The Do's and Don'ts of Pre-Workout Nutrition

The million dollar question- what do I eat before I workout?? This is something that a lot of people struggle with and honestly, sometimes take a little bit of trial and error before we figure out what our body needs to be fueled for our workout. But, to make it easier on you, we will give you some of the do's and don'ts about pre-workout nutrition. The way our digestive system works, there are certain foods/ drinks that settle and digest differently than others. 

With digestion and exercise combined, foods have reactions in our body that are sometimes not pleasant. So, before working out, we want to make sure that we consume foods that are easy on our systems and will not cause stomach issues while working out.

• Avoid High Amounts of Caffeine; but include moderate amounts: not only can too much caffeine effect your athletic or workout performance, but it can also effect your long term adrenal health. Too much caffeine can cause dizziness, headaches, insomnia, and gastrointestinal distress, which all effect your workout performance. Consuming as little as 75mg of caffeine can give you the boost you need, without negatively effecting your performance. 
• Don't Include High Amounts of Fiber: while fiber is good for you, it is a food group that slows gastric emptying, so consuming before a workout is not the best idea. Working out after eating fiber feels like a gut full of undigested food. This includes things such as fruit smoothies, proteins powders and bars that are fiber heavy. Se sure to check ingredient labels on these types of items.
• Don't Include Artificial Sweeteners: this includes sugar alcohols including sucralose which is commonly found in sports nutrition supplements.This ingredient can kill the good bacteria in your GI tract and can also cause brain fog and dizziness.
• Do Easy-to-Digest Fats and Proteins: fatty foods that are easy to digest, such as eggs, yogurt and coconut oil bypass most of the normal digestion process and go directly to your liver where they can be metabolized into a quick source of energy. In similar fashion, some proteins are good for longer duration activity due to the break down of amino acids. 

So, what are the recommendations for a pre-workout meal?

Easy to digest, quickly absorbed carbohydrates, proteins and fats. If caffeine or fructose is the main ingredient, then avoid it before a workout. If there are a high amount of fruit based compounds, sugar alcohols and chocolates, avoid that as well.

Have more questions? Contact our MOG staff for help!

Live Health Coaching Session

Remember how Gold Medal Physical Therapy offers health coaching?

If not, let us remind you, and find out all about it!

If you would like more information, follow the link below for a great deal of helpful health information, as well as a transformation story to help get you motivated! 

Feel free to contact us to speak with one of our health coaches to get your health journey started!

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP_abb-RXHo&feature=youtu.be 

What Makes a Healthy Breakfast

Should I Eat Breakfast? What Should I Eat?

This is a common question we hear when discussing nutrition with clients and patients. A lot of people either skip breakfast, or eat something on-the-go that is not the healthiest or most nutritious choice.

Depending on the person, a lot of people just do not feel like eating in the morning. They either do not feel hungry or are in such a rush that they feel like they don't have the time to eat. But, what most do not know, is that we have both short term and long term health benefits from eating breakfast. Even if we are rushing in the morning, there are healthy grab-and-go options, we just have to know what they are and how to prepare them. 

Eating breakfast in the morning helps us have a more balanced blood sugar throughout the day and provides energy first thing in the morning which, in turn, helps us to move more not only in the morning, but all day long. 

In the long run, eating breakfast consistently helps to reduce our risk of weight gain, obesity and hypertension. However, we can only see these benefits if we eat healthy, balanced breakfasts that have a combination of healthy fats and proteins. We should avoid breakfasts that are high in sugar or simple carbs. Sugar and simple carbs will shoot your blood sugar sky high, which leads to increased belly fat over time and can affect brain function. 

