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The Bookends of Fitness

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At the start of a brand new year, “fitness” is the buzzword. Every year millions of people begin exercise programs with the goal of getting themselves back into shape. The 100 Year Lifestyle model incorporates an acronym into the buzzword: FitNESS. It stands for Neurology, Nutrition, Endurance, Strength and Structure.

To ensure that your fitness experience is a positive one and that you reach your short and long term goals, you must consider the bookends of fitNESS.

Neurology comes first for a reason. Muscles are attached to bones and controlled by nerves. Your nervous system controls and coordinates all of your conscious and unconscious functions including your muscles, organs and systems. You must have a healthy nervous system for your heart to beat, your lungs to breathe and your balance to be stable. This is why many of the top athletes in the world utilize chiropractic care as the central part of their fitness program.

Nutrition comes next. It is true, you are what you eat. Consuming a diet filled with organic fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and very low in sugar, white flour, white rice and pasta, should be your lifestyle and not just as a weight-loss crash. This will sustain you not just while getting into shape but as you stay in shape. It’s making your new shape your lifestyle.

Endurance develops through cardiovascular exercise which includes walking, running, bike riding, and ellipticals that will increase your heart rate and strengthen your cardiovascular system. Start slow and steady, be consistent and as time goes on increase the frequency, intensity and duration of your endurance training.

Strength gives you confidence and is necessary if you want to be independent as you age. Whether you use weights or you do strength training through yoga, Pilates or other types of plyometric training, it is important to keep yourself strong as a part of a lifestyle.

Structure is the other bookend when it comes to your 100 Year Lifestyle fitNESS plan. Having a healthy, straight, strong spine is vital to your quality-of-life and fitness in the short and long-term. This is another reason why chiropractors have become the central figure in the healthcare team for millions of people including the U.S. Olympic Team.

Through research and statistics it’s true that you will probably live longer than you ever thought. If you want to get there in style with health and vitality, you must make your lifestyle fitness a priority. Any time of year is the right time to shift to a lifestyle of fitNESS and enjoy the journey on your way to a sensational century.

Sick, Fit People

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We have all seen them in the gym, in the yoga studio or in cycling clubs. The person who looks fit: has toned arms, shredded legs and probably has a 6-pack under their gym clothes. That same person, although they look like a specimen of health on the outside, carries a package of tissues, a bottle of nasal spray, emergency Vitamin C packets, chewable antacids and over the counter NSAIDs in their gym bag because they are constantly sick. Sadly, many gyms and fitness studios are filled with sick, fit people.

Think of the examples of people who, on the outside look healthy, but inside are sick and suffering. Patrick Swayze, James Fixx, Bob Harper and countless others – people living what most of us would consider healthy lifestyles, have suffered heart attacks, been plagued with cancer and died too young, regardless of what their bodies looked like or how they felt.

What makes these stars different than someone like “The Godfather of Fitness”, Jack LaLanne, who lived a happy, healthy life until the age of 97 years old? LaLanne understood how important his nervous system was as to a long, healthy lifestyle.

For your body to heal properly and fight infection, you must have an optimally functioning nervous system. The central nervous system, brain and spinal cord, control every function of your body. When you exercise, your nervous system coordinates the growth and efficiency of your muscles and bones to build them stronger.

When you eat a healthy diet, your nervous system coordinates the digestion and absorption of nutrients into your blood stream, building every cell in your body healthy and strong. This is essential so that these nutrients are available for better workouts and sustain your immune system to guard you from germs, bacteria, viruses and other stressors.

Optimizing your body’s nervous system with Chiropractic Lifestyle Care at the core of your healthy lifestyle so you can be fit and healthy rather than fit and sick, especially if you want to enjoy being fit over a lifetime.

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to leave the medicine chest out of your gym bag?

If you are considering a new fitness routine or want to get back in shape, getting your spine and nervous system checked before you begin can start you off on the right track, prevent injuries and optimize your fitness results. A healthy nervous system benefits every level of fitness. It helps to keep you feeling your best on the inside and enables you to continue looking great on the outside.

