I cannot speak for either family nor would I ever attempt to do so. I believe the letter that Mark Benson wrote was one that he needed to in his mind, set the record straight. As difficult as it has been for the Bukowski family it has been as difficult for his family. Jennifer, Courtney, and Sofia have passed and as difficult it is for the family to get their heart around it they will go on never forgetting but always remembering the good times that they shared. However, Mark Benson’s family will forever live in exile. They may forever be looked at in the social eye and media as bad people.
I don’t believe that the public really looks at his family as bad people but people that fell into a bad situation. I do believe that over time people will forgive but never forget. Mark, for what you did and then by owning up to it, I believe that the public will have much more respect for you and your family.
The healing process for the community has come and now gone and is complete. Here are the positive things that have come from this tragedy.
1) An Awareness of the issues surrounding OUI and DUI
2) An Awareness of people beginning to take responsibility for their actions
3) An awareness of people now asking for help
4) New programs emerging to help those that want help
5) Tougher laws being looked at by Congress
6) An understanding of where the danger really lies (alcohol and prescription medications)
7) Zero Tolerance
We must never forget but not relive. We must look at this as an experience (bad as it may be), but most of all, we must go forward, remembering all of those that have passed away and now start the process of celebrating their lives and what they meant to us.
Monday, July 13, 2009
It is not as easy as you think
I consider myself to be more in shape than most. I don’t run everyday but I can still run a comfortable 7 minute mile and hold it for 8 miles easy. I lift weights at least once or twice a week and I eat pretty well. But even I know my limits.
In today’s society we as a nation are not getting thinner but much fatter. Yes, much fatter and still we don’t have a clue! I was once at a car show and way in the back was the military. They were, I guess, recruiting and they had a chin up bar set up. As I was reading their sign it said, “5 chin-ups receive an army pen, 10 chin-ups receive an army hat, and 20 chin-ups receive an army shirt with the words “pain is weakness leaving the body” written on the back of it. There was a father with his little girl standing in line right in front of me and she wanted one of those shirts really bad. When I looked at him though, he was at least 30 pounds overweight and at least 3 months pregnant. I thought to myself, “Who is he kidding?” Well he gets up there and makes a total fool at of himself. He got a total of 2 done.
What concern me was not that he did something that his body was not ready for but that he thought he could just bang out 20 with no problem. I think he got a rude awakening. We have a tendency of thinking that we are ready for something when in reality we are not. Why? We don’t practice enough and we don’t put the time in to totally prepare our bodies for that activity. I just heard of a man who died trying to complete a triathlon. Yes, he died doing the swim, the most demanding and hardest part of the competition. I can’t speak for him nor was I there but I was told that he looked really out of shape and not prepared for it in any way. My condolences to his family and I hope this teaches us a lesson. We should not take any of these athletic sports for granted and we MUST practice before and get ourselves in some sort of condition before competing.
Competitive sports are not to be taken lightly and if you do take them lightly the consequences could be devastating. Prepare yourself and take it serious.
Kevin Ellis CPT
In today’s society we as a nation are not getting thinner but much fatter. Yes, much fatter and still we don’t have a clue! I was once at a car show and way in the back was the military. They were, I guess, recruiting and they had a chin up bar set up. As I was reading their sign it said, “5 chin-ups receive an army pen, 10 chin-ups receive an army hat, and 20 chin-ups receive an army shirt with the words “pain is weakness leaving the body” written on the back of it. There was a father with his little girl standing in line right in front of me and she wanted one of those shirts really bad. When I looked at him though, he was at least 30 pounds overweight and at least 3 months pregnant. I thought to myself, “Who is he kidding?” Well he gets up there and makes a total fool at of himself. He got a total of 2 done.
What concern me was not that he did something that his body was not ready for but that he thought he could just bang out 20 with no problem. I think he got a rude awakening. We have a tendency of thinking that we are ready for something when in reality we are not. Why? We don’t practice enough and we don’t put the time in to totally prepare our bodies for that activity. I just heard of a man who died trying to complete a triathlon. Yes, he died doing the swim, the most demanding and hardest part of the competition. I can’t speak for him nor was I there but I was told that he looked really out of shape and not prepared for it in any way. My condolences to his family and I hope this teaches us a lesson. We should not take any of these athletic sports for granted and we MUST practice before and get ourselves in some sort of condition before competing.
