LIFE EXPECTANCY & HEALTHY LIFE EXPECTANCY

Did you know that the current life expectancy for Canadians is 83 years?  Although not in the top 10 (25^th) we are doing much better than our friends  South of the 49^th parallel (ranked 62) (1)…

According to Employment and Social Development Canada, men were expected to spend 88.0% (68.9 years) of their life in good health, compared with 85.8% (71.2 years) for women. Although women had higher life expectancy, men were expected to spend a higher proportion of their life in good health.

Wow!  In other words you can expect about 10 years of life in poor health.   Yikes!

Taking gender out of the equation, Chronic conditions are the main cause of lowered HALE (Health-Adjusted Life Expectancy.    Of that, Depression is a major cause.  In addition, obesity and stress continues to be on the rise. 

People in Canada live 10 years longer than they did 50 years ago, however has declined since 2023.  The Public Health Agency of Canada has created a dashboard that explores the health of our population using more than 50 interactive indicators.

Check it out here:

https://health-infobase.canada.ca/health-of-people-in-canada-dashboard/

For the majority of people, they can improve their healthy life.

There are no magic pills, no short-cuts, no special diets, or machines that will result in being healthy.   Even if there was a magic pill – and you could afford it…there are much more benefits to the key to health - EXERCISE.  Besides adding strength and tone to the muscles, exercise works your heart and lungs.  An exercise “pill” won’t build your self-esteem and confidence you get from a good work-out.  Resistance and Aerobic exercise can improve your mood, add brain power, help your sex life, and change your body for the better.

Your food intake is the MOST important.  -  Proper nutrition is 60% of the effort in building a healthy strong body.   Follow a properly balanced Nutritional eating schedule.  “Eat the Rainbow” – lots of Fruits and Vegetables (NonGMO), Beans, Legumes and Fish.  Cut back or eliminate Meat, Chicken and Dairy – they are NOT needed for being healthy.  Meat should be a delicacy.  Complex Carbs are the most important for feeding your microbiome.  Learn from the Centenarians!  And of course stay away from sugar, processed and fast foods.  Do not fall in the Diet Trap and become part of the yo-yo phenomenon.  You can’t stay on a diet forever. 

It is important to create a lifestyle that works for you and that you will maintain for healthy life.  The best results come from a long-term strategy involving permanent change in both eating and activity habits.  

You can live your life in good health – it’s your reality - start now!

*1 //www.worldometers.info/demographics/life-expectancy/  (2026)

The Blue Zone Lessons for more Good Years

I recently finished a book - I recently finished a book -  The Blue Zones – 9 Lessons for Living Longer  - From the people who’ve lived the longest by Dan Buettner (1).  The book reveals the secrets of the world’s longest lived people Sardinia, Italy, Loma Linda, California; Nicoya, Costa Rica;  Ikaria, Greece;  and Okinawa, Japan.

The Power Nine covers the following life domains;

What to DO to optimize your lifestyle for a longer, healthier life;

How to THINK;

How to EAT;

And How to Build SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS that support your good habits

Although the 9 Lessons are nothing new, it’s the combination of maintaining these common elements of  lifestyle, diet, and outlook that have led to an amazing quantity and quality of life.

THE POWER OF 9 LESSONS INCLUDE

1)    Move Naturally

2)    Hara Hachi Bu – Stop eating when 80% full

3)    Plant Slant – Eat Vegetables, Beans and avoid Red Meat.

4)    Drink Red Wine

5)    Have Purpose – “Why I wake up in the morning”

6)    Downshift – Take time to relieve Stress.

7)    Belong – Participate in a Spiritual Community

8)    Loved Ones First – Make family a priority

9)    Right Trivbe – Be surrounded by those who share Blue Zone Values

Rather than going through each of the nine lessons, I will just add a couple of points worth commenting on.  I do encourage you to read the book as it helps to give you a plan on living a longer life with a minimal amount of “disabled” years.

How do you add on more Good Years?

First, you have to change your mind and environment to help shape good habits.

Eating more vegetables, beans, nuts, fish, chicken, and less red meat. Stop the American Diet -  Eat your largest meal in the morning, next at lunch and a lighter meal at dinner.  And - know when to stop eating.

Make physical activity part of your day and not just a chore.   Most centenarians worked most of their lives – well into their 80’s, spending hours in their gardens or naturally walking for miles each day.

According to Dr.Robert Kane of the National Institute of Aging (1) you don’t exercise for the sake of exercising – try to make changes to your lifestyle.   

Ride a bike instead of driving. Walk to the store. Take the stairs instead of elevator. Participate in a group that promotes fitness – bootcamps, Zumba, running/walking clubs & DTF classes.  Print work at a Multi-function printer further from your desk.  Build that into your lifestyle.

