Keeping Your Goals

Written by: Krista Reader

Making your resolutions is the easy part, it’s keeping them that is the tough part.

Now that you’ve made and shared your goals, it can often be difficult to keep them a priority when the stress of life kicks into high gear, if it hasn’t already. Here are some tips to keep it manageable.

Indulge, but don’t gorge!
It’s ok to indulge for the occasional birthday celebration or special event. Be careful not to over-indulge, though. Your body can surely recover quickly from a little bit of bad behavior, but several weeks of overdoing it may have you packing on pounds that will be tough to shed later. If you must indulge at the company party or enjoy an obligatory office treat, be sure to make your next meal as healthy as possible to balance things out. Moderation is the key!

Avoid the splurge-and-starve cycle.
Sometimes when we eat a large meal or overindulge, there’s a tendency to say ‘I overate at dinner last night, so I’ll just skip breakfast and lunch.’ Better to break the cycle right away by starting the next morning with a quick walk and light, nutritious breakfast, and fill up with a snack and a glass of water before you sit down to the next tempting meal.

Stick to your regular exercise program.
It can be very easy to break a workout habit, and especially when your bed is so warm during Southern California’s winter. But if you’ve got one, maintain it!

Keep Hydrated.
When celebrating a special occasion, we tend to drink more sugary drinks – soda, cocktails, etc. – and less water. Try to get at least eight glasses of water a day!

Wash your hands.
Germs spread very fast, so remember to wash your hands before every meal and avoid touching your nose, eyes and mouth with your hands to keep germs at a minimum.

If your set of resolutions is still a work in progress, there are a few things to keep in mind to help you out.

1. Write down your ideas and goals that you’ve thought about achieving.

2. Give yourself a completion date for each goal.
Each of the goals should be definable and achievable. If your goal is to be more healthy, instead of telling yourself that you want to “lose 10 pounds,” consider adding in things like “meditate every morning to get centered, 30 minutes exercise three days each week, eat (x) amount of fruits/vegetables/whole grains per day.” If you don’t have a plan to get to a healthy place, you’ll become completely discouraged when the 10 pounds doesn’t fall right off of your body (plus, isn’t long-term health more important than just being skinny?)

3. Work on only one of those specific goals at a time.
For instance, instead of meditating every morning, working out three times a week and increasing your vegetables, just start with exercising 3 times a week. As soon as that becomes a habit, add in the meditation and as soon as that becomes a habit, add in the vegetables and so on. By the end of the year, you’ll have at least a dozen new life-long healthy habits. Here are some shocking statistics: Your chances of success when working on one specific goal is more than 85%. However, when throwing in just one more goal, your chances of success drop below 35%. Adding a 3rd one in, you might as well just throw in the towel, because you have less than a 10% chance of succeeding. It’s no wonder no one keeps their resolutions past February, we’re setting ourselves up for failure!

4. Rewrite your goal as: “I will _____ by (date).”
Just by writing down your goal and giving yourself a date to finish it by, you are making your health life a priority. Be sure to make it doable and stay dedicated.

5. Share your goals.
Don’t be shy – even if your goals might intimidate you, it’s amazing the amount of confidence and encouragement you can receive by sharing your goals with others. If you have the courage to share your own goals, chances are, you’ll unknowingly motivate others to pursue and share their own.

Good luck and we’re there if you need us!

Special thanks to Dr. Lyndsay Elliott, clinical psychologist.

Athletes: Disordered Eating and Body Image Issues on the Rise

Written by: Dr. Lyndsay Elliott

According to the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, an estimated 13 to 42% of athletes are affected by an eating disorder, depending on the sport and the gender of the participant. These numbers appear to be on the rise due to increased awareness and treatment sought for such an elite group.

Athletes face an even greater physical risk to themselves compared to non-athletes due to the stress that they place on their bodies on a daily basis. Those most vulnerable are involved in appearance sports (i.e. gymnastics, swim, figure skating and dance), but eating disorders are also common in endurance sports (i.e. running or cycling) and sports that have weight classifications (i.e. wrestling). Many cases of eating disorders are not reported or handled in secret, due to the pressures on athletes to perform and encouragement of coaches for achievement.