Competitive sports are not to be taken lightly and if you do take them lightly the consequences could be devastating. Prepare yourself and take it serious.
Kevin Ellis CPT
Friday, July 3, 2009
Workouts 300
My new DVD is out. It is called Workouts 300. It will give you ideas for your chest, back, arms, legs and shoulders. There is also a home workout on there. Coming in the fall I will have a second DVD for those that travel a lot. The price is $19.95 plus shipping.
At Parkers Place many people have used my methods and many have had great results. Just look at my blog over the last 3 years and look at the testamonies. Try it. It iwill give you instruction on how each move should be done and the tecknique behind each move. You can request a DVD and mail your check or money order to Parkers Place 125 North Fowler Street, Oconomowoc WI 53066. Or you can call Kevin Ellis at 262-567-0362 for more detail.
The bonus part is that I will do it with you!
She is right!
I was watching the morning news today and there was a doctor (Nancy Snyderman on NBC) that was talking about where we are as a society today. She is so right! We are not getting thinner and more fit we are getting fatter and more out of shape. Because of this she says the “we are going to ultimately lose our super power status as a nation”. Think about this, back even 50 years ago we did so much in reference to our daily living. We walked more, we road our bikes more, we played out in the streets more. There was more farming done so we worked more outside.
Now look at us. Whereas, it was very hard for me to stay inside, especially during the summer, I always wanted to go out and play with my friends. Now they just want to play on their X-box or even worst yet, they do go over to some ones home and they still stay inside that person’s house and PLAY X-BOX. We drive everywhere. Even to the point where I know some people that drive to get their mail in their mail box.
We have become so lazy that we will pay dearly for it. Remember when we where in high school and we wanted to see a friend, did we not get on our bikes and ride to their house? We did not care where they lived we just needed to get out and go. Now, look at us, we find excuses on why we don’t do that now.
With technology at our finger tips we have become much more impatient and much lazier. A great example of that are computers and the microwaves. Right now we can get anything we want on the internet in less than 1 second. If by chance it takes 10 seconds we begin to complain and threaten to take the unit back. Or what about our foods? Now we just microwave them in half the time. In both cases the computer is making us lazy and the microwave is taking all the vitamins and nutrition out of our food which is making us unhealthy.
The bottom line here is that we need to get back to the basics. We need to put on our shoes and go exercise. So many of you are so lazy that you feel that as long as you take medication you will be fine. Medication, for some, should only be a temporary solution to the problem. In most cases with proper exercise and diet you can stop taking those pills and begin to live again. Yes, there are some that need medications, such as type I diabetics (not type II), but for most you don’t (I am even referring to HBP and High Cholesterol). If most doctors were honest with us they would tell you that with the right regular exercise program 90% of medications would not be necessary.
Guys do you really think that it is attractive walking around with an alcohol gut looking like you are 9 months pregnant? Then you complain about back problems to your spouse (who just came back from the gym). So you take a pill to make the back problems go away and then when it does you think you are OK. No, you are not OK, you just deaden the pain. The problem is still right out in front of you.
Women do you think it is really attractive when you walk around with hips that when you walk, if you walk in the woods on a dry day, could start a forest fire? Then you complain when your spouse goes out and looks at other women.
In both cases with the proper discipline you can concur these issues and become better people for it. The funny thing is that we, as Americans, know exactly what we should be eating and we choose not to. Then when we gain weight we complain. Then when someone comes along side you to help you, you use every excuse you possibly can to fight the person helping you.
Guys you have two choices here;
1) You can turn from your ways and begin a good exercise and nutrition program, which we know will put you in much better shape or
2) You can continue the way you are and live a miserable existence (admit it). Or let me put it a different way, living second best.
Anyway you look at it, it is your choice and what you choose will ultimately determine the fate of this country. Yes, YOUR COUNTRY!
Now look at us. Whereas, it was very hard for me to stay inside, especially during the summer, I always wanted to go out and play with my friends. Now they just want to play on their X-box or even worst yet, they do go over to some ones home and they still stay inside that person’s house and PLAY X-BOX. We drive everywhere. Even to the point where I know some people that drive to get their mail in their mail box.
