Make It Happen

Pennsylvania Tough Mudder 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Mon, 14 May 2012 03:16:00 +0000

If you would have told me a year and a half ago that I would be running 12.5 miles in an obstacle race I would have thought you were crazy. Yesterday, that is exactly what my wife Gretchen and I did. Over the past year or so Gretchen and I have gotten hooked on obstacle races. The first run we did was last May in the Run-a-muck in New Jersey. It was a 5k and a perfect start to the new addiction. The next race was the Spartan Race at Blue Mountain in September. It was a 5 mile race and Gretchen took first place. I was so proud (still am) and amazed. She won a bad-ass sword which I insisted on incorporating into my Halloween costume. We did another 5 mile run in October - The Rock Solid Mud Run (also in New Jersey) and had a blast. We've both been training very hard all year with running and gym workouts and eating clean. I've been hitting the gym 5 days a week with 2 additional days running and have gotten my mileage up to 10 miles for my long runs to train for this race - The Tough Mudder. This was a 12.5 mile run held at Pocono Manor with 20+ obstacles. We had a great time doing it and finished around 3 hours. Our next run is another Spartan Race in July where Gretchen will have to fight for her title. I recorded this video using my GoPro Hero and edited it using Cyberlink Powerdirector.

Pebble E-Paper Watch for iPhone and Android

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Thu, 03 May 2012 11:18:00 +0000

Even though I haven't worn a watch in many years and they seem to be more of a fashion statement now than a necessity because of the advent of cell phones and smart phones, this is a very cool idea and I would sport one. These guys from Getinpulse seem very smart and are using kickstarter to fund the making of this watch which has already raised over 8 million dollars. Check it out.

Howard Stern America's Got Talent Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 01:11:00 +0000

I am a HUGE Howard Stern fan and have been for 20 years. I have never watched America's Got Talent before, but this preview has made me want to watch this season. Love Howard! BABABOOOOEY!!!

50 Rules Of Fat Burning

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:02:00 +0000

I reposted this article written by Jim Stoppani from Simplyshredded.com. It's got some great tips on what to eat, how to train, and the most effective ways to burn fat.

50 Rules Of Fat-Burning: Simplyshredded.com Collects The Strongest Clinical Research From Around The World

Whatever your doing must not be working. Why else would you be reading this?

You swapped fried chicken for grilled and your treadmill is finally getting more attention than your TiVo. But your body isn’t quite where you want it to be. Don’t worry: Your bag of fat-burning tricks isn’t empty yet. We’ve collected 50 comprehensive tips, all backed by more science than a NASA shuttle launch. By the time you’ve incorporated these fat-burning gems, we’ll have 50 more for you. But by then, you probably won’t need them.

What You Eat

Getting lean obviously relies heavily on a solid nutrition plan. So it should come as no surprise that what and how you eat can have a big impact on your success. Use these 11 food rules to amp up your fat-burning potential.

1. Go Pro

A high-protein diet not only promotes hypertrophy but also enhances fat loss. Researchers at Skidmore College (Saratoga Springs, New York) found that when subjects followed a high-protein diet–40% of total daily calories from protein–for eight weeks, they lost significantly more bodyfat, particularly abdominal fat, than those following a low-fat/high-carb diet. One reason eating more protein may work is that it boosts levels of peptide YY, a hormone produced by gut cells that travels to the brain to decrease hunger and increase satiety.

2. Slow Down

When you reach for carbs, choose slow-digesting whole grains such as brown rice, oatmeal and whole-wheat bread, which keep insulin levels low and steady, and prevent insulin spikes from halting fat-burning and ramping up fat-storing.

A study conducted by researchers at Pennsylvania State University (University Park) found that subjects following a low-calorie diet with carbs coming only from whole grains lost significantly more abdominal fat than those following a low-calorie diet with carbs from refined sources.

3. Get Fat

Not only will certain fats–particularly omega-3s –not lead to fat gain, but they can actually promote fat loss. Eating fat to lose fat seems counterintuitive, but if you keep your fat intake at about 30% of your total daily calories by choosing fatty fish such as salmon, sardines or trout as well as other healthy fat sources such as olive oil, peanut butter and walnuts, you can actually boost your fat loss compared to eating a low-fat diet.

4. Egg You On

Eggs are packed with protein and have been shown to promote muscle strength and mass, and research shows that subjects consuming eggs for breakfast not only eat fewer calories throughout the day but also lose significantly more bodyfat. We recommend eating eggs for breakfast daily, scrambling three whole eggs with three egg whites.

5. Unforbidden Fruit

A study from the Scripps Clinic (San Diego) reported that subjects eating half a grapefruit or drinking 8 ounces of grapefruit juice three times a day while otherwise eating normally lost an average of 4 pounds in 12 weeks, with some test subjects losing more than 10 pounds without dieting. The researchers suggest the effect is likely due to grapefruit’s ability to reduce insulin levels. Try adding half a grapefruit to a few of your meals such as breakfast, lunch and preworkout.

