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How the Seasons Affect Fitness Motivation

Weekly Motivation

Dr. John R. Sharp, who teaches at Harvard and UCLA, has been practicing psychiatry for two decades. He brings his wisdom to the masses with The Emotional Calendar, a book of case studies and advice on recognizing and understanding the annual cycle of your emotions in relation to the four seasons. Here’s a re-cap of the Doc’s main pointers and how to tailor them for a healthy, active lifestyle throughout the year.

Motivation: It’s hard to get yourself out the door to train in the dead of winter or the dog days of summer. When you feel a lack of motivation, acknowledge it, identify how the weather outside affects you, then figure out how to make yourself accountable for getting a move on. A simple way to do this is to set up regular training dates with a buddy.

Thought patterns: When you start thinking you can’t, nip that thought in the bud. Defeatist thinking naturally happens when we’re tried physically, mentally, or emotionally. It’s important to notice when these thoughts pop into your head so you can counteract them with self-motivating, positive thoughts. Simply put, tell yourself: “Yes, I can.” And believe it.

Stimulation: It’s easy to fall into a rut physically and mentally if you do the same activity every day. Bring excitement back into your training routine by switching what you do day-to-day. For example, you could alternate the type of workout you do every other day, vary your routine from week to week, and/or incorporate a new activity into your routine every month.

Mindfulness: Take a cue from the Buddhists and start practicing mindfulness. It’s a meditation technique that encourages the act of paying attention. Learning to pay attention to what’s going on in your mind, body, and external environment will foster self-awareness. And being self-aware is critical to a sound mind and body. If you’re feeling down, figure out why so you can isolate and address the cause. Same thing if you’re feeling good; figure out the cause so you can use it to trigger those good vibes when you need to in the future.

Attitude Adjustments: This goes with mindfulness. Monitor your thoughts and moods throughout the day to see what triggers negative and positive emotions. Once you recognize how you feel, try to pinpoint the cause, then work to control your thoughts so that you actively choose how to respond to your internal and external environment, instead of reacting blindly.

Social Awareness: Pay attention to how others affect you. Other people’s moods and attitudes could influence yours, and your mood could affect your physical performance and even your attitude about training. Try to find a workout partner with equal, or more, motivation as you. If you prefer solo workouts, try keeping up with the latest on athletes you admire to get inspired.

Work/Life Balance: It’s good to work hard. Balance that out with play. If you work 40+ hours a week, it’s easy to be overwhelmed with your responsibilities. You can combat work-related anxiety with leisure time. If you like to play hard, even better. A good workout will give you that endorphin-high and re-set your mind and body so you can be more focused at work.

Fruits and veggies
Diet/Nutrition: What you eat can help or hurt your health. Eating foods with high nutrition value at proper moments in the day will fuel your workouts and everything else you have to do. Food also helps with mood. If you’re cranky, eat something. You’ll feel better.

Sleep: It’s common sense yet often overlooked. Getting your eight hours of z’s every night is crucial to good physical and mental health. Your body and mind need that time to process your daily activities and re-charge.

Homeostasis: We all have natural comfort levels, and we spend a lot of energy trying to maintain that homeostasis. If you’re at your natural level, you feel both rested and energized, and you’re pretty much in your happy place, which enables you to do what you need and want. It’s up to you to determine what that happy place is and what gets you there so you can re-balance yourself whenever necessary.

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“Why Does Fat Loss STOP?”

Nutrition, Training

by John Romaniello

Storing Fat – So Easy a Caveman Could Do It

As you probably know, a lot of the problem with fat loss is just simple genetics; even if your family isn’t an example of fat loss hardship, it’s important to consider the longer view.

And, as you can probably tell by my not-so-clever title, you’re not just competing against your own genes – you’re working against the entire genetic make-up of all of our predecessors.

Essentially, all of our ancestors DNA is stacked against you.
(Don’t worry it gets worse. But then it gets better.)

You see, from an evolutionary standpoint, there is simply NO real benefit to being extremely lean. Quite the opposite-people who stored fat efficiently we able to survive longer and live to pass on their efficient fat storage genes. Which means that only the cave people who were good at storing fat tended to live through famine, and passed the fat-storing genes on.

Generations later, we’re all walking around with super-high fat storage efficiency. Which is going to come in really handy during the next famine, I’d imagine, but for right now it just contributes to chronic fattitude.

“WAAAAAIIIT A MINUTE — BUT WHY WEREN’T CAVE PEOPLE FAT, ROMAN?”

I know, I know. You know all about cavemen and being “Paleo” and the truth of the matter is, yes, most of our ancestors were kept in good shape by both diet and lifestyle. Just because we were adapted to be good at storing fat doesn’t mean that everyone walked around BEING fat.

