ITU Rebrands for 2012 Series

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December 7th, 2011

The International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championship Series will now be known as the ITU World Triathlon Series starting in 2012, triathlete.com reports.

The change was announced today by ITU and their global marketing partner Upsolut Sports. Their hope is to create a stronger, cleaner brand as well as to restructure sponsorship in order “to raise the profile of the series and increase its commercial success,” said Marisol Casado, ITU President and IOC Member.

The 2011 series saw media figures double over 2010, which is yet another indicator that the popularity of triathlon is growing at exponential rates. With 27,500 participants and more than 1 million spectators at this past year’s events, organizers are excited by the growth potential of the series.

The 2012 World Triathlon Series kicks off on April 14 in Sydney, Australia.

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All I Want for Christmas Is…

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December 6th, 2011

‘Tis the season for visits to Santa and dutifully combing over every possible option to add to a Christmas list. Unfortunately, this really only applies to those 8 years old and under…

But we were all there once, right!? For this week’s contest we’d like you to take a trip down Nostalgia Lane and tell us what your must-have toy was when you were a child. Did your parents protest that it was too dangerous? Did you end up getting it? What was your reaction on Christmas morning? Let us know by leaving a comment on our Facebook wall. We’ll pick our three favorites and send you a case of HoneyMilk to sweeten this holiday season.

We’ll announce winners Friday afternoon 12/9.

 

4 Comments Posted in: Announcements, Contests

California Students Struggle to Pass Fitness Test

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December 5th, 2011

In recently published results, just 31% of California students were able to pass tests in six different areas of fitness.

1.34 millions students were tested in the fifth, seventh and ninth grade. To pass the test, or score what state officials call a “healthy fitness zone,” a ninth-grade male, 5′ 6″ and 150 pounds, would need to run a mile in nine minutes, perform at least 16 push-ups and do at least 24 curl-ups. Body fat is also measured, along with flexibility.

While the state had seen steady increases for the past five years, officials site more accurate tools of measuring aerobic capacity and body fat as well as budget cuts as two reason for this year’s drop.

School districts, such as L.A. Unified, have done all they can to keep physical education programs and rework cafeteria menus to cut out unhealthy options, but budget cuts across the state have created a severe shortage. A November poll found that 75% of 1,600 PTA members said their school’s physical education and sports programs had been eliminated or reduced.

State Supt. of Public Instruction Tom Torlakso is enlisting the help of NBA great Bill Walton to speak to various schools about healthy habits and lifestyles. He has also created a new campaign called Team California for Healthy Kids, which will encourage schools to apply for grants for salad bars, form partnerships with farmers markets and integrate physical activity into instruction and other activities.

To read the article in its entirety, check out the LA Times.

What do you make of all of this? Do you see similar trends in your home state? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Cathedral HS Football Wins Indiana Class 4A Title

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November 30th, 2011

Athletes HoneyMilk is proud to announce that the men of Indianapolis Cathedral High School successfully defended their Class 4A state championship over Thanksgiving weekend! This is their second title in as many years, and ninth in school history. The Irish needed no luck as they worked their way through the schedule, finishing the season 12-3 and defeating their final three opponents by a total score of 142-14.

You can read more about the championship game from Michael Pointer of the Indianapolis Star.

Congratulations Cathedral, and keep drinking that HoneyMilk!

ab

 

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Speedo’s “Waterbreaking” Technology

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November 30th, 2011

SUITED: Double Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington will wear Speedo's new Fastskin3 technonology at the London 2012 Olympics (Speedo)

Elite athletes demand the best technology when competing for gold medals, and swimming manufacturer Speedo released its latest just in time for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Today, they unveiled their new Fastskin3 swimsuit, the first suit designed to incorporate the cap, goggles and suit into one cohesive unit.

Since having their polyurethane LZR Racer suit banned in 2009 by FINA, swimming’s governing body, Speedo has sought to create a new groundbreaking technology to propel its athletes to the podium. The Fastskin3 is supposed to provide a “cohesive, hydrodynamic solution to cut through the water with maximum efficiency”, says Speedo.

It is yet to be determined if records will fall at the breakneck pace of 2008 in Beijing or 2009 in Rome, but swimmers like Michael Phelps seem happy with its performance. “It makes me feel completely at one with the water. I feel confident, I feel comfortable and I feel like I am wearing the fastest,” he said.

Athletes will have their head 3D mapped so their cap contours perfectly, and the goggles will provide a complete 180 degrees of visibility.

You can watch video from the Today Show to see the full suit, see Speedo’s official YouTube video, or read more from Angharad Huges.

What do you think about these suits? Should they be legal or should athletes be expected to swim the same as they did 50 years ago when comparing times? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Labeling Genetically Engineered Food

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November 23rd, 2011

As the world population continues to skyrocket, one of the dominant questions posed is, “How do we feed all of these people”.

One proposed answer is to continue studying ways to genetically engineer food so that it produces more abundant crops and is more resistant to pesticides. A growing number of people are disagreeing with that methodology, however, because of unknown side effects to the consumption of these engineered foods.

As Gary Hirshberg and Eric Schlosser report, 75% of processed food now contains genetically engineered ingredients. The problem is (in a 2006 study) 74% of Americans “had no idea that genetically engineered foods were already being sold”.

What’s the problem with these foods, you ask? One fear is the unknown effects on unborn fetuses. “A study of pregnant women found genetically engineered corn toxins in 93 percent of the women and 80 percent of their unborn children. All of their umbilical cords had glyphosate residues”, the article states. Glyphosate is the nations most-used pesticide and one that is becoming less effective as “superweeds” become more resistant. I don’t know about you, but it’s a little unnerving to know that pesticides were so prevalent in their study.

