BodyForTheAges.org Blog

A recent article in the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/health/12heart.html?bl&ex=1227070800&en=0fd3c2f76367617a&ei=5087%0A) got me thinking.  We target the 40-60 crowd here at Body for the Ages.  Are we focusing on the wrong group?  Don’t children need the help more?

The thing is, we teach our children through our example.  If we let it be OK for us to be dangerously overweight, we demonstrate to our children that it’s OK for them too.  If we constantly reach for the cookie over the celery, we tell our children it is OK for them too.  If we spend every afternoon on the couch, we tell our children that’s OK for them too.

If we die early from heart disease, is that one lesson enough to undo all the others?  Maybe.  But why bet a child’s life on it?

The great thing about our example is that it works in all directions.  If we turn around ourselves, we show our kids that they can do.  That’s one of the great things about Pax, he shows that you can come back from nearly being dead to become National Bodybuilding Champion.  It’s one of the great things about the President-Elect, he shows that any child can grow up to be president.

And that’s what you got to be for your kids.  You got to be the example that anybody can get fit.  That anybody can achieve the body of their dreams, and reduce their heart risks in the process.

And we will help you do it.  Join us here.

I used to think that I was quite fit, afterall I am a great gardener, played tennis for 40 years and could beat just about anybdy at the Club, in doubles!  Also I used to snack on doughnuts and other bad foods just to feel better, and the pounds crept on.  But now, after becoming a member of Body For The Ages and having  the awesome inspiration Pax Beale and using his method of  Weight Resistance Training I no longer snack mindlessly on ‘comfort’ foods and really know now what great fitness and real weight loss feel like.  It feels great!  I workout regularly, eat well and have taken off 26 lbs.  Since this is the only body  I am going to have I have decided to love it and the fact my friends tell me how great I look helps.

So living well is the best revenge at any age and I am 82.  I have always had a gym to work out in , but now.  I have the most important  ingredient  -  Motivation!  Make the commitment!!

For members of the nation’s workforce, it can be difficult to conjure motivation to hit the gym after putting in a long day’s work.  The convenient temptations of vending machines, takeout lunches and sugary, caffeinated drinks loom within arms reach.

I know personally that the thought of physical activity can be unappealing.  However, when I think of the relief that comes from working out (the mental wind-down, the increased energy, the sense of accomplishment) it motivates me to head to the gym even on my most sluggish days.

For some lucky professionals, it appears as if employer-funded access to fitness and wellness may become a nationwide blooming trend, gaining attention most recently in the town of Jackson, Michigan according to the New York Times article below.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/01/business/smallbusiness/01HEALTH.html?_r=1&ref=health&oref=slogin

Now isn’t that a refreshing thought?  A mutually beneficial scenario in which productivity increases, company insurance costs potentially decrease and employees gain a better quality of life at no charge.

These proposed incentives provide the framework and resources for health betterment.

Unfortunately, employers can’t offer you motivation.  We have a gym here at Body for the Ages headquarters. I used it sporadically, until I started myself on the Body for the Ages Online Wellness Program.  Now I use it every work day.

If you find that you still need an extra push to get yourself on the health/wellness/self-improvement path, Body For The Ages offers a course of action for improving your fitness level, overall health and waistline through a comprehensive nutrition system, work out and lifestyle plan coupled with inspiring motivation and achievable results.

For more information, please visit us at BodyForTheAges.org.

You can’t make a Total Commitment - or even a good partial commitment - without the tools for proper motivation.  A good gym or fitness health center becomes a motivating playground.  Add a personal trainer or personal coach, and a transformational lifecoach, and your recipe for motivation is even richer.

Generally speaking, a personal trainer has their focus on your exercise, while a personal coach in a fitness health center can focus on your whole being.  I don’t mean a certification by the group itself.  Think in terms of the art and science of weight-resistance training, aerobics, nutrition, scientific nutritional supplements, the psychology of total commitment, legally prescribed drugs, and optionally, at the request of the client, the personal coach can relate to the client’s physician.  Thus, the benefits of a synergistic effect.

Most gyms have personal trainers.  Some are excellent, some are worse than bad.  Because regular gyms sell comfort amenities, such as whirlpools, saunas and exercise classes, there is generally less emphasis on quality control over employed personal trainers.  Most are not paid well.

An exception would be the big, locally owned, licensed gym chains like Gold’s, Powerhouse, or World, where personal trainers are usually independent business people, not employed by the gym.  These personal trainers are excellent, but bring your wallet.  Many charge over $75 per hour in major cities.

