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The Sequoia Advisor
IN THIS ISSUE January 15th, 2010
Feel Better... Live Better |
The "Diet Devil" Made Me Do It by Woody McMahon
Temptation Everywhere
This is the time of year when diet temptation lurks all around you. The Hollywood starlets are out in full force selling you on the hope and dream of having their bodies. They say "follow my plan or program to lose weight and you can be just like me." Why is the thought of losing weight so seductive? They sell you on the illusion that weight loss will bring you happiness, make you smarter, likable and more popular. The truth is that unless you have a significant amount of weight to lose and can actually keep it off; it really won't improve your health that much. So what's the big deal with all this weight loss hype?
Bad for Your Bones and Health
Over and over, diets have been shown to be detrimental to your physical and mental health. They reduce self-esteem adding to depression and unhealthy thoughts. Diets promote artificial, unsustainable eating patterns that can lead to eating disorders. The loss of essential minerals pulls calcium from your bones. Incomplete protein stresses the bone matrix making it difficult for bones to repair themselves normally. The chemical load and dehydration effect of diet sodas, Crystal Lite and many other drinks place great stress on the kidneys and liver. Restricted calorie intake below healthy levels increases total body inflammation stressing bones, heart and circulatory system. These chemical stressors make it very difficult for your body to properly detoxify and keep you feeling balanced during the diet.
The Weight Returns
So now you have hit the wall. After dieting for several weeks it starts to get hard. You don't feel like counting calories anymore and begin to rebel against all the restrictions. Effectively you just sold your soul to the devil in hopes of a better shape and now he wants payback. What happened to that easy to follow program they promised of 14 pounds in 14 weeks? Where did the dream of the glamour body go that will change your life forever? The truth is that the weight loss claims are false and the dreams unrealistic. Now the original weight, plus some more, comes pilling back on. You step on the scale and think "fooled again." As the old saying goes, "fooled me once, shame on you, fooled me twice, shame on me."
Going to Plan B
Plan B begins by cutting through the hype and understanding your weight gain/ weight loss situation once and for all. Try this simpler two step approach for better success.
Step 1: Understanding Stress Eating
Healthy weight loss means getting stress eating under control. Stress eating is trying to control mood with food. Food cannot fix the down, the tired and the bored feelings high stress living produces. The sheer volume of food necessary to feel better is much greater than your body needs for breathing, working out or repairing your tissues. The excess food becomes body fat, and to make matters worse, the continued weight gain adds to your stress making you eat more.
Step 2: Getting Started on a Lifelong Plan
Now that you understand why you are over-eating, create a sustainable nutrition and exercise program that works for you. One size does not fit all here. Ask yourself "how many hours a week can I realistically dedicate to weight lifting, walking and maybe playing a sport or dancing." A good answer to that question would be 3 hours a week. It is totally up to you how you divide your 3 hours. It could be 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week or 1 hour a day for 3 days. It's your choice.
Make time for food and better eating habits by starting each day with a good breakfast followed by a healthy lunch and dinner. Get a good variety of foods at each meal making sure you can see lots of color. Color means you're getting fruits and vegetables, which are essential to healthy weight loss and good nutrition. Stay hydrated getting at least 64 ounces of pure water every day. Avoid soft drinks of any type and reduce coffee and alcohol to one a day at most.
Don't get caught making resolutions you cannot keep. My unique program helps you choose realistic goals and that can reduce stress while improving balance, strength, flexibility, energy and stamina. After just a few weeks, you will feel like a new person. Call Woody McMahon at 703-464-5171 to schedule your no
cost Fresh Start consultation. You can also email to Woody@SequoiaHealth.com.
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Creating a Safe and Effective Exercise Program
by Woody McMahon
Simpler is Better
Whether you are veteran exerciser or just starting out, keeping your exercise program simple and fun improves the chances of staying with it for a lifetime. Starting an exercise program is a good New Year's resolution as long as it is safe, effective and works for you. Like many things, one size does not fit all especially when it comes to exercise. You have a unique set of strengths, weaknesses and health limitations that must be taken into consideration when designing an exercise program. Keep the following points in mind as you increase activity for the New Year.
Take it Slowly
If you have not been exercising, the best approach is to take it slowly. There is no making up for lost time with exercise. The muscles first need to recognize that you are starting to use them more. Next, the tendons (they attach muscles to bones) respond to the new activity by increasing in size to handle the extra strain. The bones, especially where the muscle tendons attach, begin strengthening to withstand the additional forces. Finally, the joints increase their lubrication to keep your cartilages slippery and prevent premature wear. As you can see, there is a lot going on once you start an exercise program. Most studies have shown that it takes anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks, based on health and conditioning levels, for this process to unfold. The bottom line; don't rush it or you will pay the price.
Staying Injury Free
The worst thing you can do is over train in the first few days or weeks. The signs of over training are sore muscles and joints or a feeling of general tiredness. The mantra of "no pain, no gain" is a myth. You can see significant improvements in strength and conditioning without having to hurt all the time. As a beginner, if it hurts, stop. Ignoring the pain only sets you up for injury. Mild stiffness is to be expected but pain tells you that something is wrong and "enough is enough." You might be using the wrong weight, performing too many repetitions or moving your body past its accepted range of motion.
Getting Started Weeks 1 through 8
It is possible to improve your strength and conditioning without pain and suffering. It just takes a little patience and listening to your body for the signs of over training. To get you started in the right direction, let's review some exercise program design basics for weeks 1 through 8.
