Experience back pain?  If you haven’t you’re probably lying.  The latest reported stats are at least 80% of adults suffer from some type of low back pain.  Frankly I think it’s even higher than that.  Seriously, who don’t you know who hasn’t had a back ache?

Don’t start getting all freaky and think I’m being holier than thou and pointing the finger. Hey in this case, it takes one to know one.  In fact, I’ve got a majorly messed up lower back thanks mostly to my stupidity.  About 22 years ago, when I worked for a major airline I did a really dumb thing.  I twisted at the waist with a suitcase in below zero weather. Snap went the ligaments between my 3rd and 4th lumbar vertebrae.  Life since has never been the same. Add that to an old knee injury and I’m the text book messed up middle age (did I say that?) athlete.

Recently though, in trying to fix some of my issues, I ran across this excellent mobility/stretch exercise that I think will help you as much as it’s helping me.  It’s called “The Brettzel”  .  If you want to get more into the “geeky science stuff, check out Gray Cook’s Functional Movement website.  Lots of good info there.

This little move takes a bit of floor space to perform, but it truly gives you tons of relief and hopefully will help you as much as it’s helped me.

Give it a try and let me know what you think in the comment section below.

Are you thinking that traditional foods like: eggs, bacon, steak and potatoes are the enemy and cause modern ailments like heart disease, diabetes and the obesity epidemic?  The truth is real science, NOT the mainstream media crap that we’re used to hearing, proves that what we once thought was the gospel isn’t the case at all.

Real foods do NOT cause these modern diseases.  Processed foods, whole grains, too many polyunsaturated fats and low fat crap are the culprits.

I’ve admitted it before and I stand by my statement that I was a “Train Wreck”.  In fact, I still probably am a bit of a mess even though I’m in the process of getting my shit together and am finally regaining the health I thought I had.

You see,  I like many other Personal Trainers and Fitness coaches who were traditionally trained, followed and preached the “Whole Grain/Low Fat”, exercise your ass off, calories in calories out lifestyle.   I lived, ate and breathed these destructive habits to the point to where my health was at risk.

Here’s what was going on with me.  Even though I thought I was walking the walk, I had:

• Stage 3 adrenal fatigue
• Insulin resistance
• Stubborn body fat that wouldn’t leave no matter what
• Sleep deprivation
• Systemic inflammation
•  “Leaky Gut”
• Digestive issues
• Endometriosis
• Brain Fog
• Patches of contact dermatitis (skin issues)
• An ADDICTION to exercise.  Yep even too much of a good thing is BAD.  I was and still am a little hooked on the dopamine release.  I was kinda on this gerbil wheel.  I was exhausted all the time because of the adrenal fatigue and only felt better during and after exercise.  Which made things even worse!  The more I exercised the more fatigued my body became.

Any of this ring a bell? If so don’t worry.  There’s light at the end of the tunnel.  You can restore your health too.  All you have to do to begin is to follow these 3 easy steps.

1.) Eat REAL high quality food.  Simply put…Whole nutrient dense foods that generally don’t come in a bag, box or have a food label.  here’s a link for some easy guidelines.  (Great resource to put on the fridge.)

2.) Don’t get hung up on the calories in calories out trap when it comes to exercise and eating.  Move, but move in moderation and incorporate exercise to match your goal.  I.e. if you’re in it for general health purposes:  walk daily, strength train 2 times a week, do some type of challenging interval training once a week and work on your flexibility daily.  Especially if you sit a lot.

3.) Get plenty of sleep.  71/2 to 9 hrs per night is a good start for most of us.  This is another area where you need to really tune in and listen to your body.  If you wake up feeling like a truck ran over you, there’s usually a reason.  You’re either, not getting enough rest, your stressed out or there’s another underlying cause.

Moral of the story, Bacon ( I love real nitrate free pastured bacon!) and Eggs aren’t the bad guy when it comes to the US Health Care Crisis.  It’s the bread, bagels, cereal and processed low-fat crap we shove into our mouths in a rush on the way to our stressful jobs that’s the root cause.

If you think these tips make sense, please share this article with a friend or family member.  And if you’d like more specifics on how to help turn your health and fitness in a better direction, give me a shout.  I’m happy to help you NOT make the same mistakes I’ve made.

Love coffee and exercise like me?  Or maybe you love just the coffee part …Well there's good news, a recent study has proven that coffee and exercise both can positively effect our DNA.

Here's what happens 

We won't get crazy into the science, but basically within seconds of exercising our genetic code isn't changed, but DNA molecules within the muscle cells are altered in a very special way.   Chemical and structural changes occur in the stretches of DNA that are involved in turning on the muscle adaptation to exercise genes.

