http://www.fitconnect.com/blogs FitConnect.com -- It's OK To Brag! Copyright 2009 FitConnect LLC ryan on 7/14/2009 (7 comments)

Whether you refer to it as a diet plan or prefer to think of it as just living a healthy lifestyle, achieving your goals usually requires you to make changes... And those changes are usually called sacrifices.

When choosing your diet plan, choose it wisely. Avoid stress! I've seen many dieters and healthy eaters crafting a perfect science as to how they were going to eat X amount of carbs and Y amount of Protein, but they forget the simple things, such as - how am I not going to go crazy following this diet plan???

I found some good tips for avoiding stress in your diet plan at the Weight Ladder, which are pretty helpful.

To summarize, weight ladder recommends these tips for avoiding stress in your diet plan:
(1) reminding yourself that calories are needed for energy which is needed for exercises. Don't cut calories too much or you'll end up cutting your exercise.
(2) Snacking is sometimes necessary, and will help you along ... read more]]> on 7/14/2009 ryan on 6/16/2009 (13 comments)

Caffienated potato chips is one of the most peculiar foods/supplements I've ever found. I guess the caffiene-enhanced chips are a food, but the idea to market such a thing is right up a dietary supplement company's alley.

Only in America could you mix Energy with a popular couch food, but a company named Golden Flake has managed to do just that. Are people missing some of their favorite television shows because they're passing out after about 3 hours on the couch? I guess these caffienated potato chips are the answer to someone with that problem.

Each 3.5 ounce bag of these caffiene chips contain the same amount of caffiene as 3.5 cups of coffee. I thought that was pretty surprising. How do they pack so much caffiene in a bag of chips?

The energy chips also contain Taurine and B-vitamins to help give you an even bigger burst of energy. My guess is that these chips were meant to go perfectly with a few video games and a 2-liter bottle of ... read more]]> on 6/16/2009 ryan on 4/16/2009 (19 comments)

This post is in response to some blogs and direct emails I’ve received regarding several matters. Before responding, I’d like to first off thank everyone for their participation on Fitconnect – we appreciate the advice/opinions you’ve shared with the community.

The main concerns I’ve noticed and will discuss below are:
1. Re-posting other site’s content
2. Negative comments toward other Fitconnect members
3. The Point System
4. Progress of the Exercises and Workout Tracking sections
5. When I’ll answer everyone’s messages

Re-posting other blog’s content:
Following copyright law, it’s required to receive permission and cite sources when taking content from another site. Since some members have complained about users copying content and using it to gain more points, why don’t we have a rule of etiquette that all users keep copying to a minimum? For the most part, let’s keep everything as original content, but if you do find an... read more]]> on 4/16/2009 ryan on 2/23/2009 (6 comments)

Metbolism is the bodily process of breaking down food and either turning it into energy or storing it as fat. The faster you can metabolize, the less fat you will store. Therefore, many looking to lose weight should have an interest in having a healthy metabolic rate.

What determines our Metabolic rate?

1. Age - Sadly, as we age, our calorie needs become lower and lower. Hence, the reason we used to be able to stuff our faces when we were kids and now we're on a constant search for low calorie food.

2. Genes - People are born with naturally slow or fast metabolic rates. You can't control this - you were either blessed or screwed.

3. Muscle - Unlike fat cells, muscle cells are very metabolically demanding. Building muscle will use up calories/energy as your body works to maintain your muscle mass.

4. Frequency of Eating - Although this is up for debate, it is said that if we go too long without eating, our body will store... read more]]> on 2/23/2009 ryan on 2/17/2009 (10 comments)

Ask any orthodox dieter whether you should incorporate fasting into your diet and they will think you're crazy. Depending on how much fasting you do - you may actually 'be' crazy. But there are actually many experts out there who insist that moderate fasting can be beneficial for your diet and health.

Fasting, for those who don't know, is the action of choosing not to eat or drink (or both) for a given period of time. The popular belief is that while fasting may result in weight loss, it is not a healthy long term habit. Not only can fasting leave you malnurished, but it can also cause mental stress and cause you to give up your healthy eating habits completely.

