Cool Down

I just want everyone to know that this post is being written while I sit on the balcony gazing out at the ocean(yes on vacation). But a person I care deeply about (family) has a problem. this person has been suffering from hand and thumb pain for at least 6 months now. They have massaged, popped pills, worn a brace all to no avail. I made the simple suggestion to use ICE 2x daily for 15 minutes, everyone scoffed, why not heat. ICE ICE Baby, is an anti-inflammatory and an anti-pain. It is applied locally, so 100% of the effect stays where you need it, versus a pill that has to go throughout your whole body and only a small % may actually get to 'the spot'. And ICE is cheap. Amazing...simple, effective, safe, cheap, easy, but yes it hurts for the first 5-8 minutes, and after that cool and pain free. Next time you have pain, try ICE for 15-20 minutes 2 x daily (longer is not better) for 10 days, I bet you will be amazed at how much better you will feel. Use it consistently or like anything else the effectiveness is reduced.

Did You Know

Did you know that the average person that has back pain has nothing wrong with their back.

Did you know that the average person having difficulty losing weight does not have a weight problem.

Did you know that psychology plays a greater factor in your success with an exercise or weight-loss routine then effort or structure alone.

Did you know that by simply eating half of what you eat every day you will lose weight.

Did you know that your metabolism is slowing down by simply sitting here reading this.

Did you know that this is all I have time for today and will hopefully post the answers soon.

Joining The inmates in the Asylum?

08' is here, and like everyone else it's new years resolution time. Time to make the same old promises to yourself year after year of eating better making better choices exercising. Unfortunately, these so-called resolutions fail year after year.
Insanity is defined as doing the same thing again and again expecting a different result. Waking up January 1 and making the same resolutions year after year and going about achieving them the same way year after year is plain insanity.
Over the past 15 plus years of clinical practice and personal training I've seen people make the same mistakes over and over again. Mistakes that, with a little bit of education, should never have been made! Now, I don't blame these people that set out with lofty goals to make positive and proactive changes in the new year. I blame the misinformation and the lack of scientific data that the public is exposed to when it comes to exercise, fitness, nutrition and wellness.
So, it only seems appropriate that education, debunking myths and exposure to safe and effective exercise is the only way to avoid insanity. What if I told you that the only good thing about the bench press exercise is that without any doubt it will destroy your shoulders. Last time I checked in playing sports and the game of life if you are laying flat on your back staring at the sky you lost. What if I also told you that leg raises, an exercise that most people think strengthens you're ab's, actually only serves to create a muscle imbalance so severe that it will not only inhibit your ability to move but, it will permanently damage your spine never mind doing nothing for your ab's. When was the last time that you sat on a bench and pushed or pulled something behind your head? When you think of it in that context it really doesn't seem like a good exercise does it? So my point is simple, what we know we may very well no wrong. Hopefully we are all smart enough to realize at some point that what we are doing and what we have done has not or is not working. Change, especially for the body, is essential to attaining consistent fitness and wellness-based goals.
Now, for the big question, where does one go to get this information? There are a host of websites and magazines that will provide you with some of this information. There are also countless books, manuals, and programs that you can buy that can help you on your quest. But, and there is always a but, many of these books websites and magazines are also trying to sell you something. So, be careful in your choices.Over the years it has become very frustrating as a fitness and wellness professional that there are very few websites or books that I can recommend in good conscience to my clients. So, on a challenge from a client and friend who just happens to be a physician I went ahead, stepped up, and wrote a book. Now, I know what you're thinking, here comes another plug to buy something. But, in my humble and hopefully professional opinion this book is different from what is on the market. It is truly research-based, safe, effective clinically based exercises designed to bridge the gap between knowledge and application of good exercise science. The exercises and programs that "Back to Feeling Great a proactive approach to combating back pain and stiffness" contains will help you create proper flexibility, balance, effective posture and most importantly spine and pelvic stability.
Now, you may be wondering why those are important. It is usually the lack of stabilization in the spine, pelvis and core that prevents you from ever achieving your exercise goals. So what I did was create a program based on over 16 years of clinical rehabilitative experience that will help you to move better, be more stable, and have better posture which will in turn allow you to move more efficiently. If you are able to move more efficiently while maintaining good effective posture your muscles fire better. And very simply, if they fire better than you will get more out of your exercise. Sounds pretty good do less and get more!, and that is really the secret to a good and effective exercise, and wellness-based fitness routine.
Most people work way too hard when they're in the gym, the "Back to Feeling Great" book will teach you how to work smarter not harder on your road to achieving your fitness and wellness goals. Since the book came out numerous Physicians and Chiropractors have begun to recommend the book to their patients as a safe, effective and easy program that will actually do what it says it will do. I sincerely hope that with some education and exposure to proper exercise and not 'gym' exercises you will find your New Year goals to be effective and lasting without the risk of making the same mistakes over and over again, no sense joining the inmates in the asylum.
The book is available on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com
www.backtofeelinggreat.com
www.backtofeelinggreat.blogspot.com

