Welcome, you found us!

As I mentioned in the intro back at Cranky Fitness, Mark Sissons of Mark's Daily Apple has come out with a book called The Primal Blueprint. He believes we should all be eating and exercising the way humans did 10,000 years ago.

In fact, the role model/poster-boy over at his blog is a fellow named "Grok," who lived back in Paleolithic times. "What would Grok do?" is a frequent subject of discussion over at Mark's Daily Apple.

Hi there, Grok!

So this looks like a very interesting read, and there are many, many aspects of primal living that seem quite sensible. We at Cranky Fitness totally endorse cutting way down on processed crap, eating more whole natural foods, and getting lots of exercise.

However, longtime readers of both blogs might have noticed that Crabby McSlacker and Grok have slightly different approaches to healthy living. (In fact, back in the early days of Cranky Fitness, Crabby wrote a guest post over Mark's place defending the consumption of Splenda and cupcakes!)

So how to handle the fact that Grok followers are a bit more hard core than Crabby, and that we don't see eye to eye on everything? Well, I could embark on a scholarly debate about evolutionary biology, and question the notion that we should try to emulate the paleolithic lifestyle in so many of its particulars. But that might involve a lot of work! make for a dull post.

Instead, I'll just point out a few random similarities and differences between Crabby and Grok and let you readers weigh with your own thoughts about Primal Living. You folks (a) know a lot more about the specifics of what's involved and (b) always have the best observations and arguments anyway!

Sample Differences Between Crabby and Grok's Approach to Healthy Living:

1. Grok didn't eat grains or sugar. So Grok's followers think you should limit them--and not just junky white flour and other refined grains, but whole grains too.

Crabby says screw that. She has a hard enough time staying the heck away from Krispy Kremes. Do not mess with her whole wheat bread, brown rice, and oat bran muffins.

2. Grok ate a fair amount of animal fat--and many of Grok's followers love their lard. They believe it is good for us and has been unfairly demonized.

Crabby is more scared animal fat. Though she could happily gorge on cheeseburgers and barbecued pork ribs on a daily basis, she believes that red meats and animal fats are best kept to a minimum.

3. Grok didn't eat burritos and his followers say you should go easy on legumes as they are not all that great for you.

Crabby says WTF? She feels quite virtuous when she eats things like beans and split peas and lentils! She is working on eating more of these, not less.

4. Grok did not use an elliptical machine, go jogging, or take Zumba classes, and his followers think we should skip the 3-5 sessions a week of traditional aerobic exercise we are so often told to do. Instead, you should "move frequently at a slow pace, lift heavy things, and run really fast once in a while."

Crabby agrees that those three things are all good, but Crabby likes to get high on endorphins. She loves to run, and bouncing around on an elliptical machine to good music gives her a rush she just can't get by torturing herself with intervals. She is not convinced yet that she'd be better off chucking her cardio workouts.

5. Grok must have eaten lots of protein, because his followers advocate eating greater amounts protein than many of us typically get.

Crabby also believes protein is important (and many women don't get enough), but she is hesitant to "beef up" (sorry) her protein intake as much as Grok's followers would recommend. She worries about medical complications like kidney disease that one can get from high protein/low carb diets.

But enough with the pesky differences. There are also many ways in which Crabby is totally willing to consider Grok a role model!

1. Grok didn't sit on his ass in a desk chair all day long and Crabby doesn't think this is a great idea either.

2. Grok never went to Friendly's, McDonald's, or TGI Fridays, and Crabby would just as soon stay the hell away from them too.

3. Grok didn't run marathons and Crabby ain't gonna either!

4. Grok didn't have a twitter account or a facebook page...and neither does Crabby!

5. Flying across the country in a metal tube 40,000 feet in the air would have scared the crap out of Grok, and Crabby does her best to avoid this too!

6. Grok wouldn't have known what the heck to make of shows like "The Real Housewives of Orange County" and neither does Crabby!

