheless, Fincher's film will probably lose out to the more

My Movie Poster Collection: A

As always, click on the poster you like to see a larger image: THE ABDUCTORS (Don Schain, 72). Folded, GI don't have posters for The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, but I do have one-sheets for both Ginger and its sequel The Abductors. So that shows you where my priorities are. THE ABYSS (James Cameron, 89). Rolled, GGodawful, boring poster for perhaps James Cameron's best movie. With

My Movie Poster Collection: A

As always, click on the poster you like to see a larger image: THE ABDUCTORS (Don Schain, 72). Folded, GI don't have posters for The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, but I do have one-sheets for both Ginger and its sequel The Abductors. So that shows you where my priorities are. THE ABYSS (James Cameron, 89). Rolled, GGodawful, boring poster for perhaps James Cameron's best movie. With

Forgiveness in marrige: Is it always a good thing?

When a couple gets married, more than one friend or family member passes on the time-honored advice to “never go to bed angry.” Indeed, relationship experts have long emphasized the importance of forgiveness in marriage, a teaching that can seem hard to argue with.

But how does forgiving one’s spouse for minor transgressions, like nagging, arguing, or moodiness, affect the likelihood that he or she will do it again?

Researchers writing in the Journal of Family Psychology recently asked 135 newly married couples to keep a diary for a week. Each day, participants recorded whether their spouse did anything negative and whether they forgave him or her. Results revealed that spouses who forgave their partners were twice as likely to report poor spousal behavior again the next day. In fact, when partners reported both forgiven transgressions and un-forgiven transgressions, their spouses were six times more likely to transgress the next day if they had been forgiven.

Although the study did not explore whether the forgiving spouse had actually told their partner they had forgiven them, these results indicate that forgiveness alone may not be enough. In fact, forgiveness may actually encourage further transgressions among partners who often behave poorly. These negative behaviors may be a symptom of other relationship difficulties that require more direct intervention. While “never going to bed angry” continues to be wise advice, partners should recognize that truly resolving their conflicts may require more than just forgiveness.

"Hard Gainers"

Dedicated to those who have a tough time gaining weight and mass. I was one of these unfortunate individuals as well until I figured out the balance. It is a very simple science. Basically the reverse of what you would do if you were trying to lose weight. To gain weight...You have to double your Carbohydrate and protein intake along with changing your reps to lower numbers and work with heavier weights. Here is the game plan.

Basically your diet is going to be the biggest challenge. Hitting the weights is the easy part. You have got to up the protein and amount of meals per day  and be good with your optimum timing.  Optimum timing means this. After a workout your body is in a recovery state and is begging for proteins and nutrients to start the rebuilding process. This is the Optimum time to really get the most out of the workout you just did. Feed the body within this time for the best results.

Next is the workouts. What you want to do is go with heavier weight and lower reps. Somewhere between 6 and 10. This is actually what most professionals call the bulking process. You are lifting heavy and doing less reps. This really fatigues and tears down the muscles dramatically.

So with the combination of a great diet and hard weights, you can gain the weight that you need.

Crazy Core Concepts

Seeing Summer in Winter - Scorpius and Sagittarius

The early morning sky this week holds some treasures for star gazers. As the view of the heavens changes from season to season, we have a chance to see the symmetry of our sky by looking south-east in the morning. In winter, we see the majestic winter sky in the evening, but by early morning we see the summer sky! How is this possible? Every 12 hours as the Earth rotates on its axis, we face the different constellations and in fact see the "opposite" season in the morning. This week, as the old Moon passes through the summer constellations of Scorpius and Sagittarius, it accentuates the rich beauty of these two constellations, both of which contain many treasures for the unaided eye as well as for those who wish to get out their binoculars for a closer look.

Sagittarius is located in same direction as the center of the Milky Way, and Scorpius is just next to this, so both contain a richness of nebulae and star clusters that are easy to find in binoculars. It's worth the extra 2 minutes in the morning to take a look if you can get outside before the first light of dawn, before 6:00 am in San Francisco.

Single mothers are teaching boys to do housework

In many families, children help out with chores, from washing dishes to mowing the lawn. However, boys and girls often have different jobs, with girls doing more cooking and cleaning and boys more household repairs and lawn care, reflecting our culture’s beliefs about gender and housework. Girls also spent more time overall on chores --about an hour more a week, according to some estimates.

