Three miles a day for my mother!

By Vilma Van Horn

I have been attending the classes the fitness center has to offer, since November of last year, (2011).   My reason to start was my dear mom, who passed away not long before that of lymphoma cancer.  While she was sick, she wanted so bad to go for walks but was not able because where she lived in Costa Rica, the environment (roads) is not safe for walking.  The road where her house is located is narrow, and very busy with cars and buses.  The road doesn’t have sidewalks and there are lots of steep hills.  And with her health being so bad, it was a large risk for her life.

So when she died, I realized many things I took for granted and the main one is my physical health and well being.  I live in a country and a small town where it is so easy to just go for walks or runs and don’t have to deal with a lot of traffic.  We have wide roads with sidewalk and no steep hills.  But most importantly, we have the privilege to work in a place that allows us to use a great fitness center so we can have better health and well being.

So I decided to take advantage of this opportunity to do what my mom would have loved to do.  So when I run, I do it in memory of my mother and I feel that she is running with me and keeps me running at least 3 miles a day.

Flannery Posner

Training for Half Marathon

By: Flannery Posner 

Four years ago, I decided to train for a half marathon simply to see if I could do it.  Prior to the training, I could not run more than a mile at a time. I learned a lot about myself by training for the half.  I learned that I had been trying to run too fast which is why I couldn't run very far, and I also learned that I was tougher than I had ever given myself credit for.  That training period fostered my love of running.  After having my son in 2011, I had to basically start my cardiovascular training from square one, but I found that my toughness had stayed with me. I started slowly by walking every day with Mikey.  Once Mikey was old enough, I put him in the jogging stroller to go for short jogs. When I finally got my stride back, I felt that same need for a challenge that I had four years ago, and decided to train for a half marathon again.  I have to get up early everyday to train, but I find that I'm a better mom and person when I've made some time each day to do something good for myself.  I want to set a good example for Mikey for a healthy life, and I want to take good care of myself so I can always keep up with him! When I (hopefully) cross that finish line on November 3rd, all of the early mornings and long, tough runs will be worth it!

How Many Times A Day Does Your Heart Beat?

By Dana Neer

Your Target Heart Rate is the Key to Fitness!

On average, the adult heart beats 104,000 times and a child’s heart beats around 150,000 times per day. 

Oh so clearly I remember my very first collegiate cross country practice in the mid 80’s.  Upon arrival to campus and quickly immersing myself into the new culture, I enjoyed being introduced to my teammates.  We all attentively listened to the details of our training for the day – a twelve mile threshold run at pace.  Our coach specifically stated what pace that should be for his young harriers, each of us directed to keep our heart rates between 170 – 175 beats per minute.  He had a certain target in mind and we were to adhere to it.  Blame it on our youthful enthusiasm and competitive spirits, because we heeded not our wise coaches instructions, but instead gaited out at near race pace speed knowing full well the impossibility of maintaining for the entire distance.  While running, I constantly heard my high school coach’s voice in my mind and his famous words “Know the reason for the workout, know the right pace for the workout.”  Fortunately his advice stuck as I slowed down, maintaining my speed to the finish.   I was learning a valuable lesson, one that would assist me in my personal training and coaching for many years.   That lesson: training at a specific heart rate is the key to fitness.

How hard do you have to exercise to become fit?  Answer, hard enough to maintain your heartbeat within your target heart rate zone for the duration of 30 minutes, at least four times per week.  A person’s target heart rate is a percentage of the maximum heart rate.  A person’s maximum heart rate is the age subtracted from 220. 

Maximum Heart Rate = 220 – Age

Thus, the maximum heart rate for a 45 year old is 175 (220 minus 45 equals 175).  For moderate-intensity physical activity (walking, jogging, slow biking) a person’s target heart rate should be 50% - 75% of their maximum heart rate.  Therefore, a 45 year old should maintain a target heart rate between 82 and 120 beats per minute. 

Target Heart Rate = Maximum Heart Rate x 0.5% to 0.75%

For vigorous-intensity activity (running, swimming, elliptical, fast biking) the figure is 75% - 85%.  A rate between 135 and 150 beats per minute would be the target heart rate for the same 45 year old.

Target Heart Rate = Maximum Heart Rate x 0.75% to 0.85%

You can check whether you are exercising within the heart rate zone by stopping your exercise briefly to take your pulse.  Take a 10-second count of the heart beats, then multiply by 6 to obtain your rate per minute.  Or, if you do not want to stop exercising remember this rule:  If you can carry on a conversation while exercising, you aren’t working hard enough.  If you have to stop and catch your breath, you may be working too hard.  Pace yourself and aim for the lowest part of the target zone first and gradually build to the higher levels during the first few months. 

The figures below may help you find your target heart rate zone.  These are averages so use them as general guidelines. 

	TARGET HR ZONE	MAXIMUM HR
AGE	50% – 85%	100%
20 yrs	100 - 170 bpm	200 bpm
30 yrs	95 – 165 bpm	190 bpm
40 yrs	90 – 155 bpm	180 bpm
50 yrs	85 – 145 bpm	170 bpm
60 yrs	80 – 135 bpm	160 bpm
70 yrs	75 – 130 bpm	150 bpm

Cardio vascular exercise is any type of physical activity that causes the heart to beat faster and lungs to breathe harder.  If your heart is exercised regularly it becomes strong.  Regular cardio training makes the heart and lungs work harder, causing them to become more efficient in delivering oxygen-rich blood through the body.  As a result, the heart muscles become more powerful and able to cope with every day tasks and extensive physical exertion. 

Joint Pain - the most common reason why many cease fitness routines.

