Bickering

It's always bothered my how much petty bickering there is in my industry.

DIfferent people believe different approaches to fitness training are better than others.

They constantly argue. Spewing negative energy into the world.

I just don't get it. People like me are supposed to teach, motivate and inspire. And if you don't like my approach, you can go find another. I'm not going to call you stupid because you don't like to train the way I do. But I have heard other "trainers" do just that.

It's about finding something you like and will sticking with it.

If you want to learn how to do some serious functional fitness training with little-to-no equipment then I'm your man. If you want to be a bodybuilder I'm not your man. And there's nothing wrong with that.

I mention this today because I was browsing a forum yesterday where these two "professional trainers" were literally resorting to a kindergarten level, calling each other names and losing any resemblance to a civilized discussion of different training techniques. It was pathetic. But it happens all the time.

Avoid negativity at all costs. It's a killer.

Train smart,

RL

Be more

I have noticed lately that there is about one "new" exercise program coming out every day.

Now, I'm all for finding innovative ways to workout. But the truth is everything has already been thought of in the past. Modern technology makes certain exercises safer and/or more practical. But if you research you find all kinds of interesting ideas and concepts. Some have been around literally, for thousands of years.

No matter what new weight-lifting machine is getting pushed on Saturday morning infomercials, it is still just weight-lifting. No matter what fancy treadmill is being marketed, it is still just walking or running.

You see, there are countless WAYS to exercise, and if you can find one or several that you enjoy and work for you, you can be fit for life. However, if you believe there are only 1 or 2 ways to exercise and you hate them both then you are likely to not do them, and suffer the consequences.

I encourage you today to ask yourself what you enjoy, and what you want to get out of exercise. Then go online and find some form of exercise that appeals to you and find a way to try it. Don't just think in terms of "cardio" and "weight-lifting." Think in terms of fun and practicality. Move more. Do more. Be more.

Train smart,

RL

A calorie is a calorie

Okay, I saw this article and I just had to share it with you. Give it a quick read.

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Diet, exercise take off equal pounds, study finds

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor Fri Jan 26, 10:13 AM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Eating less and exercising more are equally good at helping take off the pounds, U.S. researchers said on Friday in a study that challenges many of the popular tenets of the multibillion dollar diet and fitness industry.

Tests on overweight people show that a calorie is just a calorie, whether lost by dieting or by running, they said.

They found there is no way to selectively lose belly fat, for instance, or trim thighs. And their carefully controlled study added to evidence that adding muscle mass does not somehow boost metabolism and help dieters take off even more weight.

"It's all about the calories," said Dr. Eric Ravussin of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, part of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

"So long as the energy deficit is the same, body weight, fat weight, and abdominal fat will all decrease in the same way."

Ravussin said the study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, is one of the few done under controlled conditions that can actually demonstrate what happens to a human body while dieting and exercising.

Ravussin's team has been testing volunteers for another reason -- to see if taking in fewer calories helps people live longer. Strict diets have been shown to help animals from worms to dogs live longer, but it takes longer to study monkeys and humans.

They tested 24 people, 12 who ate a calorie-restricted diet, and 12 who dieted and also exercised five times a week for six months.

The dieters ate 25 percent less than normal, while the exercisers reduced their calorie intake by 12.5 percent and increased their physical activity to lose an extra 12.5 percent in calories.

Another 10 volunteers acted as controls. All food was provided by the university in carefully measured portions for most of the study.

The volunteers in both groups lost about 10 percent of their body weight, 24 percent of their fat mass, and 27 percent of their abdominal visceral fat. Visceral fat is packed in between the internal organs and is considered the most dangerous type of fat, linked with heart disease and diabetes.

The distribution of the fat on the body was not altered by either approach -- helping prove that there is no such thing as "spot reducing," Ravussin said in a telephone interview.

This suggests that "individuals are genetically programmed for fat storage in a particular pattern and that this programming cannot easily be overcome," he added.

Ravussin has published other studies that also dispute the idea that exercise builds muscle that helps people lose weight.

"If anything, highly trained people are highly efficient, so they burn fewer calories at rest," Ravussin said.

Dieting alone also did not appear to cause the volunteers to lose muscle mass along with fat, Ravussin's team found.

"There is a concept that if you exercise, you are going to lose less of your muscle," he said. But his team found no evidence this is true.

Ravussin believes exercise is crucial to health, however.

