A Conscious Community for Natural Health & Sustainable Lifestyles
Fitness for Life: A practical view for the long haul
Fitness means different things to different people. In this article, we are sharing our view of fitness in terms of our understanding of the overall health issues and how we factor fitness into our lives consciously.
Fitness for longevity means just that to us. We were once long distance runners who were very dedicated and had run many races of varying lengths to include half and full marathons, such as the New York City and DC Marine Corps marathons. We were gym rats and Jazzercise nuts and the many variations thereof. We had done many diets and were both in shape and out of shape during our 25 years together. We have concluded you do not need to be a marathon runner to be fit. So for what it’s worth, we feel compelled to share our thoughts and approach with you.
For us, fitness is an integrated concept that includes diet, exercise and stress reduction techniques which together define our fitness overall. Its about longevity and sustainability of our bodies.
The enormity of it all
Just read the newspaper or watch the evening news any day of the week and you will find some reference to health care. It sits right next to Iraq and oil prices as one of the top if not the biggest issues in America today. Certainly the health care concern is a leading political issue.
What is the impact of poor health on the country? There are many articles written about the subject but the best summary we have seen was recently presented by the Yoga Health Foundation in the article entitled, “The Cost of Poor Health”. Just some of the interesting and astonishing facts are:
• Today, more than 70 million Americans suffer from one or more types of cardiovascular disease with an annual cost of nearly $400 billion.
• Back pain costs Americans around $15 billion per year in medical care and disability payments.
• According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), repetitive strain injuries, including carpal tunnel, are the nation's most costly occupational health problems, with a price tag of more than $20 billion a year in workers compensation.
These staggering costs boil down to participation by each one of us in the form of higher insurance premiums, high and restrictive qualifications for insurance coverage and higher taxes.
How are we affecting those around us because of our lack of fitness? When we are in poor health or over our recommend weight range or BMI (Body Mass Index) have you ever thought who also might suffer? Our individual health touches those around us. In aggregate, it translates to the costs cited above, but locally it affects our family, our friends and employers. Those who we touch and deal with each day are affected by our health. It is truly selfish to think we are alone and have no concern for others, even when it comes to our own health and fitness. This is where everyday conscious living connects with fitness. What are you doing consciously to improve your health?
Boil it all down to small steps everyday
The health care issue is so all encompassing and overwhelming it’s like trying to solve world peace. What if we all could take small steps each day that could contribute to the improvement of the whole population while benefiting us now? If we were to focus on weight control and just moderately improve it, the benefits could be staggering. The “Cost of Poor Health” article goes on to point out that obesity rates in the United States have reached epidemic proportions. Eight out of 10 adults over age 25 are overweight; there is a 76% increase in Type II diabetes in adults 30-40 yrs old since 1990.
Weight and diet drive many of the key health indicators (e.g., cholesterol, blood pressure, heart rate, blood sugar levels, etc.) and relate directly to the causes many of the health issues we as Americans face. Reality TV shows like the “Biggest Loser” brings awareness to the issue, the contributing factors and ways to modify and improve our health. The series by Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz are favorites of ours, particularly “You: The Owners Manual”. It’s written in clear simple terms and provides a practical view with examples on how to improve your health. Shows, articles and awareness events like Yoga Month are all beneficial.
The human body is truly amazing. It can withstand incredible abuse and process extremes in food types like a machine. The body adapts to all types of stress, whether it’s the continuous supine posture of a couch potato or the repetitive damage tolerance of an ultra-long distance runner. It will process refined sugars, trans-fats, alcohol or fresh organic foods. The issue becomes at what price and for what duration?
With respect to exercise, you do not have to be a marathon runner to be in good health. Thank God! Believe us when we say the last six months of marathon training for an event is not what we would call fun. What they say about moderate exercise on a daily regular basis is what matters.
Fitness everyday… consciously
It comes down to basics. Fitness needs to be part of your lifestyle. It needs to be part of your awareness. You do not need elaborate equipment, personal trainers or expensive gym memberships. You need to move and breathe. You need to be sure to provide controlled stress to the muscles, bones, joints and connective tissue and stress your breath for cardiovascular strength. Here are several fitness pointers we recommend.
