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Regaining Physical Fitness in a Post-Pandemic World

/8 January 2021/ All MFN blog/

Yes, I know we’re still dealing with a life-changing pandemic around the world and especially in most areas of the United States, but it is still worth thinking ahead to what comes next. Despite a current focus on non-gym fitness trends (see an article in Time [1]), it is more than likely that many of us have experienced a change (most often a decrease) in our daily physical activities and, subsequently, in our aerobic and muscular fitness levels. 

seniors-walking-in-park

Stay Active to Reduce the Risk of Falling: 5 Exercises to Keep You Fit

/6 January 2021/ All MFN blog/

Did you know that over 33 percent of people older than 65, fall each year? As people age, the risk of falling increases and so does the fear of having a fall-related accident. Part of that fear prevents many from engaging in physical activities.  Rather than avoiding an active lifestyle, there are strategic, smart ways to stay active while decreasing your chances of falling. In this article, we’ll discuss a few fall prevention exercises that can strengthen your body, while improving your coordination and balance.

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Become an Osteoporosis Fitness Specialist Course

/5 January 2021/ All MFN blog/

I am excited to finally bring you the Osteoporosis Fitness Specialist program. It started about 3 years ago as a presentation on the MedFit Tour in Phoenix. It was then developed into a webinar, then short continuing education product, and now a full 10-hour course! It has been nicknamed Project B.O.N.E. for Beating Osteoporosis with Nutrition and Exercise.

It is a unique course in the fitness world because it is a total turn-key format. It starts in the first module with education on bone anatomy and physiology. It then delves into what osteoporosis and osteopenia are and how our bone mass naturally changes across time. It then goes into some of the mechanisms of how bone adapts to the stresses we put on it as well as the interrelationships between joints, bones and movements and how they can improve or decrease with movement or lack of it.

The second module goes into the role nutrients play on bone health. It is interesting that you can approach this from four different perspectives. First, you can attempt to integrate certain foods into your diet that help you obtain calcium, vitamin D, and other bone-building nutrients. Second, you can try to avoid foods that actually decrease calcium absorption and even the stores in your bone. These are termed calcium-robbing foods.

I have developed 13 short video segments that are entitled “EAT this, NOT that” to help guide people with substituting good food for a “bad food”, or one that potentially depletes calcium. Taking in the right nutrients is key because the exercises that strengthen bones are not able to do their “job” if the nutrients that can build bone are not available. Trying to change the way someone eats is one of the more difficult things in life. By making gradual changes and by substituting one food for another, the transitions become easier, and before you know it you are eating well!

The third module is about how exercise can change your bone health and why it works.  One common misconception is that weightlifting is going to stress your bones more than body weight movements that use ground forces. This is simply not true. The target spots and how to work them are combined into the SHoW ME pneumonic — which informs which body parts to focus on (Spine, Hips, and Wrists) and what exercise modalities to use, with Multiplanar activity and Eccentric contractions being the best for bone-building if the client can handle it. Another pneumonic is the SAFE exercises, which represents Strength, Agility, Flexibility and Equilibrium or balance.

The fourth module is on assessments. This is one of the keys to the innovation of this program. Not only does the assessment encompass personal traits, habits, demographic and activities of daily living, but it has a comprehensive physical assessment which is named the ABCEDEFF battery. The agility, balance (both static and dynamic), coordination, dexterity or deftness, endurance, force or strength in both upper and lower regions, and flexibility in both upper and lower regions are part of this assessment program. The tests are simple to perform and the individual will fall into one of four categories, with some having male and female standards separately. The proper way to perform the assessment tests are demonstrated in videos.

The fifth module is putting it all together meaning you’re using: a) the results of your assessment and b) the client’s intake information, which includes their c) needs, limitations and preferences to combine it into a comprehensive, highly-personalized and effective. Clientas will likely not be at the same level for all the variables tested, so you may have a client who is strong but inflexible or a client that is flexible but weak. You address the weak spots and monitor progress easily.

Why is it so effective? Because the assessment will categorize the client one of four levels. Each exercise has four levels for proper progression or regression. The client is getting the right exercise for them depending on their skills, bone density and any limitations. Exercises are similar in each of the three workout venues — a gym, a park, and at home — but vary with the equipment available and surroundings. Each of these venues has pros and cons and in the current age of COVID, it is important to have alternatives to turn to.

