Fit for Life

Summer Speed Camp!

2011-06-09T05:12:00.000-04:00

Hey guys,

Due to many happenings and much work going on, I have not been getting regular blogs on here however I will start getting some new items on soon. In the meantime I wanted to announce our Summer Speed Development Camp which will be held in Cleveland, TN during the month of July from the 11th- 29th.

The cost is $300 per athlete and registration is on the official website Fit for Life. Please check it out and join us.

Until later,

Coach Mac

Summer 2010 Training Video

2011-04-15T17:47:00.000-04:00

www.fitforlifegetmoving.com

2011-03-26T11:02:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone,

We have our new website www.fitforlifegetmoving.com up and running! We are still making changes and updates but it's functional and ready for viewing.

Hope to hear from you in the future and thank you for visiting the site.

Have a wonderful day and enjoy life as you live it to the full!

Stay Fit for Life! Get Moving!

Linear Speed Training photos!

2011-03-26T10:49:00.001-04:00

All photos in this posting used with permission:

These photos showcase a few local basketball players whose parents contacted us regarding speed and agility training. This is a linear/lateral speed day working on:

Dynamic Warm-ups
Plyometric jumps and hops
Acceleration through sprints

If you have questions or would like to set up some training for yourself or child, please don't hesitate to contact us @ (423) 790-9336

By the way, these workouts are not only used for athletes but adapted as training protocols for any adult or child (over the age of 11) who has a desire to gain greater functional physical fitness, balance, elasticity, flexibility and coordination. Don't let the photos scare you into thinking you couldn't do it because believe me you can.

Choosing a Personal Fitness Professional!

2011-01-15T09:38:00.001-05:00

Personal Fitness Professional?

As we look at the world/industry of sports, physical fitness and personal training many people make claims of being certified, licensed etc as trainers. Some have degrees in one particular topic of study while others receive their certifications by taking a test online and never having worked with a client. Who you choose to work with and hire as your trainer is a major decision as an investment of both time and money, so who you choose and how you come to your decision is very important.

Marketers of fitness products and trainers would like you to believe their product or exercise video can shed certain amounts of body fat, give you ripped abs or chisel you down to the figure you desire in just a short 6 weeks or less; what they fail to share while trying to get your money is that every persons genetic makeup is different in one way or another (though studies show we are 99.9% the same as the person next to us, that .1% is a major portion of what makes us genetically different from the next person).

My desire for this post is to encourage you the reader not to get caught in the web of trying the latest fad diet, exercise video or greatest techniques thinking it is the end all for getting the figure, weight loss or chiseled abs you've always wanted only to get discouraged and stop when the promised results don't come true. There is no fine print here but you find lots on other products like (results not typical along the bottom of the screen); remember these videos and other products are made to sell and make people money; the truth that you have to move and do something in order to lose weight and get Fit for Life is very obvious, but if they try to give you guaranteed results in a specific time turn the other way and look for someone or something else.

The truth is, your success in any fitness or workout protocol is largely in your hands and the genetic makeup you carry; however this to is true. As you consistently place imposed demands upon your body through increasing the intensity of your workouts, your body will adapt and make the needed changes (weight loss, body fat reduction, energy, vitality, etc) when you pay your dues. The acronym we use for this is SAID (Specific Adaptations for Imposed Demands) which just means as the body sees your serious about the changes you desire and are willing to put the work in through these success factors: (Also check out archived articles for further information)

Show up (Consistency)
Hard work (Intensity)
Creating and following the action plan
Have Fun (If you don't like to run, find something else for aerobic)
Be creative (change things up)
Listen to your body
Plan for the long haul (lifestyle changes)

The brain will then recruit the needed muscles, nerve firing to do the work building strength and helping to burn the energy properly.

Back to the post topic of being a PROFESSIONAL! When you are choosing the trainer for you or your loved ones the following is something to be considered along with other items. Some people will charge less than others (national industry charge average is $40 per hr depending on geographic location which takes it up from there) but this shouldn't be your only reason to choose them as your trainer. Though it is tempting to choose someone who can give you cheaper rates, make sure they have your best interest in mind and are not just trying to go cheap to get more clients ,while not caring for the ones they have.

A professional is someone who has acquired & possesses a body of knowledge that is not easily attainable without research, study and experience
A professional is someone who serves their community with their experience and expertise
A professional is someone who continually updates their knowledge base and experience over the course of time
A professional is a someone who is held accountable for the service they provide to their community

When you are deciding to hire someone to train you for your health, fitness and lifestyle, please consider the points above before deciding. Check people out, get references, make a phone call and ask them questions. It will be worth your time and effort to make a more educated decision before putting yourself in someone's care.

Stay Fit for Life! Get moving!

Go Manny!

2011-01-14T09:49:00.003-05:00

Quick Foot Ladders

These are a few pictures of some training with a a new friend from our area who has just recently been signed to play in the Indoor Football League (IFL) with a team in Oklahoma. My colleague has spent several weeks working to get him ready with some speed and agility training so I have taken over some of his training while he has been out of town.

The footwork and agility drills in these photos are being done by our 6'3" 270 lb defensive end who will be starting in the IFL this upcoming season with realistic hopes of making the NFL some time this next year.

Emmanuel (Manny) Nkana was born in Peoria, Illinois and spent much of his childhood in Puerto Rico with his family where they served in missions work.

His Vitals:

6"3" 270 lbs
36+ vertical leap
4.44 sec pro agility run
Low 4.7's forty

If you follow football and want to check him out during this next season, look at the Indoor Football League information and keep your ears open for his name to be called in the near future for a team in NFL.

Go Manny!

Strength Training for the runner!

2011-01-11T09:48:00.002-05:00

Hey guys,

For many years long distance runners thought if they incorporated strength training into their workout regimen, it would decrease their times or get them bulky making them less effective in the run! The truth is as you increase your muscle strength, endurance and stamina not only are their thoughts incorrect the findings are just the opposite.

I just completed some training with a marathoner (now 50 years old) who had attended a running clinic we conducted back in October and he then wanted to continue fitness training with me to prepare for the Marathon at Disney.

We trained 3 days per week in strength and I also changed him up with some speed and agility training to assist him with his endurance, foot/ankle strength and economy of motion for muscle stamina. Through the course of our training he gained tremendous upper and lower body strength and to top it off he started shaving time off his run (economy of motion is simply using less energy to travel the same distance which strength training improves due to building the strength of all the muscles activated in the run). Along with our training he was still running 3 days per week since you have to run if your going to be running. "You are only as fit as what you are currently doing" so he continued training.

He ran the half marathon this year due to not being able to fully prepare for the full and this is a message I received from him after the race.

"Best time ever ~Ran a 2:24 by watch waiting to see chip time. Over 27,000 runners at the start lots of getting around people and congestion at some parts of the race. All that said this is a Personal Record by 15 minutes so thanks for all the great training."

Chip time 2:22:59

Your challenge or competition may be different from his but whatever it may be strength, endurance and agility training will probably help.

Please contact us if you have interest and we will sit down to discuss your needs and some possible training for you.

Stay Fit for Life and Get Moving!

Merry Chrristmas and Happy New Year!

2010-12-25T13:42:00.002-05:00

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

From our family to yours we hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

Keep "Fit for Life"!

Michael and Lesa (Max & Maggie photos are used by permission though he often turns away from the camera)

A day in the life of training camp!

2010-12-18T17:58:00.005-05:00

SAQ Training!

2010-07-26T12:51:00.004-04:00

Pictures and videos in the following blog are used with permission by those involved

This is some Speed Agility and Quickness Training we have been doing with a few local athletes that happen to be a group of brothers. Two are college scholarship hopefuls in tennis or football and the other is just getting started in football and we hope to help him get a good jump start on the speed portion.

We were contacted by their mom concerning training them to help increase their speed, before the second oldest starts his senior year of football as the starting quarterback. We are looking forward to seeing how God will use our experience, expertise and all of our hard work to help them get into college while fulfilling dreams of being collegiate athletes.

Frozen shoulder!

2010-05-27T16:17:00.002-04:00

Hey guys,

I found this article on causes of and treating a frozen shoulder which may be giving you pain. You can click on the highlighted link to read for yourself or others.

Frozen shoulder
Take care;

What about High Fructose Corn Syrup?

