Archive for Nutrition

BEYOND BOOMER ENERGY

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Sunday, May 27th, 2012

Beyond Boomer Energy

How many of us in the Fitness World have often asked ourselves why we weren’t getting the results we wanted although we were certain we were doing all the right things. If this sounds like you, I can understand, feeling the same way many times. As a Coach and competitive athlete for over thirty years I am always looking for that “edge”. I am continually studying everything in nutrition, strength and psychology (Human Behavior) looking for that edge for myself and my clients. A few years ago as I was working with my Coach on an electrolyte problem I was having, I swerved into an area that grabbed my attention and changed everything. Being Alkaline. With my business focus being challenged populations, primarily those who I call “Beyond Boomers”, those who are beyond age 65, actually the averge age of my clients is 80-85. I needed to have a solid grasp of this concept before I would feel confident to share with these special populations.

My Plan

As a competitive Triathlete I proceeded to get myself alkaline. I used a very simple plan. I drank lots of water. But not just any water. It had to have a PH of at least 8.0. I also had to have a way to measure whether it worked. So being a good scientist I proceeded to eliminate my supplements that I had been using as buffering agents during training and replaced them with the water. It worked! I felt better. I was stronger and I was able to recover quicker from my workouts. I now felt it was time to share my knowledge with my clients.

My Clients

The first goal I have with a new client is to get them to start moving. After that is accomplished and we are establishing a training program or new activity, I then look at their nutrition. Now I need to remind everyone that I work with very challenged individuals, many having suffered very traumatic injuries, brain and spinal cord. For this article I am going to focus on Beyond Boomers which again their average age is 80-85. An important and often overlooked fact with this group is that as we age we lose taste buds. But we don’t lose our taste for sweets, which is why a lot of our Beyond Boomers have a difficult time with nutrition. The food has to taste good. I believed I had found at least a partial solution to the problem. I had a place to start. Plain old water. Let me make a couple points here. First it is very common that our Beyond Boomers are challenged when it comes to hydration. They just need to drink more. Second, remember it has to taste good. The goal was to introduce a more alkaline water. Most water is acidic which means it is less than 7.0 on a scale of 1-14. Although this will help with hydration, it won’t allow for maximum health. This is the goal, maximum health and performance. Just by drinking a more alkaline water anyone could quickly start to feel better and have increased energy, as I experienced in my own training.

The Science

How is it possible to achieve increased energy and strength through alkalinity? Some of you have probably been aware of the importance of keeping our bodies more alkaline, which has to do with your bloods PH. Ideally we need to be at 7.3 on that scale of 1-14 which I previously had mentioned. Your body will do whatever is possible to maintain 7.3 PH. This can weaken you. This is where drinking water that is alkaline is important. A more alkaline water can solve two problems at the same time. Proper hydration and being alkaline. Next, remember how I shared with you about those taste buds. The water must have a good taste to it. So to this point if we can get people to drink quality water we can begin to positively influence their health. If you want you can test your own PH with special strips from the Drugstore or a Health Food store. This gives you a baseline, but the real test is the results.

Benefits of Being Alkaline

Some of the benefits that are gained from drinking alkaline water and being alkaline are

* Increased Energy

* Increased Strength

* Improved Metabolism

* Improved Immunity

* Improved Fat Loss

* Feeling Better

* Improved Bone Density

Although all of these points are huge with Beyond Boomers, it’s important for everyone. Who would not want the benefits presented here?

Results from Being Alkaline

Let’s Look at these benefits and begin to appreciate the results of having more energy, such as providing you more time to do what you enjoy. Just think how important this is for our Beyond Boomers. With improved strength from having less muscle fatigue you are able to exercise more often, at an increased intensity because of being able to increase the time or resistance of your program. This then relates back to being able to do what you enjoy more, such as golf or other activities, at higher levels of performance. Which will then create a positive, emotional relationship to exercise and you will feel better.

