April 22, 2008:
For the first time in American history, the life span for an American has DECREASED!
Americans are expected to live 1 1/2 years less, due largely to obesity and hypertension!
Unfortunately, this is just the beginning of a trend that is expected to become much, much
worse! Fortunately, there is a CURE and that cure is exercise and healthy nutrition. There are
over 60 different diseases, disabilities and dysfunctions associated with lack of physical
activity and poor nutrition. Getting fit and eating healthy are the very best ways to maximize
your life span, the quality of your life and your immune system to prevent all the medical and
health problems that not only rob your life of years, but rob your years of life!
Who wants to live to be 150 years old if you are a bedridden invalid for the last half of your
life!?! The reality is you can have both quantity and quality of years through an intelligently
designed fitness and nutrition program. Through fitness and nutrition you can live a long,
healthy and happy life, or you can choose to slowly self-destruct through physical inactivity
and poor nutrition. It is a choice you and every living man, woman and child must make. You
must also be keenly aware of the consequences of your choice.
What are the benefits of the fitness and healthy nutrition lifestyle?
1) Increased lifespan
2) Decreased chance of developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and various
forms of cancer
3) Increased ability to control body weight (more muscle and bone, and less fat)
4) Stronger muscles, bones & joints
5) Improving, developing and maintaining strength, endurance, agility, balance,
coordination and flexibility
6) Increasing functionality for all Activities for Daily Living (ADLs)
7) Creating a sense of psychological and physiological well being that increases
positive interactions with family, friends and co-workers,
8) And MUCH, MUCH MORE!
That's the "High Road" -- taking personal responsibility for yourself, your health and your
welfare, or you can take the Low Road and continue to believe that you can abuse your body
with lack of exercise, poor nutrition, poor sleeping habits, too much stress, too much alcohol
and other unhealthy lifestyle choices and expect a magic pill, potion, drug or surgery to CURE
YOU! It will NOT!
Modern medicine may keep you alive, but at what cost? The Low Road will lead to much pain
and disease including: cardiovascular diseases such as: Coronary Heart Disease (CHD),
cardiomyopathy, hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerosis, hypertension, congestive heart failure
and more; Musculoskeletal disorders such as: low back pain, back disorders, osteoporosis,
osteoarthritis, bone fractures, connective tissue tears and more; Metabolic disorders such as:
overweight, obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, diabetes and more; Cancers such as: breast, colon,
lung, prostate, and more; Pulmonary diseases such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema,
and more; and Psychological disorders such as anxiety, mood disorders, depression and more.
It is not necessary to train like an Olympic athlete to gain substantial health benefits from
your exercise program. Moderate-intensity daily activity can provide substantial benefits
including: reducing the risk of colon cancer, diabetes and hypertension by 30% and reducing
the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) by 50%. Moderate intensity is approximately 2 1/2
hours of physical activity, expending approximately 1,000 kcal per week. This level of activity
has a very positive impact on triglycerides, blood pressure, body composition and high-
density lipoproteins. Some of the population can start at moderate intensity, but many may
not. As always with any fitness program, a patient should be cleared by their physician
before beginning any fitness program, and begin with a IFPA Certified Trainer that has the
necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to safely and effectively manage all the fitness needs
of the patient.
While exercise may be the very best medicine for many of the diseases, disabilities and
dysfunctions that afflict our population, finding the safest, most effective dose is just as
critical for exercise, as it is for drugs! To find the correct dose, you will use fundamental
exercise physiology principles:
The SAID Principle: Specific Adaptation for Imposed Demands - the body’s physiological
systems will adapt to specific and targeted stress to a targeted physiological system; i.e.:
strength training increases the size and strength of the musculoskeletal system;
cardiovascular exercise increases aerobic endurance, etc. The safe & effective use of the SAID
Principle requires:
The GPO Principle: Gradual Progressive Overload - the stress imposed must be high enough
(intense enough) to elicit adaptation, but low enough to not cause
injury or death. The GPO Principle is controlled through:
The FITT Principle: Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type. Frequency is the number of training
sessions per week. Intensity is the percentage of Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) for aerobic
exercise or percentage of your one repetition maximum (1 RM) for strength training. 1 RM =
the maximum amount of weight/resistance you can handle, with proper form and technique
for one all-out, maximal lift: i.e., your best Squat/Bench Press/Deadlift/etc. Time is the
amount of time you spend exercising or the amount of sets and repetitions (sets/reps) you
perform per exercise or exercise session. Type is the type of exercise you perform and the
specific IFPA Component of Fitness you are exercising.
10 IFPA Components of Fitness are:
1) Strength
2) Speed
3) Power
4) Anaerobic Endurance
5) Aerobic Endurance
6) Agility
7) Balance
8) Coordination
9) Flexibility
10) Body Composition
All 10 IFPA Components of Fitness must be developed to some extent, but the 5 most
important components for preventing the over 60 different diseases, disabilities and
dysfunctions associated with physical inactivity and aging are:
1) Strength
2) Anaerobic Endurance
3) Aerobic Endurance
4) Flexibility
5) Body Composition
Each of the different diseases, disabilities and dysfunctions may require significantly different
exercise prescriptions for one or more of the five components of fitness listed above and
always adhere to SAID, GPO, and FITT.
Future FitBits will provide Exercise Prescriptions for a variety of disease, disabilities and
dysfunctions.
Regards
Shapes R In Fitness LLC
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