Hardly anyone can escape the perils of the holiday season and this year I was accosted. I am a fitness person that eats decently, and yet the two weeks leading up to Christmas I was bombarded with treats. It was round after round of See's Candies, home made Italian cookies, chocolate covered cherries and assorted Christmas cookies. Then there was rum cake (still warm after coming out of the oven), peppermint bark, truffles, biscotti, and of course, home made tamales.
It seems that nearly every person that wanted to show me appreciation or kindness this year did so with food. I tried nearly a little of everything, and can confidently report to you that I made myself completely sick. I happened to spend an hour on the treadmill the other day only to later have two of the above mentioned truffles. I took to reading the truffle's nutrition label and noticed that only two of those truffles completely negated my hour on the treadmill. Just two truffles and Poof! The entire hour on the treadmill was gone! Yes, they were smooth as silk, ridiculously delicious and almost did not seem like real food as they had a texture and taste from out of this world.
The sugar influx this year was so tremendous, that it literally became some sort of an exposure therapy experiment for me. I have heard of harsh exposure therapy treatments where smokers are cured of their desire for smoking when they are forced by a therapist to keep lighting up one after the other until they have been completely emptied of their desire. This is exactly how it was for me this Christmas season. I have completely lost all desire for sweets, chocolate and anything that may fall in the dessert family. I can't see myself eating another such item any earlier than March of 2014. I do not believe in making New Year's Resolutions when it comes to health, eating or exercise, but I can assure you that anything I do moving forward could only be a vast improvement from what I did to myself the past two weeks. Can you relate?
What has also been highlighted to me through this unforeseen experiment is just how easy it all goes in, and how difficult it is to reign one's self in, and to burn off those extra calories. I even found myself turning into a "light switch thinker" when I started believing that my eating had been so bad/off that I might as well just continue to make it all bad. Keep in mind, I am an avid exerciser and at least have that going for me. What about those that don't? I guess for such people this just translates to 10 lbs of seasonal weight gain that may never, ever come off.
At this moment, I feel grateful for having well established eating and exercise habits. I have renewed gratitude for how good healthy habits makes me feel. The two weeks of eating terribly were punishing, and resulted in a garbage like output of weak energy. This has brought me full circle to remember why I make good choices most of the time and embrace a healthy lifestyle. Feeling good is solid motivation for continuing to make the effort.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Saturday, August 31, 2013
The K.I.S.S. Principle
I am sure you have heard of the K.I.S.S. principle. K.I.S.S. stands for (keep it simple, stupid). Recent professional frustrations for myself have circled me back to this entertaining acronym and how when applied, it can make such a difference in all our lives.
The past two weeks I have been asked a series of questions regarding carbohydrates, why carbohydrates are bad, the glycemic index and so forth. I can't quite get my hands around where all of the information and misinformation comes from that is always being perpetuated. Worse, I know most people do not know how many calories they should be consuming a day, and yet they are somehow very willing to delve into a science project on carbohydrates, the glycemic index, etc. Why the science project, and where is all of this going? Enter the K.I.S.S. principle.
Here is the secret to weight loss: Your output (expenditure) must exceed your input (intake). THAT'S IT, no sophisticated science, no complex math necessary. Did you know that carbohydrates are 4 calories per gram, and protein is the exact same? Did you know that too many calories consumed regularly of any sort will ultimately be stored as fat? The source of such calories does not matter, the end result of excess is still the same.
As a health and fitness professional, this is a constant source of frustration for me. I struggle to get people to understand basic concepts regarding food groups and portion control, and am often met with staunch resistance about the "impossibility" of keeping track of such things. Mysteriously, however, these same people ARE WILLING to deviate from basic principles and dive deep into a level of intricacy that is highly impractical, and yet another road to failure.
Weight management must be kept simple. If you are struggling with your weight and are working with a qualified health and fitness professional- such as a dietitian, nutritionist or personal trainer please heed the advice of these professionals. If you are overweight, you must be willing to acknowledge that "your" way of doing things has not yielded successful outcomes. You may have a long history of counting Weight Watcher's points or doing rounds of very low calorie diets and vitamin B series shots at Lindora (or other weight loss clinic of your choice), but you are still struggling with positive outcomes. Maybe you have been on and off of the "Atkins Diet" and have spent a small fortune on urine test strips to see if you are in ketosis or not. Please admit that your many sophisticated approaches are not working for you.
I tend to see a correlation between the complex diet strategies and those that do not like to exercise. I have come to believe that this group of individuals feel they can either intellectualize themselves to a thinner place, or are in hot pursuit of a dietary strategy that will fix it all in a week. Is this you? If it is, please employ the K.I.S.S. principle. Understand your daily caloric needs first, based on your age, gender and activity level. Then, pay a visit to the USDA website and check out the good, old fashioned food pyramid. See what you should be eating versus how you are. Additional tools are available for understanding your output/expenditure, but this is a good starting place. Keep things simple for yourself and when you do, it should not feel like an extensive amount of work or research. I also want to encourage the hard core dieters/non-exercisers out there to start doing SOME exercise. Regular exercise allows for more latitude in the diet, doesn't this sound better than counting carbs?
Try getting back to basics and give up the evil of your old ways. After you have carved out some success with simplified approaches, reach out to the health and fitness professional of your choice and tell them how you decided to stop being part of the problem, and part of the solution instead.
The past two weeks I have been asked a series of questions regarding carbohydrates, why carbohydrates are bad, the glycemic index and so forth. I can't quite get my hands around where all of the information and misinformation comes from that is always being perpetuated. Worse, I know most people do not know how many calories they should be consuming a day, and yet they are somehow very willing to delve into a science project on carbohydrates, the glycemic index, etc. Why the science project, and where is all of this going? Enter the K.I.S.S. principle.
Here is the secret to weight loss: Your output (expenditure) must exceed your input (intake). THAT'S IT, no sophisticated science, no complex math necessary. Did you know that carbohydrates are 4 calories per gram, and protein is the exact same? Did you know that too many calories consumed regularly of any sort will ultimately be stored as fat? The source of such calories does not matter, the end result of excess is still the same.
As a health and fitness professional, this is a constant source of frustration for me. I struggle to get people to understand basic concepts regarding food groups and portion control, and am often met with staunch resistance about the "impossibility" of keeping track of such things. Mysteriously, however, these same people ARE WILLING to deviate from basic principles and dive deep into a level of intricacy that is highly impractical, and yet another road to failure.
Weight management must be kept simple. If you are struggling with your weight and are working with a qualified health and fitness professional- such as a dietitian, nutritionist or personal trainer please heed the advice of these professionals. If you are overweight, you must be willing to acknowledge that "your" way of doing things has not yielded successful outcomes. You may have a long history of counting Weight Watcher's points or doing rounds of very low calorie diets and vitamin B series shots at Lindora (or other weight loss clinic of your choice), but you are still struggling with positive outcomes. Maybe you have been on and off of the "Atkins Diet" and have spent a small fortune on urine test strips to see if you are in ketosis or not. Please admit that your many sophisticated approaches are not working for you.
I tend to see a correlation between the complex diet strategies and those that do not like to exercise. I have come to believe that this group of individuals feel they can either intellectualize themselves to a thinner place, or are in hot pursuit of a dietary strategy that will fix it all in a week. Is this you? If it is, please employ the K.I.S.S. principle. Understand your daily caloric needs first, based on your age, gender and activity level. Then, pay a visit to the USDA website and check out the good, old fashioned food pyramid. See what you should be eating versus how you are. Additional tools are available for understanding your output/expenditure, but this is a good starting place. Keep things simple for yourself and when you do, it should not feel like an extensive amount of work or research. I also want to encourage the hard core dieters/non-exercisers out there to start doing SOME exercise. Regular exercise allows for more latitude in the diet, doesn't this sound better than counting carbs?
Try getting back to basics and give up the evil of your old ways. After you have carved out some success with simplified approaches, reach out to the health and fitness professional of your choice and tell them how you decided to stop being part of the problem, and part of the solution instead.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Making it Happen
Are you making exercise one of your top priorities? If you don't, you are setting yourself up to fail. Expecting exercise to get done means making it happen. This may sound a bit harsh, but it is the truth. If you expect to get into a regular habit of exercise, you need to move it way up on your list of priorities.
