Showing Love on Valentine's Day

How You Too Can Show Love on Valentine's Day


I am a single parent, so every Valentine's Day, I cook shrimp fettuccine for my two daughters, and I buy chocolate-covered strawberries for each of my girls. I spend the evening with them and explain the meaning of love, friendship and having/being a family.

— Johnita of Phoenix, Arizona

Share Your Story With Us fitnesselementsassociates@yahoo.com

Are you Ignoring The elephant In The Room?

Obesity: A Shifting Paradigm

# Obesity increasing in industrialized nations
# One billion people globally are considered overweight
# When you take people from a rural area and put them in an urban area obesity levels go up
# It seems the start of the current obesity epidemic was 500 years ago during the European colonization
# On a global scale we’ve become so reliant on technology…everything is done for us
# The industrial revolution changed the world
# The ancient genome which was protective has become a liability
# BMI doesn’t take body composition into consideration
# We can’t just look at BMI by itself
# Fat localized to the belly region is implicated in a cascade of metabolic diseases
# Its possible to not be obese on the BMI scale or even body composition measures, yet if the concentration of body fat is located in the belly region accompanied by habits that are contraindicated to health we could be predisposed to health risks
# People can carry body fat and still be healthy
# The weight loss agenda
# Calories in vs. calories out
# Making small changes we can live with
# People who are upright and gravity bearing can lower body weight and improve their health
# The tread-desk improved entire metabolic profile
# Does the media contribute to or help the obesity problem?
# The secret is there is no secret
# As a fitness professional I am an educator
# Re-educate and re-frame


CALL Now 1-800-681-9894 For A FREE Recorded Message On All Products, Programs, & Services Or Visit WWW.MyFitnessElements.com

Call The Diet Busters!

Warning: The single biggest mistake people make when going on a weight-loss program is the prior planning and investigating of hiring the right person for the job. Deciding to make a clear decision and committing to Lifestyles changes isn't easy and requires Hard Work, Focus and Planning. You make sure this individual is 100 % committed to You as You are to them before jumping in to just any program. How do I know this because I've been where you are and the last thing you need is someone who doesn't Care!

ACT NOW FOR LIFE CHANGING RESULTS & LET AN EXPERT & FITNESS COACH GUIDE & ADVISE YOU!

YOU are the only one stopping YOU from having Real Breakthroughs in your weight-loss Success!

The truth is I felt the very same way and worked hard to crack the code myself, made progress but couldn't quite get it. Eventually, I found a Nutritionist, Personal Trainer, and Fitness Coach like myself and that single decision to say Yes, Yes, Yes and take Decisive Action made all the difference in the world!

If You want someone who understands what You are going through, Brag on You when You have Your Successes & Victories, to stand by You and encourage You in tough times then I am Your Solution!

The Diet Busters will throw out all the food You shouldn't eat, Re- Stock your house with what you should eat... Go with you to lunch and enforce diet... Check with you by phone and quiz you on what you are eating, and check with your Spouse, Housekeeper, Secretary, and even the Restaurants You frequently eat at to keep you from cheating. You need a Nutrition Detective!

We All Need advice, guidance, coaching, and sometimes, somebody to tell us what to do. I know I did and that is why I Conquered my on going Battle with weight years ago.

Call Now and Get Your Free Fitness & Nutritional Consultation 1-800-681-9894 or 480-212-1947 or
Fax 623-399-4199
WWW.TheNutritionDetective.com

The Power Of The Core and Neurostabilization Training

Core training and neurostabilization training are extremely popular but as professionals we must understand the science and technology behind current trends in exercise. Core training can be just another fad or it can be a scientifically-based methodology that involves a functional and progressive approach to movement re-education and performance enhancement. It is important that you understand the necessary steps to develop a ‘core training’ program. It is also important that you understand that many variations of training and many opinions will be presented to you; however, there is a neurological framework and musculoskeletal structure that require a special sequential approach. This article will discuss the philosophy and the sequence behind building a practical model for training the core.

First, you must understand that the brain recognizes movement patterns and not simply muscle groups. Yet, many professionals are still stuck in isolation training or muscle group training. Understanding movement patterns is a little more in-depth and complicated than simply understanding muscle groups. You need to understand the role of stabilizers and the role of movers. You need to understand the most basic patterns of human movement and how they build upon each other in a neuro-developmental sequence starting in infancy and developing through childhood. You also need to understand that the most fundamental activities of the human body revolve around simple and basic movements of running and climbing.

Running demands that a spine be stable and transfer energy from one leg to the other as well as deal with the counterbalance movement of the arms as they swing, whereas climbing requires that the spine be mobile, adaptable and dynamic. These are two very fundamental movements of the human body, and yet they contrast each other in their demands of the core.

