IS DISCRIMINATION ALWAYS BAD?

I suppose we could debate that question and come up with some persuasive arguments either way.  But the bottom line is that as the laws are written, any form of discrimination is illegal  (and thus punishable).  For that reason, we have removed the signs from our upstairs weight room that reserve its use for women.

Below is a copy of the letter that we’ve posted that explains the entire situation:

CALIFORNIA COURTS RULE THAT “WOMEN ONLY” WORKOUT AREAS ARE DISCIMINATORY

 Unfortunately we have been forced to remove our signs that reserve use of this room for women only. An anonymous member (actually a wife and her husband) has threatened us with a lawsuit, and after investigating the matter, it appears that current California laws would not support our position.

It has always been our goal to provide an atmosphere where people of all ages and genders would feel comfortable. Because many women have never used exercise machines and are intimidated by a busy coed weight room, we felt that offering this small, sheltered area would allow more women to get involved with exercise.

It seemed to us like this was a win-win situation. Women who felt more comfortable working out with some privacy were able to do so. It also kept some of these “exercise novices” from slowing things up in the main weight room. There was nothing in the room that wasn’t available elsewhere in the Club, so it was difficult for us to see how anyone was being hurt by this.

We wish that we could have discussed these issues with the aforementioned members, but they were unwilling to sign their complaint.  Are “women only” areas discriminatory? Maybe so. But wouldn’t the benefits (getting more people to exercise) seem to outweigh any perceived damages?

Our trade association supports “women only” workout areas, and several states around the country have put laws on the books that allow them. But until California chooses to address this issue, we’re bound by the existing statutes. So for the time being, we will be changing this room to a space reserved for “novice exercisers”.

 We are hopeful that we can develop a list of rules and policies for this area that will help it retain its current feel, and that it will function in much the same way it always has. Thanks in advance for your understanding.

HeathQuest Fitness Center

No-nothing Nanny

The board of supervisors in Santa Clara County just voted to take the fun out of “happy meals”.  If the popular child-size meals don’t meet certain nutritional standards it will be illegal to  give away promotional toys with them.

This of course is yet another symbolic gesture aimed at curbing childhood obesity that’s been enacted by people who have no real understanding of the problem.  They just know that they’re smarter than you and that it’s their duty to help you run your life.

Reading the quotes from board president Ken Yeager in this New York Times  article showed just how clueless our politicians can be.  Ken doesn’t have any children of his own, but he’s quite confident he knows how to best help you raise yours. 

He claims the new law would level “the playing field by taking away the incentive to choose fatty, sugary foods over healthier options.”  Sorry Ken, you can take away the toy, but the fatty, sugary foods are still going to taste good to kids.  Supermarkets sell plenty of candy, cookies, chips and other junk food without the need to include a cheap plastic trinket.

Mr. Know-it-all believes that children are choosing their meal based on the give-away that comes with it.  He then delivers this gem of parental wisdom: “Why would a kid say ‘I want a burger with fries’? It’s the toys that they want.”  That’s right Ken, give them a plastic whistle and they’ll be lined up three deep to eat brussels sprouts and tofu.

Monday Grab Bag

Get in line now, the Double Down (angina on a plate) will be available at KFC starting today.  And while we’re talking about bacon, here’s a link to an article about America’s love affair with the meat candy.

Who watched Jamie Oliver\’s Food Revolution this past weekend?  Were you shocked (NOT!) that Jamie was able to instantly convert his nemesis the radio DJ?  Were you amazed by how easy it is to cook a simple stir-fry (when someone else preps and measures all the ingredients for you)?  Doesn’t anyone else find it shockingly phony to see a man worth $60 million driving around in an old International Wagoneer?   Jamie may have won his “bet” on this reality show, but in the real world many are giving him a failing grade.