Eating disorders in athletes can take a variety of different forms, including:

• Restriction of calories or purging behaviors to drop weight or improve performance.
• Hunger due to level of physical activity, which may result in binge eating episodes.
• Excessive exercise or vomiting to compensate for any extra calories consumed.
• Disordered or idiosyncratic eating patterns due to the physical demands athletics place on their bodies.

Less is known about eating disorders among male athletes, since most of the studies have been conducted on female athletes. One issue males contend with is body dysmorphia, which leads to a preoccupation with becoming muscular, and a desire to promote size and strength. They may limit the types of foods eaten to decrease body fat or stimulate weight loss, or increase protein intake or complex carbs to gain muscle mass. Many males affected with the disorder go unnoticed or untreated, as they avoid discussing their concerns, and instead attribute it to a desire for success at their sport.

Warning signs

Coaches, teammates and parents should be aware of the traditional physical warning signs of eating disorders, which if left untreated can have serious health risks, including cardiac failure. These consist of:

• Menstrual irregularities or amenorrhea
• Fine hair on the body
• Low blood pressure or dizziness
• Swollen or puffy cheeks
• Decreased stamina in performance
• Frequent complaints of feeling cold
• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Bradycardia or heart arrythmias
• Hair loss

Parents whose children participate in athletics should make an effort to closely monitor their child for any warning signs of disordered eating. Consistent communication with the coach can help to ensure that the child is being appropriately monitored, and creating an open dialogue about any concerns will also allow the child to be accountable for their actions as they build their talents and strengths. If you notice that your child is becoming extremely competitive, exhibiting an severe preoccupation with their ability level or feeling pressure to perform, intervention may be necessary. Further, consult with your child’s physician to ensure that they are medically stable to perform.

For those parents with children entering college, the NCAA has made a specific effort to target eating disorders in college athletes, conducting research and screenings. The NCAA has posted a 53-page brochure online dedicated to the female athlete triad (which comprises disordered eating, amenorrhea and osteoporosis), unfortunately, there is nothing to specifically address males at this time. More info on NCAA resources can be found at: ncaa.org/health-safety.

While sports participation itself is not necessarily the cause of the disorder, it may, coupled with any genetic or temperament predisposition to eating disorders, create a convergence of risk factors that is problematic for athletes. While the research of these factors are still under investigation, it is agreed in the field that the “perfect storm” of influences contribute and leads to the perpetuation of disordered eating issues among athletes.

Dr. Lyndsay Elliott is one of Southern California’s most prominent Psychologists in her field of expertise. Dr. Lyndsay (as her patients call her) maintains her clinical practice in Newport Beach, California. As a food and body image expert for the last 15 years, Dr. Lyndsay is known for her break-through work with children, teens and young adults. She particularly enjoys consulting with parents to help develop a healthy self-image for their children. Dr. Lyndsay empowers individuals with her ease, strength, and experience, ultimately propelling her patients into a new arena of growth, control and balanced living. Check out Dr. Lyndsay’s daily tips and blog at www.DrLyndsayElliott.com, on twitter @DrLyndsay and Facebook at Dr. Lyndsay Elliott, Inc.

Sources:

Sundgot-Borgen, J., Torstveit, M.K.. Prevalence of Eating Disorders in Elite Athletes Is Higher Than in the General Population. Cl. J. Sports Med. January 2004 14(1) 25-32 (accessed November 11, 2011 at http://journals.lww.com/cjsportsmed/Abstract/2004/01000/Prevalence_of_Eating_Disorders_in_Elite_Athletes.5.aspx)

Beals, K.. Disordered Eating Among Athletes: A Comprehensive Guide for Health Professionals (Beals 2004).