2010-05-26T18:34:00.004-04:00

Click on the title to check out this article on some of the findings concerning High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) and see what we are looking at in our food industry. We have talked about it many times and continue to educate people when we can, so please check it out for yourselves.

M & L

Summer Sports Speed Development Camp!

2010-04-22T18:50:00.006-04:00

May 31st - July 9th 2010
6 week Summer Sports Speed Development Camp!

Vital Force International hosted by Cleveland Family YMCA (Cleveland, TN) will be conducting a six week All Sports Summer Speed Camp for all ground based sports athletes from incoming 6th graders and above. This Speed Development Camp will include

Functional Athletic Strength
Dynamic Flexibility
Linear/Lateral Speed
Agility
Quickness
Explosive Power

Training will be conducted by
Human Performance and Athletic Enhancement Specialist

Coach Tim Powers and Michael "Coach Mac" McCant (as well as others)

COST: $400 per attendee
Participants must be at least
incoming 6th graders

If you or someone you know have young athletes who would benefit by joining us, please contact the YMCA @ (423) 476-5573
or
Coach Mac
@
michaelmccant.vfi@gmail.com

How bad is Obesity in America?

2010-02-06T17:27:00.004-05:00

The following is an article I was reading today and since it fits right in with the purpose of this site wanted to get it here for you. Please read and check out the links to find out more on the dangers in epidemic proportions of Obesity in America. The national standard on what is to be considered obese is 50 + lbs over the ideal weight for your height and body type. I hope as always you will find this and other articles both helpful and educational.

(Article adapted from earth fare healthy supermarket website:)

According to a new study in the February 2010 issue of American Journal of Preventive Medicine conducted by researchers from Columbia University and the City College of New York, the years of quality life lost due to obesity is just as great as those lost due to smoking! This means that obesity will likely surpass smoking as America’s greatest health threat.

The study was based on a survey of more than 3.5 million American adults from 1993 to 2008, and ranged in questions regarding health habits, poor health days, and perceived quality of life. In the study, smoking declined amongst participants by 18.5%, but obesity increased by a whopping 85%! Because of this, years added to life expectancy because of smoking reduction (good) are canceled out by increasing obesity rates (bad). While we should applaud anti-smoking campaigns, we have another big public health danger in our midst.

Just how bad are overweight and obesity rates in America? Today, more than 33.3% of Americans are obese. A total of 66.7% of Americans are either overweight or obese. To put these numbers into some perspective, in 1980, 15% of Americans were obese, and if you take a look at the graph below, it is clear that obesity trends were steady before 1980. Not anymore.

*data from CDC

Obesity rates are increasing…really, really quickly. At this rate, it is reported that an expected 45% — almost half! — of Americans will be obese by 2020. Can you imagine? Seriously, take a minute and just imagine the country in 2020 with almost half of its citizens being at major risk for:

heart disease
high blood pressure
arthritis
sleep apnea
stroke
type 2 diabetes

On top of these risks, don’t forget the years of quality life lost. The trends are grim.

Both smoking and obesity are preventable. Anti-smoking campaigns helped reduce smoking. What do you think it will take to reduce obesity rates?

Motivation or Inspiration!

2010-02-01T13:34:00.003-05:00

When we are training Fitness Professionals (Personal Trainers and more) we share with them this point: You are not able to motivate anyone but you are to Inspire them by example, expertise, professionalism, love and care to go after their motivations in life. This is the reason; motive + action = motivation and I can not give you either of these as a professional trainer but I can inspire you to action by living my example and being true about why I live it. We believe if we try to attain greater health, fitness, weight loss (or any of the many reasons people sometimes start training programs) for any other reason than obedience to the Lord and caring for the Image of God in us; not only will our motives be halfhearted or wrong they will soon fail once we are tired of the statuesque.

Though as I have mentioned before, there are true blessings of Obedience such as (looking better in your clothes, feeling better about yourself, living a more vital and fulfilling life) these are not or should not be the primary reasons to start something because these are almost impossible to sustain. However when our motivation in to honor God with our bodies and live physically fit out of Obedience to Him, we will see the blessings of Obedience as well.

I have again listed the 7 success factors which we teach to people as a way to have a realistic outlook on physical fitness. Starting with consistency and hard work then looking at the last 5; please take a look at these and ask your self this question today. "Am I at this very moment committed to doing everything I can to achieve physical and spiritual fitness for the rest of your life?" It doesn't not matter what your status is right now, what the numbers say from doctors reports or how much you think you need to change; it is never too late for you to start and this is indeed the first step. Start doing something to increase you level of vitality; why does it matter? Your bodies are important to God and since He created you in His image, that is enough for it to matter to us; this alone is not it though "Our bodies are important to God because, with them, we carry out our mission assignments to further a greater purpose.” Fitness is not about self-gratification but it's about obedience to God, so the questions we all must ask is "will we seek God and learn from him while doing something to have a greater impact on the lives of those we meet for His kingdom or just go about life serving ourselves and not caring for His image in us". I placed a video at the bottom so keep reading and then watch the 2 minute you-tube of the 40 inspirational quotes just for anyhow. The truth is it's not about others telling you reasons why you should do things, it comes down to your true motivations and finding the heart behind fulfilling these in your life; for some it's getting healthy for kids, family health insurance etc, others it's weight loss, others it's looking good in my clothes and though all of these are good benefits what will you motivation be. Think it over and then get going, don't think too long however because today is a better day to start than tomorrow.

Success Factors

1.) Consistency: the body adapts over time to the traces left over from your previous workout (cumulative effect). The more consistent you are in you workouts and lifestyle, the more adaptation will occur in your body.

2.) Work hard: show up and work hard; Intensity and quality of strain in your workouts causes the brain to affect a positive adaptation and compensate for physical stress being imposed on your body. The harder you work, the more the brain has to prepare the body for which in turn causes more need for positive adaptation.

3.) Follow a realistic eating and exercise plan: Disciplined Nutrition Plan; this does not mean starving yourself, but rather developing a healthy eating lifestyle which you can live with forever, not some unattainable diet also making sure your workout plan works for you.

4.) Have fun: Enjoy your workouts and exercise, do things which accomplish your goal and also allow you to have fun at the same time.

5.) Be creative: Consistency is the most important factor but you still want to change things up slightly every 4- 6 weeks. Keep some of the exercises and add different ones which will work the same joints and muscles but give you variety. The idea is to keep your body in a constant state of “Progressive Adaptation” changing as it goes, rather than allowing the plateau effect with your health and fitness.

6.) Listen to your body: Though you will experience soreness as you begin and continue this workout (if your continue to increase in intensity) we call this effect Delayed Muscle Soreness Onset which will typically happen within 48 hours of the workout, your body will tell you if something is wrong. If you are experiencing specific, focused and knife like jabbing pain during a movement this probably indicates that you have injured that area of your body to some extent. Stop the exercise and consult a physician before continuing.

7.) Plan for the long haul: Your body is created to adapt to what you do over time. Physical fitness is a life-long journey and not just a destination; this is something you want to implement for a lifestyle change not just short distance success.

Physical Fitness Time line:

13 week’s = 75%; 6 month’s = 90% 1 year= 95%

Planning for the long haul means you will need to have a realistic attitude towards weight loss (if needed), as well as the change in body composition. Using the time line above, if we look at your ability to be physically fit; according to studies and science when involved in a consistent and intense workout several days per week within 13 weeks you can be at 75% of your maximum physical fitness level possible; at 6 months you can be at 90% and within 1 year on consistent training you can be at 95% of your maximum level. Problem: The national average for staying on an intense, consistent training program is only 3 weeks. If you start with an unrealistic goal of weight loss or physical fitness, the chances are great that you will become frustrated and discouraged when you don’t see immediate results like you wanted. Remember, this is training for a lifestyle of fitness not just a short distance sprint. The desire and objective should be to obtain physical fitness, health and wellness, while learning realistic nutrition and training which can be incorporated into your everyday life. When it comes to a change in body composition, it normally takes at least 6- 8 weeks from the beginning of a program to start seeing any change; however during this time you will start to notice the change internally with energy levels being higher and strength being obtained.

DON’T GIVE UP! Remember, the 2 most important factors in achieving your fitness goals are

1) Consistency

2) Work hard

If you can get into a consistent, intense (hard working) lifestyle of fitness, the goals you have set out to reach are attainable.

Fit For Life Recipe Ideas!