I have one client that has tons of responsibility surrounding his job, and because of his eagerness and willingness to work with me and to make workouts happen, we meet at 5:30 a.m. on Mondays. For me, this means I am getting up at 4:15 a.m. because I work straight through to the end of the business day. Do I enjoy getting up at such an hour? No, in fact, I hate it. I do it because that is how much I believe in what exercise does for people. You do not find time to exercise, you make time to exercise.
I am relentless in carrying this message to others. This is also why I find myself doing training appointments seven days per week. If a client has to reschedule on me, but is willing to figure out another time to get it in, then I must do the same. In regards to my own workouts, I often find myself pushing myself to the gym on a Friday or Saturday night after having had a night out. This is not easy for me to do because I profoundly love my bed and getting to bed early. Despite my own reluctance to go, I have never regretted going- ever! Honestly, the hardest part is showing up. Once there, I find myself getting into the flow and making the most of being there by getting a great workout.
It is not easy to be intrinsically motivated all the time, but through gained awareness of having great energy, maintaining a healthy weight and feeling strong I have learned to treasure what I have going. The good I have going stems from consistent application. The consistent application comes from making exercise a top priority. Making it happen means working hard to do so. This sometimes means saying no to fun, staying up a little later or putting together a backup plan. Sometimes it means staying longer, or making more frequent, shorter trips to the gym in order to get the time in.
I firmly believe one can get wherever they want to go with enough focus. Graduating into an "exerciser" means getting rid of the old list of excuses for avoiding the commitment and creating a new list of reasons why this should be given top priority. This is the secret to making it happen.
I have one client that has tons of responsibility surrounding his job, and because of his eagerness and willingness to work with me and to make workouts happen, we meet at 5:30 a.m. on Mondays. For me, this means I am getting up at 4:15 a.m. because I work straight through to the end of the business day. Do I enjoy getting up at such an hour? No, in fact, I hate it. I do it because that is how much I believe in what exercise does for people. You do not find time to exercise, you make time to exercise.
I am relentless in carrying this message to others. This is also why I find myself doing training appointments seven days per week. If a client has to reschedule on me, but is willing to figure out another time to get it in, then I must do the same. In regards to my own workouts, I often find myself pushing myself to the gym on a Friday or Saturday night after having had a night out. This is not easy for me to do because I profoundly love my bed and getting to bed early. Despite my own reluctance to go, I have never regretted going- ever! Honestly, the hardest part is showing up. Once there, I find myself getting into the flow and making the most of being there by getting a great workout.
It is not easy to be intrinsically motivated all the time, but through gained awareness of having great energy, maintaining a healthy weight and feeling strong I have learned to treasure what I have going. The good I have going stems from consistent application. The consistent application comes from making exercise a top priority. Making it happen means working hard to do so. This sometimes means saying no to fun, staying up a little later or putting together a backup plan. Sometimes it means staying longer, or making more frequent, shorter trips to the gym in order to get the time in.
I firmly believe one can get wherever they want to go with enough focus. Graduating into an "exerciser" means getting rid of the old list of excuses for avoiding the commitment and creating a new list of reasons why this should be given top priority. This is the secret to making it happen.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Wrong and Strong
Today, at the gym, I saw a young 17 - 20 year old kid attempt to chest press 200 lbs with dumbbells. I watched each dumbbell come within centimeters of his face while he persisted in improperly doing repetitions consisting of quarter range of motion, and horrible arm position. Worse, he really had no control of his movement. I was trying to mind my own workout, and yet when I saw this, I literally froze in my tracks to prepare for the 911 call. Little does this kid know that over the past eight years I have seen the future through men in their sixties and up. Men coping with injuries sustained while doing "something stupid" when in high school or college. Do they regret it? Hell yes!
Ego is a dangerous thing in the weight room, and if not controlled, can lead to some dark places. Acute injuries can become chronic, and other injuries will mean with 100% certainty that a surgical fix is required. It killed me to see this kid putting himself in harm's way, when he could have achieved whatever he intended with a max of 100 lbs. More isn't always better, and it is in the overdoing where trouble awaits. Guys, take note.
The successful health and exercise enthusiasts I know always take reasonable and cautious approaches. No matter the discipline, there should be a safe approach to it. Logically, keeping things safe means one gets to keep participating in such activities. Time off to heal an injury or to recover from surgery does not yield benefits. In fact, it usually leads to a deconditioned state and weight gain.
If your desire to push beyond reasonable feels like a necessity, you need to consider the future. Stop inviting setbacks and problems to your health! The bodies we have today are going to be the same ones we have in our eighties. Try to remember that today is the very best things will be. In other words, with age and gradual decline in physical ability, our bodies "right now" are the very best case scenario. Challenge your body appropriately, and not through ego.
Ego is a dangerous thing in the weight room, and if not controlled, can lead to some dark places. Acute injuries can become chronic, and other injuries will mean with 100% certainty that a surgical fix is required. It killed me to see this kid putting himself in harm's way, when he could have achieved whatever he intended with a max of 100 lbs. More isn't always better, and it is in the overdoing where trouble awaits. Guys, take note.
The successful health and exercise enthusiasts I know always take reasonable and cautious approaches. No matter the discipline, there should be a safe approach to it. Logically, keeping things safe means one gets to keep participating in such activities. Time off to heal an injury or to recover from surgery does not yield benefits. In fact, it usually leads to a deconditioned state and weight gain.
If your desire to push beyond reasonable feels like a necessity, you need to consider the future. Stop inviting setbacks and problems to your health! The bodies we have today are going to be the same ones we have in our eighties. Try to remember that today is the very best things will be. In other words, with age and gradual decline in physical ability, our bodies "right now" are the very best case scenario. Challenge your body appropriately, and not through ego.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Take Five
Five minutes of exercise that actually gets done is much better than a planned two hour session that does not. Lately, I find myself emphasizing this point to many people. Right now, many have either dramatically scaled back their New Year's efforts, or quit altogether now that we are heading into the third week of February of the new year.
My best professional and personal advice is that manageable chunks of exercise time will get done, while extremely challenging and lengthy sessions will not. Into my twentieth straight year of working out, I understand very well what works, and what does not. I know I sound like a broken record, but it is absolute gospel: This is a lifestyle! Like most other things that we consider part of our lifestyle- a certain balance is required. For instance, if we were required to brush our teeth daily for two hour sessions every time, then in a very short period of time, we would all be falling short on dental care wouldn't we?
Struggling exercisers of the world, please take note. If you just did five minutes of exercise a day, then in thirty days you would have banked over 150 minutes. The benefits of exercise are cumulative, and this is an important fact. Five minutes per day is achievable for EVERYONE, and if you dare to say it isn't, then please contact me so we can discuss where to carve out that well needed five minutes. I assure you that I can find it. Five minutes effort with regular consistency will yield benefits because it is getting done. Getting it accomplished is what really matters, and you can forget about well intentions to do "whatever" that involve either really complicated or lengthy efforts. It is quite easy to talk one's self out of rigorous and time consuming efforts if we get honest with ourselves.
Folks, you gotta make it work. Taking the smallest of baby steps might be the biggest change you need to implement as you try to pave the way to exercise adherence. There may come a time, or several times along your path that you can and will do more, but it is ok to keep efforts broken down to a micro-level if that is the fine line between doing something and nothing. Remember that in this game, doing something is light years ahead of doing nothing.
So, steer your approach to the utmost manageable level and go for it. If your life gets turned upside down due to the unexpected, keep your focus and just take five.
My best professional and personal advice is that manageable chunks of exercise time will get done, while extremely challenging and lengthy sessions will not. Into my twentieth straight year of working out, I understand very well what works, and what does not. I know I sound like a broken record, but it is absolute gospel: This is a lifestyle! Like most other things that we consider part of our lifestyle- a certain balance is required. For instance, if we were required to brush our teeth daily for two hour sessions every time, then in a very short period of time, we would all be falling short on dental care wouldn't we?
Struggling exercisers of the world, please take note. If you just did five minutes of exercise a day, then in thirty days you would have banked over 150 minutes. The benefits of exercise are cumulative, and this is an important fact. Five minutes per day is achievable for EVERYONE, and if you dare to say it isn't, then please contact me so we can discuss where to carve out that well needed five minutes. I assure you that I can find it. Five minutes effort with regular consistency will yield benefits because it is getting done. Getting it accomplished is what really matters, and you can forget about well intentions to do "whatever" that involve either really complicated or lengthy efforts. It is quite easy to talk one's self out of rigorous and time consuming efforts if we get honest with ourselves.
