INTENSITY-by Lou Haskins

If you have read any previous posts, you've seen there's a lot of info about getting motivated and exercising regularly. 

If you've gotten to that 5th phase of behavior change; maintenance,
Congratulations!
It has not been easy, but you're now at that point where if you don't follow your schedule or miss a session, it nags at you. GOOD!

So, it seems only fair that I discuss what comes next after you've gotten fit.

An important point here: Your body adapts to whatever you're doing with it, or to it, good or bad

Adaptation has taken place; if you continue what you're doing, you'll maintain the level of fitness, strength and aerobic capacity you've worked so hard to achieve.

That's a good thing!

However, let's say you're really enjoying your new body, and you want to explore your maximum capabilities.
Maybe you have set a goal, such as a 6 minute mile, or a 300Lb dead lift, for example, but can't get there.

You've hit a plateau. 
 

To get the results that propel you into the elite category in whatever sport or exercise you engage in, you must do two major things:

1. Exercise with enough vigor to cause your body go into  acute hormonal expression.

Example; Resistance training- Click here on intensity to see an abstract of a scientific study that shows just how complex this issue is.

 Here's a picture of me leg pressing 1270 lbs. This degree of intensity keeps me healthy and fit!

Not bad for a 71 year old geezer!

 If you really want that intensity level, you'll need to educate yourself.
Not with commercial internet sites, or companies trying to sell you products, but by gaining a scientific knowledge base that allows you to make these changes.

Example:Running- improved times require increased VO2 max, Maximal Oxygen Uptake 
Click here on  the highlighted Maximal Oxygen Uptake for a definition and related articles.
 A way to get the needed intensity after warm up,  is to run at a comfortable pace, then SPRINT for 30 seconds, just as fast as you possibly can go!! 
 Then, throttle back to  to an easy jog for about a minute. Repeat this cycle at least eight times, or until you are totally exhausted! Note: if you can do this more than eight times, you're not working hard enough during the intervals! (Or, you're a genetic freak!)
During these peaks, you should NOT be able to talk; you SHOULD be gasping for breath!

You will see improved performance! 
The most popular name for this is called interval training.
It requires requires both aerobic and anaerobic systems of your body to adapt to the high demand.

                                 WARNING!!!                                  
      These methods are NOT for the faint hearted!  You should be fit before you try this!

OR, see a qualified trainer whose profession is helping you get results. For example, Body by Design Studio, sponsor of this blog!

2. Give your body enough time to recover and repair the microscopic damage caused by overloading the engaged muscles beyond their normal capacity.
This is an often overlooked componant of training.
If you train in these ways too often, your body doesn't get time to make the changes you're trying to acquire.
Fatigue, lowered immune system and lack of motivation can result. 

So, you have to know your body and have spent enough time to be at a good fitness level, before these methods will produce favorable results.
Good luck and GOOD TRAINING!

How to Squeeze in That Last Ten Minutes of Exercise by Lou Haskins

If you read the last post, you've upped your metabolic rate and have done some beneficial exercises in the car on the way home.

Instead of feeling sluggish and wanting to rest, you're ready to do something more!

The key here, is to fit some body motion into what you need to do for the rest of the day.

Exercise should not be considered a disruption, but rather a integral part of your routine.

A simple way to do that is with a stepper.

 They are: small, inexpensive and have many variations. Some have a stand up handle bar instead of bands. They have counters and timers.

If you're busy with family, preparing a meal, or doing chores, you're expending energy.  If not, jump on the stepper.

Almost everyone watches TV, so put it behind a couch or favorite chair.
It's a great way to get moving if you want to watch the watch the tube.

Keep a chart and record the minutes.
This IS doable!
You'll be piling up exercise minutes before you know it, without wrecking your routine.

Need Exercise? by Lou Haskins

That 30 minutes of moderate to intense exercise each day, recommended  by the experts, seems impossible to many of us.

That is, until you remember it can be broken down into ten minute segments.
By spacing it out throughout the day, it gets more manageable.

Previous posts gave some suggestions for morning and noon time, here are some ideas for the time after work.
First, get ready for some activity when you get home by priming your body during the drive home.

