There's NO weight loss problem....

Okay, so I think most of us would agree that there is an obesity problem in America and many other countries across our planet. No brainer right? Right.

But I think we need to look at this in a completely different way. I want to propose that we do not have a weight loss problem today. In case you’re confused at this apparent contradiction, consider these statistics:

According to a study from Oxford University published in the International Journal of Obesity, within 3 to 5 years, about 80 percent of all ‘weight losers’ have regained the lost weight, and often gained back a little extra.

According to research by the National Weight Control Registry, that relapse rate may be as high as 95 percent. 95 percent?!

For comparison, relapse rates for drug, alcohol and tobacco dependency have been reported in the range of 50-90%. Huh? Really?

So what this really means is that lots and lots of people have “successfully” lost weight. But not many have kept it off. Therefore, we don’t have a weight loss problem, we have a weight-relapse problem; we have a “not sticking with it” problem, at least that is what the statistic suggest.

In fact, the fall and subsequent weight-regain usually doesn’t take years. Many people have abandoned their new year’s resolutions within weeks. By the time the Super Bowl party rolls around, their diet is history! (Hay, where's the plate with dates rolled in deep fried bacon - can I have some dip with that? Oh...Sorry I digress.)

If this is true, then shouldn’t we put more of our attention into figuring out why people don't stick with their programs.... Sometimes fitness folks don't think things through. And better yet shouldn't fitness "gurus" inform and prepare their clientele where there might be some bumps in the road? And then help them form strategies to stick with their programs rather than try to allure into the newest plan guarenteed to make you an Ambacombie swim suit model.

Below is a list of the top 8 reasons why you fall off the wagon. I think your time, energy and efforts are far better spent on figureing how to stay on track rather than worrying about the minutiae of the newest diet and exercise plan. If we focus on staying on track will be far more important than spending all of your energy debating whether you should be on low carb or high carb, Mediterranean or Okinawan, vegetarian or meat eater meal plans.

No, my suggestion to you is that if you simply focus on the 8 issues listed below you’ll start getting more lasting results. How? By being able to stick with whichever plan you decided was best for you! After all, even if you have the best nutrition program in the world - on paper - it doesn’t do you much good if you can’t stick with it in practice!


THE 8 REASONS
1. No focus: you didn’t set goals, you didn’t put your goals in writing, and or you didn’t stay focused on your goals daily (by reading them, affirming them, looking at a vision board, etc.)

2. No priorities: you may have set a goal, but you didn’t put it on or near the top of your priorities list. For example, your goal is six pack abs, but drinking beer and eating fast food on the weekend is higher on your priorities list than having a flat stomach.

3. No support system: you tried to go at it alone; no buddy system, training partners, family, spouse, friends, mentors or coaches to turn to for information and emotional support when the going got tough.

4. No Accountability: you didn’t keep score for your own accountability – with a progress chart, weight record, measurements, food journal, training journal, and you didn’t set up external accountability (ie, report to someone else or show your results to someone else)

5. No patience: you were only thinking short term and had unrealistic expectations. You expected 10 pounds a week or 5 pounds a week or 3 pounds a week, so the first week you lost “only” 1 or 2 pounds or hit a plateau, you gave up.

6. No planning: you winged it. You walked into the gym without having a workout in hand, on paper, you didn’t plan your workouts into your weekly schedule; you didn’t have a menu on paper, you didn’t make time (so instead you made excuses, like “I’m too busy”)

7. No balance: your diet or training program was too extreme. You went the all or nothing, “I want it now” route instead of the moderate, slow-and-steady wins the race route.

8. No personalization: your nutrition or training program was the wrong one for you. It might have worked for someone else, but it didn’t suit your schedule, personality, lifestyle, disposition or body type.

So there you have it – 8 reasons why most people fall off the wagon! Have you been making these mistakes? If so, the solutions are clear and simple: focus, prioritize, get support, be accountable, be patient, plan, balance and personalize.

Humm sounds like a plan to overcome most problems... wish Congress would listen.

Til next time...

X-Box and Fat Loss?

There are many generational differences between my son and me, but probably one of the most glaring differences is his manual dexterity when it comes to playing with his X-box. So during one of my practice sessions of the game street racing game Carbon (sans son), made me realize that keeping my car drifting on course is similar to fat loss.

It's not a stretch keep reading!

I thought about the delicate way that he used his controller buttons to navigate his $500,000.00 car around the course dodging police cruisers while racing against the clock. I came to the realization that on every single run of the course he captained, he was constantly making these very fine subtle adjustments to his exotic ride. His feel for the game allowed him to keep his ride on course ensuring a safe run while arriving at his destination regardless of the hazards, minutes before me and my classic muscle car.

Fat loss is really no different. (As testimony to my big slow thumbs on the controllers.) Sometimes when you start on a new healthy eating or exercise regime, the initial progress can be very slow. It may feel like you are never going to get to your destination and you crash and burn easily. But deep down you know that if you just sit tight and keep practicing you will eventually make your destination. Sure, you might get a bit frustrated and want to take it out on that smug child in the seat next to you, but if you just keep going, before long you'll stay on course and avoid more and more of the obstacles placed in your path. You then realize that it's just a case of making little adjustments. Maneuvering around a hairpin turn at 60 miles per hour is no big deal as long as you have it in perspective.

Each of my attempts down our virtual towns' Main Street dodging obstacles and police cruisers had varied success. Each run educated my thumbs so that they came to understand that, amongst other things, obstacles combined with speed in this virtual world is just part of the game, it's not dangerous if you don't overreact. So the next time that I challenge him or have a little wobble on my diet or exercise regime, I won't panic, over steer or jam on the breaks. I'll just press a few buttons, readjust and get back on course. Pretty soon, I'll be arriving at my destination far easier than I ever thought possible.

Til next time…

“80/20”

There are a few topics that pop up in this blog over and over again. The reason I do that is because it's those topics that will make or break a fitness and nutrition program. Just like in business, your social life, and most anything else, the old "80/20″ rule seems to apply to fitness. That means that you'll get about 80% of your progress from 20% of the things you do. So obviously those are the real keys and what you should focus on.

One of my favorite keys to harp on is consistency. Even a poor program (not that you should follow one) will achieve far more success if it is done day in and day out than a great program that is rarely followed will. That's one of the big reasons that I decided to start logging my workouts. My own training exploded when I started consistently logging my results and examining them. The more consistent I was in my logging, the more consistent I became in my training, and the greater my results were.

When I've slipped in my training and not seen the results that I'm looking for, I can almost always trace that back to times when I wasn't keeping a good log. There are times when I've been busy or injured or just taking a break and I got lazy about the log book. Sure enough, those times always seemed to stretch just a little further than they should, or I'd have a hard time getting restarted.

So learn to embrace consistency when it comes to getting in the best shape of your life. Not every workout has to put you on your ass, and not every meal has to be a chicken breast with celery. However, every workout and every meal should have some quality that is going to make you better than you were before. THAT is consistency, and that will build progress.

Til next time…

What could you achieve?

A friend of mine shared a verse that he was sending in a card to a seriously ill family member. He had gone through a similar medical event and thought that this would help them in their recovery.

As I read the quotation I started to day dream about how wonderful the world would be and how much each of us could achieve if we made this same promise to ourselves.

Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. Think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on the greater achievements of the future. Give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. Live in the faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you!

- Christian D. Larson

Til next time….

That’s not going to fly!

