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Fitness: Readiness Assessment & Setting Priorities

/6 October 2023/ All MFN blog/

My biggest concern as a personal trainer was always the safety of my clients – both physically and medically. Over the years a common theme emerged with each new client relationship that I developed and that was how unprepared people were to really engage in a significant training program and what skills and knowledge they would be required to develop for success. Physicians were often unprepared to advise their patients on what to do, how to proceed, or what limitations and issues needed to be acknowledged by their patients before engaging a trainer to help them “get to the next level”.

stretching

When Should I Stop Stretching?

/4 October 2023/ All MFN blog/

Stretching is the most overlooked form of exercise. After returning to see my physical therapist, she insisted that I stretch more often so I can improve the range-of-motion in my hips. Geez, I thought I was already doing plenty of stretching, or I thought, just enough so I could audition with confidence for Cirque du Soleil. Apparently, I wasn’t ready. How much more should I stretch?

inflammaging word cloud

Inflammaging: The Link Between Sarcopenia and Cognitive Decline

/2 October 2023/ All MFN blog/

Awareness is the first step to making changes to live healthier, stronger, and longer. Older adults love to learn, and sharing life-saving information empowers them.

If you ask an older adult client, “What is inflammaging?”, they usually won’t know; yet inflammaging is a key concept to understand because it contributes to the decline of the body and brain, threatening functional independence, and increasing the risk of a devastating fall.

sugar strawberry

Sugar, Health and Performance

/29 September 2023/ All MFN blog/

Of all the questions athletes ask me, “What about sugar…?” is at the top of the list. You likely have been bombarded with messages that sugar is evil, feeds cancer, causes obesity, ruins health, and should be avoided at all costs. Yet, athletes also hear that sugar fuels muscles during exercise, is the main ingredient in commercial sports foods, and enhances recovery from hard workouts. Let’s look at some sugar myths and misconceptions, as well as new technology that can measure your personal response to sugary foods.

Is sugar addictive?
No. While sugar lights up pleasure centers in the brain, sugar is not an addictive drug like cocaine. Sugar cravings can often be curbed by preventing hunger. Hunger triggers cravings for sugary foods and the urge to overeat. Hungry athletes can easily devour a lot of gummy bears or Oreos in the blink of an eye.
If you believe you are addicted to sugar, do this experiment: rearrange your eating patterns to enjoy a king-sized high protein breakfast (3-egg cheese omelet + Greek yogurt + fruit + granola) followed by a satisfying protein-rich lunch (peanut butter & banana sandwich + glass of milk), and you will quickly notice your afternoon and evening sugar cravings dissipate (that is, unless you are eating to manage stress and smother feelings—as opposed to enjoying food for fuel).

Is sugar fattening?
No. Excess calories of any type are fattening. Many athletes tell me that despite eating only “healthy” foods (i.e., no sugary sweets), they are not losing weight. They could simply be swapping 100 calories of gummy bears for 100 calories of grapes or 100 calories of nuts. No calorie deficit there.
Take note: the conversion of excess calories of sugar into body fat is actually a tough conversion (as compared to the conversion of excess calories of dietary fat into body fat). Sugar often comes with fat (cookies, ice cream, chocolate) Hence, overeating gummy bears could be less fattening than overeating fatty chips. (But first, curb the urge to overeat sugary-fatty foods by enjoying a king-sized breakfast!!!)

I’ve heard sugar feeds cancer cells. Should I avoid sugar to reduce my risk of getting cancer? No. Sugar feeds all cells, not just cancer cells. Giving sugar to cancer cells does not make them grow faster, nor does depriving them of sugar curb their growth. A diet rich in fruits, veggies, and whole grains reduces the risk of cancer—even though these foods all end up as sugar in your blood. (Yes, all grains and plant-foods—“carbs”—digest into sugar.) Sugary foods can be linked to obesity, and obesity can be linked to cancer. Cancer patients who are prescribed prednisone as part of their treatment may need to limit sugar because the medication can elevate blood sugar, but that is a different story.

Does sugar cause diabetes?
No. Diabetes-Type 1 happens when the pancreas makes inadequate insulin to transport sugar out of the blood and into the muscles. Diabetes-Type II happens when the muscles do not respond normally to insulin. This often happens with people who are overfat and underfit. In comparison, most athletic people maintain normal blood glucose levels.

