Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

  

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 2011 as National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. I encourage all Americans to take action by learning about and engaging in activities that promote healthy eating and greater physical activity by all our Nation's children.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA

So its ok if you haven't been doing you part this whole month, but the month isn't over and we still have time to make a difference.

Childhood Obesity is NOT OK!



First off, lets get a little educated on whats going on.

Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years.

The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 20% in 2008. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to 18% over the same period.

In 2008, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.

Overweight is defined as having excess body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water, or a combination of these factors. Obesity is defined as having excess body fat.

Overweight and obesity are the result of “caloric imbalance”—too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed—and are affected by various genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors.

Kids: 'They're not going to outlive their parents'



You get the picture, now what can we do to help these poor kids!


For starters, if you are a parent BE A PARENT. To quote a rapper I like "If your a parent, then be a parent, get off the couch and go raise your son." - Chamillionare
With every war, we need a general. A leader who will deliver us from our enemy. Parents, you are you children's greatest hope! The best way to lead is by example. So quit making excuses, your kiddos hear you complain and they will become that. Get outside and Do Life.
Next tip, just turning off social media more often. TV, Computer, radio, mp3 players, cell phones, all that. If you just start off spending more time interacting you will create building blocks for a better life. A healthier, happier, LONGER life with your kids. Play games, do a craft, fix something together. You don't need to start off with working out to fix the problem.
Back to turning off the TV, advertising, when kids are watching TV the evil (oh yes I am calling them evil) corporate fast food companies spend money and do research to specifically target your children.

'They can't resist, they are kids! They need your guidance as an adult to know what is right from wrong, good from bad. I suggest you meet with a professional and do research of your own so you can show them the difference.
The last thing I'm going to say is SEEK HELP like with any addiction you need to admit their is a problem and take steps to fix them! Do some research and see what local help you can receive. It takes a village, its going to take every ones involvement to bring these numbers down.

If you thin and have thin kids, congratulations. You can help too, volunteer to help educate kids and organize neighborhood activities that get the community moving!

Leave your creative ideas in the comments so we can all share ideas of how to help out our kiddos and ourselves.

Workout Week 2

So here we are. Hopefully you made it through week one with me. This week our focus wil be on Movement effencincy and core conditioning. We are going to get from point A to point B the most effective and safest way.
For example, if you are doing yard work and you need to move a cinderblock. How are you going to move it?
 
Your first thought would be bend over, grab it, hoist it closer to your body, then maybe balance it againt your hips while you do a waddle step then thurst/drop it where it needs to go.
EH! WRONG!

You will ruin your back this way! Instead you want to use a squat or kneel then use your legs to power the object upwards and in, then to set it down just reverse the move.


As far as core conditioning goes, well your core is not just your abs, your core in your entire trunk and all the muscles that attach Front and Back.

Notice how many muscles there are! If you are core training you will need to hit all of them!
So without further talk, lets get to this weeks workout shall we! *This week I will begin to introduce more equipment*

Monday
Warm up, 5 minutes of movement
*Today you will need a BOSU
Side oblique crunches 3 sets of 32 each side

To make it easier or harder work with your levers. Easier would be hands crossed over your body and knees on the ground, harder would be one leg up and hovering with both arms extended overhead.
Rotating crunches 3 sets of 16

Remember, if you are swinging and using your momentum you are cheeting.On this one get into positon then as you crunch up slowly and exhale, you will bring the opposite shoulder twards your knee. Hold for a second then release down. Make sure you get each side 16 times each set.
1 minute of rotating mountain climbers slow- three sets

Now the picture is showing a more advanced version. I want your BOSU flipped over but what I want you to do is bring the knee to the opposite elbow and rotate. Then simply switch off for a minute. You get a little break then twice more.
-REPEAT AS NECESSARY-

Tuesday
Warm up, 5 minutes of movement
3 sets of 8 pikes

Start off laying down, then engage your CORE and contract up. DO NOT swing yourself up. Hold for half a second then inhale down.
Partner Abs 3 sets of 16

You can also grab on to a sturdy object like a chair, but you wont get the affect of the throwdown momentum. Hang onto your partners legs, keep your knees straight and your butt on the ground (not like the guy in the picture) you partner will push your legs to the ground as hard as they can and you will stop them with your CORE before they hit the ground, then bring your legs back up quickly.
Millitary Crunches 3 sets of 16

You are going to get into position like this guy, then when you contract, your goal is to lift your shoulder and hipbones off the ground. Remember to exhale on the crunch and inhale on the release.
-REPEAT AS NECESSARY-

Wednesday
warm up, 5 minutes of movement
*today you will want a balance ball and light weights
Advanced Supermans, 3 sets of 16

Harder would extend the arms or even take turns with one leg raised.