As Dr. Kane states - the name of the game here is sustaining.  These things that we try-usually after some cataclysmic event has occurred, and we now want to ward off what seems to be the perceptible threat of dying-don’t hold up over the long haul. We find all sorts of reasons not to do it. (p.16)

Exercise is needed in maintaining your health.  Swimming & skipping is good for cardiovascular exercise (heart health), Walking, standing and running helps to strengthen you bones and prevent osteoporosis,  Tai Chi and Yoga improves your balance and flexibility, Resistance Training helps strengthen and maintain muscle mass.  I recommend at least 2 or 3 days of medium to high intensity workouts focusing on strength – using weights, TRX suspension trainers or your bodyweight.  This not only burns calories but helps reverse the degenerative state and is important for relieving stress. 

Finally, identify your “Inner Circle”.  Ensure that Family comes first.  Surround yourself with positive people that have similar interests.  If you don’t have family, build your social network with neighbors, join a group, fitness class or club that peaks your interest, physically, spiritually and/or mentally.

Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength.

Betty Friedan

(1) The Blue Zones – 9 Lessons for Living Longer  -From the people who’ve lived the longest , Dan Buettner. National Geographic Society  Copyright 2008 Washington, D.C. ISBN 978-1-4262-0948-2

FALL BOOTCAMP SESSIONS START OCTOBER 9Th & 11th :

Mark it on your calendar!!!

The indoor bootcamps through St. James Con. Ed. Start in just over a month.

Sessions run from 6:30 to 8:00 pm and cost is $79 each

Register online at:

Dynabody Fitness Bootcamp - Tuesday - Bannatyne School

Dynabody Fitness Bootcamp - Thursday - Strathmillan School

or call: 832-9637 to Register by phone

Dynabody TOTAL FITNESS Bootcamp is a complete workout program!  

 It is a fun and exciting workout for all fitness levels, sizes, and ages (16+).  Each class will help improve your anaerobic/aerobic conditioning, coordination and timing.  Have you ever tried kettlebells? an exercise ball?  What about a bosu balance trainer?   This Bootcamp has many innovative activities that incorporate calisthenics, obstacle courses, functional circuit training, abdominal and core body exercises along with games,  martial arts, and yoga to boot.  And the best thing is – it’s fun!

Keep on exercising – your body needs it. And remember – USE IT OR LOSE IT!

You Can NOT outwork a poor diet.

Last month I mentioned that it is estimated that by 2015 75% of Canada’s population will be overweight or obese. Modern society is obsessed with convenience. We are putting personal entertainment and modern technology at a higher priority than our own health. Simply put, we are Lazy!

-Did you know that obese people sit for 2.5 more hours per day than thin people.

-Did you know that over the past 20 years exercise rates stayed about the same while sitting increased by over 8% and obesity doubled?

All is NOT doom and gloom. Especially if you are in the “majority”. Finding a balance between work, school, family and social life may seem impossible. The question here is how devoted are you to your health and vibrancy? If you keep doing what you have always been doing you’re going to have the energy and body you’ve always had. Your body will adapt to whatever you give it – so it’s time to wake up.

A common misunderstanding is that people who are overweight should stick to cardio workouts so that they can “lose weight” before building muscle. Lifting weights is non-impact. The increased muscle gains will better shape your body than cardio.

Remember that intensity rules no matter what type of exercising you are doing. You need to be sweating and breathing hard to really get results. Too many times I’ve seen people at the gym going through the motions – wasting their time and only fooling themselves. Then wonder why they see no results and quit after a short time period.

And here’s a wake up call - The majority of people that work out are focusing on the wrong thing - not only are they doing things inefficiently but they make no effort to improve their diets.

Simply put - YOU CAN NOT OUTWORK A POOR DIET.

A healthy lifestyle requires both exercise and controlled calorie intake (of the healthy variety).

Here are some pointers;

Keep your heart rate up for the duration of your workout. Use the perceived exertion test 0 if you can talk normally while exercising you aren't working hard enough.

Do weights before cardio to burn more fat. By weight training first you burn off your stored glycogen (carbs) first. After this preferred fuel source is used up, your body has no choice but to dip into fat stores once these carbs are used up.

Add some non-exercise specific activity into your day — like taking the stairs

Stop smoking. The reason many people gain weight after quitting smoking is because they stop "going out" for that smoke, and, start to eat more to curb the craving. And if you do quit - DO NOT "try it"for any reason - you will start again! Continue to go outside for a walk. You will also realize your food will taste better.

Now, regarding food....

Flush your system by drinking water with every meal and avoid caffeine and sugar. Yes, coffee withdrawal will bring on a headache but after a few days the symptoms disappear. Try a herbal or green tea or a hot lemon water instead.

Eat breakfast every day. And that doesn’t mean sugary cereal or bagels either. Have an egg and some oatmeal. Sprinkle cinnamon on your oatmeal – the thermogenic properties help you burn fat.