The final module addresses some business aspects. Marketing and promoting your skills and knowledge are what keeps you in business. There must be a balance between the training skills and knowledge as well as how to manage the logistics and getting the word out.

I believe this program will set a new standard in training programs and how to carefully train a client with the knowledge gained from an assessment and thorough intake questionnaire. The disease of osteoporosis is only going to get bigger. With 54 million Americans already with low bone density, the numbers are already huge!

 

Dr. Mark P. Kelly has been involved with the health and fitness field for more than 30 years. He has been a research scientist for universities and many infomercial projects. He has spoken nationally and internationally on a wide variety of topics and currently speaks on the use of exercise for clinical purposes and exercise’s impact on the brain. Mark is a teacher in colleges and universities in Orange County, CA., where Principle-Centered Health- Corporate Wellness & Safety operates.

employees-corporate-wellness

HR Tactics to Strengthen Remote Employee Morale

/3 December 2020/ All MFN blog/

How do we strengthen employee morale? In this post, we’ll dive deeper into the key tactics and strategies HR leaders and managers can implement with their workforce to help boost remote employee morale and employee wellness as well as develop a communicative and trusting internal company culture, regardless of where employees are located.

Our 3 ways to strengthen remote employee morale are:

  • Key 1: Employee Recognition, Praise and Appreciation
  • Key 2: Build a Culture of Gratitude in Your Company
  • Key 3: Effective Communication, Connection, and Trust

Let’s dive into the tactics and help you strengthen your remote employee morale today.

#1: Show your appreciation by recognizing and praising employees

Recognition, praise, and appreciation can help your employees feel valued and stay motivated.

Many management guides stress the importance of doling out praise or appreciation – as well as bonuses in compensation. No matter what form your appreciation takes – written, vocal, monetary – it’s been shown to increase productivity and boost morale. Employees are sensitive to the fact that some praise may come off as insincere, so there are some caveats to this key – you can exhibit and develop praise and recognition for your employees’ good work, and build a culture of recognition within your team so the appreciation doesn’t just come from the top down. Employees can show appreciation and gratitude towards their co-workers and team members, which can also have a positive effect on morale and productivity.

You can show you care about your employees by recognizing them and showcasing that gratitude to the broader team. Here at BurnAlong, we close out every week’s team meeting by offering a ‘thank you’ to one or more members of the team. This has stayed part of our weekly agenda for much of our team’s history, and remains a core part of our remote company meetings even when we were no longer located in the same office.

  • When employees feel recognized and appreciated, they are more motivated and encouraged.
  • Leading with a culture of gratitude helps perpetuate the cycle, giving employees the space and encouragement to thank others on the team as part of their daily work.

#2: Build a culture of gratitude at your company

Develop a culture of gratitude in your company to create an internal sense of camaraderie and trust.

Promoting a culture of gratitude really helps engage and motivate employees, especially when aligning them to the organization’s purpose. When we end every week by thanking someone else at the company, the benefits of promoting gratitude across levels of the organization can have far reaching effects. It comes up more during weekly meetings, and often people will thank others directly across messaging platforms as well as during team meetings.

Recently we hosted a webinar for HR leaders. During it Senior People Leader at Google shared this thought about expressing gratitude in the workplace:

“At the leadership level, we have what we call a shared gratitude journal: basically a shared Google doc or Box notes, whatever shared documentation platform you are using to have every leader come in and write down what they’re grateful for. And gratitude actually helps build a lot of resiliency at the individual level. And when we’re doing it at the leadership level, it starts to flow down. So I think that is one thing that is a small thing – It’s easy to do, it doesn’t cost anything – that we’ve done that’s gone a long way that I personally feel like everyone should do.”

#3: Communicate and connect to help build trust

Communication and connection is key to fostering and strengthening employee morale – and is even more important when remote teams are separated by location.

Stay connected with your employees through consistent check-ins and team meetings. Even being virtual, it can take just a few minutes a day to reach out via email, text, or message and see how your team is doing. Opening the lines of communication and keeping them well-used gives your employees a sense of safety. In turn they’ll bring ideas, challenges, and solutions directly to you.

