I often hear the excuse that there is simply not enough time to exercise consistently. I don’t want to be insensitive. I know life can be very busy. However, I want people to remember there are 168 hours in a week. I am just encouraging you to give three hours committed to your own health through the vehicle of fitness. That still leaves 165 hours to get everything else completed.
I believe the biggest key to begin is scheduling your workout onto your calendar just like you would any other important meeting during the week. Put yourself on your own schedule in your calendar. Give yourself the same respect you would give to anyone else by keeping the appointment. If you have something that truly must trump the appointment, then you must treat yourself with the same respect you would treat someone with whom you have an appointment. That means reschedule the appointment in your calendar.
A second key that can help insure success is having an accountability partner. This person must hold you accountable and be impervious to your excuses so that you will keep your appointment with yourself. When you must miss or just fall back into old habits, this person makes sure that you reschedule and get the workout completed.
The third key is that if this won’t work for you, then you need a personal trainer. At some point you cannot afford to continue not caring for yourself. A personal trainer can encourage, motivate, and hold you accountable in a way that a friend or spouse simply cannot. Not to mention when you pay for something you are more likely to be consistent.
The bottom line is you must value yourself. Remember that busy can often be translated for caring for others so much that you do not care for yourself. At some point you must realize that that the logical end-result of not exercising is the loss of your health and quality of life. Instead of being able to care for others you will end up being a burden to others. The best way is if you can discipline yourself to make self-appointments! But, if not, you should strongly consider investing in a personal trainer. Exercise is true health insurance.
Wishing you the best! - Julian
Nature Calls 5K
Hey crew! It's time to put your functional fitness to use. Join our Forte family for a leisurely 5K trail adventure in March!
Mainly a low key, no frills, low cost, no awards social race, run, and/or hike, this race is hosted by Lula Lake Land Trust. The 5K course is on a beginner friendly trail and is open to anyone traveling at any speed.
Saturday, March 11th @ 10am and registration cost is only $15! (additional $5 for race day registration.)
The re-Solution Made Easy
The excitement of a new year brings forth a fresh start. Many of us are coming up with countless amounts of “New year’s resolutions” especially pertaining to Health and Fitness. It's important that certain variables are met in order to make your resolution(s) a success. It starts with harnessing that energy and excitement consistently. We all know “life” is going to happen during this next year. A suggested, more practical approach is a “new months resolution”. Reflect on just a little bit each day, not looking back and not looking forward. Over time, these small-scale decisions accrue to produce results.
Keep it simple. It’s easy to over-complicate things when it comes to achieving a healthy lifestyle. Getting started, I think if we focus on 3 simple disciplines, they will at some point become a delight!
EAT: The best thing we can do is adopt whole food eating habits. Science proves that our bodies perform better when we consume products from nature rather than those of commercial industries. It simply means that nothing has been added or taken away from our food. There are approximately 33 trillion cells in the human body. We either supply them with vitamins, minerals, nutrients or poison.
MOVE: It is fact, that a sedentary life style will shorten ones life span. The human body has over 600 muscles - use them. Science also supports that exercise fights against depression while also improving self-esteem. The list of benefits can go on and on. Knowing how to safely, and effectively exercise your body is equally important. Consulting a personal trainer can be very beneficial to get you off to the right start. Benefits include an accountability partner, goal setting, and most of all educating and implementing safe, smart, and effective exercise.
REPEAT: Consistent action is necessary in order to change our behaviors. Reflect on the short term in order to build for the long term. The only way you can fail is to quit.
JJ Jackson - Forte Fitness / Assistant Manager-Trainer
The Fundamentals
2016 has come to a close. My life’s work has always centered around fitness and nutrition. I have been asked every question under the sun related to these two areas. I don’t pretend to know it all, but at the same time I don’t mind sharing my thoughts; however, I am saddened by how many people struggle with their health and how much misinformation is out there.
As I reflect, I almost feel I have nothing new to say because I really just keep saying the same thing over and over again, just trying to re-invent how to communicate it. As in any area of life there are fundamentals to be mastered and repeated over and over to be successful.
So, here are the fundamentals...
In regards to fitness you have to move and move in full ranges of motion. That means move the body in all planes of human movement - bending at the ankles, knees, hips, low-back, pushing and pulling. The best movements are lunges, squats, deadlifts, push-ups, rows requiring scapular retraction, and planks. You need your heart to beat, so put these exercises in a circuit, or add a cardio interval to it like rowing, bike, elliptical, or treadmill. Take a walk every day! Find something you enjoy like yoga, hiking, paddle boarding, mountain biking, cycling, or rock climbing. Even Pokemon Go is great! My son introduced me to this last night at about 10:30pm and it tracked how far we walked. By the time we had captured all the odd named creatures he wanted for the night, we had walked over 5 kilometers trouncing through the woods, neighborhoods, a church, and playing fields.