• Think long term: We are all living longer. We all want to live long, prosper and lead happy lives with friends and family. There are no short cuts to fitness. Progress is made by with small steps. Be patient… or you will discourage yourself. Fitness for longevity is about taking incremental steps each day. It’s a journey, not a destination. Enjoy the journey.
• Fitness needs to be a priority: Make an appointment with yourself. Find the time of day that best integrates into your schedule. Perhaps you mix it up. Some days are morning days others its mid-day or evenings. Set aside 20-60 minutes. A little each day is better that doing one or two big workouts per week… sometimes they get cancelled and seem overwhelming. Make fitness a part of your day.
• Mix it up: Vary intensity and activity type. Do not let yourself get bored and loose interest. Be open to all forms of movement opportunities. Look for chances to add some exercise though out the day. For example, why get stressed out at the mall or grocery store to find the closest and best parking spot? Don’t take the closest one, add to your walk… we all should try for 10,000 steps per day of walking. Go to www.thewalkingsite.com for more information on walking for fitness. Remove the pressure and frustration of finding the closest parking spot… take the chance to chill out with a nice walk. Don’t forget Fido, I am sure he would love to take a walk in the neighborhood or on the beach. Get creative and add steps to your life.
• Support a load: Load bearing movements and flexibility are essential. Balance in physique, resistance to injury and osteoporosis comes from variety in movement. All sports provide health benefits. Be cautious of doing any one sport excessively. Cross-training and blending activities helps avoid muscular imbalances and tightness that leads to sport specific injuries or chronic ailments, e.g., postural issues, chronic strain injuries, lower back pain. If you run or bike a lot, consider adding palates or yoga once per week for variety of movement and improved range of motion. Go to www.yogajournal.com or www.iyogalife.com for more information about yoga and search for studios near you.
• Don’t forget connective tissue: We think about our muscles but forget about the connective tissue, tendons, ligaments and fascia. Injuries are more about the connective tissue than the muscle themselves. As we age, the connective tissue looses fluidity and begins to shrink and stiffen. Atrophy sets in. Here is a simple test… can you interlace your fingers with your toes… you could when you were younger. If you can’t, work on it. Wearing shoes contributes to atrophy around your metatarsals. The metatarsals are just one of many joints where atrophy occurs. Work your joints. If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it!
• Exercise your lungs: The breath leads life. It was our first action when we were born. One day it will be our last. Cardiovascular health requires stressing the breath with controlled aerobic movement to increase the heart rate and deliver newly oxygenated blood throughout the body. Low impact aerobic exercise or bicycling is the best as it avoids impact loads.
• Write it down: Perhaps the most effective diet control technique used for weight loss is a food diary. We are not dietitians so we are not going to specify dietary and vitamin specifications. But the simple act of writing down what you ate, just for a week or several days, will bring awareness to your eating habits which will cause you to pause. Fitness is about energy balance: intake and expenditure. Try it for a week and see how your awareness improves and if you make wiser food selections.
• Be goal oriented, not goal possessed: Set goals for motivation. Perhaps it’s simply the number of times per week you workout. Or maybe you want to run a race for charity. If you are an exercise addict its not about fitness, it’s about something else… are you in or out of balance… that’s another upcoming episode. Don’t become anal or so driven you take the fun out of fitness. Use goals for motivation and achievement.
• Chill out: It has been documented in many places that relaxation improves overall life. Deep breaths trigger the relaxation response. Add a little meditation and visualization to your program. It’s as simple as just sitting in a quite place, drawing your attention inward and listening to your breath.
• Don’t be so serious: Commercialism in America would have you believe you need to be a runway model to be healthy. Nothing can be further from the truth. Getting your weight and BMI index in range or nearly so will make a huge difference. But what really matters is how you feel in your clothes, in your skin… it’s about you and your life experience. Relax.