With that in mind, for managers and supervisors it’s also important to recognize that there is a balance between productive levels of communication and collaboration, and allowing people time to get work done on their own. Managers need to have a high level of trust to avoid micromanaging or trying to establish too much control over their employees because they’re worried they are taking advantage of the lack of direct supervision.

You can boost remote employee morale if you lead with recognition and appreciation, develop a culture of gratitude, and balance effective communication across all levels of the organization.

(Bonus) Include benefits that they’ll love

Another great way employers and leaders have been able to strengthen remote employee morale is by offering effective employee benefits.

Employees want to feel like they’re being supported and taken care of by leadership. In office environments, many organizations promoted benefits like free coffee and snacks, an on-site gym or massage therapist, or a game room with pool tables and ping-pong. In the post-COVID world, these in-office perks are less important to employees as benefits like a good 401K plan, solid health insurance for themselves and their dependents, and wellness benefits they can use from anywhere in the world

With millions of people now working from home for the near future, and potentially forever, major organizations are starting to look to remote benefits as viable ways to boost employee morale during this time, and beyond. Employee stress is at an all-time high and as a result, companies are focusing resources on improving employee mental health. As they’re working from home, employees are also spending more time around their family and have additional stresses placed upon them; physically, mentally, as well as emotionally and financially. Companies who identify this and put the right type of employee benefits in place will find they have a stronger, more resilient workforce with a higher level of employee morale.

We’re passionate about helping leading employers boost their employee’s morale, health, and wellness

Eric Chessen 1

Can’t Vs. Doesn’t Understand; Coaching Towards Learning Style

/1 December 2020/ All MFN blog/

“Okay, now let’s see a squat, I’m gonna go first and then you try.”

The above is a standard sentence during my PAC Profile assessments and it carries with it powerful proactivity. I just also serendipitously learned that “proactivity” is a real, bona-fide word. When we teach movement, it makes sense to demonstrate first. Explaining to anybody a physical activity they’ve never performed, or performed with questionable technique, will skew towards wheels-fall-off territory early. Proactive practices give us and our athletes more opportunity sooner, and reduce the need to backtrack.

The most efficient use of initial instruction time (the first time we are teaching an exercise) looks like this:

  1. Label
  2. Demonstrate
  3. Provide supported performance

For the ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) population, labeling in particular can have interim or long-term benefit for language (productive and receptive), memory, and independence. If the athlete is familiar with the word “squat” and can equate it to the movement pattern that constitutes a squat (whatever their current ability level), the coach does not have to repeat and demonstrate and repeat and repeat and repeat. Because the athlete already knows. The word squat and the movement squat have been paired in a way that makes sense, and is memorable, for the athlete.

Labeling adds to the lexicon. It’s remarkable just how much functional language we can build through fitness programs. Not only exercise names “squat, press, pull-down, push throw, rope swings…” but objects “Sandbell, rope, cones, Dynamax ball, sandbag…” and abstract concepts including prepositions “in, on, under, right, left, up, down…” When our athletes are actively engaged in fitness activities teaching these terms/concepts is easily presented in a natural manner.

Demonstrating is crucial because it circumvents us and our athlete standing there and staring at one another (or off into the distance for those of our less-eye-contact-inclined friends). We always demonstrate a new exercise; this provides context and a framework for both the learning style and that athlete’s interpretation of what we just did. We’ll learn how they follow visual modeling and, often, how motivated they are to perform the thing they just saw.

Do they get right down to squatting? Are they hesitating? Overwhelmed? We will be given really good clues here.

Providing supported performance means that we are starting the athlete at a level of performance that they are sure to master quickly (if we have to progress the exercise immediately this is a good sign). If we wind up progressing an exercise five times during the first session then good. Good! This translates to the athlete having early successes that can be reinforced. We usually prefer to do the exercises that we’re good at, and our athletes with autism are not much of an exception.

We may provide a physical or guided prompt early on with an exercise to ensure safe and effective technical performance. With the squat this may mean having the athlete hold on to a resistance band attached to a secure, stable area and squatting to an elevated surface (we always use Dynamax balls propped up on cardio step risers).

