Good form equals results, and results equal motivation. This is a simple formula for fitness success. Acquiring good form may take time, but it is the only route to safe, optimal results. For years I have had opportunity to teach in group exercise rooms with mirrors, and also in outdoor environments and rooms without them. I have come to believe that it is extremely important for exercisers to understand what proper form feels like. I believe the feeling is more important than visual cues as this creates more of a lasting mind/body connection for the exerciser. If one can feel proper form with exercise, than one can perform exercise properly just about anywhere.
Many exercisers, despite thinking they are doing exercises correctly, use improper form even while staring directly into mirrors. They seem to tune-out what the fitness instructor's verbal instructions are. If they were actively listening, they would easily spot the disconnect between their form and the instructor's verbal cues. Exercise participants learn differently, so to enhance your own exercise experience, improve body awareness, intelligence and integration, then try using as many senses as possible. Put special emphasis on listening and paying close attention. Avoid complacency and remember that you can almost always learn something new.
How little we listen was driven home to me the other day when a new class participant of mine did not listen to my early advice to "pace yourself", "listen to your body" or observe beginning level exercise modifications. I wasn't surprised when she started to feel sick mid-class. Even certain long-time class participants of mine sometimes "flirt" with improper form despite many hours of exercise experience behind them. Even if taking the same class for twenty years, strive for 100% concentration and effort. Pay close attention to your instructor and look, listen and feel your way through every exercise. Your instructor wants you to get a good workout, but also to keep you safe and injury free. Remember that you are all about optimal results, so speed along to excellent results via proper form and technique.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Saddleback Church now "Saddlebags" Church
Well, it's official, I have lived long enough to "see it all" in this business. Rick Warren, famous pastor of Saddleback Church, has kicked off a weight loss initiative. Apparently, because he wants to lose weight, it is also a great time for loyal followers to follow the same path.
As a fitness professional, I have a real problem with this. On the whole, people are more comfortable following than leading. Therefore, thousands are extremely willing to follow the efforts of one's initiative. The problem here is that one huge consideration is not being addressed: One man's initiative does not mean that thousands of followers are individually ready to begin a weight loss program. Why? Because what determines behavior can be predicted by one's true readiness to attempt change.
A little scientific model exists called the transtheoretical model or TTM, and it is a model created around readiness for change. The model can be defined as follows:
-Precontemplation: Not contemplating or thinking about changing
-Contemplation: Weighing up pros & cons
-Preparation: Getting ready to make changes
-Action: Practicing new behaviors
-Maintenance: Making new behaviors habitual
The truth is that wanting to begin a fitness program does not translate to true readiness. I would say this is the case for the majority attempting this church led effort. Instead, for the majority to be successful, they would have to be in the "Action" phase. Who at Saddleback is talking about this?
When I started my fitness business five years ago, obesity was already an epidemic. It is not a new epidemic and we do not have to get aggressive about solving the epidemic because it is the beginning of the year. I am downright resentful and angry that I now have to dissect, explore & intervene on what boils down to one more weight loss program floating around the world in which I operate. My opinion as a professional is that there is TOO MUCH information abroad, and many "experts" push different priorities, products and efforts. Everything you could ever currently want to know about health & fitness, and what one should be doing already exists and is accessible via the local library or Internet. Still, despite earnest intentions of helping the general public attain healthier lifestyles, this effort will be largely unsuccessful.
Our society suffers from "fitness A.D.D." and that means that the general public will attempt almost anything for a couple of weeks. They might even pick & choose what aspects they want to implement. I don't care if it is "cleansing", the HCG, Atkins, or South Beach Diet. More often then not, people will give real power and common sense away to participate in the next bandwagon promising real change. I have grown weary of seeing people hit the "reset" button and abandon one plan they committed to in order to make room for something else.
I will be here when the dust settles on this "God based" weight loss program to work with individuals that have reached a true stage of readiness to change, and to heal the scars of more failed weight loss attempts.
