How do you know that your body is ready to start a fitness regimen? Jumping into an exercise routine without making sure that your body is ready can sometimes result in injury. To ensure that our clients are ready to go, we conduct an extensive fitness and nutrition assessment,and we thought it might be useful to share with you why this is so important. There are many different versions of these types of assessments, but we have found that the top 5 evaluations that give us the best overall snapshot of a client’s health are:
Body fat and body mass index (BMI)
Aerobic fitness and metabolic assessment (V02 Max)
Total body power and endurance assessment
Nutritional assessment
Functional Movement Screen (FMS)
As a kickoff to a multi-part series on fitness health, we wanted to share some information with you today on the importance of the Functional Movement Screen (FMS).
Ask yourself the following questions, if you answer “yes” to any of them, please keep reading!
Is one side of your body stronger than the other?
Do you feel pain or stiffness in your back after sitting for extended periods of time?
When reaching your arms overhead, do you feel pain or impingement?
Is it a challenge to touch your toes without bending at the knee?
Do you work out through minor or serious pain?
Everyone has imbalances, but if they affect your basic levels of movement then there is a good chance that you will experience discomfort, pain and injury. It is imperative that your body is free of these imbalances and capable of moving without restrictions before starting any exercise or conditioning program.
As a balanced, mobile body is essential to fitness success, the Functional Movement Screen is a simple and measurable method of evaluating basic movement abilities. The test is comprised of 7 fundamental movement patterns. Through these 7 tests, a certified trainer should be able to identify any weaknesses, mobility issues, and imbalances between the left & right sides of the body. Demonstrated below is one of the 7 tests we conduct, the Lunge Test.
As you can see, by pinpointing these weak links, we can then prescribe to our clients a corrective program that will get the body moving how it was meant to move. After addressing these issues, you can then have greater movement efficiency, which will then lead to an increase in strength and performance. Most importantly, this will decrease the risk of injury. You must first have function before fitness.
If you would like any further information on this type of assessment, or hear more about what we can do for you, please contact us here.
You have finally decided to take charge of your health and make the physical changes that have been slipping through your clutch for years. And this time you mean it! You’re commitment to regular exercise is the first step, but it gets much more complicated.. If our initial optimism and excitement about getting physically fit was enough, then there wouldn’t be a 50% chance that you will quit your exercise routines before you ever have a chance to meet your goals. Examining the rea
sons why we fail to carry out our healthy intentions, researchers have discovered that the top 4 reasons that you will not achieve your goals are:
√ Lack of social support and accountability
√ Injury
√ Boredom
√ Lack of results
Chances are that you can relate to a least one of these setbacks. Solutions that can help to properly manage these issues can decrease the rate of exercise dropouts, and in turn, increase the magnitude and sustainability of healthy outcomes. According to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), approximately 6 million Americans a year utilize the single solution that can alleviate all four of these stumbling blocks. What is the answer? These 6 million people have found the benefit of using a Personal Trainer. Ready to understand how a Personal Trainer can have such a powerful impact in your health and fitness? Keep reading…
Social Support and Accountability
A personal trainer is more than just a reason to roll out of bed and head out the door before the rest of your family is even awake. Knowing that someone is waiting for you does help on those early mornings, or after hectic work days, yet most personal trainers still have no-shows every week. The best personal trainer should be your around-the-clock accountability partner. They should be the constant voice in your head reminding you to skip the desert order, and go for evening walks with the kids. In fact, they’re probably more concerned about what you doing outside of the gym than inside the gym. There should be regular calls, text messages, and emails to prove this commitment to you. They should provide you social support and constant encouragement. Your commitment and adherence to accountability should continue to grow as you further bond with your personal trainer.
Injury
Nothing puts the brakes on your health and fitness plans like being sidelined with an injury. Most of these exercise-related injuries come from either doing too much too soon, using unsafe exercise technique,or performing exercises that can magnify your predispositions to injury. This is where the education and expertise of a personal trainer comes in. Some of the ways a personal trainer should help control these issues are:
implementing a proper warm-up
designing a balanced routine
gradually progressing the volume and intensity of your exercise plan
eliminating unnecessary work, thereby optimizing your exercise time
conducting an initial fitness evaluation to identify your individual limitations
teaching you the proper technique for each exercise
making smart adjustments to your program that work around early signs of physical distress
As a result, people working with personal trainers can expect to spend significantly less time injured than those on self-guided programs.
