My Thanksgiving 2009 - Starbucks, Milk, Bugs, and the Flu. The true meaning of Thanksgiving - as I see it.

With my 34-week pregnant wife, and recently flu-diagnosed 5-year old girl, my family and I packed the car early this morning for Pennsylvania. We had planned to leave last night, but my wife had worked a full day, Zoe needed to rest, and well, we made an executive decision to stay put for the evening. This was a good call since all of us feel asleep before 8 pm last night. Honestly, we were going to stay put and not go at all, and since this was what the doctor had suggested. Plus, we didn't want to risk getting anyone sick, especially my sister's new baby. But, Zoe seemed fine last night. Yesterday, during the day, she challenged me to a race to the top of are neighborhood hill. She never coughed or complained of feeling bad all day. Also, my sister and brother-in-law called me and asked us to come. They said they would take precautions with the kids, and felt it was important for everyone to be together today.

All of us were excited to see my family. My sister has a new baby, which we haven't seen, as well as her little boy who is 4. My brother traveled with his dog, Jack, and was helping my father and step-mother prepare today's feast. I was looking forward to Jeremy's corn bread stuffing, cranberries, and of course sweet potatoes and turkey. Jeremy and I were also going to run in the local thanksgiving Turkey 5K trot. This was a special day for us because my dad invited my mother to come to the house as well. My parents have been divorced for over 20 years, and well, the holidays are always so hectic because you have to go from house to house and you never really get time to enjoy where you are. So this year the whole family was going to be together. This hasn't happened in a long long time.

I rolled out of bed at 6 am with the idea that I was going to go run a few laps around the block. I hate traveling in the car for so long. I just feel plain lazy. But, my wife had also rolled out of the bed and I figured it was better to start packing and hit the road since it was going to be at least a 6 or 7 hour drive. Let me flash back to a few years ago on Thanksgiving eve. We drove from NC to PA on Wednesday night and it took 10 hours with traffic. And, again, Zoe was sick and puked 4 times on the way there. Ok, back to the present. Car was ready to go by 8 am. We didn't have breakfast, so we hit up Starbucks for some coffee, muffins, sandwiches, and a bathroom break. Notice I did not say I had given Zoe her medicine yet. Figured it was best to get some food in her stomach first. So before we received our food, I took Zoe into the restroom, and gave to her, her grape-flavored Tamaflu medicine, then we got back in the car (MISTAKE #1).

Now, I'm a dietitian, and also a parent. My wife has more common sense then anyone that I know. She cause it deductive reasoning, and feels I have a lack of it. Zoe always gets the Organic Horizon Chocolate Milk at Starbucks. She loves it. But if you know anything about being sick with a lot of congestion, taking medicine, and just ingesting milk products when you are sick, it is not a winning combination. It is more like having T.O. on your football team. The milk is good for you, but just not in this case.

Ok, back on the road. I text my mom and brother, to say we are on our way. And before you know it, I hear Zoe say, "Mommy" and she projectiles her milk all over herself, the car seat, and on the floor of my wife's new company car. Definitely, not the air freshener you want in the car. At this point, Zoe is crying, we pull over to clean her up, and I'm like, "Um, ok I think we should go back home." Now, my wife and I both say pretty much at the same time, "Why did we give her milk?" (MISTAKE # 2). Anyways, we decided that's why she was sick, Zoe says she wants to continue, so we do. 45-minutes into the trip, just into VA, there's a Sheetz. We stop there to clean Zoe and the Car. I get Zoe some mouthwash, materials to clean the car, and my wife is the the restroom with Zoe. Well, Zoe does it again in the bathroom, so we decided its best we turn back home, but this time with plastic bag in hand just in case she starts up again.

Well, Zoe starts at it again, and we are still about 30-minutes away from our house. I've already called my family and told them we weren't coming this year, but they understood. Disappointed, but it was for the best. Poor little Zoe, seems like every time we go to PA she gets sick. Did you forget about the Starbucks coffees? Out of no where my wife screams and spits out a, I swear to you, a dead pincher bug. Somehow, it was in her coffee, or it just so happened to crawl into her cup from the car. OMG!! What else could go wrong today. The first thing that comes to my mind is, "Dude, should we sue Starbucks for a million dollars? I could pay off my college loans and open my new gym this way!!" "No, that's just selfish." But i did take a picture of it. That's the one you are looking at on this blog.

Anyways, we are home now. I've unpacked the car. Zoe is in bed watching Disney Channel and eating peanut butter crackers and sipping a diet coke. Its Thanksgiving. We do not have a backup plan for turkey. Shannon's mom offered to bring us a plate back from their families shindig, but man, its always casseroles and heavily buttered mac n cheese. But you know what, that's fantastic that she offered to do that for us. We've called our friends who are cooking for 25 people today, to see if they would offer to give us a plate, because this woman prepares some of the, if not the best, Turkey day feast I have ever had. But, she didn't get the hint. So what are we to do?