Put another way, just as we are designed to hold onto a baseline level of what Nature assumes is necessary fat, we are ALSO designed to burn excess fat. You see, if we speak again about our not-so pretty cavemen ancestors, there was obviously a benefit to holding onto some fat, but there was never any real benefit to storing a lot of fat.

In fact, storing excess amounts of fat would have been as detrimental to our ancestors as having NO fat.

Rather than being in danger of starving, they would simply be inefficient as hunter-gatherers. Certainly, those genes wouldn’t have gotten passed on, either.

Indeed, I scoured the Google button on the internet machine, and I only found ONE picture of a fat cavemen-so while cave-dudes and cave-ladies held on to the last few pounds, they probably never looked like the gentleman to the left.

Because we all share those genes, it explains why it’s relatively easy to lose the first several pounds-because, genetically, our bodies were not designed to carry that fat around.

Additionally, now we see that it’s hard to lose those last 10 pounds because your entire genetic make-up is specifically designed to hold on to them. Basically, you can thank your ancestors for screwing it up for you.

They screwed it up for you by bestowing you with an endocrine system that ENSURES that the less fat you have, the HARDER it becomes to lose fat.

You see, some hormones which contribute to fat burning-like leptin-are produced in the fat cells; therefore, if you have less fat, you produce less leptin.

Which means that you’ll lose fat SLOWER because leptin helps you produce OTHER hormones, like the thyroid hormones T3 and T4.

When these slow down, your testosterone levels drop somewhat. Your reaction to insulin changes. And you produce less growth hormone.

Basically, the leaner you get, the less you produce of each fat burning hormones.

Not surprisingly, fat storage hormones begin to “take control” of your body. Hormones like cortisol (a stress hormones which contributes to belly fat storage) and estrogen (the female sex hormone which contributes to lower body fat storage) begin to exhibit more prominence.

And so, if the question is, “why does fat loss stop?” the answer is simple: because your body TELLS it to.

Now, you have to work against these proceses, and there is only ONE way to do it: fight hormones with hormones.

To offset cortisol, you need to produce growth hormone (which in turn will fight belly fat)-and there are certain ways to train for thise.

To fight estrogen, you have to make sure your testosterone levels stay at their normal range and NOT drop. Performing density training will do this-AND help fight lower body fat.

Finally, to manage insulin more effectively, you need to produce IGF-1, which will also help you lose your love handles. And to do this, you perform dynamic training.

These training styles are all represented in Final Phase Fat Loss-as is the entire hormonal response training philosophy.

And so, while we can’t STOP our bodies from “trying” to lose fat by lowering hormones as we get leaner, we can fight back using other hormones; and, with the right training program, we can win.

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Exercising with Lower Back Pain

Training, Weekly Motivation

Increase Strength & Flexibility to Decrease Pain

— By Holly Little, Certified Personal Trainer

It’s a common problem for many who exercise. It makes everyday activity difficult, and scares a lot of people away from any physical activity. It’s lower back pain. For those of you who suffer from it, there is hope.  While there are a multitude of things that can cause back pain, from genetic malformations to injury, a number of recent studies show that a lack of core strength contributes to pain and stiffness in the lower back.

So what’s the best way to deal with lower back pain that your health care provider has attributed to a lack of core strength? Exercise.  This might cause a little more pain in the beginning, but under the care of your health provider, it can reduce your pain in the long run.  And for many people, the long-term solution for back pain lies in abdominal, hip and lower back strengthening and stretching exercises.

Some pain or aches in your lower back might be the result of weak abdominal muscles. When you have a weak abs, you are more likely to have poor posture and your lower back muscles are forced to take over, which can strain them in a way that becomes uncomfortable or painful over time. You can minimize back pain by doing exercises that make the muscles in your abs stronger, while also training to increase the strength and flexibility level in your lower back, hips and thighs.

Everyone’s back pain is different, so it’s a good idea to check with your health care provider about what’s best for you. If core strength is your problem, the following exercises can help.

Leg Raises to strengthen stomach and hip muscles
How to: Lie on your back with your arms at your sides. Lift one leg off the floor to about a 45° angle. Hold your leg up for a count of 10 and return it to the floor. Do the same with the other leg. Repeat 5 times with each leg. If that is too difficult, keep one knee bent and the foot flat on the ground while raising the opposite leg.

Leg Raises to strengthen back and hip muscles
How to: Lie on your stomach. Tighten the muscles in one leg and raise it from the floor. Raise it as high as you can (approximately 30°) without causing any discomfort to your lower back or lifting your hip off the floor. Hold your leg up for a count of 10 and return it to the floor. Do the same with the other leg. Repeat 5 times with each leg.

