Fitness

Posted by Chris Christian

I just read an interesting article based on a study of physical activity and senior citizens. Here’s what was ascertained - aerobic exercise gives older adults a boost in brainpower, according to a recent review of studies from the Netherlands. “Aerobic physical exercises that improve cardiovascular fitness also help boost cognitive processing speed, motor function and visual and auditory attention in healthy older people,”said lead review author Maaike Angevaren.

There were a lot of statistics and data cited in the article but the bottom line was, according to these studies, exercise enhances brain function. It is believed that around age 50, even healthy older adults begin to experience mild declines in cognition. These results were compared to the cognitive function of sedimentary adults who after participating in the study showed cognitive improvement.

I believe and have for sometime that the human body is designed to move and as our physical activity levels diminish so too do our bodies. Be it cognitive abilities or functional abilities sedimentariness breads decline.

Based on the finding of this particular study (and many more) don’t you think any activity that stimulates the body to utilize more energy and oxygen would have a positive effect of the brain and the overall status of ones health, I do! Doesn’t it make sense that allowing the body to do what it was designed to do will help keep it functioning at respectable level? I do!

You do not have to wait until your body is so de-conditioned that your doctor tells you to get off of you buns if you want to see your grandchildren grow up. Just as a car will deteriorate if it sits for years so to will your body, start moving today!

Posted by Chris Christian

This blog is for Bill and the millions of Bills out there. You see Bill, a friend of mine, claims he is sooo busy, there’s no time to workout; none, never, nada, zilch, zero, negative, you get the picture, right? We’ll call this stance “The Bill Syndrome”, or B.S. for short. People suffering from B.S. claim they are slaves to their work and that the business won’t run without them. This may be true, but in my opinion, that is even more reason to implement a workout regimen. After all, this kind of schedule could definitely serve up some real stress and we know what stress does to the mind and body.

Now there are two points I’d like to emphasize here regarding B.S. and the philosophy generally adopted toward working out and exercise by these people.

First of all, if B.S. sufferers really are concerned with the survival of their companies, jobs, careers or general livelihoods, you would think they would run straight to the gym or at least run 30 minutes per day. The exercise they try so hard to avoid (I know, Bill didn’t say he was intentionally avoiding exercise, but he is) is just the thing they need to help release stress, reduce the risk of numerous diseases and improve the overall quality of life.

Secondly, the companies, jobs or careers that they place so much emphasis on may succumb if they should happen to take ill for any length of time. The irony here is that, from my experience as a personal trainer, it’s usually work that keeps B.S. sufferers from exercising.

There’s another piece of irony operating here, isn’t it interesting how B.S. is B.S. no matter what you call it!

Posted by Chris Christian

Recently I read an article on TCM and osteoporosis. For those of you who don’t know TCM stands for Traditional Chinese Medicine. TCM addresses energy balance within the body and how particular imbalances or disturbances can affect us on a physical level. TCM is a few thousand years old and is a holistic approach to diagnosis and treatment of the imbalances.

According to TCM, osteoporosis is a condition associated with the kidneys and blood flow. It is said that as one ages kidney function weakens affecting the density of the bones. Blood flow also diminishes with ages and TMC believes that strengthening kidney function and overall blood flow within the body can help retard or delay the advancement osteoporosis.

TCM uses herbs and physical exercise to achieve this. Traditionally it is believed that physical exercises such as weight lifting not only help strengthen bones and increase bone density but produce positive results when treating other ailments as well.

I believe it is important to incorporate various approaches to health and healing. For example the typical TCM therapies include acupuncture, herbal medicine, and qigong exercises. It is important to note that regardless of which form of holistic healing you explore, you will find that physical activity is always a component of the treatment. Understanding and implementing this principle can help to prevent or overcome some of the physical challenges that are sure to befall the sedimentary.

Posted by Chris Christian

I just read an interesting article regarding fitness testing policies for police officers here in my city. Currently there are no required testing programs, so there are no specific weight or specific fitness level requirements. I believe it’s a good idea to require policemen to maintain a certain fitness level, after all, theirs is physical job that requires physical prowess.

