This morning, I awoke a little after 6 a.m. and took my butt to the gym.
I was the only one there for about 10 minutes and happily ellipticized away while watching the local news. (A tropical storm may be a-brewin’ off the east coast. Watch out!)
Eventually a big guy hopped on the elliptical next to me and flipped on ESPN on another television. When I was done with my cardio after completing 20 minutes on the elliptical, I headed over to the weights and the guy struck up a conversation. He asked me whether or not I was an athlete in school (does being a sub-par diver and water polo player in high school count?) and I told him he looked like a football player. Turns out he was a football player. Professionally.
Apparently he played for the Jacksonville Jaguars and we ended up talking for quite a while about fitness and nutrition when he found out that I had a genuine interest in both. (My workout was basically poo poo after this since I got out of the zone after chatting for so long.) He was clearly very passionate about nutrition and said that after playing in the NFL for years and fueling his body with artificial things to encourage his physical performance, he’s now much more cognizant of the effect certain enhancers have on the body and adheres to a holistic approach to living.
He also recommended that I check out The Four Hour Body, a book written by a friend of his that basically addresses how to get the biggest and best results for all things physical by making the tiniest changes.
After reading up on the book on the internet before working on this blog post, it sounds very extreme, but seems like an intriguing read. I’m going to look for it at my local library and will report back. Anyone out there ever read it? Thoughts?
Before leaving the gym, I completed the shoulder and abs workout from the LiveFit program, but rushed my way through it since I got caught talking for far too long.
Breakfast
The place where we’re staying in Jacksonville doesn’t have internet, so this morning I grabbed my laptop and headed to Starbucks to take advantage of their free wifi and get something to eat.
Non-fat cappuccino with sugar-free vanilla syrup to start!
I also ordered a cup of their fresh fruit (almost gone when I snapped the picture) and a protein box.
The grapes were kind of sad. I only like really crisp grapes and these were a little pathetic. At least the peanut butter was a winner!
Questions of the Afternoon
- Have you ever met a professional athlete?
- If you could meet one professional athlete who would you want to meet?
When I lived in Chicago, my mom and I were driving and Scottie Pippen pulled up next to us. As a big-time Chicago Bulls fan, I freaked out and he gave me a thumb’s up! I don’t remember ever actually talking to a professional athlete other than Mia Hamm briefly a couple weeks ago when she attended the Fitness Magazine Meet & Tweet event in New York City.
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When I went to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, BC, we were on a city bus with a former gold medal gymnast! When he informed us that he had competed in the Sydney and Beijing games, I asked him how he did. His response? “Uh…pretty well. I won.” Priceless!
Haha – my man and I read Four Hour Body. It is a fascinating read and well-written by ‘lifehacker’ Tim Ferriss. We were pretty gung-ho and excited, except that the food program is crazy hard to follow as it is SO much protein that.. well… ya don’t poop! This is the only thing that made me stop doing it, I felt so awful. And also I couldn’t look at eggs and beans for awhile. And I missed fruit. We both lost weight but I am such a fitness nerd that I didn’t like that the book kind of discourages cardio and other things like that. It also uses, almost solely, kettlebells, which my gym doesn’t have and are expensive to buy. Like most things, it is a bit of a fad. And, if you read Tim Ferriss’s OTHER book, entitled four hour work week, he writes about creating fad products where you see gaps in the industry. So it makes you wonder if 4HB is exactly that. BUT it is a fun read! Interesting chapters about sleep, sex, and other things… I recommend reading it, but maybe not necessarily following it.
It definitely sounds interesting! Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I’m not surprised about the protein heavy diet… the guy this morning said that’s what he follows and he doesn’t even eat fruit!
Meeting famous people seems so exciting! I can’t say I have had any great experiences however. I always think I see famous people…this might have led me to drag my mom on a creepy spy mission around the grocery store to get a better look at ‘Julia Roberts’….wasn’t her. woops!
I’m a big baseball fan and loved the Pittsburgh Pirates like most girls loved NSYNC when I was 12 or 13. When I met my favorite player I burst in to tears – when I met him later at another event, he was like, “Oh, you’re the crier!”