Eat an apple before your meal. This will help curb your appetite.

Eat whole grain foods (bread and pasta) that include the bran, germ and grain seed (endosperm). Note that 100% whole wheat bread is NOT the same since it made with whole wheat flour which is processed and only consists of a portion of grain’s main nutrients.

Ensure you eat protein with every meal. This helps cut the amount of insulin released in half, which actually helps reduce fat storage.

By combining clean eating with resistance training your body will actually be warmer. It’s not the fat that keeps you warm it’s your metabolism. One pound of muscle burns 50 calories per day while one pound of fat only burns 3 calories. Since lean muscle burns more fuel than fat you need to weight train. Now isn’t that a good thing to know when winter is coming??

Finally, you need to stop worrying about weight and focus more on feeling better about yourself and your body. Just remember, the fat will come off in time. Obsessing about it will result in frustration and lack of motivation. It’s one of the main reasons why most people give up. The weight won’t come off any quicker.

Besides, don’t you feel much better after a good workout?

There are no magic formulas for improving your health. Best results come from a long-term strategy involving eating and activity habits. Take baby steps - you have the rest of your life to run...

First Aid & CPR Training

EMERGENCY FIRST AID – CPR

Medical emergencies don't occur every day. But when they do, being well informed can help you deal with these situations. Everyone should learn at least the basic first aid and CPR Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) techniques. You may need to use them at any time at home, at school or work or even while you're traveling. Knowing what to do can make the difference to a person's recovery, and you could even save their life.

The goal in learning first aid is to give care to someone suffering from an injury or medical emergency until trained medical help can arrive.

There are four basic steps to take in an emergency:
· Recognize that an emergency has occurred.
· Decide to act
· Call EMS (Emergency Medical Services)
· Give first aid until help arrives

When calling EMS personnel for help, inform the dispatcher; 1) what has happened 2) the address and 3) the phone number from where you are calling.

A Primary Survey
In any emergency , you must first perform a primary survey to determine if any conditions threaten a casualty’s life. Things to consider;
· is the casualty conscious?
· Are there signs of major bleeding / circulation problems?
· Is the casualty breathing?
· Is the person in shock?

CARDIOVASCULAR EMERGENCIES
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SDA) occurs when the heart unexpectedly stops beating effectively. SCA is a major cause of death in Canada. In sudden cardiac arrest, the heart no longer pumps blood to the brain. Without the oxygen and nutrients supplied by the blood, brain cells begin to die within minutes, and death soon follows.

What are the odds?
The more people in a given workplace, at a public event, etc, the more likely the occurrence of sudden cardiac arrest.

It is estimated there is one cardiac arrest for every 100,000 life-years.

Life years = # of people per location by the average age.

Example 1: Over 2,000 employees with an average age of 40 years = 80,000 life years.
You can expect at least one incident of sudden cardiac arrest in the workplace per year.

Example 2: At a outside event with 5,000 spectators with an average age of 40 years, it works out to two likely incidents of SCA per year. (ie; (5,000 x 40) /100,000)

Those who are at a high risk of having a Cardiac Arrest include; 1) The elderly
2) People who have high levels of stress
3) People who smoke
4) Lack of physical exercise
5) Poor eating habits.

As you can see, only the first factor is out of everyone’s control. However, aging can be slowed down dramatically with changes to eating habits and introducing physical exercise.

Signs and Symptoms of a Heart Attack
* Persistent Chest Pain
* Difficulty breathing
* Neck, abdominal or back pain (women)
* Pale or bluish skin
* Pulse too fast, too slow, or irregular
* Sweating (stress)Nausea and vomiting

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
CPR can help maintain oxygenation and blood circulation. Without CPR, brain cells begin to die within 4 to 6 minutes. CPR provides a minimum of the normal blood flow to the brain and heart. The chance of survival is very slim (around 2%) unless defibrillation (AED) can be applied within 5 minutes.

Using a Automated External Defibrillator (AED) can increase the chance of survival from sudden cardiac arrest by 30 to 74% or more. The AED is a small, easy-to-use device that detects electrical activity of a person’s heart and checks the heart’s rhythm.

The window of opportunity for using an AED is small – defibrillation is best performed within 5 minutes of cardiac arrest. Chances of survival decreases 7-10 percent with every minute that passes after the arrest.

CPR GUIDELINES

For Adults: Chest Compressions are Continuous Try to compress at 100 beats per minute and about two inches (five centimeters) deep until emergency help arrives.