In regards to nutrition the key is plants. Make the majority of your food green veggies, then all the other colored veggies, then fruit, then beans, nuts, and seeds and finally whole grains and potatoes. Eat as much of these foods as you want, but in that order as much as possible. You cannot overeat on these foods. They are self-correcting due to the amount of water and fiber, which is guaranteed to satiate you before you eat too much. Have you ever eaten a whole apple and thought ... I think I will have another? I bet not, and it is because they make you full.
No foods are as nutrient dense as plants. Eat a diversity of plants and you get a diversity of nutrients. A diversity of plants gets you plenty of protein. I am not telling you that you can’t eat meat, but I am telling you that there is a reason your teeth are not like a lions or a dogs. There is a reason your digestive tract is more like an herbivore than a carnivore. It is because we are designed/evolved primarily for plant eating.
Take a few minutes and reflect on how you did in terms of fitness and nutrition in 2016. Now reflect on the last three years, then the last 5, then the last 10. Where are you heading??? If you are headed in the wrong direction, it won’t change unless you make a change.
If this overview on fitness and nutrition is too much info and makes it more complicated for you then do some research and figure it out and right the ship on your own. Or, if you know you need some help, get in touch with a personal trainer. A good personal trainer will help all this make sense and assist you in learning to train safely and effectively. A personal trainer can be a great tool for a short period of time (assuming you have the discipline to continue on your own). Use your time with a personal trainer as if you are taking a class, getting a certification, self-ducating so that you can take control of your health as you move forward on your own.
But, don’t forget that it is truly as simple as moving your body and eating plants.
Make 2017 the year you continue on the right path, or if need be, make it the year you reverse a course that has a trajectory of disease, illness, loss of quality of life and early death. You can do it!
Taking Inventory.
It’s that time of year again! ’Tis the season for guilt and failed workout plans. But there’s always the new year, right? Customary 2017 resolutions full of diets, weight loss, and commitment goals riddle our minds with stress during a season designed for thankfulness and light-heartedness.
Anything I say in this blog won’t change your mind about the goals you’ve set, but I can help you maintain some sanity.
Before looking forward into 2017, plotting your successful trajectory into a healthy lifestyle, look back. Reflect on 2016 and take inventory. Don’t just dwell on the things you could have done better, but rather highlight the areas in which you have improved. If you have trouble allowing yourself to see and accept the success of 2016 (because let’s be honest, we are all our worst critic,) take a moment to realize that even the act of reflecting is a healthy start.
Allow yourself to see your improvements.
Be gracious with yourself when mistakes are made.
Don’t move into 2017 empty handed.
Build on what you’ve done.
Pay homage to this past year that you were blessed to encounter.
Turkey Day Workout Menu
With Thanksgiving only a few days away, we are all thinking the same thing: how do I get through this day of eating without feeling guilty? The gym is closed, and my self-control will cave when I see that pie!
Proper nutrition, portion control, and healthy choices are things we've all heard time and time again. You're on your own with the dinner menu (Godspeed!) but here are some options on the workout menu that will get you and your metabolism moving.
Course option #1 : An at-home workout for the self-motivated
Course option #2 : a local race for the social people who want to support a great cause.
Want to support support Kidney Centers of Chattanooga, get a great shirt, and start out your holiday right? Sign up for a 1 mile, 5K or an 8k (walk or run) to rev up your metabolism and celebrate this day of thanks by using (and being grateful for) your functional body!
Click here for more info on the Turkey Trot!
Lighten It Up, Don't Give It Up
Some people can go cold turkey. If you can, you should. Those who cannot, do not be discouraged! You just need a plan. Lightening it up, not giving it up, is a solid plan. Many people have made significant improvements in their overall health with this method.
For example, instead of eating the whole slice of the cake eat 3/4 or 1/2, mix your sweet tea with un-sweet, use a little less sugar than normal or try agave in your coffee, ask for 1/2 the cheese on your pizza, have one slice of pizza and a salad instead of two pieces, use less mayo.
These strategies are a starting point. Remember the small, correct choice one day at a time, multiplied by 365 days, is big improvement. Before beginning, it is important to take an overview of the food choices that are a struggle for you and write down your plan to lighten it up, don't give it up. Then share your goal with someone who cares for you, and cares for you enough to hold you accountable.
You can do it!
Add Don't Subtract
If you are struggling with eating healthfully try this simple strategy: Add Don't Subtract. Instead of focusing on all the foods and beverages you know you should not be consuming or at least limiting, change your focus to adding a food you know you should eat at least one meal a day.
Set small goals you can attain. For example the first week add one healthy food to one meal a day. Then maybe the next week add a healthy food to a second meal on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Build a little at a time.
It can be as small as eating a salad or an apple after one meal a day.