My cousin was on the Men’s USA Olympic volleyball team that won a gold medal in the Beijing Olympics! 🙂
He also played AVP volleyball, so I got to meet Sean Rosenthal, Kerri Walsh, Misty-May Teanor, and Casey Jennings.
How neat!
I had an internship with a Volleyball Center and they had Casey Jennings come in for a clinic. Since I lived closest to where he was staying I had to pick him up and get him to the center and take him back. It’s very nerwracking to drive someone like that, lol. Plus I had to borrow my moms car because he was too tall for my 2 door Honda Civic.
That’s hysterical, Lauren! 🙂 I would have been driving like a granny (not that I don’t already do 😉 ). I was so nervous just to meet him, I can’t even imagine having him in my CAR! Very cool!
My boss is friends with the guy that wrote that book, too! She actually developed her business based on his book “The 4-Hour Workweek.” Definitely worth the read.
I got to meet all of the gymnasts from the 1992 Olympic team at one of those tours they do post-Olympics. To this day it is still one of the coolest events I’ve ever gone to!
That is awesome!
That’s cool you met a Jaguar; he sounds like he was pretty down to earth, too.
I met Chrissie Wellington at Ironman Arizona in 2010. I stood around watching her, too nervous to ask for her autograph, before the pro media event. After, she had to leave to make it to another commitment and I was devastated! My husband chased after her for me, and she signed my visor while we were walking and talking. My husband snapped some photos and it looks like we’re BFFs!
The protein box is my favorite!! Yum yum.
When I was really little, I met Nancy Kerrigan (the Olympic ice skater) at a hotel pool in Arizona once. That was pretty exciting! And I got to go to an event with a bunch of different WNBA players at Madison Square Garden when I was in middle school. 🙂
I just started dating a rookie (just drafted) NFL player! I was shocked (excited) when he told me he played…as he’s a newbie we’ll see how it goes. Could end up he’s a playa that parties with lots of naked chicks in hot tubs!Haha crossing my fingers he’s a keeper though!
Oooh! I hope it goes well and no naked girls are in the picture. 😉
AHHH that’s so cool! I love sports so it’s so exciting that you met a professional athlete!!
The only professional athlete I’ve met is Horace Grant from the Magic. My mom’s boss is a very well connected sort of fella, and different players from the Magic used to come to his kid’s birthday parties. Steph and I were always invited and we LOVED going because these weren’t just your everyday birthday parties. There was basketball lessons BY Orlando Magic basketball players, one year there were HELICOPTER rides. Not even kidding. Coolest. Thing. Ever. And obviously there were ponies and horses, but compared to the helicopter that’s kiddie stuff 😉
No way! I remember when he used to play for the Bulls!
OK I thought you had to pay for Starbucks wi-fi? Back in grad school, you had to pay in some way …I just forget the details. Is it completely free for anyone now? Pretty cool, if that’s the case. I usually go to Panera b/c I know the internet is free there! 🙂
yes and no time limit at starbucks! panera kicks you off after 30 minutes during hi volume times.
You should try a skinny vanilla misto at Starbucks if you like cappuccino like that. It’s my new go-to order! 🙂
I’ve never met any pro athletes–I would probably be tripping over my words if I did!!!
What is in a misto!?
A coffee misto is my go-to order to save $2. It’s half coffee, half steamed milk. It tastes very similar to a latte, but is less than $3 instead of $5.
Yep! What Stephanie said! It’s stronger coffee–like what they use in an Americano. SO YUM!
also called a cafe au lait at other places besides the ‘bucks! it does not have espresso in it. it’s my favorite. i get a cafe misto with skim and some sugar free flavored syrup. approx. 90 calories for a large, if you are a calorie counter. i just don’t like to “drink” my calories but i love the coffee and milk combo so it is ALWAYS what i order.
