Fitness Professionals Archives - Page 7 of 65

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Exercise For Sobriety

Tambryn Crimson-Dahn/1 November 2023/ All MFN blog/

The crucial element that I always recommend to people when they say they have been experiencing anxiety, depression, addiction/s of some sort, or even sleeplessness, is exercise. Almost every time, I get a response like, “Does that help you?” Then I get to explain to them why I am so incredibly passionate about fitness. I discuss the fact that I never used to enjoy working out, and, as a matter of fact, still don’t enjoy it, but rather enjoy the feeling it gives me afterwards. This then opens the gateway for me to plead my case as to my passion and explain the many benefits that fitness provides. Exercise has helped people in many ways, but especially in terms of boosting mood and keeping mental illnesses at bay, both of which have a direct impact on addiction.

Types of Sobriety

The reason I live, eat, drink, and breathe all things fitness is because of how beneficial it has been on my own personal wellness journey. Rather than get into my whole life story, I will instead discuss how crucial fitness is to achieve sobriety. When people hear the term “sobriety” they tend to think of only substance abuse — mainly alcohol, opioids, or hard drugs. Not only can sobriety refer to the latter, it can also include medications that an individual was prescribed that their body happened to develop an addiction to, or could even refer to an undesirable behavior or reaction. For example, I had a client who would unconsciously binge eat after an unpleasant encounter with her then-husband, now ex-husband. Eventually, we realized that she was using food, and unhealthy foods at that, to make her feel better after arguments. In essence, she was supplementing her body with sugary foods that would help her body produce the dopamine her body was craving in order to produce the emotional high that would make her feel better. Here’s a different example: a different client would unconsciously lash out at her mother after having been insulted by her critical father. Once we realized why this was happening, I had her incorporate fitness into her daily schedule, right before she went home from school to her parents. Going to the gym every time she got angry with her father resulted in much less conflict between her and her mother, and, in conjunction with therapy, opened up a new line of communication between the two of them.

Improved Physiology and Psychology

Another common comment I encounter is after discussing the fact that I generally hit the gym for an hour and a half each day. Almost every single time, I get the exact same response, “I wish I had your energy!” For me, it’s not energy, it’s anxiety. I have discovered that I cannot eliminate it any other way than, as I say, “working out until I pass out,” or at least, until I’m thoroughly exhausted. I have found many other individuals who share my same sentiment, most of whom have also endured several instances of trauma, with the later group showing the most benefit and overall improvement from fitness. There have been numerous studies about the positive impacts that physical activity has on an individual’s mood and overall state-of-being. Exercise has been proven to reduce anxiety by promoting positive adaptations of several physiological processes within the body, such as improving dysregulations of the HPA axis of the brain, restoring abnormalities in monoamine function, producing endogenous opioids in the brain, and increasing BDNF (brain-derived neurotropic factors). There have been studies that suggest that fitness may increase neurogenesis, as well. Exercise has also proven to reduce the psychological effects of anxiety as well, such as reducing anxiety sensitivity, improving one’s sense of self-efficacy, and providing “time out” from one’s daily activities and stressors.

Work Out to Work It Out

In short, work out to “work it out.” All of the above are reasons why I always suggest to anyone struggling with their mental health that they start some sort of exercise regimen. Whether a person is addicted to a substance or even an undesirable or destructive behavior, fitness will improve the problem and provide results.

Tambryn Crimson-Dahn is a certified personal trainer, fitness coach, nutritionist, and addiction recovery specialist with 4 years of experience. After having worked in the gym industry, she founded and now operates her own company, Crimson Wholistic Fitness. She specializes in overall mental health and wellness, addiction, and relationships and how they can affect mental health.

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Functional Fitness Training to Feel Less Pain and Move Better

Jacqueline Gikow/18 October 2023/ All MFN blog/

The average person starting an exercise program may have knee, or back pain, and goals other than “how do I get a six pack or run a marathon.” All the workouts in the world don’t mean anything if we can’t sit, stand, and get out of bed in ways that don’t strain our body.

