by Patrick Corona

Well, here it is, the time of year when we all make our “New Years Resolutions.” Did you know that approximately 75% of ”New Years Resolutions” are health related?  Unfortunately, well-intentioned efforts usually fade by mid-February, sending the hopefuls reeling back into an un-healthy lifestyle, leaving only a handful with the results they had desired.

Why? Most people begin an exercise program full of enthusiasm, but lacking in the knowledge needed to follow-through.  And with all of the misnomers out there, it’s no wonder why people fail.  Many programs today offer an “extreme” approach to fitness and nutrition, promising the “World”, but instead, only delivering the potential for physical injury and/or psychological “burnout.” Let me ask you a question, “ Are you getting ready to compete in a body building competition?”  If the answer is yes, stop reading this article!  But if the answer is no, and you’re more interested in losing weight, lowering your blood pressure/cholesterol, strengthening your muscles/bones, having more energy, or just feeling/looking better, then please continue reading.

This New Year, why not take a more balanced approach to your fitness program, and set your self up for long-term success?  Top professionals will tell you that it takes about 90 days to develop a routine into a life-long habit.  During that time, it is also important that many positive feelings are associated with the change.  This “positive reinforcement” can be the difference between success and failure.

Here are some tips that will enable you to follow-through with this year’s “Fitness Resolutions!”

• Get medical clearance from your doctor! 30% of Americans have high blood pressure, and only half of them are aware of it.  That means many of you reading this article are suffering from the disease known as the “silent killer.”  And while there are many exercises in the gym that help to lower your blood pressure, many exercises in the gym can actually make matters worse. Finding out your current fitness level will allow you to get started on a program in the most safe and efficient way.

• Start off slowly! It takes about 2-4 weeks for you’re joints and bones to adjust to the new stresses you’re placing on the body. If you start out doing too much you can develop shin splints, pains in the joints or psychological burnout.  Try exercising 3 times a week in the beginning, with a healthy balance of resistance, cardiovascular and flexibility training to give you a well-rounded program.  Be patient..slow and steady wins the race!

• Set realistic goals! Many people are fixated on looking like the models in a magazine.  Please realize that those individuals are extremely dedicated to a life of fitness, because that is their job.  Exercising every day and eating a very strict diet is the norm for them. So unless you’re planning on becoming “obsessed” with your program, a more realistic goal should be set.  Try getting your blood-pressure, body fat and cholesterol into healthy ranges.   Because when you change the inside, the outside will follow.

• Change it up! It takes about 4-6 weeks for your body to adjust to your fitness program, and then it’s time to mix it up. Try switching around the order of the exercises, increasing the intensity or adding new ones to “shock” the body.

• Have fun! Exercise doesn’t have to feel like a chore.  Don’t get caught up in a monotonous routine that loses your interest after a few short weeks.  Instead, find a variety of exercises and activities that you enjoy doing.  Maybe a run on the beach, game of basketball or taking a yoga class will be “just the mix” necessary to keep you coming back for more.

• Nutrition! Nutrition! Nutrition! About 80% of the way you look and feel is determined by what you eat.  Make sure that you’re eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, as well as a healthy balance of carbohydrates and fats to maximize your fat burning potential.

• Seek professional assistance! Hiring a professional will not only help educate you on the proper diet and exercises, but also keep you motivated and accountable until you’re able to develop your program into habit.

I hope these tips are helpful in your pursuit of healthier habits!  For additional questions please call 954.806.7815 or email me at patrick@getfitamerica.com

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by Patrick Corona

About 12 years ago I had the opportunity to work with a lady who informed me she was beginning an exercise program to assist with her fibromyalgia.  This was my first encounter with this type of condition.  Before starting her program I did some research on the subject and here’s what I found:

Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is a widespread musculoskeletal pain and fatigue disorder for which the definite cause is still a mystery.  It effects between 3 & 8 million people in the U.S., and approximately 80 to 90% are women.  The signs and symptoms vary from person to person depending on level of stress, weather, physical activity, and even time of day.