OK, we have a new President; we've celebrated the New Year, and I think people are walking around in a semi optimistic mood. But now it's time to get working… (I think that is more a note to me than anyone else!) You see, I had the privilege of speaking to a group of office professionals today about exercises that they can do at their work stations to help stay fit, as well as maintain their energy levels and focus through out the day. If they are willing to do things at work to stay fit, surely we can figure out strategies to get more fit throughout 2009.

So, through my conversations today I have developed "5 Excuses That Won't Fly in 2009". We are in a new year, and your old excuses for not getting in shape won't work. As Dr. Evil (Austin Powers) said, ZIP IT! I don't want to hear them anymore! Read em', then haul your excuseless butt to the gym!

1. I have no time.

According to a story in a recent issue of Men's Health magazine, Barack Obama works out for 45 minutes a day, 6 days a week. Obama doesn't just play basketball either. Our new president stays fit to lead with cardio and weight lifting. He also says he wishes he could train 90 minutes a day. Have you ever seen what the daily schedule of a U.S. president looks like? If the busiest man in the world can train every day for 45 minutes a day, then what's your excuse? ZIP IT! You ain't got one!

2. it's too expensive.

Getting in shape certainly is expensive… if you keep wasting hundreds of dollars, month after month on worthless "miracle" weight loss pills, internal cleansing gimmicks and "magic" potions that all claim to make you slim. Deceptive advertising and slick marketing for bogus diet aids is more rampant than ever. 2008 was the year of the wu-long tea scam, the acai berry scam, and, of course, the ubiquitous "cleansing" and "detox" gimmicks. Unless you put on your critical thinking cap and learn to investigate before you invest, then you'll get scammed by 2009's flavor of the year as well. Your quest for those elusive "6-pack" abs will not only continue to be expensive, you'll go broke. Walking, jogging, calisthenics and body weight exercises are FREE. If you want to know what's really expensive, tally up the cost of legitimate expenses like natural food, gym memberships, fitness education, dumbbells and so on, and compare that to your doctor's bill when you're sick.

3. No one will support me.

Experts on social influence say your income will be approximately equal to the average of your 5 closest friends. Not only do I think that's pretty darn accurate, I also believe that your health is your greatest wealth, and your physical condition will be about equal to the average of your 5 closest friends. It's a real challenge to stay positive, focused and active when you're surrounded by critical people and negative influences. However, in 2009, lack of support is no longer a valid excuse. Online social networking is exploding (check out Twitter and Facebook ) and more IN PERSON friendships and associations are being made from an internet connection than ever before. Training buddies can be found online. Connect with them. Mentors and coaches are easily found online. Hire them. Support forums have been around for years. Use them. No support from your current friends? Stop whining, start reaching out and go make new ones. In 2009, support partners and new friends are just a click away.

4. I can't lose weight because of my genetics.

The marvels of modern medical and biological research are astonishing. Our top scientists have mapped the human genome! In the past few years, numerous genes linked to obesity have been discovered. However, the obesity epidemic we're facing today has only developed over the past 50 years and genetic mutations that lead to serious obesity are extremely rare. Genetic predisposition only means that you have a tendency. It's when the genetics meet lifestyle and environment that the genes express themselves. If you have a family history of heart disease, is it smart to smoke, eat junk, be a stressed-out, type-A maniac and a couch potato? Well of course not, and it's the same with obesity. If you have a tendency predisposing you towards obesity, you'd better be the person doing the MOST exercise, not the least. You'd better be the person paying the MOST attention to your nutrition. You'd better be the person with the healthiest lifestyle. But unfortunately, it's usually the opposite. Most people throw up their arms in frustration saying, "what's the use, I was dealt a bad hand." Sorry. That won't fly in 2009. The latest research says genetics are a factor, but a tendency is not a destiny!

5. I don't know how.

The lamest excuse of them all in 2009 is "I don't know how." NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO DO ANYTHING UNTIL AFTER THEY HAVE ACTUALLY DONE IT! Ponder that for a while. You don't need to know how at first. To get started, you only need to know WHAT… what is the goal? Setting well-formed goals is the master skill of success. Not wishy-washy resolutions that have no resolve behind them, but real goals. In writing. With emotional ooompf! As you continue to affirm, visualize and focus on your goal with clarity, belief, and expectation, your new goal or intention will be received by your subconscious. Once a goal is accepted into your subconscious mind, your brain, being a goal-seeking mechanism, will turn on your attention filters to seek out all the information you will ever need to reach your goal. It will also turn on an infallible navigation system to guide you to your goal like a torpedo to its target. As your brain guides your attention, your direction and your behavior, you will discover that today, in 2009, there is more good information, coaching and instruction available than ever before. And when you've activated that "success radar" in your brain by setting goals effectively, it's not as hard to find honest, accurate and helpful HOW-TO advice as you might think. In fact, you found this webpage, so you're doing pretty good right now, aren't you?

No more excuses. In 2009, remember: You can either make excuses or get results, but you can't do both!

Til next time….

Loss…

There are a few of you out there that are going to be mad at me after this post.

Coping with a loss and fitness.

No doubt this can be one of the most difficult experiences in a person's life. The toughest part about it is that it makes us question who we are as a person. Don't get me wrong, I think this type of questioning is a good thing. But the problem occurs when we start to determine our self worth with the way we look.

Being healthy and having a perfect body do not go hand in hand. OK, I'm going to write that again, being healthy and having a perfect body DO NOT go hand in hand. Come on repeat after me… Being healthy and having a perfect body do not go hand in hand!

Getting in shape is the result of a healthy and active lifestyle that has been tuned and refined through careful consideration. Just because you don't have the body that you want yet, that doesn't mean you should ever give up that healthy and fit lifestyle.

So when you're coping with loss (perhaps of a loved one, a relationship, or a career) make sure to allow yourself time to grieve, but also realize that you do that person (and/or yourself ) a disservice if you do not live your life to the fullest for their sake, not just your own.

Til next time…

I was reminded....

I was reminded of an English saying this past weekend…“Death always comes too early or too late.”

I’ve never known it to come at the right time – This past weekend was bitter sweet for our family, we had to lay to rest one of our favorites – I know that you are not supposed to have favorites – but in this case she just was.

I think death is always hardest on those left to mourn. But what struck me this past weekend was the many people she touched throughout her time spent here on this planet and in this place.

I found myself thinking often that I was sorry that I am meeting you… No offense but I’d rather had been meeting these wonderful people under much different circumstances.

But yet it was right, and for some reason at this particular time and in this place we were brought together because of something my Aunt gave each of us. It didn’t matter if it was her friendship or counsel and for those of us who were lucky her love. This past weekend we are all there as part of her extended family.

I couldn’t help but hear so many stories and so many wonderful memories about my Aunt and how she helped so many people. For sure we were there to share moments… those moments, those brief encounters in time that affected each of us so profoundly.

I had one of those special moments with my Aunt a few years back and I wanted to share a bit of her wisdom with you today. It’s amazing that it still sticks with me today.

Being the oldest grandchild in the Espinoza clan as well as an only child, you become a great observer of human behavior. And for whatever reason there were several wakes that I had to attend that particular year… After the wake I was standing outside waiting for my uncle to pull up the car. As a young adult – at least in my mind, I felt it was necessary to do something profound.

So I took Aunt Nancy’s hand and said, “I’m sure this has been very difficult day – and I’m sure you are sad – I’m very sorry that you’re Aunt died – my condolences”

Now I was eight at the time, and I’m sure I stuttered or mispronounced some words as all eight year old boys do – No, I’m sure I stuttered out the word condolences.

My Aunt stood up straight – tilted her head to the side, as all good teachers do when they are thinking of the right thing to say, somewhat smiled and replied “That’s a big word for you!"