Should athletes be concerned about “sugar spikes”?
Generally, not. After you eat any type of carb (fruit, veggie, grain, sugary or starchy food), your blood sugar (blood glucose) will rise as the sugar moves from your gut into the blood stream. Blood glucose gets used by brain, muscle, liver, and organs. This “spike” is normal, and the body has a complex system of checks and balances to keep it within a normal range (>70 and <180 mg/dL)-After hard exercise, a spike in blood glucose is a normal physiological response. 

Will monitoring my blood sugar level help me perform better?
Some endurance athletes are measuring their sugar levels with a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). The device is sort of like a fuel gauge that can help them figure out if they are under-fueled. This knowledge might inspire athletes who under-eat to fuel better to perform better, but we need much more research to validate this hypothesis.

Most research with CGMs has been done on people with diabetes. They need to know if their blood glucose is too low (causing shakiness and hypoglycemic sweats) or too high (causing damage to tiny blood vessels in the eyes, kidneys and other organs—with long-term complications of organ failure and blindness, among other health issues). For them, CGMs can be health-saving, whereas for athletes, the data is more of a matter of curiosity.

How does a CGM work?
The athlete sticks on the back of the arm a small circular patch (a sensor) which has a very thin filament that painlessly goes under the skin and measures glucose between cells. The sensor connects to a cell phone app that handles the data. The technology can help validate if fatigue is related to low glucose and inadequate fuel.

While a CGM can help you learn about your body’s response to carbs, listening to your body’s messages—not looking at numbers on your cell phone—is the better way to go. Simply pay attention to how you feel: Are you droopy? Edgy? Unable to focus on the task at hand? If yes, you are likely low on fuel and your glucose is low.

I enjoy technology: heart rate monitors, sleep trackers, GPS watches. Where can I buy a CGM?
Search online or go to a drug store. Two popular brands are FreeStyle Libre and Dexcom. SuperSapiens.com offers abundant info.

Before FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) nudges you to jump on the bandwagon, my advice is be sure this would be a smart choice for you. Some athletes feel driven to obsessively monitor their glucose levels. They can easily feel stressed and become glucorexic. CGMs are best used for one to two weeks by athletes who have a specific performance problem they want to resolve, such as, why do I bonk 15 miles into a 26.2 mile marathon? A CGM can identify a need to adjust food intake. Will this enhance performance? Stay tuned for more research with athletes!

Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD counsels both fitness exercisers and competitive athletes in the Boston-area (Newton; 617-795-1875). Her best-selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook is a popular resource, as is her online workshop. Visit NancyClarkRD.com for info

group-of-seniors-biking

Understanding Ageless Marketing

/25 September 2023/ All MFN blog/

It took the 70th birthday parties of a few thousand leading edge baby boomers for corporate America and the mainstream media to wake up to the fact that the median age of adults in the US increased by about a decade while they weren’t looking. Today, articles and conference topics on boomers proliferate, but understanding the underlying values and cognitive decision making processes of older adults remains a mystery to most… old paradigms die hard.

If you are among those that believe there are easy steps or simple typologies that will insure success in the aging marketplace, you are on a fool’s errand. The typical boomer, like the typical senior, is as much like other older adults as a snowflake is typical. Consumers become more dissimilar as they age not more alike, although they share common ‘gut level’ values.

Only a few have successfully targeted the mature consumer, so evidence on what works best is limited. In the last ten years, most targeted the mature market using traditional features and benefits methods only to conclude there was little potential because consumers failed to respond. Those failing blamed neither the medium nor the message, but the intended recipient.

Likewise, millions of dollars have been spent on aging sensitivity without first developing an empathetic understanding of the consumer and their decision-making processes. In fact, sensitivity training often reinforces rather than correcting stereotypes. To increase the probability of future success, marketers must first abandon the approaches that worked so well in yesterday’s youth market; and adopt an ageless approach more likely to appeal to a maturing consumer base while not alienating younger segments.

The first step is to always project a positive, mindful image of aging. This image should underlie all communications and collateral material. Consumers tend to select products/services that reflect images of what they want to be not what they are, and this applies to older adults as well. While physiology changes, older consumers “feel” anywhere from 10 to 15 years younger than their biological age, but this doesn’t mean they think they “look” 10 to 15 years younger. Therefore, when models are too young or engaged in extreme sports, the consumer simply dismisses the message. The key is realistic people in real world activities.

