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GET REAL!!

You have probably been channel surfing sometime in your life and come across an infomercial on the latest and greatest fitness breakthrough where you can workout for only 3 minutes a day and get in the best shape of your life. Or a DVD promising to get you ripped in 3 days or your money back. Maybe you have even tried one or two of them. Did they work? My guess is probably not.

Human nature makes us lazy. Regardless of who you are, there is something inside of you that wants you to find the easiest way to do something, while engaging in the least amount of work possible. This isn’t a bad thing, for the most part. Having the natural ability to want to make everything you do quicker and easier is not a bad way to live. However, when it comes to your health, hard work and dedication are the only way you will get results. Sure, you can buy all the DVD’s you want, but will you actually use them? If you buy the latest gizmo, you will probably use it for a week, then it gets stored away only to be talked about next time you see it on the television.

Instead of buying into the hype and misleading promises that these products make, buy into yourself! You can get results, but you have to put in the time. There is no magic potion, secret formula or breakthrough product that will allow you to sit on your ass and get in the best shape of your life. If there were, you would think that doctors would get a hold of it and prescribe it to the millions of obese patients that are in the USA. But they don’t. Do you know what they prescribe? Consistent diet and exercise and making life long change to your lifestyle to get you to your optimal health. Why do they prescribe that? BECAUSE IT WORKS!

No fancy machines. No fancy commercials. No buy one in the next 5 minutes and well send you another one free. Just results. Which is what you want, right?

So next time you are watching the TV and you see one of these products come on, I highly suggest you simply take away the temptation to try and purchase a product that will not work, and just change the channel. Better yet, get up and get active. Watching TV isn’t going to get you in shape either.

In middle school, you more than likely took a health class. In that class, they told you that diet and exercise was the best way to stay healthy. That hasn’t changed over the years, regardless of how long ago you were in school. What does change over the years that people get confused about is how much physical activity you need. The requirement depends on which organization you look at. There are some that say 5-7 days of moderate physical activity and then there are others that say 3 days of low to moderate exercise.

I think the first thing that needs to be done is you need to define what Physical Activity actually is: From an earlier post, Physical Activity is any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that result in energy expenditure. In real life, physical activity is basically anything that you break a sweat doing. Walking the dog, playing with the kids, joining a softball team, anything!

But how much are you suppose to get? Really, whatever you can. 5-7 days of moderate physical activity, according to the ACSM, is optimal for great health benefits. But if you can do 3 days, that is better than zero days.

Honestly, though, you should not really say “5 days” or “7 days” or anything else. You should try to just make physical activity part of your life. If you put to much emphasis on trying to get enough days of physical activity in during the week, more than likely, you will say something like “I will just get my 5th day in tomorrow” or ” If I take today off, I will go the next 5 days”. And due to human nature, you more than likely will not hit what you want to. Instead, just make physical activity part of your lifestyle. Be active. Live active. Start walking every morning. Join a sport league. Start hiking. Whatever it is, just start living a healthy, active lifestyle and you will start living a healthier life. But if you must put a number on it, shoot for 5-7 days of moderate physical activity for optimal health improvement. But also make sure your diet is in check. A good, active lifestyle doesn’t mean anything if you are eating crap. But that is another post for another day. Have an awesome day.

It’s the new year. You have set the goals. You are going to train for a marathon. Train for a 5k. You are going to run every morning. You are going to walk every night. You are going to go the the gym 5 times a week. Great! I hope your resolutions are going as planned.

One thing you need to consider with your workout resolutions are your shoes. Shoes very often get overlook, especially by beginners. Most people put on the only pair of athletic shoes they have, that most of the time are a few years old. Others go to high end shoes stores and get a pair of shoes that are not only way to expensive for what they need, they are probably not the right kind.

When picking a pair of shoes, you first need to ask yourself what are you doing? Are you running, walking, weights or something else? If you are walking, you will get way better support if you purchase walking specific shoe because you will get more stability when you walk. If you are running and you purchase a walking shoe, you will just be clunking around. This will be the first thing should consider when buying a shoe.

The next thing you should consider is honestly how much you are going to use them. If you are training for a marathon and will be putting many hours and miles on your shoes, I highly recommend going to a good shoe store and having someone look at your foot, look at your gait and recommend a shoe that will keep your foot cozy as you plug away at the miles. If you are a casual runner, I still recommend getting your gait and foot looked at, but most importantly for you is you find a shoe that fits you right and will not give you blisters. If you would like recommendations on shoe stores in your area, drop us a line at info@nintemanfitness.com and let us know where you are located at, and what you are doing (running, walking, marathon, ETC) and I can let you know some places to check out.

