Yoga for Multiple Sclerosis

This evening will be the first, of hopefully many, yoga classes that I will hold at UT Medical Center for patients living with M.S. Like myself, there are plenty of people who are seemingly healthy from the outside, and although this does not imply that I am suffering on the inside, it does mean that there are times when fatigue and confusion are far more than the average person.
On the other end of the M.S. spectrum there are individuals that are living with constant chronic pain, spasticity in their muscles, vision impairment, weakness, and limited mobility and balance.
No matter where you are in your life, no matter how limited you may feel in your mobility, yoga will meet you where you are....meaning, everything can be tailored to your personal wants and needs. Yoga is so much more than poses, and in realizing this any person can practice yoga. If all you can do is blink and breath you can practice yoga.
So this is the first step of my journey in using my own illness and obstacles in my life as the vehicle that empowers my practice. That empowers my life.

The Beauty of Conferences

This past weekend was one of the most eye opening and inspiring times of my career as a personal trainer. Through the IDEA Fitness Association I have learned more information in several different, yet related fields, than I had ever anticipated learning! Top in the field professionals came to speak and with them they brought their most influential and beneficial knowledge to share with all of us. I really felt privileged.

Just to give you a taste of the awesome presenters, there was: Todd Durkin Bootcamp extrodinare and #1 Fitness Instructor for several years, Fraser Quelch from TRX (yes the guy in the videos), Dr. Len Kravitz, PhD at the University of New Mexico, Scott Josephson. MS,RD from the Hippocrates Institute, Rachel Cosgrove author of "The Female Body Breakthrough" with her husband Alwyn Cosgrove they own a top 10 rated gym in the nation called Results Fitness, Jonathan Ross author of "Abs Revealed", and Nick Tumminello fighter, trainer and author of "The Naked Athlete".
And these were just the presenters from the classes I attended! There were tons of others!

In the next couple of weeks I will be summarizing and giving my opinions, as well as affective applications, to the information I received in these classes... so stay tuned! I think this will help me be inspired with my blog and put some fuel in me to really research all this amazing information! Knowledge is POWER!!

So if you are in a profession where you think you know everything there is to know and there would be absolutely no benefit for you to continue your education, than perhaps it is time to move on to a new profession! Never stop learning!

New Year. New You?

We are more than a week into 2011. Time does fly by! How are your resolutions holding up? Perhaps you promised yourself that you would finally quit smoking, stop eating fast food, begin an exercise routine, get your whole family to adopt a healthier lifestyle, or fit into those old jeans. So how's it going?
The most important part in setting a resolution, or a goal of any kind, is that you inform the people that you are around the most and are the most important to you. Also, write it down! When someone else knows what your goal is you are more likely to adhere to the changes that are necessary in reaching your goal. Without someone to remind you, encourage you, or compliment your good work you are likely to stray from the resolution path.
If you set a resolution that is drastically different from your current lifestyle (or let's be honest even a normal lifestyle post-holiday can prove to be a challenge) you might be feeling a serious urge to bend the rules or even break them completely and throw in the towel. Let this be know: the first two weeks in any sort of diet, fitness, sleeping, lifestyle change will be the hardest! The feelings of a semi-withdrawal from your old lifestyle begins to set in and you feel deprived and trapped. Also, there will be a lag in energy and the overall feeling of wellness that is expected to follow a healthy diet and fitness. The increase of energy, the increased metabolism, elation, and confidence will take at least 2 weeks. Your body has a learning curve! It's not used to change and it may be reacting in a way that makes you feel like being lazy or quit, but don't throw all your hard work away!
If the urge to quit is becoming more and more of an option then perhaps you should consider hiring a trainer or joining a class where you will be held accountable. Remember why you set this resolution in the first place. And now envision yourself completing the resolution/goal. Now that's something to look forward to!

Don't Skip Stretching

Stretching may seem like a waste, especially if you have only a small amount of time to workout, but it is essential to a proper workout regimen. Not only is it important that you stretch before your workout but it is perhaps more important to stretch post workout.