2010-01-23T16:29:00.009-05:00

As we said before, it is our desire to offer you different items on this site which will help you to reach the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely) goals you have set. One of the ways we would like to accomplish this is by offering you menu and meal planning ideas. Though it may be sporadic in how regular we get them posted, it is my goal to offer you some simple yet nutritional ideas for you and your family.

Rather than take up the space on this site, I have dedicated a new blog just for these ideas. Please click the feed on the sidebar and you will be taken to our menu blog.

This is a new thought but I will continue to work on it as time permits.

Have fun and be creative!

Where did the nutrients go?

2010-01-22T17:15:00.003-05:00

We have all seen it, even if you don't know what it is yet you have seen it. The person sitting with a big bowl of iceberg lettuce, shaved carrots, a few radishes, croutons and loaded with ranch dressing (because ranch is the chosen dressing for a certain well known diet). Where did the nutrients go you may ask or the question may be why is this not a nutrient filled salad? Isn't all lettuce created equal?

Here's the skinny on lettuce and other greens machines. Not all lettuce is created equal and there are greens out there which pack more vitamins, minerals and nutrients than others so why not eat the best you can get?

Essentially, eating iceberg lettuce is the equivalent of eating a Styrofoam cup or you could just chow down on the plastic plant you have in your office. It goes like this, it adds a little color but it's mostly just filling your plate and though it is cheaper you are really not getting much for the money you've spent. Iceberg lettuce has very little in the way of fiber, vitamins or minerals so why do most places serve this tasteless wonder in every salad you are paying several hard earned bucks for, if you eat out? It is cheaper and they are making more money.

Please don't be offended if you are an Iceberg fan and you enjoy the salads in the bag type of salad, this is not to be offensive but educational. We have not always known what we know now concerning food and the benefits of certain choices concerning the food we eat, it has and continues to be a process of educating ourselves and making changes as we need to. This being the case, we do not expect or lobby for people making quick overnight changes to their dietary intact without really counting the cost and preparing.

The process for us (especially me) started over 7 years ago, when I first chose to look at the food I was eating and the ingredients in those foods and here we are in 2010 having made a drastic changes in lifestyle which includes dietary, physical activity and caring for our Image. "We have been made in His Image- Love that Image"(Lesa McCant)

Most people can't eat how we eat (although we eat simply) when they try to change everything overnight or cold turkey; these type of adjustments in our lifestyles and eating habits must be taken gradually for several reasons one of which is this- you will often get overwhelmed with what you see is a lack of things you enjoy and then feel guilty if you have it; this creates bondage and bondage is not appropriate or beneficial in any sense of the word when you are dealing with lifestyle choices including and especially food.

A Nutrient is a chemical that an organism needs to live and grow, or a substance used in an organism's metabolism which must be taken in from it's environment. Nutrients are the substances that enrich the body while helping to rebuild and repair tissues, give heat and energy and regulate body processes. Proper nutrients taken in from nutrient dense food sources are necessary for proper growth and repair of the breakdown that takes place in our bodies on a daily basis (especially when we living actively in a weight training and exercise lifestyle). As muscles fibers tear during a workout, they must go through repair, building and healing which takes place during the rest phase after the workout.

Look at these options for greens besides Iceberg and the great things they are packed with.

Romaine: said to be one of the best vegetable sources for beta-carotene- about 712 micrograms per cup- high amounts of beta-carotene has been shown to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells by 50% (according to a study by the University of Illinois)

Arugula: one cup has 10% of the calcium found in a glass of whole milk (without the saturated fats). It also has magnesium for for protection from Osteoporosis (all of us who are aging and this all of us can use this protection).

Mustard Greens: Packed with amino acid tyrosine, which in studies has been found to significantly improve memory and concentration.

Spinach: a top source of lutein and zeaxanthin 2 powerful antioxidants that protect your vision from old age (not that the eyes don't get older but you get the idea). A Tufts University study found that frequent Spinach eaters had a 43% lower risk of age-related macular degeneration.

Just a few things you can add to your salads if your not already eating them and you will have a plate full of nutrients to help fuel your body for growth and repair. On top you can add your favorite veggies, some grilled chicken, turkey etc.

Be creative and have fun! Eating healthy is not as hard as people in the fast food world of feeding would have us believe but hey this is how they make their millions.

"You have been created in His Image...Love that Image"

Until later

Injury Report #2

2010-01-18T14:33:00.003-05:00

Hello again:

Just wanted to give the most recent report of the rehabilitation progress on my ankle and let you know things are coming along well. I have been up and walking since last wednesday (for the most part without assistance from walking stick or crutches); though at times very slowly, still getting the weight back on the joint and moving.

Though you have to take it slow sometimes, movement is one of the best ways to get the strength back, since your body has been created to move. Lack of movement in the joints, muscles and bones will actually weaken the body and prolong the healing process, so depending upon the seriousness of the injury or ailment to be healed you must decide how much movement is too much but the movement is needed regardless. This is why I spent time flexing, rotating, stretching and working out the ankle joint, tendons and ligaments prior to adding weight back into the daily use. Even a day or two of resting and non-movement will cause the muscles to be more sedentary so its best to move some even when sitting in a chair for a day or so.

Today most of the swelling has subsided (though it still comes and goes with use) but the bruising has moved to be on most of the foot instead of where it began. This is a healing PROCESS so it doesn't come in a day but for most active people who are caring for their bodies in all areas of health (including strength training and cardiovascular exercise) you can expect the healing process to be more quick if you do things the right way in rehabilitating the injury.

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled but rather healed. Hebrews 12:11-13 NIV

Strength and Power

3 John 2

Injury Report!

2010-01-14T06:47:00.004-05:00

As a way of encouragement and to keep those who read in the loop, I wanted to give you a little update on the ankle. After 2 complete days (48 hours) I have greater movement and flexiblity back in and around the ankle joint and all the ligaments (though tender) seem to be working together pretty well.

I for sure had lots of pain from moderate swelling and some semi dark bruising but the swelling has lessened greatly and the bruising though it moved up on top of the foot, never really made it up the calf. (The tendons and such of the ankle are interconnected with the calf so the greater amount of tearing would also include bruising in the region (soleus, gastrocnemius and lots of other names I will not bother you with).

As a part of the rehabilitation I spent all day Tuesday on a recliner (which by the way my wife surprised me with as a gift for Christmas given to us by a client and friend) icing, relaxing and then Tuesday night we wrapped the ankle with apple cider vinegar soaked paper bag covering it with a plastic on the outside to reduce swelling and bruising. Pretty cool if I do say so myself and you can find that and other uses for apple cider vinegar by doing a Google search on benefits of;

All this to say that Wednesday I was able to have a little more freedom while using crutches and I started testing a little weight on the foot, while also doing stretches, plantar (toes pointed away from the body) and dorsi (toes level with a slight pull of the toes upward) and then drawing circles with my toes and foot. I was able to start walking a bit, though some of the swelling will come back with the weight bearing it was worth it for me to get greater range of motion.

Today I have just finished an at home upper body workout and the movement is better by far in the ankle as I was continuing the stretches and movement patterns during my workout.

I am grateful for God's continued healing and hope that the practical information will be helpful to you as well. God brings the healing to be more quickly sometimes, however we are still responsible to do our part in helping the body to heal as well.

Take care and I will will be back

Until later

Injury Prevention and Treatment!

2010-01-12T07:34:00.005-05:00

Today I have decided through the misfortune of a basketball injury which occurred last night, to take a few moments of your time to discuss both injury prevention as well as what to do in the event you can't prevent them all.

Last night I was playing basketball at the local college where we play every Monday night and having just spent some time trying to assess the injury of another guy who had hurt his heel bone, I went up to block a shot and came down dragging my toes under my foot and twisted the small bone on the outside of the ankle (fibula). This is the first time in over 8 years that this has happened to me and I felt instant pain and decided my ability to walk and train was more important than playing through. I was done for the night; 1st rule of thumb is knowing when to stop playing (right).

Anyway, what about injury prevention and restoration of an injured part? Well the best way we know to limit injury and I say limit rather than completely prevent because accidents occur at any stage and cannot always be avoided. Though you can't always avoid the injury, you can help yourself to limit the injuries severity by simply staying active, participating in an effective strength training workout and continuing to increase range of motion in your joints. In the case of an ankle such is my issue is maintaining strength, flexibility and muscle balance. In my case I strength train at least 4 days per week, I run sprints and do ground-based exercises on a regular basis but even those of us who do this for a living can still get hurt. We are not above the possibility of a accident or losing focus for a split second while playing a sport. It happens and then we too have to take care of the injury and go through the rehabilitation process.

