Certainly you must be aware of the unique situation humanity finds itself in today. There are more doctors, scientists, therapists and advanced technology than ever in history, and yet we are more unhealthy, unfit and more sick than ever before!
How can it be that we put men on the moon at will, make laser guided missiles, have the ability to image your insides with incredible reproducibility and perform major surgery through a key hole, and yet last year alone, American pharmacies filled three billion prescriptions? On average, that is one prescription for every man, woman and child in the US every single month.
So what can you do? The key to getting satisfying results when assessing and treating all clients is to utilize a holistic approach. Simple, yet effective assessment methods can be used to evaluate the things that are important indicators of stress on the individual’s systems, not only the physical but also the mental, emotional and energy systems. Once you identify the systems of the body and areas of a client’s life where he needs coaching, you can begin with foundation principles, regardless of an individual’s challenges.
While clients learn how to better manage themselves using foundation principles, they can also be encouraged to work with other experts in any given area necessary to balance their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies. As a result, their energy and their activities improve. Regardless of the challenges, the following system can be used to determine what each client needs to do in order to achieve health and vitality by a series of steps.
Identify the Primary Stressor
The body is a complex living organism. It may be considered a cybernetic organism, or a system of systems. All body systems are inter-linked and inseparable. Not only are our body systems inter-linked and inseparable, and as such, we are inter-linked and inseparable from our external environment: the ecosystem.
Stress is pretty much always thought of as bad. Yet to become and remain vital, we require manageable doses of a variety of stressors (see Figure 1 below). The necessary stressors entering our bodies and lives can be broken down into six major categories:
1. Physical: Correct exercise methods in an optimal dose of volume and intensity for each person aids in keeping the body resilient.
2. Chemical: Our bodies have developed both the need for chemicals and the systems to protect us against harmful chemicals. While there are a myriad of possible examples of good chemical stressors, consider that the small doses of harmful chemicals used by plants to protect themselves are beneficial to our bodies in the correct doses. Parasitic organisms produce harmful chemicals, yet research shows that in absence of stimulus from parasitic organisms and their chemicals, our immune systems wouldn’t develop adequately to protect us in most environments.
3. Electromagnetic: The sun is a very valuable form of electromagnetic (ELM) stress, yet you all know what happens if you get too much! But ELM stress is increased through exposure when using any of the modern electrical conveniences we all enjoy, such as our cell phones, computers and iPods.
4. Psychic: While few enjoy the stress of an argument or being put into psychologically challenging situations, anyone overly protected from such situations would be psychologically underdeveloped, incapable of handling the world. The tipping point becomes unbalanced easily if we are not emotionally intelligent managing our selves and our relationships.
5. Nutrition: Eating unadulterated foodstuffs that are ideal in macronutrient proportion for your racial, ethnic and genetic roots affords an optimal nutritional stressor, the stress here being the work of eating, digesting, assimilating, metabolizing and eliminating the foodstuffs and the nutrients contained therein.
6. Thermal: Our bodies are very sensitive to temperature, like any living organism’s body. By being exposed to variances in temperature, it helps our body become more dynamic, better able to adapt to a variety or seasons and environments. Internal environments where air conditioning coolers are used can magnify the degree of stress we experience daily.
Figure 1
As you can see in Figure 1, the chart shows the physiological or good stressors indicated by green arrows, while red arrows indicate the non-physiological, excessive or bad stressors. If you look at it another way, the green arrows indicate forms of beneficial stress that result in the collection of "chi," or life force energy. The red arrows indicate that a given stress is absorbing or over utilizing chi or life force energy faster than it can be built it up.
When we are predominantly exposed to physiological or beneficial stressors, we maintain homeostasis (i.e., balance). The healthy body will also have a high capacity for allostasis, which is the ability to bounce back to balance after exposure to an excess dose of any given stressor. For example, if you go to the gym and work out, you will be breaking down tissue, creating inflammation, placing heavy demands on the thermo-regulatory system, cardiovascular system, endocrine system, nervous system, etc. The stress of the workout temporarily throws your body out of balance. If your body is healthy, you will bounce back (allostasis) to balance (homeostasis) in short order.
The healthier your body, the faster you can bounce back from any given stressor. Looked at another way, the healthier the body (here meaning your physical-emotional-mental-spiritual being), the greater the stressor or number of stressors it takes to push you out of balance. As you can see in Figure 1, all stressors accumulate (funnel) in the body to create a total stress picture (green-yellow-red continuum). The more stress you accumulate, the more symptomatic you become, and the closer to death due to being out of chi you become. Needless to say, your tolerance for exercise, yet another form of stress, in most cases is reduced in proportion to the level of overall stress you are experiencing at any given time. This is why so many people have bad reactions to exercise, such as feeling worse, perpetual soreness or simply not seeing results.
Understanding Stress Perception
The human brain, a product of billions of years of evolutionary development, is imprinted with functional remnants from key developmental periods. Scientists that study phylogeny (development of species) also study encephalization, which is the study of brain development. Perhaps the most accomplished scientist in the study of encephalization of the human brain is Paul MacLean. MacLean has shown through years of research that the brain can be broken into three distinctly identifiable yet fully integrated brains that have the characteristics of our developmental predecessors. Referring to our brain as the triune brain (three in one), MacLean shows us that what makes up our brain stem and much of our autonomic centers is what the typical reptile has as it's entire brain, called the reptilian brain (see Figure 2).
Figure 2
The reptilian brain, although clearly identifiable by researchers, is not modular. Dr. MacLean makes it clear that the reptilian brain acts like operating software, such as your typical Microsoft Windows 2000. The reptilian brain, like Windows 2000, serves as a platform from which higher brain functions are dependent. The developmental outgrowths of the reptilian brain are the paleo-mammalian (old mammal) and neocortical (new) brain, as seen in Figure 2. More recent research now identifies a fourth component to our brain, which is referred to as the forebrain. It is the creative decision making aspect of the neocortical brain and is often diminished in size and function in those exposed to excessive stress during the developmental periods of childhood and adolescence.
This area of the brain is typically “reactive” to stress. By better understanding our innate developmental survival drives and behaviors, we can better understand what our ancestral software actually determines to be a useful or threatening stressor to the system. Our reptile ancestors have three primary survival drives that dictate their behaviors in any given situation. They are:
1. Safety: Since the reptilian brain developed as an outgrowth of our developmentally older autonomic nervous system (ANS) or vegetative nervous system, it controls our internal organs and hormonal glands. The concern for territory and the protection of self are high priorities, and any perceived threat to the reptile’s safety, results in what is classically called the fight/flight response. Any survival threat immediately results in the production of stress hormones, as mediated by activation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), often called the fight or flight nervous system. Any of the six classes of stressors in excess can threaten our safety and evoke a reptilian stress response, or what I call a survival response.
2. Sustenance: Once the reptile is sure it is safe, then and only then does sustenance (eating) come into the picture. By the same token, anything threatening the reptile’s ability to feed itself will activate a fight/flight or stress response. In the human being, our reptilian software also sees any threat to sustenance as a threat to survival. Therefore, under eating, skipping meals or eating foods void of nutrition can activate the SNS, producing a stress response. As shown below in Figure 3, chronic activation of the SNS secondary to what is perceived by our reptilian brain as a threat to our survival comes at a cost to our hormonal and immune systems.
3. Sex/Procreation: The genes of our reptilian ancestors and all our ancestors before them, all the way back to the single celled amebas, wanted to survive! Anything that threatens our ability to have sex or procreate ultimately causes a reptilian stress response, just like a threat to our safety or sustenance. Due to the complexity of our mammalian and neocortical developments, we often behave in accordance with a stress response because our higher brain functions (which are more creative) override our reptilian survival software.
Figure 3
This brief overview of the reptilian brain has been given to show that an excess of any one or combination of the six classes of stressors (Figure 1) can result in a direct or perceived stressor to the reptilian brain. Because the reptilian brain is inclusive of the ANS and because any stressor perceived as a threat to the organism produces elevated SNS tone (activity), there is an associated hormonal response. In a nutshell, any excess stressor (six major categories) entering the body/mind may itself activate the release of stress hormones (glucocorticoids), or it may be perceived as a threat by our reptilian software, which means a threat to our safety, sustenance or sex/procreation.
The Hormonal Sea-Saw
When our SNS tone is repeatedly elevated due to our life situation or our perception of life, our ability to recover from injury or achieve our physical goals with an exercise program are limited (see Figure 3). This is because chronic exposure to stressors of any type, particularly reptilian stressors, elevates glucocorticoid levels. Eventually, this leads to adrenal fatigue and often progressive breakdown of body systems. Which ones malfunction first is influenced by lifestyle factors and genetics.
As you can imagine at this point, there is no sense rubbing, poking and mobilizing tissues and joints if we are just treating the end product of a runaway stress response: a body that can’t heal itself no matter how good the doctor or therapist! As health and wellness professionals, it is important to investigate diet and lifestyle as well as the history of each client’s relevant physical, emotional, mental and spiritual stressors so you can assist each in calming the reptile and balancing the ANS for optimal hormonal function. Growth and repair are not possible otherwise! You will find that these individual’s merely bounce from doctor to doctor and therapist to therapist.
In Part 2 of this series, Chek introduces the Survival Totem Pole, a system of analysis that identifies stressors in the order of importance to survival so that you can prioritize your therapeutic and coaching efforts with clients.
References: Paul Check
By, Natalie Pyles
Fitness & Nutrition Expert, Author, Speaker
Call your Total Whole Health, Fitness, and Nutrition Fitness Elements Express Specialist Today!
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Thursday, November 6, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
"New Updated Physical Activity Guidelines for Older Adults - Part 2"
"New Updated Physical Activity Guidelines for Older Adults - Part 2"
In Part 1 of this series, Tammy explained the recently updated physical activity guidelines for older adults, specifically as they relate to flexibility and stretching. In this article, she continues her review of the guidelines, as they relate to endurance and strength training.
