TENSION HEADACHES IN THE BOARDROOM

 

Does your head begin to hurt after a long day? Does your neck get stiff and achy when deadlines near?  If it does, then you have plenty of company. In fact, according to the Mayo Clinic, tension headaches are the most common headache and symptoms are quite varied. One woman says it feels like there is a tight band around her head every time her boss screams.  Another reports pain in the back of the neck and skull for no clear real reason at all. 

 

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Many people struggle with finding time to fit everything into their busy schedules.  We often neglect our health and well-being in favor of completing tasks.  We don't exercise.  We don't eat right.  We don't even relax.   We think that we just don't have the time to take pause in the midst of so much activity.  Meditative activities are so important to weave into our lives that I wanted to provide an even easier way to incorporate it.

Meditation doesn't take long hours of classes or workshops to learn how to do. It is a practice which means the more you do it the better you will become and the more benefits you can reap from it. To meditate, all you have to know how to do is to breathe, relax and think. Meditation is continuous and profound concentration on a single subject. It is to give something your complete, undivided attention. You don't need a quiet room or a special place to perform meditation. You don't

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What you can't see is more important than what you can. Whether it be physical, mental or emotional- the invisible creates the visible. Whether it be in person or on the 90 Day Health and Body Makeover, we help you reprogram your mind to take care of you first- and always.

It doesn't take scientific knowledge to drop a few pounds or build a bigger bicep. But to shape and tone your body correctly in order to prevent injuries and avoid joint degeneration requires specialized training most fitness trainers simply don't have. Certifications last a few days ans science needs more than a few days.

The Invisible Fitness difference is that our trainers and coaches each have backgrounds in biomechanics, and base your personalized fitness program on a thorough understanding of the human body. Combined with the research we conduct with you beforehand, your program is uniquely built on the foundation of your goals and abilities.

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What is a stretch?  In very basic terms, a stretch is the lengthening of a muscle. We consider it a "relaxed" state. But in order to get one muscle into that relaxed and lengthened state, another muscle has to be shortening.  

There are 2 types of stretching- passive and active.  We consider passive BAD and dangerous.  We encourage you to use active stretching.  Studies from the American Journal of Applied Physiology and reports brought to us by the American College of Sports Medicine show that passive stretching can decrease strength.  Passive stretching can tear your soft tissue thus creating less available muscle for you to create power.

 

So what's the difference between active and passive stretching? Passive stretching is when an outside force other than your own muscle is pushing or pulling your body into a range of motion that you can't do by yourself. 

 

Other factors to consider: everyone has a different structure. And your structure will determine it's function--not the other way around.  No one can decide to become a contortionist. You either have large joint spaces and longer or loose ligaments so you can fold yourself or you do not.

 

Stretching naturally occurs when you exercise.  In order to contract a muscle, the opposite muscle groups have to be relaxed and lengthening.

 

Here is one good example.  The Bridge is an exercise that contracts ( or works) the hamstrings, glutes and lower back.  It stretches the quads, hip flexors and abs.  Use your exercise wisely. Pick different exercises every few weeks that work though different ranges of motion so you gain active flexibility and you can stop pulling on your legs since that won't do you any good!

 

Bridge:  On your back, knees bent, feet slightly wider than hips, push your butt in the air using your glutes and hamstrings. Lower slowly but

hover over the ground-do not rest. Start with 20 reps/ 2 sets.  Increase resistance by crossing one leg over the other and only lifting with one leg.

1. How do I lose weight the fastest and best way? --  First of all, there is no "best".  There is a reason you have gained weight or kept more weight on then necessary.  Once you define that reason, then we can start to look at the variables of your lifestyle.  What will you do?  What won't you do?  And then most importantly, what sciences can we apply to what you will do that will produce the desire outcome? I could give you a very general outline but that would simplify a very complex subject-hence why most people are frustrated with all the conflicting information out there.

 

2. Are "Carbs" bad for me?  Carbohydrates are the most important macronutrient that you need.  Think of the gas in your car.  The car does not GO if it lacks gas.  Your body uses carbs as energy FIRST AND FOREMOST to fuel you.  50% to 60% of your total calories each day should come from carbohydrates. Excess CALORIES from carbs and all other macronutrients (protein and fat) will turn into stored energy (adipose tissue or BODYFAT)You only gain "fat" when you have consumed more calories then you need.