Advertising and communications should also focus on lifelong health and well-being, productivity, later life autonomy and empowerment, and connectedness to family, friends and community. Remember that a prospective customer’s mind will consider your initial message for from .2 to .8 of one second (your cognitive window of opportunity). Not much time to make a first impression – that is why every word and image is so important.

The brain does not process words; it processes pictures and sensory data in context with the circumstances. If the perception “senior” is old, frail, dependent, or other traditional stereotypes, the mind may “exclude” whatever is associated with that word from conscious consideration if the consumer does not view themselves as fitting the stereotype.

By mindfully pursuing an ageless approach to marketing communications, perhaps the general public will come to view later life as something to look forward to and enjoy rather than a time of loss and decline. Ageless marketing solutions do not have to be complex or expensive.  Keeping open minded to all possibilities, some big fixes can be surprisingly simple and low in cost.

For 35 years, Richard Ambrosius has been educating companies, nonprofit organizations and public agencies on how better to communicate with and serve middle-aged and older adults. Moreover, he was among the first in the United States to realize the potential of the New Consumer Majority and specialize in older markets. Ambrosius has delivered keynote addresses and motivational workshops in 49 states.

Prescription for good health diet and exercise flat lay overhead with copyspace.

Sam: A Case Study

/22 September 2023/ All MFN blog/

Question from Sam, age 84: Hi Pat! Sam, here. I appreciate your ‘real people’ common sense approach to this aging thing. Your 7S Buckets resonated with me, and I would like to report that I am doing my darndest to keep them ALL full and robust.

Caregiving-Caring

Caring for the Caregiver

/20 September 2023/ All MFN blog/

In honor of all of the caregivers who unselfishly give your time, care, and energy, I want to encourage you to take time for yourselves. I know from experience that this idea of “self-time” may seem to be only a dream. You may arise early in the morning, go to bed late at night, and wake up throughout the night to care for your loved one. Where is the time for yourself?

However, when you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t have the energy or patience to care for others. Lack of exercise, lack of sleep, stress, and poor diet will only leave you feeling run down. So how can you find that precious time without adding more hours to your day?

First of all, don’t think you have to get to the gym or commit a large amount of time. This may leave you feeling more stressed, especially when circumstances don’t allow it. Instead, start small and change your thinking. Can you find 10 minutes to take a walk around the block? Can you do exercises in your living room while watching TV?

Here are six ideas to find time to take care of yourself throughout the day…

1. Take a 5-10 minute walk around the block. Do this once, twice, or three times a day. Set a reminder on your phone or calendar, but be flexible with the time. If circumstances prevent you from getting out at 8:00, don’t skip it. Move it to a different time.

2. Print a list of simple exercises that you can do and place it on your coffee table. Do exercises while watching TV or while your loved one is sleeping. Leave a pair of dumbbells or a resistance band next to the sofa to get a quick workout. March in place during commercials, perform 10 sit to stands or squats and 10 wall or sofa pushups every 15 minutes during the program you are watching.

3. Take 5-10 minutes to do stretches, deep breathing, meditation, or yoga before you go to bed at night. Just a short amount of time will help to reduce tension in the muscles and relax the mind and body.

4. Sign up for sites such as Caring Bridge or Meal Train. Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help. Whether it’s an encouraging word or a meal a few nights a week, these sites will allow others to take some of the burden off of you. Learn more at www.caringbridge.org and www.mealtrain.com.

5. Plan your meals for the week on the weekend. Make a grocery list with needed ingredients for each meal, shop, and cook the foods that can be prepared ahead of time. Meals do not have to be complicated. For example, cook brown rice on Sunday and refrigerate. Tuesday night, heat the rice, add a can of drained black beans, salsa, and a little shredded cheese. Serve with warmed tortillas for a quick, easy, and healthy meal.

6. Join a local support group or an online support group. Being with others who are going through a similar situation can create a supportive network of friends. If a local support group isn’t available, check out www.caregiveraction.org for online support. There is help and encouragement available. You give unselfishly of your time and energy. Reach out and allow others to help you.

Kris Pritchett Cameron has dedicated over 20 years to the health and fitness of others.  She has built a career on not just “working out” clients, but by helping individuals find the keys they need to unlock a healthier lifestyle. She is the owner of ReNu Your Life Fitness and Neuro Wellness in Coralville, Iowa.