Fasting may actually be good for you
When done right, fasting is now said to be good for you. Experts are saying that fasting promotes weight loss and reduces disease risk. But there's more - fasting is said to even extend life. Sounds crazy, but many are saying that eating less will cause you to... read more]]> on 2/17/2009 ryan on 2/15/2009 (8 comments)

When squatting it's important not to bend your knees too much. We've all heard the rule of thumb that you shouldn't bend your knees farther than your toes. But what many don't hear is that bending your knees too little during squats is actually more likely to cause injury.

According to special Memphis University research, you are 30% higher risk of injury if your knees move past your toes when squatting. So obviously it's a bad idea to move your knees past your toes when squatting.

But what happens if you don't bend your knees enough?
If you don't bend you knees enough when squatting, you may find yourself bending at your hip and lower back more. This way you'll still feel like you're getting lower to the ground. Bending the wrong part of your body during squats is actually much more dangerous than bending your kness past your toes.

Bending the wrong way causes hip stress. When there is minimal movement of the knee, squatters tend to lean t... read more]]> on 2/15/2009 ryan on 2/12/2009 (19 comments)

If any of you fellas are looking to impress the girl you're taking out for Valentine's Day I am being generous and sharing some of my deal-closing dating secrets. Guys, you should definitely work these tricks into your dating game - and don't forget who taught you. Ladies, if your date isn't breaking out these moves, it's time to move out of the minor leagues (just kidding kinda).

Guys, I'm going to assume that you're taking the girl out to dinner for Valentine's Day. Pretty standard for Valentine's Day dating, and although it's always good to throw some uniqueness into your dating strategy, I think Valentine's Day is where you do the classic dinner date. But you can still break out sweet moves on your dinner date.

Trick #1 - I call it "They know me"
This trick is not really a trick if the restrauranteur actually knows you. But most likely, unless you're a mob boss or wash their dishes on the weekdays, the owner doesn't know you. This one isn't tha... read more]]> on 2/12/2009 ryan on 2/11/2009 (15 comments)

Until the other day, I had never used an Elliptical training machine. They are a popular exercise machine (especially among females), but I've always viewed them as awkward and somewhat pointless. From looking at their motion, it seems like your body moves so smoothly that it couldn't possibly burn any calories.

By chance, I happened to hop on an elliptical for my warm up the other day. While I've heard warming up before workouts are useless, I still do it because I like a good warm-up after walking through the cold weather into the gym.

I selected the manual program and increased resistance to a decent amount. On low resistance it didn't seem to do much. But, I was rather surprised when the higher resistance did give me a pretty good workout. My legs and butt were definitely feeling a burn. I didn't feel as much work on my upper body. I think my lower body was doing most of the work, which is standard for almost every exercise. I did my best to twist my body ... read more]]> on 2/11/2009 ryan on 2/9/2009 (32 comments)

As you all know, Chris Brown has recently been charged with felony assault. TMZ was one of the first to report the story, and they included a screenshot of his booking information.

Chris Brown’s Weight Surprised Me

I was surprised when I saw Chris Brown’s weight. I didn’t think Chris would weigh in a 195 lbs. – he seems a lot smaller than that. I figured Chris Brown would weigh in at around 175 – 180. Note: If you weight around 200 lbs. don’t think I’m saying your fat – just thought that Chris Brown would be smaller than that because he seems small on television (most people look larger on tv).

Is this extra weight muscle or R & B Chub?
Chris Brown has never struck me as very muscular, but he doesn’t look very chubby either – so it’s hard to tell whether it’s fat or muscle. I guess when Chris Brown isn’t behind the mic or slapping girls around, he must be getting some solid lifting in. Following in the footsteps of Usher in more ways tha... read more]]> on 2/9/2009 ryan on 2/6/2009 (23 comments)

As you all know, Michael Phelps, who won eight gold medals swimming, has recently been caught smoking the cheebs. While I'm not a big Michael Phelps fan and I don't smoke weed, I think he's getting hated on a little too much for it.

After winning eight gold medals, Michael Phelps was given a media image to die for. He immediately picked up millions of fans who probably have no interest in swimming but because they heard it was cool to like him - they started liking him.

He's even been invited into the "Ridiculously Good Looking People Club" - which, being a long standing member, somewhat offends me. I spoke with Brad P. and Justin T. - they're a little annoyed as well. Side note: The Jonas Brothers have finally quit trying to join the club after several failed attempts.