We hope these simple pointers can make a difference in your fitness experience. That’s consciously driven fitness to us. Let us know your thoughts and what works for you.
Fitness for longevity means just that to us. We were once long distance runners who were very dedicated and had run many races of varying lengths to include half and full marathons, such as the New York City and DC Marine Corps marathons. We were gym rats and Jazzercise nuts and the many variations thereof. We had done many diets and were both in shape and out of shape during our 25 years together. We have concluded you do not need to be a marathon runner to be fit. So for what it’s worth, we feel compelled to share our thoughts and approach with you.
For us, fitness is an integrated concept that includes diet, exercise and stress reduction techniques which together define our fitness overall. Its about longevity and sustainability of our bodies.
The enormity of it all
Just read the newspaper or watch the evening news any day of the week and you will find some reference to health care. It sits right next to Iraq and oil prices as one of the top if not the biggest issues in America today. Certainly the health care concern is a leading political issue.
What is the impact of poor health on the country? There are many articles written about the subject but the best summary we have seen was recently presented by the Yoga Health Foundation in the article entitled, “The Cost of Poor Health”. Just some of the interesting and astonishing facts are:
• Today, more than 70 million Americans suffer from one or more types of cardiovascular disease with an annual cost of nearly $400 billion.
• Back pain costs Americans around $15 billion per year in medical care and disability payments.
• According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), repetitive strain injuries, including carpal tunnel, are the nation's most costly occupational health problems, with a price tag of more than $20 billion a year in workers compensation.
These staggering costs boil down to participation by each one of us in the form of higher insurance premiums, high and restrictive qualifications for insurance coverage and higher taxes.
How are we affecting those around us because of our lack of fitness? When we are in poor health or over our recommend weight range or BMI (Body Mass Index) have you ever thought who also might suffer? Our individual health touches those around us. In aggregate, it translates to the costs cited above, but locally it affects our family, our friends and employers. Those who we touch and deal with each day are affected by our health. It is truly selfish to think we are alone and have no concern for others, even when it comes to our own health and fitness. This is where everyday conscious living connects with fitness. What are you doing consciously to improve your health?
Boil it all down to small steps everyday
The health care issue is so all encompassing and overwhelming it’s like trying to solve world peace. What if we all could take small steps each day that could contribute to the improvement of the whole population while benefiting us now? If we were to focus on weight control and just moderately improve it, the benefits could be staggering. The “Cost of Poor Health” article goes on to point out that obesity rates in the United States have reached epidemic proportions. Eight out of 10 adults over age 25 are overweight; there is a 76% increase in Type II diabetes in adults 30-40 yrs old since 1990.
Weight and diet drive many of the key health indicators (e.g., cholesterol, blood pressure, heart rate, blood sugar levels, etc.) and relate directly to the causes many of the health issues we as Americans face. Reality TV shows like the “Biggest Loser” brings awareness to the issue, the contributing factors and ways to modify and improve our health. The series by Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz are favorites of ours, particularly “You: The Owners Manual”. It’s written in clear simple terms and provides a practical view with examples on how to improve your health. Shows, articles and awareness events like Yoga Month are all beneficial.
The human body is truly amazing. It can withstand incredible abuse and process extremes in food types like a machine. The body adapts to all types of stress, whether it’s the continuous supine posture of a couch potato or the repetitive damage tolerance of an ultra-long distance runner. It will process refined sugars, trans-fats, alcohol or fresh organic foods. The issue becomes at what price and for what duration?
With respect to exercise, you do not have to be a marathon runner to be in good health. Thank God! Believe us when we say the last six months of marathon training for an event is not what we would call fun. What they say about moderate exercise on a daily regular basis is what matters.
Fitness everyday… consciously
It comes down to basics. Fitness needs to be part of your lifestyle. It needs to be part of your awareness. You do not need elaborate equipment, personal trainers or expensive gym memberships. You need to move and breathe. You need to be sure to provide controlled stress to the muscles, bones, joints and connective tissue and stress your breath for cardiovascular strength. Here are several fitness pointers we recommend.