Strength

Because I believe that being strong is the most important fitness component for Beyond Boomers. (I really believe it applies to everyone). I want to highlight this benefit. By being strong this population’s entire world opens up. They have no limits and now can find a purpose and go after it with physical certainty. Lastly by creating a healthier body with stronger bones and muscles, people have less health issues, which creates an incredible psychological boost. Being sick or injured is not fun at any age, but is devastating at this age.

Summary

Although many in the mainstream medical community may have problems understanding the concept of alkalinity, there has been good research that we should investigate for ourselves, as I did, by such individuals as Dr. Neil Solomon, Dr. Sang Whang, Dr. Alex Guerrero, top Endurance Coach, Joe Friel and many others. Remember what we in the fitness and athletic community are most concerned with is performance. When you can measure the effects on your own performance as well as others you coach, it becomes an undeniable and powerfull component of your peak performance program.

Arnie Fonseca, Jr
Wellness Coach
Exercise Physiologist
Founder of Your Awesome Life Now.com
Founder of Total Recovery
arnie@yourawesomelifenow.com
602-390-9144

Categories : anti-aging, Elderly, Exercise, Exercise Over 50, Healthy Products, Life, Nutrition, Over 65, Stength and Fitness, Traumatic Injury
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WISDOM FROM PEGGY

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Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012

Categories : anti-aging, Elderly, Life, Nutrition, personal growth
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TOUGH MUDDER DAY 8

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Friday, November 11th, 2011

Day 8. November 11, 2011. Friday. 6:45am

I continue to feel good. Looking forward to a great weekend of training. Just a reminder to those of you trying to do these exercises. I happen to have access to this type of equipment and also own a clinic with specialty equipment. I suggest you modify as best as possible or you can contact me for advice. Like you I am figuring this out as I move forward over the next couple months. I also will have another nutrition tip today. Remember these are designed to give you ideas that I’ve tried and tested for me. They may not work you; but they also might! So here we go with Day 8 of the journey.

Day 8

Lower Legs/Calves
Jump Rope; three sets: 150-150-200
Toe Raises; three sets: 75 toes straight-75 toes in- 75 toes out

Quads/Hamstrings/Forearms
Ankle Tire Pulls: These are done with special designed ankle straps. This can also be done with a sled. Reminder; I have access to various tires. 45 pound tire pulled forward for 6 minutes; 45 pound tire pulled in reverse for 6 minutes
Farmers Walk: I carried two fifty pound Dumbbells for 100 yards; followed by pulling the same tire 100 yards for 6 minutes backwards. I finished this circuit by again carrying the 50 pounders for 100 yards.

Upper Back
Rope Pull: A 2 inch fifty foot rope was used to pull a 106 pound tire over a rubber floor
Three sets of 50 foot pulls were done.
Clean Pulls: With an Olympic Bar I performed three sets of hang pulls with 135 pounds for sets of 15-15-15
Chins: Three sets 6-6-8

Shoulders
45 degree standing dumbbell raise: 5lbs for 50; 8lbs for 50 reps; 10lbs for 50 reps
Wide Grip Pull to Forehead with Lat Bar: Three sets; 4 plates for 50 reps; 5 plates for 50 reps and 6 plates for 50 reps.

Abdominal Circuit
Sit-ups; level four: 25-25-25
Bicycle: 50-55-60 each leg
Hanging leg Raise: 30-31-32
Standing Ab Crunch: 50-30-35 with 4 plates on lat pull-down machine

Walking Lunge: 65 pounds bar on shoulders for 50 yards for two sets.
Vertical Sit-up: One set of 15 reps
Lateral Walk with 45 Pound Tire: 25 yards each way.

Finished! Time: One hour and 40 minutes.

Bonus Mini Circuit

Jumps: 2 sets of jumps onto a 24 inch mat; 15-21
Single Leg Glut Ham Raise: 10-10

Total Time: 10 minutes

Today’s Nutrition Tip: Because I am such a big advocate of getting alkaline I will share with you something simple to do each day. Find yourself a good super greens powder. Mix it with about 25 ouches of water, maybe a squirt of lemon, and drink this first thing in the morning, before training or breakfast and in the late afternoon before your last meal. Not only will it reduce you hunger, but it will deliver fantastic nutrition to you. Also start using raw almonds as a snack. They are an amazing nut! Carry raw almonds with you during the day. It works.

