Keep it tight and AWAY FROM THE EARS!!

Now that you have a basic idea of how nutrition works, it is important to spend some time focusing on issues that could potentially hinder your ongoing healthy lifestyle. One issue that is extremely important to be aware of is back pain.

Back pain is suffered by at least 80% of the adult population. It is the most prominent ongoing physical impairment for individuals over the age of 30, and it is one obstacle that (with careful attention) can absolutely be avoided. Unless you have a degenerative disorder or disease of the spine, there are a few basic life-long tips that can help you steer clear of a long term back condition.

First, make sure to exercise regularly and maintain good posture while doing so. Often times, good posture is seldom thought of among inexperienced people who want to work out. Some simple and effective tips are to keep the back straight, shoulders down and back (AWAY FROM THE EARS), and your abdominal (stomach) muscles contracted constantly.

Second, keep up with regular abdominal (core) exercises. The core muscles act as almost 95% of the supportive muscles of your spine. They work to keep the back straight and in proper alignment. The core muscles also protect the spine by keeping the muscles lining your spinal column strong and supple when they are worked regularly.

Next, try to avoid heavy lifting. If it is absolutely necessary to lift heavy objects, make sure you are not using your back to do all of the work. Remember to keep the back straight at all times, with the shoulders down and away from the ears. When lifting a heavy object, make your legs do some of the work as well. Bend your knees, keep your weight through your heels and squeeze your glutes (butt muscles) as you rise to a standing position. By following the basic lifting instructions I have given, it will be much easier to avoid a serious back injury in the future.

Lastly, avoid putting on too much weight. Maintaining a healthy body weight can be a tremendous in avoiding back problems. Unnecessary body weight puts a tremendous strain on the spine, and can cause serious pain and misalignment of the muscles and bones of the spine. Besides, staying at a healthy weight keeps you more energetic and helps to keep those core muscles supple and strong.

As always, keep up the good work!!

Drinking is WORSE than you think!

Drinking alcohol can be extremely unhealthy! Alcoholic beverages are loaded with calories, carbohydrates (including tons of sugar), sodium and toxins! Consuming alcoholic beverages kills brain cells, causes the gain of adipose tissue (this is the bad fat that is collected in the body around the abdominal area...IT CAUSES HEART DISEASE!), impairs judgment and has high levels of toxicity that can kill the body if over-consumed.
If you are honestly looking to lead a healthier lifestyle, put the drinks down and pick up the dumb bells! Go to the gym and use the EFX or the treadmill instead of heading to the bar on a Friday night.
If you feel it is absolutely necessary to go out for a couple of drinks...

1. HAVE A DESIGNATED DRIVER (Not having a designated driver can cause legal problems that will certainly stress anyone out. In return, stress is one of the worst things you can do to the body)

2. Limit your total amount of alcohol consumption! (The amount of calories consumed in one heavy night of drinking can total to more than an entire day's recommended calories in a matter of an hour or two.)

3. DO NOT DRINK IF YOU ARE UNDERAGE!!

The point in all of this...It is best not to drink at all! If you do, drink responsibly. Keep yourself healthy and respect your body!

Eat Lean MEATS, FISH......and......BEANS!!

This week I am going to teach you the importance of eating LEAN fish, chicken, turkey and beans. All of these foods provide essential nutritional elements, and without them the body will not have the ability to maintain a healthy way of functioning.

Throughout this blog, I have attached links to sites that will make it much easier for you to understand why some of contents I am mentioning are so VERY IMPORTANT to the body. I always thought it would be excellent to have an easy way to access all of this information from one place!

Let's start with FISH...

Fish is by far one of the healthiest foods in the WORLD!! As long as it is prepared correctly, fish provides at least 6 positive health benefits in one small piece. Fish is...

1. LOW fat

2. LOW cholesterol

3. Loaded with PROTEIN (the body does not have the ability to store protein...it needs to be eaten regularly)

4. Good source of vitamin B

5. HIGH IN OMEGA-3'S

6. Good source of calcium.

Although fish is one of the best ways to maintain a healthful diet, many people can't stand to eat it. If you are one of those people....DO NOT WORRY...I have some good news for you as well...


