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The Sequoia Advisor
IN THIS ISSUE August 15th 2011
- Exercises Designed to Save Your Life
- Meal Timing Important to Healthy Weight Loss
- Yoga and Tai Chi at the Osteo Resource Center
- Calling All Women! Chamber Event
- Bone Health Podcasts Coming Soon!
Feel Better... Live Better
Exercises Designed to Save Your Life
By Woody McMahon
The Functional Exercise and ADLs
You perform a series of activities as you go about living each and every
day. we call these Activities of Daily Living or ADLs. These actions such as
emptying the dishwasher, getting into a car, lifting a box off the floor,
mowing the yard, carrying groceries and doing other household chores are
all good examples of ADL's. Each activity requires certain motions and actions
that place various forces and demands upon your body. These motions and
actions require muscles, bones and joints to work in certain combinations.
If these parts of your body do not work properly then you can get back pain,
headaches, vertebral fractures, stiff necks and sore knees and hips.
Functional exercises that focuses on strength, balance and spinal
stability are a great way to improve your fitness and health. Athletes have
long known that to be effective, training their body must mimic the way
they compete. That is also sound advice for the rest of us as well.
Performing exercises that will assist you in making your life easier and
safer is the best approach to fitness training especially if you are over
age 50. Training the way you live helps strengthen the muscles used for
ADLS allowing you to perform better and reduce injury.
Here are the 5 best whole body exercises to help strengthen your ADL
muscles. If you don't know how to do these exercises properly or not sure
if you are capable of doing the exercises listed, please send me an email
or give me a call.
5 to 10 Minutes of Decompression Time
Before you begin any exercise program, take the time to go through The
Sara Meeks Decompression Sequence. This series of easy to learn and perform
exercises will help strengthen and stretch your postural muscles helping to
reduce the compression on your spine longer and make your exercise session
safer. The sequence includes decompression time, belly breathing, leg
lengthener as well as various heel, hip and shoulder presses.
8 to 10 minutes of Dynamic Warm-Up
Next comes 8 to 10 minutes of dynamic warm-up prior to the main body of
your workout. These warm-up motions help to physically warm your body while
synchronizing your body and brain. This warm-up will include heel and toe
walks, high knees, side shuffle, skipping and other activities designed to
warm-up your muscles. Warming-up the body and brain before your workout
provides the opportunity for maximum muscular strength and prevents
injuries associated with multi-movement patterns.
1. Legs and Hips
Squats: To squat safely, place the bar across your shoulders (not your
neck) and keep your back straight, bending slightly at the hips through the
squatting motion. Keep your heels heavy and your head up to maintain good
form. Dumbbells can also be used either hanging at your sides or placed at
shoulder height. These variations are more advanced and should only be
tried after the basic squatting motion is mastered. Proper form is crucial
with this exercise. Breathe in as you go down and out as you come up.
2. Balance
One Leg Balance: Stand erect, back straight and head up. Lift one leg and
try to stand quietly as you balance. Keep your knee on the standing leg
slightly bent. Do not use your arms to stabilize unless you cannot balance
without them. If you find this easy, place a dumbbell or medicine ball in
your hands. With your standing knee straight, take the dumbbell and try to
touch your knee with the ball. Make sure to keep your back straight at all
times and hinge at the hips. Breathe out as you come up from your knee or
toe touch.
3. The Core
Plank or Prone Bridge: Start on your elbows, knees and toes face down on
the floor. Lift your knees off the floor and keep your back flat and head
facing down in line with the rest of your body. Breathe regularly and do
not hold your breath. Hold this position for up to 3 minutes. If you feel
your back start to sag, lift your hips and try to maintain a flat back. If
you cannot maintain a flat back, stop the plank at once.
4. Whole Body Strength and Cardiovascular
Star Jumps or Jump Rope: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and
hands at your sides. Jump into the air and as you do, spread your legs and
arms apart so that your body looks like a star. If this seems too much,
grab a jump rope and do several 1 to 2 minute segments or until you feel
like you need to stop. Breathe regularly. Do not hold your breath.
5. Whole Body Strength and Endurance Walkouts on a Fitness Ball
Start by lying face down on a fitness ball with your legs straight and
hands in a push-up position. Walk forward on your hands, keeping your legs
straight, until your toes touch the back of the ball. Keep your back
straight and head down looking at the floor. Return to the starting
position and repeat. If you want a little more challenge, when your feet
reach the back of the ball, tuck your knees to your chest. Breathe out each
time you walk out on the ball.
Don't forget to stretch at the end and stay well hydrated by taking in
water at 15 minute intervals throughout your workout.
Would you like to reduce stress and improve your bone health but
don't know where to start? I provide an easy to follow program called
Be Bone Strong! that helps improve your bone health, posture, balance
and strength while reducing fracture risk. Contact me anytime for a
no cost consultation at 703-628-2880 or email to
woody@sequoiahealth.com.
Meal Timing Important to Healthy Weight Loss
by Woody McMahon
When You Eat is Important
Successful weight loss programs all have several important components in
common. If you find yourself having a hard time losing weight, make sure
your program isn't missing one or more of those important pieces. Two of
the most important and overlooked parts in any healthy weight loss program
are meal timing and frequency. If you are not paying close attention to
these two modules, they can destroy all the hard work you are putting in
at the gym and leave you feeling frustrated and fat.
Meal Timing
Your body responds favorably to consistency especially when it comes to
food. So eating on a regular schedule significantly improves your chances
of losing and keeping off the weight. Regular meal times help to maintain
healthy blood glucose levels that stimulate the burning rather than the
storing of calories. When glucose levels are consistent, then insulin and
cholesterol levels are in check. Regular meal times also help to control
hunger which contributes to overeating; the most common reason for excess
weight gain.
