Mirror Athlete Enterprises Articles

February 7, 2010

“Dare To Walk,” TV Reality Game Show

Filed under: Anti-Aging, Dare to Walk, Exercise, Fitness, Health, Natural Chemicals, Prevention, Wellness, body activity, how to, manage depression, obesity, pain, posture, tips, well-being — Marc Woodard @ 18:54

See MAE Video \”Dare to Walk,\” Stay Fit, Alleviate Pain, Save American Families One Step at a Time!\

“The original Concept “Dare to Walk another Day” came from a 20 chapter Mirror Athlete manuscript (currently seeking publication).  The 20 chapters encompass preventative exercise and pain alleviation modalities known as “Mirror Athlete Science,” fitness and pain management philosophy.

“Dare to Walk” another Day is devoted to 2-3 chapters in the manuscript.  It explains the importance of this game concept in the last chapter and why this fitness and pain management philosophy would be of great interest to all Americans, including the politics centered around preventative health and Medicare issues.  The intended audience (70 million baby boomers) and family interest in this type of Reality TV Game show would be huge, also educational.  This show could put our nation’s health first by using walking as the preventative health outreach initiative through a competitive and exciting walk Reality TV game show. Those that manage pain effectively and walk show you “how they do it!”  The globe would benefit and the audience would expand immensely by the second year of production because of the shows promotional unique appeal and draw to boomers and families of all ages throughout the world.  “Dare to Walk” SITE ,” WGAW Registry #1409703, Feb 2010 (“Dare to Walk,” TV Reality Game Concept).  Copyright Mirror Athlete Enterprises, All rights reserved 2010.

Read the Full Story - ”Dare to Walk,” Reality Heals a Nation’s People in Pain! See how the origin of this concept began.   You’ve read nothing like this, nor have you heard of any TV reality concept that comes near this caliber of entertainment.  Read the full story and ”Dare to Walk, another day!”

Participation Interest – If interested in a TV reality game show based on content from Read the full story link above, simply visit the Mirror Athlete home site .  Once at home site, enter your email address into the “Dare to Walk” subscription box to receive updates on the Reality TV Game concept and production interest.”  If there is enough interest in this concept there is good likelihood this show will be produced and you will have first dibs at qualifying for the first season and selected to participate and “Dare to Walk” to win prizes.  I will use this email list to provide a tally of interest to producers and provide you updates.

Tell your walking clubs and walking partners to visit MirrorAthlete.com and sign up as a free subscriber of interest.  The goal is to get 10,000 interested fellow walkers while officially submitting the full pitch concept to Reality TV producers.  This concept has been registered under intellectual property register WGAW#1409703, 2 Feb 2010. 

Subscribe for updates/Qualify for game:  When you subscribe to this listing for updates, you’ll also receive the “Free” MAE Health monthly eNewsletter.  Two subscriptions are received by subscribing to one list (“Dare to Walk” email updates and MAE eNewsletter mind, body & soul fitness and pain management articles). 

 It is a good time to start getting indoctrinated if you want to qualify for the games.  Much like an instructor would tap a foot, or overemphasis “pay attention.”  Other listings that receive MAE eNewsletter’s articles won’t read anything into this emphasis.  It will read like it belongs.  Only you know “pay attention,” or “I can’t emphasis enough” “Real Important” applies to hidden philosophy and knowledge game tactics that will improve your qualifying chances of selection and receive greater reward in the game (if the game is produced).  MAE eNewsletter articles will mention nothing “directly” of ”Dare to Walk” Reality TV production submission to producers, etc.”  Only those on “this list” (“Dare to Walk” Subscribers) can submit to qualify and possibly get on the first game show if produced.  Players needed for the game, around 20 but could be more.  Timelines: Looking to shoot a 6-8week production.  Where:  Anywhere in the world.  Awards: Every ones a winner but those that play the game best reap greater reward.  Amount:  Depends on production budget.

 How to Qualify:  Enter email address into Subscription box at mirrorathlete home site, also found through my hubpages profile.  Watch for “emphasis” in any newly written article from MAE eNewsletters published NLT 25th of each month.   Updates “emphasized in MAE articles can start as early as Feb 2010.  Make sure you subscribe to stay on top of the secret “emphasis found in MAE monthly health articles.”  If you miss a month, or lose the email; not to worry, visit MAE Health Repository .  Articles published from the eNewsletter are posted 30 days here after monthly circulation.  Or subscribe to a RSS reader to get all current articles.  Be sure if your email address changes, update it, or you will not receive the subscription and possibly miss the opportunity of a lifetime to possibly play in the ”Dare to Walk,” Reality TV Game.

