Hair-Raising, Fund-Raising For Men's Health

If you were following me last year you know that next month is known as "Movember." During which some of us guys grow out our moustaches in order to raise awareness and some money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation as well as the Livestrong Foundation. This is a cause that is close to my heart as both of my grandfathers have had prostate cancer, one passed away from cancer (including testicular), and a close friend of mine has had his own battle with testicular cancer. If you can please visit my page (http://mobro.co/FitnessMatt), you can donate, join my team, and/or recruit people you know to grow a mo' or join in supporting a bro.

Here's some scary statistics that point to the need for such a cause:

The average life expectancy for men is five years less than women (presently 77 years old compared to 82).

1 in 2 men will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and 1 in 3 women will be.

Evidence suggests that about a third of the 571,950 cancer deaths expected to occur will be related to obesity, physical inactivity, poor nutrition and thus could be prevented.

1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.

240,890 new cases of the disease will be diagnosed and 33,720 men will die.

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in American males between the ages of 15 and 34.

8,290 men will be diagnosed with the disease and 350 will die.

Smoking accounts for at least 30% of all cancer deaths and 87% of lung cancer deaths

An estimated 115,060 men will be diagnosed with lung cancer and 85,600 men will die from the disease.

While not as common, men can get breast cancer. About 2,140 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among men and about 450 men will die from the disease

The most common cancer in the US, skin cancer strikes 1 in 5 Americans.

An estimated 43,890 men will be diagnosed with skin cancer and 8,080 men will die from the disease.

An estimated 13 million adult men over the age of 20 in the US have diabetes- and a third do not know it.

Approximately 50 million men and women in the US have high blood pressure- almost 30 per cent of them do not know it.

About 1 in 3 adults has high blood pressure, and blood pressure tends to rise with age.

1 in 8 men who suffer from mental illness actually seek help (inspire.org)

Four times as many men commit suicide compared with women

24% of men are less likely to go to the doctor compared to women

Let’s face it, men are known to be more indifferent towards their health, especially when compared to the efforts of women, who proactively and publicly address their health issues in a way not traditionally seen with men. As a result, today the levels of awareness, understanding and funding for support of male health issues, like prostate cancer, lag significantly behind causes such as breast cancer.

Check out this great MSN video: Jog Your Mood

This is not a revelation, but more it is more evidence that supports the fact that we were designed to move and be active. The only issue I take with this report is that exercise should be prescribed with anti-depressants from the beginning not after medications are ineffective. There are more studies out there that have shown that exercise has a higher success rate for treating depression than medications with a decrease likelihood of relapse. The difficulty comes when the symptoms of depression convince you that you don't want to get up, get out, and get healthy/happy. It's a self-sustaining disease, if you get up and get out it dies off. So of course it works to convince you that you don't want to, that you can't, that you're a lost cause. When you're at this point you must will yourself to do what doesn't come naturally, to get up and get out. If the one true and perfect God loves you so much that He sacrificed His one and only Son, you are truly loved and you are never a lost cause. And remember doing something is always better than doing nothing. A 10 minute brisk walk has been shown to radically improve your brain chemistry. So in case you missed it...

GET UP and GET OUT!


Check out this great MSN video: Jog Your Mood

Interesting New Definition On Addicition

Not really anything new on what takes place in someone's brain when they deal with addiction, but maybe this article will help you understand any addictions you or someone you know is dealing with. Remember, you still have to choose healthy behaviors. It gets easier with a God who loves who, just my belief, take it for what it is. Hope the article helps shed some light, if you/someone you knows need help battling addiction or hangups check out: http://www.celebraterecovery.com/

One Reason For Our Camp For Kids...

This article (Children's Unhealthy Snacking) is just one of many reasons why today's youth is suffering more and more obesity related illnesses. It is also why we are working with kids this summer to try and educate them and their parents as to what a healthy lifestyle looks like and how to make it work.

