1st & Goals! Football and Cheerleading camp

The So Full of Life (SOL) Foundation, Inc. will be hosting a FREE health and nutrition conscious football and cheerleading camp this summer in order to educate, empower, and inspire Atlanta’s youth to live healthier, more active lives to put them in the best position to chase their dreams!

This event will be hosted by So Full of Life Inc, 2-time All-Pro Offensive Tackle from the dynasty San Fransisco 49ers, The Atlanta Chiefs Cheerleaders, as well as a handful of local healthcare professionals to give our youth the best knowledge, tools, and experience as possible during their time with us.

This camp will be free of charge for all participants in order to better serve our community. Because we are not charging youth participants an entrance fee, we will need your support in order to cover the costs. Here’s what we need from you! As a valued face book friend we are asking that you do AT LEAST one of three things:

#1 - DONATE YOUR TIME. We will need plenty of man power in order to serve about 300 Atlanta youth. We need volunteers in the following areas:
- Set up/breakdown and clean up
- Registration tables
- Position coaches (QB,RB,OL/TE,WR,DT,LB,DB)
- Water station
- Mini physical (weigh-ins, BMI calculation… you will be trained)
- Chaperone
If you are interested please contact Jason at jasonjones51@yahoo.com or (410) 733-6403

#2 - DONATE YOUR RESOURCES. In order to fund the camp we need to raise $3500. If you cannot give your time we are asking you to give AT LEAST $5 in order to make this vision a reality. This will cover all expenses needed to run the event. All donations ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE and can be used for this year’s tax return. If you are willing to donate go to http://reachhigher.org/fiscalsponsor.html (our fiscal sponsor) and under the “SOL Project” click the Paypal “donate” tab, then follow instructions. All payments made via Paypal are secure.

We could also use folding chairs/tents/tables, and coolers. If you have any that we can borrow for the day please contact Jason.

#3 - PASS this information along. Tell your families, friends, and co-workers what we are doing and see if they are willing to help.

September - The Great Balancing Act (vol.2)

The Great Balancing Act

These days I find my schedule being a little chaotic. The balancing act between social life and business life is somewhat daunting. Mornings full of clients, afternoon meetings and phone calls, evenings with my girlfriend, finding time to do what I enjoy the most, and most importantly making time to spend with Him (Yes, I am talking bout God). Meetings and clients, making her happy and developing new business plans all add up. Things get a little hectic from time to time. Somewhere between it all I have to find my sweet spot in order to function at an efficient level.

The key to the good life is all about balance. You ever watch one of those “Who Has the Most Talent” shows and witnessed one of those goofballs balancing multiple spinning plates on top of poles between fingers, toes, and other parts of the body? Life is kind of like that. There are so many plates spinning, money, church, marriage, school, to name a few, and somewhere in the mix more and more plates are being added and you must now find a way to balance all simultaneously.

Like motivation you must first find out what works best for you. Yes, this is another point on the list-of-things-to-do-to-make-my-life-better sheet. But hey, take it in stride and do one thing at a time then move to the next. In the end all things will work out the way they need to, hopefully for your benefit. You find that scheduling events on your calendar works, getting away from the busy city on the weekends, or have special “you” time at the end of the day works. Whatever it may, give it a try and see if it works.

The one thing I find that keeps me sane is making time to do things that I really enjoy. I find that volunteering is a great way to stay balanced. Your time, energy, and efforts are all for a great cause and in the end you’re going to feel better about yourself. My one true passion in life is the game of football. In recent months I have been staying active by joining flag leagues and hosting pick-up games on the weekends. Lastly, regular workouts help me stay stress-free in times of high tension. I just go and take out any lingering aggression on a stack of weights. No worries, no weights were harmed in the making of this article.

I believe the sweet spot or centerpiece of balance is faith. For those of you who know me know that I am a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ. It may sound a little cliché, but no issue is too great for Him. There are times when life seems to weigh down so heavy on me that volunteering, playing football, nor exercising seems to lift my heavy burden. I know that prayer really changes things. Also, a good sermon will have me fired up for days. On days like this I’ll go into my church feeling heavy and leave feeling like a brand new man. It’s crazy what a little bit of faith will do.

