We’ve all been taught that exercise is a great way to reduce stress and for most of us, it really works.  But what affect does all this exercise have on our productivity at work the next day?

A recent study in the October issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine looked at the relationship between exercise, workplace stress, and productivity.  The results were not what you might imagine.

The study looked at a sample of 2,823 workers in Minnesota who were surveyed on their levels of workplace stress and amount of exercise as well as their productivity on the job.  The researchers found a couple of interesting things including (quoting directly from the JOEM Press Release):

1. “In general, higher stress levels at work were linked to greater productivity loss.  Workers with a higher body mass index were less productive, regardless of other factors.”
2. “After adjusting for body mass index, there was a significant interaction between physical activity and stress level. For highly stressed workers, a high level of physical activity was linked to significant productivity loss. In contrast, for workers with relatively low stress levels, physical activity had less effect on productivity.”

What this study appears to show is that the recommendation that you “exercise your stress off” should only apply to low stress levels.  The study found that for overweight employees who exercised 7 hours per week, the ones that felt highly stressed at work suffered an estimated productivity loss of 11% while those that felt lightly stressed at work only suffered a productivity decline of 2%.  Apparently, trying to “exercise off” a high level of stress leaves you so tired the next day that your productivity suffers, which probably leads to more stress.

The study concluded that when stress levels are high, increased physical activity tends to decrease productivity.  If that’s so, then what’s the best way to cope with high stress levels?  The study suggests that “stress management is at least as economically relevant to promoting worker health and productivity, compared to more traditional lifestyle factors…”

OK, so what are the takeaways from this?  Here are some of the things I found valuable (NOTE:  these are totally my opinions – read the study for yourself and come to your own conclusions):

• Workers who are overweight (high BMI) seemed to be more susceptible to stress and productivity loss than workers who were not overweight.  The study did not specifically say this but to me, it seemed implied in a number of places.  The key takeaway from this observation is to lose the weight.  Reduce your BMI and you’ll be in much better shape to handle whatever your workplace dishes out.
• If you face high stress levels as work, you’re much better off learning effective stress management techniques, such as meditation, than you are trying to “work off” the stress with exercise.  Heading to the gym after a stressful day only leaves you tired – and the stress is still there.
• What works for me, even after a stressful day, is exercise that requires my complete attention.  For example, I head to karate class or practice kickboxing with a partner.  It’s hard to worry about how much stress I have when you’re in the ring with someone trying to rearrange your face.  You’re forced to focus on the activity, not on the stress.  As a result, the stress tends to melt away.  On the other hand, if you do an exercise routine that doesn’t require any thought or concentration (weights, stair-master, treadmill etc), then the stress is going to stay front and center.

Stress is a killer, and not just of productivity.  It’s effects on blood pressure and heart disease are pretty well documented.  However, stress is also a part of everyday life.  As a result, you need to learn how to deal with it in a way that reduces it’s effects and doesn’t create more of it.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: productivity, fitness, stress, exercise, balanced health, meditation, journal of occupation and environmental medicine, joem

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After working on it for 2 days straight, I think I’ve got just about everything back up and running.  Still, I’d appreciate it if you let me know if you find something that still doesn’t work or doesn’t look right.

“Why, didn’t you have a backup?” you innocently ask.  Well, OF COURSE I had backups.  All kinds of backups.  However, I quickly learned that MySQL apparently does some very funny things to the text files it writes as backups.

For example, it took me most of one day to figure out why my backups were failing to load.  Turns out to be a “feature” in the way the NULL field is written.  In the data table, a null (or empty) field is represented by a ” (2 single quotes).  However, when MySQL dumps the data into a backup, it replaces all of the ” instances with the word NULL. The FUN part comes in when you try to reload the data back in.  MySQL won’t accept the word NULL as an empty field since it’s expecting 2 single quotes (”).  Then why in the @$%%@! blazes does it change it when it writes the backup????!!!

And where did all the little ���� (question mark in a black diamond) come from?   They started showing up in between sentences on any type of text when I reloaded the posts back into the database.  What the %@%@ is THAT all about??

Believe me, I would have much rather been working up a sweat at the gym and trying to start the new year in a little better shape.  As it was, I didn’t get much exposure to the sun at all this past weekend!

I hope your New Year’s is shaping up to be much better!

Hiram

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So why go through all the effort?  Why put yourself through all the pain and agony?  Well, because exercise produces some “magic” effects.  Primarily:

Physical Strength and Conditioning

I shouldn’t even have to mention this one, right?  Of course, working your body develops your muscles, including your heart, so that they’re stronger and can work longer.  Your body becomes much more efficient at using oxygen and burning nutrients.

But the real benefit is more than just tighter abs – much more.  The more you exercise, the easier your everyday motions become and the more you can enjoy life.  Picking up your kids (or in my case, grandkids) becomes a joy instead of a literal pain in the lower back.  Being able to play chase without feeling like you’re having a heart attack is not only fun for your kids, it makes you feel like a kid as well.

Which brings me to the next “magic” benefit of exercise:

Mental Conditioning

Sure, the more I exercise, the better I feel physically.  But the better I feel physically, the better my mental outlook. gets as well  After a good workout, your brain is deluged with all the endorphins and extra blood flow generated by the physical activity.  It makes you think that anything’s possible – and you know what?  Anything IS possible!

Exercising on a regular basis also builds mental discipline and focus – two things that are basic “keys to success” in your work and career.  Working out in the morning (my favorite time) is the best way to start your day with a clear mind and sharp mental focus.  You’ll arrive at work ready to jump in and tackle the day’s workload while everybody else is still trying to shake out the cobwebs with large doses of Starbucks.  That kind of mental conditioning is sure to be noticed by the “higher ups.”

So Just Do It

Even the most basic exercise routine will quickly produce results, both physical as well as mental, that can only be described as life-changing.  Your entire outlook on life will change for the positive and your jeans will fit better too!  You can’t find a better deal.  So what does it cost?  Just 20-30 minutes of resistance and cardio training every other day or so.  That’s it.

There are all sorts of workout programs out there designed for the beginner to the advanced athlete.  The ALL work – but only if YOU work them.  So find one that you like and get started.  Don’t think about it, just do it.  The results you get will be simply magic!

Related posts:

1. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 1
2. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 6
3. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 5

I started this program last week and man, what a workout!  I thought I was in half-way decent shape but this program is a “killer!”  It’s Marine Bootcamp combined with Jr. High Gym Class.  This is the first training workout that I actually had to train for!  It’s that intense.

The 12 DVD’s cover workouts for:

• Chest & Back – geez, this one’s all push-ups and pull-ups with some weight training thrown in.
• Plyometrics – man, were my legs store after doing this one.  Not quite the same as martial art plyo’s but intense nonetheless.
• Shoulders & Arms – lots of training for your bi’s and tri’s.
• Yoga X – think yoga is for sissies?  Think again.  This routine will have you dripping with sweat and burning some serious calories.
• Legs and Back – as if the plyometric workout didn’t leave your legs sore enough.
• Kenpo X – a modified martial arts routine that incorporates moves from the Kenpo fighting style.  Sounds easy but this is a serious cardio workout.
• X Stretch – think this workout provides a breather?  Guess again.   You’ll be amazed at how much effort (and calories) you’ll expend holding some of these stretches.
• Core Synergistics – sounds like an ab routine but it’s much more.  This workout targets your entire core muscles.
• Chest, Shoulders & Back – great, more push-ups (kidding).  Get that V-shape by working the muscle groups of the upper body with this workout.
• Back & Biceps – straightforward weight routine with lots of curls.
• Cardio X – heart pounding, lung burning, non-stop cardio routine that will keep you reaching for the “Pause” button on your remote!
• Ab Ripper X – short 16 minute routine but man, it works nothing but the abs.  Although you can do this workout separately, it’s also included at the end of some of the other workouts.

Also included in the program is:

• P90X Fitness Guide – the “manual” explaining how the program works, how to perform your fit test, and a complete listing of all the exercises performed in the DVD’s.
• P90X Nutrition Plan – a pretty straightforward “eat less, eat healthier” guidebook with meal plans and recipes.
• P90X Calendar – something you can tack to the wall to track your progress.  I actually bought a package of “smiley face” stickers that I place in each box representing each day that I complete a workout.
• P90X “How to Bring It” DVD – basically introduces the program.

What’s my honest opinion?  Well, first of all keep in mind that I am not affiliated in any with with P90X.  Also, the link I provide at the end of this post is a “straight” link to the manufacturer, not an affiliate link.  You can also get this program at Amazon.com, like I did.