So what's up with coffee then? 

This study also revealed that caffeine has been found to accomplish the same thing.  Muscles exposed to caffeine in the lab experience similar changes to the DNA which mimics muscle contraction.  However, just because there are some positive effects from coffee, don't ditch your exercise and substitute it with an espresso.  Because just like with most things in life…

Use it or lose it.

More than ever this study reveals that our muscles are much more "plastic" than we ever imagined.  No not like "Barbie" or "Ken", but just like "we are what we eat", our bodies adapt to what "we do" or "don't do."  Therefore, exercise in the proper amounts is medicine, especially because…

Our genes are more flexible than we thought.

Environmental factors can and do turn on and off various genes.  So go out for that hike or bike ride after your cup o "Joe" and perhaps double the benefit.  

What are your thoughts? Does a cup before your workouts seem to help or hinder your performance?  Let us know in the comment section below and share this post with your coffee loving friends.

Eating fat to lose fat and get healthier and leaner like the ancients isn't the breakthrough secret that some are making it out to be, but I'm thinking it's a path well worth investigating.  If you haven't tried it yet, it's time to throw away all the conventional wisdom BS that's been jammed down our throats re: eating a low fat, whole grain diet and get back to basics.

I think I've been barking up the wrong tree for all these years by preaching "eat whole grains, lean proteins and many small meals throughout the day".  No wonder I've been a walking mess of systemic inflammation???  But you know what, that's what I love about science and learning.  There's always something new on the horizon to discover and I'm not afraid to say I was wrong.  And that's another thing I like about the Paleo community.  It seems all the experts like Robb Wolfe, Mark Sisson, Chris Kresser, Diane Sanfilippo, Sara Fragoso and Sean Croxton don't have the typical, "it's my way or the highway" attitude.  They seem to be there to just share information to help people, not to instill a dogmatic religion on them.    

The more I delve into the growing trend of "Paleo" or "Primal" style eating, the more I think this way of life is NOT just a FAD, but the wave of the future.  Not only have I had personal success, but so have my clients.  And the best part about these lifestyle guidelines is that they're all backed by science. (I like that) No smoke, mirrors, empty promises or unrealistic results, only realistic outcomes and a better sense of well being than you've ever experienced before.

About 5 weeks ago, I ditched wheat in my diet.  Soon after, I decided to try to go grain free. According to the experts  it only takes about 21 days to start the transformation from "Sugar Burner" to "Fat Burning Beast"  I can see it happening too, even though I've been adopting the 90:10 rule and have had a few cheat moments (dark chocolate raspberry torte on Valentines Day along with a couple too many glasses of vino and Frangelico for a night cap) I can also vouch for the fact that once you begin to adopt the "Paleo" style way of eating you're body definitely begins to transform and you really begin to experience how it feels to become healthy.  The day after my little holiday cheat meal I really paid for it and felt a little fuzzy and sluggish.  Guess it could have been the wine or the sugar or both.  Either way,  I so now appreciate clean eating and have realized more than ever that it's important to use the right fuel for both our cars as well as people.  As I've said a zillion times before…you wouldn't put water or crappy gas in your gas tank would you???

So here's the difference from the (in my opinion) health destroying food pyramid advocated by the USDA and the new "Primal" food pyramid as suggested by those in "Paleo" land like Mark Sisson.  

Eat ThisNot That

The only change that I've made personally is to flip flop the Veggies and with the "Meat, Fish, Fowl and Eggs" section.   I'm thinking more veggies with a little less of the protein is a better way to go for optimal health.  What are your thoughts?  Please share them in the comment section below.

Dr Oz says that you can lose up to 14 pounds in a year in your sleep.  You think he's right? I have to agree.  Maybe that's one of the factors that's contributed to my fat loss since I've moved to Steamboat.  For the most part my days of sleep deprivation are long gone.  I'm actually averaging 7.5 hrs per night as recommended by sleep experts and I feel great!

The science behind weight loss in your sleep.  

Here's the scoop.  Hormones run the show.  If you're sleep deprived your body makes:

1.) More Grehlin, the hormone that says "EAT" more and more and….

2.) Less Leptin, the hormone that says "STOP" you've had enough.

3.) More Cortisol, the stress hormone that increases inflammation and fat storage.

4.) Less Adiponectin (mostly in caucasian women) the hormone that protects you from diabetes, and regulates your metabolism, fats and sugars.

There's more to it

You would think that your body would use more energy when it's awake, however according to Dr. Breus when you're in the critical stage of REM (restorative stage) sleep your brain is more active and requires more fuel (glucose).  Also, as the night goes on and you go through your 90 minute sleep cycles the length of your REM sleep increases.  

What does this mean?

