Tag Archives: Health

Where does fat go?

www.pilatesevo.com

My question for you today is simply; when we lose fat, where does fat go? Please write down your answer now, and no peaking at your colleagues answer.

The fact is that most people have no idea. Even the 150 doctors, dieticians and personal trainers in a recent survey shared this surprising gap in their health literacy.

The most common misconception by far is that fat is converted to energy. The problem with this theory is that it violates the law of conservation of matter, which all chemical reactions obey.

Some people thought fat turns into muscle, which is of course impossible, and others assumed it escapes via the colon. Only three of the 150 health professional gave the right answer, which means 98% of them could not explain how weight loss works.

So if not energy, muscles or the loo, where does fat go?

The correct answer is that fat is converted to carbon dioxide and water. You exhale the carbon dioxide and the water mixes into your circulation until it’s lost as urine or sweat. If you lose 10 pounds of fat, precisely 8.4 pounds comes out through your lungs and the remaining 1.6 pounds turns into water. In other words, nearly all the weight we lose is exhaled.

Does this surprise you? It surprises just about everyone, but actually, almost everything we eat comes back out via the lungs. Every carbohydrate you digest and nearly all the fats are converted to carbon dioxide and water. The same goes for alcohol. Protein shares the same fate, except for the small part that turns into urea and other solids, which you excrete as urine.

The only thing in food that makes it to your colon undigested and intact is dietary fibre (think corn). Everything else you swallow is absorbed into your bloodstream and organs and, after that, it’s not going anywhere until you’ve vaporised it.

So if fat turns into carbon dioxide, could simply breathing more make you lose weight? Unfortunately not. Huffing and puffing more than you need to is called hyperventilation and will only make you dizzy, or possibly faint. The only way you can consciously increase the amount of carbon dioxide your body is producing is by moving your muscles.

But here’s some more good news. Simply standing up and getting dressed more than doubles your metabolic rate. More realistically, going for a walk triples your metabolic rate, and so will cooking, vacuuming and sweeping.

Knowing where fat goes might not be the most important thing you learn today. But it might just help you and your clients understand the process of weight loss.

Naked cycling kit

Naked cycling kit Chris Hunt Wellness www.chrishuntwellness.com

As someone who trains all types of sportsmen and women including cyclists (see www.sportcorestrength.com for more) in Barcelona, I love a good sports story on a Monday, and this one is breaking today.

So here it is! The “naked” Bogota Humana cycling kit that a Columbian team wore for the Tour of Tuscany race in Italy. It has been branded “unacceptable” by the International Cycling Union.

What do you think? I think i know your answer…

Chris is an international Pilates presenter and educator based in Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also organises Pilates Carnival and Fitness Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. For more information about Pilates with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway? You can also subscribe by completing the form on the this BLOG to receive articles and special offers straight to your inbox.

Chris pays all profits made from this BLOG to his charity partners. More details can be found by clicking on www.chrishuntwellness.com and selecting the “charity partners” tab.

How to make your Barcelona holiday a health and fitness retreat

Personal training in Barcelona How to make your Barcelona holiday a health and fitness retreat

A holiday means many different things to different people.

Some people go to a beach resort to relax in the sun. Some people choose adventure holidays to explore. Some people like sightseeing breaks or a more gastronomic emphasis to immerse themselves in a different culture. Some people choose sport-based holidays to practise their favourite hobby or try something new like golf, horse-riding, skiing or snowboarding, mountain biking, surfing/SUP or hiking. Others might want music and the arts to form the basis of their vacation.

So why is a holiday to Barcelona such a great choice? It is because in Barcelona you can have every one of the holidays I mention above.

More people are choosing to have some organisation to their holiday. The days of the traditional package holiday may be long gone as people use the internet to create their own designer holidays, but more people want something constructive to do on their holiday. But they do not want a hotel-organised series of events or classes that the hotel manager thinks you will like at a time specified by the hotel. They want a tailor-made, personal itinerary that fits in with individual particular requirements and timescales.

