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June 25, 2007
Live from 'The Cove'
We took our show on the road Friday to the Cypress Cove Resort & Spa, a nudist resort in Kissimmee. We were there for the show, but also to participate in a program sponsored by the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR), which had brought about two dozen people under the age of 30 to be trained as public relations
ambassadors for nude recreation.
May 28, 2007
Living Beyond the Edge
 
Sabrina - rock climbing in Tennessee
I have a list of experiences to do at least once, yet I don't know what is on the list until it happens.
Rock climbing and rappelling are two sports that never entered my mind as something I would ever experience; not because I'm chicken; just because the opportunity had not presented itself.
Thanks to meeting Adam and Amber, two exceptional people that have become extraordinary friends, I camped in a tent as an adult (it has been at least 20 years - since my childhood - since I've camped), enjoyed the most delicious lamb chops ever, cooked right over the open camp fire, and made real SMORES. We also FROZE are freakin' butts that night. Leave it to the Floridian in me to assume it would be warm on a May night in the mountains in Tennessee.
Back in March, we gave rock climbing a dismal attempt in Georgia. It was cold and I had to jump around and rub my hands to try to get warm before trying to climb. One try; that was it. I did not make it far at all. My stomach was doing somersaults. As far as I'm concerned, that attempt doesn't count. Apparently, we were on a good intermediate rock climb route. No beginner here.
So try, try again, two months later. No prep. This was a last minute trip because the airfare was cheap. Fortunately, Adam & Amber were up for an adventure and took us to Foster Falls. Now I know why it's called Rocky Top Tennessee.
I was determined this time to make it to the top. I had to know that I would be okay if I slipped, being comfortable with the harness, trusting the belay and to lean back. So, the first climb of the day... despite having my leg shake like crazy (Adam referred to it as 'scissor leg'), I made it to the top. I don't know the rating, but it would be a short intermediate climb. I also made it to the top of another climb; that one was a tad easier – like a beginning intermediate with several good holds.
I tried a couple others; one that was much more advanced. Didn't get far, but the rope was set up, so I had to give it a shot. The other was a mind trip. It had a bunch of great holds, but the cliff/climb area was already high in the air, so the feeling was much more intense. I got a little better than half way. This was the second day of climbing and my forearms were tired - especially on me; I lack in upper body strength. But, I am so disappointed in myself for not pushing it (yet, as I sit here writing this, my back really hurts from this weekend's adventures).
Amber & Adam rappelled Saturday, off a cliff with about a 150 foot drop. They've done that rappell before. Tony & I passed; I've never rappelled and thought that drop was a bit much for my very first time. Mind you I am barely used to the harness and letting go of the rock during a climb to descend. It goes against your natural survival instincts.
But, my goal was to rappell on Sunday. After our climb on Sunday, Adam gave me the basics to rappelling, and we went down a small hill where your feet were still touching the hillside. The hardest thing for me was leaning back – to trust the rope & harness. Once I went the first time, and felt the control I had, I knew I could do the BIG rappell.
Now, the feeling was quite a bit different for the big rappell because you are REALLY high, going over a cliff, and you dangle in the air most of the way; no feet touching the side. Plus, in the beginning, due to the weight of the rope since there was so much of it below, you had to feed the rope through. Here's the fun stuff: don't let go, but you can only use one hand on the rope to feed and stop you – in an awkward position nonetheless. It felt awkward to me since I've never done it before. Plus, it is very important not to use the other hand because you don't want to get rope burn or have your hand get caught in the thing-a-ma-jig where the rope goes through.
Alrighty then, lean back, go backwards of the cliff, taking baby steps, finally squatting – in almost a 90 degree angle leaning back - so the rope hits the edge of the cliff and you bring your feet down because there is no more you can reach. Not bad. I can control my speed. I can stop with ease. Tony is above the waterfall taking pictures. I wave and yell out, "Look Ma; No Hands!" Suspended, in mid air. There were a couple parts where my feet did touch the side again, including a little maneuver around a small tree growing out of the side of the cliff. I kept going down to a very rocky bottom, right on the water's edge. Timing the sway just right to land on dry rocks versus in the water.
Talk about a natural high!