Just remember to be safe and use common sense.

  

 During drive time, you can do more than just sit at traffic lights.

You can use the steering wheel to flex your arms and shoulders.
Squeeze as hard as you can and relax.
Push and pull on it. The steering wheel can take it.

Twist your trunk in the seat. Core strength and flexibility is the benefit.

Have you ever heard of a doctor named Kegel? Look him up.   .
Once you start doing Kegel exercises, you may consider him your best friend!
Women and men can strengthen connective tissue and internal muscles (especially the pubococcygeus) in the pelvic floor. .
Among the benefits; improved sexual function (that's always a biggie for me) and increased  support for all those internal organs that require strong connective tissue.

Biggest benefit -  for  many, incontinence is greatly reduced or eliminated!
It's easy to do, so what's not not like?
You can do hundreds of these exercises during drive time, all you have to do is bear down as if squeezing off your urine flow.

Your legs can benefit too! Just flex your butt, thighs  and calves when your stopped.

But! You have to REMEMBER to do them! Visual cues in your car really help.


Put up a picture of some kind, or a chart you can check off, or a reminder.
    Edison had it right.

What's all this doing for you?
Glad you asked! All this in the car provides muscle warm up, raises your metabolism and gets you mentally ready to be active when you get to your destination.

No more feeling exhausted and flopping with a snack! You'll want to move! 

And you thought you were too busy to exercise!

Time for Your Nooner, by Lou Haskins

How can you squeeze in a few minutes of exercise during the lunch hour?

Glad you asked!                               You have to plan for it! 

Walking is wonderful!

We are made for it.
         
We're so worried these days about the least little hint of perspiration, or scent of an exercised body! Don't be!

A quick cleanup and changing your top gets you back at the desk smelling like, well, you!


What about lack of opportunity or space?

Got stairs? Stair climbing is a great way to build and tone your butt and legs. Get creative. There's a lot of ways to do steps. Lots of calories get burned and legs get slimmer!

Try standing up while you eat. The right type of lunch will make this easy and you burn calories and strengthen the little stabilizing muscles while standing.






Before you know it, you'll be a shadow of your former self!

A Kicked Up Veggie Stir Fry for Your Spicy Side

Who says healthy recipes have to be boring? I know that when you hear "Veggie Stir Fry," some people (wrongly) assume the dish will be a boring combination of overcooked, soggy vegetables. But if you do it right you'll be making room in your regular recipe rotation for this spicy dish.

But be warned: this stir fry is s-p-i-c-y! Of course, you are at liberty to tame it down to your liking by using sweet peppers instead of red peppers and less cayenne and chili pepper seasonings. Although fall is just around the corner, which means you might be in the mood for something to warm you up on those chilly evenings.

One of the best parts about this recipe, aside from the bold taste, is all the nutrition packed into each serving thanks to the veggies. And with six different spices in the mix, you get a chance to really make use of your spice rack. The other great thing about Spicy Veggie Stir Fry with Noodles is that if you know your way around your kitchen, it all comes together in less than half an hour.


Now here's how to "Satisfy Your Spicy Side"!

    * 1 package Japanese (Udon) Noodles
    * 1 cup snap peas
    * 3 green onions chopped
    * 1 red pepper sliced
    * 1 cup baby corn

Dressing

    * 2 tablespoons sodium free beef bouillon
    * 3/4 cup warm water
    * 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
    * 1 teaspoon molasses
    * 1/8 teaspoon Ginger
    * 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
    * 1/2 teaspoon Black Peppercorns, ground
    * 1 1/2 tablespoons Chili Powder
    * 3/4 tablespoon Cayenne Pepper
    * 1/4 cup Sesame Oil


Boil Udon Noodles uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to overcook. Drain and rinse with cold water and set aside.

Dressing: in a bowl and add 3/4 cup warm water and dissolve the beef bouillon. Once dissolved, add red wine vinegar, molasses, ginger, garlic powder, ground peppercorns, chili powder, cayenne pepper and sesame oil. (For a milder version, reduce the amount of cayenne pepper and substitute sweet peppers for the red peppers.)