6. Milk It

Dairy products are rich in calcium, which can help spur fat loss, particularly around your abs. This may be due to the fact that calcium regulates the hormone calcitriol, which causes the body to produce fat and inhibit fat-burning. When calcium levels are adequate, calcitriol and fat production are suppressed while fat-burning is enhanced. Adding low-fat versions of cottage cheese, milk and yogurt (Greek or plain) to your diet are great ways to boost protein intake and aid fat loss.

7. An Apple A Day

Apples are a great slow-digesting carb that contain numerous beneficial antioxidants. One group of compounds known as apple polyphenols has been found to boost muscle strength, endurance and even fat loss, especially from around the abs. While apple polyphenols appear to directly decrease bodyfat by increasing the activity of genes that enhance fat-burning and decrease fat production and storage, the boost in endurance and strength can help further fat loss by allowing you to train harder longer.

A typical large apple provides about 200 mg of apple polyphenols and about 30 grams of carbs.

8. Spice It Up

Hot peppers contain the active ingredient capsaicin, a chemical that has been shown to promote calorie-burning at rest as well as reduce hunger and food intake. Its effects are particularly enhanced when used with caffeine, and research also shows that it boosts fat-burning during exercise. Try adding crushed red pepper, hot peppers or hot pepper sauce to your meals to burn extra calories and fat. If you can’t stand the heat, try supplements that contain capsaicin.

9. Go Nuts

A study from Loma Linda University (California) reported that subjects following a low-calorie, higher-fat diet (40% of total calories from fat) with the majority of fat coming from almonds lost significantly more bodyfat and fat around the abs in 24 weeks than subjects consuming the same calories but more carbs and less fat. So be sure to include nuts such as almonds, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts and walnuts in your diet.

10. Be Multi-Organic

Sure, it’s pricier, but organic beef and dairy are worth the extra bucks. UK scientists found that organic milk had about 70% more omega-3 fatty acids than conventional milk, and a study published in the Journal of Dairy Science found that grass-fed cows produced milk containing 500% more conjugated linoleic acid [CLA) than cows who ate grain. Meat from organically raised cattle also contains higher levels of CLA and omega-3 fats. Since omega-3s and CLA can help you drop fat as well as gain muscle, it makes sense to shell out the extra cash for organic cheese, cottage cheese, milk and yogurt as well as grass-fed beef.

11. Add Some GUAC

Avocados are full of monounsaturated fat, which isn’t generally stored as bodyfat. They also contain mannoheptulose, a sugar that actually blunts insulin release and enhances calcium absorption.

As mentioned earlier, keeping insulin low at most times of day is critical for encouraging fat loss, and getting adequate calcium can also promote fat loss. Try adding a quarter of an avocado to salads and sandwiches.

What You Drink

Beverages can play an important role in your ability to drop fat. Consider sipping or passing on these eight beverages to get extra-lean.

12. Go Green

The main ingredient in green tea, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), inhibits the enzyme that normally breaks down the neurohormone norepinephrine. Norepinephrine keeps the metabolic rate up, so preventing its breakdown helps you burn more calories throughout the day. Drinking green tea is a great way to stay hydrated during workouts, as a new study in The Journal of Nutrition reported that subjects drinking green tea and exercising lost significantly more abdominal fat than those drinking a placebo.

13. In The Black

Green, oolong and black teas all come from the same plant, but different processing causes black and oolong teas to lose their green color and turn brownish/black. Oolong tea has been shown to enhance metabolic rate due to polyphenols other than EGCG. Black tea may also aid fat loss: Researchers from University College London reported that black tea consumption can help reduce Cortisol levels, which encourages fat storage especially around the midsection.

14. Be Aqua Man

German researchers have shown that drinking about 2 cups of cold water can temporarily boost metabolic rate by roughly 30%. The effect appears to be mainly due to an increase in norepinephrine.

15. Get Energized

Certain energy drinks have been shown to boost fat loss. University of Oklahoma (Norman) researchers reported in a 2008 study that when 60 male and female subjects consumed a diet energy drink containing 200 mg of caffeine and 250 mg of EGCG from green tea extract for 28 days, they lost more than 1 pound of bodyfat without changing their diets or exercise habits.

16. Whey Lean

Drinking whey protein as a between-meals snack is a smart way to enhance not only muscle growth but also fat loss. UK researchers found that when subjects consumed a whey protein shake 90 minutes before eating a buffet-style meal, they ate significantly less food than when they consumed a casein shake beforehand. The scientists reported that this was due to whey’s ability to boost levels of the hunger-blunting hormones cholecystokinin and glucagonlike peptide-I.

17. Say Soy-Anara To Fat

Soy protein is a proven fat-burner. In fact, in a 2008 review paper University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers concluded that soy protein can aid fat loss, possibly by decreasing appetite and calorie intake. The scientists also found that subjects drinking 20 grams of soy daily for three months lost a significant amount of abdominal fat.

18. Get Thick

When you whip up a protein shake, consider making it thicker by using less water. It could help you feel less hungry while dieting. In a study from Purdue University (West Lafayette, Indiana), subjects drank two shakes that were identical in nutritional content, and reported significantly greater and more prolonged reductions in hunger after drinking the thicker shake.

