End of the Stupid Personal Trainer by Rick Kaselj

This is a post from a fellow fitness pro/friend that I just had to share.  Rick is amazing and an expert in the area of exercise rehab.  For more info. on Rick, his thoughts, and his products, go to his website at:
http://exercisesforinjuries.com/

Here ya go....from Rick's Blog,

These prediction things are fun but I do believe that this is where things are going.


I had a friend comment on my Facebook wall earlier this week that talked about the stupid trainer plus I remember 3 blog posts in 2010 where bloggers talked about the stupid personal trainer.

In 2011, we will see the further end of the stupid trainer.

I am not sure what it is in health and fitness, but personal trainers being treated as the bottom of the barrel or the weakest link in the system seems to be common place.

Knowledge is on the Rise

I have been teaching fitness education courses since 1999.

Way back in the day, I would see many personal trainers with just their certification.

Yes, those online or two day certifications.

Now it is becoming more and more of a rarity.

More people have advanced university education, like a Kinesiology, Human Kinetics or Physical Education degree are entering into personal training.

This is a good thing overall but a degree is not everything, it is a nice start.

A Degree Does Not Mean You Are a Smart Personal Trainer

I remember training a new personal trainer and asked where his biceps was and he pointed to his quadriceps.

Yes, the trainer had a degree.

Just like with every profession, you get the full spectrum of people.

Some people lead the profession, some follow the profession, some are lost in the profession and some should go into management.

I think a degree gives you a very solid foundation to build on your personal training career but what is more important is constantly learning, improving your skills and gathering experience. This can be done with or without a degree. Some of the personal trainers, I look up to in my area, do not have a degree. They have a passion to specialize in an area and have learned everything they can in this area.

We All Were Stupid

I have not forgotten the first client I trained, I new nothing.

Yes, I may have had my degree in Kinesiology.

Yes, I may have had my personal training certification.

I fumbled through the first session. I did everything as per what I remembered from the book but the book does not always translate into the real world.

What I lacked was personal skills, experience and confidence.

This came with training more people, reflecting, learning and constantly improving.

Today, this is still the case with everything I do.

This will be the process that new personal trainers will need to follow.

The book learning is the start. Training clients is where you get your personal skills, experience and confidence.

When you reflect back on training your clients you will see where you will need more understanding. Then you can seek out the knowledge you need to better understand and help that type of client.

If All You Know is Stupid Trainers, This Will Lead To Your Failure

I know one of the apprehensions of surgeons, doctors, Chiropractors and physical therapists to refer to personal trainers is because they don’t know any good ones.

If this is the case, you need to try harder to find good ones.

You have to search out good trainers because you are letting your clients down.

If the client has gotten a diagnosis from the doctor, it has been confirmed by the specialist, then the physical therapist begins the exercise rehabilitation process and then the client is sent to the gym on their own?

Then the care of the client has failed and the client will never fully recover from their injury fully.
I know it sounds harsh but it is the truth.

If the weakest link in your clients recovery is the link between your client to a personal trainer, then fix the link.
Doing so will lead to happier clients and clients with better results.

Rick Kaselj, MS
http://exercisesforinjuries.com/

2011....... I'm All Over It...... What about YOU?

Communication and learning as much as you can is always the key in making changes, especially when those changes are going to bring you BIG dividends...like in your health!  Tell me what you're needing, what you're interested in.  I'd love to hear from you about what YOU would like to see more of from me in the new year.

What are YOUR Biggest Challenges as we move into 2011?

Could it be....

• diet? food, eating?
• workouts?
• organizing to make it all happen?
• some extra pounds to get rid of?
• energy?
• body image?
• flexibility?
• stress protection?
• staying and track and organizing so it all happens?
• fitness mojo?
• getting out of your old head and into a new one?
• ?
  

I’m all over all of it, so name your heart’s desire.


Write to me and tell me what's going on. 

Send me an email to:  Patti@PattiGoewey.com

Wishing you a Healthy and Fit New Year,

Patti

Get LEAN and HEART HEALTHY with MY Favorite SPICE!