What if I sprain my ankle?

Ankle sprains are very common, in fact according to statistics about 25,000 people experience it every day. By the way it's not only athletes but non-athletes who turn, twist or sprain their ankle in many different ways or causes throughout the day (i.e. walking on uneven surfaces, steeping off the curb at an angle, playing sports or being physically active in other ways).

There are different grades of sprains and the following information was taken from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons where they show a glimpse of how to determine or a medical professional determine this grade.

Mechanism of Injury

If there is a severe in-turning or out-turning of the foot relative to the ankle, the forces cause the ligaments to stretch beyond their normal length. If the force is too strong, the ligaments can tear. You may lose your balance when your foot is placed unevenly on the ground. You may fall and be unable to stand on that foot. When excessive force is applied to the ankle's soft tissue structures, you may even hear a "pop". Pain and swelling result.

The amount of force determines the grade of the sprain. A mild sprain is a Grade 1. A moderate sprain is a Grade 2. A severe strain is a Grade 3 (see Table below).

Grade 1 sprain: Slight stretching and some damage to the fibers (fibrils) of the ligament.
Grade 2 sprain: Partial tearing of the ligament. If the ankle joint is examined and moved in certain ways, abnormal looseness (laxity) of the ankle joint occurs.
Grade 3 sprain: Complete tear of the ligament. If the examiner pulls or pushes on the ankle joint in certain movements, gross instability occurs.

Classification of Ankle Sprains

Severity	Physical Examination Findings	Impairment	Pathophysiology	Typical Treatment*
Grade 1	Minimal tenderness and swelling	Minimal	Microscopic tearing of collagen fibers	Weight bearing as tolerated No splinting/casting Isometric exercises Full range-of-motion and stretching/ strengthening exercises as tolerated
Grade 2	Moderated tenderness and swelling Decreased range of motion Possible instability	Moderated	Complete tears of some but not all collagen fibers in the ligament	Immobilization with air splint Physical therapy with range-of-motion and stretching/ strengthening exercises
Grade 3	Significant swelling and tenderness Instability	Severe	Complete tear/ rupture of ligament	Immobilization Physical therapy similar to that for grade 2 sprains but over a longer period Possible surgical reconstruction

I have spent some time since last night elevating, icing, resting and compressing my ankle I have been trying to assess the Grade of sprain for myself (though I would be the first to go in for an x-ray if needed) I believe we are dealing with a Grade 2 which includes moderate controlled swelling around the point of injury and some minor (yet dark) bruising has shown up.

As a result, instead of my normal daily activities and training, today I will be implementing the RICE treatment for my sprain

Rest- The first 24-48 hours after the injury is considered a critical treatment period and activities need to be limited and pretty much put on hold.
Ice- 24-48 hours post injury, ice the sprain for 20 minutes every 3-4 hours. Never ice for more than 15-20 minutes at a time due to the fact that you can cause damage to the tissue by over treating the area. Let the injured area warm again for a least 45 minutes to an hour before reapplication.
Compression- recommended especially in the early stages of the injury (first 48 hours) to help control swelling of the injured area. Using an ace bandage wrap the injured area snug but not cutting off blood flow; if you toes, fingers etc start to get cold, turn blue or tingle take it off and re wrap
Elevate- Keep the ankle or other injured part elevated. Some would say above the heart, but at least keep it from hanging down and stabilize the joint as much as possible.

By all means if the swelling persist and doesn't start to subside within a day or so (bringing some even limited mobility back to the joint) see a medical professional for an X-ray or MRI. It's not worth prolonging the injury and in many cases worsening the injury by reinforcing improper healing to take place.

Remember, our body has been created to care for itself and the healing that takes place is extraordinary; however we must use wisdom when it comes to injuries.

I will be signing off now and settling in to read through my new homework (The Seven Steps of Personal Safety ) which is a book written by my friend, mentor and colleague Tim Powers. We are starting to implement this topic into our training in order to conduct seminars on How to avoid, deal with and survive the aftermath of violence and terrorism. You can check it out by clicking on the highlighted name and it will direct your to his site.

We are available to conduct these seminars, as well as our fitness seminars in your church, business, medical office etc so give me a call or email.

I hope this article will be of assistance to you and that you will continue or begin a life of movement and activity.

Keep moving and be blessed!

End of Year and New Years Resolutions!

2009-12-17T16:07:00.004-05:00

It seems like every year the tendencies run in the same direction as we approach November and December and they go something like this. I would like to lose weight before Christmas so I can fit into the dress I bought last year and was unable to wear, we've decided to go away for Christmas and stroll on the beach but it's been way too long since I've been in a bikini so before we leave I need to lose ______ pounds and ______ off the waistline; it's been years since I've gone without the shirt in public so before unveiling the six pack abs I should take sometime to locate them first.

Whatever the words or the plans we have heard or said something along these lines at some time. The plans are set but the follow-thru takes effort, discipline, consistency and it is just too much and by the way whose plan was this anyway. It is at this time where we we hit the end of the year woes and the New Year resolutions and this is the time where those of us who try to attain health, get slim, you name it for the wrong reasons will become discouraged and more often than not (according to what we see and our own experiences)throw in the towel and say I JUST CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE and it's not even worth the effort"!

Here is the dilemma; when we enter anything with the wrong motives in heart we often find it to hard to stand when the challenges come and if we have started out with hopes of the outcome being of selfish nature, then we have nothing to keep us going and we give up on the outcome. In the Fitness Industry we look at these type of plans on a timeline and in a market where people are sold on just making money rather than really helping to train people for a lifestyle change, they are happy to have you pay for a year membership, 3 months with a personal trainer etc. all the while they are very aware that the national average for a person staying on a new program is 3 weeks. We however want you to succeed and see positive, healthy changes in your lifestyle while at the same time encouraging you in your motives with a desire to see you honoring God and doing it for this reason rather than looking out for self and trying to look good for the Christmas party.

This being said, it doesn't mean you will not look good in your clothes, feel better about yourself, lose weight and body fat; all these things will happen, however the motive has to be honoring God and longing to be Fit for Life and Fit to Serve wherever you find yourself.

The truth is as we start a God honoring physical fitness program out of obedience to the Lord to care for our bodies, which have been created in His image the blessings of obedience will include; weight loss, looking better, feeling better and performing better. How you look speaks to your desire, discipline and will (eating well, exercising regularly, keeping yourself mobile and supple) If your healthy in body it will affect your attitude and emotions towards others but when your degree of physical fitness takes a downward spiral through poor choices, the quality and joy in your life bottoms out as well. As you become more physically fit you'll perform better at work, play and life in general. Your brain will function better due to higher amounts of blood, oxygen and nutrients that you are sending it and you strength, stamina, endurance, power, coordination and balance will also improve.

No matter your age, fitness level, health or hardship at this time IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO START! The amazing thing about God's creation the human body is that the only cells which continue to recreate up to the point of death are in the muscles and tissues, which means that until your last breath muscles can still be strengthened. My colleague, mentor, friend and coach ask the question in the book "Fit to Serve" becoming what you where created to be. "Are you, right now, committed to doing everything you can to maximize your life? Spirit, Soul and Body?"

If you can read this and answer with a resounding YES, then you are on the path and journey to becoming the best human being you can be and discovering everything you where created for. If you cannot answer YES, would you take a break and ask what it is that holds you back and what you need to change in order to start down this path of being "FIt to Serve" and Fit for Life so you can in obedience to God be who He has created you to be. God wants us to be as physically fit as possible and this means it is up to us to make the start.

May this year not end with meaningless resolutions for 2010 but be a time you draw a line in the sand and say "this next year will be the beginning of the rest of my life and I will fight for, walk in and choose obedience in order to honor God with my whole being Spirit, Soul and Body. (1 Thess 5:23)

Here's the hope for you to take home concerning this physical fitness timeline: You can be at 95% as physically fit as you will ever be within 1 year after starting and continuing a consistent workout and exercise protocol.