Thompson, S. and Sherman, R.T.. Athletes, Athletic Performance, and Eating Disorders: Healthier Alternatives. J. of Social Iss., Summer 1999, 55(2), 317-337. (accessed November 11, 2011 at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/0022-4537.00118/pdf)

Thompson, S. and Sherman, R.T.. Managing the Female Athlete Triad. (accessed November 11, 2011 at http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/2db7d8004e0db26bac18fc1ad6fc8b25/female_athlete_triad.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=2db7d8004e0db26bac18fc1ad6fc8b25)

Pearson, C.. Male Athletes Struggle with Eating Disorders. (September 2011). (accessed November 11, 2011 at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/16/eating-disorders-men_n_928206.html)

3 Complementary Personal Training Sessions!

Written by: Krista Reader

2012 is just around the corner!  With the NEW YEAR comes NEW RESOLUTIONS and the annual ritual of setting health and fitness goals.  If you feel like your clothes have mysteriously reduced in size this holiday season OR if you want to stay committed to fitness beyond the 15^th of January,  let the Healthfit 4 Life team jumpstart your 2012 fitness program!  Not only will you receive a customized, effective program specific to your physical and medical needs, you will also be held accountable to your commitment and goals.  We won’t let you give up!

To help you get started, Personalcare Physicians is offering 3 COMPLIMENTARY PERSONAL TRAINING SESSIONS* to every patient throughout the month of January.  Sign up for the Healthfit 4 Life program in January and we will take 10% off your annual membership fee* as a thank you for letting us be a part of your 2012 fitness journey. Space is filling up quickly, so schedule your appointment today!

Happy holidays and here’s to a healthy 2012!!

*Offer valid for new clients only

5 Tips to Stay Healthy During the Holidays

Written by: Krista Reader

Personalcare Physicians would like to thank all of our patients, staff and friends for an amazing year. Those in our Healthfit 4 Life program have lost 650 pounds as of Dec. 1 and we want to encourage everyone to stick to their goals as the year comes to a close.

We’ve come up with five easy tips to help keep you healthy through the rest of the year.

Have a wonderful holiday season and we look forward to seeing you in 2012!

Dr. Jeffrey Barke
Dr. Kenneth Cheng
Dr. Marcia Whalen
Dr. David Bloom

5 Tips to Stay Healthy During the Holidays

Indulge, but don’t gorge!
It’s ok, during this brief hiatus, to indulge in the richness and pleasures of the holidays. Be careful not to over-indulge, though. Your body can surely recover quickly from a little bit of bad behavior, but several weeks of overdoing it may have you packing on pounds that will be tough to shed later. If you must indulge at a holiday meal or enjoy a holiday treat, be sure to make your next meal as healthy as possible to balance things out. Moderation is the key!

Avoid the holiday splurge-and-starve cycle.
Sometimes when we eat a large meal or overindulge, there’s a tendency to say ‘I overate at dinner last night, so I’ll just skip breakfast and lunch.’ Better to break the cycle right away by starting the next morning with a quick walk and light, nutritious breakfast, and fill up with a snack and a glass of water before you sit down to the next tempting meal.

Stick to your regular exercise program.
It can be very easy to brake a workout habit, and especially so during the holidays. But if you’ve got one, maintain it!

Keep Hydrated.
During this time of year, we tend to drink more sugary drinks – hot chocolate, egg nog, etc. – and less water. Try to get at least eight glasses of water a day!

Wash your hands.
Germs spread very fast during the holidays, so remember to wash your hands before every meal and avoid touching your nose, eyes and mouth with your hands to keep germs at a minimum.

Happy Holidays!

Tanning Beds: Is your tan worth your health?

Written by: Dr. David Bloom

California just passed a law banning minors from spending time in tanning beds.

The law, which takes effect Jan. 1, modifies current regulations which had allowed anyone between the ages of 14 and 17 to pay for yearlong sun-kissed skin with written permission by their parents.

Those that fought for the bill’s passage at the state capitol cited adverse health effects, including skin cancer, from prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays as the reason for pushing through this new regulation.

How does a tanning bed work?

While German researcher Friedrich Wolff was studying the beneficial effects of ultraviolet light on athletes, he noticed a side effect: tanned skin. His discovery was brought over to the United States during the late 1970s.

Tanning beds emit ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) waves, similar to the rays of the sun, which in turn tans the skin by darkening the skin’s pigment melanin.