So easy, so fun, so WOW, so gotta do it again. This is Mother Nature's theme park. The hike back up is long, but worth it. The rappell is your reward for the rock climbing. After being totally jacked up on the thrill and running back up the mountain, I convinced Tony to do it.
Amber goes first so she can take pictures of Tony. All I have to say in thank God Tony and Amber were both at the bottom when I descended again. So, my turn. Adam makes sure I am hooked up correctly. I go. Having more fun and confidence, I go a little faster in parts. I think I can push off the side of the mountain and jump over that little tree… and I do! Feeling good! I take time to pump back and forth to swing a bit. I'm checking out the rocks below, determining which one to land on. I keep descending, looking behind & below me, trying to time the sway to land on the rock I want…
So close, and PAIN! My Hair! I scream! My hair is caught in the rope pulley system. I am stuck. I scream for Tony and Amber, as I dangle, holding myself from going further while my left hand springs up on the other side of the rope trying to release tension. They were on the other bank to take pictures. It's rocky and I know they are trying their best to get their quickly. I know I have to release the tension in the rope yet the force is going in the opposite direction; I have to keep my right arm with the rope wrapped tight around my waist to keep from descending thus further ripping my hair out of my scalp and possibly my scalp too since the my hair keeps getting pulled in.
Thank my lucky stars that I was not any higher; they could just reach my feet, but it still wasn't enough... yet. A few other people happen to be around. Tony yells for a knife; I tell Tony & Amber to try to push me to where they can stand on higher rocks, in order to give me a boost. My arms are getting weak; my neck hurts being pulled. I yell to Adam at the top, knowing from where he is that he cannot see, to NOT pull the rope. (That is what you do to see if the person is off the rope). A few other men scramble under me, and one man is able to give me just the push I needed to reverse the tension so I could pull my head out of there.
Ahhh... land, done; it pulled out fair amount of hair. Fortunately, I have think hair, so no noticeable damage and just a tender area above my left ear. I know I was stuck for only moments… but it seemed like a very long time.
I'm still glad I did it, and I would do it again. But, that incident did make me realize all of the possible things that could go wrong, and what should be done for a safe rappell. I am so thankful that I happened to be low enough and for having my heroes, Amber & Tony, come to my rescue, along with a few others! At least we all have a story to tell!
Now, I look at mountains, cliffs, buildings, etc. in a whole new way. How can I climb that? Where can I rappell from?
After participating in those mildly 'extreme' sports, I feel like I am one of the adventurous few willing to push themselves to really LIVE and enjoy what this world has to offer.
Whitewater rafting in West Virginia is next.
November 28, 2006
Race Results are In!
It took 10 days to post, but we have the race results from the 12th annual Paradise Lakes Sneaker Streaker 5K. Click HERE to view. You'll note we have them listed in order, by finish, with age and time. Yes, I know, it's customary to have names listed and, yes, the results for this race in the past, like other nude runs, have been listed on Cool Running.com. But we did have a few competitors, for whatever reason, ask that they remain anonymous. So for this year, we'll honor their wishes.
Next year, we'll make it clear that if you don't want to be listed, please let us know. That way we can post the results through CoolRunning. Thanks!
November 20, 2006
We Came, We Saw, We Streaked!
Thanks to everyone who made our 12th-annual, clothing-optional "Sneaker Streaker 5K" at Paradise Lakes on Saturday such a success. We appreciate all of the great feedback we received and are looking forward to an even better event in 2007.
Admittedly, it will be tough to top. After all, we raffled off more than $3,000 in prizes donated by our sponsors and runners received goody bags packed full of great stuff. But we will make it better, starting with a new date -- Saturday, Sept. 22, 2007. Since it was a little nippy at racetime, we've decided to pick a date where we know you'll have no problem running nude - or wearing whatever you like.
Geoff Fox of The Tampa Tribune was nice enough to write a wonderful article on yours truly. You can read it here.
October 23, 2006
Taming the 'Zoo' Animals
On Friday, I was asked to appear live via phone on a Los Angeles "morning zoo" drive-time program to discuss nude recreation.