• Think long term: We are all living longer. We all want to live long, prosper and lead happy lives with friends and family. There are no short cuts to fitness. Progress is made by with small steps. Be patient… or you will discourage yourself. Fitness for longevity is about taking incremental steps each day. It’s a journey, not a destination. Enjoy the journey.
• Fitness needs to be a priority: Make an appointment with yourself. Find the time of day that best integrates into your schedule. Perhaps you mix it up. Some days are morning days others its mid-day or evenings. Set aside 20-60 minutes. A little each day is better that doing one or two big workouts per week… sometimes they get cancelled and seem overwhelming. Make fitness a part of your day.
• Mix it up: Vary intensity and activity type. Do not let yourself get bored and loose interest. Be open to all forms of movement opportunities. Look for chances to add some exercise though out the day. For example, why get stressed out at the mall or grocery store to find the closest and best parking spot? Don’t take the closest one, add to your walk… we all should try for 10,000 steps per day of walking. Go to www.thewalkingsite.com for more information on walking for fitness. Remove the pressure and frustration of finding the closest parking spot… take the chance to chill out with a nice walk. Don’t forget Fido, I am sure he would love to take a walk in the neighborhood or on the beach. Get creative and add steps to your life.
• Support a load: Load bearing movements and flexibility are essential. Balance in physique, resistance to injury and osteoporosis comes from variety in movement. All sports provide health benefits. Be cautious of doing any one sport excessively. Cross-training and blending activities helps avoid muscular imbalances and tightness that leads to sport specific injuries or chronic ailments, e.g., postural issues, chronic strain injuries, lower back pain. If you run or bike a lot, consider adding palates or yoga once per week for variety of movement and improved range of motion. Go to www.yogajournal.com or www.iyogalife.com for more information about yoga and search for studios near you.
• Don’t forget connective tissue: We think about our muscles but forget about the connective tissue, tendons, ligaments and fascia. Injuries are more about the connective tissue than the muscle themselves. As we age, the connective tissue looses fluidity and begins to shrink and stiffen. Atrophy sets in. Here is a simple test… can you interlace your fingers with your toes… you could when you were younger. If you can’t, work on it. Wearing shoes contributes to atrophy around your metatarsals. The metatarsals are just one of many joints where atrophy occurs. Work your joints. If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it!
• Exercise your lungs: The breath leads life. It was our first action when we were born. One day it will be our last. Cardiovascular health requires stressing the breath with controlled aerobic movement to increase the heart rate and deliver newly oxygenated blood throughout the body. Low impact aerobic exercise or bicycling is the best as it avoids impact loads.
• Write it down: Perhaps the most effective diet control technique used for weight loss is a food diary. We are not dietitians so we are not going to specify dietary and vitamin specifications. But the simple act of writing down what you ate, just for a week or several days, will bring awareness to your eating habits which will cause you to pause. Fitness is about energy balance: intake and expenditure. Try it for a week and see how your awareness improves and if you make wiser food selections.
• Be goal oriented, not goal possessed: Set goals for motivation. Perhaps it’s simply the number of times per week you workout. Or maybe you want to run a race for charity. If you are an exercise addict its not about fitness, it’s about something else… are you in or out of balance… that’s another upcoming episode. Don’t become anal or so driven you take the fun out of fitness. Use goals for motivation and achievement.
• Chill out: It has been documented in many places that relaxation improves overall life. Deep breaths trigger the relaxation response. Add a little meditation and visualization to your program. It’s as simple as just sitting in a quite place, drawing your attention inward and listening to your breath.
• Don’t be so serious: Commercialism in America would have you believe you need to be a runway model to be healthy. Nothing can be further from the truth. Getting your weight and BMI index in range or nearly so will make a huge difference. But what really matters is how you feel in your clothes, in your skin… it’s about you and your life experience. Relax.
We hope these simple pointers can make a difference in your fitness experience. That’s consciously driven fitness to us. Let us know your thoughts and what works for you.
Tags: Fitness, Health, Longevity, Sustainiblity
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