As a fitness professional, I have a real problem with this. On the whole, people are more comfortable following than leading. Therefore, thousands are extremely willing to follow the efforts of one's initiative. The problem here is that one huge consideration is not being addressed: One man's initiative does not mean that thousands of followers are individually ready to begin a weight loss program. Why? Because what determines behavior can be predicted by one's true readiness to attempt change.
A little scientific model exists called the transtheoretical model or TTM, and it is a model created around readiness for change. The model can be defined as follows:
-Precontemplation: Not contemplating or thinking about changing
-Contemplation: Weighing up pros & cons
-Preparation: Getting ready to make changes
-Action: Practicing new behaviors
-Maintenance: Making new behaviors habitual
The truth is that wanting to begin a fitness program does not translate to true readiness. I would say this is the case for the majority attempting this church led effort. Instead, for the majority to be successful, they would have to be in the "Action" phase. Who at Saddleback is talking about this?
When I started my fitness business five years ago, obesity was already an epidemic. It is not a new epidemic and we do not have to get aggressive about solving the epidemic because it is the beginning of the year. I am downright resentful and angry that I now have to dissect, explore & intervene on what boils down to one more weight loss program floating around the world in which I operate. My opinion as a professional is that there is TOO MUCH information abroad, and many "experts" push different priorities, products and efforts. Everything you could ever currently want to know about health & fitness, and what one should be doing already exists and is accessible via the local library or Internet. Still, despite earnest intentions of helping the general public attain healthier lifestyles, this effort will be largely unsuccessful.
Our society suffers from "fitness A.D.D." and that means that the general public will attempt almost anything for a couple of weeks. They might even pick & choose what aspects they want to implement. I don't care if it is "cleansing", the HCG, Atkins, or South Beach Diet. More often then not, people will give real power and common sense away to participate in the next bandwagon promising real change. I have grown weary of seeing people hit the "reset" button and abandon one plan they committed to in order to make room for something else.
I will be here when the dust settles on this "God based" weight loss program to work with individuals that have reached a true stage of readiness to change, and to heal the scars of more failed weight loss attempts.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Mindless Eating Leads to Weight Gain
Do you know what signals your body gives you when it is getting full? Have you contemplated this question even once before? If you haven't, you are not alone. Chances are you have become a "mindless" eater, and need to begin carving a path back to "mindful" eating.
Most of us living busy lives are no longer eating for nourishment. Nor are we in touch with the true enjoyment of food. We simply eat because it has to get done, and hopefully, in as little time as possible. So little time is spent honoring mealtimes that we often combine eating with other activities like watching TV or driving. Who can stop and enjoy food when there is so much to do?
Food is fuel for the body and it should be treated as such. We should be taking reasonable bites, chewing food thoroughly, and paying close attention to the different textures and tastes for complete enjoyment. In the process of eating in a mindful way lies an opportunity to recognize when we are getting full or feeling satisfied and opportunity to stop eating. When we are not mindful of our eating, we keep reaching into the bag of chips again and again, or reach for seconds or thirds until feeling ill and pushing away from the table. This is no way to live, and certainly no way to successfully manage one's weight.
If we all slowed down a bit, and made eating a stand-alone effort, we might find that we could get by on less. We might even recognize that our hunger patterns shift throughout the day and that is not necessary to plow through what we "think" we should be eating at every meal. Instead, we could be driven more by body intelligence, and what "feels" like the right amount. What "feels" like the right amount at breakfast today, might "feel" differently tomorrow. Hunger patterns can, and do change. I, myself, have been guilty of continuing to eat something I did not even find satisfying. Why would I do this? Perhaps in an effort to fill an emotional void, or to find some sort of comfort through food. Unfortunately, emotional voids can never be filled with food, and one can do a lot of damage in the process of trying to do so.
Experiment with one meal and try mindful eating to understand what it means. This would mean eating without including other activities, chewing food slowly and thoroughly, and putting the fork down between bites. Putting the fork down provides a chance to enjoy the flavors and textures of the food being consumed. Concentrate on the thought that your body is being nourished and fueled. See what signals your body sends in the way of satisfaction or fullness. Try not to bring your "to do" list or invite other distractions into your meal. Just focus on your food and the process of eating. Mindful eating requires practice, so be patient with your efforts. Establishing new, mindful eating practices will steer you down a new path of eating appropriate amounts, and eating for the right reasons.