I actually enjoy this program.  It’s combines a lot of “old fashioned, hard-core” body-weight exercises (like push-ups, sit-ups, etc) with traditional weight training along with some “new-agey” stuff like Yoga, Kenpo, and Stretching.  But make no mistake, you’ll leave a pool of sweat on the floor after every workout.  My heart monitor frequently records around 700 calories burned in each session.

What’s neat about the videos is that you feel like you’re in a fitness class.  The other people in the video demonstrate variations you can do on each exercise while Tony Horton keeps the pace moving at a pretty good clip.  At the bottom of the screen is a “timing bar” that tells you exactly how long you’ve been exercising as well as how much further you have to go.  There’s a separate “exercise timer” that counts down the seconds for timed exercises or poses.  In short, you always know how far you’ve come as well as what’s coming up.

Is it effective?  Man oh man, is it effective.  This is raw strength building.  You might think that something like Yoga is only for people in leotards but you have no idea how much strength it takes to hold some of those poses for the required length of time.  And every pose, I mean EVERY pose, begins from the push-up or “plank” position.  Your muscles will feel drained after every workout.

This program is for both men and women.  You’ll see at least one woman in each video giving the guys a run for their money.  Tony also explains how to modify the exercises depending on whether your goal is bulk or lean muscle.

As far as drawbacks go, the only one I saw was in the Fitness Guide.  Yes, it contains a complete list, and description, of each exercise on each DVD.  However, there are no pictures anywhere.  So the description for a sit-up is something like, “lay on your back, reach forward using your abdominal muscles to touch your toes.”  Come on!  Don’t these guys know a picture is worth 1,000… well, you know the rest.  This is the only place I would have LOVED a picture, a diagram, a stick-figure drawing, anything, to demonstrate how to perform the exercise.  The end result is that you really have to WATCH each workout first to see how the exercises are performed and then REWIND the DVD and actually perform it.

The good part is that you’ve only got to do this a couple of times until you learn how to properly perform the exercise.  For the traditional exercises, it’s no big deal.  I mean, everyone knows how to do a push-up, right?  However, for Warrior Half Moon Yoga Pose, you’ll first want to see where you’re feet need to be, what direction you’re supposed to be facing, and so on.

All in all, I think this is a great program.  There’s enough variety in the program so that you don’t get bored.  Tony does a great job of keeping you motivated while pointing out how to make the exercises more effective.  I’d highly recommend this program to anyone who’s looking for a DVD-based, strength building and conditioning training program.

The price for the P90X program is around $140 (prices will vary so shop around).  You can order it from a variety of places including the TV Infomercials, Amazon.com, or the P90X website at BeachBody.com.  Again, these are not affiliate links so feel free to visit these sites and take a look at the clips they have from the actual DVD’s.  It should help you decide whether or not this program is for you.

So, back to those push-ups!

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: p90x, workout, fitness, exercise, tony horton, beachbody, pushup, body weight, weight loss, balanced health

The P90X program is available from Amazon.com:

P90X Extreme Home Fitness Workout Program – 13 DVDs, Nutrition Guide, Exercise Planner

• Get lean, bulk up, or grow stronger, with an endless variety of mix-and-match routines to keep you motivated
• Muscle Confusion technique accelerates the results process by constantly introducing new moves and routines so your body never plateaus
• Collection of 12 highly diverse and intense DVD workouts
• Also includes comprehensive three-phase nutrition plan, specially designed supplement options
• Personal trainer Tony Horton will keep you engaged every step of the way

Tired of ineffective workouts that sound great but produce less-than-optimal results? Turn to the P90X Extreme Home Fitness system, a bundle of 12 sweat-inducing, muscle-pumping workouts designed to transform your body from regular to ripped in just 90 days. Hosted by personal trainer Tony Horton, the series of DVDs will help you get lean, bulk up, or grow stronger, with an endless variety of mix-and-match routines to keep you motivated. The secret behind the P90X system is an advanced training technique called “muscle confusion,” which accelerates the fitness process by constantly introducing new moves and routines so that your body never plateaus and you never get bored. The more you confuse the muscle, the harder your body has to work to

Rating: (out of 689 reviews)

List Price: $ 150.00

Price: $ 139.80

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Sorry.  There’s no such thing.  Let me say that again so you can stop your frantic searching — there is no secret way to losing weight.  All you have to do is eat less, way less as it turns out.

I know what you’re thinking.  You’re thinking, “But I already cut out eating bread with my meals” or “I already skip dessert and I STILL can’t lose weight.”  The problem is that you haven’t cut enough.

That lesson was brought home to me in an interesting way.  I’m reading a fascinating book titled, “Physics for Future Presidents: the Science Behind the Headlines,” by Richard A. Mueller.  In it, this Physics Professor takes much of the hype out of many of the issues that crowd today’s headlines.  In a very straightforward way, he tackles issues such as “dirty bombs,” terrorism, energy, climate change, and so on.

It was on his chapter on energy where he’s talking about how much energy a gallon of gasoline contains that I found, of all things, a comparison to the energy content of food.  Mueller states that “food is almost as good as gasoline” in terms of energy content.  He goes on to say that,

“If you find this high energy content implausible, watch a hummingbird.  It uses enormous energy to flap its wings just to sip a tiny amount of nectar.  Clearly the energy in the nectar must be more than enough to cover the work being done by those rapidly beatings wings that hold the bird in front of the flower.  It is.  Food is almost as good as gasoline.”

Because food has such a high energy content, it actually takes very little of it to completely nourish our bodies and fuel our daily activities.   The problem is that we’re typically greatly overloading our bodies with way more food than what we actually need.  Professor Mueller goes on to say that,

“On the downside, the enormous energy content of food is what makes it so difficult to lose weight without serious dieting.  One 12-ounce can of soda contains, typically, 150 food calories.  A person can work that off with a half hour of vigorous exercise (running, not jogging; basketball, not baseball; swimming, not golf), provide, of course, that he doesn’t reward himself with a can of soda.  The best way to lose weight is to eat less, not to exercise more.“

Make sure you pay particular attention to that last line:  “the best way to lose weight is to eat less, not to exercise more.”  It’s simple physics.  To eliminate 150 calories from your diet, you can do half an hour of hard exercise, or you can simply pass on the soda and drink water instead.

Now, to be clear, note that he didn’t say that you didn’t have to exercise at all or that exercise isn’t important or that it doesn’t help you lose weight.  He didn’t say any of these things.  All he said is that from a physics standpoint, it’s easier to lose weight by eating less than by exercising more simply because food has such a high energy content.

So let me summarize:

1. If you want to lose weight, eat less – way less. Although when you first start a diet it feels like you’re dying, your body will actually adjust after a couple of days.  Your stomach will get smaller so that small portions will be more filling and your digestive system will get more efficient since you’re not constantly overloading it anymore.  If you can make it past the first week, it really does get easier.
2. Yes, I did say “eat way less.” Just making token cuts like skipping the bread or desert isn’t enough.  Not eating bread reduces your total calorie count by what, maybe 250 calories?  Big deal.  That’s not nearly enough.  You need to cut your total caloric intake by 1/2 to 2/3.  No, this is not a typo.  Cut your meals by one half to two thirds of what you’re eating now.  Unless you make really radical changes to your diet, your body simply adjusts to not having bread or not having dessert and you end up weighing the same.  IMPORTANT NOTE:  radical changes to your diet does put a strain on your body at first so make sure you’re in good health to begin with and that you’ve discussed your plans with a healthcare provider.
3. Exercise is still important. Physical exercise still plays an important part in your weight-loss plans.  You still have to keep your metabolism rate at a high level, you still need to keep your muscles toned, and you still have to encourage your body to burn fat instead of muscle.  Exercise does all these things so it’s critical that you work in as much as you can.

How have I used this information?  Well, here’s the diet that I try to follow (notice I said “try” because honestly, I do occasionally cheat).  I try to follow the “reduced calorie” routine for as many days as I can during the week.  It doesn’t always work out that way but I try to follow it as many days as I can.  On weekends, I eat whatever I want but obviously try to keep from undoing all my progress.