19. Not So Sweet

Even though artificially sweetened drinks are calorie-free, drinking too many can actually hinder your fat-loss progress. It seems that beverages like diet soda mess with your brain’s ability to regulate calorie intake, causing you to feel hungrier than normal so you eat more total calories.

Other research suggests that the sweet taste of these drinks can increase the release of insulin, which can blunt fat-burning and enhance fat storage.

What Supplements You Take

While whole foods are the key element to getting lean, supplements can provide a potent fat-burning stimulus. Consider using these six supps.

20. Go Even Greener

The majority of studies showing the effectiveness of green tea for fat loss have used green tea extract. One study confirmed that the EGCG from the extract was absorbed significantly better than the EGCG from the tea. Take about 500 mg of green tea extract in the morning and afternoon before meals.

21. See CLA

You’ll also want to add the healthy fat CLA to your supplement regimen. CLA can significantly aid fat loss while simultaneously enhancing hypertrophy and strength gains. Research shows it can even help specifically target ab fat.

22. Go Fish

As mentioned in tip No. 3, the essential omega-3 fats in fish oil promote fat loss, which is enhanced with exercise. This is also true for fish-oil supplements containing omega-3 fats. Take 1-2 grams of fish oil at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

23. You Bet Your Astaxanthin

Japanese researchers reported in a 2008 study that mice supplemented with astaxanthin combined with an exercise program for four weeks saw accelerated fat-burning, greater fat loss and enhanced endurance compared to mice that just exercised. The scientists determined that astaxanthin protects the system that transports fat into the mitochondria of muscle cells where it’s burned as fuel. Take 4 mg of astaxanthin with food once or twice per day, with one dose taken with your preworkout meal.

24. Go Commercial

A 2009 study reported that lifters taking the fat-burner Meltdown by VPX (containing caffeine, synephrine, yohimbine and beta-phenylethyl-amine, to name a few) burned 30% more calories and had a more than 40% increase in markers of lipolysis (fat release from fat cells) for the 90 minutes afterward when researchers measured calorie burn compared to when subjects consumed a placebo. Regardless of the brand of thermogenic you choose, follow label instructions and take the other five supplements mentioned here as well.

How You Lift

The way you weight-train can have a huge effect on how much fat you burn. Consider these eight rules when hitting the iron.

25. Carry More Fat Away With Carnitine

This amino-acidlike compound is critical for carrying fat in the body to the mitochondria of cells, where it’s burned away for good. Research confirms that taking carnitine when dieting can help maximize fat-burning efforts. Take 1-2 grams of carnitine in the form of L-carnitine, L-carnitine L-tartrate or glycine propionyl-L-carnitine.

26. Go Heavy

Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption refers to the increased metabolic rate you enjoy after a workout. Scien- tists at the Norwegian University of Sport and Physical Education (Oslo) analyzed multiple studies and found that training with heavier weights for fewer reps produces a greater rise in resting metabolic rate that’ll last longer compared to training with lighter weights and doing more reps. Although most guys may think they need to train with higher reps to burn more fat, you still want to lift heavy (3-7 reps) some of the time to maximize the calories and fat you burn when you’re not at the gym.

27. Go Light

While lifting heavy does burn more calories post- workout, performing higher reps burns more calories during the workout, as College of New Jersey (Ewing) researchers reported at a 2007 annual meeting of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.(51) Be sure to mix up your training by using lighter weight and higher reps (10-20) during some workouts and heavy weight and low reps (3-7) in others. Another way to get the best of both worlds is to perform four sets of most exercises, doing your first two sets with heavy weight and low reps and the last two with light weight and high reps.

28. Rest Less

Researchers from the College of New Jersey (Ewing) also discovered that when subjects rested 30 seconds between sets on the bench press, they burned just more than 50% more calories than when they rested three minutes.

To maximize fat toss, keep your workout moving by resting less than a minute between sets.

29. Force It

A study on collegiate football players found that using a high-intensity weight program–just one set per exercise for 6-10 reps to failure, plus forced reps and a static contraction for several seconds–caused more bodyfat loss in 10 weeks than a lower-intensity program consisting of three sets of 6-10 reps per exercise taken just to muscle failure. This could be due to a greater hike in growth hormone (GH) in the high-intensity group: In a study from Finland, forced reps boosted GH three times higher than training to failure. Go past failure when trying to get lean by using forced reps, static contractions, rest-pause or drop sets.

30. Be Free

Using free weights, especially in multijoint moves such as the squat, has been found to burn more calories than doing similar exercises on machines like the leg press. Scientists said the difference may be due to the greater number of stabilizer muscles used during multijoint exercises done with free weights.

31. Feel The Need For Speed

Fast, explosive reps burn more calories than the typical slow, controlled reps you’re used to doing in the gym, say researchers from Ball State University (Muncie, Indiana). They believe that because fast-twitch muscle fibers are less energy-efficient than their slow-twitch counterparts, they burn more fuel during exercise. To perform fast reps in your workouts, choose a weight equal to 30`% of your one-rep max (or a weight you can lift for 15-35 reps) for each exercise. Do your first two sets with 3-8 fast reps, then follow with 2-3 sets of normal-paced reps.