Most of us living busy lives are no longer eating for nourishment. Nor are we in touch with the true enjoyment of food. We simply eat because it has to get done, and hopefully, in as little time as possible. So little time is spent honoring mealtimes that we often combine eating with other activities like watching TV or driving. Who can stop and enjoy food when there is so much to do?
Food is fuel for the body and it should be treated as such. We should be taking reasonable bites, chewing food thoroughly, and paying close attention to the different textures and tastes for complete enjoyment. In the process of eating in a mindful way lies an opportunity to recognize when we are getting full or feeling satisfied and opportunity to stop eating. When we are not mindful of our eating, we keep reaching into the bag of chips again and again, or reach for seconds or thirds until feeling ill and pushing away from the table. This is no way to live, and certainly no way to successfully manage one's weight.
If we all slowed down a bit, and made eating a stand-alone effort, we might find that we could get by on less. We might even recognize that our hunger patterns shift throughout the day and that is not necessary to plow through what we "think" we should be eating at every meal. Instead, we could be driven more by body intelligence, and what "feels" like the right amount. What "feels" like the right amount at breakfast today, might "feel" differently tomorrow. Hunger patterns can, and do change. I, myself, have been guilty of continuing to eat something I did not even find satisfying. Why would I do this? Perhaps in an effort to fill an emotional void, or to find some sort of comfort through food. Unfortunately, emotional voids can never be filled with food, and one can do a lot of damage in the process of trying to do so.
Experiment with one meal and try mindful eating to understand what it means. This would mean eating without including other activities, chewing food slowly and thoroughly, and putting the fork down between bites. Putting the fork down provides a chance to enjoy the flavors and textures of the food being consumed. Concentrate on the thought that your body is being nourished and fueled. See what signals your body sends in the way of satisfaction or fullness. Try not to bring your "to do" list or invite other distractions into your meal. Just focus on your food and the process of eating. Mindful eating requires practice, so be patient with your efforts. Establishing new, mindful eating practices will steer you down a new path of eating appropriate amounts, and eating for the right reasons.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Fitness Gimmicks: Buyer Beware
There are multiple fitness gimmicks launched and sold every year promising immediate weight loss, six-pack abs and profound results without having to do any work. Every product launched stands to make millions because the general public desperately wants to believe in quick-fix promises. Reflecting back, I can recall multiple products enjoying a successful sales cycle of about two years. This is just long enough to sell millions, and approximately how long it takes for real consumer feedback to disseminate and confirm the fact that these products do not make good on their promises.
Buyer beware, these miracle products tiptoe around false advertising with total precision. New gimmicks are brought to market often for the simple reason that people keep buying them. The infomercials are slick, and the fitness models in them are attractive and convincing. No one seems to pay much attention to the small disclaimer print on the bottom of the TV screen where things like "Results May Vary" or "Results Not Typical" are always stated. Take notice of what gimmicks are available for purchase today, two years from now they will be gone. New products will have taken their place, with even more remarkable claims.
If you can manage to not fall under the spell of slick advertising and beautiful models, you may realize the following basic truths:
Buyer beware, these miracle products tiptoe around false advertising with total precision. New gimmicks are brought to market often for the simple reason that people keep buying them. The infomercials are slick, and the fitness models in them are attractive and convincing. No one seems to pay much attention to the small disclaimer print on the bottom of the TV screen where things like "Results May Vary" or "Results Not Typical" are always stated. Take notice of what gimmicks are available for purchase today, two years from now they will be gone. New products will have taken their place, with even more remarkable claims.
If you can manage to not fall under the spell of slick advertising and beautiful models, you may realize the following basic truths:
- Exercise equipment does not force you to exercise, you must choose to use it.
- Nearly every person doing consistent abdominal work has six-pack abs. Six-pack muscle definition, however, cannot be seen if there is significant body fat covering the muscles.