We have become so lazy that we will pay dearly for it. Remember when we where in high school and we wanted to see a friend, did we not get on our bikes and ride to their house? We did not care where they lived we just needed to get out and go. Now, look at us, we find excuses on why we don’t do that now.
With technology at our finger tips we have become much more impatient and much lazier. A great example of that are computers and the microwaves. Right now we can get anything we want on the internet in less than 1 second. If by chance it takes 10 seconds we begin to complain and threaten to take the unit back. Or what about our foods? Now we just microwave them in half the time. In both cases the computer is making us lazy and the microwave is taking all the vitamins and nutrition out of our food which is making us unhealthy.
The bottom line here is that we need to get back to the basics. We need to put on our shoes and go exercise. So many of you are so lazy that you feel that as long as you take medication you will be fine. Medication, for some, should only be a temporary solution to the problem. In most cases with proper exercise and diet you can stop taking those pills and begin to live again. Yes, there are some that need medications, such as type I diabetics (not type II), but for most you don’t (I am even referring to HBP and High Cholesterol). If most doctors were honest with us they would tell you that with the right regular exercise program 90% of medications would not be necessary.
Guys do you really think that it is attractive walking around with an alcohol gut looking like you are 9 months pregnant? Then you complain about back problems to your spouse (who just came back from the gym). So you take a pill to make the back problems go away and then when it does you think you are OK. No, you are not OK, you just deaden the pain. The problem is still right out in front of you.
Women do you think it is really attractive when you walk around with hips that when you walk, if you walk in the woods on a dry day, could start a forest fire? Then you complain when your spouse goes out and looks at other women.
In both cases with the proper discipline you can concur these issues and become better people for it. The funny thing is that we, as Americans, know exactly what we should be eating and we choose not to. Then when we gain weight we complain. Then when someone comes along side you to help you, you use every excuse you possibly can to fight the person helping you.
Guys you have two choices here;
1) You can turn from your ways and begin a good exercise and nutrition program, which we know will put you in much better shape or
2) You can continue the way you are and live a miserable existence (admit it). Or let me put it a different way, living second best.
Anyway you look at it, it is your choice and what you choose will ultimately determine the fate of this country. Yes, YOUR COUNTRY!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
The Final Weigh in revisited
The weigh-in is over and here is a brief recap of this year.
We started with 16 people and 12 finished. Here are their results.
Place, Name, Starting, Ending, Total, Percentage
12) Josh F., 380.8, 353.2, 27.6lbs, 7.25%
11) Steve F , 328.4, 289.4, 39.0lbs, 11.88%
10) Marsha H, 175.4, 151.8, 23.6lbs, 13.45%
09) Krista O, 287.0, 238.2, 48.8lbs, 17.00%
08) Debbie L, 312.2, 259.0, 53.2lbs, 17.04%
07) Mark M, 285.2, 236.2, 49.0lbs, 17.18%
06) Darcey L, 189.0, 156.4, 32.6lbs, 17.25%
TOP 5
05) Josh B, 326.0, 241.4, 84.6lbs, 25.95%
04) Tracie B, 245.4, 177.4, 68.0lbs, 27.71%
03) Rich A, 395.0, 279.6, 115.4lbs, 29.22%
02) Vic G, 326.4, 221.4, 105.0lbs, 32.17%
WINNER
01) Mary S, 209.6, 140.0, 69.6lbs, 33.21%
Those that did not finish were;
Joe T, 420.4, 376.6, 43.8lbs
Jennifer L, 315.0, 292.8, 22.2lbs
Pete W, 265.2, 258.0, 7.2lbs
John S, 356.8, 314.0, 42.8lbs
Congrats to all who finished. Now you have a second chance on life. Make the best of it.
We started with 16 people and 12 finished. Here are their results.
