Keeping a Journal: Kick-Ass or Kinda Barfy?

Do you keep a diary or journal?

Research says keeping a journal fights stress and depression, plus it can be a powerful tool for sorting things out, achieving goals, solving problems, arriving at insights, and improving relationships.

And yeah, I recently offered some tips for keeping food and exercise journals, but that's not what I'm talking about. This time I mean the old-fashioned, Dear-Diary-here's-what's-on-my-mind sort of thing.

You would think as a neurotic, over-thinking, narcisstic blogger, that journaling would be a no-brainer, right? Something I would have started when I was 6 years old? But no. Way too damn self-conscious.  It's only been about 9 months, and it's been... well... interesting.

So does anyone else feel like a total ass keeping a journal, or is it just me?

Cranky Fitness, Heading West!

Back soon!

As regular blog readers may remember, Crabby and the Lobster live a very odd bicoastal life, spending half the year in Provincetown, Massachusetts, and half in San Diego, California. 

This time we are not driving but flying!  So no excuses about not posting because of a cross-country trek.  Just excuses about packing and unpacking and not being able to find stuff and internet screwups and just generally being lazy and disorganizized and distracted. 

But hey, notice how the Lobster is getting all clever with the photoshop??

Anyay, hope you all have a great weekend, and  I'll be back soon with more of the usual nonsense!

Barefoot /Minimalist Running, Should You Try It?

Is anyone else totally confused by the conflicting advice out there on what the hell we should be wearing on our feet to run, walk or otherwise work out in?

Probably Not a Good Idea

As with most other fitness debates, this seems to be one of those questions where there may be no universal best answer; everyone is different and you may need to (carefully) experiment. But after much research, pondering, vacillation, hair-pulling and cursing, I've reached a tentative decision about what may be best for me.

Here's what I've come up with, and I discovered a couple of magic tricks which may only work for me, but what the hell.  But I'll be quite curious to see what you all do about the question of appropriate footwear.

Giveaway Winner!

Dang, I so wish I could find some giveaway where EVERYONE wins; loved the comments.

The random number generator bestowed the Les Mills Combat DVD's upon...

Clueless Gym Behavior: Ask the Personal Trainers

Who is THIS moron? Oh wait...

Welcome to our first installment of  "Ask the Personal Trainers!"  We have four personal trainers lined up to answer your questions, and they're a diverse, knowledgeable, and amusing bunch.

Plus, since I can't keep my mouth shut, I'll weigh in too! Sure, I have absolutely no qualifications whatsoever.  But when has that ever stopped my from offering advice before?

This time, since we have introductions to make, there's only one question and it's mine.  This is because it's my blog and I'm a greedy control freak I wanted to start off with a general question that could reflect each trainer's overall fitness philosophies.   

However, we gotten some great reader questions! I haven't forgotten them, and some of these have already been submitted for next time.  (These involve rotator cuff problems, core work and post-hysterectomy recovery, and unmotivated clients, so stay tuned!)

What's today's question?

What is the most clueless thing you see people do in a gym, and what should they be doing instead?

But first, let's meet our trainers!