And speaking of fostering an image  (let’s wear scrubs every time we’re on TV!), ”America’s Doctor” is taking shots for offering advice that is unsupported by science.  “Dr. Oz promotes unproven approaches such as Reiki and Therapeutic Touch, and to support them he cherry-picks studies that are positive and ignores the negative ones,” says Dr. Mary Ann Malloy, a nationally known Illinois-based cardiologist.  Oz fans might be wise to seek a second opinion.

Bang, You’re Fat!

Want to make sure your research project gets plenty of notoriety?  Just ignore the most obvious (albeit boring) conclusion and instead “speculate” that there’s a mysterious “switch”  that you can flip that makes you fat.

That seems to be working for this group of Australian researchers; their study was featured on television this morning, and I just ran across it again on Yahoo’s health news.  You can see the article by clicking this link.

What they found is actually very interesting and was previously unknown-that the human tongue can detect fatty acids in food.  It was previously thought that there were only five tastes–sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami (a savoury, protein-rich taste contained in foods such as soy sauce and chicken stock).

Everyone that they tested was able to identify the fatty acids, however some needed higher concentrations than others.  They also found that the people who were most sensitive to fat, those who could taste very low concentrations, had lower BMIs (body mass indexes) and consumed less fat than the people who were insensitive.

Then the speculation about the “mystery switch” starts.  They suggest that some people, the ones who don’t detect fat as easily, don’t have a “trigger” that tells them to stop eating these fatty foods, which of course leads to weight gain.

 So if we can just discover a way to re-arm this hidden mechanism, out obesity problems will be solved.  All we need to do is fund a lot more research, and then maybe the pharmaceutical companies will be able to develop a pill that will make it all better.  Yeah, right… 

Answer me this, oh enlightened researchers…aren’t people on low-sodium diets more sensitive to the taste of salt?  Isn’t a can of cola sickeningly sweet to anyone who doesn’t drink it regularly?  So if fat is also a taste, wouldn’t the same principles apply? 

Could it be possible that the overweight people have become desensitized to the taste of fats because they consume them so regularly?  That the people who choose to limit their fat intake have lower BMIs because they make better decisions?  No, no, that’s not going to make anyone any money, it must be something else.  We better fund some more research.

I’m Likin’ It, Bit I’m Not Eatin’ It!

Another Olympics has come and gone, thanks in large part to the financial contributions of The Olympic Partners (TOP).  These huge corporations pay up to $20 million dollars each to be the “official” sponsors of the games, and get to use the Olympic rings in their logo and advertisements.

Visa is the official credit card, Coke is the official soft drink, and McDonalds is the official restaurant.  If you watched any of the telecasts I’m sure you already knew that— their commercials were played over and over every night.  The McDonalds’ spots were particularly memorable.  They had commercials showing Olympic athletes endorsing their products, and another that told kids “you don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to eat like one”.  

Using the most fit and active athletes to promote products is nothing new, but this attempt to link fast food consumption with athletic performance is really pushing the boundaries.  Telling kids that Chicken Nuggets are the preferred food of Olympic athletes is both irresponsible and immoral.  This video is a better representation of what most athletes think of fast food, especially when they’re in training:

Cheap Eats

There are plenty of things to blame the obesity epidemic on–larger portions, cuts to PE programs, more snacking, etc., etc.  But there’s one excuse I constantly see referenced that I just don’t understand…that somehow it’s cheaper to go out and eat fast food than to cook healthy meals.  Says who?  Why do reporters just accept this statement and report it as a fact?

Sure, if you’re going for Kobe beef and organic veggies you can run up quite a tab.  But good, healthy food doesn’t need to be expensive.  And unlike the aforementioned reporters, I’ll give you proof.   Cheap Healthy Good is a website, that as its name suggests, seeks to deliver tasty and nutritious meals at bargain prices.  It blows the “cheaper to eat fast food” argument completely out of the water.