The most popular sign are:

1. Pain – Most patients complain of pain all over.  Primarily the pain is felt in the muscles, ligaments, tendons and skin.  The pain seems to be more severe in the morning than at night for most patients.
2. Fatigue – Ranges from mild to severe, and has been described as brain fatigue because the patient feels totally drained of energy.
3. Sleep Disorders – Caused by alpha wave interrupted sleep pattern, a condition in which deep sleep is frequently interrupted by bursts of brain activity similar to wakefulness.  This causes them to miss the deep restoration stage of sleep (stage 4).  When they wake it feels as if they hadn’t slept at all.
4. Irritable Bowl Syndrome – 40 to 70% experience constipation, diarrhea, frequent abdominal pain, gas, and nausea.
5. Heightened Sensitivity – Approximately 50% experience sensitivity to odors, bright lights, noises, changes in weather, and touch.
6. Depression – Effects about 1/3 of FMS patients

However, there are many exercise movements that may worsen your pain.  This is why working with a profession when you get started is critical to your success.  Although exercise alone is not a treatment for fibromyalgia, it is an excellent way to help you cope with your chronic fatiguing illness while staying active and functional. Fibromyalgia patients should have a well-balanced program combining stretching, strengthening, and aerobic conditioning.

Benefits of Exercise Program:

· Increased energy.
· Improved sleep.
· Promotes weight loss therefore reduces stress on your joints.
· Increases bone mass, reducing your risk of fracture or osteoporosis.
· Relieves stress.
· Increases natural endorphin production by your body, thereby alleviating some of the anxiety, depression and pain associated with fibromyalgia.

It is also important to remember that exercise accompanied with some of the other possible treatments for fibromyalgia will work better than exercise alone. Recent studies have indicated that exercise combined with cognitive behavior therapy or meditation, is more effective than exercise alone.

How to get started:

Warm-Up – You should begin every workout with a 5-10 minute light warm-up operating at about 40% of your maximum heart rate. This will help prevent injury to the muscles, ligaments, and joints.

Stretch – Stretching improves your flexibility, ensuring that your joints can move through a full range of motion.  Also, by improving your flexibility, you prevent your muscles, tendons and ligaments from shortening and weakening, thereby reducing your risk for injury and pain. Do stretching exercises every day to keep muscles loose and out of their tight and contracted state. With stretching, go to the point where you feel a tightness or resistance – never stretch to the point of pain.  Over stretching can lead to flaxed (loose) joint stability.

Resistance Training – This allows you to improve the overall strength of your muscles. Developing stronger muscles will allow you to perform the activities of daily living such as taking care of your family, and performing at work by reducing your fatigue. Having stronger muscles also means an increase in your lean body mass and a decrease in body fat which helps many patients combat heart disease and depression.

Cardiovascular Training – This helps to decrease resting heart rate, blood pressure, and cholesterol, giving you a healthier heart. By adding aerobic activities of 20-30 minutes duration, three days a week, you will reduce your risk for heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases. You will also find that exercising will improve the amount of energy you have during the rest of the week, preventing you from becoming easily fatigued. Patients that participate in regular cardiovascular training also boast of better sleep at night. It’s important to mix up the type of cardiovascular training you do.  Some good examples are walking, running, cycling, rowing, and swimming.

I hope that you’ve found this information to be helpful in your pursuit of a happier and healthier life!

Please email all questions and comments to patrick@getfitamerica.com

by Patrick Corona

All of us have had to cope with stress at some point in our life.  But not all stress is bad.  Professional athletes use the stress of not making the playoffs as motivation to take it one game at a time.  Tiger Woods uses stress to help him focus, as he sinks another miraculous putt.  This type of stress is called eustress.  Eustress can be used as a catalyst for motivation, projecting us to new heights.

Think about what it takes to make a diamond.  You take a dirty piece of coal, and place a tremendous amount of external pressure on it.  The more external pressure the coal can withstand, the more beautiful and perfect the diamond.  Such is life.  The more pressure we are able to overcome, the stronger and more perfect we become.

Unfortunately, most of us don’t harness our stress, and use it as motivation.  Instead, the stress in our life usually becomes an inhibitor to our progress.  The NY Times recently stated that stress related ailments in the workplace cost our health care system approximately 300 billion dollars a year.  Stress is also a major risk factors in heart disease and stroke.  This is why so many Americans are constantly trying to find ways to relieve stress.

There are many products that claim to help with stress relief.  Lets talk about what really works and why.

Aroma Therapy – Some people claim that certain scents have a physiological effect on the adrenal glands.  The scent of lavender seems to get the most praise for this claim.  However, a thorough study at Ohio State University was performed using 56 subjects.  The study tested their blood pressure, heart rate and hormone levels in the blood, while putting them through a series of tests.  Upon conclusion, they found no evidence to support the claims that any scent can have a positive affect on the adrenal glands.

