Energize Yourself
Chino Walks Tips: May 7 – May 14, 2008
Reasons to Ride
People ride bikes for lots of different reasons. Here are the top five reasons why you should be out there too.
1. For Your Body
Riding a bike offers many health benefits. Here are just a few:
· increased cardiovascular fitness
· increased strength
· increased balance and flexibility
· increased endurance and stamina
· increased calories burned
Bicycle riding can be done by people of all ages, from childhood through the adult years when achy joints do not allow for more stressful exercise like jogging.
2. For Your State of Mind
Riding a bike is a proven stress releaser. Regardless, if you are riding purely for pleasure or for a specific purpose, you will arrive at your destination feeling relaxed, energized and happier about the world and yourself.
3. For Your Community
Being out on your bike is good for the people around you as well. You are able to go the places you want to go and yet put one less car on the road.
You do not bring with you the noise that a car generates and are actually able to interact with people as you move. From a bike you can wave to a neighbor, say hi to a kid, smell someone’s dinner cooking and be a warm and friendly human presence on the streets.
4. For Your Convenience
There is an undeniable convenience factor you will discover when riding a bike. Front row parking spaces are guaranteed no matter where you go. Traffic jams are also irrelevant.
5. For Your Pocketbook
It costs between 20 and 30 cents per mile to operate a car, depending on the vehicle.
This is based on expenses like gas, oil, maintenance, etc., that go up when you drive more. This figure does not include the hidden costs of vehicle ownership like depreciation, taxes, and insurance. These factors make the actual per mile cost to operate a car much higher.
So for all these reasons, get out there on your bike today. Even if you do not save the world in the process, you will still have fun trying!
Source: For the complete article by David Feidler, see “Why Bike? Top 5 Reasons to Ride” at http://bicycling.about.com/od/thebikelife/a/why_ride.htm
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On the Alert
Chino Walks Tips: April 23 – April 30, 2008
Tips to Prevent Adverse Drug Affects in Older Adults
Adverse drug events are more common in older adults because they are prescribed more drugs and are affected differently by these drugs than their younger counterparts. "About one in three older persons taking at least five medications will experience an adverse drug event each year, and about two-thirds of these patients will require medical attention. Approximately 95 percent of these reactions are predictable, and about 28 percent are preventable," cite Cung Pham, MD, fellow in the Tufts University Family Medicine Residency at Cambridge Health Alliance's Malden Family Medicine Center, and Robert Dickman, MD, Jaharis Family Chair of Family Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine.
Avoid misuse of medications. If a drug is listed on the Beers Criteria, a widely-adopted list of drugs that labels medications as "potentially inappropriate" for older persons, the authors report that physicians can avoid those drugs apt to cause a severe adverse drug event simply by selecting alternatives. If there is no alternative, the best choice for a necessary drug is to start at the lowest effective dose and, when possible, discontinue the drug.
Avoid overuse of medications. The "brown-bag" method, where patients bring all of their medications in a brown bag to the physician's office, can lead to dropping at least one medicine in 20 percent of patients and a change in medication in 29 percent of patients.
"Much drug therapy in older adults is to prevent illnesses by decreasing risks that will never affect them," says Allen Shaughnessy, PharmD, associate director of the Tufts University Family Medicine Residency, in an accompanying editorial. Physicians will benefit by finding "the balance between the potentially lifesaving benefits of medication and the life-threatening complications of these drugs."
Source: For the complete article, http://www.tufts.edu/med/news/newsitems/olderadultsrelease.html
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On the Alert
Chino Walks Tips: April 16 – April 23, 2008
Generation Rx: Study Confirms Abuse of Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drugs
The intentional abuse of prescription (Rx) and over-the-counter (OTC) medications to get high is now an entrenched behavior among today’s teen population, according to a national study released by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America.