My “Reduced Calorie” Diet

Breakfast:  One 8-oz Protein Shake (I use Syntha-6) with one small banana or 2-3 strawberries mixed in.  Calories:  about 150

Lunch:  One cup (about 8-oz) of soup.  I love Campbell’s Chunky Healthy Request (not the “condensed”) soups, especially the Beef Barley.  Keep in mind that most cans of soup contain 2 portions so make sure to read the label!  Calories: about 150

Dinner:  Another protein shake.  Calories:  about 150

So during the week, I try to get by on around 500 calories per day (more or less).  Am I always successful?  Of course not.  I occasionally throw in a snack in between lunch and dinner that probably adds another 100-150 calories.  The key is to make sure that your “snack” is a wise choice like a piece of fruit, some nuts, or a granola bar.  It’s critical that you stay away from sugary “empty” calories.

Again, this diet is not for everyone – and not everyone will be able to stay on it for long.  Make sure you are in good health before starting ANY diet (or exercise) plan and discuss your plans with your doctor or healthcare provider.  That being said, use your head and take things slow and easy at first.  Like I said earlier, it does get easier once you get past the first week.

Now 500-600 calories per day isn’t much, but then, I’m a little guy (5′ 10″) so don’t take the actual number of calories as gospel.  Simply take what your normal diet is and try to get buy on half.  Do that as many times as you can during the week.  If that means you do it every other day, that’s fine.  If you can only do it on Wednesdays, that’s a good start.  The point is to start.  Once you do, you’ll find that adding an additional day gets easier and before you know it, you’ll be getting by on much less food.

Make sure you keep up your exercise routine.  In fact, when you start getting hungry, go out for a brisk walk instead of reaching for the chips.  Drinking lots of water will also help to keep your stomach from grumbling.

So to sum up, “token” dieting doesn’t work since your body simply adapts to the slight changes in food intake.  The end result is that you end up weighing exactly the same.  To lose weight, you’ve got to make a radical reduction in the amount of food you eat – on the order of 1/2 to 2/3 of what you’re eating now.  Drink plenty of water, get plenty of exercise, and above all, use common sense and check with your doctor along the way.  I think you’ll be pleased with the results you start getting.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: diet, weight-loss, nutrition, balanced health, fitness, muscle, protein, weight, calories

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Mistake Number 2:  Unbalanced Strength Training Programs

An “unbalanced strength training program” is a weight or resistance training program that concentrates on only 1 or 2 areas of the body and ignores the rest.  It’s only natural, I guess, that most people tend to focus their training on the muscles that they think will make them look younger, leaner, stronger, or sexier.  These muscles most often include the biceps, abs, and legs.

Do a quick Internet search and you’ll find all kinds of “miracle-get-fit-quick” programs that supposedly “target” these specific areas.  Take a close look around the gym and you’ll find people spending the majority of their time primarily working these muscles -  guys trying to do 200-pound-bicep-curls and women working nothing but the leg-press and the “butt-buster.”

The results, like the guy in the picture, can sometimes look unnatural and downright freaky.  However, how things look is pretty subjective (some people think looking like Popeye is cool – whatever) so let’s put looks aside for a moment and only talk about whole body health effects.

The muscles of your body are designed to work in unison, with each muscle playing an important part of whatever motion you’re engaged in. Whether it’s shooting hoops or lifting weights, for any type of movement, your muscles create the movement together by playing one or more of the following roles:

• Agonist or “Prime Mover”:  This is the muscle that acts directly to bring about a desired movement through contraction.  If you’re performing a dumbbell bench press, for example, the agonist is the Pectoralis Major (or “pecs”) which contract (shorten) to raise the arms as you press the weights upward.
• Synergist or “Assistant Mover”:  As the name implies, this is the muscle (or muscles) that indirectly assists in creating the desired movement.  In the dumbbell bench press, the synergist is the Anterior Deltoid (or “front delt”).
• Antagonist:  The antagonist is the opposite partner of the agonist.  It’s job is to return the limb to the starting position by creating  a force that’s directly opposite to the Prime Mover.  In our bench press example, the antagonist is the Posterior Deltoid (“rear delt”).
• Stabilizer:  This muscle (or muscles) are responsible for stabilizing and supporting the muscle next to it.  In a dumbbell bench press, the stabilizers are the Rotator Cuff muscles.
• Neutralizer:  Similar to the stabilizer, the neutralizer is a muscle (or muscles) responsible for eliminating or canceling out an undesired movement.  In our example, the Rotator Cuff muscles also act as neutralizers acting to cancel out any sideways or unstable movement as the arms press up.

Developing one muscle to the exclusion of the other creates an imbalance between that muscle and it’s paired antagonist frequently leading to injury.  For example, overdeveloping the pecs by doing dumbbell bench presses all day long can lead to muscle stain or tearing of the Posterior Deltoid, the antagonist muscle.

Why does that happen?  Interesting story that most people don’t consider.  When you’re doing a bench press, for example, most people are surprised to learn that the Posterior Deltoid is the muscle most susceptible to injury, not the Pecs.  Why is that?  Because when you press up (using the Pecs), you’re lifting a weight against gravity and your movement tends to be slow, measured, and controlled.  However, when you go back to the start position, most people tend to simply let the weights drop back down to chest level without taking into account that gravity is now pulling in the same direction as the weights.  Unless you’re careful, the movement back down tends to be faster, less controlled, and end with an abrupt stop.  That puts a lot of strain on the Rear Delts.  If you’re going to get injured doing this exercise, that’s where it’s going to happen.

Same scenario applies to your legs.  If you spend enough time in a gym, you might have heard the advice, “strengthen the glutes and stretch the quads.”  The reason is that most people are “quad dominant.”  In other words, their quads are already much stronger than their glutes making it much easier to strain or tear the glutes when they try to develop their quads even further.  If you’ve ever injured your legs doing a leg press, it’s almost always on the return when your glutes are straining to slow the weights quickly.

The key to building a stronger body is to make sure that your weight or resistance training program is balanced and incorporates ALL major muscles groups, not just the “sexy” ones.  That means following a workout that includes the chest, the back (upper and lower) and shoulders, the arms (biceps, forearms, and hands), the core (upper and lower abs, obliques), as well as your legs and hips.  It’s important to strengthen not only the big muscles, but the supporting ones as well in order to prevent injuries.

The end result is that you’ll not only look and feel better, you’ll move better with increased coordination and balance.  Isn’t that why you work out in the first place?

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: fitness, weight lifting, exercise, balanced health, bench press, dumbbell, ACE, muscle, strength training, resistance training

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Mistake Number 1:  The All or Nothing Approach

Most of us think of exercise as an event, something to be planned and scheduled like a lunch meeting.  And like a lunch meeting, if something comes up or if we run late, we cancel and reschedule.  In other words, we tend to take an “all or nothing” approach to exercise – we either do it (we “made” the appointment), or we don’t (we “cancel” the appointment).

I know, I know.  It’s really hard NOT to think of exercise as an event.  You DO have to prepare for it.  You’ve got to pack your gym bag making sure you’ve got clean socks, shorts, a towel, and so on.  You’ve got to change into your exercise “uniform” and make sure your MP3 player is loaded with your latest “power song.”  You’ve got to put on the weight lifting gloves or the wrist and head bands.  Geez, there’s a lot of stuff you’ve got to do before you exercise!  You can’t just run out and, what, start running?  (Remember the scene in Forest Gump when he’s sitting on his porch and decides to just get up and run?  Yeah, I know.  We can’t do that.)

It’s easy to see why so many of us skip exercise altogether just because we can’t find a clean pair of gym socks (you know the ones, the special moisture-wicking, all natural organic fiber, $30 a pair, “makes my feet feel happy” pair).  If you put so much effort into planning to exercise, you’re much more likely to forget the whole thing if any part of the planning process goes wrong.

Another problem with seeing exercise as an event is that we want to impose a start time and an end time.  We want to look at our calendar and see “Exercise 5:30 to 6:30 pm.”  We don’t want to think about exercise until 5:30 and we don’t want to think about exercise after 6:30.  We want to treat it like a dentist appointment – something we just have to do and get over as quickly as possible.  After all, you’ve got to pack all your stuff (hassle), change into your workout clothes (hassle), exercise, then shower (hassle), change into your street clothes (hassle), and then pack up all your wet workout clothes and rush home (hassle, hassle, hassle).

Little wonder we look for reasons to skip exercising.  And take it from me (a Master Excuse Maker), perfectly legitimate excuses, I mean reasons, are not hard to find.

But exercise is not an all-or-nothing event.  Exercise can be incorporated into just about any activity and research has shown that as little as 10 minutes of exercise can provide important health benefits.  It can be as simple as taking the stairs at the office or at the mall.

