| FT Magazine - OCT-NOV 2005 |
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Nutrition
The non stop marketing efforts of numerous carbohydrate diets have many people swearing off pasta and running from bread. When in reality carbohydrates are an essential macronutrient that provides you with the energy you need and a critical nutrient for your nervous system. Rediscover the wonderful health benefits of pasta in combination with fibrous carbohydrates and delicious lean proteins. Simply put, learn to eat the Italian way for a well balanced approach to pasta!
The Italian diet happens to be one of the healthiest in the world.
Eat & live well the Italian way!
The nonstop marketing efforts of numerous carbohydrate diets have many people swearing off pasta and running from bread. In reality, carbohydrates are an essential macronutrient that provides you with the energy you need and a critical nutrient for your nervous system. Rediscover the wonderful health benefits of pasta in combination with fibrous carbohydrates and delicious lean proteins. Simply put, learn to eat the Italian way for a well-balanced approach to pasta!
Anyone who has traveled in Italy knows that the Italian lifestyle is defined by a love of good food, a passion for flavor and a vibrant lifestyle. But you don't have to vacation in Rome to live "la dolce vita"-eating and living Italian style is a way of life that can be enjoyed anywhere, all year-round.
Though Italian culture emphasizes eating for enjoyment (notice you don't meet many Italians on fad diets?), the Italian diet also happens to be one of the healthiest in the world; incorporating fresh, wholesome foods that are rich in nutrients and low in unhealthy fats.
To help guide people on how to eat and live like an Italian, Barilla-the Italian food brand-partnered with a team of nutritionists to create a new model that demonstrates the Italian way of eating, as well as the various components that go into creating a perfectly balanced pasta meal. It's also worth noting that this model of eating fits well within the parameters of the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the My Pyramid Food Guidance system, so anyone who considers Italian to be their favorite cuisine can feel good about eating the Italian way while benefiting from a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Sure, there are still people who think of pasta as fettuccine smothered in fat-laden cream sauce. But traditional pasta meals are fresh, light and easy to put together with nutritious, seasonal ingredients. Pasta is a perfect delivery system to get many healthy foods in your diet-such as a variety of colorful vegetables, tomato sauce, olive oil, fish and lean cuts of poultry. And pasta is low in sodium and cholesterol-free, as well as a good source of thiamine, folic acid, iron, riboflavin and niacin.
Pasta also ranks among children's favorite foods-especially when they can help prepare the meal. "Cooking pasta together is an easy way to get your family eating and communicating better," said Lynn Fredericks, author of Cooking Time is Family Time. "Let kids choose the pasta shape, help chop vegetables, set the table-cooking is a lot more fun when everyone pitches in."
Start experimenting with different variations on pasta meals to keep dinnertime interesting and healthy. For starters, try these recipes for typical Italian dishes that offer exceptional taste and nutrition. For many more authentic pasta meal recipes as well as tips on eating, cooking and living the Italian way, visit the new Barilla America website at www.barillaus.com.
Farfalle With Chicken and Chard
Serves 4-6
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 bunch swiss chard, ends removed and leaves torn
1 cup chicken broth
1 box Barilla Farfalle
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, onion, pepper and garlic. Cook and stir 5 minutes.
3. Fill large pot with lightly salted water and bring to boil.
4. Add chard to skillet and vegetables and stir, mixing thoroughly until wilted.
5. Add chicken broth and remaining salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is cooked through.
6. While broth is heating, cook farfalle. Drain and return to pot.
7. Add chicken mixture to hot farfalle; toss. Transfer to serving platter and sprinkle with cheese and chopped parsley.
White Bean Pasta e Fagioli
Serves 4
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 small carrots, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 bunch broccoli rabe, excess stems removed, torn
1/2 bunch kale, excess stems removed, torn
1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes
2 (15-ounce) cans canellini beans, drained and rinsed
5 cups chicken broth
1 cup Barilla Ditalini
1/4 cup chopped parsley, divided
1 tablespoon chopped oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1. Heat olive oil in large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Sauté 3-4 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
2. Add greens and stir until wilted.
3. Add tomatoes, squashing them gently by hand over pot to break them apart. Add remaining juice of tomatoes as well.
4. Add beans and chicken broth.
5. Add ditalini, 2 tablespoons parsley, oregano, pepper and salt. Bring to boil and cook 10-12 minutes or until pasta is tender.
