4fitbodies.com

I hear a lot about fatigue from clients. They tell me how tired they are, how worn out they are, how the basics of life are just exhausting. Then, they usually tell me that they will need to cancel their training or that they just find it hard to get to the gym.
This is what I call “the cycle of fatigue”. It is not in your head. It is a real problem for many people. Work, family and everyday life put stress on us and we end up shortchanging the only person who really needs help – OURSELF! When you cancel your workout or cut out things that are good for you or that you enjoy, you perpetuate the cycle. Some people have been on the fatigue treadmill for so long that they don’t even realize it. Ask yourself a few questions:
- Do you eat out A LOT?
- Do you cancel appointments (even ones with yourself) for things you enjoy?
- Does the day (or sometimes the week) go by and you feel like you didn’t accomplish anything?
I don’t have a magic bullet that is going to make your life glorious, but there is one proven way to reduce stress. EXERCISE. By canceling out on yourself, you aren’t allowing yourself to relieve stress. You also are preventing yourself from progressing and meeting your fitness goals.

Tags: Fitness, Motivation, Sports Fitness, Weight Loss by David Hansey, Personal Trainer
Comments Off

Childhood obesity has been on the rise for decades. It is easy to see why. We are more “plugged in” these days. Kids don’t play outside like they used to. For many kids, there is also a safety issue with outdoor play – the world is not what it used to be.
But as parents, we play a key role in helping our kids to learn how to become healthy adults. This does not mean forcing them to do anything. It also does mean depriving them of some of the joys of life such as ice cream or a piece of fine chocolate. It does, however, mean being a responsible parent and truly caring about your child’s health.
I see many parents forcing their kids into activities in desperate attempts to take some weight off them. But, they miss some of the REALLY BASIC steps in helping your child to make active, healthy decisions in their life.
Let’s face it. Kids HATE anything that has the appearance of work or chore. So, make it fun. You can walk a long way at the zoo or the amusement park. You can play at the playground. You can play touch football in the backyard (or even TAG!! Do you remember how fun it was to play tag!) You can ensure that your child gets to spend time with friends. They make great sports-team buddies and great gym buddies.
You can take your children bike riding. If they are liltte, you can walk, rollerblade or bike alongside. The Silver Comet trail is an AMAZING place for this as it takes away the worries about traffic and you can just relax.
As far as an eating plan for your child, speak to your doctor. All children need to learn portion control, especially with luxuries such as chocolate and desserts. Teach your child that candy and sweets are a TREAT. A bite or two tastes GREAT but they are not supposed to eat enough cake or candy to feel full. Don’t deprive them. This will only set them up to be unprepared when they have to make choices on their own.
Teach your children to sample new foods. They will hesitate but if you don’t force them, you will find that children actually like salad, fruits, veggies, etc. They just don’t like you telling them to eat it.
Love them and set the example. Spend the time and help them to live the rest of their life in the best health possible.

Tags: obesity, Sports Fitness by David Hansey, Personal Trainer
Comments Off

It is a rough time of year for many of us. We are busy, busy, busy. Some of us have final exams. Some of the Super Moms are busy keeping their families going with even more things than they normally juggle (parties, shopping, wrapping, decorating). It can leave even the best of us frazzled. But, remember you are supposed to ENJOY the holidays.
When the stress kicks in, one of the things that people tend to toss out the window is their workout. Right behind it, are good eating habits because it is so easy to pick something up rather than cook a meal. A study done by the University of Massachusetts found that eating more than a third of your meals in restaurants could increase your risk of obesity by 69% (137% if those meals are breakfast!).
If you find yourself out running around town and need to eat, choose wisely. A McDonalds Fruit and Yogurt parfait has only 160 calories and 2 grams of fat. A grilled chicken burrito from Taco Bell has 690 calories and 28 grams of fat. Choose carefully!
As for your workout – get it and DO SOMETHING! Up the intensity on your cardio so you can get it done in less time (it will also challenge your body in a different way!) Do multi-function moves for your strength training routine. Some examples are a squat with a military press or a side lunge with a lateral raise. These allow you to get more done in less time. DON’T SKIP YOUR WORKOUT – MODIFY IT. If you are unfamiliar with how to do this, call me or stop by and see me at the gym.
Maintaining a workout schedule, even if it is modified, is a critical component in battling holiday weight gain. By modifying the workout with increased intensity and multi-function moves, you are not reducing the positive effect on your body. You may even find that you enjoy the change!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Tags: Sports Fitness by David Hansey, Personal Trainer
Comments Off

Ergonomics is sometimes referred to as human engineering. It is the science of arranging and designing things that people use to make them more efficient and safer.
Ergonomics is important to everyone because we all do things that we know are not in the best interest of our body. Do you sit in a chair that is not properly aligned for your body? Does it have armrests? Are you using a dining room chair in front of your computer? You get the idea, but it is actually much more comprehensive than these basic ideas.
OSHA (The Occupational Safety and Health Administration) estimates that $9.1 Billion dollars per year would be saved by adherence to their guidelines. While it is the law that your employer provides an ergonomically safe work area, many of us are very lax when it comes to our homes. Here are just a few of the medical conditions that OSHA identifies on their web site as possible injuries or conditions that may be related to ergonomics:
- ganglion cysts
- carpal tunnel syndrome
- bursitis
- tendonitis
I am not trying to say that your work area needs a complete overhaul. However, for your own health and safety, it is probably a good idea to have a look at both your work area and areas at home to see if you can improve the conditions that could result from poor ergonomics. My mother-in-law suffered from terrible wrist pain, but was never diagnosed with carpal tunnel. Once she started doing some strength training for her forearms and bought an electric mixer for the kitchen, the pain eventually subsided.
I see a lot of people who self-diagnose. You need to visit your doctor and get a diagnosis and treatment regimen, if you have not done so. Even if you think this is a recurrence of a previous condition, your doctor is the best person to help you lay out a treatment plan and to help you determine the cause of the pain.
If you find that ergonomics are a major cause of the pain, it should be easy to fix to prevent future problems.

Tags: Sports Fitness by David Hansey, Personal Trainer
Comments Off

Unlike wrinkles and gray hair, osteoporosis is preventable. It is imperative for women to think about their future health and train to age gracefully and healthy. Strength training is a critical factor in slowing bone loss. Nutrition is another important component. The National Osteoporosis Foundation defines osteoporosis as a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to bone fragility and increased susceptibility to fractures.
Most people are aware that lifting weights is important, but here is how it affects your bones. When you lift a weight, it starts a chain reaction in your body. The muscle that you are focusing on pulls on the tendon and the tendon pulls on the bone. This forces the bone to add mass to protect itself from the load you are placing on it, thereby increasing your bone mass.
Many women fear using heavy weights because they do not want to bulk up. “Bulking up” is a myth. Women can and should lift heavy weights. It is ONLY with these heavy weights that they protect themselves from osteoporosis. According to a report in the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health and Fitness Journal, programs using only 40% to 60% of their one-repetition maximum do nothing to build bone mass. The study done by Dr. Laura Dembo and Dr. Karen McCormick found that the weight must be greater than 70% of the one-repetition maximum.
If you have never lifted weights or don’t know where to start, this may sound confusing or daunting. If so, feel free to stop me at the gym and I will be happy to answer your questions. It is important to remember to start slowly and be consistent.

Tags: osteoporosis, Sports Fitness by David Hansey, Personal Trainer
Comments Off