This is where Barcelona Bienestar answers the needs of our clients. There is nothing we cannot arrange and organise for our clients who come to us from all over the world. Barcelona is such a diverse and interesting city and we complement this by giving our clients a personal itinerary so they can maximise their enjoyment of their holiday.

We offer a health and wellness package based around whatever interests our clients. Fitness activities include personal training, Pilates, TRX, boxing, weighted vest training, functional training, HIIT, and programs based around specific sports such as Stand up Paddle (SUP) fitness, skiing/snowboarding, surfing, walking, mountain biking, rock climbing and many more. For all these activities, we arrange time not only training, but also practising. So you will get time on a surf board, on the slopes or on a mountain.

But it’s not just physical activities we offer. We also offer a range of wellness and beauty services including massage, diet, weight loss, eye lash curling and extensions, gel nails and meditation.

We also organise cultural holidays including the arts and gastronomy, and we give advice on all aspects of Barcelona from the best restaurants to the best sights to see.

We take the stress out of organising your holiday, but you are always in control so you have exactly the holiday you want and need. We can simply arrange your activities, or on a full package we can organise your hotel, meals and transfers as well. What ever you want and need.

For more information, click on www.barcelonabienestar.com or contact us and let us organise your dream holiday for you. Barcelona is waiting for you, and so are we.

 

Pilates classes in the centre of Barcelona

Pilates in Barcelona Grasso New Pilates classes in the centre of Barcelona

Join us every Monday evening at 7.30 pm for an exclusive Pilates session in Grasso, a beautiful space in El Born.

Pilates is the world-famous exercise system that can rehabilitate you from injury and make you fitter, stronger, change your body shape and improve your life and your ability to do sports. Our classes are in English so you can practise your language skills as well.

We provide the mats and other equipment. All levels are welcome from beginners to advanced.

These sesssions are for only a maximum of 6 people, so they are exclusive, small and intimate to make sure you get the best possible attention and experience.

We encourage regular clients, or if you are on holiday then you are vwey welcome to join us as well.

The address for Grasso Barcelona is:

Carrer de Verdaguer i Callís, 6
08003 Barcelona

Chris is an international presenter of Pilates and a teacher-trainer. He travels the world teaching Pilates teachers and he is the creator of Pilates EVO, a system which is used all over the world from the US to Russia.

Julia is the current Miss Ireland Bikini Sports Model and she is fully qualified in Pilates, personal training and Sport Management.

So you can be sure of a professional and expert session. Please also ask us about nutrition and tell us your goals. We are here to help.

We also offer personal training (Pilates and fitness) at Grasso, on the beach or at your home, and you can also join other fitness classes and the many social events we run in and around Barcelona. We also offer massage (sports and Thai) and beauty treatments such as eye lash extensions and gel nails. Everything you need to look and feel healthy!

Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/healthybeachbarcelona or click on our website www.healthybeachbarcelona.com

We are a community, a family. So come join, you are very welcome.

Denise Richards: Celebrity Pilates for the over 40’s

Denise Richards Chris Hunt Pilates

www.chrishuntwellness.com

Celebrity posts always get a huge reaction in my blogs. Clearly some people feel strongly that celebrities do not warrant any web-space, so this is my compromise. Friday is now my day for celebrity Pilates posts. #pilatescelebfriday.

I have explained before, I am not obsessed with celebrity. I have never bought Hello Magazine. What I am obsessed with is Pilates. And whilst not every one agrees with me, it’s my opinion that if someone starts Pilates because their friend, neighbour, sporting hero or favourite celebrity does Pilates, then why not? It’s our job as teachers to use that enthusiasm people have and turn it into reality.