Folks, you gotta make it work. Taking the smallest of baby steps might be the biggest change you need to implement as you try to pave the way to exercise adherence. There may come a time, or several times along your path that you can and will do more, but it is ok to keep efforts broken down to a micro-level if that is the fine line between doing something and nothing. Remember that in this game, doing something is light years ahead of doing nothing.
So, steer your approach to the utmost manageable level and go for it. If your life gets turned upside down due to the unexpected, keep your focus and just take five.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Biggest Winner
Another television season of "Biggest Loser" is about to begin and this time it will involve children. I refuse to watch the show because I do not think it speaks to realistic, sustainable lifestyle changes. It may make for compelling television, but I also believe there is a large population in the viewership that sees people exercising vigorously many hours per day (while being flogged by a personal trainer) and suffering through a very low calorie diet. Through witnessing the extreme time and effort spent, these viewers quietly think to themselves "I could never do that". I happen to agree with them because our lives are not a TV show.
I am not a fan of extreme approaches. Just because we "supersized" ourselves to become a seriously overweight nation almost overnight, does not mean we should be implementing a "supersized" diet/exercise program overnight either. I have found over the years that less is so much more. People that strive for sustainable and manageable lifestyle changes are the ones that are the long-term winners. Our addiction for quick-fixes and immediate results have created manic like approaches to weight loss. No one is setting themselves up to win with these approaches. Consider the P90x workout. Yes, after 90 days of "hard core" workouts you will see results. The problem is, however, after 90 days are you going to be willing to continue with the program? Overly challenging programs create feelings of dread which do not translate into long-term exercise adherence. I know many people that did P90x workouts, and on day 91 and beyond, never did another. So, how far are we really progressing if we always ratchet back to zero after every over-the-top effort? Guess what folks, I am entering into my twentieth consecutive year of exercise with moderation and I still love it.
The CrossFit craze is also on my radar screen. Yes, I completely appreciate the athleticism and creativity involved with CrossFit, but I think it also falls short on the sustainable scale. I know many twenty somethings that have hurt their knees and backs doing CrossFit workouts. If we constantly push ourselves towards muscle failure and over-training, then we are also pushing ourselves quickly towards burnout. If you experience injury and must take six to eight weeks off, then again you have just ratcheted yourself back to zero. End up developing a chronic condition and you may just end up in a living hell.
Are you pursuing sustainable workouts for yourself, or is your ego pushing you to extreme measures for right now? Are you trying to keep up with what your neighbor is doing, or are you putting real thought into what might be the right approach and balance for you? Stop being overly compulsive about this stuff and start thinking about ten, twenty, thirty years down the road. Look beyond all trends and extremism knowing that your "one" body needs to last you for a lifetime. Treating it with a loving respect that honors it over the long course of time will ultimately make you the biggest winner. Sustainable efforts are adhered to, extreme efforts die.
I am not a fan of extreme approaches. Just because we "supersized" ourselves to become a seriously overweight nation almost overnight, does not mean we should be implementing a "supersized" diet/exercise program overnight either. I have found over the years that less is so much more. People that strive for sustainable and manageable lifestyle changes are the ones that are the long-term winners. Our addiction for quick-fixes and immediate results have created manic like approaches to weight loss. No one is setting themselves up to win with these approaches. Consider the P90x workout. Yes, after 90 days of "hard core" workouts you will see results. The problem is, however, after 90 days are you going to be willing to continue with the program? Overly challenging programs create feelings of dread which do not translate into long-term exercise adherence. I know many people that did P90x workouts, and on day 91 and beyond, never did another. So, how far are we really progressing if we always ratchet back to zero after every over-the-top effort? Guess what folks, I am entering into my twentieth consecutive year of exercise with moderation and I still love it.
The CrossFit craze is also on my radar screen. Yes, I completely appreciate the athleticism and creativity involved with CrossFit, but I think it also falls short on the sustainable scale. I know many twenty somethings that have hurt their knees and backs doing CrossFit workouts. If we constantly push ourselves towards muscle failure and over-training, then we are also pushing ourselves quickly towards burnout. If you experience injury and must take six to eight weeks off, then again you have just ratcheted yourself back to zero. End up developing a chronic condition and you may just end up in a living hell.
Are you pursuing sustainable workouts for yourself, or is your ego pushing you to extreme measures for right now? Are you trying to keep up with what your neighbor is doing, or are you putting real thought into what might be the right approach and balance for you? Stop being overly compulsive about this stuff and start thinking about ten, twenty, thirty years down the road. Look beyond all trends and extremism knowing that your "one" body needs to last you for a lifetime. Treating it with a loving respect that honors it over the long course of time will ultimately make you the biggest winner. Sustainable efforts are adhered to, extreme efforts die.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
New Year, New You, Not Now
Besides having a Christmas gift of a 30, 60 or 90 day trial gym membership burning a hole in your pocket, are there other good reasons to begin a fitness program January 1st? I hope you are giving this careful consideration. Your long term success is dependent upon being truly ready to start a program, understanding the lifestyle commitment involved, and that there is no better time...than the right time FOR YOU.
I have seen many fresh faces in gyms between January 1st through March over the course of many years. Then come April, it is back to business with all the old faces. It really bothers me that so many people annually embark on a fitness journey, only to abandon it inside of three months. How can we know so much, have access to so much information, and yet be so misguided? I have given this a lot of thought over the years, and I have come to believe that most people are very unconsciously led to do things they think they should be doing. Everyone knows they should be eating better, eating less and exercising more. The problem is that should be isn't enough, and it falls short every time.
The solution then lies somewhere within a way to make this about why I am going to do this (as specifically as possible), and also when is the right time for me to start. Lose the should be dialogue, and decide why starting this is important and why I am worth it. If you are being guilted into a fitness program thanks to a spouse or relative, or simply because it is the start of a new year, then you are not in it to win it. Don't do this to yourself another year.
Restrategize and forget about what everyone else is doing, and begin to formulate a plan. The plan should include some long term thinking around how you are going to build a fitness program into the rest of your life. This means daily choices and exercising every week, of every year. No more exercising for vacations and high school reunions. Do this because it is the most responsible thing you can do for your health. I read a quote some time ago that said "I don't find time to exercise, I make time to exercise." I love this, because it so eloquently states a winning strategy.
Beyond this, also consider that only one major lifestyle change at a time works best. In other words, if you just got married, changed jobs and moved, then maybe this isn't the best time for you to journey into a fitness program. Be smart, honest and true to yourself and put your own plan in place. Then, kick it off at the best time for you with a real sense of readiness. Set yourself up to be successful, because this is truly the best way to make many months over many years great, not just the first three months of the year.
I have seen many fresh faces in gyms between January 1st through March over the course of many years. Then come April, it is back to business with all the old faces. It really bothers me that so many people annually embark on a fitness journey, only to abandon it inside of three months. How can we know so much, have access to so much information, and yet be so misguided? I have given this a lot of thought over the years, and I have come to believe that most people are very unconsciously led to do things they think they should be doing. Everyone knows they should be eating better, eating less and exercising more. The problem is that should be isn't enough, and it falls short every time.
The solution then lies somewhere within a way to make this about why I am going to do this (as specifically as possible), and also when is the right time for me to start. Lose the should be dialogue, and decide why starting this is important and why I am worth it. If you are being guilted into a fitness program thanks to a spouse or relative, or simply because it is the start of a new year, then you are not in it to win it. Don't do this to yourself another year.
Restrategize and forget about what everyone else is doing, and begin to formulate a plan. The plan should include some long term thinking around how you are going to build a fitness program into the rest of your life. This means daily choices and exercising every week, of every year. No more exercising for vacations and high school reunions. Do this because it is the most responsible thing you can do for your health. I read a quote some time ago that said "I don't find time to exercise, I make time to exercise." I love this, because it so eloquently states a winning strategy.
Beyond this, also consider that only one major lifestyle change at a time works best. In other words, if you just got married, changed jobs and moved, then maybe this isn't the best time for you to journey into a fitness program. Be smart, honest and true to yourself and put your own plan in place. Then, kick it off at the best time for you with a real sense of readiness. Set yourself up to be successful, because this is truly the best way to make many months over many years great, not just the first three months of the year.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Miracles Happen Every Day
I have encounters with people each and every day that often make me cry tears of gratitude. I get to see transformations in people, sometimes mental, physical or both. The beauty lies somewhere in the general transformation, and often not in the details. Sometimes when I witness these miracles, I get emotional and cry on the spot. Other times, I shed my tears in private at the end of the working day when I work my way into gratitude.