Completing the Fat Loss Puzzle
By Pete Piranio BS, CSCS
Everyone wants the answer and diet to fix their weight loss problems. And everyone wants it to be easy and quick. The fact is, quick weight loss is unhealthy, it's not long term and is not reality. The reality is that my staff and I have had tremendous success along these lines, but it involves effort and the right strategy.
I know what you're thinking. The infomercials touting super-tummy-trimmers and the diet programs that remove an essential nutrient promise it to be easy. The diet centers and drug companies have the key, right? At least they want you to believe that. Unfortunately, although this article may not tell you what you want to hear-it is what you need to hear.
Before giving you my five step strategy, here are some ground rules. First, you have to work on your mental muscle. You have to believe you can lose the weight. If you don't believe you will not achieve.
Our beliefs are what guide us to be successful or unsuccessful at anything we do. Think about that for a moment. What have you done that you were very successful at? Chances are you believed you would be successful. And what have you been disappointed about? Did you think before you started that you wouldn't be successful? The same applies to losing fat. You have to start creating thoughts that you will lose the fat. These thoughts will soon become your beliefs and you will lose fat!
Second, tune out all the infomercial magazine misinformation. If you listen to that and your initial progress using the five steps is slower than you would like, you'll second guess what you're doing and give up too early
There, now that you're in the right frame of mind for successful weight loss, let's move on to the next step-exercise and eating right.
You've probably seen programs that tell you to eat right and exercise, but you are rarely given a complete strategy. They may list what to eat or what exercise machine to use, but there's not a synergistic connection of the two. That's about to change. I'm about to share a five-part exercise and nutrition proven that has proven to be the fad-free and hype-free ultimate fat loss strategy.
First, I'll list all five parts of the fat loss puzzle, then address them one at a time.
1. Perform resistance exercise in supersets for 30 - 45 minutes per day, 4 days per week.
2. Perform staggered intensity aerobic exercise immediately following resistance 20 -30 minutes.
3. Eat 5-6 meals per day, every 3-3 1/2 hours; 1/3 of each meal should include a protein.
4. Avoid simple sugars, refined carbs and avoid adding saturated or hydrogenated fats to foods.
5. Implement a high-low caloric consumption.
It is important that all five parts be implemented together. Some people may want to pick one or two parts and hope it will be their answer-it will not. Each step works synergistically with the other. One missing link will drastically decrease your results.
Step number 1: Perform resistance exercise in supersets for 30 - 45 minutes per day, 4 days per week and with each set taking you to momentary muscle failure.
Exercise until the muscle is fatigued and you feel you can't do another repetition (momentary muscle failure). Always remember to use strict form and controlled speed. Organize your exercises into super-sets. For example, perform an exercise using one muscle group then immediately follow it with another exercise using a different muscle group, then rest (1 minute) and repeat. Super-sets can greatly increase calorie expenditure and workout efficiency.
Resistance training is critical to taking control of your metabolism and increasing muscle tone. Resistance training (weight training) is an often underrated component of a successful fat loss strategy. You must always work to increase-or at least maintain-the muscle you have or you risk not optimizing your metabolism. This training is one component to helping you do just that. A minimal amount of muscle can make a significant impact on your long term fat loss.
Step number 2: Perform staggered intensity aerobic exercise immediately following resistance for 20 - 30 minutes.
Here's great news on how to take the boredom out of exercise that many people experience. Stop starving yourself and stop spending an hour on the treadmill. The myth that lots of aerobic exercise helps you lose fat is stopping many people from getting the results they desire. The only thing excessive aerobic exercise does is diminish your resolve and decrease your lean muscle.
Instead, perform staggered intensity aerobic exercise for 20-30 minutes after a resistance training workout. In other words, perform efficient and engaging aerobic exercise, not long boring and counter productive aerobic exercise. Follow your resistance training workout with aerobic exercise to maximize fat utilization. Vary the intensity from high to low throughout the aerobic session and you will increase caloric expenditure, increase the efficiency of your aerobic workout and decrease your boredom by being engaged, rather than staring off into space. Even if you are a beginner, vary the intensity. For example, walk at a slow pace for 3 minutes, then increase to a moderate pace for 2 minutes, and then add a short speed walk for 30 seconds. After completing this cycle repeat it for a total of 20 minutes.
Step number 3: Eat 5-6 meals per day, every 3-3 1/2 hours; 1/3 of each meal should include a protein.
