In This Issue... January 30, 2006
Food Not the Answer to Coping with Stress
- Invitation to Attend February 18th
Healthy Weight Loss Workshop
- Last Chance to Try TotalTennis... Your
Health Club Alternative
Sign-up and Training Tips for MS Walk
April 2nd with Phyliss Hurt
Food Not the Answer to Coping With Stress
Which of the following statements are true?
- Stress is the number one cause of obesity in this country.
- Job stress is the number one contributor to high stress living.
- People consume excess calories of "comfort foods" because they lead stressful lives.
Unfortunately they are all true. When you live a high stress lifestyle and take no corrective measures; it sets off a destructive chain of events. You get stressed out on the job...you feel the increased strain and pressure both mentally and physically...lacking better coping mechanisms you eat to ease the pain and help yourself feel better.
In a Mayo Clinic article entitled Stress: Why You Have it and How it Hurts Your Health, the authors makes several good points about your body's response to high stress living. Here are a few. "Modern life is full of pressures, fears and frustration. In other words, it's stressful. Racing against deadlines, sitting in traffic, arguing with your spouse - all these make your body react as if you were facing a physical threat." They go on to say "But if stressful situations pile up one after another, your body has no chance to recover. This long-term activation of the stress-response system can disrupt almost all your body's processes, increasing your risk of obesity, insomnia, digestive complaints, heart disease and depression.
The skills necessary to cope and your response to a stressful situation are learned at a very young age. If you find yourself regularly feeling stress out, the best solution is to replace the old, unhealthy skills and habits with newer, healthier ones. Food is not a healthy coping skill in a stressful situation even though it is used frequently. Continued regular use of food to reduce stress creates a more stressful and unhealthy situation. When you decide to eliminate food as a coping mechanism, you'll need to adopt other healthier stress reduction strategies.
So how do you start the relearning process and what do can you to feel better right now during the re-education process?
Adopting a two part approach; combining just the right active and passive activities is the easiest and most effective way to eliminate high stress living and regain control of your life. Getting active with FUN physical activity gives you the most bang for the buck reducing stress with an immediate dose of "feel good." With fun physical activity you literally
"burn off" stress and create an increased sense of wellbeing. The feeling of wellbeing comes from natural chemicals in the brain called endorphins that are released when you are playing and having fun. The endorphin release improves your attitude and helps you regain control. Fun physical activity also decreases your appetite and increases your metabolism helping you avoid using food as your solution. 10 to 15 minutes a day of walking, running, tennis, or other fun activity works great as your active stress reliever.
Relaxation is the very important "getting passive" part of reducing high stress living. Relaxing is also the most challenging for most people. One of the questions on my Health Investment Questionnaire asks "are you able to sit quietly for 5 minutes and just do nothing." I am continually surprised at the number of people who answer no. If youre unable to sit quietly for 5 minutes, how are you ever going to relax?
Some of the best ways I have found to relax are massage therapy, a quiet walk through the woods, meditation, yoga and deep breathing exercises. Mixing just the right amount of active and passive stress reduction activities leaves you feeling good and enjoying life more.
Find out how Fresh Start helps you reduce stress by integrating active and passive stress reduction tools into a daily healthy lifestyle
make-over. Beginning and sticking to the process of feeling and looking your best is much easier than you might think...when you make it FUN.
Invitation to Attend February 18th
Healthy Weight Loss Workshop
I hate to sound negative but weight loss programs in this country are a "big, fat failure." Just take a look around and you'll see what I mean. I have always contended that focusing exclusively on weight loss means you're approaching the problem from the wrong end. Treating only the symptom (weight gain) and never fixing the causes (stress, anger, inactivity, depression) leaves you frustrated and fat. Address the causes of excess weight gain and fat magically disappears. What are some of the causes...job stress, boredom, low self image, fear, anger, depression and the list goes on.
Successful healthy weight loss requires a balanced, three-part approach addressing the problems head-on.
· Step 1- Reduce Your Stress
· Step 2 - Eat Healthier Foods
· Step 3 - Get Active and Participate in
FUN Physical Activities
You'll notice I put reduce your stress first. Currently, most people are trying to lose weight but are going about it backwards only addressing Step 2 and 3 and never getting to Step 1.
A quick lesson in how your body really works. Reducing high stress living balances your hormones by lowering cortisol levels. As cortisol levels drop, your body wants to lose rather than store weight automatically. Balanced hormones gets you out of "crave mode" allowing you to choose healthier foods. You stop "stress eating" and only consume the healthy portions your body requires for nutrition. Your metabolism increases and you want to
get-up and move around and have a little FUN.
Our February 18th, Healthy Weight Loss Workshop addresses all these topics and more. Including both the emotional and physical sides of weight gain, our workshop will help you explore effective stress reducing techniques; learn to prepare, eat and enjoy healthy meals and have FUN with your physical activity...changing your weight and your life forever. Find out how easy it can be to take charge of your weight and your life. Challenge yourself to feel and look your best today!
Click here to sign-up and learn more today!