Other suggestions can include:

• Look for ways to incorporate exercise into your daily activities. Walking or biking to nearby places instead of driving, for example, or actually walking the dog instead of simply letting them run out the back door.
• Break up your “all-out-hard-core-sweat-a-gallon” workout session into smaller, more frequent sessions throughout the day. Lunges or squats can be done anytime, and anywhere, and don’t require any equipment.  Dropping down behind your desk and doing 10 slow-and-easy push-ups will still strengthen your arms but won’t require your usual jacuzzi-sauna-shower after-workout ritual.
• Become more active in general. Stay on your feet when taking phone calls or when reading paperwork.  Walk down the hall to talk to a coworker instead of using the phone or email.  Use resistance bands while you’re watching TV.  In short, stay off your butt as much as possible throughout the day.
• Change your attitude. Exercise is not an event, it’s a lifestyle.  It’s something that’s just part of you, not something you plan or schedule.

Nike has the right idea – Just Do It!  Forget the all-or-nothing attitude.  If something comes up and you can’t exercise for an hour like you had planned, go ahead and exercise in whatever time you have available.  Then find 10 or 15 minutes later on and exercise some more.

If you adopt the attitude that exercise is something you do rather than something you plan, you’ll soon find yourself in great shape.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: exercise, fitness, balanced health, attitude, gym, weight

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Therefore, I’m offering it for FREE! You can sign-up for the download link either on the Home Page, or by clicking on the “Page Curl” at the top right of any page.

This 40 page book is packed full of some of the best advice I’ve got.  It covers what I consider “the foundation” of good health:  building a strong body, mind, and spirit.

This is not an exercise routine or workout manual.  There are no “6-pack abs” or “butt-buster” routines.  It’s much more basic than that.  Besides, you’ll never get around to doing all those fancy exercise routines if you never seem to have the energy or just flat don’t feel good.  This book will help get you to a foundational level of health where you can start trying some of those advanced routines.

So don’t delay.  Get your free copy today — and then let me know what you think.  Be sure to leave a comment on the download page.

Hiram

Technorati Tags: balanced health, fitness, spiritual, spirit, exercise, health, mental, little things, improve

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I saw a cartoon once about people being in the Afterlife somewhere up in the clouds.  There was an escalator going up into a bright light with a sign at the bottom that said “Heaven” and an arrow pointing up.  Next to it, there was another sign pointing to a classroom that said, “Seminar on Heaven.”  Needless to say, all of the information junkies were in the seminar.

At the other end of the spectrum, “Action Addicts” only need a barest amount of information before they spring into action.  All they need is a sign that points them in the right direction and they’re halfway down the road.  Action Addicts would have jumped on the escalator to Heaven without even trying to find out what the qualifications were, what to pack, what to expect along the way, and so on.  They figure they can always find out any details they might need along the way.

Learning to Know versus Learning to Do

Many of us approach health and fitness the same way.  Some people (including myself), have an entire library of information on every kind of diet and exercise routine available but yet, never seem to have the time to eat right and exercise.  In contrast, the Action Addicts are too busy to read because they’re at the gym exercising all day.

One approach I’ve learned to help keep me balanced between these two modes has been to ask myself, “What do I plan to do with this information once I get it?”  If the answer is that I just want to “know,” then I jump into Information Junkie mode.  On the other hand, if the answer is that I need the information in order to “do something,” then I shift move towards Action Addict mode.

You see, there’s a big difference between learning something in order to know it, and learning something in order to put it to use (ie: to do something).  In the first cast, I can take my time and savor every detail.  I can picture things, real or imagined,  in my mind and arrange the information any order I want.

Learning to do, on the other hand, requires a different type of learning.  There, the emphasis is on action, on getting started so I would scan the material quickly only looking for Step 1.  I can’t afford the time to read all the details and I definitely can’t afford to get the order out of sequence.  I only need just enough information to get me to the first step, at which time I can go back and figure out how to get to the next step, and so on.

You Need Both

We need to be able to balance both types of learning.  You need to know how to exercise safely, but you also need to actually do it.  You need to know how to make healthy food choices but you also need to do it when you’re at the market, or at the buffet line.  You need to know, but you need to also do.

So before you pick up another book or magazine on health and fitness, ask yourself, “What do I plan to do with this information?”  Be sure to be honest with yourself.  If you’ve picked up a book of exercise routines just to see if someone has invented a new way to do a Bench Press, then go ahead and enjoy reading the entire book including the footnotes, index, and bibliography.  However, don’t try to justify buying the book by telling yourself that you really intend to do any of the exercises because all that will do is set you up for a guilt trip later on.

On the other hand, if you really do intend to get into shape and the book seems like it will help get you there, don’t spend all your time reading the whole thing.  Just get enough information to get started, and then get started.

Asking yourself what you plan to do with the information will save you time as well as make you much more effective.  It will also reduce the stress and number of guilt trips.

Try it for yourself and see…

Hiram
Certified Nutrition Fitness Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

Technorati Tags: information, health and fitness, guilt, nutrition, balanced health, books, action, doing, reading

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Now I know that most people believe in an afterlife but that’s not what this post is about.  This post is about extending the time you’ve got on this Earth as long as possible.

How do you live to be 100 or even older?  The answer is actually more simple that you might imagine.  The good part, no the great part, is that much of what prolongs our lives is completely within our control.

I was fascinated by a video I was watching recently on TED.  TED is a nonprofit that organizes lectures and educational series on a variety of topics including technology, entertainment, and design (where the letters T-E-D come from).

One of the videos was titled ” How to live to be 100+” by Dan Buettner. Mr. Buettner is a National Geographic writer and explorer. He’s been working to identify and study the areas of the world containing the longest-lived peoples, documenting the individual components of their lifestyle and culture that contribute to a long and healthy life. He’s the author of  the book, “Blue Zones” and his website is at www.bluezones.com (a great resource, by the way).

The Blue Zone Project

The Blue Zone Project was sponsored by National Geographic to identify areas of the world where people just seemed to live longer and to try to find out why.  What were these people doing, how were they living, and what was their diet like?  The findings, especially when contrasted with how we currently live, are pretty revealing.

Dan started by stating that one scientific study found that only about “10% of how long we live is determined by our genes.  The other 90% is determined by our lifestyle.”

Think about that for a minute.  That means that YOU AND I have 90% control over how long we live – and not just how LONG we live, but also HOW we live. That in itself should blow you away – not to mention filling you with a sense of empowerment.

Buettner also pointed out that when it comes to health-related information, there’s a lot of confusion about what helps us live longer.  He specifically mentioned to myths that we wanted to debunk right off the bat:

Myth 1:  If you try real hard, you can live to be 100.  False. Only about 1 out of 5000 people in America live to be 100 so your odds of making it are slim – at least here in America.  Biologically, we’re just not designed to live to a long age.  However, there are lifestyles we can lead that can prolong what time we do have.

Myth 2:  There are treatments that can slow or reverse aging.  Very false. Our bodies contain about 35 Trillion cells.  Those cells turn themselves over, or completely regenerate, about once every 8 years.  However every time they do, there’s some damage, some DNA or chromosome sequence that just isn’t copied exactly.  It’s like the days of vinyl record albums when you’d buy a new record and then make a cassette tape copy of the album.  You’d loan the cassette to your friend and they’d make a copy of it for themselves.  Then they’d loan their copy to someone else who would make another copy, and so on.  After doing this several times, the copy gets so bad that it’s basically useless.  The same thing is happening in our own bodies as our cells replicate, repair, and regenerate themselves — and it happens exponentially.  This is why a 65 year old is aging at a rate that’s about 125 faster than a 12 year old.

So Why Try?

So if the odds are against us and if there’s no way to stop or reverse aging, then what’s the point of trying?  Well, the best guess that scientists can give us on life expectancy is that our bodies are designed to last about 90 years on average (a little more for women).  But life expectancy in the US is only 78 years.  So therefore, we’re leaving at least 12 good years on the table.  That’s 12 additional years of healthy, disease-free living that all of us could enjoy with just a few basic changes to our lifestyle. And let me emphasize once again that this is something you and I have complete control over.

Buettner then goes on to identify and describe a few “blue zones” in the world, areas where people routinely live to be 100+ and there is only a fraction of the middle-age diseases that are so common in the US.  These areas include the highlands of Sardinia in Italy, parts of Okinawa, Japan, and members of the Seventh Day Adventists in Loma Linda, CA.  Although these groups are completely different from each other in terms of language and culture, their lifestyles share a lot of commonalities.  The study identified 9 things that they believe are the biggest factors in promoting longevity.