"For overall health, an appropriate program of diet and exercise is still the best," he said.

His team found some small suggestion that cutting 25 percent of calories by either diet or diet and exercise might extend life.

"We found that 2 of the biomarkers of aging were improved -- core temperature was 0.4 to 0.5 degrees C less," he said. "Insulin, which has been shown to be a biomarker of aging, was reduced," Ravussin said. That finding was published in the
Journal of the American Medical Association last April.

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Even though there are a couple, minor things I disagree with in this article I still like it because it states that there is no magic way to remove unwanted pounds. You have to eat right, and exercise to get the maximum benefit.

So stop looking for pills or potions to "melt away the fat." There is no exercise in a bottle.

Train smart,

RL

Gradualness

Gradualness.

It is one of the keys to long term success.

Don't try to do everything at once. Take your fitness goals one small step at a time.

Start small and eventually your small successes with build on each other and turn into big successes.

Be gradual, be persistent, be successful.

Train smart,

RL

Denial

Give this article a quick read:

UK schools "must tell parents" if children are obese

Wed Jan 24, 10:24 PM ET

LONDON (Reuters) - Primary schools should inform parents if their children are overweight or obese, an influential group of MPs said on Thursday.

Failure to do so would result in the parents being kept "in the dark about possible serious health risks to their children," the Committee of Public Accounts warned in a report entitled "Tackling Child Obesity - First Steps."

How the information will be presented to the parents will be up to the Department of Health to decide, the report added.

However, the department, which has been against providing such information in the past because of fears over a child's stigmatization and bullying, has yet to settle on the best method.

Information on four and 11-year-olds has already been gathered as part of the department's weighing and measuring program begun last summer.

So far, the information has only been sent to Primary Care Trusts to help it plan its obesity program.

Obesity is a factor in a number of chronic diseases and conditions including high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

It is a growing phenomenon among children aged between two and 10, rising from 9.9 percent in 1995 to 13.4 percent in 2004.

Edward Leigh, chairman of the committee, said: "The extent to which children in this country are obese is alarming.

"More alarming still is evidence that, unless we act, the proportion of children who are obese will increase sharply."

The committee called for a multi-pronged approach to tackling obesity, which would include the government departments of Health, Education and Skills, and Culture, Media and Sport.

Families would be persuaded to change their behavior and encouraged to adopt healthy eating and to take up sports and activities.

"This is tricky territory," Leigh said.

"It is therefore all the more urgent that the departments involved work together to set a clear direction."

In a separate move, the Department of Health is to fund a 494,000-pound program which will see pedometers distributed to children at schools in deprived areas in an attempt to get them walking to fitness.

About 250 schools across the country will be given 45,000 pedometers, and pupils will be encouraged to keep track of their progress via a Web site, Public Health Minister Caroline Flint announced this week.

Schools Minister Jim Knight said: "Walking is one of the easiest ways to exercise and pedometers can make it more fun for children."

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My one question is this: What parents need to be told their kids are obese? You would think they might have a clue. Must be in denial.

Train smart,

RL

Iso

Isometrics are an often overlooked, yet powerful form of exercise. They work the muscle from the inside out. Try this little beauty and see what I mean:

Iso-push-up:

Began in an up push-up position, butt inline with your back, head up, shoulders over hands (if you can't handle this put your knees down.)

Now lower yourself halfway down to the floor and hold. You are not only 1-2 inches above the ground. You are HALFWAY down. Your elbows will be at about 95-100 degrees.

Hold that for as long as you can.

You'll probably start to shake, that's fine. I call it the shake n' bake.

If you can do this for 1 minute you're doing good. 2 minutes you're in great shape. 3 minutes or more, you're a bona-fide stud/studette.

Give it a whirl.

Train smart,

RL

Keep the focus

There was a time when my idea of a good time was sitting on my butt eating Doritos and watching TV all day. There was a time back in 8th grade when I would go to the nurse to try to get a note to get out of gym class.

It's weird to reflect back on those times. But the fact of the matter is that's where I came from. It is why I am 100% convinced that anyone can do anything they want no matter where they come from as long as they seriously put there mind to it.

I know it is a cliché. But clichés are usually clichés for a reason.

If you focus your mind on anything, no matter where you start from, with enough time you can do anything.

You can lose 100s of pounds. You can run that marathon. You can do 100 straight reps of that certain exercise.