Endurance Guidelines
Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), an index of maximal cardiovascular (CV) function, decreases five to 15 percent per decade after the age of 25. Decreases in maximal cardiac output, due to maximal heart rate decreases of six to 10 bpm per decade, contribute to the age-associated reduction in VO2max. But older adults elicit the same 10 to 30 percent increases in VO2max with prolonged endurance exercise training as young adults. As with young adults, the magnitude of the increase in VO2max in older adults is also a function of training intensity, with light intensity training eliciting minimal or no changes.
Some evidence indicates that maintaining high levels of exercise training results in a diminished rate of loss of VO2max with age in older adults. These studies generally report a reduced rate of loss expressed as a percentage of the initial VO2max value, which could be due to the athletes' initially higher VO2max. On the other hand, the rate of VO2max decline for endurance trained athletes over age 70 appears to be similar to that for sedentary adults, probably as a result of their inability to maintain the same training stimulus as when they were younger.
Because CV disease is the major cause of death in older men and women, the effect of endurance exercise training on CV disease risk factors is of vital importance. Cross sectional and intervention studies in older adults consistently indicate that endurance exercise training is associated with lower fasting and glucose-stimulated plasma insulin levels, as well as improved glucose tolerance (if initially impaired) and insulin sensitivity. Improvements in glucose and insulin metabolism are evident in older adults before changes in body weight or body composition occur.
Endurance exercise training appears to lower blood pressure to the same degree in young and older hypertensive adults. One study in older hypertensive adults reported that training at 50 percent VO2max reduced blood pressure the same or more than training at 70 percent VO2max. In a second study in older hypertensive adults, training at 40 to 50 percent VO2max decreased blood pressure, although subsequent training at 50 to 60 percent VO2max reduced blood pressure somewhat further. Thus, it appears that light to moderate intensity training is effective in lowering blood pressure in older hypertensive adults.
The minimal data available generally support the conclusion that older adults improve their plasma lipoprotein lipid profiles with exercise training. However, these changes may be secondary to training-induced reductions in body fat stores. The improvements are generally similar to those evident in young adults and include increases in HDL (the good cholesterol) levels and reductions in triglyceride levels and LDL.
Body composition is also improved with endurance exercise training in a similar fashion in older and young adults. The most consistent change is a one to four percent reduction in the overall percent of body fat with exercise training in older adults, even if body weight is maintained, and one study reported that intra-abdominal fat decreased by 25 percent in older men who lost only 2.5 kg (about 5 pounds) of body weight with exercise training. This finding is especially important for older men because intra-abdominal fat is the body fat depot that increases the most with age and is associated with other CV disease risk factors.
Maximizing both the quality and quantity of life in older adults is best accomplished by adding activities like walking, swimming and cycling into an individual's daily lifestyle.
The initiation of a regular physical activity program can produce numerous changes in the CV system and in certain CV disease risk factors that run counter to the deteriorations that manifest with aging. While the CDC/ACSM guidelines recommend light to moderate intensity lifestyle physical activities to optimize health, moderate or high intensity exercise may be required to elicit adaptations in the CV system and in CV disease risk factors. The only consistent beneficial CV response to light to moderate intensity exercise training in older adults is a reduction in blood pressure in older hypertensive adults. However, the initiation and maintenance of long term light to moderate intensity physical activity programs in older adults may reduce the rate of age-associated deterioration in numerous physiological functions, even if they do not result in absolute increases in these measures that, in the long run, should benefit both quantity and quality of life.
Aerobic exercises do not require excessive speed or strength, but they do place demands on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Previously, this was considered the only type of exercise that truly improved health and fitness. We now know that strength training also improves the various systems in the body and has the added benefit of preserving strength so that people can continue to perform ADLs and other activities. Remember that frailer adults might need to improve their strength before they can seriously begin to work on endurance.
The number of healthy older individuals who are active in sports has increased significantly. These individuals continue to perform at a high level, although there appears to be a loss in functional capacity that cannot be overcome by training. No accepted theory of aging exists, but older athletes may be limited primarily by the inability to maintain the same volume and intensity of training. Also, older athletes appear to respond more slowly to the same training load than do younger athletes. The principles of training in older athletes are similar to those in young athletes. However, additional days of recovery and cross training may be necessary to prevent orthopedic injuries. Older adults need to train smarter, not harder. They can't expect to continue with the same intensity of training as when they were younger, and they have to be a little more creative.
To establish and maintain a training intensity that is both safe and capable of producing physiological improvements, the intensity level of the exercise needs to be regularly monitored by rating of perceived exertion (RPE-Borg Scale) and/or by heart rate count. As a personal trainer, you should be familiar with both of these. An intensity level of 40 to 75 percent VO2 max, which translates to roughly a 12-14 on the Borg six-to-20 scale, sustained for 20 to 60 minutes is recommended for older adults.
How much work is done depends on how hard and for how long someone exercises. Older adults with chronic disease should work out at a lower intensity for a longer period of time, rather than at a high intensity for a shorter period of time. A frequency of three to five days per week is the general recommendation with the goal of an overall energy expenditure of 1000 calories per week.
Strength Training Guidelines
Once adults pass the physical prime of their teens and 20s, they annually lose an average of 10 ounces of lean body mass, which is mostly in the form of muscle tissue. Unchecked, this gradual loss of muscle strength is the main reason elderly Americans have difficulty performing the tasks of daily living, which ultimately leads to their loss of independence. This phenomenon, called sarcopenia, is derived from Greek words meaning, “vanishing flesh.” It is NOT an inevitable consequence of aging. Instead, it is an inevitable consequence of disuse.
Another important reason for older people to strength train is evidence suggests that exercise might decrease the rate of bone loss associated with osteoporosis and reduce the likelihood of falls that result in hip fractures. A frightening statistic is that almost 24 percent of people over age 50 who have hip fractures die within a year. Falling is a serious public health concern among elderly people because of its frequency, the morbidity associated with falls and the cost of the necessary healthcare. Unintentional injury, which most often results from a fall, ranks as the sixth leading cause of death among people over 65 years of age. Muscle weakness has been identified as one of the biggest potentially modifiable risk factors for falling. In the late 80s to early 90s, studies began indicating that despite a decrease in the number of muscle fibers and muscle strength, muscle function can be maintained and/or improved with training, even in the very old.
A slight increase in muscle strength at any age can improve quality of life and stave off the frailty that used to be considered a normal part of getting old. While strength training is not the only type of exercise that is important for older adults, it should be obvious that the frailer a person becomes, the greater the importance of strength training. Sometimes, strength training and flexibility are the only types of exercise in which the elderly can engage until they gain enough muscle strength to allow them to work on their endurance and balance. In his book, Specialized Strength Training: Winning Workouts for Specific Populations, Wayne Westcott, PhD, and Susan Ramsden list 13 health and fitness benefits that result from strength training by older adults. They are as follows: avoidance of muscle loss and metabolic rate reduction; increased muscle mass and metabolic rate; reduced body fat and resting blood pressure; increased bone mineral density, glucose metabolism, and gastrointestinal transit; improved blood lipid levels; and reduced low back pain, arthritic pain, and depression.
Two equally important factors facilitate the strength building process. The first is progressive resistance exercise to stress the muscles and stimulate physiological adaptation. The second is sufficient recovery time to permit tissue repair, building and protein overcompensation, leading to larger and stronger muscles. If muscles are not given enough time to rest, clients may develop overuse injuries and/or muscles may break down rather than build up. Westcott recommends that older adults allow 72 to 96 hours for recovery before exercising the same muscle group again. This is considerably different than the 48 hour guideline that is typically quoted as the industry standard.
Dr. Westcott suggests the following guidelines:
Exercises: Strength training guidelines for seniors call for one exercise for each of the main muscle groups.
Frequency: These exercises should be performed two to three times per week. Recent studies have shown two times per week to be at least as productive as three times per week.
Sets: Single and multiple set training protocols have proven effective for increasing muscle strength and mass in senior men and women, but studies comparing one and three sets of exercise have found no significant developmental differences during the first few months of training. It is suggested then that seniors begin strength training with one set of each exercise, moving onto three sets as they progress.
Resistence: The training resistance or weight load should be between 60 and 90 percent of 1RM to increase muscle size and strength.
Repetitions: The generally recommended number of repetitions per set is eight to 15. Most people can perform about eight repetitions with 80 percent of their maximum resistance and about 12 repetitions at 70 percent of their maximum. For those with limiting chronic conditions, it is advisable to begin with lighter weight loads that allow about 15 reps per set. This higher repetition protocol adds a margin of safety while providing about the same strength training stimulus. Research has shown that the number of repetitions is not important as long as muscle fatigue for each exercise set occurs within a 30 to 90 second (anaerobic) time period. When the muscle reaches fatigue within this time period, strength gains are statistically equal when using higher repetitions with lighter weight/resistance (15 reps at 60% 1RM) compared to lower repetitions with heavier weight/resistance (6 reps at 90% 1RM). This is sometimes a difficult concept for someone to accept as true if they are used to lifting heavy, but there are numerous research studies stretching from 1991 to the present that confirm this.
Progression: The key to muscle development is progressive increases in resistance. Whenever the repetition goal can be performed with proper form to muscle fatigue, raise the weight by five percent.
Speed: The general consensus is that older adults should use controlled movement speeds when performing strength exercises. Because six second repetitions have a long, successful history, this speed is recommended for older exercisers. The cadence is two seconds up (concentric phase) and four seconds down (eccentric phase).
Range: It is important for seniors to develop strength throughout their full range of motion. Full range exercise is necessary for building full range muscle strength. So seniors should perform each exercise through the complete range of joint movement, taking their muscles from their fully extended position to their fully contracted position and back. But if any part of the exercise causes pain, then the range of motion needs to be adjusted appropriately. Training range should only be through PAIN FREE range of motion.
Technique: In addition to controlled movement speed and full movement range, exercise technique is critical when training older adults. Always practice proper posture when performing strength exercises with particular emphasis on body stability and back support. To avoid unnecessary blood pressure elevation, older adults should breathe continuously throughout every repetition. They should exhale on the lift and inhale on lowering. They should never hold their breath or hold the weight in a static position since this can raise blood pressure unduly.