I start looking for catering companies, but really, orders had to be in days ago, and who the heck is open right now? My wife offers to go to local stores to see what we can get. She found sweet potatoes, cranberry relish at the Fresh Market, and a Turkey at Lowe's, that we just have to heat up. My wife is awesome. Pregnant and all, she wants to make her family happy. Me I stayed home with Zoe, and called Starbucks. Dude, just wanted me to come back in, so we he could comp the drinks. Dude really, I could have blasted this picture all of the Internet and sued for Millions. I just told him to check the cups, just in case other people get a bug in their mocha and get pissed.

Its only 11:39 am, and Thanksgiving has been an adventure. But, let me reflect on what this day signifies to me. My family is important to me. Tell them you love them, and be thankful for them. I love my wife, my little girl, and appreciate all that my wife does for our family. Next, I love that stores are still open on Thanksgiving, to help out people like us and others who wait until the last minute to prepare meals. Next, I still love coffee, especially Starbucks, but really dude, you just wanted to give me a free coffee. My wife is pregnant. What if she was driving, and freaked out so much she swerved into another car. Man, man, man, man. Not to be negative or anything. I'm thankful that I was driving, and I'll have all of these memories for the rest of my life. And for the individuals who are overseas serving our country. Their families are missing them today.

Oh and to be more negative, I'm a Detroit Lions fan. I can't remember the last time they won a Thanksgiving game. But, I'm thankful, the NFL still lets them play on Turkey day. I hope Dante can get the Soul Train Rolling today (His touchdown celebrations). It's awesome.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone.

We must protect this.....odor?

I can't even put one on anymore without making a wrinkled face. "What the hell? I just washed this!!?" My wife takes out a restraining order every time I wear one. I know I can't be the only one who has this problem. In fact, I know I am not.

A few weeks ago, I was having this same conversation with trainer here in Greensboro. He informed me that he had to purchase some fancy laundry detergent to get out the smell from his and for his clients' Under Armour shirts. Apparently its the detergent Olympians use or the top clubbies in the MLB use for their players. I think it was like 7 bucks for like 8 uses. But shoot, the way my shirts stank, it just might be worth it.

I'm talking about Under Armour T-shirts, sweat shirts, sweat pants, whatever. They always absorb odors. My brother Jeremy agreed with me. I asked him to comment on this topic."Oxi Clean can't fight that stench. I'll be working out and get sick on my own smell. Embarassing to be near anyone else." The older the shirt, the more it smells. So much that it becomes toxic to your skin, and toxic to those near or even a few 100 feet away. Maybe I have some sort of poisonous sweat, some nutrient deficiency, or toxicity that I am not aware of. I've tried different laundry detergents and dryer sheets. Sorry Snuggle Bear, sometimes you just don't do the job. Oxiclean? Nope. Fabreze? Man that stuff can defunk anything. Nope. Tide with color guard. Nope. Nothing works. The only thing to do is put it in the trash can, or burn it. Wait, don't burn it, it pollute the air and make the whole in the ozone layer worse.

What am I to do. How can I "Protect my House" if i can't even protect my family from my smelly shirts. Dude, seriously, they cost like 30 bucks. At least they could smell good for more than a few workouts. They look cool. They feel good, but man, they just stink all the time. I can't compare it to anything else that I am aware of. Cat urine perhaps.

If someone in the UA marketing department ever should read this, please tell me what the solution is, or why the hell your overpriced shirts smell so damn bad. Is there something wrong with my body? Is there something wrong with my washing machine? Is there something wrong with the detergent? Am I wearing the wrong deodorant? I purchased the extra strength just to prevent my pits from smelling. What can I do? I am a fitness trainer. I workout alot. I like to wear UA gear, but I am almost at the point where I am feeling things just aren't going to workout. You know, like Charlie Weiss at Notre Dame.

I need to google this. I know I am not the only one. I can't be. I just can't be.

Sprinting improves endurance run times.

I love sprinting. I do more sprints than I do mileage. I make my clients do sprints at the end of their workouts and sometimes during, and just as 20-25 minute workout if they are pressed for time. As it turns out, this may allow me, and you (if you try it - just like the beet juice), to run a better 5K Turkey Trot time this Thanksgiving. If you are having difficulty improving your 5K or 10K run times, then the solution maybe as simple as this - try running less miles, and sprint more. (I'd also say hit the weight room 2 times per week also). "What!? How is that possible?" Dudes, it's simple.

The Journal of Applied Physiology published a study that tested 17 endurance runners' 3K & 10K times in response to sprint training and mileage reduction over a 6-to-9 week period. 12 of these runners were asked to reduce their weekly mileage by 25% and perform 8-to-12 30-s sprints 2-t0-3 times weekly with some additional .6 -.8 mile sprints at various intensities 1-to-2 times per week (based on their maximum heart rates). The other runners, stayed on their same endurance running routine and did not incorporate sprinting into their training program.

