Welcome to my health and fitness website!  Using the above tabs to navigate through the site, you can learn everything you need about me, my training style, and how to start working out with me.  Feel free to post any comments or questions you may have.

Be sure to look below for new posts about health and fitness!

Yours in good health,

Chad

The below article was written by Mike Manning, an avid traveler and fitness-goer.   Thanks Mike for sharing your insights with us!

Keeping Fit On The Road- Some Research Can Go A Long Way

Keeping up with an exercise routine can become very difficult when on the road. The first challenge is the lack of time on days involving travel. The next difficulty is to find a place to run or workout. Finally, it can be tough to keep motivated while away from one’s typical support system. Fortunately, there are ways to address each of these challenges head on and maintain an exercise routine.

Make sure to do some research before booking a hotel in order to accommodate your needs for fitness on your trip. On a recent vacation to Maui I was able to book a hotel that was great for my needs by checking through a travel site. Here I could look at all the hotels in Maui and pick and choose which ones had the right amenities. For a trip of any length, a great deal of time is often spent in airports waiting for the next flight. This is usually time that is spent snacking and sitting around. Now many airports are responded to customer desires to be more active while waiting and have created marked walking paths. Some locations, like the San Francisco International Airport, have opened yoga studios. This is a great space to simply relax and meditate or even practice some yoga poses. Even small amounts of low intensity exercises like yoga or walking can help a person remain active and contribute to an overall healthy day.

Once a traveler arrives at their destination, they may have the time and desire to exercise and go for a run, but being unfamiliar with the area may hesitate to just hit the road. There are many websites and smart phone apps that can provide up-to-date information about local running paths or gyms that are open. For someone that feels adventurous and wants to take a nice walk or run, but is worried about getting lost, using an app like RunKeeper can alleviate that concern. Using GPS signals, it tracks the runner real-time and can be set to provide audio feedback. When the runner is ready to head back, the app has stored the map for reference and they can use this information to retrace their steps.

Motivation is a big hurdle all the time, but can become bigger when out of town. For a person that enjoys running, finding a running group in their destination city can be a huge help. These groups meet on a regular basis and can provide not only local information about running paths, but also motivation and support to complete a run.

The below article was written by David Haas, a cancer awareness program advocate and writer of the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Blog.  Thank you David for sharing this valuable information and allowing me to post it on my fitness blog!

It’s no secret that regular physical exercise delivers benefits to all individuals, even those who have been diagnosed with cancer. Fitness improves quality of life by reducing fatigue, increasing energy levels, lowering body weight and improving sleep patterns. Regular physical activity is also linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, stronger muscles and joints and a better chance at fighting off infection. If you don’t have a healthy exercise regimen in place, it’s never too late to start.

Whether you have been recently diagnosed with cancer, are currently undergoing treatment or are in remission, daily physical fitness is an ingredient for success. One of the most beneficial ways that exercise helps is by improving energy levels. Chronic fatigue and lack of energy are common complaints from cancer patients, which can both take a toll on the quality of life. The body is fighting hard after all, and the cancer medications have their own side effects that strip away energy.

Unfortunately, not having energy is like a domino effect, and those undergoing treatments for mesothelioma will begin to feel sluggish and depressed. It’s hard to fight the disease and feel happiness when you have these emotions running through you, which is why it’s critical that exercise is incorporated into a treatment routine as early as possible. By improving energy levels through fitness and exercise, cancer patients will feel better, be able to do more of the things they love and have stronger willpower to fight the disease.

A second benefit from regular fitness in cancer patients is better sleep. Exercise naturally improves sleep patterns because of the types of chemicals released in the brain. Not to mention, exercise reduces stress and lowers tension, two things that can keep anyone up during the middle of the night. Furthermore, exercise has the dual benefit of helping you fall asleep faster and stay asleep without feeling groggy in the mornings.