Last Chance to Try Total Tennis? Your Health Club Alternative
On January 7th, 2006 we started our first 8 week session of TotalTennis classes. Our newest "secret weapon" in the battle of the bulge is a great success. It really is your "I hate going to the gym" alternative. Class members range from ages 12 to 65. Afterwards, I talked to a few of the members and here is what they had to say:
"Lots of fun... I didn't really feel like I was exercising"
"This is the first time I have actually done tennis specific training... I can see where it will really help my game?
"I liked TotalTennis because at the end of the hour I wanted to stay and do it again?
Each one hour group session combines total body strength training, cardiovascular fitness, balance and flexibility and expert tennis instruction. We've also included specially designed healthy nutrition and stress reduction sessions that you access on-line from our website.
Learn more> Try a session. Next drop in TotalTennis session is on February 4th, 2006. Come Join the FUN.
Is TotalTennis Right for Me?
From beginner to advanced, TotalTennis has a program that is right for you.
Never played tennis before... TotalTennis provides an excellent opportunity to get active while improving your health and fitness.
Nursing an old athletic injury... our program is designed to help you rehabilitate and get back to being physically active.
Woefully out of shape... just 8 weeks of TotalTennis will put you back on the right track to feeling and looking your best. TotalTennis fits perfectly with the Sequoia Cardio-FUN-Time theme... FUN, efficient and effective.
Combine TotalTennis with Fresh Start and you have a complete, one stop health and fitness solution.
We put the Fun back in FUNctional Activity!
Charity Breakfast and Walk Benefiting MS April 2nd
with Phyliss Hurt
Come join us as you do something good for MS and yourself. Team Sequoia has started training for the April 2nd MS Breakfast and Walk with Phyliss Hurt. If you haven't signed-up please click here and do it right away. We have approximately 8 weeks to get ready. Phyliss and I have started the walk preparation training process...so please join us. Here are some training tips to help you get started:
- A comfortable pair of walking or cross training shoes is perfect for this walk. No old shoes because their soles are hard and they do not provide proper shock absorption. No running shoes because they are not designed to support your feet properly for walking, just running.
- Good socks are important because they keeping your feet dry and blister free. Look for a 80/20 cotton/poly blend.
- A small fanny pack is great to store water and snacks. You want to stay hydrated and keep your blood sugar stable over the two hours or so it takes to walk the 3.5 miles.
- Your training walks should start out slowly. If you have not been actively walking start with 30 minutes twice a week at a comfortable pace. The Mall is a good place to walk when the weather is cold.
Stay tuned to upcoming issues of The Advisor for more training tips. You can also email me at Woody@SequoiaHealth.com if you have a specific question.
The 3.5 mile or 6 mile walks are great first time fitness challenges for 2006. I CHALLENGE everyone to sign-up for either the 3.5 or 6 mile walk.
If you can't attend please donate to the cause. But try to come; bring your whole family. Besides, no walker is too young to get involved and it will be a lot of fun. Team Sequoia will have prizes for the person that raises the most pledge money; wears the goofiest outfit; finishes without blister on their feet. Linda Wilson, one of my clients and part owner of ATR (The American Tap Room) at Reston Town Center has generously offered to
co-sponsor a pre-walk breakfast with Sequoia.
So come on...Phyliss needs your support. Please be there to help her, MS and yourself. There is no cost to sign-up. Our team fundraising goal is $100 for an individual and $250 per family in pledges.
Click here to sign-up and join Team Sequoia on Sunday April 2, 2006.
News From Sequoia Health and Fitness, Inc.
The Sequoia System is a revolutionary way of helping you achieve strength, vitality and good health in less time and with less effort. Unlike other approaches The Sequoia System improves both your mental and physical fitness making positive healthy lifestyle changes complete and permanent. The Sequoia System benefits you in four important ways. You receive: - A Healthy Life Plan that is a step by step road map to achieving the changes you've always hoped for on your journey to better health - A balanced and integrated approach to your health and fitness activities including physical activity that is fun; nutrition that optimally fuels your body; and stress reduction techniques that produce greater results in less time - A supportive health and fitness team available 24/7 guaranteeing your success by offering individualized programs, personal attention and motivation - A cutting edge health and fitness information service provided by experts in their fields helping you apply the latest scientific health and fitness breakthroughs to your program.
Read more
Woody McMahon has been working in the health and fitness profession for over 20 years. Before starting his career Woody earned his Bachelor of Science degree in human biology from the University of Maryland, his Doctorate in Chiropractic Medicine from Palmer College of Chiropractic and is certified as a personal trainer through the National Strength Professionals Association. Woody's unique integrative approach to health and fitness - combining fun physical activity, healthy eating and relaxation and stress reduction activities allows him to help many people that are considered beyond help.
Continued Good Health,
Woody
Woody McMahon
The Sequoia Advisor
Don't forget to Request Your FREE Family FUN Pass - Come meet the staff at Sequoia and try out Cardio-FUN-Time with your loved ones.
We put the Fun back in FUNctional Activity.
Sequoia Health and Fitness, Inc.
483A Carlisle Dive
Herndon, VA 20170
Required Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be construed as a health-care diagnosis, treatment regimen or any other prescribed health-care advice or instruction. The information 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 information 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 information 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 by Sequoia Health and Fitness, Inc.
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