I would liken a police officer's job to that of a professional athlete from a conditioning standpoint, (don’t get me wrong, being a police officer is a serious occupation) in order to perform the job at a high level one must be conditioned to a high level.

It is unfortunate that we would need to require our police officers to stay in shape, but if we are to require police officers to pass a fitness exam, shouldn’t we require all employees to pass fitness exams? Yeah, I know it is indeed our prerogative to get as fat and unhealthy as we choose, but do we really want to spend our lives fighting weight issues and the conditions associated with being overweight?

It may be that the only way some of us will ever begin a fitness regime is if it’s required by our employer. I for one would be in favor of required fitness programs simply because, in the end, if implemented properly one would gain better health and a better quality of life!

Posted by Chris Christian

A resent study concerning children, television/computers and obesity seems to indicate there’s a strong correlation between television/computers and childhood obesity. Researcher Tracie A. Barnett, of Sainte-Justine Children's Hospital Research Center in Montreal, and her colleagues surveyed 1,293 seventh-grade students from 10 Montreal high schools in 1999 and followed many of them for five years.



Half the boys and ¼ of the girls spent more than 42 hours per week in front of a television/computer. The study also found that girls who lived in poorer neighborhoods were 5 times more like to spend time in front of a television/computers than were girls who lived in more affluent neighborhoods. This posed a problem for parents who had to decide whether was safer to allow their children to spend time in front of a television/computer or let them go outside where it could be dangerous.



Seems parents aren’t aware of the mounting research that’s indicates the correlation between too much television and obesity, smoking, alcohol use, violent and aggressive behavior, tolerance of aggression against women, and poor school performance. These are real dangers that I believe, require parents to come up with creative alternatives to sitting in front of a television/computer. There are suggested guidelines for how much time a child should spend in front of a television/computer.



We as parents must challenge our children to become active. If each parent takes a vested interest in their children we can influence the present upward trend of the obesity epidemic that is stealing the future of our children.

Posted by Chris Christian

When deciding what to eat each day, I think it is important to remember the old adage “you are what you eat”. Understanding this simple phase can help you make healthier choices when preparing, ordering or shopping for meals. It is said that the more information one has the better decisions he can make.

I believe we now have a pretty good grasp on the basic principles of healthy eating; they are constantly repeated over and over on the news, in news papers and magazine and of course on the internet in wonderful articles like this one. I think the problem is we don’t understand that the body is making new cells all the time from, guess what, the foods we eat. So if you eat cheeseburgers and fries all the time chances are you will soon begin to resemble a cheeseburger and fries!

Just kidding, but your body does require an array of nutrients to maintain health and the best way to get these nutrients is by eating an array of healthy foods. I’m not suggesting that you shouldn’t eat your favorite comfort foods, this should of course be done in moderation, food should not be used for emotional purposes, this can present some challenges (this is a subject for another article). Our body can only build and repair itself from the foods we eat or have eaten and if these foods don’t supply the necessary nutrients for this purpose, the body will extract nutrients from itself, which can cause deficiencies.

Choose your foods wisely, for you truly are what you eat!

Posted by Chris Christian

I was recently sent the book, “The Eat-Clean Diet Workout” by Tosca Reno, to review and give my assessment. Well I constantly implore you to get moving and of course I offer particle advice on the steps necessary to implement and sustain such a lifestyle. Have spent many hours researching various aspects of fitness with the intent of bringing you current news and advice centered around physical activity and how one can enhance themselves, I read the book.



There are numerous components to consider when implementing positive lifestyle changes and I believe one can use all the help one can get. I will continue to disseminate information as it become available. That brings me to the book “The Eat-Clean Diet Workout” which some women my find useful as a road map along their fitness journey. The book is inspirational, educational and practical. There are plenty of positive messages within the pages of Tosca’s book and her personal story may move others to begin the journey.