What if you were told you could lose weight by eating more often? It's true. Many of the struggles Americans have with weight are due to skipping meals and then bingeing when they get home from work. On top of that, you actually will slow your metabolism down by skipping meals. Your body perceives it is starving and makes metabolic adaptations to compensate.
By skipping meals in an effort to lose weight you are actually doing more harm than good. You can fire up your metabolic furnace by consuming five meals a day and making a third of each meal a lean protein. You will control your appetite, increase your metabolism and let your body know you are providing it with consistent calories throughout the day and therefore it can release fat stored for energy during exercise.
Step number 4: Avoid simple sugars, refined carbs and avoid adding saturated or hydrogenated fats to foods.
Here's the "eat right" part where we learn about the notorious nutritional enemies of fat loss-better known as sugars and refined carbohydrates. But don't get me wrong, I am not advocating a low carbohydrate diet, absolutely not! We need to understand the difference between good carbohydrates and undesirable carbohydrates. Simple sugars and refined carbohydrates would qualify as undesirable ones. Simple sugars would be anything ending in "ose" (glucose, sucrose, fructose, etc.) and most of the foods we normally consider "sweets." Fruit juice, sugared cola, cakes and cookies (even those labeled "fat free") contain enough sugar to throw pancreatic hormones completely out of balance severely limiting the potential for fat release.
Sugar intake can also lead to erratic energy levels, food cravings and sudden fatigue due to insulin spikes and residual blood sugar drops. Refined carbs include white flour and bleached and processed grains. These foods have very little actual nutritional value and the carbs are rapidly broken down into glucose which takes us into the simple sugar challenge. In addition, they are easily converted into triglycerides and stored as fats.
Speaking of fats, the essential fats are vital (as the name implies), but the fats that are solid at room temperature, such as the fats in a marbled steak, butter or the hydrogenated oils found in butter substitutes, have little place in an effective fat loss program. By developing an awareness of these sabotage foods, you'll be equipped to make better nutritional choices, keeping fat release at its peak.
Step number 5: Implement a high-low caloric consumption.
If you are a person that does not find tracking calories to be an absolute pain, then the following technique can be a valuable tool in your fat loss tool box. If you do not like tracking calories, however, then simply visually decrease and increase your portion sizes as I explain.
To amplify fat loss, you can employ a technique called the high-low caloric stagger. In other words, you alternate a "regular" day, where you consume lean protein, starch and fiber (visually equal portions) every 3 hours, with a lower calorie-higher protein day. Now, lower calorie just means slightly smaller portion sizes, but not so small that you are starving. You must honor your hunger. On the "protein day" you eliminate the starch and increase the protein size (in each meal) by approximately 25 percent. This manipulation of calories and carbs allows the body to release and access greater volume of stored fat with reduced likelihood of muscle loss.
The higher protein on the lower calorie days provides ample amino acids to prevent the body from turning to muscle as a fuel source on your lower calorie day. Do not repeat more than two days of either a high or low day. The end result is a reduction in weekly caloric intake without the protective mechanisms that act to slow metabolism in times of calorie deprivation, and fat loss is amplified, leaving your metabolism stoked.
This nutritional system works well for four weeks, but to keep the body from adapting, it's best to return to a more balanced nutritional program immediately following the fourth week. If additional fat loss is desired, consider employing this system again after 8 weeks of balanced nutrition with a consistent caloric intake.
There you have the fad-free and hype-free ultimate five step fat loss strategy that I have used successfully with many of our clients. By incorporating all five steps you can effectively achieve the body transformation you desire and enjoy the process as well.
Supplement Solutions
By Ben Altgilbers BA, MS ed, CSCS
Supplements range from the addition of a simple multi-vitamin, to pills and drinks packed with caffeine and other stimulants designed to increase energy and suppress appetite. Some supplements can have serious side-effects bordering on extreme; others may be viable options to include in a healthy diet and lifestyle. No matter what the supplement, however, one simple fact remains: A supplement, even by definition, is only an "addition" to a healthy diet and overall lifestyle.
No supplement will ever be as good as the proper diet of natural foods, nevertheless, supplements can be beneficial additions to a person's diet. Often the realities of everyday life make maintaining the proper balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fats wishful thinking. One particular example of supplements that can prove helpful is "meal replacements."