Proving that Crabby is actually very primal!


How To Win a Copy of The Primal Blueprint:

You don't have to be a U.S. resident to win!

Just leave a comment about anything to do with the whole caveman/primal/paleolithic approach to health and fitness, pro or con or confused. I'll chose a winner by Random Number Generator by Tuesday night, June 23rd . Winner announced Wednesday, June 24th. And if you win, please email us at Crabby McSlacker @ gmail dot com to claim your prize by Saturday the 27th!

UPDATE: The Winner has been selected! Go to the Cranky Fitness winner announcement post and find out if you won!

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Ever wondered how you could be such an "adult" in so many other areas of your life, yet respond like Pavlov's poor drooling dog when cued by the sight of crispy french fries or creamy frosting, or the smell of a bacon cheeseburger sizzling on the grill?

We know this stuff is terrible for us... yet some of us find it so difficult to resist.

Why the heck is that?

Well, according to Dr. David Kessler (who served as the FDA commissioner in two administrations), part of the reason we overeat is because our brains have been hijacked! In the book "The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite," Kessler exposes some fascinating tricks the food industry has for making their products incredibly, unnaturally enticing.

He also explains why our brain chemistry makes us so vulnerable to the cheap thrills provided by sugar, fat, and salt. (So for those of you hopping over from the intro back at Cranky Fitness wondering what the heck "orosensory self-stimulation" is, this it where it comes in: it's "the cyclical process in which eating delicious food tells the brain to make us want more of those foods." And similarly, the "hedonic hotspot" is not a nightclub but a tiny part of the brain about the size of a head of a pin that "causes us to really like something.")

The book also describes a problem that so many in our society seem to struggle with: that of "Conditioned Hypereating." Kessler proposes a treatment theory that involves "food rehab," featuring sensible concepts like like "planned eating." He also advises people on how to make the "critical perceptual shift" necessary to regain control of our diet and our health. (And Crabby promises to stop quoting practically every word the poor man has written "any minute now.")

So this is the part of the review where Conscientious Co-Blogger Merry Sunshine would provide the thoughtful analysis. Whereas I'm going to present instead a gratuitous photo of an Italian Men's Soccer Team in order to distract the heterosexual female portion of our demographic. (But this time, instead of their white undies, the boys are wearing black!):



Did that work? Are you distracted enough that I can get by with a really quick take on the book?

It's actually a fascinating read, and has a lot of great details about how our brains and current food manufacturing technology conspire against us to defeat our best intentions. No wonder we're so tempted to eat such unhealthy stuff! It's one thing to think abstractly "My those Cinnabon rolls sure are tasty" and another to read how carefully they were designed to make us helpless to resist. So the book is really useful in providing perspective on how tough it is to avoid unhealthy food, and to appreciate the power of the forces that lead to "conditioned hypereating."

This would be an especially great book for a friend or relative who does not frequent health blogs and is only just beginning to appreciate how totally f*cked up our society is when it comes to "normal" eating habits.

But for many of us who have long been aware of the Ubiquitous Evil we are up against at our restaurants, grocery stores, and shopping mall food courts... it's a bit like preaching to the choir. And while we all grapple with temptation, many of us have developed our own common sense strategies for indulging only occasionally, in moderation. Kessler's "rehab" techniques, while certainly sensible, are not all that novel or detailed. Because while stating the problem is helpful, it's the "solution" part that's tough to implement.

That said, he does make at least a good start on it, and while many of us may feel we know this stuff, we can always use reminders. Plus, there is obviously a huge segment of the population (no pun intended) that does not frequent health blogs. Many folks are in the dark about how pathological their eating behavior has become, how unhealthy that is, how it's not just a matter of "willpower," and what some good techniques are to regain control over what we eat.

So, want to win a copy?