Pour the dressing into a skillet and heat until it starts to bubble. Add the fresh vegetables and sautee them for approximately 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the Udon noodles and mix until coated.

Servings: 4



Nutritional Breakdown (per serving):



This dish is a little high in carbs, so I would reserve it for post-workout times, or occasion when you know you'll be needing energy in the following three hours.

Calories 407, Fat 17 grams, Protein 12 grams, Sodium 700 mg, Carbohydrates 56 grams, Fiber 6 grams

Don't Give it All Back While You're Away!

That vacation you've been planning or the business trip you can't get out of can sometimes have a negative effect on diet and your fitness routine. In fact, sometimes it takes several days or a week to get back into the normal routine and feel like your self again. Although you're away from home and it's more difficult to follow your normal routine, you still shouldn't go all out and blow all the progress you've made. Try to get a little exercise everyday and limit the high fat and high calorie foods. Every little bit you can do for fitness really does help.

Surprize - Obesity a Big Contributor to the Energy Crisis!

How surprised would you be to learn that the increasing obesity in this country is a significant contributor to our energy crisis? And no,  I don't mean energy crisis in the sense "I just don't have the energy to work out", I mean our fatness is burning up a billion extra gallons of gasoline each year!

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new report on obesity and found that there was a 1.1 percent increase (an additional 2.4 million people) in the self-reported prevalence of obesity between 2007 and 2009, plus the number of states with an obesity rate over 30 percent has tripled to nine states. In 2000, there were no states that had an obesity rate of 30 percent or more.  This obesity has caused more people to buy larger vehicles, which increases gasoline consumption in the U.S. and fuel consumption increases with more weight in cars from people.

A detailed study published in 2006 at Entrepreneur.com analyzed the amount of additional fuel consumed due to heavier drivers. One key finding was that almost 1 billion gallons of gasoline per year can be attributed to passenger weight gain in non-commercial vehicles between 1960 and 2002--this translates to .7 percent of the total fuel used by passenger vehicles annually. Researchers also estimated that over 39 million gallons of fuel is used annually for every pound gained in average passenger weight!

A 2009 study by the non-profit company Resources for the Future looked at the link between obesity and vehicle demand and found that from 1999 to 2005, a 10-percent increase in overweight and obese drivers reduced fuel economy of new vehicle demand by 2.5 percent. The study noted that as the overweight and obesity rates increased, so did the percentage of vans, SUVs, and pickup trucks purchased from 16 percent in the early 1970s to recently more than 40 percent. (Of course, other factors helped drive this market change, such as those crude, commercial-type vehicles becoming more refined and better tailored to commuter duties.)

These findings are sensible yet still surprising, and they drive home the point that the problems associated with obesity in the U.S. can run far deeper we ever realized.

(With thanks to Consumer Reports and the CDC for this information)

More people fatter now than in 2007

It's official: We're getting fatter. The number of obese people in the United States has increased by 2.4 million since 2007, according to a CDC special report released Tuesday.

The report also says that 9 states – up from 3 in 2007 – now report obesity levels at 30 percent or higher (in 2000, no states were in that category). Not a single state has reached the 15 percent goal set in the CDC's "Healthy People 2010" initiative.

"Obesity is a major public health problem," said CDC Director, Dr. Thomas Frieden. "We need intensive and ongoing efforts to address obesity, or more people will get sick and die from the complications of obesity, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer."

In addition to the added number of obese people, the report also explored the costs associated with obesity and related conditions.

"In 2008 dollars, medical costs associated with obesity were estimated at $147 billon," Frieden said. "That translates into medical costs for people who are obese that were $1,429 higher per person each year, compared to normal-weight individuals."

Frieden, and Dr. Bill Dietz, Director of CDC's Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, went on to say that national programs like the Let's Move campaign and state programs that address health-related infrastructure are steps in the right direction.

"Obesity is a societal problem, and it will take a societal response," Frieden said.

Barriers to Exercise-I Haven't Got Time in the Morning by Lou Haskins

this blog discusses being healthy in America today.

TIME !

OKAY,   you don't have time to exercise, eat right and get healthy.