Over the past few years, literally hundreds of new products have surfaced calling themselves "meal replacements, such as bars, shakes and powders, with varying amounts of protein, carbohydrates, fat and sugar. With so many brands, flavors and ingredients to choose from, it's hard to make a decision.
A quick look at the nutritional information on the package can indicate whether the meal replacement you are considering is a good option for you. Examining the balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats, and being aware of sugars, many products can be eliminated right away. First, products claiming to be meal replacements, but comprised of nearly all protein and minimal to no carbohydrates, are really just protein supplements. A true meal replacement should contain 50-60 percent carbohydrates, 30-40 percent protein, and no more than 15-20 percent fat, with minimal amounts of saturated fat.
The other important thing to look at is the sugar content. Though listed separately, sugar is a carbohydrate and is indicated as such in the nutritional totals. Products high in sugar will negatively affect blood sugar and insulin levels, resulting in increased fat storage. Therefore, many of these so-called meal replacements are nothing more than glorified soft drinks and candy bars.
Other ingredients vary, such as types of protein. While the combinations, quantities and quality of proteins are difficult to determine, there are generally two main choices when it comes to most bars, shakes and powders-either whey or soy protein. Depending on what works best for you, both can be good choices.
Whey protein is derived from cow's milk. Whey protein isolate contains little to no fat, lactose or cholesterol, and is a great source of the essential amino acids (considered the building blocks for lean muscle and healthy tissue) required in the daily diet.
Soy protein can be another option for those who experience intolerance or allergies to whey, as well as for vegans and some vegetarians. Derived from soy beans, soy protein is easily digestible and has been proven to enhance the immune system function. Soy, while still a good option for some, is not a complete protein. Soy can combine with whole grains in the diet, however, to make up a complete protein source.
Aside from the protein/carbohydrate/fat balance, sugar content and type of protein, the other factors determining which product to choose are price, quantity, convenience and taste. Pre-made shakes and bars can often be convenient on-the-go options, while powders can be mixed with a variety of drinks and can also be a quick option for a meal. Prices vary and may be lower when purchased in quantities. After that, taste may be the biggest factor in deciding which product to choose. There are various forms of sugar substitutes and when combined with other ingredients, will often determine which product you prefer.
The best advice is to simply start with a variety of products that meet your criteria regarding convenience, price, taste, ingredients and nutrient balance, and find the one that you like the best. Meal replacements should not be used on a consistent basis. Think of them more as an "insurance policy" to meet the necessary daily requirements for nutrition, and to help support workouts and strenuous activity. Only a dedication to consistent proper nutrition and exercise will help you achieve your optimal health and fitness level. And think of supplements as an occasional way to maintain that consistency and hold it all together.
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Real People - Real Results
Tracy Gest, 2005 Miss Wisconsin
By Jeanette Hurt
Fitness Together's success stories don't usually end up on national television, but that's exactly where Tracy Gest is headed. As the new Miss Wisconsin, Tracy will compete for the crown of Miss America this January, and Fitness Together continues to play a role in her accomplishments.
Tracy, 20, of Menomonee Falls, began working with Fitness Together a year-and-a-half ago-before she even started the pageant ladder. Just before leaving to speak to a service group, Tracy and Fitness Together consultant Pete Piranio sat down to discuss her experiences.
Why did you choose Fitness Together?
Tracy: "Actually, it was my mom who discovered it first. We were looking at various fitness places, and we drove by and saw their Brookfield office. We stopped in and this has turned out to be the best thing ever. A lot of places tell you, 'Oh, yeah, sure, we'll do that,' but they really don't give you the assistance you need. At Fitness Together, they jumped in and helped me right away.
"The one thing Fitness Together did that other workout places didn't is they did evaluations from the beginning, and they take your measurements, and they ask you what you want, what your goals are. Then, they help you solely in the areas you need improvement. That was really nice because that's what I needed for Miss Wisconsin-to get help because there were certain areas I needed to work on."
And what were those problem areas?
Tracy: "As far as the fitness aspect, what I was really looking for was muscle tonation. And I got that-I was the preliminary winner of the swimsuit competition for Miss Wisconsin-I know that it paid off."
Pete: "With Tracy, it was more fine tuning than anything else. But we couldn't just isolate certain areas or her body would have become dysfunctional. And posture-wise, it's critical to have muscle tone that is evenly balanced. If you're walking the runway, you need to have excellent posture."