- Yes, certain detox diets & cleanses provide weight loss, but it is NOT due to the product, it is due to the reduction of calories being consumed over the process of detox/cleanse. Results are temporary!
- Yes, weight loss can be achieved via unique exercise/dance type videos, but it is NOT due to the specific video/program format. Weight loss has much more to do with the fact that one is moving/exercising and burning calories than the fact that it involves a stripper pole, Latin dance rhythms, etc.
- If something sounds to good to be true, it probably is.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Ironman: Lessons Learned
I watched TV coverage of the the Ironman 2010 this past weekend. Many of the participating triathletes had incredible stories to tell, and tears streamed down my face as I watched many of them cross the finish line. One was a self-described junkie that survived an attempted suicide in prison. Another man in his seventies was there with his daughter as his supporting wing-man . Every year, this incredible triathlon brings together individuals from different parts of the world for different reasons. One common denominator, however, is that they all share a willingness to endure extreme physical punishment that includes a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike leg, and a 26-mile run to the finish line.
I fell in love with the people who had survived cancer, car accidents and previous race defeats. The stand-out part for me was the pure resiliency of the human spirit. We all possess a certain mental toughness we don't even know we have. Most of us, living comfortably, don't ever tap into it. Should you, however, ever want or need to move beyond status quo, know that this toughness exists. Once the body fully breaks down, the mind must take over, and the situation becomes mind over muscle. Survival depends on it. What does one do at the breaking point? Crumble and quit, or search deep within and tap into the survivalist? The bottom line is you have to want to do it. The reasons why and the particulars as to how are personal and individual.
Most of us are not in touch with our inner-selves. We tend to identify ourselves through our every day roles as wife, mother, employee, friend, volunteer, etc. Honestly, these roles are not who we are. The truth lies somewhere within the question "who were we born to be?" Unfortunately, most of us do not pursue that personal truth as we have become so complacent playing everyday roles. Ego can also hinder such pursuits, as ego will always try to attach itself to what is desired most by others.
Interestingly, many of the Ironman participants were operating far beyond ego. It didn't matter if they had to walk to the finish line, if they were disqualified due to finish time restrictions, or if they had to submit to quitting without finishing due to injury. Every racer was taking themselves as far as they could humanly go despite unknown outcomes. Beyond the pure discipline of training and achievement of incredible fitness for such an event, lies an incredible opportunity to more about one's self. Do you know what extraordinary efforts you are capable of? As the saying goes, without risk, there is no reward.
When we always play it safe, and when we don't seek out new challenges or strive for personal growth, we deny ourselves opportunity to better know who we are. We are capable of so much more than we realize. If we really understood this, wouldn't we all try to do more or work a little harder? Although we may be deeply attached to outcomes, outcomes do not define us. Instead, what we learn in the journey does.
I fell in love with the people who had survived cancer, car accidents and previous race defeats. The stand-out part for me was the pure resiliency of the human spirit. We all possess a certain mental toughness we don't even know we have. Most of us, living comfortably, don't ever tap into it. Should you, however, ever want or need to move beyond status quo, know that this toughness exists. Once the body fully breaks down, the mind must take over, and the situation becomes mind over muscle. Survival depends on it. What does one do at the breaking point? Crumble and quit, or search deep within and tap into the survivalist? The bottom line is you have to want to do it. The reasons why and the particulars as to how are personal and individual.
Most of us are not in touch with our inner-selves. We tend to identify ourselves through our every day roles as wife, mother, employee, friend, volunteer, etc. Honestly, these roles are not who we are. The truth lies somewhere within the question "who were we born to be?" Unfortunately, most of us do not pursue that personal truth as we have become so complacent playing everyday roles. Ego can also hinder such pursuits, as ego will always try to attach itself to what is desired most by others.
Interestingly, many of the Ironman participants were operating far beyond ego. It didn't matter if they had to walk to the finish line, if they were disqualified due to finish time restrictions, or if they had to submit to quitting without finishing due to injury. Every racer was taking themselves as far as they could humanly go despite unknown outcomes. Beyond the pure discipline of training and achievement of incredible fitness for such an event, lies an incredible opportunity to more about one's self. Do you know what extraordinary efforts you are capable of? As the saying goes, without risk, there is no reward.
