BLOG 30 COMPARING CITIES

BLOG 30 COMPARING CITIES

Where we reside can influence our daily decision making and practices when it comes to health and wellness. Each year reports are released on the healthiest cities in America. The American Fitness Index uses researches to look at factors and evaluate who makes the list. These factors include obesity, smoking, the environment, and diabetes. The results are quite interesting so let’s take a look….

I will cover the top ten on the list. Washington D.C. comes in at number one. Who would have thought our capital is also the fittest city. Reasons for this title include, “ample public parks for recreation, an increasing number of farmers' markets per resident, and a decreasing diabetes death rate” (http://www.cbsnews.com/media/the-top-15-fittest-cities-in-america/2/). Minneapolis is next with, “92 percent of its residents within walking distance of a park” (http://www.cbsnews.com/media/the-top-15-fittest-cities-in-america/3/). Guess what?? San Diego came in at number three. Compared to other places we have lower death rate from diabetes and heart disease. We have constant access to the beach which promotes activity. San Francisco and Sacramento follow San Diego, so California is very prevalent on this list. Moving on we have Denver, Portland, Seattle, Boston, and San Jose (California again).

There were a few articles I read that were more opinion related when it came to being the healthiest places to live. There were certainly some valid topics presented. Some of the topics even discussed how the Affordable Care Act has impacted our countries life expectancy and low income cities. The general theme was that the more pedestrian friendly, the healthier the city. In a CNN article, Thompson asked, “How walkable is your city?” (http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/19/health/fit-city/). So for example, “In Washington D.C., 95%of the population live within a 10-minute walk to a park. In Indianapolis, it’s only 31%. Clearly the environmental indicators in D.C. would lend themselves more towards supporting people who tend to be physically active and healthy.” ((http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/19/health/fit-city/).

My research findings didn’t come across mentions of the number of gyms or agriculture available. It came down to whether people walk or not. Nothing was mentioned about the food culture or “farm to table” movement.  I thought of North County and how each city practically has its own farmer’s market. Walking is the most basic form of movement, so it makes sense that it was the standard for making the list. California was on the list frequently and we have weather that permits year around walking. On the other hand, I thought about New York and how people walk all over there, so all in all, I think there are multiple sides to this argument.

Many of us have lived in different cities and noticed some of the differences first hand. Personally, I lived Denver for college and have spent the rest of my life in the San Diego area. Our stabile climate, beach, and Hollywood influence, make this environment more appearance concerned than others. We don’t live our lives covered up by jackets, we aren’t cooped up inside and not mobile due to the weather, and everyone wants to look like a star. When I was in Denver, if it snowed, you could count me out of making the trek to the gym for fear of sliding on the road or losing feeling in my fingers and nose from being so cold. Sadly, I’m not exaggerating so clearly this San Diego girl didn’t fare well in other places. Talking with clients, those that have lived in Virginia cities or others places from their military travels, have all said fitness wasn’t such a dominant theme where they came from. Friends and family just didn’t work out or join a gym.  

I love Oceanside and the location of the studio. I love to utilize the hills and surrounding neighborhoods (I know you love it too). On rainy days, I feel cooped up. Naturally when I travel I do notice the size and shapes of people and I always look up where I might be able to get a workout in while on the road. When all else fails I do go walk or run. But of course, it all comes down to actually doing it haha. So regardless of where we live, we have to take the initiative to be active, so what have you done today to get those 10,00 steps in??

BLOG 29 THE SEDENTARY SITUATION

BLOG 29 THE SEDENTARY SITUATION

It is no coincidence that there’s certainly a connection between the increase of obesity and the increased hours of inactivity in people’s lives. So much of what we do has become available literally “at our finger tips”. Between technology and office jobs, the majority of one’s day can be spent in the seated position. There are consequences that can result from this lack of movement.

Even though we are recommended 30 minutes of daily activity, or those 10,000 steps, this is not a regular occurrence for many. Corporate America has created the desk job environment in the workforce. Furthermore, “Sedentary jobs have increased 83% since 1950; physically active jobs now make up less than 20% of our workforce. In 1960, about half of the US workforce was physically active. Our average workweek is longer. Full-time workers in the US work about 47 hours working each week – that’s more than 350 extra hours worked each year” (http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/FitnessBasics/The-Price-of-Inactivity_UCM_307974_Article.jsp). So much of what we do now is just a “click” away. Some jobs also require travel, increasing one’s time spent on planes or in vehicles. Mass transportation has made biking or walking to work less common.

