The Blue Hawaiian

THE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE BEEN BIG ONES FOR ME PERSONALLY....Building my Los Angeles fitness practice, working with the X PRIZE to help launch the private space tourism industry, and about to open my second studio, in Glendale, California next month.

Yes, I'm a fitness coach and, well -- sometimes ya just gotta relax. So I figured after two years of hard work that I deserved a vacation. This weekend I'm in Hawaii, and in honor of that, I thought I'd share one of my favorite cocktail recipes. This drink was created by Harry Yee, the original bartender at the Hawaii Hilton in 1957. He created the drink to help Bols market their (at the time) "new" Blue Curacao liqueur. While there are many variations on this recipe, this is the authentic version (and my favorite). Props to my buddy MIKE HITT for sharing it with me back in 2001.

THE BLUE HAWAIIAN [ain't it pretty?]

3/4 oz. Light Rum
3/4 oz. Vodka
1/2 oz. Blue Caracao
3 oz. Pineapple Juice
1 oz. Sweet & Sour Mix

Combine and mix well. Serve in a tall glass over ice. Garnish with a slice of pineapple and a cherry. Enjoy, and ALOHA!

Obesity & Physical Inactivity Leads to Heart Disease In Women

A study I read today shows that obesity and physical inactivity together (and independently) contribute to the development of coronary heart disease in women.

No matter what you've heard, the best way to counteract heart disease is a low-fat, balanced diet and regular cardiovascular exercise, in addition to consistent weight training. It's the little changes that add up to big results over the long haul.

Drugs Cure Depression In Only Half of Patients--Exercise Still King

A NEW REPORT in the Washington Post shows that antidepressants fail to cure the symptoms of major depression in half of all patients with the disease--even if they receive the best possible care. This, according to a major government study released yesterday.

Significant numbers of patients continue to experience symptoms such as sadness, low energy and hopelessness after intensive treatment, even as about an equal number report an end to such problems -- a result that quickly lent itself to interpretations that the glass was either half empty or half full.

This study is important because it demonstrates that taking a pill to fix your sitch is NOT always the answer. It also bears pointing out that regular EXERCISE has been proven--in study after study--to lift depression. Exercise conducted outdoors, especially in the bright light, has also been shown to be a powerful antidepressant.

How Safe is "Boot Camp?"

WHEN I WAS IN ARMY ROTC at Gonzaga University, we spent one spring weekend at Fort Lewis, Wash. at an experience I like to call, "hell" -- but for the blog, I'll call it "Spring Camp." This camp was an exercise in will, determination and ferocity for the more than 400 cadets who attended. It required dexterity, leadership, endurance, cardiovascular and muscular conditioning, and an iron will as we were put to the test--daily--by our drill sergeants, fellow cadet leaders, and officers.

Not everyone has the opportunity to experience the hell of Spring Camp -- but by now you've undoubtedly heard of BOOT CAMP, (and its distant cousin, TAE BO or CARDIO KICKBOXING). I've trained dozens of clients who've participated in such "camps" and experiences. Some folks swear by them -- the camaraderie, the "hoo-hah" spirit which mimicks the military's own effective PT training can be alluring. However, I have justifiable concerns about the safety of these "camps" after working with many clients who have found themselves dehydrated, or worse, injured, by the "camp's" intensity.

To be sure, any participation in an organized cardiovascular workout (the military's notwithstanding) involves some degree of risk. But remember, these environments are unlike any other. It's vital that if you're participating in this type of training that you remember the following things:

1) YOU ARE THE BEST JUDGE OF YOUR ABILITIES. No matter how hard a "boot camp instructor" pushes you, it is vital that you monitor your own energy and exertion.

2) YOU MUST STAY HYDRATED. It is absolutely vital that you do not fall victim to "group think" in a boot camp environment. The 20-year-old athlete may not need as much water as you. You must keep yourself hydrated to prevent yourself from overheating.

3) ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU SIGN UP. Make sure the facility has adequate circulation, air conditioning, ventilation. Verify that all of the instructors are certified AND insured.

4) WHEN IN DOUBT, BE CONSERVATIVE. It's better for you to lag behind, take a break, get some water, or just stop if you need to. It's not worth injuring yourself just to impress the drill instructor.