When we always play it safe, and when we don't seek out new challenges or strive for personal growth, we deny ourselves opportunity to better know who we are. We are capable of so much more than we realize. If we really understood this, wouldn't we all try to do more or work a little harder? Although we may be deeply attached to outcomes, outcomes do not define us. Instead, what we learn in the journey does.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Emotional Association & Exercise
Over the past five years, I have worked with some serious exercise haters. Initially, across the board, the mental state of mind is the same. There is complaining, clock watching, eye-rolling and dread over whatever I would like them to do next in the way of exercise. Thankfully, there is a mental progression with this.
First, I see the instant gratification of someone completing their first workout. New clients often share with me how much they were dreading it, but how happy they felt upon completion. After a few weeks time, I see improved moods in my clients thanks to the positive stimulation of brain chemicals. I also hear about the improvement of sleep patterns. I am unsure if this is related to "feel good" chemicals being released into the body, or if it stems from stress reduction, where the mind can fall better into a relaxed state for sleep. Further down the road, I see clients progress to feeling great about their accomplishments, and being more energized. Often, they fit and feel better in their clothes and others in their social circle see the positive changes as well. This is where motivation kicks into high gear and exercise becomes a lot less like pulling teeth.
A point I cannot emphasize enough, is that for good things to happen, people must feel successful about their efforts along the way. If initially, I am too demanding, or introduce too much difficulty to quickly, I run the risk of alienating the participant. Every meeting I have with a client is an opportunity to learn about them, their psychological make-up and what potential barriers exist in the way of their success. I take my job rather seriously this way, and I ask a lot of loaded questions as part of my fact finding. The more I understand my client, then the better I can direct them towards success. Every person is a unique puzzle and although nearly all share the same desired outcomes, the emotional perceptions, aversions and challenges among them can vary greatly. There is no universal plan, or cookie-cutter approach to fitness.
I am always up front with my clients about the progression they are going to experience, and how I am going to walk them through it. I have seen eyes glaze over with my lectures during one-on-one sessions, but eventually once it is internalized and felt firsthand, they understand exactly what I had once been lecturing about. I share that the direction is always forward, and that they will always be a fitness work-in-progress, but to also reflect back to celebrate where they started and how far they've come. A common misconception is that it takes forever to get in good shape. The truth is it happens rather quickly with consistency. The journey is every bit as mental as it is physical.
First, I see the instant gratification of someone completing their first workout. New clients often share with me how much they were dreading it, but how happy they felt upon completion. After a few weeks time, I see improved moods in my clients thanks to the positive stimulation of brain chemicals. I also hear about the improvement of sleep patterns. I am unsure if this is related to "feel good" chemicals being released into the body, or if it stems from stress reduction, where the mind can fall better into a relaxed state for sleep. Further down the road, I see clients progress to feeling great about their accomplishments, and being more energized. Often, they fit and feel better in their clothes and others in their social circle see the positive changes as well. This is where motivation kicks into high gear and exercise becomes a lot less like pulling teeth.
A point I cannot emphasize enough, is that for good things to happen, people must feel successful about their efforts along the way. If initially, I am too demanding, or introduce too much difficulty to quickly, I run the risk of alienating the participant. Every meeting I have with a client is an opportunity to learn about them, their psychological make-up and what potential barriers exist in the way of their success. I take my job rather seriously this way, and I ask a lot of loaded questions as part of my fact finding. The more I understand my client, then the better I can direct them towards success. Every person is a unique puzzle and although nearly all share the same desired outcomes, the emotional perceptions, aversions and challenges among them can vary greatly. There is no universal plan, or cookie-cutter approach to fitness.
