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What’s the best exercise?

Is it running? Walking? Crossfit? Pilates? Bootcamp yoga?

Ok. I made that last one up.

This is a question I seem to get a lot. Unfortunately I don`t have an answer – exactly.

How’s that for me taking the easy way out?

Let me try to explain. First we need context.

Client A is a 78 year old female with 2 hip replacements and is on medication for high blood pressure and statins. She also lives on the 3rd floor of a building where the elevator is out of service frequently.

Client B is a 29 year old male wanting to play in a competitive hockey league after a 7 year layoff when he played University hockey.

Client C is a 40 year old mother of 3 who is now 75 pounds heavier than when she was 30 and has no history of vigorous exercise.

As you can see these 3 individuals are likely different in their physical ability, goals and have varying levels of current conditioning. When these individuals say, “I want to get in shape” it will mean three different things. This can be where the coach/trainer can and should be of assistance.

The correct answer must take the goals, injuries, exercise history, level of motivation, time, and ability all into consideration.

The suitable answer to the question of best exercise just may be, “the one you enjoy doing the most.”

This is definitely not the answer to those who believe progress must come with the twins of, Pain and Suffering. This cultural belief that, “No Pain No Gain” still has a solid foot hold in the world of fitness.

ADHERENCE

“Why do something you enjoy”?

“Isn’t it supposed to hurt?”

“If you are not hurting you are not working hard enough!”

The above recommendations are inescapable in the fitness world.

Hiring a trainer also doesn’t automatically bring you to the promised land.

Everyone knows it should be a dictator relationship with trainer/client. (eye roll)

The attrition rate is the main reason people don’t reach their goals.

50% of gym goers dropout after the 6 month mark and 67% never use their membership

Will participating in an exercise that you enjoy have you counting the milli-seconds on the gym clock?

Wouldn’t overall compliance be dramatically increased?

Finding exercise that you enjoy more than a root canal is likely to accomplish more than the best designed program that lasted only 3 weeks.

Be cognizant whether group exercise is your thing. Many enjoy the comradery of group training and the feeling of belonging to a tribe. If you feel the need to beat your friend or another ‘challenger’ in the class to bring competition and compliance then so be it.

Hopefully the sense of competition in the group is healthy and positive reinforcement exists.

As you know exercise can be more than just a physical benefit. The phycological side of exercise is rarely mentioned but can go a long way in someone’s health and outlook on life.

Don’t fall for the more is better mentality.

Shows like The Biggest Loser have really damaged the perception of what appropriate training should look like.

After exercise there should be a sense of accomplishment and increased sustained energy. You shouldn’t feel like you just went 12 rounds in the boxing ring and fantasies of 14 hour naps shouldn’t be part of your thought process.

I probably should be promoting hiring of a trainer and have them go medieval but why do something you hate?

Don’t get me wrong – there are plenty of great reasons for training hard. However, if each minute feels like nails across a chalkboard then forget it. Go hiking, swimming, biking or just get a dog so it encourages regular walking. We tend to enjoy doing what we are good at so playing a sport is a great option. Don’t narrow your focus to think exercise has to include dumbbells, benches and loud grunting.

Ever hear someone complain about feeling worse after a walk? Doubtful.

Obviously the 29 year old male I mentioned earlier needs to do more than just walk to be prepared but this goes back to goals, motivation and ability.

As I previously mentioned – get clear on realistic, attainable goals. Cherry picking a workout from a fitness magazine or mobile app is playing the gamble game.

If you are not overly enthusiastic about weight training but love the results then find a compromise. Train at home, train with a buddy who will not only motivate but also serve as a distraction from the process. If that is not realistic then find an activity around the house or garden that requires you to get the heart rate elevated for short bursts like a push lawnmower.

Anchor your reasons to what’s important in your life. If it’s family then ask how will this improve my family life? Check out my post on motivation.

Make your decisions based on interests, level of motivation, professional advice, and goals. Make it an activity that you can incorporate into your lifestyle for the long term.

Consistency and Persistence will win most of the time.

In summary:

Don’t jam a square peg into a round hole. In other words: Don’t force yourself into an activity you despise.

Remind yourself why you are doing it.

