When we were driving across the country last summer on our way to Tennessee, a fitness trainer named Josef Brandenburg wrote a guest post for me on how (and how not) to exercise to lose fat and build muscle. If you happen live somewhere near Washington, DC, you can earn a free training session with Josef by donating to a low-carb food bank. Here’s a post from Josef explaining how and why:
Thanksgiving and Christmas are well behind us and, unfortunately that means that Food Banks and soup kitchens are once again low on food and volunteers. Additionally most of what gets donated to Food Banks and the like is just straight up junk — high fructose corn syrup this, hydrogenated that.
Donated food is often the worst quality food because it is the cheapest and has the longest shelf life. We don’t really need to be helping the poor people in this country get any fatter or more diabetic! Protein sources are almost always the items least likely to be donated, yet they are probably the most important items for families short on food.
With all of this in mind we’re doing a food drive of a different color — a low-carb food drive. Well, not a low-carb “food” drive — please do not show up with sugar alcohol packed “low carb” bars. It’s a Food Bank, not a diarrhea and gas bank.
Please do donate non-perishable protein: canned tuna, canned salmon, canned chicken, natural peanut butter, and any other canned meat that is not brimming with preservatives and stuff you can’t pronounce or recognize.
Here is my bribe to you
It’s February, so most of you all have probably set some sort of New Year’s resolutions having to do with weight loss or fitness. I’d like to help you get in better shape at the same time that you give back:
We at The Body You Want are going to be giving away a free, fun and very effective group metabolic acceleration class (intervals) every single Sunday in February 2011. All you need to do to join us is bring a pound of non-perishable protein with you. A single class would be $20 normally, and you can get a pound of tuna fish for a lot less, so this is a good deal for you.
Who can participate in class safely?
Pretty much anyone within reason can come to class and get a safe, effective and relatively fun workout. (Its also a non-intimidating environment.)
If you just had a bypass surgery, you should wait. If you just had a hip replacement, you should hold off until your complete your rehab.
However, everyone else: people who are out of shape, weak, have no coordination, can’t touch your toes (by the way, you can fix that in 10 minutes), or whose knees bother them during running, etc. will be totally fine with our class. The class is minimal impact, while still getting high intensity (intensity is a relative term) and good results.
We even made this cool video. Well, if you think it’s a cool video, then I will take all of the credit, but if you think it sucks, then my wife did it.
Summary of details
Bring one pound (or more) of non-perishable protein (canned tuna, canned salmon, canned chicken, natural peanut butter, and any other canned meat that is not brimming with preservatives and stuff you can’t pronounce or recognize) to
The Body You Want
1070 Thomas Jefferson St., NW
Basement
Washington, DC 20007
Sundays in February 2011, 10 am (you can donate any other time the doors are unlocked, but we’re only having the free classes to fuel the food drive Sundays at 10am)
RSVP with Natillie: info@thebodyyouwant.com or call 202-316-1457
If you need more details click here.
What if you’re not in the DC-metro area?
Start your own. (You could also donate to ours, but I think it’d be better to run your own in your own community.) Just find your local food bank, set a date for the food drive, set a goal for what you will raise, and then tell everyone you possibly can.
Yet Another Bribe!
Oh, and if the 4 classes weren’t enough for you, then local fitness celebrity Joe-Billy will be there mullet and all signing autographs. Well, Joe-Billy can’t read or write, but he’ll make an “X” for you. His sister/wife might be there too. So exciting.
Josef Brandenburg and Natillie Rauch are the co-owners of The Body You Want™ Fitness Training Systems, a personal fitness training and weight loss company in Washington, DC. Help up reach our goal of 400lbs of non perishable protein.
If you enjoy my posts, please consider a small donation to the Fat Head Kids GoFundMe campaign.
Sweet! Joe Billy live and in the flesh.
My wife was not aware that she would be marrying somebody who has characters, but is not an actor.
Thanks a bunch Tom.
Good luck with the food drive.
Sweet! Joe Billy live and in the flesh.
My wife was not aware that she would be marrying somebody who has characters, but is not an actor.
Thanks a bunch Tom.
Good luck with the food drive.
Yes! Yay! Been saying this for ages! And people, any time there is any sort of food drive, you can donate protein! Last time the USPS was doing their food drive, I left a bag of canned fish (some tuna, some other kinds) out by my mailbox. There is even canned butter you can donate if you are feeling particularly generous–even more so than protein, the poor are often starved of appropriate natural fats. Just think–six months to a year of good fats in the diet can start making a huge difference in mental status, which oftentimes is the make-it-or-break-it factor in getting your schtuffs together and maybe getting out of poverty. Nobody *likes* being down and out, but when you’re depressed you can sure stop *caring.* And nourishment has a lot more to do with depression than a lot of people believe.
Hi Tom, I could’nt help thinking about your Mc Donald experiment when I read this in the NZ press.
“The Matamata 100-year-old, known as Cat to most, looks at the traffic, watching cars and and stock trucks rumble past. She casts her mind over 100 years of a life lived and loved, surrounded by family and good friends. She smiles – and takes another big bite out of her McDonald’s cheeseburger. ”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4649357/Burgers-keep-Cat-purring-at-100
When she finally dies, they’ll blame the cheeseburgers.