The Partnership’s 18th annual study of teen drug use and attitudes confirms that Generation Rx has arrived as an alarming number of today’s teenagers are more likely to have abused Rx and OTC medications than a variety of illegal drugs like Ecstasy, cocaine, crack and methamphetamine. Nearly one in five teens (4.5 million) report abusing prescription medications to get high; and one in 10 report abusing cough medicine to get high.
“This study removes any doubt that intentional abuse of medications among teens is a real issue threatening the health and well-being of American families,” said Steve Pasierb, president & CEO of the Partnership. “We have a situation where a widespread and dangerous teen behavior has become normalized and has found its way into our homes. These findings should serve as a wake-up call to parents that their teen is facing a drug landscape that did not exist when they were teens. The abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs has taken root among America’s teens and the behavior is not registering with parents. Unless we all take action, it is a problem that will only get worse.”
Teens Think Intentionally Abusing Medicines to Get High is ‘Safer’ Than Using Illegal Drugs.
According to the data, an alarming number of teens have a false sense of security about the safety of abusing Rx and OTC medications:
§ Two in five teens (9.4 million) agree that Rx medicines, even if they are not prescribed by a doctor, are “much safer” to use than illegal drugs;
§ Nearly one-third of teens (7.3 million) believe there is “nothing wrong” with using Rx medicines without a prescription “once in a while;”
§ Nearly three out of 10 teens (6.8 million) believe prescription pain relievers – even if not prescribed by a doctor – are not addictive; and
§ More than half of teens (13 million) don’t agree strongly that using cough medicines to get high is risky.
The study also found teens believe a key driver for abusing prescription pain relievers is their widespread availability and easy access. According to the data, more than three in five teens say Rx pain relievers are easy to get from parents’ medicine cabinets; half of teens say they are easy to get through other people’s prescriptions; and more than half of teens say pain relievers are “available everywhere;” 43 percent of teens believe pain relievers are cheap and 35 percent believe they are safer to use than illegal drugs.
Parents Are Completely Unaware of Teens’ Intentional Abuse of Medications.
Parents are crucial in helping prevent this behavior, but are largely unaware and feel ill-equipped to respond. Parents must educate themselves and get through to their kids:
§ Kids who learn a lot about the risks of drugs at home are up to 50 percent less likely to use drugs;
§ Nine out of 10 parents of teens (22 million) say they have talked to their teen about the dangers of drugs, yet fewer than one third of teens (7.4 million) say they “learn a lot about the risks of drugs” from their parents.
§ While three out of five parents report discussing drugs like marijuana “a lot” with their children, only a third of parents report discussing the risks of using prescription medicines or non-prescription cold or cough medicine to get high. 06
Source: For the complete article, see http://www.drugfree.org/Portal/DrugIssue/Research/Teens_2005/Generation_Rx_Study_Confirms_Abuse_of_Prescription
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On the Alert
Chino Walks Tips: April 9 – April 16, 2008
Understanding Alcoholism
Alcoholism, also known as “alcohol dependence,” is a disease which includes these
four symptoms.
- Craving: A strong need, or compulsion, to drink.
- Loss of control: The inability to limit one’s drinking on any given occasion.
- Physical dependence: Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety, occur when alcohol use is stopped after a period of heavy drinking.
- Tolerance: The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol in order to “get high.”
People who are not alcoholic sometimes do not understand why an alcoholic cannot just “use a little willpower” to stop drinking. However, alcoholism has little to do with willpower. Alcoholics are in the grip of a powerful “craving,” or uncontrollable need, for alcohol that overrides their ability to stop drinking. This need can be as strong as the need for food or water.
Although some people are able to recover from alcoholism without help, the majority of alcoholics need assistance. With treatment and support, many individuals are able to stop drinking and rebuild their lives.