In A Pinch...

So this afternoon I found myself unprepared, I know, trainers are never supposed to be unprepared. By this I mean that my mini-fridge at the gym was empty, I had been working away on the computer, and it was time to eat! So with only 30 minutes before my next appointment I walked over to Henry's and came up with a tasty (and powerful) little snack/meal. I didn't really have a plan, I knew nuts are always a good source of nutrients (anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatory, amino acids, healthy fats, etc.) so I headed down the little section where you scoop your own nuts/grains. I found an unsalted mixed nut bin and measured out a pound. Then I headed over to the fruit, thinking I needed something sweet and juicy to liven up these nuts. I found some organic blueberries that were perfect. I grabbed those and thought "I need some protein!" As nuts, while very healthy and a good source of healthy fat, are not an actual complete protein. If you are unfamiliar with complete vs incomplete proteins here's a link to a web page that describes it pretty well (http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/proteins/incomplete-vs-complete-proteins.html), i just googled it and I liked the article I cannot comment on the rest of the website. So I headed over to the cheeses (complete protein). I was tempted to get some fancy garlic (immune booster) cheese but opted for a bag of low-fat string cheese. Low-fat is generally better for you than non-fat as they usually have to add less extra ingredients in order to replace the lost taste. And, yes, an argument can be made that some whole cheeses are good for you as well, but I figured I have plenty of healthy fats from the mixed nuts.
Got back to the gym, rinsed a handful of blueberries, mixed it with the a couple handfuls of nuts, had a stick of cheese, and washed it all down with some water. It was delicious, nutritious, energy-boosting, anti-oxidating, anti-inflaming, and held me over for the next 3 hours until I could get home and have some dinner. All for under 400 calories!
Anyone else have any "In A Pinch" remedies/recipes they've had to rely on?

Courage, How One Man's Story Can Teach Us to Make Some Changes

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but the judgement that something else is more important than fear." - Ambrose Redmoon

Read this article:
Ironman Races to Fight Cancer

Determination is something that we have all had at one point in our lives or another. Whether it be to complete an Ironman Triathlon or finish our tax returns before April 15th, with the proper motivation we become determined. So I think we can all admire Staff Sergeant Treska's resolve, but what can we learn from him and his story that can be applied to our own lives, to our own pursuits?

First Treska had desire, to survive cancer and become an Ironman. For most of us our desires are less grandiose, maybe you want to drop 10 pounds, be able to run around the block without passing out, or swim 500 meters. Whatever your desire is, define it. For Treska it was two definitions really, Ironman and Survivor.

Next: Ownership. Own that desire, make it your own. Treska says, "If I'm going to die, I'm going to do it my way and I'm going to go out fighting." It's his way, his desire, how he wants it to be. Put your desires into your own terms, in other words, make it about YOU and what YOU are doing "I am losing these 10 pounds," "I am running 3 steps today," "I am getting into that pool this morning."

Now, we've learned to define our desire/goal and to make it our own from Treska's story. The article also says the next thing he did was "fight." What was Treska "fighting" against? Sure he was fighting cancer and the "odds," but really he was fighting himself. As humans we are often met with natural challenges that impede us from moving towards a desire/goal. We have to "fight" our natural tendencies of complacency, fear, and doubt. So our third lesson from this story is FIGHT for what it is you want. If it's change, FIGHT to change it! If this desire belongs to you, FIGHT for it!

Treska also felt accountable to all the people who had sent him letters and emails letting him know how he had inspired them. For us the lesson is to let others know what our desire is and ask them to keep us accountable. The more we care about the person's opinion of us, the less likely we are to want to let them down and the more likely we are to push through the tough periods of change.

Tied into accountability is support. Treska had support from his family. This also helps us through the tougher periods. So our last lesson from the story of Clay Treska, Jr. is to seek support from family, friends, or whoever in reaching for whatever it is you desire in your life.