In one post, the author demonstrates what can be done with a roasting chicken, some planning, and a little creativity.    The result is 5 different recipes in four days that makes 17 meals  at a total cost of $1.52 per meal.  And they’re good-looking meals…no cop-outs like chicken quesadillas in the bunch!   That same buck-fifty might buy you a large Coke at your favorite fast-food eatery…you still want to tell me it’s cheaper to eat out?   

Eating healthy admittedly takes some  time and effort.  You need to plan ahead…you can’t just head to the nearest drive-thru every time you start to feel hungry.  But don’t kid yourself—you’re not saving any money and you’re definitely not doing your body any favors.

Obviously its easier to settle for junk  food, so if you want to tell me that you’re too busy or too tired to cook, that’s a different story.  Of course someone who’s more cynical might say you’re just lazy, but that’s a whole different argument for another time.

You Call This Journalism?

It’s common to see a well-written article that has a sensationalized headline…it’s the editor’s way of getting your attention and luring you in.  But it’s rare to find the opposite…an intriguing yet accurate title followed by an article of pure drivel. 

Unfortunately that’s what we have in this Associated Press article that’s been widely published around the internet.  The headline tells us that  “Interval training can cut exercise hours sharply”.  OK, fine…there’s been a lot of research showing that interval training is very effective.  But if you can learn anything even remotely useful by reading the rest of the article please let me know.

In the opening paragraph we’re told ” some experts say intense exercise sessions could help people squeeze an entire week’s workout into less than an hour”.   That’s an awfully bold statement, so you would think the author would back it up with some research.  Unfortunately all we get is a comment from a Norwegian exercise expert telling us that “we should immediately throw out the old way of exercising”.

Perhaps the biggest gaffe in this article is that nowhere are we ever told exactly what kind of benefit we’re supposed to get from this interval training.  Is it weight loss?  Cardiovascular health?  Strength?  Longevity?  All of the above?

There is a mention of some research that shows that intervals can boost endurance, improve oxygen usage, and increase strength.  But there’s no reference to any studies showing that working out once a week is more effective than more frequent exercise. 

We do learn of a martial arts enthusiast who claims that a weekly interval session allowed him to boost his endurance rather quickly.  The reporter states that he was in “top shape” after only 6 workouts (1 per week), and that this would normally take 3 months of more traditional exercise.  Yeah, sure buddy…that sound’s about right!

There are a few more gems scattered about, I really recommend you read the entire article.  Obviously this “Medical Reporter” is severely lacking in terms of exercise knowledge and common sense.

Paleo Poseur

As I was reading the Napa Valley Register yesterday I noticed this announcement about a book signing that’s taking place at a local art gallery tomorrow evening.  It caught my eye because the author, who was a prominent local caterer, said that she advocates a “cave-man” diet for optimum health.

I recently read the book The Paleo Diet and believe that it contains a lot of good information.  I’ve also seen that following a strict paleo eating plan would be very challenging.  Eliminating all agriculture-based foods (dairy, grains, fatty meats, added salt) from your diet is a huge shift, and it eliminates many of our most common staples (bread, rice, potatoes).

There were quite a few recipes in The Paleo Diet book, but nothing that was tempting enough to make me give it a try.  So I thought it might be interesting to see what someone who made a living by cooking in our food-centric valley could do to make the caveman diet a little more palatable.

I looked up her website, Cuisine for Whole Health, to see if I could get additional information.  Unfortunately there wasn’t much to see–the Recipes for Whole Health tab only listed two entries.  It was enlightening though, to see how a professional develops full, rich flavors even with the limitations of paleo ingredients.

She cheats…a lot.  The main recipe, a roasted chicken, uses a full stick of butter, brown rice flour, and is liberal with the salt.  Sorry, that’s not caveman, it’s not even close.  The second recipe is for baked eggs, and along with the aforementioned butter and salt, it adds a healthy liberal dose of whipping cream.   Seemingly the only nod to the paleo diet is that she suggests that the chicken and eggs be “pastured or range-fed”.

