We think FiVi is awesome and is going to revolutionize the world of health and fitness. Apparently so did some of the most seasoned start up experts. We were recently selected as a finalist in the world's biggest business plan competition based out of Boston Massachusetts. The MassChallenge fielded entrants from 26 countries and through a new format has selected the top 100 to be a part of an innovative...

(from EatingWell) Looking for a vegetarian option for your next cookout? This grilled eggplant and portobello sandwich is our answer. For extra flavor, we top it with slices of garden-fresh tomato and spicy arugula. Serve with a mixed green salad. 4 servings Active Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes ngredients 1 small clove garlic, chopped 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise 1 teaspoon lemon...

(from EatingWell) Bountiful summer vegetables>zucchini, summer squash, fresh tomatoes>are quickly saut>ed with protein-rich white beans and topped with Parmesan for a hearty dish. This saut> is endlessly versatile and works well with eggplant, peppers or corn. Double it and toss the leftovers with bowtie pasta for lunch the next day. Serve with: Brown rice or bulgur. 4 servings, about 1 1/4...

(from Eating Well) A Mexican-style torta is just like a burrito, except the >wrapper> is a hollowed-out roll instead of a tortilla. Here it's filled with mashed spiced black beans and a quick guacamole. Take this vegetarian version to another level (and add calcium) by melting Monterey Jack cheese onto the bean side of the sandwich. Serve with: Grilled corn on the cob or Spanish rice. 4...

In Greece, souvlaki typically refers to skewers of grilled lamb. In America, chicken is more common, and it's often served in pita bread. Precooked chicken makes these sandwiches a snap to prepare. Serve with tabbouleh. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 stuffed pita halves) Ingredients 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese 1/2 cup plain Greek-style yogurt 1 tablespoon ...

APRA's Step Up to Health 2010.. This year, we now offer you a chance to kick off your fitness routine and step-up to health! APRA>s 1st Annual 5K Fun Run & Fitness Walk, a Moonlight Paddle, a Morning Stretch and a BlackLight Hike. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1,2010 7:00 PM Moonlight Paddle (2 hours) Tempe Town Lake>transportation provided. Meet in front of conference hall for shuttle. THURSDAY,...

Vic Braden legendary tennis teacher to the masses heralded in >laugh and win> tennis. Personally, I>m not much for hit and giggle tennis nor am I a preacher of unreserved, unrelenting, and unreal positivity, but there is something to be said about a good chuckle every now and again. At this time, rather than focusing on a >positive attitude,> I would like to focus on the idea of laughing at ourselves. ...

Poppa Chubby, B.B. King, Susan Tedeschi, Buddy Guy, Keith Richards, Walter Trout, Johnny Lang, Tab Benoit, Robben Ford, and Albert Cummings were all on the playlist for my 9-holes of golf. With my Ipod on, I managed to pick my targets, enjoy a walk, and shoot sub-bogey golf and> it does not appear that I broke any USGA rules: Rule 14-3 Wearing Headphones or Earplugs During Stipulated Round A. The...

In the early 1990>s Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi published Flow (in 2008 republished with a few updates). It is a worthwhile read that highlights the psychology of optimal performance, creativity, and happiness. The book has achieved world renown, but it seems like too often the wisdom taken from it is, >Flow is a really cool place to be. Flow is blissful and wonderful, let>s focus on being there all the...

Mental imagery> perhaps the piece of sport psychology that has made the greatest inroads into mainstream society and pop culture. It>s hard to find an Adam Sandler movie with some entertaining use of visualization> the ultimate likely being his >Happy Place.> In a different, but equally humorous vein, be sure not to miss Hank Hill>s visit to the sport psychology consultant in the King of the Hill...

I just finished reading Herb Benson>s Beyond the Relaxation Response the follow up to his seminal work The Relaxation Response (1974).Although published in 1984, this text provides timeless health and stress management strategies. Beyond the RR takes Benson>s initial RR approach (meditative breathing paired with a cue word or phrase) and adds the >Faith Factor.> While Benson cites many potential ways...

Seems like not a day goes by when there isn't a new breaking study touting the health benefits of some tongue twisting molecular compound found in a difficult to find source but lucky for you Mr. Consumer a company has altruistically created a simple to consume supplement for you to buy. One great example of this is Omega-3 fatty acids. If Omega-3 fatty acid was a dot com startup, I bet it would have...