Balancing Rows 3 sets of 16 each arm

This is the closest picture I could find to what I wanted. What I am going to have you do is have your shins/ tops of your feet balanced on the ball. Your arms will be in a push up positon, but you will be holding weights and doing rows.

Now if the push up is too much, then just do the rows. I want you to really work to stay on the ball tho. This is where balance comes in to play.
Bridge, 3 sets of 32


Remember to really contract your glutes on this one. Navel to spine and breathe.
-REPEAT AS NECESSARY-

Thursday
warm up, 5 minutes of movement
*today grab a BOSU and two paper plates
Moving planks 3sets one minute each

Paper Plates Mountain Climbers 3 sets of 1 minute each

Knees come into your body quickly and press back. Paper Plates go under toes to make you glide
BOSU bicycle 3 sets of 1 minute each

Dont fall off and have fun!
-REPEAT AS NECESSARY-

Friday
Warm up, 5 minutes of movement
*need light weights
Standng Oblique Crunches3 sets of 16

This is a fun one, remember to CRUNCH or you may not feel it.
Inverted bicycle 5 minutes

Keep your core and legs TIGHT
Core Bridge 3 sets of 16


SQUEEZE in your glutes to lift
-REPEAT AS NECESSARY-

Saturday
warm up, 5 minutes of movement
*may want to be i a gym this day
Pull Ups (go to fatigue)

Either use a dip assist machine to make it easier, or add a weight belt to make it harder
Back Lifts 3 sets of 20

If you need it harder just extend your arms or hold some weight
Advanced Superman floor.3 sets of 16

Raise up opposite arms and legs for a total of 16 each side per set.

And thats it for the week! Make sure you reful after your workouts or your will be very sore. I also recommend that you go for a 15 minute brisk walk each evening to prevent stifness.
E-Mail or comment if you have any questions! Have a fantastic week.

Is the Price Right? Is the Trainer Right?

How much should you really be paying for a personal trainer? The average cost of a trainer is around $50.00- $80.00 per session (one hour) and I say average because there is just so much out there. For example, if you have a trainer at a private camp, your price tag is going to be the the quadruple zeros range. {$10,000} Then you also may know someone who is a good friend for a long time who will train you for $10 an hour. A lot of trainers will also do a service exchange with other licensed professionals. Example; Massage Therapists, Coaches, Photographers, Accountants etc.

So why does a trainer cost so much?
Would you want someone with the gym experience of a 15 year old to tell you what to do? Now you may want a trainer with the body of a 15 year old to train you, but to insure that they are qualified they need to get licenced. Most certification companies will charge between $500-$1,000 for books, materials, and the test. Now add a college degree on top of that, and your looking at a lot of debt. and it doesn't stop there.

After getting educated and certified many trainers will begin working for a gym to build up a client base. Some gyms require a trainer to get their own liability insurance and business licence. Add that up for another $500. Then with how saturated the market is, trainers will need to spend money getting their name out there. Separation yourself from the crowd is expensive, trainers may spend hundreds in their first year trying to draw attention.

Now you might be wondering how any of them get started. Well a new trainer will be focusing on just getting their name out there. You can probably find a new trainer who is willing charge $25- $35 for a session. If someone is new to the fitness field (less than a year of experience) this is a reasonable price. Keep in mind that your trainer is learning from you, don't expect them to know everything or to know what is proper for all health problems.

So if you are looking for a trainer make sure you ask them these questions
1. Who are you certified through? (Keep your eyes out for trainers who are certified through ACE, ACSM, NASAM, ISSA, AFAA. These are the leading certifications)
2. How much do you charge? (See if they have any discounts or packaging available)
3. How long have you been in the fitness industry (If they have a background in group fitnessthen keep your ears perked up)
4. How long have you been a personal trainer? (Does their experience match their price?)
5. What are you sports? (Keep your eyes open for an athlete)

If you feel like your trainer is someone who has expertise in a field that matches your needs (you have arthritis and they have been teaching water aerobics for 5 years) then you should defiantly keep them in your radar. If they are a bodybuilder and you want to do a triathlon then you should look for a trainer who better matches your needs.

Finally, you need to know when they are just after your wallet. The family rule is; if they are making something sound too good to be true, it is. If they are pushing you to buy right now "for the next hour if you sign up for a month you get %10 percent off" NEVER fall for this pressure sale! They want you to hurry into a contract without thinking about it. If they are offering a promotion and you want more time to think, just ask them if they will honor the promotional price if you can go home and talk to your spouse about it first.