On the other hand, a small study published in the Journal of Family Issues finds that in some single-mother families, these traditions are being challenged. Researchers looked at what prompted low- and moderate-income unmarried mothers to ask their sons to do housework, and how sons reacted.

Most boys helped out with a variety of chores, including ones typically considered “female,” such as ironing and laundry. Many also watched younger siblings, and a few also babysat for neighbors or other relatives.

Pressed for time and money, mothers relied on sons, and boys did a “significant amount” of work. But mothers’ motivations went deeper: They believed that boys should learn to do housework because it teaches “practical life skills and responsibility”. Also, a key motivation was to raise a son to be a good partner and “pull his own weight” once in a family of his own.

Although some boys resisted these responsibilities, most felt competent and satisfied with their work, while recognizing the importance of helping their mothers. Meanwhile, the mothers took pride in their sons as their families challenged long-held traditions about household work.

"The Hotel Workout"

This is for all of you have travel and do not have time or the access to hit the Gym. It doesn't have to be a total disaster. There are still a couple things you can do to maximize and capitalize on a good workout. All that is needed is a chair, the floor in which you are already standing on, and some good workout music.

Here is a good combination:

3 circuits with a 1 minute recovery in between.

Circuit #1
Pushups to 20 (without breaking form)
Diamond Pushups for 15
Wide grip pushups for 15
Dips on a chair (feet on floor)
Dips on a chair (Feet on the bed)

Circuit #2
Squats for 30 (down to a chair position)
Step out lunges 2 on each leg (on leg at a time)
Deep Squats for 20 (wide stance, nice and low)
Step out lunges for 20 (Alternating steps)

Circuit #3
Bicycle abs for 1 minute
Crunches for 40
Toe Touches (Feet straight up) for 30 on each side
Feet Flutters (up and down) for 30 secs
Feet Crosses (Side to side) for 30 secs
Hip Rolls for 20.

Enjoy,

Crazy Core Concepts

Single Parenting and the Time Crunch

If there is one thing single parents can get stressed about, it is lack of time to meet all their responsibilities. Most say they have too little time and too much to do. Learning to manage time is a problem for most people--not just single parents. Everyone has 24 hours a day; no one can get more. However, to have enough time to do the things that are important to us, we need to learn to control and manage our use of time. Start by making a list of your priorities and another list of things you spend time on that are not very important.

We can make a promise to ourselves to take control of our time. We can learn to cut out less important activities in order to free up time for more important ones. Sometimes events, other people, and our feelings keep us from accomplishing what we want. Everybody has a few of these barriers--barriers that take up time that we could be using to reach our goals. Typical time wasters include spending too much time on the telephone, spending too much time watching TV, not using short blocks of time constructively, "breaks" that turn into "vacations," and being impatient. Another example of a time waster is anything “high maintenance,” which can include morning routines, hair styles/make up, household clutter and simply having too much stuff, such as toys and clothes. A time waster and distraction for children is often television – so you may want a “no TV rule” on school mornings so they can stay focused.

Many people also have unrealistic time expectations and underestimate the amount of time it takes to accomplish a task, get the children up and ready for their day, time needed for homework, or to drive somewhere.

The next step is to decide if we can delegate tasks to others in the household. Even young children can help if we teach them how. Make a list of chores that your children are capable of doing and remember to add more responsibilities as they get older. For more information on time management for single parents, so to: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/HE/HE33900.pdf.

Adults with Kids at Home Eat More Fat

When my children were young, and as a working mom, I often sought the foods that I could put on the table quickly and without hearing the dreaded, “Ewwww… do I have to eat THAT?!” I also loaded my pantry with those easy-to-distribute and “fun” to eat pre-packaged snacks that were easy to throw in a backpack, lunch box, or that my children could grab when they got home from school.

Unfortunately, many of those foods are loaded with fat. Like so many other parents who make these same food choices for their children, that fat also ended up in my diet.

According to a study recently published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, adults who have young children at home are eating significantly more fat than those who live without children. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey that included a national sample of almost 7,000 adults, researchers from the University of Iowa found that adults with children in their home consumed nearly 5 more grams of fat and 1.7 more grams of saturated fat every day – about the same as a slice of pepperoni pizza! Figure that amounts to eating a pizza a week!

They reported that “time pressures and constraints, children’s preferences for high fat, high sugar foods and parents’ perceptions of what children are likely to eat” lead parents to purchase more restaurant, ready-to-eat, or snack foods that are typically higher in fat content. And, when they are available, parents are more likely to eat these foods as well.