Many people wonder why some individuals can use alcohol without problems but others cannot. One important reason has to do with genetics. Scientists have found that having an alcoholic family member makes it more likely that if you choose to drink you too may develop alcoholism. Genes, however, are not the whole story. In fact, scientists now believe that certain factors in a person’s environment influence whether a person with a genetic risk for alcoholism ever develops the disease. A person’s risk for developing alcoholism can increase based on the person’s environment, including where and how he or she lives; family, friends, and culture; peer pressure; and even how easy it is to get alcohol.
Source: http://ncadistore.samhsa.gov/catalog/facts.aspx?topic=3
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On the Alert
Chino Walks Tips: April 2 – April 9, 2008
Get Help: Drug and Alcohol Abuse Hurts Everyone
Dependence on alcohol and drugs is a serious national public health problem. It is prevalent among rich and poor, in all regions of the country, and all ethnic and social groups.
Millions of Americans are dependent on alcohol or drugs, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Most of them have families who suffer the consequences, often serious, of living with this illness. If there is alcohol or drug dependence in your family, remember you are not alone.
Most individuals who abuse alcohol or drugs have jobs and are productive members of society creating a false hope in the family that “it’s not that bad.”
The problem is that addiction tends to worsen over time, hurting both the addicted person and all the family members. It is especially damaging to young children and adolescents.
People with this illness may believe that they drink normally or that “everyone” takes drugs. These false beliefs are called denial; this denial is a part of the illness.
It Doesn’t Have to Be That Way
Drug or alcohol dependence disorders are medical conditions that can be effectively treated. Millions of Americans and their families are in healthy recovery from this disease.
If someone close to you misuses alcohol or drugs, the first step is to be honest about the problem and to seek help for yourself, your family, and your loved one.
Treatment can occur in a variety of settings, in many different forms, and for different lengths of time. Stopping the alcohol or drug use is the first step to recovery, and most people need help to stop. Often, a person with alcohol or drug dependence will need treatment provided by professionals just as with other diseases. Your doctor may be able to guide you.
“What is Substance Abuse Treatment? A Booklet for Families” — was written especially for family members and is available through SAMHSA’s National Helpline 1-800-662-HELP.
Source: For the complete article, see http://csat.samhsa.gov/NACOA/family.aspx
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Fuel for the Body
Chino Walks Tips: March 26 – April 2, 2008
Virtual Snack Machine
Snacking happens. And that’s a good thing, when you let Mother Nature lead the way. Not only are natural fruits and vegetables good for you, they’re easier on the budget than prepared snacks. And with just a little planning, it’s a snap to make healthy snacking a part of your daily routine.
You may be surprised to see that many fruits and vegetables are often less expensive than other common snacks, especially when buying them one at a time.
Pick a snack from the American Heart Association’s Interactive online Snack Machine! What would you choose?
Source: http://www.americanheart.org/downloadable/heart/flash/pop.html
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Fuel for the Body
Chino Walks Tips: March 19 – March 26, 2008
12 Ways to Make Healthier Sandwiches
1. Use low-fat or fat-free lunch meats. They are good in sandwiches or cut into strips on top of a salad.
2. Buy leaner meats, such as turkey, chicken or veggie dogs.
3. Put leftover chicken or turkey strips in a tortilla to make a cold fajita (add strips of raw red and green peppers and onions). Use fat-free sour cream as a dressing.
4. Stuff a pita-bread "pocket" with vegetables, fat-free cheese and bits of leftover grilled chicken.
5. Cut up vegetables such as onion, carrot, celery and green peppers to add to tuna salad. Mix vegetables and water-packed tuna with fat-free mayonnaise or, for a different taste, mix with a fat-free salad dressing.
6. Chunky bits of leftover chicken mixed with fat-free mayonnaise, raisins, shredded carrots and sliced almonds make a great chicken salad. Serve it in a pita-bread pocket. Top it with salsa for a Southwestern flavor.
7. Mix cranberry sauce and fat-free mayonnaise to add to a turkey sandwich.
8. When buying peanut butter, choose an "all-natural" option. For jelly, buy one that is 100% fruit and does not contain high fructose corn syrup. This will make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches much healthier.