The statistics speak for themselves. Here are some of the most interesting numbers that I came across (http://www.lifespanfitness.com/workplace/resources/articles/sitting-all-day-is-taking-a-toll-on-your-body):

1.     65% of American watch 2 or more hours of television per day

2.     Women are more likely to lead sedentary lives than men

3.     Sedentary lifestyles are responsible for an estimated $24 billion in direct medical spending

4.     300,000 deaths occur annually due to inactivity and poor dietary habits in the United   States alone

Prolonged periods of sitting does impact one’s health. There is an increased risk of colon and breast cancer. The risk of Type II diabetes is increased as well as the chance of a stroke or heart attack. Lean muscle tissue becomes atrophied, making daily living activities like going to the grocery store more difficult. As we age, we tend to become less active so we need to fight these risk factors and get moving.

Some offices have started offering stand up desks to help fight the 8 hour sitting day. Many fitness gadgets have been developed to help motivate people to get their “steps” in. It is important that one doesn’t just arrive home from a sitting job to sit even more when they get home and watch T.V or relax. The balance between calories consumed and calories burned is not in one’s favor when doing this. The hours add up. We are built to move so we need to start doing it more. It feels good to stand and move and get the blood flowing. We suddenly become more alert and re-charged. I think of it like kids at recess; they need to get the energy out to come back to class and be still for the rest of the day.

Take a moment to consider how many hours per day you sit. How can you add more motion into your day?? Small changes do add up and just a 15 min walk during the work week day adds up to over an hour of movement added to your week. Yes, it takes effort and more time than you might like. We need to take care of our bodies, because we only get one. So stand up right now and get moving!!!!

BLOG 28 STEROIDS

BLOG 28 STEROIDS

When we look in the mirror, the reflection we see does impact our emotional well-being. Our physical appearance is a topic we face daily. Decisions are involved as we prepare each morning and decide what we will wear, how to do our hair and makeup, and where will be today so that we know how to look for the occasion. When it comes to physical appearance and wanting to lose weight and be healthy, we know that the only solution is to eat right and exercise. But the patience, discipline, and will power on our fitness journeys can be tempted by “quick fixes” and infomercials that claim immediate results. Steroids are an example of doing something unnatural to ourselves in order to improve physical appearance in a less time consuming and quicker fashion.

Let’s take a look at what steroids are. By definition, “Anabolic steroids” is the familiar name for synthetic variants of the male sex hormone testosterone. The proper term for these compounds is anabolic-androgenic steroids (abbreviated AAS)—“anabolic” referring to muscle-building and “androgenic” referring to increased male sexual characteristics” (http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/anabolic-steroids). Let me begin by stating that steroids can be helpful under certain circumstance and can be used for reasons such as building lean muscle mass after a battle with cancer or AIDS. Some doctors prescribe steroids for hormone deficiency purposes too. Yet, what we more commonly see are steroids being abused by athletes and body builders to enhance appearance or improve performance. For example, a bodybuilder might take ten times the recommended medical dose of steroids to seek results. This can be done orally, by injection, or there are creams.

Like any addiction, the use of steroids can get out of hand and become unmanageable. One discovers their tolerance and a popular method is to “cycle” steroid usage by taking them for weeks or months at a time then stopping and restarting in order to avoid certain side effects. Some users like to “stack” different types of steroids combined with certain supplements to heighten the affect. Steroids don’t cause the same type of high other drugs do, but one can become addicted to the results they see or worry that if they discontinue usage then whatever gains they achieve will be lost. A lot of time and money is put into developing a lifestyle that involves the use of steroids. There are also withdrawal effects from stopping  which include: “mood swings, fatigue, rest-lessness, loss of appetite, insomnia, reduced sex drive, and steroid cravings, all of which may contribute to continued abuse. One of the most dangerous withdrawal symptoms is depression—when persistent, it can sometimes lead to suicide attempts. Research has found that some steroid abusers turn to other drugs such as opioids to counteract the negative effects of steroids” (http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/anabolic-steroids. In males, acne is a common side effect as well as baldness, shrunken testicles, and breast development. In females, facial hair can develop and deepening of the voice can occur.