The researchers point out that while parents should be guiding what their children eat, instead the kids are influencing their parents’ diets. They recommend that parents seek healthier meal and snack options that will improve the diet of the entire family!

What Every Child Needs for Good Mental Health

To grow healthy and strong, children need good food, plenty of sleep, exercise and fresh air. Children have emotional needs too. To have good health - and to be both healthy and happy, all children require…
LOVE
Every child needs to feel:
• That his parents like him for himself, just the way he is.
• That they like her all the time, and not only when she acts how they think she should act.
• That they always accept him, even though often they may not approve of the things he does.
• That they will let her grow and develop in her own way.

SECURITY
Every child needs to know:
• That his home is a good safe place and he can feel sure about it.
• That her parents will always be on hand, especially in times of crisis when she needs them most.
• That he belongs to a family or group; that there is a place where he fits in.

PROTECTION
Every child needs to feel:
• That his parents will keep him safe from harm.
• That they will help her when she must face strange, unknown and frightening situations.

FAITH
Every child needs to have:
• A set of moral standards to live by.
• A belief in the human values - kindness, courage, honesty, generosity and justice.

INDEPENDENCE
Every child needs to know:
• That her parents want her to grow up and that they encourage her to try new things.
• That they have confidence in him and in his ability to do things for himself and by himself.

GUIDANCE
Every child needs to have:
• Grown-ups around him who show him by example how to get along with others.
• Friendly help in learning how to behave toward persons and things.

CONTROL
Every child needs to know
• That here are limits to what she is permitted to do and that her parents will hold her to those limits.
• That though it is all right to feel jealous or angry, he will not be allowed to hurt himself or others when he has these feelings.

Children whose basic needs are satisfied have a better chance to grow up in good mental health and to become mentally healthy adults – people who are good parents, good mates, good workers, good neighbors, and good citizens.

The Winter Sky Beckons

The Winter Sky beckons me to stop what I am doing and pay attention, for the view of the heavens in this magical season is unlike any other. Here in San Francisco, when it is not raining (as was the case for most of January through today), the air is dry and the atmosphere clear, giving the casual observer sparkling vistas into the heavens. And as this kind of weather happens with regularity in the winter, and the hours of darkness are at their maximum, it is all but impossible to miss the winter sky.

Evenings right now are dominated by the slowly fading planet Jupiter high in the west at sunset, and the colorful bright stars of Orion high in the southern sky, Canis Major and Sirius to the lower left of Orion, and Taurus and Aldeberan to the upper right of Orion. Facing north, the Big Dipper and Cassiopeia trade places every 24 hours, circling Polaris, the North Star. And later in the night to the east are a variety of treasures in Virgo with Saturn in the vicinity. Two weeks ago the morning sky featured the old Moon passing through Scorpios and Sagittarius, creating beautiful alignments that accented the eastern horizon at dawn.

The most important thing to do, if you want to see these amazing sky spectacles, is to keep your eyes open and look up - - nothing more than that is necessary to be captivated by the spell of the sky. No need for a telescope or binoculars. This time of year the stars dazzle in the night, and appear to be asking all of us to take a moment to contemplate their majesty and come to appreciate the universe, awaiting your view each night of the year.

My Movie Poster Collection: B

As always, click on each image to see them larger: B MONKEY (Michael Radford, 98). Rolled, G I've never even seen this movie, but I sure do love me some Asia Argento. This is the best American poster featuring her magnificent visage. BABY LOVE (Alastair Reid, 68). Folded, GSure would! Why not? Especially if she wears that little skirt all the time. BAD COMPANY (Robert Benton, 72). Folded,

My Movie Poster Collection: B

As always, click on each image to see them larger: B MONKEY (Michael Radford, 98). Rolled, G I've never even seen this movie, but I sure do love me some Asia Argento. This is the best American poster featuring her magnificent visage. BABY LOVE (Alastair Reid, 68). Folded, GSure would! Why not? Especially if she wears that little skirt all the time. BAD COMPANY (Robert Benton, 72). Folded,

"Fitness Model of the Week"

"A great friend and Motivator".

