Have We, As Americans, Lost Our Focus??

Recently in national news, a man was carted away in an ambulance after suffering an apparent heart attack while eating a "Triple Bypass Burger" at a restaurant in Las Vegas called "Heart Attack Grill".  The "Triple Bypass burger" has 6,000 calories and is a 1.5 pound triple cheeseburger...and for an extra $2.77 you can add 15 slices of bacon.  This restaurant is known for "bypass" burgers and "flatliner" fries and offers free meals to anyone who weighs over 350 pounds.  Does anyone else see problems with this??  When do we start taking control for our actions and choices in life??

Obesity rates have been constantly on the rise over the past 20 years.  In 2010, no state had an obesity prevalence of less than 20% and 36 states (including Kentucky) had a prevalence of 25% or more.  When will people realize there is an obesity epidemic in the United States?  Children are less active, schools are cutting back on physical education classes, school administrators allow fast food chains to sell their food in cafeterias...when does it stop?  Americans offer many excuses and place blame everywhere except on themselves.  It's time for us to start making lifestyle changes by incorporating daily physical activity and proper nutrition into our lives.  It's not that difficult but it does take a little work.

Where do you begin?  First step is to admit there is a problem.  If you don't see there is a problem with your physical activity levels, nutrition, weight, and overall health, you will not be successful in your endeavors.  If you see a problem exists, it's time to make some changes.  Start small with easy changes to your daily routine.  Put the phone/iPad/computer away for a few hours and get outside and take a walk.  Replace at least one beverage with 16 ounces of water.  Reduce the number of restaurant visits in one week.  Change your dinner plate to a smaller one so you won't feel "obliged" to fill it up.  All of these ideas will help you get started.  Once you start to see improvements here, expand your horizons.  Join a local walking group, head into the gym to take a new group exercise class, sign up at the health department to participate in informational sessions to learn more about diabetes and weight management...the list is endless.

Don't wait for the scales to tip 300 pounds, don't wait for the chest pains to happen, don't wait to be on multiple medications to control blood pressure/heart rate/blood sugar, don't wait for the hospital visit...the time is now and the reason is because your life is valuable and your family would like for you to stick around for a while.  Take control of your life and your health because no one is going to do it for you.

Come in to PROMATx Health Club and talk with a fitness professional today to see what it will take to get your life back on track.  Don't wait...do it today.

When Is It OK To Skip Your Workout?

What???  Here you are, busting your tushy trying to get in shape, you are reading our blog and following our advice to keep going...now I'm giving you a pass to skip your workout??  Sometimes it is necessary (and beneficial) to skip a workout.  Let's look a reasons when it really is alright to skip your fitness routine.

First and foremost, it is OK to skip your workout if you are sick.  If you are suffering from migraines, dizziness, diarrhea, or vomiting, please, please, please stay home.  If you are experiencing the common cold, first determine if you are "well enough" to exercise.  Is it the first 24 hours of symptoms?  Do everyone a favor and stay home and prevent spreading your germs.  If you are feeling well enough to exercise, check your resting heart rate.  If it is 95 or above at rest, you probably should stay home and skip your workout.  The outcome won't be good if you exercise with a high resting heart rate.

Now with the obvious reason out of the way, let's look at a few more situations when it's OK to drive past the gym and keep on going!  Are you experiencing joint pain?  This is a tricky one.  Take a moment to determine whether you have muscle soreness or joint pain.  Here's how do you do that.  Is there swelling?  Is the area warm or hot to the touch?  If you answered yes to either of these questions, most likely you have joint pain and it's time to stay home.  Remember, if you are experiencing pain for more than 2 weeks, it is time to seek medical intervention.  It is normal to experience muscle soreness after some workouts.  In this instance, exercise is actually going to help you. 

Here's another scenario.  What is your blood pressure and/or blood sugar looking like?  Is your blood pressure high today?  Skip the weight training (which has the tendency to raise blood pressure) and choose light cardio instead.  Blood sugar high?  By all means, get in the gym!!  Exercise can help get blood sugar under control.  If you are dealing with low blood sugar, try having something to eat.  If your levels settle down, get in the gym.  If it's still running low and/or you are experiencing dizziness, by all means, skip your workout.

