Physical fitness is one of the best things cancer patients can do for their health. The benefits of regular exercise are well documented. In fact, exercise benefits are many and varied, from improved heart health to better sleep.
Cancer patients typically lose muscle during cancer therapy and extended bed rest, so exercise is important for maintaining muscle health. Physical activity also boosts the immune system to fight infections and illness better. Research has shown that patients who exercise consistently are better able to fight fatigue, nausea, and other treatment side effects. Some studies even suggest that exercise can speed healing and prevent relapse.
Physical fitness should be at a top priority before, during, and after cancer. Unfortunately, exercise often gets lost in a patient’s list of things to do. The tiredness and sick feelings associated with cancer make exercise hard for many patients. For some, like those with mesothelioma cancer and other lung diseases, exercise can seem impossible.
The good news is that exercise is possible, safe and even recommended for most patients. Gone are the days when doctors told cancer patients to limit their physical activities. These days, regular exercise-- even if it means stretching in bed or walking down the hall-- is just what the doctor ordered.
Most cancer patients can do some form of exercise during and after treatment and the benefits far outweigh the tiredness and discomfort that may occur. In fact, exercise actually boosts energy, reduces fatigue, and helps patients feel better. As long as physical movement does not cause a rapid heart rate, breathing problems, or additional pain, it is generally safe to perform.
Of course, patients should first talk to their cancer doctor about incorporating exercise into their weekly routines. Only doctor-approved activities will do. Many patients choose to work with a fitness professional to develop an appropriate fitness regimen. This is helpful for many because cancer experiences vary from one patient to another and many factors are considered in a fitness program. Age, cancer type, stage, treatment, general health and preference all play a role in the process.
For patients cancer, light exercise improves not only patient health but also quality of life. At a time when chaos and uncertainty often rule the day, exercise gives patients a sense of control. It is something positive they can do for their bodies and their health.
The American Cancer Society recommends 150 minutes of exercise each week. Patients do best when they break this into short segments of activity spread throughout the week. In addition, most fitness programs stress the importance of three exercise components: stretching, strength training and aerobic activity. Together, these elements of exercise provide the best health benefits and richest quality of life for people living with cancer.
Lots of people ask me how to quickly and easily get fit. While I know they are hoping for a simple answer, the reality is that getting and staying fit is a lifestyle, not a quick fix.
So what do fit people do in their "healthy lifestyle"? Take a peek with the following 7 Habits of Highly Fit People:
Habit #1: They Don't Buy Junk
Fit people know that if they keep junk food in the house it will land on their waist sooner or later. So they don't buy any. Even buying junk food for your kids or spouse is not advised since 1) you'll likely eat some of it eventually, and 2) your loved ones shouldn't be eating that junk either. It's called junk for a reason.
Rid your home of chips, cookies, candy, baked goods, pre-packaged snacks and anything else that belongs in a vending machine. Replace the above with fresh fruit, veggies, nuts and other healthy whole foods snacks.
Habit #2: They Have Priorities
Fit people make exercise a priority. Along with keeping a job, paying the bills and going to the doctor, exercise is an important part of their lives. What I've found is that fit people put exercise before leisure time. Sure, fit people enjoy leisure, but it is scheduled around their workout time.
Treat exercise time with the same importance that you would a business meeting or trip to the dentist.
Habit #3: They Stop When Full
Fit people stop eating when they feel full. Sound simple? It is, but how many times have you stuffed yourself simply to clear your plate? Or how many times have you eaten another piece of cake despite being stuffed?
The next time you feel full, take it as a sign to stop eating. Yes, even if your plate isn't empty.
Habit #4: They Push Themselves
Not only do fit people make time to go to the gym, they challenge themselves during each workout. While it is easy to simply go through the motions while exercising, you're cheating your body out of great results when you don't push yourself. Exercise should make you sweat, make your muscles burn, and leave you with a feeling of accomplishment.
Find ways to make each workout more challenging. For competitive people, the best way to push yourself is to exercise with a friend of similar strength. Another great way to challenge yourself is to set small attainable goals. These goals could be to push heavier weight, to sprint longer, or to do cardio at a higher intensity setting.
Habit #5: They Don't Eat and Watch
Fit people know that eating in front of the T.V. is mindless eating. When your attention is on your entertainment and not on your food, then you'll be less tuned in to what and how much ends up in your mouth. Eating in front of the T.V. is also very habit forming. Ever notice how you crave munchies just as a reflex of sitting in front of the T.V.?