Tracy: "That, too, was a major improvement. I can't tell you the comments I've gotten about my good posture. I remember when running for Miss New Berlin, everybody constantly said things about my posture, and I had never really gotten that before. That was the other thing when I first came here Pete had mentioned it would be a good idea to work on-my posture."
Pete: "We needed to not only look at the fitness side, but we had to add better posture and strengthen her back. One of the first things I noticed was that we needed to pull her shoulders back."
What does posture have to do with lifting weights?
Tracy: "A lot, actually. We did a lot of posture-related exercises that were incorporated into my monthly workouts-like reverse flies, etc."
Pete: "When we do an initial assessment, a person's posture can actually tell us what muscles are weak, what muscles are tight. And having rounded shoulders, like Tracy did when she first came here, can indicate a weak upper back or tightness in upper pectorals. We also worked on increasing her flexibility in her chest area and upper back."
Besides learning about good posture, what else has Fitness Together given you?
Tracy: "I would say that the strength and energy I have come completely from Fitness Together. I was active before coming here, I was a dancer, but there were muscles I did not use that now have helped me, even outside of walking in a swimsuit on a runway. I can also run three miles pretty easily because of the endurance I've built up."
What did you do before, did you lift weights?
Tracy: "No, not at all. I would walk in a gym and I'd see the machines, but I didn't know how to use them. But I know now, especially the free weights, I did a lot of work with them; and the physioball has become my new best friend."
Before coming to Fitness Together, what were your exercise habits like?
Tracy: "I usually just did a lot of aerobics and running. But I didn't do any muscle conditioning at all. It was kind of a reality check when I came here. It took me by surprise. There were muscles I had never used before."
Pete: "One of the biggest mistakes people make when they're trying to lose body fat is they do aerobic exercise, but they don't combine that with a strength training component. You can do all the aerobics you want, but you can actually decrease your amount of muscles if you do too much aerobics and you don't combine that with muscle strengthening."
Besides combining weights with aerobics, do you have any other fitness or life beauty tips to share?
Tracy: "Nutrition is another really important area that goes hand in hand with your workouts. I know a lot of people think - oh, beauty pageants, it's probably just a diet of starvation. But it's not. I wouldn't have the energy to do what I do if I wasn't eating correctly. It's really a lot about protein, and from discussing nutrition with my trainers here, I have added a lot of protein to my diet - more fish than I ever had, more chicken, and the protein shakes Pete recommended."
Pete: "Logically, you think, if I eat less, I'll lose fat, but it's completely inaccurate. If you eat too little, you will lose muscle, and that will slow your metabolism down."
How would you describe a healthy diet?
Tracy: "My platform is diabetes because my father has been a diabetic for 38 years. If you look at a diabetic's diet, there are things you do. When we eat spaghetti, we don't use regular noodles, we use whole wheat noodles - it's just something that's healthier for you. People are afraid of the four letter word diet, so when I speak about it, I always say proper nutrition. That is also something I took from here. It's nothing about diets, it's all about proper nutrition, and it's everything in moderation. That's really what I've been preaching since I've been Miss Wisconsin. People think carbs are bad, but carbs aren't bad-it's just what carbs you're eating."
Pete: "Actually, if you look at diabetic's diet-things like the frequency of meals to stabilize insulin levels, for example-for someone who wants to lose weight, it's the perfect model."
When you're not working out at Fitness Together or making an appearance for Miss Wisconsin, how do you spend your time?
Tracy: "I am a junior communications major at Carroll College, but because of the pageant, I have taken a year off. As Miss Wisconsin, I spend a lot of my time volunteering and speaking on my platform of diabetes. I also recorded my first CD, and that's called Keys to a Cure. All the proceeds of the CD go toward diabetes research. The CD costs $10 plus $2 for shipping and handling, and you can order it from my website about Miss Wisconsin, http:\\embark.totracy.com"
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Get Going
Unleashing Your Internal Power
By Pete Piranio, BS, CSCS
Would you like to make a few changes to your life-lose a few pounds...get in better shape...live the life you've always dreamed of?
In this article I would like to share the "secret" or the most important factor in achieving your health and fitness goals. In fact, I believe it is the key to success in any of your life goals.
Probably the most difficult part of starting an exercise program for most is fear. The fear of the unknown, the fear of failure or the fear of not staying motivated long enough to get results. I have done hundreds of consultations with clients and the number one reason they choose personal training with us over a health club or gym is motivation. They need the accountability of a scheduled appointment with a trainer to exercise. And that is fine, but it is still not enough. We can't be with a client 24 hours a day. The people that get the greatest results unleash the power within. They have the motivation to implement the strategies and concepts revealed in this magazine.