While exposure to some UVB rays is beneficial for humans and help keep vitamin D in the body at healthy levels, many scientists and researchers warn against excessive exposure.

For or against?

The World Health Organization warns against the use of indoor tanning beds, citing the increased risk in “the development of skin cancer, cataracts and other eye conditions” and the possible suppression of the immune system and premature skin aging.

The organization further classifies the beds as carcinogenic and recommends banning the use for children under 18. According to recent data, approximately 1 out of 5 teenage girls have used an indoor tanning bed at least once.

The Indoor Tanning Association agrees that there are risks for certain skin types and overexposure to ultraviolet light may have adverse consequences. Although visits are often for cosmetic reasons in the United States, the Tanning Association asserts the industry’s roots are therapeutic and many still visit for that purpose (such as for psoriasis or certain types of eczema).

Indoor tanning beds, the association argues, helps minimize the risk of a sunburn while still keeping tanned skin (not necessarily an accepted medical fact).

Alternatives

Spray tanning is an alternative to prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays and can be done at home or by a professional. The worry with spray tanning, as with bronzing lotions, is keeping your “tan” even, especially around the joints.

Another alternative is to spend some time out in the sun, protected by sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. We do live in OC and you can visit the beach all year long without getting too chilly.

Is it safe or not?

Overall, there is no “safe tan.”  Any tanning induces some amount of skin damage and photo-aging.  And the more exposure to these harmful rays the higher one’s risk of cancer.   As in most of our daily choices we must weigh any benefits against the risks.  And at least now in California, such decisions are left to an adult.   Just as buying and smoking cigarettes are illegal for those under 18, so is choosing to use a tanning bed.

Resist the Loss, Strength Training

Written by: Krista Reader

Personalcare Physicans Strength Training!

You have heard us say it before, but one more time just in case you have forgotten.  As we get older, we can naturally lose 30% (or more) of our muscle mass between the ages of 40 and 75.  The best way we can protect ourselves and prevent this from happening is to commit to strength (or resistance) training.

Your muscles are important for everything you do. Whether you’re reaching for a box of cereal in the morning, climbing the steps outside your home and walking the dog, you need your muscles to move and function every day.

Strength training is the best solution to building and maintaining muscle mass to keep functioning at your best. Performing daily exercises with weights and learning to increase the difficulty as your body adjusts to the pattern gives the most physical benefits for your body.

In addition to the benefits for your muscles, strength training will also help you:

• Develop strong bones – By stressing your bones, strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.
• Control your weight – As you gain muscle, your body gains the ability to burn calories more efficiently, which can result in weight loss. The more toned your muscles, the easier it is to control your weight.
• Reduce your risk of injury – Building muscle helps protect your joints from injury and contributes to better balance, which can help you maintain independence as you age.
• Boost your stamina – As you get stronger, you won’t fatigue as easily.
• Manage chronic conditions – Strength training can reduce the signs and symptoms of many chronic conditions, including arthritis, back pain, depression, diabetes, obesity and osteoporosis.
• Sharpen your focus – Some research suggests that regular strength training helps improve attention span and concentration as we age.

Strength training can be done at home or in the gym and here are some options for you to consider as you are building your program:

• Body weight – You can do many exercises with little or no equipment including push-ups (elevated or on knees if needed), front & side abdominal planks, dips, lunges and squats.
• Resistance tubing – Resistance tubing is inexpensive, lightweight tubing that provides resistance when stretched.
• Free weights – Barbells and dumbbells are classic strength training tools.
• Weight machines – Most fitness centers offer various resistance machines and there are tons of options for home gyms that are portable.

Getting started

Please make sure to check with your primary care physician before you begin a strength training program and plan to start slowly. Warm up with 5-10 minutes of active stretching and/or light aerobic activity, such as brisk walking. Then choose a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 repetitions.

To give your muscles time to recover, rest one full day between exercising each specific muscle group. When you can easily do more than 15 repetitions of a certain exercise, gradually increase the weight or resistance. Remember to stop if you feel pain. Although mild muscle soreness is normal, sharp pain and sore or swollen joints are signs that you’ve overdone it.