 

3. Why can't I lose weight after menopause even though I walk on the treadmill 7 days a week for 30 min?   Our bodies are made up of many components (skins, organs, blood, hair, muscle, fat, bone, etc).  The composition of each body will help to dictate how it functions.  Your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate-how many calories you burn at rest) is determined by several things-most importantly your body fat composition.  Muscle uses energy, fat does not.  Having more muscle increases your resting metabolism because muscle requires energy.  2 people both 125 pounds and 5'5 will burn calories differently based mainly on their composition.  Subject #1 is 20% body fat and Subject #2 is 38% body fat.  That could mean that Subject #1 could be burning potentially up to 500 more calories each day. (guess-timated number...just to show varied response)  During and after menopause, women lose more hormones which helped to keep and build muscle easier.

 

4. If I do 1000 crunches a day, will that get rid of my gut?   No.  Focusing your attention on your abdominals with crunches, which is a moderate exercise for a long duration, is just bad cardio.  This belief is called spot reducing.  The only form of spot reducing there is that I know of to date is plastic surgery and liposuction.  Once again it is body fat vs. muscle mass and DIET that contribute to how you gain or lose weight.  The abdominals are no different then any other muscle in your body in regards to how it responds to exercise.  You wouldn't do 1000 bicep curls to make your arms smaller, would you?

 

5. Aren't all trainers the same?  If you look good, then you must know what you are doing, right?  Are all doctors equal?  Are all cars equal?  If your concept of what a trainer does is to yell and make you work harder then let me introduce you to a word in athletics called a "coach".  Like any other service provider, the more you know the better you are.  Coming from a background of education of trainers, I got to witness over 3000 men and women who decided to make a living as a personal trainer.  Most of them were athletic and GENETICALLY inclined to be active.  MOST of those people thought that duplicating the activities that they performed themselves on someone else was enough to require a fee.  Or the fact that the Fitness Industry is not regulated by a governing education system, trainers can very well be in business with a CPR card and a weekend course under their belt.  Be sure to check the credentials of your trainer and ask a lot of questions.  Then take those questions and ask another.  Don't trust someone just because you like him or her.  Science is science and knowledge is power.

 For more information, please contact JJ Flizanes through MVPseminars.com

 

Studies have shown that we burn more calories on the treadmill than most other machines.  I like the treadmill because it puts us in an upright position and focuses on hip flexion and extension more than knee flexion and extension.  Why is that a good thing?  I believe we sit too much!  Technological evolution and our "rat race" lifestyles put us at a desk, in a car, or on a couch for great lengths of time-and no matter where you are, you can always walk!   Here are some tips to get you started or to maximize your use of time on the treadmill.

• Always start with your feet off the moving track incase the machine has a glitch or you hit the wrong button! Start out at a slow pace when you get on and gradually increase the speed and adjust the incline if your program dictates
• Start in a upright, neutral spine posture. Do not lean on the machine with your arms or slouch while doing this. Your work effort is less and you may encounter bad habits that lead to injury. This would include reading-if you can avoid it, you will have a better workout and avoid the back, neck or shoulder pain that may occur from leaning forward.
• Have a plan! Are you there to burn calories or are you preparing for a 5k race? Are you there for general health? Know what you want to get out of it before you get on. My recommendation is if you want to burn calories or just increase your general fitness level, get a heart rate monitor so you can track where you start and see your progress. You will also see if you are burning calories efficiently.
• F.I.T.T. principle (Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type) This is your equation for success. Type= treadmill. Now to build your program, you decide how many days you do it and for how long. That takes care of Frequency and Time. Intensity is driven by 1. Your goal and 2. Your current fitness level. Getting a Heart Rate Monitor is critical for tracking this accurately. If you are just starting to work out, you want to start slow. You may want to do a longer duration say 30-45 min and a lower heart rate that is still in your target zone so there is less impact but you are still burning calories efficiently. If you have already been in that program and have seen results and now hit a plateau, it's time to increase the intensity with or without decreasing the time. Did you know that working in a lower heart rate zone for 1 hour can be the same caloric expenditure as working half the time but twice as hard? You have choice on how to create the program. But you need the tools.
• Interval Training- is when you "zig zag" in your heart rate zone by peaking it and then slowing down. You do 5 min in the bottom range and then you run for 2 min at the top of the range. This is one example of an interval. Some believe that interval training is more effective than steady state. I say have a plan, try them both and track it to see what works for you!

For more information on how to improve your fitness and exercise program, find J.J. Flizanes at www.mvpseminars.com