Arnie Fonseca, Jr. is the owner of Neuro Institute, Inc., which is located in Tempe, Arizona. He works as a Traumatic Injury Recovery Coach and loves a fitness challenge!

Categories : Exercise, Exercise Over 50, Nutrition, Stength and Fitness, Tough Mudder
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TOUGH MUDDER DAY 6

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Wednesday, November 9th, 2011

Day 6. Wednesday. November 9, 2011; 6:45AM

I got up feeling great today. The knee pain is gone and my shoulder is feeling better every day. As previously mentioned, my Wednesday and Saturday workouts are specially designed circuit by Pap. They usually involve about twenty exercises and are done in “super sets” or “giant sets.” Pap has given me advice on adapting the normal workouts for the “Tough Mudder.” Below is the workout I did this morning. Also starting tomorrow I will begin a discussion on nutrition. It is my philosophy that each of us needs to discover which types of foods and supplements work best for them. Through trial and error and study you will develop your program and won’t be easily swayed by the latest fad. Here we go with Day 6.

A
Jump Rope: 2 sets of 100 jumps.
Prone Leg Lifts; Hips Up: 2 sets of 20
B
Med Ball Squat on 2 inch board: 2 sets of 20 reps with 12 pound Ball
Jump Rope: 2 sets of 100 reps
C
Step Up and Over 8 inch Steps: 2 sets of 12 steps
Bench Press: 2 sets of 30 reps with 65 pounds
D
Jump Rope: 2 sets of 100 jumps
Barbell Curls: 2 sets of 20 reps with 45 pound bar
E
Jump Rope: 2 sets of 100 jumps Hack Squat : 2 sets of 30 reps with 80 pounds
F
Step Up and Over 8 inch Steps: 2 sets of 12 steps
1/3 Squat Eccentric Focus: 2 sets of 25 reps with no weight
G
Single DB High Pull: 2 sets of 2o reps with 25 pounds
Stiff Leg Dead Lift: 2 sets of 20 reps with 25 pounds
H
Jump Rope: 2 sets of 100 reps
45 Degree Horizontal Delt Raise: 2 sets of 50 reps with 5 pounds
I
Step Up and Over 8 inch Steps: 2 sets of 12 steps
Horizontal Shoulder Raise: 2 sets of 50 reps with 5 pounds
J
Jump Rope: 2 sets of 100 reps
Lateral Shoulder Raise: 2 sets of 50 reps with 5 pounds

K
Jump Rope: 2 sets of 100 reps
Seated Leg Ups: 2 sets of 50 reps
L
Sit-ups; Level 4: 3 sets of 50-35- 25 reps ; goal was 100 reps
Chins to Chest: 3 sets; 6-6-6 reps
L
Heavy Reverse/Forward Tire Pull: 6 minutes pulling 106 pound tire
Hanging Leg Raise: 2 sets ;35-37 reps
Note: This super set was done to simulate the approximate time between obstacles on the course. Which we assume is somewhere between one-quarter and one –half mile.

Total Time: 90 minutes

Arnie Fonseca, Jr. is the owner of Neuro Institute, Inc., which is located in Tempe, Arizona. He works as a Traumatic Injury Recovery Coach and loves a fitness challenge!

Categories : Exercise, Exercise Over 50, Life, Nutrition, personal growth, Stength and Fitness, Tough Mudder, Weight Training
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Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention

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Friday, March 4th, 2011

Alzheimer’s disease is known to kick as early as 40s in present times and the reasons for this can be attributed to the lifestyle and stress that we are exposed to. Researchers have found out that the damage to the brain is done in the 20s and 30s silently and what surfaces as we age is an accumulation of how we have been treating the brain. The treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease is still in the nascent stage which is why need to prevent Alzheimer’s.