Desired Qualifying Physical Attributes:  Desired walker qualifications for all practical purposes are normal walkers with typical aches and pains but know how to exercise and warm up prior to walking, not necessarily know how to pain manage.  They may be out of shape but walk well.  Others may appear to be in great shape, but know how to pain manage and exercise well.  Selectees cannot be competitive walkers (speed walking), or on a competitive walking team.  The perfect age demographics are ages: 35-68 for all that want to apply for this game show.  Each one of these players should have a medical acute or other pain challenge with daily fitness routines to alleviate and manage pain.  Most desired qualifying “pain challenges” are those that experience back, neck, shoulders, feet, hips, knee pain problems, etc.  And these pain challenges are diagnosed as soft tissue and nerve pain issues, successful back surgery, or prosthetics (hip, knee replacement).  Excess weight creates pain on posture bearing musculoskeletal structure which is also a good pain qualifier.   Many Americans are obese.  Borderline obesity is a good qualifier if these selectees are already on a walking program.  A good variety of demographic qualifiers and pain challenges will be added to the mix.

Guarantee Game Participation – There is “no guarantee” you will qualify, or be selected to compete on the show if it is produced.  With that said, there is also no guarantee MAE will be able to find a producer with interest or budget to produce this  type of TV reality show.  But with your support there is a good possibility of production and better potential for selection to compete since you are on this list and able to pre-qualify by reading special emphasis in MAE articles related to ”Dare to Walk.”  We simply must show producers that ”Dare to Walk,” Reality TV game is of interest to many that want this production as home family entertainment and profitable for the production company.

 Personally, the concept is so good I would select viewing a show of this caliber over travel, discovery channels, Big Brother, Survivor, etc., type shows.  Plus a number of other reality TV game shows, simply because there has been nothing produced like it.  My advisement team believes this concept has a strong potential to capture a production studio to produce this show.  Don’t miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime, subscribe now and be part of history gone mad.  To receive all necessary updates and to pre-qualify for ”Dare to Walk,” Reality TV Game show enter your email address in mirror athlete home site subscription box.  Thank you for your support, now let’s make it happen!

See other Mirror Athlete Enterprise projects you may be interested in, such as “Viking Carnivores” Reality TV Game Show.”

Author:  Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, USA Medical Services Officer, CPT, RET.  2009 Copyright.  All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Publishing @: www.mirrorathlete.com,  Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.

January 23, 2010

After Holiday Weight Gain Blues

Filed under: Depression, Diet, Fitness, Natural Chemicals, Product Toxins, Weight Management, Women's Health, addiction, fast food, holiday, how to, manage depression, new year, obesity, stress — Marc Woodard @ 17:44

The End of Old Habits Are Near. Let Life Begin

Another year has gone by with all the Holiday décor and cheer with it.  I understand some of you had a tough time with the food choices and amount that you consumed.  And with this being said, should I dare say some of you are not only bummed out after you stepped on the scales, you are blue with depression.  This I understand and can definitely empathize.  The way I see it, you can continue to feed those screaming fat cells telling your stomach and brain it needs more, or you can deny them.  I know, easier said than done.  Cutting back after consuming all those rich foods will be the hardest thing you’ll do to get control of your weight for the New Year.  I also understand with the passing of the old year and in with the new, maybe last year’s resolutions to lose weight didn’t work out so well.  I’ve got to tell you; “don’t be so hard on yourself.”  There are many reasons weight gain occurs and I would never tell you I know what you are going through.    So many of us, when we get stressed, or traumatic change occurs in our lives, causes much long-term depression as well as over consumption of food.  Many at some point in time are at great risk of this prolonged weight gain habit being triggered during the Holiday season.  Because with the Holiday’s many emotions are triggered that can also set the stage leading to depression. 

Unfortunately too many of us deal with depression by consuming too much comfort food and drink.  After the consumption of too much rich food we get upset, frustrated and finally depressed about our weight because we don’t know why we can’t control this habit.  There is also an illness-disease cause and effect relationship that complicates controlling weight once we become obese.  At this point the mind-body “can” becomes susceptible to greater illness-disease risk.  For example, diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), congenital heart disease, fibromyalgia, phantom pain, etc.  Over eating for many years will cause much discourse and depression in one’s life which complicates weight management, mood, and pain picture, relationships we have with people and life goals. 

Although I’ve written many articles revolving around depression, fitness and pain management, I have not written an article with regard to food habit & depression relationship triggers.   In general, stressful life events cannot be avoided in life but can be minimized by understanding the stress triggers and food consumption patterns.”  Regardless of season, or any day for that matter, you must learn to change behavior and habits to take control of your weight goals and develop better stress coping skills.  These skills can be greatly improved through healthy food consumption, relationship associations (behavioral food trigger habits), activity and exercise.  Learn to realize the stress triggers and substitute healthy food and activity as a stress reducer, i.e., walk-window shop, read a good book, call a friend, eat organic, or Mediterranean diet etc.  Whatever you do, don’t go to the fridge or quick mart and have a binge session.  This habit is very hard to stop.  Seek professional help if depression lasts longer than 14 days or frequently returns and/or if you become obese as a result of your habits and can’t stop them. 