Leave a comment by Thursday. Unfortunately, this giveaway is limited to folks who can receive mail at a U.S. address. The random number generator will pick a winner Thursday June 18th, which will be announced by Friday, June 19th. Please check in by Wednesday June 24th to claim your prize or we'll have another drawing. (NOTE: I'm going to be out of town for a few days which is why the entry period is longer than we normally do.)

Special Update: More chances to win! Sagan over at Living Healthy in the Real World and Rupal over at 101 Exercises are also doing a giveaways of this book, and they explain it all much better than I did!

Any thoughts on the obesity epidemic, the role of sugary, fatty, salty, processed foods, the menus as restaurant chains, the methods you use to eat healthy in spite of being surrounded by junky temptations, or the Italian men's soccer team? Comments of all sorts welcome!

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So as I was saying (back on the main blog), I sometimes need some help getting to sleep when it's noisy outside.

But before I tell you what's so nifty about the SleepPhones system, I'd like to whine a bit about other available methods of dealing with this problem. Because if there weren't some whining and complaining, how would you know that you were really still at Cranky Fitness?


Other Solutions to Night-Time Noise That I've Tried:

A "sleep soother" machine like they sell at Sharper Image, the kind that play white noise or various other sounds that are supposed to lull you to sleep.

I hated it.

Not only did it prove I am a schizophrenic because I heard voices in it, but the sound quality was really crappy, and the sounds were recorded loops that only lasted a few seconds. I couldn't help but pick out repetitive noises and then wait for them to come back around again, and again, and again. Neurotic, who me?

Earplugs. They creep me out. (I don't do earbuds on my iPod either. I hate things inside my ears.)

Closing the Window And Turning on the Air Conditioner. This works but makes me feel incredibly wasteful. We get a nice cool breeze most summer nights, and I hate to shut that out and use a power-guzzling machine just because some obnoxious idiot is out there slamming down tequila shots, cranking his stereo and crooning along to I Shot The Sheriff.

Lying There Feeling Angry and Frustrated. Contrary to popular belief, I don't actually enjoy being Cranky. I'd prefer to be relaxed and happy and blissful!


So, What are Sleep Phones and Why Do I Like Them Better Than These Other Options?

They're headphones embedded in a soft fleecy headband that you wear over your ears and plug into your mp3 player, cd player, or other audio device. I use my iPod because it's pretty unobtrusive. (And did you know your iPod has timer and alarm functions? I didn't!)

The headphones are designed to be comfortable enough to sleep in. The package also comes with a lavender sachet and a CD that has three tracks--the one I'm partial to is 30 minutes long and it's called "Rowayton Stream."

Okay, I'll confess, "Rowayton Stream" is the only one I downloaded. The other two are called "Harriman Birds" and "Wake Up!" Since I've already got cacophonous birdcalls waking me up at 4:30 am , I thought I'd pass on any dang birdies chirping. And "Wake Up!" didn't sound all that promising as a track for putting me to sleep.

These soundtracks feature binaural beats, which through a complicated process that I've never quite understood, are supposed to affect your brainwaves and help you to sleep. Over at the SleepPhones site they've got a round-up of some of the relevant binaural beat research. They also offer several more free sleep-inducing mp3 downloads over on the SleepPhone downloads page.

The downside of binaural beats? Well, they sound odd. It's sort of like a washing machine is sitting in the middle of my peaceful Rowayton Stream, on spin cycle, thrumming away.

Excuse me, washing machine, what are you doing here?
Don't you have some dirty clothes to tackle down in the basement?

Actually, at least it sounds like an expensive, possibly European washing machine is sitting in the stream, not a 15 year old Kenmore with a pair of tennis shoes in it. So after a few seconds I don't tend to notice the binaural beat aspect anymore, and I like the idea that it might be messing with my brainwaves and helping me sleep. But if that creeps you out or annoys you, you can use any old CD or MP3 you want to lull you to sleep.

Besides drowning out obnoxious neighbors, the SleepPhones are also supposed to help with tinnitus, insomnia, anxiety, and are probably a good alternative to divorce if you have a spouse who snores.