She continued, "Yes, I am sad and thank you."
"But you know.", and then she did that special teachers pause – and then she flashed those kind eyes… “no one really ever dies as long as you remember them”

Really!? I said. Then she nodded in the affirmative…

That was probably forty years ago… and that simple yet straight forward message has helped me get through many a loss. Even during this past weekend.

I can’t begin to imagine what it feels like to lose a spouse – Nor do I want to ever know what it is to lose a child – but I do know what it feels like to loose a parent and sometimes it’s those words, those memories… those scenes that flash in the theater of your mind – those brief moments in time.. that help to get you through and provide an answer – Those remembrances can help change our lives – even if that person is no longer with us.

Our family has been blessed that she has given all of us some of those moments. We may not have realized it at the time, but those moments were very special gifts. She had a wonderful ability to enhanced each our lives in a very personal - and I’ll bet - positive way.

Yes we all gathered together in the Land of Enchantment because of my aunt, but because of those special moments in time, we were all bonded together - we all became family - and sometimes just knowing you have family helps you through these times of sadness and great loss. I know on that day she shared with me a very special gift. A gift of hope and of love – and for that I will always be grateful.

Our death is not an end if we can live on in our children and the younger generation. For they are us, our bodies are only wilted leaves on the tree of life. ~Albert Einstein~

I know that she would not want us to be TOO sad, and that she would expect us to live life to the fullest – just as she tried to live hers – especially just as she did this past year. I will miss her dearly, but she will continue to warm my heart and make me smile. And I hope through our memories she will continue to help us with the answers.

My Resolution…

With everyone out there talking about all their top strategies on how to make New Years Resolutions for weight loss, better career moves, or more daily happiness….I'm going to just give you one for all of them, do more of "nothing". Make a resolution to do less this year….but make it count more!

Am I Nuts?

Nope, you heard me correctly; I am challenging all of you this year to do more of……nothing! Now you are probably scratching your head or wondering if I have truly lost my mind…..but hear me out. This is not about lack of productivity, lack of accomplishing goals, procrastination, putting off what you want to do….in fact it is quite the opposite of that.

Most people are running around just keeping busy. Ask anyone around you and they have "stuff to do" today or this weekend. Come back a month later and see if most of these people have really even accomplished anything bigger than keeping busy and killing time, most often probably not. We need to get out of the rut of needing to "stay busy". Do the hardest thing for most people….sit around and do nothing! I don't mean watch TV, read a book, play video games….those are distractions, you are still doing something. Nope I want you to find more time to do absolutely nothing. Stare at the sky, go for a quiet walk in nature, look at the ceiling….it's your call where you want to do nothing.

But won't that just be a waste of time?
Really? As if watching TV was a productive use of time? Time is the most valuable resource we have and how we use it should be of vital importance. We only have a limited amount of time, so use it wisely before it's all gone. Doing nothing will help the mind to quiet down, all the distractions to side, all the less important things in life to just go away quietly…and then you will find true inspiration and focus on what is important in your life. In those moments of quietness you can find out really what you really want to spend your time on. Spending 30min a day in complete silence somewhere could be the most productive thing you ever do if it leads you to a more focused and enjoyable lifestyle.

This is not about being Unproductive; it's about learning to be More Productive.

Don't feel guilty because you are not running around staying busy all day long. Today's world is so fast paced that people almost think they are lazy if they are not doing something every second of the day (heck some even say sleeping too much is being lazy). But being busy is really not the goal. If you want to accomplish something in life, then doing that takes center stage. And if you want to get somewhere isn't it better to stop and realize what actually matters, or would you rather just do random things and hope you get there?

Doing nothing isn't about being lazy or unproductive; it's about not being swept up with the things that really don't matter to your goals and outcomes. Like I see people just jump on treadmills and put in hours of work, then go off and eat the same…..and wonder why they lost no pounds in 3 months.

Live the 80/20 rule…Don't just Read it, Live it!

I'm sure many have heard me say this before, but the 80/20 rule (also known as the Pareto principle, named after an economist named Vilfredo Pareto) is essential to remember when it comes to anything from business, marketing, sales, personal development, health, fitness or life in general.

What 80/20 means is that 80% of your results/accomplishments/income/weight-loss/happiness will come from 20% of your efforts/customers/surroundings/relationships. Just imagine if you could take 100% of your busy time right now….free up 80% of it and still be able to get the same amount (if not more) done because you are focusing on what the really important things are. Let go of the rest that bring little to no results and happiness into your life. That is liberating.

So many people are caught up in all the little things that give very little in return. Use your quiet time (while you are doing nothing) to think about all that goes on in your life. Doing nothing will actually start to make clear to you what really matters….and what really does not. The only way you will know what brings the most into your life is if you take time out to step back and take a look.

Do nothing but just observe yourself from a distance, like you were on a television show. See what is really going on with you. Find out what is vital to reaching your goals….and then master that 20% (that gives you 80%+ of the results). Life is not a race, so enjoy the time you have while living the life you want.

Inspiration Comes when You Don't Force it

I've read all about inspiration and how people make it work for them, but never really understood it until I started to do less….and then had more insights because of it. Starting this blog, writing certain posts, knowing how to take my career, and many other things have come from me being able to just shut off all distractions and go sit and do nothing for a while.

I used to try and force myself into productivity long ago, and then wondered why I really never progressed. Now I know I was just trying to swim against the current and get so much more insight/vision when I learn how to float with the current, not swim against it.

It's really funny how once you can see what matters, what excites you, what is important….how all that just opens up in front of you and life presents the opportunities or people that you need to make it happen. Go somewhere quiet, can be in your house or at the local park, with no MP3 player….no cell phone….and just sit and let the mind do the rest (tip you can bring a piece of paper and pen if you want…to record all the insights and clarity you are having). It may not all happen at once and usually won't come if you try and force it, but like anything in life….the more you do it, the better you get at it.

What the Heck does this have to do with Health and Fitness?

I've been around long enough in the health and fitness industry to know that there is so much hype and focus put on all the wrong things. For most getting involved it can be confusing and overwhelming. This is when you really need to step back and find out what is important to focus on. Once you can realize those key points you can easily ignore the rest. For example:

• Realizing that 85% of your weight loss efforts come from eating right
  

Knowing that full body compound movements give you the most bang for your buck

Shorter but more intense exercise can get you weight loss without always doing long & boring cardio

Eating foods that are made from nature (and not man) provide most all what you need

Getting sleep and having a stress free life is key to health (and your body will look and feel better too)

Knowing you have control over your health, and all it takes is focusing on what you really need to do right now.

So Tell Everyone Your Resolution this year is to do more of Nothing!

You have all the tools you will ever need to succeed in life (at whatever you choose). All the info that you need is out there. The only thing left to do is take the CORRECT action. Don't be like everyone else running around from little thing to little thing. Focus your time on the big things. Get more done in less time and then sit back and relax. People will think you are nuts….until a couple months down the road you look better, feel better, maybe increase the success of your career (or have insights into changing it). At that point everyone will want to know your secret…and then you can sit them down in a quiet room and when they ask "well what is it?" you can confidently say "you are doing it right now".

Til next time….

It’s that time of year again….

No, I'm not talking about New Years, Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan, and Kwanzaa. I'm talking about "Cold and Flu Season". Of course, the aforementioned holidays play a part in this. The month of December typically brings lots of holiday parties, which means lots of people, lots of handshaking, and lots of interaction with their germs.

So while we're being bombarded with the message to get our flu shots, how can we make sure we keep our immunity high without the need to get ourselves injected (with who knows what)?

