Still Fight SB Syndrome? Week 4

Here we are at week 4 on my campaign to fight SB Syndrome.  Doesn't seem to matter where I turn, the affects still seem to be with us.  But to do my part, here is the next movement for you, or someone you know, to use to fight SB Syndrome. 

Remember, it's not just about vanity, it's also about keeping your core functioning and your lower back out of pain.  The glute/butt muscles play an important role in keep you out of pain. Because if they are too weak or not used appropriately your back and other muscles try to take over. And if you've ever had nagging back pain you know how uncomfortable and irritating it can be. So do your part. Feel free to pass on the info.

Be sure to stop by next week for another great movement to help you fight SB Syndrome.

Kurt Elder of Energy F/X Fitness discusses and demonstrates Hip Raises-- Single Leg (SL). A great exercise for the core and glutes. Simple and to the point. ...

Spray Tan Fitness?

Welcome back to another Mid-Week Motivation Post. 

I don't know if you're familiar with the term, but it seems that many people have been using this type of approach to fitness in order to achieve their results.  I must admit I have not heard any credible or lasting results from the process, but for some reason it hasn't stopped many from continuing on this path of frustration and angst.

If you're looking for a clear and to the point way to get out of pain, or make changes to your body, then I encourage you to check out today's video blog post.

Kurt Elder of Energy F/X Fitness shares with you tips and insights to achieve your fitness and wellness goals. Making clear it is not something you casually ...

Need Some Flavor? 2 Easy Recipes to Keep You on Track

I can't say it enough.  If you're serious about making changes in your body there are 2 specific things you've got to do:

1.) Plan and if possible, prepare your meals ahead of time to make sure you stay on track with your nutrition, and

2.) You've got to get your daily exercise. And if you can't do it daily, start with 1 day a week and build to a minimum of 3 days per week.                                                                                                                                                         
That being said, I can't tell you how often I hear people complain about how hard it is to stay on track with food.  Now of course when questioned they readily admit that they are not sticking to any real food plan, they just kind of wing it all day.  And of course at the end of a few weeks they wonder why they don't see any changes in their body composition.

I know it's a worn out cliche, but if you don't plan for your success how do you think it will happen?

The 2 largest complaints I hear from people when it comes to sticking to a food plan, is that the food is tasteless and uninspiring, and they don't have time.  Well, here are two recipes below that are big on flavor and easy to prepare. They taste good and are darn good for you. Even better is that they don't take any longer to prepare than any other home cooked meal. 

As you know, this month is all about keeping it simple.  Here are two simple recipes to help you stay on track.

Salmon or Sole in Parchment on a bed of Greens & Julienne Root Vegetables
(Salmon_or_Sole_in_Parchment_on_a_bed_of_Greens.doc)

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  Problem is most people eat a cold cereal or worse.  Well here's an option that tastes great, takes almost no time to make and is packed with nutrients.

Leafy Green Protein Shake (Leafy_Green_Protein_Shake.doc)

These are courtesy of Elizabeth Brown, MS, RD "The Kitchen Vixen"
eat2liv@earthlink.net

Thanks Elizabeth for keeping the daily grind full of nutrients and flavor.

Mid Week Motivation: 3 Easy Ways to Change Your Body

Over the past couple of months we've gone through some pretty deep stuff; getting in The Zone, finding your Big Rocks, etc. This month let's keep it simple and to the point. 

Today I want to share with you some basic and to the point ideas to help you create a successful weight loss and keep it off program.  It's largely about the planning.  Funny thing is, so is gaining quality muscle -- it's all in the planning and consistency.

Check out the video below to get your 3 Critical, Ready to Apply Strategies to Transform Your Body.

Kurt Elder of Energy F/X Fitness discusses the 3 Most Important Points to changing your body. Simple and to the point. http://www.energyfxfitness.com

Mid-Week Motivation: Handling Discomfort In Your Transformation Journey

I believe sometimes in this world of instant gratification and reality TV we forget that the route to our goals can be challenging. But don't give up. Discomfort is part of the journey, don't be discouraged, it is only making you stronger. Click on the video below to find out more.