The Factors to a Long Life

These lifestyle factors included the following:

Move Naturally

1. They “move naturally.” Although going to a gym and working out is not part of the culture of the people in these “blue zones,” consistent exercise is built in to their lifestyles.  All of them live active lives that includes lots of physical activity.  Want to live to be 100?  You’re not going to do it sitting on the couch watching TV for most of the day.

Have the Right Outlook

2. They know how to downshift. The people in these groups work hard when it’s time to work, but they know how to relax when it’s time to relax.  They don’t allow stress and worry to carry over into their personal and family time.

3. They have a reason to get up in the morning, a purpose for living. One of the more touching parts of the video is a 102 Japanese woman holding her 1 year old great, great, great granddaughter.  Two women separated by 101 years.  Each of these cultures in “blue zones” have a strong sense of future and individual purpose.

Eat Wisely

4. Moderate alcohol consumption, mainly wine, is part of all of these cultures. Similarly, all of these cultures have strong social views towards excessive drinking.

5. Their diet is most plant based. None of these cultures is totally vegan but meat is always a side dish, not a main course.

6. They follow some type of 80% rule – a way to stop eating when their stomach is 80% full. This protects them from all of the diseases associated with overeating.

Connect with Others

7. They place loved ones first. They all take care of their children and the children all take care of their parents.  There are no senior or retirement homes.  The elderly are a functioning part of the family unit.

8. They all tend to belong to a faith-based community. This alone has been shown to be worth an additional 4 to 14 years to the average lifespan.  Having a support group to interact with provides numerous benefits.

9. They belong to the right “tribe.” All of the people in these “blue zones” that were 100+ were either born in to, or they purposely surrounded themselves with, the types of people that support a healthy lifestyle.  It’s a plain and simple fact that if your friends are overweight, the chances are that you’re overweight as well.  All of us tend to adopt the values, beliefs, and habits of those we spend the most time with.

Watch it For Yourself

The video is only about 16 minutes long and I think you’ll come away with a new determination to change a couple of things in your life.  The benefits — an average of an additional 12 years — is well worth the effort!

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: health, balanced health, nutrition, fitness, age, elderly, longevity, living longer, seniors, long life, diet, life extension, anti-aging, life expectancy, dan buettner, national geographic, blue zone

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Every year, around 800,000 Americans have a stroke with about 145,000 of them not surviving.  Even when a person does survive, their lives are forever changed, sometimes radically.  Those changes can range from little to no physical damage to significant and debilitating impairments including speech and mobility loss.

There are two main categories of risk factors:  those that are genetic and those that are a result of your lifestyle.  The first you’re born with and can’t do much about.  The second category on the other hand, is totally within your control…

Many of the lifestyle risk factors you already know.  They include the standard “watch what you eat and exercise more” that has become the main health prescription that all of us need to do more of.  But there’s more, much more.

First of all, don’t dismiss the “exercise and diet” as just more of the same pop-culture advice that’s on every health ad and exercise commercial.  If you’re going to focus on anything at all, this should be the thing you work on the most.  Nothing else provides the same level of health benefits – nothing.

Second, take a look at your lifestyle habits.  Do you regularly skimp on your sleep by staying up late or having to get up early?  Whether you’re missing sleep because of essential reasons (taking care of a sick child, for example) or for trivial ones (watching a late-night movie on AMC), the end result is the same – you don’t get the rest your body needs to rebuild and maintain its health.

If you drink more than one glass of wine, beer, or drink per day, you’re putting your body at risk of a stroke.  Smoking doubles the risk of stroke.  Now’s the time to cut back on these habits that are reducing your life and work on building new ones that will add to the time you have on this Earth.

Another lifestyle habit is your diet, the types of food you eat.  Reduce salty and fatty foods in your diet and you’ll lower your risk of stroke.  I don’t even have to mention reducing portion sizes, do I?

Lastly, you can manage your risk of stroke by taking control of your medical check-ups.  Get checked out on a regular basis, especially if you fall into a high risk group (being over 55, being male, being African-American, Hispanic, or Asian/Pacific Islander, or having a family history of stroke).  Many of the medical factors that can lead to stroke, such as diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure, can be successfully treated IF they’re identified in time – and the only way to do that is to get yourself checked out on a regular basis.

Having a stroke can radically change your life.  All those plans you had for dream vacations, travel, retirement, and so on can quickly go out the window.  The good news is that you have control over many of the risk factors that can lead to stroke, as well as to many other health problems.

The question is, what will you do with that control?

Hiram
The Balanced Health Guy
Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer

Technorati Tags: heart, stroke, exercise, balanced health, risk factors, heart attack, brain damage, blood pressure, diabetes, fitness

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This article appeared in an Australian newspaper and it describes some of the things we’ve all heard about health and fitness that just are not true.  In other words, they’re big fat lies.

For example, want to know the real facts about:

• Whether fruit juice is as fattening as beer?
• Whether you really should drink 8 glasses of water per day?
• Whether dark chocolate is healthy for you?
• Whether exercise is better for weight loss than dieting?
• Whether a low-protein diet is better for weight loss?

What these researchers learned is that many doctors are just as confused about what makes up good health as the typical lay person.  Advertisers have apparently been very successful in muddying the waters about what is healthy and what isn’t.  You owe it to yourself (and to your health) to find out the facts.

So take a couple of minutes and shoot over to the article called “Big Fat Lies” in today’s Sydney Morning Herald by clicking here.

Hiram
The Balanced Health Guy
Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

Technorati Tags: fitness, health, food, nutrition, weight loss, diet, exercise, balanced health

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Learn the top 10 absolutely worst foods to eat in this entertaining video by nutritionist Natalie Butler at www.nutritionbynatalie.com.

Once you’ve watched this 10 minute video, do what I did:

Count up how many of these foods you’ve had in the past week.  Come on, how many?

I’ll ‘fess up to the fried catfish (one of my favorites) and the baked goods (I’ve got a bad sweet tooth).

You know, if you really want to lose weight, get fit, and enjoy all the benefits of being in good health, you first must become aware of the nutritional benefits (or the risks) of what you’re putting into your body.

Second, you need to consistently make better choices in what you eat as well as how much.

Getting and maintain good health is not rocket science.  It’s making good food, exercise, and lifestyle choices on a daily basis.

Hope you enjoyed this video.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: food, nutrition, weight loss, balanced health

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I recently purchased a Polar F11 fitness monitor and it’s totally changed my workouts!  This wrist unit not only keeps track of my heart rate (which is an indication of how hard you’re pushing yourself), it estimates the number of calories I’ve burned during the session.

The best part is that I can upload all of that information to a website that keeps track of all of my workouts.  Instantly, I can see how many times I worked out this week, how many calories I burned, the total amount of time I spent exercising, and a number of other things.  How cool is that?

Not only that, …

I can also schedule, or set goals, for future workouts.  The website can even design an exercise program for me.  All I have to do is tell it how many times I want to work out during a week and it does the rest.  As you can see from the screenshots, the website displays the entire week with all of my workout sessions listed.

When I click on a specific workout, the site gives me a bar chart telling me my maximum heart rate, my average heart rate, and how much time I spent in each zone.

The neat part is that since I’ve started using the Polar F11 and uploading my workout info, I’ve literally been looking for chances to “fill up my calendar” with workouts.  It really motivates you to workout so you can get “something on the board.”

As if that wasn’t enough motivation, you can also participate in “challenges.”  A challenge is a goal that someone sets, for example “to see who can burn the greatest number of calories in a 2 month period,” that several people can participate in.  When you accept a challenge, your workout information is automatically included on the challenge site. 

When you go to the challenge site, you’ll see a bar chart with all of the people that have accepted the challenge as well as their progress.  It also tells you what your current standing in the group is.  There’s no better motivation to get an extra workout in than a little competition.

The range of features on these types of fitness monitors is pretty extensive, as are the prices so do a little bit of research before you decide on one.  Some, like the Polar F11, only measure heart rate.  Others designed specifically for runners and/or cyclists contain a GPS device so you can measure exactly how far you’ve run or biked as well as the speed.

The more popular fitness monitors tend to be manufactured by:

• Polar Fitness – a broad range of fitness monitors for running, cycling, and sports
• Nike – makers of the Nike+ for the iPod as well as more traditional fitness monitors
• Garmin – GPS enabled monitors for running and cycling

All three manufactures have a training website that allows you to upload and view your workout information.  However, only certain models from each manufacturer have Internet uploading capability so make sure you check before you purchase.