Depending on physical, adaptive, and/or cognitive ability, we may be able to fade this support in the first session or it could take months.  I have some highly motivated athletes who, because of their physical needs, require longer practice with a given level of an exercise before they’ve reached mastery and can progress. The athlete should be held to the expectation of his/her best current level of performance (unless we’re talking about exceptional amounts of strength or power, because then programming changes a bit).

Efficient and effective coaching enables us to determine how best the athlete will learn a particular exercise. While it’s tempting to classify our athletes as “more visual” or “more kinesthetic” learners I’ve found that it is far better to approach this from an exercise-by-exercise basis. Some of my athletes need physical prompting through the end range of an overhead press but can “get” a band row when I demonstrate pulling my arms back while standing parallel to them.

“Don’t know how” is a misinterpretation of breakdown in effective coaching communication. We need to be instructing with less words, more action. More show than tell.

When our athletes, or any of us, don’t understand the direction, the contingency, or the expectation we freeze, get off-task, get frustrated, or a Lucky Charms marshmallow cornucopia concoction of all three.  Being proactive in coaching means giving our athletes the information they require delivered in a way that is useful.

It is easy to take for granted the neurotypical ability to interpret nuance, abstraction, and implied information; the untold stuff between the clearly marked things. Giving our athletes the context and environment to succeed, especially in the first few sessions or when teaching a new exercises becomes our bridge to success in coaching and performance.

Photos provided by Eric Chessen.

Eric Chessen, M.S., is an Exercise Physiologist with an extensive background in Applied Behavior Analysis. Eric provides on-site and distance consulting worldwide. He is the founder of Autism Fitness®, offering courses, tools, resources and a community network to empower support professionals to deliver adaptive fitness programming to anyone with developmental deficits to create powerful daily living outcomes that last a lifetime.

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Truth About Women’s Fitness in Menopause | My TEDx Talk

/23 November 2020/ All MFN blog/

Women’s fitness in menopause is a hot topic. This is what I shared in a recent post when I began to spread the word about my TEDx talk:

I think I just threw up a little bit.

That’s how I titled my post. Here’s why.

My TEDx Talk Story

Let me tell you what happens when you get accepted to do a TEDx talk… and have less than 4 weeks to prepare it.

While you’re training for an Ironman happening two weeks after. And the weekend before you’re at a Thursday-Sunday conference knocking out a huge block of time you needed to prepare.

Then you do the talk and walk off stage feeling like you just had an out-of-body experience. You have no idea if you even said all the important things that made you do this, on your own dime and time.

Then you wait, and wait, and wait… for 7 months to it to be published (almost unheard of). And it risks getting banned because it’s controversial and in spite of a dozen+ research studies quoted and the basis of it: it flies against tradition.

It’s released… exactly what you wanted… except then you have to watch yourself and your midget mindset says, “what will people think?” You wonder if you’ve done the women whose stories you told justice. You wonder how many fitness pros will hate it because, well, they’d rather keep doing what they’re doing than accept we might be wrong.

(and of course, I’m human… I think while watching… I definitely look like I had gained that 10 lbs in 2019 I hinted at – ugh!) Keep reading beyond the video to learn more.

Well, hence the original subject line. I opened with. My TEDx talk is wayyyyyy harder to share than I anticipated.

I’ve been talking about women’s fitness for 3 1/2 decades. I’ve been diving deep into the research and protocols on exclusively women’s fitness in menopause for 10-14 hours a day for eight years. And still…

The Resistance

Somehow in my head it went different, you know? It was going to be a huge celebration and something I couldn’t wait to share.

So if I tell you when it all goes peachy and smooth, I have to tell you when it’s a sh#* storm for me.

That’s just personal doubt coming up. And I have it too. So it is fair for me to tell you, when you think maybe something won’t work for you or you can’t do this, these feelings are going to come up.

This resistance is harder than any weight you will ever lift.

So, I’ve got to say to you and to I both… lift the damn thing anyway.

We have to honor what’s happening for us at the moment we’re in no matter what that includes.

Now, a humble ask.

Will you watch my TEDx talk? 