Having said that, if you like your house to have certain scents, and you feel more relaxed when you smell them, then continue to use them.  There is certainly nothing harmful about the smell of lavender.  Just know that any stress relief you may experience is only psychological.

Saliva Tests – Many “so called” health care professionals will have you believe that they can test for a disease called adrenal fatigue by taking a saliva sample.  However, Dr. Glenn Brownstein who is the chairman of medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center disagrees.  He says there is no evidence that adrenal glands deficiencies can be tested by saliva tests.  He also suggests that adrenal fatigue is a disease that has not been proven by modern medicine.  Dr. Brownstein says that what is oftentimes diagnosed as adrenal fatigue, may actually be depression misdiagnosed.

If you are having trouble sleeping at night, if you’re having a difficult time with interpersonal relationships, or if you’re tired all the time and you’re experiencing feelings of distress, you may need to seek professional psychiatric help.

Nutritional Supplements – Many health-care professional will have you believe that certain supplements can help with adrenal fatigue (a condition that we already know may not even exist).  But Dr. Paul Rosh who is the President of the American Institute of Stress says that no supplement has ever been proven to have a physiological effect on the adrenal glands.  Because supplements do not have to be FDA approved, their claims are often questionable, Dr. Rosh suggests, “Buyer beware.”

Smoking – Approximately 45.3 million Americans smoke.  One of the main reasons that people smoke is to relax.   But did you know that smoking is actually a stimulant, which makes it impossible for a cigarette to relax you!  It’s the deep breathing associated with smoking that actually relaxes you.  So the next time you go outside to light up…don’t!  Just go outside and take some deep breaths and feel the stress leave your body.

Alcohol – Alcohol has been marketed as an ingredient for fun, with commercials full of beautiful, half-naked people, who can’t seem to stop smiling.  However, alcohol is actually a depressant.  Many people use alcohol as a way to take the edge off.  And while a social drink here and there may be ok for some, others who may be suffering from depression will only exacerbate their problem.  Fresh fruit and vegetable drinks are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals and fibers, which makes them  much more efficient for relieving stress.

Water – I want you to imagine how much stress you would put on your car engine, if you ran it without water.  You would never consider doing that would you?  But yet we put our bodies through a tremendous amount of physical and emotional stress, everyday, without the proper amount of water.   The Ohio State University study (that tested the scents) did find a positive change in the adrenal glands, when the subject was properly hydrated.  Each person should drink at least 100 fluid oz. of water a day.  By hydrating your body, you will be able to relieve a lot of the stress that builds during the day.

Proper Nutrition – Americans consume more calories than any other nation on the planet.  Most of the foods we eat are high in calories and low in nutrition. We consume massive amounts of processed foods that lack the proper vitamins and minerals necessary to sustain good health.  They are often high in refined sugars, which cause a spike in insulin and then a drop in blood sugar.  Saturated fats and trans fatty acids are other concerns with the American diet because of their direct relation to heart disease and stroke.   Instead, try a diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean sources of proteins, whole grains and legumes. Make sure to keep the pesticides and harmful chemicals off the menu buy eating organic.  A recent study stated that Americans, who consume less food, lived longer and healthier lives. Smaller portions will also help to speed up your metabolism and may also help eliminate fatigue.

Deep breathing – When we feel stressed we tend to take short, shallow breathes. This type of breathing only enhances the feelings of anxiety.  The next time you feel stressed take long, slow breathes through your nose, and exhale slowly through pursed lips.  Continue to do this until you no longer feel stressed.  It usually doesn’t take more than ten deep breaths to calm the nerves.  Deep breathing is a proven technique for lowering heart rate and relieving stress.

Exercise – The cross pattern movement of our arms and legs while performing walking, running, and cross country skiing exercises release endorphins in the brain that gives you a feeling of euphoria.  You’ve probably heard it referred to as “runners high.”  After about 20-40 minutes (depending on your intensity) you will actually feel the stress leave your body.  I also use other forms of exercise to relieve stress like boxing and weight training.  Nothing feels better after stressful day than hitting the heavy bag or pumping some iron.  Experts also recommend a walk or run for writers when they get writers block.  Exercise has been clinically proven to have positive physiological effects on the adrenal glands, so get off your butt and exercise!