Watch Your Sugar And Processed Carbs
Being the nice guy that I am, I'm starting things off by taking away your cookies, cakes, and pies. Aren't I sweet, no pun intended? Why though? Well, sugar and processed carbs cause an inordinate rise in insulin production, which causes a suppression of growth hormones. Unfortunately, there's also a suppression of the immune system when these growth hormones are suppressed. Further, a high level of sugar in the blood reduces the ability of white blood cells to engulf bacteria and other infections.

But just how bad can it be?

These studies show that in adults, cell mediated immunity is significantly depressed after sugar ingestion (75 grams). A 100g portion of sugar can significantly reduce the capacity of white blood cells to engulf bacteria. Maximum immune suppression occurs one to two hours after ingestion and remains suppressed for up to five hours after feeding.

A 12oz Coke contains 40g of sugar. Add a cookie or two on top of that and you're already up there around 75g. And of course, it's unlikely that we're dealing with a binary variable here (that's an "on/off" variable in non-geek speak). More sugar is going to suppress the immune system more, but that doesn't mean that the 40g from a Coke leaves you in the clear.

How delightful is that piece of fudge now?

Keep Your Stress Levels Low
The holidays are a stressful time. In years past, I've had four different families to visit on Thanksgiving Day alone. Christmas was often two or three different houses to go to, with Christmas Eve pulling in another one or two. Talk about stress! And I'm not just talking about all that time with all the people around. That's a lot of driving and a lot of time planning to make sure you're here on time and there on time.

Unfortunately, stress is a potent immune suppressor.

Acute stressors (lasting minutes) were associated with potentially adaptive upregulation of some parameters of natural immunity and downregulation of some functions of specific immunity. Brief naturalistic stressors (such as exams) tended to suppress cellular immunity while preserving humoral immunity. Chronic stressors were associated with suppression of both cellular and humoral measures.

So limit the number of trips you have to make. It's your holiday also and you should be able to enjoy it without running all over the place. If your family situation is stressful, try to put aside differences for the few hours you're together, enjoy the company, then move along.

Limit Your Drinking
Alcohol packs a double whammy on your immune system when you over-imbibe.

First, it produces an overall nutritional deficiency, depriving the body of valuable immune- boosting nutrients. Second, alcohol, like sugar, consumed in excess can reduce the ability of white cells to kill germs. High doses of alcohol suppress the ability of the white blood cells to multiply, inhibit the action of killer white cells on cancer cells, and lessen the ability of macrophages to produce tumour necrosis factors.

So how much can you drink without ill effects?

One drink (the equivalent of 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1 ounces of hard liquor) does not appear to bother the immune system, but three or more drinks do. Damage to the immune system increases in proportion to the quantity of alcohol consumed. Amounts of alcohol that are enough to cause intoxication are also enough to suppress immunity.

For Pete's Sake, Go To Bed!
If you haven't gotten the message about why you need to sleep yet, this probably isn't going to do it. But I'll just keep repeating myself until it gets through or I pass out. You need at least 7 and preferably 8-9 hours of sleep each night, especially during the winter. Turn off Leno, turn off the internet, and go to bed. Why? Well, here's one way that sleep deprivation may directly suppress the immune system.

To make a long and fascinating story short, it turns out that when animals are sleep deprived, a protein known as di-muramyl peptide accumulates in their spinal fluid. The peptides do not originate in the brain. Instead, they come from bacteria in the body, suggesting that sleep deprivation may enable bacterial growth and that sufficient sleep impedes bacterial growth.

What's even more interesting is that these di-muramyl peptides enhance non-REM sleep (but not REM sleep). [REM=rapid eye movements] The peptides also cause fever. The two effects are dissociable, however; the sleep effect is independent of the fever. More interesting still is the fact that the peptides stimulate cells in the brain and the body to produce interleukin-1, a powerful immune-system molecule that promotes the destruction of both bacteria and tumor cells. Highly significant and desirable health effects are mediated by interleukin's ability to encourage the B lymphocytes to produce antibodies, which kill viruses, and to trigger the proliferation of T lymphocytes, which attack microbial invaders. The net effect is to mobilize the body's defensive forces.

Hit A Brief Workout
Exercise boosts your immune system, at least in its "moderate" form.

During moderate exercise immune cells circulate through the body more quickly and are better able to kill bacteria and viruses. After exercise ends, the immune system generally returns to normal within a few hours, but consistent, regular exercise seems to make these changes a bit more long-lasting.

Just remember that you don't need to overdo it. Too much training is detrimental to immunity. Marathoners take note:

However, there is also evidence that too much intense exercise can reduce immunity. This research is showing that more than 90 minutes of high-intensity endurance exercise can make athletes susceptible to illness for up to 72 hours after the exercise session.

Even intense exercise sessions can produce short-term immune suppression, an effect that I've noticed once or twice after a record-setting Fran (CrossFit workout):

Intense exercise seems to cause a temporary decrease in immune system function. Research has found that during intense physical exertion, the body produces certain hormones that temporarily lower immunity.

A Few Supplements Wouldn't Hurt
There are a few vitamins that are noted to improve immune system function. For starters, vitamins C and E increase production of immune system cells and interferon. And then there's zinc, also important for immune function.

Zinc affects multiple aspects of the immune system, from the barrier of the skin to gene regulation within lymphocytes.

Magnesium has a role as well (hmm…ZMA anyone?):

Particularly, Mg has a strong relation with the immune system, in both nonspecific and specific immune response, also known as innate and acquired immune response.

But the most important vitamin for your immune system may be vitamin D. This article was posted recently on Performance Menu and sheds some light on how vitamin D works to improve immunity.

The UCLA group confirmed two other recent studies, showing that a naturally occurring steroid hormone - a hormone most of us take for granted - was, in effect, a potent antibiotic. Instead of directly killing bacteria and viruses, the steroid hormone under question increases the body's production of a remarkable class of proteins, called antimicrobial peptides. The 200 known antimicrobial peptides directly and rapidly destroy the cell walls of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, including the influenza virus, and play a key role in keeping the lungs free of infection. The steroid hormone that showed these remarkable antibiotic properties was plain old vitamin D.
….
We have only recently learned how vitamin D increases production of antimicrobial peptides while simultaneously preventing the immune system from releasing too many inflammatory cells, called chemokines and cytokines, into infected lung tissue.

Of course you need vitamins A and K to make good use of vitamin D, so just keep eating your liver.

How The Holidays Conspire Against Us
So look back at the list above and think about the holidays. They are typically marked by tons of sugary sweet and processed carbs, alcohol flows freely, sleep takes a backseat to socializing, and the stress to find the perfect gift and visit everyone is high. What happens when you come across sick Uncle Al? Is it any wonder that 10-20% of us catch the flu yearly or that the average adult gets 2-4 colds per year, typically in fall and winter?

And Why I Avoid The Flu Shot?
Every year, I hear someone say something like:

I get the flu shot every year and I don't get the flu. It obviously works.

And of course, I reply:

I never get the flu shot and yet, I also don't get the flu.

The fact of the matter is that there's no need for a flu shot to avoid getting the flu. As our pal Mark pointed out, the flu shot is often mismatched on the particular strain circulating that year anyway.

Strong Immunity Is Better Than Iffy Vaccinations
So in the end, it's your decision: build a strong, healthy immune system that can identify and fight off the cold and flu viruses or rely on a vaccine that may or may not get the job done. I know which way I'm leaning. It seems to me that continuing my diet of Real Food, getting my usual 8-9 hours of sleep, and throwing in a bit of exercise should keep me humming along nicely, just like in years past.

What other tips do you have for keeping the immune system strong? Do you get a flu shot?