But once you achieve the goal, you must maintain it. And that isn't easy. I'm sure you know someone who lost a ton of weight just to put it all back on. They used the power of their mind to achieve a goal, then lost the focus. Lose the focus, lose the goal. The focus never ends. It must be nourished. It must be kept alive.

The mind can make the body do amazing things. You just need to convince yourself of that fact. And then let it happen.

Train smart,

RL

Alleluia!

Someone is getting it! Read this:

More students shun cafeteria junk food
By JANET FRANKSTON LORIN, Associated Press Writer

LODI, N.J. - The cafeteria lunch line at Columbus Elementary School moves quickly as students grab portions of carrots, celery, apples and oranges. French fries and hamburgers, once cafeteria staples, aren't even offered.

"I eat carrots or apples every day," said 10-year-old Alan Espino. He said he didn't notice that the bun holding his all-beef hot dog was whole wheat. Even the pizza available in the cafeteria has whole wheat crust.

The school cafeteria looks radically different from those of his parents' generation, and it appears many kids aren't turning their noses up at the new offerings. In fact, according to a survey of food service directors, french fries are decreasing in popularity and interest in carrots is skyrocketing.

As choices on the lunch line change, many children are accepting them, said Martha Conklin, an associate professor at Penn State University who conducts research about school nutrition programs and school food service.

"If you present these healthy offerings to children, they may turn them down the first time, but you can't give up," she said. "Children will adapt. Choice is important, but they can make those selections from healthy offerings."

The School Nutrition Association's annual survey given to food service directors around the country shows just that. Among students in kindergarten through 12th grade, french fries dropped in popularity from 1998 to 2006, while carrots and fresh vegetables rose in popularity.

"We are dealing with much more sophisticated audiences now, and we working hard to meet their needs in a healthier way," said Janey Thornton, the association's president.

More states are enacting nutrition standards to ensure healthy food and beverage options are available to students, said Amy Winterfeld, a health policy analyst for the National Conference of State Legislatures.

A 2004 wellness program requires school districts receiving federal reimbursements for school meal programs to develop policies that promote the health of students and address the growing problem of childhood obesity.

In 2005, at least 17 states enacted some form of school nutrition legislation and at least 11 more approved them last year.

A New Jersey law requires that, by next fall, snacks and a la carte items sold or served contain no more than 8 grams of total fat per serving and two grams of saturated fat per serving. Candy is banned and so are foods and beverages with sugar as the major ingredient.

The law is an attempt to establish a culture in which eating nutritiously is the accepted social norm, said Emma Davis-Kovacs, acting state director for the New Jersey Department of Agriculture's division of food and nutrition.

"The leading health authorities are all recommending that schools take an active role in this area of nutrition to prevent disabling chronic health conditions," she said.

Mark Vidovich, president of Pomptonian Food Service, which runs programs in 11 north and central New Jersey counties, recalled that students were turned off by whole wheat bread just five years ago.

"The children wouldn't eat it. It didn't look right to them," he said. "Now their dining preferences have changed and they're now accepting of making healthier dining options."

Pat Johnson, food service director in the Maplewood and South Orange district, said she started reforming her cafeterias before the new state law. The district is renovating its kitchens to remove fryers and add grills and ovens.

She said younger children seem more open to tasting healthier foods and are likely to continue the patterns to middle and high school.

"If you put it there and make it look appealing to them, they like it," she said.

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Alleluia!


Train smart,

RL

You get what you give

Whenever you start something new you are going to get some level of negative criticism from your "peers."

It always amazes me that people who are supposed to be your friends and/or family will try to chop you down whenever you try to change. Even if it's a positive change. I don't think it is always a conscious decision on their part. It's like it's built into out DNA.

Think about it, have you ever said anything like, "Oh, so-and-so started exercising, that'll never last."? Sure you have, I do it. But I often catch myself and think, "why did I just say that? I actually hope they stick with it and reach their goals."

As you go about your day really keep track of any negativity you are spewing into the world, because it will come back around to you. And you don't want that.

Stay positive, feed other's your positive energy, and the universe will give you more and more in return.

Train smart,

RL

Duh

Found another good article today, this is by a woman named Amy Norton:

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - It's never too late for obese adults to improve their heart risks through diet and exercise, the results of a new small study suggests.

The researchers, who enrolled 27 obese men and women age 65 or older, found that calorie cutting and exercise helped participants shed pounds and lower their blood pressure, blood sugar and blood fats called triglycerides.