I think that it's fair to say some people just tend to have a genetic advantage when it comes to certain sports. I'm not going on a limb here when I say it helps to be tall in basketball. Most of us have heard of fast twitch versus slow twitch muscle fiber. But when I came across this article in the Economist on the feet of sprinter, I had to add it to my collection of interesting late night...

In a recent piece in the Science and Technology section of the Economist, there was an interesting piece about obesity and intestinal bacteria found in all of our guts. The study published in Science Translational Medicine, was done by Peter Turnbaugh of the Washington University School of Medicine created a >halfway mouse>. Basically, certain strains of bacteria are associated with a higher...

Here is a look into what I eat on any given day. It>s important that each meal has the correct proportions of Protein, Carbs, and Unsaturated Fat. Everyone that I know that has a weight problem takes in way too many Carbs and not enough Fat and Protein. Look at how I balance everything out, and keep it simple. Breakfast3 Eggs2 Sausages2 Sliced of Wheat Toast1 Small Orange JuiceProtein...

Carbohydrate is the only nutrient that can make you fat! If you want to lose body fat you need to manage your carbohydrate intake. Each meal make sure the portion size of your carbs (pretty much anything you eat or drink that isn>t meat) is no larger than the portion size of your protein. If you eat a chicken breast thats the size of your palm, than everything else on your plate combined cant be larger...

For the record, Bikram yoga is hot; however, not all hot yoga is Bikram. Confusing, I know . . . With so many styles of yoga available, it's sometimes hard to decipher the differences and select the style that's best for you; so, I've compiled a cursory look at some of the most widely available styles, along with a brief description and a few thoughts derived from my own personal experience. Please note...

Yoga is a spiritual practice. True, it's also a great workout, reliable means of stress relief, magical mood lifter, and trendy topic of conversation among celebrities, but at its core, yoga is a practice of self-discovery. While it originated within a Hindu culture (India), the practice of yoga is not relegated to a specific religion. Yet, it is a spiritual endeavor. In fact, of the eight limbs of...

A very interesting read that does a great job of highlighting through actual real life examples the importance of actively being involved in making decisions about our health. According to the author, "another word for an algorithm is a decision tree" or simply put how our health plays out is really the culmination of a series of inputs and outputs. Most of us know what we should and should not do to...

In May, FiVi.com will be entering in a charity competition to raise funding to build an online portal just for the health education of children and teens at risk of obesity. The competition is a novel idea hosted by Pepsi, it's call Refresh Everything. Every month they give away a number of grants for any series of topics to improve our lives. We will be working with At Bat for Kids to make an online...

MMA requires very specific types of strength and conditioning training routines. In my schools, I employ many types of workout philosophies some of which are well known and typical of MMA/Grappling sports as well as a few I've designed myself. In this video I'll introduce some key concepts. See examples of the kinds of workouts I use by clicking on the links below to featured workouts with step by step...

Dr. Naylor talks about what to do when the pressure is on if you are a tennis player. If you've played any form of competitive tennis you've been there. Match point and it is your serve. What do you do? According to Dr. Naylor, you go with your best shot. About Dr. Naylor Dr. Naylor leads the Boston University Athletic Enhancement Center (www.bu.edu/aec). He...

Dr. Naylor talks about how to lose the right points in tennis. Not all points are created equal and the player that can incorporate that perspective in their mental preparation in a match will have a superior advantage. Losing points is not the end of the match, so lose the right points. About Dr. Naylor Dr. Naylor leads the Boston University Athletic Enhancement Center...

Dr. Naylor talks about how to maintain focus on the tennis court. He gives certain tips on how to play in the present and on a point by point basis. Tips range from perspective to subtle body cues players can employ to condition themselves to focus on the present task at hand. About Dr. Naylor Dr. Naylor leads the Boston University Athletic Enhancement Center (www.bu.edu/aec). ...

Dr. Naylor talks about how to stay motivated with a new fitness goal or training regimen. He gives a number of small suggestions or tips on how to plan for challenges so that sticking to that new workout plan is easier and is more likely to become a habit in your life. About Dr. Naylor Dr. Naylor leads the Boston University Athletic Enhancement Center (www.bu.edu/aec). He...

