Exercise Without Intelligence is a Waste.

US Navy 100429-N-7732W-006 aster-at-Arms Seama...
US Navy 100429-N-7732W-006 aster-at-Arms Seaman Jaymi Perez works out on a stationary bike at the base Fitness and Aquatic Center as a part of his cardiovascular training to prepare for the upcoming physical fitness assessment (Photo credit: Wikipedia)


Recently, I was struck by a simple, but profound statement that was published in an article by Suzanne Gutterson. "Exercise without intelligence is a waste of everyone's time."

This statement embodies the corporate philosophy of the Mike George Fitness System. Exercising for results means addressing all the components of fitness, i.e., cardiovascular, muscular endurance, and flexibility. In turn your body composition will reflect how well you manage these components.

Your cardiovascular system must be managed to maintain health. Notice that I suggested managed.

You can and must control your cardiovascular system. Just 20 minutes a day, 3 to 5 days per week will provide you with the necessary stamina, confidence and assurance that you are properly managing your body.

Your body needs stress to promote proper tissue and bone regeneration. Remember, muscles and bones are dynamic and constantly change. You can manage these changes with resistance exercise, twice a week.

As you age, some of the connective tissues lose their elasticity. Oftentimes, this results in modified walking, muscular imbalances and other musculoskeletal problems. For these reasons, it is very important that you manage your flexibility by incorporating some stretching in your workout.

Simply put, intelligence means managing your body by using research based, and industry recognized, training programs.



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Thanksgiving


English: Thanksgiving Dinner, Falmouth, Maine,...
English: Thanksgiving Dinner, Falmouth, Maine, USA 2008 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)


During the Thanksgiving holiday, you do not have to give up all hopes of keeping your diet on track. If you stay relaxed instead of tense around the dinner table you should be able to enjoy the festivities without feeling guilty during or afterward. Besides, by keeping stress levels down, your digestive system works better.
Here are a few time proven tips for having a fun and relatively guilt free Thanksgiving.

Eat for one, not two. The number one tip that will help you with your daily food regimen as well as those special occasions that traditionally involve consuming lots of delicious foods is to eat smaller portions. Many people can’t help heaping their plates with all of their annual favorites. This is the easiest way to sabotage your health goals. By serving yourself smaller portions of your favorite dishes, you will be able to enjoy your meal without feeling bloated or guilty.
Do not rush your food. By eating slowly, you can actually focus on the flavors and textures of the foods and you will enjoy every last fork full if you follow this bit of advice. You will also be satiated sooner with less overall food intake.
Just because it's Thanksgiving does not mean that you have to overeat. Do not automatically reach for seconds, instead take the time to talk to the other people at the table and allow the food you just ate to reach its destination. If you cannot resist the temptation of seconds, then consider preparing a plate of food and sliding it into the fridge to enjoy at a later time.
Live a little. Be sure not to tell yourself that certain foods on the holiday table are forbidden due to your diet. This strategy almost always backfires and makes you reach for the food anyway. The turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce
should not be 'off-limits'.
Instead of denying yourself your favorite foods, you should instead be a bit exploratory and try some of the less familiar dishes on the table. You may find a new food sensation that may not even be fattening!










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Foot Posture




Is there a relationship between foot posture and overuse injuries? Research is beginning to investigate the differences in foot motion between people.

Feet
Feet (Photo credit: Prio)
Pazit Levinger et al. reports in "A comparison of foot kinematics in people with normal- and flat-arched feet using the Oxford Foot Model" in the October 2010 edition of Gait and Posture that people with flat-arched feet have altered motion that is associated with greater pronation during gait.  The researchers conclude that this may be one of the factors that may increase the risk of overuse injuries.

So what does this mean to us?  In my opinion, the average older adult is more prone to foot posture issues as a result of aging.  Therefore, this study provides more evidence for the active older adult to get their foot posture issues addressed by a medical professional.


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Shin Splints




How many times have you awakened and discovered that the front of your leg hurts? Your mind begins to review all of your activities that occurred in the previous day and concludes "I overdid it running."

Yes, we all have experienced this pain commonly called shin splints.  According to Moore and Agur, in their landmark textbook,  Essential Clinical Anatomy, "shin splints, edema and pain in the area of the distal third of the tibia, results from repetitive microtrauma of the tibilias anterior."

In the drawing above, the tibilias anterior muscle is located at the front of the lower leg. It is one of several  muscles that are surrounded by some connective tissue called fascia.  This connective tissue acts like an elastic sock that maintains some mild pressure on the muscle.  Muscle irritation inside tight compartments causes problems.

So, if the muscles become irritated from sudden overuse, then logically we need to rest those muscles until the pain subsides and upon resumption of exercise, gradually increase duration. Of course, any significant increase in pain requires evaluation by a medical professional.

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The Carpal Tunnel

Have you ever wondered about what causes Carpal Tunnel pain? Looking at my illustration clearly shows that a lot of structures pass through a very tight space in your wrist.

The drawing depicits some of the carpal bones and the ligament that creates the carpal tunnel.  There are ten structures that pass through the tunnel, of which the most superficial of these structures is the Median Nerve.  Given its location, the Median Nerve is frequently compressed and becomes inflammed.

If you are experiencing what you suspect is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, get your wrist evaluated by a medical professional. They can recommend and proscribe a variety of treatment programs.

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