So, these are the "rules" for eating breakfast, but what are some foods that are good to eat for breakfast, but can also be a quick option for rushed mornings. We want to eat foods that keep us full, rev our metabolism, give us sustained energy and keep our blood sugar at a constant level. These foods are some good options for a healthy, balanced breakfast:

• Scrambled eggs with avocado
• Protein shake with almond butter or coconut oil
• Fruit smoothies with added source of protein
• Omelets
• Yogurt parfait
• Oatmeal- topped w/fruit and nut butters

January Week 4 Exercise and Stretch

Week 4 Exercise- Pallof press
The Pallof Press is a great exercise that trains the true function of the core, which is the ability to resist motion. This exercise forces an individual to maintain strength in the core and trunk which increases the stability of these muscles.

• Get your body in a shoulder-width stance, while holding the cable directly in front of your chest.
• Bend your knees slightly, with your back straight and core muscles engaged. 
• Press the handle straight out before pulling it back in to your chest. With perfect form, the handle should not shift throughout the movement.

Week 4 stretch- leg cross over stretch
This versatile stretch is great for not only your core, specifically your obliques, but your lower back as well. This can be done anywhere, at any time. To perform this stretch, simply lie on your back, raise your knees to 90 degrees and slowly rotate them to one side. Be sure to keep your shoulders flat on the ground and your eyes up towards the ceiling.

Introducing...Core Stix!

The Gold Medal M.O.G in Perry Hall is introducing our new piece of equipment- Core Stix!

Core Stix were originally created for world-class athletes and have evolved into the most versatile fitness product available for building useable strength. Everyone, from professional personal trainers to physical therapists can reap the benefits of the Core Stix system. 

Benefits of the Core Stix

Core Stix allows you to exercise in an upright position to engage your core muscles and get the most out of every exercise allowing for endless exercise routines and variation to strengthen your body for the functional movements that life demands. The stix offer constant progressive resistance that offer safe and challenging workouts for people of all fitness levels, ages and sizes, and never compromise the health of your muscles, joints, tendons or ligaments. Core Stix allow your body to move naturally and freely, creating less of a chance of pain or injury.

How to Use Core Stix

To use the Core Stix, position the Stix in the recommended hole position as listed on the workout chart located in our Perry Hall location. Start with a lighter resistance level Stix than recommended and work your way up as your strength increases. Position your feet in the recommended foot position listed on the workout chart. If possible, perform 12-15 repetitions and 3-4 sets of each exercise.

    Please see our demonstration pictures to get a better idea of how the Core Stix work and be a beneficial addition to your exercise routine!

Core Stix Standing Row

Core Stix Squat

Core Stix March

Come visit us in the M.O.G and let us show you how to use them!

How to Fit Exercise into Your Daily Routine

The number one excuse we hear for not exercising is lack of time to do so. But, There are plenty of way to still get in exercise everyday, even if you are busy. If something comes up at work, or at home, we always find time to get it taken care of. We can't let our work or families fall to the way side because we don't have time, so why should we let ourselves fall to the way side due to lack of exercise?

There is ALWAYS a way to fit exercise into our day. Whether we do something at home, walk some extra steps throughout the day or make it to a class at the gym, there is always a way.

1. Workout Efficiently: pick a workout that you can do almost anywhere. You can do it at home, or on the road if you happen to be travelling for business or pleasure. Choose a workout and/or exercises that require no preparations and accomplish significant physical gains in a short amount of time. These could include workouts such as HIIT, Tabata training or running.

2. Cater to Your Own Likes and Dislikes: Not everyone likes to run, walk, lift weights or do yoga. But, you don't have to! Yes, you can benefit from doing those things, but if you are not going to do it because you don't enjoy it, then don't! Pick something that you like and stick with it. Experiment with different types of exercises and classes until you find something that suits your personal wants and needs.

3. Use Competitions as Motivation: for almost any sport or activity out there, there is also some sort of competition that goes along with it. Find a competition that is suitable for your skill level and go for it! Sign up, set a goal and notice what it does to your motivation and dedication level. More likely than not, you will be more motivated to stick with it if you have a date/competition to work for. 

4. Make a Schedule and Commit to It:Just like you have to schedule work meetings, doctors appointments and family activities, you should schedule your workouts, too. Put them on your calendar and work schedule as a blocked time. That way, there is less likely of a chance something can get in its way!