16 things I wish I had known when I was 18

"Everything has been figured out, except how to live." - Jean-Paul Sartre

I'm nearly 50 years old, and I've made my share of mistakes in my life. I'm not a big believer in regrets … and I have learned tremendously from every single mistake … and my life is pretty great.

 

However, there are a few things I wish I had known when I was graduating from high school and starting out as an adult in life.

 

Would I change things? I'm not so sure. I might never have gotten into a mountain of debt, but then I wouldn't have learned the amazing satisfaction of getting out of it. I might have made better career choices, but then I wouldn't have all the work experience that makes me the person and manager that I am today.

 

I might not have gotten married that first time, so that I would never have gotten divorced … but then I wouldn't have this wonderful, incredible child that I've had the privilege of watching grow into a young man.

 

No, I don't think I would change any of that. However, looking back, there are some lessons I've learned that I would probably tell my 18-year-old self. Do I share them now to share my regrets? No, I share them in hopes that younger men and women, just starting out in life, can benefit from my mistakes and my lessons.

What follows isn't an exhaustive list, but it's one that I hope proves useful to at least a few people.

 

"I hope life isn't a big joke, because I don't get it." - Jack Handey

1. How to control impulse spending. If there's anything that got me in trouble financially, it has been impulse spending. Buying stuff when I really didn't need it. Buying gadgets because I gotta have them cause everyone else has them. Ordering stuff online because it's so easy. Buying that new shiny SUV because … well, because it was going to improve my status. I'm not proud of any of that. I've learned to control my impulses, at least a little better. Now, I give myself some time to breathe. I think over my purchases, see if I've got the money, think about whether it's a need or a want. That would have been a useful tool 25 years ago.
   
2. You gotta stay active. I participated in organized sports in high school and college, but once I started working for a living, the conditioning began to slowly fade away. Not right away — I played in tennis tournaments for years after school. But even that went away, until I became sedentary. Playing with my son outdoors winded me. And I began to get fatter and fatter. I'm reversing that trend, and am more active now, but I'm still trying to burn the fat I gained in those inactive years.
   
3. How to plan finances. I always knew that I was supposed to budget and track my spending, when I became an adult. I just was too lazy to do it. And I didn't have a good idea of how to actually do it. Now, I've learned how to plan, and how to stick to that plan. Sure, I deviate from my plan, but I've learned how to handle that too. Maybe that's not a skill you can learn from book reading. You just gotta practice. Well, I hope to teach it to my son before he goes out on his own.
   
4. Junk food will come back to bite you in the butt. Yeah, it wasn't just the sedentary lifestyle that got me fat. It was all the damn junk food too. I would eat pizza and burgers and Twinkies and sugar cereal and desserts and donuts and … well, you get the picture. As someone used to being able to eat whatever I wanted, it never seemed like it would be a problem. Bad health was something to worry about when you got old. Well, my jeans began to get way too tight, and to my horror, I climbed several pants sizes and developed a gut that only now is going away. I wish someone had shown me an "after" picture when I was young and downing the Big Gulps and brownies.
   
5. Fund your retirement, son. And don't withdraw it. This piece of wisdom, and probably all the ones above, might seem blisteringly obvious. And they are. Don't think I didn't know this when I was 18. I did. I just didn't pay it serious attention. Retirement was something I could worry about when I was in my 30s. Well, I'm in my late 40's now and I wish I could slap that little 18-year-old around a bit. What money I could have invested by now! I had a retirement plan, but on the 3 occasions when I had major changes in my life, I took the easy route and I withdrew those dollars and spent it (in retrospect) frivolously.
   
6. All the stuff you're doing that seems hard — it will be of use. This is the first one that might not be as obvious. There were times in my life when work was hard, and I did it anyway, but hated it. I did it because I had to, but boy did it stress me out and leave me exhausted. Hard work isn't as easy as I wanted it to be. But you know what? Every bit of hard work I did without knowing why I was doing it … it's paid off for me in the long run. Maybe not right away, but I'm using skills and habits I learned during those times of high stress and long hours and tedious work — I use them all the time, and they've made me into the person I am today. Sometimes things really DO work out!
   
7. Don't buy that used car without checking it out closely. I thought I was being smart by buying used, but I didn't check it out carefully enough. That friggin car had loads of transmission problems, a door that nearly fell off when I was driving, a side mirror that fell off, windows that didn't roll up, rattling noises, an eventual blown radiator … I could go on and on, but let's just say that it wasn't my best purchase. I still think buying used is smart, but check things out closely first.
   
8. Make time to pursue your passion, no matter how busy you are. I've always wanted to get my Masters Degree, be a writer, and get a book published. I just never seem to have had the time. With a family and school and a full-time job, there just weren't enough hours in the day. Well, I've learned that you have to make those hours. Set aside a block of time to do what you love, cut out other stuff from your life that take up your time, and don't let anything interfere with that work. If I had done that 20 years ago, I could have 10 books written by now. Not all would be great, but still. I did finally get my Masters Degree completed last year - and who knows, maybe the book is next – let you know next year! (smile)
   
9. All that stuff that's stressing you out — it won't matter in 5 years, let alone 15. When things are happening to you right now, they mean everything in the world. I had deadlines and projects and people breathing down my neck, and my stress levels went through the roof. I don't regret the hard work (see above) but I think I would have been less stressed if I could have just realized that it wouldn't matter a single bit just a few years down the road. Perspective is a good thing to learn.
   
10. The people you make friends with are so much more important than your job or the things you buy. I've had quite a few jobs in fitness industry, I've bought a lot of things, and I've made a few friends over these last 30+ years. And lost track of a lot more – career you know (not!) Of those, the only thing that still matter to me are the friends. And I wish I could have spent more time with friends (and family) than on the other things.
    
11. All that time you spend watching TV is a huge, huge waste of time. I don't know how much TV I've watched over the years, but it's a crap load. Hours and days and weeks I'll never have back. Who cares what happens on reality TV, when reality is slipping by outside? Time is something you'll never get back — don't waste it on TV. Spend it improving yourself, or your children.
    
12. Your kids are going to grow up way faster than you think. Don't waste a minute. I just had an Oh My God moment recently. My son Phil, is turning 13 in a few weeks. I have a few years left with him before he starts driving and doesn't need his chuffer. In about 6 years he leaves for college and becomes an adult. Six years! I am floored by that single fact, because it really doesn't seem anywhere near enough time. I want to find a time lord go back to my younger self and whack me upside the head and say Stop working so hard! Stop watching TV! Spend more time with your son! These last 13 years with Phil (and the few years I spent with my Ex's kids) have gone by much, much too fast.
    
13. Forget the drama. Focus on being happy. There have been many things that have happened to me, professionally and personally, that at the time could have seemed like the end of the world. And while these things were bad, they would get blown up in our heads so that they became major drama. They caused me to be depressed from time to time. What a waste of time! If I realized that it was all in my head and that I could be happy instead if I had only focused on the positive, on what I did have, and what I could be doing … I could have skipped all the moping about.
    
14. Pay more attention to blogs when you first hear about them. They're more than just journals. I first read about blogs 6-7years ago, but when I took a look at them they didn't seem like anything of interest. Just some people's journals about stuff they read on the web. Why would I want to read those? I have my own thoughts about the web, but I don't need to share them with the world. I spent a lot of time on the Internet, on various sites and forums, but every time I happened upon a blog I would brush past it without interest. It wasn't until a couple years ago that I discovered what wonderful things they could be If I had gotten into blogging years ago … well, I wouldn't have been wasting all that time.
    