9. Sliced ham and low-fat or fat-free cheese with mustard is great on rye bread.
10. Low-fat cheese makes a good sandwich with tomato slices and mustard or fat-free mayonnaise on a whole-grain roll.
11. Slice leftover pork tenderloin and top it with barbecue sauce for a hot or cold sandwich.
12. Make grilled-cheese sandwiches with low-fat or fat-free cheese and serve them with raw carrot and celery sticks.
Source: http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/heartdisease/kids/495.html
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Fuel for the Body
Chino Walks Tips: March 12 – March 19, 2008
Who Is Your RD?
CHICAGO — You know who your doctor is. But who is your registered dietitian?
“In the same way that you have a physician whom you see regularly to manage your medical needs, everyone should also see an RD routinely for help in managing your nutritional needs,” says registered dietitian and American Dietetic Association spokesperson Joan Salge Blake.
Salge Blake encourages all consumers to mark National Nutrition Month by establishing an ongoing relationship with the food and nutrition expert, an RD.
Salge Blake, a faculty member at Boston University, says her students — and their families and friends — are amazed to discover how small lifestyle changes, such as adding more vegetables to their daily eating plans, quickly add up and pay big health dividends over time. Registered dietitians use their nutrition expertise to help individuals make just these types of unique, positive lifestyle changes.
“Through annual visits to a registered dietitian for a ‘nutrition checkup,’ individuals can obtain dietary advice and guidance based on their changing health needs,” Salge Blake says. “These checkups enable you to not only address nutrition and health problems as they occur, but most importantly, prevent problems that are potentially looming down the road.”
“Do you have high cholesterol or high blood pressure? Are you dangerously overweight or even just have a few pounds to lose? Don’t wait until you have a stroke or a heart attack. The RD’s role is to take our expertise based on the current nutrition science and personalize it to fit your individual lifestyle,” Salge Blake says.
“People often are not aware that many health insurance plans now cover visits to a registered dietitian, sometimes without a doctor’s referral,” Salge Blake adds, “so check with your insurance company.” In 2002, Medicare began reimbursing for medical nutrition therapy provided by an RD for people with diabetes and kidney disease, and private insurers increasingly are covering visits to registered dietitians for treatment of obesity, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol levels.
Insurance coverage is only one of the benefits of choosing a registered dietitian over someone calling him or herself a “nutritionist,” who could be anyone from a personal trainer to a health food store employee. Nutritionists may have little or no qualifications for dispensing nutrition advice, Salge Blake says. “Only an RD has the education and the experience to give you the latest personalized information based on solid scientific evidence.”
With more than 67,000 members, the American Dietetic Association is the nation’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA serves the public by promoting optimal nutrition, health and well-being. To locate a registered dietitian in your area, visit the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org.
Source: http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/media_15400_ENU_HTML.htm
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Fuel for the Body
Chino Walks Tips: March 5 – March 12, 2008
Forget Myths, Folklore and Magic Pills
CHICAGO — Don’t eat after 8:00 p.m. Avoid carbohydrates. A piece of cake on your birthday will ruin your diet. Right?
Well, not exactly. There are no bad foods, no good or bad times to eat and no magic pills for maintaining a healthy weight, says registered dietitian and American Dietetic Association spokesperson Ruth Frechman. “The fact is it’s the total diet approach that matters in living a healthful lifestyle.”
March is National Nutrition Month®, the perfect time to take a fresh look at the big picture. “No single food or meal makes or breaks a healthful diet,” Frechman says. “Your overall pattern of eating is the most important focus. A wide variety of foods can fit within this pattern, if consumed in moderation, in appropriate portions and combined with regular physical activity.”
The theme for National Nutrition Month 2008 is Nutrition: It’s a Matter of Fact. The American Dietetic Association reminds consumers to focus on the total balance of foods you consume, rather than any one food or meal.