I’ve had all the comments about glamorising Pilates, about how privileged celebrities are, about creating false hope, about living on a different planet from “real life”. Whilst I respect the opinion of everyone, it is my humble opinion that these people are missing the point of my posts and they are taking everything way to seriously in an insular way. All I am doing is raising the awareness of Pilates. Plain and simple. And if you do not or can not understand that, then I am sorry for wasting your time and please do not read my blog on a Friday! 🙂

This week, Denise Richards, the 43-year-old actress, showed off her figure whilst shopping in Beverly Hills. The mother-of-three looked busy as she padded down the street with her hands full with shopping bags on Monday.

Denise is a devout Pilates practitioner, and the reports of her clearly felt that her “fitness regimen had been paying off, as her toned arms and pins were put on full display”.

She was with her daughters, who were fathered by ex-husband Charlie Sheen.

I think it is useful that people realise Pilates brings benefits to people of all ages. Whilst Denise probably falls into the demographic that a lot of people associate with Pilates, as teachers we have seen the benefits that Pilates can bring to all ages from children to pensioners.

So that was celebrity Friday. Thank you Denise for your dedication to Pilates.

Chris is an international Pilates presenter and educator based in Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also organises Pilates Carnival and Fitness Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. For more information about Pilates with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway?

Chris pays 50% of any money made from this BLOG to his charity partners. More details can be found by clicking on www.chrishuntwellness and selecting the “charity partners” tab.

 

Sex and Pilates. But mostly Sex.

Kelly Brook Chris Hunt Pilates

www.chrishuntwellness.com

Sex sells. It’s reputably the oldest form of employment and it sells big time.

So when model Kelly Brook, a long-time proponent of Pilates, yoga and dance, gives an interview and says that her sex life have been improved by exercises including Pilates, it get attention and sells magazines.

A simple Google search on “Pilates and sex” pulls up over 2,720,000 results with blogs, forums and tutorials touting how Pilates leads to better sex ranging from “Relight the fire in your relationship by doing Pilates with your Partner” to “The Secret Ingredients Of How to Have Better Sex Doesn’t Come From A Cake Recipe,” “10 Reasons Men Should Try Pilates”, and even eHow offering five-part instructions on “How to Have Better Sex Using Pilates”

Hhhhmmmm. If you know me, then you will know that I am very sceptical about headlines that promise “flat abs using 5 Pilates exercises” or “beach body using Pilates for 10 minutes a day”. So when it comes to “how to have better sex using Pilates” I feel the need for a Pilates community discussion.

There are two sides to every story, and this story also has two sides, men and women. So before I deal with what could be reasons why Pilates is a benefit for sexual performance, I want to consider a more light-hearted look at the differences between Venus and Mars.

Men
As my previous blogs “You do Pilates? Are you gay?” and “Men do Pilates! Ask Dwayne Allen” have tried to highlight, there are in my opinion not enough men doing Pilates. So if the promise of greater prowess in bed does tempt a few more men to try our beloved system, then I’m all for that.

I want to use the example of, err, a friend of mine, Not me you understand, no, definitely not me. A friend. Let’s call this friend, err, Christian. Not Chris, and not his real name you understand. And definitely not me…. So I was talking to Christian about the effect of Pilates on his sex life as he is a Pilates trainer /educator and has been doing Pilates for over 20 years. In his opinion, there does come a sense of greater control but it is not clear exactly what the balance is between the physical and the psychosomatic effects. I should point out that I have not spoken to any of Christian’s former girlfriends, so I have no evidence to prove or disprove this, and if any of them are reading this blog, before posting any derogatory comments Christian has asked me to point out that the night you are talking about he had drunk too much, ok?!

As Rachel in Episode 4.01 of Friends tells Ross in no uncertain terms,Just so you know, it’s not that common, it doesn’t happen to every guy, and it is a big deal!” (Yes I know, they were on a break. Or were they?) Society puts great pressure on male sexual performance as shown by Rachel and the sales of associated drugs, yet very few men connect their sexual function with the health, strength, and general well-being of the rest of their body. In keeping with the general attitude of society nowadays, many people prefer to rush to the chemist for a quick medical solution to any issue they have, and impotence and poor sexual control is no different. I have read the slogan “work hard, train hard, be hard!” Really? It sounds a little like one of those Les Mills’ call to arms, but in my opinion it gives the wrong message. I have head men talk about how their fitness has made them god-like in bed, but I suspect that it’s only their ego’s that have taken on biblical proportions rather than their sexual performance.