Holiday’s are one thing and I completely get the weight gain during this eventful time period.  And I know the screaming fat cells will get over themselves once you get back to your normal routine once the festivities pass.  But all too often, it is too easy to continue the party into the New Year, or look to celebrate every weekend.  Don’t fall into this trap.  To carry this habit into one year and then the next is really unhealthy and depressing as I know you may be aware. 

Alright, I know I said “don’t be so hard on yourself,” and “I would never tell you I know what you are going through…”  However, there is a difference with cheerful event weight gain and short-term depression versus long-term weight gain and depression.  One is short lived and the other is not!  For a few, I would say your weight gain unfortunately may be due to a metabolic defect of the thyroid, or pancreas for example, in which case you require a physician’s treatment.  Any long-term weight gain that has become an unhealthy condition putting you at risk for more illness, disease, depression and pain requires a physician consultation!  However, there is no reason not to pursue changing your life style habits while seeking specialized medical treatment and advisement. 

Now I have brought about 8 prominent weight gain blues and depression behavioral habits people get themselves into and don’t necessarily know how to resolve the weight gain quagmire throughout the year.  Below I have listed eight habitual hard to break weight gain problematic habits that need to be realized before successful long-lasting health benefits occur.  It is the hope that by exposing unhealthy food habit behavior relationships, one can change these unhealthy habits into healthy habits that are enjoyable.  