I've done a lot of these interviews in the past, having worked in the nude recreation industry for more than a decade. I'd tell you what happened, but Fitness Buff co-host Pete Williams beat me to the punch. Read his account HERE.
August 11, 2006
Lessons from the Farm
Pete and I were at a Fitness Expo last week where athletes came to pick up their race packets for the Top Gun Triathlon. Remarkably, the complimentary food and drinks at this fitness expo consisted of soft drinks, chips and hot dogs.
Fortunately, I had a large salad for lunch and water prior to the expo. But we were there for a long time. I was on the prowl for water since none was being served and none was available in a vending machine.
I simply do not like soft drinks. Once you grow accustomed to water, soft drinks taste too syrupy, plus they do not quench thirst. I was about to purchase canned lemonade when an employee came to the rescue and gave me a bottled water. As for food; no hot dog on a white bun for me. Not much nutritional value there. I can always count on Pete for having few 3Bars, the official energy bar of The Fitness Buff Show.
I should have come better prepared and I usually carry a protein bar and bottle of water when I know I am going to be out for awhile, just in case. However, I figured the expo's complimentary refreshments would include healthy food and drinks.
Still, I felt good for making the right decisions, and it wasn’t really about willpower or self control. I simply did not want a soft drink and hot dog. Don’t get me wrong; I do splurge. I enjoyed a rich creamy Mudslide at dinner that night, but my dinner was still healthy and delicious along with everything else I ate that day.
So why wasn’t I tempted with free hot dogs, chips and soft drinks staring me in the face? I don’t consider it discipline. That sounds too harsh. It is a choice. The simple fact is that we have the ability to choose what we put in our mouths. The ability to make those healthy decisions begins with believing that you can improve yourself, as I emphasized in my first BLOG, and establishing good habits.
If you made the right decisions, you could also live fitter, live better and live longer. So where do good habits come from? For me, from the farm. Yep, I’m a farm girl. I grew up in eastern Washington State on a small farm just for our family. We were very poor, so I know that eating healthy is not expensive. That is the worst excuse ever - besides poor health is far more expensive. Just a little side note there; now back to the farm.
I milked a goat and a cow every morning, slopped the pigs, fed the chickens, ducks, turkeys, Mr. Steak (a steer cow), and gathered the eggs from the hen house. Some of these animals became dinner and since we lived in the country, venison was available periodically. We also fished. I don’t recall what kinds of fish we ate, but I remember the unpleasant bones you would come across when eating them. We baked our own bread and had a huge garden. We had a fresh salad plus other fresh veggies at every dinner.
We simply did not have soft drinks or potato chips or other junk food in the house. While we did have electricity and running water, the stove’s power source came from wood. A little bit more work is involved with preheating that oven. There was no need to “exercise” because there was plenty of movement going on every day to manage a small farm. In fact, my upper body was stronger when I was 10 years old than it is now, thanks to chopping and hauling wood.
That kind of living is almost unheard of today. In fact, it wasn’t all that common when I was growing up because I am only 33, but that farm story makes me sound much older! And, that is not to say that if you grew up with junk food and little movement that you are doomed. You just have to make a new foundation.
Habit forming does take time. That's why I am providing these simple steps one by one, so that you may implement them, and make it a part of your life. You will feel a shift in your mental state once you believe that you can change. After you have successfully implemented the habit to drink lots of water, thus no longer craving soft drinks, the other habit forming steps will come easier for you. You can then focus on the next step, and then you won’t become overwhelmed and give up. This will become your new foundation for a healthier you.
July 25, 2006
WATER, WATER...
You can’t overestimate the importance of drinking water. This might be a difficult change for some, but it is a must. If you are presently not much of a water drinker, you will see dramatic results by changing this one habit.
Stop drinking soft drinks – including diet versions. They provide the body with nothing. Replace them with water. Limit fruit juice intake, too, since many fruit juices are loaded with sugar. It’s better for you to eat the real piece of fruit. Not only is it a healthy snack that will satiate you, but you’re cutting back on a large amount of calories by drinking water and eating fruit compared to drinking fruit juice and eating something else.