Gold’s, Powerhouse and World Gyms seem to function differently than some other big chains which have mastered the art of the hustle for memberships.  The joke is that Gold’s, Powerhouse and World Gym offer a membership hoping you will show up and train.  At some of the others, memberships are hustled, but if every member showed up there would not be enough space to accommodate everyone.  You decide.

Look under gyms and health clubs in the Yellow Pages.  Clubs that picture weight training activity, or show bodybuilders in their advertisements are the ones you want; otherwise, you could end up going to a dance studio or gymnastics center.  This is even more true when you travel in foreign countries and the language barrier is a tougher hurdle than performing a record bench press.

I stepped on the scale yesterday.

I had been working hard the last week.  I had been eating right.  I had worked out everyday.  Worn myself out lifting weights.  Sleeping 9 hours a day.  Eating salad for dinner.  The whole bit.

And here I was looking at the fruits of my labor: I had gained a pound.

I said a less appropriate version of “Gosh darn it.”

I started getting dressed again, cursing myself and my efforts.  I pulled on my be jeans and tightened my belt.  That’s when I realized that I had reached a tighter belt loop.

Great reminder:  one’s fitness is not just about the scale, it’s about how feel, and how you look, and your waist line.

The psychological dilemma of weight loss is such a dynamic subject it is worth discussing, even if you are not overweight.  The story is a prime example of the market forces of our capitalistic society becoming so powerful, they subconsciously influence the very basics of our daily lives - in this case, the necessary act of eating.  We can’t seem to turn around without the billion-dollar food industry, not only trying to manipulate us, but actually succeeding to do so many times in an unhealthy direction.  Or does anyone really believe a high-cholesterol, high-fat, fast-food hamburger has merit?

Here’s a choice vignette for you.  I actually sat in the office of a CEO of a California supplement company dedicated to producing and marketing weight-loss products.  The CEO unabashedly said that he didn’t care about the dose of his product, except that it should be relatively low, so the price would be attractive to the buyer.  I asked him what the best dose was to yield successful weight loss.  He looked at me as if I didn’t get the message, then replied, “No dose works for weight loss.  Weight-loss products have a lifespan of about 24 months, and then the public gets wise that they don’t work.  By ‘don’t work’ I mean they won’t sell, because none of them cause permanent, healthy weight loss anyway.  The name of the game is to continually come up with new weight-loss products and start the promotion all over again.”

Furthermore, he acknowledged that he could only fool the public for a couple of years and then he would have to start the cycle all over again with some other song-and-dance involving another weight-loss product.  The company is now out of business, but the CEO will likely surface again.

Now here, laid out for you, are necessary simplistic planks for your platform for weight loss.  I have listed them in the order you should address them, because you are wasting your time seeking a positive lifestyle, if you are determined not to put forth effort in the right directions.

• You understand that some effort is required in an anti-aging, wellness lifestyle.
• Cope with your denial system by not blaming outside sources for your undesirable weight.
• Having committed to the above two bullet points, you are now ready to create a positive, rejuvenating lifestyle for long-term weight control success.
• Recognize that you have choices. You can choose a lifestyle for success, not a lifestyle of failure, as has likely been your modus operandi to date if you are overweight.
• The lifestyle you choose should be fun.
• The lifestyle should be easy to implement and to sustain.

There is no need trying to cope with the psychological dilemma of weight loss, unless the lifestyle you choose meets the Art of Wellness above criteria, and you are ready to make a Total Commitment.

Join the Body for the Ages Online Wellness program, and we can help you put your effort towards a weight loss program that recognizes all the above needs.

One of Pax’s most important anti-aging secrets? An active lifestyle, of course. He’s living proof that those who stay active enjoy longer, healthier lives. This isn’t just about the physical benefits we reap from a fit lifestyle. It’s about the mental, as well. When our bodies are happy, we’re happy.

With the excitement of the Olympics opening today, it’s a good time to think about the amazing results we feel when we’re pushing our bodies to perform at their very best. Here’s an inspiring article about some athletes who prove there’s never an age limit when it comes making the most of our health and happiness:

http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourworld/reinventing/articles/too_old_to_compete.html

Source: Keosha Johnson, Intern at the AARP Bulletin.

Key concepts can be quite useful in inspiring our training. One of my favorites is the acronym FIT.

F stands for frequency. Working out once a week will not get you fit. A minimum commitment of at least three times a week is required to maintain our bodies. We are all familiar with the suggestions to take the stairs instead of the elevator, park several blocks away from your destination, and add to that three workouts a week to improve the functioning of your body.