When to expect results

You don’t need to spend hours a day lifting weights to benefit from strength training. Depending on your goals, two to three strength training sessions a week lasting just 30-40 minutes are sufficient for most people starting a strength training routine. Two times per week is plenty if your goal is to just maintain your current muscle mass and at least three sessions if you are looking to build.

By exercising your entire body (not just the muscles you can see) you will prevent your body from losing muscle mass as you grow older and ensuring you keep your independent spirit both physically and mentally. If done properly, you will notice a difference in your strength and stamina in as little as a few weeks.

Strength training can do wonders for your physical and emotional well-being. Make it part of your quest for better health.  If you are just getting started, we highly recommend seeking the help of a professional trainer to ensure that you know how to most effectively exercise and avoid injury.  Please feel free to contact our Healthfit 4 Life Fitness Team for help getting started.

Hot Weather Protection

Written by: Dr. Kenneth Cheng

With record temperatures recorded around the country this summer, there is reason to be concerned about your children out in heat.

Football and the fall athletic season is almost upon us and it is especially important to be aware of the warning signs of serious health conditions, such as heat stroke, and prepare yourself and your family to throw around the pigskin.

Warning signs that something may be wrong include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, weakness, headache, muscle cramps and aches and dizziness, according to physicians. In many cases, however, individuals can display systems of heat stroke suddenly and without warning.

Extreme symptoms, on the other hand, include high body temperature, lack of sweating with flushed, dry skin, rapid pulse, difficulty breathing, strange behavior, hallucination, confusion, agitation, disorientation, seizure or even a coma.

According to a study out of the University of Georgia, most of the heat-related football fatalities during the past 30 years were children under the age of 18 and athletes, along with infants, the elderly and those who work outside are among the most susceptible.

Although the best solution is to avoid extreme heat, there are a few prevention measures you and your family should take when the love of the game draws you out to the field or you just can’t miss your family reunion:

• Wear loose fitting, light clothing
• Get to a cooler place
• Drink plenty of fluids
• Take extra precautions with certain medications – ask your pharmacist or doctor about possible side effects while out in the hot sun
• Avoid being inside a hot car, especially children and older adults
• Avoid strenuous activity in the heat

So why it’s great to have fun in the sun, play in the grass and get some exercise, make sure to take the appropriate precautions when headed out the door.

Food, Exercise, and Your Metabolism

Written by: Krista Reader

That’s right, another article on the importance of exercise. As your medical partners, we want to consistently remind you how important regular, purposeful movement can be. One of the most frequent questions we get from clients is, “Why can I no longer lose weight like I used to?” or “Why am I slowly gaining weight as I get older?” While the answer is not always simple, most of the time we will start with a discussion about what you are eating, how you are exercising, and what happens to our metabolism as we get older.

Let’s start with a quick refresher on what your metabolism actually is. Most of us think of metabolism as the rate at which we burn calories. That is true, but it is also the body’s ability to breakdown the foods we eat. It’s the body’s ability to burn the various nutrients from the food we eat to help us maintain a healthy body. The healthier the food, the more nutrients our body can burn, and conversely, if we eat unhealthy foods, less fuel opportunity for our body to burn.

Understanding the importance of what we eat (our fuel content), we also need to understand what is happening to our metabolism as we age. The aging process starts at a cellular level and with normal aging comes a slowing in the ability for our cells to repair themselves, mostly due to damage from free radicals. This may slow the weight loss process down. More importantly, once over the age of 30 we begin to slowly lose muscle mass. As muscle burns more calories (energy) and increases your overall basal metabolic rate (the number of calories your body burns just to function), this means that your energy burn is decreasing, and it will take you longer to burn off what you eat. Ultimately, you will burn fat less efficiently.

Yes, this is a frustrating and inevitable result of aging for most of us. But there is a way to change this cycle. We know that we are what we eat. Diet can account for up to 80% of weight gain and body composition. Eat real food, eat often, drink lots of water.

Next in line is exercise. When we exercise, we burn fat, we increase our metabolic burn rate AND we have the ability to increase muscle mass. Muscles burn more calories than fat.