Eat before or after your entertainment and pay attention to what and how much goes into your mouth.
Habit #6: They Drink Water
Fit people drink lots of water. And not just in addition to other beverages, but instead of them. Water is their main drink, while other drinks are occasional treats. Calorie-filled drinks are one of the quickest ways to consume excess calories which quickly turn into fat. Consider water your beverage of choice. Drink plenty of it each day and drink other beverages only a few times each week.
Habit #7: They Are Supported
Fit people don't leave their motivation to chance. They know that if their personal trainer, boot camp instructor or workout partner is waiting for them, then they are less likely to skip a workout. It is so easy to hit snooze or to talk yourself out of the gym as soon as your behind hits the couch after work. Fit people take the option of skipping out of the equation.
Want instant support? Call or email me today to get started on your own customized fitness plan.
I hope that these habits have inspired you to make a change for the fitter in your own life.
If you already do some of these habits then congratulations – you are on your way to a better body. Make an effort to incorporate the rest of the habits to take your results to the next level.
If none, or very few, of these habits describe your lifestyle, then I've got good news – you now have 7 effective new habits to start that will get you some awesome results. Don't try to tackle all 7 at once – pick one or two to add each week and gradually work up to all 7.
As always, you are welcome to call or email me with questions or to get started on your own customized fitness plan. I look forward to hearing from you.
Got Stress? Get Moving.
Feeling kind of stressed? You're not alone.
Stress is an inevitable part of our modern existence. Whether you're the president of a Fortune 500 company, a Kindergarten teacher or a construction worker, you have stress to deal with.
But you don't have to let it get the best of you.
By battling stress in your day-to-day routine, you can stop pulling your hair out and get back to living a more relaxed life.
How can you turn your stress-filled life on its head?
With one of the best weapons against stress: exercise.
Working Out Works: When stress is getting you down, you need something to kick you out of your funk. You need something that makes you feel good.
Because every time you exercise, you increase your body's production of endorphins.
In case you didn't get the memo, endorphins are responsible for those good moods you get in after a race or the euphoria you feel while chomping down on a piece of chocolate.
However, before you grab a piece of chocolate and skip the gym, remember the end result of each and choose which one will help you battle stress in the long run. (Hint: It's not the chocolate.)
Best Bets: Now that you know exercise reduces stress, you may be wondering which exercises will be most likely to keep you from banging your head against the wall. Ready to learn what exercise you should be performing as you wage war against stress? Here it is: whatever you enjoy doing.
That's right - any and all exercise you perform helps you fend off the effects of stress. So whether you enjoy jogging, lifting weights, playing basketball, practicing ballet, swimming, yoga, rowing, or boxing, simply getting involved in your exercise of choice is sure to help reduce your stress.
Through the Brick Wall: Working out every day and not getting the stress relief you so eagerly desire? Then it's time to do things a little different. If all you do is lift weights five days a week, you should add in tennis or racquetball a couple days a week. And if you're all cardio all the time, it may be time to get off the treadmill and grab a dumbbell or two.
Still not working? Keep a diary of your progression. Write down how long and hard you exercise, the various weights you lift, and the steps you make toward whatever health goal you set for yourself. Take pictures along the way as well. Then look back over your journal on occasion. Seeing the progression when you feel you're not making progress may give you the confidence you need to put stress in its place and move on.
My mission is to get each and every one of my clients the body that they desire and along with that a low stress lifestyle.
Take the stress out of planning your own workouts by joining one of my high-energy, fat-blasting exercise programs.
Call or email today to get the body and stress level that you deserve.
You want to be fit. You know how much you should weigh. You know your ideal pant size. You can even picture how great those skinny jeans will look.
So why aren't you living life in your ideal body?
There are many complex reasons that make weight loss a challenge, reasons that go deeper than simply calories-in versus calories-out.
I'm talking about the life issues that get in the way of your success.
Read the following 5 obstacles and the solutions to unlock your best body ever.
1. You don't want to be bothered.
It's in your DNA to avoid pain and seek out pleasure. Unfortunately this works against you when trying to get fit. In your mind, it's painful (or at least uncomfortable) to deny yourself the tasty food that you crave and to exert yourself with exercise.