5. Track Your Activity Levels: write down and make a note of every time you workout and what workout you did. At the end of every week, month and year, add up your sessions to monitor the progress you have made along the way. By doing this, it will make you realize when you are slipping, before you have lost your  good habits all together.

6. Choose Something Over Nothing: some exercise is always better than none. Always. Whether its doing some push-ups while watching TV, or walking up and down your stairs at home, a little bit of movement will always be better than none. You can download fitness apps or lookup pre-programmed short and sweet workouts in order to help give you some ideas and motivation. 

January Week 3 Stretch and Exercise

Core Exercise of the Week- Standing Wood Chop

Including exercises that work both our core and balance are important for making our abdominal muscles even stronger. Utilizing other muscles than just your abs, will be more effective for a strong body for everyday living and tasks.
The "Wood Chop" move is one that is performed while standing and uses all muscles of the core, your back, arms and legs. With the coordination of all of these muscles coming together, you are doing an exercise that provides you with core stability, mobility and balance all in one.
Depending on what equipment you have available, you can do this exercise using tubing, dumbbells or a medicine ball.

• Stand with your feet hip width apart, core muscles engaged and your legs slightly bent.
• As you squat, rotate the weight down to your right foot. Use your abs and your glutes to stand up, rotating the dumbbell back to your left shoulder.
• Do 10 repetitions on each side.

Core Stretch of the Week- Standing Side Bend

• Stand up tall with your core engaged, back straight.
• Raise one arm above your head and slowly bend towards one side until you feel a stretch down your side.
• Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on each side.

Reducing Your BioAge

How to Turn Your Gym into a Time Machine
Being overweight, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, not eating right, not working out, etc. are all things that not only lead to poor health, but lead to us looking and feeling older than we actually are. So what are some things that can help us turn back the clock and get us feeling like our actual age or younger? Well, here are some tips from the Telegraph to get that physique into tip-top shape:

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1. High Intensity Aerobic Exercise- This goes back to the light weight activities we talked about in the last article. High intensity, light weight sets with short rest between sets will boost your metabolism and start to melt away that fat you've been building up. Remember that it can take up to 3 weeks to really start seeing results, though. So please don't get discouraged by the lack of immediate results.
2. Get to the Core of the Problem- A lot of issues, including but not limited back pain and poor posture can be linked to a weak core. Sound familiar? Just look at our variety of exercises available in these three articles and be sure to check back for more!!! Article 1, Article 2, Article 3. Remember, A tight core means you can do more. Catchy, right?
3. Get Some Sleep- 7-8 hours should be your goal. Anything under that will lead to an unbalanced lifestyle, and overall unhealthiness. Anything over that will lead to slothfulness, and a lack of will to do anything.

Don't Forget! The MOG Can Help!!!

Light Weight or Heavy Weight?

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Dude, Where's My Weights?
Light weight or heavy weight; they're terms that we've heard too often in college or parties with friends either to express one's prowess for being able to take on multiple after-hours beverages while feeling no affliction or to express others aren't having as great a night out. But these terms have a new meaning now that you're trying to address your workout routine, and what to do in terms of strength training. There's probably two options that you're looking at during the New Year/New Lifestyle Transition:

1. Building strength and lean muscle.
2. Losing weight.

You'll be happy to know that lifting weight can address both of these concerns, but it depends on what and how you lift them.

Light Weight to Lose Weight
If your looking to lose weight, you should be focusing on aerobic activity, something that gets that heart rate up and your cardiovascular system going. So what kind of weight are we talking about? The weight can range from about 2-10lbs, as its all a matter of what you're comfortable with. Reps should also sit between 8-12 with 30-45 second rest between sets.

Heavy Weight to Get Shape
If your looking to tone or gain your muscle, you should focus on large weight with shorter reps and longer time between sets. So what am I talking about specifically? Basically whatever you feel is comfortable above 10 pounds. By comfortable I mean something that provides a serious enough challenge to the point where you're not compromising your posture and technique during the reps. Regarding the amount of reps that your completing per set, the number of reps should sit somewhere between 4-8 reps, and the break between sets should range from 2-3 minutes.