When we coach our clients on not only the benefits of exercise, we also know that integral to changing your fitness is to address the type of exercise you need to do. Starting with a brisk walk, or a swim is a great start, but if you truly want to change your metabolism, burn more calories, you have to also focus on the type of exercise you are doing.

The best exercise program is one that is a combination (and changing rotation) of aerobic exercise, interval training, and strength training. We do believe that any exercise is important, but let us tell you a bit more about why each of these options are so important.

Aerobic exercise

When you participate consistently in a form of aerobic exercise (running, biking, swimming, spinning, elliptical, fitness classes, etc) your heart gets stronger and pumps more blood with each beat. Elite athletes, for example, can have significantly larger left ventricles than average individuals. Conditioned hearts have greater diameter and mass (the heart’s a muscle too and gets bigger when you train it). When your heart holds a greater volume that means it doesn’t have to pump as fast to meet the demands of exercise or daily life (lower resting heart rate). Fewer beats and more volume mean greater efficiency. Athletes can have a resting heart rate as low as 40 beats per minute; the average is 60-80. Which heart do you think will get tired earlier in life?

Downstream from the heart are your muscles, which get more efficient at utilizing oxygen when you do regular aerobic exercise. This happens because of an increase in the activity and number of enzymes that transport oxygen out of the bloodstream and into the muscle. This process is what builds your endurance. You will have more endurance because your muscles are not going to run out of oxygen as quickly. Measuring your V02Max is an excellent way to understand your current oxygen utilization capacity.

Interval training

Interval training has been used by athletes for years to build fitness. Interval training combines short, high intensity bursts of speed, with slow, recovery phases, repeated during one exercise session. Interval training works both the aerobic and the anaerobic system. During the high intensity part of your workout your anaerobic system uses the energy stored in your muscles (glycogen) to support the short bursts of activity. Your anaerobic metabolism works without oxygen and produces a by-product of lactic acid. As lactic acid builds, you will have a shortage of oxygen to the muscle, and it is during the slower, recovery phase that the heart and lungs work together to put this oxygen back and break down the lactic acid. It is in this phase that the aerobic system is using oxygen to convert stored carbohydrates into energy, i.e. burning calories!

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, more calories are burned in short, high intensity exercise. If you are counting calories burned, high intensity exercise such as intervals are better than long, slow endurance exercise, but be careful. There are risks inherent to high intensity training. This type of training can put a maximum load on your cardiovascular system (your heart and lungs), so it is imperative that you ensure you are physically ready for this type of activity. Talk to your primary care physician, educate yourself on interval training program, warm up, and listen to your body as you progress. We highly recommend investing in a heart rate monitor to help you create and maximize an interval training program’s results. Also, it is very important to allow your body appropriate recovery from interval training to avoid injury.

Strength training

As muscle mass diminishes with age, the only way to preserve or build it is to commit to a strength training program. In addition to helping you lose weight, strength training will help you develop strong bones, reduce risk of injury, build stamina, manage chronic conditions, sleep better and maintain focus.

Strength training is all about creating resistance for your muscles. Resistance training works by causing microscopic damage or tears to the muscle cells, which in turn are quickly repaired by the body to help the muscles regenerate and grow stronger. The breakdown of the muscle fiber is called “catabolism,” and the repair and re-growth of the muscle tissue is called “anabolism.” Anabolic means to grow, and that’s exactly what happens after you break down the muscle fibers with resistance exercise. To help your muscles re-grow, testosterone, insulin-like growth factor, growth hormone, protein, and other nutrients rush to the muscle after a resistance-exercise session to help repair the muscles to make them stronger. Your muscles will even heal and grow when you aren’t working out, and that is why it is so necessary to leave time between workouts for recovery.

There are several options to consider as part of your strength training program including:

• Body weight. You can do many exercises with little or no equipment. Try push-ups, pull-ups, abdominal crunches and leg squats.
• Resistance tubing. Inexpensive, lightweight tubing that provides resistance when stretched. You can choose from many types of resistance tubes in nearly any sporting goods store.
• Free weights. Barbells and dumbbells are classic strength training tools.
• Weight machines. Most fitness centers offer various resistance machines. You can also invest in weight machines for use at home.