Whether you like it or not, want to or not, you will probably live longer than you ever thought. Why not get there in style with health and vitality, fit and healthy, so you and your loved ones can enjoy the ideal 100 Year Lifestyle you deserve?

Contributed by Daniel Kimbley, B.S.

Personal Fitness or Cardiac Rehab

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The difference between being on a personal fitness program and going to a cardiac rehabilitation session is quite simply timing.

Personal fitness is a key element of living The 100 Year Lifestyle. Cardiac rehab happens after you have had a heart attack. Otherwise, the procedures of each are similar. Many people who are into personal fitness wear a heart monitor to track their results. During cardiac rehab, the cardiac specialists hook you up to a more sophisticated heart monitor to minimize your risks and their liability. You have a choice of which path you take.

Heart disease is a leading cause of preventative death in the United States and most of the industrialized nations. The key word in the previous sentence is ‘preventable.’ Through common sense food choices, maintaining your ideal weight, regular exercise, and a stress free spine and nervous system, you can keep your heart healthier for a lifetime.

Most overweight people are aware that their weight is an issue and it can lead to serious health problems. Unfortunately they are just waiting for a severe crisis to give them the life changing wake up call.

If there is somebody in your life who is on this dangerous path, you can be the intervention that wards off the crisis.

Have a heart to heart talk with them. Let them know that you are concerned about their well-being and that they are headed for a crisis. Ultimately the decision to change their lifestyle will be theirs, but it will help them to know that you care.

Decide together to buy healthier foods at the grocery store and make healthier choices at restaurants. Begin choosing quality calories over empty calories during all your meals.

If you have a history of heart disease, are concerned about an underlying heart condition, or experience chest pain consult your cardiologist. After you consult with your cardiologist, start a plan to Get Your ESS in Shape: Endurance, Strength and Structure. All three are essential to a healthy heart and quality of life as you age.

Make an appointment with your chiropractor to ensure that your structure, spine and nervous system are stable enough for exercise, and that the nerve supply to your heart is clear.

If you’re reading this then you are probably in a position to delay a heart attack and cardiac rehab, and even prevent it completely. Take action and make your appointments today so you can continue enjoying the life that make you smile now, tomorrow and for years to come.

Performance 100

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How would you like to perform at 100 percent for 100 years? If you enjoy running or Crossfit, would you want to stop because of an injury? If you enjoy cycling, tennis, golf or any other sport don’t you want to be able to participate in that sport with joy over the course of your entire lifetime? Of course you would.

We are learning through the longevity potential of today’s hundred-year-old people, that this is a possibility. Within just a few years a new running program called the 100 year dash was started and it attracts people who are 90 and 100+ years old running the 100-meter-dash. The most recent winner was Julia ‘Hurricane’ Hawkins who set a record completing the 100 year dash in 40.12 seconds.

How you perform as you age will depend on how you take care of your body every day along the way. If you wait for a crisis or an injury to make your health a priority, then you have waited too long and will most likely suffer the consequences.

Performance 100

There are 5 Principles of 100 Year Lifestyle FitNESS that will help you perform at your highest level for a lifetime. They are:

Neurology = Function

Neurology comes first! Your nervous system controls and coordinates all of your body functions including your muscles, organs and systems. You must have a healthy nervous system for your heart to beat, your lungs to breathe and your balance to be stable. This is why many of the top athletes and performers in the world utilize chiropractic care as a central part of their fitness program.

Nutrition = Fuel

Your nutritional habits will fuel your life. Consuming a diet filled with organic fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, very low in sugar and processed foods, should be the way you eat as a lifestyle. Isn’t it time you get off the weight loss roller coaster, cleanse, and make healthy eating a daily habit? This will sustain you not just while getting into shape but will keep you healthier as you age.

Endurance = Longevity

Life is a marathon one day at a time. Through cardiovascular exercise which includes walking, running, bike riding and any activity that will increase your heart rate, you will strengthen your cardiovascular system. Start slow and steady, be consistent and as time goes by increase the frequency, intensity and duration of your endurance training. You will be amazed at how your body progresses.