 8 Prominent Weight Gain Blues and Depression Behavioral Habits 

  1.  Holiday Cheer Weight Gain – What can I say about Holiday Cheer Weight Gain that I haven’t mentioned in my previous writings.  Have a Holiday battle meal plan before you set down at the table.  Read the following article, “Holiday Weight Management Tips.”
  2.  Last Year’s Resolution to Lose Weight Failed – You know why you failed your weight loss program from previous years.  You did not resolve, or change your behavioral eating, drinking, or fitness habits.  To do so is still too painful for you for whatever the reason.  As I stated, “I will not pretend to know what you are going through…”  Until you can resolve and/or get serious about your weight loss/depression, or seek professional help, my fitness tips will fall on deaf ears.
  3.  Illness, disease, injury pain factor – All pain is directly related to illness, disease and/or injury.  And with pain comes more sedentary type activity.  It is for this reason, it is more important than ever you work with your primary physician and pain management specialists to find activities that you can do safely.  Also visit mirror athlete chronic pain center for other tips and recommendations.  All pain disorders are different and require much fitness specialization in order to work around and prevent pain trigger aggravations, or worsen pain disorders.  It is for this reason you become proactive to find a fitness activity that you can participate in daily while pain managing with your physicians.
  4.  Stressful life events and comfort food – For many the trigger to eat comfort foods stems from everyday stress factors such as:  Work, bills, health, relationship, family issues, etc., the list goes on.  Stressful daily events can culminate into major depression and poor eating habits (these two things often go hand in hand).  This is a duel health risk hazard that impacts millions of Americans causing the national obesity crisis our children now face.  We get so stressed out over our fast paced lives we can’t foresee how we could ever squeeze time in the day to maintain our overall fitness and healthy eating habits.  Then you tell yourself, I’ll take care of it later.  You must find time before, or after the day’s end to participate in a healthy fitness activity to thwart off daily stress and increase overall fitness levels.  Good diet and activity practices are important for the entire family where habit is essential to establish early on in life and critical for good health especially as we age.    For example, my daily fitness activity is walking.  I also mix up the fitness activities with swimming at the local fitness center, light weights and other aerobic equipment.  My fitness habit is mid-day; although it was 5:30am and 12:00pm for many of my working years.  This habit for me reduced stress depression, built self-esteem, controlled my weight, and alleviated pain disorders while keeping the body fit.  I know AM routine seems tough at first, but become an addictive habit if you give it a try for a couple of weeks.  For most, I don’t recommend an after workout fitness habit unless it’s walking.  The stressful day will make the fitness habit seem like pulling teeth for which one will not adhere for a long period of time.  For instance, walking, it’s much less stressful and more relaxing with your spouse, kids, dogs in hand, etc., where stressful issues can be discussed into reasonable solutions and making better relationships.  I highly recommend mixing it up with after work walks and every other day morning fitness activity.  Look for weekend activities with family, e.g., hiking, camping, boating, walking the beach, visit historical places, etc. I promise you’ll get healthier while improving family relationships.
  5.  Carry the party into New Year – Some carry the end of year festivities into the New Year.  This behavior can last for months.  For many through the entire New Year.  The festive mood appears to keep your depression at bay while keeping you preoccupied with comfort eating, drinks and cheer with friends.  The basketball and baseball season is loaded with reason for bi-weekly celebration.  “First and foremost, you must understand this is occurring and must break this bad habit!”  It is not bad to watch sports, of course this may vary in opinion with your significant other as time is spent on viewing other than bonding.”  However, to continue the party festivities for weeks and months in over consumption indulgence will only drag on the inevitable weight gain and depression blues that accompanies this jovial behavior after the party. Although jovial is enjoyable and relaxing, too much of anything can be a bad recipe for disaster.  As we age and continue this type of lifestyle behavior, weight will pack on and become harder to lose creating many health risks.  If you’re hanging onto this habit and want to change, incorporate a plan to change using my recommendations here, or review anyone of my articles to assist in your weight management control and lifestyle change goals.
  6.  Fast foods after the Holiday’s rush continue. Too many Americans consume fast foods especially during the Holiday rush.  Here lies a crux for the American obesity problems.  During the Holiday’s everyone is in a rush to get the shopping done for gifts, Holiday meals and travel.  During this time there is a huge spike in fast foods and alcohol.  This is greatly reflected through our stock markets.  Yes, business booms almost in every sector of the economy, especially, retail, fast foods and spirits.  Let’s focus on fast foods.  Fast foods are convenient, chemically addictive and bad for your health in the long run.  Both fast food and drink easily bind one into an addictive habit that is hard to break if continued too long.  I’ve watched too many people throughout my life not understand the addiction, weight gain and ill health results from fast foods.  Most that continue the fast food habit don’t even realize this is creating their weight gain problem.  All too often after obesity strikes so does illness and disease.  If you are eating out more than once per week, this could very well be your weight gain problem.  I know, you’re thinking, what if I just give up the fast food places and eat out at restaurants?  While this is a better concept, you don’t know how much of the meals are preprocessed and then served, even in fine dining establishments.  Also, when you eat out most tend to eat more.  Instead of eating out, develop a healthy active habit of shopping for more organic type foods and preparing your own meals.  I highly recommend you read my article, “Restaurant Foods Healthy?”
  7.  Love of Baking – I know, some of you carry your new found baking creativity and consumption habits into the New Year.  Although there is nothing wrong with healthy food baking habits, the pitfall is when you love everything you bake just a little too much.  I know the kids love your baking treats and it’s hard not to make cookies, cakes and pies after the Holidays.  Remember moderation with deserts.  Too much sugar, fats and salts are not good for anyone, even kids with fast metabolisms.  If you’re having a tough time with moderation of baking because of whatever is tugging at your apron, try changing up the desert menu a little.  Try to be creative with other types of deserts if the sweet tooth bug just won’t stop.  Try fruits-veggie tray, jello, pudding, etc.  Mix it up and break away from the continuous baking habit.  If you continue baking from one New Year into the next because you are the one that lacks the will power to balance this activity, I highly recommend you read the following article if you want to take back your weight control goals, “Will Power Weight Loss Secrets.”
  8.  Empty Nester’s Bake for an Army – Regardless of season, there are many empty nest couples that continue baking for their entire family after the children have left home.  There are many things tied into this habit which makes this pattern particularly tough to break, especially for those that want to take control of their weight.  And this is an especially tough feat if one wants to change the habit and the husband for example demands dinner meals that require traditional family recipes.  This is a tough to break psyche-food habit relationships for many empty nest couples.  For example, check out some of the tough relational habits after years of lifestyle practice:  Family dinners and social event food comforts; recipe serving portions equate to taste; favorite dishes tied to child personality, family traditions.  You continue to cook huge portions, eat bigger portions and/or store more.   The activity habit of hording food through continuous shopping may be a stress reliever as a form of social & physical activity.  You store excess foods in preparation for when family members visit.  You continue to invite your children and their children over for frequent mid-week and weekend meals.  You celebrate annual Holiday events to include sports playoffs with big meals whether family is there or not.  I could go on and on with this, but I think you get the picture.  Many empty nesters lived for their children where their food storing, preparation, celebration and eating habits were based on full house functionality.  As I stated, this is a tough habit to break but can be done.  If you fall into this category, you first must realize what you are doing and work to change this habit if weight loss and thwarting the blues is your goal.  If you feel the need to change your traditional cooking habits into a healthy activity with your significant other…  Learn to cook Mediterranean recipes and get exercise by walking to the local market to get the ingredients.  You will also have to learn to mix in your families favorite dish recipes, but modified to servings of two.  Also, make a huge effort to get in daily walks whether it’s coupled with a healthy walk meal shopping effort.  The idea is to get more activity and eat a healthier diet in proper proportions.  Walk to your local library, and pick up a healthy recipe books and/or look to take a Mediterranean, or low calorie healthy cooking class.  Consider previous MAE articles and apply this information to your lifestyle.  Visit Mirror Athlete’s health repository for other healthy habit weight loss and management tips and recommendations files under weight, holiday, depression and diet.