When someone feels better about themselves, their health, or when they feel they have taken their power back, then the sky is the limit. Maybe the goal is to get in great shape, or maybe the goal is to walk with adequate balance. Every person has different health and fitness goals, but that is not to say that one is any better or more important than the other. Every individual is on their own journey, finding their own way and doing the best they can. Owning one's best health really means doing one's very best. Wherever we are at is where the journey begins.
I work with a range of people, from those that are trying to get quality of life back to those that just need to have someone beat them up in the effort to take their fitness to the next level. I love the range of people I work with, and all the individual goals set forth. Personally, I wouldn't have it any other way. I see the beauty, importance and purpose in all of it. From low functioning to high functioning persons, it doesn't matter. I am here to help, serve, and help others transcend what they think is possible for themselves. This could mean improved strength and energy levels, or it could mean weight loss and exercise adherence. Every goal is lofty, every goal is as important as the next. I don't judge, I only provide the opportunity.
Health and fitness is unique in that the reward is often in the work. Each fitness journey is individual, as are the end results. I try to support my clients and their many desired outcomes. What is meaningful to them becomes meaningful to me. My clients do all the hard work, I just provide the space and marching orders. How far they want to go is ultimately up to them. Often, people just need someone to believe in them.
I have an inspiration board hung in front of my computer. One of my favorite quotes I have posted on there is from a Dr. Phil show. I am not sure if this is a Dr. Phil original, or if he got it somewhere else, but the quote is: "Winners do things losers just don't want to do". This speaks to me. Winners really are achievers, and winners are those that are doing things that others don't want to do. It is easy to resign to lazy ways of thinking and behaving, but winners don't. Winners stay after things even when the odds are against them, they encounter set backs and when the chips are down.
All goals and all things are possible for those that are really willing to put forth effort to be "winners". The winners' life isn't easy, but it is rewarding. Whatever your goal is, it is achievable, because all things are possible. Decide if it is important to you as a goal, and then go for it. Create your own miracles.
When someone feels better about themselves, their health, or when they feel they have taken their power back, then the sky is the limit. Maybe the goal is to get in great shape, or maybe the goal is to walk with adequate balance. Every person has different health and fitness goals, but that is not to say that one is any better or more important than the other. Every individual is on their own journey, finding their own way and doing the best they can. Owning one's best health really means doing one's very best. Wherever we are at is where the journey begins.
I work with a range of people, from those that are trying to get quality of life back to those that just need to have someone beat them up in the effort to take their fitness to the next level. I love the range of people I work with, and all the individual goals set forth. Personally, I wouldn't have it any other way. I see the beauty, importance and purpose in all of it. From low functioning to high functioning persons, it doesn't matter. I am here to help, serve, and help others transcend what they think is possible for themselves. This could mean improved strength and energy levels, or it could mean weight loss and exercise adherence. Every goal is lofty, every goal is as important as the next. I don't judge, I only provide the opportunity.
Health and fitness is unique in that the reward is often in the work. Each fitness journey is individual, as are the end results. I try to support my clients and their many desired outcomes. What is meaningful to them becomes meaningful to me. My clients do all the hard work, I just provide the space and marching orders. How far they want to go is ultimately up to them. Often, people just need someone to believe in them.
I have an inspiration board hung in front of my computer. One of my favorite quotes I have posted on there is from a Dr. Phil show. I am not sure if this is a Dr. Phil original, or if he got it somewhere else, but the quote is: "Winners do things losers just don't want to do". This speaks to me. Winners really are achievers, and winners are those that are doing things that others don't want to do. It is easy to resign to lazy ways of thinking and behaving, but winners don't. Winners stay after things even when the odds are against them, they encounter set backs and when the chips are down.
All goals and all things are possible for those that are really willing to put forth effort to be "winners". The winners' life isn't easy, but it is rewarding. Whatever your goal is, it is achievable, because all things are possible. Decide if it is important to you as a goal, and then go for it. Create your own miracles.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
The Gym Rude and Crude
There is an alarming trend happening at gyms across America. It involves people behaving badly. Back in the day, there would be only a handful of people acting as if they were alone in the privacy of their own home, and now they are out in force. I've compiled my top five list of offenders I have grown darn tired of. See if you have had any recent encounters with any of the following:
1. The cell phone blatherer: This person is tethered to their phone and often with a high level of self-importance. If they aren't using lots of corporate buzz words and phrases, then perhaps they are rehashing sordid details from the night before with their best friend. In either instance, the conversations never end, and are always conducted loudly, over noise of cardio equipment, and much to the dismay of the people flanked on either side of them. Seriously, shut up and work out.
2. The sweatus maximus non clean-upus: You know this person well. They workout so hard, that they have a near death experience during every workout. Sweat pours off them, collects on equipment and surrounding surface areas. After drenching their area, they launch themselves off the respective equipment and bail. They never consider doing a courtesy clean up for the next person that may stumble upon their train wreck. This is disgusting and rude. I think animals do similar things in the wild to mark territory. Also, there is a little miracle called a workout towel. Towels work wonders with moisture management. Make the investment and buy one. Then, bring it with you.
3. The I'm so strong, look at all the weights I am using, but I am too weak to re-rack my weights guy: I cannot tell you how many times I have just wanted to set up equipment for my use, only to be set back ten minutes by having to re-rack somebody else's weights. That's right, if you are man enough to put the weights on, then surely you are man enough to take them off. There is nothing more annoying then having to put away eight 45lb plates in order to proceed with your workout. Seriously, a little courtesy goes a long way.
4. The way too pumped up guy: This individual is about one Monster Drink and one performance enhancing drug away from a heart attack. They usually have a red face, a hulking upper body, and a non-existent lower body (cuz who looks at that?). Sometimes they strut around with their arms intentionally held away from their sides to create the illusion of size. They also pace back and forth in front of any audience, and every breath is audibly heard across the room. If the audible breathing doesn't grab your attention, then they immediately move to loud, guttural noises with every rep. If this fails to make you stop and look, then they ultimately resort to throwing their weights down. This should not be confused with dropping weights, as there is a very distinct difference in the level of noise and vibration created. In between sets and pacing, there will also be some air-drumming, fist-pumping and head banging as they listen to their workout favs on their ipod. You are such bad asses, I can hardly stand it.
5. Mr. Short Shorts: I am always intrigued with Mr. Short Shorts. Why do you wear your shorts so short? Isn't it uncomfortable Mr. Short Shorts? Doesn't underwear already fulfill this requirement? I am confused. Every time I see you I have flashbacks to the early '80s Lakers, except you tend to not have nice legs or athletic builds. Let's face it, you are about one leg raise away from being arrested for public indecency. Next time you are out shopping (if you have shopped in thirty five years), be daring and buy one size bigger. Be kind to others!
1. The cell phone blatherer: This person is tethered to their phone and often with a high level of self-importance. If they aren't using lots of corporate buzz words and phrases, then perhaps they are rehashing sordid details from the night before with their best friend. In either instance, the conversations never end, and are always conducted loudly, over noise of cardio equipment, and much to the dismay of the people flanked on either side of them. Seriously, shut up and work out.
2. The sweatus maximus non clean-upus: You know this person well. They workout so hard, that they have a near death experience during every workout. Sweat pours off them, collects on equipment and surrounding surface areas. After drenching their area, they launch themselves off the respective equipment and bail. They never consider doing a courtesy clean up for the next person that may stumble upon their train wreck. This is disgusting and rude. I think animals do similar things in the wild to mark territory. Also, there is a little miracle called a workout towel. Towels work wonders with moisture management. Make the investment and buy one. Then, bring it with you.
3. The I'm so strong, look at all the weights I am using, but I am too weak to re-rack my weights guy: I cannot tell you how many times I have just wanted to set up equipment for my use, only to be set back ten minutes by having to re-rack somebody else's weights. That's right, if you are man enough to put the weights on, then surely you are man enough to take them off. There is nothing more annoying then having to put away eight 45lb plates in order to proceed with your workout. Seriously, a little courtesy goes a long way.