Strength = Independence

If you want to be independent as you age, you must make your strength a priority today. Whether you use weights or do strength training through yoga, Pilates or other types of Plyometric training, it is important to keep yourself strong as a part of a lifestyle.

Structure = Activity

The health of your structure will determine the level of activity you can enjoy. Having a healthy, straight, strong spine is vital to your quality-of-life and fitness in the short and long-term. This is another reason why chiropractors have become a central figure on the healthcare team for millions of people, including the U.S. Olympic Team.

Being active and independent will be an important factor in your immediate and long-term happiness. Follow these Performance 100 principles and enjoy the quality of life you deserve.

Article Contributed by Dr. Eric Plasker

Cool and Crazy Crossfitters

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The cool and crazy CrossFit community continues to grow as so do the number of people wondering what the buzz is all about. So, if you’re wondering why all the craze, or you find yourself wondering what exactly is CrossFit, then look no further. We have your answers here!

What Makes CrossFit Cool?

The CrossFit.com website defines CrossFit as, “constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity.” All CrossFit workouts are based on functional movements that incorporate movements you’ll likely need to do in some capacity through every phase of life, like squatting, dead-lifting, gymnastics movements and more.

It has become all the craze in recent years as people have realized that being able to move functionally is a key component to putting off the nursing home. The high intensity portion of CrossFit is designed to give you cardiovascular endurance, increased strength, and a more supportive structure.

What Makes CrossFit Crazy?

CrossFit has an unprecedented culture that unifies people within their gyms creating an almost family-like atmosphere. As an example, the premier gym in Dana Point, CA, CrossFit Dana Point, has a rock-solid group of about 100 members who share not only workouts together, but also birthdays, cookouts and other celebrations.

Coach Zak Kepner, owner and head coach of CrossFit Dana Point, CA says, “Our ultimate goal is to bring fitness to people, [but] our first and ongoing priority is to build relationships. Healthy relationships lead to trust, trust leads to commitment, and commitment gets results.”

The CrossFit environment is not only constantly varied, but it is also constantly, very uplifting. Everyone cheers for everyone during workouts and it’s the only place that I know of where the person finishing workouts last has the loudest cheering section. This type of encouragement during a workout, regardless of your skill or fitness level, is truly unparalleled anywhere else in any other gym.

The coolest part?

“CrossFit gyms across the globe have this same comradery and family atmosphere.”
Many CrossFit gyms offer something for anyone of any age and some have members well into their 50s. They even offer CrossFit Kids classes, which teach proper movement patterns and encourage healthy activity from an early age in a safe environment.

Alright, I’ve Started CrossFit, How Can I Optimize My Performance?

CrossFit gyms offer a structured nutritional program to enhance results and teach healthy eating and lifestyle habits. This program will help you focus on fueling your body properly so that you have the energy to perform both in the gym, while spending time with loved ones, and while at work producing results.

In addition to exercise and diet, keeping your nervous system clear from interference is a safe bet to keep you moving and recovering properly. When you eat a healthy diet, your nervous system coordinates the digestion and absorption of nutrients into your blood stream, building every cell in your body healthy and strong. The nervous system controls how your body recovers after a workout, and how well your body absorbs those healthy nutrients; a healthy nervous system is essential so that these nutrients are available for better workouts and recovery post-workout.

Having an optimized nervous system allows for better coordination, better balance, and more strength – increasing your potential to set PR’s (Personal Records) time and time again. Optimizing your body’s nervous system with Chiropractic Lifestyle Care at the core of your already healthy lifestyle is of utmost importance.

Schedule an appointment for your family today.

Contributed by Dr. Daniel Kimbley, 100 Year Lifestyle Affiliate Doctor in Dana Point, California

Getting your ESS in Shape

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Getting your ESS in Shape is important for your health, quality of life and longevity, so get moving.

Regular exercise is an important part of self-care and nobody can do it for you. Exercise keeps our minds and bodies healthy. You can do this at any level and any age to make the fitness part of self-care fun and exciting. If you are not currently exercising, are you waiting to be forced into it by a crisis? If you are already exercising, take it to the next level and Get Your ESS in Shape. Your ESS is made up of your: Endurance, Strength, Structure.

