The BHIP Bloggers: UCLA Today

We did it!

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:39:08 GMT

Congratulations to all the BHIPers who made it through 12 weeks of pain, sweat, and tears! This has been an amazing journey, from Day 1 of wobbly legs and inflamed muscles, to today’s toned and strong muscles, increased endurance, and ...

The most intense workout to date

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 21:58:16 GMT

Week 10 Friday, July 16, 2010 UCLA's Janss Steps -- all 87 of 'em. Song of the Day: “War,” by Edwin Starr, 1970. ((“War... huh... yeah! What is it good for?”) Workout of the Day: Rescue ...

Off to the East Coast, sad to be leaving BHIP

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 12:08:00 GMT

Week 9 July 11 A putative study by RAND claims that, yes, exercise does lengthen your life, but only by the equivalent amount of time that you have spent exercising. (Quality-of-life considerations probably change the parity of ...

Did you ever think that you could deadlift a barbell with weights? I think not.

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:35:05 GMT

There’s changes in town, and it’s called the BHIP miracle. BHIPsters feel it. Our squats are just a little bit deeper, we run just a little bit harder, our pushups are a little bit stronger. The ...

So now I get it what a REAL workout is

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:07:00 GMT

I was an exerciser in my pre-BHIP life, but now I question the quality and quantity of my efforts — in other words, how the hell did I ever call what I was doing a real workout? For instance, I used to do a half-hour lunchtime ...

I will survive

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 23:17:00 GMT

Week 8 Song of the Day: “I will Survive,” by Gloria Gaynor, 1979. (“I've got all my life to live…I will survive!”) Monday, June 28 So I’m running to Drake Stadium trying ...

BHIP How To Video: air squat

Sun, 04 Jul 2010 17:41:59 GMT

New to the blog, from UCLA Recreation: BHIP coaches demonstrate the workout skills. Air squat by Coach Russ. See additional videos ...

I was exhausted -- then I set a new record!

Sun, 04 Jul 2010 16:20:44 GMT

Week 8 Song of the Day: "I will Survive," by Gloria Gaynor, 1979. ("I've got all my life to live … I will survive!") Due to California rain (remember, I’m from SE Louisiana), we had our workout indoors and were ...

Running up Bruin Walk. Shudder.

Sun, 04 Jul 2010 15:17:42 GMT

WEEK 6 Day 23: Monday, June 14 Running About two years ago, a strange thing happened to me: I started running. It wasn’t a Forrest Gump non-stop, cross-country sort of run. It was a slow-paced 30-minute slight raise in heart ...

It takes a village to build a healthy body

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:16:47 GMT

Week 6 I listen to the talk at 6:15 am. How do we feel? Have we lost weight? Are we stronger? I can generally feel the aches and pains, but I haven't been losing weight or my clothes haven't been feeling looser. But today, my ...

Hooked on BHIP and happy about it

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 18:57:13 GMT

When I applied for BHIP, I totally missed the four-absence maximum. Skimmed right over that with my excellent reading skills. Once I was accepted and read the brochure, I thought, "It's summer and you people want me to miss four classes or ...

Sweat envy

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 16:00:00 GMT

WEEK 5 Day 19: Monday, June 7 Reverse physiology BHIP Day 19 played with my head a little bit. The Workout of the Day was a circuit: 10 body rows, 15 pushups, 20 situps, and 30 squats for time. Upon finishing the 30th ...

Nutrition: Trying to keep it simple

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 20:56:44 GMT

I started the program thinking I already knew a lot about nutrition. Now, I feel like I don’t know anything. From vegetarian diets to raw food diets to Paleolithic diets, I’ve been reading and reading, and now my head is about to ...

Moving out of my comfort zone to improve my fitness

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 20:47:00 GMT

Song of the Day: “Comfort Zone” by Vanessa Williams, 1991 (“Welcome to the comfort zone”)** Listen to a sample here. No thanks, Vanessa. I’m breaking out of my comfort zone. In fact, today was a breakthrough ...

BHIP: Secretly some kind of drug that makes you think that you can do anything?

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:45:00 GMT

Tough week! Last week I had to miss the workout on Thursday due to a medical procedure and Friday (as well as Monday) we were off for the holiday weekend. One would think that this would be a welcome break, but my body was craving the ...

Professor Kavner’s Guide to Functional Exercises for Encroaching Middle Age

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 18:11:20 GMT

Do not be fooled by my youthful demeanor and immature behavior. My body is past its biological prime and has begun its decline. While I can’t prevent this, one of my goals for BHIP has been to slow the process as much as possible. Still, it ...

No change on the scale, but my waist has narrowed

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 17:56:44 GMT

Week 4 Monday May 31, Memorial Day holiday I asked my son if he wanted to do the one-mile run (homework) with me. “Sure!” he said, and grabbed the basketball on the way to the track. When we got there, he suggested, “How ...