Judging by her website, she seems to be more into “sustainable” practices and organic vegetables than anything else.  Her mention of the caveman diet in her press release seems to be more of an add-on idea to seem trendy and sell more books.       

The recipes do sound like they’d be tasty, but they definitely don’t fall into the paleo category. And if those are the best ideas of foods for “whole health” she can come up with, I think that’s one book I will be skipping.

You’re Tickin’ Me off!

Gym pet peeves…we’ve all got our share.   Locker room exhibitionists, cell phone yakkers, excessive perfume wearers, sweaty people who don’t wipe up after themselves.  There are a myriad of ways our fellow exercisers find to get on our nerves, and I found this extensive list on the PeerTrainer forums site.  Here’s a few of the more entertaining posts:  

I’ve got the ultimate grunter at my gym – on a par with Monica Seles, but the kicker is he’s only on a freaking elliptical!  Dear god, this same ridiculous man also cheers himself on for the last 5 minutes of his stint on the machine in a way that sounds an awful lot like wake-the-neighbors sex: “oh yeah! that’s it! go go go, almost there baby! yeah, that’s what I’m talking about, bring it home!”
I’m peeved by people staking out large amounts of real estate at the gym – draping their towels over one bench, putting their water bottle on the incline bench all while using the ball NEXT TO the benches. Out of courtesy I asked a woman, “Are you using this (unused!) bench?” She quickly moved over from what she was doing and said, ‘Yes.’ Then she moved both benches together as if to say, “MINE!” Grrrrr…..

“i have no problems w/ sweaty non-wipers or cellphone yakkers at my gym. but my pet peeve is the gym mirrors make me look about 20 lbs heavier than my mirror at home…”

Usually these peeves have a direct effect on us–we’re bothered by smells, distracted by sounds, or someone else just gets in our way or disrupts our plans.  It’s easy to see why these things irritate us.   But it’s interesting how we can sometimes let what other people are doing bother us, even when it plainly has no impact on us at all.

I know that I have an issue with people who, for lack of an official term, I will label “show-off cheaters”.  These are the guys that load massive amounts of weight on a machine and then use incredibly poor form to do their reps.  Sure, it looks impressive when you put 1000 pounds on the leg press machine…but who are you really fooling when you only lower it 3 inches.  Here’s an idea—cut the weight in half and press through the full range of motion!

So what about you?  Anything entertaining or unusual that your fellow HealthQuest members do that you find irritating?  Here’s your chance to rant, let’s here it!

 

Dear President Obama

I am so glad to hear that you are pushing banks to make more loans to small businesses: Obama Presses Banks

Unfortunately you must be doing it in alphabetical order.  You see, we have a regional bank out here, Umpqua Bank, that apparently hasn’t gotten your message.  My small business is planning to expand and I’ve been trying to get a loan from them for the last 5 MONTHS.

To be clear, they have never said “no” to our application, but there sure doesn’t seem to be in any eagerness on their part to help make this loan happen.  Whatever you can do to encourage them would be greatly appreciated.  Like you said in your radio address, “Now it’s time for our banks to stand by credit-worthy small businesses, and make the loans they need to open their doors, grow their operations, and create new jobs”.

I’m not a banker, but I am assuming my business would qualify as being “credit-worthy”.  My family has been successful in the Napa business community for almost 100 years.  We currently do all of our banking with Umpqua, and they service our existing business loan.  We’ve never had a late payment on that loan in the 11 years that we’ve had it, and we almost always pay more than the amount that’s due.  Despite the current state of the economy, our profits for 2009 are slightly higher than they were a year ago.  I’m not quite sure what else we need to do.

HealthQuest Fitness Center would like to give the economy a boost.  We would hire a local contractor to do our expansion.   Our expanded facility would create permanent new jobs.  But if our small business is to be one of those at the forefront of this recovery, we’re going to need a bank that hears your message.   Can I give you their number?