Boredom
Building long-term health and fitness into your lifestyle will involve elements of routine. That might mean strength training every Tuesday and Thursday, or starting your workout with the same stretches each session. The idea is to have something that can be planned into a calendar or act like clockwork. However, one thing that should not be predictable is the actual workout and the best personal trainers practice this. Monitoring your progress and determining how long you should stay with an exercise/workout before you physically and mentally get bored with it is a unique talent and can be instrumental in your success. After a certain point, your body will require variation in order to continue getting results and it is essential that this is consistently evaluated and adjusted.
Results
We now know that success will breed motivation. When it comes to health and fitness, the opposite is also true; we know that your lack of success will breed discouragement and lack of motivation. If your health and fitness plans lack support, lead to injury, or are just plain boring, then you will not see results. Your personal achievement will be a natural result of working with a qualified and talented personal trainer. When you are ready to get started, shop around, interview several trainers, talk to their clients. Having a good trainer can be the major factor that will lead you to success.
At Personalcare Physicians, we know the power of having a personal trainer that can be your total health coach through our industry leading fitness and nutrition program, Healthfit 4 Life. Starting in December 2010 we will now be able to offer our clients one on one personal training and nutritional counseling. Supporting our yearly Healthfit 4 Life membership, the new personal training service provides a more comprehensive and targeted program that will guarantee to give you the results you have always desired. We start with increasing your level of base conditioning and then progress you gradually to each new level of physical fitness, fully supporting you every step of the way. Each training program is customized to address your unique fitness profile, enabling you to increase your fitness level at your pace and around your schedule. If you are interested in learning more about our Healthfit 4 Life program and personal training options, please contact us here or call us at (949) 706-3300.
Many believe personal health is the most valuable asset we possess. More and more of us are increasing our awareness on diet and lifestyle. Our quest to live happy and healthy lives for in important for and in support of the needs of our loved ones. If you seek fearless health, vibrant energy, and the optimal solutions that empower you to reach your health goals, keep reading. Much of what we experience today (food industry, social pressures, time demands, etc.) can make our health goals very challenging, but we are finding a better way. It is our goal to not only continue to educate our clients and followers on the importance of making your health a priority, but we have developed an industry leading program to better help you with your goals.
If you are still reading, you are part of a growing section of the U.S. population that is in fact, becoming more health conscious. Confirming this higher level of awareness, the Gallup™ researchers have embarked on a long term project that rates and monitors the overall health-related status, beliefs, and behaviors in the U.S. They call it the Well-Being Index™ and since 2008 our nation is getting slightly more health conscious each year.
For further evidence of heightened heath awareness (and advances in pharmaceutical therapy), we can look to the health statistics from the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Data here represents that over the last 15 years, fewer Americans are dying because heart disease, cancer, and stroke (the 3 leading causes of death in the U.S.) .
While the overall health landscape for Americans looks promising, it is important to also consider the state of obesity and diabetes, both of which can be greatly attributed to lifestyle choices. Although the rates of obesity are slowing, 68% of U.S. adults over the age of 20 remain overweight or obese . Additionally, the fastest growing population of obesity is our youth, which has more than tripled in last 30 years .
Even though we see a slow, but positive trend in the right direction, it is still essential that we continue to provide and utilize even better, more innovative solutions to make an even bigger impact against unhealthy lifestyles.
Outlined below is an element of why we believe our nation still suffers from high, dangerous, health related issue statistics.
Let us examine one of the most prevalent ways you are treated in today’s medical system. For many of you, your current health strategy follows something similar to….
….You go to your physician for your annual physical exam. Physician administers normal blood test to review your current cholesterol levels, triglycerides, blood glucose level, blood pressure, lung function, weight and body composition, other inflammatory markers.
As it turns out, you may not be in perfect health. Appropriate medication is prescribed along with general recommendations for exercise and diet.