Control the stress in your life and allow it to motivate you by applying the techniques described above.  Remember, even a dirty piece of coal can become a diamond if it’s able to withstand the stress that is placed upon it!

Patrick Corona is a strength and conditioning specialist and founder of Get Fit America.  He can be reached at 954.806.7815 or at patrick@getfitamerica.com

by Patrick Corona

Here it comes, the time of year that we all love – The Holiday Season!

You know – The time-of-year when everyone seems a little friendlier and a lot more festive – When there are more Holiday parties than you can shake mistletoe at, and getting together with family almost sounds like a “good idea”.

Between shopping for presents, and attending Holiday festivities, you try, in vain, to find time for the gym, but, as your clothes slowly begin to cut off your circulation, you realize that this Holiday season is starting to seem a lot like the last holiday season.  And it’s not even Thanksgiving yet.

One holiday season I was visiting with family back home in Texas.  Everyone met at my aunt’s house in Dallas.  I can remember walking into their kitchen and seeing a smorgasbord of delicious cakes, pies, casseroles and other holiday favorites, spread across the counters.

The first day  I was out of control, eating anything and everything.  By the time Christmas morning came around I had eaten so much I was sick of chewing.  Dinner would be served at 4, but I was still full from the day before.  Now what do I do?  I got it!  I went to the local supermarket and bought egg whites, chicken, brown rice, sweet potatoes, and beans.

Then when I got back to my Aunt’s house I went for a nice long run.  After my run I prompted my cousin (who is still serving in the Navy) to do some push-ups with me.  We pumped out 500 push-ups and I still had time to cook.

I went downstairs and whipped up one of my favorite concoctions of brown rice, black beans and chopped chicken breast.  My Aunt said, “What are you doing?”  I replied, “Cooking my Christmas dinner.”  “But why?” she asked bewildered, “we have so much delicious food.”   I explained to her that I had indulged enough, I was very grateful for the food that I had eaten, but it was time to get back on my program.

As we all sat down enjoying the meal and reflecting on the past year, with healthy doses of our family’s most hilarious moments, I knew that this Christmas dinner would certainly make the list in the years to come.  They looked at me like I was out of my mind.

However, did you know the average American gains anywhere from 5-8 lbs. of fat during the Holiday Season? Between the trick-or-treat candy at Halloween, the homemade pies at Thanksgiving and over indulgence of alcohol at the annual Christmas parties, you could be feeling (and looking) like a stuffed turkey come January 1^st.  Don’t fall into that same trap again this year.  Set yourself up for success so that you can start the New Year off ahead of the game.

Here are some simple and helpful tips as you try to avoid the holiday gobble.

Holiday Parties:

Eat a well-balanced meal immediately before attending each party -  There will be far too much temptation for you to rely solely on will power alone. Eating a meal prior to the party will help you avoid inhaling all of those delicious high calorie snacks.  Now you will be able to enjoy a couple of your favorite snacks without overindulging.  The meal immediately prior will also help absorb any alcohol you may consume during the party much more efficiently than hors d’oeuvres.

Drink a glass of water after every alcoholic beverage – This tip actually has two benefits.  1. The reason you wake up with a hangover is because your body is dehydrated.  A glass of water in-between every drink will help to eliminate that “holiday” hangover.  2. This technique will also cut your calories from alcohol in half.  The thermogenic effect of digestion will burn off four ounces of alcohol, but anything beyond that may be stored as fat.

Dance the night away – Even if you’re not a good dancer get out on that dance floor and burn off some of those chicken wings.  The average American burns between 200-800 calories in one hour of dancing.  So get out on the dance floor and “shake it.”

Holiday Dinners:

Never go into the meal famished – You will be much more likely to binge on all of those delicious foods if you do like most people and fast all the way up to the meal.  Instead, have a complete and balanced meal 2-3 hours before the holiday dinner so that you can control the amount of food you eat

Eat small portions – Put a spoon of all your favorite dishes on your plate. Remember, most holiday dishes are very calorie dense.  But whatever you do, don’t deprive yourself of your favorite holiday foods.  You don’t get many opportunities to enjoy your moms’ sweet potato casserole.

Eat slowly – It takes about 15 minutes for your body to realize that your full. If you eat too quickly, by the time your body realizes you’ve had enough, you’ll feel more stuffed than the turkey.

Go for a long walk after the meal – Your after dinner walk will allow you to burn off some of those unwanted calories.  Also, walking is an activity that everyone can participate in.  Take a long walk with family members and catch-up on old times.