“No one food or type of food guarantees good health, just as no single food or type of food is necessarily detrimental to health,” Frechman says.
A registered dietitian can help you look at your total diet and learn the balance and moderation needed for success, and can dispel the myths and legends that get in the way of healthful eating.
“It doesn’t matter if you eat after 8:00 p.m. What’s more important is how many calories you ate the entire day, not when you ate them,” Frechman says. “Splurging on cake and ice cream during a party isn’t going to ruin a healthful eating plan. Pay attention to the portion of your treat and enjoy it in moderation, exercise a little longer the next day or plan ahead to save calories, like skipping your morning latte.”
Source: http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/media_15396_ENU_HTML.htm
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Simple Solutions
Chino Walks Tips: February 27 – March 5, 2008
Your Desk-Drawer Survival Kit
By Michelle Bender
For those office emergencies—including sudden hunger, headache, or a lunch with onions.
Wet wipes — There are 400 times more bacteria on a desktop than a toilet seat (and to think this is where you eat). Swab daily.
Hand lotion and lip balm — Keep office-dry skin and lips smooth and hydrated with a daily dose of balm and lotion. All-the-better if they have an SPF of 15+ to protect you on lunchtime walks.
Nail file and clippers — Trust us, just when you think it’s safe to make that big presentation, you will chip a nail.
Emergency meds — Keep an over-the-counter painkiller on hand for the inevitable cramps or headache. While you’re at it, stash throat lozenges and saline nasal spray so you’re prepared for dry office air and winter cold season. And why not keep a multivitamin here, too? You might just remember to take it.
Hairbrush — A midday brush will keep you looking polished and relieve stress. Bend over, and give your scalp an invigorating massage.
Healthy snacks — Protein bars and almonds can keep you away from the vending machine.
Bottled water — Fatigue can be a sign of simple dehydration. Reach for your H2O when you need an energy boost.
Source: http://www.health.com/health/article/0,23414,1683938,00.html
Breath freshener — Spare your co-workers (and yourself) from post lunch fumes with a good brush-up or a piece of sugar-free whitening gum.
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Simple Solutions
Chino Walks Tips: February 20 – February 27, 2008
Tips for Turning Around a Bad Day
Bad days happen to all, when you just wake in a really bad mood, when something (or nothing) has made you angry, sad, frustrated, and disappointed. You still must rise and go to work, but you’re already seething. Here are some tips for turning the day.
· As a preventative measure, do something so that your day starts well. Get a coffee, or some juice, and sit with a friend for 15 minutes. Or, start the day with a nice walk or any physical workout. A good start may help you to glide more easily over any bumps to come.
· Get physical! Go to the bathroom and jump up and down, breathe very deeply, take a quick walk at lunch or go to the gym. Get that workout. Kick-starting endorphins is a natural way to better moods.
· Make sure that you are not living on sugar or candy bars. Quickly roller-coastering blood sugar levels can be unpleasant.
· There are some who, whether they admit it or realize it, enjoy being unhappy, and resist efforts to be cheered. If this is so, there is not much that can be done, until you admit it to yourself.
· SMILE for 10 seconds and think of something that really makes you smile to get your mind off the problems.
· Find a great song, and let it take your mind off of your present state.
· Laughter is priceless. Find a funny video, e-mail five friends, asking for their best joke, watch little kids play and laugh!
· Sometimes, you have to "fake it until you make it." Saying, "This is a terrific day" sometimes helps, at least see the possibility that it could. Think positive thoughts!
· Watch taking work home with you, literally or mentally. Give yourself a fighting chance by taking care of yourself and drawing boundaries between work and personal time.
· Make your home and family your safe zone and priority. Your career shouldn't define you as a person--figure out what does and you'll be a step ahead!