American Heart Associations' Views on Strength Training
In a statement issued July 17, 2007 (shortly before the new ACSM/AHA physical activity recommendations), the American Heart Association Council on Clinical Cardiology and Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism stressed that weight or resistance training is a complement to, not a replacement for, aerobic exercise such as walking, running, cycling or swimming. According to the Council, weight training increases the ability of people to go about their daily lives (i.e., lifting objects, taking care of themselves and their loved ones). It increases muscle mass and helps people keep their weight down. Weight training, when prescribed appropriately, can help patients after a heart attack or heart surgery.
Why it’s important: Exercise is an important part of health. However, doctors worry about the value and even safety of weight training, particularly in people who have had heart attacks or undergone heart surgery. This statement not only buttresses the value of weight training in healthy people but gives credence to the idea that, with certain precautions, weight training can be helpful to people who have had heart surgery or are recovering from a heart attack.
What’s already known: Resistance or strength training, when prescribed and supervised, can increase strength and endurance - both factors that enable people to live better, whether they have heart disease or not. Endurance training is more effective in improving stamina and the ability of the heart to pump oxygenated blood. On the other hand, resistance training, when conducted over months or years, can affect the composition and amount of muscle. Increasing muscle mass through weight training can increase your metabolism and make it easier to maintain or lose weight.
How this study was done: This review represents a consensus among experts who have reviewed published studies on weight training. While no studies were carried out by the authors, they reviewed and evaluated the most current literature and came to a consensus on the recommendations. This updated review is a revision to a review published in 2000.
What was found: Weight or resistance training, in addition to aerobic exercise, benefits people with and without prior heart disease, lowering the risk of heart ailments. Weight training should be used as a complement to aerobic exercise, not a substitute for it.
“Resistance training not only enhances the benefits of aerobic fitness, but it appears to provide the added benefit of increased functional capacity and independence. It helps people better perform tasks of daily living, like lifting sacks of groceries,” said Mark Williams, Ph.D., professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology at Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska in a released statement. The benefits of weight training include increased strength, muscle coordination, more muscle mass and higher bone density in both men and women.
The statement recommends training such as performing lifts rhythmically, doing both upper and lower body exercises and learning how to breathe effectively during exercise.
“The emphasis at the early stage of training is to allow time for the muscles to adapt and to practice good technique, thus reducing the potential for excessive muscle soreness and injury,” Williams said.
The statement suggests setting the weight limits low for such training during recovery from a heart attack, procedure or surgery. However, Williams said, “When prescribed appropriately, patients can often do more to train safely and benefit significantly.” He said early in training, repetitions should be limited to eight to 12 for healthy, inactive adults or 10 to 15 repetitions at a low level of resistance (e.g., less than 40 percent of 1 repetition maximum) for older adults more than 50 to 60 years of age, more frail persons or cardiac patients.
The bottom line is, weight training, monitored and designed specifically for you, can increase your fitness and your muscle mass, helping you attain a greater level of fitness and a healthy weight.
References:
1. American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand. The recommended quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, and flexibility in healthy adults. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc 30:975–991,1998.
2. Circulation. 2007; 116: 000-000, published online July 16, 2007
3. Haskell W. L., I. M. Lee, R. R. Pate K. E. Powell, S. N. Blair, B. A. Franklin, C. A.Macera, G. W. Heath, P. D. Thompson, and A. Bauman. Physical activity and public health: updated recommendation for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 39:1423 1434, 2007.
4. Petersen TJ. SrFit: The Personal Trainer’s Resource for Senior Fitness. The American Academy of Health and Fitness, 2004.
5. Tammy Peterson
By, Natalie Pyles
Fitness & Nutrition Expert, Author, Speaker
WWW.MyFitnessElements.com
In Part 1 of this series, Tammy explained the recently updated physical activity guidelines for older adults, specifically as they relate to flexibility and stretching. In this article, she continues her review of the guidelines, as they relate to endurance and strength training.
Endurance Guidelines
Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), an index of maximal cardiovascular (CV) function, decreases five to 15 percent per decade after the age of 25. Decreases in maximal cardiac output, due to maximal heart rate decreases of six to 10 bpm per decade, contribute to the age-associated reduction in VO2max. But older adults elicit the same 10 to 30 percent increases in VO2max with prolonged endurance exercise training as young adults. As with young adults, the magnitude of the increase in VO2max in older adults is also a function of training intensity, with light intensity training eliciting minimal or no changes.
Some evidence indicates that maintaining high levels of exercise training results in a diminished rate of loss of VO2max with age in older adults. These studies generally report a reduced rate of loss expressed as a percentage of the initial VO2max value, which could be due to the athletes' initially higher VO2max. On the other hand, the rate of VO2max decline for endurance trained athletes over age 70 appears to be similar to that for sedentary adults, probably as a result of their inability to maintain the same training stimulus as when they were younger.
Because CV disease is the major cause of death in older men and women, the effect of endurance exercise training on CV disease risk factors is of vital importance. Cross sectional and intervention studies in older adults consistently indicate that endurance exercise training is associated with lower fasting and glucose-stimulated plasma insulin levels, as well as improved glucose tolerance (if initially impaired) and insulin sensitivity. Improvements in glucose and insulin metabolism are evident in older adults before changes in body weight or body composition occur.
Endurance exercise training appears to lower blood pressure to the same degree in young and older hypertensive adults. One study in older hypertensive adults reported that training at 50 percent VO2max reduced blood pressure the same or more than training at 70 percent VO2max. In a second study in older hypertensive adults, training at 40 to 50 percent VO2max decreased blood pressure, although subsequent training at 50 to 60 percent VO2max reduced blood pressure somewhat further. Thus, it appears that light to moderate intensity training is effective in lowering blood pressure in older hypertensive adults.
The minimal data available generally support the conclusion that older adults improve their plasma lipoprotein lipid profiles with exercise training. However, these changes may be secondary to training-induced reductions in body fat stores. The improvements are generally similar to those evident in young adults and include increases in HDL (the good cholesterol) levels and reductions in triglyceride levels and LDL.
Body composition is also improved with endurance exercise training in a similar fashion in older and young adults. The most consistent change is a one to four percent reduction in the overall percent of body fat with exercise training in older adults, even if body weight is maintained, and one study reported that intra-abdominal fat decreased by 25 percent in older men who lost only 2.5 kg (about 5 pounds) of body weight with exercise training. This finding is especially important for older men because intra-abdominal fat is the body fat depot that increases the most with age and is associated with other CV disease risk factors.
Maximizing both the quality and quantity of life in older adults is best accomplished by adding activities like walking, swimming and cycling into an individual's daily lifestyle.
The initiation of a regular physical activity program can produce numerous changes in the CV system and in certain CV disease risk factors that run counter to the deteriorations that manifest with aging. While the CDC/ACSM guidelines recommend light to moderate intensity lifestyle physical activities to optimize health, moderate or high intensity exercise may be required to elicit adaptations in the CV system and in CV disease risk factors. The only consistent beneficial CV response to light to moderate intensity exercise training in older adults is a reduction in blood pressure in older hypertensive adults. However, the initiation and maintenance of long term light to moderate intensity physical activity programs in older adults may reduce the rate of age-associated deterioration in numerous physiological functions, even if they do not result in absolute increases in these measures that, in the long run, should benefit both quantity and quality of life.
Aerobic exercises do not require excessive speed or strength, but they do place demands on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Previously, this was considered the only type of exercise that truly improved health and fitness. We now know that strength training also improves the various systems in the body and has the added benefit of preserving strength so that people can continue to perform ADLs and other activities. Remember that frailer adults might need to improve their strength before they can seriously begin to work on endurance.
The number of healthy older individuals who are active in sports has increased significantly. These individuals continue to perform at a high level, although there appears to be a loss in functional capacity that cannot be overcome by training. No accepted theory of aging exists, but older athletes may be limited primarily by the inability to maintain the same volume and intensity of training. Also, older athletes appear to respond more slowly to the same training load than do younger athletes. The principles of training in older athletes are similar to those in young athletes. However, additional days of recovery and cross training may be necessary to prevent orthopedic injuries. Older adults need to train smarter, not harder. They can't expect to continue with the same intensity of training as when they were younger, and they have to be a little more creative.
To establish and maintain a training intensity that is both safe and capable of producing physiological improvements, the intensity level of the exercise needs to be regularly monitored by rating of perceived exertion (RPE-Borg Scale) and/or by heart rate count. As a personal trainer, you should be familiar with both of these. An intensity level of 40 to 75 percent VO2 max, which translates to roughly a 12-14 on the Borg six-to-20 scale, sustained for 20 to 60 minutes is recommended for older adults.
How much work is done depends on how hard and for how long someone exercises. Older adults with chronic disease should work out at a lower intensity for a longer period of time, rather than at a high intensity for a shorter period of time. A frequency of three to five days per week is the general recommendation with the goal of an overall energy expenditure of 1000 calories per week.
Strength Training Guidelines
Once adults pass the physical prime of their teens and 20s, they annually lose an average of 10 ounces of lean body mass, which is mostly in the form of muscle tissue. Unchecked, this gradual loss of muscle strength is the main reason elderly Americans have difficulty performing the tasks of daily living, which ultimately leads to their loss of independence. This phenomenon, called sarcopenia, is derived from Greek words meaning, “vanishing flesh.” It is NOT an inevitable consequence of aging. Instead, it is an inevitable consequence of disuse.
Another important reason for older people to strength train is evidence suggests that exercise might decrease the rate of bone loss associated with osteoporosis and reduce the likelihood of falls that result in hip fractures. A frightening statistic is that almost 24 percent of people over age 50 who have hip fractures die within a year. Falling is a serious public health concern among elderly people because of its frequency, the morbidity associated with falls and the cost of the necessary healthcare. Unintentional injury, which most often results from a fall, ranks as the sixth leading cause of death among people over 65 years of age. Muscle weakness has been identified as one of the biggest potentially modifiable risk factors for falling. In the late 80s to early 90s, studies began indicating that despite a decrease in the number of muscle fibers and muscle strength, muscle function can be maintained and/or improved with training, even in the very old.