If you walk away after reading this without hope that you too can accomplish the goals you and God have, I have not been responsible with my training and gifts. You can do this just get started where you can and go at it with all you have been given.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Exercise and Calculating Heart Rate

2009-06-15T16:10:00.001-04:00

Exercise and Heart Rates (Resting and During Activity)

Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise

Cardiovascular/Respiratory (Aerobic) Exercise

Cardiovascular/respiratory exercise involves those activities, which best condition, your heart (cardio), your circulatory pathways (vascular), and your lungs (respiratory). The energy system that supplies the primary fuel for this type of exercise is fat, and this is why most people who exercise involve themselves with aerobic (with oxygen) conditioning. Aerobic exercise utilizes fat as it’s primary fuel source (after 1st 12-15 minutes of sugar burn) and if fat is being used as fuel it is not just storing in and around all the organs. Aerobic exercise conditions these systems enabling more blood, oxygen, nutrients and enzymes to be carried to the organs.

From a physical fitness health component perspective, training this system is the number one strategy in improving ones quality of life and the prevention of illness and disease. Coronary heart disease is still the number one killer of people- worldwide, period. Condition your heart, lungs and circulatory pathways through aerobic exercise, 20 to 60 minutes, five to six days per week- Strive for the balance and avoid “robbing Peter to pay Paul”- Meaning rather than just doing cardio you should incorporate strength training into you workouts as well, so that your also building muscle, burning sugar and strengthening your muscles and joints. Can you safely exercise aerobically more than 30 minutes four days a week?

Yes, but not too much more. Anything past 60 minutes in total duration and six days per week, and your risking potential problems and issues; longer than 60 minutes (especially intense) indicates to the brain there is trauma & the body begins to break down; stopping repair of muscle tissue and after 90 minutes musculoskeletal trauma starts and the body starts burning stored protein as fuel, rather than sugar or fat causing the loss of lean muscle mass which is not good.

Monitoring heart rate resting and during activity:
Use index and middle finger together on your wrist (radial artery), or the neck (carotid artery) to palpate the pulse. Avoid using the thumb, because it has its own inherent pulse. RESTING HR- Begin your count at 0 taking a full sixty -(60) second count. DURING ACTIVITY- Count the number of beats at 10 seconds and multiply by 6 (or 6 seconds x 10) = Beats per minute.
Calculating Exercise heart rate intensity: Finding your Predicted and Target Heart Rate for exercise
The method I use most is as follows and comes from The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
220-age= Predicted Max HR; Predicted Max HR x 55-85% = Target Heart Rate for Cardio exercise
Possible Aerobic Exercise: Swimming, Biking, Jogging, Power Walking, Rowing, and Elliptical Machines

Anaerobic Exercise: strength training, sprints, and competitive ground based sports (whenever possible increase your coordination, balance, agility and quickness) Tennis, Soccer, Volleyball, Softball, Frisbee (Ultimate) and Basketball etc.

Avoiding Deadly Emotions!

2009-06-09T12:26:00.001-04:00

Dr. Don Colbert author of “Deadly Emotions” says that an emotional roller coaster saps a person of both physical and psychological health, often leaving the body and mind depleted of energy and strength. He points out that according to medical studies dealing with unhealthy emotions show the following:

· Because the mind and body are linked, how you feel emotionally can determine how you feel physically
·Certain emotions release hormones into the body that can trigger the development of a host of diseases
·Research shows a direct and scientific link of deadly emotions to hypertension, cardiovascular disease and diseases related to the immune system
·Those fighting depression have an increased risk of developing cancer and heart disease
·Emotions such as anxiety and fear have been linked to heart palpitations, irritable bowel syndrome, tensions headaches and other diseases.

Deadly emotions alter the chemistry of your body and if left unchecked can be a pervasive force in determining your daily actions. Eating while under stress causes the liver’s bile tubes to narrow, blocking bile from reaching the small intestine (90 % of digestion takes place in the intestines), which is not healthy for the body. Not only is this not healthy but what follows is equally as unhealthy. Most people who are overwhelmed with stress and deadly emotions tend to go away from eating healthy food and habits as well. Nibbling on sweets, oily chips, high sodium pleasure foods that do just the opposite of what they hope it will do. Rather than bringing the pleasure they hope, the stress and bad habits will bring more deadly emotions causing higher risk of sickness and long-term disease.

“Stress is any stimulus that places an adaptive demand on the systems of the mind and body.” Hans Seyle

By this definition, stress is not inherently bad or destructive. Stress can actually be something very productive for us as human beings; it’s only when the level of stress is beyond the capability and limits of a person to adapt to some form of imposed stimulus that the systems begin to break down. The body is created with 10 integrated systems and all of these systems are affected.

Jesus knew this as he said, “do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

Next week we will look at exercise physiology dealing with the types of exercise you can do and the benefits of those movements and workouts. Along with this you will see how to calculate your resting and exercise heart rate and the percentage of your max heart rate that is both safe and pushing your body and systems to the level they should be pushed to enact adaptation to the stress being put on your body.

Enjoy and have a great relaxing week!

Rest!

2009-05-18T15:56:00.001-04:00

Rest and Sabbath

Last week we touched on the topic of sleep for restoration and growth; in this topic we saw that “Consistent, high quality sleep is where our bodies and our minds recover, restore and grow from all of the events and circumstances of our lives that occurred the day before.

One of the many definitions of rest is; to refresh oneself, as by sleeping, lying down, or relaxing (dictionary.com) and as followers of Christ we have often been told of the importance of rest and Sabbath but are we walking in the knowledge we have or just keeping our heads above water?

We have several examples through scripture dealing with resting in the Lord and even Jesus himself talks about the need for true rest.

King David writes a few in the Psalms:

Psalm 4:8 “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone O Lord, will keep me safe.
Psalm 127:2 he say’s “It is useless for us to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.”

Now clearly God is not saying we should be lazy and do nothing, but He is very clear throughout the scriptures that we as humans are meant to rest and pause from the normal chaos of our day while being restored and refreshed in him.

It would not be a bad idea to take some cues from our hearts (the actual beating muscle inside the chest). The heart itself actually designs our need for rest because every time it beats to pump blood through our bodies, it will take a rest after each beat. After each contraction of the heart, known as the systole, there is a time of relaxation from the work it has just done. In medical lexicon, this is called the absolute refractory period-a period in cardiac cycle when the heart cannot beat. During the relaxation period, known as the diastole, the heart not only recovers, but refills with blood. The relaxation phase is long enough so that the heart’s chambers can refill with the appropriate amount of blood and then it pumps the much needed nutrients, enzymes and food to the organs throughout the body.

Sabbath Rest:

God set up the idea of Sabbath not because He was too tired to continue for another day, but because He knew He had designed our bodies to need the rest for growth and repair both physically and spiritually. This is why in the world of athletics a well trained athlete who understands the need for rest in order to heal, restore and grow always incorporates a day of rest and relaxation into their week. The Sabbath is both Spiritual and Physical as we need to take a break from the work and sometimes heaviness of the everyday.

The important factor concerning the Sabbath is not the day of week in which we observe it, but more about how we live our lives everyday which counts. God has designed us to need rest and when we just keep running without time off our bodies (knowing how they are designed) will start to shut down in order to cause a mandatory rest period. Most times as we have possibly figured out the hard way, this mandatory time is usually more than a day and we then have to revive our immune systems and get them back into shape rather than having the rested to work as they should. The Sabbath is a day when I get things done, even when I feel I haven’t because I’ve taken time for the most important things in life and not just work. My Sabbath is when I do things which restores rest and renews my body, mind and spirit. This also means we need a rest from exercise, training and athletic activity; our bodies are not designed to go day in and day out without rest and if we are really actively involved in intense exercise and training and we do not rest we will risk damage to our bodies due to trauma. The same is true with our body and spirit rest concerning the Sabbath, even if you are not exercising intensely or at all.

If you are one who is not taking a restful Sabbath and continue to burn the candle at both ends and in the middle, you are in danger of hurting your body in every way possible and even in danger of being disobedient to God and his design.

Go to bed!

2009-05-18T15:53:00.001-04:00

Go to bed! Sleep for restoration & growth!

This topic takes me back to my childhood in Georgia, having the air conditioner turned as low as possible with plenty of cold air filling my room. I would wrap up in my blanket and sleep as long as I could. I love the feeling of coming into my own bedroom, pulling the covers back on my bed, climbing in and laying my head on my special pillow.