Mike Lagomarsine, head strength & conditioning coach at BU AEC, talks about what periodization means and how to employ it as a part of your training as an athlete. Whether you are a competitive college athlete or a lifelong avid athlete...periodization and the concept of segmenting your style of training throughout the year will enhance your game and prolong it.

Mike Lagomarsine, head strength & conditioning coach at BU AEC talks about why if you are an athlete you want to do full body training. Too many young athletes use basic bodybuilding workouts when they should be employing more of a functional training approach that is more reflective of being on the field.

Head strength & conditioning coach, Mike Lagomarsine talks about why athletes should incorporate olympic lifts into their normal training regimen.

Final Training Phase Preparation for a marathon demands months of thoughtful workouts. Now, with just three weeks to go before race day, every runner should have one goal in mind: protect your investment. The time you>ve expended, the miles you>ve run, and the fitness level you>ve achieved, it must now remain stable as you head into the final phase of marathon readiness. Here are some strategies...

This yoga routine is designed to complement any athletic routine. It can be used before and after a workout as well as on an off day if you are looking to just get a recovery in. To see a detailed step by step guide check out this FiVi workout by clicking here.

Rebecca Pacheco, founder of the health and wellness yoga site OmGal.com, talks about the benefits of arm balance poses. Benefits include strengthening and energy shifting from our legs to our arms. These are great for women especially.

This article is a reprint from WebMD by Bill Hendrick. Amazingly enough Americans are not able to put into practice what we all know...a healthy lifestyle and diet will conclusively help us life longer more productive lives:May 29, 2009 -- Americans know what they need to do to ward off cardiovascular disease and live longer, but despite health recommendations, most still aren't making smart lifestyle...

This article from WebMD by Elizabeth Lee uses some extreme examples of high calorie meals at national restaurant food chains to highlight the reality that we can consume a lot of unhealthy choices at our favorite restaurants. It is important to keep in mind not only calories but also salt and sugar. To see the original article click here.June 2, 2009 -- Restaurants are serving ever-larger portions of...

This article is a reprint from WebMD by Kelli Miller Stacy. This article does a great job of talking about the importance of lifestyle in leading a healthy life. It doesn't take a whole lot to get a lot of gain. Simple lifestyle changes go a long way. For the original article please click here.Aug. 10, 2009 -- Don't smoke. Get off the sofa and take a walk. Stay away from the junk food. Watch your...

This article is a reprint from WebMD by Salynn Boyles and really raises awareness on the importance of managing high cholesterol. For the original article click here.WebMD Medical NewsReviewed by Elizabeth Klodas, MD,FACCAug. 4, 2009 -- Adults with even moderately elevated cholesterol in their early to mid-40s appear to have an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias decades later, a...

A very common problem for many first time athletes and in some cases even the most seasoned athletes is that they start the race before it has started. Dr. Naylor talks about how to recognize the the tell tale signs of getting an early start to your race and provides some suggestions on what to do. About Dr. Naylor Dr. Naylor leads the Boston University Athletic...

Dr. Naylor talks about how to mentally prepare for running an endurance event like a marathon or triathlon. For many of us, we forget about the middle and don't plan accordingly. Dr. Nalyor gives some simple suggestions on what to focus on as you plan for the middle. About Dr. Naylor Dr. Naylor leads the Boston University Athletic Enhancement Center (www.bu.edu/aec). He...

So often we are driven by weights or times and in the process don't focus on the goal or action we need to achieve. Is the goal to lift 300lbs or is it to get more explosive power from your heels? Asking yourself this question really opens up the opportunity to not only change training routines but also to gain better results. About Dr. Naylor Dr. Naylor leads the...

An athlete in the absence of air is an athlete that "chokes". The all too familiar term is a real physical phenomenon that many of us can experience. The solution to not choking is an amazingly elementary and basic thing that we do every day. About Dr. Naylor Dr. Naylor leads the Boston University Athletic Enhancement Center (www.bu.edu/aec). He brings over 10...