Sleep is a critical element in the fight against cancer and will help you long after you’re in remission. The body needs time to repair itself, but sleeping patterns are more complex than we even know. A recent study by the Duke Clinical Research Institute found that there are sleeping challenges that are unique to cancer patients such as abnormal dreams, anxiety, night sweats and discomfort. Fortunately, the advantages of exercising can overcome many of these unique challenges that medications are unable to treat.

Regular fitness also has the direct benefit of improving the quality of life. It can do this for anyone regardless of whether or not they are fighting cancer, and it only becomes more significant for patients combating a disease. The types of chemicals that are released in the brain while working out are directly related to reducing tension, stress and fatigue. These chemicals act like natural painkillers and are also known to boost the mood. Studies have shown that exercise can be just as effective as certain types of antidepressants and that people who suffer from mental illness are more likely to show improvement when exercise is part of their regimen.

It’s important not to forget all the other benefits of exercise such as improved stamina, lower body weight, more self-esteem and confidence and more resistance to fighting off viruses and bacteria. It’s recommended to exercise for at least 30 minutes each day, but all new exercise programs should be discussed with a doctor beforehand. By incorporating fitness into your treatment plan, you will not only be improving your quality of life and bettering your health, but also you will be lowering your dependency on medication.

What do I mean by “Natural”?  I’m talking about any food or product that we use in our daily lives that directly affects our health and well-being.  I’m talking about lotions, shampoos, cleaning products, soap, food, toothpaste, etc, etc, etc.

What do you think of when you hear “natural” or “organic”?  Your immediate thought is probably anything food-related….and you are correct in this thinking.  What we put into our bodies is probably the most influential factor directly related to our health and lifespan.  But what about everything that is external to our bodies?  What we put on our skin, in our hair, on our teeth can be just as influential to our health?  What about cleaning products such as tub/shower cleaner, window cleaner, toilet cleaner and floor cleaner?  Or even laundry detergent and fabric softener?  You betcha.

Let’s first discuss personal products that we put onto our skin, in our hair, etc.  The skin is a living tissue that protects our body.  It absorbs things that come into contact with it.  Take a look at the label of your normal shampoo, lotion or mouthwash and tell me what you see.  Probably words like diethanolamine, sulphate, sodium flouride, fluorocarbons and triethanolamine.  Chances are, if you have a hard time pronouncing the word it’s probably not something you want in or on your body.  All of these “chemicals” are absorbed into the skin whenever we use these products as shampoos, lotions, mouthwashes, toothpastes….and the list goes on and on.  Believe it or not, that make all of these products in a “natural” or “organic” state made with natural oils and herbs.  Which would you rather have in your body?

Now think about cleaning products.  We breathe in about 10,000-20,000 liters of air per day.  If there are toxins in the air, we will most likely inhale them at some point to some extent.  Conventional cleaning products are considered to be the major contributors of toxicity in your home.  Some common words found on the ingredients label of household cleaners might be ammonia, chlorine, petroleum distillates, phenols and artificial fragrances.  Why not use cleaning products made with natural oils, herbs and natural fragrances?  I would much rather inhale those than chlorine and petroleum!

Now the question is how much do these natural and organic products cost?  Well, yes, you will have to spend a little more on some of these natural products.  You will just have to decide if it’s worth it to your health and to the health of people around you.  You don’t have to change every single thing over night but maybe make it a goal to gradually replace a product here and there.  Keep in mind that “natural” is not the same as “organic”  Organic products will most likely cost more than “natural”.  My wife and I have replaced many of our products with “natural” ones just because of the price difference compared to going all organic.  Natural is still very very good and MUCH better than conventional products.  You can find these products at health food stores such as Whole Foods or you can even buy them at Target.  Target’s brand is Seventh Generation.  Just do a little homework online of what to look for and start replacing!

If you don’t want to spend the extra money on more natural products, vinegar can be used to many things around the house.  Normal white distilled vinegar is commonly recommended for cleaning while apply cider vinegar can be used internally.  Yes, it’s even safe to drink, brush your teeth with (as a whitener) and to give your dog!  Don’t believe me, do some research about the thousands of uses of vinegar.  It’s pretty amazing stuff!

