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Common Goals & Common Mistakes

2/24/2015

 
These are some of the most common health goals set at the beginning of the year and some common mistakes made along the way:

EATING BETTER - 3 common mistakes
  1. Not cooking food in bulk and storing in order to have some food on hand and avoid eating junk food.
  2. Eating too much sugar, too many Carbs, and too many empty calories.  Insulin resistance is the biggest health problem facing America, and it's getting worse.  It may take you years to reset your hormonal balance issues if you've become insulin resistant.  Don't give up. 
  3. Not occasionally fasting or skipping meals.  We kind of went overboard with the "eat every 3 hours" concept.  Weight loss is not complicated.  Caloric restriction causes weight loss- end of story.  Try using a smartphone app to track calories.  

GETTING IN BETTER SHAPE
- 3 common mistakes

  1. Not doing circuit or interval training.   Mix it up and try new things, use a heart rate monitor or some other device if you need to.  Getting on a bike or treadmill definitely would work too but try to push it harder and do intervals.
  2. Not doing weight-bearing exercise.  Use bodyweight strength exercises and activities like walking, running or martial arts to get in better overall shape.  Exercises done standing up (versus lying down or seated) build more bone density, burn more calories, and they train you for the real world.
  3. Not stretching and working through pain and discomfort.  Most people give up too easily and opt for surgery.  Stretch and exercise every day and you will feel better.

MANAGING STRESS - 3 common mistakes

  1. Not simplifying your life.  Get out of debt.  Downsize.  Say no.  Eliminate.
  2. Allowing your emotions to control you.  Channel anger.  Think things through.  If you really want to do it, don't procrastinate or make excuses.  Identify an emotion and then decide how to respond rationally.
  3. Not making time every day to do something fun.  Go for a walk.  Play with your dog.  Listen to music.  Dance.  Put the top down.  Dress up.  Go somewhere new.  Call an old friend. 
  4. One more stress management mistake for good measure: Trying to manage stress with a bad habit:  Emotional outbursts, food, alcohol, drugs, smoking, or any other addiction. 

Good luck with your goals this year and stay on track!
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Thoughts on The Kettlebell

2/3/2015

 
Many people who grew up in my generation or before got into exercise for sports, or to control weight, or to pick up bodybuilding or running as a hobby.  Weight machines, free weights and Cardio equipment were the norm. The kettlebell was nowhere to be found in my formative years.

The kettlebell was not popular in the US until about the mid-2000s or so.
Pavel Tsatsouline is  credited with introducing the kettlebell to the US from Russia. I'm glad he did.

There are three distinct advantages to using the kettlebell for training:

1) They are SIMPLE. You only need 2-3 for a great workout.

2) They allow for training POWER. The integration of power movements into a workouts is easy with a kettlebell.

3) They're FUN! The complexity, challenge, and novelty of many kettlebell exercises makes it a blast to use.

The disadvantages & limitations of using kettlebells are as follows:

1) The likelihood of poor form and possible injury is relatively high.

2) For maximal hypertrophy they will never be QUITE as good as traditional free weights or dumbbells because grip strength will limit maximal overload for most people.

Suggestions:

1) Always warm up and stretch first.

2) Start light. 5-10 pound kettle-bell for women. 15-20 pound kettle-bell for men.

3) Study correct technique and have a professional check your form before increasing weight.

4) Keep it simple. Master a few basic exercises like the swing, and clean and jerk, before moving on to more complex exercises.

5) Use kettlebells primarily as a means to build power, grip strength, and total body coordinative strength. Use free weights for hypertrophy and / or power, and floor exercises / bodyweight training for stability and flexibility.

I saw my brother this past weekend, who I had given a kettlebell for Christmas.  I noticed immediately after only 4 weeks his posture was better and his shoulders were more toned and developed. 

If you've never tried the kettlebell, I suggest you give it a shot!

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