Sooooo,  let's complete the thought here.............you'll just continue gaining pounds, eating junk food and hardening your arteries.

I know, and you know, that is a recipe for misery and severe health problems.. 

It really is a matter of perspective. In earlier posts I mentioned the MENTAL shift; that change in attitude that causes people to realize if they don't do something, NOW, they will soon have a severe health event or worse!     

Just like working a budget, many people who succeeded in making time for exercise inventoried themselves and analized how their time was actually being spent.

Carl Jung had it right.

If getting up ten minutes earlier was needed for the morning session, they did it. If lunch was a time spent sitting and eating, they changed that. Instead of coming home and frantically trying to be chauffeur, cook and housemaid, they found ways to integrate physical activity into the tasks.

 Here are some real-world examples of people's successful methods to add that TEN stinkin' minutes into their busy day.

MORNINGS

1.  She set the alarm ten minutes earlier and did breathing and stretching.
If you have to, go to bed ten minutes earlier. So what, if at first, you're in bed lying awake at night? Use the time to plan how you will go about improving your health.

2. He bought books and devised his own ten minute meditation/breathing/stretching/yoga/strength program.
You know better than anyone what you like to do; what you hate to do. If you own it, you're more likely to do it.

3. He stretched a bungee cord across the doorway.  
By physically reminding himself that removing it was the signal to ride his bike to work, he did it. Breakfast became fresh fruit, a healthy meal bar and water on the way.

4. She bought a mini-stepper. After breakfast and before leaving for work, she watched TV news and brushed her teeth while stepping her way to fitness!

 







 

5. She planted a small garden.  "It was so relaxing!"

 For non-gardeners....Pulling weeds and raking and pruning gives the body and the mind a good workout. Enjoying the morning quiet time was an unforeseen bonus..

6. He challenged the kids to a duel.  Who ever could beat dad on the balance board got to pick special things. (he came up with a point system for them to earn a much desired item) Guess who won.

  

So, get inventive! If you have decided you really want to improve your health, you WILL find a way! 

A few notes for the purists.  I'm well aware that some of these activities may be less than ten minutes (at first) and the intensity may not be great; but it's a funny thing about exercise. The more you do it, the more you want to do it, as well as making it more challenging.

Inch by inch, life's a cinch. 

If you don't start, NOTHING will happen, right?

Also, don't fall into the trap of skipping breakfast to make time for activity. It has been proven many times over that those who eat breakfast can better manage their weight.

Keep a record of what you do. It is key to maintaining momentum. Put it on the refrigerator door. You KNOW you'll see it there!

Next post-some examples of noon time ten minute exercise breaks.

Barriers to Exercise-NO TIME! by Lou Haskins

this blog discusses being healthy in America today

The late, great comedian, Rodney Dangerfield once said, " If I knew I was gonna live THIS long, I'd have taken better care of myself!"

Take this quiz and get a good understanding of why you're not taking better care of yourself.
                                           Click on Quiz for full-screen size and printing.

Click on Quiz for full-screen size and printing

Courtesy of CDC (Center for Disease Control)

 Time is there, you just have to prioritize it.

In the morning, before breakfast, take ten minutes to do some yoga, deep breathing, or if the kids are up, play with them before breakfast for that all-important ten minutes. It becomes a habit. Surely, you can find TEN minutes.
If you do it before you eat, your metabolism revs up and you burn calories more efficiently.

After all, we are descended from hunter-gathers. They didn't roll over in the cave and pour a cup of coffee and toast a bagle. They had to expend energy and go find breakfast; and often, it fought back!

For a good blog on food, read my friend Brenna, a registered dietitian who counsels diabetic patients.
You can find her at http://eating-simple.blogspot.com/
She sees the effects of poor diet every day. She can help.
Next up, more examples of ten minute exercise examples you can use in your daily activities.

The Time is Now!! By Lou Haskins

this blog discusses being healthy in America today

I recently did a series of postings on how to make Behavior Changes, and why it is so difficult.

It seems logical to follow with this series; what is known by trainers as Barriers to Exercise.



