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March 13, 2008
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Getting Fit is Common S.E.N.S.E.
By David Jack
Many of our Mission Fit clients (who are awesome by the way, great workout Wednesday night!) are interested in losing weight, getting more fit and "toning up". Mostly, they just want to look and feel better. Most of us know what it takes to accomplish this, it is just reconnecting with and being more accountable to those things that get us over the top. We have created an acronym called SENSE because fitness is really not that hard, it is all about common sense. Find a way to manage the following areas of your live more efficiently and appropriately and good things will happen:
S. - Sleep/Rest - They are different, but both are critical. When we sleep we heal, we repair, our body regenerates and runs its life-saving diagnostics. It is imperative to workout recovery, proper metabolism, nervous system function and TONS of other things that really matter...find your range and get at least 7-8 hours a night, more if you need it sometimes. If you get stuck, a 10-15 minute power nap can work wonders. Rest does the same, be careful not to overtrain when you are committed to a new fitness goal.
E. - Exercise/Activity - Exercise increases heart health, burns calories and has been studied to be the world's most effective anti-depressant...BAR NONE! Without it we are on treacherous ground, and our fitness/wellness goals are absolutely unattainable. The national government encourages 1 hour of physical activity each day for adult Americans. This activity should include strength training to build and preserve lean muscle and bone density, cardiovascular fitness and what we call therapeutic fitness, the fun stuff you love to do that is not always hard work...pick up basketball, bowling, walking your dog, hiking, whatever you love that revives your mind and spirit.
N. - Nutrition (includes hydration) - Nutrition is another critical aspect of our wellness. It is, literally, our fuel to survive. We should consider eating 5 smaller meals per day, focusing on lean proteins (like chicken and fish), fruits and veggies (green leafy are best), complex carbs (whole grain foods with fiber in them) and essential fats (some of the best are mono-unsaturated like olive oil, fish oils, seeds and nuts). We MUST eat breakfast, which kick-starts your day and your metabolism. Miss this and you miss the boat! More calories earlier in the day, less carbohydrates at dinner and a few healthy snacks between breakfast and lunch and lunch and dinner. Limit or avoid the biggies: sugar, refined carbs, fried foods, soda and candy. Drink plenty of water and start first thing in the morning, At a measly 2% dehydrated proper body function becomes impaired. CONSIDER THIS: EAT TO LIVE or LIVE TO EAT?!
S. - Stress Management - Stress is a killer, literally. It leads to increased blood pressure, heart disease and a host of other negative medical conditions, not to mention short-circuiting your personality, behaviors and your life. It also helps you store more fat, help you would gladly choose not to accept! Create your own stress thermometer. Identify situations that start your temperature rising and deal with them early. Plan ahead, get more organized, these things help. If you can become aware of your stress and when it starts to rise, you can better deal with it before it is too late. Did we mention that exercise is GREAT for stress management?! Another tip is to step away from your desk when you get tense...take a walk, get some water, stretch a bit and breath...smile and get back at it!
E. - Equalize - This is our unsung hero...your life is chaotic and variable. It changes all the time. Though we try (and should) to systemize some things and plan ahead, we cannot control, nor should we try to, the fluidity of our journey. However, we only have 100% to work with. Picture an equalizer on a stereo...you are listening to rock music and turn to classical, it doesn't sound right, you adjust the equalizer levers and voila thats better. Same with our lives...we can not add more work, family crises or whatever new variable, and expect our lives to sound right. Something has to "come down" as other demands go up. Fitness, like other areas of our life, may need to be modified to manage. If our other priorities rise, fitness might need to come down for a while. Believe it's OK, let it go, it is what it is...but don't let it dissappear. Make your adjustments, maintain the best you can, and return to normal as soon as possible. This can apply to all other areas of your life.
Most of all find what works for you, consider the basics and have some fun...fitness should be fun, challenging and it should be a regular part of your life, as it will help you live it in all areas so much more richly!
DJ
March 5, 2008
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Build your base now for great results later
By David Jack
The current Mission Fit program just completed its second week of coach-led training. The past 4 sessions have focused on identifying each participants level of fitness, body awareness and ability to train pain free. The coaches have focused on "knocking the rust off" and teaching proper form in each activity we have prescribed. We have been careful to clean up our clients form on the squat, lunge, core work and basic movement patterns. By taking our time early and building the right "base" for everyone, we will be able to safely and properly progress as the weeks pass. When form is good, increased speed and intensity can follow, never the other way around. We call that model short-term gain, long-term pain. Poor form and starting too fast will always wind up short-circuiting somewhere...whether it is overtraining, and/or injury.
Long story short...take your time, do it right and you will be able to progress properly and safely in your own workouts. 20 lbs does not come on overnight, it does not have to disappear overnight. Do it safe, take your time and it will stay off while you stay healthy.
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