All in all life is just one big balancing act. Each day unplanned events may occur and more and more responsibilities may be added to your plate. All I’m saying is don’t get caught up in all of the mess life brings. Make sure you take the time to actually enjoy life. Make time for faith, family, friends, fun, and of course for you. You have to live life before life lives you. Find your sweet spot… Get it?


Question to the reader:
How important is faith to you? Do you believe that prayer changes things? In these crazy times, how do you find your balance?

Do you have a question about health and fitness that you would like to ask the editor? Send all questions to: jasonjones@solidprojectsonline.com


Exercise of the Month

Bench-Up-Press


This exercise consists of three different movements that will complete one whole rep. What you will be doing is a combination of a bench press, sit-up, and military press working your (entire upper body) chest, back, shoulders, arms, and abs. You can use dumbbells or a barbell. Whatever you choose, use a weight that is heavy enough for you to reach a goal of 10-12 reps of 2-3 sets when doing this exercise.
Take it up a notch: See how many you can do in 30sec, 1min.

Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urMm6jH9yMg (copy and paste link)


Tips for Life
Weight Loss
• You can cut at least 400 calories you take in daily by drinking more water and less juice, sodas, and other sugary liquids. Stick to drinks such as water, tea, and coffee without adding any extra sweeteners.
o Here’s why water is go great: 1) It quells a grumbling tummy 2) It banishes the bloat 3) It can rev up your calorie burn.
• Want to be 20 pounds lighter? Eat like a person who is 20 pounds lighter. Here’s how:
o If you complete less than 1 hour of exercise per week, multiply your target body weight by 10. That’s how many calories you should consume daily. However, if you workout more than that, add 1 to the multiplier for every additional hour you train. So, if you weigh 200lbs and your target is 180 and you exercise for 3 hours a week, you’d multiply 180 by 12 giving you a target of 2,160 calories a day. You can divide the calories into how many meals you would like to eat as long as you do not exceed your magic calorie number (A. Bornstein, Men’s Health Magazine)

Inside and Out
• Want to feel good about yourself? Volunteer! Volunteering is not only a great way to support a cause, but it’s a great way to feel better about you. Check out this site for great volunteering opportunities in areas in which you are interested www.volunteermatch.com
• Here are five tests you need to take NOW!
o Cardiac CT angiography – this calculates your coronary calcium score which measures how much plaque build up you have in your arteries.
o Bone density scan – osteoporosis does not only effect old ladies.
o VO2 max test – this test analyzes how efficiently your body extracts oxygen from the air and is a good indicator of overall health.
o Virtual colonoscopy (men) – a little more comfortable than the regular test, however, just as effective in cancer screenings
o Nutritional evaluation – not necessarily a test, but your diet needs to go under the microscope per se. You need a dieticians support and accountability to help maintain healthy living.


This Season’s Sensations
Fish Tacos


What you need:

½ red onion, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
Pinch ground cumin
Pinch salt and pepper
1lb fish fillets (white fish or you can sub shrimp or crab)
1 lime
¼ head of cabbage, shredded
1 tomato, chopped
4-6 whole wheat tortillas

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Cook red onion in olive oil until soft adding cumin, salt and pepper. In same pan add fish fillets and break into chunks cooking until just opaque. Remove from heat and squeeze lime over mixture. Lightly coat tortillas with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat in oven for about 2mins. Once heated fill with meat mixture. Add cabbage tomato to your liking. Try this with a splash of hot sauce and a dollop of sour cream.

Five-Spice Lobster Sandwich

What you need:

Pinch “5-spice” powder
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 sesame oil
2 scallions chopped
¼ tbsp grated ginger
½ tbsp minced garlic
½ tbsp minced chili
½ red bell pepper minced
2 cups shredded cooked lobster
1 baguette or 2 rice cakes

Directions: In a bowl combine 5 spice powder, with soy sauce rice vinegar, sesame oil. Add scallions, ginger, garlic, chilies, and red pepper. Add lobster. Mix well. Spread on baguette or rice cakes. Season to your liking.