The #1 reason for not getting the recommended amount of PA (physical activity) each day is.................?
drum roll please..................TIME! 

So, when we GET time, we'll start, right?  Unh Hunh! Yeah!


If you are seriously trying to do do something about you health and fitness, (action phase), don't let TIME get in the way, make it an ally!


The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has updated its' recommendations for exercise Do you know that now, your activity can be broken down into segments? 

Three 10 minute periods of activity a day can meet the minimum requirement of 30 minutes, at least 5 days a week, for physical activity. 

Here's great link to the ACSM updated guidelines as well asMETs.
You really should be looking for this kind of info if you have moved into the planning or action phase.  
 
http://www.bodyresults.com/e2acms_2007.asp

This site gives a terrific explanation of METs and how you can use them to boost your activity. 



 BTW, you'll notice it's now PA (physical activity) and not exercise. This reflects the more inclusive view that anything that gets you up and moving can be beneficial. For example, common chores like washing the car or doing housework. It counts! There's this system called METs (metabolic equivalents) that lets you keep track. Keeping a record is key. 
A good place is on the refrigerator. You KNOW you'll be going there!
 
 

If you have kids, involving them makes it quality time, sets a great precedent for them, requires more calories and  effort, but only a little more time. Kids love to help. Let them! They'll be grown and gone before you know it!

So, think about the ten minutes. Surely you can find ten minutes, right?  Think about that and in the next post, I'll give you some real life examples of what people are doing to get PA of ten minutes, three times a day.

Have You Ever Taken a CPR Course? by Lou Haskins

This blog discusses being healthy in America today

CPR - cardio pulmonary resuscitation, the first treatment for a person who has collapsed and is not breathing and/or has no pulse. It consists of  an external cardiac massage and artificial respiration.

You can use  this lifesaving skill any where, any time without any equipment help.
A lot of things have changed, so even if you had it years ago, you need a refresher.

And, for those who have never learned this simple skill, pray that someone you love never needs CPR while you are helplessly standing by.

The guilt can be overwhelming!

  Make sure you get a course that actually has you practice on a simulated 

 person!

 Reading about it is not enough if you find yourself in this high-stress situation.

Having CPR skills is something you'll NEVER regret!

It Isn't Hopeless! by Lou Haskins, CPT

this blog discusses being healthy in America today

A couple of hours ago, I was a guest of Michael Perskin, MD, on Dr Radio.
http://www.sirius.com/doctorradio

His show is called Healthy Aging.
He had me as a guest because I'm a certified personal trainer and 71 years old.
I'm a healthy and fit; and the idea was for me to answer, with the doctor, caller's questions relating to exercise for older adults.

The first caller described her husband. He's 50,  5'9" and weighs 280lbs. He's had a heart attack and now has developed diabetes!
She was beside herself. No matter what, she couldn't get him to exercise or make positive improvements in his lifestyle.
I really empathize with them.
She married this man, has loved this man, had his children and is now watching him kill himself through inertia and inability to change.
Change! It is so  difficult!
He most most likely feels stuck. He just doesn't think HE can do it-make the change.

If he and she should read this post, I urge you to review the earlier posts I've made on this site regarding this very subject, behavior change.

I have been there! This is me at age 60! Five feet, nine inches and 265lbs!
I didn't even feel like I had a problem, until it was almost too late!




 

Your body is capable of remarkable improvement, no matter what your present condition, if you just give yourself half a chance.

Don't blame it on your genes.

Don't give up because you've had bad experiences and exposures up to now.

Here's an analogy.

Your genes are like a gun.
It is what it is. You can't change it, it can be beneficial or harmful depending on what happens with it.

Our environment loads the bullets.
Now, that gun can be deadly.
 

     But, it is our unhealthy lifestyle that pulls the trigger!
     Stop committing suicide!
     Don't pull the trigger!

     Change your lifestyle!
     It's NOT hopeless!


   
                                        Here's a motto I suggest anyone can adopt.

                                           If HE or SHE can do it, I can do it!

Something's Fishy - by Lou Haskins

This blog discusses being healthy in America today   

As a young man in the Navy,  I was stationed in Argentia, Newfoundland in 1964-68.