Additional Options for Dealing With Insomnia

The SleepPhones people have conveniently put together a nice list of sleep hygiene tips, saving me from gathering them up.

And I also thought I'd mention that there was a recent study out endorsing an online cognitive behavioral approach to insomnia. Time Magazine has a good article on the study and on web-based insomnia treatments. Apparently some health insurers like Blue Cross and Aetna offer free anti-insomnia programs, and there are cheap retail versions at cbtforinsomnia.com or myselfhelp.com). I see no reason not to try both the SleepPhones and an online CBT program, but what do I know? I don't have insomnia, just noisy neighbors.

How To Win Your Own Set of SleepPhones:

Leave a comment on this post by Tuesday night, June 9th; the winner will be chosen by Random Number Generator and announced sometime the next day on Wednesday June 10th. If you win, please send an email with your name and mailing address to Crabby McSlacker at Gmail dot com by midnight Saturday June 13th.

The good news: if you live outside the U.S., you can enter! The bad news: if you win, it may take longer for your SleepPhones to arrive. Also, depending on where you live, you may be required to pay import tax. But if you're okay with that, please leave a comment!

So does anyone have any issues getting or staying asleep, or do you just drop right off? Any good tips for beating insomnia?


IMPORTANT UPDATE: A WINNER HAS BEEN DECLARED! PLEASE SEE WHO IT WAS BACK AT CRANKY FITNESS!

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So what is Hella Sound?

It's a new company that produces original music designed for running. They've just released the first 30 minute song, "How To Turn Around a Bad Day," and they're hard at work on more to be released soon. (The download sells for $5, although if you are a Cranky Fitness reader you can get it for just $4. Or perhaps you can win one for free! (See below).

What's cool about Hella Sound songs?

Here's some product info straight from the source:

• Because the songs are 30 minutes long, you don't need to assemble a whole playlist for your run
• Each song is available in 10 versions to accommodate runners' stride rates: 140, 145, 150, 155, 160, 165, 170, 175, 180, 185
• The tempo is consistent throughout, so it's perfect for long runs
• They have several methods to identify the right song version based on stride rate
• The music is extensively road tested to make sure it feels good to run to
• It's original music played on real instruments--not the typical boil-in-a-bag techno remix stuff

The first song has already gotten great reviews--even one from Nitmos at Feet Meets Street, who is a very reliable source about All Things Running (even though he does apparently pal around with folks from the National Consortium of Kitten Drowners.)

Here's a quote from Nitmos:

"When the tune came on, I used it as a chance to remind myself to relax, loosen up, let the music turn your legs and focus in on my breathing and stride. I did find myself being carried down the road on a tidal wave of sound. I didn’t expect this. I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical about the concept at first but I DID match my stride to the song beat and just go with the flow!"

Now I wasn't skeptical about the concept--I know I like running to the beat of music paced for my tempo. But what I was more worried about: would I like the music? I know from reading other people's playlists that there a humongous difference in what people like to listen to; and I figured there was a good chance I'd have to wait until there were more songs available to find one I liked.

But I found I really enjoyed running to this first one! It's instrumental, so there are no lyrics to analyze and criticize, which I often do with pop music because I'm a neurotic freak. The song has a good beat which helps motivation, but it's also complex and intricate enough not to get boring over time. And the fact that the "song" unfolds over a half hour allows for themes to recur. This cohesiveness allowed me to get more "trancey" during my run than I would with a playlist full of different tunes that come and go.

The one downside (for me)? In keeping with title "How to turn around a bad day," the song has four major sections: "You're Starting Off Tense," "You're Warmed Up," "Time To Have Fun," and "Blast to the Finish." And parts of the beginning section--"You're starting off tense" do sound a bit jangly. Some people will probably love that but the sharper edgier sounds weren't really my favorite. But the music soon smoothed out and I found it very invigorating. It's great to run to a beat that keeps you moving!