Wall Slides to strengthen your back, hip and leg muscles

How to: Stand with your back against a wall and feet shoulder-width apart. Slide down into a crouch until the knees bend to about 90°. Count to 5 and slide back up the wall. Repeat 5 times.

Partial Sit-Up to strengthen stomach muscles
How to: Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on floor. Slowly raise your head and shoulders off the floor and reach with both hands toward your knees. Count to 10. Repeat 5 times.

Back Leg Swing to strengthen hip and back muscles
How to: Stand behind a chair with your hands on the back of the chair. Lift one leg back and up while keeping the knee straight. Return slowly. Raise the other leg and return. Repeat 5 times with each leg.

Exercises to increase flexibility and stretch out the back
How to: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on your bed or floor. Raise your knees toward your chest. Place both hands under your knees and gently pull your knees as close to your chest as possible. Do not raise your head. Do not straighten your legs as you lower them. Start with 5 repetitions, several times a day.

Remember to never exercise to the point of sharp pain or discomfort, and gradually progress to more repetitions or sets of an exercise. Although it can be uncomfortable or slightly painful to strengthen the areas of your body that are causing your back pain, the benefit will be there in the long run. Say so long to the pain in your back!

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Foods to Increase Your Brain Power

Nutrition, Weekly Motivation

Your noggin depends on a variety of nutrients to keep itself balanced. Unfortunately, Cheetos and beer aren’t exactly brain foods.

So instead of downing a gallon of Breyer’s the next time you’re feeling down or stuffing yourself with leftover danishes from the break room before that big presentation at work, next time, give your body the fuel it needs.

Whatever your mood, we found the snacks that will provide a brain boost to get you through even the toughest situations—without sacrificing your waistline or muscles.

Anxiety

The Situation: You need to stay sharp through a grueling job interview.

Your Meal: Half a grilled-chicken wrap at lunch, hold the mayo

Here’s Why: Eating between 4 and 5 ounces of protein helps your brain create dopamine and norepinephrine, neurochemicals that keep you alert, says Judith Wurtman, Ph.D., author of The Serotonin Power Diet.

Stress

The Situation: You have to meet a deadline without being overwhelmed.

Your Meal: A handful of sesame seeds while you’re working

Here’s Why: Stress hormones can deplete your body’s supply of magnesium, reducing your stress-coping abilities and increasing your risk of developing high blood pressure, says Elizabeth Somer, R.D., author of Food & Mood.

Restlessness

The Situation: You need some serious shut-eye before the big day.

Your Meal: Nonfat popcorn half an hour before you go to bed

Here’s Why: The carbs will induce your body to create serotonin, a neurochemical that makes you feel relaxed. “Make sure it’s fat-free, because fat will slow the process of boosting serotonin levels,” says Somer.

Depression

The Situation: Problems at home are doing you in.

Your Meal: Grilled salmon or sushi for dinner

Here’s Why: A study in Finland found that people who eat more fish are 31 percent less likely to suffer from depression. And skip sweet, simple carbs—the inevitable sugar crash can actually deepen depression.

Insecurity

The Situation: Your confidence is waning as the night wears on.

Your Meal: A snack-size chocolate bar when she’s in the bathroom

Here’s Why: Chocolate contains a host of chemicals to brighten your mood, Somer says, including anadamine, which targets the same receptors as THC, and phenylethylamine, which produces a cozy, euphoric feeling.

Confusion

The Situation: You’ve forgotten your last two deadlines.

Your Meal: Pineapple chunks for a snack or a cup of berries in your oatmeal

Here’s Why: Antioxidants from the most-colorful fruits and vegetables help pick off the free radicals that wear away at your memory. “Because your brain consumes so much oxygen, oxidants do heavy damage there,” says Somer.

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Will Your Child Be Fat?

Nutrition

You might not be the best judge of that. Here’s what you need to know about the health risks of obesity and the simple changes all families can make.

By Marisa Cohen

Everyone loves a chubby baby. We crow about what a good eater he is and blow raspberry kisses on that Buddha belly. And why not? Babies should have pinchable cheeks and dimpled knees—their main activities are snoozing and slurping down high-fat milk. But when that chubby baby becomes a roly-poly toddler, and then a stocky preschooler, it can make you wonder: When are those double chins just baby fat, and when do they become, well, fat?

That’s a good question to ask, and not just for vanity’s sake. Childhood obesity is reaching epidemic proportions in the United States–the latest studies show that nearly one in five preschoolers is tipping the scales at a dangerously high weight–and the health repercussions of carrying around all those extra pounds are anything but cute. Obese kids have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts that approximately one in three kids born in 2000 will develop the disease. Obese kids are also at increased risk for liver disease, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease–illnesses we usually associate with middle-age smokers, not apple-cheeked grade-schoolers– not to mention joint problems from too much pressure on the hips and knees.