This is the cheapest gold you will ever buy!

With our first baby in the near future (and by that I mean 1.5-2 years), Kendra and I have made the decision to eat more naturally and use natural products.  Not only for our future kids but for ourselves.

Yours in natural health,

Chad

Think about your typical fitness club or rec center.  What do you see?  You probably see rows of cardio equipment such as treadmills, ellipticals and bikes.  You probably also see a bunch of big, bulky machines that you have no idea what to do with.  These machines are very, very expensive, take up a lot of floor space and are actually hurting more than they are helping.  So, why do health clubs insist on filling their square footage with these so-called “fitness machines”?  Your guess is as good as mine.  Maybe it’s because that is what every other gym is doing.  Maybe it’s because that is what people want.  Maybe it’s because that is what people need…..or is it?

Think again about some of the machines you might see in an average rec center.  Seated chest press.  Seated back row.  Seated leg curl.  Seated leg extension.  Seated bicep curt.  Seated ab crunch.  Do you see a common theme here?  All of these require the user to be seated!  Most people are already sitting at least 8 hours a day for their job so why would they want to sit when they go to the gym to exercise?  Sounds pretty silly to me.  Still, all across the country, these gyms are packing their facilities with seated-only machines that are probably doing more harm than good.

The sad part is, most big gym managers don’t know that there’s a variety of unfamiliar weighted apparatus that you can throw, toss, tilt, shift, twist and generally manipulate to create a warm sensation through your system that usually results in the expulsion of sweat and a sensation of actual enjoyment during a workout.  The only time I use a conventional strength machine with one of my clients is if there are severe restrictions.  Otherwise, I refuse to expose my hard-working clients to these $4,000 pieces of embarrassment to the fitness industry.  They deserve better.

Is he sleeping?

This unconventional way to exercise is  ‘open floor fitness’ or ‘functional fitness’ – the concept that a room can be an open floor, but in a short time, become a fully functional fitness workout center that taps into muscles you didn’t know you had.  The biggest downfall is also the biggest industry at fitness conferences around the world. Machines that do the thinking for you.

Think about all the different ways we move our bodies every day.  We bend down to tie our shoes, reach up to grab a glass in the kitchen cupboard, twist and reach to the backseat of the car, climb in and out of our vehicle.  I could go on and on but I think you get the point.  The human body is a sophisticated machine that is capable of moving in more ways than you might want to try.  The real world requires us to move this way so why don’t we train our bodies for the real world?  How is sitting in a machine while pushing a bar off our chest going to prepare us for the real world?  Please tell me how if you know because I can’t seem to wrap my head around it.

So, we go back to my original question and also the title of this post, “Why do fitness clubs not want what’s best for the customers?”  I’ll let you ponder the same way I have been for quite some time now.

Yours in real world, functional health,

Chad

For those of you who are watching the Olympic games, have you seen the mogul skiing?  If you don’t know what mogul skiing is, it’s where they ski downhill over all of those random bumps.  I’ve been watching and all I can say is…wow!  That looks like one tough sport.  I would say it’s probably one of the most physically demanding sports in the winter games.  It takes a combination of strength, speed, balance, coordination and tremendous concentration.  Watch the video below so we can take a closer look:

While watching the video, notice how her upper body stays square and her legs stay together.  To separate the lower and upper body like that and be able to rotate from the waste down only while the upper body does not move, you need very good mobility through the hips.  It also takes an extremely strong core.  To control the legs like that and to be able to keep the legs completely together, you must have very strong abductors (muscles of the hips) and adductors (muscles of the upper inner thigh).  Not only do you have to be able to move your hips and legs in a controlled manner, but you must be able to move them very quickly.  Seems to be almost lightning fast as you watch one of these skiers live.