4. The way too pumped up guy: This individual is about one Monster Drink and one performance enhancing drug away from a heart attack. They usually have a red face, a hulking upper body, and a non-existent lower body (cuz who looks at that?). Sometimes they strut around with their arms intentionally held away from their sides to create the illusion of size. They also pace back and forth in front of any audience, and every breath is audibly heard across the room. If the audible breathing doesn't grab your attention, then they immediately move to loud, guttural noises with every rep. If this fails to make you stop and look, then they ultimately resort to throwing their weights down. This should not be confused with dropping weights, as there is a very distinct difference in the level of noise and vibration created. In between sets and pacing, there will also be some air-drumming, fist-pumping and head banging as they listen to their workout favs on their ipod. You are such bad asses, I can hardly stand it.
5. Mr. Short Shorts: I am always intrigued with Mr. Short Shorts. Why do you wear your shorts so short? Isn't it uncomfortable Mr. Short Shorts? Doesn't underwear already fulfill this requirement? I am confused. Every time I see you I have flashbacks to the early '80s Lakers, except you tend to not have nice legs or athletic builds. Let's face it, you are about one leg raise away from being arrested for public indecency. Next time you are out shopping (if you have shopped in thirty five years), be daring and buy one size bigger. Be kind to others!
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Divorcing the Scale
Are you unhappily married to your scale? Do the two of you have irreconcilable differences? Many are stuck in such unhappy marriages and see no way out. The scale may not lie, but it is only one gauge of one's overall picture of health. We might want to always change what we see on the scale, but what really needs to change, is our relationship with the scale.
Many men and women have long, dysfunctional histories with scales. When they see what they want, the relationship is good, and when it reflects otherwise, the relationship is failing. Worse, many attribute major life successes and spikes of happiness in accordance with being a particular scale weight. Truth be told, spikes in happiness have very little to do with how much one sees on a scale and more to do with other factors going well in one's life. This may be hard to admit, but it is true. Are you aware that skinny people also suffer from unhappiness? Yes, it is true!
Pounds are pounds, and are sort of a generic, blanket metric. Pounds shown on a scale do not just tell us "how fat we are", they reflect much more. Pounds also include skeletal and lean muscle mass, as well as water weight. If you are a large frame person, or operate at the high-end of athleticism and are more muscular, then you will weigh more than the average joe. If unable to quantify what exists within the pounds, then we should not be pinning life's worth and happiness to them either.
If you weigh yourself every day, multiple times per day, or use the scale as a means to flog yourself regularly as a failure, then you are in an abusive scale relationship. Forget about what your grandmother and mother have said to you in the past about "just needing to lose a few pounds". Consider that with some basic resistance training, a loss of inches could be even more satisfying than being a certain scale weight. Looking better in clothes, wearing a smaller size or having more muscle definition can be every bit as rewarding as that ever elusive scale weight.
Exercisers, whether achieving weight loss or not, still stand to lower their cholesterol (specifically triglycerides), blood pressure, and increase lean muscle. They will strengthen bones, joints and connective tissues. They will also enjoy improved cardiovascular health, increased endurance, mobility and balance. These are all important measurables that are not reflected in the pounds we are obsessing over on our scales. So, is it time you filed for divorce?
Many men and women have long, dysfunctional histories with scales. When they see what they want, the relationship is good, and when it reflects otherwise, the relationship is failing. Worse, many attribute major life successes and spikes of happiness in accordance with being a particular scale weight. Truth be told, spikes in happiness have very little to do with how much one sees on a scale and more to do with other factors going well in one's life. This may be hard to admit, but it is true. Are you aware that skinny people also suffer from unhappiness? Yes, it is true!
Pounds are pounds, and are sort of a generic, blanket metric. Pounds shown on a scale do not just tell us "how fat we are", they reflect much more. Pounds also include skeletal and lean muscle mass, as well as water weight. If you are a large frame person, or operate at the high-end of athleticism and are more muscular, then you will weigh more than the average joe. If unable to quantify what exists within the pounds, then we should not be pinning life's worth and happiness to them either.
If you weigh yourself every day, multiple times per day, or use the scale as a means to flog yourself regularly as a failure, then you are in an abusive scale relationship. Forget about what your grandmother and mother have said to you in the past about "just needing to lose a few pounds". Consider that with some basic resistance training, a loss of inches could be even more satisfying than being a certain scale weight. Looking better in clothes, wearing a smaller size or having more muscle definition can be every bit as rewarding as that ever elusive scale weight.
Exercisers, whether achieving weight loss or not, still stand to lower their cholesterol (specifically triglycerides), blood pressure, and increase lean muscle. They will strengthen bones, joints and connective tissues. They will also enjoy improved cardiovascular health, increased endurance, mobility and balance. These are all important measurables that are not reflected in the pounds we are obsessing over on our scales. So, is it time you filed for divorce?
Monday, July 23, 2012
Don't Finish Your Plate
Many of us grew up with parents that wouldn't let us leave the dinner table until our plates were finished. Over the years, children have spent countless hours held hostage at the dinner table trying to force feed themselves last bites of "whatever" in an attempt to clean their plates and earn freedom away from the table.
As a health and fitness professional, I cannot tell you how harmful this parenting strategy has been to a number of clients I work with. There are a couple of generations worth of individuals struggling with being overweight, and a large contributing factor to this is that they have become completely removed from intuitive eating habits. If as children we are insisted to eat well beyond being full, and when food is no longer appetizing, then over time we become disconnected from our bodies, and eating becomes more of a job and responsibility. Eventually, important signals that convey we are getting full, or even becoming uncomfortable are ignored and a negative feedback loop is formed and well-reinforced. This negative feedback loop conveys that it doesn't matter how we feel, we must push on through meals like war time soldiers or there will be negative consequences from authorities. Ironically, the negative consequences incurred are weight gain and poor self-body image.
Habits and patterns laid down during our important, childhood formative years are serious and long-lasting. Once we've disconnected our minds from our bodies, it is very hard to reconnect the two. Unhealthy relationships with food and eating can be very damaging, and some of the hardest to get a handle on because eating is always necessary. This is a very different scenario from an alcoholic's choice to quit drinking. Remove alcohol, no problem. Remove food, you die.
Simply put, we must pay attention to our bodies and our bodies signals to us. What are the signs and indicators you get when you are getting full? Do you find your eating slows? Do you find a tightness in your middle? Pay attention to such things and try to leave a last bite or two on your plate. Tell yourself it is ok to not finish, and do so guilt-free. Explore the world of what feels right for your body, and find your way back to intuitive eating. Reconnect with what your body needs, and disconnect from your unhealthy, childhood eating habits. Trust in the intelligence built into your body, and it will bestow upon you a new belief system about yourself and your relationship with food.
As a health and fitness professional, I cannot tell you how harmful this parenting strategy has been to a number of clients I work with. There are a couple of generations worth of individuals struggling with being overweight, and a large contributing factor to this is that they have become completely removed from intuitive eating habits. If as children we are insisted to eat well beyond being full, and when food is no longer appetizing, then over time we become disconnected from our bodies, and eating becomes more of a job and responsibility. Eventually, important signals that convey we are getting full, or even becoming uncomfortable are ignored and a negative feedback loop is formed and well-reinforced. This negative feedback loop conveys that it doesn't matter how we feel, we must push on through meals like war time soldiers or there will be negative consequences from authorities. Ironically, the negative consequences incurred are weight gain and poor self-body image.
Habits and patterns laid down during our important, childhood formative years are serious and long-lasting. Once we've disconnected our minds from our bodies, it is very hard to reconnect the two. Unhealthy relationships with food and eating can be very damaging, and some of the hardest to get a handle on because eating is always necessary. This is a very different scenario from an alcoholic's choice to quit drinking. Remove alcohol, no problem. Remove food, you die.
Simply put, we must pay attention to our bodies and our bodies signals to us. What are the signs and indicators you get when you are getting full? Do you find your eating slows? Do you find a tightness in your middle? Pay attention to such things and try to leave a last bite or two on your plate. Tell yourself it is ok to not finish, and do so guilt-free. Explore the world of what feels right for your body, and find your way back to intuitive eating. Reconnect with what your body needs, and disconnect from your unhealthy, childhood eating habits. Trust in the intelligence built into your body, and it will bestow upon you a new belief system about yourself and your relationship with food.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Good Health
We take good health for granted. Usually, we get up each day feeling normal, and go about the business of our daily activities without giving a thought to the fact that our good health allows us to do so. In talking to others in recent months, I realize just how much good health means, and how we do not give pause to feeling good, and what a completely different scenario it is when we are sick.