There's a simple way to work around this obstacle: Find something painful about being fat to motivate yourself towards healthy eating and exercise. Focus on the negative impact your current weight has on your health, self-esteem and lifestyle. Convince yourself that the pain of being out of shape is much greater than the discomfort of losing weight.
2. You don't want to wait for the good stuff.
Just as you wish to avoid pain, you are also an expert in seeking out pleasure - namely food. This served the cavemen well, but these days it ends up as extra pounds around your waist and thighs.
There's good news: extra calories are not your only option to stimulate the pleasure center of your brain. Find an activity or two that make you smile and indulge in those regularly.
- A walk outside
- A good book
- A night out to the movies or theater
- A spa day
You can also retrain your brain to crave the pleasure of exercise-induced endorphins. Talk about weight gain kryptonite!
3. You are crazy busy.
Let's face it, you work too much, commit yourself to too much and don't even get enough sleep most of the time. The fast-paced way you live leaves you exhausted, stressed and hungry for comfort food. You even begin to feel too busy to take care of your health.
It's time to reprioritize. Let go of your perfectionist standards and remove a few commitments from your schedule so that you are able to cook healthy meals, exercise and get a good night's sleep. Remind yourself that taking care of your health is not a luxury - it's a necessity.
4. You don't deserve it.
I don't agree with it, but you sure act like you don't deserve to live the good life in the body of your dreams. Take a moment to think back on all the times you have self-sabotaged your weight loss efforts. If you don't believe deep down that you are worthy then you'll never give yourself a chance at a fit body.
I believe that you deserve to have a healthy body - and I urge you to dig deep down to uncover why you don't. Once you conquer your feelings of unworthiness, getting on an exercise and healthy eating plan will be easy.
Take the time to take care of yourself. You DO deserve it.
5. You are afraid.
You're afraid to start because you just might fail, and wouldn't that be embarrassing? You're also afraid to start because you just might succeed, and change makes you uncomfortable – even if it's change in the right direction.
When you decide to get fit you will need to go through a bushel of changes:
- New diet
- New exercise routine
- New friends at the gym
- New clothes
- New self-image
Focus on all of the ways that losing weight will make your life better. Envision that better life everyday so that it goes from being new and scary to familiar and comfortable.
I want to personally help overcome every obstacle standing between you and your ideal body. Call or email today to get started on a program that will change your life and body forever...in a good way 
Wait! Don't just skim down to see which exercise I've labeled as the best, get the whole story...
I'm often approached and asked to pin down a single exercise as the one that will help lose the most fat and sculpt the quickest. That's not an easy question to answer.
You see, I'm very aware of the fact that though an exercise may be perfect for Client A, it may not be the best choice for Client B—hence my hesitation to label any exercise as the universal best.
That being said, some exercises are definitely better than others. And, yes, there are even a few that I would call the best.
What makes an exercise the best?
When you decide which exercises to include in your routine, it is important to consider the type of movement involved. The simpler the movement, the fewer calories you'll burn and the fewer muscles you will strengthen. On the other hand, the more complex the movement, the more calories you will burn and the more muscles you will strengthen.
To put it simply, exercises that use complex movements will deliver better results than exercises that use only simple movements. Complex movements recruit multiple muscles, some to stabilize and others to perform the movement. This process keeps your heart rate higher than a simple exercise would, giving you a more intense workout.
What is a complex movement?
A complex movement is a multi-joint movement that recruits large portions of the body to complete the exercise. Let's compare a simple movement leg exercise with a complex movement leg exercise:
The leg extension machine uses a simple, isolated movement to work the quadriceps. You're in a seated position moving only your knee joint. There isn't much involvement, if any, from other muscles and it doesn't burn very many calories.
Now let's look at a free weight walking lunge. You start by standing with your feet together and a dumbbell in each hand at your sides (or a barbell across your shoulders, or a medicine ball held at your chest, or even with no weight at all). You take a large step forward and lower your back knee, keeping your front knee at a 90 degree angle. Now you push off your front foot and pull your back leg forward, repeating the movement.
How many muscles did you utilize while performing the lunge? Probably too many to count.
You certainly worked your quadriceps, gluteus, hamstrings, calves, abdominals, supporting muscles in your shoulders, arms and back- just to name a few. You also raised your heart rate and really kicked your metabolism into high gear. That's what I call a great exercise.