So, how do we avoid consuming all of these engineered foods? Aside from the obvious of never eating anything processed, packaging could be labeled. Currently, California is leading the way to enact laws which require manufacturers to label foods containing genetically engineered products (would you expect any other state to lead this cause?). The ultimate goal, according to Hirshberg and Schlosser, should be to get the FDA to require this labeling nation-wide.  ”If genetically engineered foods are so great, companies that sell them should be proud to label them.”

What are your thoughts? Do you ever consider if food is genetically engineered? Would your purchasing habits change if foods you love came out with “genetically engineered” labels on them? Let us know in the comments below!

ab

1 Comment Posted in: Announcements, healthTagged: , ,

A Turkey Day Giveaway

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November 22nd, 2011

As the holiday season looms just 2 days away, we all start to turn our attention to things that are truly important to us. At HoneyMilk, we tend to think about things like the health we’ve been given and how grateful we are for it. But we’re also grateful to have loyal supporters and brand advocates like you who so often tell friends and strangers what you think of us.

So we want to know what YOU’RE thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday. Share your thoughts in our comments below and we’ll pick 3 posts to send 3 free cases to. We’ll wait for the holiday weekend to end and notify you on Monday if you’ve been selected.

Travel safe. Enjoy your home-cooked meals. And Happy Thanksgiving!

ab

6 Comments Posted in: Announcements, ContestsTagged: , ,

Find HoneyMilk on Amazon.com

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November 18th, 2011

Did you know that you can buy Athletes HoneyMilk on Amazon.com?! That’s right, when Amazon decided to step out of the realm of books they looked around and said, “Hmmm, a tasty recovery drink would probably sell well, let’s get a hold of those guys…”

Okay, maybe it didn’t quite happen that way, but regardless, we want you to know that you can buy HoneyMilk at Amazon, and with their subscribe and save plan you get an extra 15% off! (and as of 2:52pm EST on 11/18/11 they had 7 cases of Strawberry Banana left…I’m just sayin…)

ALSO – Whether or not you decide to order from Amazon itself, if you could do us a HUGE favor and leave a review of your favorite flavor(s) it would be much appreciated.

Thank you all so much, and have a great day.

ab

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Let Them Have Their (Chocolate) Milk and Drink It, Too

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November 17th, 2011

In the last year, an all-out debate has been going back and forth about whether or not to allow children to drink flavored milk in their school cafeterias. With large school districts such as Los Angeles USD leading the way, and celebrity chefs such as Jamie Oliver toting the negative amounts of sugar in chocolate and strawberry flavored milks, many headlines have been made about whether or not to get rid of the tasty beverage all together; the primary fear being that flavored milks are aiding in childhood obesity.

Today, however, the American Dairy Association Mideast announced a campaign to correct the misconceptions of flavored milk. They intend to use TV and print ads in Ohio and West Virginia as well as an informational website to let people know that chocolate milk is actually not the enemy.

The crux of their campaign rests on the important fact that chocolate milk provides the same 9 essential ingredients as white milk, and kids are more likely to drink it. Studies have also shown a 35% decrease in milk consumption when flavored milks where pulled from the lunch line. That decrease can lead to a serious nutrient deficit for an age group that arguably needs nutrients the most.

According to Scott Higgins, ADA Mideast CEO, “Research has shown that children who drink flavored milk meet more of their nutrient needs, do not consume more added sugar, fat or calories and are not heavier than non-milk drinkers.”

In another 24-week study, James Rippe, founder and director of the Rippe Lifestyle Institute, observed the impact of added sugar in milk on weight loss. His results indicate that it is possible to actually lose weight when consuming added sugars found in flavored milk as part of a healthy diet and when consumed in moderation.

So should we really be banning flavored milk? Or if kids like flavor so much should we be more focused on making a tasty milk with less sugar? Maybe Marry Poppins right when she said, “A spoon full of sugar helps the [9 essential nutrients] go down”, or something like that…

Let us know what you think in the comment box below.

ab

4 Comments Posted in: Discussion, health, NutritionTagged: , , ,

The HITS Triathlon Series

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November 15th, 2011

There’s a new kid in town when it comes to triathlon production, and it’s name is the HITS Triathlon Series. While brands such as Ironman and REV3 have done a great job producing world-class races, HITS Triathlon Series felt as though there was something missing: the chance for everyone to get involved.

To solve this problem, they turned a couple of conventional practices on their head:

First, they implemented the shorter “Open” distance
- 100m swim, 3 mile bike, 1 mile run
- It’s 100% free of charge!

Second, they run 5 different race distances in one weekend
- Sprint & Olympic at 7am Saturday
- Open at 12noon Saturday
- Half and Full at 7am on Sunday

How is this creating a greater feeling of inclusion?

For one, almost everyone would look at an Open distance and say, “Heck, I could do that”. Which opens the door to their triathlete family members saying, “Okay! Do it! And it won’t cost you a dime, not even the USAT 1-day license.”

Second, it allows the experienced triathlete to cheer on his family/friend/neighbor on Saturday and for them to turn around and do the same on Sunday. No longer do the kids and one spouse have to follow a single family member for the entire weekend – everyone gets to be an athlete and participate in the challenge!

In my opinion, this makes a ton of sense and seems as though it will only help the sport of triathlon continue its explosive growth. HITS is dedicated to showing everyone that they can in fact become a triathlete – and who wouldn’t be willing to try it if it’s free? Check out the full interview between Greg Moriates and Mark Wilson and their thoughts on how triathlon is also becoming a tool to improve people’s health.

Let us know below if you think this is a good idea or not. Would you be more inclined to sign up for a race knowing that your friends or family could compete in the same weekend?

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