 After the Holiday’s it can be easy to get into a pattern of never ending “feel good binge eating habits” for whatever the reason and carried into the next New Year.  Just as any one, or combinations of reasons above apply to your particular weight gain and depression blues scenario through each passing year.  You cannot continue to mask your depression blues through food, year after year because your food habit controls your will power to change.  Once you begin to eat healthy and exercise, your fitness levels improve dramatically.  You’ll have the energy to walk and/or become involved in healthier hobby-exercise activities.  And with this habit change the depression blues will become infrequent to rare. 

 I would just like to end this article by providing a valuable bit of insight.  Too many people don’t understand this food habit relationship and the ill-effects it has on quality living.  The same is also true of natural addictive brain chemical stimulation through a more active life style and the effect it plays on weight loss and mood.  And with this being said, it is sad to say, all too many are now prescribed anti-depression pills to boost serotonin levels in the brain to make us feel better on a daily basis.  This does absolutely, or very little to promote increased activity, changing daily habits and weight management.  There is also known “secondary health risks” that “can/do” occur through long-term use of psychotropic prescriptions.  Instead, it would be wise to consider the natural alternatives in combating obesity and depression through increased activity which will naturally boost serotonin levels for healthy body, mind and soul.  If you now use psychotropic prescriptions to combat depression and it’s further complicating your health goals, please read the following article, “Activate Addictive Healthy Chemicals.”   Do not stop your medication; simply consider incorporating exercise and eating healthier while you work with your doctor.  You may be able to get off the medication, or reduce the dosage dependency, thereby decreasing other serious health risks. 

 Write us about your weight loss success and removing depression from your life.    We’ll publish your New Year’s resolution success story and identify your post with a first name and state you reside in.  Or make a comment in the posting log where this linked article resides in our healthrepository.  Simply email us with how you changed your habits to lose weight and/or thwart the blues and we’ll post for you under this article.  May this year be your year for weight loss success and defeating depression.  Good health to you and your family! 

 Author:  Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, USA Medical Services Officer, CPT, RET.  2010 Copyright.  All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Publishing @: www.mirrorathlete.com,  Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.

October 24, 2009

Science Proves Exercise Alone May Promote Weight Gain

Filed under: Exercise, Fitness, Weight Management, body activity, obesity — Marc Woodard @ 16:36
Walk Through Nature... The best aerobic exercise is walking

Walk Through Nature... The best aerobic exercise is walking

To get the full story on how exercise may promote weight gain, first read “Is Exercise for Weight Loss a Myth, published in Sep 09 Newsletter. Find the article in MAE Health Repository and Health Blog, Sep 09 articles.

Although your favorite guru-celeb may be the picture of health, they make a lot of money selling you products you believe will have positive results for you. At least you believe this because you trust what they say to be true, or you most likely would not buy the exercise products. Regardless of exercise equipment product(s) that guarantees weight loss benefits… The odds are stacked against significant weight loss results. This is because exercises alone will most likely result in weight gain! Now science supports the fact that exercise can add on the pounds if other considerations are not modified within healthy living as we age. Let’s look at a significant study that specifically addresses the compensation effect on body after exercise and what this really means for your weight management program.

“45 million Americans now belong to health clubs, up from 23 million in 1993. We spend some $19 billion a year on gym memberships. One major study illustrates – The Minnesota Heart Survey found more of us say we exercise. From 1980 to 2000, 47% of respondents exercised regularly and then these figures increased to 57%, ending the 20 year survey. Even with 45 million people today using fitness centers obesity figures increased during this period. The Federal government’s definition of obesity classifies 1/3 of all Americans as obese. Those that participated in the survey admitted after they exercise, their hungrier and eat more. This is not to discount the notion that those who may not participate in gym activities may weigh more otherwise.”

“In general, for weight loss, exercise is pretty useless,” says Eric Ravussin, chair in diabetes and metabolism at Louisiana State University, a prominent exercise researcher. Although exercise does burn calories, it also makes us hungrier. “Exercise, in other words, isn’t necessarily helping us lose weight. It may even be making it harder.” “The compensation Problem – The PLoS (Public Library of Science) published a remarkable study supervised by a colleague of Ravussin’s Dr. Timothy Church. Four groups totaling 464 overweight women who didn’t regularly exercise were selected for this study. Women in 3 of the groups worked with a personal trainer for 6 months; Group 1 exercised – 72 minutes/wk, Group 2 exercised- 136 minutes/wk and Group 3 exercised – 194 minutes/week. Although the study did not specify the exercise routines, one gets the notion exercises were balanced between aerobic and anaerobic activity with a personal assigned trainer.”

“The women in the 4th cluster did not change their lifestyle activities, but did fill out a monthly health questionnaire. The results were surprising. All groups of women lost weight, even the control group. It is most likely the control group through the use of monthly questionnaires learned more about their health and thereby modified their diets by eating fewer donuts, muffins, Starbucks coffee, for example. Some of the women in each group actually gained weight, some up to 10 pounds. Church calls this the compensation effect. Whether exercise made them hungry, or they wanted to reward themselves… Most of the women who exercised ate more than they did before they started the experiment!”