Yes! Yay! Been saying this for ages! And people, any time there is any sort of food drive, you can donate protein! Last time the USPS was doing their food drive, I left a bag of canned fish (some tuna, some other kinds) out by my mailbox. There is even canned butter you can donate if you are feeling particularly generous–even more so than protein, the poor are often starved of appropriate natural fats. Just think–six months to a year of good fats in the diet can start making a huge difference in mental status, which oftentimes is the make-it-or-break-it factor in getting your schtuffs together and maybe getting out of poverty. Nobody *likes* being down and out, but when you’re depressed you can sure stop *caring.* And nourishment has a lot more to do with depression than a lot of people believe.
Hi Tom, I could’nt help thinking about your Mc Donald experiment when I read this in the NZ press.
“The Matamata 100-year-old, known as Cat to most, looks at the traffic, watching cars and and stock trucks rumble past. She casts her mind over 100 years of a life lived and loved, surrounded by family and good friends. She smiles – and takes another big bite out of her McDonald’s cheeseburger. ”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4649357/Burgers-keep-Cat-purring-at-100
When she finally dies, they’ll blame the cheeseburgers.
Canned butter sounds like a great idea. I’ll have to put that on some other list at some other time.
Canned butter sounds like a great idea. I’ll have to put that on some other list at some other time.
What a funny post. Loved the humor! I am guilty of donating carb-rich food to food banks, though. I didn’t really give it much thought other than thinking any food is better than none and it will give them energy to make it through the day. But what about carbs causing sluggishness and depression? How are people ever to better themselves with low energy, depression, and a foggy brain?
I always went with what was cheapest to donate, but no longer. I guess I have to walk the walk or just shut up about the wonders of the low-carb diet.
The people who get your next donations will be fortunate.
@ Marielize, the American press would never pick up a story like that.
Dang, that’s a lot of cheeseburgers.
Our local food bank sometimes prints a “shopping list” in the newspaper. You can clip out the list, mark how you want your money spent, and send it in with your donation. In addition to canned tuna and peanut butter, they also have options for fresh (frozen) meat and eggs!
Glad to know they let you make some choices. Junk food beats starving, but I’d rather give someone a protein-rich food anytime.
Hi tracker, small county! we need to get news somewhere.
She even made it on tv news. She said she’s not worried about the fat, but don’t eat the sauces.
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/centenarian-catherine-s-cheeseburger-secret-longevity-4029326
What a funny post. Loved the humor! I am guilty of donating carb-rich food to food banks, though. I didn’t really give it much thought other than thinking any food is better than none and it will give them energy to make it through the day. But what about carbs causing sluggishness and depression? How are people ever to better themselves with low energy, depression, and a foggy brain?
I always went with what was cheapest to donate, but no longer. I guess I have to walk the walk or just shut up about the wonders of the low-carb diet.
The people who get your next donations will be fortunate.
@ Marielize, the American press would never pick up a story like that.
Dang, that’s a lot of cheeseburgers.
Hi tracker, small county! we need to get news somewhere.
She even made it on tv news. She said she’s not worried about the fat, but don’t eat the sauces.
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/centenarian-catherine-s-cheeseburger-secret-longevity-4029326
What a great cause!
What a great cause!
In terms of low priced protein, sardines are about $1.40 per can in my area which is pretty cheap. However, finding people who love sardines may be a different challenge altogether (my hubby loves them though so it is possible).
Thank you for posting this and the link back to the previous guest post. The training concept was a real revelation for me and I’ve spent the last few days furiously reading everything I can get my hands on. I even started a blog on this kind of training to help sort out the data and track my workouts.
If anyone wants to follow along:http://fatlossresistancetraining.blogspot.com
M
In terms of low priced protein, sardines are about $1.40 per can in my area which is pretty cheap. However, finding people who love sardines may be a different challenge altogether (my hubby loves them though so it is possible).
Thank you for posting this and the link back to the previous guest post. The training concept was a real revelation for me and I’ve spent the last few days furiously reading everything I can get my hands on. I even started a blog on this kind of training to help sort out the data and track my workouts.
If anyone wants to follow along:http://fatlossresistancetraining.blogspot.com
M
Great post… and something I’ve been saying to people for years. In high school, my family received some food bank donations when we fell on hard times after my father left. And of course, it was all cereals, pastas, etc. As a teen, I had no idea at the time that I was gluten-intolerant… but I was, as was my sister. And now, I have a much better understanding of not just how carby foods are detrimental to health, but of how widespread gluten-related health problems are.
So… again, please please please fill those food donation boxes with canned tuna, salmon, chicken, ham, stews, soups, non-carby veg, etc. PUFA’s not withstanding, mayo can go in the box as well. Sauerkraut and other jarred (or canned, sometimes) pickled items work too.
Great post… and something I’ve been saying to people for years. In high school, my family received some food bank donations when we fell on hard times after my father left. And of course, it was all cereals, pastas, etc. As a teen, I had no idea at the time that I was gluten-intolerant… but I was, as was my sister. And now, I have a much better understanding of not just how carby foods are detrimental to health, but of how widespread gluten-related health problems are.
So… again, please please please fill those food donation boxes with canned tuna, salmon, chicken, ham, stews, soups, non-carby veg, etc. PUFA’s not withstanding, mayo can go in the box as well. Sauerkraut and other jarred (or canned, sometimes) pickled items work too.
Our local food bank sometimes prints a “shopping list” in the newspaper. You can clip out the list, mark how you want your money spent, and send it in with your donation. In addition to canned tuna and peanut butter, they also have options for fresh (frozen) meat and eggs!
Glad to know they let you make some choices. Junk food beats starving, but I’d rather give someone a protein-rich food anytime.