Once again, be sure to check with your doctor before you start lifting weights if you have any medical conditions, injuries or illnesses. If you don’t know much about weighttraining, consider hiring a personal trainer, to help you set up your program. You should work all of your muscle groups each week so that you avoid muscle imbalances, which could lead to injury. Functional movement testing with a trained professional can help to prevent injury during resistance training and help you achieve your goals faster and more efficiently. If you would like more information on how to start, please contact our Healthfit 4 Life Fitness Team here.

Sounds like a lot of work?

There is no doubt that committing to an exercise program that encompasses aerobic, interval, and strength training can seem overwhelming and impossible to fit into your already busy life. The key to success here is to find a balanced program that you enjoy and fits into your lifestyle. After all, shouldn’t your health be a priority over everything else?

Aerobic and interval training sessions can be combined and / or alternated. Maybe you do 30 minutes on the elliptical 1-2 days a week at a steady heart rate and then another 1-2 of 20-30 minutes of interval. Balance that with 1-2 days of 40 minutes of strength training spending one day on your upper body, the other day on your core and legs. There are many, many options to ensure that you are aerobically and anaerobically conditioning your body. Educate yourself, create a plan, put it on the schedule and if you need some support, give us a call.

We often tell our clients that exercise should be scheduled into your day just like any other appointment. You wouldn’t miss that important meeting with a new client right? Make your workout session your new, most important meeting of the day. Commit to it, practice it, and then you will never want to give it up!

Aging For Men: How Your Body Changes

Written by: Dr. Jeffrey Barke

Did you know that after age 25-30 the average man’s maximum heart rate declines by one beat per minute, per year and that your aerobic capacity to pump blood drops by 5%-10% every 10 years? A healthy 25 year old heart can pump 2 ½ quarts of oxygen a minute, but a typical 65 year old heart can’t get above 1 ½ quarts. At 80 the average male is down to less than a quart. This diminished aerobic capacity is exactly what makes us fatigued and breathless as seniors.

Most men begin to gain weight in midlife, usually 3-4 pounds a year without significant lifestyle change. Since men start to lose muscle in their early 40s, that extra weight is all fat. This extra fat contributes to a rise in your LDL (bad cholesterol), a fall in your HDL (good cholesterol) and increases in silent inflammation within the body. It also explains why blood sugar levels rise by about 6 points per decade, making type 2 diabetes increasingly common as we become senior citizens.

Eventually, a typical man can lose up to 50% of their muscle mass which will significantly contribute to weakness and disability in your later years. One reason for this drop is the drop in the male hormone testosterone, which declines about 1% per year after the age of 40. Most men will continue to have normal testosterone levels and reproductive capacity throughout life, but many will also experience a gradual decline in libido and sexual vigor.

Yes, it all sounds grim, and these changes happen to healthy men, but you can slow the pace of or stop many of these changes. As many of my patients know, my favorite quote is:

“Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness”  by Earl Edward Stanley (1799 – 1869)

Exercise is not the fountain of youth, but is one of the biggest steps you can take to slowing or even reversing every one of the physical issues described above. The other critical step is proper nutrition. Wondering what it takes to make this happen? Keep reading.

Yes, it’s true, even just 30 minutes a day of brisk walking will go a long way toward enhancing your health. Furthermore, men at 50 respond to exercise training just about as well as a 20 year old. Men will benefit from exercise at any age, just make sure you talk to your doctor first if you haven’t been active for some time.