Other ways to increase intensity
Using complex movements are just one of many ways to kick your workout intensity up a notch. Try incorporating a Super Set into your routine. To do so simply perform two or more exercises in a row and then take a short rest.
Or how about a Compound Set? Perform one exercise, rest, then perform an exercise with opposing body parts. To find exercises that compliment one another, choose ones that have similar but opposite motions such as a chest press and a row.
The key to finding the best exercise is to find the ones that bring your workout intensity to a whole new level.
I'd be shortchanging you if I named any exercise as the best. The fact of the matter is that it is a combination of changing your workouts up, using interval training, and even some good old cardio that will ultimately see you to your goal.
These methods will help you to burn more calories, increase your metabolic rate, and will stimulate the production of more fat burning and muscle toning hormones. Of course, there is more involved to achieving your fitness goals. You need to incorporate fat burning into your routine. You need to consistently challenge yourself during workouts. You need to take control of your eating habits and to get your diet dialed in.
Dr. Joseph Mercola, a well-known health advocate, has an interesting take on exercise.
He believes that it should be prescribed, like any other medication, in daily doses.
"The simple act of writing out a prescription for exercise is an excellent approach to being proactive in regard to your health. It's also far more logical, inexpensive and actually radically reduces your risk of most every chronic disease known to man. A daily exercise routine is one of the main factors in achieving optimal wellness."
Whether you think about it or not, each day you are faced with the option to get your daily does of exercise or not.
Will you find the time to hit the gym today, or will the busyness of the day leave you exhausted on the couch? Quite frankly, you don't have reasons to not do it - you only have excuses.
If you are like most then exercise isn't at the top of your list of favorite things. You'd rather be immersed in a bowl of ice cream, enjoying their favorite TV show or dining out with friends instead of sweating in the gym.
But the fact is that your favorite things add inches to your waist, and you know that a larger waist equals an increase in health problems, not to mention an overall decrease in your quality of life.
It's time to get serious about exercise.
You could start by changing your attitude toward exercise. If you go into it with a bad attitude, chances are you won't enjoy it. It's time to accept the fact that you can enjoy exercise.
Consider the following:
- Have you written off exercise based on a particular type of routine – maybe you would enjoy something different. The truth is that no one can deny how great it feels to accomplish a challenging workout. It's rewarding, invigorating and feels great. You simply need to find the right form of exercise for you.
- Try to pinpoint the main reason that you dislike exercise. Is it the uncomfortable workout clothes that you own? Maybe it is time for a new style. Is it trying to decide what machine to use at the gym? Maybe it is time for a personal trainer (more on that later). Is it the pain that you feel in your shoulder when swimming? Maybe it is time to find a new form of cardiovascular exercise - one that won't aggravate your injury.
See, the truth of the matter is that there are many different forms of exercises that will give you the results that you want. Don't like the gym? There's a program for you. Don't like running? There is an alternative. Don't have the time? There are time friendly exercise routines that will give you incredible results in under an hour.
Like I said, when it comes to exercise you have tons of options. But it all starts with ditching the excuses and asking a qualified fitness expert like me for the right program for you.
Is it really that easy? Yes.
So where do you begin? Just pick up the phone and give me a call or simply reply to this email and let me know that you're ready to get in the best shape of your life.
Exercise is your new prescription medication - don't forget to take your daily dose!
Do you wish you could change something about your life right now?
I'm here to argue that change can happen in an instant.
I know this goes against popular thought. Most people believe that change has to be worked at for months or even years. We expect to try and fail numerous times before we ultimately give up or succeed.
How many people do you know who struggle with their weight? They want to make a healthy change by getting in shape, but the change never seems to take hold.
Is there something in your life that you want to change? Do you have weight to lose? Do you have high blood pressure? Do you have a pair of pants that you wish you could fit into?
What is keeping you from making a positive change in your life?
According to professional speaker and author, Anthony Robbins, it's the getting ready to change that takes time. In the end there's a single instant when the change occurs. Robbins goes on to outline three specific beliefs that you must have in order to instantly create a lasting change.
Belief #1: Something must change.
Do you sort of want to get into shape, or do you absolutely have to lose the weight? Does dropping a few pounds sound nice, or is living another day in your current body unbearable? In order to make a lasting change you must be convinced that the time has come.