Most people I know rarely get enough high quality sleep, so this edition deals with the affects and benefits according to personal experience and other studies. Studies show most school aged children are chronically sleep deprived and adults are even more under-rested and at increased risks of disease and mortality because of it.

“Consistent, high quality sleep is where our bodies and our minds recover, restore and grow from all of the events and circumstances of our lives that occurred the day before. Jesus knew the importance of sleep. The Bible identifies a number of instances where he was sleeping like a baby, even in the middle of a violent storm.” (Allan Holson, director of the Laboratory of Neurophysiology at Harvard)

“Sleep plays a major role in preparing the body and brain for an alert, productive, psychologically and physiologically healthy tomorrow” Dr. James B. Mass, author of Power Sleep.

Proper, high quality sleep is the most important non-nutrient you can integrate for a healthy lifestyle. A good night’s rest revitalizes tired bodies, gives us more energy and helps us to think more clearly (helping to make better decisions in the everyday). Sleep experts say we should shoot for 8 hours because according to studies; when people can control the amount of time they sleep (sleep laboratories), they naturally sleep 8 hours in a 24 hour period of time. Our biological cycles typically follow the 24 hour cycle of the sun or what is known as the circadian rhythm (cycles recurring at approximately 24 hour intervals).

During this time the body is performing many functions we don’t even know about such as an automatic system that carries on functions of cleansing and rebuilding. The liver goes through a cleansing process between 11:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. meaning if you’re awake during this time, your liver cannot cleanse properly. Without properly cleansing during the night, the liver will be unable to process and eliminate the toxins taken in during the day; if these toxins are not processed and removed from your body then they have to find a place to reside and typically this will be a place like you fat cells and organs which do not need them. Shoot for 8 but the closer to 9 the better; the problem is most Americans haven’t been getting 8 hours of sleep restoration for a long time. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 100 years ago adults slept an average of 9 hours a night, in the present era however these same studies show Americans get a little less than 7 hours, which is 20% less than our great-grandparents slept. It is believed that every hour slept before midnight is equal to 4 hours slept after midnight. Try going to bed earlier, even if it’s just 30 minutes early.

Dr. Joseph Mercola, says, “one hour of sleep before midnight is equal to four hours of sleep after midnight”. If you go to bed really late like midnight or after, you will probably not feel as well the next day or the next few days. Test it for yourself and make your own adjustments; if you typically find yourself going to bed at midnight or beyond discipline yourself to get to bed earlier and see how sleeping more before midnight and a good portion into the morning changes how you perform the next day and increases your energy levels needed to perform. The National sleep Foundation reports that high school students get an average of 7 hours and 20 minutes of sleep each night, when they should be getting 9 hours and 15 minutes of sleep each night (in bed by 9:45 for a 7:00 a.m. wake up call). Some research shows that a chronic lack of sleep among children hurts there performance inside and outside the classroom and that sleep deprived teens also experience more emotional problems and are more prone to becoming obese adults. Sleep deprived teens will only become sleep deprived adults if they don’t change their lifestyle.

Are you getting enough sleep (at least 8 hours) or do you fit in the category of the sleep deprived adult who needs to make some changes in lifestyle and get more rest?

Realistic Nutrition!

2009-05-01T18:22:00.002-04:00

We have looked at various ways and lifestyle choices to assist in boosting the metabolism and how several things can affect our metabolic rate such as (genetics, gender, age) to name a few.

This week let us take a look at the subject which causes much controversy, even among Christ followers. Many people believe you can eat whatever is edible (some things are questionable) and God will make it ok; although it is true God has created our bodies in such a way to break whatever we eat down for energy, how we eat and the source of our energy still matters. Due to the very fact that what some people consider to be nutritious is relative and everyone has things they believe when it comes to the topic, I will only give some General Guidelines and my own working definition.

Proper Nutrition is simply choosing food that is as high in energy value, mineral, vitamins and fiber as possible. Depending on the circumstances, you have to make the most of what you have available but when you are able to choose you should look to get foods with the following in mind:

· Eat food that is raw, whole, live and uncooked as possible (seeds, nuts, fruits, vegetables, grains)
· Eat as much naturally or organically grown food as possible
· Limit or eliminate any food that is genetically modified (GMO) or injected with antibiotics and growth hormones.
· Limit or eliminate any food that has been sprayed with pesticides or has been enhanced with food additives, preservatives and color dyes.
· Limit or eliminate food that is high in saturated fat, trans-fats, refined sugar, corn syrup, Maltodextrin, refined flours and food starches (especially modified food starch).
· Limit or eliminate any food that has been deep fried in any kind of oil.
· Limit or eliminate carbonated sodas or beverages as they are high in acid and weaken your bones causing them to become more fragile.
· Choose lean (complete amino acid profits) protein sources of red meat, fish, poultry and dairy as possible (range free/grass fed).
· Eat whole grain oats, rice, rye, flax and mullet. Limit whole grain wheat, corn and soybeans.
· Eat cruciferous vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower.
· Eat yellow and orange foods, such as squash, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots and apricots.
· Eat deep green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, and beet tops.
· Limited amounts of butter, and eliminate any kind of margarine, even the expeller pressed safflower and sunflower oils. Try olive oil.
· Consume low fat organic dairy products. Be careful with raw milk until your body gets used to it.

The basic components of a healthy eating lifestyle include the right amount of:

· Protein- fish, poultry, meat, dairy, eggs, beans, almonds and other raw unsalted nuts
· Fat- found in animal and dairy products; limit the amount of saturated normally found in packaged, fried and processed foods
· Carbohydrates- fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and other legumes
(More to come on Carbohydrates, Proteins & Fats)

Metabolism! Speed it up!

2009-04-23T14:21:00.003-04:00

Water!

Drinking water can play a significant role in weight loss by speeding up metabolism and hydrating cells so they can process carbohydrates and fat more efficiently. Example: If you substitute water for soft drinks, with limited other changes you’ll still lose three pounds in a short time (according to study by Children’s Hospital and Research Center in Oakland, CA)

One point of interest on not drinking enough water~ when not hydrating your body properly (1/2 body weight in ounces) your body receives the signal that it is in a drought. This will cause your body to start storing the water it has in order to keep you hydrated, however when this happens all the vital organs throughout do not receive the proper nutrients , enzymes, minerals etc which depend on the water to circulate them. As a result you will start to feel blotted, tired etc until you get enough water in your system, once you are hydrated the toxins, food and such which make you feel more blotted will start to be processed more thoroughly.

Rise and dine!

Do not skip breakfast! (Fasting is a different story) In order to maintain health as well as a healthy body weight, you should always have breakfast. Harvard research studies have found that men who ate breakfast everyday were 44% less likely to be overweight & 41% less likely to develop insulin resistance, both risk factors for heart disease (still the #1 leading cause of death in western society).

A few stats: Eating the right things at the right time; links between how you eat and the risk of becoming overweight. National standards of obesity level say 50 plus pounds over recommended weight is considered obese. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts studied 500 men & women and the following is there findings

Habit/ Changes your risk of obesity by

At least one midday snack -39%
Dinner as your largest meal +6%
Waiting more than 3 hrs after waking to eat +43%
More than 1/3 of meals out +69%
Going to bed hungry (3+ hours after last meal or snack) +101%
Eating breakfast away from home +137%
Not eating breakfast +450%

If you had to rank your meals by order of importance, breakfast would be the most important. Eating breakfast wakes up your metabolism and communicates it’s time to burn fat, decreasing your risk of obesity. These are just a few ideas to help kick start your metabolism with everyday functions.

Eat/Move (Thermogenesis)Meal frequency:

In order to create more thermogenesis (heat and energy) it is better to have more frequent smaller meals throughout the day, than to eat larger meals 3 times per day. Eating 5-6 times per day 3-4 hours between each will speed up your metabolism (provided you are also moving throughout the day in the process). The idea is to eat nutritious foods more often to fuel you daily activities.

What about metabolism?