If you're getting 6 or less hours of sleep you're missing out on the longest REM sleep cycle of the night.  Therefore, just by adding an extra 90 minutes sleep per night you can lose up to 14 pounds in a year.  Much easier than sweating in off.  Did I actually say that???

Start your own experiment tonight

Set your alarm to go off 8 hours before you need to get up to be sure you'll get your butt in bed in time to get 7.5 hours of critical sleep for your health and fat loss and don't forget to tell your family and friends about it too.  If you've got any other tricks to get more sleep share them in the comment section below.  Sweet dreams!

Could the #1 belly fat producer and health destroyer be a food that most of us eat every day? I have to admit that I've been resistant to the thought of it (especially because I'm half Italian), but my tune is changing because there's just too much scientific evidence that backs it up.  

Ask my family and friends and they'll be the first to tell you that I've been through more dietary phases than there are ears in a cornfield (what a crusty cliche…).  This new info leads me to yet another experiment on myself that could well turn into a permanent lifestyle change.

Whole wheat may not be the way to go 

Here's the scoop. 2 slices of whole wheat bread have a higher glycemic index than sugar.   All my formal training lead me to be on the "whole grain" band wagon with most of my other fitness professional and dietician colleagues.  Well, I'm thinkin now…Not so much!  

My new goal is to do my best to become "Wheat Free".  We'll see what happens? If all goes well, perhaps some of the common wheat gluten sensitivity symptoms that I have (memory issues, itchy skin patches and brain fog) will disappear.  Cross your fingers and toes for me guys, because theses itchy spots are driving me nuts!

More and more evidence reveals that our modern day wheat may be about the worst thing we should be putting in our mouths.  Whole grain, sprouted or not.  As Dr. Davis says "A low tar cigarette is still a cigarette."

Just bought the book "Wheat Belly, Lose the Wheat Lose the Weight"  written by Dr. William Davis, a Cardiologist and seeker of the truth of health.  What he's all about really struck a chord with me.  I so agree with getting to the root cause of things and not just putting a band-aid on it by addressing only the symptoms.

There's another Doc that I'm in the process of investigating who also is on the anti-gluten band wagon.  His name is Dr. Thomas O'Bryan, an Internationally recognized speaker and workshop leader specializing in Gluten Sensitivity and Celiac Disease and as his bio says is a ‘Sherlock Holmes’ for chronic disease and metabolic disorders. 

Just Eat Real Food

Mark Sisson and all the other "Paleo" dudes, may have been onto something all along. I've got more to say about this can of worms in future posts, but until then… what are your experiences with "Wheat" or "Gluten Free" diets?  Good, bad or the ugly?  Tell us in the comment section below.  Also don't forget to forward this post along to your family and friends who may be experiencing some of the same negative side effects from wheat gluten.

New Years fitness and weight loss resolutions are a waste of your time. Not sure about this, but I'm guessing that I'm one of the very few Fitness Pros that will be dolling out this advice.  

There are so many statistics out there and it's very hard to get a handle on what's exactly true, but according to meyouhealth.com  88% of all resolutions fail.  So why not try something different this year and forget about setting unrealistic promises to yourself that are almost guaranteed not to happen.

Instead, how about focusing on making activity a habit, just like brushing your teeth.  Most of us wouldn't dream about walking out of the house in the morning without brushing our teeth. However, those who struggle with weight loss, health and fitness hardly have the thought cross their mind to make moving more a part of their daily regimen.  

I've often wondered why I'm so different?  Why is it a given for me that I'll do some type of activity daily, while so many of my family members, friends and clients struggle with it?  

Well there's a reason and it's much like learning a new sport or dance move.  It all comes down to wiring.  No not the electrical wiring in your home, but the wiring in your brain.  In order for new behaviors to stick, you've got to change your neural pathways, memories and default thinking when your faced with the decision of "to exercise or not to exercise".  For example, trying to change a habit by "trying to do it" only re-enforces and strengthens the old behavior.

Positive change in anything requires action, new neural pathways and new thinking.

If you want things to be different and ditch the same ol same ol, check out the 5 step plan for lasting positive change below.

5 Steps For Positive Change

1.) Focus on 1 habit at a time.  Trying to take anything more than baby steps only sets you up for failure.  

2.) Have an accountability buddy, trainer or group to help you stay on track.  Social support is a must for lasting success.

3.) Celebrate your success each and every day you perform the new activity that you desire to be a habit.  Don't wait until it becomes second nature like brushing your teeth.

4.) Focus your thinking on your new behaviors and thought patterns.  Burning those new neural pathways is a must.  

5.) Zero in on the present and be mindful of your physical, emotional and mental inner state and think of one thing that you can do today that will bring you closer to your new positive ritual.