Another excellent nutritional source is CHICKEN. One boneless skinless chicken breast has 9 or more attributes to help keep yourself on the fast track to good health. Chicken...

1. Good source of PROTEIN

2. contains Niacin

3. Contains Vitamin B-6

4. Contains Vitamin B-12

5. Loaded with Vitamin D

6. Low in FAT

7. Contains NO CARBOHYDRATES

8. Large portions of the fat (if any) found in Chicken is Unsaturated Fat (healthy fat)

9. Contains Iron

(IF YOU ARE NOT A CHICKEN OR FISH EATER, YOU CAN ALSO GO FOR TURKEY. IT HAS MOST OF THE SAME NUTRITIONAL ATTRIBUTES AVAILABLE IN CHICKEN.)

LASTLY...

For those of you who are vegan or vegetarian, things can be a little more complicated when it comes to consuming the appropriate amount of nutrition in one simple food group. An excellent source of PROTEIN and FIBER is BEANS. Go to the link for beans where you will be able to gather loads of information on the nutritional value of beans along with other foods you should be eating to gather the appropriate vitamins for proper nutrition.

Once again...keep up the good work!!

DO NOT FORGET TO KEEP UP WITH REGULAR EXERCISE!!!

Get your FRUITS and VEGETABLES

Fruits and vegetables are extremely beneficial and crucial for a healthy diet. They are loaded with essential vitamins and minerals that will enhance the body's well-being. No matter who you are, a good rule of thumb to follow is consuming 3-4 servings of vegetables and 2-3 of fruits every single day.

Along with keeping up with the appropriate amount of servings, you want to make sure you are eating fruits and vegetables with lots of rich color. The color in the vegetable is where all of the beneficial vitamins are held. The CDC has a great website that is jam-packed with all sorts of information about the benefits of fruits and vegetables. I highly encourage everyone to check it out.

Until the next post remember, exercise, drink lots of water and keep on eating those fruits and vegetables.

...as always...KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

Eating for life!

Nutrition is a subject that I have found is better to be received in steps. Remember my first post? I said little adjustments!! In other words, make sure you are changing things one step at a time.

For starters, I will give you a quick rundown on the basics...

The number one thing anyone and everyone should be doing to maintain a nutritious lifestyle is DRINKING WATER!!!! Water is the body's natural cleanser. Think about it, the body is mostly made up of water itself. How could it not be beneficial to drink more of it.

The good thing about water, is the fact that it does not contain all of those sugary or fattening fillers that most other drinks do. Most people probably don't even think about what is in the things they are drinking. Soda is loaded with sugar. Coffee drinks are jammed with sugar and SATURATED fat! Even many flavored waters are not healthful. They too contain sugars and other artificial flavoring.

WATER! WATER! WATER! WATER! Trust me, it is most definitely your best bet.

I said I was going to take this nutrition thing in small steps. For now, I would like to start with the water. It seems basic; however, it is my experience to witness many people having serious issues with such a small little element.

To prepare you for the next couple of nutrition tips, I have attached a quick and informative video, based on the mere basics you should be beginning to think about for nutrition. Watch the video and try to keep it in mind throughout the next week. Use your reminders of this video to help you notice places where you may or may not be making the more healthful choices.

Enjoy, and remember, KEEP UP THE HARD WORK!!

What is happening....and....Why stretch?!?!?!?

In order to understand stretching, you first need to understand a little more about how the body works on the inside.


After your first couple of productive (and incredibly healthy) workouts, you have most likely experienced a mild to moderate amount of muscle soreness. The aches and pains acquired from working out are referred to as DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). DOMS is actually your muscle fibers repairing themselves after vigorous exercise.


Think of a scar. When a scar heals, it is about ten times stronger than the area before the scar existed. From the point of healing on, the area has re-enforced itself with a sort of protective shield.


The protective shield of a scarred area of skin is very similar to the repair you body undergoes for torn muscle fibers. In-fact, tearing muscle fibers by lifting weights is the number one way to re-enforce (strengthen) your muscles.