News & Events

Fall into Fitness Day & Fun Run
We’re starting the fall season off with a bang. SOLiD Projects and Alpha Males Personal Training are teaming up to offer you a morning full of fun and fitness! We don’t want to spoil the surprise so come out and join us Saturday October 3rd 9:30am along others in the Kennesaw Mountains for a day packed with fun. Contact Jason Jones at jasonjones@solidprojectsonline.com for details and registration information.

Together we can beat obesity
SOL (So Full Of Life) Foundation, SOLiD Projects,and other Atlanta businesses are partnering up to battle America’s biggest killer - obesity. Obesity has become and epidemic in recent years and is killing American’s faster than AIDs, smoking, and murder combined. By establishing programs in communities around Atlanta that educate and empower our youth and their parents to live healthier lives we can save our communities and maybe event he world. So join us in our battle against childhood obesity by contacting Jason Jones to see how you can help.

Walk From Obesity - Atlanta
Want another way to support efforts to fight against obesity? Walk it off. Join the Walk From Obesity initiative as they walk to raise money to fight obesity. Check out their site to see what they're about at www.walkfromobesity.com

A+ Update!
Classes are in full swing! Thank you to all of those who came out in support of us. We have had a few classes thus far and people keep coming back. This is a fun way to help you stay on top of your healthy new way of living. So come join us every* Tuesday and Thursday from 6:30pm-7:30pm and Saturdays from 9am-10am at Campbell High School** and see what the buzz is all about!(*classes will be canceled due to inclement weather **Location subject to change)


Don’t forget to check us out at www.solidprojectsonline.com

*September Promotions *

A+ Outdoor Group Fitness class - 2 for the price of 1! Already an A+ participant? Bring a friend who has not experienced the class and you and your guest only pay a total of $12!

August - What Moves You (vol.1)

Motivation: What Moves You?

By: Jason Jones

Motivation and fitness are two totally separate ideals that go hand in hand. How can one aspire to achieve any type of fitness without being motivated to do so? It’s kind of like writing down goals on a sheet of paper and keeping them in safe, only looking at them when you need to pull a Ben Franklin from you secret stash every once in a while. Well whatever the case may be you have to stay motivated. What ever driving force or will power you have to achieve for your ideal level of fitness, make sure you constantly visit it or that they are evolving.

I have been down willpower-less roads before, taking days off from the gym only to return and take more days off. I am the type of person who constantly needs a golden fleece, a damsel in distress, or Lombardi Trophy to stay motivated. Without them, I find myself floating along when trying to work out, aimlessly going from bench to machine looking for some meaningful (or meaningless in all actuality) exercise to complete before I consider my workout finished.

To combat fitness apathy I have devised a little game that I play in order to stay motivated. My ultimate goal is to live a strong, long, and healthy life for as long as possible. I want to still be able to run a mile and bench press 225lbs for reps at the age of 90 (if the good Lord sees it fit for me to be on the earth that long). Along the dusty road to longevity I have mapped out “pit stops” or mini goals to achieve on my way.

I am in pretty good shape these days. I am 5 feet 10 inches, 185lbs, barely any body fat; I play football, lift weights, and run around breaking massive sweats with school age children all week long. But, even with this much exercise I still have to set goals in order to stay motivated and happy and ultimately keep me working toward my goal.

Here’s how I do it… Every 30 or so days I try to devise a goal action plan, things I would like to achieve by month’s end. Like this month, I am trying to be able to complete 200 push ups in one try. Next month will probably something totally different. This way I keep it fresh. I will always have something to work toward. It makes working out so much more fun. There are many ways to stay motivated, you just have to find what works for you and stick with it. What-do-ya-say? Give it a try!!!

Here are some ideas that will help you stay motivated:

1. Sign up for a fitness competition and train for it (marathon)
2. Team up with a friend and compete against one another or work toward the same goal
3. Join a recreational sport and train for it (kickball, dodgeball, or flag football)
4. Set small, attainable goals every month (or every so often) and try to reach them!
5. 
   