Professional athletes and the use of steroids has become a controversial area. It’s called a “cat and mouse game”: “They try to time their steroid injections, so that the drug is out of their system if and when they are drug tested. Sometimes masking drugs are also taken to try to "beat" the test by making the test negative. Designer steroids are being continually developed to again prevent their use from being detected” (http://www.medicinenet.com/anabolic_steroid_abuse/page2.htm). Fair play isn’t exactly taking place any longer.

In the fitness industry, I have been surrounded and pressured to look a certain way. Yet, I know that I truly do practice what I preach, perform the same workouts my clients do, and lead a healthy lifestyle that I want to last forever. There just isn’t a quick fix that is safe or lasting. Having known people who have done steroids, I have seen the side effects in full effect. And I believe the risks outweigh the benefits. Body image is important, but not that the cost of one’s health.

BLOG 27 THE SUGAR IMAPACT

BLOG 27 THE SUGAR IMPACT

We all know that too much sugar is bad for us. Sugar consumption affects our waistlines, brains, and hearts. We are told that everything in moderation can be acceptable, but truth be told, we are having far more than the daily recommended amount of sugar in our diets. Of course with October and Halloween approaching, I thought covering this topic was relevant. We are surrounded by sweets during the oncoming months, so let’s take a look at what happens to our bodies when we ingest sugar.

Sugar is a hidden ingredient in many of our foods. Obviously a candy bar has sugar, but so do many salad dressings, drinks, yogurts, and hey those packets added to our coffee count too. To summarize, “While sugar is nothing to be too concerned about in small quantities, most of us are simply eating too much of it. The sweet stuff -- which also goes by names like glucose, fructose, honey and corn syrup -- is found in 74 percent of packaged foods in our supermarkets. And while the Word Health Organization recommends that only 5 percent of daily caloric intake come from sugar, the typical American diet is comprised of 13 percent calories from sugar ” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/06/sugar-brain-mental-health_n_6904778.html).

There are many ways that sugar impacts our bodies. Initially after biting into that candy bar, we do feel a little “rush”. Basically, our blood glucose has spiked only to result in a crash a few hours later. Our blood sugar then becomes unstable. Furthermore, “Sugar takes the place of important nutrients. According to USDA data, people who consume the most sugar have the lowest intakes of essential nutrients––especially vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, vitamin B-12, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and iron. Ironically, those who consume the most sugar are children and teenagers, the individuals who need these nutrients most” (http://www.atkins.com/how-it-works/library/articles/10-ways-sugar-harms-your-health)..

Chances of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes are also increased by an ongoing high sugar intake. Excess insulin continues to build up in the bloodstream which affects the arteries. Sugar can become an addiction: “Much like street drugs, sugar triggers the release of chemicals that set off the brain’s pleasure center, in this case opioids and dopamine. And as they do with street drugs, people develop a tolerance for sugar, meaning they need more sugar for a feel-good ‘fix’” (http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/weird-effects-sugars-having-your-body/7-sugar-turns-you-junkie). Just like the highs and lows of using a drug, “You grab a chocolate candy bar, and with it, get the brief jolt energy. Soon to be replaced by unrelenting fatigue. Science shows it takes just 30 minutes or less to go from a sugar rush to a full-on sugar crash” (http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/weird-effects-sugars-having-your-body/9-sugar-makes-you-energy-starved-zombie). Sugar sparks cravings and gives a false sense of never feeling full. And we can’t forget that sugar causes gum disease and tooth decay.

We turn to sugar to make us feel happy, but really we are doing more harm than good. Often times, we tell ourselves that we have earned the right to have a treat, or it’s special occasion, that we will only have it just this once, and so on. We make promises to ourselves and go all day on a mission not to have junk food. Then the 3 o’clock cravings call and suddenly we cave in. This substance is definitely and “in the moment” destructor. And consumer America…. well they know how to play to our weaknesses. Commercials and advertisements are enticing and call upon our taste buds. We have to use our strengths and fight the cravings. Total deprivation isn’t the answer. However, one sweet tooth denial victory at a time, just like we take it one rep at a time, we can stay on course as best as possible.