Newest Top Doc, is Taking on an Epidemic: Obesity

Image via WikipediaSurgeon General Regina Benjamin has her work cut out for her. As the nation’s newest top doc, Benjamin is taking on an epidemic: obesity. The good news is that she’s not alone. Everyone from the Obamas, the Clintons and organizations like the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and a cadre of other big names have joined the fight. With one in three U.S. children and 67 percent of adults considered overweight or obese, it may indeed take a village to combat the problem

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Weight Lifting Keeps You Looking Fit and Firm as You Age

Image via WikipediaI had a client once tell me that she started working out with weights to keep from getting "loose on the bone." I had never heard that expression before, so I had to ask her want it meant. She explained that as people got older, she could always tell the one's who lifted weights as a part of their fitness program from those who did not. She said that the people who worked-out with weights always looked more fit and firm compared to those who primarily did cardiovascular exercise as part of their fitness programs. Thus, the term "loose on the bone" is an expression for that soft and jiggly look that people get as they age.

As a personal trainer with over 17 years of experience in the fitness industry, and being in my fifties, I can attest to the truth of getting "loose on the bone" if your fitness program consists mainly of cardiovascular exercise. While cardiovascular exercise should be a part of any fitness program, strength training also known as weight lifting should be the foundation of your exercise program as you approach your 40s and beyond.

You start to naturally lose muscle mass starting around age 40. Strength training can minimize, and even stop this from occurring. This is important because, muscle is the active component of your body that burns most of the calories that you consume. Muscle, also keeps you looking fit and firm. Each pound of muscle burns about 6 calories daily even at rest and more when you are active.

You naturally lose one to one and one-half pounds of muscle each year starting in your 40s, and this muscle loss is replaced by fat if you don't adjust your diet and your activity level accordingly. Cardiovascular exercise is great for burning fat, but it can't stop you form losing muscle, and too much cardiovascular exercise causes you to lose muscle even faster.

Therefore, as you approach your 40s, you should start to incorporate more weight lifting into your fitness routine. If you do it regularly, I promise you will never "get loose on the bone."

In my next post I'll explain the basics of a good weight lifting program.

There Are No Excuses To Achieving Your Fitness Goals

Image via WikipediaThis morning a had a message from one of my clients who called last night to cancel her workout session for today. Which is okay with me because she has already paid me in advance for the session. After listening to the message, it made me think of all the excuses some people make when it comes to their own health and fitness.

Ever notice that the people who are always complaining about how they can't lose weight or how they can't get in-shape are the same people who make excuses why they can't exercise or eat healthy on a consistent basis? Getting healthy and fit and staying healthy and fit is a lifetime commitment. The older you get the more important it is to stay consistent in your fitness program.

The biggest problem with people who make excuses why they can't workout consistently is they think that they can get the results that they desire by doing their fitness program "once in a while." That's like thinking you can be healthy by only eating two or three times a month. It's just doesn't work that way.

In my 17 years of working as a personal trainer I have never seen anyone achieve their fitness goals with a "once in a while approach." To achieve and maintain your fitness goals you have to make a lifetime commitment to exercising and eating a healthy diet on a regular basis. No excuses.

Age is Not a Matter of Years, It's a State of Mind

Image via WikipediaTruthfully you are only 11 months old. Every cell in your body is replaced every 11 months. Old worn out cells are replaced by new healthy cells. Your body is designed to be healthy and fit for all of your life; not just in your youth. If this is true and it is, then why do some many people complain of "the aches and pains of growing old?"

Here is what I believe. Human's measure time in seconds, minutes, hours, weeks, months, and years. The past is only the things that you have experienced. The present is the things you experience now. And the future is the things that you expect to experience. So, time is just a collection of your experiences past, present, and future.

While you cannot change your past experiences, you can change your future experiences by changing your expectations of the future. Your body conforms to the things that you expect. If you expect your health and physical fitness to decline as you age then it will. If you expect to healthy and fit as you age, then you will be.

Remember, your body rebuilds itself every 11 months and it rebuilds according to the your expectations. Therefore, age is only a state of mind and not a matter of years.

My Clients Motivate Me To Stay Fit

Image via WikipediaI'm a personal trainer and part of my job is to motivate my clients to workout regularly. However, I often find that my clients motivate me to workout when I have one of those days that I just don't feel like going to the gym.

Being a personal trainer means I am also a role model. I've got to stay fit in order for my clients follow my advice. Would you go to a dentist who had rotten teeth? The same logic goes for me, would you pay a personal trainer who's fat and out-of-shape? No.

The majority of my clients are over 40 years old. They want to recapture their youthful energy and shape. I'm in my 50s and I show them that is possible. I'm stronger and more fit now than I was in my 20s. Thus, I have to stay in-shape.

So, when I have one of those days that I don't feel like working-out, I just think about my clients who look at me as their role model. I can't let them down nor can I afford to let myself down consequently, I find my way to the gym and I have a good workout.

To all my clients out there. Thank you for motivating me to stay fit.