I hope this advice will help you avoid those holiday pounds.  If you have any questions or comments please email me at patrick@getfitamerica.com or call 954.806.7815

by Patrick Corona

Most American’s have no clue as to how many calories they should  be taking in to lose unwanted fat, and maintain lean muscle mass.  Most of us follow a “cookie cutter” program that may get you some results, but falls short of helping you develop healthy eating habits you can stick with.  A large percentage of these “calorie restrictive” diets are also notorious for slowing down your metabolism and causing muscle loss. The Katch-McArdle is one of the most accurate formulas because it takes into consideration your lean body mass (LBM).  If you don’t know your LBM then the “quick” method will do for now.

To find your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), which is how many calories your body burns at rest over 24 hours, follow this simple formula:

Women: BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) – ( 4.7 x age in years ) Men: BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) – ( 6.8 x age in year )

The “Quick Method” Formula

A fast and easy method to determine calorie needs is to use total current body weight times a multiplier.

Fat loss = 12 – 13 calories per lb. of bodyweight

Maintenance = 15 – 16 calories per lb. of bodyweight

Weight gain: = 18 – 19 calories per lb. of bodyweight

This is an easy way to estimate caloric needs, but is much less accurate than the Katch-McArdle Formula. Extremely active individuals may require far more calories than this formula indicates. In addition, the more lean body mass one has, the higher the total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) will be. Because body fat is not accounted for, this formula may greatly overestimate the caloric needs of those extremely overweight. For example, a lightly active 50 year old woman who weighs 235 lbs. and has 34% body fat will not lose weight on 3000 calories per day (255 X 13 as per the “quick” formula for fat loss).

Katch-McArdle Formula

The Katch-McArdle formula takes your lean body mass into consideration, making it a much more effective way to calculate the proper caloric intake. This calculation is therefore only possible if you know your percentage body fat. To find out your percentage of body fat find a fitness professional in your area.

The formula is as follows:
BMR = 370 + (9.79759519 X Lean Mass in pounds)

TDEE is calculated by multiplying your BMR by your activity multiplier from the list below:

Sedentary = BMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)

Lightly active = BMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)

Mod. active = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)

Very active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)

Very Very active = BMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.)

Regardless of what the calculator tells you, going under about 1000-1200 calories for females and 1300-1500 for males can be detrimental to weight loss. This is commonly called “starvation mode” and is a natural reaction to too low a caloric diet. Do not go lower than these numbers without the advice and consent from your physician.

by Patrick Corona

There is a lot of controversy on the importance of stretching in relation to runners. We all know that being flexible is important. You may even know that stretching can help prevent injury by giving more range of motion at a given articulation by altering the extensibility of the musculotendinous units that produce movement at a given joint. (easy for me to say)

But if that’s the case, then why is stretching one of the leading cause of injuries amongst runners? The answer is simple…….they’ve been using poor stretching techniques!

Most runners perform static stretching before a run. Static stretching involves stretching a muscle to its maximal position and holding it for 10 – 30 seconds, then repeating 3 -4 times.

However, research from the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) has indicated that static stretching prior to an athletic event will decrease performance by approx. 7%. NSCA now recommends static stretching only be performed 30 -45 minutes after your run.

Ballistic stretching involves active muscular effort and uses a bouncing type movement. Ballistic stretching is used as a warm-up for elite athletes. You may have seen your favorite player use this technique, as he/she gets ready for competition. This is not recommended for the everyday athlete, and certainly not for those with low back or shoulder injuries.

Dynamic stretching involves specific movements that the individual will be performing during their sport. Examples of dynamic stretches for runners would be high knees, butt kickers, and lunges. These are the best stretching movements to perform prior to a run.

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation stretching (PNF) is the most effective in increasing range of motion but the least practical because it requires a trained partner. There are three basic types of PNF stretching technique; hold-relax, contract-relax, & hold-relax with agonist contractions. A trained professional should always administer PNF stretching.

Now that you know a little more about stretching, here’s a checklist to perform before and after your run.

1. Always start your run with a 3-5 min warm-up walk. This will allow the muscles to get the proper amount of blood flow to get them warmed up and ready for work.

2. Then, go through a series high knee raises, butt kickers, and lunges (at various angles) to provide sports specific flexibility.