Belief #2: I must change it.
It is vital that you take full responsibility in making the change. Sure, others may assist you, but in the end you are the one who is going to make it happen. You have to need this change enough to make it your personal mission—no one else will do it for you.
Belief #3: I can change it.
Don't let past failures get in your way. The truth is that you do amazing things when you put your mind to it. Believe that you are capable of losing weight or making any other positive change in your life.
Why do most people fail to make lasting change? They leave it up to willpower. This works for awhile, but you'll always revert back to what's comfortable. The solution?
Change what you're comfortable with.
You've probably heard that humans are motivated by two things: 1) to avoid pain and 2) to gain pleasure. When you want to change a behavior pattern the key is to associate pain with the behavior that you don't want and pleasure with the behavior that you do want.
You know that you want to lose weight and that to do so you need to quit eating comfort food late at night. You also know that you need to start exercising on a regular basis. Up until this point your brain is trained to associate pleasure with eating comfort food late at night and to associate pain with exercise.
It's time to retrain your brain to feel good about exercise and to feel bad about eating late at night. Think about all of the negative things about being overweight and connect these unpleasant thoughts to your late night snack. Now think about all of the wonderful things about being in shape and connect these pleasant thoughts to exercise.
You are capable of making a big change in your life. Start by calling or emailing me for your no obligation fitness consultation.
Remember, change can happen in an instant.
With summer vacation quickly approaching, you're probably planning your next getaway.
Whether you go on a cruise, an African safari or a low-key trip to the beach, warm summer days are the best time to get away from it all.
But wait - did you know that the average person gains almost a pound a day while on vacation?
Between missed workouts, extra large restaurant meals and indulgent snacks, lazy vacation days will quickly add inches to your waistline.
So before you pack your bags for your next adventure, read the following 6 Vacation Tips and come home fitter, not fatter.
Vacation Tip #1: Make a Decision
Before you leave home, make the decision that you will NOT gain weight while on your trip.
This is the easiest step to take to make sure that you avoid weight gain, but it is also the most overlooked. Instead of leaving things to chance, harness the power of creative visualization that has been proven time and time again by go-getters such as Michael Jordan, Einstein, Napoleon and Andrew Carnegie.
Visualize what it would be like to return home fitter than when you left. Take a moment to let yourself feel the excitement that you'd experience.
Remember what accomplishing your goal feels like - this will keep you motivated throughout your trip and will help pull you through the inevitable tempting situations that you'll face.
Vacation Tip #2: Get Moving
It's easy to spend vacation days sprawled out by the pool, but the inactivity will quickly add up to extra pounds.
Choose to be active and you'll burn calories all day long while indulging in fewer unnecessary snacks. The following ideas will get you moving:
- Go on a brisk walk each day of your trip. You'll see new sights while burning off excess calories.
- Always take the stairs rather than the elevator. Talk about bonus calorie burning!
- Go on a jog in the mornings before your daily activities, or jog in the evening after the day winds down.
- If your hotel has a pool, swim a few laps each day. Swimming is a fun way to get in a full body workout.
- If your trip takes you to a place of natural beauty then go on a hike. Even while hiking at a slow or moderate pace you'll burn plenty of calories.
- Play some sports - beach volleyball, a game of hoops, Frisbee, or bike riding are all great ways to have fun while keeping fit.
Vacation Tip #3: Indulge with Portion Control
You have no choice but to eat out while on vacation. Whether you're enjoying 5 star restaurants or fast food diners, you'll be met with the same problem: huge portions.
While it is tempting to simply eat it all - you are on vacation after all - this will quickly lead to extra pounds. Use the following tips to keep your portions under control:
- When you order your meal ask for a to-go box. Take half of your meal and place it into the box before you even begin to eat. This will force you to eat a healthy portion.
- If you would rather not carry around a to-go box, ask that your entrée be made into a smaller portion. If it is dinnertime don't be afraid to ask for the lunch-sized portion.
- Pay more, and eat less. Take quality of food over quantity.
- Eat meals. Cut out snacking, stick with structured meals.
- Eat slowly, and eat foods that have been prepared slowly - that means no fast food.
Vacation Tip #4: Eat Natural Sweets
One of your biggest enemies when it comes to vacation weight gain is...sugar.
The average modern person consumes 46 teaspoons of sugar every day. The average person on vacation consumes even more than that.