32. Be Negative

In one recent study, subjects who performed a negative-rep workout of three sets of the bench press and squat increased their GH levels by almost 4,000%. Since GH frees up fat from fat cells, using negative reps may help you shed extra bodyfat. To add negatives to your routine, either have a spotter help you get 3-5 negative reps after reaching failure on a regular set, or load the bar with about 120% of your one-rep max and have a spotter help you perform five negative reps that take you 3-5 seconds each to complete.

33. Tune In

Listening to your iPod can boost your workout intensity and fat-loss efforts. A study conducted by the Weider Research Group and presented at the 2008 annual meeting of the National Strength and Conditioning Association found that trained subjects listening to their own music selection could complete significantly more reps than when they trained without their preferred music.

How You Run

Cardio, obviously, is a primary component of getting lean. It’s the easiest way to burn the most calories during exercise. Use these eight rules to help you maximize your fat loss.

34. Go After It

Do your cardio after you hit the weights. Japanese researchers found that when subjects performed cardio after resistance training, they burned significantly more fat than when they did cardio first. The scientists also reported that fat-burning was maximal during the first 15 minutes of cardio following the weight workout, so hit the stationary bike, elliptical machine or treadmill after you lift, even if it’s for just 15 minutes.

35. Hiit It

The best way to burn the most fat with cardio is via high-intensity interval training (HIIT). This involves doing intervals of high-intensity exercise (such as running at 90% of your max heart rate) followed by intervals of low-intensity exercise (walking at a moderate pace) or rest. A litany of research confirms that this burns more fat than the continuous, steady-state cardio most people do at a moderate intensity, such as walking for 30 minutes at 60%-70% of their max heart rates.

36. Stagger It

In one study, subjects who did three 10-minute bouts of running separated by 20-minute rest periods found the workout easier than when they ran at the same intensity for 30 minutes. The intermittent cardio even burned more fat, and has also been shown to burn more calories postworkout than the same amount of continuous exercise.

37. Fashionably Late

The time of day you do your cardio can impact how many calories you burn post-workout. University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, researchers reported that endurance-trained subjects who performed 30 minutes of stationary cycling between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. raised their metabolic rates higher postworkout than when they did the same cardio exercise between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. or between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. While your best bet is to train whenever it best fits your schedule, try training in the evening to enhance your postworkout calorie burn.

38. Be Scottish

University of Edinburgh (Scotland) researchers reported that when subjects did 4-6 30-second sprints on a stationary cycle separated by four minutes of rest for just two weeks, their blood-glucose and insulin levels were reduced by almost 15% and 40%, respectively, and insulin sensitivity improved by about 25%, following consumption of 75 grams of glucose. Keeping insulin levels low and steady can help maximize fat-burning and minimize fat storage.

So even if you don’t have 20-30 minutes for a cardio workout, doing just 2-3 minutes of sprinting can at least help keep insulin down and fat-burning up.

39. Climb It

Consider other forms of cardio. A recent study from Italy found that when subjects rock-climbed, their average heart rates were about 80% of their max, which equates to a pretty intense cardio session. In addition, subjects burned about 12 calories per minute for a 180-pound guy, or just less than 400 calories in 30 minutes. Check out indoor or outdoor rock-climbing sites in your area.

40. Kick It

Another way to get your cardio is with martial arts. Wayne State College (Nebraska) researchers found that when beginning martial artists performed a tae kwon do workout of cycling between front kicks, butterfly stretches, forearm strikes, crunches, side kicks, quad stretches and push-ups, their heart rates rose 80% and they burned about 300 calories per half-hour. Besides tae kwon do, you can try aikido, jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, kung fu or any other style of martial arts.

41. Spit It Out

University of Birmingham (Edgbaston, UK) scientists found that when trained cyclists rode as fast as possible while rinsing their mouths with a beverage similar to a sports drink and spitting it out every 7-8 minutes, they could cover a certain mileage three minutes faster than when they rinsed with water. We don’t suggest you try this in an indoor cycling class, but rinsing your mouth every 10 minutes with a sports drink and spitting it out could help you train at a higher intensity–without the added calories.

Other Rules

Some things that can impact your ability to lose fat may not be directly related to what you eat or drink, or to your exercise routine. Still, these nine tips could aid fat loss.

42. Get Up

Research from Australia found that out of 2,000-plus subjects who exercised vigorously for at least 2.5 hours per week, those who watched more than 40 minutes of television per day had higher waist circumferences than those watching less than 40 minutes. The scientists theorize that sitting for prolonged periods compromises the body’s ability to burn fat, which was shown by University of Missouri-Columbia researchers in both animals and humans. Avoid this slump by getting up and stretching at least every 20 minutes while sitting at work or at home.

43. Take A Picture

A picture could be worth a thousand calo- ries. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that test subjects who recorded with photographs what they ate for one week reported that the images triggered critical evaluation of the food before eating it, prompting them to make better food choices. This wasn’t the case for subjects who simply wrote down what they ate. Try keeping a photo food log as well as a journal in which you calculate your macronutrient intake.