Remember!!!
All of this advice is included in the MOG membership and personal training on a regular basis is available separate from the basic package, or a part of bigger membership package. Regardless of what membership you have, however, personal trainers are always available at our facilities to assist you with technique and questions you may have.

Take Shape for Life Health Coaching

Did you know that Gold Medal Physical Therapy not only offers the M.O.G, but we have multiple health coaches on our team as well?? We are here to help you lose weight, get healthy and change your lifestyle.

Gold Medal has partnered with Take Shape for Life and offers personalized health coaching that yields results for a brand new you. 

Take Shape for Life offers high quality, medically formulated meal replacements with free health coaching support that not only helps you lose weight, but keep it off. What we do not offer is a diet. Take Shape for Life is a two-phased process for weight loss and maintenance.

Phase 1: Medifast portioned meals to help you lose 2-5 pounds the first two weeks, then 1-2 pounds per week in the following weeks. Your coach will be there for you during this process to guide you and build up your knowledge, skills and support you need to understand your health and to help you reach your short and long term goals. 

Phase 2: After you achieve your weight loss, you will move on to the maintenance phase of the program. In this phase, you will focus on adding in small steps to your routine such as exercising three times per week and eating breakfast everyday that will add up to make healthy, lasting changes. During this phase, your health coach is there to mentor you, educate you, coach you and to most importantly, be your friend.

The Take Shape for Life Health Coaching program is designed to make healthy, lasting  habits in your life without a fad diet or exercise program. Gold Medal offers you multiple health coaches for dietary support and the M.O.G for physical activity and exercise support. We have everything you need to get healthy, so come see us!

Release of New Dietary Guidelines

Have you heard about the release of the new USDA Dietary Guidelines? 

    

If not, I am here to tell you about them and what the goal is for putting them into place. The USDA has modified the guidelines in order to help Americans prevent chronic disease and reduce the rate of obesity. With small, sustainable changes to our diet, we have the ability to prevent chronic diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes, Hypertension and Heart Disease. Due to advancements in scientific understanding about healthy eating choices, the modifications to the guidelines promote a lifetime of positive health outcomes and lasting improvements. These changes encourage Americans to take advantage of the diversity of products that are available to us thanks to our local farmers and agriculture. 

The new changes focus on five topics to help improve the American diet. 

1. Follow healthy eating across the lifespan.
2. Focus on a variety of nutrient dense foods.
3. Limit calories from added sugars and saturated fats and reduce sodium intake.
4. Healthier food and beverage choices.
5. Support health eating patters for all people.

The dietary guidelines specifically recommend the following food choices and restrictions:

• Variety of vegetables: dark green, red and orange
• Whole fruits
• Grains with at least half of them being whole grains
• Fat-free or reduced fat dairy: yogurt cottage cheese, milk
• Oils from plants
• Less than 10% of daily calories coming from added sugars: this does not included sugars that are naturally in foods, such as fruit
• Less than 10% of daily calories coming from saturated fats: foods like butter and whole milk
• Less than 2,300mg of sodium per day for individuals over the age of 14. Those younger then 14 should have even less

When attempting to make these changes, everyone, no matter your age, sex or occupation, can help in making these changes and influencing others' lives.

• Home and Family: plan out your meals and cook them at home; plan activities with family and friends that are active
• School: schools can improve the food choices they have in the cafeteria and in vending machines; provide nutrition education programs; increase physical activity programs and encourage more engagement in them
• Workplace: organize walk breaks or lunches; provide healthy options at meetings; offer wellness programs and incentives
• Community: attend or organize farmers markets; provide safe areas that promote walk-able communities

With these new guidelines, the USDA is encouraging us to eat more of a variety of foods, stay active and reduce toxins entering our body. These are changes we can make and sustain for a lifetime without making huge restrictions on ourselves. With this, we can help prevent the onset of disease and live healthier, longer lives.

