Guide to the Better you

  When you think of a typical older person, one thing likely comes to mind:   frailty .   Even if you can’t really identify any obvious illness, there is something about most elderly people that communicates frailty and weakness.   They probably walk slowly, move carefully and let others do many things for them, rather than doing those things themselves.   What is it?   It’s muscle loss, otherwise known as sarcopenia.   And if you are 25 years old or older, it is happening to you already. But you don’t have to take it sitting down (pun intended). What is sarcopenia? Sarcopenia refers to the process of losing skeletal muscle mass and strength.   “Sarco” is the Greek word referring to flesh, and “penia” means a reduction in amount.   Thus, the word describes a progressive weakening of the body caused by a “ change in body compensation in favor of fat and at the expense of muscle .” 1 Everyone, beginning around age 25, starts to lose...

  It’s that time of year again:   tax season.   If you are like many people, you feel increased stress around April 18.   Tensions can run high from the pressure of getting the forms filed on time or coming up with the funds to pay your (hopefully not too big) tax bill.   But you owe it to yourself to keep your stress under control as much as possible.   When your body is subjected to ongoing stress, unhealthy changes occur at the chemical level, and these changes can lead to food cravings and weight gain. How does your body react to stress? When you experience stress, your body releases a hormone called cortisol.   In small amounts, cortisol does not present a problem.   But when the stress is chronic, such as during the weeks surrounding tax season, the concentration of cortisol in your body stays elevated with undesirable results.   For example, you will crave foods that will give you quick energy, such as candy bars and potato c...

  The warm breezes of spring mean that Easter is around the corner!   After the heavy colors of Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentine’s Day, the bright, cheerful colors of spring are a welcome sight.   But the cheerful colors are not limited to flowers and eggs.   There is no escaping the onslaught of sugar that threatens us at every turn.   From jelly beans to chocolate bunnies, empty calories abound. You need a plan. First, the facts I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you really do need to know what you are getting yourself into when you reach for that fluffy, yellow peep.   Brace yourself, this is going to hurt… Sugar is really bad for you. When you consume Easter candy, you are getting a large dose of sugar.   Whether it is in the form of High Fructose Corn Syrup or cane sugar, it slams into your system like a bowling ball, and the effects are disastrous. Within the first 20 minutes or so, your blood sugar level spikes as the suga...

  Spring is a time of new beginnings.   As the world wakes up from its long sleep, our minds feel energized, refreshed and ready to celebrate.   Does your body feel the same way?   If you haven’t been working consistently on your fitness and health this winter, your body may be struggling to keep up with your mind. It’s hard to make a new start when you feel sluggish and discouraged. That’s why I exist:   to help you move from reality to your dream.   If you have tried and failed at fitness, then you likely feel too paralyzed to try again. Motivating people to get healthy, however, is what I do best.   But you have to let me help you!   Let’s get started. A quick look back    We are going to focus mainly on what is ahead for you; the past is the past and it is best to leave it there.   However, in order to make the best start, we need to take a look at what may have sabotaged your previous efforts to get in shape ·  ...

  Chances are you’ve been pulling out some of your spring and summer clothing—those favorite pieces from last year.   But if you are like many people, they don’t feel quite as comfortable as they did at the end of summer.   The zipper is a little harder to zip, and the fit is a bit too snug to be attractive.   What happened? The mindless margin happened. The mindless margin In his book, Mindless Eating:   Why We Eat More Than We Think , Dr. Brian Wansink defines the mindless margin as that margin or zone in which we can slightly overeat or slightly under eat without even realizing it. It is very easy to slightly overeat, isn’t it?   How many times have you passed through the kitchen and spied a half cookie lying on the baking pan?   It’s only a half cookie, so you grab it and eat it as you keep walking. Or what about refilling your soda cup on your way out of the restaurant after lunch?   Just a little for the road… Have you ever cle...

  Other than New Year’s, there is probably no other time during the year that motivates us to make a fresh start like springtime does.   When the warm breezes start blowing, we want to throw open the windows and let the rebirth all around us revitalize our homes and our spirits. Because it seems natural to clean out the old during this time of year, it’s a great time to come face to face with our excuses for not getting fit and healthy.   Excuses pile up just like the clutter that we accumulate in our houses, but it’s time to come clean. What is your excuse for not choosing health? I don’t have the time to exercise:   This is likely one of the most common excuses.   You are busy.   You have to work all day (or all night), you have to get the kids to school, you have to cook dinner, go to the grocery store, mow the lawn, change the oil in the car, care for your aging parents—there is simply no time for exercise. Really?   Consider this. If you...

This past Sunday, March 13th , marks the date we changed our clocks in observance of Daylight Saving Time.   On this day, most U.S. residents will move their clocks forward one hour, resulting in more daylight at the end of each day.   Many people dread this “spring forward” tradition, because it means getting one less hour of sleep.    But you can take advantage of the upcoming time change to help you improve your overall fitness and health routine.   The effect of daylight The sunlight has a profound impact on our bodies, particularly two hormones that control mood and energy:   serotonin and melatonin .   Serotonin tends to boost mood and energy, while melatonin tends to make you feel sleepy.   Too much of it can even lead to depressed feelings in some people.   Winter depression is a common disorder that many people suffer with during the long, dark winter months, and it is often directly tied to the effect of less daylight, less ...

  Hey, how are those fitness resolutions going? It's been quite some time since January 1st, and I'm sure that you're feeling great about the new year and the opportunities it brought. But how many of us have actually stuck to our fitness goals for more than a week or two? How many managed to maximize our physical development results? If the answer is "not me," then this blog post is for you. The new year is right around the corner so if you want to optimize your progress and smash your new year's resolutions way before the new year even started, keep reading this as we give you our best tips to get you through to your goals. #1 Plan Ahead If you think about it, fitness is quite predictable, especially if you have a specific, well-thought-out plan of action. So before you rush into doing the things you have to do to improve physically and mentally, you have to, well, know what you're doing! Think about the end results you want to achieve ...