Don't worry, it is not just a matter of having motivation or not having motivation. You can find the motivation or drive by simply understanding what motivation really is and knowing how to find yours. Simply put, you can master the science of achievement, which will lead you to extraordinary physical transformation.
The bottom line is that people have within them a force that is so powerful that once they unleash or tap into it, there is nothing that can keep them from accomplishing their goals. The force that makes successful people more successful, and happy people even happier, is the same force that makes unhappy people more unhappy. It's what causes the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer. This force is the force of emotion. Learn the science behind emotion and you will find the secret to making a health and fitness lifestyle change.
Whenever people fail to achieve their goals-more money, a better career, a healthier, more fit body -- most of the time those people will tell you it's because of a lack of resources. They didn't have the time, the energy, the money, etc. They believed that they were missing something and that belief structure is what kept them from being able to succeed.
Think about it, if you really needed the money, if you were creative enough, could you find a way? You bet. Emotions of creativity, determination, commitment, love and vision are all examples of your ultimate force. If you want to know one of the differences between someone who achieves fat loss or improved fitness and someone who doesn't, it is emotional fitness, your internal force.
In some cases, the emotion finds them. For example, a new disciple of exercise and healthy nutrition may have been created out of a sudden heart attack or learning that they are diabetic. Unfortunately, for some it takes a life changing event or scare to give them the force to make a change in their life.
However, let's not wait for emotion to find us. Let me share with you a science to finding your emotional force, three steps to developing your "motivation" and making a health change in your life.
First, you must raise your standards and expect more of yourself. The most important step you take is expecting more of yourself. You can't accept that the way you are is the way you will always be. I suggest making a list of all the things you will no longer accept or tolerate. Write it down, you need to see it on paper and review it on a regular basis. Seeing this list will be a foundation in building your emotional juice.
I would also suggest creating a personal vision statement. Just as a company creates a vision for what it will achieve, you must know what your objective is, or how can you make the right decisions? All your decisions (exercising or not exercising) must be in line with your objective. These exercises are now your standards, but these exercises will do you no good unless you consistently review your standards to give you the emotional force you need to succeed.
Secondly, if you raise your standards but don't really believe you can meet them, you've already sabotaged yourself. You won't even try. You'll be lacking that sense of certainty that allows you to find the deepest of internal drive.
Our beliefs are commands, telling us how things are, what's possible and what's impossible, and what we can and cannot do. All of this occurs at an unconscious level and most of our actions and decisions are made at an unconscious level only to be supported later by our conscious thoughts. In other words, logic comes in after you have probably already made up your mind with unconscious thoughts.
Beliefs shape our actions, thoughts and feelings. Disbeliefs are ingredients for certain failure. Changing our limiting beliefs is central to making any real and lasting change in our lives.
The final step after changing your standards and beliefs is making a strong commitment. You must find a way to make a commitment that binds you to achieving your goal. Tell a friend, spouse, co-worker what you plan on doing. Tell someone who you wouldn't want to disappoint. This emotional pressure can help you find the resources (time, money, education) that you need to accomplish your objective because many times it is not a lack of resources, it is a lack of emotional force.
Don't rely on luck or chance. Get the right education and direction (technology) you need to make a positive health and fitness change in your life, but don't stop there. Just as playing the piano is a skill and needs practice, so does developing your emotional force for success. Utilize these three steps to develop your skills, live life and be fit!
Put Your Spine in Neutral
By Jeanette Hurt
 A high-powered Milwaukee area executive came into Dr. Daniel Murray's chiropractic and health center, the Lake County Health Center in Delafield, complaining of low back pain. He went in for an examination on the urging of his trainer at Fitness Together. "He was in a lot of pain," Dr. Murray recalled. "As an executive, he worked behind a desk, and as the day went on, the pain would get progressively worse, the longer he sat there. When he came to me, his concern was 'Am I hurting myself by working out because my back pain is continuing?'"
This executive's question is a common one: does chronic pain-especially low back pain-preclude one from exercising? "You would have to be in a severe situation where you couldn't exercise at all," Dr. Murray said. "There's nearly always some exercise that can be done-especially if you start out simple. You don't want to run before you can walk."
