March 2023 – Solid To The Core

March 21, 2023March 21, 2023

The Motivation to Lose Weight? Part 3 of 3

This is the heart of the matter. Maintaining the intention ( to lose weight) is all about staying motivated and BEING PATIENT. The wins are little victories when you get on the, whichwhich is your ultimate scoreboard. The fear of a physical catastrophe in the form of cardiac stress can be the motivator. The decade of your 50s is also known as the “widow maker” years; the statistics bear this out. “The average amount of calories you consume daily over time must be less than the average that you burn or expend.

Being more than 15% overweight, as measured by height and body mass, is unhealthy. If you have the “Intention” to reduce your weight, this is the simple and honest truth.

If you think only about what you are eating and modify it, that is not getting at the root cause of weight gain. A better way to approach it is to count your calories and keep your diet healthy and simple. An egg is 60 calories. A piece of bread is 80 to 120 calories. Clean protein (both animal and vegetable) can provide 200-300 calories at meals. Of course, limiting the starches and sugars really help you achieve a moderate average caloric deficit .

Low section of people doing power fitness exercise at yoga class in fitness studio

Portion control and just as important is being in a community of others who share your intention (weight loss). This is why “Weight-Watchers” is so successful. It is about maintaining the intention and understanding that an average daily caloric deficit of 500 calories over 30 days (1 month) will result in a 4lb weight loss.

In my “Fit For Life” classes at the Clearwater YMCA, my members average 5,000 steps through endurance strength-training and aerobic stepping to music. An average of 400 calories can be burned in the 50-minute class. It is held 3 times per week.

Increasing your aerobic capacity (walking, dancing, and cycling) and, at the same time, improving your mood and clarity of thought is a part of winning at your intention and staying motivated.

March 10, 2023

Fall Prevention in Seniors

I am a senior. I am a full-time caregiver to my spouse, Deborah. We have been together for 40 years. We live in the St Petersburg, Florida area, and we love it here. My intention to care for her and keep her physically active is not without its daily challenges. One of my greatest fears is that she will experience a nasty fall. She has fallen several times in the last five years, and thankfully her counter-reaction time enabled her to help break the falls. Her older sister was not as lucky. I know that the balance training we practice together is a critical factor in improving and maintaining her proprioception.

Helping Deborah maintain her physical well-being and coordinated neuromuscular fitness was my driving force in becoming a Senior Strength & Fitness specialist.

According to the CDC, every second of every day, a person 65 or older falls. Every second of every day, an older adult (age 65+) suffers a fall in the U.S.—making falls the leading cause of injury and injury death in this age group. One out of four older adults will fall each year in the United States, making falls a public health concern, particularly among the aging population.

Facts About Older Adult Falls

About 36 million falls are reported among older adults yearly—resulting in more than 32,000 deaths.
Each year, about 3 million older adults are treated in emergency departments for a fall injury.
One out of every five falls causes an injury, such as broken bones or a head injury.
Each year at least 300,000 older people are hospitalized for hip fractures.
More than 95% of hip fractures are caused by falling—usually by falling sideways.
Women fall more often than men and account for three-quarters of all hip fractures.

However, most adult falls are largely preventable.

Known effective strategies for reducing the number of older adult falls include a multifactorial clinical approach (e.g., gait and balance assessment, strength and balance exercises, and medication review).

It is my intention to write and be an advocate for senior Health & Fitness and motivate you to improve your overall fitness, balance & active lifestyle choices. For me, it’s personal.

March 9, 2023

Study reveals how exercise turns back the clock in aging muscles (Senior Fitness & Health)

A new study investigates how exercise can help rejuvenate aging muscles.

Doctors call physical exercise a “polypill” because it can prevent and treat many of the chronic diseases that are associated with aging.
A new study of muscle fibers from mice and humans shows how exercise affects gene expression.
The exercise-induced changes “reprogram” the epigenetic expression of the fibers to a more youthful state.

Research shows that people who exercise regularly not only strengthen their muscles but also improve their overall health, regardless of how late in life they start.

For example, recent studies have found that exercise reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, in older people.

Conversely, reductions in muscle mass and strength are associated with lower quality of life and higher mortality from all causes.

As a result of its proven ability to prevent and treat several chronic diseases at low cost, doctors have called exercise a drug-free “polypill” that can benefit nearly everyone.

“Exercise is the most powerful drug we have,” says Dr. Kevin Murach, assistant professor at the Exercise Science Research Center, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR.

He believes that exercise should be considered a health-enhancing, potentially life-extending treatment, alongside medications and a healthy diet.

Scientists hope that a better understanding of how exercise rejuvenates aged muscle at a molecular level will provide clues for future anti-aging therapies.

“For individuals over 70, I highly recommend low-impact, full-body workouts with a focus on lower body and core,”

“Resistance training is not only suitable but highly recommended for those in their 70s and beyond,” he said.

“The key is starting slow and progressing slowly with consistency,”

“Walking is an activity that I recommend, along with resistance and mobility training,”

I recommend strength training at least two days a week and mobility training, including stretching, every day.

I teach “Fit For Life Classes” three days per week at the Suncoast YMCA, Clearwater, FL.