Keep your heart strong and help your body get lean by jazzing up your morning cup with a swirl of cinnamon.
Research suggests that in addition to steadying blood sugar, cinnamon may be particularly healthy for people who carry lots of extra weight. In a study, cinnamon seemed to blast fat and help minimize some of the negative health impacts that obesity has on the body.


CINNAMON FIGHTS INFLAMMATION!
People who are obese (read body mass index of 30 or higher) tend to have higher levels of inflammation in their bodies, and their bodies tend to experience more oxidative stress than the bodies of slimmer folks. Inflammation and oxidative stress are two very unhappy physical states to be in because they can set the stage for heart disease and other health problems. So in addition to losing weight, finding ways to fight oxidative stress and inflammation is an important part of protecting your heart if you carry around too much weight. (Know your heart's worst enemies? Get a seven-step action plan for a healthy heart.)

CINNAMON FIGHTS FAT!                                                         
A recent study showed that certain cinnamon compounds may help obese people in the fight against fat, inflammation, and oxidative stress. In the study, obese people with prediabetes took a cinnamon extract called cinnulin twice a day. At the end of the 12-week study, participants' bodies were experiencing less oxidative stress and their antioxidant defenses against inflammation were heightened. They even lost some fat mass while gaining a bit of lean muscle. Not too shabby for a few shots of cinnamon! Researchers think that cinnulin had such a favorable effect in the study because compounds in the extract may somehow help cells take in sugar and use insulin better -- two things that don't always work so perfectly in people who are obese and have prediabetes.

STEVIA - Is IT the ANSWER to Our Sweet Tooth?

  

This year non caloric sweeteners started popping up on store shelves everywhere… and these are made from an extract of Stevia rebaudiana.

So what’s the deal with Stevia - is IT the answer to shedding body fat healthfully?Is it a safe alternative to Splenda and Equal?

OF COURSE ...  it’s natural!  (Hope you didn’t fall for that, did you?)

There a lot of "natural" herbs that we should probably stay away from.Let’s find out the truth.

Stevia is a relatively new comer in terms of popularity, even though it’s been used for 100’s of years. It’s exploded in the last few years as consumers are looking for a "natural" calorie free alternative to artificial sweeteners.Stevia fits that bill. Stevia’s real name is Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) and it is an herb native to Paraguay and Brazil. But, while it has been used for 100’s of year now, it has always been labeled a "dietary supplement" since it didn’t have the OK from the FDA as a food ingredient.

There were some concerns with Stevia after early studies suggested there may be some concern with its use with fertility and reproductive development and even genetic mutations! Lo and behold, more recent data submitted to the FDA regarding the safety of a Stevia extract, known as Reb A, granted this particular extract GRAS status (generally recognized as safe). This was in December 2008.

However, the FDA still maintained the position about calling Stevia at dietary supplement with this statement "Reb A is different than whole leaf stevia or other stevia extracts, which can only be sold as dietary supplements." They continued "Nobody has provided the FDA with evidence that whole-leaf stevia is safe."

In fact, one consumer advocacy group, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) stands by their position that Reb A GRAS status was granted too early, suggesting not enough supportive safety data is available.

As usual, there are of course two sides to each story. Let’s look at the pros and cons of this ingredient.

PRO's..

•Stevia is about 250-300 times sweeter than sugar
•Stevia is stable to heat, making it safe for cooking

•Stevia is calorie free

•Stevia doesn’t promote dental caries like sugar

CON's...

•It has a bitter taste that some may not enjoy, also making it difficult to include in large quantities

(in baking, for example).

•It’s more expensive than most other sweeteners

•Data is mixed here – some show DNA damage with high doses of stevia intake,

others show no effect at all.

From what we know now, the FDA considers Reb A safe…

If searching for this in the store, look for either "Truvia" and "PureVia" — the consumer names for the Stevia extract.

What do you think? Is Stevia the next big thing in terms of sugar replacements?



3 Facts - Food Industry WANTS YOU TO FAIL & 6 Tips to SUCCEED

Losing weight seems anything but simple! With all of the trendy diet plans and new workout fads - it is easy to become confused. The good news is that the meat and potatoes of weight loss have not changed over the years.

It all boils down to Calories In versus Calories Out. Too many Calories In, and you will gain weight. Extra Calories Out and you will lose it.