5) USE PROPER FOOTWEAR. You'll need to make sure that your shoes are in working order. This will protect your ankles, feet, and joints from undue wear and tear.

I've seen far too many clients and friends start BOOT CAMP and similar programs and then fall prone to injury, overtraining, or get disheartened. Be careful when it comes to "military style" group exercise.

Something Fishy This Way Comes

PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS ASKING me my opinion on the best protein sources for maintaining one's lean body mass (LBM). You can get protein from many different sources -- meat, soy, eggs, whey -- and fish. Recently, fish has been in the news as targets of the sushi industry have taken aim at the fish's (sometimes) high levels of mercury. A couple of things to keep in mind when you're dining out or choosing fish. Ask yourself: where's the seafood from? Is it imported or fresh from here in the U.S.? Was it caught in the wild, or farmed. You can learn more by visiting seafoodwatch.org

When it comes to eating fish in the United States, here are my "BEST CHOICES" followed by the fish to "AVOID" altogether.

BEST CHOICES
These are your best seafood choices in the United States. These fish are abundant, well managed and caught or farmed in environmentally friendly ways.

Abalone
Catfish
Clams, Mussels, Oysters (farmed)
Cod
Crab (Dungeness or Snow)
Halibut (Pacific)
Lobster (Spiny - U.S.)
Pollock (wild-caught from AK)
Salmon (wild-caught from AK)
Shrimp (preferably from Oregon)
Striped Bass
Trout (Rainbow-farmed)
Tuna (Alcabore, Bigeye, Yellowfin)
White Seabass

AVOID
These are fish to avoid, at least right now. They come from overfished sources and/or are caught or farmed in ways that harm other marine life and the environment

Chilean Seabass
Atlantic Cod
King Crab (imported)
Pacific Roughy
Lobster (imported)
Orange Roughy
Rockfish
Salmon (all farmed Salmon, including Atlantic)
Sharks
Sturgeon
Swordfish (imported)
Tuna (Bluefin)

The Doctor Will See You For Exactly 7 Minutes

I spent the day yesterday with a sick buddy--taking him to see various doctors, nurses and specialists. During the course of the day, we both got a fresh taste (one might say "wake up call") of the current medical system in the United States. I couldn't believe how many times yesterday I felt frustrated at the lack of basic human communication skills of these health care professionals.

It seems so basic, but out of the dozen medical professionals we interacted with yesterday, I'd say only two of them were actually very good listeners.

There's a saying: "Seek first to understand, then to be understood." I don't know who said it, but it strikes me as very true for a trainer--as well as a doctor. If I don't take the time to listen to my clients, to actually HEAR what they're experiencing and what's going on for them, then my training program is really just a crock. Similarly, the best doctor/patient interactions I experienced yesterday were ones where the doctor just plain LISTENED first, before trying to prescribe or diagnose.

Is it any wonder that the most highly trained physicians--the ones with 30 or more years of experience under their belt-- were the best at listening? Is it any wonder that they also seemed the most calm, centered, and objective? Is it any wonder that the physicians who were the WORST at listening were also seeing patients in a revolving door -- back to back, sometimes at the same time -- in different rooms?

I, for one, would be happy to pay a doctor out of pocket if I could have his/her FULL, UNDIVIDED attention for the duration of the appointment. That means no competing phone calls, no competing patients, no long waits. I'd pay for that standard of care. I think a lot of other people would, too.

My takeaway: I'm going to work on being a better listener. It's pretty simple: if your trainer or doctor don't listen to you, then they don't know how to train--or treat you.

Throw the Hat

There's a famous story about JFK and RFK and their dad, Joe Kennedy. Joe used to take the boys for a hike. Encountering a very large fence, Joe would take off John's hat and throw it over the fence. John would cry, "dad! how am I supposed to get my hat?" and his dad would tell him, "You'll have to figure it out." So John and Bobby would spend the day figuring out how to retrieve the hat. Sure enough, they'd return home just before supper....with the hat.

Sometimes in life when we don't know how to get from point A to point B, we'd be well off to take the advice Joe Kennedy gave his sons. How many risks, how many things do we put off because the outcome is unstable or unpredictable? As Helen Keller said: "Life is either a daring adventure, or it is nothing at all." I'd say she was right on target.

Sometimes, you just need to throw the hat.