So lets say your workout of the day concentrates on your legs. You want to stretch each group of muscles for a minimum of 2 minutes. The most efficient way to stretch is called Self Myofacial Release, or foam rolling. This is a similar way of lengthening the muscles like a message therapist would do. For your quadriceps you want to begin one leg on the foam roll, facing the floor, and beginning at the hip flexor. Slowly begin to roll down the quad toward the patella tendon. Make sure that while foam rolling you are as relaxed as possible, otherwise this would be a waste of time. When you get to a particularly sensitive, maybe even painful, part of the rolling process pause for 30 seconds to allow the adhesion to release. Once the knot, or adhesion, dissipates continue to roll slowly until your entire quad has been rolled at least twice.

Make sure not to roll too quickly over the muscle because this will create an opposite affect, possibly tightening muscles more than releasing them.

Post workout follow the same techniques. Treat each grouping of muscles separately. This will jump start the muscle regeneration process so that when you workout again you will not be too sore to walk.

In addition to Self Myofacial Release stretch as you would for a total body workout. Also, have a warm-up and cool-down of 2-5 minutes.

Stretching, foam rolling and rest are as important as the workout itself. Without these pre and post workout routines you will not get the most out of your workout!

Why hiring a personal trainer is your best bet for reaching your goals:

You might think that you can get into shape by yourself, and you might be right to a certain degree, but you will not reach your optimum level of health and fitness without professional guidance.

One of the most beneficial aspects of hiring a CPT (certified personal trainer) is accountability. If you do not workout or show up to a session you will be held accountable. This will be the ultimate way to keep you honest. There will be accountability on your days off and your food log.

In addition to accountability a CPT will push you outside your comfort zone to your optimal level of speed, agility, strength, and endurance. The biggest obstacle to getting into shape is your own mind. The mind controls everything and can break you down.

Need an extra boost and some push for you to reach your potential? Email me for a consultation and 1 free workout @ emilyzenith@gmail.com

Zenith Fitness is Up and Running!

I am proud to announce that Zenith Fitness is a registered business in Tennessee! With my personal trainer's certification with the National Academy of Sports Medicine and being legit I am ready to get YOU into shape!

It has been too long...

It has been a long time since I have blogged! I am so sorry! I will post after my day at the Health and Wellness Expo tomorrow!

Time Magazine's August Cover Says Exercise Does Not Lead to Fat Loss.

Time Magazine has stirred up a lot of conflict on the topic of weight loss and exercise since its August 9th article. There have been plenty of other blog posts and discussions on talk shows about the reality of the coupling of exercise and weight loss. As an exercise and healthy eating advocate I have my opinions of this topic.

John Clouds, the author of the Time article, suggests that exercise increases appetite, which in turn increases caloric intake and therefore creates a wash of weight fluctuation. He also claims that sitting on the couch burns 40 calories alone, while running for a half hour burns about 250 cals. which then has to be replenished with caloric intake to satisfy the hunger pangs created by physical activity.

These accusations are hindering the majority of the article's readers, more than likely causing them to take a sigh of relief that they no longer have to drag themselves to a gym once a week, or at least think about working out when all they have to do is, well, sit on the couch.

Pounds will not come off by sitting on the couch, for one thing. Another question that this raises is will the people who swear off exercise be eating the right foods and in the correct amounts to lose weight, or even more importantly feel satisfied?

Knowing that your daily caloric intake should not exceed a certain number, depending on your BMI, age, lifestyle, and goal of weight loss, people might begin to feel deprived from the foods they used to enjoy. This feeling of deprivation can, and often does, lead people to binge on high calorie foods in hopes of filling a craving. This craving is masked as indulgent food, but what the body is actually seeking is endorphins, the feel good hormone that is secreted during pleasurable activity, such as exercise.