3. Perform static stretching 30 -45 minutes after your run.

Please note that an improvement in flexibility requires a conscious effort. Experts recommend stretching at least 5-6 times per week for significant gains.

for more questions about fitness & nutrition email  patrick@getfitamerica.com

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by Patrick Corona

I know what your thinking…….not another one of those ridiculous articles promising me that I can eat whatever I want. And you’re right; it’s not another one of those articles. Look, we all know (or at least we should) that the foundation of eating healthy is a well balanced program, with variety of foods that are high in nutrition and low in calories.

However, if you’re like me, you don’t always choose the meal that’s the healthiest. I mean who wants to go through life missing out on all of the delicious foods that are out there. I have tasted the pasta in Rome, the barbeque in Texas, pizza on the corner in Manhattan and the freshest sushi caught right out of the Atlantic Ocean. And I am grateful for them all!

But I must admit that the stories I’ve read about the pesticides in the foods we eat have me concerned. The Environmental Protection Agency has stated that research shows birth defects, cancer, and nerve damage as just some of the possible long-term effects of pesticides.

Most recently, unless you’ve been living in a cave, you’ve seen as many articles supporting “organic” living. And I must admit, at first I was a bit skeptical. But today, with all the overwhelming research and testimonies from millions of people who’ve decided to “go green,” doesn’t it make sense to at least try it?

Well now you can have your pizza and eat it too! Three guys (Vaughan, Mike and Randy) created Pizza Fusion with one goal in mind, to make delicious food that’s healthy and Earth friendly.

While their competitors try to ride the coat tails of this fast growing industry by offering consumers cheap imitations they label as “natural.” All of Pizza Fusion’s food is 100% organic!

Now you can have all of the pizza you want……right? Sorry, I wish that were the case. We still have to be conscious of the calories we consume. Remember, when it comes to losing body fat, its calories in versus calories out! But Pizza Fusion doesn’t just have pizza. They have fresh salads, appetizers, a variety of sandwiches and beverages that are all organic.

Stop by your local Pizza Fusion and taste why it’s the fastest growing organic pizza franchise in the country, and why it’s the top choice for fitness enthusiasts like me! Bon Appetite!

please send any questions to patrick@getfitamerica.com

GET STARTED TODAY!

by Patrick Corona

Obesity can be described as the percentage of body fat at which the risk of disease increases. Diseases associated with obesity are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type II diabetes, gall bladder disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, depression, coronary heart disease, and several types of cancer.

Despite all of the health risks, Americans continue to gain weight. Currently over 30% of Americans are obese and 65% are considered overweight. Obesity related diseases now kill more Americans than smoking and alcohol combined, and are now the leading cause of death amongst Americans.

Obesity is a topic that really hits home with me. You see, I come from an obese family, so my whole life I have seen people that I care about struggle with their health. And it certainly wasn’t from their lack of trying. My family has tried just about every gimmick and gadget that’s ever been created.

In fact, I can remember when I was about 10 years old; I went into my parent’s bedroom, and in the corner buried underneath a mountain of clothes was a very peculiar machine. Do you remember the machine with a thick belt that you put around your waist? Remember, it was supposed to “shake” the fat off your body.

Being the mischievous boy that I was, I unloaded the clothes onto the floor, stepped on the machine, put the belt around my neck and turned the machine on. I nearly decapitated myself with that stupid machine. So I guess you could say that I developed a real dislike for these products even before I realized how misleading they are.

The truth is, you have to work really, really hard to improve your health. This means you’re going to push your body beyond its comfort zone at various angles with workloads designed for your goals.

When you stress the body in a manner it’s unaccustomed to, the body will react by causing physiological changes that allow the body to handle that stress in a better way the next time it occurs. Different stresses affect the body in different ways. For example, if you want to increase the size of the muscle you overload it with a repetition range of 8-12. If you want to increase the endurance of the muscle you should overload it in a range of 15 -25.

There are hundreds of exercises that can help improve our physical well-being. Keep in mind that in order to make progress we have to challenge ourselves. But please don’t make the same mistake many people make. The show “The Biggest Loser” has influenced many American’s into believing that it’s ok for person who is very out of shape to work out 6-8 hours a day. Unless you have trained paramedics standing right beside you ready to administer CPR, this is the last thing you should ever do. Always put safety first.

Also, being consistent with your exercise program is critical; exercising at least 3-5 times a week…every week. If you travel a lot or have a job or family that is demanding of your time, you will need to make the necessary adjustments to keep your workouts consistent.