It is important to include a good stretch after each and every workout! When muscles in the body begin to get stronger from constant rebuild and repair, they start to tighten and constrict areas around the bone as well as around the joints. By stretching, you are loosening the tightened muscles, allowing joints to maintain a Full Range of Motion (Full-ROM).


The importance of maintaining an ideal ROM stems from the importance of adequate mobility and longevity of the entire body! It is recommended to stretch for at least 5 minutes after each workout for ideally healthy maintenance.

This workout-planet stretching routine is a great habit for you to get into. It will stretch the entire body and will take up the entire 5 minutes. Simply print it out and take it to the gym with until you have it memorized. It will also be good practice to do this routine on your days off from exercise. (It will keep you limber, and keep you in the habit!!)

Staying Motivated

After some time of working out, you may find yourself getting a little bored. This is because you are stuck in a repetitive rut. HAVE NO FEAR!! I have the answer that I believe will most definitely help you!!!

SET GOALS!!!

Now that you have conditioned your mind to the appropriate tools needed for a physically healthy lifestyle, you need to focus on motivation! When I say Goals, I mean fun goals! Things you can EXCITE yourself to work for!!

Let me give you an example...

If you are becoming excessively bored with cardio, try to give yourself something specific to train for. Check out events like The Harvest Moon Run on Survivor Sudan's blog site. The Harvest Moon Run is a perfect example of something that can motivate you to work for something you really believe in.

Once you have picked an event, start doing research on the specific training regimen you will need to follow. You can then plan your workouts accordingly. If there comes a time during your training where you start to lose sight of what you are training for, simply re-visit the site for the event you have chosen. Periodic reminders of what you are fighting for will definitely spark your flame!

If you find you need a constant reminder of your worthy cause, you can print a picture of the event or its purpose. After printing your inspirational picture, carry it with you to the gym, or tape it to your treadmill! This will surely seal the deal!

Have fun with your workouts!! AND REMEMBER...

Give yourself plenty of time to properly train for each event!!!

Weight Training...GET EDUCATED

At this point, if you have been following my blog regularly, you should be fairly educated on stress, shoes, cardio and proper form. Now, I would like to introduce you to the importance of "weight training." Lifting weights is an extremely important factor in leading a healthy lifestyle. You are on your way to good health by regularly lifting weights, because you are working on improving balance, posture and endurance.


There is a fantastic website which gives thorough explanation to the importance of weight training. It also gives examples of some excellent types of exercises. The website is run by Hers Muscle and Fitness, which is a fitness magazine for female weight trainers. You can click on the link to take a tour of their excellent information.

Just remember what I said before, Always be sure you are aware of proper form before following through with an exercise!

Be Aware Of What You Are Doing!!!

When heading toward a healthier lifestyle, you may have some questions about what is the correct and incorrect way of going about regular exercise routines. There are thousands of magazines and videos you can use to keep yourself interested in varied workouts. The You Tube video Fitness - New Rock Your Body Workout Routine 1, is a workout routine that does not instruct the audience how to perform the dead lift properly. The video does not give the appropriate instruction, because it lacks a warm up session, does not mention how to maintain proper form, and neglects following through with each set in it's entirety.

The New Rock video does not include or explain a warm up session. If someone is watching the video who does not already understand the importance of a warm up, they could seriously hurt themselves by jumping directly into exercise. It is imperative to perform a warm up exercise before any workout routine. The body needs to reach a steady state (homeostasis) before it is ready to carry out any type of strenuous activity. New Rock immediately starts with the dead lift exercise which is bad advice in the world of fitness.

Along with the absence of a warm up, the New Rock video neglects to explain how to maintain proper form through each exercise. It is important to refrain from assuming everyone understands how to keep the body in alignment. Performing a dead lift without keeping a straight back, tight abs and the knees behind the toes can result in torn ligaments, tendons and slipped disc to the spine. The New Rock video assumes all viewers are aware of the importance of good form which is a completely outlandish assumption.

While not stressing the importance of proper form, the New Rock video does not fully complete each set in front of the camera. The instructor is assuming that that all viewers will understand the need to carry out the entire exercise exactly like the first example. The appropriate process of the exercise will most likely be confusing to an un-seasoned exerciser.

