My Anniversary Present to You, Part 1

So, it's my 17th wedding anniversary this week.

Doesn't seem nearly that long, but if you include the time we dated, my wonderful wife Wendy and I have been together for more than half my life.

Most people can't make that claim. I'm obviously a very lucky man.

And she's not the only wonderful girl in my life, as I am also proud to have two beautiful daughters as well.

Life is good.

So, to celebrate, I'm going to start giving stuff away. Yup, for my anniversary, I'm giving you gifts.

First up, you can now grab my ebook "A Healthy Back in Ten Minutes a Day" for free.

No strings attached. Simply go to www.YourHealthyBack.com and sign up and you'll get a free copy. Kind of hard to beat free.

I'm not sure how long I'll keep that offer up, so go over there now. If you miss out, well, don't worry. There will be more free stuff coming very soon. Although I haven't decided exactly when or what it will be, I have decided on the price.

$0.

Stay tuned...

~Dave

Whose Fault is it if You're Overweight?

A new report by a British government-sponsored think-tank states that obesity does not simply result from over-eating and a lack of exercise, but is a consequence of modern life.

"Although personal responsibility plays a crucial part in weight gain, human biology is being overwhelmed by the effects of today's 'obesogenic' environment, with its abundance of energy-dense food, motorised transport and sedentary lifestyles.

"As a result, the people of the UK are inexorably becoming heavier simply by living in the Britain of today."

Excuse me, but that's a pile of crap.

Not only do we have individuals who refuse to take responsibility for their own situations, instead choosing to blame fast food restaurants, soda companies, junk food manufacturers, and whoever else happens to be a convenient target, but now we have the British government encouraging people to abdicate personal responsibility for their weight issues.

Give me a break. I think they created this report just so they could coin the word "obesogenic".

Nobody forces you to eat all of the energy-dense food available at every corner in the form of fast food restaurants. Just because there is a McDonalds on every block doesn't mean you have to eat there.

And motorized transport is now a culprit? Buy a bike. Take a walk. If you are taking your car to go around the block to buy a cheeseburger, that isn't society's fault, pal. Look in the mirror.

And don't even try to tell me that a sedentary lifestyle is caused by anything other than personal choice. Society doesn't glue your lazy ass to the couch to watch Oprah. You do. If you don't exercise, there is nobody to blame but yourself.

And, as expected, you have the pundits and know-it-alls lining up to say that this report proves that governments aren't doing enough to tackle the obesity issue. According to this report, "Tackling obesity, like tackling climate change, requires a range of changes in society, from increasing everyday activity through the design of the built environment and transport systems to shifting the drivers of the food chain and consumer purchasing patterns to favor healthier options."

Puh-lease. Let's over-complicate matters so that we can continue to justify expanding waistlines.

You're overweight? Don't blame McDonalds for making hamburgers or Ford for making inexpensive cars. You, and only you, made the choice to drive a block for a cheeseburger.

~Dave

Today is the Tomorrow You Worried About Yesterday

"I don't have time to exercise."

"I'm too busy."

"It takes too long to work out."

Want some cheese with that whine?

Every day people tell me the reason they can't exercise is because they simply don't have time. That's not a reason. That's an excuse. Big difference.

Most of these people have time to watch Survivor or The Bachelor though. They also have time to keep up with the latest on Britney Spears. No wonder they don't have time to exercise.

Guess what? Fit people are just as busy as you.

You can't tell me you don't have 15 minutes to get a workout in. Wait, don't think you can work out in 15 minutes?

I just did.

I did a quick warmup of some arm circles, bodyweight squats, and pushups. Then I did a circuit of dumbbell lunges, incline dumbbell chest press, and 1-arm rows. I did the circuit 3 times and finished off with a set of ab wheels.

Worked hard, hit all the major muscle groups, used weights that challenged me to do 10 or so reps per set, and finished in 15 minutes.

Please stop telling me you don't have time to work out. More importantly, stop telling yourself that you don't have time to work out as you watch Survivor.

~Dave

The Best Core Exercise You're Not Doing

Well, if you're in one of my Bootcamps or have my "Caveman's Guide To Fitness", you're doing this exercise, but the rest of you probably aren't.

You should give it a try. Your core will thank you.

Zercher Turkish Get Ups
1. Start by holding the sandbag against your chest in a cradle type of position while lying on your back.
2. Proceed to sit up and position your legs and feet underneath you.
3. Stand up using just your legs and feet.
4. Return to the starting position and repeat for the suggested repetitions.

Looks easy enough, doesn't it? If you don't have sandbags, you can hold a medicine ball or dumbbell straight up at arms length, or beginners can even hold a basketball or soccer ball.

~Dave