Dr. Naylor speaks about incorporating a balanced and common sensical approach to endurance training for events like a marathon or a triathlon. The too oft mistake of breaking the body down is counter to a healthy and competitive strategy to perform your best in your respective event. We have all seen this and many of us are guilty of being unbalanced in our desire to tack on mileage incessantly. ...

Dr. Naylor speaks about how to balance aggression on the playing field and how to recognize the symptoms of being too aggressive versus not being competitive. Balanced aggression or a "calm mind with a sharp body" is relevant not only to game day but also to how people train leading up to game day. About Dr. Naylor Dr. Naylor leads the Boston University Athletic...

Stretching can either be dynamic or static. Dynamic stretching includes doing a motion like a deadlift that not only will stretch out the muscle but also work it and promote blood flow. Static stretching is the "down and hold" standard motion which you should never do when you are cold and never to the point of pain. Stretching after a workout is a great way to accelerate recovery. Check out this...

Strength training should be included in any endurance sport, especially an event like running a marathon. Proper strength training will not only make the runner faster (acceleration for passing) but also more durable. For many conditions like quad dominance exist that will throw off gait and increase likelihood of injury. Consider strength training also as a form of dynamic stretching - deep squats,...

Here I give a brief overview of what FiVi.com is doing and where we are going to an audience at the French Library in Boston. This event is held monthly and features local start ups and new ventures both for profit and non-profit. Make sure to check them out if you are in the area.

By teaming up with one of the most respected and noble charities, the MSPCC (Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) , FiVi.com hopes to usher in a new best practice for charities to support their athletic fundraising teams by leveraging new social media best practices and online technologies. According to founder Nabil Aidoud, "socially conscious athletes all over the country are...

OmGal.com founder, Rebecca Pacheco, talks about how Yoga is a great compliment to training for a repetitive endurance sport like marathon running because of the dynamic stretching and conditioning elements of yoga to not only help with injury prevention but also in the advent of injury it can also promote recovery. If you found this helpful, won't you please consider a...

OmGal.com founder, Rebecca Pacheco talks about how one of the primary benefits of using yoga as part of a training regimen for an endurance sport like marathon running is the ability to achieve body awareness. The implications of which can mean subtle shifts in gait (potentially averting injury) to really knowing the full capacity on race day. If you found this helpful, won't...

OmGal.com founder, Rebecca Pacheco talks about to use yoga as a means to achieve "purposeful rest" as part of a training program in preparation for an event like running a marathon. If you found this helpful, won't you please consider a donation... MSPCC is a private, nonprofit society with a legacy of strengthening families and preventing child abuse through...

M.C. (Mental Coach) Cuccaro sent me the following video the other day. While it is not new science (and makes perhaps claims a dubious cause and effect relationship once or twice > i.e. good story, bad science), it certainly highlights some basic, critical principles of player development that are too often overlooked. Periodization Training: Play Longer Understanding these ideas takes one from being...

While attending the 2009 Boston Hockey Summit the name of an important influence in my professional career was mentioned. Coach Boyle commented thatPeter Friesen, strength and conditioning coach for the Carolina Hurricanes, was in town for a game and might be dropping by the conference. The impact of a strength coach on a sport psychology guy can be unclear at best, but in 2000 Coach Friesen recruited...

It is a psychological reality that self monitoring enhances learning and ultimately enhances performance on the playing field. This process of performance improvement is grounded by well set goals and continued through periodic thoughtful reflections. >Thoughtful reflection> can take many forms. It ranges from Curt Shilling>s in depth journaling during and after games throughout his career to regular...

Upon reading >Seeing Red Might Just Ramp Up Your Game,> I was reminded of some thoughts from Cal Botteril at the first sport psychology conference I ever attended, >Successful performance is about >emotional management,> not >emotional control.>> This might seem like a subtle play on words, but words can be powerful. >Control> speaks to confinement rather than allowing the liberated play that...

There are many good reads that have shaped my professional perspectives over the years. These are reads that I find on the bookshelf closest to my desk and ones that I often recommend to coaches, sports parents, and graduate students. This is a list of >5ish> because I can always find a few more that I love and you will notice that found a few good excuses to sneak a few of these others into the...

Repetitive running can take a toll on the body no matter how fit one is and this video tutorial will give a brief overview of the most common tools or pieces of equipment that are readily available to athletes for post workout therapy. Very important to note that many of these tools are portable and can be used while in the office or at home while watching TV. If you found this...