Get Warmed-Up
Take 8 to 10 minutes to do a proper warm-up. Pick an activity (walking, skipping, light jump rope or climbing stairs) that will give you a moderate challenge and start creating a little heat on your forehead. This time should be gradual and relaxed.
Maintain Good Form
Knowing or learning good form is critical to any exercise program. Breaking good form just to lift more weight greatly increases the chance of injury. Keep your knees bent, back straight and elbows from locking out on all exercises. If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia, avoid toe touching motions, rotating the trunk and sit-ups or crunches.
Breathe, Breathe, Breathe
Proper breathing is essential for oxygenation and energy formation, core stabilization and proper back support. Breathe out on the exertion phase of the exercise and in on the resting phase. Do not hold your breath at any time because it will contribute to elevating your blood pressure.
Pick a Comfortable Weight
Your weight lifting program wants to stay fairly light for the first 4 to 6 weeks. For any exercise, start with a weight that, with good form, becomes challenging after the 10th repetition. (a repetition is one completed movement of the exercise) Stay in the range of 8 to 15 repetitions for maximum safety and benefit.
Don't Forget to Stretch Afterwards
Stretching at the end of every workout keeps the muscles from shortening and helps you get stronger, faster. Flexibility also keeps your joints working smoothly, reducing aches and pain and preventing premature wear and tear.
Inactivity is the one of the causes of excess weight gain. Follow our Fresh Start Healthy Weight! system and you'll reduce your weight and improve your health at the same time. We provide the education, motivation and accountability necessary to improve your health while helping you feel and look your best. For a no cost consultation, please call Woody McMahon at 703-464-5171 or email to Woody@SequoiaHealth.com.
Osteoporosis Support Group Meeting
"Healthy Bones Come From a Healthy Body" Woody McMahon
Topic: The Importance of Good Posture and Fracture Prevention
Date: Tuesday February 2nd
Time: 6 to 7 pm
Place: Sequoia Health and Fitness, Inc 483A Carlisle Drive, Herndon, VA
Come dressed in comfortable clothes and bring water. For questions and reservations please contact Woody McMahon at 703-464-5171 or email to bebonestrong@sequoiahealth.com.
Strong Bones Require Mental Changes
Your mind has the ability to control your body. If the brain sends stressful signals, it confuses your body and it will not work properly. Your body has
the unique ability to heal itself but it needs your help.
Scientists have been studying the Epigenome, the controlling center of your genes, that is directly connected to your brain. Learn to switch on the Epigenome in the right way and you have the most powerful healing tool known to humankind.
Be Bone Strong! continues to stay at the cutting edge in building stronger bones and healthier bodies. For 2010, we are adding specific training to help stimulate your Epigenome. If you are not including this training in your current program, you owe it to yourself to find out more about this exciting healing tool. Get started with it right now and you are on the cutting edge.
Stimulating the Epigenome takes all the other lifestyle changes and makes them more effective. We will continue to work with your doctor and help you create and implement an effective osteoporosis treatment plan. Our support, sympathetic ear and shoulder to lean on will still be there eliminating the unnecessary fear and worry this condition can bring.
With the use of Skype, emails, phone calls and the internet, you can benefit from the only complete osteoporosis prevention and repair program. Video consultations, stress reduction activities, healthy eating plans and functional weight bearing programs all available in the comfort of your own home over your computer.
Our unique three step process makes it easier to improve bone strength faster:
Step 1: Personalized Osteoporosis Lifestyle Assessment
Step 2: Comprehensive "Make My Bones Strong" Plan and Program
Step 3: Implementation Support, Motivation and Consultation
Follow The "Big 6 for Healthy Bones" and you can't go wrong:
1. Increase daily stress reduction activities. This helps lower cortisol and homocystein levels while reducing calcium loss. 2. Safe and sufficient weight bearing exercise to stimulate muscle growth and balance. This is essential for increasing bone quality and preventing falls.
3. Dietary changes that balance protein with fruit and vegetable intake. Fruits and veggies contain greater amounts of water, minerals and antioxidants with generally lesser amounts of animal protein to reduce total body inflammation.
4. Establish year round vitamin D3 levels in the 50-80 ng/mL (or 125-200 nM/L). This should be confirmed by regular 25-hydroxyvitamin D testing. 5. Calculate optimum water intake for maximum hydration. Water is very important in helping the kidneys regulate pH and detoxify the body.
6. Strategic Epigenome training program to speed bone healing. The most powerful healing tool in the human body.
Test your bone knowledge and take our Strong Bones Healthy Body Quiz at http://sequoiahealth.com/hbquiz_
To learn more about Be Bone Strong! Online or to schedule a free consultation, please go to http://www.sequoiahealth.com/ and click on Be Bone Strong! | |
Woody
Woody McMahon The Sequoia Advisor
Sequoia Health and Fitness, Inc. 483A Carlisle Dive Herndon, VA 20170
Required Disclaimer: The material provided herein should not be construed as a health-care diagnosis, treatment regimen or any other prescribed health-care advice or instruction. The material is provided with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in the practice of medicine or any other health-care profession and does not enter into a health-care practitioner/patient relationship with its readers. The publisher does not advise or recommend to its readers treatment or action with regard to matters relating to their health or well-being other than suggesting that readers consult appropriate health-care professionals in such matters. No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication. The material and opinions provided herein are believed to be accurate and sound at the time of publication, based on the best judgment available to the authors. However, readers who rely on material in this publication to replace the advice of health-care professionals, or who fail to consult with health-care professionals, assume all risks of such conduct. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions.
Copyright (c) 2006-2010 by Sequoia Health and Fitness, Inc.
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