Burning 600 Calories in 4 Minutes; Ideal For Super Busy People

Ever wished to burn as much calories as you can but doesn't have the luxury of time? Worry no more because at this moment you will be learning a simple workout routine that would only require a small portion of your rare vacant time. 

I happened to learn this routine when I attended the special visit of the MILO-APEX team in the city to conduct a 2-days running clinic program for free. The group is being lead by Pinoy Biggest Loser coach Jim Saret and his wife coach Tonette "Toni" Dimaguila-Saret; coach Vincent "Vince" Buenaventura and coach Madel Galvez. I learned a lot during the training and was amazed that I was able to finish the hard core challenge. If you happen to visit Davao City's People's Park, then you will have an idea how big is its running track. It isn't that large though but for an amateur runner like me, completing two laps would be very hard. How much more if the entire lap would be divided into four posts wherein you will do an exercise before continuing your run. The exercises (JUMPING JACK, SQUAT, PUSH UP and LUNGES) on each post with one of the coaches. Each exercises will have 21 counts on the first lap, 15 counts on the second and 9 counts on the last one. For advance runners, they will have an additional lap with 5 counts on each exercises.

Accordingly, the entire activity is similar to running a 10k mileage but within a lesser amount of time. I wasn't able to take note of my time though but for the record, I wasn't able to finish a 10k run in my entire amateur running career. The entire activity focused on the proper way of running and avoiding unnecessary muscle injuries. 

Now for the much awaited workout that allows you to burn 600 calories in the span of 4 minutes, you just have to remember 4 basic exercises; JUMPING JACK, SQUAT, PUSH UP and LUNGES. You just have to do all these exercises at 10 counts each, for the lunges it would be 10 counts on each leg and have as many cycles as you can in 4 minutes. Aim at least 4-5 cycles to burn as many calories as you can. Trust me it isn't that easy. 

As of this writing, I can only finish two cycles but I'm trying my best to increase the cycle little by little. It was totally an unforgettable experience. It was a once in lifetime opportunity to learn those things from them and I'm very thankful I was able to take part of it. 

Running is fun, thus the term FUN RUN, but it should also come along with proper or healthy way of running thus making it FUN and HEALTHY RUN. -niceurdaneta-

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Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) a.k.a. Traitor in Action

Nearly two years ago at about 10pm in the evening, I received a call from my pop (dad). He sounded very anxious and scared. It was an emergency call for my mom. My pop informed me that she suddenly lost her consciousness. She is known to be hypertensive for quite some time and admittedly not that religious to her maintenance medications.

I calmed down my pop and instructed him to bring mom to the nearest hospital so that her condition would be monitored. Indeed her blood pressure was horribly high at that time. When I get to talk to my cousin-in-law who was also there when she collapsed, she insisted that she really saw my mom jerked or had seizure. By that information alone, I can already sense that there is something wrong going on in her brain.

I hurried to the hospital and talked to her doctor. He said that my mom is now stable and told me that she only had a hypoglycemic attack because according to the laboratory results her blood sugar is very low. During her first night, she can't seem to sleep and keeps on slapping her left cheek, she said she can't feel anything on her left arm up to her left cheek. When I went near her, I observed that her left pupil is dilated, and when I checked her right eye it was on it's normal size. I immediately pressed the emergency buzzer and called the attention of the nurses on duty.

My mom's face appeared asymmetrical and can no longer talk properly. The resident doctor on duty arrived in the room and ordered some emergency medications. Since then, I wasn't able to sleep. There has been a lot things running inside my mind. The situation wasn't just a simple hyoglycemic attack because there is no way it can lead into scenarios like those. It's TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack) or STROKE! I'm 100% sure on that and she should be transferred to a bigger hospital if that's the case. If it isn't going to be treated immediately, worst things would surely happen.

TIA or Transient Ischemic Attack is a sudden onset of a focal neurologic symptom and/or sign lasting less than 24 hours, presumably brought on by a transient decrease in blood supply, which rendered the brain ischemic in the area producing the symptom. In layman's term, there has been a part of our brain that has been receiving a less amount of blood causing a disruption on its assigned function.

When I told the doctor that my mom had a seizure before she collapsed, he also agreed to my theory that she indeed is having TIA. He ordered for a CT Scan but unfortunately the hospital that we were in didn't have it. I decided right then there to transfer my mom to the city and admitted her in a bigger hospital wherein all that she needs can be provided.

I admit it caused us a lot of money but I didn't care. The fact that we were able to save my mom from being totally physically disabled was already a great blessing. 

Since then, we had been very conscious in her diet and she has been religious in her maintenance medications. However, at this time that I thought everything is going fine, I received another emergency phone call. This time, it's not a "loss-of-consciousness" scenario but a different situation. My pop told me that my mom can no longer talk which is like her tongue isn't moving. Oh my! it's another TIA, I'm 100% sure of it for the second time. Indeed my feeling is correct. Another TIA and another scary situation for us. Good thing we were able to detect the symptoms early and was able to bring her to the hospital for treatment. 

She's now out of danger but anytime this traitor disease will get back on us. For the second time around, we should tighten our defenses. Medications should be followed religiously and diet should be in moderation. -niceurdaneta-

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The Food Pyramid Getting A New Shape

When I entered elementary, my science teacher introduced to me the importance of proper diet and of course the Food Pyramid is part of it. The pyramid is a striped triangle which shows suggested percentages of the daily diet for different food groups. This diagram has been used by a lot of food producers to convince the public that they are selling what has been said to be healthy.

The picture above is the Food Pyramid. It was adopted by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) in 1992. Now that we are using it for almost two decades, USDA will now be presenting it in its new form or shape.

The diagram features four sections: Half of the circle would be filled with fruits and vegetables; another section would feature rice, cereal and other grains; and the rest would contain proteins. There is also a circle in the upper right corner which represents dairy. 

It is somewhat easier to understand it this way. It is not enough that your illustration is informative, it also comes with the notion that it can be easily understood.

Now I'm wondering the usual ad lines being changed as well. Instead of "according to the Food Pyramid", it will now become "According to the Food Platter".

-niceurdaneta-

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