That’s very cool that you got to meet him – what a coincidence!! I’ve met Brendan Brazier, but if I could pick any pro athlete to meet, I’d have to choose one of the Williams sisters. I’m not even a tennis player, but I think they could teach me tons about mental focus. I’ve heard of the 4-Hour Body but haven’t really read much into it, so I’m going to now. Thanks Julie!
That is super cool that you met a former NFL player! I’ve met Andy Roddick, Pete Sampras and I used to go to the same physical therapy place as a former Philadelphia Eagle. I see him around town all the time. He is a nice guy. 🙂
No way!!! I would love to meet Pete Sampras!
Me too! He was always my favorite tennis player! Meeting Andre Agassi would be pretty cool, too 😉
Very cool! But speaking of eating whole foods, I like to call fat free/sugar free syrup coffee drinks at coffee shops or anywhere “chemical shit storms!” I don’t mean to sound bitchy but there are whole food options to make your drink taste just as delicious without all the dangerous chemicals!
I train at a gym here in St. Augustine, right down the road from JAX! come visit:) Anyway the biggest celebrity “athlete” i ever met here was Pat Croce the former trainer turned owner of the Philadelphia 76ers! He owns a Pirate museum here in St. Augustine and comes to work out whenever he is in town!
while I think Tim Ferriss is a very interesting person, I find his books to be more of a cash grab than anything else. he’s a great marketer and has become successful in doing so, but I wouldn’t go to him for health advice.
i met some football players when I was younger but that was mostly just standing in line for an autograph.
Totally agree with your thoughts on Ferris.
I’ve read the book and it IS very interesting, the author is pretty funny. I haven’t tried any of the stuff he suggests, because it is a little extreme, but it is cool to read about his results nonetheless. It kind of makes you more mindful of how you eat and how you workout, and what the human body is capable of. I think it would be worth incorporating some of it, apparently a lot of people have good results. Also, the QB for the Jags is from my alma mater, the newest member to the SEC! MIZ-ZOU!
That is so cool! I haven’t met any professional athletes, but I used to tutor atheletes in college and many of them have gone on to become pro or go to the olympics, so that’s kind of cool. Not that they probably remember who I am at all. haha. If I could talk to anyone though, I would LOVE to meet Shawn Johnson. Not only am I a diehard gymnastics fan, but I LOVE all that she’s doing to speak out about healthy body image in young girls (this article in fitsugar just came out today – http://www.fitsugar.com/Shawn-Johnson-Quotes-About-Weight-Loss-Body-Confidence-23268980). What a good spokesperson for young girls!
I talked to her in an airplane a few months back and just saw her riding her bike about a week ago… I’m an Iowan 🙂
4 Hr Body was a great book, but mostly for the entertainment value. The diet isn’t sustainable and the fitness was a joke, but it was a fun read and had lots of good ideas.
That guy also wrote the 4 hour work week where you only have to work for 4 hours a week and still get paid like it’s 40. Sounds very scam-y 🙁
Ben read the 4 hour work week and thought it was cool. I think it’s more a crazy guy, bi-polar kinda thing though… no comment.
I have fantasies about meeting Drew Brees. Not only because I think he’s cute and generally awesome, but also because he was the QB my freshman year at Purdue. I big puffy heart him.
how fun!! i LOOOVE pro athletes and think (most) they are so hot!! two guys i used to date just made it pro… one in baseball and one in hockey hehe
Hi Julie! I stumbled upon your blog a few days ago and really enjoy the content.
I just finished my undergrad in Kinesiology and we talked all too often about the repercussions of poor diet/substance abuse in professional athletes. I’m not familiar with The Four Hour Body but it’s great that he is trying to turn his habits around.
How cool is that?!
I want to meet Michael Phelps, Michelle Kwan, and Dara Torres. They all AMAZE me!!
Interesting sounding book…I must check that out!
I have! I actually got to hang out with Kobe Bryant and a few other Lakers for a few hours a couple years ago… it was crazy!
I just recently met Bill Rodgers (multi Boston and NYM winner) and Mark Herzlich (from the NY Giants). I was all giddy meeting them!