The Feet: The Body’s Foundation

Yamuna Zake/9 October 2023/ All MFN blog/

The feet are one of the most overused and taken for granted parts of the body. Since the feet are the foundation for the rest of the body, it would only be logical to begin developing strong, aligned, and full functioning feet from the start when developing a personalized fitness program. The feet should be a priority for developing sound fitness education in order to prevent injuries. Most fitness and sport injuries usually involve the feet. Even when the injury is to the knee, hip or back it can usually be traced back to a misaligned foot pattern.

Fitness: Readiness Assessment & Setting Priorities

Nicholas Prukop/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”.

When Should I Stop Stretching?

Lori Michiel/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: The Link Between Sarcopenia and Cognitive Decline

Cate Reade, MS/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.

Understanding Ageless Marketing

Dick Ambrosius/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

Pat VanGalen/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.

Balance, Falls and Resilience

Holly Benson, BS/15 September 2023/ All MFN blog/

Falls can happen in an instant. They are one of the top fears for older adults. The statistics are frightening. Between the years 2000-2016 the rate of mortality from falls for those over age 75 more than doubled.⁽¹⁾
Weakness when standing, insecure balance, and falling are leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for older Americans.⁽²⁾ Standing and walking balance is taken for granted for a large portion of our lives. When adults start talking about balance, it is usually when they begin to notice their balance declining. By then, they may have already reduced activity, and may have even resigned themselves to being forever unbalanced and at a risk of a fall. Most older adults know that if they fall and become injured, the outcome could have dire circumstances. Who wants to live like that?

With all the negative information out there, no wonder there is so much fear around loss of balance and falling. National surveys show that only 1 in 3 people get advice on physical fitness or exercise from their medical doctor. Racial, ethnic minorities and the elderly get this advice even less. Most advice surrounding exercise given by doctors has historically been centered around cardiovascular health and aerobic exercise. “Get out and walk!” they are told. Not always is this a practical solution for those who are unsteady and feel fearful being out of the home at risk of a fall. The risk outweighs the reward.

Physicians and physical therapists need more resources and avenues for senior adults to access when they need to improve their balance and reduce their fall risk. Evidence-based fall prevention programs are fortunately on the rise in retirement communities, senior centers, and general recreation and fitness facilities. These programs are valuable but do not begin to serve the needs of the expanding geriatric demographic. More qualified fitness professionals as well as more accessible and affordable programs are needed to help serve this growing need to keep our aging seniors upright and steady on their feet! Fall resistance and resilience training will change these statistics.

It is safe and realistic to say that there are 2 categories of older human beings in relation to balance: the “fallen” and the “not-yet fallen”

Often a trainer will acquire a client that has already fallen and is fearful. The client must first work to overcome this intense fear and the hesitancy of movement that this fear creates. The importance of using E3 (Educate, encourage, and empower) cannot be underestimated here. It is important that geriatric fitness trainers have a deep understanding of the basic principles surrounding the science of balance as well as training methods that are best for reducing fall risk for both categories. Getting the “already fallen” to rise up and move with confidence again will require systematic and progressive programming combined with patient and compassionate instruction.

Fall Resiliency for the “Already Fallen”

Each year millions of older adults suffer falls. Many of these result in serious physical injuries that can reduce their mobility and functioning, cause pain and discomfort, and even increase the likelihood of death in the near future. It is not only the physical effects of the fall that you should consider. Once the injuries have healed and general function is restored, they may be experiencing serious emotional consequences in the form of fearfulness which can diminish their quality of life as they age in place. Helping them to handle this type of impact can help them to move forward after their fall and preserve their lifestyle.

A 2012 university study found that loss of mobility might be due, in part, to “balance confidence”, an issue closely related to a fear of falling. The study concluded that among people who have had a fall-related hip fracture, an independent relationship exists between balance confidence and mobility and balance performance – as well as perceived mobility function.