This video gives very simple guidelines on when to replace a running shoe based on the individual's body weight. It will also talk about what tactics a runner can employ to prolong the life of their shoes, especially in training for a Marathon. If you found this helpful, won't you please consider a donation... MSPCC is a private, nonprofit society with a legacy of...

This video tutorial will talk about what cautions a runner should take when running at night. It will cover everything from color selection to the use of reflective and flashing technology. Please consider the importance of a Road ID. If you found this helpful, won't you please consider a donation... MSPCC is a private, nonprofit society with a legacy of strengthening...

This video will talk about what moisture wicking means and how it works. In this video we'll also talk about how this principle works in a layering strategy for dress ranging from your socks to your head. If you found this helpful, won't you please consider a donation... MSPCC is a private, nonprofit society with a legacy of strengthening families and preventing child...

This video tutorial will talk about how to dress for cold winter running. Topics will range from how to adjust for your body's typical heat generation profile to how to use zippers for variable temperature control. If you found this helpful, won't you please consider a donation... MSPCC is a private, nonprofit society with a legacy of strengthening families and...

This video tutorial will describe the typical gaits or "running styles" and what features are found in today's typical running shoe to compensate for individual gaits. If you found this helpful, won't you please consider a donation... MSPCC is a private, nonprofit society with a legacy of strengthening families and preventing child abuse through essential child welfare...

This video blog will talk about the major aspects and design features of today's typical running shoe. It will briefly describe the upper, outer sole, and the mid sole which is the primary differentiator in shoe selection. If you found this helpful, won't you please consider a donation... MSPCC is a private, nonprofit society with a legacy of strengthening families...

Your Training Season Blueprint Here is a marathon preparation blueprint that I have been developing over the past several years, which will take you through your 4-month training period. The basic conceptual framework has been discussed over and over; however, the specific week-to-week workouts will vary, depending on weather conditions, projected marathon timing, your fitness level, and other...

Contestants came from all over the world to compete at the annual World Championships for rowing hosted by CRASH-B. We spoke with Concept 2 about their upcoming technology and saw a little vintage technology too ;-)

In any type of long distance running training you always run the risk of injury from repetitive motion and pounding. When I train clients for races like the Marathon, I always include time on the rower and the ski erg as part of recovery days or to provide continuity in case of an intermittent injury so that cardio training does not have to stop. These are phenomenal machines that can be used to model...

Concept 2's rower and ski erg are more than just machines to focus on cardio and proper rowing form...you can also use them to get a full body muscle conditioning or toning workout. I like to use these two in tandem becuase they address both push and pull related muscles. This kind of a workout is great if you are short on time and need to get a full body workout.

This machine is a great compliment to the C2 Rower becuase it offers a phenomenal cardio and upper body workout without having any impact on the lower body or knees. I use this machine with many of clients. This tutorial goes through the proper form.

This is one of my favorite pieces of equipment. It is low impact and can drive a phenomenal cardio workout to simulate many types of training outside of the obvious prep for crew.

Amazing and inspirational story on one of my favorite training brands, CrossFit. Hector Delgado was seriously injured in Iraq in an unfortunate accident and as part of his coping he turned to CrossFit's intense training regimen. See full article: http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/documents/info-WORKOUT09.html

Logging a workout or an active lifestyle has clear benefits for all walks of life and fitness objectives. It forces you to get organized, spot trends to fix or benefit from, it also helps you define reasonable goals that in their achievement perpetuate a positive cycle. Everyone>s logging strategy can be a little different but there are few best practices worth considering to really help you tailor your...

There is a lot of confusion around what is an insulin response and the impact. Your diet and how the body reacts becomes manifest in your insulin response. Here are some considerations:

Inflammation comes in many forms and none are good. Now diet is a large part of how we control inflammation and all too often it's not fully incorporated into a workout routine.

A lot of people really don't get enough dietary fat in their diet and it has some pretty big implications not only for weight loss but also for performance. Not all fat is created equal but we do need a certain base of fat levels.

Here I talk about what are the ideal ratios of macro-nutrients (fat:protein:carbs). Depending on your goal and type of training, you should employ different ratios in your daily intake.