Mt Vernon NY Native.  Zakiyyah Modeste is a Renaissance woman to its true form Runner, Performer, and Activist by nature.  She has a strong passion for people becoming the best that they can be.  Zakiyyah was given the name Sista Zock from 1340 wkgn radio station formally known was wkjb one of James Browns stations in TN.
       A Member of the Carpetbag Theater Zakiyyah embraced their mission giving people who had been silenced by racism, class-ism,sexism and other forms of oppression.  She directed their youth ensemble.  Also still engaged in the TN culture as she is the Mistress of Ceremonies each year.
        Zakiyyah was a division 1 athlete at the University of Tennessee as a Track and Field athlete.  She is still currently "Running, Singing and Dancing" and works as a fitness instructor, personal trainer and manager of one of NY popular fitness facilities.

And this is why she is the "Fitness Model of the Week"

Crazy Core Concepts

Baby's Intellectual Development

A few years back, thanks to the advent of computer animation, filmmakers found audiences were entertained by the notion of understanding what babies might actually be communicating in the “Look Who’s Talking” movie series. Were it so easy. While babies appear to have “dialogue” with one another and can get quite a conversation rolling with baby babble, experts say that babies are still working on “mamma,” “dada,” and “no” until they’re between 8 and 15 months old.


Still, at around nine months, babies are steadily increasing their ability to communicate. At this point they can probably respond to a few words such as their “name,” “bottle,” “no,” or “ball.” That babble they offer in return is their way of developing their first words so it’s important to play dialogue games with babies. As far as they know, they ARE talking with you. Talking back to them will encourage babies to develop their vocabulary.

Babies will begin to explore their environments at this stage as well. They are curious and will spend a lot of time investigating things. They now understand cause and effect and the concept of object permanence. Before now, if a baby cannot see an object, the object does not seem to exist for him or her. This is the time to start playing peek-a-boo, to bring out the pop-up toys and to read books with big pictures. These activities will further stimulate their intellectual development.

Healthy Snacking for Children

Every kid loves a good snack. Unfortunately, many parents think that all snacking is bad and leads to weight gain. Although this might be the case with snacking on cookies, chips, and candy all day, healthy snacking is an important component of a child's nutrition. Childhood is a time of rapid growth, and meeting the nutritional needs associated with normal development is critical to a child's well-being. Since children have much smaller stomachs than adults, healthy snacking helps to provide nutrients between meals in order to help them meet their daily nutritional needs. The key is learning how to make healthy snack choices and avoid consuming too many snacks that are high in added sugars and low in nutrients.


Healthy snack choices can provide children with some of the vitamins, minerals, proteins, and calories they need for growth, energy, and overall good health. In fact, healthy snacks can satisfy nutrient gaps and provide up to one quarter of a child's daily energy needs. Healthy snacking satisfies hunger between meals, improves concentration, and prevents overeating at mealtime.

Try to keep snack portions small and less than 250 calories. Small portions are especially important for those occasional snacks that contain lots of added sugars and are low in nutritional value.

Serve regular meals and snacks every three to four hours. Allowing adequate time between meals and snacks will ensure that children are not too full to eat their meals. Structured meals and snacks also will keep kids from eating out of boredom. Avoid using food as a reward or as way to calm an upset child to prevent emotional eating later on.

Buying snacks from a vending machine or grabbing a bag of chips or cookies is usually an unhealthy temptation for families on the go. Be prepared by having healthy snacks on hand to make it easier for your child to make smart snack choices.

"Nice Rack"

Now for those of you with a very creative mind, this may not be what you are thinking. There are many different views as to what a nice core looks like. So the question was raised. What does a great core look like? What defines it and what are the characteristics of a great core? Once again…What is a “Nice Rack”

Lets look at how the core is broken down. As you can see from the pictures above, the Core or Trunk, is composed of the Rectus Abdominis, Transverse Abdominis, External Obliques, and Internal Obliques. Its good to a nice and cut Rectus and Transverse Abdominis. But what really brings out the “WoW” factor, are the External Obliues and Internal Obliques aka “A Nice Rack” . This show of definition and muscle pretty much seals the deal for a nice solid core. It completes the package, if you will. Think of it as the hood on the most famous snake in the world, the Cobra. Looking at it in a relaxed state, you are intimidated but not a whole lot. Its well developed, lean and slender. But when irritated it will open its hood adding depth, definition, and size to an already intimidating frame. That is how the Obliques are. It adds depth, size and that intimidation factor to an already developed core. A "Nice Rack" will definitely get peoples attention

Impact of Divorce on Teens

With more than one million divorces in the U.S. annually, many teens are experiencing dramatic changes in their lives.


University of Florida researchers say that some teenaged children react to their parents' divorce in unhealthy ways. They may act out or rebel, feel angry or hurt, refuse to accept the divorce, and might become highly critical of others.