The study tracked 130 adults over the age of 60 who had suffered hip fractures between six weeks and 7.4 years prior to observation. To test balance confidence, researchers used a simple but comprehensive measure called the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC Scale).(4) The ABC scale can be self-administered, and is comprised of a series of questions that gauge an adult’s confidence in various walking scenarios, such as walking up steps or on an icy path. Adults who rated a higher balance confidence tended to do better in balance and mobility tests.

Use these tips to help someone recover from the emotional impact of a fall:

Acknowledge it. An older adult may feel as though their emotional response to their fall is overly dramatic or not a big deal, and cause them to not discuss it, which can worsen the negative impact. Acknowledge that they have gone through something frightening and humbling. Show them that you can offer support and encouragement as they overcome the fear and movement hesitancy the often comes after a fall.

Recognize the risk. Suffering from one fall does increase the chances that your senior will suffer from another fall. Recognizing this risk and acknowledging this fact is important because it both validates the fear they may now have, and it may foster difficult decisions surrounding their safety in the future. Keeping open communication surrounding this serious issue will allow for prudent decisions regarding their living situation.

Encourage them. The emotional impact of falling can range from simple embarrassment to worry and distress about the changes in their physical functioning, which creates the fear that they will fall again. It does not mean that they should just stop engaging in activity which could actually further diminish their quality of life and increase the possibility of another fall. Introducing movement and exercise in incremental steps and stages will rebuild their confidence, but must be done at their pace. Praise all progress.

Imbalance is not entirely a result of muscle weakness. Strengthening muscles alone will not improve balance. Balance will improve when it is practiced in everyday activities and keen body awareness. Imbalance begets inactivity and inactivity accelerates the aging process.

Balance cannot be willed by the mind. We are not born with balance. We learn balance developmentally as we grow from babies to adults. The body learns how to stay erect in the face of gravity and the forces that are put upon it. It retains balance by staying active. Inactivity erodes balance which in turn inhibits people from being active. A vicious cycle that needs intervention and solutions.

Retraining balance and fall resistance requires knowledge of the anatomy and physiology involved in balance. The muscle systems of the body belong to one of two categories. The Phasic muscles are the mobilizing and movement/action muscles. The mind tells these the body to move in a certain way and the joints move from the contracting and elongation of these mostly fast-twitch muscles. The second type are the Postural or balance muscles and are not subject to conscious direction. These are slow-twitch stabilizing muscles and they engage automatically to hold a person erect against gravity’s pull. They do not shorten or lengthen, but supply isometric tension. With underuse, these postural muscles can “forget” how to maintain balance even on steady and level surfaces. Falling and hesitant walking is the sign that a lifetime of balance muscle memory is declining or lost. Without retraining our postural muscles, imbalance will take over. The solution is to re-educate and activate these essential postural/balance muscles in concert with the Phasic (movement/action) muscles (3) Trainers must encourage daily balance practices and educate their clients on how to manage their posture and center of gravity through drills and skills that align with their functional and independence needs.

Fit Pros: Work with Older Clients on Fall Prevention (and MORE!) as a Geriatric Fitness and Lifestyle Specialist

Millions of people over age 65 looking for guidance from fitness professionals who are knowledgeable in exercise, nutrition and lifestyle principles that can help them improve functional mobility, while also preventing and managing chronic conditions to live their highest quality of life. The Geriatric Fitness and Lifestyle Specialist online certificate course will give you insights, strategies and tools to be a successful professional in this rapidly growing market. Learn how to be a valued part of clients’ continuum of care, working with the medical team to improve functional outcomes and positively impact people’s lives.

Holly H. Benson, BS, is a veteran in the Recreation and Fitness industries with over 35 years of administrative and technical experience. She holds two bachelor’s degrees, Corporate & Community Fitness and Recreation Administration, and numerous fitness certifications. She has developed thriving fitness programs for special populations and has passionately focused her career on the much older adult. She currently owns and operates Moving Strong Medical Exercise, LLC in Lakewood, Colorado and provides in-home and virtual fitness training to older adults and persons with chronic medical and orthopedic conditions.

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