So is training for you? This is up for you to decide. It is a big financial commitment, but in the long run you will live with a higher quality of life, be healthier, do more and spend less time in a hospital for health issues. Stay tuned for a post on the benefits of personal training. Have a fantastic weekend and remember to party safe!

As always, leave a question or a comment in the post comment box or the bottom community question box.

Workout Week 1

This week we are going to focus on a beginner friendly workout. We are going to cater to those individuals who need to work on their stability/ mobility base. So our two training components highlighted will be our Postural kinetic chain stability and kinetic chain mobility.
Kinetic means body weight, so all our workouts will only involve the weight of our own body. Everything this week will be your bread and butter, the basic moves of fitness. So who is ready to get started?

Monday
warm up, 5 minutes of movement
3 sets of 16 body weight squats

make sure to go down and up slow and controlled. You want to move around 2 counts up and 3-4 counts down.
3 sets of 16 calf raises

The same rules apply, go slow. If having both legs together is too easy, try doing one leg at a time.
3 sets of 32 hamstring/ glute lifts
(start with your back and butt flat on the ground, knees bent and feet on the floor, then lift up and squeeze you butt, pressing your hips up)

You need to really squeeze on this one, focus on the backside of your legs as well as your breathing (breath in as you raise and out as you lower)
-REPEAT AS NECESSARY-

Tuesday
warm up, 5 minutes of movement
 3 sets of 8 push ups
(TRADITIONAL)
 (MODIFIED EASY)
Remember to breath out on the contract and in on the release)
3 sets of 8 body weight dips

You can modify this  one by using a chair or step in you house and keeping your feet out away from your body on the floor

The easiest and most common way to get your biceps requires you to get some light to medium weighs
3 sets of 16 bicep curls

-REPEAT AS NECESSARY-

Wednesday
warm up, 5 minutes of movement
3 sets of 1 minute planks

Do not hold your breath and remember to keep your butt down and spine in line
3 sets of 16 Superman's (back extensions)

If this hurts you neck DO NOT push through the pain. Seek advice from a personal trainer or doctor.
3 sets of 16 oblique crunches each side

Keep your belly to spine and pretend that you are a 2D figure. you can only move up and down.
-REPEAT AS NECESSARY-

Thursday
warm up, 5 minutes of movement
3 sets of 16 sumo squats

Keep your toes out and do not lock your legs at the top
3 sets of 16 no weight dead lifts

Now remember, we are not using weights yet. Just lean forward and keep your legs straight but not locked. Then squeeze you backside as much as you can as you raise up to standing.
3 sets of 1 minute shin taps

Now we don't have a picture of the workout. Above is your target muscle instead. You are going to lay on your back with your feet up in the air. It is ok to have your knees slightly bent or against a wall. The point is to get the legs up. Then you are simply going to tap your feet in the air as quick as you can as if you are tapping you toes to a song. Do this as quickly as you can for one minute then shake them out and repeat twice more.
-REPEAT AS NECESSARY-

Friday
warm up, 5 minutes of movement
9 minutes of arm waves

In the first minute rotate your arm forward quickly as you can in circles about the size  of a grapefruit. In the second minute rotate backwards. In your third minute begin to rotate not only the arms but the shoulders will roll as well as if you are turning a big handle, then rotate backwards for your fourth minute. In our fifth minute you are going to flex your arms and make a flapping motion as if you are trying to take flight. (as silly as if feels it is so good for you) In your sixth minute  you are going to raise your arms up slightly flexed and bend and press up like you are trying to lift up the word over and over quickly. In your seventh minute make figure eights to the side (similar to the top photo) In the eighth minute you will do your figure eights vertically. Then finally the finale minute you will just hold your arms out straight for a whole minute (if you can!)
3 sets of 16 superman arm presses

remember our superman position? Now grab some light weights and take you hands all the way behind your body and raise up (note: picture has arms out to the sides, you will keep your arms behind you and your legs down)
3 sets of 8 Australian push ups

You can have your knees bent or straight, but you will be pushing against a table, wall or step.
-REPEAT AS NECESSARY-

Saturday
Warm up, 5 minutes of movement
3 sets of 16 leg up crunches

Remember to breath in as you go down and out as you lift up. Keep it slow, the slower the better.
3 sets of 1 minute bicycle

Lift up your body and pedal your feet as if you are riding a bike. For extra spice you can rotate the body and touch opposite elbow (should feel more like reaching a shoulder) to the knee
3 sets of 1 minute reverse plank

note, photo has fingers facing back, try it with fingers facing your feet.
-REPEAT AS NECESSARY-

Ok
HAVE A GREAT WEEK!