It may help you know you’re not doing anything wrong. It may help you realize you’re doing more than you need to right now. Fitness in menopause is tricky.

Will you share it if it will benefit a friend or a health coach or trainer? 

We need to have some change in the way we think about women’s fitness in menopause order to change women’s fitness and health for the better. You deserve energy and vitality and you’re not going to get there by starving or exercise that causes extreme fatigue.

You can share the link from my website, flippingfifty.com/tedx (scroll below the video and see share buttons to put it directly on your favorite social media site) or from the TED YouTube channel directly.

And know, I appreciate it so much.

Here’s News I Haven’t Shared

Literally, the day after my TEDx talk went live, while I was still pulling up my big girl panties to share it and stop second-thoughts, I got my body fat tested. Here are the results.

Pretty amazing for a woman in post menopause at 56. From walking…. And 2 20-minute interval sessions (start to end) and 2 strength training sessions (about 30 minutes each) AT HOME during COVID19.

Now, if I changed that sentence:

Pretty amazing for a woman in post menopause at 56. From walking…. And 2 20-minute interval sessions (start to end) and 2 strength training sessions (about 30 minutes each) AT HOME during COVID19

Still true.

If I change it again:

Pretty amazing for a woman in post menopause at 56. From walking…. And 2 20-minute interval sessions (start to end) and 2 strength training sessions (about 30 minutes each) AT HOME during COVID19

Still true. (even at gym where you might think it’s easier)

So…You Need to Know

Listen, girlfriend. Please do not let that nasty, second-thought voice inside your head say you’re too old, you can’t get results, or it takes time and effort you don’t have or don’t want to put in.

Women’s fitness in menopause, and let’s get personal, your fitness in menopause may come from far less exercise than you’ve been led to believe.

Had you seen the BEFORE numbers… back in December of 2018 when I tested before beginning Ironman training … I was at 127, 24% body fat. So now… the negative impact of a year full of cortisol elevating stressors – including endurance training – become much more apparent. At my highest weight just before the Ironman I saw 139 on the scale. A number I’ve only ever seen before this when I was when pregnant. On a 5’4” frame that’s not healthy, and it’s mysterious given the exercise I was doing and high quality diet I have. Or so you might think!

Endurance exercise… causes a spike in cortisol.

You add that with many more major life stressors (I clearly got in the wrong line at some point in 2019) and you will GAIN weight. Add hitting menopause mid-year and you’ve got a perfect storm.

And no, many blessings to those who said, oh it’s muscle. Honey, um no. A girl knows. Muscle is more compact, not bulky. You can see the increase in body fat percent… 27% is not bad… just not something that makes sense with my lifestyle.

You Don’t Have to Go That Far (Please Don’t!)

I did an experiment in extremes here. You don’t have to be doing Ironman triathlon training to gain weight with too much exercise.

Please check your default thought pattern that more exercise is better.

Better exercise is better. Like walking…. Walking … for a woman used to running 3 hours, biking 4 and 5 hours… swimming for 1-1.5 hours … could also make you lose weight if it is the right Exercise is Medicine dose for you right now.

There will be a time when I can do some more of the endurance I love again. We have to listen to our bodies, adjust the exercise, as you would medication if your status changed.

 

 

Reprinted from flipping50.com with permission from Debra Atkinson.

Debra Atkinson is the #youstillgotitgirl who is flipping 50 and changing the way thousands of women think about their second half. She’s the host of the Flipping 50 TV Show and the Flipping 50 podcast. As a master personal trainer, strength and wellness coach with over 30 years fitness industry experience, she works with women who are pro-aging with vitality and energy. She is an international fitness presenter, author of hundreds of articles and multiple books. Visit her website, flippingfifty.com

Trainer helping senior woman exercising with a bosu balance

Core Strength is NOT Washboard Six Pack Abs: 4 Steps to Building Your Powerful Core Strength

/18 November 2020/ All MFN blog/

Most people associate the core with the look of your abdominals. They believe that having a strong core is associated with the look of a washboard stomach or Six Pack Abs. In reality, there are 27 muscles that make up the core of your body. From pelvis and hip muscles on up, the core is an entire system. Only a few of the muscles are visible to the naked eye.