Anyway, aside from my look rants, Phelps is a super swimmer who could outswim a dolphin - so should he really be criticized for outsmoking the hippy next door?... read more]]> on 2/6/2009 ryan on 2/2/2009 (14 comments)

You can't just diet. I'm sorry to break it to some of you who hate physical activity, but it's rare that you will achieve your goal-weight and shape by dieting alone.

Physical activity is almost always needed (genetic makeup allows some to get by without it).

Personally, I tend to struggle with dieting more than working out - so this isn't a big deal for me. Recently, however, I came across a time where I just could not pull myself to the gym on a continual basis. Gym visits were random, as well as in-home workouts - due to brief moments of energy and motivation.

During this time I was semi out of shape. These random workouts helped to avoid getting any worse, but I found myself getting no where. I still had some chub on my stomach and the abs were not showing the way they had in the past. Abs are usually one of my easier muscles to shape up, but they weren't doing so well with this regimen.

So I tried to make up for lost gym time b... read more]]> on 2/2/2009 ryan on 1/31/2009 (26 comments)

Since winning the show I've had a lot of newspaper editors, such as Larry Alexander, and tv stations contact me wanting interviews about winning the show and the business plans that will follow. It's nice having the opportunity to get the word out about Fitconnect and our future plans.

Larry Alexander of the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal, however, wrote an entirely incorrect article which will actually hurt our cause. Larry Alexander called me a few days ago sounding drunk and disheveled asking me a few questions about the show and the company. He asked the stupidest questions which made no sense and explained how he doesn't know anything about the internet.

Message for Larry Alexander of Intelligencer Journal - If you don't know anything about the internet, don't do a story on my website.

Sadly, Larry did do an article on our site and instead of listing OUR SITE he listed one of OUR COMPETITOR'S sites. So now, old faces I kn... read more]]> on 1/31/2009 ryan on 1/29/2009 (24 comments)

I've been hearing a lot of good stuff about the acai berry lately, and a week or so ago I decided that I'd give it a try. Not because I need it or even think it will work. I’m taking Acai only so I can report the results to the rest of you. I ordered a bottle of Natrol Acai Berry 1000mg per daily serving- 60 caps. It’s been a week…

I can't say I've noticed any difference to my energy level or vision – my energy never really needed any help and my vision still sucks. It’s only been a week, but I doubt anything will change. I’m going to keep using it for the full 30 days just for ish and giggles – but I doubt this works.

So WTF is Acai Berry Anyway?

The Acai Berry is indigenous to the Amazon Rainforest. It's proponents claim that it can:

- Support the immune system
- Aid in weight loss
- Improve digestion
- Reduce pain and soreness
- Promote healthy sleep
- Increase energy & stamina
- I... read more]]> on 1/29/2009 ryan on 1/27/2009 (9 comments)

First off, thanks everyone for joining. Troy and I greatly appreciate it. I know Fitconnect can be somewhat confusing depending on how internet-savvy you are, so I wanted to suggest a few items you should definitely check out.

Cool features coming soon: Weight tracking, Workout Tracking, Musician contest to create best Workout Song!

1. Check out the Fitconnect Intro Video explaining some of the plans we have for Fitconnect. Despite what some people might think, we haven't invested any of the money into Fitconnect yet. The current features were all programmed by Troy and designed with a combined effort.

2. Please do us a favor and Invite your Friends using our contact importer.

3. Rock the hottest Fitconnect Apparel - Visit our Store.

4. All activity will earn your points on our site. Eventually we will expan on our point system to allow different prizes and rewards for accruing a certain amount of points. Please read abou... read more]]> on 1/27/2009 ryan on 1/26/2009 (3 comments)

Hey guys, we really appreciate all of you joining the site and posting great content. However, we not only want you on the site - we want your friends too.

So we added a contact importer allowing you to enter your email address and password (we don't see it or save it, don't worry) which allows you to invite all of your email contacts easily. It will also let you know if any of your email contacts are already on Fitconnect, so that you can friend request them.

So do me a favor and Invite your Email Contacts! Thanks lot.

Video Blog coming later today, check back. Also, just wanted to clear this with everyone, we actually haven't received the investment money (we get it later this week). Everything done with the site so far was done on our own, so expect lots of really cool features coming once we get that money!!... read more]]> on 1/26/2009 ryan on 1/24/2009 (34 comments)

First off, I will be responding to everyone's messages and wall posts - just give me a few days.