Kurt Elder of Energy F/X Fitness Consultants discuss discomfort as part of the process of achieving goals. http://www.energyfxfitness.com

Are You Fight SB Syndrome?

Well, here we are at another Friday.  You know that means it's time for another exercise to help you or someone you know fight SB Syndrome (that's Saggy Behind Syndrome).  If you've been motivated by my blog, I'm sure you've been just as concerned as I have at what is obviously a growing and alarming trend.  Are you doing your part?

Remember, if I haven't made it completely clear, let me do so now.  On ALL of the exercises I demonstrate to you I request that you activate your abs/core just prior to movement.  Each and every movement you do requires core activation in order to stabilize your spine while you are moving. This is hugely important if you are going to get the right muscles to fire and to avoid injury.

And just a reminder in case you forgot, these Friday movements that I'm sharing with you from my private glute locker are not only for your glutes, they do wonders for core activation as well. Truth be known, in order to for legs and hips to function properly you need a strong and stable core. And besides, I figure what the heck, if I can train two muscles at the same time effectively and safely, then why not.

Click on the video below and get your next tool in fighting SB Syndrome.  Look forward to seeing you next week with another movement to get you firmer, well shaped, functional glutes.

Kurt Elder of Energy F/X Fitness discusses and demonstrates the proper execution of the Deadlift. A great exercise for the glutes/butt. Simple and to the poi...

Mid-Week Motivation: 3 More Easy Ways to Change Your Body

I'm feeling a little bit down today.  I don't know exactly why, but I guess I'm really seeing the other side when it comes to the advances in technology.  I mean don't get me wrong, I appreciate the multitude of features on my cell phone, the vast TV channel selections, the advances in medicine, and our ability to create more green technology.

The problem that has me down is, it unfortunately seems as though people think that fitness and body transformation should happen at the same speed as technological advances. And what really sucks about that is. . . . . . The Body Doesn't Work Like That ! I like to call it Spray Tan Fitness (more on that next week). It seems people believe you can just show up at the gym, talk most of the time they're there and expect to get results. Kind of like getting a spray tan (which is not a bad thing, since it keeps you away from ultraviolet rays, it just doesn't work when it comes to fitness).

Sure you can drop a few pounds quickly by cutting out certain food groups for a short period of time. But it's not a lifestyle you can maintain and so the weight comes back. Sure you can get certain surgeries done to get you to lose weight, but from what I read you risk your life by having the surgery. Sure you can even take certain pills to assist you. But low and behold, when you come off of them you have to do the work of proper nutrition consistently and daily exercise.

I want you to understand, if there was a quick fix to weight loss, or avoiding pain, an easy way, I'd have found the book or product, found out where they sold it and for how much, and sent you an email each day to tell you about it.  Sadly the truth is, it will take some level of work and effort on your part to change your body.  There are no quick fixes, no magic pills, no creams, no potions.

However, on a brighter note, the ways to lose weight, keep it off, get out of pain and stay that way, are all pretty simple. You commit to doing the simple tasks on a daily basis and you will get results, 9 times out of 10.

So in keeping with the theme this month, here are 3 More Easy Ways to Change Your Body. They are straight and to the point. And guess what?  If you apply them, they work like magic.

Check out the video below and let me know what you think.

Kurt Elder of Energy F/X Fitness shares 3 more critical points to changing your body quickly. Simple and to the point. Apply them and they work. http://www.e...

Sitting For Long Periods Can Shorten Your Life

First off I hope you're doing your part each day to fight SB Syndrome.  Check out my posts on Friday's this month to see how you can help yourself or someone you know fight SB Syndrome.

I know, I know.  People must think that sometimes I just make up the rants and info I share with you.  But I don't!  I actually do research on each and every bit of information I share with you.  How else will you be able to rely on me if I don't give you credible, useful info that you can live by, or share with your friends. 