“This is an important study because our government’s medical organizations since the 60’s tell us to exercise if we want weight loss. Including in 2007, the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association issued new guidelines stating that “to lose weight…60 to 90 minutes of physical activity may be necessary. That recommendation covers most days of the week.”

“It’s true that within the study most participants were able to trim their waistline by only about an inch. The other interesting aspect, even so, they lost no more overall body fat than the control group. Church asks the control group other questions to further understand this phenomenon. He finds within each group the women are rewarding themselves with Starbucks coffee and muffins for example. Well, after you add these calories to calories burnt, you get a wash in weight loss benefits.” Another good example, a bottle of Gatorade electrolyte drink, 20oz bottle has 130 calories. You can drink this in a matter of seconds if you’re really thirsty. If your aerobics activity is treadmill walking for 15 minutes this is probably a wash from net calorie expenditure.”

“Steven Gortmaker, heads Harvard’s Prevention Research Center on Nutrition and Physical Activity, he studies child obesity. Since its proven exercise makes you hungry, one must ask a question regarding our kids and fast food places. He is suspicious of playgrounds at fast-food restaurants. The contention is, if a kid plays 30 minutes, it may be enough to stimulate hunger where the child instead of consuming 500 calories, instead consumes 1000.” In 30 minutes of play, for example, the child may have only expended 200 calories to play, creating a net 800 calorie gain!”

“Church states, we all need to move toward proper weight control, but stressing and depleting the body’s muscles in short bursts using stressful exercise is not necessarily the best way to loss body weight. Also the brain may feel greater entitlement to eat fast foods after we’ve exerted most of our high intensity energy at the gym. Instead, energy would have been better served by increasing daily activities like walking, healthy food shopping, preparing wholesome meals, gardening, a balanced mix using gym activities, walking, biking, etc.”

Quote excerpts posted above, Published by Time Magazine, August 17, 2009, “Why Exercise Won’t Make you Thin,” by John Cloud. Posts have been modified by the author within quotes to quickly make points in support of this article.

True aerobic activity is a low intensity, time consuming type of training (E.g., walking, jogging, bicycling, etc.) that burns mostly fat cells-triglycerides using slow twitch respondent activity exercise. Anaerobic training (E.g., sprinting, high intensity run, weight training, high intensity aerobics, long jump, pole vaulting, etc.) are exercise activities that use more fast twitch muscle fibers which require quick spurts of energy to move the body with high intensity while mostly burning other energy fuel sources (glucose, glycogen and creatine phosphate)… Fat as a fuel source during high intensity work cannot provide energy fast enough to feed the body during these events. Body fat then is mostly by-passed as a fuel source.

Anaerobic activity also increases muscle mass which is heavier by volume than fat. Muscle mass increases will also tip the scales heavier if sculpting body fat does not occur. The perfect workout concept for sculpting and weight loss requires customized fitness training programs relative to body type, age, sex, fitness goals, medical history, postural profile, etc., with both aerobic-anaerobic balanced activities. Within a customized fitness program one must not forget diet and pain management considerations. However, due to the compensation effect (calorie burned vs. mind over body requirement intake) on will power to reduce calories at the table makes no guarantee weight loss goals will be met and weight gain may be likely.

Muscle is important for many health reasons and also requires more calories to maintain development and growth. This means a dense body muscle mass will burn more calories daily while working. The muscle bound metabolism will tell the mind that the body is hungry especially after training. The will power to ignore the brains signal to nourish the working muscles requirement is a great mind over matter challenge especially after 35 years of age. One thing I can assure you… To not remain active with some form of activity, or low intensity exercise as you age opposed to becoming a couch potato is a grave mistake!

Author:  Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, USA Medical Services Officer, CPT, RET.  2009 Copyright, All rights reserved.  Mirror Athlete Enterprises Publishing @: www.mirrorathlete.com, Sign up for your free eNewsletter.

September 22, 2009

Exercising for Weight Loss a Myth?

Filed under: Exercise, Fitness, Health, Men's Health, Weight Management, Women's Health, obesity — Marc Woodard @ 16:00

Do you recall seeing commercials or reading magazine advertisements where exercise gadgets and specialized exercise programs promise great weight loss results?  Well if you haven’t, let me tell you weight loss exercise products are big business for ex-celebrities in the entertainment and sports industries.  Remember the thigh and abs flex products that promoted inches will melt away around these areas while leading you to believe this would be the result of the entire body!  After all, the models used in the sales pitch appear to be perfectly lean specimens.

 Look around your house and count how many unused exercise gadgets, exercise equipment and books you have lying dormant in your home.  Why do these products lay around the home collecting dust?  And if these products did not work for you why did you not return the product?  Most of these exercise weight loss products guarantee great results by your favorite celebrity.  You were lead to believe if you follow the typical 4-12 week exercise product program you would see great results, well did you?  It is also interesting to note most guarantees have a 30-90 (4-12 weeks) day satisfaction return policy, no questions asked.  If the product didn’t produce the results was it because they actually didn’t work, or that you didn’t give an honest effort, or would it have mattered whether you used the product or not?  Regardless, the product is sitting in your home now dormant.