As far as the balance and coordination goes, they might make it look effortless but if you’ve ever tried to ski then you know how difficult it can be just to stay on your feet.  Just think, they are getting pounded around by these humps of snow while keeping near perfect body position.  That takes skill!

So, if you are thinking of becoming a freestyle mogul skier, you better train your body accordingly.  Miss one of the above components and it could be disastrous

Having trouble getting those last 5 or 10 pounds to come off? Getting frustrated with the fact that you are doing the same thing that took the first 10 pounds off? Well, that just might be the problem. Whether your exercise has stayed the same or you are still eating the same foods or both, it’s probably just time to try something different.

As for the exercise part, see my past post, Change it up!

As for the eating part, think about what you usually eat. If you’re like most people, you probably eat the same (or at least very similar) foods week after week. Even though you were able to lose weight/fat from doing this in the past, your body eventually hits a point where it’s perfectly fine with where it is. As the body loses fat, it breaks it down into carbohydrates which is then used as fuel for the body. When your body becomes accustomed to this, something must change to “kick it back into gear”. Whether it’s the type of food you eat or how often you eat, something definitely has to change.

Start with looking at the foods you eat. It helps to write everything down so you can physically see it. Challenge yourself to change one or two foods each day. For example, if you usually eat cereal for breakfast, try going with an egg and a banana instead.

Next, change how often you eat. If you’re used to eating only 2 or 3 meals in a day (7:00 am, noon and 6:00 pm), it’s time to change that. Eat smaller meals and more of them. For example, try eating smaller meals at 7:00 am, 10:00 am, 1:00 pm, 4:00 pm and 7:30 pm Eating more often will keep your metabolism running and your body burning fat.

Finally, minimize the stress! Stress is a major factor that can cause you to hold on to the weight. Try different methods of relieving stress.  This might be to get a massage every once in a while or do something fun and  enjoyable that makes you happy once a week.  Whatever it is, relieving stress may help you lose that extra weight.

As you can see, to lose those extra few pounds that don’t seem to want to come off, it might be as easy as making a few slight adjustments.  Give it a try and see how it goes.  It’s worth a try, right?  What do you have to lose….besides more pounds?

I hear it all the time.  “I’ll start to lose weight after the holidays because there’s just so much food around right now”.  Yes, the holidays can be a dangerous time with all of the cookies, chocolates, pies, drinks, etc.  However, the holiday season doesn’t have to mean you putting on 10 pounds.  You must be careful about what you put into your mouth and how much you put in.  Take the following tips into consideration while enjoying the holidays with family and friends.

Tip #1   Watch your portion size.  It’s ok to treat yourself to a dessert or drink but just keep telling yourself….everything is ok in moderation….including moderation.

Tip #2   Don’t go hungry to a party.  Holiday parties may be the most dangerous event of them all.  Lots of people bringing lots of food + hungry you = BAD.  Make sure the day of the party you eat a wholesome breakfast and filling lunch.  This will help to avoid overeating at the party.

Leave these for Santa

Tip #3   NO NORMAL EGGNOG.  Eggnog is made with LOTS of cream.  This cream is very fatty.  There are low fat or fat free eggnog recipes (just Google it) or you can even buy low fat eggnog at the store.

Tip #4   Try other versions of alcohol.  Instead of drinking that seasonal beer (which is usually pretty heavy), try dry wine or Bloody Marys.  These contain much lower calories.  Calories from alcohol tend to be more easily store as fat.

Tip #5   Drink plenty of water.  Coffee and alcohol can dehydrate you so it’s important to keep the water in!

Tip #6  Instead of sitting on the couch all holiday season watching football and Christmas movies, go outside with loved ones to enjoy the cool air.  Go for a walk….. (or a hike) if you live in Colorado.

Follow these tips and you’ll get through the holidays without a blemish on your bathroom scale.

Ever wonder if there are “magical” foods out there that can ensure good nutrition?  Well, wonder no more.  The below foods, along with some protein such as salmon, chicken or lean beef, are foods that are recommended to eat every day to make nutrition #1 on your priority list.