1.)  That being said I've got to tell you this next bit of info even blew me away.  Who knew sitting for long periods of time could be so dangerous to your health? I mean honestly, I advocate exercise and modified nutrition to assist you in getting out of pain and to improve your quality of life; Who knew that sitting could actually do so much damage. Here's a quick synopsis of the article and the link below if you want to read it for yourself.

I wanted to be sure to provide you with the links so you can get the full story.

But the long and short of it is this:

"Over a 14-year period, women who spent six or more hours per day sitting had a 37% increased risk of dying compared with women who sat for 3 hours or less.  The excess risk was independent of other health factors, including the amount of exercise they got.  When overall activity was taken into account, the women who sat the longest and exercised the least were almost twice as likely to die as those who sat the least and exercised the most."

Exercise and Sports Science Review
 
American Journal of Epidemiology

Put quite simply, you have to get up and move every few hours!  Sitting for long periods of time is actually decreasing your life expectancy -- whether you exercise or not.  Take a moment, get up and walk around if you've been sitting for three hours or more.  In a sense, the length of your life depends on it.

2.)  And if that wasn't enough, there has been even more research done on the importance of nutrition.  Specifically, dieting by itself does not significantly create lasting weight loss. OK, I promise not to say "I told you so." Yet another study was done that demonstrated the 3 most important factors in losing weight and keeping it off:

       *  Diet coupled with exercise produces the best results for losing weight and keeping it off

       *  Having a formal or informal support group is key to losing weight

       *  Planning meals ahead of time on a consistent basis is essential to lasting weight loss

Diet is Not Enough

To make it quite plain and to the point, you've got to get up and move every 3 hours to maintain a long and healthy life and if you're serious about transforming your body, change your nutrition to healthy choices and add regular exercise to your daily and/or weekly schedule.

It's all about creating the habits that will create the life you want.  You now have the information, what kind of habits will you create?

Fight SB Syndrome

Well, as promised, this month we are focusing on eradicating SB Syndrome.  And as promised, here is another exercise to help you or someone you know (wink), get rid of the apparent growing syndrome I have observed.

Today's video is an explanation and demonstration of how to effectively do a very common exercise, the lunge.  All too often people seem more interested in immediately grabbing weights and doing one of the more advanced versions, traveling lunges (walking), instead of getting the basics right first.

Check out today's video so that you're sure to get the most out of your lunges, And doing your part to conquer SB Syndrome.

Kurt Elder of Energy F/X Fitness discusses and demonstrates the Lunge exercise (also known as a Split Squat). A great exercise for shaping up those glutes (b...

5 Reasons Exercise Is NOT Just for Your Body

Often times it seems that people think exercising is just about being buff or having a six-pack.  Truth is, exercise is a lot more powerful than that. The amount of chemical reactions that happen not only in the body, but in the brain is staggering.

1.)  Exercise appears to affect brain chemistry in much the same way as antidepressants

2.)  Aerobic exercise slows the the loss of cerebral cortex (the part of the brain that process information) So exercise keeps you smarter longer!

3.)  Anaerobic exercise (think weight lifting, resistance exercise) stimulates the creation of new brain cells in the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning.

4.)  Stressful events actually destroy newly developed nerve cells in the hippocampus, making it harder to retain new lessons or memories.  Simply, exercise combats the effects of stress.

5.)  Exercise actually increases serotonin levels. And by the way, low Serotonin levels have been associated with depression, anxiety, insomnia, and general fatigue.

The long and short of it is, exercise is more about total health and not just how your body looks.  Sure it's an added benefit to look good and have the body you've always wanted, but if you need more motivation, consider the huge impact it has on how your brain functions.

So when you're looking for that little extra motivation to get up and do some exercise, remember it's not just for your body, it'll actually keep you smarter longer, in a better mood so you can keep the friends you have, and will help you combat all that stress you just absorbed from the day.

That should get you up and moving.