I was reminded  of this recently when I got an email from a friend that served with me there. We reminisced about the great fishing.
It was pretty much unspoiled then, and we loved it.
One of the fun things to do was to fish for codfish. It was so simple and easy. You stood on the pier or shore, cast out a big spoon or plug lure and start reeling in. When everything stopped, and it felt like you had snagged a rock, you just had to keep reeling. After a couple of minutes, what felt like dragging an anvil, would turn out to be a 25lb codfish! (or bigger)

With white delicate meat, it made a delicious, healthy meal.

So, here's an updated healthy Mediterranean-style codfish recipe, complete with how to cook it and tell if  it's done, courtesy of the Canadian Department of Marine Fisheries.

Notice the calorie, carbohydrate, salt and fat content in the nutritional analysis below the recipe-it doesn't get much better than that! And, the fat is healthy!

The header on the recipie, how to cook fish, applies to all types.
Most people tend to overcook fish, in which case, it gets dry and tasteless.
If that happens, throw away the fish and eat the pan! It will taste better!
BON APPETIT!

The Right Body in the Wrong Time by Lou Haskins

this blog discusses being healthy in America today

The last few posts have dealt with behavior change, and why it's so difficult.



OK, time to deal with the LAST and most unpleasant component in the process, RELAPSE!




Misery loves company-it happens to almost everyone at one time or another. Take a look at this graph. 


 


After about three months, only 35 to 40 percent of people trying to kick the habit are still clean. And, that's after detox!
Trying to control food is even worse! You can't abstain. You have to eat! 
And, do you know anyone who wants to exercise after eating? 
One good thing can be seen in this graph though, after about three months, most of us are well on the way to recovery.
When I was trying to quit my FOUR pack a day tobacco habit, I relapsed at least eight times. The only reason I was able to keep trying until successful was the process described in earlier posts where I had convinced myself that not to quit would ruin my health and probably kill me! Once you truly believe that, you'll keep trying until you do it. Losing weight and looking good is not a strong enough motivator.

If you relapse, it will begin with a bad lifestyle choice. 

To aviod it happening, start by re-evaluating the people you hang out with. 
 Family? Well, you can pick your friends, but you're stuck with your family! Avoid the toxic ones!
Are these people you just share a behavior with?  
Would these people support your effort to be healthier, or would they sabotage you?


Would they offer you a hit, a toke, a drink; take you to the Cheesecake Factory for your birthday, bake you a special dessert they know you really like and then be hurt because you don't want to eat it? Write down things like this that happened to you and who it was that did it. Forewarned is forearmed.
Change your location pattern. Take a different route home that doesn't go past the doughnut shop. Try different types of recreation activities, get involved with people leading healthier lifestyles. It's contagious!

You gotta be strong! 

If,  you weaken and give in to temptation, it's NOT the end of the world. 

At this point it's easy to say, "I failed again! What the heck, I might as well give up." 

NO!

The key?

GET BACK INTO THE ROUTINE THAT MADE YOU SUCCEED TO THIS POINT!

AFTER ALL, IF YOU DON'T KEEP TRYING YOU'RE GOING TO..................................?

The Right Body at the Wrong Time by Lou Haskins

This blog discusses being healthy in America today.

 In the The Right Body at the Wrong Time series, we are working through the six steps of behavior change needed to make a permanent,  new healthier way of life. The last post covered step #5, maintenance.
This would be a good time to read the previous posts so you can relate  to the earlier steps in the process. 

In fact, step #6, permanent process is the last step in decision making. 
Your brain is the means to achieving the final step. 
Here's why.

To get to this point, step #6, you have:
Moved from ignorance and/or denial to awareness.
You have educated yourself and now understand just how crucial taking charge of your own health is.
You continue to research and learn about what it takes to be healthy in today's society.
You set goals and progressed to a state of healthful well-being.
You've seen amazing improvement in appearance, physical capability and medical health markers.
You have a support network that gives you feedback and encouragement.