No mom or dad would ever wish any of those health problems on their kids, but American parents are probably the world’s worst judges of their children’s weight. A national poll from the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital found that only 13 percent of parents of obese kids recognize that their children have a problem, and the heavier the parents are, the more likely they are to think their chubby offspring are just right. Of course, all parents view their kids through love’s rose-colored glasses, but there’s more to it than that: “Obesity is getting normalized in our culture,” says Sandra Hassink, M.D., director of the weight management clinic at the DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware. “Parents have trouble determining if their child is overweight or obese just by looking.”

That’s why the best way to assess your child’s weight is not by how round his face is or what size T-shirt he wears but by watching the numbers on his growth chart, says Roberta Anding, R.D., a pediatric registered dietitian at Texas Children’s Hospital and one of the editors of The Family Guide to Fighting Fat. Focus on the ratio of weight to height, also known as the body mass index (BMI). “If the child’s weight is increasing at a faster rate than his height, that’s a red flag,” Anding says. A BMI above the 85th percentile is considered overweight; above the 95th, obese.

Also think about the kinds of eating and playing habits you want to hand down to your kids. Remember, they’ll inevitably mimic whatever you do–whether it’s planting yourself in front of a Real Housewives marathon or planting a garden in the yard. To get you started, here are some simple but potent changes you can make to keep your entire family at a healthy size:

Watch what they drink
In the past, kids came home from school and had a nice cold glass of milk; today, they’re just as likely to toss back a sugary juice box or soda loaded with empty calories. Instead, offer her water mixed with a dash of 100 percent fruit juice for flavor. And if your child is older than 2, graduate from whole milk to 1 percent to skim.

Downsize your dishes
Over the past couple of decades, portion sizes have exploded–not just in supersize restaurant meals but in our homes as well. Anding suggests serving your child on a salad plate; fill one half with an entree, such as pasta or chicken, and the other half with fruits and vegetables.

Introduce Whole Foods
“Kids who grow up on highly processed and fast food learn to expect things to taste very salty, sweet, and fatty,” says Suzanne Rostler, R.D., a nutritionist at Children’s Hospital Boston. “If you train your child at an early age to love the taste of whole foods, that’s what they’ll be more likely to want.”

Get moving
All that healthy food will take you only so far if your kid sits on the sofa like a slug–and according to the CDC, 23 percent of American kids between the ages of 9 and 13 get no exercise at all. So give your child plenty of chances to burn off energy every day by playing Pirates vs. Jedis in the yard or setting up an indoor obstacle course on rainy days. And try walking, scootering, or biking places together instead of piling into the SUV.

Play detective at daycare
Even if you serve your child all the healthiest foods at home, your daycare providers or babysitters may have other ideas. “One mom told me she stopped by daycare and saw her 9-month-old with a french fry dangling out of his mouth,” Hassink recalls. Ask your care provider to spell out what your child is chowing down each day, and send along snacks if you need to. And make sure that a good portion of the day is spent in energy-burning play.

Limit TV time
Clicking the remote from SpongeBob to Hannah Montana does not count as exercise. One study of 5-year-olds found that for every hour watched above the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommended limit of two hours a day, a child had a 7 percent greater risk of being obese by age 30. “It’s not just the sedentary time–it’s all those commercials for food,” Hassink points out. A study in Pediatrics found that nearly 98 percent of food ads viewed by kids between ages 2 and 11 were for junk high in fat, sugar, and/or sodium. Says Hassink, “The counter-programming by the ads is going to be much more powerful than anything you can do, unless you’re a cartoon character.”

Eat dinner together
It’s great to have someone else do the cooking and wash the dishes, but if you use the local pasta joint or fast-food chain as your family caterer, your kid’s health will suffer: One study found that when children eat out, they consume nearly twice as many calories as when they eat at home, plus more fat, sugar, and carbs. A meal at home with the family around the table has the opposite effect: Kids eat one and a half times as many fruits and vegetables as when they eat by themselves, and they tend to continue to make such healthy choices throughout the day, according to a Harvard study.

Practice what you preach
There’s no better motivation to get healthy than being a parent, since your kids are always watching. So be a good example: Exercise together (play tag, or take up a sport in tandem), pick out favorite veggies at the market as a family, and don’t keep a lot of unhealthy foods around the house. Hey, there’s a payoff: While you teach your kids habits that will pay dividends throughout their lives, you might also wind up finally getting rid of your own baby fat!

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