A slight increase in muscle strength at any age can improve quality of life and stave off the frailty that used to be considered a normal part of getting old. While strength training is not the only type of exercise that is important for older adults, it should be obvious that the frailer a person becomes, the greater the importance of strength training. Sometimes, strength training and flexibility are the only types of exercise in which the elderly can engage until they gain enough muscle strength to allow them to work on their endurance and balance. In his book, Specialized Strength Training: Winning Workouts for Specific Populations, Wayne Westcott, PhD, and Susan Ramsden list 13 health and fitness benefits that result from strength training by older adults. They are as follows: avoidance of muscle loss and metabolic rate reduction; increased muscle mass and metabolic rate; reduced body fat and resting blood pressure; increased bone mineral density, glucose metabolism, and gastrointestinal transit; improved blood lipid levels; and reduced low back pain, arthritic pain, and depression.
Two equally important factors facilitate the strength building process. The first is progressive resistance exercise to stress the muscles and stimulate physiological adaptation. The second is sufficient recovery time to permit tissue repair, building and protein overcompensation, leading to larger and stronger muscles. If muscles are not given enough time to rest, clients may develop overuse injuries and/or muscles may break down rather than build up. Westcott recommends that older adults allow 72 to 96 hours for recovery before exercising the same muscle group again. This is considerably different than the 48 hour guideline that is typically quoted as the industry standard.
Dr. Westcott suggests the following guidelines:
Exercises: Strength training guidelines for seniors call for one exercise for each of the main muscle groups.
Frequency: These exercises should be performed two to three times per week. Recent studies have shown two times per week to be at least as productive as three times per week.
Sets: Single and multiple set training protocols have proven effective for increasing muscle strength and mass in senior men and women, but studies comparing one and three sets of exercise have found no significant developmental differences during the first few months of training. It is suggested then that seniors begin strength training with one set of each exercise, moving onto three sets as they progress.
Resistence: The training resistance or weight load should be between 60 and 90 percent of 1RM to increase muscle size and strength.
Repetitions: The generally recommended number of repetitions per set is eight to 15. Most people can perform about eight repetitions with 80 percent of their maximum resistance and about 12 repetitions at 70 percent of their maximum. For those with limiting chronic conditions, it is advisable to begin with lighter weight loads that allow about 15 reps per set. This higher repetition protocol adds a margin of safety while providing about the same strength training stimulus. Research has shown that the number of repetitions is not important as long as muscle fatigue for each exercise set occurs within a 30 to 90 second (anaerobic) time period. When the muscle reaches fatigue within this time period, strength gains are statistically equal when using higher repetitions with lighter weight/resistance (15 reps at 60% 1RM) compared to lower repetitions with heavier weight/resistance (6 reps at 90% 1RM). This is sometimes a difficult concept for someone to accept as true if they are used to lifting heavy, but there are numerous research studies stretching from 1991 to the present that confirm this.
Progression: The key to muscle development is progressive increases in resistance. Whenever the repetition goal can be performed with proper form to muscle fatigue, raise the weight by five percent.
Speed: The general consensus is that older adults should use controlled movement speeds when performing strength exercises. Because six second repetitions have a long, successful history, this speed is recommended for older exercisers. The cadence is two seconds up (concentric phase) and four seconds down (eccentric phase).
Range: It is important for seniors to develop strength throughout their full range of motion. Full range exercise is necessary for building full range muscle strength. So seniors should perform each exercise through the complete range of joint movement, taking their muscles from their fully extended position to their fully contracted position and back. But if any part of the exercise causes pain, then the range of motion needs to be adjusted appropriately. Training range should only be through PAIN FREE range of motion.
Technique: In addition to controlled movement speed and full movement range, exercise technique is critical when training older adults. Always practice proper posture when performing strength exercises with particular emphasis on body stability and back support. To avoid unnecessary blood pressure elevation, older adults should breathe continuously throughout every repetition. They should exhale on the lift and inhale on lowering. They should never hold their breath or hold the weight in a static position since this can raise blood pressure unduly.
American Heart Associations' Views on Strength Training
In a statement issued July 17, 2007 (shortly before the new ACSM/AHA physical activity recommendations), the American Heart Association Council on Clinical Cardiology and Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism stressed that weight or resistance training is a complement to, not a replacement for, aerobic exercise such as walking, running, cycling or swimming. According to the Council, weight training increases the ability of people to go about their daily lives (i.e., lifting objects, taking care of themselves and their loved ones). It increases muscle mass and helps people keep their weight down. Weight training, when prescribed appropriately, can help patients after a heart attack or heart surgery.
Why it’s important: Exercise is an important part of health. However, doctors worry about the value and even safety of weight training, particularly in people who have had heart attacks or undergone heart surgery. This statement not only buttresses the value of weight training in healthy people but gives credence to the idea that, with certain precautions, weight training can be helpful to people who have had heart surgery or are recovering from a heart attack.
What’s already known: Resistance or strength training, when prescribed and supervised, can increase strength and endurance - both factors that enable people to live better, whether they have heart disease or not. Endurance training is more effective in improving stamina and the ability of the heart to pump oxygenated blood. On the other hand, resistance training, when conducted over months or years, can affect the composition and amount of muscle. Increasing muscle mass through weight training can increase your metabolism and make it easier to maintain or lose weight.
How this study was done: This review represents a consensus among experts who have reviewed published studies on weight training. While no studies were carried out by the authors, they reviewed and evaluated the most current literature and came to a consensus on the recommendations. This updated review is a revision to a review published in 2000.
What was found: Weight or resistance training, in addition to aerobic exercise, benefits people with and without prior heart disease, lowering the risk of heart ailments. Weight training should be used as a complement to aerobic exercise, not a substitute for it.
“Resistance training not only enhances the benefits of aerobic fitness, but it appears to provide the added benefit of increased functional capacity and independence. It helps people better perform tasks of daily living, like lifting sacks of groceries,” said Mark Williams, Ph.D., professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology at Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska in a released statement. The benefits of weight training include increased strength, muscle coordination, more muscle mass and higher bone density in both men and women.
The statement recommends training such as performing lifts rhythmically, doing both upper and lower body exercises and learning how to breathe effectively during exercise.
“The emphasis at the early stage of training is to allow time for the muscles to adapt and to practice good technique, thus reducing the potential for excessive muscle soreness and injury,” Williams said.
The statement suggests setting the weight limits low for such training during recovery from a heart attack, procedure or surgery. However, Williams said, “When prescribed appropriately, patients can often do more to train safely and benefit significantly.” He said early in training, repetitions should be limited to eight to 12 for healthy, inactive adults or 10 to 15 repetitions at a low level of resistance (e.g., less than 40 percent of 1 repetition maximum) for older adults more than 50 to 60 years of age, more frail persons or cardiac patients.
The bottom line is, weight training, monitored and designed specifically for you, can increase your fitness and your muscle mass, helping you attain a greater level of fitness and a healthy weight.
References:
1. American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand. The recommended quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, and flexibility in healthy adults. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc 30:975–991,1998.
2. Circulation. 2007; 116: 000-000, published online July 16, 2007
3. Haskell W. L., I. M. Lee, R. R. Pate K. E. Powell, S. N. Blair, B. A. Franklin, C. A.Macera, G. W. Heath, P. D. Thompson, and A. Bauman. Physical activity and public health: updated recommendation for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 39:1423 1434, 2007.
4. Petersen TJ. SrFit: The Personal Trainer’s Resource for Senior Fitness. The American Academy of Health and Fitness, 2004.
5. Tammy Peterson
By, Natalie Pyles
Fitness & Nutrition Expert, Author, Speaker
WWW.MyFitnessElements.com
Monday, November 3, 2008
"New Updated Physical Activity Guidelines for Older Adults - Part 1"
On August 1, 2007 the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and American Heart Association (AHA) unveiled updated physical activity recommendations for healthy adults ages 18 to 64 years and companion recommendations for those ages 65 and older. The companion recommendations extend to adults ages 50 to 64 years who have chronic health conditions or functional limitations that impact their fitness, physical activity or ability to move.
These guidelines state that all healthy adults ages 18 to 65 years need moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity for at least 30 minutes on five days each week or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity for at least 20 minutes on three days each week.
Further, adults will benefit from performing activities that maintain or increase muscular strength and endurance for at least two days each week. It is recommended that eight to 10 exercises using the major muscle groups be performed on two non-consecutive days. To maximize strength development, a resistance (weight) should be used for eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise resulting in willful fatigue.
The preventive recommendation specifies how adults, by engaging in regular physical activity, can promote and maintain health and reduce risk of chronic disease and premature death.
The companion recommendations similar to the updated ACSM/AHA recommendations for adults is specifically applied to adults aged 65 and older and adults aged 50 to 64 with chronic conditions or physical functional limitations (e.g., arthritis) that affect movement ability or physical fitness.
The recommendations are an update and clarification of the 1995 recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and ACSM on the types and amounts of physical activity needed by healthy adults to improve and maintain health. The intent is to provide more comprehensive and explicit public health recommendations for adults based upon available evidence of the health benefits of physical activity.
The core recommendations remain fundamentally unchanged, despite more than 10 years passing since they were issued. New science has been evaluated to understand the biological mechanisms by which physical activity provides health benefits and the physical activity profile (type, intensity and amount) that is associated with enhanced health and quality of life. This publication reflects a review of that evidence and considers key issues not fully clarified in the original recommendations.
The updated recommendations for adults are improved in several ways.
1. Moderate intensity physical activity has been clarified. The 1995 document specified “most, preferably all days per week” as the recommended frequency while the new recommendation identifies five days per week as the recommended minimum.