You must also understand that the core runs on a reflex base. This means that the core musculature is engaged by reflexes in response to your actions and reactions. As many of your movements involving the limbs are structured, controlled, planned out and trained, the movements of your core are reflex driven in an attempt to stabilize the spine so that more efficient movement patterns of the extremities can be produced. When the core is not functioning properly, you should first look for things that would limit this reflex behavior - significant limitations with respect to flexibility as well as asymmetries between the left and right side of the body. Imbalances in muscle groups including agonist and antagonist can all create a need for the core to compensate.

When the core must compensate, the effectiveness of the reflex with its natural sequence and timing is interrupted and the result is a less efficient core that is more susceptible to injury. Since most of us do not have high-tech equipment and EMG to check the core musculature for its efficiency in demonstrating perfect sequence and timing, we must approach training from a different aspect. If we can establish that there is minimal reason for the core to compensate, then we can assume that the appropriate amount of training will produce the desired result with respect to core stabilization and core strength.

• Screening fundamental movements will demonstrate significant limitations and asymmetries, and will also help to narrow the focus of problem areas within the human body. This will open the door to more involved assessment and evaluation practices that can produce effective exercise techniques that refine mobility and stability, as well as rehabilitation strategies that will reduce asymmetries and limitations.

• Once adequate mobility has been demonstrated and the need for compensation has been reduced, it is important to understand the distinct difference between stability and strength. Many assume that doing crunches and increasing the strength of the abdominal musculature will produce a stable core. This is a simplistic approach and it fails to demonstrate the difference between stability and strength. Stability is the use of muscular timing, control and sequence to maintain a relatively stationary or stable spine in the presence of extremity movement whereas strength would demonstrate or reflect the need for movement. Doing more crunches demonstrates greater endurance and greater strength of the core but still does not guarantee that the core will stabilize in a striding or squatting movement. It is important to establish spine stabilization prior to core strengthening.

• Stabilization techniques should be grouped by functional foot position and requirements of spine stability. Good examples are the first 3-foot positions taken from the Reebok Movement Screens. They are squatting, stepping and lunging.

Squat	Hurdle Step	Lunge

The squat movement is a double leg stance that is symmetrical. The legs perform the same tasks and the same role within the same range of motion. The hurdle step is single-leg stance requiring one leg to move freely and be a mobile segment while the other leg supports the weight of the body and is a stable segment. The lunge is almost a combination of the two above positions in that both legs remain on the floor like the squat but they are in complete opposition of each other as in a stepping motion such as the hurdle step.

These very different foot positions place different demands on the core and, when combined with diagonal movements of the upper extremity, represent a complete array of functional and athletic movements that provide opportunities for appropriate stabilization. Key equipment and communicating stabilization through proprioception include slide board, medicine ball, stability ball, cable column and core board training.

Since the core functions on a reflex base, it is necessary for initial stabilization training to be at that level. This means minimizing verbal and visual input and allowing exercise to communicate to the core what is necessary. This is a science called Reactive Neuromuscular Training and can be done by exaggerating the mistake that the individual performing the exercise is currently making. By exaggerating this mistake through weight shift or reduced control, the individual exercising has a greater proprioceptive awareness of poor timing, coordination, movement sequence, posture and joint position. If done safely and effectively, this will ultimately allow the exerciser to slowly correct the problem accelerating motor learning. Once neurostabilization training has been implemented, core strengthening can be performed through isolation or functional movements.

In closing, it is extremely important that you identify and isolate the important statements within each one of these bullet point paragraphs. They build an appropriate case for core training and will help you evaluate the many protocols and exercise techniques that will be coming your way in the future as the trends of core training and neurostabilization training are popularized. No doubt, many will jump on the bandwagon of core training but few will endure the criteria laid before them. The future of our profession lies in our credibility and attention to detail. It also relies on our creativity and openness to new concepts and philosophies. I hope this article / lecture has given you food for thought and the desire to learn.

References: Gray Cook

Call Me For Your FREE Consultation Today! 1-800-681-9894 or e-mail fitnesselementsassociates@yahoo.com

Forwarded By, Natalie Pyles

Fitness & Nutritional Expert, Author, Speaker

WWW.MyFitnessElements.com

Natalie's Recipe of the Week

Lime and Cilantro Fish Marinade

If healthy eating doesn’t come naturally, try something different: a savory marinade.

Ingredients:


• 4 limes, sliced and seeded
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 jalapenos, seeded
• 3 tablespoons flaxseed oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash
• 8 or 9 white fish fillets

Instructions:

Blend all of the ingredients together, except the fish, for 30 seconds. Then pour the mixture over the fish fillets and let them marinate in the fridge overnight in a covered container. Remove the fish from the sauce and broil it in the oven for two minutes on each side. Serve immediately.