Most experts will tell you that probably stress is the number one dysfunction cause, and any benefits men get in bed from training hard is more likely to be in reduced levels of stress and increased self-esteem.

Women

Researching this topic has taken me to places that I never thought I would go on the internet, dark places that I never knew even existed. But in summary, there are very conflicting opinions about the effects of Pilates. One enthusiastic blogger wrote that  “I think the difference needs to be noted between being a better lover & having better orgasms. Not the same thing at all…You can tone your pelvic floor & have better orgasms through either yoga  or through Pilates, but you can still be lousy in bed.” That’s difficult to argue with. Another wrote “My friends who have borne children swear by Pilates for restoration.  And I’ve known more than one over-50 woman who found it very helpful for bladder difficulties. So yeah, I think there’s something to this,”

But my favourite has to be “Pilates teaches women how to fine-tune pressure of the vagina, including the g-spot, against a penis by articulating the pelvis forward and back. This allows a woman to control pressure against her clitoris. A woman with these two skills can give herself and her partner mind-blowing powerful orgasms”. And a hush falls over the room….

I would welcome the opinions of some of my female Pilates colleagues as to the veracity of such statements, but it seems to be a rather bold if not vivid claim to me.

So, getting back to the real world, what could possibly be the factors that might help influence sexual performance? Here is a list I have compiled from my research, but I want you all to add you points, opinions and comments. Remember, this is a “big” debate (if anyone gets that smutty school-yard joke, then please explain it to anyone near you who does not).

1. Pilates increases physical stamina
A key element to Pilates is muscle control. The slow performance of a Pilates movement (I don’t have the time or energy right now to talk about the Pilates systems out there that involve quick movements. I am writing a blog about that, but for now suffice it to say that in my opinion they are simply not Pilates) means that the emphasis should be on the technique.

So, number 1, it could be argued that Pilates gives strength and stamina during sexual activity allowing for a longer, more intimate experience?

2. Your body is your exercise equipment.
Unlike working out with machines at the gym, in Pilates you are using your own body weight to perform the exercises. Because sexual activity often requires the use and sometimes support of own body weight, you will be able to enjoy yourself without any physical discomfort and will not become easily fatigued.

Pilates is certainly functional training, but I had never thought about it being functional training for sex before. Thoughts?

3. Pilates teaches you to be fully present.
Now I am liking this one more. I am always stressing this element of Pilates in the teaching of my system Pilates EVO. There is no doubt that being fully present or “in the moment” enhances our life experiences. By doing regular Pilates, we can learn focus and concentration.

So claim number 3 is that Pilates trains your body and mind to be totally present. This will carry into the bedroom, enabling you to be totally present with your partner for a more intimate and enjoyable experience. As Paolo Coelho says in his book Brida, sex should involve all the senses at the same time.

4. Greater flexibility means more creativity.
Whilst trying to get out of my head images of the Karma Sutra, it is of course true that Pilates gives more muscle flexibility and improves the health of joints.

So number 4 is that Pilates allows you to get into positions you previously thought to be impossible. It also increases back and hip flexibility, eliminating the back pain some people suffer from during sex.

5. Increase blood flow equals more intense orgasms.
Moving onto a slightly more contentious topic, it is said that Pilates brings increased blood flow to the pelvic area.

So claim number 5 is that this continuous rush of fresh blood and oxygen to the sexual organs results in an increase in libido and more intense orgasms.

6. Pilates reduces your stress level
Safe ground at last, and one that I suspect very few will dispute. As I have already mentioned, the most common cause of sexual dysfunction is stress. Pilates breathing teaches breath control, and this method of breathing not only increases physical health, but it also reduces blood pressure and triggers a relaxation response in the brain.