From there you may decide to finally take advantage of the gym membership you’ve had since college but have only used a dozen times and you start a self-guided regimen you got from a popular fitness magazine.
You start ordering more salads at restaurants. Or, maybe you up the ante, and hire a personal trainer that keeps you accountable. Trainer will make sure you don’t hurt yourself on the machines, and hopefully designs you a program to increase fitness and lose weight.
Most likely, your trainer will never actually speak to your physician to review your medical situation and ensure that your program is customized to your needs.
Best case scenario, you stick with exercise and diet program for an entire year. Your weight is down, and you’re feeling fit and confident for your next annual physical exam with your physician. As a result, your health metrics have improved and your physician gives you a clean bill of health. Job well done.
But, the common scenario that we all have experienced is that your fitness and nutrition regimen is hit-and-miss throughout the year. You go back into your physical exam not really knowing where you stand from a health perspective. As it turns out, you’re still not in perfect health.
At Personalcare Physicians, we believe there is another way. We have created a program that provides a new option that produces significantly more “best case scenarios” and the results you desire. Our Healthfit 4 Life program is designed for the health conscious person that is serious about fixing or improving their health. In this program we design a customized program that is tailored just for you and is under the guidance and direction of your personal physician. We use a team approach, leveraging your medical history against your physical goals; all supervised by one of our Healthfit 4 Life trainers. We will not only develop your plan, but we are here for you throughout the year to help monitor, coach, and adjust the program as necessary. If you are ready for a new solution and to get serious about your goals, please give us a call at (949) 706-3300 or contact us to learn more about this industry leading program.
We invite you to also sign up for our Health and Fitness blogs where we will continue to share fun and exciting information and tips to keep you engaged in your quest for better health.
Do you ever wonder why some of the health and fitness plans you start are effortless to maintain, while others never seem to gain the traction needed to reach the finish line? Whether it was a New Year’s resolution, results from an annual physical exam, or the office’s Biggest Loser pool, each of us have experienced times where lofty goals are set for all the right reasons and lifestyle makeovers begin with plenty of fervor. Sometimes we stick with it, and sometimes we don’t. Most of the time these promises to ourselves start with the same level of enthusiasm and planning, and yet, there will inevitably be a few that don’t make it over the long haul.
Why is that?
Health and fitness academia refer to this “stick-to-it-ness” as adherence. Research has sliced up the issue of adherence in just about every way possible. And what we have learned from their work is that regardless of the goal, situation, and individual, there are behaviors and beliefs strongly correlated with sustainable lifestyle makeovers. Of these common factors for increased adherence, one of the most powerful change agents is a having a clear focus on the “why”. On the other hand, we are much less likely to stick with our plans when we focus on the “what”.
Here’s an example;
GOAL
Improve cardiovascular health.
“WHAT” YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE
Bring cholesterol and triglyceride numbers into normal ranges.
- OR -
“WHY” YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE IT
Because you believe that parents serve as the most influential source for the healthy behaviors of their children.
We can look to the field of Psychology to gain additional insight into the “What” and “Why” sources of motivation. Basically, the “what” sources of motivation revolve around external rewards, and the “why” sources of motivation come from internal beliefs and personal meaning. It is important to note that both of these sources are effective at varying levels but, ironically, the problem arises when we actually meet our external “what” rewards. In the above example, once cholesterol and triglyceride numbers hit the normal ranges, it will be difficult to continue the exercise and clean eating due to the perceived end point as well as not being able to see continued rewards for the effort involved. However, when we connect behaviors to deeper personal meaning like instilling healthy attitudes within our families, then we find it much easier to remain committed.
So next time you set a goal, spend some extra time to identify a personal belief or sense of meaning that will fuel your efforts throughout a lifetime. And if you have trouble with this introspective process, find a knowledge Health Coach that can help you uncover values and beliefs.
The fields of health, nutrition, and fitness are full of half-truths and misunderstood bits of information. Sometimes this is due to the conflicting recommendations made by various health and exercise gurus, and other times the unfiltered nature of the internet can be responsible. Regardless, health conscious folks are often left confused. So let’s take a scientific approach to expose the top 5 of the most common misconceptions about fitness.