If you need help with these, or deciding what foods are good and bad, come see our MOG staff! We are more than happy to help!

Exercising in the Cold

                           
Well, it seems as though we have finally reached our winter weather. After the warm holiday weather, it seemed as though our normal, dreary winters would never get here. But, here we are and now it is time to adjust. 

Whether you are someone who likes to run, walk or go to the gym, there are adjustments to be made when it comes to exercise and working out. Even if those changes are the extra pieces of motivation needed to get out of bed when it is dark and cold...

1. Dress Appropriately. This is advice for those going outside for a walk or run, or those driving to the gym. Always dress in layers and wear materials that allow for a dry, trapped area of air. Materials like cotton do not allow for this, and will cause our sweat to make us even colder. As far as going to the gym, you'll likely still be cold when first arriving, so warming up with an extra layer on is a good idea. 
                           

                                       

2. Check the Weather. This may seem self-explanatory, but it is important. You want to be sure the weather conditions are safe for exercise before you head out. Is it cold? Windy? Icy? Snowing? Our weather can be unpredictable, so check the weather on your phone or TV before heading out. 

3. Warm-up and Cool Down Properly. Warm up for an extra 5 minutes when it is cold outside. Continue warming up by taking short breaks every 30 seconds for the first 10 minutes of your workout. This will help your body adjust to the weather. Cool down for a few minutes outside, then head indoors for stretching. Slowly take off layers, and keep moving for 10-15 minutes before changing and/or showering. 

4. Start small. The first couple of times you workout in the cold, don't do as much as you normally do. Start small to let your body adjust, and gradually add in more. 

5. Prepare the Night Before. If you like to get up early and workout but have a hard time when it is cold, set out your clothes the night before and set them next to your alarm. That way, when your alarm goes off, you can see your clothes and it will be easier for you to get out of bed. 

6. Stay hydrated! When we exercise in the summer, we seem to sweat a lot more, therefore we think about drinking water more. However, our bodies sweat just as much, if not more, in the winter, so staying hydrated is crucial!

                                    

7. Be smart! This is key. We must treat our bodies properly when exercising in the cold. If it is too cold or slippery, do an indoor workout for a few days. Dress properly and take it slow. 

Now gather up your gear and go get in a workout, whatever that may be!

January Week 2 Exercise and Stretch

Core Exercise of the Week-Russian Twist
The Russian Twist is an exercise that targets your oblique muscles of the core.  There are also modifications to make this move easier for someone who is new to exercise. Start with the basic movement, and adjust depending on how your body feels.

• Sit on the ground with your knees bent and leaning slightly back with your core tight and back flat.
• You can lift your feet off the ground for more of a challenge, or leave them placed on the floor.
• Place your arms straight out in front of you with your hands together.
• Engage the muscles in your core and slowly rotate from side to side.

To make the Russian Twist even more challenging, you can add a weighted ball or dumbbell and hold it in your hands as you rotate.

Core Stretch of the Week- Spinal Stretch on the Ball

This stretch not only stretches out all muscles of the core, but also gives your back and shoulders a good stretch as well. There are more difficult versions of this spinal stretch you can try, but using the ball is a good modification and also helps to works on balance and stability while stretching. If your balance is off, you can do this stretch while standing, without using the ball. 

Why Training Your Core (not just your abs) is so Important!

Little do a lot of people know, training your core can not only help give you a flat tummy, but more importantly, it supports and strengthens your spine.The muscles of your core connect to the muscles in your legs, glutes, back and hips. All of these are the muscles that help and allow you to sit, stand and squat, which are movements we use everyday, all day. Additionally, by strengthening all of these muscles, we are supporting our spine so the burden of supporting our own weight is not placed on the bones. Not only does strengthening your core help with everyday movements like standing, getting out of bed and climbing the stairs, it is also going to help with your balance. Which, in turn will prevent falling and the injuries that go along with it.
                                          


Training your core can be as simple as paying attention to, and maintaining good posture throughout the day. We have increasingly more sedentary lives at work and at home. The least we can do is sit up straight and maintain active core muscles throughout the day, even if a majority of it is spent sitting down at a desk, in the car or on the couch at home.