Unlike the ongoing and almost addictive affects of exercise, indulging in forbidden foods will give you a sense of happiness (usually the sugar high if eating sweet foods) followed by a crash and sense of guilt. If you are not working out the only way to get back on track with your weight loss diet would be to deprive yourself, creating the same cycle.

Diet is well over 50% of a weight loss plan. If you were to go on a 25 mile bike ride, or go to an hour long group fitness class and then rush to the nearest Burger King for a Whopper, then you would be ruining your entire workout. In order to lose weight you must burn more calories than consumed. This is the law of thermogentics, and wouldn't you say that is pretty simple?

The healthy and beneficial foods needed to support an active life can be eaten in larger volumes (such as veggies) and the quantities of proteins, carbs, and fats will also increase with higher activity. You must eat all these foods in order to support your metabolism and the regeneration of your muscle fibers.

So this sounds like the more you workout the more you have to eat, right? Well, this is greatly based on the amount of time you are spending during a given daily workout. If you are working out for less than 60 minutes a day then your caloric intake does not have to increase dramatically because of this. Workout for more than 60 minutes and be prepared to amp up your calories in order to prevent exhaustion and bonking during your workout.

After a workout you have a 30 minute window to ingest at least 20 grams of protein for muscle recuperation. Also, to keep your metabolism at its peak you must eat more than 3 large meals a day. This will be the hugest part of weight loss. If you can eat 5-6 small meals consisting of a protein and a complex carbohydrate (such as fruits and whole grains) you will never feel hungry or deprived and your body will absorb the nutrients as it is intended instead of storing it as fat reserves.

If your goal is to lose weight don't just sit there on the couch. Go to the gym and figure out a healthy and maintainable diet regimen that you can stick with for life. If you are going to hirer a personal trainer tell him or her that your goal is weight loss and they will tailor a workout program specifically for your goal and lifestyle. That's what we are here for! Otherwise, we would only train athletes and weight lifters.

Bottom line, exercise will not only promote weight loss, but it will promote a healthy lifestyle. If you put time and effort into a workout you are less likely to ruin your day with a bucket of fried chicken. Being conscious of what you do and put into your body will stay with you for life.

Eat right and keep your body healthy with exercise! Every aspect of your life will be positively affected! I promise!

How Your BMI Can Be Misleading

To calculate an individual's BMI, or Body Mass Index, all you simply have to do is divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared (kg/m^2). Or if this is too much trouble then simply google BMI calculator.

An individual's BMI does not take into account their fat percentage, lean muscle mass, OR hip to waist ratio. Both of these obesity measurements are extremely important when analyzing an individual's health. But obtaining the BMI is easy, quick and can be done, for example, over the phone instead of waiting to be face to face with an individual.

Next time you renew your medical insurance see if you are being penalized because of your BMI. If you are and you believe it is an amount worthy of protesting see if you can send in a physical to lower your premium.

If your BMI is indeed in need of a review begin by making changes to your diet and activity level. Even those who may appear to have a decent weight can have high percentages of fat rather than muscle. So make a trip to your healthcare provider for your physical and then make an appointment with a personal trainer, or gym employee to determine not only your BMI, but your % of body fat, lean muscle mass, and bone density. This will be a good starting point to access what needs to change in order for you to feel your best. And hey, perhaps you will be rewarded by your insurance company!

Why All The Pregnancy Talk??

My first two blogs were about the importance of fitness during pregnancy. I chose these to be my first two because I am pregnant! Due in April and almost 24 weeks along.

I have looked through all different kinds of pregnancy websites to find first hand experiences women have had with exercise and pregnancy, but there simply is a lack of information. Fit Pregnancy, the magazine and website, has articles on what you can do to stay fit during your nine months and beyond, but I found that they were too easy and not on track with my needs.

My physical life has not changed all that much since I have become pregnant. Before becoming pregnant I would go trail running with my husband and our dog, go to the gym and do weight lifting and cardio, do yoga, go road biking, go road running, go hiking, jump rope, etc. Now I am doing similar activities, but in a controlled environment, with people who can keep an eye on my form so that I do not injure myself.