2009-04-23T14:16:00.001-04:00

Metabolism (also known as your Metabolic Rate or Basal Metabolic Rate-BMR) is the rate at which your energy is utilized. The largest component of your metabolism (approximately 70%), is the BMR which is how many calories you burn just living. In other words it is the energy used by your body to perform functional everyday activities such as breathing, keeping the heart beating and maintaining body temperature. The energy your body needs to operate during your waking hours is fueled by the food you take in during the day and the way we burn this food for fuel is by activities such as aerobics, strength training and other heart rate raising acts throughout the day. The process of creating heat and energy is known as Thermogenesis and the two ways you do this is through eating and moving. As you age your BMR decreases and there are many factors that affect this rate from person to person even beyond the age.

Some things which can affect your metabolic rate:

Genetics: A slow metabolism (you burn calories more slowly) or fast metabolism (you burn calories faster) can be inherited.
Amount of lean muscle: Muscle burns calories faster than fat. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, even at rest.
Sex differences: Males generally have a 10 to 15% faster BMR than females because the male body has a larger percentage of lean muscle tissue.
Age: Younger people have faster metabolisms due to increased activity of cells.

Other components of your metabolism include physical activity, which accounts for about 20% of calories burned, and dietary thermogenesis, which is the number of calories required for digesting and processing the food you eat. This accounts for the remaining 10% of energy needs.

Calories needed to maintain your current body weight: (If you plan or desire to lose weight you will need to alter your caloric intake, as well as establish a proper exercise routine and protocol).

Age Calories per lb of body weight to maintain current weight

20’s 15 calories per pound of body weight
30’s 14 calories
40’s 13 calories
50’s 12 calories
60’s 11 calories

Example: 34 year old male weighing 165 lbs = 2310 calories per day to maintain this weight

Water for hydration and muscle!

2009-04-06T13:59:00.004-04:00

Drink it up! Water & its benefits

Any fluid replacement which is odorless and colorless seems rather boring when compared to the more tempting “fitness waters” and colored sports drinks you can pick up at any 7-eleven these days. Yet the best source for fluid could be as close as the kitchen faucet. The qualities of old fashion water have been overlooked even though it is as essential to good health as a workout plan which includes strength training and cardiovascular exercise. Why? During perspiration 75% of your sweat comes from your blood which transports nutrients, enzymes and oxygen to other organs in your body this being the case you should drink prior to, during and after workouts or other physical activities. Water is the best fluid to consume to regulate body temperature, cushion joints, protect organs and tissues, remove toxins and maintain strength and endurance.

What about Propel, Gatorade, Power Ade and Vitamin waters?

Though nothing beats clean filtered non chlorine water when it comes to regulating body temperature, helping to eliminate waste out of the body and complete hydration of the digestive tract; if you choose to drink sports drinks pay attention to the ingredients. Anything with color dyes, high amounts of sugar (especially anything with high fructose corn syrup) should be avoided at all cost. Vitamin water brand is flavored with real juice extracts and offer electrolytes to help rebuild your body with what is lost with intense activities, however it is also sweetened with crystalline fructose which like sucrose syrup, is a variation of high-fructose corn syrup. Though it has some good qualities, depending upon the flavor of Glaceau Vitamin Water you choose to consume, a 20- oz bottle contains 100-125 calories and between 20 and 32 grams of sugar. This is almost equal to the amount found in a 12-oz can of coke or Pepsi. Pure clean filtered drinking water contains zero calories, carbohydrates or fat and when you get it from a pure source is the best source of hydration your body can get.

Daily intake: Aim for ½ of your body weight in ounces of water per day; increase amount 8 oz for every 15 minutes of exercise.
Ex: 180lbs ÷ 2 = 90 ounces
Kilos - Lbs: 1 Kilo = 2.2lbs
Liters – Ounces: 1 liter = 34 oz

Benefits:

Pure (non-chlorine) filtered drinking water is the best fluid to consume to regulate body temperature, cushion joints, protect vital organs and tissues, remove toxins and maintain strength and endurance. Your body is made up of 70-80% water and when you perspire 75% of your sweat comes from the blood which is why if you are dehydrated you will be much worse off than just a thirst in your mouth. Water is used in transporting all the enzymes, nutrients and oxygen to all the organs of your body which is why dehydration will eventually cause the body to stop functioning in the manner it was created.

Muscle and water: (portion adapted from Building- Muscle101.com/drinking-water-for-health.html)

Water is often overlooked and its importance cannot be overstated. Water is the most important nutrient in our body. The health benefits of water are just too numerous to go without mention. Drinking water for health and especially building muscle is a very important topic and shouldn't be neglected. Water is the most critical nutrient for health, growth, and development. Water is also the most abundant nutrient in the body, not to mention the most important. Although water does not provide energy in the same way carbohydrates and fat do, it plays a very important role in energy transformation. Water is the medium in which all energy reactions take place. Therefore, you need to drink a lot of water for health, stamina, fuel, and building muscle. Water is an important aspect of building muscle. Why? Water is everywhere in your body, sort of like a river flowing through your arteries, veins, and capillaries carrying nutrients to your cells and transporting waste out of the body. Water basically fills every space in your body and helps form the structures of protein and glycogen.

In order to move muscle, you need water. Muscle is considered an active tissue and water is found in the highest concentrations in active tissue. If your body is dehydrated, chances are you're not going to have a very productive weight lifting session. Why? Your muscles are deprived of electrolytes. Muscles are controlled by nerves. The electrical stimulation of nerves and contraction of muscles are the result of the exchange of electrolyte minerals dissolved in water. It's essential that you drink water for health and building muscle. Without enough water, your muscles are not getting enough electrolytes. Muscle strength and control are weakened. If you want to build muscle, you must keep your body well hydrated.

Signs of Dehydration:

Colored urine: Consistently yellow means you need more water, clear or light yellow is the best indicator you are hydrated. If your urine is cloudy no matter the color this is a sign of dehydration.
Others signs might be thirst (if you are thirsty you have not drank enough) loss of appetite, dry skin, dry mouth, fatigue or weakness, head aches and chills; these signs will normally appear in adults when the body has lost about 2% of it’s total fluid

Cold & Flu Season Tips

2009-01-31T13:35:00.002-05:00

The cold and flu season comes upon us every year and in order to fight we must plan ahead. The health department tells us the way to do this is by getting the needle stuck in our arm, yet what the fail to say is it only works for about 2 months (if at all)and you are supposed to get the shot a few months prior to the flu season starting.

"The following paragraph was taken from an article in NaturalNews.com and written by Leigh Erin Connealy, M.D."

According to Dr. J. Anthony Morris, the former Chief Vaccine Control Officer at the FDA, "There is no evidence that any influenza vaccine, thus far developed, is effective in preventing or mitigating any attack of influenza." The influenza vaccine has such toxins it as ethylene glycol (a.k.a. antifreeze), formaldehyde, aluminum (linked to Alzheimer's disease & known to produce cancer in mice) and thimerosol (a form of mercury, the most toxic of heavy metals.) Thimerosol has had so much scrutiny in the past decade that it has been banned in all childhood vaccinations in the United States, yet it still reminas in the influenza vaccine today.

Bolstering the immune system:

Eating the colors: the more colorful nutritious fruits and vegetables the better.

Though you are surrounded by germs and they are unavoidable, the health of your immune system determines whether or not you get sick. One way of doing this is by increasing the amounts of whole, unprocessed foods into your regular diet giving your body the much needed vitamins, minerals and natural antioxidants it will need to fight on your behalf. If you choose to also supplement with vitamins it needs to be whole foods vitamins without all the fillers and additives. We have some good information on one so contact us if you need.

Continue or begin regular exercise as a part of your normal weekly routine; if you only have time to do aerobic exercise try for at least 30-45 minutes per day 4-5 days per week. This will create more blood flow throughout your body and the blood carries the oxygen, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and such to all the organs that need them.

Whole~ unprocessed foods? Foods that are in their most natural state and which have not been treated with pesticides, antibiotics and other harmful additives will do more to boost your natural antioxidants and help you fight sickness. Fresh fruits and vegetables (organic or local grown are best) are the best choice, yet if they are not available buy frozen over canned as they will offer more essential ingredients and not as many preservatives.

Increase your vitamin C and E intake as they are excellent for helping to enhance your immune system. Good sources would be red peppers, parsley, kiwi, broccoli and citrus fruits vitamin C and olive/coconut oils, seeds, grains etc for vitamin E. In the event you still get sick, building your immune system with some of these simple steps will help your recovery time to be speedier.

Go to bed~ that’s right it has been proven through much study those who get 8+ hours asleep are less likely to fall to the virus and sickness of the cold and flu than those who sleep less. Sleep helps your body to restore and recover while fatigue will continue to tear your body down.