By doing exercises that target your core, not just your ab muscles, will be more effective and will allow you to see and feel results faster.These types of exercises can be as easy as adding instability to your current abdominal exercises. For example, instead of doing crunches on the ground, do them on an exercise ball. By doing this, you are forcing your core muscles to work together, rather than just working the muscles in your abs.

 Another great way to train your core is to use a Bosu ball. By being unstable, this piece of equipment will engage your core by and forcing those muscles to work whether you are doing crunches, lunges or squats. 


                                   
                               

Other than doing core exercises on your own at home or in the gym, taking a yoga or Pilates class is another great way to train your core. Exercises in these types of classes incorporate all the muscles of your core including your abs, glutes, back and hips. If you decide to take this sort of class, be sure to start with a beginner level if this is something you have never done before.

                                     


Ask our MOG staff for an exercise program that incorporates core training exercises!

Fall Prevention Tactics for Your Home

We hear about the risk of falling and ways exercise can help prevent it, but is that the only thing we can do? What are some other ways we can prevent falling as we get older to avoid injury.?

In addition to the balance and stability exercises we gave you last week, there are other, simpler things you can do, specifically, in your home to prevent falls. You may not even think of some small changes you can make in your home that could greatly reduce your risk of falling. 

There is something in almost every room that you can do that decreases your chance of a fall just a little bit more. Don't let yourself lose your balance or have a fall by not making these small, simple changes in your own home!
                                          

Living/Dining/Kitchen

• Arrange furniture so there is a space for sitting, standing and turning
• Install hand rails on both sides of your stairs
• Remove throw rugs

Bathroom

• Put a transfer bench in your shower
• Put night lights in the bathroom

Bedroom

• Avoid silky sheets
• Have a flashlight on your night stand 

Miscellaneous 

• Wear socks with grips instead of slippers
• Frequent exercise and balance exercises
• Perform exercises near a stable object for balance, but use only as needed.

Retraining a Generation of Lost Posture

Blame it on Your Ancestors

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If you look at an American citizen's spine, it will be in the shape of an S. However, if you look at any other person who is part of an indigenous or third world culture, their back will be in the shape of a J. This leads many Americans to have back pain at some point in their lives, and out of those who are unlucky enough to experience the uncomfortable pain that goes along with improper posture a third will find no real reprieve for their pain.
Acupuncturist Esther Gokhale believes that she has found an answer to the back pain that Westerners are now experiencing, and that answer involves retraining our muscles to maintain the proper primitive posture. So how can you retrain your muscles, and what muscles should be retrained? The muscles in your lower back are focused on, along with the core muscles.
M.O.G. to the Rescue!!!

Esther Gokhale's program is very similar to the one that we prescribe to patients here with lower back pain. With focus on retraining lower back and core muscles, you too can have a chance at a pain free lower back!!! Give us a call today!!!

Functional Five Methodology

The Functional Five

The functional five exercises are basic movements that we see in our everyday lives and activities. These are movements that can be performed by anyone, at any age, and can be progressed to be more challenging as we get stronger. Additionally, each movement as many exercises that can vary if an individual has orthopedic or general health limitations. With all five movement in an exercise program, we are able to get a well rounded exercise program that does not leave any plane of motion untrained.
The Functional Five program consists of upper body, lower body and core strengthening exercises. With these exercises, there is an emphasis on hip mobility, strength and stability in all planes of motion that are essential for a well-functioning core.