So if you’re the type of person that gets a real thrill from “putting some numbers up on the big board,” then using a system like this will probably work for you.  As I’ve already mentioned, it’s motivated me to go out and exercise because I didn’t want there to be any days without some sort of activity in my online workout diary.  Plus, I didn’t want to start lagging behind on some of the challenges that I’m part of.

When you know how many calories you’ve burned, it makes you want to go out and burn some more!

Hiram
The Balanced Health Guy
Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach (NESTA)

Technorati Tags: fitness monitor, heart rate, balanced health, healthy, fitness, polar, nike, garmin, watch, bpm, sports, exercise

You might also be interested in the following items from Amazon.com:

Gruve Personal Activity Monitor, White/Gray

• Personalized to your specific calorie burn rate
• Real time feedback through colored lights
• Sendentary behavior vibration reminds you to move
• Easily syncs with pcs running windows xp, vista and windows 7
• Price includes gruve, 1 year subscription to gruve online and access to the gruve guide

Gruve is an unprecedented, personalized, scientifically proven solution that enables healthy, sustainable weight loss. wear your gruve all day and learn how to increase your daily activity, burn more calories and reach your personal health goals. sync your gruve with gruve online to view your calorie burn and activity intensity. log into gruve online and notice that your daily burn goal has been set based on a number of personal factors, not some generic formula like other programs. losing weight is as simple as reaching your get to greentm goal each day. included with your 1 year gruve subscription is the 12 week gruve guide which provides you with the education, motivation and support you need to make long term, sustainable behavior ch

Rating: (out of 23 reviews)

List Price: $ 199.95

Price: $ 179.95

Garmin FR60 Men’s Red Fitness Watch (Includes Heart Rate Monitor and USB ANT Stick)

• Bundle includes FR60, heart rate monitor, USB ANT Stick, quick start manual
• Water resistant to 50 meters
• Can be used for running, cycling and other fitness activities calculating time, heart rate and distance
• ANT+ technology: Wirelessly connect to heart rate monitor, foot pod and speed cadence sensor, then share fitness data with your computer
• Battery life: One year, user-replaceable coin cell battery

Log every mile and every minute with FR60, a sleek fitness watch plus workout tool that tracks your time, heart rate and calories burned. When bundled with the wireless foot pod (not included), FR60 also tracks speed and distance, indoors or out. Use FR60′s training tools to get the most out of your workout. Then, FR60 wirelessly sends your workout data to your computer for later analysis. Garmin Forerunner 60 (Men’s Red)
Flexible digital heart rate monitor provides instant feedback about how hard you’re working. Once you’ve logged the miles, FR60 automatically transfers data to your PC or Mac, wirelessly when in range. Train Indoors or Out
In the gym or on the road, FR60 tracks all your workout data, includ

Rating: (out of 57 reviews)

List Price: $ 149.99

Price:

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Now, I can understand someone saying “cut out all dairy for a week and then come back and we’ll see how you feel” or something similar.  Or maybe “that rash might be caused by a food allergy so cut out all wheat products for a week and see if it clears up.”  But to be told to arbitrarily cut out an entire food group for no reason whatsoever just doesn’t make sense to me.

Let me explain why.

There are two things that make up the Field of Nutrition:

1.  The Science. These are the cold, hard facts that can be repeated in a laboratory so it sounds like that should settle the matter about which foods are best for you, right?  Unfortunately, it’s not that easy.  In fact, science holds very few of the answers to the nutritional questions we all have.  The reason is that science can only study one thing at a time, the amount of Vitamin D in milk for example.  Although science can tell you exactly how much Vitamin D is in a glass of milk, what it can’t do is tell you is how this vitamin is affected by the presence (or absence) of the other components in the milk.  In other words, science can’t study synergistic effects, and “nutrition” is essentially composed entirely of the synergistic effects of all the foods we eat.  Science can only study and measure discrete items, and therein is its problem – science is too exact.

This leads us directly to the second part of nutrition:

2.  The Art. This is how the individual bits and pieces of scientific information are combined and packaged into “nutritional advice” that you and I try to follow when we plan our meals.  Because it’s an “art,” there are lots of different ways to combine the information that science produces, and therefore, lot’s of different advice offered by lots of Nutritionists.  I’m sure you’ve wondered why it is that you can ask 3 different professional Nutritionists the same question and get 3 completely different answers, some of which actually contradict each other, and yet because their advice contains some scientific bits and pieces, all 3 of them can be technically correct to some degree.  The fact that nutrition is both art and science is the reason this happens.  Unfortunately, this creates a lot of confusion for you and me.

So how do you make sense of it all?  How can you navigate through all the “scientifically correct” but yet conflicting advice that’s out there?  Here’s the criteria I use:

First, It’s Got to Make Sense

First of all, any nutritional advice you get needs to make sense.  It’s got to be logical.  If it doesn’t pass this first test, go elsewhere.

Let’s go back to the advice that started me on this rant:  “Cut out all dairy and wheat products.”  That doesn’t make sense to me at all.  Why?  Well, for starters, mankind has been living on dairy and wheat products for, what, over 3,000 years and now it’s a nutritional problem?  Come on.  The Maasai tribe of Africa subsist almost entirely on maize-meal and cow’s milk, and now dairy is bad for you?  Please.

Something’s wrong if you’re being asked to cut out an entire food group or food type.  Humans are omnivores.  We thrive on a variety of foods so be suspicious if you’re advised to completely cut out this food or that food.  Make sure you ask:  “Why?”,  “For how long?” and “What should I eat instead?”  Keep asking questions until you get an answer that makes sense to you.

Second, It’s Got to Be Practical

Hey, I’m really glad that Passion Fruit is loaded with super-antioxidants and all kinds of good healthy stuff, but I’m not exactly going to find something this exotic at my local supermarket.  And it’s great that I should avoid restaurants for lunch but I work in an office and meeting at a restaurant for lunch is a big part of doing business.  So give me some nutritional advice that I can actually incorporate into my lifestyle, right here in my hometown, and on my schedule.  Give me something that’s practical.

Third, It’s Got to Actually Work

This is the bottom line, but let me clarify it even further.  It not only has to work, it has to work FOR ME.  I really don’t care whether it works for the nutritionist (they may not have a day job) or for the celebrity that’s pushing it on TV (they’re getting paid for the endorsement).  It’s got to work for me, for my body type, on my schedule, as part of my lifestyle.

It’s That Simple

That’s pretty much it.  If you’ll follow these three basic guides, you should be able to take any type of nutritional tip or advice and tell whether or not it’s for you.

Lastly, please do yourself a favor and run down to your local library or to your local bookstore and pick up a copy of Michael Pollan’s book “In Defense of Food.”  It’s the best commonsense book I’ve found on nutrition.  The information in it makes sense, is practical, and it actually works.

Hiram
The Balanced Health Guy
Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach (NESTA)

Technorati Tags: nutrition, nutritionist, nutritional, food allergy, food group, diet, balanced health, food science, advice, dairy, wheat

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Cancer is second only to heart disease in the number of lives it takes every year and although there are some risk factors you can’t change, like genetics for example, there are quite a few that you can.

Since most cancer deaths can be prevented, it’s critical that you know the initial symptoms of this disease as well as how to reduce your chances of it.

Here’s what you need to know…

Cancer Symptoms

Let’s address some of the things you need to look for first.  The following is a list of symptoms from the American Cancer Society (ACS) that uses the “CAUTION” acronym.  According to the ACS, you might have cancer if you experience any of the following symptoms for a prolonged amount of time:

• C: Change in bowel or bladder habits
• A: A sore that does not heal
• U: Unusual bleeding or discharge
• T: Thickening or lump in the breast or elsewhere
• I: Indigestion or difficulty in swallowing
• O: Obvious change in a wart or mole
• N: Nagging cough or hoarseness

Keep in mind that this is a very simple list and that the vast majority of these symptoms can be caused by nonmalignant disorders so just because you experience some of these symptoms, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have cancer.  Only your doctor can give you a proper diagnoses.  Also keep in mind that cancers can produce symptoms that are not included on this list, such as unexplained weight loss or fatigue.  However, the list is a useful reminder to routinely stop and pay attention to your body and to report any changes or concerns to your doctor.