Dr. Millie Ferrer with University of Florida IFAS Extension recommends telling your teen about the divorce as soon as the decision is made. Let them know what changes may be occurring in the future, such as moving to a new house or school. Although changes will most likely happen, UF experts recommend that you try to follow your normal family routines as much as possible to help your teen cope.

If possible, both parents should participate in this conversation, so sit down ahead of time and discuss what you are going to calmly tell your teen. Do not go into the details of your marital problems, but have a brief explanation ready for them when they ask. Encourage your teen to ask questions about the divorce and share their feelings with you.

Most importantly, tell your teen that they are in no way responsible for the divorce and should not blame themselves. Honest and open communication will help your family cope with changes in the family structure.

“Fit Model of the week”

My newest client and Modeling friend Jacqueline DaFonseca…..Better known as Doll (America's sweetheart) from Vh1's hit reality show "Real Chance of Love 2"

This young lady fought hard to the top and won. That shows determination and perseverance. She is also a commercial and print model whom has done numerous ads for Macy’s, A.J Wright and etc. This young lady is not just beautiful and talented, she is also intelligent. With a degree from Fitchburg University in Criminal Justice, concentration, Pre-Law, she is a force to be reckoned with. 

Crazy Core Concepts

Immigrant Family Strengths

According to the 2000 U.S. Census Bureau, about one in five children was an immigrant or had at least one immigrant parent. While these newcomer children and their families face numerous challenges, they also have many strengths. In fact, in some ways, children of immigrant parents are better off than U.S.-born children.


In some ways, immigrant children tend to be healthier than U.S.-born children. Babies born to immigrant mothers are less likely to be born with a low birth-weight and less likely to die in the first year of life than babies born to native.

Immigrant children are also more likely to live with two parents, and they are twice as likely to live with other relatives. Living with two parents or an extended family group can also provide a child with needed income, housing, and other support.

Finally, immigrant children have high educational goals. They tend to spend more time doing homework and do better in school, at least through middle school. They are also less likely to be involved in substance abuse, early sexual intercourse, delinquency, and violence .

Researchers caution that some immigrant families face more hardships than others. Children and families from parts of Latin America, Indochina, and the non-English speaking Caribbean often face tremendous difficulties. Poverty, language barriers, parents' lower educational levels, refugee status, and discrimination put children at risk. However, researchers suggest that policies and programs that assist these children can help them reach their potential as productive adults and nurturing parents.

“I’m a woman, please don’t make me bulky.”

This has to be the comment given to all of us personal trainers by our female clients when weights are introduced into the workout regimen. Ladies, it is ok. Do not be afraid of weights, for they are here to help. No you will not become built like a man if you use weights. No your arms will not get really big, nor will your legs become big either. Most of you ladies see the female body builders and think that this is the result of weights. Sadly mistaken. That would be the result of workouts about 3 times a day, heavy weights, insane meal plan (close to 8 times a day), insane amount of protein shakes and bars, high caloric and protein filled meals, and in some cases a bit of steroids or testosterone filled supplements. This is not something that occurs by doing 3 sets of 12.

Weights are essential to those wishing to tone up and can assist with those trying to lose weight. It adds resistance to drills and forces the muscles to work much harder to complete the range of motion desired. Lighter weights and multiple reps are the key to toning up those arms, legs, back, shoulders, and so on. So Please..Do not be afraid of weights. They are here to help.

Caregiving and Legal Issues

When care for an elderly or sick relative begins, discussions on financial and legal topics can be uncomfortable for both the caregiver and their relative. As hard as this may be, UF researchers say talking about legal matters is important.


As a caregiver, you should know the location of your relative's important legal documents. This includes their birth certificate, Social Security card, insurance papers and property deeds. Are these kept at home or in a bank box? Where would your relative prefer them to be kept? If something should happen to your relative, will you have access to these items?

If your relative has a Will, or other such documentation, find out where they keep it and who helped them to create it. You might want to meet with a lawyer to review what the Will says and to make sure it is up to date. If your relative does not have a Will, ask if they would like to create one and help them find a professional who can help them do so.

Also discuss with your relative who will have power of attorney to make legal and medical decisions if something were to happen to them. If they have made this decision, speak with their lawyer to review the paperwork.

Asking your relative these simple questions now can prevent potentially catastrophic problems down the road. There are too many sad stories of families caught off-guard and dealing with picking up the pieces at an already difficult time.