Another important piece to the fitness puzzle is to be consistent over an extended period of time. You didn’t put the weight on in a month and you’re not going to take it off in a month. Exercise is something that has to be incorporated into your lifestyle. If the program you’re on isn’t teaching you habits you can stick with, stop wasting your time and money. Find a program that considers all of the obstacles in your own life, and helps you make the changes last.

And finally, we have to make major modifications to our eating habits. American’s consume more calories (per person) than any other nation averaging around 4,000 per day. We also consume more processed foods, snacks, sodas and other non-beneficial foods than any other country.

Eating smaller meals (rich in nutrient value and low in calories) several times a day from a variety of foods with a generous amount of water throughout the day (at least 100 fl oz.), will allow your body to burn fat more efficiently.

Unfortunately, when most American’s hear they need to make changes to their lifestyle they get discouraged. And why shouldn’t they be, when ten minutes later they see an infomercial promising “six-pack” abs in just 5 minutes a day. The truth is that the health industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, but we as a nation are getting fatter and fatter. And it doesn’t take a quantum physicist to figure out, that math doesn’t add up.

With more so-called “healthy” foods on the shelves than ever before, and access to more exercise tapes and equipment than ever before, wouldn’t you think we would be the fittest nation on the planet? Well think again, we are actually the fattest nation on the planet (at 30.6%).

How is it possible that a country as health conscious as we are, with all of our technology can’t seem to figure it out when it comes to fitness?

About three years ago several family members and myself went to Sicily in search of our ancestry. Unfortunately all we found was more pasta. We had bread, cheese, fruit and coffee for breakfast, chicken or fish with pasta and salad for lunch, and more cheese and bread for dinner that we all washed down with a glass of vino. I lost 7 pounds on that trip. Sicily is a very mountainous country; every step we took was going up or down, and we must have averaged at least 5 miles a day. Why is it that Italians can eat bread and cheese every day with a glass of wine and be one of the fittest nations in the world (at 8.5%)? I’ll tell you why, because Italians are more active than the average American and they consume less processed foods and fewer calories.

When are we going to wake up and realize that a healthy body requires healthy living? There is no quick fix or easy solution to developing new habits. Quit throwing your money away on programs that promise great results with little to no change in habits. Just apply one of the first lessons you ever learned…if it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably not true.

HERE ARE SOME HELPFUL TIPS TO GET YOU STARTED:

· Get medical clearance before you begin an exercise program

· Make caloric reduction of at least 300-500 kcal a day. This can be easily done by eliminating sodas, candy, chips, fried foods, processed foods and replacing them with water, fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and complex carbohydrates like brown rice and oatmeal.

· Make sure you’re body is hydrated enough to help your body perform at its optimum level. At least ½ your body weight in fluid ounces a day

· Begin a cardiovascular program starting at a low intensity (40-60 percent of your MHR) for 30 min 3-5 times a week. If this is too much to start, break up your workouts into two 15 min. sessions (per day). Just get them in.

· Slowly incorporate resistance training into your routine. The assistance of a qualified Strength & Conditioning Specialist is recommended at this stage. This will maximize your success while avoiding injury.

· Be patient. As I mentioned earlier, this should be something you’re incorporating into your lifestyle. Find a program that considers your medical history, goals and lifestyle.

For a personal consultation with Patrick call 954.806.7815

by Patrick Corona

Here we are…. the time of year when we can show off all of the hard work we’ve put in over the past several months. It’s when the shirts come off… and the oil goes on!

Summer is also when many of us move our training regiment outdoors! Just be careful when doing so. Every year there are thousands of American’s who experience some form of discomfort while exercising in the heat, with hundreds of those cases being fatal (according to the Center for Disease Control).

Here are some tips to keep you safe while exercising in the heat:

· Always clear any exercise program with your doctor before starting

· Avoid exercising in the heat of the day, and exercise in the shade when it’s available

· Wear light colored clothes that breathe

· Make sure you’re properly hydrated! You should aim to replace all fluid lost during exercise, and rely on sweat loss, rather than just thirst, to monitor fluid needs. Drink 24 oz. of water before exercise and 16 – 32 oz. during exercise (every hour).