I stands for intensity. We may go into the gym, do a couple of sets, and talk with other gym buddies. However, to utilize workout time efficiently, the number of sets, reps, and which muscles are to be worked needs to be determined before you start your workout to get the most out of it. If you have ever gone to the supermarket without a list, and wandered around and bought things you didn’t need, you know how inefficient we all can be.

Alternating muscle groups, allowing 45 seconds in between sets, or running the weight stack will get you moving and your mind focused. The weight needs to be heavy enough so you can’t do more than 12 repetitions after your warm-up set.

Several years ago there was a study done testing muscle fibers while the person focused on the working muscle compared to those who would look around and talk to others while training. Those who focused on the working muscle recruited more muscle fibers and were able to increase their strength in a shorter amount of time—not surprising.

T stands for time. Time needs to be dedicated to your workout sessions. In your personal calendar, your workouts require a time slot in your day, just like any other appointment. However, the time can be reduced to 45 minutes if you keep the intensity going.

A friend once commented to me,” We have to work out twice as hard, and eat half as much!” The reality may not be quite that harsh and there is also some truth to it. So plan your workout, work your plan and have a great workout!

Pax Beale here.

I am no-nonsense about my passion to work with you as a team. However, my team has no laggards, quitters, or members who believe that “life just happens.”

We believe in the Body for the Ages Wellness Philosophy. Its rewards: a new you, greater self-esteem, and a hell of a lot of fun.

Bet you thought as a bodybuilder, I was going to show men how to put an inch on your arm, or women how to get rid of cellulite.

I want to show you more than that. Together we can change your life. My mission is to attack America’s number one killer: heart disease. And I do it through the Body for the Ages Wellness Philosophy.

But then, there is so much more that comes with it. Learn my protocol, and it can position you to become a millionaire, have success in your field of endeavor (not all life is based on the almighty dollar), to enhance your self-esteem, and/or you can have optimized success, health and happiness.

I’m not going to tell you the need to strangle America’s number one killer: heart disease. I want to show you how to do it.

Once done, it will affect your entire life. In the process I guarantee you will learn weight loss or weight control. I will show you how to get a body of your dreams. You will be exposed to the prospect of a complete, positive, remake of your life, from what you eat, to how you feel when you wake up.

Your life changes and as a by-product, you will reduce or reverse your heart disease risks.

It’s all based on the Body for the Ages Wellness Philosophy.

I’ll leave you this week with a true story. My friend Elaine Pedersen was flying to Portland, Oregon, and on the plane she met former football coach John McKay of the University of Southern California. The USC team was to play Oregon that Saturday. Upon departing, Elaine said to coach McKay, “good luck on Saturday.” The coach turned and paused for a moment. He looked at Elaine and said, “I suppose that has something to do with it.”

The moral of the story: having a plan, like the Body for the Ages Wellness Philosophy is what wins football games, not luck. The same applies in life.

Work was loong. At five o’clock, with the beginnings of a headache nudging behind my eyes, all I could think about was going home, putting my feet up, and vegging out.

But… I had Pax Beale’s workout schedule in front of me. My first, since joining the Body for the Ages Online Wellness Program. It was time to learn what it meant to be a Member of Team Body for the Ages.

I checked over the personal email I’d received from Pax, noting how amazingly in-tune he was, regarding my wellness needs. He was warm and encouraging, yet just strict enough to keep me heading for the gym, rather than making a bee-line for home.

Pax had strongly suggested that I print out the personal workout schedule he’d sent, and bring it with me to the gym, as a guide. “Consistency,” wrote Pax, “is key. You probably wake up at the same time day. You probably eat lunch at the same time every day. It’s important to work out at the same time every day, as well. This way, you train your body, and you “trick” your subconscious into believing that no day is complete without a workout at its normal time.”

So, with my guide in hand, I entered the Body for the Ages Health Studio. I had no idea what I was doing.

But guess what — I made it through. I followed my workout schedule. I sweated and breathed and laughed and at one point I had to sit down and rest… (”Baby steps!” Pax had written in his email, advice that echoed in my head as I got ready to begin again.)

Halfway through my workout, I noticed something wonderful: I could feel my muscles. All of them, it seemed. I was stretching, bending, straining, relaxing muscles that felt like they hadn’t been used in years, and it felt so good to be conscious of my body. Sometimes we forget what a wonderful machine it is.

When I’d finished the workout, two things struck me:

1. My headache had vanished.

2. Though I’d been dreading visiting the gym, because of my long work day and lack of energy, I was suddenly filled with energy. My visions of going home to vegg out had vanished along with my headache.

I walked out the door, and into the sunshine, wondering what I’d do with the rest of my day.