As you all probably know from watching The Money and the Power, 50 Cent was nice enough to invest his $100,000 in our site. Keep coming back because I will be posting blogs about stuff you didn't get to see from the show (for example: Cornbreadd and I actually got in a scuffle once or twice).

If you're a member of a gym, please find it on our site and join your gym's community. Our goal is to connect gym owners with their members similar to the way myspace connects musicians with their fans. Also, when looking at local gyms that you're considering joining, you'll be able to see if there are any familiar faces that already go there. You'll also be able to see gym ratings, schedules, and basically see which gyms are poppin' and which gyms are kinda whack.

While we already have some cool features here on Fitconnect (gym communities, recipes, bl... read more]]> on 1/24/2009 ryan on 1/23/2009 (11 comments)

Back when famous Australian actress Nicole Kidman was pregnant, there was lots of pressure to avoid porking up too much. Pregnant or not, Hollywood expects you to look good on camera.

Kidman primarily battled the bulge by attending spinning classes several days a week. Her spinning routine allowed her to break a sweat, while not bouncing the big ol' belly around too much.

Where does Nicole Kidman workout? Last reports claimed that Kidman sweats it up at Revolution Fitness in Santa Monica.

Among other things, she focused on stretching - and basic yoga movements. This helped her not only maintain physical health, but helped her out a bit mentally too... I imagine being pregnant must suck, so this probably helped her not get that post-partum depression and turn whacko.... read more]]> on 1/23/2009 ryan on 1/19/2009 (25 comments)

Starting out on a goal of losing weight is hard. Often times people are left clueless as to what they should do to lose weight the healthy and safe way. I hear some people say it involves nutrition, while others insist on resistance.

Here’s a good Guide to Losing Weight:

Nutrition:
Drink lots of water, eat a lot of fiber (~35g/day), and eat lots of veggies. Should eat about 1g per lb bodyweight of protein per day. Eat some fruit, some whole-grain carbs, and some healthy (unsaturated, Omega-3) fats.

Things to avoid when losing weight:
Avoid the following or eat sparingly: Trans-fats, fruit juices, sodas, starches, sugar, and processed grains. Avoie all low-glycemic foods in general.

Try to eat about 6 – 7 times a day and total calories should be about 400 short of what you burn throughout the day.

You’ll also need Resistance Training to Lose Weight:
Resistance weight training helps to break down the m... read more]]> on 1/19/2009 ryan on 1/14/2009 (4 comments)

This is the perfect season for retailers to capitalize on health and fitness New Years Resolution makers. Right after Christmas, many people still have gift cards to cash in and are more likely to turn to a fitness related gift.

Why? Because it’s also New Years Resolution season…

I say New years resolution “season” because let’s be real, after January does anyone speak about new years resolutions? Especially fitness related ones?

January is the big month for those usually don’t watch their health and fitness to try to make a new goal and stick to it. I’ve found that even if someone is successful in staying healthy year-round, it’s usually not due to a new years resolution.

New Years resolutions are great for retailers however, as they capitalize on newly fitness fanatics – who rush to the store and buy the first piece of fitness equipment they can find. Walking through several stores the other day I noticed that as you leave there ... read more]]> on 1/14/2009 ryan on 1/13/2009 (5 comments)

After doing pushups with 50 cent, I finally got a chance to tell 50 Cent about the FitConnect Community. If you’re reading this, you probably know what Fitconnect’s all about – but obviously Curtis Jackson had no clue what Fitconnect is. He probably thought from hearing the name that it was a dating site for fitness enthusiasts.

Only 60 Seconds to Explain Fitconnect to 50 Cent

My time in Mr. Jackson’s office was short, I only had 60 seconds to explain what Fitconnect was about, what the plans are for the future, and how I would spend the $100,000 on improving Fitconnect if I won the contest.


Although they cut most of the parts out – I explained how our fitness community is geared toward connecting fitness experts with newcomers, gym owners with their members, fitness professionals and merchandisers with interested customers, and bloggers with each other. As always with networks, there is opportunity to meet friends and form relationships a... read more]]> on 1/13/2009