Share this with a friend if you thought it was helpful and have a Happy New Year!

Yep that's right, NO more plastic furniture covers in my life.  You're probably wondering, what that's got to do with Health and Fitness and why am I'm writing about it in the first place??? 

Well, here's the scoop.  I'd been leaning towards this motto for quite some time.  Especially in the last year or so, since I've been adopting a more minimalist lifestyle.  You see I used to always feel the need to save really good things for later.  Stuff like, my favorite shoes, clothes, foods etc.  Then after experiencing the last two weeks of my mom's terminal illness, it reinforced to me that you should enjoy everything and every day NOW and be grateful for it. Saving something for tomorrow may never happen.  

That was the case for so many things in my poor mom's life.  A good example was a box of Steamboat Toffee that we gave my mom and dad on their 50th anniversary weekend (11/11/11).  She told me to put the toffee in the suitcase and she'd try it later.  She loved toffee too.  So much that she didn't want my nephews to inhale it.  I know she would have really enjoyed it if she would have fought off her instinct to save it for later.  Unfortunately she never indulged in the Steamboat Toffee.  There it sat on the Kitchen counter days after she'd passed into another plane of consciousness.  

I'm not telling this story to be "Debbie Downer" and send anyone into an emotional funk, I'm merely trying to illustrate a very sad example of waiting for a better time and saving something for later that never came to be.

Moral of the story…Don't save your adventures, get togethers with the people you love, books you want to read, movies you want to see or a fantastic bottle of wine.  Dig in, enjoy it, be grateful and please "Throw away the plastic furniture covers!"

What's the last thing or experience you've saved for later??? Please share it with us in the comment section below and forward this to a friend so you can inspire them to "Throw away their plastic furniture covers."

Thursday isn't only about turkey, football and black friday eve, it also marks the beginning of the holiday weight gain season.  Although the average numbers gained is a bit controversial, most often an extra 5 plus pounds of extra fat is added to the total that we'll pledge to get rid of in January.

Most of us tend to throw in the towel, emotionally over eat and pledge to deal with it later.  It doesn't have to be that way and you don't have to deprive yourself.  Just add these 3 strategies to your playbook and you should make it through the Holidays without any added weight gain. 

1.) Get moving!  One of the most effective ways to maintain or lose fat is to exercise regularly.  If you haven't made it a habit, now is the best time to start.  It only takes 28 days to form a habit and there's no better time than the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

2.) Book it.  Be sure you do it and not just talk about it.  Put it on your schedule, make an appointment with yourself and follow through.  If you need accountability enlist the help of a friend, family member or coach.

3.) Plan ahead.  Probably sick of hearing about planning, but it's critical.  From meals to treats.  Think about the week before it begins.  Tis the season when we're bombarded by parties, treats and holiday cheer (the liquid kind).  Here's an example.  Happy hour holiday party with works bud's on Friday balances out with a kick but interval workout that day.  If you think about the energy balance like the old time two sided scale and expend at least the same or a little more than you take in you won't gain a bit. 

Have any other tricks to keep fend off holiday weight gain, please list them in the comments below and share the post to all your friends and family if you thought it was helpful.  Happy Turkey Day!     

Choose your Poison

Whether your winter sport of choice is, alpine skiing, snowboarding, tele-mark, nordic, skate skiing, snow shoeing or tubing down the hill on your butt, it pays to prepare or you’ll pay with pain or possibly injury later. 

I remember the first time I went skiing. Man was I hurting the next day.  I thought I was in pretty good shape too.  But that’s one of the biggest misconceptions.  You can think you’re in great shape, however you're really not because…

Training and prep are SPECIFIC to the sport.  Just because you’re a master swimmer, doesn’t mean you’re going to tear it up on the slopes right out of the gate without pain and suffering.  You can however, get the most out of every turn if you put a little sweat and planning in before the snow flies.

A pound of preparation is worth many days of awesome turns

Everything needs prepping for the winter.  Cars do better with snow tires, extra weather stripping keeps out the cold and exposed pipes need wrapping so they don’t freeze.  Skiing and snowboarding also requires a little prep in the areas of building strength, endurance, power, flexibility and joint mobility. 

So don’t be like the majority.  "Regardless of your ability level, don't make the mistake of assuming you can ski or board yourself into shape," says Dave Merriam, head coach of the PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America) and AASI (American Association of Snowboard Instructors) Demonstration Teams.  Plan for success instead and workout properly before so you can have awesome powder days later.

Check out the video below to get a little taste of what I'm talking about and if you don't know where to start and need help, grab a FREE week of NO pressure private ski or Snowboard conditioning classes.