(FYI: the man behind Hella Sound, John Frenette, is a very cool guy, and has been a good friend to Cranky Fitness. And he's got some great articles you can check out over at his blog at the Hella Sound site. Also, to quote Nitmos again, (because Nitmos always cracks me up): "Where else can you get 30 quality minutes of running music for less than a Wendy’s #1 without onion, regular size? C’mon, help out the small, entrepreneurial start up!")


How To Win a Free 30 minute Download:

Since downloads happen magically on the web and not via postal delivery, anyone from any country can enter! Just leave a comment explaining why you would like to have something new to listen to while you are exercising. Two winners will be chosen by the Random Number Generator. A third winner will be chosen by me based on mysterious criteria known only to myself! (But there's a good chance it will involve a comment that makes me laugh).

Please leave a comment by Tuesday, May 5th; winners announced sometime the next day on Wednesday May 6th. Winners need to claim their download by sending an email with your email address to Crabby McSlacker at Gmail dot com by midnight Saturday May 9th.

Also, for those who don't win, you can still save a buck if you want to download the song. Just go to the product page, add the song to your cart, and enter the promotional code: CRANKTASTIC.

UPDATE! WINNERS HAVE BEEN DECLARED! Go to the winner post over at the regular Cranky Fitness. Thanks for playing!

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Update: The contest is over and a winner has been declared over at the main Cranky Fitness page. But if you're just stopping in, please enjoy this guest post by Charlie Hills!

By Charlie Hills:

Way back at the end of January, I was contacted by these guys asking if I'd do a product review and/or giveaway. Can you imagine? A company trying to promote its products via the blogosphere! I mean, next thing you know people will start selling banner ads on the internet.

So I said, "Sure," most likely placing me forever in their debt due to the fine print I missed on the verbal agreement. The product? "Exercise Anywhere" cards. According to the official blurb:

NURU's Exercise Anywhere is for anyone who wants to improve their physique--regardless of whether they have access to a gym. Sized to fit in the palm of your hand, these 30 ultra-thin, waterproof cards provide innovative, "do-anywhere" cardio and muscle-strengthening exercises designed to get your blood pumping.

Hmmm... interesting idea, actually. Keep them in your pocket and you may just be inspired to exercise anywhere. I can't fault them for that. It's much better than the Eat Anywhere plan I've been on the previous twenty years.

To give you an idea of what the system is like, I thought I'd risk a bit of copyright violation to show you excerpts from the cards side by side with old Charlie here trying out the exercises.

First, the ever-popular situp. I was in the middle of working on the potato soup recipe when I decided adding more potatoes to my midsection was the last thing I needed.



The next day it was back to work. As I was running late for my first meeting of the day, I decided I really needed to do some lower back extensions. I dropped my bag and hit the floor. Ahhhh... that felt good.



About halfway through the meeting, I realized I was feeling a bit flabby and took a few minutes for some squats.



After the meeting I was hungry. Time to hit Vend-O-Land. As I scanned the veritable cornucopia of snackfoods before me, that nagging voice cried out once again, "You don't need any more Cheez-Its!" Grumbling, I told my boss to shut up, and I took to the floor.



I made it through another heavy work week just in time to relax with a leisurely Saturday morning of mowing. I tell you, nothing breaks up the monotony of trimming the green with some exercising.



Hot and sweaty, I decided to cool down and clean up in the tub. At which point I realized I hadn't done my bicycle crunches for the day!



Once up and dressed, it was time for a quick trip to the store to pick up a few things for dinner. Whilst perusing the rice and beans aisle, I decided upon the rice and a "Pike's Pushup."



Unfortunately, I got halfway home before realizing I forgot the one thing I went to the store for: the chicken. Rather than turn around and go back, I realized was just across the street from a McDonald's. Stopped there, grabbing a quick bite followed by a quick set of table chin-ups.