44. Portion It

One study from Cornell University (Ithaca, New York) reported that when moviegoers were given a large acontainer (about 22 cups)of fresh popcorn during a movie, they ate 45% more than those given a medium container (about II cups). Even more disturbing was that subjects given a large container of stale popcorn still ate about 35% more than those given a medium container, even though they rated the popcorn’s taste as bad.

You can use this research in a couple of ways: For lean protein sources, give yourself a large amount; for side dishes such as rice, potatoes and bread, keep the serving on the small side.

45. Laugh It Off

Japanese scientists found that when subjects ate a 500-calorie meal while watching a 40-minute comedy show, their blood-glucose levels were much lower than when they consumed the same meal during a boring 40-minute lecture. The researchers suggest that laughter may have altered subjects’ brain chemistry in such a way that glucose entered the blood more slowly, or blood glucose was taken up by the muscles more rapidly. Try eating meals while watching something funny on TV to keep your blood-glucose and insulin levels low to help encourage fat loss.

46. Sleep On It

One study in the American Journal of Epidemiology reported that subjects sleeping five hours or less per night were one-third more likely to gain 30-plus pounds over the 16-year study than those who slept seven hours or longer per night. This may be due to an imbalance in the hormones leptin and ghrelin: While leptin decreases hunger and increases the metabolic rate, ghrelin boosts hunger. A study by University of Chicago researchers found that men who were sleep-deprived for two days experienced a rise in ghrelin levels and a drop in leptin levels, along with a concomitant rise in hunger. A Stanford University (California) study showed that subjects who slept the least had lower levels of leptin and higher levels of ghrelin and bodyfat compared to those who slept eight hours.

Try to get 7-9 hours of sleep every night to not only enhance your recovery but also aid your health and help you keep fat off.

47. Chew It

A study done at Glasgow Caledonian University (Scotland) found that subjects who chewed gum between meals ate significantly less food at the second meal than those who didn’t chew gum. The researchers concluded that chewing gum increases satiety and therefore reduces food intake.

48. Be A Transporter

Remember, any activity you do burns calories, and burning more calories than you consume is the most critical aspect of getting lean. So consider how far away certain destinations are such as work, the gym, the grocery store and your friends’ homes. Depending on the distance and the time you have, walk or bike to burn more calories and fat.

49. Feel The Vibe

In a study from Stony Brook University (New York), mice placed on a vibrating platform for 15 minutes a day for up to 15 weeks were found to have less bodyfat than mice not exposed to vibration. Research in humans has seen similar results with vibration exposure enhancing fat loss. If your gym has a vibration machine–often called a Power Plate–get a trainer to walk you through it and consider using it for a few minutes a couple of times per week.

50. Be A Gamer

The popular and very active video game Dance Dance Revolution can provide a great workout, according to researchers from the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse.

They reported that adult subjects burned as many as 10 calories per minute playing the game, which is equivalent to a good run.

Author: Jim Stoppani, PhD – Main Editor Flex Magazine
References:
Full Reference List Here
COPYRIGHT Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT Gale, Cengage Learning

Invisible Children - KONY 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 19:59:00 +0000

I'm reposting this from a colleague's blog - Julianne Rowe. I couldn't have said this better myself.

I know this isn’t something I normally post about, but this is definitely worth talking about.

Joseph Kony is the leader of the Lord Resistance Army (LRA), better known as “the rebels” to Ugandans. Kony and the LRA, abduct, rape and kill children in Uganda, and in many other African countries. He takes children out of their homes, and forces the girls to become sex slaves and the boys to become child soldiers, forced to kill their parents and kill and mutilate innocent people.

This is a man who must be stopped. Jason Russell created a movement called Invisible Children that can help change the world. Through social media and word of mouth, people around the world, especially in the U.S. are getting involved to help raise awareness about Kony and stop him from abducting and killing children. President Obama sent 100 U.S. troops into Uganda to work with the Ugandan Army in finding and stopping Kony.

The only way to make sure the U.S. troops aren’t pulled from Uganda is to make sure Americans don’t lose interest in the cause. How are we going to do this? Keep talking about it! Tweet about it, post it on facebook and Google+, write about it and tell everyone you can. Make sure President Obama doesn’t pull our troops out of Uganda, because if they’re needed anywhere right now, it’s in Africa to stop Kony.
Although there have been some controversial articles about the intentions of Invisible Children, I believe that it’s a cause with good intentions to raise awareness about the issue. Like any other cause some of the money donated will to go to staff salaries, promotion and advertising, but the point here is to raise awareness about Kony, and isn’t that what Invisible Children is doing? Let me be clear, I’m not asking anyone to donate money to Invisible Children, I’m simply asking that we all help to raise awareness about Kony and Invisible Children is doing a good job of doing just that.

Please watch this video and spread the word.

Uncle Norman's 80th Birthday Party

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:25:00 +0000

Uncle Norman's 80th Birthday Party, a set on Flickr.

