Buns Of Steel

Seriously I hope the 80's and the original "Buns of Steel" workouts make a come back!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Holidays (depending on what you celebrate) and a Happy New Year. Below are a few of the pictures from the Christmas Sweater Party I host every year. The sweaters get better every year and this year we even had a celebrity show up "Buddy the Elf". Enjoy!

Killer At Large

I posted a few months ago about a new documentary called "Killer At Large" that is finally showing in selected cities. The movie really zeroes in on the reasons behind our nation's obesity problem and attempts to get to the root of the problem. I think it will be very informative and hopefully educate the the American public as to why we are facing the problems that we are in regards to our nation's weight and health issues.

I have been working with one of the producers to bring the film to St. Louis and we have almost finalized the details. Hopefully by the weeks end I will be able to report that it is official, but until then check out the longer trailer here.
http://tinyurl.com/8x2lo9

Heart Health By The Numbers

Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of men and women worldwide, but you can significantly reduce that risk by knowing what risk factors you have and what you can do to reduce them. There are modifiable risk factors or factors you can control and non-modifiable risk factors that you cannot. A non-modifiable risk factor would be family history. If an immediate male family member has a history of heart problems before the age of 55, or 65 for female family members, you are automatically at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Otherwise here are the things you can control.

Heart Health Risk By The Numbers.

Blood Pressure- If consistently over 140/90 seek the advice of your primary care physician for an evaluation. Ideally less than 120/80.

Steps to Reduce Blood Pressure-Regular Exercise, Reduce Salt Intake, and Maintain a Healthy Weight

Cholesterol- LDL(Bad)-Less than 100 HDL(Good)- Greater than 40 Total- Less than 200 Triglycerides- Less than 150

Steps to Reduce Cholesterol-Regular Exercise, Reduce Dietary Cholesterol, and Maintain a Healthy Weight. "Rule Of 40" a 40 point reduction can cut your risk of a cardiac event in half!

Diabetes-Fasting Blood Sugar below 100.

Steps to Reduce Blood Sugar-Regular Exercise, Eat a Balanced Diet, and Maintain a Healthy Weight.

Obesity-Body Mass Index(BMI) of 20-24.9. 25 or higher means increased risk of cardiovascular disease. To figure your BMI divide weight in kilograms(1 kg = 2.2 lbs) by height in meters(1 meter = 39.37 inches) squared.

Steps To Reduce Obesity-Regular Exercise, Eat a Balanced Diet.

Two more risk factors that are modifiable but don't have any numbers associated with them are smoking and a sedentary lifestyle. Obviously the steps to reduce these risks would be to quit smoking and increase your physical activity. I'm sure by now you've noticed a pattern that eating a healthy diet, exercsing regularly, and maintaining a healthy body weight are the answer to many of our nations leading diseases. If you follow "The Biggest Loser" you noticed how Jerry basically reclaimed his life by taking control of the risk factors that are modifiable. So use his story or any story you need to find the inspiration to add 24 years to your life like Jerry.

Coronary Heart Disease and Exercise

Coronary heart disease(CHD) is one the leading causes of death responsible for 500,000 deaths every year and approximately 16 million people have been diagnosed with CHD. But by following a couple of specific guidelines someone who has CHD or has suffered a cardiac event can exercise safely and independently.

Always check with your primary care physician before begining to exercise on your own

Always be sure to do an appropriate warm-up and cool-down consisting of slow walking for approximately 5 minutes.

Don't push yourself so hard that you experience chest pain, but in the event be sure and call 911.

Have a cell phone handy or have a training partner present for emergency situations.

Always carry your nitroglycerin if it's been prescribed for you.

If nausea, dizziness, or shortness of breath occur be sure to cease exercising and contact a physician immediately.

Do not exercise in excessively hot, cold, or humid environments as they can increase the likelihood of previously mentioned conditions.

Regular physical activity has a positive influence on every modifiable risk factor for CHD. By starting a regular program of physical activity you can decrease blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar, as well as decreasing the desire to smoke and aid in losing excess body fat. So even if you've faced a heart attack or just want to lose a few pounds get started now.

Oprah Fell off The Wagon!

If you happen to watch any type of celebrity news shows or your local news station you've probably heard that Oprah has fallen off the wagon when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. In 2006 Oprah weighed in at 160 pounds and has since found the weight creeping back towards the 200 pound mark. After some pretty remarkable weight loss and lifestyle changes she some how got out of touch with a healthy lifestyle and has since suffered the consequences.

The first lesson to learn from her is that someone who has access to all the resources in the world like Oprah can falter when it comes to fitness and health, but it is never too late to make a change. Maybe you can relate to her problem or have a similar problem of your own, but the most important thing you can do is to take action and commit to a goal. Figure out what your goal is and don't make excuses just do what you have to in order to reach it.

I'll bet in just a few short months Oprah will have made some pretty great strides to get back to her formerly healthy self. And I'll bet before the ink can dry on the newspaper and magazine articles she'll be back in the gym working toward her new goal whatever that may be.

Adjust Your Portions to Adjust Your Waistline.

It's no secret that the American portion size has grown way out of control. It is also safe to say that most people probably don't know what a portion of meat is supposed to look like. First off what exactly constitutes a portion of meat?

3 ounces, 5 ounces, or 7 ounces?

The correct answer is 3 ounces. Now without a food scale or an idea of what 3 oz of let's say salmon would look like how are you supposed to know whether or not you're eating the correct portion. Well most people can't just eyeball a piece of salmon and figure out how much it weighs nor do they want to purchase a food scale to weigh everything they cook. So the easiest way is to relate it to something that you are familiar with. So for future reference a 3 ounce serving of meat is going to be equivalent in size to a deck of playing cards. Click HERE for more information on portion sizes and how they affect your waistline.

Is Happiness Contagious?

Have you ever been in a supermarket check out line and the cashier asks "How's it going?" I know we all have, but really think about it the next time and then respond with "I'm great thank you and how are you?" I'll bet you'll get a little smile out of them and you'll probably feel pretty good too knowing you brightened that cashiers day a little.

I think we've all heard the old adage that misery loves company but that goes for happiness too and recent evidence in the British Medical Journal supports it. The study has reported that people who are surrounded by happy people in their family and friends were more likely to remain happy. I'm not so sure we needed a study to provide that data but it sure does reinforce what a positive mental attitude can do for you and those around you.

So I challenge you either today or in the coming holidays to try and make someone you come in contact with happy!

To read the full article click here.

www.essentialfitnessSTL.com

Are Your Kids Angry?

New research shows that exercise can helps kids deal with their anger. Children who participated in an after school exercise program had found a significant impact on anger expression. That sounds like all the more reason to continue to offer more physical education programs in schools instead less. Helping kids battle an epidemic of obesity while helping them channel there anger in other ways sounds like a win win! Check out the whole article here.

The Older you Get the More Imporant Exercise is.

We all know how important exercise is, but from time to time it's always good to have proof. In a recent study performed at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill brain scans have shown that older adults who exercise an average of 3 hours a week have increased blood flow to the brain. It has been no secret that the brain functions better when you exercise regularly, and the increased vasculature and blood flow to the brain could be one of the reasons the study says. So keep your brain healthy and hit the gym!

Click Here to read the full article.

Email me at info@essentialfitnessSTL.com for your Free 2-Page Report that contains the 3 keys to successful sustainable weight loss.