Place, Name, Starting, Ending, Total, Percentage
12) Josh F., 380.8, 353.2, 27.6lbs, 7.25%
11) Steve F , 328.4, 289.4, 39.0lbs, 11.88%
10) Marsha H, 175.4, 151.8, 23.6lbs, 13.45%
09) Krista O, 287.0, 238.2, 48.8lbs, 17.00%
08) Debbie L, 312.2, 259.0, 53.2lbs, 17.04%
07) Mark M, 285.2, 236.2, 49.0lbs, 17.18%
06) Darcey L, 189.0, 156.4, 32.6lbs, 17.25%
TOP 5
05) Josh B, 326.0, 241.4, 84.6lbs, 25.95%
04) Tracie B, 245.4, 177.4, 68.0lbs, 27.71%
03) Rich A, 395.0, 279.6, 115.4lbs, 29.22%
02) Vic G, 326.4, 221.4, 105.0lbs, 32.17%
WINNER
01) Mary S, 209.6, 140.0, 69.6lbs, 33.21%
Those that did not finish were;
Joe T, 420.4, 376.6, 43.8lbs
Jennifer L, 315.0, 292.8, 22.2lbs
Pete W, 265.2, 258.0, 7.2lbs
John S, 356.8, 314.0, 42.8lbs
Congrats to all who finished. Now you have a second chance on life. Make the best of it.
Monday, June 29, 2009
The Final Weigh-in
Well it is finally over. No it is not, it has only begun. In January we started with 15 people and in the end 12 lasted the full 6 months and for that they have reap a benefit that will last them a lifetime. They have a new start on life. Whereas some have completed their goal and now need to maintain, and still some need to still lose weight, all have gained an experience that one day they will tell their grand children changed their life forever.
My goal and desire (as it always has been) was to give them an opportunity to begin a new life much better than their past. To get them off of their medications or at least reduce them. To let them feel better about themselves and to dream and have those dreams come true. Some told me that they haven’t felt so good since their high School years and others told me that they had never been so fit, but all pretty much agreed that the experience was well worth the time in the end.
Some (if not all of them) had some question about how certain things were run this year and I would not give them an idea on how and why I did certain things. Well, now I will tell why I did what I did.
Over the last few years my eyes have been opened to the fact that we have become a very overweight society. Well, let’s call a spade a spade; we have become a very FAT and lazy society. Now not just in the sense of being overweight but also in our attitude to settle for second best in everything we do. When we fall short of our goals we can always find someone that will say that is was “ok” but very few will say “No! It is not OK, you are better than that so now get out there and get-it-done”. Of the three people that quit, that was their problem, they had people that would enable them to settle for second best instead of challenging them to stick it out and finish.
On several of the challenges as soon as the challenges got a little hard (i.e. The Obstacle Course) I would have people coming to me to change that challenge in some way. I never gave in, why because I knew that you could complete whatever task I put in front of them and I was not going to enable them to fail. Then when they did complete it they were a better people for it. We have become too nice to those that, at this point in their life, we should be challenging. Unfortunately, my job was to and is to challenge you to become better people. For some it is working but for most it is not.
I can say that those 12 who finished are better people for it.
Marsha H 175.4 151.8
Debbie L 312.2 259.0
Josh F 380.8 353.2
James F 328.4 289.4
Krista O 287.0 238.2
Josh B 326.0 241.4
Vic G 326.4 221.0
Tracie B 245.4 177.4
Darcey L 189.0 156.4
Mark M 285.2 236.2
Richard A 395.0 279.6
Mary S 209.6 140.0
They just have not finished the task in front of them; they have begun a new life a second chance, a chance to tell a story but this time with a good, happy ending. Now to those that did not finish and quit before the end, yes you failed, but it is not too late. You can still change your life but it will take a strong effort for you do to that. Get with a person that will not let you settle for second best and will hold you accountable and get rid of all those people who have gotten you to where you are today. Those bad influences are just that bad for you get rid of them. No it is not “ok” to be on medications that you really don’t need to be on if you lost the weight. No it is not “ok” and you are not “just think boned” people. You are made in the image of God not a “cream-puff” or a “hamburger” and don’t let anyone tell you any different. I am here for you and can help you.
Now to all, may God bless you and keep you. May he shine his face upon you and may you never, never, never forget the blessing He has given you…..LIFE.
AAU track and field
My kids are the greatest gift I have ever gotten. They have made it to Regionals.
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