15. Speaking of which, keep a journal. Seriously. Your memory is extremely faulty. I forget things really easily. Not short-term stuff, but long-term. I don't remember things about my son's early years as clearly as I could because I didn't record any of it. I don't remember things about my life. It's like a lot of foggy memories that I'll never have access to. I wish I had kept a journal.
    
16. Tequila is seriously evil. I won't go into details, but it should suffice to say that I have felt like the worm on the bottom of the bottle, and I'm not sure I learned very much from that or benefited in any way except to learn that tequila is the drink of Satin.
    

All these mistakes you're going to make, despite this advice? They're worth it. My 18-year-old self would probably have read this post and said, "Good advice!" And then he would have proceeded to make the same mistakes, despite good intentions. I was a good kid, but I wasn't good at following advice. I had to make my own mistakes, and live my own life. And that's what I did, and I don't regret a minute of it. Every experience I've had (even the tequila ones) have led me down the path of life to where I am today. I love where I am today, and wouldn't trade it for another life for the entire world. The pain, the stress, the drama, the hard work, the mistakes, the depression, the hangovers, the debt, the fat … it was all worth it.

Til next time….

 

"Let us so live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry." - Mark Twain

Happy New Year!

"..it can achieve."

 
 

This quote by Henry Ford is so powerful, but I think a lot of people are hindered in their understanding of it's concept due to one simple mistake...

 
 

They allow themselves to be defined by what they have been.  

 
 

Try not to be one of those people who thinks that just because you are a particular way now, or have been in the past, that is who you are or what you must always be.  It is simply not the case.  To change all you have to do is make a commitment to what you want to be and take action on it.

 
 

The past is behind us.

Decide what you want to be, and become it.  

 
 

 Wishing you health, courage, strength & happiness in 2009!

 

Til next time…

What does it mean- Christmas

I suppose it could mean many different things to many different people - it may honestly just be a matter of one's perspective. For some it means the birth of Christ, for some it means presents and Santa Claus, for some it means good food shared with good friends, and for others it means depression, isolation and loneliness.

Aside from the religious aspects of the holiday, which I was (as I suspect were most of us) taught as a child, Christmas most definitely seems to have other meanings. Or should I say has come to mean other things to people. People the world over, celebrate Christmas, look forward to Christmas, devote endless hours to Christmas preparations - entire industries have been built on Christmas. So, I'd have to say that Christmas is a big deal.

I guess what I'm getting at is why is it such a big deal to people? Is it just because it's nice to get presents, paid time off from work and to eat rich and delicious foods? Or does it go deeper than that? I have been thinking a lot lately about why Christmas is such a big deal to me. As far back as I can remember it has been important to me, and I've been trying to figure out how the importance was conveyed to me. Was it all the many old Christmas movies I've watched again and again since childhood, the pretty Christmas light displays, the Christmas music, the big party of it all? Actually, I don't think so.

While all or most of those things have served to reinforce my love of Christmas there has (for me) always been one resounding theme to it. That theme is, our best. The thing about Christmas that makes me really love it is that it seems to inspire people to be at their best, do their best, show their best. It is the one time of year when people can be kind, happy, cheerful, etc. for no reason other than the season. People just seem to try harder to be happy and kind then. And I think that even as a small child I felt that, I sensed it and I loved it. I never quite understood why it seemed to disappear not long after Christmas but it was always something to look forward to for me.

I admit it, I am a closet optimist - which likely accounts for much of my cynicism - I really just want everyone to be happy - and somehow believe it is my job to bring that about. Silly as it sounds when I type the words out here on the screen and debate whether or not I'll publish them, it's true.

So I guess I will just say that Christmas means a special kind of time out, from the stresses and disappointments of life - it means a new opportunity to be happy, to show our happy selves, to share ourselves with others and to be nice for no reason at all. Yes, that's what it means to me…what does it mean to you?

Til next time….

The Nine…

In honor of 2009 I think I will make top 9 lists for the rest of the year. Today list is the top 9 weight loss truths for the New Year. This list was compiled from several articles I read during the year… Even if you're not trying to lose weight, chances are you've seen some "interesting" ideas on the TV or the internet of how to do so:

"Eat what you want and lose weight!"
"Lose thirty pounds in thirty days!"
"Finally, a diet that really works!"
"Lose one jean size every seven days!"
"Top three fat burners revealed"
"Ten minutes to a tighter tummy!" 

But these claims are readily rebuked by anyone who's tried to lose five, ten, or one hundred pounds. Losing weight ain't that easy. It's not in a pill, (sorry Alli) it doesn't (usually) happen in thirty days, and judging from the myriad plans out there, there is no one diet that works for everyone.

Looking past the outrageous claims, there are a few hard truths the diet/food industry isn't going to tell you, but might just help you take a more realistic approach to sustained weight loss for this upcoming year. Without further a-do…

1. You have to exercise more than you think.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting at least thirty minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week; this includes things like shoveling snow and gardening. And while this is great for improving heart health and staying active, research indicates that those looking to lose weight or maintain weight loss have to do more—about twice as much.

For instance, members of the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR)—a group of over 5,000 individuals who have lost an average of sixty-six pounds and kept it off for five and a half years—exercise for about an hour, every day.

A study published in the July 28, 2008 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine supports this observational finding. The researchers enrolled 200 overweight and obese women on a diet and exercise regimen and followed them for two years. Compared with those that gained some of their weight back, the women who were able to sustain a weight loss of 10 percent of their initial weight for two years exercised consistently and regularly—about 275 minutes a week, or fifty-five minutes of exercise at least five days a week.

In other words, things like taking the stairs, walking to the store, and gardening are great ways to boost activity level, but losing serious weight means exercising regularly for an hour or so. However, this doesn't mean you have to start running or kickboxing—the most frequently reported form of activity in the NWCR group is walking.

2. A half-hour walk doesn't equal a brownie.
I remember going out to eat with some friends after a bike ride. Someone commented on how we deserved dessert because we had just spent the day exercising; in fact, we had taken a leisurely twenty-minute ride through the park. This probably burned the calories in a slice of our French bread, but definitely not those in the caramel fudge brownie dessert. Bummer.

And while it's easy to underestimate how many calories something has, it's also easy to overestimate how many calories we burn while exercising. Growl.

Even if you exercise a fair amount, it's not carte blanche to eat whatever you want. (Unless you exercise a ton, have the metabolism of a sixteen-year-old boy, and really can eat whatever you want). A report investigating the commonly-held beliefs about exercising, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, concludes that although exercise does burn calories during and after exercise, for overweight persons, "excessive caloric expenditure has limited implications for substantially reducing body weight independent of nutritional modifications." In other words, to lose weight, you have to cut calories and increase exercise. Calories in vs. calories out…

3. You have time to exercise.
If you have time to check email, watch a sitcom or two, surf the internet, have drinks/coffee/dinner with friends, go clothes shopping, and on and on, then you have time to exercise. Yes, sometimes you have to sacrifice sleep, TV, or leisure time to fit it in. Yes, sometimes you have to prioritize your exercise time over other things. But your health and the feeling you get after having worked out is well worth it.

4. Eating more of something won't help you lose weight.
The food industry is keen to latch onto weight loss research and spin it for their sales purposes. A prime example is the widespread claim that eating more dairy products will help you lose weight. However, a recent review of forty-nine clinical trials from 1966 to 2007 showed that "neither dairy nor calcium supplements helped people lose weight."

This idea—that eating more of a certain type of product will help you lose weight—is constantly regurgitated on supermarket shelves (think low-fat cake, low-carb crackers, high in whole grain cookies, and trans fat-free chips), but is in direct opposition to the basic idea behind weight loss—eating is not the problem for most of us, we should be thinking that we have to eat less, not more.