Even though sugary calories taste great, the sweet pleasure comes at a high price. Here's what I mean:
- Sugar creates false hunger (as a result of the insulin rush and then ensuing plummet in blood sugar levels), which causes you overeat.
- Sugar promotes aging (due to the advanced glycation end products, or AGEs, that occur when insulin levels are consistently elevated as a result of eating too much sugar). Sugar has even been dubbed the negative fountain of youth!
- Sugar weakens your bones -making you vulnerable for osteoporosis, and weakens your teeth - making you vulnerable for cavities (both due to the calcium being pulled from your bones and teeth in order for your body to process sugar).
- Sugar in excess is stored as fat (after your liver has no more room to store it, sugar is converted to fat and deposited on your belly, thighs, hips and the backs of your arms).
So instead of eating that ice cream cone or chocolate éclair, satiate your sweet tooth with a piece of juicy fruit.
Vacation Tip #5: Don't Eat Fried Foods
While fast food restaurants are definitely convenient, with their low prices and quick service, it's really not worth the additional pounds brought on by chips and fries. As you enjoy your vacation keep this in mind: don't eat fried foods. While this is always a good plan to follow, it is even more important to abide by while traveling.
A gram of fat contains 9 calories as compared to the 4 calories that proteins and carbohydrates carry - so you can see that consuming fried foods will drastically increase your caloric intake.
Take an average potato, bake it and you have 110 calories and 0 grams of fat. Take that same potato, turn it into French fries and you have 380 calories and 18 grams of fat.
Frying food is the easiest way to dramatically increase the calorie and fat content. And you know that extra calories and fat end up as extra body fat.
Other disasters that fried foods increase your risk for include:
- Heart Disease
- Diabetes
- Clogged Arteries
- High Blood Pressure
- Obesity
- Acne
If I still haven't convinced you to pass on the curly fries, keep in mind that heartburn and indigestion are not fun...especially while on vacation. Need I say more?
Vacation Tip #6: Do this Hotel Room Workout
If your hotel doesn't have a gym, or if you'd simply prefer the privacy of your room, do this hotel room workout:
- Body Weight Squats: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Lower down into a squat position. Make sure that your knees do not go past 90 degrees. Exhale as you straighten your legs and return to the starting position. Complete 12-15 repetitions.
- Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.
- Body Weight Lunges: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Exhale as you lunge forward with your right leg. Make sure that your knee does not go past 90 degrees. Inhale as you return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Complete 12-15 repetitions.
- Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.
- Push Ups: Get into the push up position (depending on your fitness level choose to go off your knees, push off of the wall, or assume the traditional position). Inhale as you lower your chest down. Exhale as you return to the starting position. Complete 12-15 repetitions.
- Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.
- V-Ups: Sit on the edge of a chair or bed and lean back. Exhale as you drive your knees in toward your chest, squeezing your abdominal muscles. Inhale as you lower your knees back down with control. Complete 15-20 repetitions.
- Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.
Well, now you have 6 tips that will keep away the unwanted vacation pounds. You may even end up losing a pound or two while away.
But let's be honest, you want to lose more than a pound or two. You want to lose all of those extra pounds.
You may feel that the secret to achieving weight loss is just that - a secret. A mystery. You try, and try, and try but your goals are never met. Your dream body continues to stay out of reach.
In my experience the people who are unable to lose weight aren't failing due to laziness. In fact, those frustrated with their weight often put in a lot of effort - but on the wrong things. A fad diet. The latest exercise gizmo. An ineffective routine at the gym.
It's not that you aren't willing to put in the effort - you're just doing the wrong thing.
Think about this for a moment...What if this was the summer that you took control of your body? The summer that you threw your fat clothes away...the summer that you were proud to put on a bathing suit...the summer that your doctor congratulated you on your improved health...the summer that your family and friends - and that special someone - showered you with compliments.
It's possible. Even more possible than you think.
The thing is that you need to direct your effort in an effective way.
This is where I come in.
You see, for me weight loss isn't a mystery. It's my passion. I have a proven method that will dramatically transform your body into one that you are proud to be seen in.
However, I can't promise that it will be easy. You'll work hard, you'll sweat and you'll even feel sore. And before you know it you will be telling everyone you know about the amazing results you've achieved.