I was traveling for work and “had” to stay in the 4 Seasons in Atlanta bc all other hotels were all booked up. I was at the gym in the morning and Charles Barkley walked in and got on the elliptical next to me. I was too nervous to say anything but I texted my dad, brother, and fiancee to brag. It was pretty cool!
oooohhh that’s pretty cool Julie! hahah, and yet another person you meet who’s on tv!
Former Miami Heat basketball player, Shandon Anderson, was at the culinary school I was for a while. One time I walked in on him while he was peeing because he had forgotten to lock the bathroom door!
How cool that you met an athlete! When I was little I met Jackie joyner kersey at an event with my girl scout troop. She was incredibly nice and gracious!
It’s always fun when something like that happens! I would probably have been totally oblivious and not even guessed he was a football player. One of my good family friends is a pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays – so that’s the big famous person I know – though it’s weird even thinking of him as famous!
My boyfriend’s mom was a world champion gymnast on the Chinese national team back in the day. I saw a couple youtube videos of her and she was such a boss on the uneven bars and beam!
My best friend’s pastor for her wedding used to be a professional baseball player. He was mighty cute too! I kept looking at him and laughing at all his corny jokes during the ceremony. How awkward!
I want to meet Andy Roddick….he’s pretty to look at 🙂
haha Brooklyn Decker is sooo lucky she gets to look at him everyday
I saw Jason Sehorn and Angie Harmon in Beverly Hills years ago. Such a beautiful couple – they were so cute together.
i dated one. amazing experiences, blessed life although somewhat complicated with a lot of travel and 100% focus on career. not a recipe for the best of relationship longevity.
Tara – I dated one for 3 years too. You couldn’t have summed it up any better!
Speaking of the Bulls…my great aunt lived next door to B.J. Armstrong when he was on the Bulls. He was a former Iowa Hawkeye where I am from so I was all excited. Another fun tidbit was that my Uncle played against Phil Jackson in High School basketball.
did you see this on Monica’s blog? HA!
http://www.collegehumor.com/video/6774297/romney-and-obama-do-call-me-maybe
i havent read 4 hr body but my husband read 4 hr workweek and liked it. he also thought it was somewhat scammy..but interesting nonetheless. i know the authors made a ton of money off those books but it might be interested to read the 4 hr body?
I don’t think I’ve ever met a professional athlete! Haha but I’d love to date one… so many cute ones.
Thanks for posting a photo of the fruit cup and protein box – I had no idea what they looked like. Better than yet another photo egg/jam/english muffin concoction I suppose.
I actually have never seen or heard of a protein box from Starbucks before and appreciated the photo.
I have actually met a lot of Portland Winter Hawks. When I was a kid my grandparents sponsored at least one guy every season. They often travel from elsewhere to play hockey here, so local families take them in. My first “boyfriend” was actually one of the guys who I had the biggest crush on. I have a ton of pictures of me and him when I’m like 3-5 years old. lol
I met derek jeter at busch gardens once! I’ve seen him at international mall in Tampa a few times too 🙂 go yankees!
Gym, no internet and professional athletes?? I’m so confused as to where you where staying!
I used to live in Jacksonville when I worked at the Mayo Clinic. I miss it!
My mom lived next door to Brad Pitt growing up. He played tennis with my uncle a lot (when they were younger ).
I met Cody Burns, a former college quarterback for auburn university. Not professional but he’s a big deal since I live in Auburn. It was funny because it was during a storm and he came in to the store I worked at. He had to go do a signing in the mall but he left his lights on so he asked me to turn them off if it stopped raining so hard. It was pretty cool and i got his autograph.
I was a competitve figure skater for years, and when I was about 16 I heard that two skaters that I really loved were going to be signing autographers near me. Me and a friend drove down and thought of all these really insightful questions to ask them, then we we got up to the front of the line we just grinned and kept saying “Hi” over and over like idiots. 🙂
That’s cool that you ended up talking to him about fitness and nutrition! I’ve never heard of that book though. A guy I used to swim with competitively actually won a bronze medal at the last olympics, that was pretty cool watching him swim and actually getting a medal! And my friend dated an olympic diver, so that’s neat too.