WWW.MyFitnessElements.com or 480-212-1947 For Your FREE Nutritional Analysis Today!

"Learn How To Eat with your stomach, not your eyes"

"Learn How To Eat with your stomach, not your eyes"

It's halfway through January and your initial enthusiasm for those fitness resolutions may be waning.
People grappling with diets often eat until their plate is clean, rather than when they feel full.

People grappling with diets often eat until their plate is clean, rather than when they feel full.

After maintaining an austere, healthy diet for a few weeks, the desire to eat a juicy cheeseburger proves too irresistible for some dieters.

"It's natural that most people when they are following a New Year's resolution or any program to change something in their life, that they will fall off the wagon or they'll have a setback or a failure," said Jillian Michaels, a personal trainer for NBC's show "The Biggest Loser."

Rather than beating yourself up after having a setback, learn from the missteps, experts say.

It's a matter of attitude, Michaels said. Learn from the setbacks and view "a failure as a point of learning, an opportunity to see what works and what doesn't."

For those grappling with diets,striving for moderation is a constant battle.
House Call
Learn the top changes you need to make or break bad diet habits in 2009
8:30 a.m. ET Sat. & Sun.
see full schedule »

"We eat with our eyes, not out of our stomach," said Dr. Melina Jampolis, the diet and fitness expert for CNNhealth.com. "It's much more difficult to control serving sizes."

People have a tendency to keep eating until their plate is clean or the container of cookies is empty.

"A lot of people eat too much and their clothes feel tight. You shouldn't have to unbutton your pants, blouse or unzip anything after your meal," said Cheryl Forberg, the nutritionist for "The Biggest Loser." "You lose sight of your body's natural hunger cues."
Don't Miss

* Nine nutrition essentials for 2009
* Steps to trim calories and waistline

To become more attuned to your body, avoid eating while standing up, sitting at the desk or inside a car, she said. Dedicate time for meals and snacks.

Rather than viewing meals as an obligatory part of the day, "learn to enjoy the process. At the same time, you begin to stop eating when you're comfortable, instead of when you have to unzip your jeans," Forberg said.

Avoid stocking problem foods like cookies or ice cream in the house if you know you can't resist them.
Health Library

* MayoClinic.com: Weight maintenance -- keep the weight off permanently
* MayoClinic.com: Eating and exercise -- time it right to maximize your workout

"When you know you have a weakness with chocolate or cookies, you probably shouldn't keep it in the house if you know you can't stop at one," she said.

One way to retrain the body is to divide snacks by portion sizes.

"Those 100-calories packs retrain people to the eye and decrease the snacking," Jampolis said. "It's more expensive and not environmentally friendly, but you're much better off getting a 100-calorie pack rather than eating out of container."

"If you're on a budget and you want to be more environmentally friendly, make your own. Every Sunday, measure 100 calories into seven Ziploc bags," she said. You can even recycle the bags.

References:

CNN- Madison Park
Forwarded By, Natalie Pyles

Fitness & Nutritional Expert, Author, Speaker

Call Me For Your FREE Consultation Today! 1-800-681-9894 or e-mail fitnesselementsassociates@yahoo.com
WWW.MyFitnessElements.com

"Are Riding Two Horses at Once Is Really Possible"

The danger of riding two horses at once is that you can easily get split in half! To ride two horses at once, not only must the rider must be skilled, but both horses must be in controlled and must be comfortable running next to each other... in tandem.

Like a horse and its rider, we all have needs that must be met if we are to maintain the wealth of health. First, we must care for our “self.” The self is our idea of who we are and our idea of our body and its needs. In essence, these needs are:

1. Optimal food
2. Optimal water
3. Optimal rest
4. Optimal movement or exercise
5. Safe shelter
6. Optimal warmth (energy)

These needs are also the needs of a business, which must be seen as a living entity if one is to be successful in the development, management and growth of any business. The same is true for those working within a business, for they either create safety and security in a business or diminish it.

If we look at these needs as they apply to a business, they convert as follows:

1. Optimal availability and use of resources
2. Optimal flow (incoming and outgoing of resources and the ability to adapt)
3. Optimal work/rest ratio to keep ownership, management and staff healthy
4. Optimal use of effort and skill within the business and marketing of the business
5. Enhanced stability within owners and employees (which creates stability of the business)
6. Consistent cash flow, working capital and revenue

Would it be a good idea to try and ride two horses, before you’ve mastered riding one?

The first horse we need to learn to ride is the horse of self. Only when we’ve achieved a level of self love and self awareness that produces a surplus of life force and internal resources are we ever likely to have what it takes to energize a business endeavor.