At the BHIP halfway point

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:29:00 GMT

Week 6 **Warning** 1. Are you under 40? 2. Are you squeamish? 3. Would you never, ever take the Lord’s name in vain? 4. Are you a professional colleague of mine, especially my dean or department chair? If you ...

A love letter to BHIP

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 21:10:16 GMT

My Dearest BHIP, It seems like only yesterday that we first laid eyes on each other. Like so many relationships nowadays, we met online and realized we had similar interests. I wanted to get healthy; you were the beacon of fitness. ...

The skinny on being thin

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:36:33 GMT

I’m skinny. On the underside of 120 pounds, size 4. Woo-hoo! BIG FRIGGIN’ DEAL. Being a beanpole doesn’t make me a better person, more successful, happier or more deeply loved. Contrary to just about every ...

Burpees: Are these for real?

Sat, 19 Jun 2010 02:33:00 GMT

WEEK 4 Day 15: Tuesday, June 1 Burpees: Are these for real? After a short break due to the Memorial Day holiday, BHIP was back with a vengeance today. The Workout of the Day was a relay involving push-ups, squats, ...

It's not just about physical exercise or losing weight

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 04:49:48 GMT

One major breakthrough for me is realizing that BHIP is not just about physical exercise or losing weight -- it's a whole mind-body-life health program. All of the pieces are starting to come together for me. June 7 Monday morning ...

'Last one finished' is still a triumph

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 04:27:59 GMT

I dreamed my BHIP class was a low-budget horror movie with a cast of characters fighting to save the Earth from the evil forces of Bone Density Loss and Premature Aging invading from the planet of Sedentary Lifestylious. I played the ...

My jeans fit!

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 04:03:25 GMT

My jeans fit! Actually, to be more correct, they’re becoming loose. I have this old pair of jeans that I love to wear. They’re comfortable and they’re cotton-cloud soft. They were once a very dark blue but ...

Mindful eating

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 20:43:16 GMT

Song of the Day: “Kiss,” Prince, 1986 (“I just want your extra time and your…Kiss.”) I had a chocolate vacation today. Okay, let me explain. Coach Elisa headed our nutrition class. She reviewed the ...

It's paying off

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:31:06 GMT

I love BHIP so much they had to lock up the weights just to keep me from taking them home to work out some more! But seriously, I am enjoying the program and I am proud that I made it to week 4. The first week was the hardest, but ...

Of gouda and golfballs

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:05:59 GMT

Diane, our nutrition coach, had us passing a baseball around the room as part of her lesson on serving sizes. I thought about how a baseball-size serving of cheese — I LOVE cheese — seemed more than enough. So why, I ...

Sucking it up

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 17:39:24 GMT

Yeah, I know — apologies, dear readers, for I am lagging with the posts. Fell behind and must catch up. … Here’s BHIP Week Two… It’s said that if you get through two full weeks of ...

Be hip about hips: s-t-r-e-t-c-h!

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 16:38:17 GMT

Four weeks into the program now, and after all the lunges, squats, stairs, and jumps — man, do I feel tight! I can feel muscles in my thighs, calves, hamstrings and butt protesting when I climb stairs or get up from my chair. So ...

Floor exercises and snap peas

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 22:52:20 GMT

Random observations: — Somehow I end up on the floor of the gym quite often, sometimes on purpose, and occasionally by accident. I am surprised to find that we are developing a very close and lovely ...

Pushups: I have a plan

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 23:36:17 GMT

Week 4 Today, the Tuesday after Memorial Day weekend, wasn't so bad. We ran around the track at Drake Stadium twice — I like to run but I don't have a lot of stamina. We did our warm-ups, and they still wore me out. But they're ...

Sirens and ambulances and dehydration, oh my!

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 23:13:39 GMT

Just a few hoop pullups -- no big deal, right? It started out like any other BHIP day — the arm circles, the Drake Stadium stairs, the lap around the track. The weather was not on our side. It sprinkled when the vanpool dropped me off ...

Serving sizes are smaller than what I'd like. Reality bites.

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 23:14:57 GMT

WEEK 3 Day 13: Wednesday, May 26 The quest for a bigger tennis ball This day brought our second nutrition class. We learned about nutrition guidelines and the dreaded serving size. I’ve learned this lesson before, but ...

The sweat of the past three weeks is paying off

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 22:43:31 GMT

Day 15 There it is! I can finally feel changes in my body. They’re not the changes an outsider can see; they’re subtle -- like Madonna’s British accent. Just enough to know they’re there. A ...

Taking BHIP on vacation

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 18:05:22 GMT

I had my first test over the Memorial Day weekend: I went to Phoenix for five days, which meant I was going to miss two days of workouts in addition to the two days we had off for the weekend. Yeah, I was on vacation, but that’s no excuse for ...