Source: For the complete article “How to Turn Around a Bad Day at Work,” see http://www.wikihow.com/Turn-Around-a-Bad-Day-at-Work
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Simple Solutions
Chino Walks Tips: February 13 – February 20, 2008
Stay Soft and Supple: Nature’s Way
Learn how to prevent winter-dry skin, and how to make some quick and super-effective remedies for curing it if you've already succumbed. Get some smoother, younger, delightfully moisturizing skin tips, right here:
PREVENTION
1. Avoid caffeine, smoking, and alcohol. They act as diuretics and are guaranteed to suck you dry.
2. Increase your water level. Drink up! Make sure to drink at least 8 glasses of pure water a day to keep your skin and body properly hydrated. Drink more if you're super active.
3. Add oil to your bath. Add a tablespoon or so of almond, jojoba, olive, or hazelnut oil to your bath water after you've soaked for about 5 minutes. By soaking first, your skin gets plumped up by the water, and then by adding the oil, it will seal in the absorbed moisture.
4. Protect your skin from the elements. Wind, sun, heat, cold, a dry office, and airplane air can quickly cause or exacerbate the condition of dry skin. Apply a moisturizer before exposing your skin to these moisture-sapping conditions. A lavender, rose, or German chamomile aromatic hydrosol sprayed onto your face, neck, chest, and hands helps to keep your skin wonderfully refreshed and hydrated.
5. Limit hot water contact. Avoid long, hot showers and baths, especially during cold weather, as they dehydrate the skin. Warm showers and baths for a short duration, though, are beneficial to dry skin. Also, limit bathing or washing you face to once a day, usually right before you retire. When you arise, apply a bit of herbal facial splash or toner to face, or spritz your face (and body, if it needs treatment as well) with an aromatic hydrosol and you're ready to go.
6. Increase EFAs in your diet. Chow down on cold-water fish, walnuts, and flax seeds, all rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help replace moisture in dry hair and skin.
7. Use humidifiers. They work wonders in restoring healthful humidity to your dry home or office environment.
8. Use only gentle cleansers. Avoid cleansers such as deodorant soaps and harsh abrasives. These can cause your skin to feel like a dried-out Thanksgiving turkey. Use a moisturizing soap, soap-free product, or a gentle, grain-based cleanser.
Source: For the complete article “Prevent and Treat Dry Skin — How To,” see http://www.care2.com/greenliving/prevent-and-treat-dry-skin-how-to.html
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Simple Solutions
Chino Walks Tips: February 6 – February 13, 2008
Top Five Healthy Habits for Extending Your Life
The secret to longevity is more than the absence of disease. A long and robust life also rises out of a state of physical, mental, and social well-being. You can achieve this with a simple recipe of involving a few healthy habits.
1. Stay connected.
People who maintain strong personal and community connections have better health than people who don’t. Many studies have found that those with more social connections have a lower death rate (from all causes) than people who are isolated. Stay involved: Join an online chat room or reading club, volunteer at a local park, or go to a library lecture. Even caring for a pet or a plant helps by eliminating the three horsemen of aging: loneliness, helplessness and boredom.
2. Walk every day for 30 minutes.
Research confirms that regular moderate aerobic exercise (like 30 minutes a day of walking) has cardioprotective effects and may stave off degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline. Furthermore, evidence from the National Weight Control Registry shows that walking is one of the main habits of people who successfully keep weight off.
3. Take fish oil daily.
The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil lower triglycerides, protect the heart and brain, help regulate mood, fight depression and may impact memory and cognition. Best of all, fish oil is one of nature’s strongest natural anti-inflammatory; and inflammation – “the silent killer” – is a component of nearly all degenerative diseases from obesity to heart disease to Alzheimer’s.
4. Eat a high fiber diet.
A high fiber diet may just as well be called the Ponce de León diet, as it’s been associated with just about every positive health outcome you can imagine. Health organizations such as the National Cancer Institute recommend 25-35 grams of fiber a day — the average American gets a paltry 8-11 grams. Fiber helps with weight loss, helps regulate blood sugar, and may protect against some forms of cancer. Best of all, the only way to get it is by cultivating yet another life-extending habit: eating natural and organic foods, namely vegetables, vegetables, and more vegetables.