The most important thing you need to do is have a dedicated pair of shoes to workout in! You cannot take your workout, runs or walks seriously if you use the same pair of shoes that you hit pavement with, then go to a picnic in. You need to have a pair of shoes strictly for your workouts. This will not only make your shoes last longer, but it will help your feet and you will be less likely for injuries. Also remember that shoes have about a 300-500 mile limit on them, depending on the shoe. If your shoes are getting worn out, get another pair to avoid injury.

zucchini-frittata

Zucchini, Parmesan and Mint FrittataWhat You Will Need:

• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 small zucchini, julienned
• 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 mint leaves, torn
• fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil

How To Make It:

Heat a toaster oven to 400 degree F. Break the eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk well. Drizzle in a bit of water. Add the zucchini, cheese, mint, salt and pepper. Drizzle the oil into a 5 1/2 inch skillet. Pour in the egg mixture. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until eggs are just set. Let them stand 2-3 minutes before serving. Makes 1 serving.

If you look up the word “fad” in the dictionary, it will come up with something along the lines of an intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something, esp. one that is short-lived and without basis in the object’s qualities; a craze. Now why on earth would you trust your diet, which is one of the basic needs for your good health, to a craze? To something that will fade away eventually. The secret to weight loss is not to avoid carbs, fats, yellow foods, solid foods, or food that starts with the letter “P”. The real trick is to lower your daily intake by about 100 calories if you can. You’ll hardly notice the difference, but it will add up in the long run to the tune of about 10 lbs a year. And when it comes to your health, you really need to think in the long run.

Stick to the basics when it comes to your diet. Lower your calorie intake, watch your portion size, eat fresh foods, stay away from fast foods and processed foods and stay clear of fad diets that will come and go. A good, balanced diet is always the key to staying healthy.

People often hear the word meditation and get scared. They think it is some zen/religious practice that they want no part of. Others think it is a waste of time. And still then, there are those who just plain think its weird to do.

Meditation, as defined by Wikipedia, is “a mental discipline where by the practition attempts to get beyond the reflexive “thinking” mind into a deeper state of relaxation and awareness.” In other words, it is going to your “happy place”.

Mental health is often over looked when people want to try to get healthy. Relaxing is an important part of being healthy. It reduces stress, and clears the mind for increased mental health. And you don’t have to sit cross legged on the floor humming in order to reach this state. Think of a place where you go that you are completely relaxed. Some people meditate in silence. Others in noise. Some in the gym. Others outside. Some by themselves. Others with people around. It all depends on you! Meditation is nothing more than blocking every stress that you have in the world out, if only for a moment, and focusing on relaxing and letting nothing get to you.

One question I get asked when I talk about meditation is “How do I know when I hit that mindset”? That is a hard question to answer. It totally depends on what your mind thinks is relaxing. For me, it is getting my mind to “vacation mode”, even for a brief moment. When I go on a vacation, I don’t have a care in the world. I don’t think about work, stress, projects, deadlines, or anything else. I am fully in the moment and am completely relaxed. That is the place I try to get to when I meditate. I can’t go on a vacation every time I get stressed out. That is why meditating is so helpful. If you get stressed, and you need to relax, a quick meditation session can work wonders. Daily meditation will help you to be less stressed overall throughout your life.

Still struggling on the whole meditation concept? Just try this for starters: Whenever you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed, frustrated or anything of that nature, think of a few of your favorite things. It could be “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens” (I kid). Or your grand kids, your wife, a place that you love, a time in your life where you were on cloud nine. Whatever makes you the happiest is what you are going to focus on. So when you are feeling stress, focus on that one thing as hard as you can. Try to get yourself to actual FEEL like you are there in the moment. Listen to the sounds of that moment. Feel the feelings of that moment. For example, if your place is the beach, feel the sun on your face, hear the ocean crash down, feel the sand in between your toes. Really get yourself into that place that makes you happy, even if just for a brief moment in time. Your mood/mind set will start shifting and you will start to feel better. You will know that your stresses and frustrations are little things in life and the important things are really the only things that matter. Stress doesn’t solve anything. Take a deep breathe and get back to whatever you were doing with a fresh new mindset and start kickin’ butt.

So in order to start getting your mental health as good as your physical health, start trying to meditate once in awhile. It will help clear your mind and relax your body.

2009 is coming to an end.  I hope that you took every advantage of every situation presented to you last year and that your next year is your best year yet.

2009 was a great year for me personally. I learned quite a bit throughout all my experiences this year. I am going to share what I learned in hopes that some of what you read here sparks a fire within you and you take the information and run with it.