In the long run, New Rock neglected to create a video that educates people to exercise in a safe manner. It is my advice to pay close attention to any type of video or magazine routine you are considering to follow through with. Make sure you are aware and educated on the appropriate methods to keeping good form! Watch every video before performing the exercises to understand what is and is not good for you to be doing. If you are not sure of something because it is not explained, then do not follow through with the exercise before consulting a professional on the proper technique.

CARDIO!!! YOUR HEART IS DEPENDING ON YOU!

One of the first things I always discuss with clients is cardiovascular exercise!

There are a couple of important things to think about when dealing with the subject of vigorous workout activity.

Cardio is probably the most important type of exercise you can do for the longevity of your body.
(Working for the longevity of your body is working for a long and healthful life!)

Dedicating cardiovascular activity solely to the appearance of the body is a HUGE misconception! The truth is...cardio is extremely important for health on the inside of the body and not necessarily the out! It is often times hard to understand the internal importance of cardio, because it is hard to understand what you can not see inside of your body.


The term CARDIO refers to anything that has to do with the HEART. Anything Vascular is composed with vessels that have the ability to circulate liquid (blood). Hence the term "cardiovascular" exercise is defined as working out your HEART.


The heart pumps blood throughout the body, carrying nutrients to other major functioning areas. The heart is a complex mechanism that is much like the engine of a car. Your heart works to move the blood with good nutrients where it is needed.


The heart also makes sure your blood picks up enough Oxygen to carry to other parts of the body. Without the oxygen, the body surely will not survive.
It takes a strong heart muscle to continue to process the nutritious blood function throughout the body. The best way to keep the heart strong is by strengthening it through cardiovascular exercise!


Without proper cardio exercise, the heart can form obstructions that prevent the blood to move properly. Over longer periods of time, the lack of cardio will cause the heart to harden, which negatively slows the function of moving nutritious blood.



After all of this heart talk...I know what you must be thinking..."What type of exercise should I do?" "For how long should I do cardiovascular exercise?" "How do I know the correct intensity?"



Generally, I will ask a client what type of cardio they are presently involved in. I think it is best to ask what they like to do in order to concentrate on something that is not going to bore them until they are crazy! (There are a some activities that are more common than others.)



That is the first thing you should be asking yourself!! What does or will interest you the most? Do not pick a workout simply because it is the latest "trend" in exercise. (You can make things more complicated later. Remember......LITTLE ADJUSTMENTS!)



A good rule of thumb for picking a specific activity would be the intensity it will require you to overtake. Good vigorous activity will be something that has the ability to keep your heart rate within the ideal training zone for at least a consistent 10 minutes at a time.



Now...How do you find your "zone"? There is a specific formula which has been developed to calculate a customized training zone for each individual person. It is called the Karvonnen Method. Here is how it works...



First...you will need to figure out your RESTING HEART RATE.



You can find your resting heart rate by checking your pulse for a complete 60 seconds first thing in the morning. (BEFORE YOUR FEET HIT THE FLOOR) You can find your pulse by following the underside of the thumb down to where it meets the wrist. Once you have found your pulse, count each beat for 60 seconds without talking or moving about.



Once you have found your resting heart rate you can plug it into the following formula...



First calculate your minimum heart rate which is 40%



220 - (YOUR AGE) = (MAX HEART RATE)


(MAX HEART RATE) - (RESTING HEART RATE) = ###


(MAX - RESTING HEART RATE) X .40 = ###


(MAX - RESTING HEART RATE x .40) + RESTING HEART RATE = ### (minimum HR)




Next calculate your top training heart rate which is 85%



220 - (YOUR AGE) = (MAX HEART RATE)


(MAX HEART RATE) - (RESTING HEART RATE) = ###


(MAX - RESTING HEART RATE) X .85 = ###


(MAX - RESTING HEART RATE x .85) + RESTING HEART RATE = ### (maximum HR)




After you are finished calculating, put both numbers next to each other to see your actual training zone.



Example: If your minimum H.R. was 145 and your maximum was 165, you would write them like this: 145 - 165
(This would mean that you will need to keep your heart rate somewhere in the middle of 145 and 165 beats per minute to be working in your training zone.)