Keep in mind that 3,500 calories equals one pound and every itty bitty calorie counts! The holidays are here and there's more sugar, fat, and salt than ever before in the foods we buy.

This season, I ask you to be more consciouse of your eating, such as what you're eating, when and where. Set yourself up for success not failure.

You really don't need to gain 10 more pounds this December!Be aware of how we're all a target for failure, courtesy of the "food industry".

Here are 3 FACTS I wanted YOU to know.

1. An Irresistable Combination Rewires Your Brain: Think of your favorite treat - most likely it can be broken down into the basic building blocks of sugar, fat and salt. This combination is known of as the ‘three points of the compass', a combination that has been shown to literally alter the biological circuitry of your brain.

Sugar, fat and salt give food a high hedonic value which gives you pleasure. This pleasure reinforces you to return to your favorite foods time and time again.

2 The Food Industry Targets You: Everywhere you go you'll see the clever work of the food industry, tempting you with highly palatable creations. Food has become a science, and your taste preferences the guiding light.

The food industry has one goal - to get you hooked. By constructing food items that are high in sugar, fat and salt they know that you will come back time and time again.

3. Conditioned Hypereating Becomes a Way of Life: Humans are conditioned to seek more reward. When readily available, hyper palatable food become our reward a pattern of hypereating quickly emerges. Here's how the cycle goes.

"Foods high in sugar, fat, and salt, and the cues that signal them, promote more of everything: more arousal...more thoughts of food...more urge to pursue food...more dopamine-stimulated approach behavior...more consumption...more opioid-driven reward...more overeating to feel better...more delay in feeling fulll...more loss of control...more preoccupation with food...more habit-driven behavior...and ultimately, more and more weight gain."  

 The good news is that you don't have to remain trapped in a cycle of overeating. Here are your 6 Simple Tips of Defense.

1. Don't eat anything your great grandmother wouldn't recognize as food.
2. Pay more, eat less. Look for quality of food over quantity.
3. Eat meals. Cut out snacking, stick with structured meals.
4. Don't get your fuel from the same place your car does. Gas stations are great for fueling your car, but the food they sell are not suited to fuel you.
5. Try not to eat alone. Eating can become mindless when alone, leading to overeating.
6. Eat slowly. Eat foods that have been prepared slowly – that means no fast food.

Under 300 Calorie Breakfast that's QUICK and HEALTHY

Spinach & Bacon Omelet

Ingredients
1 egg
2 egg whites
2 slices cooked turkey bacon, crumbled
1 cup baby spinach
1 slice whole-grain toast
1 teaspoon butter
cooking spray

Directions
Whisk together eggs, bacon and spinach. Coat a skillet with cooking spray; cook egg mixture and serve with toast and butter. Serves 1.

Here's the deal on BREAKFAST...

If you're not a breakfast eater....change it.  Especially if you want to lose weight and have energy for the day. 

Here's the deal on LOSING WEIGHT...

If you want to lose weight and NOT GAIN WEIGHT, it's how you eat.  Calories DO MATTER.  Counting calories IS IMPORTANT....I don't care what any goofball says...  IF YOU WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT, KNOW THAT YOU'RE CALORIES ARE AT A DEFICIT TO WHAT YOU BURN. 

Energy in, energy out....
That's why I thought I'd give you an idea of a very balanced, real food breakfast for under 300 calories.  Furthermore, there's lots of studies out there that are valid that shows if you don't eat enough for breakfast you'll be more inclined to binge during the day or in the evening.  (hey, I fight this daily, I know binging)

If you want to eat processed foods and manmade everything instead of using fresh real foods, as long as
you stay within your calorie range, most likely you'll still lose weight.  Will you be eating nutritionally dense food and healing your body? No.  Furthermore, you can really damage your digestive system as well over time.  Why go there.

The holidays are here, that's for sure.  This is the time you want to enjoy and NOT get any FATTER, HEAVIER, or the like.  Watch your food intake, count your calories, and journal them.  Food journals whether recorded on your phone, computer, or handwritten will make you call attention to your actions.  Honestly, it's much easier to lose weight when you journal.