Endurance = Longevity

Life is a marathon one sprint at a time. Based on your current habits and health, would you trust your body to take you on a long-distance trek in an emergency? If you had to count on your body to save a loved one, would you be able to? If you had to run away to escape danger, could you? Your endurance is important for all these activities, and it is important for longevity.

If you have good endurance, you will enjoy a great sense of stamina and activity now and while you age. Your energy will be high and you will feel like doing things. You will not be left home alone while your partner goes off to experience the world. You can increase your stamina through cardiovascular, aerobic, exercise that strengthens your heart, burns calories, and increases your energy. Running, cycling, swimming, and power walking are just a few examples of types of exercise that will increase your endurance.

Endurance training is very important to keep your heart and lungs healthy, eliminate stress, and strengthen your immune system. Always exercise with a heart monitor to maximize your results and achieve your goals, while also ensuring that you exercise safely within the normal ranges for your age.

Strength = Independence

Strength training is also important for healthy aging because you are going to want and need strong muscles to keep you confident and maintain your independence as you age. We’ve all seen an older person struggle to get out of a chair. If you have good strength, you are more likely to remain self-sufficient and independent. Strength training can be done through weights, yoga, and Pilates. When you set goals for strength training and continually strive to achieve them, you will be excited to see that your strength can increase as you age. Your muscles can stay strong and defined. The sagging skin and muscles often come from not keeping your body toned through strength-training exercise.

If you are already an experienced strength trainer and have a routine, shake it up a little bit. Try increasing your weight by 10 percent to 20 percent. Get somebody to spot you if necessary and try to squeeze out a few more reps. Vary your exercises on each body part. Personal Trainers and many of the neighborhood fitness centers and chains, like CrossFit, have become extremely popular because they set up your routines and vary them for you. Work out with a partner and challenge each other. You will begin to see a better result. Always maintain good posture when you strength train to ensure that your form is good and your spine stays healthy during your training.

Structure = Activity

In countries where longevity is much higher than the U.S., good posture and a healthy spine are a very high priority. Your structure includes your body shape and physical frame. Keeping your structure aligned and balanced will keep you looking good and help to prevent injuries while you exercise. This will also help insure that your nervous system stays healthy whick will keep you healthier on every level.

How is your structure now? Have you measured yourself lately and set goals for your structure so that it is in the shape you desire over your lifetime? You can measure your structure with your eyes at first and decide how you want to change your shape, or get a tape measure and record your specific measurements. This will give you a starting point for goals that you want to set.

Another important way to evaluate your structure is through a posture test. Stand in front of a full length mirror with your eyes closed. March in place for five seconds, stop, hold still and open your eyes. Is your head tilted to one side? Are your shoulders and hips level? Are your feet straight, turned in or pointed out? Are you hunchback or swayback?

If you are unbalanced, you will be putting unnecessary strain on your structure, spine and nervous system when you exercise and run the risk of injury to your structure and nervous system. Don’t wait for a crisis to force you to take action. Now is the time for a chiropractic checkup.You are way overdue for a chiropractic check-up.

Take it to the highest level: Neurology and Nutrition

Neurology = Function – Nutrition = Fuel

Neurology comes first! Your nervous system controls and coordinates all of your body functions including your muscles, organs and systems. You must have a healthy nervous system for your heart to beat, your lungs to breathe and your balance to be stable. This is why many of the top athletes and performers in the world utilize chiropractic care as a central part of their fitness program.

Your nutritional habits will fuel your life. Consuming a diet filled with organic fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, very low in sugar and processed foods, should be the way you eat as a lifestyle. Isn’t it time you get off the weight loss roller coaster, cleanse, and make healthy eating a daily habit? This will sustain you not just while getting into shape but will keep you healthier as you age.

We’ve all heard the expression “if you don’t use it, you lose it.” This is absolutely true with your fitness. It’s time to get your ESS in shape and live your ideal 100 Year Lifestyle.