For Children, Infants, Drownings and cases where cardiac arrest hasn't been witnessed, you must do both Chest Compressions and Ventilation.
Ventilation (Rescue Breaths)
Normal breath given over 1 second until chest rises

Chest Compression to Ventilation Ratio: 30:2

Chest Compression Landmarking:
Center of the chest (heel of hand between the nipples) for an Adult or child
Below the nipple line at chest center for an infant

AED - 1 shock then 5 cycles (2 minutes) of CPR.

QUESTIONS???
Can I kill someone if I do CPR incorrectly?
No. The person in cardiac arrest is already clinically dead. CPR can only help.
What if I crack a rib when I do CPR?
Frequently ribs are broken with the pressure CPR places on the sternum. Up to 30% of cardiac arrest victims have broken ribs as a result of CPR. This happens more frequently with older casualties. But remember, it's better to have a cracked rib than be dead.
Will CPR always save a life?
No, in fact, most instances of CPR for cardiac arrest are unsuccessful (2% success rate , 70% with AED)
When should I stop CPR?
When help arrives to take over, or the victim starts to move.

STROKE
A stroke or CVA (cerebrovascular accident) is caused by a blood clot or bleeding from a ruptured artery in the brain. The risk factors for stroke are similar to those of heart disease.

Signs and symptoms of Stroke Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm, leg – usually on one side of the body.
Difficulty talking or understanding speech
Dizziness or confusion
Unconscious
Loss of bladder control

Steps to take in case of a Stroke
· Call EMS (911)
Before the ambulance arrives Here are things you can do next;
· Give CPR or mouth to mouth resuscitation if needed.
· Do not attempt to move them. Make the stroke victim as comfortable as possible. Loosen clothing.
· Do not give them anything to eat or drink. Stroke causes the inability to swallow and they could choke. · Do not take aspirin, because you do not know what kind of stroke it is. Though aspirin can reduce blood clot, it could make hemorrhage worse. If an aspirin has been taken that day, be sure to tell the ER. · Breathe Deeply. Taking slow, deep breaths can help to calm the stroke victim, while providing more oxygen to the brain. Keep them lying down and talk to them reassuringly.
· Keep the Head Cool, the body warm. If you have ice packs, you can apply them to the head briefly keep it cool. Wrap in a thin cloth or it will be too cold. Keeping the head cool cuts down on the inflammatory reaction during stroke and may help with the painful headache during stroke. Covering them with a coat or blanket to keep the body warm will prevent shock.

BLEEDING
Severe bleeding is a life-threatening emergency. Direct Pressure should be applied to decrease the bleeding. If you suspect internal bleeding there is little that a first aider can do - call EMS immediately. Do not dismiss a closed wound as “just a bruise”. If a person complains of severe pain or has trouble moving a body part seek medical attention immediately. Severe internal bleeding may cause the casualty to go into shock.

FIRST AID MYTHS
1) Sucking a Snake Bite Slicing into a newly bitten victim and removing the poison by sucking it out does NOT work. The venom doesn’t just sit in the wound waiting for you to remove it. Cutting into the wound will just create infections. Sucking it out with your mouth is even worse - the snake will just get a two-for-one special that way. Call EMS (911) first. Keep the bite below heart level. Wash the area with warm water and soap. Remove constricting clothing and wrap with an elastic pressure bandage.
2) Butter on Burns Butter and oil are great for basting, but unless you want to make a burn worse, leave them in the kitchen. Oils hold in the heat, exactly the opposite of what a burn victim needs. Cool the burned area with water unless a large part of the body is affected. Cover with moist sterile dressing to prevent infection.
3) Putting Something in a Seizure Patient's Mouth to Bite While somebody suffering a seizure may very well bite his or her tongue, it rarely becomes an airway emergency. Seizures look scary, but generally do very little harm. You're more apt to cause an airway blockage by stuffing an object in the seizure victim's mouth.
4) Breathing Into a Paper Bag for Hyperventilation There are a lot of reasons why we hyperventilate (breath fast). In no case is a paper bag indicated as proper treatment. This one is actually very dangerous. DO NOT USE A PAPER BAG FOR HYPERVENTILATION! Instead, tell the casualty to relax and breathe slowly. Reassurance is often enough to correct hyperventilation.
5) Leaning Back with a Nosebleed I know, I know, mom's going to be mad when you bleed on your soccer uniform, but leaning back will cause you to swallow blood. To control a nosebleed, lean forward and pinch the nostrils together until the bleeding stops.

CONCLUSION
I have only touched on some of the major First Aid and CPR Guidelines. In an emergency situation many people will either panic or freeze. By taking a first aid and CPR training course on a regular basis you can retain what you have learned. You can rest assured that you can help a friend, colleague or loved one in the case of an emergency situation.

References/Links:
http://www.redcross.org
http://www.sja.ca
http://www.strokefamily.org/strokeemergency.html

Bootcamp Location Changes

Please note the following Fitness Bootcamp Location changes:

Thursday, May 26th - class will be held in the Small gym at Strathmillan School.