• Never judge people by their looks. Yes, first impressions are crucial, but they are not everything. See Susan Boyle.
• Never let anyone tell you that you cannot do something. If you want it bad enough, you can do it. You are more powerful than you know. Again – see Susan Boyle (and I swear that is the last time I will mention her!)
• Be genuinely you – You cannot try to be something you are not. It is fake and people can see right through it. Plus – why would you not be proud of who you really are? Let people connect with you as  you, instead of someone else.
• Be a big deal – If you don’t think you are a big deal, no one else will.
• Invade peoples personal space – People for some reason are afraid of being close to other people. Reach out and give someone a hug when they least expect it. They may think it is weird, but it will make their day.
• College is a complete waste of time. Needed? Yes, because every job wants you to have a piece of paper saying that you sat through 4 years of classes that relate to nothing for the job that you are applying for and now you are $20,000 is debt.
• Having someone by your side who supports you and all your crazy ideas is one of the most important thing to have in your life. If you have someone like that, make sure you tell them how much they mean to you everyday.
• Reading books and RSS feeds are a great way to find information. However, it will do absolutely nothing if you are trying to accomplish something. They only way to get stuff done is to take massive action and actually try it. I would rather try and fail rather than not try at all.
• Self helps books will not change your life. Motivational speakers will not change your life. I will not change your life. Only YOU can make the choice to change and take the action needed to change. All self help books and motivational speakers and I can do is give you advice, tips, tricks and point you in the right direction. The rest is completely up to you.

It is also up to you to take this advice I have just given you. You can use it, or throw it out. It is your choice. Only you can make it happen.

Regardless of if you use this list or not, I hope that 2010 is a great year for you.

You hear it all the time on the TV, Radio, from Doctors, around the coffee machine and throughout your daily life: Get physical activity in your life. But what exactly is physical activity and how much should you really get?

In science, physical activity is any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that result in energy expenditure. In real life, physical activity is basically anything that you break a sweat doing. Really anything. Do you work when you vacuum the house? That is physical activity. Do you work when you chase your grand kids? That is physical activity. Do you work when you go shopping and have to walk around the entire mall? That is physical activity.

What is NOT physical activity? Watching hours of TV. Sitting in front of a computer (reading killer articles on Ninteman Fitness is OK for now). Doing nothing is not physical activity. Physical activity doesn’t have to be hard to do. Just make

sure what you are doing is hard. Park farther at the mall. Do lunges when vacuuming. Race the kids around an obstacle course around the house. Do jumping jack during commercials through your favorite TV show. Walk up and down your stairs at your house. Find a step and do 20 min of stepping up and down your step. When you look around, you can really find ways to get in your 30 min a day 5 days a week of physical activity each week. It shouldn’t be a chore. Find things you are doing already and amp them up to get in your activity. Your health will thank you in the long run.

There are times in my life as a fitness professional where I come across someone who is so inspiring, talking to them gives me goosebumps. I had that conversation today.

I am taking a therapy class on how to work people back from injuries. I had a gentleman very close to the same age as me (mid 20s). He was in a car accident in his teen years and was the only one who survived out of the entire 5 people in the car. Even though he was alive, he was in really bad shape. Years later, he is making great strides in improvement and went from having no mobility through his entire body, to having complete movement in his entire body, except his lower legs.

I had a great conversation with him today on CAN’T vs. WON’T and how they are used in the English language. CAN’T is a shorten version of CANNOT. If anyone should say this word, it is the gentleman I am working with. However you will not find it in his vocabulary. WON’T is a shorten version of WILL NOT. Again, a word my client does not use.

However, too many people use the word “can’t” and “won’t” that should not use it. First, no one should use the word can’t. If a guy who physically CAN’T walk without help doesn’t use it, neither should you. In no way, shape or form.

Second, you CAN do anything if you are willing. Most people that say “can’t” really mean “won’t”. “I can’t run for 20 minutes on the treadmill”. YES YOU CAN! You just are not willing to. You will not. You won’t. You can do anything you put your mind you. You hear that over and over again. Don’t be afraid to fail. Try Try and TRY AGAIN! Remove Won’t and Can’t out of  your vocabulary. Try and Do. Those should be the words you use. If you try and do not succeed, at least you tried. Saying you can’t do something is a cop out in my mind.

For some of you, you know the name Dr. Oz from either his appearances on the Oprah show, or his various other books and TV appearances. For the select few of you, if you don’t know who Dr. Oz is, you should.

Being a fitness professional, I hear all the time “My Dr. prescribed X” or “My doctor told me Y is the best thing for me”. Most doctors are pill pushers that honestly couldn’t care less about  your overall health and want to get in and out of your appointment as fast as possible so they can move onto the next one so they can get their paycheck and drive home in their fancy car. I say most because there are those few doctors who truly care about their patients health and know the best way to change someone’s overall health issues is back changing their overall lifestyle.

Dr. Oz, although still a celebrity doctor which to me, reduces credibility, is very straight forward and knows that pushing healthy diets will get people healthy, not pushing pills.

Dr. Oz has a book that I think is a great starting point to getting healthy. It is called “You on a Diet”. It very plainly and basically explains how diets are suppose to help you stay healthy. I have taken nutrition classes for years and I have not had anything as simple and straight forward as this book.

If you are serious about your health, this book is a great place to start. He has more books that are just as good as this one, but You On A Diet is a great place to start.