Just move. Do something you enjoy everyday.

Rinse and rep

Massage Ball Benefits

The benefits of a massage ball are numerous and also dependent on that particular person’s needs.

I’ll attempt to cover some of those benefits I’ve seen in the last 25 plus years of working with clients.

Treatment at Home The ability of having a massage ball at your disposal to work on problematic areas while watching your favorite TV show, or your desk at work can go a long way to speeding up healing time. The convenience is unmeasurable. Not having to align your schedule and find time that matches a therapists schedule eliminates a big hurdle when it comes to compliance.
Ability to Take on the Road. These massage balls are small enough to take in a carry on bag without impact to much luggage space and definitely no noticeable weight. Travelling can expose yourself to new/different foot wear not to mention the likelihood of increased walking. Using a massage ball at the end of walking Disney grounds in flip flops can not only feeling essential but prep the feet for the retail therapy or the Zoo the next day.
Restore foot mechanics The debate of should we be wearing shoes as much as we do will always continue with regards to it being an impairment to foot mobility. With that said, the foot should have mobility and some pliability. I’m sure you have seen pics or videos of people who may have lost their hands / arms and their feet are now the prime source of independence. Being able to hold a paint brush or drive a car shows what the body (and feet ) are capable of. The massage ball enables a person to manipulate their foot to their desired pressure and work around and into the smaller tissues and joints in the foot to hopefully create more balance between pliability and stability throughout the foot. Changing the foot from feeling like a “piece of wood” to an appendage that adjusts to its environment is unmeasurable to a persons function.
Reduce or eliminate pain and discomfort Pain can be a big motivator to change behavior and take action. Having foot pain like plantar fasciitis can be very debilitating and dramatically change a person’s daily life. Using a massage ball gives the person control over how much treatment they need /want and intensity of what is manageable and comfortable to them. Having access to a therapeutic aid such as a massage ball can expedite the time a person spends in pain.
Stop nighttime cramping I have covered this in another article but using the massage ball roller (and my preference the cork option) before bed can produce great results to avoiding that foot or calf cramp at 2am that the neighbors can hear.

A few minutes of rolling on the plantar side of the foot and calf can restore muscle tension to a better resting tension instead of the fatigued and excited state which is close to contraction and cramping.

Does Your Personal Trainer Suck?

Your doctor strongly recommended you get in shape.

Your mother and mother-in- law are making fat jokes around you (not literally a round you).

Your toes occasionally disappear from site when you stand up.

Enough is enough!

But what to do about it?

The guy who wears the tight dress shirts at work recommends a gym for you. You rummage through your closet to find some workout attire. It consists of a T shirt with Hill Street Blues on the front and a pair of shorts with 6 inches of skin showing above the knee.

The sales staff at Joe’s Gym does it’s job and you end up with 52 Personal Training sessions and a water bottle.

They also have you matched with a trainer, “that would be perfect for your goals.” His appearance is intimidating but what he lacks in communication and multisyllable words he compensates with a confident strut and generous sharing of half eaten protein bars.

A few months go by of training or what you now have termed Shock and Awe Gawd! You dread going to bed because you know what’s coming in the waking moments.

The stiffness.

The pain.

The swearing.

And that’s before you get out of bed.

The trek to the bathroom and exiting the house are no longer trivial events. The 5 steps down from the house in the morning are accompanied with 5 audible whimpers.

Your trainer keeps saying you are doing great but this is at the end of the same workout in which you were referenced as, “spaghetti arms” and a walking, “bag of milk.”

It creeps into your mind (the only body part not aching btw) that it may be time to change trainers or flat out quit. You have never been known as a quitter but you think a test run couldn’t hurt.

Instead of bailing on exercise completely which unfortunately happens for some, here is a list of 10 reasons you could use to determine if that trainer’s ship has sailed.

He/She doesn’t perform any assessment in your first meeting. It doesn’t have to be a four hour hands on evaluation and a stress test but there needs to be something. This can be anything from a physical movement assessment to a background history of exercise and injury. Even at a garage they ask what ‘symptoms’ are wrong with the car. If they are not assessing then they are guessing.