Working out with your partner or friend during pregnancy is a great way to stay fit and feel safe doing so. My husband and I workout together and I feel much more at ease knowing that if I feel lightheaded, faint, exhausted, or just plain crummy he is my advocate for safety.

We do a fitness program together called CrossFit and I find that this is the best thing for me to do both during and after my pregnancy. It is a really great and challenging workout, but I would not advise every pregnant lady to join. If you are not conditioned to high intensity, high impact, high weighted lifts than going to a gym and taking some classes would be just a good!

Another great path to consider is hiring a personal trainer that specializes in training pregnant women. Not only with this person be right on track with your need from month to month, but could also have great advice to staying healthy and feeling great up to the birth and the weeks following.

The important thing to remember is that after your third month of pregnancy, and I experienced this for sure, your ligaments become loser and your center of gravity shifts. This means that when you are doing any type of weight lifting you are more prone to injure yourself if you are not spotted or monitored.

The lower back is a main concern when it comes to injury due the decrease in abdominal support. You might not have ever thought that you had great abs before your became pregnant, but that lower back pain that is nagging away at you can and most likely is due to the spreading of your abdominal wall. You abs control so much of your balance, strength and posture, that without them your body begins to wreak havoc on itself.

From here on out I will be blogging about my own pregnancy concerns when it comes to fitness and exercise. Anything from keeping your abs and core strong, to preventing injury. Also, I will be touching on the tools to facilitate a good delivery.

Bouncing Back From the Holiday Bulge

Holidays, for many people, mean copious amounts of rich and decadent foods, and alcohol paired with subpar physical activity. Going overboard for the holidays is nothing new to Americans, but what is the real reason behind it all? Why are we all eating and drinking like it is our own last supper?

Eating is a national pastime in America and a lot of us could be considered professionals. But this has to change! Changing how we act during the holidays may translate into how we act during all social gatherings throughout the year, not just the winter.

In most adult social environments alcohol and food are plentiful. They are a means to communication with the folks around us. So why is it all in excess? The alcohol intake, the fat percentage in the foods, the calories! Everything is there and available in spades...starring you down until you fold and indulge. This is not the way it has to be! With the right mindset you have the power to change your actions.

Another problem I believe American's have with their eating is that the food is not enjoyed to the fullest because it is being chewed twice, swallowed and then chases with another mouthful of equally rich food. There is no savoring and perhaps if we learned to put down the stop watch, chew our food, and enjoy the experience we would not feel the need to eat such huge amounts.

The Holidays are essentially over now, but in the future think about your behavior at parties and gatherings. It is your behavior that is causing the extra pounds to pile on in a short amount of time, not the food itself. Behavior is a learned trait and therefore it can be unlearned and traded for healthier choices.

Think you will be temped to go back to your same ways the next time you go to a party? Have a plan. Think about the carbs, calories, and sugar that is in your alcoholic drinks alone! Then think about the food you are planning on eating! It can take you one night to literally ruin two weeks of "being good" with physical exercise and healthy eating. Is it really worth it?

Fight the bulge! Tomorrow is another year...another day....and perhaps a new beginning, but only if you stick to it!

Don't Let Your Wii Fit Fool You!

Lots of people have either purchased or received the Wii fit over the past year (I have one and love it for its entertainment value), but don't let that little guy on the screen fool you by making you think that all the physical activity you need is right there in that gaming console.

The Wii fit is fun! But to expect to get an adequate amount of physical activity from these games is just unrealistic. Some people say that it is better than nothing, and sure that is true, but to give yourself the workout your body needs in order to make improvements and measurable changes you will need to step away from the Wii board.

If you like the Wii fit because it is fun, entertaining, and something you look forward to, consider joining a gym where there are group classes that would serve the same purpose in entertaining you, as well as getting your blood pumping. Such classes as Zumba (a latin dance class), Body Pump, Step Aerobics, Spinning, Kick Boxing, etc., should be on the same wave length as your Wii fit hula hoop competitions.