Exercise, in fact, typically reduces the amount of time necessary for healing, and it helps patients become a part of their own care. Studies even show that the number one predictor for successful low back pain treatment is a person's strength and endurance, both of which can be enhanced by exercise.
But not all exercise is created equal, and when your body is experiencing a dysfunction-such as suffering from chronic pain-there are some forms of exercise that will not reduce the pain, and may actually greatly aggravate it. "When there's already a dysfunction, you're potentially creating more harm if you're working something," Dr. Murray explained.
That's why it's of paramount importance to have a trainer who understands the skeletal-muscular system, someone who knows what movements can overstress or worsen a body's limitations. "Before we work with any client, we go through a four-step process, and throughout this process, we assess a person to determine what his or her limitations are," explained Pete Piranio of Fitness Together. "In this process, if there's something of concern, we make sure they have that checked out with a medical professional."
When there is a specific concern, it's also important for a person's trainer and doctor to communicate to prevent any injuries or further aggravations. "If we have concerns, we'll contact a client's chiropractor or doctor," Piranio said. "We want to know what types of movements they'd like us to avoid, and we also want to know if there are any areas that they would like us to improve, areas that would be beneficial to work on as a way of reducing pain."
In the Milwaukee executive's case, eliminating or reducing exercise was not necessary-in fact, he didn't miss any of his training sessions while he was under Dr. Murray's treatment, and his low back pain was successfully eliminated after three visits.
But in the course of his treatment, Dr. Murray also had him eliminate one exercise practice that was adding to his back pain: his habit of doing 1,000 sit-ups a day, which he decided to do on his own. "He was really into exercise, and this was absolutely the wrong thing for him to do," Dr. Murray said. "I advised him 'Stop that completely, and listen to the consultants at Fitness Together, and they'll lead you in the right direction.'"
The wrong exercise, which in this case was 1,000 sit-ups a day, adding to his chronic low back pain, and that's why it's crucial to listen to both your trainer and your doctor. "That's really the hard part," Piranio said. "We can assist our clients when they're here with us, but we can't control what they do outside of here, and a lot of times, people feel that more is better. When we tell someone 'We need you to do three sets, max, of upper abdominal exercise,' very often they can't believe it."
"It's really quality not quantity," Dr. Murray added. "Exactly 12 repetitions done correctly is better than 100 repetitions done incorrectly."
One important concept to keep in mind while exercising-whether you suffer from a chronic ailment or not-is neutral spine. Doing exercises while flat or hyperextended can set a person up for injuries. "I don't know how many times I've walked into a health club and about 90 percent of the people using the machines are doing things wrong," Dr. Murray said. "I am tempted to give them my business card and tell them 'You're eventually going to need to see me because what you're doing is going to injure your body.'"
The neutral spine is a position in which the spine is in the proper alignment. In its natural position, the spine is not completely straight, nor is it deeply contorted. The spine has curves in the upper and lower regions of the back. And while the spine is held in its proper position, the body's ears, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles are aligned as well. A neutral position allows the body to function from its strongest, most balanced position.
Exercising properly will not aggravate your spine, and a knowledgeable trainer will help you keep your body in appropriate alignment while you are exercising. "It comes back to the biomechanics of the body," Piranio explained. "When you're exercising, you need to have your body in the position it was designed to be in. If you're hyperextended, your lower back was not designed to sit in that position and take a load on your shoulders and your arms. You need to know how different joints were designed to work, and when you are exercising, you need to keep that in mind.
" Exercising incorrectly is just as bad as working in a physical or hazardous occupation. You can create just as much harm to your body through improper exercise as if you were a guy who was lifting bricks all day."
Correct exercise, under the guidance of a trainer, can help heal the body's ailments. "Very often, inflexibilities and muscular imbalances can create weakness," Piranio said. "Our primary approach is to examine where that weakness is, where the inflexibilities are. A lot of time, deconditioned muscles can lead to chronic pain."
Through a proper program of exercise, many times pain will be eliminated as a person's static and dynamic strength is developed. Good exercise can also help develop better posture, which can also assist in alleviating problems such as chronic back pain. "If you're sitting with poor posture all day, you're body is adapting to that," Piranio said. "But correct exercise can help counter that. Exercise can be even more critical to balance out the muscular-skeletal system," he added.
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Dr. Daniel Murray heads the Lake Country Health Center in Delafield specializing in sports injury, chiropractic care, acupuncture, nutrition and massage. |
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