I spoke to my sister-in-law over the weekend. She has breast cancer, and due to an awful family history with the disease, has chosen a very aggressive approach to fighting hers. I commend her for being the very brave soul that she is. She underwent a double mastectomy and is currently undergoing chemotherapy with the most toxic chemotherapy agent as part of her aggressive treatment plan. She is awaiting reconstruction of both breasts, but other health issues are delaying the process. What she contends with on a daily basis, makes me eternally grateful for my good health. I really have so much to be thankful for.
Imagine, waking up to find you have lost your hair, eyelashes, and seen your fingernails first turn black, and then fall off entirely. Imagine debilitating fatigue, neuropathy and random swelling. My sister-in-law shared with me on how she will never again take her eyelashes for granted. Since she has none, she frequently has either dry eyes or contaminants in them. Wow, she has no eyelashes, hair, nails, or breasts and I get resentful over simply being tired. What I crybaby I am.
There have been a few times over the last decade where I have had strept throat, run-ins with the flu, and some bad colds. Each and every time that has happened, I have lamented feeling terrible. Each and every one of those experiences, no matter how brief, has made me recognize what feeling good means to me and just how important it is to have quality of life. Feeling awful, for me, feels like a death sentence. Worse, for others, it really is a death sentence.
I have seen how challenged we are to quantify good health, and conversely, how easy it is for us to quantify bad health. When good health is absent, we pay full attention and largely to all the negatives. Why this is so, I have no idea. Perhaps it is because we are a "glass is half empty" society.
I know one thing. Today, I have good health and I am not going to take it for granted. I am going to continue to work hard. I am going to celebrate my good health, and I am going to take every step to make sure I maintain it. If something unfortunate happens to me, there will be no shoulda, coulda, woulda conversations with myself. I will enjoy each day in good health and remember what it feels like to have freedom of movement, to be medication free, and to feel strong. I am also going to carry this important message to others.
A friend recently shared with me that "When he dies, he is going to be dead for a really long time", and so he is committed to putting forth his best effort now. He is enjoying good health, and intends to keep it that way. I think this sums things up nicely.
I spoke to my sister-in-law over the weekend. She has breast cancer, and due to an awful family history with the disease, has chosen a very aggressive approach to fighting hers. I commend her for being the very brave soul that she is. She underwent a double mastectomy and is currently undergoing chemotherapy with the most toxic chemotherapy agent as part of her aggressive treatment plan. She is awaiting reconstruction of both breasts, but other health issues are delaying the process. What she contends with on a daily basis, makes me eternally grateful for my good health. I really have so much to be thankful for.
Imagine, waking up to find you have lost your hair, eyelashes, and seen your fingernails first turn black, and then fall off entirely. Imagine debilitating fatigue, neuropathy and random swelling. My sister-in-law shared with me on how she will never again take her eyelashes for granted. Since she has none, she frequently has either dry eyes or contaminants in them. Wow, she has no eyelashes, hair, nails, or breasts and I get resentful over simply being tired. What I crybaby I am.
There have been a few times over the last decade where I have had strept throat, run-ins with the flu, and some bad colds. Each and every time that has happened, I have lamented feeling terrible. Each and every one of those experiences, no matter how brief, has made me recognize what feeling good means to me and just how important it is to have quality of life. Feeling awful, for me, feels like a death sentence. Worse, for others, it really is a death sentence.
I have seen how challenged we are to quantify good health, and conversely, how easy it is for us to quantify bad health. When good health is absent, we pay full attention and largely to all the negatives. Why this is so, I have no idea. Perhaps it is because we are a "glass is half empty" society.
I know one thing. Today, I have good health and I am not going to take it for granted. I am going to continue to work hard. I am going to celebrate my good health, and I am going to take every step to make sure I maintain it. If something unfortunate happens to me, there will be no shoulda, coulda, woulda conversations with myself. I will enjoy each day in good health and remember what it feels like to have freedom of movement, to be medication free, and to feel strong. I am also going to carry this important message to others.
A friend recently shared with me that "When he dies, he is going to be dead for a really long time", and so he is committed to putting forth his best effort now. He is enjoying good health, and intends to keep it that way. I think this sums things up nicely.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Bad News Shoes
I told you so! When people were constantly asking me about what I thought of the "tone-up/shape-up" shoes that hit the consumer market like a tsunami not so long ago, I consistently advised all inquiring to save their money. I warned all of junk science and false advertising claims. Many folks shared with me that for only $30 - $40 a pair, hedging bets on them possibly working may be well worth it! Is this the dumming down of Americans happening before my very eyes?
Skechers just agreed to settle a lawsuit over their shoes for $40 million dollars. Sadly, $40 million dollars may be considered the cost of doing business as God only knows what Skechers profited from them while they were on the market. Thankfully, through this judgement, the Federal Trade Commission is sending a message that will help protect future consumers from future iterations of gimmicks that promise too much, and deliver too little.
I was thrilled to learn of this settlement, because apparently, despite living in an era of more educated and savvy consumers, we still cannot use our brains in decision making processes involving weight loss, or becoming more fit and beautiful. When shortcuts and quick fixes are advertised in these areas, the general public eagerly buys into them. I have worked with clients that openly shared with me their challenges in justifying the cost of my in-home personal training services, that had no problem scouring the malls to make a $40 hedge bet on any version of "tone-up" shoes they could find. Forget about following the advice and instruction of a certified fitness professional with thousands of hours of instruction time and years in the industry when you can get right to it with a pair of forty dollar, squishy shoes. Ugh! Get my drift?
This problem is not going away. There will always be groups of people in corporate America, getting paid big bucks to carefully craft the next big thing, and to develop a compelling ad campaign that convinces you why you need it. Please, keep your wits about you. Talk to health and fitness professionals and get an unbiased opinion. Remember that there hasn't been any shortcuts to better health in recent centuries. Moving into the future, companies will work smarter, harder, and faster to better package and market their products. Therefore, consumers must also work smarter, harder and faster to protect themselves.
Skechers just agreed to settle a lawsuit over their shoes for $40 million dollars. Sadly, $40 million dollars may be considered the cost of doing business as God only knows what Skechers profited from them while they were on the market. Thankfully, through this judgement, the Federal Trade Commission is sending a message that will help protect future consumers from future iterations of gimmicks that promise too much, and deliver too little.
I was thrilled to learn of this settlement, because apparently, despite living in an era of more educated and savvy consumers, we still cannot use our brains in decision making processes involving weight loss, or becoming more fit and beautiful. When shortcuts and quick fixes are advertised in these areas, the general public eagerly buys into them. I have worked with clients that openly shared with me their challenges in justifying the cost of my in-home personal training services, that had no problem scouring the malls to make a $40 hedge bet on any version of "tone-up" shoes they could find. Forget about following the advice and instruction of a certified fitness professional with thousands of hours of instruction time and years in the industry when you can get right to it with a pair of forty dollar, squishy shoes. Ugh! Get my drift?
This problem is not going away. There will always be groups of people in corporate America, getting paid big bucks to carefully craft the next big thing, and to develop a compelling ad campaign that convinces you why you need it. Please, keep your wits about you. Talk to health and fitness professionals and get an unbiased opinion. Remember that there hasn't been any shortcuts to better health in recent centuries. Moving into the future, companies will work smarter, harder, and faster to better package and market their products. Therefore, consumers must also work smarter, harder and faster to protect themselves.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Fake it Until You Make it
If you don't fancy yourself to be a "gym person", or an exercise enthusiast, then it is time to reframe how you are looking at things. After all, weren't we all non-exercisers at one point? I often see people adopt a "them vs. me" attitude when it comes to working out. Exercise is for everyone, everyone stands to benefit from it, and it is not some sort of an elite activity where only a handful of individuals are allowed to participate.
Creating a mental shift is important. Self-limiting thoughts that prevent us from adopting healthy behaviors have to be acknowledged and addressed. When I am at the gym enjoying my own workouts, I often look to my left and right, and mentally address the people I see. I think "good job", and "you belong here". I can sense the uneasiness in people using equipment for the first time, and the anxiety in others that are hyper-sensitive, fearing everyone else in the gym is casting judgement upon them. Little do they know that I am rooting them on and hoping that they face their fears, work through them, and continue onward.