Working out in a group environment can be advantageous to many people because it is an extra push of competition. This is a good thing! Being competitive is not a negative, especially if you are going to use this to benefit your exercise routine. It is a lot easier to feel motivated to workout hard and consistently if you know there are people doing the same and expect you to be there. If working out by yourself sounds like an improbable activity, than a class is definitely for you!

So save the Wii for fun and head to the gym, the streets, the park, or the hills....anything to really get your heart rate up. And remember to workout for a minimum of 20 minutes! Plus, have fun!

Fitness During Pregnancy: The upside of working out

The benefits of having a healthy lifestyle are numerous, and continuing to be healthy through pregnancy should be at the top of every mother-to-be's list. Just think that everything you eat, drink, take, and do will directly affect your unborn child's future and well being.

If you have ever worked out there is a feeling of calm, clarity, and elation that follows a good workout. This is caused by a chemical hormone called endorphins. These little guys give your body a natural high when you experience things that are pleasing to you. Endorphins are also present during sex and after your orgasm. When you are expecting not only you will feel the effects of these endorphins, but so will your child. A happy mommy makes a happy baby!

Studies have shown that working out throughout your pregnancy increases brain activity in the fetus. This could possibly lead to a high IQ. In addition to heightened brain function, babies are shown to have a decreased chance in childhood obesity, which is a growing problem in our country. To have a healthy lifestyle from the very beginning is the best gift a mother can give to her child!

One more kudo to fitness during pregnancy is how it facilitates labor and delivery. You wouldn't run a marathon if you had not been training and the same should hold true to giving birth. Working out throughout your pregnancy is vital to maintaining strength and endurance that is needed during delivery. With stamina and power on your side your birth should be quicker and easier. Not to mention bouncing back to your pre-pregnancy weight will be even easier when you have been active all this time!

Good luck!

Staying Fit During Pregnancy: Never start anything "new'

Working out during pregnancy seems to be a controversial issue for a lot of people, and perhaps with good reason. This first thing to consider about physical activity and pregnancy is that you should never start something new. Now, this is a broad term and it is used often when discussing fitness and pregnancy, but let me try to explain what "new" is referring to...

1.) If you were not physically active before your pregnancy do not take up a workout regimen that will push you past your comfort zone. It is all about maintaing during pregnancy, not gaining. Walking would be an ideal and unthreatening new activity to take up not just for the next nine months, but for life.

2.) If you walked, ran, or cycled pre-pregnancy now is the time to continue similar activities in a controlled and safe environment. For instance spin classes are a good alternative to street or mountain biking. Running or walking can be done safely on a paved pathway where cars, potholes, curbs, and stray dogs are not a threat. Make sure to stop trail running at your 3rd month when your center of gravity shifts and the hormone relaxin causes your ligaments to loosen. In addition to these types of workouts that your body is used to, incorporate light weight lifting for strength training. In this case weight training may be new to you, but since you lifestyle before pregnancy was aimed towards cardiovascular health (which is great for endurance during labor and child birth) weight training would not be too far off from your previous activity. Just remember to go light on the weights and high on the reps.

3.) If you were doing high impact, high intensity exercises before your pregnancy consider maintaining this lifestyle, but take it down a notch. Make sure to keep your heart rate below 160 and to hydrate more often than you would before. It will be tempting to continue to push yourself like you did pre-pregnancy (especially if you feel great) but everything in moderation. That hormone relaxin can cause injuries that would have not been a problem before.

4.) If you were working out regularly before your pregnancy do not stop all activity. Your mother or mother-in-law might give you the stink eye when you tell her you are planning on working out throughout your pregnancy and if you stop your health will decline and your muscles will atrophy. Not to mention your endurance will be shot. So do yourself and your baby a favor and get those endorphins pumping! You will both be thankful when he or she arrives.