2. Vigorous intensity physical activity has been explicitly incorporated into the recommendations. To acknowledge both the preferences of some adults for vigorous intensity physical activity and the substantial science base related to participation in such activity, this recommendation has been clarified to encourage participation in either moderate and/or vigorous intensity physical activity. Vigorous intensity physical activity was implicit in the 1995 recommendations. It is now explicitly an integral part of the physical activity recommendations.
3. Specified: Moderate and vigorous intensity activities are complementary in producing health benefits, and a variety of activities can be combined to meet the recommendations. This combining of activities is based on the amount (intensity x duration) of activity performed during the week and uses the concept of METs (metabolic equivalents) to assign an intensity value to a specific activity.
4. Specified: Aerobic activity is needed in addition to routine activities of daily life. The updated recommendations now clearly state that the recommended amount of aerobic activity (whether of moderate or vigorous intensity) is in addition to routine, light intensity activities of daily living, such as self care, casual walking or grocery shopping or activity that lasts less than 10 minutes such as walking to the parking lot or taking out the trash. Few activities in contemporary life are conducted routinely at a moderate intensity and last for at least 10 minutes. However, moderate or vigorous intensity activities performed as a part of daily life (e.g., brisk walking to work, gardening with shovel, carpentry) performed in bouts of 10 minutes or more can be counted towards this recommendation. This concept was implied but not effectively communicated in the original recommendations.
5. “More is better.” The new recommendations emphasize the important fact that physical activity above the recommended minimum amount provides even greater health benefits. The point of maximum benefit for most health benefits has not been established but likely varies with genetic endowment, age, sex, health status, body composition and other factors. Exceeding the minimum recommendation further reduces the risk of inactivity related chronic disease. Although the dose-response relation was acknowledged in the 1995 recommendations, this fact is now explicit.
6. Short bouts of exercise are OK. The original recommendations introduced the concept of accumulating short bouts of physical activity toward the 30 minute goal, but there was confusion about how short these episodes could be. For consistency, the minimum length of these short bouts is clarified as being 10 minutes.
7. A muscle strengthening recommendation is now included. Muscle strengthening activities have now been incorporated into the physical activity recommendations. The 1995 recommendations mentioned the importance of muscular strength and endurance but stopped short of making specific declarations in this area. Available evidence now allows the integration of muscle strengthening activities into the core recommendations.
8. Wording has been clarified. Minor wording changes in the recommendations have been made to enhance clarity in communications. For example, the term “aerobic,” or endurance, has been added to clarify the type of physical activity being recommended and to differentiate it from muscle strengthening exercises, which are now part of the core recommendations.
The updates also provide a clearer sketch of what combinations of moderate and vigorous intensity activity can be performed to meet this recommendation. Moderate intensity aerobic activity is described as generally equivalent to a brisk walk or activity that noticeably accelerates the heart rate.
The recommendations also summarize new research that links muscular strength to health benefits such as protection against bone loss and a decreased risk of all-cause mortality.
The updated recommendations emphasize that relatively modest amounts of physical activity will improve health. Physical activity for cardiorespiratory fitness and expanded health gains, such as weight loss, may require more than a minimum 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week. In general, there are more agreements than differences when it comes to physical activity recommendations. Differences on “minutes-per-day” recommendations appear because they are intended for different groups and may be gender specific or relevant to overweight or obese individuals.
Guidelines for healthy adults under age 65 include:
* Do moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week... OR
* Do vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, three days a week... AND
* Do eight to 10 strength training exercises, eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise twice 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.
Guidelines for adults over age 65 (or adults 50-64 with chronic conditions such as arthritis) include:
* Do moderate intense aerobic exercise 30 minutes a day, five days a week... OR
* Do vigorous intense aerobic exercise 20 minutes a day, three days a week... AND
* Do eight to 10 strength training exercises, 10 to 15 repetitions of each exercise twice to three times per week... AND
* If you are at risk of falling, perform balance exercises... AND
* Have a physical activity plan.
Both aerobic and muscle strengthening activity is critical for healthy aging. Moderate intensity aerobic exercise means working hard at about a level six intensity on a scale of 10. You should still be able to carry on a conversation during exercise.
Older adults or adults with chronic conditions should develop an activity plan with a health professional to manage risks and take therapeutic needs into account. This will maximize the benefits of physical activity and ensure your safety.
Key Points to the Guidelines for Older Adults
Although the guidelines for older adults and adults with chronic conditions are similar to those for younger adults, there are a few key differences and points to consider.
􀂇 The general recommendation is that older adults should meet or exceed 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week. However, it is also recognized that goals below this threshold may be necessary for older adults who have physical impairments or functional limitations.
􀂇 Functional health is an important benefit of physical activity for older adults. Physical activity contributes to the ease of doing everyday activities, such as gardening, walking or cleaning the house.
􀂇 Strength training is extremely important. Strength training is important for all adults, but especially so for older adults, as it prevents loss of muscle mass and bone and is beneficial for functional health.
􀂇 The minimum recommendations are just that: the minimum needed to maintain health and see fitness benefits. If a person can exceed the minimum, he or she can improve personal fitness, improve management of an existing disease or condition and reduce risk for health conditions and mortality.
􀂇 Flexibility is also important. Each day a person should perform aerobic or strength training activities, taking an extra 10 minutes to stretch the major muscle and tendon groups, with 10-30 seconds for each stretch. Repeat each stretch three to four times.
Flexibility training will promote the ease of performing everyday activities.
Flexibility Guidelines
Collagen production and elasticity of the tissues decrease as we age. This impairs both flexibility and range of motion. Scientific evidence, however, suggests that much of this decline is due to inactivity. Stretching and mobilization exercises can effectively increase range of motion and flexibility in older adults, so they are an important part of any fitness program.
To gain true flexibility, you need to use a combination of stretching and “mobilizing.” You might be more familiar with the terms “limbering” or “range of motion” instead of “mobilizing.” This type of exercise is not the same as stretching, but it is closely related. With mobilizing exercises, the emphasis is on movement in the joints rather than stretching the muscles. Mobility exercises consist of active, gentle and controlled movements performed fluidly and consistently. On the other hand, stretching to improve flexibility involves assuming a position and holding it for 10 to 30 seconds to elongate the muscle.
Mobility exercises help loosen up and lubricate the joints with synovial fluid so that the joint moves freely and smoothly. This type of exercise is important for everyone, but even more so for older people, especially those with arthritis. Arthritis reduces a person’s ability to move the joints through a full range of motion. Impaired range of motion translates into a lower functional capacity and lessens a person’s ability to perform the activities of daily living.
A person who begins mobility exercise might hear a variety of grinding, grating and popping noises. These sounds might seem extremely loud to the person exercising, and that person might worry that others can hear them. This is normal, though, and as the joints are limbered, warmed and bathed in synovial fluid, the noises and sensations will go away.
This is actually not a painful condition. The usual stiffness that accompanies arthritis and periods of inactivity should be expected, but there should not be pain associated with the “snap, crackle and pop.”
Mobility exercises in sets of three to five that end in a slight two to three second stretch for each movement are especially beneficial. Two examples include:
1. Arm Raises for Shoulder Range of Motion - To do this exercise, stand with arms hanging at the sides of the body. Raise both arms out to the side and then up towards the ears. As the arms reach parallel with the floor, the palms should be turned towards the ceiling and end up facing each other as they are raised above the head. Arms should be mostly straight, but do not lock the elbows (just keep them slightly bent). Hold arms in the “up position” gently pushing upwards for a couple of seconds. Lower arms and repeat. Remember to use only slow and controlled movements. Think “fluid,” not “jerky.”
2. Standing Hip Extension for Hip Range of Motion - Stand near a wall or other object for balance. While keeping the back straight, bend both knees slightly while keeping them loose and unlocked. Keep one foot in place and pick up the other foot while pressing the leg back behind as far as comfortably possible. Hold for a couple of seconds and repeat. Other examples of mobility or range of motion exercises are elbow curls, side waist bends, wrist circles, finger curls, head turns and tilts, shoulder blade pulls, and ankle circles. If there is a movable joint, move it smoothly and gently through its range of motion to lubricate and warm it.
Stretching
Stretching refers to the process of elongating the muscles. It prevents injuries, keeps muscles relaxed and the body flexible, makes daily activities easier to perform, improves posture and reduces muscle soreness after workouts. When performing stretches, concentrate on muscles that are most frequently used in both normal activities and during training. Don’t leave out any major muscle group.
The basics of stretching include the following:
􀂇 Hold each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds.
􀂇 Rest about 15 seconds before stretching the same muscle again.
ô€‚‡ When the muscle loosens or “releases,” slowly stretch a little further.
􀂇 Stretch only to the point of mild tension, not pain.
ô€‚‡ Stretch slowly and smoothly - don’t bounce.
Inhale through the nose deeply before each stretch and exhale through the mouth while moving into a stretch. Continue breathing while holding the stretch. Make sure your clients do not hold their breath!
It is useful to do mobilization exercises as part of the warm up before strength, endurance or flexibility sessions. You could spend a couple of minutes on range of motion exercises to loosen joints about to be used, five minutes on light aerobics like walking in place or stationary biking and then a short time on a standing stretch sequence for the main muscle groups like the calf stretch, hamstring stretch, quadriceps stretch, chest stretch and upper back stretch. The true flexibility work should only take place once the muscles are warm. This could be after the initial warm up or after other exercises.
Stay tuned for Part 2, where we'll cover updated endurance training and strength training guidelines for older adults!
References:
1. American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand. The recommended quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, and flexibility in healthy adults. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc 30:975–991,1998.
2. Haskell W. L., I. M. Lee, R. R. Pate K. E. Powell, S. N. Blair, B. A. Franklin, C. A.Macera, G. W. Heath, P. D. Thompson, and A. Bauman. Physical activity and public health: updated recommendation for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 39:1423 1434, 2007.
3. Petersen TJ. SrFit: The Personal Trainer’s Resource for Senior Fitness. The American Academy of Health and Fitness, 2004.
