Running Into the Fountain of Youth

Contrary to some scientists’ previous belief, runners are less likely to suffer from injuries later in life. In fact, research from Stanford University says that it slows the human aging process.

Running is weight-bearing, keeping the bones of your lower body strong, which prevents osteoporotic hips (and hip replacement surgeries). It is also great exercise for your cardiovascular system, keeping you heart healthy.

In previous decades, physicians were concerned about the impact of regular running on the joints of seniors and thought that such regular impact would eventually weaken their joints and cause stress fractures. The opposite was proven in this study conducted by Stanford University of runners over the age of 50.

Of course, before anybody begins a fitness program, they should consult with their physician to see if they have any contraindications or limitations that they need to be aware of. If you want to begin a running program and discover your own fountain of youth. I highly recommend attending a few running clinics (your local running shoes store usually holds a few each year) or meet with a fitness trainer with such expertise, in order to be guided through appropriate programming and technique. This will help prevent future injuries; thus, keeping your body young.

Feel free to contact me for a free phone consultation and/or referrals for coaching.

Appearances Can Be Deceiving

Picture of a "healthy thin," lean body.

In yesterday’s morning news, on KTLA, Michaela Pereira covered the issue of seemingly healthy obese people. Yes, that is an oxymoron; thus called “seemingly healthy obese.” The category of obesity starts at 29% body fat, which is considered borderline obese. As one’s body fat content rises, so does their risk for cardiovascular disease and other obesity-related illness. Healthy body composition measures are at 24% or below for women, and 20% or below for men (which is my recommendation over the current, more relaxed 28% and 24%, respectively).

How can a person who has a 24 inch waist be at a higher risk than somebody else with a 40 inch waist for a heart condition? Simply, the person with the larger waistband will have a much healthier heart if she or he exercises regularly, while the waif person does not. Being thin does not assume healthfulness. No matter what one’s size or stature, he or she must exercise regularly and maintain a healthy, balanced diet, in order to prevent illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, atherosclerosis, some forms cancers, and so much more.

“Skinny fat” does exist. I have performed skinfold caliper tests (the body fat “pinch test” is much more accurate on people, between the ages of 18-55, than you think) on hundreds of people. I am confirming that there are many people out there who fit size 2 jeans with flat stomachs who have a body composition of 28% and higher. I have also tested size 10s who are proudly below 22%. The NY Times reports that 24% of seemingly thin people are metabolically unfit. In this same article, 1/3 of overweight people are reported as metabollically fit.

What about BMI, body mass index? It’s a quotient of one’s height and weight. This number, although much better than scale weight rankings, has its flaws. It does not consider body composition. Under this scale, Jerry Rice would be considered obese. However, the BMI scale is a good indicator of health risk for the majority of the American population, considering more than 3/4 do not participate in the recommended amount of exercise, which is 30 minutes per day, five times per week.

What’s a healthy minded person to do? (Although the former body comp tests reference women, the following recommendations are for men, too.) First of all, when beginning an exercise programming, consult with a physician to see if you have any restrictions. Next, consult with a certified fitness professional to guide you through an appropriate program that is tailored to your needs and goals. Of course, regular meetings with a trainer are ideal. However, if your budget is a restriction, I recommend bimonthly or quarterly consultations with the certified fitness trainer to make sure you are staying on track and to change your routine (to prevent plateaus). Appropriate programming will include a mixture of flexibility, strength and cardiovascular exercises. Nutritional guidance is important, too. Participating in regular exercise does not give you a pass to eat whatever you want. Make sure that your meals are nutritious and in controlled portions–portion sizes will be saved for another blog post at a later date.

Happy Habits

In my reading, online and off, I come across many interesting thoughts, ideas, facts–things to make me ponder. Recently, while I was doing some online research for my newsletter, I found an article that made me smile. This article shared “Five Habits of Truly Happy People.” Unfortunately, I forgot which site these tips came from (so if you recognize this, please let me know, so I can list the reference). However, I do want to share these five bullet points that I copied onto a notecard that adorns my desk:

1. Don’t believe everything you think.
2. Notice the happy things in life-no matter how small they are.
3. Always choose the happier thought that goes through your mind.
4. Tend to your relationships.
5. Find the passion and purpose in your actions and in life.