Before beginning an exercise program of the functional five, you should always have a 10-20 minute cardio warm-up. Once beginning the exercise program, most of the exercises will be paired with a recovery exercise which may consist of stretching or mobility drills. The purpose of this recovery exercise is to allow for appropriate recovery between each set of movements to maximize the quality of contraction of the primary functional five exercise.The recovery exercise also helps to maximize your time in the gym and keep your heart rate elevated the whole time you are present. As the functional five exercises get easier, the fitness specialist can assist in progressing you to higher level movements to keep your fitness level progressing. 

Upper Extremity Extension exercises: wall push up, table push up, floor push up from knees, push up, traveling push up

Upper Extremity Pull Exercises: Resistance band row, cable row, standing cable lat pull down, pull up, squat to row 

Squat exercises:sit to stand, air squats, sumo jump squats, single leg squats, squat to press

Lunge & Balance exercises: assisted lunge, free standing 3 way lunge, weighted lunge, jumping lunges, traveling lunge with twist

Core exercises:wall mountain climbers, ground plank from knees, alternating bicycle crunches, TRX mountain climbers, TRX mountain climbers to push up

Fall Prevention Balance Exercises

In the United States millions of adults over the age of 65, about one third of that population, have a fall each year. From that, we see fall-related injuries among this population such as broken bones and head injury. Following a fall, many people have limitations in their daily lives and make it hard for them to live alone, or without a full time care taker. In order to prevent tragic falls, older adults can perform balance and strength exercises which will improve their ability to control and maintain the body's position, whether it be moving or standing still.

Some of the most basic balance exercises can be done anywhere, at any time and as often as you'd like. When beginning these exercises, be sure to have something or someone to hold on to in the chance that you become unsteady. By doing these exercises at least 2 days per week, one can greatly improve their balance which, in turn, can help in fall and injury prevention.

Some exercise to try to help with balance are the following:

• Standing on one foot: once you have mastered this, try doing it with your eyes closed.

• Walking heel to toe
• Balance walk
• Back leg raises

• Side leg raises: you can try doing this without the chair if you feel comfortable.

New Year, New Lifestyle!

At the beginning of the New Year, many of us set resolutions to better our health, whether it is losing weight, beginning to exercise or changing the way we eat. A lot of times, we set these resolutions, but do not stick to them due to lack of planning. In order to stick with these resolutions, we must set timely and realistic goals for ourselves. This is where SMART goals come in. 

S- specific

M- measurable

A- attainable

R- realistic

T- timely

Specific: in order to set a specific goal, we must ask ourselves the six "W" questions. A specific goal has a much better chance of being accomplished than a more general goal.

• Who is involved?
• What do I want to accomplish?
• Where identify a location.
• When establish a time frame for when you want this goal accomplished.
• Which identify requirements for getting this goal accomplished.
• Why purpose and/or benefits of accomplishing this goal

**Example of a "general" goal: I want to get in shape.

***Example of a specific goal: I want to join a health club and workout 3 times per week beginning the 1st of January.

Measurable:Establish concrete criteria for measuring your progress. When you can measure your progress, you are more likely to stay on track and reach your goal in a given time frame. Ask yourself: How much? How many? How will I know when it is accomplished?

Attainable: You can attain almost any goal you set when you establish a plan and a time frame that allows you to carry out your plan. Goals that previously seemed out of reach will now seem more reasonable given your attainable plan you set for yourself.

Realistic: A goal must represent an objective toward which you are both will and able to work. Be sure to set your goal high enough to be motivated to reach it, but realistic enough where you will be able to see your progress and keep moving forward.You can determine if your goal is realistic by comparing it to a goal you've reached in the past.

Timely: When there is no time frame associated with your goal, it gives you no sense of urgency to actually accomplish it. If you want to lose weight, by when do you want to lose it by?

Our 90 days for 90 Dollars new year promotion is a great way to help get your New Year's goals accomplished! Ask the MOG staff for help in setting your goals.

January Week 1 Exercise and Stretch

Core Exercise of the Week- Plank

A plank is one of the most basic, but one of the most functional core exercises that you can do. The plank helps you build strength in not only your core, but your arms and legs as well. This exercise can be performed at home or in the gym, so is good for a quick, anywhere workout. 
Depending on your fitness level, there are many varieties of the plank that can make it easier, or harder to perform. Start with the basic movement, and then modify as needed as you begin to get stronger.