5. Calories in = calories out?
There is a fair amount of controversy over the basic question of how people gain weight. Is it simply a matter of energy intake being greater than energy expenditure? Or is there more too it; do the type of calories we eat matter and can avoiding certain types help to lose or prevent weight? The low-fat, low-carb, and glycemic index advocates can't seem to agree on which it is.

However, most can agree, and logical sense would tell us, that drinking 500 calories of soda is not equal to eating 500 calories of chicken and broccoli. One is simply "empty" calories—those that provide no real nutritional benefit and don't do much to combat hunger. Whether you ascribe to the simple idea of trying to burn more calories than you take in or focus on avoiding certain types of calories, you want to minimize intake of empty calories, and maximize nutrient-dense calories.

6. Your body is working against you.
Most people have noticed that it's hard to lose weight, but easy to gain it. This is a relic of harder times, when food was not as abundant as it is today. Our genetic taste buds made energy-dense food desirable because it was necessary to pack away calories so we could make it through the thin times. We feasted when we could, in preparation for the famine.

But now that we live in a time of abundance, that system predisposes many of us for weight gain and retention. And for obese dieters, this system is even harder to overcome; after weight loss, they become better at using fuel and storing fat, making it harder to keep weight off. However, this isn't to say that many haven't lost weight and kept it off successfully. It just means you have to be diligent.

7. Our cultural environment is also working against you.
Let's face it, American society does not make it easy on those trying to eat healthfully and exercise. According to Linda Bacon, associate professor of nutrition at UC Davis, "We get a tremendous amount of pressure to eat for reasons other than nurturing ourselves, and over time, people lose sensitivity to hunger/fullness/appetite signals meant to keep them healthy and well nourished. (I'll be honest, that's me) It's hard for people to come to a healthy sense of themselves given the cultural climate, and nutritious and pleasurable options for healthy food are not as easily accessible as less nutritious."

That doesn't mean this can't be overcome, but it does require maybe putting other parts of your life on a "diet." TV would be the biggest culprit, since many food advertisements, especially for children's junk food, come during this time. Other areas to put on a "diet" are chain and fast food restaurants (where portion sizes are distorted), a bad-influence friend, or driving, which may help increase walking and biking.

8. Maybe you don't need to lose weight.
Some feel that the medical problems associated with excess weight are exaggerated. Gina Kolata, a New York Times science writer questions the notion that thin is a realistic or necessary objective for most. In her book, Rethinking Thin, she asserts that weight loss is an unachievable goal for many, and that losing weight isn't so much about health as it is about money, trends, and impossible ideals. Recent research also challenges the idea that being overweight is bad. A study in JAMA found that being twenty-five pounds overweight did not increase the risk of heart disease and cancer, and may even help stave off infections.

It's true that people can be fit and healthy and not necessarily be thin, just as it's true that thin people may not necessarily be healthy. Good health, rather than weight, should be our focus for this next year; too often health is not the priority. Striving for an unhealthy level of thinness may be detrimental to our health, but understanding the health repercussions of obesity is also critical.

9. This is not a diet; this is your life.
The diet industry would have us all think that we can lose weight fast, and that's that. But most people who maintain their weight understand that eating and exercising are not temporary conditions, to be dumped once a pair of jeans fit. Instead, they are lifestyle choices, and ones to be made for the long haul.

Let me know what you think…

Til next time…

6 Myths For The Holidays

Hey everybody, I came across a cool article in The New York Times that I wanted to share with you. It talks about 6 Medical Myths For The Holiday Season and exactly why they are just that… myths. My favorite part of this article was this:

“Studies show an association between obesity and eating more meals late in the day, but that doesn’t mean eating at night causes obesity, the doctors point out. Eating more at any time of day will cause weight gain if it results in ingesting more calories than you need.”

THANK YOU!!

Finally, a major syndication says it! “Eating more at any time of day will cause weight gain”, no need to sugar coat it, that’s the way it is! They also talk about the issue of the Holiday Hangover, sugar-hyperactivity in kids (I’m not suggesting you should give kids more sugar!) and more but you’ll have to read it to find out what they say. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Til next time...

Now IS the time…

I'm sitting in my living room procrastinating. I have finished buying gifts for the holidays and now it's time to wrap, I'm staring out the window watching the snow and figuring which paper to use on what gift. The news is on in the background and got me thinking.

You can't flip channels without the talk of cut-backs and recession and disappearing capital and suicidal brokers but I just keep thinking…isn't this a wonderful, purifying, catalytic time! A time to create and re-create, a time to produce and re-produce, a time to burn off the redundant and the spent as we rocket through the white hot stratosphere of new possibilities.

People are worried.
Good! Worry is a fuel, it can be utilized.

People are frightened...
Great! There's nothing like fright to shake up the complacent norm and add a little umph to positive action.

People are terrified.

Terror? Wow! Now we are talking. Now we are cooking up new possibilities on high! Nothing stirs the soul and fires the spirit like a sprinkle of terror on your morning cornflakes. It gets people off their chairs, it gets people out of their made-for-the-bigger-person comfy-chair, it places a rocket up the arse of their old, tired, uninspired lives.

Man what a f***ing amazing time this is.
We are watching history unfold. And we are history unfolding.

Recessionary times create revolutionary ideas. Recessionary times give birth to revolutionary people. Recession is the pre-curser to great innovation.

Did you know that the entire multi-billion film industry in the US was born out of the twenties depression?

To Henry Ford's credit, his car empire only started because people did not have any money. Did you know that? Ford was passionate (driven even) about manufacturing a vehicle that was affordable for everyone.

You (yep you!) have been looking for a burst of energy for a very long time, you have wanted out of your spent existence for as long as you can remember and wasn't it only last New Years (and the New Yeas before add infinitum) that you announced 'it is time to change!' only to abandon the notion on Jan 2nd when the 'entrepreneurial spirit' got mugged and left for dead by the hangover of New Years past?

Man this could be such an amazing time. There has never been a better time to brush the cobwebs off your old dreams and air them in the light of new possibilities. There has never been a better time to stifle the cry of woe and instead channel the cry in battle against those mind-forged handcuffs. For the resigned man there has never been a better time for Renaissance.

The good life is not a lottery! The good life is a choice, and that choice is often made in times of inferno and furry. And the current climate is offering all the start-up energy and all the incentive and all the fear that you need to make it so.

I don't think there has ever been a better time.

And with 'the inferno' still very much in mind, let me leave you with the words of Dante because you need to hear them and you need to hear them today because there was never a better time.

'Now is the time to rouse yourself'!

Til next time…

Lark or Owl?

It's one of the most hotly debated and simultaneously inane topics in fitness:

 

What time of day is the best time to workout?

 

For most people existing in the normal sphere, the answer aligns with Columbia University's ask-me-your-most-embarrassing-questions provocateur Go Ask Alice. In addition to having her to thank for filling in the gaps in my sex education (even grown-ups wonder about... things) , she is also good at spouting the party line by succinctly stating the current scientific consensus. Which in this case is - say it with me now - "The best time to exercise is the time that's right for you."

Good, now that we've got that out of the way we can agree that since a) I'm not normal and b) I schedule my day around my workout(s) rather than the other way around, there is some merit in discussing this further. Even if it is just to have you all comment, "I can't believe you schedule your day around your workouts! It's OK to say to me "Go get a life, you nut!!"

So what is the best time of day to workout?
It depends on what you are doing. According to research published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, human beings are actually at their weakest first thing in the morning with muscular strength peaking in the late afternoon and early evening. Our muscles burn glycogen and glycogen stores are running low due to our overnight fasting. Also, apparently our muscles work better when our body temperature is higher which naturally peaks later in the day.