Tuesday, May 31st - class will be held in the Large gym at Strathmillan School. Please use the parking lot and enter on the East side of the gym.

See you there!

REALITY CHECK - WHY NOT ME?

The majority of people just don’t get it. High blood pressure, overweight, diabetes, vertebrae deterioration, high cholesterol back pain, etc. Most people sluff this off as “getting old”.

According to Wikipedia Nearly one in two Americans (133 million) has a chronic medical condition of one kind or another, and chronic illnesses cause about 70% of deaths in the United States and make up about 75% of the Health Care costs each year.

You don’t have to have a sudden traumatic experience to affect your body forever. Years of small abuses in the form of poor posture, failure to maintain adequate strength and flexibility and inactivity topped with poor eating habits adds up.

Most of these chronic conditions are preventable.
Four modifiable health risk behaviors—lack of physical activity, poor nutrition, tobacco use, and excessive alcohol consumption—are responsible for much of the illness, suffering, and early death related to chronic diseases.

Do you fall into one of these behaviour categories?
Do you have any of the above mentioned conditions?
Are you asking yourself– why me?

The reality is – WHY NOT ME?

I have been blessed with a large and close family. It’s even more difficult when you see someone dear to you have increasing physical problems.

You think that having a personal trainer in the family that they have easy access to any health and fitness concerns. Anyone in the fitness industry will tell you that family members are the hardest to “sell” or promote a healthy lifestyle. Fitness Leaders will tell you that discussing health and fitness to family is nearly impossible – especially if they aren’t interested – call it naïve – but if you’re an adult I’d call it stubbornness. I’m sure you all can relate.

My favorite saying is “USE IT OR LOSE IT”

Here we are in the middle of a recession and 85% of men would rather be in the best physical shape of their life than the best fiscal shape of their lives. BUT what have these men done to be in that best shape? Only about 3% of the population knows what it takes to live a lifestyle that yields the energy, time and space needed for that health and high performance edge. Do you walk the talk?

Years of abuse or of a sedentary lifestyle can’t be fixed over night.

As you age your cells divide and a bit of your DNA is lost. Physical aging occurs as more and more cells reach the end of its dividing cycle (called telomeres) and dies. As the process accelerates, your muscles get weaker, organs fail, wrinkles appear, and eyesight fades. You cannot stop the process but you can dramatically slow it down with exercise. Those who exercise regularly literally have “younger” DNA in their cells.

A study in Germany found that those who did three hours of exercise a week had telomeres that were about a decade younger than their sedentary counterparts.

Now going to the store is NOT considered exercise. Constant sitting – at home, in the car, at work plus lying on a couch in a unnatural position to watch a movie will slowly deteriorate your spine. Disc Health are dependant on good posture & sound exercise mechanics.

In my fitness classes I emphasize proper posture all the time. Nourishing the Intervertebral discs is important for spinal health. Intervertebral discs can compress (resulting in movements such as flexion, extension, lateral flexion & rotation of the spine) but also act as shock absorbers. Disc Nutrition or Imbibition occurs from the alternating compression & relaxation of the disc. This is done by various functional movements of the trunk or core. Flexibility exercises alternating from a cat to cow (or camel) stretch is a great way to nourish the spine.

Everyday activities such as walking the dog, gardening, cleaning the house, and mowing the lawn are good ways of adding to your overall activity level. However, don’t kid yourself, this is great if you have been inactive, but the reality is AS YOU GET OLDER THE MORE YOU NEED TO EXERCISE – not less.

For those that think that a once a week workout is all you need it’s time to face reality.

Here is the guidelines set by the number one health and exercise science organization in the world – The American College of Sports Medicine;

Do moderately intense physical activity 30 minutes a day, five days a week

Moderate-intensity physical activity means working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat, yet still being able to carry on a conversation. It should be noted that to lose weight or maintain weight loss, 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity may be necessary. The 30-minute recommendation is for the average healthy adult to maintain health and reduce the risk for chronic disease.

It’s never too late. A 2007 study revealed that those who started exercising after 40 reduce their risk of heart disease by more than half compared to those who remain inactive.

Exercise is the best medicine. Regular physical activity prevents high blood pressure, maintain body composition, improves posture, increased energy, reduce risk of heart disease, decrease in osteoporosis, reduces stress, keeps your mind sharp and promotes well being.

Age can be just a number …So what are you waiting for?

Supplements & the Hydroxycut Warning

Well America’s #1 Selling Weight-Loss Supplement is now under fire


Both Health Canada and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers to immediately stop using Hydroxycut products.

Hydroxycut, a very popular fat-burner supplement sold under the Iovate and MuscleTech brand names, are promoted as a dietary supplements for weight-loss, energy-enhancers, low carb diet aids, etc.