4. Tammy Peterson
By, Natalie Pyles
Fitness & Nutrition Expert, Author, Speaker
These guidelines state that all healthy adults ages 18 to 65 years need moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity for at least 30 minutes on five days each week or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity for at least 20 minutes on three days each week.
Further, adults will benefit from performing activities that maintain or increase muscular strength and endurance for at least two days each week. It is recommended that eight to 10 exercises using the major muscle groups be performed on two non-consecutive days. To maximize strength development, a resistance (weight) should be used for eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise resulting in willful fatigue.
The preventive recommendation specifies how adults, by engaging in regular physical activity, can promote and maintain health and reduce risk of chronic disease and premature death.
The companion recommendations similar to the updated ACSM/AHA recommendations for adults is specifically applied to adults aged 65 and older and adults aged 50 to 64 with chronic conditions or physical functional limitations (e.g., arthritis) that affect movement ability or physical fitness.
The recommendations are an update and clarification of the 1995 recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and ACSM on the types and amounts of physical activity needed by healthy adults to improve and maintain health. The intent is to provide more comprehensive and explicit public health recommendations for adults based upon available evidence of the health benefits of physical activity.
The core recommendations remain fundamentally unchanged, despite more than 10 years passing since they were issued. New science has been evaluated to understand the biological mechanisms by which physical activity provides health benefits and the physical activity profile (type, intensity and amount) that is associated with enhanced health and quality of life. This publication reflects a review of that evidence and considers key issues not fully clarified in the original recommendations.
The updated recommendations for adults are improved in several ways.
1. Moderate intensity physical activity has been clarified. The 1995 document specified “most, preferably all days per week” as the recommended frequency while the new recommendation identifies five days per week as the recommended minimum.
2. Vigorous intensity physical activity has been explicitly incorporated into the recommendations. To acknowledge both the preferences of some adults for vigorous intensity physical activity and the substantial science base related to participation in such activity, this recommendation has been clarified to encourage participation in either moderate and/or vigorous intensity physical activity. Vigorous intensity physical activity was implicit in the 1995 recommendations. It is now explicitly an integral part of the physical activity recommendations.
3. Specified: Moderate and vigorous intensity activities are complementary in producing health benefits, and a variety of activities can be combined to meet the recommendations. This combining of activities is based on the amount (intensity x duration) of activity performed during the week and uses the concept of METs (metabolic equivalents) to assign an intensity value to a specific activity.
4. Specified: Aerobic activity is needed in addition to routine activities of daily life. The updated recommendations now clearly state that the recommended amount of aerobic activity (whether of moderate or vigorous intensity) is in addition to routine, light intensity activities of daily living, such as self care, casual walking or grocery shopping or activity that lasts less than 10 minutes such as walking to the parking lot or taking out the trash. Few activities in contemporary life are conducted routinely at a moderate intensity and last for at least 10 minutes. However, moderate or vigorous intensity activities performed as a part of daily life (e.g., brisk walking to work, gardening with shovel, carpentry) performed in bouts of 10 minutes or more can be counted towards this recommendation. This concept was implied but not effectively communicated in the original recommendations.
5. “More is better.” The new recommendations emphasize the important fact that physical activity above the recommended minimum amount provides even greater health benefits. The point of maximum benefit for most health benefits has not been established but likely varies with genetic endowment, age, sex, health status, body composition and other factors. Exceeding the minimum recommendation further reduces the risk of inactivity related chronic disease. Although the dose-response relation was acknowledged in the 1995 recommendations, this fact is now explicit.
6. Short bouts of exercise are OK. The original recommendations introduced the concept of accumulating short bouts of physical activity toward the 30 minute goal, but there was confusion about how short these episodes could be. For consistency, the minimum length of these short bouts is clarified as being 10 minutes.
7. A muscle strengthening recommendation is now included. Muscle strengthening activities have now been incorporated into the physical activity recommendations. The 1995 recommendations mentioned the importance of muscular strength and endurance but stopped short of making specific declarations in this area. Available evidence now allows the integration of muscle strengthening activities into the core recommendations.
8. Wording has been clarified. Minor wording changes in the recommendations have been made to enhance clarity in communications. For example, the term “aerobic,” or endurance, has been added to clarify the type of physical activity being recommended and to differentiate it from muscle strengthening exercises, which are now part of the core recommendations.
The updates also provide a clearer sketch of what combinations of moderate and vigorous intensity activity can be performed to meet this recommendation. Moderate intensity aerobic activity is described as generally equivalent to a brisk walk or activity that noticeably accelerates the heart rate.
The recommendations also summarize new research that links muscular strength to health benefits such as protection against bone loss and a decreased risk of all-cause mortality.
The updated recommendations emphasize that relatively modest amounts of physical activity will improve health. Physical activity for cardiorespiratory fitness and expanded health gains, such as weight loss, may require more than a minimum 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week. In general, there are more agreements than differences when it comes to physical activity recommendations. Differences on “minutes-per-day” recommendations appear because they are intended for different groups and may be gender specific or relevant to overweight or obese individuals.
Guidelines for healthy adults under age 65 include:
* Do moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week... OR
* Do vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, three days a week... AND
* Do eight to 10 strength training exercises, eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise twice 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.
Guidelines for adults over age 65 (or adults 50-64 with chronic conditions such as arthritis) include:
* Do moderate intense aerobic exercise 30 minutes a day, five days a week... OR
* Do vigorous intense aerobic exercise 20 minutes a day, three days a week... AND
* Do eight to 10 strength training exercises, 10 to 15 repetitions of each exercise twice to three times per week... AND
* If you are at risk of falling, perform balance exercises... AND
* Have a physical activity plan.
Both aerobic and muscle strengthening activity is critical for healthy aging. Moderate intensity aerobic exercise means working hard at about a level six intensity on a scale of 10. You should still be able to carry on a conversation during exercise.
Older adults or adults with chronic conditions should develop an activity plan with a health professional to manage risks and take therapeutic needs into account. This will maximize the benefits of physical activity and ensure your safety.
Key Points to the Guidelines for Older Adults
Although the guidelines for older adults and adults with chronic conditions are similar to those for younger adults, there are a few key differences and points to consider.
􀂇 The general recommendation is that older adults should meet or exceed 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week. However, it is also recognized that goals below this threshold may be necessary for older adults who have physical impairments or functional limitations.
􀂇 Functional health is an important benefit of physical activity for older adults. Physical activity contributes to the ease of doing everyday activities, such as gardening, walking or cleaning the house.
􀂇 Strength training is extremely important. Strength training is important for all adults, but especially so for older adults, as it prevents loss of muscle mass and bone and is beneficial for functional health.
􀂇 The minimum recommendations are just that: the minimum needed to maintain health and see fitness benefits. If a person can exceed the minimum, he or she can improve personal fitness, improve management of an existing disease or condition and reduce risk for health conditions and mortality.
􀂇 Flexibility is also important. Each day a person should perform aerobic or strength training activities, taking an extra 10 minutes to stretch the major muscle and tendon groups, with 10-30 seconds for each stretch. Repeat each stretch three to four times.
Flexibility training will promote the ease of performing everyday activities.
Flexibility Guidelines
Collagen production and elasticity of the tissues decrease as we age. This impairs both flexibility and range of motion. Scientific evidence, however, suggests that much of this decline is due to inactivity. Stretching and mobilization exercises can effectively increase range of motion and flexibility in older adults, so they are an important part of any fitness program.
To gain true flexibility, you need to use a combination of stretching and “mobilizing.” You might be more familiar with the terms “limbering” or “range of motion” instead of “mobilizing.” This type of exercise is not the same as stretching, but it is closely related. With mobilizing exercises, the emphasis is on movement in the joints rather than stretching the muscles. Mobility exercises consist of active, gentle and controlled movements performed fluidly and consistently. On the other hand, stretching to improve flexibility involves assuming a position and holding it for 10 to 30 seconds to elongate the muscle.
Mobility exercises help loosen up and lubricate the joints with synovial fluid so that the joint moves freely and smoothly. This type of exercise is important for everyone, but even more so for older people, especially those with arthritis. Arthritis reduces a person’s ability to move the joints through a full range of motion. Impaired range of motion translates into a lower functional capacity and lessens a person’s ability to perform the activities of daily living.
A person who begins mobility exercise might hear a variety of grinding, grating and popping noises. These sounds might seem extremely loud to the person exercising, and that person might worry that others can hear them. This is normal, though, and as the joints are limbered, warmed and bathed in synovial fluid, the noises and sensations will go away.
This is actually not a painful condition. The usual stiffness that accompanies arthritis and periods of inactivity should be expected, but there should not be pain associated with the “snap, crackle and pop.”
Mobility exercises in sets of three to five that end in a slight two to three second stretch for each movement are especially beneficial. Two examples include:
1. Arm Raises for Shoulder Range of Motion - To do this exercise, stand with arms hanging at the sides of the body. Raise both arms out to the side and then up towards the ears. As the arms reach parallel with the floor, the palms should be turned towards the ceiling and end up facing each other as they are raised above the head. Arms should be mostly straight, but do not lock the elbows (just keep them slightly bent). Hold arms in the “up position” gently pushing upwards for a couple of seconds. Lower arms and repeat. Remember to use only slow and controlled movements. Think “fluid,” not “jerky.”
2. Standing Hip Extension for Hip Range of Motion - Stand near a wall or other object for balance. While keeping the back straight, bend both knees slightly while keeping them loose and unlocked. Keep one foot in place and pick up the other foot while pressing the leg back behind as far as comfortably possible. Hold for a couple of seconds and repeat. Other examples of mobility or range of motion exercises are elbow curls, side waist bends, wrist circles, finger curls, head turns and tilts, shoulder blade pulls, and ankle circles. If there is a movable joint, move it smoothly and gently through its range of motion to lubricate and warm it.
Stretching
Stretching refers to the process of elongating the muscles. It prevents injuries, keeps muscles relaxed and the body flexible, makes daily activities easier to perform, improves posture and reduces muscle soreness after workouts. When performing stretches, concentrate on muscles that are most frequently used in both normal activities and during training. Don’t leave out any major muscle group.