The important thing is to set the goal. Write the goal down. Communicate the goal to someone you can trust and ask them to hold you accountable.
Add don't subtract!
One of the Three Essential Nutrients - Protein
What Is Protein?
One of the three macronutrients your body needs to function properly (along with fats and carbohydrates), proteins are primarily important for tissue growth and repair, but also necessary for digestion, metabolism, and the production of antibodies to fight infection. We are literally made of proteins. Proteins comprise 10% of your brain and 20% of your heart, liver, and skeletal muscles. Even blood is made of proteins. Protein is obviously the key to maintaining a strong, healthy body.
Complete vs. Incomplete Protein Sources
Your body needs 22 different types of amino acids to function properly. Adults can synthesize 13 of those within the body (known as non-essential amino acids), but the other 9 must be obtained from food (known as essential amino acids). It’s these essential amino acids that derive the classification of protein as either complete or incomplete.
Complete Protein Sources
Complete proteins are those that contain all essential amino acids in sufficient quantity. These are typically animal-based proteins, but a few plant sources are also considered complete. Examples of complete proteins include:
Meat
Fish
Dairy products (milk, yogurt, whey)
Eggs
Quinoa*
Buckwheat*
Hemp and chia seed*
*Plant-based proteins
Incomplete Protein Sources
Incomplete proteins are those that don’t contain all 9 essential amino acids, or don’t have sufficient quantities of them to meet the body’s needs, and must be supplemented with other proteins. These include:
Nuts & seeds
Legumes
Grains
Vegetables
Just because they are incomplete doesn’t make them inferior, but rather they must be combined in order to provide the right balance of essential amino acids. Proteins that, in combination, make a complete amino acid profile are known as complementary proteins.
Here are a few tasty examples:
Whole Grain Rice and beans
Spinach salad with almonds
Hummus and whole-grain pitas
Whole-grain noodles with peanut sauce
Complementary proteins don’t necessarily need to be eaten at the same time, but eating a variety of protein sources that are complementary throughout the day insures that one has the necessary amino acids to create the complete proteins our bodies need.
How Much Protein Should You Eat?
The current Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of protein for adults is 0.36 grams per pound of body weight. This translates to 64 grams of protein for an 180lb man. Athletes will need more protein.
For your reference:
· 1 cup of milk has 8 grams of protein
· An 8-ounce container of yogurt has about 11 grams of protein
· A 3-ounce piece of meat has about 21 grams of protein
· 1 cup of dry beans has about 16 grams of protein
So How Exactly Should You Eat Your Protein Sources?
Although animal products and beans are the densest sources of protein, don't forget that just as we are made of protein, so are all plants. Eating a variety of plants contributes to the total grams of protein our bodies need.
As with so many things, the key to getting the necessary amount of protein is variety and balance. It is a vital and often-misunderstood part of our diets, but we need to remember that the quality and type of protein can be as important as how much we consume. Making sure you have a good combination of high-quality proteins in your diet is a good step towards a healthy body and mind.
Stephanie Wilkins is a friend of Forte Fitness and is a registered dietician. She contributed this blog. If any of you have nutrition questions feel free to contact Stephanie at stephanie.wilkins1969@gmail.com.
Sitting Is The New Smoking
I read this title a few days ago. I didn't read the article but it stuck with me. We are sitting more than ever before as the human race. It is killing us. If you are sitting basically all day you cannot combat the negative health effects with just 30-60 minutes of exercise three times per week.
Consider the following information.
- The Journal of the National Cancer Institute states that sitting for prolonged periods of time increases the risk for cancer.
- American Journal of Epidemiology study states that sitting for more than six hours a day increases risk of developing heart disease.
- According to the Mayo Clinic, not moving throughout the whole day leads to obesity.
- An article in Diabetologia states that those who sit the most are twice as likely to develop diabetes.
- Sitting creates atrophy and loss of pliability in the muscles.
- Lipoprotein Lipase is an enzyme that breaks down fat and when one sits for prolonged periods of time, the levels of Lipoprotein Lipase drop.
- Rates of depression are higher in those who sit the most.
Our bodies are made for movement. If you have a career that keeps you sitting you need some strategies to get moving. Here are some I have thought of and it would be great to here your ideas.
- Keep a cup on your desk for water and one time an hour get up and go fill it up
- Stand up each time you make a phone call or whenever you can handle a phone call standing up
- When you stand up pace around
- If a meeting can be conducted invite those in the meeting to walk
- Get a stand up desk
- Do a body weight exercise once per hour (ie. plank, push ups, lunges, squats)
- Every 20 minutes take a break and walk for a few minutes
- Take the stairs
- Park in the farthest parking space
- Exercise at every commercial
- Use cardio equipment when watching TV
Does this seem unreasonable? Consider the alternative.