Anyone can create their on workouts on FiVi and save them to their profile. Think of a FiVi workout as a playlist of exercises and our coolest feature to date. Anytime you want to log a workout, just pull up...hit "log workout" and you are done. This tutorial teaches you how to create your FiVi workout using our powerful workout design wizard in just 4 easy steps. Does your workout include very rare or...

This tutorial shows you how you can search for workouts on FiVi that have been created by other members of FiVi. You can search by pre-defined categories or by a key word search. If you don't find what you are looking for...add your own (check out the tutorial on how to create a workout).

This video demo shows how one can view a workout and open any embedded rich media like a video within each exercise.

This video demo highlights some of the key features of My Workout Book. This is where you keep your collections of workouts you created, found, or had someone create for you.

A funny video by Nabil where in a comical fashion he highlights all of the cool things you can do with resistance band training. The fact that the more you expand them, the greater the resistance means that you can challenge your range of motion in very novel ways. I expect many new trainers and fitness pros to embrance this new trend.

High Intensity Interval Training has been around for a long time in many various forms and recently has seen a great resurgence in training. I am a big fan of this kind of training and in this video I talk about some various samples that you may have heard of like Tabata Intervals.

One of the primary benefits of working with a personal trainer is that if they are good it will force you to mix up your normal routine. As humans, it's very natural for us to want to continue to work in our comfort zones. This means we stick to what we are good. In this video I talk about the importance of mixing it up.

We at FiVi are ardent supporters of this absolutely phenomenal organization. The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children is one of the leading non-profits in the Boston area and has partnered with John Hancock to raise awareness on their mission with the legendary Boston Marathon. They have a few tickets left to run on their behalf - these bibs are very very hard to come by. If...

In this day and age of workout fads and branded workouts like P90x, buzzwords are constantly being used like Muscle Confusion. While I'm not for buzzword bingo, there is a science to this concept. Here I talk about what it means and also why one should consider it when planning out their fitness routines.

In this video I talk about the benefits of incorporating wind resistance training into your routine. In essence, not only does wind resistance training replicate being outdoor in the sense that that the harder you push the harder it becomes but it is also a great way to get cardio because for all intensive purposes, these machines have little if no impact on your skeletal or connective tissue systems. ...

The entire premise to this site and my workout philosophy is that nothing compares to motivation that comes from peers whether it be friends or a "hired" professional. To prove that, I spent a month with one of Boston's top trainers...Jason Zagami. I did lose weight but what's equally impressive is that I was able to improve other aspects of my fitness such as endurance, power-endurance, and even a...

This short video talks about different ways one can warm up depending on the objective of the workout. I give examples of endurance workouts, heavy lift days, and high interval intensity training (HIIT). Remember NEVER STRETCH COLD. As far as stretching goes, I'm a big proponent of dynamic stretching not only from a time efficiency perspective but also it reduces the chance of injury. ...

I had the privilege of attending Jason Zagami and Daniella Bitto>s grand opening of their newest operation in Boston>Solid Body Fitness in Hyde Park, Boston. The event was a great success and it was a fun filled day where members, friends, and family came down to try out some the routines and techniques that have made Jason and Daniella so successful, not to mention meet a local radio celebrity. What...

As the founder of a social networking site designed to help foster healthy lifestyles, I could not have asked for a more germane study in support of what we are trying to do. The Framingham Heart Study is one of the most famous social network studies in the academic world. Essentially, a stash of papers found in a storeroom were the personal records of 5,124 male and female subjects started in 1948. The...

For those with a penchant for economics, the concept of purchasing power parity and the big mac index is probably like motherhood and apple pie. For the rest of us, we'll leave it at that and get on with what I found to be a really interesting article I came across in the Economist (yes, I'm a closet economist). UBS published an interesting study that looked at how long the average worker had to work in...

We hope you enjoy our latest addition to FiVi.com, My Media. Now you can add photos, add tags, share photos, and view all your photos in a slideshow. As we get questions, I'll keep updating this post with answers. As always, let us know if you run into any issues and send an email to support@fivi.com. Thanks! File Size Too Large - we have set the maximum file size allowed to 3 mb, if you have...