Once you have officially found your zone, I recommend purchasing a heart rate monitor to wear when you are exercising. It is the best way to accurately measure the appropriate range for your heart consistently while working out. (I have provided a picture to show what an ideal monitor looks like.) Your monitor should have a strap to go around the rib cage as well as a watch for the wrist.



Currently, it is estimated that the human heart needs at least 30 - 60 minutes of vigorous cardiovascular activity, and it should be performed at between 4-6 days per week. The time can be split as long it is not forgotten that time outside of the appropriate zone does NOT count!!

IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO WARM UP AND COOL DOWN FOR AT LEAST 8-10 MINUTES BEFORE AND AFTER EVERY WORKOUT!!!

In the beginning, learning the proper way to do cardio can be a little stressful. DO NOT GIVE UP! Take it one step at a time. Start slow! Figure out your range, commit to a couple of days per week and gradually begin to add to the amount of time you are spending on your workouts. I recommend adding about 5 minutes per week to each day of exercise. You will reach your desired time before you know it.




Have fun and STAY FIT FOR LIFE!!!

The Best Shoe For You...

I was recently asked about my opinion on shoes. Well, the shoe subject is actually pretty complicated!!

The first thing to keep in mind is the number one rule for the health of your feet...NEVER EVER WORK OUT WITHOUT GOOD SHOES!!

It is not necessarily important for every athlete or gym goer to have the same brand of shoe. I believe there is a huge misconception as to why a shoe is the best shoe for working out. (Yes, some shoes are constructed in such a way that makes them more "well made" than other shoes.) It is more important to get a shoe that is corrective to your body's natural "miss aligning" tendencies.

The first step to figuring out what type of shoe you need is to do a foot test. Asics has a great foot test which can be found at the following link: http://www.asicsamerica.com/sports/running/shoeFitGuide.aspx

Once you have found what type of support you will need in a shoe, the next step will be...TRYING THE SHOES OUT!

Go to a sporting goods store or specialty sneaker shop. Tell the attendants what type of shoe you are looking for. Try them on in different brands. Many sport oriented stores will have a track or treadmill you can walk on while wearing the shoes. MAKE SURE YOU ARE COMPLETELY COMFORTABLE WITH THE SHOES YOU PLAN TO TAKE HOME.

Once your shoes have lost their support, make sure you get a new pair. It is all too often I see people working out with shoes that barely have soles! It is a terrible habit to get into. It is bad for your feet and terrible for the rest of your body. Without the proper shoes, you can end up with things like severe knee injuries, ankle damage, hip dislocation.......the list can go on forever!!

The next bit of advice I have is for your following pair of sneakers. Do NOT expect them to be exactly the same! Shoe companies are constantly changing the format of their shoes. It is a forever changing world and they try desperately to keep up. Because of the constant change in shoe formatting, your shoe can go from being the best shoe ever to the absolute worst!

Lastly, enjoy your new sneakers and have FANTASTIC workouts!

STRESS...nuts without even knowing it!

My very first piece of advice on the road to a healthy lifestyle...DO NOT let it stress you out! Stress is one of the most health diminishing factors out there! Take the transition slow. It is the small adjustments that make the most impact in the long run.

As a trainer I used to see it all the time. Clients would come to the gym on New Years Day ready to go. They were insistent on making immediate changes! There entire life was ready to take a flip to the shiny side! They wanted it all! New wardrobe (in a much smaller size), new diet, new abs, new biceps, less fat, less less less...more more more....They were literally driving themselves nuts without even knowing it!

Within about 3-5 weeks, most of those all or nothing clients had given up. They were too stressed to keep up the rampant pace. The problem...they never gave themselves the chance to adjust. They attempted to change their entire lives overnight. That is definitely NOT the most productive way to a healthier lifestyle!

Don't bother trying to change absolutely every aspect of your life all at once. It will almost definitely end in failure. One step at a time!

It would have been much more productive for my past "New Year" clients, if they would have first gotten comfortable with their commitment to change. Thought it out! Worked with me (their trainer) to take it slow and get it right! There is a lot to learn when changing over to a healthier lifestyle!!