Exertainment using motion controls seem to be all the rage these days. Enter Microsoft’s Project Natal, designed for the Xbox 360. And it’s pronounced na tal as in que tal. So move over Wii sports, pre natal, as Microsoft births a new solution to give people a way to play games without a hand held controller. The new device uses skeletal tracking technology, basically your body is the controller. A camera tracks your movements and then translates them on screen. Now, how smart is that?

Check out this demo of the latest in exertainment! Some cool applications to get you moving off the couch!

http://xbox360.ign.com/dor/objects/14357198/project-natal-e3-demo-series/videos/projectnatal_trl_e3.html

What can be more stunning in form and precision than the body in motion.

Hula Chair

It’s the Hawaii Hula Chair! And it claims to reduce abdominal fat, enhance circulation, and relieve hemorrhoids by rotating your hips for you – a passive action – there’s no sweating going on. More like part carnival ride and having a mechanical bull in the office, friction and all. Still haven’t figured out the hemorrhoid thing. Thumbs done on this ridiculous device.

What’s your vote on the Hawaii Hula Chair?

Treadmill Bike

What will they think of next? Not quite sure why you would want or need to lug this contraption around when you can easily run, walk, or ride a real bike. Just another infomercial fitness gimick. Thumbs down on this silly device.

What’s your vote on the treadmill bike?

Colors are often used as metaphors for moods. I’m “feeling blue”, or “green with envy”, or that was a “dark comedy”. Now researchers have linked the color gray with people who have depression or anxiety and the color yellow with people who are happier.  

Blue was selected the most favorite color among healthy people, and color saturation seems to matter. “A light blue is not associated with a poor mood, but a dark blue is.”

So what color are you today?

http://www.livescience.com/health/mood-color-wheel-100208.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Livesciencecom+%28LiveScience.com+Science+Headline+Feed%29

Katie Uhlaender 2007/2008 World Cup Skeleton Champion

Check out these amazing women athletes that will be front and center beginning this week at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada. From 36 year-old curler, Debbie McCormick to 17 year-old figure skater, Rachael Flatt – they are strong, stunning, and stylish.

Plus they are role models for the recently released Her Life Depend On It, a comprehensive review of the research between sports, physical activity and the health and well-being of American girls and women published by the Women’s Sports Foundation.

So you GO GIRLS – Power up, strut your stuff, blow the competition away, bring home the jewelry, and HAVE A BLAST!

Why would you want to live anywhere else?

The northeast is having a blizzard today!

Doggie heaven!

Oh look, a desert water nymph!

Mesmerized by the beauty.

The wonder of the saguaros.

WOW! What a day.

Where’s Gwaldo???

OK – who knows where I spent the afternoon?

200 calories of apples

200 calories of sesame bagel

Yes, we are the country of BIG – big tucks, big TV screens, big houses, big budgets, bid deficits, big Macs, big portion sizes. America the Super Bowl and the Super Sized! Well it’s time to lean up – in so many ways, but today I’m talking about food choices.

Two simple, yet key, behavior changes that you can make are to:

1.) Decrease portion size – I have found eating on smaller plates helps control the amount of food you dish up and shovel in. Also understading what normal portion sizes look like is helpful.

2.) Select nutrient dense foods versus calorie dense foods. Nutrient dense foods are usually colorful and provide lots of nutrients essential for good health with minimal calories. You know what they are – fruits, veggies, eggs, yorgurt, lean meats, poultry and fish.

This visual, What does 200 calories look like? will help.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-200-calories-look-like.htm

200 calories chocolate kisses

Most people do and that’s why they gain weight.  Did you know that if you require 2000 calories a day to meet your energy expenditure and you eat 100 calories a day above what you expend you’d gain 10 pounds per year.

Yes, you read that right…if you out eat your daily energy expenditure by 100 calories per day – you are gaining 10 pounds this year. And 200 calories per day above your expenditure – that’s a whopping 20 pounds a year. Doesn’t take much to put on that extra six-pack.

It’s all about calories in and calories out. Check out this informational DVD clip for a reminder on how to determine your calorie needs, BMR, and calorie burning tips.

http://www.teach12.com/ttcx/NutritionLecture.aspx?ai=42494&cm_mmc=email-_-FLNutrition20100202-_-na-_-na

Do you spend most of your day in front of a computer? Or do you work at home? Or maybe you just don’t have enough time to get to the gym? Well, here’s the solution you have been waiting for… http://www.pingfit.com

It’s a free application that combines serious exercises, ergonomics and social media. Here’s how it works – sign up and every 20 minutes you will get pinged (on your computer) with a new exercise to perform (usually 10 reps – only takes about 15-20 seconds). Next click “I did it” and you get a ping on the back – like “U R GR8!” and a short motivational or informational tip. Very cool reward system.

There are different levels of exercises – something for everyone – basic starter exercises, stretching, ab work, squats and pushups, dojos, or you can create your own exercise room. Hey this site rocks!  And you can join the ping facebook page and exercise with others through out the day.

You will be amazed at how fast those 20 minutes turn over and how much exercise you can accumulate in one day. I love it, because I can’t seem to get to the gym to strength train and this brings an itrainer to me in the comfort and convenience (key word here is convenience) of my home and fits my busy schedule.

I hope there is a mobile version soon. I want an iphone app.