No, this is not a snippet from the esteemed Onion (fine periodical as well) but instead this is part of a larger study done by the researchers at Boston University's School of Public Health to track the absorbtion and exposure of chemicals from our daily existence. Full article is in BU Today: Watching television, kicking back on the couch, you may be eating tiny bits of them along with the chips...

FiVi.com launches group features built from the ground up targeting active groups FiVi.com has just added the first set of features targeting activity clubs and groups. FiVi Groups will serve as the baseline for a future set of collaboration tools to help people in groups interact with each other as well as help the group administrators manage the group. The key features include the ability to...

I am an avid fan of lifehacker.com just because they seem to always write stories like this one. Thanks Kevin Purdy from Lifehacker. For the full post go to here. But in summary the post busts four misconceptions on how much we think we need to stay hydrated and they confirm my suspicion that's a conspiracy to make us buy more bottled water. Not to ignore as well the dangers of over-hydrating when...

We at FiVi are big fans of Twitter and are betting on it's continued success. What we like the most about it is it's openness, ease of integration, and efficacy at bringing people together. A perfect example is this new device that will post your heart rate onto Twitter. This is very much in line with our prediction that the new wave of biometric devices will usher in a new era in personal wellness for...

The Trust for America's Health has just published it's obesity map by state. From the report: 'Adult obesity rates increased in 23 states and did not decrease in a single state in the past year, according to F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America 2009, a report released today by the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). In addition, the...

Social networking meets online fitness: FiVi.com allows runners and cyclists to map out routes using Google Maps, save them to their profile, log times, find running partners, exchange routes, log any workout indoors, all online. Leveraging advances in web 2.0 technologies, FiVi.com has launched its first beta site targeting the web savvy active individual. FiVi.com uses the mapping technology of...

Legend has it that we discovered the wonderful affects of Caffeine from our furry friends. Supposedly Ethiopian herders noticed that their livestock became >excitable> and very lively after eating of a few of these beans. When the herders tried eating the beans themselves, they felt more alert. The rest is all history. It was later introduced to Arabia and hit the European markets around the 16th...

Whether you are a competitive athlete or someone just trying to get into a more healthy lifestyle, logging your activities and workouts is a good habit if it>s done in a reasonable fashion with an appropriate goal in mind. There are many challenges with just getting active or getting enough workouts in and adding one more step seems counter intuitive but you>d be surprised how one can seem to increase...

FiVi.com just launched the latest logging application in its line of tools for active people and athletes who want to track their active lifestyle. The Quick Entrytool is a welcome compliment to the existing FiVi Maps application (see How Create a FiVi Route and Logging an Activity on FiVi Maps) by allowing people to track their involvement in the widest range of activities. The tool is free and...

Using the Quick Entry application on FiVi.com is very easy and quick. See the announcement of the Quick Entry Launch. Once signed or logged in to FiVi.com, here are the steps to using the Quick Entry application: Step 1: Select >+ add a Quick Entry> from My Workouts Section in My Profile Step 1 Step 2: Select Activity Type Step 2 Step 2 Step 3: Select Activity or...

Shin splints are the bane of so many a runner>s (or any athlete that runs) existence. It>s one of those nagging injuries that will not force you to stop right away but if left untreated can get serious and not to mention is a very popular excuse for so many of us not to workout or be active. There are some serious names out there that most of us would not recognize like periostitus and medial tibial...

Is corporate wellness the next bubble in the health and wellness space? Rising cost of health care, more employee managed programs, aging workforce, etc > all make corporate wellness a pretty germane topic these days. The recent WSJ article >Get Well, or Pay Not To> raises some interesting questions. First, the current recession is not going to stymie the growth in corporate incentives for people to...

I want to extend a special thank you to the organizers of the annual Corrib 5K charity race. We couldn>t have asked for a more pristine day to debut our site to the running community. Over 2000 runners showed up with the winning time going to Corey Fehnel (Boston, MA) with 16:07. How>s that for a blistering pace (just over 5 min miles)? Hey Corey, you need to log that time on www.fivi.com! Team FiVi...

Amazing that something so basic and so innate to our existence turns out to be such a hassle to so many of us. In the recent article in the WSJ.com, >When Sleep Leaves You Tired>, it presents a technical solution to help those in need with sleeping, see below. But in summary, our nation does a dismal job of sleeping and many of us who think we get enough sleep > fail to do so: (excerpt) >Twenty...