Claim number 6 is that Pilates = less stress which = more sex.

7. Pilates gives increased self-confidence
The vast majority of my clients have told me that they experience increased self-esteem from their Pilates practise. It’s a logical leap that greater physical confidence carries over into the bedroom, and that the removal of negative self-conscious thoughts about your body might improve your performance.

So claim number 7 is that Pilates teaches you to love your body and this allows you to be less worried about body image and have more fun.

8. Pilates enables you to have great sex into later life
Last one (phew), and it can be argued a bit of a mixture of the ones above. It is said that sexual dysfunction can increase with age in both men and women.  Pilates focuses on the deep muscles of the abdomen and the pelvic floor, strengthening the muscles that support your internal organs.

So our last claim, numero 8, is that increased overall muscle strength, greater flexibility, healthy joints and greater self-confidence means that Pilates contributes to a great sex life well into your golden years.

If you are still reading, and haven’t rushed screaming from the room looking for your little Black Book (sorry, showing my age there, I mean scrolling though your SnapChat contacts) so you can call your previous sexual partners to check on your performance, then I really want your opinions.

Some of the benefits of Pilates (and physical exercise in general) will have fairly obvious benefits for life in general and sexual performance, but as an exercise system, can we really claim that Pilates has greater benefits than most other systems?

I am very interested to hear your thoughts so please share this article with as many Pilates people as you can. But maybe not your ex because their opinion may be a little biased.

Chris is an international Pilates presenter and educator based in Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also organises Pilates Carnival and Fitness Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. For more information about Pilates with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway?

Chris pays 50% of any money made from this BLOG to his charity partners. More details can be found by clicking on www.chrishuntwellness and selecting the “charity partners” tab.

 

Stormy Barcelona Cathederal

 

Cathederal in the rain

www.chrishuntwellness.com

It’s a stormy morning in Barcelona today, but I like to walk and run in the cool summer rain. We have to accept and see the beauty in rain and storms, and the sun is never far behind.

Chris is an international Pilates presenter and educator based in Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also organises Pilates Carnival and Fitness Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. For more information about Pilates with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway?

I’m a 20k blogger and I’m a little proud!

Blog June 2014

www.chrishuntwellness.com

So I am blogging about my blog. That must be kind of ironic or maybe just a little sad?!?! But I am proud to be a 20,000 blogger in only 7 months, and saying that on my blog has some poetic justice about it.

So thank you to everyone for spending your precious time and reading my ramblings, some of which I hope you liked. And here is to the next 20,000 hits. I won’t let it go to my head…. 🙂

Chris is an international Pilates presenter and educator based in Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also organises Pilates Carnival and Fitness Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. For more information about Pilates with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway?

 

 

 

Barcelona Pilates Classes: Under the sun with sand in between your toes

Healthy Beach Barcelona 1

www.chrishuntwellness.com

Barcelona has everything. Sun, sea, beaches, restaurants, shopping, mountains, culture, architecture to name just few. And now it has professional fitness classes as well.

I have created in Barcelona, as a subsidiary of my business Barcelona Bienestar, a new venture called Healthy Beach Barcelona. People say that life is a beach, so why not make it a healthy beach?!?!

Healthy Beach Barcelona offers Pilates but much more. To maximise health and wellness, our bodies need much more than Pilates. So with Healthy Beach Barcelona you can get everything you need to be a God or Goddess. We offer functional and cardio training sessions on the beach and on the terrace in small groups or on a one-to-one basis. We also many other services including massage, meditation, NLP, life coaching, nutrition advice and beauty treatments including gel nails and eye-lash extensions. We offer everything you need to help you become the best you can be.

If you live in Barcelona then you can join us every day. If you coming on vacation then join us during your stay. Or even better, come to Barcelona on a Barcelona Bienestar Retreat and let us organise everything for you.

Life is a beach. Come to Barcelona and let us help you to be a healthy beach.