This BLOG would get really long if I went into all the benefits of water and why your body needs it and how it uses it. The human body is remarkable and there is a reason why it was made to consume water. Once you understand what water does for the body, you will want to drink lots of water and replace those bad beverages. Not to mention the fact that you will save money; even if you buy bottled water, it is still less expensive then flavored beverages.
"Drink 8 glasses of water each day" is what we hear all the time but what weight loss benefits do we get from drinking water?
All functions within the body require the presence of water. A well-hydrated body enables these functions to occur quickly and efficiently. All chemical processes involve energy metabolism and drinking plenty of water will make us feel more energetic and boost our metabolic rate.
Did you know that water makes your metabolism burn calories three percent faster? It’s true. If you’re looking to lose weight, water consumption is key as several studies have shown that thirst and hunger sensations are linked together. If there is slight dehydration, thirst can be mistaken for hunger, causing you to eat when you’re really just thirsty.
So many new food products not only contain high amounts of added sugar and fats, they include very little water. Experts suggest getting at least 64 ounces of water daily or eight 8-ounce glasses. If you are on a diet to lose weight it is more important to consume more and keep drinking water throughout the day, unless you have a medical condition that doesn't allow much water intake.
A good guide for daily intake is to drink one ounce of water for every two pounds of body weight. A 200-pound person should be drinking around 100 ounces (12.5 cups) of water in order the gain the benefits of increased energy and metabolism.
If exercise is part of a weight loss program, a bit more water should be included to account for water loss from sweating. Drinking water before, during and after exercise will keep energy levels high and help recovery after training.
Many people don't like drinking pure water. Fruit will help fill up the stomach with low calories and gain tons of vitamins and minerals to increase vitality. In fact any food with high water content can boost water consumption, most foods high in water are naturally occurring, healthy foods - another reason to eat a healthy diet!
Need more reasons to drink water? Besides regulating appetite, increasing metabolism and boosting energy levels, water alleviates some headaches, reduces blood pressure and high cholesterol, eases joint pain, and decreases the risk of some cancers. You’ll have less chance of developing kidney stones and you’ll release toxic waste products. You’ll even improve your skin.
All by just drinking water!
July 11, 2006
AND SO IT BEGINS
Ahhh, finally, I’m popping my Blog cherry. Thus an intro… drum roll please!
LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, boys and girls of all ages… prepare yourself to be entertained (hopefully), enlightened and energized by the self-proclaimed Professional Nudist and Fitness Buff enthusiast, Sabrina Vizzari!
So, what makes me a “professional nudist?” I have worked for three different nudist resorts in management and/or marketing positions; I have served as a volunteer chairperson and director for two nudist associations (AANR and FANR); I am a member of the hospitality staff for Bare Necessities Tour & Travel; and I have attended and been a guest speaker at multiple nudist conventions.
Now, I am about to embark on a new adventure by combining my passion for fitness and the freedom of choosing what not to wear, so stay tuned…
But more importantly, I am a Fitness Buff. I hope to encourage others to improve their quality of life by sharing with you my passion for choosing a healthy lifestyle. You too can live fitter, live better and live longer.
Now here is where the naked truth lies; I am not going to sugar coat it either. It is a choice; don’t complain about being overweight and having no energy. You are the only one responsible for your health – no including the unfortunate few who have physical aliments and/or a debilitating disease; even they can make healthy choices.
Who chooses what to put in your mouth? You do.
Who chooses if you are going to move or sit on the couch? You do.
Could it REALLY be that SIMPLE? Well, yes, it is.
And I want to help.
The first step, before you can do anything else, before making a change to improve your life, is to choose to do something about it. You will fail unless you choose and decide in your mind that this is what you really want. You must change your mind and believe that you will improve your quality of life. You have to want it.
Think about it. Take this week and think about wanting to make a change for the better. Wear a ribbon around your wrist to remind you that you want to change; that you believe you can change. Step it up by thinking for 30 seconds before you open that can of soda, eat that candy bar, scarf down those fries, sit and watch TV for three hours, and so on. I am not telling you not to eat or drink those things; that is your choice.
If you can change your mind, the rest really is simple. I will give you simple steps to implement each week to improve your life. It is not painful and the rewards are insurmountable. I want you to succeed. No lie; the Naked Truth Rocks!
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