What's more, there was a sharp drop in the number with metabolic syndrome, a collection of conditions that raise a person's risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

The findings appear in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Diet changes and exercise have been shown to improve heart disease risk factors in young and middle-aged obese adults, but less is known about the benefits for older adults.

In fact, there's some controversy over advocating weight loss at older ages, according to the authors of the new study. For one, a heavier weight is relatively less important in the health risks of an elderly person compared with a younger adult. In addition, many older adults are frail, which can make lifestyle changes difficult.

But the new findings show that older obese adults can indeed alter their lifestyle, and benefit from it, according to Dr. Dennis T. Villareal of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

"We demonstrate that older adults can successfully lose weight and are compliant with interventions," he told Reuters Health.

Beyond that, they can also reap the potential heart benefits seen in studies of younger obese adults, according to Villareal.

He and his colleagues based their findings on a 6-month study of sedentary, obese adults randomly assigned to follow diet and exercise therapy (17 subjects) or to serve as a non-exercising comparison group (10 subjects). All of them had mild to moderate physical limitations and nearly all had metabolic syndrome. The average body mass index was 30 or higher.

Those with metabolic syndrome had at least three of a conditions that increased the risk of heart disease, including high blood pressure, high triglycerides, high blood sugar and abdominal obesity.

Over six months, the treatment group cut calories and attended group exercise classes three days a week. In the end, they lost an average of 18 pounds, versus no weight change in the comparison group. The number with metabolic syndrome fell by 59 percent, while the comparison group again showed no change.

More studies are needed to see if this translates into less heart disease and a longer life, according to the researchers.

For now, older adults who want to make lifestyle changes should talk to their doctors about the best and safest ways to do so, Villareal said.

SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, December 2006.

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I have one thing to add....DUH!

Train smart,

RL

Persistence

Persistence.

It can be good, it can be bad.

I want to briefly discuss the good form.

Nothing worth having in life is going to come to you without a little persistence. Hey, even a lottery winner had the persistence to go buy the ticket (I know I know, but I'm making a point.)

Unless you stick with it, no matter what 'it' is, you will not get any lasting benefits from it.

You will not instantly become fit and healthy after exercising for a couple days. It is a process of adaptation that will lead to your body becoming more fit and healthy. It is not insta-fit.

You must maintain your persistence. Refuse to accept anything less than ultimate satisfaction. Reach your goals.

Persistence is one "key" you'll hear just about every millionaire tell you about. They'll say, "If your not persistent, you'll never get what you want." A great way to train your persistence is to do something with your fitness. Physical training is a superb way to train your mind to succeed in other aspects of your life. Physical training will create a ripple effect that will soar through the rest of your life.

Train your body. Train your persistence. Then use it to excel in life in general.

Train smart,

RL

No bank breaking!

In my wandering through the health and fitness articles online today I saw something that caught my eye, probably because I just wrote an article about a similar topic myself that appeared in the Norwich Bulletin today.

The article was about how to, "buy a home gym without breaking the bank."

Here's a way, buy a mirror, and look in it.

I'm so funny.

Seriously though, people need to get off this mindset they MUST have equipment to exercise. Sure, some equipment is cool and fun to mess around with. I own all kinds of exercise equipment, but nothing that needs to be plugged in or costs an arm and a leg.

All you need is your mind, body, some space and gravity.

Reprogram your mind into thinking there is no excuse to not exercise. There is no excuse to be lazy just because you don't have access to exercise equipment. No excuse.

You may not like to hear it, but deep down you know I'm right. In my article I wrote to think back to gym class because it's a great place to start. If you have absolutely no idea how to get started then give that a try, think back to gym class (or give me a call.)

Train smart,

RL

Strong girl!

My little girl has been copying me working out a lot lately. It's cute. She makes these little grunting, straining faces, which I suppose means that's what I look like when I do it.

She says she is a "Strong girl!"

And she's right, she is, and will continue to be. I don't plan on letting up on my exercise. I also don't plan on forcing her to do it. I don't yell at her and tell her to come try this or that exercise. She sees me do it and naturally wants to try it on her own. So I help her out. I show her how to do it and help her do it the best she can (she is still only 3 1/2.) Then she cheers and is so proud of herself for doing it, "like daddy."

I often have overweight people ask me how they can stop their kids from being overweight. Sometimes I can be more blunt than with others depending on who I'm talking to and how well I know them. I tell them it starts with them.