What You Can Do to Prevent Cancer

Obviously, the FIRST thing you can do to prevent cancer is to routinely stop and pay attention to what your body may be telling you.  The best time to do this is either the first thing in the morning, or the last thing at night.  Ask yourself how you really feel, then stay quiet for a moment and listen for the answer.  You’ll be amazed at how your intuition will alert you to sore spots, lumps, or thickened patches of skin that otherwise might have gotten lost among the day’s thoughts, plans, and worries.

Second, follow what the Harvard Medical School calls it’s “10 Commandments of Cancer Prevention.”  These are:

1. Avoid all forms of tobacco, including exposure to secondhand smoke.  Yes, for all my redneck friends and colleagues here in Texas, this includes chewing tobacco.

2. Eat properly. Reduce saturated fats and red meat and increase your consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.  (Eating properly will not only reduce your chance of cancer, it will pretty much reduce your chances of diseases of any kind.  I know that’s a broad statement but there is simply no greater impact on our health than the foods we eat.)

3. Exercise regularly. You just can’t avoid exercise.  It’s part of EVERY plan for improving and maintaining health.

4. Lose the weight and stay lean. See the previous two points for how to accomplish this.  If your weight-loss program does not include proper nutrition and exercise, then something’s wrong.

5. Limit alcohol consumption to 1 to 2 drinks per day. Remember that many of these risk factors have a synergistic effect when combined with others.  One of the worst combinations is drinking too much and smoking.

6. Avoid unnecessary exposure to radiation. This includes UV radiation from direct sunlight (always use sunscreen).  (Note:  Although the Harvard Medical School says not to worry about the radiation from microwaves, power lines, or cell phones, my personal recommendation is to play it safe by maintaining as much distance as is practical.)

7. Avoid exposure to industrial and environmental toxins. These include things like asbestos fibers (can be found in some types of insulation), benzene and aromatic amines (found in some paints and solvents), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs, found in some plastics).

8. Avoid infections that contribute to cancer. These include hepatitis viruses, HIV, and the human papilloma virus that may be transmitted sexually or through contaminated needles.

9. Consider taking low-dose aspirin. Although men may have the most to gain from taking aspirin on a daily basis, women should consider it as well.  Since taking aspirin for prolonged periods can create other problems (like gastric bleeding), make sure to check with your doctor first.

10. Take a Vitamin D supplement. Many experts now recommend 800 to 1,000 IU a day, an amount that’s nearly impossible to get without help. Although many of us get Vitamin D from sunlight, keep in mind item number 6 above.

Take Control of Your Health

Will following all of these “commandments” guarantee that you won’t get cancer?  Of course not.  That’s not the way life works.  However, you chances will go way down.

On the other hand, making these lifestyle changes will give you numerous health benefits in other areas such as in the prevention of heart disease, for example.  All of them add up to a healthy life.

Good health is not something we’re automatically blessed with.  It’s not a gift you get when you’re born.  Like a garden, you have to work at it, you have to build it and once you have it, you have to maintain it.

So take control of your own health.  All of the things that I’ve listed in this article are things that you can do to improve your health.  You have the control here.  Will you use it?  I sincerely hope so.

Hiram
The Balanced Health Guy
Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach (NESTA)

Technorati Tags: American Cancer Society, Cancer Deaths, Cancer Symptoms, Cancers, heart disease, exercise, nutrition, balanced health, control

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The premise sounds good – drinking a beverage that gives you extra energy, and nowadays, who can’t use a little extra energy?  Energy drinks have become a 1.1 Billion dollar industry with all of the major producers, and most of the smaller ones, jumping to get a piece of the action.

Targeted primarily to teens and young adults, energy drinks combine varying amounts of caffeine, vitamins, sugar, and other ingredients such as taurine and ginseng.  Most energy drinks have the same amount of caffeine as 1-2 cups of coffee.  Red Bull in particular has the equivalent of 1 cup of coffee, Jolt Cola the equivalent of about 3 cups.

So where’s the down side?

There are several in my opinion.

First, I’m not a big caffeine junkie having learned the hard way how addictive it can be (I used to pound down a six-pack of Dr. Pepper every day).  If you’ve ever been “hooked” on caffeine and then tried to quit, you know how bad caffeine addiction can be.  Anything that is that addictive can’t be good for your body.

Second, mixing Red Bull with vodka has become a very popular drink.  Combining the Red Bull (or any energy drink) with alcohol is a really bad idea.  According to experts, the caffeine in the Red Bull can mask the effects of the alcohol.  In other words, people actually become more drunk than they think they are.  This can lead to some really bad decisions – like deciding to drive yourself home, for example.

Third, researchers are finding that drinking energy drinks such as Red Bull may increase the risk of stroke and heart attack, even in young adults.  Studies have shown that healthy blood vessels can show some signs of damage after drinking just one can.  It’s for this reason that Red Bull is banned in France, Norway, Denmark, and Uruguay with other countries currently performing studies of their own.

What’s my take?

Well, those that know me know that I don’t believe in artificial stimulants.  If you don’t have enough energy to make it through the day, then you’re not getting enough sleep, exercise, or proper nutrition.  There should be no reason to “boost” your energy level by artificial means.  If you’re in good health, you should be able to do this naturally.  My advice is to learn how to balance your health the natural way and ditch the artificial “crutches.”

Lastly, if you do enjoy energy drinks such as Red Bull, drink them responsively.  That means don’t drink too many, don’t drink them when performing strenuous physical activities or playing sports, and for God’s sake, don’t mix them with alcohol.

>>Update:  be sure to see my latest post on this topic titled “How Safe are Energy Drinks Like Red Bull?“

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: red bull, energy drinks, caffeine, heart attack, heart disease, balanced health

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Can you guess what the number one food is that Americans eat? (see picture for a hint)  The number one type of food, by far, that is consumed in America is – drum roll please – the hamburger.

The other 4 types of foods, in descending order, were French Fries, Pizza, Mexican Food, and Ham Sandwiches. Can you believe that?  I would have bet money that salads were in there somewhere.  Boy, was I wrong.

The “Drive-Through” Society.

My first question upon hearing this report was, “How can this be?”  What is it that has changed the typical American meal from “Pot-roast-on-Tuesdays” to “burger-and-fries?”  One reason is that we’ve become a “drive-through society.”

We’re so busy, so rushed for time, that we’ve come to value convenience above all else – even above our health.  Why is it that a hamburger and fries are the top 1 and 2 foods consumed in America?  Because they’re convenient.  You can pick up a combo meal at the drive-through window and eat it in the car on your way to the kid’s soccer practice.  How convenient.

Same goes for the other foods.  They’re fast, relatively inexpensive, and you can take them with you as you rush to your next appointment.

By the way, ever notice that most people would rather sit in their cars waiting in line at the drive-through when it would be much faster to simply park the car and go inside to order?  What’s up with that?

The Problem with Convenience Foods.

Here’s the problem with so-called “convenience” foods:  they lead to an early grave.  I know that’s pretty harsh but it’s the honest truth in my opinion.

Yes, yes, I know you’re busy.  I know that by the time you get off work, pick up the kids, the dry cleaning, get gas, etc, etc, etc, that you’re beat.  The last thing you want to hear is, “What’s for dinner?”

I know it’s a problem but here’s what’s at stake:  hamburgers and french fries are the top 1 and 2 foods consumed in America!! Don’t you see what that says about us as a society?  Can you spell h-e-a-r-t-a-t-t-a-c-k?

Get a Side Order of Common Sense.

OK, I know that unless you have your own farm, cutting out convenience foods is not realistic in today’s society.  I’m actually OK with that as long as you use a little common sense and don’t go overboard.  Here are a couple of tips to keep in mind:

1.  Reduce your consumption of the Top 5 foods to no more than once a week.  Sure you can have a Deluxe Burger and Chili Fries OR some pizza OR a taco dinner BUT no more than once a week.  Give your body a couple of days to process all that saturated fat.

2.  Eating out at “convenience restaurants” like AppleBee’s, Chili’s, Denny’s, Luby’s, Caraba’s, and so on can be just as bad because of the huge portion sizes.  If you’re going to bring stuff home, it’s much better to try to get “family-sized” portions of meats and vegetables and then break them into smaller servings when you get home.

3.  Convenience foods are usually loaded with fats and sodium.  Combat this by ordering your food ahead of time and specifying that no salt be added.  Also, select baked foods instead of fried or grilled and make sure to ask that butter or cream sauces be put into a separate container (“on the side”) so you can control the amount used.

4.  Load up on greens by increasing your consumption of green vegetables, salads, and fruits.  They’ll help to balance out any nutritional “gaps” caused by eating too much starchy convenience food.