Great time this past weekend at McLoones Boathouse in West Orange New Jersey with the Krueger family celebrating Uncle Norman's 80th.

Slideshow:

Pottsgrove Wrestling Tournaments - 2011-2012

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:54:00 +0000

We had a looooooong weekend of wrestling starting on Friday with the annual Pottsgrove Takedown tournament followed by the Holiday Tournament on Saturday. The takedown tourn is pretty unique and there aren't too many of them around. It gives the kids a little taste of wrestling and goes very quickly. Michael did pretty well at the TD tourn. He lost his first match to a really good kid. His second he dominated his opponent. In the third match he got the first takedown, gave up the second, and then ended up losing because he grabbed the kids headgear. He took 3rd place - Not bad.

The Pottsgrove holiday tourn had an unbelievable turnout - 400 kids, and they turned away at least 150 others. The place was packed and so was Michael's bracket with 13 kids. He won his first two matches with pins in the first period. His third match he won 8-6 and it was pretty tight - that put him in the finals for first or second. He ended up getting caught really quickly and got pinned in his final match. He wasn't too upset which was a good thing, but it was disappointing because I think it would have been a good match. All in all a good weekend of wrestling. Videos below:

Hunter Mountain Snowboarding - GoPro

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:17:00 +0000

This is a little video I put together that I shot using my GoPro Hero. We tried a bunch of different mounts - head, board, pole, and I think the coolest is the pole mount. This was shot at Hunter Mountain in the Catskills of New York the day after Christmas 2011. I edited it using Cyberlink Powerdirector 9. Enjoy!

Michael Caught Dancing

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 22:49:00 +0000

This is pretty funny - Michael has been listening to his iPod touch with headphones and dancing in his room. We caught him - very funny

Ultimate Cable Crossover Exercise

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:52:00 +0000

During my 30lb weight loss over the past 2 years (206lbs to approx 176lbs) I've gotten a lot of questions about my workout routines and eating habits so I decided to post a bit about part of my routine. My schedule is 5 days weights, 1 day running then repeat. Occasionally there is a complete rest day when life intervenes, but everyone needs a day off here and there to rest. The breakdown is as follows:

Day 1 - Chest/tri's/stretching/abs
Day 2 - Back/bi's/stretching/abs
Day 3 - Legs/stretching/abs
Day 4 - Shoulders/stretching/abs
Day 5 - Arms (bi's & tri's) /stretching/abs
Day 6 - Cardio

This is a portion of my chest/tri's day. This is my "ultimate cable crossover" routine. The reason it differs from normal cable crossovers is because I begin with the rungs at the very top of the cable crossovers (#17). After each set of crossovers I immediately do a set of push ups using the "perfect pushups." For each set of crossovers I lower the rungs 2 notches - start at #17 then go to #15 all the way down to #1. This means I am working every angle of my chest by starting at the top and finishing at the bottom. I do 9 sets of crossovers with approx 8-10 reps per set and additionally do 9 sets of push ups with 8-10 per set.

I do this exercise after flat bench and after incline dumbbell press. This is a real killer and will totally rip up your chest. The flat bench and dumbbell press put on the mass while this exercise combined with push ups shreds. After this I do 3 sets of the pec-dec machine to finish off chest. Here is a video from the middle of the routine - and yes, I am getting a bit thin on top - I didn't realize how much until watching this video - I am 38 years old :)

First Tournament of the Season

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:58:00 +0000

Well, it's the beginning of the season - learning time. We've been back at wrestling practice for a few weeks now and Michael has been doing pretty well. We entered the Quakertown Wrestlinng Tournament this past Sunday to get back on the mat officially. This is his first time wrestling at the "Bantam" level. He weighed in at 50lb's on the dot.

Michael wrestled two matches His first he came out on fire and totally dominated his opponent. Unfortunately he made some mistakes and allowed the kid to tie him forcing them into overtime. He got taken down in overtime and that was that. His second match he also did ok in, but he lost 9-2. He was pretty disappointed, but I told him that this is really the best way to learn. It's a long season....

Leftover Turkey - Buffalo Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:42:00 +0000

I made this BIG salad for lunch using some leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. It was super easy and delicious!

Ingredients:

1/2-1 cup diced Turkey (I prefer dark meat)

2 TBS hot sauce

baby spinach

romaine lettuce

tomatoes

sliced carrots

purple cabbage

celery

radishes

sunflower seeds

dried cranberries

sprinkle of salad seasoning

bacon bits

Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Dice the turkey and put into microwave safe bowl - set aside. Combine all cold ingredients together - add salad seasoning and toss. Microwave diced turkey for one minute then toss with hot sauce. Add to salad and enjoy!