Kids learn life habits by imitation. Especially at a young age. The older they get the harder it is to instill those healthy habits in them, especially if a bad one has moved in in it's place.

So exercise in front of your kids. Let them see you committed to taking care of your body. It will be one of the greatest gifts you will ever give them.

Train smart,

RL

Get on the ball

Check out this little article:

FRIDAY, Jan. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Children who watch more TV, eat fewer family meals and live in less safe neighborhoods are more likely to be overweight, say researchers from the University of Missouri.


A new study published in the January issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association surveyed more than 8,000 children between kindergarten and third grade to identify factors associated with the children's weight.

The researchers classified the children into one of three groups: those who were not overweight in kindergarten and first grade, but were overweight by third grade; those who became overweight during kindergarten and remained overweight through third grade; and those who were never overweight.

The researchers found that the children who watched more television and ate fewer family meals were more likely to be overweight by first grade. Those who watched more television, ate fewer family meals and lived in neighborhoods perceived by their parents as less safe for outdoor play were more likely to be overweight from kindergarten on.

"Intervening quickly on children's behalf is of the utmost importance," the researchers wrote, since being overweight as a young child increases the risk of being an overweight adult.

When addressing children's weight problems, health professionals should look into how much children watch TV, how often they eat family meals and how safe their parents perceive their neighborhoods to be, the researchers concluded.

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Get on the ball parents! Take REAL care of your kids.

Train smart,

RL

Die with a T

I saw something interesting on Yahoo.com today. The Headline was, "The Cookie Diet?"

Now before you get excited, no you don't just eat tons of cookies and lose weight. The actual cookie diet is an overall eating plan that just allows you to have certain cookies as every now and then.

The reason Yahoo was drawing attention to it because they track the searches done by users online and the surge in diet related searches is up...a lot. It's because of the new year resolutions. These are the top 10 diet searches:

1. Cabbage Soup Diet
2. Grapefruit Diet
3. Maple Syrup Diet
4. Apple Cider Vinegar Diet
5. Cayenne Pepper Diet
6. Special K Diet
7. Cabbage Diet
8. Rice Diet
9. Green Tea Diet
10. Cookie Diet

Which one should you follow?

None of them. Diets don't work.

Change your eating style for the long term, that's the only way to get lasting, real results.

Most sound, responsible diets are essentially the same. They may have a gimmicky food you eat more of, but when you're not eating that one food you're advised to eat a "sensible diet" and exercise.

That's all you need.

My idea for a new diet is called...The Common Sense diet. Now I just need to see if that's trademarked already.

Train smart,

RL

The I'll do it tomorrows

Don't live a life of I'll do it tomorrows.

Life is made up of todays.

Don't procrastinate. Do it today. Tomorrow will come all by itself without you worrying about it.

Get your workout in TODAY.

Get that project you've been putting off done TODAY.

Have you ever known someone who never seems to get anywhere in life? They talk about all these plans they have but never do anything to make them a reality.

Take a good look at yourself today and ask yourself if you're one of those people.

If you are, get moving.

Train smart,

RL

30 times more likely

There was a study released today that suggested girls as young as 9 are at serious heart risk if they are overweight.

They were also 11 to 30 times more likely to be overweight in adulthood. Not surprisingly they were also 3 to 10 times more likely to have high blood pressure, bad cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.

Big surprise.

Here's a quote from the article, ""The challenge for clinicians, community leaders, researchers, and public health officials will be to develop effective innovative obesity prevention interventions that can be widely generalized and disseminated, so that the dire prediction that deaths related to obesity will soon become the leading cause of mortality in the United States does not come to pass."

What about the parents? SInce when is it the responsibility of clinicians, community leaders, researchers, and public health officials to stop you from letting your kids get fat? It's not.

Obesity is not something that just happens. There are reasons for it and ways to make sure it will not happen.

Everyday there is a new story about "adult obesity related diseases" being diagnosed in children younger and younger. This is not going to go away on it's own. It is only going to get worse.

Get those kids active and eating right so yours won't be one of the casualties.

Train smart,

RL

Yucky

Over the weekend I caught the nasty stomach bug that is going around. It was horrible for about 12 hours. And the worst part is I had to go coach at a wrestling match all day.

I'm convinced that if I wasn't in as good of physical shape that I'm in I wouldn't have been able to do it. As I was I was having trouble standing at some points. I couldn't even keep water down for a while. I was so dehydrated it was painful.