So to wrap up the lessons learned from Treska:

• Desire It
• Own It
• Fight For It
• Be Accountable For It
• Seek Support For It

Excuses and Remedies

So here is an interactive post for anyone who is following me:

Let's list some common issues we have that get in our way of living out a healthy and active life. Then we'll brainstorm together as a community to help each other overcome those issues. You can post anonymously if you'd like. I'll start us off:

I don't know how I'll find the time to exercise?
-Consider exercising in the morning before you start your day.
-Use your breaks for lite activities and e at immediately afterward (eg, short walks, lite yoga/stretches in your office, walk up/down the stairs, etc.)
-Get things done during physical activity (ride your bike for transportation, write to do lists/phone calls/watch tv while on cardio equipment, etc.)
-Keep a workout bag in your car or by the front door.
-If you're so busy you forget to exercise/eat, set reminders/alarms in your phone or computer.
-Consult a trainer to assist in purchasing a home gym or in designing a home/office routine.
-Park further away

-And most of all, realize that "I don't have enough time" is just an excuse. In my experience I have had clients with the most brutal s chedules imaginable that found time not only to see me regularly but also to incorporate health/fitness into their daily lives. Remember, we can find many reasons to do or not do anything.

Post some other remedies to this issue or some new issues and the community and I can help!

Help me reach my goal!Sponsor Me at March for Babies!

Moving With Purpose!

FYI:
A group of us have formed a run/walk group that meets on Sunday mornings at 7:30AM at various locations. We have all levels of athletes and get together for coffee (and crepes sometimes) after each run/walk. Most of us are currently on a training schedule for the OC Half Marathon or 5K on May 1st. If you're interested post a comment and I'll include you in our email list. We'll have a facebook page up for the group soon.

Hydration

I'm back!!! Sorry for the long delay, having a baby means never wanting to be on the computer, but I'm giving it another go!

In this post I wanted to give you guys some facts about water. If you have questions, comments, or concerns (or just want to give me a pat on the back :P), please leave a message in the comment box and I'll respond accordingly.

WATER:

Effect on Metabolic Rate

Drinking 500 ml of water increased metabolic rate by 30% in healthy, normal-weight subjects. The increase of metabolic rate occurred within 10 min and reached a maximum after 30-40 min. About 40% of the thermogenic effect originated from warming the water from 22 to 37 C. The total thermogenic response was about 24 Calories. It was estimated that drinking 2 liters of water per day would augment energy expenditure by approximately 96 Calories.

Boschmann M, Steiniger J, Hille U, Tank J, Adams F, Sharma AM, Klaus S, Luft FC, Jordan J. (2003). Water-induced thermogenesis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 88(12):6015-9.

Recommended Consumption

There is no magic number in prescribing the amount of water to consume throughout the day. The optimal amount varies according to body size, activity level, enviornmental factors, and diet. Drink just enough water thoughout the day so your urine is clear. Drink extra water before, during and after physical activity or being exposed to higher temperatures. The goal is to drink before you get thirsty.

Effects of Dehydration

Dehydration of 3% of bodyweight can cause a 10% strength loss and 8% speed loss.

Fact or Fiction?

It has been theorized if not enough water is consumed, the kidneys do not function optimally, the liver takes over some responsibilities. The kidneys metabolize fat at half throttle.

Sports Drinks

If physical activity last longer than 90 minutes (eg: sports competition), choose a sports drink with electrolytes. For even longer durations, consider a beverage with electrolytes, carbohydrates and protein or amino acids.

Cold water is absorbed faster in the body; sugar slows absorption.

Water Intoxication

Hyponatramia, or water intoxication is a potentially fatal condition caused by consuming too much water. Excessive water consumption causes low sodium levels in the blood. Symptoms may include nausea, muscle cramps, comma, and even death. A runner died from the condition following the 2002 Boston Marathon. Another runner was in a comma for 4 days following a marathon in Jamaica.