THIS IS SPARTA

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 19:31:00 +0000

When Gretchen won the Spartan Race back in September, and came home with a real looking Spartan sword, I immediately decided I HAD to be a 300 Spartan for Halloween. I've been working out pretty intensely for the past 2 years and I feel like I've gotten into pretty much the best shape of my life. So I started growing my "King Leonidas" beard, I researched 300 Spartan costumes and found the good ones to be ridiculously expensive. So instead, I figured - I have the sword and if I could get a decent cape and helmet, I could make the rest of the costume myself. I bought the cape, Spartan skirt (I did not want to wear the codpiece :) ) and helmet from a Halloween store pretty cheap and then found some great online resources for making your own Spartan shield. This website also had a great way to make your own 300 Spartan Vambraces (armguards) out of cardboard and paper mache. The shield and arm-guards together took me about 2 weeks to make, but I was really taking my time and not rushing it. I think they turned out pretty dam good. The shield was made from cardboard, a disc sled, paper mache, and bronze paint. The armguards were made from cereal boxes, paper mache, wire, and bronze paint. I bought 3 leather belts from the dollar store for the "cape straps" and a belt to hold my sword up. I have leather sandals that I was going to wear, but the freak October snowstorm put an end to that, so I went with boots instead. We had plans to attend a great Halloween party, but the snowstorm also put an end to that with downed trees across the road we were driving on. So instead, we went to the Brickhouse in Pottstown as they were having a Halloween party get together there as well. Gretchen went as my Spartan Queen and we all had a good time. Some photos below of our costumes and the gear I used. Enjoy!

Nicole, Andy, and Chommy went with us. Nicole was Amy Winehouse, Andy was "Willard," and Chommy threw his costume together in 2 minutes of Halloween store shopping and went as "backwards guy" with the V for Vendetta mask - LOL. Fun...

Rock Solid Mud Run

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:49:00 +0000

Since Gretchen and I had so much fun at the Spartan Race last month, we decided to do another mud run - The Rock Solid Mud Run in Englishtown, NJ. This one was not as intense as the Spartan, but it was definitely a fun 5 mile course with 30+ military grade obstacles. I found the running on the course to be easier than the Spartan since this was flat and the Spartan was up a mountain, but some of the obstacles were pretty tough. Starting out you had to swim/wade through a lake three times after jumping off of a 20' platform or sliding down a steep slide (which Gretchen chose). We recorded the run with my GoPro Hero video camera and took turns wearing it. It was definitely a good time and I'd do it again. Here a fun video I put together using music that Gretchen insisted on :) Enjoy and please comment!

Western Lehigh Soccer Tournament Champions

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:25:00 +0000

Well, the girls Lightning U10 travel soccer team from Pottsgrove did it again with another 1st place win at the Western Lehigh Soccer Tournament over the weekend of October 8-9, 2011. They had two games on Saturday and two on Sunday and they dominated them all. Great job girls!

Here are the photos from the games:

PA Spartan Sprint - 1st Place

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 20:43:00 +0000

Well, we did it - and Gretchen took an AMAZING 1st place! I am seriously so proud of her. Gretchen is the runner of the family - I am not. When we decided to do "The Spartan," she said she would stay with me throughout the race. Yeah, that went out the window about 15 minutes in when one of the workers told her she was the 2nd place woman at that time. She took off - I don't blame her at all and I didn't want to hold her back. We were both very impressed with the course. I was pretty nervous since they upped the distance from 3 miles to 4.8 miles, but we both did well. Gretchen finished in 1 hour and 17 minutes and I finished in 1 hour and 33 minutes. Not too bad...Gretchen came home with a bad ass gladiator sword as the first place trophy and she may get to compete in another Spartan race in Texas for a $10k prize. It was a very good day. Here is the video of Gretchen getting her "trophy."

***UPDATE***
This is the actual video of the Spartan Race in PA posted yesterday on Spartan.tv:
Pa Spartan Sprint

Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 21:22:00 +0000

I found this recipe today for roasted Parmesan potatoes and had to try them. I thought they would be the perfect accompaniment for the London broil I am grilling. I tweaked it to make a bit more than the recipe says, and they turned out fantastic.

Ingredients:
4 medium red potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
Cut the potatoes in wedges.
In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan, garlic, and paprika and set aside.
Next, toss the potatoes and oil together in a mixing bowl then add the bowl of cheese and seasonings and stir to coat.
Arrange them on a cookie sheet in a single layer.
Bake for about 30-35 minutes then remove from oven and turn over all the potatoes.
Bake for another few minutes until crispy and golden.

Before:

After:

West-Mont United Battle At HillTop Soccer Tournament

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 20:39:00 +0000

The Pottsgrove U10 girls soccer team had an amazing weekend of soccer with a 1st place finish at the 8th annual West-Mont United Battle At HillTop Soccer Tournament. All the girls played fantastic and we are so proud of them. I took a ton of photos of the team in action. See below:

Bell Pepper Egg-in-a-Hole

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:35:00 +0000

I just made these for a late breakfast this morning after seeing them on a blog a few days ago. Simple and cool!