But I had to function. Why? Because I had a bunch of kids depending on me. There was no one else to take my place.

This is just one reason why it's important to keep yourself in tip top shape. When you do get sick you will be able to function and. more importantly, recover better and faster than an out-of-shape person.

Just look at Lance Armstrong, he had a 50% chance to live according to the doctors, but to him it might as well have been 99%. I heard him in an interview saying he told himself he knew he would survive because of the condition he was already in with his fitness.

Now of course I'm not comparing cancer to a little stomach bug. But I think you can see what I mean. Staying in shape is a great way to prepare you for getting over sickness. You will get sick, it's a fact of life. However, the better physical condition you are in going into it, the better of you will be coming out of it.

Train smart,

RL

Good, but not good enough

I saw a story on the news yesterday about how the makers of 4 famous over the counter diet pills had to pay 25 million in damages for "misleading marketing."

I'm happy about it, but 25 million is not enough. These companies scam 100s of millions from gullible people looking for a quick fix. It was barely a slap on the wrist. And they can still sell the stuff.

Any over the counter diet aid is a waste of money. Nothing is going to get you results except for good ol' fashioned hard work.

The companies that sell these worthless products make false claims, spend millions on advertising and if they're lucky they get a celebrity to lie for them (TrimSpa). Then they rake it in and only have to worry about the possibility of a fine that they could easily pay.

It's wrong. But it's the way it works.

You don't need those pills. In several cases placebos were proven to be MORE effective. They are just worthless. Save your money.

Get up, move your body, and eat good food. That my friends, is the only magic pill you need.

Train smart,

RL

"Plus-size America"

I was flipping around on the TEE-VEE last night and I caught a bit of one of those gossip entertainment shows. Apparently there's a big celebrity feud between Donald Trump and Rosie O'Donnell (I have no idea if I spelled that right.)

My first reaction, like most of us, is who cares?

Then I heard Trump calling Rosie a "fat slob." Well, he's right. But should he say it? I don't know. But I guess if you're a billionaire you can pretty much get away with anything, just as long as it's legal. And sometimes not-so-legal.

Anyway, I went online and was reading all the back-and-forth banter between them and I thought it was kind of funny.

On that show they said, "Should Trump apologize to...(and I quote) 'plus size America.'"

I don't really understand what he was supposed to apologize to plus-size-America about. Grouping Rosie in with them, or actually saying the word, "fat?"

Oh no!

Listen, fat is fat. I've been fat, and I admit it. I don't refer to it as my "plus-size years."

People need to stop being so sensitive and politically correct. Fat is fat. If you don't want to be fat, do something about it. Bottomline.

Should the Donald apologize to the Rosie? I don't care. I'm actually kind of looking forward to see what is said next.

Train smart,

RL

Yeah, okay

I just read an article about this big survey about who is dieting and who is not. You know, the article they publish every year in the first week in January. They had this lovely picture posted along with the article..



..beautiful huh?

The article said that 2 in 3 Americans say they're on a diet. That's funny. They may tell a pollster they are, but they aren't. America's waist line is growing and growing. And the fact of the matter is dieting is not the answer. Diets don't work. Changing your eating lifestyle does.

You see diets end. I've said that before. Everyone thinks of a "diet" as a temporary thing. When the truth is that in order for something to create lasting change it can not be temporary.

Stop torturing yourself with the latest fad diet to come down the pike. Educate yourself and do it the right way. Eat good food, only when you're hungry. Get plenty of good exercise and before you know it you'll be a new person.

Train smart,

RL

Keep movin' dem joints

Everyone is back to work today. Well most everyone. The new year has begun. Try to make it a good one.

Ok, joint mobility exercises. What makes them unique?

Unlike regular exercises you are concentrating on moving the joint in as many directions as possible. Even some directions it's not "meant" to bend. Usually one wouldn't use any resistance for these and they are also usually done as a warm up for other, more "intense" exercises. Think about shoulder rolls or knee circles or wrist rotations.

Joint mobility is very important as we get older. Like I mentioned before, mobility and flexibility are the first to go. I've had several a client complain about how stiff they are in the morning and how they can remember when they were young and they could jump right out of bed and touch their toes no problem.

It is possible to regain that ability and even go further.

Joint mobility, flexibility, these are often overlooked, or glanced over aspects of fitness. But if you want to be truly functionally fit they should become a big piece of your fitness regime pie.

Train smart,

RL