Keeping a positive mental attitude will help you meet and exceed your goals. This includes your health and fitness goals, as well. There is scientific research that has been published that links happiness to prevention of various health conditions.

Copy the above five tips, put them on your wall, vanity mirror, wallet-something that you will look at daily-to remind you how to stay optimistic, despite down days. Do it for your mental health, as it is linked to your physical health.

Wrapping It Up

I have never been a person to “cut carbs.” I am a proponent of moderation. However, if you have a tendency to overeat or consume large portions, you have to be more conscientious of what you put on your plates (use smaller plates). How do we replace empty calories with better ones. At the Pinnacle Challenge retreat, our chef made a very tasty dinner wrap. (Other fitness professionals would turn their noses up at the idea of having a wrap, since the tortilla alone is about 350 calories. Although I consider that to be quite a hefty tortilla, I am more concerned about the quality of ingredients in that wrap. As for the caloric content, as many of my clients can attest to, I always tell them to eat half of what they would normally consider consuming, in order to control their portions.)

Instead of using a tortilla or lavosh (which I consider to be a better alternative to a flour tortilla), Chef Sandy used a collard green leaf! The collard green leaf is much more solid than any other leafy green, so it didn’t break apart. It also provides greater nutrition, rich in vitamins and minerals that promote mental acuity (vitamin B), muscle recovery (for the athletes), blood clotting (vitamin K for the accident-prone), heart health (anti-oxidants), and bone health (calcium). For those of you who might consider the green’s texture too tough, cut off the rigid stem (you can chop up the stems and throw them into a vegetable soup). My system digested it perfectly fine.

You can fill the leaf with other healthy greens and a little protein (chopped peanuts, seasoned tempeh, two ounces of sliced poultry, black beans, etc). Our leafy green wrap was filled with fresh carrot strings, herb salad greens, cucumber strings, diced tomatoes, grilled turkey slices, and a sprinkling of balsamic vinegar and black pepper. Yum!

If you have any other recipe suggestions, please share them with me!

Relay for Life – Santa Monica

Photo courtesy of www.relayforlife.org/relay/

What an amazing experience! This past weekend, I had the honor of participating in Santa Monica’s Relay for Life, benefiting the American Cancer Society. It is a relay walk that spans 24 hours, with walkers representing their teams on the track for every minute of the 24 hours, since “cancer never sleeps.” This year’s event participants raised $97,000. We have until August 31 to raise the additional $3000 to meet Santa Monica’s goal of $100,000.

I had so much fun being a part of the activities planning committee, which meant making sure that all of the participants and their families had fun games to participate in. It seemed that everybody there was able to join in the fun of potato sack races, the obstacle course, tug-of-war, flag football, volleyball, veggie relay race, disco dance, yoga, meditation, aromatherapy, and so much more! It was so amazing to be a part of a community event such as this, where thousands of locals come together and share how they have been affected and mentally strengthened by cancer, want to help find a cure, and take the time to educate their children about the importance of helping the community and taking care of their own health.

The tradition luminaria at 9 pm was a remembrance and commemoration of loved ones who had been lost and the amazing survivors. At that time, all lights were flipped off and the glow of hundreds of singly lit luminaries lit up the track.

Photo courtesy of www.relayforlife.org.

At that time the hundreds of participants walked on the track with only the sound of Amazing Grace played by a single bag piper, who lead a procession around the track to honor every person who had been touched by cancer.

Photo courtesy of www.relayforlife.org

Throughout the 24 hours, everybody in attendance were encouraged to make a Fight Back pledge. This pledge is a personal commitment that we make to “fight back” against cancer. I pledge to educate and encourage action in the people around me in using healthy diet, exercise, organic living, and mindful action to prevent cancer.

What is your pledge?