Here are some more motivational tips as told by writer Claire Martin for Women’s Health magazine:

• Step 1: Take Charge – You need to be the reason for your own health and fitness. If your significant other dropped the phrase “muffin top” or “spare tire” while shopping, you’re probably doomed. Next find a form of exercise the suits your tastes. If you can equate exercise with fun you’re more likely to succeed.
• Step 2: Give Yourself Props for Progress - Log your workouts and mark progress, it’s a great way to record how far you’ve come and motivate yourself. Also, keep the focus on what you can do and do your best to not compare yourself to others. When you focus on YOU your confidence builds.
• Step 3: Make It Social – Start by finding like-minded workout buddies. Congenial atmospheres are more motivating than competitive ones. Work out in groups of 3-5 people with similar fitness goals. The group provides built-in support and it is way more fun than working alone.
• 
  

Question to the reader:

What keeps you motivated to stay healthy? Have you encountered any fitness road bumps? If so, how did you overcome them?

Do you have a question about health and fitness that you would like to ask the editor? Send all questions to: jasonjones@solidprojectsonline.com

Exercise of the Month

Overhead Powerball Shuffle (Cone Drills)

You’ll need: 4-6 cones and a medicine (power) ball.

Set cones apart about 10yards at a 45degree angle. Shuffle from the first cone all the way to the second to last cone. Regular sprint from the second to last cone all the way through the last. Repeat at least 4 more times.

Here’s the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTfNy1Tpcdg

Summer Sensations

Amazingly easy and even better tasting summer recipes

Feta and Watermelon Salad

What you need:

1 Head of iceberg lettuce cut in wedges (4)

1 cup watermelon cut in cubes

1/2cup feta cheese

1 Radish sliced

¼cup Fresh Chopped Chives

3tbsp Olive Oil

Directions: Combine watermelon, feta, radish, chives, and olive oil; toss well. Spoon over a wedge of lettuce making sure to use all extra juices left in the bottom of the bowl.

Spicy Grilled Pork with Peach Marmalade

What you need:

2 thin, boneless pork chops

1 peach or apricot

¼ cup peach or apricot preserves

1 clove minced garlic

1tbsp olive oil

1tbsp soy sauce

½ tsp dry mustard

Pinch cayenne pepper

Pinch salt

Directions: Mix marmalade, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper. Coat pork chops with marmalade mix and grill making sure not to let marmalade burn. Slice peach of apricot in halves and remove pits; sprinkle with salt and grill flesh side down until they start to brown and just soften. Serve the fruit with pork.

Blackberries with Champagne and Tarragon

What you need:

1 cup of your favorite sparkling wine

2 tsp finely chopped tarragon

1qt blackberries (rinsed)

2tbsp sugar

1 of your favorite sugar cookies

Directions: toss blackberries, tarragon, and sugar together in a small glass. Let sit for about 5mins. Pour sparkling wine in glass. Enjoy with sugar cookie.

Upcoming Events

Athletics Plus (A+) outdoor group fitness class

Thanks to all of those who made it out the promotional classes! I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. All of your feedback was detrimental in ensuring the quality of the class.

For those of you who missed it, A+ is an outdoor group fitness class designed for both male and female athletes as well as the “athlete at heart”. A+ is similar to a boot camp, but offers much more. It is designed with sport-specific exercises, cardio, resistance, and coordination drills to help athletes prepare for the season or for the “Average Joe” who wants to have fun while getting in shape.

Sessions incorporate group, partnered, and individual exercises to help enhance an ongoing exercise regimen in order to promote physical health and weight loss. A+ offers a great way to help you reach your goals more rapidly than traditional workout regimens.

The end of summer is quickly approaching and that means that A+ is in full swing. Classes are forming starting Tuesday, August 25^th. Sign up now! Contact Jason Jones at jasonjones@solidprojectsonline.com for inquires.

*Mention this newsletter and receive one (1) free 30min training session*