The basics of stretching include the following:
􀂇 Hold each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds.
􀂇 Rest about 15 seconds before stretching the same muscle again.
ô€‚‡ When the muscle loosens or “releases,” slowly stretch a little further.
􀂇 Stretch only to the point of mild tension, not pain.
ô€‚‡ Stretch slowly and smoothly - don’t bounce.
Inhale through the nose deeply before each stretch and exhale through the mouth while moving into a stretch. Continue breathing while holding the stretch. Make sure your clients do not hold their breath!
It is useful to do mobilization exercises as part of the warm up before strength, endurance or flexibility sessions. You could spend a couple of minutes on range of motion exercises to loosen joints about to be used, five minutes on light aerobics like walking in place or stationary biking and then a short time on a standing stretch sequence for the main muscle groups like the calf stretch, hamstring stretch, quadriceps stretch, chest stretch and upper back stretch. The true flexibility work should only take place once the muscles are warm. This could be after the initial warm up or after other exercises.
Stay tuned for Part 2, where we'll cover updated endurance training and strength training guidelines for older adults!
References:
1. American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand. The recommended quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, and flexibility in healthy adults. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc 30:975–991,1998.
2. Haskell W. L., I. M. Lee, R. R. Pate K. E. Powell, S. N. Blair, B. A. Franklin, C. A.Macera, G. W. Heath, P. D. Thompson, and A. Bauman. Physical activity and public health: updated recommendation for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 39:1423 1434, 2007.
3. Petersen TJ. SrFit: The Personal Trainer’s Resource for Senior Fitness. The American Academy of Health and Fitness, 2004.
4. Tammy Peterson
By, Natalie Pyles
Fitness & Nutrition Expert, Author, Speaker
Recipe Of The Week/ Natalie Pyles/ 11/01/08
Walnut Crusted Salmon
INGREDIENTS:
• 4 4-oz filets of salmon
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped and crushed with a pinch of cinnamon
• Drizzle of olive oil
• 8 cups salad greens
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Coat salmon filets with walnut-cinnamon mixture.
2. In a nonstick pan with a drizzle of olive oil, sear the fish on both sides to desired temperature, or when fish begins to flake.
3. On four plates divide salad greens and serve salmon on top.
Nutrients per serving (1 fillet and 2 cups greens):
Calories: 228, Total Fat: 13 g, Sat. Fat: 2 g, Mono Fat: 4 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Poly Fat: 6.5 g, Carbs: 3 g, Dietary Fiber: 1 g, Protein: 24 g, Sugars: 0 g, Sodium: 57 mg, Cholesterol: 62 mg
Enjoy!!
Natalie Pyles
Fitness & Nutrition Expert, Author, Speaker
Saturday, November 1, 2008
"How To Incorporate The Updated Food Pyramid for Older Adults To Fit Their Lifestyle"
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Friday, October 31, 2008
"How To Apply Labyrinth: Walking the Path of the Heart"
Could this centuries-old meditation help you or your clients explore the body-mind connection?
On the messy road of life, it is often challenging to determine what your next step will be, what direction you will take, which way you will turn. Perhaps that is one reason why walking a labyrinth as a meditation is so appealing: the journey is clearly marked, unobstructed and in full view. Although it twists and winds its way to the center (you do have to pay attention if you don’t want to wander off), there are no tricks, wrong choices or dead ends. To reach your destination, all you have to do is follow the path.
A labyrinth was used as a meditation tool at the 2007 Inner IDEA® Conference, and labyrinths can be found today in spas and retreat centers, churches, medical centers, schools, parks, hospitals, prisons, memorial gardens and people’s backyards. Typically, labyrinths used for meditation are based on patterns that date back thousands of years and have roots in many cultures and spiritual traditions, including those of the Celts, Mayans, Greeks and Native Americans. The labyrinth pattern is similar to the Medicine Wheel in Native American tradition and the Kabbalah in mystical Judaism.
The labyrinth commonly consists of a circular path that moves clockwise from the entrance to the center, traveling through all four quadrants. The same path is used to walk in and out of the labyrinth. The geometric structure for most labyrinths is designed to recreate archetypal patterns associated with numerous cultural and spiritual symbols: the four quadrants representing the four gospels or the four elements, seven circuits representing the seven chakras, eleven circuits plus the center representing the 12 months of the calendar, and so on. The most famous labyrinth pattern is the eleven-circuit medieval labyrinth found in Chartres Cathedral in France, inlaid into the stone floor in 1201. Labyrinths can be constructed elaborately and permanently or made quite simply, as with a portable canvas or with a dirt path marked by rocks or masking tape.
Regardless of the design or the materials used, the process of walking the labyrinth involves three phases: walking toward the center, the stage of releasing or letting go of thoughts or cares; reaching the center, the stage of receiving new insight or spiritual grace; and walking back out, the stage of union or of returning to the world with new awareness. The labyrinth can be walked individually or as a group (single-file), and is often done slowly, in silence or to soft music.
“You are taking a pilgrimage of sorts when you walk the labyrinth,” says Phyllis Pilgrim, director of body-mind-spirit and specialty week programs at Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico, and presenter of the walking labyrinth meditation at Inner IDEA. “When you go on a pilgrimage, you walk to a sacred place, such as Lourdes or Mecca, in search of spiritual grace or enlightenment. The labyrinth is a metaphor for taking that journey—traveling to a destination of spiritual teaching and then going back home.”
In fact, labyrinths have a history of being used for pilgrimages, particularly during times when it was difficult or treacherous to reach sacred destinations. In the past, seekers even traveled labyrinths on their knees, praying continuously.
“I think of the labyrinth meditation as a journey of the heart,” says Pilgrim. “You walk a seemingly convoluted path that ends up at the middle, or the center of your heart, and then you want to be open to what it has to say to you. Hopefully, when you’re through, you’re perhaps a little bit more open to change, and a more peaceful, loving being.”
Pilgrim has been guiding labyrinth meditations for spa guests at Rancho La Puerta for more than a decade. In honor of the millennium in 2000, the destination spa installed a permanent labyrinth, sheltered in an oak grove. Till then, guests had used a canvas labyrinth designed by the Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress, known to many as the foremost name in labyrinth meditation practice.
Artress is founder and creative director of Veriditas, the World-Wide Labyrinth Project, and author of several books on labyrinth meditation (see “Resources” on page 83). She created the well- known labyrinth at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, modeled after the one at Chartres, and is responsible for much of the resurgence of labyrinth use around the world.
Says Artress, “The labyrinth is a spiritual tool that has many applications in various settings. It reduces stress, quiets the mind and opens the heart. It is a walking meditation, a path of prayer, and a blueprint where psyche meets spirit.” Artress teaches labyrinth workshops around the world, and her organization also offers training for labyrinth facilitators.
Pilgrim notes that the labyrinth experience is ideal for many types of people, regardless of their spiritual background or experience with body-mind practices. “It is very well received by most spa guests, though it is usually a completely new experience for them,” says Pilgrim. “They can do it as part of a guided group or on their own. It works really well because many guests don’t want to sit still for a meditation twice a day, but they like the idea of a walking meditation. This is a bit more of a ‘doing,’ rather than just an experience of being. For fitness professionals or their clients who are more comfortable being active than still, the labyrinth is a nice opportunity to meditate, or [to] make the transition to seated meditation.”
Labyrinths are currently being used worldwide in a variety of ways: to seek spiritual guidance, to quiet the mind, to cope with problems or loss, to reduce stress or develop more balance, to ease transition, to increase creativity or simply to be self-reflective.
Pilgrim advises labyrinth walkers to clear their minds for the experience, have no expectations and just be open to their thoughts and feelings as they walk. “You make of it what you want,” she says. “People often describe the experience as very pleasant, calming and centering. There are many different approaches you can take. For example, you can think of something specific, like peace, at every step. Or you can write down or think of a question or problem and see what answers come as you walk. There does seem to be something powerful about walking back and forth in the concentric circles of the labyrinth, and there are a variety of theories about how it works. Some experts believe it activates both left and right sides of the brain.” (In fact, as Pilgrim points out, the labyrinth looks a little like a brain.)
The benefits of labyrinth walking have been explored in psychotherapy. In “Off the Couch: An Introduction to Labyrinths & Their Therapeutic Properties,” licensed clinical professional counselor and certified Veriditas facilitator Neal Harris, LCPC, DAPA, writes: “There is anecdotal research by a psychiatrist, Dr. Wayne London, which indicates that a labyrinth positively effects the brain wave activity and neurological responses of some of its users.” Adds Harris, “This research shows a short-term increase in mental clarity in some people with Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia and dyslexia, as well as greater mobility in some who are suffering with Parkinson’s disease. These effects, however, have not as yet been studied long-term” (Harris 1999).
Like Pilgrim, Harris notes that people who find it difficult to sit still and meditate or pray will find a perfect outlet in the moving contemplation that is the labyrinth experience. “It is both kinesthetic and introspective, a complete mind-body integrative activity,” he says.
Ultimately, the experience of walking a labyrinth is entirely individual, unpredictable and even a little mysterious. “What the labyrinth means for you or your clients is open,” says Pilgrim. “It’s nothing didactic. Each time you walk it, you discover something new. You experience the twists and turns of life in a new way, and you change consciousness. When you walk with a group, for example, you’ll find yourself face to face with someone for a moment, then you both turn in another direction, and you may meet again later on the path. That experience reminds me of my own life as I meet guests who come and go in my classes, just as people come and go in my life.”
Pilgrim adds that intention is an important part of the process. “You can walk a labyrinth carelessly, just as you can do anything in life carelessly. But if you walk with openness and mindfulness, you’ll learn and make discoveries from the experience. Your heart will teach you.”