If you are struggling to belong to a healthy lifestyle, you gotta fake it until you make it. This means to "act as if", and to visualize that you are already there. If you keep trying, showing up and committing yourself, eventually the faking gives way to reality. This is the case for those that want to lose a couple of pounds, many more, or those that just want to shape up. Building time in a healthy lifestyle is a process that has to begin somewhere. Through every effort and step in the right direction, new habits eventually develop and they can become the new norm. This is what psychologists call the mere exposure effect- which means we tend to like things and objects that we are frequently exposed to. Keep exposing yourself to exercise and you might find yourself eventually enjoying it. Imagine the possibilities!
Creating a mental shift is important. Self-limiting thoughts that prevent us from adopting healthy behaviors have to be acknowledged and addressed. When I am at the gym enjoying my own workouts, I often look to my left and right, and mentally address the people I see. I think "good job", and "you belong here". I can sense the uneasiness in people using equipment for the first time, and the anxiety in others that are hyper-sensitive, fearing everyone else in the gym is casting judgement upon them. Little do they know that I am rooting them on and hoping that they face their fears, work through them, and continue onward.
If you are struggling to belong to a healthy lifestyle, you gotta fake it until you make it. This means to "act as if", and to visualize that you are already there. If you keep trying, showing up and committing yourself, eventually the faking gives way to reality. This is the case for those that want to lose a couple of pounds, many more, or those that just want to shape up. Building time in a healthy lifestyle is a process that has to begin somewhere. Through every effort and step in the right direction, new habits eventually develop and they can become the new norm. This is what psychologists call the mere exposure effect- which means we tend to like things and objects that we are frequently exposed to. Keep exposing yourself to exercise and you might find yourself eventually enjoying it. Imagine the possibilities!
Sunday, April 8, 2012
New Knees Please
A startling statistic came to me via email a couple weeks back. Did you know that 1 out of every 50 people now has an artificial knee? It is hard to imagine, but with my recent exposure to the senior population, I think it is safe to say that the numbers might be 1 out of every 25 for those 75 years and up.
When treatments to manage knee pain fail to be effective, knee replacement surgery is often pursued. Typically, knee replacement falls into two different categories. There is total knee replacement, and partial knee replacement.
Most knee replacement patients undergo physical therapy for six to twelve weeks, with goals of increasing range of motion, strength and balance to resume regular activities of daily living. Some may be eligible for clearance to restorative/progressive fitness activities as early as six to eight weeks post-surgery. It is not unusual for there to be general tightness surrounding the knee, for the patient to experience unusual sensations surrounding the surgery site, and to have balance issues (temporarily) due to restricted movement. These issues do resolve themselves with more healing and once more normal patterns of activity resume.
When treatments to manage knee pain fail to be effective, knee replacement surgery is often pursued. Typically, knee replacement falls into two different categories. There is total knee replacement, and partial knee replacement.
- Total knee replacement consists of three components: a femoral component, the tibial component, and the patellar component. Total knee replacement is often good for individuals suffering from arthritis, or for younger, more active individuals.
- Partial knee replacement is pursued when only one of the three components are in need of replacement. If more problems exist, then partial knee replacement is not recommended.
Most knee replacement patients undergo physical therapy for six to twelve weeks, with goals of increasing range of motion, strength and balance to resume regular activities of daily living. Some may be eligible for clearance to restorative/progressive fitness activities as early as six to eight weeks post-surgery. It is not unusual for there to be general tightness surrounding the knee, for the patient to experience unusual sensations surrounding the surgery site, and to have balance issues (temporarily) due to restricted movement. These issues do resolve themselves with more healing and once more normal patterns of activity resume.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Fitness is Not an Age
I have been working part time at the Dorothy Visser Senior Center Fitness Center in San Clemente for the past four months. Anyone aged 50 and up can join, and I am proud to say that two of our members are very close to turning 90.
I adore the senior population, and am so grateful to have this opportunity to work with them in the arena I am so passionate about. Even better, I get to witness their fitness progression. It means a lot to them, and it might mean even more to me. I know fitness is not an age, and that improvement in strength, flexibility, endurance and balance will occur for everyone putting forth consistent effort in an exercise program. When I see them stand up straighter, maintain better balance and walk with ease of motion, I am soulfully rewarded.
My seniors impart their wisdom and life experience on me daily, and when I have opportunity to help them, it is my small way of giving back. Their generation did not have the wealth of knowledge and resources that we have today with health education, medical advances and prescription medications. If they knew then what they know now, many would have opted earlier for healthier lifestyles. Though many seniors have multiple health challenges, they all can be better managed with exercise intervention. It is never too late to start an exercise program, and for those willing- await tremendous rewards.
I adore the senior population, and am so grateful to have this opportunity to work with them in the arena I am so passionate about. Even better, I get to witness their fitness progression. It means a lot to them, and it might mean even more to me. I know fitness is not an age, and that improvement in strength, flexibility, endurance and balance will occur for everyone putting forth consistent effort in an exercise program. When I see them stand up straighter, maintain better balance and walk with ease of motion, I am soulfully rewarded.
My seniors impart their wisdom and life experience on me daily, and when I have opportunity to help them, it is my small way of giving back. Their generation did not have the wealth of knowledge and resources that we have today with health education, medical advances and prescription medications. If they knew then what they know now, many would have opted earlier for healthier lifestyles. Though many seniors have multiple health challenges, they all can be better managed with exercise intervention. It is never too late to start an exercise program, and for those willing- await tremendous rewards.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Happiness is Not a Weight
More and more people are pursuing gastric bypass as a last attempt at weight loss. Many complications can arise from the surgery, but I do not want to get into the particulars of that in this post. I am not against gastric bypass, I only want to discuss a certain angle within its context. Working with gastric bypass clients has reaffirmed for me what I already know...that happiness is an inside job.
People I meet and get to know wake me up to the challenges they face, challenges very different from my own. I have never struggled with my weight, attempted a diet or felt like I even needed to "lose a couple of pounds". Therefore, I have never created a fantasy world around "being the perfect weight" or established a pattern of "I'll be happy when I ...(fill in the blank)". I think it is easy to romanticize weight loss when you are always chasing it and it remains elusive.
All of the desire, hard work and efforts surrounding attempts at weight loss create a heavy attachment to the desired end result. The end result for many, is a magical weight that also provides the key to personal happiness. I had to gently explain to one of my clients the other day that happiness is not a weight, and it never will be. Individuals that weigh 132 lbs, and those that weigh 270 lbs are both struggling to be happy. Happiness must be self-generated, and the sooner we realize this, the better off we will be. Feeling good about ourselves is truly the key to happiness, and this has more to do with the type of person we choose to be and how we choose to live life, versus how we appear to others.
We are all a work in progress, and we must take responsibility for our own happiness and learn to self-generate it in the NOW vs. in the future. One of my favorite expressions is "Wherever you go, there you are". So, if one doesn't bring a healthy mindset to a certain set of circumstances, there will no escaping the same end result elsewhere in time.
People I meet and get to know wake me up to the challenges they face, challenges very different from my own. I have never struggled with my weight, attempted a diet or felt like I even needed to "lose a couple of pounds". Therefore, I have never created a fantasy world around "being the perfect weight" or established a pattern of "I'll be happy when I ...(fill in the blank)". I think it is easy to romanticize weight loss when you are always chasing it and it remains elusive.
All of the desire, hard work and efforts surrounding attempts at weight loss create a heavy attachment to the desired end result. The end result for many, is a magical weight that also provides the key to personal happiness. I had to gently explain to one of my clients the other day that happiness is not a weight, and it never will be. Individuals that weigh 132 lbs, and those that weigh 270 lbs are both struggling to be happy. Happiness must be self-generated, and the sooner we realize this, the better off we will be. Feeling good about ourselves is truly the key to happiness, and this has more to do with the type of person we choose to be and how we choose to live life, versus how we appear to others.
We are all a work in progress, and we must take responsibility for our own happiness and learn to self-generate it in the NOW vs. in the future. One of my favorite expressions is "Wherever you go, there you are". So, if one doesn't bring a healthy mindset to a certain set of circumstances, there will no escaping the same end result elsewhere in time.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Ode To My Customers
It dawned on me today just how much I love what I do professionally. Typically, I gloss over things and am not very grateful because I am future focused and often worried about something else. In any case, today I was writing and explaining to a high school group what I do professionally. This was to provide insight into different vocations, the positives and negatives and how a day in my trade typically goes. With every sentence I wrote, I became increasingly aware that I really do love my job.