At this point, success is achieved through vigilance.
You can actually eat a piece of chocolate layer cake with ice cream. 
You can actually go a week without exercise.
However, your brain will NOT allow you to continue these behaviors. 
That's because you have a NEW rnormal; a healthy lifestyle.
Whereas before you used to dread exercise, crave junk food and  ignore well-meaning people trying to inform and help you; now, everything is reversed! 

I call it flipping the switch.


To assist you with the permanent process, there are many tools. 
Here are some examples.
Exercise log.
I put this together so that the three main types of exercise can be tracked on one log sheet.
Notice stretches are mentioned AFTER the exercise. That's because doing it this way builds muscle faster and lessens chance of injury. 
Stretching a cold muscle is NOT a good thing. How many years have you heard that you should stretch first? 

Ideas become accepted dogma simply because some expert or authority thinks it's logical,  Others, including organizations join in, and it becomes accepted practice, even though no science has been done to prove it correct.
The correct order is: Warm-up, at least ten minutes.  Then do the exercise you planned to do,  and then stretch.
Your muscles will thank you for it, and there's less chance of injury.
 
For aerobic or cardio, about 80% of your maximum effort gets the best result.
For fat loss, the effort needs to be LESS, about 70%. 
If you work too hard, too fast, the body taps into it's glycogen stores and uses carbs first, making fat loss more difficult.  
That's why a good moderate to fast walking pace, about 3+ miles per hour is great for fat loss. The elliptical machines and/or rowers are excellent as well and have the added benefit of no impact; easier on the knees and ankles.  

For resistance/strength training, 10-12 reps of weight that is about 20% of your intended goal gets the joint ready to go. Then, do as much weight as you can, for just a few reps! Intensity is the key to effective weight training.


Then, it's time for a good stretch. Each muscle group should be stretched right after you exercise it!

 Here's another simpler log that helps you stay on the track.

Other exercise myths and misunderstandings will be covered in future posts.

The point is, keep these logs visible! On the door of the fridge, on your way out, places where seeing them will remind you to do the exercise..

Also keep track of what and how you eat.
 Here's two examples, one detailed, the other more simple. Choose what works for you.

Personally, I hate calorie counting-for me all I have to do is see what's going in my mouth, and I can adjust to get the result I'm after-lose fat, gain weight etc. (This is after 3 years of educatiing myself on food)
The simple log plan? Just write down everything!
If you BITE IT, You WRITE IT!
You review your notes after, say, four days or a week and you'll be surprised.  
Then, pick the bad food easiest for you to reduce or eliminate and start there.

Follow what has been discussed in this blog and you'll accomplish your goals.

There are many websites that can help, many with advertisers trying to sell you "special weight loss food". 

DON'T fall for that! 

The websites offer really good info, but you don't have to pay for any of it. You'll see as you navigate through the various areas.

So, in phase 6,  Permanent Process, you're doing everything you need to do to be healthy and fit. It's part of who you are!


IT"S A BEAUTIFUL THING!

Next and last installment on the decision-making process and why it's so difficult, is the event we trainers NEVER mention to our clients as the they progress and become happier and more confident---
RELAPSE- it happens.
I'll tell you why, and how to deal with it.

 

The Right Body at the Wrong Time by Lou Haskins

This blog discusses Being Healthy in America Today

This is another segment of The Right Body in the Wrong Time - we continue the discussion of making Behavior Changes and why it is so difficult.

In the previous posts, (see archive) we went through the first four steps in the decision making process that leads to permanent change, precontemplation, contemplation, planning and action. 
This was the easy part! 

Now, after all this self-education and awareness, we put ourselves to the test of steps five and six,
Maintenance and Permanent Process.
Many of us get to this point;   now, you're going to see what it takes to make it your way of life!

This is where we want to be! 
ON CRUISE CONTROL!!! 
we can start and stop when we want, resume or even accelerate, and best of all COAST!

If it were only this easy! Just think, never worrying about what you're eating, never weighing yourself, not keeping volumes of charts and exercise schedules or calorie counting......why, everybody would look good and be healthy!

Just like these settings in your car's system, maintenance and permanent process allow you to do just that. The good habits become so ingrained, that they become second nature. You are so intellectually committed, you know that if you don't do this, your health will fail! 