They tell you what your goals should be. You are the client and it’s YOUR goals. Nothing wrong with a trainer grounding you in more realistic goals but it should be on the sliding scale of your goals. If you want to run a marathon in 4 weeks with no history of training then the trainer should reel you in some or you’ll need cab fare in your shorts.

Talking on the cell phone during the session. I have not personally seen this yet but have heard many stories. As a client you should get the trainers undivided attention and he shouldn’t be checking out how many likes his selfie has gotten on Facebook.

The trainer constantly talks about themselves. Unfortunately this is a common one. Nothing wrong with a trainer giving some examples of how they do an exercise and what works for them but the conversation of how tired they are, their life sucking, and continually using the phrase “when I do this” warrants a change of scenery for that client. These are the trainers who seem to never hold onto clients and then blame the client as “non-committal” or “lazy”.

The trainer who frequently talks negatively about other clients. These trainers also don’t have a long shelf life because the client thinks, “If they are talking that way about those people then what are they saying about me? The ‘gossip’ trainer typically weeds himself out of business.

The trainer attempts to make you sore and exhausted after every workout and then relishes the fact they did. Martin Rooney has a quote, “Anyone can make you tired, but not just anyone can make you better!” Part of the blame can be bestowed on some clients for thinking that’s what should happen but the trainer should be educated enough to know the difference. Four days of not being able to sit down shouldn’t be glorified.

The trainer can’t tell you why you are doing a certain exercise and how it pertains to your goals. “Because I saw it on Youtube” or “I saw someone else doing it” doesn’t cut it. Each exercise, set, rep range and tempo should have a reason.

Shows up late regularly or misses appointments. Emergencys can happen so everyone including the client gets a free pass when it’s rare but if it’s once a month or more then it’s time to move on. Your time is as important as anyone else.

When the trainer continually pushes supplements. I understand there are situations where the gym ownership is putting pressure on trainers but if that’s not the case then the trainer cares more about his bottom line than your bottom.

He counts Every. Single. Rep. Out LOUD – REAL LOUD. Maybe he is trying to impress the people at the other end of the gym or in the building next door with his ability to count backwards but really is this more about attention? Maybe he is no longer in front of a mirror and unsure he still exists? The turning of heads in his direction may give him solace of his presence.

If you checked off any of these then it may be grounds for dismissal.

I’m not trying to be a Trainer killer here although that would be a cool nickname. 😉

Letting a trainer go is sometimes best for both parties. Instead of quitting exercise outright then switch to another trainer usually is a better option. The client hopefully gets a trainer who is a better fit for them and the trainer more than likely sees the need to change or moves on to another profession. Win – Win.

Any more reasons and I’d love hear them.

The Pros and Cons of coffee

A few weeks ago I was training a client in her home. Some of my home clients will have a TV on in the background while the session is happening.

During this particular session a national morning show was the background noise. In between sets we took notice of a guest they had on the show. I never caught the official profession of the guest but I believe she was described as nutritionist/dietician or in that related field.

Her topic was on, “foods that are energy boosters.” This caught my curious attention and my client was probably glad I was temporarily distracted. I immediately formed a picture in my head what the table was going to reveal. Boy, was I wrong!

No coffee! No tea! No sugar! No chocolate! WTF !?!

Instead it was things like beans, peppers and salad !?

There can be truth in everything depending on context. If you were on a 10 hour flight with no food and finally got to an airport late with only a salad bar open then yeah…that would give some energy. But do you see lineups in the mornings for beans or peppers? After a stressful day at work do you hear “man, what I wouldn’t give for some guava beans and a bell pepper!”

It’s becoming progressively trendy to try to beautify EVERY. SINGLE.THING.WE. EAT. Nothing inherently wrong with trying to chose better options if you are fortunate to afford that luxury but does every single item we ingest need an upgrade? Does everything need this vigorous screening? Will there be guilt attached if the upper standard isn’t met??

This rant may seem a little off topic of the pros and cons of coffee but it is becoming increasingly popular to dismiss the obvious and ignore our physical needs. Maybe it is part of human nature to believe the more complicated something is the better it becomes. There does seem to be a shadow of doubt routinely cast upon food and drink that makes up feel better. Even the host commented as the segment ended, “I think I’ll stick with my coffee.”