Resources
www.geomancy.org/sacred-space/labyrinths/about-labyrinths/construction/index.html: instructions for building a labyrinth; information on sacred geometry, chakras and music as they relate to labyrinths
www.gracecathedral.org/labyrinth: Grace Cathedral labyrinths, online “finger meditation” labyrinth
www.labyrinthcompany.com: labyrinth purchase and rental
www.labyrinthsociety.org: labyrinth information, worldwide labyrinth locator
www.lessons4living.com/labyrinth.html: ways to use a labyrinth and other information
www.relax4life.com/articles.html: information on psychology and the labyrinth
www.veriditas.net: workshops with Rev. Dr. Lauren Artress, labyrinth facilitation training, worldwide labyrinth locator, products
Books
Artress, L. 1995. Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Tool. New York: Riverhead.
Artress, L. 2000. The Sand Labyrinth: Meditation at Your Fingertips. Boston: Journey Editions.
Artress, L. 2006. The Sacred Path Companion: A Guide to Walking the Labyrinth to Heal and Transform. New York: Riverhead.
Curry, H. 2000. The Way of the Labyrinth: A Powerful Meditation for Everyday Life. New York: Penguin.
West, M.G. 2000. Exploring the Labyrinth: A Guide for Healing and Spiritual Growth. New York: Broadway Books.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
"How To Use EFT For Weight Loss"
Almost every trainer can relate with the frustration of wanting their clients to lose weight. As you encourage and support your clients to the best of your ability, they can often infuriate you by saying they blew their nutrition over the last week and never made it to the gym. When this happens, it is obvious that the problem does not lie in the exercise program or nutrition plan but in the mind of your client. The only solution for most personal trainers to this problem is to continue offering encouragement and hope the client makes that change. Psychological Influences Any change in life brings both positive and negative consequences. Even something such as winning $8 million on the lottery will bring some negatives (e.g., people befriending you for the money, publicity, etc). However, regardless of the negative aspects, not many people would turn down this if given the choice. Losing weight is not as clear cut as choosing to win $8 million. For one, it is not luck but an effort that will allow a client to achieve his goal weight. The next major factor is that the benefits of not achieving your goal weight often far outweigh the benefits of achieving it. Here are a few examples of the pros and cons of losing weight: Positive Consequences Negative Consequences Feel good People will judge you Feel attractive Unwanted attention Regain confidence Need to buy new clothes More energy
It is the relative balance of the positive consequences versus the negatives consequences that determines how much “motivation” the client shows.
The Key to the Mind: Your Subconscious
The mind and how we think is very complicated, but it can be simplified to being comprised of the conscious and the subconscious. The conscious mind is the thoughts and things that come to your awareness. The subconscious mind is the activity of the brain you not aware of. It controls and processes all of the information you receive, and it runs the body.
For success in any endeavour, the subconscious mind must be in tune with your conscious desires. It is the role of the subconscious that will determine the outcome. If the conscious mind determined success, then any goal you said you wanted to achieve you would easily attain, provided you knew how. This is not the case.
The subconscious is where all your previous experiences and beliefs are held. These can be thought of as the writing on the wall of your mind. Whenever you try and act consciously, the subconscious first checks with the writing inside the mind to see that this is something you really want to do. For example, if you thought, “I am going to jump into that fire,” the subconscious would check with what it has written down in your mind about fire and influence your decision. This is obviously vital in this example, and the writing in your mind on this subject is fairly clear, “Fire burns, burns hurt... do not jump in.”
However, what happens when a more neutral thought occurs that has conflicting writing on the wall? For example, if you said, “I want to lose 10 pounds of fat,” the subconscious writing on the wall may read, “You need to do this, you'll feel great,” but at the same time, there may also be thoughts saying, “You cannot lose weight,” beliefs saying, “You will become unpopular among your friends at work” and memories saying, “Thin people are arrogant” and “You don’t deserve to be thin.” These would all conflict with the conscious, and ultimately, these thoughts, beliefs and memories would determine your behavior.
The Subconscious and Losing Weight
When someone is trying to lose weight, there are many factors influencing his goal. For the majority of people looking to lose weight, especially long term overweight people, you will find the subconscious has a number of reasons why it feels it is best for them to stay overweight.
These can be for all sorts of possible reasons, but they will mostly stem from events in the past. An example could be if the client has experienced a previous trauma with the opposite sex (e.g., divorce), they may protect themselves in the future by staying overweight. Sometimes people may be punishing themselves for something they did.
Another common factor is that people find an emotional comfort in foods, which causes them to gain weight. If this is the case, you will find they will struggle greatly when you take this food away, because you have taken away their emotional support. This equates to taking a smoker’s cigarette away.
Whatever the influence may be, and the list is almost endless, it is important for you to not guess at the cause but to help clients identify it for themselves, and then apply EFT and other strategies to resolve the problem.
Emotional Freedom Technique and Other Techniques
To develop the mind set, first identify possible blocks. From this point, the application of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is the fastest way to removing these.
EFT is a branch of energy psychology, the fastest growing aspect of psychology today. It was discovered in 1980 when Dr. Roger Callaghan was treating his patient for an intense water phobia. She complained in the session of stomach pain, so he told her to tap under her eye as knew the energy meridian of the stomach ended there (from acupuncture theory). To his surprise, the lady’s fear of water disappeared.
From that point on, he began studying this phenomenon and went on to create a new branch of therapy called energy psychology. A student of Dr Callaghan, Gary Craig, a Stamford engineer, trained under him and then advanced the theory and made it accessible to all by creating EFT.
EFT is a system that involves tapping on certain acupuncture points with your fingers while tuning into specific negative thoughts. The system is based on the premise that “a disruption to the electrical patterns of the body is the cause of negative emotion,” so EFT works by realigning your electrical energy system associated with different thoughts by tapping on the point of the body used in acupuncture.
When your electrical pattern is disturbed, you could talk about an issue until you are blue in the face, and it will not resolve the problem. Similarly, this explains why sometimes illogical thoughts can prevent people from achieving their goals.
EFT can be used on any thoughts and memories from the past that still cause negative emotions when you think about it now. Using EFT, you can now remove the emotional charge on those thoughts. As well as using EFT for this, you can also apply it to present/future issues and emotional connections. When the mind is cleared of these blocks, your clients will be able to go on and lose weight.
The success of EFT is due in part to the startling results that can be achieved using the technique and also by the fact that the processes involve no pain or need to bring up any painful memories.
The Theory Behind EFT
The premise of the theory is summed up by its discovery statement: “The cause of all negative or unwanted emotion is a disruption to the body’s electrical energy system.” This is inherently different to the way traditional psychology would view emotions. They would see it as: distressing memory -> negative emotion.
EFT would say there is a vital intermediate step: distressing memory -> disrupted electrical energy system -> negative emotion.
To dissolve the negative emotion associated with the memory, you do not need to treat your memory but instead realign the energy in your body. In EFT, you are tapping on the meridian points on the body (see below). The meridian points are where an electrical pathway that runs through the body ends. Think of it like an electrical lead going from one part to the other. This can be easily imagined as if you bent your finger right now. To do this, an electrical signal is sent through your nerves from the brain to move your finger.
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EFT and Losing Weight
To ensure the electrical system associated with the negative emotion/issue is being balanced, you will need to say certain statements before the tapping and during. To lose weight, your client must resolve the emotional blocks. Picture the problem of losing weight as a table top. The many blocks contributing to the problem can be thought of as the legs to this table. The tabletop may have many table legs underneath, which represent different emotional contributors. The idea of EFT is to collapse the emotional issues, or the table legs, to the point where there are not enough to support the table. In other words, if you collapse enough emotional issues under your problem, you will resolve it.
Some of the table legs are thicker than others and thus more important to resolving the issue. Sometimes there may be just two or three legs, and sometimes you may need to break down more than 20.
Many of the table legs to a problem are previous memories of events that happened to you. These show up in your behavior today by influencing your thought processes. These may be rational or irrational thoughts. Being scared of a tiny spider that couldn’t hurt you is a very real fear to many people, but it is also irrational. Your previous memories (table legs) can also be irrational and will affect you today.
An irrational thought is in your mind because there is a disturbed electricity field associated with it. Therefore, you must use EFT to resolve the issue as it will likely not respond very well to conscious rationale because the cause of the problem is in the electrical pattern within the body.
One of the great benefits of EFT is that it can be done on your own, and clients can often make great progress from just a few minutes a day.
Once the negative blocks are removed, you can include techniques that develop the positive aspects of success. This includes using visualization techniques, positive self talk/language and activating the Law of Attraction. Please note these techniques will be useless unless the negative blocks have been broken down first. Only when this is done will clients be able to successfully overcome them.
Using EFT with Clients
Trainers who are interested in ensuring their clients get results should look to visit the referenced articles and websites below. This will allow you to broaden your knowledge about the topics covered. It is highly recommended to download the free EFT manual by Gary Craig.
For immediate use with your clients, ask them the questions below. They are designed to get clients thinking about their current situation and their thought patterns. They are not intended to solve their problems or unearth specific table legs but simply to get them thinking. Please refer all of your clients to a suitably trained professional for any sort of treatment or therapy.
- When did you gain your excess weight, and what was going on in your life at that time?
- What is the downside of achieving your goal weight?
- What s the upside of staying where you are?
- Why are you struggling to achieve your goal? Why are you letting this stop you?
References:
- Callaghan, Roger. PhD. Originator of Thought Field Therapy, http://www.thoughtfieldtherapy.com
- Craig, Gary. Emotional Freedom Technique, DVD. www.emofree.com
- Craig, Gary. Emotional Freedom Technique: The Palace of Possibilities, DVD.
- Craig, Gary. Emotional Freedom Technique: Theory of Past Memories Influence Upon Current Day Goals, DVD. www.emofree.com
- Ben Wilson
* Many of the concept discussed come from Neuro Linguistic programming (NLP) principles. Please see relevant NLP sites including those of the original creators John Grindler http://www.johngrinder.com and Dr Roger Bandler http://www.richardbandler.com
| By, Natalie Pyles Fitness & Nutrition Expert, Author, Speaker |
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