If you're not sure how many calories you should be consuming, get tested.  A RESTING METABOLIC RATE TEST is a specialized test that is simple.  However, you must find a professional who has the equipment and the experience to administer the test.  It is generally a breathing testing that takes between 10-20 min. 

You will then have the numbers needed to manage your intake, weight loss, or even weight gain if that's your need. 

If you live in the Las Vegas or St. George, UT area, you may schedule your RMR with me by emailing me at Patti@PattiGoewey.com.  Not only will you receive your test results, I will also do an individualized Nutritional Plan for you detailing how you should "fuel" to meet your needs and REACH YOUR GOALS!

ARE YOU INSULIN RESISTANT?

It was originally call “Syndrome X”. More recently, this syndrome has been renamed as “Metabolic Disease”, and yes, is indeed a disease of insulin resistance. Some characteristics of this disease are:


• High blood sugar (glucose) levels; a signal that the body may be having trouble processing carbs.
• High insulin levels; usually go hand in hand with high fasting blood sugar.
• You’re eating too many carbs, particularly high-glycemic carbs; stimulates the secretion of insulin.


You can HELP YOURSELF…The best way to control both blood sugar and insulin levels is to control carb intake.


Could it really be that simple? Yes, it is. The insulin resistance of metabolic syndrome is characterized by intolerance to carbohydrate. If you have lactose intolerance, you avoid lactose. If you have gluten intolerance, you avoid gluten. You get the idea.


Not surprising, many studies of low-carb diets have shown that glucose levels improve significantly in subjects who follow them. Insulin levels also decrease, regardless of whether or not a person has a glucose metabolism disorder and even whether he has lost any weight. Reducing insulin levels throughout the day, even after meals, is crucial to enable fat burning.


In this way, controlling carbs has an important effect on the way the body handles fat, and in turn positively affects cholesterol and triglyceride levels.


Insulin


It’s a hormone made and released by the pancreas, an organ or gland that is part of your endocrine system.


Your blood sugar (glucose) level needs to remain within a relatively narrow range to avoid an overload. When it rises as a result of consuming foods full of sugar, white flour and other quickly metabolized carbohydrates, the pancreas receives a signal to produce insulin to carry glucose to the cells. There glucose is at the ready to provide energy as needed.


Too much Glucose means more body fat


When you consume more carbs than necessary to meet energy requirements, the excess glucose has to be transported and stored somewhere. Insulin helps convert the excess carbohydrate foods you eat into either glycogen (the storage form of carbohydrate in the muscles) or into fat stored in fat cells.


Insulin promotes the storage of nutrients and simultaneously blocks the breakdown (metabolism) of protein, fat and carbohydrate in the body. When the insulin level rises, it puts the brakes on burning fat for fuel and simultaneously encourages fat storage.


How can you avoid storing fat?


When you limit your carb consumption, you stimulate increased fat burning and decreased fat storage. In fact, fat breakdown and fat burning are exquisitely sensitive to changes in the amount of insulin released in response to dietary carbohydrate. Small decreases in insulin can almost immediately significantly increase fat burning. Insulin also increases glucose uptake and activates key enzymes that transform glucose into fat.


How does that reduce your risk for metabolic syndrome?


Following a lower carb diet, (which means remove processed flours and high glycemic foods) blunts insulin levels throughout the day so you burn significantly more—and store less—body fat. This metabolic change contributes to improvement in all markers of the metabolic syndrome and also reduces the risk for heart disease and diabetes.

Grilled Pepper Salad

GRILLED PEPPER SALAD

Toss a colorful mix of grilled bell peppers with briny olives, sweet sun-dried tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette for a lovely side dish. Or spread crostini with goat cheese and top it with this salad for an easy summer appetizer.
Servings: 4 servings, about 1 cup each      Total: 20 mins

Ingredients

4 bell peppers, (mixed colors), halved, seeded and stemmed
1/4 cup halved and pitted oil-cured black olives
1/4 cup rinsed and chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Grill peppers on medium-high, turning once, until soft and charred in spots, about 5 minutes per side. When cool enough to handle, chop the peppers; toss with olives, sun-dried tomatoes, oil, vinegar and salt in a large bowl.