· Avoid extreme excessive water consumption, which can lead to hyponatremia (over-hydration that may dangerously reduce sodium concentrations in the body), in rare cases. Sports drinks like Gatorade are effective in replacing the sodium and electrolytes lost during exercise

People who are most at risk for heat related illnesses are children, the elderly, individuals with high-blood pressure, and those on certain medications. Ask your doctor if the mediations you’re on can put you more at risk. Here are signs and treatment for heat exhaustion and heat stroke:

Heat Exhaustion

This occurs when fluid losses from sweating and respiration are greater than internal fluid reserves (volume depletion). Heat Exhaustion is really a form of volume shock. The lack of fluid causes the body to constrict blood vessels especially in the periphery (arms and legs). To understand Heat Exhaustion think of a car with a radiator leak pulling a trailer up a mountain pass. There is not enough fluid in the system to cool off the engine so the car overheats.

Signs

· Sweating

· Skin – Pale, clammy (from peripheral vasoconstriction)

· Pulse – Increased

· Respirations – Increased

· Temperature – normal or slightly elevated

· Urine Output – Decreased

· Patient feels weak, dizzy, thirsty, “sick,” anxious

· Nausea and vomiting (from decreased circulation in the stomach)

Treatment

Victims of Heat Exhaustion must be properly re-hydrated and must be very careful about resuming physical activity (it is best to see a physician before doing so). Treatment is as described above for Heat Syncope, but the person should be more conservative about resuming physical activity to give the body a chance to recover. Have the person rest (lying down) in the shade. Replace fluid with a water/salt solution. Drink slowly, drinking too much, too fast very often causes nausea and vomiting.

Evacuation usually is not necessary. Heat Exhaustion can become Heat Stroke if not properly treated (see Heat Stroke below). A victim of Heat Exhaustion should be closely monitored to make sure that their temperature does not go above 103 deg F. If it does so, treat the person for Heat Stroke as described below

Heat Stroke – Hyperthermia

Heat Stroke is one of the few life threatening medical emergencies. A victim can die within minutes if not properly treated. Heat Stroke is caused by an increase in the body’s core temperature. Core temperatures over 105deg F (41deg; C) can lead to death. The rate of onset of Heat Stroke depends on the individual’s fluid status. To understand Heat Stroke think of that same car pulling a trailer up a mountain pass on a hot day. This time the radiator has plenty of flu d, but the heat challenge of the engine combined with the external temperature is too much. The engine can’t great rid of the heat fast enough and the engine overheats. There are two types of Heat Stroke-fluid depleted (slow onset) and fluid intact (fast onset).

Fluid depleted – The person has Heat Exhaustion due to fluid loss from sweating and/or inadequate fluid replacement, but continues to function in a heat challenge situation. Ultimately, the lack of fluid has minimized the body’s active heat loss a capability to such an extent that the internal core temperature begins to rise.

Fluid intact (fast onset) – The person is under an extreme heat challenge. The heat challenge overwhelms the body’s active heat loss mechanisms even though the fluid level is sufficient.

Signs

· The key to identifying Heat Stroke is hot skin. Some victims may have hot, dry skin; others may have hot, wet skin because they have just moved from Heat Exhaustion to Heat Stroke.

· Peripheral vasoconstriction (skin gets pale)

· Pulse Rate – increased

· Respiratory Rate – increased

· Urine Output – decreased

· Temperature – increased (may be over 105 deg F /41deg C)

· Skin – may be wet or dry, flushed

· AVPU – Severe changes in mental status and motor/sensory changes, then the person may                   become comatose, possibility of seizures.

· Pupils – may be dilated and unresponsive to light

Treatment

· Efforts to reduce body temperature must begin immediately! Move the patient (gently) to a cooler spot or shade the victim. Remove clothing. Pour water on the extremities and fan the person to increase air circulation and evaporation. Or cover the extremities with cool wet cloths and fan the patient. Immersion in cool (not cold) water is also useful. During cooling the extremities should be massaged vigorously to help propel the cooled blood back into the core.

· After the temperature has been reduce to 102 deg F (39deg C), active cooling should be reduced to avoid hypothermia (shivering produces more heat). The patient must be monitored closely to make sure that temperature does not begin to go up again.

· Volume replacement – the victim will probably need fluid regardless of the type of onset.

· Basic life support, CPR if needed.

· Afterwards there can be serious medical problems. Prepare to evacuate your patient.

Exercising outdoors is a great way to keep your workouts fun. Just remember to always put safety first! If you have any requests for health related topics, please send emails to patrick@getfitamerica.com

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