5. De-stress your life.
Sure, it’s easier said than done, but consider this: a consistently high level of the stress hormone cortisol kills cells in the hippocampus, an important area of the brain needed for memory and learning. While some stress is actually beneficial, most of us have way too much, way too often. De-stressing and its companion activity, restful sleep, restore balance to the body’s systems. Maybe it’s no coincidence that the ever-mellow Tibetan monks are among the longest lived people on the planet.
Source: For the complete article written by Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS, see http://body.aol.com/diet/basics/healthy-habits?sem=1&ncid=AOLHTH00170000000005
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Fitness Fundamentals
Chino Walks Tips: January 30 – February 6, 2008
How to Choose a Health Club
Today we look at the concept of joining a health club or fitness center.
The progression of the club environment in my lifetime has been an interesting one. We have progressed from the early gyms that were simply places with weights inhabited by an odd subculture of those who lifted them. Females were seen with the frequency of unicorns.
The next generation of gyms was also the first of the supposed miracles: The Nautilus Center. I think most of us over 40 at one time or another belonged to a small storefront-type Nautilus center that had a row of twelve machines and promised a miracle. The lesson was, and still is, if it appears too good to be true, it probably is. I don't believe any Nautilus Centers survived although the equipment line still exists today.
Next, racquetball clubs and finally the big fitness centers opened. The club environment today is dominated by large players with multiple clubs across the country. These clubs provide one-stop shopping for the fitness enthusiast. Clubs provide personal trainers, an array of machines, a cornucopia of cardiovascular equipment, and group exercise classes. Clubs have become less of a Mom and Pop operation and more of a corporate entity.
What is the truth about clubs?
Health clubs are in the membership business, not the health business. Clubs provide a well-equipped location but probably hope you don't show up. The best-trained and best-compensated people in most club chains are the sales force. They won't take attendance or call if you aren't around for a while. Don't choose the biggest or the best, choose the one that is most convenient to your home or work. The number one correlation to workout consistency is proximity.
The personal training boom, which has actually made the big club chains more customer-centered, has been great for the fitness industry. Not because they are trying to be nice but because personal training allows clubs to often double membership-related revenues. Many clients will easily spend three to five times the cost of memberships in personal training fees. Personal training has become big business. Five years ago personal training was a temporary job done while figuring out how to get a real job. Now personal trainers willing to work hard can earn six figure incomes while doing something they love.
The bottom line for choosing a club:
1. Choose a club near your home or work to increase the probability of attendance.
2. Get a workout partner. Partners help compliance. It's easy to stay in bed when no one is waiting for you. It's also easy to head to the bar after work rather than the gym when no one is waiting for you.
3. Think about group sessions with a trainer. Most clubs will offer a better rate on small group or what some call semi-private personal training sessions.
Source: Article by Michael Boyle and content provided by Core Performance, http://www.revolutionhealth.com/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/get-started/how-to-choose-health-club?ipc=B00168
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Fitness Fundamentals
Chino Walks Tips: January 23 – January 30, 2008
Deskercises for Office Workers
When you sit throughout the day, tension can build up; muscles become tight and joints stiff. It’s a good idea to stretch periodically, and take a break every couple of hours to "deskercise.” This will ease tension, increase flexibility and get your circulation going.
Relax and Roll
Stress and anxiety often lead to an aching neck. Poor posture can also play a role. This stretch relieves tension in your neck and surrounding muscles. Relax your shoulders and let your head roll forward, chin to chest. Slowly rotate your head in a circle without straining your neck. Repeat five times. Relax. Then rotate in the opposite direction and repeat five times. Try not to raise your shoulders as you do this exercise.
Heavy Hinges
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