A disturbing little study cited in the same article studied male college students for 10 weeks. The group of 16 men did 45 minutes of weights followed by 45 minutes of cardio. Half the group did this workout at 10 am and the other half did it at 6 pm. What happened is either very disturbing or very indicative of the crazy lives of college males:

 

"The PM group had a 3.2% increase in lean mass, compared with a 0.6% gain in the AM group. Body fat dropped by 4% in the PM group, while it actually increased by nearly 5% in the AM group."

 

If I were in that study I'd be ticked. 5% is a lot of body fat to gain in 10 weeks. Of course this type of study often has many variables that cannot be controlled for. To truly analyze the results we'd need to do a follow-up study examining the correlation of late-night frat party keggers/A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila marathons with missed a.m. workouts. – (I'm just saying.)

On the other end of the exercise spectrum however, it appears that if cardio is your goal then the morning might be your best time to workout. Not only do morning exercisers report having greater energy throughout the day, it may also help you burn more fat and continue to burn more fat throughout the day due to a super-charged metabolism.

Another perk of a.m. cardio is that you are more likely to stick with it. Apparently will power is a limited resource and as you spend it over the course of the day on things like not eating your office mate's face cake - then you have less of it to motivate you to workout when you finally get out of said office.

Lark or Owl
One last factor to consider is that scientists have discovered something very exciting: People are different! Huh!! And not just in which locker room they use. (Side note: the men's locker rooms at the J are blue. The women's are pinky-red. This has caused more than one massively embarrassing moment to many an inattentive locker room goer, myself included. My theory is that our maintenance staff has a wicked sense of humor.) Apparently there are two types of folks - larks, or naturally early risers, and owls, or naturally late sleepers. Despite all assertions to the contrary by your high school principal, your body gravitates towards one or the other. I'm a lark.

The other night I got to put my owl tendencies to the test when I joined some Gym Buddies for a near midnight workout - a concept that only the most insane fitness fanatics would be excited about. And excited we were! The night started with an hour-long drive in which Sunshine and I shared the fold-down backseat of a Highlander. I haven't been that close to someone in the backseat of a car since a very awkward double date in college in which all parties have been paid to never mention again. We then did heavy weights and yes this white boy attempted to do a Hip Hop Hustle until the wee hours of the morning – very sad, ending with dinner/breakfast/nausea at the local 24-hour diner. Capping the whole night of fun was the drive home, spent in the back recalling insane stories from a previous work life (NASM) with Sunshine for no apparent reason.

You know what I discovered? Midnight workouts give me really strange dreams. And it was fun to change up my routine. Except for Tuesdays and some Fridays, I workout in the morning because a.m. workouts interfere the least with my son's visitation schedule. I like my a.m. sweat fests – kettle bells at dawn. I find I have more energy and patience throughout the day. I worry less about what I eat. Overall I think this has helped me to convert to my lark schedule. And yet the nighttime workout was a blast as well. So maybe I'm closer to Go Ask Alice then I thought.

So, raise of hands - who's a lark and who's an owl? When is your ideal time to workout? When do you actually work out?

“R-e-s-p-e-ct?!”

Many of you know that I serve as a mentor to "younger" trainers. I recently received an email that got me thinking. First, let me share the email and then my thoughts.

"Larry…I decided at the age of 46 to become a trainer. As I got to the written portion of my practice exam, one of the Essay questions was to research and write about Childhood Obesity.

I googled Childhood Obesity thinking there could not be much out there to choose from. What I found literally broke my heart. The Washington Post ran a headline: "Obesity threatens a Generation" Stated in the Post article was a line that struck me and should strike every parent reading it. "Young bodies are much more vulnerable to the toxic effects of fat." Wikipedia even has an entry for Childhood Obesity! Describing it as "A condition where excess body fat negatively affects a child's health or well being." According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 percent of children (over 9 million) 6-19 years old are overweight or obese — a number that has TRIPLED since 1980.

In addition to the 16 percent of children and teens ages 6 to 19 who were overweight in 1999-2002, another 15 percent were considered at risk of becoming overweight. Overweight Adolescents have a 70 % Chance of being overweight or obese adults. The one aspect of Childhood Obesity that I never even considered was the social aspect. We all know children can be ridiculed by others that aren't like them. Do you think I am trying to scare you? I am. You are their only hope.

Okay, enough of the scariness—let's fix it! As I searched for the right way to get children up and at it, the answer was at my fingertips the entire time. One of my favorite cardio DVD's is Hip, Hop Abs. What do you think?"

I like to think that everyone who reads this blog is as busy as I am this holiday season. While Hanukkah Hysteria is, far more benign than Christmas CHAOS it's a big ole time suck a lot of time & effort none the less.

I appreciate you dropping by and reading this post so as a reward; I'll make an effort to be brief. Her email started me thinking not just about kids & exercise, but about adults & how we role model. And then I started pondering the concept of RESPECT.

Respect isn't often a word I often associate with exercise.

In my world, dealing with a 12 year old it usually used more in reference tone of voice or poor word choices. Respect is a word kids hear often and yet it often *isn't* what we model for them in the realm of fitness & health.

Sure, we model the please & thank you niceties, but how many of us respect our bodies in front of our children or grandchildren?

(Want to sit with that for a moment to see if it resonates with you?)

We (the royal. the plural.) talk at them about the importance of respect while, simultaneously, we disrespect our bodies with poor food choices & not making time in our day to exercise.

I know for me the notion of BODY AS TEMPLE isn't one I've spent much time mulling. Yet that concept melds perfectly with the idea of conveying bodily-respect to our children / spouses / partners *wordlessly* through our behaviors.

So tell me what you think, has the Mexican completely lost his mind with this post or does the notion of leading by example through respecting one's body give you a JOLT! as well?

Children-filled or child-free I long to know. Please to hit us all up in the comments.

Til next time…

F-18 Crash Victim Grieves

(The video is sad, don't watch unless you are ready to get misty eyed)

A jet plane crashed into a San Diego home, killing a mom, two children, and her mother. The dad, Dong Yun Yoon, was not home when it happened. He left with everything right in the world and came back to find everything gone…

He really needs our prayers right now. In another video, he talked about how he knew God was keeping his wife and children safe in heaven. He also said he that doesn’t blame the pilot, but hopes people will pray for the pilot to not be overcome with guilt.

That’s pretty amazing. Honestly, there is no way I would handle a situation like that with the same grace as this man has. What is amazing as how he has managed to hold on to his faith. And then to forgive so quickly! Some might say he’s just in shock, but if you watch the videos you can see that the shock has already worn off.

His wife was 36 and one baby girl had just been born in October and the other one, Grace, was 15 months old. The was around the same age as I when my son was born - I just cannot even imagine at that I would have had the reserves to tackle this at that age let alone have such faith. In a press conference, the husband had only two requests. One was to pray for the pilot (wow). The other was that he knows there are people who have gone through worse than this, and he hopes they can tell him how.

I’m posting this for three reasons. One is that I’m amazed at how he has already forgiven the pilot. So many of us hold grudges over things that are far, far less important. Second, is that life is short. Don’t ever take one second for granted, and don’t put off until tomorrow what you could do today. And finally from a human side and perhaps most importantly, I’m posting this to ask anyone who reads this to keep him in your prayers. Pray that he finds people who can provide him with comfort and the advice he’s seeking.

Sadly, the only way to get through something like this is to walk through the pain. As a wise friend of mine once said, “You can’t move on - you can never move on. But at some point, you can find the strength to move forward.”

Til next time...