Interesting thing is that I’ve seen them in various stores – including Wal-mart and yet currently no Hydroxycut products are authorized for sale in Canada.

Health Canada has received 17 adverse reaction (AR) reports associated with Hydroxycut products in Canada. These adverse reactions relate to the cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurological systems.

The FDA has received 23 reports of serious health problems ranging from jaundice and elevated liver enzymes, to liver damage requiring liver transplant. One death due to liver failure has been reported to the FDA. Other health problems reported include seizures; cardiovascular disorders, kidney failure, to name a few. 

A lot of the so called “supplements” have a number of ingrediants that do not require FDA or Health Canada approval prior to hitting the shelves.  It’s like playing Russian roulette – is it worth it?

Quick fix diet supplements, like quick fix diets themselves are all a scam. Talk about brain washing your easily-influenced consumer.

Walk down any supplement aisle of your pharmacy or health-food store.  Thousands of products that claim health benefits.  

According to the Nutrition Business Journal, the supplement industry reached an all time high of $13 billion in sales in 2000.

Americans spent almost $35 billion on diets and weight loss products!

There are over 1,000 manufacturers of over 20,000 different supplements consumed by over 100 million people.



To get a bit more insight read up on my May Newsletter:  Supplements

 

Resolutions & Dieting

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Happy New Year Everyone!

Were you one of the majority that gained weight during the holidays? Now it’s time to take action.

Did you know that the most popular New Year’s resolutions is starting to exercise? This is followed by eating better. Losing weight and getting in shape has always been at the forefront of resolutions. But did you know:

- Half of the adult population makes a New Year’s resolution.

- 75% of those who make a resolution fail on their first attempt. 50% give up within 3 months. Only 10% actually make it to the end of the year.

- Fewer than 20% have a plan on how to accomplish their new year’s resolution. Only 5 –10% ever write anything down during the process. Those who succeed? The same number that write things down – 10%.

- Diets basically have a 100% failure rate.

- Only 20% - or 1 in 5 dieters sustain a loss of 10% of their body weight for a year or more.

Before you spend your valuable time, energy and money on the latest diet fad, read up on “Diets do NOT work.” in the January Newsletter.Before you spend your valuable time, energy and money on the latest diet fad, let me tell you that Diets do NOT work.

Diets have almost a 100% failure rate.

A July 2007 UCLA study concluded that most efforts at calorie restriction result in only very short-term weight loss, and, could even ultimately lead to weight gain.

Diets are dangerous to your health.

Diets put a strain on your body. Cutting calories results in depression and low energy levels.

Diets slows down your Metabolism.

By cutting calories and skipping meals, your body can’t differentiate between deciding not to eat and real famine. Your body believes it is starving and slows down in order to maintain every critical calorie it has.

Diets create fat. When your metabolism slows down, it is more like to store fat. Then, when you do eat, your body realizes it is now getting the food it needs to survive and stores it as fat.

Diets lead to eating disorders. It is very easy to binge or overeat when you are on a diet. Most dieters become part of the chronic or Yo-Yo dieters. Others become obsessed with controlling what they choose to eat.

Diets are Negative thoughts. People dieting are more critical of themselves and become more miserable eroding confidence and self-respect.

Diets result in muscle shrinkage. Muscle helps burn fat. Diets creates water and muscle loss.

Any person that loses weight rapidly (faster than 1-2 pounds a week) is mainly due to water loss.

Diets are synonymous with Weight Loss.

Focus on FAT LOSS rather than weight loss. Rather than thinking of your weight, focus on your body composition. Your body fat percentage and hip to waist ratio are two of the best indicators of your lean body mass.

Losing fat is not easy. Your body wants to stay the way it is and requires hard work and willpower to succeed in a person’s quest to become leaner. There are no magic pills or fads that are effective in the long run. Models and Movie stars that endorse products are there to make money. Don’t waste your hard-earned money.

It is important to realize that weight is meaningless as an index of fitness or health. It is best to focus on FAT LOSS rather than weight loss.

Rather than Dieting do the following:

Focus on Calories in vs Calories out.

Exercise - Burning off the fat is much healthier and effective than starving the fat.

Nutrition - Proper nutrition is 60% of the effort in building a healthy strong body. Follow a properly balanced eating schedule. Eat 5 or 6 meals of fruits, vegetables and lean cuts of meat per day. Stay away from processed and fast foods.

I hope you do not fall in the Diet Trap and become part of the yo-yo phenomenon. You can’t stay on a diet forever. It is important to find a lifestyle that works for you. The best results come from a long-term strategy involving permanent change in both eating and activity habits.

If you’ve made losing weight your New Year’s resolution do NOT diet. Your ultimate goal should be to improve your energy levels, be free from illness, and achieve your personally desired body composition.