I have to tell you, I didn't believe them at first when they said I could exercise anywhere. How wrong I was. If you're the type of person who never works out because you don't have the equipment or the expensive gym membership, you now have no more excuses. Pick up a pack of these cards and just do it!

You know what else you need to "just do"? Buy my book! Click the picture. Visit Amazon. It's eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders of $25 or more. How can you go wrong?

If you missed the last stop on my tour, please visit Hallie for an oddball interview at the Wonderful World of Wieners. If you missed the tour completely, go back to the beginning at Slim Shoppin.

Or, if you just like my writing, don't want to buy a book, and only have time for one more click, visit my blog Back to the Fridge.

p.s. Win a copy of Why Your Last Diet Failed You and How This Book Won't Help You on Your Next One. Leave a comment below by Tuesday night, April 28th and we'll pick one lucky duck to receive a valuable signed copy of the book (a prize package worth at least three bucks on eBay next year). Winner announced sometime Wednesday April 29th.

Update, in case you missed it above: The contest is over and a winner has been declared over at the main Cranky Fitness page. Thanks for playing!

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Have any of you folks ever come across a candid picture of yourself, and thought: "Acccck, that's awful! Who is that sad, hunched-over creature who looks so meek and schlumpy? It can't be me, can it?

Even pretty models are apparently not immune:

It's very sad. Should we hold a fundraiser?

If you're like me, this a depressingly familiar occurrence. You cringe at the evidence; you straighten up the best you can, and try to convince yourself that this was just a temporary "slip." From now on you will hold yourself in a graceful erect position and stop that lazy slouching for all eternity!

And then ten seconds later you forget and you're slouching again.

I know bad posture can lead to back and neck problems, and I have actually tried to work on it myself. I've done stretches and upper body exercises at the gym. I've gone on campaigns of trying to remind myself to check and correct my posture more frequently. But I have such a tiny brain, this never works! The best I can do is remember for a minute or two, and then it's back to the usual slouch-fest.

So when I saw review at Workout Mommy of a wearable gizmo that promised to vibrate when I slumped and would act as "my own personal posture coach," I thought: Heck yes! Sign me up! Slap me upside the head (in a discreet, kind, loving way) whenever you catch me hunching over like Quasimodo! Lord knows I can't do it on my own.

So I got the kind folks at iPosture folks to send me one to review. I tried it... and overall, I think it's great! You can learn more about it at the iPosture website. But here's my report:

What it Is and What it Does:

The iPosture is a little disc, just over one inch in diameter. It's sort of the size of a campaign button (the tasteful kind, not the big goofy kind), although it's a bit thicker. The iPosture "automatically senses when the body slouches, and it alerts the user with brief vibrations to correct it."

You wear the gizmo somewhere in your chest area. You can use little sticky things (included), wear it as a "stylish" pendant (ha ha ha), or clip it to your bra or a form-fitting shirt.


I used the bra option. Guys: you probably don't want to use that particular method.

You then stand up (or sit up) straight, set the posture you'd like it to remember, then hit a button. If you slouch for more than 60 seconds, the iPosture vibrates. If you're stubborn or distracted and don't correct your posture, the iPosture will nag alert you again with two vibrations in another 60 seconds.

What you can't do with the iPosture:

Wear it exercising (other than walking around), bathe with it on, wear it swimming, or even sweat a whole bunch. The thingy doesn't like to get wet. Also, you can't wear it sleeping--for those of you who might otherwise be tempted to wake yourself up every sixty seconds all night long.


Things I really like about it:

1. In most situations, it seems to work really well! You forget you have it on, start to slump, and it reminds you to straighten up again.

Theoretically, after a few weeks of wearing it 4 hours a day you're supposed to start self-correcting more naturally, so you wear it less, and just use it to check that you're still not slouching and have learned your lesson.

I've only been doing it a couple days, so can't report on long-term success. But while I'm wearing it, I'm definitely spending much less time slouching.