MYTH #1 – Weight training workouts make women bulky.
This myth has kept women out of weight rooms for years. The truth is that there are two critical ingredients for serious muscle growth. It comes down to diet and hormone levels. Herculean results from weight training exercises only happen when there is a surplus of calories and high testosterone levels. So if you’re a women and don’t make a habit of ingesting enough protein to satiate a professional football player, then stop worrying about getting “bulky” from weight training. The majority of women simply don’t have the physiology to make it possible (there are pharmaceutically-enhanced exceptions).
MYTH #2 – Running is the best way to get in shape.
You might be hearing theme from Chariots of Fire right now, but the fact is that there is no one best way to exercise. The effectiveness of any exercise program depends on individual fitness levels, interest, time availability, and access to gyms, parks, or fitness equipment. Besides, “getting” into shape is just the beginning. True health and fitness is achieved when we find activities that easily fit into our lifestyles, and in a way that we can “stay” in shape for the rest of our lives. When you focus on exercise that you enjoy, it will be easy to be maintain for the long haul.
MYTH #3 – Exercising allows you to eat whatever you want.
The dirty secret in the fitness industry is that DIET is actually more important than exercise when you’re looking to shed pounds and optimize your health. Some experts estimate that what you eat will determine up to 80% of your results. That leaves a measly 20% for exercise. The exact breakdown is almost impossible to pinpoint, but the take home message is that there is no amount of exercise can offset a dietary intake packed with caloric-dense and nutritionally-deficient “food”. Consider that it would take 5-6 hours of a spinning class to burn off the calories consumed in a typical meal at your local Mexican restaurant. And that’s just to come out even, no weight gain and no weight lost. A week’s worth of exercise for 1 meal hardly seems fair, but that’s the reality.
MYTH #4 – Doing sit-ups and crunches will get rid of unwanted belly fat.
If it weren’t for the late night infomercials with magical pieces of equipment that will “slim and tone your midsection”, then exercise professionals wouldn’t have nearly as many inside jokes. And that’s just about all those pieces of plastic and aluminum are good for – jokes between trainers that know better. Deep down, we all realize that the promise of a six-pack of our dreams for just 8 minutes of squeezing and crunching is too good to be true. The truth is that the muscle tone (how well you can see the muscles) of your midsection is completely dependent on overall body fat percentage. And unfortunately, it’s not possible to pick and choose where your body will burn fat. So you can do sit-ups until your blue in the face, all you’ll get in return is a sore low back and a tender tailbone. If you’re serious about trimming your stomach, it mostly depend on ……wait for it…………diet. Shocking, huh?
MYTH #5 – Not sticking to an exercise program is a lack of self-discipline
Depending on the research study cited, somewhere between 50-80% of people who start an exercise program won’t stick it out. Exercise adherence has been quite a popular research topic over the last few decades, with a heap of great insight coming from the findings. As you might guess, the reasons that some people stay with an exercise program for the long haul while others don’t, has multiple interdependent factors. However, amongst the reasons that programs aren’t completed is NOT a lack of self-discipline or will power. Instead, the element of “Oh well, I’m just not disciplined enough” is a self-imposed label. Blaming a character defect is easy and something we’re all good at, especially when uncovering the real reasons requires more work. The truth is that even the most disciplined of us will run out of pure will power at some point. There has to be something else fueling the desire to be healthy and fit. If you’re having a tough time sticking with an exercise program, instead of blaming yourself, pick an activity you like, do it with some friends, and then establish a weekly routine that fits into your schedule.
Do you ever wonder why some of the health and fitness plans you start are effortless to maintain, while others never seem to gain the traction needed to reach the finish line? Whether it was a New Year’s resolution, results from an annual physical exam, or the office’s Biggest Loser pool, each of us have experienced times where lofty goals are set for all the right reasons and lifestyle makeovers begin with plenty of fervor. Sometimes we stick with it, and sometimes we don’t. Most of the time these promises to ourselves start with the same level of enthusiasm and planning, and yet, there will inevitably be a few that don’t make it over the long haul.