Spinach, although just a green a leafy vegetable, is a rich source of plant-based omega 3s and folate, which help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis.  Folate also increases blood flow to the nether regions, helping to protect against age-related sexual issues.  Try making your salads with spinach or put it over pizza to mix it up.

Tomatoes are best when red.  These are packed with lycopene, which can decrease your risk of bladder, lunge, prostate, skin and stomach cancers, as well as reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.  A couple easy ways to get tomatoes in your diet (if you don’t like eating them plain) is to pile on the ketchup and Ragu, drink some low-sodium V8 or double the amount of tomato paste called for in a recipe.

Carrots are not just for rabbits.  These magical little sticks are packed with carotenoids, compounds that are associated with a reduction in a wide range of cancers, as well as reduced risk and severity of inflammatory conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.  You can eat them plain, with a low fat dressing, or steam them in the microwave for a nice complement to dinner.

Blueberries are host to more antioxidants (molecules capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation of other molecules….which is bad) than any other North American fruit.  They help prevent cancer and diabetes.  Blueberries also boost cardiovascular health.  Plain blueberries are delicious.  Try to load up in the summertime and freeze a bunch because the price increases drastically come fall and winter.  You can also toss them in the blender when making a smoothie, eat them dried or in jam form.

If you like Mexican food, black beans should be your best friend.  They are good for your heart and can boost your brain power like no other bean out there.  They contain anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds that have been shown to improve brain function.  Add black beans to a burrito or dump some in your chili.

Walnuts are richer in heart-healthy omega 3s than salmon, loaded with more anti-inflammatory polyphenols (chemical substance found in plants) than red wine, and pack half as much muscle-building protein as chicken.  You can sprinkle these on top of salads (made with spinach of course), chop and add to pancake batter, or grind and mix with olive oil to make a marinade for grilled chicken or fish.  Oh yeah, they aren’t bad plain either.

Oats are packed with soluble fiber, which lowers the risk of heart disease.  They are also loaded with carbs, but the release of sugars is slowed by the fiber, so it’s ok.  Eat granolas and cereals that have a fiber content of at least 5 grams per serving.

There you have it, some foods that you can eat every day and not feel bad about it.  Get creative with the preparation and enjoy!

And you should too!

Regardless of your lifestyle, interests or goals, balance is essential to improving performance.  The loss of balance is a key component to many falls and debilitating injuries in the elderly. It can also mean the difference between making a play or not making a play in sports (ever see an NFL receiver tiptoe the sideline to stay in bounds after a miraculous catch?).

Having good balance all begins with having strength and flexibility.  You have to have good stabilization strength before you can have good balance.  To develop stabilization strength, try doing exercises such as a front lunge, side lunge and squat.  Doing exercises on two legs first will help you develop necessary strength before you progress into one leg exercises or exercises on an unstable surface.  Proper flexibility training helps to alleviate muscle imbalance that can alter neuromuscular coordination and effect balance.  Once you develop strength and flexibility, you can then progress into more advanced stabilization training.

Balance and stabilization training is starting to come along in the fitness world….finally.  Most people don’t realize how important it is until they grow older, weaker and start having episodes where they fall and hurt themselves.  You don’t have to be like that.  Start early by strengthening and stretching and eventually you can be confident in your balance.  This newborn confidence will allow you to do things you never thought you could or would even want to attempt.  Take a look at the below video for some balance exercises that you can work towards.  They don’t require using any weights or other resistance so you can practice them anytime, anywhere.  Have fun and concentrate!

Check out this short demo of me taking one of my clients through some “functional” exercises.  Notice how she’s having to use many muscles in each movement.  Most functional exercises require you to use, legs, glutes, abdominals, low back, arms, shoulders, upper back and chest……all in one exericise!…..oh yeah, don’t forget the concentration and balance that is also required.