2. Sensible instructions: they advise you not to set your "ideal" posture too strictly, and not exceed the 4 hours a day. The idea is you allow your body to gradually adjust and build up the necessary muscles. I was a bit sore after wearing it for way more than four hours (because of course I ignored their advice). My previous attempts at self-correction never worked well enough for me to actually feel sore, so this seemed like a good thing!

3. The 60-second requirement keeps the thing from going off unless you're settling in for a real slouch, not just bending over to do something. So when it does go off you're more likely to notice and pay attention.

4. Easy to use: it came with a battery already installed, and was easy to set up. And it has a "sleep" mode if you want it to leave you alone for 15 minutes while you're still wearing it.

Dire but Amusing Safety Warnings:

Watch out that you don't lose control of the springy metal clip and nail someone in the eye with it! You are also cautioned not to expose the battery to excessive heat or short-circuit it, or the whole thing could explode. (An exploding posture monitor, on the other hand, would REALLY get your attention. You'd probably never slouch again in your life--once you got out of the hospital.

But of course my favorite: "The iPosture is for external use only."


Things I Wasn't as Crazy About:

1. Sometimes it didn't seem to be quite vigilant enough. This was probably user-error. But there were times I'd realize I'd started to slouch, and felt like it had been well longer than a minute, but I hadn't gotten a vibration. Or perhaps I did but didn't notice it? This mostly happened while I was outside walking, or sitting in a soft chair or car seat. Perhaps it's less able to catch slumping in these situations. But in my normal desk chair, or standing, it seemed to work just fine.

2. Battery life: It came with two extra batteries, so this may not be a big deal. But it looks like it's designed for you to learn to correct your posture pretty fast--each battery is only supposed to last 3 weeks, even with the attenuated wearing schedule. Being pessimistic, and having had this problem my entire life, I'll be surprised if I'm "fixed" in a matter of weeks. If I'm not, I may be needing to buy some more.

3. Advertising: Just like the poor model above with her imaginary belly pooch, there are a lot of claims along the lines of "trim your waist now," or "trim love handles and belly bulges naturally," "look younger and sexier." I suspect that this approach is probably effective; I just personally found the magic weight-loss emphasis a turn-off.

But these are little quibbles. Overall, I'm psyched to have found something that will help me learn to straighten up and fly right! And while I'm glad to have scored a freebie review model (hooray!), I'd actually pay for one of these things with my own money.


How Can You Win One?

1. Have a U.S. mailing address. Sorry, I always feel bad about this.

2. Leave a comment on this post about why you might want an iPosture for yourself or for a slouchy significant other before Tuesday night, Feb 24, 6pm East Coast Time /9pm Pacific. A Random Number Generator will pick a winner, which I'll post on the main Cranky Fitness page sometime Wednesday, Feb 25. Winner must send an email with your name and mailing address to Crabby McSlacker at Gmail dot com (you know how to put the address back together, right?) by midnight Saturday Feb 28 or another Random Drawing will be held.

Sorry again, non US folks! For anyone else who's a slouch like me: good luck!

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My opinion of the Vado HD pocket video camera? Two thumbs up. I like the camera, and I've found a great way to use it to get fit.


The video camera: neat, petite, and sweet!

- This camera is cute. Lightweight and small, I really can put it in my pocket and take it with me.
- You can record in HD+, HD, or VGA.
- The controls are easy to learn and use.
- Comes with an HDMI connector as well as a USB connector, so you can play the video back on a digital television or PC.
- Replaceable battery.
- 8 MB memory (which translates to 2 hours of HD video or 8 hours of VGA).
- The main drawback is that my hands are too shaky to use the camera without a tripod or using something as a prop.

Okay, so it's cute. Why would this camera help me get fit?