Jamie Oliver's Perfect Roast Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 20:26:00 +0000

I cook chicken a LOT. I am always trying to find different recipes to get away from the same old chicken dishes. I grill chicken, saute chicken, skewer chicken, make chicken fajitas, chicken quesadillas, chicken tacos, and the list goes on and on. This summer has been so hot that I have rarely used the oven in my new kitchen to cook. Today the temperature was pretty moderate so I decided to try a roast chicken recipe. I found this one from Jamie Oliver (who I am a huge fan of) on his website, jamieoliver.com. I tweaked it slightly by using fresh rosemary from my garden and already peeled garlic cloves, but other than that I followed it pretty closely. I think it turned out fantastic! These are the photos of my meal (yes we eat early - helped me lose weight):

Before:

After:

Here is the recipe from his site:

ingredients

• 1 x approximately 1.6kg chicken, preferably free-range, organic or higher welfare
• 2 medium onions
• 2 carrots
• 2 sticks of celery
• 1 bulb of garlic
• olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lemon
a small bunch of fresh thyme, rosemary, bay or sage, or a mixture

method

Having learnt the things I’ve learnt about chickens over the last few years, of course I’m going to suggest that you buy free-range or organic. But if you’re a little tight for cash, the RSPCA Freedom Food chickens are very good and available in all good supermarkets.

To prepare your chicken
• Take your chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before it goes into the oven
• Preheat your oven to 240°C/475°F/gas 9
• There’s no need to peel the vegetables – just give them a wash and roughly chop them
• Break the garlic bulb into cloves, leaving them unpeeled
• Pile all the veg and garlic into the middle of a large roasting tray and drizzle with olive oil
• Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper, rubbing it all over the bird
• Carefully prick the lemon all over, using the tip of a sharp knife (if you have a microwave, you could pop the lemon in these for 40 seconds at this point as this will really bring out the flavour)
• Put the lemon inside the chicken’s cavity, with the bunch of herbs

To cook your chicken
• Place the chicken on top of the vegetables in the roasting tray and put it into the preheated oven
• Turn the heat down immediately to 200°C/400°F/gas 6 and cook the chicken for 1 hour and 20 minutes
• If you’re doing roast potatoes and veggies, this is the time to crack on with them – get them into the oven for the last 45 minutes of cooking
• Baste the chicken halfway through cooking and if the veg look dry, add a splash of water to the tray to stop them burning
• When cooked, take the tray out of the oven and transfer the chicken to a board to rest for 15 minutes or so
• Cover it with a layer of tinfoil and a tea towel and put aside. Now is the time to make your gravy

To carve your chicken
• Remove any string from the chicken and take off the wings (break them up and add to your gravy for mega flavour)
• Carefully cut down between the leg and the breast
• Cut through the joint and pull the leg off
• Repeat on the other side, then cut each leg between the thigh and the drumstick so you end up with four portions of dark meat
• Place these on a serving platter
• You should now have a clear space to carve the rest of your chicken
• Angle the knife along the breastbone and carve one side off, then the other
• When you get down to the fussy bits, just use your fingers to pull all the meat off, and turn the chicken over to get all the tasty, juicy bits from underneath
• You should be left with a stripped carcass, and a platter full of lovely meat that you can serve with your piping hot gravy and gorgeous roast veg

• from Jamie's Ministry of Food

Philadelphia Eagles Training Camp 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 16:08:00 +0000

Philadelphia Eagles Training Camp 2011, a set on Flickr.

Some photos I took this morning at Lehigh University during a practice session of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Keystone Games Wrestling 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 12:44:00 +0000

Over the past few weeks I have been getting multiple emails from the Keystone State Games wrestling because Michael wrestled in that tournament last year. I noticed they had an Open Masters division for 35 years and older and was contemplating entering. I asked Michael if he wanted to wrestle and told him that I would wrestle if he did, and he said "sure." It was a good day of wrestling for us both. Michael had 4 matches - he won his first match 8-2, the 2nd match he lost, the 3rd match he pinned his opponent, and the 4th match he lost. Because it was a round robin format, he took a 3rd place. I just wanted him to have fun and he did.

Since I was in the "old man" division, my first match didn't happen until about 5 hours into the tournament. I felt pretty good and won my first match by a technical fall. A tech-fall is when you win by 15 points. The final score of the match was 17-2. My second match was a bit tougher and I ended up losing 4-1. My 3rd match was pretty good and I finished winning 3-2 for a second place win. Michael and I were very pleased with the results of the day. I told him how proud I was of him and he told me the same. A good father/son bonding day. Here are the videos from all of our matches:

Ocean City NJ 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:38:00 +0000

Ocean City NJ 2011, a set on Flickr.

A medley of photos from our time in Ocean City, NJ this summer. It was a blast.

Here is the slide show:

Mya's 9th Birthday at the Water Park

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 22:18:00 +0000

Since Gretchen and the kids have been in OCNY for most of the summer, Mya wanted to do the water park for her 9th birthday, so we went to the water park at Gillians on the boardwalk. The girls next door came with and we all had a blast. I used the GoPro Hero to record some footage and it turned out pretty well. The only blip was when it flew off my head at the bottom of a slide and got sucked down to the grate, but the staff at Gillians got it for me in minutes. Here is the video with some fun music:

Another Day at the Beach

noreply@blogger.com (Daniel Krueger) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 02:29:00 +0000

We had another great day today on the beach today here in Ocean City, New Jersey. The waves were the best yet. I put together a little video with the GoPro Hero. Enjoy!