Here are 5 steps for Setting & Reaching your Goals:

1. Determine your goals – set focus - clarify your vision. What is your #1 goal you want to focus and attain this year? If you fail to plan…you plan to fail. By reviewing and reevaluating progress, your goals become engrained into your mind. Daily reflection turns dreams into reality.

2. BELIEVE you can accomplish it. You can do anything you put your mind to. You must become accountable for your own results. In no time you will see your self-confidence increase as your capabilities improve. This becomes habit forming.

3. Associate with positive people. Align yourself with role models that have done this before. Build a support group of friends and family that will help you.

4. Commit to action. Do something everyday to get you closer to your goal. Unfortunately, people blame the effect rather than the cause. Forget “tomorrow” because tomorrow never comes. In order to get motivated you need to COMMIT.

5. HAVE FUN & ENJOY THE JOURNEY!!!! Remember to look at what you are doing while living rather than what you do for a living. Enjoy life

A JELLO BELLY WON’T MAKE YOU JOLLY LIKE SANTA

Weight Gain season starts now and runs straight through New Year's. Before you know it you know it you’re waistline has grown….

Whether you celebrate – Kwanzaa, Hannukah or Christmas –the Holiday season can create havoc on with your health regime. The work parties, family gatherings and tons of food and drink make it difficult to maintain a healthy diet.

Many people chose to overindulge because of the holiday season. Here’s an interesting statistic. Did you know that most North Americans will gain up to 10 pounds of weight during the holidays?

Here’s a Kicker:
The average person has about 30 billion fat cells. If you are overweight or obese you can have over 100 million fat cells!. When you eat all that great Christmas baking, chocolates and kielbasa, those fat cells can expand--up to 1,000 times their original size! Unfortunately a fat cell can only get so big and once it reaches it’s limit it multiplies. Plus, once you have a fat cell – you have it for life! You can NEVER burn it off. So remember this when you grab for that next short-bread cookie.

Here are some Tips for the Holidays

MAKE A PLAN

NOW is the time to plan for the weeks ahead. Once the holidays begin you will be too busy to put a plan into action. But people make the mistake of trying to fit their regular workouts into a busier and more unpredictable schedule. Outline a plan before the season starts – get into a routine now, because you won’t later.

EXERCISE

Since you’ve outlined a plan – make sure that you fit your workout in.
Take some time off for yourself and exercise – you’ll be glad that you did.

MAINTAIN YOUR METABOLISM

Don’t starve yourself. Eat a good breakfast. Maintain a healthy eating schedule which includes protein during the day. Your metabolism slows down from the long absence of food. Avoid this yo-yo of starvation and overindulgence by carrying healthy snacks with you and eating something every three hours.

With the holiday season, it’s easy to indulge in a high calorie meal. EAT SMART

Aim for 5 or 6 evenly spaced meals a day. This isn’t just for the holidays. Not only is this the best way to burn fat but helps to maintain muscle, Eat a good portion of vegetables and stay away from the processed foods, white bread & pasta. Choose whole grain products.

Limit the booze. Alcohol intake can quickly add hundreds of calories. And guys, it significantly increases estrogen and reduces your testosterone levels.

Drink water. Along with your regular hydration requirements, drink a glass just before the big meal.

Wait a good 20 minutes before going for a second helping. It takes your brain about 20 minutes to realize that the stomach is full.

Remember – all things in moderation. If your Aunt keeps hounding you to grab seconds – politely decline. Offer to take a goody bag home instead.

If you’re hosting the party - present food in various locations to encourage activities and mingling as well as eating.

Stick with your exercise program. Don’t fall into a rut.

The point of holiday gatherings is to celebrate. Mingle with friends and loved ones instead pigging out. Unless you have a high metabolism like myself, you are going to regret going overboard.

Not sure what to do when faced with temptations – take the Heart & Stroke Foundation Quiz and see how well you fare Go to: http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?src=healthline&c=ikIQLcMWJtE&b=4016859&ct=6345681

This is a special time of the year. Enjoy it with your friends and family.

Wishing you all the best this Holiday Season!

Doug.

FIGHT THE COLD & FLU BUGS

It’s that’s time of year again - Cold and Flu season.  People are getting antsy from staying indoors, everybody has had enough of the cold weather. Although the flu season starts around November, it seems that the end of winter is when most people come down with the flu or cold bug.

But, do you know the difference between a flu and a cold?

The flu or influenza, is a viral upper respiratory illness that comes on suddenly, causing symptoms such as fever, body aches, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, a dry cough, and a sore or dry throat. Often a flu can lead to a bacterial infection like bronchitis, an ear infection or sinus infection. In the worst case, pneumonia may develop.

A cold is also an infection of the upper respiratory system but is not so severe. Symptoms include a runny nose, a cough, sore throat, sneezing, watery eyes and congestion.