Which leads me to talk about the nectar of the gods….not to give away my opinion too early. 🙂

The Pros and Cons of Coffee drinking

Let me lead off and say coffee isn’t for everyone. Just like tomatoes aren’t or iceberg lettuce. Almost every food is problematic for some portion of the population. Coffee is no exception. If you scratch the surface you’ll find articles and stories of coffee causing adrenal fatigue, jitters, racing heart, a spike in energy followed by a crash. Drinking it too late in the day precedes a date with a concrete pillow. Heart burn and laxative effects have all been documented. Drinking coffee on an empty stomach can cause these problems plus dropping blood sugar, increasing nitric oxide and adding to the aging process.

Many of the adrenal and cortisol issues can be rectified with stabilizing blood sugar. This is a major reason why coffee typically includes milk and sugar. Some coffee is more acidic than others, so having milk, cream and sugar added will lessen that response. Adding those ingredients usually takes care of that peak and crash feeling people report. Try going with half milk and sugar in your cup starting out or even less coffee if you have a history of coffee intolerance.

Because coffee is a metabolism booster you need the energy /calories on board to make it run. If not, then it can be accompanied by jitteriness or an anxious feeling. Having those side effects would suggest your body is not getting what it needs and is out of sync. This is no different than walking one flight of stairs and having to stop and catch your breath. Your body is telling you something. Definitely avoid drinking on an empty stomach. Finding a way to balance those along with a functioning thyroid will go a long way in alleviating adrenal problems.

Pros and Cons of Coffee

The Benefits of Coffee

Coffee is undoubtedly a stimulant. It can be a surrogate for thyroid. It’s sometimes referred to as a drug. This may be a reach in terminology because any nutrient in isolation has drug like effects. Vitamin K and D have hormone like effects for example. According to Dr. Ray Peat:
Coffee drinkers have a lower incidence of thyroid disease, including cancer.
Caffeine protects the liver from alcohol and acetaminophen (Tylenol) and other toxins, and coffee drinkers are less likely than people who don’t use coffee to have elevated serum enzymes and other indications of liver damage.
Caffeine protects against cancer caused by radiation, chemical carcinogens, viruses, and estrogens.
Caffeine synergizes with progesterone, and increases its concentration in blood and tissues.
Cystic breast disease is not caused by caffeine, in fact caffeine’s effects are likely to be protective; a variety of studies show that coffee, tea, and caffeine are protective against breast cancer
Coffee provides very significant quantities of magnesium, as well as other nutrients including vitamin B1.
Caffeine “improves efficiency of fuel use” and performance
Coffee drinkers have a low incidence of suicide.
Caffeine supports serotonin uptake in nerves, and inhibits blood platelet aggregation.
Coffee drinkers have been found to have lower cadmium in tissues; coffee making removes heavy metals from water.
Coffee inhibits iron absorption if taken with meals, helping to prevent iron overload.
Caffeine, like niacin, protects against stress-induced cell death, without interfering with normal cell turnover.
Caffeine can prevent nerve cell death.
Coffee (or caffeine) prevents Parkinson’s disease.
The prenatal growth retardation that can be caused by feeding large amounts of caffeine is prevented by supplementing the diet with sugar.
Caffeine stops production of free radicals an important factor in tissue stress.
Caffeine lowers serum potassium following exercise; stabilizes platelets, reducing chances of clotting.

Cons of coffee

Coffee is not a hard sell for most people. 66% of women and 62% of men consume coffee daily. This would put it ahead all other beverages. Coffee is not meant to be drank like a beer drinking contest. If you sat down and ate a full birthday cake there would be side effects. No difference than drinking 6-7 cups in a short time. There would likely be undesired effects. Having one, two or three cups a day (not on a empty stomach) can have many benefits.
As mentioned, if you get anxious or crash from coffee look at your calorie intake and make sure there is enough calories and especially carbs. Focus on foods such as fruit, fruit juices, and dairy in your diet which can help stabilize blood sugar. Think of coffee as food and enjoy the energy, the smell, the taste and the moment of solitude it can bring.

If you know someone who struggles with coffee feel free to share this with them. Cheers!