I am always up front with my clients about the progression they are going to experience, and how I am going to walk them through it. I have seen eyes glaze over with my lectures during one-on-one sessions, but eventually once it is internalized and felt firsthand, they understand exactly what I had once been lecturing about. I share that the direction is always forward, and that they will always be a fitness work-in-progress, but to also reflect back to celebrate where they started and how far they've come. A common misconception is that it takes forever to get in good shape. The truth is it happens rather quickly with consistency. The journey is every bit as mental as it is physical.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Why Aquatic Exercise?
Aquatic exercise opens up the exercise world to populations that otherwise might not be allowed to participate in exercise. I, personally, love my landlubber workouts. I, however, do not have any physical limitations dictating what type of exercise I can or can't perform. Thousands of others are not so fortunate.
Water exercise makes for a great workout, and at the same time, spares unnecessary stress on bones, joints and connective tissues. Overweight individuals that have carried around excessive weight gain for years, may suffer from degenerative joint issues. Others may be one more step beyond having undergone hip or knee replacement surgery.
The beauty of aquatic exercise is that water provides some resistance, but also some buoyancy. Load/resistance can be added gradually to mitigate risk of injury to the lower extremities. Buoyancy allows the exerciser to perform movements that defy gravity, and water, itself, provides a chance to increase the range-of-motion with many movements. There is aerobic benefit to aquatic workouts and a wide variety of exercises can be geared towards shallow or deep water. More exercise variety can be added via use of specialized equipment. Such equipment might include aquabells (dumbbells for water), webbed gloves, kick boards, etc.
As a professional participating in an aquatic workout, I notice the generalized resistance that water provides. There is less muscle specificity with this type of workout than traditional resistance training. I also notice a generalized, yet thorough fatigue once bearing my full body weight out of the water. There is a certain delay in perceiving muscle fatigue in the water thanks to the gravity defying environment. In other words, you do not realize your butt has been kicked until you journey out of the pool.
A well designed aquatic workout is thorough and will accomplish everything achievable in a typical gym environment. Aquatic fitness classes can benefit seniors, arthritis sufferers, rehabilitation patients, overweight populations or those just seriously deconditioned. I firmly believe that there is some type of exercise enjoyable for everyone, and this is a great avenue for any exercise-hater to pursue. Sadly, one can only fall in love with things through exposure to them and trying new things is often scary to creatures of habit. Continue to "spread your fitness wings" by trying new things. At minimum, help a newbie grow their fitness wings through consistent encouragement and by being a program of attraction for a healthy lifestyle.
Water exercise makes for a great workout, and at the same time, spares unnecessary stress on bones, joints and connective tissues. Overweight individuals that have carried around excessive weight gain for years, may suffer from degenerative joint issues. Others may be one more step beyond having undergone hip or knee replacement surgery.
The beauty of aquatic exercise is that water provides some resistance, but also some buoyancy. Load/resistance can be added gradually to mitigate risk of injury to the lower extremities. Buoyancy allows the exerciser to perform movements that defy gravity, and water, itself, provides a chance to increase the range-of-motion with many movements. There is aerobic benefit to aquatic workouts and a wide variety of exercises can be geared towards shallow or deep water. More exercise variety can be added via use of specialized equipment. Such equipment might include aquabells (dumbbells for water), webbed gloves, kick boards, etc.
As a professional participating in an aquatic workout, I notice the generalized resistance that water provides. There is less muscle specificity with this type of workout than traditional resistance training. I also notice a generalized, yet thorough fatigue once bearing my full body weight out of the water. There is a certain delay in perceiving muscle fatigue in the water thanks to the gravity defying environment. In other words, you do not realize your butt has been kicked until you journey out of the pool.
A well designed aquatic workout is thorough and will accomplish everything achievable in a typical gym environment. Aquatic fitness classes can benefit seniors, arthritis sufferers, rehabilitation patients, overweight populations or those just seriously deconditioned. I firmly believe that there is some type of exercise enjoyable for everyone, and this is a great avenue for any exercise-hater to pursue. Sadly, one can only fall in love with things through exposure to them and trying new things is often scary to creatures of habit. Continue to "spread your fitness wings" by trying new things. At minimum, help a newbie grow their fitness wings through consistent encouragement and by being a program of attraction for a healthy lifestyle.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)