Tip:

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.


Nutrition Facts
Calories 107, Total Fat 7 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat 3 g, Sodium 330 mg, Carbohydrate 10 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 1 g, Potassium 331 mg. Daily Values: Vitamin C 200%. Exchanges: Vegetable 1,Fat 1.5.
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Michael Jordan, a Calendar Girl, and One of MY SECRETS...

"I have missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot... and missed. And I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

---Michael Jordan, Former NBA Superstar                                                       

When I read this, I felt like it was a wake up call by saying, "hey, it may not go exactly how you planned but it is going the way its suppose to....so don't lose sight of your goals!"

Ladies, don't lose sight of your goals either.  If today wasn't perfect, you had a feel sorry for yourself food binge, or made every justification as to why you didn't exercise..OK, you can't undo your past BUT you can move on. 

Be a CALENDAR GIRL...
Start by creating a plan for tomorrow, for the week, and then for the month.  I use a wall calendar.  I write exercise type (run/walk, bike, weights, DVD), each day on the calendar.  I mix it up with cardio and resistance styles so I don't get bored.  (I'm the queen of creative workouts:) As I complete the day, I check it off, on the calendar.  That way I can see the task and get the pleasure of "seeing" the task marked off! 

Food...I'm an emotional eater, just like you...
The only way is to be organized and again, visual.  i find that I crave and binge the most when I don't get enough water to drink.  Yep, that's right.  Our bodies are so amazing that they will do anything to get us to drink water....even eat more food! 

So here's one of my secrets.  I keep a 20 oz. plastic glass on the counter and lemons cut in the fridge, and straws ready.  That's my little fun for getting enough water in throughout the day.  It's easy and effective! 

Skinny Jeans are Your Choice!

"Only one of every eight adult Americans knows
how many calories he should consume in a day." 

That’s according to a survey conducted by the Washington-based International Food Information Council Foundation.  The survey of 1,024 consumers over the age of 18, was conducted from April 30 to May 17 by Cogent Research of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Ladies, this is not where we want to be in our jeans! Getting a Resting Metabolic Rate Test by a skilled fitness professional is essential in assisting you with proper calorie intake and nutrition design to AVOID THIS LITTLE PROBLEM!
(pick me pick me!)

DON'T EAT MORE THAN YOU CAN LIFT!

Do you eat healthy, exercise regularly and yet haven't been able to achieve your goal weight? You're not alone.

You've fallen into the healthy food trap. This is the faulty belief that as long as the food you're eating is healthy then you don't have to worry about portion size.

Weight loss always has and always will be a numbers game. If you eat more calories than you burn, you'll gain weight - even if those calories are healthy.

Reduce the size of your portions and watch as the weight falls off.

Las Vegas, Childhood Obesity, and Devil Girl...

It ‘s Halloween in Las Vegas.  I’ve  had  several kids already at the door doing the trick or treat thing and all decked out in costume.  To me, Halloween is really a bitter-sweet anymore. (Bitter sweet…cute)  The bitter comes in 2 forms, the first being that it’s just not the way it used to be sadness.  It was never a worry about weirdo’s kidnapping us or getting drugs in our candy…never (and I grew up in LA!)  Hey, we’d get apples, carmel corn, popcorn balls, and get served “witches brew” from a smoking cauldron from the craziest lady on the block….it was so cool!  Homemade stuff….AWESOME, and generally that would be eaten and done before we got home with the goods.  We knew the rules that were set by our parents and by society of what was wrong and right, when to be home, and how big our bag could be.  And you know…we loved it!  Yes, it WAS the holiday of holidays for all the kids. So the first bitter  is the tradition diminishing….WTH is “trunk or treat”? Sad.