1 in 4 Canadians get the flu each year. It is estimated that between 4,000 and 8,000 Canadians die every year from serious complications of the flu.

The average person gets the common cold two to four times a year. Children can get the common cold as many as ten times a year!

Typically you catch the cold or flu through the air by coughs or sneezes.
Three influenza pandemics occurred in the 20th century. The worst was at the turn of the century where the Spanish Flu killed close to 100 million people.

There is no such thing as a “Stomach flu”. This is actually viral gastroenteritis, or simply put - a mild case of food poisoning.

Do you want to successfully fight the cold and flu? Here are some simple steps;

1. Get adequate sleep. Aim for 7-8 hours of restful sleep.

2. Eat properly. Stop eating processed foods. Eat whole foods like fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, fish and meat. Forget the chips, granola bars and soy burgers…

3. Influenza thrives on drastic temperature changes. I know that’s kind of hard living in Winnipeg. Being smart to reduce the strain on your body’s immune system. Dress appropriately. If you have to go outside when it’s 30 below don’t forget a hat, gloves/mitts and warm boots. Keep your home at a comfortable temperature – not too warm.

4. Wash your hands regularly. Not only when you go the washroom, but after going out in public – be it shopping, going to a sporting event, a play or the gym.

5. Eat Garlic. This is a natural adaptogenic infection fighter. Known as the poor person’s antibiotic, Garlic help eradicate infections as they enter your immune system.

6. Get Vaccinated. Having a flu shot every fall or early winter helps boost your immunity. If you don’t like needles then ask for a nasal spray – it is just as effective. It may be too late to get the flu shot now – unless you’re off to the southern hemisphere this summer. Some companies will even pay for the flu shot at the beginning of the season – so take note for this fall.  Although I'm not a big fan of getting the flu shot, children and the elderly should consider it.

7. Exercise Regularly. Working out helps to relieve stress which in turn helps your body’s immune system. By building up the virus-fighting antibodies this can also improve the response when receiving a flu shot.If you currently have the flu – do NOT try and sweat it out. The additional stress on your body will just prolong the infection.

Diets do NOT Work

One of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight and get in shape. Before you spend your valuable time, energy and money on the latest diet fad, let me tell you that Diets do NOT work.

Diets have almost a 100% failure rate.
A July 2007 UCLA study concluded that most efforts at calorie restriction result in only very short-term weight loss, and, could even ultimately lead to weight gain.

Diets are dangerous to your health.
Diets put a strain on your body. Cutting calories results in depression bayseam dtsebtery and low energy levels.

Diets slows down your Metabolism.
By cutting calories and skipping meals, your body can’t differentiate between deciding not to eat and real famine. Your body believes it is starving and slows down in order to maintain every critical calorie it has.

Diets create fat.
When your metabolism slows down, it is more like to store fat. Then, when you do eat, your body realizes it is now getting the food it needs to survive and stores it as fat.

Diets lead to eating disorders.
It is very easy to binge or overeat when you are on a diet. Most dieters become part of the chronic or Yo-Yo dieters. Others become obsessed with controlling what they choose to eat.

Diets are Negative thoughts.
People dieting are more critical of themselves and become more miserable eroding confidence and self-respect.

Diets result in muscle shrinkage.
Muscle helps burn fat. Diets creates water and muscle loss. Any person that loses weight rapidly (faster than 1-2 pounds a week) is mainly due to water loss.

Diets are synonymous with Weight Loss.
Focus on FAT LOSS rather than weight loss. Rather than thinking of your weight, focus on your body composition. Your body fat percentage and hip to waist ratio are two of the best indicators of your lean body mass.

Losing fat is not easy. Your body wants to stay the way it is and requires hard work and willpower to succeed in a person’s quest to become leaner. There are no magic pills or fads that are effective in the long run. Models and Movie stars that endorse products are there to make money. Don’t waste your hard-earned money.

It is important to realize that weight is meaningless as an index of fitness or health. It is best to focus on FAT LOSS rather than weight loss.

Rather than Dieting do the following:

Focus on Calories in vs Calories out.

Exercise - Burning off the fat is much healthier and effective than starving the fat.

Nutrition - Proper nutrition is 60% of the effort in building a healthy strong body. Follow a properly balanced eating schedule. Eat 5 or 6 meals of fruits, vegetables and lean cuts of meat per day. Stay away from processed and fast foods.

I hope you do not fall in the Diet Trap and become part of the yo-yo phenomenon. You can’t stay on a diet forever. It is important to find a lifestyle that works for you. The best results come from a long-term strategy involving permanent change in both eating and activity habits.

If you’ve made losing weight your New Year’s resolution do NOT diet. Your ultimate goal should be to improve your energy levels, be free from illness, and achieve your personally desired body composition. See a personal trainer. They can help guide you on the right track.