 Maintenance- This is achieved best incrementally! 

Earlier, I described a typical all-or nothing approach. The kind I had tried.
It usually fails.
After all, the idea is to feel good, NOT miserable! Also important, is making progress that turns into habit.
How do you do that?

Set attainable goals, write them down and refer to them, and chart your progress.

A real-life example that worked for one of my clients. 

After the example we'll go through the elements that made it work.

(If you haven't read the previous posts in this series, The Right Body in the Wrong Time, now would be a good time to do so.)

This person was morbidly obese ( BMI 40). She had diabetes and metabolic syndrome. 

Docs are now calling this diabesity.

I talked with her.  Just listening is one of the most important things a trainer can do, btw. 

She was worried and depressed; she had tried so many things and nothing had worked. 

She was at the point where she knew if something wasn't done,  a health crisis was imminent!

She said she lived in a second floor apartment;  and, at the end of the day, climbing those stairs was really hard.  

BEFORE any commitment by her, or formal training by me, I made a simple suggestion: 

"When you climb those stairs, as you get to the top, step back and do one more. You can do that, right?"

She thought for a second, and said,  " Well, yeah, I guess I could do one more."

"OK.  Put up a piece of paper on the door, count those steps as you climb, each time write down how many you climb, and add one more each day," I told her.

"After two weeks, add them all up and you'll be surprised at how much extra exercise you got."

Off she went, looking determined, I thought.

A couple of weeks or so later, I saw her again. 

After only two weeks, there was a noticeable weight loss in her face. 

Even I was surprised! She was excited, and I was eager to have her tell me what happened.

 She had lost seven pounds. 

  She was climbing more stairs than the original goal.

   She was going for short walks.

    She even changed her habit of going straight to the refrigerator when she entered the apartment.

NOW she had a chance of making the changes required to live her life instead of just existing! At this point, training by a professional would increase her chances of reaching Permanent Process,  but is not absolutely necessary, because the criteria for sustainable change are being met.

They are:

1. Motivation-This person knew, as mentioned in previous posts, that a  health calamity was near.

2. A simple initial task - that the person agreed she could do.

3. Keeping a record- right on the door at the top of the stairs, pretty hard to ignore!

4. Progression-incremental increase is easier. (inch by inch, life's a cinch-yard by yard, life is hard)

5. A sense of accomplishment-she's keeping the record and seeing her steps increase every day.

6. Control- The feeling of helplessness and being unable to deal with issues disappears.

The BONUS effect-there are often unexpected positive events that occur in the process, a cascade of good things that further motivate the person to continue to improve. She started taking extra walks and stopped eating as soon as she got home.

In this case, the previous behavior was to eat as soon as she got in the door. The heightened  awareness and sense of accomplishment blunted that self- destructive desire and eventually eliminated it. 

The HALO effect- When despair and depression are replaced with success, you feel so terrific, you can do anything! That's a good place to be!

The concept of ONE MORE-Getting in the habit of pushing yourself, just a little each time, pays big dividends.

At this point, a trainer can help her stay on track, give her support, info and resources to continue her self-education, and emphasize that only SHE can take charge of her health.

The trainer would make sure she did not focus on weight; that rate of loss ( 7 pounds in two weeks) would actually be unhealthy over time. 

The trainer would also explain body composition; and why it is a better indicator of progress.

Reminder! As mentioned before, if the steps mentioned in previous posts are followed, it's possible to do this yourself!

A lot of us like the extra support, knowledge and motivation a trainer can provide. 

That's OK too! 

This person has since moved to Mississippi, and we've lost touch, but I'm confident she has the motivation, strategies and behaviors in place to lead a healthy and fit life.

I said in the last post I would include a picture of how I look now.
In the first pic, I'm 60 years old.

Now, at age 71, I'm healthier and younger.

At University of North Florida, I was tested at age 69, and met the standards of fitness for a man

35 years old! 

Folks, I have been there! Let me help you take control  and make the journey to health and fitness!

 The next post will be about Permanent Process-how to put the whole concept of health and fitness on CRUISE CONTROL and fahgeddabout it!