Doing what we can to live Fit for Life

Until later,

Fad Fitness !

2008-12-24T10:42:00.005-05:00

As we head into a New Year, if history and statistics hold true this will be one of the biggest times of the year for people to make resolutions for getting fit and deciding to join gyms. One of the definitions for resolution is "a course of action determined or decided on" meaning it is something which we have determined to do, yet many times depending upon the action we have decided to accomplish, the resolution is never fulfilled.

In this article, I would like to address some things to help make your new determination a success as well as some areas of caution.

Fad Fitness~ This is what I like to call a social club without the drinks~ many times as we walk into the gym for our workout, I will see the same people day after day doing the same thing; they walk from location to location throughout the gym, talking to every person they can but never really doing any type of exercise. They then move to the treadmill and walk for a few minutes before heading to the shower. This may seem like an extreme situation, however if you take a few minuets you too will see it happening.

Fitness has become a sort of buzz word in America, where gyms and trainers know they can make some quick money from those people who have resolved to get in shape, yet according to statistics put their money down only to stop their fitness programs shortly after. Please read closely if you've resolved to get back in shape or if this is the beginning of something new.

According to the National Average, when people start new fitness programs they will only stay with it for 3 weeks. Many people start a new workout with the need for quick results (and by quick they want immediate). As great as this would be, they probably did not get to the place they are physically (now in need of a new program) overnight. Overnight success is not realistic nor healthy, so I would like to give you attainable, realistic ideas as well as information which will help you to succeed in becoming "Fit for Life".

A fad is a temporary fashion, notion or manner of conduct and this is precisely what we want to keep away from when it comes to health, wellness and fitness. Temporary fitness, diets and plans for health do little if anything to help us in our overall quality of life; in fact some things cause more problems than good and actually can be a detriment to our health. It is our desire to be "Fit for Life" not just physically but mind, body and spirit which is how we are created to live. This is about a lifestyle, not just a fad and this is our passion for those who will read these pages.

If you are starting a new workout and have set goals for this next year (weight loss, muscle toning, feeling better about yourself) whatever the goal, you will find the following factors of success to be helpful to gauge your overall habits and outcome.

Success Factors

4.) Have fun: Enjoy your workouts and exercise, do things which accomplish your goal and also allow you to have fun at the same time.

Physical Fitness Time line:

13 week’s = 75%; 6 month’s = 90% 1 year= 95%

DON’T GIVE UP! Remember, the 2 most important factors in achieving your fitness goals are

1) Consistency

2) Work hard

If you can get into a consistent, intense (hard working) lifestyle of fitness, the goals you have set out to reach are attainable.

Why should I be physically fit?

Genesis 1:27 says we are created in the image of God (both male and female) and we are valuable to Him. Jesus gave up His life for all mankind which not only shows His willingness to sacrifice but the value each of us have. We believe living whole in health, fitness and wellness is caring for our bodies in all 3 parts spirit, soul and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Paul says in Acts 17:24 & 25 “God no longer dwells in temples made with hands” and He gives all men life and breath and everything else. Genesis 2:7 says “God formed man out of the dust and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils and the man became a living being."

Jesus knew we as people are capable of allowing anything to take control of us, which is why we are told not to be controlled by anything else and we are to give ourselves completely to Him. Our stance on fitness, health and wellness comes from an understanding of God as our creator, creating us in His image and breathing the breath of life on our nostrils. He has designed us to be His image bearers and how I care for myself in this body is part of how I share the message of Christ through my life.

May your New Year be full of abundant life, as God intends for us to live through Him.

Fit Tips and Menu Ideas!

2008-11-19T17:30:00.001-05:00

Over our 12 years of marriage, we have both developed a love for spending time in the kitchen both together and with friends. Though our eating habits and lifestyle has changed, our passion for good, healthy food and time spent around our table has not. We enjoy the times we spend around our table with friends and family and this coupled with a desire to see health, wellness and changed lives has given us a heart to do what we do.

Being Fit for Life is more than spending all your spare time in the gym lifting weights or running on a moving sidewalk. Fit for Life is about a lifestyle of health which includes many variables in each one of our lives. Fitness is obtained not given and for the most part it depends on us and our life decisions. Though we all know people who have been plagued with disease, the larger majority choose to live their life not being concerned until something terrible comes on us.

That being said, we desire to see physical fitness lived out in us and others, in order to care for the bodies we are to steward.

Physical Fitness is freedom from illness, infection, disease, and shock and the ability to perform vocational and recreational tasks without risk of injury or undue fatigue.

This is a place where we hope to bring realistic, attainable information to those who would visit while giving ideas and helpful topics which can be used in everyday life. Having spoken with many different people concerning the topic of caring for our bodies and how we can go about it in real ways, some have encouraged us to create a way to make this information available for those interested.

This is that source, as well as a way to connect with us if you desire to bring us in to conduct a seminar on health, wellness and fitness to include topics such as nutrition, stress reduction and living fit for life to name a few.

We hope you enjoy just a few tips we have added below, as well as a few menu items for you to try if you want.

Fit Facts:

Proper Hydration - we should be drinking on average 1/2 of our body weight in ounces of water each day and for every 15 minutes of exercise, we should add another 8 oz of water (Example Body weight 160 lbs = 80 ounces of water 30 minutes of exercise = 16 ounces extra= at least 96 ounces of water per day (proper hydration not to make you feel full)

Developing your physical fitness- Strength training and cardiovascular workouts will reinforce the strength of your joints and muscles helping to protect all your vital organs and giving you functional strength for everyday activities. Cardiovascular workouts which include any activity to condition your heart, lungs and circulatory pathways (veins), will help strengthen your left ventricle (pumping blood to the body) and the right ventricle (sending blood back to the lungs to be re-oxygenated). These activities are workouts which last 20-60 minutes, while keeping a steady heart rate of 55-80 % of your recommended max heart rate (depends on your age and weight etc.); for at least 15- 20 minutes of this time.

We are what we eat- proper nutrition is essential to good health and wellness; supply your body with the highest form of nutrients as possible (raw veggies, fresh fruits, foods prepared and grown without the use of steroids, hormones or pesticides as much as possible).

Menu Idea:

Breakfast: Veggie Omelet
1 whole egg 2 egg whites all the veggies you can fit and like (bell peppers, onions, broccoli, tomato, etc) heat veggies first but don't overcook; Add eggs and throw some ground flax seed on top (purchased wherever you buy groceries) for extra fiber and protein. Serve omelet with 2 pieces of 100% whole grain bread and 8 oz glass of low fat milk

Mid morning snack: (2 hours prior to lunch depending upon the time you completed your breakfast)
1 oz raw almonds & 8 oz low fat yogurt; piece of fruit; raw veggies(as many as you want); 1 bowl of plain oatmeal (add you own fruit or honey) or high fiber cereal

Lunch: Field of greens salad
Leafy lettuce (any besides iceberg) peppers, onions, flax seed, broccoli, cauliflower, etc serve with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (2 tablespoons each) put all the veggies on that you like and be creative.

Mid afternoon snack: (2 hours prior to dinner); Smoothie you may have prepared in advance
1/4 cup of low fat vanilla yogurt, 1/2 cup of low fat milk, 1 banana, 1/2 cup berries (frozen or fresh), 2 teaspoons of vanilla whey protein powder (if you choose), 2 teaspoons natural peanut or almond butter, 6-8 ice cubes mix in blender: this should make at least 2 servings 8-12 ounces each

Dinner: Chicken stir fry (cooked in a wok or similar)
2-3 tablespoons of olive oil poured in bottom place chicken in wok and cook until almost done then add all the veggies you like such as peppers, onions, celery, water chess nuts, broccoli etc cook until tender (don't cook all the nutrients out) then add about 1/4 cup low sodium Hunan or stir-fry sauce) serve over brown rice.

As you shop stay away from foods with high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, modified anything and in its most natural state as possible.

Adding protein to your daily diet, will help to build lean body mass (muscle) and one of the ways to accomplish this is by adding low fat dairy products, nuts, whey protein, etc to your menu: The average male should be consuming approximately 36 grams of fiber per day which assists in the fight against many different diseases including heart, cancer, high blood pressure and diabetes.

This is simply a start and we will have more topics to come.

Thanks for your time,