Food Frequency
Not only do you need to eat on a consistent schedule but also the timing
between meals is important. Most weight loss experts agree that major
meals like breakfast, lunch and dinner should be spaced equally throughout
the day. In between those meals should be a series of healthy snacks so
that 4 hours is the maximum amount of times you go between eating. As an
example, let's say you eat breakfast at 6am, lunch at 12pm and dinner at
6pm. That is 6 hours between each major meal. In a well designed eating
schedule, a healthy snack should be inserted at 9am and 3pm. This schedule
will keep you from overeating at any one meal and help keep consistent
blood sugar levels.
Breakfast is Crucial
The first meal of the day can either start you off right or lead to
caloric disaster. Sadly many people skip breakfast in the false hope that
they can shave a few extra calories off their daily intake. Breakfast is
definitely the wrong time to be skipping a meal. If you finished your last
meal of the day at 7pm then your body has gone for approximately 11 hours
without food. You have just completed a mini-fast while you were sleeping.
Further restricting your body of important "beginning the day" calories
has shown to reduce creative and critical thinking, contribute to lowered
concentration and promote later day overeating.
Healthy Snacks Control Overeating
Overeating is the number one cause of weight gain and healthy snacks
reduce the urge to overeat by maintaining stable levels of blood glucose.
Overeating is an emotional and physical reaction to your body falsely
thinking it is starving. Once your brain isn't getting enough blood sugar,
it creates a barrage of chemicals to stimulate hunger. If the brain always
has a consistent amount of blood glucose, then those hunger signals are
greatly reduced. People who overeat actually panic when they feel hungry,
creating a rush to overeat. Healthy snacks are the best way to keep your
brain adequately fueled and control overeating.
Try adding these healthy weight loss components to your plan and see how
much easier it is to lose weight without feeling hungry or deprived.
Try these healthy lifestyle changes for 30 days. Feel what it is like to be
a part of the health solution rather than a health burden. If you need
additional suggestions and advice on living a healthier lifestyle, email or
call me for a no cost consultation, at 703-628-2880 or email to
woody@sequoiahealth.com.
Osteoporosis Support News
Sara Meeks is Coming to Town
The Northern Virginia Osteoporosis Resource Center will host its first
open house in early October. We have been in contact with Sara Meeks, PT
a world-renowned expert on the subject of osteoporosis treatment and
management. Sara has agreed to hold a workshop on the Meeks Method
and then conduct a book signing afterwards for her book Walk Tall! 2.
Space will be limited so stay tuned for more updates. At the same open
house, we will also be offering introductory classes in safe Yoga by
Bonnie Elliott and Tai Chi for Strong Bones by Roger Blough.
The NVORC will be one the first of its kind offering BoneSafeTM clinics,
Personal Training, Yoga, Tai Chi classes and consultations for people
with osteoporosis, osteopenia and other bone health problems.
You can read more about The NVORC at:
http://sequoiahealth.com/osteo resource center
We have another beginner Posture Perfect! class starting in September
at St. Thomas a' Becket catholic church in Reston. Please call
Woody McMahon at 703-628-2880 or email to woody@sequoiahealth.com
for more information, class times and reservations.
People in The News
Calling All Women! Chamber Event
On September 14th from 6 to 8 pm I have been asked to speak at the
Executive Women of Reston's Healthy Glow Head to Toe event sponsored
by the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce. The other speakers will
include Dr. Syed Amiry dermatologist and Teri Cochrane certified nutritionist.
The seminar will attempt to answer several important questions:
Are you projecting your healthiest image? Are you aware of how important
good nutrition and physical activity can affect bone health? Did you know
that lifestyle choices can have a huge impact on your health and happiness?
If you are interested in looking and feeling your best, at any age, this
Executive Women of Reston event is the perfect fit. The event will feature
a panel of experienced professionals who have expertise in the latest
cosmetic and skin care techniques as well as nutritional and exercise tips
to ensure your overall good health.
The event will be held on September 14, 2011 from 6:00pm-8:00pm at the
offices of Cooley, LLP at 11951 Freedom Drive #1500, Reston, VA
For more information or reservations contact Ashley Owen at
ashleyo@restonchamber.org or by phone at 703.707.9045.
Marodyne LIV Tablet Update
We are still anxiously awaiting the release on the LIV Tablet.
The product is very close to being available in the US market.
It looks like September is going to be the magic month. Sara
and I are still working feverishly on recording our 24 Podcasts
for the LIVe Again! Podcast series. This series will come FREE
with every LIV Tablet. This is a great bone health audio series
that really helps to simplify, demystify and make your bone
health program much easier.
LIVe Again! is a complete, effective and easy to follow healthy
lifestyle program designed to take the guesswork and worry out
of improving the health of your bones.
Each Marodyne LIV Tablet will come with the 24 Podcasts that
you can listen to while using your tablet. The information provided
is a powerful bone health program that you can follow with
confidence.
There will also be additional information on the LIVTherapy.com
website to help you create the best and most complete bone
health program possible. I will be testing and collecting data on
the Marodyne in my office. I will also be supporting a colleague of
mine who is selling the LIV Tablet by offering a free bone health
consultation to anyone who buys the device from him.
Stay tuned for more updates. Feel free to email us with your
questions at woody@sequoiahealth.com.
Continued Good Health,
Woody
Woody McMahon
The Sequoia Advisor
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Sequoia Health and Fitness, Inc.
483A Carlisle Drive
Herndon, VA
20170
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Copyright (c) 2006-2011 by Sequoia Health and Fitness, Inc.
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