Runners in the Boston area, come down and check us out at the 16th annual Corrib Pub 5K Classic. This was my first official race ever and is one of the area's most popular 5K's to start off the running season. The event is sponsored by the Corrib Pub in West Roxbury a long time local favorite. The event will benefit the Corrib Charitale Trust, Inc which has been raising money for local charities in the...

The recent article in the Wall Street Journal by Carl Bialik " Look at This Article. It's One of Our Most Popular" did a great job, albeit probably unintentionally of exemplifying the common tendency to follow the herd or fall prey to fads in the area of personal wellness. (excerpt from article) Popularity is, unfortunately, still all the rage. The Internet has facilitated an outbreak of...

It is like the eternal question of when should you replace your Gillette razor blade. Maybe not, but I>ve personally struggled for years on when to replace my running sneakers. Elizabeth Quinn from About.com gave some great tips on knowing when to kick the kicks. Here>s an extract from her piece: Running Shoe Replacement Tips Track your mileage. After 350-550 miles it>s time for a new pair. For...

What is runner>s high? >Another widely publicized effect of endorphin production is the so-called >runner>s high>, which is said to occur when strenuous exercise takes a person over a threshold that activates endorphin production. Endorphins are released during long, continuous workouts, when the level of intensity is between moderate and high, and breathing is difficult. This also corresponds with...

The quick and dirty answer to the question is whenever you are more likely to do it. But the better answer is really depends on what your goal is. It all starts with your human circadian rhythm. Basically, your body ebbs and flows with the tides and with that your natural metabolic rate of activity. Metabolic activity (aka rate of caloric burn) is driven by a lot of things like horomones, diet,...

Before you start your training program to give Usain Bolt a run for his money (pun intended), you may want to make sure you get the facts about what running does to your knees. Isn>t it obvious? With the non stop pounding on your knees, the impact alone could bring down the Sears Tower > and there you are doing it over and over again, mile after mile after grueling mile. Well, I>ve decided to take...

I never knew something so basic and so obvious could be so complicated: "running is a complex and coordinated process that involves the entire body. Every human being runs differently, but certain general features of running motion are common" (wikipedia). No wonder it is still one of the fastest ways to get fit and shed those excess pounds. Did you know there is no real de facto standard...

If you use intervals to improve your times, you can use FiVi maps to log and track your progress. It's very easy. Whether it's running, cycling, or any activity you choose from our growing list in the drop down menu you can set up your intervals routes like this: 1. Go to Plot New Route on the FiVi Maps landing page and create your first interval. Call whatever is easiest for you to remember (maybe...

To log an activity such as a run or bike ride on a FiVi map is as easy as a few clicks. First you just need to select the route you want to log the activity for. This can be done from a number of places: (1) you can select one of your routes directly from My Profile (2) your routes are also listed on the map widget right on any of the FiVi Maps pages just select My Routes (3) or you can just select...

Whether you have a particular route in mind, just surfing for some new routes to try out, or are in a new city and want to see where the locals play - FiVi let's you see routes created by other members. It's easy, just go to the FiVi maps landing page and in the address bar enter in any point of interest. You can be as specific as a street address or expand your search to the city or state level. If...

It seems like the origin of FiVi has raised a lot of eyebrows. So what is FiVi (pronounced FeeVee). Is it a verb, a noun, an adjective...the answer is all of the above. Most importantly it's a brand. FiVi is our little baby brand which one day we hope to make synonymous with technology and peer enabled personal wellness everything and anything! Just like today people will say "can you please pass me the...

Creating your own FiVi route for your profile in FiVi Maps is very easy thanks to the folks over at Google Maps. Clicking on FiVi Maps in the horizontal navigation takes you directly to our "plot new route page". Now go to the address bar and enter any starting location. You can be as specific as a street address or you can start with something more general like a city or even a state...

I am so excited to welcome you to our new site. We've been hard at work this winter to get this first release done in time for the spring and summer activities. Of course, we don't plan on stopping here - there are a lot of really ambitious features in the works that we'll be introducing over the next year. In this blog, I'll be talking about our upcoming roadmap, things you can do today, and what you can...