I have had many jobs over the years. Money at times was great, but I typically hated what I did, the sacrifices I made while I was doing it, and always resented the office bullshit and co-workers' petty, personality problems. Those days, thankfully, are now a distant memory. Five years ago when I started my business, I had no idea what lie ahead in the future. Five years later, I know. Today, I find my job so rewarding and to be truly important work. My work now, is profoundly meaningful. I get to help people embrace their health and improve the quality of their lives. I am not contributing to a company's bottom line, I am contributing to LIVES.
I always knew I was a "self-starter" as loosely as that term gets thrown around in job interviews and offices, but I've proven it by going into business for myself. I have put some long hours in over the past five years, but I have gotten more out of these past five years than the entire rest of my life. Knowing people intimately, understanding what their challenges are, understanding what makes them tick and how to get them where they want to go is a daily experience for me. I have learned so much from talking & listening to clients, their stories and different life experiences, that it rivals lifetimes of higher education from anywhere.
My profession allows me to intersect different races, cultures, ages and religions. People I would normally never have opportunity to interact with cross my path every month. I have forged incredible relationships with people that will remain in tact for the rest of my life. I had no clue that I would receive so much in the health and fitness industry. Starting my business was a huge risk, and interestingly, I did not enter into it with so much of a strong interest to do it, it was more of a "I can't do the other stuff" anymore.
Over time, I have built an "extended family" that have woven their way deep into my heart. When they win, I win, when they overcome obstacles, I overcome obstacles. I feel like I get to walk in a different pair of shoes with every new trail blazed. Tonight, when I go to bed, I might even give myself a small pat on the back (never do) and remind myself that by affecting change in people's lives is the ultimate paycheck.
I have had many jobs over the years. Money at times was great, but I typically hated what I did, the sacrifices I made while I was doing it, and always resented the office bullshit and co-workers' petty, personality problems. Those days, thankfully, are now a distant memory. Five years ago when I started my business, I had no idea what lie ahead in the future. Five years later, I know. Today, I find my job so rewarding and to be truly important work. My work now, is profoundly meaningful. I get to help people embrace their health and improve the quality of their lives. I am not contributing to a company's bottom line, I am contributing to LIVES.
I always knew I was a "self-starter" as loosely as that term gets thrown around in job interviews and offices, but I've proven it by going into business for myself. I have put some long hours in over the past five years, but I have gotten more out of these past five years than the entire rest of my life. Knowing people intimately, understanding what their challenges are, understanding what makes them tick and how to get them where they want to go is a daily experience for me. I have learned so much from talking & listening to clients, their stories and different life experiences, that it rivals lifetimes of higher education from anywhere.
My profession allows me to intersect different races, cultures, ages and religions. People I would normally never have opportunity to interact with cross my path every month. I have forged incredible relationships with people that will remain in tact for the rest of my life. I had no clue that I would receive so much in the health and fitness industry. Starting my business was a huge risk, and interestingly, I did not enter into it with so much of a strong interest to do it, it was more of a "I can't do the other stuff" anymore.
Over time, I have built an "extended family" that have woven their way deep into my heart. When they win, I win, when they overcome obstacles, I overcome obstacles. I feel like I get to walk in a different pair of shoes with every new trail blazed. Tonight, when I go to bed, I might even give myself a small pat on the back (never do) and remind myself that by affecting change in people's lives is the ultimate paycheck.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Arthritis and Exercise
Two basic types of arthritis exist. One is osteoarthritis which results from a degeneration of synovial fluid (a joint lubricant), typically progressing into a loss of articular cartilage (cartilage that allows ends of bones to glide without friction). The other is rheumatoid arthritis , a chronic autoimmune disease that results in inflammation of the synovium and leads to long term joint damage, pain and loss of function. Rheumatoid arthritis (R.A.) is progressive and progresses through three distinct phases I will not elaborate on in this blog posting.
Good news exists for arthritis sufferers, and that is whether you suffer from R.A. or osteoarthritis, exercise will help manage symptoms and slow down the breakdown of joint integrity, which, further assists in slowing down the decline of functional capacity. Maintaining functional capacity is important, as without it, we become more sedentary in lifestyle. As we are aware, sedentary lifestyles lead to weight gain and other health problems.
If you, or someone you know is an arthritis sufferer, please encourage them to discuss with their physician what they can and cannot do to better manage their symptoms outside of pharmacotherapy. Exercise prescriptions will follow a certain protocol where safety is paramount, and a slow progression of difficulty will be implemented over time, with every necessary precaution taken along the way to prevent unnecessary degradation within ailing joints. "Easing symptoms" is a typical goal of an exercise program for arthritis and one of the best approaches to minimize pain and preserve joint range of motion and strength.
Good news exists for arthritis sufferers, and that is whether you suffer from R.A. or osteoarthritis, exercise will help manage symptoms and slow down the breakdown of joint integrity, which, further assists in slowing down the decline of functional capacity. Maintaining functional capacity is important, as without it, we become more sedentary in lifestyle. As we are aware, sedentary lifestyles lead to weight gain and other health problems.
If you, or someone you know is an arthritis sufferer, please encourage them to discuss with their physician what they can and cannot do to better manage their symptoms outside of pharmacotherapy. Exercise prescriptions will follow a certain protocol where safety is paramount, and a slow progression of difficulty will be implemented over time, with every necessary precaution taken along the way to prevent unnecessary degradation within ailing joints. "Easing symptoms" is a typical goal of an exercise program for arthritis and one of the best approaches to minimize pain and preserve joint range of motion and strength.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Water and Weight Loss
Sometimes we fill up on food when we should be filling up on water. We do confuse thirst for hunger, so it is important that we stay hydrated. Current recommendations for the average individual are to try and get 64 oz. of water consumed every day. This amount should be increased with exercise.
I stumbled across some information in one of my fitness publications the other day that discussed the role of water in weight loss and the results of a recent study. The study followed a large group of adults divided into two groups. One group drank 2 cups of water prior to meals, while the other did not. All of the test subjects were following a low-calorie diet for the course of the study. Over 12 weeks, the water drinkers lost about 15.5 pounds whereas the non water-drinkers lost about 11 pounds. That is a substantial difference that cannot be ignored.
If you think about it, it makes perfectly good sense to try and fill up on zero calories instead filling up on snack and meal calories over the course of each day. If you are a "grazer", or someone aiming to eat five, small meals per day, think of the amount of calories that could possibly be eliminated from consumption over the course of a week if you are doing some filling up on water. If you are attempting weight loss, and do not have proper water intake included in your bag of tricks, do not delay in implementing this as part of your daily regimen.
If the achievement of more weight loss wasn't enough for you, keep in mind that proper hydration helps us with mental focus, prevents small, nagging headaches, eliminates bloat and keeps our skin looking radiant. With the unknown correlation between artificial sweeteners and weight gain, it makes good sense to steer towards water whenever possible and away from diet sodas and other flavored beverages. Why consume extra sodium, food coloring, carbonation and other unknown additives unnecessarily? We know our bodies are largely comprised of water, so hydrate and take your weight loss efforts to the next level.
I stumbled across some information in one of my fitness publications the other day that discussed the role of water in weight loss and the results of a recent study. The study followed a large group of adults divided into two groups. One group drank 2 cups of water prior to meals, while the other did not. All of the test subjects were following a low-calorie diet for the course of the study. Over 12 weeks, the water drinkers lost about 15.5 pounds whereas the non water-drinkers lost about 11 pounds. That is a substantial difference that cannot be ignored.
If you think about it, it makes perfectly good sense to try and fill up on zero calories instead filling up on snack and meal calories over the course of each day. If you are a "grazer", or someone aiming to eat five, small meals per day, think of the amount of calories that could possibly be eliminated from consumption over the course of a week if you are doing some filling up on water. If you are attempting weight loss, and do not have proper water intake included in your bag of tricks, do not delay in implementing this as part of your daily regimen.
If the achievement of more weight loss wasn't enough for you, keep in mind that proper hydration helps us with mental focus, prevents small, nagging headaches, eliminates bloat and keeps our skin looking radiant. With the unknown correlation between artificial sweeteners and weight gain, it makes good sense to steer towards water whenever possible and away from diet sodas and other flavored beverages. Why consume extra sodium, food coloring, carbonation and other unknown additives unnecessarily? We know our bodies are largely comprised of water, so hydrate and take your weight loss efforts to the next level.
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