 Could it be you blame your lack of motivation to use the product that ran out the warranty?  Maybe you used the product as instructed without great, or no results, but in fact gained more weight.  Possibly the relatively small dollar amount of the purchase didn’t seem worth the effort to send it back.  In each example, you disregarded the warranty.

 In any case, most of us have been conditioned to believe exercise is the key to great weight loss success.    Product sales pitches that use the science of exercise as a weight loss product concept have been misleading consumers desperate to lose weight for years.  Yet those that are desperate want to believe the hype because they believe this premise is based on hard scientific fact!  Marketers and your favorite celebs take full advantage of desperate and emotional overweight people that are not educated in exercise science!

 Yes, exercise science is a real undergraduate degree program offered in many universities, also known as exercise physiology.  I have a B.S. degree in this discipline, so this is true if you’d never heard of it before.  These marketers are smart.  They know how to slant the rhetoric leading you to believe they actually care about you.  Remember, many of your celebs are banking on this pitch to make them more money as well!  Weight loss through exercise alone could not be further from the truth!

 What do the marketers know about sales, physiology and psychology that most of us do not think about?  They know how to target an audience and that the younger demographic will have a weight loss result that can be further promoted to increase future sales.  They know this is so because if a younger demographic with fast metabolisms actually works any type of exercise product program a good majority of these people will have some kind of result.  I know, you’re thinking I said, “Exercise for weight loss is a myth.”  You’ll soon have the full story, patience.

 Haven’t you noticed the before and after shots on the infomercials?  Most of these people appear to be between the ages of 18-35 years of age.  And as science has proven in many controlled studies, the human metabolisms before the age of 35 are pretty responsive to increased activity.  However, weight loss results within “any age” demographic seem to have more to do with the psychology of weight loss desire then does the use of any singular, or combination of exercise product(s). Desire to lose weight within any age range is mostly to do about motivating psychological desires:  The dating scene, interview for job, want youthful look back, vanity, health, you name it there are many reasons to motivate a person to lose weight through behavior and lifestyle activity changes. 

 In other words, if you have motivation and desire to lose weight, you may be more prone to reduce weight through a combination of lifestyle changes including the use of exercise equipment and/or products.  For example, nutritional diet changes, smoking, alcohol cessation, shift to healthier environmental-social influences-activities, exercise aerobic-anaerobic activity changes (type, frequency, duration, intensity).  The sum of the total changes typically has a greater calorie burn response leading to weight loss.

 On the flip side, science has proven exercise makes people hungrier.  And because of this compensation effect, what leaves the body must eventually be replaced to maintain body comfort equilibrium.  For most of us over 35, this is our will power weakness defeating our motivation to lose weight, or making weight loss goals more challenging as we age.  This is because the sacrifice of feeling hunger to achieve weight loss results becomes much more difficult on the psyches will power with age.

 For those that maintain great results for a life time after being overweight, or experienced a period(s) of obesity may have sacrificed some part of the overall health for the result.  What do I mean by this statement?  Whenever the body is stressed beyond an equilibrium comfort level to achieve long-term results; it’s not the maintenance of maintaining the weight loss results so much that stresses the body’s metabolism.  It’s the initial stress on mind-body that can create internal metabolic (bodies homeostatic system) harm while achieving quick weight loss results.  Yet there are others that never have had a weight problem and never exercised in their lives.  This may only be attributed to great genetics and/or simply living a moderate active lifestyle while minimizing risky behavior, or combinations of both.

 With continued stress the body may lose weight in an unhealthy manner that can and does lead to illness and disease.  I know all of you have heard of yo-yo dieting and the ill-effects of practicing such weight loss practices.  The goal here is not to discuss poor dieting practices, but instead attempt to help the consumer understand; exercise alone, regardless of exercise equipment, product or technique does not have a significant impact on your weight loss goals because of the “compensation effect” (calories burnt demand to be replaced).  Even if you are an aerobic junky, you must look at your entire lifestyle picture.  The picture of your lean weight loss results is more to do with your age, race, sex, genetics, lifestyle habits and behaviors. 

 This is not to state that exercise products don’t promote any positive health benefits.  In fact, we know that exercise lower risks for many types of diseases, especially within the cardiovascular system, prevention of diabetes and cancer.  Exercise is also excellent for body toning, strength, and muscular endurance, postural alignment which contributes to overall good health and pain alleviation.  Whatever your experience with exercise weight loss products the reason you accumulate these things, most likely you believe they will either work again, or when you’re ready to use them the weight loss results will be achieved. 