The book covers a board range of topics and the title of the book infers there is dietary advice as well. This particular subject is not covered enough to warrant the title ‘clean diet’. The workouts are designed to be performed with weights, either at home or in a gym, so you will need your own equipment or a membership.



Overall the book offers good advice on the mental, spiritual and physical components of working out. I believe when one begins conditioning, all dimensions of the self must be considered. Tosca does this and then breaks the workouts down into digestible segments. This is a book you may want to consider if you need guidance. Remember check with your doctor before beginning any fitness routine.

Posted by Chris Christian

Yesterday while at the gym doing my thing (working out), I ran into an old gym acquaintance, Howard. I mentioned to Howard that I had just finished having my fun and asked if he was about to do the same. His reply was disheartening and too common. He stated that working out is something people do because they have to, not because they wanted to. Fun, he said was hanging out at the bar with a few friends having a beer and some pizza. Now don't get me wrong that too can be fun, but that's not the point.

Howard tried to convince me that I was mistaken and if I looked at people's faces as they worked out, I would see they are definitely not having fun. After about 5 minutes of him trying to convince me that I wasn't having fun and me, defending my stance, he finally conceded, but concluded that I was nuts.

Now I ask, is there anyone else beside myself (and I know there is) that truly does enjoy a good workout? Working out is about mindset. How do you approach your workout, do you dread it or do you look forward to it? Understanding all the benefit you gain is reason enough, but learning to enjoy your workout can make all the difference in the world when you're actually doing it. Enough for now, but I will get back to this in the next entry, so make sure to check back. I'll talk more about mindset. Until then I'd like to leave you with a quote from James Allen's As A Man Thinketh, "Only by searching and mining are gold and diamonds obtained".

Posted by Chris Christian

A few weeks ago while working out; I workout at least 5 times per week (hint), I observed 2 young men moving rather timidly around the gym equipment. I could tell they were a little apprehensive and unsure about where to begin, so as they got closer I asked them what their goals were.

They explained that they were high school baseball players beginning their training for the up-coming season. I introduced myself and asked their names. They were Brain and Raul and both said they were pitchers. Well being the concerned, kind, attentive, loving, sharing, intelligent, professional that I am, I offered to construct a training program for them.

I explained the training continuum (pre-season, season, post season ) for sport specific conditioning and that there is a different training protocol for each. I could tell Brain and Raul were serious about their sport and the conditioning necessary to excel; I have seen them in the gym with regularity working out pensively. I have to say, I’m proud of the determination and commitment Brain and Raul have displayed.

There are two reasons I am telling the story of Brain and Raul:

1) Young people need to be physical activity regularly to promote happy, healthy lives.

2) If unsure about program design or techniques when implementing a fitness regime, seek assistance.

After all, you wouldn’t diagnosis your own medical condition, restore your own electricity or change the transmission in your car would you? Professionals help you maximize your time, money and in the case of exercise, your efforts as well, so if you are not sure ask.

Posted by Chris Christian

The question that continues to reverberate in the minds of millions of people each day is, “how can I lose weight quickly?” First off, let me say there is no quick way to lose weight; there are proven formulas you can apply (to yourself) but they will require you to do some work. If you can channel this work into healthy habits you are well on your way to a successful weight loss program.

In my line of work (personal trainer and fitness instructor), that question is posed to me most days. I always give the same answer because there is really only one formula that applies. Now of course there are and will always be extenuating circumstances but generally speaking the formula works for the majority who are willing to utilize it.

What saddens me most is the amount of time and money wasted on the hypothesis, one can use magic pills, magic creams or magic diets (basically use magic) to achieve their weight loss goals. If you fall in this category you are not alone and you also realize by now you could have accomplished your goals a long time ago. Don’t let that deter you; there is still time to embark upon the journey to weight loss and fitness. Each day brings with it the freshness of a new start and thus new opportunity.

Consider the possibility that a journey toward fitness and a healthy lifestyle can very exciting, read my article “Proven Weight Loss Formula” and then go for it!