Burpee knees

Fri, 28 May 2010 20:45:20 GMT

Week 2 Burpee knees. Doesn’t sound pleasant, and it isn’t. I’ve developed bruises on both my knees from throwing myself on the ground on the hard gym floor. I know with proper form my knees shouldn’t be hitting the ...

Hitting the wall, but doing the workout anyway

Fri, 28 May 2010 20:05:00 GMT

Day 14 I woke up this morning and felt that I'd hit a wall. I was tired. I was beginning to feel defeated. I promised my BHIP Buddy that I'd see her today. So I hustled on over to UCLA for class in the Pardee Gym. We start with the ...

Death by 10 Meters is exactly how it sounds

Fri, 28 May 2010 19:42:39 GMT

Week 2 “Death by 10 Meters” is exactly how it sounds. I wanted to die quickly by the end of the workout. Either that or punch someone in the face because the coaches kept yelling, “Faster! Faster! C’mon, go ...

"Noodle monkey arms" -- but I'm getting stronger

Fri, 28 May 2010 19:03:53 GMT

It's been quite some time since the words "I have homework" have come out of my mouth. It's been so long that not only did I mispronounce the words, I also threw up in my mouth a little. Prior to being charged with 500 squats and 500 ...

Calling on my Dhani Jones spirit

Fri, 28 May 2010 18:12:32 GMT

Week 2 By now the soreness from Week 1 has abated and the workouts seemed to be less intense at the beginning of the week. So much so that I remember having a conversation with a colleague about how we needed a bit more of a challenge. ...

Put a ring on it

Fri, 28 May 2010 00:34:50 GMT

Song of the Day: "All the Single Ladies," Beyonce’, 2008. “If you like it then you should have put a ring on it.” Well, my husband did put a ring on it many years ago. Problem is I can’t fit ...

Thanks, Van Halen!

Thu, 27 May 2010 23:21:00 GMT

Day 12. Grunts, bouncing balls, pounding hearts, stomping feet, clapping hands, encouraging words, spinning jump ropes, bullhorn sirens and that one random guy who used our workout space to take a call on his cell phone -- such ...

Our nutrition counselor: Ph.D.-smart, likes beer

Thu, 27 May 2010 20:34:26 GMT

I was dreading the nutritional portion of BHIP, but I love our nutrition counselor! Why? Because, although I’m sure that soon she’ll get around to evangelizing about flax seeds and Brussels sprouts, right now what comes ...

I had no idea that BHIP was addictive as white cheddar Cheez-Its

Thu, 27 May 2010 17:57:37 GMT

Week 2 First week of BHIP completed, and I had the weekend to regain mobility. Less handicap bathroom stalls, less elevators, less leaving things on the floor because I can’t bend over to pick them up. I feel ...

Learning that the body is strong, and it adapts

Thu, 27 May 2010 16:59:00 GMT

I read that it takes 21 days to develop a new habit. As we enter Week 3, I’m already noticing some changes to my lazy- girl routine. One of them is is sleep. I like to sleep. Ever since I started BHIP, though, I’ve ...

Thanks to Sergeant First Class Zero Tolerance

Thu, 27 May 2010 16:16:30 GMT

Suddenly, I felt great. Don’t get me wrong, I ache – burpies, frogs, bears and ducks will do that to you. What has changed, however is how I feel. I feel like I will accomplish what I was hoping to ...

Only my right foot is showing any sign of athleticism

Thu, 27 May 2010 15:41:00 GMT

Day 6 Despite a big breakfast, I felt very hungry after my workout, and was glad to have a granola bar waiting for me in my office. Then I was hungry for a banana an ...

The Glimpse of Horror

Wed, 26 May 2010 17:45:00 GMT

Day 8 Being in the noon class gives me what I call the Glimpse of Horror. I get to see the tail-end of the 11:00 a.m. class, which is usually BHIPsters sweating like crazy and gasping for air. Today was no ...

There is no such thing as a bad food

Wed, 26 May 2010 17:44:00 GMT

What I like about BHIP is the total body and mind approach to fitness. To improve our health, we need to eat right, exercise right and sleep right. Or, as Assistant Coach Mandy said, "You can't rely on caffeine." (And I thought coffee ...

When to say "when"

Wed, 26 May 2010 04:37:00 GMT

Row, row, row.... Day 11 Back at Drake, the Workout of the Day was alternating a body row exercise with a run around the track. Run, row, run, row and so on for 20 minutes. We’d done both ...

Why does food have to be so complicated?

Wed, 26 May 2010 03:39:00 GMT

Song of the Day: "Eat It," Weird Al Yankovic, 1984. This song title sums up what I want to do after each of our intense workouts: EAT. However, I must remind myself of the other component of this program: ...