5.  Don’t forget to exercise.  Don’t really feel like moving much after having a huge plate of Mexican food?  That in itself should tell you something!

I’m all for convenience — but not if I have to give up my health for it in the process.  Keep this in mind the next time you’re sitting in your car waiting in line to go through the drive-through! <grin>

Hiram
The Balanced Health Guy

Technorati Tags: health, nutrition, balanced health, fitness, convenience foods, hamburger, diet

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A Mold “Primer”

First, mold is everywhere and is a natural part of the environment. It’s job is to breakdown dead organic material and in the process, release nutrients into the soil where they become available for living plants. Although molds are everywhere, they only grow where there is a food source and moisture. This is the reason you usually find mold growing in damp areas due to plumbing, roofing, or other types of leaks.

Molds grow in colonies and there are thousands of different types. Once a colony finds a food source and becomes established, it defends it’s “territory” by spreading chemicals called mycotoxins in order to prevent other molds from moving in. The most familiar example of this is bread mold, which produces what we call penicillin in order to keep other molds away.

Mold Problems

Molds become a problem indoors for several reasons. The first is physical. According to the EPA’s “Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings,” molds destroy the materials they are growing on. This can eventually lead to structural problems if the mold – and the underlying moisture problem – is not properly addressed.

Secondly, molds can create, or contribute to, health problems. Molds are microscopic and mold spores easily become airborne when disturbed. As a result, anyone living or working nearby can introduce them into their lungs through normal breathing. In many people, this can create allergic symptoms due to the mold spore itself, or chemical symptoms due to the mycotoxins.

The Link Between Mold and Depression

Although mold has been implicated as the probable cause for a number of health problems, solid proof has been difficult to come by, mainly because people can react to mold exposure in many different ways. This makes it very difficult to determine a cause-effect relationship. However, one study performed in late 2007 found a connection between mold (along with the damp conditions necessary for mold growth) and depression in the inhabitants of moldy buildings.

In an article titled “Dampness and Mold in the Home and Depression: An Examination of Mold-Related Illness and Perceived Control of One’s Home as Possible Depression Pathways” and published in the American Journal of Public Health, researchers found “…a solid association between depression and living in a damp, moldy home.” Although the study does not prove that mold causes depression (a cause-effect relationship), it does show that there is a connection, or link, between the two.

The researchers think that there are two reasons for this link. The first is the effect that mold has on a person’s physical health. These can include the allergic symptoms already mentioned. When you’re not feeling well, it’s easy to get depressed. The second reason comes from a perceived lack of control over the housing environment, the feeling that you can’t afford to fix the mold problems or move altogether.

Edmond Shenassa, the research team leader, said, “Physical health, and perceptions of control, are linked with an elevated risk for depression, and that makes sense. If you are sick from mold, and feel you can’t get rid of it, it may affect your mental health.” Shenassa also stated that “What the study makes clear is the importance of housing as an indicator of health, including mental health.”

Healthy Homes Can Promote Healthy Lives

A final comment by Shenassa was that “Healthy homes can promote lives.” Amen to that. But how do you create and maintain a healthy home? Here are a couple of tips to prevent mold from growing indoors:

• Keep your home well maintained and in good repair. Immediately repair any water leaks or wet spots that may be caused by plumbing problems, roof leaks, condensation, or any other causes.
• Routinely check for damp or wet spots around all sinks, faucets, and plumbing fixtures as well as around windows and doors. Don’t forget to check dishwashers and ice makers, too.
• Clean up any liquid spills or water leaks immediately and make sure the surrounding area is thoroughly dry.
• Your HVAC regulates humidity in addition to temperature so make sure it’s working properly.
• Frequently inspect and dry areas around moisture sources such as potted plants, aquariums, pet drinking bowls, etc.
• Get professional help with repairs and/or clean up if you need it. See the EPA document referenced above for advice and tips.

The Next Steps

Understand that preventing mold from growing indoors is just one step towards creating a “healthy home.” Other steps can include reducing the amount of particulates in the indoor air, a topic I wrote about in “Indoor Air Quality and Heart Disease.” You should also address other potential hazards such as radon, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds (VOC) from glues, paints, or pesticides, as well as asbestos and possibly lead-based paints. You can find more information on these in the EPA’s “The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality.”

Conclusion

I can’t sum up the intent of this post any better than by quoting Edmond Shenassa: “Healthy homes can promote healthy lives.” Americans spend a significant portion of their day indoors. Doesn’t it make sense that your physical and mental health would be tied to, and affected by, your environment?

Hiram

The Balanced Health Guy

Technorati Tags: IAQ, depression, indoor air quality, health, healthy home, allergies, allergy, mycotoxin, balanced health, mental health, damp home, mold

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1. Boom Boxes. For some insane reason, some people just love to crank up their radios or boom boxes when they’re out camping.  I just don’t see the logic of leaving the noise of the city – and  then bringing it with you to the campground.  Inconsiderate people who play loud music is one reason to hate camping.
2. Loud People. You know the type.  Even when these people whisper, it sounds like a fog horn on a stormy night.  Apparently, these people don’t need much sleep because they’re always the last ones to go to bed keeping everyone else up with their loud jokes, comments, and laughter.
3. Door Slammers. I happened to be up before daybreak one morning and watched my “neighbor” in the campsite next to me crawl out of their tent, open a car door, not find what they were looking for, then slam the door shut, open another door, SlaM it closed, walk over to the other side of the car, open a third door, then SLAM it shut.  If the entire campground wasn’t already up, they were after this person opened and slammed 3 out of the 4 doors on their vehicle.
4. Car Alarms. Why some people deem it necessary to set their car alarms when they’re camping is beyond me.  Invariably, one of them goes off in the middle of the night when someone in their party opens a door looking for something (see item # 3).
5. People Who DRIVE to the Bathroom. In most state parks, the showers and bathrooms are usually within walking distance from the campsites.  However, there are some people who insist on driving the 40 or 50 yards.  Waking up in the middle of the night because someone is starting their car to go to the bathroom is no fun — especially since they usually set off the alarm (see item # 4), slam the car door (see item # 3), and then tell their spouse where they’re going (see item # 2).
6. Irresponsible Dog Owners. This one’s a pet peeve of mine.  I love dogs but would never take one camping.  Most of the time, the poor dog spends the entire weekend tied to the picnic table or barking at everything in their strange surroundings.  I especially hate people who don’t obey lease laws or those who leave their dogs at the campsite while they go off hiking or into town.  Irresponsible dog owners is a reason to hate camping.
7. Irresponsible Parents. For some reason, parents assume that they can let their kids run wild like they do at home.  I’ve seen kids get hurt running into briar vines and falling off of rocks.  The outdoors is not at all like a manicured back yard.  Kids need supervision, especially when outdoors.
8. People Who Bring All the Conveniences. One of reasons to go camping is to get away from all of the TV and radio chatter.  It’s difficult to relax when your neighbor is watching the game on his portable TV in the next campsite and has the sound cranked all the way up.  I’ve seen people set up satellite dishes in a campsite!  Geez!  These are people who just don’t understand the whole concept of camping in the first place – and a reason to hate going.
9. Mr. Fire Bug. One of my earliest camping memories was watching a bunch of fishermen trying to build a campfire.  One of them dosed a stack of wood with what must have been at least a gallon of gasoline.  It was kind of breezy so he struck a match and held it close to his body in order to shield it from the wind.  Then he slowly moved it towards the gasoline soaked wood.  The fireball literally blew the fishing cap off of his head – and I’m sure singed his eyebrows off as well.  Some people just shouldn’t be allowed to play with matches.
10. Alcohol. Why is it that some people think camping is a reason to drink?  They’ll stand around a campfire and chug beer after beer for most of the night.  Of course, there’s always a boom box, loud talking and laughing, car doors being slammed, and a barking dog or two!

Although I love being out doors, any or all of the above can really ruin a great weekend.  Most of these come down to a basic lack of consideration for others.  I was brought up to be considerate of others, to try to be quiet when we came in late so as not to bother people who might be trying to relax or sleep.  In this “me, me, me” world, I guess such things get left by the wayside.  It’s a real shame.

However, don’t let these things rob you of the joy of being outdoors.  Nothing will heal your mind and spirit like a weekend sleeping under the stars.  You’ll feel a strong spiritual connection to Nature that you just can’t get anywhere else … that is until someone slams a car door …

Hiram
The Balanced Health Guy

Technorati Tags: camping, outdoors, mental, balanced health, spirituality, nature, relaxation

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