 The marketers understand there will be a small percentage of you that will try the program and turn the product back within the guarantee time.  However, this means nothing to them.  The discipline of sending back a product before the warranty expires is very small regardless of customer dissatisfaction.  After all, most of you have been conditioned to believe exercise is necessary to lose weight.  They also know you don’t blame your favorite celebrity because you admire them and they look fantastic.  The pitch people continue to mislead the exercise science weight loss rhetoric slanted in their favor sometimes using professionally paid sponsored credentials.  So your weight problem must be solely due to your inability to exercise exactly as your favorite celebrity or intended use as specified within the instructions.  Wrong!

 To add insult to injury, those selling the exercise products are banking on most of you never understanding the calorie compensation effect on weight control and will power.  This way you’ll continue to purchase the latest hype exercise products from your favorite celebrity in hopes that something may work for you down the road.  One thing is for sure, you will keep them fat and happy rolling in dough.  The cycle continues on.  Amazing!

 Does exercise to reduce body weight on its own work, or is this line of thinking a myth?  You decide after reading my next article. “Science Proves Exercise Alone May Promote Weight Gain.”

Author:  Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, USA Medical Services Officer, CPT, RET.  2009 Copyright, All rights reserved.  Mirror Athlete Enterprises Publishing @: www.mirrorathlete.com, Sign up for your free eNewsletter.

March 18, 2009

Prevention and Treatment of Uterine Cancer

Filed under: Blood, Cancer, Prevention, Treatment, Women's Health, blood chemistry, how to, obesity, tips — Marc Woodard @ 18:33

The health of a woman’s uterus is essential to the reproductive system and overall health.  Uterine tumor growth and cancer relationship awareness of this system is important to understand.  Your health & life could depend on this knowledge.  The uterus system is integral to the body and sensitive to cancer risk. During the child bearing years the wall lining of the uterus grows and thickens in preparation for pregnancy.  If a woman does not become pregnant menstruation occurs as the thick wall lining releases excess blood flow through the vagina.  Since the uterus is integral by close proximity to the lymph nodes, nerves, or blood vessels, metastasis of cancer can form in the lungs, liver, or other areas of the body.  The disease is referred to as “metastatic uterine cancer (Primary uterus tumor cells-Spread to distal areas).  Knowledge of normal uterine function to include timely abnormal symptom diagnosis and treatment provides optimum prevention against cancer.

A healthy uterine system is dependent on a normal cell replacement and repair life cycle.  If this cycle becomes a mutated cycle; benign (growth occurs, but not cancerous), or malignant (cancerous) tumors may grow and spread throughout the body.  Common tumors that may, or may not impact a woman’s reproductive system and overall health:   1) Fibroids – These are common benign tumors that grow in the muscle of the uterus.  They tend to reduce in size and may disappear once a woman reaches menopause.  Surgery may be necessary with discomfort.  2)   Endometrial Hyperplasia – An increasing cell production which thickens the lining of the uterus.  Those with abnormal bleeding before or after, or heavy menstrual periods should seek treatment. Hyperplasia mostly presents itself for women in their forties and is the most common cancer of the uterus lining.  Risk Factors – Fifty and over; obesity and high blood pressure. You have endometrial hyperplasia.  Use Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for menopause, osteoporosis, used also to reduce risk of heart disease and stroke. Use tamoxifen to prevent, or treat breast cancer.  White women are more likely than African-American women to get uterus cancer.  If diagnosed with colorectal cancer you are at higher risk of uterus cancer.

Recommendations, Diagnosis, Prevention, Uterus Cancer Treatment & Surgery:

1.  Seek Treatment – Difficult or painful urination, unusual vaginal bleeding or discharge. Pain during intercourse or pain in pelvic area.
2.  Get a second opinion if prognosis is daunting. Cancer Info Services 1800-4-CANCER, or Seek Official ABMS (American Board Certified Medical Specialists) 1-885-275-2267.
3.  Pelvic Exam for lumps, changes within size/shape of vagina, uterus, bladder and rectum.
4.  Transvaginal Ultrasound – A high-frequency instrument is inserted through the vagina… Echoes an image of the uterus endometruim wall.  A thick wall may require a biopsy.
5.  Pap Test – Cervix and upper vagina cell samples are collected in a medical laboratory.
6.  In order to stop malignant tumor growth, surgery to remove the uterus (hysterectomy), or treatment with hormones (progesterone) is the standard course of action.
7.  Uterus Radiation Treatment – Outpatient external body therapy aimed at the tumor area 5 days a week for several weeks. Internal Radiation – Tiny tubes containing radiation particulates released through the vagina.  Protocol may include progesterone therapy.
8.  Protein is important in the diet.  It promotes healing, strength, energy & body weight.
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Issue:“Recognize & Treat Bipolar Symptoms”  Author:  Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, USA Medical Services Officer, CPT, RET.  2009 Copyright.  All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Publishing @: www.mirrorathlete.com,  Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.

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