A Simple New Years Recepie Trick

The new year is upon us, and a heartfelt congratulations for surviving 07'. So, I thought I would start out it giving you a very simple but very effective solution to making some proactive changes in 08'. As you all know, portion control, and good food choices are equally as important as exercise. There are some very simple food substitutions that you can make on a daily basis to cut your caloric intake and decrease your portion size. One of my favorite recipes that allows you to indulge in that chocolate fix that so many love is to simply take a box of devils food cake mix and simply stir in a can of pumpkin. Mix well, add in some cherries if you like bake and enjoy. By adding in pumpkin instead of oil and eggs, you have substantially decreased the amount of calories and lowered the fat content. As long as you remember to enjoy only one piece per day this recipe will get you far from overindulging in those sweet and chocolate cravings.

The Christmas Ache

Well, the season is upon us to forget all the we have worked on from the past year. Now is the time to become irresponsible, forget your diet, stop exercising, don't stretch... just fall off the wagon. A little known fact is that during the holiday season the risk of heart attacks and strokes roughly triples. The reason this occurs is that people forget to take their medications, eat foods that they don't normally eat. This causes a cascade effect of increasing blood pressure and changes in body composition, coupled with the stress of the holiday season. An unfortunate fact is that the rate of suicides also increases exponentially during the holidays. So the best advice I can give during the stressful season is that the best path to take is to continue on the path you're on. keep exercising, manage your diet carefully, avoid stressful situations, and just have a good time. If you have not begun a regular habit of diet and exercise now is absolutely the best time to start. Staying true exercise and diet program this time a year will make it much much easier to continue a healthy habit good lifestyle changes with the upcoming new year. And as I'm always fond of saying Summers comming!

Holiday INSANITY

Well, judging by the high amount of sick out calls from our clients the past few weeks the holidays must be upon us. Stress, s*&%#ty food, poor sleep, exposure to germs, strange weather (80 here yesterday while the rest of the country is frozen). This all takes a toll on the body. For some reason most folks just stop.......exercising, supplements, water, sleep etc. during the holidays. Is there a law I missed that says it's OK to fall off the proverbial wagon. And of course these are the same people that drag their butts back in after new years and wonder why they feel and look do bad. Year after year the same pattern, but expecting a different result. That sounds like insanity, doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result. Do your body and immune system a favor, walk the line! Keep stretching, walking, exercising. Keep taking your supplements to give your poor overworked immune system a boost ( I am referring to JUICE PLUS, vitamin C, and fish oil. Remember that just 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise in the morning will do wonders to keep you in line and to allow a little splurge here and there. Also, do not forget the benefit of a good nap.

Painfully Responsible

As adults, we are supposed to be intelligent enough to understand that if we have pain, or an injury, and we have been taught how to manage that pain than deal with it. To just sit around in pain and ignore what you need to do to lessen the pain just baffles me. Now, I understand pain, it makes you forget things, it makes you angry, it changes you! but that does not absolve you from a few simple stretches, ice, massage etc. to help deal with the symptoms. To have a client come in and say that it is just getting worse never ceases to amaze me. The pain will not just go away by it's self, it is your bodies way of telling you that something is wrong, take the time to listen.