For those that are more comfortable with their exercise program, you can begin the plank on your forearms. A simplified version, is to simply hold the plank while on your hands instead of forearms. In each variation, it is important to remember the following:

• Your body should be in a straight line. Back flat, core tight. Engage your core by sucking your belly button to your spine.
• All of your muscles should be engaged, including your quads, hamstrings, glutes, shoulders and forearms.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds. As you get better, try holding for 45 seconds, and then a minute.

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If you are feeling up to a challenge, give the side plank a try!

You should use the same standards as the original plank, but you are holding it on one side. Remember to keep your hips aligned with the rest of your body and your core muscles engaged. 

Core Stretch of the Week- Cobra

The cobra stretch is a move often seen on a yoga class, but is also a great core stretch that can be done on your own, at any time. 

The cobra stretches the muscles that flex your spine forward, specifically the recuts abdominis; the muscle in the front of your abdomen. See our video below of a demonstration of the cobra stretch. 

• Start by lying on your stomach with your feet flat on the ground and your palms flat, directly beneath your shoulders.
• Engage your core by sucking your belly button to your spine.
• Come up to your forearms, having a slight stretch in your core and arch in your back. 
• If you feel comfortable, come up all the way to your hands to get a deeper stretch. Look up towards the ceiling and lift your chest.
• Hold this stretch for 30 seconds. Repeat 2-3 more times.

Come give these exercises and stretches a try in our M.O.G! Ask one of our MOG staff for help getting set up!

Nutrients for the New Year

Vitamins for Vitality
You're going to need some extra supplements to nourish that new body you're working on. Here's a couple vitamins and other supplements to keep you going through the year:

1. Vitamin B: Vitamin B6 and B12 will give you the boost of energy you need throughout the day and at the gym. Look at any energy drink and you'll fine B vitamins among the main ingredients used to keep your energy up.
2. Calcium: Essential for building and maintaining bones, this vitamin is essential in older and younger people alike. However, calcium is essential for older people especially, due to the natural occurrence of osteoperosis.
3. Vitamin C: As the winter months actually approach here in Maryland (will they ever come?), exercise induced asthma will become a common occurrence. However, vitamin C can help reduce coughing and shortness of breath making it an essential dietary supplement during the winter months. Also, if you happen to be on a long voyage it can help prevent scurvy. So there's that too.
4. Vitamin D: As the days get shorter, so does my temper. But that may be due to the lack of vitamin D we're receiving from the nonexistent sun. In all honesty, you'd think I've been living in the Pacific Northwest with the amount of rain we've been getting. Vitamin D doesn't just boost your mood, it also boosts your energy with the power it supplies to muscle cell's mitochondria. 
5. Vitamin E: If you hate getting sick like I do, this supplement is a must. Take it regularly to avoid missing extended time at work or at the gym.
6. Iron: Working out significantly reduces the amount of this mineral in your essential muscles. Taking this will reduce fatigue, and get you feeling fresh so you can keep hitting the gym.
7. Magnesium: It plays a role in bone formation, making it a must for older people.  It also improves bone density and helps prevent fractures and breaks. Just make sure you hydrate and take it after exercise routines in which you sweat a lot.
8. Potassium: A must for preventing muscle fatigue. Ever ran in a 5k, marathon or any other race? If you have probably seen the banana and Gatorade giveaways at running checkpoints. This mineral will keep your water balance in check, and keep you going throughout the new year.

Where Can I Buy These Supplements?
Pretty much anywhere that they sell drugs. Walmart, Target, Vitamin World, GNC, Walgreens and many other stores have them. I recommend purchasing a good multivitamin and then supplementing anything else the multi doesn't cover well enough. If you have any questions, don't forget you can contact me at wellness@goldmedalpt.com.