The second bitter is seeing the  epidemic, first hand, AT YOUR DOORSTEP with every ring and knock.  The epidemic I’m referring to is CHILDHOOD OBESITY (CO).  In addition to CO, is the rise in children simply being poorly nourished and so sedentary.  So here we are at Halloween, and yes, you can give out pencils, rubber bracelets,  alternative wrapped foods like peanuts, raisins, whatever you think….fine.  And sure, I too am always trying to be creative  in what to give out.  But what about candy!  There are some candies that are favored over others, sure.  But you know what?  The fact is a candy here or there shouldn’t be a conflict or a guilt trip for the average child, it just shouldn’t .  But when your child is obviously way overweight and /or sedentary or a complete sugar addict….YOU GOT A PROBLEM!  We kids once.  So I’ll rant on this next statement maybe another time but WHY IS YOUR CHILD STRUGGLING………..PARENTS….WHO’S IN CHARGE!  DO YOU COOK REAL FOOD OR JUST MICROWAVE?  YES, REAL VEGGIES, FRUITS, REAL, REAL,REAL….Your children learn from you. So bitter number two for me is watching our children struggle with something unheard of before….Childhood Obesity.

BUT HERE COMES THE SOLUTION, IDEAS, or what I’ll say is the SWEETNESS OF HALLOWEEN…

If your child is out of balance with their nutrition and activity, obviously, the ideal amount of candy  (and kids-at-heart) is NO candy.  But this is not the night to be hard guy/gal cop. So here is a FYI of ideas that can help in keeping the spirit of Halloween ALIVE  with a little tradition.

Set (and enforce) limits on how much candy may be eaten each day and when (i.e., only after meals).  We’d sit around after we got home, dump it all out on the floor and cluster it into the good stuff and the cheap stuff.  If your child has way too much, the let them pick out a LIMITED AMOUNT and monitor with them how much and when.

Halloween candy should be enjoyed instead of and not in addition to other sweets that the kids might otherwise have. Limit other sources of sugar such as sodas and sweetened drinks, sugary breakfast cereals, cookies, and desserts, while the Halloween candy is around.

The World Health Organization recommends limiting added sugars to 10% of total calories. For a 90-pound 11-year-old, that's about 50 grams.

Candies that are lower in sugar (less than 20 g per "fun size" serving):

Hershey's Reeses Sticks, Nutrageous , Chocolate covered peanuts , Hershey's Chocolate Almond Bites Mr. Goodbar , Reeses Pieces , and Kit Kat.

Candies that are lower in calories (less than 100 calories per "fun size" serving):

Bubble gum, Twizzler's Bites, Jelly Beans,Bit-o-Honey,York Peppermint Patty,Tootsie Rolls,Raisinets,Gumdrops,Skittles, and Starburst.

Now the question is, “are there any candies that are both low in sugar AND low in calories”?

The best option found in chocolates is CocoVia. Their bars and bites (with various fruits and nuts) are a bit lower in sugar and calories than most similar candy bars. Plus, they are extra high in those flavonoids that make chocolate so good for you. Unfortunately, they're not cheap.

So my sweetness is knowing that WE CAN have Halloween and that THERE ARE STILL a few knocks at the door. I had thought about dressing up to scare the scary kids right back, but my sweetie said my Devil Girl costume was a bit too, let’s say… “Devilish” for the little ghouls….darn.   

Your Attitude Defines Your Body

My Butt in the Mirror - I can't be the ONLY woman doing this!

Hi and WELCOME!!

How many times have I walked past the mirror in the past 50 years, OK, let's narrow this down to the past 20 years and decided right then and there whether or not it was going to be a fun night out or not? Or the other very female thought is, "my butt looks big, my pants are tight, so forget it...not going out because no one's gonna like me like this"?  Can anyone out there relate?

Or what about, being hungry and craving those carbs either loaded in sugar or salt?  By 10pm you're in the fridge, cupboards, and maybe to the mini market huntin' down that food you just can't live without anymore.  Been there....  still am....if I don't prepare and stay consistent with keeping healthy foods in the house...only! 

So what does it take to feel good about our body and really,ourselves inside and out?  If we need to drop some fat pounds then what's the problem? Why the sabatoge and constant battle of let's say, "good and evil foods"?  Does what we eat really relate to how big our butt billows in or away from the mirror?

There's nothing worse than getting ready to go out and FIND YOU CAN'T FIT IN YOUR JEANS because your thighs, butt, and belly have grown gushy, unsexy, FAT!

THE SOLUTION:

Learning how to transform your body to WHAT YOU WANT it to be by transforming your thoughts, your food choices, and keeping exercise on your calendar!