Thinking about doing a little more? Wondering what the best exercise is to ward off all of these looming realities? If you are ready to commit to a lifelong fitness program that will positively change your physical health in your later years, you will need to design a program that includes the following to be most effective:

• Endurance training – this is the best way to improve cardiovascular function. This keeps your heart muscle strong and supple, your arteries flexible, and boosts the heart’s ability to deliver oxygen rich blood to the body’s tissues. Your cholesterol and blood pressure will lower as well. Endurance training is any activity that gets your heart rate up, and keeps it up for sustained or interval periods. Biking, running, swimming, fitness classes, commit to getting that heart pumping!
• Resistance training – Otherwise known as weight training. Weights or exercise machines will enhance muscle mass and strength and preserve bone calcium. You will need to learn what to do and instructors can help. There are many options here, including home programs with easy to use equipment.
• Flexibility training – This will keep you mobile as you age. Stretching is an ideal way to warm up and cool down after endurance exercise. 20 minutes of dedicated stretching two or three times a week is ideal. Make sure to include in this poses that work on balance as well, utilizing balance balls, Bosu devices, and Yoga can be great tools for this as well.

Using your body will keep it young. Following a life-long program of exercise will make a difference in how you age. Reflecting back on the initial data shared earlier in this article; if you exercise you will experience the following benefits.

We are all aging, but we do have the ability to control what our later years will be (or are). Regular exercise, a good diet, good medical care and commitment to health will help you to live the life you deserve for a very long time.

Aging for Women: Menopause and Exercise

Written by: Dr. Marcia Whalen

For women, menopause is inevitable, but understanding what to expect and having a plan to help with the symptoms can be the key to getting through it a bit more easily. Menopause is a series of natural biological changes that occur when your ovaries stop producing the hormone estrogen, and fertility ends.

Beginning around the mid-thirties, the ovaries decline in hormone production. This accelerates in the 40′s, hormones fluctuate more dramatically and by the 50′s, women’s menstrual cycles usually end completely.

This process can cause several symptoms that can be tough to manage including:

• Hot flashes
• Depression, stress and anxiety
• Sleep disorders
• Irritability
• Osteoporosis
• Cardiovascular disease

In addition to this many women may experience weight gain, especially around the midsection. Part of this has to do with those declining hormones, a decrease in your metabolism and a possible increase in appetite. Combine this with the fact that many women exercise less as they get older, weight gain becomes inevitable.

Keeping your metabolism going (the amount of energy your body burns in calories to energize itself) is critical to preventing that unwanted weight gain. One reason metabolism declines with age is the loss of muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories than fat, so when you lose that muscle (about ½ pound a year if you don’t preserve it with weight training/exercise), you don’t burn as many calories.

What is the answer?

There are a number of ways to manage menopause symptoms, from alternative therapies (such as acupuncture) to eating a healthy diet. However, one simple thing you can do that will make a significant difference is exercise. A regular exercise program that balances cardiovascular training (get that heart rate up), strength training, and stretching / flexibility work will provide you the following benefits:

• Weight loss – Exercise will help you burn calories. Creating a deficit in calories (burning more than your body needs for energy) is what will lead to weight loss. For every 3500 calories you burn, you can lose 1 pound in fat.
• Reduction of hot flashes – Exercise can help increase estrogen levels, which can decrease the severity of hot flashes.
• Increased bone mass - Strength training can help strength the bones and prevent osteoporosis.
• Cardiovascular benefits – Exercise can help lower high blood pressure and greatly reduce your risk for heart attack and stroke.
• Stress reduction – Menopause can often lead to depression, anxiety and stress. Exercise is proven to help reduce stress and improve your mood.

Exercise may cause the same magnitude of change as that induced by estrogen therapy.

Ready to get started?

The key to committing to a life-long exercise program is that you must find activities that you enjoy. A brisk walk is a great way to get started. Get yourself moving and as you get stronger over time you can start to challenge yourself more. Walking, running, cycling, swimming, group fitness classes, and cardio machines are all great ways to get your cardiovascular system in shape.

Strength training is equally important, especially if you want to increase your metabolism and lose body fat. You don’t have to train like a bodybuilder to get the benefits, but you do need to use resistance (such as dumbbells, machines or resistance bands) and you do need to challenge your muscles and body. You might want to work with a personal trainer to get started to ensure you are using proper form and don’t hurt yourself.

Additionally, schedule your time to exercise just like any other appointment or meeting, make it a priority in your daily life. Get your friends and family involved, exercise is a great way to spend quality time together. Taking control of your physical health will get you through menopause and provide you with life changing benefits.