The people at Creative gave me a Vado HD so that I could review it from a fitness perspective. It was suggested that using a video camera would improve performance -- you could videotape your workout and see where you need to focus, evaluate your form. I have no doubt in the hands of a fitter blogger**Crabby** the camera would have been put to exactly that use.

However, I know my form sucks -- at this stage my focus is on building up strength and endurance. In short, I'm concerned with finishing a workout. Looking at myself doing squats or lifts or whatevers would simply depress me.

I think having one of these cameras would be extremely helpful for people who are struggling to lose weight. There's a common problem out there in Weight Loss Land called 'Reverse Anorexia.' As one woman put it, "When I look at myself in the mirror with clothes on, I think I look, "a bit chubby, but OK." However when I see myself in a photo, especially next to others, I realize how bad I really do look! Motivation, indeed!!!"

It's easy to have a picture of yourself in your mind that does not correspond with what other people see. And if you think a 'fat' picture on the fridge is motivating, trust me -- it's nothing compared to videotaping yourself. Seeing myself move and talk on screen made me cringe, but it was an excellent reality check. This is what other people see, the part of me that I do not see.

Looking at myself from the outside was a wonderful way to motivate myself to keep going. Watching myself on video, I feel detached from the person I'm viewing but at the same time it's the face I see in the mirror each day. I have to be honest -- I don't like what I see. I want to change the way this body looks.

You know what I plan to do with this camera? Video tape myself, once a month. I'm going to upload each month's video to my PC and compare my progress from month to month.

Maybe I'll find the most unflattering bathing suit I possess -- it's somewhere in the back of the closet where I threw it last summer. Why wait until you're in the dressing room at the store under those unflattering fluorescent lights trying on swimsuits? Learn to see yourself honestly, accept what you've got, and if you're not happy with the reality of your situation then do one thing today, right now, to change it.

Also, I'd really recommend one of these to people who are looking for a new job or trying to find ways to 'sell' themselves in this economy. Rehearsing a job interview in the mirror feels kind of silly to me. Having a friend ask me interview questions while taping the interview, so I can get instant verbal and visual feedback on how to present myself? That would be a helluva boost.

Little quibbling irritants

- I was Not thrilled with the documentation. I realize they are mandated by Fussy Legislators to include long, pointless warranty information. I don't think it would have killed them to include a little more operational information.
- The battery must be put in printed side up, not down. (It fits in both ways.) Otherwise, you can charge the camera as much as you like, but it won't turn on.
- There's a headphone jack, but if you plug headphones in, the video goes black and you can only hear the audio alone.
- The computer that you play the video on has to have a certain processor speed, which is documented on the box (Intel Pentium 4 2.8GHz). If you run the videos on a computer with a slower processor, the audio and video will not be in sync unless you shoot the video with a lower bitrate. This isn't a problem with the video camera, more of a problem with the computer.
Note: this problem apparently also exists with the Flip Mino HD, but (according to an Amazon reviewer) the workaround is not available for the Mino.
- You need to let the Vado install some software on your computer (H.264 codec) before you can play the video on Windows Media Player, and I believe Mac users would need to install an extra piece of software to run QuickTime.

Didn't you mention something about a giveaway?What are the details?
Yes, the kind folk at Vado want us to give a Vado HD pocket camera to a Cranky Fitness reader.

Who can enter?

Anyone with an American or Canadian mailing address.

What do I do to enter?

It's simple. Leave a comment below saying why this camera would be helpful to you. Would you use it for a workout critique? As a private diary recording your struggles with binge eating? For preparing for a job interview? It's okay if you really just want the camera to record the silly things your cat/dog/spouse does. We'll understand.

If you want to leave an anonymous comment, please include your name or some other means of identification in the comment.

When will the winner be announced?

The giveaway will be closed on Monday, February 16th, at 6 p.m. Oregon time.
The winning comment will be selected by Mr. Random Number Generator and announced at Midnight.
The winner is posted on the Cranky Fitness blog.

This contest is now closed. Sorry.

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