Another reason to get a "hall pass" to your workout...what has your fitness routine looked like the past few days?  Have you been hitting it hard for the past 3-4 days straight with no break?  I give you permission to take a day off.  Remember, overtraining has its drawbacks...headaches, chronic muscle soreness, fatigue, injury...take a break and let your body recover.  Not quite sure you are ready to skip the gym entirely?  Try doing some light cardio...take a walk in your neighborhood, do some "window shopping" at the mall, go to the park and hit the fitness trail.  Your body (and mind) will thank you.

These are just a few reasons when it is OK to skip your workout.  Your body needs time to recover from illness and injury.  Take it easy and easy back into your exercise routine.  New to the exercise world?  Sometimes it's hard to determine when you should stay home.  Talk to your trainer and get their advice.  Not working with a trainer?  Seek the advice of a fitness professional at your gym.  Remember, while it is OK to skip a workout, please don't let one skip turn into a week off from your exercise plan. 

The trainers here at PROMATx Health Club are here to help.  We can not only help you kick up your fitness routine, but we can help guide you with decisions that affect your exercise goals.  Come in and talk to us today.  Put your plan into action, let us help you reach your goals!!

November is American Diabetes Month

According to the American Diabetes Association, approximately 25.8 million children and adults in the United States, which equates to 8.3% of the population, have diabetes.  This is up from 23.6 million (or 7.8%) in 2010.    Last year there were 1.9 million new cases of diabetes diagnosed in people aged 20 years or older.  These numbers don't include the 79 million people classified as "prediabetes".  In 2007, the total cost of diagnosed diabetes in the U.S. was $174 billion.  Of that number, $116 billion was for direct medial costs and the remaining $58 billion accounted for indirect costs (disability, work loss, premature mortality).  After adjusting for population age and sex differences, average medical expenditures among people with diagnosed diabetes were 2.3 times higher than what expenditures would be in the absence of diabetes.  Those are staggering statistics and they just keep getting worse on a yearly basis. 

What exactly is diabetes?  Diabetes mellitus (MEL-ih-tus), or more commonly known as diabetes, is a group of diseases characterized by high blood glucose (sugar) levels that result from defects in the body's ability to produce and/or use insulin.  There are 3 types of diabetes:  (1) Type 1, (2) Type 2, and (3) Gestational.  Type 1 diabetes was previously known as "juvenile diabetes" because it is frequently diagnosed in children and young adults.  This form of diabetes requires external sources of insulin (i.e., injections, insulin pump) because the body does not produce insulin.  Surprisingly, only 5% of people diagnosed with diabetes have type 1.  Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes.  This was previously termed "adult-onset diabetes" because it was commonly diagnosed later in life.  In type 2 diabetes, the body either doesn't produce enough insulin or the body doesn't recognize the presence of insulin in the bloodstream.  People diagnosed with type 2 diabetes typically are overweight and/or obese, have high cholesterol and high blood pressure.  Due to the growing epidemic of obesity in American children and adults, type 2 diabetes is no longer considered "adult-onset"; many children who are overweight are developing type 2 diabetes.  Gestational diabetes occurs in pregnant women who have never had diabetes before but who have high blood sugar (glucose) levels during pregnancy.  Based on recently announced diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes, it is estimated that gestational diabetes affects 18% of pregnancies.

Complications of diabetes include heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney disease, neuropathy (nervous system disease), and amputation.  What is your risk for developing type 2 diabetes?  Here is a list of those who at higher risk:

• People with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and/or impaired fasting glucose (IGF)
• People over age 45
• People with a family history of diabetes
• People who are overweight
• Peole who do not exercise regularly
• People with low HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol), high trigylcerides, or high blood pressure
• Certain racial and ethinic groups such as Non-Hispanic Blacks, Hispanic/Latino Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, American Indians, and Alaskan Natives
• Women who had gestational diabetes, or who have had a baby weighing 9 pounds or more at birth

You can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes through a healthy lifestyle.  Change your diet, increase your level of physical activity, maintain a healthy weight...with these positive steps, you can stay healthier longer and reduce your risk of diabetes.  All of the prevention tips are here at PROMATx Health Club!  Already diagnosed with some form of diabetes?  Exercise can help!!  Come in and talk with one of our trainers and our nutrition specialist and set up a plan to control diabetes.  Your family and friends want you to live a long, healthy life!!

Want more info?  Click HERE to go to the American Diabetes Association website.