The sprint group ran 12 miles per week (20 miles per week vs. about 32 miles) and of the experimental protocol improved both 3K and 10K run times by a little more than 3%. For the 10K, on average, that was an improvement of about 1-minute. That's not bad. The authors' noted that 6 of the runners in the sprint group ran their best 10 K times EVER!! Some of these runners had been running 10Ks for 5 or more years. The improvements in run times were thought to have been mediated by an increase in the function of the Na+/K+ pump subunits. Meaning, this potentially reduced fatigue causing substances in the runners muscles.

This doesn't mean that you can stop doing your longer runs, it just simply means you have learn to give up a few miles, sprint a few endurance sprints, and test this training system for yourself.

More information on the Na/K Pump - http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072495855/student_view0/chapter2/animation__how_the_sodium_potassium_pump_works.html

More information on the Na/K Pump and muscle tissue - http://www.vetscite.org/issue1/reviews/everts_0800.htm#

Original Journal Article

Bangsbo J, Gunnarsson TP, Wendell J, Nybo L, Thomassen M. Reduced volume and increased training intensity elevate muscle Na+/K+ pump alpha2-subunit expression as well as short- and long-term work capacity in humans. Journal of Applied Physiology, October 1, 2009.

I'm raising my hand for chocolate milk!!!!!!

Please check out the following link - Raise your hand for chocolate milk http://www.raiseyourhand4milk.com/

Milk is important for keeping bones strong and healthy. Children need calcium & vitamin D to ensure their bones develop properly. If this option is removed from the school lunch line, I'm afraid (like others) that the consumption of milk will decline only leading our children to future risks of osteoporosis, and higher bone breaks (check out a previous blog written on this topic), and poor levels of calcium and D. Not to mention milk in general is an excellent source of protein with 8 grams per serving. I recommend chocolate to my athletes and clients after a strength training bout to ensure their muscles are supplied with muscle building protein and to help restore glycogen levels.

Those who want to take Chocolate Milk away may argue that its high in sugar. If that is the case, then remove Gatorade and other sweetened drinks. At least milk provides nutrients for the body. I love chocolate milk. My little girl loves chocolate milk. Other kids love it too. Support this cause please.

MEDICINE BALL CORE ROUTINE

5 Medicine Ball Exercises - Click on the YouTube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXwjDG35nOE

Start with a smaller ball until the goal reps are meet, then increase the KG of the medicine ball.

1. ALTERNATING BALL TO FOOT

• GOAL - 36 REPS

2. CRUNCH HOLD WITH DUAL LEG DROP

• GOAL - 20 REPS

3. ALTERNATING OBLIQUE TWIST

• GOAL - 25 EACH WAY

4. HYPEREXTENSION WITH BALL BEHIND HEAD

• GOAL - 20 REPS

5. FULL SIT-UP WITH TALL SPINE & CURL DOWN

• GOAL 20 REPS

Dude, Where's My Egg?

Common sense tells you that when buying eggs always open the box to see if any of the eggs are cracked or broken. Many times this is the case. Obviously you don't buy those eggs because you risk the chance of a food borne illness. Those aren't cool. But have you ever opened the box to find that an egg is missing?

I want to know - who takes just one egg? Why not two or three? Plus, I would think that who ever took this egg, can't get a full stomach off just one egg, unless they needed it for a recipe. Still don't think that one egg will do. Plus, these eggs where the "high-class" Egg Lands best eggs. So these eggs probably get more on the black market than regular eggs because they are more nutritious. In my opinion they taste better.

My other theory is this - Did the grocery store think that most people don't check to see if all the eggs are there? In that case, that's unethical. You are being cheated. They took your egg and charged you for it!!! Man, that's messed up. 11 eggs does not equal a dozen. At least not where I am from. Plus, if you didn't know that egg was missing, and I bet someone purchased that box of eggs, there is nothing more annoying than coming home from the grocery store, unloading your food, and realizing that something is broken, damaged, or missing. Are you really going to go back to the store just for one item?

My other, other theory is this - The egg land best packagers, cheated the grocery store. They new one egg was missing, and figured, the stockers do not check eggs. They just check to see if the shelf is full. So, by the company cheating the grocery store, you in turn, think the grocery store cheated you, and now you are not happy because when it comes down to eating your omelet, and you normally use two or three, now you are stuck with just one egg for the omelet. And that just isn't cool either.

Nutrition Note: Adding vegetables to your eggs is an EASY way to get more nutrients and vegetables into your belly. If you think that chopping up vegetables takes to long and you are rushed to get out the door, then try chopping a bunch of veggies on a Sunday night. I'm talking like a cup full at least. Put them in a Tupperware container, and grab a handful in the morning to cut down prep time. Use olive oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil (or an oil of your choice high in mono and poly fats), to saute the veggies. Onions, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and spinach are all easy veggies to put in. I've even used broccoli at times. Put your eggs in, and in a few minutes your belly will be filled with veggies, protein, omega's, heart healthy fats, and antioxidant vitamins like E. If you want some extra calcium and D, then add some cheese to your eggs as well.