Anyone with experience riding horses knows that an unhealthy horse doesn’t like anyone on its back! An unhealthy horse is a dangerous horse to ride and is potentially risky to be around. It would be a mistake to hitch a sick horse to a wagon or a plow. To do so increases the likelihood of not getting the hay in before it rains, not preparing the fields for new crops, etc. Forcing a sick horse to be productive may actually kill it!

I repeatedly find myself coaching sick, tired and burned out people who own businesses and who manage staff. When I look into my clients' lives (how they manage themselves), it is obvious they don’t know how to care for the (animal) body. Yet, they work earnestly to care for and improve a second horse.

When we care for ourselves intelligently, we manage our lifestyle such that it creates inner wealth, abundant energy and a genuine sense of freedom. These are necessary qualities for success in any endeavor. A healthy body is a prerequisite for a healthy mind. No business owner, manger or employee can create a healthy business without a healthy mind! Each horse (self and business) has needs. However, it is the horse of “self” that feeds the horse of business every time. When we come to work tired, poorly fed, dehydrated, lacking sleep, rest or non essential (play) time, we are far more likely to find ourselves repelled or repulsed by people and the challenges natural to any business. This is burnout.

The horse (body) is a strong animal. Yet, managed gently by instinct and intelligence (mind), the horse responds gracefully to its rider’s cues. This is a healthy partnership. Managed poorly, the horse is pained and may throw you off (addiction, obesity and diseases)!

Now, let’s take a look at the two horses. One horse represents the horse of “self” or the female part of you. She needs the rest (moisture), energy (movement) and (self) time to create a nurturing home environment in which she may cultivate the necessary life force to feed and manage the second horse, which is the natural complement in a personal/professional relationship. The second horse represents the male part of you, which is expansive, logical, constructive, warming, divisional and self expressive. If the female (horse of self) is overworked, under rested, poorly fed, inadequately watered or lacks safety and security, she dries out, and the male (horse of self) has to over compensate in order to create balance. The rider then has a very hard time controlling and working the horses.

Likewise, when we come to work, it is our function to foster partnerships with both staff and customer. Yet, if one shows up depleted, dried out as a prune (you certainly can’t re-create a plum), things cannot flow. By the very laws of nature, dryness absorbs moisture around it. This means that a problematic paradox emerges. Those that are burned out and who should be managing and maintaining their business avoid their employees and don’t connect with their customers. They begin drawing precious, vital energy, moisture (flow) out of the business, their employees and their customers... not a sign of health, is it?

What does this look like? We have all seen it:

* Physicians who are more unhealthy than their patients.
* Teachers who resent their students.
* Firemen who can’t hold the hose or carry victims down the ladder to safety.
* Policemen too fat to run after a bad guy.
* Business owners who isolate themselves through preservation and who become unwilling and uninterested in meeting the needs of staff and customers.
* Personal rainers who look and feel worse than their clients.

In order to ride two horses at once, each horse must be healthy and feel safe with the rider. If this does not happen, any other horse is a potential threat to it’s safety, resources become limited and survival behavior leads to over investment in self (one horse sees the other as a threat to it’s own survival). A sick horse is a liability!

The rider must have mastery riding one horse before attempting to ride two horses, or disaster is inevitable. Each horse must have a common tandem objective, or the rider will become split in half! Each horse must be felt and seen as an extension of “self” and cared for as such. Anything else leads to one horse feeling abandoned, even though the other is standing right next to it. Any horse that feels deserted is unlikely to comply with the wishes or direction of the rider or the other horse. Abandonment creates a sense of absence: there but not there. Each must be groomed, cared for and treated as a unique individual. Two healthy halves equal a strong and healthy whole. You and you become one: two horses working as a functional unit sharing the load.

I encourage you to bring your horses together in harmony with clearly defined core values, goals and objectives. When we do this, we successfully ride two horses at once. One who successfully rides two horses at once enjoys more than double the satisfaction, safety and security and joy of working together in tandem. The whole is greater than the sum of it’s parts. When we ride two horses together successfully, each horse has the satisfaction and joy of companionship from the other. And we more than double our horsepower!

My dream for all of us working together is that we all ride safely in harmony with both our individual and professional goals and overcome the challenges of balancing self and business. My success is your success, and your success is my success. The world benefits greatly when we come together in love and synergy. To do this, we must cultivate our instincts, feed our intellect and ultimately nurture our relationships with self and other. The rest is natural and easy. Then we will ride two horses at once!

Photo Credit: R. Michael Tonnesen, www.adirondackminute.com

References: Pual Chek

Forwarded by, Natalie Pyles

Fitness & Nutritional Expert, Author, Speaker

Call Me For Your FREE Consultation Today! 1-800-681-9894 or 480-212-1947 or e-mail fitnesselementsassociates@yahoo.com
WWW.MyFitnessElements.com