So as you plan your next vacation, why don't you also give yourself the gift that you really want - a new body. A tighter body. A stronger body. A healthier body.
I am here to help you do just that. Call or email now to schedule your first body-transforming workout.
Together we will come up with a fitness plan that is uniquely yours, one that fits your lifestyle and brings you promptly to your goals - something that you will appreciate while on vacation and at home.
You deserve it.
Summer has arrived and along with it the dreaded bathing suit season.
Whether you can't wait to bare it all on the beach, or if you're still working toward a weight loss goal, exercise is the key to looking and feeling great in the upcoming summer months.
But why else should you exercise? Here are the top 7 reasons to exercise this summer:
Reason #1: To Melt Fat Away
The most coveted side effect of exercise is, of course, fat burn. The combination of a challenging exercise routine and a balanced meal plan is the best known way to lose fat. Here's what losing fat feels like:
- Your pants become loose
- People around you begin to say that you look great
- A glance at yourself in the mirror makes you smile
- Your energy levels soar
- You feel amazing
Reason #2: To Alleviate Pain
Regular exercise is a great way to alleviate chronic muscle and joint pain. Persistent back pain can be lessened by strengthening your core, and you’ll protect yourself against injury. It amazes people when the chronic pain that they’ve lived with for years begins to fade after starting a regular exercise program.
Reason #3: To Increase Lean Tissue
More muscle is good for many reasons. You see, muscle requires many more calories each day than fatty tissue. In fact, one pound of muscle burns 30-50 calories each day at rest - compared to a measly 9 calories per pound of fat.
When you exercise your body composition will change to contain more lean tissue, thus resulting in extra calories burned while you sleep. What could be better than that?
Reason #4: To Stay Young
Tim D. Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College in London, led a study on the effects of exercise on aging. The results were astounding. They found that exercise appears to slow the shriveling of the protective tips on bundles of genes inside cells (called telomeres), which means a slowing of the aging process.
"These data suggest that the act of exercising may actually protect the body against the aging process," said Spector.
Here's the study in a nutshell:
- Telomeres cap the ends of chromosomes and every time a cell divides, the telomeres get shorter.
- Once a telomere gets too short, that cell can no longer divide.
- Aging occurs as more and more cells reach the end of their telomeres and die. This results in weakened muscles, skin wrinkles, loss of eyesight and hearing, organ failure and slowed metal functioning.
- The study analyzed the telomeres from the white bloods cells of twins over a 10-year period. Telomere length was used as a marker for the rate of biological aging.
- It was found that the length of telomeres was directly related to that twin's activity level. "There was a gradient," Spector said. "As the amount of exercise increased, the telomere length increased."
- People who did 100 minutes of weekly exercise had telomeres that looked like those from someone about 5-6 years younger than those who did 16 minutes of exercise each week.
- People who did 3 hours of vigorous exercise each week had telomeres that looked like those from someone about 9 years younger.
Reason #5: To Prevent or Control Type 2 Diabetes
Regular exercise helps to stabilize blood sugar levels. This is something that people with type 2 diabetes, or at risk for type 2 diabete, gain substantial benefits from.
Exercise improves the body's use of insulin, and the related weight loss improves insulin sensitivity. Of course patients with type 2 diabetes need to get guidelines from their doctor before starting an exercise program.
Reason #6: To Lower Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Levels
Exercise has shown to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels for these two reasons:
- Weak Heart Muscles pump little blood with lots of effort. By exercising you strengthen your heart muscles and train them to pump more blood with less effort. The stronger your heart is the less pressure will be exerted on your arteries.
- Exercise Increases HDL levels in some people - this means a decrease in your risk for heart disease. Other heart disease risk factors such as weight, diabetes and high blood pressure all show improvement with regular exercise.
Reason #7: To Feel Great
The first thing that clients tell me after starting an exercise program is how much better they feel.
Most didn't even realize how bad they felt. It is easy to get used to feeling sluggish, achy and unmotivated.
Exercise boosts your energy levels and makes you feel amazing.
The quickest, easiest way to guarantee that you'll meet your fitness and weight loss goals is to work one-on-one with a qualified fitness professional. You'll be held accountable with your workouts and you'll be instructed properly and shown techniques and strategies that will expedite your results.
Call or email today to get started on a program that will take the guesswork out of fitness and to set your results on fire.
What are you waiting for? Lace up your shoes and get moving!