Eat Vegetables
You may have most nutritionists talking about the fact that we should vegetarian food. Does that mean being non-vegetarian is criminal to the body? Not really. In fact, fish is considered the best source of Omega-3 fatty acids that are vital for the brain’s health. The reason why health experts stress on veggies is because the now vegetarian foods that are being sold on the market these days, are of poor quality. Animals are fed toxic substances, garbage and are bred under poor conditions, so we are just feeding on unhealthy food both directly and indirectly; definitely something that can harm our brain and health.

Exercises
Yoga is not just an exercise but a way of life. Other workout may make your muscles strong but your internal organs stretch and are used better by Yoga. Yoga asanas circulate blood to every part of the body freely, including the brain If you do regular Pranayams, there is a big chance of reducing Alzheimer’s disease.
Play games that increase your focus. Just running on treadmail does not make you think, you need to play sports like tennis where you get to focus. You can also do water aerobics or water exercises where you stand in four feet deep water, you are not only calming your mind but also preventing osteoporosis.

Drink lots of water
Haven’t you realized that you are not able to focus when you are dehydrated. So you need to drink lots of water. Dehydration can spell doom for your body. Do not wait to drink till you are

Keep your diabetes in control
It is always better not to have diabetes but if you have it, make sure you keep it in control. So you should take note of what you are eating an aim to keep sugar levels low. At the 10th International Conference on Alzheimer’s disease and Related Disorders in Spain, there was a link shown between diabetes and Alzheimer’s. While the statistics confirm a link, how exactly are the two connected is not really understood? Likelihood is that diabetes causes accumulation of blood sugar in the brain causing damage to the brain cells. Bottom line: Take note of what you eat and keep sugar levels low

Deep Breathing
There are manifold benefits of deep breathing. Take deep breaths to infuse oxygen which can replenish the brain cells. An observation at the Brain Research Centre at Canada’s University of British Columbia found that low levels of oxygen are connected to the risk of Alzheimer’s.

Take the three minerals: Iron, Phosphorus, zinc

The three types of minerals, when included in everyday diet, aid proper brain functioning and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. Sunflower seeds, peas, broccoli, banana, eggs, dairy products, whole-grain cereals, spinach, soy etc. are abundant in zinc, iron and phosphorous . You shouls also drink vegetable and fruit juices regularly. According to the American Journal of Medicine claimed that three glasses of juice per week helps cut down the risk of Alzheimer’s by almost 75 per cent.

Tea and coffee

Tea and coffee lovers, rejoice!A study conducted at the University of Kuopio, Finland closely observed 1409 individuals for a period of 21 years and found out that coffee and tea consumption brings down the risk of Alzheimer’s. You can find the study also in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Categories : dementia, Elderly, Exercise, Nutrition, Stength and Fitness, Uncategorized
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FINISH STRONG

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Sunday, February 13th, 2011

A great topic these days seems to be health and wellness. Everywhere you look people are interested in looking and feeling better. The wellness industry is a 200 billion dollar business and it’s only getting bigger. Most experts believe the wellness industry, will more than double in the next 5 years. As a specialist with anti-aging and wellness I can attest to how important being active is to the whole aging process. When I first address the issue of wellness with someone I help them focus with awareness, then we develop strategies while dealing with any underlying issues. Then we start moving! There is some really awesome information about aging that we all need to be aware of. First many have shown that a year of exercise can give a 70-year-old the brain functionality of a 30-year-old, improving memory, time management skills, planning, dealing with abstracts and of course multi-tasking. Wow! That alone should have all of us running to gym, or just moving! When I developed, “A Fitness Experience” over 20 years ago, we were just learning the awesome benefits of exercise and anti-aging. We can’t deny the obvious any more. Over the years I have seen remarkable progress from those who practice “A Fitness Experience” at least twice per week. As this wave of folks are turning 65 this year, if you want to make a difference with yourself or someone you care about, you need to spread the word about the importance of exercise. This will become more and more important with each passing year. Starting today let’s begin a fitness revolution for everyone!

Categories : anti-aging, Exercise Over 50, flexibility, Healthy Products, Low Impact Workouts, Nutrition, Over 65, Stength and Fitness, Uncategorized, Weight Training, Workouts
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