By Dana Neer

Joint pain is a universal reason why people do not exercise.  Every week I  hold conversations with young and old (yes, even teenagers), active and sedentary individuals and athletes who represent a wide array of sports, ranging from weightlifting, ball sports, dance and running who have become discouraged about joint pain, particularly pain in the knees.  Many have either ceased exercising or cringe from the thought of pounding through another excruciating routine.

During my junior year of collegiate running, after completing a taxing track workout, an exhausted teammate frustratingly exclaimed to our coach, “You are a pain in the joint.” And yes, while it is true that training can cause joint pain, many other factors contribute as well, including posture, obesity, genetics and nutrition.

Being overweight can affect a person’s neuromuscular system, resulting in abnormal changes in walking patterns and problems with balance and stability.  Overweight individuals tend to walk with a rigid posture and spend more time with both feet on the ground.  The results lead to excessive pressure in the bones and joints.

Thus, nutrition is a key factor in controlling joint pain.  Limiting caloric intake, plus nourishing our bodies with ingredients our systems crave is vital.  At times, joint pain may be a result of insufficiency with vitamins A, B, C, D and E as well as mineral-enriched foods with calcium.  Berry juices and green tea contains antioxidants which boosts our immune system, often times relieving pain in the joints.  A friend of mine in Philadelphia suffered from such severe knee pain that he could not walk down the stairs in the morning.  Instead, he resorted to sitting on the steps and scooting down.  Weary of being forty years old and feeling like he was ninety, he improved his diet, began a light exercise routine and starting taking glucosamine, an over-the-counter supplement which helps the re-growth process of broken tissues and joints.  One morning after six weeks of this discipline, he was startled to realize that he was bounding down the stairs with little difficulty.  The subtleness of a healthy routine – diet, exercise and weight loss had given him new life.  Remember to consult with your physician before taking supplements. 

One normal way to cure joint pain is by regularly performing exercises.  I know that this seems contradictory since movement may cause pain to occur, but with time our bodies normally adapt, and begin feeling better.  Moving is medicine.  The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Medical Association state that exercise is the number one recommendation to cure arthritis and joint pain.  The term arthritis describes more than 100 rheumatic diseases and conditions that affect the joints and surrounding tissues.  Rheumatoid arthritis, which often strikes younger adults, is believed to be an autoimmune response that leads to inflammation.  Pain is not a reason to stop excising.  Attempt to work through normal, acceptable levels of pain.  No one wants to lose their independence and rely on others to assist in their daily activities.  The important point to remember is that muscles support joints, effectively lightening their load, allowing us to move more freely.  If you gain muscular strength and endurance, your joints become stronger and more tolerant too.

Functional strength can be attained or maintained through weightlifting, using your own body weight (push-ups), static and ballistic stretching, trampoline of soft surface based aerobic exercises, Pilates or stability ball routines, walking and yoga.  Meditation and prayer are also other types of exercises that help relax and focus a person, relieving stress in the body that usually settles in the back and joints. 

Men's Fitness

By Dana Neeer

Men’s fitness after the age of thirty represents a stiff challenge.  Lean muscle tissue is lost if exercise is not performed on a regular basis, and to make matters worse, a man’s metabolism changes dramatically causing unwanted weight around the hips, waist and legs at alarming rates.   This extra fat often triggers an onset of diabetes and heart disease.  However, there is plenty of hope!  Focusing on the right amount of exercise, flexibility and food can provide a noticeable change within four to six months. 

Exercise... Once you reach thirty, your metabolism begins to slow down at a rate of 4% every ten years.  Even though weight lifting can be a tremendous form of movement, it is not classified as an aerobic exercise.   Yes, you are breathing while lifting, and even though the heart rate does elevate, it does not rise to the levels needed for your body to stay lean and fit.  Performing exercises that recruit several muscle groups at the same time forces the body to release more human growth hormone.  Speed walking, jogging, biking and running, plus using your own body weight with push-ups and pull-ups causes the body to adapt to a longer, leaner and stronger endurance look.  Determining to do a certain number of push-ups and pull-ups each day can create the effects needed to attain your goal.  If you weight lift, include higher repetitions at lower weight.  Raising and maintaining your heart rate for at least 30 minutes a day, six times a week will provide the results you need to get closer to the formidable shape you once enjoyed. 

Flexibility… The elasticity of tendons, ligaments and joint capsules is key to athletic and fitness success.  Forgetting to stretch weakens muscles causing them to tire much faster.  If you lack flexibility, muscles will not work through to their complete range of motion and will deny you the benefits you are seeking.  Tendons and ligaments are not lubricated by downing sports drinks, water or juices, but instead through cellular secretions that occur whenever you stretch.  For best results stretch after you have warmed up and muscles are primed for activity.  By stretching each day, stiffness and atrophy are reduced, leading to a healthier more active lifestyle. 

Food… Eating six or seven smaller meals a day instead of three or four larger meals can prevent your body from releasing large amounts of insulin.  Excessive insulin not only forces your body to store fat, it also blocks the flow of growth hormones that are released through your blood stream.  Eat lots of foods such as raw fruits and vegetables, lean meats, whole grains and low sugar products.  These foods score low on the glycemic index and will prevent the storing of fat within the cells.  Soon after working out eat foods high in protein and carbohydrates.  Your cells will be replenished with the nutrients they crave.  Smoothies are superb.  By adding many types of fruits in the blender, you can receive 200 to 300 calories of cell-loving food per glass that will provide energy for a sustained day of work and exercise. 

Enjoying support from other men with similar goals is important.  There are several fine fitness clubs and gyms in our area that may provide encouragement and sustainability.  I encourage you to contact one of them and see what kind of good results the next four to six months will bring. 

God bless you.