Find out more by clicking on Barcelona Bienestar or click on Healthy Beach Barcelona.

Chris is an international Pilates presenter and educator based in Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also organises Pilates Carnival and Fitness Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. For more information about Pilates with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway?

 

The World Cup: Coleen Rooney, WAGS, and Pilates

Sport Core Strength Chris Hunt Pilates

www.chrishuntwellness.com

Any excuse to talk about football and I am there. I am a lifelong passionate fan of Arsenal and Barcelona. When I lived in London I was a regular at Highbury and then the Emirates, and now I am blessed to be in Barcelona watching one of the most beautiful football teams in the world. I played football for many years as a boy and young man, so applying my knowledge of Pilates to footballers is something I naturally enjoy.

Before the serious stuff, you might have noticed that the World Cup is almost upon us, and whilst the players are going through their final preparations, so too are the wives and girlfriends (WAGS). In the UK there is always s big fuss about the WAGS and their impact on the players.

Queen of the WAGS. mother of two and wife of England striker Wayne Rooney is Coleen Rooney. She took to twitter this week to tell us all about her fitness regime, which includes gym sessions, interval training and of course Pilates. She said “I always wear a bikini on holiday, they’re the first thing I think about packing. I have drawers full and I always take far too many away. But like anyone else I have to be careful about what I choose. There are certain shapes I’ve found that make me feel confident, so I stick to those. I tend to avoid anything too skimpy on the bottom half and I look for halter neck styles on top. My main problem area is my love handles so I don’t want to wear anything tight around my hips. Thin, stringy, tie-side briefs aren’t flattering so I always go for big bikini bottoms.”

With these inspiring words in mind, let me turn to the serious point of my blog today. I love to work with sportsmen and women. Whilst I get a massive sense of satisfaction when I see someone rehabilitate from injury or improve their posture, I also love to work with athletes to help them to improve even further their game. In Barcelona I am working with people involved in sports such as golf, surfing and rock climbing.

We are all very familiar with the benefits that Pilates brings, and specifically for football Pilates is relevant because it can help to: improve  flexibility, improve mobility, improve co-ordination, build overall fitness, improve endurance, build body awareness and focus, reduce the risk of injury, and help to rehabilitate after injury

Football demands rapid directional changes, often at near maximum pace, and the delivery of controlled power from unbalanced body positions. As our understanding of the demands placed upon footballers develops, so has the approach to training and injury prevention. The quiet revolution in training techniques is now not so quiet, with modern-day managers acknowledging the crucial importance that stretching, suppleness and flexibility gives their players. Pilates meets these demands perfectly, so an ever growing number of footballers use Pilates to improve their core strength, their co-ordination, mobility, flexibility and technique, as well as for prevention and rehabilitation from injuries.

Pilates is also a perfect form of warm-up prior to playing, and cooling down post-match. Any out-dated opinions of Pilates being a sedate pursuit for ladies only have long been extinguished, with many Premiership Football Teams including Pilates in their training schedule. The benefits are also used by other top sportsmen and women, such as the All Blacks Rugby Team, and individuals such as Tiger Woods.

Pilates is not only appropriate for the professional player. Youth players, semi professionals, and weekend players, whatever their age, sex and ability, would all gain enormous benefit from a regular Pilates’ routine.

I developed Sport Core Strength (http://www.sportcorestrength.com) in London and now in Barcelona to encourage more sportsmen and women to include Pilates in their regimes. Whilst working one-on-one is always a very effective way to teach (especially when most players will have their own specific issues), it is a lot of fun to work with whole teams as well, creating exercises in pairs and groups.

If you want to chat about Pilates for sports (including golf, football, cycling, surfing, tennis, skiing/snowboarding, running rock climbing etc), about Sport Core Strength, or about Pilates in Barcelona then please contact me.

Chris is an international Pilates presenter and educator based in Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also organises Pilates Carnival and Fitness Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. For more information about Pilates with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway?